Mailbag June 15, 2010

Reader Comments

Avatar to the Rescue? By Jeff Mudgett

Hello Jeff,

Excellent article. I really enjoyed it. I marvel everyday at the incompetence. They wanted Obama, now by God, they've got him.

Larry Sardelli

Larry,
You are welcome and your comments appreciated
Jeff

Jeff,

I like your tongue in cheek opinion on what the government should do to stop the oil. About CIA and FBI agents scouring the planet looking for someone that may know something about capping oil wells at 5,000 feet below the sea? That’s too funny. But, if you’re serious than you should go back inside the Cuckoo clock you came out of.

All the best,

Tim Axelsson

Dear Tim,

You know this was satirical right? Do you think I would allow nut cases to scream from the pulpit? It was a spoof OPED on what Obama needs to do to take charge of the spill. With nothing but depressing news coming from the Gulf, Mudgett simply had the president pulled the BP CEO aside and gave him a talking to…..and for the CIA and FBI………….CMON MAN!! I fell out of my chair laughing………..

Believe me I read everything that I post—if I didn’t think Mudgett was poking fun, I would have tossed the piece into the garbage. Really Tim, this is what OPEDs are about…..you can state your case fully upright with hard facts and opinions or throw some dirt on the subject and kick it in the butt, and that’s exactly what Jeff did………..

Tony Munoz


Jeff,

Thanks for replying… I do appreciate it and agree with you on the need for actions and governance instead of politics (from all sides). I would love to see the US put a freeze or seize of BP accounts and assets until the full cost of this disaster is understood and recouped. I think you make it personal but confiscating the CEO of BP’s passport and not allow him to leave the country until this is resolved. Beyond that I feel like your article was a great example of the frustration of futility that everyone is feeling. I am sure you spent time and effort trying to come up with direct ACTIONS that could be taken… I have also in trying to respond to your article… and neither of us has come up with anything that really does anything to solve the issue. That is frustrating and shows how dire this really is.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply, that was unexpected and appreciated.

Jason

Jason,
I was sorry to read your reaction to the piece. More and more I am disappointed with our politicians and their lack of, well, balls. Dire straits sometimes require drastic actions. I would love to see a President act without regard to the political consequences. For the most part "Kidnap" was satirical, but not by much if it were indeed needed to save our national treasures. Thanks for your response. Jeff

For those of you that didn't get a chance to read this OPED: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/2010-6-3-avatar-rescue/


OPED-Not Enough Lifeboats by Tony Munoz

Dear Tony

Enormously good commentary...love the lifeboat analogy.
Mat Tombers

Thank Mat,

It’s important more now than ever to understand that a lot of people and companies will not make it out of the GOM oil spill mess. Whether its reputation, money or a job, not everybody will make it onto the lifeboat.
Tony



Mr. Munoz

Thank you for your article. Hopefully more and more people will be appalled enough to start a much needed Energy Revolution in this country. One thing I have found interesting is that since the latest “fix”, BP has been boasting about the total amount of oil they are recovering. The amount they claim to be capturing is now more than the total amount they have been willing to admit is spilling from the well. If their “fix” is only capturing approximately 30% of the gusher, perhaps the number of barrels spilling per day should be updated. The citizens of the affected areas, as well as the rest of us have a right to know. Why isn’t the media reporting on this? As a typical minimally-informed citizen, I would like to know how much is actually being spilled!!

Thank you for “listening”

FREDDIE ROSADO

Thank you Freddie,

I too am concerned about the amount of oil being spilled into the GOM. But, I am also cognizant that approximately 60% of the US oil consumption comes from overseas sources and what concerns me is our further dependence of foreign oil by militant states. Offshore drilling in the OCS will undergo a complete overhaul of its emergency response mechanisms before we witness the full recovery of production, but that could take a long time. If the government shuts down the GOM drilling, it needs to be understood that you simply cannot to snap your fingers and bring it back online. Once, it’s shut down, it may take years to bring it back,

Regards,

Tony


Tony

Interesting thought, but it is interesting how things are evolving. The oil people are not stupid and they know a lot more than they are sharing with us. This causes a lot of bad ideas and comments being put forward. That allows the oil company to glean what they may want to use and toss the rest. I don’t have a problem with that but after learning more things I tossed man of my ideas and work as well as they would not work with the new information,

As a Chief Engineer I have been in more brainstorming meetings than I can remember and they do end up with results that solve the problem. With this event they failed to share all the information that they knew, and that would have helped to solve the problem.

I sent a quick drawing idea for a cap and adjustable expanding plug and got nothing back. It had many options and some I changed or were tossed out because of new information released.

We now have to start getting the oil collected and we also need to change or put on hold some EPA requirement till the major task is mostly done. The Clean Water and Clean Air regulations were not designed for something of this scope.

Let me think about how to attack this so it makes some sense and gets going on the task at hand.

The big guy on TV talking about the fisherman and tasks at hand is correct the shimmers from all over the world should have been underway or on ships and put is service the day the rig sank. BP is not dumb either they knew the rig was a total loss and the fire could not be put out. The crews told them that and what it sank is still not released. It looked like the water pouring on the fire was getting into the legs. Skimming and vacuuming up all the oil possible keeps that much off the beach. It is hard for those not spending their lives on the water to imagine the vast amount of water and oil.

Anyway I know of Skimmers in Puget Sound and other ports as well as many in Europe, that are still tied to the dock. What does that tell you? Maybe that no one is in charge!

Clark Dodge


< Dear Clark,

It’s taken a long time for someone to get in charge, but when folks are screaming to get the federal government out of their lives (bailout of Wall Street, Auto Makers and Health Care). I think Obama tippy toed before finally jumping in…….sad but true,

Tony

For those who didn't get a chance to read this OPED: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/oped-not-enough-lifeboats/