Wow, Mr. McConnell of DCRepublicans got the goods on Rush’s now legendary speech at the CPAC Saturday night, praising Obama and all that. Read it all here. Great stuff there. I did watched Rush’s speech on C-SPAN and it’s really fantastic.
And Mr. McConnell is absolutely spot on this point:
Many liberals and even some Republicans really don’t listen to Rush Limbaugh or even bother reading the transcript of his show. Many do not understand nor get it right on what “conservatism” really means (hint: see beneath the Deaf Conservative Republicans title at top of blog page). Many liberals get their myths and mis/disinformation from the mainstream media and zealous bloggers about what or who Limbaugh is all about rather than hear it from Rush Limbaugh’s own voice or words. It’s even worse in the Deaf community in some cases. Though I ask them this question now. How many well known radio personalities actually provide a daily transcript of their radio shows to those who may be deaf or hard of hearing?
Head over to Rush’s website and see for yourself, especially Rush has sharp, blunt words for Mr. Steele, the Chairman of the RNC. Don’t be afraid. Rush’s not the booming voice of God, you know? 
03/03/2009 at 1:00 AM
Steele already apologized to Rush…kissed his ring and all that.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19517.html
03/03/2009 at 11:31 AM
I read the whole transcript and I came away not ‘feeling’ Rush Limbaugh. I would rather have a president that is much more in tune with reality and tells us like it is. The truth, no matter how bleak it is. The problem with past Presidents are that, not all, but some usually say things just to give us false hope and some fabricate as not to create hysteria. We’re not kids, Americans are capable of taking bad news and roll with it. Obama has a lot on his plate and I applaud him for being upfront with the state of our country. While I may not agree with the recent stimulus bill in its entirety, Americans will prevail somehow and tackle the mess that Congress has gotten us into for the past several years. Rush, as usual is an arrogant pompous character, and he even so much admits to it. If I want a good laugh, I’ll go to Rush’s site. I’ll admit, some of the things he says are good for laughs (yea, I surprised myself) but, he ain’t nobody to take up with seriously. He’s probably still popping up these opiates which would explain how he comes off like he does. Opiates gives people ‘Rush’ and makes most turn out to be a pompous ass.
At least, that is my take.
03/03/2009 at 2:56 PM
How can we “prevail” if Congress (mostly Dems) and the President insist on spending more than the IRS revenue? The 2007 returns amounted to $2.57 trillion dollars (the 2008 should be a little less). Already this year spending plan goes over $1 trillion dollar more than the 2007 IRS revenue. And will be close to that for the next several years.
One good way to prevail is to start drilling for our own oil, keep what we get here and sell the rest to other countries. And use the gains to help plan properly alternative energies down the road. you cannot simply knock out coal, oil and gas so drastically since it is energy is what made America prosperous. Think about it.
Obama has NOT been up front nor transparent in the government. Instead of inspiring people he make it sound like America is already one big soup kitchen. It’s better for a president to inspire rather than cast continued gloom and doom attitudes.
03/03/2009 at 8:27 PM
Candy, which transcript you just read from Rush?
03/03/2009 at 9:13 PM
CPAC from Saturday Night, his first ever address to the Nation.
03/03/2009 at 9:31 PM
Hey Under The Hill,
I am sick of all the attention given to Royal Fat A$$. Wow!! Royal Fat A$$ is not worth it. He tries to control all the power of the Republican Party. The Republicans are cowards when it comes to Royal Fat A$$. That’s true because Michael Steels and RNC wanted to be forgiven by Royal Fat A$$. Royal Fat A$$ keeps nitpicking Obama. It’s so silly. Oh, Royal Fat A$$ is SO jealous of Obama because Obama is VERY popular than him.
Oh, McConnell is VERY opinionated in his blog, too much like ENRIQUE (lair).
Thanks,
Bobby L.
03/03/2009 at 10:03 PM
I am with Bobby Lopez ganged up on Mike McConnell.
How come didn’t Mike McConnell objected to the insane federal spendings under the Bush II adminstration or should I say “Dubya/Dicky” adminstration??
Bush II hid the real cost of Iraq and Afghan wars from the American taxpayers. Obama is cleaning up Bush’s mess as very usual for the Democratic President(s) to clean up the GOP presidents, then the Democratic presidents took the full blame for economic screw-ups.
JFK-LBJ led the economic boom, then Nixon-Ford screwed up with inflation and whatever they done to our economy in the late 60s and 70s.
President Carter cleaned up Nixon-Ford’s mess, then got unfairly kicked by the teeth. Reagan took the credits from Carter’s selection of Paul Vocker to lead the Fed.
Bill Clinton had to clean up Reagan and Bush I’s economic mess thru widespread economic inequality.
Bobby,
Rush Limbaugh have to shut up and run for the public office for once. Why doesn’t he?
Nah, Rush love $$$ too much by making any real sacrifice for our country. He never have been to the military while many Democrats already serve in the military except Clinton.
RLM
03/03/2009 at 11:35 PM
Ganging up? LOL. Wotta laugh. I guess Bobby or RLM doesn’t realize the spending that Obama proposes outspends Bush’ funding on the war by almost 3 times. Bush total war is close to $657 billion dollars since 2003 (.http://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf ). That’s 6 years or on avg $110 billion dollars a year versus Obama’s single year spending of $1.75 trillion dollars over budget (deficit) this year alone versus $455 billion over budget last year with Bush in office. That’s nearly four times as much spending than Bush in 2008. Obama breaks all presidential spending record by a large margin. Perhaps what Bobby doesn’t understand is that the U.S. collected $2.57 trillion dollars in 2007 from tax returns (IRS revenues and should be slightly less for 2008 returns) and the extra money for spending comes from borrowing money from other countries, especially China where we owe them a little more than $1 trillion dollars right now. And Bobby wants to talk about Bush “insane” spending? He has absolutely no friggin clue.
To “gang up” on me on the subject of politics is a joke. Learn to stop while you’re ahead, boys.
03/04/2009 at 12:35 AM
Hey McConnell,
Oh really, you think that I do not understand. Oh, you are so cute.
Hey RLM
I kiss fist you. Thumbs up! What is up?
Oh, I agree with you. McConnell needs to be careful.
Royal Fat A$$ Limbaugh should join The Biggest Loser.
Bush (boy) cost us a lot with the IRAQ WAR for 8 years. Bush and Cheney haven’t been spending enough for Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. They cut the budget on the levies in New Orleans and that $14 billion in
destruction. Compare that with Iraq War which costs more than $14 billion dollars every day. That wastes time not to mention the human deaths. That and people suffering in New Orleans.
Bush (boy) has many friends that are CEOs and they love the bonus $$ millions.
Obama is trying to take on the challenge and clean up the USA. I bet that Obama will work hard.
Obama was born in Hawaii, in the US, but McCain was not born in the USA because his father was in the military. Why do the Republicans keep going on about Obama not being a US citizen because he wasn’t born in the US? Don’t they know that Hawaii is a state?? WHOA!!!!
Oh, Sarah Palin can’t beat President Obama in 2012.
Just Say No Sarah
Just Say No Royal Fat A$$ Limbaugh….
Bobby L…. ;-D
03/04/2009 at 12:50 AM
Neither Mr. Mason and Mr. Lopez have any qualification to understand the complexities of federal budget spending matters per year as requested by all of the members of Congress, especially on the earmarks (which is why Sen. McCain was pissed off today over too many earmarks). Nor do they ever note that the Democrats are usually the ones that wanted more spending on programs that does not generate financial revenues in return. For example, how does sending $900 million to the Palestinians can lead to job creation in America and benefiting Americans in the long term?
Perhaps if Mr. Lopez and Mr. Mason care to explain how erroneous and misguided they are about Rush, GOP, the US economy and the spending issues? Methinks they would probably resort to juvenile-laden semantics in a fit of cognitive dissonance.
03/04/2009 at 1:42 AM
Bobby. The Iraq war began on March 19, 2003. Barely 6 years ago. It has not been 8 years. LOL.
Strike one for you, Bobby.
The cost of the Iraq war since 2003 til October 2008 was at $657 billion dollars (i’ts probably close to $700 billion by now). See CRS Report to Congress in 2008 (http://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf). So, for 6 years in the Iraq war (from March 2003 to March 2009) that averages out to be about $120 billion dollars a year or $330 million dollars a day. Not $14 billion dollars a day. If that was true that means it’d be $5.1 TRILLION dollars per year (14 billions multiply by 365 days in one year). False, Bobby. The United States collects about $2.5 trillion dollars from tax returns (from 2007 year returns) and if the Iraq war cost us $14 billion dollars a day we would run out of money in 6 months! Your math is horribly, horribly way, way off into la la land.
Strike 2 for you, Bobby.
There were no “budget cuts” on aiding and providing funds to help rebuild and assist communities and towns impacted by hurricane Katrina and rebuild infrastructures. Look at the list of accomplishments since the disaster – http://www.dhs.gov/xfoia/archives/gc_1157649340100.shtm
That’s strike 3 for you, Bobby. What are you smoking anyway?
There were no budget cuts for levies!
Much, much progresses were made in repairing and strengthening New Orlean’s levies.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) repaired and restored 220 miles of floodwalls and levees since September 2005. With a few exceptions, the New Orleans hurricane protection system is in equal or better condition than it was when Katrina hit. For example, levees and flood walls have been armored to protect against erosion from possible overtopping in several areas, and pumping stations are being storm proofed. Floodgates have been added at the outfall canals to protect against storm surge and a tree cutting program on existing levees for protection is ongoing. .
This work consisted of 59 separate construction projects, carried out by 26 Corps contractors — 90% of them local.
The Corps continues to construct stronger protection for New Orleans by engineering, constructing and improving storm and flood protection infrastructure to a 100-year protection level. This work includes higher levees, stronger floodwalls and greater interior drainage capacity, including:
Replacing failed I-Wall design floodwalls with stronger T-wall or L-wall design floodwalls.
Reinforcing the most vulnerable undamaged I-Walls and the surge protection closures. ”
See link on levies – http://www.dhs.gov/xfoia/archives/gc_1157649340100.shtm
That’s strike 4 for you, Bobby.
Next time, get the facts right first before you open your mouth.
Yes, Bobby. YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND. It’s better to have facts on your side to support an argument than to spew nonsense drivel.
03/04/2009 at 3:17 AM
I get so tired of partisan politics. He hasn’t even been in office two months and Conservatives are screaming already. No matter what he does y’all will complain cuz he wasn’t the guy you wanted. Same thing happened during the eight years Clinton was in office. I don’t listen to Rush because I can’t hear talk radio. I have no choice but to get my news about what he says second hand– but I honestly don’t care because he is just one man among many after all. There are plenty of opinions to support all sides. And yes, it’s true most of us listen more closely to the side we agree with. Human nature. The world isn’t coming to an end. It’s time to move on.
03/04/2009 at 4:04 AM
Kim, Rush provides complete transcripts to his radio show. Why hear from secondary sources when you can read it directly from Rush own site and words? He has been offering this free transcripts for the last several years.
If Obama promised back in December 2008 that there would be no earmarks in a stimulus bill and yet he turned that around and signed a 9000+ pages worth of earmark in a pork bill (ie “stimulus” package) that no one in Congress had a chance to read through the 1000+ pages of the bill would certainly cause more than just raised eyebrows but outright incredulity and outrage. He keeps breaking promises or have you not noticed that, Kim?
It’s the obnoxious spending amount. Already Obama spending plan for this year alone is $1.75 trillion dollars more than the alloted budgeted amount for this year. That’s nearly 4 times as much as Bush’ $455 billion dollar deficit in 2008. And Obama isn’t done with his spending plan, either. In the end the middle and low income group will surely see that they got shafted by Obama with the increase in taxation and how companies will past their raising costs (per Obama “stimulus” package) will be passed onto the consumers. It’s a no-win situation.
03/04/2009 at 9:11 AM
Kim, time to change your “human nature” of listening to the side you always agree with. You cannot just agree with the one side all the times. It’s unrealistic and unhealthy. I had disagreed with both Republicans and Democratics, liberals and conservatives on some issues before. Rush slammed the Republican Party many times and has actually gained the respects of the Republicans who aren’t beholden themselves to the GOP 100%.
It helps to have an independent mind, step outside of your preferred side’s sandbox and look at their issues realistically rather than whining about partisan politics and blaming the other side.
03/04/2009 at 9:18 AM
Oh, it’s not just Republicans but many Democrats are now voicing their displeasure about the economy and Obama’s wild spending plan.
03/04/2009 at 10:19 AM
Rush surely gave such a windy speech – too long and “beating the bush” from the beginning. He definitely love to hear himself talk, talk, talk.
That is a time for the real action within Rush Limbaugh to run for the public office. Probably the POTUS office!
Rush Limbaugh is much equalivent to Father Coughlin, the powerful and dangerous radio personality of the 1930s. In the end, Coughlin finally exposed as anti-Semite and corruptistic. Rush will be the next one along with his past run-in with the law for abusing the prescription drugs.
I challenge Rush Limbaugh to create the charitalbe foundation for CI surgery cost which I will call for the nationwide petition to terminate the federal and other government fundings for CI surgery thru the Medicaid and other health insurance companies.
The government really have no business of providing the supplements like the CI surgery which only benefit very few as compared to the funding for deaf youngsters. Comprendo?
FYI, there are more Republicans guilty of submitting earmarks than Democrats.
For example, six Republicans to two Democrats within recent stimulus. My former boss, U.S. Senator Christopher Bond, R-MO, is mosty guilty of stashing earmarks.
Why don’t both of you, Mike McConnell and Rob Underhill run for the public office? Both of you appeared very intelligent and capable individuals.
Moi do not understand the complex mechanisms of the federal budget?? I have been through federal budgets while employed with the office of Honorable Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-MO in the 90s and other contractors.
Bobby,
Any individuals with the parents, who are the U.S. citizens whose born everywhere are automatically the U.S. citizen by the birthright.
Look at JFK born in England with their parents, who were the U.S. citizens.
Interesting scenario about Barry Goldwater. He was not supposed to run for the 1964 presidency due to his birthplace in the AZ republic before it finally admitted to the Union (U.S.).
There was the ongoing commission to investigate whether John McCain qualified for the presidency, but it got dissolved after McCain lose the presidential election.
Major moral and finanical sins within the Bush II presidency how they done with Iraq thru private contractors. No competitive biddings among companies to win the bids to do the businesses with federal government for the Iraqi contracting works. That was a clear violation of federal laws in many ways. Haliburton is one of the fine example whose hemorrage the American taxpayers with real poor service and questionable quality of goods.
For example, the real patriotic U.S. Army serviceman was horrified to find out that his weekly laundry loads would cost the American taxpayers about $100 per load. He decided to help to save the American taxpayers by washing his own clothes in the sink.
Guess what? The Army corporal came to that American serviceman that he could not do those laundry stuff all by himself and required to send his soiled clothes to the Haliburton’s laundry service.
Haliburton and other private companies had many American servicemen exposed to very harmful chemical presence from using the water tanks ladded with chemical residues before putting the water for servicepeople to take showers. How horrible!
What’s wrong with the military’s own supplies and services – much effiecent and cheaper and reliable than private companies.
There are many private contractors – Iraqis themselves exploited the American taxpayers with shoddy and questionable military stuff like bulletproof vests and used helicopters. In the end, our American servicepeople greatly suffer from the corporatization of the military system at the expenses of those underappreciated and hardworking military people in name of free markets and free enterprise.
Where are the real outrages from Mike McConnell and Rob Underhill and other conservatives how the Bush II adminstration treated our servicepeople that way!
Same thing with the Walter Reed hosptial and other Veteran Adminstration service providers.
Why didn’t the Bush II adminstration do more post-war plannings for securing Iraq and Afghanistian in real Republican way? Ever not provide the real logistical supports for our servicepeople after done their military tours like dealing with the PTSD counselings.
RLM
03/04/2009 at 11:27 AM
Mr. Mason, try not to throw off too many unrelated subjects in your future posts, okay? You’re obsessing too much about past political “sins” of Bush. The Bush II administration was not entirely faultless in everything they did, no one was perfect and I wouldn’t expect any perfection to come out of the Obama administration.
03/04/2009 at 2:42 PM
Are there transcripts of Rush’s daily radio shows? If so, where are they on Rush’s website? I did visit Rush’s official website, http://www.rushlimbaugh.com, and it’s not clear where transcipts can be found.
Besides, I’ve never listened to Rush, or even read anything he wrote. I know he is a popular conservative radio show host, and I’m sure we probably agree 90 to 95% on every issue. However, for some reason, I have NO interest in Rush. None at all. I do not consider him to be the leading voice of Republican Party. But that is my personal opinion.
03/04/2009 at 2:51 PM
cheetah, look again. Click on each topic in Rush Limbaugh’s website ( http://www.rushlimbaugh.com ). Those topics you see are what he talked about that day. It is not what he wrote you’re reading but what he said that day…transcripted. He transcripts 100% of his talk shows whenever he talks on the radio. 100%.
03/04/2009 at 3:08 PM
McConnell,
Thanks for clearing that up. I did visit the website again, and clicked on the topics. You were right, he did have his talk shows trascribed.
03/04/2009 at 3:14 PM
RLM, you pretty much proves that you don’t even listen nor read Rush Limbaugh’s program nor his recent CPAC speech. Rush has never been known to “beat around the bush” but is quite direct and open.
Secondly, Rush has no desire to run for POTUS. Why should he? His interest is in radio and the committment to educate his listeners on a daily basis. In fact, since Liberals foolishly made him to be the de facto GOP leader (not Rush’s word but Liberals like Reid, Gibbs, etc) that today, while I drove and listened to his radio show, he made an invitation to President Obama to come on his show to debate and discuss between the two leaders. Remember, Rush never said he was the leader nor claim to be the leader but it was Liberals/Democrats as well as Obama who made the claim that Rush is the leader. So, Rush is willing to pay for Obama’s trip, pay for his 5 star hotel stay, pay for his food, lodging, plane flight and anything else to come on to his radio show to debate and discuss with each other on the merits of ideologies, the economy, the U.S. Constitution, national defense and so forth. No negotion. No other stand ins to replace Obama. Just Obama and Rush on the radio with 20 to 22 million listeners. After all, it’s between two leaders, right? That’s what the Democrats said about Rush being the de facto leader of the GOP. So, fine, says Rush. Obama has nothing to fear to come and sit down with Rush for a nice friendly debate and discussion during a live radio programming. After all, as Rush said a few days ago on CPAC:
“President Obama is one of the most gifted politicians, one of the most gifted men that I have ever witnessed. He has extraordinary talents. He has communication skills that hardly anyone can surpass.”
So, what is Obama afraid of about Rush on showing up on his radio show with 22 million listeners? Will Obama take up the challenge or chicken out and find some excuse not to go? If I’m a betting man, and I am, I’d say that Obama will not accept the challenge to meet with a “leader of the GOP” (Democrats’ word, not Rush) to debate and discuss about today’s issues that many Americans find so troublesome. Let’s see whether Obama accept that challenge/invitation. Or will Obama chicken out with a lame excuse? Liberals are definitely panicking over this one right now in the effort to try and paint Limbaugh as the de facto leader of the GOP but it looks it’ll backfire on them, again as usual.
RLM, I have no interest to run for office. Why would I want to take a pay cut? Just as Rush Limbaugh has no interest to run for office. Why should he? If you have a $400 million contract for the next 8 years, would you drop it? Rush functions best behind a mike and in front of an audience such as the CPAC function.
RLM, the real outrage was that it was no secret that Liberals wanted to see the United States fail on the war in Iraq. That was their mantra over the last 5 years or so.
RLM, if you didn’t know for the last 6 years on the war in Iraq about the United States’ plan was to ensure that Democracy is set up (it has), freedom to run the street and not terror, allow Iraqis to defend and run the country on their own (Iraqis police and Armed Forces right now nearly control all of Iraq), regain control over their financial infrastructure (they have and their own Iraq stock market has been going through the roof), better control of their oil production and economy and so on. In short, the plan was to see that Iraq gain strong stability and autonomous control and able to stand up for themselves so that the United States can effectively withdraw without worry the Iraqi government implode on themselves or unable to repel and defeat terrorists. That was the plan and it was and continues to be a successful effort by the United States and coalition forces. If you didn’t see that plan, which was clearly and plainly obvious, you’ve been in the dark way to long, dude.
03/04/2009 at 3:17 PM
Cheetah, good to see that you finally found Rush transcription links. Rush is a leader in what he does, that’s for sure. He has this uncanny insight and is able to predict, correctly, liberals’ moves and intentions that seems to just backfire on them.
03/04/2009 at 3:31 PM
Here’s what Rush said today just now came up on his website an earlier transcript of what he spoke earlier today:
Rush to the President: Debate Me
RUSH: It is on the record — thanks to Politico.com — since last fall, the White House, led by Rahm Emanuel, the chief of staff to Barack Obama, has been targeting me, your host, your harmless, lovable little fuzzball. Their standard operating procedure: they need a demon to distract and divert from what their agenda is. They need a demon about whom they can lie so as to persuade average Americans that they’re the good guys, the benevolent good guys, and the mean SOBs are their enemies trying to stop this great young little president from doing miraculous and wonderful things.
Here is a new ad that this union bunch is running in Washington, DC, ladies and gentlemen. And, of course, it’s been picked up all over the Web. You guys, if you haven’t done so, you gotta go to RushLimbaugh.com. The DNCC, whatever it is, they have a questionnaire up there. It’s hilarious. I have to give ‘em credit. You can see it right now at RushLimbaugh.com.
…But make no mistake about it. Emanuel is the leader of all of this. Carville and Begala are just trying to ride my fame into their fortune and become relevant again. Begala and Carville, don’t confuse them with the powerbrokers that are managing this. It all Emanuel. Begala and Carville are second-rate talking heads on CNN. CNN has no audience. Rahm Emanuel is the power behind the throne — and don’t let his effeminate nature and his ballerina past mislead you on this. He may look effeminate (he was a ballerina at one time) but he has the feral instincts of a female rat defending its young. Well, take a look. When Emanuel and Carville and Begala are together (and I’ve seen pictures) it looks like a reunion of the Village People. (singing) Y! M! C! A! They are really the official greeters in Roswell, New Mexico in Area 51 where Carville was born.
My point here is that these are really odious, empty, nasty people who are feasting on their own arrogance. They are power hungry. But, you know what? They’ve never had a serious debate over ideas. Their goal is to destroy opponents, which is what they’re trying to do now. They don’t want to engage opponents. Their idea of victory is the destruction of the opponent. They’re not for a level playing field. They want to clear the playing field so that their ideas do not have to undergo any scrutiny. So what do they do? They leak stories to the Politico intended to create impressions about their own importance and their brilliance, when in fact they aren’t even bit players on the nation’s stage. This is Emanuel, and this is Obama.
…But I have an idea. If these guys are so impressed with themselves, and if they are so sure of their correctness, why doesn’t President Obama come on my show? We will do a one-on-one debate of ideas and policies. Now, his people in this Politico story, it’s on the record. They’re claiming they wanted me all along. They wanted me to be the focus of attention. So let’s have the debate! I am offering President Obama to come on this program — without staffers, without a TelePrompTer, without note cards — to debate me on the issues. Let’s talk about free markets versus government control. Let’s talk about nationalizing health care and raising taxes on small business.
Let’s talk about the New Deal versus Reaganomics. Let’s talk about closing Guantanamo Bay, and let’s talk about sending $900 million to Hamas. Let’s talk about illegal immigration and the lawlessness on the borders. Let’s talk about massive deficits and the destroying of opportunities of future generations. Let’s talk about ACORN, community agitators, and the unions that represent the government employees which pour millions of dollars into your campaign, President Obama. Let’s talk about your elimination of school choice for minority students in the District of Columbia. Let’s talk about your efforts to further reduce domestic drilling and refining of oil. Let’s talk about your stock market. By the way, Mr. President, I want to help. Yesterday you said you looked at the stock market as no different than a tracking poll that goes up and down.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030409/content/01125106.guest.html
Of course, Obama will decline and play chicken in the attempt to save face.
Just watch…and learn from a pro.
03/04/2009 at 3:33 PM
The challenge is already up on Drudge Report. LOL.
http://www.drudgereport.com/
03/04/2009 at 4:35 PM
If you and Rush really cares about our country, then run for the public office at once or quit yakking or resort to the endless defense of the American conservativsm.
We sometimes have to make some sacrifices within ourselves, instead of enriching ourselves within comfort zones.
For example, I am currently homeless due to my personal refusal of signing another rental lease every year which the rental management fail to meet my accessibility needs.
The rental management asked me to vacate my rental premise because I could not agree to sign the annual lease – how much laisse faire market in Virginia rental market. They also failed to resolve my complaints and concerns about the secondhand smoking exposures from other tenants seeped into my rental unit’s air vents. The mgt choose to boot me out of my rental unit. They stole many crucial documents like their own quote – “Tenants have the right to smoke inside their apartments”.
I will be going to sue this apartment management for endangering my own health within their own knowledge for years . Ever the tobacco industry, too for production of very dangerous products like cigarettes.
Individuals like myself and other people do not have much choice in residential habitations without being exposed to very dangerous products – cigarettes and pesticides, etc.
Republicans and political conservatives would say ‘Move out and find another place”. I looked for the right place more than one and half years with seperate ventilaiton system and ground-level residence, not multi-floor residence, etc.
I personally hope for my contacts with my personal favorite liberal, Rep. Waxman from California to draft up the legislation to ban any kind of smoking within the multi-dwelling units, ex. apartment and condo buildings in name of public health interests and concerns.
RLM
03/04/2009 at 5:07 PM
There are *MANY* ways to show how much one cares for his/her country. Running for office is one of them. But I desire not to run for office. I do other things that I do that I care deeply for this country. Running my blog, DCRepublicans, is one of them. Remember, there are many politicians that do run for office but don’t really care for there country’s liberty, freedom, and the U.S. Constitution. Many do seek to destroy that.
Tell me, RLM, what does conservatism mean? I believe deeply in conservatism and not liberalism.
Blogger’s note: edited to insert “ways” for Mr. McConnell.
03/04/2009 at 5:54 PM
Mr. Mason, how can you really afford an apartment in northern Virginia? One BR apartment rentals in NoVa are really expensive, even studio efficiencies. Many apartment buildings are following market rates and people will pay more than you can, whether smoking is allowed or not in some buildings. Northern Virginia is very, very crowded (overpopulated, I would say). Suing your apartment management company seems ill-advised, unless you must demonstrate provable evidence to support your claim that second-handed smoking in your residential-rental complex has caused you health/physical problems (if you proceed with a lawsuit, the other side would require an independent physician to verify your claims, not your own doctor).
I think you are better off moving to more affordable places, like in Frederickburg, Va. or Columbus or Dayton, Ohio (there are many ground-level affordable apartments around town) with some places not allowing smoking inside multiple-dwelling apartments or townhouses. Thankfully, I live on a residential complex that does not allowed smoking inside.
The idea of a federal ban on smoking inside apartments and condos is objectionable to many states, which some have laws on the books and some apartment managements have already banned smoking inside their units.
03/04/2009 at 7:29 PM
RLM,
This is coming from a non-Rushite conservative, I think Rush has the right to remain on his radio show and continue voicing his strong opinions on anything.
Not everybody can be a politician. While Rush probably has some good conservative ideas, I get the feeling he’s aloof and doesn’t have what you would call social skills. he’s a divorced man, and has some serious personal falws. He’s not an excellent family model to look up to. So, if he were to run for office, he’d get slaughtered by either primary Republican challengers or even Democratic opponents who are more charismatic and rely on style rather than substance.
I always wanted to be a professional soldier, but unfortunately, I’m deaf. So that’s out of picture. However, that doesn’t stop me from living a productive life, contributing whatever to the society. That’s similar to what Rush is doing right now. He’s fine where he is now.
03/04/2009 at 7:54 PM
You don’t know Rush, do you? Just admit it.
03/04/2009 at 7:55 PM
that was for RLM.
03/04/2009 at 11:10 PM
Regarding revenue, two biggest revenue makers are IRS and Customs. Mike, do you have the figures for 2008 coming from both agencies? What’s the projected amount for 2009? I can look, but, am pretty swamped…..maybe I will but, I’m wondering where you got your source.
03/04/2009 at 11:36 PM
Hey
Yes, I strongly agree with Mason. Good job, Mason! Thumbs up!! McConnell and Under The Hill are strong conservatives. But it’s just too much; they are too close-minded.
Taxpayers have been paying the salaries for Halliburton since former VP Cheney was their CEO. Halliburton headquarters are in Houston.
The Republicans have spent too much on the budget.
McConnell, why are you and the Republicans always whining and complaining so much about the stimulus and about Obama? Obama wants to help Americans and improve the economy. I agree with the fiscally conservative Republicans but where have they been for the last 8 years. They sure were hiding. I think at this point that Bush and the Reps have messed up the economy so much that we need the stimulus to recover. If Obama is wrong, then the economy will worsen and Royal Fat A$$ will be shown to be right. Hey McConnell and Under The Hill please shut up!!!! You and McConnell are obsessing about Royal Fat A$$ and dwell on Obama.
EX – The Independents in American do not like Royal Fat A$$ because he has such a big mouth and is so egotistical. I am excited that the conservatives and the Republican party are in upheaval. You and McConnell are right that Royal Fat A$$ has the right to free speech and he can be as negative as he wants but it may hurt the Republican party in the end. But as long as he rakes in his millions, he will be happy. (laughing) Thumbs up!!!
You’ve heard about this? Bush’s grandfather allegedly stole the skull of Geronimo when he was in Skull and Bones at Yale university. Geronimo’s family is suing Bush’s family. I bet that you and McConnell do not care about Skull and Bones.
Good Night
Bobby Lopez…
03/04/2009 at 11:54 PM
Mr. Lopez, you do not have a clue about me or Mr. McConnell or the U.S. economy or the stimulus spending issue. In fact, you know absolutely zilch about any of the issues and you have no business to tell me or Mr. McConnell to shut up. I do not think you are in any way qualified to post your juvenile-minded nonsense in my blog or anywhere else. In fact, you have no business to perpetuate your ignorance on the subjects you’ve mentioned so far.
Next same rant you make, it gets delete. Understand, Mr. Lopez?
03/05/2009 at 1:34 AM
Candy, for 2007 it was $2.57 trillion dollars in revenues for the IRS. A typical year for customs from tariffs, fees, port of entry, etc amounts to about $33 billion dollars a year. Projected IRS revenue for 2008 is $2.51 trillion dollars and I would imagine for 2009 revenue it’d much more lower due to the economy and job lossses.
03/05/2009 at 1:40 AM
I am sorry to say, Lopez, you show extreme ignorance when it comes to the U.S. economy and where the money comes from and where it is disappearing. Obama isn’t helping the economy if he’s printing money out of thin air and borrowing over one trillion dollars to help pay for the pork bill that Obama signed.
Sorry, Lopez. You’re not politically astute and it shows terribly in here with your ignorance on simple Economics 101.
03/05/2009 at 2:29 AM
Mike, thanks. I’m going to look into that a bit deeper. I know the IRS is doing a mass hiring (per USAJOBS and per job fairs at several major universities across the USA), which makes me wonder if perhaps there is a plan. When you hire more IRS workers, the idea is to pull in more money by focusing on deadbeats that owes money and/or increasing audits to generate more revenue. So, maybe congress knew that and knows they’re expecting to get more revenue. It’s interesting tho, how, many companies are failing, yet the government (or rather, the IRS) is hiring big time! All you have to do is go to USA Jobs and you’ll see. Contact a local major university and ask about job fairs or recruitment efforts by the IRS (ask if IRS has ever played a big role in it), and you’ll see that that effort has not been done in such a large capacity in years until now.
The problem with Rush’s view is that it is just his view, he didn’t have much of facts to back it up. Anyone can just say stuffs, and that doesn’t mean it’s true. Same goes for Obama. But, I am tickled that the transcripts are there. I will start reading up his radio addresses.
So, I do wonder, what are you suggesting should BE the plan, since you do not like the current plan? I know, you said drill oil on our soil. What about legalizing marijuana and tax it and even tax porn? That would probably save our country, don’t ya think?
03/05/2009 at 2:40 AM
I honestly don’t know why I bother to respond in here. It’s such a waste of time, but I’m here already so I’ll comment.
I do not need to read Rush’s transcript to know what Conservatives think about everything. I read the Wall Street Journal and the IBD (UGH!) on a pretty regular basis when I process them at the library where I work. Sorry for misleading you on that. When I said “most people read what they agree with. . .” I wasn’t including myself. I read everything because it’s what I do for a living. But I have noticed that most people don’t read everything since most don’t work in a library where they are surrounded by so much reading material. When you have to pick and choose, usually you’ll pick what you enjoy reading– which tends to coincide with your overall viewpoint.
I bet you don’t read liberal papers– hmm? One point here– it has been documented that the Conservative papers tend to be more partisan than Liberal papers over all. Liberal papers will criticize a Liberal administration, whereas the Conservatives are far less likely to take issue with a Conservative administration. This has actually been documented, as I said. It’s not just my opinion.
This constant practice of building up a Conservative administration that is performing badly, then tearing apart a Liberal leaning administration that is doing OK leads to credibility issues.
I did read over Rush’s transcripts and I saw how he twisted words to fit his own Conservative views. It doesn’t sit well with me.
I am neither Liberal or Conservative, like probably 90% of all US citizens. Let me put it this way, I do hold some Liberal views, but personally I live a Conservative lifestyle. I actually enjoy reading the Wall Street Journal, but I dislike the IBD.
As to Obama Mike, yes I’m aware of what he’s doing.
On drilling in Alaska, I’m not against that option but the sad fact is even if we started drillin today it would take years before we would be able to use that oil. Secondly the oil we have is one-tenth of what Saudi Arabia has, and it’s a FINITE resource. We MUST find some other way to live besides depending on so much oil. Each of us is personally responsible for the energy we consume. This problem won’t go away until we all change our lives in significant ways.
One issue I strongly support is the sustainable foods movement. Factory/industrial farming uses up a lot of energy by transporting food all over the place for the masses. It’s also responsible for a lot of pollution.
Buy your meat and veggies locally to save gas. Get to know the farmers raising your cattle. Go for free range, grass fed and organic. It will be fresher and better for you, as well as the environment. And you’ll be supporting local economies and small businesses. Everyone wins.
03/05/2009 at 11:49 AM
Liberal papers? Perhaps digital ones? Anyways, yes, of course, I read them. NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, and as well as MSM (CNBC, CBS, NPR, CNN, CBS, ABC…”
“Liberal papers will criticize a Liberal administration, whereas the Conservatives are far less likely to take issue with a Conservative administration.”
Ok. Name ONE liberal newspaper that has already criticized Obama.
Secondly, define for us readers here what conservatism mean since we conservatives are characterized by the MSM and leftists as haters, as bigots, as racists, as extremists and so forth. But when I look out across the United States of America I see Americans. I see human beings who are citizens of the United States. I don’t see groups. I don’t see victims. What I see is potential. I believe that each person has what it takes to succeed. I believe that person can be the best he or she wants to be if certain things are just removed from their path like onerous taxes, regulations and too much government….way, way too much govt that Obama wants to expand.
The biggest myth you’ve just blurted out, Kim, is this:
“the oil we have is one-tenth of what Saudi Arabia has…”
The oil that we have in the United States is estimated to be 4 to 5 times that of Saudi Arabia. On shale oil alone (Wyoming, Utah, Colorado) it is estimated reserve of about 2 to 3 times (800 billion to 1.4 trillion barrels of oil) that of Saudi Arabia. Even Canada has way, way more oil than Saudi Arabia where it is our number one oil importer for the United States. Also, we are only allowed to have limited access to offshore oil drilling where 10% of the offshore location are available to us. Democrats made sure of that for the last 20 years or so.
http://blogs.reuters.com/commodity-corner/files/2008/06/oil_drill_graph2.gif
It’s better to drill and use our own oil than to depend on foreign oil from unstable and unfriendly countries. And no, it won’t takes years and years. Already in North Dakota the Bakken Oil fields oil production has steadly gone up and can easily ramp up productions. Same for Alaska. What takes longer is the drilling for offshore oil than land based ones.
Oil is finite but it’s nothing like short term finite. People do not realize just how saturated earth is with oil (it naturally leaks way, way amount of oil in the ocean than oil spills from humans), coal, natural gas, methane hydrates, peat, and so on. We have NOT explored every inch of the world for these things. It’ll take hundreds of years and not just in our lifetime to see carbon based energy run out.
03/05/2009 at 11:52 AM
Candy, historically, and this has been proven true, when you increase taxes, tax revenues go down for the IRS. Increase taxation does not provide incentives to invest, to grow, to hire more people and such.
03/05/2009 at 1:20 PM
Whoa!
First of all, Kim. Here is the Q’s – “What is the IBD publication”?
The GOPers already turned their political wilderness into latest circus tent with the GOP chairperson, Mike Steele and Rush Limbaugh. What a perfect entertainment for many Americans like me!
More and more GOPers regretfully selected Mike Steele to be their new GOP chairperson. Many GOP lawmakers secretly loathe Rush Limbaugh anyway for his bombastic yippings on the radio.
Rob, FYI, I could afford the market rent in Northern Virginia anyway.
I will relocate to West Palm Beach, Florida next week to be the possible neighbor of Rush Limbaugh. I really have no idea where Rush lives in the first place.
I have no intentions of bumping into Rush Limbaugh in any public places at the WPB anyway. I probably will see Rush doing the un-GOP stuff and take photos or videos for the entire America to see the real Rush. Who knows?
I already considered about moving to WPB last three months ago. I prefer living in Miami, but not able to find the desirable place.
I really don’t mind living in Fredericksburg, VA or Charottolesville, VA, but not able to find the right place.
I am personally looking for the rental place with seperate ventilation system and ground-level residence due to my recent brush-off with auto accident last one and half year ago. The metal knee and rod for the replacement of femur bone within my right knee.
The driver got scot-free due to police’s inability to find out whose fault. I will go to the court anyway to sue the 19 years old for reckless driving with cell phone on his ear.
I am still desired for the multi-political party, instead of just the political duoply (GOP and Dems) bicker over senseless things almost every day.
I am more for the Green Party or Libertiatian Party which I used to live one block from the Cato Insitute, libertatian thinktank in Northwest DC.
I really could live anywhere anyway.
RLM
03/05/2009 at 1:28 PM
Rob,
FYI, many apartment management often wary of declaring their apartment complexes to be “smoke-free”.
You know how the Old Dominion embedded to the tobacco industry. The state legislature finally passed the bill to ban smoking in public places, but people do have the choice to go to restuarant or bar.
Residents of multi-dwelling units do not have much choice at all, especially pregant mothers and youngsters.
The federal government could save up billions of dollars on asthma and allergy-related medical costs due to the secondhand smoking exposures within multi-dwelling residences.
Smokers really have much options to smoke outside in chilly weather, not subject any residents to such harmful and dangerous stuff against their own will.
That’s what happened between me and the apartment management bickered over the issue of secondhand smoking. I was asked to vacate my apartment due to false accusations. My medical records have been taken illegally from my apartment.
I feel much better after vacating my former apartment. I occassionally sleep in public places after several friends’ house have water leaks or difficult to breathe due to the lack of HVAC filters changes.
Guess what? I am much happier for not dealing with the secondhand smoking exposures during the sleeptime. The tenant lives below me usually smoke between 2 and 5 am.
What in the world that tenant and other tenants smoke pretty late?
RLM
03/05/2009 at 1:29 PM
Candy and Kim, the really good reason to be a conservative if you respect and honor the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Establishment Clause and defend them against the onslaught of liberal progressivism that seeks to undermine or destroy these basic constitutional foundations. Conservatives generally believe in a small but dynamic central government that respects the states, deferring to them on such domestic matters, acknowledge/preserve the natural birthrights of the citizens, and to protect the country from foreign powers or its underhanded influences. Conservatives believe in fiscal responsibility and responsible spending that would generate revenues, promote growth and recognize the potentiality of citizen participation in domestic and state affairs.
Moreover, the demonization of conservatives originated from the Left, which used the power of the media to promote lies and to accuse them of perceived bigotry, racism and close-mindedness. Mr. Mason and Mr. Lopez are the clearest examples of the worst sort from the Left. My advice to you: do not fall into the insidious trappings of the liberal-progressive left, no matter how attractive it appears to be. The Left regarded conservatives as the obstacle to its goals of “changing” the country for “the greater good”, willing to risk injuring the basic constitutional foundations in the process.
03/05/2009 at 1:40 PM
I’m sure Mr. McConnell would gladly inform Rush of your moving to the West Palm Beach area and your attempt to watch his every move in the public areas, Mr. Mason.
03/05/2009 at 1:51 PM
“Factory/industrial farming uses up a lot of energy by transporting food all over the place for the masses.”
It’s simply a matter of economics and efficiency when it comes to growing food in large quantities. This requires large plots of land to do it. The majority of population resides in cities and urban areas. And since growing seasons vary by latitudes (North – South) food trades become important and essential when we get vegetables or fruits from Central or South America during the winter and spring season where even local markets cannot provide. So, this one reality people need to face and that’s the seasonal restriction and limitation on growing food in various places as well as different types of soil needed to grow food. Though it’s good to support the local economy that way but realistically it’s not efficient nor economical over the long terms of things. It’s better to transport bulk food items to a store than to have thousand and thousand of cars driving all over the place to get the food they want.
Here in south central New Mexico where I live there is only so much food we can buy from local growers (pistachios, red chilis, local wine, grapes, apples, cherries, melons, plums, squash, and sweet corn). And between towns we’re far apart!
http://www.farmtotablenm.org/central_nm_directory_oct07.pdf
Pistachio and grape story here. We have so many pistachio trees!! – http://www.pistachiotreeranch.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl/page=pistachio_history.htm and world’s largest pistachio nut just complete not far from my home – http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/19939
Look, Kim, I grow grapes, peaches, nectarines, and blackberries in my backyard and sometimes I produce a garden to grow some vegetables (not this year) like Roma tomatoes and green peppers. There are certain realities here when it comes to making food available for the rest of the population in the United States which is now more urban/suburban today than rural like it was 60 years ago. It makes more sense to deliver bulk food items to a more centrally located store where people can buy their food from.
03/05/2009 at 3:53 PM
Well we’re getting off track here talking about farming, but several studies have been done on that Mike.
Cities have always been big. Usually there’s farmland within a hundred miles of any city. In Seattle we’ve had a farmer’s market for eons where you can buy locally grown, FRESH produce and wild caught fish brought off the boat that very morning. I’m sure you’ve been there– Pike Place?
I’m not talking about being a purist here. If MOST of your food is bought fresh from the farmers near your home you’ve saved hundreds of dollars in wasted energy.
There’s nothing wrong with eating a banana. I eat one every day and I know they come from South America. On the other hand I can forego tomatoes from Mexico during the winter. They’re tasteless by the time they reach my table anyway. Kale, carrots and beets grow well here all winter long. Potatoes and some apples keep well over the winter. Occasionally my dad mails a box of oranges and grapefruits up from his yard in AZ. There’s plenty to eat.
03/05/2009 at 5:17 PM
“In Seattle we’ve had a farmer’s market for eons where you can buy locally grown, FRESH produce and wild caught fish brought off the boat that very morning. I’m sure you’ve been there– Pike Place?”
Yes, I grew up in Tacoma. Pike Market cannot feed a population of 600,000 in Seattle. Impossible. That was my point. Suppose this is possible. Which is more energy efficient, have 200,000 people drive, take a bus, or subway to Pike Place to buy food there or have truck trailers and ships bring in bulk food by the tons to various stores that are more centrally located and more readily available for nearby consumers? Pike Place is an era gone by. It is only there for nostalgia but it made more sense when it opened around 1907 and for the next 60 years.
“Pike Place Market is home to nearly 500 low income residents who live in 8 different buildings throughout the Market. The Market is run by the quasi-government Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA). ”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_Place_Market
We have a farmers market here in Alamogordo from June through October but the selection is quite limited and it certainly cannot support a population of 40,000 either. If you are nearby one, fine. The convenience is there for you and help save energy. A farmers market or local growers are there for convenience (sometimes for nostalgia) but they are not the solution in the bigger picture when it comes to mass distribution of food.
03/05/2009 at 9:46 PM
Mike,
You’re right. The Pike Place Market can’t supply food to 500,000 people. Luckily that isn’t your concern. I’m not advocating new laws here, just suggesting alternatives.
As more people demand local food, new distribution methods have surfaced to meet their needs.
First of all, there are more farmer’s markets than Pike Place in Seattle. Many Seattle neighborhoods offer their own farmer’s markets. Nearly every city surrounding Seattle offers one, as well. Because they tend to be seasonal, those who like the idea of buying locally often can or freeze what they can’t eat during the summer. Our grandparents did the same. Freezing isn’t hard.
Other alternatives are popping up too.
1) CSA’s — You contract with a farm who then delivers their produce to you and everyone else in your area at a centrally designated meeting spot once a week. The veggies are picked that day for delivery so are extremely fresh. You do pay up front usually on a monthly basis. These have become popular by word of mouth. Go here for info http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
2) Some grocery stores buy locally grown produce from small farmers. Their produce will be listed as ‘locally grown’ because people are demanding it. Here in the Seattle area we have PCC. http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/local farmers. Years ago there was only one PCC in Kirkland, but they’ve expanded because the demand for local produce and organic is HUGE.
On a national scale there is Whole Foods, but they’re no better than Safeway in some respects because much of their organic produce has been trucked in from all over. Still if you look hard you can find local.
4) Many urban neighborhoods are being designed with community garden plots. More people are turning to container gardening. Some building in Canada have gardens on their roofs.
Thing is, we can’t keep wasting gas at the same pace we have been. Life will change in many ways for most of us, and it will change for the better. Eventually we will look back and wonder why we ever thought it was a good idea to buy flavorless square tomatoes from Mexico in February.
Now I am logging off to make fresh organic Washington grown kale soup and to pop a loaf of whole wheat bread in the oven. Can’t beat that!
03/05/2009 at 10:08 PM
IBD = Investor’s Business Daily It’s a very Conservative paper. Surprised you haven’t heard of it.
03/05/2009 at 10:53 PM
Under The Hill,
Sorry, I decided to be blunt with you. I am shrugging. I won’t leave any more comments on your blog.
Thanks for all your comments.
Thumbs up!
Hi Mitchell (McConnell), Jr.
You are very smart.
Sorry, You’re very wrong. I am not fed up with you.
It just looks so bad. I don’t want our country to be destroyed. I hate that Rush keeps saying that he wants Obama to fail, which means a disintegration of our economy. I’ve been watching the news and reading
the papers and a lot of people are very unhappy with Rush.
I showed my friend your blog. He’s involved in The University of Texas’ LBJ school for public affairs. He’s very involved in politics and very well-respected. He agrees that your blog is wrong,your comments are wrong. He’s told me that I’m wasting my time reading your blog and commenting. I agree with him.
Thank you for your comment.
Thumbs up!
Hi Mason,
I love you.
I agree with you, but I do think you’re wasting your time on that blog. As we found out from the last election, hard core republicans are never going to look at things objectively. This is OK – Rush will drag what’s left of their party into oblivion along with him. This article is by Tim Eagan of the NY TImes:
(Behold:
The sweaty, swollen man in the black, half-buttoned shirt who ranted for nearly 90 minutes Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference. He reiterated his desire to see the president of his country fail. He misstated the Constitution’s intent while accusing President Obama of “bastardizing” the document. He made fun of one man’s service in Vietnam, to laughter.
INSERT DESCRIPTION(J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press) Rush Limbaugh.
David Letterman compared him to an Eastern European gangster. But he looked more like a bouncer at a strip club who spent all his tips on one bad outfit. And for the Republican Party, Limbaugh has become very much a vice.
Smarter Republicans know he is not good for them. As the conservative writer David Frum said recently, “If you’re a talk radio host and you have five million who listen and there are 50 million who hate you, you make a nice living. If you’re a Republican party, you’re marginalized.”
In 2003, Limbaugh said quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted a black to succeed. Over the next six years, McNabb threw for nearly 150 touchdowns and went to a Super Bowl.
For Democrats, this is all going to plan. It was James Carville and associates who first cooked up associating Limbaugh with the opposition, as Politico reported. Then on Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Limbaugh was the “voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party.”
You could almost hear their teeth clattering in fear of the all-powerful talk radio wacko, the denier of global warming, the man who said Bill Clinton’s economic policies would fail just before an unprecedented run of prosperity.
But Limbaugh has a fear of his own. If people see him purely as an “entertainer,” as Steele suggested, he will be exposed for what he is: a clown with a very large audience.)
My friend sent me. I want inform you more news but ENOUGH!!
Have a great day!
Thumbs up! ;-D
Bobby L….
03/06/2009 at 12:24 AM
Mr. Lopez, it’s not you being blunt, it’s you going off on something (and someone) you know absolutely nothing about and you’re resorting to juvenile-laden semantics that seem belong to forum boards for fans of professional wrestling entertainment. It’s beneath any discussion in my blog.
By the way, why not invite your friend from UofT’s LBJ school to discuss here? He seems like a smart, know-it-all guy, from the way you’d pointed out your friend’s impression that Mr. McConnell is wrong.
03/06/2009 at 10:05 AM
The CSA is in here – http://www.farmtotablenm.org/central_nm_directory_oct07.pdf
I already posted that link in here.
Alternataives are fine, Kim. It’s good to have those options. Just that their is this reality of needing and requiring bulk food transport to reach the rest of the masses. Not everybody have access to gardens on their rooftops. Not everybody have access to a farmers market if there is not one available nearby. Transportation access varies. Not everybody have a big freezer to freeze food. Not everybody know how to can and preserve foods. Seasonal restriction are much shorter in the northern latitudes than in the south.
I grew up in a household where we did some canning and preserving food. My mom grew up on a farm and they did a bunch of that along with killing chicken for the meat and eggs. So did my Dad’s mother who lived in very small town in Oregon (Dufur) who canned and grew vegetables. Heck, my dad still does gardening today and have about 12 very large blueberry bushes. But they still have to go to the store to get their remaining vegetables, fruit, meat and necessary items. The idea of a having fresh food and growing your own food is not lost on me. The reality is for the rest of the people who are basically helpless in those areas. And that bulk foods are transported en mass in trailers.
03/06/2009 at 10:20 AM
It is really funny how Lopez continue spout nonsense, again.
Lopez. I challenge your friend to come here and debate.
I have provide the links to back up my arguments.
You have not explained which ones were wrong and why. When people do this that means they are being defensive WITHOUT providing any links or supporting references to back up THEIR claims.
I have provided facts with supporting links. You, Mr. Lopez, have NOT! You and your “friend” are obviously not well versed or even knowledgeable in politics as would be evidenced by anyone reading your posts here.
I am sorry, Lopez. If you are going to debate in politics, rule number one is to do your research first and back them up with links containing references that support your arguments or points. Otherwise, not doing so you will risk losing any credibility in the area of politics or, in this case, economics.
I challenge your friend to make a statement on which ones I said were “wrong.” Explain why and back that up with supporting references or links as I have done countless times.
If you come back with any kind of excuses to avoid this challenge for your friend then that means you are either lying, a hypocrite, or simply an ignorant person thinking you can get away from a simple debate request.
Either you own up to this challenge for your friend or leave here this blog a fool departed in front of everybody. Otherwise, learn to stay out of politics if you cannot defend yourself properly or the party.
Blogger’s note: edited for Mr. McConnell’s request for correction.
03/06/2009 at 10:21 AM
Correction:
It is really funny how Lopez continues to spout nonsense, again.
03/06/2009 at 2:25 PM
McConnell,
Yes– moving food in large trucks is a necessity TODAY because many people don’t have easy access to alternatives, or they don’t know about them, or they do know and don’t care about the energy being used. Tomorrow will be different. The more we all demand local food, the less the eventual need for transporting it all over the place.
Realistically, some crops will always need transportation– pineapples, bananas, sugar, coffee, peanuts. Others can be grown locally in most states — carrots, beans, potatoes, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, squash, spinach, chard. . . many, many crops grow well all over N. America.
If you think about it, Americans have already changed several of their energy consuming habits in the past 30 years. Small cars, insulated windows, natural gas heat, water saving shower heads and toilets have all become mainstream since I was a girl. At one time all these things were hard to find. How we grow, buy and consume food is the next step.
Again, I’m only making the point that we need to change our energy consuming habits. The answer to the oil crisis is far more complex than drilling in Alaska.
I come from a long line of farmers too, and I have a vegetable garden, as well as berry patch. Have just planted my peas this week.
03/06/2009 at 3:22 PM
I also meant to mention organic foods as another change Americans have embraced. In the 70s, the organic farm movement was sort of a hippyish thing to do. Now organic food has become mainstream. Have you noticed Safeway’s ‘O’ line? My local Costco also carries organic soy milk, butter, veggies, bread, several cereals and canned goods. I read in the Wall Street Journal not too long ago that when first approached Costco declined to carry organic foods because they wanted to be seen as suppliers of mainstream grocery products. But now organic is so mainstream, they’re carrying both organics and ‘green’ cleaning products. Their Kirkland brand biodegradable laundry and dish detergents are quite reasonably priced.
Just another example of American consumers effecting change by demanding environmental friendly products.
Additionally young people are embracing vegetarianism as never before, and this issue is not about killing animals as much as it’s considered more environmentally friendly not to eat factory farmed meat products. Vegetarian options are abundant in this area, though I can’t say the same for the southwest.
03/06/2009 at 5:47 PM
Define “organic,” Kim. It’s a slipperly slope definition. Define “natural.” Plus, productivity would be a problem when in 15 years global population will reach 8 billion from 6 billion today.
As for “factory farmed” meat products it does not necessarily connote that it is “bad.” There are “factory farmed” fishes. Even in open waters. There are “factory farmed” oysters. “Factory farmed” cattle in a stress free environment and they are slaughtered for their Kobe or Wagyu beef. When you say “factory farmed,” Kim, it comes loaded with connotations.
03/07/2009 at 12:04 AM
I don’t know if my last comment went through. I was at a public computer, so forgive the repeated comment.
I’m not going to engage in a dialog of semantics. In order for any food to carry the ‘certified organic’ label it must meet a rigid set of standards set by the USDA.
http://tinyurl.com/bno422
I’m aware fish can be farmed. I live in the northwest. When a fish package says ‘wild caught’, it has to meet a specific set of standards. I don’t eat fish or meat, but do buy it for my family.
Factory farming is bad for the environment, the animals, and probably you.
Books have been written on it, but I’ll send just this small link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_farming
Read the last sentence–”Widespread use of antibiotics increases the chance of a pandemic resistant to known measures, which is exacerbated by a globally distributed food system. Decreased genetic diversity increases the chance of a food crisis. [7]”
It’s because animals at factory farms literally live in excrement their entire lives that they must be given routine antibiotics. Bovines (cattle) have the additional stress of being fed corn, which they cannot digest properly.
Some people believe the excessive hormones in our meat and dairy products are the reason little girls have started menstruating earlier in the past few decades. I don’t think that’s been proven yet. Still I’m wary.
Chickens are a whole other story. UGH.
But it’s a free country and your choice what to eat.
I don’t advocate new laws. As more people become aware, they will continue to demand grass fed, hormone free and free range meat, dairy and poultry products, as well as wild caught fish. The small free range, grass fed cattle farms in my area can barely keep up with the demand. All have year long waiting lists for a half side of beef. Hunting your own meat is another good option, though not for me.
03/07/2009 at 4:55 AM
Mike,
Let’s get back to the oil question. We’ve gotten off track. I confess I don’t know a lot about oil. The source you sent only shows a map of the US with colored areas and no key to explain what the colors mean. I read somewhere an estimate that it would take 10 years to produce the oil from AK if we started drilling today to the point that it would be refined and ready for use. I can’t remember where I read that, so maybe that’s wrong.
I had to read up on shale oil. From what I understand it’s more difficult to process than oil from the middle east, but it’s not impossible. Still– if we aren’t prepared to refine our shale oil then it will take awhile to get that whole thing under way.
Here’s a wikipedia article that estimates the number of barrels each oil field has all over the world, but shale oil “and other nonconventional sources” aren’t included.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_fields
By this source the middle east is the oil king. I have to wonder why we ever bothered to become so dependant on their oil in the first place if that shale oil is so easy to get at?
I am not against drilling our own oil at all. You make a good point about America using energy for production. I’m pretty sure China wouldn’t put limitations on mining its shale oil if they had it. But our future will be some other type of energy, not oil.
03/07/2009 at 5:10 AM
The problem with the divisive politics–Conservatives vs Liberals is its all about labels and presumptions rather than the real issues we face. Neither side is all right or all wrong. As I said earlier 90% of all Americans are moderates. You all might be surprised to learn I am pro guns.
03/08/2009 at 3:26 PM
Here’s a better map on the no drill zone set by Congress (ie. mostly by Democrats over the last 20 years since Clinton).
http://tinyurl.com/dzu9gs
Here’s another one.
http://speaker.house.gov/img/offshoredrill.jpg
Actually, it’s offshore oil platform that takes longer to set up and start drilling. Oil companies have to order those and it’s a several year backlog waiting list. But to drill on land, it doesn’t take that long to set it up. Depending on how deep the oil is and how much it holds they can start drilling within a year or months time.
For example,
http://bakkenshale.blogspot.com/
03/10/2009 at 12:11 AM
McConnell,
OK–the map you sent shows the ‘no drill’ area off our coasts. Our biggest shale oil reserve is in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, not off any coasts.
The Bakken Shale field, the one in N. Dakota that you sent info about, has been drilling the past fifty years, and hasn’t been all that productive. The government is not standing in the way. The problem with it is cost vs production.
Some estimate that you lose up to 40% or more of your energy just producing shale because it’s hard to get at. First you mine the rock, then heat it at 500 degrees with a steaming process, then when you’re done you have sludge that isn’t near as clean as conventional oil. Finally, the areas where our shale is located tends to be dry land with little water for the steaming process. So it’s very expensive to get at shale oil, and no one really wants to put up the money for it, since the oil market has been up and down the past few decades. Now– it does seem like a good idea to get moving on it. And it appears that the Bakken field is booming.
Shell has recently experimented with an in-situ process which is supposedly much cleaner and more importantly yields a higher grade oil. It’s very promising. Still– it was only tested on a small 30 by 40 foot area. Currently there are no contractors ready to put up the money for processing that way because it’s considered experimental. The small area was successful, yes, but no one knows how to manage in-situ on a large scale. It hasn’t been done. Current estimates are 10-15 years for anyone to realize profit on it.
The government is looking at it closely, and is hopeful. But the fact is, we need to do something right now TODAY. Innovation is key.
Right now TODAY we all need to cut our oil consumption at least until other alternative energy sources are producing.
I think over the next few years more people will be thinking about all aspects of their lives, and the energy consumed.
Which is why I brought up food, because that’s one place many of us can cut back on energy consumption right now TODAY. I, for one, never realized how much energy it took to produce one pound of meat until I started learning more about vegetarianism and the sustainable foods movement.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/08/18/ndoil/
http://tinyurl.com/amn3bd
http://tinyurl.com/6ebqrm
http://www.newwest.net/city/article/shale_oil_in_colorado/C94/L94/
http://wolf.readinglitho.co.uk/subpages/uncoils.html
http://tinyurl.com/cvc2xp
03/10/2009 at 8:52 AM
Kim, Canada is the USA’s no. 1 oil exporter – we import most of oil/gas from Canada, less than half of them come from the shale fields and we have been receiving them for decades. Canada has the reserve shelf life of 150 years while Saudi Arabia has about 72 years left (Iraq still has 150 years of reserve shelf life).
Check out oil imports to USA from other countries:
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_epc0_im0_mbbl_a.htm
What’s more interesting that individual Americans have been consuming oil (finished products) consistently the same for the last 25+ years, not increasing higher every year!
http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-much-oil-do-individual-americans.html
(Note the data is from January 1982 to March 2008, right before the period of higher gas prices that we saw last year.)
Cutting back oil production and consumption for the sake of alternative energy sources right now won’t do us any good in the long term. It would be 30 to 50 years before we see any result of less oil usage as the US switch to alternative energy sources by 50%. Oil would still be used in 100 years.
What problem you have is with the current living infrastructure entirely dependent on road transportation everywhere. Encouraging people to eat vegetables may be fine but people will still eat meat transported from far away or local, unless you’re okay with having cows, sheep, goats, bulls and chickens as your neighbors daily.
03/10/2009 at 9:22 PM
Kim, any new process on the mining of oil whether it’s directional drill, offshore drilling in deeper ocean, shale oil mining, tar sands and the likes will not be perfect nor efficient or cost-effective at first. Refinement will always be an ongoing process. This is exactly what happened in the tar sands business up in Canada when they first started over 40 years ago.
Here’s a nice powerpoint history on tar sands in Canada.
http://www.clembowman.info/Movies/AERI-oilsandsHistory/AERI.html
As for shale oil, it is not a recent development. It has a long history just like Canada’s tar sands. In fact, many shale oil researchers routinely visit the tar sands facilities in Canada to learn more about various extraction techniques and such. A powerpoint show:
http://www.shaleoilnow.com/NOSApresentation.ppt
03/11/2009 at 2:14 AM
UTH–Do you have a name?
I’m confused about why you’re making this point about Canada. We should use more gas b/c it mostly comes from our friends? OR? I feel I’ve missed something here that’s not connecting.
Yes– I agree Americans have cut back on oil consumption since the 70s. Many have converted to inexpensive natural gas over oil heat, and of course most drive smaller cars than the huge vehicles our parents drove. Further, even the larger SUVS and ‘minivans many families drive get better gas mileage than cars of the sixties when gas was considered plentiful and cheap. I’m not sure where you came up with the figure that “it would be 30-50 years before we see any result of less oil usage as the US switch to alternative energy sources by 50%.” But again the point isn’t connecting.
If we’ve already lowered oil consumption that much since the 1980′s, don’t you think we’ll continue to find more efficient ways to lower oil consumption? What would be the advantages to wasting oil? When gas prices are so high, don’t most families benefit from using less oil? I am sure glad I drive a toyota and have natural gas heat as well as insulated windows. Why would I want to use more energy when I can save money by using less??
As to vegetarianism– I don’t care if you eat meat. I’m not in this discussion to promote the vegetarian diet. My point was that many people are now considering alternatives to buying their food at the supermarket. Partly it’s because they realize that certain ways of eating promotes a healthier environment for all, and partly it’s because food has become more expensive during this most recent energy crisis and recession. When the price of gas went up, so did our food. I just read in the news yesterday that seed sales are suddenly up 20-30%. Why? Because of the recession and food prices. People are growing their own, which just about anyone can do– even if you don’t have a yard.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2008829989_seeds09m.html
03/11/2009 at 2:55 AM
McConnell,
Very nice links.
I don’t think you read my links.
I didn’t say production of shale oil was ‘new’ I said the in situ process was new and experimental. The old way of getting at shale hasn’t been considered very cost effective.
The in-situ method does look interesting mainly because it results in a higher grade oil than the old and doesn’t pollute the environment as much. Also far less of the shale is wasted. If you had read my links you would have seen the government report I included. Shale is very much on the table, and obviously no one is standing in the way of the Bakken fields, so I don’t know why you’re complaining about Liberals.
Living in a coastal state as I do, I can certainly appreciate the no drill zones off our shores. You do realize many people here depend on fisheries for a living?
Can you imagine how bad it would be if we had oil spills up and down the coasts every so often? The Valdez spill still hasn’t been entirely cleaned up even after 20 years. And it killed millions of salmon, which Alaskan fishermen depended on. Some of them were totally wiped out. Salmon are already threatened due to over fishing, lack of appropriate wetland for spawning and damned up rivers. The oil industry is fine and good, but the fishing industry is also important.
03/11/2009 at 3:02 PM
Kim, just “UTH” is fine when addressing to my blog in a post. I was responding to a part of your comment (“By this source the middle east is the oil king. I have to wonder why we ever bothered to become so dependant on their oil in the first place if that shale oil is so easy to get at?”) and only pointed out that we have been importing “foreign oil” from Canada far more than any other country, including those from the Middle East, for decades. Canada’s oil is “king”, not the Middle East.
On the other hand, what do you think of H.R. 875, which could spell the end of farmers’ markets?
How lovely we have a FDA Secretary who’s a big Monsanto fan. Hope’n'change!
03/11/2009 at 8:12 PM
Kim, the “old way” on removing shale oil is through surface mining (aka strip mining) is cost effective. Surface mining is generally more efficient to work where thick,
continuous deposits of shale oil such as the majority of the Green River Formation which ranges from 500 to 2,000 feet thick.
The unknown would be the below surface mining methods.
Again, oil spills from offshore drilling or from tankers are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Currently, oil tankers are required to be double-hulled. It became law for Europe in 2007 ( http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2007/2007-04-28-02.asp ). Double hulled oil tankers were mandated by Congress in 1989 after Valdez.
An environmental study revealed that urban runoff and treated sewage dump 12 times the amount of petroleum into the Gulf than those thousands of oil production platforms. And oil seeping naturally through the ocean floor into the Gulf, where it dissipates over time, accounts for 7 times the amount spilled by rigs and pipelines in any given year. Also, recreational boaters from little speedboats to yachts spill gasoline and oil more than do the rigs.
It is estimated that approximately 706 million gallons of waste oil enter the ocean every year, with over half coming from land drainage and waste disposal; for example, from the improper disposal of used motor oil. Offshore drilling and production operations and spills or leaks from ships or tankers typically contribute less than 8 percent of the total. The remainder comes from routine maintenance of ships (nearly 20 percent), hydrocarbon particles from onshore air pollution (about 13 percent), and natural seepage from the seafloor (over 8 percent).
Offshore oil spills or leaks may occur during various stages of well drilling or workover and repair operations. These stages can occur while oil is being produced from offshore wells, handled, and temporarily stored; or when oil is being transported offshore, either by flowline, underwater pipeline, or tanker. Of the approximately 706 million gallons of waste oil in the ocean each year, offshore drilling operations contribute about 2.1 percent, and transportation accidents (both ships and tankers) account for another 5.2 percent. The amount of oil spilled or leaked during offshore production operations is relatively insignificant.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3409400243.html
And how much did the Exxon Valdez spill?
About 11 million gallons.
How much does Earth naturally leak oil into the ocean water every year? Let’s pick one spot to serve as a perspective.
NOAA describe a natural seepage area in California: “One of the best-known areas where this happens is Coal Oil Point along the California Coast near Santa Barbara. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of crude oil is released naturally from the ocean bottom every day just a few miles offshore from this beach”.
3000 gallons times 365 days = 1.1 million gallons of oil a year.
In the Gulf of Mexico?
Twice an Exxon Valdez spill worth of oil seeps into the Gulf of Mexico every year, according to a new study that will be presented January 27 at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/01/000127082228.htm
So even minor spills from drilling rigs in the ocean far away from shore are of minor consequences compared to what’s naturally released into the ocean every year. Sure, a Valdez incident is bad. I’m not saying that it is not. It is. There are many ways how we can continue to minimize risks. We constantly learn from these things.
03/12/2009 at 1:19 AM
UTH– OK– I conceed your point about the US importing more oil from Canada than Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi’s still have more crude than either Canada or the US. Crude is superior to shale or tar sand oils.
I think we’re onto something with that in-situ process though.
I don’t like the sound of HR875, especially if Montsanto is behind it– which I’ve no doubt they are.
One can only hope this move backfires on them. The laws requiring organic farmers to jump through federal hoops to become certified only strengthened the organic movement, though at the time they felt the big agribusinesses were trying to shut them out.
Previously there were outbreaks of e-coli from organic veggies because some farmers used fresh manure, or allowed cows to graze in the same pastures where food was growing so their fresh disease carrying cowpies got onto produce sold in supermarkets. I remember a case here where a two-year-old died from ecoli after drinking some Odwalla juice, and it turned out that cows were grazing in the very same organic apple orchards of the apples being juiced. Ecoli was showing up in very weird places. Back in the 90s, I saw reports that organic food was less safe than food raised with pesticides because some farmers took shortcuts by using raw manure to fertilze rather than aged. I remember seeing a program where John Stossel tested organic veggies for e-coli and found it all over the place! Additionally there were farmers that claimed their produce was organic when in fact it was not. Now I know if it says USDA certified organic, it’s organic and safe to eat.
The interesting thing is many organic farms have become large agribusinesses themselves now– Cascadian, Earthbound, and Fresh Express are all BIG organic produce industries. Fresh Express is owned by Chiquita. Safeway and Trader Joes carry their own organic lines too. I wonder if THEY are also seeing competition in this sustainable foods movement. People are literally going through their organic markets looking for stuff grown only in their state. A lot of organic stuff comes from all over– Mexico, South America, even new Zealand.
Smaller farmers that raise organic food often don’t bother with certification. People in the community know them so take them at their word that their produce is organic. That’s one of the main points of sustainable foods is that you know the farmers in your community. You meet them and talk to them at the market when buying their stuff. I’m disturbed by this whole situation, but can see the argument. The big organic producers have gone through all the steps and yet there are still people out there selling food, claiming it to be ‘organic’ when it doesn’t have the ‘certified organic’ label on it.
It looks to me like Montsanto has set up a divide and conquer scenario– pitting organic farmers against each other. Probably what will happen is the smaller farmers will all band together under some kind of coalition. They’ve already been shut out of bigger supermarkets because stores like Safeway won’t buy from small local guys.
Also– getting back to ‘organic’ meat. . . Some ‘free-range’ chickens and ‘grass fed’ beef are raised no more humanely than those on other factory farms. They still live in crowded conditions. One of the few differences is that in order to meet ‘organic’ standards they can’t be given routine antibiotics or hormones. It’s more expensive to raise them this way because ranchers have to keep a close eye on every animal’s health, then isolate those that get sick.
Small meat farmers can graze their cattle. In Washington they have traveling butchers who slaughter at the farm rather than putting the cattle through the stress of moving to a slaughterhouse. (Many people believe stress hormones get into the meat and can pass to humans when they eat it. When cattle are slaughtered unsuspectingly on the farm they have lived their entire lives, they’re dead before they know what’s happened. Also, the farmer monitors to make sure the butcher has done it humanely.) One way they keep their costs down is by selling directly to the consumer. You pay for the bull first, then pay the butcher directly after telling him what kinds of cuts you want. Because you are intimately involved with both farmer and butcher, there’s more trust and respect all the way around.
This is how people have farmed and butchered for a millennia at least. Small farmers are the only ones left raising meat the right way.
I really hate the whole idea of them having to pay through the nose for federal licensing. We’re losing our American way of life.
03/12/2009 at 2:06 AM
I appreciate all these figures Mike and I do not doubt they learned from the Valdez spill. We had a small spill here not too long ago in the south sound– I’m thinking maybe it happened within the past five or so years. There are ways of controlling a spill, but this one got a bit out of hand. The problem with Valdez is it was so isolated. By the time a clean up crew got there the slick had spread several miles. Most of AK’s coasts are isolated, so it could happen again.
Salmon are creatures of habit. They MUST go back to a certain spot to spawn, and they will die getting there. If something like an oil spill stands in their way they are not smart enough to swim around it.
While the Gulf of Mexico may have natural oil seepage, my guess is the creatures living there have probably evolved some way of coping. Perhaps they over populate to account for the natural oil that will kill some of them or maybe some have developed a certain tolerance. After looking at Mt. St. Helens I’m in awe how quickly everything is growing back after the volcano blast. Still, I would never want to put a mountain in jeoprody of just such a blast, even though it happens every so often in nature.
The seas in Alaska do not have natural oils in the water and never have, so their sea life isn’t used to it and therefore an oil spill could be much more deadly to them than those in the Gulf– who may be smart enough to swim around or detect something weird in the water to avoid or whatever.
Secondly, off the west coast we’re talking about major earthquake epicenter areas. Here’s a map of earthquake epicenters all over the world.
http://www.mysciencebox.org/files/images/Quake_epicenters_1963-98.img_assist_custom.png
Most all our major quakes have come from the Juan de Fuca plate off the coast. The epicenter is nearly always under water, except the one right under my house a few years ago when a new plate was discovered– JUST OUR LUCK! lol
Sure we can build earthquake proof buildings, but it’s different building structures on sand at the bottom of the ocean. Here’s the thing. Have you ever wondered why they sustain so much more damage in CA during their quakes than here in Washington? It’s because in CA they are built on sand. Washington’s soil is mostly glacial rock. A good illustration is if you take a jar of sand and shake it up, the sand shifts all over. But take a jar of rock and shake it. The rocks stay in place. That’s why we can have a 6.8 and our buildings hardly have any damage, but a 6.8 in CA will cause apartment complexes to pancake. OK– so it’s real hard to build a stable structure in sand.
If you put an oil rig on the straight of Juan deFuca, it seems pretty risky because off Washington’s coast it’s all sand. I know we may believe we can build something that won’t fail during an earthquake. The engineers who built the Titanic believed it was unsinkable too. But I honestly don’t trust anyone to build something out there.
Finally we also have the occasional large tsunami off the coasts of Washinton and Oregon. I’m not really sure if a tsunami would affect an oil rig, but they happen so rarely I doubt if anyone knows how to make an oil rig tsunami proof.
And yes I know that we’re more experienced at mining shale. I have been reading about it ever since you mentioned it. Mining appears to yield a much lower grade of oil. And you lose a lot during the processing. That’s why the in-situ method sounds so intriguing. I bet we can pull this off on a larger scale. A decade is not such a long time when you think about it. Good lord, it is taking that long for Seattle to build an underground bus tunnel. In the mean time we should all think of ways to conserve energy.
03/12/2009 at 3:06 AM
Breaking news!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090312/sc_afp/australiashippingpollution
03/12/2009 at 10:07 PM
Kim, nature has way of breaking down oil that seeps to the top of the ocean’s salty surface.
Well, most of the epicenters occur beneath Washington rather than out in the waters.
http://dwp.bigplanet.com/prepared/nss-folder/pictures/map_juan_de_fuca_subduction.jpg
Map showing the seismicity history in Washington
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/washington/seismicity.php
As for earthquakes in your area and Seattle which are mostly caused by known faults rather than the Juan de Fuca plate doing its thing. Although we do have the Cascadia subduction zone (Juan de Fuca) to account for potential deep earthquakes such as the 2001 Nisqually earthquake that caused damage near Seattle and Olympia,
http://gldims.cr.usgs.gov/webapps/cfusion/Sites/qfault/qf_web_disp.cfm?qfault_or=1340&qfault_id=570
Go here and you find info on the 3 major faults that go under near Seattle from an east to west direction.
(page 104);
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1128/pdf/OF08-1128_v1.1.pdf (17 mB!)
No, a tsunami will NOT affect a rig out in the Pacific ocean. All it is is wave energy that speed along about 500 mph from the disturbance source (earthquake, underground landslide, etc). A boat out in the distance on open water wouldn’t even notice it since the wave would be so small until the depth of the water gets shallower will the wave inversely gets higher and higher as it approaches inland. Just like any other waves you see crashing in as it gets close inland. A matter of energy conservation, as waves slow down energy must be conserved and so the waves height get higher instead.
Putting an oil rig out in the Pacific ocean off of Washington won’t be a problem if you have questions about earthquakes or sediment. Believe me, not an issue nor a problem.
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/images/2008/08/18/platform_depth_illustration.jpg
Especially when we had hurricane Katrina that destroyed/damaged 113 offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. As for Washington, they won’t be putting rigs Strait of Juan de Fuca, a major shipping lane.
Kim, I know about earthquakes, volcanoes, liquidfaction, faults, etc. I spent two years in a master program on geophysics and then switched over to geology for 3 years to get my M.S. degree out of Univ. of Idaho. Check out some of the work I helped in creating a fault map for Idaho.
http://www.idahogeology.org/pdf/Maps_(M)/m-08-m.pdf
Do a search and type in “McConnell” and you’ll find my name.
I am in support of drilling and mining for more oil so that we can be more dependent on our own natural resources and not from foreign sources to get our oil.
Also, Kim, the only natural fuel source I’d be fully in support would be the algae. Not palm oil. Coconut. Corn or any of the foodstuff converted into biodiesel. Simply a bad idea.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/tag/algae+biodiesel/