Maddow on Gulf: shows oil companies have increased risk, neglected safety.

[caseymoz]

It turns out, the exact same thing was happening in the Gulf in June 1979, the Ixtoc spill. At that time the worst. The disaster occurred due to a faulty blow-out protector, and they used all the exact same technologies that they are trying now. Booms to keep it off the beaches, a top-hat, trying to shoot debris into it, and finally, top-kill. All of them failed. Only the relief well stopped it 9 months later. Even the company that handled the rig, Sedtec, later became Trans-ocean, which handled this rig.

Big difference: the Ixtoc rig was in 200 feet of water, this drilling is in five thousand feet.

Maddow says the rest better. Be prepared to be shocked and angered by this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908//vp/37368377#37368377

It goes to show, when business is praised about its technology, its usually very selective wonders of technology. We de-regulated oil, and the only thing they have innovated since are things that will increase risk and profits at the cost of safety and responsibility. We cannot let them do this anymore.

[JuniperLea]

1. The gulf is largely land-locked as well...

I spent some time looking at ocean current flow charts yesterday... gave me nightmares, literally.