Lots of good news coming out of the DUmp today. So many misconceptions about their principles and values have been dispelled today. I have a whole new outlook on liberal!
bik0 (352 posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:37 PM
Original message
Outrageous! Crude-Sucking Barges Stopped by Coast Guard
Edited on Fri Jun-18-10 02:41 PM by bik0
You got to be shitting me! Because of no life vests and fire extinguishers? Holy crap!
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-gov-bobby-jindals...
Eight days ago, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal ordered barges to begin vacuuming crude oil out of his state's oil-soaked waters. Today, against the governor's wishes, those barges sat idle, even as more oil flowed toward the Louisiana shore.
Louisiana Governor Jindal frustrated over decision-making red tape.
"It's the most frustrating thing," the Republican governor said today in Buras, La. "Literally, yesterday morning we found out that they were halting all of these barges."
Watch "World News" for David Muir's report from Louisiana tonight.
Sixteen barges sat stationary today, although they were sucking up thousands of gallons of BP's oil as recently as Tuesday. Workers in hazmat suits and gas masks pumped the oil out of the Louisiana waters and into steel tanks. It was a homegrown idea that seemed to be effective at collecting the thick gunk.
"These barges work. You've seen them work. You've seen them suck oil out of the water," said Jindal.
So why stop now?
"The Coast Guard came and shut them down," Jindal said. "You got men on the barges in the oil, and they have been told by the Coast Guard, 'Cease and desist. Stop sucking up that oil.'"
A Coast Guard representative told ABC News today that it shares the same goal as the governor.
"We are all in this together. The enemy is the oil," said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Dan Lauer.
But the Coast Guard ordered the stoppage because of reasons that Jindal found frustrating. The Coast Guard needed to confirm that there were fire extinguishers and life vests on board, and then it had trouble contacting the people who built the barges.
Oregone (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:41 PM
Response to Original message
1. "You got to be shitting me! Because of no life vests and fire extinguishers?"
Im pro-regulation in regards to this type of stuff.
Life vests and fire extinguishers cost peanuts.
Just like a BOP that would actually work
MineralMan (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:48 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. Or if some flammable substance caught on fire and they were
unable to extinguish it. But, hey...safety precautions don't need to be observed. Just ask BP. They're experts in bypassing safety precautions.
Let's just let everyone do as they please on the Gulf. What could go wrong?
If only there was someone with leadership skills.
malaise (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:47 PM
Response to Original message
4. If they run into a storm and workers drown
the same Jindal would blame the Federal government. The barges should have had the fire extinguishers and life vests before they set off.
And if no storm materializes but the inevitable oil washes onto the beaches who gets the blame for that?
tammywammy (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:47 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. +1 n/t
Ak Muckraker: If it works for BP, can we "top kill" Palin's pie hole?
www.stink-eye.net
Interesting sig.
IIRC stink-eye.net is Wretched Excess' new digs.
MineralMan (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:53 PM
Response to Reply #7
10. Nor anything that indicates that they did.
Edited on Fri Jun-18-10 02:53 PM by MineralMan
That's why the Coast Guard inspects boats. They've inspected my boat. I have all the safety equipment. They gave me a nice sticker to show that my boat was properly equipped. They do a great job of making sure that all safety precautions are taken.
Now, wasn't it BP that had a problem with safety precautions? That's what I seem to remember. Wouldn't it have been nice if someone had made sure that all precautions were taken on that drilling rig?
Please think. The barges are, no doubt, back dealing with the oil, with all safety precautions in place. Good job, Coast Guard!
CBR (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:53 PM
Response to Original message
11. That is the Coast Guard's job. They should be doing that. nt
Bonobo (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:54 PM
Response to Original message
12. This doesn't pass the smell test IMO. nt
The USCG inspectors are obviously a GOP plant.
wiggs (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:54 PM
Response to Original message
13. seems like if you're sucking up flammable liquid, ensuring that
there are fire extinguishers and life vests on board is a good idea. Kind of basic. no need for more tragedy. It's not like their registration tags weren't displayed properly...this is a safety issue.
Yes, because handheld fire extinguishers can be used to fight barge fires.
Oregone (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:59 PM
Response to Reply #16
18. Its about worker safety, and violating that is also an emergency
Oregone (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-18-10 03:03 PM
Response to Reply #20
23. That would be up to the CG to say
And thus, why they needed to inspect the rigs.
A lot of people around here seem to think those barges should be allowed to go out, with or without PFD and extinguishers
Thats not acceptable to me.
Well, this should settle the issue once and for all:
Narraback (500 posts) Fri Jun-18-10 02:59 PM
Response to Original message
17. Media Matters :"ABC's purposefully misleading Gulf Coast report?"
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201006180011
snip
Last night, ABC's World News Tonight aired a tough, who's-in-charge piece that condemned the federal government for its botched handling of the BP oil spill. Specifically, ABC told a tale as told by Louisiana's GOP Gov., Bobby Jindahl about 16 oil-sucking barges that were temporarily docked by the Coast Guard. Jindal thought they should have been out in the Gulf cleaning up the spill.
Why were the barges docked? Well, here's what ABC reported in its online dispatch :
But the Coast Guard ordered the stoppage because of reasons that Jindal found frustrating. The Coast Guard needed to confirm that there were fire extinguishers and life vests on board, and then it had trouble contacting the people who built the barges.
But guess what? In the report that aired on network TV last night, ABC left out that explanation. (You can watch the report here.) In fact, ABC left out any explanation as to why the barges were temporarily docked. Instead, viewers were left with the impression that the clueless Coast Guard ordered the barges to stop cleaning up the Gulf for no reason at all.
Wait! I was wrong.
THIS really settles the issue:
lillypaddle (704 posts) Fri Jun-18-10 03:04 PM
Response to Original message
25. This was posted
over in freeperville. Just sayin ...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8586347Mind you: for the last 60 days they've been pant-hooting that this spill is going to kill the entire Gulf for all time if not the entire damned planet.
So today we learn that global extinction is OK so long as you meet the end of the world wearing your personal floatation device and holding a fire extinguisher.
