Drift wood not lookig good.

[Ed in Tampa]

I lived in Cleveland Ohio for many years and they had a river so polluted that it actually caught fire. Then to make the matter worst when the fire boat sprayed water they actually became flame thowers. Burnt down a few bridges and some docks it was a mess.

Long story short once they decided to clean up the river it came back in a few years. In fact Lake Erie itself was almost totally polluted. Couldn't see 3 feet in the water and if you caught any fish you had to only use back meat as the belly meat was said to contaminated.

10years later I'm told you could see bottom out by West Sister Island and that is about 70 feet and fishing is great

This oil is a mess but I really think it is being overplayed. I also agree with whoever said the commerical fisherman are trying to make this a big disaster to get some sort of a settlement.

[beeg]

I also agree with whoever said the commerical fisherman are trying to make this a big disaster to get some sort of a settlement.

Well it is a BIG DEAL if ya can't make money.

[JPG]

Well it is a BIG DEAL if ya can't make money.

Yep! To them it is a monster! It will be interesting how long it takes big brother to 'decide' any produce from that area is 'unsafe'. Tell me THAT is not a Big deal to those harvesting that produce for a living!

For those not following this, 'produce' = fish, shrimp, crabs. mussels, clams.........

[swampgator]

Not only the food supply, but those who have spent millions of dollars on houses along those beaches are now afraid that their property value will be less than their mortgages. Personally, I prefer that all these houses be removed along with all the motels and condos. When they get destroyed in hurricanes, their insurance premiums increase and so do ours to help them with theirs.

The only news I hear is the local news as wifey keeps on her shows. Don't interfere with those all important shows.

[Ed in Tampa]

Not only the food supply, but those who have spent millions of dollars on houses along those beaches are now afraid that their property value will be less than their mortgages. Personally, I prefer that all these houses be removed along with all the motels and condos. When they get destroyed in hurricanes, their insurance premiums increase and so do ours to help them with theirs.

The only news I hear is the local news as wifey keeps on her shows. Don't interfere with those all important shows.

Swampgator
I have an idea on the hurricane insurance. Tell everyone on the coast they are insured for one hurricane. If their house gets destroyed they will be paid in full however if they rebuild they are on their own they will never be able to get insurance. End of problem.
I'm sick of paying for their insurance too. I heard a story about a house in or around Houston. It originally cost $87,000 to build in the early 80's since that time the insurance has paid nearly a million to have the house repeatedly rebuilt or repaired after it was destroyed or damaged in a number of hurricanes.

As for the oil slick I guess I'm standing on the wrong side of this issue but I have been played by the media so much in the past I don't listen to much of what the say and I certainly don't listen to their "experts".
I was talking to my brother that lives on the east coast of Florida and his take was what is big deal, we get tar balls ( which is all they now say will hit the Florida coast) all the time. They come from natural undersea oil leaks, ship bilges and oops ( that never happen and are never reported).

All I can say is remember all the predictions, all the what ifs and when it is all over and done compare the two. I still think the predictions, what ifs and all will be far worst than what actually occurs.
My opinion after listening to the media and their sky is falling method of getting people to tune in to the latest report. .

[mikelst]

Swampgator
I have an idea on the hurricane insurance. Tell everyone on the coast they are insured for one hurricane. If their house gets destroyed they will be paid in full however if they rebuild they are on their own they will never be able to get insurance. End of problem.
I'm sick of paying for their insurance too. I heard a story about a house in or around Houston. It originally cost $87,000 to build in the early 80's since that time the insurance has paid nearly a million to have the house repeatedly rebuilt or repaired after it was destroyed or damaged in a number of hurricanes.

As for the oil slick I guess I'm standing on the wrong side of this issue but I have been played by the media so much in the past I don't listen to much of what the say and I certainly don't listen to their "experts".
I was talking to my brother that lives on the east coast of Florida and his take was what is big deal, we get tar balls ( which is all they now say will hit the Florida coast) all the time. They come from natural undersea oil leaks, ship bilges and oops ( that never happen and are never reported).

All I can say is remember all the predictions, all the what ifs and when it is all over and done compare the two. I still think the predictions, what ifs and all will be far worst than what actually occurs.
My opinion after listening to the media and their sky is falling method of getting people to tune in to the latest report. .

yep

I agree

[JPG]

yep

I agree

They must have read CHICKEN LITTLE(the early chapters)!:rolleyes:

[jdramsey]

Swampgator
I have an idea on the hurricane insurance. Tell everyone on the coast they are insured for one hurricane. If their house gets destroyed they will be paid in full however if they rebuild they are on their own they will never be able to get insurance. End of problem.
I'm sick of paying for their insurance too. I heard a story about a house in or around Houston. It originally cost $87,000 to build in the early 80's since that time the insurance has paid nearly a million to have the house repeatedly rebuilt or repaired after it was destroyed or damaged in a number of hurricanes.

As for the oil slick I guess I'm standing on the wrong side of this issue but I have been played by the media so much in the past I don't listen to much of what the say and I certainly don't listen to their "experts".
I was talking to my brother that lives on the east coast of Florida and his take was what is big deal, we get tar balls ( which is all they now say will hit the Florida coast) all the time. They come from natural undersea oil leaks, ship bilges and oops ( that never happen and are never reported).

All I can say is remember all the predictions, all the what ifs and when it is all over and done compare the two. I still think the predictions, what ifs and all will be far worst than what actually occurs.
My opinion after listening to the media and their sky is falling method of getting people to tune in to the latest report. .

I like that idea, but I want to transfer it to Los Angeles County. Every few years, the hills above Malibu burn in wildfires. I personally spoke with a woman whose home had burnt to the ground three times. At the time of the conversation (about 7-8 years ago) she was in her fourth home. Her house got bigger after each fire from insurance payouts and low interest government loans.

[swampgator]

I agree with your position on the building on the coast line.

The big deal with the oil slick in the Gulf is it probably won't reach most of Florida anytime soon. That can be good news. As far as tar balls, they do happen especially after hurricanes and they aren't many. They can be very annoying and painful to sensitive skin. The real deal is that we are now having dolphins, fish, and other sea life wash ashore dead. Fishermen are now restricted by a larger area. This is an extra expense to go further out into the gulf, spend more time in going and returning, buying more ice to keep the harvest fresh enough to sell at dockside, paying the help more since it takes more time. And who knows which fish are contaminated with the crap? I don't think anyone here would want that on their plates.

Yes, the news media does hype some stuff to sell news. But, I will listen to experts from NOAA and others in the field. Having retired from DOD of 35 years, it depends on who is telling the story. Some will hype and others will simply tell the facts. I was not the salesman and therefore not allowed to say much, but I learned much and know more than I wish. That said, careful listening will bring out what you need to know. Again, and I don't mean to be sarcastic, idignant or superior in this. Businesses along our beaches are loosing customers and some may have to close. In this economy, this is not what we need since our mainstay is tourism.

Presently, it appears by NOAA forecasters that most of the oil will first touch land half way around LA. That will really mess up some stuff there and we are not talking about tarballs and tar paddies. This incident is the real reason I have opposed drilling close to shore for over 30 years. Not a tree hugger, but having spent 2 years in Nam on carriers and seen what we did there with our little controlled oil transfers, I know very well that there is nothing that is fail safe. Shoot, even our own shops teach us that! I know that the incidence is small, but when we let down quality, we raise the risk of allowing such situations as this to happen. Now, if Florida begins to develop industry and not rely so heavily on tourism, this all changes. But, our leaders have been very reluctant to do that. So many of our young people get a good education and move away to make a decent living. Bring on the polluters!

[Ed in Tampa]

Well I think it is the 73 or 75th day since this oil spill started and I have to say I was totally wrong. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think they wouldn't be able to shut it off long before now.

Now I'm starting to wonder if they will ever get it closed. I don't know how this will effect the Gulf coast in the future but right now it is making a mess.

The problem that I see now is the people that are being effected are having to share the recovery money with people making false claims.

My neighbor is involved in the fish business, they handle huge shipments of fish. Right now they are receiving claim after claim of oil tainted fish. The problem is they must process each claim. Many are accompanied with law suits of people who claim they were made sick. Now the kicker! They don't sell or process any Gulf fish! All their fish is either pond raised or comes from the North Atlantic. They have hired people to forward all the claims and suits to their insurance carrier but the fear is once these cases hit trial they may not be able to afford to defend against them.
What a mess!