This spill is not Obama's Katrina, no it's much worse than 9/11. It's sort of like what would have happened if 9/11 were not shown on TV around the world. Sure there's a difference between numbers of people directly killed, but then 9/11 didn't wipe out several important species. Then look at the root cause of both events - yup petroleum. Now imagine a world where the response to 9/11 was to spend the 3 trillion on alternate energy sources instead of wars. As much as I hated seeing Goerge Bush's post 9/11 declaration of WW III, I'd like to see an equivalent response, maybe a declaration of peace on the environment.BTW, what corporation was responsible for operating the Alaska pipeline and spill response? Alyeska: primary partner in the consortium was BP as documented by Greg Palast.

@mstaggerlee, the death of a parent's child is a devastating experience. A dog is an animal but it is still part of the family. When our dog died, we did not replace it.

"It's time for America to return to rational tariff based trade policies that bring our jobs home."

Please push this proven method more often Thom. It's the great equalizer. It forces countries to think of products they can make within their borders that are better than made elsewhere. Which means folks outside the country won't mind paying a tarrif to get access. And if a country makes something that can only practically be made in that country, so much the better. That's why the U.S. has to get the lead back in manufacturing Solar panels and especially all sorts of renewable energies, before other countries figure out how to make them, and impose their own tarrifs that WE would then have to pay to them.

mstaggerlee

You have my condolences (not that it helps much).

Life can be both wonderful & tragic. It's just the way it "is".

re: #8 fewer people listen therefore fewer people visit this site when thom;s away, i'll wager...

Carl and Christine, yes, the United States of Hell is a very screwed up country.

Apropos of nothing being discussed here today, I had a rather profound experience yesterday that I'd like to share with the community. Some of the longtime members of this blog are aware that I am a bereaved parent - the 9th anniversary of the passing of our only son is approaching. Two weeks ago, the dog that he had chosen for us, a 14-year old Bichon Frise, also passed away, quickly and unexpectedly, despite his advanced age (we will spread this one's ashes over our son's grave on the aforementioned anniversary). About 6 weeks prior to that, our other dog, also a Bichon, and about 6 years old, died of a relatively long-term but never properly diagnosed (IMHO) malady. Last November, our Iguana, who'd been described as "geriatric" by our Veterenarian, also left this world. In summation, Death has been no stranger to my wife and I lately.

Very soon after the younger of the 2 dogs described above passed on, we got a new puppy. Last Friday, the puppy was vaccinated for Leptospirosis. This vaccination is usually given concurrently with the Rabies shot, but given that this is small dog, we decided to separate the 2 vacccines, so he'd had the Rabies shot 3 weeks prior, just to be on the cautious side. Despite our precaution, the puppy had a very bad negative reaction to the Lepto vaccine. He wasn't eating, drinking or eliminating ANY kind of waste, and our often hyperactive puppy was suddenly quite lethargic. We've brought him back to the vet's office daily since last Friday. Yesterday, a blood test revealed kidney damage, and the vet is keeping him at the office and administering IV hydration.

When my wife called me (on the edge of tears) at work to inform me of these developments, I asked if I could take an early exit, and went home to comfort her. All the way home yesterday afternoon, I was saying to myself "I just can't do this anymore - I will never again give my heart to someone or something that's likely to die before me! Too much risk, too much pain."

And therein is the root of the profound experience referred to at the top of this post, because if there's a lesson, or a theme, to my life so far, it's that the sentiment expressed above is nothing but sour grapes. The act of giving your heart to another, whom you truly feel deserves it, does NOT diminish you, but helps you to grow. The risk involved is negligible in the long run - even if the result is loss and pain, the pain is temporary and the loss is a learning experience. When one that you love dies, I have to believe that the love you that you gave is NOT lost - it is multiplied, and both released into the universe, and returned to you.

So, that's the lesson for today, friends and neighbors - give your love, freely and fully, to any creature that you feel is worthy of it. Yes, there is risk involved, but the payoff is far greater.

regarding one of the topics on Wednesday's show: the tendency toward violence by the rightwingers, a link was posted by a blogger to a site which complied characteristics of RWA and how to recognize Right Wing Authority complex: http://www.ehow.com/how_2179992_recognize-authoritarian-personality.html

This is an excellent web page and pretty much pegs the personalities of the rightwing sheeple rushbot-types. The only thing I would have added with emphasis is this:

" another disturbing characteristic of the RWA is sexism and chauvanism which seems to be a common theme among the afflicted. A progressive or liberal leaning female seems to bring out the absolute hate and intolerance way beyond what is normally reserved for progressive or liberal leaning males. Many of those afflicted with RWA believe the problems facing America began when women were granted the right to vote a century ago and that those who promote equality for women are godless and sinful, thus making use of their not so secret weapon of religion to keep women " in their place.."

The RWA's seek a white male dominated existence of an authoritarian style where women are cloaked in psychological burkas and are there only to serve and shut up.

Looks like Thom was right; they were getting ready for the VIP visit

Gulf oil spill: Before explosion, BP was warned to slow down

Hours before the fatal accident that sunk the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, Transocean workers quarreled with BP officials who wanted to go ahead and finish the job despite earlier problems, a rig mechanic told a U.S. Coast Guard investigatory committee Wednesday.

Douglas Brown, the rig’s chief mechanic, testified that three Transocean officials balked at the desire of a BP “company man” to go ahead with a process to clear the riser with seawater. The riser is the connector pipe between the rig and well, and this would have been a final step to finish the exploratory drilling job BP had hired Transocean to complete.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/05/gulf-mexico-oil-leak-...

Normally gas prices go up before a holiday... (Memorial Day weekend)

Normally gas prices go up if there's an oil refinery explosion(AGE Refinery - Fort Worth, TX)

Just filled my tank up. Gas was down 20 cents. We don't have BP gas stations here.

Isn't this proof of collusion?

Sounds great! May is one of the happiest month I loved. I'm attempting to find the meaning behind some or our less common American holidays. For this holiday I am using, National Egg Month, considering it's a May holiday. I am going to find out why we now have a month for an egg. Turns out the egg was celebrated because, after a long winter of chickens not having the ability to produce eggs, the chickens started to produce eggs again around May. Although we appreciate eggs all year round presently, it had been just one century ago that we only enjoyed them seasonally.