Oil Gate: The File (initial run)

[skip fox]

Oil-Gate: The File

I would like to create a file, updated every few days (esp. with what DUers point out to me) concerning the misinformation and secrecy concerning the BP Oil Spill. This file would be reposted (in new incarnations) every day or so on DU as informational while asking for any new links to articles, stories, videos, and papers concerning both BP's, and sadly now, the government's secrecy. These articles &c. can also be to credible sources who debunk the charge of unnecessary secrecy.

Some of the early discrepancies are already well known like BP estimating the flow at 1,000 barrels/day when it is probably 50-60 times that. It would be great to find a link to an article or paper which summarized such potential obfuscations during the first month or so.

But it seems more important to look for links to items concerning all the secret (or at least under-reported) areas of the event, especially concerning crews and clean-up (including workers, training, and health, as well as disposal of materials) and suspension of 1st amendment rights within shouting distance to clean-up efforts.

So please, DU, in the spirit of HarkenGate and Jack Gillis's and my work in 1998 debunking the Ken Starr investigation (proving Clinton or his men did not attempt to suborn the perjury of Linda Tripp with the "talking points" memo), please attach to this OP links to credible items which summarize BP's deceptions, show reporters kept needlessly away from clean-up efforts (there are good reasons at times), show the police aiding BP's security, indicate government efforts to discourage information and first-hand reporting.

When you send in a link, I'll read the story, post the link in a logical section, and give the poster credit.

So far, no sections. Any ideas? "Early Discrepancies"; "Deceptions Concerning Dispersants"; "Official Misdirection"; "Workers (company, socio-economic status, benefits, equipment, health hazards)"; "Disposal of Beach Oil"; etc.

Let me start with two small YouTube videos.


Why can't citizens watch and record emergency personal attending to an apparently ill worker?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pi8R_FUGys



Why cant's reporters follow the waste?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZnuEoyByP4


DU, This can become a good site for all of us trying to figure out these issues, and sometimes reporters peak in and take it to another level. I'll start sifting thru Huffington and Mother Jones as well as major news outlets.

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I absolutely love it when projects like this happen on DU.

If we did more of this actual work and less theoretical debating and parsing of every passing event, then we would be accomplishing a lot more good in the world, and maybe actually making a difference.

As a suggestion, why not put a thread like this on the research forum, where it can reside more-or-less permanently, and then link to it in GD every day or every so often--maybe whenever there is a major new development. Maybe use a sig line. like "To read or report the latest on the BP Gusher go here <followed by a link to the permanent research thread>

[skip fox]

2. Great idea. I'm an old prof and not great with computers, but I can put

my bibliographical skills to finding, sorting, and presenting data.

A taste of what's to come:


Clean-Up Efforts:

--Denial of Access:

Mac McClelland' story for Mother Jones, "'Ignore Her,'" basically of trying to gain access to Grand Isle with a PBS producer:

http://motherjones.com/rights-stuff/2010/06/shut-down-due-bp



Effects on Beach, Wetlands, Wildlife:

--Reports/Pictures of Death and Dying Wildlife Discouraged:

BP of course doesn't want pictures of dead animal taken (can they legally prevent it?). Below is Jason Linkin's "BP Media Clampdown: No Photos of Dead Animals, Please" in The Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/02/bp-media-clampdown-no-pho_n_598119.html

(This item also show how workers are not allowed to talk to reporters.

[PJPhreak]

3. Try these...

http://www.theoildrum.com/ Big Blog/Discussion Board with LOTS of Very knowledgeable "Oil Patch Folk"

And Then there is this...

Gulf Coast Nirvana http://gcn01.com/

TinFoilHatGuys Blog...This is the Gent who has been trying to get the MSM to pick up on what WasteManagement has been doing with all the bags of oily sand that has been scraped off the beach. LOTS of Photos of Oiled Beach,Hassles with the local BP Gestapo (Local PD stopping him from reporting) Dealings with local and state officials...GOOD READING!
you can find some of his reporting a Nola.com also.

[skip fox]

4. Here's how it looks now. I'll try to sped a few hours each day on it. Send me links to solid pieces.

Oil-Gate: The File

I would like to create a file, updated every few days (esp. with what DUers point out to me) concerning the misinformation and secrecy concerning the BP Oil Spill. This file would be reposted (in new incarnations) every day or so on DU as informational while asking for any new links to articles, stories, videos, and papers concerning both BP's, and sadly now, the government's secrecy. These articles &c. can also be to credible sources who debunk the charge of unnecessary secrecy.

Some of the early discrepancies are already well known like BP estimating the flow at 1,000 barrels/day when it is probably 50-60 times that. It would be great to find a link to an article or paper which summarized such potential obfuscations during the first month or so.

But it seems more important to look for links to items concerning all the secret (or at least under-reported) areas of the event, especially concerning crews and clean-up (including workers, training, and health, as well as disposal of materials) and suspension of 1st amendment rights within shouting distance to clean-up efforts.

So please, DU, in the spirit of HarkenGate and Jack Gillis's and my work in 1998 debunking the Ken Starr investigation (proving Clinton or his men did not attempt to suborn the perjury of Linda Tripp with the "talking points" memo), please attach to this OP links to credible items which summarize BP's deceptions, show reporters kept needlessly away from clean-up efforts (there are good reasons at times), show the police aiding BP's security, indicate government efforts to discourage information and first-hand reporting.

When you send in a link, I'll read the story, post the link in a logical section, and give the poster credit.

So far, no sections. Any ideas? "Early Discrepancies"; "Deceptions Concerning Dispersants"; "Official Misdirection"; "Workers (company, socio-economic status, benefits, equipment, health hazards)"; "Disposal of Beach Oil"; etc.

Let me start with two small YouTube videos.


Why can't citizens watch and record emergency personal attending to an apparently ill worker?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pi8R_FUGys



Why cant's reporters follow the waste?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZnuEoyByP4


DU. This can become a good site for all of us trying to figure out these issues, and sometimes reporters peak in and take it to another level.

Secrecy in General

An early (May 18) story on McClachy by Marisa Taylor and Renee Schoof ("BP withholds oil spill facts--and government lets it") indicates BP controlling information and government sharing in a reluctance to get information out. Esp. information on worker safety and health:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/18/94415/bps-secrecy-keep-facts-on-gulf.html


AP on June 1 reported many news outlets limitation to the story in "News outlets claim access to Gulf oil spill site is limited":

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=23004


on June 4th, Joe Davis published a short but salient article at Seattle PostGlobe with a brief list (with links) to earlier stories about forms of secrecy, "Secrecy and the BP oil spill: Media access to oil-impacted areas disputed":

http://seattlepostglobe.org/2010/06/04/secrecy-in-the-bp-oil-spill-media-access-to-oil-impacted-areas-disputed

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=23004



Blockade of Spill

An early item listed by Joe Davis (above) is Matthew Phillip's May 26th "BP's Photo Blockade of the Gulf Oil Spill" in Newsweek:

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/05/26/the-missing-oil-spill-photos.html


Clean-Up Efforts:

--Denial of Access:

Mac McClelland earliest story (May 24) for Morther Jones about being denied access and having local police enforcing BP "rules" in "'It's BP's Oil":

http://motherjones.com/environment/2010/05/oil-spill-bp-grand-isle-beach



Mac McClelland' story for Mother Jones, "'Ignore Her,'" basically of trying to gain access to Grand Isle with a PBS producer:

http://motherjones.com/rights-stuff/2010/06/shut-down-due-bp



Effects on Beach, Wetlands, Wildlife:

--Reports/Pictures of Death and Dying Wildlife Discouraged:

BP of course doesn't want pictures of dead animal taken (can they legally prevent it?). Below is Jason Linkin's "BP Media Clampdown: No Phots of Dead Animals, Please" in The Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/02/bp-media-clampdown-no-pho_n_598119.html

(This item also show how workers are not allowed to talk to reporters. )