The Shanks Dimension » Science and Technology

Reagan and Gingrich – Newt Not The Supporter He Claims to be of Reagan!

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:23:47 +0000

Man – this just sucks big time! National Review posted an article by Elliot Abrams about Newt Gingrich and how he (Gingrich) repeatedly insulted the president. For the full article, just copy and paste the link posted down in the Ref section.

According to Elliott Abrams, Newt Gingrich’s claims of “working with President Reagan” to change things in Washington D.C. is bunch of hot air. Elliot Abrams was Reagan’s Assistant secretary of state. Newt was a new member to Congress and he ‘spewed’ insulting rhetoric at the president in his administration’s efforts to defeat Communism. Newt in fact was predicting that Reagan’s policies would fail and that the president was dead wrong.

Abrams goes on to explain the conflict and who the players were in the National Review article. But as a blogger looking at the 2012 Republican Race, I’m running out of options for a choice now.

In another article, this one by Fred Barnes for The Weekly Standard, he displays a page from The Reagan Dairies that mentions for the first and last time – Newt Gingrich. In it quote: “Newt Gingrich has a proposal for freezing the budget at the 1983 level. It’s a tempting idea except that it would cripple our defense programs. And if we make an exception on that every special interest group will be asking for the same.” end quote. This is from Chapter 3, page 123 in the dairies that covers the year 1983.

All the folks that I liked are now out of the running (Cain, Bachmann, Perry). I don’t like Mitt Romney or the ‘other’ Rick (Santorum) that is in the race. Ron Paul – his foreign policy sucks big time for this blogger. And the word ‘sucks’ is being kind to the man.

The third Newt Gingrich article I found today was the one where he pledges a moon base by his second term. Newt Gingrich is already thinking of having a second term?! We got to get you in there for the first term dude!

Quote: “By the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American,” Gingrich said to applause on the space coast of Florida.

He also said that the development would include commercial and private efforts, and will make apparent, “we clearly have the capacity that Chinese and the Russians will never come anywhere close to us.” End quote.

Newt Gingrich also has plans to push propulsion development technology that will get manned crews to Mars quickly. He went on to emphasized that it doesn’t have to be expensive if done in partnership with private companies (which appears to be his main theme in this matter) that can lower the cost of exploration. Quoting again, “If it’s cheaper and it’s faster and it works, do it,” Newt Gingrich said. He also added at the end of this article the following quote: “Does that mean I’m visionary? You betcha,” end quote.

As far as I know, no other candidate has gone to even this much detail as far as to what the American space policy vision should be.

This is why I like him (Newt Gingrich). He’s a fighter. I see Mitt as someone who’ll go along to just get along with someone.

And Newt has his bad points. From what I heard on Rush Limbaugh’s talk radio today (January 25, 2012), Newt’s divorces and talks of open marriage are anchors and chains around his throat – dragging him down. One caller claimed that he wasn’t going to vote at all if Newt was going to be the Republician nominee.

Such boastful talk right now I’m sure. Closer to November’s election day and the chance that Obama might still get his second term in office, I think that caller will have to change his mind about not voting after all. Such a claim is really a vote for President Barrack H. Obama when you think about it!

And we cannot afford such stupid thinking this year from the Republican masses. This nations survival is at stake!

If Mitt gets the top position after all – I will vote for him. Even if I have to hold my nose while doing it. I would feel even better if it turns into a Romney/Gingrich team at this point. Remember, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush didn’t get along in the primaries either back then.

UPDATE January 26, 2012: Here is the summary from another article (link posted below) for Newt’s Space Vision.

Newt Gingrich gave his JFK-style speech in Florida today followed by a round table. As with Newt, it didn’t contain a single overriding goal (build a transcontinental railroad, land a man on the moon), but rather a series of grandiose goals. A summary, based on this video:

*Invoked both Abraham Lincoln (railroads) and John F. Kennedy (moon program).

*Proposed setting aside 10 percent of NASA’s budget for prizes.

*Promised to build a permanent lunar base on the moon by the end of his second term and it will be American (Jan. 20, 2021).

*Proposed commercial near-Earth activity including tourism, manufacturing and science based on the model of the airline industry in the 1930s because he’s sick of being told we need to be timid and we need to use 50 year old technology.

*Wants the U.S. to gain so much experience in space that that Chinese and Russians will never be able to match.

*Pledged to set up a $10 billion tax free prize for devising a way to get to Mars on the cheap.

*Promised to fund the development of the first continuous propulsion system in space to enable short-duration trips to Mars.

*Proposed that the U.S. launch 5 to 8 rockets per day instead of 1 per day — more like airports.

*Change civil service laws to make NASA more like Boeing than….well, NASA.

*Plans to introduce a “Northwest Ordinance” that would allow a lunar colony with 13,000 people to petition for statehood.

end of summary.

On first blush, Newt Gingrich is really getting his Klingon on. Followers of this blog should know by now what I mean by that. For newcomers, that really means willing to get into someone’s face to promote a point of view. No prisoners taken approach for politics that I like. Those on the right always have to give. The left never, ever does and its about damn time that they do. Hence, that is why I invoke Star Trek’s fictional species of Klingon into this type of problem.

But I am worried that wrapping himself in the mantle of Ronald Reagan and whats coming out now about how wrong Newt was and how right (correct) Reagan was… this I’m afraid will shoot down Newt for the 2012 election. But with this vision for space he has, I think now that he will have a better chance as VP for Mittens.

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Ref.
1. National Review. “Gingrich and Reagan” By Elliott Abrams. January 25, 2012. ( http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/289159/gingrich-and-reagan-elliott-abrams ). picture from same article.
2. The Weekly Standard. “What Reagan THought of Newt” by Fred Barnes. January 25, 2012. ( http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/what-reagan-thought-newt_618549.html ).
3. Politico.com. by Alexander Burns and Ginger Gibson. January 25, 2012. ( http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/01/newt-pledges-moon-base-by-second-term-112319.html ).
4. image off of internet of lunar base (from old Britsh TV series ‘UFO’). (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O_L1W8HmE8E/SfoSKvA0KuI/AAAAAAAAAjA/z3Xwy7uwTtk/s400/moon+base.jpg).

5. ParabolicArc.com. “Gingrich’s Gradiose Plans for American Space Exploration” by Doug Messier. January 26, 2012. ( http://www.parabolicarc.com/2012/01/25/gingrichs-gradiose-plans-for-american-space-exploration/ ).

Counterattack and a Tactical Victory by Anonymous!

admin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:18:25 +0000

Anonymous – a infamous hacking person (or group) has laid low for some time. But recent events dealing with the SOPA/PIPA legislation being reviewed right now in both houses of Congress, and the Department of Justice shutting down a file sharing website called Megaupload; have responded with a metaphoric nuclear strike against the DoJ/gov website and other government websites.

Seems we have a Cyberwar going on now. There was a Twitter account boasting their successful strike on the US law enforcement agency. Other websites -basically media websites concerned over pirated programming and software have been shut down by Anonymous. Universal Music Group, US Copyright Office, MPAA.org, recording company EMI. French copyright authority HADOPI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also been attacked.

As far as DoJ vs Megaupload, that website is down and four people arrested.

The House and Senate gave the Cyberattackers a victory today. Lamar Smith (R) chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee and Senate Leader Harry Reid (D) will postpone or reschedule critical votes until January 24th. Quoting Senator Reid, “in light of recent events.”

Rep Lamar Smith said the following in a statement released to the media, “I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy. It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products.”

SOPA/PIPA (Stop Online Piracy Act in the House, and PROTECT IP Act in the Senate) are the reasons for the start of this Cyberwar. Basically, these two acts are aimed at curbing online piracy which costs billions of dollars a year for the entertainment companies, publishers, pharmaceutical and other industies.

ON the other hand, the technology companies are worried that if SOPA/PIPA becomes law, it will undermine online freedoms which would be very difficult to enforce and that it would also encourage frivolous lawsuits.

Rep Darrell Issa on the 18th introduced a companion bill in the House saying that quoting the Reuters.com article; “SOPA and PIPA lacked a fundamental understanding of how Internet technologies work. The technology sector has shown more optimism about prospects for Issa and (Senator Ron) Wyden’s alternative bill, called the OPEN Act.” end quote.

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Ref.
1. Gizmodo.com. “Anonymous Goes on Megaupload Revenge Spree: DoJ, RIAA, MPAA, and Universal Music All Offline” by Sam Biddle. January 19, 2012. ( http://gizmodo.com/5877679/anonymous-kills-department-of-justice-site-in-megaupload-revenge-strike ).
2. Reuters.com. “Congress puts brakes on anti-piracy bills” by by Thomas Ferraro and Jasmin Melvin. January 20, 2012. ( http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/20/us-usa-congress-internet-idUSTRE80J10X20120120 ).

New NASA Data about Global Warming – Not as Bad as the Alarmists Say it is!

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:12:01 +0000

NASA reviewing satellite data for the years 2000 to 2011 show that our planet’s atmosphere is allowing far more heat to be released to outer space than previous computer models have predicted according to the journal Remote Sensing.
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The study shows that future global warming will be less than what current United Nations computer models show. And it also supports previous peer-reviewed studies that indicate atmospheric carbon dioxide trap far less heat than the alarmists camp has previously claimed.
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Quote: Study co-author Dr. Roy Spencer, a principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and U.S. Science Team Leader for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer flying on NASA’s Aqua satellite, reports that real-world data from NASA’s Terra satellite contradict multiple assumptions fed into alarmist computer models.
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“The satellite observations suggest there is much more energy lost to space during and after warming than the climate models show,” Spencer said in a July 26 University of Alabama press release. “There is a huge discrepancy between the data and the forecasts that is especially big over the oceans.” end quote.
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For more information, please use the link below.
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Ref.
1. yahoo news(Forbes). “New NASA Data Blow Gaping Hold In Global Warming Alarmism” by James Taylor. July 28, 2011. ( http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-data-blow-gaping-hold-global-warming-alarmism-192334971.html ).

Mexican drug gangs building Mad Max Tanks

admin — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:07:06 +0000

The drug crime gangs must have been watching the Mad Max Trilogy and decided to convert some trucks into tanks. The Mexican army located two “narco tanks” inCiudad Camargo near the Texas border.

Earlier discoveries in April and May found the narco tanks that can fit 20 armed people in the back, swiveling turrets, sniper peepholes. And special gadgets that can dump oil or tire-puncturing nails on roadways. These “narco tanks” are built on three-axle truck bodies with inch-thick steel plating-able to protect up to 50-caliber machinegun fire. And to top it all off, a front mounted steel battering ram.

The Mexican media have called these armored vehicles “Los Monstruos” (or the Monsters). Security companies have labeled these vehicles “rhino trucks.” So far, none of these “Los Monstruos” have been used in combat with the Mexican army.

The two gangs fighting one another, the Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel are locked in brutal combat in Tamaulipas state for the control of key smuggling routes into Texas.

The drug cartels have been building homemade submarines to smuggle drugs from Colombia to Mexico for trans shippment into the United States. Any reason NOT to expect the drug gangs to escolate the drug war on land?

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Ref.

1. . “” by Tim Johnson. June 6, 2011. (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/06/06/115327/mexican-drug-gangs-building-own.html).

Iran/Venezuela Rocket Base Deal

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:00:56 +0000

German newspaper ‘Die Welt’ is reporting that the Iranians have paid President Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela to build rocket launcher bases in that South American country.

These mid-range launch complexes will be located on the Paraguana Peninsula. The launch silos will be 20 meters deep in the gorund. This would include building bunkers, barracks, etc for each launch complex.

Iranina construction firm (aka Revolutionary Guards) “Khatam al-Anbia, visited the proposed building site in February this year. The rocket bases will include provisions to prevent air attacks on Venezuela’s control centers by commando teams.

In the chess game of world politics, Iran has a ally in South America now that I could provide it with rockets to counter American combat options in the middle east. Or think of it in this way – Remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of the early 1960s?

Added to this, the AP reports that Iran and North Korea have been exchanging ballistic missile components and technology, which is in violation of United Nations sanctions.

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Ref.

1. Jpost.com. “‘Die Welt’: Iran building rocket bases in Venezuela” By Benjamin Weinthal. May 17, 2011. (http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=220879).

2. Jpost.com. “Iran denies UN report it exchanged missiles with N. Korea” by the JPost.com staff. May 17, 2011. (http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=220936). pic from result from a google search.

The Zombie Moon Landing Program

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:38:56 +0000

The Constellation Program has to be a vampire or a zombie. It has been killed off several times “officially” and yet, there are members of congress that somehow keep hitting the program with the paddles – screaming “Clear!” And the Frankenstein creature of special interest bills is given a new jolt of life.

Rep. Bill Posey (R-Florida) has submitted a bill entitled “Reasserting American Leadership in Space Act” (aka the “REAL Space Act”). Basically, the USA gets to go back to the moon by the year 2022. And develope a plan to remain there for future habitation/colonization. This will eventually lead the United States in several stepping stone missions to Mars and other destinations.

Here is the key wording of the Act: ”The National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall plan to return to the moon by 2022 and develop a sustained human presence on the moon in order to promote exploration, commerce, science and United States preeminence in space as a stepping stone for the future exploration of Mars and other destinations. The budget requests and expenditures of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall be consistent with achieving this goal.” end quote

The three references below all have a negative take (my opionion) of this act. All three authors of these news articles like the robots to do the exploration. And the robots do do it cheaper than sending humans out into space. But, when I was growning up, I wanted to be a astronaut, not a robot!

For the mudane hauling of cargo and people up to the international space station, I think turning that over to civilian space companies is the economical thing to do. Going back to the moon (in the beginning) and to Mars, I think the government should do the exploring first. Once the infranstructure is in place there on the moon and Mars, then the civilian space companies can follow.

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Ref.

1. Reason.com. “To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Since 1972″ by Nick Gillespie. April 25, 2011. (http://reason.com/blog/2011/04/25/to-boldly-go-where-no-man-has?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reason%2FHitandRun+%28Reason+Online+-+Hit+%26+Run+Blog%29).

2. Yahoo.com News. “Rep. Bill Posey Introduces ‘Back To the Moon’ Bill” by Mark Whittington. April 24, 2011. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110424/pl_ac/8357271_rep_bill_posey_introduces_back_to_the_moon_bill;_ylt=AjrKg7bD1Ub6i_fVOzConSs1y8F_;_ylu=X3oDMTNzZjhjNmI5BGFzc2V0A2FjLzIwMTEwNDI0LzgzNTcyNzFfcmVwX2JpbGxfcG9zZXlfaW50cm9kdWNlc19iYWNrX3RvX3RoZV9tb29uX2JpbGwEY3BvcwM4BHBvcwM1BHNlYwN5bl9oZWFkbGluZV9saXN0BHNsawNyZXBiaWxscG9zZXk-).

3. Salon.com. “Why we should embrace the end of human spaceflight” by Michael Lind. April 25, 2011. (http://www.salon.com/news/politics/2011/04/12/nasa_spaceflight_future_government_robots/).

Japan and its Nuclear Tiger it has by the Tail

admin — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:53:43 +0000

I’ve been putting off writting about the nuclear non-explosion that is currently taking place in Japan following in the wake of that 9.0 earthquake and Tsunami. My one and only previous posting dealing with this subject comes on my other blog Flash Force 255 Bunker (see the link below in the Ref section please).

Heroic efforts are taking place to try and cool off some exposed nuclear fuel rods in cooling pools that may very well be cracked and thus – totally empty!

As of today, even some Japanese officials are now starting to think about building a concrete coffin for the Fukushima nuclear power plant (ala Chernobyl).

Officially, this disaster now ranks equal or above the Three-Mile-Island nuclear disaster in Pennsylvania back in 1979. Chernobyl took place in 1986.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Managing Director Akio Komiri cried as he left a conference that briefed journalists on the situation at the Fukushima power station. He acknowledged the radiation was over-heating the reactors to the point that they were now going to start killing some people. Komiri said that officials should have come forward sooner about how serious the radiation leaks were.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that his coutnry will overcome the catastrophe that has befallen upon them. Quote: We will rebuild Japan from scratch,’ he said in a televised speech: ‘In our history, this small island nation has made miraculous economic growth thanks to the efforts of all Japanese citizens. That is how Japan was built.’ end quote.

Radiation is steaming up from the ruined reactor number four. Its 45-foot deep storage pool to keep the fuel rods stable, has boiled away in the fire that took place.

UN official stated that the radiation that will reach the American West Coast is ‘about a billion times’ less than health-threatening levels.

The plant personnel are still trying to get the coolant pumps back up and operational again. A new power line was laid down just to do this. The Daily Mail said that the line to reactor Two was repaired. And that this would let them restore electricity to the colling pumps there to stop any meltdowns.

But this nuclear plant which contains six nuclear reactors-only two are undamaged.

Neal Boortz posted a paper on what was happening in Japan on March 15th. The big news outlets (CNN, FoxNews, ABC, etc) were playing up the risks from the nuclear plant disaster). They almost ignored the human impact of this event to the Japanese people. There have been no Looting! Compare that to the Katrina diaster of a few years ago. Quote: My point here is that the media – especially television – has been going for the sensational rather than for the informative. It seems to me that they are more interested in keeping people tuned in through sensationalist reporting than they are in imparting accurate and valuable information. end quote.

Current numbers released to the news media. Confirmed dead or missing now totals 14,000. Number of people homeless: 492,000. Number of households in the north on the main island without electricity: 850,000.

My prayers are for the Japanese people right now.

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Ref.

1. Daily Mail. “The moment nuclear plant chief WEPT as Japanese finally admit that radiation leak is serious enough to kill people” by David Derbyshire. March 18, 2011. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367684/Nuclear-plant-chief-weeps-Japanese-finally-admit-radiation-leak-kill-people.html). image also from this source.

2. Boortz.com. “What’s Up In Japan” by Neal Boortz. March 15, 2011 (http://boortz.com/nealz_nuze/2011/03/15/).

3. Flash Force 255 Bunker. ”Japan Quake Before/After Images. Possible Reactor Meltdown Taking Place” by Don W. Shanks. March 13, 2011. (http://flash255bunker.blogspot.com/2011/03/japan-quake-beforeafter-images-possible.html).

Mobile Cargo Contailer Missile Launchers. NOT just for James Bond movies anymore!

admin — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:38:32 +0000

Found this bit of good news on Stand Up America Blog. And Homeland Security never even knew about it until WSB-TV channel 2 had a news report about it. Known as the Club K Missile system that can be hidden inside a normal shipping container.

Entire article printed below…

A Russian weapons company is marketing a new missile system that is hidden inside an ordinary shipping container. It can turn a ship, train or truck into a long range missile launcher. Channel Two Action News anchor Justin Farmer investigated the threat and found officials at the Port of Savannah had never heard of the Club K Missile system.

It sounds like something out of a James Bond movie. A hidden cruise missile that can transform a shipping container into a missile launcher. The problem is it’s real and a Russian weapons company is advertising it for sale to anyone who has the cash to pay for it. Channel Two Action News went to the Port of Savannah to find out how the feds are combating this potential threat. They did not even know about it, until Farmer told them.

The promotional video for the Club K Missile system is part of the marketing campaign by a private, Russian-based weapons manufacturer. The cruise missile system is hidden in a 40-foot shipping container. It can fire four long range satellite-guided missiles from a ship, train or tractor-trailer.

The Club K is being marketed at international weapons shows as a military weapon. In the hands of a terrorist group the container could easily be smuggled into the United states. It is so new most international security experts have never heard of it. “To look at an entire weapons system that can be put on a cargo ship and deployed is frightening,” said Brent Brown an international security consultant, “It is a pretty devastating piece of technology that could have all kinds of collateral damage.”

The Port of Savannah is the fourth largest in the nation; moving over three million containers a year. A Club K Missile system fired from a container at the Port of Savannah could easily reach Atlanta 250 miles away.

Customs and Border protection are responsible for port security. Farmer asked the Directors of Customs and Border Protections if he was aware of the weapons. Director John Porter replied, “I am now.”

Just how does the Federal government check millions of containers? Customs says that they carefully monitor the paperwork of every container. They said that it is largely done at the port of origin overseas. They admit, while they have the latest in x-ray technology, it is simply not realistic to scan all cargo.

Thousands of containers are off loaded from ships like this one but just a fraction go through machines.

“If you are not checking 100% that it is a hole in the system,” said Brown. Every truck is check for radiation as it leaves the Savannah port, but the Club K Missile can be either nuclear or hold conventional explosives that would not’ trip these detectors. Savannah authorities told us they believe the Club K would not’ make it through either way.

“Our systems in place would detect such an anomaly,” said Porter.

“It is extremely troubling, it’s extremely troubling,” said retired general now defense industry consultant David Poythress. Poythress added that the military has quietly been working on technology to defend against a Club K cruise missile-type system. “It’s a huge threat. A cruise missile launch from a vessel, off-shore against an urban population,” said Poythress.

Janes Defense Weekly estimates the price tag on the Club K Missile is between $10-20 million. The Russian company that makes the weapon has refused interviews. They have issued statements saying the Club-K is not being marketed to terrorists and is meant for use on military ships. The company also claims to have nations in Latin America and the Asia pacific region interested in weapon.

End quote.

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Ref.

Stand Up America blog. “Cargo Container Missile Launcher – Feds Knew Nothing” October 29, 2010. (http://standupamericaus.com/cargo-container-missile-launcher—feds-knew-nothing).

Larry Hagman – Shine, Baby, Shine

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:40:30 +0000

J.R. Ewing is dead it seems… but 78-year old actor Larry Hagman is still going on strong. He is now the pitch man for SolarWorld, a German company that is making solar cells in the USA. In fact, the actor admits he has ‘barrow’ Sarah Palin’s fmaous quote “Drill, Baby, Drill” and adapted it for the new energy campaign.

“Shine, Baby, Shine” ad cmapign will so air on television.

Quoting the actor, “When affordable oil gives out, we’re in real trouble — I mean the collapse of civilization, within 15 to 20 years.”

Hagman has been a longtime advocate for alternate energy. He serves on the board of Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF). This is a non-profit organization that brings sun-powered projects to developing countries. Solarworld is helping out in Haiti with the donation of 100 kilowatt solar panels to power five clinics on that island.

In closing, Larry Hagman stated the following, “We’ve got a work force that’s looking for jobs. We’ve got a long line of people returning from wars.”

The picture of Solarworld’s ad campaign shows Larry Hagman dressed as J.R. Ewing with a house behind him with solar panels on the roof.

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Ref. The Oregon Live, by Richard Read. July 13, 2010.(http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/07/larry_hagman_of_dallas_fame_be.html).

Deepwater Horizon Target of North Korea Special Ops Service?

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 11:52:23 +0000

The following is the entire article posted on Texas Fred (dot) net and his original source, The European Union Times…. Also, be sure to check out all the updates at the end of the post for the latest information.

A grim report circulating in the Kremlin today written by Russia’s Northern Fleet is reporting that the United States has ordered a complete media blackout over North Korea’s torpedoing of the giant Deepwater Horizon oil platform owned by the World’s largest offshore drilling contractor Transocean that was built and financed by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., that has caused great loss of life, untold billions in economic damage to the South Korean economy, and an environmental catastrophe to the United States.

Most important to understand about this latest attack by North Korea against its South Korean enemy is that under the existing “laws of war” it was a permissible action as they remain in a state of war against each other due to South Korea’s refusal to sign the 1953 Armistice ending the Korean War.

To the attack itself, these reports continue, the North Korean “cargo vessel” Dai Hong Dan believed to be staffed by 17th Sniper Corps “suicide” troops left Cuba’s Empresa Terminales Mambisas de La Habana (Port of Havana) on April 18th whereupon it “severely deviated” from its intended course for Venezuela’s Puerto Cabello bringing it to within 209 kilometers (130 miles) of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform which was located 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of the US State of Louisiana where it launched an SSC Sang-o Class Mini Submarine (Yugo class) estimated to have an operational range of 321 kilometers (200 miles).

On the night of April 20th the North Korean Mini Submarine manned by these “suicidal” 17th Sniper Corps soldiers attacked the Deepwater Horizon with what are believed to be 2 incendiary torpedoes causing a massive explosion and resulting in 11 workers on this giant oil rig being killed outright. Barely 48 hours later, on April 22nd , this North Korean Mini Submarine committed its final atrocity by exploding itself directly beneath the Deepwater Horizon causing this $1 Billion oil rig to sink beneath the seas and marking 2010’s celebration of Earth Day with one of the largest environmental catastrophes our World has ever seen.

To the reason for North Korea attacking the Deepwater Horizon, these reports say, was to present US President Obama with an “impossible dilemma” prior to the opening of the United Nations Review Conference of the Parties to the Treat on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) set to begin May 3rd in New York.

This “impossible dilemma” facing Obama is indeed real as the decision he is faced with is either to allow the continuation of this massive oil leak catastrophe to continue for months, or immediately stop it by the only known and proven means possible, the detonation of a thermonuclear device.

Russian Navy atomic experts in these reports state that should Obama choose the “nuclear option” the most viable weapon at his disposal is the United States B83 (Mk-83) strategic thermonuclear bomb having a variable yield (Low Kiloton Range to 1,200 Kilotons) which with its 12 foot length and 18 inch diameter, and weighing just over 2,400 pounds, is readily able to be deployed and detonated by a remote controlled mini-sub.

Should Obama choose the “nuclear option” it appears that he would be supported by the International Court of Justice who on July 8, 1996 issued an advisory opinion on the use of nuclear weapons stating that they could not conclude definitively on these weapons use in “extreme circumstances” or “self defense”.

On the other hand, if Obama chooses the “nuclear option” it would leave the UN’s nuclear conference in shambles with every Nation in the World having oil rigs off their coasts demanding an equal right to atomic weapons to protect their environment from catastrophes too, including Iran.

To whatever decision Obama makes it remains a fact that with each passing hour this environmental catastrophe grows worse. And even though Obama has ordered military SWAT teams to protect other oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico from any further attack, and further ordered that all drilling in the Gulf of Mexico be immediately stopped, this massive oil spill has already reached the shores of America and with high waves and more bad weather forecast the likelihood of it being stopped from destroying thousands of miles of US coastland and wildlife appears unstoppable.

And not just to the environmental catastrophe that is unfolding the only devastation to be wrecked upon the United States and South Korea by this North Korean attack as the economic liabilities associated with this disaster are estimated by these Russian reports to be between $500 Billion to $1.5 Trillion, and which only a declaration of this disaster being an “act of war” would free some the World’s largest corporations from bankruptcy.

Important to note too in all of these events was that this was the second attack by North Korea on its South Korean enemy, and US ally, in a month as we had reported on in our March 28th report titled “Obama Orders ‘Immediate Stand-down’ After Deadly North Korean Attack” and which to date neither the Americans or South Korea have retaliated for and giving one senior North Korean party leader the courage to openly state that the North Korean military took “gratifying revenge” on South Korea.

And for those believing that things couldn’t get worse, they couldn’t be more mistaken as new reports coming from Japanese military sources are stating that North Korea is preparing for new launches of its 1,300 kilometer (807 miles) intermediate range ballistic “Rodong” missile which Russian Space Forces experts state is able to “deploy and detonate” an atomic electromagnetic pulse (EMP) device, and which if detonated high in the atmosphere could effectively destroy the American economy for years, if not decades, to come.

Now my take on this – I’m not going to come out and say that this is impossible. Look at how the 9/11 terrorists used hijacked airliners against us in a unique way back in 2001. If North Korea was stupid enough to actually attack the United States and South Korea (remember it’s ship being sunk by one of these sucide torpedos recently?). I would personally assumed that any attack against the US would come at us from the Pacific.

But if this article is correct, this is more about directing US/UN policy towards a certain direction. I quote the following passage: Should Obama choose the “nuclear option” it appears that he would be supported by the International Court of Justice who on July 8, 1996 issued an advisory opinion on the use of nuclear weapons stating that they could not conclude definitively on these weapons use in “extreme circumstances” or “self defense”.

And what of North Korea’s submarine capabilities? While writing this post for The Shanks Dimension, I decided to sidetrack a little and research that subject. Links to that are lisited below as well. It would be interesting to know if this midget sub was a Yugo class or one of the newer p14s. The picture with this post is of the “Sang-O” class that was captured in the 1990s.

After more than a year in office as President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has left this nation vulnerable to attack by our perceived lack of a backbone. On Drudge Report, there was this article “Miss him? Bush’s reputation might be ready for a rebound.” Personally, I would say yes as far as foreign policy goes.

Anyway, this story is developing like the rest of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig sinking/oil spill. I am sure more details will be coming out this weekend.

UPDATE: Here is a timeline of events dealing with the oil rig ‘explosion.’ (http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2010/05/obamas-katrina-illustrated-timeline.html).

UPDATE 2: Here are some more interesting links to this theory/story. And I have included one link that claims that this is all a hoax. First up is Dakota Voice.

(http://www.dakotavoice.com/2010/05/was-the-gulf-oil-rig-explosion-a-deliberate-attack-on-america/). Then the claim that this is just a hoax-More-Minimal,

(http://moreminimal.com/2010/05/hoax-deepwater-horizon-north-korean-mini-sub-hoax/).

Then this website about submarines. You will have to schrool down to about mid-way and read the article about Iran having purchased some North Korean mini-subs including a picture with the Iranian crew on deck just goes to show you how small these subs are. (http://www.silvercrestsubmarines.co.uk/newsletter_feb_2005.html).

UPDATE 3: Found some more interesting links relating to North Korea and mini-subs. My thinking now is to collect some interesting links together into one spot (this article) for basically one-stop shopping when it comes to the “theory of North Korea mini subs used to attack the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.”

Lets start off with the South Asia Analysis Group, paper #1312, “Mini Submarine-A Vessel of choice with Drug Cartels and Terrorists. by Dr. Vijay Sakhuja. (http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/\papers14\paper1312.html).

Then we have Iran who is not happy with the result of their mini submarine program with help from the North Koreans. So instead, they purchased four mini subs from the North Koreans with more maybe on the way. (http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsf/articles/20070710.aspx). I haven’t heard of this aspect to the theory, but what if Iran wanted to strike at the US, but needed North Korea and Cuba’s help to carry the mission off. As in the use of the cargo vessel Dai Hong Dan. And then staging out of Havana. This picture of the Iranian built mini sub comes from this website(http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/462-3054.aspx). To me, from this angle, this might be the Korean P-4 class mini sub.

Then this bit from Venezuela. (http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=91333).

ON a forum dealing with military photos, I found this post dated Aug 29, 2007 by someone named drakegoodman. They were talking about the North Korean mini submarines back then and this person posted a short list of incidents… Note: Snag-o in Korean means Shark from what I understand…

*A North Korean shark class sub ran aground near the city of Kangnung, on the east coast of South Korea. A taxi driver came across two “prowlers” on the night (0055 hours) of September 19, 1996. He also noticed an odd vehicle just off shore and contacted police. A massive manhunt was begun, which ultimately ended with one captured North Korean Submarine, a captured North Korean Commando, 13 North Koreans killed by South Korean Forces (and another 11 killed by their own team) and 17 South Korean dead (13 Military and four civilians). Maps and Weapons ranging from assault rifles to RPG-7′s were recovered from the sub.

*On June 24, 1998 near Sokch’o, a North Korean submarine was spotted, stranded with its propeller fouled by fishing nets. The South Korean Navy took it under tow and over the period of two days moved it to the port of Kang-Reung. South Korean EOD and Special Mission Unit members boarded the vessel where it was found the entire crew had died, some killed by others who later killed themselves. As with the earlier submarine, assault rifles and RPG-7′s were dfound in the hull, and in this case explosives were found.

*On December 18th, 1998 members of the South Korean Army Coast guard spotted a high-speed boat pass by 2km off shore using an infrared optical scope. Patrol boats rushed to the scene and gave chase in an effort that ultimately saw action by eight patrol boats, P-3C II Orion and S-2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft, Lynk helicopters, CN-235 cargo aircraft operating as flare ships, and a flight of F-5 fighter/bombers. After repeated orders to surrender were finally answered with gunfire, one of the SOuth Korean patrol boats opened fire and hit the fleeing vessel with three 40mm grenades. Five depth charges dropped in its path sealed its fate and the vessel sank. The body of one armed agent wearing a wetsuit was recovered a couple of hours later, an autopsy revealed that he had died before the boat had sunk by ingestion of a poison capsule. An intensive search for the vessel’s mother ship was mounted but nothing found. end of drakegoodman’s post on (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?119183-Japanese-CG-vs-N-Korean-Spy-Trawler-(video)&highlight=north%20korean%20trawler).

North Koren vessel mention in article, the Dai Hong Dan. Picture is from the website Ship Spotting.com. (http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=998833).

From World Net Daily last December, 2009 (http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=120411). They even have a picture of a merchant type vessel towing what appears to be one of the Russian Kilo’s they they bought. But the article covers the North Korean/Iranian submarine program.

And lets not forget our own US Navy when it comes to mini submarines. Here is a interesting article about the SEALS and the governments failure with their Advanced SEAL Delivery System(ASDS) being replaced by a cheaper commercial product – I say yeah to the Private sector! (http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/02/gns_navy_minisub_022210/).

UPDATE 4 (May 6, 2010):

Quoting Rockingjude’s article on Project World Awareness from May 2, 2010: This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Saturday April 24, 2010, shows oil leaking from the drill pipe of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig after it sank. A confidential government report on the unfolding spill disaster makes clear the Coast Guard now fears the well could be on the verge of becoming an unchecked gusher shooting millions of gallons of oil per day into the Gulf.A confidential government report on the unfolding spill disaster in the Gulf makes clear the Coast Guard now fears the well could become an unchecked gusher shooting millions of gallons of oil per day into the Gulf.

“The following is not public,” reads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Emergency Response document dated April 28. “Two additional release points were found today in the tangled riser. If the riser pipe deteriorates further, the flow could become unchecked resulting in a release volume an order of magnitude higher than previously thought.” end quote.

Also, another quote from Rockingjude’s fine article: “Kinks in the piping created as the rig sank to the seafloor may be all that is preventing the Deepwater Horizon well from releasing its maximum flow. BP is now drilling a relief well as the ultimate fix. The company said Thursday that process would take up to 3 months.” end quote.

There was for a moment some excitment when news of another oil rig went down. A second oil rig has “overturned” near Morgan City, Louisiana. That information was also covered by Rockingjude’s article on Project World Awareness on May 1, 2010. See second item below. There was also a reference from Salon.com about the second oil rig too.

___

1. projectworldawareness.com. May 2, 2010. “Leaked report: Government fears Deepwater Horizon well could become unchecked gusher” by Rockingjude.(http://projectworldawareness.com/2010/05/leaked-report-government-fears-deepwater-horizon-well-could-become-unchecked-gusher/).

Underwater image of oil gushing out of pipe provided by AP/U.S. Coast Guard included with this blog article. Additional reference here (http://blog.al.com/live/2010/04/deepwater_horizon_secret_memo.html).

2. projectworldawareness.com. May 1, 2010. “North Korea torpedoing of Gulf Oil Rig~my thoughts below…” by Rockingjude. (http://projectworldawareness.com/2010/05/north-korea-torpedo-swat-sent-to-gulf-oil-rigs-2nd-oil-rig-overturns-in-gulf-hmmmm/).

3. Second oil rig sinking. “We are under attack by oil rig terrorists” by Andrew Leonard.(http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2010/04/30/attack_of_the_oil_rig_terrorists/index.html).

UPDATE 5(May 7, 2010): Articles by Terrence Aym, Shelly Barclay, Bruce Tyson on Helium.com-

(http://www.helium.com/items/1822086-possible-north-korean-attack-on-deepwater-horizon-oil-rig).

(http://www.helium.com/items/1826209-bps-emergency-oil-dome-may-save-gulf-of-mexico).

Timeline of events by Shelly Barclay-(http://www.helium.com/items/1824652-gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill).

Possible North Korea target: Deepwater Horizon oil platform by Bruce Tyson (http://www.helium.com/items/1822296-possible-north-korea-target-deepwater-horizon-oil-platform).

“Robots position girant box over oil-spweing well” by Harry R. Weber, AP. May 7, 2010.

This article tells of the efforts to position the 4-story tall, 100-ton concrete and steel box over one of the blown-out well heads on teh bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. 5,000 feet below the surface, the huge containment box was ready to move into its final position.

It is hoped that this would be able to collect as much as 85% of the oil spilling out of the well head. Robot submarines were still working on securing the structure in position.

From the position of the containment box, the wreckage is about 1,300 feet away on the sea floor.

BP crews were still drilling a relief well in the hopes of relieving the pressure of the oil leaking out of this site.

For more information, please use the link below to read the full article.

(http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9FI5EGG0&show_article=1).

UPDATE 6 (May 10, 2010): Not directly related to this event, but after reading the article about Open-Source warfare, I thought that I would include the link here to let he readers know of the possibilities that could happen. (http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/05/open-source-warfare-navy-style.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+InformationDissemination+(Information+Dissemination)). Ok, I have received a link from Chris Rawley today (May 11, 2010) from an article back in 2009 dealing with the recent end of the Sri Lankan Civil war. (http://www.armybase.us/2009/07/sri-lanka-navy-find-tamil-tiger-submarine/). The Tamil Tigers (rebels) had their own air force (http://flash255bunker.blogspot.com/2009/02/tamil-tigers-they-have-their-own-air.html) and navy it seems. This link provides some pictures of the recovered submarine and it is being examine by Sri Lankan troops. I quote my own article here: The Sri Lankan Civil War is(was) the longest running war n Asia and has killed a reported 70,000 people since it geban in 1983.

Why post something relating to a now ended civil war half way across the globe? Like I stated above, I am searching for information about how (I now have a term to use here): Open Source Warfare, can be used against the United States of America and more specifically, future attacks against our oil rigs. And NOT just our Gulf of Mexico oil rigs either! As a side note, the improvised submersible built by the Tamil Sea Tigers has a bit of Jules Verne 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea look to it, now doesn’t it? Picture from the World Military Forum/Information Dissemination.

UPDATE 7 (May 13, 2010): Just heard about Venezuela just losing a oil rig of their own! (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/ap_on_bi_ge/lt_venezuela_gas_platform). Then this website dealing with oil rig news and going into detail about the possible submarine attack (http://bearwitness.info/OilRigSabotage.aspx). From Reuters Alert Net (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N13256518.htm). This last link has some great pictures of the oil rig itself. Then this story about offshore oil drilling history from Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nikolas-kozloff/the-oily-history-of-offsh_b_559781.html). Now this link has a listing of oil rig accidents over the past 50-60 years (http://home.versatel.nl/the_sims/rig/losses.htm). And this one from Co2 Insanity (http://co2insanity.com/2010/04/30/did-n-korean-sub-torpedo-oil-rig-in-the-gulf/?sms_ss=digg). I have uncovered another picture of the Yugo class submarine (http://www.irandefence.net/gallery/data/504/Yugo-class.jpg).

Then there is this little blog article about drug runner semi-submersible subs (http://www.bigredkev.com/2009/11/hunt-for-white-october.html).

Here is a size chart of some mini-subs (http://www.strange-mecha.com/ship/M-Sub/N-Korea01.htm).

UPDATE 8 (May 17, 2010): I think that this will be the last update to this particular article for the foreseeable future. From Information Dissemination comes this timely article about guerrilla operations in other parts of the world aimed at the oil industry.

(http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/05/maritime-guerrillas-and-global-oil.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+InformationDissemination+(Information+Dissemination)).

UPDATE 9 (May 25, 2010): Spoke too soon. Sabers now rattling. News links about South Korea and the USA gearing up. From MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37309788/ns/world_news-asiapacific/). Then this from Breitbart (http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.425f30f7af55f75115ed7394018dccda.481&show_article=1). And this from Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100525/ts_afp/skoreankoreamilitarynaval_20100525112017).

UPDATE 10 (May 30, 2010): You need to check out Global Guerillas by John Robb. His posting today entitled “JOURNAL: No More Katrinas?”about BP and the government strikes home I think. (http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2010/05/journal-no-more-katrinas.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+typepad/rzYD+(Global+Guerrillas)). Also, the latest attempt to stop the flow of oil known as “Top Kill” has failed. BP/USA both seem willing to pollute the Gulf of Mexico some more by NOT acting on the suggestion of inserting a tactical nuclear bomb at the well head to seal it off.

UPDATE 11 (June 3, 2010): I have got to have a few days off in a row. I need to try to set up a new blog for all this stuff! Here are some (non-mini sub) related items dealing with this oil rig/oil spill disaster (http://denniswhitneyufo.blogspot.com/2010/06/strange-and-sinister-bp-obama-goldman.html

). From Reuters this article, “BP cuts ruptured oil pipe.” (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65204220100604

). By the way, North Korea still threathens war. Naval action in the Med between Israel and Turkey might take place with this recent “set-up” by the so-call Peace flotilla, etc. Read about it here. (http://www.theshanksdimension.com/2010/06/israels-navy-in-the-news/

). And this bit of world news from Castro (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ghGthxqnYMWcICCnEkjH5ayqPamQD9G38G8O0

UPDATE 12 (June4, 2010): There is something disturbing in the Force. Or my Spider-sense is tingling. One or the other. A old tub of a North Korean ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia supposelly carrying a cargo of clay. MV Rim is now freed. The details here in this article (http://beforeitsnews.com/news/71/298/MV_RIM_Sails_Free_After_Somali_Pirate_Shoot-out,_Leaving_9_Dead_-_Crew_Safe.html

UPDATE 13 (June 17, 2010): Good enough reason to repeal the Jones Act I think. (http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/06/deepwater-horizon-dutch-point-of-view.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+InformationDissemination+(Information+Dissemination)

UPDATE 14 (June 21, 2010): And yet another update to this ongoing mystery. First off, a warning by Thomas Sowell of a American politican machine moving this nation closer and closer to tyranny. The other news bit relates to another submarine – the original purpose of this article.

1. Investors.com. “Is U.S. Now On Slippery Slope To Tyrany” by Thomas Sowell. June 21, 2010.(http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/537967/201006211813/Is-US-Now-On-Slippery-Slope-To-Tyranny-.aspx).

2. Palm Beach Post. “Boater chases mysterious periscope off Hollywood beach” by Robert Nolin. June 17 & 20, 2010. (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/boater-chases-mysterious-periscope-off-hollywood-beach-752917.html).

UPDATE 15 (June 29, 2010): Day 70 of the oil spill. The administration FINALLY calls on international help (http://www.theshanksdimension.com/2010/06/finally-assistance-for-gulf-spill/

UPDATE 16 (June 30, 2010): Discovered this video news report on Theo Spark’s blog (theospark.net). From VBS TV: Colombian Narcosubs. It covers the developement of these surface runners and it was produced back in 2009. (http://www.theospark.net/2010/06/vbs-tv-colombian-narcosubs.html).

UPDATE 17 (July 2, 2010): From Reuters-the nuclear option as a full feature article by them (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6611RF20100702

). Also from Reuters-the Super Skimmer – a converted oil/ore tanker known as “The Whale” has arrived (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN01150876

UPDATE 18 (July 4, 2010): Information Dissemination. ”Next Gen Naro Sub”(http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/07/next-gen-narco-sub.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+InformationDissemination+(Information+Dissemination)

UPDATE 19 (August 9, 2010): Well, I thought that I got to put this particular news item to rest. BP has ‘capped’ the oil well. They still have to finish drilling the relief oil well. The oil spill damage was not as fearful as most folks thought. The government is still looking for a disaster for the news media to aim their tv cameras at…

Two interesting items caught my eye today. First comes from Global Guerrillas-Monday, August 9, 2010. John Robb writes about Open Source Warfare and in this article, about the innovative use of IEDs. This article is a must read even though it has NOTHING to do with the oil spill-specifically. Innovative use of open source warfare has one thing in common. The US government(really, any government) can spend billions of dollars RE-acting to threats and will always be a step behind some terrorist(rogue nation state?) with simple devices and tactics. (http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2010/08/journal-open-source-warfare-and-ied-design-innovation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+typepad/rzYD+(Global+Guerrillas)).

The next bit of news (same date as above) comes from Information Dissemination. Iran has ELEVEN of the 120-ton Ghadir-class mini submarines now. And these mini subs will be in the Straits of Hormuz. Waiting on orders to take out a supertanker if someone displeases the Iranian leadership.

(http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/08/iran-thoughts.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+InformationDissemination+(Information+Dissemination)).

UPDATE 20 (June 21, 2010): This commentary comes via Faultline USA….New information about Deep Water Horizon disaster raises many questions Posted: 10 Aug 2010 07:25 AM PDT. Commentary by James H. Shott –

In the early days following the Deep Water Horizon disaster that killed 11 workers and unleashed a gusher of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, one early reaction was to assess blame, and the logical targets for that blame were BP and the companies associated with it on that project, Transocean and Halliburton.

There is no question that BP bears much of the responsibility, however, in the weeks since the disaster a great deal of information has come to light that makes it evident that some of the blame belongs to parties other than BP.

The initial reactions were highly emotional, which is understandable, given that this disaster cost the loss of eleven workers. But emotion often clouds issues, and so it is with the Deep Water Horizon catastrophe.

A lot of damage has been done along the Gulf Coast, but the breathless forecasts of environmental calamity appear at this point to have been highly exaggerated. It is estimated, for example, that 75 percent of the approximately 200 million gallons of oil are “missing,” substantially lessening the potential damage to the environment.

Where did the oil go?

In my May 18 column was this: “Casting some needed light on the nature of oil spills, Merv Fingas, of McGill University and Environment Canada, wrote a piece published on the Minerals Management Service Web site, explaining that a lot of the spilled oil isn’t going to be a problem. ‘Evaporation is the most important change that most oil spills undergo. In a few days, light crudes can evaporate as much as 75 percent of the starting oil mass and medium crudes up to 40 percent.’ Some of the rest of the oil is absorbed by seabed sediment and never reaches the surface or shorelines. ” And some of it was collected; some was burned off; some was devoured by oil-eating bacteria.

Even so, a lot of oil did not evaporate, and wasn’t burned off, or collected, or eaten, and a lot of it made it to shore and caused a lot of damage. But we have learned that the damage from the oil spill could have been reduced, perhaps completely prevented, except that a party other than BP messed up.

The Washington Times addressed this issue recently, noting that, “Letting skimmers in early would have cleaned up much of the oil in Gulf waters at a relatively low cost before it fouled sensitive coastal marshes,” and that “BP isn’t accountable for additional cleanup costs and damages that resulted from government’s failure to give a green light to this process.”

“Delays and obstructions caused by the federal government are numerous,” The Times continued. “Countries such as Sweden and the United Arab Emirates offered skimmers in April, well before oil slicks hit coastal areas. Months later, they [were] still waiting for Washington’s approval. When Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal set up 16 barges to vacuum oil from his state’s waterways … the Coast Guard ordered them to stop while bureaucrats checked to make sure the machinery was made in the USA. Mr. Jindal also had to wait for weeks while the federal bureaucracy took its time deciding whether barrier islands could be built off the coast to stop oil from drifting into marshes. Meanwhile, tar balls floated ashore.”

And this is possibly the most significant issue of all, except for what caused the explosion: The Center for Public Integrity asserts that the federal government may well bear responsibility for much more than the incompetent response to requests for help: “Coast Guard officials told the Center for Public Integrity that the service does not have the expertise to fight an oil rig fire and that its response to the April 20 explosion may have broken the service’s own rules by failing to ensure a firefighting expert supervised the half-dozen private boats that answered the Deepwater Horizon’s distress call to fight the blaze.”

“The question of what caused the platform to collapse into the Gulf two days later remains unanswered,” CPI said, a crucial point in accurately assessing responsibility, “because the riser pipe from which the majority of BP’s oil spewed did not start leaking until after the rig sank. Experts and some lawsuits have openly tied the sinking of the drilling vessel to the severity of the leak.”

When the rig tipped over and sank, did it strike and damage the riser pipe, unleashing the gusher of oil into the Gulf?

Could it be that in addition to failing to respond to requests to help Gulf Coast states prevent serious environmental and economic damage the federal government, because of the Coast Guard’s fire fighting error, is actually responsible for most of the oil spill, or all of it?

And what role did politics play in this crisis? Is it true that, as The Times suggested, the Swedish and UAR skimmers were kept out to protect American union workers? Was the incomprehensibly slow federal response a political move to improve the case against continued use of fossil fuels?

There are many questions to be answered, and possibly several villains in addition to BP, Transocean and Halliburton, and all must be held accountable.

Mr. Scott left out the possibility that this was a act of war by North Korea. A suicide mission. Other than that, I can’t find fault with his commentary.

UPDATE 21 (December 7, 2010): How ironic on Pearl Harbor Day! News of a new North Korean mini-sub. That being a new Daedong-B midget submarine out there now! Faster than before, and it has a torpedo launch tube.

This bit of news came from Satellite images of the North Korean naval base in the city of Nampo. The new sub appears to be 17 meters (or 56 feet) in length.

The South Korean think that it was a 29-meter long Yono-class submarines that torpedo the Cheonan back in March this year.

(http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jDAVYBAWWFw3uz6gOwq-NtDgDv-g?docId=CNG.ff6b0ef1de475368ff6b8fbd3707651b.341).

UPDATE 22 (December 13, 2010): The gift that keeps on giving. Or the thread that will not die! A very interesting read with this article here on NextNavy (http://nextnavy.com/north-korea-eying-subs-as-nuclear-delivery-platforms/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+NextNavy+(Next+Navy)). The theory of using the ‘sub’ as the means of delievery of a nuclear bomb (i.e one way suicide mission).

UPDATE 23 (February 15, 2011): “Drug-Running Mini-Sub Discovered in Colombia.” Here are the links- 1. CNN.com. ”100-foot-long narco sub found in Colombia” by Brad Lendon. February 15, 2011. (http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/15/100-foot-long-narco-sub-found-in-colombia/?hpt=T2).

2. RTT News. ”Drug Smuggling Submarine Found In Colombia” February 15, 2011. (http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1552858&SM=1).

___

Ref. Texas Fred (dot) Net post “US Orders Blackout Over North Korean Torpedoing Of Gulf Of Mexico Oil Rig. April 30, 2010.(http://texasfred.net/archives/6589#more-6589).

The European Union Times. May 1, 2010.(http://www.eutimes.net/2010/05/us-orders-blackout-over-north-korean-torpedoing-of-gulf-of-mexico-oil-rig/).

The Shanks Dimension “Interesting Theory-Oil Rig Was Attacked, not an Accident” April 23, 2010. (http://www.theshanksdimension.com/2010/04/interesting-theory-oil-rig-was-attacked-not-an-accident/).

The Shanks Dimension “North Korea Sunk South Korea’s Ship Last Month” April 21, 2010. ( http://www.theshanksdimension.com/2010/04/north-korea-sunk-south-koreas-ship-last-month/).

Drudge Report/ by Steven Thomma, McClathcy Newspapers, April 29, 2010. “Miss him? Bush’s reputation might be ready for a rebound” (http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/3491615).

Article about North Korea’s Submarine Fleet (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2010/04/180_64462.html).

Image is of the captured North Korean “Sang-O” class submarine “Goodong Huang” or in English, “Majestic Thruster” November 20, 1998. It was captured off the waters of Ganghwa Island trying to infiltrate spies the previous year. NOTE: That is if I have identified the correct image. IF I am in error on this please contact me to correct it.

Planeman-Buffer’s Guide to North Korean Navy (http://planeman-bluffersguide.blogspot.com/2009/12/bluffers-guide-north-korean-naval-power.html).