Gusher?

What's with all the wild assumptions and half-assed calculations for what might be leaking out of the busted well in the Gulf of Mexico?  Early estimates put the leak at 5,000 barrels a day.  At 42 gallons a barrel, that would be 210,000 gallons per day.  Now some are estimating that it could be a million or more  gallons per day.  Why is this so tough?  I am not an oil and gas expert, but how much oil was being produced daily before the blowout?  Someone, somewhere, has the answer to this simple question.

Some cursory research on the internet provided me with an average production for a typical oil well of between 100 and 300 barrels per day.  This seems kind of low to me, so for the sake of argument let's assume that the BP well was producing 1000 barrels per day.  That would equate to 42,000 gallons of crude per day.  I also learned that wells can produce a large amount of water along with the oil and gas that is produced.  How much of what we see on the ubiquitous gushercam is oil?  A spill is a spill, so no amount of petrochemicals in our waters are a good thing, but let's not go off half-cocked when trying to estimate the real size of the problem.  In any event, why should we care about the real size of the leak.  Our fearless president will keep his boot on the neck of BP until all is well.  Right?

Dis*con*nect

Following up on the 2+2=4 post, consider the following:

• First Lady Michelle Obama wants to fight childhood obesity.  A high percentage of poor and low income kids are overweight due to poor eating habits.  Mrs. Obama points to school lunch programs as a source for poor nutritional foods.  Free and reduced priced public school breakfast and lunch programs have served millions of kids for decades.  
• Extending unemployment benefits to ninety-nine weeks will not reduce the number of unemployed.
• Progressives want to shut down any BP drilling operations until the leak in the Gulf is stopped and investigated.  The Obama administration wants BP on the hook for untold liabilities.  Driving BP out of business will greatly reduce its ability to cover any and all claims.
• 1700 people work in the Minerals Management Service (MMS) that oversee oil drilling in the Gulf.  Democrats and the Obama administration want more regulation.  If 1700 can't do the job, what number of employees will?

2+2=4

I had the pleasure to hear Newt Gingrich in Mr. Pleasant the other day for a 4th Congressional District fundraiser.  Newt's simple message that day was for the audience to always remember that "two plus two makes four."  With President Obama in the White House it's difficult at times, especially when we are repeatedly bombarded with statements, actions, and policies that attempt to promote 2+2=5.  Newt gave the analogy to George Orwell's famous book 1984, where the state promotes obvious untruths as gospel in their attempt to brainwash the populace into submission and passivity.   Two plus two makes four becomes a kind of coda then for those who understand the real truth and will not be dissuaded by popular "truths."

Some examples of the progressives two plus two equals five dogma:

• For twenty-five years, we were pushed and prodded (with Republican help I might add) into the belief that your income need not be a deterrent to owning the home of your dreams.  No money down, interest only loans, and perennially low interest rates fed a voracious appetite that led to eventual collapse in '08.
• Finance reform without addressing Fannie and Freddie.
• That the trillion dollar Obamacare will reduce the deficit.
• The President will not sign a bill that includes congressional earmarks, then promptly and repeatedly does so.
• The President promises the most transparent administration in history, then presides over a series of midnight votes, back room deals and pay for play Chicago style politics.
• Blasts the State of Arizona for passing a law that essentially reinforces federal law and current U. S. policy.
• Dismisses the rightful ownership of a public company (GM and Chrysler) and basically divvies up their assets to powerful friends and allies.   

So for the next thirty-two months, remember two plus two always makes four.

P.S. Newt's daughter has determined that Obama's campaign slogan "Change we can believe in," should really have been "Change what we believe in." 

Summer Hiatus

To loyal followers of Citizen Leader, like my mother and brother, my apology for the drastic fall off in new posts over the last couple of months.  It is due to two things in particular, nice weather and my campaign for county commissioner.  The nice weather has provided a reason to pursue other interests as well as provide a more pleasant environment for door-to-door activities.  The coordination of my campaign and those of others in the county also takes its toll on the time I can devote to writing my blog.  I began this blog in early September of '09, just after the kids started back to school.  Although my campaign will hopefully still be going well into the fall (I have an August primary) I expect new posts to pick up when cooler weather once again sets upon Mid Michigan.  Until then, I will continue to visit these pages when I can.  Like this next post.