MaxedOutMama
Sunday, June 04, 2006
The Battle Lines Form Up
Supposedly this oil company has proved that it can extract oil from Utah shale at $40 a barrel:
And in other news, I'm sure by now that everyone has read about the terrorist group rounded up in Canada. They had 3 tons of ammonium nitrate. Sobering, to say the least. I popped over to Dust My Broom to leave my condolences and ran into Darcey's post with comments which contained some extraordinary references to leftwing Canadian bloggers reacting to the news:
Foottothefire:
If you want to get a quick survey of Canadian leftwing nutcases, there are always a few hanging out in DU's Canadian forum. This thread contains some reaction to the arrests:
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, on Thursday visited sites south of Vernal where shale could be mined and processed.Does anyone doubt that the ranks of the enviromental flatearthers will go ballistic over this? They will be suing to prevent this from ever happening, or to put so many roadblocks in the way that the companies can't do it cost-effectively. I think the net cost at the refinery will be higher than $40 because of transportation costs, btw. But it would put us a long way toward achieving energy independence from foreign countries who are hostile to us. This is a goal greatly to be desired by any rational person.
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And throughout Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, an estimated 1 trillion barrels of oil are locked in shale, compared with about 700 billion barrels of untapped oil in the entire Middle East, he said.
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The Bureau of Land Management picked Oil Shale Exploration Co. as the sole applicant being considered for a research and development lease at the White River Mine site in Uintah County, which was visited Thursday by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Hatch did not meet with press during or after his trip to the mine, located about 10 miles from Oil Tech's research site.
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In two to three years, at least six companies could produce oil from shale in Utah and actually have an impact on the price of gasoline at the pump, Baardson said. But before any large-scale mining and processing take place in Utah, companies will need to go through an environmental-assessment process and a public comment period.
And in other news, I'm sure by now that everyone has read about the terrorist group rounded up in Canada. They had 3 tons of ammonium nitrate. Sobering, to say the least. I popped over to Dust My Broom to leave my condolences and ran into Darcey's post with comments which contained some extraordinary references to leftwing Canadian bloggers reacting to the news:
Foottothefire:
With the same instincts a jackal has for a rotting carcass, Stephen Harper displays himself as an amerinuk for all people. Jumping on the arrest of a Toronto area group facing terrorism charges, Stevie leapt into the spotlight to claim victory (that'd be the same spotlight he hides behind everytime one of our military is killed or injured). Weasle that he is, the Canadian Carpetbagger, claims the 'new' government is on the job and all is well in Canada. Screw propriety, screw decorum, screw dignity of office and especially, screw justice for all; when Stevie sees a photo-op, he grabs it by the balls.Crescentcanuck is a Canadian Muslim blogger who has mixed reactions:
As a Torontonian this is ofcourse bad news for us, and for Muslims as a whole, if only because an RCMP source says it "anticipates more arrests". Although the men are innocent until proven guilty (remember not a single successful conviction has so far resulted from RCMP arrests in this arena lately), the Muslim community of Canada must take its head out of the sandbox and realize that there are some Canadian Muslims who don't feel the love of Canada the same way as the rest of us do, and they will not care what happens to Canadians (and their fellow Muslims) as long as they can blow up something.The problem is that people are bound to be anxious and that issuing a statement reassuring Canadians that things are under control should limit that anxiety, and thus any unfair reaction to Canadian Muslims. This is Harper's statement:
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Having said all of this, I condemn Mr. Harper's act of issuing a statement on the issue. This is a law-and-order arrest situation, the men have not yet been convicted, this is just a photo-op and another political opportunism on his part.
“These individuals were allegedly intent on committing acts of terrorism against their own country and their own people.It takes no credit for the arrests and does not presume guilt. By the way, the Reuters article on the arrests included this statement by a Canadian Muslim:
“As we have said on many occasions, Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism. Through the work and co-operation of the RCMP, CSIS, local law enforcement and Toronto’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET), acts of violence by extremist groups may have been prevented.
“Today, Canada’s security and intelligence measures worked. Canada’s new government will pursue its efforts to ensure the national security of all Canadians.”
Aly Hindy, an imam at a Toronto mosque, said he knew most of the accused and believed one or two were involved in criminal acts but not terrorism-related.So he knew one of these guys was involved in criminal activity? Did he do anything about it? Do the three tons of fertilizer mean nothing?
"One guy was doing some criminal activity, selling guns for money. But the problem is these days when a Muslim commits fraud, it becomes terrorism. When he commits stealing it becomes terrorism," he told reporters outside the courtroom.
If you want to get a quick survey of Canadian leftwing nutcases, there are always a few hanging out in DU's Canadian forum. This thread contains some reaction to the arrests:
1. Wait a Minute...And here's a DU poster who criticized Harper for not commenting on the arrests before he gave his prepared speech:
This happened wtih 19 people a couple of years ago regarding 'plans' to attack Pickering. It turned out to be bogus--no charges and they all were released.
Besides Hooper was just at the Senate committee testifying about this and then right on cue, by the end of the news cycle and just for the weekend, there are these busts, which as you said, they have been monitoring for two years.
I also noticed in the TorStar coverage--their reporter made a point of mentioning that the 'bag of fertilizer' on display was for illustrative purposes and NOT from the raid...why would the cops do that? We know what a bag of fertizlier looks like and unless it's evidence, why use the visual-aid to frighten people...
Dollars to a Tim Bit that most of these are released and the crimes of 'ring leaders' will be weak.
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3. What the hell?
You don't even know if it's true...did you read my post?
Shit, the whole bunch are proven liars--you immediately believe this crap?
I read through every account--I don't see anything tangible, no details, nothing...except a dog and pony show days after the head of the agency was scaring us with 'homegrown' terrorists and wallah! they find some...
Jeez sorry if I am mistrustful of these people but I am sure some of the faux left were crowing about the Pickering 19 as well...ended up looking like war-mongers who were more than happy to dispense with their freedom at the drop of a hat...
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7. Oh I do apologize...
for erring on the caution side of not pinning medals on the chest of a security service being run by a dangerous Tory gub'mint or running about DU feeling nationalistic pride that our fascists are better than theirs...
It seems to me, every time he gets before a microphone he manages to say, in his own sly, smarmy way, something referring to the previous government as being at the very least, unworthy of Canadians. Harper used his pathetic aping of Bush's political tactics (making little speeches all over the country to show he's really on the job), to say "your NEW government is behind you" when he made his little photo op speech today before the new military recruits in Ottawa. Did any of my fellow Canadians notice the your NEW government line? By inference the old government was NOT behind them.
Another thing that struck me immediately was that he waited until after he had given his prepared speech before he mentioned the arrests of the terrorist suspects. Once again he displayed poor judgement. Such a serious announcement should have been made immediately, before his speech.!!! The striking willingness to depict a political opponent as being the root of all evil while ignoring real criminals is depressingly familiar, isn't it? This is a moral issue of sorts. People who cannot confront those in their own society who are dedicated to destruction disturb me no end.
