I assume that most have heard about the BP, which is partly owned by the United States, oil spill effecting my country’s (U.S.) progress. This is considered the largest environmental disaster. The effect on the wildlife and the livelihood of of those whom need the gulf for their income including shrimp, crab and many more see life. This also effects tourism income. I understand how difficult this situation is to resolve in the mean time it is beginning to take a human toll.
I know this isn’t proper, but I did find the parody of the truthfulness quite funny. But, it isn’t a funny thing. I think about the HUGE enviromental impact. But, mostly the people that live and make a living and life with the Gulf. My heart just aches and I can’t find the right words to express my outrage especially at BP and how much I just want to do more to help those effected…right now prayer is what I can offer.
For information regarding the United States Goverment response to the BP oil spill go to the White House Web Page and for a quick run down go to SodaHead Opinions.
What would you survive if your livelihood and way of life were suddenly taken from you? What is the media in your area telling you?
Just a quickie CC
its not British petroleum and hasn’t been for years. its ‘BP’ thats it. its also 40% US owned!!
in addition to this what wound me up was the US chastising Britain for this. this is the same US who shun kyoto, ride roughshod over other countries in search of oil and generally stick the finger up to everyone who doesn’t agree with them!!
Ian,
Thank you for the correcting my post. I’ve just added some changes..
What is interesting is that the news that I have seen does not really mention Britain at all. However, it does put the responsiblity on BP and the President Obama.
Thanks for the response.
Clinically Clueless´s last blog ..I Am Woman or Youre So Vain
When will people grasp the difference of the words ‘effect’ and ‘affect’. I counted the word ‘effect’(including variations eg: effected) used wrongly 4 times in the post.
Sadly the effect of my lazyness has affected my motivation to clarify the difference, so I copy and paste this explanation from the webnet:
“The word affect is primarily used as a verb in English. It has two main meanings, which are closely related. Affect may mean to alter the feelings of, or to change the mental state of someone or something. It may also mean, in a broader sense, to change or affect someone or something in any way. So it is that we might say: How will the election affect the course of history? We might also say: The painting affected him so deeply he could not speak.
The word effect, in contrast, is used primarily as a noun in English. It has a number of related meanings, but generally speaking refers to the result of something, the power something might have to get that result, or a phenomenon in the world. An example of the word used to refer to the result of something would be: The election had no effect on the course of history. We might also say: The effect of the painting on him was profound. Phenomena are often also referred to as effects, such as the photoelectric effect or the greenhouse effect.
Affect may rarely be used as a noun, but this usage is esoteric and somewhat archaic. In psychology one may speak of a person’s affect, which refers to their mood or mental state. So we might say: The patient exhibited a flat affect, responding to no stimuli. More archaically, the word affect may be used as a noun to refer to an affectation someone might take on — a pose, or disposition. In this context we might say: Her affect was one of learning and grace, but those of us who knew her knew better.
Effect may also be occasionally used as a verb. When it is used in this way, it refers to something having a direct effect, or making it happen. It is usually suffixed by -ed, and takes an object. This use is somewhat more common than the noun uses of affect, but still nowhere near as common as its traditional noun form. An example of this usage would be: The election at last effected the change the people had been hoping for.
Although we have addressed the exceptions to the rule, generally speaking the word affect is used when a verb is called for, and effect is used when a noun is needed. A mnemonic device to help you remember this is that a verb is an action word, and both action and affect begin with the letter a.”
Fantastic Mr/Ms Spectacular,
Although not prevalent here can I add to the annoying list;
1. They’re, there, their
2. Where, were, we’re
3. Are, our
4. Knew, new
5. Balanced view, Daily Mail
On the subject of the Gulf.
One thing I’ve seen a lot in the media are statements along the lines of ‘worst environmental disaster to hit the region’.
What about that meteor about 65 million years ago. That wiped out almost all the life on earth pretty serious compared to a few fat nuggets not being able to go out oyster harvesting or fishing. Still I guess it boils down to perspective.
When it comes to blame on this I’m thinking that the drilling company did not have to really accept the shortcuts that BP were purported to have made, although it is tricky to challenge a contractual obligation/direction from a large and powerful multinational. Still, nobody seems to have actually broken a law here in the first instance, maybe just maybe the legislation is a bit weak. Time will tell but I’m getting a strong feeling that each of the three parties involved should be shouldering blame and not just BP (who incidentally so far have paid up in full and up front, unlike the drilling company who are squirming).
So if you want to affect a change then make it effective and make it legal (sorry I had to).
I have been affected by the impact of your reply Gareth.
I am also constantly amazed by the number of people who write loose or loosing when they mean lose or losing. Two distinctly different words, far more so than affect and effect.
Sorry, that should have read, “affected by the effect.”
Good lord! I’m loosing the plot here……!
Glitterball Spectatacular, I do understand the difference between the two words. The grammar lesson was not necessary. I was quite tired, so please forgive me for my errors and typographical errors.
ClinicallyClueless´s last blog ..Where to go from here
Hi CC,
I guess I missed answering your post in my previous rant.
I’m not so sure I can work out what you want to know from the two questions asked.
“What would you survive if your livelihood and way of life were suddenly taken from you?
Do you mean how rather than what?
What is the media in your area telling you?
Do you mean about this disaster or in general?
Assuming you mean how for the first part;
I have recently had my livelihood taken away from me, however it was me that took it away. I no longer work for the company I served for 13 years and packed up my life in Thailand in June to return to China to spend time with my wife and baby daughter. I am surviving on income from my property in the UK and from the nest egg/investments that I tucked away for a rainy day. Should be fine for a few years but not planning that long.
I am doing this for a couple of reasons. The first reason is the most important.
I’ve waited my entire life to find my wife, the person I wanted to have a child with. Given we are only planning one child (she is Chinese after all) I felt I wanted to be there in the early stages to experience the highs, lows, sleepless nights, first smile, first roll over, first crawl, when she speaks for the first time, etc.
So I have taken the plunge. What are savings for if not to use at some point. Having been nose to the grindstone for many years I felt a year or so out of it to take some time with them would be time well spent.
I am surprised at how this shaped up. Having been in China for the birth I had to go back to Thailand for 5 weeks straight after JiaQi was born to fullfill my contractual obligations to the company I worked for. On return to China it took over a week to get the bond back with my daughter that we had in the week following her birth. Now it is very strong and we really get along great.
The second reason is I plan to spend my mornings in intensive Chinese lessons so that I am bilingual. This is very important as we are not sure where we will be in the future, maybe China, maybe England, who knows. Wherever it is she will have English and Chinese family so it is probably a good thing I can at least hold my own in Mandarin, if only so she doesn’t have a secret language she can moan about me in.
Not sure how it will shape up as the first few weeks have seen me really at a loose end as I’m used to having meetings, issues, agenda’s, etc but I’m trying.
What is the media in your area telling you?
Whatever the Chinese government tells them to. That is really an easy one for me to answer.
Seriously, the spill gets little air time over here but I do follow it on BBC, CNN, MSN (if only to laugh at the biggoted comments) and Bloomberg.
Compared to Bhopal this one is being managed very well and is not being whitewashed and bribed away.
Gareth,
Yes, there are errors in which I am aware. Thank you.
I admire the choices and decisions that you made regarding your family. It would be great if more people were able to make those choices. Unfortunately, those effected by the oil spill did not have a choice in the matter. Rather, it was taken away from them.
Thank you for addressing the question. It post is a great opportunity to find out how different countries and regions are told by the media.
ClinicallyClueless´s last blog ..Where to go from here