Posted on 06/18/2009 3:46:57 AM PDT by Halfmanhalfamazing
LOL!
As you travel along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando you traverse an area where there are several oil wells, dutifully pumping away all day, all night. They are fake, put there by the guy who owns Fantasy of Flight to commemorate his family’s debt to black gold as the source of their wealth.
If you ever have occasion to visit the area spending some time at Fantasy of Flight is a great experience. They have lots and lots of aircraft of all types in all stage of restoration. I would not hesitate to recommend it!
Florida Senator Bill Nelson promised to filibuster the bill unless the offshore drilling provisions are removed.
Posted on FR yesterday:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273682/posts#4
Count on Nutty Nelson to queer a good deal.
I’m well aware of the coastal haze, having lived most of my life within a few miles of the Gulf. The real question is whether the Florida legislature is aware of such things.
Certainly there are exceptions, but just as there is an emergence of tea partyers ... there is also (I think) a growing consciousness regarding thrift, value, worth .. etc. ... and "the vacation" is something to go and do nothing, or just plain relax (as opposed to being a taxi driver ... I've had a few vacations that needed a vacation to recover from the vacation).
"Wasn't that fun, kids? ... Now leave daddy alone, I want to sleep"
Busch Gardens here in Tampa is another good indicator of how well things are going for tourism in Florida. It's staying pretty busy, especially now with Summer here.
But you are certainly correct about tourism in Florida as a whole. I wonder how Silver Springs is doing these days. I know Weeki Wachi Springs recently cut their admission price in half and Cypress Gardens is open only on weekends.
Sen. Nelson is going to use blackmail to keep from drilling in the Gulf off NW Florida. He will use the threat of closing our military bases if we don’t go along.
If he was honest, he would support nuclear energy if he was really afraid of losing tourism dollars. But he isn’t, as are none of them. It is all about party and getting re-elected.
This thing by the Democratic Congress is a TRAP!!! They are only allowing a small portion of offshore Florida to be drilled if they can get Republicans on board for cap-and-trade!
amen...particularly in Ted Kennedy’s back yard?
Has he died yet?
Interesting that his sil Jackie also died of brain tumor
“Nothing personal, but I think that the “threat to tourism” angle is just dumb. Somebody should ask Santa Barbara if oil rigs at sea bothers tourists.
On the contrary, many tourists go to Santa Barbara just to see the infamous oil rigs.”
I was down there just last week, driving for my sis and her husband, who were visiting from Alaska. His comment was “why aren’t there more drill rigs?”
Beyond that, things get darned expensive.
The total height of an offshore drilling rig (from the water to the crown of the derrick) would be about 200 ft. That would be visible from the beach for roughly 20 miles.
If tourists can get used to fast food places and hotels near the 'pristine beaches', the sight of something offshore should not offend them.
As for environmental damage, no one from oil companies or drilling companies wants that, either, and every reasonable precaution is taken (and then some) to prevent problems.
They can drill in my back yard.
It’s my understanding that the rigs that are now off the Gulf Coast make great fishing holes, besides providing the oil and jobs. To me in Florida I would love to pull in some nice Yellow Fin of our west coast.
A very simplistic explanation of seeing and object in relation to the horizon can be seen at:
www.boatsafe.com/kids/distance.htm
Lissen, Santa Barbara beaches are not exactly slum territory! I have lived in three states where many a person has an oil well in the front yard, side yard, or back 40 (NY, Texas, CA,) I have seen wells in OH, PA. It is just no big deal. Beverly Hills is smack dab in the middle of an old, very productive oil field. Look bad to you?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.