May 2010

"Though free to think and act, we are held together, like the stars in the firmament, with ties inseparable. These ties cannot be seen, but we can feel them. I cut myself in the finger, and it pains me: this finger is a part of me. I see a friend hurt, and it hurts me, too: my friend and I are one. And now I see stricken down an enemy, a lump of matter which, of all the lumps of matter in the universe, I care least for, and it still grieves me. Does this not prove that each of us is only part of a whole?" — Nikola Tesla

“Withholding payment of taxes is one of the quickest methods of overthrowing a government.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“He or she who supports a State organized in the military way – whether directly or indirectly – participates in the sin. Each man old or young takes part in the sin by contributing to the maintenance of the State by paying taxes.” — Mahatma Gandhi

"Money does not represent such a value as men have placed upon it. All my money has been invested into experiments with which I have made new discoveries enabling mankind to have a little easier life." — Nikola Tesla

"The scientific man does not aim at an immediate result. He does not expect that his advanced ideas will be readily taken up. His work is like that of the planter — for the future. His duty is to lay the foundation for those who are to come, and point the way. He lives and labors and hopes." — Nikola Tesla

According to an academic from University of Purdue, the oil spill in Gulf region might have been underestimated. By his estimation, the actual rate of oil spilling from the gulf region could be anywhere between 56,000 and 84,000 barrels per day. His estimation was based on a technique, known as particle image velocimetry, which enables the flow rate to be computed from the videotape of the oil gushing out on the sea floor. With the flow rate available, he can then use the product between the flow rate and the cross sectional area of the pipe to estimate how much oil is spilling in the gulf region each day.

But hang on a minute. Do you know that Nigeria reportedly leaks nearly 11 million gallons of crude every year, with little news coverage? According to a news report published in AOL , Nigeria had more than 2,000 active spills just last year alone. Decades of oil exploration has transformed Nigeria into the world's most polluted ecosystem.

The US is currently the biggest consumer of oil in the world, with the miltrary sector being the world's biggest buyer of oil. The oil consumption rate is growing, while the oil price never appreciates to a level which reflects the reality of the actual market. Most of the oil which the US consumes comes from Kazakhstan, Angola and Nigeria -- places that are never (or very poorly) mentioned in the mainstream media.

Now, Back to the "Headline"

The so-called offshore drilling in the US has not been a concern until recently. Although the oil spill in Gulf region might have been underestimated, it is unclear whether the new estimation has factored in the wind and water current over the oil spill area. The drift of oil spill under the influence of wind and water current should in theory be taken into account. Check out this reference  for further information. Please also take a look on the following live feed: