Another excellent adventure this week here @ FR! As always MANY thanks to our gracious hosts/moderators! The hardest working crew on the web...

I'd give you 'bonus' points if you could slip your IT department say $50 or so and see that they can do about the font color - hell we'd be willing to donate if that's what it takes... :0))

Nice work this week progressives - today alone we dismissed (2) right wing myths! Keep up the good work and remember don't feed the trolls... if you do they tend to multiply!

Happy weekend All!

I'm just glad to see that the South Carolina Democratic Party has decided not to dispute the candidacy of Democratic nominee Alvin Greene.

Sorry, Vic...

But, c'mon First Readers...can't we all just get along?

I know I feel warm and fuzzy just talking about it...

I agree with all the above. Mark, you get a green star if your IT guys can get rid of that pale blue

Just heard a Newt Gingrich clip and he's quite outraged at the $20 billion for the Gulf--what gives the President the right to decide how much BP should pay blah blah and called it "extortion". New word but same meaning as Barton's and the RSC's. Truly the gift that keeps on giving. With the GOPs outright dislike and all-encompassing zeal and determination to trash everything Pres Obama does and says, the GOP has stepped on its own verbal land mine. Their Tea Party base may like it but how many citizens in the Gulf--red states, mostly republican--will agree with Barton and Newt and side with BP. It's like McCain's "fundamentals of the economy are strong"!

Thanks FR staff for the hard work this week and every week; you really do a nice job with the variety of articles with some fun things thrown in. Really bad storm moved through here earlier, 60-70 mph straight line winds, and heavy rain; storm sirens went off for second time this week, spooky dark outside. It's making a beeline east so watch out IL, IN, OH.

We need to put a stop to this rampant socialism by the red gulf states...there are already stories of staunch teabaggers lining up to get paid to do nothing or to be compensated for imaginary lost business that hasn't been lost yet...how come they only want somebody elses spending cut anyway...they like socialist security, medicare and their military pensions but no other government spending...losers

Thanks FR staff...but I don't recall why I'm thankful, I wasn't there, thats not my job, I'm a parrish president and I promise I won't steal money, I'm an LA Gov. and I won't steal money even if I DON'T KNOW WHERE 25MIL has gone. I am a Gulf Coast republican politician who will tell the POTUS one thing but say another when the cameras are on!! I'm sorry the LA gov and the Parrish presidents can't get the Coast Guard to wave safety rules in the name of speed to expedite (who does that sound like).I'm sorry that the talking head liberal shows hire and listen to bull@!$%# artists. The MEDIA is FOS.

I was going to end my post there until I seen the media access story on Kieths show...these reporters have got to be sh/'ying me. They are cleaning a beach!!! What on earth do these idiots want to ask them???

Slightly off topic here: WHY is there a BP advertisement on my FR page?? You would think that they would get the point by now that the ONLY advertising we want to see from them is that the Well is stopped and the oil cleaned up...everything else is wasted money and time! And SHAME on MSNBC for taking their money anyways!

Thanks, First Read for your efforts. You started a firestorm with the AZ law issue... there are at LEAST 725 posts (I am sure there will be more later on). Have a good weekend!!

hey Ron,are you on the cnn site? I saw a Ron from Indy.

Well, another week, another couple billion in debt.

The reviews on Obama's speech are in from the two daily tracking polls-Rasmussen and Gallup. Looks like the electorate is no longer dazzled by Obama's speechifying-he's at new lows in the three day tracking since the speech.

I guess he has no intention of holding either the House or the Senate-this lawsuit against Arizona is a loser with the public, and he has absolutely no plan of his own to put forward to the public as a comparison.

Isn't it the left that tells us that we are not allowed to be against anything unless we have an alternative plan of our own?

I invite you to go over to the Polling Report-there have been three recent polls that asked if Obama should be re-elected, one that asked if people would vote to re elect Obama or vote for an unnamed republican candidate. Obama loses in all four polls.

His handling of this oil spill is certainly doing nothing to polish his image. More and more people realize that the label "cool under pressure" was given to hide the fact that he is completely, utterly unprepared to deal with anything that comes up unexpectedly.

For the sake of our nation, you'd better hope I'm right about his taking his bat and ball and going home after the mid-terms. I don't think America can survive another two and a half years of this hopeless incompetent.

Turns out the left was right when they insisted that "if Obama fails, we all fail".

I only wish that the right had been wrong about his being doomed to fail.

Mark-I have a question.

What, exactly, happens when you report a blog as inflammatory?

remember ..remember November..the end of the GOBP as a viable party once and for all and set this country free!!

More inflammatory info from the Deep Water gov. website, note how much shore line has been impacted

By the Numbers to Date:

• The administration has authorized the deployment of 17,500 National Guard troops from Gulf Coast states to respond to this crisis; to date, 1,612 have been activated.

• Approximately 31,000 personnel are currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife and cleanup vital coastlines.

• More than 6,200 vessels are currently responding on site, including skimmers, tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and cleanup efforts—in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.

• Approximately 2.42 million feet of containment boom and 3.77 million feet of sorbent boom have been deployed to contain the spill—and approximately 492,000 feet of containment boom and 2.03 million feet of sorbent boom are available.

• Approximately 22.3 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered.

• Approximately 1.34 million gallons of total dispersant have been applied—915,000 on the surface and 429,000 subsea. More than 530,000 gallons are available.

• More than 225 controlled burns have been conducted, efficiently removing a total of more than 5.25 million gallons of oil from the open water in an effort to protect shoreline and wildlife.

• 17 staging areas are in place to protect sensitive shorelines.

• Approximately 61 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline is currently experiencing impacts from BP’s leaking oil—approximately 35 miles in Louisiana, four miles in Mississippi, nine miles in Alabama, and 13 miles in Florida.

• Approximately 80,800 square miles of Gulf of Mexico federal waters remain closed to fishing in order to balance economic and public health concerns. More than 66 percent remain open. Details can be found at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.

• To date, the administration has leveraged assets and skills from numerous foreign countries and international organizations as part of this historic, all-hands-on-deck response, including Canada, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization and the European Union's Monitoring and Information Centre.

Thanks Mixed Bag, BP is the responsible party for everything involved with this mess, the Feds are overseers and assists, don't let the media BS ya about this being POTUS spill, its not in anyway shape or form. Go to the Deep Water Horizon website for the complete time line from day one, very good website. One other thing about the boom. you have to be careful how you anchor it due 40k miles of submerged pipelines, I worked this area as a Shell offshore inspector, have you ever seen the call before you dig signs? Well, where they are doing all this unplanned work takes that to a whole new level, I hope not but a fear a pipeline getting damaged and leaking.

I seen something from a Coast Guard news conference where a question was asked if Thad Allen knew that Billy Nunguesser wanted him to resign!! This man has already soaked BP to refurbish his marina, I predict this man will end up in jail for stealing before this is over, has Jindal the grand stander dist. the 25m BP gave them yet? Where is our press on this?

hope this helps

one has to wonder why barton's apology over national television did not make your top ten gaffes yet you chose to include on from a foreign country. hopefully this will not be allowed to die down as other comments have. while I still feel obama has let down the middle class, this HCR will do nothing for the present plight of middle class citizens, barton is nothing more than a shill for the oil industry and bp in particular.

Imagine burning off the surface  oil as the smoke is directed toward the coastal cities. oil is a major carcinogen and my current health issues are a direct result of skin contact and vapors of oil, gas and their byproducts. As I have since found out, none of it is safe. so, if you choose to volunteer in the clean up efforts, please protect yourself as best as possible. the side effects of breathing and handling these dangerous carcinogens are terrible and debilitating.And there will be no one there to help you after they manifest themselves. One has to wonder if barton ever actually worked with his hands in the industry.

BTW,Has anyone heard more about the latest report that whistleblowers say another bp rig, even larger than the horizon took several shortcuts and could also suffer the same fate. I heard this on a media outlet yesterday I think cnn.

Well, here it is, Sunday, and I just hopped on to wish Dominico Montanaro a Happy First Father' day. Enjoy!

Happy Fathers Day, lets start with some truth and facts, note headline on the main page "Bureaucracy hampers oil spill efforts" here are the facts

HOUMA, La. -- Coast Guard marine inspectors provided safety recommendations to the operators of 11 Shallow Water Barge Recovery System vacuum barges in Empire, La., Friday.

The owner/operator of the barges asked the Coast Guard to inspect the vessels, some under construction, to ensure they were safe. This requested inspection was scheduled for Friday.

The Coast Guard inspectors made recommendations to the owner/operator regarding lifesaving and firefighting equipment, vessel stability and egress issues, leaving the decision to continue construction and operations with the owner/operator.

Five of the 11 barges have been engaged in operations today, operating in in Plaquemines Parish in: Bay Jimmy, Red Fish Bay, Pass A Loutre, Four Bayou Pass and Bay Baptiste. Two are enroute to Grand Isle, one is dockside for repairs and three are assigned, but have not yet started cleanup operations.

Friday, there were a total of 94 skimmers operating in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes, in the vicinity of Barataria Bay, including 20 Shallow Water Barge Recovery System barges, which have a similar capability to the 11 barges in question.

The Coast Guard will continue to maximize cleanup efforts - particularly through using local resources - while simultaneously prioritizing worker safety.

Every boat on the water needs to be Coast Guard approved..DUH. THE SAFETY OF THE WORKERS ON THIS EQUIPMENT IS NUMBER ONE. Jinkdaul (25mil man) and Nunguesser (the thief) should resign for this.

Didn't do it when I sighed off Friday but I would like to extend to the F.R. crew and especially Mr Montanaro my best wishes for Father's day. Enjoy that first one Mr. Montanaro and here's hoping that you can enjoy many more in the future. Children are a joy and treasure forever and the challenge of guiding them into the future is one of life's greatest rewards.

hey feisty one,

yep, it's me. this new format seems to agree with my hours of operation. barton's comments need to be part of every campaign ad for the next ten years though I doubt the dems will have the guts to do it. this oil is so much worse than the public is being told. oil is a major carcinogen and burning it is just insane. they are only burning the surface anyhow, not the miles of plumes beneath. there's also that nasty matter of what I calll cremulsion. that's the crusty, gross stuff where the oil and water meet. don't eat the seafood and if anybody is volunteering, protect yourself. the side effects do not become visible for years and then there is no one to help you when it happens. the side effects are terrible and debilatating. have a great one!

the old way was getting pretty annoying there toward the end(10 posts and I couldn't get through)

. you know how dems always seem to bring a knife to gun fight. BTW, do you think no joe and bill are vp's for

wellpoint since they seem to be soooo sympathetic toward them? well any way, I'll try to be back more to

help out now!