Image Credit: Insidefoto/PR PhotosOftentimes when bad thing happen in this crazy, mixed-up world of ours, I find myself wishing that real-life versions of our favorite cinema heroes could actually exist. Because wouldn’t the world be a safer, better place if there really was a John McClane? Ellen Ripley? R2-D2?
Well, it seems like my wish might come (half) true. (No, no talking robots yet. Sigh.) Turns out this whole BP oil crisis off the Gulf of Mexico could be solved by…Kevin Costner. Yes, the actor who couldn’t manage to foresee the disaster that was The Postman actually foresaw this oil spill happening. Did I not mention this is a crazy, mixed-up world?! Apparently, BP plans to test oil-separation technology Costner invested in 15 years ago, after Exxon’s Valdez spill. And now, Costner’s centrifugal oil separators have been approved for testing on the Gulf oil spill. (Hopefully, the machines — which supposedly will extract the oil from the Gulf into a tanker and pump purified water into the ocean — will be more effective than simply scrambling letters.)
If this whole thing works out, maybe I will finally appease my father and set aside two-and-a-half hours of my life to watch Dances With Wolves with him…again. (Which means I would have spent seven-and-a-half hours of my life watching that movie.) Does Costner’s plan fascinate you, PopWatchers? And who would you like to see save the world?
While watching the latest news about the BP Oil spill, a frightening thought came to mind: what if we can’t stop the oil? I mean, what happens if after all the measures to cap the pipe fail, (i.e., “Top Hat”, “Small Hat” and “Top Kill”). What then? An accident this problematic is new territory for BP. The oil pipeline is nearly a mile down on the ocean floor, accessible only by robots. Add on top of that the extreme pressure at which the oil is flowing out of the pipeline and there you have it: the perfect storm.
Moreover, scientists also claim that they’ve found an enormous plume of oil floating just under the surface of the ocean measuring approximately 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick. (I’m no math genius, but I bet one of you reading this could figure out just how many barrels of oil that is…)
There are new estimates that the amount of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico is anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 barrels of oil a day: that’s a far cry from BP’s estimated 5,000 barrels a day. If BP’s estimates are correct, the total amount of oil now in the Gulf would be approximately 150,000 barrels (or 6,300,000 gallons). That’s barely enough to fill 286 swimming pools: sixteen feet, by thirty-two feet, by eight and a half feet deep. That wouldn’t cover an area the size of New York City, let alone an area the size of Delaware. Obviously, the spill is much larger than we are being led to believe. If the leak can’t be stopped, in a year’s time, we’ll have roughly 18,250,000 barrels of oil (or 766,500,000 gallons) in our oceans, killing our marine and animal wildlife. Such a calamity would be environmentally and economically disastrous. Pray that BP and our government work fast to end this catastrophe.
Puh-leaze, he already saved the world…hello, Waterworld.
My condolences, Kate; my father has forced me to watch Dances With Wolves three times. I’m sure I would’ve enjoyed it had he not talked through the entire film…all three times. I couldn’t enjoy 8 1/2 until I finally was able to watch it on my own.
I adore Kevin Costner, anything he does excites me. He is a really good man in my opinion, and this proves it!
A good man, okay. I’ll just say he’s a smart man. He knew that there will be another oil spill and he was smart enough to invest in it. He knew Whitney Houston would be a great actress and that you don’t need an accent to play Robin Hood. He’s just a smart man.
You’re absolutely right Lindsey.
He is a really good man. One of the best, kindest and most generous.
This all would have been over with in minutes if Superman was here and just blew the oil back into the oil thing like he did in Superman 3 when he just blew the oil back into the ship.
Wait, what happened to the Facebook campaign to get Betty White to plug the oil spill?
He’s already saved the world twice already! Hello Waterworld and the Postman!!??
How is it possible you wrote this post without referencing Waterworld? And it’s wonderfully ludicrous inclusion of the ” ‘Dez” (the Exxon Valdez, now home to the bad guys)?
Waterworld! Us Alaskans loved the movie. Exxon is still the bad guy here
I am a twenty year Navy Vet, know working in private manufacturing and would like to know if there is a forum to contact Mr. Costner regarding his idea? I always knew he was a great actor and am happy to see his interest and willingness to spend his own money on important environmental issues. I am extremely concerned about the spill in the gulf and the apparent lack of action to stop the leak and expeditiously begin cleanup, reduce impact and start an EFFECTIVE method of collection and cleanup. I am extremely disappointed that the oil industry and our government was not better prepared to handle this type of disaster. My idea involves a type of naval vessel which I am sure is currently in mothball storage in multiple quantities waiting to be re-activated. Please contact me with any method to open a dialouge where we can combine our ideas to propose a method to collect, seperate and treat oil contaminated water and soil.
Thanks!
Uh… you’re on the internet. Look it up.
I’d actually watch both the Postman and Waterworld if Coster saves the Gulf.
omgOODNESS!!!!Really? I must just be really the last of the romantics?!… KMC Thank you… I guess I watched Dances more than anyone & maybe you… I have the original VCR from the original release plus later on C.d… But I take the VCR version to INDIANA when I camp…(well I like electricity) I LOVE every single one of your movies.. BUT.. it isn’t about all this!! YOU said it our hero on screen can make a difference OFF screen as you are so doing now!!!! AGAIN up tooo late good night and God Bless KEEP going oh,… ONE more thing I love Modern West.. BUT….:) Please make another movie “)
You might want to check out Waterworld.
Kevin was just way ahead of his time. He was thought to be ridiculous and that would make sense, if you have no real genius or gifted vision.
I guess it’s your classic, “He who laughs last” situation…or it certainly will be one day.
Not that it’s a laughing matter, by any means.
Have a great day all.
I worked in the US Navy using these devices are very simple and 99% reliable. As complicated as a Crescent Wrench.
If you have enough of them you could clean the Earth’s water everywhere. Great idea and about time.
Too bad Obama won’t let BP use Costner’s machines because his “experts” don’t even know what they are.
Great news from.B.P.s agreement two of these to creat I bet not even made so far as of emergencies!Now B.P.s lets start up many more for unknown darker waters all over,”oceans away” some
ruined muddy whole into qick sand
we’ll all sink into the whole!!
What do you want to bet that it doesn’t work. They’ll buy it and then said they used it. It just mixes the water and oil so you don’t see it as much.