[Graeme]

Greedy Lying Bastards: US filmmaker attacks oil industry

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')rovocative, frank and impossible to ignore. And that's just the title.

Craig Rosebraugh, a US filmmaker and political activist, has produced a feature-length documentary that demands to be seen. Greedy Lying Bastards is still awaiting a firm release date – sometime in 2012 is the current promise – but, if the trailer and impressive roster of interviewees are anything to go by, it's likely to cause quite a stir.

Filmed over the past two years and across nine countries, Greedy Lying Bastards claims to be a "searing indictment of the influence, deceit and corruption that defines the fossil fuel industry":

Rosebraugh documents the impact of an industry that puts profits before people, wages a campaign of lies to thwart measures to combat climate change, uses its clout to minimize infringing regulations and undermined the political process in the U.S. and abroad…By interweaving the stories of the victims of the Gulf oil spill and the global climate crisis, he lays bare the industry's deliberate pattern of irresponsibility. And, while oil companies worldwide exert influence over policies that will protect their revenues, those who speak out against the industry's reckless practices risk their livelihoods, and in some instances, their lives.

Rosebraugh's position is abundantly clear: he is aiming hard and fast at the oil industry and the network of influence that does its bidding. But, despite all the polemic and editorialising, it would appear that he has gone to some lengths to include a wide range of voices in the documentary:

[Cog]

Oil companies provide a product that is desired by the consumers. No different than a pimp or a drug dealer.

Free market capitalism at its best.

[Lore]

These scalawags need to be continually called out for what they are, unthinking greedy bastards.

[WildRose]

The following testimony is very telling:

http://www.albertasurfacerights.com/articles/?id=1569

It's a long read, but worth it. It chronicles the plight of one Alberta family whose water has been contaminated, and they're just one of many.
You'll be amazed at what they've been through, and how they've been treated by the oil companies and regulatory bodies alike!

[Loki]

Funny, I used to know Craig. I was wondering what became of him. Glad to see he's still a agitatin'

[rangerone314]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WildRose', 'T')he following testimony is very telling:

http://www.albertasurfacerights.com/articles/?id=1569

It's a long read, but worth it. It chronicles the plight of one Alberta family whose water has been contaminated, and they're just one of many.
You'll be amazed at what they've been through, and how they've been treated by the oil companies and regulatory bodies alike!

[Cog]

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'T')he needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

[Cog]

Maybe I'm an ideologically impure Libertarian.

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'M')aybe I'm an ideologically impure Libertarian.

[Cog]

Lets just say the needs of the many(those oil consumers in the US), outweigh the needs of the one(the Alberta family listed above). If the Canadian government sees fit to compensate them due to damages that they suffer than that is up to them.

That fits in with Libertarianism and free market capitalism.

[basil_hayden]

I'm no fan of oil companies polluting stuff, especially when they know better at this point in the game.

But you'd think filmmakers would attack the banks. At least the oil companies have skin in the game.

Unfortunately, the bank is where the filmmakers get their money I guess, kinda like the US government.

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'L')ets just say the needs of the many(those oil consumers in the US), outweigh the needs of the one(the Alberta family listed above). If the Canadian government sees fit to compensate them due to damages that they suffer than that is up to them.

That fits in with Libertarianism and free market capitalism.

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('basil_hayden', '
')Unfortunately, the bank is where the filmmakers get their money I guess, kinda like the US government.

[WildRose]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'L')ets just say the needs of the many(those oil consumers in the US), outweigh the needs of the one(the Alberta family listed above). If the Canadian government sees fit to compensate them due to damages that they suffer than that is up to them.

That fits in with Libertarianism and free market capitalism.

[rangerone314]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'L')ets just say the needs of the many(those oil consumers in the US), outweigh the needs of the one(the Alberta family listed above). If the Canadian government sees fit to compensate them due to damages that they suffer than that is up to them.

That fits in with Libertarianism and free market capitalism.

[Cog]

I'm sure there are courts in Alberta that deal with tort matters.

[rockdoc123]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he following testimony is very telling:

[WildRose]

Thanks for weighing in, Rockdoc. Would you have any comments on the portions of the testimony below, especially the italicized parts:


"After six years and 10 reports later, and

living with the danger of explosion or being gassed, the ERCB asked to test our water for the next two

to five years. Both Alberta Environment and the ERCB have repeatedly put the responsibility for

removing the gases from our water onto us, telling us that to prevent the danger of explosion that we

should vent the gas. We sure didn't put this toxic mix of gases into our water and according to the

ERCB's own regulations, it's illegal to vent sour gas."


"This summer the energy company wanting to drill the new well tested our water once again (that's

about 16 times in five years). I think this was more to protect the company than us. They found that our

water was 25% gas, the methane content at over 500,000 ppm and increased levels of other gases,

including sour gas at 88.5 ppm. Alberta Health's regulation for safe exposure level is 10 ppm. This

deadly gas was coming into our home, we were showering with it for the past 5 years. We realized we

were endangering our health and couldn't wait for the government's “promised safe water” any longer.

We had to find an alternate source."