Oil

Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska who has shot to prominence as John McCain's choice as running-mate, is best known as a passionate believer in new oil and gas exploration, including in Alaska's National Widelife Reserve - something McCain himself rejects.

But campaigners say she has a mixed record on her dealings with the oil corporations to which the Republican party has so many historic ties.

"There is no question that Palin's appointment as the Republican vice-presidential candidate cements the fact that John McCain is the candidate of big oil," Dan Weiss, a senior fellow at the Centre for American Progress, a Washington-based think-tank, told Al Jazeera.

"She supports the agenda of big oil - of more drilling - and she opposes investments in clean and renewable energy," he said.

Palin has presented herself as a challenger to corporate interests in Alaska, although that is because she believes the major energy companies have not acted swiftly enough in carrying out drilling and pipeline projects in the state.

Ending dependence

The Alaskan governor also sees more drilling of US oil reserves as a way of ending US dependence on oil imports from the Middle East and elsewhere. … [Read more]

 Town Crier in New Orleans brings us this short video of the 400,000 gallon oil spill in New Orleans today in a collision with a tug towing an oil barge. Ship traffic on the Mississippi River has been brought to a halt for several days while this giant oil spill is cleaned up.

Is this oil spill the real reason that the McCain presidential campaign cancelled their campaign appearance on oil rig off the New Orleans coast or was it really Hurricane Dolly that hit south Texas? … [Read more]

 T. Boone Pickens, the famous oilman, has presented a new energy plan  centered around solar power and natural gas. Take a look at the video of his new energy plan. … [Read more]