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The Gulf Oil Spill and America's Standard of Living
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The Gulf Oil Spill and America's Standard of Living

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Is the Gulf oil disaster a wake-up call for all of America, where oil is used at a greater rate than anyplace else in the world? Is it time to change not just the way we act, but the way we think?  Should some of the anger against BP and the rest of the oil industry be re-directed toward the oil-consumption economy?  Also, BP finds some success in capping it leaking well. On Reporter's Notebook, will a new soccer ball mean higher scores in South Africa's World Cup?  

Banner image: Traffic makes its way through Times Square in New York City. Photo: Michael Nagle/Getty Images

Making News

Gulf States Edgy as BP Tries Again to Cap Leaking Well ()

President Obama is back in Louisiana today for another look at the Gulf oil spill. Meantime, BP has reported some kind of progress in getting a cap on the gusher 5,000 feet down. Ian MacDonald is Professor of Oceanography at Florida State University.

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  • Ian MacDonald: Professor of Oceanography, Florida State University
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Main Topic

Does the Oil Spill Buck Stop with Us? ()

It could be months before BP can stop the gusher of oil. Beaches, marshes and wildlife are threatened in the Gulf of Mexico, along with traditional lifestyles. But what about the lifestyles of all Americans? Could the spill be a wake-up call? Does this country's unceasing demand for oil have unacceptable consequences? If the benefits of the oil economy are not worth the cost, is it time to get serious about the kind of sacrifices that lead to real conservation? Is that a formula for going back to the 19th Century?

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Reporter's Notebook

Players Aren't Celebrating the Jabulani ()

Jabulani is the Zulu word for "celebrate," but some world-class goalies are not celebrating Addidas' new Jabulani ball that will be used when the World Cup begins in South Africa. Goalkeepers from Italy, Brazil, Spain, the UK, the US and Australia have been critical of the ball, approved by FIFA, the international organization that stages the World Cup. Sean Gregory is a sports writer at Time magazine.

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