I had heard that the state’s legislators were rushing to pass laws to prevent airplane accidents, so I called one of my state Senators to learn how this would affect pilots in California and personal injury victims. What I learned may just keep me on the ground in the future.

“I would guess that the rule against using cell phones won’t apply to pilots, right?” I asked.

“Actually, it will,” the Senator said. “We still think it can mess up the navigational equipment. Radio transmissions will still be allowed.”

“What are you thinking about prohibiting?” I asked.

“Can you keep a secret,” the Senator asked.

“Sure,” I said.

“Well we’ve heard some pilots used to like to drink a little something on long flights,” the Senator said.

“You’re not saying what I think you’re saying, are you?” I asked.

“Yup,” the Senator answered. “No more beach parties in the cockpits. The rule against drinking margaritas will be strictly enforced from now on.”

“That’s good,” I said sarcastically. “I hate it when the pilot of my plane starts singing on the intercom.”

“What else are you thinking about prohibiting?” I asked.

“No more gambling, and no more card games of any kind.”

“They play card games up there?” I asked.

“They play all kinds of games,” the Senator said. “Poker, video games…we’re making a list that will be all inclusive, we hope.”

“So what else are you considering outlawing?” I asked.

“Well, you’d probably be surprised what pilots do now that they have all that food to themselves,” the Senator said.

“You mean the food they used to serve passengers?” I asked.

“That’s right,” the Senator said. “Turns out they’ve been having food fights up there and using the peanuts as poker chips.”

“Sounds like the fun is over” I said.

“We’re not prohibiting everything,” the Senator said. “But there will be no more spying on the passengers unless it’s for security reasons.”

“What do you mean spying?” I asked.

“Are you sure you can keep a secret?” the Senator asked.

“Positive,” I said with my fingers crossed behind my back.

“Well, you know those little air vents that you adjust to blow air on your seat?”

“Sure,” I answered.

“Lets just say that airplanes vents would do more good if they didn’t have little cameras in them.”

“You mean that each of those little vents are really cameras?” I asked. “I always wondered why they worked so poorly.”

“You didn’t hear that from me,” the Senator said.

“Aren’t you afraid of making the pilots bored if you take away their little spy tools?”

“Maybe they’ll have to put on some better in flight movies,” the Senator said.

“Just don’t let the pilots have a screen to watch them,” I said.

“Good point,” the Senator replied, and made a note to himself.

If you’ve been injured in an accident involving an airplane and want to know what rules actually apply to flying, call the offices of an airplane accident lawyer.

Visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com to learn more about how we obtain great personal injury settlements from insurance companies. Or call us to speak directly to Sebastian Gibson about your airplane, helicopter, airline or aviation accident, or the loss of a loved one in a wrongful death with no charge for your consultation. 

 

As an environmental attorney, and with all the recent footage coming in from around the world, it is clear not only that global warming is a problem, it is getting worse, and action is needed immediately.

 

What’s stopping action from taking place? Oil companies and energy companies of all kinds, some of whom reportedly spend more to confuse people and the issue than they do on alternative energy research.

 

Who else is at fault? Sadly, the Republican party, the executive actions of George Bush and what he has forced government agencies to do, and other groups, who because of their Republican support, were slow getting on the bandwagon.

 

The issue has also brought us some surprising heroes. Governor Schwarzenegger of California. Ex-President and Nobel Prize Winner, Al Gore. And scientists around the world.

 

One only need turn on the television to see the melting arctic ice, or to hear that polar bears are being forced to become cannibals to be concerned at how little is being done and how much is being done to confuse and fight those who are concerned about the environment. Even Senator McCain stands against his own running mate, Sarah Palin on environmental issues.

 

School children know more about the issue than adults because they study the science and refuse to believe the lies and false websites put out by the energy companies.

 

And yet, except for America, and China, the world seems to be as one, united in the fight against global warming. While more is being done around the world despite the obstinance of the U.S. and China, so much more could be accomplished if we had elected a leader in this area instead of one who led us into a costly and unnecessary war.

 

One can only applaud companies who are involved in renewable energy sources such as solar, and wind power, the building of energy free homes, environmental groups and the efforts of Governor Schwartzenegger to make California a leader in the world in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gasses.

 

It will take all of us to make the changes we need to save our planet, our environment and the animal species that are so much at risk. Only this week, in the news for October 2008, it was widely reported that one in four mammals face extinction. Yet, amazingly, there are still people who will either not believe that man is either the cause of global warming or who feel that it would be too costly to the economy to take actions to help the environment such as reducing greenhouse gasses.

 

It is hoped that with greater public awareness, and better education to our school children of the environmental problems we face, that when this new generation grows up demanding change and they ask the current generation how we could have let this problem get so bad without doing more to prevent it, it will not be too late to reverse the effects of mankind’s damage. 

 

 If you have an environmental legal matter in Orange County, San Diego, in Riverside, Palm Springs or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your California Environmental Lawyers, and Orange County and San Diego Environment Attorneys. For this reason, be sure to hire a California law firm with environmental lawyers who can represent you from Palm Desert to Big Bear, Santa Ana, Chula Vista, Julian, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Carlsbad, Ventura and Malibu.

 

If you have an environmental matter and need to know your rights, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com  and learn about your rights and options and how we can assist you. You can also call us to speak directly to Sebastian Gibson on the phone about your legal matter.

In the midst of America’s financial meltdown and on the same weekend as Congress put together a $700 billion bailout, Congress did away with a 26 year ban on offshore oil drilling to the dismay of environmentalists. The Drill Now movement and chants of “Drill, Baby, Drill” may have won a small skirmish on this environmental issue, but California will have the last word.

Despite the ban on offshore oil drilling, it is believed that such drilling, at least off the coast of California is unlikely to occur for many years, if ever. Democrats in Congress are already vowing to reinstate the ban when a new Congress takes their seats in four months. And political opposition, marine protection laws and almost certain lawsuits by environmental groups in California make offshore oil drilling an unlikely event.

First, there is a general belief of Californians, including the Governor, that the California coastline is an international treasure, not to mention a draw to tourists from around the world. Few politicians in the state would dare to jeopardize that treasure.

Second, a law passed by former Governor Pete Wilson already bans all offshore oil drilling in California out to three miles from shore.

Third, there are 300 miles of national marine sanctuaries along the California coast which ban oil drilling.

Fourth, nearly every coastal county in the State of California has enacted ordinances banning new oil pipelines, oil terminals and tanks in the State.

Fifth, environmental groups are already vowing to file lawsuits, and they could be joined by the California Coastal Commission.

While California has around 30 oil platforms off the coast of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Long Beach that were built in the 1950s, no new oil platforms have been built in over 50 years.

It is estimated that California has at least 10.5 billion barrels of oil offshore – about a year and a half of the nation’s yearly supply. This is comparable to the estimate of oil in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

But if anything, despite the oil crisis and the financial crisis, in light of global warming and calls for investment in alternative energies, Californians are becoming more and more environmentally aware. Any politician running on any platform (oil or not) based on drilling offshore at a risk to the California scenic coastline, will have a hard time being elected.

If you have an oil, natural resources, energy or environmental law issue in San Diego, Newport Beach, Irvine, Orange County, La Jolla, in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Palm Springs or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your California Energy Lawyer and your Ventura Environmental Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with environmental law experience who can serve areas such as Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Anaheim, Irvine, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Newport Beach, Carlsbad, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Fullerton, Del Mar, San Diego, Orange County, San Luis Obispo, Buena Park, La Jolla, Oxnard, Ventura, La Quinta, and Santa Barbara so you are properly represented.

If you have a water law, oil, energy, natural resources or environmental dispute of any kind, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.