Any independent views on this?

Adjust the rate, unless you believe in BP propaganda.

Several days ago (after having the live feed available for one month) press secretary Robert Gibbs said, "...certainly, the Exxon Valdez was bigger than this [only 11 million gallons]..." Knowing that nobody in that room would effectively call him on it. Somebody needs to loop that clip, and put it side by side with the above....or with the following PR session in which BP openly brags (granted, perhaps lying through his teeth) to have sucked up "22,000 barrels/day" with their insertion tube. (Hey Robert Gibbs, that's almost a million gallons per day, four weeks and counting...not to mention that video showed this same tube barely making a dent in the total flow. Why don't you go work for Sarah Palin.) This thing is 14 times the size of Exxon Valdez already, and worse by-who-knows-what-degree for being underwater. Saving a few birds and beaches means nothing when you kill the entire food chain, assholes.