An Unnatural Disaster

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the latest disaster to result from an unholy alliance of government and giant corporations.

An Unnatural Disaster

Media, politicos and local representatives said on-air they hoped that Obama would take an independent tour of the increasingly oil-soaked and dieing Louisiana wetlands instead of leaving it to BP to portray a false picture of diligent clean-up. Instead, embarrassing to the point of excruciating, Obama stayed on the photo-op beach with its hundreds of workers trucked in for the day (who apparently had strict orders not to answer questions about where they came from.) Obama only referred to beaches in his beach speech, never mentioning the vital environmental and economic importance of the millions of acres of wetlands and the vital role they play in sustaining the entire Gulf of Mexico. The evening before, to illustrate just how alarmed and focused on this national emergency he really is, the President attended a reception celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month. Forty days and counting. A fail. From the very earliest days I and others have wondered why the gusher couldn't be bombed to collapse the ground down to shut this oil off. Russia has apparently used nukes a few times to do just that. I prefer to explore the hypothetical case for conventional explosives. From here to mid-August or later if the top-kill/junk-shot effort fails, we cannot afford to give up and wait more months while BP drills a sideways well. Two more things: Along with reforming the rules on political donations, the government must end the revolving employment doors between government and private industry. The government is literally stuffed to bursting top to bottom with industry moles seeing to it that industry is not burdened with appropriate, necessary rules to ensure safety, environmental protection, or any other public interest concern. writer, mcloughlinpost.com

BP Resumes Effort to Plug Oil Leak After Suspension

I begin to realize that drilling in the ocean is like in the wild wild West. When you find oil or gas, you will become very rich, but when your site caught fire, you are supposed to extinguish the fire yourself, otherwise you have to pay high penalty. There is no such thing as fire station around to rush to rescue you when you don't have enough equipment to extinguish the fire. I believe the nuclear power industry is not bad as this.

The Republican party wants Obama to play King Chanute.

Herbert is likely to see the action he wants.

No amount of political action solves an engineering problem.