{"id":1751,"date":"2010-06-04T02:49:47","date_gmt":"2010-06-04T09:49:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=1751"},"modified":"2010-06-04T02:49:47","modified_gmt":"2010-06-04T09:49:47","slug":"bp-little-good-news-lots-of-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2010\/06\/04\/bp-little-good-news-lots-of-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"BP: Little Good News; Lots of Bad"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">Lets start with the good news.&#160; BP has placed a cap on the GOP Gusher.<\/font><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/BPgusher1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-right-width: 0px; margin: 2px 10px 5px 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px\" title=\"BPgusher\" border=\"0\" alt=\"BPgusher\" align=\"left\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/BPgusher_thumb1.jpg\" width=\"192\" height=\"244\" \/><\/a> The well has been capped, more or less. BP engineers Thursday night guided a containment dome onto the hydrocarbon geyser shooting from the Gulf of Mexico oil well &#8212; a desperate and iffy attempt to capture the leaking oil and funnel it to a ship on the surface. <\/p>\n<p>It was not an elegant operation. Furious clouds of oil escaped the &quot;top hat.&quot; Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the national incident commander for the spill, called the development a positive step but said, &quot;<strong>It will be sometime before we can confirm that this method will work and to what extent it will mitigate the release of oil into the environment<\/strong>.&quot;\u2026 [<em>emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Inserted from &lt;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/article\/2010\/06\/04\/AR2010060400127.html\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Post<\/a>&gt;<\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">Here\u2019s video:<\/font><\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">&#160;<\/font><iframe loading=\"lazy\" height=\"270\" marginheight=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/specials.washingtonpost.com\/mv\/embed\/?title=James%20Bond%20car%20video%3A%20007's%201964%20Aston%20Martin%20for%20sale&amp;stillURL=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia3.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F06%2F02%2FPH2010060203397.jpg&amp;flvURL=%2Fmedia%2F2010%2F06022010-20v&amp;width=480&amp;height=270&amp;autoStart=false&amp;clickThru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Fvideo%2F2010%2F06%2F02%2FVI2010060203390.html\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"480\" marginwidth=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" target=\"_blank\"><\/iframe><font color=\"#0000ff\"> <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">Of course, when they attach a tube to the cap to collect the oil with tankers, the pressure might blow the cap right off the pipe.<\/font><\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">Now for the bad news, and it could not be much worse.<\/font><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/BPAtlanticoil.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-right-width: 0px; margin: 2px 0px 5px 10px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px\" title=\"BPAtlanticoil\" border=\"0\" alt=\"BPAtlanticoil\" align=\"right\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/BPAtlanticoil_thumb.jpg\" width=\"279\" height=\"205\" \/><\/a> Oil from the massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico is <strong>likely to extend along thousands of miles of the Atlantic coast and into the open ocean as early as this summer<\/strong>, according to a detailed computer modeling study released today by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. <\/p>\n<p>The research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, NCAR&#8217;s sponsor. The results were reviewed by scientists at NCAR and elsewhere, although not yet submitted for peer-review publication. <\/p>\n<p>&quot;I&#8217;ve had a lot of people ask me, &#8216;Will the oil reach Florida?&#8217;&quot; says NCAR scientist Synte Peacock, who worked on the study. &quot;<strong>Actually, our best knowledge says the scope of this environmental disaster is likely to reach far beyond Florida, with impacts that have yet to be understood<\/strong>.&quot; <\/p>\n<p>The computer simulations indicate that, once the oil in the uppermost ocean has become entrained in the Gulf of Mexico&#8217;s fast-moving Loop Current, it is likely to reach Florida&#8217;s Atlantic coast within weeks. <\/p>\n<p>It can then move north as far as about Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with the Gulf Stream, before turning east to the open ocean. <\/p>\n<p>Whether the oil will be a thin film on the surface or mostly subsurface due to mixing in the upper ocean is not known. <strong>The flow in the model represents the best estimate of how ocean currents are likely to respond under typical wind conditions<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>More model studies are underway that will indicate what might happen to the oil in the Atlantic Ocean&#8230; [<em>emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Inserted from &lt;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/headline\/2010\/06\/03-12\" target=\"_blank\">Common Dreams<\/a>&gt;<\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">Day by day, watching the magnitude of this thing grow, my anger increases at BP.&#160; They are investing in the wrong damage control.<\/font><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/BPgreed.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-right-width: 0px; margin: 2px 0px 5px 10px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px\" title=\"BP-greed\" border=\"0\" alt=\"BP-greed\" align=\"right\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/BPgreed_thumb.jpg\" width=\"240\" height=\"155\" \/><\/a> The foreign oil giant BP has launched a new series of advertisements to contain the damage to its reputation and <a href=\"http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2010\/06\/01\/news\/companies\/bp_stock\/?postversion=2010060116\" target=\"_blank\">stock price<\/a> from its uncontrolled disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. In a television advertisement that aired nationally this morning, BP CEO Tony Hayward promotes how his corporation is running the response to the environmental calamity it caused. <\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt\">Unlike the attitude expressed in interviews when he dismissed the scope of the disaster and complained that he wanted his life back, Hayward tells the camera he is \u201cdeeply sorry\u201d for this \u201ctragedy that never should have happened.\u201d With the cries of seabirds in the background, he expresses an air of authority, lumping \u201cvolunteers\u201d and \u201cthe government\u201d together in his thanks for their help:<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.375in; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt\">The gulf is home for thousands of BP employees and we all feel the impact. <span style=\"font-weight: bold\">To all the volunteers and for the strong support of the government, thank you<\/span>. We know it is our responsibility to keep you informed and do everything we can so this never happens again. We will get this done. We will make this right.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt\">Watch it:<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt\">&#160;<object width=\"500\" height=\"405\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/LklqCy_bpuY&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1\"><\/param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"><\/param><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\"><\/param><embed src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/LklqCy_bpuY&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1\" type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" width=\"500\" height=\"405\"><\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt\">While BP is on the hook for the billion-dollar costs of the cleanup, it still has money to conduct a broad greenwashing campaign with the support of an <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/politics\/BP-has-deep-lobbying-connections-to-help-on-spill-93450149.html\" target=\"_blank\">army of lobbying and public relations firms<\/a> and former Dick Cheney press secretary Anne Womack-Kolton. Full-page ads in major newspapers promote the slogan: \u201cWe will get this done. We will make this right.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt\">Hayward\u2019s recognition of BP\u2019s \u201cresponsibility to keep you informed\u201d flies in the face of reality, with its demonstrated willingness to <a href=\"http:\/\/thinkprogress.org\/2010\/05\/27\/fox-cant-trust-bp\/\" target=\"_blank\">misinform the public<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/wonkroom.thinkprogress.org\/2010\/05\/20\/bp-lies-disaster\/\" target=\"_blank\">lie to Congress<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/article\/2010\/06\/03\/AR2010060300848.html\" target=\"_blank\">restrict media access<\/a> to the scene of its crime&#8230; [<em>emphasis original<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Inserted from &lt;<a href=\"http:\/\/thinkprogress.org\/2010\/06\/03\/hayward-pr-campaign\/\" target=\"_blank\">Think Progress<\/a>&gt;<\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">If that lying corporate bastard were truly repentant, he would be investing the \u00a3millions spent on this PR campaign into cleaning up the mess.<\/font><\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">But as outrageous as BP\u2019s actions are, they don\u2019t hold a candle to the GOP\u2019s insanity.<\/font><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/DemsMopUpGOP.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px\" title=\"DemsMopUpGOP\" border=\"0\" alt=\"DemsMopUpGOP\" align=\"left\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/DemsMopUpGOP_thumb.jpg\" width=\"284\" height=\"285\" \/><\/a> Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal wrote President Obama a letter on Wednesday <strong>criticizing his decision to implement a temporary moratorium of deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>Arguing that his state had already suffered crippling economic consequences, the Louisiana Republican urged Obama to rethink his decision to suspend activity at 33 previously permitted deepwater drilling rigs &#8212; including 22 &quot;currently in operation off the Louisiana coast.&quot; <\/p>\n<p>Joining Jindal in his call to lift the moratorium is Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) who accused the Obama administration of pursuing a policy that &quot;could kill thousands of Louisiana jobs.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>In his letter, Gov. Jindal said his state was facing &quot;one of the most challenging economic periods in decades.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The last thing we need is to enact public policies that will certainly destroy thousands of existing jobs while preventing the creation of thousands more,&quot; he added\u2026 [<em>emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Inserted from &lt;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2010\/06\/03\/bobby-jindal-obama-letter_n_599226.html\" target=\"_blank\">Huffington Post<\/a>&gt;<\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">Jindal is not alone in this.&#160; Diaper Dave and other leading Republicans are also on board.<\/font><\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">The GOP has also complaining that the Obama administration has not done a fascist-socialist takeover of the disaster.&#160; Ironically, they share the view with Robert Reich, a progressive of note.&#160; What Reich doesn\u2019t get, but the GOP clearly does is that this disaster is not going to be fixed anytime soon.&#160; Were the Obama administration to take over, that would leave the GOP in a perfect position to say. \u201cSee?&#160; Big government doesn\u2019t work!\u201d&#160; Reich, albeit with the best of intentions, is playing right into their hands.<\/font><\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#0000ff\">One think Obama could and should do is take a page from FDR\u2019s playbook.&#160; Remember the CCC?&#160; I don\u2019t.&#160; Even I\u2019m not that old.&#160; Instead of a Civilian Conservation Corps, Obama could institute a Cleanup Constitution Corps.&#160; Given our high rate of unemployment and the need for a massive cleanup that will take years, why not mobilize thousands of unemployed workers to clean up the mess?&#160; Of course, BP must be required to pay every penny for it.<\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lets start with the good news.&#160; BP has placed a cap on the GOP Gusher. The well has been capped, more or less. BP engineers Thursday night guided a containment dome onto the hydrocarbon geyser shooting from the Gulf of Mexico oil well &#8212; a desperate and iffy attempt to capture the leaking oil and <a href='https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2010\/06\/04\/bp-little-good-news-lots-of-bad\/' class='excerpt-more'>[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","category-5-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1751\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}