Always a disaster, whenever BP is concerned…
This time it’s gas market manipulation, nothing new as BP paid $300 million a few years ago to settle charges of propane market manipulation.
It would be nice if regulators decided one day to strip these criminal organizations of their licenses to operate, but that would be a world in which giant oil companies don’t own every politician in the lower 48.
Gorilla says: “Plundering locally, operating globally!”
BP again, taking the time honored path to avoid full responsibility!
“It was our rig, it was our spill, it was our fault!”
That’s what responsible non-cowards say.
Surely, you jest!
Sadly, this is the sort of thing we’ve come to expect in today’s America: the corporate interests who more or less run the country get the bad news out quickly, throw money at the problem, and pronounce themselves as pure as the driven slush!
Gorilla says: “He who leaks first laughs last!”
Of oil, as BP says it may not be able to pay up for its disaster if Congress insists that it can’t have a license to drill in the future!
This claim is of course utter nonsense. BP’s drilling activity accounts for 11% of total revenues and the sites BP owns in the Gulf of Mexico could easily be sold off to other oil companies.
Clearly, BP is attempting the same sort of shakedown pioneered by the banksters: “Nice little seafood industry you want me to promote. Shame if I couldn’t pay for it!”
Gorilla says: “Refusing to take responsibility has now migrated back across the Atlantic!”
Back in the Gulf of Mexico, BP’s preparing for “static kill”, to be followed by relief wells, in an effort to plug up the worst environmental disaster in American history.
Of course one hopes these efforts will finish the job. But BP’s track record, and the government’s role as spokesman/stooge for Big Oil (“we can’t see anything, so it must be fine!”), does not promote high confidence.
If the efforts succeed, the immediate crisis will be over, but the damage to the Gulf will last for decades.
If the efforts fail, we’re more or less back to where we began.
Gorilla, never a man to put his money where his mouth is, predicts: “$2 on Worst Case Scenario to show!”
Heavens, BP and the British government somehow cut a deal with Libya to release the Lockerbie “bomber” in exchange for an oil contract!
Of course that’s what was done!
Just as America recognized Libya in exchange for a $10 million payoff to our Lockerbie victims and oh yes, some beneficial oil contracts.
These deals may have been seedy and cynical, but they were done with the full awareness of the US Congress.
So why are the 4 Senators from New York and New Jersey surprised, let alone angry?
It’s the same sort of nonsense as the outrage, entirely driven by the racist Know Nothing Party and its racist Fox News enablers, over a Muslim center being built some two blocks away from Ground Zero.
So the new British PM says it was a Scottish decision, not his fault, and the Scots say it was a British government decision, not their fault!!!
Why not just be honest: “We did the same sort of deal with Tripoli that you Americans did, so please, enough already with the breathtaking hypocrisy!”
Gorilla says: “15 million unemployed, there have to be better things for Senators to do than fire up their fifth-rate Claude Rains impressions!”
Well, the oil may still be leaking, or it may not!
But it’s clear that the relief wells are the answer, unless you’re already negotiating what to do if they’re not the answer.
Gorilla says: “The trimming goes on, the skimming not so much!”
The oil well is capped, but only for a couple of days, naturally it’s drinks all round at BP!
While the obvious question isn’t being asked (“Why’d it take nearly 3 months to get a proper cap in place?”) and the less obvious question isn’t being asked (“What if the relief wells don’t work?”), everyone seems very pleased so far.
Gorilla says: “If the cap works, then the crap starts, 20 years or more before the Gulf recovers and BP will pay only a pittance for the destruction!”
Apparently not on the verge of success, BP’s delayed the testing on its new cap in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ex-Admiral Fifth Rate, until yesterday as gung ho as could be that the cap would stop the oil flow for good, now says “We decided that the process may benefit from additional analysis”.
Oh, and still no word on the negotiations between BP and the US government should the relief wells not work as advertised.
No one in the press seems to want to bother asking a difficult question or two. It’s very reminiscent of the non-discussion about unemployment.
Gorilla says: “Analyze all you like, but a bit of truth would not hurt!”
Oh boy, another cap, another hopeful sign of not very much progress, or then again, maybe it is!!!
Seems there must be integrity testing of the cap, whatever that means!
Given the previous history, and the fact that BP has been negotiating with the Feds in the event the still uncompleted relief wells don’t work, it seems likely that this one’s going nowhere, but stranger things have happened and ex-Admiral Fifth-Rate seems wildly confident.
Gorilla asks: “Which will come first, a jobs program or the end of the Gulf oil spill?”
BP is searching for money, mostly from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, while pretending that a big skimmer will make a big difference, but that’s not what’s really interesting about the latest disaster news:
“BP managing director Bob Dudley – one of the front runners to succeed Mr Hayward and the executive in charge of the Gulf operation – has revealed that the company is discussing contingency plans with the Obama administration if the relief wells fail. He said the two sides are exploring at least two other options to divert the flow.”
So, we’re already discussing the possibility that the relief wells won’t work. Guess those contingency plans are really solid!!!
Gorilla says: “BP has become the new Trichet: a boost of confidence will now come from more tar ball austerity!!!”
