So, when the House of Representatives proposes to cut guaranteed funds from public transportation which will cause city transportation systems to run in the red, thus requiring cities to raise bus/train/subway fares, fare increases which disproportionately affect poorer residents… What do we call that? It’s called a tax. More specifically, it’s called a regressive tax on the poor, people otherwise known as those who can … Continue reading Say it with me GOP…
Quite the week for Mr. Jindal. Bobby goes to CPAC. Bobby releases his budget for Louisiana. Bobby blames everybody but Bobby for all the criticisms levied against the decisions and policies of Bobby. Gotta feel for the guy, though…it must be difficult to be the only reasonable man in not only Louisiana, but the United States…the only true conservative, the only one willing to fight … Continue reading This week, it was not Jindal’s fault…
Recently, Judge Carl Barbier determined some historical items needed to be excluded from his courtroom to speed things up in the BP case, things like previous accidents, fines and commissioned reports, and man, that got me to thinking: when it comes to my job, what is it that slows me down, drags things out… What is it that simply takes too long? Easy…as an Adult Crisis Counselor, … Continue reading Other things that take too long…
Heading out to New York City for a little while…gotta go hear some music and words, see some art and weather permitting (which in this winter of warmth seems quite possible) do a whole lot of wandering… If you’re in town, buy me a Ketel One and tonic at the KGB Bar or a dark ale at McSorley’s Old Ale House. Maybe I’ll even pay a … Continue reading See you next week – off for New York…
So, if British Petroleum is so concerned about making things right, if the economy is on the mend, the environment a-ok…in short, if everything in the Gulf is so good British Petroleum could really leave any time, but won’t, because they are just that committed and that benevolent of a company, then why all the trouble at these schools? Trouble such as: Kids coming to … Continue reading Consequences of oil spill in south Mobile County classrooms…
It just keeps getting funnier, except it’s not… In this past week, it has been reported how, in the immediate aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, British Petroleum had demanded via e-mail that it’s own expert be kept quiet when he gave his opinion stating 82,000 barrels of crude a day were coming from the Macondo Well. In fact, two days after ordering his silence, BP publicly announced their estimate that the … Continue reading More lies, more dead dolphins…
In the latest from the MDL litigation, Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon, alleged that their contract with British Petroleum, the leaseholder of the Macondo Well, had indemnified them against any liabilities for pollution underneath the surface of the Gulf, and also against any civil penalties under the Clean Water Act or punitive damages from being declared grossly negligent. British Petroleum, of course asserted otherwise, as did … Continue reading Pots, kettles and oil, all black…
When an employee of BP refuses to go along with the corporate narrative that all’s swell with Gulf cleanup, does BP change the narrative to make it more accurate? Does it admit there may be some problems, that they might not have done everything they promised to do? No, instead they run some feel good commercials enforcing their narrative about Gulf health. Oh…and that employee? … Continue reading BP: Cleanup, restoration and data-tampering lawsuits…
It really is this simple: At the height of British Petroleum’s catastraphuk…the scientists involved from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were estimating at least 25,000 barrels per day were gushing from the well. But, the National Incident Command suggested they report the flow rate to be between 12,000-25,000 barrels per day. And a White House Communications person suggested they report the flow rate at 12,000-19,000 … Continue reading A lesson in spin…oil spills and states of unions
So, in determining guilt and any possible fines under the Clean Water Act, welcome to another day in court, another episode of the 3 Stooges, starring BP, Transocean and Anadarko…Please, follow along and keep in mind that of course, no one is to blame except for everybody else. Duh… First, allow me to introduce Department of Justice Senior Attorney Steven O’Rourke who explained how simple this all … Continue reading Everybody to blame, but me…
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 