Or like this one: the OWS “protesters” took over an empty school building in Washington, DC. The building is on the National Historic Register. The police went in after them and dragged them all out, but still. This is not freedom of speech, but, and I am no lawyer, this seems to me to be a case of breaking and entering, trespassing, and who knows what other laws were broken in this commission? I am so over these people…

And then there is this little item from across the pond: “BBC’s Mr Climate Change Accepted £15,000 In Grants From University Rocked By Global Warning Scandal.” Now, I have no doubt that something is going on with the planet, and whether one wants to call it human made or not, I am not going to quibble with you about it. Frankly, I think we should all be good stewards of the planet on which we make our home and act as if to protect the Earth as much as we can. But still, when an environmental reporter is taking money from a university known for pushing global warming and doesn’t disclose that information, that is a problem. That doesn’t necessarily make the information he has reported wrong, but it can weaken the argument to learn the reporter took money from that same institution. Just sayin’.

Along those lines of crazy weather, there is one upcoming phenomenon that has not been reported on much, and that is this: “Earth Facing a mini-Ice Age ‘Within Ten Years’ Due To Rare Drop In Sunspot Activity.” Crap. As it is, after a light layer of sleet/slush on our deck last year made me want to move farther South, I don’t know what to do about a “mini-ice age.” Grand Cayman, anyone? Ahem. Anyway, the National Geographic puts it as the sun going into hibernation:

[snip] Three independent studies of the sun’s insides, surface, and upper atmosphere all predict that the next solar cycle will be significantly delayed—if it happens at all. Normally, the next cycle would be expected to start roughly around 2020.

The combined data indicate that we may soon be headed into what’s known as a grand minimum, a period of unusually low solar activity.

The predicted solar “sleep” is being compared to the last grand minimum on record, which occurred between 1645 and 1715.

Known as the Maunder Minimum, the roughly 70-year period coincided with the coldest spell of the Little Ice Age, when European canals regularly froze solid and Alpine glaciers encroached on mountain villages. (Click here to read the rest.)

Brrrrr. There’s a reason I moved back down South from Boston. Because it is cold as all getout up there in the winter, which also lasts a LOOONNNNNGGGGG time. And now we have this toward which to look forward? Yikes.

Along those lines, and since it’s Sunday, I think we could all use a little musical interlude, don’t you? Feel free to add on your own:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Which naturally brings to mind this classic:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dang, what a great group, and such an awesome song.

So, what’s on your mind today? Got any tunes playing in your head? Let’s hear them!

It made me mad. It is just more of the media’s continued unfounded, politically motivated, assault on Sarah Palin. They have attacked her mercilessly for three years, and now claim, after the constant harassment, that she has “darker tendencies”? Are you kidding me with this circular logic crapola??

And so, I was compelled to write this letter to the editor of the Post and Courier. I have no illusions they will actually publish it:

I read Molly Ball’s article on Gov. Palin. The emails requested back in 2008 from sites such as Mother Jones are proving to be a bit of a disappointment to all those who wanted to get dirt on the former governor. Turns out that she was – gasp – hardworking, warm, engaging, and dedicated to her state. Shocking!

But here’s the thing – to qualify Palin now as exhibiting her “darker tendencies” is disingenuous at best. The only reason these emails are even available was the desire to take down this qualified woman 3 years ago by the media when they filed their FOIA requests. They have hounded her, and her family, on a daily basis, flat out making crap up (like that she, personally, shot wolves from the air, which your newspaper has already dispelled). They have accused her husband of incest, claimed her baby was not her own, used despicable language to attack her, and her family, sent numerous reporters to Wasilla to dig up dirt on her, and AP reporters to “factcheck” her book. And now, Ms. Ball is claiming that Palin is a divisive figure. If she is, it is only because the media has MADE her a divisive figure.

Even more, why has the media never spent anywhere NEAR this much time investigating Barack Obama? He claimed he had no records, not even a datebook, of his time as an IL Senator. How is that even possible?? The media failed miserably in ferreting out why the two front runners for the IL US Senate seat both, mysteriously, had their SEALED divorce records unsealed just a few short months before the election, forcing them both to drop out, allowing Obama, once again, to run basically unopposed as he did when he ran for office the first time (he got everyone else thrown off the ballot – look it up).

Where has the media been in looking at his connections to Khalid Rashidi, Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, Kwame Kilpatrick, Louis Farrakhan, and Jeremiah Wright? They could not be bothered to research the presidential candidate, or his methods for becoming the candidate, much less his associates, any one of whom would have brought down any other candidate. (How many people know about the rampant caucus fraud perpetrated by the Obama camp? There were complaints made to the DNC by a number of people, including Hillary Clinton, but the DNC turned a blind eye. Even worse, they took lawfully cast and certified votes for Hillary Clinton and GAVE them to Obama. That was the day this Yellow Dog Dem became an Independent.)

But to the VP candidate from Alaska the media managed to devote all kinds of resources. Lo, and behold – there is nothing there. Of course, that doesn’t stop Ms. Ball from making gratuitous, unfounded, slights against Palin, thus demonstrating her very clear bias even as she was tasked with acknowledging there was nothing there.

This isn’t journalism, this is tabloid writing. And you put it on the front page.

While I am at it, I would like to highlight something else from these emails that was in my local paper – and listen up all of you who made this salacious claim – SARAH PALIN DID NOT SHOOT WOLVES FROM THE AIR, AND WAS OPPOSED TO IT. Got it? Seriously. Oh, and the emails highlighted how much of a conservationist she really is. I bet that will stick in some folk’s craw…

Good grief.

Clearly, despite there being nothing there to attack Palin over, these rags will continue to make the kinds of gratuitous smears Ms. Ball did. They just cannot stand that this woman is exactly who she said she is and has demonstrated herself to be. I guess in the face of Obama’s failures, this must really get to them, so they have redoubled their efforts to go after her, not him. Pathetic. Be big enough people to admit you were duped, you were snookered, you were fooled, and you were wrong. Give it a shot.

And now, for our musical moment to take a break from this continued media folly, I leave you with this:

Just when you thought it was safe to

watch TV free of BP’s ads …

BEWARE,

Just when you thought it was safe for

kids to go to school and learn about math and science…

BEWARE,

Just when you thought it was safe to

eat seafood again…

BEWARE,

Just when you thought it was safe to

walk on the beach…

Fun World Costume via AOL News

BEWARE,

AND BE VERY AFRAID…

The BP STALKER* –

He’s not just for Halloween …

*dead fish and oily wrench not included

___
.

Well, here’s a big one from BP.  Given with LOVE, I’m sure.  And it’s a gift that will keep on giving for many years to come.

If you think you might just miss out on feeling all that BP love because you’re not a seafood eater or a fish oil taker, not to worry.  BP still has you covered.  And frankly you will be amazed at all the special ways BP can bring it’s Fish Oil Plus (Gulf Oil, Gas and Dispersant Enhanced) gifts to you — and much of the domestic animal kingdom.

With the help of NOAA, the datasheet for The production of fishmeal and fish oil from gulf menhaden and Texas Parks and Wildlife webpage on Texas Gulf of Mexico Menhaden Fishery I’ve compiled a handsome BP Fish Oil Plus (Gulf Oil, Gas and Dispersant Enhanced) gift list.

First you might like to know that the U.S. is the fifth largest producers of fish oil and fish meal with four fish meal/fish oil processing plants for Gulf Menhaden (pictured below) located along the mid-northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico (one in Mississippi and four in Louisiana.)  The primary fishing ground for gulf menhaden is the north central Gulf of Mexico; which includes the coastal regions of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

Now for that gift list.  Menhaden is processed into fish meal and fish oil as a low-priced, high-protein supplement for use in:

• aquaculture for the production of aquatic plants (even you vegans won’t be left out), “farmed” fin and shell fish, certified organic seafood production and fish/plant integrated systems.
• feed for swine (usually about 10% of the diet of pigs is fish meal).  So you’ll be able to thank BP for all that special oil and dispersant enhanced bacon, ham, breakfast sausage, pork, ribs…
• feed for poultry (usually about 10% of the diet of poultry is fish meal).  So again, thanks to BP you’ll be able to enjoy a very special gulf enhanced turkey dinner this Thanksgiving and Gulf enhanced fried chicken next Fourth of July.
• feed for cattle and lactating dairy cows (kind of gives a new perspective on that nice juicy steak or tall glass of milk)
• prepared foods for human consumption (direct for your digestive tract)
• prepared foods for dog, cat, and other small animal consumption (what is good for us, must be good for them.)
• the preparation of certain antibiotics for the pharmaceutical industry
• the production of water-resistant paints and cosmetics

And no need to worry that somehow our government might step in and stop BP from sharing it’s splendid Fish Oil Plus (Gulf Oil Gas and Dispersant Enhanced) gifts.  Remember the FDA is strongly relying on the “sniff” test for oil, they still don’t have a test for the dispersant and they are completely ignoring the gas.  And best of all, the law of the land protects BP’s from government interference because sharing its chemical gifts is a company’s right (via Kate Sheppard’s BP’s Bad Breakup: How Toxic is Corexit at MotherJones):

…the Toxic Substances Control Act, the 34-year-old law that governs the use of tens of thousands of hazardous chemicals. Under the act, companies don’t have to prove that substances they release into the air or water are safe—or in most cases even reveal what’s in their products.

In the case of dispersants, companies must ask the EPA for permission to use specific products—but the only basis for approval is whether those products are effective at breaking up oil. Companies are required to test the short-term toxicity of the dispersant and the oil-dispersant mixture on shrimp and fish, but those results have no bearing on approval, and there’s no requirement to assess the long-term impact. In fact, it’s the EPA that must prove an “unreasonable risk” if it wants companies to disclose what is in the dispersant—hard to do when the agency, you know, doesn’t know what’s in it. [snip]

… Legislation to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act—requiring mandatory ingredient disclosure and safety testing for some 84,000 chemicals whose risks have not been assessed anywhere—has been stalled in Congress for years.

So are you feeling all that BP love?

Artist Unknown

Family vacations have become something of a challenge these days.  Choices have to be made.

These are new economic times and difficult working times. A new job means vacation days that haven’t been earned yet. A second job can present work conflicts with the already scheduled vacation at the first job. And with job cuts around every corner, those much-needed and cherished vacation days may seem like a temptation best resisted, if it will help you to hang on to that job security.

Finances are tight.  Much dreamed of and long-planned for cruises and tours have moved to a back burner with the heat turned off. Flying for fun has become an unaffordable luxury for many. Going local is a growing trend. It cuts both travel time and travel expenses. Exotic locales have become local discoveries. A weekend get away to a local motel with pool and nearby family attractions maybe the best many can do this summer.

No surprise the First Family had more than a few challenges to face on their whistle-stop promotional jaunt to the Gulf region this weekend. First they had to scrape together a whopping 27 hours for their visit to the Gulf. No easy task when their calendars were already brimming with campaigning, fundraising and vacation plans including a 10-day return visit to Martha’s Vineyard.

For most Americans, the First Family’s Gulf vacation was about not only showing skeptical Americans that the Gulf is truly safe.  But also showing Gulf residents, fishermen, drill workers, and business owners that the American people support them.  Letting the Gulf community know that we too are worried about their health, homes, families, jobs and finances.

The Gulf is a tricky place to visit these days.  The Gulf community isn’t just worried, they are angry.  There was a possibility the First Family might actually come face-to-face with those angry and worried people.  If not handled properly, it could have resulted in something neither fun nor a vacation and far from giving support.  But leadership is made in moments like these.

If location was the critical choice for the First Family’s visit to the Gulf.  Avoidance became the central theme.  Go to Florida.  Avoid the hardest hit region.  Avoid the angry people.  Avoid the 2 million barrels of oil that have not magically disappeared — despite BP’s promises, governments assurances, and media parroting.

After all, could President Obama proclaim during his visit that the Gulf Coast beaches clean, safe and open for business if the oil started showing up in all the obvious places — like “clean” beaches and “safe” waters.

And could the Whitehouse post pictures of the President and his daughter swimming in “safe” waters, if “gulf” waters are not suitable for wadding, playing, or swimming?

From Suzanne Goldenberg at The Gaurdian:

… John Kessler, of Texas A&M University, who led a National Science Foundation on-site study of the spill. “The fact is that 50% to 75% of the material that came out of the well is still in the water. It’s just in a dissolved or dispersed form.”

Go to Florida.  Avoid “gulf” waters.  Swim in bay waters.  And exclude photographers and journalist from documenting the swim.

From Guy Adams at The Independent:

The official picture was intended to provide evidence that the region’s beaches are back to normal. Yet it soon emerged that the private beach on which it was taken, off Alligator Point in St Andrew Bay, north-west Florida, isn’t technically in the gulf.

Could the President encourage Gulf visitors and proclaim the area “open for business”, if dispersants are still being sprayed to sink the oil that hasn’t disappeared?

Go to Florida.  Avoid dispersant areas.  Avoid discussing the accuracy of “sniff” testing seafood for oil and the hazards of having no test for the dispersants in food.  Ignore that  oil and toxic dispersants found on recently opened Mississippi shrimping and oyster grounds.

It is not surprising that the public has shown considerable interest in the First Family’s summer fun this year.  After all, the President and his family are a very visible symbol of American families and the American way of life.  Commenting on summer vacations is a time honor American tradition.  It is how we greet each other as the dog days of summer roll around and we head back to classrooms, homes, and the dwindling few convene around water coolers.

But will the American people like what the First Family’s Gulf Vacation says about Americans?  Do we care that the First Family went for the least amount of time they could call a get-away? Or that they traveled to the least affected area that they could reasonable call the gulf?  And that the water they swam in wasn’t really the Gulf, but a bay?  Will Americans feel like the President gave the Gulf community their and our full support?

And more importantly, has the First Family succeeded in convincing Americans and the world that the Gulf’s waters, beaches and seafood are now safe?

It would seem I’m not the only one who thinks the First Family’s Gulf Avoidance Vacation didn’t pass the sniff test!

***

UPDATE:

It seems the Obama Family can’t catch a break on the vacation front.  They go from the oil and dispersant filled waters of the Gulf last weekend to fecal coliform contaminated waters of Martha’s Vineyard this weekend.

From Will bacteria count beach Barack Obama? by Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa at the Boston Hearld:

Welcome to Martha’s Vineyard, Mr. President – but don’t go in the water!

President Obama, who took a plunge in the Gulf last week to show Americans it was safe to swim the oil spill-plagued area, arrived on this supposedly pristine island yesterday in the midst of a rash of bacteria-induced beach closings.

Portions of Tisbury Great Pond, the salt-water lagoon fronting the first family’s vacation estate Blue Heron Farm, were closed earlier this week due to high levels of enterococci, an indicator that the water is contaminated with fecal coliform bacteria. Ew.

High levels of enterococci can cause skin irritation, vomiting or diarrhea in swimmers. Which could ruin anyone’s vacation!

I guess the President’s Martha’s Vineyard vacation won’t pass the sniff test either.

***

And it is true, looking at pictures of the same recently coated stretches of waters and shorelines, they now look startlingly clear of oil.  An amazing feat considering the newly released numbers by government scientist put the total for BP’s Macondo spill at 4.9 million barrels (205.8 million gallons).

But as good as those pictures look … You might want to know a little bit more about dispersants and our governments testing procedures before you head out to enjoy those newly opened beaches or order up that Gulf Shrimp dinner.

Because clear doesn’t mean clean.  Or free from oil, dispersants or other toxins.

Hugh Kaufman, senior policy analyst at the EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (and lead investigator into the environmental cover-ups by EPA and OSHA at the WTC), points out – the toxic mix that lies beneath the gulf waters has entered our food chain and is having a direct human impact.

And least you think Mr. Kaufman is a rogue element exaggerating the risks to our eco-system and humans, only consider that he is far from being a lone wolf.  As USAToday’s Gulf oil spill released toxic, tough-to-track chemicals points out, other scientist are more than concerned:

Chemist Kim Anderson of Oregon State University in Corvallis…

Anderson heads a team tracking just how much of these worst toxins— organic chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — have been dumped in the water by the spill. They’ll be measured at four sites off the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Earlier samples from Louisiana alone, showed that by June 7, Gulf of Mexico water concentrations of the toxic chemicals had risen 40 times higher than levels on May 1, although the water looked clear of oil.

Jeffrey Short of the conservation group, Oceana…

The dispersant has done its job, acting like dish soap on bacon grease, congealing the oil into tiny droplets that microbes can begin eating. “That means they are in the food chain.” Short says. “Whether people will want to swim or eat food from water that looks clear but has high concentrations of (toxins) will be interesting,” she says.

Another open question is the issue of photo-enhanced toxicity from the chemicals, says Short, a former NOAA scientist who worked on the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill’s aftermath. In the marshes, oil may be cleaned from foliage and end up buried by Mississippi mud, where it ends up near the roots of growing plants. “The toxins get inside the surfaces of cells and release oxygen in response to sunlight,” he says, burning up the plants from the inside. Mangrove swamps in Panama were hit hard by this reaction after a 1986 spill, and the effects are still seen today, according to Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution scientists.

Additional concerned scientist via HuffPost’s Scientists Find Evidence That Oil And Dispersant Mix Is Making Its Way Into The Foodchain:

“Corexit is in the water column, just as we thought, and it is entering the bodies of animals. And it’s probably having a lethal impact there,” said Susan Shaw, director of the Marine Environmental Research Institute. The dispersant, she said, is like ” a delivery system” for the oil. [snip]

One particular concern: “The properties that facilitate the movement of dispersants through oil also make it easier for them to move through cell walls, skin barriers, and membranes that protect vital organs, underlying layers of skin, the surfaces of eyes, mouths, and other structures.”

…[Robert] Diaz, the marine scientist from William and Mary, spoke at a lunchtime briefing about dispersants on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

Dispersant, he explained, “doesn’t make the oil go away, it just puts it from one part of the ecosystem into another.” [snip]

Diaz warned of the danger posed to bluefin tuna — and also to “the signature resident species in the Gulf, the shrimp.” He noted that all three species of Gulf shrimp spawn offshore before moving back into shallow estuaries.

From the Sydney Morning Hearld Experts baffled by 4 million lost barrels:

Professor [James] Cowan [of LSU] said that two weeks ago his crew had detected a layer of something thick underwater, then sent a remote-controlled submarine down to look at it. They saw tiny globs that were the same orangeish colour as the oil on the surface. He said that, in deeper water, cold temperatures would slow the breakdown of the oil and it could affect worms, fish, crabs and corals.

One study from a Tulane University researcher found what seemed to be a worrying snapshot of what this missing oil is doing. Professor Caz Taylor looked at baby blue crabs and saw something odd under their translucent shells: orange blobs. She speculates that the crabs may have moulted in the midst of oil or dispersant and trapped some of it literally inside themselves.

”The worrying thing is that we’re seeing these droplets everywhere that we’re sampling,” from Galveston Bay in Texas to Pensacola in Florida, she said.

Even a NEWS RELEASE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH warns beachgoers:

Do not use harsh detergents, solvents or other chemicals to wash oil from skin or clothing; they may promote absorption of the oil through the skin.

So if you come into contact with the oil, you have to be careful what soap you use to wash it off!  And yet the State and Federal governments are reopening some fishing areas as noted in the LATimes:

“We are confident all appropriate steps have been taken to ensure that seafood harvested from waters being opened … is safe, and that gulf-seafood lovers everywhere can be confident eating and enjoying the fish and shrimp that will be coming out of this area,” said FDA chief Margaret Hamburg, who has been leading extensive testing of gulf seafood by chemical analysis and human sniffing.

So does this testing of seafood include testing for dispersants? And not just the fish in the gulf.  Most fish are long distance travelers, so shouldn’t we start testing all fish? Apparently this administration thinks dispersant testing is not necessary.  Not for gulf fish.  Not for any fish.

Though NOAA’s Dr. Roberston (video below) indicates that he would like to test for dispersants. Its on their list of things they would like to know more about. But it is not part of the Presidents directive, so they don’t.  Wow!!

So neither the FDA nor NOAA are testing for the 1.8 million gallons of dispersants used in the gulf on a daily basis for nearly 2 months because the Presidents directive does not ask them to.  They have concerns about bio-massing of the dispersants a know toxin and carcinogen, but still feel confident in claiming the seafood is safe to eat !!!

One might be forgiven for concluding that testing seafood like the approval of dispersant is strictly pro forma. Despite the Presidential directive to make their use “rare”, Documents indicate heavy use of dispersants in gulf oil spill:

…the Coast Guard granted requests to use them 74 times over 54 days, and to use them on the surface and deep underwater at the well site. The Coast Guard approved every request submitted by BP or local Coast Guard commanders …

And if you are wondering why haven’t you haven’t heard more about these issues with the dispersants and sooner?

As NPR explains By Hiring Gulf Scientists, BP May Be Buying Silence:

University of South Alabama’s Bob Shipp says BP’s lawyers tried to hire his whole Department of Marine Sciences to do research for them. Under the deal, the scientists could disclose their results only if BP said so. Otherwise, they’d have to keep it secret for three years.

“They wanted the oversight authority to keep us from publishing things if, for whatever reason, they didn’t want them to be published,” Shipp says. “People were muzzled as part of the contract. They were muzzled, and certainly it’s not something we could live with.”

But professors from some universities, like LSU, Texas A&M and the University of Southern Mississippi, did accept BP offers. After a blast of public criticism, however, the Mississippi professors had a change of heart and backed out.

And this isn’t just BP arming up in response to the Justice Department’s investigation into what happened to cause the spill.  As we have all seen and anyone who has worked for a corporation knows, the lawyers immediately came into play within minutes of the rig explosion.  The number one job of any CEO and it’s employees is the health and well-being of The Corporation.

But the job of government is different.  It is suppose to be about protecting its citizens and their interests.

Was the use of dispersants the right choice?  Is eating seafood safe?  Is walking or swimming in the Gulf worth the risk of contamination?  Unfortunately, we may not know the full answers to these questions until some point in the distant future.  In the mean time, we will all be making innumerable decisions in relation to the spill that will affect our health for good and bad.

Our government needs to do its job to ensure that we all have the most complete information possible.  And that the health and well-being of any corporation is secondary to the health and well-being of our nation and it’s population.

I think we would all agree, we deserve no less.

For more from Scientists Deeply Concerned About BP Disaster’s Long-Term Impact.

It is hard to believe that this oil spill in the Gulf is still continuing, over 70 days later. And, it is hard to believe how much this situation has been mismanaged by both BP and the US Government. Sadly, that is the case on both counts.

For instance, BP continues to act stupidly by not utilizing fishers from the Gulf area to assist in cleaning up the area, as this article by Matthew Boyle highlights, Local Fishermen Watch As Clueless Out-Of-Staters Take On Cleanup Duties:

Local out-of-work fishermen around the Gulf of Mexico are fuming at the Unified Command Center and BP after hundreds of people from other parts of the country have showed up for work along the Gulf Coast with their boats.

Bob Zales, president of the National Association of Charterboat Operators, said that those people from out of the area are taking jobs away from the fishermen and others directly affected by the spill. They’re doing it, Zales said, by getting hired onto BP’s subcontractors’ workforces.

Companies BP subcontracted to handle cleanup operations include SWS Eagle, Parsons and PEC Premier.

Zales said things would be better if the workers were experts on the handling these kinds of issues or at least knew the area.

“These so-called professionals they’re bringing in from out of state don’t have a clue how to set up boom,” Zales said. “They’re just here making money. But we’ve got people begging for work.”

Zales said the subcontractors should kick out the workers from other parts of the country and hire the local fishermen who know the area and how to do the work correctly.

“These are companies that are allegedly experts on environmental issues,” Zales said. “But, I can tell you, that from what I’ve seen, they don’t know what they’re doing. If this wasn’t so serious, it would be a good comedy.”

Yes, indeed, they should use the fishers and boat captains from the area who know the area, know how to set up booms, and have a sense of urgency about the work they are doing. Since the effect of this spill is already catastrophic, it seems to me they would want to use people who were knowledgeable about the area, and knew what the hell they were doing.

Oh, and one last tidbit from this article:

In Panama City, Fla., SWS Eagle employed at least 11 illegal immigrants, all of whom were arrested by law enforcement officials in Bay County. The officials expect that many more illegal aliens are working on cleanup sites.

“Thirty people didn’t show up for the next shift,” Ruth Corley, Bay County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, said. “We had received several tips that BP had employed illegal aliens. It turned out it was a subcontractor situation.”

Yes, this would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious, on a number of levels. What the hell is the matter with these people?? Sheesh. Click Local Fishermen Watch As Clueless Out-Of-Staters Take On Cleanup Duties”>HERE to read the rest of this informative, and disturbing, article.

And then there is the Federal Government’s mishandling of the spill. We know they stopped the sand berms from being built in Louisiana, which is bad enough. But there is another factor that is as egregious as they come, and that is the lack of oil skimmers being pressed into service, as this article by Karen Nelson highlights,
No Skimmers In Sight As Oil Floods Into Mississippi Waters:

A morning flight over the Mississippi Sound showed long, wide ribbons of orange-colored oil for as far as the eye could see and acres of both heavy and light sheen moving into the Sound between the barrier islands. What was missing was any sign of skimming operations from Horn Island to Pass Christian.

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor got off the flight angry.

“It’s criminal what’s going on out there,” Taylor said minutes later. “This doesn’t have to happen.”

A scientist onboard, Mike Carron with the Northern Gulf Institute, said with this scenario, there will be oil on the beaches of the mainland.

“There’s oil in the Sound and there was no skimming,” Carron said. “No coordinated effort.”

[...]

“They’re paying all these boats to run around like headless chickens,” Taylor said, as reporters gathered to hear his assessment of the Sound.

Great. Sounds like there is poor oversight and coordination of resources available to do the job that is needed to be done to keep the oil from reaching the mainland: [...]

Horn Island was doing its part Saturday, observers pointed out. The wiggly lines of sheen were coming straight at it from the south, headed for the island’s southern beaches. The island had boom in place to protect the inlets and sensitive wetlands along its northern shore, the side that faces the mainland.

Even the Pascagoula River was doing its part.

Carron pointed out the line where the river’s fresh water met the Sound’s salt water near Horn Island. All along the line was the orange oil caught between the two types of water and held at bay.

But where the failure came was in the human effort.

And that is the part that is most critical at this juncture, the human part. Rep. Taylor’s frustration was evident: [...]

Taylor slipped a note to a fellow passenger.

It said: “I’m having a Katrina flashback. I haven’t seen this much stupidity, wasted effort, money and wasted resources, since then.”

Back on land in Gulfport, Taylor let loose.

“A lot of people are getting paid to say, ‘Look! There’s oil’ and not doing anything about it,” Taylor said. “There shouldn’t be a drop of oil in the Sound. There are enough boats running around.

“Nobody’s in charge,” Taylor said. “Everybody’s in charge, so no one’s in charge.

“If the president can’t find anyone who can do this job,” he said, “let me do it.”

Give the man the job, then. If he is willing and able to oversee the clean-up in the Gulf, and he clearly has a vested interest in it, give it to him already. Heaven knows he could scarcely do worse than what we are seeing now.

There is more in this article, and you can click here to read it all, but I think the following sums up the entire problem:

Taylor and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., took the morning flight on a National Guard helicopter with representatives of the state DEQ and BP.

After the flight Wicker said he feels it’s not too late for President Barack Obama to accept help from other countries that have offered the services of their large oil-skimming boats.

Wicker blamed bureaucracy and the president, but said, “Mississippi has been a champ from the beginning of this.”

He also said he noticed BP has been slow to accept prevention plans from local governments. [...]

Like I said at the beginning, it is a failure on the part of the two parties who need to get this right, BP and the Government. Now is not the time to be wasting money, bringing in people who haven’t a clue what to do, or letting skimmers sit idly by. Now is the time for cohesive, coherent action, by all the parties involved.

There are people who have plans available, like Taylor, to get the job done. There are fishers out of work for the time being due to the spill who could be working to contain and clean up the spill. A little common sense would go a long way here. If the people overseeing this project are failing at it, replace them immediately with those who can. Send the skimmers, use planes to spot for the boats (as the article above suggests), do anything and everything to contain and clean up this spill before it contaminates more beaches.

Time is of the essence, especially with Tropical Storm Alex bearing down. Time is of the essence….

Sure doesn’t seem like it, according to this article, “Federal Gov’t Halts Sand Berm Dredging; Nungesser Pleads With President To Allow Work To Continue.” It pains me to even consider the implications of this decision. What is wrong with these people? Here is the rationale:

The federal government has shut down the dredging that was being done to create protective sand berms in the Gulf of Mexico.

The berms are meant to protect the Louisiana coastline from oil. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department has concerns about where the dredging is being done. The department says one area where sand is being dredged is a sensitive section of the Chandeleur Islands, and the state failed to meet an extended deadline to install pipe that would draw sand from a less-endangered area.

And there is the justification, but is it a valid one? That is addressed more fully below, but suffice it to say, this is not the whole picture. I know, what a surprise. Still, how can this work be stopped at this critical juncture? I’m not the only one who wants to know:

Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser, who was one of the most vocal advocates of the dredging plan, has sent a letter to President Barack Obama, pleading for the work to continue.

Nungesser said the government has asked crews to move the dredging site two more miles farther off the coastline.

“Once again, our government resource agencies, which are intended to protect us, are now leaving us vulnerable to the destruction of our coastline and marshes by the impending oil,” Nungesser wrote to Obama. “Furthermore, with the threat of hurricanes or tropical storms, we are being put at an increased risk for devastation to our area from the intrusion of oil.

Nungesser has asked for the dredging to continue for the next seven days, the amount of time it would take to move the dredging operations two miles and out resume work. Gov. Bobby Jindal on Wednesday also joined Nungesser in asking for an extension.

Work halted at midnight Wednesday.

The California dredge located off the Chandelier Islands has pumped more than 50,000 cubic yards of material daily to create a sand berm, according to Plaquemines Parish officials.

Nungesser’s letter includes an emotional plea to the president.

“Please don’t let them shut this dredge down,” he wrote. “This requires your immediate attention!”

Can you just feel the immense frustration of the people in this area trying desperately to keep this oil from getting to sensitive areas, and having their own government impede their efforts time and time again? It is palpable – and I don’t blame them one damn bit:

And here is what Gov. Bobby Jindal had to say about this decision:

In New Orleans this afternoon, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal let fly with a torrent of invective in describing the red tape surrounding the federal government’s shutdown of the state’s dredging operations in the Chandeleur Islands. Jindal not only challenged the wisdom of the Interior Department’s order to stop the dredging, he noted that the management of the Chandeleur’s by the federal Department of Fish and Wildlife has been an exercise in abject failure.

“We got word yesterday that federal officials were going to shut down our dredging operations on the North Chandeleur Islands and those operations were indeed stopped under the federal government’s command at 6PM last night.

“Our request here today is simple,” said the governor. “We are again calling on the federal government to allow us to continue these dredging operations as we mobilize pipe for another two miles – which will take around just seven more days. Getting this pipe in place without stopping the dredging operations will allow us a seamless transition as we move the dredge to a new borrow site. After this pipe is in place, our dredger can disconnect and move to the next site where it can then resume dredging operations in just one day.

“We have told Col. Lee of the Army Corps of Engineers and every federal agency that we are in an emergency situation here. This is a disaster for our state. Days count. Hours count. We cannot wait for more conference calls and meetings for discussions. We need to adapt to the situation on the ground and continue our dredging operations for as long as possible until we can move to the next borrow site and continue to create sand boom.”

Over 5,000 feet of sand berm has been created in the Chandeleurs, in addition to 2.5 miles at East Grand Terre. Jindal has previously noted that sand berm can be highly effective in trapping oil, thus keeping it from coming inland into Louisiana’s estuaries and marshes.

“We have jumped through every hoop that the federal government has placed in front of us since this spill started,” he seethed. “On May 2, we submitted our initial boom plan to the Incident Command Post since there was not a plan. When BP and the Coast Guard were unable to provide the appropriate boom resources, we began developing innovative solutions like Tiger Dams, air-dropping sand bags, Hesco baskets, opening all freshwater diversions, vacuum barges and many other alternatives.

“On May 11th, we submitted a proposal to the regulatory agencies, BP and the Coast Guard to approve our sand berms. It took almost a month for the federal government to approve the plan and make BP pay for the work. Meanwhile, we had millions of gallons of oil covering our wetlands, killing our wildlife and forcing our people out of work.”

I don’t think anyone can blame Jindal for his level of frustration. I’m frustrated by the stupidity with which this has been handled by the government, especially the ridiculous delay in granting emergency permits in the first place. I can only imagine what Jindal, and the other officials in LA, MS, AL, and FL are feeling. But Jindal wasn’t done:

Jindal then took aim at the U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service, which controls the Chandeleurs as a wildlife refuge. He showed a map of the erosion of the chain from 2001 to 2005 and delved into a short history of the disappearing islands.

“People used to live on these islands,” he noted. “It was a fishing community and even had some farming. From the mid-90’s until recently, the islands lost up to 300 feet per year under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service management.

“Now, this same agency has concerns that we are not being sensitive to the islands by wanting to continue to dredge for seven more days to ensure a smooth transition?

“They have not invested a penny in this area and are allowing it to erode at extraordinary rates. Meanwhile, they invest millions in other refuges in other parts of the country.

“Louisiana’s coast is one our most important resources. That is why we are fighting so hard to protect our wetlands, protect our fisheries and birds and to protect our way of life from this oil spill – with these sand booms.

Jindal then answered the concern that dredging where the state has dredged is a hazard to the islands due to currents and tides.

“We have said from the beginning that we would backfill any dredging that would adversely affect these islands. That commitment still stands. Shutting down dredging operations while oil continues to hit our shores and the oil continues to flow into the Gulf is absolutely absurd. We need to act now.

“The area where the state was dredging remains within the area permitted by the federal government. When the dredging contractor began operations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service voiced objections to the location of the dredge. In an effort to prevent delay to the project, we worked out an agreement that would provide for backfilling the dredge site and the movement of the dredge vessel to a new location. The state remains committed to moving the dredge to another location within the permitted area and backfilling the first dredge site.”

Kinda makes you wonder just what in the sam hill the problem is, doesn’t it? What is Obama really trying to gain from this? No doubt, there is something afoot:

The Governor then launched into a long riff on the Obamoratorium and the federal government’s attempts to stand it back up after U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman dismantled it with a preliminary injunction yesterday.

“The federal judge’s ruling yesterday to grant an immediate injunction on President Obama’s deepwater drilling moratorium was welcome news. We absolutely agree with the judge’s conclusion that the Administration’s six-month, or longer, shut down of deepwater drilling was ‘arbitrary and capricious.’

“Not only does the moratorium threaten thousands of direct jobs in our state, it also jeopardizes many other industries that supply our oil and gas industry and the entire communities that depend on them. It is also deeply concerning that the President’s moratorium was enacted against the judgment of the Department of the Interior’s own expert advisors and scientists.

“The Administration now says that they will immediately appeal the ruling. They just don’t seem to understand that you can’t just turn a switch on and off with these rigs. When they leave our coast to produce oil in other parts of the country or the world, the jobs that support them go too. We absolutely do not want another spill or one more drop of oil on our coast or in our water, but thousands of Louisianians should not have to lose their jobs because the federal government can’t adequately do their job of ensuring drilling is done safely.

“The federal government has an entire agency dedicated to monitoring safe drilling. It shouldn’t take them six-months or longer to ensure safety measures are in place and their laws and regulations are being followed. Instead of an arbitrary moratorium, the Administration should listen to their own experts and enact the specific recommended steps from their own experts to ensure proper oversight and safe drilling.

“As Judge Feldman stated in his preliminary injunction ruling yesterday, ‘…the Secretary’s determination that a six-month moratorium on issuance of new permits and on drilling by the thirty-three rigs is necessary does not seem to be fact-specific and refuses to take into measure the safety records of those others in the Gulf. There is no evidence presented indicating that the Secretary balanced the concern for environmental safety with the policy of making leases available for development. There is no suggestion that the Secretary considered any alternatives: for example, an individualized suspension of activities on target rigs until they reached compliance with the new federal regulations said to be recommended for immediate implementation.’”

The Governor added, “The Commission that was supposed to study the moratorium for the President for six months now says they won’t have their first meeting until mid-July and they won’t finish their report until next year.

“I want to be very clear on this point. Each month that the work of the Commission is delayed means another month that thousands of Louisiana people won’t be able to work. Each month that the work of the Commission is delayed, we expect additional energy companies to move existing deepwater rigs to other parts of the world and/or to plan new deepwater drilling capacity for other parts of the world in lieu of the Gulf – further extending and expanding job losses in Louisiana. Each month that the work of the Commission is delayed will result in the loss of approximately $65 to 135 million in Louisiana wages.

Jindal also noted that the Obama administration’s claim that BP will be picking up the tab for losses suffered as a result of the Obamoratorium is spurious.

“Moreover, the $100 million set aside by BP to offset the wage losses of deepwater rig workers will cover only a few weeks of lost wages for those workers – and these funds will do nothing to offset the hundreds of millions in wage losses for workers in support industries that count on deepwater drilling activity for their livelihood. Today, BP told us for the first time that they will not pay for moratorium-related losses above the $100 million.”

I don’t recall ever seeing the Federal Government working so hard against its own citizens, or the land it is obligated to protect, as I have with this administration. Have you? The list of actions this Administration has taken since January, 2009, against its own citizens is staggering (feel free to list some, in addition to this debacle, suing one of the fifty states for trying to protect itself, and on and on). We knew it was going to be bad with Obama, but I don’t think any of us expected it to be THIS bad, did we? And the hits keep coming…

Bear in mind, as you read this AP article, that Mexico has far, far more Draconian laws than the US would ever even dream of having, yet they are trying to tell one of OUR states how to protect its border from. Suffice it to say, if you are caught being in Mexico illegally, you are in for a world of hurt. And that is what makes this so rich:

Mexico Asks Court To Reject Ariz. Immigration Law

Mexico on Tuesday asked a federal court in Arizona to declare the state’s new immigration law unconstitutional, arguing that the country’s own interests and its citizens’ rights are at stake.

Lawyers for Mexico on Tuesday submitted a legal brief in support of one of five lawsuits challenging the law. The law will take effect July 29 unless implementation is blocked by a court.

The law generally requires police investigating another incident or crime to ask people about their immigration status if there’s a “reasonable suspicion” they’re in the country illegally. It also makes being in Arizona illegally a misdemeanor, and it prohibits seeking day-labor work along the state’s streets.

Citing “grave concerns,” Mexico said its interest in having predictable, consistent relations with the United States shouldn’t be frustrated by one U.S. state.

Mexico also said it has a legitimate interest in defending its citizens’ rights and that the law would lead to racial profiling, hinder trade and tourism, and strain the countries’ work on combatting drug trafficking and related violence.

“Mexican citizens will be afraid to visit Arizona for work or pleasure out of concern that they will be subject to unlawful police scrutiny and detention,” the brief said.

It will be to a U.S. District Court judge to decide whether to accept the brief along with similar ones submitted by various U.S. organizations.

Hold the phone. Mexican citizens “will be afraid to visit Arizona for work or pleasure” because they might be asked for their ID if they commit another crime for which they are stopped? If they are in the country legally, and have a legal right to be working in the United States, why would they be afraid?? Good grief. How is it possible people can get this far in life with logic like this (if it can be called “logic,” that is).

Hopefully, the US District Court will not allow another nation to interfere into a US state law. Oh, and it would have been nice if someone had mentioned this to the governor:

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the law on April 23 and changes to it on April 30, has lawyers defending it in court.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, Brewer said she was “very disappointed” to learn of Mexico’s filing and reiterated that “Arizona’s immigration enforcement laws are both reasonable and constitutional.”

“I believe that Arizona will ultimately prevail and that our laws will be found constitutional,” Brewer added.

Brewer and other supporters of the bill say the law is intended to pressure illegal immigrants to leave the United States. They contend it is a needed response to federal inaction over what they say is a porous border and social problems caused by illegal immigration. They also argue that it has protections against racial profiling.

Mexican officials previously had voiced opposition to the Arizona law, with President Felipe Calderon saying June 8 that the law “opens a Pandora’s box of the worst abuses in the history of humanity” by promoting racial profiling and potentially leading to an authoritarian society.

Calderon voiced similar criticism of the law during a May visit to Washington.

U.S. officials have said the Obama administration has serious concerns about the law and may challenge it in court. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton recently went further by saying a lawsuit is planned.

Okay, maybe it’s because I’m getting over being sick, or having an almost 6 year old here for the week and I am, well, let’s say, not young, or both. But my response to this is, “Bite me” to Mexico. The law in Arizona does not violate human rights, does not violate Federal law, since that law requires ALL persons from other countries here legally to carry papers stating as much for 70 years now, and only comes into play when a violation of one sort or another has been committed (not, as Obama stupidly claimed, when a family merely goes out for ice cream).

And honestly, if they are going to go after Arizona, they should go after California, too, since they have some mighty strict laws about immigration themselves. Just saying.

Or, maybe they should treat their citizens better so they aren’t trying to get into the United States illegally (again, almost 60% of illegal immigrants in the US are from Mexico, so I am not picking on them, but stating a fact. And ya don’t hear the Canadian government threatening to sue, do ya? Nope.). Maybe they should work to make their border less porous, too, instead of making the US do the lion’s share to keep their citizens out. Maybe they should just shut the hell up already since they are not bearing the tremendous cost to land, life, and finances that the US is bearing (you won’t even believe what the US Dept. of the Interior is charging the U.S. Border Patrol – you read that right – for “environmental costs” to the border. I am not making this up. Try $50 million dollars. Yup.). Instead of going after one of our states, focusing on the speck in the eye of another, Mexico should focus on the plank in its own eye, to use a biblical metaphor.

What do you think?

And I am not the only one, though. Senator LeMieux of Florida has this to say about Obama’s not using all resources at his disposal (h/t to Bronwyn’s Harbor for the video):

Why in the hell is Obama not using these skimmers?? Why were they not pressed into duty immediately following the oil spill? What the hell is wrong with him, claiming he was going to let them sit idle, just in case they were needed somewhere. They ARE needed somewhere – the GULF!!!!!

And still – just about 10 weeks into this disaster, Obama has STILL not lifted the Jones Act to allow more ships in from other countries to help. Senators from the Gulf Coast area are tired of waiting for Obama to actually do his job, and are introducing a bill to allow foreign ships to come in and help with this devastating spill:

Three Republican senators from states on the Gulf of Mexico have introduced a bill they say will make it easier for the United States to accept foreign ships to help the BP oil spill clean-up effort.

Florida Senator George LeMieux, along with Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn of Texas have drafted a bill that would temporarily suspend the Jones Act in the Gulf region, which they say is keeping foreign ships from offering aid. The 90-year-old law, which already includes a provision that allows waivers for foreign ships on a case-by-case basis, mandates that vessels may only partake in coastwise transport between U.S. ports if they are “constructed in the United States, owned by United States citizens and crewed by United States citizens and/or permanent residents.” The bill’s sponsors say that given the emergency situation, the provisions currently in place do not go far enough.

“With still only 20 skimmers off the coast of Florida, we need to expedite additional assistance,” LeMieux said. “Any vessels ready to help should be allowed into the Gulf.”

No freakin’ kidding – and they should have been allowed in IMMEDIATELY following this spill. Here we are 2 1/2 months into this mess, and STILL, Obama is dragging his feet. Not so with his predecessor:

Former President Bush temporarily suspended the law in the wake of hurricane disasters in 2005. According to Keith Hennessy, who served as Bush’s deputy at the White House National Economic Council at the time, the waiver’s actual impact was “small and diffuse … [but] every little bit helped.” The senators say they are taking action because President Obama has not issued an executive order to waive the protectionist law.

“The administration has failed to issue a waiver on the Jones Act, which is blockading foreign vessels from working with their American counterparts to remove the oil from the waters of the Gulf,” said Hutchison. “The federal response to this spill has been unacceptable, and we cannot wait around until the disaster gets worse.”

Despite reports that some foreign aid has been turned away, a June 15 letter from U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen to Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson explained that all international offers that meet a “validated operational need” have been accepted, including skimmers from Mexico. Nelson’s office concluded that there is no need for any legislation for a blanket waiver.

“In no case has the [Federal On Scene Coordinator] or [Unified Area Command] declined to request assistance or accept offers of assistance of foreign vessels that meet an operational need because the Jones Act was implicated,” Allen wrote. “To date, no Jones Act waivers have been necessary because foreign flagged vessels involved in the BP Deepwater Horizon response have not been engaged in activities that would require such a waiver.”

Well, gosh – how to explain the ships that have been turned away? It would seem a waiver was in order:

Supporters of a blanket waiver say the current process involves more red tape than necessary.

“This bill will provide for a streamlined waiver process for any foreign vessel willing and able to help mitigate the impacts of the spill,” said LeMieux. “We can no longer wait for the Administration to work through its bureaucracy.”

A spokesman for the maritime industry said that the so-called barriers to getting foreign ships into the Gulf are much lower than reported.

“The waiver itself is not cumbersome at all,” said Mark Ruge of the Maritime Cabotage Task Force, adding that ships that operate beyond three miles of shore do not even need a Jones Act waiver.

Still, Hutchison said in a radio interview Monday that there was no reason why the U.S. should not be as open as possible to foreign aid.

“It’s just nonsense to not have every hand on deck,” she said.

I agree – it is nonsense. There is simply no excuse – NONE – for not doing everything humanly possible to get this spill cleaned up. All Obama is doing, especially with his cavalier attitude (“Fore!) is to highlight his incompetence.

Might be spills elsewhere while the Gulf is swimming in oil? Oh, brother. For what the hell is he waiting already??

But it begs the question, why. Why is Obama suing Arizona over its new law for real, not just the mealy mouthed circular logic BS Obama has been spewing? Well, Senator Kyl tells his constituents why, following a one-on-one conversation with Obama himself. Take a listen:

Did you catch that? Because Obama is arm-twisting the Republicans to support his Immigration policy (amnesty). That is why he is suing Arizona, and not helping with border protection, a CONSTITUTIONAL mandate. Nope, Obama wants something to do his duty, as Kyl said. That is seriously, seriously wrong.

And there is the Gulf Oil disaster, and the related clean-up. I think this headline says it all, Breaking: Obama Administration Only Accepted Help From 5 Countries Out of 28 That Offered Assistance. What?? WHY? That is the question:

Just last weekend Barack Obama announced that the BP oil spill was like 9-11. This weekend as President Obama went golfing and to the ballgame, the Obama State Department was STILL in the review process on deciding which countries the US would accept help from… 60 days after the disaster!

As the Gulf Coast shores continue to be coated with crude, the Obama Administration has only accepted assistance from 5 countries out of 28 who offered to assist the US with the cleanup.

This makes zero sense to me. Zero. What the hell is the matter with him? I am sure he will find a way to blame it on someone else. Hmm, like maybe Hillary? Possibly:

The State Department posted this on their website.
28 countries have offered to help assist the United States with the worst environmental disaster in American history. Only 5 offers have been accepted the rest are under review.
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I do not understand this one bit. Oil continues to gush into the Gulf, and the Obama Administration has only cleared FIVE countries to come help?? Look at some of the ones he has not yet cleared. It isn’t like they are two-bit players. This makes zero sense. Either he is playing politics with this spill as he bows down to the unions, or he is continuing to show his complete lack of experience, qualifications, commitment, or all of the above. I am voting for all of the above. It is insane for him to not have all hands on deck to deal with this disaster NOW.

Then there is this, along with not having more countries help us in the Gulf, or setting up the borders to be porous as well as dangerous, without lifting a finger to help and suing states that try to do something about it to bend Republicans to his will. And that would be Eric Holder’s decision to hold off on making a decision (!!) about where to try Khalid Sheik Mohammad. Naturally, Holder says this isn’t at all political. He’s a big liar, too, though (remember when he called the US a bunch of racists after just electing Obama? Uh huh.). I don’t believe for one skinny second this isn’t a political decision, despite the headline, Mid-term Elections Have Nothing To Do With 9/11 Trial Delay, Holder Says. Right. So what is his justification, then? Beats me. Maybe you can figure it out from this:

Attorney General Eric Holder said the decision over where to hold the trial for alleged 9/11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Mohammad was “weeks away” — three months ago.

Now advocates on both sides of the issue say they expect the Obama administration to punt the decision until after the November midterm elections— when the controversial plan could do less damage to the political fortunes of endangered Democrats and might face less resistance on Capitol Hill.

Holder last week explicitly denied the midterms had anything to do with the timing but would only say discussions are continuing. The White House had no comment.

Any further stalling could pose a serious political problem for President Barack Obama on the left – where advocates cheered his administration’s plan to break from the Bush administration and give top al-Qaida figures trials in American courtrooms, a sign to the country and the world that U.S.-style justice was enough to try to men accused of the worst crimes in the nation’s history. (Click HERE for the rest of the story.)

Seems pretty political to me, like Obama holding our borders hostage, as Kyl said. And, like not allowing other countries to come help clean up the oil, or lifting the Jones Act YET as he continues to kowtow to the unions.

This is criminal. Perhaps not in the strictly legal sense, though I think violating the mandates of the Constitution would rise to that level. So yeah – it most likely is in terms of the Borders and his lack of protection there, or the threat in the Gulf to livelihoods and life.

As president, though, he is seriously derelict in his duty and must be held to account.

+Before 5/31/08, I never thought I would be upset at the Democrats holding all three chambers, but these mid-terms cannot come quickly enough. Perhaps the Republicans will retake the House, and hold Obama accountable for his massive misdeeds, arm-twisting, coercions, and downright contempt for the protection of the people he swore to serve. He clearly is beholden to other interests, not the interests of the people or the country.

Nowhere is this clearer than Arizona and the Gulf Coast. Will they be Obama’s Waterloo?

Oh, goody. A commission. That should do the trick for the oil spill.

By the way, did Obama come mighty close to plagiarizing Bush II? And Bush II Clinton? Bush I? Carter? And on and on and on? Amazing to see how incredibly similar each one of their speeches was, wasn’t it? And to be reminded that Tricky Dick is the one who gave us the EPA, Clean Water Act, and Marine Mammal Act. That is pretty amazing, really. I am sure if I ever knew it, I forgot it, or Watergate pushed it right out of my head…

And what does Obama want to do that is comparable to Nixon’s accomplishments? Pass “Cap and Trade,” which will necessarily raise costs. Check that, will make rates “Skyrocket,” according to Obama. Don’t believe me? Take a listen:

Just in case you missed it, or want to read along, here is what Obama said:

The problem is not technical, uh, and the problem is not mastery of the legislative intricacies of Washington. The problem is, uh, can you get the American people to say, “This is really important,” and force their representatives to do the right thing? That requires mobilizing a citizenry. That requires them understanding what is at stake. Uh, and climate change is a great example.

You know, when I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, uh, you know — Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it — whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.

They — you — you can already see what the arguments will be during the general election. People will say, “Ah, Obama and Al Gore, these folks, they’re going to destroy the economy, this is going to cost us eight trillion dollars,” or whatever their number is. Um, if you can’t persuade the American people that yes, there is going to be some increase in electricity rates on the front end, but that over the long term, because of combinations of more efficient energy usage, changing lightbulbs and more efficient appliance, but also technology improving how we can produce clean energy, the economy would benefit.

If we can’t make that argument persuasively enough, you — you, uh, can be Lyndon Johnson, you can be the master of Washington. You’re not going to get that done.

Yep – and that is just what Cap and Trade will do – make our energy costs skyrocket. According to Obama, it will be almost $1,800 per household a year in additional costs if Cap and Trade passes. You can go with that number if you want, but all I can say is one word: Obamacare. In other words, what Obama says it will cost is much less what it will actually cost. The Weekly Standard says it will cost more like $3,100 per household a year. The bottom line is, it will cost each one of us more, on top of all of the other elevated taxes with which we are being hit (in my county, real estate taxes are going up this year again, the energy company, initially looking for a 10% increase, are backing off that number after people went ballistic and is now going for a total around 7% for the year). If you want to find out what Obama’s Cap and Trade will mean for your wallet, you can use this calculator.

The bottom line is, it’s gonna cost us. Each and every one of us will be paying more. And taxes will be going up even more at the end of 2010 when the Bush tax cuts expire. Oh, yippee.

By the way, since we are talking about Obama’s big plans for Energy Independence and all, what the hell happened to the 5 million green jobs campaign promise (that he seemed to have “borrowed” lock, stock, and barrel from Hillary Clinton)? I’m just wondering since unemployment continues to rise, with staggering numbers of Americans already unemployed or underemployed, so where are the jobs? Wouldn’t THAT be a way to help us – finally – to become more “energy independent”? Put some of the stimulus money that is left over into actual job creation what would also help the planet?

Well, I am not surprised that Obama gives more lip service to programs than action, or calls for a “war” using commissions instead of plans, or has failed to promote “green-collar” jobs. No surprise to me at all. After seeing The Daily Show clip above, I guess what SHOULD surprise me is ANY president who is actually going to make changes in this area.

What a mess we have made of this planet, and continue to make, all political posturing and arm twisting aside. The bottom line is, we have made a huge mess, culminating in the Gulf of Mexico gusher now. So here’s a question: if this kind of crisis doesn’t get us to move away from responding politically and just doing what is right (like getting more countries involved), what will? As the marine life continues to suffer, moving closer to shore to get away from the oil, as food sources suffer, and jobs are lost, what, WHAT, will finally get us to just do what is right, politics be damned?

I’d sure like to know. Wouldn’t you?

Actually, come to think of it, there is a connection between the BP oil crisis and one major issue in DC, the Obamacare program. That connection is – wait for it – labor unions.

Yep, Obama still refuses to waive the Jones Act, which would allow foreign ships and oil skimmers to come in so as not to upset the labor unions. The oil continues to gush from the earth’s surface, harming our marine life, our ocean, and too many people’s livelihoods at a time when jobs are already hard enough to come by (newest unemployment data for today skyrocketed to 472,000 jobless claims this week).

Add to that the moratorium Obama put on deepwater drilling, despite Salazar’s advisers advising against the moratorium, and many more people will be struggling before too long, especially in the Gulf. Like they need any more hardship. Obama even admitted as much, yet he is determined to go forward with his plan, halting any more drilling.

But how are the unions related to Obamacare promises that our health care, if we have it, will remain unchanged? Well, as it turns out – SURPRISE – most of us WILL have our current health care changed by Obamacare. Which group will not? You know the answer, labor unions:

That’s right, unions will be grandfathered in as this article highlights, “New Rules Could Make 66 Percent Of Employer Plans Lose ‘Grandfathered’ Status.” Gee, none of us who were following this massive takeover saw that coming, did we? Oh, right – we DID, and were told we were just haters for it. Well, we’re hating now:

New rules from the Obama administration that regulate health care plans that existed before the reform bill was passed highlight the difficulty the administration faces in both reforming the system and allowing people to keep the plans they like.

Under new regulations issued Monday, anywhere from 39 percent to 66 percent of employer plans will lose their “grandfathered status” by 2013, according to estimates included with the rules.

For plans that do not fall under the grandfathered status, employers would have to find a plan that complies with the health care bill passed March 23. Whether or not costs for the new plans will be less than grandfathered plans has yet to be seen.

Small businesses would be harder hit than large employers, losing grandfathered status for as few as 49 percent and as many as 80 percent of plans. Employers may keep their plan if it does not raise its prices beyond “reasonable changes” and if it does not cut substantially cut benefits for a particular condition.

Oh, there’s a big surprise. Small businesses, the backbone of our economy, are going to be taking the biggest hit here. Golly, too bad no one said anything about this before. That’s snark, just in case you missed it. Hell to the yes we were saying it. Again, we were roundly discounted. How many times do I have to say this? We were RIGHT:

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius reiterated a saying that President Obama said many times during the health care debate: “If you like the plan you have, you can keep it,” Sebelius said at a press conference Tuesday.

But experts say the new regulations reflect the limits to which that promise can be kept.

“Given the direction that President Obama wanted to go with health care, his promise that people could keep their existing plans was always a dicey one,” said Tevi Troy, former HHS deputy secretary under President Bush and visiting senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

The administration said that it would “take into account reasonable changes” that insurers routinely make in response to changes in cost and availability but would not outline details about what “reasonable changes” might be.

The regulations stipulate that insurers may make changes to their plans, but only to increase benefits or adapt to consumer protections outlined in the health care bill.

“They give all Americans with health insurance some important protections this year and create a path to the consumer-friendly health insurance marketplace of the future,” Sebelius said.

The new rules mandate that new individuals may not be added to grandfathered health plans after a business merger or restructuring so that grandfather status is not traded as a commodity. Thus companies will likely have employees with two different types of health care coverage, if the companies stay with their current plan.

Troy anticipates that insurance companies will try to freeze their plans to retain their grandfathered status for as long as possible.

“Freezing is not sustainable,” Troy told the Daily Caller. “The majority of plans will lose their grandfathered status in relatively short order, which I suspect was the unstated intent of both the legislators and the regulators.”

Here’s the bottom line. MANY of us knew this was going to happen. Many of us knew this was a hugely flawed bill from the get-go, not the least because the vast majority of the people voting on it hadn’t read the damn thing. With its jumping off point being big giveaways to Big Pharma, it could only go downhill from there, and did.

At what point do the people who buy every single word coming out of Obama’s mouth finally accept that they are being had? How many times must we say, “We told you so” before they will remove their blinders, their rose-colored glasses, or whatever it is that is keeping them from seeing the truth of who this man is? Despite his strong words, he is selling out the Gulf to the unions. Despite his claims to the contrary, those of us not in unions are likely to be screwed when it comes to health care, while the only ones NOT feeling the pain will be the unions.

Obama is not working in OUR best interest, but in the UNION’S best interest. As I have said before, they are sure getting their money’s worth with him. And what are we getting? Oh, you know that, too – the shaft.

Take, for example, Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel. He has some mighty interesting Connections, as this article highlights, The Ties That Bind. Remember Rahm Emanuel’s Rent-Free D.C. Apartment? The owner: A BP Adviser. Oh, oops – this could get a bit messy:

In case you were tempted to buy the faux Washington outrage at BP and its gulf oil spill in recent days, here’s a story that reveals a little-known corporate political connection and the quiet way the inner political circles intersect, protect and care for one another in the nation’s capital. And Chicago.

We already knew that BP and its folks were significant contributors to the record $750-million war chest of Barack Obama’s 2007-08 campaign.

Now, we learn the details of a connection of Rahm Emanuel, the Chicago mayoral wannabe, current Obama chief of staff, ex-representative, ex-Clinton money man and ex-Windy City political machine go-fer.

Though plenty of Obama supporters want to gloss over that little connection with BP and the flow of money, it doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t still living in the Reality-based community.

(Photo from Left Coast Liberal)

Back to Rahm, seen above with buddy, Blago:

Shortly after Obama’s happy inaugural, eyebrows rose slightly upon word that, as a House member, Emanuel had lived the last five years rent-free in a D.C. apartment of Democratic colleague Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and her husband, Stanley Greenberg.

For an ordinary American, that would likely raise some obvious tax liability questions. But like Emanuel, the guy overseeing the Internal Revenue Service now is another Obama insider, Tim Geithner, who had his own outstanding tax problems but skated through confirmation anyway by the Democratic-controlled Congress.

Remember this was all before the letters BP stood for Huge Mess. Even before the Obama administration gave BP a safety award.

Now follow these standard Washington links if you can:

Greenberg’s consulting firm was a prime architect of BP’s recent rebranding drive as a green petroleum company, down to green signs and the slogan “Beyond Petroleum.”

Greenberg’s company is also closely tied to a sister Democratic outfit — GCS, named for the last initials of Greenberg, James Carville, another Clinton advisor, and Bob Shrum, John Kerry’s 2004 campaign manager.

According to published reports, GCS received hundreds of thousands of dollars in political polling contracts in recent years from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Probably just a crazy coincidence. But you’ll never guess who was the chairman of that Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee dispensing those huge polling contracts to his kindly rent-free landlord.

Surely, just a CRAZY coincidence.

Hmm – you don’t suppose this is why the Obama Administration gave BP a Safety Award for the very oil rig platform that blew up, do you? Or why they failed to perform the monthly safety inspections required by the Minerals Management Service policy?

Or that the plans for the drill rig were not subjected to environmental review (thanks, Ken Salazar)? What makes that one particularly mind boggling are the claims by the Federal Government that LA cannot get emergency permits to build barriers to protect their shores because the Feds don’t know what the environmental impact of the barriers would be yet. Um, here’s a hint – when you see dolphins washing up covered in oil, or pelicans unable to take off because they are coated in oil, there is ALREADY an environmental impact. Jeezum crow. (After a month – a full month of LA’s drive for sand berms – BP is making its first payment of $60 million to put up these sandbag barriers. One can only guess what a difference it could have made had the Feds not dragged their feet on this.)

Or why BP was a finalist for the Pollution Prevention Award? Well, the latter at least sounds like Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for something he MIGHT accomplish someday.

You just can’t make this stuff up, people. Well, you could, but no one would believe it. Yes, each and every one of those is true.

Now, I’m not saying that Rahm’s being in bed with a BP oil adviser, or at least living in his apartment for free, is definitively why BP has gotten all of these breaks, exemptions, and lack of oversight. What do you say?

Did you know that Obama pretty much knew from the get-go how bad this spill was going to be? Oh, yes – and this is from one of his most sycophantic supporters, Richard Wolffe:

Critics have bashed President Obama for being slow to seize the political initiative in combating the BP oil spill in the Gulf Coast, now widely believed to be the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. The White House has battled back, releasing a timeline of events showing that Obama was briefed—and deploying the Coast Guard—within 24 hours of the Deepwater Horizon blowout.

What has not been previously disclosed: The president was not only briefed on the real-time events of the spill, but also on just how bad it would be—and how hard it would be to plug the hole.

Carol Browner, director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, told Obama at one of the earliest briefings in late April that the blowout would likely lead to an unprecedented environmental disaster, senior White House aides told The Daily Beast. Browner warned that capping a well at such depths had never been done before, and that they ought to expect an oil spill that would continue until a relief well was drilled in August, the aide said.

That early briefing on the scope of the spill—and enormous technical challenges involved in fixing it—might help explain the sense of fatalism that has infused Obama’s team from the start.

Little that has happened since has changed their mind-set. Now six weeks later, the president’s top advisers expect the oil spill—and the negative stories—to continue through August. (Click here for the rest of the story.)

Good grief. So add this to the list of Obama’s duplicity and incompetence. The more we learn the worse it gets.

It is hard to make this oil spill a laughing matter, but econsmed provided me with the following video. I think this woman should be in Obama’s cabinet:

Hey, if it will work, go for it. SOMETHING has to be done and pronto.

All joking aside, this cannot continue until August. The marine life cannot stand it. Those who rely on the ocean fro their livelihood cannot stand it. The planet cannot stand it. We need all hands on deck, and that includes our president who has known from the beginning how bad, how very bad, this can be. Stop with the BS, the blaming, the side-stepping, and get with creating solutions. THAT is what we need, what the planet needs, now.