The Fifth Horse

Angry when dinner is not
on the table, West Virginia
man sets his house on fire.

It turns out (surprise) we do not know how to drill safely in deep water. It also turns out we are completely dependent upon the oil companies for whatever technology there is to stop these deep underwater leaks as no one else has such technology, including the U.S. government. So the leak continues pouring thousands upon thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf on a daily basis, and if next Wednesday’s attempt to stop it fails it will probably continue at least until August (by which time so much damage will have been done to the environment and those who depend upon the Gulf resources the damage will be impossible to repair). Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu has said that if anyone has lost their income because of the spill, say $50,000, BP will write them a check for that amount. Similarly, if a business has lost a million dollars they will do likewise. Landrieu has been a recipient of lots of oil money and has defended offshore drilling for a long time. If she believes BP is going to pay everyone dollar for dollar for their losses she is dumber than a post. This is a claim on the same level of credibility that the CEO of BP made today that BP will clean up every drop of oil. Apparently some people are unaware that you can go to hell for lying the same as stealing, they have done plenty of both and no doubt there will be much more to come. This is going to become the worst ecological disaster in history and there is little to be done about it now. It should never have been either attempted or allowed. There is only one way to stop “accidents” like this from happening. Stop offshore drilling now and forever!!! No ifs, ands, or buts.

Sometimes, indeed, lots of times, I cannot believe what I hear. For example, tonight it was announced on the Rachel Maddow show that some deal had been reached whereby Congress would repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell almost immediately, but it would not go into effect until after the Pentagon finished reviewing the situation in the Fall. Does this make any sense? So, like, ah…what happens if the Pentagon reviews it and doesn’t like it? Will it be repealed? I don’t know what this is all about but it certainly seems stupid and pointless.

Dick the Slimy seems to be refreshingly quiet these days. I like it. But I wonder what it has to do with his possibly involvement in the disaster in the Gulf. It has been said that he may have been responsible for BP’s failure to have the proper emergency shut off equipment because “it was too expensive.” I don’t know if this is true but I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if it is. You don’t hear much out of Rumsfeld or Rice these days either, or any number of the others who were responsible for the illegal “war” in Iraq, the torture, and the mess we are currently trying to clean up (if, indeed, we are really trying). Personally, I find it wonderful that I no longer have to listen to their incessant lying, but I still insist they should be held accountable for their monumental crimes. The Bush/Cheney administration was nothing but a gigantic criminal enterprise from the very beginning and some are still repeating rewards from it, not the least of whom are the war profiteers and the industries that provide all the equipment and ammunition that is wasted as quickly as possible so they can make more.

There were no oil spills during biblical times. That is why there are only Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: pestilence (white horse), war (red), famine (black), and death (pale-green). I confess to never having seen a pale-green horse (or a purple cow). All of these are symbolic of evil destructive forces. What could possibly be more evil and destructive than the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Certainly it should deserve a Fifth horse. I suggest brindle as the most appropriate color (brindle is rarely applied to horses but it can be, it certainly beats pale-green).

The Benjamin of Benjamin Netanyahu is complaining that the Palestinians are not fighting fair with their boycott of Israeli products. I must say I find this hysterically funny. Those nasty Palestinians cornered there in their prison-like Gaza strip won’t buy products manufactured by their jailers and the jailers are weeping about it. This is apparently part of the Palestinians new campaign to employ non-violent techniques to acquire a Palestinian state (it may well work). Netanyahu has the chutzpa to accuse them of not fighting fair? He has also once again reiterated his ridiculous claim that Iran is a threat to the entire world. He must have studied Goebbels as he repeats this outrageous lie over and over again.

LKBIQ:
I was not lying. I said things that later on seemed to be untrue.
Richard Nixon,

TILT:
Teflon is the only known surface to which a gecko cannot stick.