President Obama delivers first speech as President from Oval Office (means it's heavy duty) on oil gusher in Gulf of Mexico. Nattering classes, chattering classes and pundidiots give speech poor grades -- pedantic, vague, uninspiring, mediocre. OK, Barry, if you want to show people you're really doing something about the disaster in the Gulf, get a wet suit and an oxygen tank, go down to the source of the gushing and cap it yourself. Short of that, you're losing credibility. On the other hand, Republicans might accuse you of grandstanding.
BusinessWeek Magazine headline: Obama EnGulfed? Is he being Katrinasized?
Obama gets BP to agree to setting up $20 Billion (with a B) fund to start paying claims. Finally finds "whose ass to kick."
Texas Republican Congressman Joe Barton apologized to BP for what he called a White House "shakedown." Republican leadership, which has a strong working relationship with stupidity, immediately demanded Barton apologize for his "stupid" apology, which he did, sort of. Other Republicans also criticized Obama for "Chicago-style shakedown," adding the Capone factor. Democrats thrilled. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanual calls GOP criticism "political gift."
Wonder if Barton's ill-timed apology had anything to do with fact that he's received more than $1.5 Million in campaign funds from Big Oil.
Trivial footnote: BBC interviewer asked what a "shakedown" was.
Conservative commentators, including Sarah Palin, complain Obama is "demonizing" BP. You mean by pointing out BP responsible for greatest environmental disaster in American history?
Digression: Palin also says smoking pot OK if done at home. Right, Sarah, let's stop demonizing marijuana.
BP Chairman says his company cares about "small people." Awfully decent of you, sir. Do BP executives take a course in foot-in-mouth disease? BP points out English is his second language and he was misinterpreted. BP manages to screw up in any language.
BP CEO Tony Wayward testifies on Capitol Hill. Waste of time. Congressmen could have just watched BP commercials on TV.
Wayward criticized for going back to England to watch his yacht compete in race. Those BP guys really have a knack for PR. C'mon everybody, he just wanted to watch a body of water not despoiled by his company's bungling.
BP announces Wayward will be replaced as person in charge of company's clean-up effort following numerous PR gaffes. Replacement as CEO to follow?
Fellow oil execs criticize BP at Congressional hearing. So much for honor among thieves.
Documents show BP took short cuts on exploded oil rig to save
money and speed up time of drilling. Talk about penny-wise and billion pounds foolish.
How many people does it take to stop oil gusher? Maybe just one-and 999,999 others to say, "You're doing it wrong."
Lightning strikes BP clean-up boat. Talk about snake-bit!
Louisiana State Senators designate Sunday "Day of Prayer" to seek solution to Gulf disaster. Is there a Saint of Stopping Oil Gushers?
God appears to be preoccupied elsewhere.
World Cup Soccer Tournament underway. Some early round scores: 0-0, 0-0, 1-1, 1-0, 2-1...etc. And you wonder why soccer not that popular in US. And don't you dare say score was one to nothing or one zip or zero zero. A zero is nil, and if you don't say one-nil, you will be compelled to watch a cricket match.
New Zealand ties Italy 1-1 in what is considered one of greatest upsets in World Cup history. See what I mean?
US robbed of victory over Slovenia by atrocious phantom foul call by ref from Mali. Maybe he was just auditioning for job as Major League Baseball umpire.
This World Cup is most annoying ever because of vuvuzelas. No, that's not a country in South America. It's an African horn emitting kazoo-like buzz throughout play. That's what you get when you award World Cup to backward Third World country.
Baseball fan showed up at Yankee Stadium with vuvuzela, immediately kicked out. Are you paying attention, FIFA?
Mexican matador says I'm -out -the- door when he sees bull, flees the arena. Hooray Bull! Let's hope bull is now retired to do what bulls do best instead of being butchered in ring.
Five-man firing squad executes convicted killer in Utah. Only took 25 years after he was convicted. What would have happened if they had missed? Would he have been spared, like the bull in Mexico?