In my day job, I’ve actually been working on the oil spill a little with an environmental coalition. This particular group is mostly focused on global warming and climate change on the international level, but of course clean, green energy factors into the equation. One of my team members sent around this video, which seriously made me laugh out loud. It’s sorta behind-the-scenes with BP and Halliburton as they deal with a serious spill — of coffee. And the resulting complete clusterf#ck that has characterized the response across most fronts to the oil spill. I think none of else is really surprised that it’s so much bigger than we’ve been told. Ugh. Anyway, you need to watch this. It’s really funny. And also sad. Very head-shakingly sad.

On a less light note, I also received this anguished message from a longtime reader in response to my post called Barack Obama: Ass-Kicking Superhero Once More. He’s asked to remain anonymous. Gulf residents have a unique perspective here and I think it’s important to hear what it’s like from the front lines of the disaster. Here’s one man’s plea, mixed with anger, sorrow and fear. For the record, I know the President is doing what he can. Frankly speaking though, I’m just not sure I have as much faith in Thad Allen and Ken Salazar as he does, based on their performance to date…

I am a Katrina survivor.

I voted for and campaigned for President Obama and cried when he was elected (as a 41 year old southerner I thought I would have long been dead when such an election actually happened.)

I read your blog because I enjoy it, think it’s important and almost always find myself nodding in agreement. But not this time.

President Obama is not doing nearly enough and it’s killing me. I know he has no control over the capping of the well head but there are plenty of things he could be doing to help us out down here. And we are freaking out.

I’m not even talking about huge steps like putting BP in receivership (although I would love to see it happen) but simple, obvious, things such as:
  • Having the US National Guard in charge of setting up and maintaining the boom around the shoreline instead of trusting BP (this is huge).
  • Having the Corps of Engineers actually helping local parishes in their plan to beef up the barrier islands with sand instead of BLOCKING their attempts to carry out their plan.
  • Stop relying on BP to be a good faith partner and start treating them as the adversary they are.
  • Fire Thad Allen and put in someone who is less friendly to BP (we need a General Honore type running the show).
  • I could go on and on but honestly it’s making me sick.
In short I don’t want him to be talking about kicking ass, I NEED him to to be actually DOING it, and he’s not and it is just like Katrina all over again. Except instead of reading some stupid goat book, he’s singing along with Paul McCartney.

Show me how I’m wrong (please) but I don’t think I am. I so much want what you wrote to be true but right now it just isn’t and we desperately need it to be.

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