Ogre-oids, May 20, 2010

Obama's anti-science response to the Gulf Spill. Oceanographers accuse the Obama administration of failing to conduct adequate scientific analysis of environmental damage and permitting BP to obscure the scope of the spill's impact. Scientists say there may problems occuring from plumes of oil that appear to be spreading beneath the surface of the ocean. The flagship vessel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) was off the coast of Africa and was not redirected to the Gulf until May 11, three weeks after the disaster began. NOAA is criticized as being "derelict" in analyzing conditions beneath the sea. A prominent oceanographer says that the government's efforts have been a "catastrophic disaster" and that no one is paying attention to a "vast ecosystem being exposed to contaminants."

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindel reports "heavy oil is coming into our wetlands." The governor says "it's past time to act" and criticizes BP, the Coast Guard, and The Army Corps of Engineers. More evidence of Obama's complacent and indifferent reaction to the moutning crisis. A procedure that could shut the drill well off completely won't be ready until next week. BP is so scattershot and clueless that it has been taking email suggestions for stopping the flow, even getting advice from Kevin Costner. "If you build it, it will stop spilling," or something like that. In the meantime, BP has been successful in taking a full page public relations ad in today's Times assuring us they are doing everything to correct the problem. I guess in the real world, words speak louder than actions.

Teachers face worse job market since Great Depression. Where is the stimulus package for teachers? Even upscale suburban districts prepare for huge layoffs. How does this mean that unemployment is improving? What about the future of education? Schools have their pick of teachers, and teachers' market vulnerability will make them even easier pawns for adminstrative agendas based on around teaching to the test and controlling curriculum. In the meantime, teachers serve as scapegoat #1 for the country's economic and social problems. Sounds typical of a poorly educated society.

Necro-fest, Obama Style. In the last two days, nine U.S. servicemen have been killed, bringing the total U.S. deathtoll in Afghanistan to 1,000. But thanks to the attempted bombing at Times Square, Obama and the American people have the political fodder necessary to continue their necro-orgy for the foreseeable future. Perhaps laid-off teachers should get into the handy-wipes business. These attacks followed annoucements from the Taliban before Karzai's visit to D.C. that they would begin a series of offensives against U.S. forces, which U.S. military spokesmen blew off--futher testimony to their lack of deliberative credibility.

NYPD stop and frisk measures--The NYPD has been stopping and frisking citizens, mostly minorities in their efforts to protect American freedom. The ACLU has filed suit over the fact the NYPD has kept personal information on record even from people were found not to have committed crimes or paid fines that meant their records should have been purged. Nothing like martial law tactics to uphold the American way of life.