Email from BP Engineer called Deepwater Horizon rig a ‘nightmare well’ six days before explosion

From ThinkProgress:

Tomorrow, the chief executives of the five big oil companies — including BP’s Tony Hayward — are going to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. According to an e-mail released by that Committee today, a BP drilling engineer warned that the Deepwater Horizon oil rig was a “nightmare well” that had caused the company problems in the past. The e-mail came just six days before the well exploded.

Read the rest of this post...

White House is pushing for more don't-call-it-stimulus money

Not very much, though. Only $50bn. Remember, as Krugman pointed out a year and a half ago, the economic crisis wiped out about $2 trillion of future GDP. The stimulus bill was around $800bn (and 35% of it was relatively useless tax cuts). That leaves another $1.2 trillion lacking. $50bn won't make much of a dent. Though it may help some states in particular, since the money is apparently targeted at states and cities. Read the rest of this post...

GOP congressional candidate suggests land mines at the US-Mexico border

AP via Raw Story:

The Republican nominee for a New Mexico congressional seat suggested during a radio interview that the United States could place land mines along the Mexican border to secure the international boundary.

Read the rest of this post...

Woman shoots self in shoulder to get health care

Via Huff Post:

An unemployed Michigan woman who was unable to afford medical treatment for a searing pain in her shoulder took matters into her own hands last week, shooting herself in the shoulder in a last-ditch effort to get into the ER.

Kathy Myers, 41, said she was pushed to the brink of desperation Thursday night because she was "crazy in pain," and the local hospital emergency room would give her no more than a handful of anti-inflammatory pills.

"Pain will make you do silly, crazy things," the 41-year-old Niles, Mich., woman said in a YouTube.com interview with News 8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "I knew they wasn't going to do anything, again. They said if it wasn't life-threatening, no health insurance, you can't get no help."

Read the rest of this post...

Rep. Steve King: Obama favors 'the black person' by 'default'

You might want to ask some "black persons" if they agree. From Political Correction:

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) appeared on the G. Gordon Liddy Show this morning to discuss Arizona's controversial immigration law and accused Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama — both critics of the legislation — of harboring animosity towards white Americans. Specifically, he accused Obama of having a "default mechanism" that favors "the black person."

When you look at this administration, I'm offended by Eric Holder and the President also, their posture. It looks like Eric Holder said that white people in America are cowards when it comes to race. And I don't know what the basis of that is but I'm not a coward when it comes to that and I'm happy to talk about these things and I think we should. But the President has demonstrated that he has a default mechanism in him that breaks down the side of race — on the side that favors the black person.

Read the rest of this post...

Krugman was right about the stimulus not being enough

Jed Lewison at DailyKos reminds us of Paul Krugman's words of January 6, 2009:

This really does look like a [stimulus] plan that falls well short of what advocates of strong stimulus were hoping for — and it seems as if that was done in order to win Republican votes. Yet even if the plan gets the hoped-for 80 votes in the Senate, which seems doubtful, responsibility for the plan’s perceived failure, if it’s spun that way, will be placed on Democrats.

I see the following scenario: a weak stimulus plan, perhaps even weaker than what we’re talking about now, is crafted to win those extra GOP votes. The plan limits the rise in unemployment, but things are still pretty bad, with the rate peaking at something like 9 percent and coming down only slowly. And then Mitch McConnell says “See, government spending doesn’t work.”

Read the rest of this post...

Memo to the President: No one is asking you to be Superman

TO: President Obama
FROM: John Aravosis
RE: Why a lot of your supporters are cranky

Mr. President, a lot of your supporters have gotten cranky. And it seems that you're getting the wrong advice for why that is. To the extent you don't understand the problem, you can't fix it. So here's my attempt, as one supporter, to explain the problem as simply as possible.

The issue isn't that people's expectations of you were too high. No one expected you to be Superman. We did however expect you to at least try to do your job, and attempt to keep your promises. It often doesn't feel like you attempt either one. It sometimes even feels that you don't fully realize that you're President.

About BP. There are others who understand the spill far greater than I, but I would like to respond to one argument that your supporters constantly raise: that Americans shouldn't expect you to do the high-profile public relations stuff that typically goes with being president during a national disaster. Your presidency is different, we're told. You're thoughtful and contemplative. You take your time, and don't feel the need to emote. Emotion is a waste of time and energy that you can't afford, while you think about the nation's big problems.

Well, maybe. But that isn't the way America works. The voters expect their president to work on solving problems, to be sure, but they also expect him to be their leader, to be there when things go bad, and to reassure them that everything is going to be okay. It's a fact of life in American politics: People want to see their leaders lead. And all the explanations of how this isn't your style are meaningless. If anything, the explanations we're hearing are hurting you even more in the public eye.

No one wants to be told that their desire for you to assuage the country's concerns is somehow adolescent of them. Whether it is or isn't is irrelevant. It's what this country expects of its leaders. So please tell your staff, and your remaining supporters, to stop lecturing the American people about how silly they are to expect you to show your face when a crisis arises.

But there's a larger problem here, Mr. President. Your staff and supporters would have us rest assured that your subdued leadership style, while not very flashy or paternalistic, is quietly and consistently getting the job done behind the scenes, even if it doesn't look that way to the public. The problem is, I don't think people believe you're actually working diligently behind the scenes. That isn't your style, as we've seen on issue after issue since you've taken office.

You don't, Mr. President, grab onto an issue like a dog with a bone, tenaciously working it until you get the best deal possible, even if all your hard work goes on under the radar, behind the scenes. More often than not, you make a public statement about your general goal, and then you sit back and don't get involved until things are ready to fall apart. It's what you did on health care reform, it's what you're doing on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and immigration, and lots of other issues you campaigned on. Time after time, you didn't work behind the scenes to fulfill your public promise. Instead, you sat back and let your staff, or worse, the Congress, take a stab at the issue, while you waited to see what they came up with, as the issue careened out of control. Then, at the last minute, after your initial promise had been obliterated, you got involved, only to find that the compromise being discussed looked little like what you had promised the American people in the first place.

This is why people aren't satisfied by explanations of how your superior intellect requires you to remain behind the scenes and work these issues in secret, without being bothered by the silly public's need to occasional see your face and hear your voice. People don't believe you're working behind the scenes at all.

What people believe is that you prefer to avoid what you consider "controversial" issues all together. And should one be thrust upon you, you stay far away until a final deal appears near, so you can jump on board at the last minute, whatever the deal, and claim credit. After all, if you were involved in the deal-making from the beginning, you might not get 100% of what you wanted, and your staff thinks that would make you look weak. So better to not get involved at all, and then at the end decide if you want credit for what everyone else has come up with, even if its bears no resemblance to what you promised the American people in the first place.

It's a shitty way to make policy, and an even worse way to get people to vote for you a second time.

Your problem, Mr. President, isn't that people think you're Superman. It's that they don't believe you believe in, or do, much of anything at all. Read the rest of this post...

Rand Paul not being honest about his record either

Mark Kirk isn't the only GOP Senate candidate who has been puffing up his credentials.

You know how Kentucky GOP Senate candidate, Rand Paul (the pride of the teabaggers),touts himself as a "board certified" ophthalmologist? Oops. Via Taegan Goddard, he's not.

More from the Louisville Courier-Journal:

Rand Paul, who practices in Bowling Green, says he is certified by the National Board of Ophthalmology, a group that he incorporated in 1999 and that he heads.

But that entity is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, which works with the American Medical Association to approve such specialty boards.

Lori Boukas, a spokeswoman for the American Board of Medical Specialties, said her organization considers certifications to be valid only if they are done by the 24 groups that have its approval and that of the AMA.

"He is not board-certified," she said of Paul.

The specialties board recognizes the American Board of Ophthalmology, the nation's main ophthalmological certification group. Paul had certification from that organization before he let it lapse after he started his National Board of Ophthalmology.

Paul is only certified by the board he created, not the real one. That's rich. Read the rest of this post...

Swedish foreign minister under investigation for possible war crimes associated with time on board of oil company

Apparently Sweden has its very own Halliburton.

An oil company accused of major crimes, now that's novel. This is from a Swedish paper, here's a rough translation of a snippet from a Swedish friend:

Swedish police and prosecutors are currently investigating the accusations against Lundin Oil's actions in Sudan. There is information indicating that crimes against international law may have been committed during the time Carl Bildt was on the board of directors.

The Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt was a board member of Lundin Oil (now Lundin Petroleum) during a part of the period when it is claimed that the company supported waging of war the resulted in 12.000 deaths. The accusations of Lundin Oil's supposed involvement in war crimes in Sudan peaked when a coalition of 50 European volunteer organizations (ECOS) presented new evidence in early June.

According to Tomas Ackheim, head the Police Commission on War Crime, the new ECOS report presents new grave facts.

- Personally I believe it is enough for a preliminary investigation, he says.

Preliminary investigations are directed at individuals and not corporations. Hence in this particular case it will be primarily the conduct of the Lundin Oil board of directors that will be investigated. People who were on the boeard, for example Carl Bildt, can therefore, if crime is proven, be charged with war crimes or assistance thereof.

Read the rest of this post...

US discovers massive mining riches in Afghanistan

In an ideal world this could be great news for Afghanistan. It could transform the country into a major player in the global economy, creating jobs throughout the country as well as cash to rebuild the troubled country following decades of conflict. The Soviets first started investigating during their years of occupation and since the US arrived a few years ago, various tests have suggested widespread minerals underneath the surface.

In an imperfect world, this new discovery (which somehow is making waves now as the US public is turning against the war effort) has many obstacles. We don't need to look hard to locate environmental problems related to mining. Only today there's a story about lead poisoning in Nigeria. Without a strong environmental protection organization, chances are high that the dash for cash will lead to grabbing minerals in the fastest way possible without considering the environmental impact. If the US can't get BP and other oil companies to properly address the environmental risks, how can we expect mining companies to do the right thing in far away lands? Think about the Nigerian experience with Big Oil.

And then there's the cash. Lots of cash. In a less structured economy such as Afghanistan, the risk for bribes and massive corruption are substantial. Again, look at what Wall Street, Big Pharma or Big Oil can do in what's considered to be a structured, regulated environment such as the US or Europe. Even there, we see a thin layer at the top making enormous profits while the infamous trickle down that the GOP used to talk so much about, not really trickling down. In that context it is very difficult to see how this will work out well for more than a short list of well connected individuals and businesses.

Success is possible but is it realistic?

The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.

Read the rest of this post...

Carly Fiorna's business experience?

A legend in her own mind.

Here’s a fact for you, Portfolio magazine named Fiorina the “19th Worst CEO of All-Time”—placing her in the top 20 along with the likes of Dick Fuld, Ken Lay, Roger Smith and Bernie Ebbers. Why? Because her tenure as CEO of Hewlett Packard was a disaster.

The magazine described Fiorina as “a consummate self-promoter” who “paid herself handsome bonuses and perks while laying off thousands of employees to cut costs. The merger Fiorina orchestrated with Compaq in 2002 was widely seen as a failure. She was ousted in 2005.”

While promoting herself as a job creator, the reality is Fiorina proved much more adept as a jobs killer. In fact, she referred to offshoring as “right-shoring”, and fired at least 18,000 people. Fiorina told Fortune she “should have done them all faster."

Read the rest of this post...

BP leak may not be stopped until December

After listening to all of the overoptimistic BP spin, a dose of what sounds like reality from a worst case scenario by an expert seems more likely. One other troubling point deep inside is the mention of the relief well experiencing the same blowout as the initial well due to the stress. This already bad problem can become much worse.

One of the world's leading authorities on oil well management has warned it could take until Christmas to cap the Gulf of Mexico spill that is devastating the southern coast of America – and BP's reputation.

Nansen Saleri, a Gulf drilling expert, said he hoped BP would meet its August timetable for capping the blown-out well, but made it clear success was not certain.

"I know it is a frightening assessment but everyone should be prepared for a worst-case scenario, and that could mean a Christmas timeframe," said Saleri, chief executive of the consultancy group Quantum Reservoir Impact. "The probable outcome is much better but the technological challenges … are enormous."

Read the rest of this post...

Monday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Today is Flag Day.

The President is traveling to the Gulf Coast today and tomorrow. He's got stops in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. He'll be giving a speech after he concludes a visit to Theodore, Alabama. And, he's spending the night in Pensacola, Florida. Tomorrow night, after he returns to DC, Obama is going to give his first address from the Oval Office on the Gulf Coast catastrophe.

The Senate convenes today to continue debate on the "American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010." A summary is here. Many members of Congress, including most of the GOPers (but plenty of Democrats), seem to think we've moved past the economic crisis and should only be focused on the deficit and debt. Now, of course, far too many American are still mired in the crisis, which many of those same members of Congress helped created. Let's just say, members of Congress aren't suffering economically. So, the focus for many on the Hill is reducing the deficit. But, they won't close tax loopholes for the richest Americans and they won't extend benefits for people who are suffering. Still looking out for Wall Street, not Main Street.

This could be a big week for Obama. People are waiting for a leader.... Read the rest of this post...

Belgian separatists jump in election

The Flemish separatists don't have enough votes yet to take decisive action on their own but this is not going to help an already sensitive problem. BBC:

Belgium's Flemish separatist party, the New Flemish Alliance (NVA), has emerged as the largest force in parliament, near-complete election results show.

The NVA took 27 seats in the 150-member assembly, bringing the country closer to a split.

The party, led by Bart De Wever, wants to more fully divide the country between Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia.

Read the rest of this post...

UK bank commission suggesting 'profound reform'

This looks like it has potential. If you had the opportunity to invest your paycheck with a bank that was a guaranteed safe haven, wouldn't you take it? It's not as though the risk-taking banks are making it that financially interesting. Sure, maybe the interest might be a bit lower but how much did the others really pay anyway?

Risk-free "safe haven" accounts guaranteed by the government should be set up as part of a "profound reform of the banking system", a report says.

The cross-party Future of Banking Commission wants improvements in saver protection and restructuring of banks.

It was set up to put the interests of society at the heart of any reforms.

Other suggestions include the creation of an ethical culture in financial services, which would see banks stop paying commissions to front-line staff.

Read the rest of this post...

Report: Japan bribing with cash and hookers to end whale hunting ban

So this is what Obama is supporting? Really? Besides being immoral, how can an economy with as many problems as Japan even afford such a political freak show? It is a joke to believe that giving in to such a corrupt system will somehow produce a result that is not corrupt. It's as if the Obama administration and other "rich" nations like New Zealand agreed that yes, it makes sense to allow the mafia to do just a little bit of drug trafficking, prostitution and blackmail because that will be enough to satisfy their business requirements. Surely they will not do more, right?

Wouldn't it be nice to see something other than wishful thinking when negotiating deals with Wall Street, Big Oil and now the whale hunting industry? Wishful thinking simply doesn't resonate with some people. As someone who spent a fair amount of time trying to work in Japan, none of this story is shocking. As much as I love Japan and the people, this is all too believable.

Japan denies buying the votes of IWC members. However, The Sunday Times filmed officials from pro-whaling governments admitting:

- They voted with the whalers because of the large amounts of aid from Japan. One said he was not sure if his country had any whales in its territorial waters. Others are landlocked.

— They receive cash payments in envelopes at IWC meetings from Japanese officials who pay their travel and hotel bills.

- One disclosed that call girls were offered when fisheries ministers and civil servants visited Japan for meetings.

Barry Gardiner, an MP and former Labour biodiversity minister, said the investigation revealed “disgraceful, shady practice”, which is “effectively buying votes”.

Read the rest of this post...