David Cameron is the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, though he doesn't yet have a majority coalition. Because the now-former Prime Minister graciously resigned -- something I have a hard time imagining in American politics. Or is it just that politicians on the left (see: Al Gore) are more willing to concede for the 'good of the country' ?
Meanwhile, back on this side of the pond (provided you can get past the new cloud of Icelandic ash), Halliburton, favorite punching bag of progressives (count me among them), may be at least partially responsible for the horrendous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Halliburton's defense was that they had left 20 hours before the blow-out. So it couldn't have been their fault? I mean, if the plumber comes to my house to work on the toilet, and after they leave the first time I flush the toilet explodes -- that couldn't be the plumbers fault, right?
Looking forward to watching BP, Halliburton, and Transoil tear each other apart like a trio of 9-year olds shouting "He did it!" Except in this case, a trio of nine year olds who've managed to create a catastrophic toxic spill covering several states...
I mean, it's not like they should have had, I don't know a plan in place in case something went wrong. I mean, how often do blow-outs happen? Well, actually, fairly regularly.
And BP did such a good job cleaning up from the Exxon Valdez spill, right? Oh, oops, they screwed that up too. That's right, kiddos. BP was the contractor for the clean-up of the Valdez spill, and they didn't have enough booms then either. Charming.
But if the polite waltz of British politics is too boring for you, or the ongoing oil spill too depressing, you can join us in watching the GOP paint Kagan as a Maoist man-hating Nazi queen of abortions. Or you could just do your own vetting. I wonder if anyone will go to town with the fact that she was once the defense attorney for the National Enquirer? "Obama Nominates Bat-Boy to Supreme Court!"
And to think its only Tuesday.
Dan, finishing unpacking soon! Not only is the news depressing, there wasn't one decent joke in this whole post!
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3 hours ago
If by pols on the left you include Richard Nixon, well, I'd agree with your assertion about concessions. Although, come to think of it, Brother Al wasn't quite so willing to concede as President Tricky.
ReplyDeleteAnd for Ms. Kagan, I'm more than happy to stand aside and watch the Left proceed with arguments as to why she isn't Supreme-worthy. If Pres. Obama needs my help defending his picks, he can choose someone I might support. But I can see why those on the Left might be disappointed about working for all these years, electing good Dems, and being 'rewarded' with this appointment to the SCOTUS bench. Conservatives get rock stars like Scalia and Roberts, Progressives get stealth-left candidates like Kagan. I'd be bitter.
Who are you trying to kid, GJ? Obama could resurrect John Jay and nominate him for the Supreme Court and you'd find a reason to oppose him. I am... let's say "unconvinced" that your opposition stems from any real beef with the nominee.
ReplyDeleteFor my part, I am delighted by the Kagan nomination. She is eminently qualified, and has a stellar reputation in the legal world. I think she will be fantastic Justice.
Oh, and good luck with that coalition government, UK!
"Conservatives get rock stars like Scalia and Roberts" Please God, tell me you don't have a photoshopped pin up of Roberts and Scalia's heads on the bodies of various Kiss members. I do't care, just lie and say you don't.
ReplyDeleteI think Kagan's only real fault is her decision regarding the military on Harvard's campus. I found her reasoning faulty. It is Congress that sets policy, not the military. However, this doesn't disqualify her, there have been many 8-1 cases, or 7-2. I think she should make a fine jurist and will have little trouble being confirmed (unless she has a truly egregious fault, like she is secretly married to her brother or carries a picture of Osama Bin Laden in a pendant) Or, horror of true horrors, she could be an agnostic or even an atheist.
charo
I don't oppose Ms. Kagan. I believe she is about as insipid a Justice as we are likely to get from Pres. Corpse-Man. I just don't support her. She is unlikely to have much of a presence on the Court. She is clearly smart, but not top ten jurists in the US smart. Meh, let the O waste a pick on Kagan.
ReplyDeleteLie, moi? Of course I have a pinup of Scalia and Roberts in the study, right next to oil painting of the Dark Lord himself.
Gentle Cough!
ReplyDeleteActually Halliburton did not leave the rig, they waited for the results of two pressure tests on the cement job that they had completed. There was a question on the results of the second test (the first suggested that the cementing job had worked as planned). What then happened is still a matter of some debate. It is clear that they did not run a cement bond log after the second test gave questionable results, but no records of why the decision that BP and Transocean made was made have yet been released.
That being said, if the cement job had worked as planned we would not be writing about it today. And incidentally they are retrying the "needle" tonight.