Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

“A Whale” of a Disappointment

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Time for the Truth Squad.
Just a couple of weeks ago, The Baconator Himself wrote a scold of President Barack Obama for not using “A Whale,” a massive ship specially designed to skim up spilled oil from the ocean. The 1,100-foot long vessel, a converted bulk carrier, maybe could scoop up 21 million tons of oily water a day from the BP rig disaster.
Jimbo hit us with accusations of Obama incompetence, creeping Washington-itis, bureaucratic inanity and even (incorrectly as he admits) the Jones Act which is a 1920 law to keep foreign flagged vessels out of the coastal U.S. trade.
As Bacon wrote:
“While Obama played golf and the bureaucrats picked their bureaucratic nits, massive quantities of oil, which could have been skimmed or blocked by sand berms, began befouling the marshes and beaches of the Gulf Coast.”
Well, things haven’t quite turned out per the script of Bacon and his fellow conservative wonks.
A Whale has made it to the Gulf of Mexico. But it doesn’t seem to work. As the Times Picayune says, the vessel has trouble skimming oil when waves are six-feet or so. That’s not an uncommon occurrence in the Gulf, especially when hurricanes are brewing in the area.
Tests of the July 4 weekend were “inconclusive” according to the Coast Guard. The billionaire owner of the ship says they experimenting with using the massive bulk of the vessel to calm seas enough for skimming.
Oh well. I’m sure we can find some kind of profligate federal spending angle in this if we try hard enough.
Peter Galuszka

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9 responses to ““A Whale” of a Disappointment”

  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    We ALL need to stop looking for red or blue villans and start finding for was to create a Critical Mass of citizes who favor Fundamental Transformaiton.

    What specific ideas do you have Peter to get the ball rolling in the right direction?

    Observer

  2. Gooze Views Avatar
    Gooze Views

    Let's see. I am supposed to jump on your bandwagon. Right?

    PG

  3. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Or launch one of your own with a comprehensive work progam that will result in happy, safe citizens.

    Your choice but time is wasting.

    Observer and his friends.

  4. Hydra Avatar
    Hydra

    The internet guarantees there will never be fundamental transformation. Thanks to the internet there is no longer any authoritative source of information. The result is that any bozo can come up with a theory, conspiracy, or hypothetical danger and be taken seriously by at least a few people, but getting any concensus in nigh impossible.

    The internet is the ultimate example of "participatory government" of the sort that EMR espouses (and grouses about). Environmentalists love it because they know that what it really means is that nothing can be accomplished without endless delays: conservation through obfuscation.

    Yak all you like about fundamental transformation, it ain't happening.

    RH

  5. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Oh My?

    Our word-order web search turned up something very interesting!

    “hydra RH” made a statement above that is an exquisite example of the view of perhaps 2 percent of the population and one that is very important to monitor.

    The ‘there will be no substantial change’ cohort tend not to be at the top of the food chain but to have feelings that they have been cheated out of being successful.

    It is increasingly clear that a majority of citizens in the more developed countries believe profound change is necessary.

    Our research in GB, CA and NZ suggest if the “there will be no substantial change” – for what ever reason – grows to 20 percent then suicides and workplace attacks will increase by a factor of 4. We are on edge over that here since the recent incident with the taxi driver in the Lakes.

    The other likely impact will roving gangs that disrespect laws and property rights – “if there will be no change we will take ours now, what is there to loose.”

    All our best for outlining way to secure fundamental transformations in a peaceful manner.

    GB SS

  6. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    One further note for Peter (aka, Gooze Views):

    Those who have practiced ‘Journalism’ like to believe that they present a balanced and ‘well reported’ view.

    The also like to step outside the role of reporter and, as someone said recently ‘toss rocks at those in the empty pigeon holes they have created.’

    Mr. Bacon did that with his attack on Mr. Obama’s playing golf instead of issuing the order to get A Whale to work before it was tested.

    However, frequently those who have done a workperson-like job at Journalism have a good perspective from which to outline a path out of dysfunction.

    So what is your plan?

    What should media (Agency media, Enterprise media, Institutional media and Citizen media) and well trained journalists do to put society on a sustainable trajectory?

    Observer

  7. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Nice try, Peter. I never said that the A Whale was a silver bullet. My point was that the Obama administration should have been expediting *every* conceivable solution to cleaning up the oil spill instead of bogging things down with red tape. And that includes the A Whale. No one knew ahead of time how well it would work.

    Moreover, the Times-Picayune article said that the preliminary test in 6- to 8-foot waves were inconclusive — not a failure. That implies that the A Whale *would* be effective in calm waters, which the Gulf sometimes has.

    Furthermore, you omitted this quote: "As with any new tool, adaptations are necessary to make it more effective," TMT spokesman Bob Grantham said. "You learn as you work."

    That's hardly a vindication of the Obama administration's foot dragging. If the A Whale had gotten to the Gulf a couple of days earlier, it could have gone through the testing, de-bugging and problem solving earlier.

    C'mon, Peter, enough with the apologetics. Obama billed an activist government as the savior for all that ails this country. But when handed a task that clearly belongs within the government sphere of competence, the Obamoids screwed the pooch. Fess up!

  8. Gooze Views Avatar
    Gooze Views

    Fess up for what?
    As you have admitted in an earlier comment, it is truly curious that some 70 or whatever days into the spill, we suddenly learn of A Whale and its promoter. The ship shows up in Norfolk in late June. Where was it since late April?
    You are trying to pin a lot on Obama here while you offshore drilling advocates were assuring us not long ago that this wonderful technology was available to drill safely at water depths of a mile or more.
    Then we get into the Jones Act confusion, which you have admitted.
    I am beginning to think that libertarian wonks like you have secret telexes in your basements that chatter out detailed instructions on how to play up certain themes (remember that conference call we both had with McGuire Woods?)
    I dread what is next. Have you gotten your marching orders on Calvin Coolidge yet? He's your Next Big Thing, replacing Sarah Palin.

    Peter Galuszka

  9. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    A nearly nude woman, a sexual activity that is probably illegal in Utah, and now Calvin Coolidge. Bacon's Rebellion is too small of a venue. It's time for an appearance on Dr. Phil.

    Most bloggers probably have not even heard of Calvin Coolidge, much less have the ability to use him to make a rhetorical point.

    This stuff is better than winning on Tysons Corner — well almost.

    TMT

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