Sweet BP crude

Two farms

 Elements of an electrical transformer farm frame

silos of a working dairy farm near Sulphur Springs in

Washington County Tennessee

Will we one day be mining for oil in the Gulf of Mexico instead of drilling? The leaking crude is going somewhere and apparently only BP knows where and they aren't telling. If it is settling in tar balls on the sea floor, it someday may be worthwhile for someone to go after it. Of course, British Petroleum or its off-spring will claim ownership of free-range gobs. I agree with Robert Reich when he writes in his blog "It’s time for the federal government to put BP under temporary receivership, which gives the government authority to take over BP’s operations in the Gulf of Mexico until the gusher is stopped. This is the only way the public know what’s going on, be confident enough resources are being put to stopping the gusher, ensure BP’s strategy is correct, know the government has enough clout to force BP to use a different one if necessary, and be sure the President is ultimately in charge."

The only entity that stands to make a huge gain from the oil gushing into the sea is BP. Although its bottom line will suffer initially, it could benefit far into the future from higher oil prices this disaster is going to artificially create as soon as the leak is stopped, and from tax breaks and government subsidies. There will be saber-rattling in Washington, but Congress, the president, and much of the Supreme Court is controlled by business dollars, thus little real regulation of the oil drilling industry will be achieved. BP will most likely begin a public relations campaign aimed at drumming up sympathy for themselves as they tearfully apologize. No oil company that I know of has done more over the past few years to hoodoo Joe Citizen into believing it is environmentally responsible than has BP. Most of it was aimed at getting greater access to off-shore drilling rights, especially on Alaska's North Slope. The only reason gasoline prices haven't dramatically climbed over the past month is that no oil company wants to be seen as benefiting from this environmental disaster which will linger for generations. I believe oil prices will again begin to sharply climb soon after the well is capped or relieved. Checkmate; we lose. This is only my opinion.
----
We haven't heard much from friend Tammy; I hope her recovery is going well and she can soon be back to her garden and dance.
----
Looks like Carolyn may have fresh tomatoes to ripen within a couple of weeks ... if they somehow aren't picked and fried green. It would take a low-down dastardly husband to do such a deed. She also has a tiny pepper growing, but I don't expect the pepper and cucumber plants to do well. I told her they need lots of sunshine or they would grow spindly and produce small fruit and guess what? She is wondering why they are growing so spindly. They get only about three hours of direct sun each day whereas the maters get full sun nearly the entire day. I am the Rodney Dangerfield of this family; I can't get no respect. Some of my family must think of me as the old dumb-ass. I ain't the smartest man in the world, but I know what photosynthesis is and am probably the only one of these crackers that can even spell it. Phooey!
----
The Megashot flower contest has begun and you still have a month to enter up to three photos each day. I entered three yesterday, and one of them has advanced which just goes to show that you too can enter, have fun, and maybe even win one of the many great prizes.
----
Monday's holiday has me confused as to what day of the week it is; maybe I really am an old dumb-ass! Happy Wednesday!
----