An Apocalypse In A Teacup

Tony Hayward, CEO of BP, tells us that this is what's happening in the Gulf. A very very modest blip. There's lots of ocean and not as much oil.

I guess you can get your shrimp in a ready-made salad dressing, too. The turtles? Do they vote? Do they consume oil products? Well, what's the fuss?

OK. I have no idea how big an apocalypse we are going to have but if you happen to live inside that teacup it's big enough, and what has taken place should teach us something about outsourcing and corporate regulation and the wisdom (or not) of letting the markets do whatever they happen to wish to. It should also teach every single adult about the concept of externalities, because those might very well kill us all one day.

Is it just my impression or has the British Petroleum managed to control the news fairly well? Are we already in that world of Sheri Tepper's science fiction where whole planets are owned by separate corporations and everyone on them works for one?

And if you watch the video of Hayward at the link, do take note of how he is dressed. I bet he's not dressed like that when there's no apocalypse.