For those of you young enough to remember the expression, "Star of Stage, Screen and Radio", it's the moniker conveyed upon those in public view who seemed to be here, there and everywhere, forever the focus of the media's eye.
In perverse manner the same now applies to BP, currently viewed as responsible for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill which President Obama has categorized as a "massive and potentially unprecedented catastrophe." It has already claimed eleven lives, destroying the livelihood of thousands and thousands, and causing incalculable environmental damage.
"BP is responsible for this leak and will be paying the bill" Obama made clear. According to Environmental Protection Federal Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, who flew over the Gulf oil spill Saturday, "it's like all five of the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes are oil sheen."
These past years BP has been the central player in a roster of disturbing and often lethal oil related catastrophes and dubious policies.
These include not only today's disaster:
- 2005: A major explosion at BP'S 440,000 barrel/day Texas City Refinery killing 15 workers and injuring hundreds. According to a report that was issued after the accident identifying numerous failings in equipment, risk management, at the site, as well as failings in a working culture, relating to maintenance, inspection and general health and safety assessments.
While the oil slick spreads we can at least rest assured that BP, perhaps a bit thin with hands on competence in containing oil spills, has ample experience in dealing with federal oversight agencies.