New York Times (June 8)
“Can BP Ever Get It Right?” While musing on this question, the New York Times asserts BP is a “feckless outfit” with “shaky credibility” that is ill prepared to cope with the Gulf oil disaster. Based on “serial failures,” the answer is obvious. BP “clearly can’t be trusted to figure out what is needed on its own.”
“Can BP Ever Get It Right?” While musing on this question, the New York Times asserts BP is a “feckless outfit” with “shaky credibility” that is ill prepared to cope with the Gulf oil disaster. Based on “serial failures,” the answer is obvious. BP “clearly can’t be trusted to figure out what is needed on its own.”
The Times—London (June 4)
“BP, not to mention its market capitalisation, is disappearing in the Gulf of Mexico” as its offshore oil well uncontrollably gushes oil. Yet, BP’s chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg “has gone missing.” Most people don’t even recognize his name. A low profile is not appropriate during a saga which has claimed 11 lives and become America’s largest disaster. “BP is one of Britain’s most important companies. Its future is in danger.” BP needs “a heavyweight public diplomat rather than the absentee who is presiding over a disaster in silence.”
The Times—London (May 31)
While Americans once liked “No Drama Obama” and his cool, rational approach to handling disasters, feelings are changing. Now, Americans want superman. “A nation whose distrust of central government has reached a post-Civil War high” now wants “a huge and powerful government to jump in” and fix what is now America’s worst oil spill. Alas, neither Obama nor the government can plug the hole: “That job can only be done by BP.”
While Americans once liked “No Drama Obama” and his cool, rational approach to handling disasters, feelings are changing. Now, Americans want superman. “A nation whose distrust of central government has reached a post-Civil War high” now wants “a huge and powerful government to jump in.” Alas, neither Obama nor the government can plug the hole: “That job can only be done by BP.”
Barron’s (May 8)
The BP oil disaster illustrates Murphy’s Law: everything going wrong at the worst possible time. With over 30,000 wells drilled, the Gulf of Mexico provides 30% of the energy produced in the U.S. Barron’s recently cheered Barack Obama when he pledged to open some new areas to offshore drilling. BP’s still unfolding catastrophe in the Gulf will, however, prompt calls to backtrack. Rare catastrophes will strike, “but restricting the development of the offshore-energy industry will not help the state or the country.”
The BP oil disaster illustrates Murphy’s Law: everything going wrong at the worst possible time. With over 30,000 wells drilled, the Gulf of Mexico provides 30% of the energy produced in the U.S. Barron’s recently cheered Barack Obama when he pledged to open some new areas to offshore drilling. BP’s still unfolding catastrophe in the Gulf will, however, prompt calls to backtrack. Rare catastrophes will strike, “but restricting the development of the offshore-energy industry will not help the state or the country.”
Tags: BP, Gulf of Mexico, Obama, Oil
New York Times (April 29)
The well below BP’s now collapsed offshore drilling rig continues to spill 42,000 gallons of oil per day into the Gulf of Mexico. A solution may be weeks or months away. This is, however, the first major spill in the Gulf. The New York Times warns against overreacting by eliminating conventional fuels from energy policy. The newspaper does, however, call for a speedy and comprehensive investigation arguing: “if oil drilling is to be part of this country’s immediate energy future, it must be done responsibly.”
The well below BP’s now collapsed offshore drilling rig continues to spill 42,000 gallons of oil per day into the Gulf of Mexico. A solution may be weeks or months away. This is, however, the first major spill in the Gulf. The New York Times warns against overreacting by eliminating conventional fuels from energy policy. The newspaper does, however, call for a speedy and comprehensive investigation arguing: “if oil drilling is to be part of this country’s immediate energy future, it must be done responsibly.”
Tags: BP, Gulf of Mexico, Oil
