SCARE CONTINUUM

The Scare Continuum

We are all hapless residents bouncing along within the Scare Continuum as Scare Inc. goes full throttle with the latest “environmental catastrophe”. Scare Inc. is now running at top speed with the BP Oil spill providing all of the nitro-laced fuel necessary to spew out hyperbole at a rate that surly exceeds the rate of the spilling oil that the undersea camera faithfully records for all to see within the Scare Continuum. If we only had a BS camera that could faithfully record all of maneuvering to find oil-covered birds, tar balls fouling befuddled Granny’s pristine beach, finding just the right stretch of oil covered water suitable for a fearless reporter to dive headlong into, pretty little girls with bouncing curls and limp beach toys hanging down staring wistfully at destroyed sugar white beaches, primordial marsh flora drenched in the “Toxic” stuff that stupid humans use to willfully destroy the beautiful blue Planet. If only we had that BS camera operating right alongside that Scare Inc. camera, then perhaps we could get a “fair and balanced” account about what is really happening. But wait, there is such a thing as a BS camera and it is the exclusive property of the Fourth Estate. Oh no! The Fourth Estate is a charter member of Scare Inc. and fourth estate natural law dictates you can’t operate both cameras at the same time. Fourth Estate natural law being that law that requires profit regardless how obtained, (you know like industry profiteering from war). Perhaps ideology advancement might be part of the natural law that rules the Fourth Estate nowadays, I’m just saying. Suffice to say, The Scare Continuum is a very broad river that offers many opportunities for all willing to add content to the swelling confluence. Maybe even the Government sees opportunity to not let a good “crisis” go to waste and can advance treasured policy to obtain even more power and influence by encouraging Scare Inc. to pour it on. Because I’m not a member of Scare Inc., I have a few observations that might be useful in understanding the BP oil spill. Make no mistake, the oil spill is not a good thing other than for those wanting to profit (politically, competitively and howeverwise) from the misfortune. No doubt primary blame is BP’s alone and the free market will punish the crap out of them for their mismanagement. Profit that was to go to investors will now be required to mitigate damage and the loss of profit could well wreck the Company. This is how the free market works. There is more fundamental blame if anyone is interested in spreading blame. The United States is sitting on a sea of oil but cannot drill for it or use it because of Government restrictions. Such restrictions drive up the price of oil (greeniks nirvana) and drive those producing our required fuel to go into ever more risky environments, such as deep water to obtain our necessary oil. As far as the environmental “disaster, catastrophe, (take your pick)” is concerned, petroleum is a natural occurring organic compound that seeps constantly into the oceans naturally and there are many microbes out there bulking up on the oil bonanza. Indeed, the Ixtoc 1 oil spill in Campeche Sound 30 years ago gushed 3.3 million barrels into the sea for nearly 10 months. The environment scientists predicted all life would die as a result, but to their astonishment and embarrassment, the Sound recovered completely in little over 2 years. I bet you didn’t hear much about that from the Government or Fourth Estate.