The BP Pinata

This is a tough one, however, since I am usually swimming upstream anyway, I'll give it a try. The media and the masses seem to be revelling in the thought of punishing BP for their environmental damage as a result of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. I too think punishment is in order. Here's the but: I think this process of punishment, fines and restitution should be handled judiciously and even handedly. I do not get the sense that this will be the case. The lottery mentality has taken over. The bottom feeders; in this case, the government, the media, the insurance companies, and the attorneys, have arrived. They will posture that they are protectecting "the little guy", when in fact their only concern is to either advance an agenda, e.g. the green movement, or to gain notariety and big fees via commissions and fees, or to get that "big scoop", and maybe even one of those highly prized Nobel thingies, or finally to squash any and all claims, even legitimate ones. Watching Ken Feinberg in a press interview yesterday, brought to mind a huge tic, dug in, and growing rapidly with it's fortunate find of a fat and healthy host.