JWas
Immutable Law Of The Universe #11
Some mistakes we make in life we may never have the chance to redeem. That's just the way it is.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
Yet, even today, this stupid freaking ship is how many people think of our State. A drunk at the helm makes a blundering, moronic mistake, things go horribly, horribly wrong, no one is prepared, and one of the worst things that's happened in my short 34 years occurs.
10 Million Gallons of crude spill into the Pacific. Ecosystems damaged, animals killed, coastlines marred, livelihoods lost. The list goes on and on.
18 Years Later?
Exxon was found guilty, responsible, whatever. In 1994, they were handed the largest punitive civil damage award in the History of Man. $5 Billion Dollars.
"The punitive damages amount was based on a single year's profit by Exxon at that time."
They appealed. Duh. Actually, they've appealed the award 4 times since 1994 and have got it cut down to $2.5 Billion as of earlier this year.
The last time they appealed, the 9th Circuit told them to go screw themselves and talk to their boss (in a legal sense, natch.). Exxon has said they will be appealing to the US Supreme Court, based on the "official position that punitive damages greater than $25 million are not justified because the spill resulted from an accident, and because Exxon spent an estimated $2 billion cleaning up the spill, along with a further $1 billion to settle civil and criminal charges related to the case."
The problem with that logic? Exxon recovered a significant portion of clean-up and legal expenses through insurance claims and tax deductions for the loss of the Valdez.
For the past 10 years? Their profit's been $173.81 Billion. That $5 Billion back in 1994 is just 3 percent of their PROFIT for the past 10 years. The 10 years that didn't start until 8 years AFTER the spill.
I am not saying they don't have a right to make a profit. Even obscene profits. They have every right to strive for whatever goals they can as a company. I am not arguing the free market system. I am not arguing politics and influence and our dependence on oil.
I am just saying what my Law up there says. We screw up, we should try to make it right. I teach my kids this, knowing some things we just can't fix. But we try. We should do whatever we can and try.
As I know Susan would say, "You can afford it, fuckers. Pay up." : )
Thanks again for hanging out for another rant. I feel like I'm right. Just wanted to share. Thanks.
Immutable Law Of The Universe #11
Some mistakes we make in life we may never have the chance to redeem. That's just the way it is.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
Yet, even today, this stupid freaking ship is how many people think of our State. A drunk at the helm makes a blundering, moronic mistake, things go horribly, horribly wrong, no one is prepared, and one of the worst things that's happened in my short 34 years occurs.
10 Million Gallons of crude spill into the Pacific. Ecosystems damaged, animals killed, coastlines marred, livelihoods lost. The list goes on and on.
18 Years Later?
Exxon was found guilty, responsible, whatever. In 1994, they were handed the largest punitive civil damage award in the History of Man. $5 Billion Dollars.
"The punitive damages amount was based on a single year's profit by Exxon at that time."
They appealed. Duh. Actually, they've appealed the award 4 times since 1994 and have got it cut down to $2.5 Billion as of earlier this year.
The last time they appealed, the 9th Circuit told them to go screw themselves and talk to their boss (in a legal sense, natch.). Exxon has said they will be appealing to the US Supreme Court, based on the "official position that punitive damages greater than $25 million are not justified because the spill resulted from an accident, and because Exxon spent an estimated $2 billion cleaning up the spill, along with a further $1 billion to settle civil and criminal charges related to the case."
The problem with that logic? Exxon recovered a significant portion of clean-up and legal expenses through insurance claims and tax deductions for the loss of the Valdez.
For the past 10 years? Their profit's been $173.81 Billion. That $5 Billion back in 1994 is just 3 percent of their PROFIT for the past 10 years. The 10 years that didn't start until 8 years AFTER the spill.
I am not saying they don't have a right to make a profit. Even obscene profits. They have every right to strive for whatever goals they can as a company. I am not arguing the free market system. I am not arguing politics and influence and our dependence on oil.
I am just saying what my Law up there says. We screw up, we should try to make it right. I teach my kids this, knowing some things we just can't fix. But we try. We should do whatever we can and try.
As I know Susan would say, "You can afford it, fuckers. Pay up." : )
Thanks again for hanging out for another rant. I feel like I'm right. Just wanted to share. Thanks.