Monday, October 13, 2008

Chevron v. Ecuador - Chevron Files Response To "Fraudulent" Court Report

I'm just updating you on news related to the ongoing legal battle between Chevron and Ecuador:

California-based oil major Chevron (NYSE: CVX) has filed a written response to a court-ordered report in a trial related to alleged environmental damage in Ecuador.

The superior court in Nueva Loja, Ecuador, asked Richard Cabrera to write the report after the plaintiffs aborted a judicial inspection process of the alleged pollution in Ecuador, Chevron said in a statement.

"The findings of the Cabrera report are clearly fraudulent and intended to cause damage to this US company and its shareholders," Chevron general counsel Charles James told reporters in a conference call.

"This report would not withstand scrutiny - be it technical, scientific or legal - in any responsible independent court anywhere in the world," he said.

Chevron believes Cabrera, helped by the plaintiffs, "manipulated" findings to justify false conclusions. Cabrera failed to present evidence for a number of claims and did not look at drinking water samples to prove contamination, according to the Chevron statement.

"It is hard to read Mr Cabrera's report and find a single table, page, assertion or data point that we wouldn't take issue with," James said when asked whether there was any truth to the Cabrera report. "He did put his name on the report and I presume that's correct."

The Cabrera report estimates damages of US$7bn-16bn - a "reasonable" amount that actually "underestimated the number of deaths from cancer due to the oil contamination," the Amazon Defense Coalition, a NGO that supports the plaintiffs, said in a statement.

In fact, plaintiffs have submitted papers to the court asking Cabrera to calculate how much it would cost to remediate groundwater and surface water not included in the assessment.

"There is significant evidence of groundwater and surface water contamination in the record yet no damages to remediate the impacts," Pablo Fajardo, the Ecuadorian lawyer for "dozens" of Amazon communities and five indigenous groups suing Chevron, said in the NGO's statement.

The trial stems back decades, when Ecuador's state oil company Petroecuador led an E&P project with partner Texaco Petroleum (Texpet), which years later merged into Chevron. The Petroecuador-Texpet partnership resulted in total crude production of 1.7Mb, with Texpet - which stopped operating in the country in 1992 - taking 5% of the financial proceeds, according to Chevron figures.

Ecuador's government in 1999 enacted a new environmental statute that allows any Ecuadorian resident to file a collective suit for environmental reparations. As a result, plaintiffs filed suit against Chevron in 2003, alleging environmental damage under the Texpet project.

Although Texpet had a minority stake in the project, plaintiffs allege it did substandard work and made major decisions about project technology and methodology.

Chevron denies the allegations and says it performed a US$40mn remediation project that gave it final immunity from claims resulting from its participation in the consortium.

Obama Arkansas Volunteers Face Racism and Threats

The reports of racism from supporters of the McCain / Palin campaign and also reports of threats to Obama supporters are on the rise as we move closer to election day.  I just got this email from an Obama volunteer in Arkansas and who's full name I will not use here:


I live in Mountain Home AR and there are many of us here that support Obama.  But you will not find a sign any where.  The reason for this is the blatant racism and threats that have occurred against Obama and his supporters.  We are all afraid of being attacked in some way for putting up a sign.  Are you hearing this around the country?  Any thoughts?  I pray for his life and safety every day.  One of my friends told me that I was not standing up for my convictions because I did not have a sign.  I told him that now was not the time to put my safety and life on the line, but after he is elected and the attacks on him begin, it will then be time to fight to protect our President.
JP  


If you have a television or radio show, make it your business to tell people not to behave in the way of violating the rights of other Americans.  Barack Obama's going to be a great president and those who are racist need to get over their hate and get professional help to do so.  

Obama Up 13 Points Nationally In Reseach 2000 Poll; Palin at All Time Low

Barack Obama's ahead of John McCain by 13 points and the lead is increasing in the Research 2000 poll.  This is  a better poll than the Gallup Daily tracking which has Obama up by 7 points but does not explain why.

Obama's Calm Key To Foreign Policy Success - Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan wrote it best:


Obama's not-so-secret weapon in an international crisis: his calm. McCain's not-so-secret liability in a tense election: his hotheadedness. This race is about policy and the times. But it is also about temperament and character. That's why, in my judgment, it has broken so clearly in Obama's direction. He actually reassures and he manages not to take the bait almost all of the time. More to the point, he gets his opponents to destroy themselves, while he glides forward...

Why Rumors Exist in Human Culture and How to Fight Them

By using the tools of evolutionary theory and new approaches to mathematical modeling, researchers are drawing a clearer picture of how and why rumors spread. As they do, they are finding that far from being merely idle or malicious gossip, rumor is deeply entwined with our history as a species.

read more | digg story

American Fundamentalist Right No Different Than Taliban

It’s hard to believe how or why, but there really exists a subculture in America that is militaristic, hateful, vengeful, irrational and ambitious. These extremists are cancerous to progressive society and similar groups have had similar effect throughout the history of civilization.

read more | digg story

How McCain Will Steal the Election from Obama

Conservatives are scared of a progressive majority. And they're going to lie, cheat and steal to prevent it from happening. But they can only be successful if we let them.

read more | digg story

Obama DID NOT ask to delay security agreement, Iraqi FM says

The statement by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari refutes a recent published report and a statement by Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin that Obama tried to influence Iraqi politicians negotiating with the United States to score political points.

read more | digg story

Betty White Says Sarah Palin's A "Crazy Bitch"; Calls Obama Sexy




This is one funny video. Craig Ferguson hosts actress Betty White, who brings the house down by saying that Gov. Sarah Palin's "one crazy bitch" and then crowing that Barack Obama's one sexy man! Watch the video!

Racist Palin Supporter Holds Obama Monkey Doll At Palin Rally

Well, if you need more proof that McCain / Palin rallies are drawing sick, mentally ill people, here you are. I present this big terrible sick idiot for your ridicule and pitty.  Folks like him muddle the Republican message, but I also think some of that racist rhetoric is causing racists to feel it's ok to, well,  be racist again.  


It's not.  It's a mental illness that, in this case, all should call that person on.  








Sunday, October 12, 2008

Think Progress Causes Politico To Backpedal On McCain Tax Claims

Wow, it's about time one of the blogs took Politico to task for their occasional pumping up of Senator John McCain's policies as if they support the middle class.  Nothing could be further from the truth, and thank God, Think Progress came through:


Earlier today, ThinkProgress criticized Politico.com for publishing a story that claimed John McCain’s proposed tax cuts for capital gains and dividends would be “aimed directly at the middle class.”
Tonight, Politico published a new story on McCain’s tax cuts that removed the false claim. Instead, the article states that the tax cuts are “designed to lure investors back to the stock market.” Here’s their new story’s lead:

Sarah Palin Booed At Philly Flyers' Game




Watch Alaska Governor Sarah Palin get booed at the Philly Flyers' opener.   This was a total mistake, having her drop the first puck.  But the Philly Flyers' owner had this wild and stupid idea, and apparently no one talked him out of it.