Badtux called it a cult of safety, which was exemplified by a CNN poll showing that 68% of the respondents thought it was too dangerous for a 16-year-old “girl” to sail around the world alone.

If I were Abby Sunderland’s insurance agent, I would much prefer that she engage in something as safe as a solo sail around the world, than being a teenage driver in California. The southern oceans are treacherous, but not as dangerous as the I-405 or Pacific Coast Highway with chemically impaired celebrities whizzing around. Just look at the numbers.

The ABC noted that:

The parents of 16-year-old US sailor Abby Sunderland have defended her solo round-the-world attempt after her successful rescue by a French fishing boat.

The Australians are not apt to get too carried away with the “danger” to Ms Sunderland, as they just welcomed home Jessica Watson, a 16-year-old Australian who just finished her sail around the world. Ms Watson sailed a S&S 34, a proven design, and kept connected with a blog.

Ms Sunderland sailed a slightly larger Open 40, designed for solo sailing, and her vessel had already been around the world many times. She too had a blog.

Despite being demasted and losing its keel, the vessel remained afloat, and Ms Sunderland followed the proper protocol for seeking assistance. Imagine what would have happened to her if she had been t-boned by SUV blowing through a red light?

What father in his right mind wouldn’t want his 16-year-old daughter sailing around the world solo, rather than attending the local high school [it’s a “guy” thing, because we know what 16-year-old guys are like]?

In Group C:

England 1-1 US
Algeria 0-1 Slovenia

In Group D:

Serbia 0-1 Ghana
Germany 4-0 Australia

Goalies are having problems. Both Robert Green of England and Faouzi Chaouchi of Algeria lost control of balls that you would expect them to handle. Some people have complained about the new ball acting weird. Both goals were late in the games but that shouldn’t affect people good enough to make their national teams.

Another goalie in pain, this time physical, is Tim Howard of the US who may have broken ribs. He stayed in the match after the injury, but may have to be benched.

Carl Hiaasen notes of our government Now you don’t trust BP, but it’s too late.

What does it take for the clowns in Washington to figure out that corporations only care about profits? Just because the new crew are educated doesn’t mean they are smart.

Speaking of stupid people: Boaters break booms in area waters

Boaters are cutting boom that has been deployed to protect inland waters.

Crews have found boom cut and removed at Star Lake, Lafitte Cove and Palafox Pier by people trying to get their boats out of the inland waterways, Escambia County officials said Saturday.

County Commissioner Gene Valentino said he saw a boater drive over boom.

“We will pursue our options to the fullest extent under the law,” he said at a briefing at the Escambia County Emergency Operation Center. “This is not to be taken lightly. We are in an emergency condition.”

Confiscate their boats. The boats were used in a crime, and boats are needed, so confiscate them. Publish the pictures, names, and addresses of those involved so people know who to sue when the oil gets in. 👿

It floated more than 200 miles across the Gulf: Piece of Deepwater Horizon rig washes ashore

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Bay County’s first tangible landfall from the Deepwater Horizon accident is not tar balls or oil plumes. Instead, it was a suspected piece of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded and sank off the coast of Louisiana in April.

According to U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Steve Caskey, a tank weighing 5,000 pounds with a 550-gallon capacity washed ashore near 14th Street and Front Beach Road in Laguna Beach.

“It was leaking when it washed up on the beach,” Caskey said. “There is some oil in it. There was sheen created from the tank leaking.”

Caskey said there were BP markings on the tank and other evidence that it came from the Deepwater Horizon rig.

At this point I think we can assume that any oil we see is from BP’s Well from Hell. This pretty much establishes the drift pattern.

Invest 92 is well out in the Atlantic but it has the beginning of a closed circulation over very warm water and a lot of moisture in the surrounding air.

Currently the wind shear isn’t a major problem because it is South of the jet stream, so it could spin up in the next day or two, as it heads for the Caribbean.

Because of the counter-clockwise winds around tropical storms, if it spins up and enters the Gulf, it would be nice if it stayed to the East of the Well from Hell, as that would push the oil away from the shore line. If it passes over or to the West of the Well, we’ll have oily storm surge to contend with and the interior waterways will get polluted.