EXXON! Thank MoanaLisa

When the smoke of disgust clears away, reality will sober up those left inebriated by fate. EXXON is free! It was a real slap in the face, not the “Axe” murder upon the original punitive award allowed by the Supreme Beings, but the fact that there existed any award at all. The Supremes would have been better off saying, “sorry”. But to take a punitive award that was in the billions and decrease it down to pennies on the dollar, it is nothing but a slap in the face for those waiting around for some 20-years by now – for justice. I was not at all thrilled by this punitive action, even though I believed it was justified in some instances. It should have not been a class-action suit, but law and order litigation by individuals - as most likely settlements would have been the preferred method of closure. But it may have been the lawyers that screwed it up. See, I was a property owner in Valdez when the tanker went aground – hard aground. I could have been a plaintiff in line for a piece of the pie. Following the wreck, I was called probably a dozen times wherein some guy tried to tell me that I was “harmed”! So early on I realized that this was a bunch of crazy attorneys trying to cash in on EXXON’s name and deep pockets. Hey, the oil didn’t reach my property some 15-miles inland! Remember, for every dollar they can claim as relief, it is money in their own pockets. So the whole damn scene turned me off. And I knew a guy who maintained a “part time” fishing guide business down on the Kenai. He was a fair weather guide at that. He didn’t need the extra income for his livelihood, as he worked for an oil company and made a very good salary. He guided as an extra-curricular activity on his time off from the slope job. But he was harmed, as the “wreck” was supposed to affect the tourist industry and some telephone soliciting lawyer convinced him that he was allowed by law to be compensated for such “damages”. So all he had to do was produce receipts from past years fishing excursions. He played into the equation of greed, so he is probably still waiting for that check. Hey, it’s in the mail. So it was stuff like this that probably screwed over those really harmed by the inconvenience of having a tanker stuck on Bligh Reef gushing overboard a few million gallons of crude oil. Anyway, what really convinced the Supremes to vacate most of the punitive award? According to Mr. Phenus J. Whoopee, it is about a penny on a dollar. And the fact that it was one of the last decisions to be made this season by the Supremes, before recess, it makes one wonder what was floating around that may have influenced the decision making process. Hey, everybody has an opinion. My opinion is supported by facts. I believe it was MoanaLisa, Alaska’s nepotism U.S. Senator. See, she tried floating a bill in the U.S. Senate that would have allowed the punitive money to be “Tax Free”. Had she been successful, it would have set precedent. It would have meant forever “Tax Free” punitive awards. It was not what the Supremes wanted, as no doubt it would have meant yet another filing, wherein they would have to re-visit the Hazzlewood follies once again. If the punitive damages were allowed to be “Tax Free”, it would have meant punishment against this country’s very own system of taxation. It would equate to a double-jeopardy, as we all know that the payout from EXXON will be absorbed by the consumers at the gas pump. And missing taxation, that same money would benefit a few and not the majority. It has happened time and time again here in Alaska. Wherein the rules are circumvented to allow a privileged population to not pay taxes. It may be justified, but it is sometimes confusing to what is really behind it all, like a secret agenda by the bill originators - our elected representatives. Think about it, had MoanaLisa been successful in getting a bill on record that allowed “Preferential Representation with No Taxation” and the award stayed, she could have been counting the votes. The other day there came a survey of how people in Alaska voted, highlighting how the fishing communities have voted time and time again for Republicans. So MoanaLisa used the opportunity to secure her future, by this tax-free “crap” preferential treatment wherein she would look like a hero. She blew it. I believe the deciding votes with the Supremes had already been made, but it was a close encounter situation and when Congress is trying to get in on the act from the sidelines, it can have repercussions. And MoanaLisa’s “I need your vote” bill seemed to coincide with the high courts delay in offering an opinion, as the Supremes kept putting it off. So if a plaintiff and you are pissed that your retirement has been garnished away, thank MoanaLisa for getting involved when she should have been doing more important things - like real estate. So EXXON, the giant energy corporation goes free! With that in mind, maybe it is time for Alaskan’s to boycott big corporations that are causing harm here in Alaska. I am not talking EXXON, but these big fish processing outfits out of Seattle. Hey, EXXON had enough and they need time to work on alternative energy stuff instead of litigation. Now this state spends from 6 to 8-million a year on anti-smoking campaigns. But one night in front of the boob tube watching the “Ugliest Catch” makes one want to take up the bad habit. This show glorifies the smoking habit, like if you want to be a rough tough fisherman, then you have to be a butthead. If MoanaLisa wants to do something worthwhile, get the FCC to ban this type of broadcast, just like happened to the Marlboro Man. That is outlawed, so why can a producer be so cruel? They could easily edit the tapes, but “No”, as smoking is cool on board a vessel out in the Bearing Sea were everybody is fighting. The only reason I watch the show is in belief that someday there will be a mutiny and a “greenhorn” son makes dad walk the plank. Actually, I don’t watch this show except when in need of a laugh, as it is ridiculous. Like a continuous re-run. Anyway, it is over with and EXXON’s stock is going back up, again! I wonder, does MoanaLisa have any EXXON stock? Hey, MoanaLisa is on live TV! She is complaining about the verdict, a photo-opportunity. She is slamming the Supremes and voicing that the verdict is unfair to Alaska, unfair to the fishermen that have waited all these years for justice. Hey, MoanaLisa, your land swindling deals were also unfair to Alaskans, take that in your pipe and smoke it! And please, don’t get involved anymore, as you seem to do your best when engaged in buying land! By the way, do you own any EXXON stock? Just in. Some guy is trying to get the state to lease the land once set aside for the Pt. McKenzie dairy industry. That land was cleared by homesteaders gone broke and with no dairy cows around, it is a fireweed haven. So what’s the interest? He wants to cultivate the “weed” as a cash crop, for “Alaskan” cigarettes!

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