On Oil Spills, responses and the battle for credibility

Today's post is in the form of a poem. I hope you enjoy.

April Two Zero
Can you recall?
When BO and BP
Went to the Ball

They oiled their pelicans
And shredded their work
Lied to the media
And played quite the Jerk

Stunning scientists, pundits,
Young shrimpers and old
With the fishiest story
That’s ever been told

“Why one thousand,
No five, or maybe five more?
But not ten or fifteen.
And none on the shore!”

“And do not listen”, they clamored
“To the man in the back,
His numbers are quacky
He’s certainly a hack.”

And when the man in the back
Had made quite a scene
And burst on the stage
With a look oh so keen

The crowd in their caution
Looked round about
And between authority and power
They scarce hid their doubt

“The numbers I’ve crunched!
The data I’ve chewed!
Reviewed all the tapes!
And counted all oil spewed!”

His figure, they asked
All the voices in the crowd
“Where is it? How big?”
With a shout oh-so-loud

“Why look down”, he said
“On the carpet you stand.
It won’t fit on a stage
Not a number that grand.”

And at once they looked down
At the expert’s wild queues
Their hearts skipped a beat
And then fell in their shoes

“How enormous!” “How impossible!”
“How hard to believe!”
“Is this really quite possible,
Or do you aim to deceive?”

“Oh no!” shouts the scientist
“I dare not do that.
Gentle-men and women -
What you use as a mat

Is a mere estimate they say
A Conservative Sum
Not to get you riled
Feeling antsy or glum

I apologize for the confusion
Delay or the bore
For eeking this out was, well
Quite the chore

But a billion odd barrels
Between you and I
Is hardly a thing
To even bat an eye

So go back to your homes
And worry not a wink
You’ll soon get your own oil
Out of your kitchen sink!”