Looks like there is plenty of blame to go around

Gift -- Bribes -- Corruption... I hope they investigate from top to bottom and fire, fine and confine all those found guilty.

Isnt it illegal fo rthem to take gifts? Try to give your County Assessor a gift when he comes round to evaluate for property taxes!

Your right there is enough blame to go around the President is setting in his office crying that Its always my fault.....But I don't know how to fix it....I'll just take a trip to California to help Boxer....... When they started Drilling off shore there should have been safe guards put in place to stop an oil spill like this........But like most company wanting to cut cornors they just didn't worry about that........ And they are finding out that a lot of people were taking bribs to look the other way.......When people start thinking about why regulations are put in place instead of how they can make money by looking the other way.....Come on people stop and think why did it happen....It happened because someone doesn't think about what can happen if these things aren't done.....

There is always more than enough blame to go around. Can't say I am surprised about the "gifts" either. Can't say I am surprised about the depth of corruption that exists since the trail leads directly to Congress (both parties) and The White House. Of course this reminds me a great deal of another accident, Chernobyl. Plenty of blame went around there too and the corruption went all the way up. By the way those who are for Nuclear Power should read up on the consequences of human error. (Chernobyl and Three Mile Island) But that is totally another discussion.

thats sad as the oil companies were just trying to soften up the judgements of the inspectors. basicly they were brown nosing them. they should outlaw that type of behavior if you ask me. to put it bluntly yes i think it can contribute to an unbiased report.

I think it's very unethical to accept any kind of gift or favor is you're an inspector of any kind. I was glad to read in the article that someone was actually fired for this and that the acceptability of this behavior changed afterwards. At least, if it still existed, it was done more covertly. I do believe that the D.A.'s office should have prosecuted the case back in 2007 and I have no way of knowing whether this contributed to the accident in the Gulf. If it turns out that it did, those responsible should be charged with murder since people lost their lives.

I worked for a mutual fund company for over ten years and every year there was a reminder that there must be absolutely no chance of having a conflict of interest. If there was any question about a security we wanted to invest we had a compliance department to consult if it was OK. Otherwise it would be a criminal offense if it did violate SEC rules and regulations. Now the SEC only handles financial institutions, surely there ought to be something for rig inspections. This is big time. Not just a ban from working or taking such gifts but actual jail time. And a hefty fine that takes all their resources, not just a piddly amount (to them).

Not only do you need to prevent them from accepting gifts, but you also need to ban the inspectors from ever taking a job with one of these companies. And I am talking about a lifetime ban. Of course, that means that someone needs to pay the inspectors more in the first place. And I think that we all know how likely it is that someone is going to be paid more just to ensure that they actually do a good job. What I found especially worrisome is that some workers could start the report in pencil, and then the inspector would finish filling it in pen. Shouldn't the inspector being doing the whole report, as in inspection and all?

It wouldn't be the first time inspectors took bribes, if they did. Considering what BP is going to have to pay in lawsuits and cleanup, it makes you wonder why the most stringent safety precautions were not put in place from the beginning. I don't think that would have been so costly as what they'll be facing now. As far as those who turned a blind eye to the bribery, at the least, they should be looking for another job, at the worst, they should be prosecuted with anyone else who was complicit.

All inspectors have a price in one shape or form. Many ignore that fact and do a good job but there are too many out there that will take the bribes or gifts as you so nicely put it here. Could this have been avoided, well really it could happen at anytime whether all codes are met or not as these things just happen at times. Though I do believe the company and the inspectors and our government where and continue to be lacking in the ability to fix the problem and that none of this should have been in working form if there was no adequate plan of attack for such situations. it's not as if they didn't know it could happen they just ignored the fact that it could and all parties are responsible for that. i am disappointed in how the company and the government are not stepping up well enough ( or barely at all) to really stop this. Our government can force feed us unneeded vaccinations in a week or two but cannot stop an oil leak? Please they are slacking and no one is getting mad because they might hurt this administrations feelings or the media is not behind it or there is more important things as though the huge chunk (still spreading) of our national coast lines and wild life are being killed off as well as the homes of many of our people.

why instead of blaming somebody around we must do our part. we should not wait that somebody will do something, or at least we lend a helping hand although there are some issues that are so beyond our individual capacity, but if we unite, we would be able to make a difference.