I promised myself I would not write any more about British Petroleum (BP), but the company just keeps digging itself deeper into a hole of stupidity.

My local paper had three front-page photos this weekend. The first showed chief executive Tony Hayward yachting. The second compared the environmental impact of the oil spill to the Dust Bowl disaster of the 1930s. And the third showed the massive fires in the Gulf burning off the oil. Flip in one page, and there was a picture of workers in jumpsuits with hand tools cleaning the beaches.

Immediately into my mind popped the comparison of how Nero fiddled while Rome was in flames. The next image was of Marie Antoinette saying "let them eat cake!" when told the people had no bread. Sounds very much like Hayward's reply of "Well, I'd like my life back, too." I guess maybe the French were smarter than we are. We all remember how they got even with her.

Today, instead of taking care of business in the Gulf and getting this 21-inch pipe plugged, Hayward decided to go to Russia to suck up to the Russians before they shut down BP's operations there.

Bernie Madoff caused his investors to lose only $18 billion. Since an April 19 close of $59.48, BP's stock has tumbled to $30.83 -- a loss of almost $89 billion to investors, many of whom are retirees and pension funds dependent on the dividend for income.

What do I want from BP? How about just trying to make me believe it cares. How about a photo of all the executive officers and the board of directors in jumpsuits with rakes and shovels cleaning the beaches?

Better yet, how about a finding that BP's actions are no longer gross negligence but have risen to a finding of criminal negligence?

Who is benefiting? The short-sellers and hedge funds are making a killing. The day the well is plugged, those that jump in will make another quick fortune. Too bad they won't share with the innocent stockholders who put their belief in a stable dividend to pay bills in their golden years or the innocent fishermen, waitresses and maids who depended on the beauty of the Gulf to make a living.

Hey, Tony, why don't you tell them to eat cake!