Amy Winehouse Drives A Top EPA Official 'Nuts'

The deputy EPA administrator has used his latest blog to inform the public not about global warming, alternative energy, or carbon credits. Nope, he's ranting that Amy Winehouse's "incredibly self-destructive behavior" drives him "nuts." Huh?In a bizarre post Tuesday, Marcus Peacock lashes out against Winehouse and complains he's frustrated that the Grammy-nominated singer "is a wreck." "She's wandered in and out of rehab, canceled tours, had run-ins with the law, and gotten booed at concerts."

Thanks for the update, Marcus -- but what's all that got to do with the ozone layer or the Kyoto Agreement?

Peacock, the Environmental Protection Agency's second in command, also apparently spends a lot of time thinking (fantasizing?) about Winehouse's "dusky, soulful voice." Eeeuuuw!

Peacock, in a fit of philosophizing, does concede that great art is often informed by profligacy and hardship -- and that their absence might dim the creative soul. "Here's the fascinating question: Would a clean Amy Winehouse still be Amy Winehouse?"

Well, Marcus, we don't know ... we just don't know.

But here's a question right back atchya: Shouldn't you be using your access to EPA servers to blog about a clean environment, rather than "a clean Amy Winehouse." Do we really care about your apparent rock-chick-girl crush?

By the way ... Peacock helped lead the EPA's initial response to Hurricane Katrina. Well, that explains a few things. Hard to hear all those cries emanating from the Superdome when you've got Stronger Than Me cranked up on your iPod.

All this raises an important question about government blogs.

Shouldn't high-ranking officials use them to inform the public about topics that are at least remotely related to their agencies? Or should they be a vehicle through which they can just opine wildly about anything they feel like. (Amy Winehouse is "an incredibly skilled person," says Peacock. Um, whatever.)

In the private sector, employees that maintain company-sponsored blogs are generally expected to post on subjects relevant to their industry. If they really need to tell the world about their passion for carving cheese into the shape of biblical characters -- well, they can just go get a WordPress account like everyone else.

News flash: In his next blog, Marcus Peacock will not talk about ethanol fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, or solar power. He will, however, give us the lowdown on Paris and Lindsay, and introduce his 10-point Britney Spears reduction program.