The latest news on the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico is that it will make landfall as early as tomorrow evening. Governor Bobby Jindahl of Louisiana is mobilizing a united effort to lessen the environmental impact on the beaches, wildlife, tourism, and the shrimping and fishing industries there.
The untold story here is not that the rig had caught fire after an explosion, or that it sank and damaged the well head. The real story here is that the efforts to extinguish the fire are what sank the rig! These rigs (oil platforms) are floating vessels that are permanently moored to the seabed far below. So the question arises, why did British Petroleum try to extinguish a fire on a floating oil platform with water instead of foam?
After what happened on the Air Carrier U.S.S. Forestall, the United States Navy, (which I served in) trains every recruit as a fireman. Every fireman knows that you cannot fight an oil fire or many other chemical fires with water. Water only spreads the fire around because the chemicals are lighter than water and the viscosity is so different. Even some certain solids are best extinguished with foam. Expanding foam quickly smothers the fire and chokes off its access to the oxygen that is vital for sustained combustion. The heat remains, but without oxygen the flames are quickly extinguished.
Knowing this, why then did they choose to fight the fire with water? They only succeeded in reducing the buoyancy of the platform to the point that it became unstable and sank falling onto the well head a mile below the surface of the water and thereby damaging the well casing at three points on the way down.
And now of course the flip-flopping Governor of Florida has penned a letter to Obama petitioning for the end to "drill baby drill" and all exploration off shore. This couldn't have happened at a worse time. This may just doom us to forever purchasing oil from hostile nations overseas. BP should be skewered for this, not necessarily for the environmental impact alone, but also (and especially) for the socioeconomic fallout for United States citizens as well.
And for God's sake BP start stocking fire fighting foam on board your oil platforms, and train every single employee in firefighting like the United States Navy does. And keep them current on their firefighting knowledge and techniques. This catastrophe was entirely avoidable.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Enviro-Religion Madness
The environmental terrorists are at it again, celebrating "Earth Day". They tout rabid conservationism as the panacea for all of the perceived ills of the planet. I would just like to know how the earth got along for so long without us humans and our penchant for recycling?
The earth was here before we were and it will most likely be here well after we are gone. Oh my, how will it survive without us humans to recycle?
The earth does a pretty good job of recycling without us actually. In the 90's there was a release of some "low-level" radioactive deuterium (heavy water) into Lake Erie from the Fermi II nuclear power plant in Michigan, yet the fish have not mutated, nor are they dangerous to eat, and there was no effort undertaken by mankind to remediate the lake water. In the 1960's the Cuyahoga River in Ohio actually caught fire because it was a favored dumping ground for volatile chemicals from industry, yet today people still fish from its shores for pleasure and sustenance. There was no remediation done there either. The fire simply burned itself out. How would anyone extinguish an entire river anyway?
All of this time and energy devoted to "saving the environment" is ludicrous. As a species we can't even destroy the environment so how can we be expected to save it? Wasted time and energy is what it all is. And then there is the capitalists like Gore, who stand to make vast amounts of money on the whole idea of greenness. What a crock of (fill in your favorite expletive here).
I drive for a living. I burn about 6400 gallons of diesel fuel per year. I also drive for service in my business and I burn approximately 1300 gallons of gasoline per year. I run my indoor compact fluorescent lighting approximately 2200 hours per year, (more than I would comparable incandescent lighting because it is cheaper to burn). I employ high tech fluorescent safety lighting outside my house that burns from sundown to sunup, even so they consume over 500 watts of power (but create equivalent light to over 4 thousand watts of HID lighting). My electric cell phone chargers are constantly plugged in even if there is no cell phone charging. I pay for it, and the use is minimal. That energy can't be wasted because it can't be saved either. It isn't stored anywhere, it is generated in real time, and you pay only for what you use anyway. I used to work in the field for Detroit Edison in their metering department and the nominal charge for inactivity is just that, nominal. The charge for the metering on an inactive account is less than $5 per month.
I am just so damned sick of everyone bowing at the altar of environmentalism. Enough already. The planet takes care of itself, lets start doing the same. There are far more pressing issues to attend to than wrangling over "paper or plastic". People like to say that all the "man made" items are what is to blame for pollution. Did we import the ingredients for anything that man has made from another planet or universe? It all comes from the earth anyway. For that fact we don't "make" anything, we simply rearrange or assemble what is already here. So tell me, how can the earth pollute itself with itself? When you post your answer, you can become the Enviro-God.
The earth was here before we were and it will most likely be here well after we are gone. Oh my, how will it survive without us humans to recycle?
The earth does a pretty good job of recycling without us actually. In the 90's there was a release of some "low-level" radioactive deuterium (heavy water) into Lake Erie from the Fermi II nuclear power plant in Michigan, yet the fish have not mutated, nor are they dangerous to eat, and there was no effort undertaken by mankind to remediate the lake water. In the 1960's the Cuyahoga River in Ohio actually caught fire because it was a favored dumping ground for volatile chemicals from industry, yet today people still fish from its shores for pleasure and sustenance. There was no remediation done there either. The fire simply burned itself out. How would anyone extinguish an entire river anyway?
All of this time and energy devoted to "saving the environment" is ludicrous. As a species we can't even destroy the environment so how can we be expected to save it? Wasted time and energy is what it all is. And then there is the capitalists like Gore, who stand to make vast amounts of money on the whole idea of greenness. What a crock of (fill in your favorite expletive here).
I drive for a living. I burn about 6400 gallons of diesel fuel per year. I also drive for service in my business and I burn approximately 1300 gallons of gasoline per year. I run my indoor compact fluorescent lighting approximately 2200 hours per year, (more than I would comparable incandescent lighting because it is cheaper to burn). I employ high tech fluorescent safety lighting outside my house that burns from sundown to sunup, even so they consume over 500 watts of power (but create equivalent light to over 4 thousand watts of HID lighting). My electric cell phone chargers are constantly plugged in even if there is no cell phone charging. I pay for it, and the use is minimal. That energy can't be wasted because it can't be saved either. It isn't stored anywhere, it is generated in real time, and you pay only for what you use anyway. I used to work in the field for Detroit Edison in their metering department and the nominal charge for inactivity is just that, nominal. The charge for the metering on an inactive account is less than $5 per month.
I am just so damned sick of everyone bowing at the altar of environmentalism. Enough already. The planet takes care of itself, lets start doing the same. There are far more pressing issues to attend to than wrangling over "paper or plastic". People like to say that all the "man made" items are what is to blame for pollution. Did we import the ingredients for anything that man has made from another planet or universe? It all comes from the earth anyway. For that fact we don't "make" anything, we simply rearrange or assemble what is already here. So tell me, how can the earth pollute itself with itself? When you post your answer, you can become the Enviro-God.
Friday, April 23, 2010
News From The Road.
Greetings from Grand Island Nebraska. The company flew me out here to cover two drivers taking vacation this week and next. It is rather unusual that I would know what I am doing this far in advance, but the economy is showing signs of rebounding and work is picking up for both my "day-job" here at Ryder and also for my business. I have done five jobs this past two months and I currently have an estimate out on one job and there is yet another looming in the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, after I get back from Nebraska next weekend, I will be touring Ontario Canada for the Pella Window account the following week as they are doing a trade show there. I just got word from my boss that the account manager for the Pella account asked if I would be willing to travel cross country for several weeks. I knew that you don't just do one trade show. There had to be more. I told him that I wouldn't mind it at all, I need the money. And it will be very good money going over the road like that.
I traveled light to get here, cause flying is just such a hassle anymore. I would so rather drive anywhere, but time constraints required a flight here and back. So I travel lightly to avoid the added expense and annoyance of extra charges at the airlines. One duffel bag, one hand bag, my file folder and a newspaper to read on the plane.
I am absolutely floored at just how expensive the little conveniences have gotten, especially out here in the plains. A single 20 ounce soda pop will set you back almost two whole dollars! ($1.89 with tax)! Makes me glad that I live in the densely populated and well traveled mid-west, things are so much cheaper there. I am keeping every single receipt for taxes next year. As an employee who is subject to regulation by the DOT (Department of Transportation) all meals and other unreimbursed expenses that are necessary for the job are tax deductible with some limitations. Meals are subject to a 70% ceiling, others can be written off entirely.
Got to go and get some rest now. I have a busy schedule for the next few months!
Meanwhile, after I get back from Nebraska next weekend, I will be touring Ontario Canada for the Pella Window account the following week as they are doing a trade show there. I just got word from my boss that the account manager for the Pella account asked if I would be willing to travel cross country for several weeks. I knew that you don't just do one trade show. There had to be more. I told him that I wouldn't mind it at all, I need the money. And it will be very good money going over the road like that.
I traveled light to get here, cause flying is just such a hassle anymore. I would so rather drive anywhere, but time constraints required a flight here and back. So I travel lightly to avoid the added expense and annoyance of extra charges at the airlines. One duffel bag, one hand bag, my file folder and a newspaper to read on the plane.
I am absolutely floored at just how expensive the little conveniences have gotten, especially out here in the plains. A single 20 ounce soda pop will set you back almost two whole dollars! ($1.89 with tax)! Makes me glad that I live in the densely populated and well traveled mid-west, things are so much cheaper there. I am keeping every single receipt for taxes next year. As an employee who is subject to regulation by the DOT (Department of Transportation) all meals and other unreimbursed expenses that are necessary for the job are tax deductible with some limitations. Meals are subject to a 70% ceiling, others can be written off entirely.
Got to go and get some rest now. I have a busy schedule for the next few months!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Cleaning House with the Tea Party Movement
Every neighborhood has one. A person that just can't keep from exhibiting antagonistic behaviors. You know what I am talking about; that dorky looking preteen kid that insists upon gathering all the others around a tree and then using a big stick to whack a beehive and cackle as he runs away, leaving the bewildered others standing there to become hapless victims of the resulting swarm of angry bees. Obama was just that kind of a kid folks. He has whacked the proverbial beehive of freedom with his big "health care" stick, and now he has the audacity to laugh at his hapless drones as the warrior bees of freedom launch a counter attack.
Obama is a professional antagonist. It is written all over his resume. He loves agitating the hive. But the duck and weave only keeps you safe if you are faster than your adversary. He has overreached this time. He can't out run the truth. We the people have found you out Obama, and we are going to fire you in the next election, just like we fired that wacky peanut farming dolt Carter.
We are going to run you off the block. We don't want your kind around here. We don't need your kind around here. Your opinion of this great country is so low, you should have campaigned to be the next "El-Presidente" of Venezuela instead. Perhaps your pal Hugo would mentor you. Oh, that's right he already has. Did he autograph your copy of Hegemony for you when you were down there groveling at his feet?
I guarantee you this; Obama will be a "one term dunderhead", and us Conservatives will take back our beloved country from the clutches of the liberal horde in congress. And all the Obamanoids that currently fawn over his every breathy lilted word read from the teleprompter will be stupefied as to what has happened. They will be wondering "where is Obamaclaus? he promised us all free health care." Well Virginia, there is no free health care, and Obamaclaus is a fraud.
The Tea Party members are those warrior bees and the liberals in congress are the hapless kids on the block. They are in that stupor, that fog of confusion phase right now, not quite comprehending what has happened or what to do about it. Obama has set you up. He is running to distance himself now and he is laughing at you as you bear the brunt of the hive's anger against your assault on our liberty and freedom. You will know which way to run come this November if you haven't figured it out before then. Some of you already have. Good riddance to you!
Obama is a professional antagonist. It is written all over his resume. He loves agitating the hive. But the duck and weave only keeps you safe if you are faster than your adversary. He has overreached this time. He can't out run the truth. We the people have found you out Obama, and we are going to fire you in the next election, just like we fired that wacky peanut farming dolt Carter.
We are going to run you off the block. We don't want your kind around here. We don't need your kind around here. Your opinion of this great country is so low, you should have campaigned to be the next "El-Presidente" of Venezuela instead. Perhaps your pal Hugo would mentor you. Oh, that's right he already has. Did he autograph your copy of Hegemony for you when you were down there groveling at his feet?
I guarantee you this; Obama will be a "one term dunderhead", and us Conservatives will take back our beloved country from the clutches of the liberal horde in congress. And all the Obamanoids that currently fawn over his every breathy lilted word read from the teleprompter will be stupefied as to what has happened. They will be wondering "where is Obamaclaus? he promised us all free health care." Well Virginia, there is no free health care, and Obamaclaus is a fraud.
The Tea Party members are those warrior bees and the liberals in congress are the hapless kids on the block. They are in that stupor, that fog of confusion phase right now, not quite comprehending what has happened or what to do about it. Obama has set you up. He is running to distance himself now and he is laughing at you as you bear the brunt of the hive's anger against your assault on our liberty and freedom. You will know which way to run come this November if you haven't figured it out before then. Some of you already have. Good riddance to you!
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