The Last Days Of May Trash

/80 Comments/in /by

Now that the Top Hat is back in BP style, I constantly think of this when I hear the term “Top Hat“. Oh well, whatta ya gonna do? Beer Thirty, that’s what!

Lots of junk to blather about, only a few of which are Los Suns hosting the pinche Lakers, baseball (look out, here come the amazing Mets and Sawx), college baseball is in the playoff run, something called the Stanley Cup is supposedly being played, although you would hardly know it here, and early tomorrow morning the Turkish Grand Prix goes off. Crappy cookie cutter track that makes for forgettable racing. Don’t know why the Circus stops in Turkey.

Hoop it up, and I will be along with a couple of real posts in a bit.

80 replies
  1. Skilly says:

    BMAZ,

    We got a little race going on here in Indiana. I think you might have missed than one?

    • Peterr says:

      I think that bamz covered your little event when he said “Crappy cookie cutter track that makes for forgettable racing.”

      Turn left, turn left, turn left, turn left, turn left . . .

  2. randiego says:

    We got a little race going on here in Indiana. I think you might have missed than one?

    Hah, yeah maybe.

    Don’t know why the Circus stops in Turkey.

    Turkish women are beautiful?

  3. scribe says:

    Seen on a bumper today, a sticker saying: “I hate Peyton Manning”

    That and I caught a northern pike in the 30 inch range last night. Unfortunately, I lost it at the shore when it rolled on the leader. Five pounds of filet – gone.

    You shoulda seen the other anglers. They’d been thinking they’d found a good fishin’ hole, catching the occasional 10 inch perch until they saw what had been hiding in their spot.

        • Peterr says:

          Yeah, I was there during that mess.

          Whoever introduced Northern Pike into Lake Davis was a true idiot. If you want to fish for Northerns, go to Minnesota or Wisconsin. Don’t ruin the lake in your own backyard (and the waters downstream from that lake).

        • fatster says:

          Some of the locals have claimed that Fish & Game reintroduce the Northern Pike whenever they replenish with the millions of small fry after they’ve poisoned all the existing fish.

          “”You don’t know who did it, yet?” says the bartender. “You still don’t know who did it?” He winks at Labarge and they chuckle. Labarge orders another shot of tequila, the bartender pours. “I’ll tell you who did it. Fish and Game. “”

          It’s a fascinating, colorful history. LINK.

      • scribe says:

        Yeah, but I know where he lives, now. And, FWIW, I am not so much pissed as I am still twitching from the adrenaline. Plus, rolling on the leader he pulled the hooks out, so I got the spoon back.

        The problem – and this applies to the California story, too – is that some redneck genius bucket biologists decide they like fishing for/catching/eating a particular species and, well, it’s too far to drive to where they are (seeing as how they’re using that tree in the front yard both for shade and to suspend the pickup engine while they’re still working on the truck), so they’ll just dump some here. That’s the source of the northerns in the place I was fishing – the whole state, actually. All introduced. In this particular instance, into a prime landlocked salmon fishery with predictable results. I’m told there were more than a few in the 20-lb and up class pulled through the ice this past winter.

        Yes, it’s great fun catching northerns, and even moreso when there’s no limit, no minimum size (though anything under 24 inches is going to be too bony to bother with), no closed season, no one gives a shit, and catching and keeping is encouraged. It’s nice, relaxed, have fun fishing.

        But, to be frank, I’d just as soon it was still a long drive to PikeTown.

  4. scribe says:

    In other competitive sports, Germany wins the Eurovision Song Contest (no, I am not going to link) with what looks like the 19 y/o Euro-version of Taylor Swift.

  5. Jeff Kaye says:

    Kobe and Pau will finish it off. My hats off to the Suns, who have been valiant in pursuit of the Western Conference championship.

  11. Argonaut says:

    Turkish GP a cookie cutter track?? You must have missed the driver comments – they like it. And you’d better like it too because the same designer is going to Do Texas.

  12. bobschacht says:

    The Lakers have solved the Suns zone defense in the first half, and have scored more than 60 points in the half. Unless the Suns can play better defense in the second half, they’re toast.

    Bob in AZ

  13. SaltinWound says:

    As a Laker fan, it looks to me like the Suns miss Raja Bell. He really bothered Kobe.

  14. bobschacht says:

    The Lakers have 91 points after 3 quarters. Its hard to win any games when you allow 30 points a quarter. Looks like the Suns are toast.

    Bob in AZ

  15. bmaz says:

    BREAKING NEWS: From Emptywheel’s Senior Los Suns Correspondent.live at The Purple Palace.

    The Joint was totally wild for a long time, but the air is coming out a little. Every time Los Suns make a run the Lakes run it back to 12 lead. Goran Drajic deserves an Academy Award for poignant flop. Seriously.

  16. bobschacht says:

    Well, the Suns are making things interesting in the 4th quarter. Their defense has improved, and the second unit + Amar’e are leading the charge.

    Bob in AZ

  19. bobschacht says:

    Kobe didn’t beat us; Ron Artest beat us.
    You expect the kind of game Kobe had; you don’t expect that kind of performance from Artest.

    Bob in AZ

    • Jeff Kaye says:

      Artest was superb, on an up, most likely, from that redemption shot at the end of the last game. No one suspected Artest would be there.

      Gentry called Kobe “an assassin.” Those shots in the last minute, like a knife.

  21. bobschacht says:

    Artest got’em there. Kobe administered the coups de grace.

    The four finalists all had two stars and a supporting cast. The defense focuses on those two. But the key to each game was which third guy would step up and make the difference? With Phoenix, the third guy usually was J Rich. With LA, tonight, it was Ron Artest.

    Bob in AZ

    • bobschacht says:

      Yeah; what will this be? The 33rd meeting of the Lakers and Celtics in the finals?

      Another classic rivalry– perhaps THE classic rivalry.

      Bob in AZ

    • Jeff Kaye says:

      Real Suns fans will root for the Western Conference. Orlando showed Boston, and Phoenix showed L.A. that neither is invincible, though they both have great teams. Boston embarrassed L.A. two years ago, I don’t think that will happen again.

      Lakers in six.

  25. tjallen says:

    I see Schumi’s little fake accident in qualifying won him the team battle this weekend. Nico doesn’t realize how lowdown are Schumi’s shenanigans. When the skills are gone, all that’s left is the dirty driving.

  26. harpie says:

    Sorry Suns fans.

    Go Celtics!

    In other news, daughter and spouse brought home 28″ and 30″ Striped Bass yesterday! Yummy grilled!

  27. JohnLopresti says:

    A demi-rube in the saw shop described how to run AutoCad and link its output to the plotter in the remodeled barn. Aint a sports story, so far. Next some gent starts lamenting Warrior woes, and we start listening to dimensional tales of Kevin McHale*s (elbow technique and) lank frame of yore*.

    Since all this is off topic because I skip sports and long since quit looking for real trout after the overpopulation crunch obliterated indigenous wild species and only dumb hatchery varieties were populated into waterways murked by civilization fallout, and since the toxins which accumulate in fish are foremost a detriment to the longevity of women and children, I would mention a blurb at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility last week disavowing Salazar*s one-agency approach to de-JamesWattifying minerals and mining service, there. Gist is suggestion to remove royalty payment collection entirely from Interior, assign it to Treasury, so (DoI) inspectors of well rigs are not the functionaries responsible for filling DoI*s bank accounts with royalty collections. The article also avers US Coastguard would be more dispassionate about inspections than DoI. There is a neat passage in the post on subservient science at DoI, as well, q.v.

    Classified section: Also may have a home for 3 horses.
    ___
    Was a Celtic.

  28. pdaly says:

    Just finished reading 900+ comments from just two posts. Wow, things are picking up here.

    Extra trash to toss in here at trash talk: Bybee is at it again.
    See Torturing the Law at Slate.

    The Santa Barbara mobile home tenants should send thank you letters to DOJ’s Associate Deputy Attorney General David Margolis. /s
    I’m betting the Guggenheims have already sent Margolis a letter of gratitude.

    • readerOfTeaLeaves says:

      Just finished reading 900+ comments from just two posts. Wow, things are picking up here.

      Pretty wild, huh?

      IMVHO, the upside is some smart minds riding herd on the corporate recklessness of BP. But it’s a lotta comments… I’m all tuckered out from trying to sorta-kinda keep up.

        • BoxTurtle says:

          Bet on it. There’s not a single precident that supports Bybee’s position and there’s plenty of precident to the contrary.

          This ruling will get Bybee a lot of speaking engagements, but not much else. I don’t think a federal judge can be paid a speakers fee, but perhaps Bybee plans for the day when he’ll no longer be a judge. I can’t see much else accomplished, other than annoying the rest of the 9th by forcing them to take time to read that nonsense.

          Boxturtle (Wasting a federal judges time is unwise, even if you’re another federal judge)

        • scribe says:

          Federal judges can do pretty much whatever they want. There’s a line between bribery and speaking fees, and they know how to finesse even that.

  29. bmaz says:

    Well, take a breather, watch a little of the Indy 500 and check back. I am working on the post I promised mom yesterday before I got rolled up by some friends with booze and tickets to the game. I would not have gone, and would have stayed here and done my job, if I had really thought Los Suns would lose……

    Missed by that much.

  31. fatster says:

    RoTL: Thank you for the link to the video back on the previous thread near the end. Just sickening. I do hope many more people get to see it.

  32. fatster says:

    But youse just wait.

    BP: ‘We’re not blaming anyone yet’
    General manager says relief well expected to be completed in August is ‘end point’ for efforts to stop spill

    ‘Oil giant BP has said it is responsible for the Gulf oil spill, but now the company seems to be reserving the right to blame someone else.’

    LINK.

    • bmaz says:

      Me too. I bought that album like the first week it was out. Absolutely killer. There are good live versions of The Last Days Of May, but there is something kind of hauntingly clean and awesome about the original studio version.

  34. JTMinIA says:

    1. Take off wheel nut.

    2. Take off wheel.

    3. Put new wheel on.

    4. Send car.

    * * *

    Opps. Insert put wheel nut back on between 3 and 4.

    • bmaz says:

      I love Indy Car racing, especially Indy itself, but you know, after watching Formula One you realize how sloppy the Indy league really is.

      • DWBartoo says:

        I remember when Jim Clark and Lotus came to the 500 …

        (Two first names, I know … )

        DW

      • freepatriot says:

        I’m watching tires fall off of cars on pit row, WTF ???

        is this America ???

        I don’t have any trash in me right now

        things fall apart

        today’s Indy 500 defines modern America

        (too sad to wave)

  37. fatster says:

    BP and US Government ‘Command Center’ Guarded by Company From Afghan Embassy Hazing Scandal

    ” , , , recently became part of the huge British mercenary network G4S. Most recently, Wackenhut gained global infamy for the conduct of guards from its subsidiary Armor Group after it was revealed by whistleblowers that the company created a “Lord of the Flies environment” at the embassy “in which guards and supervisors are ‘peeing on people, eating potato chips out of [buttock] cracks, vodka shots out of [buttock] cracks… [drunken] brawls, threats and intimidation from those leaders participating in this activity.” ‘

    LINK.

    • readerOfTeaLeaves says:

      Classic!

      But on prior thread, at #569 (yes, 569!), R.H. Green left a comment including:
      I saw someone here linked a comment from a BP official (CEO?) that they had “already spent $900 million on this”.(Can that be right?). …keeping an eye on the money is a high priority.

      At 566, I had asked whether someone could check my math on the following figures
      Could someone double-check my math please?
      I had taken a figure given for what this is said to be costing BP per day, which was $30,000,000. No doubt to make all our hearts bleed /s

      I divide $30,000,000 by 24 hours = $1,250,000/hr

      $1,250,000 per hour / 60 min in an hour = $20,833.33 per minute

      And $20,833.33 per minute /60 sec per minute = $347.22 per second

      There is a report that Transocean banked $270,000,000 from the rig explosion. Money quotes:

      Transocean walked away from the mess with over a quarter billion dollars because they insured Deepwater Horizon for well above book value. …“In the current quarter we expect to receive approximately $560 million in insurance proceeds and the code and accounting gain of approximately $270 million for the total loss of the rig. Of the $560 million in expected insurance proceeds we have already received $481 million including amounts received today.”

      Now get a load of this BP item, dated Feb 2010 (and surely to vaporize or be altered ASAP the instant that I put a link on this page):

      Release date: 02 February 2010
      BP today reported a sharp year-on-year increase in fourth quarter profits as it announced that its oil and gas production increased by more than four per cent in 2009 and the company continued its industry-leading 17-year run of increasing reserves.

      The increase in production was well ahead of the company’s expected long-term average growth rate of 1-2 per cent and reflected the ramp-up and start-up of major new projects, including the first full year of production from the Thunder Horse field in the US Gulf of Mexico….
      The company announced that underlying replacement cost profit for the fourth quarter of 2009, before non-operating items and fair value accounting effects, was $4.4 billion – an increase of 70 per cent on the same period in 2008….

      Cash costs for 2009 were more than $4 billion lower than for 2008, with approximately 60 per cent of that total delivered by direct interventions by the company. Reducing the underlying cost structure of the Group remains a management priority in 2010. The company’s drive to streamline and simplify its business, begun in late 2007, has, in addition, resulted in a net headcount reduction of around 7,500…

      During [2009] the company gained access to significant new resource opportunities such as the Rumaila oilfield in Iraq – one of the great oilfields of the world – coalbed methane in Indonesia and onshore gas in Jordan, as well as strengthening its position in existing core areas including the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and Egypt’s Nile Delta. BP’s track record of exploration success also continued with the ultra-deep giant Tiber discovery and confirmation of the Mad Dog South extension in the Gulf of Mexico, and three further discoveries in block 31 offshore Angola.

      According to the Guardian, BP made $14 bn in 2009 (down 45% from 2008, so get out your hankies).

      So last year alone, profits of $14,000,000,000, which was about half its previous annual profit – but with the deepwater Gulf of Mexico rigs, plus the Iraqi Ramala parcel, plus Angola, plus….you get the picture.
      Daily profits of around $30,000,000.

      And these jerks are whining about paying $950,000,000 so far?!

      When people post numbers and profit amounts, please please please include links so that I can collect a folder of bookmarks.

      • fatster says:

        Thanks so much for pulling all these grotesquely huge $ figures together, rOTL. And do go see john in sacramento’s post over on the main blog–and don’t miss the comments.

        • fatster says:

          You’re more than welcome, rOTL. (BTW, I’m not a sir. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, etc. Tee hee.)

        • readerOfTeaLeaves says:

          Reducing the underlying cost structure of the Group remains a management priority in 2010. The company’s drive to streamline and simplify its business, begun in late 2007, has, in addition, resulted in a net headcount reduction of around 7,500…

          fatster and all, I deliberately included that bit about the number of ‘streamlined’ BP employee positions, but then failed to elaborate.

          This may sound totally weird, but I’d be curious as to the views of others.

          Consider the amount of expertise among 7,500 employees.
          No wonder these asshats can’t solve the problems in the Gulf.

          How many of those 7,500 ex-BP employees that the bean counters laid off to ‘streamline’ (ie, enhance quarterly profits) might know a thing or two about Top Hats, and other problems related to blowouts?

  39. john in sacramento says:

    If ROTL shows up …

    She asked something on the previous thread about the geology in the area of the gusher. I found something a week or so ago and posted a link on one of Mason’s threads here (comment 39 if anyone’s on a slow connection). Something thing about salt sheets; turbidite sands; porosities; and permeabilities

    I.E. we’re probably screwed, and explains why they can’t get a good seal with the junk shots and top kills

    PS her husband (or anyone else) can correct me if I’m wrong

    • readerOfTeaLeaves says:

      Thanks John!
      I just left a comment above, which in retrospect is perhaps long enough for a Seminal Diary…? My bad 8((

      I’ll ask the spouse when he returns; he’s off rockhounding this weekend with buddies. No doubt they’ll come back with more gobs of rock; which will be relegated to the basement with other fossils.

  40. bmaz says:

    After 500 miles of putting your ass on the line and coming out intact and victorious, you should get to drink something better than milk. If you handed a bottle of milk to an F1 champion on the podium instead of a magnum of Mumms, he would break it over your head.

    • dakine01 says:

      I dunno. If I had Ashley Judd waiting for me at the finish, I probably wouldn’t mind a bottle of milk being handed to me.

      For other drivers though, your way might be better.

    • scribe says:

      That’s a marketing thing – has been for many years. I think they wanted to get all wholesome or something back in the 70s and switched to milk.

      Dario will get plenty of … something better … when he gets home tonight, I’m sure.

  41. PJEvans says:

    The other drivers were getting something more like Gatorade, it looked like. They certainly earned whatever they got.

    Some of the pit crew are probably having a very bad afternoon, though. Tires coming off right after being put on – that’s really bad.

  42. alabama says:

    A weird symmetry in the fates of Obama and Hayward: each of them heads a huge operation rendered largely dysfunctional during the previous decade by a truly awful “CEO”. BP’s various disasters (in Texas, in Alaska) happened under the “leadership” of John Browne, the guy who invented “Beyond Petroleum”–just when Bush was taking us to war against Hussein’s WMD…

    I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama appointed James Baker to take charge of this particular calamity: Baker headed up a Committee in 2007 charged with reporting on BP’s safety record, and produced a scathing report (he knows a thing or two about oil)…. He’d have fun cleaning up one of Bush’s bigger disasters…

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