From Weather Underground at 12:59PM Friday July, 30:

Cinco Bayou – Pocahontas Dr., Fort Walton Beach, Florida (PWS)
Updated: 1 sec ago
Partly Cloudy
94.6 °F
Partly Cloudy
Humidity: 62%
Dew Point: 80 °F
Wind: 1.0 mph
Wind Gust: 11.0 mph
Pressure: 29.90 in (Falling)
Heat Index: 114 °F
Visibility: 10.0 miles
UV: 12 out of 16
Pollen: 3.80 out of 12
Clouds:
Few 3000 ft
Few 20000 ft
(Above Ground Level)
Elevation: 16 ft

Heat advisory in effect from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening…

MSNBC has a charming piece: BP’s Hayward: ‘I became a villain for doing the right thing’

In his first interview since deciding to step down, Hayward told the Wall Street Journal that he did everything possible after the Deepwater Horizon exploded, by taking responsibility for the spill and spending billions on the clean-up operation and efforts to stop the leak.

The newspaper said he was unrepentant about BP’s response to the spill and that he resented criticism from the Obama administration, although he also admitted that he “understood their frustration.”

“I became a villain for doing the right thing,” Hayward said in the interview. “But I understand that people find it easier to vilify an individual more than a company.

Tony, I remember that they have a really wonderful library in London and you might want to stop by and ask one of the extremely helpful staff to provide you with the definition of “Chief Executive Officer”.

Editorial in the Mobile Press-Register: BP has broken enough promises

TAKE YOUR promises and shove ’em, BP. From what we’ve seen, they’re not worth much anyway. You promised you would set up an escrow account for oil spill victims. Yet there’s still no account — only promises by you and the White House that one will be up and running soon.

You promised you’d pay claims. But you’ve paid only what amounts to nickels and dimes to a lucky few.

You promised you’d keep the money flowing. But now that the cap’s on the well, local businesses report that the cap’s on the payments, too. All they get from you is resistance — and delay.

If you think the Gulf Coast is a harsh crowd, wait until you learn about the oligarchs of the Alfa group in Russia. With luck, they may decide to simply charge you with unspecified violations of law, as happened to your predecessor in the position, Bob Dudley. Some of their “enemies” end up dead. BP is setting you up to take the blame for both the Well from Hell and the losses in Russia.

Stop your whinging, Tony. You’re making millions of dollars for being the scapegoat for the corporation’s greed.

The major media woke up to the fire season as one popped up near them in Los Angeles County. CNN is even doing their own reporting on the Crown Fire

Los Angeles, California (CNN) — Hundreds of firefighters battled a third wildfire in the Los Angeles area early Friday as two more raged within 60 miles of one another.

The latest — known as the Crown Fire — has ignited more than 5,000 acres, fire officials said.

About 500 firefighters were at the scene, with mandatory evacuations in effect for nearly 2,000 residences.

Areas affected included some parts of Leona Valley, Ritter Ranch, Anaverde and Palmdale in northern Los Angeles County.

This morning’s update by LA County Fire at 10 AM CDT reports 8,000 acres burned with 5% containment. All of the evacuations have been lifted

Kitten Confusion

Where am I?

[Editor: I shall call this one Bonnie as I first saw it when the storm was approaching. While the leaves are in focus and the step is in focus, Bonnie is not. Of course most kittens start out like this.]

Friday Ark