Posts from — July 2010

Pau – Col du Tourmalet

Distance: 174 kilometers.

Andy Schleck won the race up the Col at the end, but Contador was right on his wheel, so he gained none of the 8 seconds he needs to get back the Yellow.

The last day in the mountains starts with a mild category 4 followed by a sprint. Then things get sweaty with a pair of category 1 climbs. There is a sprint to warm people up to take on the Hors Catégorie Col du Tourmalet again. It is the highest point in the race, and this time the stage ends at the summit.

Alberto Contador ( Esp – AST – 001 ) [Yellow] 83h 32m 39s
Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 ) [Green] 191 points
Anthony Charteau ( Fra – BBO – 153 ) [Polka Dot] 143 points
Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) 2 [White]
Team: Radio Shack RSH ( 021-029 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 )
Combative: Alexandr Kolobnev ( Rus – KAT – 074 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 3,289.4 kilometers [2,043.9 miles] at an average speed of 39.4 kph [24.5 mph].

OVERALL STANDINGS:

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Position: 23.4N 76.5W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [305°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [80 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 45 miles [ 70 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1007 mb.

It is 125 miles [200 km] South-Southeast of Nassau, Bahamas, and 285 miles [460 km] Southeast of Miami, Florida.

The current projected path takes the storm near or over BP’s Gulf Gusher.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the central and Northwestern Bahamas; the Florida East Coast from Deerfield Beach southward including the entire Florida Keys and Florida Bay and along the West Coast of Florida northward to Englewood.

A tropical storm watch has been issued for the East Coast of Florida from north of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet including Lake Okeechobee.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana

Someone needs to get through to the White House and convince them to read Bob Somerby’s Daily Howler articles on what happened to Bill Clinton, because it is starting again.

I’m afraid that Shirley Sherrod is not going to be allowed to put this behind her, because they have her in their sights and have already started the second line of attack – Pigford vs Vilsack.

If you want the gory details you can check out the Office of the Monitor for the consent decree in the case [actually two related class-action law suits that were settled under the same consent decree].

I assume that the claims will be something along the lines that Mrs Sherrod’s appointment was part of the pay-off in the settlement of the case, which was filed in 1997 over practices of the Department of Agriculture under Ronald Reagan regarding Black farmers.

The first attack was designed to fail, which would be embarrassing in its own right, and now the second is launched to show that the White House apology as also rushed.

These attacks aren’t designed to show anything, or prove anything, just to tie things up and make the White House appear weak.

The Los Angeles Times reports on the on-going Coast Guard/MMS hearings on the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon: Officials knew of key safety problem on rig

Reporting from Kenner, La. — BP officials knew about a problem on a crucial well safety device at least three months before the catastrophic April 20 explosion in the Gulf of Mexico but failed to repair it, according to testimony Tuesday from the company’s well manager.

Ronald Sepulvado testified that he was aware of a leak on a control pod atop the well’s blowout preventer and notified his supervisor in Houston about the problem, which Sepulvado didn’t consider crucial. The 450-ton hydraulic device, designed to prevent gas or oil from blasting out of the drill hole, failed during the disaster, which killed 11 men on the Deepwater Horizon rig and set off the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

The other two BP employees on the rig did not testify, one had a sick note, and the other has invoked his rights under the Fifth Amendment. The three constituted all of the actual BP employees normally on the rig.

The Pensacola News Journal tells us that the seeping oil is from another well:

The seepage detected from the sea floor briefly raised fears that the well was in danger. But [Admiral Thad] Allen said another well is to blame. The seepage is closer to the older well than to the one that blew out, Allen said. Also, he said, “it’s not unusual to have seepage around the old wells.”

There are two wells within two miles of BP’s blowout off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. One has been abandoned and another is not in production. Around 27,000 abandoned wells in the Gulf aren’t checked for leaks, an Associated Press investigation showed this month.

I see, no need to worry about the seepage because it is from a different leaking well that no one is watching on the Internet, so that’s OK.

Meanwhile, the Local Puppy Trainer is agreeing with me again: EDITORIAL: Florida legislators’ slick trick. I would be worried about their agreement, but the Republican action was so egregious that even libertarians noticed and were annoyed.

Since the Well from Hell and Florida legislature aren’t enough to worry about, we now have Invest 97:

A vigorous tropical wave located near the eastern Dominican Republic is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms extending from the northern Leeward Islands westward to Hispaniola.

Surface observations indicate that a closed circulation has not yet formed. However environmental conditions are expected to be favorable for tropical cyclone formation as the system moves west-northwestward at about 10 mph during the next day or so.

There is a high chance, 60 percent, of this system becoming a tropical depression or a tropical storm during the next 48 hours.

Regardless of development locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds will likely affect the Virgin Islands Puerto Rico the Dominican Republic Haiti eastern Cuba the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas during the next couple of days. The heavy rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides in mountainous areas.

The current track has this heading across the Florida peninsula and into the Gulf of Mexico.

The Republicans sold out the people of Florida to help the oil companies.

The Miami Herald documented the atrocity:

The Florida House abruptly adjourned a special legislative session after 49 minutes Tuesday, rejecting Gov. Charlie Crist’s proposal to let voters place a permanent ban on offshore drilling in the Florida Constitution.

The party-line vote to adjourn the session was 67-44, with Republicans supporting adjournment and Democrats in favor of continuing the debate.
…

[Florida House Speaker Larry] Cretul formed six “work groups” of House members to study various aspects of the spill response and to propose “meaningful legislative solutions, if possible,” by the end of August. The six work groups are all being led by junior Republican members, including three freshmen members. None of the six is from the Panhandle, the area experiencing the most severe economic hardships so far.

I hope everyone sees how important speaker “Cretin” thinks the Gulf Gusher is, and how much respect the Republican Party of Florida has for BP’s victims and the Panhandle.

If you vote for a Republican in Florida, you are voting for drilling in the coastal waters, All 67 of them in the Florida house voted to deny the people a voice on the issue.

Bagnères de Luchon – Pau

Distance: 199.5 kilometers.

A day for mountain goats. You start with two category 1 climbs, Col de Peyresourde and Col d’Aspin, and then things get really serious with a pair of Hors Catégorie ascents, Col du Tourmalet and Col d’Aubisque. There is a sprint into Pau for the survivors.

Lance made the break away and was ahead of the peloton all day, but didn’t have enough left for the sprint at the end which was won by Pierrick Fedrigo.

Thor Hushovd took the green back by virtue of being the only ranked sprinter with anything left at the end and able to pick up some points.

Alberto Contador ( Esp – AST – 001 ) [Yellow] 78h 29m 10s
Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 ) [Green] 191 points
Anthony Charteau ( Fra – BBO – 153 ) [Polka Dot] 143 points
Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) 2 [White]
Team: Radio Shack RSH ( 021-029 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Pierrick Fedrigo ( Fra – BBO – 154 )
Combative: Carlos Barredo ( Esp – QST – 132) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 3,115.4 kilometers [1,935.8 miles] at an average speed of 39.7 kph [24.7 mph].

OVERALL STANDINGS:

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Día de la Independencia
República de Colombia

¡Viva Colombia!

My Internet has been iffy all day. The official non-explanation mentions “not being able to browse” when in fact it is a DNS failure. I can “browse” the contents of my own system to my heart’s content, but their bloody domain name server can’t find their own site with a searchlight and service dog.

While I’m on it. When you want a support site, it doesn’t mean a sales support site, it means information for what you have already sold someone.

That satellite antenna is looking more and more reasonable.

Pamiers – Bagnères de Luchon

Distance: 187.5 kilometers.

This stage starts off reasonably enough with a category 4 climb followed by a sprint. Then there are two category 2 climbs and another sprint. It is the last bit that is frankly insane. Climbing the Hors Catégorie Port de Balès is difficult, of course, but then there is the descent to Bagnères de Luchon and the finish line. As you come over the top you have to ask yourself: Are you feeling lucky?

Thomas Voeckler made his own luck and won the stage, but Andy Schleck’s luck ran out as he approached the top of Port de Balès. Probably during a shift his chain slipped off and jammed his rear wheel. That allowed Alberto Contador to pick up 39 seconds on him to take the Yellow.

Alberto Contador ( Esp – AST – 001 ) [Yellow] 72h 50m 42s
Alessandro Petacchi ( Ita – LAM – 208 ) [Green] 187 points
Anthony Charteau ( Fra – BBO – 153 ) [Polka Dot] 115 points
Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) 2 [White]
Team: Radio Shack RSH ( 021-029 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – BBO – 151 )
Combative: Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – BBO – 151 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 2,915.9 kilometers [1,811.9 miles] at an average speed of 40.0 kph [24.9 mph].

OVERALL STANDINGS:

Alberto Contador ( Esp – AST – 001 ) [Yellow] 72h 50m 42s
2 Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) [White]
3 Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 181 )
4 Denis Menchov ( Rus – RAB – 191 )
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – OLO – 101 )
6 Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 195 )
7 Levi Leipheimer ( USA – RSH – 025 )
8 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 077 )
9 Alexandre Vinokourov ( Kaz – AST – 009 )
10 Ryder Hesjedal ( Can – GRM – 054 )
11 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – LIQ – 044 )
12 Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – GCE – 161 )
13 Carlos Sastre ( Esp – CTT – 091 )
14 Ivan Basso ( Ita – LIQ – 041 )
15 Andréas Klöden ( Ger – RSH – 024 )
16 Thomas Lövkvist ( Swe – SKY – 037 )
17 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 081 )
18 Kevin De Weert ( Bel – QST – 133 )
19 John Gadret ( Fra – ALM – 085 )
20 Ruben Plaza Molina ( Esp – GCE – 168 )

22 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 121 )
23 Bradley Wiggins ( GBr – SKY – 031 )
31 Lance Armstrong ( USA – RSH – 021 )
48 Anthony Charteau ( Fra – BBO – 153 ) [Polka Dot]
51 Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – BBO – 151 ) [Red numbers] [Stage winner]
63 Jérôme Pineau ( Fra – QST – 135 )
72 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 039 )
140 Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 )
143 Alessandro Petacchi ( Ita – LAM – 208 ) [Green]
151 Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 111 )
155 Julian Dean ( NZl – GRM – 052 )
157 David Millar ( GBr – GRM – 057 )
167 Robbie McEwen ( Aus – KAT – 075 )

The pressure on the Well from Hell has not risen to the levels that were predicted, but BP keeps saying there’s no problem, just like they did before the Deepwater Horizon blew up.

Via Lambert at Corrente I find out that CNN is reporting that the government has detected seepage in the area of the well. The government is finally running its own monitoring operations and has detected oil seeping from the floor of the Gulf and the presence of methane.

Admiral Allen wants BP to respond to the report and prepare to take on oil from the well to relieve the pressure.

The article also shows I’m not the only one who suspects that BP doesn’t want the flow from the Well from Hell determined:

Rep. Ed Markey, who has been a vocal critic of BP’s response to the gusher, said Sunday that the company could have another motivation for wanting to keep the well capped.

“If the well remains fully shut in until the relief well is completed, we may never have a fully accurate determination of the flow rate from this well. If so, BP — which has consistently underestimated the flow rate — might evade billions of dollars of fines,” Markey said in a letter to Allen released Sunday.

Using ships on the surface to collect 100 percent of the gushing oil would allow scientists to calculate the flow rate — a figure that the government would use to determine how much to fine BP, Markey said.

The BP legal department is making the decisions again, and that has got to be stopped.

The Christian Science Monitor reports on “the mystery plumber”:

The identity of the “mystery plumber” whose homemade design for a new containment cap may have helped to finally stanch the Gulf oil spill geyser emerged Saturday.

His name is Joe Caldart, a married, 40-something blue-collar guy with five kids and three hound dogs living in St. Francis, Kan. Mr. Caldart has 907 Facebook friends. He likes the band Rednecks & Red Dirt, watches “Family Guy,” and cites the 1978 Burt Reynolds flick “Hooper” as one of his favorites.
…

Caldart’s sketches, routed six weeks ago to BP and the Coast Guard through University of California petroleum engineer Robert Bea, are a near identical match to the design of a new containment cap lowered last week over the renegade Macondo well 50 miles off Venice, La.

“The idea was using the top flange on the blowout preventer as an attachment point and then employing an internal seal against that flange surface,” says Dr. Bea. “You can kind of see how a plumber thinks this way. That’s how they have to plumb homes for sewage.”
…

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This morning the Miami Herald is reporting that BP doesn’t want to start collecting oil from the well.

BP is now indicating that since there don’t seem to be any problems, they want to leave the well shut down and let the relief well plug it without opening the valves on the cap.

Several reasons occur to me

– the vessels that will collect the oil are leased, like all “BP” oil field equipment, and they don’t want to pay for them;

– if they collect the oil from the well without any losses, everyone will know how much oil is actually flowing out of the well every day, rather than guessing;

– the BP board wants to get the well out of the headlines.

On that last note, the Vancouver Sun has an AFP story based on an article in the Sunday Times of Britain about BP board activity. I thought this paragraph was interesting:

Directors of the firm are at an early stage of canvassing shareholders about possible options, which include increasing the amount of in-house engineering which takes place, rather than outsourcing it, the paper said.

What a concept – a multi-national petroleum industry giant actually having having people on their staff who know something about the engineering of drilling for oil.

I keep saying this – the current corporations outsource everything and have almost no real knowledge among their employees about what they actually do. The corporations are made up of headquarters staffing, marketing, and a legal department. They outsource the actual work to other people.

What they seem to be contemplating is getting the BP logo out of sight and out of mind in the US by dumping their gas stations and refineries.