Posts from — July 2010

Sisteron – Bourg-lès-Valence

Distance: 184.5 kilometers.

Mark Cavendish won his third stage, but Alessandro Petacchi took the Green Jersey. The top twenty are biding their time as the Tour moves out of the Alps and heads for the Pyrenees.

A category 3 climb a third of the way into the stage, then it’s down hill with a couple of sprints thrown in. The best sprinters are well back from the lead, so they are focusing on the Green Jersey, not the Yellow.

Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) [Yellow] 53h 43m 46s
Alessandro Petacchi ( Ita – LAM – 208 ) [Green] 161 points
Jérôme Pineau ( Fra – QST – 135 ) [Polka Dot] 92 points
Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 195 ) 7 [White]
Team: Caisse d’Epargne GCE ( 161-169 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 111 )
Combative: Stéphane Auge ( Fra – COF – 172 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 2,137.4 kilometers [1,328.1 miles] at an average speed of 39.8 kph [24.7 mph].

OVERALL STANDINGS:

Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) [Yellow]
2 Alberto Contador ( Esp – AST – 001 )
3 Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 181 )
4 Denis Menchov ( Rus – RAB – 191 )
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – OLO – 101 )
6 Levi Leipheimer ( USA – RSH – 025 )
7 Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 195 ) [White]
8 Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – GCE – 161 )
9 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 077 )
10 Ivan Basso ( Ita – LIQ – 041 )
11 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – LIQ – 044 )
12 Ryder Hesjedal ( Can – GRM – 054 )
13 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 081 )
14 Alexandre Vinokourov ( Kaz – AST – 009 )
15 Michael Rogers ( Aus – THR – 118 )
16 Carlos Sastre ( Esp – CTT – 091 )
17 Bradley Wiggins ( GBr – SKY – 031 )
18 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 121 )
19 Thomas Lövkvist ( Swe – SKY – 037 )
20 Andréas Klöden ( Ger – RSH – 024 )

32 Lance Armstrong ( USA – RSH – 021 )
38 Sylvain Chavanel ( Fra – QST – 131 )
60 Jérôme Pineau ( Fra – QST – 135 ) [Polka Dot]
129 Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 )
132 Robbie McEwen ( Aus – KAT – 075 )
143 David Millar ( GBr – GRM – 057 )
145 Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 111 ) [Stage winner]
146 Alessandro Petacchi ( Ita – LAM – 208 ) [Green]
163 Stéphane Auge ( Fra – COF – 172 ) [Red numbers]

McClatchy writes about the just released 2008 annual survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau which tells us what most of us had already figured out, that under the Hedgemony the rich got richer, and the rest of us got poorer:

_ The worst is yet to come. “This is just the beginning, or the tip of the iceberg because 2008 was not nearly as bad an economy as 2009,” [Harvard economics professor Lawrence F.] Katz said. The average unemployment rate in 2008 was 5.8 percent, up from 4.6 percent in 2007. That pales in comparison with the 9 percent average unemployment rate so far this year, and it’s likely to increase. August unemployment was 9.7 percent, and it’s expected to peak above 10 percent in the months to come.

_ Because real median household income is 4.2 percent lower than it was in 2000, Katz said, “We’ve basically seen a lost decade for the American family,” with only the top earning families doing better now than they were in 2000.

The national poverty rate also hit its highest level since 1997, jumping to 13.2 percent in 2008 from 12.5 percent in 2007. The increase meant that 39.8 million people lived below the poverty line, the most since 1960. That’s up from 37.3 million in 2007. For children, the poverty rate hit 19 percent, or 14.1 million youngsters in 2008. That means 35.3 percent of the nation’s poor in 2008 were under age 18.

As long as the government is focused on making the wealthy Wall Street gamblers happy, these trends will continue. Until we return to the programs and policies that pulled the nation out of the Great Depression things will get worse. If there are no jobs, there is no demand. If there is no demand, supply is irrelevant. If there is no demand, the private sector will not create jobs. Jobs have to come first.

Chambéry – Gap

Distance: 179 kilometers.

Jérôme Pineau regained the Polka Dot Jersey while the peloton kept their enthusiasm in check after getting mugged by the mountains yesterday. Sergio Paulinho won the stage by centimeters over Vasil Kiryienka. They were part of a six-rider break-away that the peloton didn’t even pretend to pursue. The “leaders” showed up 15 minutes after the stage winner.

The stage starts with a sprint then a category 1 climb to the highlands, followed by a category 3, then a 2, and finally the sprint to the finish.

Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) [Yellow] 49h 00′ 56″
Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 ) [Green] 138 points
Jérôme Pineau ( Fra – QST – 135 ) [Polka Dot] 91 points
Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 195 ) 7 [White]
Team: Caisse d’Epargne GCE ( 161-169 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Sergio Paulinho ( Por – RSH – 027 )
Combative: Mario Aerts ( Bel – OLO – 102 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 1,952.9 kilometers [1,213.5 miles] at an average speed of 39.8 kph [24.8 mph].

OVERALL STANDINGS:

Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) [Yellow]
2 Alberto Contador ( Esp – AST – 001 )
3 Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 181 )
4 Denis Menchov ( Rus – RAB – 191 )
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – OLO – 101 )
6 Levi Leipheimer ( USA – RSH – 025 )
7 Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 195 ) [White]
8 Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – GCE – 161 )
9 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 077 )
10 Ivan Basso ( Ita – LIQ – 041 )
11 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – LIQ – 044 )
12 Ryder Hesjedal ( Can – GRM – 054 )
13 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 081 )
14 Alexandre Vinokourov ( Kaz – AST – 009 )
15 Michael Rogers ( Aus – THR – 118 )
16 Carlos Sastre ( Esp – CTT – 091 )
17 Bradley Wiggins ( GBr – SKY – 031 )
18 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 121 )
19 Thomas Lövkvist ( Swe – SKY – 037 )
20 Andréas Klöden ( Ger – RSH – 024 )

31 Lance Armstrong ( USA – RSH – 021 )
33 Mario Aerts ( Bel – OLO – 102 ) [Red numbers]
43 Anthony Charteau ( Fra – BBO – 153 )
54 Sergio Paulinho ( Por – RSH – 027 ) [Stage winner]
56 Jérôme Pineau ( Fra – QST – 135 ) [Polka Dot]
137 Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 ) [Green]
139 Robbie McEwen ( Aus – KAT – 075 )
149 David Millar ( GBr – GRM – 057 )
151 Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 111 )
152 Alessandro Petacchi ( Ita – LAM – 208 )

So the new cap is in place and BP announces they will be ready to start testing it Tuesday afternoon, but now Gulf of Mexico oil spill to keep flowing as cap test delayed.

As part of the operation they did a detailed seismic survey of the area, and now they want to put off any testing for a couple of days while they look at the data. The purpose of the survey was supposed to be to provide a “before shot” so they could see if closing the cap was causing any problems. It would appear, although no one will admit anything, that there are already problems underground with this wellhead.

Wow! “No one could have imagined …” that there would be problems with the Well from Hell 😈

Update: It would appear that they have also stopped work on the relief well, which really does point to a problem underground.

Update II: Even stronger statement about the condition of the Well from Hell beneath the surface. It sounds like the Federal geologists don’t like the what the seismic survey says.

La Fête Nationale
Bastille Day

Thank you for the help with the Revolution.

Happy Birthday Александра.

Some background.

On Sunday I wrote:

…how do you get support from the “deficit hawks”, the guys so principled that they can’t vote for anything that isn’t paid for? Oh, it’s a tax cut, so I guess those are exempt from principles…

On Monday Krugman quotes Senator Joh Kyl:

You do need to offset the cost of increased spending. And that’s what Republicans object to. But you should never have to offset cost of a deliberate decision to reduce tax rates on Americans.

These people wouldn’t know a principle if it bit them. They only care about the possibility of spending on someone other than their campaign contributors.

Morzine-Avoriaz – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne

Distance: 204.5 kilometers.

The Tour is in the mountains and this sadistic stage was designed to convince the sprinters who have been holding on to some hope of a yellow jersey that it isn’t going to happen.

Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) [Yellow] 43h 35′ 41″
Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 ) [Green] 124 points
Anthony Charteau ( Fra – BBO – 153 ) [Polka Dot] 85 points
Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 195 ) 7 [White]
Team: Caisse d’Epargne GCE ( 161-169 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Sandy Casar ( Fra – FDJ – 062 )
Combative: Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – GCE – 161 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 1,773.9 kilometers [1,102.3 miles] at an average speed of 40.7 kph [25.3 mph].

OVERALL STANDINGS:

Andy Schleck ( Lux – SAX – 011 ) [Yellow]
2 Alberto Contador ( Esp – AST – 001 )
3 Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 181 )
4 Denis Menchov ( Rus – RAB – 191 )
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – SIL – 101 )
6 Levi Leipheimer ( USA – RSH – 025 )
7 Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 195 ) [White]
8 Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – GCE – 161 )
9 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 077 )
10 Ivan Basso ( Ita – LIQ – 041 )
11 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – LIQ – 044 )
12 Ryder Hesjedal ( Can – GRM – 054 )
13 Alexandre Vinokourov ( Kaz – AST – 009 )
14 Michael Rogers ( Aus – THR – 118 )
15 Carlos Sastre ( Esp – CTT – 091 )
16 Bradley Wiggins ( GBr – SKY – 031 )
17 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 081 )
18 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 121 )
19 Thomas Lövkvist ( Swe – SKY – 037 )
20 Andréas Klöden ( Ger – RSH – 024 )

24 Sandy Casar ( Fra – FDJ – 062 ) [Stage winner]
31 Lance Armstrong ( USA – RSH – 021 )
40 Anthony Charteau ( Fra – BBO – 153 ) [Polka Dot]
53 Jérôme Pineau ( Fra – QST – 135 )
67 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 039 )
138 Thor Hushovd ( Nor – CTT – 095 ) [Green]
140 Robbie McEwen ( Aus – KAT – 075 )
147 David Millar ( GBr – GRM – 057 )

[Read more →]

While on its face this Miami Herald report on McClatchy sounds great, given BP’s history with the Well from Hell I’m decidedly uneasy: New cap on oil well, testing starts

PANAMA CITY BEACH —; As the Obama administration issued a fresh moratorium on deep-water drilling Monday, robots maneuvered a new, tighter-fitting cap onto a gushing oil well and BP prepared to test whether its latest effort would at long last stop crude from oozing into the Gulf of Mexico.

The company expected to finish latching on the cap to the leaking well late Monday, and up to two days’ worth of tests on its effectiveness could begin Tuesday, BP Chief Operation Officer Doug Suttles told reporters Monday afternoon, when the cap was 40 feet from the well.

We’re taking this step by step, making sure absolutely everything is in place before we do it,” he said.

Suttles described Monday as the third day of a four- to seven-day operation to secure the new cap over the spill’s source, after the previous, looser cap was removed Saturday.

OK, the oil has been carrying grit, which as been eroding the well casing all the way up. The riser collapse with the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon had been stressing the well head assembly, acting like a lever, until it was finally cut away. The well had several incidents of leaking mud into strata deep in the well. The blow-out preventer is leaning 3° out of plumb, which may be from the levering by the bent riser, or may be a result of the rock on which it sits fracturing. These are just a few of the reasons why I don’t think that trying to test a shut off valve on the new cap system is a great idea.

Another thing that bothers me is that to prevent hydrate formation they are talking about pumping in glycol, which is an anti-freeze ingredient. Glycol is definitely poisonous. Dozens of pets die every year from drinking glycol coming from leaking coolant systems. A number of people died or became sick when Chinese companies replaced glycerin with glycol in cough syrup and toothpaste. Given that they are sitting in the Gulf of Mexico and flaring off natural gas, I don’t understand why they don’t just rig a water heater to accomplish the same thing. They could set up a steam engine system to produce the hot water and power the pump to deliver it.

I hope, for the sake of the Gulf, that this works, but it’s BP…

It is a rest day on the Tour and Lance Armstrong can use it.

As the BBC reports he bad day on Stage 8:

Lance Armstrong said his hopes of winning a record eighth Tour de France are “finished” after he lost nearly 12 minutes on the eighth stage.

Armstrong fell twice and after losing contact with the leaders he lost more time all the way to the finishing line on Sunday’s first mountain stage.

Added to the minute and a half he lost on Stage 4 3 for a tire change, and the yellow jersey is just too far away.

He will stay and help Levi Leipheimer because the Tour is a team event. If Levi can beat Alberto Contador, that will almost be as good as winning… almost.

She tells it like it is at Avedon Carol’s Sideshow:

You worked hard and played by the rules, and now people in expensive suits who sat in offices recklessly gambling with other people’s money want to stop you from being able to retire.

They exported jobs to other countries and made it harder to start new businesses to create new jobs. They slashed government spending to the point where even schools are closing. They failed to honor contracts that said they would put money into your pension fund, and now there is no pension fund. And now they want your unemployment insurance so they can gamble that away, too.

They say you need to tighten your belt to pay for their mistakes.

Well, why should you?

You paid for insurance to protect you from this. Demand what you paid for.

Social Security: You paid for it. We have the money. You earned it. You deserve it. And they don’t.

No ice, no mixer, and no little paper umbrellas, just the truth. The only “markets” the Village worries about are the gambling dens called “stock markets”. Calling gamblers “investors” doesn’t change reality, it just helps some people avoid it.

If you think inflation is annoying, just wait – coming to the US any time now will be deflation, which is a hell of a lot nastier. This is probably why the wealthy are walking away from mortgages on over-valued houses – they know it’s coming and things are going to get a lot cheaper for people with money and a lot more expensive for people with loans.

The BBC notes that Ayatollah Fadlallah tributes divide opinion

A Shia cleric dies in Lebanon and a CNN journalist gets fired for her tweet praising him while a British ambassador is made to apologise for eulogising him on her blog.
…

His writings often sought to justify the use of violence, starting with the preface to his 1985 book, Islam and the Logic of Force.

“Civilisation does not mean that you face a rocket with a stick or a jet-fighter with a kite, or a warship with a sailboat,” he wrote.

“One must face force with equal or superior force. If it is legitimate to defend self and land and destiny, then all means of self-defence are legitimate.”
…

Well, obviously a terrorist talking about self-defense, not a reasonable statesman like US politicians –

I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

Barry Goldwater, acceptance speech as Republican candidate for President, 1963

Ummm … Never mind….

McClatchy says that Gulf lawmakers push tax breaks for businesses hurt by spill

BILOXI, Miss. — U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker said he and five other Gulf Coast lawmakers are continuing to push for several tax incentives for victims of the oil gusher.

Wicker is leading the effort with Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and they’re joined by Mississippi Republican U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran and other Gulf Coast lawmakers in backing legislation for businesses and victims of the spill.

Their proposal extends the “net operating loss carryback” period to five years for business losses caused by the gusher.

The plan would allow owners of fishing and other tourism-related ventures to amend their tax returns from the past five years, and to receive a refund for some taxes already paid.

It would also give tax credits to businesses that hire Gulf Coast workers displaced by the spill, and put in place a temporary program to reimburse states for revenue losses if they adopt a hotel- or car-rental-tax holiday, among other provisions.

Wicker said Thursday he was optimistic about the bill’s prospects, and he and other lawmakers are beginning a hard push to get it passed.

OK, Roger, and how do you get support from the “deficit hawks”, the guys so principled that they can’t vote for anything that isn’t paid for? Oh, it’s a tax cut, so I guess those are exempt from principles… except this is going to cost almost nothing.

Go back five years to 2005 which should ring a bell for people on the Gulf Coast. Do Cindy, Dennis, Katrina, and Rita ring any bells? Do you think that anyone who is being impacted by this oil made any money in 2005? The oil is bad because people had just started to finally dig out from 2005 when the GOPression hit, and now oil.

Taxes are paid on profits, not on gross. The majority of people injured by the oil have small businesses, and don’t make profits large enough to really worry about taxes. When you’re paying off a large fishing vessel, your Federal taxes are at noise level. When the price of fuel shot up, your profit disappeared. Taxes may be a concern for large corporations, but on the small business level they really are minimal.  The accounting fees for the amended returns would probably cost more than they’ll get back.

This is the part I really love: “give tax credits to businesses that hire Gulf Coast workers displaced by the spill”. Are you really proposing to give BP a tax credit for hiring the people it screwed? You must be, because they are the largest current employer of displaced workers.

Netherlands [Oranje] versus Spain [La Furia Roja]

The octopus says Spain, while the parakeet says the Netherlands… I’ll wait for the referee at the end of the game.

At the end of the first half the teams have a 0-0 draw, but the Oranje are ahead on yellow cards 3-2. If the players don’t settle down we may see 8-man teams at the end.

Still 0-0 at the end of regulation, but the Oranje are up 6-3 on yellow cards.

Netherlands [Oranje] 0-1 Spain [La Furia Roja]

La Copa del Mundo – La Furia Roja found the net in the second extra time.

Station des Rousses – Avoriaz

Distance: 189 kilometers.

The Tour moved into the Alps and Cadel Evans of Australia puts on the Yellow. Andy Schleck, Luxembourg’s only remaining rider, keeps the White and wins the stage. Climbing will dominate for a while, so the top 20 will change.

Cadel Evans (Aus-BMC-121) [Yellow]
2 Andy Schleck (Lux-SAX-011) [White] [Stage winner]
3 Alberto Contador (Esp-AST-001)
4 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel-SIL-101)
5 Denis Menchov (Rus-RAB- 191 )
6 Ryder Hesjedal (Can-GRM-054)
7 Roman Kreuziger (Cze-LIQ-044)
8 Levi Leipheimer (USA-RSH-025)
9 Samuel Sanchez (Esp-EUS-181)
10 Michael Rogers (Aus-THR-118)
11 Robert Gesink (Ned-RAB- 195 )
12 Carlos Sastre (Esp-CTT-091)
13 Ivan Basso (Ita-LIQ-041)
14 Bradley Wiggins (GBr-SKY-031)
15 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz-AST-009)
16 Nicolas Roche (Irl-ALM-081)
17 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Esp-KAT-077)
18 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe-SKY-037)
19 Rafael Valls Ferri (Esp-FTS-219)
20 Luis-Leon Sanchez (Esp-GCE-161)

58 Jérôme Pineau (Fra-QST-135) [Polka Dot – 44 points]
129 Thor Hushovd (Nor-CTT-095) [Green -118 points]
54 Mario Aerts (Bel-SIL- 102 ) [Red numbers]
Rabobank ( 191-199 ) [Yellow numbers]

39 Lance Armstrong (USA-RSH-021)
69 Geraint Thomas (GBr-SKY-039)
117 David Millar (GBr-GRM-057)
131 Robbie McEwen (Aus-KAT-075)

They’ve gone 1,569.4 kilometers [975.2 miles] at an average speed of 41.4 kph [25.7 mph].