Do folks remember the Wyoming story -- the one about fracking water in ground table water? I've blogged about it numerous times. Google "shenanigans in Wyoming" at the MDW and you will find updates. Here's the best link, perhaps. There's even a tag a the bottom of the page, EPAWyomingShenanigans.
Wyoming DEQ finds no frac fluid in groundwater near Pavillion.
Wyoming’s Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) did not find evidence that hydraulic fracturing
fluids from a nearby natural gas field rose to shallow depths for
drinking water and irrigation supplies near the town of Pavillion in
2014, the state agency said on Nov. 7.
“Also, based on an evaluation of hydraulic fracturing history, and
methods used in the Pavillion gas field, it is unlikely that [fracing]
has caused any impacts to the water supply wells,” it added in a fact sheet accompanying the more than 80,000-page report.
WDEQ conducted a further investigation after the US Environmental
Protection Agency said in a 2011 draft report that it found chemicals
consistent with fracing and gas production in groundwater near the
west-central Wyoming community. The draft report never implied that fracing was unsafe, an EPA official subsequently told a US House subcommittee.
In its June and August 2014 sampling of 13 water supply wells near
Pavillion, WDEQ found no organic compounds, other than a pesticide and
an ester used in flexible polyvinyl chloride plastics that is a common
laboratory contaminant.
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Jeb Bush Was Most Likely Under The Influence
Without question, my favorite symphony:
Without question, my favorite media star in this clip: Ann Coulter. My least favorite political stars in this clip, without question, the Bush brothers, followed closely by President Obama. I never thought I would say that -- that Barack Obama is actually marginally more tolerable than the Bush brothers. After seeing this clip. And knowing that neither supported, nor voted for, the GOP candidate.
First: Mexican president telephoned/tweeted his congratulations to President-elect Trump. He was the first foreign leader to send his congratulations, on T+1. On T+2 (November 10, 2016), it was reported that Mexico was ready to "re-negotiate" a "modern" NAFTA agreement.
Then: Canadian prime minister called to say he would like to "re-negotiate" NAFTA with President-elect Trump.
One can follow the "Trump Daily Thought" here. Some folks will read their Bible passages first: then the "Trump Daily Thought" for the day; and then, The Wall Street Journal. Or not.
Yes, coming back to you.
Coming Back To You, Leonard Cohen
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The Apple Page
This is perplexing. Apple is shipping its new display, an ultrafine 4K display, what everyone has been waiting for, along with a 5K.
But for the first time, it will not be an "Apple" display. It will not be the iconic aluminum case with distinctive Apple logo. It will be a "generic" black LG monitor.
Apparently, Apple is getting out of the display business. It is said that Apple partnered with LG, telling LG exactly what was needed and then stepped back, letting LG do the design and material -- apparently "plastic" rather than aluminum.
It is definitely a disappointment. The question has to be asked: what was Apple thinking?
Part of the answer is easy. Monitors are low margin "peripherals." Looking at margins / profits, it made more sense to outsource monitors completely.
The bigger question is whether Apple is risking losing its image? That's a tough one.
Mobile devices, including laptops, will still have the distinctive Apple case and logo.
It's very possible the thinking went like this:
desktop work is utilitarian; not much need for "product placement" or for Apple advertising; doesn't contribute much to the "image issue"
Apple is skating to where the puck will be ..... and that's mobile devices
one wonders if the major buyer of desktop Apple computers aren't now large corporations
large corporations prefer the "generic" black desktop monitors, especially if they cost half as much as the aluminum Apple monitors; one wonders if corporate sales were being hurt by -- or driven by -- corporate purchasing, and it was getting more and more difficult to sell upscale, high-priced, low-margin monitors to corporations, where the majority would be used by employees with little "need" for elegance
as you re-read that last bullet and try to figure out what I just said, remember the relationship between IBM and Apple
The question is whether this decision will hurt Apple's iconic position among computer users, a question that is being asked by those commenting at the linked article. I don't think so.
As long as they don't go this route with mobile devices, Apple will do just fine.
30007, SI/NC, Enerplus resources, Arctic 150-94-36BH, Spotted Horn, no production data,
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Active Rigs
11/13/2016
11/13/2015
11/13/2014
11/13/2013
11/13/2012
Active Rigs
38
64
188
182
190
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Bakken 101
From Oilprice today: To understand the real profitability of a company, we have to look at
its cash flow, or what is known as free cash flow. Free cash flow is
calculated by deducting capital expenditures (CAPEX) from the company’s
cash from operations.
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Diversity and Inclusiveness
November 13, 2016: when you look at the map below, something
else pops up in the electoral vote vs popular vote discussion. "Diversity and inclusiveness" is one of the things that
makes America great. If a few geographic locations could decide the
president of the US, it appears almost 90% of the US would feel left
out. Worse, the "diversity" demonstrated by the grey area would be lost.
Many of the "original 13 colonies" don't have even a speck of blue.
Other states without a speck of blue: Louisiana, Arkansas, Iowa,
Nebraska, the Dakotas, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, West Virginia, Virginia.
Some of the states with a single speck of blue is simply the state's
one urban center: New Mexico, Oregon, Minnesota, Kentucky, Georgia,
Utah.
If one is truly concerned about "diversity and inclusiveness," maybe the wrong question is being asked. Perhaps the wrong question is whether to choose the popular vote over the electoral college to determine the presidency of the US.
If one is truly concerned about "diversity and inclusiveness maybe there should be some "small state affirmative action." States with small populations but whose products are important for the US (agriculture, industry, mining, energy, military bases, nuclear weapons sites, honey production) should be given extra weight.
For example, North Dakota should be given six extra electoral votes based on its importance for agriculture, wind energy, oil production, nuclear military bases, honey production, and coal mining, whereas Minnesota would lose two electoral votes (no military bases of note, to begin with).
Perhaps, it's not the number of people in the state that matters, but the "importance of that state to the union" that counts.
Chris Christie remains on the short list for two positions 😡😡😡 😩
Sarah Palin is on the short list for Interior Secretary, along with Harold Hamm 😡😩
Ben Carson makes the short list for two positions (like Chris Christie)😡😩😩
Veterans Affairs, only one name: Jeff Miller Retired chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee😡
Labor Secretary, only one name: Victoria A. Lipnic Equal Employment Opportunity commissioner and work force policy counsel to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce
in total, there are 57 names on the list for all positions; of the 57 on the various short lists, only six -- again, only six -- were women; and one of them was Sarah Palin; another was ex-Arizona governor Jan Brewer; and, one woman, Kelly Ayotte was on the list twice😡😡😡😡
too many career politicians on the list😡😩😩😩
to repeat myself, not a very inspired list considering this is the group from which he is expected to choose 😡😩
Key:
weary: 😩
pouty: 😡
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Philosophy -- Again
There are two subjects that I have never been able to figure out: how to measure electricity and the "subject" of philosophy.
I was introduced to "philosophy" in the summer between my junior year and senior year of high school. I attended a summer course in "humanities" at St Olaf College, Northfield, MN. I was entirely out of my depth, or is it, "out of my league," when it came to philosophy. It was the first time I had even been introduced to philosophy -- by other students, not the professors -- and I was completely lost.
Off and on over the years, I've tried to make sense of it, but have never succeeded. It is strange then, or ironic, or something, that it took a comic book story or a comic book character to move me along. I mentioned this before after seeing the movie Doctor Strange with Benedict Cumberbatch.
For the first time, I "understand" at least to some extent Gnosticism which seems to be as good a starting point on philosophy as any.
I was reminded of that (Gnosticism) again today after reading about the analyses of the recent presidential election; the body language of the two men when they met in the Oval Office; Veeder's column today; the "LoveTrumpsHate" protests; and, the NY Times short list for the president-elect's first cabinet.
As I said to someone else, about the presumed short-list for Trump's cabinet:
If this is really Trump's list, it is truly uninspired. His GOP opponents in
the primary would have had even worst lists, but I held out more hope for
Trump.
Hillary's cabinet would have been incredibly worse.
Without
question, Americans really had awful options this election.
What I did not say, it's really too bad Obama did not live up to the expectations that so many had. But then, on the other hand, I suppose, if he had, Hillary would be the president-elect.
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Did I Ever Love You, Leonard Cohen
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Sidney Blumenthal's Wide Shut Eyes
Link here. In that whole ball of wax regarding Hillary's secret e-mail server there were so many things one could talk about. From the purpose of the server itself, to the lying denials by Hillary, to the "Comey cover-up", and finally the "Comey comedy."
At the end of the day, I doubt most Americans based their voting decision on the "e-mail issue" itself in that last week before the election.
If there was any one thing in that entire, huge ball of wax, it was this: a former President, and the husband of the individual under investigation, meeting with the potential prosecutor, the Attorney General of the United States, and both of them saying that they did not discuss the case. Within 24 hours of that meeting, Comey announced he was closing the investigation.
I find it incredible that a man of Sidney Blumenthal's stature was unable to see that "problem" for what it was. Another example of someone whose eyes were wide shut going into this election.
One wonders if Bill Clinton caused more harm to Hillary's campaign than the FBI? On the "e-mail issue," it was most likely his meeting on the tarmac with Loretta Lynch that was the nail in the coffin. One has visions of the Godfather, making someone an offer she could not refuse.
