An Interesting Article

State: 'Serious' Questions on Pipeline GOP Bill

What I find most interesting is this little bit, right about in the middle of the article: TransCanada first applied to build the pipeline in 2008, under the Bush administration.


That's not interesting because it's states it was under the Bush administration. It's interesting because of the lady with the pasture in the sandhills who testified before the state legislature. She had a letter dated 2007 from TransCanada that they were going through her pasture to dig. She wrote back that no, they wouldn't. Perhaps it would be better to move it two miles the other way. They wrote one more time saying saying no, that's not a good idea. They would have to use eminent domain and she'd just have to sit and spin. Ok, not exact quotes, but basically that idea. She went to her state reps and no one even knew about it then.


Now, either the article is incorrect in the date or there is some foolery going on somewhere. 


And then there's this bit: Project supporters say U.S. rejection of the pipeline will not stop one from being built. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said Canada is serious about building a pipeline to its West Coast, where oil could be shipped to China and other Asian markets.


Hold the phone... what?! But I thought all that oil was America's! /sarcasm. So they went and admitted not a single drop of that bullshiz is supposed to be for the American economy. 


And the humor keeps on rolling: TransCanada says the pipeline could create as many as 20,000 jobs, a figure opponents say is inflated. A State Department report last summer said the pipeline would create up to 6,000 jobs during construction


*cough* 1, 500 *cough* That's what I take that to mean because we all now that the state dept. loves to exaggerate. I'm betting about 200 would be permanent. The rest temporary.


So, let's sum up questions drummed up by this article, shall we? When did TransCanada actually apply for the pipeline? How does it coincide with the date land owners were informed that they were going to be dug up? (Which is a dicey thing to do in the sandhills. It causes what they call blowouts. The dunes aren't anchored by the grass anymore and start blowing around taking over highways, fences and whatever else they feel like getting into. It's one reason why it's a bad idea to dig out there. ) Where is this oil going to? What economy will benefit from it? Chinese, Canadian, American? None, all three, only two? Are we talking permanent or temporary jobs? And what are the realistic numbers on how many of those jobs? 

Careful, your toddler is showing.

Oh, you silly TransCanada. I thought you grew up, but then you stuck out your tongue and said "Play my way or I'm taking my ball and going somewhere else to play." As shown in the statement "It's going to go to China if we don't build it here." Yeah, one of our senators said it but it doesn't take much thought to know where he heard that statement first.

 And here I thought TransCanada said it would take too long to re route everything, yet as stated below, in a "mere few weeks" they found a new route.

Some serious spots are showing on these cats.

To further up the nonsense, they want it to look like they aren't the only ones wanting the route. I predict that Montana and North Dakota will become TransCanada's fall guys. See, it's inside your borders! It's not us. We are bowing from pressure within the states to get this built. It's not our fault, guy!

Wait for it...

TransCanada: New route for pipeline nearly done

• Posted: January 11, 2012 at 3:57 pm   

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A Canadian company attempting to build a $7 billion pipeline to carry oil from Canada to refineries along the Gulf Coast soon will have a new route that seeks to allay worries of U.S. regulators, a company executive said Wednesday.

Pourbaix and Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told North Dakota officials and oil industry representatives that if the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline is not built Canada's oil-sand developers likely would ship the crude to Asia."In a matter of a very few weeks we will have a route that everyone agrees on," said Alex Pourbaix, TransCanada Corp.'s president for energy and oil pipelines.

"It's going to go to China if we don't build it here," Hoven said.

The U.S. State Department in November delayed a decision on granting a permit for Keystone XL, largely because of worries about the pipeline's environmental impact, especially in Nebraska.

Pourbaix said the Calgary-based company has been meeting with U.S. regulators and officials in Nebraska on mapping a new route that will avoid the environmentally sensitive Sandhills area of Nebraska. He would not elaborate.

President Barack Obama signed into law last month a payroll tax bill that contains a Republican-pushed provision for the president to decide by Feb. 21 whether the pipeline is in the national interest.

The disputed route runs through six states from Canada to Texas. So-called feeder pipelines would connect the Keystone XL to rich oil fields in North Dakota and Montana.

TransCanada announced a year ago that it would accept crude from both states, after facing political pressure by oil companies and officials from North Dakota and Montana who had complained that development of the states' oil patches had been hampered by a lack of refineries, pipelines and rail facilities.

Hoeven said the Keystone XL would carry 100,000 barrels of crude daily from North Dakota and Montana. The pipeline would lessen truck traffic in western North Dakota, while improving prices for crude and creating jobs, he said.

Keystone XL Whistleblower

An editorial column by a man who has applied for whistle blower status with the US Dept. of Labor.

By Mike Klink | Posted: Saturday, December 31, 2011 11:50 pm | (13) Comments

There has been a lot of talk about the safety of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

I am not an environmentalist, but as a civil engineer and an inspector for TransCanada during the construction of the first Keystone pipeline, I've had an uncomfortable front-row seat to the disaster that Keystone XL could bring about all along its pathway.

Despite its boosters' advertising, this project is not about jobs or energy security. It is about money. And whenever my former employer Bechtel, working on behalf of TransCanada, had to choose between safety and saving money, they chose to save money.

As an inspector, my job was to monitor the construction of the first Keystone pipeline. I oversaw construction at the pump stations that have been such a problem on that line, which has already spilled more than a dozen times. I am coming forward because my kids encouraged me to tell the truth about what was done and covered up.

When I last raised concerns about corners being cut, I lost my job — but people along the Keystone XL pathway have a lot more to lose if this project moves forward with the same shoddy work.

What did I see? Cheap foreign steel that cracked when workers tried to weld it, foundations for pump stations that you would never consider using in your own home, fudged safety tests, Bechtel staffers explaining away leaks during pressure tests as "not too bad," shortcuts on the steel and rebar that are essential for safe pipeline operation and siting of facilities on completely inappropriate spots like wetlands.

I shared these concerns with my bosses, who communicated them to the bigwigs at TransCanada, but nothing changed. TransCanada didn't appear to care. That is why I was not surprised to hear about the big spill in Ludden, N.D., where a 60-foot plume of crude spewed tens of thousands of gallons of toxic tar sands oil and fouled neighboring fields.

TransCanada says that the performance has been OK. Fourteen spills is not so bad. And that the pump stations don't really count. That is all bunk. This thing shouldn't be leaking like a sieve in its first year — what do you think happens decades from now after moving billions of barrels of the most corrosive oil on the planet?

Let's be clear — I am an engineer; I am not telling you we shouldn't build pipelines. We just should not build this one.

Pipelines can and do stand the test of time, but TransCanada already has shown that they cannot. After working on engineering projects all over the world, I can tell you that a company that cared about safety would not follow these types of practices.

If it were a car, the first Keystone would be a lemon. And it would be far worse to double down on a proven loser with Keystone XL.

The stories of how TransCanada has bullied landowners in Nebraska rings true to me. I am living it, as well. After repeatedly telling the contractor and TransCanada about my concerns, I lost my job.

But I couldn't watch silently as a company put innocent people at risk with a haphazardly built pipeline. I am speaking out on behalf of my children and your children.

Oil spills are no joke. We need to do all we can to protect our water and our food. I am glad the Nebraska Legislature stepped up to protect Nebraskans. I can only hope that they stand up to TransCanada. We should all take a hard look at the damage that this pipeline will do. I should know; I've seen it in person.

Please do not sell out to foreign oil and foreign suppliers. There is no guarantee the product will stay in the United States, only the toxic waste. God bless the United States and those of us who still believe in the fact that her people matter.

Mike Klink of Auburn, Ind.., is seeking whistleblower protection from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Read more: http://journalstar.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/mike-klink-keystone-xl-pipeline-not-safe/article_4b713d36-42fc-5065-a370-f7b371cb1ece.html?mode=story#ixzz1iVrlJfGk

All the sugar, drink and carbs have made my brain go soft

I didn't update on the good news going around here.

I'm looking to start college in the Fall. Wee. All I need now is a good part time job and I'll be very happy.

Sister got a new job. She has better job experience than I do. I'm very happy for her because her husband is doing much better, sounds like he was eating at Christmas. He had a feeding tube for awhile. His beard is growing back but not in all places. He had one since I've met him. I can't recall seeing many adult pictures of him without one. Both her girls have an eye on getting married this year. One was engaged about three months ago and the other just a week ago. Whoo! It's been forever since I've been to a wedding. I really enjoy them.

I'm excited for good things happening to people I know. I hope it filters down making for a much better 2012 than 2011.

Now if I can just decide wether to keep our realtor or not.

Good Tidings and Much Cheer

Christmas Eve was spent at a cousins house with her very noisy kids. I had a very grumpy tired husband on my hands. He got better when he got home. He had to work a very long shift Christmas Eve. I was happy he finally got some sleep.

Christmas day we opened our presents and went out of town to spend some time at the in-laws. We stuffed ourselves silly. She had all manner of treats from white chocolate pretzels with sprinkles to sugar cookies. We watched part of a football game and the Dr. Who Christmas special. Oh, cable, sometimes I do miss you so. heh. 

In other years we play bingo but since it was the kids, us and them, she came up with a new game to play... Old Maid. We put the Old Maid cards in the middle of the table and drew one card until the Old Maid card was drawn. That person was eliminated. They would keep going until there was only one person left. The other side of the table seemed very lucky as they kept winning. To speed things up, we changed our tactics and whoever pulled her out first won. Suddenly, my side of the table which was getting eliminated early before was winning. LOL! I seem to do better in games where to win you have to loose. 

Happy New Year. 

Torture

Hanging out with the younger crowd recently I have been introduced to "Totes" for totally and "Whatevs" for whatever. Used often such as "These newtons aren't too bad."

"Oh, totes girl!"

Got a wild hair up my rear and watched Heathers. They used totes and whatev. I told the girl that it was on there and she flipped back with "Yeah, we're cool. We're bringing it back."

Ah, the folly of youth.

She is a very nice Catholic girl. We decided last night to torture her a little by hinting what another girl bought her for a Christmas present.

Texted: Do you have some extra batteries?

Her: Uhm...

Us: Maybe some D or C cell.

Her: Now I'm getting scared. What did you get me?

LOL! It was perfume but man was it fun making her wonder.

This Post Took a Turn

'Tis the season of the Dentist,

Falala lala la la.

My dearest husband hasn't gotten his teeth clean in twenty years. He had a dentist as a teen that was kind of a sadist which really turned him off of dentistry. *sings "I Am A Dentist" from Little Shop of Horrors in head*

So, we trekked to get them clean on a snow falling kind of day. Started out light, got worse as we got closer to the little town where a dentist in his group is actually at. That was fun finding them as the other dentists in the town were pediatric dentist or braces only orthodontics. I could hear the receptionists rolling their eyes as they tried to explain it all to me. Upshot, we can't help you. heh.

I warned the dentist that he doesn't like going. 

It was like when he got a tattoo. The hygienist would stop, see how he was doing and give him a little break or remind him he needed to breath.  I can't tell you how much I appreciated her patience. Because he's going back. The comic said to her as he was finished up "Best cleaning job I've had in 20 years!" 

"Hey, it's the only cleaning job you've had in 20 years!" Did I mention he hates the dentist?

Today I get to take oldest to see if he will get braces or what feel needs done. It's such a wonderfully skippy day! Not looking forward to this.

Update on sis who has become a new grandmother and her husband has been going through cancer treatment. 

Haven't heard the news from his latest tests. He's getting along fairly good considering. 

She, however, not so much. She got fired from her job Thursday. I suspect it's because she's had such a dramatic year. She couldn't be there for the birth of the baby because she was at a conference type thing. She said her boss was fairly unsympathetic when she told her the news that she was a grandma. Kind of that's great, now about this next meeting.... attitude. I don't know all the details. I just know that it's two weeks before Christmas, her husband has been going through cancer treatments, her daughter had a baby and is to getting a wedding together for April and her other daughter is finishing up a practicum and gearing up for an internship. Seriously, if you pray for strangers, please pray for them.

Ah. I see this post took a left hand turn on me. Well, all well wishes, warm thoughts or prayers are welcome.