Category: BP Oil Spill

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Diary, Film, Fog Of History, Food and Drink, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, Television2 Comments

Saturday Odds & Sods: Meet On The Ledge

Peter Adrastos Athas
Rain, Steam, and Speed by JMW Turner.

It’s the final day of one of the greatest musical festivals in the world: Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. Dr. A and I attended the event’s 40th anniversary in 2007. We actually took a tour, which gave us insider access including a chance to hang out with the super-nice members of Fairport Convention: Dave Pegg, Simon Nicol, Ric Sanders, Chris Leslie, and Gerry Conway. Nancy Covey’s Festival Tours organizes tours for people who don’t like tours. It was the trip of a lifetime and we formed many friendships that still endure. End of travelogue.

This week’s theme song was written by Richard Thompson in 1968 for Fairport’s What We Did On Our Holidays album. Meet On The Ledge is a song about death that is somehow life-affirming. It’s often played at funerals and is typically the last song played at every Fairport Convention show. At Cropredy, a cast of thousands joins the band onstage for an epic sing-along.

We have three versions for your listening pleasure: the Fairport original with Sandy Denny on lead vocals; a solo acoustic version by Richard Thompson, and Fairport and friends closing Cropredy in 2017 with Simon Nicol and Iain Matthews on lead vocals

Now that we’ve met on the ledge and seen all of our friends, let’s jump to the break.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Meet On The Ledge”

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Gret Stet Politics, Law/Justice, Political Crack

Gret Stet of Confusion

Peter Adrastos Athas

It was a wild morning. First of all, deliberations in the Nagin trial have been delayed until tomorrow because of an unspecified juror problem. It’s unknown as to why Judge Berrigan chose not to move on with the deliberations. That’s what alternates are for. Twittercourt never closes so several of us had suspicions about what happened: Possible #nagintrial#jurorproblems: getting ready for @kreweduvieux, fear of today’s version of the wintry mix, blinded by Nagin’s head… — liprap (@liprap)February 11, 2014 Pssst. Juror 8, I know a guy who can totally hook you up with some granite counter-tops dude. You know what … Continue reading Gret Stet of Confusion

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Law/Justice, Political Crack

Gret Stet of Confusion

Peter Adrastos Athas

It was a wild morning. First of all, deliberations in the Nagin trial have been delayed until tomorrow because of an unspecified juror problem. It’s unknown as to why Judge Berrigan chose not to move on with the deliberations. That’s what alternates are for. Twittercourt never closes so several of us had suspicions about what happened: Possible #nagintrial#jurorproblems: getting ready for @kreweduvieux, fear of today’s version of the wintry mix, blinded by Nagin’s head… — liprap (@liprap) February 11, 2014 Pssst. Juror 8, I know a guy who can totally hook you up with some granite counter-tops dude. You know … Continue reading Gret Stet of Confusion

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Law/Justice, Political Crack

Gret Stet of Confusion

Peter Adrastos Athas

It was a wild morning. First of all, deliberations in the Nagin trial have been delayed until tomorrow because of an unspecified juror problem. It’s unknown as to why Judge Berrigan chose not to move on with the deliberations. That’s what alternates are for. Twittercourt never closes so several of us had suspicions about what happened: Possible #nagintrial#jurorproblems: getting ready for @kreweduvieux, fear of today’s version of the wintry mix, blinded by Nagin’s head… — liprap (@liprap) February 11, 2014 Pssst. Juror 8, I know a guy who can totally hook you up with some granite counter-tops dude. You know … Continue reading Gret Stet of Confusion

Adrastos, Books, BP Oil Spill, Political Crack5 Comments

Stephanie Grace reads PBJ’s book so we don’t have to

Peter Adrastos Athas

Another day, another dilatory post as I started this one a week. Okay, enough inside bloggerdom. The erstwile Governor of the Gret Stet of Louisiana has published a book. It has given him another excuse to travel to places such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. I can’t imagine why, he said batting his eyelashes like an ingenue. I’m pretty sure that PBJ speed dictated the book because the man talks a mile a minute. It’s a good way to camouflage the fact that he’s got nothing interesting or original to say. I, of course, have no intention of … Continue reading Stephanie Grace reads PBJ’s book so we don’t have to

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Food and Drink5 Comments

How do ya like dem ersters?

Peter Adrastos Athas

Thus spake (according to legend at least)Longite NOLA Mayor Robert Maestri to FDR when the two were dining on oysters at Antoine’s. The quote varies-sometimes it ends with Mr. President or Chief-which is why I’m not 100% sure it’s true. But if it isn’t, it should be. This post, however, isn’t about malaprops or politics, it’s about dem ersters.The Sunday Picayune ran a fine front pager by Brett Anderson on the ongoing problems faced by a family owned and operated oyster processing and distribution company in NOLA, P&J Oyster Co. The BP oil spill and the response to it continue … Continue reading How do ya like dem ersters?

BP Oil Spill, VirgoTex4 Comments

Can you dig it? Uhhh…no, actually

God knows BP hasn’t had many victories lately. Sure, theycapped the well and all but, while it could hardly be called an afterthought, it certainly belonged in “more of a whimper than a bang” category. Much as they wanted to savor the triumph, BP didn’t want anyone to really dwell on that whole awkward IT TOOK US FIVE MONTHS part of the story. So maybe this is one last attempt to snatch victory from the jaws of death that the British are so well known for. Personally, I’m willing to give it to them because goddamn it, I think they’ve … Continue reading Can you dig it? Uhhh…no, actually

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill3 Comments

BP’s Theatre Of The Absurd

Peter Adrastos Athas

The Macondo oil gusher has finally been sealed but BP continues to play mind/word games with all concerned.The Picayune’s Bob Marshall published a surreal account of a conversation with a BP flack about the oil that is still fouling the waters and marshes in these parts: For a while Tuesday, I felt like I was caught in the old Abbott and Costello routine “Who’s on first?” Whether the oil that washed ashore this week is ‘new,’ meaning never-before seen, or ‘old’ oil recycled by the ecosystem, it will probably be showing up for at least a year. Only this one … Continue reading BP’s Theatre Of The Absurd

BP Oil Spill, Epic Blogger Win, Geek Cred, Hurricane Katrina & Federal Flood, Music, VirgoTex9 Comments

Not the only one

Yeah, yeah, posting out of turn and all but it’s Friday, plus Athenae said I could do some extra RT5-related posting. Pretty sure she meantduring, rather thanafter, the event but hey, in New Orleans, the party never really ends. Credit/blame toracymind for the song. It was on her ipod, we did pass byHammond, it became part of the trip soundtrack. But it does work here, too, because it’s a song — a story really — about families, mostly about choice, about what and who you choose to stand for and with. About how sometimes what might seem a choice to … Continue reading Not the only one

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Epic Blogger Win2 Comments

Mac McClelland’s Rising Tide 5 Keynote

Peter Adrastos Athas

If you have a bit of spare time to watch it, Mac’s keynote was both entertaining and informative. My favorite bit was when she called Governor PBJ “a fucking douchebag.” Mac definitely had her Mother Jones as well as her Mojo working or are they the same thing? Mac was introduced by her Bloody Mary tech andNOLA blogger, Jeffrey Bostick: p align=”center” class=”asset asset-video” style=”display: block; margin: 0pt auto;”> Rising Tide V: Keynote by Mother Jones reporter Mac McClelland (28 Aug 2010 NOLA) fromSophielab onVimeo. Continue reading Mac McClelland’s Rising Tide 5 Keynote

Athenae, BP Oil Spill, Do Something16 Comments

Our Pelicans Have Landed!

So there was a mix-up at theInternational Bird Rescue Research Center, andour pelicans couldn’t be found. Turned out they had holed up in the back of the pelican pen and were discussing the world’s affairs over merlot and M&Ms, hitting F5 on the crack van and one of them might or might not have started a dice game with some finches. When asked about it, he muttered something about “punch3 kitten chainsaw” and flapped off. Kids today. In any case, the birds we adopted as a blog, way back in the early days of the BP Oil Spill, were located, … Continue reading Our Pelicans Have Landed!

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Current Affairs

Pistolette Goes Dow’na Road

Peter Adrastos Athas

One of my favorite NOLA bloggers, Pistolette, has written a terrific postthat’s, in part, about growing up in St. Bernard Parish. It was inspired byPicayune man Bob Marshall’s equally terrific series about Delacroix, a small town in da Parish that seems to be on its last legs. Links and jokes about Brett Favre’s member are all got for you so far today. These stories are both more uplifting but, then again, maybe not… Continue reading Pistolette Goes Dow’na Road

BP Oil Spill, VirgoTex10 Comments

Go back to bed America: “Oil from spill poses little additional risk”

News that gets released in the dead of night (actually just past midnight this morning) is seldom good, no matter how much optimism it’s wrapped in. WASHINGTON — The government is expected to announce on Wednesday that three-quarters of the oil from the Deepwater Horizon leak has already evaporated, dispersed, been captured or otherwise eliminated — and that much of the rest is so diluted that it does not seem to pose much additional risk of harm. A government report finds that about 26 percent of the oil released from BP’s runaway well is still in the water or onshore … Continue reading Go back to bed America: “Oil from spill poses little additional risk”

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Political Crack2 Comments

Jindal The Rockhead

Peter Adrastos Athas

As a resident of the Gret Stet of Louisiana, I’ve been appalled by the way so many local media outlets have been acting as cheerleaders for Governor PBJ, the Parish Presidents and the oil industry.Today, Picayune outdoors editor Bob Marshall throws a well placed rock at Bobby’s beloved rock jetties: At a press conference supporting his wish to narrow Gulf passes with rock jetties in an attempt to keep oil out of interior marshes, Gov. Bobby Jindal said this: “No one can convince us that rocks in the water are more dangerous than oil. That is absolutely ridiculous. The only … Continue reading Jindal The Rockhead

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill9 Comments

Unfuck The Gulf

Peter Adrastos Athas

I’ve been worried that I haven’t been swearing enough in my posts. We’re obviously falling behind on ourfuck quota for the year.So, I decided to link to this faintly amusing site with a fucking good name. I’m not planning to buy any of their kitsch but it may be for a good fucking cause. Fuckin’ A or is that unfuckin’ A? Finally, exactly how does one go about unfucking something? Beats the hell outta me. Guess I’ll leave that to the philosophers among you. Continue reading Unfuck The Gulf

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Television3 Comments

That Old Devil Called Tony

Peter Adrastos Athas

He may be on his way out as BP’s CEO but Wayward Hayward’s foot and mouth have been reunited incomments made to the British press: BP formally confirmed today that it hadaxed its boss Tony Hayward in an attempt to appease mounting anger in the US but risked undermining the move by insisting it had been a “model ofcorporate social responsibility“. In further comments unlikely to go down well in Washington, Hayward said he had been “demonised” in the US, adding that he might be “too busy” to attend future US hearings into the disastrous Gulf oil spill. Explaining his … Continue reading That Old Devil Called Tony

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill4 Comments

Rare Good News

Peter Adrastos Athas

In the wake of Shirley Sherrod’s craven Vilsacking, I searched the interwebs for good news this morning and astonishinglly enough found some.The Guardian is reporting that “sources close to BP” are saying that Wayward Hayward will be out as CEO by October 1. Actually, they quote theTimes of Murdoch but I refuse to pay Rupert a shilling to read his site. Call me crazy but I’m not into subsidizing multi-billionaire media tycoons… Continue reading Rare Good News

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Music

Working Class Hero

Peter Adrastos Athas

The human impact of the BP oiltastrophe has been playing out this week in front of the Presidential Commission investigating this seemingly endless clusterfuck.Drew Landry, a South Louisiana crawfisherman, testified in part by singing a tune that he wrote about the human costs of the spill.He sounded a bit like Steve Earle, which is a good thing in my book. If he adds a nice bridge to the song he could have a hit on his hands. Mr. Landry himself was a big hit with the commissioners because of his candor and down home charm. p align=”center” class=”asset asset-video” style=”display: … Continue reading Working Class Hero

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Diary3 Comments

BP Rolls the Dice and Craps Out

Peter Adrastos Athas

UK Metro has unearthed a circa 1960’s board game:BR Offshore Oil Strike. I am not shitting you. What I’ve heard about the game itself is seriously creepy since it foreshadows the current oiltastrophe in the Gulf. Who hell wants to play a game sponsored by a multi-fucking national oil company? Not me. I was never even that into Monopoly when I was a wee lad in knee pants or whatever the hell it was we wore back then. I preferred Risk, which means that world conquest was more up my alley. I was a ruthless Risk player and always tried … Continue reading BP Rolls the Dice and Craps Out

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Political Crack6 Comments

Best Gambit Tabloid Cover Ever

Peter Adrastos Athas

NOLA’s fine alternative weekly, the Gambithas been on a roll of late. (Hmm, what kind of roll: lobster? egg? spring? Definitely not the latter.) Their latest cover featuresJames Carville looking like an insect toon complete with steam coming out of his ears: Photo by Cheryl Gerber. Cover design by Dora Sison. Well done, y’all. It’s actually rather lifelike. I had steam coming out of my ears yesterday as well and felt like a character out of a Roger Corman flick… —– Continue reading Best Gambit Tabloid Cover Ever

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks2 Comments

Posturing In Da Parish

Peter Adrastos Athas

These are strange times in South Louisiana. Both the national and local press are treating some of our local hack conservative pols as though they’re heroic because of the oil spill. I suppose one could call it ennoblement through victimhood. One of my least favorite local leaders is St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro whoFirst Draft readers first met when he was making like Jesus and watching the feet of guvmint employees. Taffaro was also one of the originalmalakas featured at my own humble blog abode. During a photo-op yesterday, he denounced federal officials for only showing up for photo-ops. … Continue reading Posturing In Da Parish

Adrastos, BP Oil Spill, Malakatude, Weblogs8 Comments

Malaka Of The Week: The Huffington Post

Peter Adrastos Athas

I’m not sure if I should be using the singular or the plural version of malaka but the Huff Post has hit a new low. The offending, as well as offensive, post belongs in a super market tabloid devoted to tales of Big Foot and space aliens. I have never been a fan of the Huff Post and cannot stand Ariana Huffington who is an arrogant, trendhopping opportunist. One of my earliest posts at First Draft was entitledSatan’s Botoxed Handmaiden, which is my friend Kevin Allman’s pet name for his bete noir. Enough set-up. The reason this week’s “honor” goes … Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: The Huffington Post

BP Oil Spill, Science, VirgoTex6 Comments

What will happen to them in October, BP?

A whooping crane in the wild is an astounding sight. If you’re lucky to be close enough to view one without binoculars, the first thing that strikes you is the size. An adult whooper stands 5 feet tall and has a wing span of 7.5 feet, blindingly white body plumage, black wingtips, a striking red and black mask, and large dark beak. They are magnificent animals and getting to watch them in their winter habitat atAransas National Wildlife Refuge, near where I grew up, made an indelible impression on me as a kid. Without a doubt, that’s one of the … Continue reading What will happen to them in October, BP?

Athenae, BP Oil Spill, Immoral Values13 Comments

So Here’s Some Folks What Need to Be Kicked in the Dick

Adding Spirit to the list of airlines I will never use no matter how cheap the flights are: Spirit Airlines — they of the multi-year labor dispute and the charge for carry-on bags — would like to encourage you to buy tickets to Cancun, Puerto Rico, Atlantic City or Fort Lauderdale with a timely new ad campaign calledBestProtection. The tag line? “Check out the oil on our beaches.” You know, seriously, I am coming around to Doc’s refrain that shit only matters when it happens to New York or DC, because as much as wingnuts love to hate on these … Continue reading So Here’s Some Folks What Need to Be Kicked in the Dick