Category: Idle Thoughts

Idle thought

BP will be sued and the possible damages from the Deep Horizon disaster could amount to $100 billion or more.

But the Supreme Court will throw the penalties out, as they did with the Exxon Valdez mess.

After the Exxon Valdez spill, Exxon fought a $5 billion fine for punitive damages for two decades. It won. The fine was cut down to $4 billion, then to $2.5 billion. The case eventually made it to the Supreme Court, which found that Exxon’s actions were “worse than negligent but less than malicious,” and vacated the fine. The judgment limited punitive damages to the compensatory damages, which were calculated as $507.5 million.

Dealbook Column

Idle thought

The airlines claim to be losing $200 million a day while European airspace was closed. But of course that’s B.S. They’re hoping to be bailed out and so must start with a high figure.

At most they are losing $200 million a day in revenue. But how much should be subtracted from that $200 million for fuel not being burned, crews not being paid? And how much should be added back when the flights begin and the stranded passengers fill every seat? And how much more for the interest the airlines earned on tickets paid in advance for trips deferred?

Just sayin’.

But he has to

Byron, official co-son-in-law of NewMexiKen expected to return to Virginia from the U.K. today. Oops.

And now they’ve just cancelled his Sunday flight.

Don’t they know he has a flag football game to coach?

This reminded me of a true story involving a colleague while he was director of a government records center. A federal judge called and demanded a particular document, which Jim had no authority to release (not without the proper red tape).

The judge insisted. Not without trepidation, Jim stood his ground.

The judge said, “I’m sending a U.S. marshal by helicopter to bring either the document or you to my court.” (The judge was in Los Angeles; we were about 50 miles away.)

Soon enough the marshal arrived. Jim remained adamant. (He was right.)

The marshal said, let’s go tell the judge.

Jim said, “I can’t go.” The marshal asked why. Jim said, “I’ve got a little league game to ump.”

The marshal laughed, called the judge, and somehow his honor relented.

Jim umped the game.

But I wouldn’t have wanted to argue balls and strikes with him that afternoon.

Idle Thought

I was thinking maybe the Catholic Church could update its image some if the next pope were to take a more modern name.

You know, like Pope Elvis, Pope Usher, Pope Ronaldo — something like that.

Idle thought about an idle thought

Wally suggests in a comment that writing about golf on TV is a perfect storm of inactivity.

But I’m thinking, Wally, that Richard Sandomir gets a tidy salary from The New York Times to write about golf on TV:

On another subject, Nantz evidently wanted to portray himself as a Woods critic.

On Saturday, he said he was disappointed in Woods’s frustrated outbursts, although most would not call his words very profane. On Sunday, Nantz came off as a scold when he called the language “foul.” Even some of Nantz’s colleagues said Sunday that Woods seemed less himself when he was not exhibiting his emotional side.

If Nantz and CBS don’t want to hear Woods, don’t aim a microphone at him.

But that would be a shame because I thought it was classic when Woods executed poorly and, again talking to himself, said, “Eldrick!”

Idle thoughts

You’d never known watching CBS that Phil Mickelson has a playing partner, let alone one currently in 10th place. His name is Yang.

And why is it the scoring graphic can’t be programmed to shrink the font and include more names when there are ties? As it is they always include the TV favorites (Tiger, Phil) at the top of the tie, even though the rules say the player with more holes played is actually ahead of others with the same score.

Great golf. Just needed to rant a little.

Idle thought

If you have an iPhone or iPod touch, the Articles app, even at $3, is worth considering. It’s a very attractive presentation of Wikipedia.

You can walk around with an encyclopedia in your pocket; might as well pay $3 to increase its usefulness. Very nice.

Idle factoid

Spirit Airlines is now charging $20 to $45 for a CARRY-ON bag.

Someone should file a class action suit against airlines claiming they are discriminating against people who are not hobos or nudists.

Idle thought

When I was a kid in Michigan, fall and the new automobile model year was a very big deal. Celebrities (ballplayers and such) were at dealers, searchlights panned the sky, music and free food.

But that’s nothing compared to the marketing of Steve Jobs and Apple. All this buzz.

And remember when people complained about planned obsolescence in cars — gotta have the latest tail fins? Ha, the auto manufacturers were small town hucksters compared to the computer industry.

Idle thought

Overheard TV commentary: “The question is how much is healthcare reform going to cost the taxpayers and the government.”

Is there something here I’m missing? Aren’t the taxpayers and the government pretty much the same thing? Isn’t separating the two somewhat disingenuous (or ignorant)?

Idle thought

Northern Virginia —

I lived in the Virginia suburbs and worked in downtown Washington, D.C., for fifteen years and no one was ever quicker to laugh at the mass hysteria and weather wimpiness that frequents this area.

But today is not that day. This is a serious storm with as much as two-feet of snow already on the ground. A hangar roof at Dulles has collapsed. Power is out for tens of thousands. Neighborhood streets are impassable.

This area simply does not have the equipment to move that much snow. You can’t just plow (at least not at airports and on dense city streets). You also have to truck the snow away. Having the capacity to handle a 100-year blizzard would not be reasonable use of ever tighter funds (and like children we Americans all want less “government,” and lower taxes, and yet can’t understand when we have fewer services).

Yes, the snow will melt and the world will return to whatever normal is. But not soon.

Idle thought

I realize I am just a cranky old guy fast approaching geezer-hood, but am I the only one who finds it odd (rude?) when I am conducting business with someone — like just now on the telephone — and they start addressing me by my first name?

Perhaps I just notice it because they call me Kenneth (the name on my credit cards, etc.) and not Ken (the name I use with people I am on a first name basis with).

Shuffleboard, anyone?

Idle thought

What exactly does “native people” mean?

In the post before this about Acadia National Park the Park Service says, “Evidence suggests native people first lived here at least 5,000 years ago.” Well, who lived there 6,000 years ago or 10,000 years ago? And where did the “native people” of 5,000 years ago live before they lived at what is now Acadia National Park?

And if all humans originated in Africa, as is pretty certain, then who really qualifies as native people anyway?