Unskilled Labor

Obama: Fatherhood Begins at Conception

2009-06-24T18:45:00.003-05:00

Long time no post!

All the (oilfield) land work and shelf (near shore) work is drying up but deep water work is still alive and kicking me square in the gut. All things considered, I'd rather be an overloaded oilfield worker with no time to update my blog, than an unemployed GM or Chrysler hand.

Anyway, I checked some other blogs for the first time in quite a while and I found this over at AmP.

I thought it was pretty dern'd good so I shamelessly copied it and put it on my blog.

My Faith and My Work are Under Attack by My Own Government and Countrymen

2009-03-28T09:50:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I am a project manager for a company that fabricates much of the subsea equipment shown in the video I posted. I've had the privilege of being the project manager in charge of fabricating some of the SCR's and flowlines for the worlds deepest gas platform. The technology involved in producing these components is truly amazing. It is beyond unfortunate that our president wants to destroy the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico by increasing taxes and removing incentives to drill and produce our domestic offshore resources. It seems plain to me that if you punish companies for producing these resources domestically, the following results will logically follow:

1) Our dependence on foreign oil will INCREASE. Oil companies will move their production efforts overseas to avoid being penalized by the US government. This is already happening. Production in West Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe is increasing while production in the US GoM is decreasing. Rigs are being stacked. Large installation vessels are moving to other fields as soon as this year. I am already seeing a sharp downturn in the drilling, exploration and production market.

2) Unemployment will rise dramatically along the Gulf Coast. Virtually everyone living within 100 miles of the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas is employed by an oil company or an oilfield service company. Even if they are not working in an oil and gas related industry, they inevitably provide goods and services to people who ARE. If this industry is hamstrung by president Obama's arbitrary penalties for providing energy to the nation, the unemployment rates in Michigan will pale in comparison to the devastation he will cause along the Southern Coast.

3) Energy prices will INCREASE. Any financial penalties imposed on oil companies by president Obama will simply be passed along to the consumer. The additional cost of transporting resources from foreign countries (who's governments allow offshore drilling) to the U.S. will also be passed along to the consumer.

4) Our national security will be compromised. If you think I'm blowing this out of proportion, step back and look at the war in Iraq. That war was fought (in part) over the free flow of oil to the U.S. We have ALREADY FOUGHT A WAR over this. President Obama's efforts to destroy domestic oil production will lead to greater dependence on foreign oil.

All of this in addition to his obvious and documented opposition to the Catholic Church's teaching on the sanctity of human life makes me feel as though my faith and now even my work have been targeted for destruction by our president and the majority of Americans who elected him. On top of this, our nations most well know, "Catholic" (I stretch the term so broadly you can see through it) college, Notre Dame University (gag), is honoring president Obama by having him speak at their graduation ceremonies. This in spite of the USCCB's very direct instructions NOT to do EXACTLY this sort of thing. I quote:

"The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

Our own institutions have lost their values. They are crumbling under the crushing weight of secularism. It is absolutely depressing to watch all of this happening at the same time.

These are dark days that call for intense prayer.

Great Deepwater Production Video

2009-03-28T08:49:00.007-05:00

I found this great video on a website called EnergyTomorrow.org. I tried to embed it in my post but the code wasn't working for some reason.

As a project manager for a company that fabricates much of the subsea equipment shown in the video, I thought it was a great animation. We fabricate long sections of the lines that carry oil and gas from the sea floor to the platform at the surface. These lines are called steel catenary risers (SCR's). We also fabricate the flowlines which carry the oil and gas along the sea floor from the well head to the point at which the lines begin to curve upwards towards the surface (at this point they become SCR's). We've also recently started to fabricate some of the subsea structures seen along the sea floor in the video.

My Obama Album Cover

2009-03-15T15:55:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure what Rage Against the Machine would think about my version of their album cover. I though it was appropriate given the fact that B. Hussein Obama's first order of business has been to expand state funded abortion and embryonic stem cell research in every way possible, to the maximum extent possible and as quickly as possible. I'm sure he'll get to that whole "crashing economy" thing in due time. First things first.

Obama Intent on Destroying Our Domestic Oil Industry

2009-03-10T23:35:00.004-05:00

I recently received an e-mail from a friend of mine regarding the Obama administrations stated desire to tax the hell out of the oil industry to pay for alternative energy research and "porkulus" bailout money, etc. LOGA started an online petition to stop Obama's reckless crusade to destroy the domestic oil industry. You can read about it and sign the petition here. I would urge you to do so even if you don't work in the oilfield.

I happen to work in the oilfield manufacturing sector and I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that business has already fallen off the cliff. Obama's proposed taxes and dis-incentives to Gulf exploration will only intensify an already dire economic situation. Major oil companies can't get the credit they need to operate so everything is at a standstill. Meanwhile, Detroit gets billions in bailout money to keep auto makers in business. We had 651,000 jobs go down the tubes last month. Who the hell is going to buy these cars? We don't need more cars. We will always need fuel for the cars we already have. We also need to free ourselves from foreign oil by developing our resources in the Gulf of Mexico. Obama's proposed policies are the polar opposite of what is needed at this critical time.

Some oil companies and oilfield service companies are already laying off thousands of employees. I know one older gentleman who had to come out of retirement and return to work because (as he put it) his "401k turned into a 101k". For the first time in my life, I feel like my own government is doing everything in it's power to put me out of a job. I knew I would be deeply disappointed in Obama's policies but I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be targeted for extermination. This is worse than I ever could have imagined and we're only 50 days into his 4 year term.

To summarize: Obama's intent is clearly to discourage domestic oil production by excessive taxation. This will in turn increase energy costs, increase unemployment, increase our dependence on foreign oil and further damage our already broken economy. It's like we're racing towards financial oblivion and our president's solution is to hit the nitrous and stand on the gas.

Thanks ObamaZombies. See you in the soup line.

Jeep For Sale $6,850

2009-02-27T21:50:00.002-06:00

Well, it seems I just can't fit three little girls and a wife into a jeep. Not safely anyway. So the jeep's got to go. I think it was probably the most fun vehicle I've ever owned. If you know anyone that's looking for one, send 'em on over. Lots of pics to be seen here.

From Jeep

Blue Bell Mardi Gras Flavored Ice Cream

2009-01-30T02:41:00.003-06:00

Blue Bell is now selling it's seasonal "Mardi Gras" flavored ice cream. If you haven't tried it yet I can tell you it's good. They've managed to capture the essence of Mardi Gras in an ice cream. It's purple with green and gold accents and it tastes like liquor!

Paging Mr. Kmiec...

2009-01-30T00:10:00.003-06:00

Has anyone heard from Doug Kmiec since his idol was elected president? Last I heard he was complaining about the Catholic blogosphere in this Commonweal article. It's a VERY lengthy article considering the subject matter. Feel free to follow the link if you care to read Doug "Polonius" Kmiec's version. "Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit," I'll summarize:

Poor me. I'm Doug Kmiec. I endorsed the most pro-abortion political candidate ever and now the conservative blogosphere is attacking me. LOOK AT MEEEEEEE, president Obama! I gave big time political cover to you and all the CINO's (Catholics In Name Only) and helped deliver 54% of the Catholic Vote! I even wrote an entire book on the subject! I'm certainly not suggesting that you owe me anything for my enormous contribution to your victory, even though I've completely sacrificed myself upon your alter of political power. I mean, I've been praying about being ambassador to the Holy See and everything, but you do whatever your conscience tells you to do. If you need me, I'll just be up here bleeding on this big political cross, slowly dying for you and quietly suffering the buffeting and spitting of the low class Catholic blogosphere.

I really would like to hear what Doug has to say about his beloved president B-Rock giving away millions upon millions of dollars to foreign abortion mills within the first week of his most glorious imperial reign. That must have been REALLY important to B-Rock. Killing children is now, officially, the first and most important industrial export of his administration.

Doug, had sooooooo much to say during the campaign. Where is he now? Did I miss his public reaction to the president's global death sentence?

Doug? Hellooooooooo Doug! Are you there?

I would like to know when Doug thinks we'll see all of those "proportionate reasons" he spoke of which somehow balance out the holocaust he has now instantaneously expanded . Where's the end to the war in Iraq? An end to poverty? Support for the average family (except, of course, it's unborn members). An end to pollution? A chicken in every pot? Something? Anything?

You out there, Doug? Come in... Come in...

(Seriously, if he's responded to this publicly I'd like to know.)

New Baby!

2009-01-26T14:18:00.004-06:00

Our little Genevieve was born the past Saturday! Momma's fine, baby fine and the girls love their new sister like crazy!

Excellent Pro-Life Ad

2009-01-22T18:36:00.001-06:00

Hat tip to GetReligion.org and AmP...

Baby on the Way

2009-01-21T21:16:00.002-06:00

My wife is due on the 25th so we'll have a new addition to the family any day now. Keep us in your prayers.

SAZERAC ME!

2009-01-10T23:38:00.004-06:00

My wife and I had our last date night out for a while (baby's due at the end of the month). We had a fantastic meal at Marcello's in Lafayette. I also had my first Sazerac, the first American cocktail and the official cocktail of Alcoholic Disneyland (better know as New Orleans, La.). A very nice drink indeed. If you haven't tried one yet I highly recommend it. If you decide to have a second one you may want to have a designated driver handy 'cause it's mostly rye whiskey.

Incidentally, the J Pinot Gris I chased it with was quite tasty also.

I'm going to bed now.

More Ducks

2008-12-30T17:58:00.004-06:00

Not much posting lately due to the following:

1) Work has gotten much more hectic.

2) My home computer takes longer to boot up than the amount of patience I have available for booting up computers.

3) Wife is pregnant (if I need to explain this you are obviously not married and/or have no children).

Hopefully I will be able to post more soon.

I did manage to go hunting this past Sunday with some friends of mine in Pecan Island. It turned out to be one of the most successful hunts I've had in a couple of years. A total of 23 ducks taken (1 shy of a limit for the four of us). The strange thing was, almost all of the ducks were blue wing teal. Blue wings usually migrate early (like in September). I've rarely seen any blue wing teal past the first week or two into the regular season, much less double digit numbers in late December. Very strange but fun nonetheless!

Duck Hunting is More Than Just Killing Ducks

2008-11-25T20:25:00.002-06:00

If your enjoyment of duck hunting is solely dependent upon the number of ducks killed during a given outing, you are missing quite a bit of the total experience.

Exhibit A:

Bonehead Criminals

2008-11-25T19:38:00.002-06:00

I love this story.

Two pennsylvania natives are behind bars, accused of robbing the Pecan Island Food Store Sunday.

Eric Larocco and Amanda Matusick were both booked on armed robbery charges. In addition, they were charged with shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia.

When the store owner found out he was robbed, he contacted a Sherriff's Deputy and asked all the bridges be raised to prevent the robbers from leaving the area. The two were stuck on the island and couldn't go any further once they reached the Little Prairie Bridge.

Deputies met the suspects and recovered the money and weapon. They were both arrested on the scene.

I can just picture the sheriff casually driving down the highway without even putting his lights on and rolling up behind the robbers at the drawbridge. "Yer in a heap o' trouble boy!"

Too funny.

Hunting Report 11/19/08

2008-11-19T20:48:00.005-06:00

I went goose hunting this past Sunday in a cut bean field. I saw thousands of geese near where I was hunting but none were within gun range. I didn't see any ducks at all. That's pretty much the story I'm hearing from everyone. Very few ducks to be had. Except for one guy...

Lots of greenheads in one particular region of our state! I have a general idea of where he's hunting but I am refraining from making the information public to avoid a D-Day like invasion of the area.

I know a couple of guys who are hunting public waters by boat which is something I haven't done very much. Hopefully I'll get an invite and post another report soon.

The Lazy Man’s Guide to Getting Things Done

2008-11-14T01:10:00.002-06:00

I was lying in exactly the same position as the guy in the picture when I ran across this article. Oh the irony!

Apostasy Versus Authority

2008-11-13T23:30:00.004-06:00

Jeff Miller has a good post about the current debate on how to deal with apostate members of the U.S. Congress. I liked it. I agree that there should be some dialog before lowering the boom of excommunication. However, I think this dialog can replaced by a monologue if Senators refuse to participate in any discussions (see my previous, somewhat angry post on the subject here). AmP is still tabulating the days since Nancy Pelosi agreed to meet with Archbishop Niederauer (70 days and counting).

Nevertheless, I thought Jeff made a good point and I left the following comment:

Amen Brother. Both Bishop Malooly AND Sen. Biden are attempting to change hearts and minds. The difference is that Biden's gospel of doing whatever he wishes and receiving communion is changing more hearts and minds than Bishop Malooly's silence (refer to the Nov. 4 election results for empirical evidence). The inescapable truth of the matter is that this issue is being forced upon us by liberals in the Catholic church who place their politics ahead of their faith. If our Bishops and Archbishops do not re-establish themselves as the pillar and bulwark of truth, their authority will continue to be usurped by the Joe Bidens and Nancy Pelosis of the world to the point where the term "Catholic" no longer has any clear meaning.

Duck Season is Now Open!

2008-11-13T22:26:00.003-06:00

Actually it opened last week. From the reports I'm hearing I'm convinced I made the right decision by staying home. Worst opening weekend since God invented ducks is what I'm hearing. I may go this weekend anyway, but only because duck hunting fever has a detrimental effect on my capacity for rational thought. If you're a hunter of any kind, you know what I'm talkin' about.

If anyone anywhere in the nation is killing ducks I'd like to hear about it.

A Friend Weighs in on FOCA

2008-11-11T22:04:00.007-06:00

A good friend of mine took the time to write an e-mail on abortion and send it to a large group of friends. The least I can do is share it and encourage readers to sign the petition. His e-mail reads...

To All,

While we prepare to transition into a new presidency in January 2009, I understand that there are many issues that will be dealt with. Many of those issues are with regards to the economy or the war in Iraq. To some people those issues are far more important than others and I think that is a major factor that lead to the election of Obama for president. I pray that our new president will resolve those issues and I wish him the best of luck. Thanks to all those soldiers who have /and continue to defend this country's freedom. God bless our soldiers. (Happy B-Day yesterday US Marines).

However, when casting my vote this November, my concern was not with the economic situation that arose when government allowed US citizens to run rampant with no, or bad credit. And, I am by far not the political person like some, but my only concern was with the unheard voice of unborn children. Many people may have thought that other issues came before "Life" and that is their own personal opinion. Now that (we) elected a president who is willing to sign the "Freedom Of Choice Act" I will try to do my part in fighting it. Please see the link below and sign the petition to fight against legalizing the sadistic murder of innocent human life- a.k.a. "miracle".

This is my view on "Freedom Of Choice":

If a woman is faced with an "unwanted" pregnancy, this act will enable her to have the "Freedom of Choice" to kill her baby -whether the baby wants to be killed or not. If she's faced with a difficult situation, then she will have the right to act accordingly to end the baby's life. It will be the mother's choice, not the one being murdered.

Remember the "Lipstick on a Pig" comment? No matter how you decorate this statement it is still murder!

Now, let's take a look at the situation that I am faced with: I have an "unwanted" president. I didn't plan for this man to be in office, now I face a difficult situation. . . . (draw your own conclusions).

Why would the first scenario be entertained as "Freedom of Choice" and the second be tried in court? My point is: murder is murder!

© 2008 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
Murder
Main Entry: Murder
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): mur·dered; mur·der·ing
Date: 13th century
Transitive verb 1: to kill (a human being) unlawfully and with premeditated malice 2: to slaughter wantonly : slay 3 a: to put an end to b: tease , torment c: mutilate , mangle d: to defeat badly
Intransitive verb: to commit murder
synonyms see kill
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/murder[2]

I see many synonyms and adjectives, but nowhere does it say anything about choice.

Thanks for your time. Please click the link below and sign the petition, then forward to everyone you know.

Sincerely,
Mike

www.fightfoca.com

FOCA Would Wipe Away Every Restriction on Abortion Nationwide

This would eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:

Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion

FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Source of Life Discovered

2008-11-10T22:39:00.003-06:00

According to Paul Falkowski, professor of biogeochemistry and bio-physics at Rutgers University in New Jersey, life on earth began 1.9 billion years ago with amoeba-like organisms absorbing bacteria and subsequently evolving into plants, animals and day time talk show hosts. This analysis begs a few questions:

1) Where did the amoeba-like organisms come from?
2) Where did the bacteria come from?
3) Where did the sun come from?
4) In an age when no one can accurately predict the weather a week from now, I'm supposed to believe that someone has ascertained the activities of amoeba and bacteria 2 billion years ago and I am to further believe that this interaction led to all life on earth?

I find it just as easy to believe in the Matrix.

Ahmadinejad Loves Him Some Hope and Change

2008-11-09T22:01:00.006-06:00

For the first time in 30 years, an Iranian leader has sent a letter of congratulations to the President Elect of the United States of America. My favorite passages (emphasis mine)...

In the sensitive Middle East region, in particular, the expectation is that the unjust actions of the past 60 years will give way to a policy encouraging full rights for all nations, especially the oppressed nations of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The great civilization-building and justice-seeking nation of Iran would welcome major, fair and real changes, in policies and actions, especially in this region.

Looks like someone bought into the campaign message of "Change".

Obama Zombies

2008-11-06T22:16:00.003-06:00

BRAAAAAAAINS!!! NEEEEEEED BRAAAAAAAAINS!!!

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

(Another Hat Tip to Southern Appeal)

Test Your Awareness

2008-11-06T21:28:00.001-06:00

This was challenging...

Liberal Messiah Ascends the Throne

2008-11-04T22:11:00.004-06:00

I guess we'll be minting new coins to render unto Caesar.

Nothing left to do but comment on the downfall of western civilization from inside occupied territory. If anyone knows of an underground railroad I might use to escape the United States of Liberal America, please send me a coded message in the combox. Good night comrades. See you in the cheese line in 2009.