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Subscribe to RSSBy the way as the figures and estimates about the amount of oil flowing and collected fly back in forth, the question comes up, what exactly is a barrel of oil? The answer is, a U.S. Barrel of oil equals 42 U.S. gallons. We've been doing our best to refer to the spill and recovery amounts in gallons when possible, but on those occasions when you hear the term "barrel" its a handy fact to keep in mind.
Finally, productivity around here, at least in my office went to zero for about 90 minutes this morning during the US vs. Slovenia World Cup soccer match. The outcome, a 2-2 tie, has generated a lot of outrage around the sports world (not to mention my office) over an inexplicable call that cost the U.S. team the win. Even the British TV play by play announcer seemed taken aback by this one. NBC's Ian Williams was at the match for us, and he'll tell us all about the call and reaction on and off the field.
Brian will be back on Monday. In the meantime I hope you will join me tonight for NBC Nightly News.
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At least Obama got BP to commit money to help those most affected by the oil disaster.
I wonder how agreeable the new person in charge will be to giving out money.
Lester :)
Thanks for filling in for Brian, (is he on vacation?) I know that must increase your workload quite considerably although maybe working the weekend equals 5 week day broadcasts :) in which case Brian needs to "step up his game" :)
Keep up the good work :)
Graeme
Good Evening Mr.Holt, Great Job All this Week Filling in for Mr.Williams! You Always Do A Wonderful Job and Doing Double Duty on the Weekends! Excellent Work! You will need a nice vacation now!
The report by Lisa Myers speaking about the removal of Tony Hayward and replacing him with Bob Dudley hopefully will be a positive move for the company. After Mr. Hayward appeared before Congress his evasive answers were definitely not good enough and it is not a total surprise he is removed from his position and returning to England. The oil is continuing to spew out of the pipe and the Gulf Coast is covered on oil. One hopes there will be significant progress in the cleaning up efforts. It appears many of the local officials and groups are coming up with effective ideas to capture the oil from the waters.
The report by Anne Thompson told of how many more barrels of oil are being collected from the pipe and hopefully more to come. Although there are many dangers with the methane gases near the bottom of the Gulf. It was encouraging that one of the two relief wells is ahead of schedule in being built.
The report by Mr.Sanders concerning the closing of the oyster company was extremely sad. Seeing and hearing from the owner and the workers was hearbreaking because this was their livelihood and they don't know where to turn next. Simply tragic and sad.
The "Making A Difference" segment by Mr.O'Neil was especially nice this evening. This young golfer really is overcoming all odds and achieving so much on the golf course and off. He does have the heart of a champion.
Thank You for the broadcast Mr.Holt! Great Job All Week! See you on the Weekend! And Happy Father's Day to You! Peace to You and to All!
Lots of Love to all the "regulars"
Stay Extra,Extra Safe and Well Richard!
Take Extra Good Care Richard and Crew!
XOXO
Lisa
Although I am sorry you do not get many weekends and holidays off, I look forward to your broadcasts and Today Show hostings. Hope your Father's Day has some very special moments woven into it. You ARE the best!
Hi Lester....did my heart good to see you doing your Sunday Evening Web News from your home, way to go, it suits you, I can't imagine how much time you and the rest of the NBC Nightly News crew spend away from home. I just think you all are the best of the best in the news department and when I log on nightly to watch the news, I feel like I'm hooking up with good, reliable old friends, and just seeing you all brings a smile to my face and brightens my day, regardless of the coverage!!!
Incidentally, where IS Brian, did I just miss something...or did he go AWL to get some well deserved R&R???!
Lastly if anyone reading knows this am I correct in thinking that JP Morgan Chase is one of/if not THE major stock holder in BP ? Would love to find a link or see a clear rundown of whom owns what in the company.........
Lester, I did not understand why going another 2000 feet would contain the oil, so I asked by
husband who said it's less than a mile. So? To me the real question is did BP use 2000 foot
technology on a 5000 foot oil welll.? If that is the case, somebody belongs behind bars. You were
great this week. I like the others who fill in for Brian, but you are my anchor of choice. Happy Father's
Day to you and Brian where ever he is. He may have some explaining to do:o) Phyllis
hmmmmm . . . . . dudley as in 'dudley do-right of the canadian mounties, the cartoon? i like it. i feel a breath of fresh air coming . . . . . .
one day, lester, i will tell you about my son who is a wonderful father to my little 4-yr old. granddaughter. my daughter-in-law suffered a horrific post-partum depression and they told him he had to be with his little girl every minute, day and night, so he took a 2-month sabbatical from his job to do EVERYTHING. i remember many of the phone calls when he was only getting 2-3 hours worth of sleep a night and i would ask him how he was and he would say 'it hurts'. i was glad for all of the phone calls and the chance to provide moral support. i was sorry that i couldn't go up to portland and help. that was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with his little girl. she worships her father.and yes, she has him wrapped around her little finger:-) i'm glad she's a good girl! wishing a happy father's day to all the fathers at nbc. blessings, anna martina
Big fat thumb of "Social Justice" come down on the scales at the world cup? Great story about "The Kid".
This just announced on my fave POP radio station.
Tony Hayward took to clean, crisp water and went yachting today.
This, while EVIL OIL is soiling our body of water and ruining everything it touches.
This is revealing.
First, Hayward says -I want my life back-
And now we have to deal with this GIANT slap in the face.
"We care about the SMALL people."
BP are Jerks.
BP is insensitive, uncaring, crude, vile and downright tacky.
To Les and Brian and to all you good folks out there---HAPPY FATHER'S DAY !!
Until the Gulf and those affected are made whole, the Prez should set aside golf..
Where is the sensitivity???
Gosh I hope not. It's so much fun watching these so called journalist give him a pass on the golf, parties, vacations etc. knowing they ragged Bush to death over far less.
"The judgment of the ethics of means is dependent upon the political position of those sitting in judgment."
"Rule 4: Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. “You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.” `Saul Alinsky, smoldering since June 12, 1972
Rojo mimi you are right Obama should be spending every second on this job with no vacation until the job is done. We didn't see a problem with Bush taking a long vacation right after 9/11 attack and continuing to vacation and party while having to Wars and thousands of soldiers dying every day. Bush even made jokes about not thinking about Osama Bin Laden we laughed it was so funny. Bush was in california during the Katrina Storm but was busy fundraising and after 5 days his Staff asked NBC for their tape of what was going on in the Gulf. Yes even Cuban shippes were stationed off US shores ready to help as Bush said the US didn't need any help. Bush flew over the Gulf and saw the horror the had a photo op saying his Administration would do everything to help the people. Well it hasn't happen yet but many of Law Makers did get the money that the citizens were suppose to get.
Now one dare complain about Bush's many vacations during the worse times in US history. Bush set the record for vacations taken during his term passing President Reagan. Yes Americans could careless about Obama working so much because hate/racism over rides intelligence. Notice how the Law Makers get their vacations on time and even have shorter work weeks with not one American saying a word. In short nothing Obama does will be accepted by those who don't want him as President. Now just think if McCain/Palin had won. We'd be in the Second Great Depression, Four Wars and a US Revolution by the home grown enemy within. Yes continue to attack Obama while praiding Law Makers who got us in this mess by giving Bush/Cheney a blank check and their vote.
Mr. Hayward takes a vacation and Americans plus Law Makers complain. The US President vacations right after 9/11 attack, Invasion of Iraq, War in Afghanistan, Katrina Storm and the Recession yet no one see's that as a problem. Secretary of State Connie Rice watched the horror of Katrina while vacating in New York and Cheney came back to the US once Bush announced money for contracters. Law Makers took their regular vacations and didn't give a thought to the crisis in the USA. Now what's more interesting is the same Law Makers yelling about BP and Mr. Hayward, have personal stockshares in BP and the same Law Makers approved the Oil Drilling contractes with no oversight or accountablity. Yes people need to see how all this started before attacking Obama. 2000 right after Dick Cheney was sworn in office he got to work on his Energy Task Force and Enron and all Oil Companies set out to drill and with the help of the Saudi's make billions of profit. Notice how the Law Makers who allowed the 5 per gallon gas prices are now supporting BP. Rep. Barton while attacking Obama make the mistake of making Oil Executives seem like complete idiots. Now we know the Oil Excutives are much smarter then the Law Makers once you ear them speak. Mr. Hayward apologized and his company will pay but how does the GOP feel they have a right to have someone resign when it was them who gave the go ahead to BP and Halliburton. It shows just how stupid US Law Makers are as the World watches.
It's that 20 billion dollars Obama got for the citizens of the Gulf that upsets the GOP. If only they could get their hands on that money the people wouldn't see a dime of it. I remember during the 9/11 fundraising efforts then Dircter Libby Dole saw green and gave herself a million dollar raise and the New York City Mayor made his millions while the victims and their families suffered. Money brings out the worse in some people and the US is a perfect example of that. We have a Country of Do as I say Not as I do.
Have a happy Fathers day all
A Florida sciientist proposes stopping oil spill with tiny bone-crushing magnets. Forget the "top hat"
He says he has developed a simple solution (When the solution is simple, God is answering-EINSTEIN)
to the massive oil spill - a set of bone-crushing powerful magnets to block the flow. Which sounds
like a solution to me. Phyllis A good weekend to all.
great to me.
oh, boy, we are going to be crashing electrons in the gulf of mexico. the hadron collider uses very large, very powerful magnets. maybe we'll finally find those elusive little higgs bosons and can begin moving dark matter with them, they're workhorses:-) powerful magnets in water would be interesting since water conducts electricity:-) a happy father's day to your husband, phyllis.
Thanks, Anna, And I will pass on your message to my husband which should please him. Phyllis
hola, richard engel, i emailed dexter filkins and asked him if they could be sure that there were really women underneath those burkas. it would be a great way for the taliban to be out and about. i the same vein, it would be a great way to get a couple of thousand short marines into kandahar, methinks:-) it is hot, here, i am thankful for my swamp cooler, which, of course, won't work when we get our monsoons, which i hope we get soon and get lots of rain. my sister had air-conditioning installed in my deceased parents' house which we are fixing up, so i will probably go hang out there during the day when the swamp cooler isn't working. i don't imagine that the afghan villagers even have swamp coolers . . . . . take very good care and keep cool, i hope general mcchrystal is having a good father's day, blessings, anna martina
Anna,
To use your word "hola."
Your "me thinks" sounds like "mi" which is Jamaican patois for "me" or " I"---
The Afghan war is on the back burner. But, today, because it is Father's day, there was a local
special honoring vets and their children. You can't help but melt.
A notable mention of the casualty count for this month and one is forced to ask:
Is this war worth the fight?!
hola, rojo mimi, it is spanish for 'hello'. my mom didn't speak english. i'm hoping our soldiers get to come home sooner than later, like phyllis. the magazine i was reading last night had salad with fresh zuchinni squash blossoms in it and i saw it just in the nick of time, i went out and harvested squash blossoms today and had a nice salad, yum:-) and safeway grocery had fresh blueberries when i went the other day, i made blueberry muffins today, another yum:-) i should have ripe cherry tomatoes by the end of this week, i gave the first 3 to a poor phillipina neighbor today. she is looking forward to going back home to the phillipines. she wants to have chickens. she said she had one once and she grew that one to 50 with the baby chicks and she had eggs, her eyes got very bright when she told me about her chickens. she loves my garden. in the phillipines, the yard is very small, she showed me the space, not even large enough for a good hopscotch game, but good for 50 chickens. some prose i wrote:
renewal
the lifeblood of energy hums through my body.
i feel the sweet power of contentment as i
work the soil, dirt getting underneath my
fingernails and clinging to my brow as i wipe
away at the perspiration.
sitting back on my haunches, the richness of
the color green engulfs me and i
have become part of nature's chain of
perpetual life.
the soil i am nurturing has nurtured me
in turn.
i think methinks is shakespearean, i think that's where i got it from. have a very good moon day:-)
Anna-
Nicely said. Shakespeare is always good.
"The President comes off as flat. The address is not significant, symbolic due to the President's constant overexposure."- says a respected CBS anchor.
What does he expect--
Considering the demand, hunger, desire for the 24 hour information cycle.
The President is mentioned every second of every day (with or without being "out there.")
HE is NEWS. Period..
And to those who belittle the Prez-
An unemployed neighbor- says to me - "because of Obama, I get an additional $25 per week. it's not a lot to many, but it's the world to me."
AMEN!
Hey Brian, (Monday)
Missed you last week. Lester said you will be back today. Wondering if you could get this note out. I talked to a friend yesterday, Carrie and she told me her sister’s son is Dr. Woodard who is an Emergency Room MD at Phoebe, so she is going to try to pull some strings to get me up to Phoebe. I am bringing her my resume for him today. He will be back from Africa Thursday. - Don’t pull any strings, Dr. TJ. I have to see if I can get up there by God. She goes to Mount Zion and just happen to sit by me at the taping yesterday at Sherwood. I am applying for a Mental Health technologist- in my area.
Lots going on in the news. I know there is worry and concern, but keep in the back of your minds that if God wants to help He will. We just have to keep working hard and pray He will. If He does it will be on His timing which is never soon enough for us, but I think we trust Him more than ever today. There are a couple of things I have put off, I am going to deal with it when I get back.
Have a day which is good. Always thinking about all of you. Brian, is this going to the Green house & not on your blog.......question is am I Okay writing. See yall tonight. tesa
ANNA
Loved your "Renewal" poem so much, read twice.
Yours?
WHEN and how was it created?
Small gardens serve the same purpose.
Lovely.
Thx
MIMI
hola, mimi, i fell off of the turnip truck during my divorce, had a nasty nervous breakdown. the soil regrounded me. it was a small garden, spring of 1988. your neighbor is right, when your needs are simple, an extra $25 a week is a godsend. i thank God and our government for social security disability every month! it is 'poverty level', but like carlos parada, who runs a greek mythology site out of sweden told me after a few emails, 'you have freedom' and i do!:-)
from high school, i wrote:
self-discovery
awake,
alive,
with eyes wide
open
to everything.
grimace,
frown,
smile,
a whole sea
of smiles.
open
the door to
yourself
and
greet
another
you.
there are various brainwaves, alpha, beta, theta is very interesting. you can receive visions and revelations in theta brain wave. there is something called fuchian moments, henri poincare, they are the aha moments when you step away from deep concentration on a problem and enjoy a day or two of peace, i imagine that barack obama uses that technique alot and that's how he is keeping his sanity. your brain then processes the problem subconsciously and then you have the aha moment as the solution comes into your conscience realm. small tasks like sweeping and mopping, washing the dishes, doing the laundry, all of those moments can produce aha moments, your brain is at rest. gardening even more so because i do believe that the earth talks to us. beta brainwave is where we normally operate when we are awake, alpha is a dreamy state while awake, theta can be achieved when you meditate. ohm. our brain is a very powerful God-given tool that acts upon those things that touch our heart. like this incident in the gulf. nature responds to human brainwaves, i think, so even though we can't see it, our worry and concern and our prayers are doing something. it's why it's so important to keep it in the news, like the war. it's nice to have alpha and theta brainwave to go to when our beta state has been pummeled to death . . . iced coffee is good for alpha brainwave:-)
hoping for a good week. blessings, anna martina