The big lie about the Keystone XL pipeline (outside of the corruption and devastating impact on the environment) is that it will create jobs and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign (read angry middle eastern brown people) oil.

The facts are that far from the pitiful 20,000 jobs promised independent economists estimate a mere 6,000 and that instead of lowering energy prices in the U.S., most of the Tar Sand output is destined for shipment to China and other developing countries.

Of the 5 oil giants involved in the project, 5 are not based in the U.S. and the 6th, Valero, is primarily an exporting firm.

Say No to the Keystone XL

The Editors of The New York Times

Published: October 2, 2011

(T)he State Department appears to be more persuaded by proponents who claim that the pipeline will help reduce America’s dependence on oil from politically troubled sources in the Middle East. We are skeptical about that, too.

What pipeline advocates – including big-oil lobbyists and House Republicans who have tried to force an early, favorable decision – fail to mention is that much of the tar sands oil that would be refined on the Gulf Coast is destined for export. Six companies have already contracted for three-quarters of the oil. Five are foreign, and the business model of the one American company – Valero – is geared toward export.

…

We have considerable sympathy for one argument: that construction of the pipeline would bring jobs at a time of great economic uncertainty. TransCanada has said the 2,000-mile line would create 20,000 jobs in the United States. The State Department concludes that the real number may be closer to 6,000 jobs.

Environment, Size of U.S. Oil Exports Part of Keystone XL Pipeline Debate

By Lyudmila Tsubiks, infoZine

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Much of the fuel refined from the proposed Keystone XL pipeline’s heavy crude oil will never reach U.S. drivers’ tanks, a new report says.

The oil will be refined into diesel and exported, Lorne Stockman, research director of Oil Change International, said. His group opposes the pipeline.

According to the report, the crude will be delivered from Hardisty, Alberta, by the 1,980-mile, 36-inch diameter Keystone XL pipeline to refiners in Texas that are focused on exports.

“Europe has a diesel deficit, Latin America has a petroleum product deficit generally and we are increasing exporting our surplus to these countries,” Stockman said.

The key quality here is Fungibility–

Fungibility is the property of a good or a commodity whose individual units are capable of mutual substitution, such as crude oil, wheat, precious metals or currencies. For example, if someone lends another person a $10 bill, it does not matter if they are given back the same $10 bill or a different one, since currency is fungible; if someone lends another person their car, however, they would not expect to be given back a different car, even of the same make and model, as cars are not fungible.

And this applies to all the ‘Drill baby, drill’ arguments.  U.S. demand for energy has plummeted because our economy sucks and so much of our production is being sold offshore.

Dominion seeks exports of Marcellus Shale gas

Associated Press

OCTOBER 9, 2011, 5:27 P.M. ET

HARRISBURG, Pa. – An energy company is seeking federal approval to allow exports of liquefied natural gas from the booming Appalachian drilling industry, saying that the nation’s natural gas supply is outpacing demand.

Richmond, Va.-based Dominion Resources Inc. announced last week that it has applied to the Department of Energy to allow 1 billion cubic feet per day to be exported through a terminal it owns in Maryland. The application, filed Sept. 1, seeks permission for the exports of liquefied natural gas to any country with which the United States does not prohibit trade, the company said.

…

“It is in our nation’s best interests to develop our natural resources responsibly and reliably,” Farrell said. “In the process, we will be able to improve the nation’s balance of trade.”

So basically we’re being asked to ruin our environment, kill ourselves with pollution, and give away our natural resources so that greedy energy companies can steal more of our money.

So, have you heard the one about how TransCanada (the Keystone XL people) recommended and paid for their own consultants to do the environmental impact report for Hillary Clinton’s State Department?

Pipeline Review Is Faced With Question of Conflict

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL and DAN FROSCH, The New York Times

Published: October 7, 2011

The State Department assigned an important environmental impact study of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline to a company with financial ties to the pipeline operator, flouting the intent of a federal law meant to ensure an impartial environmental analysis of major projects.

The department allowed TransCanada, the company seeking permission to build the 1,700-mile pipeline from the oil sands of northern Alberta to the Gulf Coast in Texas, to solicit and screen bids for the environmental study. At TransCanada’s recommendation, the department hired Cardno Entrix, an environmental contractor based in Houston, even though it had previously worked on projects with TransCanada and describes the pipeline company as a “major client” in its marketing materials.

…

Environmental groups say the study underplays both the emissions impact of the new pipeline and the danger posed by a spill of crude from oil sands, called diluted bitumen, a hard-to-remediate mixture. An accident at a pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy in July 2010 dumped 843,000 gallons of such oil near Marshall, Mich.

A 35-mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River remains closed and cleanup has proved extremely difficult, running over budget and past deadlines set by the E.P.A. Estimates of cleanup costs have run well over $500 million. The E.P.A.’s regional administrator said her office had never seen a river system affected by so much submerged oil.

But the impact report for the Keystone XL project says that “response to a spill from the proposed pipeline would not require unique clean up procedures.”

The Enbridge spill is only mentioned briefly in addendums. And Cardno Entrix would have been aware of the challenges in Michigan: it was hired by Enbridge to assess the damage to natural resources caused by the spill.

State Department Admits Its ‘Independent’ Tar Sands Pipeline Review Was Paid For By TransCanada

By Brad Johnson, Think Progress

Oct 8, 2011 at 3:13 pm

The State Department has admitted their environmental review of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline was conducted by a contractor paid for by the pipeline company itself, a potentially illegal conflict of interest first reported by ThinkProgress Green. The Canadian tar sands company TransCanada has applied to construct a major pipeline through the United States to pump tar sands crude to Texas refineries for the international oil market, and is awaiting approval by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama. The State Department’s approval hinges upon a positive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), required by the National Environmental Policy Act to assess whether the pipeline is in the national interest.

A State Department official has admitted to the New York Times that the EIS was conducted by a company chosen and paid by TransCanada itself, flouting NEPA’s conflict-of-interest rules.

…

A spokesman for TransCanada, Terry Cunha, told the New York Times that his company had recommended contractors to the State Department based on “technical ability, experience, and appropriate personnel.” But he said the final contract for the environmental assessment “provides that Department of State directs Entrix. As a result, we don’t have a direct relationship with Entrix.”

Where Did the President’s Mojo Go?

By Bill McKibben, Tom Dispatch

9:31am, October 11, 2011

Four years ago at this time, the early adopters among us were just starting to get used to the regular flow of email from the Obama campaign. The missives were actually exciting to get, because they seemed less like appeals for money than a chance to join a movement.

…

What we completely missed was that Obama didn’t want us at his back — that the minute the campaign was over he would cut us adrift, jettison the movement that had brought him to power. Instead of using all those millions of people to force through ambitious health-care proposals or serious climate legislation or [fill in the blank yourself here], he governed as the opposite of a movement candidate.

…

As the months of his administration rolled into years, he only seemed to grow less interested in movements of any sort. Before long, people like Tom Donahue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, were topping the list of the most frequent visitors to the White House.  And that was before this winter when — after they’d been the biggest contributors to GOP congressional candidates — Obama went on bended knee to Chamber headquarters, apologizing that he hadn’t brought a fruitcake along as a gift. (What is it with this guy and food?  At any rate, he soon gave them a far better present, hiring former Chamber insider Bill Daley as his chief of staff.)

Now, his popularity tanking, Obama and his advisors talk about “tacking left” for the election. A nice thought, but maybe just a little late.

Increasingly, it seems to me, those of us who were ready to move with him four years ago are deciding to leave normal channels and find new forms of action. Here’s an example: by year’s end the president has said he will make a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry crude oil from the tar sands of northern Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico. The nation’s top climate scientists sent the administration a letter indicating that such a development would be disastrous for the climate.  NASA’s James Hansen, the government’s top climate researcher, said heavily tapping tar-sands oil, a particularly “dirty” form of fossil fuel, would mean “game over for the climate.” Ten of the president’s fellow recent Nobel Peace Prize laureates pointed out in a letter that blocking the prospective pipeline would offer him a real leadership moment, a “tremendous opportunity to begin transition away from our dependence on oil, coal, and gas.”

But every indication from this administration suggests that it is prepared to grant the necessary permission for a project that has the enthusiastic backing of the Chamber of Commerce, and in which the Koch Brothers have a “direct and substantial interest.”  And not just backing.  To use the words of a recent New York Times story, they are willing to “flout the intent of federal law” to get it done.  Check this out as well: the State Department, at the recommendation of Keystone XL pipeline builder TransCanada, hired a second company to carry out the environmental review.  That company already considered itself a “major client” of TransCanada.  This is simply corrupt, potentially the biggest scandal of the Obama years.  And here’s the thing: it’s a crime still in progress.  Watching the president do nothing to stop it is endlessly depressing.

There is no denying the 6th inning was kind of a melt down (though I was able to stay awake until the 8th).  From now on they’re going to close the roofs no matter how nice the weather to avoid home field wind tunnel effects.

Maybe they’ll let you pitch inside too.

And that’s the beauty part of the Senior League game.  Pitcher bops one of yours, you bop the pitcher, there’s a bench clearing brawl at the mound, Managers get ejected and have to make their calls watching TV in their office.

You know, like hockey except for the razor sharp skates and sticks.

I’d repeat all my underdog rooting pablum from this afternoon except I’d even bore myself, though I will add that the Cardinals have won 5 of the previous 9 Series in which they’ve fallen behind 1 – 0.

Facing each other tonight are Edwin Jackson and Shaun Marcum.  Marcum had a disasterous start for the Brewers in Game 3 of the series against the Diamondbacks, but he was playing away.  Jackson had a bad outing against the Brewers at the beginning of August but has beat them twice since.  Marcum throws grounders and the Brew Crew’s defense is suspect.  Some of the more breathless pundits are comparing Braun and Fielder to Ruth and Gehrig.

We shall see.

It’s really hard to remember what happened Saturday what with the 2 Rain Delays and Suzuka, but at least last night they had the good sense to cancel early so I could take a nap and the really stellar news is that this afternoon’s game is going to wipe out Faux’s schedule until early evening.

When last we left them the Tigers had just lost a squeaker, 2 – 3, at the Rangers leaving them trailing in the series 1 – 0.  Optimistic fans will say that doesn’t matter so much as you’re always playing for a split away and wins at home.  Plus, of the last 23 7 Game Series, the winner of the initial game went on to ultimate victory only 13 to 10 times.

Sure I’m whistling in the dark here.  I hate the Rangers and want them to lose.

Last night’s rainout will mix up the pitching rotation down the road, but for today it will be Max Scherzer and Derek Holland.  Scherzer is remarkably inconsistent, Yankees fans should think A.J. Burnett.  It also created some breathing space in the Bullpen for the Rangers so Ogando will be available.  Scherzer gets an extra day of rest after a 1 1/3 inning relief appearance.

The other big news is that Magglio Ordonez has re-injured his ankle and will be out for the rest of the post-season.  He’ll be replaced by Delmon Young who was pulled from the roster against the Yankees with a strained oblique.

You may have noticed in my sports reporting I don’t pretend to objectivity.  That doesn’t mean you can’t root for the other team and the play by play is what it is, just that I don’t care if you’re aware that I’m happier if certain teams win.

As I said at the beginning of this year’s Major League Baseball Playoffs I have two distinct prejudices- Junior League teams don’t play Baseball but instead Designated Hitter Derby, a bastardized game designed to protect pitchers from proving their essential offensive uselessness and cowardice in the face of consequences from their injury causing deliberate ‘mistakes’ AND extend the careers of overpriced has beens too old and slow to even play catch.

The other is in favor of teams with compelling underdog stories and from areas not governed by racist corporatists.

So the Cardinals succeed on all counts and the Brewers fail because of Scott Walker.  Sorry Brew Crew.

The Cardinals have a better Bullpen, but their offense has been anemic (on paper they’re superior to the Phillies).  Brewers starters have not pitched to form making them vulnerable.  Today they both pitch the best they have, Carpenter and Greinke, and since both teams hate each other and indulged in a fair amount of trash talk it should be close if not interesting.

So once again Lewis Hamilton is under fire for McLaren’s pit lane miscues.

Even after shouldering the burden for their mistake in not sending him out soon enough to guarantee at least a hot lap if not the pole (this isn’t a decision the driver makes) washed up has been Nigel Mansell and the rest of the Formula One establishment jump all over him for daring to suggest that Schumacher’s cutting the corner on the grass was ‘dangerous’.

Just like fucking skiing folks, the burden is on the overtaking driver to make a clean pass and don’t bother trying to tell me this isn’t all about lingering Scuderia Marlboro UPC bias.

In other great moral triumphs, Bernie and the teams are going to discuss once again whether they should be supporting an anti-Shiite dictatorship in Bahrain or if it’s even safe to do so since the oppressed class are the ones making your beds and serving your drinks.

Of course I didn’t pee in it sahib.

The deeper you look at things the more you discover class struggle everywhere and sports are no exception.  That’s one of the reasons I bring them to your attention.  They’re not just simple diversions but microcosms of society at large and if you don’t think the fate of great empires can turn on small events I encourage the study of Justinian and the Blue/Green riots.

• F1: Suzuka Qualifying
• Formula One Official Site
• Speed Racecast

Speed coverage repeats at 3:30 pm.

Kobayashi advances from 10th to 7th because he at least attempted a fast lap in Q3.  Apparently Rosberg and Liuzzi will race, making the 107% rule officially a joke.

Pretty tables below the fold.

I was worried when the Yankees failed to advance I’d lose any minimal rooting interest in the Junior League.  Fortunately my distaste for all things associated with the execrable W is so profound that it allows me to overlook the numerous problems with the Tigers and focus instead on their pitiable record of failure and the deep depression of their host city to summon a small, tiny iota of sympathy.

There’s nothing like that about the Rangers.

One potentially telling statistic is the season long futility of the Rangers in close contests where they are exceeded only by the hapless Royals.  Their starter is C.J. Wilson was just terrible in Game 1 against the Devil Rays.

The Tigers are opposing with Justin Verlander who has been incredibly effective against the Rangers with an ERA of 1.29 and 3 – 0 record in Arlington and 2.61 and 6 – 2 overall.

The corporate shills at MLB are celebrating the defeat of all the major market teams and the ‘balanced’ competitiveness of the remaining field as a triumph of team work over payroll.

They’re full of shit.

What they should be mourning instead is what will be one of the lowest rated championships ever, regardless of how close the games or how long the series last.

But that’s modern capitalism for you, it doesn’t matter how crappy the product is or whether you have a market for it, it’s all about crushing the workers and minimizing your labor costs.

Coverage starts at 8 pm ET on Faux (where they were undoubtedly rooting for the Yankees).

What drivers like about Suzuka is that other than Spa it’s the fastest track on the tour.

What pit crews hate about it is that the asphalt is abrasive and eats up tires.

The choices are Mediums and Softs.  Softs are about 1.6 Seconds a Lap faster, but they only last for 10 – 15 laps at all and drop off quite quickly after a mere 4 or 5 laps, barely enough to turn a hot one.  This will be magnified under heavy fuel so Pirelli expects that even some Q3 teams to switch to the Mediums at the end of Qualifying so they don’t have to pit extraordinarily early.

Mediums are good for 17 – 22 laps which means it’s technically possible to run a 2 pit strategy, but I wouldn’t count on it unless the driver is very easy on the equipment like Jenson Button.

Speaking of Button, his contract extension with McLaren kind of one ups Hamilton’s existing agreement so negotiations for next year could be interesting since McLaren has done nothing for 2 years now except fuck up his chances at a second title with bad pit decisions.

On the other hand McLaren has the second fastest car on the track and he likes to win and is unlikely to score a Red Bull ride.

About that championship, Vettel would have to park for the rest of the season to lose it and it’s highly likely that if he scores any points at all he’ll clinch this weekend and it will officially become The Race For Second Place.

Surprises (if any) below.

“Don’t you think she looks tired?”

Those are the six words The Doctor uses to bring down Harriet Jones and they are what some people are saying about the Phillies.

Until reading that analysis I hadn’t realized how much they are like the Yankees and as we saw last night, All-Star teams are not as invulnerable as they look on paper.

Phillies fans might take solace from the fact that the team is working hard to keep any rogue Cardinal rally squirrels off the field.

Brewers fans are looking for a repeat of Game 1, what with Gallardo pitching against Kennedy at Miller Park and all.  The Diamondbacks are betting the momentum of 2 straight victories will carry them through to the next round.

That kind of magical thinking didn’t much work for the Brewers.

Bud Selig will be throwing out the first pitch tonight, so there will be a natural inclination to root against the Brewers just to spite him.  It’s an interesting bit of sports trivia that tonight’s double, double elimination game is the third time this has happened in Baseball history and the Brewers were involved in the first of those in 1981 when they lost to the Yankees.

Likewise the Phillies lost that same day to the Expos.

For you completeness fanatics the third double elimination game that day was Dodgers over the Astros and the other double, double was 2001 when the Yankees beat the As and the Mariners beat the Indians.