Blowout
Bernie’s not happy today, something about an oil spill. Not sure what that is, exactly. Once on the freeway – we’ve got freeways out the yingyang in the Valley – we saw a tanker truck flip over and oil got spilled all over the place that day, but I think this is different.
“These BOP’s,” he is saying, “blowout preventers – they sure look like Rube Goldberg devices to me. And now it’s up to robotic subs to make the damn thing work? If they can’t do better than that they shouldn’t be allowed to drill so deep.”
Hard to follow, but Rube Goldberg had to be a perp of some kind. There was Rube Double X, of course, this rapper we once worked bodyguard duty for, but he was no perp, in fact a great guy who liked me and my kind, and to this day I have no idea what happened to that gold-nugget chain of his. No reason anyone would want bury it in a flower bed. Hey! Except maybe to keep it from getting lost. How come I just thought of that now? Life was funny sometimes.
Tags: Rube Goldberg
This entry was posted on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 at 8:27 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
3:45 am on May 2nd, 2010
Good morning Chet. I had to look up Rube Goldberg. It would be interesting to see one of his "machines" in person. Bernie's comment is astute.
5:01 am on May 2nd, 2010
Gosh, dad knew something that mom didn't know! Rube Goldberg indeed. Usually dad is the expert on sports (he's big Giants fan, Rio) and mom knows everything else. I am impressed. Sometimes dad is pretty smart!
6:07 am on May 2nd, 2010
The news about the oil spill is horrible to listen to. I hope it is not as bad as it sounds like it could be.
One of my passions is Whooping Cranes and I have been watching Operation Migration since the first ultralight led migration in 2001. ( operationmigration.org )
The only wild Whooping Cranes in the world use Aransas, Texas as their summer home and the reason Operation Migration is trying to re-establish an eastern flock is that one catastrophe could kill all the Whoopers. The new eastern flock uses the Florida panhandle and parts of Alabama as their summer home.
This catastrophe is exactly the type of thing we fear. Exactly.
Such a helpless feeling.
For me, ChettheDog is a refuge from the bad things that are going on out there.
Thanks Chet and Bernie!
~Staff
6:33 am on May 2nd, 2010
As bad as Valdez was, that quantity was finite.
In this case, crude oil will gush unfettered until it can be capped.
Drill, baby, drill indeed.
P'shaw.
7:41 am on May 2nd, 2010
Sad!… All very sad… sob!… I have even more sadness to see today… snuff!… We are off to visit my friends most beloved Aunt Barb….sniff!… I’m told it will be the last time we will see her as she is very, very ill, and in a lot of pain. She has been struggling with bone cancer… sob!… and losing the battle.
8:48 am on May 2nd, 2010
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ChetTheDog. ChetTheDog said: Blowout: Bernie’s not happy today, something about an oil spill. Not sure what that is, exactly. Once on the freew… http://bit.ly/8YbK4W […]
8:30 am on May 2nd, 2010
My thoughts are with you, your friend and her Aunt Barb, Rio.
9:33 am on May 2nd, 2010
Rio, our thoughts go out to you, your friend, and your friend's Aunt Barb. I think that seeing you will be some good medicine and hopefully you'll be able to make Aunt Barb smile. I understand that Pug kisses are magic.
9:36 am on May 2nd, 2010
Whoa, I just read what Bee wrote and it looks as if I copied from her. I didn't do that intentionally, must of been a mind game sort of thing! Scary! Please don't send me to the principals office!
9:36 am on May 2nd, 2010
Our prayers go with you, Rio, your friend, and Aunt Barb. There is a lot of sadness right now.
Sam, you're in our prayers, also. I read your post from last night.
Abbie, I hope they can find a way to protect the eastern flock of whooping cranes. We have a Sandhill Crane winter refuge in NM. In the fall and spring we see them flying over. It is really neat.
spill, baby, spill I'm afraid they don't have too much of a clue right now how to help the wetlands and wildlife–if they can be helped. This is TERRIBLE!
9:39 am on May 2nd, 2010
Mom and dad won some tickets to the rodeo and they are deciding whether or not to bring me. Please, no, let me stay home and take a nap in the shade with my neighbor Baxter! Please.
Oh, and forgot to tell you that Teddy looks very beautiful with her new do! Mom will get a picture later. The groomer took one look at Teddy and said, my, that's some dog there. Teddy is part lab, but she also has long hair and is very fuzzy. Good thing the border collie cancelled!
9:43 am on May 2nd, 2010
Oh!
I do have some good news to report!
My boy Cody is coming home for a visit! YES!!! He will be here on Thursday and is going back on Monday.
9:48 am on May 2nd, 2010
Chet: I wonder who in the world buried the gold-nugget chain in the flower bed. Reminds me of another story about my dear friend, Molly, the female Siberian from you know where. In the middle of the night, she took her dad's paycheck off the desk, through the doggy door, and buried it in the garden. It took her folks a few days to find it.
9:51 am on May 2nd, 2010
Very good news, Wolfie..that your boy is coming home. I know that you miss them both. I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of Teddy..Senior dogs are the most special of all.
10:11 am on May 2nd, 2010
BP says that it will have a temporary dome to cap the broken well in 8 to 10 days. We can keep all paws crossed, but sooo much already spilled.
10:16 am on May 2nd, 2010
8 – 10 days??
Unacceptable!
All those poor critters…….
10:17 am on May 2nd, 2010
Good reporting, though, Cyber H. I hadn't heard that.
Does anyone in out pack know how to swim that far down?
10:24 am on May 2nd, 2010
Crap. I meant to say OUR pack!! If we can go to the Artic, surely we can perform an Ultra-Mile-Submerged-Oil-Cap-Puteronher-Mission?
I know you don't like to swim, CH, so it looks as if we might have to volunteer the newfies. Let's see…..5,000 divided by 10 = 500 fpn. (Feet per newfie) Melanie, the newfs can swim 500' each, can't they? How are they suited for scuba gear?
Luckily the water isn't too cold this time of year.
11:22 am on May 2nd, 2010
Thinking about you Riö and here's a little bling for your Aunt Bärb.
And Sam, I'm thinking about you also.
Rube Goldberg takes me back! When I taught, I had to give homework over Christmas break. (bummer) So I had my girls design Goldberg machines. They were graded on how many different devises they used to make the machine work. The two I remember were a garage door opener and a mouse catcher. Pretty funny.
Not funny is this dagnapit BP oil gusher. Not having a BACKUP plan? Jeez. 5,000 feet down and they had Halliburton do the footings?? Now all fishing has been suspended between LA and FL.
The Newfs and swimming . . . We have to count out Ellie and Patsy. They are waders. To save people from drowning, they just don't let anyone near the water.
The rest are in. SCUBA gear? I think the credit card went down a bit last summer when they ordered not SCUBA but that other thing that lets you go even further down. So necessary in our swimming hole of 8 feet.
They're feet are webbed, so no flippers needed. They don't mind the cold, their chests actually have more blood vessels and fur for the cold water. Not sure about the oil though, might have to use a suit that oil can't stick to.
11:33 am on May 2nd, 2010
Oksy, now we're talking!
I'm not worried about the oil sticking to their fur; Dawn detergent can take care of that afterwards Besides, oil might make them swim faster.
I can bring the chicken jerky treats. After all that hard work, they'll need lots!
I'm not sure how they'll manage to get the cap on. They may just have to hold the robot in place and maybe one the Kats can manipulate the robot controls. They are very agile, those Kats.
We will just have to make sure they don't get wet. Alice and AK would not approve of that.
11:37 am on May 2nd, 2010
I think we need to get a black American Express card (no limit) to fund our missions. Is anyone willing to donate one?
11:58 am on May 2nd, 2010
The Newfs are our only hope. I'll stay in radio contact with you guys on shore–far, far on shore.
I'll bet Wookie is a good swimmer.
12:05 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Wolfie: BP should pay for any and all missions. They claim they are covering all costs. We'll send the bills to them, including a few toys Molly and Sam might want.
12:16 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Cyber H – Good idea. I don't trust those guys. We'll demand CASH IN ADVANCE!!!
And not just to cover our expenses (including toys) but also our fees!!
I think $10,000,000 each (plus AmEx cards) is reasonable. More for the newfs, of course.
Shall we take a vote?
12:18 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Wookie might have to cut his vacation short, but it's for a worthy cause. I betcha he is a darn good swimmer. And retreiver!
12:32 pm on May 2nd, 2010
I vote yes, Wolfie…If BP doesn't pay up, we'll contact the media. BP wouldn't want all that negative publicity right now about how they are not meeting their financial obligations to us loveable dogs.
12:48 pm on May 2nd, 2010
The Newf Pack says "Let's go for it!"
they also think it's much too hot here today.
86 degrees!
And it snowed last week.
12:58 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Now all we need is for everyone to check in at HQ for their orders.
I assume that Rio is in charge, right?
12:59 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Melanie,
With $100,000,000, you could buy the newfies an iceberg to keep them comfy all summer!
1:32 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Rio, Sorry about your sad news – you are probably a big help for your friends.
1:51 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Heh!… You guys have grown up to be very entertaining indeed! … snort!… Just what I needed after all the other stuff today… grunt!… I would never send you guys on such a dangerous mission… wheeze!… The cost in lives would be tremendous no matter how careful or skilled we think we are…snuff!… It would be Mission Impossible and best left up to the so called professionals, even though they are so frustratingly helpless right now…. wheeze!… You all have very imaginative ideas though!… heh!…I’m so proud of you all.
Rocks! … are on, another thing to distract us from all other things… snort!… Rockies ahead 4- 0, and looking good!… grunt!
But!… Even with the Rockies on, I have been thinking of Sam and Molly today and hoping they are doing okay…. sniffle!
Oh!… and thank you all for your very kind thoughts regarding our Aunt… sniff!…All very much appreciated today.
2:14 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Rube!… I finally got to re-read Chet’s post in a better frame of mind… snort!… Sometimes I think our Team Missions are based on a Rube Goldberg design… snicker!… Maybe we do need a name? Heh! … Just a random thought.
Also!… The gold nugget necklace story reminded me of one of my pals…. Heh!… She is a Thief! No doubt about it!… grunt!… Kinsey would steal the shirt off her owners back if she could!…. snort!… The latest episode involved her sneaking into the bathroom while her friend was showering and Kinsey grabbed her bra!…. wheeze!… Well, out of the shower came the friend dressed only in a towl. She ran outside but not in time to see where Kinsey had buried the bra!…heh!…Kinsey, just being nice, dug up an old bone and brought it to her as a peace offering….grunt!… Later after her owner returned from work, she found the bra in her bedroom covered in dirt! … Kinsey, you rock!… Heh!
2:30 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Hi everyone. You all are making us laugh – thanks for all your kind words.
I'm traveling later and there will be a picture of cousin Sam's haircut tomorrow.
3:33 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Gosh Riö,
Alice was pondering the purchase of a little submarine so she could get down in the water and direct traffic. When she found out BP would pay the costs she was IN!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1272846751-snooty Alice.jpg[/img]
I don't think anyone would argue with her, do you?
AbbietheKitty
3:34 pm on May 2nd, 2010
I don't think the BP people know about the special glasses.
AbbietheKitty
3:45 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Alice!… directing traffic from inside a submarine?… heh! … That I gotta see. snicker!… I bet it’s a Yellow Submarine!… snort!
4:48 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Rio. So sorry about Aunt Barb. Tried posting earlier in the day but my dad's laptop crapped out so back to the blackberry with the tiny keyboard. Grrr! Wolfie, great thought on a rescue mission, but I'm not much of a swimmer either. I could pilot the boat though. I also have a possible name for us – the Mesquite Road Irregulars. Like the Baker Street Irregulars for Sherlock Holmes, except for Chet and Bernie. (I think Ruby would approve of that too; I'm about half way throuh The Tutor, which is what inspired me on this.). Wookie
4:55 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Well, we may or we may not get this mission into the deep, but I hope we all feel better. All for one, one for all. That's us!
Wolfie:
Proud member of the
Mesquite Road Irregulars
PS Alice, maybe you can hypnotise the bad BP guys into investing in renewable resources!
4:56 pm on May 2nd, 2010
~BStover
If we call ourselves the Mesquite Street Irregulars will it be poetic alliteration? I always appreciate alliteration. -Alice
4:57 pm on May 2nd, 2010
But I guess Chet lives on Mesquite Road and not on Mesquite Street. Drat!
4:59 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Spence should have thought of this before he started his books. Mesquite Street sounds like so much more fun. However, I will get over it.
5:06 pm on May 2nd, 2010
I'm sure that Spence had high hopes for the blog, but I don't think he was expecting all of us to be so fabulous.
We surpass great expectations.
Sorry….just couldn't resist!
5:16 pm on May 2nd, 2010
If Kinsey and Molly the husky ever got together, we might all be in trouble.
That is a good picture of Alice.
I like the name, Mesquite Road Irregulars.
5:32 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Wookie
Mom has been reading the Tutor this afternoon also.
Whoa…..go Ruby!
5:35 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Alliteration is having the same consonant repeated at the beginning of two or more words: Peter Piper Picked a Peck……
5:39 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Hmmm… ‘Mesquite Road Irregulars.’… It just doesn’t roll off of this Pugs tongue like it should.. snort!.. and it’s hard to spell… geeze!… Lets please keep thinking about this… snort!… Just like the “To Fetch a Thief” title, it will come to one of us someday… And it will be perfect!…heh!
5:46 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Kinsey!… She is a mix between a Basset Hound and some kind of Shepard type….heh!… She is very long with long ears and a basset body, only taller. Her tail looks like how I imagine Chet or Wolfie’s tail… snort!… What an amazing thief and skilled hole digger!… Heh!
5:47 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Hi Stover!… Thank you for thinking of my family today….snort!
5:53 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Hey!…Wookie, I am almost done with Nerve Damage… wow!… This one is really striking some nerves with me… snort!… health wise I mean.. whoa!… If I could just stay up for another couple of hours I may be able to finally finish it!… grunt!…. Time will tell…. that Skippy!… ahhhh.
5:56 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Well, good point, Rio, about spelling it..we probably need to pick a name that I don't have to look above me to see how someone else spelled it. Who knows how long it would take me to memorize the spelling of it. (notice that I am avoiding spelling it right now)
6:00 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Grrrrrr.
This oil gusher is unbelievably bad. Feel so helpless. Thanks for trying to get a mission going but I have to vote that none of you put yourselves in danger.
Sympathy for Sam and Rio and friend. Losing a loved one – hard.
Molly and Kinsey together could wreak some havoc. Those stories made me laugh. As does the vision of Alice commanding a submarine – so brave you are, little Alice.
Snow one week – 86 degrees the next. What?
And finally, Chet! Great to have you back. Keep your ears open.
6:09 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Stover!… OMG!.. Did you watch Master Piece Theater tonight??… snort!… The very lovely Scottish actor introducing the show is an actor on an American show I watch now and then….gosh!… I knew! I just knew he was not American…grunt!… I just couldn’t prove it till now!…heh! …MPT tonight, an episode of ‘Foyles’s War’, one I have not seen yet!… golly!
6:21 pm on May 2nd, 2010
I could say, Skippy who?, just to get Rio going, but it is getting late.
Goodnight friends!
Oh, today is the start of Pet Awareness Week. The way I see it, that means more fun and treats for the dogs and cats in your lives.
6:39 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Hmmm… I thought it was Wookie who read ‘Nerve Damage’, not SiberH!… whooo… I think I need to start a database to keep up with who has read what and when!…heh!… The good news is everyone is reading!…wow! That has to make the Charming Mr. Abrahams happy and also Spencer, at least for a short while till he forgets all about it… heh!
Also…I am onto you SiberH….heh!…Love it. (I am truly relieved and a fan)…heh!
8:16 pm on May 2nd, 2010
Lord of all Creation, please, there are so many of your creatures that you have created who are in danger now. Please Lord please we all want this man made catastrophe to end! We are helpless and can only rely on you to rectify man’s greedy behavior in this matter. We can only watch as your creatures struggle for existence because of Mankind’s failure to recognize the beauty and importance of All Creatures Great and Small. Our hearts are full of pain and grief as we watch this unfolding of cold cruel murder taking place. Please Lord, have mercy upon us all. Amen.
11:27 pm on March 27th, 2011
There’s noticeably a bundle to learn about this. I assume you made sure good points in options also.