http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/16/politics/salazar-resigning/index.html

President Obama’s big-hat-no-cows Interior Secretary will be stepping down. I found his attitude during his four years as the cabinet secretary most responsible for energy regulation to be arrogant and belligerent to energy interests.

Salazar came in to office with an agenda focused on so-called green energy. The focus of the (then) Minerals Management Service was on leasing the Outer Continental Shelf for wind energy, and the resumes of the MMS political appointees reflected that. But Salazar will be remembered for overseeing the regulatory response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster of April, 2010. By the end of May of that year, Ken had dismissed Liz Birnbaum and installed Michael Bromwich, a former prosecutor, as the agency’s head. Salazar’s “boot on the throat” approach to crisis management slopped over into regulation and continues to this day.

Mr. Salazar will not be missed.

My name is not all that common. But quite a few Steve Maleys show up on Google Images. Some of them are Stevens, like me, while others spell their first name “Stephen”. One of them is Steve Mealey. Some are from the U.S., at least one from the U.K. and one from New Zealand.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/04/business/energy-environment/transocean-settles-with-us-over-oil-spill-in-gulf-of-mexico.html?hp&_r=0

Oil Rig’s Owner Will Settle Gulf Spill Case for $1.4 Billion

By JOHN SCHWARTZ

“While this settlement resolves the government’s claims against Transocean, that company and the others involved in the spill still face the sprawling, multistate civil case, which is scheduled to begin in February in New Orleans. In a deal filed in federal court in New Orleans, a subsidiary, Transocean Deepwater, agreed to one criminal misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act and will pay a fine of $100 million. Over the next five years, the company will pay civil penalties of $1 billion, the largest ever under the act.

“As part of the criminal settlement, Transocean also agreed to pay the National Academy of Sciences and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation $150 million each. Those funds will be applied to oil spill prevention and response in the Gulf of Mexico and natural resource restoration projects. The agreement will be subject to public comment and court approval. The company agreed to five years of monitoring of its drilling practices and improved safety measures.

“In a statement, Transocean Ltd., the Switzerland-based parent of the rig owner, said that the company thought these were “important agreements” and called them a “positive step forward” that were “in the best interest of its shareholders and employees.” Of the 11 men killed on the rig, the company said, “their families continue to be in the thoughts and prayers of all of us at Transocean.”

“The king behind Cochon Butcher’s king cake isn’t the one we usually associate with the Mardi Gras pastry.

“This one’s a little more rock ’n’ roll.

“For Mardi Gras, the restaurant at 930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, will serve an Elvis king cake, filled with peanut butter and bananas and topped with toasted marshmallows and bacon.”

See picture, story at: http://theadvocate.com/features/food/4761820-123/crown-the-king-with-bacon

For those unfortunate souls who wouldn’t know a king cake from a jelly doughnut: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_cake

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/zynga-carries-planned-games-shutdown-200857237.html

“The San Francisco-based company announced the “Petville” shutdown two weeks ago on its Facebook page. All the 11 shutdowns occurred in December.

“The 11 titles shut down or closed to new players include role-playing game “Mafia Wars 2,” “Vampire Wars,” “ForestVille” and “FishVille.”

“In place of ‘PetVille,’ we encourage you to play other Zynga games like ‘Castleville,’ ‘Chefville,’ ‘Farmville 2,’ ‘Mafia Wars’ and ‘Yoville,'” the company told players on its ‘PetVille’ Facebook page. “PetVille” players were offered a one-time, complimentary bonus package for virtual goods in those games.”

New game: Chapter11Ville.