Big Scissors

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

I can’t get my mind off this story about the “giant shears” BP used at 5,000 feet under the sea after the diamond-tipped saw broke while they were trying to slice off a pipe down at the spill site. I just wouldn’t think the physics or the leverage of shears would work at such a scale or such a depth. And who ran it? I can’t get this image of a giant BP contractor squid operating the thing down there.

Late Update: I really prefer to stick with my vision of the giant BP contractor squid. But TPM Reader BH points me to this graphic at the NYT which seems to illustrate how it works.

Later Update: Maybe it’s just me. But squids aside, if this were a 70s era disaster movie, wouldn’t this be the point where Allen and BP had to call in the dolphins?

Latest Editors' Blog
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: