Tree_Fall

-6

re: World Wide Oil Monopoly?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/15/26 at 10:23 am to ragincajun03

quote:
One could argue that this technology re-shaped the world.

It definitely reshaped the Hubbert Peak Oil Curve.

But, I have to wonder how many people excited about fracking know that production is short ~ 5 years vs 35 for a traditional vertical.

Political Talk

re: What else is comparable to Portofino Island Resort?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/15/26 at 10:05 am to notbilly

Checkout short-term rental of a small condo on back side of Seaside. LINK

Only stayed at Portofino once. It worked great for 3 adults + 3 kids. Bay side and Gulf side offered great variety of things...always billed to room. Extra bit of fun was low-level military air traffic between Elgin and Pensacola NAS.

Big negative was filthy floor in the suite. Bare feet quickly turned black, appeals to house keeping did not help, and switching units wasn't an option.

Travel Board

re: Tasso gravy with shrimp recipe

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/15/26 at 9:49 am to Stexas

quote:
when you can't find tasso

First experience with a tasso gravy was 40 years ago at a place in New Iberia. The fantastic dish was crawfish, artichoke hearts & tasso cream sauce on linguine. After many tries I've almost duplicated it. The tasso is cut into bacon-thin slices. A tasso good substitute is thin sliced pork loin (Canadian bacon) rubbed with a little smoked paprika and powdered dry onion.

Tasso is usually pretty lean and add a strong pork flavor. Smoked hocks might seem fatty, but they mainly add gelatin to a dish after a very long braise.

re: World Wide Oil Monopoly?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/15/26 at 8:30 am to TigerPlate

[quote]MONOPOLY ?[/quote

With oil and gas the important thing is who moves it around and makes it available, Public Big Oil is multinational. There are no US state-owned oil companies like those in China. Interesting move in 2025 was China selling their share of GoM leases to UK-based companies.

Political Talk

re: Need recommendations for new luggage

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/13/26 at 12:02 pm to Chicken

As noted by others, TravelPro.
Unless you need it now, wait a bit. Luggage is a common spring graduation gift making seasonal deals hard to find. Dillards in BTR carries a nice selection but wait until August for decent prices. Nordstrom Rack is always discounted, but selection is very thin. My experience with online shopping is that brands and styles don't quite match store versions. Wheel quality is where I see this.

Travel Board

re: Kidney Stone Help

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/13/26 at 10:19 am to HogBalls

Experience varies a lot. My 1st hurt like hell with the main act taking only 6 hours. My 2nd was annoying. I thought it was a 2-day painful gut problem until the stone popped out, and I was pain free. 3rd was a snooze but lasted 45 days with occasional back pain and slight burning during urination. It was 9x5mm. I assume it passed lengthwise. Now I have small stones in each kidney that a urologist measures once a year.

As to meds, for the 3rd my GP set me up with a few OxiC if I needed it and tamsulosin to loosen the tubes. That made me so loopy that I could not drive safely. I stopped taking them.

Next step, see a urologist, kidney stones usually happen again. You'll get an advanced urine analysis to identify any metabolic issues. I take potassium citrate (Kcit) hoping it will stop stone growth.

I'm of mixed opinion about alcohol. For #1 at 22 I had overindulged with tequila. Being drunk while in agony makes it all the worse. Moderation is advised.

O-T Lounge

re: Can anyone recommend a baton rouge machinist for some lathe work?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/12/26 at 6:23 pm to luvdoc

The shop techs at LSU used to take on small outside projects. Contact a few of these people -LINK

The dept of Physics and Astronomy may still have a good machine shop. The website says they do but no contacts are given.

Outside work is a gray area, so try and start inquiries directly with the shop staff.

re: Have any of you used Harris Fence and Patio?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/12/26 at 5:58 pm to Tiger328

Harris did a good job for a new fence shared with neighbor. Harris has a substantial shop/storage yard on Pecue north of new I-10 exchange. While a yard doesn't guarantee good work, it indicates the company is more than two guys with a truck and a Lowes account.

re: Talks or no talks / Mine clearing or no mine clearing?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/11/26 at 10:19 pm to LemmyLives

US Navy has been perfecting mine/anti-mine warfare at Stennis MS for a few decades. The MS and East La. coastal water are the official Littoral Warfare Lab. Fiberglass encased wooden vessels have been replaced by aluminum. Since Al "cuts like butter" the trick is to counter the mine before it blows up on contact. How sophisticated Iran mining operations are isn't public knowledge, but the Navy probably knows what it needs to.

Political Talk

re: Has anyone on here had a hip replacement?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/11/26 at 9:56 pm to W2NOMO

quote:
If you are not in shape, get into shape.

Your condition going into surgery is the main determinant of speed and degree of recovery. Morbidly obese people have a hard time.

O-T Lounge

re: How much would you pay someone to place 30 bales of pine straw in your flower beds?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/7/26 at 10:12 am to LSUballs

A suspected pine straw bandit stopped his truck in front of the house last week and offered to "clean the beds and lay straw" for $9 a bale. When asked his name he just said Rodney. He wouldn't give a last name or a contact number. I passed on it. For skilled garden work I pay two experienced American guys $60/hr + supplies.

re: Hot Springs Arkansas-Things to do and where to stay

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/4/26 at 11:10 am to notiger1997

If you have any interest in rocks, especially quartz crystals, HS is the US Mecca. Mining for electronics ended long ago, but specimen mining is a substantial activity. Go shopping at Coleman's LINK

I'm told that weekend flea markets have the best deals on crystals...recently mined or from old collections.

In addition to locally mined quartz, you'll see much from Brazil. Prices are better than online. DIY mining is very messy due to all the red mud. About 60m SW of HS is Crater of Diamond SP. It too can be muddy.

Travel Board

re: Persimmon help/advice

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/4/26 at 10:50 am to AlxTgr

I planted a native persimmon sapling in BTR 3 years ago about this time of year. Each year it has developed a bad fungus infection of the leaves and looked awful. Last year I started spraying with a copper fungicide. It's leafing out quite densely right now, best it's ever looked. Main advice is... don't give up too soon.

re: Cooking novice here, I have been reading that titanium skillets are the best of all.

Posted by Tree_Fall on 4/3/26 at 8:43 am to 308

First/only titanium pan I've experienced was a high-end lightweight backpacker pan. Home use benefits are all associated with metal properties. The big negative is that it's a poor heat conductor forcing the use of mixed metal/ceramic sandwiches. I used a mix of cast iron and AllClad stainless. A cast iron griddle belonged to my gtgt grandmother... stuff lasts. If you go with AllClad get a 5-ply pan. I warped all my 3-ply wedding gifts. Note that the aluminum core may wear away at the rim leaving very sharp edges. My gtgt grandson will not be using my AllClad.

re: Dwarf Mondo or ???

Posted by Tree_Fall on 3/30/26 at 5:30 pm to captainahab

My experience is that dwarf mondo stays in it's nice clumps and never (7 years) spreads out to form a cover. Regular mondo (monkey grass) spreads slowly, but it does form a good solid cover. Another option is Liriope. I have areas where it's a spreading cover and other areas where it remains clumped. It has more partial dieback in winter but can have a nice flower. In damp locations Florida betony can take over all 3 of these.

re: Fleur De Lis pizza, doesn't sound promising

Posted by Tree_Fall on 3/28/26 at 4:14 pm to VoodooGlowSkull

quote:
I grew up eating there after soccer games at Independence Park

I wonder if I'm the only soccer dad who thought it was odd to celebrate my kid's sports in a dive bar?

re: Looking for Recommendations on Company to Pour a Patio Slab

Posted by Tree_Fall on 3/28/26 at 4:06 pm to Roger Klotz

Metairie is so flat that you are correct worrying about drainage 1st. Be sure to get a company with a long history there. If the pavers are stable and do not have a sand base you might be able to pour 4" of concrete over them.

re: Question About Bees

Posted by Tree_Fall on 3/23/26 at 2:09 pm to Spankum

Azaleas have a deep flower making nectar more available to long-tongued Bombas bees and less available to short-tongued Apis bees. There is also a toxin in the nectar that can impact Apis more than Bombas. Species pairing between flowers and pollinators is neat stuff.

re: What are some of your favorite braised dishes to make in a dutch oven?

Posted by Tree_Fall on 3/23/26 at 10:19 am to Powerman

Any cut of meat that has a lot of sinew an cartilage on a bone joint are great. I especially like fresh pork shoulder with a few smoked hocks included. It took me a while to learn how to limit the braising liquid to keep a nice balance between the flavor of the meat and the gravy. Sometimes a smaller pot is better.