Profiles in Rickery: Oil Derrick

This is an oil derrick, per wikipedia:

Another kind of derrick is used around oil wells and other drilled holes. This is generally called an oil derrick and is a complex set of machines specifically designed for optimum efficiency, safety and low cost. This is used on some offshore oil and gas rigs.

The centerpiece is the archetypical derrick tower, used for lifting and positioning the drilling string and piping above the well bore, and containing the machinery for turning the drilling bit around in the hole. As the drill string goes deeper into the underlying soil or rock, new piping has to be added to the top of the drill to keep the connection between drill bit and turning machinery intact, to create a filler to keep the hole from caving in, and to create a conduit for the drilling mud. The drilling mud is used to cool the drilling bit and to blow rock debris clear from the drill bit and the bottom of the well. The piping joints sections—usually each about 10 meters (30 ft) long—have threaded ends, so they can be screwed together. The piping is hollow to allow for the mud to be pumped down into the drilling hole, where it flushes out at the drilling bit. The mud then proceeds upwards towards the surface on the outside of the piping, carrying the debris with it.

The derrick also controls the weight on the drilling bit, because the drill bit works at an optimum rate only when it is pushed with a precise degree of pressure relative to the rock beneath it. Too much weight can break the drilling bit, and not enough weight will prolong drilling time. At the start of drilling extra heavy piping collars are used to create enough weight to drill. Since the weight of the pipes above the drill bit will increase the pressure on it as it goes deeper, the derrick will apply less pressure as piping sections are added. It will eventually lift the nearly entire drill string-and-piping complex to prevent too much weight as the well goes deeper.

And this is how an oil derrick works, per youtube: 

("Its really basic. It took my like 10 min to animate. dont judge it.")

Da'Rick update

Quick update from last week:  Da'Rick Rogers signed a free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills after not getting drafted.  Per the Bill's website, they really liked him going into the draft, and when he was still available afterwards, had to fight off half the NFL to get him as a free agent.  Let's hope he sticks.

This draft profile video on him was too good to pass up. It's a Vikings podcast by David Erickson and his guest, Rick Birmingham...talking about Da'Rick Rogers.  Are you kidding me?!

Sigh

Well, Rick Show did not make Time's list of 50 Best Websites for 2013.  It's okay.  Better to fly under the radar.

Rick Ross's Trouble

Musician Rick Ross (or RICK RO$$) got into a bit of trouble a few weeks ago for some lyrics he uses in a new song by Rocko that seem to condone rape.  Per Rolling Stone:

On the track, Ross refers to a form of the drug Ecstacy known as "molly" when he raps, "Put molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it / I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain't even know it"

Unsurprisingly, that didn't go over very well in some circles.   Rick later said "It was misunderstanding with a lyric, a misinterpretation where the term 'rape' wasn't used. And I would never use the term 'rape' in my records." and also, per CNN, apologized via twitter:

"Ross took to Twitter in early April to seemingly apologize for the lyrics he used in his song. He tweeted: "I dont condone rape. Apologies for the #lyric interpreted as rape. #BOSS"
Two hours later he attempted to apologize again: "Apologies to my many business partners, who would never promote violence against women. @ReebokClassics @ultraviolet"

Unsurprisingly, neither apology did much to win over those who weren't happy with him.   Reebok decided to cut ties with Rick, saying that they didn't believe he showed an appropriate level of remorse.

Rocko has stated that Rick's verse will be dropped from the song in the more radio-friendly version, due to the backlash.  (side note:  after listening to the song and reading the lyrics, I'm not sure how to make a radio friendly version)

Here's the song.  Rick's verse starts at about the 2:00 mark, if you're interested.

http://youtu.be/HPHrIflaa0I

Be careful what you say, Ricks.

Richie Havens

Along the Rick in Peace front, folk singer Richie Havens died this week at age 72.  He was apparently well known for his performance at Woodstock.  Per the NPR article about his death,

Havens was the first performer to walk onto the stage at the festival; he sat on a stool and performed for nearly two hours — including an improvisation that incorporated the spiritual "Motherless Child," later called "Freedom." It became a highlight of the documentary about the festival and introduced him to audiences around the world.

I'd never heard of Richie until the other day when I read about his passing.  I'm glad that Rick Show has given me a reason to start clicking on some of the headlines I come across.  You never know what you'll learn. 

 http://youtu.be/tf1B9ktRCkg

Rick in Peace.

Richard LeParmentier

  I just found out that Richard LeParmentier died last week at age 66.  He is most well known for taunting Darth Vader is Episode IV.  It did not work out so well.   Rick in Peace.

http://youtu.be/Zzs-OvfG8tE