Monday, October 28, 2013

Holy Smokes, Hurricane Raymond is jumping the continent.

October 28, 2013
1530.18z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of North and West Hemisphere (click here for 12 hour loop)







October 28, 2013
2130.19z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of North and West Hemisphere 

The system was heading west until the past six hours. It is stalling and joining the heat transfer system in the Atlantic from the East Pacific. It is oscillating with the energy off the Atlantic system.

33 15.30 -116.80 10/28/03Z 90 972 HURRICANE-2 
34 16.00 -116.90 10/28/09Z 85 976 HURRICANE-2 
35 16.40 -117.00 10/28/15Z 75 981 HURRICANE-1 
36 16.80 -116.90 10/28/21Z 60 993 TROPICAL STORM 

It looks like there is some real trouble coming.
The heat transfer system in northwest Canada 
over the Yukon, it is being absorbed by the vortex
over the northwest USA. That vortex is gaining 
velocity with added water vapor. That Canadian 
system is mixed in it's temperatures as well.  

I was looking at the heat distribution over the  Yukon and it isn't uniform. The extreme was the  city of Old Crow with a temperature of  -6 centigrade about 10 AM this morning to  5 centigrade above zero at Carmacks at the  same time only to return to a -3 centigrade  in Watson Lake. The circulating winds around  the center of the vortex was providing  significant differences in temperature within the system which provides more turbulence.

The Farm States need to remind their constituencies:

Time simply flies when having fun !
 
Release 0182.13

Contact:Kent Politsch
(202) 720-7163


WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2013 – Juan M. Garcia, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), reminds producers that final production evidence and any supporting documentation for the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program for eligible months (including fiscal years 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013) that MILC payments were available must be submitted by Nov. 1, 2013.

“The MILC program helps dairy producers get through tough economic times, and is another reason we need a new Farm, Food and Job bill," said Garcia. "When low dairy prices create a hardship for dairy producers, payments are made to those who participate in the program to ensure they have the financial assistance they need to maintain their business. An additional benefit is the stimulation of local economies.”

Statutory authority for the MILC program expired Sept. 30, 2013. New legislation must be enacted before the MILC program, or its replacement, can provide assistance.

Dairy operations can obtain more information on MILC by contacting a local FSA office or search “MILC” at www.fsa.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

Wall Street might want to advocate for their interests in the US Farm Bill; the Farm Bill Management Team awaits their support.

The Farm Bill Management Team: Valerie DeFeo, Kristian Rondeau and Ken Bloem (click here)



Dear Colleagues:

The Farm Bill Management Team (FBMT) (click here) would like to provide you with information to enable your participation in the open period for submitting suggestions for the FY14 Spending Plan. In this update you will find details on accessing the Farm Bill Suggestion System in Metastorm. We are currently planning to hold the Open Period for FY14 Suggestions beginning in October 2013. We recommend that you read and act on the following instructions before the FY14 Open Period.

More details, including the schedule of stakeholder webinars to explain the FY14 process, will be sent to you in the coming weeks through the APHIS Stakeholder Registry. To stay informed on these notifications, please subscribe to the Farm Bill Section 10201 topic in the APHIS Stakeholder Registry.

NOTE: Please DO NOT attempt to create suggestions before the Open Period for new suggestions is announced. The Metastorm process and forms are being updated for FY14 and anything submitted before the official Open Period will be deleted. 

Access to the Farm Bill Suggestion System:
Now is the time to establish your access to the Farm Bill Suggestion System in Metastorm. Look for the situation below that applies to you....  

Wall Street should be aware of the SNAP Benefit change expected November 1st. Perhaps Wall Street would like to set up their own management offices to lobby for the poor that work for them. It ? might ? assist with the human rights abuses they will sustain. 

I don't know why it is ONLY countries that have to bear the burden of human rights abuses. The Third World in many cases doesn't have the government infrastructure to deal with Wall Street abuses of their land and people. It just seems appropriate Wall Street companies should have human rights abuses noted and acted upon.

Posted by Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services
October 28, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (click here) recipients will see their monthly benefits decrease beginning on November 1st. As USDA’s top official in charge of the program, I want to ensure that SNAP recipients know that this change is coming and understand what it means for you and your families.

As you know, the amount of SNAP benefits each eligible household receives depends on many things, such as income, household size and expenses. In addition, SNAP households have been receiving an increased amount of benefits because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), a piece of legislation that provided a temporary boost in benefits to help individuals and families impacted by the economic downturn.

However, the portion of the ARRA legislation that provided these additional benefits ends on October 31. As a result, beginning on November 1, your monthly benefit will decrease. The amount of the decrease depends on your household size.

Assuming no other changes in income, household size, or expenses between October and November, the table below shows the decrease in SNAP benefits in November by household size....
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will see their monthly benefits decrease beginning on November 1st. As USDA’s top official in charge of the program, I want to ensure that SNAP recipients know that this change is coming and understand what it means for you and your families.
As you know, the amount of SNAP benefits each eligible household receives depends on many things, such as income, household size and expenses. In addition, SNAP households have been receiving an increased amount of benefits because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), a piece of legislation that provided a temporary boost in benefits to help individuals and families impacted by the economic downturn.
However, the portion of the ARRA legislation that provided these additional benefits ends on October 31. As a result, beginning on November 1, your monthly benefit will decrease. The amount of the decrease depends on your household size.
Assuming no other changes in income, household size, or expenses between October and November, the table below shows the decrease in SNAP benefits in November by household size.
- See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/10/28/helping-snap-recipients-prepare-for-november-1st-benefit-changes/#sthash.YGfQbYpA.dpuf
Posted by Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, on October 28, 2013 at 11:00 AM - See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/10/28/helping-snap-recipients-prepare-for-november-1st-benefit-changes/#sthash.YGfQbYpA.dpuf
Posted by Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, on October 28, 2013 at 11:00 AM - See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/10/28/helping-snap-recipients-prepare-for-november-1st-benefit-changes/#sthash.YGfQbYpA.dpuf

Wall Street GET OFF WELFARE!!!!!!!!!!!






A new recording captures the fast food giant's worker 1-800 number touting public assistance (click here)

The last time a Chinese product killed pets it was Melamine which causes kidney falure.

The study below was completed in China of a human incident with melamine.  I am sure there are other markets for these products outside the USA that have had similar instances. If not, then why not? Were there findings by other countries regarding this product not allowing its sale?

Additionally, is there something in the treats that interact with other pet food to cause organ damage and failure?

While there may be no one particular component that screams "I am the problem" is the component dose related and has to be reduced when considering the ingestion of multiple treats at one time or in combination with the regular diet. Are there water impurities that will cause interaction causing toxicity? Minimum water quality should be fairly standard in the USA.

What to Look Out For (click here)
Watch your pet closely. Signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products are decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood or mucus), increased water consumption and/or increased urination. 
Severe cases are diagnosed with pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and kidney failure or the resemblance of a rare kidney related illness called Fanconi syndrome. Although FDA has reports of more than 580 deaths, many pets have recovered....

Particular breeds? Particular age group? When I think of kidney function, of course, cats are very vulnerable to kidney disease, but, I also think of the age of the animal.


The Food and Drug Administration has a mystery on its hands.(click here)

Thousands of dogs and at least 10 cats have become sick after eating various forms of jerky for pets over the past few years. Some 580 animals have died, the agency says. But it's not sure why.

Some of the cases have been diagnosed as "kidney failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and a rare kidney disorder," the agency . Overall, a little less than two-thirds of the cases have been some kind of gastrointestinal illness. Nearly a third have "involved kidney and urinary systems."...

Then there is the issue of acquired vs genetic. Is there something in the genetics of the animals the predispose them to toxic susceptibility? Would any necropsy of the animals assist in determining how the animal died of organ failure. Certainly the organ itself would hold some clues.

Melamine Toxicity and the Kidney (click here)

Anthony Kai-ching Hau, Tze Hoi Kwan and Philip Kam-tao Li

Author Affiliations: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Department of Medicine, Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong

Prof. Philip Kam-tao Li, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Phone: 852-2632-3616; Fax: 852-2648-9864; E-mail: philipli@cuhk.edu.hk

The toxicity of melamine caught the attention of physicians as a result of a recent spate of renal injury after exposure to melamine-tainted milk in China. Melamine is an organic nitrogenous compound used in the production of plastics, dyes, fertilizers, and fabrics. In the current incident, melamine was added to milk to elevate falsely assay results for protein content. A variety of toxic effects from melamine, including nephrolithiasis, chronic kidney inflammation, and bladder carcinoma, all have been studied in animals. We review here the epidemiology, clinical features, and investigative findings concerning the only outbreak of melamine poisoning in humans. We also examine the renal toxicities of melamine and cyanuric acid—a by-product of its synthesis—and the associated risk factors on exposure and provide guidance on levels in foods....

A chance for Senator Tester to be a real hero to the people of Missoula Valley.

This is a very shallow aquifer and should be protected. I hope there is no fracking in the region to effect it.

Senator John Tester a true friend of sportsmen everywhere, a real live farmer, and in need of a new coat.

The Missoula Valley Aquifer (click here) is the sole source of water for residents in the Missoula Valley. It's a huge underground source of water. It's so big that more than 40,000 households depend on it for water every day. This underground treasure we call the Missoula Valley Aquifer is just below the ground surface. Run your finger along a map starting at Milltown all the way to Frenchtown and up to Lolo. The Missoula Valley Aquifer is just below this entire area---10-to-100 feet below the ground surface. It is considered one of the purest natural sources of water in America....

...Today the aquifer (click here) is the sole source of water for residents in the Missoula Valley. More than 40,000 households depend on it for water every day. Running from Milltown all the way to Frenchtown and up to Lolo, it’s a seemingly endless source of clean, fresh water. Every year rainfall and snowmelt flowing out of the Clark Fork River (the name Clark Fork River was given by Lewis and Clark) and local streams seep down through glacial deposits and recharge this vast underground water source. This natural storage tank contains billions of gallons of fresh water but it’s all just below the ground surface – so close that in some places it’s no deeper than 40 feet below the surface....

The people of Senator Tester's state wants to purchase their own water supply from the current owner, The Carlyle Group. I thought if nothing else he could try to help obtain the best and fair price. It is a "Publics Works" project. To own, manage, oversee and operate their own water source.
 
October 23, 2013 6:00 am
The city of Missoula’s quest (click here) to acquire Mountain Water Co. is a formidable undertaking, and Mayor John Engen has formed a powerful team of advisers for the job.

The cost of the consulting and underwriting is estimated to reach roughly $4 million if a purchase deal goes through, and those fees will be included in the total bill, Engen said. He admitted he initially blanched at the figure.

“I will tell you, when I first heard it, I thought oi yoi yoi, but I did a little research, and it’s very typical of a deal of this size,” Engen said Tuesday.

This week, the Missoula City Council approved an ordinance that gives the mayor the authority to begin negotiating with the Carlyle Group for the purchase of Mountain Water....

Water, according to the USA military, is a premium today and in the future especially with the current Climate Crisis. I would think there could be federal monies available to help with such a worthy citizens' project. It is a regional security issue that may even fall under the jurisdiction of Homeland Security.

October 26, 2013 9:30 pm


Let’s say the city of Missoula (click here) can only afford to buy Mountain Water Co. if it increases rates.

At that point, Mayor John Engen has said he will alert the Missoula City Council. That’s because he would like to keep water rates at their current levels for the time being, and he doesn’t want to raise rates to pay for the company that provides most Missoula residents with their drinking water.

Last week, the Missoula City Council gave Engen the green light to bring a purchase deal back to the body for consideration. Some of the negotiations will take place behind closed doors, but Engen will report back to the council at several checkpoints while negotiating the estimated $50 million to $70 million deal with the Carlyle Group....

I knew it. No wealthy man involved with a company that will see continued wealth sells their interests.







 
October 28, 2013

Blackstone Group LP (BX:US) (click here) President Tony James is reducing his stake in the private-equity firm he helped build into the world’s largest manager of alternative assets over the past 11 years. 

James sold 3.25 million shares of New York-based Blackstone between Oct. 23 and Oct. 25 at prices ranging from $26.71 to $27.85, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week. James has sold at least 8.25 million shares this year in three transactions, about a fifth of the equity he held in Blackstone at the beginning of the year, according to regulatory filings (BX:US)

James said he has no plans to leave the firm. Some colleagues inside Blackstone have been speculating that the 62-year-old may be seeking a new career outside of private equity, according to people familiar with the firm, who asked not to be identified because the matter was internal.

“I am not leaving Blackstone,” James said when reached by telephone over the weekend. “I will not leave Blackstone in years.” 

Peter Rose, a Blackstone spokesman, declined to comment on James’s share sale. 

Blackstone has rallied (BX:US) 71 percent this year and this month reached the highest level since 2007, the year the firm went public. 

This month’s transactions were valued at about $88.6 million, the filing showed. They were made through a company controlled by James, his spouse and a trust for his children. In two other sales this year, James sold 3.5 million shares, valued at about $64.2 million in February and 1.5 million shares, worth about $34.2 million, in July...

I doubt he is going to reinvest in anything except his own comfort and security. He is selling his stocks because the company has finally come close the the selling price before the global economic collapse of 2008. He can't sell all his stocks at once, otherwise, it would tank the company and diminish his take. There is no big secret here, he wants his money before The Fed takes away Quantitative Easing and the stock prices fall again in what might be another recession.

Why the driverless car?

You don't pay the tax, you don't drive your car.

This tax will cause a return to old vehicles and higher levels of greenhouse gas pollution. I am sure the petroleum industry loves it.

For those stranded because they can't or won't pay the 'use tax' there needs to be public transportation to fill in the gap. Hello? You want your independence from Wall Street? Ride the bus. 

Published time: October 28, 2013 10:40

...Maintaining roads (click here) in America currently relies on a gas tax, which is paid by motorists as they fill their tanks at pumps. However the cash flow is steadily drying up as cars become more fuel efficient and with authorities reluctant to raise tax rates. The advancement of hybrid and electric cars is also causing this means of taxation to be perceived as unjust. 

Taxing per mile is one possible solution, however, the federal government is reluctant to proceed with it. A $90-million pilot project involving some 10,000 cars was approved by the Senate two years ago, but was axed by the House.
But some states are more enthusiastic. For instance California is planning to tax every motorist in the state by mileage by 2025, reported on Saturday Los Angeles Times. 

“This really is a must for our nation. It is not a matter of something we might choose to do," told the newspaper Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments. "There is going to be a change in how we pay these taxes. The technology is there to do it."
Oregon so far is the most eager. It launched a pilot vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax project as early as 2007 and currently has 5,000 cars taxed by their mileage in a follow-up experiment. A similar if smaller-scale test was conducted in Nevada, and New York City is considering one... 

Meet Progressive's Cash Flo.

Progressive Insurance already reaches into their customer's pockets through a device called "Snapshot." The initial rollout of this device promised up to 30% savings on car insurance with one month (30 days) of device record. I doubt there are many customers that actually realized the 30% savings. The equation to that 30% is loaded against the customer. The consumer is given 30% discount then receives subtraction from that goal as the device reports back to the company.

"Snapshot" is a plug in computer device that records the activity of the vehicle through monitoring rotation of the drive wheels and braking force regardless of lack of collision.

The driving record is thrown out when "Snapshot" is deployed. Literally, Progressive can take a driver enjoying low rates because of a spotless driving record and turn them into a driver with far higher risk than ever believed by any underwriter.

The customer is told they will return the device for evaluation of their discount. The device actually is connected to a satellite that transmits the recorded information directly to the company on a continuing record. The device is a telemetry device, not a recording device. 

The formula Progressive uses defeats the viability of low insurance rates. The device returns road speed, rate of acceleration and rate of braking into the cost of insurance. If the braking occurs abruptly (normal is defined as 10 mph decrease per 8 seconds) the computer sends an audible signal to the drive to alert them they have exceeded the limits of the benefit of the discount. Any axle rotation faster than what is expected in acceleration with 'normal' driving experience is also detrimental to the discount. So, if a driver lives in the northern end of the USA and the tire rolls over an ice patch that causes the axle to accelerate for a brief period of time, the discount is effected. 

The audible tone to the device is to create BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION of the driver to improve what Progressive dictates as 'the safe driver.' Supposedly the more the driver modifies their driving behavior eventually they will receive the benefit of that achievement. Why does driver behavior enter into this? Because Progressive offers the driver the opportunity to continue to achieve the 30% discount by leaving the device in the vehicle FOREVER. As a matter of fact, the driver has to notify Progressive before removing "Snapshot" otherwise they receive a penalty to their insurance rates.

"Snapshot" is not only a draconian tool to punish drivers, it is a method of achieving marketing and underwriting standards. Once again, the American consumer is a fool by design of Wall Street.

Richard Cheney is not the first heart transplant patient.

What is the point to the book? He has to pay his bills or something? I thought the American people paid for everything and gave him a retirement income. No? Is the federal national debt or the USA military receiving a trust fund from the sale of the book? No? Really? I thought for sure the former Veep would be wrought with worry about The Sequester. No stipend to the military to fill in the void by paying voluntary taxes. No, surprise there. I would not expect a man willing to go to war to end the possibility of a lawsuit after cooking the books at Halliburton to actually see past his own lack of longevity and desire for wealth.

Graphic descriptions in the book as released to the media is due to the fact his heart was abused for decades before he became scared he was going to die.The fact he was spitting up blood is because the lung tissue was overwhelmed with fluid as it (the body fluid) tore up the tissue. In the picture to the right, the large heart is the diseased heart. Yes, those are human hearts.

The bridge to death is felt by most all transplant patients. Many cardiomyopathy patients have not abused their heart and were born with problems. They have strong family histories of heart disease. 

There are also virus that can cause cardiomyopathy. The heart transplant was not discovered in the USA, it was Christiaan Neethling Barnard, a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant. He died at the age of 81 on September 2, 2001, in Paphos, Cyprus. 

There are many stories of successful heart transplant. I doubt anyone needs to advocate for furthering the SCIENCE behind longevity. There are highly moral reasons to seek such achievements and NOW the people who sat on the sidelines unable to afford a heart transplant can actually get one due to The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act without being thrown off their insurance policy. I'll be darn. The nation can thank the Democrats for actually caring about their well being and furthering their safe health care. 

The chart to the left shows a fairly STATIC number of transplants over the past years since about 2004. The reason it is static is not quite clear yet. It could be due to lack of insurance, lack of donors or simply a STATISTICAL reality of a society. 

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will no doubt facilitate more transplants for people unable to get them before, but, the fact of the matter is the number of transplants of any organ is fairly predictable. It is primarily STATISTICALLY static. The idea new patients to the health care system will cause huge increase is costs is not accurate. Not every person in the country will need a transplant of organs.  The number of patients might increase initially, but, it will become static. 

There is every reason to believe as the nation attends to their health issues earlier and become healthier there will actually be a fall in the number of patients at these extremes. There are many reasons, including those Americans waiting for health care, for The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to go forward.  The idea the law will be delayed one year or more or repealed is a human rights abuse.

I hope all the proceeds from the former Veep's book is well used.

The Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF) (click here) is a national, non-profit organization focused on pediatric cardiomyopathy, a chronic disease of the heart muscle. CCF is dedicated to accelerating the search for cures while improving diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for children affected by cardiomyopathy....

Those complaining about their health care bill can thank one man.

I really don't want to hear the political rhetoric.

Insurers’ Stocks, Unhurt by the Dawn of the Health Care Law (click here)

By ANNA BERNASEK 
Published: October 26, 2013   

The Affordable Care Act has been controversial — so much so that Republican objections to it were a principal cause of the recent partial shutdown of the federal government....


...Because they face new regulations intended to broaden coverage and limit profit-taking, some analysts have been concerned that profits will suffer. But in the run-up to the Affordable Care Act, stock market prices have told a different story. 

Over the last 12 months, shares of the top five publicly traded health insurance companies — Aetna, WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group, Humana and Cigna — have increased by an average of 32 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index has risen by just 24 percent. 

Strong profits in the current year, as growth slowed in overall health care costs, is one probable explanation for the out performance by the group...

Morning Papers - It's Origins (click title to entry - thank you)

The Rooster 

"Okeydoke"

"Good Night, Moon."

Will it be a real Halloween moon? 

Waning Crescent

39% Full

27 October  2013 
Pazar

...NASA's Cassini spacecraft (click here) has revealed some new images of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, unveiling the presence of liquid methane and ethane lakes on it near its north pole . The spacecraft also captured some latest images of Saturn and its rings from the top.
The team of scientists from NASA researchers from the University of Idaho were the one to spot the new images.
The images were released by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge earlier this week. The pictures were captured with the help of the spacecraft's infrared mapping spectrometer and were false-colored mosaics....


Absolutely incredible images from NASA when one stops to realize how big and hostile the solar system is and how precise the flight of our USA spacecrafts. 

Amazing.

Congratulations, NASA, well done. The nation can be proud.

This is Saturn by the way. Close up from above. So cool. Nearly 800 million miles from Earth. We did this. Our scientists did this. Wow. 

Have a good Halloween.