Monday, February 27, 2017

California's Oroville Dam. A sink hole under the spillway.

There was so reason for the concrete to collapse until the rains weakened the surrounding land and the weight of water on the spillway. The inspections would not have found any flaw as it was out of sight and within the land itself. 

Drought is a dangerous thing. It not only creates water emergencies for people, it is devastating to the land. Drought damages forests and the roots that once held the land together are damaged as well. Drought is a long term emergency and the effects of it are sometimes not known until the rains return, ie: The Oroville Dam.

Everyone is familiar with landslides and mudslides with large rain events, why would this be any different, because it is a dam and already is exposed to water? The land surrounding the dam isn't always exposed to water. 

Everyone was told the proceeding Climate Crisis was not a good idea. But, the Republicans persisted and now every American life is on emergency awareness with failing infrastructure and superstorms.

California had no alternative but to release the waters to prevent a complete collapse of the dam system. It was a remarkable rescue of the people to prevent any deaths. That was all that was left to the Governor. He had no control of this event.

Do you know why Warren Buffet frequently smiles? It is because he is a smart man and reality superstar.

Warren Buffet made a lot of money when Unilever said, "Thanks, but, no thanks." How did that happen? Because all the investment firms that thought it would lead to a hostile takeover jumped on the band wagon and caused the increase in stock prices. Warren sold his interests as soon as it was obvious a company from the UK was not the least bit interested in a different country's flag.

Congratulations to Warren, his stealthy insight and steadfast knowledge.


Omaha, Neb. — The Latest on investor Warren Buffett’s (click here) comments on a variety of topics (all times local):

6:40 a.m.

Warren Buffett says the proposed $143 billion offer to acquire Unilever, a deal with links to his company, fell apart quickly because the European company wasn’t interested.

Buffett said Monday on CNBC that his Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital abandoned Kraft Heinz Foods’ bid for Unilever because they were interested only in a mutually agreed upon tie-up, not a hostile takeover.

Buffett says it initially appeared that Unilever might be open to negotiating a deal, but once a rough offer was delivered it became clear the owner of Lipton and Hellman’s wasn’t interested.

Buffett says there could have been some misunderstanding in the initial conversations between Kraft Heinz and Unilever.                         

Congratulations to all the winners no matter how brief it may have been.

The Academy has finally broken into the 21st century.

February 27, 2017
By Peter Hammond
...I have covered (click here) a lot of Oscar shows in my time, but never have I seen one go down like this one did Sunday night, when La La Land was announced for Best Picture, and speeches were made … only to have it taken away. Due to a mistake in handing the correct envelope to presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, Moonlight was then declared the actual winner in a bizarre moment when La La producer Jordan Horowitz  had to stop everything in its tracks and tell the audience his movie was not the winner after all.
It was definitely a say what? moment for the ages....

List of Winners of Oscar Awards 2017:

Best Picture: Moonlight
Best Actor: Casey Affleck
Best Actress: Emma Stone
Supporting Actor: Mahershala
Supporting Actress: Viola Davis
Best Director: Damien Chazelle
Foreign Language Film: The Salesman
Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight by Barry Jenkins
Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea by Kenneth Lonergan
Production Design: La La Land
Cinematography: Linus Sandgren
Sound Mixing: Hacksaw Ridge
Sound Editing: Arrival
Original Score: La La Land
Original Song: City of Stars
Costume Design: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Documentary (Short Subject): The White Helmets
Documentary Feature: OBJECTION
Film Editing: Hacksaw Ridge
Makeup and Hairstyling: Suicide Squad
Animated Feature: Zootopia
Animated Short Film: Disney Piper
Live Action Short Film: Sing
Visual Effects: The Jungle Book

I think that covers them all. I don't care how magnificent the OJ film may have been his name belongs nowhere near any award.

"The White Helmets" was an incredible film and I knew it would be chosen for the very real fact people spilled blood in making that nearly hour long film. 

"The White Helmets" is an amazing film and teaches a great deal about the potential for peace in the Middle East. One of the profound problems facing countries destabilized by civil unrest is the fact there are so many factions and ethnic diversity there is not enough land to accommodate them, hence the tensions we see today.

As populations increase over time there is more land needed to allow people to exist and live; that includes agricultural land. Of course we know the drought in Syria and the result of that pressure on populations and their farmers. What "The White Helmets" taught me is that men of all ethnic backgrounds can come together to create something wonderful and good. These people can set aside ancient anger and new population pressure to save ANY person that survived an attack.

I also thought the people of Turkey that took these men under their wing to teach them search and rescue, provide equipment and assist in supplies were also remarkable. Turkey, of course, was the only Western country involved in the organization of these men into a force to be recon with.

"Barrel bombs (click here) - sometimes filled with chlorine - are the biggest killer of civilians in Syria today. Our unarmed and neutral rescue workers have saved more than 78,529 people from the attacks in Syria, but there are many we cannot reach. There are children trapped in rubble we cannot hear. For them, the UN Security Council must follow through on its demand to stop the barrel bombs, by introducing a 'no-fly zone' if necessary." - Raed Saleh, head of the White Helmets, the Syrian Civil Defence.

Over 78,000 lives saved and in order to do so there are about 10 White Helmets that died in that process. That speaks to their proficiency and dauntless bravery.

This documentary needs to be seen by all the people interested in finding a path to peace in the Middle East. It proves that peace is possible and mutual interests can be found between all parties regardless of their difference.

"The White Helmets" are UNARMED.