"You Cut" is UNCONSTITUTIONAL (click title to entry - thank you)

"You Cut" is a political maneuver to have the public believe they have a real say in the legislation on the floor of the House.

"You Cut" gives 'individual' voters TWO votes rather than one.

At the election ballot, voters elect Congress persons to represent them.  All voters cast their choice.  But, the Republicans are extending the ballot box to their 'floor legislation' and give 'individuals' that 'care to' and 'can' a second chance to 'steer' the country 'on to the rocks.'

The 'clout' the 'individuals' carry is not REPRESENTATIVE of the district of which the Congress person was elected.  What can occur is that on election day, citizens elect whom they believe is best qualified for the position of House Representative according to the election process.  What "You Cut" does is 'undercut' that election ballot to replace it with 'favoritism' based in those participating.  "You Cut" is not an officially sanctioned process whereby all registered voters are provided with information to make an informed vote on every issue before the legislature.

"You Cut" can and more than likely does undercut the citizen whom is not participating, but, cast their ballot in the General Election.

"You Cut" is an abuse of power and nothing more than political rhetoric.

President Obama paid a commission to look into the budget and deficit.  That is a process sanctioned by the USA Constitution.  There should be no other process needed as any budget cut should be well researched as to the outcome of the budget cut.

The Democrats need to move for formal ethic charges to "You Cut" and challenge its validity to impact the federal budget through the courts.

The Afghan War is a worry. I belive Bill Richardson should take the place of Richard Holbrooke, at least for the interim.

President Obama needs to be provided with a workable budget for the next two years.  The troops will begin to deploy out of Afghanistan in July of this year, however, we need to be sure there are monies in the Treasury to bring them home and not abandon them to being unwilling participants in an unfunded war.  In the remaining days of Speaker Pelosi's leadership, there needs to be 'Emergency Budget Legislation" that can be called up by the Senate should the 'unstable' and 'abusive' new Republican Majority become 'unable to act.'

How Petraeus has changed the Afghanistan war  (click here)

Gen. David Petraeus replaced Gen. Stanley McChrystal as head of US forces in the Afghanistan war this year. One change he's made represents something of a gamble to some in the Pentagon

...Specifically, Petraeus has chosen to emphasize the violence that the Taliban and other insurgent groups have inflicted on the general Afghan population. This may seem like an obvious approach. Why not highlight the harm that your enemy is doing to the civilians you’re trying to win over?
But it’s not so simple, says a senior military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he has not been authorized to speak to the press on this issue. “If you draw attention to the enemies’ impact on Afghan civilians, does that make them feel less secure” – and consequently, less willing to support NATO forces?...

But can they do it with a slide rule?

Slide Rule c. 1965
On loan from Ian Frazer

Generation Gap: Five ways car culture has changed  (click title to entry - thank you)

December 31, 2010

By Beth J. Harper

New York – Not long ago, I gave a ride to a kid in an old care with no air conditioning.  It was a warm day, so I told him to roll down the window.

He had no idea what that meant.  Having grown up with power windows, he’d never seen a crank handle and didn’t know how to use one.  (He’d probably never been in a car without air conditioning either.)

It got me thinking about all the things today’s take for granted when it comes to cars that either didn’t exist or were far less common when their parents were growing up.  Here are five ways in which kids experience cars differently stating with those windows….

 

The President's education plans need to be protected from abuse.  The First Lady has a 'health option' for the nation's children.  All that and Higher Education needs to be protected from those that see 'Education as an Option."

The 51 Vote Majority is long overdue.

The Senate has held the USA populous hostage for two long years.  There should have been many provisions to benefit the people that were sidelined because the Republicans were using the 'filibuster' as an abuse of power and a political gaming tool.

It is time the USA Senate 'serves' the nation rather than 'controls' it.

The House needs to 'pre-load' the Senate agenda for the next two years to stop all the intimidation planned by the next Republican minority.

The only real majority I can discern actually belongs to the Democrats in the house, so therefore, there is no legitimate 'Tea Party,' except in the history books.

Guns and other weapons within the Capital Dome are prohited for the public.

I could not find the rules for consealed weapon 'carry' in regard to the House Rules to prohibit them when in session.  I strongly believe weapons of any kind have no place under the Capital Dome.  It is also a matter of protecting the public from irreverent members of Congress with Grandiose Delusions.

I could not be more serious.  I sincerely hope weapons of any kind are banned from consealed carry or otherwise under the Capital Dome.  If the Ethics Rules or Capital Police Rules do not ban weapons from the chamber or the member's offices then there needs to be rules put in place before this House closes its session.

On the eve of the Civil War, (click here) Washington was a lively social and political place. Everywhere construction was going on. Like the entire nation itself, Washington was expanding. Most of the public buildings were covered with scaffolding for construction or renovation. Even the capitol dome was being replaced. It seemed that the nation was of two minds: building up and tearing down, construction and destruction....

...Congressman Daniel Sickles had already turned to his friend and handed over the gun saying "My duty is done, my honor restored."
Amidst nationwide attention Daniel Sickles went to trial for the killing of Philip Barton Key. Everyone across the country referred to it as "The Washington Tragedy."

Happy New Year

Alaska doesn't respect "The Freedom of Information Act?"  (click title to entry - thank you)

"Coup d'État" by Circle Jerks

coup d'éat

coup d'éat

coup d'éat

coup d'éat

the government gets overthrown
a sudden force, a major blow
over out, the new comes in
coup d’état
give me a bomb
a molotov
it's a coup d’état!
the generalissimo sets up shop
step out of line
your neck's on the block
armies marching through the streets
dressed so sharp, dressed so neat
coup d’état

coup d'éat
a push from the left and a shove from the right
it's all planed up, we’ll do it tonight
first the president then his wife
we'll take them for ransom
or take their lives
attack their embassy
they are our enemies
el presidente smokes cigars
whoever he does not like
he shoots or put behind bars
coup d’état

coup d’état

New Year's Eve Tornadoes Kill 6 in Ark., Mo.

Cincinnati Tornado Rated as EF-3, Officials Still Assessing Damage (click title to entry - thank you)Full power to be restored by Saturday
Alicia Agent Web Producer
December 31, 2010, 5:50 p.m.
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a deadly tornado that ripped through Cincinnati in Washington County was an EF-3....


"Enhanced Fujita Scale" (click here)

F3 (Severe)

136–165 miles per hour winds (219–266 kilometers per hour)

Entire stories of well-constructed houses destroyed; severe damage to large buildings such as shopping malls; trains overturned; trees debarked; heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown; structures with weak foundations are badly damaged.

Arkansas has been the location of some severe storms in the past few years.

The EF3 Tornado Crossing Lake Guntersville (click here)

The email tonight (2000+ in my in box, since last Friday), brought this stunning image, of the Marshall/Dekalb County (Arkansas) tornado, on Friday. The tornado was snapped, as it crossed Lake Guntersville. Thanks to Martha Tellefsen, for taking such an incredible picture.

The tornado was on the ground for 28 miles, from 3:07pm, until around 3:40PM. It reached 900 meters wide at times.

Guntersville tornado classified as an EF-2 with 130 mph winds  (click title to entry - thank you)

Published: Saturday, April 11, 2009, 3:08 PM    

Updated: Saturday, April 11, 2009, 6:06 PM

By Shelly Haskins, The Huntsville Times

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- The National Weather Service has classified the tornado that hit on Lake Guntersville Friday as an EF-2 with a peak wind of 130 mph....
Initially, it was thought there was only one tornado and estimated to be an EF-2.  But, later investigation provided the tornado path widened and according to the picture above it was actually two tornadoes and the velocity was that of an EF-3.

Marshall/Jackson/DeKalb County EF-3

Preliminary Storm Survey Information

Storm surveys have been completed examining storm damage that occurred in the early evening hours on Friday, April 10th.

...The tornado crossed (click here) Lake Guntersville into the South Sauty community. At this point, the damage path width increased to at least a half mile. Several well built homes were damaged by falling trees along Menominee Road. At least 20 boat houses were destroyed in the community. Along Chilcotin Road, a well constructed two story brick house lost its roof, and two large stone walls on the top level were blown over. Falling trees damaged several camper trailers, and some trailers were blown into Lake Guntersville. Thousands of trees were uprooted or snapped along the path of the tornado in Marshall county. The tornado then crossed the CR 67 causeway into Jackson County. On the causeway, tornado winds damaged the shoulder of the roadway as it crossed....

War Is Over

Russia and the United States (click title to entry - thakn you) will begin exchanging data on their strategic arsenals within 45 days of a new nuclear arms control treaty coming into force, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller has said.
The U.S. Senate passed the New START treaty by a vote of 71 to 26 on Wednesday, while the Russian parliament may give its approval to the pact as early as Friday afternoon.
"Within that period, 45 days after entry into force, we will also then be exchanging our first data for the database under the treaty," Gottemoeller, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, told a special briefing on Thursday.
"That's data on the current status and deployment of our strategic nuclear forces - intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and bombers," she said.
She also said that the first inspections will take place within 60 days after entry into force.
The treaty, signed in April by the presidents of Russia and the United States, Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama, trims both nations' nuclear arsenals to a maximum of 1,550 nuclear warheads, down from the current ceiling of 2,200....


It is a good beginning !

The next incremental step in the Climate Crisis is 'A vortex in redundancy.'

December 31, 2010
0330.15z
UNISYS Water Vapor Hemispheric Satellite

I hesitate to use the word 'with redundancy' so much as 'in redundancy' because these is actually ONE FRONT with two vortex occurrences divided by a brief 'high pressure' between them.

Within the 12 hour loop is a clue about the dynamics that might mask the final volatile outcomes of this NEW system dynamic that may have confused meterologists and meterological equipment including tornado sirens.

The 'air pressure' involved with this dynamic appears to be irregular in its presentation and there are drastic changes along a single 'vortex front' within short periods of time.

In the 12 hour loop at the title to this entry it is noted at 0330.15z there is a vortex over the central USA.  Immediately behind it is a clear and strong high pressure 'canyon' (if you will.).  Immediately behind that 'canyon' of high pressure is a 'developing' vortex 'hidden' within the dynamics of the quickly changing front.

As time passes the 'high pressure' canyon begins to dissipate the first 'front boundary' only to reveal a 'developing' front boundary with more unstable air than the first because it is in oscillation with the primary front boundary.

The 'thing' is this.  When vortexes are 'developing' there are huge unstable dynamics that act in oscillation to achieve 'formation.'  Not so much stability as one might traditionally think of it as stabiliy, but, more a 'formation' of air that is manifested in a discernable system.  No different than the tornadoes at the periphery of hurricane low pressure systems, these vortexes will achieve some very funky dynamics that defy traditional definations and terminology.

The dynamics of these vortexes have not ceased since they first appeared on October 4, 2002.  They have only 'increased' in dynamics, both 'number' and 'velocity.'  As the Earth sustains these high heat indexes, the 'ocean of air' will expand and several dynamics change.  The 'molecular mass' of air isn't the issue, it is consistent, however, the 'space' that air demands when it expands under a 'heat dynamic' will result in 'air piling up' while attempting to find 'formation' that will allow 'heat relief.'  These vortexes are the manifestation of expanded 'space demands' with higher energy gradiants.

 

I am not surprised Earth is now showing 'vortexes in redundancy' as its next measure of 'formation.'  Each hemisphere has seen vortexes 'at maximum' and what then is to follow?  Literally, a 'piling on' of the same dynamics in redundancy.   This makes a great deal of sense to me.  There are limited options for air movement on Earth.  Then all those options are at maximum capacity the next dynamic is redundancy. 

This is a matter of examing the air pressure dynamics of THIS system to realize how and IF it can be predicted.  It seems to me it can be predicted as it was 12 hours of turbulence that manifested in the tornado.  These dynamics can become very 'tight' in analysis as time goes on and increased redundancy is realized.

Good luck.

CINCINNATI, Ark. (AP) (click here) — Three people have died after a tornado slammed into a tiny town in northwest Arkansas near the Oklahoma state line early Friday, authorities said.

The tornado hit Cincinnati sometime between 6 a.m. and 6:10 a.m., said Joe Sellers, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Tulsa, Okla.

The storm killed three people and caused "lots of injuries" in Cincinnati, about 20 miles west of Fayetteville, Washington County Sheriff's Office dispatcher Josh Howerton said. He said the tornado caused damage in downtown Cincinatti along State Highway 59 and through most of the western portion of Washington County.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management confirmed that three people died in the tornado, and said property has been damaged and power is out throughout Washington County....

Rahm is that you? The Chicago Mayoral race is his to lose by the way. He needs to make no major mistakes, like not visiting disabled children.

The earthquake in Indiana is fairly significant, actually.

It is a quake of 'The North American Craton."

It is also considered by USGS to be a 'felt quake.'

The craton of the North American plate IS the 'continent.'  Without it the plate would be a random amount of terra firma and water.  The craton is composed of very, very stable geological rock.
When an earthquake occurs on or better put, within the craton it is transmitted far distances and can do damage hundreds of milies away.  See, where the equake is 'felt' is sometimes where the damage occurs RATHER THAN the epicenter which can be very deep.  The 'felt' quake is more the worry when these episodes exist in the craton than where the epicenter is.

Earthquake Hits Central Indiana (click title to entry - thank you)

Last Updated: December 30, 2010 9:37:32 am

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - A magnitude 4.2 earthquake hit about 15 miles south of Kokomo, Indiana Thursday morning. 

The quake was about 50 miles north of Indianapolis.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was three miles deep and hit at 7:55 a.m. Eastern time. 

The USGS website has data showing the quake was felt in the western suburbs of Chicago, as far north as Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, Michigan and also felt in central Ohio....

So, the future mayor of Chicago might want to check with emergency services and find out if he needs to visit any of the 'felt zone' for cracks, gas leaks, injuries at the hospital with people that have no clue what occurred to them, etc.

This might help from the USGS, then again, maybe not.  The USGS works on 'their summary' from its beginning to the completed documented event with 'on the ground' and 'seismic' investigation.  The 'study' of any quake isn't ignored after it is reported.  That is true of hurricanes and volcanoes and other threats to human life.  So, this is THE BEGINNING of the report on this quake, not the 'final' report.  Knowledge also 'goes forward' as information presents itself.  So the completion of this 'file' may receive information for decades or as technology changes, for centuries and beyond.  It is important work that the USGS, NASA and NOAA do, beyond the 'simple reporting' (sorry if that sounds like a put down, it isn't, they consider the 'reporting' to have high priority) of an event and its initial economic impact.

Tectonic Summary

EARTHQUAKES IN THE STABLE CONTINENTAL REGION

...However, (click here) most of the enormous region from the Rockies to the Atlantic can go years without an earthquake large enough to be felt, and several U.S. states have never reported a damaging earthquake. The earthquakes that do occur strike anywhere at irregular intervals....

One thing that the 'agencies' at any level have to remember is that the gas industry has been turned loose in the USA to disrupt very stable geological rock for the sake of petroleum industry profits.  CEO's are scared to death of losing a 'cent' of income, you know?

It is why the Republicans always want to shut down the government rather than giving the American people knowledge of their lives and how to avoid living on a 'gas land mine.'

Alassane Ouattara of the Ivory Coast won the election, but, his opposition is attempting a coup for whatever reason exists.

The election commission said Alassane Ouattara had won 54% of the vote.

This is somewhat indicative of African elections in general.  They are very bad losers.  There is sometimes riots and deaths following elections.  The problem this time is that the Ivory Coast is boarding on genocide.

Ivory Coast's (click title to entry - thank you) electoral commission has said opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara has won the presidential run-off but the Constitutional Court has contested the announcement.

The BBC's John James in the main city Abidjan says there will now be a tug of war between the two bodies with the outcome unclear.

Supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo had tried to block the result, saying there had been fraud in the north.

Former rebels control this area.

It is also where Mr Ouattara is most popular.

The election is intended to reunify the world's largest cocoa producer....

American's unconcerned with the genocidal outcome might want to stock up on "Nestle's Quik."

Ivory Coast's newly appointed ambassador (click here) to the UN has warned the country is "on the brink of genocide".

Youssoufou Bamba said there had been large scale violation of human rights as a result of the ongoing political unrest.
Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to step down despite his rival, Alassane Ouattara, being internationally accepted as the presidential election winner.
The UN has accused state media of inciting hatred against it.
Mr Gbagbo has said Mr Ouattara's victory in November was illegitimate. Both men have been sworn in as president....

When one is looking to understand the political dynamics of Africa, the word 'rebel' doesn't necessarily mean a 'soured' political movement.

UN accuses Ivory Coast TV of inciting hatred - Video (click here)

30/12 00:35 CET

...The accusations were levelled by the UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy who blamed an attack on a UN convoy, in which a soldier was injured with a machete, on the broadcaster:...

Once hailed as a model of stability, (click here) Ivory Coast has slipped into the kind of internal strife that has plagued many African countries.
An armed rebellion in 2002 split the nation in two. Since then, peace deals have alternated with renewed violence as the country has slowly edged its way towards a political resolution of the conflict....

One thing that is to be remembered is that poverty is a terrorist breeding ground.  Terrorists love instability and chaos.  So, with Somalia on the other coast there is some concern at all times that any instability in Africa or anywhere else in the world will result in escalations of terrorism threats globally.  I do not believe that is the concern here, but, it always has that potential.

Ivorian refugees flood into Liberian border towns (click here)

Thu Dec 30, 2010 11:02am GMT
...But the refugees arriving in the hundreds each day say many are sleeping in the open and have little to eat.
"We are appealing to the international community to help us with food and shelter," said Mcgbein Sammie Atu, appointed spokesman for the refugees in Old Luguatuo. "We have no food. How do you expect us to live?"
Laurent Gbagbo has refused to give in to international pressure to step down after last month's election in Ivory Coast despite provisional results showing his rival Alassane Ouattara with an eight percentage-point win....

Dec 30, 2010 - 11:39  

Red Cross launches Ivory Coast appeal  (click here)

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is calling for SFr1.35 million ($1.39 million) to help people fleeing Ivory Coast.

On the IFRC website, the Geneva-based federation said the money would go to the Red Cross National Societies of the countries neighbouring Ivory Coast where the refugees are fleeing amid political upheaval.

“Over 15,100 people, mostly women and children, are believed to have fled the country, the vast majority having left for the eastern part of Liberia,” said Aïta Sarr from the IFRC’s regional office in Dakar, Senegal.

“Given the continued political crisis, an influx of people is also possible in other countries bordering [Ivory Coast], such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Ghana,” she added.

The IFRC said the funds raised from the appeal would be used to provide immediate assistance to people who have fled their country, and to scale up relief efforts of the Red Cross in neighbouring nations so that 45,000 people can be assisted for a period of six months.

swissinfo.ch

...According to the election (click here) commission on Thursday, presidential challenger Alassane Ouattara won the vote. His supporters have warned of a possible return to civil war should that result be invalidated.
But that is exactly what has happened after the Constituational Council, headed by a staunch Gbagbo ally, cancelled votes from four regions in Ouattara’s rebel-held northern stronghold....

The Ivory Coast is being held hostage to a power broker.  Gbagbo needs to LEAVE.  If he is worried for his life without an armed escort then he needs to be provided one while he leaves the office and potentially the country if that is his wish.

Alassane Ouattara, (click here) a former prime minister, banker and leader of the opposition, has been recognized as the winner of November’s election by the United Nations, the African Union, the United States and the European Union. The incumbent president, Laurent Gbagbo, 65, a leftist university professor-turned-populist strongman whose term ended in 2005, has resisted repeated calls for him to cede the office, clinging to power amid rebellion in the north and disputes among the country’s top political leaders
The country’s top elections officer proclaimed Mr. Ouattara the winner on Dec. 2, by a nearly nine-point margin. Only a day later, the head of the Constitutional Council, who is a close ally of the president, threw out vote totals from parts of the north — the stronghold of Mr. Ouattara — because of what he called “flagrant irregularities,” leading both men to claim the presidency....

Economically, the Ivory Coast is an example of what is "W"rong with Africa in general.  There is primarily subsistence farming for the majority of the country, while there are large plantation farms held by a few.  It depends on its natural resources for its domestic needs while using a small amount for international trade.  It's principal exports cocoa, coffee, and timber; other exports cotton, sugar, rubber, palm oil, and pineapples.  What little income the average citizen has pays for all else in the way of necessities.  There is no significant employment and tourism is not exploited either.  With civil unrest and war there is far lesser opportunity to turn the country toward tourism.

Ivory Coast Travel Doc Part 01  (click here)

Barrington Hall Yacht Charters (click here)

Tour Information:

Offers yacht charters worldwide, on power yachts, sailing yachts and catamarans.

ORIGIN: United States

DESTINATIONS: Australia, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dubai, Fiji, France, Galapagos Islands, Greece, Grenada, Italy, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Madagascar, Maldives, Martinique, Mauritius, Monaco, Montserrat, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Turks and Caicos Islands

LANGUAGES OFFERED: English

Antarctica

There just isn't that much 'cold' in Antarctica.

Vostok is only (- 18) Fahrenheit.

There is very little air turbulence in the vortex of Antarctica.  The heat is coming off the Equator and just sitting there and exchanging heat with the ice.

The surface wind below reflects the lack of movement in the upper troposphere.  Except for the Peninsula it is fairly quite.

Australia show an extremely hot summer.

C-17 serves as a bridge, navigates unpredictable weather in Antarctica (click title to entry - thank you)
Posted 12/28/2010   Updated 12/28/2010

by Master Sgt. Lee Hoover
Air Force Public Affairs
12/28/2010 - CHRISTCHURCH, New Zeland (AFNS)  -- An Air Force Reserve C-17 Globemaster III from the 728th Airlift Squadron out of McChord Air Force Base, Wash., is supporting Operation Deep Freeze by serving as a bridge for cargo and personnel moving between Christchurch, New Zealand, and McMurdo Air Station, Antarctica.

The C-17 and its aircrew perform three to four round trips per week between the two locations. During each flight, the crew must navigate through difficult weather before landing on an ice runway at McMurdo.

"This is probably the most dangerous peace time mission that we do" said Maj. Casey Guerrero, a C-17 pilot who has flown to Antarctica eleven times, "It's just that the weather changes so rapidly in Antarctica."

The ice cold and unpredictable weather is the biggest concern during the flights to Antarctica. The crew takes a number of precautions to ensure the aircraft is serviceable in the austere conditions. They turn on the hydraulic pumps early to make sure the fluid is at a proper temperature, and they cycle the flight controls while the aircraft is on the ground to ensure they stay above forty-five degrees.

Another major concern is the lack of places to land on the route to McMurdo.

"There is nothing between Christchurch and Antarctica" Major Guerrero said, "so we have to watch our cold weather procedures, and if we have any kind of emergency we have to fuel-plan correctly so we can make it back to Christchurch."

The crew has a predetermined point of safe return during each flight. At this point they check the weather and determine whether to press forward or turn back and return to Christchurch. Although the weather in Antarctica might be good for landing when the C-17 takes off from Christchurch, the rapidly changing weather has forced the crew to turn back a number of times.

"It all depends on the weather," Major Guerrero said. "It's luck, nothing we can control." The flights are a part of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual operation that supports the

U.S. Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation's research at sites throughout the Antarctic continent. The Joint Task Force - Support Forces Antarctica operation is led by 13th Air Force and includes strategic inter-theater airlift, tactical deep-field support, aeromedical-evacuation support, search and rescue response, sealift, seaport access, bulk fuel supply, port cargo handling and transportation requirements.

This was New Zealand on the 28th. Very high winds and dangerous conditions.

Heavy rain has flooded rivers coming off Mt Taranaki today. Photo / NZPA

1:52 PM Tuesday Dec 28, 2010

Motorists are being warned (click title to entry - thank you) to drive to the conditions as heavy rain and strong winds lash New Zealand today, bringing down trees and powerlines.
A strong-wind warning was earlier today issued for Marlborough - excluding the Sounds - Wellington, Wairarapa, the central and lower North Island, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay.
WeatherWatch.co.nz reported stunning hurricane force winds gusting over 172kmh on Mt Kaukau in Wellington.
Gusts reaching 120kmh were also recorded at Wellington Airport.
State Highway two at Rimutaka Hill has been closed due to the high winds, although the gusts are now easing.
Head weather analyst Philip Duncan said the winds could make driving dangerous for some drivers in exposed areas dangerous.
"Vans, caravans, motorbikes and trucks will be worst affected by these winds across Wellington and Wairarapa. We advise extreme caution and recommend waiting until later in the day to drive in the two regions."
Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and the Wairarapa could expect gusts of up to 130km/h and other areas gusts of up to 120km/h.,,,

Australian floods force mass evacuations in Queensland

Qld's 'heartbreaking' floods worst ever (Sidney Morning Herald)

A flooded area in Chinchilla, Queensland, Australia, yesterday. Wild weather continues to cause havoc across the region. Photograph: Jono Searle/APThe Irish Times Thursday, December 30, 2010THE WORST flooding (click here) seen in decades has led to about 1,000 people in Queensland, Australia, being evacuated from their homes, including the entire population of the town of Theodore.
Queensland’s state government has declared Theodore and two other towns disaster zones, as wild weather continues to cause havoc and massive economic damage across the region.
Australian defence forces Black Hawk helicopters were used to evacuate Theodore’s 300 residents. Every building in the town, apart from the police station, was flooded.
State premier Anna Bligh cut short her Christmas holiday to launch a national appeal to help flood victims after visiting affected areas yesterday. Her government and the federal government have each donated A$1 million (€760,000) to the fund....

 

Flooding could last 'weeks, not days' (click here)

Marissa Calligeros

December 29, 2010

...Emergency Management Queensland acting chief officer Bruce Grady said Theodore residents staying in an evacuation centre at a nearby mining camp in Moura may not be able to return home for more than a week.
‘‘The evacuation of an entire town is unprecedented in Queensland,’’ he said.
‘‘These floodwaters are likely to remain high for a long period of time.
‘‘In some cases that might be measured in weeks, rather than days.
‘‘Patience is the key here. Those waters will go down when nature [chooses], not when we want them to.
‘‘If residents have moved out of their property, it may be some time before they can move back in.’’
Holiday travellers were warned they could remain stranded for several more days as the majority of major highways across the state remain cut, while some, including the bridge into Warwick, south-west of Brisbane, have been ripped up by water....

They should be so lucky in Antarctica. Maybe that third term wasn't such a good idea after all.

December 28, 2010
New York City
Photographer states:  "Day 3 and counting" and the words below.

The snow came Sunday, it’s now Tuesday, and still no plows. One *did* come by sometime late Sunday, but acto a neighbor, it was a private plow, like a regular pickup-truck with a plowblade in front, *not* the usual city-run plows/salters. I wasn’t there, but I’ll take her word for it.

I built something of a “snow fort” around my car (left foreground), so that in case — B’harni willing — a plow *would* come ever by before the spring thaw, I wouldn't end up with a 6ft-high wall of compacted snow pushed up against it. Bad enough my “fort” is about the height of the car’s roofline as it is…

Where I’m standing, and the street in general, is about 8in-high packed snow with some loose snow thrown on top of it, as I found out digging around my car.

So while Mayor Nero fiddles (that's *YOU*, Bloomberg) clearing Times Square for the riff-raff that comes around New Year’s Eve, all the outer-boroughs can apparently all just go to Hell.

Well, at least there the snow will eventually melt off.

Hey, Bloomers! We’ll remember that, come next election. Then-mayor Lindsey got ousted for *his* non-performance during the blizzard way back when; you’re next.

Mayor Bloomberg on the ropes: Seven ways the blizzard still lingers  (click title to entry - thank you)

7. Two political losers: Chris Christie and Michael Bloomberg

The storm damage wans't on the scale of a major hurricane, but the blizzard is serving as a kind of Katrina moment for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. One was absent and the other perceived by city residents as ineffectual.
Governor Christie, considered a rising star in the Republican Party, left for a family vacation at Disney World in Florida ahead of the storm....


And this was back in November.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's approval rating drops to 3-year low after term limits, tax hike (click here)

BY Kathleen Lucadamo
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

Friday, November 21st 2008, 7:44 PM

Mayor Bloomberg's approval rating has dropped to its lowest point in three years - a 9% nose dive that shows New Yorkers are angry with his change in term limits and plan to raise taxes on homeowners.
A Marist poll out Friday showed 59% of voters think he is doing an excellent or good job, down from 68% a month ago.
It's the first time his popularity has fallen below 60% since August 2005....

 

A debate.

Now, a debate is sincerely REAL 'infotainment.'

I mean, for real here.

Murdoch classifies his media circus as 'infotainment.'  We have heard it over and over again as if they 'own' the word.

NOT.

Infotainment is when a media event occurs regarding the expansion of fact and a debate would be a good example of what "Infotainment' is all about.

Infotainment (click title to entry - thank you)  is "information-based media content or programming that also includes entertainment content in an effort to enhance popularity with audiences and consumers."

Merriam-Webster rules out the inclusion of 'radio' as a method of infotainment.  So according to Merriam-Webster there has to be a visual component.

 a television program (click here) that presents information (as news) in a manner intended to be entertaining

EXPANDING POPULARITY should not based in 'half-truths' and 'lies.'

Propaganda  (click here) is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position.

According to Merriam-Webster

pro·pa·gan·da

noun \ˌprä-pə-ˈgan-də, ˌprō-\

Definition of PROPAGANDA

1 capitalized : a congregation of the Roman curia having jurisdiction over missionary territories and related institutions

2 : the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person

 

AKA as Influence Peddling.  It is a form of racketerring.

Quack, Quack, Quack

The Murdoch Media Circus is lying AGAIN.

Let's have a debate. Mr. Duck the Quack vs. the IPCC.

...Counter-intuitive but true, (click title to entry - thank you) say scientists: a string of freezing European winters scattered over the last decade has been driven in large part by global warming.

The culprit, according to a new study, is the Arctic's receding surface ice, which at current rates of decline could to disappear entirely during summer months by century's end.

The mechanism uncovered triples the chances that future winters in Europe and north Asia will be similarly inclement, the study reports....

The man is simply a liar seeking money for his words.  It is really a darn shame.  Give 'em a comb.  I mean he can't even afford a barber.

We can start with the fact that WEATHER is not CLIMATE, yet this well paid 'Quack' is willing to mix the two in one sentence and  call the government corrupt all at the same time.

The FCC needs to penalize liars and those that are obviously INCOMPETENT.