1 dead in N.H. storms that levels several homes; door-to-door search under way

July 23, 2008
Dunkirk, NY
Photographer states (sounds like an ad for Verizon) :: Waterspout moving eastward on Lake Erie near Dunkirk, NY
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July 23, 2008

Dunkirk, New York




July 24, 2008
Deerfield, New Hampshire
Photographer states :: storm damage


Families in Epsom, N.H., clean up Friday, July 25, 2008 after a severe storm hit the area Thursday. The National Weather Service on Friday confirmed that a tornado struck Deerfield. Officials said the violent storm left an intermittent path of destruction stretching about 20 miles from Epsom to New Durham.(AP Photo/Jim Cole)(AP Photo/Jim Cole)


Violent storms on Thursday in a 25-mile-long swath of central New Hampshire destroyed several homes, damaged dozens of others and left at least one person dead, authorities said as police and firefighters went door-to-door searching for more possible victims.
Other people were hurt, including the husband and baby grandson of the woman killed....

A baby's impulse to cry saves him after NH tornado (click here)
By DAVID TIRRELL-WYSOCKI – 9 hours ago
EPSOM, N.H. (AP) — The cries of a baby led rescuers to him in the wreckage of a home flattened by a tornado that killed his grandmother and blew his grandfather into the yard, officials said Friday.
Brenda Stevens, 57, and her 3-month-old grandson were both trapped between the collapsed home's first and second stories, authorities said.
The woman's husband, Harley, had headed downstairs before noon Thursday because he was worried by the heavy black clouds rolling in, Deerfield Fire Chief Mark Tibbetts said.
"No more than he got downstairs and it started throwing him from side to side and rotating him around the house," Tibbetts said.
Stevens "was blown out the side of the building and found in the side yard," state Fire Marshal William Degnan said....

Tornado touched down in N.H. storm; 200 houses damaged (click here)

July 25, 2008 05:00 PM
By Globe Staff
A tornado was to blame for some of the damage inflicted yesterday when powerful storms struck New Hampshire, state and federal officials said today, confirming reports from residents who saw a funnel cloud descend from the sky.
The tornado struck two of the hardest-hit towns, Epsom and Deerfield, killing 57-year-old Brenda J. Stevens when it destroyed her log cabin, said James C. Van Dongen, spokesman for the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
Van Dongen said the storm damaged a total of 200 houses and completely destroyed six. Damage on the 200 ranged from roofs that had ripped off to shingles that went missing. Nine towns suffered heavy damage, such as downed power lines and blocked roads, and six suffered minor damage, such as broken windows, he said.
Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency scoured the region, examining the damage to see if residents might be eligible for federal disaster aid. Van Dongen said the state plans to apply for aid to homeowners and assistance for debris removal. He said officials had not yet estimated a dollar figure for the damage....

Let's get it done ! Cindy needs 1400 more signatures. She wants the chance to succeed. She deserves that chance. For Casey !!!!

Headline:
URGENT: Help Cindy Sheehan Get Her Name on the Ballot:

Page:
http://www.michaelmoore.com/mustread/index.php?id=1020

http://www.michaelmoore.com/mustread/send_tellsf.php?id=1020


Slaying suspect once found sanctuary in S.F. (click here)
The man charged with killing a father and two sons on a San Francisco street last month was one of the youths who benefited from the city's long-standing practice of shielding illegal immigrant juveniles who committed felonies from possible deportation, The Chronicle has learned.
Edwin Ramos, now 21, is being held on three counts of murder in the June 22 deaths of Tony Bologna, 48, and his sons Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16. They were shot near their home in the Excelsior district when Tony Bologna, driving home from a family picnic, briefly blocked the gunman's car from completing a left turn down a narrow street, police say.
Ramos, a native of El Salvador whom prosecutors say is a member of a violent street gang, was found guilty of two felonies as a juvenile - a gang-related assault on a Muni passenger and the attempted robbery of a pregnant woman - according to authorities familiar with his background....

Cindy, while compassion is important when accepting those that cross our borders illegally, there are profound issues with sovereignty that cannot go ignored.

The fiscal burden placed on states by these immigrants cause challenges to the 'idea' of sancutary when it causes undo hardship upon the citizens of those states. The citizens of the USA should not be slaves to the lack of good economy in other countries. To insure that all people involved in illegal immigration, both sides of the issue are protected, the focus has to shift to what causes illegals to seek movement and how to stop it.

Families from South America expose themselves to great dangers to achieve movement toward the borders of the USA, sometimes at the encouragement of the countries in which they are citizens. Exporting the poor to the USA by these countries enslaves American citizens within their own borders to economic strife and job loss. If people make it to the USA they automatically receive aid. That is a disincentive for other countries to solve their problems so much as encourage negligence and violence.

Currently, Wall Street has become comfortable with 'complaining' when the going gets tough while they export their businesses and deny the USA a viable and vibrant economy. At the same time, the countries that receive these 'exported jobs' are not the ones that cause the burden of illegal immigration to the USA. The private industry of the USA have the best of all worlds; they export to 'cheap labor' in Asia for their 'service jobs' while receiving 'cheap labor force' from Mexico, Latin and South America. This is a hideous set of circumstances for the USA while the taxes on private industry don't contribute to the very social programs these illegals receive.

There is a lot to be done, Cindy. We need changes in the way private industry in the USA treat the American people and the USA Treasury. These crimes by illegal immigrants are only a 'superficial symptom' of the greater problem. Can you return our country to us? We need people that can.


Three men shot and killed in Oakland - one by police (click here)
(07-25) 06:44 PDT OAKLAND -- Two men were shot and killed overnight in Oakland, while a third man was fatally shot by police during a confrontation, authorities said.
The names of the three men slain were not immediately released. The slayings brought to 77 the number of killings in the city so far this year.
The first homicide was reported at about 11:50 p.m. Thursday, when a 37-year-old man was shot and killed at East 17th Street and Seminary Avenue in East Oakland. The victim was shot near a makeshift memorial for a homicide victim earlier this year, authorities said.
At about 2 a.m., a 24-year-old man was shot and killed near 81st Avenue and Plymouth Street in East Oakland.
The officer-involved shooting happened at about 3:50 a.m. near Fruitvale Avenue and East 17th Street in the city's Fruitvale District. A suspect was shot during a traffic stop and taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland, where he was pronounced dead....



Controller says he won't cut workers' wages (click here)
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's bombshell plan to slash the pay of state workers and lay off thousands of other employees to ease a looming cash shortage brought on by the state's budget impasse faces the same obstacle that arose five years ago during a state fiscal crisis: a state controller unwilling to cooperate.
While the governor is poised to order the cuts on Monday, state Controller John Chiang, who is responsible for disbursing state workers' paychecks, said Thursday that he will refuse to go along with the governor, setting up a political standoff and a possible legal fight.
"The authority to issue people's paychecks is mine. I have both constitutional and statutory authority," said Chiang, a Democrat. "Frankly, (the governor) is just trying to make me do something that's improper and illegal."...

Cindy, stop this silliness. Stop UC Berkley from cutting down a long beloved grove of trees. This is hideous. Those trees are sacred. There have been all kinds of ceremony and dedication that has occurred there. A Congressional Dedication to the site would stop the coveted building plans of administrators that are out of touch with the University Community!

Berkeley council debates appeal of UC ruling (click here)
(07-24) 21:51 PDT Berkeley -- Angry shouts of "Shame! Shame!" erupted in the Berkeley City Chambers Thursday night after the council declined to appeal a court ruling against the city allowing UC Berkeley to build an athletic training center next to Memorial Stadium.
The conflict has drawn wide attention because of a 20-month protest by tree-sitters at the project site who have demanded that UC preserve the grove of more than 80 oaks, redwoods and other trees next to the stadium.
The city had sued - along with stadium neighbors and a tree preservation group - to block the project. The other two plaintiffs plan to appeal the case.
The council decided in closed session, and the boos came after Mayor Tom Bates announced the panel lacked the necessary five votes to authorize an appeal. He said the council has 58 days to change its mind....


Cindy, what are you going to do to faciliate sovereignty protections of Silicon Valley while companies battle for profits in places outside the country? There have been record number of mergers and take overs in recent years within the USA. An example is !nBev (click here). The soveriegnty of the USA is challenged by the fact that American Companies are dwindling to the purchasing power of companies on other continents.

This election is huge that encompass the practices of this administration and the 'carte blanc' enabling by primarily Republican legislators. Can you take them on in a 'real way?' I believe you can.



Microsoft defends costly quest to tap into rich Web media vein (click here)
Joseph Menn, Los Angeles Times
Friday, July 25, 2008
(07-25) 04:00 PDT Redmond, Wash. --
Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer on Thursday defended his company's large and so far unrewarded investment in online search and advertising, arguing that Microsoft is the only real threat to Google and that a major "ante" in search is the best shot at a $1 trillion market for Internet media.
Speaking during Microsoft's annual presentation to investors and Wall Street analysts, Ballmer said the company wasn't currently talking about a deal with Yahoo to combine forces against Google.
"Does that mean that nobody will ever talk to anybody again? I suspect the answer is no," Ballmer said in remarks at the company's headquarters in Redmond.
Ballmer was in the awkward position of explaining both why Microsoft wanted Yahoo so much that it offered $47.5 billion for the company and why it later walked away from a deal at the same price....

There is no such thing as 'benign' offshore oil drilling. It doesn't exist and anyone that states same is a liar.

Oil Spill Cleanup Along 100-Mile Section Of Mississippi River (click here)
Reported by: (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions)
Friday, Jul 25, 2008 @09:04am CST
(New Orleans) -- In a major blow to Mississippi River commerce, at least 100-miles of the waterway between New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico remain closed to commercial traffic while crews work to cleanup and assess the damage from the spill of nearly a half-million gallons of heavy fuel oil.The spill occurred early Wednesday morning at New Orleans when a freighter struck and sunk a barge transporting the oil.Coast Guard Captain Lincoln Stroh still predicts it will be a matter of days before the river is reopened to traffic and weeks before the spill can be cleaned up.Officials with the Port of New Orleans say more than 60 vessels are waiting for clearance to resume their travels.The impact of the spill on the environment and fish and wildlife is still being assessed.

Why are penguins washing up dead?

July 19, 2008
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Hundreds of baby penguins swept from the icy shores of Antarctica and Patagonia are washing up dead on Rio de Janeiro's tropical beaches. Niteroi, the state's biggest zoo, is treating about 100 penguins, many of them soaked in petroleum after passing through an offshore oil field.
While it is common to find some penguins swept by strong ocean currents from the Strait of Magellan, there have been more this year than at any time in recent memory, an environmental official said Friday.
Rescuers and those who treat penguins are divided over the possible causes.
Among the theories:
Overfishing may be forcing the birds to swim farther for food, weakening them and leaving them vulnerable to the strong currents.
Pollution may be weakening animals' immunity, leaving them susceptible to funguses and bacteria.
Changing ocean currents, caused by global warming, may be creating rougher seas.
The Associated Press

Zoos

Honolulu Zoo: The Happiest Place in Hawaii

http://kamfamily.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/honolulu-zoo-the-happiest-place-in-hawaii/






American flamingos hatch at Denver Zoo
By Liv Gold
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 07/23/2008 02:22:15 PM MDT
Nearly five weeks ago, incubated coolers full of pearly flamingo eggs arrived at the Denver Zoo from the Miami Metro Zoo. Today, the Denver Zoo announced the addition of 19 flamingo chicks to its avian collection.
The flamingos, which pecked through their shells between June 22 and July 1, have downy grey and white feathers and orange beaks, according to a zoo news release. They are part of the American flamingo species, which makes its home in the coastal lagoons around the Caribbean and northern South America.
The chicks are still stumbling through their very first steps, but eventually they will grow to be five feet tall and take on vibrant pink coloring. Their diet, consisting of carotene-rich crustaceans, will support and
intensify the dazzling color.

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_9972158



New residents at Denver Zoo descendents of famous flock
DENVER - Their connection to a hit 80s television show could make 19 new residents at the Denver Zoo a little more popular.
The flamingo chicks come from the same famous flock seen in the opening credits of "Miami Vice."
Denver zookeepers flew them here from the Miami Metro Zoo while they were still just eggs on June 19.
The hatchlings began pecking their way out of their shells just days after arriving in Denver.
The first emerged fully on June 22, and the last on July 1.
Newborn chicks are gray and white. They will eventually grow to a very vibrant hot pink.
As full-grown adults, they will be about 5 feet tall.

http://www.9news.com/seenon9news/article.aspx?storyid=96329&catid=509



Cincinnati Zoo cat facility step closer to Warren County after state awards $1.5M
By Justin McClelland
Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The awarding of $1.5 million to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden's large cat program has major implications for property owned by the zoo in Turtlecreek Twp.
The zoo received a $1.5 million allocation from the state of Ohio Capital Bill to assist in development of the Zoo's Cat Canyon/Small Cat Reproduction Center (SCaRCe) project as part of its current capital campaign.
The zoo plans to build the reproduction facility on land willed to it by Dallas Bowyer, who died in 1994. The 528-acre parcel of land is located north of Brewer Road and west of Ohio 741.

http://www.oxfordpress.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/07/23/ws072308zoo.html



John Cleese Is Appearing At The Bristol Zoo
Television and film star John Cleese returned to familiar territory today when he took a trip down memory lane at Bristol Zoo Gardens.
The Fawlty Towers star regularly visited the Zoo as a boy while he was a pupil at Clifton College next door.
He returned to the Zoo today ahead of his appearance on stage for three evening performances at The Clifton Pavilion Theatre with broadcaster Chris Serle, in aid of Bristol Zoo Gardens’ conservation projects.
Whilst at the Zoo, the actor, who was born in Weston-super-Mare but who now lives in Los Angeles, met Bristol Zoo Gardens’ red ruffed lemur, Colin. Colin will be appearing on stage alongside Chris Serle and the Monty Python star as lemurs are John’s favourite animals.

http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-256-John_Cleese_Is_Appearing_At_The_Bristol_Zoo



Zoo to release turtles to the wild
Last Updated Jul 23, 2008 6:37 AM
Some Oregon Zoo animals are headed back to the wild.
The zoo is releasing about 55 endangered Western pond turtles that have spent the past 11 months under lights to simulate perpetual summer.
Zoo officials say the lights trick the turtles into avoiding hibernation, so they experience about three years of growth in less than a year.
The extra growth gives them a better chance against larger predators such as nonnative bullfrogs and largemouth bass.
The turtle conservation program is part of a collaborative effort by the Oregon Zoo and the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, along with state and federal agencies.

http://www.kxl.com/tabid/72/itemid/16165/Zoo-to-release-turtles-to-the-wild.aspx



Come to the Abilene Zoo for a howlin’ good time
By Bill Baker
Special to the Abilenian
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Many people may not realize that Texas and South America share something in common, but they soon will. South America is home to a wild dog unlike any other on earth, the Maned wolf. This unique animal that resembles a “fox on stilts” is colored a bright rust-red with a long pointed muzzle and dark shoulder hairs, and travels through the native grasses of its grassland habitat on tall, thin, black legs. The Maned wolves are known and named for their “wolf” size and black shoulder mane that bristles when they are alarmed. These spectacular animals are not only found in South America but will soon be found at the Abilene Zoo as well.
Even though they stand three feet tall and weigh around 50 pounds, making them South America’s largest wild dog, they are rarely seen in the wild. The Maned wolf has been shaped by two million years of life on the Brazilian plains and is perfectly adapted to their life in a tropical, tall grass environment. Maned wolves may travel up to 20 miles a day in search of food in a territory that may encompass up to 10 square miles.

http://reporternews.com/news/2008/jul/23/come-abilene-zoo-howlin-good-time/



Chimp in daring zoo break-out [+video]
Reuters Thursday, 24 July 2008
Dodging tranquilliser darts and yelping at his captors, a brazen chimp staged his own version of The Great Escape in Japan.
At Ishikawa Zoo, western Japan a 42-year-old chimpanzee named Ichiro led the audacious break-out from his pen and refused to come down from the roof.
At one point the chimp even grabbed the zoo worker's tranquilliser gun, but luckily it fell to the floor. Eventually the chimp was lured with a banana and then sedated.
It is thought the chimp was trying to find shelter from the sweltering heat that Japan has been experiencing.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4629403a4560.html



Tautphaus Park Zoo Will Get Asian Sloth Bears
Posted: July 23, 2008 06:10 PM EDT
After years planning, it's finally going to happen. Bears are coming back to Tautphaus Park Zoo.
Wednesday morning, the zoo superintendent broke the news that a big anonymous donation given the day before and it secured two Asian Sloth Bears to be moved to Idaho Falls.
Zoo Superintendent Bill Gersonde says he can hardly believe that he is now able to say that "Yes, the bears are coming." He's dreamed of having bears at the zoo as long as 15 years ago.
On Tuesday, an anonymous donor gave $25,000 to the zoo for the "Bring Back the bears campaign. That now brings the total of the fundraising effort to $227,000 with a goal of $250,000.

http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=8724920



More to the zoo than meets the eye
Perkins senior guides visually impaired at Franklin Park
Conventional wisdom might say that one goes to Franklin Park Zoo to see the animals. But a world waits there for those largely limited to touch, smell and simple curiosity.
“Keep your minds open and you will learn a lot,” said Mike Pedone, 20, a senior at the Perkins School for the Blind who is working as a guide at the zoo through its summer intern program.
Yesterday, Pedone and 19-year-old Josh Hallee, who is also visually impaired, led eight 7- and 8-year-old summer students from Perkins through the animal kingdom with the skill a sighted zoologist could envy.
The two have been trained through audio and braille materials over the past five weeks. While sharing what they have learned has been special, it means so much more to enlighten youngsters facing some of the same issues they did at a young age.

http://www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2008/07/24/02/0033-72/index.xml



County voters asked to authorize zoo levy
Andrew Sawmiller
July 23, 2008 - Oakland County voters will have the chance to decide whether they support public funding for the Detroit Zoo when they enter the polls during the Tuesday, Aug. 5 primary election to vote for or against a proposed property tax for zoo operations.
In May, Oakland County commissioners voted 18-5 to create the Oakland County Zoological Authority and appointed the authority's members, who successfully put a 0.1-mill, 10-year tax question on the primary ballot.
A mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a property's taxable value, which is generally equal to half a property's market value. The owner of a property with a taxable value of $100,000 ($200,000 market value) would pay $10 a year if voters approve the 0.1-mill levy for zoo operations.

http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/Articles-i-2008-07-23-55762.113117_County_voters_asked_to_authorize_zoo_levy.html



Stone Zoo's new jaguar cub to debut in the spotlight
July 24, 2008
STONEHAM - The Stone Zoo says it has a new jaguar cub and it will make its public debut early next month.
The cub was born on May 31 to Kanga and her mate, Pacal. Kanga previously gave birth at the zoo to two cubs in 2004 and three in 2006.
The jaguar is native to Central and South America.
"These animals serve as ambassadors for their species and educate people about the importance of habitat protection and species preservation around the world," said John Linehan, president and CEO of Zoo New England, which manages the Stone Zoo and the Franklin Park Zoo.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/07/24/stone_zoos_new_jaguar_cub_to_debut_in_the_spotlight/



A rainy day in Dhaka Zoo
July 24, 2008
It was really a nice pleasure to visit the lovely zone of Dhaka zoo on a rainy season. Due to three or four day’s long heavy rainfall, the dhaka zoo was quite empty. I went to the zoo at the end of continuous rainfall and enjoyed the best ever visit to the common (for us) visiting place, Dhaka Zoo — which is the national zoo here in Bangladesh
On the daily star we got a news story saying that after some years, Dhaka Zoo has imported some Giraffes along with Kangaroos and Zebra. We were curious to see a Giraffe not on the TV but by our own eyes. My classmates and I fixed few dates to go to the Zoo but we couldn’t just for heavy rainfall. But finally we went separately. Unfortunately, I had to go there alone.

http://aisajib.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/a-rainy-day-in-dhaka-zoo/



Editorial: Tough sell on zoo support
News Journal editorial • July 24, 2008
No one wants to see The Zoo Northwest Florida close its gates. It is a surprisingly sophisticated operation to be found outside a large metropolitan area, a valuable tourism draw and a unique opportunity for area school children.
But it's a tough time for it to be asking for support from area governments.
If there is an argument for it, at least in Santa Rosa County, it would be for the zoo to get a share of bed-tax dollars used to promote tourism. But those dollars could easily be more valuable in helping promote the overall area.
Santa Rosa officials are tying any subsidy to the zoo also getting help from Escambia and Okaloosa counties. In Escambia, tourism officials are increasingly vocal about needing additional bed-tax dollars to market the area more aggressively. They are pressing that argument against the use of bed-tax revenue to support the Pensacola Civic Center, and are unlikely to see a higher priority in supporting the zoo.

http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/OPINION/807240312




Tips To Follow While Clicking Images In Zoo!

Zoo is a very good location for apprentice photographers to learn different techniques in photography.
Zoo gives you a range of subjects (from animals to people who are observing the animals) and makes you learn the different techniques with some challenging work.
This article helps you in learning about different things and tips which are necessary for clicking great zoo pictures.
Things to remember while clicking images in zoo:
What is the distance? This is very important point to remember while clicking any image. Is the distance too long that you cannot get the right shot of the subject you are shooting? The distance between you and your subject should be in a respective position.

http://www.digitalpicturezone.com/digital-photography-tips-and-tricks/tips-to-follow-while-clicking-images-in-zoo/




Snow in Oklahoma?
Well, snow leopards actually. Two snow leopard cubs born May 19 at the Oklahoma City Zoo are almost as rare as snow would be on an August day in Oklahoma. Beginning August 1st, visitors to the zoo will be able to see these magnificent animals.
Snow leopards are an endangered species, with numbers in the wild estimated at 3,500 to 7,000 throughout Central Asia. Habitat loss and poaching for their pelts and body parts for medicinal purposes are contributing to their rapid decline.
The as-yet-unnamed male and female cub snow leopards were born at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden’s Cat Forest exhibit to first-time, 6-year-old mother Kiara and 8-year-old father Tankh (pronounced Tawnk). They are the first litter born at the zoo in 16 years.

http://susanszoo.blogspot.com/2008/07/snow-in-oklahoma.html



Growing up in a zoo

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7523726.stm



July 24, 2008
Houston Zoo welcomes birth of rare parrot
On April 25, 1972 the Houston Zoo made history, recording the first hatching in captivity of an endangered St. Vincent Amazon parrot. That first birth was followed by a second hatching in 1999. Today, the Houston Zoo is proud to report that history has repeated itself again and Zoo bird keepers are caring for a St. Vincent Amazon that hatched on May 28, 2008. The chick has been named Vincent after the father of the first St. Vincent born at the Houston Zoo.

http://www.naturescornermagazine.com/NaturesBlog/archives/2008/07/houston_zoo_wel.html



Oregon Zoo helping build up Western Pond Turtle population
Will be released into the wild in the Gorge
By Felicia Heaton
Thursday, July 24, 2008
At one time there was only about 150 of the western pond turtles in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest but that number is increasing thanks to the Oregon Zoo. They keep the turtles under heat lamps to help them grow before they are released. " This year we have 58 and we believe 56 of those will go out, every year there are some that don't make weight." says Amy Cutter at the Zoo who says the hatchlings are kept there until they're about the size of a three year old turtle.

http://www.1190kex.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=123543&article=3999547



Fisher kits making their Minnesota Zoo public debut
The weasel-like species almost disappeared because of trapping and logging.
By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune
Last update: July 24, 2008 - 12:01 PM
I believe hippiemom42 was making a facetious comment about being pregnant for 352 days, not trying to state the article was wrong. May I … read more suggest decaf? You seem a little tense.
Three fisher kits born at the Minnesota Zoo are now on exhibit. The species, which resembles weasels and are found in Alaska, Canada and the northern lower 48 states, was almost extinct for a time.
The zoo in Apple Valley is one of only four nationally accredited zoos to exhibit fishers and the only one to produce offspring in the past three years.
Born March 23, the three kits - two males and one female - are doing well and have started exploring their exhibit. Since their birth, they had been kept in an off-exhibit holding area with their mother as a health precaution.
Fishers are known for their tree-climbing, hunting and agility. Solitary creatures, they are constantly on the move.
Fishers almost disappeared because of trapping and logging practices, but now they are doing well in mixed wooded and heavily forested areas.
They are dark brown in color, good swimmers and like to travel close to the water. Fishers primarily eat small mammals and are one of the few animals that eat porcupine.
A litter of kits, usually one to five in number, are usually born in March or April after a gestation period of 352 days.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

http://www.startribune.com/local/25849949.html?location_refer=Local%20+%20Metro



Toxicology tests yield no clues in Calgary Zoo stingray deaths
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 5:03 PM ET
The Canadian Press
The mass death of stingrays in an expensive exhibit in May is likely to remain a mystery, the Calgary Zoo says.
The zoo had hoped that extensive toxicology tests would provide an explanation as to why all but two of the 43 animals died, but the zoo said the samples yielded no clues.
Zoo conservation director Cathy Gaviller admitted Wednesday that it's frustrating that there will never be a definite answer as to what killed the cow-nosed rays.
An investigation has ruled out disease, bacteria or water quality as potential causes.
Gaviller says the possibility that someone knowingly poisoned the tank will lead to greater security measures in the future.
The zoo is trying to decide what to do with its almost-new, $250,000 exhibit and whether to restock the tank with rays or another species.

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/07/23/stingray-update.html


A Review of the Huachipa Zoo in Lima, Peru and a Methodology for Grading Zoos
Several days ago my family visited one of Lima, Peru’s zoos. On the day before our visit, I wrote about some of my general thoughts and feelings about zoos, in an article titled “Why Zoos Stimulate Our Minds.”
Writing out my thoughts was a sort of preparative exercise, mostly to try to articulate the main dilemma I have with zoos: do the potential education benefits of zoos outweigh the cruelty of caging animals in small spaces that I personally believe typically don’t provide them with fulfilling lives? I still am not sure of the answer, but my trip to the Huachipa Zoo did answer another intriguing question for me. When zoos are bad, would I personally prefer that a bad zoo exist rather than have no zoo at all?
Before I reveal the answer to the aforementioned question, I should explain that my wife and I came up with some criteria for rating zoos. For the purpose of reviewing more zoos in the future, I wanted to have some reasonable means to compare them.

http://ecoworldly.com/2008/07/20/a-review-of-the-huachipa-zoo-in-lima-peru-and-a-methodology-for-grading-zoos/



Ice Cream Safari Brings Record Crowd to Zoo
It may have been hot around the state Saturday, but the Jackson Zoological Park was the cool spot!
The wildly popular Ice Cream Safari brought in a record-breaking crowd to taste Schwan's Ice Cream scooped up by their favorite local media celebrities.
Saturday's turnout was the largest ever for the 14-year event.
Television, radio, and newspaper personalities worked their arms for the crowds, scooping out flavors like Gibbon Maple Cream, Rhinoberry Rumple, and Chocolate Chimp.
"Pygmy Hippo Ripple. We have fresh squeezed Pygmy Hippo. This is what a scoop is all about, this is fine Pygmy Hippo Ripple," WLBT's Howard Ballou said as he served up the cold treat.
Howard has won the scooping contest every year he has participated. But some were hoping to change that.
"Our goal is to unseat Howard and Wilson," said Lance Fuller of "Hallelujah 95.5" radio station. "Howard's the long-time champion. Wilson won last year. He sat in for Howard."
The winner will be announced on Monday.

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8703239&nav=1L7t4viX



OpenCarry.org members visited Zoo Boise to make a point
Edition Date: 07/20/08
When you go to the zoo, you expect to see monkeys, ducks in a pond. You don't usually expect to see visitors with handguns.
But you would have, had you visited Zoo Boise Saturday morning.
About 10 members of the local chapter of OpenCarry.org, a national group that advocates for citizens' rights to openly carry handguns, met there.
After a little confusion at the front desk about whether it's legal to bring an unconcealed handgun into the zoo - it is - the group bought tickets and sauntered through the front gates like all the other visitors.
That they were no different from all the other visitors was the point the group members were trying to make.
"Coming to the zoo was something we could do together, like any family would," said Carol Schultz of Nampa. She is never without her handgun and holds her holster in place with a heart-studded belt.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/102/story/447064.html



Olivia to Perform at Australia Zoo
Olivia will perform at Steve Irwin Day and the world-famous Australia Zoo on November 15.
Steve Irwin Day on November 15 will be a day for remembering the one and only Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. The day will represent the many things Steve was passionate about; family, wildlife and FUN. You can get involved in a number of ways including visiting Australia Zoo for an action packed day, having a Backyard Campout or donning your khakis for Khaki Day.
All proceeds raised from these activities will go to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Worldwide.

http://www.steveirwinday.org

http://0daysound.blogspot.com/2008/07/olivia-to-perform-at-australia-zoo.html



Steve Irwin Day
Steve Irwin Day on November 15 will be a day for remembering the one and only Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. The day will represent the many things Steve was passionate about; family, wildlife and FUN. You can get involved in a number of ways including visiting Australia Zoo for an action packed day, having a Backyard Campout or donning your khakis for Khaki Day.
All proceeds raised from these activities will go to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Worldwide.

http://www.steveirwinday.org/



Petting Zoo Goat Slams Kid
This kid was having a good time playing with the animals at a petting zoo when suddenly this old goat decides to slam him from behind.

http://www.break.com/index/petting-zoo-goat-slams-kid.html



Baby panda adopted by house cat dies: zoo
The Hague (AFP) July 18, 2008
A baby panda adopted by a domestic cat at Amsterdam's Artis zoo has died after choking on the milk of its foster mother, the zoo said Friday.
"The little one was discovered lifeless on Thursday morning," it said in a statement.
"A post-mortem revealed that its windpipe was filled with milk. It had choked to death."
The red panda cub was born on June 30, but was rejected by its own mother along with a sibling who died soon thereafter.
It was adopted by a zoo employee's pet cat who suckled the newborn with its own four kittens.
"The cat had just had kittens and accepted the baby panda as a foster child," said the zoo statement.
"As far as we know, this was the first time that a cat has adopted a baby panda."
Red pandas, which are only slightly larger than domestic cats, are an endangered species found mostly in the eastern Himalayas. Many zoos worldwide have breeding programmes as only about 2,500 red pandas remain in the wild today.

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Baby_panda_adopted_by_house_cat_dies_zoo_999.html



Gun advocacy group tours Idaho zoo while armed
3 days ago
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho members of a group that advocates for the right to openly carry handguns in public are turning heads by touring Zoo Boise while packing guns on their hips.
Ten members of OpenCarry.org were allowed into the zoo Saturday after some initial confusion at the entrance about whether it was legal to bring an unconcealed handgun inside.
Group member Carol Schultz of Nampa says: "Coming to the zoo was something we could do together, like any family would."
Schultz says she's never without her handgun that she keeps in a holster attached to a heart-studded belt.
Zoo visitor Alex Lundgren of Boise questioned the group's decision to bring firearms.
He says: "Legal and appropriate are two different things."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jjjAJ_MpHfq4BdalJb3lG07cMswgD921S3880



Off the Agenda
County Council's plot twist on zoo issue worthy of Hollywood
Notebook nuggest from local governments and campaigns
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 07/21/2008 12:13:18 AM MDT
As far as political reversals go, this one was brilliant.
Utah's Hogle Zoo had counted its votes and felt confident Tuesday that the Salt Lake County Council would put a $65 million bond - pegged for one of the largest renovations in park history - on November's ballot.
The council's four Democrats hadn't wavered in their support. And GOP Councilman Marv Hendrickson, the key swing vote, told reporters three times that Hogle had his nod.
If only politics were that predictable.
One hour into Tuesday's Hogle Zoo debate, Democrats called an impromptu recess to resolve questions about whether the council should require the east-side animal park to raise private donations before receiving public funds.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_9944781



Baby giraffe dies at Zoo
By Gagani Weerakoon
A three month old baby giraffe at Dehiwala Zoo has died allegedly after falling into a pit yesterday.
Sources allege employees at the National Zoo were seen filling all pits in the area after finding the dead baby giraffe, to prevent further mishaps.
However, Director General National Zoological Gardens, Duminda Jayaratne, denying the allegation, said the baby giraffe had been suffering from diarrhea for about a week and died early last morning. "He was born at the Zoo and was apparently too weak to survive. There is no truth to the allegation that it died by falling into a pit as the zoo is on a flat land," he said.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=20988

continued...

Perkins senior guides visually impaired at Franklin Park (click here for article)

Perkins School for the Blind student, Kelly Cusack, 7, pets Sage during a tour given by Zoo Teens who are also students at the Perkins school in Franklin Zoo yesterday.

BUSH BRINKMANSHIP !! What did the Iranian missile launch prove? According to Russia that the American Defense Shield in Europe is inappropriate.

The United States and Russia continue sparring over a Central European missile defense system, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says America is committed to protecting its allies from a possible Iranian missile attack, and her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, claiming Tehran's missiles do not have sufficient range to justify the controversial system. VOA Correspondent Peter Fedynsky has this report from the Russian capital.

KNOCK IT OFF !!! The USA and Russia need to take their difference to the UN Security Council and NOW ! Bunch of jerks in Washington backed by power leverage at The New York Times. I swear they are idiots. Playing with fire to start an international conflict.

The American Capitalists that brought you the 'Housing Bubba-Bubble' are hacking away at Russia for some kind of fiscal foothold. They're idiots and now they are attempting to start an international war with Russia. They are counting on China being to busy with saving itself from the Bush Ravages of Human Induced Global Warming and the 'Good Will Olympic Games' to 'get one over on Moscow.' Bunch of Bush Jerks. China has been 'capitalized' to the point of building along 'fault lines' while erecting substandard buildings for schools and yet Bush blames a country for high carbon dioxide emissions while still unable to have the quality of life for all its citizens that The New York Times likes to ridicule as Communist oppression.

The article below lends sympathy to a former Russian Oligarch 'with a twist.' He went to Russia to spawn capitalism and is losing his shirt. Gee, what a shame. Russia can keep Gazprom, I don't give a damn ! I am sure he and Boris are good friends.

Kremlin Rules
An Investment Gets Trapped in Kremlin’s Vise (click here)

By CLIFFORD J. LEVY
Published: July 24, 2008
MOSCOW — William F. Browder was one of the most prominent foreign investors here, a corporate provocateur who brought the tactics of Wall Street shareholder activists to the free-for-all of post-Soviet capitalism. Until, that is, the Kremlin expelled him in 2005....

Here is the big consumer 'draw' at The New York Times today, need I say more?

Everyone's got a little Texas in them. (click here)

Show us what's Texas about you, and you could win a vacation for 4.

Every entry is also a chance to win a Texas BBQ gift pack,so get your video cameras rolling!

Don't let them give you reservations in the Hurricane Zone.

And get this, they are soliciting Russians to make their case. It is sort of like Bush yelling half way around the world when he solicited Iraqis to rise against their government. These boys are so desperate for money, they'll do anything. It's a live journal to spark some kind of retaliation against Putin's Russia. I think the NY Times whats to call it 'Freedom of Speech.' You know, the "Iron Curtain" and all that Cold War mess. Ah, if Bush could only recapture 'The Good Ole Days.'

ИНВЕСТИЦИИ БЕЗ ИНВЕСТОРА: УДИВИТЕЛЬНЫЕ ЗЛОКЛЮЧЕНИЯ БРИТАНЦА В РОССИИ (click here)

So, Russia sees an opportunity in all this mess as well. They are putting Russian long range bombers back in Cuba.

Moscow must answer U.S. shield with Cuban 'spy' site - analyst
18:20
23/ 07/ 2008
MOSCOW, July 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia should respond to U.S. missile defense plans for Central Europe by reopening a 'spy' facility in Cuba to gather intelligence on the United States, a Russian analyst said on Wednesday.
The electronic monitoring and surveillance facility near Havana at Torrens, also known as the Lourdes facility, the largest Russian Sigint site abroad, was shut down in October 2001 by then- president Vladimir Putin.
"Cuba is a unique place to gather intelligence on the United States. I believe that the reopening of this station is both possible and necessary amid the threat that the Americans are creating for Russia," Alexander Pikayev, head of the disarmament and conflict resolution department at the Russian Academy of Sciences' World Economics and International Relations Institute, told a news conference at RIA Novosti.
"Russia has every right to respond," he added.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080723/114761709.html

Needless to say, all that Russian Experience that Condi Rice touts as her claim to Secretary of State is completely worthless. The USA's relationship with Russia has never been worse in recent decades. Remember, they were in Afghanistan after September 11th in support of our position before the USA was, right up to the point where the USA exploited their national defense efforts to start an illegal war in Iraq. Remember that? So, what does Russia get in return? Missiles at their borders. Nice. Real, nice.

I doubt this will be the last time this will manifest as an issue before the elections in the USA, but, Russia has been 'recapturing' its sovereignty since the demise of the USSR. This is just more of the same. If the Capitalists of Europe and the USA don't like it, that is too bad.

They took a 'risk.' Everyone, even American homeowners understands 'risk' these days. And they lost their shirts. Not only that, but, the Russian citizens that were caught in the middle of the Russia 'Resource/Land Grab' are in prison now. Gee, I hope The New York Times is proud of their counterparts and the lack of freedom they now enjoy.

Analysis: Anxious investors in RussiaWill Stewart, Evening Standard (click here)

21 July 2008, 12:12pm
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the oligarch jailed under the then Russian President Vladimir Putin, has launched an official plea for parole. In what will be seen as a test of new President Dmitry Medvedev's bid to make Russia more attractive to outside investors, Khodorkovsky's defence formally asked that he be released on parole from his eight-year sentence....

All this belongs in 'competent' hands at a NEW State Department with people that understand the importance of 'good relations' rather than 'just brinkmanship to war.' These 'human beings' need to be included in 'Summits' with Russia rather than used as 'propaganda icons' in a subliminal war against Putin's Russia. Competent American diplomats engaged under a new President can actually bring relief to these issues.

Why?

Because Russia doesn't want the controvery either and so long as Bush continues his brinkmanship with Russia, both countries will be deadlocked to stop this hideous gamesmanship on an international stage.

The New York Times needs to go back to being Americans engaged in 'the news business' rather than a Neocon Tool. That includes Maureen Dowd that has become the latest in Neocon Gossip Columnists. Go ahead, continue to shot yourselves in the foot. Be my guest. I thought female journalists, especially editors with columns were supposed to prove the worthiness of women and their abilities to 'take on'real issues rather than pandering to 'idiot issues' of fashionable gossip. I wonder what the gossip is among the women of Darfur?

Did I tell you? Did I tell you "Dolly" had more potential than any weather service predicted? Yes, I told you.

Reporting Number 13

Latitude 26.00

Longitude -97.00

Date and Time 07/23/2008 @ 1500Z

Winds 85

Millibars 964

HURRICANE-2

That dark spot encompassing the Atlantic is a high pressure system. There are two low pressure systems (hurricane like) coming off Africa. They are in the lower latitudes because that is where the water vapor resides. I would continue to pay attention to the Yucatan Peninsula. Have a better day.

Appropriate use of the USA Army National Guard. Back to sanity with Barak. No more deployments of National Guard into war zones. No more. No way.

'Operation Lilly Pad' aims to save lives in hurricanes

http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/07/22/11098-operation-lily-pad-aims-to-save-lives-in-hurricanes/

Climate Change, Tropical Storms Affect Public Health (click here)

Posted July 21st, 2008

by admin_huliq
Tropical storm Dolly is moving over the Gulf of Mexico and it has already affected the oil prices as the major refineries are located in the Gulf of Mexico. However, what about the public health. In what ways tropical storms affect the public health?
Climate change, global warming seriously affect public health and may lead to an increased number of deaths.
A new report by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn't mention how many deaths will occur because of climate change and the report doesn't aim at counting possible death cases, but it aims at explaining that these deaths are preventable....

Tropical storm blows up oil price

Reuters
Published: Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Oil rose Monday as tropical storm Dolly rumbled into the Gulf of Mexico, stoking fears of disruptions to U.S. offshore oil and gas production.
U.S. crude settled up $2.16 at $131.04 a barrel after concerns about U.S. demand knocked prices from record highs of more than $147 a barrel last week. London Brent crude rose $2.42 to settle at $132.61 a barrel.
The storm, with sustained winds of nearly 85 km/h, emerged from the Yucatan Peninsula over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and could reach hurricane strength today....


July 21, 2008
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Photographer states :: Dolly made it over the Yucatan without giving us to much trouble beside the rain. But she is still wagging us with her tail. Thunderstorms all around. [PaaMul, Quintana Roo, Mexico, 10 Miles south of Playa del Carmen] Looks as if she is going to make some real trouble now. Much look for all in Texas and northern Mexico.

Rare ‘derecho’ leaves swath of damage across Iowa, Q-C region

July 21, 2008
Mitchelville, Iowa
Photographer states :: Corn couldn't take winds around 70-80 mph from last night storms.

Derecho is spanish for "upright."

The secretary of Agriculture seems to lack accountability for 'wind' damage.

Iowa Sec. of Agriculture Northey: Comments on Iowa Crops and Weather Report (click here)

7/21/2008 For Immediate Release

Monday, July 21, 2008

Contact: Dustin Vande Hoef

515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell)

NORTHEY COMMENTS ON IOWA CROPS AND WEATHER REPORTDES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today commented on the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through October.“The rapid growth and overall good weather of the last few weeks remain welcome, but the severe storms that continued to cause isolated damage,” Northey said. “The very difficult start we had to the growing season make these weeks of favorable weather even more important.”


July 21, 2008
Decatur, Illinois
Photographer states :: A damaging hail storm hit Decatur, IL tonight along with high winds, 4 inches of rain and tornado warnings. I was able to get this picture from my deck, using the flash, dodging hail! Temps dropped from 87 to 66 quite rapidly.

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park is (Crystal Wind Chime) pleasant, but, not cold.

South African adventurer-explorer Mike Horn is seen aboard his 35-meter (115-feet) yacht 'Pangaea' as part of a pre-expedition introductory tour at St Katharine's Dock, London Monday July 21, 2008. The 42-year-old is set to go on a four-year expedition around the globe, aiming to cover 100,000 kilometers (62,000 miles), cross all the continents and oceans, and reach the North and South Poles. (AP Photo/Dominic Lipinski, PA) (Dominic Lipinski - AP)

Explorer on environmental mission
20 hours ago
An explorer has announced plans for a four-year transnavigation of the globe that will help youngsters engage with environmental issues.
South African Mike Horn, 42, was at St Katherine's Dock in London to launch his Pangaea expedition - a 62,140 miles trek across the globe starting in October.
Young people from around the world will join him on the expedition, an idea he introduced so youngsters will be able to understand the world's environmental issues….

Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m

Local Time :: 2:03 AM AKDT

Lat/Lon :: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Temperature :: 50 °F / 10 °C

Conditons :: Overcast

Windchill :: 47 °F / 8 °C

Humidity :: 87%

Dew Point :: 46 °F / 8 °C

Wind :: 8 mph / 13 km/h / 3.6 m/s from the ESE

Pressure :: 30.11 in / 1020 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds:
Few 3100 ft / 944 m
Overcast 4000 ft / 1219 m
(Above Ground Level)

No Surpise to Me - "...we have to engage the Pakistan government..."

"...when I said this last August..."


The Obama visit into the war zones was no surprise. They were well known and expected. What does that say about the Bush/Cheney 'surprise visits' exploited by the media as bravery? It tells me plenty. Of course, this isn't the first time Barak has been to Afghansitan or Iraq and on those occassions there was 'no surprise' either !

The Bush/Cheney White House exploits 'shock and awe' for media attention in an inappropriate manner in order to facilitate 'the terror' element among the American Public. The 'mood' of the USA is more important to the current administration than its safety.




The media would like to proclaim THIS visit as a 'political initative.' Not so. How can Barak take his promises to the American people seriously without first realizing what our responsibility is in a shifting focus BACK to destroying terrorist networks that STILL pose a threat to the national security interests of the USA.

Do the wars in the Middle East need 'a draft?' No. This is NOT World War II and it never will be. Allies, including Russia, need to reaffirm their belief in the USA and its return to Afghanistan to destroy 'The Base' of al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Allies need to reaffirm 'fiscal' commitments to Afghanistan and its rebuilding when "The Base" is finally, after seven years, destroyed.

We don't belong in Iraq.

We never did.

5 remain in intensive care after lightning strike (Video)

Nelson Garay, left is consoled by Jose Reyes and Nilson Reyes after Garay’s older brother was struck by lightning at Franklin Field in Dorchester yesterday.



5 remain in intensive care after lightning strike (click title to entry, thank you)
Boston.com
By Christopher Baxter, Globe Correspondent Five people remain in intensive care today after lightning struck a tree yesterday and...
July 21, 2008
updatedMonday, 4:26 PM
By Christopher Baxter, Globe Correspondent
Five people remain in intensive care today after lightning struck a tree yesterday and injured 10 people at a Dorchester soccer game.
The five men in intensive care range in age from 23 to 39 and include a man who was in cardiac arrest when emergency responders arrived at Franklin Field, said Boston EMS Chief Rich Serino.
At least one of the intensive care victims -- Cruz Garay -- is in critical condition, according to a spokeswoman for Boston Medical Center. A 13-year-old boy is in good condition at Children's Hospital in Boston. The names and conditions of the other victims have not been released.
During a press conference today at Boston EMS headquarters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians described a chaotic scene after the lightning strike. First responders could not see beyond the hood of their ambulances due to heavy rains, and ran through the howling wind to find victims lying on the ground.
"These people responded under very difficult circumstances," Serino said today as he stood with three EMTs and two paramedics who arrived first on the scene....

The 'Real Danger' of Government Lies - I never thought I'd see the day that a storm would require a cover-up

"...in case it gets worse..."

This storm was obvious for a long time with a defined 'eye wall' for days before the National Weather Service even decided it was important enough to notice it long enough to assign a name to it. It was a Subtropical storm, then a Tropical Depression and they ignored it all together. It accelerated and defined an 'eye wall' and they ignored it and when it went from TD to TS they decided THEN and ONLY THEN to assign it recognition.

To begin, that level of negligence by the USA Hurricane Center is a crime. Just that simple. It's negligence.

There is probably a good reason. Try this one. Why 'push' the price of oil up with the potential of 'interruption' due to a tropical storm that could possibly go unnoticed in the USA, if it never came near shore. Sound right? Why not let a severe storm go by if it wasn't going to raise awareness in the USA?

The negligence by the National Weather Service, which did not exist with Katrina, is politically motivated by whatever moron is making the decisions these days.

It's central pressure is currently 1004 millibars. That would indicate a mild progression to this storm under 'normal' circumstances. These are NOT normal circumstances and the prediction that this storm will simply run a 'weak' course of events and dissipate is irresponsible.

Cat 1 Hurricanes are still very powerful storms, with "Dolly" entering the Gulf of Mexico it has the POTENTIAL to be much more than a Cat l storm. That 'potential' cannot be overlooked. If one recalls Katrina was a minor storm until it found 'hot' Gulf of Mexico waters and it accelerated very quickly.

The 'crime' with Katrina, happened in many ways, some with a long history before the storm manifested, but, the cover up after Katrina that allowed the Bush/Cheney White House to 'diminish' the deaths of nearly 2000 people happened afterward when the Homeland Security protections of the USA government and the bumbling by Michael Brown was far more than evident. If Homeland Security was doing its job, even today, the way it should be doing its job, the 'prediction' of Human Induced Global Warming storms would be occurring at the first 'indication' of any event rather than long after it was obvious that it can't be denied 'anymore.'

"Dolly" which should have been named Cristobal and vise versa is NOT dissipating. It has crossed a land mass and entered the Gulf waters. Crossing that land mass it was weakened slightly, but, the storm will reorganize. It is how it reorganizes and where that gives these circumstances a great deal of uncertainty. There should be NO uncertainty in the year of 2008 and if the USA was not still trying to 'pawn' its carbon dioxide habits off on China and India, the focus of the government would be to take responsibility and protect its citizens rather than allow the rampant deaths and acceleration of carbon dioxide emissions.


July 21, 2008
2230z
UNISYS Goes East Water Vapor Satellite


July 19, 2007
2030z
UNISYS Goes East Water Vapor Satellite

Everybody get out of the way !!! When "Dolly" accelerates there won't be time to clear the path. Do it now !


July 18, 2008
1330z
UNISYS Goes East Water Vapor Satellite

A tropical storm enters the Gulf of Mexico and the financial markets tremble.

So what !

Get used to it !

Dolly moving toward Corpus Christi oil complex (click here)
Tropical could grow into hurricane by Tuesday, Weather Service warns
By Laura Mandaro, MarketWatch
Last update: 7:15 p.m. EDT July 21, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Tropical Storm Dolly strengthened over the Gulf of Mexico Monday night and threatened to grow into a hurricane by Tuesday as it continued on a path that could threaten Texas' Corpus Christi oil-refining complex....

The unnamed storm hasn't been causing too much trouble except for ships in the Caribbean, but, it is headed for the Gulf of Mexico where it is hotter.

July 19, 2008

The un-named tropical storm in the Caribbean is live and well in both these images as of yesterday. The Tropical Storm Cristobal ...

(otherwise known as Crystal Ball - which is what the Bush/Cheney administration would like you to believe you need to predict and survive human induced global warming.

But.

Then that makes sense for people that don't believe in science, but, only the superstitions of 'crystal balls' rather than God given BRAINS.)

...is on the southeast seaboard of the USA.


"Cristobal" is another 'near shore' storm generated by heat and coastal evaportation of water vapor. Land is hotter than the ocean, it can generate more water vapor near shore before the air cools at sea. Follow?


July 29, 2008

I told you so...

Oil rises as weather concerns stem slide (click here)
NEW YORK, July 18 (Reuters) - Oil rose on Friday, stemming a 12 percent fall from last week's record high, on threats a developing Caribbean weather system could hit the energy-rich Gulf of Mexico.
A low-pressure system northwest of Aruba was showing high potential for strengthening into a tropical depression and could reach the northern Gulf of Mexico, which contains a high concentration of oil and natural gas facilities, in about five days, according to weather models....

I'm beginning to grow a fondness for "Bertha." (click here for 12 hour loop) It is a mess, continued below...

July 18, 2008
1330z
UNISYS Enhanced Infrared Satellite

On close examination, the tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea between the Dominican Republic and Curacao remains un-named. No clue why, it obviously has an 'center of ciruclation' that is an 'eye wall.' I guess the Hurricane Center ran out of money in their budget. The war and all that mess. No time for Homeland Security to 'name storms' that could kill people and damage property and international finance.

\
July 18, 2008
1330z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite GOES East

Currently, there have been nine East Pacific storms to spawn this season thus far with two currently active, one a Cat 2.

The Atlantic is a 'flyin' disaster, like, ahhhhh, where to do I begin ???????

First, I'll cover the Pacific a little more because it is 'communicating' with the oscillations in the Atlantic.

Noted two existing storms, there are actually three, but, one is a tropical depression. It is that TD 07E and TS Fausto that are 'interestingly' from the same neighborhood and supports the 'concept' of 'localized water vapor' availability for 'storm support.'

Noted that TD 07E is 'within' a vortex of water vapor that communicates with the Carribean Sea (The Gulf of Mexico is actually quite for the most part.) and is 'centered' over the Gulf of Fonesca bordered by Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador. It makes sense the water vapor vortex would locate at this place as there are substantial rainforest in Nicaraqua which has been a political focus and effort by the Nicaraquan government. I congratulate them.

The downside to any current tropical region is the chronic rain, land/mudslides and flooding. Belize lost people, including children, in recent storms that visited there.

TROPICS (click here)

Originally posted on: Friday, July 18, 2008 by Haley Webb - MeteorologistLast updated on: 7/18/2008 6:24:58 AM

In the tropics, we have a few things to talk about.
Tropical Storm Bertha is still in the middle of the Atlantic, but of no concern to any land areas.
The next area has been moving through the Southwest Caribbean and now has gone ashore into Central America before it could get enough strength to become a depression. Even so, it could still bring heavy rains causing mud slides and flooding to Central America.
The next area is in the southern Caribbean and moving to the West at 20-25 mph. The west-northwesterly track will likely take this toward the Yucatan Peninsula.
There is still the possibility of it becoming a tropical depression in the next day or so.
The third area is the low pressure system that brought heavy rains here a couple of days ago. It has pulled to the northeast and is now just of the southern Georgia coast.
This system is drifting to the north-northeast and has the possibility of becoming a tropical depression as it stays over the warm Atlantic waters.

To say all efforts leading to the preservation of tropical regions is paramount is an understatement. Earth is seeking to maintain a coolness in the troposphere as only a water planet could through frequent storms that manifest into heat transfers, such as Tropical Storms and Hurricanes. Tornadoes haven't stopped, by the way. They are still maintaining a presence in Canada. Did I say Canada? Ah, yep, Canada.


SEVERE WEATHER
Mother Nature gives Alberta a rough ride (click here)
DAWN WALTON
July 18, 2008
CALGARY -- In tiny Burdett, Alta., trees were uprooted and snapped like matchsticks, windows were blown out of new tractors, irrigation lines were yanked from the ground and roofs were ripped off buildings, including a massive slice of tin torn from Ted Dykstra's trucking business.
Mr. Dykstra, who has lived in the hamlet in the southeast corner of Alberta since 1973, is no stranger to the region's wild summer weather, but he doesn't recall ever seeing anything close to Tuesday night's storm.
"The trees were flying by one way and then it went still and then they come flying by the other way. That's got to be a tornado," he said.
Environment Canada dispatched a team yesterday to survey the damage, concluding that an F1 tornado had touched down near Vulcan, southeast of Calgary, and that an unusual case of "straight-line wind damage" further to the south and east was caused by gusts reaching 180 to 200 kilometres an hour....

So, return to the GOES East water vapor satellite and take a closer look at TS Fausto, it is completely obvious that the northern and western hemisphere of Earth is dry and getting drier. TS Fausto is supporting a water vapor trail into the central continent of North America, eastward, progressing northeast to an upper tropospheric vortex located between Newfoundland and Greenland. The relationship between TS Fausto and that Newfoundland vortex is indirect. That vortex is what is facilitating the water vapor support of "Bertha" and the 'near shore storm' of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

There is a significant storm in the Caribbean and why this hasn't been named yet is beyond me to understand because it has a circulating 'eye wall.'

To conclude for now, there is another 'heat generated storm' coming off Africa from the same neighborhood as Bertha, noted in the lower right corner of both satellite pictures above and any satellite of 'The Tropical Atlantic' today.