I was speaking to someone from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania about 4:45 today.

He asked how things were in North Carolina because of the hurricane.  So, I told him.  Then I stated you take care with it coming your way.  He stated, it isn't going to be that bad here.  I then spoke with him another 15 minutes to convince him he had to take things more seriously and listen to any warnings and evacuations.  


Sometimes folks just don't do the right thing no matter how hard others try.  


The roads are still flooded in Wilmington, NC


If the game is called off because of a hurricane, I would think people would 'get serious.'  Whatever.


PHILADELPHIA — At least the Phillies can't be accused being "wusses.'  (click title to entry - thank you)

With Hurricane Irene bearing down on Philadelphia, the Phillies tried to play ball Saturday. They opened the gates at Citizens Bank Park, let the fans in and sold a few cheesesteaks.

But the rains from Irene's northern bands came around noon and never stopped. Around 1:20 p.m., 15 minutes after the scheduled first pitch, came the announcement over the PA system that the game was postponed....

Latest report from family in Wilmington, North Carolina:

...all are safe.  There was a lot of debris flying around and a lot of limbs down.  No damage to vehicles.  Electricity was out for five hours and some of the children's milk products have to be thrown out to be on the safe side. ( One of the children has a special diet and her refrigerated food can only be without refrigeration for 2 hours. )  A lot of flooding, Figure Eight Island is closed.  They will venture out on the roads in a few hours,   

It is hitting some drought areas. I can't believe this is 90 mph with that much loft.

August 17, 2011
1040.17z
UNISYS Infrared Atlantic States Satellite Image (click here for 12 hour loop)

It is a rainmaker.  In the loop of the satellite at the link above it is easily discerned how condensed the eye became and increased loft as it approached landfall.  

Raleigh, NC - Hurricane Irene click title to entry - thank you) slammed into North Carolina's coast around dawn Saturday with howling winds and drenching rains amid reports of flooding and tens of thousands of people without power.

The center of Hurricane Irene is expected to hit the Outer Banks around lunchtime.

Irene claimed it's first victim Friday night when a 22 year old surfer drowned after being caught in a rip current off the coast in Virgina Beach.

A tornado watch was issued for parts of Virginia until 11 a.m. Saturday. Included in that  watch is Northampton County in North Carolina.

Just after 10 p.m. Friday night a tornado touched down in Belhaven, NC in Beaufort County.  The tornado did structural damage to multiple trailers and ripped the roof off of a car dealership.

A second tornado was reported early Saturday morning in Tyrrell County near Columbia, NC.  Structural damage was done to buildings and some injuries reported.

The latest advisory from the National Hurricane at 3am Friday has maximum sustained winds at 90 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.

No significant change in strength is forecast before Irene reaches the coast of North Carolina, and some weakening is expected after landfall....

The power of the storm is best noted  due to its sustained 'area.'  It isn't minor physics that is maintaining a storm at 90 mph winds with such a large footprint.  That's why it is difficult for any weather service to simply say this storm isn't 'all that.'  It is 'all that.'  And it changes so unpredictably that it can NOT be trusted in what will happen next.  In that short 12 hour loop it changed its entire character and once it passes over land and goes back so sea it will change again.  Taking care of people and property during these events isn't efficient, but, it is prudent.  That is something the public sometimes does not appreciate.  A surfer in Virginia died due to rip currents caused by this storm hundreds of miles away and it wasn't for the lack of warning.  Why do people think they know more than what is told them?

Ron Paul said what in commentary on FEMA in relation to "Irene?"

"We (the federal government) aren't responsible for citizen safety that is why we have the 2nd Amendment."

Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The reason the Right Wing 'gets away' with this insanity is because there are enough people that are sane.  Amazing.

FRIDAY, AUG 26, 2011 18:15 ET

Ron Paul (click title to entry - thank you) on hurricane response: "We should be like 1900"

BY ALEX PAREENE

Ron Paul has a hurricane response plan:

After a lunch speech today, Ron Paul slammed the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, and said that no national response to Hurricane Irene is necessary.

"We should be like 1900; we should be like 1940, 1950, 1960," Paul said. "I live on the Gulf Coast; we deal with hurricanes all the time. Galveston is in my district.

Paul doesn't support FEMA because of "moral hazard." The fact that people will receive help should a natural disaster strike encourages people to live where natural disaster happen. (Like "North America.") Paul is mostly talking about the National Flood Insurance Program, which definitely has glaring flaws as public policy, but abolishing the federal agency in charge of responding to natural disasters instead offixing the problems with one program that agency oversees seems like overkill.

  

I suppose we don't need clean water, clean air, a safe food supply or Homeland Security.  Right?  He is one of the Right Wing crackpots.  I suppose Galveston just needs to 'build 'em better.'  He should tell that to his constituents which frequently turn to FEMA for financial relief.  

Galveston County to Receive Additional Assistance for Infrastructure (click here)

Release Date: October 1, 2008
Release Number: 1791-069

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has expanded disaster assistance to Galveston County to help pay for repair, restoration, reconstruction or replacement of public facilities, roads and bridges, water facilities and other infrastructure damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

After further review of damages and assessments, Galveston is now eligible for all categories of FEMA Public Assistance as well as Individual Assistance.

Under the cost-share program, FEMA Public Assistance reimburses 75 percent of the cost for eligible work by state and local governments and certain non-profit organizations that provide public services. The state manages the grants for all projects. The remaining 25 percent non-federal share comes from state and local sources.

President Bush declared a major disaster declaration for Texas on Sept. 13. Public Assistance categories A and B, for debris removal and emergency protective measures are available to Galveston and 28 additional counties: Angelina, Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Cherokee, Fort Bend, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, and Washington. 

Additionally, President Bush authorized 100 percent reimbursement of the cost of debris removal and emergency protective measures for the first 14 days after the disaster declaration....

Why didn't Ron Paul stop this?  This is October 2008 when the banking crisis was in full swing and the Nation's Debt was the highest it had been in eight years. 

The reason for the approximate 6000 deaths in Galveston, (click here)

and the approximate 2000 deaths elsewhere is that there was no evacuation, because this category-4 storm caught people by surprise. There was not an outside warning, and the populace did not recognize early, local indicators. Ironically, as the storm approached, many people gathered at the beach to watch the high waves....

Those statements by Ron Paul are barbaric, cruel and irresponsible.  He is a nut case.  What a stupid thing to say with the entire East Coast of the USA facing danger for its citizens.  Irresponsible is not even the word to use.  This has to be the quintessential example of the moronity of the Right Wing and their ignorance to their own history.  The history of CARING FOR CITIZENS facing disaster dates back to 1803.  I would think that would be close enough to 1776 to understand the intentions of the Founding Fathers of the USA.

Emergency Management History (click here)

The is considered the first piece of disaster legislation.  It provided one New Hampshire town with assistance after an extensive fire.  In the century that followed, ad hoc legislation was passed more than 100 times in response to hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and other disaster. 

I don't know where the Right Wing carries their brains, but, it is not in their head.  It doesn't get worse than this.  Statesmen?  They aren't statesmen, they are the electorate's idea of entertainment.  The electorate must measure their appropriateness for office by the laugh they get from their speeches.  They don't need ballot boxes, they just need laugh meters.

We are doing well so far. Past Florida and Georgia. A big thank you for all those responsible for our safety and that includes the media.

That storm is moving.  Wow.  


In High Point, NC the air feels like the beach, partly cloudy, high humidity and 'sticky.'  

August 26, 2011
1530.13z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite  (Click here for 12 hour loop)

I saw Mayor Bloomberg on the news yesterday evening.  He was obviously worried for everyone and doing all New York's Finest could do to safeguard all citizens.  I felt badly that he had such a huge responsibility, but, he carries out his care of his citizens with great brevity.  I am confident all the mayors are doing the same thing along the path of this hurricane.  One hundred mile per hour winds are not 110, but, they still carry concern.  


The storm surge worries me.  This is a huge storm and it is pushing storm surges for quite a distance.  Its power is distributed along a wider 'surface area' but it is still considerable when one realizes the surface area that is still sustaining 100 mph winds.


If one cannot be happy then they can be happy they are safe.


This is where it started.  The image is from the Boston Globe.  

It is good to see people taking this hurricane so seriously.

I have been doing some very casual calculations on the speed of movement, not the winds, but the 'traveling' speed across the water.  Since the first 22 hours to the last 24 hours the hurricane has increased its westward movement by 0.63 miles per hour and it has lost speed northward by 5 mph.

August 25, 2011
1530.13 z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite 

Six hours later is below.

August 25, 2011
2130.13z
UNISYS Water Vapor Goes East Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop)

In both these pictures above there is considerable water vapor available to it from the equatorial latitudes.  That water vapor CAN fuel higher velocities.  If one notices there is considerably more water vapor 'on the move' in the direction of the hurricane than six hours before.  It just has to be watched for trajectory and velocity.

To the right is the current weather satellite over Virginia.  It is unrelated to the hurricane EXCEPT that it has consolidated in the last six hours.  

This consolidation can be noted in the two GOES East satellite above.  It was diffuse in the 1530 satellite and currently is consolidated.  The fronts involved with this consolidation do not seem to be strong enough to resist the velocity of the hurricane moving inland.


The potential is that with additional water vapor available from the equator and a stronger movement westward it may prove to be a significantly higher velocity than might be expected otherwise.  I haven't noted any oscillation with the velocity either.  That would mean to me there is little counter effects from surrounding systems on this hurricane.  


The outer bands are already covering Florida and it is noteworthy that these clouds and not the eye of the hurricane is where the heavy rains START.  While the eye is where the highest velocity winds are it is not where the rain starts.  There will be heavy rainfall at the periphery of this storm as the denser clouds move in.


The storm is worrisome to me.  It is strong and has the potential to be stronger as it approaches land and not weaker if that water vapor becomes incorporated into it.  The storm is already 800 miles across with the densest clouds having a radius of 250 miles from the eye.  If there is more water vapor added to this system the diameter could increase and the radius expand as well.  I would expect to see an increase in the diameter first.

Hurricane Irene "Looking Bad" for U.S.—Moon May Make It Worse (click title to entry - thank you)

Unusually high tides and potentially unprepared towns might spell disaster.

Willie Drye in Plymouth, North Carolina

for National Geographic News

Published August 25, 2011

The exact times, places, and intensities of Hurricane Irene's predicted U.S. landfalls are still ripe for revision, but according to meteorologist Keith Blackwell, at least one thing is certain: "It's looking bad." And the moon is at least partly to blame for that cloudy outlook.

Current forecasts suggest Irene will likely make landfall as a major hurricane onNorth Carolina's Outer Banks barrier islands this weekend, bringing damaging winds and serious flooding to coasts from North Carolina to New England.

Hurricane Irene's center is "likely to go through the Outer Banks and rake the coast all the way up—Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey—all the way up to New England," said Blackwell, of the University of South Alabama's Coastal Weather Research Center.

"Long Island looks like it's really going to be in trouble."…


The other tropical system in the Atlantic is also pushing northeast.  I believe that is what is somewhat stalling Hurricane Irene in a stronger westward movement vs northward.


Good luck.

Let it never be said this blog is not fair and balanced.

I'll never purchase this book and it has nothing to do with ideology.  Dick Cheney is extremely transparent in his 'persona.'  He has a god complex.  He found out what it was like to have power as Chief of Staff to the late President Gerald Ford.  He never got over it.  


Not a 'godly' complex.  A god complex.  Tell me the definition doesn't fit.  Cheney, "There is no such thing as a debt ceiling."  There really isn't anything his book is going to say to cast new understanding of whom he is or the circumstances. 


A god complex is the "overwhelming belief" that no matter how complex a problem is, one's idea about it is infallibly right, or the consistent belief that one can accomplish more than is humanly possible or that their opinion is automatically above those with whom he or she may disagree.  The individual may believe he or she is above the rules of society and should be given special consideration or privileges.

As a matter of fact, if I was to point a finger at any 'entity' that would attempt to undermine the entire Space Program over a hissy fit about the Space Shuttle it would be him.  During his time as Deputy Assistant to the President he was known to author a memo to Rumsfield, whom was then his superior, stating the Justice Department should be asked to leverage power over journalist Seymour Hersh.  Hersh was publishing an investigativer report in the New York Times that revealed Navy submarines had tapped into Soviet undersea communications under a classified program.  

The Former Vice is also known to spend time with new intelligence personnel to aggrivate issues of control.

Dick is a problem.  He is one of those “Lone Wolves” that use his access to power to cause trouble to achieve warped goals no different than 911 and what followed it.  He completely disregarded the memo regarding al Qaeda and bin Laden.  He and the Executive Branch under Bush neglected the best interest of the county to aggrivate circumstances that would allow for an agenda that didn’t exist, never existed until it was created by the imagineering of Cheney.

I have no interest in his book as I already know every scenario points to a man so power hungry he lost sight of the country a long time ago while wrapping himself in the flag.  He is sad.  In every way he is sad. 

I look forward to the day when he presents an autographed copy of his book to Ambassador Joe Wilson and former CIA Agent Valerie Plame. 

Michael !! Michael Moore !! I love this. I simply love it. Thank you. Thank you.

Michael Moore Live (click here)

Here Comes Trouble

At the Grand Canal Theatre Monday 17th October 2011

It would seem as though the benevolent Libyan Rebels are indeed in control of their country.

Journalists caught by a Reuters photographer at the basement of the Rixos before they were set free.  (click  title to entry - thank you)


It would seem as the next huge responsibility for the Rebels is to meet up with NATO and secure any WMD storage facilities before some wise guy decides to try to use them against the people of Libya.


The Newspaper printing this article online is "The Tripoli Post."  Libya has working capital and enterprises intact to report the nation's news.  I congratulate the Rebels for indeed proving they love their country above any corrupt intent.


It must be a relief to the journalists and their families all are safe.  The freed journalists can now thank their peers for being so vigilant.

I am sure "Virgin Galactic's" creator worries about Corporate Espionage all the time.

It is just so very odd so many incidents regarding space travel and the people that line its hallways are having such trouble all at one time.

Academy Award-winning actress (click title to entry - thank you) Kate Winslet helped rescue Richard Branson's elderly mother from a fire that destroyed his Caribbean home.

The Virgin Group boss said in his blog that he wanted to offer “many thanks to Kate Winslet for helping to carry my 90 year (old) mum out of the main house to safety.” He joked that Ms. Winslet “was wondering when a director was going to shout ‘CUT!'”

In a separate statement Tuesday, Mr. Branson praised Ms. Winslet's two children, 10-year-old Mia and 7-year-old Joe, who were also staying in the house when it caught fire. He called them “two of the bravest kids I've ever come across.”...

The USA Space Shuttle, no different than the ISS is a PEACEFUL venture.

There is always some military advantage to these vehicles in one way or another, but, sending up High School Projects into outer space isn't what I would call a DEFENSE strategy for the USA.


We mourned the dead of a school teacher some time ago.  It is a dangerous mission.  We watched as O-Rings failed while freezing temperatures contracted to a size they weren't able to do their jobs.


The Chinese Space Program is a matter of national pride.  I don't know of any REASONABLE directive in the USA that would see either the Chinese or Russian Space Program as an impingement to USA national security to the point where the Space Shuttle would become a weapon of mass destruction to either Russia or China.  


It gives an entire new definition to 'Star Wars.'


I don't think it is funny and if any of USA capacity is in PLAY to destroy sovereign space programs while a PRIVATE venue is being nurtured in the USA by NASA, then heads are going to have to role and I'll volunteer to operate the guillotine.


The frontier of space for any country is dangerous enough without imperiling its safety.  Odd, these two incidents happened so close together.  

Is the USA Cyber Unit working overtime?

18:57 24/08/2011

MOSCOW, August 24 (RIA Novosti)

The wreckage (click title to entry - thank you)  of the Russian Progress M-12M space freighter which sent a breakdown report while separating from the carrier rocket on Wednesday, fell in South Siberia's Altai Republic, a source in the region's law enforcement structures said.

"At 5:25 p.m. Moscow time [13:25 GMT] we received information about falling wreckage from the M-12M space freighter," the source said.

The head of the South Siberian republic's Choya District, where the wreckage presumably fell, said a powerful blast was heard within a 100-km radius....

It is highly unusual for a Russian spacecraft to fail.  Someone in the USA Defense Department having a "FIT" over the end of the Shuttle Program?


Lousy thing to think?


No, not really.  Not when one considers such problems with sovereign nations a potential for war.


And especially when a similar incident occurred in China last week!

The failure of a Chinese Long March (click here)  rocket last week will not affect the country's plans to launch a 19,000-pound space station module later this year, a senior Chinese space official told state media.

The mishap occurred Thursday (Aug. 18) during the launch of an experimental Shijian 11 satellite aboard a 138-foot-tall Long March 2C rocket. It was the first problem during a Chinese space launch since 2008, when an Indonesian communications satellite was placed in an incorrect orbit.

God help them if it is USA interference in these sovereign programs.

It looks as though Vice President Biden stopped in Japan after leaving China.

Strange he should be in Japan on the day a historic earthquake shook a nuclear reactor in Virginia. Odd. The timing of it all.

But not missed by the right wing extremist media of the USA was a comment made by the Vice President in China regarding their one child policy.

Nixon went to China in 1972 when H.W. was 'an envoy' to mainland China. H. W. was actually in Taiwan because the USA did not enjoy an embassy at that point.

The first USA Embassy in China was opened in 1979, the very year China decided to institute its "One Child Policy."

The Right Wing Anti-Abortion Crowd can condemn the 'idea' of a restrictive policy for political reasons, but, at the time China had a lot people and serious human rights issues including profound poverty. The One Child Policy was a daring way for the Chinese nation to begin to reduce their enormous population that would result in less and less stress on China's ability 'to provide' for their people and enhance the potential for building schools and universities to build the country's brain trust.

I do believe it is better for the Chinese people to speak to their government regarding this than anyone else. A few years ago as there became a 'wealthy class' of citizens. Not just a ruling class, but, a wealthy class, they began to speak out against the now institutionalized policy. The women among the wealthy wanted more than one child. They were able to address the topic in a social venue as a method to move the government to consider lifting the ban that has been in existence for over 30 years now.

What Vice President Biden did was to bring practicality to the topic of allowing families to decide about the number of children. His hopes are not to return poverty to China, but, to provide the Chinese government a reason to consider changing the dynamics of this policy to educate their people regarding population growth and choices.

I applaud the Vice President for even breaching the idea. He did it well without insulting his hosts, the Chinese government and people. I am confident his words fell on the ears of those eager to hear them and encourage a dialogue to change the policy.

The One Child Policy was a very brave step for China to take. It worked for the most part. It reduced the burden of a growing populous that would be forever in poverty and allowed breathing room for change within China.

When Vice President Biden addressed China about this topic he did it well and with diplomatic grace, honoring the USA and China. You know. That is a real switch for Joe.

No one knows where Saif surfaced?

There are flags in the video. I suppose he could have driven somewhere. Saddam was in hiding in a rat hole or so it was called for months, but, there are land marks to this location. Someone has to know where he came from at this point. Just saying this though will cause them to move to a different location. That movement could eventually result in them being caught. "Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide." Tripoli isn't that big, if the location 'on camera' is within Tripoli. I hope the rebels are able to settle their issues about this. I think they should simply take it in stride and figure they will find them all IN HIDING. The 'hiding' is a victory all by itself.

The journalists NOT AT the Rixos Hotel that can find a way to bring attention to their peers....

Journalists sit it out in a hallway as gun battles continue around the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli, Libya.(Dario Lopez-Mills / Associated Press / August 23, 2011)

By Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times

August 24, 2011

Reporting from Tripoli, Libya — 

Behind his aviator shades, (click title to entry - thank you) the driver of the silver sedan had that hired-killer stare as he pulled up alongside our minibus. He kept pace as the bus, ferrying 13 journalists away from Libya's crazed capital in June, lurched toward the sanity of post-revolutionary Tunisia. He pointed his rifle directly at us.

We dived for the floor or crouched down in a pathetic bid for cover, but there was no escape: The Kalashnikov rounds would penetrate the bus' skin like hot arrows tearing through papier-mache....

...at the Rixos Hotel would be best to approach some commander or trusted military agent to ask them to please not kill every journalist in the building.  They might ask to negotiate a settlement with TRAPPED loyalists to Kadafi.  The loyalists could be allowed to exist the hotel, unarmed and without retribution so journalists that have supported the rebels can continued to do so.


If the loyalists will fight to the death there is little to no chance they will surrender to be prisoners of war.


BUT.


They might very well kill the hostages.

Romney to unveil jobs plan Sept. 6 (click title to entry - thank you)

That is pure genius.  Completely.  It might actually be PURE GENUINE GENIUS if Mitt Romney was the first to announce that as the date he would unveil his new Jobs Plan.


The truth of the matter is, Mitt Romney has NO CLUE why he is unveiling his new jobs plan on September 6, 2011, BUT, President Obama might.


Gee, whiz.  President Obama, now campaigning for his second term thought it would be FUN  to announce his new jobs plan to the Working People of the USA after LABOR DAY.


Why would he think it would be fun and not funny?


Because Congress will be returning.  


It is a notable day to bring memory to the initiative.


AND.


AND.


It is HIS idea for his campaign and campaigns are suppose to be fun to those that volunteer for him.


Something "W"rong with that?  Seems interesting to me.

In case there are honest Democratics running for office against big money candidates...

...they need to take example of Gerry Brown's career, especially interesting is his run for President in 1992.  (click title to entry - thank you)


In 1992, during the Democratic Primaries, Gerry Brown stated in his run for President he would accept only $100 donations for his campaign.


He raised a considerable amount of money and came in third in the primaries.  He received matching government funds during those primaries.  He didn't win that nomination, but, he was an wonderful example of how average Americans believe in HONEST candidates.


He is again Governor Brown of California.  I am confident any candidate needing insight on how to raise campaign contributions can reach him for advice.


Oh, yeah.


There is another Democrat that FIRST asks his 'grassroots' for support through contributions they can send him.  He raised nearly $700,000 alone from his grassroots this year.  That HONEST Democrat is President Barak Obama.  I believe he did that through internet requests and keeping in touch on a regular basis to update all those that support him.  Interesting guy, the President.


Good luck.

For the extremist faithful in the USA that have no other explanation.

The earthquakes today, near the country's capital and effecting its architecture, started near Mount Vernon and extended to Lincoln's Illinois.  It was caused by our forefathers rolling over in their graves.










OH, My Lord God Bird !