A power line down

That is the most recent assessment by California. A power line capable of withstanding 55 mph winds was hit with 75 mph winds. The lines faltered and sparked. 

(Click here)

Power lines sway, break, are broken by trees and struck by lightning. The power lines in California were good quality infrastructure not prepared for a climate crisis storm.

Blue Origin

I think I like Jeff Bezo’s heart. He named his space venture after Earth and New Glenn after a very brave man. 

These guys have to tough. I remember when Astronaut John Glenn was picked up in the ocean. There was peril even then for the astronaut and divers as they fit a floatation collar on the Mercury spacecraft. 

Today, the private companies are reusing a good part of the launch vehicle. That means there has to be coordination between the land based operation and sea operations. Not an easy task when the climate is dealing high winds and high seas.

The Blue Origin space center is impressive. Bezos doesn’t impose on NASA’s programs to use facilities paid for by taxpayers. Very interesting. It took a lot of capital to build an independent operation.

I am grateful there were no accidents today in the USA private space program.

Everyone have a better day.

Fireworks?

From what I am reading the investigation is leaning into fireworks that caused the original blaze on New Year’s Eve. 

Wow.

There was a time in this country when a person needed a permit and the display was carried out by a government agency with the fire department on site. That was about a decade or two ago. 

Now, the economy comes first before safety and anyone with a driver’s license can carry out their very own fireworks display.

Our society has become a “jack-ass” society where throwing caution to the wind is common practice and no one listen’s to wiser voices. It has gone so far that we now have a ringmaster for a president of the USA.

I certainly expect severe consequences for those who foolishly displayed fireworks in a known zone where drought was reported by a federal authority. There are dead, injured, and cities devastated by a self-indulgent fireworks display. 

I read Steve Bannon is back in town. Maybe Trump will have his old puppet master back. Maybe, just maybe some small degree of sanity might return. One can only hope.

I am sure Governor Gavin Newsom will set a day of mourning and the country needs to pay attention.

The drought

When comparing the two maps, the drought in Southern California had gotten worse in one week. High winds as experienced that week were partly responsible if not completely responsible for worsening conditions.

The worsening area is exactly where the winds were. Wind can be very drying. 

This is being very hard on all those that lost everything, but, when there are dangerous conditions there cannot be ANY behaviors that can result in even the most remote possibility of a spark. Drinking, smoking, or taking of substances that alter awareness is as much a catalyst to disaster as the wind that caused the drying. 

After stating that, this probably wasn’t preventable. People are allowed to be people and there is no reason for self-blaming. These are extreme conditions that were a perfect storm. Going forward, any and all precautions of any kind, including behavioral self awareness has to be practiced and not just discussed. The climate is unforgiving. I said this before, California did not deserve this.

Live updates: (Click here)

Emergency services were incredible.

Firefighters are a special breed. They are all heart. They literally fight for every house, barn, field, or whatever calls them into service. It is like their own is on the line. They are masters of the ability to save lives.

This fire took lives. Some were taken very tragically. But, this tragedy could have been much, much worse. The emergency workers were as good as they get. Everyone should be grateful for the heroes they are when they are called. 

Reignition is very possible.

I am more interested in what started the New Years’ Eve fire.

(Click here)

If the fire crews responded more slowly the second time is is likely fatigue. It could have also been a question of available equipment and supplies. They had just put out a huge fire and the public was being warned in public service announcements about reignition.

The wind caused the second blaze. I think there is little doubt, but, what caused the original fire? The timing states human activity. I am curious as to any potential natural causes that could have done that. I always thought it was primarily residential. There is a reservoir near there that was receiving repairs. Workmen should be asked if they know of any ignition causes. If sounds like a spark of some kind. New Years Eve, cigarettes, fireworks, almost anything for as dry as the area was. 

Ridiculous Political Trump

(Click here)

This is the nature of the Trump breast. It thrives only on inflammatory rhetoric and hate speech. The cooperation between the states and DC will be through Congress. There will be no cooperation from the White House, especially this time. 

During Trump’s first term there were wildfires and his statements were about litter on the forest floor and sweeping it clean. To appease him some folks actually went into the forest to sweep the forest floor. With brooms. But, that is all political speech based in the idea moving voters away from Democrats is more important than actually governing.

So, it is good President Biden is still in office to assist California with this climate emergency.

Congress can act to pass emergency relief. It is just that it takes longer as a session has to be occurring, not vacation time, and there has to be majority support in both houses. Congress can and has refused to act, too.

So, here we go. I sincerely believe DOGE will advise against any emergency relief or support assistance in rebuilding. These guys are million-billionaires and think self-insurance is sufficient. They actually believe people that are not that self-sufficient don’t live right. They do not consider compassion or humanity is a governance issue. They don’t want to pay taxes and they want government surpluses they carve out to be funneled to them.

The aftermath of fire.

How many fires has California been through? Why aren’t there mandatory slate roofs yet? In this picture there are homes standing amongst the devastation. There is only reason, non-combustible roofs.

This shows up with every major fire. People still have to evacuate and there is smoke damage and property damage so some extent, but, they have a home to come back to. In the long view the extra cost in the structure and the roof pays off. 

Fire embers come down from the wind like rain.

Wildfires will burn at an alarming excess of 1472 degrees Fahrenheit. That means any clay roofs will melt and allow fire to take the structure. Roofs, Spanish style or otherwise, made of slate have far higher resilience to catching fire.

Some states are seeing insurance rates that are unsustainable for homeowners. The wealthy can always self-insure, but, others cannot. Hurricanes are more destructive, tornadoes occur in multiples, and the land is droughted and susceptible to fire.

Hegseth would be a yes man to Trump.

These guys already have a chummy PR relationship. It is that relationship Trump chose Hegseth. Hegseth has to sell “occupation” as a defense strategy to the people of the country.

Trump’s ambition is to turn the strongest military in the world into an occupying force to intimidate basically “The Louisiana Purchase” of sovereign countries such as Greenland and Panama to begin a global occupation of the world.

Occupying land for the USA is impossible. A military base on foreign soil is challenging enough, but, to occupy an entire sovereign country is ridiculous. If you don’t think so, ask Russia.

The USA has territories like Puerto Rico and American Samoa; how is that going?

By indulging Trump his fantasies will weaken the military, spread it to thin, change its mission, and completely compromise our national defense. It would open the USA to near border wars and invasion. 

The real problem with Trump and the military is his own hostile character. He loves to kill, oppress, suffer, and carries out retribution. He demands admiration from his subjects and punishes if he doesn’t receive it. Trump’s character is highly questionable in any form of reliability in diplomacy. He will seek to instill weakness in agreements so he can take advantage of those loopholes afterward. Occupation of another sovereign country is not reassuring a democracy or peace will exist afterward. 

He cannot have a secretary of defense that panders to him, especially, when that person has no prior administration or leadership skills.

Peace is economic health.There will always exist a defense industry, even in peacetime. The Powell Doctrine is a deterrent.

 

The Trump FCC

The Trump FCC is going to have a very difficult time censoring media. The source of information has become very diverse with small operators using their iPhones on location. Ant attack by Trump’s FCC on major media is mute.

There are many international media services that have become part of our economy that will never have censorship imposed. All the USA major media services need to be left to conduct their best business practices in providing uncensored information. 

Censored information is something Musk’s X is not capable of, selective censorship seems to be accepted by his subscribers.

They might be free elections but they are grossly unfair.

The presidential elections of 2024 were monitored for free will voters, but, were definitely not fair due to Musk’s thumb on the scale. 

The Citizens United decision was a huge anti-democracy folly.

Big day for Bezos and John Glenn

(Click here)

Jeff Bezos has a tradition at Blue Origin in naming his rockets after Mercury program astronauts. The first launch of Blue Origins large rocket is named after the first Mercury astronaut to orbit the Earth and late Senator John Glenn.

I congratulate Jeff Bezos for his steadfast belief in his and his staff’s ability to achieve their goals.

Go New Glenn !

He wants to be Czar of the World.

(Click here)

Now, Musk is getting heat from Trump about his “hate your government rants,” and Musk’s father said his son wants to buy Liverpool. I doubt the Beetles would approve. 

The truth of the matter is that these million-billionaires make money by stirring people up in revolt of their governments. It pulls in more and more participants looking for some sort of control. Bannon has done the same thing by stirring up controversy in Europe pushing dangerous agendas of the unpopular right wing. 

It can be called a movement by the Plutocrats. Trump is just looking for a permanent place to eat his hamburgers believing he has control of the world with media on fire over his latest tabloid statement. Musk and now Zuckerberg are reeling in more and more participants on their media platforms in tattletaling gossip. The reflections of injustice by these CEOs are creating real problems economically as well. London is seeing its hospitality industry begin to falter. The same is true for Hawaii. 

Steve Bannon is the best and initial example. He started his ranting on Brietbart making Trump a superstar. His failing millionaire could do nothing right with repeated bankruptcies, but, Bannon proved to others he could create tabloid politics without real truths that resulted in wealth building for those that sparked a flame of revolution. Revolution is “hot stuff.” Very muscular. White nationalists/Alt Right thrive on it. White male political and sexy.

So, with Trump taking the White House without any real character or capacity, billionaires who are bored found new pastimes that bring in real revenues. Rove wrote the book, Bannon ran with it in the USA and now abroad, Musk found real acceptance on a social platform he bought for his own purposes while doing business with communists.

It is a real mess and I am beginning to wonder when voters within democracies will finally reflect on their own foolishness? Justice is vital to democracy, but, while corruption exists, bringing focus to the corruption is important; the real proof of the strength of the people is still in honest conduct of the courts brought on by free and fair elections.

In support of every inflammatory million-billionaire stands Putin, Xi, Kim, and Iran’s Ayatollah.

Citizens of democracies need to realize there is profound peril in their actions and dummied down decisions.

This is illegal aggression.

Call the cops and charge with assault.

(Click here)

I don’t know of any officials that would use their children in a PR stunt. Usually, children are shielded from the press and public appearances.

Musk can’t simply invade the country seeking some kind of retribution for federal spending. It is minimally harassment and quite frankly assault. Civil suits can be filed and unions need to have their shop stewards report on these tactics.

These guys are wackos. They are advertising for, “super high IQ individuals that are small government revolutionaries willing to work 80

hours per week on non-glamorous cost cutting.” It sounds like a recruitment for Space  X. Is this a volunteer capacity? 80 hours per week doesn’t come cheap. That according to overtime standards is at least equivalent to 100 hours of pay. Even at minimum wage that’s a lot of money. We are better off just paying the federal personnel to do their jobs. It will be cheaper.

Tell them to go home and grow up first. Throw ‘em in jail.

This is a money grab. It has nothing to do with federal efficiency.

If people are confused about the aggression shown Greenland…

 …just think, “It’s a Putin thing.”

Vladimir Putin had aggressively moved to recall the Russian diaspora, place a tax on dual citizenship, invaded and occupied Crimea while having in place a plot to disarm Ukraine while one of his lieutenants, Viktor Yanukovych was in power. Once Ukraine’s national military was restored Putin then invaded a non-aggressive, peaceful country hoping an economic trade would be developed with Russia. 

The greater global community primarily points to Putin as an aggressor and ostracizes him. Trump admires Putin. By taking the stance of an aggressor Trump seeks to alleviate Putin’s bad image and instead takes a stance similar to the Communist leader. There is no other reason to threaten the people of Greenland. 

Denmark may want to sue Trump personally for his ill will and behavior. Nothing Trump states is official USA policy. Even as president it is not official policy.

I sincerely believe Trump is as unstable as he is wealthy. Trump is a problem. All his lousy life he has been a problem. Trump always latched onto government money without being able to conduct himself successfully otherwise. There is a very long history to draw on to prove his in grossly inept and extremely corrupt. The people of this country afforded him sixteen years of a tax free existence so he could solve his problems. He hasn’t yet.

A lot of people have made money and gained power off his eccentricity. His lawyers are among those people that have hitched themselves to his glory wagon. He is not qualified to lead the USA simply by the fact a power hungry Musk paved his way to power.

Trump continually makes trouble for others as if he has some sort of virtue we all need to understand and appreciate. He is a vehicle for corrupted power and nothing more. His election was based in that corrupt power with measurable lies, deceptions, and empty promises. His only purpose is to acquire wealth no matter the mechanism of power he decides serves him best. There is nothing legitimate about his presidency regardless of the electoral college vote. His presidency is bought and paid for without a moment of benevolence expected from him toward the people, but, only those looking for their payoff.

(Click here)

Trump and his buddy are nothing more than jokers. Putin said he has an interest in the Arctic. Ya think?

The only real interest Russia holds in the Arctic is war. Russia has done incredible damage to those waters and his own land. He has harassed Europe immeasurably with his nonsense. There is nuclear debris that floats into European waters regularly. There are cut cables, and erupted gas pipelines. Europe is far better off being autonomous from any trade with Russia regardless of Trump’s mischief. 

This is going to be four stupendously ridiculous years that will mostly prove to be entertaining. I am confident court actions in the ICC as well as the World Trade Organization, and the UN will be numerous. So much so it can service as a distraction while the corrupt attendants to Trump will be hard at work without detection in the background causing all sorts of frustrations.

The people of New York spoke.

It was not a political decision. The jury found him guilty on the evidence. The country did not elect Trump, Elon Musk did.

 

The Farm Bill is coming up. These folks have important information about the future of plants.

The Salk Institute considers farms as heroes.

The Salk Institute can be Monsanto's best friend or worst enemy. There is only one choice, we have to go where Salk leads.

HAVE YOU READ IT !?!?!

Here it is.

READ IT!

Emission Gap Report 2023 (click here)

As greenhouse gas emissions hit new highs, (click here) temperature records tumble and climate impacts intensify, the Emissions Gap Report 2023: Broken Record – Temperatures hit new highs, yet world fails to cut emissions (again) finds that the world is heading for a temperature rise far above the Paris Agreement goals unless countries deliver more than they have promised. The report is the 14th edition in a series that brings together many of the world’s top climate scientists to look at future trends in greenhouse gas emissions and provide potential solutions to the challenge of global warming.

The Climate Crisis is getting worse. Much worse.

I have in the past mentioned the MIXING of the air masses of the stratosphere and the troposphere in climate events. These mixing episodes were actively driven by the climate crisis. The entries are here on the blog.

The illustration to the left are the different layers of Earth's atmosphere. Each layer has it's own defining characteristics.

Below is a video released by NASA illustrating the gravity waves of Helene. Helene was the hurricane that stalled over western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Helene's death toll has reached 246 as of January 7th.

These gravity waves reached the Mesosphere. That is a whole lot of energy from that storm that also blew the tops off the Smoky Mountains. This is unheard of and a new tipping point for Earth. We can't keep doing this to ourselves.

As the International Space Station (click here) traveled over the southeastern United States on Sept. 26, 2024, AWE observed atmospheric gravity waves generated by Hurricane Helene as the storm slammed into the gulf coast of Florida. The curved bands extending to the northwest of Florida, artificially colored red, yellow, and blue, show changes in brightness (or radiance) in a wavelength of infrared light produced by airglow in Earth’s mesosphere. The small black circles on the continent mark the locations of cities. Credit: Utah State University

The abuse of Earth's troposphere by polluting more and more greenhouse gases is dangerous, reckless, without a bit of inhibition of fear to the very serious outcomes we are all facing.

THIS MUST STOP!

This damage is caused by the heating that currently occurs on Earth (click here).