"The New Zealand Herald" is saying; "Like a War Zone" Click title to entry - thank you.

Colin Cross and Danny Knight Bare were on hand to witness the devastation. Photo / Colin Cross

...New Zealand Herald reporter Jarrod Booker told nzherald.co.nz that central Christchurch was "like a war zone," with cars having been crushed by bricks and debris from damaged buildings.

He said the side of one multistorey building had fallen away, and people had gathered to see into its interior.

"It was just a massive noise"

Knee Doherty said she was asleep in her central Christchurch home when the building next door collapsed.

"We didn't even notice the movement as much as the noise," she said.

"The back of the house is pretty much gone. All the house next door is gone.  "It was just this massive noise."...

With houses collapsing while people sleep spells loss of life.  Be prepared.  New Zealand is not a big country and the people there are very close.  This is going to be devastating to them.   

I believe New Zealand has soldiers in Afghanistan.  I might be mistaken, but, they are an ally and have been sending troops to support the USA effort.

Australia's government will be the best means of help at this point.

It is alwasys boring when no one dies. There is some significant flooding.

 

People play in strong ocean waves in Atlantic City, N.J., as Hurricane Earl heads toward the eastern coast.  (click title to entry - thank you)

In a sea of foam people are being this silly.  I don't believe the Governors understand how fool hearty their own citizens are some times.  I strongly recommend always taking the threat to a single life seriously.  This is the kind of disregard and dare-devil attitudes that exist in our society.  When authority makes acts in responsible ways it really does cut down on such 'risk' taking by citizens.  You won't believe what goes on sometimes.  I thank the NC Governor for making the tough decision.  I heard her speak before Earl arrived and she stated, "This is a serious storm and we will take it seriously."  Those words are taken to heart by her citizens.  She did a great job.  Her words saved lives.  I guarantee you they did.  All that has to happen is for someone to be in a car when a road floods and there goes the loss of a life.  There was significant flooding and I guarantee you when the assessments are done the damage to the Outer Banks will be no joke.  

"Earl" is turning the sea into foam.

 That is about as close to landfall as I have ever seen with a high velocity storm without it happening.  Are the Outer Banks still there?  The storm has been slowed by the front it ran into.  Oklahoma had intense storms yesterday as well.  Even though "Earl" is a Cat 2, it is a tenacious Cat 2 and not to be under-estimated.  It is nearly halfway over land and still churning with more than 100 mph winds.  That is impressive.  It is hot..  The Enhanced Infrared Images from UNISYS are seven hours apart.  And to think Earl could do all this and still have no fatalities reported.  Good job everyone.

It used ot be called a pregnant pause. But, she is a very seasoned politician.

She went into the debate having been coached.  She didn't want to give anyone a 'sound bite' that would reverberate around the internet and she was completely stumped to know how to respond to the issue of headless Mexicans.

She isn't really doing well as a Governor.  She has a shrinking administration base by the virtual fact she allows the tax structure in Arizona to remain at 2 to 2 and a half percent while she is shutting down State parks and other services that increase the unemployment rate and decrease any economic uptick that State Parks and Forests can provide during a tougher economic climate.

She states she has balanced the budget, but, when all one does as a Governor is reduce services while begging the federal government for help with illegal immigration issues that isn't governing that is being a accountant and banker.  It is astounding that Arizonans are so backward in understanding their own needs and providing for them.  She states if the federal government won't do the job of illegal immigration than I will.  Really?  With whom's money, because, the 'judicially edited' edition of the Arizona law is being funded with federal dollars and policed by federal troops.  

She has a lot to pause over when in a debate.  Her unemployment rate is 9.7 the Arizona economy is tanking.  The link below shows a very lethargic economy in Arizona into 2011.  Tourism (Leisure and Hospitality) was down over 5% in 2009 and only nearly 'static' in 2010, but, it doesn't have a projection to ever regain those losses in the next five years.  So, Brewer ain't the one to turn the economy of Arizona around even by projections of her own State University.

Arizona Economic Numbers and Projections

http://azeconomy.eller.arizona.edu/AZEconomyData/Outlook.aspx?PublicationID=30

Gov. Jan Brewer freezes in Arizona desert (click title to entry - thank you)

It's rare to see a politician freeze up during his or her canned debate opening or closing. Politicians typically hone these parts of their debate prep because they don't often get what amounts to a free TV commercial to promote their candidacies.

Which is why it was so remarkable to see video of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer experiencing a severe case of brain fade as she delivered her opening statement in a broadcast debate that included Democrat Terry Goddard, the state's attorney general.,,,