I have never and will never support commercial space flight.

I like to think I will entertain any idea for the hope it is a good idea, but, commercial space flight is not a good idea. I was optomistic for them in hopes they would rise above my speculation of a horrid outcome, but, that hasn't happened.

The United States might not be too upset after Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin threatened to cut off space rocket engine supplies. On Friday, a Russian rocket broke apart after its launch and destroyed the booster and payload. Not the rocket discussed in the article. (Photo : Flickr)

I have no idea what the Panda is all about. Mascot? 

May 16, 2014
By Thomas Carrannante
The United States (click here) might not be too upset after Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin threatened to cut off space rocket engine supplies. On Friday, a Russian rocket broke apart after its launch and destroyed the booster and payload.
In Kazakhstan on Friday, the Russian Federal Space Agency planned a launch for the Proton-M rocket to carry a communications satellite into orbit. Nine minutes after launch and 100 miles into the air, the rocket burned up in the atmosphere after it went off path.

This untimely occurrence happened two days after Russia yet again voiced its frustration with the United States over sanctions issued by the Obama Administrationfollowing Russia's involvement in Ukraine. Mr. Rogozin said the sanctions were "out of place" and "inappropriate." Shortly after that, he also announced that Russia will no longer use the International Space Station past 2020 and will not supply the U.S. with rocket engines if they use them for military satellite launches....

I honestly don't know where to begin because my objection goes back decades in complaints of Republican Presidents always trying to make space flight profitable for the country and killing people within those ambitions. Let's start with, "What the hell were old Russian engines doing within the sovereign borders of the USA on a flight to the ISS?" AND. "What were old Russian engines doing in the sovereign borders of the USA when the USA has active sanctions against Russia to facilitate saving lives in Ukraine?" Both those questions need to be a part of the investigation to the failure of this commercial EXPERIMENT.

There should be a law that states, "Space flight is dangerous, expensive and EXPORATORY." In that lies the responsibility for human life within that program that can only belong to a sovereign nation. Space flight is not feasible for a private industry. The costs are too high, both in materials, national priorities, national pride and last but never least human life. If there was a simple law that made that statement mandated in every space project, the answers first would have to be solved as to what is dangerous about the project and how that is going to be mitigated, what is expensive about the project and how that is going to be funded without use of the USA taxpayer/USA Treasury and a very intricate explanation of why this exploratory flight is both safe, within reasonable costs and worth the venture.

See, private industry doesn't have to justify projects like this, they just have to do it. I would love to know how much of the monies recovered by banks and investors of banks and Wall Street actually went into sponsoring the private space industry for the pleasure of the Super Rich. You know QE I, II and III? Those vast amounts of monies, because, quite frankly I don't see any of this happening without it.

The idea a private company can actually produce a worthwhile product that is beneficial to our society is hideous. These projects are hugely expensive and quite frankly it starts to place toys of the Super Rich above national priorities. Somewhere in the next Republican agenda IF there is ever another Republican President is a BAILOUT coming for the private space industry by selling all the assets of NASA in Florida, Texas and California.

I can just see it, the NASA launch pads as the foundation to the next great Florida condo community.

The private space industry demoralizes the nation and puts estranged value on space flight rather than ranking it as a national project of which all scientists at NASA and Goddard approve of, are engaged in and reap vast amounts of knowledge about our universe, solar system and Earth.

I just don't see the reason for a private commercial space industry. It's greatest contribution to science is a 4 minute "You Tube" of "Celebrities in Space." 

NASA has been an incredible achievement for the USA. It is the hallmark of the ability of the USA to harness knowledge and accomplish the unaccomplished. NASA was a dream come true for every man, woman and child in the USA. It was not an exclusive fantasy ride for any one person or any one company. It was about the USA and it's people. NASA has been lined with great men and women that have made us proud. I don't and won't feel that way about any commercial space flight. The commercial interests in space flight should have been limited to the satellites our rockets carried aloft.

The investigation into this ? mishap ? better be complete with every letter crossed and dotted.

One other thing, when private companies are buying their engines from other countries IT IS A LOSS IN USA JOBS! Part of the investigation should account for the potential of other engines produced in the USA and the jobs that would have gone along with that. Private industry pinches every penny and that is no way to have a productive space program. They are better off building big ferris wheels.

A willing militia member? Oh, no. No responsible leader should be encouraging violence against our government.

She may not have gone to Arizona to kill federal officers along with the other 5000 militia members, but, she endorses them.

Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst takes questions after debating her Democratic opponent Bruce Braley. Photograph: Justin Hayworth/AP

October 23, 2014
Tom McCarthy

...“I have a beautiful little Smith & Wesson, 9mm, (click here) and it goes with me virtually everywhere,” Ernst told a crowd at an NRA and Iowa firearms coalition second amendment rally in Searsboro, Iowa, in a speech flagged on Thursday by the Huffington Post. “But I do believe in the right to carry, and I believe in the right to defend myself and my family – whether it’s from an intruder, or whether it’s from a government, should they decide that my rights are no longer important.”...

That is the statement one will hear on Beck, Lambaugh and any number of FOX radio hosts. That is the statement. Nearly identical. The callers always assert their right to protect their families, etc.... They are the survival groups awaiting the loss of electrical organization throughout any power grid and willing to shoot the zombie invasion. I have no doubt the extremists will back her in much of her intentions in gun rights and otherwise.

I don't believe there is any explanation necessary. She has the dog whistle and everyone knows it, especially at the NRA convention. She's another extremist. For about women's rights and I am sure she dislikes the dependent, the entitlements and any form of compassion to those less fortunate Americans. You know, "The Takers."

Iowa is not a particularly gun-friendly state, but it does have a culture of recreational hunting and relatively unrestrictive gun laws. Guns & Ammo magazine placed Iowa 38th in its 2014 rankings of the best states for gun owners (Arizona was first).

Ernst has a two-decade career with the US army reserves and the National Guard. She has previously featured her affection for firearms in her closely fought race with Democratic nominee Bruce Braley to replace retiring senator Tom Harkin. An early campaign commercial featured footage of her firing a handgun at a range....

Remember "I'm not a witch." She was the Republican candidate that always ran for her own purposes in Delaware against then Senator Joe Biden. Just because Eanst is with the reserves and National Guard that does not separate her from the militias seeking to kill federal employees in Arizona. 

A large number of that Arizona group were former members of the military. So was the Oklahoma bomber. There is no line that separates the responsible former military from the irresponsible. If Mrs. Ernst is willing to stand before a convention of NRA and state she would also kill a government's representative, she is aligning herself with violent people.

A legitimate Senatorial candidate would jump at the chance to meet with a prominent editorial boards. This is such a joke. Six years. This woman is going to be in office for six years and she need the support of editors and media. She needs the people of Iowa to feel secure in her leadership, advocacy and representation of there needs. She is a another right wing extremist that won't have anything to do with "The Lame Stream Media." 

October 29, 2014
By Sean Sullivan

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton (click here) on Wednesday knocked Iowa Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst for failing to meet with newspaper editorial boards in her state.

"You have a lot to be proud of in this state. You test your candidates," Clinton said during a campaign event for Democrat Bruce Braley. She added: "They have to be willing answer the tough questions, which Bruce has been willing to do and his opponent has not. It truly seems like it should be disqualifying in Iowa of all states to avoid answering questions."

Last week, Ernst, a state senator, canceled her meeting with state's biggest paper, the Des Moines Register. According to a campaign official, she did so because she believed the paper's editorial board had shown a bias against her in editorials over the past two months....

She did appear with Palin. That's right the Castrator and Chief. She is endorsed by "ShePAC" another Republican Super PAC (click here). That is what the meeting is below. Palin signing placards for Ernst. 

Speaking of placards, everyone has their's out on corners nearly everywhere in North Carolina, where is Senator Hagan's? Yard signs. I know they are unsightly, but, everyone has them.

I am concerned for her safety. I understand there is a hate blog about Kaci.

October 29, 2014
By Ben Methis-Lilley

...State officials, (click here) however, are preparing to enforce a mandatory quarantine of the Doctors Without Borders nurse, who recently spent time in Sierra Leone fighting the Ebola outbreak there. Maine Gov. Paul LePage said that if Hickox was “unwilling” to abide by the state’s 21-day quarantine policy—which would keep her isolated until Nov. 10—the state would seek a court order to quarantine her....

The police on watch at Ms. Hickox's location actually provides me with peace of mind because there is problem on the internet with at least one blog victimizing her. Perhaps the judge can also order the removal of hate blogs and any misinformation as a violation of her person and safety as well. That would be nice if the law worked to protect her as well as protecting from her.

It is the year 2000 all over again.

October 29, 2014
By Greg Palast
Al Jeezera America

Election officials in 27 states, (click here) most of them Republicans, have launched a program that threatens a massive purge of voters from the rolls. Millions, especially black, Hispanic and Asian-American voters, are at risk. Already, tens of thousands have been removed in at least one battleground state, and the numbers are expected to climb, according to a six-month-long, nationwide investigation by Al Jazeera America.

At the heart of this voter-roll scrub is the Interstate Crosscheck program, which has generated a master list of nearly 7 million names. Officials say that these names represent legions of fraudsters who are not only registered but have actually voted in two or more states in the same election — a felony punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison.

Until now, state elections officials have refused to turn over their Crosscheck lists, some on grounds that these voters are subject to criminal investigation. Now, for the first time, three states — Georgia, Virginia and Washington — have released their lists to Al Jazeera America, providing a total of just over 2 million names....

There is absolutely no voter fraud to warrant any investigation and certainly nothing to begin a countrywide "Crossover  List." This is a waste of taxpayer's money. Have these bureaucrats having nothing else to do? If they don't then they aren't needed. 

The practice of medicine as an evolving field of study became a standard in the USA bringing the need for hospitals to treat citizens. A couple of things happened, there was the Hill-Burton Grant Act. It provided MATCHING funds from the US federal government to COMMUNITIES to build their hospitals. In some communities it was their first hospital.

Hill-Burton was met by communities with the idea fund raising for health care was a good idea, after all they had to have matching funds to build their hospital. Ladies auxiliaries and concerned citizens began to organize to build hospitals in their communities across the USA.

As the progression in bringing health care to Americans, especially those in need of continual care in order to recover, the folks in a local area wealthy enough and smart enough to realize a hospital was in their own best interest began to donate money. In realizing such people often were the backbone of the fund raising movement the hospitals were frequently named as memorials to them. 

A hospital highly respected still carries the name of it's benefactors. 

"Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center" (click here)

That is how the USA now has state of the art treatment for it's citizens. Not only state of the art treatment, but, continued work in medical research to IMPROVE the care of patients. If the USA can do it, so can others. Rock stars love this kind of stuff.

Africa does not have a Level 1 Trauma Center. I don't think it has a Level 3, does it?

October 26, 2014

By Liz Szabo

...Studies of African (click here) patients have shown that ones who are in better condition at the time of infection — with better nutrition and overall health — are more likely to survive Ebola. Younger people and those who receive blood transfusions also fare better, said Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine in at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Emory treated four of the survivors — Vinson, Brantly, Writebol and the unidentified patient. The Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha treated Sacra and Mukpo.

Those hospitals have excellent intensive care units, where doctors could prevent some of the most dangerous complications of Ebola, such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, which can cause heart rhythm disturbances, said Robert Murphy, director of the Center for Global Health at Northwestern University in Chicago. American hospitals also have a variety of ways to maintain stable blood pressure, control pain and treat bacterial infections.

Vinson's physician, Bruce Ribner, said he has learned that it's possible to treat Ebola patients much more aggressively than doctors once believed, using ventilators to help them breathe and kidney dialysis if their kidneys begin to fail....

What medical doctors are finding in the patients that survive and those that die is their age and physical wellness BEFORE contracting Ebola. Should patients with Ebola be given intravenous nutrition to attempt to increase their physical stamina?

American College of Surgeons Reference Guide to Suggested Classification (click here)

I realize being the center of quarantine as a professional can be traumatizing in itself. But, time will pass and people will forget the notoriety. 

Americans are fairly intelligent people without many superstitious beliefs to taint their view of the world. If the professionals found in the middle of the USA experience with Ebola would continue to speak to the media when possible it would help Americans deal with what is basically 'group think' anxiety and panic. 

If it were me I would also talk about the conditions of those in Africa and the profound struggle to keep them alive long enough to recover from the virus. I would also ask for greater support of the African people in improving their medical facilities and life outcomes. I'd broaden the understanding of the American people to realize the difference in the societies here and abroad and bring focus to the need of others to live a better quality life to insure such diseases aren't spread throughout the world.

You only go around once and while legal battles are necessary to set limits on government, making an impression on the public in general is not such a bad idea. Caring for the Ebola patients in West Africa is incredibly admirable, but, being their advocate could be live changing for them. Advocacy by the way for medical professionals at all levels is legal and within practice ethics.

LEVEL I (click here)
As verified by the American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma, a Level I Trauma Center is a comprehensive regional resource that is a tertiary care facility central to the trauma system. A Level I Trauma Center is capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury – from prevention through rehabilitation.

Key elements of a Level I Trauma Center include 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, and prompt availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine and critical care. Other capabilities include cardiac, hand, pediatric, microvascular surgery and hemodialysis. The Level I Trauma Center provides leadership in prevention, public education and continuing education of the trauma team members. The Level I Trauma Center is committed to continued improvement through a comprehensive quality assessment program and an organized research effort to help direct new innovations in trauma care.

Potential to wet weather along the USA east coast. And of course the wet weather in the year 2014 is never simply a drizzle, now is it?

This is a weather of the Atlantic Ocean by Weather Underground (click here). I don't know how the link will translate because there are options to the right of the map that provide a specific view by the user.

But, what interests me are the three red dots across the equatorial Atlantic.

The Hurricane season in the Atlantic have been fairly anemic this year and that is about 'available' water vapor in the troposphere, etc., but, the velocity of the storms have picked up later in the season with a category 3 in mid-September and a category 4 in mid-October.

To the right is the "Track Map" of hurricanes this season from UNISYS (click here). Hurricanes are identified by human names. Edouardo was the category 3 storm and Gonzalo was the category 4.

Edouardo was a category 3 at 31.10 longitude. Conzalo was a category 4 twice beginning at 23.5 longitude and then again at 25.3 longitude. What does that mean? The sparse season has primarily existed over ocean without impacting populated areas except for Bermuda as of late and Arthur which attained category 2 brushed the east coast. The Atlantic location of the storms have been moving closer to the North American east shoreline.

Currently, there is a frigid air mass which can be noted over the Midwest US in the map at the top descending from Canada. 
  

This is the track from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The center circulation of the storm came ashore over the Metropolitan Area of NJ-NY in late October. 

Currently the tropical disturbances across the equatorial Atlantic are not considered to be significant. That has been status for this season. However, it is only prudent to mention hot air that was Sandy met frigid air and became a killer of 150 people. 

I'm just sayin'.

If would expect the worst to occur beginning next week going forward. Sandy did a great deal of damage because of it's size, not simply because of it's location.

October 27, 2014
By James West

Superstorm Sandy (click here) struck the Northeast two years ago this week, killing more than 150 people. It caused an estimated $65 billion worth of damage; more than 650,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Sandy's powerful winds plus its sheer size—it extended 500 miles from its center—caused record storm surges, flooding, and power outages that affected as many as 8.5 million people in 21 states....

I decided to take a look at the ocean temperature map. the temperature is significant and it travels along the USA east coast following the Gulf Stream north. There is also noted negative (-) cloud to ground temperatures which invites significant turbulence. The notation is a - sign and is currently over Nicaragua now experiencing tropical disturbance.

Nicaragua current weather from The Weather Channel (click here).

Sustained thunderstorms.