Absolutely magnificent.

"Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens" - I even know what the next film is about. You guys gave it away.

First, the credits are incredible. They challenge the length of credits of any "Harry Potter."

The Death Planet turning into a sun was absolutely correct. If the robbed solar power were left to gather itself again unrestrained it would form a fusion reaction and reorganize into a sun so the planets could continue to carry on life.

I don't know what will happen to the old sun. It's hydrogen was all syphoned off and there would be no helium to continue to burn. The old sun would become cold and very dense and I am left wondering if there will be an "Empire Black Hole" eventually. You know "History of Time" and all that stuff. It could be the old sun is simply gone, too.

New faces, new names all engulfed by the reawakening force. Loved it. Then all the elderly knights of the LIGHT are engaged and brave. I didn't see Hans Solo's outcome though. I think I prejudiced by desire for every Jedi to include everyone. Oh, well. Hopeless romantic. Hans is great, Chewbacca even greater.

I was going to sell all my collection. You know, popular makes money. But, after seeing this film and realizing the children there with their parents were the same age of my grandchildren, I decided my grandchildren are going to inherit it instead. I much rather be romantic than practical.

I loved the film. But, in all fairness Luke's confidence fades because Solo's son is attracted to the dark side? Well. I suppose. After all Luke never finished his training with Yoda, now did he.

It is about time. I take it the USA knows exactly how to hold ground once it is siezed from a hostile military!

I was really beginning to think the last general that knew anything about winning a war died with George Patton and Dwight Eisenhower.

December 24, 2015
By Zeina Karam and Bassem Mroue

Beirut — A U.S.-backed coalition of rebels in Syria (click here) — including Syrian Kurdish, Arab and Christian groups — captured several areas in the country's north on Thursday from the Islamic State extremists, an activist group and a rebel spokesman said.
The advance of the coalition, known as Syria Democratic Forces, is part of the recent rebel push to take control of a major dam and cut supply lines between the IS group's strongholds in northern Syria.
The SDF offensive started Wednesday with a push south of the Turkey-Syria border town of Kobani, according to a rebel spokesman, Col. Talal Sillu. On Thursday, coalition fighters advanced eight kilometers (five miles), inching closer to their objective — the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River that supplies much of northern Syria with electricity.

The worst terrorist of all, a hemolitic virus.

Disease never has a holiday. Brazil has declared a health emergency.

Zika virus (click here) is spread to people through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease (Zika) are fever, rash, joint pain, and red eye. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
Outbreaks of Zika have occurred in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Because the Aedes species mosquitoes that spread Zika virus are found throughout the world, it is likely that outbreaks will spread to new countries. Zika virus is not currently found in the United States. However, cases of Zika have been reported in returning travelers.
There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika. Travelers can protect themselves from this disease by taking steps to prevent mosquito bites. When traveling to countries where Zika virus  or other viruses spread by mosquitoes have been reported, use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, and stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens....

The map below is where Zika virus has been found to be infective.

December 24, 2015
By Ariana Eunjung Cha
Brazilian health authorities (click here) are sounding the alarm about a mosquito-borne virus that they believe may be the cause of thousands of infants being born with damaged brains.
The pathogen, known as Zika and first discovered in forest monkeys in Africa over 70 years ago, is the new West Nile -- a virus that causes mild symptoms in most but can lead to serious neurological complications or even death in others. Brazil's health ministry said on Nov. 28 that it had found the Zika virus in a baby with microcephaly — a rare condition in which infants are born with shrunken skulls — during an autopsy after the child died. The virus was also found in the amniotic fluid of two mothers whose babies had the condition.
"This is an unprecedented situation, unprecedented in world scientific research," the ministry said in a statement on its website, according to CNN.
Brazil is investigating more than more than 2,400 suspected cases of microcephaly and 29 deaths of infants that occurred this year. Last year the country saw only 147 cases of microcephaly....

There will be no more "Let's Pretend."

There is no such thing as the Syrian Free Army. It was a 'let's pretend' by McCain. Just like the 'let's pretend united Iraq.'

This isn't even current events anymore.

September 16, 2015
By Thomas Gibbons-Neff

There are only four or five American-trained (click here) Syrian rebels currently fighting against the Islamic State, the top general leading the effort to build a force to counter the militant group in Syria said Wednesday.

The tiny number of fighters are part of the New Syrian Force, the byproduct of a $500-million-dollar train and equip program that was launched officially in December to train moderate Syrians to fight the Islamic State.

The remarks by Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, head of U.S. Central Command, angered members of the Senate Armed Services Committee who said the program is a failure.

The training first came under scrutiny in July when Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter told the Senate Armed Service Committee that only 60 fighters had been trained with roughly 7,000 in the training pipeline. The quota, set at the program’s outset, called for 3,000 to 5,000 fighters to be trained in the first year....

"Let's Pretend" doesn't cut it anymore. The USA lost thousands of American soldiers FOR AN ILLEGAL INVASION INTO IRAQ and a "Let's Pretend" we have a reason and "Let's Pretend" Iraq is united under a democracy.  There is no more "Let's Pretend" because there are tens of thousands of disabled veterans that returned from Iraq only to suffer with PTSD and suicide. We don't DO 'LET'S PRETEND' ANYMORE!!!!

Here are the facts. 

The Iraq government is dispersed into the winds of three provinces. While there may be a better fighting force with American consultants, there are far too many Americans in Iraq to say that ANYTHING IRAQ is not still on the verge of 'Let's Pretend."

Syria has no free army. End of discussion. There are Sunnis and Shi'ites and like it or not there is an elected President that is a minority ethnicity of Alawite, President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian ally is Russia. Russia wants to stabilize Syria and Russia is not pretending.

The United Nations had an extended presence of Peacemakers until Daesh was taking hold and advancing. In 2012 the United Nations Peacekeepers were pulled out of Syria while reporting all the deaths of women and children. 

The ONLY answer to a sustainable stability in Syria is for a power sharing government that has two different ethnicity governance. That means there has to be an influential leader somewhere among the Syrian Sunnies that can ACTUALLY bring all the Sunnis under one leader. That is nearly impossible. BUT, if Daesh is destroyed there might be a chance the other Sunnis might come together, but, I don't think so.
At one point the groups OFFICIALLY called terrorists, such as the al-Nusra Front, was willing to align with Daesh. Any guesses as to why? No? Because the long time residents in Syria called terrorists thought they were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and all the Shi'ites would be refugees or dead. That's why. So, all of a sudden all the Sunni, so called terrorists, are seeing their best interest in joining a power sharing government.
Syria is ground zero to sectarianism and hatred. The way Assad ruled was to treat the REGION as if it all feel under Assad's government. That is why Israel would run up against border skirmishes from time to time. 
BUT.
Assad put Hezbollah in Lebanon to act as a barricade to the Alawite Shia. No one could compromise or kill the Alawite community on the Syrian coast. Hezbollah is not going away. The most we can hope is that a peace will be maintained with Hezbollah and the Lebanon government. Hezbollah does fine and is allowed to live their lives as they choose when it has an understanding of peace with the Lebanese government.
If there is going to be a power sharing government in Syria where the killing actually stops it will be under a strong military presence and that will only come from Russia. Assad can govern. No one else in Syria has proven the ability to build a military and govern people with some degree of loyalty from the Sunnis.
Assad can and has used oppression to any uprising. We know that for a fact. No one has any other or better ideas for stabilizing Syria. 
Now.
If the United Nations wants a power sharing government that will INSURE the lives of all the ethnic diversity, there first has to be a stabilizing force and it would seem that is coming from Russia. The USA and Europe is unable commit to any military oppression because they don't want that for the people. So, when Russia stabilizes Syria with the leadership of Assad, then there can begin governments set up among local villages and then at a province level and then ultimately at a national sharing government structure. That is the only way it is going to happen. Today, Syria's future is precarious because The West can't seem to see the forest for the trees.
Then.
There is also Turkey. But, I am not going to discuss Turkey. Not right now.
Hopefully the year 2016 will result in movement to end Daesh in Syria and the country can begin to realize what it has been through under a false prophet and begin to come to the realization the future lies in the a power sharing government that brings peace to them.
End.
The good news for the USA for 2016 is that we no longer allow simpletons to lead the USA so we can all practice "Let's Pretend."

Please. Americans aren't thinking about strong storms this time of year. Help them to do so.

This tree was not toppled. It was pulled up from it's roots and dropped. The damage done to the home is significant because there as not just 'some' weight of the tree, it was dropped with velocity and weight acting on the structure.

It isn't a minor system. 

The heat is coming from the southern hemisphere, not simply the equator. It is billowing up across Indonesia just south of China. (in the left upper corner). 

 














The water vapor then carries the heat east across the Pacific Ocean.




 






Then into the arctic oscillation. The water vapor is dense once it starts to condense with colder air. There is heat transfer and the velocity increases. (click here) The mixing is rather incredible after that is rather incredible as it enters the continent.

The seven year old died when the car he was riding in was tossed by the tornado.