A far north as Iowa.

May 26, 2016
6:35 PM
Wind map (click here)

May 26, 2016
By Tribune staff

Power was full (click here) restored by mid-morning to more than 1,100 electric customers who lost service as strong storms rolled over the county overnight..

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued around 3:30 a.m. with wind gusts topping 60 mph in some areas.

There was a report of a tree toppled along Story County S-14 near Nevada, and tree limbs down near Zearing. Otherwise, no damage had been reported, according to Story County officials and officials with the National Weather Service in Des Moines.

Only a few customers in Ames had lost power, but more than 1,100 in surrounding areas and communities lost power as the storms moved through.

More storms are possible later today and tonight.

Current Temperature Map US (click here)
May 26, 2016
6:00 PM

In the water vapor satellite below it is easy to tell where the heat is; under the densest area of greenhouse gases. The water vapor is not consolidating anywhere else in the northwest hemisphere of Earth. There is some in the ICTZ where it belongs.

May 26, 2016
2230.19z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of north and west hemisphere (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)

The water vapor is not consolidating in the west where the troposphere is cooler.

The wind chill map also shows even greater differences in temperatures in the west USA.

The west has wind chill temperatures in the 50s while the midwest and east are in the 90s. That is 40 degrees Fahrenheit difference. That is dangerous.

This is probably the beginnings of the current system.

May 22, 2016
2230.14z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of north and west hemisphere.

There was talk at this point about a developing hurricane. That didn't happen. The tornadoes are the result of a dry troposphere. If the water vapor content was NORMAL there would have been a hurricane rather than tornadoes.

In today's satellite (third from the top) there is a hint of a potential hurricane in the Atlantic, but, far off shore. There is a persistent consolidation of water vapor in the Atlantic at this location regardless of the wind otherwise. There is a better than 50% chance that as tornadoes and severe storms erupt over night, that water vapor consolidation will be gone by tomorrow. If the storms and tornadoes are weak tonight, there is a better chance the water vapor consolidation will be greater and increase the chance of a hurricane in the Atlantic. With 40 degree Fahrenheit difference, there should be significant turbulence where the water vapor has gathered over the USA.

Hurricanes and tornadoes dissipate heat.

"Phantom Menace"

May 26, 2016

By Lena H. Sun and Brady Dennis

For the first time, (click here) researchers have found a person in the United States carrying bacteria resistant to antibiotics of last resort, an alarming development that the top U.S. public health official says could signal "the end of the road" for antibiotics.

The antibiotic-resistant strain was found last month in the urine of a 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman. Defense Department researchers determined that she carried a strain of E. coli resistant to the antibiotic colistin, according to a study published Thursday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology. The authors wrote that the discovery "heralds the emergence of a truly pan-drug resistant bacteria."...

One of the descriptions of this patient is that she was never outside the USA. Was someone she knows outside the USA? It is an important question; either she contacted someone who had been outside the USA or she somehow spawned this bacteria or it is in the community somewhere.

Escherichia coli Harboring mcr-1 and blaCTX-M (click here) on a Novel IncF Plasmid: First report of 2 mcr-1 in the USA 

E. coli (click here) is found in the human bowel. It is a bacteria that lives in the human intestine.

Patients that have contracted this bacteria needs to be asked if they were talking any "Probiotic" product.

The energy message from Donald Trump is no different than any other Republican. I've heard it all before. No complexity, all rhetoric, all cronies and the one place he plans for more jobs for decades.

Donald Trump is compromising his self-funding ideology by mimicking past Republican candidates who were bought and sold by Wall Street. There is nothing innovative in his speech. It is disappointing and lacks real revolution.

Times have changed. Vehicles without exception are mechanically different and primarily dependent on computer to operate it's fuel system. Even diesel engines are different following the EPA ruling under former Secretary Christi Whitman.

In the past if a car regularly used premium gasoline there would be 'engine knock' if lower octane. There are dearly few cars on the American road that actually have engines requiring such high octane.

Edmunds (click here) has a miles per gallon calculator for every passenger vehicle on the road.

Fuel costs are still important to Americans. There are a few V8 engines on the market for 2016, but, they are found in high end cars and trucks. The American car and truck manufacturers have had a 'can do' philosophy to find good answers for fuel efficiency.

May 26, 2016
By Gene Peterson

Premium gas sounds (click here) like it’s something special, but it actually translates into paying extra for a higher octane without a performance or fuel economy benefit for many cars.
That's what we found after running tests at our 327-acre track.
While some cars require premium gas, many others simply carry a recommendation to use it. We wanted to see whether you can save money by using regular gas in cars that merely carry the recommended premium fuel label....
...So it's okay to use regular even if the manufacturer recommends using premium gas. But check your car owner’s manual before making the switch, and remember that some automakers say premium is required.
Wondering about the long-term effects of switching to regular fuel? Here's what we know: In conversations with manufacturers, never was there a connection made with using premium fuel for reliability reasons. The manufacturers only talk about higher octane in terms of performance.
What's more, in the Acura owner's manual, Acura only recommends using "top-tier detergent gasoline"—which can be of any octane grade, regular or premium—for performance and reliability reasons. But there is nothing in the manual that equates premium gas with improved reliability.
That said, if you make the switch and think your car is performing sluggishly, or you hear knocking or pinging, go back to premium fuel.
Beyond these test findings, it is key to note our car reliability data consistently show that the most dependable cars tend to be those running on regular fuel....

The fourth round of the National Spelling Bee proves spelling alone is not victorious. A participant has to prove language use is as important.

May 26, 2016
By Michael Collins

National Harbor, Md. – Erin Howard of Huntsville, Ala., (click here) was the first speller to compete in Round 4 of the Scripps Nationaol Spelling Bee on Thursday --- and the first to fall.
The 11-year-old misspelled “Cheltenham,” which refers to a large family of printing types, at the 89th annual bee. Erin spelled it “Chelotnam.”
The bee opened Tuesday with 284 contestants, but only 45 went on to compete on Thursday.
Although 171 spellers were error-free in their on-stage performance Wednesday, many didn't do well enough to advance to Thursday's rounds because of their score on a written test taken Tuesday....

Snyder is tampering with evidence and Michigan AG Schuette now states his investigation is compromised. Where is the federal AG?

Initially, Governor Snyder was asked to resign. There are obvious reasons why he has not and it includes grooming the evidence to his best outcome. The Michigan legislature needs to consider impeachment of the Governor, especially with this new evidence to Snyder's compromise of the AG's investigation.

May 26, 2016
By Chad Livingwood 

Lansing — Attorney General Bill Schuette (click here) on Thursday called on Gov. Rick Snyder to halt administrative investigations related to the Flint water crisis, saying they “have compromised” his ongoing criminal probe of government agencies.

The Republican governor suspended the one probe he controls, a spokeswoman said, but could only ask Auditor General Doug Ringler to halt his investigation because he is an appointee of the Legislature.

Schuette and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton sent Snyder a cease-and-desist letter asking the governor to stop the investigation of the state Auditor General and the inspector general into the Department of Health and Human Services. They also requested Snyder halt an already complete Michigan State Police investigation of the Department of Environmental Quality’s role in Flint’s lead-tainted water crisis....

26 May 2016
By Ted Roelofs

Backers of a measure (click here) to open the executive branch and Legislature to greater public disclosure had to be heartened by its unanimous approval last week by a House committee.

But whether the 10-bill package to extend Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act to the governor’s office and Lansing legislators has a shot at becoming law this year seems less than a sure bet.

GOP House Speaker Kevin Cotter and Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof continue to show caution about the legislation – and there is reason to believe passage in the GOP-dominated Senate, in particular, could be especially problematic.

Asked about the bills, Meekhof spokesperson Amber McCann stated: “The majority leader has previously stated that the senate already makes available information related to the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. Furthermore, legislative debate and the committee process are available for citizens to watch and participate.”

In March, McCann told the Detroit Free Press Meekhof was “not enthusiastic” about the measure.

With the GOP holding a 27-10 margin in the Senate, and apparently without Meekhof’s backing, supporters may have trouble finding a majority in that chamber. Thus far, just two GOP senators have endorsed the plan....

...Jane Briggs-Bunting, president of the Michigan Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit comprised of journalist groups and government watchdogs, said she remains hopeful the FOIA expansion bills will pass, noting that the House bill in particular had unusual bipartisan support....

Michigan public disclosure is the worst in the USA.

November 9, 2015
By Chad Selweski

"Michigan gets F grade in 2015 State Integrity Investigation" (click here)

The Center for Public Integrity's methodology (click here)

The Michigan power structure is completely cut off from public knowledge and is ranked 50th in the country. The money taxpayers provide to the state is open to requests of the public. That is a good, but, without access to the power structure the monies can be misused anyway.

The internal auditing process has some public disclosure. If the power structure has the right to be removed from public scrutiny the availability of that information can be removed from the auditing process disclosure as well. The answers to how the auditing process proceeds would be found within the rules of the department. I wonder if the rules of the auditing process is disclosed on request.

The bottom line is that Michigan's current governor has committed an egregious act against the citizens of Flint and his documents are completely out of the reach of any public disclosure. Snyder can be as protective of his records as he wants.

There is also a movement in the USA to discovery of lead in the public water systems. I think that is a great and overdue. However, kindly remember, the Flint circumstances is unique and willful. 

Donald Trump has widespread appeal.

/ WedReuters nesday, May 25, 2016

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrive before Trump speaks at a campaign event in Anaheim, California May 25, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake

The T-shirt states "Chinese Americans love TRUMP."

Donald Trump has been outspoken regarding China. There is an ethnic undertone to the candidacy. It is rather interesting how people have fallen into line with Donald Trump in the face of stringent criticism inside the Republican Party.

How does that happen? One day the Republicans are up in arms about Trump's nominee and the next day there are endorsements and fund raising. What gives?

May 25, 2016
By Sam Frizell

...Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana  (click here) became the latest member of Congress to endorse Donald Trump on Wednesday, adding to the presumptive Republican nominee’s support as he prepares for the general election.

“Today I’m endorsing and supporting Donald J. Trump for President of the United States of America,” Zinke said in a statement. “We need a businessman who will not accept Washington’s business as usual. America is going broke while Washington, D.C., booms.”...

The G7 consensus on the South China Sea is a good beginning to prevent border encroachment.

This debate is best resolved within the United Nations. There are two agencies that hold standards of ocean borders.

IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) (click here)

The IMO International Maritime Law Institute was established under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization, a specialised agency of the United Nations.

The Institute is an international centre for the training of specialists in maritime law. It also contributes to the development and dissemination of knowledge and expertise in international maritime law, with special reference to the international regulations and procedures for safety and efficiency of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution....

and

United Nation's Law of the Sea (click here)

On the first day of talks, (l to r) Italian PM Matteo Renzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Barack Obama, Japan's PM Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande, David Cameron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took part in a tree-planting ceremony. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (far right) also participated in the event at Ise-Jingu shrine in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture

May 26, 2016
By Thomas Wilson and Kiyoshi Takenaka

Group of Seven (G7) leaders agreed (click here) on Thursday on the need to send a strong message on maritime claims in the western Pacific, where an increasingly assertive China is locked in territorial disputes with Japan and several Southeast Asian nations.
The agreement prompted a sharp rejoinder from China, which is not in the G7 club but whose rise as a power has put it at the heart of some discussions at the advanced nations' summit in Ise-Shima, central Japan.
"Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe led discussion on the current situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Other G7 leaders said it is necessary for G7 to issue a clear signal," Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko told reporters after a session on foreign policy affairs....

Australia is surrounded by oceans. In 2013 it started a new law entitled "Operation Sovereign Borders." (click here) The issue of maritime borders is important to most of the global community.

This picture is a rescue at sea of refugees within the oceans surrounding Australia. Australia wanted to create a law that would include the standards regarding refugees. The refugees were carrying drugs on more than a few occasions. The incursion of such refugees was a legal concern when they crossed into criminal activities. Those that transported drugs were smugglers and not refugees. A consistent law was necessary.

Congratulations, Mr. Trump. A historic campaign.

The magic number of 1238. 

My concern about the report by the Inspector General and the regulations leading up to it has nothing to do with a Democratic nominee for the Presidency. I think Senator Sanders is a great man and highly qualified to lead the USA. I have seen an article that he and Mr. Trump are going to debate. It should be more than interesting.

Secretary Clinton has been a dedicated servant to the USA in many capacities all her life. She deserves every consideration to all these issues and all others she has shown exceptional patience with. I thank her for her dedication to public service, the country is a better place for it.

And not to slight Donald Trump, but, Donald will be Donald. There isn't anything else to say about Donald. He doesn't need anyone to tell him a thing. He seems to have his own encyclopedia of events.

This entire issue of records got kind of sticky in 2014. But, there was also Executive Order 13233.

Executive Order 13233 was signed on November 1, 2001 by George W. Bush. 

By the authority vested in me (click here) as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish policies and procedures implementing section 2204 of title 44 of the United States Code with respect to constitutionally based privileges, including those that apply to Presidential records reflecting military, diplomatic, or national security secrets, Presidential communications, legal advice, legal work, or the deliberative processes of the President and the President's advisors, and to do so in a manner consistent with the Supreme Court's decisions in Nixon v. Administrator of General Services, 433 U.S. 425 (1977), and other cases, it is hereby... 

That Executive Order defined clearly the Cabinet advisers are in the Executive Branch under the President's Control. I sincerely believe the State Department Inspector General was applying the wrong law in his interpretation of how the former Secretary's records were handled.

President Obama wrote a sunshine law when he first came into office, but, it was to remove the power of the former President's to prevent disclosure of Presidential Records. President Obama changed the part of Executive Order 13233 in regard to the power of former Presidents.

Executive Order 13489 of January 21, 2009 (click here)

Sec. 2. Notice of Intent to Disclose Presidential Records. (a) When the Archivist provides notice to the incumbent and former Presidents of his intent to disclose Presidential records pursuant to section 1270.46 of the NARA regulations, the Archivist, using any guidelines provided by the incumbent and former Presidents, shall identify any specific materials, the disclosure of which he believes may raise a substantial question of executive privilege. However, nothing in this order is intended to affect the right of the incumbent or former Presidents to invoke executive privilege with respect to materials not identified by the Archivist. Copies of the notice for the incumbent President shall be delivered to the President (through the Counsel to the President) and the Attorney General (through the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel). The copy of the notice for the former President shall be delivered to the former President or his designated representative....

In 2011, President Obama wrote an interagency memo regarding transparency. It was dated November 28, 2011. It provided specific times to provide information to the archival department for government records.

Sec. 2.  Agency Commitments to Records Management Reform.  (a)  The head of each agency shall: (click here)

 (i)    ensure that the successful implementation of records management requirements in law, regulation, and this memorandum is a priority for senior agency management;

 (ii)   ensure that proper resources are allocated to the effective implementation of such requirements; and

 (iii)  within 30 days of the date of this memorandum, designate in writing to the Archivist of the United States (Archivist), a senior agency official to supervise the review required by subsection (b) of this section, in coordination with the agency's  Records Officer, Chief Information Officer, and General Counsel.

(b)  Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, each agency head shall submit a report to the Archivist and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that:...

...Sec. 3.  Records Management Directive.  (a)  Within 120 days of the deadline for reports submitted pursuant to section 2(b) of this memorandum, the Director of OMB and the Archivist, in coordination with the Associate Attorney General, shall issue a Records Management Directive that directs agency heads to take specific steps to reform and improve records management policies and practices within their agency.  The directive shall focus on:...

There are only 365 days in a year. This memorandum allows 270 days to meet the requirements that President Obama set down. That means all these new initiatives were being complied and were to come into compliance about the time President Obama was naming a new Secretary of State to replace Secretary Clinton. 

There is just no way former Secretary Clinton falls into any judgement regarding the timeline of her submissions from her private server. There is too much going on here to ever expect anyone, including the Inspector General of the State Department, to come to a decision about the records within the State Department. I'm sorry, but, for all the Executive Orders and Memos and Congressional authority imposing itself on the Executive Branch, the RULES TO FOLLOW were extremely uncertain.

In 2014,  the Legislative Branch muddied up the definition of "separation of powers."

Congress passed this law:

The House voted Tuesday (click here) to pass two non-controversial bills dealing with expanding funding for audits at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and modernizing the process for accessing presidential records.

In a 418-0 vote, members passed the OPM IG Act, H.R. 2860. This bill lets OPM's Inspector General use a portion of a revolving fund, which can be used to fund training and other programs, to pay for audits and other investigatory work at OPM.

And in a 420-0 vote, the House passed the Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments, H.R. 1233. This bill would update rules for securing presidential documents to reflect the latest technology, and sets up a formal appeal process for presidents who object to the release of records....

I think the law is unconstitutional where it applies to the Executive Branch. The underlying authority lies with the Presidential Records Act and has been acted on by Presidents (nearly every one of them) when they feel their power was infringed upon. Then Congress comes up with a joint law.

I realize this seems like trivial pursuit for a President, in this case President Obama, but, I do believe it is his responsibility to test the legislation for separation of powers. The 2014 law does not effect Secretary Clinton, but, that isn't the point.

I think the Clinton campaign has tried to bring the email issues into context for the public, but, the facts regarding the handling of the electronic records of the White House is clear as mud.

I sincerely challenge the efficacy of the Inspector General's report (click here).

I also believe it is high time the FBI report to the public with upcoming party conventions. The FBI said May, it is nearly the end of May. 

The Inspector General of the State Department may have assessed the emails under the wrong law.

The President's Cabinet may be governed by "The Presidential Records Act of 1978." 

This is a blog post (click here) about it, but, the law itself is very different from "The Federal Records Act."

Presidential documents (click here) are historical resources that capture each incumbent’s conduct in presidential office. Pursuant to the Presidential Records Act ((PRA) 44 U.S.C. §§2201-2207), the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) collects most records of Presidents and Vice Presidents at the end of each Administration. They are then disclosed to the public—unless the Archivist of the United States, the incumbent President, or the appropriate former President requests the records be kept private....

The records of the cabinet offices will intersect with the PRA (Presidential Records Act). The law that protects the President's records would override any other legal statute of the government.

The PRA is very clear in it's definition, his cabinet is part of the Executive Branch that advises the President among it's other duties. I am fairly certain the PRA comes to bear with any cabinet Secretary communications.

Not to say the cabinet doesn't keep their own records to function, but, as to emails that is part of the Executive Branch and not the Legislative Branch. President Obama amended the law, too.

Additionally, I think it is questionable as to whether the Legislative Branch can constitutionally order the handling of documents of the Executive Branch, hence the SEPARATE laws.

The actual law of the PRA is clear. (click here)

As used in this chapter--

(1) The term "documentary material" means all books, correspondence, memoranda, documents, papers, pamphlets, works of art, models, pictures, photographs, plats, maps, films, and motion pictures, including, but not limited to, audio and visual records, or other electronic or mechanical recordations, whether in analog, digital, or any other form.

(2) The term "Presidential records" means documentary materials, or any reasonably segregable portion thereof, created or received by the President, the President’s immediate staff, or a unit or individual of the Executive Office of the President whose function is to advise or assist the President, in the course of conducting activities which relate to or have an effect upon the carrying out of the constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties of the President. Such term--...