February 12, 2019
By Julie Thatcher

Yakima -- Farmers have been devastated across the Yakima Valley in Washington state, (click here) as strong winds of up to 80 miles per hour, and cold conditions have killed about 1,600 cows according to the Yakima Valley Dairy Farmers Association.

Yakima Valley Dairy Farmers are continuing to prepare as more snow is expected to hit the Valley, they're adding extra bedding to insulate areas for cows to lay in, adding extra feed, and thawing water troughs with hot water.

“Without our employees, there’s no way we, or our cows could survive this storm,” Alyssa Haak , a dairy farmer in Prosser said. “To shield our cows from the wind we stacked straw bales to create a windbreak for our cows. I give a lot of credit to our milk truck drivers, too. Without their bravery, we wouldn’t be able to get our milk off the farm.”

Another farmer in Grandview says he’s been working around the clock to make sure his cows are being protected from the elements....

There are approximately 480 dairy farms (click here) and 262,000 dairy cows in Washington (2012). The average herd size is 546 cows per farm. Washington was the only state to add new dairy farms (10) in 2012.

Washington ranks 10th in total milk production among the 50 United States (2012). Total milk production exceeded 6,243,000,000 pounds or over 723,201,000 gallons (2012), an increase of 1.1% from 2011 production levels.

Washington ranks 4 th in milk production per cow in the 50 United States (2012). The average Washington cow produced 23,794 pounds (or 2,760 gallons) of milk in 2012. The U.S. national average production per cow was 21,697 pounds (or 2,517 gallons) in 2012.

Dairy foods constitute the 2nd largest agricultural commodity produced in Washington, with farm-gate production valued at $1.28 billion. Processing and indirect economic effects boost the total value of dairy farming to Washington’s economy to an estimated $5.2 billion (2013)....

The frigid air mass doesn't look as though it is going to end soon.

There are all kinds of winter warning and advisory alerts for the northwest.

Western US Water Vapor Loop (click here)

There is another cold air mass right behind this one. Oddly enough, the temperatures over the Arctic Ocean is at least 4 degrees warmer than normal.'

Meteostar Northern Hemisphere 
Satellite (click here for 15 hour loop - thank you)
February 12, 2019
0900

The fact the Arctic Ocean air temperature is at least 4 C higher means the ice is subliming and rapidly becoming water vapor. The coldness leaving the Arctic Ocean within the water vapor is causing the current weather over the NW USA.

Why is the Arctic Ocean air temperature warmer? Because if one looks to the equator and then follows the water vapor HEAT TRANSFER CLOUDS to the east coast USA while continuing the path to the Arctic Circle; it is clear hot tropical air is currently melting whatever ice is there.

As the hot air rises over the Arctic Ocean it occupies the narrower tropospheric space above the ocean waters. That movement of warm water to the Arctic causes colder air masses (cold air is heavier than warm air) into a movement to lower latitudes. Hence, very cold air over the Northwest USA.

The turbulence (high wind) and deep snow are caused by the mixing of tropical air coming up from the equator to the west coast USA and the cold air masses forced to lower latitudes from the Arctic.

The heat transfer systems have been at work exactly like this since 2002 when the first northern vortexes appeared.

Voters should write their Senators and House member to express the reasons they believe this new idea is important.

The CBO should come up with some figures about "The Green New Deal."

It would be helpful and could shape the outcome. It isn't as though the changes will effect the budget the US House oversees.

The CBO has already looked at pricing out greenhouse gas emissions.

The idea of taxing GHGs is part of an idea to lower the deficit by the CBO. (click here)

December 14, 2018
By Nick Sobczyk

A price (click here) on greenhouse gas emissions would be one of the most effective ways to address the ballooning U.S. budget deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

That's just one of a slew of options considered in CBO's "Options for Reducing the Deficit: 2019 to 2028" report, released yesterday.

Imposing a $25-per-metric-ton tax on greenhouse gas emissions would provide $1.099 trillion in revenue from 2019 through 2028, according to the report. CBO has long examined carbon pricing as one of the options for addressing the deficit and raising revenue.

Though U.S. emissions are already on a downward trend, the most recent CBO report suggests a tax would help accelerate that decline by accounting for the environmental costs of greenhouse gases across the economy.

"An argument in favor of this option is that it would reduce U.S. emission of greenhouse gases and would do so in a cost-effective way," the report says. "In particular, the tax would reduce emissions in a more cost-effective manner than regulations because such a tax would create uniform incentives for businesses and households throughout the economy to reduce their emissions."...

Making campaign reform an ethics violation won’t work. Whoever opposes the candidate would not have the same limits.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is a very important person if she can close the gap on peace in the Middle East.

Donald Trump has no right to ask anyone for their resignation, because, it is always laced with incredible political bias.

As an apology to AIPAC, Congresswomen Ilhan Omar of Minnesota should offer to speak to the organization and bring solace to them.

Dating back (click here) to four thousand years, Judaism is one of the oldest religions on earth. It began as early as the 8th century BCE from the ancient land of eastern Canaan, now known as Israel-Palestine. Slowly but steadily Judaism became the main religion of Hebrews, who now forms the state of Israel....

AIPAC has had its own scandals. There is room for growth for all parties involved.

This generation of young Congresswomen and men have high ideals and sometimes don't make the connection between activism and lobbying. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar would be well served by composing a speech that includes the history of the Jewish people and the history and necessity of any Jewish organization to the survival of Judaism and their people.

Lobbying can be very corrupt. I complain all the time about the petroleum industry and it's incredible damages to the natural world and our environment including greenhouse gases. There is a good side to lobbying. There are issues that face this country, health issues are huge, and there are lobbyists in Washington, DC for major organizations promoting the better of the American landscape.

AIPAC is a strong organization and it provides comfort to an entire ethnicity of the USA. Every American is important, but, Anti-Semitism still lives among Americans. As long as Anti-Semitism lives in the USA there is a need for all the Jewish organizations that seek to close the gap between those that hate and those that want to end it.

Lobbyists can be effective in informing members of Congress. They can bring insight to bills that result in changes that benefit the country. The SNEAKY stuff that is based in corruption has to end as well. It falls into the category of ethics and sometimes the Rule of Law. The USA Congress should never legislate anything that is illegal and certainly not anything that is unconstitutional, but, that is why USA courts are the third aspect of a government that demands checks and balances.

Lobbying for the sake of fairness is not evil until there are grievances that have been created by Lobbyists. This is a problem in Congress for a long time. If I recall many Congress members spend less time legislating and more time on the telephone to raise monies for a campaign. Here again, there is a real need for campaign reform. The late Senator John McCain understood the need for campaign reform.

Campaign reform is what Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was actually frustrated with when she focused on AIPAC's donations to Congresspersons. Since the Supreme Court has seen it clear to allow enormous amounts of money to be spent on elections, I believe the real change will have to come from within the Congress itself in the way of RULES. There is no reason why the US Senate and US House can't restrict the monies accepted for elections. There is no reason why there can't be restrictions on TELEPHONE TIME seeking campaign donations. While some Congresspersons will laugh at ethic violations, they can be made part of a campaign to remove cheaters from the government.

But, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has apoligized. That should suffice for a new member to Congress. I am sure she has reflected on her words and understands how it hurt some Americans. I am sure she will prove to be a wonderful person that will lead efforts toward peace in the MIddle East. Perhaps Speaker Pelosi can help direct her to peers interested in her goals as a Congresswomen. 

I hope AIPAC will accept her apology and find a way to bring her to speak to the very people she injured with words. It would be best for her to place names and faces to her words. She obviously has not had experience with the organizations that promote the well being of the Jewish people. I would think AIPAC rejects the idea of making her a victim so much as a woman forgiven for her lack of insight.

Thank you. Protecting the land of this great country is important. Very important.

February 12, 2019
By Anna Staver

Smith River of Montana

A package of more than 100 bills (click here) that would increase conservation and access to the outdoors nationwide passed the U.S. Senate Tuesday 92 to 8.

Senate Bill 47, which now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives, is the culmination of years of negotiations in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which includes Colorado’s Republican Sen. Cory Gardner.

The package includes nine Colorado-specific bills and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The LWCF collects money from offshore oil and gas drilling and spends it on projects that improve outdoor recreation. Its authorization expired in September.

“After four years of working on this issue, the Senate was finally able to permanently reauthorize the crown jewel of conservation programs …,” Gardner said in a statement. “The program has a direct impact on public lands in Colorado and will be used to protect our state’s natural beauty for future generations.”

One of the big things LWCF has done for Colorado is buy private lands that abut or block access to public lands. Gardner said during a floor speech before Tuesday’s vote that Colorado has about 250,000 acres of public lands that people still can’t access....

Trump Voters FREAK OUT After Realizing They Aren’t Getting Tax Cuts

Teachers no longer can write off the monies they spend on classroom supplies.

Let's hope Trump doesn't reform his tax reform bill, it will cost the Middle Class even more.

February 12, 2019

New York - Jurors have reached a verdict (click here) in the trial of Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Guzman has been found Guilty on all 10 charges.

The verdict reached on the sixth day of jury deliberations could put the 61-year-old behind bars for the rest of his life in a high-security U.S. prison selected to thwart another one of the escapes that embarrassed his native country.

Guzman broke out of Mexican prisons twice before he was finally recaptured and extradited to the U.S. in 2017.

Federal prosecutors put on more than 50 witnesses over three months detailing how Guzman's Sinaloa cartel amassed billions of dollars importing tons of cocaine, heroin, meth and marijuana into the U.S.

Witnessed detailed assassinations and political payoffs, and how drugs were smuggled using tanker trucks, rail cars and even shipments of canned peppers.