There is nothing saying Mr. Trump is not receiving some sort of intelligence. The question is where and by whom is his intelligence compiled?
December 12, 2016
By Gregory Korte
Washington — Donald Trump's (click here) reluctance to receive daily intelligence briefings — and his blunt rejection of the CIA's assessment of Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election — suggest a rocky start to the president-elect's relationship with intelligence agencies.
Since the election, Trump has received the President's Daily Briefing only four times, amid meetings with potential Cabinet secretaries and other transition business. And on Sunday, the president-elect suggested that the rate of briefings won't change once he's sworn in next month.
"I get it when I need it," Trump told Fox News Sunday. "I'm a smart person. I don't have to be told the same thing in the same words every single day for the next eight years."...
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Climate science is multidisciplinary and always has been.
The space program of the USA cannot function without understanding Earth's condition.
Earth’s ice is changing, (click here) from mountain glaciers to ice sheets to ice shelves. For the most part, land-based ice has been shrinking, and the very definition of a “glacial pace” has changed within our lifetimes. Now researchers have the tools to see those changes every few weeks and at scales as small as 5 meters (16 feet).
Earth’s ice is changing, (click here) from mountain glaciers to ice sheets to ice shelves. For the most part, land-based ice has been shrinking, and the very definition of a “glacial pace” has changed within our lifetimes. Now researchers have the tools to see those changes every few weeks and at scales as small as 5 meters (16 feet).
Using freely available data from the Landsat 8 satellite, scientists are working to provide a near-real-time view of every large glacier and ice sheet on Earth. A group of scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the University of Alaska–Fairbanks, the University of Bristol, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have started the Global Land Ice Velocity Extraction project (GoLIVE), a NASA-funded effort to better understand how ice flow is changing worldwide.
“We are now able to map how the skin of the ice is moving,” said Ted Scambos, senior research scientist at NSIDC and lead for the GoLIVE project. “From now on, we’re going to be able to track all of the different types of changes in glaciers. There’s so much science to extract from the data.” The effort was described at the 2016 fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union....
Here come the Neocon morons; war is associated with their morals. Killing innocent people in the process is just a side effect.
There was nothing to be done. Turkey was right there and did nothing until recently when Russia decided they could be allies regarding Syria.
December 14, 2016
By Brian Flood
“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough (click here) blasted President Barack Obama over the Syria uprising on Wednesday morning, saying he was “frozen and did nothing.”
December 14, 2016
By Brian Flood
“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough (click here) blasted President Barack Obama over the Syria uprising on Wednesday morning, saying he was “frozen and did nothing.”
Hundreds of thousands have been killed by the Syrian authoritarian forces as president Bashar al-Assad seeks to regain complete control, but million of people have been displaced from their homes in the process.
Obama once made a “red line” threat to intervene if chemical weapons were used, but they were used and he didn’t act. Scarborough called out the president by saying, “At the end of the day, we did nothing.”...
The idea the USA could have prevented deaths in Syria means the USA would be successful in defeating Russia and Assad. It wasn't going to happen. The USA had no right to fly over Syria. There was no plan that would have prevented deaths by USA bombs.
Syria has been in the grips of a civil war. The USA does not belong in civil wars. If the USA engages in civil war, it has to choose one side over the other. When that occurs it becomes a proxy war with Russia. Proxy wars never end. There is no reason for a proxy war to end. The assets are ample between the USA and Russia. I would think the USA learned it's lesson in Vietnam, when China was the ally of North Vietnam. It was proxy war with China.
Russian Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft take off from the Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, Syria on March 16, 2016.
October 28, 2016
By Thomas Walkins
Neocons are amoral. They propagandize high minded ideas such as democracy and freedom, but, they advocate war to achieve it. That doesn't seem very free or democratic to me.
Civil wars have consequences.
I do not believe Russia is invested in Assad. I do believe Russia is willing to work with the existing power structures that happen to be Assad. Russia believes in stable states. Assad is the only available power to bring about stability. What is so hard about this? It is not that complicated.
Oh, let me guess, the people of Aleppo should be inspired and planting USA flags. Who is delusional now?
The idea the USA could have prevented deaths in Syria means the USA would be successful in defeating Russia and Assad. It wasn't going to happen. The USA had no right to fly over Syria. There was no plan that would have prevented deaths by USA bombs.
Syria has been in the grips of a civil war. The USA does not belong in civil wars. If the USA engages in civil war, it has to choose one side over the other. When that occurs it becomes a proxy war with Russia. Proxy wars never end. There is no reason for a proxy war to end. The assets are ample between the USA and Russia. I would think the USA learned it's lesson in Vietnam, when China was the ally of North Vietnam. It was proxy war with China.
Russian Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft take off from the Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, Syria on March 16, 2016.October 28, 2016
By Thomas Walkins
Aboard a US military aircraft (AFP) - (click here) A Russian fighter flew dangerously close to a US warplane over eastern Syria, US defence officials said Friday, highlighting the risks of a serious mishap in the increasingly crowded airspace.
The "near miss" occurred late on October 17, when a Russian jet that was escorting a larger spy plane manoeuvred near an American warplane, Air Force Lieutenant General Jeff Harrigian said.
The Russian jet came to "inside of half a mile" of the US jet, he added.
Another US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the American pilot was buffeted by the turbulence from the Russian jet's engines.
"It was close enough you could feel the jet wash of the plane passing by," the official said....
Civil wars have consequences.
I do not believe Russia is invested in Assad. I do believe Russia is willing to work with the existing power structures that happen to be Assad. Russia believes in stable states. Assad is the only available power to bring about stability. What is so hard about this? It is not that complicated.
Oh, let me guess, the people of Aleppo should be inspired and planting USA flags. Who is delusional now?
There is no such thing as a secure internet. Stop using it as if it is your best friend. It isn't and never was.
December 14, 2016
By Elizabeth Weise
San Francisco — Yahoo late Wednesday (click here) disclosed a breach that took place in August 2013 that may have resulted in the theft of data associated with more than one billion user accounts.
This new, 1-billion-account breach is separate from a 500-million-account breach the company disclosed in September. At the time, the 500-million-account breach was believed to be the largest on record. Yahoo shares fell 2% after hours.
The new revelation comes at a time when cybercrime issues loom large as never before.
The CIA has accused Russia of specifically attempting to tamper with the U.S. election via hacked emails, ransomware hit the nation's seventh largest transit system, in San Francisco and a monster botnet of hijacked devices took down much of the East Coast's Internet traffic for a day in October....
By Elizabeth Weise
San Francisco — Yahoo late Wednesday (click here) disclosed a breach that took place in August 2013 that may have resulted in the theft of data associated with more than one billion user accounts.
This new, 1-billion-account breach is separate from a 500-million-account breach the company disclosed in September. At the time, the 500-million-account breach was believed to be the largest on record. Yahoo shares fell 2% after hours.
The new revelation comes at a time when cybercrime issues loom large as never before.
The CIA has accused Russia of specifically attempting to tamper with the U.S. election via hacked emails, ransomware hit the nation's seventh largest transit system, in San Francisco and a monster botnet of hijacked devices took down much of the East Coast's Internet traffic for a day in October....
This is radicalism. Russia will never attack China alone or with us.
This is pathetic. There is no political basis for a relationship between Russia and the USA, it is all about exploiting natural resources. Exploiting natural resources is the only economy the Republicans know besides pandering to Wall Street and billionaire families such as the Kochs and Waltons.
Rep. Rohrabacher justifies Russian alliance with USA in attempt to present himself for Secretary of State. Amazing.
Global news media doesn't know what to make of it all. It has nothing to do with peace, it is about money. The pressure still exists on countries that Russia currently covets but does not govern. People are dying today because of Russian priorities, including Ukraine. There is no rolling back any Russian aggression in the world. What is left for The West to do, with a weak and subservient USA president as an ally, is prepare for the worst.
Meet three of the men (click here) likely to be working at the top of US President-elect Donald Trump's administration- all of whom have affiliations with Russia.
Rep. Rohrabacher justifies Russian alliance with USA in attempt to present himself for Secretary of State. Amazing.
Global news media doesn't know what to make of it all. It has nothing to do with peace, it is about money. The pressure still exists on countries that Russia currently covets but does not govern. People are dying today because of Russian priorities, including Ukraine. There is no rolling back any Russian aggression in the world. What is left for The West to do, with a weak and subservient USA president as an ally, is prepare for the worst.
Meet three of the men (click here) likely to be working at the top of US President-elect Donald Trump's administration- all of whom have affiliations with Russia.
Medicare is not a free program. There is no charge for Part A that covers hospitalization. Part B costs senior citizens $104.00 per month.
Part B alone is $1248.00 annually out of a Social Security check that is fixed to it's value.
Add to that $104.00 per month the cost of either Part D or a supplemental that can cost significant amounts of money.
Part D was effected by the ACA and reduced subscription fees to about 25 percent of the cost before the ACA.
A Medicare supplemental can cost anywhere from $70 to $250. Add the costs of Part D and/or a supplemental and the cost per month for Medicare healthcare rises to $354.00 per month. That is an annual bill of $4248.00. PLUS deductibles that can be as high as $50.00 per office specialist visit and pharmacy deductibles of $300 per year and overall deductibles to $7000 per year. The higher the deductibles the lower the monthly subscription costs. That is not peanuts.
Among the people complaining about health care costs dearly few are senior citizens.
Part B alone is $1248.00 annually out of a Social Security check that is fixed to it's value.
Add to that $104.00 per month the cost of either Part D or a supplemental that can cost significant amounts of money.
Part D was effected by the ACA and reduced subscription fees to about 25 percent of the cost before the ACA.
A Medicare supplemental can cost anywhere from $70 to $250. Add the costs of Part D and/or a supplemental and the cost per month for Medicare healthcare rises to $354.00 per month. That is an annual bill of $4248.00. PLUS deductibles that can be as high as $50.00 per office specialist visit and pharmacy deductibles of $300 per year and overall deductibles to $7000 per year. The higher the deductibles the lower the monthly subscription costs. That is not peanuts.
Among the people complaining about health care costs dearly few are senior citizens.
This is not a valid opinion. This is not an apples for apples issue.
There are people across the spectrum of citizens concerned about the outcome to the 2016 elections. The idea Donald Trump will arrive as president at 12 noon on January 20th and be inspired to finally read and/or listen to the intelligence community is nonsense.
I think Donald Trump is opposed to being Commander and Chief. He isn't interested in war and one of the reasons he invited and welcomed Russia interference is to allow other governments to decide about war.
Donald Trump is an overt liar. He doesn't care about loyalty to the people that elected him. There is nothing anyone can trust. He is gradually talking to lull the American people asleep. He doesn't feel any responsibility to the American people in disclosing his tax returns and now he is continuing the assault against the American conscience.
There is a movement within the Republican Party to remove the responsibilities of the Commander and Chief from the president. There are Republicans that want a cabinet level position that assigns all war decisions to someone without Oval Office power.
There is a reason American wars are now funded through OCO today. The wars the USA is now fighting is done so without any legislative approval. One of the most coveted capacity of the USA is it's military. Setting it aside from the constitution to be carried out without the legislature is resulting in unstoppable illegal and immoral wars that will last decades and generations. OCO funding removes the consent of the people and military men and women are being sent into battle to die (ie: recent American death in Syria) without the consent of the people through their legislature.
Donald Trump is not providing the responsibility to the country demanded by the USA Constitution. He is not an equal to Hillary Clinton. I believe him to be subversive and will carry out executive orders that will end the USA government as it is known today. I also expect votes to repeal not just the ACA, but, constitutional amendments. It is nearly impossible to carry out amendment repeals without the majority of federal legislators in lock step with that ideology, but, there is ever reason to believe there is a coup in the making and the American people will be asleep until it is too late.
Two to four years is a lot of sleep. The American people elected a radical. They need to pay attention to his priorities and actions.
One other thing, I really am disappointed in editorials that are this simple and insult my intelligence.
This is a hideous graph. It states OCO funds are separate from that of the USA miltiary.
There is no OCO military. OCO funds ADDS to the capacity of the USA military. OCO funds does not limit the military and it's missions, it gives the military to proceed without the knowledge of the American people.
It is interesting to realize government leaks are entertained by the media, but, policing OCO and military missions is in the back pages and/or not at all.
Coups are carried out by generals.
Moralizing by the media to enter war, as occurred in Libya, is not going change my mind. The Libya episode only shows the American people are sheep. Where is the next cliff?
December 13, 2016
USA Today, Editorial Staff
...Imagine further that Clinton (click here) blithely dismissed these intelligence conclusions while putting people with close ties to this hostile government in key national security posts.
I think Donald Trump is opposed to being Commander and Chief. He isn't interested in war and one of the reasons he invited and welcomed Russia interference is to allow other governments to decide about war.
Donald Trump is an overt liar. He doesn't care about loyalty to the people that elected him. There is nothing anyone can trust. He is gradually talking to lull the American people asleep. He doesn't feel any responsibility to the American people in disclosing his tax returns and now he is continuing the assault against the American conscience.
There is a movement within the Republican Party to remove the responsibilities of the Commander and Chief from the president. There are Republicans that want a cabinet level position that assigns all war decisions to someone without Oval Office power.
There is a reason American wars are now funded through OCO today. The wars the USA is now fighting is done so without any legislative approval. One of the most coveted capacity of the USA is it's military. Setting it aside from the constitution to be carried out without the legislature is resulting in unstoppable illegal and immoral wars that will last decades and generations. OCO funding removes the consent of the people and military men and women are being sent into battle to die (ie: recent American death in Syria) without the consent of the people through their legislature.
Donald Trump is not providing the responsibility to the country demanded by the USA Constitution. He is not an equal to Hillary Clinton. I believe him to be subversive and will carry out executive orders that will end the USA government as it is known today. I also expect votes to repeal not just the ACA, but, constitutional amendments. It is nearly impossible to carry out amendment repeals without the majority of federal legislators in lock step with that ideology, but, there is ever reason to believe there is a coup in the making and the American people will be asleep until it is too late.
Two to four years is a lot of sleep. The American people elected a radical. They need to pay attention to his priorities and actions.
One other thing, I really am disappointed in editorials that are this simple and insult my intelligence.
This is a hideous graph. It states OCO funds are separate from that of the USA miltiary.There is no OCO military. OCO funds ADDS to the capacity of the USA military. OCO funds does not limit the military and it's missions, it gives the military to proceed without the knowledge of the American people.
It is interesting to realize government leaks are entertained by the media, but, policing OCO and military missions is in the back pages and/or not at all.
Coups are carried out by generals.
Moralizing by the media to enter war, as occurred in Libya, is not going change my mind. The Libya episode only shows the American people are sheep. Where is the next cliff?
December 13, 2016
USA Today, Editorial Staff
...Imagine further that Clinton (click here) blithely dismissed these intelligence conclusions while putting people with close ties to this hostile government in key national security posts.
Republicans would be apoplectic.
In fact, there is a clear record of GOP outrage over far less troubling behavior on Clinton’s part. Republicans saw foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation as a serious national security concern.
They also vilified her for not heeding warnings about the vulnerability of the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, that was attacked by terrorists in 2012.
Now the same public that was whipped into a frenzy over Clinton is expected to passively accept Trump’s behavior?....
There is movement among the Electoral College.
It is a movement to draft a president. Michael Bloomberg may find himself in the Oval Office. The lawsuit is probably correct and it would not take place in any other year. The electors want to be free to decide the outcome of the Electoral College vote.
The idea behind some of the restrictions with the electors is the realization that the state runs elections. So, if the state is responsible for 'the vote' the laws that restrict electors is based in state's rights. It should be interesting to see if the restrictions hold up or are constitutional.
December 16, 2016
By Claudia Melendez Salinas
...And he filed a lawsuit (click here) that would allow him to do just that. The lawsuit, filed Friday against California state officials in the U.S. Northern California District Court, says that the requirement that Californian presidential electors vote for their party’s nominee violates the Constitution and the Founders intent to have the Electoral College be an independent, deliberative body.
The idea behind some of the restrictions with the electors is the realization that the state runs elections. So, if the state is responsible for 'the vote' the laws that restrict electors is based in state's rights. It should be interesting to see if the restrictions hold up or are constitutional.
December 16, 2016
By Claudia Melendez Salinas
...And he filed a lawsuit (click here) that would allow him to do just that. The lawsuit, filed Friday against California state officials in the U.S. Northern California District Court, says that the requirement that Californian presidential electors vote for their party’s nominee violates the Constitution and the Founders intent to have the Electoral College be an independent, deliberative body.
If Koller or other electors “don’t toe the party line, if they don’t vote along with their party, they could either be replaced or imprisoned,” Koller’s attorney Melody Kramer said. “This is a unique election cycle, and there’s some speculation that some of the Republican and Democratic electors may choose some moderate Republican if they can all agree with it.”
And the names that are being circulated? Mitt Romney, John Kasich, or Michael Bloomberg, Koller said.
“I suspect others are being discussed, but those are the names I heard so far,” he said.
Koller is the third presidential elector to sue in an effort to cast his vote independent of the party. A similar lawsuit was filed earlier last week in Colorado by two Democratic electors, according to Politico.
He’s also co-signed a letter along with nine other electors asking U.S. intelligence officials for more information regarding Russia’s alleged interference with the elections.
The electors should act to protect citizen's rights.
He spoke passionately tonight about the elections of 2016 and he wants the "Electoral College" to do the right thing and place someone other than Trump in the presidency.
Malcolm W. Nance was a career counterterrorism and intelligence officer for the U.S. government’s Special Operations, Homeland Security, and Intelligence agencies, with over 33 years of experience in combatting radical extremism. An honorably retired U.S. Navy Arabic-speaking intelligence collections operator, field interrogator, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape specialist and founder of the Advanced Terrorism, Abduction and Hostage Survival School, he spent more than two decades on clandestine antiterrorism and counterterrorism intelligence operations in the Middle East North Africa, the Balkans, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa in direct support of the Special Operations and Intelligence Community. On the morning of 9/11, he eyewitnessed the attack on the Pentagon and became a first responder at the crash site....
"The Plot to Hack America" (click here)
Malcolm Nance and Michael Moore were on television tonight to make a pleas for the country to the "Electoral College." They believe it is time to make a stand. I happen to agree.
The Electoral College needs to uphold the dignity of our constitution and not allow it to be scoffed at rather than revered. I think the country needs heroes and the Electoral College has to accept the country is in danger with a man that has no use for USA intelligence.
Malcolm Nance should ask Vice President Joe Biden to allow him to speak to the electors along with the CIA. I can't believe he has had the insight to write this book before the end of the election.
The electors have to be explained the law and the consequences of a poorly qualified president. The CIA has a responsibility to the American people to supply opinion based in fact to the electors. They have to know the consequences in not acting for the best outcome of the country.
This is controversial, but, so is the President-Elect. Donald Trump thrives on controversy and the USA does not. End the travesty and elect a candidate that matters.
"Tromp" was the name Nostradamus used.
I don't want to make light of such an important topic, but, a friend called me while I was returning home and stated he had been moved to read some of Nostradamus and he could not believe what he read.
He said, the name "Tromp" was used by Nostradamus to describe the entity that would win the elections of 2016. He went on to say, "Tromp" would cause a great war.
I don't believe in superstition and I primarily see Nostradamus as superstition. But, it is very difficult to deny Nostradamus has been correct on more than one occasion and this is just plain creepy.
While many agree that Nostradamus (click here) predicted some of the most tumultuous and destructive events in history (including World War II and 9/11), there is a growing body of evidence that points to Nostradamus predicting the winner of this year's Presidential Election. Nostradamus consistently references an epic battle between a "Masculine Woman" who is also referred to as "the Queen", or "The Blonde One", and one who is a "great shameless, audacious bawler." He also refers to a "rigged election", a term that has become a hallmark of the 2016 election. Now by breaking Nostradamus' code and searching for clues we can reveal that not only does he predict the outcome of this year's battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Drumpf, but he also foretells a time of great trouble in the wake of this historic election.
He said, the name "Tromp" was used by Nostradamus to describe the entity that would win the elections of 2016. He went on to say, "Tromp" would cause a great war.
I don't believe in superstition and I primarily see Nostradamus as superstition. But, it is very difficult to deny Nostradamus has been correct on more than one occasion and this is just plain creepy.While many agree that Nostradamus (click here) predicted some of the most tumultuous and destructive events in history (including World War II and 9/11), there is a growing body of evidence that points to Nostradamus predicting the winner of this year's Presidential Election. Nostradamus consistently references an epic battle between a "Masculine Woman" who is also referred to as "the Queen", or "The Blonde One", and one who is a "great shameless, audacious bawler." He also refers to a "rigged election", a term that has become a hallmark of the 2016 election. Now by breaking Nostradamus' code and searching for clues we can reveal that not only does he predict the outcome of this year's battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Drumpf, but he also foretells a time of great trouble in the wake of this historic election.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
The southern hemisphere is expected to experience their hottest summer yet.
The continent usually on fire is Australia. I think this is somewhat new for New Zealand. I have been reading about New Zealand for decades. I don't recall such danger in the lives of Kiwis before.
December 14, 2016
Residents near Matakana (click here) are being evacuated as a pine forest blaze rages out of control.
More than 70 firefighters, 17 appliances and two helicopters are responding to the fire which is believed to be a burnoff that is out of control in Wright Rd.
A house was evacuated earlier and now residents on Quiet Rise are also being evacuated.
The Fire Service said on Twitter that the blaze was "a major vegetation fire" which is "out of control in Matakana"....
There is also good news out of New Zealand. The good news is the resiliency of their young people.
December 14, 2016
Researchers (click here) who conducted a major study to examine the effects of the Canterbury earthquakes on school leavers have been left scratching their heads after they "unexpectedly" found no negative trends.
My computer screen is not the size at NOAA and NASA, but, I think these are the two low pressure systems to the left in this water vapor composite of Antarctica.
13 December 2016
2300 utc
There is one definitely (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you) off New Zealand and the other is further west.
The last time I saw such low pressure systems was 2003, I believe. It was a hurricane that came from New Zealand's region traveling westward. It's final destination was WAIS. Right on the peninsula where a huge amount of ice melted. The melt reached to depth. NASA has the picture.
13 December 2016
2100 utc
Looking at this it is my sincerest hope the low pressure systems will resolve, even if that means loss of Antarctica ice. When that occurs the movement of hot air across Australia will move west off the continent's west coast where it usually has been.
The heat is so specific that it can be avoided if people move out from under it. The sticky point here is of course the fact Sydney is a very large city and needs to function. The idea people can move in mass out from under a heat flow seems silly, but, in the USA we do abandon cities when huge hurricanes are going to land over populations of people causing death and injury.
When realizing the temperatures moved quickly upward makes sense now looking at the air movement from the equator. It is very unexpected and shocking and it can be scary for people. This is NOT NORMAL. This is a heat transfer from the equator to the ice continent. I sincerely look forward to some resolve to this air pattern so the good people of Sydney can return to a more normal life.
December 14, 2016
Residents near Matakana (click here) are being evacuated as a pine forest blaze rages out of control.
More than 70 firefighters, 17 appliances and two helicopters are responding to the fire which is believed to be a burnoff that is out of control in Wright Rd.
A house was evacuated earlier and now residents on Quiet Rise are also being evacuated.
The Fire Service said on Twitter that the blaze was "a major vegetation fire" which is "out of control in Matakana"....
There is also good news out of New Zealand. The good news is the resiliency of their young people.
December 14, 2016
Researchers (click here) who conducted a major study to examine the effects of the Canterbury earthquakes on school leavers have been left scratching their heads after they "unexpectedly" found no negative trends.
The absence of negative effects on teenagers leaving high school when the 2010 and 2011 quake sequence struck has been put down to a word that many politicians now infamously associate with Cantabrians: "resilient".
There has been widespread research on the negative effects of natural disasters on mental health, including the increased rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
However, four researchers from the department of psychological medicine at the University of Otago said little research has to date been done into how disasters affect school leavers - at a time of increasing independence, often away from family....
Hottest night in 150 years in . There was a reason why I never read this type of issue before. 150 years. I haven't lived that long. Yet. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
December 14, 2016
By Debra Killalea
Sydney sweltered through its hottest December night (click here) in almost 150 years as the mercury refused to budge to acceptable levels.
Fans and air conditioners copped a workout and hundreds hit the beach last night as the mercury dipped to between 22C -28C across much of Sydney.
At midnight the temperature was still a warm 27C at Observatory Hill while Penrith in Sydney's west reached a slightly cooler 27C.
The last time it was anywhere near this hot was in December 1972 when the mercury hit 26.3C overnight.
At 6am this morning the temperature at Sydney Harbour was already 29C....
Now, admittedly, 29 Celsius is 84.2 Fahrenheit. So, what is the big deal? The very big deal is that these are NIGHT TIME temperatures. It isn't cooling off when the sun goes down. As a matter of fact, as the sun rose the next day it was already warmer than any hour at night.
This is a troubling reality.
December 14, 2016
By Peter Hannam
Possums, bird calls and a midnight surge (click here) in the mercury in some coastal regions served as impromptu alarm clocks as overnight temperature records tumbled.
Sydney posted its highest minimum for December since 1868 at 27.1 degrees, and the second highest for any month....
...Coastal regions, such as Albion Park near Wollongong, reported remarkable temperature movements. That site recorded a 10-degree jump in an hour soon after midnight - including 5 degrees in just three minutes....
The temperature increase on the coast jumped 10 degrees Celcius in an hour.
AN HOUR.
There were three minutes when the temperature jumped 5 degrees Celcius. The media is giving lessons in survival of heat exhaustion.
The temperature image (click here) to the right is from the Australian satellite of the "Weather Zone" at 1434 edt.
The map is Australia and lows and highs temperature.
Australia, Sydney in particular, is receiving air from the Equator off Indonesia. Everywhere in Australia where the temperatures are unkind there is air movement from the Equator.
13 December 2016
1630 utc
Infrared (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)
There is also three very low pressure systems south of Australia realized in the image below. They are 959 and 972 and 977 millibars. Those are very low pressures.
Below is a clear understanding of at least two of those low pressure areas.
There is still yet another image two hours before that show some degree of understanding of the three low pressure systems, but, the systems are not as well defined as in the one at 2300 utc.
There has been widespread research on the negative effects of natural disasters on mental health, including the increased rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
However, four researchers from the department of psychological medicine at the University of Otago said little research has to date been done into how disasters affect school leavers - at a time of increasing independence, often away from family....
Hottest night in 150 years in . There was a reason why I never read this type of issue before. 150 years. I haven't lived that long. Yet. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
December 14, 2016
By Debra Killalea
Sydney sweltered through its hottest December night (click here) in almost 150 years as the mercury refused to budge to acceptable levels.
Fans and air conditioners copped a workout and hundreds hit the beach last night as the mercury dipped to between 22C -28C across much of Sydney.
At midnight the temperature was still a warm 27C at Observatory Hill while Penrith in Sydney's west reached a slightly cooler 27C.
The last time it was anywhere near this hot was in December 1972 when the mercury hit 26.3C overnight.
At 6am this morning the temperature at Sydney Harbour was already 29C....
Now, admittedly, 29 Celsius is 84.2 Fahrenheit. So, what is the big deal? The very big deal is that these are NIGHT TIME temperatures. It isn't cooling off when the sun goes down. As a matter of fact, as the sun rose the next day it was already warmer than any hour at night.
This is a troubling reality.
December 14, 2016
By Peter Hannam
Possums, bird calls and a midnight surge (click here) in the mercury in some coastal regions served as impromptu alarm clocks as overnight temperature records tumbled.
Sydney posted its highest minimum for December since 1868 at 27.1 degrees, and the second highest for any month....
...Coastal regions, such as Albion Park near Wollongong, reported remarkable temperature movements. That site recorded a 10-degree jump in an hour soon after midnight - including 5 degrees in just three minutes....
The temperature increase on the coast jumped 10 degrees Celcius in an hour.
AN HOUR.
The temperature image (click here) to the right is from the Australian satellite of the "Weather Zone" at 1434 edt.
The map is Australia and lows and highs temperature.
Australia, Sydney in particular, is receiving air from the Equator off Indonesia. Everywhere in Australia where the temperatures are unkind there is air movement from the Equator.
1630 utc
Infrared (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)
There is also three very low pressure systems south of Australia realized in the image below. They are 959 and 972 and 977 millibars. Those are very low pressures.
Below is a clear understanding of at least two of those low pressure areas. There is still yet another image two hours before that show some degree of understanding of the three low pressure systems, but, the systems are not as well defined as in the one at 2300 utc.
13 December 2016
2300 utc
There is one definitely (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you) off New Zealand and the other is further west.
The last time I saw such low pressure systems was 2003, I believe. It was a hurricane that came from New Zealand's region traveling westward. It's final destination was WAIS. Right on the peninsula where a huge amount of ice melted. The melt reached to depth. NASA has the picture.
2100 utc
Looking at this it is my sincerest hope the low pressure systems will resolve, even if that means loss of Antarctica ice. When that occurs the movement of hot air across Australia will move west off the continent's west coast where it usually has been.
The heat is so specific that it can be avoided if people move out from under it. The sticky point here is of course the fact Sydney is a very large city and needs to function. The idea people can move in mass out from under a heat flow seems silly, but, in the USA we do abandon cities when huge hurricanes are going to land over populations of people causing death and injury.
When realizing the temperatures moved quickly upward makes sense now looking at the air movement from the equator. It is very unexpected and shocking and it can be scary for people. This is NOT NORMAL. This is a heat transfer from the equator to the ice continent. I sincerely look forward to some resolve to this air pattern so the good people of Sydney can return to a more normal life.
No more liability for oil companies in the USA.
Yes, this is the BP Deepwater Horizon. And to think the company blamed the USA Coast Guard for the entire issue with the ruptured well head. Amazing the gall these men have.
See, when this occurred, BP was automatically responsible for the FINANCIAL aspect of the clean up. It is written into the contract oil companies sign when they lease the mineral rights of American land.
When the Trump administration gets finished with the regulations that govern responsibility to the American people, the people will be paying for the clean up and the oil companies will be exempt from ANY responsibilities, even lawsuits to the families of the dead.
That is corruption.
That is pay to play for very interesting profitable reasons.
I mean every American knows they are going to be fleeced by the CEOs that line the Trump cabinet. Right? Everyone knows that, right? Because the American people will find their land polluted and their lives far more dangerous when these men and women get done with our government.
There is not one oil company, hence CEO, in the world that have not committed human rights violations.
July 8, 2011
By Bill Mears
Washington (CNN) -- Global energy giant Exxon Mobil Corp. (click here) will be forced to face a lawsuit over alleged murder and torture committed by company agents in remote Indonesia, after a federal appeals court said Friday that corporations cannot claim immunity from liability.
A divided 2-1 panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia reinstated a massive lawsuit filed by 15 Indonesian villagers from the oil-rich province of Aceh. They claim government security forces working for Exxon Mobil committed brutal oppression while guarding a natural gas facility in 2000-01....
Common. The CEOs pretend they had nothing to do with deaths. They always are involved. The deaths didn't exist before the oil companies move in and demand atrocities to be committed to obtain their expected wealth.
...At issue is whether foreign nationals can go into U.S. courts to press civil claims stemming from actions overseas by non-American citizens in a time of martial law. The decision will have widespread implications for multinational corporations doing business in other countries....
This is not difficult to understand. Most Americans understand outsourcing and why that happens with CEOs. The CEOs are looking for cheap labor. Well, when American oil companies drill in foreign countries, they are bringing their own labor, HOWEVER, the countries where the drills are built and run HAVE NO REGULATIONS that protect their citizens from health atrocities. In many countries, the leader of the country may not even know the oil will cause cancers. They have no experience in that venue of human health.
BUT, the CEOs are fully aware of the dangers of irresponsible oil drilling. They just don't want anything to get in the way of profits. That's all. American CEOs can kill at will by bending the arm of a country's leadership.
June 21, 2015
By Shasshank Bengali and Mohiuddin Kadar
Two years after a garment factory building collapsed, (click here) killing more than 1,100 people and drawing worldwide attention to dangerous conditions in Bangladesh’s apparel business, authorities Monday charged 42 people with murder in the country’s deadliest industrial disaster....
So, the same greed that drives CEOs to find cheap labor and allow them to look past the deaths while producing their products is the same need for greed that looks for oil where there are no laws to prevent cancer.
Just like the Bangladesh tragedy. Not one CEO was held for murder. Not one. Yet, the profits to the companies allowing their products to be produced in impoverishment were still pouring in.
November 20, 2001
...Results - The RR of all cancer sites (click here) combined was significantly elevated in both men and women in exposed counties. Significantly elevated RR were observed for cancers of the stomach, rectum, skin melanoma, soft tissue and kidney in men and for cancers of the cervix and lymph nodes in women. An increase in haematopoietic cancers was also observed in the population under 10 years in the exposed counties in both males and females.
Conclusion Study results are compatible with a relationship between cancer incidence and living in proximity to oil fields. An environmental monitoring and cancer surveillance system in the area is recommended....
Yes, indeed. I am just one of those hideous bleeding heart liberals that want nothing to do with a corrupt government currently being organized under Trump.
By Bill Mears
Washington (CNN) -- Global energy giant Exxon Mobil Corp. (click here) will be forced to face a lawsuit over alleged murder and torture committed by company agents in remote Indonesia, after a federal appeals court said Friday that corporations cannot claim immunity from liability.
A divided 2-1 panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia reinstated a massive lawsuit filed by 15 Indonesian villagers from the oil-rich province of Aceh. They claim government security forces working for Exxon Mobil committed brutal oppression while guarding a natural gas facility in 2000-01....
Common. The CEOs pretend they had nothing to do with deaths. They always are involved. The deaths didn't exist before the oil companies move in and demand atrocities to be committed to obtain their expected wealth.
...At issue is whether foreign nationals can go into U.S. courts to press civil claims stemming from actions overseas by non-American citizens in a time of martial law. The decision will have widespread implications for multinational corporations doing business in other countries....
This is not difficult to understand. Most Americans understand outsourcing and why that happens with CEOs. The CEOs are looking for cheap labor. Well, when American oil companies drill in foreign countries, they are bringing their own labor, HOWEVER, the countries where the drills are built and run HAVE NO REGULATIONS that protect their citizens from health atrocities. In many countries, the leader of the country may not even know the oil will cause cancers. They have no experience in that venue of human health.
BUT, the CEOs are fully aware of the dangers of irresponsible oil drilling. They just don't want anything to get in the way of profits. That's all. American CEOs can kill at will by bending the arm of a country's leadership.
June 21, 2015
By Shasshank Bengali and Mohiuddin Kadar
Two years after a garment factory building collapsed, (click here) killing more than 1,100 people and drawing worldwide attention to dangerous conditions in Bangladesh’s apparel business, authorities Monday charged 42 people with murder in the country’s deadliest industrial disaster....
So, the same greed that drives CEOs to find cheap labor and allow them to look past the deaths while producing their products is the same need for greed that looks for oil where there are no laws to prevent cancer.
Just like the Bangladesh tragedy. Not one CEO was held for murder. Not one. Yet, the profits to the companies allowing their products to be produced in impoverishment were still pouring in.
November 20, 2001
...Results - The RR of all cancer sites (click here) combined was significantly elevated in both men and women in exposed counties. Significantly elevated RR were observed for cancers of the stomach, rectum, skin melanoma, soft tissue and kidney in men and for cancers of the cervix and lymph nodes in women. An increase in haematopoietic cancers was also observed in the population under 10 years in the exposed counties in both males and females.
Conclusion Study results are compatible with a relationship between cancer incidence and living in proximity to oil fields. An environmental monitoring and cancer surveillance system in the area is recommended....
Yes, indeed. I am just one of those hideous bleeding heart liberals that want nothing to do with a corrupt government currently being organized under Trump.
All Trump's nominations are quid pro quo. They are all pay to play.
There is a reason why presidents don't reach into their donor pool for members of the cabinet.
There is absolutely no room for any Democrat in the Senate to pass these nominations through. The confirmation would be as unethical and very potentially illegal as the nomination itself.
Every one of Trump's nominations stand to gain in personal wealth by the power of their cabinet position.
There is a reason why presidents don't reach into their donor pool for members of the cabinet.
There is absolutely no room for any Democrat in the Senate to pass these nominations through. The confirmation would be as unethical and very potentially illegal as the nomination itself.
Every one of Trump's nominations stand to gain in personal wealth by the power of their cabinet position.
What is going on with Kay Hagan. I heard 48 hours ago she was seriously ill. What happened?
by Associated Press
Former US Sen. Kay Hagan, (click here) a Democrat who represented North Carolina, has been hospitalized after falling seriously ill, her family said.
Hagan was rushed to a Washington, D.C., hospital Thursday and was being treated in an intensive care unit.
The ex-senator's brother, Joe Ruthven, said Hagan didn't have a heart attack and isn't in a coma.
He wouldn't give any further details.
'We don't want any miscommunication or overreaction,' Ruthventold The Lakeland Ledger....
The American people don't deserve a good woman as a leader, they deserve one that wins at any cost.
I did some post election canvasing today. The Trump vote was not the Trump vote, but, the anti-Hillary vote. It all comes back to the 'perfect woman' sexism of the Republican party. Sexism defeated Hillary Clinton.
When the judgement of sexism was placed before them, they stated, "I am not going to vote for a woman because she is a woman." "I think women should have every opportunity of any man."
When mentioned there was a very sexist candidate in Donald Trump, the reply was "Boys will be boys."
The people justified their votes. They were willing to explain away the horrible sexism of Donald Trump, but, was not willing to admit Hillary Clinton was a great Secretary of State, even if there were perceived flaws. (Even when I pointed to the fact as Secretary of State she had extremely high ratings.)
When there was enough patience with me, I asked was there any time you forgave Hillary Clinton for flaws, such as not being a computer expert with emails; the answer was, "No, I didn't forgive her, she knew what she was doing and she was and still is hiding the truth."
Amazing. Trump is correct, he could murder Americans in the streets and he would be forgiven for the misunderstanding of either "Black lives matter" or "the illegals that come to kill Americans."
It was not scientific.
Opinion: When women run for office and they are faced with attacks. LIE! Lie as well as men. The confusion works.
Don't be afraid to attack the opponent personally. Make it so people laugh when the insult is delivered. So, exactly what it takes to be elected as men.
When the judgement of sexism was placed before them, they stated, "I am not going to vote for a woman because she is a woman." "I think women should have every opportunity of any man."
When mentioned there was a very sexist candidate in Donald Trump, the reply was "Boys will be boys."
The people justified their votes. They were willing to explain away the horrible sexism of Donald Trump, but, was not willing to admit Hillary Clinton was a great Secretary of State, even if there were perceived flaws. (Even when I pointed to the fact as Secretary of State she had extremely high ratings.)
When there was enough patience with me, I asked was there any time you forgave Hillary Clinton for flaws, such as not being a computer expert with emails; the answer was, "No, I didn't forgive her, she knew what she was doing and she was and still is hiding the truth."
Amazing. Trump is correct, he could murder Americans in the streets and he would be forgiven for the misunderstanding of either "Black lives matter" or "the illegals that come to kill Americans."
It was not scientific.
Opinion: When women run for office and they are faced with attacks. LIE! Lie as well as men. The confusion works.
Don't be afraid to attack the opponent personally. Make it so people laugh when the insult is delivered. So, exactly what it takes to be elected as men.
Stating Trump towers will be the focus of terrorist attacks might actually work to get him to read PDBs everyday. "Carrot and stick" Good one.
Other governments are under no obligation to protect the Trump towers in the world. No different than any other building in the world. The governments have an obligation to secure EMBASSIES in the world and nothing more.
Rick Perry knows nothing about the federal energy department. He is going to rely on others far more qualified then he for information about energies such as nu-lear. The nuclear plants in Texas have been found to have cracks in their base as of a few years ago because of substandard materials and lousy engineers.
These guys are at least as funny as Bush.
Other governments are under no obligation to protect the Trump towers in the world. No different than any other building in the world. The governments have an obligation to secure EMBASSIES in the world and nothing more.
Rick Perry knows nothing about the federal energy department. He is going to rely on others far more qualified then he for information about energies such as nu-lear. The nuclear plants in Texas have been found to have cracks in their base as of a few years ago because of substandard materials and lousy engineers.
These guys are at least as funny as Bush.
"Good job, Brownie."
Trump is "W" and Cheney on steroids. We had CEOs in the White House before. It doesn't work.
There is some reporting there is an assault against local governments planned for Michigan. That should not be a surprise since Flint was under an emergency manager along with most other minority cities. But, this is suppose to be a full front assault against mayors and councils throughout the state.
There is some reporting there is an assault against local governments planned for Michigan. That should not be a surprise since Flint was under an emergency manager along with most other minority cities. But, this is suppose to be a full front assault against mayors and councils throughout the state.
Monday, December 12, 2016
The Democrats have a perfect issue to run on in 2018.
December 12, 2016
By Noam N. Levey
They race to repeal large parts (click here) of the Affordable Care Act, President-elect Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are leaving behind nearly everyone but their base voters and a handful of conservative activists.
Not a single major organization representing patients, physicians, hospitals or others who work in the nation’s healthcare system backs the GOP’s Obamacare strategy.
New polls also show far more Americans would like to expand or keep the healthcare law, rather than repeal it.
Even many conservative health policy experts caution that the emerging Republican plan, which calls for a vote in January to roll back insurance coverage followed by a lengthy period to develop a replacement, could be disastrous....
The backers of the ACA are not lightweights.
...“When people get cancer, they have to know that they are going to have insurance,” said Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society’s advocacy arm. “There have been and are problems with the ACA, but we have to make sure that what is done and the way it is done is not going to leave people who have cancer or who may get cancer … in the lurch.”
The organizations backing the ACA are also advocates and reach out to voters. They can help send the message of MILLIONS of Americans.
...The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network last week sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them not to repeal large parts of the healthcare law without first developing replacement legislation that guarantees patients the same protections....
Those that received that letter, now have ads to run using the very letter that might save their constituents lives.
The backers of the ACA are not lightweights.
...“When people get cancer, they have to know that they are going to have insurance,” said Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society’s advocacy arm. “There have been and are problems with the ACA, but we have to make sure that what is done and the way it is done is not going to leave people who have cancer or who may get cancer … in the lurch.”
The organizations backing the ACA are also advocates and reach out to voters. They can help send the message of MILLIONS of Americans.
...The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network last week sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them not to repeal large parts of the healthcare law without first developing replacement legislation that guarantees patients the same protections....
Those that received that letter, now have ads to run using the very letter that might save their constituents lives.
President Obama needs to be more forthcoming with this report.
No one wants to 'out' CIA agents or administration, but, it is a difficult story to support because of the anonymous nature of the sources. It is the nature of the business of journalism; they rely on sources. They also have the right to contain sources and do not have to 'out' any source. It is the privilege of journalists to protect sources, so this entire anonymous issue is a bit silly.
December 12, 2016
By Jennifer Steinhauer
Washington — Senator Mitch McConnell, (click here) Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said on Monday that he supported congressional investigations of possible Russian cyberattacks to influence the American election, setting up a potential conflict with President-elect Donald J. Trump in the early days of his administration.
Mr. McConnell’s support for investigations is a major moment for the Republican-controlled Congress given that Mr. Trump has ridiculed and dismissed the findings of the American intelligence community that the Russians hacked the election.
The investigation, which will be driven by Senator Richard M. Burr, of North Carolina, the chairman of the intelligence committee, and by Senator John McCain, of Arizona, the chairman of the armed services committee, could last for months or more at the start of the new Trump administration. Many of the intelligence committee hearings will most likely be behind closed doors, but they will still generate wide interest....
December 12, 2016
By Jennifer Steinhauer
Washington — Senator Mitch McConnell, (click here) Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said on Monday that he supported congressional investigations of possible Russian cyberattacks to influence the American election, setting up a potential conflict with President-elect Donald J. Trump in the early days of his administration.
Mr. McConnell’s support for investigations is a major moment for the Republican-controlled Congress given that Mr. Trump has ridiculed and dismissed the findings of the American intelligence community that the Russians hacked the election.
The investigation, which will be driven by Senator Richard M. Burr, of North Carolina, the chairman of the intelligence committee, and by Senator John McCain, of Arizona, the chairman of the armed services committee, could last for months or more at the start of the new Trump administration. Many of the intelligence committee hearings will most likely be behind closed doors, but they will still generate wide interest....
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