Posts from — August 2019

Position: 37.8N 41.9W [10:00PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Southeast [135°] near 7 mph [11 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1010 mb.

Currently about 840 miles [1350 km] Southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 39.4N 47.4W [10:00PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: East-Southeast [105°] near 18 mph [30 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1010 mb ↑.

Currently about 580 miles [935 km] South-Southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

At 10PM CDT Chantal was downgraded to a tropical depression.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 40.2N 56.2W [10:00PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: East [085°] near 22 mph [35 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 45 miles [ 75 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1010 mb.

Currently about 475 miles [765 km] South-Southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

This system has been moving just off the US East Coast for days, but just got organized into a tropical storm off the coast of Canada. It’s moving towards colder water and will probably be short-lived.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Note: This is a NATO designator for a Russian surface-to-surface missile and has nothing to do with a James Bond movie.

Failed missile test:

London and Moscow (CNN) — An explosion. An abruptly-canceled village evacuation. Five dead nuclear experts. And a few traces of radioactive iodine in the air over the northern Norwegian coastline.

These are the fingerprints of what appears to have been Russia’s latest failed bid to test its Burevestnik missile, also known as Skyfall.

It’s claimed by its owner, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to have unlimited range and be able to outflank all US air defenses. But this month, it proved, for a Kremlin keen to emphasize its growing military muscle, yet another high-profile hiccup.

It wouldn’t be the first time that a test of the missile wasn’t entirely successful, according to US officials.

The 9M370 Burevestnik, or SSC-X-9 Skyfall, is a cruise missile that is supposed to have unlimited range, meaning it can loiter almost indefinitely before striking its target. It would appear that it launches with auxiliary rocket engines and then continues flying using air heated by a small nuclear reactor to stay airborne. The Soviets used reactors to power some of their satellites, making life a bit risky when they eventually de-orbit and return to earth.

As a weapons system, the nuclear heating of the air to power the device would leave a radioactive trail making them rather easy to detect and target. These are disasters waiting to happen. Calling them Буревестник (Storm Petrel) is a nice Soviet act of remembrance of the 1905 poem of Maxim Gorki that has been used for numerous Soviet Naval weapons systems, but more accurate for this system given the design calls for lingering in the air.

Israel bars Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from visiting, apparently because Trump told Netanyahu he would appear weak if he allowed Muslim female members of the US House of Representatives visit Israel. Given that Bibi has a caretaker government waiting for new elections because he was unable to form a ruling coalition after the last election, he danced to Trump’s tune.

Steve King: If not for rape and incest, ‘would there be any population left?’ If Steve King knew anything about genetics and history he would realize that incest was responsible for genetic diseases like hemophilia among royal families in Europe. When you keep marrying cousins recessive genes become a problem. The “Hapsburg jaw” is among the more obvious, if less fatal, defects.

Steve King opposes exceptions for rape or incest in abortion laws. Look, if you don’t like abortion, don’t have one, but don’t try to legislate your prejudices. This is an issue for women, and men should stay out of it even if they wear funny clothes and proclaim they “know the truth.”

Two dozen children can die in DHS custody and no one in the agency suffers any penalty, but let an alleged b/millionaire sex trafficer & ephebophile die in custody: Jeffrey Epstein: Two guards suspended and warden removed over death.

I know based on press photos that Epstein was a frequent guest at the various residences of the current Resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the years, but a White House ordered “investigation” under the supervision of the Attorney General is a bit of overkill before the autopsy was finished.

Early Sunday morning a man wearing body armor opened fire with an auto-loading .223 carbine outside a bar in the Oregon district of Dayton, Ohio. Under a minute, some reports say 30 seconds, after the first shot was fired the perpetrator was “neutralized” by police officers. In that time 9 people were murdered and 27 more were wounded.

That was very rapid response to the threat, but 9 people were still murdered. More guns isn’t the answer. The answer is fewer guns available for people who might use them to kill others.

Red Flag laws, the mental health changes that Trump eliminated, and a better and more comprehensive background check system will help, but there are too many auto-loading carbines available, and no necessity for more to be sold. Reinstate the “assault weapons ban”. It worked before; it can work again.

The toilets are toiling again and the washer has been replaced and installed properly this time.

The drain on the washing machine was definitely not installed by my Dad. One of the joints involved silicone caulk, covered in electrical tape, and topped with duct tape. After I cleared that away, a drain auger revealed that someone had dropped a screwdriver down the drain which significantly reduced the efficacy of the system. The air admittance valve was not installed properly and it caused a minor leak rather than admitting air to prevent siphoning. The handle of what had been a screwdriver that was retrieved from the drain was a cheap department store tool. My Dad would never have considered using such a tool, much less owning it. My Dad only bought Craftsman or Xcelite screwdrivers.