Posts from — October 2008

Position: 14.6 N 69.4 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement Nearly Stationary.
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph.
Minimum central pressure: 1001 mb ↓.

It is 340 miles [550 km] Southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

At 5 PM AST [2100 UTC] a tropical storm watch has been issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; the government of the Dominican Republic has issued a tropical storm watch for the extreme eastern portion of Hispaniola from Isla Saona to Cabo Engano; amd the government of the British Virgin Islands has issued a tropical storm watch for the British Virgin Islands.

This will likely become Omar today or tomorrow.

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: 17.7 N 41.8 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement West-Northwest [295°] near 12 mph.
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph.
Minimum central pressure: 1007 mb.

It is 1180 miles [1905 km] West of the Cape Verde Islands.

As expected the wind shear from the westerlies are tearing it apart.

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.]

To all of the Canadians who drop by.

You get to sit around the table eating turkey and contemplating what turkey you will vote for tomorrow.

One of the things you can be really thankful for is that you don’t mess about like the US, where elections drag on for years, and you don’t have to choose from the candidates US voters get stuck with.

Enjoy.

Even around Tampa: Florida mailman bitten by snake during his rounds

The 66-year-old was bitten as he put mail inside a mailbox. He told authorities that he shook his arm and thwacked the snake against his car door to break its grip.

It wasn’t a very big Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, so he finished delivering his route before he went to the doctor.

Robert Berner and Brian Grow of BusinessWeek wrote on some other people warning about problems: States warned about impending mortgage crisis

More than five years ago, in April 2003, the attorneys general of two small states traveled to Washington with a stern warning for the nation’s top bank regulator. Sitting in the spacious Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, with its panoramic view of the capital, the AGs from North Carolina and Iowa said lenders were pushing increasingly risky mortgages. Their host, John D. Hawke Jr., expressed skepticism.

Was there anyone not on Wall Street or in Washington who didn’t warn it was going to happen? North Carolina and Iowa are not exactly “socialist” states, so why wasn’t anyone listening? In the article it is explained that the Federal government didn’t just refused to regulate, they prevented the states from doing anything.

The BBC has been staying on top of this and reports that European banks rescue plan agreed

European leaders meeting in Paris have agreed a plan to tackle the banking crisis, saying no big institution will be allowed to fail.

They pledged to guarantee loans between banks until the end of 2009, and said they would put money into them by buying preference shares.
…

[Read more →]

Position: 16.4 N 37.9 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement West-Northwest [290°] near 8 mph.
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph.
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 85 miles [140 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1006 mb.

It is 980 miles [1580 km] West of the Cape Verde Islands.

It’s expected to get mugged by the westerlies in a day or so, but it did qualify for a name.

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.]

The markets will tank again on Monday because they just didn’t get it done, as Krugman notes in Falling Short:

…The IMF ministers have endorsed the G7 plan — but there isn’t any plan, just a vague statement of principles.

I’m willing to bet that Paulson is the problem, as he doesn’t seem to understand the real problem. People are looking for guarantees that their money will be safe, and the “leaders” don’t seem to understand that the “market” has no credibility. Every delay means there will be less to save.

It is too late for words, people want actions with results they can see.

This is my thinking on a new tax structure with a little logic and order. I’m adding the 20% bracket to ease the transition, and I’m lowering rates on the bottom of the corporate rates because those are the people who create jobs. The big corporations don’t generate jobs, no matter what you’ve been told. Small business is where the jobs are today.

The personal rates are more in line with what people are making, and it keeps the bottom half of the working population at 15% and below. The $150K+ are the top 5%, and $350K+ are the top 1% of individuals.

[Read more →]

Position: 26.5 N 109.5 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northeast [040°] near 17 mph.
Maximum sustained winds: 85 mph [140 kph].
Wind Gusts: 105 mph.
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 175 miles [280 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 50 miles [85 km].
Minimum central pressure: 961 mb ↓.

It is 124 miles [185 km] East-Northeast of Loreto, Mexico and 55 miles [90 km] North-Northwest of Los Mochis, Mexico. It coming ashore in Mainland Mexico.

Watches and warnings for Baja California are canceled.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the coast of Mainland Mexico from Topolobampo northward to Guaymas.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from south of Topolobampo southward to Altata.

[Read more →]

Robert Peston notes that because the financial crisis is a global problem a A global solution is needed. Much of the recent chaos has been the result of people looking for a safe haven for their money, and they now have the entire world to choose from, so if there isn’t coordination, huge sums are going to be zipping around as people look for the best place to leave their money until the situation stabilizes.

The G7 countries are meeting in Washington this weekend and while they seem to understand that ‘Urgent action’ is needed, we can only hope that they understand the need to coordinate things.

The current prime minister of the UK, Gordon Brown, has an advantage that the other leaders don’t: he was Chancellor of the Exchequer [Secretary of the Treasury or Minister of Finance] for 10 years. In military terms we would say he “has more time in grade, than the others have in service”, meaning he has more direct, hands-on experience with the financial system, that the other leaders have in government. He seems to really understand the problem, and seems to have the best ideas about solving it.

The G7 has to announce a convincing plan before the markets open in Monday, because every day there is less to save.

So the Shrubbery threatened to go on television to calm the markets and as has consistently happens every time he speaks publicly the market dropped like a rock taking the rest of the world with it.

It has calmed down a bit, but someone needs to keep him away from television cameras. Every time he shows up it reminds investors of the worst decision they have made in years, helping to get him elected.

Position: 22.3 N 113.1 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: North-Northeast [020°] near 12 mph.
Maximum sustained winds: 105 mph [160 kph].
Wind Gusts: 125 mph.
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 140 miles [220 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 35 miles [55 km].
Minimum central pressure: 970 mb.

It is 210 miles [335 km] West of the tip of Baja California.

a Hurricane Warning remains in effect for the West Coast of Baja California from Puerto San Andresito to Agua Blanca. Preparations to protect life and property in the Hurricane Warning area should be rushed to completion.

[Read more →]

Curiosity & Caution

What are you up to?

[Editor: This is juvenile tabby decided to watch me to see if there was going to be any food involved.

Friday Ark