The BBC is reporting that the US Congress passes stimulus plan.

No Repub votes in the House, and the “Tres Amigos”, Snow, Collins, and Specter, the only GOP votes in the Senate.

One thousand miles From Whitehorse, Yukon to Fairbanks, Alaska on the Goldrush/mail route – the Yukon Quest.

Here’s the official site, and the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner site.

Only a quarter of century old, the start alternates between Whitehorse [odd years] and Fairbanks. Lance Mackey who has won the Quest for the last four years and doubled by winning the Iditarod the last two, has pulled out of this year’s race, but there are plenty of first rate teams in the running, including Lance’s brother, Jason.

Australia BC reports that Arson accused moved to Melbourne amid security concerns

A court has heard that the man charged over the Churchill-Jeeralang bushfire in eastern Victoria may need to be protected from other prisoners.
…

The man, who can not be named, has been charged with one count of arson causing death, one count of deliberately lighting a bushfire, and one count of possessing child pornography.

Twenty-one people are confirmed to have died in the bushfire on Saturday.

This would be SOP [Standard Operating Procedure] for major crimes, isolating the accused. Remember innocent until proven guilty, and if mistakes were made, make sure the accused is alive to be released. My gut tells me that the Victoria police know a lot more than they are letting on, and are holding back a good deal more information than normal to avoid mob violence.

The article sounds like they think the accused is a clinical pyromaniac, i.e. he/she is clinically psychotic.

In an Australian Broadcasting story, Animals not forgotten in Vic recovery effort, RSPCA [Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] spokesman Ray Lord is interviewed:

He says it would have been extremely difficult for livestock to escape the fires.

“Basically a lot of those animals were trapped in the fires and that made it very difficult,” he said.

“A lot of the fences burned down and a lot of animals endeavoured to get out, but there were some reports that the fire travelled 20 kilometres in four minutes … and when a fire can travel 20 kilometres in four minutes, sadly it’s an absolute catastrophe.”

300 kilometers an hour! That’s better that 186 MPH! These fire events can generate their own weather, and they can create “microbursts”, super gusts of wind, especially in mountainous terrain, which makes flying them a real challenge. If the fires were moving at those speeds, even for brief intervals, there is no chance of getting to safety.

Yes, it’s Friday the 13^th again. The 13^th falls on a Friday more than any other day of the week, so get over it. It’s only valid in in English and Portuguese speaking countries, so go visit a Spanish-speaking neighborhood for the day.

If you want to blame someone, it’s the calendar of Pope Gregory XIII that created this imbalance.  [He obviously didn’t have a problem with the number on any day.]

Bath Manners

Dude, this seat is taken!

[Editor: Income wasn’t thrilled to be interrupted in his grooming, but he still managed to blink.

Friday Ark