Posts from — September 2009

From the Orlando Sentinel: Anti-abortion group wants to make birth-control illegal in Florida

TALLAHASSEE — A nationwide anti-abortion group launched an effort in Florida Friday to outlaw all abortions and certain types of birth control, including oral contraceptives and the morning-after pill.

The religion-infused movement, called “Personhood Florida,” would define conception in Florida’s constitution at the “biological beginnings,” supporters said — when the sperm meets the egg. The group filed its amendment today but the exact ballot language is still being worked out, said Secretary of State Spokeswoman Jennifer Krell-Davis.

The amendment seeks to outlaw all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest. Also criminalized: the morning-after pill and oral contraceptives taken by women, known as the pill. “There are some (birth control) methods that kill a child,” said Pat McEwan, who is leading the Personhood Florida group.
…

At a press conference in Tallahassee, speakers blamed abortion for the financial insolvency of Social Security and the bankruptcy of American auto manufacturers, citing the millions of terminated pregnancies since Roe. v. Wade as costing the nation citizens and customers. They also said that a fetus is a person and should be given protections of law.

They talk about Roe v. Wade, but they are really gunning for Griswold v. Connecticut and the right to privacy. They want to tell people how to live, and to outlaw sex outside of their version of marriage.

[Read more →]

Position: 17.7 N 33.7 W [ 4 PM CDT 1500 UTC].
Movement: North [360°] near 1 mph [2 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1005 mb ↑.

It is 650 miles [1045 km] West-Northwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

Fred has stopped and is losing power from cooler sea surface temperatures, higher wind shear, and the dryer air. The storm is forecast to be a remnant low by tonight or early tomorrow. This is the final advisory.

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.]

Time magazine covers more of the idiocy in the Senate: After Obama’s Speech, It’s Back to Wooing the Skeptics

… The controversy over Republican Rep. Joe Wilson’s shouting out “You Lie!” at the President over his claim that illegal immigrants wouldn’t benefit from health-care reform apparently sparked some reconsideration of the relevant language. “We really thought we’d resolved this question of people who are here illegally, but as we reflected on the President’s speech last night we wanted to go back and drill down again,” said Senator Kent Conrad, one of the Democrats in the talks after a meeting Thursday morning. [Senator Max] Baucus later that afternoon said the group would put in a proof of citizenship requirement to participate in the new health exchange — a move likely to inflame the left.

What would make anyone believe that there is anyway of accommodating the whackos? These complaints have nothing to do with reality, or the bills going through Congress, it is demagoguery, plain and simple The simple-minded Democrats in the Senate finance committee are just wasting time trying to deal with these non-issues. If the President of the United States can’t convince them he is a citizen of the this county, what sort of proof would be acceptable?

Once they have finished off that bit of nonsense, the same crew of EEG flatliners has decided they should tackle the “problem” of malpractice.

I guess no one has told them that 38 of the 50 states have already passed tort reform laws, and it hasn’t saved a nickel. The hot spot for medical costs is in Texas, which has had a tort reform law for years. The problem isn’t defensive medicine, it’s greed. It is also a state issue, and there had better be a compelling reason for the Federal government to start messing around with it.

From the CBS transcript of President Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress:

… And that’s why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance — just as most states require you to carry auto insurance.

Excuse me, but some states require that people who choose to buy a vehicle, and choose to operate that vehicle on the public roadways buy liability insurance or post a liability bond to protect other users of those roadways in the event of an accident.

It isn’t a great analogy for what is being proposed in the personal mandate, because it has already been decided by the “powers that be” that the real analogy and solution can not be mentioned.

There are two insurance programs that are mandated by the Federal government that almost everyone is enrolled in automatically, and, surprise, one of them is a health insurance program. If he had said the apparently dreaded word “Medicare” in this context, someone might have said “what in hell are we doing creating a whole new freaking bureaucracy and screwing around, when all we have to do is open Medicare”, and that would, apparently be “terrible”.

If you don’t have the required time in the system to qualify for Medicare, there is a rate structure in place, and people do buy into Medicare after they reach age 65. Nothing needs to be created, just open Medicare and you have your “public option” up and running. People can buy Medicare coverage, just like any other health insurance, and the market can decide what happens to the other health insurance companies.

Position: 18.0 N 33.6 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: East-Northeast [060°] near 2 mph [4 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 60 mph [95 kph].
Wind Gusts: 70 mph [110 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 105 miles [165 km].
Minimum central pressure: 998 mb ↑.

It is 650 miles [1045 km] West-Northwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

Fred is slowing down and losing power from cooler sea surface temperatures, higher wind shear, and the dryer air.

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.]

Lucrezia

Yes, I will eat your liver.

[Editor: I will give her credit for being tough. When convincing kittens to get out of my Mother’s car, normally the spray bottle is enough. A few require the SuperSoaker, but Lucrezia was unmoved until the garden hose. She is determined.]

Friday Ark

September 11^th, 2001

Richard Clarke: “Your government failed you. Those entrusted with protecting you failed you. And I failed you. We tried hard. But that doesn’t matter, because we failed. And for that failure, I would ask, once all the facts are out, for your understanding and for your forgiveness.“

It’s nice to know that that “some of his best friends are progressives.”

From President Obama’s speech last night: “To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it.”

Actually Mr. President, liberals and progressives have been more concerned with getting people actual health care, rather than insurance. Insurance doesn’t cure anything.

Position: 17.4 N 35.1 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: North [350°] near 3 mph [6 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 85 mph [140 kph].
Wind Gusts: 105 mph [170 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 115 miles [185 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 30 miles [45 km].
Minimum central pressure: 980 mb ↑.

It is 740 miles [1190 km] West of the Cape Verde Islands.

After yesterday’s burst of development Fred is expected to slow down and lose power.

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.]

As Walter Scott wrote:

Oh! what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive!

This speech was the equivalent of Chamberlain returning from Munich and beginning his address to the British people: Meine Damen und Herren…

Inaugurated on 01/20 and a lame duck on 09/09, it must be a record.

Attaturk looked at the Baucus plan and noted this from the White House:

ROBERT GIBBS: I was told that — that K Street had a copy of the Baucus plan, meaning, not surprisingly, the special interests have gotten a copy of the plan.

Gibbs is wrong. As the authors, K Street has the original, and Baucus has the copy.

[Update: Upyernoz provides the proof that it was created on K Street at Wellpoint.]

[Read more →]

Hubble is Back!

Position: 15.3 N 33.7 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [320°] near 10 mph [16 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 105 mph [170 kph].
Wind Gusts: 125 mph [200 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 115 miles [185 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 30 miles [45 km].
Minimum central pressure: 965 mb ↑.

It is 645 miles [1040 km] West of the Cape Verde Islands.

This will probably be a fish botherer in the Central Atlantic.

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 fire in the Angeles National Forest has now burned over 160,357 acres [≅ 250 miles²] and at least 78 homes, two commercial buildings and 86 outbuildings. The cost estimate is >$57.6 million. It is 60% contained.

The Station Fire was started by an arsonist near mile marker 29 on the Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2) about one mile above Angeles Crest Fire Station near a Forest Ranger station [the source of the name] around 3:30pm [PDT] Wednesday August 26, 2009.

The state is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the fire. Los Angeles County will probably add $50,000 to the reward.

While there are still pockets of activities, the fire is being thwarted and there is at least of week of backfires and containment lines to go. Barring a major new development this is my last daily update.

Two Los Angeles County firefighters have died in a motor vehicle accident escaping a burnover. In addition there have been 3 civilians and 11 firefighters reported injured.

Currently there are 121 hand crews, 419 engines, 43 water tenders, 66 dozers, 11 air tankers, 19 helicopters, and 4,687 total personnel assigned to the fire.

The aircraft now include the 747 Supertanker [20,000 gallons], Tanker 910 [DC-10 12,000 gallons], Mars Hawaii Superscooper [7,200 gallons], and two Canadair 415 water scoopers [1,600 gallons] from the Province of Quebec.

Links: InciWeb, LA Times, KTLA, and Pasadena Star-News

Maps: LA Times fire map, the Enplan Wildfire Viewer, and the Weather Underground Smoke Map.

[For more information go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]

Both Jill [Cookies in Heaven & skippy the bush kangaroo] and Fallenmonk [Fallenmonk] are having birthdays today.

It is the really not that bad, nothing like four-oh or FIVE-OH NO, big Six-Oh for the Monk.

In Florida it is traditional to spend your birthday in the tax office getting new license plates and getting your driver’s license renewed.