The opponents of the Park51 project keep harping on the concept of “sensitivity” for the families of the victims, as a reason not to build it where it is currently sited.

On the anniversary of September 11^th, the opponents showed their “sensitivity” by holding demonstrations on the “hallowed ground” of Park Place.

The BBC noted: “The radical Dutch politician Geert Wilders addressed one demonstration, calling for an end to the plans.”

OK, if you invite Geert Wilders to a demonstration about anything Islamic, you are openly declaring hatred as your motivation, not “sensitivity”. Even Glenn Beck thinks the guy is a fascist. I don’t agree, I think he’s just working out a personal conflict over his heritage in public. Be that as it may, the message that Wilders consistently delivers is that Islam is evil and must be eliminated in the West. He gets a lot of support in the US because he is a friend of Israel.

I feel certain that the NYPD officers that were assigned to monitor the demonstration would have preferred to have been at Ground Zero honoring the members of their department who died, but the haters couldn’t care less about that – 9/11 was when the media would be out and about.

[I waited to post this, because it wasn’t appropriate to do it on the day of the memorial.]

Position: 17.7N 51.2W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [275°] near 9 mph [15 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 140 mph [220 kph].
Wind Gusts: 165 mph [265 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 195 miles [315 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 50 miles [ 80 km].
Minimum central pressure: 937 mb ↑.

Currently about 785 miles [1260 km] East of the northern Leeward Islands.

Igor seems to have reached its peak intensity, and is now expanding as the wind field catches up with the eye. It is finally backing off slightly.

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: 15.6N 28.0W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [295°] near 13 mph [21 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [105 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 80 miles [130 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1000 mb.

Currently about 245 miles [395 km] West-Northwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands.

Julia is beginning to strengthen as it heads out over the open Atlantic. All Warnings have been discontinued.

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.]