Posts from — July 2011

Position: 24.7N 92.5W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [295°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [100 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 100 miles [160 km].
Minimum central pressure: 998 mb ↓.

Currently about 370 miles [ 600 km] Southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Texas coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande northward to west of San Luis Pass.

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.]

If you were wondering, from intellectual curiosity, exactly how insane the Tea Party caucus of the Republican Congresscritters really are, you need to ask an expert.

My expert is the man who thought Sarah Palin would be an excellent choice as his running mate in the Presidential election of 2008, Senator John “Maverick” McCain of Arizona. When John McCain thinks you are “bizarro”, you really should have arranged for a room with rubber walls, and started buying those canvas jackets that belt in the back.

These people have transcended psychology, and landed in horticulture, because they can’t pass the entrance exam for animal life.

The real question is: who in the hell in the White House thought they could cut a deal with the Republicans in the House?

The link goes to CNN’s Belief Blog, not to the Onion or Newsbiscuit, OK?

Poll: 52 percent approve of God’s job performance.

I present it only as an example of the decline of American media.

Position: 22.8N 88.1W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [300°] near 12 mph [19 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 45 miles [ 75 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1000 mb ↓.

Currently about 675 miles [1085 km] East-Southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Texas coast from Port Mansfield northward to west of San Luis Pass.

Invest 90 skipped the Tropical Depression stage and went directly to a Tropical Storm based on Hurricane Hunter data.

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.]

Invest 90 was reborn today, and people living along the Northwestern Gulf in Western Louisiana and Texas should start keeping an eye on it. It is currently by the western tip of Cuba headed towards the northwest.

The BBC reports that UK GDP figures show slower growth of 0.2%

Growth in the UK economy slowed in the three months to 30 June, partly because of the extra bank holiday in April.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 0.2% in the second quarter, according to the Office for National Statistics, down from 0.5% in the previous quarter.

The ONS said growth had also been slowed by some other one-off factors, including the Japanese tsunami.

Chancellor George Osborne said the growth was good news, but Ed Balls accused him of choking the recovery.

About that “extra bank holiday” – that was the wedding. Are they really trying to convince people that the wedding didn’t generate more economic activity than a run-of-the-mill Friday? Are they really attempting to convince people that the wedding wasn’t a major plus for the UK economy? That wedding was probably the only reason the quarter wasn’t negative.

Austerity is not the way out of a recession, and never has been.

I mentioned that Congress failed to authorize the FAA to continue to collect its user fees, and that ticket purchasers would see lower prices. I failed to consider the greed of the airlines, who raised prices the amount of the tax break.

When Congress decides to do its job, the airlines will blame the “price increase” on the government.

So, I was complaining that my glasses were costing more, and wouldn’t be ready for a week, rather than the hour the last pair took. I should have waited until I had them in my hands.

After more than a week and a half they arrived, and this week I am returning them and looking for someone else to do the job. I knew they were wrong as soon as I put them on, but was assured that I would get used to them if I waited and put them on the first thing in the morning.

The first thing in the morning they were just as out of focus as they were in the shop, and after giving them a couple of hours, I had a raging headache. I am well aware that you have to adjust to a new prescription, as my current glasses are my first pair of bifocals. [Trust me, you will adjust to bifocals in a few days, but don’t try to drive or use power tools until you do.]

Some day I may see clearly again, but I’m not making book on when.

The BBC says that Vatican recalls Irish papal envoy after Cloyne report

The Vatican has recalled its special envoy in Ireland after a damning report on the Catholic Church’s handling of child abuse by priests.

Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Leanza has been called back to Rome to discuss the impact of the recent Cloyne Report.

It showed how allegations of sex abuse by priests in Cork had been covered up.

The report led to angry condemnation of the Vatican by Prime Minister Enda Kenny in the Irish Parliament.

In a blistering attack, Mr Kenny accused the church of putting its reputation ahead of child rape victims.

Vice-director of the Vatican press office Father Ciro Benedettini said the nuncio’s recall “should be interpreted as an expression of the desire of the Holy See for serious and effective collaboration with the (Irish) government”.

He added that it “denotes the seriousness of the situation and the Holy See’s desire to face it objectively and determinately.

“Nor does it exclude some degree of surprise and disappointment at certain excessive reactions.”

It would be of mild interest to know what the Vatican believes are “certain excessive reactions”. I don’t remember reading of any beatings, burnings, or lynchings of those involved in the crimes or cover-ups. If the Vatican thinks that getting yelled at for obstructing justice and aiding and abetting felons is “excessive”, they might want to take a course in ethics.

If you use FireFox or Chrome for browsing there are plug-ins/add-ons to warn you if you are accessing a web site owned by Rupert.

No one really likes hackers and crackers. They are the mosquitoes of the ‘Net, annoying things that sometimes carry diseases.

There are a lot of things I could do on the Internet that I don’t do because they are destructive and childish. I have no interest in competing with Congress and the White House.

What’s it, you ask? The Greater Recession …

The Guardian has a piece about the British government’s reaction to the kabuki in DC: Cable attacks ‘right wing nutters’

Business Secretary Vince Cable has launched an extraordinary attack on “right wing nutters” in the US who are threatening to cripple the world economy.

Mr Cable said the row over whether to raise the American government’s debt ceiling was a more serious crisis than the eurozone’s problems.
…

But he added: “The irony of the situation at the moment, with markets opening tomorrow morning, is that the biggest threat to the world financial system comes from a few right-wing nutters in the American congress rather than the eurozone.”

Mr. Cable is the equivalent of the US Secretary of Commerce.

Raising Medicare to 67: Not an Acceptable Option is Jeralyn at TalkLeft finally understanding that Obama is servant of oligarchs, like all Republicans. Of course, he doesn’t care what Democratic voters or Congresscritters think. He assumes they will vote the way he wants, which is why all of the real discussions have been between him and Boehner.

I would hope that people realize that Zero set this up so he could cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which is what the oligarchs want. It is all part of his ineffable plan for “shared sacrifice” that seems to have the lower 90% making sacrifices inversely proportional to their income which will then be shared among the upper 10% in direct proportion to their wealth.

“We shall grapple with the ineffable, and see if we may not eff it after all.” — Douglas Adams in Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency

Alas I do not see Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid as Dirk Gently.

Creteil – Paris

Distance: 95.0 kilometers.

This is the parade into Paris along the Champs Elyees.

Cadel Evans is the first Australian and, at 34, the oldest rider to win the Tour in nearly nine decades [1923]. No word if he asked for a beer instead of champagne at the start of the stage. He has been on the verge of winning for several years, only to be injured in accidents.

Mark Cavendish won his fifth stage on the Tour this year and his third consecutive win in Paris. Mark moves into a tie for sixth place in the all time rankings with his 20^th win. Thor Hushovd, who has now won 10 stages, is the only active rider who is even close.

Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 141 ) [Yellow] 86h 12′ 22″
Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green] 334 points
Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 ) [Polka Dot] 108 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 188 ) 11 [White]
Φ Fabio Sabatini ( Ita – LIQ – 097 ) + 3h 57′ 43″ [La Lanterne Rouge]

Team: Garmin-Cervelo ( 051-059 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 )
Super Combative: Jérémy Roy ( Fra – FDJ – 138 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 3,430.0 kilometers [2,131.3 miles] at an average speed of 39.8 kph [24.7 mph].

THE ENTIRE LIST OF FINISHERS:
[Read more →]

Grenoble

Distance: 42.5 kilometers.

The individual time trials are on tap today in a loop out from Grenoble. With less than a minute separating the top three in the general classification, people will be pushing it, especially Cadel Evans of Australia.

Tony Martin won the trials, but Cadel was only 7 seconds behind in second, and Alberto came in third at + 1′ 06″. Andy Schleck has to settle for second … again.

I saw a presentation on the bike that Cadel rode for the time trials. Wonderful piece of carbon fiber, and you can buy one for only €12,000 [$17,240 US – plus tax, tag, title, transportation, dealer prep]. Remember, it’s almost lighter than the cash it takes to pay for it, so even a small child can carry it.

Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 141 ) [Yellow] 83h 45′ 20″
Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green] 280 points
Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 ) [Polka Dot] 108 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 188 ) 11 [White]

Team: Garmin-Cervelo ( 051-059 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Tony Martin ( Ger – THR – 175 )
Combative: [Not awarded for time trial.]

They’ve gone 3,335.0 kilometers [2,072.3 miles] at an average speed of 39.8 kph [24.7 mph] →.

OVERALL STANDINGS:
[Read more →]