The casinos that call themselves stock markets are again showing the world why you should not use them for retirement funds. Governments failed to reinstate the regulations that kept them honest and stable so they returned to their bad habits.

While talking about bad habits I might as well point out that although the price of a barrel of oil has dropped below $40/barrel, the price of gasoline has seen no corresponding drop at the pump. Refiners have decided to keep the savings for themselves.

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The BBC tells me that “An explosion has been reported at a chemical plant in China’s eastern province of Shandong.” Well, it has been almost 10 days since the last chemical explosion in Chine so it was due… 😈

It doesn’t take a gun to stop an attack, it takes people willing to do it. The initial reports said they were Marines, but Airmen, the National Guard, and people without any military training can act too.

Position: 15.6N 59.8W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [270°] near 15 mph [24 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 60 miles [ 95 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1009 mb ↑.

Currently about 100 miles [ 160 km] East of Dominica.

The weakening trend is continuing and the system may be downgraded to a depression tonight.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Barbuda, St Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, and Montserrat.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Saba, St Eustatius, and St Maartin.

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.]