Posts from — September 2015

I’ve been dealing with some wireless problems and then I got hit with major software updates for my virus software (three machines), Firefox on four machines, and then IOS 9.0 on the iPAD.

I got most of that done, when the iPad decided I needed 9.0.1. OK, things get missed with major upgrades and require patches. I was not so sanguine when after finishing 9.0.1 I was told to update 9.0.2. Come on guys, this is really annoying. 😡

Position: 23.8N 73.1W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Southwest [220°] near 6 mph [ 9 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 115 mph [185 kph].
Wind Gusts: 130 mph [210 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 140 miles [220 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 35 miles [ 55 km].
Minimum central pressure: 951 mb ↓.

Currently about 90 miles [ 145 km] East of San Salvador, Bahamas.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Central Bahamas including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island,Rum Cay, and San Salvador; and the Northwestern Bahamas including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence, but excluding Andros Island and Bimini.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Southeastern Bahamas including the Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, the Inaguas, Mayaguana, the Ragged Islands, and Andros Island, but excluding the Turks and Caicos Islands.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Bimini & Andros Island.

Joaquin is the second hurricane and now the second major hurricane of this Atlantic season.

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.]

25.8N 71.7W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Southwest [240°] near 5 mph [ 7 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 70 mph [110 kph].
Wind Gusts: 80 mph [130 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 70 miles [110 km].
Minimum central pressure: 988 mb ↓.

Currently about 360 miles [ 580 km] East of the Northwestern Bahamas.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the Central Bahamas.

Strengthening is taking place according to reports from the Hurricane Hunter aircraft.

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.]

Apparently there is more water in California than oil in the Chukchi Sea: Shell stops Arctic activity after ‘disappointing’ tests.

OTOH, it would appear that there is less water in California than there is on the Red Planet: Evidence of liquid water found on Mars

On the local front the average rainfall for the month of September is 4.31 inches. We got that from midnight to 5PM. Twice that amount for the entire month is certain.

The critical questions: What is a cubit and what is the current price for gopherwood?

In the eastern Pacific Tropical Storm Marty is pushing humid Pacific air across Mexico into the Gulf of Mexico where it is being added to the Gulf air that Invest 99L was already moving around producing 10 inches+ of rain on the northern Gulf Coast.

Locally it has been raining since 11PM CDT yesterday, but it didn’t serious until Noon when the rate jumped to 1½ inches/hour.

We have flash flood warnings or watches covering the entire northern coast, but the sand that makes up the land on the immediate coast tends to limit our flood problems to parking lots and roadways.

Position: 26.7N 70.4W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Southwest [230°] near 5 mph [ 7 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 105 miles [165 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1002 mb ↓.

Currently about 400 miles [ 645 km] Northeast of the Central Bahamas.

Eleven has become Tropical Storm Joaquin.

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: 27.5N 68.7W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [315°] near 2 mph [ 4 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1007 mb.

Currently about 405 miles [ 650 km] Southwest of Bermuda.

This one just popped up off the Atlantic coast.

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.]

Via Ellroon Discovery covers tonight’s lunar eclipse:

The supermoon lunar eclipse of 2015 will occur Sunday, Sept. 27, and is a confluence of three events: a full moon; a lunar eclipse, in which the Earth blocks the sun’s light from hitting the moon; and lunar perigee, when the moon is in the closest part of its orbit to Earth. The last time such a confluence happened was in 1982; there were just five instances of it in the 20th century.
…

The moon will be shrouded in shadow Sunday night or early Monday morning (depending on the time zone). It will enter the dark part of the Earth’s shadow at 9:07 EDT Sunday (0107 GMT), and it will enter a total eclipse by 10:11 p.m. EDT (0211 GMT Monday) beforebegin (sic) to emerge from shadow 12 minutes later.

If the clouds break up I’ll be trying for a picture, but I don’t have a lot of optimism.

Position: 24.5N 48.7W [ 4PM CDT 2100 UTC].
Movement: West [265°] near 5 mph [ 7 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 30 mph [ 45 kph].
Wind Gusts: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1008 mb ↑.

Currently about 1020 miles [1645 km] East-Northeast of the Leeward Islands.

The storm is poorly organized. At 4PM Ida became a remnant low and NHC issued its 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.]

I have to swap out some equipment, so I may be out of communication for a while.

Update: It’s working again … for now. It will be a while before I know if it is good for the long term.

Position: 24.3N 47.4W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 5 mph [ 7 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1006 mb.

Currently about 1095 miles [1760 km] East-Northeast of the Leeward Islands.

The storm is expected to lose tropical status at any time.

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.]

They don’t like Pope Francis’s anti-capitalist thoughts about helping the poor, income inequality, etc. They apparently haven’t read the New Testament which is important to the leader of one of the largest Christian sects. Had they read the Gospels they would have known better than to expect a Christian to support what passes for capitalism today.

They also don’t like his views on climate change, but as a former chemist he shouldn’t have been expected to ignore the evidence and findings.

I’m fairly certain that they didn’t like the Pope pointing out that if you aren’t a Native American, you or your ancestors were immigrants, so you should show a little compassion today’s immigrants.

The only competition for coverage of the Pope’s visit to the US was the announcement that US Speaker John Boehner is to leave Congress. Rather than retiring by not not running again, Boehner is resigning effective the end of October. As there is once again a threat by the whackoes to shut down the government, Boehner is probably fed up with trying to get anything done.

The ABC notes that the Australian Government’s new booklet for schools links green activism, ‘alternative music’ to terrorism

Environmentalists and teachers are up in arms over a new Federal Government anti-radicalisation kit that links green activism and “alternative music” to terrorism.

The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Terrorism Michael Keenan launched the Radicalisation Awareness Kit in the form of a 32-page booklet on Monday.

So, if you find a kid who listens to George Winston and likes organic vegetables, he will obviously be blowing up the school any time now. 👿

You have to wonder if Mr. Keenan can understand any of the briefings he receives on terrorist attacks, or if he can detect sarcasm.