Posts from — July 2017

Position: 11.3N 54.6W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 18 mph [30 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph [ 75 kph].
Wind Gusts: 60 mph [ 95 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 25 miles [ 35 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1009 mb.

Currently about 355 miles [ 570 km] East-Southeast of Barbados.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Grenada and St. Vincent & the Grenadines,.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Barbados and St. Lucia.

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.]

Apollo 11

Commander:

Neil A. Armstrong

Pilot: Columbia Command Module

Michael Collins, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF

Pilot: Eagle Lunar Module

Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., Colonel, USAF

Launched: 16 July 1969 UT 13:32:00 (08:32:00 CDT)

Landed on Moon: 20 July 1969 UT 20:17:40 (15:17:40 CDT)

Landing Site: Mare Tranquillitatis – Sea of Tranquility (0.67 N, 23.47 E)

Returned to Earth: 24 July 1969 UT 16:50:35 (11:50:35 CDT)

Laissac-Sévérac l’Église – Le Puy-en-Velay

Distance: 189.5 kilometers.

The stage starts with category 1 Montée de Naves d’Aubrac and category 3 Côte de Vieurals in the first third, and then category 1 Col de Peyra Taillade and category 4 Côte de Saint-Vidal at the end. There is a rest day on Monday.

Bauke Mollema took the stage win and the Red Numbers with a solo breakaway at the end, while Chris Froome with the help of Team Sky managed to hang on to the Yellow after a rear wheel puncture just before the last category 1 climb left him a minute down.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 64h 40′ 21″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 373 points
Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Polka Dot] 116 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 7 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Bauke Mollema ( Ned – TFS – 037 )
Combative: Bauke Mollema ( Ned – TFS – 037 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 18″
3 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 23″
4 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 ) + 00′ 29″
5 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 01′ 12″
6 Mikel Landa ( Spa – SKY – 006 ) + 01′ 17″
7 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – UAD – 061 ) + 05′ 09″
9 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 05′ 37″
10 Damiano Caruso ( Ita – BMC – 042 ) + 06′ 05″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

Blagnac – Rodez

Distance: 181.5 kilometers.

A couple of category 3 climbs [Côte du viaduc du Viaur and Côte de Centrès] three-quarters of the way through this hilly stage are the distinguishing features.

Chris Froome made back his 24 second deficit to Fabio Aru, but he needs a bigger lead to feel comfortable in the Yellow Jersey.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 59h 52′ 09″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 373 points
Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Polka Dot] 94 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 7 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Michael Matthews ( Aus – SUN – 141 )
Combative: Thomas De Gendt ( Bel – LTS – 134 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 18″
3 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 23″
4 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 ) + 00′ 29″
5 Mikel Landa ( Spa – SKY – 006 ) + 01′ 17″
6 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 01′ 26″
7 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 02′ 22″
9 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – UAD – 061 ) + 05′ 09″
10 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 05′ 37″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

We started out with Junior, Jared, and Paul Manafort meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya to discussed the Russian government providing opposition research about Hillary Clinton, after saying for months there were no such meetings.

Then Russian lobbyist and former member of Soviet GRU counter-intel Rinat Akhmetshin is added to the list, and the latest attendance sheet show publicist Rob Goldstone, a translator, and a representative of the Agalarov family were also there.

Charlie Pierce posits the Bolshoi Ballet may have stopped by and I wonder about a challenge between the Russian Army Chorus and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

People don’t get to just drop into the conference rooms at Trump Tower, you have to be pre-approved. There was attendence taken, and you don’t get to leave out former GRU agents or representatives of a Russian/Azerbaijani oligarch, known as Putin’s builder.

Saint-Girons – Foix

Distance: 101 kilometers.

Three category 1 climbs [Col de Latrape, Col d’Agnes, and Mur de Péguère] packed into 101 kilometers for Bastille Day and Frenchman Warren Barguil comes through for his countrymen by taking the stage.

Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) [Yellow] 55h 30′ 06″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 363 points
Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Polka Dot] 94 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 7 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 )
Combative: Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 )
2 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) + 00′ 06″
3 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 25″
4 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 ) + 00′ 35″
5 Mikel Landa ( Spa – SKY – 006 ) + 01′ 09″
6 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 01′ 32″
7 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 02′ 04″
8 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 02′ 07″
9 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – UAD – 061 ) + 04′ 51″
10 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 05′ 22″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

La Fête Nationale
Bastille Day

Thank you for the help with the Revolution.

Some background.

Pau – Peyragudes

Distance: 214.5 kilometers.

A gentle incline with a category 4 Côte de Capvern is the first 100 kilometers, then things get serious: category 2 Col des Ares, category 1 Col de Mentéat, Hors Catégorie Port de Balès, category 1 Col de Peyresourde, and the category 2 climb to the finish in Peyragudes. Welcome to the Pyrenees.

Chris Froome’s legs gave out on the last climb and he lost 24 seconds to Fabio Aru. He only has a 6 second deficit but Fabio is wearing Yellow on Bastille Day.

Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) [Yellow] 52h 51′ 49″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 352 points
Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Polka Dot] 70 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 6 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 )
Combative: Stephen Cummings ( GBr – DDD – 093 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 )
2 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) + 00′ 06″
3 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 25″
4 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 ) + 00′ 55″
5 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 01′ 41″
6 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 02′ 13″
7 Mikel Landa ( Spa – SKY – 006 ) + 02′ 55″
8 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 04′ 01″
9 George Bennett ( NZl – TLJ – 162 ) + 04′ 24″
10 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – UAD – 061 ) + 04′ 51″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

Eymet – Pau

Distance: 203.5 kilometers.

A gentle incline with a category 4 climb, Côte d’Aire-sur-l’Adour, at the three-quarter mark, made for sprinters.

Marcel Kittel takes his fifth stage win while the peloton saved its energy for the Pyrenees stages.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 47h 01′ 55″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 335 points
Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Polka Dot] 60 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 7 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 )
Combative: Maciej Bodnar ( Pol – BOH – 112 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 18″
3 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 51″
4 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 ) + 00′ 55″
5 Jakob Fuglsang ( Den – AST – 053 ) + 01′ 37″
6 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 01′ 44″
7 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 02′ 13″
9 Mikel Landa ( Spa – SKY – 006 ) + 03′ 06″
10 George Bennett ( NZl – TLJ – 162 ) + 03′ 53″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

So an Australian journalist hit the big time with coverage of Trump Sr., now Canadian Robyn Urback has a go with Jr.: So Donald Jr. welcomed Russian intel. Whatever. Remember that time Hillary Clinton had a cold?

This is a great “Faux News” take off. It’s nice that other people get some enjoyment from our mess.

Périgueux – Bergerac

Distance: 178 kilometers.

A hilly stage with two category 4 climbs, Côte de Domme and Côte du Buisson-de-Cadouin, extends the period of recuperation after Stage 9.

Marcel Kittel has won his fourth stage in this Tour. With so many of the sprinters already out of the race, he is building up his lead for Green.

Rafal Majka, who had been in tenth place, was not able to start due to injuries in his hard crash on Sunday.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 42h 27′ 28″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 275 points
Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Polka Dot] 60 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 7 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 )
Combative: Elie Gesbert ( Fra – TFO – 214 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 18″
3 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 51″
4 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 ) + 00′ 55″
5 Jakob Fuglsang ( Den – AST – 053 ) + 01′ 37″
6 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 01′ 44″
7 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 02′ 13″
9 Mikel Landa ( Spa – SKY – 006 ) + 03′ 06″
10 George Bennett ( NZl – TLJ – 162 ) + 03′ 53″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

Nantua – Chambery

Distance: 181.5 kilometers.

There are six Hors Catégorie climbs on this year’s Tour and three of them are on this stage along with four lesser climbs. This is the list: category 2 Côte des Neyrolles, category 3 Col de Bérentin, category 3 Côte de Franclens, Hors Catégorie Col de la Biche (Croix de Famban), Hors Catégorie Grand Colombier, category 4 Côte de Jongieux, and Hors Catégorie Mont du Chat. Tomorrow is a rest day.

It was a massacre – 5 withdrawn with injuries and 7, including four members of the FDJ team, over the time limit.

Rigoberto Uran won the stage with a photo finish, while Warren Barguil got the Polka Dots and Red Numbers. The general classification was ‘shaken, not stirred’ by the climbs and the crashes.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 38h 26′ 28″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 212 points
Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Polka Dot] 60 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 7 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 )
Combative: Warren Barguil ( Fra – SUN – 143 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 18″
3 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 51″
4 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – CDT – 188 ) + 00′ 55″
5 Jakob Fuglsang ( Den – AST – 053 ) + 01′ 37″
6 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 01′ 44″
7 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 02′ 13″
9 Mikel Landa ( Spa – SKY – 006 ) + 03′ 06″
10 George Bennett ( NZl – TLJ – 162 ) + 03′ 53″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

Chris Uhlmann, political editor of Australian Broadcasting, has gone viral with his coverage: Does Donald Trump’s awkward performance indicate America’s decline as world power?

It is time that Trump had a real physical by doctors who won’t rubber stamp his health claims. He isn’t recognizing familiar people or things.

He is also plagued with bad staff work, including the late booking of room reservations for the conference.

I don’t like the guy on any level, but if he dies in office it will be decades of conspiracy theories and bad Oliver Stone films about Hillary bringing back the zombie of Vince Foster to stab him in the ankle with an umbrella borrowed from the Russian embassy. I’m too old for this crap…

Dole – Station des rousses

Distance: 187.5 kilometers.

This stage gives the riders a hundred kilometers to warm up before three increasingly difficult climbs: category 3 Col de la Joux, category 2 Côte de Viry,and category 1 Côte de la Combe de Laisia-Les Molunes near the end of the stage. This will start the shake up of the general classification.

Lilian Calmejane won the stage, the most combative, the Polka Dots, cut a minute off his deficit in the generenal classification and moved from 38 to 28th position. He won the stage by 37 seconds over Robert Gesink. This was his day to shine.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 33h 19′ 10″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 212 points
Lilian Calmejane ( Fra – DEN – 173 ) [Polka Dot] 11 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 6 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Lilian Calmejane ( Fra – DEN – 173 )
Combative: Lilian Calmejane ( Fra – DEN – 173 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 009 ) + 00′ 12″
3 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 14″
4 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 00′ 25″
5 Richie Porte ( Aus – BMC – 041 ) + 00′ 39″
6 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 00′ 43″
7 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 47″
8 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 00′ 52″
9 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 00′ 54″
10 Rafal Majka ( Pol – BOH – 115 ) + 01′ 01″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]