Posts from — August 2018

Position: 14.2N 25.5W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1004 mb.

Currently about 85 miles [ 135 km] West-Southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the southern Cabo Verde Islands of Santiago, Fogo, and Brava.

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: 13.2N 20.9W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 13 mph [20 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1007 mb.

Currently about 260 miles [ 415 km] East-Southeast of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the southern Cabo Verde Islands of Santiago, Fogo, and Brava.

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.]

It wasn’t the storm, it was the levees.

It wasn’t Nature, it was man.

John McCain died 4 days short of his 82nd birthday of brain cancer. He was a highly decorated third generation Naval officer, a POW, a Congressman and a Senator. He ran for President twice and received his party’s nomination in 2008. As usual the BBC has a classic obituary.

I rarely agreed with John McCain’s political positions, but I had no reason to suspect his courage or desire to do what he thought was right for the country.

The Manhattan DA is issuing subpoenas to people in an investigation of possible New York crimes committed in relation to the payments made through the Trump Organization to Stormy Daniels and/or Karen McDougal in 2016.

Two people not worried about ‘catching’ anything are David Pecker, CEO of AMI, and Allen Weisselberg, CFO of the Trump Organization and Treasurer of the Trump Foundation – they have received immunity from Federal crimes by the Southern District of New York. Pecker is a long-time friend of Trump, and Weisselberg started with the Trump Organization under Donald Trump’s father, Fred.

From the US ABC news: Michael Cohen subpoenaed in New York state probe of Trump foundation:

State investigators in New York issued a subpoena to Michael Cohen on Wednesday as part of an ongoing multi-agency investigation into the Donald J. Trump Foundation, a spokesperson with the state’s department of taxation and finance told ABC News.

The subpoena for Cohen arrived less than 24 hours after the former fixer and personal attorney to President Donald Trump pleaded guilty to two charges of campaign finance violations related to the Trump campaign.

An official with the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told ABC News that shortly after Cohen was served the subpoena, he reached out to the NY department of taxation and finance to ask when they could schedule a time to talk.

This is a New York State investigation which is not affected by Trump’s ability to pardon, and it could be a world of hurt for the directors of the Foundation: Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump. Current “wisdom” says that Trump Sr. can’t be indicted while President, but his kids can enjoy the “hospitality” of the New York State corrections system.

Manafort found guilty on 8 counts. Cohen pleads guilty on multiple counts, and that miserable, lowlife, scum sucking Congresscritter from San Diego County, Duncan Hunter, was indicted on multiple charges related to misuse of campaign funds. 😈

To “Alternative Facts” we can add “Truth isn’t Truth” to the Trump lexiCon. The estate of George Orwell should sue for copyright infringement. Of course, you can’t prove infringement, because you can’t prove that anyone in the White House can read at the level necessary for 1984 👿

Update: One of the favorite jokes from the Edinburgh Fringe: “Trump said he’d build a wall but he hasn’t even picked up a brick. He’s just another middle-aged man failing on a DIY project” – Justin Moorhouse

Position: 50.4N 25.6W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: East-Northeast [060°] near 35 mph [56 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph [ 75 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 175 miles [280 km].
Minimum central pressure: 999 mb ↓.

Currently about 860 miles [1380 km] North of the Azores.

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.]

Adrastos at First Draft has a nice remembrance while the BBC doesn’t forget to include a formal obituary.

The Queen of Soul took songs written by or for others and made them hers. Otis Redding could never top her version of his song, “Respect”, and Carol King lost “A Natural Woman” to the Queen.

She was only in one movie, The Blues Brothers, but she laid down my favorite version of “Think”.

She is missed.

Position: 44.1N 38.9W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northeast [055°] near 22 mph [35 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph [ 75 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 160 miles [260 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1007.

Currently about 710 miles [1145 km] East of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

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: 39.7N 45.1W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: North-Northeast [025°] near 10 mph [17 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 160 miles [260 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1008 mb.

Currently about 630 miles [1010 km] Southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

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.]

Not this Snark or even The Snark, but the other snark.

Frank Figliuzzi, former Assistant Director of the FBI for Counterintelligence, while discussing Trump’s weekend tweets about the Trump Tower meeting, suggested that Twitter should display the Miranda warning on Trump’s account before he can post anything.

Matt Miller, a former Department of Justice spokesman, opined that the White House has the highest crime rate in Washington, DC. This was after discussing multiple criminal problems of individuals associated with this administration.

Of course, xkcd can always be counted on and does not fail us on electronic voting machines.

Position: 45.5N 40.5W [ 4PM CDT 2100 UTC].
Movement: Northeast [055°] near 23 mph [37 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 105 miles [165 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1004 mb ↑.

Currently about 865 miles [1390 km] Northwest of the Azores.

Debby has lost its tropical characteristics and will become a remnant low later today. This is the final NHC 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.]

Position: 42.8N 46.5W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northeast [040°] near 13 mph [20 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 60 mph [ 95 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 70 miles [110 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1000 mb ↓.

Currently about 1075 miles [1730 km] West-Northwest of the Azores.

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.]