Posts from — October 2019

Position: 38.6N 64.0W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: East [080°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [100 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 60 miles [ 95 km].
Minimum central pressure: 999 mb.

Currently about 415 miles [ 670 km] South of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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.]

We pulled out troops who had a mission in Syria to aid allies fighting for US policies and then the Pentagon announces new troop deployments to Saudi Arabia:

The Pentagon said Friday that the deployment to Saudi Arabia will include two fighter squadrons, one air expeditionary win[sic], two Patriot batteries and one Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

That should read an air expeditionary wing, but this deployment makes no sense. The Saudi infrastructure was attacked by low-level, possibly terrain following cruise missiles and drones. I see nothing in this deployment that will deal with that threat, especially not a THAAD system.

Position: 37.7N 68.8W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Southeast [125°] near 6 mph [ 9 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [100 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 275 miles [445 km].
Minimum central pressure: 997 mb.

Currently about 250 miles [ 400 km] South-Southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

The nor’easter that has been annoying the Atlantic coast has gained subtropical characteristics.

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.]

Turkish assault on the Kurds in Syria:

Trump had a call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and then announced the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, but Mike Pompeo says the US did not approve Turkey’s Syria offensive. Pompeo is either one of the few in government on the planet who doesn’t know that the only reason Turkey hasn’t been attacking the Kurds was the presence of US troops, or he’s lying. Given that we already went through this in 2018 with Trump finally being convinced to cancel the order to withdraw, I’ll vote for lying.

Ali Velshi notes that Turkey is the top patron of Trump properties globally. Who believes that Trump doesn’t factor that in when dealing with Erdogan?

Another Trump vetting failure:

Two Giuliani associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, have been arrested for campaign finance violations. They were laundering foreign money (Russian) into US political organizations. Digby has nice picture of them, the two guys between Pence and Trump.

Impeachment:

The 8-page White House letter is considered by most people who study such things to be an article of impeachment on its face for obstruction.

Fox News Poll: A record 51% say they want Trump not only impeached but removed from office. This is a Fox poll and the first to show that a majority want him removed from office. When the pictures of the dead and wounded from the Turkish assaults on the Kurds start showing up, it will probably get worse. Congressional Republicans are speaking out about the betrayal of the Kurds, and when ISIS fighters escape because of the Turkish action the volume will increase. Trump is 30 Republican Senators from being the first US President to be removed from office.

The latest effort by my benighted Congresscritter to suck up to Trumplethinskin™: Matt Gaetz uses ‘Captain Kangaroo’ to attack Adam Schiff. This is so “middle school playground”. Why am I cursed with such pathetic jokes for human beings to represent me?

This is now officially a constitutional crisis. The White House Counsel, Pat Cipollone, has sent an 8-page letter to the House of Representatives that delares the Trump administration intention to refuse to cooperate with the impeachment process.

The link to Digby’s features some rather sharp criticisms of Cipollone’s work: Gregg Nunziata – “A barely-lawyered temper tantrum.” ; George Conway – “This letter, in and of itself, is an impeachable offense.”

These are the sort of reviews that turn out lights on Broadway. Cipollone should have stayed with business law.

Pat Robertson: Trump May ‘Lose The Mandate Of Heaven’ Over Kurd Abandonment. Nikki Haley and Brett McGurk think it’s brain dead. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell believe it is a major screw up, just as bad as it was when he tried the same thing last year.

Once again Trump wants to abandon the only reliable allies the US has in the Middle East, the Kurds. Graham makes it clear that Trump’s claims about defeating ISIS are lies. The only people who think this is a “good idea” are Erdogan, Putin, and Assad. Trump’s supposed threat of economic sanctions when (not if) Turkey attacks the Kurds who have been carrying out the policy of the US, are totally worthless.

As Rabbie Burns wrote:

The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!

CNN’s conservative commentator SE Cupp believes that Trump’s reaction to any problem can be condensed to: DNA – Deny, Normalize, Attack.

I don’t contest her logic as far as it goes but it leaves off the final step – scapegoating. It being reported that in a conference call to Republican officials Donald Trump threw Rick Perry under the bus for causing his Ukraine scandal. Rick Perry has no ability to sequester the military aid for the Ukraine or schedule White House visits of foreign leaders. The former governor of Texas is the Energy Secretary, not the Secretary of State.

So AOC had a town hall that included a woman indicating that people needed to eat babies to save the world. Upon some research it was determined: Yes, #EatTheBabies Was Stunt By Pro-Trump Trolls. This was actually a piece of satire by Jonathan Swift in the 18th century: A Modest Proposal.

This was probably supposed to cause a problem for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but she handled it gracefully and suggested people not attack the woman as it might be a mental health issue. I still can’t see how this could have been seen as a negative for AOC. Republicans are weird.

Pasty white members of the 1% are providing Ms Warren with the basis of good campaign advertisements. The latest is from Mark Zuckerberg with this gem – LEAKED: Zuckerberg Will ‘Sue Federal Government’ If Warren Elected. Mark won’t have to initiate court proceedings – I feel certain that the Warren administration will be happy to spare him the “inconvenience” as Warren has “a plan for that.”

Earlier there was CNBC’s Jim Cramer On Elizabeth Warren: ‘She’s Got To Be Stopped’. Ms Warren thanked Mr Cramer on Twitter. Being opposed by “vulture capitalists” is a boost for the Warren campaign.

The problem for the 1% is that they are not very popular with voters.

Position: 44.4N 25.8W [10:00AM CDT 1500 UTC].
Movement: Northeast [040°] near 43 mph [69 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 80 mph [130 kph].
Wind Gusts: 100 mph [160 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 390 miles [630 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 150 miles [240 km].
Minimum central pressure: 962 mb ↑.

Currently about 945 miles [1525 km] West-Southwest of Cork, Ireland.

All watches and warnings have been cancelled as of 10AM CDT. Lorenzo has transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone that is still a threat to Ireland and Great Britain. 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: 39.1N 32.7W [10:00PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northeast [045°] near 40 mph [65 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 100 mph [155 kph].
Wind Gusts: 120 mph [195 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 390 miles [630 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 150 miles [240 km].
Minimum central pressure: 960 mb.

Currently about 85 miles [ 135 km] West-Southwest of Flores Island in the Azores.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the central and western Azores, including the islands of Flores, Corvo, Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, Graciosa, and Terceira.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the eastern Azores, including the islands of Sao Miguel and Santa Maria.

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.]