Posts from — September 2020

The ABC (US) had a nice article about a find in Egypt: Archaeologists unearth 27 coffins at Egypt’s Saqqara pyramid. Normally I would like the news and look for follow-up reporting. This is 2020. Put them back and walk away slowly hoping nothing happens. Don’t tempt fate – we have Trump, a pandemic, and locust, so we should not take any more risks.

Expecting the worst may not be enough. In that vein, Florida governor, Ron DeMented DeSantis has decided to remove all COVID restrictions. He apparently doesn’t think over a hundred deaths a day is a problem.

I am trying to understand why vandalism during street protests requires a major Federal response, but 1,000+ deaths a day doesn’t, but that’s 2020. Stay safe. Stay sane. Vote on November 3rd.

September 27 – October 3, 2020

“Das war ein Vorspiel nur, dort wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen.” That is the original German. My English translation would be ‘That is but a prelude, where they burn books, they will in the end burn people.” It is from Heinrich Heine’s 1821 play Almansor.

While technically not a banned book, one of the most important written documents in the United States is seemly unread. That is the Constitution of the United States, the law of the land. The current Resident of the White House would do well to read Article 2, which is the ‘job description’ for the position he captured. From there he can proceed to the Amendments. If he reads the whole thing, he won’t find any mention of a flag or a national anthem. Those are creations of Congress and are subordinate to the rights guaranteed by the Amendments to the Constitution.

ABC (US) has some background on 2018 Amendment 4 and the Republican effort to get around it.

Now Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody is asking federal and state law enforcement to investigate Michael Bloomberg’s donations to pay off the fines and fees of felons in Florida:

Florida with the help of Republican judges is preventing ex-felons in the state from voting without paying their fines and court costs.

And Mike Bloomberg is donating money to the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which will pay fines for ex-felons who want to vote.
…
Moody may be walking into a trap.

As we reported earlier, Florida does not have a statewide database of court fines and discovering what an ex-felon actually owes has proven to take literally years.

Florida’s maximum statute of limitations on debt collection is five years. And there are federal and state laws regarding debt collection that can be brought up by Bloomberg’s army of attorneys, as well.

To get your civil rights restored after serving your sentence for a felony in Florida prior to Amendment 4 meant getting your application before a committee composed of the elected cabinet of the state. They didn’t meet very often and didn’t approve a lot of rights restorations annually. Amendment 4 made the restoration automatic if you finished your sentence and parole. The amendment by law required the votes of a minimum of 60% of the votes in a given election. It passed and the governor and legislature immediately began looking for a way to get around it. They came up with what amounts to a poll tax, requiring the former felons to have paid all of the fines, costs, and restitution that was part of their sentence. Bloomberg’s move to help pay those costs could add thousands to the voting roll who have no reason to like the Republican Party after the way they have been treated.

I would like to hear the justification by the government of Florida for attempting to stop all of that money from being paid to the state. With all of the sales tax and bed tax revenue lost due to COVID-19, the state needs Bloomberg’s money.

Position: 51.0N 57.3W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: North-Northeast [030°] near 32 mph [52 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [100 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 205 miles [335 km].
Minimum central pressure: 975 mb.

Currently about 355 miles [ 570 km] North-Northwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center on this system.

Teddy made landfall near Ecum Secum, Nova Scotia, near 800 AM AST (1200 UTC), with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph (100 km/h), and a minimum central pressure of 964 mb (28.47 inches).

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 69.9W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: North [010°] near 18 mph [29 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 80 mph [130 kph].
Wind Gusts: 90 mph [145 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 540 miles [870 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 125 miles [205 km].
Minimum central pressure: 957 mb ↑.

Currently about 125 miles [ 200 km] South of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the south coast of Nova Scotia from Digby to Meat Cove; the southwest coast of Newfoundland from Port aux Basques to Francois.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the northern coast of Nova Scotia from Meat Cove westward to Tidnish; north of Digby to Fort Lawrence, Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island; the Magdalen Islands.

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: 29.0N 96.3W [ 4PM CDT 2100 UTC].
Movement: East-Northeast [065°] 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 40 miles [ 65 km] North of Port O’Connor, Texas.

This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center on this system.

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: 34.8N 20.0W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: East [080°] near 12 mph [19 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 60 miles [ 95 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1006 mb.

Currently about 445 miles [ 720 km] East-Southeast of the Azores.

This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane
Center on Paulette.

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.]

You can watch the arrival of the equinox at Archæoastronomy. It takes/took place at 8:31 AM CDT.

It’s time to man the rakes in northern climes while Spring arrives below the Equator.

Position: 33.9N 25.3W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: East-Northeast [075°] near 16 mph [26 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 60 mph [ 95 kph].
Wind Gusts: 70 mph [110 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 80 miles [130 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1004 mb.

Currently about 300 miles [ 480 km] South-Southeast of the Azores.

Paulette is back!

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: 35.6N 61.5W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: North [360°] near 25 mph [41 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 100 mph [155 kph].
Wind Gusts: 115 mph [185 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 275 miles [445 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 105 miles [165 km].
Minimum central pressure: 956 mb.

Currently about 630 miles [1015 km] South of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the south coast of Nova Scotia from Digby to Meat Cove.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the northern coast of Nova Scotia from Meat Cove westward to Digby, Prince Edward Island; the Magdalen Islands; and the southwest coast of Newfoundland from Port aux Basques to Francois.

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: 28.4N 96.3W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [325°] near 3 mph [ 6 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph [ 75 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 125 miles [205 km].
Minimum central pressure: 999 mb.

Currently about 5 miles [ 10 km] East of Port O’Connor, Texas.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Port Aransas, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Port Aransas, Texas to Sabine Pass, Texas including Copano Bay, Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay, Matagorda Bay, and Galveston Bay.

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.]

Mantes-la-Jolie > Paris Champs-Ẻlysées

Distance: 122 kilometers.

A “Flat” stage with a single Cat 4 climb to a bunch sprint finish. The intermediate sprint is at 82 km at Paris Haut des Champs-Ẻlysées.

• Côte de Beulle 13.5 km (cat 4: 2.3km @ 3.6%)

Sam Bennett confirmed his hold on the Green Jersey by winning the final sprint in Paris.

That’s the only jersey that doesn’t belong to Tadej Pogacar:

1st Slovenian to win Le Tour
1st rider to dominate the overall, KOM and Best Young Rider standings in the same edition
1st rookie to win overall since 1983
Youngest winner since 1904 (he’ll be 22 tomorrow)

Tadej Pogacar ( Slo – UAD – 131 ) [Yellow] 87 hours 20 minutes 05 seconds
Sam Bennett ( Irl – DQT – 043 ) [Green] 380 Points
Tadej Pogacar ( Slo – UAD – 131 ) [Polka Dot] 82 points
Tadej Pogacar ( Slo – UAD – 131 ) [White] 1

Stage winner: Sam Bennett ( Irl – DQT – 043 )
Super Combative: Marc Hirschi ( Swi – SUN – 204 ) [Red numbers]
Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 091-098 ) [Yellow numbers]
La Lanterne Rouge: Roger Kluge ( Ger – LTS – 158 ) + 06h 07′ 02″ Φ

List of finishers below the fold
[Read more →]

Position: 27.6N 94.5W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [290°] near 6 mph [ 9 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 60 mph [ 95 kph].
Wind Gusts: 70 mph [115 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 195 miles [315 km].
Minimum central pressure: 995 mb ↓.

Currently about 130 miles [ 205 km] East-Southeast of Port Oconnor, Texas.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Port Aransas, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Port Aransas, Texas to Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana including Copano Bay, Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay, Matagorda Bay, Galveston Bay, Sabine Lake, and Lake Calcasieu.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Baffin Bay to Port Aransas, Texas.

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: 15.9N 47.4W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [275°] near 17 mph [28 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1008 mb.

Currently about 1555 miles [2500 km] West of the Cabo Verde Islands.

This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane
Center on Wilfred.

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.]