Posts from — August 2021

Governor DeMentis just announced his plan to deal with Covid-19 – an outpatient IV center at a sports arena in Mouseland (Orlando) to give people monoclonal antibody infusions:

Gov. Ron DeSantis revealed Thursday the creation of mobile rapid response units to deliver the COVID-19 antibody treatment Regeneron to Floridians at higher risk for the virus.

Regeneron, a monoclonal antibody cocktail, is an FDA-approved treatment for those who have already gotten sick. DeSantis said vaccination, while effective at preventing severe illness and death, hasn’t been as successful as hoped in preventing waves of infection.

Regeneron has the same Emergency Use Authorization as the vaccines. It has to be administered soon after someone contracts the virus to be effective. It does not protect you from getting Covid again in a few months. It is a treatment, not a cure, and not a vaccine replacement. It was used on Trump before it had received its EUA and Trump was vaccinated after he recovered.

Let’s look at the economics. You can get a decent mask for under $2/day. The vaccine costs under $40 for both doses. Regeneron costs $2100 per infusion. The “rapid response units” can process 320 people a day.

Convenience: You have to go to a special facility to go through the IV infusion; almost every supermarket and drug store in the state can vaccinate now; I can get masks online, or at any store that I enter.

Why is DeMentis pushing an expensive treatment instead of a cheap vaccination? Why is he banning masks? What is his problem? The people his policies are killing are mostly Republicans, except for the children.

Position: 30.0N 65.1W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West-Southwest [255°] near 8 mph [13 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 65 mph [105 kph].
Wind Gusts: 80 mph [130 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 70 miles [110 km].
Minimum central pressure: 998 mb ↑.

Currently about 160 miles [ 255 km] South of Bermuda.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Bermuda.

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: 18.4N 79.2W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 60 mph [ 95 kph].
Wind Gusts: 75 mph [120 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 115 miles [185 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1000 mb ↓.

Currently about 145 miles [ 235 km] East-Northeast of Grand Cayman.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from Cancun to Punta Herrero, including Cozumel.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the southern coast of the Cuban provinces of Granma, Las Tunas, and Camaguey; the Cayman Islands; Jamaica; the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from north of Cancun to Dzilam and south of Punto Herrero to Puerto Costa Maya.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the Cayman Islands.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the southern coast of the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, and Pinar del Rio, as well as Isla de la Juventud; the north and west coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula from west of Dzilam to Campeche.

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: 32.3N 85.0W [ 4:00AM CDT 0900UTC].
Movement: North-Northeast [015°] 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 15 miles [ 25 km] South-Southwest of Columbus, Georgia.

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: 30.7N 63.3W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: Southwest [215°] near 5 mph [ 7 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph [ 75 kph].
Wind Gusts: 60 mph [ 95 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 35 miles [ 55 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1008 mb ↓.

Currently about 140 miles [ 230 km] Southeast of Bermuda.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Bermuda.

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: 18.2N 73.8W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1006 mb ↓.

Currently about 100 miles [ 165 km] West-Southwest of Port au Prince, Haiti.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the southern coast of the Cuban provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Las Tunas, and Camaguey; the Cayman Islands

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the entire coast of Haiti; Jamaica; the southern coast of the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, and Pinar del Rio, as well as Isla de la Juventud.

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: 31.2N 85.2W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: North-Northeast [020°] near 10 mph [17 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 45 miles [ 75 km].
Minimum central pressure: 999 mb.

Currently about 10 miles [ 20 km] East of Dothan, Alabama.

Fred made landfall near Cape San Blas at 2:15PM CDT.

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: 17.3N 68.6W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West [275°] near 15 mph [24 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1011 mb.

Currently about 120 miles [ 190 km] Southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the entire coast of the Dominican Republic; the entire coast of Haiti.

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: 27.3N 85.9W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: North-Northwest [330°] near 9 mph [15 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [105 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 90 miles [150 km].
Minimum central pressure: 999 mb ↓.

Currently about 200 miles [ 325 km] South of Panama City, Florida.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the coast of the Florida Panhandle from Navarre to the Wakulla/Jefferson County line.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for the coast of Florida from Indian Pass to Yankeetown.

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: 16.6N 61.5W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 20 mph [31 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 35 miles [ 55 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1010 mb.

Currently about 265 miles [ 430 km] East-Southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Saba and Sint Eustatius; Sint Maarten; St. Martin and St. Barthelemy; U.S. Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra; the Dominican Republic from Cabo Caucedo northward to Samana.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the south coast of the Dominican Republic from the Haiti border eastward to Cabo Caucedoo, and for the north coast from Samana westward to the Haiti border; the entire coast of Haiti.

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: 23.8N 84.3W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [300°] near 9 mph [15 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1012 mb.

Currently about 530 miles [ 855 km] South-Southeast of Mobile, Alabama.

Fred devolved to a wave but is expected to reform over the Gulf later. All watches and warnings have been discontinued.

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: 15.5N 53.8W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 21 mph [33 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1010 mb.

Currently about 540 miles [ 870 km] East of the Leeward Islands.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from Antigua and Barbuda; Anguilla; St. Kitts and Nevis; Montserrat; Saba and Sint Eustatius; Sint Maarten; St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for British Virgin Islands; U.S. Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra.

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: 22.7N 80.6W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 12 mph [19 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1013 mb.

Currently about 150 miles [ 245 km] South-Southeast of Key West, Florida.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Florida Keys west of Seven Mile Bridge to the Dry Tortugas.

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.]

Yes, it’s Friday the 13^th again. The 13^th falls on a Friday more than any other day of the week, so get over it. It’s only valid in in English and Portuguese speaking countries, so go visit a Spanish-speaking neighborhood for the day.

If you want to blame someone, it’s the calendar of Pope Gregory XIII that created this imbalance. [He obviously didn’t have a problem with the number on any day.]