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On-line Opinion Magazine…OK, it's a blog — Why Now?

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Labor Day

In any celebration of Labor Day I’m at a slight disadvantage because for a big chunk of my life it was celebrated as May Day where I was living.

It is rather unique, as it is the only holiday I’m aware of that was imported from Canada where it’s spelled Labour Day.

When I was an elementary school student, it marked the end of summer and beginning of school, but it was a rare holiday in the South as there was no tradition of blowing things up in celebration. This year a local city decided we should blow things up. There is also no tradition of honoring labor in the South, and labor unions are considered communist conspiracies.

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September 5, 2022   5 Comments

Tropical Storm Earl – Day 3

Tropical Storm EarlPosition: 20.2N 65.4W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: Northwest [305°] near 3 mph [ 6 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [100 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 105 miles [165 km].
Minimum central pressure: 998 mb.

Currently about 835 miles [1345 km] South of 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.]

September 4, 2022   Comments Off on Tropical Storm Earl – Day 3

Hurricane Danielle – Day 4

Hurricane DaniellePosition: 39.0N 44.7W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: Northeast [035°] near 7 mph [11 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 90 mph [150 kph].
Wind Gusts: 105 mph [170 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 115 miles [185 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 25 miles [ 35 km].
Minimum central pressure: 975 mb ↓.

Currently about 955 miles [1540 km] West 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.]

September 4, 2022   Comments Off on Hurricane Danielle – Day 4

Tropical Storm Earl – Day 2

Tropical Storm EarlPosition: 19.5N 64.2W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 10 mph [17 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [ 85 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [100 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 105 miles [165 km].
Minimum central pressure: 999 mb.

Currently about 90 miles [ 150 km] Northeast of St. Thomas.

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.]

September 3, 2022   Comments Off on Tropical Storm Earl – Day 2

Hurricane Danielle – Day 3

Hurricane DaniellePosition: 38.1N 45.1W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 2 mph [ 4 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 75 mph [120 kph].
Wind Gusts: 90 mph [145 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 125 miles [205 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 15 miles [ 30 km].
Minimum central pressure: 988 mb ↓.

Currently about 985 miles [1580 km] West 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.]

September 3, 2022   Comments Off on Hurricane Danielle – Day 3

Tropical Storm Earl

Tropical Storm EarlPosition: 18.4N 60.3W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [295°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 65 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 175 miles [280 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1005 mb.

Currently about 185 miles [ 295 km] East of the northern Leeward 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.]

September 2, 2022   Comments Off on Tropical Storm Earl

Hurricane Danielle – Day 2

Hurricane DaniellePosition: 37.9N 43.5W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: West [260°] Stationary.
Maximum sustained winds: 75 mph [120 kph].
Wind Gusts: 90 mph [145 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 115 miles [185 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 15 miles [ 30 km].
Minimum central pressure: 992 mb.

Currently about 895 miles [1445 km] West 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.]

September 2, 2022   Comments Off on Hurricane Danielle – Day 2

Tropical Storm Danielle

Tropical Storm DaniellePosition: 38.0N 44.0W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: East [090°] near 2 mph [ 4 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 65 mph [100 kph].
Wind Gusts: 75 mph [120 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 70 miles [110 km].
Minimum central pressure: 999 mb ↓.

Currently about 925 miles [1485 km] West 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.]

September 1, 2022   Comments Off on Tropical Storm Danielle

Katrina

Scout First Draft graphic

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

It wasn’t Nature, it was man.

August 29, 2022   4 Comments

Potential Tropical Cyclone Four – Day 2

Potential Tropical Cyclone FourPosition: 25.3N 97.9W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: Northwest [320°] near 13 mph [20 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1010 mb.

Currently about 60 miles [ 95 km] Southwest of the mouth of the Rio Grande.

The system has moved over land in Mexico and no further development is anticipated. All watches and warnings have been canceled and this is the final public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center.

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.]

August 20, 2022   Comments Off on Potential Tropical Cyclone Four – Day 2

Potential Tropical Cyclone Four

Potential Tropical Cyclone FourPosition: 21.8N 95.2W [10:00PM CDT 0300UTC].
Movement: Northwest [310°] near 14 mph [22 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1009 mb.

Currently about 310 miles [ 500 km] South-Southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect the Gulf coast of Mexico from Boca de Catan northward to the mouth of the Rio Grande River; the lower Texas coast from Port Mansfield southward to the mouth of the Rio Grande River.

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.]

August 19, 2022   Comments Off on Potential Tropical Cyclone Four

Le Tour 2022 – Stage 21 et fini

Tour de France Paris La Défense Arena > Paris Champs-Élysées

Distance: 115.6 kilometers.

A Flat stage with one Category climb It ends with a mass sprint of eight laps of an oval course on the Champs-Élysées. Winning the sprint in Paris is a separate race and prestige event for sprinters.

  • Côte du Pavé des Gardes 43.3 km (Cat 4: 1.3km @ 6.5%)

The intermediate sprint is at 75.6 km at Paris – Haut des Champs-Élysées (3rd lap).

Yellow Jersey Jonas Vingegaard (TJV – 018) [Yellow] 79h 33′ 20″
Green Jersey Wout Van Aert (TJV – 016) [Green] 480 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Jonas Vingegaard (TJV – 018) [Polka Dot] 72 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 001) [White] 2

Stage winner: Jasper Philipsen (AFC – 105)
Super Combative: Wout Van Aert (TJV – 016 ) [Red numbers]
La Lanterne Rouge: Caleb Ewan (LTS – 161) + 05h 40′ 42″ Φ
Team: Ineos Grenadiers ( IGD – 021-028 ) [Yellow numbers]

Three more riders missed the start on the final stage: Gorka Izagirre Insausti (MOV – 063), Guillaume Boivin (ISN – 192), and Michael Woods (ISN – 198). . Covid has taken a toll on this Tour. Jasper Philipsen (AFC – 105) has to be very happy with his race: two stage wins that include Paris.

Jonas takes Yellow and Polka Dots. Wout takes Green and Super Combative. Jumbo-Visma team did very well for itself.

Top 10 below the fold
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July 24, 2022   2 Comments

Le Tour 2022 – Stage 20

Tour de France Lacapelle-Marival > Rocamadour

Distance: 40.7 kilometers.

An Individual time-trial.

Yellow Jersey Jonas Vingegaard (TJV – 018) [Yellow] 76h 33′ 57″
Green Jersey Wout Van Aert (TJV – 016) [Green] 480 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Simon Geschke (COF – 073) [Polka Dot] 64 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 001) [White] 2

Stage winner: Wout Van Aert (TJV – 016)
Team: Ineos Grenadiers ( IGD – 021-028 ) [Yellow numbers]

The Red Numbers are not awarded for Time Trials. Nathan Van Hooydonck (TJV – 017) ended his Tour early. The line up for tomorrow’s final is fairly fixed with only the second to sixteenth riders less than and hour behind. This version of the Tour was for the climbers.

Top 10 below the fold
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July 23, 2022   Comments Off on Le Tour 2022 – Stage 20

Le Tour 2022 – Stage 19

Tour de France Castelnau-Magnoac > Cahors

Distance: 188.3 kilometers.

A Flat stage with two Category climbs and a Sprint finish.

  • Côte de la cité médiévale de Lauzerte 135.7 km (Cat 4: 2.0km @ 6.2%)
  • Côte de Saint-Daunès 152.6 km (Cat 4: 1.6km @ 6.3%)

The intermediate sprint is at 38.4 km at Auch.

Yellow Jersey Jonas Vingegaard (TJV – 018) [Yellow] 75h 45′ 39″
Green Jersey Wout Van Aert (TJV – 016) [Green] 460 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Simon Geschke (COF – 073) [Polka Dot] 64 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 001) [White] 2

Stage winner: Christophe Laporte (TJV – 015)
Combative: Quinn Simmons (TFS – 176) ) [Red numbers]
Team: Ineos Grenadiers ( IGD – 021-028 ) [Yellow numbers]

Top 10 below the fold
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July 22, 2022   Comments Off on Le Tour 2022 – Stage 19