Hurricane Alex pushes on

Hurricane Alex is wreaking havoc on the Mexican and Texan coasts. The Hurricane is growing larger.

1:00 PM CDT Wed Jun 30
Location: 24.4°N 96.2°W
Max sustained: 85 mph
Moving: NW at 12 mph
Min pressure: 962 mb

Tornado Watches and Warnings have been issued for areas on coast of Texas.

Alex now a Hurricane

At about 9.45 this evening, the NHC upgraded Tropical Storm Alex to a category one hurricane.

10:00 PM CDT Tue Jun 29
Location: 23.1°N 94.8°W
Max sustained: 75 mph
Moving: W at 9 mph
Min pressure: 973 mb

It is the first Hurricane of the 2010 season. It is also the first June Hurricane since 1995. That was Hurricane Allison which was a hurricane on June 2nd. The Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1st.

The hurricane is projected to make landfall further south. At this time it is moving due west to the Mexican coast.

Texas will still get hit by the dirty side of the hurricane. The Dirty Side is commonly the westerly or northernly part of the hurricane. In the rotation, it is the portion that brings wind and water onto shore.

Winds will blow in a counter-clockwise spin into marshes of Louisiana. The oil slick may be brought onto shore.

From NOAA

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY...

NONE.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* THE COAST OF TEXAS SOUTH OF BAFFIN BAY TO THE MOUTH OF THE RIO
GRANDE
* THE COAST OF MEXICO FROM THE MOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE TO LA CRUZ

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN IN EFFECT FOR...
* THE COAST OF TEXAS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT OCONNOR
* THE COAST OF MEXICO SOUTH OF LA CRUZ TO CABO ROJO

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE
UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.

Tropical Storm Alex

4:00 PM CDT Tue Jun 29
Location: 23.2°N 94.0°W
Max sustained: 70 mph
Moving: NW at 13 mph
Min pressure: 981 mb

They still expect it to concentrate and become a hurricane. It's projected to happen in the next few hours.

The pressure is starting to get that low. To put it in perspective, Hurricane Katrina was at her lowest, 902 mb and Hurricane Andrew, 922 mb.

Tropical Storm Alex still chugging

Tropical Storm Alex is still not a hurricane but it's a matter of inches. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when it reaches sustained wind speeds of 74 mph (64.3 kn). It's getting there and it is also accelerating as it scoots north of the Yucatan Peninsula.

7:00 AM CDT Tue Jun 29
Location: 22.5°N 92.7°W
Max sustained: 70 mph
Moving: NNW at 12 mph
Min pressure: 983 mb

It was located about 455 miles southeast of Brownsville. It is projected to make landfall Wednesday evening as a Category 1 storm. The NHC is now not projecting it to reach Category 2. This could possibly be because the storm is running out of space for fuel and to increase in intensity over the Gulf of Mexico.

Things heat up in Myanmar

The military regime has now begun to crack down on the largely peaceful monks who've been demonstrating foe several days now in Yangon. Two hundred monks were arrested in nighttime raids in Ngwe Kyaryan. Other sources have the number at 600. The government has also turned violent in the past couple of days using tear gas and firing at protesters in an attempt to clear the streets. This has resulted in 9 dead and 11 injured including a Japanese journalist.

The international community has voiced its support for the activists. The United States has come out with a call for sanctions against the impoverished nation. Many within the United Nations agree including France with French President Sarkozy stating "France will not accept the gagging of Burma's opposition". An emergency session was held Wednesday with the UN calling for the government to show restraint. Earlier today, China also condemned the government of Myanmar. However, China and Russia have said that sanctions would not help. Furthermore, China has also said that it is an internal matter.

Protests against Myanmar's embassies has also occured. In Bangkok and Seoul, protesters have thrown rocks at the buildings and chanted. It is no coincidence that the junta has now cracked down on the monks and other citizens have joined into the protest. With the UN calling restraint, it merely begs to be defied.

It is also notable that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been silent. She can do nothing but be silent. She continues to be held in house arrest. During the march to Yangon, the monks were able to pass by her home that has been her prison for 12 years. The government won't let a repeat of her appearing at her gates. Security has been heightened around her home to discourage any demonstrators from contacting her. On this day in 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi was part of a rather violent protest that cost thousands of lives.

Back on this day in 1540, Pope Paul III founded the Society of Jesus. This highly organized religious order would be known as the Jesuits.

In 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain.

In 1886, Prophet John Taylor received a revelation that polygamy was no longer a viable practice within the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. To this day, the church is still devided on this divisive issue.

Back 102 years ago in 1905, the Annalen der Physik journal published an article called "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" by Albert Einstein. In this paper, Einstein postulated a famous equation E=mc². After this, Physics which was moderately assumed to be thoroughly complete in its study, was turned on its ear with the discovery of quantum physics. The world would be forever changed.

In 1985, Long Island, New York, was hit by hurricane Gloria.

In 1998, Google is founded.

Iran, Russia and a Mexican Hurricane

Why must I always write about Iran? They always seem to come up somehow. There was a fire on a plane in Mashhad, Iran today. Eigthy people died, none of whom were crew members. The plane was carrying 147 passengers. The plane in question is a Russian Tupolev 154. Incidents with planes, whether crashing or what not, are a common occurrance in Iran. Economic sanctions make it very difficult for the country to import the spare parts it needs.

Regions in Russia are making Russian Orthodoxy a subject in school. The Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga and Smolensk regions will make it compulsory while 11 other regions will make it an optional course. The curriculum stresses history rather than theology. However, opponents point out that the Russian constitution clearly states that there is a seperation of church and state. Moreover, the Muslim minority, who constitute at least 10% of the federation, are feeling slighted. They say that the same measure should be extended to Muslim students with Islamic history an optional subject.

The European Union apparently is growing faster economically than Japan or the good ole USA. However, their ability to create jobs is less than stellar. It is expected to lessen somewhat as we go into the end of the year. Another African country banning homosexual parties, Ghanian Information Minister Kwamena Bartels noted that since it is illegal to by gay in Ghana, there shouldn't be a conference for homosexuals there. The conference is set to take place next month. My question is why they choose Ghana, a place that does not accept Homosexuals in the first place, for that kind of party?

Tropical Storm Ernesto came ashore at Long Beach, North Carolina. It is now headed northward. Norfolk, Virginia better look out.

Hurricane John is a Category 3 storm and headed for Baja California. Cabo San Lucas is in the bull's eye.

I'll have more later.

"If they try to rush me, I always say, 'I’ve only got one other speed -- and it’s slower'."

There's a lot of news today and there's some people to bid farewell to. But, first the News.

Iran has missed its deadline. One can't help but wonder if Iran would really have kept it. UN Resolution 1696 called for Iran to end its Uranium enrichment program or else face economic sanctions. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said "cannot dissuade Iranians from their decision to make progress". It appears that Iran never listened to begin with. The country remains umpopular throughtout the globe. However, currently Iran's "stock" is high in the Middle East. It backs Hezbollah, who, though a terrorist group, also run social programs. Its program is supposedly to start a nuclear energy program which will help the expanding economy. According to the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA), it gets most of its nuclear materials through the black market and runs secret, or, clandestine, experiments.

The United Nations has passed a resolution to create a peacekeeping force to head to Sudan. Sudan has been reluctant to accept such aid except from the African Union. Resolution 1706 was sponsored by the United States and the United Kingdom. It passed with a vote of 12-0. Russia, China and Qater abstained (courteously). Sudan rejected the resolution citing a violation of their sovereignty. Had Sudan accepted it, it calls for 17,300 military personnel to be deployed but supervised by some civilian organization and an additional 3,300 police personnel. This is an effort to strengthen the United Nations Mission in Sudan. The press release and full text of the resolution can be read here. Many of the atrocities that have become synonymous with Darfur continue despite African Union presence.

Ten bombs exploded simultaneously in Yala, Thailand, 600 miles south of Bangkok. The bombs detonated at eight banks. One person was killed and 18 injured as part of ongoing violence from Islamic seperatists. Southern Thailand has three provinces, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, that have a Muslim majority. The rest of the country is largely Buddhist. 1,300 people have died due to sectarian violence since January 2004.

Though this item is old, ever so old, its pertinent. Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor are being held in Libya. They have been tried once for intentionally infected 426 children with the HIV virus in the late '90's. They were convicted in December 2005 and sentenced to death only for the Supreme Court to overturn the convictions and demand a retrial. The accused claim they were tortured to confess. Libya has said the nurses could go free if Bulgaria compensated Libya in the amount of €4.4 Billion, or, $5.5 Billion. Bulgaria (understandibly) has rejected this idea. It has been joined by other nations such as the United States in offering an aid fund. Fifty of the affected children have since died. The outbreak that the nurses were there for was underway before they arrived in Libya. Is the Palestinian going to have a country back him?

Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, has stated that he supports Syrian President in opposition to "imperialist aggresion", namely, US intervention. Chavez was in Syria signing energy deals and has also visited Malaysian and Iran in recent weeks. At the beginning of the Israeli-Lebanese conflict, Chavez withdrew Venezuela's ambassador from Israel.

Nadim Injaz, a Palestinian, was arrested by Israeli commandos after they stormed into the UK embassy in Tel Aviv. The man was there seeking asylum and claiming that he would be killed by other Palestinians. Israelis refused to help him. The man threatened to kill himself on TV if he was not granted asylum.

In Norway, Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' and 'Madonna' have been recovered after nearly two years since they were stolen. Three men were convicted and sentenced to eight years' prison time in May. The paintings were stolen on August 22, 2004, at gunpoint. How the police recovered the paintings has not been made public. A police spokesman said "out of consideration of police working methods, it will be hard to give details about how the operation was carried out". How very European.

A Muslim leader in Tanzania has said that the beach party to be held September 2nd in honor of the late Freddie Mercury's birthday should be banned. Mercury, lead singer of British rock band Queen and gay, was born in Zanzibar. Azan Khalid of Zanzibar's Association for Islamic Mobilization and Propagation said that his homosexuality violates Ilamic principles. He even went so far as to say "that's why he was branded a Queen". (I can't help but chuckle a little over this. Ok, I'm chuckling a lot.) Mercury, whose real name was Farrokh Bulsara, was of Indian Parsi descent and not a Muslim. Though he was not religious, he was by heritege, a Zoroastrian.

Here in the US, Tropical Storm Ernesto has restrengthened in the Atlantic Ocean. Though it has not regained hurricane status it is very close. Currently, its packing winds of 70mph. There have been reports of half a foot of rain falling in North Carolina. Landfall is expected to occur somewhere near Sunset Beach, North Carolina. However, this is very southern North Carolina and so it could therefore, be right at the border between the two Carolinas. After coming ashore, it is expected to track north along the Eastern seaboard.

Mexico deals with Hurricane John as well. After beating up mainlaind Mexico as a category 4 hurricane, it now heads toward Baja California and Los Cabos as a category 3 storm (it has winds of at least 125 mph). The government ordered 10,00 local residents into shelters. Mexicans have been less than accomodating and seem to slowly concede the hurricane will hit them.

Politically, there has been a shake up. On August 8th of this year, Joe Lieberman, Democratic Senator from Connecticut, conceded defeat in that state's Democratic primary ot challenger Ned Lamont. Some have said the reason for his defeat was the "kiss of death" he received from President Bush during the president's entrance for the 2005 State of the Union address. Regardless, Lieberman, an observant Jew and former Vice Presidential candidate, has decided to continue his campaign as a Independant. This has led to chilly receptions from other Senators. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to say he has been abandoned. In addition to this congressional matter, there are questions about what this means to any future Presidential campaigns.

Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract from NASA to build the Orion vehicle. This new fleet would replace the aging and ailing shuttle fleet in 2010. The vehicles won't fly until 2014, however. Lockheed beat Northrop Grumman and Boeing for the multi-million dollar contract.

In Local News (for me), Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. was convicted after three and 1/2 hours of deliberation in the 2003 kidnapping and death of college student Dru Sjodin. She went to school at the University of North Dakota.

Salman Khan (सलमान ख़ान), Bollywood superstar (and very VERY goodlooking man) has said that the Media is responsible for his negative image of late. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for illegally hunting a chinkara (black buck), an endangered species. He also is awaiting trial for another case of killing the same species in a trip to Rajasthan in 1998. He also is to be tried for a 2002 reckless driving incident where one person died and three people were injured when he drove onto a sidewalk in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) where people were sleeping. He's even been accused of beating his ex-girlfriend and 1994 Miss World, Aishwarya Rai (ऐश्वर्या राय).

Today on CBS, Bob Schieffer stepped down from his interim position as the anchor of CBS Evening News. He has filled the post for 18 months since Dan Rather's early retirement amid the National Guard records scandal. He has served his post well and helped turn around the flagging network's credibilty. He retains to his Washington post and hosting of CBS' Face the Nation. His tenure anchoring the evening news has been one of the best in recent years especially after the acsenses of the Big Three: Peter Jennings, Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw.

Glenn Ford, born Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford, legendary actor and Naval Reservist died yesturday at the age of 90. He'd been in such films as "The Blackboard Jungle", "Cimmaron", "Midway", "The Courtship of Eddie's Father", "Superman" and "Fate is the Funter". "Gilda", with Rita Heyworth, helped reintroduce him to American audiances after his lengthy time away serving in World War II. He remained in the service in reserve capacity and rose to the rank of Captain during all those years. He never won an Oscar but he should've. The above quote is attributed to him.

Nine years ago today, Princess Diana died in a car addident in Paris. Her death still affects many around the globe and has become a touchstone in many lives. (I, myself, tear up a little as I write this.) She forever changed the way we view royalty. She will always be missed.

On this day in 1994, the Provisional Irish Republican Army declared a cease-fire. This did not last and hostilities resumed in 1996. In July 2005, PIRA announced it would no longer pursue an armed campaign.

Just last year, 1,199 people were killed in a stampede on the Al-Aaimmah bridge in Baghdad. Shiite pilgrims were on the bridge when a rumor spread of suicide bombers. During the stampede, the iron railings fell off and many fell into the Tigris river. The Bridge links the staunchly Sunni area of Adhamiya on the east bank of the Tigris and the Shia area of Kadhimiya on the west bank.

On this day back in 1897, Thomas Edison patents his kinetoscope, the first movie projecter.

Fascism? Surely you jest!

I've always wanted to live on the East Coast somewhere like around North Carolina or Virginia. I'm rethinking that dream right now. Tropical Storm Ernesto, which really isn't much of a storm anymore, may in fact move in a Northeasterly direction back out to the Atlantic Ocean. If it does mind you, the chances are it will reorganize and restrengthen. If it stays out there, say 24 hours, and then hits Virgina or Maryland, it could come onshore as a Category 1, possibly higher, hurricane. So, Ernesto is not finished with his meandering journey nor are we done with him.

And speaking of hurricanes, there's one out in the Pacific Ocean. One would think we'd call them Cyclones or something else but apperently in the East Pacific (by us), hurricane is still the name of choice. These storms form off the coast of Mexico. However, they have never affected us (meaning California. Wouldn't that be a great headline: "Hurricane targets Hollywood for destruction") and usually affect Mexico and Central America. Hurricane John has strengthened to a Category 4 storm. This means its packing winds of at least 130 mph. Areas affected by this storm range between Acapulco and Cabo Corrientes with Puerto Vallarta included.

According to CNN, the GOP have a new buzzword and that word is fascism. Normally I'd be applying it to them because of their dogmatic, nationalist worldview. But the unpopular war in Iraq means they need to sell us what they're shovelling in a different way. Fascism is an ideology focused on nationalism, militarism, corporatism, anti-anarchism, anti-communism, anti-liberalism and not to mention, authoritarianism and a ton of over-the-top propaganda. If you are thinking of Hitler and Mussolini then you'd be on target. It has never been popular like it was before and during World War II but it is out there as Nazi persist in existing.

Going so far now as to call Radical Islamic terrorists fascists may indeed be the right way to go. Terrorism in merely the method a faction or party chooses to demonstrate to the world that they mean business and want... whatever it is they want. Fascism is more palpable. One can remember what fascists have done especially Europeans. You tell Europeans they need to fight terrorists, they have to ask "Which ones?" and "Aren't they only terrorists when their on the other side? They're freedom fighters otherwise." But you'd never call the Nazis freedom fighters. They're evildoers which brings us right back to Bush's original label for terrorists. Kudos to Bush and his cronies for stumbling upon the old term. They must've heard the rest of us using it.

Just when you think you're doing the right thing

NASA reversed its decision to bring the shuttle inside after Hurricane Ernesto began to weaken. It is expected to be making landfall about a few hours ago. The storm never returned to Category 1 strength.

In Brazil, a baby was born weighing a hefty 14 pounds! The girl also was 23 1/4" long. Apparently she has three older brothers who all weighed in at over 9 pounds at birth. The mother is well (good for her!) and is diabetic.

Following up on Sunday's fatal crash in Kentucky, the FAA acknowledged that there was a violation. Last November new regulations came down the pike stipulating that there should be two (2) controllers in the control tower to do two (2) jobs: monitoring the radar and communicating with taxiing aircraft. At the time of the crash, there was only one on duty. When there is only one, monitoring the radar needs to be handed over to the FAA's Indianopolis center. Evidently, the blame lies with the FAA.

How did I miss this one? The leader of Hezbollah Sheik Hassan Nasrallah actually admitted that he was surprised by Israel's response. He never believed that Israel would counter-attack them in such magnitude. He even went so far as to say "if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not". In Israel, there has been widespread speculation that Hezbollah had been truly surprised by the reaction in Israel. He also went on to say that he and Hezbollah welcome peacekeeping troops in Lebanon. His behavior leads some to believe he is mending fences (or bridges...) with the Lebanese people and expecially, the Lebanese government. More than likely it's true. He needs people to believe he regrets the loss of life (however righteious some believe it was) and the destruction of so much property. He needs them to believe he is sorry.

On this day back in 1990, the Soviet Republic of Tatarstan (Республика Татарстан) declared independence. It was unsuccessful and remains a Russian Republic. Tatarstan is historically the land of the Golden Horde. For more information about Tatarstan and other relatively unknown Russian Republics, go here.

"How well do you know your government?" 001

Whilst talking to a certain anonymous person about politics and such, I came to the conclusion that this person knew absolutely nothing about geography, let alone government. They thought Vancouver was the capital of Vermont and China shared a border along the Rio Lobo. In all actuality I should title this "How fucking stupid are you?"

To start off, Vancouver is in Canada. Say it with me: CAN-A-DA. Secondly, its on the West Coast, you know, where the Pacific Ocean is, and has way better weather than Vermont. If you go across said ocean you will find China, an ancient civilization now run by Communists and populated by over a billion, mostly poor, people. The Rio Lobo (which means Wolf River) is not the river that snakes across our southwest creating our southern border. It is the Rio Grande (which is neither a river nor grand) that makes up our border with the economically inferior Mexico.

Now that I got the Geography lesson out of the way, I will proceed to bigger issues at hand: Who is in charge of things? To answer that question, we must define things. A year ago I would have said "Oh, Hurricane relief? Well, that would be no one." Today its much the same. But the President still has fall guys. All presidents do.

The Vice President is a man named Dick. Dick Cheney, an energy man who once ran Halliburton. He served in the Wyoming House of Representatives and was Secretary of Defense under Bush Sr. He was not the first choice for the position then and had to be selected after the Senate rejected Bush's first nomination, John G. Tower. Tower is currently dead. One of the things Cheney did as Secretary of Defence was appoint Colin Powell Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This would be a boon to both men as the Persian Gulf War I loomed in the following years. The two would benefit from their work during this conflict.

Cheney has had some issues since assuming office in 2001. Namely his continued ownership of Halliburton stocks. Halliburton gained notoriety after gaining many lucrative contracts in the feeding frenzy to rebuild Iraq. There was also a scandal involving the outing of an undercover, clandestine agent for the CIA named Valerie Plame. Her husband, Joseph Wilson, wrote a piece in the New York Times after the invasion of Iraq that was critical of President Bush. Allegedly, the Vice President gave orders to disclose the Valerie Plame's identity. As this act would endanger both Plame and National Security, it was, and still is, a delicate issue. Other controversies stem from 9/11 such as where Cheney was on the fateful day and where was he hidden. Another one is the closed door meetings that Cheney has conducted with several powerful heads of energy firms in hashing out energy policies. Moreover, earlier this year, the VP was the butt of many jokes after mistakenly shooting an associate while hunting quail.

Cheney is married to his high school sweetheart Lynne. They have two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. Mary gained some fame during the 2004 Presidential race due to her sexual orientation. Cheney, a conservative, does belief the decision to allow same sex marriage should be resolved in individual states and not at the federal level.