General articles about the weather, including Climate Change / Global Warming.
So with my folks in Colorado, of course we’re paying attention to news from California — in particular the Santa Barbara “Tea” Fire (which is getting quite close both to…
So with my folks in Colorado, of course we’re paying attention to news from California — in particular the Santa Barbara “Tea” Fire (which is getting quite close both to the ancestral home on De La Guerra Terrace and to the homes of various relatives), and the Sylmar Fire (which has closed I-5 by the 210 and Antelope Highway).
The Weather Channel, of all places, does pretty good periodic fire coverage.
Just a reminder to all here in the US and associated regions that we shift back from Daylight Saving Time this coming Sunday at 2 a.m. This is the “Fall Back,”…
Just a reminder to all here in the US and associated regions that we shift back from Daylight Saving Time this coming Sunday at 2 a.m. This is the “Fall Back,” so we all get an extra hour. Don’t spend it all at once!
Our brethren over in Europe shifted back last weekend, which might explain things if you keep having phonecon timing problems this week.
First, the semi-liveblogging Event/Moderator Biden Palin Gwen Ifill intro. Strong and well-spoken. 5 minute segments, 90 seconds initial, then follow-ups. Questions by her. Smiling pol. …
First, the semi-liveblogging
| Event/Moderator | Biden | Palin |
| Gwen Ifill intro. Strong and well-spoken. 5 minute segments, 90 seconds initial, then follow-ups. Questions by her. | Smiling pol. | Smiles. Blow kiss. “Can I call you Joe?” “Thank you.” mic carries. |
| Bail-out bill and Congressional mess. Worst or best of Washington . | 1. Thanks. Pleasure to meet you, Governor. Ties back to this Administration, lack of Administration. Lots of looking at notes. Palin is looking down at her notes while Biden speaks. Gives Obama’s stance – what he called for. Voice sound hoarse. He was coughing after he came on. Middle Class! | 2. Thanks. privilege. Looking at the camera! Go to a kid’s soccer game – how are you feeling about the economy. Fear, I’ll betcha! Fear about losing investments. Biden is watching her. Government hasn’t been giving firm oversight. Looks nervous. John McCain has been all about warning bells and reform of financial markets for years. His bipartisan efforts to bring folks together this past week, even suspending his campaign! |
| Being VP? How reducing polarization? | 1. Been doing that whole career – VAWA, more cops on street, genocide inBosnia . Have been able to reach across the aisle. Then returns to previous question. McCain “fundamentals are strong” and “made great economic progress” – then backed down within hours. Doesn’t make him bad, just out of touch. | 2. John in referring to fundamentals talking to/for the American work force. They’re spiffy! As a mayor and governor, record of reform, team of mavericks, putting partisan politics aside. Obama has only voted along party lines – 96% of votes. Tired of the old politics, with all due respect, respect your years, but people are craving something new and different. Maverick of the senate. |
| Subprime lending meltdown/ Who’s at fault? | 2. 2 years ago Obama warned about subprime problem. McCain said at the same time he was surprised by it. McCain was saying that he was always for cutting regulations. McCain thought lettingWall St running wild was right – deregulate. Republican response. And wants to deregulate the health care industry like he did the financial industry. High prices of gas – anecdote about someone. 4. Charge not true. McCain voted the same way as Obama, didn’t raise it. Standard by governor, McCain voted 477 times to raise taxes. But she didn’t answer questions of deregulation and John McCain supporting it. | 1. Starting. Predator lenders deceiving, greedily. Corrupt Wall Street. We have that commitment to stop that. Still looking at camera. Blink. Blink. Blink. Joe Sixpack, Hockey Moms, resolving we’ll never be exploited again. And we need to be responsible about not getting into debt, too. 3. Darn right we need tax relief. Obama and Biden are in favor of largest tax increases inUS history, siding on the people’s side, 94 times voting to increase or not support decreases. Government has to live with less. Increasing taxes for families making $42K. 5. I’m gonna talk straight to the American people. Reduced taxes every year as mayor, and reduced taxes as governor. McCain is known for pushing for stronger regulations. Biden smiling. |
| Taxes. Dems raising taxes on those over $250K. Class warfare? GOP taxing health benefits, taking it out on the poor? | 1. It’s about fairness. The middle class is struggling under McCain’s tax proposals. Households get no break in taxes. Nobody under $250K will see taxes increase. And most under $150K will get a tax break. middle class is the economic engine. Now he looks at the camera. McCain wants to cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations, but nothing for middle class. He looks a bit pale. People will pay no more than. 3. Where to start. It’s not redistribution of wealth to not give Exxon a $4bn tax credit, that’s fairness. 95% of small business make < $250K – no increase in taxes. Giving, but also taking. McCain pays for his $5K by taxing as income the health care benefits. $5K plan will go straight to the insurance company, replacing a $12K plan for the 20mn who will be dropped from health care. Ultimate bridge tto nowhere. | 2. Redistribution of wealth principle. Obama’s plan to tax increase – forgetting the millions of small businesses that will be hit by those taxes. You said that paying higher taxes is patriotic – middle class disagrees, government is the problem, Joe Sixpack says. Increased tax formula and trillion dollars of spending. And McCain’s health care plan is detailed, and here are some talking poins. $5K tax credit, while Obama will mandate universal government run program. Evil Feds! Evil! Laugh. McCain suggestion is budget-neutral. Artificial lines between states, competing between states. |
| What promises – given the bailout plan – will yo not be able to keep. | 1. May have to slow down commitment to double foreign assistance. And will nto go forward with McCain tax proposals and the existing ones ($130bn this year alone), and all the other bns of tax cuts. Will not hold up on incentives by new jobs with an energy policy, education, nor affordable health care. Stumbling in speech to cover all his points. Oh, yeah, $100bn tax dodge to move post office boxes offshore to avoid taxes, and *that’s* unpatriotic. 3. Obama voted for an energy bill that had support for alternative energy. He voted to eliminate tax breaks, while McCain did not. Why is McCain adding into his budget more tax cuts for ExxonMobils? Yeah, Palin supported a windfall profits tax. We want to do the same thing. McCain does not. he wants to give tax cuts on top of their profits. Hope she can convince McCain to do it. | 2. McCain doesn’t tell one thing to one group and another thing to another group. Back to the energy plan. Obama voted in 05, that’s what gave those energy companies those tax breaks. And I had to take on those oil companies, no greed in my state! Corporate CEOs are not my favorite fans! The people come first! Value to the people ofAlaska ! No tax breaks to multinationals when it affects the people who live there. I had to undo what Obama did in my area of expertise, energy. No, there’s nothing that I’ve promised I’d have to give back – because I haven’t had time to do more than to promise to be a paragon of virtue and a hard fighter. And McCain will keep all his promises, too. Yay! |
| Congress passed bankruptcy reform. McCain supported … | 2. [Moderator: Biden voted for it, Obama against it.] Only 10% of people affected from Chapter 7 to 13 … we disagreed on it. But Obama pointed out 2 years ago that there was a subprime mortgage crisis, and warned treasury. McCain just last year said he was surprised by the crisis. What should we be doing about bankruptcy? The bankruptcy courts should be able to adjust the rates and principal owed. They don’t support that, nor does Bush, even though it would help people. | 1. Yes, I would have supported it. But there have been such changes and revelations of corruption onWall St . McCain was calling for reform even back then! We have him to tank for warning people, and bringing in a bipartisan effort, putting the campaign aside, to fix the problem, the crisis, the toxic mess onMain St affectingWall St . 3. No, that’s not true. But … energy! I want to talk about energy policy plan! We have to consider how we let this nation become energy-independent. We have domestic supplies of energy, and east coast politicians keep patriotic Alaskans from tapping into those resources, helping those foreign countries that don’t like us to mock us! Evil! Energy independence! Energy plans are not just about tax breaks. |
| Energy issues. Climate change. What’s true and false? | 2. Clearly manmade. Biggest difference between all of us. If you don’t understand the cause, you can’t come up with a solution. It’s man-made. That’s the cause. We have 3% of the reserves, we consume 25% of the oil. McCain has voted against alternative, clean energy sources. By investing in clean coal and safe nuclear we can build wind and solar and export that stuff – but we could export that technology toChina to help that pollution, and it would create jobs. McCain has voted 20 times against alternative energy sources. Drill we must, yeah, but 10 years for any of that oil to flow. 3. Clean coal. My record is supporting it for 20 years. I was talking about exporting that technology toChina . If the only answer is oil, how does that cap carbon emissions? | 1. As the natoin’s only arctic state,Alaska sees the impact moreso than any other state, we know it’s real. I won’t attribute the changes all to man, but part is cyclical climate changes, but there are real changes. Don’t want ot argue the causes. How do we “positively affect the impacts”? First governor to have a climate change impacts. McCain agrees with this. We have to be energy independent. We rely on other countries that pollute more than we do! Tap into alternatives, conserving petroleum products and hydrocarbons so we can babble babble babble. 2. Caps on carbon emissions, McCain supports. Chant is drill baby drill. People are hungry for those domestic sources. Even inAlaska we have millions of barrels of oil. Clean, green natural gas. (!) Pipeline. Obama/Biden — offshore drilling is raping the continental shelf?! It’s safe to drill! McCain also voted for alternatives. Nucular! Clean coal – you said no! Yes, I support capping carbon emissions. |
| Support same-sex benefits to couples as in Alaska ? | 1. Absolutely, positively. No distinction form a constitution and legal standpoint between same-sex and hetero couples. constitutional issue. It’s only fair. We do support that committed couples and same-sex marriage have same constitutional benefits for insurance, visitation, etc 2. We do not support gay *marriage*. That’s a decision for faiths. Take the governor at her word that there should be no civil rights distinction. If that’s the case, we have no disagreement. | 2. Not if it goes closer and closer to “marriage.” I would certainly be tolerant of people choosing their partners and relationships. I have diverse family and friends, and some dear friends don’t agree with me. but nobody would ever propose in our administration to prohibit visitations in hospitals. But I don’t support defining marriage etc etc etc. Being straight-up (ha!) with Americans. 4. Yes, I don’t support gay marriage. |
| Foreign policy. Sons in or on the way to Iraq . Clear plan to exit strategy. | 2. I didn’t hear a plan. Obama has offered on. It’s what the PM ofIraq and Bush are negotiation. The only one left out is McCain. And Obama not funding? McCain voted the same way, when it had a time table in it, and he voted against funding for it. Barack and I agree that you need a time line to draw down troops, shift responsibility, spending tons of money. We will end this war. For McCain there is no end in sight. 4. John McCain voted against funding the troops – he voted against a bill I had put together that had NRAPs for protecting troops because it had a time line. McCain / Cheney, when I was saying that this war would be a mess, were saying that everything would be happy there, we’d have oil to pay for it, he’s been dead wrong, I love him, but he’s been dead wrong, and Obama has been right. | 1. Glad we have a good plan. Surge! Yay! Petreus! Yay! Mccain! Surge opposed surge! Opposed funding troops! Respected Biden when he called him out on it. Obama said he would not, and he turned around and voted against it. We have a plan for withdrawal. Not early! No, we have to win! But the surge thathas worked, we are at pre-syurge numbers, and we can put more troops inAfghanistan , and we have to grow our military, and fight Shia extremists, and we cant’s quit! 3. Um … your plan is a white flag of surrender. Our troops don’t need ot hear that! You opposed the surge, and won’t admit it worked. We’ll know when we’re finished whenIraq can do it themselves, and our commanders will tell us when. And Biden said you’d be willing to run on McCain’s ticket! You also said Obama was not ready to be C-in-C. Respect for your family having a son in the national guard. Any one who can cut off funding for troops, evil! |
| Iran andPakistan – nuclearIran or unstable Pakistan ? | 1. Both dangerous. I;ve focused for a lon g time onPakistan because they have nuclear weapons. Iran would be dangerous, but not close to getting it. Both would be dangerous. John keeps saying the central front on terror is inIraq – but if another attack happens, it will come from alQuaeda inAfghanistan andPakistan . We need to support those governments. We should be building them schools, not madrassas. And we’ll get Osama. | 2. Petreus said that the central front inIraq . Believe him. So does alQaeda. Nucular-armedIran is toooooo dangerous. Cannot allow. Israel in danger! Iran is mean! Can pronounce Akmandinijad. But not nucular. Obama will meet with preconditions. That’s not naïve, that’s dangerous! Those bad guys should not be met with without preconditions. |
| Baker, Kissinger, Powell, etc., have all advocated engagement with enemies. Are they wrong? | 2. This is just not true. obama didn’t say he would. McCain is goofy saying Akmandinijad controls the security apparatus. It’s nifty that they want to bring our friend sna allies along, but they’ve been saying we should sit down and talk, and Mccain will go along with an agreement but won’t sit down and talk down and talk with our enemies. Even Bush is doing that! And Mccain said he wouldn’t even sit down with the government ofSpain ! | 1. I had a great conversation with Kissinger recently. His passion for diplomacy. We’d do that. But with these dictators who hateAmerica and freedom and women’s rights and stuff. They cannot be met with as Obama said he would be willing to do, etc. etc. etc. But diplomacy is hard work, sanctions lined up, friends backing up. |
| Israel ? What has this administration done right or wrong? | 2. Nobody has been a better friend ofIsrael than Joe Biden (3rd person). Obama is the same. This administration has been an abject failure; Rice is trying to turn around a bad series of policy decisions by the Administration. Iran is on the march, including inLebanon andGaza . We will backIsrael in negotiating. 4. Past is prolog. How different will McCain policy will be different than Bush onIran , orIsrael , orAfghanistan , orPakistan . (Great lines!) And we know where that has taken us. We will make significant change so that we are the most respected nation in world. | 1. Two state solution ins the solution. Secty Rice is trying to forge that peace. That needs to be done. And that will be a top of the agenda item. We need to assureIsrael there will never be a second holocaust, despiteIran . We want a two state solution, and building an embassy inJerusalem . That commitment is there. 3. No, this Admin hasn’t been an abject failure. But glad Biden loves Israel. Lookning backward and blame game, people will get tired of that. Yeah, blunders in the past, but change means looking forward, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Government on the side o the people, no partisanship, McCain rah! Maverick! Biden loves him! Change is coming! |
| Interventionism. Nuclear weapons. When? | 2. Afghanistan . Facts matter. Our commanding general there said today that the surge Will Not Work There. That’s not Biden. That’s the commander there. We need more troops, spending. We spend more money on combat iniraq in 3 weeks than the last 7 years inAfghanistan . Repeat. Arms control and weapons – nuclear weapons require an arms control regime. McCain voted against the test ban treaty. He’s opposed inspections in the treaty. Obama, first thing he did, raced across the aisle to Dick Luger about preventing nukes to terrorists, they put together legislation, and McCain oppoed. 4. Yes, he did say that. And while we’ve been calling for more money fand troops forAfghanistan , McCain says we’ve succeeded there. | 1. That would be be-all, end-all of too many blather blather incoherency. We have a deterrent, safe, those country likeNorth Korea , we need to put economic sanctions, friends, allies, to make sure they don’t acuiqre, proliferate, use nukes. Afghanistan . The surge principles ofIraq need to be implemented inAfghanistan . Reckless comments from Obama – we’re doing keen things and helping children and puppy dogs and we’ll win. 3. McClellan did not say the surge principles wouldn’t apply. The conditions are different. But the counterinsurgency principles could work. [Yes, he did.] [Could not hear what she was saying because Margie was yelling at Palin.] |
| Biden – interventionist in Serbia, Iraq, nowDarfur . Will American public back? | 1. America will support success.Bosnia saved 10Ks of lives. McCain opposed it. People didn’t believe it would work, but it has. InIraq , I voted for the power to let Bush have the power to continue sanctions, etc., but argued against the war, but McCain said it would all be okay. Darfur – we can impose a no-fly zone, we can lead NATO, I’ve been there, horrible suffering, we should rally the world to act, and demonstrate it by helping. | 2. I’m aWashington outside, obviously – you voted for it, but now you’re against it. Americans want straight talk. You supported McCain’s war strategies before this candidacy. And Obama cut funding for troops! I agree onDarfur . What I’ve done is we’ve taken a fund and divested funding fromSudan … or will, once the legislation has passed.. |
| When do we decide to go in? | 1. When we have the capacity to act. When a country does these evil things, that country forfeits right to not be intervened on. But I never supported McCain’s strategy on the war, which were the same with Cheney. I said that war would be a real mess. I said all these things. McCain wa sin lockstep with Cheney. Not just whether to go, but support for the conduct of the war. | 2. Disagree. Did you support Obama or McCain … we listened to the debates and we’ll have some fact checking in the morning. McCain knows how to win a war, he’s had the experience, etc. he will now how t implement strategies, listening to commanders, taking the politics out of war issues. |
| Heartbeat away. You disagree on some things with your principles. How would your admin be different. | 1. God forbid. A national tragedy. I would carry out Obama’s policies. Supporting middle class, even break, health insurance, etc. etc etc. Energy policy, jobs, foreign policy to ends war and gets bin Laden and engages our allies, rejecting the Bush Doctrine (and what it is, nice!). This is a critical election, most important since 1932. I believe in every major initiative he is suggesting. 2. Go downUnion Street , folksy stuff. Ask about economic and foreign policy has helped them, and if McCain really differs from them, and they don’t think so. People in my neighborhood get it. Walk with me in my neighborhood,Scranton , steel town. Middle class has gotten short end, wealthy etc. | 2. Heaven forbid, for either party. Team of mavericks will not agree on everything. I will keep pushing on ANWR. He wants healthy debate. I would continue the good work he is commited to, government on the side of people, ending greed and corruption,Wasilla Main Street . Every-day working class Americans, get out of the way, don’t take my money and tell me what to do. Support a ticket that creates jobs and end war. Vs. a party that increases taxes. 4. Looking backwards! Not Bush Administration! Look ahead. Education, yeah, important, love your wife, yeah we need to focus more, ramp up funding in schools, pay teachers more. My family was school teachers. We need to increase standards, we need flexibility in No Child Left Behind. Public school. Need to ramp it up. |
| Palin – what does VP do? Biden – would not be VP. So, what is it worth now. | 2. Education. John isn’t supporting any funding for anything. Role of VP – had a long talk like the governor did. I have a history of getting things done in the Senate. I’m the point person for legislative initiatives. Want help with governance to give best advice. He’s president, not me. Wants someone with independent judgment and freedom to disagree, and that’s my reputation. 4. VP Cheney is most dangerous VP in Americna history. Article I defines the role of the VP, he’s in the executive branch. The number one role is to support the president, and to preside over the senate to break ties. That’s the only authority for legislature, the whole idea is bizarre to aggrandize the power of a unitary executive.e | 1. It was a lame joke, so was yours, too. Preside over Senate (thankful). And John and I have had good conversations about how to lead in his agenda, government reform, energy independence, special needs families. That’s where John wants me to lead. 3. [Is the VP not executive?] The founders gave the Constitution a lot of flexibility to the VP. We will do what’s best for the etc etc etc – lots of flexibility, will do what we have to do, my executive experience as a governor and mayor and regulator and business owner. |
| Conventional wisdom. Lack experience (Palin) or discipline (Biden) | 2. I’m not going to change. People can judge who I am. I will place my and Barack’s record of change against anyone. Crime bill, VAWA (McCain voted against), intervention inBosnia . Single parent. I know about a family . I am well off, I have a nice house, but (choking up) I understand. People are looking for help, not more of the same. 4. Love McCain, but he’s been no maverick on meaningful thigns. 4 of 5 times for Bush budgets. Voted against SCHIP. Not supporting college funding. War. No maverick in anything that really affects what people talk about around the table. He voted against heating oil support! yeesh! | 1. my experience as an executive willb e put to good use, a governor of a great energy producing state, energy independence, etc. Connection to heartland, a mom, son in the war, paying for tuition, etc. etc. etc. we know what other Americans are going through. That world view with John McCain –America is a nature of exceptionalism, shining city on hill as Reagan said, and unapologetic as a perfect ideal of democracy and tolerance and freedom and equal rights, force for good, rah rah rah! Team! Making a difference! Track record! 3. People are looking for change. Consumate maverick! Me, too! Bipartisan state governor. Look at McCain’s supporters – Lieberman, Giuliani, Romney, etc. These are tumultuous times. Etc. Repeat. Etc. Cannot allow partisanship inWashington , regardless of who’s in charge. |
| Single issue you changed to accommodate changed cirucmstnaces | 1. On judiciary committee. Only thing that mattered was wheathr a presidential nominee was simply not a criminal. But realized that ideology makes a difference. Led charge against Bork. First chair of the judiciary that it’s important to know judicial philosophy. | 2. As mayor and governor passed judgement and didn’t veto, but realized had to work with legislature and needed to move along. Wanted to cut taxes, budget. But no major changes in principle, compromise, bipartisan, but working together, no matter who gets credit. |
| Bipartisanship? How do you change the tone? | 1. I have been able to work across the aisle and work to change my party’s mind and the Republicans. Anecdote. Never question motives, just judgment, and so have been able to work so well with others. Fundamental change that Obama and I will bring. | 2. You appoint people regardless of party affiliation. My family is diverse politically. As long as we all work together. But the policies nad proposals have to speak for themselves. And now here’s a political generalization and attack on the other ticket. |
| Closing statements | 2. This is the most important election in our lives. Eight years, deep hole in economy and foreign credibility. Fundamental change. Progress isn’t based on how well CEOs are doing or how well we cut regulations, but based on whether people can pay for their mortgage or send kid to college, etc. etc. etc. My neighborhood – dignity and respect, belief in self, work hard, you can accomplish anything. That’s why we’re running to make that possible. It’s time forAmerica to get back up, and we are ready, and etc. God bless American and, selfishly for both of us, our troops. | 1. Thanks! Such an honor, and chance to meet you, Joe. Like being able to answer these questions without the MSM filter, just want to talk to the people. [So why haven’t you?] We will fight for American family, we are a great country, etc., proud to be American, need to fight for freedoms. Reagan! Freedom! Need to fight for that freedom every generation. Future without freedom! There is only one man in this rece who has realy fought for you! McCain! |
| After | Thanks! Thanks! Nervous chuckles. |
Post-debate … it was interesting that both families got up there, chatted, shook hands. Very different from McCain’s terse handshake with Obama and immediate shifting to hugging his wife and gladhanding the crowd …
Overall assessment:
The questions were okay. They hit most of the major points — but didn’t hit much on any controversial points (at least viz Palin). I mean, yeah, we got the gay marriage and the global warming questions … but no actual challenges to legitimacy, to experience, to creationism, to abortion …
Palin did okay, presence, glib. Not very strong on policy, more talking points … she didn’t blither too much at too many points. Lots of McCain rah-rah-rah. Some odd points (expanding the power of the VP, putting the US embassy in Jerusalem, facile answers, more than a few fact-checkable items). Shifted subjects at will, rather than reliably answering the questions (which she freely admitted). Didn’t talk much substance, much more rhetorical. And, of course, lacking (or dodging) direct challenges, she was able to let her coaching carry her along.
Good presence — none of that deer-in-the-headlights fumbling from the past interviews. Folksy (sometimes so much I could spew), and that will play well with some. What was funny is that she was willing to criticize Bush when she was being all “mavericky” (thank God that word wasn’t in the drinking game, or else I’d be on my way to the hospital), but whenever Biden did so, she chided him for dwelling on the past (in a Rovean fashion that was immensely irritating).
She talked to the camera, thus the audience.
Never really talked about about the specific differences between McCain and Bush — just that McCain’s a maverick, except for all the things on the war that McCain has always supported and is right about because Petraeus! Surge! Yay!
Nobody challenged her directly for not answering the questions more often than not.
(And for all the discussion of the Maverick Reformer, and despite her promise to Couric, I don’t think we heard any actual, specific, reforms that she was attributing to McCain.)
So if Palin wants to “avoid the MSM filter” and “just talk to the American people,” how is she going to do that? I mean, it’s not like either Gibson or Couric were shouting questions at her rat-a-tat. If that means she just wants to dialog without people following up with further questions — well, yeah, that I can believe.
Biden did a sober, calm, workmanlike job, growing stronger at the end. Policy-wonky, and a traditional debater. Sometimes stumbling over himself to hit all the points he wanted to get. I suspect there will be some fact-checking (less than Palin). He did focus most of his attacks on McCain, as advertised — but I almost wonder in retrospect if that was an error (the attacks on McCain were to be expected, and though reasonable will not change any minds); with Palin doing better than expected, he left that part of the field to her.
He spent too much time looking at the moderator, not the camera.
So, who won? Hrm.
For the Democratic faithful, Palin will not impress any further. Biden was reliably solid, not saying anything particularly goofy.
For the Republican faithful, Palin’s lack of self-destruction will probably be a huge sigh of relief. Some folks will probably be a bit fired up, others will simply be glad she didn’t embarrass the GOP ticket any further.
For the undecided, though … I don’t think this will shift many votes in one direction or another. Those who were worried about Palin will be marginally reassured, but I don’t see this adding any bump to the McCain ticket; at best (and this is non-trivial), she prevented any further losses based on her.
If nothing else, short of future melt-downs, she may have just saved her future political career. But any assessment of this as a “win” is only because it was less of a “loss” than practically every other interaction she’s been shown in since her ghost-written speech at the convention.
STUFF THAT MIGHT MAKE YOU FROWN Pentagon researcher unveils World of Warcraft terror… – Of course, terrorists could be plotting on Club Penguin, too … but that’s not scary enough. Scanners -…
STUFF THAT MIGHT MAKE YOU FROWN
STUFF THAT WILL MAKE YOU SMILE!
SEE? LINKS OF STUFF THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SARAH PALIN (WELL, MOSTLY) Squid beaks and materials science – How do super-hard squid beaks work with a very squishy squid body?…
SEE? LINKS OF STUFF THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SARAH PALIN (WELL, MOSTLY)
SEE? EVEN SOME POLITICAL STUFF THAT DOESN’T GET INTO PALIN
SEE? SARAH PALIN IS STILL DRIVING ME INSANE
Things keep looking worse and worse concerning Hurricane Gustav. If you want to help out, may I recommend: Donate to the American Red Cross Donate to the Episcopal Relief and…
Things keep looking worse and worse concerning Hurricane Gustav. If you want to help out, may I recommend:
Donate to the American Red Cross
Donate to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund
or donate to some other relief organization of your choice.
Yeah, the marine layer was, um, a bit … layered. A fun road trip, and we saw and learned a whole bunch of stuff, but actually seeing Mount St….
Yeah, the marine layer was, um, a bit … layered.
A fun road trip, and we saw and learned a whole bunch of stuff, but actually seeing Mount St. Helens live? Even from the as-close-as-you-can-drive Johnston Ridge Observatory? Reply hazy, try again some other trip.
Chile’s Chaitén volcano + a Big Thunderstorm = Primal Nature Wow! (via kottke) …
Chile’s Chaitén volcano + a Big Thunderstorm = Primal Nature Wow!
(via kottke)
The immediate crisis in California from the wildfires is largely dealt with, but there’s much to be done to help folks who’ve lost their houses, and are trying to pick…
The immediate crisis in California from the wildfires is largely dealt with, but there’s much to be done to help folks who’ve lost their houses, and are trying to pick back up their lives.
In addition to what I earlier posted, Margie forwarded me some info from her employer with some relief fund info.
During the days immediately after a disaster, financial contributions are the ones most welcome and can be put to immediate use for the people in the most need. Below is a list of organizations collecting donations specifically for Southern California wildfires.
Note: The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide, through the website give.org, is a valuable resource for employees and physicians who want to better understand the organizations to which they donate.
- American Red Cross/Disaster Relief Fund-Southern California Wildfires | 800-733-2767 or 800-257-7575 (Español)
The Salvation Army – US West Region (In the field marked “Specific Use,” type “Southern California Wildfires”) | 800-725-2769
California Community Foundation | 213-413-4130
The CCF has established the Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund to receive contributions from donors in support of immediate recovery needs with a particular focus on needy populations, those in need of affordable housing, and nonprofits serving the affected areas. The foundation will match the first $250,000 in contributions received.The Community Foundation (Riverside and San Bernardino counties) | 951-684-4194
A Fire Relief Fund has been established to help sustain operations of non-profit organizations and to assist people affected by the fires.- San Diego Foundation | 619-235-2300
The foundation has established three funds responding to the fires:
- The After the Fires Fund. Similar to the fund’s effort following the 2003 San Diego fires, this fund will support first-response efforts, but the primary focus will be ongoing recovery and rebuilding throughout the San Diego region.
- The Fire Relief Biotech Immediate Response Fund will provide grants to nonprofits that provide immediate relief to residents affected by the wildfires.
- The Fire Relief Biotech Recovery Fund will provide grants to non-profits working in the weeks, months, and years ahead to help with rebuilding efforts.
Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego | 858-279-2740
The Jewish Community Disaster Fund has been established to provide assistance to Jewish families and others in need who have been affected by the fires, as well as to rebuild communal infrastructure if required.The Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals | 888 772 2511 – Donations are needed to support efforts to provide emergency shelter for animals displaced by the fires.
- The United Way of Ventura County | 805-485-6288 x276 – The organization needs volunteers. Interested people can leave contact information through the website.
I note that my favorite charity, the Episcopal Relief & Development Fund, is also providing emergency assistance for those who need it. Online donation can be done here.
Mary writes to let us know that she’s safe (the Harris Fire is closest to her, but she’s not in the fire’s path and it’s still some distance). Her dad’s…
Mary writes to let us know that she’s safe (the Harris Fire is closest to her, but she’s not in the fire’s path and it’s still some distance). Her dad’s evacuated (though his neighborhood is not under evacuation order), at least for the day.
In general, over 300,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and are being sheltered around the county. If you want to help, please consider making a donation to one of the following:
She then passes on the following info:
Salvation Army
As wildfires sweep across our county, The Salvation Army is supporting the firefighters who are battling the blaze. Mobile feeding units are on the scene to bring water and food to firefighters and police and The Salvation Army is bringing in additional canteens/ mobile kitchens from El Centro and Perris.
To donate to help firefighters and those being evacuated, please call 1 866 I’LL HELP or donate on-line
Red Cross
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster.
Making a financial contribution is the best way to help. To make a donation: call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or make at secure, online donation.
Mail a Donation to: American Red Cross, PO Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018
The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate a donation for a specific disaster, please do so at the time of donation.
San Diego County Wildfire Relief
Volunteer San Diego’s Disaster Program is made possible by donations of time and money. Below is a list of the ways you can help.
Make a donation: Money collected will first go towards supporting the disaster volunteer recruitment efforts for the wildfires. Additional funds will support year-round disaster preparedness and volunteer programs. You can donate online here or mail your donation to: Volunteer San Diego, 4699 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92123 (http://www.active.com/donate/wildfires07).
LA Times coverage of the fires in Southern California. Mary’s okay down in San Diego for the moment. No family close to the LA area fires, mercifully. My boss got…
LA Times coverage of the fires in Southern California.
Mary’s okay down in San Diego for the moment.
No family close to the LA area fires, mercifully.
My boss got evacuated from his house (where we’ve had business meetings in the past) in the Santa Clarita area, though he expects to be able to get back there today.
BD pointed to some keen Google Maps about the fires: 1 2 3
Does anyone “score” weather forecasters? Actually, yes. For example … (via GeekPress)…
Does anyone “score” weather forecasters? Actually, yes. For example …
(via GeekPress)
A few news items related to the weather: This is why airports sometimes close during snow storms. Snow storms cost cities a lot of money. And airports. While NOAA…
A few news items related to the weather:
And, meanwhile, the next storm is hurtling in …
This week’s storm will start with a “wintry mix” – freezing drizzle that develops about midday Thursday before changing to snow overnight into Friday.
“It’s gonna get cold – really, really cold,” said Carl Burroughs, a meteorologist in Boulder with the National Weather Service.
Temperatures are expected to drop into single digits Thursday night. Nighttime lows will be zero or below through Monday and maybe Tuesday, with daytime temperatures at 10-15 degrees above zero.
It’s too early to tell how much snow will come. Weather statements are expected to be issued today, although TV meteorologists Wednesday predicted from 3 to 8 inches in the metro area.
“There is the potential for a significant amount of snow,” Burroughs said Wednesday. “We could get nothing or we could end up with a whole bunch.”
Though the current forecast for our neck of the woods is Thursday high of 37, low of 9, 20% chance of snow; Friday 20/2 and 50% chance: Saturday 12/-2 and 50%, Sunday 14/-2 and a 20% chance.
Still on the fence about the Twelfth Night (not helped by such fearless predictions as the above). Our street is still kind of a mess, and a lot will depend on how it looks tomorrow (since I don’t expect, even if there’s zero snow, that we’ll lose much of what’s already on the ground Friday). If nothing else, I expect the temps will keep a lot of folks home regardless (though we’ll have plenty of hot glög and punch).
We shall see.
… a fun Flickr set from around the turn of the previous century ……
… a fun Flickr set from around the turn of the previous century …
Amazing lighting strike picture taken (only somewhat intentionally) by an amateur in the UK. Larger image here. (via GeekPress)…
Amazing lighting strike picture taken (only somewhat intentionally) by an amateur in the UK. Larger image here.
(via GeekPress)
Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the Big Thompson Canyon flood. Which actually I have story to tell about. The family was living in California at the time. We were…
Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the Big Thompson Canyon flood. Which actually I have story to tell about.
The family was living in California at the time. We were going to take our first vacation to Colorado — Dad had a former colleague who’d moved there, and he was going to visit with him, but for the most part we were going to stay up at Estes Park and do hiking and the like. We’d done long driving vacations up and down the Pacific Coast, but never anything inland like that.
I remember pulling into Grand Junction and turning on the radio to hear that Estes Park had been “wiped out by a flood.” We tuned in all the media we could find, but info was very thin at the time. All that was clear was that we weren’t going to be driving to E.P. the next day.
Dad talked to his friend, who helped make arrangements for us to stay in some spanking new hotel in the burgeoning burg of Silverthorne (I remember the hotel had just opened, and the pinball machine required no quarters). And the next day we ended up staying at a company apartment in Denver, where we ate dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory there (which is still there at the same location, and, in fact, in a later life I ended up hiring a guy from there as a PC Tech.)
We did get up to Estes Park after a couple of days — E.P. itself was mostly okay, as was the road coming in from Boulder. It was not until many years later that I actually drove up the Big Thompson Canyon, and could see even then both the remaining damage and how the canyon could have been such a deathtrap.
I suppose there’s some irony that we had such pounding flash-flood-style rains down in my neighborhood last night.
Europe shifts to Daylight Saving Time (“Summer Time”) this weekend (26 March). The US lags behind, not changing for another week (2 April) (except for Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto…
Europe shifts to Daylight Saving Time (“Summer Time”) this weekend (26 March). The US lags behind, not changing for another week (2 April) (except for Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Arizona except for Navajoland, and most of the Eastern Time Zone portion of Indiana).
But not to fear! The US is stepping up to the challenge, and as of 2007, we’ll be starting a week sooner those wussie Euroweenies, and lasting a week longer! Take that, France! Put that in your cuckoo clock, Germany! Marvel at our timeshifted staying power! USA! USA! USA!
In case you haven’t heard yet, Sunday we change back to Standard Time. Which will be nice to have an extra hour whilst away, even if I find the whole…
In case you haven’t heard yet, Sunday we change back to Standard Time. Which will be nice to have an extra hour whilst away, even if I find the whole DST thing silly.
Most people don’t have flood insurance on their home. It’s expensive. It’s especially expensive if you actually live in a flood plain. It’s really expensive. So most folks either gamble…
Most people don’t have flood insurance on their home. It’s expensive. It’s especially expensive if you actually live in a flood plain. It’s really expensive.
So most folks either gamble on not having it and not needing it, or they don’t think they’ll need it so they don’t buy it, or … they decide that they have to pay for it somehow. For some people paying for it is easier than for others, but pay they do.
I have no end of compassion for folks in the Gulf whose houses were wiped out by Katrina. I was listening on NPR this morning as folks in a Mississippi community which has never had flood problems described how they got inundated with a 6-8 ft flood of water. And, because it’s never happened before, nobody had insurance, so now they’re trying to establish what damage was done first by the hurricane (covered), vs. what was done by the flood (uncovered).
One man said, “My insurance won’t cover it. I hope FEMA will pay for it.”
And now we see stories of calls for the states to try to override the flood damage exclusion that insurance policies have and force the insurance companies to pay out for such damages. Because, of course, it’s someone else’s money, right? And those insurance companies are all fat cats who have money falling out of their pockets, and why should folks be penalized for …
… well, for not having insurance?
If we are going to have national property insurance, fine. One can certainly make arguments for it similar to those made for national health insurance, with just as many tragic pictures of flood and fire victims as one can conjure up. Let’s make it a national debate, consider what the costs would be and how to pay for it and so forth and then move forward. If we want to do it on a needs basis, cool, that can be factored in, too. I could see the argument for property repair being in the societal interest and all that. And, as far as direct aid goes, if the government decides that the taxpayers nationwide should back loans (the usual FEMA route) or outright grants, then great.
But changing the rules of the game for insurance companies in the middle isn’t quite kosher. It certainly isn’t kosher to folks who did the smart (or legal) thing. If I’d been paying hefty premiums for flood insurance for the last 25 years, and the state attorney general forced the insurance companies to pay out to anyone, regardless of whether they’d paid or not, then by gum I’d be on the phone with a lawyer to sue to get my premiums back, with interest. I did the smart thing. Folks who didn’t, either because they were misinformed (oh, well), or couldn’t (in which case I feel compassion) or because they decided they’d rather buy a boat and gamble that a flood wouldn’t hit, well, sorry about that.
And for folks who have pensions and other monies invested in insurance companies, and who thus are directly affected by having the government suddenly yank a big chunk of that money away … maybe we should have a debate on national pensions, too, so that those folks don’t get screwed. Well, until the government decides to cut Social Security payments.
Again, I feel badly. But if I get hit by a car tomorrow and my family loses our house because I didn’t have enough life insurance to pay the mortgage off, I don’t expect my insurance company to feel sorry for us and pay it anyway — or for FEMA to pay for it in their stead. If I did, I wouldn’t carry any insurance at all. Ditto if I decide to lowball my car insurance to the minimum and face financial ruin when I get into an accident. If I can simply call on the insurance companies to pay me all I need anyway, why should I have been paying for insurance at all?
Just because a lot of people demand special treatment, rather than just a few, doesn’t make the special treatment justified or fair — or even smart, given what such a move would mean for any future insurance coverage in the given states. If we’re going pay for all this stuff, then, yes, let’s do it via the government (and, while we’re at it, buy the property involved in the worst areas and consider banning rebuilding there, so we don’t keep repeating the cycle. But don’t go after the insurance companies out of some sense of “they’ve got deep pockets.”
Looking to help? Here’s a couple of links: The American Red Cross The Episcopal Relief and Development Fund Initial reports were that Katrina had been less lethal than expected. Now…
Looking to help? Here’s a couple of links:
The American Red Cross
The Episcopal Relief and Development Fund
Initial reports were that Katrina had been less lethal than expected. Now it looks awfully bad.