It’s Friday, and our brief reprise of summer is now over. Two days ago, on the anniversary of the day that Republicans believe was the worst attack against the United States – you know, Benghazi – which as I’ve probably said before always makes me think of Ben Gazzara – it was 94° here. Yesterday, 80. Today? We’ll struggle to get into the 60s. Oh well, time to develop that thick winter skin.
In case you haven’t heard, the Voyager 1 spacecraft, much like Elvis, has left the heliosphere, and is now in interstellar space. Coincidentally (or maybe not), Voyager was launched less than three weeks after Elvis croaked in 1977. Yes, a piece of equipment designed over 40 years ago has not only continued to function (mostly) but is something like 17 light-hours away from Earth. Considering light travels at over 186,000 miles per second, that’s quite a ways away (something like 11.4 billion miles, if I’m doing the math correctly). They plan on keeping the little bugger going and sending back at least basic info until 2035, at which point I will hopefully be both retired and still alive (and mostly functional – though if I don’t start taking better care of myself real soon, that’s kind of doubtful).
It’s kind of interesting to see a bunch of Republican chickenhawks who previously never met a way they didn’t like now suddenly turn into a bunch of doves. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ll be happy if it turns out we don’t get involved in Syria but, hey, let’s face it – they’d oppose Mother’s Day if Obama was for it. That and most of the general public isn’t buying this stuff.
It’s time to get back to threatening to shut down the government.
Michelle Obama Says Drinking Water is a Good Thing — Americans Get Outraged
I think Michelle should endorse drinking water, exercising, getting medical and dental care and breathing air. Then, assuming the tea Baggers would do the opposite, there would be fewer of them.
Sad about the boardwalk fire in NJ. That picture of the “Fun Town” sign lying on top of the remains will become another iconic image.
On the Today Show this morning, the reporter ended her lead story by mentioning someone lost their baby pictures in the fire. These stories always seem to end with the baby pictures angle.
I still have not heard what started the fire and why it spread so far and so fast.
They’ve canceled my work again today. The Boulder Turnpike is closed and it’s out of the question that I could come in from the East as is my custom due to several county roads flooded out. Longmont isn’t in the news as much nationally as Boulder but that’s where the working people live who can’t afford to live anywhere else and Longmont has been cut in two by the Saint Vrain River and there’s many evacuations and kids home from cancelled schools.
We’re in a safe suburb south of Boulder under no threat. It’s really crazy how all this rain has just been targeting Boulder.
Lyons can’t be too surprising as it is a river town.
Jamestown is a small mountain town with one narrow street and buildings built into steep hills. It’s pretty much gone. Really sad- kind of the last refuge for people my age who came here with the 60’s counter-culture dreams and hoped to keep it alive up in the woods after the elite took over Boulder.
The amount of destruction from floods, fires and tornadoes seems never to end and to be far more common than I ever remember. But, for reasons I do not understand, there are powerful dopes who refuse to even think about what can be done to stop climate change. I assume those same dopes are now drinking Kool Aid because water is a Librul thing.
What’s really unusual about this is the time of year. These kinds of events historically happen in early May.
Weather this close to the mountains can be very localized. It’s not unusual for heavy rain to fall west of Broadway and around the university- the crazy part is that rather than 5 or 6 inches, it was closer to 14 or 15 inches!
Amazing. We officially had about 12 inches of rain from June through August (at the airport, anyway – much higher in other areas).
And there’s a 14-year drought in the Southwest and Lake Mead is damn near all dried up.
The Daily Camera this morning reports 180 people missing.
I’m sure some have just been unable to contact loved ones due to all the chaos…………………,
but still, this is much worse than it appeared yesterday.
I’m glad I’m working today just to see that everyone is(hopefully) okay.
I’m glad you and yours are okay, Art. So sad to see what’s happening. Stay safe! :gate:
We had record rains this summer and mild temperatures. All very unusual weather. Not that I’m complaining, however. Don’t know how to get rid of our denier and non-Mensa, Inhofe. :barf:
On this day 40 years ago I moved to San Francisco. I have had a nice long stay. I may not be able to stay here forever but I have 2/3 of a lifetime to remember. Today I will cross the new Bay Bridge, 24 years in the making.
I remember that day 24 years ago like it was yesterday…..
One thing led to another, and then here’s where I wound up:
27. He was 27 when he died. Just a kid, and yet he left such a profound mark upon the world – at least for a little while.
As the flood waters move east it’s just been a slow process for everyone to acknowledge the enormous loss of agricultural land and heart-breaking pictures of horses and cattle with nothing to eat. The “breadbasket” of Colorado is east and north-northeast of Denver where the normally scarce water resources are.
There’s some people refusing to leave their mountain homes. The National Guard is telling them they won’t have a second chance and might be without food or water for days or weeks.
As usual, it’s the ones with the least who are flooded out whether up in the hills or the trailer parks out east.
A flood warning today said that the South Platte river could crest higher than the apocryphal flood in 1965 that flooded much of Denver.
We were under a flood warning in our little burb for awhile today but the rain has stopped now and I don’t feel threatened.
I can relate to Vernon’s feelings for San Francisco. This is my 41st year in Colorado and I feel like it’s what keeps my heart beating, good times and bad.
The flooding crop lands pose another scary and unusual problem. 😯
This was a little bit of sunshine on a very dreary day
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/15/larry-summers-fed-chair_n_3931476.html
I’m glad you are safe Art. It is not easy to be forced from your home. I try to keep myself focused on the bright side and to remember that there are many others in far worse positions than mine. That helps but it really is never easy.
I know how Vern feels. Perhaps he will find himself in a good spot soon. I hope so. But, all this dislocation and fearful weather and economic stress takes its toll.
Some good news would really be welcome. Though I’m glad Summers has removed himself from consideration, I would prefer some truly good news. I heard on Morning Joke ( as Vern so aptly calls it) that Cuccinelli is doing poorly and that’s good too. Bloomberg is leaving, definitely a pleasure and Obamacare will be here so my son and my niece and some of my neighbors may get health care, though the quality of that care may be less than optimal as usual.
But we need more people to get angry and get active. Laughing at idiots like Gomert and Bachmann is fun but not electing them would be better. Something big has to change.
I have to admit, though, I really like Pope Francis. He seems to embody what I have always thought of as christian. I find myself hoping he has a high quality bulletproof vest and a reliable tester of his food.