If you could slice into a tropical cyclone, it would look something like this. The small red arrows show warm, moist air rising from the ocean’s surface, and forming clouds in bands around the eye. The blue arrows show how cool, dry air sinks in the eye and between the bands of clouds. The large red arrows show the rotation of the rising bands of clouds.
Ewww..that looks fierce. So bloggers…are we under seige or will Irene zip right up the coast and give us a little rain?
I am hoping for the latter. Please keep us updated on Irene as well as any aftershocks you feel.
We all knew this day would come. We dreaded it. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, has decided to step down immediately. Steve Jobs is an American iconoclast and culture changer. He and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer in Jobs’ parents’ garagen in 1976.
It has been one wild ride, through the end of the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, into the 21st century, from that big clunky Apple II to the sleek and sexy ipad and iphones. He became an arbiter of our tastes. He had vision. He saw things that we didn’t even know existed. He made us want things yet unseen.
Jobs has been ill. He has has a rare form of pancreatic cancer as well as a liver transplant. His health is very fragile and he announced he can no longer handle the job. He will serve as chairman of the board of directors of Apple. Jobs stated:
“I hereby resign as CEO of Apple,” he wrote. “I would like to serve, if the board sees fit, as chairman of the board, director and Apple employee. As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.
I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.
I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.”
Steve
The tech industry reacted violently over the Jobs’ abrupt resignation and Apple stock (aapl) dropped instantly, over $17 a share in overnight trading. The question now becomes whether or not Jobs is so integral to the company that his absence creates a weak link or has his genius set up a business paradigm that can weather his absence from the helm. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, expect some tech and industrial aftershock.
An authorized biography will come out in November.
For a brief, picture biography of Jobs’ career see USAToday.
Introduction to McIntosh in 1984. Jobs’ introduction of new products always became a world class event.
If the Earthquake wasn’t enough excitement for you, there is always Hurricane Irene who stands a good chance of coming in to our lives. So while we are on guard for aftershock tremors, we can prepare for the hurricane.
It looks like it is getting harder to dodge the hurricane bullet. What will you do to prepare? Any good tips for those of us who live inland?
This seems like a lot shorter shake than I got at my house.
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The timing in the above video was just too good to be true. Did he fall or was he under the chair on purpose?
Moving to the epicenter:
I have a very dear friend who teaches at Louisa County High School. I thought it was near Mineral. Little did I know that it was in Mineral. I decided to call John to see if he was OK. He answered and I said, ” John, are you dead?” He roared and said “not yet.” He said not only was he at the epicenter of the earthquake, but the principal and superintendant of schools were in his classroom, welcoming everyone back, when the earthquake hit.
They evacuated the building and all sat outside. He made it all sound very exciting. He is a little close to the Lake Anna Nuclear plant. He said they have weekly drills over there. I guess we dodged the bullet on that one.
Mineral had quite a bit of damage as did Culpeper, according to TV and newspapers.
The primary election is very late this year. Usually all primaries are over in the late spring and the emerging candidates have had an opportunity to campaign all summer. This year the candidates for the general election sat back, if they were not challenged in their own party, and let the primary candidates duke it out. The delay was caused mainly by the redistricting that occurs every ten years as a result of new census numbers.
The primaries have brought about the usually cases of devouring one’s own young, with some campaigns being more vicious than others. The Internet is a powerful tool. It allows some a louder voice than one would normally have and it gives those who oppose a candidate an even louder voice, if they so choose, because they can spew venom at will without detection. The Internet political enemy can change identities or they can clone themselves into multiple villains all with the same target. In a democracy, disagreement is normal and even healthy. The anonymity of the Internet creates a situation where attackers do not have to assume responsibility for their words and deeds.
Normally nice people can cause hurt. However, bullies love the Internet because they can become bigger than life and can inflict pain and political damage on people with very little effort. The bullies don’t just emerge at election time. They are always lurking in the shadows, ready to hurl some nasty invective at someone who has displeased them or at some perceived enemy. However, an election can become a feeding frenzy for the bully. Bullies can keep decent folks from even wanting to run for office.
People of good will and decent character need to shun these bullies and refuse to associate with them. We know who most of them are. It is critical to a democracy to keep good people who bring a wealth of talent to public service wanting to serve. They will not if we allow meanness and character assassination to drive them away.
The former governor, who served as ambassador to China under President Obama before quitting that post this year to pursue the presidency, has tried to stake out a middle ground in a contest where the loudest voices have come from what he referred to on Sunday as “the fringes.”
Mr. Huntsman insisted that the American public was “crying out for a sensible middle ground.” He described the United States as a center-right country and said that was precisely where he stood.
Mr. Huntsman fared poorly in the Ames straw poll last weekend in Iowa, a state to which he had devoted little attention. He received less than 1 percent of the vote; Mrs. Bachmann won with 29 percent.
So what does this mean? Independents and moderates from both parties are embracing Jon Huntsman and breathing a sigh of relief that there really is a Republican who calls for sensible middle ground. Meanwhile, hard core Republicans have turned up their respective noses like a skunk is in the barn. Read More
Poor Jon Huntsman. I really like this guy but he had better sleep lightly, with one eye opened. The Democrats are showering him with love for some of his comments about fellow Republicans. According to Politico:
JON HUNTSMAN ON HIS REPUBLICAN RIVALS
Huntsman Said The Rest Of The GOP Field Had “Zero Substance” And Were “Too Far To The Right.” Huntsman on ABC’s This Week: “We have people on the Republican side too far to the right. We have zero substance. We have no good ideas that are being circulated or talking about that allow the country to get back on its feet economically so we begin creating jobs.” [ABC News – This Week, 8/21/11]
Huntsman Said He Would Not Trust His Opponents With The Economy Because They Would Have Allowed The Country To Default. When asked by Jake Tapper, “Would you trust a President Bachmann to do the right thing with the economy?” Huntsman replied, “I wouldn’t necessarily trust any of my opponents who are on the recent debate stage with me when every single one of them would have allowed this country to default.” [ABC News – This Week, 8/21/11]
Huntsman Said The Republican Party Has “A Serious Problem” In Becoming “The Anti-Science Party.” On ABC’s This Week, Huntsman said: “I think there’s a serious problem. The minute the Republican Party becomes the party, the anti-science party, we have a huge problem. We lose a whole lot of people, who would otherwise allow us to win the election in 2012 when we take a position that isn’t willing to embrace evolution, we take a position that basically runs counter to what 100 to 900 climate scientists have said with what the national academy of science has said. What is causing climate change and man’s contribution to it. We find ourselves on the wrong side of science and therefore in a losing position.” [ABC News – This Week, 8/21/11]
Huntsman Said “We’d Be Here All Afternoon” To Talk About Romney’s Flip-Flops. On ABC’s This Week, Huntsman said, “If we talk about inconsistencies and change on various issues, we’d be here all afternoon.” [ABC News – This Week, 8/21/11
Mr. Perry leapt into the Republican presidential primary this month preceded by his reputation as a thoroughbred fund-raiser. But a review of Mr. Perry’s years in office reveals that one of his most potent fund-raising tools is the very government he heads.
Over three terms in office, Mr. Perry’s administration has doled out grants, tax breaks, contracts and appointments to hundreds of his most generous supporters and their businesses. And they have helped Mr. Perry raise more money than any politician in Texas history, donations that have periodically raised eyebrows but, thanks to loose campaign finance laws and a business-friendly political culture dominated in recent years by Republicans, have only fueled Mr. Perry’s ascent.
“Texas politics does have this amazing pay-to-play culture,” said Harold Cook, a Democratic political consultant.
Mark Miner, a spokesman for Mr. Perry, said there was no connection between Mr. McHale’s contributions and the grant to G-Con. He said that the purpose of the state money was to create jobs and that it was appropriate for Mr. Perry to appoint people who support his vision and policies to state oversight posts.
“These issues have been brought up in previous elections to no avail,” Mr. Miner said.
Good grief! Is Texas D.C. (city) politics on steroids? That stuff might fly down in Texas but once national sunshine hits some of the Governor’s ‘deals’ there might be some fast back-pedaling. The days of influence pedaling were over, I thought. Government is not supposed to be used to pay back those who have been generous.
Politics has become a game of “take no survivors”, a game I find very discouraging when critical issues must be resolved between differing parties. The Rural Crescent, since its inception, has been a unique tool, not just for land use, but an opportunity to bring Republicans, Democrats, and Independents together, united together, even if only on one issue. For me, the RC is a tenuous bridge builder between people from different ideological perspectives.
What Peter Candland has demonstrated is a complete and utter lack of understanding of why land use can be the one issue that brings people together. Does Peter Candland prefer to make enemies? Does Peter Candland prefer to just dismiss people who he believes are Democrats? Honestly, I am shocked. Isn’t democracy based on differing views? If everyone believed the same or were bullied into silence, would that be a representation of the Democracy our founding fathers created?
The purpose of the pledge is to allow the community to clearly understand where the candidate stands regarding his or her commitment to the Rural Crescent. Space is provided for clarification, should the candidate care to elaborate. All communication with candidates is posted on the ARC website. The pledge sheet only contains two components:
Vote to support the Rural Crescent’s current 10 acre minimum residential zoning.
Oppose the expansion of sewer within the borders of the Rural Crescent as outlined in the current Prince William County Comprehensive Plan.
As anyone can see, those are the only 2 items to support. There is no hidden agenda and there is absolutely nothing about abortion or immigration, legal or illegal, in anything having to do with Rural Crescent affairs.
“Climate change has become a wedge issue,” said Roger Pielke Jr., a University of Colorado professor who has written extensively on the climate debate. “It’s today’s flag-burning or today’s partial-birth-abortion issue.”
Historically, climate change has ranked near the bottom of issues that voters care about as they evaluate presidential candidates. It wasn’t a factor in 2008’s primary season or general election. The major parties’ nominees endorsed the scientific consensus and believed that the government should curb carbon emissions.
In fact, John McCain, back in 2007 clearly said to voters,
“I do agree with the majority of scientific opinion, that climate change is taking place and it’s a result of human activity, which generates greenhouse gases.” He made global warming a key element of every New Hampshire stump speech.
So what has changed? It appears that some Republican candidates are trying to out-conservative each other. Others have stuck with scientific thought. Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman have both indicated that they agree with the majority of scientific opinion, that climate change is taking place. It’s a result of human activity and that green house gases are a by product of this human activity:
The nominal GOP front-runner, Mitt Romney, drew sharp fire from conservatives when he said in June that he accepts the scientific view that the planet is getting warmer and that humans are part of the reason. Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr. (R) on Thursday tweeted: “To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy.”
Sarah Palin has dismissed Gloria Steinem’s brand of feminism as very passé. Steinem has argued that Palin and Bachmann sold out the women’s movement. Palin pretty much dismissed Steinem by saying that she was so yesterday. Are Bachmann and Palin even feminists or do they want to be? I would say no. However they can reap the rewards from the feminist movement. Perhaps that is what it was all about.
Steinem was was feted at a luncheon on Wednesday in celebration of the HBO documentary about her life, Gloria: In Her Own Words according to New York Magazine:
Steinem elaborated. “I can testify, the very same things people were telling me 30 or 40 years ago — it’s against nature, you can’t do this, my wife is not interested — all these [people] are now saying, well, feminism used to be necessary, but it’s not anymore. That is the new form of obstruction. And, of course, it’s accompanied by the other natural thing that happens if you have a big social justice movement: You make jobs for people who sell it out. So we have Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, who are on my list of ‘the women only a man could love.'”
The VA State Police warn motorists and commuters of predicted 9-9 gridlock on Friday, August 19 [TODAY], when approximately 1800 motorcycles roll to pay tribute to the lives lost on 9/11/01 during the terrorist attacks.
[NOTE CHANGE: GRIDLOCK IS FOR TODAY, NOT SEPT. 9 AS ORIGINALLY STATED.]
State police are warning Northern Virginia residents to brace for road closures and delays Friday afternoon and evening due to a Sept. 11 tribute motorcade.
Over 1,800 motorcyclists will pass through Northern Virginia coming south from Maryland starting at 3:30 p.m., all in part of the America’s 9/11 Foundation, Inc.’s annual memorial ride, Virginia state police said.
The multi-state procession will canvass areas affected by the Sept. 11 attacks Friday morning, starting in Somerset, Pa., just outside the crash site of hijacked plane United flight 93, which killed 44, officials said.
Bikers will stop by the Pentagon Friday afternoon, and continue to the World Trade Center site by Sunday morning, according to the America’s 9/11 Foundation website.
The procession plans on entering Loudoun County at 2 p.m. Friday, with officers stopping southbound traffic on U.S. 15 at the Virginia-Maryland line, police said.Read More
John Thompson III’s quick reaction to a melee on the court probably saved the day. His staff sprang in to action and removed the Hoyas from the court. As they left, they were pelted with water bottles and water. There is no excuse for this kind of behavior. It is uncertain if the Georgetown Hoyas will move on to the next round of games in Shanghai or not.
