Weird scenes inside

Part IV

2006-10-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

Here's the whole list in one big shabang:

--AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl

--AZ-01: Rick Renzi

--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth

--CA-04: John Doolittle

--CA-11: Richard Pombo

--CA-50: Brian Bilbray

--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave

--CO-05: Doug Lamborn

--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell

--CT-04: Christopher Shays

--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan

--FL-16: Joe Negron

--FL-22: Clay Shaw

--ID-01: Bill Sali

--IL-06: Peter Roskam

--IL-10: Mark Kirk

--IL-14: Dennis Hastert

--IN-02: Chris Chocola

--IN-08: John Hostettler

--IA-01: Mike Whalen

--KS-02: Jim Ryun

--KY-03: Anne Northup

--KY-04: Geoff Davis

--MD-Sen: Michael Steele

--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht

--MN-06: Michele Bachmann

--MO-Sen: Jim Talent

--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns

--NV-03: Jon Porter

--NH-02: Charlie Bass

--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson

--NM-01: Heather Wilson

--NY-03: Peter King

--NY-20: John Sweeney

--NY-26: Tom Reynolds

--NY-29: Randy Kuhl

--NC-08: Robin Hayes

--NC-11: Charles Taylor

--OH-01: Steve Chabot

--OH-02: Jean Schmidt

--OH-15: Deborah Pryce

--OH-18: Joy Padgett

--PA-04: Melissa Hart

--PA-07: Curt Weldon

--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick

--PA-10: Don Sherwood

--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee

--TN-Sen: Bob Corker

--VA-Sen: George Allen

--VA-10: Frank Wolf

--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick

--WA-08: Dave Reichert

Researching Republicans - Part III

2006-10-22T18:25:00.000-07:00

Richard Pombo - DeLay Abramoff

Richard Pombo

Richard Pombo - Big Oil

Richar Pombo - Abramoff

Brian Bilbray

Brian Bilbray - under investigation

Brian Bilbray - loves lobbyists

Researching Republicans - Part I

2006-10-22T18:20:00.001-07:00

In coordination with Chris at MyDD and DailyKos, I'm posting quite a bit of research into a number of nefarious Republican candidates. Below I list the results. (These are presented in Google Balm style).

Greg Walden - Donates to Pombo's Relection

Jon Kyl - Fake Senate Debate

Jon Kyl - Stealth Zealot

Rick Renzi - Patty Roe Story

Rick Renzi - questionable land deal

J. D. Hayworth - Anti-semitic remarks

J.D. Hayworth - dismal veteran support

J.D. Hayworth - keeps gifts from Jack Abrahamoff

Researching Republicans - Part II

2006-10-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

J.D. Hayworth - Hayworth's PAC pays wife $100K

Randy Graf - Concealed weapons in bars

John Doolittle - Controversies summarized

John Doolittle - Fundraising

John Doolittle - Jack Abramoff

The Egg and Muffin Toaster

2006-06-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

(Originally posted here http://bigpicture.typepad.com/writing/2006/05/egg_mcmuffin_ma.html)

I have one. I've been using it nearly daily since I bought it in October 2005.

It's great with caveats.

First, I don't like sausage so I can't testify to the cooking ability for it. It steams the meat so I suspect it relies on pre-cooked frozen meats.

As far as making a poached egg and toast, it's great. I drop an egg in the tray, put water in the cooker and drop in an english muffin and by the time I'm done checking my email (aka deleting spam) breakfast is ready.

On the downside, the non-stick surface sticks like crazy. It's actually worse than anything I've ever seen before. The steamed (poached) egg leaves a film of stuck, cooked egg on the non-stick pan that takes several minutes of scrubbing to remove. The solution is to put a bit of olive oil in first.

The product claims to time the toasting to match the steaming, but I find that the english muffin is done first. Sometimes (on low spam days) I'll pick the muffin out first and by the time it's buttered the egg is done.

I've also used it for hard boiling eggs. It comes with a measuring cup that is marked for how many eggs and what type (hard or soft boiled). I put in the water, poke a hole in the egg with the spike on the bottom of the measuring cup and then forget about it. I'm not sure how long it takes because I really do forget. I come back 30m later or so and the egg is almost cool enough to eat.

I like the toaster and hope that B2B comes out with a new egg tray that really is -no- stick.

Oddly, after 10 years or so of drooling over the high tech nerd-porn in Wired Magazine, this is the only thing I've ever bought after reading a blurb about it. And I call myself a nerd!

(Wierd)

What is Conservatism?

2006-03-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

Hunter hits the nail on the head over at the Daily Kos. We can see what conservatism is by what it has achieved in the last 6 years:

Tax cuts for the rich, and an increased tax burden on the poor and middle class.

Cash giveaways of historic proportions to selected industries.

A stifling and public condemnation of science.

Record deficits.

Rampant nepotism and cronyism.

Decreased civil liberties.

Pork by the barrelful.

What's conservatism? That is. There's no question about it, and hand-waving speeches don't enter into it. Conservatives have the entirety of legislative and executive power, in the Presidency, in the Senate, and in the House. They could choose to implement whatever they want. They have chosen to implement precisely what they want. We're living it.

Read the rest of The Great Conservative Walkback.

Chatting it up at BTC News

2006-02-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

From BTCNews (where I've been chatting it up a little bit).

Tom Friedman: the leftâ€™s â€œguru on foreign policy?â€�

Rush Limbaugh announced yesterday that New York Times columnist Tom Friedman is the â€œforeign policy guruâ€� of the left. Limbaughâ€™s coronation of Friedman was occasioned by an interview on Iraq Friedman gave to ABCâ€™s â€œGood Morning Americaâ€� yesterday morning which was brought to my attention by a reader.

Friedman, of course, has been mocked unmercifully during the past three years by almost everyone who could pass Limbaughâ€™s lefty litmus test, including me (most recently here and here; for a more comprehensive assessment of his credibility among those to the left of Limbaugh, click here). His various positions on the invasion of Iraq have ranged from delusional to flat out insane.

Of course anyone that knows me or the Left for that matter will see what kind of strawman it is to present Tom Friedman as the "Guru". His presense on the map of the left is brief, his analysis is shallow, and his influence is minor. Without a doubt when we (the Left that is, not a Right Wing mouthpiece) talk Guru names like Noam Chomsky pop up first. Duh. So while Rush pops up this strawman, it makes me wonder that perhaps this is some right wing meme that will re-appear over the rest of the year as the radical Right tries to grasp at straws, I mean maintain a little bit of control after the mid-term elections.

State of the Union

2006-01-31T22:03:00.000-08:00

"Mr. Speaker, Mr. Cheney, members of Congress, fellow Americansâ€¦

I resign." - President Bush 1/31/06

HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT

2005-08-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

WTUS84 KLIX 291359
HLSLIX
LAZ038-040-050-056>070-MSZ080>082-291600-

HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
900 AM CDT MON AUG 29 2005

...HURRICANE KATRINA DIRECT HIT FOR NEW ORLEANS AND MISSISSIPPI
COAST...

...LEVEES OVERTOPPED IN ORLEANS AND ST BERNARD PARISHES...

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE MOVING ACROSS NEW ORLEANS AND
MISSISSIPPI COAST...

...HURRICANE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND COASTAL
MISSISSIPPI FROM MORGAN CITY EAST TO THE ALABAMA FLORIDA BORDER....

...EXTENSIVE AND LIFE THREATENING STORM SURGE FLOODING
OCCURRING ALONG THE LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI COAST AT THIS TIME.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...THE FOLLOWING PARISHES

ASSUMPTION...ST JAMES...ST JOHN THE BAPTIST...ST CHARLES...
ST BERNARD...TERREBONNE...ORLEANS...JEFFERSON...PLAQUEMINE...
LAFOURCHE...ST TAMMANY...TANGIPAHOA...LIVINGSTON.

IN COASTAL MISSISSIPPI...THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
HANCOCK...HARRISON...JACKSON

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF MORGAN CITY EAST TO THE
ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER AREA. THIS INCLUDES THE METRO NEW ORLEANS
AREA...AND THE MISSISSIPPI COAST.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR AREAS AWAY FROM THE
COAST.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND
EXTREME SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI TONIGHT.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 12 PM CDT.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 800 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 29.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.6 WEST. THIS LOCATION WAS ABOUT
EASTERN ST BERNARD AND ORLEANS PARISHES.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
HURRICANE KATRINA IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR
SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
WITH THE ONSET OF HURRICANE FORCE WINDS AND HEAVY SQUALLS...PEOPLE
SHOULD REMAIN IN LAST RESORT REFUGES IN STRONG...WELL CONSTRUCTED
BUILDINGS. IF LIFE THREATENING STORM SURGE FLOODING DEVELOPS...MOVE
TO HIGHER FLOORS OR HOUSE ATTICS. BRING TOOLS TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY
EXIT SHOULD THESE HIGHER FLOORS OR ATTICS BECOME INUNDATED.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
KATRINA MAKING LANDFALL IN EASTERN NEW ORLEANS AND
MISSISSIPPI COAST AREA THIS MORNING. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE
THREATENING HURRICANE...SIGNIFICANT AND LIFE THREATENING STORM SURGE
18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL IS OCCURRING. LEVEES HAVE BEEN OVERTOPPED
IN ORLEANS AND ST BERNARD PARISHES. IN ADDITION DANGEROUS BATTERING
WAVES ARE OCCURRING ON TOP OF THE STORM SURGE NEAR THE COAST.
SEVERE TIDAL FLOODING WILL CONTINUE IN THESE AREAS. IN ADDITION...
SEVERE STORM SURGE FLOODING IS PROBABLY OCCURRING IN SOUTHEAST ST
TAMMANY PARISH AND IN HANCOCK...HARRISON AND JACKSON COUNTIES IN
COASTAL MISSISSIPPI.

IN ADDITION...A STORM SURGE OF 10 TO 12 FEET WILL BE OCCURRING IN
THE SOUTHWEST PART OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AFFECTING THE EAST BANKS OF
JEFFERSON...ST CHARLES...ST JOHN THE BAPTIST AND LIVINGSTON
PARISHES.

TIDES ARE RAPIDLY INCREASING ALONG THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST.
SEVERE STORM SURGE FLOODING IS EXPECTED DEVELOP THROUGH THE REMAINDER
OF THE MORNING...WITH HIGHEST VALUES ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST EAST
OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...MISSISSIPPI COAST...AND ALONG THE SHORE
LINE OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND MAUREPAS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
KATRINA HAS EVOLVED INTO A LARGE HURRICANE WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
EXTENDING AROUND 100 MILES FROM THE CENTER. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE
OCCURRING OVER SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND SPREADING INTO COASTAL
MISSISSIPPI. POWER OUTAGES WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD DURING THE
MORNING HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL PERSIST OVER MUCH OF THE
REGION THROUGH EARLY MONDAY AFTERNOON. WIND GUST OF 100 MPH WAS
REPORTED BY THE GULFPORT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. BELLE CHASSE
NAVAL AIR STATION HAD A WIND GUST OF 105 EARLIER THIS MORNING.

WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH STRONG CATEGORY 3 HURRICANES CAN TOTALLY
DESTROY MOBILE HOMES AND POORLY CONSTRUCTED DWELLINGS...AND CAUSE
MAJOR DAMAGE TO EVEN WELL CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS. HIGHER WIND SPEEDS
WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER ON UPPER FLOORS OF TALL BUILDINGS
CAUSING DAMAGE.

...TORNADOES...
A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA
AND COASTAL MISSISSIPPI DUE TO THE THREAT OF TORNADOES.

...RAINFALL...
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 8 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF
15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1030 AM CDT.

$$

National Situation Update: Monday, August 29, 2005

2005-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

National Situation Update: Monday, August 29, 2005
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
NExtremely Dangerous Category Four Hurricane Katrina Moving Northward Toward Southeastern Louisiana And The Northern Gulf Coast

A hurricane warning is in effect for the north central gulf coast from Morgan City Louisiana eastward to the Alabama/Florida border including the city of New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. Preparations to protect life and property should be completed this
evening.

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are in effect from east of the Alabama/Florida border to Destin Florida and from west of Morgan City to Intracoastal City Louisiana.

A tropical storm warning is also in effect from Destin Florida eastward to Indian Pass Florida and from Intracoastal City Louisiana westward to Cameron Louisiana.

At 5 am edt (0900z) the center of hurricane Katrina was located near latitude 28.8 north longitude 89.6 west or about 90 miles south-southeast of New Orleans Louisiana and about 120 miles south-southwest of Biloxi Mississippi.

Katrina is moving toward the north near 15 mph and this motion is forecast to continue today. A gradual turn toward the north-northeast at a slightly faster forward speed is expected later tonight and tomorrow. On the forecast track Katrina will move onshore the southeastern Louisiana coast just east of Grand Isle this morning and reach the Louisiana/Mississippi border area this afternoon. Conditions will continue to steadily deteriorate over central and southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and southern Alabama throughout the day.

Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph (240 km/hr) with higher gusts. Katrina is a strong category four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Some fluctuations in strength are likely prior to landfall but Katrina is expected to make landfall as a category four hurricane. Winds affecting the upper floors of high-rise buildings will be significantly stronger than those near ground level.

Katrina remains a very large hurricane. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles. Recently, a sustained wind of 53 mph with gust to 91 mph was reported at Grand Isle Louisiana, and a wind gust to 71 mph was reported in New Orleans.

The minimum central pressure recently reported by an Air Force Reserve unit reconnaissance aircraft was 915 mb (27.02 inches).

Coastal storm surge flooding of 18 to 22 feet above normal tide levels, locally as high as 28 feet, along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected near and to the east of where the center makes landfall. Some levees in the greater New Orleans area could be overtopped. Significant storm surge flooding will occur elsewhere along the central and northeastern Gulf of Mexico coast. NOAA buoy 42040, located about 50 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi river recently reported waves heights of at least 46 feet.

Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches are possible along the path of Katrina across the gulf coast and the Tennessee Valley. Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are possible across the Ohio Valley into the eastern Great Lakes region tomorrow and Wednesday.

The tornado threat ahead of Katrina continues to increase and scattered tornadoes will be possible today over southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, and over the Florida panhandle. (NWS National Hurricane Center)

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE

2005-08-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

WWUS74 KLIX 291122
NPWLIX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
619 AM CDT MON AUG 29 2005

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA MOVING ACROSS LOWER PLAQUEMINES PARISH...
...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW POSSIBLY TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. MANY WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED.

$$

National Situation Update: Sunday August 28, 2005

2005-08-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

National Situation Update: Sunday August 28, 2005
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
Dangerous Category Four Hurricane Katrina Continues West-Northwestward But Expected To Turn Northward

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the North Central Gulf Coast from Morgan City Louisiana eastward to the Alabama/Florida border including the city of New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are in effect from east of the Alabama/Florida border to Destin, Florida and from west of Morgan City to Intracoastal City, Louisiana.

At 5 am EDT (0900z), a Tropical Storm Warning has been issued from Destin Florida eastward to Indian Pass, Florida and from Intracoastal City, Louisiana westward to Cameron, Louisiana.
At 5 am EDT (0900z), the center of Hurricane Katrina was located near latitude 25.4 north, longitude 87.4 west or about 275 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Katrina is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph. A gradual turn toward the northwest is expected later today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph with higher gusts. Katrina is a Category Four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 85 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 935 mb (27.61 inches).
Coastal storm surge flooding of 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels, locally as high as 25 feet along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected near and to the east of where the center makes landfall.

Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches are possible along the path of Katrina across the Gulf Coast and the southeastern United States. The hurricane is still expected to produce additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches over extreme western Cuba and 1 to 3 inches of rainfall is expected over the Yucatan Peninsula.

Isolated tornadoes will be possible beginning sunday evening over southern portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and over the Florida Panhandle. (National Hurricane Center, media sources)

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE

2005-08-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

WWUS74 KLIX 282139
NPWLIX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA...
...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY NUMBER 24

2005-08-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

WTNT32 KNHC 282041
TCPAT2
BULLETIN
HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY NUMBER 24
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
4 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE KATRINA HEADED FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE COMPLETED THIS EVENING.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON LOUISIANA.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.9 NORTH... LONGITUDE 89.0 WEST OR ABOUT 150 MILES SOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE WILL BE NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST EARLY MONDAY. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE ALONG PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST...AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN THROUGH THE NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 165 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY UNTIL LANDFALL. KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AT CATEGORY FOUR OR FIVE INTENSITY. WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE NEAR GROUND LEVEL.

KATRINA IS A LARGE HURRICANE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES. SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE OCCURRING OVER THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST. SOUTHWEST PASS...NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 48 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 53 MPH.

A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 902 MB...26.64 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 28 FEET...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. SOME LEVEES IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA COULD BE OVERTOPPED. SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL OCCUR ELSEWHERE ALONG THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST.

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BEGINNING THIS EVENING OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF LOUISIANA...MISSISSIPPI...AND ALABAMA...AND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

REPEATING THE 4 PM CDT POSITION...26.9 N... 89.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...165 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 902 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 7 PM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 10 PM CDT.

FORECASTER PASCH

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE

2005-08-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

WWUS74 KLIX 281550
NPWLIX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1011 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...

.HURRICANE KATRINA...A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE CERTAIN WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

ONCE TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ONSET...DO NOT VENTURE OUTSIDE!

National Situation Update: Saturday, August 27, 2005

2005-08-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

National Situation Update: Saturday, August 27, 2005
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
Katrina Becomes a Category Three Hurricane, Aims Towards Northern Gulf Coast

At 5 a.m. EDT, the eye of Hurricane Katrina was located by radar near latitude 24.4 north and longitude 84.4 west, about 435 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and about 165 miles west of Key West, Florida.

Katrina is moving toward the west-northwest near 7mph and a gradual turn to the west and west-northwest is expected during the next 24 hours.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 115 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 150 miles. Estimated minimum central pressure is 963 mb or 28.44 inches.

Katrina is now a Category Three hurricane and some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours. Reconnaissance aircraft data indicates that the Katrina has also become a larger hurricane.

Storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal levels can be expected along the southeast coast of Florida in areas of onshore flow east of Cape Sable and in Florida Bay. Storm surge will gradually subside today.

Rainfall from Katrina is expected to slowly diminish across the lower Florida Keys though an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain is possible in some of the heavier rain bands. Isolated tornadoes are also possible this morning over the Florida Keys. (National Hurricane Center, media sources)
State of Emergency Declared in Mississippi, Louisiana DueIn anticipation of a possible landfall, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco declared States of Emergency Friday. In Louisiana, New Orleans is of particular concern because much of that city lies below sea level.

According to Gov. Blanco, Lake Pontchartrain is a very large lake that sits next to the city of New Orleans and if the hurricane winds blow from a certain direction, there are dire predictions of what may happen in the city.

Robert Latham, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, said evacuations of tourists along the coast could begin late Saturday afternoon, followed by mandatory evacuations of coastal residents on Sunday. The National Guard had been activated to help with storm preparations, he said.

The last time Mississippi or Louisiana saw landfall from a storm classified as Category 4 or stronger was in August 1969, when Hurricane Camille roared ashore with winds in excess of 155 mph, killing 143 people.

In the Gulf of Mexico, six oil companies operating offshore facilities evacuated at least 150 people as a precaution. However, most of those employees were described as "non-essential" to production, and rigs and platforms continued to operate.

At least 12 platforms and nine oil rigs in the Gulf have been evacuated -- a small portion of the 953 manned rigs and platforms operating there, according to the Interior Department's Mineral Management Service.

Friday afternoon, the Air Force began evacuating aircraft from at least two bases in the Florida Panhandle to minimize any possible damage. (Various media sources)
State and Federal Preparedness for Hurricane Katrina

FEMA Headquarters:

The FEMA National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) remains at modified Level II operations with Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) 1 (with an Air Operations Element), 3, 4, 5, 7, 15, and a Military Liaison.

On Saturday, the NRCC will transition to a 24-hour Level I on Saturday, August 27 at 07:00 a.m. EDT. ESFs 2, 6, 8, 9, 10-15 and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) are being activated.

FEMA Headquarters is conducting daily video-teleconferences with FEMA Region IV, the National Hurricane Center, Florida, and other potentially affected States.

FEMA Region IV:

The Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) remains at Level II operations. In addition to ESFs 1, 3, 4, 7, 14, 15 and the Department of Defense (DOD), ESF 6 has been activated. ESFs 2, 8, 9, 11, 12 and Rapid Needs Assessment are being activated.

RRCC Level I will be established on Saturday, August 27 at 12 p.m. EDT. Beginning Sunday, August 28 the RRCC will go to 24-hour operations.

An Emergency Response Team-Advance Element (ERT-A) from Region IX has been activated and will arrive to pre-stage in the RRCC on Saturday.

A request for a disaster declaration has been received from the Governor of Florida and acknowledged. Preliminary disaster assessments (PDAs) are being scheduled.

Alabama: Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will move to Level 1 (full activation) on Saturday. A FEMA Liaison and a full ERT-A has been requested and is scheduled to arrive on Saturday.

Florida: Floridaâ€™s EOC is at Level 1 (full activation). An ERT-A from the Long Term Recovery Center in Orlando has been sent to the EOC in Tallahassee.

Mississippi: EOC is at Level 1 (normal) Operation.

Georgia: EOC continues operating at Level I (monitoring).

South Carolina: EOC currently operating at Level 5 (normal). (FEMA Region VII)
National Weather Forecast

South: Scattered thunderstorms will move down through the Tennessee Valley on Saturday ahead of a cold front. Isolated, strong thunderstorms may show up around the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. It will be hot in areas from Texas to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle..

Midwest: A cold front will trigger showers and thunderstorms through the Midwest from the eastern Great Lakes to the middle Mississippi Valley on Saturday. A few thunderstorms could turn severe from the Ohio Valley to the eastern Great Lakes. The Plains will be dry, allowing flood waters across Kansas and Missouri to recede and river levels to lower. High temperatures will range from the 70s from the eastern Great Lakes back to Minnesota with 80s in most other locations.

Northeast: In central to northern New England it will be warm to hot with plenty of sunshine raising the high temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above average. Although the majority of the region will be dry, showers and some thunderstorms will track eastward into western Virginia, West Virginia, western Pennsylvania, and southwestern New York, especially during the afternoon hours.

West: Except for southern Colorado and parts of New Mexico, the West will be dry on Saturday. Temperatures will be very hot in the Southwest with a possible high of 110 degrees around Phoenix. Highs may also reach 100 degrees over parts the Sacramento Valley while the LA Basin will hover in the low 90s. A cold front will bring much cooler temperatures and showers to parts of the Pacific Northwest late in the weekend into Monday. (Various media sources)

National Situation Update: Friday, August 26, 2005

2005-08-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

National Situation Update: Friday, August 26, 2005
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
Hurricane Katrina Makes South Florida Landfall and Becomes Tropical Storm

The eye of Katrina came ashore at 6:30 p.m. EDT Thursday near the Broward/Dade County line as a category one hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph. Hurricane force winds extended outward up to 10 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles meaning that several hours before the eye made landfall tropical storm force winds and the accompanying rains were already impacting the south Florida area. By 1 a.m., maximum sustained winds had decreased to 70 mph and Katrina had again become a tropical storm.

Media reports attribute Katrina with four fatalities, three due to blown-down trees. Florida Power & Light said more than a million customers were without electricity, including 777,000 customers in Miami-Dade County, 533,000 in Broward County and 64,000 in Palm Beach County. Florida Power and Light has said it will restore power as soon as possible but it does not dispatch workers when winds are greater than 30 miles per hour. No damage is reported to power generating facilities.

Severe flooding was reported in Key Biscayne and Homestead in Miami-Dade County. Some flooding was also reported in Broward County, and flood watches are in effect for Charlotte, Desoto, Hardee, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, Martin and Sarasota counties. Radars indicated up to 15 inches of rain fell in Key Biscayne, Sweetwater and the Coral Gables-Kendall area of Miami-Dade County. Rainfall in Miami-Dade was significantly higher than in Broward County. Before Katrina hit land, water management officials lowered canal levels to avoid possible flooding, and pumps were activated in several low-lying areas of Miami-Dade.

At 5 a.m. EDT, the eye of Hurricane Katrina was located just offshore of southwestern Florida over the Gulf of Mexico about 50 miles north-northeast of Key West. Katrina is moving west near 5 mph. This motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours with a slight increase in forward speed. Now that Katrina has emerged over the Gulf of Mexico maximum sustained winds have again increased to 75 mph and Katrina is once again a category one hurricane.

Katrina will regenerate on Friday over the Gulf of Mexico and head west northwest and then turn northward up into the northern Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane winds and flooding rain is a threat late Sunday into early next week in the northern Gulf and up into the Southeast.

Total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 10 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 15 to 20 inches are possible. Isolated tornadoes will also be possible over eastern Florida and the Florida Keys. (National Hurricane Center, media sources)
State and Federal Preparation for Hurricane Katrina

FEMA Headquarters: The FEMA National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) Red Team was activated at a modified Level II on Thursday, August 25 at 0700 EDT with ESFs 1 (with an Air Ops Element), 3, 4, 5, 7, 15, and a Military Liaison.

FEMA Headquarters is conducting daily video-teleconferences with FEMA Region IV, the National Hurricane Center, Florida, and other potentially affected States.

The Logistics Readiness Center (LRC) has adequate initial resources on hand in Florida to meet emergency commodity requests. State resources are staged at the Palm Beach Fairgrounds. Florida plans to deploy a combination of PODS and comfort stations for victim relief. Homestead, Palm Beach and Lakeland Florida are FEMA emergency commodity staging areas capable of initially delivering 100 truck loads of water, 75 truck loads of ice and 24 reefers within a 24 hour window. A 50-pack of generators is in route. The LRC has also executed contracts for additional water, ice, reefers and carriers.

FEMA Region IV: At 1200 EDT on August 25, operations transitioned from the FEMA Region IV Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) activated at Level III in Thomasville, GA, to the RRCC in Atlanta activated at Level II. Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) activated at the RRCC are: ESF 1, 3, 4, 7, 14, 15 and Department of Defense (DOD).

Region IV is anticipating back up support from Region X for Individual Assistance (IA) and Logistics for a full Emergency Response Team (ERT) at a Joint Field Office (JFO) in the event of a declaration. In the event of the need for a second ERT-A team, Region IX will field the team.

Alabama: Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is at Level 4 (Normal) Operations.

Florida: Florida's (EOC) is at Level 1 (full activation). The Governor issued a State of Emergency on August 24, 2005.

Mississippi: EOC is at Level 1 (Normal) Operation.

Georgia: EOC currently operating at Level I (Monitoring).

South Carolina: EOC currently operating at Level 5 (Normal). (FEMA Region IV)

Independent Media Week

2005-04-22T00:14:00.000-07:00

PROCLAMATION

* An informed citizenry is a cornerstone of democracy.
* An informed citizenry depends on unrestrained press, which provides greater access to information, more points of view and greater diversity of thought and fact.
* The trend toward the consolidation of media ownership has resulted in journalistic practices that hinder public awareness by excluding or marginalizing minority and dissenting viewpoints.
* Fewer media voices can result in homogenized messaging and the silencing of many points of view.
* Democratic principles support the case for more independent media in this country, not less.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, John W. Morrison, Mayor of Ashland, do hereby proclaim the week of April 17 - 23 as

INDEPENDENT MEDIA WEEK

and encourage all Ashland citizens to seek out and explore the rich diversity of independent media available within, and to our community.

Dated this 19th day of April, 2005.

Barbara Christensen, City Recorder
John W. Morrison, Mayor

Dear Joe Republican

2005-02-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

Politely lifted from here

Dear Joe Republican,

So I hear you're a Republican. I have to say, I'm a bit surprised.

See, I know you don't like abortions. Neither do I. Though I respect a woman's right to choose, I think there should be as few abortions as possible. Which is why I can't call myself a Republican, since under the Bush Administration, abortion rates have increased dramatically.

I know you're a straightshooter. I know you believe children should be educated, not lied to. I know you think scientists should tell the truth, not be forced to change their findings to fit a political agenda, and that we should protect government whistleblowers, not fire them.

I know also that you believe in a free press as the cornerstone of our democracy. Which is why I find it odd you continue to support an Administration that has a disturbing track record of bribing the press and manipulating the media.

I also know that like me, you have a deep commitment to personal responsibility. People should be held accountable for their actions. Which is why I don't understand why you would support a President who advocates putting caps on malpractice suits, which only serve to let bad doctors get off cheap. Why support a party and a President who won't listen to his own experts, who chooses instead to punish the victim of malpractice?

Like me, you don't want a big government, just an efficient one. Which is why the President and his party don't reflect our view on this issue.

You want to support our troops and keep them safe, just like I do. And the best way to keep them safe is not to send them to another war, and to keep them protected and supplied in the current war. Our President and his party don't agree with us.

I can see it in your eyes. You want the best for your children, for future generations. Like me, you think every child deserves the best education. Which is why I can't support the President's barely-funded No Child Left Behind Act, which fails our children every day.

We're the same. We like taking relaxing strolls in nice parks with our kids. We think we our water should be clean, not poisonous.

I know you don't believe in torture. Like me, you think every person has an inherent dignity and that we should treat others the way we would like to be treated. But the President and his Party don't agree with us, and have defined torture so narrowly as to set a dangerous precedent for our troops.

Both of us share a desire to keep the American Dream alive. To dream of a better America, one where our families are safe, our environment is clean, and our nation is respected in the world.

Please consider the Democratic Party. We're everything you already believe in, and more.

Sincerely,

A Proud Liberal

RadGeek's the bomb

2005-02-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

Looks like RadGeek's idea to Google Bomb the real information about Roe v Wade is working. While the anti-abortion propoganda is still number one, the actual decision is now number two. Read about what I'm talking about at this link.

Accountability Moment

2005-01-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

George said it. America, it's too late. We have already had our accountability moment.

Why the Bush Admin is Bad for America

2004-12-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

gutting the EPA
"Healthy Skies"
Kenny Boy Enron
ANWR
VP Energy policy
9/11
9/11 Commission
Patriot Act
"Enemy Combatant"
POW Prison Camps Guantamano, Abu Ghraib
WMDs
Iraq Invasion
Vehicle and Body Armor
"Mission Accomplished"
Baker & Botts representing Saudis
Overtime Pay
Redistricting
Tom DeLay
Voter Suppression
Debts and Deficits
Leave no child behind / GED dumping
Halliburton
Chalabi
Backdoor Draft
plastic Thanksgiving Turkey visit
1200+ deaths
100000+ civilian deaths
1 question rule
coal mining saftey undone after rescue photo op
Sec of State Blackwell and Ohio
Kerik & Guiliani
the end of Social Security

Clint Curtis is a hero

2004-12-07T07:42:00.000-08:00

Read all about the programmer coming forward and in a sworn affidavit declares that he created a prototype election fraud system at the request of Rep Feeney from Florida.

The long story Texas to Florida: White House-linked clandestine operation paid for "vote switching" software

The affidavit http://rawstory.com/images/pdfs/CC_Affidavit_120604.pdf

The original story broken by BradBlog
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001024.htm

WHISTLEBLOWER AFFIDAVIT: Programmer Built Vote Rigging Prototype at Republican Congressman's Request!
CLAIM: Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) Asked Company to Create E-Vote Fraud Software!
*** A BRAD BLOG EXCLUSIVE! PLEASE CREDIT! ***

In stunning revelations set to rock the vote from Tallahassee to Capitol Hill -- and perhaps even a bit further up Pennsylvania Avenue -- a Florida computer programmer has now made remarkable claims in a detailed sworn affidavit, signed this morning and obtained exclusively by The BRAD BLOG!

Validate the vote

2004-11-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

--------------------
Validate the vote
--------------------

By Ian H. Solomon

November 26, 2004
MOST MAINSTREAM newspapers have already dismissed stories of voting fraud and voting rights violations in the November election as baseless or irrelevant. Sen. John Kerry's concession is supposed to demonstrate that there is no story here. Give up, go home, it's all over.

But it's not over.

The legitimacy of our democratic process is an issue more important than Mr. Kerry's future or the results of 2004. That legitimacy has been called into question repeatedly over the past few weeks, and doubts will linger as long as credible indications of error, negligence, disenfranchisement and fraud are not addressed.

We would like to believe that voting irregularities were identified and corrected, that participants fulfilled their duties appropriately, that the machines performed reliably and that the total discrepancy between voter intention and recorded results was less than the margin of victory in relevant contests.

But that conclusion must be reached on the basis of evidence, not blind faith. My own observations as a volunteer poll watcher in Florida do not give perfect confidence.

As many experts had warned, the electronic voting machines used across the country were vulnerable to glitches and possible tampering, including the over-recording of votes and the "disappearance" of valid votes.

We experienced a troubling number of memory card failures where I was based in Volusia County, for example, and we tried to minimize the disruption to voters even though data security was compromised. In Franklin County, Ohio, a machine error resulted in an extra 4,000 votes for President Bush. In Guilford County, N.C., a machine error cost Mr. Kerry 22,000 votes. Similar problems were experienced in Nebraska, Indiana and other states. These glitches that we know about have reportedly been fixed, though a re-vote is necessary in a different North Carolina county.

Disturbingly, several Web sites have demonstrated the ease of hacking into the AccuVote TS machines made by Diebold Election Systems, the company that for $2.6 million recently settled a lawsuit by California over voting machine problems. Another major manufacturer of electronic voting machines, Election Systems & Software, has also been subject to criticism for machine breakdowns and vulnerability. There is no evidence of fraud, but neither manufacturer has assuaged widespread concerns about inappropriate partisanship and unreliability.

There is also reason to question the competence of election officials in resolving registration and voting problems. Many voters were denied the opportunity to cast a regular ballot or to vote within a reasonable period of arriving at the polls.

At one heavily black precinct in Volusia County, for example, more than 10 percent of those turning out to vote were unable to cast a regular ballot. Many of these voters simply departed after waiting in line for several hours and then being told by poll workers that their provisional ballots "would not be counted." Knox County in Ohio reported voters waiting in line for over nine hours. In Warren County, Ohio, observers were barred from monitoring the vote-counting process.

How can we expect voters - especially young, disadvantaged or newly registered voters - to have faith in our voting system? How can we expect our allies to take seriously U.S. efforts to hold elections in Iraq and elsewhere? How can we be confident that the most fundamental principles of American democracy - one person, one vote; rule by the people; transparency in government - are not in jeopardy?

American legitimacy demands that the news media, the parties and all political leaders take seriously the challenges presented by the 2004 election: We need an audit of the election process, validation of the election results and corrective measures to ensure the legitimacy of future elections.

To begin with, that means supporting the audit efforts already under way. Recounts are expected in Ohio and New Hampshire, and election results may be contested in Florida, New Mexico and other states. Grass-roots organizations have requested voting data from precincts across the country, and scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of California, Berkeley and other universities have begun to analyze surprising voting patterns.

Disturbingly, several Web sites have demonstrated the ease of hacking into the AccuVote TS machines made by Diebold Election Systems, the company that for $2.6 million recently settled a lawsuit by California over voting machine problems. Another major manufacturer of electronic voting machines, Election Systems & Software, has also been subject to criticism for machine breakdowns and vulnerability. There is no evidence of fraud, but neither manufacturer has assuaged widespread concerns about inappropriate partisanship and unreliability.

There is also reason to question the competence of election officials in resolving registration and voting problems. Many voters were denied the opportunity to cast a regular ballot or to vote within a reasonable period of arriving at the polls.

At one heavily black precinct in Volusia County, for example, more than 10 percent of those turning out to vote were unable to cast a regular ballot. Many of these voters simply departed after waiting in line for several hours and then being told by poll workers that their provisional ballots "would not be counted." Knox County in Ohio reported voters waiting in line for over nine hours. In Warren County, Ohio, observers were barred from monitoring the vote-counting process.

How can we expect voters - especially young, disadvantaged or newly registered voters - to have faith in our voting system? How can we expect our allies to take seriously U.S. efforts to hold elections in Iraq and elsewhere? How can we be confident that the most fundamental principles of American democracy - one person, one vote; rule by the people; transparency in government - are not in jeopardy?

American legitimacy demands that the news media, the parties and all political leaders take seriously the challenges presented by the 2004 election: We need an audit of the election process, validation of the election results and corrective measures to ensure the legitimacy of future elections.

To begin with, that means supporting the audit efforts already under way. Recounts are expected in Ohio and New Hampshire, and election results may be contested in Florida, New Mexico and other states. Grass-roots organizations have requested voting data from precincts across the country, and scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of California, Berkeley and other universities have begun to analyze surprising voting patterns.

This should be a priority for Congress, with vigilant participation by independent news organizations. The complete process - from registration through vote tallying, including all equipment and procedures - must be thoroughly and publicly assessed.

No reasonable argument can be offered against disclosure and accountability. We can afford whatever expense, inconvenience, distraction and possible embarrassment may be caused by an election audit and congressional investigation. What we cannot afford are unresolved doubts about the legitimacy of our democratic government.

Ian H. Solomon is associate dean of Yale Law School.

Copyright (c) 2004, The Baltimore Sun

Link to the article:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.election26nov26,0,4568310.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines

Visit http://www.baltimoresun.com

Google News is OUT

2004-11-24T21:07:00.000-08:00

I've become completely disgusted with Google News. Originally, it claimed to be an automatic news aggregator creating pages based on some secret computations. I no longer believe that as more and more meaningless fluff and garbage shows up in prominent positions and legitamate sources are excluded. I'm now turning to NewsIsFree.com and Technorati.com for a dive into the news-sphere.

But yeah, google still has the best search engine going but maybe I should look into A9. Yah think?

The Dred Scott Code

2004-10-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Turns out the religious fundamentalists (no not the ones running Iran, and no not the ones in al-Qaida, the ones trying to control this country) have been comparing Roe v Wade to the Dred Scott decision. Bush's reference was a coded appeal to the religious right - "I will nominate a judge that strikes down Roe v Wade."

Read me at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/9/16460/5820

Chickenhawk

2004-10-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Heard a funny song this morning by Roy Zimmerman called "Chickenhawk". Download it here

Bush can't argue his way out of a paperbag

2004-10-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

Kerry really proved himself to be an articulate spokesman again. Bush started off the debate sounding hysterical. Towards the middle he slowed down and only sounded drunk, slurring words and stumbling verbally. By the end he was sort of in motion as a normal person.

But Kerry was articulate, intelligent and hit some major points. Clear Skies Act! Slam!

Blogspot isn't

2004-09-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

Blogspot/blogger isn't cooler than I would have imagined. Yet, there's still hope.

Daily Kos

2004-09-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

Daily Kos

gmail is cool

2004-09-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

gmail is cooler than I would have imagined. Google has "re-thought" web based email.