Monday, January 23, 2012

The Tornado Action Recovery Council is about to deliver their findings on the April 27, 2011 Alabama tornado. (click title to entry - thank you)

January 23, 2012
0730z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite USA

This is the satellite before the Alabama tornado.

January 23, 2012
0830z

This is the tornado satellite. 






January 23, 2012
0930Z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite USA

This is the satellite picture of the storm after it passed through the Alabama communities. 



Thunderstorms, severe winds and tornadoes slammed the South Wednesday, killing dozens of people in four states.
The numbers of known dead in Alabama rose rapidly this evening. At least 58 were killed in the state Wednesday, The Associated Press reported after 11 p.m. ET.
The toll came soon after ABC News Birmingham, Ala., affiliate WBMA, also known as "33/40," reported at least 53 people dead, which was not long after Alabama emergency officials told ABC News at least 40 had died.

We look forward to her return.



Arizona should be proud of Congresswoman Giffords. I can only imagine the recovery she still faces. This tragedy struck at a sensitive time in her personal life as well. She was newly married to a wonderful man. They were looking forward to having a family. This injury did more than remove a brilliant Congresswoman from our midst, it placed her life in a new dimension that has an undetermined future.

I wish she and her spouse the greatest of peace and continued joy in their life together.

The American People have to address the gun violence within our society. This particular gun violence struck at the heart of our democracy, however, everyday there are police officers gunned down on the streets of the USA. The scope of guns within our society is dangerous while it fuels Drug Cartels robbing futures from our children.

The Culture of Violence in the American Society is more than removing dangerous weapons from our streets, but, also the commercial interests that fuel it.

Is the Republican Primary Process Broken?

By Greg Giroux


Jan. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The Republican primary in South Carolina had record turnout, with bigger gains in voter participation than in Iowa and New Hampshire earlier this month.

The Jan. 21 South Carolina vote drew 602,000 Republicans, a 35 percent increase over 2008 participation, as former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich defeated former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the front-runner in national Republican polls. Gingrich received 40 percent of the vote compared with Romney’s 28 percent....

The problems surrounding the final outcome to the Republican Primarires are nearly too numerous to address in a single entry.




To begin, the Republican Primaries are providing generous amount of time for "Early Voting" that will be denied the same Republican Voters in the Elections in November.  There is every chance Republican Voters will be more effected by the limited Early Voting in many states.  It may be that Republicans will be more effected as the Democrats are preparing their constituents for a limited window of Early Vetoing days and polling places.

Additionally, Former Governor Palin is advocating a continual vetting process for the candidates.  The primaries are preceded by a debate and there are more and more topics that continue to prove to  be problematic for candidates causing a backlash of ads by SuperPacs.  If Mrs. Palin's words prove to be divisive to the party there may be no clear primary choice of the 2286 delegates at the convention.  There are still four strong candidates.  One needs 1144 delegates to win the nomination.  I don't expect any of the four candidates to leave the race before the convention.


I find it more than fascinating Former Speaker Gingrick is expected to win the South Carolina Primary.  I am not surprised because he appealed to SC voters over his rivals, but, because there was only one day between the debate and the beginning of the election. 

I believe the debate had more of an impact on the SC Primary than any ad delivered to the voters intended to diminish the candidates without the ability to respond through their own Superpacs.  The debates should carry more brevity as a sincere demonstration of democracy when all candidates are on a level playing field displaying their expertise.

...Early voting opened statewide in Florida, (click here) drawing Republican voters to polling stations 10 days before the state's Jan. 31 presidential primary....

"Morning Papers" - Its Origins

The Rooster
"Okeydoke"