Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Rumbling, bumbling, stumbling

President Obama will now speak to Congress Thursday, Sept. 8 instead of Wednesday.
It's the same day as the NFL season starts.
Will somebody tell me what the president says?
Never mind. I've heard it before.
President Obama didn't have to announce and then move his speech. He could have given the talk from the White House anytime he wanted.
Instead, he talked about Wednesday - the day the House returned from vacation. There wasn't enough time from the scheduled start time to have the president speak then.
So it's Thursday, up against the NFL. Where's Chris Berman to talk of how the president is "rumbling, bumbling, stumbling?" And not to the end zone.

Facebook - misery on parade

How are things going four days after Irene passed up the East Coast?
Several of my Facebook friends from Maryland are on their fourth day without power. But they can still post that fact on Facebook.
How about the Outer Banks, where the storm came ashore?
Al Roker hung out at Duck, N.C. before things got bad. If he did a stand-up from the beach where my folks are, you might see his head - it's a five-foot drop from the pre-storm height of the beach.
Hurricanes and earthquakes - what disaster is next?
That's right. President Obama speaks Wednesday.

Why aren't you eating my crap?

It appears next Wednesday at 8 p.m. is when President Obama will unveil his jobs plan.
Probably including things Republicans in Congress won't vote for.
Supposedly, it will allow President Obama to campaign about a do-nothing Congress.
Perhaps Congress just has better taste than the president.

Fedora/Obama no mora tour

The Other McCain is excited about the possibility of Sarah Palin heading to New Hampshire to speak Labor Day.
If the funds come through, he could join DaTech Guy at the event.
Two fedoras.
And candidates working on "no mora Obama."

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Today's Tied with me

Getting ready for Labor Day, and wondering what to do?
This blog is tied with Financial Highway, which offers some ideas for your staycation on the final three-day weekend of summer.

Good news from Facebook

Having two boys, I have escaped the Justin Bieber phenomenon.
No Bieber toothbrushes.
No Bieber dolls.
No tragedies when Bieber loses his head.

Obama vs. green jobs

What's the biggest obstacle to the growth of "green jobs?"
Big business or big government.
The government that talks big puts big obstacles in the path of these jobs - unless you consider bureaucracy a green job.

My part of minor league baseball

Wednesday, the 2011 Appalachian League playoffs start. Bluefield, in its first year as a Blue Jay affiliate, has made the field.
Bluefield spent 53 years as a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles, but the last decade have seen no playoff appearances.
Back in 1990, the general manager decided to commemorate the past league pennants. One more pennant would make the display look better, so I suggested a last pennant with ? to note a future title.
The team won the league crown two years later, and moved the signage outside after adding a few more pennants.
The last pennant on the entrance still has the ?. May it move over one spot after this year's playoffs.

Great to see you; stay away

Brendan Loy posts at the Weather Nerd blog whenever the United States has a major tropical storm on the way.
He's going quiet as Irene has passed into history, after some lengthy analysis of the storm and coverage.
Hope we don't have to hear from him for a while.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Break out the jackets

Sure, Hurricane Irene sent plenty of warm water up the East Coast.
But it seems plenty of cooler air is coming down to Fishersville.
Sunday was pretty sunny and brisk, with the north wind on the back end of the storm.
This evening, walking the dog it was time to put on the jacket. And open the windows for a good night of sleep.
Just two more days until September.

Summer rerun

Ace posts a great quote from President Obama about what needs to be done about the economy.
Pick the year it was uttered
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • All of the above

Obama's rocky road

Nearby U.S. Route 11 provides the backdrop for another look at President Obama's troubles.
Not so long ago, populist-Democrat rhetoric was popular here and farther up the road, in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Americans along such roads all across the country are struggling economically. They are consumed with uncertainty. And they have tuned-out the president.

Flooded by regulations

They were giving out sandbags (limit five per residence) to citizens of Washington Saturday.
They hoped to slow the flooding waters of Irene.
Where's the sandbags to help deal with the flood of regulations coming out of Washington?
It's a long-lasting, and likely more devastating flood.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

First day of school lesson

Monday was supposed to be the first day of school for many counties around Baltimore.
Not so fast my friend.
Hurricane Irene has disrupted the schedule. Most everybody will be off due to weather related power outages or cleanup.
One more day of summer vacation - but your house doesn't have power.
It will make you appreciate the first day of school when you can go.

We've got the power

Being on the fringes of Hurricane Irene, Fishersville had some rain Saturday and bright sun all day Sunday.
Facebook provided info on family and friends around Baltimore and points north - who had power and who lost it.
Plenty of air time for New York and New England today. I'll have to check North Carolina websites to find how the beach there fared.

Farewell, old Martha Jefferson

Martha Jefferson hospital is in the midst of its move to a new location Sunday morning.
Both boys were born at this building on Locust Street. We didn't know if we'd remain in town back in 1997, so we took pictures of important landmarks in the young one's arrival.
We're still in the area, and now this building awaits its new use.


There goes Irene

Hurricane Irene has finished with Virginia, leaving a day to start cleaning up.
Reminded me of famous Irenes, like Irene Ryan from Beverly Hillbillies. She doesn't look like Granny in this picture.


Saturday, August 27, 2011

Enough disasters

This week we've had an earthquake in Virginia and a hurricane coming up the East Coast.
Enough natural disasters.
Monday, it's back to talking about the man-made disaster that is the Obama administration.

Duck after the hurricane

The town of Duck, N.C. has updated its website as the storm has passed.
People with interests there can get some rest and await sunlight to see what Irene brought to town.

Why people go out into big storms

Every few minutes on TV, they advise you not to go out into the elements during a hurricane.
Yet, people do it.
Why?
Probably they can't stand another minute of the TV coverage.
See our reporters in the storm?
Hear them tell how they drove to location?
Just because we're outside and we might put your video on TV isn't a reason to go out.
Right.

Saturday song

Irene is on everybody's mind.
The name will be retired from the list of potential hurricane names after this trip up the coast.
Fame for Irene? Makes me think about Irene Cara's song.

Watching the storm

I just watched the Trafficland cameras of the Outer Banks.
Good news - I saw a green light in Kitty Hawk.
And a car driving past.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Change your viewing schedule

Were you planning on watching sports this weekend?
You'll be watching Weather Channel instead.
Hurricane Irene has caused several changes in the sports schedule in the mid-Atlantic and New England.

We're moving in the rain

Martha Jefferson Hospital has planned - for years.
They set their move to their new modern facility - for August 28.
Little did they know a major hurricane would be less than 200 miles away while the move takes place.

Weakening, but still dangerous

The Weather Nerd reports news that Hurricane Irene seems to be slightly weakening.
Less wind in the ocean means better results for us on land.

Facebook quote of the week

Interested in unusual home ornamental accessories? In West Columbia someone perched a stuffed goat atop their single wide mobile home. I wonder how feasible it would be to install a life-size stuffed cow atop my house?

Follow the weather nerd

Brandon Loy has been sounding the alarm about Irene on his blog.
He sounded the alarm before Katrina, warning about the problems at the Superdome before they happened.
Reports leading up to the storm, reporters are hanging out at the beach. I fear post-storm coverage will be focused back home at New York.

Weekend watchdog

NASCAR spends an exciting weekend in Bristol, with thousands of fans converging on the high-banked half-mile track.
It's the 50th anniversary of the small track just across the border from Virginia, which draws thousands to the area and packs all hotels within miles.
The Sprint Cup teams pack the infield for their race Saturday night on ABC. The Nationwide racers get their chance to bang around the track Friday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Across the country, the Indy Cars are in Sonoma Sunday at 4 p.m. on Versus.
Little League baseball crowns its champion this weekend. ABC has the International final between Mexico and Japan Saturday at noon, followed by the United States final matching Montana and California at 3 p.m. The consolation game will be Sunday at 11 a.m. on ESPN, with the title game on ABC at 3 p.m.
FOX offers the choice of four games Saturday afternoon, as the Tigers face the Twins along with three National League contests - Pirates at Cardinals, Braves-Mets and Rockies taking on the Dodgers. ESPN has the Angels meeting the Rangers Sunday night.
Pending Irene's path, the Orioles will meet the Yankees on TBS Sunday afternoon and MASN. Prior to that, they have games Friday and Saturday on MASN. The Nationals head to Cincinnati for the weekend on MASN2.
The third week of the NFL preseason has CBS offering a pair of contests - Packers at Colts Friday and Patriots visiting Detroit Saturday - before NBC closes the weekend Sunday at 8 p.m. with the Saints taking on Oakland.
The PGA tour starts its playoff run this weekend at the Barclays. CBS has coverage Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday starting at 2 p.m.
It's almost time for the U.S. Open, and top players prepare at the New Haven Open and Winston-Salem Open. ESPN2 heads to New Haven Friday at 2 p.m., with the final showing Saturday at 5 p.m. CBS has the final from Winston-Salem Saturday at 12:30 p.m., after ESPN2 goes with Friday's play at 12:30 p.m.
D.C. United takes on Portland Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast. The women's soccer league holds its championship game Saturday at 4 p.m. on Comcast.
In the WNBA, the Mystics host Phoenix Sunday at 4 p.m. on Comcast.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Signs of a bad week

How do you know it's been a bad week?
  • Earthquake in Virginia
  • Hurricane headed for New York
  • Instapundit loses eight hours worth of posts.

Remembering Hurricane Gloria

The path of Hurricane Irene may closely follow Hurricane Gloria from 1985.
I remember watching a new syndicated news show that debuted in New York the day Gloria approached. They kept an outside camera going while talking about the potential doom the storm might cause.
We'll see what Irene has to offer.