Tuesday Open Thread
Welcome to Tuesday! If we keep getting more of this springlike weather I might start getting used to it. Let’s start our open thread.
Who knew, Wilmington is not the whole entire world:
“January, according to satellite (data), was the hottest January we’ve ever seen,” said Nicholls of Monash University’s School of Geography and Environmental Science in Melbourne.
“Last November was the hottest November we’ve ever seen, November-January as a whole is the hottest November-January the world has seen,” he said of the satellite data record since 1979.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in December that 2000-2009 was the hottest decade since records began in 1850, and that 2009 would likely be the fifth warmest year on record. WMO data show that eight out of the 10 hottest years on record have all been since 2000.
…
Scientists say global warming is not uniform in all areas and that climate models predict there will likely be greater extremes of cold and heat, floods and droughts.
“Global warming is a trend superimposed upon natural variability, variability that still exists despite global warming,” said Kevin Walsh, associate professor of meteorology at the University of Melbourne.
I’m surprised you have to explain this to people but with the Faux Newses, Sen. Inhofes and sockpuppet posters of the world trying to spread misinformation – apparently you do have to explain this. Of course, no one is holding the deniers feet to the fire to explain why Vancouver was so warm and barely had snow or the site of the next winter Olympics was in the 70s.
Wilmington does not equal world
U.S. east coast does not equal world
U.S. does not equal world
Weather does not equal climate
The Chilean earthquake affected the entire globe:
The earthquake that killed more than 700 people in Chile on Feb. 27 probably shifted the Earth’s axis and shortened the day, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist said.
Earthquakes can involve shifting hundreds of kilometers of rock by several meters, changing the distribution of mass on the planet. This affects the Earth’s rotation, said Richard Gross, a geophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who uses a computer model to calculate the effects.
“The length of the day should have gotten shorter by 1.26 microseconds (millionths of a second),” Gross, said today in an e-mailed reply to questions. “The axis about which the Earth’s mass is balanced should have moved by 2.7 milliarcseconds (about 8 centimeters or 3 inches).”
Does this change the calculation of leap year?
Tags: Open Thread
LOL, the institutional left Breitbartcolypse countdown clock.
Hey UI–Is this gonna mess w/ the atomic clock–or are we still good?
Leap Year bricked my PS3 for about a day and 1/2
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/03/ps3-fat-models-working-again-after-fake-february-29-passes.ars
I can’t believe that a majority of the people who read DL think Delaware should NOT apologize for slavery. Has common sense made it’s debut here? DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!!!
Well, in other news I opened my mail today to find out I had major surgery on Jan. 5th, 2 of my surgeons were paid already by private insurance, and Medicare is still out….my amount due is xyz.
Problem is…my name–but I never had surgery. I don’t even have Medicare. I don’t even know where I was on January 5th–but it certainly wasn’t under general anesthesia (can’t wait to get that bill).
And this from the people who want HCR to include fluid electronic files between providers etc.?
I guess I’m supposed to feel comforted they are going to tag my file so it doesn’t go to collections, while they investigate who was operated on that day…..and talk to my insurer. Guess, it’s gonna take a human to straighten this one out. And correct my MEDICAL file.
DelLib–do you guys have any documentation that maybe I was alive and commenting on January 5th–what the heck day of the week was that?
JC, Jan 5 was a Tuesday. Start a paper file, print a copy of every letter & email you send and recieve regarding this billing.When you htink it is all fixed/cleared up… save the file for 4 or 5 years to make sure it doesn’t rear it ugly head again when old files get sold to a colection agency.
Good advice romeo, about keeping the paperwork. I knew someone who had just thrown out some paperwork from selling her late mother’s house (more than 5 years before) when they got some erroneous tax bill and they had to scramble to prove they weren’t the property owners.
How about this, JC?
Submitted on 2010/01/05 at 9:34am
Don’t even get me going about the SEED program–I heralded that boondoggle expense for 75% of the recipients last year. Took it to Dover, w/ numbers and the nod of any and all I spoke with on both sides of the aisle. But it’s the golden goose of higher ed system in Delaware and is going to blaze the justification for DelTech to grub at property/ed taxes in the expansion market–and that is a powerful aphrodisiac for higher ed to donate to campaigns. You guys can connect the dots better than I can. I deal in real numbers, they deal in projected campaign support and donations.
But, how can we justify footing the bill of a very WELL INTENTIONED college opportunity program gone awry? It was a gift, on the surface appeared and still touted as opportunity for the Delaware HS graduate, 2.5 GPA, no problem w/ the law to make that bridge that may not have been available to attend college for 2 years. The reality–first a student must apply thru FAFSA, achieve eligibility, and then Delaware picks up from there. Now hang on. This was NEVER to be for remedial courses. These kids were to be college ready–financially unsure. But we are picking up the tab for remedial courses. And the biggest oofah? Illegal immigrants are eligible for the program. So there you have it—and Nancy Willing will appear to ready the noose!! I repeat, as I have before, will not deny services to a minor child–but college? You are an adult now…it is time to get the adult rule book, and get on the road to legality…pronto.
The notion that all institutions of higher ed weren’t included in this program stymies me–I’m sure they would have accepted a negotiated rate if tuition was the factor. And lastly, I watch the bottlenecking of programs that either focused adult learners are prepared to enter, or young adult learners on a timetable being shafted, and held up due to the hyper-enrollment of the SEED force. Oh, and why oh why is their not some “good faith” expectation of the enrollee, if they drop out, fail out or not even attend their classes? I have YET to meet ONE graduate of SEED–pure SEED–not the ol’ MBNA program…or other hybrid. But Delaware has sunk millions into this. Cut it from the budget–LAST YEAR SHOULD OF–let those who really are active learners finish up. Remedial, and repeat course workers, illegal immigrants–can find the help elsewhere, on somebody else’s tab.
Such a shame–It could have been something Minner’s legacy could have been proud of–but once again adulterated into a money pit of political alliance. And you know who you are–who won’t touch this one!!!
the “birthers” have been busy:
More States Take On Eligibility Legislation
The Right Side of Life ^ | March 2, 2010
Indiana SB82 would allow voter challenges to candidates.
New Hampshire HB1245 would require certified copies of Birth Certificates.
South Carolina HB3389 would require candidates to be Natural Born citizens.
(FYI, current Delaware law requires a candidate to sign a form attesting to his/her elligability, no proof or vetting required)
http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/my_constituents_care_way_more?utm_source=onion_rss_daily
My Constituents Care Way More About Political Gamesmanship Than Jobs, Health Care, And The Economy
By House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) via The Onion….
You know what romeo? Money comes and goes. It’s my MEDICAL file I’m really looking to protect. I don’t want parts listed as removed, or fixed, or transplanted, to decide the fate of whatever removal, fix, or transplant I may need in the future (e.g. your coverage specifically states they only allow knee replacement every 10 years, and here you are requesting one 2 years later……) That’s what I’m afraid for–that and what if a blood type goes along w/ that transfusion charge…and some clerical person just rolls along noting (after of course wrongly debiting blood bank account credits), that Huh–it says here blood type ZZ was used for her, but over here a lab sent type GG. This is where it hits the fan. You mention 4-5 years for an ugly head to rear in collections–I’m more worried about disparity of truth in my healthcare!!!! And I may still be fighting that 4-5 years from now? Lots of luck people.
Hey thanks Pandora–you know I wasn’t “well under” to spew that one:)!!!!
Joanne –
Another bit of advice. Run a credit check on yourself to make sure no one’s stolen your identity and started charging flat-screen TVs as well as surgeries to you.
That’s a scary thing. Good luck.
Thanks wow–I first I chuckled in reading your comment thinking they were “charging” my surgeries to watch on flat screen TV–like Discovery TV or something. Cuz then I want royalties!!!!!
I have a PERSONAL meeting w/ BC/BS tomorrow (cause heck, they have money on this), to start to follow the bread crumbs…but good advice on the credit check. And how about that–a real person to intervene?.
I just don’t want my parts spoken for!!! I just may need some spare kidneys, or a liver in the future!! And those darn blood bank credits……
Josh Marshall asks “Why am I not seeing prominent Democrats on TV, actually probably President Obama on TV, saying senate Republicans are wrong to be helping Sen. Bunning (R) create so much suffering for his own kicks and ideological predilections?”
Gee, why not?
Alternet reporting: 33 Senators now signed the letter to Reid to put the Public Option back in. Udall of Colorado, Casey Pa, Wyden Oregon. Pelosi called out Obama for backtracking on the Public Option a measure he campaigned on, and HE admitted for the first time publicly he abandoned it because he had over committed himself to passing a bi-partisan Health Care Reform Bill. How naive, Mr. President!
Bennett who wrote the letter to Reid is facing a tough mid term election and has put himself on the line, so why can’t Harry?
Where are Kaufman and the Carpetbagger? Still fence sitting? Is Ted waiting for the carpetbagger to make the first move? Come on Ted, don’t let the wholly owned corporate blind man lead you over the corporate cliff. Do the right thing, you aren’t facing an opponent. Again, I ask where is the Delaware Democratic Party and why are they not pressing both these men to sign on to the Public Option. God knows Delaware is in terrible financial shape and loosing jobs on a daily basis, Astra Zeneca!
Obama to Say Democrats Will Use Reconciliation to Pass Senate Health Care Reform Fix
ABC News ^ | 3/2/10 | Jake Taper
White House officials tell ABC News that in his remarks tomorrow President Obama will indicate a willingness to work with Republicans on some issue to get a health care reform bill passed but will say that if it is necessary, Democrats will use the controversial reconciliation rules requiring only 51 Senate votes to pass the “fix” to the Senate bill. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been awaiting the president’s remarks direction on how health care reform will proceed. In his remarks, scheduled to be at the White House, the president will paint a picture of what he will say will…
speaking of Ted Kaufman… does he even have a home in Delaware? He was a Duke Professor when he was tapped to keep the senate seat warm for Junior Joe… I realize rules only count for republicans, but I am just curious.
You’re a bleeping idiot, Romeo. He and his wife come into Trader Joe’s all the time to shop. The one in, what’s that state again, Delaware.
Unless he’s making the trip from ACC country, he’s a local.
Any other unfounded rumors you want to throw out there w/o a shred of plausibility?
Keep throwing shit up on the wall. Some day you might get something right.
We might have to thank “Beanball” Bunning. The Dems might be finding their voice.
http://mydd.com/2010/3/2/the-senate-democrats-on
V @ 3:42 pm – It is funny because it is true.
No challenger looming for Cloutier?
http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/3-10senateraces.asp
Oh hell yes. Make Republicans and Tom Carper get on the floor of the Senate to defend executive bonuses.
Nice, you democrats are going to use the Nuclear Option to pass the health care bill. What a bunch of hypocrite scum. Any sense of morality or justice that you thought you held over anyone else’s head is gone. Biden himself said, “I pray God when the Democrats take back control we don’t make the kind of naked power grab you are doing.” But then again, I guess this is just business as usual, neh? Minority bash what the majority is doing, then when the balance shifts, do the same thing.
Hey — there is no nuclear option and the bill is not being passed by it. If you want to talk about passing fixes to the Senate bill once passed by the house via reconciliation, you’ll have to come up with a better bat signal than the usual lying talking points.
Reconciliation is only ok if you’re a Republican. IOKIYAR. Using existing Senate rules to pass a bill is not the “nuclear option.”
Awesome. Republicans are nervous about HCR. Things are looking up.
el blahblahblah,
from his wiki entry:
Since 1991, Ted has taught courses in the law school, business school and public policy program of his alma mater, Duke University. From 1995 to 1999 he was Co-Chair of the Duke Law School Center for the Study of the Congress.[12]
JC @3.29 – “Nancy Willing will appear to ready the noose”…”
On what…defense of illegals – nope.
On SEED for remedials – nope.
My only beef about SEED is that since DSU has a now-declining enrollment because it is inelligible for SEED recipients. DSU under former President Sessoms failed to amend its coursework to accomodate Associate’s degrees –the main pre-req. for SEED awardee’s moving from DelTech toward a four year degree–.
Reconciliation is only ok if you’re a Republican. IOKIYAR. Using existing Senate rules to pass a bill is not the “nuclear option.”
*
This is the predictable result of FOX News and Clear Channel radio programming.
We are allowing the programming of abject LIES that millions of hapless Americans happily absorb.
Mind Control. Where protected speech needs a condom.
Romeo: And from that you inferred that Kaufman was living in Raleigh/Durham and floated an asinine rumor that perhaps he didn’t really live in Delaware.
In other words, the definition of throwing shit on the wall.
You were wrong, and cited Wikipedia to defend your sorry self. Isn’t it time for the Lizard to sink back to his Lizard Lounge?
Ted Kaufman was indeed a visiting professor at Duke, commuting from his Delaware home. He found the Concord Pike exit the easiest path to the airport.
If you come to the CFF event Saturday night, perhaps you can ask Ted and Lynne where they’ve lived since 1966.