A Movie Well-worth renting NOW! - Source Code!

We rented the movie "Source Code" from a Redbox last week, not knowing anything about it- other than handsome actor Jake Gyllenhal was in it (that's all we needed). Anyway, it's well-worth watching it. It's an action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. 

DC Comics Relaunch:

Batgirl

For those who don't collect comics or care about superheroes, you're missing out.  DC Comics, home of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Green Lantern (among others) has totally relaunched every title of graphic novels. 
- I've been collecting comics since 1974 when I was 11 years old. I still collect them and they're incredible entertainment. The stories are like watching NCIS, really interesting and topical and full of action, intrigue and plot twists. The artwork is also great. Most comics are for adults, although there are more cartoonish comics for kids (also featuring superheroes). 
BATGIRL RETURNS -   I've always been a fan of BATGIRL since I saw her on the 1966 Batman show on TV. Over time, Barbara Gordon was shot and paralyzed by the Joker in the comics. Now she has recovered and regained her heroic identity.
  Although another character named Stephanie Brown had assumed Batgirl's mantle (before this DC Comics relaunch) when Barbara Gordon was paralyzed.  I loved the Stephanie character and was ticked off that DC comics just made her disappear and brought the original
Batgirl back. After reading the first issue this week, I really loved it. So, Barbara Gordon is back as Batgirl! Pick up the issue.   

Written by GAIL SIMONE; Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES; Cover by ADAM HUGHES

 BATMAN in DETECTIVE COMICS #1
 

BATMAN has always been a favorite of mine. With the DC Comics relaunch, the new first issue brings Batman together with the Joker. It's a great issue, and I look forward to the next one.

DC's flagship title is relaunched for the first time ever, with new Batman adventures from acclaimed writer/ artist Tony S. Daniel.  A killer called The Gotham Ripper is on the loose on Batman's home turf – leading The Dark Knight on a deadly game of cat and mouse.

 Written by TONY S. DANIEL; Art by TONY S. DANIEL and RYAN WINN; Cover by TONY S. DANIEL

 TROPICAL STORM LEE'S LOCAL RAINFALL TOTAL: By Saturday morning, we received another inch and a half of rain Friday after 10 inches this week from tropical storm Lee! That's almost a FOOT OF RAIN (a total of 11.5 inches) in a week! - All that on top of the 5.5 inches the weekend before from Hurricane Irene. That means that in 2 weeks, we received 15 inches of rain. That's almost 4 months of rain in one week!

A LIVING FOOT REST - Our Weimaraner, Dolly and Dachshund, Franklin couldn't be any closer as "sister" and "brother." Dolly sometimes rests her head on Franklin's back and now even used his back as a foot rest!  

WEEK 3 AND STILL SICK - I (Rob) have been dealing with congestion in the sinuses and upper respiratory tract for 3 weeks now. I saw a doctor last week and they said it was a bad cold that became bacterial, and settled in my upper respiratory system. I'm almost done with round 2 of antibiotics, had steroids, ibuprofen, zinc lozenges, nasal spray, allegra, mucinex and using an inhaler (2 actually) for my asthma. Having asthma with this crap has created breathing difficulties. My FAVORITE MEDICINE: Dunkin' Donuts Coffee.

 

Another Wet Day ... Soaked by Trop. Storm Lee's Remnants

Thursday was yet another rainy day that brought over 5 more inches of rain from midnight to 7:30 a.m. and it continued to rain, so I had to again empty the raingauge in the backyard. 

 There were also 4 tropical systems in the Atlantic Ocean basin, and I reported on them for NASA. Here's the image (RIGHT)  I used in the update, that includes the remnants from Tropical Storm Lee (raining over the eastern U.S.); Hurricane Katia off the U.S. east coast in the Atlantic Ocean; Tropical Storm Maria about 700 miles east of the Leeward Islands in the central Atlantic and headed toward the U.S. and newborn Tropical Storm Nate in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. This cool image was taken from NOAA's GOES-13 satellite, and created by NASA's GOES Project.

Another 5" of rain overnight

  

  During a 30 minute lunch-break while working at home, I took the dogs for a short ride to the vet to get tranquilizers for little Sprite, who can't deal with thunderstorms.
(PHOTO: Sprite in the front seat of the truck, Dolly and Franklin in the back- looking at the vet's office)
Early Thursday morning (12:30 a.m.) t-storms woke him and kept Sprite and me (Rob) up for over an hour. I made use of the time by learning of a tornado warning in Annapolis, Md. and texting our friend Ed (everyone else was out of the path) - and fortunately, there was no damage and he was safe.

Flooding and More Rainfall today from Trop. Storm Lee's Remnants -Balt/Wash

Last night was another brutal night of rainfall in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast.

Strong t-storms  prompted tornado Warnings last night near Annapolis. About 5" of rainfall fell since 3:30pm

yesterday in the Balt/Wash area. ***MANY streets are closed, and do NOT drive through standing water.**

More heavy rainfall today. Full forecast follows.

Be careful.

Rob

WEATHER SUMMARY

SYNOPSIS...

The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee that developed last Friday south of Louisiana and made landfall over the weekend merged with a frontal system that stalled over the U.S.  That front has drawn moisture in from both the Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean creating massive rainfall along the U.S. East Coast. The system is being blocked from exiting by Hurricane Katia, currently offshore of the U.S., and fortunately forecast to move north-northeast into the Atlantic (and allowing Lee's remnants to move away).

Meanwhile, Heavy rainfall remains in the forecast from the Mid-Atlantic to New England today and tonight as the remnants of Lee continue to weaken over the Ohio Valley.

Rainfall totals Yesterday:

Washington National Airport: 2.82"  (Since Sept. 1 - 5.24")

BWI AIRPORT: 3.4" (Since Sept. 1 - 6.83")

Richmond, VA : 3.76" (record) - (Since Sept. 1 - 4.78")

Wallops Island, VA: 0.00" yesterday

Central Park, NY: 1.21" (Since Sept. 1 - 4.43")

Newark, NJ: 1.09" (Since Sept. 1- 4.29")

LOCAL Rainfall from Sunday until 7 a.m. today, Sept. 8, 2011:  Bowie, Md. 10 inches.

- Isolated areas have received high amounts of rainfall - ***HEAVIEST RAINFALL TODAY WILL BE IN A LINE FROM BALTIMORE TO WASHINGTON, EAST.

SAFETY TIPS FOR FLOODED ROADWAYS

Except for heat related fatalities, more deaths occur from flooding than any other hazard. Why? Most people fail to realize the power of water. For example, six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock you off your feet.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FLASH FLOODING: 

Most flash floods are caused by slow moving thunderstorms, thunderstorms that move repeatedly over the same area or heavy rains from tropical storms and hurricanes. These floods can develop within minutes or hours depending on the intensity and duration of the rain, the topography, soil conditions and ground cover.

Flash floods can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges, and scour out new channels. Rapidly rising water can reach heights of 30 feet or more. Furthermore, flash flood-producing rains can also trigger catastrophic mud slides.

SAFETY TIPS:

* Avoid areas already flooded, especially if the water is flowing fast.

* Do not attempt to cross flowing streams. Turn Around Don't Drown

* Road beds may be washed out under flood waters. NEVER drive through flooded roadways.

* Turn Around Don't Drown If your vehicle is suddenly caught in rising water, leave it immediately and seek higher ground.

* Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.

* Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

*If flooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, canyons, washes etc.

VIDEO From YOUTUBE- Flooding in Historic Ellicott City, Maryland, Sept. 7, 2011, from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

WEATHER MAP http://i.imwx.com/images/maps/current/curwx_600x405.jpg  

NOAA WEATHER MAP: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/noaa/noaa.gif     

BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON –  

FLASH FLOODING THIS MORNING from North of Baltimore/PA Line,  south of Washington DC in a line. 

**FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

*COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT TONIGHT

...THE FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 AM EDT FOR URBAN

AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS IN St. Marys...Charles...Calvert...Prince

Georges And Anne Arundel Counties

***Some Severe Flooding of Streams and Rivers:

1) Western Branch At Upper Marlboro Was At  20.72 Feet At 7 Am. This is the highest level ever recorded at this site...which has been in operation since 1985. More than seven feet of water was reported to be flowing over water street near this gauge location.

2) The Patuxent River Near Bowie Is At 18.61 Feet At 7 am. This Is Approaching The Highest Level Since 1972.

3) Historic Downtown Ellicott City experienced flooded roadways yesterday with more than 6" of water on the main roads.

Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm today and tonight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 80.   (Up to an inch possible, much higher amounts poss. In thunderstorms)  Low 68
Friday:   Mostly cloudy, scattered showers and thunderstorms, with some clearing in PM high near 81.  Low 68 (a quarter inch more rain poss.)
Saturday:   Partly sunny, isolated Shower/t-storm, better chance in PM, with a high near 82.  Low 65
Sunday: Mostly sunny,  Scattered PM/night time showers and thunderstorms. high near 79. Low 65

LIVE RADAR: http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=LWX&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes

Lee's Remnants Continue to Drench the Eastern U.S. / 5 Inches of rain so far @home!

GOES-13 satellite image: Lee over eastern US, Katia offshore

Here's today's hurricane update that I wrote for the NASA Hurricane page www.nasa.gov/hurricane on Tropical Storm Lee, still raining on us along the East coast!  As of 3:30pm EDT on Sept. 7, Bowie, Maryland has received just over 5" of rain (it topped our new rain gauge) and the rains continue!


Lee's Remnants Continue to Drench the Eastern U.S.
Landfalling tropical cyclones can bring a lot of rain, but after Lee made landfall and merged with a stalled frontal system over the eastern U.S. the rain keeps coming. Lee's clouds, however, continue to remain painfully out of reach of Texas, that needs the rain to battle several wildfires. One NASA satellite image showed how close but how far that needed rain was from the Lone Star State, while another showed the extent of Lee's cloud cover merged with a front.

As of today, Sept. 7, 2011, there has been one change with Lee's remnants. According to NOAA's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC), "the surface circulation of Lee has been absorbed by a large scale extratropical low to the north and that means heavy rains and flooding expected from the central Appalachians into parts of New England."

5" of rain from Lee in Bowie, Md. by 9/7@3:30pmET

When NASA's Aqua satellite flew over the central U.S. on Sept. 6, 2011 at 3:23 p.m. EDT it captured a visible image from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument onboard. The image showed several plumes of smoke from the fires raging in Texas and a rounded mass of clouds just out of reach to the east, from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, which delivered only gusty winds to Texas and fanned the flames. Lee's rainfall remained to the east of the Texas fires.

Tom's newly planted Ivy in a puddle

Soggy backyard....

 **Our friend Craig sent us pictures of Historic Downtown Ellicott City,Md. taken this afternoon, Wed. September 7th, 2011. The flooding from Lee's heavy rainfall has covered the main roadways. See photos.

Ellicott City, Md flooding from Lee 9/7/11

Ellicott City, Md. Flooding from Lee 9/7/11

High water even at the TOP of the hill, Ellicott City, MD

Looking up the hill from flooded Ellicott City, Md.

Today, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite called GOES-13 captured a visible image of the clouds associated with tropical Storm Lee's remnants, and a warm front along the U.S. East coast. The image also shows Hurricane Katia threatening the eastern U.S. in the Atlantic. The two systems seem to be acting against each other. Lee's remnants are keeping Katia away from a mainland landfall, while Katia is preventing Lee's remnants from moving east and off-shore.

Finding Lee's surface circulation today, Sept. 7 is not possible because Lee's circulation was absorbed by a large scale extratropical low pressure area near the Tennessee/Virginia border. One other factor coming into play and keeping the U.S. east coast wet is a warm front draped across the Mid-Atlantic states bringing in warm, moist air from the Atlantic Ocean. It's causing heavy rainfall from southern New England to the central Appalachian mountains, and it is expected to stick around for the next couple of days. The HPC expects it to dissipate slowly by the week's end. Additional rainfall can range between 4 to 8 inches with isolated totals up to 10 inches until then.

Text credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
MORE INFORMATION: www.nasa.gov/hurricane

Please Vote (and donate a dollar) for our Kids on a Calendar!

We Need your votes (and tax-deductible donation to a Weimaraner Rescue)

The Wolf Creek Weimaraner  Rescue (where we adopted Dolly from) is having a calendar fundraiser and we submitted 2 pictures of Dolly and Franklin. So far nearly 1,000 votes have been cast.  There are 2 weeks left to vote and we need everyone's enthusiastic support to help make the rescue's first calendar contest a rowsing success.

Each vote will cost $1 via PayPal.  Vote tallies are not automated and will be updated at least every 72 hours. If you're not able to use PayPal and would like to pay for your vote(s) via check, you may mail a check   at : WOLF CREEK WEIMARANER RESCUE, PO Box 82, Kingsport, TN 37662-0082

and designate on your check how you wish to have your vote(s) allocated.  Read more about how the calendar contest works.

Ready to vote? Simply click on the respective vote button http://www.wcweimrescue.org/the-news/fundraising-events and you will be redirected to PayPal's website for payment processing. Enter your number of votes in "Donation amount", then click "Update Total". Voting will run until 11:59 pm EST on 9/20/11. Thank you for your support!
 
 SCROLL DOWN and Vote for:
1) Entry # 155 - Franklin & Dolly (canine rest area)

or 2) Entry # 156 - Franklin & Dolly  (laying on a blanket face-to-face) 

AFTERLIFE- Is there a Hell?

Marvel comics' Ghost Rider: Hellish Hero

   A recent  Op-Ed in USA Today addressed whether people believe in Hell. I (Rob) found it fascinating because up until the time I started being able to communicate with those who passed, I firmly believed in Hell. Once I started communicating, and understanding what happens, I realized that there really is no "place" called Hell. I'm sure that's very disconcerting for a lot of people, especially because of what the Bible says. But even in this Op-Ed, Hell is explained as a concept that is mis-understood from the Bible.

 - SO, what happens to murderers, criminals and evil people when they die? My experience is that they linger in a state outside of the light- a "phantom zone" if you will, where they receive an immediate recognition of the horrendous things they did during their lives. A place where they can spend a long time (something we wouldn't be able to comprehend) trying to atone for their sins. Hoping for forgiveness from those left behind.

   Ghosts are an example of that. Ghosts are earth-bound energies that are trapped on earth for various reasons. So, why is that "Hell" being trapped out of the light? Because all of your loved ones are IN THE LIGHT.

    Think about it. Being trapped as an earth-bound ghost or an energy unable to go into the light to be with all of your loved ones is torturous. Isolationism as a human being is torture, as it is for a ghost or spirit. THAT is my understanding of Hell. 
 *****************************************
AUTHOR OF THE USA TODAY OP-ED THAT FOLLOWS:  Oliver Thomas is a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors and author of 10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You (But Can't Because He Needs the Job).

 FROM USA TODAY:   Should believers fear Hell — and God?

FULL STORY: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-08-07-love-wins-afterlife-hell_n.htm?csp=Dailybriefing 

The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans all had elaborate beliefs about the afterlife. We're no different. Right now, a book is burning through America's churches that has put the issue back front and center for many. The book —Love Wins— by Rob Bell challenges the traditional Christian belief in a place of eternal punishment. Damnation.

Most Americans still believe in hell. A 2009 poll by The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life put the number at 59%. A 2005 Fox News poll put it at 74%!

Ask these folks why they cling to such a decidedly medieval notion, and they will tell you: Because the Bible teaches it! And if we're talking about the King James Bible, they are right — at least on the surface. But dig into the languages in which the Bible was actually written — Greek and Hebrew — and things get murky.

Nowhere in the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament) is the abode of the dead described as a place of eternal punishment. Rather, "Sheol" as it is sometimes called, appears as a shadowy, dreamlike place where all people — good and evil — are destined.

One Old Testament writer has this to say: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might for there is no activity or planning or wisdom in Sheol where you are going." Not my idea of a Shangri-La, but certainly better than everlasting fire.

Even Jesus gets misquoted here. Clearly, Jesus taught that there would be a day of reckoning. In the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel, he paints a disturbing picture of it. "I was hungry and you didn't feed me. Naked and you didn't clothe me."

But the Greek word that is often translated "eternal" (aionos) — whether it is used to describe punishment or life — is better understood as a word of quality, not quantity. Punishment is only "eternal" (in the way that Americans understand that word) in the sense that it could be final.

Not what Jesus meant

Nearly every reference to "hell" that comes from the lips of Jesus is a mistranslation.

The word translated as hell by the King James Bible is the word "Gehenna," literally "the valley of the sons of Hinnom." This notorious valley on the south side of Jerusalem was once the site of pagan sacrifices, including child sacrifice, and had been cursed by the prophets of Israel. By Jesus' day, it served as the garbage dump. It was a foul, noxious place where dogs roamed and fires burned. Jesus seized upon this vivid imagery in his sermons. He urged people to repent (literally "change your mind"), lest they end up in Gehenna (i.e. the garbage dump).

Little White Dog Issues

A Weimaraner horrified by a white dog!

When our Weimaraner, Dolly was a pup she was attacked by a little white dog- like a poodle/maltese, something or other. It stayed with her and to this day she goes nuts whenever someone is walking a little white dog in the neighborhood. Over 5 years ago when we first moved here, there were no little white dogs. Today, I noticed Little White Dog #5 within 3 blocks. This makes for horrendous walks. Usually, Dolly jumps up uncontrollably, barks and pulls trying to go after the little white dog. **I'm usually able to get her to sit down, though, which helps. However, once Dolly gets going, our Dachshunds Franklin and Sprite start barking and pulling... so it's hard to control all three of them!!

An evil little white dog

- It happened when I was walking the dogs tonight at 7pm right after someone's mid-sized dog got loose and started running at us!  Fortunately, I got the dog to stop and the owner (running after his dog) caught up to him before he attacked us. - When I turned around to go home, that's when the woman with her little white dog came from the other side. Horrors!! I got our kids to sit still after some pulling and barking, and the woman managed to get into her nearby home. We then walked home quickly! 

NASA Sees Tropical Storm Lee's Slow Soggy Crawl Inland

 Here's a story I wrote this morning about Tropical Storm Lee for the NASA Hurricane page.

This visible image of Tropical Storm Lee was taken from the GOES-13 satellite on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 9:32 a.m. EDT. It shows the extent of Lee's cloud cover over Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The clearing on the southeastern side is a result of drier air moving in and preventing development of thunderstorms. Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project

NASA Sees Tropical Storm Lee's Slow Soggy Crawl Inland

Tropical Storm Lee has continued his slow, soaking, painful crawl inland. Satellites from both NASA and NOAA satellites have been showing the extent of the storm, and where the strongest thunderstorms and rainfall are occurring, and the bulk of it remains over the Gulf of Mexico.

NASA's Aqua satellite and NOAA's GOES-13 satellite revealed that Lee finally made landfall in Louisiana after two painful days of heavy rain to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Lee has grown in size, which typical for a waning tropical storm. Tropical Storm-force winds now extend out 275 miles from the center.

NOAA's GOES-13 satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Storm Lee on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 9:32 a.m. EDT. It shows the extent of Lee's cloud cover over Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle and spread into the Tennessee Valley. The thickest clouds and heaviest rainfall stretch from the northeast to southwest of the center. The image was created at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. at the NASA/NOAA GOES Project. Lee also appears on satellite imagery to be elongated. The GOES-13 satellite imagery shows that the storm appears to stretch from the northeast to the southwest, and a large part of Lee still remains over the Gulf of Mexico.

On Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011 NASA's Aqua Satellite took an infrared snapshot at the cold cloud temperatures within Tropical Storm Lee that told forecasters where the highest, coldest, strongest thunderstorms were in the storm. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on Aqua took the image at 3:47 p.m. EDT when Lee's center had still not yet made landfall and was still sitting south of the Louisiana coast. The strongest thunderstorms and coldest clouds stretched from Mobile Bay, south into the Gulf of Mexico and covered about one-third of the Gulf of Mexico.

On Sunday, Sept. 4, a tropical storm warning is in effect for Destin, Florida westward to Sabine Pass Texas, including the city of New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas.

At 8 a.m. EDT on Sept. 4, Tropical Storm Lee's winds had dropped from 60 mph exactly 24 hours before to 45 mph. Lee's center was over Vermillion Bay, Louisiana near 29.7 North and 92.0 West. It was crawling to the northeast near 3 mph (6 kmh) and expected to continue in that direction today, turning to the east-northeast tonight. Because Lee's center is over land, he is expected to continue weakening gradually in the next couple of days. Lee's outer bands still extend far over the Gulf of Mexico, bringing in more moisture and keeping the system going.

Rainfall has been a serious issue with Lee, and will continue to soak the Gulf coast states and now the Tennessee Valley. Tropical storm lee is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches from the central Gulf Coast northward into the Tennessee valley. Isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches through Monday night. Meanwhile, storm surge continues to batter the Gulf coast, and tropical storm-force winds also continue. Isolated tornadoes are possible today and tonight over parts of southern Louisiana southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the far western Florida panhandle.

Where is Lee Going?

Lee is going to be hitching a ride on an elongated area of low pressure (trough) in the next 24-36 hours. The National Hurricane Center noted that "A trough over the north-central U.S. is forecast to dig southeastward over the next day or so. The flow on the southern side of the trough is expected to turn the Tropical cyclone toward the northeast and east-northeast during the next 24 to 36 hours."

What about Katia?
Wind shear weakened Katia again today. At 5 a.m. EDT, Sept. 4, Katia was reduced back down to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 70 mph. Katia was 370 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands, near 21.43 North and 58.5 West. It was moving to the northwest near 12 mph and had a minimum central pressure of 992 millibars. Although Katia is causing rough surf in the Northern Leeward Islands today, it is expected to subside later. Forecast models bring Katia close to the U.S. coastline by Friday of this week, so NASA satellites will be keeping an eye on her.

Text credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Photos of Damages from Hurricane Irene: It was NOT hyped.

This is part 2 for those who think that meteorologists "over-hyped" the damage capabilities of Hurricane Irene. These people don't think it was over-hyped at all.

Margaretville, NY Route 100 in Vermont Main St. In Margaretville, NY. Greenwich, Connecticut East Lake Road in Woodstown, New Jersey. Princeton, New Jersey PATH train station stop Governor Cuomo's car in Margaretville, NY. Route 12 is broken in 5 places on Hatteras Island, N.C. About 2,500 people are stuck on Hatteras Island because of this pumping out the traffic tunnels in Hampton, VA Ocean City Maryland's pier destroyed

NEED TO SEE MORE? 
Hurricane Irene was not over-hyped. If you think it was, you were just LUCKY.


 

Bad Politics - Look at what these people stand for.

Over the past couple of months as Republican candidates for President have come out, they're revealed some frightening things as potential leaders.  They're ignorant in science, they use their OWN religious beliefs to promote hatred, intolerance and division, they don't understand how the economy works, don't care about average people, want to set civil rights back in time and want to run the country under one religion (look at the countries that do this- it's chaos).  If you don't believe me, here's PROOF.

Republicans and Tea Party in Congress:

HURRICANE IRENE DAMAGES - Republicans and Tea Party politicians don't want FEMA to assist victims of Hurricane Irene. 

 - They want to wait until they find money elsewhere. (Eric Cantor- Rep. VA)

Aug. 30: Already in 2011, the United States has experienced more natural disasters than the 10-year average. The Federal Emergency Management Agency now finds itself short on money. NBC’s Tom Costello reports.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/44334178#44334178

* MIchelle Bachmann

 1)  Said that she'll make gas prices $2.00 a gallon as President. - She has NO idea about oil futures, oil prices, etc. She won't be queen. 

2) Stupid comment about the Earthquake and devastating Hurricane Irene:

The Minnesota Rep. turned Hurricane Irene into a campaign punch line, suggesting the recent natural disasters were acts of God. "Washington, D.C. you'd think by now they'd get the message," Bachmann said at a town hall in Florida Saturday to laughs. "An earthquake, a hurricane, are you listening? The American people have done everything they possibly can, now it's time for an act of God and we're getting it." http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/29/just-a-joke-bachmanns-hurricane-message-from-god/

3) Anti-Civil Rights: 

signed a pledge vowing to support a Constitutional amendment declaring marriage to be a union of one man and one woman and a vow to support the Defense of Marriage Act in court.  

AND - THIS IS HORRIBLE:

Promised to appoint judges and an Attorney General who will respect "the original meaning of the Constitution," and appoint a presidential commission to investigate harassment of "traditional marriage" supporters.  http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/28/us-campaign-perry-marriage-idUSTRE77P74D20110828

4) Would consider oil and natural gas drilling in the Everglades if it can be done without harming the environment. http://news.yahoo.com/bachmann-says-shed-consider-everglades-drilling-235354923.html

 5) Bachmann would reinstate US gay troops ban

(AFP) – Aug 14, 2011 Michele Bachmann, fresh from a victory in a key Republican test vote, said Sunday she would reinstate a ban on gay troops serving openly in the military.

*HATEFUL, IGNORANT. - The Military agreed that it was time to repeal this. What the hell is wrong with her? 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jFVgZ84mfNPz0xMNfcYDRPxgQfCw?docId=CNG.3b1b9509afa71135d940b1eded48fbb9.01

* Rick Perry

1) Perry says he doesn't believe in global warming - 

* 97 percent to 98 percent of researchers in the field, according to the National Academy of Sciences — is getting stronger, not weaker, as the evidence for climate change just keeps mounting.

       PEOPLE WHO DON'T are either ininformed, Ignorant or stupid. 

http://news.yahoo.com/perry-says-doesnt-believe-global-warming-143259373.h

2)     Mr. Perry, the governor of Texas, recently made headlines by dismissing evolution as “just a theory,” one that has “got some gaps in it” — an observation that will come as news to the vast majority of biologists. 

**ONLY uneducated people don't believe in Evolution. PERIOD

 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/opinion/republicans-against-science.html?_r=1&src=tp&smid=fb-share

3) Anti-Civil Rights: 

signed a pledge vowing to support a Constitutional amendment declaring marriage to be a union of one man and one woman and a vow to support the Defense of Marriage Act in court.  

AND - THIS IS HORRIBLE:

Promised to appoint judges and an Attorney General who will respect "the original meaning of the Constitution," and appoint a presidential commission to investigate harassment of "traditional marriage" supporters.

tml

REPUBLICANS AND SCIENCE:  Okay, as a scientist, either Republicans and those who vote them in are either ignorant and don't want to be educated in science, or just decide to remain Stupid.   They forget that the church persecuted people like Galileo who provided scientific explanations. They're doing the same thing. Science is FACT. Religion is NOT.

    According to Public Policy Polling, only 21 percent of Republican voters in Iowa believe in global warming (and only 35 percent believe in evolution). Within the G.O.P., willful ignorance has become a litmus test for candidates.

Even GOP's Jon Huntsman Jr. from Utah recognizes it:

Jon Huntsman Jr., a former Utah governor and ambassador to China, isn’t a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination. And that’s too bad, because Mr. Hunstman has been willing to say the unsayable about the G.O.P. — namely, that it is becoming the “anti-science party.” This is an enormously important development. And it should terrify us.

 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/opinion/republicans-against-science.html?_r=1&src=tp&smid=fb-share

WISCONSIN GOP -

Walker moves to withdraw state's defense of domestic partnership law

Even with dying people, the idiot Governor in WI is trying to prevent gay people from being with their dying partners in the hospital.  What kind of religion would want that? http://host.madison.com/news/local/on-topic/article_88b8e426-7ff7-11e0-92e8-001cc4c002e0.html

 

HOW THE THE GOP CANDIDATES WOULD LEAD THE U.S.: -comment from the NY Times:

So it’s now highly likely that the presidential candidate of one of our two major political parties will either be a man who believes what he wants to believe, even in the teeth of scientific evidence, or a man who pretends to believe whatever he thinks the party’s base wants him to believe. 

BOTTOM LINE: Our friend Gary said it best:

I believe people should be able to believe whatever they want to believe if it does no harm. Violating the Bill of Rights is not an option, and I'm afraid that's what Perry and Bachmann have in mind. They would use political power to do what theocratic governments in countries like Iran do. That is, to force their own brand of religious beliefs on everyone else. I am a Christian, but I find these far-right religious extremists to be offensive....and they need to just stuff a sock in it!