From the above article: Fresno County: Residents in eastern portions of the county should begin gathering belongings and be prepared for possible evacuation orders, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post. "The first of a series of severe storms has now moved into our region. It is expected to deliver several inches of rain throughout the weekend. This rain, coupled with snow melt, will put a strain on lakes, rivers and streams," the post noted.
We are in a county island on the north edge of the city, overlooking the San Joaquin River. [Note: the sun is shining currently (11AM)]. We had an emergency alert about potential flooding via TV about an hour ago, directed particularly to people living in the foothills to the east, where the relatively warm rain is expected to melt the recent snow. The snow level has allegedly risen to 7,000 feet. There might be some flooding in the western part of the county, where the land is very flat. Oh, and Fresno is about as earthquake-free a place as one can find in California. Too many Republicans, though. IMO. ----Alan
By way of contrast, where I grew up rainfall of an inch an hour was to be expected at times during the rainy season (about November through March). I remember once when it rained, sometimes less and sometimes more, for seven days and nights straight. Fresno is a lot drier than that. And Miyoko, being from Japan, is familiar with typhoons. ---Alan
Re politics, the California Green Party has endorsed the idea of appeasing Russia by bargaining away part of Ukraine for "peace." It isn't particularly surprising given their long term history, but it has made me reconsider my voter registration. I still bear a grudge against the Democratic Party for its long-standing rightward drift. I consider myself a slightly improved New Deal Democrat, but "decline to state" registration is not satisfactory either. ----Alan
I checked the Green Party USA web site, and they are (whether intentionally or not) parroting (some) Russian propaganda. I have inquired of the county Registrar of Voters if I can regularly receive Democratic presidential primary ballots when registered as "No Party Preference," rather than having to make a request each time. ----Alan
I like the Illinois system, where you don't register by party. You just register to vote. And when you show up to vote, you say which primary you want to vote in.
My precinct is all vote by mail; very convenient. Democratic, American Independent, and Libertarian parties allow No Party Preference voters to vote in their primary elections (but not for party officers). ---Alan
I've been trying to think what the Democratic Party's "rightward drift" might mean. There are factions within the party. In the mid-90s the "New Democrats" became the dominant faction, but their influence has gradually faded over the past two decades. Genuinely progressive Democrats are becoming more prominent, although we still have a way to go. But even just looking at the leadership, the party is to the left of where it was a quarter-century ago.
Well, the "Blue Dogs" AKA "New Democrats" favored (or at least didn't oppose) monopolies and terminated the Glass-Steagall act, for two examples. They also made the income tax less progressive. It seems to me that they turned their backs on ordinary working folk, and are well to the right of many of the old Republicans (Eisenhower, for but one instance). As the Republican Party moved farther and farther to the right, the Democrats followed them, and took over parts of the political spectrum that had previously been Republican territory. Leon Panetta is a good example of a Republican who maintained his position on the political spectrum as it changed from Republican to Democratic territory. (His mentor was Tom Kuchel, another classical Republican of the New Deal Consensus era.) Remember that it was Eisenhower who sent the Army to Little Rock to enforce the court-ordered school integration. That's not everything, but is enough, I think. ---Alan
Oh, and remember that Ike coined the phrase "military-industrial complex." He had planned to say "military-industrial-congressional complex" but was persuaded to leave Congress out of it. ---Alan
Yes, New Democrats were maybe even a shade to the right of Eisenhower/Rockefeller Republicans. Who weren't entirely typical of the Republican party as a whole. But my point is that Democrats on the whole have been slowly drifting leftward since the Clinton era.
Since we've mentioned Eisonhower, I'll share an anecdote from my early teens. I tuned in a Little Rock station to listen to the 1950 Republican convention. In several instances, including the Virgin Islands, there were competing Eisenhower and Taft delegations. In each instance, the convention had voted to seat the Eisenhower delegation. But as the roll call reached the Virgin Islands, its delegation was caucusing outside the auditorium. A Taft delegate rushed to the microphone and casts its three votes for Taft. But before the chair certified the vote and moved on, an Eisenhower delegate reached the microphone and demanded a poll of the delegation. Another Eisenhower delegate managed to show up, so at the end it was two votes for Eisenhower and one for Taft.
Right eye has dropped back to crummy, but that's expected so no sweat. Kid got me a couple of store bought glasses, and left eye likes em , so not complaining. Follow up apt on March 17.
Dr. Becky: All the evidence we have for dark matter [Click] Starting at about 24:25 she discusses the Bullet Clusters, which I hadn’t heard of before—the first direct evidence of dark matter. But don’t start there—the lead-up to it puts it into perspective. —Alan
7:30 AM: Light rain and the river seems to have risen by about two feet; Miyoko says she noticed yesterday that it had begun to rise.
ReplyDelete----Alan
A Level 4 of 4 warning of excessive rainfall issued in some California areas
DeleteAlan, in what part of Fresno are you and Miyoko?
DeleteFrom the above article:
Fresno County: Residents in eastern portions of the county should begin gathering belongings and be prepared for possible evacuation orders, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post. "The first of a series of severe storms has now moved into our region. It is expected to deliver several inches of rain throughout the weekend. This rain, coupled with snow melt, will put a strain on lakes, rivers and streams," the post noted.
We are in a county island on the north edge of the city, overlooking the San Joaquin River. [Note: the sun is shining currently (11AM)]. We had an emergency alert about potential flooding via TV about an hour ago, directed particularly to people living in the foothills to the east, where the relatively warm rain is expected to melt the recent snow. The snow level has allegedly risen to 7,000 feet. There might be some flooding in the western part of the county, where the land is very flat. Oh, and Fresno is about as earthquake-free a place as one can find in California. Too many Republicans, though. IMO.
Delete----Alan
By way of contrast, where I grew up rainfall of an inch an hour was to be expected at times during the rainy season (about November through March). I remember once when it rained, sometimes less and sometimes more, for seven days and nights straight. Fresno is a lot drier than that. And Miyoko, being from Japan, is familiar with typhoons.
Delete---Alan
La Niña is over and El Niño could be on the way, NOAA says
ReplyDeleteRe politics, the California Green Party has endorsed the idea of appeasing Russia by bargaining away part of Ukraine for "peace." It isn't particularly surprising given their long term history, but it has made me reconsider my voter registration. I still bear a grudge against the Democratic Party for its long-standing rightward drift. I consider myself a slightly improved New Deal Democrat, but "decline to state" registration is not satisfactory either.
ReplyDelete----Alan
I checked the Green Party USA web site, and they are (whether intentionally or not) parroting (some) Russian propaganda. I have inquired of the county Registrar of Voters if I can regularly receive Democratic presidential primary ballots when registered as "No Party Preference," rather than having to make a request each time.
Delete----Alan
I like the Illinois system, where you don't register by party. You just register to vote. And when you show up to vote, you say which primary you want to vote in.
DeleteMy precinct is all vote by mail; very convenient. Democratic, American Independent, and Libertarian parties allow No Party Preference voters to vote in their primary elections (but not for party officers).
Delete---Alan
I've been trying to think what the Democratic Party's "rightward drift" might mean. There are factions within the party. In the mid-90s the "New Democrats" became the dominant faction, but their influence has gradually faded over the past two decades. Genuinely progressive Democrats are becoming more prominent, although we still have a way to go. But even just looking at the leadership, the party is to the left of where it was a quarter-century ago.
DeleteWell, the "Blue Dogs" AKA "New Democrats" favored (or at least didn't oppose) monopolies and terminated the Glass-Steagall act, for two examples. They also made the income tax less progressive. It seems to me that they turned their backs on ordinary working folk, and are well to the right of many of the old Republicans (Eisenhower, for but one instance). As the Republican Party moved farther and farther to the right, the Democrats followed them, and took over parts of the political spectrum that had previously been Republican territory. Leon Panetta is a good example of a Republican who maintained his position on the political spectrum as it changed from Republican to Democratic territory. (His mentor was Tom Kuchel, another classical Republican of the New Deal Consensus era.) Remember that it was Eisenhower who sent the Army to Little Rock to enforce the court-ordered school integration. That's not everything, but is enough, I think.
Delete---Alan
Oh, and remember that Ike coined the phrase "military-industrial complex." He had planned to say "military-industrial-congressional complex" but was persuaded to leave Congress out of it.
Delete---Alan
Yes, New Democrats were maybe even a shade to the right of Eisenhower/Rockefeller Republicans. Who weren't entirely typical of the Republican party as a whole. But my point is that Democrats on the whole have been slowly drifting leftward since the Clinton era.
DeleteSince we've mentioned Eisonhower, I'll share an anecdote from my early teens. I tuned in a Little Rock station to listen to the 1950 Republican convention. In several instances, including the Virgin Islands, there were competing Eisenhower and Taft delegations. In each instance, the convention had voted to seat the Eisenhower delegation. But as the roll call reached the Virgin Islands, its delegation was caucusing outside the auditorium. A Taft delegate rushed to the microphone and casts its three votes for Taft. But before the chair certified the vote and moved on, an Eisenhower delegate reached the microphone and demanded a poll of the delegation. Another Eisenhower delegate managed to show up, so at the end it was two votes for Eisenhower and one for Taft.
DeleteRight eye has dropped back to crummy, but that's expected so no sweat. Kid got me a couple of store bought glasses, and left eye likes em , so not complaining. Follow up apt on March 17.
ReplyDeleteSounds OK, and OK is good.
Delete---Alan
Indeedy it is good. This time around it's gonna be much better. Experience is golden.
Deletepuddle: ✨🍀✨
Delete1:30 PM: cloudy, cool wind, no rain.
ReplyDelete---Alan
Jury in Trump Trial Can See ‘Access Hollywood’ Tape [Click]
ReplyDelete—Alan
Dow fell 345 points today (4th straight day of losses) over the news.
ReplyDeleteThe streets were dry here by the end of the day; a friend of Miyoko's in the Los Angeles area said they had very heavy rain.
ReplyDelete----Alan
Dr. Becky: All the evidence we have for dark matter [Click] Starting at about 24:25 she discusses the Bullet Clusters, which I hadn’t heard of before—the first direct evidence of dark matter. But don’t start there—the lead-up to it puts it into perspective.
ReplyDelete—Alan
The stock market is hypochondriac.
ReplyDelete---Alan