From NOAA’s GOES-13 satellite, check out this pic taken on Sunday morning, October 28 at 9:02AM EDT.
You can see the massive size of the hurricane as it churns up the east coast.
Hurricane Sandy – from space
Joss Whedon on Mitt Romney
JoeMyGod shares this video from Buffy creator Joss Whedon, which has gotten over 800K views in two days.
Jaymes & James – “Team Chippendales” on The Candi & Randy Show
Listen to internet radio with CandiXRandy on Blog Talk Radio
Chippendales is one of the most well-known brands in the world, and tonight we welcome two of today’s most famous Chippendales – Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis.
Jaymes and James joins The Candi & Randy Show to talk about preparing for photo shoots for the iconic Chippendales calendar (2013 edition just released), their passion for creating music and the reasons why they agreed to race around the world on THE AMAZING RACE.
In addition to touring the world and now playing nightly to packed audiences at the Rio Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas with the Chippendales, Jaymes and James are both accomplished musicians. Jaymes Vaughan’s song “Vampire” became a viral sensation when released last year; and James Davis’ band “My Name Engraved” is currently receiving multiple recording contract offers.
AND, as Jaymes and James are currently featured on the hit CBS TV show THE AMAZING RACE as “Team Chippendales,” they are charming TV audiences with their humor, drive and good looks.
Join us as Jaymes and James share what it’s like to balance their lives as Chippendales, musicians and the world getting to know them through THE AMAZING RACE.
Why “trickle down” doesn’t work…
As Hurricane Sandy approaches…
The Wall Street Journal reports:
U.S. airlines have canceled more than 4,700 flights due to depart Sunday and Monday, ahead of the expected landfall early Tuesday of Hurricane Sandy. Airlines canceled 1,030 domestic and international services on Sunday and a further 3,680 due to depart Monday, with east coast airports expected to decide later Sunday whether or not to close. Airports from Washington, D.C. up to Boston were implementing contingency plans, with the ability of staff to reach work and control towers to remain open in high winds among the key concerns. Most air traffic control towers close when winds reach 60 to 70 knots, but many of the early disruptions are because of mass transit shutdowns that have affected the availability of airline and airport staff, FlightAware said. New York is shutting down its transit system beginning at 7 p.m. local time on Sunday. Newark Liberty International Airport accounted for almost a quarter of the U.S. cancellations, with 1,080 services to and from the United Airlines’ hub scrubbed over the next two days. United is suspending operations on Monday and early Tuesday at Newark and Dulles International Airport, as well as 24 others including Boston, Philadelphia and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Amtrak has suspended service along the northeast corridor. Local NYC news also reports that inland and midtown hotels are filling up with evacuees from Zone A. Emergency planners advise that all travelers should plan to spend at least the next two days in whatever location they are tonight.
The Broadway League has announced that all Broadway and Off Broadway shows have been canceled for tonight and tomorrow. Refunds are available through ticket sellers.
(via JMG)
Minnesota anti-gay marriage amendment is close in polls
A new poll on Minnesota’s Amendment 1, a measure that would write marriage discrimination into the state’s constitution, shows that the race is still extremely close.
The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that 47% of registered voters oppose the amendment, an unchanged number, while 48% of voters support amending the constitution to define marriage as one man, one woman. That’s down one point from the previous polls. Five percent of people remain undecided, the paper says. Over 50% is needed one way or the other, and skipping the question qualifies as “no”.
Not surprisingly, most of the people who oppose the amendment know someone who is LGBT: 54% of people who are voting no know someone who is gay or lesbian. Surprisingly, 40% of those who say they want to enshrine discrimination know someone who is gay or lesbian. Those are Michele Bachmann’s people.
Minnesotans United for All Families, a group trying to stop the unnecessary and hateful amendment, remain hopeful that Minnesotans will see the amendment for what it is.
“When Minnesotans go to the polls, they’ll measure this amendment against their values of freedom and treating others as you would want to be treated,” said the group’s campaign manager, Richard Carlbom. “This amendment just doesn’t stack up to our values as Minnesotans.”
(source)
Earthquake in L.A. – 3.9 magnitude
A minor earthquake has rattled Southern California, shaking buildings in downtown Los Angeles.
The US Geological Survey says the 3.9 magnitude quake struck at 8:24 a.m. Sunday and was centered about 5 miles east-southeast of Santa Clarita, Calif.
Shaking was felt across the Santa Clarita Valley, in downtown Los Angeles and in West Hollywood.
I am, of course in L.A. for the day and lucky me – we have an earthquake. No damage has been reported though. More wine!
(source)
Paul Ryan offers constituent candy and a Packers schedule when asked about bringing jobs back to US
The video, from 2011, shows one of the vice presidential candidate’s constituents asking the Wisconsin Republican how he plans on bringing jobs back to America.
Ryan first tells the man to visit his website, then offers him candy — “No… I just need jobs,” the man replied — and then Mr. Ryan and his wife try to ignore the man until their staffers can shoo him away.
Their plasticine smiles are the stuff of political legends.
(via Towleroad)
Grigor Dimitrov’s amazing “reach around” tennis shot
Grigor Dimitrov, 21-year-old Belgian tennis player, making what some are calling the best shot of the year. During a match with Serbian player Viktor Troicki, Grigor handled a tricky “backhand” from the back like this:
Romney surrogate John Sununu says Powell endorsement based on race
Romney surrogate John Sununu says Colin Powell’s endorsement of President Obama is based on race:
MORGAN: Final question, Colin Powell decided to opt for President Obama again, despite apparently still being a Republican. Is it time he left the party, do you think?
SUNUNU: I’m not sure how important that is. I do like the fact that Colin Powell’s boss, George Herbert Walker Bush, has endorsed Mitt Romney all along. And frankly, when you take a look at Colin Powell, you have to wonder whether that’s an endorsement based on issues or whether he’s got a slightly different reason for preferring President Obama?
MORGAN: What reason would that be?
SUNUNU: Well, I think when you have somebody of your own race that you are proud of being president of the United States, I applaud Colin for standing with him.
Writes DailyKos’ Jed Lewison: “I guess the logical implication here is that Sununu is only endorsing Romney because he’s white, right? If you ask me, I think the real story here is that Romneyland is scared to death of talking about the Richard Mourdock story—in other words, the rape thing wasn’t working out for Romney, so they decided to give the race thing a try.”