Sunday Morning Coming Down

President Trump is proposing eliminating the "death tax" which will allow his family to inherit a lot of money and assets without paying taxes on it.  The sources of his incomes don't seem to have produced much like the farms, factories, or small businesses which he talks about protecting but something else. There is a "moral hazard" to the absolute lack of an inheritance tax.  Some folks that inherit money will stop working and producing things before they might have.  Some folks may never work at all.  And that doesn't include some folks that will actually have trouble managing their wealth and cause problems because of their wealth. Meanwhile providing money to support and protect everyone is short changed or must pay higher tax rates or the debt increases. The marginal tax rate on productive labor should be reduced and other tax rates should be reviewed to insure they provide positive benefits and good jobs.  Slaving away at low wages is a form of ex...

This needs some serious attention from the highest parts of  the federal government and the logistical support of the U.S. Military.  NOW!!   BULLETIN Hurricane Maria Intermediate Advisory Number 13A NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL152017 800 AM AST Tue Sep 19 2017 ...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MARIA HEADED FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO... SUMMARY OF 800 AM AST...1200 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...16.2N 62.8W ABOUT 85 MI...135 KM W OF GUADELOUPE ABOUT 170 MI...275 KM SE OF ST. CROIX MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH...260 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 300 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...933 MB...27.55 INCHES    About six days ago Maria hit Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The hurricane was the strongest storm to hit the island since 1928 and reports from the island indicates that there has been flooding, and virtually no power on the island since th...

Hurricane Harvey, Irma, and Maria will put a strain on the electrical utilities and almost everyone else.  I'm wondering who will be left in Puerto Rico if the initial estimates for restoring power are correct.  A few days is a long time and and a few months would be a real game changer for an island that has little money and not many options. The Florida Keys are advertising that Key West has power and is open or business.  The drive from Miami to Cayo Hueso will never be quite the same, even if the locals can get a cold beer while they are waiting for the adjuster and the contractors to fix stuff. The piles of tree debris are everywhere in Miami Dade.  Yes the roads are almost entirely clear, the football season has resumed, almost all the signalized intersections are working, and just about everyone who can be reconnected to the power grid is up and running. The new drama will now move to the lawyers, contractors, insurance companies and the federal, state, ...

Hurricane Irma will be long remembered.  A glancing blow that might have been much worse.  Downed trees, an  extended power outage, a failed generator, traffic disruptions, worries about friends and relatives on Florida's West Coast, and a lot of other little things. Sleeping was difficult without AC, fans, or lights to guide one to the bathroom for a midnight cold shower. I actually watched the hurricane blow through High  Pines through hurricane resistant windows. The power of nature to "trim trees" is awesome but it is also a little bit random. Last night the bitching about power restoration reached a fever pitch as the Coral Gables City Attorney threatened to sue Florida Power and Light because they did not restore power to everyone in the City Beautiful by 11:59 PM, Sunday Night as initially promised.  FPL countered the claim by saying Coral Gables didn't do their job by trimming trees to minimize line damage. Each storm is different but it seems FPL ov...

Hurricane Irma is approaching slowly.    For those watching the storm since what seems like almost three weeks being tired is the order of the day.   This morning there was a gust of 50 mph in South Miami and I guess we are off to the races. There have been three forecasts about the hurricane.   #1 had it going through the Keys and up the middle of the state, then #2 up the east coast causing destruction from Homestead through Miami and Fort Lauderdale, then maybe #3 tracking further west and further west until this morning it looks like it is going to go up the west coast from Marco Island, north through Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Pete, and Tampa.   Miami seems out of the cone of destruction but it may be a really wet time, not like Harvey, but enough to cause some serious flooding on the beaches and in low lying places. Individually I thought about bugging out, staying with a friend with a newer roof and hurricane resistant windows and go...

Just finished absorbing the 5:00AM advisory from the National Hurricane Center.  Hurricane Irma continues traveling west at about 13 mph with sustained winds of 140 mph. The Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico have been issued hurricane warnings.  The five day forecasts now plots the hurricane passing very near Key West on Sunday.  They will probably be issuing evacuation orders for the Florida Keys shortly if the projected path does not change.  Wind and storm surge issues can cut people off quite easily as the Keys are almost at seal level. 8:00AM advisory has storm strengthening and continuing on its westward path.  Sustained winds now at 175 mph.  Very bad and worrisome for those in the path of storm. Plywood is going out the door rapidly, the water asile at the grocery store is bare until the next shipment gets there and there are lots of things to trim and put away.  The forecasts are more reliable as things get close. Local...

Irma is a strong hurricane with winds of 115 mph moving WSW at 15 mph 18.0 N and 47.5 W. still almost five days south east of Miami.  NOAA hurricane center web site reports every three hours, plenty of time to prepare and watch. As in hand grenades and horseshoes close does count.  You really don't need a direct hit to lose electricity, get torrential rains or screw up the traffic or get a leaky roof. Yes it is Labor Day Weekend and the tree trimmers will be going full blast, bottled water and generators will be hot items and those with storm shutters or impact resistant windows will have an easier time buttoning up in preparation should the storm come our way.  Latest coordinates 16.8 N and 53.3 W.  9/4/2017 11:00AM.