Great post from Robert Reich

Robert Reich post on Facebook

Last night with two friends over dinner:

Fred: I trust Bernie. He hasn’t waivered on these issues in forty years. Hillary is all over the place. And she’s taking money from billionaires and big banks.

Linda: But Bernie can’t be elected president. Americans will never elect a 74-year-old Jewish socialist. Hillary can be elected. And we can’t risk this election. If any of these Republicans is elected we’re all f*cked.

Fred: Bernie can be elected. Polls don’t measure enthusiasm. And it’s enthusiasm that gets people to the voting booths -- and is turning Bernie’s candidacy into a national movement to take back our economy and reclaim our democracy.

Linda: Movement shmovement. “Occupy” was supposed to be a movement, too. Your movements are bullshit. Politics is about discipline and organization. That’s Hillary.

Fred: People don’t trust Hillary. They don’t like her. They won’t vote for her.

Linda: They will if her opponent is Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, or any of the other right-wing fanatics Republicans nominate.

Fred: What good will it do to elect a president whose principles shift like a weathervane?

Linda: What good will it do to have a nominee who can’t get elected?

What’s your view? Who won this argument?

Fuel spill feared for Llanitos

The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) reports that the shipping company responsible for the ship "Los Llanitos" stranded on the borders of the states of Jalisco and Colima after Hurricane "Patricia", started the installation of barriers containment to prevent spillage of 11,484 liters of oil and 489 m3 of diesel on the ship in their fuel tanks.

Plans are also under way to remove both oil and diesel in case the ship breaks up. It's not likely the ship will ever move again.

Hurricane Patricia claims a ship on Isla Navidad

Patricia claimed a whole lot of palapa and lamina roofs, almost all outside signage including businesses and highway, many ramadas and awnings and some lessor buildings. This ship is definitely the largest object moved by the wind.

Barra de Navidad

The 215 meter / 705 foot long, 71665 dwt (dead weight tons or metric tons or 2200 pounds) bulk carrier Los Llanitos ran aground in Pacific Ocean near Barra de Navidad, Mexico. The Los Llanitos had left Manzanillo one day before Hurricane Patricia approached, but had been blown ashore unable to withstand the strong winds by the hurricane. The bulker went ashore and sustained severe hull damage as it’s hull dragged along the rocky shoreline. The engine room and several sections of the hold suffered water ingress. Fuel tanks were also ruptured releasing pollution along the shore. Authorities were alerted and a Mexican Navy helicopter was dispatched to the scene. The helicopter rescued 19 of the 27 crew on board with the remaining crew voluntarily staying. No reports of injuries. Reports state the vessel was directed by port authorities to depart rather be in port when the hurricane made landfall. Later reports state the Los Llanitos has suffered a large crack in the hull which may result in the vessel being scrapped.

Will the wind blow it down

My crazy neighbor snowbird Canadian built this monstrosity saying he wanted a Canadian looking home, not a Mexican one. That also includes sloping roofs that slant toward the neighbor on the other side and this year he wants to slant one toward my property. I complained to Obras Publicas and they never came out to look. He also has windows opening directly onto two properties. Part of the problem is engineers only worry about foundations and not roofs or windows.

Anyway the only thing that monstrosity did for me was block my view of sunsets. We haven't had a storm this year to test his aerodynamics and with hurricane Patricia on our doorstep we might find out if his wing flies away. I just hope it stay in his yard and doesn't damage other people properties

The monster next door

Hurricane Patricia expected to be a CAT 4 on our doorstep

Friday update ...

...PATRICIA...
...THE STRONGEST EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC HURRICANE ON RECORD...
...HEADING FOR POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC LANDFALL IN SOUTHWESTERN
MEXICO LATER TODAY...

English is difficult

There was a Junta (parent teacher meeting) yesterday for Yari in Secondaria. Yari averages a 9 in all her classes but she got a 7 in English this quarter. Parents very unhappy and promise nothing for Christmas. She came over early this morning I think because Mom sent her but for computer use only. She said her problems are in class ... not homework ... but she was using Google Translate. If pronunciation in class is the problem we're going to have to figure out a way to practice. She is shy just to ask but also to show how difficult it is for her.

Yari in back with school friends

Nahima's birthday present to me

She brought it over this morning on way to Kinder

A frowny mood