Nutcase In Charlotte

Ken AshfordLocal InterestLeave a Comment

Lunatic David Thompson complains to Charlotte, NC city council during a community access forum, which is conveniently captured on tape and broadcast live on the local community access channel. Enjoy his rant against ice in the arena, rogue helicopter pilots, and "terrorist pussies".

Spelling Bee

Ken AshfordLocal Interest1 Comment

As I was watching the Scripps Spelling Bee finals last night, it occured to me that this "English As Official Language" movement is even more stupid than I originally opined.  I mean, our language is derivative of other languages, and we should acknowldege that. Anyway, our local girl did well, coming in third, after being reinstated following a very rare … Read More

Natural Disaster Watch

Ken AshfordDisastersLeave a Comment

What’s your pleasure? (1)  New Orleans sinking into the ground? (2)  A supervolcano under Yellowstone Park about to blow? (3)  Mount St. Helen’s get all steamy again

Hope You’re Enjoying Your Last Few Hours Alive

Ken AshfordDisastersLeave a Comment

As I reported last month, May 25th (that’s today) is the day the world is supposed to end, thanks to Comet 73P Schwassmann-Wachmann coming down on our heads. I’m glad to see that you all are behaving yourselves, and not engaging in rioting and looting and sex orgies and such. Or if you are, you haven’t invited me, which is … Read More

Are We Safe?

Ken AshfordDisasters, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

Apparently not. (1)  Natural disaster drill canceled because of red-tape confusion: A mock evacuation that was supposed to be part of a two-day statewide hurricane preparedness drill was canceled after a misunderstanding about who had jurisdiction over a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer park. Imagine what would have happened if it was not a drill. (2)  New Jersey toxic chemical … Read More

The Local Media

Ken AshfordLocal Interest1 Comment

Very funny/disturbing clip of what passes for "Morning News" in the Triad.  I’ll try to post it here, if I can. UPDATE:  Okay, here it is.  Watch out….

President Bush Responds To Flooding Emergency

Ken AshfordDisastersLeave a Comment

…in the State of Washington!!!  From floods that happened between January 27 through February 4. Meanwhile, in New Hampshire… With belongings and damaged materials strewn about the lawn, Rick Langelier and Terry Papagni take a break from cleaning up to eat pizza donated by a local restaurant. Island Drive residents began returning to their homes to tear out soggy carpeting … Read More

God Talked To Pat Robertson Again

Ken AshfordDisasters, GodstuffLeave a Comment

This is always a source of amusement. This time God came to Pat in the guise of Al Roker.  Or something. Pat told viewers of the 700 Club: "If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms." On today’s show, he added, "There well may be something as bad as a tsunami … Read More

Mom Said It Was Bad…

Ken AshfordDisastersLeave a Comment

And she wasn’t kidding: New England is bracing for the region’s worst flooding since the 1930s, The Associated Press reports, with the most serious situation in the Merrimack Valley, north of Boston on the New Hampshire border. There, AP reported, the Merrimack and Spicket rivers have overflowed their banks and forced the evacuations of hundreds of people. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt … Read More

The South Pacific Earthquake

Ken AshfordDisastersLeave a Comment

In the right column of this blog, there is a "live webcam" portal.  One of the live webcams is from the Nevada Seismological Lab Helicorder.  This afternoon, the image looked like this: Those squiggles on the right reflect (I’m assuming) the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the South Pacific which struck shortly before 1:00 pm (EST).  Fortunately, as of this writing, … Read More