Earl sideswipes NC headed for Massachusetts, Moncton and PEI

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane Earl still packs winds of 105 miles an hour of 168 km/h

In Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island last night there was a line up at Peake’s Quay as nervous boat owners trailered their boats and brought them ashore. The damage from Hurricane Juan, which was not predicted until too late, only seven years ago is still fresh in their minds.

All over Atlantic Canada people were getting ready for Hurricane Earl, the first hurricane of the season, heading up the Eastern Seaboard.

Hurricane Earl tracking on Massachusetts shore and Maritimes

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Storm Pulse has an interactive and predictive visual model of Hurricane Earl

(image StormPulse)

We might be headed for the “Big One” on the Eastern Seaboard with Hurricane Earl. The media are obsessing over it and so is Twitter. Here is a cool interactive map of the storm. The interactive chart is updated regularly.

(Chart is found on the top of the blog.)

StormPulse is based on a predictive tracking system, using the National Hurricane Center, cloud imagery by Xplanet, NERC Satellite Station, University of Dundee , and base imagery courtesy of NASA.

Where is the Green Party on dead rivers

Posted on July 25, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Massive anoxia of PEI’s waterways draws nary a comment from Green Party

Richard Brown with environmental employees (PEI Government photo)

PEI rivers and bays are suffering from an increase in anoxia this year. Green slime has taken over the rivers and killed thousands of fish.

It happens every year but this year is worse. Suspected causes are run off from fertilizers and chemicals for the land and sewage from waste systems.

Provincial environment minister Richard Brown has issued a press release. Federal Minister of Fisheries Gail Shea wants to partner with the Province to study the problem.

There hasn’t been a peep, not a press release or a Tweet from the Green Party, who are supposed to be dedicated to environmental issues. We must assume they have moved on to bigger and more vital topics like the gun range near Sharon Labchuck’s home.

“Anoxic conditions have been reported in a number of areas already this summer including portions of Brackley Bay, Covehead Bay, Barbara Weit River, Indian River, Bentic Cove, Southwest River, Hunter-Clyde River, Wheatley River, Chapel Creek, Hills (Mill) River, Cardigan River, Trout/Stanley River (including Founds River and Granville Creek), Hope River, Anderson’s Creek and Montrose River.” (Charlottetown Guardian)

Leave the crows alone they eat bugs

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Crows eat lawn and garden pests

Crows are good for Charlottetown, even posh Brighton

I never wanted to be the Lieutenant Governor of PEI and even less now that a few hundred crows live on her roof.

That would be annoying but Charlottetown is only making it worse with the ineffective crow control measures it is suggesting.

If they want the crows off the LG’s mansion Fanningbrook, try insulating the building so it doesn’t warm the birds. Stop herding them into a tighter and tighter clump.

Welcome them to your neighborhood.

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Disabled now an environmental hazard

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Stephen Pate

DARfP of the week – “There’s always the struggle between preserving the environment and making it accessible” Marcia Carroll to CBC

Marcia Carroll - DARfP of the week on the eternal struggle between the disabled and the environment

DARfP is our acronym for dumb ass replies from politicians or other public officials.

People with disabilities have been blamed for lots of silly things – being possessed by demons, taking the best parking spots, costing too much for building renovations.

We are now in a struggle – no we have always been in a struggle with the environment according to Marcia Carroll CEO if PEI’s Council of People with Disabilities.

I never saw myself as an enemy of the environment until now. Something else to worry about if I paid any attention to the feckless leader of PEI’s official disability organization.
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Is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill the worst?

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Stephen Pate

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is a disaster but how does it compare in history

Live from the floor of the Gulf of Mexico

The battle to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico is one step forward and two steps back. Yesterday, BP confirmed that the new cap had contained and captured 620,000 gallons of oil. But as you can see on the live video feed Live coverage of Gulf of Mexico oil spill more oil and mud is escaping past the cap.

That means the scientists estimate of the actual flow rate was probably too low. They just don’t know. But they are going back to the drawing board to sort it out.

In the meantime the underwater sea of oil is suspected but no one has been able to find it. For more on today’s latest findings, see The Washington Post Officials cite progress in siphoning oil, but remain unclear on size of spill

So is this the worst oil disaster of all time? Actually, not. It’s still bigger than Exxon Valdex but less than 1/10th the size of the Iraq Gulf War spill. For a pictorial view of the disaster, click to the next page.

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