With all of the hyperbole from the media about Hurricane Irma, it is difficult to know if it is the strongest hurricane ever and so on. Like anything else, measuring is all about methodology.
How many different ways can we measure hurricanes? Sustained wind speed? Barometric pressure in the eye? Distance from the eye at which hurricane force winds are generated? Tropical storm winds by distance? Gale force winds by distance?
Then we get into geography. Are we talking about hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean proper, or the Atlantic basin, which also includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico? Do we exclude Pacific Ocean hurricanes? Typhoons?
Wait, how do hurricanes differ from typhoons? Geography. Typhoons form in the Northwestern Pacific basin. Hurricanes and typhoons are all tropical cyclones. Let's take a look at the most current National Hurricane Center update on Irma, as of 11 pm, EDT (that link gets updated frequently).
The top wind speed of Hurricane Irma has decreased from its high of 185 mph to 165 mph. That's a difference that makes no difference in terms of its ability to destroy structures, but it seems people are more and more focused on biggest/best these days.
Three other Atlantic Basin hurricanes also had top wind speed of 185 mph. They are the unnamed "Labor Day" hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Hurricane Allen is the record holder at wind speed of 190 mph
If we use lowest barometric pressure as the measure of "power" or "intensity," the list of hurricanes that had lower barometric pressures than Irma include the aforementioned Wilma, Gilbert and Labor day; along with Allen (1980), Katrina (2005), Dean (2007), Mitch (1998), "Unnamed" (1924), Ivan (2004) and Janet (1955).
All of these storms were incredibly powerful. There's no need for the media to focus on largest, fastest, biggest and so on. The point is that this storm is putting lives in danger.
In late 1977, I went to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi to attend a training course following the completion of basic training. During the in-briefing on our arrival, our briefer told us the story of Hurricane Camille and the "hurricane party" that took place at the Richelieu Apartment complex in nearby Pass Christian. There were reports that 23 people refused to evacuate and held a hurricane party. Whether or not it really happened is still subject to debate, but the story that people would party in the face of danger captured my attention.
Walter Cronkite went to Mississippi to cover the aftermath of Camille. He stood next to the concrete slab that was all that remained of the Richelieu Apartments and said "This is the site of the Richelieu Apartments in Pass Christian, Miss. This is the place where 23 people laughed in the face of death. And where 23 people died."
A shopping center replaced the apartments. Hurricane Katrina destroyed that in 2005.
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Jack Phillips is the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, CO. Five years ago he was asked to bake a wedding cake for David Mullins and Charlie Craig, and refused. The couple filed a complaint alleging that this was a violation of Colorado's anti-discrimination law.
Now the case has reached the United States Supreme Court. What makes this unusual is that the U.S. Justice Department has filed an amicus brief with the court that urges the court to side with Mr. Phillips.
The ACLU, who represents the couple in the case, has criticized the Trump administration for that brief. I don't blame them. The conflict between religious freedom and civil rights is a tough issue. I think that baking a cake is not taking part in a wedding.
Could a laborer at a hotel refuse to move furniture around in preparation for a reception because the reception is for a same-sex couple? We've already seen a judge in Oregon who didn't want to perform same-sex marriages forced to either perform them, or stop doing marriages altogether. If this baker wanted to stop making any wedding cakes, that would be fine by me.
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Leslie Van Houten, a member of the Manson Family, has been granted parole by the California Parole Board.
The question is, will Governor Moonbeam once again override the recommendation and keep the convicted murder behind bars. She's been in prison since she was convicted back in March of 1971. She was originally sentenced to be executed, but that was automatically commuted to a life sentence after the case that determined the death penalty in California at the time was unconstitutional.
I see no reason to release her, or any other murderer. When you take another life and are convicted of murder rather than manslaughter, you should forfeit your freedom forever.
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