Hard to believe, but I was just in Daytona Beach on August 2nd. It was so gorgeous there, and hubby and I plan to go back for the race (NASCAR) in February. My thoughts and prayers are with those in that area. I just hope Fay will soon go elsewheres and give Floridians a rest!

Gwen

I envy you Gwen! I’ve always wanted to go to the race at Daytona but have never been able to swing it. Ahhh, someday I’ll go!

I was just finishing some work here in Ottawa and will be heading out with the Canadian Navy officers for dinner and they want me to meet some fellow officers……….Lt. Molson and Lt. Labatts..(haha

Just a quick question for all. Are you reading any good books lately? I just finished a biography of Charles Schulz (of Peanuts fame) that was good and am finishing up “Battle History of the Japanese Navy: 1941-1945″ That is the Japanese view of their Naval battles in the Pacific that is fascinating. I enjoy military history books. Hey Janice! Do you have a “subway book” you read during the commute? I have a Star Wars paperback I read during the commute on bus and train. Easy to start and stop reading and if you lose it, no big deal. Sometimes though, I get so engrossed I miss my stop…oops!

Hey Don-

I have always wondered if Bill Schulz from Red Eye is related to Charles Schulz? I guess that is one of the great mysteries of life

I also hope you are reading Jerome Corsi’s book “Obamanation”. You wont see this liberal in the same light anymore, and will see him in his true light, an Anti American.

Yahoo is building an Internet-age news service, leveraging its global audience of a half-billion people to win exclusive interviews with world leaders.

Unlike websites that just aggregate news stories plucked from the Internet, Yahoo is cutting content deals with wire services and other “traditional” outlets as well as investing in a bullpen of its own reporters.

A student fatally shot a 15-year-old classmate during a dispute Thursday at a Knoxville high school, as other teenagers watched in horror as the victim clutched his chest and fell to the floor.

Police identified the victim as Ryan McDonald, a sophomore who lived with his grandmother and had alopecia, a condition that left him bald and the target of endless teasing as a child.

The shooting happened shortly after 8 a.m. at the Central High School cafeteria, Chief Deputy Bill Roehl said, and the suspected shooter was taken into custody minutes later on a nearby street. The suspect and victim knew each other, Knox County School System Superintendent Bill McIntyre said.

3 landfalls….Unbelievable!

I just want to say that I think Janice Dean is just the greatest!!! She always looks beautiful, her sense of humor is completely delightful, and I just admire her so much!

Thanks, Janice, for being such a cool “Weather Machine”!

Nancy in Pennsylvania

It amazes me how Katrina has contributed to the pure drama and sensationalism of hurricanes and tropical depressions. Pretty soon we will be broadcasting live as minor thunderstorms and showers come through an area and warning people to not go outside because they might get wet.

I remember when I was in Seattle a few years ago many cars had a bumper sticker on them that simply said “Rain Happens”. Well, so do hurricanes and tropical storms and while they are dangerous and unpredictable they are also nature. The north has blizzards, the southwest has heat, the Pacific Northwest has rain, and the south has hurricanes and tropical depressions.

My Grandfather once told me, after I asked him whether it was going to rain or not, that it “takes a fool to predict the weather, a bigger fool to believe what they predict, and a complete idiot to complain about it after it happens.

The problem is that the networks (even Fox) has figured out a way to parlay a dollar or two out of natures natural actions. I like Fox but this is getting ridiculous.

Last year the south was engulfed by a terrible drought that left many wondering if we would have enough water to even drink. This year the rain comes back and we want to make it a catastrophic event. Most of Florida is ranges from being at sealevel to maybe 40 ft above sealevel…”flooding happens”!

Charlie Ford

Dawn I love the pictures of your cats!! because each of them take a very feline pose that reminds me of all my cats when I grew up!!
Tux stretching pose is definitely one of my favorite!!!
And you’re so lucky to have a fireplace!
Just looking at your pictures reminds me of the meaning of Home Sweet Home, cause cats have this special thing for comfort: they love to be cosy and would always pick the most comfortable place in a room

I totally understand you when you talk about your feelings for your pets.
Animals are very important, I believe.
Their presence in our life and our interaction with them is essential for harmony.

I’ve been living for the last four years in a high rise building and I have access to a terrace; the problem is that I can’t have cats because I’m too afraid they might fall. My roommate - who has been living here for ever - had a cat who fell.

Another friend of mine in France just lost a baby kitten who fell from the balcony
Supposedly cats don’t have the notion of altitude.
I was thinking that maybe the big plump cat that Bill & Megyn were hosting on their show a couple of weeks ago was perfect because I doubt he would have ever been able to jump!

Did anyone see our Janice this morning on America’s Newsroom??!: It was the first time we could hear her voice..but couldn’t see her!! it was so strange… (and sad!)
…until Megyn mentioned it in a funny way
Then Janice appeared for one second in miniature!!!
The Weather Machine was bewitched!!!!

Guillaume

Oh Guillaume….that is so sad about the cat and kitten who fell Heartbreaking really

That is another thing about my 3…they are strictly indoors……They are not allowed outside at all….Not even on the deck….Nada..No Way…No How…Strictly indoors….(Electronic LitterMaid Litter Boxes are our friends )

Ive been known to hiss at them….and loudly…should they even look like they are thinking of what is beyond the door….

I dont want them to get hit….or catch one of several diseases that are common with cats…Never mind eating a sick bird or rodent…

You need to check on whether any storms have made four landfalls. The current path shows Fay cutting across water on its way into the Florida Panhandle. (While it should be down to a tropical depression by then, you did count the second landfall by tropical depression Gordon as the first storm to circle back into Florida from the east after crossing from the west. Plus, the National Hurricane Center does show about 20 percent odds for Fay still being a tropical storm by then.)

Dawn your cats might live in door but they look sooo happy & beautiful!!!
You are right of keeping them safe.
Thank you for sharing the pictures

And I like your New York anecdote about the snow! Yes the city is always rapidly clean up when it snows…. and then you get big treacherous pond of water at every corner

But that moment when it snows is amazing cause the whole noisy city is suddenly muffled and becomes so quiet!!

Anyway my longing for snow was probably more of a caprice! I’m still very happy the summer is not over..especially this week where the temperature has been so pleasant!

How is the farm?

And beautiful shot by Pattie of sunset sky with the palm tree.
(sorry I’m always late! where was it?!)

Guillaume

Greta Prepares For Marathon Convention Blogging

Greta Van Susteren’s blog, GretaWire, has been a spot to both find TVNewser posts and for TVNewser to find post topics.

Well, like TVNewser, Van Susteren will be heading to Denver for the Democratic Convention and blogging herself. And Greta has some ambitious plans — a post an hour during the conventions.

Calling it a Blogathon, Van Susteren will be posting an hourly open thread for readers to comment in and receive responses in real time.

“We don’t want you just to watch our convention coverage…we want to involve you!” she writes.

The FNC ‘Experience’ Behind The Scenes

denver_8-21.JPGAs Fox News gears up for the Democratic convention, Alicia Acuna has reported live all day from Braun’s Bar & Grill in Denver, the site of the FOX Experience.

Acuna says it has taken, “400-plus people,” to convert the restaurant into a series of studios, and it goes live on Saturday.

In a later segment, Shepard Smith described the undertaking as a, “ginormous infomercial. It is costing us $435 billion dollars. We could fight another war with what we’re paying to do this.”

And if you’re not watching FNC during the conventions? “You’re just a loser,” joked Smith.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/the_experience_behind_the_scenes__92267.asp#disqus_thread

Microsoft’s new digital photo sharing site spent most of its first day offline as its servers strained to handle a flood of traffic.

The site, called Photosynth, stitches together a set of related digital photos into a presentation that allows viewers to zoom and pan across the scene.

An Alabama woman has filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the iPhone 3G’s network is slower than advertised.

In a 10-page complaint filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for Northern Alabama, Birmingham resident Jessica Alena Smith charged Apple with breach of express and implied warranty and with unjust enrichment. Smith, who refers to the phone she purchased throughout the complaint as “Defective iPhone 3G,” is seeking class action status.

The lawsuit claims that Apple’s iPhone 3G advertising campaign is misleading.

A Wisconsin woman has been arrested and booked for failing to pay her library fines.

Heidi Dalibor told the News Graphic in Cedarburg that she ignored the library’s calls and letters as well as a notice to appear in court.

Still, she was surprised when officers with a warrant knocked on her door, cuffed her and took her to the police station to be fingerprinted and photographed.

Police Capt. Joe Gabrish s

Guillaume…Business is good….and we expect the next few weekends to be very busy as people do their roasting, canning and freezing…

Considering that flower/plant sales were kind of flat having a good veggie season has been helpful….Then of course tomato and corn hasnt really dropped all that much in price…At least for the local grown produce…

Brad…Your posting about the woman who is suing Apple because of slow iPhone connection….I have on occation found that my iPhone has a problem loading a page…But for the most part its fine…I think that is probably true for wireless?? Dont know….But I am pleased with my iPhone….SO much so that I have to be careful not to get so engrossed with it at work….

Good Morning Ms. Janice and my fellow bloggers.

Weather is still wonderful here in Nashville. I must have walked 50 miles yesterday looking for a replacement for my old western hat. I also met up with a lady who has been working in Nashville for a number of years.

I remembered her and was surprised to find that she remembered me from 3 years ago when I met her on our first trip to Nashville. A very good voice and great on stage. If you like standard country her name is Dee Reilly. I believe I have her web site somewhere, I will look for it when I return home.

Ms. Janice I sent 2 more pictures, 1 at the Opry and another at the Wild Horse Saloon.

Take care all, talk to you soon.

chas

Chas…Enjoy!!…I was in Nashville about a year ago….Had a great time too….

I remeber just last week everyone giving grief to Florida’s govener for declaring a state of emergency before the storm arrived. and now look at them…you can never truly predict what a storm is going to do and should always prepare for the worst even if it doesn’t happen. It’s better to be ready and not needed then to be caught ignoring it like New Orleans mayor did. I hope they are all safe down there and it ends soon for them.

I think the network for cell phones is a separate issue than the device itself.
For instance the network Tmobile has been using to download Intrnet is soooooo slow!
But I know other networks are much faster with Blackberries.

Don, your book about History of the Japanese Navy during WW2 reminds me of the two movies Clint Eastwood did about the same battle of Iwo Jima but from two different perspectives: the US and the Japanese. It is really fascinating to see History of the world through different countries lenses cause often the same war can be interpreted in totally different way! I’m not sure if Napoleon did really say that, but History is always writing by the winners.

Wonder what life Charles Schulz did have….I saw a documentary about the cartoonist Herge’ (the father of Tintin, one of my favorite comics character) and I was surprised to find out how dark parts of his life were as he was often depressed. He actually used his work almost like a therapy to rescue him from his dark thoughts.

I’m reading Moby Dick. Great classic. But it is taking me sooo much time! I started it more than 6 months ago and I read it in French!!!
there are so many references!!!
But I love it.

Earlier this year I read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean Dominique Bauby. A short book by contrast with Moby Dick! But stunning and powerful. I keep thinking about it today (it’s a true story).

Guillaume

Janice you are too dramatic with these storms you are going to make oil go sky high

Guillaume;

It seems Charles Schulz was always shy and withdrawn and some depression was there. It made the cartoon strip good as those are common themes among all people in some form or another.

I LOVE Tintin!! I used to run to the school library as a kid the first of each month to get the “Childrens Digest” to read the monthly installment of his adventures. They are still developing a live action movie for the character.

Don

First off I just recently read on another website where Boston MA gets more rain per year than Seattle WA. Secondly Steve Gretchen Brian Megyn Bill and the rest there are going to love Denver. I was out there a few years ago beautiful state to behold. I know Wisconsin is God’s Country but man Colorado has to be up there. Then again being born and raised in flatland as Illinois is mountains fascinate me sometimes. Speaking of Fay is it possible its going for a 4th landfall or is it done?

A woman in South Florida who had sought a restraining order against her husband disappeared Thursday, the Miami Herald reported.

Josephine Frenna, who recently moved from Canada, previously told a judge that she and her son were “affraid for our life” because her estranged husband, Gerardo Di Marco, is “violent” and “dangerous,” the Herald reported.