We report, you giggle

The Hurricanes and Global Warming report of the day is on MSNBC.COM.
The report states that according to a study released Thursday by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, global warming accounted for about half of the extra heat in the Atlantic last year, which in turn caused last year’s record-breaking hurricane season.

The study found that sea-surface temperatures in Atlantic waters were a record 1.7 degrees F above the 1901-1970 average.
The researchers compared the Atlantic data to worldwide data since the early 20th century, and calculated that global warming explained about 0.8 degrees of this rise.

Thoughts?

Well, there’s good news and bad news.

The good news: Italy leads the Czech Republic, 1-0 early in the second half. If that result holds, the United States would qualify for the second round with a win over Ghana.

The bad news: Ghana leads the United States, 2-1 at halftime.

U-S-A! U-S-A!

UPDATE: Liveblog of the USA-Ghana game here. Apparently Ghana’s second goal was scored on a penalty kick off a bulls**t foul call. So perhaps the score should really be listed as USA 1, Ghana 1, Refs 1. Unfortunately, rage against the refs won’t get the Americans into the second round.

Liveblog of the Italy-Czech game here.

UPDATE 2: Ghana wins, 2-1, and advances to the second round, along with Italy (which beat the Czechs 2-0). Considering the Czechs were #2 and the U.S. #5 in the official FIFA rankings coming in, I think that officially proves that this was a “Group of Death.”

Apparently both of Ghana’s goals involved questionable calls, so the win will doubtless be very controversial, here in the States at least. Which is a shame, really, because Ghana is clearly a good team and deserves credit for its excellent play. Though if the U.S. really did get screwed by the refs, as people are saying (I wasn’t watching, so I don’t know), obviously that’s an even worse shame.

Anyway, Ghana’s reward is most likely a matchup with defending champion Brazil in the Round of 16.

P.S. Roger: “Damn the referee.”

That’s the report, anyway. InstaPundit has a roundup of links and commentary. The KosKidz are unimpressed.

The tropics remain relatively quiet, but there is an area of interest east of Florida that could develop slowly over the next couple of days. Probably nothing to worry about, but worth watching.

I, however, will not be watching it, at least not until Friday evening. I’ll be away from the Internet, hanging out with my fellow summer associates at the Gainey Ranch resort tomorrow night, as we have our pre-mock trial retreat with the summers from Irvine and Santa Monica, who are flying into Phoenix for the occasion. (The mock trial itself is Friday at the office.) Not that you’ll likely notice the difference; blogging has been pretty light in recent days anyway, as I’ve been very busy. But it’ll be even lighter over the next two days.

Just a few days after Flagstaff dodged a bullet, another major wildfire is burning in northern Arizona. This time, it’s Oak Creek Canyon, north of Sedona, that’s under the gun. And it could fuel an inferno. As of Tuesday morning, there was considerable fear that the fire could “gain a foothold in the untamed wilderness where it could burn uncontrollably, destroy homes and spread north toward Flagstaff. … A state of emergency has been declared, and the Brins Fire was ranked as a national priority.” The fire is still only 5 percent contained, but thus far firefighters’ worst fears haven’t been realized, and they’ve kept it on the east side of highway 89A, which is apparently crucial.

For the latest, visit the official “AZ211″ site, as well as AZ Central, KPHO and ABC15.

Live webcam views of Sedona can be found here and here.

Harumph. The trailer for Eragon, originally scheduled to be released with X-Men 3, then pushed back to Superman Returns, has been delayed again:

Today, a reliable source close to the movie who wished to remain anonymous told us that Fox wants to move the trailer off of Superman Returns so that the special effects are further along when the trailer releases. Right now, the movie effects (Saphira, etc.) still have a long way to go. We have no information as to which movie they now anticipate the trailer will release on, but we’ll update you as soon as we hear something!

Hmm… how about the Pirates of the Caribbean sequel? That’d be awesome…

I couldn’t help but leave a quick post with this nugget:

Serbia is like Nokia: Each year there’s a new model, and it keeps getting smaller.

Seven Marines and one sailor are charged with murder and other offenses in the death of an Iraqi civilian, the Marine Corps says. Visit CNN for the latest.

The Associated Press reports Marines plan to charge seven Marines and one sailor with murder in connection with the April death of an Iraqi civilian in Hamdaniya, a defense official said. Visit CNN for the latest.

Federal agents were serving an indictment on six corrections officers at a Florida detention facility when one of those being arrested opened fire, the FBI says. Three people were shot, two fatally. Visit CNN for the latest.

Why? Because it’s fun… Anyway, looks like the NSA could be hacking the Internet. Okay, technically the activity alleged is packet sniffing on a router network that covers about 1/3 of Internet traffic. I think the FBI would have some serious words with anyone who tried something like this and was not the NSA. You know, of the “no contact with a computer for 20 years” kind.

The Tuesday June 20 Hartford Courant offered two illuminating reports: (1) Party’s `Soul’ Up For Grabs ~

WASHINGTON — For Democratic activists around the country, Connecticut’s U.S. Senate primary is not just a local contest between a veteran political figure and an aggressive newcomer; it’s a crucial test of whether the left or the center has more influence in the national party.

“This is a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party,” said Marshall Wittmann, political analyst at the Democratic Leadership Council, a group of party moderates.

Darn right, say the progressives.

Ned Lamont’s challenge to incumbent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., is “part of a protracted struggle,” said Tim Carpenter, executive director of the Progressive Democrats of America. “We’re all about electing progressive candidates, and it starts with a single step like this.”

Both sides intend to put their money and their people where their mouths are. Progressives at last week’s Take Back America conference vowed to visit Connecticut this summer to campaign; this week, as they meet in Washington for a series of forums, moderates are promising the same.

…Since 2000, the progressives have been ascendant, largely because of the insurgent 2004 presidential campaign of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean. His anti-war message energized the progressives and got him elected party chairman last year - much to the dismay of Lieberman and his followers.

Lamont could fit nicely into the progressives’ re-emergence. Many at last week’s progressive convention in Washington seemed to know little about Lamont, the Greenwich businessman making his first bid for a statewide office.

But they know he’s a fervent Iraq war critic, a stark contrast to Lieberman.

…Such talk makes Democratic centrists shudder, because the image they’ve tried so hard to craft for 20 years is being pierced.

…”There are real echoes here of 1968,” noted Lance deHaven-Smith, professor of public administration and policy at Florida State University. Just as a series of victories in 1968 energized the anti-Vietnam crowd - and helped George McGovern gain the party’s nomination in 1972 - some see an anti-war presidential candidate gaining from a strong grass-roots showing in races like the one in Connecticut.

“They’re McGovernites with modems,” Wittmann said.

…”The public may not know all the ins and outs of the Lamont candidacy, even in Connecticut,” said Peverill Squire, professor of political science at the University of Iowa.

“But among people who follow the Democratic Party, this race is a big deal nationally.”

Whole article. And ~ in what, tellingly, should be a “Dog Bites Man” headline ~ (2) Lieberman To Stay In Primary:

CROMWELL — By pledging Monday to remain a candidate in the Democratic primary, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman forcefully answered one pressing question - and hedged on another.

Lieberman unequivocally answered those who have suggested he bypass the Aug. 8 primary, where he would risk the wrath of anti-war Democrats, and run as an independent in November.

“Under no circumstances will I not be on the ballot in the Democratic primary on Aug. 8,” Lieberman told reporters after a speech. “That’s final.”

But Lieberman, who often approaches difficult decisions with caution, would not foreclose an independent run should he lose the Democratic nomination to anti-war candidate Ned Lamont, who won a key endorsement Monday.

“If the unexpected happens, do I want to keep open the option of taking my case as an independent Democrat to all the voters of Connecticut so that they can have the last word in November? And that’s a question I haven’t decided,” Lieberman said.

…Lamont, a wealthy cable-television entrepreneur with no statewide political experience, trailed Lieberman, 55 percent to 40 percent, among likely Democrat voters in one recent poll.

Lieberman’s pledge to stay in the primary without a promise to abide by its results seemed an odd strategy to some Democrats.

George Jepsen, a former Democratic state chairman and state Senate majority leader who endorsed Lamont on Monday, said he was unsure how the pledge helped Lieberman among Democrats.

“It will send a confusing message to Democratic primary voters,” Jepsen said…

…”It sounds like he is trying to find a strategy that allows him to have his cake and eat it, too” said Jonathan Pelto, a consultant and former political director of the Connecticut Democrats.

…”I’ve been really fed up by the rigid partisanship in Washington, not just about the war,” Lieberman told reporters…Of Lamont, he said, “Part of his attacks on me are that I haven’t been partisan enough, haven’t been a polarizer enough.”

…”I’m telling the truth,” Lieberman said. “Whether it’s risky or not, I don’t know. My obligation is to tell the truth to the American people.”

…Lieberman cannot wait until the primary is over to petition his way onto the November ballot. To qualify, he would have to collect signatures from 7,500 voters by 4 p.m. the day after the primary. It could take weeks to obtain petition forms from the secretary of the state’s office, organize workers to circulate the petitions and reach enough voters to ensure he gets 7,500 valid signatures.

“I’ve got time,” Lieberman said.

He declined to say, in his estimation, how much time.

Whole thing. / In the Estimation of this former CT SOTS Elections Officer: Not Much Another week or 2, Max. / I know, I know, taking out the independent petitions before the Primary hurts the primary campaign; but if you Dilly-dally more than another coupla weeks at most, you run the risk of the need for a Humiliatingly unsuccessful Lawsuit claiming that the System is Unfair, which it Isn’t.

Go, Joe! :/

The Blaming of Cats is a difficult matter. Apologies to TS Eliot. :> ~ Old Deuteronomy, guestyowling. :}

Lewis The Cat has been spared a death sentence.

In addition, he won’t have to be declawed as part of a special probation program granted to his owner, Ruth Cisero, by a judge Tuesday.

Superior Court Judge Patrick Carroll placed Cisero on probation for two years and ordered her to perform 50 hours of community service. A further condition of her probation is that Lewis remain housebound.

…Cisero was charged in February with second-degree reckless endangerment, after Lewis slipped out the door Feb. 5 and attacked [neighbor Maureen] Bachtig on nearby Sunset Circle.

At the time of his escape from Cisero’s home, Lewis was under a restraining order in connection with the strafing of another neighbor in December…

Whole thing. And, the AP take. Note the accompanying AOL Poll: 84% for Lewis. :) Softies. ;> Mmrrowwwr. :]

Summer officially begins at 5:26 AM MST (8:26 AM EDT) tomorrow… which means it’s time for BrendanLoy.com’s quarterly post about how silly it is to say that the seasons “officially begin” on the solstices and equinoxes. (Hi Mike. :)

Here in Phoenix, it has felt like “summer” for quite a while, but it won’t take too much imagination over the next few days to recognize that summer has definitely arrived:

Holy freakin’ furnace, Batman!