with his whole strength and soul can be a true master.
For this reason mastery demands all of a person.**
Albert Einstein
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.0 NEW IRELAND REGION, P.N.G.
5.9 MYANMAR
Yesterday -
11/20/11 -
5.3 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.0 NEAR N COAST OF NEW GUINEA, PNG.
5.7 NEAR N COAST OF NEW GUINEA, PNG.
5.3 TONGA REGION
TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Pacific -
Tropical storm Kenneth was located about 505 mi. (810 km) SSW of Manzanillo, Mexico. Kenneth could become a hurricane by Tuesday.
Tropical Storm Kenneth is strengthening in the eastern Pacific Ocean, with forecasters calling it a RARE late-season tropical storm. On Sunday, Kenneth had maximum sustained winds near 50 mph (85 kph). The storm was centered about 505 miles (810 kilometers) south of Manzanillo, Mexico, but was moving away from the coast. The storm is forecast to reach hurricane strength with winds of 75 mph on Wednesday before it hits cooler waters and begins to lose its punch. Projections show Kenneth moving west out to sea, away from land, over the next several days. Kenneth was the first tropical depression to form in the Eastern Pacific this late in the season since 1987. The eastern Pacific hurricane season ends Nov. 30.
Subtropical Storm Tammy may be brewing in Central Atlantic - The 2012 Atlantic hurricane season may be gearing up for one last encore performance. The National Hurricane Center designated system 99L in the Central Atlantic on Sunday, 550 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands, and said it had a medium chance of becoming Tropical Storm Tammy — or Subtropical Storm Tammy — as it drifts toward the north. If it does become Tammy, the 2011 season will match last year’s total of 19 named storms for the third-busiest hurricane season on record. That also happened two other years: 1887 and 1995.
One big difference between the two seasons is that 2011 is likely to end with just six hurricanes. There were 12 during last year’s hyperactive season. On Sunday morning, 99L was plotted at 1,684 miles to the east of Palm Beach. It was headed into more environmental conditions more favorable for development. All of the major forecasting major models show either a subtropical or tropical system forming. They predict it will move north, and then east. There will be no effect on Bermuda or North America, but It could eventually impact the Azores west of Portugal. If Tammy does form, it would be the first tropical/ subtropical system to be tracked on Thanksgiving since Tropical Storm Delta in 2005. Delta hit the Canary Islands in the far Eastern Atlantic. (forecast path map)
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -
Delayed bird migration in Northern Europe. Geese, ducks and swans that spend winter in wetlands of Northern Europe are changing their migration patterns as temperatures rise, say scientists. Researchers in Finland found some waterfowl delayed migrations by up to a month compared with 30 years ago. Numbers of some very familiar species are decreasing in the UK, as many birds do not fly as far. The tufted duck showed the largest change in its migration. Six species out of the 15 they counted set off significantly later; these included some traditional UK winter visitors, such as the greylag goose and the tufted duck.
This shows just how rapidly waterfowl respond to the changing climate. "One thing that's been found in other studies as well as ours is the temperature of the water has been increasing even more rapidly than the air temperature. This means there's more food available for these species [further north]...In this country, we're at the end of the flyway for birds coming down from Scandinavia, Russia and Siberia. We're almost the last stop, so some species aren't coming at all. They'll just stay further up the flyway." White-fronted geese have declined by about 75% in the UK in the last decade alone. These shrinking flocks could have knock-on effects on the wetland habitat. "These are quite big changes ecologically. If you suddenly lose thousands of geese from a wetland, there are bound to be big effects on that wetland."
More generally, "our sense of the changing seasons is moving underneath our feet. Nature's moving away from us." The study supports "the growing weight of evidence showing that wildlife appears to be responding to climate change". The team in Finland now hope to carry out a more detailed study of the populations of winter waterfowl across northern Europe, in order to find out which species' ranges have shifted northwards and which species are declining globally.
AUSTRALIA - A large bushfire is bearing down on homes in central Queensland. The fast-moving fire was expected to hit homes near Rockhampton by 6.00pm (AEST). The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is advising residents in the vicinity of Rockyview, north of Rockhampton, to enact their bushfire plans. "Residents are advised that if their plan is to relocate or they do not have a plan then they are advised to relocate now. Leaving well ahead of a fire is the safest option for survival." Fourteen fire crews are battling the blaze.
HEALTH THREATS -
Hair dye - A British woman has suffered brain damage and has fallen into a coma after she dyed her hair with L'Oreal. She is thought to have suffered a near-fatal allergic reaction to a chemical in the L'Oreal Preference dye. She was rinsing it out when she began to feel unwell. She said 'I don't feel well, I can't breathe,' to her husband. He rushed her to hospital and her heart stopped beating on the way. Her family have been warned that she may never come out of the coma.
She had used the dark-colored L'Oreal Preferences product before. "The hospital have asked for the dye and the gloves she used. They have said she has suffered an allergic reaction." A L'Oreal spokesman said: "L'Oreal was extremely concerned to hear about this serious situation. We are unable to comment further, however we will do everything we can to assist this lady's family and medical team with information they might need to establish what happened."
