HURRICANES AND CYCLONES

 I'll start today with the latest news of the day.

• About that Fox-Dominion trial that was supposed to start today.  Now we know why there was a one day delay.  THE DEFAMATION SUIT WAS SETTLED WITH FOX PAYING $787.5 MILLION TO DOMINION.  They had asked for $1.6 billion.
• 
  The award amount is insignificant.  The end result is monumental.
• Democracy has been preserved.
• The Big Lie has been exposed.
• The Judiciary efforts to nail Trump for the January attack on the Capitol has been reinforced.
• 
  The demise of the Republican Party has gained momentum.
• Hardcore Trumpers will not be much affected.  More Republicans will become Independent, and more Independents will now vote for Democrats.
• 
  Democrats will regain control of both Houses of Congress on 8 November 2024 and the White House will remain with a Democrat on 5 November 2026.
• Fox News will continue, but who can trust them anymore?
• 
  Today, April 18, is the last day to file your annual Federal Tax Form.  Why was it not April 15?  The 15th was on a Saturday, 16 was a Sunday, a District holiday, which was celebrated on Monday the 17th.  Holiday?  
• Emancipation Day became a national day of celebration in 2021, after all those racial incidents in 2020.  This is the most confusing holiday of all.  
• 
  The reason had to do with June 19, called Juneteenth, the historic date of emancipation.
• This holiday occurs whenever a state decides when it is to be.  
• Every state recognizes this day, but only 24, including DC, observe this day as a holiday.  Hawaii does not.  In North Carolina, state workers can pick any day of the year for that particular individual.  In DC, district workers get both June 19 and April 16.
• 
  About the Clarence Thomas shenanigans, in 2010 61% approved the way the the Supreme Court did its job.  In 2023, this figure is down to 40%.
• In 2016 37% thought the SC was too liberal...30% too conservative...37% about right.
• 2016, 36% had confidence in the SC...23% had very little or no confidence.
• 2022, 25% had confidence...31% did not.
• In 2022, 18% thought the Supreme Court was too liberal...42% too conservative...38% about right.

Nostalgia Tuesday will next be all about hurricanes.  Hawai is every year besieged by these storms.  French Polynesia's last cyclone was in 1982, 41 years ago.  This was during the 1982-83 El Nino season, when five cyclones passed through the Societies and Tuamotu Islands.  That pretty much explains why Bora Bora can have those huts over the ocean.  Keep in mind, though, that in recorded history, a hurricane has never made landfall in Hawaii, except for Kauai.  That was Hurricane Iniki 31 years ago, the most destructive ever known in the state.  Iselle in 2014 was the strongest tropical storm to make landfall over the Big Island.  After watching these approaches from the east all my life, I still find it hard to believe that no actual hurricane has ever gone over that island, at least in recorded history.

For my nostalgic entry today, I'll share a short story about my non-encounter with Hurricane Iniki.  It was on my birthday, 6September1992:

I remember this period well because I spent my birthday the next day in Eugene, with my wife and brother plus wife, where we went on the 7th to a football game where the University of Hawaii beat Oregon.  That day a nondescript depression became Tropical Storm Iniki.  On September 9 it was upgraded to Hurricane Iniki.  We were driving to Colorado Springs, but spent September 10 in a Salt Lake City motel.  I turned on the TV and saw Iniki appearing to be just south of Honolulu.  I tried to call contacts back home, but could not reach anyone.  

On September 11 Hurricane Iniki at a peak of 145 MPH struck Kauai.  However, the Navy's Makaha Ridge radar station recorded a gust of 227 MPH.  Six were killed and damages of up to $10 billion (in 2019 dollars) were caused.  

We went to the UH-Air Force game, won by Hawaii, 6-3. 

Hurricane season in Hawaii begins on June 1 and extends to November 30.  There generally are four or five hurricanes annually, and around 30 of them have passed within 200 nautical miles of the the state.

Our state tends to be protected by a combination of cooler water and wind shear.

In El Niño years, warmer water pushes farther north, both aiding hurricane strength and allowing more formation in the central Pacific.  Iniki occurred during an El Ñino year.  One speculation is that this storm began off the coast of Africa, passed across Central American, regained strength in the Pacific Ocean.

Woke up at 10:30AM.  Slept a little better.  But still too early to proclaim I am in a state of Euphoria 4.  Lunch in the Colonnade with a rosé and beer.

There was a part 2 to lunch, for we walked to The Patio, where the chef was slicing what looked like yellow-fin tuna for ceviche.

We asked for a couple of slices before the ceviche-making process.  We plan to eat in our room tonight, and can start with ahi sashimi, for we have wasabi and soy sauce in our refrigerator.

Went to a lecture by Sir Jim McLay on the history of the Pacific from prehistory to Magellan to the present.  Always, you can pour yourself wine and champagne located at the entrance.  

Certainly an authority on the subject, and fielded a whole host of questions about what is happening in the Pacific today.  Represented New Zealand in the United Nations. He was also the counsel general of their office in Honolulu.  Did not know New Zealand had such an office. Learned that the Consulate is on Bishop Street.

While an Oceanian, I actually was able to understand him.  He married Marcy Farden of then Congressman Daniel Akaka's office in 1983.  I think I know her.  She must have been in DC when I was there.

Had dinner with the ahi sashimi earlier mentioned, Celeriac Velour (black truffle soup), Black Truffle Risotto and a Hot Grand Marnier Soufflé.

Finally watched the movie, Minari, which got fabulous 98/87 ratings from Rotten Tomatoes.  Highly acclaimed and nominated for 6 Academy Awards, with Youn Yuh-jung, the grandmother, receiving an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.  For one she looked seven years older than me, when she is 7 years younger.  A semi-autobiographical portrayal of a young Koreas immigrant family settling in Arkansas.  I kind of avoided this film because I thought it would be boring and depressing.  It certainly was depressing, and not particularly exciting either.

My biggest day of nothing yet on this cruise.  Only 971 steps.

-