#lieutenant hilo

[shield-and-saber]

some more official pics from the latest episodes

[melymigo]

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[calebjorgens2024]

Star Wars: Imperial Shadow

in light of the third season of the Bad Batch, this is how I will think how Tech potentially operates as the shadow clone assassin known as CX-2, I must remind you there will be angst in this.

After his fall to his near death on Eriadu following his noble enactment of Plan 99, Clone Commando CT-9902 “Tech”, the brains of the Bad Batch and second in command to Hunter is rescued by Dr. Royce Hemlock of the Empire’s Advanced Science Division

however, Tech will have to feign compliance to Hemlock’s wishes!

He is taken to Tantiss on Weyland where he will undergo some reconditioning, however due to Tech’s brilliant exceptional mind it doesn’t work the way Royce expects. Scorch knows this, as he and Delta Squad had history with Clone Force 99 during the clone wars

instead, the reconditioning just made Tech more cunning and smart.

like Tech, Scorch has no choice in what he does and it’s something Scorch really regrets, he doesn’t want to hunt down his rogue brethren but he has no choice.

normally, Tech would leave the handling of knives to Hunter and Wrecker, but with his rigid training to be a Shadow X assassin operative, Tech will find this in handy so that he can know and understand how Hemlock’s Clone X program works and operates

And so, Tech and Scorch will navigate their roles all while masking their true intentions from Dr. Hemlock, Emperor Palpatine and the rest of the Empire!

[classicanalyzer]

Infiltration and Extraction Thoughts

The Clone X Troopers continue to be some of the most terrifying villains in Star Wars. They invoke the Clones from Legends with their amoral ruthlessness and loyalty to the Empire. I get a feeling that either the main CX Trooper is a brand new Clone or possibly Cody.

Omega copying Crosshair’s toothpick was a wholesome moment in a dark two parter.

It wouldn’t be Star Wars without the Wilhelm Scream.

We also got our first normal named Clone Commando (Lieutenant Hilo).

Returning motifs I noticed:

Clone X theme, Clone theme, Crosshair’s theme, ARC Trooper track/Clone Commando theme, Hemlock’s theme, and Omega’s theme

[derpymidnight]

anyone have context on lieutenant hilo's name??

[hastingsdecadas]

The loss of her grandparents had plunged Samantha into a period of reflection, which, together with her recent romance with the Lieutenant's son, had kept her practically isolated from her family.

The young couple had visited every corner of the town where they lived, discovering new locations and rediscovering each other's favorite places. They had discovered that the exhibition hall that the town hall had was empty and completely silent on Sundays. That day the port market would open its doors to people from all around, who seemed excited to buy the fresh fish of the day. They had also discovered the taste of each other's lips. Hers, so soft and cold, contrasted with his, so firm and warm.

They didn't seem to get tired of each other, on the contrary, it seemed that every time they said goodbye the thread that held them together grew shorter, needing to see each other with more urgency each day 

[Texto original en español]

La pérdida de sus abuelos había sumido a Samantha en un periodo de reflexión, que junto a su reciente romance con el hijo del Teniente, la había mantenido prácticamente aislada de su familia.

La joven pareja había recorrido cada rincón del pueblo en el que vivían, descubriendo localizaciones nuevas y redescubriendo los sitios favoritos del otro. Habían descubierto que, la sala de exposiciones con la que contaba el ayuntamiento, se quedaba vacía y completamente en silencio los domingos. Aquel día el mercado del puerto habría sus puertas a gente de todos los alrededores, que parecían entusiasmados por comprar el pescado fresco del día. También habían descubierto el sabor de los labios del otro. Los de ella, tan suaves y fríos, hacían contraste con los de él, tan firmes y cálidos. 

No parecían cansarse el uno del otro, al contrario, parecía que cada vez que se despedían el hilo que los mantenía unidos se hacía más corto, necesitando verse cada día con más urgencia.

[dwellordream]

this is the post where I hopefully entice a bunch of people into gasp trying a new fantasy series. okay that sounded bitchy let me rephrase:

Jade City, written by Fonda Lee, is the first book in the Green Bone Saga, an adult urban fantasy series set in a crime ridden rapidly expanding city on the island of Kekon. It was the winner of the 2018 World Fantasy Award.

Jade City is a homage to a lot of popular Hong Kong gangster films from the 1980s and 1990s, a time when local organized crime and social instability were on the rise. The author is a trained martial artist which is very evident in the unique system of physical magic and the many action sequences in the book. However, the gangsters that Jade City focuses on disdain guns in favor of their real weapons, the magical jade they can harness to give them inhuman speed and strength.

They are known as Green Bones, and while they were once rebels fighting against colonial rule, now that Kekon is ostensibly free they war over control of Janloon, the capital city of Kekon, which has been divvied up by four rival gangs. Jade City focuses on the Kaul family, who control the No Peak clan.

The Kauls are three siblings and their young cousin who comprise the new generation of the family, growing up in a free and rapidly modernizing Kekon, and the future leadership of No Peak.

The eldest, the dutiful but cunning Lan, has already taken over leadership of the gang as his once formidable grandfather’s dementia worsens. Lan is cautious and sober, valuing diplomacy and persuasion over brute strength, but is nonetheless a powerful warrior and a highly competent leader who is determined to keep No Peak at its elite status and power.

His Horn or lieutenant is his younger brother Hilo, who is passionate and hotheaded but not quite as impulsive or foolish as he might seem. Unlike the tolerant Lan, Hilo tends to take things personally and is incredibly prideful and sensitive. That said, he is also deeply loyal and very loving and affectionate towards his friends and family, especially his girlfriend Wen, who can be just as ruthless as he.

Shae is the outcast of the family, who renounced her Green Bone status in order to follow her foreigner lover overseas, but who has returned several years later determined to make amends with her family. Observant and intelligent, Shae comes across as soft spoken and gentle but is just as dangerous and cutthroat as her brothers, and while initially resistant to rejoining No Peak, is quickly drawn back into the underworld.

Finally, the youngest member of the family is 18 year old Anden Emery, who was adopted by the Kauls after the death of his mother. Othered and often the subject of callous remarks due to his biracial status and his homosexuality, Anden is nevertheless a star student and acclaimed prodigy at the Academy, where he trains to become a feared Green Bone after graduation. Shy and withdrawn but also brave and determined, Anden feels immense pressure to repay the family for their support and to prove his worth as a fighter, even if it puts him in danger.

Jade City revolves around Lan, Hilo, Anden, and Wen as they come together in the wake of the rival Mountain clan’s increasingly brutal attempts to overrun No Peak and seize control of the city. While the siblings often butt heads and have their own shares of childhood trauma and personal struggles, they have to learn to put that aside in order to work together to defend their territory and protect the family.

Jade City is an incredibly suspenseful and thrilling book with some teeth grinding scenes and shocking twists as well as some very detailed and realistic worldbuilding and an amazing setting in Janloon, which feels like a very real city in a way most fantasy settings do not.

It also has some excellent representation in terms of an all Asian cast of characters who are allowed to encompass a wide range of personalities and interests, as well as some very nuanced and strong women who aren’t just shoved into the roles of ‘long suffering mother/wife’ or ‘scheming girlfriend’ that the gangster genre often falls back on.

[hazyheel]

AEW Double Or Nothing 2019 Review

We started with the Casino battle Royal, with five guys in the ring. We had Sunny Daze, Michael Nakazawa, Brandon Cutler, MJF and Dustin Thomas. MJF had mega heat by attacking Thomas and calling him lieutenant dan, and then saying that Cutler was a favor to the young bucks. Nakazawa was oiling himself up like crazy, which was super weird to see because I do not know him. Next in was Brian Pillman Junior, Jimmy Havoc, Joey Janela, Shawn Spears and one more guy. Spears immediately went for MJF, and they beat each other up. Next in was Jungle Boy, Glacier, Billy Gunn, Mark Quinn and Ace Romero. MJF got a bunch of heat for eliminating Glacier, after Glacier frozen misted Sunny Daze. Adam Page was the final entrant in the match, and had a warpath. Stunt took a rough pump to be eliminated, as Romero shoved him out through the air and to the floor. Jungle Boy then eliminated Romero, Spears and Thomas had a bit of an alliance, until Thomas pulled him out over the top for the elimination. MJF eliminated crowd favorites Thomas and Cutler. Janela had a disgusting bump through a table on the outside from Luchasaurus, which was very terribble looking. Orange Cassidy showed up for no reason, doing his little kick spots to dreamer before being eliminated in a match that he wasn’t even in. Fun guy though. The final three were Luchasaurus, Adam Page and MJF. MJF hid on the outside, and Page eliminated Luchasaurus. He celebrated winning, but MJF ran in to try to throw him out. Page was okay, and hit the buckshot lariat, and threw him out to win.

Grade: C. This had a lot of fun spots, but there was very little connecting the action. I liked having Page get the win after his match with Pac was cancelled. I think there were a lot of terrifying things happening here, especially that table bump. Janela may be dead, but probably not. I liked the winner and there were some interesting things happening. A fine battle royal, but nothing specacular.

Then we had Kip Sabian vs. Sammy Guevara. This was a fun little cruiserweight match. There was a lot of misdirection based offense, like when Sabian faked a suicide dive only to hit a spring board somersault senton. Sabian locked in a cool looking submission at one point, Guevara went for a moonsault, landed on his feet forth another, only to land on his feet again and hit a standing shooting star for a near fall. At another, Guevara hit a 450 to Sabian while he was on the barricade. In the finish, Guevara went for the 630 senton, only for Sabian to get his knees up and hit deathly hallows for the win.

Grade: B. Fun little spotfest. I think both of these guys are super good, and they can put on some great matches in the future. I’m surprised that Guevara lost given how much emphasis he has had on BTE lately, but that is fine. Both of them are really good, and I’m sure that they will be big talents in the future. 

We opened up with SoCal Uncensored vs. StrongHearts. Of course, SCU cut a promo shitting on the town and the LA crowd love it. Both teams were working together really well, with SCU isolating El Lindamen. The match quickly became a cluster of bodies, with each team desperately trying to support any person that they have in the ring. The match felt a lot like the multi-man matches in New Japan, with the partners covering the ring while people are being pinned. The Stronghearts hit an awesome combination of a pop up knee from T-Hawk, followed by an ensiguri from CIMA, a slam from T-Hawk and a german suplex from Lindaman. Everyone started really flying around with dropkicks, suicide dives and cutters. Daniels hit the angels wings for a near fall, followed by a splas hfrom CIMA for a near fall. In the final stretch, Daniels hit the best moonsault ever into the piledriver (called the best meltzer driver ever) for the win. 

Grade: A-. Holy crap was this good. So fast paced, lots of action and people flying all over the place. This was a really great match, and if they continue to have tag matches like this one, I will definitely enjoy the tag division in this company. Awesome stuff.

Into the triple threat match, we had Kylie Rae vs. Nyla Rose vs. Britt Baker. However, as match began. Brandi Rhodes came out with her ring gear. She said that she didn’t want a great match, she wanted an awesome one. Awesome Kong then came out, and made it a four way. Kong and Rose immediately squared up and fought a bit. Kong was beating down everyone in the match, but left some room for Rae and Baker to fight. There was a cool spot where Kong caught Baker out of a splash, only for Rae to hit a suicide dive to take them both down. Kong had a huge tower of doom spot, and nearly powerbombed Baker off the apron in another spot, for Baker to fight out, Rae to hit a superkick, and then Rose to hit a spear into the steps. Baker was finally able to get the win with a superkick and the brainbuster on the knee. 

Grade: B-. Another car crash of a match. Kong, Baker and Rae all really impressed me. Rose didn’t really impress me, but there were a lot of really nice spots here. I want to see a match between Baker and Rae one on one, that could really be awesome. Can’t wait for the AEW women’s Championship.

Next up was a tag match, Best Friends Chuck Taylor and Trent vs. Angelico and Jack Evans. Best friends went for a hug early on, but their opponents stopped that. Evans and Angelico worked on Trent’s legs, and really showed off their Lucha style of wrestling. Best friends hit a lot of awesome offense, such as a tornado DDT into a double foot stomp to the face. They then also hit a crucifix bomb into the cutter for a near fall. For another near fall, Angelico hit a cruicifix bomb into the corner, followed by a 630 senton, but Taylor broke it up. Taylor took out Angelico with a tope con hilo, and they pinned Evans with a Storm Zero. 

After the match, The Best Friends asked for a hug. Angelico and Evans tried to do a handshake, but the Best Friends refused. They hugged, and then the lights went out. A new tag team had emerged after the match, but I didn’t know who they are. They went out again, and there were a bunch of minions that came out to assist. This new team beat down everyone. Evans was hit with a ripcord flatliner, and Trent was hit with a reverse electric chair facebuster.

Grade: A-. I loved this. It was another sprint of a match with a bunch of awesome spots, and some really good tag wrestling.  I always had a soft spot for tag wrestling, and they did a great job here. I liked the attack afterwards, but I don’t know who they were. This tag division looks really great, and I cannot wait to see it start up in full. I felt like Best Friends made sense as the winners, although I predicted otherwise. They will be a united front for a while before picking up the storyline later. 

Into the 6-woman Tag, we had Aja Kong, Emi Sakura, Yuka Sakazaki vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho and Ryo Mizunami. Ryo and Aja kong had a little strength vs. strength match, but Ryo really didn’t stand a chance against the legend of Aja. Riho and Emi had some good looking action, doing some technical wrestling before Riho hit an awesome armdrag. Kong drilled Riho with a awesome looking piledriver, but her team broke it up. Ryo drilled Yuka with a great looking deadlift suplex for a near fall. At one point, the ref was distracted, Shida and Kong dueled with a trash bin and a kendo stick. Somehow the kendo stick won. In the finishing stretch, Sakazaki took out Shida and Ryo with a plancha. Kong then accidentlly hit Sakura with a back fist, and then Riho destroyed her with a crossbody. Shida then ran into the ring to pin Sakura with a shining wizard.

Grade: B+. I didn’t know any of these people before the match, and I came out of it as a fan of every single one of them. Their characters are interesting, and I apologize if the review wasn’t great. I was trying to keep track of too many people and learn too many names. But it was awesome, and I hope that they end up joining the AEW women’s division.

Next up was Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes. Before the match, Brandi grabbed a sledgehammer for Cody. Cody then used it to destroy a throne on the stage, officially declaring war on the WWE (it was all a symbol for Triple H). Dustin came out with half face paint. The two circled each other for a while, and the crowd was chanting that it was awesome. Dustin absolutely laid into Cody with some crazy shots, and Cody almost walked away, but managed to get back in the ring. At one point, Cody distracted the ref a bit, which allowed Brandi to hit him in the head with a water bottle. The crowd was so loud for this match. At one point, Cody was set up for the kick to the balls that he used to do, and Cody removed the turnbuckle. Dustin saw, threw the turnbuckle in the crowd, but was then sent face first into it. This “busted him open,” so he bladed. Brandi then speared Dustin, and was thrown out, with DDP carrying her away. Dustin was absolutley gushing blood, and Cody nailed him with a curb stomp for a near fall. Cody nearly whipped Dustin with the belt, but threw it away, only for Dustin to grab it and whip his bare ass with it. Dustin was able to hit a superplex, followed by the final cut, but just for two. Cody then fought back and hit a cross rhodes only for two. Dustin then hit cross rhodes for another near fall. Cody was able to hit his back sliding piledriver, and followed it up with a Cross Rhodes to finish it.

After the match, Cody got on the mic and said that Dustin didn’t get to retire here. The crowd was chanting thank you, but Cody said that he couldn’t retire. He needed a partner for a match against the Young Bucks next month. He said that he didn’t need a partner, he needed a brother. The two started crying, and then embraced. They left the ring together.

Grade: A. This was much much better than I thought it would be. The crowd made the match a hell of a lot better. They were super hot, and it made the emotion and drama increase exponentially. They beat each other down, and the story accompanying it made the match that much better. This was awesome, and I hope we see more matches like this from Cody in the future. This was great, and I hope that it is evident of the type of story telling that will be around in this company. 

Then we had the belt presentation, and Bret fucking Hart came out. I marked out like crazy. Hart cut a promo, basically just putting AEW over. He then called out Adam Page, who is one of the #1 contenders for the belt in a few months. MJF then came out, to an asshole chant. He said that they bought a ticket to see him, so they should shut up. He is a phenomenal heel. He called Page a horse, and said that when a horse had a bad leg, you shoot it. Then he said that Page should give up his title shot, and shit on Hart for having a bad catchphrase. Jungle boy then came out, to confront him. MJF called him a prepubescent teenager, and walked past him. Jimmy Havoc then came out, and he was stuck between all three guys. They kicked his ass, through the crowd, as Hart showed the belt for the first time. 

Grade: A-. Jesus MJF can talk.  He carried this segment, along with the awesome Bret Hart appearance. This was super good, and I hope that he becomes a big part of the product, because he is phenomenal. I love him. Bret Hart was a shocking appearance, and it was super cool to see him. The belt looks beautiful as well. 

Then we had Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Bros for the AAA World Tag Team Championships. This was given a big fight feel. Young bucks weren’t completely on the same page, having some flubs together early on. Fenix and Nick seemed to be completely evenly matched. the Lucha Bros hit their signature offense early on. At one point, Fenix strung Nick up on the ropes, while using Matt to balance going up to the top rope. Fenix hit a superkick on the top rope, and then springboarded to hit Nick with the hurricanrana. Later on, Matt hit Fenix and Penta with several northern lights suplexes, and nearly locked in a sharpshooter but got shut down. The Bucks were able to lock in the sharpshooters at one point, and they barely got to the ropes. At one point, The Bucks hit a powerbomb and flipping over with a neckbreaker for a near fall.  They then hit a flurry of kicks and chops until everyone fell over. At another, Fenix ducked so that Penta could hit a destroyer on the apron to Matt, followed by a Destroyer to Nick in the ring. Another time had Penta holding Nick in the package piledriver position, with Matt in the gory special, and dropped them down. Fenix followed up with a swanton to Nick for an incredible near fall. Matt then drilled Fenix with a brainbuster on the top rope, and gave Penta more bang for your buck for a near fall again. The Bucks then hit Penta with fear factor, and Nick ran to hit a plancha to Fenix, but still only a near fall. Penta then drilled Matt with the armbreaker and the pentagon driver for a near fall. Fenix started to work the arm, superkicking it, but got caught trying to continue. Matt pulled him up for a Meltzer Driver. Nick then superkicked Penta on the outside, and got up for the Meltzer Driver, and got the win. 

Grade: A. This was a phenomenal match. The Young Bucks became a coherent team again, and went through hell to do it. I think that the kickouts at the end were a little much, I like a bit more buildup in my near falls like that, but it was still incredibly exciting. They flew around like crazy, and beat the crap out of each other. It looks like the tag team division in AEW will be awesome. 

And finally, the main event. Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega. Winner faces Adam Page for the AEW World Championship. Jericho went through a bunch of his his gimmicks before actually making his entrance. Omega had some new music. They had a cracker barrel in the ring, probably a sponsor. They had trouble getting it out of the ring, so Jericho picked it up and shoved it through the second rope, and then yelled at the ref. The two started out with a slugfest, beating each other down. Early on, Omega tried to do a move off of the barricade, but Jericho pushed Omega into the crowd. Omega was busted open early on, bleeding from the nose. Jericho tried to introduce a table into the match, but Omega dropkicked it, and then a tope con hilo to both. Then he did a springboard double stomp to the table. That was when Omega started up the v triggers, destroying Jericho’s head from the back. At another point, Jericho started to fight back, and dumped Omega out of the ring and through a table. Omega went for a frog splash at one point, but Jericho countered with a codebreaker, but he waited too long for the cover and only got a near fall. Jericho nearly locked in a lion tamer, but Omega countered it and was able to hit a powerbomb for a near fall. Jericho was able to get the walls in, eventually transitioning into a lion tamer, but Omega fought out and nailed a v trigger. Jericho was able to hit yet another codebreaker, but did not go for the pin. Instead, he waited for him to get up, and hit a spinning back elbow called the judas effect for the win.

After the match, Jericho got on the mic. He yelled at them for booing him, and he said that he was the best guy in AEW, he owns the company. He is the biggest star through and through. He claimed that every success the company had was because of him. He demanded that the fans thanked him, and then, mutherfucking Jon Moxley showed up. He killed Jericho with dirty deeds, and then did it to the ref. He tried to hit Omega with hit, but Omega was able to tackle him out of the ring, and they brawled into the crowd. He eventually was able to climb on top of the giant poker chips, and he gave Omega a dirty deeds on the stack, and then slammed him off of it, onto a box that broke. 

Grade: A. I bumped that up a grade after the post match angle. This was a great match, although not the best on the card, but that mammoth debut was awesome. In the match itself, it didn’t quite have the same feel as their first match, but they tore the house down nontheless. They were really really good, and I am really unsure of who will be winning the AEW World Championship when that time comes. 

Predictions: 5/9. Imma say that I got the battle royal right, cuz I said that Page would win whatever match he was in.

Overall Grade: A-. I’m bumping it up a bit because of the historic nature of the show, and how hot they were coming right out of the gate.

Pros: Guevara vs. Sabian; 6-man tag; best friends vs. angelico & evans; 6-woman tag; cody vs. dustin; belt presentation; AAA tag team championship; main event; moxley debut

Cons: battle royal

Just throwing this in at the end of the review. I normally hate writing the tags for these posts, but I am genuinely so excited to say that I am writing an AEW review right now. Just saying

[julio-viernes]

___

Al hilo de la animada conversación mañanera con Fernando Pardo sobre, entre otras cosas, Ramones y su sonido inicial “martillo pilón”, sus gloriosos riffs “mongo” como si Black Sabbath hiciesen a Beach Boys, tal y como él mismo lo define, he recordado esta rara de Lieutenant Pigeon, “The Villain” de 1971 por lo ultra básico. 50 segundos de percusión marcial más riff de guitarra distorsionado y melón en los 40 segundos siguientes sumando poco más de unos efímeros y asilvestrados 1:30″ en total. Pedestre. Rupestre. Mongolítico. Más cazurro y econ��mico imposible.

[awesomecolorfulcollectorwombat]

Kilauea and the Implacable Power of Volcanic Lava

New Post has been published on http://tradewithoutfear.com/kilauea-and-the-implacable-power-of-volcanic-lava/

Kilauea and the Implacable Power of Volcanic Lava

In 1935, lava from an eruption of the volcano Mauna Loa, on the Big Island of Hawai’i, started oozing toward the Wailuku River, main source of water for the city of Hilo. This danger to the more than 15,000 residents of Hilo was exactly the opportunity that Thomas Jaggar, founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, had been waiting for: to blow up a volcano.

This isn’t as crazy as it sounds. Actually, no, it was crazy. Jaggar thought, based on the state of the science, that explosives would collapse and plug the channels and underground tubes through which lava flows.

He approached the Army Air Corps, which had an airbase on the island of Oahu. There, a young lieutenant colonel named George Patton (yes, that Patton) planned a mission to deploy three Keystone B-3A bombers and two Keystone B-6As—biplanes!—to the slopes of Mauna Loa, where they’d drop 20 600-pound bombs on the lava. Five dropped onto red-hot flows, splashing lava 200 feet into the air upon detonation (which then punched holes through one of the bombers’ wings). Most of the other bombs hit the solidified sides of the flows. A US Geological Survey geologist on board one of the planes, Harold Stearns, reported that most of the bombs merely impacted on the surface.

So did it work? Well, the lava diverted and stopped flowing before it reached the river. It remains … controversial as to whether the bombs or the cessation of the eruption did it. (Jaggar thought the explosions released enough pressure to stop the lava; no one else does.)

Volcanoes have a lot of ways to kill people—caustic ash, superheated hurricane-like pyroclastic flows, incandescent mudslides called lahars…and, of course, lava. As the world watches the ongoing eruption of the volcano Kilauea, Mauna Loa’s neighbor to the east, you can see why Jaggar would resort to explosives, and why people have been trying to build lava barriers, unsuccessfully, since 1881. Lava’s appearance is rarely a surprise—but where it flows and how fast remain unpredictable. And it is, as researchers say, binary. Wherever it goes, it incinerates or buries everything in its path. There’s not much anyone can do about it except watch.

“A lot of cultures around the world have come to the conclusion that it’s a bad idea to live too close to a volcano,” says Natalia Deligne, a volcanic hazard and risk modeler at GNS Science, the New Zealand equivalent of the USGS. That’s why lots of volcanoes are magically inside national parks. “If you look at indigenous traditions, often the vent area is a taboo area,” Deligne says. “That’s just another form of land use planning.”

Unlike the ostentatious, once-in-a-blew-moon eruptors like the stratovolcanoes of the Cascades and the Andes, Hawaiian volcanoes are “shield volcanoes,” slow and steady pumps of relatively runny, low-silica lava. Volcanoes in general aren’t as murderous as other natural disasters—since 1900 volcanoes have killed about 280,000 humans, but in that same time earthquakes have killed more than 2 million. Lava comes in three types (highly viscous, deep “blocky” lava; chunky, fast-moving ‘a ‘a, and smooth pahoehoe), and it tends to move slow enough that it destroys property rather than kills people. So people continue to live on the slopes of the volcanoes. (Hawai’ian volcanoes also emit toxic, corrosive gas—sulfur dioxide turns into sulfuric acid on contact with the atmosphere, creating potentially deadly clouds called vog, short for “volcanic smog” [itself a contraction of “smoke” and “fog”].)

That’s what’s happening at Kilauea; lava is emerging from 14 fissures in the volcano’s East Rift Zone, amid a housing subdivision called Leilani Estates. More than 1,700 people had to evacuate, and about a dozen homes were consumed. This has been the situation, on and off, since the 1980s. “The lava would flow for a certain distance, then stop, and then rather than resuming travel in the same direction it would go back toward the vent and break out somewhere else,” says Michael Lindell, an emeritus environmental psychologist at Texas A&M who studies attitudes toward volcano risk. “Volcanologists don’t thoroughly understand the underground plumbing. They’ve got a pretty good idea, but they keep getting surprised.”

Even today, lava is unpredictable. Nobody really understands tube and channel formation or how a’a’ lava becomes pahoehoe and vice versa. Computers can forecast paths of flow from topography, but not speed or how wide the flow will be. (The USGS map of lava hazard zones on Hawai’i hasn’t been updated since 1992.) “How fast it’s coming out of the vents, how hot it is, how fast it’s cooling, how many crystals you have in the lava—those are all parameters that will dictate how the lava will flow,” Deligne says.

There’s not much to do about it when it does. Deligne says that hardly anyone actually zones construction or writes building codes with volcanoes in mind. And even if you did, what then? Ash, sure, just build your roofs with a pitch of greater than 35 degrees to shed the stuff. But lava? Maybe … round buildings? According to one of the few analyses of such things, a forensic look at a 2014 eruption of the Fogo volcano on Cape Verde, lava pushes them into compression, actually strengthening them; it tends to just push over flat walls.

Sometimes the volcano is quiet; sometimes it’s not. “Pele, the goddess of Hawaiian volcanoes, whose home is in Halema‘uma‘u Crater within Kilauea Caldera, is always described with two personas,” young and beautiful—and old and cruel, write James Kauahikaua and Robert Tilling, two past heads of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Now, the observatory is warning that things could get worse. A rapid lowering of the lava level in the Overlook crater at Kilauea’s summit was the first sign that lava was on the move. If that lava dips below the groundwater level, it could start making steam, converting this to an explosive eruption, scientists warned at a press conference. The Washington Post reports that a nearby geothermal power plant is moving 12,000 gallons of a flammable fuel called pentane to an industrial park that’s out of range, just to be safe.

But in the face of the threat, people’s attitudes toward volcanoes aren’t much different from how they feel about other hazards. Deligne loves volcanoes; she says she can’t imagine living anywhere there might be tornadoes. Lindell says if he had to live on the Big Island, he’d definitely try to stay on the north side—away from the volcanoes. As for the south side? “It’s incredibly cheap to live there and it’s a very pleasant life, so it’s an acceptable risk to them,” he says. “In some respects it’s no different than people living on the Hayward fault, or on the flood plain in Houston. They know the risk is getting worse, but they keep on rebuilding.”

More Eruptions

[melymigo]

Familiar faces

New Episodes of the final season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch are now available on Disney plus.

[hudsonespie]

Report: White House Considers New Measures on Cruising and COVID-19

On the eve of a scheduled meeting between Vice President Mike Pence and executives from top cruise lines, the Trump administration is said to be considering whether to discourage U.S. citizens from traveling aboard cruise ships, the Associated Press reported Friday. 

Citing four administration officials, the AP reports that the federal goverment is contemplating - but has not yet decided upon - new measures to limit or discourage cruising in light of the novel coronavirus epidemic. The measures could include recommending that some or all American citizens should avoid cruise ships, or even implementing travel restrictions on cruising, according to the report. 

If accurate, these measures would expand on current federal guidance on cruise ships and coronavirus. The U.S. State Department currently advises that American citizens should "reconsider travel by cruise ship to or within Asia," where the outbreak originated. It also cautions that many other countries have implemented strict screening procedures in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, and that these procedures may affect U.S. citizens traveling by ship, potentially limiting the ability to disembark.

At present, the only strict restrictions that the United States has placed on travel in response to the epidemic are on arrivals from China and Iran. The State Department has issued maximum-level advisory warnings for travel to Italy and South Korea.

In a statement, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) pushed back against "speculation about U.S. government action."

"Any action to restrict cruising is unwarranted, and at odds with the World Health Organization which 'continues to advise against the application of travel or trade restrictions to countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks,'" CLIA said in a statement. "Singling out the travel and tourism industry, and cruise lines specifically, will have significant detrimental impacts—some possibly irreversible—on the national and local economies."

CLIA cited the economic importance of the cruise industry, which supports more than 420,000 jobs in the U.S. and generates about $50 billion in U.S. economic activity. In addition, the trade organization indicated that cruising can still be done safely. "With the proactive measures in place by the cruise industry based on prevailing guidance from global health authorities, restricting cruising is unreasonable," CLIA said. 

The White House is also reported to be considering economic measures to assist the cruise, travel and airline industries. According to the Washington Post, the administration is examining whether it could defer taxes for affected businesses in these sectors in order to limit the impact of the outbreak. 

At the state level, Hawaii's lieutenant governor said Friday that his state may consider hitting "the pause button" on cruise ship calls. The quarantined cruise ship Grand Princess called at Hilo and disembarked passengers on February 29 - one week before it was confirmed that 21 individuals on board have COVID-19.

To date, Hawaii has had no confirmed coronavirus cases, but that may change: state public health officials are now working to find people who may have come into contact with the ship's passengers and crew.

"This is one of the possible turning points where we do get individuals that turn positive for coronavirus," Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green told local KHON 2 News. “Hawaii, because we do take a lot of cruise ships in, may have to make the hard decision to hit the pause button. I think that people are starting to feel that way."

from Storage Containers https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/report-trump-administration-considers-covid-19-measures-on-cruising via http://www.rssmix.com/

[foroelgrancapitan]

Comandantes alemanes. Angus McBride De izquierda a derecha: - SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser, junio de 1944. El jefe del ll Cuerpo Panzer de las SS fue fotografiado de esta guisa en Normandía, durante una reunión mantenida con Rommel y Meindl poco antes del Día D. El gorro Einheitsfeldmütze tiene el ribeteado plateado de oficial, un águila del Ejército y la calavera de las SS. La guerrera mimética de cuatro bolsillos es típica de las de mejor calidad que solían hacerse confeccionar los oficiales superiores; ignora el reglamento al incorporar las hombreras con el empleo, cuyo fondo es el gris claro propio de los generales de las Waffen SS. Sus pantalones sencillos, sin listas laterales, y el cinto con la funda de una pistola Walther subrayan la naturaleza funcional, de primera línea, de este uniforme. El 7.° Ejército (AOK 7) originalmente estaba comandado por Generaloberst Frederich Dollman. Hasta el final de Junio de 1944, este ejército en campaña controló la costa francesa desde la boca del Loire cerca de St Nazaire, incluidas Bretaña y Normandía, en el camino hasta el Paso de Calais. Dollman murió de un ataque al corazón el 28 de junio. Rundstedt y Rommel ambos recomendaron que fuera reemplazado por el comandante del 1.° Ejército, General der Infanterie Kurt von der Chevallerie, con sede en Burdeos en la costa atlántica. Sin embargo, el creciente desdén de Hitler por los comandantes del ejército en Francia lo llevó a nombrar a un veterano del frente ruso, General der Waffen-SS Paul Hausser. Hausser era un soldado profesional que se había ganado la Cruz de Hierro en la Primera Guerra Mundial y se retiró del Reichswehr en 1932 como lieutenant-general (teniente general). Se involucró en la política del partido nazi y, debido a su pasado militar, estuvo involucrado en la formación y entrenamiento de las primeras formaciones Waffen-SS. Así que a veces lo llamaban "el padre de las Waffen-SS". Dirigió II SS-Panzer-Korps en el frente ruso en 1943 donde fue herido, perdiendo un ojo. En 1944, tenía 64, 13 años más que su oponente estadounidense, Omar Bradley. - Generalleutnant Eugen Meindl, junio de 1944. Este oficial estuvo al mando, distinguidamente, del II Cuerpo Paracaidista (Divisiones Paracaidistas 3.ª y 5.ª) durante la campaña de Normandía y también en la retirada subsiguiente. Eugen Meindl fue ascendido a general a lo largo de la campaña. En la lámina se le ve vistiendo el mismo uniforme que lleva en las fotografías en las que aparece en la reunión que mantuvo con Rommel y Hausser, tal como se explica en la figura anterior. A su Einheitsfeldmütze de general de la Luftwaffe ha añadido la extravagancia de unos cordones dorados y, en la parte izquierda, tiene un óvalo metálico, probablemente el emblema de una unidad, que parece ser una «M» gótica alada. Su desgastado blusón de salto del primer modelo tiene en el pecho el águila de la Luftwaffe en oro y, en los dos brazos, la divisa de empleo en la secuencia de águilas y barras propia de la aviación alemana, sobre fondo amarillo. Sus pantalones de paracaidista tienen el bolsillito para el cuchillo de salto. Las botas son ordinarias, con cordones delanteros, en vez de las más específicas de salto de cordones laterales. - SS-Obergruppenführer «Sepp» Dietrich, abril de 1944. El jefe del I Cuerpo Panzer de las SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler llevaba el uniforme muy personalizado. Esta imagen se ha extraído de una foto de Dietrich en Thouars (Francia) el 10 de abril, mientras asistía al bautismo de una nueva división de las SS, la Götz von Belichingen. Su gorra era única: la base era una gorra de plato de faena de general del Ejército, por lo que tiene cordones dorados. Muchas fotos la muestran con el águila del Ejército, pero, como aquí, también la tenía con el águila de las SS hecha de cordoncillo metálico dorado. Por lo tanto, el único elemento reglamentario de la gorra es la calavera plateada. El uniforme negro de carrista es del primer modelo del Ejército, con solapas anchas y sin orla de color. Las hombreras y los parches de cuello son los convencionales. Tampoco era de ordenanza el águila dorada de la manga ni la cinta de bocamanga «Adolf Hitler» bordada en hilo de oro. Encima del águila lleva el escudo de la batalla de Crimea. En el pecho tiene el emblema honorario de piloto y observador en oro y diamantes y una condecoración de la que estaba muy orgulloso. la de carrista de la Primera Guerra Mundial, ganada cuando era sargento mayor en el 13.° Batallón de Carros (Bávaro) en 1918 y de la que se concedieron menos de cien. La insignia de oro del Partido recuerda su antigua pertenencia a la NSDAP. https://ift.tt/2IlSUlj

[punalavaflow]

Ige, Hanbusa evenly split state in campaign contributions

Gov. David Ige and his primary Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, are running a neck-and-neck race, based on total campaign contributions and poll numbers.

They’re also evenly dividing the state’s ZIP codes and major islands when it comes to who’s sending them checks.

That’s according to a West Hawaii Today/Hawaii Tribune-Herald analysis of $100-plus in-state contributions reported to the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission between Sept. 1, when Hanabusa set up her state campaign fund, and June 30, the most recent data reported. The next reports are due Wednesday.

Contribution amounts aren’t a clear indicator of likely votes, two political analysts caution. But in a race that one longtime political expert says is too close to call, the numbers offer a glimpse of the candidates’ support base.

“I wouldn’t bet on either candidate right now,” said Neal Milner, a former University of Hawaii political science professor who’s been following state politics for decades. “I think it’s going to go down to the wire.”

Ige and Hanabusa are racing toward a winner-take-all contest for the Democratic bid in the Aug. 11 primary, just two weeks away.

The newspaper analysis, sifting through thousands of records and pinpointing 2,306 contributions worth $2.9 million that met the criteria, doesn’t include contributions of less than $100 donated by businesses and individuals, nor the thousands of dollars being pumped into the race by super PACs, so-called “independent expenditures” that aren’t reported by candidates. It does include $100-plus contributions from unions and registered political action committees that are required to report, however.

The $2.9 million accounts for a little more than 78 percent of the total $3.7 million the candidates raised from all contributions, including out-of-state donors and contributions of less than $100.

On both Oahu and Hawaii Island, Ige leads in the number of major contributions, while Hanabusa is ahead in total dollar amount of those contributions. The mayors of both Oahu and Hawaii Island are endorsing the incumbent governor, which will likely bring more votes and more money to the candidate.

Obviously Oahu, the seat of state government, provides the bulk of campaign money to state candidates, as well as delivering most of the voters. But with Oahu voters accounting for just 67 percent of all voters who participated in the 2016 primary, the importance of the neighbor islands can’t be underestimated, especially in a close election.

Ige reported 1,115 contributions totaling $1.32 million to Hanabusa’s 958 contributions totaling $1.33 million on Oahu.

On Hawaii Island, Ige had 82 contributors to Hanabusa’s 38. But when looking at the total dollars of those contributions, Hanabusa leads, with $59,901 in contributions to Ige’s $48,668.

Hanabusa dominates both Maui County and Kauai, however, sweeping both the number of $100-plus contributions and the amount. In Maui County, which includes Maui island as well as Lanai and Molokai, 52 contributors gave Hanabusa $47,657, while 22 contributors gave Ige $28,780. On Kauai, 29 contributors gave Hanabusa $40,950 to Ige’s 10 contributors giving $12,485.

Glenna Wong, Ige’s campaign spokeswoman, said political considerations make it difficult for those two county mayors to offer endorsements. Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa is term-limited, and Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. is running for lieutenant governor and, if he wins, must work with whichever gubernatorial candidate wins.

“There haven’t been any political endorsements there, but we believe they support the governor,” Wong said. “It’s a very competitive race. We definitely feel the support on the ground, and we have seen an increase in contributions. … We’re still working and we feel the momentum building.”

Hanabusa’s campaign echoes those sentiments.

“Rather than winding down, our grassroots activities are ramping up,” Hanabusa said in a statement. “In these final weeks, our focus is on keeping this momentum going statewide because every vote counts.”

Drilling down

When it comes to the Big Island, a ZIP code level analysis shows Ige has strong money support in Hilo proper up to Honokaa, as well as Volcano, Naalehu and into South Kona. Hanabusa’s support base is in Puna and most of West Hawaii, including all of Kailua-Kona and Waimea.

Puna support could be especially critical to Hanabusa if the race remains as tight as forecast. In 2014, Hanabusa unsuccessfully sued the state Elections Office after two precincts were closed because of storm damage. This year, the Kilauea volcano and lava flows are wreaking havoc with election plans in the area.

Ige and Hanabusa split the downtown Honolulu ZIPs. After that, it gets more interesting, with Ige pulling more money from his Pearl City home base as well as Aiea, Ewa Beach, Mililani, Kunia, Wahiawa, Kahuku and Haleiwa. Hanabusa picked up her home district of Waianae, as well as Waimanalo, Kailua, Kaneohe, Waipahu, Hauula, Kapolei and Waialua.

On Maui, Hanabusa has more money from Hana, Kula, Kahului and Wailuku ZIP codes than Ige. Ige has Kehei, Lahaina and Haiku.

On Kauai, Ige has the most contributions in one ZIP code, Kalaheo, with Hanabusa taking Lihue, Kapaa, Koloa, Eleele, Kekaha, Anahola, Hanalei and Princeville.

Money in politics

While those who contribute money to a candidate are more likely to get out and vote for that candidate, the influence of big money from political action groups and super PACs can skew the predictions.

“People who contribute money are more attuned and involved in the election,” Milner notes.

But some donors give to both candidates, as a way to hedge their bets. And especially in local races such as for county seats and the state Legislature, low-budget candidate efforts such as door-knocking and sign-waving can’t be discounted.

“You can’t just tell from the amount of money,” Milner said. “It’s really hard to tell anything about the relationship between the amount of money and the votes. … You can never just take one source out of a campaign.”

Super PACs are especially a problem because candidates are not required to report their contributions, said Dan Boylan, a retired history professor and political analyst.

“Who gives the money and who does that person benefit?” Boylan asked.

“People have a right to know who’s supporting whom and who they’re courting with their dollars.”

Super PACs are, however, required to report “electioneering communication,” meaning any advertisement broadcast on radio or television or publication in newspapers or sent by mail at a bulk rate or by electronic means within 60 days before an election, that refer to a clearly identifiable candidate and “is not susceptible to any reasonable interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or against a specific candidate,” under state law.

Those who make electioneering communications of more than $2,000 in any calendar year are required to file a statement with the Campaign Spending Commission within 24 hours of each disclosure date.

Boylan would be happy if money played no part at all.

“Campaign money, if it’s a lot, takes a lot of people out of the ballgame,” Boylan said of otherwise solid candidates who can’t compete in fundraising. “If we really believed in democracy, we’d figure out a way to get the money out of politics.”

Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.

The post Ige, Hanbusa evenly split state in campaign contributions appeared first on Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

from Hawaii News – Hawaii Tribune-Herald https://ift.tt/2Am4ufW

[nntodayblog]

Papers From Blackbeard Wreckage Lead To 18th-Century Voyage Thriller

140

Famed English pirate Blackbeard and his crew of seafaring thieves apparently weren’t busy pillaging all the time — sometimes they evidently kicked back to read 18th-century ocean potboilers, scientists have discovered.

Archeological conservators from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announced last week they’d recovered tiny scraps of paper from the wreckage of Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Scientists carefully teased apart the 300-year-old paper, found in a mass of “sludge” in a cannon recovered from the ship, and discovered writing that led them to a popular tale of the era. Researchers told National Geographic they were able to parse certain words, including “fathom,” “south” and “Hilo,” which suggested a place name.

By comparing the words on the recovered paper with texts that would have been available at the time Blackbeard’s ship sank, researchers linked the papers to A Voyage to the South Sea, and Round the World, Perform’d in the Years 1708, 1709, 1710 and 1711, a 1712 first-edition book by Edward Cooke of the Royal Navy.

Reuters

A cannon from Blackbeard's ship Queen Anne's Revenge is hoisted from the sea off the North Carolina shore in 2011.

The book described Cooke’s adventures on an expedition by two ships, Duke and Dutchess, which sailed from England in 1708.

Such “voyage narratives” were all the rage back in the 17th and 18th centuries, according to researchers. Cooke and another author, expedition leader Captain Woodes Rogers, told the story of sailor Alexander Selkirk, who had been marooned for four years on an island before his rescue. Selkirk became the model for Daniel Dafoe’s The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.

Perhaps Blackbeard was responsible for introducing a taste for literature among his men. Blackbeard, né Edward Teach, was one of the most infamous pirates of the time with a reputation for violence.

He plied the waters off the West Indies and America’s eastern seaboard, once blockading Charleston while looting ships. He finally released hostages he had taken in exchange for a chest of medicine.

But Blackbeard may have been more genteel than his infamous tales make him seem. The Daily Mail reported in 2015 that Blackbeard was a war veteran, and a loving family man who used his fortune to help out his siblings.

Queen Anne’s Revenge sank after it ran aground on the North Carolina coast in 1718. Blackbeard was killed six months later in a confrontation with a crew sent by the Virginia governor and led by a Royal Navy lieutenant.

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[melymigo]

Episodes 6 and 7 of the final season of Star Wars The Bad Batch are now available on Disney plus.