By Morf Morford, Tacoma Daily Index
Mt. Rainier did not erupt
A local daily paper announced that, in fact Mt. Rainier is not erupting. There was some unusual cloud activity around and above the summit of the mountain the first full week in September. Needless to say, for good reason, all eyes were on the summit on the horizon.
On closer inspection, there were no new volcanic vents and no measurable seismic activity.
When the mountain does erupt, you can count on us to keep you posted.
Talkin’ about the weather
September 7th was the hottest day in recorded history across California. NOAA weather maps showed hundreds of cities with temperatures over 100.
A hurricane off the west coast of Mexico sent much needed rain to California – and a tiny sliver to the northwest.
We broke the record for the most days over 90 degrees (F) in the summer of 2022. That record should stand until the end of next summer.
Farewell to a Queen
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in Britain’s history, died on September 8. She was 96.
Elizabeth served on the throne for seven decades, during which time the USA had 14 presidents.
More than 2,000 global dignitaries attended the service – along with over a billion people worldwide who watched the funeral.
She had just greeted the latest British Prime Minister, Liz Truss.
Prince Charles, at age 73, was crowned King.
In short, Great Britain acquired a new monarch and a new Prime Minister in September.
For a little context on the royal funeral, and its potential repercussions, consider this video clip of the 1901 funeral procession in honor of Queen Victoria.
Meanwhile in Europe
The war in Ukraine has complicated the dependence of Europeans on Russian oil and gas. The Russians have threatened to cut off supplies, while much of Europe is attempting to boycott Russian fuel.
Russian pipelines to alternative markets are years in the making.
Europeans are preparing for winter already.
Russia needs the money, Europe needs the fuel.
It was a relationship that worked to everyone’s benefit until the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Nord Stream pipeline leaks
Two major Russian gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea near Sweden and Denmark sprung leaks. Both pipelines springing leaks at the same time is highly suspect. Deliberate sabotage is a possibility.
In Russia
In light of Russia’s lack of progress in invading Ukraine, as of mid-September, more than 70 Russian local politicians co-signed an open letter demanding Putin’s resignation.
Russia has also instituted a military draft to conscript soldiers in the war against Ukraine. In response, nearly a million military age young men have fled the country and riots have broken out at recruitment centers.
Vladimir Putin has suggested that nuclear weapons may be used against Ukraine.
Edward Snowden, the whistleblower wanted by U.S. authorities for leaking highly classified National Security Agency (NSA) secrets in 2013, was granted Russian citizenship by Vladimir Putin.
In Italy
The Brothers of Italy, a far-right party, with roots in the World War II fascist movement, was elected with their candidate, Giorgia Meloni, the first female Prime Minister of the country.
She is the first far-right leader in Italy since Mussolini – who was a mentor and inspiration to Adolph Hitler.
As one news commentator put it, we can only hope their incompetence prevents history from repeating itself.
In the UK
In Great Britain, the pound dropped to its lowest level against the US dollar in history.
On a related note, Britain will gradually see coins, bank notes and stamps bearing the image of King Charles III, while the new monarch’s cypher will also appear on government buildings and the ever-present red mail pillar boxes, as the country begins adapting to its first new head of state in 70 years.
Hurricane season
Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sept. 18. Fiona has left most of the island without power, or even the most basic utilities, while the Dominican Republic experienced massive mud slides. Thanks to Fiona, the entire area has suffered the heaviest rainfall recorded in 123 years.
Hurricane Ian
Not to be outdone by Fiona, Hurricane Ian, the strongest hurricane to hit Florida in over 100 years hit with more than 12 foot surges across the state. It was on the verge of becoming a category 5 (the most extreme) with wind gusts near 150 miles an hour, and is one of the largest and most intense hurricanes ever.
Immigration makes us crazy
You’d think that a nation like the United States, comprised of about 99% immigrants (and about 1% Native peoples) would have figured out durable and consistent immigration policies by now.
We can’t even decide if immigration is (or should be) a state vs. federal issue.
In a successful attempt to amplify the confusion and tension a few southern border states have decided to take the law (or at least the issue) into their own hands.
Nearly 12,000 immigrants have so far been transported on buses from the border states of Texas and Arizona — governed by Republicans who oppose current immigration policies — to the cities of Washington, New York and Chicago. By the last week of August, Texas had sent about 9,000 migrants to Washington and New York, costing the state more than $12 million.
Whether that was a justifiable, or even legal, use of state funds is still a question.
How these actions will contribute to, or set the stage for, more stable and sustainable immigration polices is not yet known.
The (not-so) Little Mermaid
The bulbous chatter across the nitwit fringes of Twitter exploded with rants about the casting of Black actress Halle Bailey (NOT Halle Berry) in Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid.
Thanks to the internet we have no shortage of instant mermaid experts who spare no verbiage to express their ignorance and incoherence.
This is America of the early 2020s, where we will fight about anything – even the racial features of a fictional, mythical creature.
One commentator stated that he’d rather see a mermaid with transparent cartilage than a darker shade of melanin, because, as he went on to insist, “it’s not about race”.
For a little perspective, CBS ran a Little Mermaid animated TV series from 1992 to 1994, set along the Ivory Coast, which featured a Black mermaid.
Rail strike averted
It might seem like a scene from a century ago, but our economy still depends on our rail system.
A strike by rail workers would have paralyzed food, fuel and just about every thing else in our supply chain system.
A rail strike is one of those things that we don’t even want to think about.
Murders in the city
For whatever set of reasons, Tacoma has had more murders (by mid-September) than it usually has in a typical (and terrible) year. We are averaging a little more than one murder a week in Tacoma.
We’ve already set a record. No need to continue.
Seattle has also had a record number of murders – but only a few more than Tacoma.
All crime is a transference of the evil in him who acts. – Simone Weil
Despite policing policies and hand-wringing by some local media outlets, one thing is all too obvious; too many young people have the means and motivation to act out their aggressive tendencies.
In case you missed it
If you get your news online (or from The Simpsons) you probably heard that the world would come to an end (by some definition) at the end of September.
As various viral videos and tabloids tell it, September 23 marked the end of an age.
Depending on your source (and credulity), that date would either bring a collision between Earth and a rogue planet or a world-changing celestial alignment that heralds the End of Days.
As one “expert” put it, Satan presides over the internet, and some of us could become possessed through exposure to demons lurking in internet websites.
According to another theory, “true Christians” will be “Raptured” secretly to heaven to be with Jesus while the rest of humanity is left to suffer through inflation, climate change and inane conspiracy videos.
But then again, maybe it did happen – and there were so few “true Christians” that the rest of us didn’t even notice their absence.
Either way, you can count on the Index to keep you informed.
