Big Black River, Maine, Records the 50 Below Zero Temperatures as Arctic Blasts Covers Much of Eastern, Southern United States

When I moved to Atlanta from New York City nearly 10 years ago, I thought we wouldn’t have to contend with the cold weather anymore, but we were wrong. It does get cold here, down to the teens. One bright spot is that the cold weather is usually not continuous. It usually warms up after a few days. But this winter, the temperature has been breaking historic records. For example, bone-chilling cold bludgeoned the entire state of Maine. Unofficial temperatures dipped to minus 40s and even 50 below zero in Big Black River in the northwest corner of the state, and as low as 56 below in the St. John Valley.

Rich Norton, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Caribou, said Friday afternoon that if certified, the unofficial temperature in Big Black River would be a new record low temperature for Maine. Wow, that’s COLD. Maine’s all-time record low was minus 48 in Van Buren on Jan. 19, 1925, according to Victor Nouhan of the NWS.

Gov. John Baldacci on Friday signed a state of emergency proclamation to facilitate heating fuel deliveries. The proclamation essentially allows the federal Transportation Department to waive rules so heating fuel delivery drivers can stay on the road longer to make sure homes and businesses stay warm.

Cold gripped much of the rest of the eastern U.S. as well, with temperatures of minus 10 in Cleveland, minus 6 in Detroit and minus 11 in Chicago on Friday morning. In upstate New York, areas near Lake Erie received up to 2 inches of snow per hour.

The cold weather has claimed at least six lives and contributed to dozens of traffic accidents. One death involved a man in a wheelchair who was found in subzero temperatures stuck in the snow, a shovel in his hand, outside his home in Des Moines, Iowa. He died at a hospital.

Here’s a twist: Alabama is colder than Alaska, right now.

Filed under: 50 Below Zero Temperature, Alabama, Alaska, Atlanta's Temperature, Big Black River, Maine, State of Emergency

Sarah Palin Turkey Pardon Incident: Does TV Interview While Turkeys Are Slaughtered In The Background

Sarah Palin just can’t fade into the sunset gracefully. Well, Governor Palin appeared in Wasilla, you know the town the launched her political career, to pardon a local turkey in anticipation of Thanksgiving. The moment was unremarkable at first, but knowing Sarah Palin, something surreal was bound to occur. Well, after she pardoned the turkey, she did an interview with a local television station. The problem was that while she was yapping, turkeys were being slaughtered in the background. She was totally oblivious to the gruesome activity going on over her right shoulder. Once again, where is her staff? Is this the idiot who wants to lead a political party and a country? That’s a really scary proposition.

Watch the video and judge for yourself….

Filed under: Alaska, Governor Sarah Palin, Slaughterhouse, Turkey Pardon

Happy birthday Senator Ted Stevens, you’re fired!

Many have wondered whether Sarah Palin would run for the Senator Ted Stevens’ Senate seat if he were to be expelled from the Senate due to his recent conviction related to more than $250K in gifts he accepted. Well this is a moot point now:

Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power and Alaska icon who couldn’t survive a conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat by Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats within two seats of a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority. Source: Huffington Post

That’s one heck of a birthday present, but it looks as if the people of Alaska have spoken. I have to admit that it seems crazy that the race was actually this close. I mean, after all Senator Stevens was actually convicted of this crime before the election even took place. It’s amazing that a U.S. Senator can be proven of having extremely bad judgment at least, and a crook at worst, and the people would actually still almost vote him back in!

As for Governor Palin, it looks like she will have to find another way to Washington. The next Alaskan Senate seat is Lisa Murkowski’s seat, whose term won’t be up until 2011. It looks like Palin might as well stay in Alaska as governor, run for reelection in 2010, and go from there.

Of course Palin can always go to change.gov and fill out an application for the Obama Administration. However, my gut tells me that she won’t be willing to submit to the necessary disclosures in order to get the job.

What do you think?

Filed under: Alaska, Alaska Corruption, Local Politics, Mark Begich, Politics News, Politics-Economics, Sarah Palin, Senate Races, Senator Ted Stevens, Ted Stevens, Ted Stevens Corruption