War with Iran?... US supporting terrorists to promote more war in the Middle East?

I am trying to keep up with the developments in the Middle East. Although I am doing this daily, I am not posting much of it here -- most of the stories are covered well in the news sites (not the network new sites).


I am very worried about the neocon plan to involve Iran in the conflict -- we are in Afganistan, Iraq, next is Iran and Syria according to the long range plan I have read about for a number of years. Sure, we are not winning yet -- but maybe winning a clear war is not the strategy of our current administration. Stirring things up so we have the most influence in the region is a goal in itself.

I am disturbed by Dick Cheney's talk in Australia saying that war with Iraq is an option. I am concerned with the comment of Prez Bush that nuclear war could be an option with Iran if they try to develop their nuclear weapons. Did you know that Nobel Laureates from Cornell have petitioned congress for a binding resolution to prohibit the use of nuclear weapons against a country that does not have nuclear weapons? This petition came about after Prez Bush's comments about the possibility of a nuclear strike.

Here is another disturbing link in today's paper. I will go out and buy this week's New Yorker to read the whole article but it is posted at the New Yorker web site.

Here is a link to a summary of one of the issues in Seymour Hersh's article. Watch the video and read the transcript. If you are still interested, visit the New Yorker web site.
Cornell Physicists against Nuclear Weapons use against non-nuclear nations
U.S. Funds Being Secretly Funneled To Violent Al Qaeda-Linked Groups
The New Yorker original article The Redirection by Seymour Hersh

lots more snow on the east coast

I was thinking the area was like the North Pole this morning as I drove along Rt 79 W to Ithaca, NY. Here is proof from the scientists.

The picture is from the NASA observatory.
The link for the original is here

is the end of winter near?

The news of the week was the I-76 fiasco that held up traffic. The road looked like a very bad version of rush hour (for 14 hours) or the traffic to a music festival (The phish concert in Florida comes to my mind).

Years ago, I travelled on Easter Sunday from Virginia. When I reached Harrisburg, Pa on Rt 81 the air became "foggy" with light snow. Travelling on Rt 81 North out of Harrisburg is a long hill of miles, changing altitude and weather patterns. No snow plows in sight, but the road became deeper and deeper with the powdery stuff.

Mentally, I was thinking about the length of the drive to Binghamton and feeling fatigued. Suddenly, traffic slowed down and all cars cautiously passed 3 or 4 vehicles that were 180 degrees the wrong way. Breathing a sigh of relief, I thought I needed a break. The snow appeared to be 12 inches deep and no plows yet. Maybe if I get off at the next rest area, it will give the plows some time to make the road passable.

The exit was Ravine, Pa. The little rest area is aptly named as it feels like it is a little low spot in the mountains. The snow was coming down like a blizzard at this time. I gratefully get on line to buy a soda at the truck stop. Suddenly someone is talking to me on the line. He is saying "
Which way are you going?". I mumble, "North to Binghamton". He says very quietly, "Don't try it as all the cars are at a standstill. You cannot get through". He said this so quietly I almost did not get it. Almost.... Then, I went into robot mode. To the phone booth and call home and say " I will be home tomorrow as I am staying overnight". I get in the car and drive on the side road along Rt 81 down hill. I do not see any place to stay. Back on Rt 81 South to the nearest Hershey, Pa exit. At last, an exit with hotels. I arrive in the Hotel (I think it was a Days Inn) and breathlessly request a room. It looks empty. The room is $45. It is definitely off season. I say to the staff "Get ready! All the Easter Sunday traffic will be here shortly". The staff does not believe me.

My daughter is with me and we quickly go to our rooms. We cross the road and have a nice dinner at the Holiday Inn across the street. We observe the dining room filling up. We get our check and hear the waitress saying they are running out of food. We go out to the lobby -- People are being told "no more rooms". The hotel graciously provides the lobby as the people have no place to go.

Thanks to that quiet spoken trucker in the rest stop at Ravine! I wish I got your name.

It turns out, the people on Rt 81 North of Ravine all drove into a massive traffic jam. The snow plows could not plow the road that day. The people sat in their cars the entire night with whatever they had with them to keep warm and eat. (Did people even have water bottles then?) No rescue came and only a helicopter came through looking for anyone waving them down for medical emergencies.

The next day, the pay loaders and heavy duty equipment dug their way in. People were taken out. Later, their vehicles were dug out, too.

I drove home via Allentown and Rt 76, too. It was open that time although abandoned cars were still on the shoulder.

Lessons were learned by me! Bring blankets and water when travelling in Pa. And most important of all -- don't keep going!!! No one may be coming to get you for a long, long time.

Turn around when you can.

You might think the Interstate should be better than this -- but don't test it unless you are prepared for a long night in your car.