Monthly Archives: January 2023

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Coastal Flood – Advisory


From Fri, Jan 13, 6:00 AM PST To Fri, Jan 13, 12:00 PM PST

What

Minor coastal flooding expected.

Where

Southwest Interior, Everett and Vicinity, Tacoma Area, Admiralty Inlet Area, Hood Canal Area, Bellevue and Vicinity, Seattle and Vicinity and Bremerton and Vicinity zones.

When

From 6 AM to noon PST Friday.

Impacts

Tidal overflow around high tide may cause flooding of lots, parks, and roads with only isolated road closures expected.

Tips

If travel is required, allow extra time as some roads may be closed. Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property.

Issued By

NWS Seattle

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

On This Day ~~ Haiti … In memory


Massive earthquake strikes Haiti, 2010

On this day in 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastates the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. The quake, which was the strongest to strike the region in more than 200 years, left over 200,000 people dead and some 895,000 Haitians homeless.

The earthquake hit southern Haiti at 4:53 p.m. local time. The nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, a densely populated city located about 15 miles from the quake’s epicenter, suffered widespread devastation. Countless dwellings were reduced to rubble, while hospitals, churches and schools collapsed and roads were blocked with debris. Numerous government structures were heavily damaged or destroyed, including the presidential palace, parliament building and main prison. (At the time of the quake, Haiti lacked a national building code, and many structures were shoddily constructed.) In the aftermath of the quake, amidst fears that victims’ decomposing corpses could spread disease, trucks picked up thousands of bodies and dumped them into mass graves.

Even before the earthquake, Haiti, which occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic occupies the other two-thirds), was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80 percent of its 9 million residents existing in poverty. Political corruption and violence, disease, malnutrition and limited access to education were a way of life for many in Haiti, which gained its independence from France in an 1804 slave revolt.

A large-scale, international relief operation was launched soon after the quake hit, with the United States taking charge and sending thousands of military troops to Haiti to deliver supplies, assist with search-and-rescue efforts and help maintain order. Relief efforts initially were hampered by earthquake damage to roads, communication systems and the Port-au-Prince airport and main port.

Governments and individuals around the world made donations and pledges of aid to Haiti totaling billions of dollars. However, on the first-year anniversary of the disaster, reconstruction efforts were still in their infancy. Thousands of people left homeless by the quake were living in tents, and only a small portion of the heavy debris resulting from the disaster had been cleared.

resource: history.com

i would like to add that the problem is getting access to education due to dollars and the fact that they are mostly privately run least we talk about the limited jobs in public schools and wages tend to be lower in non-public schools.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Special Weather – Statement


issued January 11 at 1:00PM PST by NWS Seattle

…HEAVY RAINFALL THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL LEAD TO AN INCREASED THREAT OF LANDSLIDES IN WESTERN WASHINGTON…

Periodic rainfall over the last few days and few weeks has increased soil moisture to moderate levels across western Washington. Heavy rainfall of one to three inches over the lowlands and foothills and 5 to 8 inches over the Olympics is expected Thursday through Saturday. This amount of rain will raise the soil moisture to high levels and put extra pressure on soil instability, leading to an increased threat of landslides during that period.

For more information about current conditions, visit http://www.weather.gov/seattle, select Hydrology, and then scroll down for the links to the landslide information pages.

For more information on landslides, visit the website for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources landslide geologic hazards at: http://bit.ly/2mtA3wn

by NWS Seattle

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Alert: Special Weather Statement


From Wed, Jan 11, 12:00 PM PST To Wed, Jan 11, 7:00 PM PST

Special Weather Statement issued January 10 at 2:57PM PST by NWS Seattle

HEAVY RAINFALL THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL LEAD TO AN INCREASED THREAT OF LANDSLIDES IN WESTERN WASHINGTON…

Periodic rainfall over the last few days and few weeks has increased soil moisture to moderate levels across western Washington. Heavy rainfall of one to two inches in the lowlands and 6 to 8 inches over the Olympics is expected Thursday through Saturday. This amount of rain will raise the soil moisture to high levels and put extra pressure on soil instability, leading to an increased threat of landslides.

For more information about current conditions and USGS landslide indices, visit http://www.weather.gov/seattle, select Hydrology, and then scroll down for the links to the landslide information pages.

For more information on landslides, visit the website for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources landslide geologic hazards at: http://bit.ly/2mtA3wn

Special Weather Statement issued January 10 at 2:57PM PST by NWS Seattle

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

drug benefit expands to 1million more Seniors…the program is called Extra Help


Electronic Publication …  www.socialsecurity.gov

“It’s extra help,” Checker said in an interview, “and this is what I’m all about.”   To help promote the new twist in the law, Astrue enlisted Chubby Checker, who danced and sang “The Twist” to the top of the pop charts in the early 1960s. Those too young to remember Checker probably don’t qualify for the 65-and-up .

Who can get Extra Help?

Anyone who has Medicare can get Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Some people with limited income and resources are eligible for Extra Help to pay for the costs–monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments–related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. To qualify for Extra Help:

  • You must reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
  • Your resources must be limited to $12,510 for an individual or $25,010 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count your house and car as resources; and
  • Your annual income must be limited to $16,245 for an individual or $21,855 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help. Some examples where your income may be higher are if you or your spouse:
    • Support other family members who live with you;
    • Have earnings from work; or
    • Live in Alaska or Hawaii.

    ***************************************************

How does the new law change what is counted as income and resources?

Beginning January 1, 2010, when determining your eligibility for Extra Help:

  • We will no longer count as a resource any life insurance policy; and
  • We will no longer count as income the help you receive regularly from someone else to pay your household expenses—food, mortgage, rent, heating fuel or gas, electricity, water, and property taxes.
  • *****************************************************

What else should I know about the new law?

If you already receive Extra Help, you will not need to reapply in 2010. Social Security will see if you are entitled to any additional Extra Help because we no longer count your life insurance or help with household expenses.

Beginning January 1, 2010, when you file your application for Extra Help, you also can start your application process for the Medicare Savings Programs—state programs that provide help with other Medicare costs. Social Security will send information to your state unless you tell us not to on the Extra Help application. Your state will contact you to help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program. These Medicare Savings Programs help people with limited income and resources pay for their Medicare expenses. The Medicare Savings Programs help pay for your Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premiums. For some people, the Medicare Savings Programs also may pay for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) premiums, if any, and Part A and B deductibles and co-payments.

***********************************************

How do I apply for Extra Help?

It is easy to apply for Extra Help. Just complete Social Security’s Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Here’s how:

After you apply, Social Security will review your application and send you a letter to let you know if you qualify for the Extra Help. Once you qualify, you can choose a Medicare prescription drug plan. If you do not select a plan, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will do it for you. The sooner you join a plan the sooner you begin receiving benefits.

*******************************************************

Why should I apply for Extra Help online?

Our online application is secure and offers several advantages. It takes you through the process, step by step, with a series of self-help screens. The screens will tell you what information you need to complete the application and will guide you in answering the questions fully. You can apply from any computer at your own pace. You can start and stop at any time during the process, so you can leave the application and go back later to update or complete any of the required information. We are careful to protect your personal information

*************************************************

How can I get more information?

For more information about getting Extra Help with your Medicare prescription drug plan costs, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Social Security representatives are available to help you complete your application.

If you need information about Medicare Savings Programs, Medicare prescription drug plans, how to enroll in a plan, or to request a copy of the Medicare & You handbook, please visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY, 1-877-486-2048). When you call, you also can request information about how to contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In addition, you can find your local SHIP contact information on the back of your Medicare handbook or obtain the information online at www.medicare.gov/contacts/staticpages/ships.aspx.