On Thursday, the day after many websites blacked out in protest of SOPA, the government shut down one of the most popular file-sharing websites.  Along with shutting it down, a federal indictment accused the owners of Megaupload.com of facilitating millions of illegal downloads.

Megaupload, a Chinese based company, is accused of costing copyright holders at least $500 million. The United States had jurisdiction because some files were being hosted by leased servers in Ashburn Va.

The shutdown came on the heels of a hacker attack that shutdown the Justice Department’s website and other federal sites.  Officials declared the shutdown of the Justice Department’s site “a malicious attack,” according to the Boston Globe. A hacker group known as “Anonymous” took credit for the attack.

According to the Globe, a Justice Department statement said that Kim Dotcom, 37, and three other employees were arrested in New Zealand on Thursday in relation to Megaupload.  Three more defendants have not yet been apprehended. Dotcom, who had his name legally changed from Kim Schmitz, is the founder, former CEO and current chief innovation officer of the file-sharing website.  The others arrested are Finn Batato, 38; Mathias Ortmann, 40; and Bram van der Kolk, 29.

“This kind of application of international criminal procedures to Internet policy issues sets a terrifying precedent,” said The Electronic Frontier Foundation that defends free speech and digital rights, according to The Globe. “If the United States can seize a Dutch citizen in New Zealand over a copyright claim, what is next?”

Before it was shutdown, Megaupload posted a statement that declared the SOPA bill a huge breach of copyright laws.

“The fact is that the vast majority of Mega’s Internet traffic is legitimate, and we are here to stay. If the content industry would like to take advantage of our popularity, we are happy to enter into a dialogue. We have some good ideas. Please get in touch,” the statement said, The Globe reports.

Megaupload had the support of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys and Kanye West.  These endorsements were unusual because the entertainment industry usually condemns the downloading of illegal material, as they lose money from it.

The company cited Swizz Beatz, a musician, as its CEO, but he declined comment to the Boston Globe.

The former website, which was listed at one point to be the 13th most visited website, is charged with copyright infringement, conpiracy to commit money laundering and racketeering.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — AccuWeather.com — Rumors have been spreading that the National Weather Service (NWS) is getting rid of wind chill values, which describe how cold it feels with wind factored in.

The truth is NWS offices in the Dakotas and Minnesota are not eliminating wind chills; they are changing the way they warn the public about extreme, dangerous cold.

In the past, the NWS issued Wind Chill Watches and Warnings when wind chill values were expected to fall below a certain level.

The problem the NWS encountered was when extreme cold was predicted in the absence of wind, it did not have a warning product that could be issued.

“On clear nights when the wind goes calm and we have deep snow cover, that is when we get our coldest temperatures in North Dakota. It can get down to minus 30 or minus 40,” said John Paul Martin, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Bismarck, N.D.

“We didn’t have a product for a warning for that,” Martin continued. “Now we’re using Extreme Cold Watches and Warnings instead, which are all-encompassing. If it’s 30 below or colder, either air temperature or wind chill, we’ll issue a warning.”

The NWS will still include wind chills in their reports and daily forecasts. However, in cases when dangerous cold is predicted, they will issue an Extreme Cold Watch or Warning rather than a Wind Chill Watch, Warning or Advisory.

The NWS Weather Forecast Office in Bismarck has more details on the changes and the new Extreme Cold Watches and Warnings.

“To me, as a meteorologist, if it’s 30 below, wind chill or air temperature, it’s dangerously cold, and a warning should be issued,” Martin stated. “People need to be aware of it.”

Another issue the Dakotas and Minnesota face is that they are some of the coldest states in the country and deal with subzero cold quite frequently throughout the winter.

“The problem is we tend to issue a lot of wind chill advisories,” explained Chris Franks, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. “The goal is to reduce the number of ‘cold headlines’ we have out and to make the product stronger so that if we do issue a warning, it will be for exceptional events… the most dangerous.”

Extreme Cold Watches and Warnings are Experimental

“It’s an experiment, and we’re looking for feedback,” said Martin. “Typically, experiments run for several years, but it depends on the feedback. My hope is that the feedback is positive, because this is the direction I think the National Weather Service needs to be moving in.”

Several NWS offices in Montana have expressed interest in switching over to Extreme Cold Watches and Warnings as well, but this change would not take effect until next winter at the earliest.

Criteria for the watches and warnings would vary region by region, depending on climatology. For example, states in the southern U.S. would likely have much lower criteria, perhaps zero or 10 degrees below zero, for a warning to be issued than northern states, where residents are more acclimated to extreme cold.

AccuWeather.com provides its own measure of how cold it feels with the wind factored in, and that is through AccuWeather.com RealFeel temperatures. RealFeel temperatures are given on our local forecast pages, which can be accessed by entering your city and state in the search box at the top of this page.

Story by Heather Buchman, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist.

On Monday–following months of scrutiny regarding Cablevision’s broadband speeds–the FCC commended the New York-based cable provider in its Measuring Broadband America report for delivering 90 percent of the advertised 15 Mbps.

In the August report, the FCC criticized Cablevision for delivering internet download speeds of only 50 percent what was marketed to customers during peek hours. Verizon and Comcast–two of Cablevision’s main competitors—both were reported to deliver speeds faster than advertised in the August report.

Cablevision is also offering high-speed internet access at a discount price to low-income homes that are the same 15 Mpbs as the standard Optimum Online service. Comcast also has discounted access, but at 1 Mbps.

In a blog post, Joe Gurin, chief of the FCC’s Consumer and Goverrment Affairs stated, “We are pleased to note that the performance of one company—Cablevision—markedly improved from earlier this year.”

On Monday, December 3, NASA’s Kepler space telescope discovery team discovered a planet 600 light years away that perplexingly resembled Earth, with its 72-degree temperature and 60% water content. The planet, named Kepler-22b, lies in the habitual zone, the zone at which it is possible to contain life and water, in a distant galaxy. The planet is 2.4 times the radius of Earth, and has a nearby star that greatly looks like Earth’s sun. The structure of Kepler-22b resembles that of Earth, as it has an orbit of 290 days around this nearby star.

Douglas Hudgins, a program scientist at NASA’s headquarters in Washington, said in a statement that this discovery is “a major milestone on the road to finding Earth’s twin.” He also says, “Kepler’s results continue to demonstrate the importance of NASA’s science missions, which aim to answer some of the biggest questions about our place in the universe.” On December 5-10, the Kepler team is hosting an inaugural science conference to announce the 1,094 new planet candidate discoveries. They will discuss the Kepler-22b to see if it qualifies with the three planet transits to be considered a planet. NASA’s team will definitely continue to probe Kepler-22b for more details.

He’s out.

With poll numbers dropping like a stone and no new money coming in, Herman Cain has suspended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Staffers had speculated that he would drop out today, but no official word had come until now. The announcement came in Atlanta, at the opening of Cain’s new headquarters, which was supposed to be a joyous occasion for the one-time GOP frontrunner.

On Friday, Cain returned home to suburban Atlanta and met face-to-face with his wife, Gloria for the first time since 46-year-old Ginger White came forward to say she had a 13-year extramarital affair with Cain.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Facebook, which has become the largest social networking website with 800 million users since its launch in February 2004 from founder Mark Zuckerberg’s dorm room, is considering raising $10 billion in order to receive a total valuation of $100 billion. If this occurs, Facebook’s perceived value will be twice as high as it was in January. This potential $100 billion valuation could ultimately make Facebook’s worth more than other major companies such as Disney ($61 billion), Amazon ($88.3 billion) worth and Cisco’s ($96.8 billion.)

The Wall Street Journal estimated on Monday, November 28 that CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg plan on filing IPO paperwork in early 2012. According to The Journal, Facebook has been drafting a curriculum and consistently speaking with Silicon Valley bankers about raising funds in order to achieve this valuation.

Charlie Rose of Bloomberg Businessweek interviewed both Zuckerberg and Sandberg regarding Facebook he touched upon the company’s future, and specifically, the potential IPO. When asked why the company wants to operate as a public company, Zuckerberg responds, “We’ve made this implicit promise to our investors and employees that by compensating with equity and by giving them equity, that at some point we’re going to make that equity worth something publicly, in a liquid way.” Equity is the main purpose for the company’s expansion, according to Zuckerberg’s response.

Both Sandberg and Zuckerberg are prudent when discussing filing for their IPO paperwork, and give no further indications as to when they want to carry out their propositions. “When we’re ready,” is Sandberg’s response to when the company plans on seeking their $100 billion valuation. In April 2012, however, Facebook will be compelled to publicly disclose its finances to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC requires all companies with more than 499 investors to reveal their financial information. Therefore, more information about Facebook’s valuation and IPO will be exposed this spring.

DAVIS, Calif. — The holiday weekend was very quiet around Davis. Only the remnants of the infamous pepper spraying incident remained. Although a bounty of tents could still be found on the quad, a mere handful of protestors could be found in them. Then Monday morning arrived. Once again, one by one, news vans crept back onto campus as if waiting for blood to be shed.

The UC Davis General Strike that began early Monday morning has yet to disperse. Beginning at 8:00am with a yoga class, students and professors gathered on the campus quad to take part in the various ongoings of the day. Some professors chose to move their classes to the quad while others decided to simply cancel the scheduled lectures in solidarity with the strike. When the option is either attend class and do nothing but discuss the strike or to not attend class and thus be taking part in the strike, it seemed to many that the strike was unavoidable.

Almost all protestors and non-protestors alike feel strongly that the pepper spraying incident was unacceptable. “The extraordinary reaction of the pepper spraying is entirely sensible, given how horrific it was,” asserts Professor Joshua Clover of the UC Davis English Department. However, like most non-protestors, some protestors are aware that the UC Davis movement would have already flatlined had it not been for the infamous pepper spray scene. “This movement wouldn’t have happened without the pepper spray incident” one protestor admits. This event has now seemed to cause a controversy though. What once lit a fire under the movement is now becoming a nuisance for some protestors. Many claim that they are tired of the attention diverting from what really needs to be changed while others state the pepper spray to be the reason they are protesting. The non-protestors are tired of the attention altogether.

Various artistic expressions of frustrations took over the quad in solidarity for the strike and ongoing protests. Signs such as “The Chancellor was appointed, so was Hitler,” “California RNs support Occupy UC Davis,” and “I’m queer; I’m for justice” could be found throughout the conglomeration of protestors. Once again, no clear cause was present. “There is no singular cause by design,” graduate student and current protestor Susan Richardson explains. “There is no singular statement regarding the protests for a reason. We want everyone to feel like they have a place to voice their frustrations.”

It thus appears that the protests are an aggregate of individual frustrations, and the protestors are aware of this. For one student, Eric Lee, the protests and general strike are part of a much larger goal. “The General Strike is part of a greater movement against all forms of social inequality that have all stemmed from capitalism,” Lee states. Professor Clover sees the focus of the protests geared toward privatization and austerity and further claims that this has been the focus all along. “I think that the focus of the protest is against the ongoing privatization of the university, and that takes many forms, from high costs, to compulsory debt to the use of militarized cops to impose policies the students find intolerable,” Clover says.

Written in chalk on the walkway in the pathway of the quad is what appears to be a revised Preamble that possibly encompasses at least several of the ongoing protests. This informal documentation states:

1.  Reform higher education

2.  Reform our justice system

3.  Reform health care

4.  End the Fed

5.  End money in politics

6.  Make lobbying illegal

7.  Hold the banks and Wall Street accountable

8.  End the war! Bring home our troops

9.  Rebuild America’s infrastructure

10. Reduce dependency of fossil fuels

For others, the bigger picture is derived from a different perspective. “I don’t think the protestors realize the long term negative effects the protesting is having on both the students and the university as a whole,” one UC Davis alum stated. Others think that UC Davis is only being portrayed in a negative light. While making international news is quite the achievement, doing so in this manner is anything but ideal. Others don’t understand why not attending class is the right choice to make. For these students, the strike does not portray that students are serious about their education, for why would they not attend a class if they wanted to be educated? The irony from the strike further exists when the protests against tuition are taken into account. When this quarter’s tuition has already paid for classes, why not attend and get your money’s worth?

In regards to the protest against Chancellor Katehi, the tension seems to have died down a bit, but some still stand unwavering in the demand for her resignation. “I concur with the idea that Linda Katehi has demonstrated herself inadequate to any conception of a Chancellor’s task, and should confront the consequences of her catastrophically misguided actions,” Professor Clover asserts. Richardson says however that this won’t change anything because the Chancellor is merely a cog in the greater machinery of the system. “Rather than abandon the system,” she says, “I think we should try to change it.” Fellow protestor, Lee disagrees, saying “Of course Chancellor Katehi should resign. She should also face criminal charges.”

The unmistakeable odor of marijuana was abundant on the quad and the presence of people who were obviously not students both highlight the now controversial topic of safety. The protests and strike may be non-violent, but does that automatically make them safe? The vast majority of the protestors feel that all UC Police Departments should be dismantled. In fact, included in the General Strike was a talk given by a group of UC Davis professors entitled “Cops Off Campus: Toward a Safer University.” While some protestors see this as the only acceptable option, non-protestors are anything but quick to agree.

It appears that the presence of Occupy UC Davis is not going to go away anytime soon. But with winter break right around the corner, the movement may not be given the recent, overwhelming attention it has become accustomed to. If the protestors will remain through the break is yet to be determined.

A new set of allegations against Herman Cain involve more than just a quick tryst, but a 13 year affair.

Atlanta businesswoman Ginger White said on Monday that she and the presidential candidate were involved in an affair that ended right before Cain announced his bid for the presidency, according to USA Today.  She told Fox 5 in Atlanta that she met Cain in the late ’90s.

White provided WAGA-TV with phone records that show 61 calls or text messages from one number that she claims is Cain’s private cell phone number. When the reporter texted the number, Herman Cain called him back.

“It wasn’t complicated. I was aware that he was married. And I was also aware I was involved in a very inappropriate situation, relationship,” White said to WAGA-TV.

Cain denied the allegations during a CNN interview an hour before the interview with the supposed mistress was set to air.  He called the allegations part of “dirty politics and smear tactics,” reports USA Today.

White told WAGA-TV about the affair, describing it as “fun,” and saying he would fly her to different locations around the country for a rendezvous.

Cain would give White copies of his books with personal inscriptions, one of which allegedly says “Friends are forever! Everything else is a bonus.”

The woman said Cain never treated her disrespectfully, like the other women who claim they had contact with the candidate have alleged.  White said she planned to keep the affair a secret, but was bothered by how he handled the sexual harassment allegations.

“It bothered me that they were being demonized, sort of, they were treated as if they were automatically lying, and the burden of proof was on them,” White said, according to USA Today. “I felt bad for them.”

MINEOLA, N.Y. — Four students face prison time for their roles in an SAT cheating scandal out of Great Neck North High School in Long Island, prosecutors say. Joshua Chefec, 20, Adam Justin, 19, and George Trane, 19, surrendered to investigators this morning, according to Nassau County

District Attorney Kathleen Rice. Michael Pomerantz, 18, will turn himself in on Monday, she said. The four allegedly used fake IDs to take SAT and ACT tests on behalf of fellow students in exchange for payments of up to $3,600. Police arrested nine other students today for paying to have the SAT or ACT test taken for them, Rice said.

Investigators uncovered the cheating ring early this year after rumors of students paying a third party to take the test spread to faculty of Great Neck North High, Rice said. She said students registered at schools where the proctor could not positively identify them, then paid former and fellow students large sums to complete the test in their stead. School administrators picked out the nine paying students after noticing a drastic difference between their grade point average and their SAT scores, the D.A. said.

“Educating our children means more than teaching them facts and figures. It means teaching them honesty, integrity, and a sense of fair play,” Rice said. “The young men and women arrested today instead chose to scam the system and victimize their own friends and classmates, and for that they find themselves in handcuffs.”

Chefec, Justin, Pomerantz and Trane face up to four years in jail for first-degree scheme to defraud, second-degree falsification of business records and second-degree criminal impersonation. The nine other students will be tried as juveniles for misdemeanor offenses.

Kevin R. Ryan, director of communications at the Queens District Attorney’s Office said he could neither confirm nor deny investigations. Matin Emouna, an attorney for one of the four main defendants was not available for comment.

New York — A genuine attempt at shutting down New York City was only a threat until earlier today.

Occupiers arose this morning determined to make the two month anniversary since the protests started a “historic moment” for all. Hundreds of people took on to the streets and attempted to shut down the New York Stock Exchange and major banks. However, this goal was not reached; the Stock Exchange opened on time as individuals who showed proper identification to law enforcement were allowed to pass through barricades. Police arrested about 200 of the protesters who were responsible for obstructing traffic and resisting the arrests. ABC news stated that these demonstrations are just a “big test of strength,” and pronounced today’s events to be “their biggest yet.”

Thousands of protesters were at the scene chanting, “Shut the whole country down,” and “All day, all week, shut down Wall Street!”

According to BBC news the protesters fanned out on trains throughout the five boroughs at around 5:00 pm, continuing their day of disruption with a rally at Foley Square. Cath Turner of Al-Jazeera English estimated that the crowd swelled to around 10,000 people. Traffic in the area was at a standstill and police have set up barricades and closed some of the sidewalks.

At around 6:00 pm protesters left their post and prepared to march across the Brooklyn Bridge. According to the Wall Street Journal, dozens of the marchers were arrested when a small group veered away from the rest and commenced walking into lanes of traffic on the bridge. The rest of the large group, who did not walk onto the bridge roadway, were allowed to continue without incident.

The organizers of the Occupy Wall Street movement are thought to be planning a large meeting at Zuccotti Park, the base of the movement, later this evening.

A bullet hit a White House window early Tuesday morning, but was stopped by the building’s ballistic glass, according to the U.S. Secret Service.

The Secret Service said a second bullet was found on the White House grounds. No one was injured.

Authorities did not specify the type of bullet. The discovery came after reports by witnesses hearing gunfire near the White House on Friday.

President Barack Obama was not home at the time.

Investigators believe the bullets were not fired intentionally at the White House, but may have the been the byproduct of street crime in Washington.

Three deaths have occurred in Occupy protest-related situations this week.

In Burlington, Vermont, a 35-year old military veteran committed suicide, while a Salt Lake City protester was found dead by unknown cause in his tent.

In Oakland, a man was shot in a fight nearby the protesters, but is supposedly not related to the cause.

The death in Burlington is raising concerns about the safety of the protests. Deputy Police Chief Andi Higbee said “Our responsibility is to keep the public safe. When there is a discharge of a firearm in a public place like this it’s good cause to be concerned, greatly concerned.” Whether or not the protests will be allowed to continue is still in the air.

Protesters in Salt Lake City are no longer permitted to camp out in the city park, and are required to remove their tents by Saturday. However, daytime protests will still be allowed.

Officials in Oakland are calling for the camp to be shut down. Despite leaders of the cause claiming that the shooting was unrelated, Mayor Jean Quan said “Tonight’s incident underscores the reason why the encampment must end. The risks are too great. We need to return (police) resources to addressing violence throughout the city. It’s time for the encampment to end. Camping is a tactic, not a solution.”

Joe Frazier, the first boxer ever to defeat Muhammad Ali, died Monday after a battle with liver cancer. He was 67.

Mr. Frazier won boxing’s Fight of the Century and then fought Ali nearly to the death in the Thrilla in Manila. Frazier was one of the greatest boxers ever, something that Ali, widely considered the greatest boxer ever, has said publicly.

He knocked Ali down in 15th round at Madison Square Garden in March 1971. No one had ever beaten Ali.

But Ali won the war. Mr. Frazier was forever known as the foil character in protagonist Ali’s story. Ali never let him forget that during their storied careers. Ali taunted him mercilessly, and Mr. Frazier didn’t forgive him for it until much later in life.

Two duo fought three times. Their last fight was Manila in 1975. They traded punches for 14 rounds, until Mr. Frazier’s trained held him back for the final round. Mr. Frazier couldn’t see, his eyes swollen shut.

Mr. Frazier’s battle with cancer was a brief fight, unlike his boxing matches. As recently as September, he was seen signing autographs in Las Vegas.

Law enforcement websites and Internet services, including those used by the Boston Police Department came under attack yesterday by members of a hacker group called Anonymous.

In a statement released by the group taking credit for the hack, the group claims “solidarity with occupation movement and anti-police brutality protesters.”

“In solidarity with the Occupation Movement and the International Day of Action Against Police Brutality, [we] aim at the corrupt bootboys of the 1 pecent: the police,” the statement read.

The group claimed that it “hacked, defaced, and destroyed several law enforcement targets, leaking over 600MB of private information including internal documents, membership rosters, addresses, passwords, social security numbers, and other confidential data.” It also claimed to take down at least 40 police-related websites.

The group attacked multiple Boston police websites. Most notable, Anonymous hacked the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association website and its web-based email portal, posting the names, email addresses, and email passwords of nearly 1,000 Boston police officers on the Internet for all to see.

In the statement, Anonymous said it attacked BPD sites in response to “the unprovoked mass arrests and brutality experienced by those at Occupy Boston.”

“Let this be a warning to BPD and police everywhere: future acts of aggression against our movements will be met with a vengeance so epic and relentless that your children’s children will puke at the sight of swine,” the statement read.

The International Association of Chief of Police website, IACP.org was targeted. The website was down and unreachable early this morning.

Anonymous also took aim at MatrixGroup.net, the website of Matrix Group International, which Internet services for government agencies. The Matrix website would also not load at press time.

In perhaps the most serious security breach, Anonymous hacked Birmingham / Jefferson County, Ala. police websites, releasing the names, addresses, and social security numbers of nearly 1,000 police officers.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — AccuWeather — A number of sizable dust storms, ongoing drought and intense heat this past summer have many wondering if another Dust Bowl is in the works.

The Dust Bowl Era was a series of drought years spanning the early and middle 1930s, which was made worse by wind storms that blew away a large amount of topsoil on the Great Plains.

The most recent dust storm in Lubbock, Texas, along with other large storms near Tucson, Ariz. in early October and the haboobs in Phoenix during July, to name a few, certainly are signs of the times.

Much of the region has been in the throws of a drought since last fall. Phoenix only receives an average of 8.50 inches of rain per year. However, as dry is the place normally is, only 4.50 inches of rain has fallen since October 1, 2010.

Lubbock has received only about 30 percent of their normal rainfall since Oct. 1, 2010, which is a mere 6 inches or so, compared to a normal of 20.50 inches.

The AccuWeather.com and the National Weather Service winter forecast outlooks are not good for the region in terms of rainfall. Both are projecting below-normal precipitation in a nutshell from Arizona eastward to Texas and northward into the southern Plains.

Two rainfall prospects over the next week seem to be drying up before they even arrive.

However, Expert Agricultural Meteorologist Dale Mohler points out that it may not be quite as dry as last winter in the region.

“The indication is that while a La Nina is in the making, it may not be as strong, nor as long lasting, as last year,” Mohler said.

That could mean a few attempts at rain for the region. Rain was nearly non-existent in much of the area last winter.

This winter, there will be storms that pass north of the southern Plains and Southwest, which periodically kick up wind and dust. These episodes can lead to brief low visibility for ground travel and will raise the risk of the spread of wildfires.

However, even if these storms bring little or no rain to the region, we should not see the vast expanse of the 1930s dust storms returning.

Moisture will be plentiful over the central and northern Plains this winter. In fact, much of the northern Plains is forecast to have harsh cold, rather than unusual warmth.

Modern agricultural techniques in southern areas such as irrigation and cover crops mitigate the loss of water due to evaporation and the loss of soil due to wind.

“If the La Nina is weaker and of shorter duration than last year, there is a chance of the return of substantial rain next spring in Texas and the southern Plains,” Mohler said.

Rainfall during the early and middle 1950s was well below normal in many areas of Texas.

According to AccuWeather.com Forensics, in Lubbock, every year from 1950 through 1955 brought below-normal rainfall and had a cumulative effect.

The current drought and warmth have so far lasted just a little over a year. However, it has been much more intense than during much of the 1950s era with well-below-average rainfall and well-above-average warmth.

There has been one to several inches of rain in recent weeks in a large part of Texas and the southern Plains.

“The rain has come in time for the planting of winter wheat on the southern Plains,” Mohler said.

“However, the status of pastureland grasses remains poor in Texas and Oklahoma,” Mohler added.

Much more rain is needed on a regular basis to green-up the pastureland, begin filling reservoirs, and replenish the water supply.

All it would take is a couple of big, wet storms over winter to get the ball rolling in the right direction.

According to AccuWeather.com Long Range Expert Paul Pastelok, “While anything is possible over the winter, we just do not see a pattern very favorable for the type of rain that is needed in much of the region.”

“We cannot say for sure what the next year or next several years will bring,” Pastelok added.

While black and white images of mass migration during the 1930s Dust Bowl Era are not likely to be repeated, more hardship for agriculture in the region may be ahead.

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist for AccuWeather.com

IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon had died after a horrific and fiery 15-car crash during Sunday’s Las Vegas Indy 300.

Wheldon, 33, was fatally injured when his car went airborne after hitting another car during Lap 12. He caught a part of a fence just outside the turn. He was taken by helicopter to University Medical Center, where he died.

“IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries,” said IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today.”

The race was canceled, and drivers performed a slow five-lap tribute to Wheldon after the news broke.

Wheldon is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, including this year’s race. He was racing for a $5 million prize in today’s race, which he would have split with a random fan.

Drivers Pippa Mann and J.R. Hildebrand were transported to a hospital for dizziness, and Will Power because of back pain.

The race is the final one of the IndyCar season. There were 34 cars entered in the race.

Drivers were reaching high speeds of 225 mph during practice.

Wheldon was expected to replace Danica Patrick next season in the Go-Daddy Andretti Autosport car. Patrick is moving to NASCAR.

ESPN’s reporting originally included a video of the crash. The video was taken down immediately after it was reported that Wheldon had died.

Round-table-style GOP debate at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Photo: Associated Press

Tuesday’s Bloomberg/Washington Post Republican debate at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire earned further momentum for ex-pizza CEO Herman Cain, who has been gaining attention in the past few weeks with his “9-9-9 plan.” The tax plan would mandate a flat 9% rate on income, corporations, and the national sales tax. What initially seemed like a rhetorical gimmick for the previously mocked presidential hopeful actually seemed to hold water under scrutiny from Rick Perry and Mitt Romney, the other two major players at this juncture.

With voting in the state likely to start in the new few weeks, the session went relatively smoothly. Charlie Rose moderated, keeping the tone more business-like and less of a melee than past debates, and the candidates sat a table, allowing for a discussion atmosphere without as much outright campaigning. The subdued tone was also partially due to Rick Perry’s calmness throughout the evening: his typical fire was noticeably absent, and he was somehow able to turn almost every question he was asked into an argument for energy independence. Perhaps after criticism about his often-fumbling debate style, his advisors believed that silence was golden. This tactic didn’t necessarily make him look like the smartest guy in the room, but it didn’t make him look like the dumbest (a key factor in this crowd). Plus, his promise of putting 1.2 million Americans to work in the energy industry didn’t sound half bad, if he can swing it.

Romney remained comfortable and smooth in the economic debate, taking flak for his 160-page economic plan from Cain (who once notoriously touted the evils of having to read too much) and turning the question into one of his shining moments of the evening.    When Cain asked Romney whether his 59-point plan was “simple, transparent, efficient, fair and neutral,” Romney actually summed it up in under a minute.  The plan focused on “trade policies that open up new markets to American goods” and implementing policies that get Americans back to work.

Romney sat on his lead. He held strong and came out looking like the sharpest of the group. The clear focus of the debate’s attention though, was the presumed new second place candidate. A noteworthy chunk of the entire chat was spent either listening to Cain talking about his plan, or listening to the other candidates try to poke holes in it. Herman Cain, the candidate who seemed to get written-off early in the race, had the evening’s attention, and therefore, the evening itself.

Still, GOP voters have proven fickle thus far. If the Cain praising turns out to be just his fifteen minutes of Republican fame as it was for Perry and Bachman in the very recent past, last night’s debate won’t end up hurting Romney’s chances for the nomination.

NEW YORK — The word “slut” has long been used to shame women.  Men use it to belittle women and make them feel bad about their sexuality.  Women use it to hurt one another and defend their own reputation.  On Saturday, New York City took the hateful term back for the first time, and unleashed its inner slut.

The first ever New York City Slutwalk flooded the lower east side with people screaming for their rights to sexuality, and in support of rape victim rights.  An estimated 3000 people showed up.

“Slutwalk NYC is part of a worldwide grassroots movement challenging rape culture, victim-blaming and slut-shaming, and working to end sexual and domestic violence,” according to the Slutwalk NYC website.  Slutwalk happens in many major cities across the country.

Slutwalk started with a series of speeches to get the crowd excited, and culminated with the same.  The group gathered in Union Square to listen to speeches about victim blaming and rape culture, all meant to gain awareness and empowerment for victims.

People of all genders and orientations attended the rally that marched from Union Square to Broadway, then down 8th street to 2nd avenue, it continued down 3rd street, and ended by going down Lafayette and back into Union Square.

The walkers held signs such as “end sexual violence now,” and “my clothes are not my consent.”  Many dressed like “sluts,” in order to show that the way a person dresses does not mean they are asking to be raped, or want it, which is a common defense of rape culture.

Slutwalk happened just one day after an NYPD officer told women on the street that their skirts were too short, and looked like the kind of women a rapist would target, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The event got its name from a comment a police officer in Toronto when he said, “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized,” according to Gothamist.

Attendees left the event feeling empowered.  One Slutwalker said that chanting and yelling things like “hey-hey, ho-ho, rape culture has got to go,” made her feel liberated.

Federal authorities charged an Ashland man with plotting to damage the Pentagon and US Capitol with a remote-controlled aircraft filled with explosives.

Rezwan Ferdaus, a 26-year-old US citizen, was arrested today.  He was also charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, in this case Al Qaeda, in order to carry out attacks on US soldiers overseas, Boston.com reports.

Prosecutors urged that Ferdaus be detained without bail until his trial at a US District Court in Worcester during a status hearing earlier today.  His detention hearing will be held on Monday at 3 p.m.

“The conduct alleged today shows that Mr. Ferdaus had long planned to commit violent acts against our country,” US Attorney Carmen Ortiz said, the Globe reports. “Thanks to the diligence of the FBI and our many other law enforcement partners, that plan was thwarted.”

In a statement from Ortiz, she said that the public was never in danger from the explosives.  Ferdaus was closely monitored by the FBI throughout his alleged plot.

“I want the public to understand that Mr. Ferdaus’ conduct, as alleged in the complaint, is not reflective of a particular culture, community or religion,” Ortiz said. “In addition to protecting our citizens from the threats and violence alleged today, we also have an obligation to protect members of every community, race, and religion against violence and other unlawful conduct.”

Federal prosecutors said that Ferdaus graduated from Northeastern University with a physics degree, and began planning to commit “jihad” acts in early 2010.

In his plot against the Pentagon, Ferdaus allegedly got mobile phones and changed them to act as switches for improvised explosive devices, and gave them to FBI undercover agents to use against soldiers overseas.

The FBI recorded phone conversations beginning in January during which Ferdaus allegedly said that he planned to attack the Pentagon using something similar to “small drone airplanes” filled with explosives.  He also told an undercover agent that he wanted to put six gunmen with automatic firearms in the Pentagon during the attack.

Prosecutors allege that Ferdaus ordered his supplies between May and September, including a remote-controlled aircraft. He also received today “(what he believed to be) C-4 explosives, six fully-automatic AK-47 assault rifles and grenades,” said prosecutors.  He locked the supplies in a storage unit in Framingham and was subsequently arrested by federal agents.

“Although Ferdaus was presented with multiple opportunities to back out of his plan, including being told that his attack would likely kill women and children …. Ferdaus never wavered in his desire to carry out the attacks,” prosecutors said.

Four alleged members of the New England chapter of La Cosa Nostra were arrested and charged yesterday with racketeering, extortion and more, in a Providence, Rhode Island, court according to a statement made by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer and other law enforcement officials.

Those charged are Eduardo Lato, 64; Alfred Scivola, 70; Raymond R. Jenkins, 47; and Albino Folcarelli, 53.  They were arrested yesterday and eached charged ith an array of crimes.

“Relying on violence and intimidation to carry out their illegal activities, organized criminal groups often act as though if they operate in the shadows, they will escape punishment,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. “As today’s arrests show, they couldn’t be more wrong. Our law enforcement operations over the past nine months should make clear that we are zeroing in on La Cosa Nostra and other organized criminal groups, and that we will not rest until our work is done.”

This is the second superceding indictment in this case.  The first charged were LCN boss Luigi Manocchio and his associates Thomas Iafrate, Richard Bonafiglia and Theodore Cardillo.  Iafrate pleaded guilty in July 2011 to racketeering conspiracy.  In total, 127 alleged members of LCN have been charged as a continuing action against organized crime.

“As Attorney General Holder said in New York last January, battling all forms of organized crime, including La Cosa Nostra, remains a priority for the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Neronha. “It remains a priority because history has demonstrated that, unchecked, it extends its tentacles into our citizens’ everyday lives. Let no one doubt the commitment of law enforcement to keeping this threat off balance and on the run.”

The new charges allege that since the mid 1980s, the LCN members in question used threatened or implied force, violence and fear to extort regular payments from the business owners of places such as the Cadillac Lounge, the Satin Doll, the Foxy Lady, Desire and other adult entertainment business in Providence, Rhode Island, and other places.

Justice Clarence Thomas, the only African American on the United States Supreme Court, became the latest person to be blasted worldwide on Twitter after Troy Davis was executed in Georgia.

Thomas, a Georgia native, denied a petition sent his way to grant Davis a last ditch stay of execution. He was silent, giving no other explanation other than to say the petition was denied.

The Tweets came immediately, faster than the approximately 15 minutes it took Davis to die shortly after the court denied the petition:

@TheStereoEffect: “Justice” Clarence Thomas (what a joke of a title), you could have done ONE thing good with your miserable, pathetic life. And you didn’t.

@LUCINDAMOORE1: Judge Clarence Thomas denied an innocent man his life! I pray Judge Thomas dont suffer in the next year and be reminded of 2nite! #hardheart

Kimora Lee Simmons also Tweeted that Thomas had denied the petition.

@JoeMande: Clarence Thomas doing Georgia proud once again.

@DawudWalid: Clarence Thomas is just like the black overseers that would whip felllow slaves for their masters.

Dawud also knocked President Barack Obama: Obama was talking that ying yang at UN today & couldn’t say 1 word about #TroyDavis. That’s why I’ve always said that he’s WACK!

@willie_8 Yes, Clarence Thomas III is from Georgia, and also a person of color. But he hasn’t been black in 50 yrs.

Troy Davis was put to death by injection in Georgia Wednesday night, after last-ditch attempts by his lawyers, supporters, lawmakers and celebrities failed to stay the execution.

The execution occurred after the Supreme Court denied the last possible appeal for a stay.

Davis was executed for the 1989 slaying of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail.

Controversy erupted after seven of the nine witnesses against him — the witnesses who were not also police officers — recanted their testimony, which included eyewitness accounts and a jailhouse snitch saying Davis confessed in prison.

Figures from US Congressmen to the pope had all joined a petition hoping to stay the execution, but Davis’ fate was sealed when the Supreme Court, in short order, rejected the appeal.

The pilot of a post-World War II aircraft died Saturday after a fiery runway crash at a West Virginia air show.

The crash came the day after a stunt pilot crashed his older-model plane at a Nevada air show on Friday, killing nine people.

In this most recent crash, the West Virginia Air National Guard said no spectators were injured on the ground. Only the pilot was killed.

The plan was part of the T-28 Warbird Aerobatic Formation Demonstration Team, known as the Trojan Horsemen. The group performs at air shows around the country.

“We were fortunate that the safety measures put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration ensured the safety of those on the ground,” Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, said in a statement. “Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the deceased.”

Officials have not released the pilot’s name. The North American Aviation-built T-28 Trojan plane date back to 1949 test flights. Nearly 2,000 were built in the 1950s. It is a single-engine propeller training craft.

The Associated Press reported that the plane was built in 1958 and was owned by John Mangan of Concord, N.C.

According to the Journal of Martinsburg, the crashed T-28 was part of a six-plane formation. It lost control and crashed near a group of hangers as thousands of onlookers cried and prayed.

Ten years ago, I sat in class as a high school sophomore listening to my teacher talk about English. Or maybe it was math? I can’t remember now. What I do remember quite vividly was when another teacher knocked on the door and interrupted our class. She made her way to the front of our classroom and said she had to let us know what had just happened: “There has been an attack on the World Trade Center in New York. A lot of people have been killed – it’s very serious.”

As a high school student, the weight of the situation didn’t fully sink in. I remember being confused and so was everyone else. Smart phones hadn’t taken over the world yet, so no one could quickly figure out what was going on. As my teacher explained that two planes flew into the Twin Towers and one into the Pentagon, the situation became a little clearer to us. People were scared and none of us really know what to make of the situation. How many people were hurt? Would there be more attacks? Who was responsible? Would Boston be hit next? These were my initial thoughts, and in retrospect, I could have never anticipated how this tragic event would shape the next decade of my life.

My teacher went on to explain that the attacks were being blamed on a group of people that called themselves Muslims. Because our school was housed in the classrooms of a mosque, we were told to remain vigilant against potential violent backlash against us. Many of my peers, including myself, fit the “profile” of what an Arab or Muslim looks like and we were advised against taking public transportation alone during a time of hostility, anger, pain and confusion. We were instructed to stay away from windows and my hijaab-clad peers and I pulled up our hooded sweatshirts over our scarves. Students that commuted home by the train were driven home by the school staff to make sure they were safe.

As faculty members continued to debrief us on the events as they unfolded, my thoughts were fixated on my father, who was about 250 miles away from home working in Lower Manhattan at St Vincent’s hospital. He used to tell my mother and I that sometimes he was around the World Trade Center for meetings, lunches, or other random day-to-day happenings. Once I realized the gravity of the situation- that my father was in walking distance of those falling towers, I made frantic attempts to call him to make sure he was okay. I’ll never forget the level of anxiousness I felt when my calls went straight to a recording that said that all of the circuits were busy, “…please try again later.” Excruciating hours passed before my mom and I got in touch with him, but when we finally did, I listened in horror as he described the chaos that was around him. Hospital workers were not allowed to leave so that they had all hands on deck for treating victims and receiving causalities from the attacks. My dad described how when he finally did get to leave the hospital, he could still see and smell the smoke from where the Twin Towers no longer stood.

On September 11, 2001, not only did I feel hurt and confused like my fellow Americans – but I also felt abandoned, victimized and fearful for my safety. I felt my neighbors, who I never had reason to worry about, all of a sudden saw me as someone to blame for what was going on. I knew that I was the same person on September 10 as I was on September 11, but the world would never see Muslims in the same way again.

As a 15 year old student, I was afraid of more attacks that may happen, of my father being in close proximity to these acts of war, of my mother’s safety as a woman in hijaab and the fear that on my way home from school, someone may attack me because they’re angry and don’t understand. I couldn’t really understand either.

As an American Muslim, looking back I feel that we have taken a step backwards in combating prejudice and hate – the same perverted motives that drove the 9/11 attacks in the first place. Since 9/11, inappropriate and uneducated stereotypes that were cast upon all Muslims have been a commonly occurring theme – from the exponential increase in anti-Muslim backlash, to the Peter King hearings, to the debate over the “Ground Zero Mosque”, and the irrational fear over Sharia law. In the 2011 State of the Union Address, President Obama said, “American Muslims are a part of our American family.” Despite these assurances, many Muslims feel that they should be apologetic for the actions of the terrorists that have prostituted the name of Islam for their evil actions. I resent this notion and will never apologize for something that I didn’t do – and with that, I should never be blamed for something I’m not responsible for.

With the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, it is my sincere hope that all Americans can internalize the truth that Muslims were not at fault for the attack on America, that those acts are exponentially contrary to the teachings of Islam. Not even a small group of Muslims were at fault. A group of sick individuals that call themselves Muslims carried out the tragic events on 9/11 and I have nothing to do with that.

People will say that it is the duty of American Muslims and Muslims globally to “clear up the name of Islam.” While Muslims and non-Muslims can certainly help do this, I do not believe it is my personal duty to do so. If a person is uneducated and narrow minded enough to believe that I personally have something to do with terrorism simply because of my faith, it is not my responsibility first to educate them – it is their responsibility to not be an ignorant human being and uphold one of the the fundamental principles of this country- religious tolerance and freedom. I am always willing to take the extra steps and show that the followers of Islam (not those that pervert it) are peaceful and normal people – but 10 years later I still resent having to feel responsible for enlightening those filled with hate. Being ignorant and stereotypical is never an excuse, and the media circus that propels these ideas is frustrating.

I also resent that my sincere sadness and condolences toward the victims of 9/11 may be looked at as disingenuous by those shrouded in bigotry and Islamophobia. After the 9/11 attacks, I remember we put up an American flag on our front door. The reason was because with two hijaab-wearing Muslim women living alone, we were afraid of the negative backlash that might occur and wanted to do something that might deter it. But did we feel any less American before we put up the flag? The answer is no. My mother is from the Philippines and immigrated here decades ago and met my father, a Pakistani, and they got married. I was born in the United States and have visited the Philippines once and have never visited Pakistan. I could have out-teenyboppered anyone with my die-hard fandom for NSYNC, funky nail polish and TRL. America is my home and I know no other allegiance, yet I have been made to feel like an outsider. Even today, people will yell things like “go back to your country!” or “you don’t have to wear that [hijaab] here anymore… we’re in America.” My reactions are always divided- sometimes I get angry, sometimes I sincerely feel bad for the person and want to educate them, but it is always unsettling. This struggle is something that persists until today and is widely felt within the American Muslim community.

At the annual White House Iftar dinner during Ramadan, President Obama said the following:

“Muslim Americans were innocent passengers on those planes, including a young married couple looking forward to the birth of their first child. They were workers in the Twin Towers — Americans by birth and Americans by choice, immigrants who crossed the oceans to give their children a better life… Muslim Americans were first responders — the former police cadet who raced to the scene to help and then was lost when the towers collapsed around him; the EMTs who evacuated so many to safety; the nurse who tended to so many victims; the naval officer at the Pentagon who rushed into the flames and pulled the injured to safety. On this 10th anniversary, we honor these men and women for what they are — American heroes. Nor let us forget that every day for these past 10 years Muslim Americans have helped to protect our communities as police and firefighters, including some who join us tonight. Across our federal government, they keep our homeland secure, they guide our intelligence and counterterrorism efforts and they uphold the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans. So make no mistake, Muslim Americans help to keep us safe.”

On that note, I wish to put aside my discontent with the fragmented, distorted view that most Americans have towards Islam and their hardworking, completely human Muslim neighbors in the painful wake of 9/11/2001. I wish to remember every life that was lost on September 11, 2001, and to give my continual condolences to all that have been affected by the events of that tragic day. Ten short years later, I am still as proud as I ever was to be an American and proud to know that my father was helping victims on 9/11 to ease their suffering, even in a small way.

I pray that our country continues to heal from the attacks that we suffered on 9/11 – both the attack on our country as a whole and the attack on our unity that was sustained through stereotypes and hate. I hope we never forget that we are one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all and that the only way forward is to remember this always.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — AccuWeather.com — Heading in soon to clean up the mess in your home following the record flooding from Lee? There are some things to consider first.

Take it from a pro who has been there and done that.

When an area is flooded, there is other damage in addition to just that from the water alone. The high, and sometimes forceful, water brings with it mud, fuel oil, contamination and other toxins. Is your house at risk?

For this reason, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett stated that the area faces a public health emergency.

Sewer and water systems may have been compromised.

Do not drink tap water until authorized to do so. Once the “all clear” has been given, thoroughly flush your drinking water lines. During the transition, officials may issue a “Boil Water Advisory.”

Only venture back into a flooded area after officials deem it to be safe and have lifted restrictions.

Before heading out in cleanup operations, be sure you have had a recent tetanus shot or booster. Chances are you will get some sort of cut or bump that breaks the skin as you labor.

Be sure to wear protective clothes, especially waterproof boots, gloves and safety glasses. Have bottled water or beverages on hand to drink. Take a cooler with you filled with ice to keep your food cold.

Once you get there, if you smell gas, get out of the house and call the utility company immediately.

Propane tanks may have shifted, severing lines.

Natural gas lines could have been damaged in areas where the flood water was forceful, or the furnace may have moved when the water came up, then went down.

Again, do not drink tap water until officials have given the all clear. When the all clear is given, be sure to thoroughly flush tap water lines by leaving them run for a time.

Be careful when venturing into your home or business. Animals, such as snakes and rodents, may have been displaced and taken up a new residence.

If the power was cut in your area for more than 24 hours, chances are the food in your refrigerator or freezer has spoiled. Don’t take any chances. The food could have thawed, spoiled and refrozen. Throw it out.

As for the actual cleanup, if any toxins, such as fuel oil, have gotten into clothes, furniture, etc., throw them out. Soap and water will not get rid of the fuel oil smell!

According to former Wilkes-Barre, Pa. resident Trish Mikita, “Just prior to the flooding disaster of September 2011, you could walk into some homes and businesses that were flooded in June of 1972 and still smell flood mud/fuel oil.”

If you can’t handle the cleanup on your own, call in professionals.

Remember, mold will quickly grow and spread on surfaces that remain damp, including walls. And If you have allergies or respiratory problems you could be at an even greater risk.

According to Kristi Layland of Disaster Blaster, “Drywall, plaster, carpet, and laminate flooring that got wet should be removed or stripped to the framing to be safe.”

In addition to the removal of porous material, Layland recommended three key factors for mold prevention, which are “Airflow, ventilation and dehumidification.” If you have

Ceramic, brick, stone, hardwood and linoleum flooring should be okay, if cleaned thoroughly.

Electrical switches, outlets and main boxes may have been damaged or could still be wet. Don’t venture into any areas, including your basement, where the power is on and water remains. Contact an electrician first.

Thoroughly dry and internally inspect appliances and outlets before attempting to use them. They may be damaged or still wet, and you could be electrocuted.

Appliances that cannot be easily taken apart, cleaned, repaired and reassembled, and are questionable should be thrown out.

As always, safety first along with common sense.

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist for AccuWeather.com

The crew that helped put an end to counterfeit Viagra pills from China is now on board with Apple, helping to stop the rampant underground market overseas, according to CNN.

CNN’s report was based off of a memo that Wikileaks exposed last Wednesday and promoted via Twitter.

According to the memo, counterfeit Apple problems are a problem in Asia due to a lack of security.

“As amazing as it seems, computer maker Apple Inc. had no global security team – including inside China – until March 2008, when they hired away the team from Pfizer that formed and led a multi-year crackdown on counterfeit Viagra production in Asia,” the report said.

The memo was written by the U.S. embassy in Beijing and distributed through the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network to officials in the Departments of State, Justice, Commerce and Homeland Security, the FBI, the Patent Office, the FTC, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Library of Congress and the White House, according to CNN Money.

Read the full text of the memo here.

STATE COLLEGE, PA — AccuWeather.com – Although Irene is now history, she won’t be forgotten in the minds of millions of Easterners who dealt with her wrath this past weekend.

At least 21 deaths have been attributed to Irene, which is now barreling across southeastern Canada as a post-tropical storm.

Wind gusts above 100 mph, rainfall totals north of a foot and battering waves that poured ashore along coastlines from Georgia to Maine has left millions, if not billions, of dollars in damage for residents and officials to clean up in the days to come.

It will also take days to restore power, and for swollen rivers to recede to bankfull after swallowing buildings and bridges whole in some communities. Record inland flooding, especially throughout interior New England, will end up being the legacy of this storm.

Impacts: Caribbean to Bahamas

The Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas were the first to feel the wrath of Irene as a hurricane, just two days after forming well east of Guadeloupe.

At the height of the storm, the power was out for more than 1.5 million people in Puerto Rico, with widespread damage prompting President Obama to sign a disaster declaration for the island.

In the Bahamas, estimated 100-mph winds from Irene destroyed 90 percent of homes and structures in the southeastern Acklins and Crooked islands. YouTube videos from Bahamians underscored the need for Americans to prepare.

Impacts: Carolinas, Delmarva Region

The first images of Irene’s destruction came as the storm was making landfall in eastern North Carolina early on Saturday morning.

Water from Irene rushed inland along the Pamlico and Ablemarle sounds, leading to more than 200 water rescues from those who chose to stick around and ride out the storm.

Along the Outer Banks, battering waves destroyed at least five portions of Route 12, cutting off Hatteras from the mainland.

Scores of structures suffered at least some wind damage from the storm, with wind gusts above 100 mph recorded.

“People’s lives are turned upside down,” said North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, whoassessed the damage on Sunday.

Excessive rainfall totals were found well inland across North Carolina and north into southeastern Virginia and along the Delmarva Peninsula, flooding out numerous homes and closing roadways.

Impacts: Mid-Atlantic Big Cities

The megalopolis along I-95 from Washington to New York braced for Irene’s impact, which came later on Saturday and early Sunday.

Public transit ground to a halt in Philadelphia and New York and thousands of flights were canceled as New York’s five major airports shut down.

For the first time ever, low-lying areas of New York City were ordered to evacuate, while a state of emergency was declared in Philadelphia for the first time since 1986.

The combination of soggy ground and strong winds brought down numerous trees over the mid-Atlantic, even as far west as York, Pa., where AccuWeather.com blogger Jesse Ferrell rode out the storm.

Farther east in New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie warned residents to stay at home today. “If you don’t have to go to work tomorrow, don’t go to work tomorrow,” said Christie in a Sunday news conference.

Jersey Shore points and even New York City dealt with a storm surge of around 4 feet, including along the boardwalk at Battery Park, N.Y., where the surge coincided with high tide. On Long Island, whole structures were pushed ashore by the force of the water.

Impacts: New England

Perhaps some of the worst destruction from Irene was felt across interior parts of New England, where excessive runoff from rainfall led to severe flooding.

According to Meteorologist Evan Duffey, at least 10 rivers or creeks were at or above record flood levels from New Jersey to Vermont, with most centered over eastern New York and in the Green Mountain state.

“We’ve seen nothing like this,” said Barbara Sondag, town manager of Wilmington, Vt. Rampaging waters from the Deerfield River were flowing directly through her town as of late on Sunday.

Montpelier, Vt., was also especially hard hit. The Winooski River washed out bridges that connected the town to other areas, while residents across portions of the capital city were told to evacuate.

Forecasts call for major flooding to continue across rivers in the Northeast for days.

Irene’s Historic Landfalls

When Irene moved ashore near Cape Lookout, N.C., on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. EDT, she became the first hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Ike plowed ashore in Galveston, Texas, on Sept. 13, 2008.

A second landfall occurred nearly 24 hours later at Little Egg Inlet, N.J., marking the first time since 1903 a hurricane made a direct landfall along the Jersey Shore.

Even more impressive, the center of Irene, although weaker as a tropical storm, passed directly over New York City, marking the first time that has happened since 1821.

Irene By The Numbers

As Irene tracked north over millions, her impacts were recorded by hundreds or thousands of weather stations. The more impressive stats are available here in a list compiled by AccuWeather.com Meteorologists Cory Mottice and Frank Strait.

The peak wind gust measured from Irene occurred in Cedar Island, N.C., where the anemometer clocked in at 115 mph. Not too far to the west, an unofficial report of 19.00 inches of rain was received from Aurora, N.C.

Of course, even before any rain drops fell from Irene it was already an incredibly wet month across the mid-Atlantic.

New York City (18.95 inches), Newark (18.79 inches), Trenton (14.85 inches) and Philadelphia (19.31 inches), all have set new records for the wettest month on record, thanks in part to Irene.

Story by Bill Deger, Meteorologist for AccuWeather.com

Hurricane Irene lessened into a tropical storm before pounding the northeast,  but nevertheless caused considerable damage and power outages across the region.

More than 500,000 people were left without power in Massachusetts and trees are down all over the state.

At least 21 people died from the storm, however no deaths or injuries were reported in Massachusetts.

Due to rampant flooding and debris in the streets, officials fear the danger is not over yet.

President Obama warned that danger is still present in a speech from the Rose Garden earlier today.

Despite the warnings, evacuations have been lifted and businesses are opening up.  The New York Stock Exchange is expected to open as usual tomorrow morning.

Hurricane Irene is going down as one of the most destructive storms to hit the East Coast in decades, according to Accu Weather, and is still going strong up the East Coast.

“Irene remains on a path that will take the hurricane along the mid-Atlantic coastline tonight and very close to the New York City Sunday, posing impact and danger to millions of people,” Accu Weather said in a statement.  It could be a “once-in-50-year” hurricane for the North East.

The storm is expected to hit New York City as a hurricane and then weaken into a tropical storm.

“Numerous road, rail and runway closures are expected as Irene barrels north, underlying the urgency for residents to evacuate immediately,” stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Bill Deger.

Power outages, flying debris, broken glass and the likes are expected from Irene, particularly from the skyscrapers in New York City.

Flooding is expected not only in Irene’s path, but west of it also.

Warren Buffett boosted stock prices and confidence when he invested $5 billion in Bank of America.

The bank’s stock shares jumped more than 9 percent to $7.65 on Thursday after soaring 25 percent in early trading.  This was a change from the usual grim drop in the stock, which is still down 43 percent for the year.

Buffet is one of the leading economic experts, so his confidence lends ethos to the bank itself, and encourages people to reinvest.

“Having Warren Buffett join the Bank of America ship is like having a whole squadron of Navy SEALs supporting you,” said Charlotte businessman C.D. Spangler, one of the bank’s largest individual shareholders, the Charlotte Observer reports.

Buffet has bailed out other businesses such as Goldman Sachs and General Electric.

“Bank of America is a strong, well-led company, and I called Brian to tell him I wanted to invest in it,” Buffett said in a statement. “I am impressed with the profit-generating abilities of this franchise, and that they are acting aggressively to put their challenges behind them.”

The banking genius came up with the idea in the bathtub, he told CNBC.

Michael Showers, who played a recurring role on the television show, “Treme,” as a police captain, was found dead in the Mississippi River.  He was 45.

The actor was found floating in the river on Wednesday, and his autopsy confirmed that he died from drowning, according to aceshowbiz.com.  There were no signs of trauma, but a toxicology report next week may reveal more.

Showers’ girlfriend, Melinda Carlos, claimed that he had been suffering from depression and anxiety after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in March.  She said that Showers left their home on Monday to meet a friend named Joe and never returned.

A steamboat captain near French Quarter in Louisiana sighted his body.  Officials say the body had been in the water for at least two days.

The death is still under investigation.

Hurricane Irene's projected path

It’s a tough week in weather for the East Coast: first an earthquake, next a hurricane.

Hurricane Irene is currently in the Turks and Caicos and is on course to sweep straight up the Eastern Seaboard.  The maximum sustained winds are 90 mph and the storm is moving at a pace of 9 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is on track to be a category 4 hurricane by the time it reaches full force.  Currently, conditions are ideal for strengthening and there is nothing in its path to slow it down.

Irene is expected to hit the Bahamas tomorrow.

 Massachusetts may see the effects of the storm early next week.  Although the NWS says it is too early to determine the outcome, they express concern that the Northeast could feel the force of Irene.

Aftershocks from Tuesday’s 5.8 magnitude earthquake have been light and sporadic so far, affording to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The main quake struck at 1:51 p.m. A 2.8 struck the same area at 2:46 and a 2.2 struck at 3:20.

Elsewhere, a very mild 2.2 quake struck just west of Albany at 6:35 a.m. Tuesday.

There have been a lot more, still mild, aftershocks from the 1:46 a.m. 5.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Colorado. Nine aftershocks, measuring as high as 3.9 have struck, with none coming since the Virginia quake.

Bank of America plans to cut 3,500 jobs company-wide in the current quarter in an effort to cut expenses.  This totals to more than one percent of its worldwide workforce.

The bank is the largest nationwide and in Massachusetts, The Boston Globe reports.  Bank of America has confirmed that it will continue to review the necessity of jobs at the company, which could result in many more jobs cut.

“The company regularly assesses the efficiencies of its operations and will make adjustments,” said Bank of America spokesman Scott Silvestri, according to The Globe.

 This round of cuts comes on the heels of the 2,500 jobs eliminated at Bank of America earlier this year in order to boost profits.

Massachusetts will likely feel the effects of the cuts because it is one of the company’s largest areas, behind North Carolina and New York.  The bank also plans to close a printing company in Malden next spring, which will get rid of 150 jobs.

Bank of America has incurred billion of dollars in losses because of the troubled economy.  In the second quarter, they reported $8.8 billion in losses, mainly due to an $8.5 billion settlement with investors who wanted the bank to buy back toxic mortgages handled by Countrywide Financial Corp., who the company had bought out in 2008.

Five people are dead and at least 40 injured as a result of a stage collapsing at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday.  The stage collapsed due to powerful winds right before country band Sugarland was set to perform.

State Fair Spokesman Andy Klotz confirmed the deaths, and Governor Mitch Daniels dubbed the collapse a “freakish accident,” according to billboard.com

Heavy rains and winds gusting up to 60 mph complicated the rescue of the injured.  Officials were warned of sever weather approaching, but the incident happened quickly.

“The gust of wind came, there was no rain yet and the production fell from left to right,” said Indiana Star reporter Dave Lindquist. “And you could see, you could clearly see people were under the footprint of the rigging.”

About 12,000 people were gathered to see Sugarland perform.  Luckily the collapse happened in between sets to avoid further injury.  Singer Sara Bareilles had performed on the stage 30 minutes prior to the collapse.

“We are all right,” the Sugarland said in a tweet. “We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you’ll join us. They need your strength.”

The fair was closed today but may reopen tomorrow

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Congress has now approved a compromise to reduce the deficit and avert a default that would have devastated our economy. It was a long and contentious debate. And I want to thank the American people for keeping up the pressure on their elected officials to put politics aside and work together for the good of the country.

This compromise guarantees more than $2 trillion in deficit reduction. It’s an important first step to ensuring that as a nation we live within our means. Yet it also allows us to keep making key investments in things like education and research that lead to new jobs, and assures that we’re not cutting too abruptly while the economy is still fragile.

This is, however, just the first step. This compromise requires that both parties work together on a larger plan to cut the deficit, which is important for the long-term health of our economy. And since you can’t close the deficit with just spending cuts, we’ll need a balanced approach where everything is on the table. Yes, that means making some adjustments to protect health care programs like Medicare so they’re there for future generations. It also means reforming our tax code so that the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations pay their fair share. And it means getting rid of taxpayer subsidies to oil and gas companies, and tax loopholes that help billionaires pay a lower tax rate than teachers and nurses.

I’ve said it before; I will say it again: We can’t balance the budget on the backs of the very people who have borne the biggest brunt of this recession. We can’t make it tougher for young people to go to college, or ask seniors to pay more for health care, or ask scientists to give up on promising medical research because we couldn’t close a tax shelter for the most fortunate among us. Everyone is going to have to chip in. It’s only fair. That’s the principle I’ll be fighting for during the next phase of this process.

And in the coming months, I’ll continue also to fight for what the American people care most about: new jobs, higher wages and faster economic growth. While Washington has been absorbed in this debate about deficits, people across the country are asking what we can do to help the father looking for work. What are we going to do for the single mom who’s seen her hours cut back at the hospital? What are we going to do to make it easier for businesses to put up that “now hiring” sign?

That’s part of the reason that people are so frustrated with what’s been going on in this town. In the last few months, the economy has already had to absorb an earthquake in Japan, the economic headwinds coming from Europe, the Arab Spring and the [rise] in oil prices — all of which have been very challenging for the recovery. But these are things we couldn’t control. Our economy didn’t need Washington to come along with a manufactured crisis to make things worse. That was in our hands. It’s pretty likely that the uncertainty surrounding the raising of the debt ceiling — for both businesses and consumers — has been unsettling, and just one more impediment to the full recovery that we need. And it was something that we could have avoided entirely.

So, voters may have chosen divided government, but they sure didn’t vote for dysfunctional government. They want us to solve problems. They want us to get this economy growing and adding jobs. And while deficit reduction is part of that agenda, it is not the whole agenda. Growing the economy isn’t just about cutting spending; it’s not about rolling back regulations that protect our air and our water and keep our people safe. That’s not how we’re going to get past this recession. We’re going to have to do more than that.

And that’s why, when Congress gets back from recess, I will urge them to immediately take some steps — bipartisan, common-sense steps — that will make a difference; that will create a climate where businesses can hire, where folks have more money in their pockets to spend, where people who are out of work can find good jobs.

We need to begin by extending tax cuts for middle-class families so that you have more money in your paychecks next year. If you’ve got more money in your paycheck, you’re more likely to spend it. And that means small businesses and medium-sized businesses and large businesses will all have more customers. That means they’ll be in a better position to hire.

And while we’re at it, we need to make sure that millions of workers who are still pounding the pavement looking for jobs to support their families are not denied needed unemployment benefits.

Through patent reform, we can cut the red tape that stops too many inventors and entrepreneurs from quickly turning new ideas into thriving businesses — which holds our whole economy back. And I want Congress to pass a set of trade deals — deals we’ve already negotiated — that would help displaced workers looking for new jobs and would allow our businesses to sell more products in countries in Asia and South America, products that are stamped with the words “Made in America.”

We also need to give more opportunities to all those construction workers out there who lost their jobs when the housing boom went bust. We could put them to work right now, by giving loans to private companies that want to repair our roads and our bridges and our airports, rebuilding our infrastructure. We have workers who need jobs and a country that needs rebuilding; an infrastructure bank would help us put them together.

And while we’re on the topic of infrastructure, there’s another stalemate in Congress right now involving our aviation industry which has stalled airport construction projects all around the country and put the jobs of tens of thousands of construction workers and others at risk -– because of politics. It’s another Washington-inflicted wound on America, and Congress needs to break that impasse now –- hopefully before the Senate adjourns -– so these folks can get back to work.

So these are some things that we could be doing right now. There’s no reason for Congress not to send me those bills so I can sign them into law right away as soon as they get back from recess. Both parties share power in Washington, and both parties need to take responsibility for improving this economy. It’s not a Democratic responsibility or a Republican responsibility; it is our collective responsibility as Americans. And I’ll be discussing additional ideas in the weeks ahead to help companies hire, invest and expand.

So, we’ve seen in the past few days that Washington has the ability to focus when there’s a timer ticking down, and when there’s a looming disaster. It shouldn’t take the risk of default -– the risk of economic catastrophe -– to get folks in this town to work together and do their jobs. Because there’s already a quiet crisis going on in the lives of a lot of families, in a lot of communities, all across the country. They’re looking for work, and they have been for a while; or they’re making do with fewer hours or fewer customers; or they’re just trying to make ends meet. That ought to compel Washington to cooperate. That ought to compel Washington to compromise, and it ought to compel Washington to act. That ought to be enough to get all of us in this town to do the jobs we were sent here to do. We’ve got to do everything in our power to grow this economy and put America back to work. That’s what I intend to do, and I’m looking forward to working with Congress to make it happen.

Thanks very much, everybody.

Borders, a 40-year-old book seller, is seeking approval to liquidate after it could not get any bids to keep it in business.

The chain, with 399 stores in total, including 15 in Massachusetts, could start liquidation as soon as Friday if the judge approves their bid in court on Thursday.

Borders will ask the Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York to allow it to be sold to liquidators, including Hilco Merchant Resources and Gordon Brothers Group of Boston. The company could go out of business as soon as September.

Liquidators will dissolve the lease agreements Borders had with its landlords and auction them off in two rounds, scheduled for August and September, according to DJM Realty, a unit of Gordon Brothers.

“We are in the middle of a having a lot of conversations with retailers, and some landlords wanted their spaces back,” said DJM copresident Andrew Graiser, according to the Boston Globe. “It’s early, but there’s certainly some good interest in a number of these locations.”

Several locations in Massachusetts, including the stores at Downtown Crossings, CambridgeSide Galleria, Legacy Place in Dedham, Mansfield Crossing, Marlborough, Methuen, North Attleborough and Kingston are expected to be auctioned.

Borders attempted to stay in business with a $215 million “white knight” bid by Najafi Cos., but the bid dissolved when creditors and lenders objected to the deal, arguing that the chain would be worth more if it liquidated immediately.

‘‘We were all working hard toward a different outcome, but the headwinds we have been facing for quite some time, including the rapidly changing book industry, e-reader revolution, and turbulent economy, have brought us to where we are now,’’ Borders Group president Mike Edwards said in a statement.

Borders currently employs 10,700 people, all of whom will soon be out of a job if liquidation occurs.

Casey Anthony did not walk free Thursday morning, as many had speculated.

Found not guilty on Tuesday of murdering her daughter, Caylee, Anthony has avoided a possible death penalty. But the 25-year-old was found guilty of four counts of providing false information to law-enforcement officers investigating Caylee’s 2008 disappearance and death.

The judge sentenced Anthony to the maximum possible one year in prison for each of the four counts, to be served consecutively. Anthony has already served three years since her murder arrest, and she may be free as early as later this month for good behavior.

Afterward, it is widely reported that Anthony may sell her story and make millions from television, movie, and media deals.

Casey Anthony has been found not guilty of nearly all charges relating to the death of her daughter, Caylee.

Anthony, 25, had been charged with seven counts, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and four counts of providing false information to a law-enforcement officer in Caylee’s 2008 disappearance and death.

A jury only found her guilty of giving false information, in a long trial that often rose to a public spectacle only comparable to the O.J. Simpson trial.

Anthony shed tears as the verdicts were read and verified at around 2:15 p.m. She walked into the courtroom wearing a pink shirt, with her hair pulled back. She stood with her lawyers, often biting her lip as the proceedings unfolded.

The jury took 10 hours and 40 minutes to find its verdict after a 33-day trial.

Anthony had faced the death penalty if convicted of murder. The four counts of providing false information are only misdemeanor offenses and carry minimal jail time.

She will be sentenced Thursday. It is possible that she may only receive probation.

United Airlines was forced to cancel 31 flights and delay 105 worldwide due to a five hour computer outage last Friday night, which served as a shocking reminder of airlines’ dependence on technology

United was not able to explain the failure on Saturday.

The shutdown happened late in the day Friday, so many of the cancelled flights were the last flights out, stranding passengers, according to Forrester Research Analyst Henry Harteveldt.

“It happened as a lot of the airline was going to sleep for the night,” Harteveldt said in a Boston Globe article.

Although the timing was as convenient as possible for the airlines, passengers were still upset.

This mishap was miniscule compared to that during the Northeast blizzards in December and January, which lead to a combined total of nearly 19,000 flights canceled.

Huggins’ inconvenience ended in a $1,200 charge to book one of the last seats on an American Airlines flight to his destination.

Charles Hobart, and United spokesman, told the Globe that flights were expected to resume mid day Saturday, but may have been delayed.

On a daily basis, United cancels 15 to 30 flights per day for various reasons such as maintenance problems or staff shortages.

Although many passengers felt the shutdown should not have affected them as much as it did, according to the Globe article, airlines are more dependent on computers than ever.

Almost every step in the airline procedure is computerized, from reservations to flight paths.

United allowed passengers with flights scheduled for Saturday to switch them free of charge to avoid further delay.