2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast

The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season should be very active with nine hurricanes and a good chance that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coast according to a top researcher. He expects 17 named storms in all this year, five of them major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. The probability of a major hurricane making landfall on the U. S. coast this year is 74% compared with the average of 52 percent over the past century. Last year they didn't have as many as were predicted. This was contributed to by an unexpected late El Nino, a warming in the Pacific Ocean. This can even change the wind patterns in the eastern Atlantic, which can disrupt the formation of hurricanes there. The devastating 2005 season set a record with 28 named storms, 15 of them hurricanes. Four of those hurricanes hit the U.S. coast, the worst among them was Katrina which devstated New Orleans and leveled parts of the Gulf Coast Region. Government forecasters plan to release their prediction in late May.

Anna Nicole and Hugh Hefner

Anna Nicole Smith first appeared on the Playboy cover in March 1992 and was named Playmate of the Year in l993. She was 39 when she died of an accidental drug overdose in February. Hugh Hefner found the buxom blonde very aluring because of her presence in front of the camera. She had a Marilyn Monroe quality about her that was clear from the beginning. She talked about Marilyn all the time. She often posed as Marilyn and at a Holloween party in 2004, she came dressed in a Marilyn Monroe type outfit. She brought three men with her in tuxedos, Howard K. Stern, boyfriend, Larry Birkhead and son, Daniel. Hefner says you can take him out of the running as father of her child. He's definitely not the father of her child but the father will be announced on national news today from DNA tests that were taken. In serious fashion, Hefner's empire will offer three upcoming Smith tributes: a 10-page pictorial in the magazines's May issue, and a 60-minute retrospective on Playboy TV and an online memorial on Playboy.com. Hef turns 81 today and just celebrated his birthday with a bash in Las Vegas with his 3 girlfriends.

Imus in the Morning

Well Imus put his foot in his mouth again. But then that is a daily event for him. He's the number one shock jock right now, I believe. He's been at it for years and no one should be shocked by anything that comes out of his mouth. But it seems, he was really "politically incorrect" this time and everyone is yelling for him to be fired. Will he be fired? I seriously doubt it. MSNBC will no doubt keep him as he has a huge audience and they are as liberal as he is. What do you think?

Plan Your Spring Burn Now

Right now is the right time to plan a prescribed burn for the prairie that you have on your property. Conservation uses prescribed burning to manage grasslands in our roadsides, parks and wildlife areas. Burning is a very valuable management tool to maintain and improve the prairie areas we manage. The two main times of the year is preferred in the spring and fall. The timing of the burn is very important in understanding what the fire will accomplish. Spring burns are known to increase the population and height of native warm season grasses and decrease the amount of exotic cool season species of grass such as brome and bluegrass. Spring burns are also the best time to burn for wildlife to benefit from the burn. Pheasants need the prairie vegetation for habitat in the fall and winter months. They prefer the shorter regrowing grasses to nest in. Fall burning will increase the flower content of a prairie while decreasing the amount of grasses. Fall burns can have disadvantages by removing the habitat needed to protect wildlife through the winter months but they are used to burn wet and easily flooded areas that are difficult to access and burn in the spring months.

Apartment Rental Expenses

If you have never lived out on your own before, and are considering renting your first apartment, there are a few things you should be aware of. First off there could be an application fee and/or credit check just to apply for an apartment. This can cost anywhere from $25 to $100. Secondly, a security deposit is almost always required at the time you lease the apartment. It can run as much as 1 1/2 times the monthly rent. Thirdly, some landlords also require a final month's rent up front. That is in case you damage their place, they will use that money to fix it up again and could even charge you more if you really make some serious damage to their apartment. Then you have the expenses of furnishing the apartment and moving your furniture into the apartment. New curtains, new rugs are just a couple of things you will want to get. Finally, please consider taking out renters' insurance in case of fire or theft. This can run you $15 to $30 a month to protect your belongings. You can take a higher deductible to lower your insurance premiums and you will have to stand more of the cost of replacement in case of a disaster. But it is definitely one thing that is a must and so many people don't think of it and are very sorry later on when a thief breaks in or a fire or something like that.

New Toyota Plant?

The Mason City, Iowa City Council met Tuesday night to take the first step toward recruiting Toyota to build a plant in Mason City. That would be a feather in their cap if they could capture such a plant in this area. Toyota is looking to build plants in the Midwest and Mason City needs to take the lead in wooing the auto maker. This would mean about 2,000 new jobs plus 2,000 follow-up jobs. What a boost that would give this area. We'll continue to follow up on this as it affects alot of people and could put many out-of-work people into good paying jobs.

Fire in Houston Office Building

There was a fire last week in a Houston office building. It was a 6 story building and three people were killed and insured at least 6 or more. Many others climbed down ladders to safety. The fire broke out at the end of the business day. Some men who work on the 6th floor were outside when they heard an explosion and then glass shattering. They said they called authorities while a person driving by ran into the building and pulled the fire alarm. The sprinklers apparently don't go off until the alarm is pulled. One man on the fourth floor said he was in the atrium when he smelled smoke and then saw the fire. When he left the fire was raging as he looked back. A close call. It looked like the entire suite was on fire. It just took seconds. Alot were suffering from smoke inhalation. The building was built in the early l980's.