Three stories to watch into the weekend.
Pacific typhoon: Typhoon Songda was weakening Friday over the western Pacific but was still expected to be a Category 3 storm when it passes near the Japanese island of Okinawa on Saturday.
The Pacific Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, forecasts Songda's maximum sustained winds to be 120 mph with gusts up to 150 mph as it approaches Okinawa, home to tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel, on Saturday. The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast Songda to be a very strong storm as it approaches Okinawa.
Significant weakening was predicted, however, as the typhoon passes southeast of Japan's main islands on Sunday.
U.S. military officials on Okinawa have banned troops from consuming alcohol during the storm, saying alcohol use in such conditions puts troops and their mission in danger.
Officials in the Philippines said Songda, also known as Chedeng, killed two people there, according to the Philippine Information Agency.
Art triathlon: Scores of artists, pilots and engineers will bring their one-of-a-kind kinetic machines to race for the glory at the 43rd annual Kinetic Grand Championship.
Billed as "The Triathlon of the Art World," the event pits human-powered art sculptures on wheels against one another in a three-day race across California's northern coast.
Pilots guiding "kinetic sculptures" ranging from gigantic tricycles to hulking metallic lobsters will traverse road, water and sand on their way from the city of Arcata to Ferndale.
NHL playoffs: The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning play Game 7 of their Eastern Conference finals Friday night in Boston.
Tampa Bay won Game 6 Wednesday at home to tie the series at three games apiece.
"Boston is 1-0 in home playoff Game 7s this year, while Tampa Bay is 1-0 on the road. Something's gotta give," writes SI.com's Adrian Dater.
@Cnn Desk:
You may get more people to actually believe you work for CNN if you capitalized the acronym.
That, and posting in the proper thread would be a bonus, instead of posting in ALL of them.
I hope that the typhoon does not causeany more damage to Japan; those people have had enough!
I suppose the military can't drink because they might be called upon to help somehow were there to be a disaster; I doubt they would be very effective if they were all hammered.
Anticipation of a Typhoon can be nerve wrecking I'm sure. Must have insurance and safety for one's family and pets.
Songda? Chedeng? These typhoons should be named a bit more destructively. Super Typhoon Cleo! Or Mitch! Or Katrina! Just about anything would inspire more fear than Songda and get people indoors.
You know they are in a different part of the world. That's probably why they didn't use an American name. Wake up.
art triathalon seems pretty fooking stupid to me. I'd rather see a football game played in a hockey rink. I mean didn't they already do that with that stupid show with robots meant to destroy each other. The government already has Sherman tanks and the Panzer era is over so what is the point?. They already have machines invented that can beat the ones in the show so what is the point? Distract the common peasants from realizing how insignificant they actually are? Or is it to give them an ego boost to make them more annoying narcissists? which is it?
it's like nascar on LSD
"So what is the point?"
One very meaningful point is to "make jobs."
I smear doo doo on my face and pretend I'm a commando.
I can swallow a large "blackened" wiener.
@ My Troll:
I'm not a commando, but I am a warrior.
Never been here before. I find it strange that a major news organization such as CNN would allow inappropriate comments as above. I hope my 10 year old doesn't read that.
@ My Troll:
I understand why you try to manipulate me into anger, and so do you.
All the drag queens call me the rainbow warrior down at the gay bar because I'm really into dudes.
"don't make me angry. you wouldn't like me when I'm angry"
My trolls are all GAY.
The trolls are morons.