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1/4/08
Astronomers are keeping a close eye on an asteroid that appears to be headed for Mars, or close to it. A few weeks ago, the chances were about 1 in 75 for a direct hit. Now, estimates place the odds at about 1 in 25! Lets go here for an update: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-152
1/2/08
Perihelion...what a word! Simply, today is the day that Earth is at its closest point to the Sun. So, why doesn't it feel like it? This link will head you in the right directions to find the answer:
http://www.earthsky.org/skywatching/earth-at-perihelion
12/27/07
We live in a very trubulent Universe. The sky usually looks peaceful when we look up on a winter night, but there is danger lurking in the dark. Here's a link that exposes just how dangerous the Universe can be....especially at the end of January! http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-152
12/24/07
Everyone wonders....nobody knows: http://www.ldolphin.org/birth.html
And, for your pleasure: http://www.christmas-tree.com/stories/nightbeforechristmas.html
And a gentle lullaby: http://susie1114.com/Christmas/PorkyPigBlueChristmas.htm
KEVIN'S BOOKSHELF
The Weather Makers-How Man is Changing the Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth.
Author:
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KRAKATOA-The Day the World Exploded 27, 1883
Author-Simon Winchester
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Catrographies of Danger-Mapping Hazards in America
Author- Mark Monmonier
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The Long Summer-Climate, Weather and the Destruction of Civilization
Author-Eugene Linden
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The Little Ice Age-How Climate Made History 1300-1850
Author-Brian Fagan
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The Winds of Chance-Climate, weather amid the Destruction of Cavitations
Author-Eugene Linden
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The Long, Hot Summer-How Climate Changed Civilization
Author: Eugene Linden
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Now. for those of you who are looking for a wider, but deeper range of reading try these books. You'll be surprised at how often the sky and weather are mentioned in these texts. They also underscore the connection between the heavens and Earth.
The Bible - Any version, but I prefer the NIV
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Awareness - By Anthony DeMello (great book!)
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The Upanishads- A little heavy, but beneficial
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The Batavia- Not for the easily bored
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The Koran-Simply fascinating, especially in today's world
I'll be adding more to this list as time goes on. Reading is one of my greatest pleasures, so I hope some of you can get hold of the books above. I don't think you'll regret it.
Most of these will be available at amazon.com, or at bookstores in Terre Haute or other towns and cities. These books may have to be ordered, but they make great gifts.
ko
12/13/07
My long-time friend Doc Long gave me this story from Reuter's News Service....
In Japan, an ELECTRIC EEL is being used to light a Christmas tree! Two aluminum panels have been placed in the eel's tank and they act as electrodes, which in turn, light the tree! Now, that's creative...and efficient, too. Unfortunately, eels are considered good eating in Japan and there is the chance that, once the holidays are over, the eel may wind up on someone's menu.
12/11/07
Be informed. The topic of global warming is one of the most hotly (pun intended) debated subjects in science and politics today. Even family dinners sometimes turn to the subject. In order to debate the subject intelligently, I'm providing a couple of links which offer differing points of view: http://www.ipccinfo.com/ Here's another link with a somewhat different take on the subject: http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=c9554887-802a-23ad-4303-68f67ebd151c
12/10/07
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real affliction that impacts many, many people in the gloomy, dark months of winter. What used to be called the, "winter blues", has now been diagnosed as a real problem with physiological cause and effect. Here is a great link you may find helpful:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195
12/7/07
In my opinion, weather and history are inseparable. Weather and war are even more tightly linked. Today, being the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Here is an interesting link about the subject: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/scienceques2001/20011207.htm
12/6/07
I really don't want to offend anyone, but this is such a silly little joke, I'm pretty sure no feelings will get hurt....unless you're a meteorologist!
IT WAS ALREADY LATE FALL AND THE INDIANS ON A REMOTE RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA ASKED THEIR NEW CHIEF IF THE COMING WINTER WAS GOING TO BE COLD OR MILD.
SINCE HE WAS A CHIEF IN A MODERN SOCIETY HE HAD NEVER BEEN TAUGHT THE OLD SECRETS. WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE SKY HE COULDN'T TELL WHAT THE WINTER WAS GOING TO BE LIKE.
NEVERTHELESS, TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, HE TOLD HIS TRIBE THAT THE WINTER WAS INDEED GOING TO BE COLD AND THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE SHOULD COLLECT FIREWOOD TO BE PREPARED.
BUT BEING A PRACTICAL LEADER, AFTER SEVERAL DAYS HE GOT AN IDEA. HE WENT TO THE PHONE BOOTH, CALLED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND ASKED, "IS THE COMING WINTER GOING TO BE COLD?" "IT LOOKS LIKE THIS WINTER IS GOING TO BE QUITE COLD," THE METEOROLOGIST AT THE WEATHER SERVICE RESPONDED.
SO THE CHIEF WENT BACK TO HIS PEOPLE AND TOLD THEM TO COLLECT EVEN MORE FIREWOOD IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED.
A WEEK LATER HE CALLED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AGAIN. "DOES IT STILL LOOK LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY COLD WINTER?" "YES," THE MAN AT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AGAIN REPLIED, "IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY COLD
WINTER."
THE CHIEF AGAIN WENT BACK TO HIS PEOPLE AND ORDERED THEM TO COLLECT EVERY SCRAP OF FIREWOOD THEY COULD FIND.
TWO WEEKS LATER THE CHIEF CALLED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AGAIN.
"ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE WINTER IS GOING TO BE VERY COLD?"
"ABSOLUTELY, "THE MAN REPLIED. "IT'S LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE COLDEST WINTERS WE'VE EVER SEEN."
"HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE?" THE CHIEF ASKED. THE WEATHERMAN REPLIED, "THE INDIANS ARE COLLECTING FIREWOOD LIKE CRAZY."
By the way, the correct term is: Native Americans. But, this was such a silly story, I wanted to share it with you. I have great respect for the Native Americans, and was fortunate enough to go to school with the Great grand-daughter of the last Miami Chief, Francis Godfroy, in Miami County, Indiana, where I grew up. There is a rich history of the Native Americans there, so please don't take the above joke as insensitive. If anything, it's a slam on meteorologists....and most of us deserve it!
Did you know there is a floating 'island' of garbage in the Pacific Ocean that is about TWICE the size of Texas? Most of the debris is plastic and other slowly-degradable(if at all) objects. It's an ecological nightmare that has been mostly ignored because nobody really knows what to do about it. One thing we do know....it's getting bigger.
Most of you know my skepticism about many things, including the human contribution to our warming Earth. But, the trash floating in the Pacific is solely human in origin and there is no argument about this. Yes, we may very well be harming the atmosphere with our carbon dioxide output, but we are CERTAINLY turning the Pacific Ocean into a huge cesspool of our own manufactured waste. Want to learn more? Be prepared to be disgusted.
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Pacific-Garbage-Patch27oct02.htm
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/10/19/SS6JS8RH0.DTL&type=politics
Will officials try to do something about this?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1011/p02s01-usgn.html
11/27/07
I guess Neil Armstrong wasn't really the first person on the Moon......
11/26/07
While doing research for a speech over the weekend, I stumbled across this site. Apparently, it isn't cold fronts, low pressure, La Nina or any of that. Have I wasted my education?
http://www.demonbuster.com/weather.html
11/19/07
The news is full of conflict. Most of us hear of conflicts over land or perhaps oil. But, it's possible that in the not-too-distant future, wars could be fought over water. It may sound odd, but clean, drinkable water is increasingly hard to come by, especially as populations worldwide continue to rise. Here's a link that has lots of information about the resource many of us take for granted: http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/natres/waterindex.htm
I'm not just talking about water problems overseas. Our own country is facing possible internal conflicts over water. It's a more serious problem than many of us might think: http://news.google.com/news?q=water+wars&hl=en&um=1&die=UTF-8&resume=4&ct=title&sac=N&start=0
That's all for now~
ko
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