Snow Day for us on Inauguration Day

In this newly "blue" state of NC, we got a rare snow day on this Inauguration Day.

My car's back window at 10:00 am on 1.20.09. Believe!

The "Snowbama Man" my niece made. Nice cap!

Wonderful, memorable day.

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In the Dog Days of Summer

We are in the midst of the "Dog Days of Summer" which is the period of time in the summer generally from the first part of July until mid-August. In ancient times, this period of time was when the brightest star in the sky, Sirius (also called the "Dog Star"), rose and set with our Sun.

The ancient Romans recognized the "Dog Days" and called them caniculares dies ("days of the dogs") for the Dog Star.

They thought that the rising and setting of the big bright star Sirius with the Sun added to the heat we normally received from the Sun, making it extra hot during this period of time.

The ancient Greeks actually gave the Dog Star the name "Sirius" and for them, the rising of Sirius with the Sun was the sign that annual flooding of the Nile would begin.

Happy Dog Days and at least, unlike the ancients, we have a Locopops around the corner to help get us through the Dog Days.

Happy 4th of July.

Or Perth Day, as is the case in the picture below. Not my picture, it was taken by Antti Kemppainen in 2007, and here's a little about it from NASA:

click pic to make it larger

Smoky Durham.

As I blogged earlier, the smoke and its acrid smell from the wildfires in eastern NC has overtaken Durham.

Here's what it looked like downtown today, and here's the Urgent Weather Statement that the National Weather Service has issued on its site regarding the smoke. Click the pic to make it larger.

Yikes. The smoke!

The winds have blown the acrid smoke smell and the smoke itself into the skies over the Triangle. It's coming from the awful wildfires at the NC coast.

Here's WRAL's Raleigh skyline webcam right now:


Amazing AP aerial photo of the fire from earlier in the week:

Saturday 3.29.08 from 8 to 9pm

It's Earth Hour North America.

Sure it's largely symbolic, but what could it hurt? It's an interesting way to take time to talk to your family & friends about conservation. A way to see that other people care too. A way to ratchet up everyone's awareness.

On March 29, 2008 at 8 p.m., join millions of people around the world in making a statement about climate change by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, an event created by the World Wildlife Fund.

We invite everyone throughout North America and around the world to turn off the lights for an hour starting at 8 p.m. (your own local time)–whether at home or at work, with friends and family or solo, in a big city or a small town.

See also Embrace the Dark Side.

shoutout to Z for this

Daylight savings time on March 9

I know that's still approximately a week away, but it's hard to believe it's already time to 'spring forward' an hour. I love it, but I know others who hate it.

In 2008, daylight time begins on March 9 and ends on November 2.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 expanded the number of weeks that Daylight Savings Time is in effect so it is rolling around earlier and lasting longer.

And who can forget this wonderful letter warning about the possibility of another "plot by a liberal Congress to make us believe global warming is real"?

I have milk and a loaf of bread!

And it's snowing at my house right now.

Snow: The Movie (28 seconds of snowing at midnight at the Durham Bull Pen house, possibly--no probably--very boring). Ignore the small red light. A flying saucer perhaps.

Warming Forces Iditarod to Alter Course

Sometimes it just strikes me and I think, 'Wow, this really is happening.' This news story does just that. I mean, I know it is happening. It kind of smacks me in the face once in a while.

"ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The modern challenges of global warming and population growth are catching up with the world's most famous sled dog race.

Citing a warming climate and sprawling development, officials with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race said Wednesday they were implementing permanent logistical changes that in recent years have become the norm for the March event."

AP article here.

Heavy Rain?!

Oh sweet merciful baby jeebus, the TV weatherbots aren't just saying the Bull City might get some rain--which would be sweet enough--but heavy rain!

Maybe the scary cracked earth in my backyard will close up again? I'm not going to stop hoarding bottled water in my basement, however. Not just yet.