Category Archives: Weather/Climate

Those Death Valley temps could be phony

Posted on July 1, 2013 | Comments Off on Those Death Valley temps could be phony

…because the site of the official thermometer is not in accordance with NOAA’s own guidelines.

The guidelines state that such “temperature instruments should be 5 1/2 feet above a grassy surface 100 feet or more from a heat source and away from structures that can affect ventilation.”

Instead, in the federal agency’s own official photograph of the Death Valley thermometer, it appears to be sited on concrete (it obviously is not grass) and within a few feet of a building.

“And yet still the hype is turning into tripe about the 134 at Death Valley…The instrument can be accurate, but if the site is not maintained or the environment changes around it, its more than likely to read warmer!”

Of course it plays in really nicely with the federal hue and cry about global warming, i.e. climate change, i.e. we have to regulate CO2 (read, choke the economy by raising the price of electricity) to save the planet, etc. Which even some climate “scientists” ignore.

Via WeatherBell meterologist Joe D’Aleo.

UPDATE:  More on the thermometer siting scandal (and it sure as hell is a scandal) from climate blogger Watts Up With That.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Obamalot, Science/Engineering, Weather/Climate

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Rule 5: Swim wear

Posted on June 30, 2013 | Comments Off on Rule 5: Swim wear

If I wasn’t so lazy, I would use software to trim out the ad part of this since all I’m interested in is the pretty gal on the swing. But since I don’t know the name of this advertising model, it’s probably best to leave it alone.

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Posted in Rule 5, The Economy, Weather/Climate

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Saving the planet by destroying the economy

Posted on June 28, 2013 | Comments Off on Saving the planet by destroying the economy

President Wormtongue’s new “executive order” (read dictator’s fiat) to put new restrictions on power plant carbon emissions will hike unemployment by raising the cost of doing business, i.e. increasing the cost of electricity.

Just like his party’s tax increases which are restraining consumer spending, but have been hidden by federal (read Democrat) manipulation of the data.

Not to mention Wormtongue’s own manipulation of climate “science.”

All of which amazes me, frankly, because back when I voted Democrat the party wasn’t this stupid. They tried to lower unemployment, not raise it. They tried to encourage business, not penalize it. They wanted general prosperity for all, not more welfare and food stamps. But, then, they didn’t send cretins to the White House just because their skin was the preferred color.

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Posted in Obamalot, Obsessions, The Economy, Weather/Climate

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Troubles for MyOldRV

Posted on June 2, 2013 | Comments Off on Troubles for MyOldRV

College Station Andy of MyOldRv and his lady love Miss Kathy of San Marcos have been through some hard times lately, including a South Texas hail storm that did in their OldRV and their paid-for (naturally) Suburban.

It put them to seeking (and thankfully finding) temporary substitutes, as they save for permanent while still making a livin’ gate-guardin’ in the shale oil patch. As always, Andy’s posts are worth reading and you might even click through their Amazon link when you want to buy something anyway to help them out a little. As payment for a good read.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Shrinking government

Posted on May 30, 2013 | Comments Off on Shrinking government

The so-called “progressives” are always expanding government, especially after the bureaucrats abuse their power or otherwise screw it up. I have watched this phenom for years after every Texas tornado or hurricane.

FEMA was late again getting aid to Oklahoma (big surprise) but you can bet that instead of getting its head handed to it by Congress, FEMA will get more money and more bureaucrats to “solve” the problems. We can be sure the Democrats will try to do the same with the IRS scandal:

“The progressive answer to this is more rules and regulators, more agencies and safeguards and accountability projects. Republicans should recognize this intervention for the ridiculousness it is – creating more federal entities to watch over federal entities – and focus their arguments instead on the only solution which will actually work: removing power from the federal government and returning it to the states or the people. The only way to ensure that government doesn’t abuse a power is to make sure it doesn’t have this power in the first place.”

Read that last line again: “The only way to ensure that government doesn’t abuse a power is to make sure it doesn’t have this power in the first place.”

For instance, how about a flat tax or a national sales tax? Eliminate all the discretion now given to the IRS and its partisan Democrat thugs.

Not that I think the Republicans are any more likely to shrink government than the Democrats. Indeed, they’ve proven they won’t. But they’re our last (and fading) hope.

UPDATE:  U.S. ‘crats have held up Canadian charity relief supplies for Oklahoma tornado victims at the border.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Obamalot, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Typical wet Memorial Day weekend

Posted on May 25, 2013 | Comments Off on Typical wet Memorial Day weekend

We got three and a half inches in an hour Friday at the rancho (raining so hard when school let out I went to pick up Mr. B) and another half inch overnight. The waterfall in the back forty was in full flow within 30 minutes.

Supposed to rain more this afternoon. None of which is really surprising. May is our wettest month, on average, and Memorial Day weekend has been rainy pretty much every year since at least the 1981 Memorial Day floods.

Which were so awful (11 inches in three hours) that I briefly reunited with my ex-wife, checking on her safety since she lived near one of the flooded creeks and I didn’t want her parents blaming me for her death. She was okay.

UPDATE:  No rain to speak of at the rancho Saturday, but San Antonio got inundated by 10 inches, sweeping a city bus off the road, and leaving two dead.

MORE:  Did get a downpour Sunday morning that almost immediately put the waterfall back in business for about 30 minutes. Probably an inch altogether.

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Posted in Mr. Boy, Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Racing clouds preceded twister

Posted on May 21, 2013 | Comments Off on Racing clouds preceded twister

Was out in the back forty about noon Monday, checking to see if any new deer had jumped the privacy fence to get at the rancho’s roses. Had one Sunday, and an earlier one a week ago. Still trying to figure where they’re getting over.

Saw no deer but was struck by the clouds overhead. Coming out of the northwest and the southeast. They were just racing north. Wind was picking up, of course. Had to be a low out there somewhere, in the direction of Round Rock, probably. Hoped it would spawn a thunderstorm and bring us some rain.

Had no idea then that the low was as far north as Oklahoma or that about 3 p.m. CDT it would spawn a killer tornado that would wipe out two elementary schools south of Oklahoma City. G-d bless the dead and the injured and the devastated untouched, so to speak. Glad to see that CGHill at Dustbury, at the Bandwidth Wastage Station, survived this “last rite of spring” as he blogged it.

Heard some fool Democrat blaming global warming/climate change. The usual dreck. This is Tornado Alley, nitwit, beginning down here around Austin and stretching as far north as South Dakota. We get these bastards every year about this time. Wouldn’t have wished it on Oklahoma, especially not those dead kids and their devastated parents. But I’m sure thankful it didn’t spin up anywhere near us.

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Posted in Antique Roses, Blogosphere, Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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