Category Archives: Weather/Climate

Poor Spirit

Posted on July 31, 2010 | Comments Off on Poor Spirit

It’s been an amazing six years for the Martian rover Spirit. But the little robot may finally be dying in winter temps of almost seventy degrees below zero F. It hasn’t been heard from since March 22:

“The earliest date the rover could generate enough power to send a beep to Earth was calculated to be around July 23. However, mission managers don’t anticipate the batteries will charge adequately until late September to mid-October. It may be even later if the rover is in a mission-clock fault mode. If Spirit does wake up, mission managers will do a complete health check on the rover’s instruments and electronics.”

Hang in there, Spirit. Spring’s coming.

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Posted in Science/Engineering, Space, Weather/Climate

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Coolest July in a while

Posted on July 22, 2010 | Comments Off on Coolest July in a while

Strictly unscientific. No statistics herein to prove it. But July is almost over and we have yet to hit a hundred degrees. Usually, well, the last few years, we’d have done that by now. Still time, of course, but so far it hovers in the low nineties.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Seablogger sinking

Posted on July 9, 2010 | Comments Off on Seablogger sinking

For some time now, the health of Alan Sullivan, the Seablogger, has been sinking. It seems that he is near death:

“Steve and Tim have conferred with Dr. D. this morning. He told them that there is little hope of Alan ever communicating again. Accordingly, they directed Dr. D. to discontinue ‘heroic measures.’ Father Tom is going up to the hospital to bestow a final blessing.”

Adios to a sometimes irascible, but always readable and interesting blogger whose last post was simple and compelling: “What I yearn for: Pineapple juice, orange juice, milk, oh milk.”

Via Instapundit. (Alan’s going out with an Instalanche.)

UPDATE:  It’s 9:24 p.m. Alan died earlier today. He wanted the blog sealed from comments. But there’s talk among his “rare readers” of a chat room, at least. As long as someone wants to pay the isp, I suppose… Which also applies to his blog.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Obituaries, Weather/Climate

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Rio Grande flooding

Posted on July 8, 2010 | Comments Off on Rio Grande flooding

us tropical weather-542858290_v2.grid-6x2What Hurricane Alex did to the Rio Bravo (Mexican version) at Laredo with another storm with more rain on the way today and tomorrow.

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Posted in South of the Border, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Global warming’s enemies list

Posted on July 7, 2010 | Comments Off on Global warming’s enemies list

When science turns strictly political: 496 scientists, some quite distinguished, whose protests on AGW the National Academy of Sciences says should not be believed. Amazing. And scary. First there was the faking of results. Now the Nazification.

Via Instapundit.

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Posted in Science/Engineering, Weather/Climate

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Day 73: The Gulf Coast Held Hostage

Posted on July 2, 2010 | Comments Off on Day 73: The Gulf Coast Held Hostage

It’s easy enough to conclude that our feckless president simply doesn’t care about a bunch of Red States getting crude oil on their beaches, even if one of them is the home of the saintly New Orleans, target of national hand-wringing just a few years ago—back when there was a Republican in the White House and so the national media (and Sean Penn) were wide awake. Ah, but the federal foot-dragging on the Gulf oil-spill is quite amazing. Good thing for Barry most of the legacy media is sound asleep. Snore.

UPDATE:  Even (gasp) CNN is getting fed up with the federal bozos.

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Posted in Obamalot, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Thanks for the rain, Alex

Posted on June 30, 2010 | Comments Off on Thanks for the rain, Alex

We’ve had more than an inch since Tuesday afternoon, when moisture from the storm in the Gulf began flowing in. This afternoon we’re expected to get the outer bands of rain directly. Or as the National Weather Service says:

"SPIRAL BANDS FROM ALEX WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE LOCAL
AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND PROBABLY LASTING INTO THE FIRST PART OF THE
UPCOMING WEEKEND."

Appreciate it, Al. We do. Got little rain in May. Only fair to get more now. I will use the occasion to pull some weeds in the flower beds, the ground being softened up.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Weather/Climate

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