This is getting a bit out of control, folks. I know that I am a Chicago native with a snow attitude but people in this town are doing everything short of sacrificing their young to please the Snow God.
I just came back from the store where people seem to be preparing for the final judgment. One woman had two carts (which she was pushing and pulling) filled with toilet paper and water. I wanted to do an intervention and mention the likely possibility of spring.
If you turn on the radio, it is filled with assurances that radio stations will remain active throughout the “coming emergency.” Not only that, police are reporting an increase in auto accidents — BEFORE A FIRST SNOW FLAKE HAS FALLEN. I am waiting for conservative members of Congress to demand snowboarding meteorologists to force them to tell us the whole truth and when we can expect warm weather.
I am looking out the window at the first flakes now falling. My kids are watching cartoons and all is well. I have not even begun to look at the kids as foodstuffs if we run low on food. For those regulars in the area, the Turley blog will remain active through “the coming emergency” though the host is likely to begin consumption of Bloody Marys in . . . five, four, three, two . . .
JT:
We in the southern Virginia badlands below the quaint civility of Northern Virginia are faring well with our four inches of frost on the ground. We only expect a foot or so more. We can only smile in mild amusement at the predicament of our more genteel brethren with their technology-dependent and complicated lifestyles just north of the Rappahannock. We are told that some there regard us as little more than backward hayseeds here. Say what you will, the snow fairies smile on us today!
I must confess difficulty in trying to shovel snow with my Rothko prints and de-ice my windshield with hot lattes made by Leslie and passed by the children from the kitchen.
I’m not a gramma-rian yet. Hope to be one day though. And if I do have a grandchild, I’ll make sure that he/she speaks and writes the Queen’s English.
**********
On the topic of icy things:
Hubble sees Pluto changing color, ice sheet cover
By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer – Thu Feb 4, 4:17 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Spurned Pluto is changing its looks, donning more rouge in its complexion and altering its iceball surface here and there.
Color astronomers surprised.
Newly released Hubble Space Telescope photos show the distant one-time planet — demoted to “dwarf planet” status in 2006 — is changing color and its ice sheets are shifting.
The photos, released by NASA Thursday, paint a Pluto that is significantly redder than it had been for the past several decades. To the layman, it has a yellow-orange hue, but astronomers say it has about 20 percent more red than it used to have.
The pictures show icy frozen nitrogen on Pluto’s surface growing and shrinking, brightening in the north and darkening in the south. Astronomers say Pluto’s surface is changing more than the surfaces of other bodies in the solar system. That’s unexpected because a season lasts 120 years in some regions of Pluto.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100204/ap_on_sc/us_sci_pluto
It looks like no one’s posted the Official Snowpocalypse DC website, yet…
http://snowpocalypsedc.com/
Yes I agree and let her track ISP addresses
Professor,
I am making a Motion to appoint Elaine M., as site monitor. Not the corrections queen but as a person to make order in your stead.
Do I hear any seconds?
Byron–
Because it isn’t capitalized in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.
**********
Professor Turley–
I must correct your last comment about corrections at the Turley blawg. I wasn’t correcting Nal. I was correcting my own careless error–as well as answering the question that Byron posed to Nal. It was presumptuous of me to speak for Nal…I know. But I am aware that Nal is a working man…while I’m a retired schoolmarm with plenty of time on my hands. No need to fear a blog-wide crisis of faith–or nightmares.
I stand ready to be admonished if you believe I didn’t follow proper corrector etiquette.
Perish the thought. I was just relishing the thought of two grammarian gladiators facing off in a titanic corrective contest.
As for McLean, it has been snowing steadily for over three hours and it is just now beginning to stick.
Uhhmmmmmmm,
I am calling Jonathan right now. I see your English skills are not as up to par as should be. I am going to encourage him to make more grammatical errors on his part. This will assure you of a secure position and make sure your mind does not get muddled with being settled into retirement.
A side note.
I agree with what you and FF LEO were speaking about last night. I did try and make a difference. However, even as corrupt as the system is that you all saw from each of your perspectives. I saw it from many levels of government. Not all are corrupt. But they are by not doing what they know is wrong and turn a blind eye to those that do.
Elaine M:
why not?
OOOOPPPPS! Shame on me. That should have read: To answer YOUR question to Nal: No.
Its my nightmare: Elaine M and Nal correcting each others entries. This could trigger a blog-wide crisis of faith.
Byron–
To answer you question to Nal: No.
NAL:
“I’ll be basking in the warm glow of schadenfreude.”
shouldn’t you have capitalized Schadenfreude?
Here’s Johnny
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb3ik6zP2I&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
We want photos of Snowmageddon. Meanwhile, I’ll be basking in the warm glow of schadenfreude.
What? No plans for a cozy candlelight Donner party while you’re snowbound?
Just rest assured that the government will be able to closely monitor you activities. These High Definition TV’s are for some good purpose you know.
Be sure and keep your Phone charged. They will not be able to find you buried in a snow capped drive until it melts.
The panic is worse in the ‘burbs. I’m from the Cleveland snowbelt and find the whole business more amusing than anything else.
JT said “I have not even begun to look at the kids as foodstuffs if we run low on food.”
They may be eyeing you. If they ask you to stock up on butter. Run! :>)
Images of Piggy on the Lord of the Flies come to mind. I just never thought it would be my own children.
Carlyle I was wondering if you could tell us about the summer snow Australia recently had. I know you guys are having extreme heat again and breaking records but I read a story about some of the higher elevations of summer snows. Is Australia like night and day compared to opposite sides of the coasts.
This is why I love Joe Basardi on January 25 he posted this forecast
The Hounds of Winter Are Set to Howl!
Jan 25, 2010; 11:25 AM ET
A look at a major southern Plains to mid- and North Atlantic states winter storm, and its similarities to the Feb. 6-7 blizzard of 1967.
Then followed with these
Eastern Snow Geese Should “Dig” This Pattern
Jan 31, 2010; 10:14 AM ET
Look out, a major snowstorm( blizzard?) followed by arctic air is lurking in the East again with this pattern, and it should get farther north than this last one! I Love a Parade (Of Storms, That Is)
Jan 28, 2010; 11:52 AM ET
If you like wild weather, this is your pattern!
Joe is right 99% of the time. The problem is he gets paid to be that way and the only way to get a regular daily forecast from him is to become a premium member to the tune of 3-5 hundred depending on what you want. Alot of your local TV meterologist get the info straight from Joe.
http://www.accuweather.com/video-on-demand.asp?channel=VBLOG_BASTARDI&title=Joe%20Bastardi
How lucky to have snow. Here in Sydney Australia we have hot and humid. Many days I spend most time sitting or lying under a ceiling fan turned to maximum as that is the only way to avoid being covered in sweat. my poor dog spends these days panting madly.