What a god awful crazy year it has been in so far. The snowpocalypse, heatpocalypse, an earthquake, a hurricane, and than the rains came. I was beginning to think this is what Bombay feels like during the monsoon season which is not something I need to do with my life. More than 4”of rain fell in the Village over the past few days and that is added to the over 18” we (Central Park) officially received in August. The summer of 2011 is now the wettest in New York City history.
Back home in central Pennsylvania some places received well over a foot of rain. While all that rain fell around him my Earth science geek brother sent a constant stream of giddy texts talking about a fifty year storm whatever that is. Near Harrisburg the Susquehanna River reached levels never seen before and closed the main highway north to State College just as I was planning to head into the mountains for my first Penn State game of the year. This forced a drive up the two lane road on the left side of the river and a four hour drive from New York became six but I'm here. I'm in my mountains, a place I've been away from for too long.
Alabama traveled 900 miles to reach Happy Valley and play Penn State later today, #3 vs. #23, in one of the biggest early season games Beaver Stadium has seen in years. For now it's time to tailgate, have some of Sean's 'world famous' chili, and than maybe a few beverages. But first I have to find myself a white sweatshirt to wear because it's White House day and like a dumb ass I didn't bring anything white to so I'll have to wander downtown on my way to the stadium and pick something up.
A little trivia, Penn State has played Alabama 15 times and ten of those times both teams were nationally ranked. Only twice was neither team ranked.
Skylar Grey - Invisible
Showing posts with label Snowpocalypse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snowpocalypse. Show all posts
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Observations from the Heatpocalypse
In a continuation from yesterday I want to add that today it's just too damn hot to even function at all. I have no idea what the temperature is but I just heard the real feel temp is 108° and its only noon. In less than six months the Village has gone from the snowpocalypse to the heatpocalypse and scenes from "The Day After Tomorrow" are beginning to pass through my brain.
Still you have so many people who want to say that global warming is just a liberal theory and not scientific fact. I guess if you spread enough oil and coal money around you can make almost anybody talk stupid. When Mitt Romney was asked if he would disavow the science behind global warming he answered that he "believes the world is getting warmer and that humans are contributing to that pattern." Enter America's tard in chief Rush Limbaugh, “Bye-bye, nomination. Another one down. We’re in the midst here of discovering that this is all a hoax. The last year has established that the whole premise of man-made global warming is a hoax, and we still have presidential candidates that want to buy into it.” I really wish he would leave his air-conditioned splendor and check out the real weather. Hell maybe he could even sweat off a few pounds.
Than you have GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum who happens to be my favorite reason for moving out of Pennsylvania. In a brilliantly complicated conversation the candidate called global warming junk science. "I believe the Earth gets warmer, and I also believe the Earth gets cooler," Santorum said. "And I think history points out that it does that. The idea that man, through the production of carbon dioxide- which is a trace gas in the atmosphere, and the man-made part of that trace gas is itself a trace gas - is somehow responsible for climate change is, I think, just patently absurd ." Climate science boiled down to is the sun comes up and the sun goes down, until it doesn’t. Coincidentally Santorum made that remark while talking to, you guessed it, Rush Limbaugh. I can only imagine the cloud of cigar smoke wafting through the air after that show, maybe reminiscent of a coal fired power plant.
A few years ago global warming wasn’t such an ideological topic. Both liberals and conservatives recognized the threat and believed something should be done, they just differed on what it should be. But with millions of dollars being spent by Exxon and others with an interest in the status quo, a whole field of bullshit masquerading as science has been created to make people doubt the reality of global warming. Add to the phony science an ideological ‘spin’ that the whole theory is a hoax concocted by evil liberals who want to take over the world. And what do you get? Oil, gas, and coal interests are smiling with satisfaction, knowing that no serious action will be taken by the US government to reduce our reliance on these dirty fuels. So forget about reversing or even stopping the change. That chance is gone. All we can do now is hope to slow the rate of increase and protect ourselves against the inevitable effects of more droughts, floods, high temperatures, rising sea waters, melting glaciers, etc.
As always I bow to my brother on all things scientific. That last paragraph is totally my opinion but is mostly my brother's writing. It was just too good to pass up.
Linkin Park - Iridescent
Still you have so many people who want to say that global warming is just a liberal theory and not scientific fact. I guess if you spread enough oil and coal money around you can make almost anybody talk stupid. When Mitt Romney was asked if he would disavow the science behind global warming he answered that he "believes the world is getting warmer and that humans are contributing to that pattern." Enter America's tard in chief Rush Limbaugh, “Bye-bye, nomination. Another one down. We’re in the midst here of discovering that this is all a hoax. The last year has established that the whole premise of man-made global warming is a hoax, and we still have presidential candidates that want to buy into it.” I really wish he would leave his air-conditioned splendor and check out the real weather. Hell maybe he could even sweat off a few pounds.
Than you have GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum who happens to be my favorite reason for moving out of Pennsylvania. In a brilliantly complicated conversation the candidate called global warming junk science. "I believe the Earth gets warmer, and I also believe the Earth gets cooler," Santorum said. "And I think history points out that it does that. The idea that man, through the production of carbon dioxide- which is a trace gas in the atmosphere, and the man-made part of that trace gas is itself a trace gas - is somehow responsible for climate change is, I think, just patently absurd ." Climate science boiled down to is the sun comes up and the sun goes down, until it doesn’t. Coincidentally Santorum made that remark while talking to, you guessed it, Rush Limbaugh. I can only imagine the cloud of cigar smoke wafting through the air after that show, maybe reminiscent of a coal fired power plant.
A few years ago global warming wasn’t such an ideological topic. Both liberals and conservatives recognized the threat and believed something should be done, they just differed on what it should be. But with millions of dollars being spent by Exxon and others with an interest in the status quo, a whole field of bullshit masquerading as science has been created to make people doubt the reality of global warming. Add to the phony science an ideological ‘spin’ that the whole theory is a hoax concocted by evil liberals who want to take over the world. And what do you get? Oil, gas, and coal interests are smiling with satisfaction, knowing that no serious action will be taken by the US government to reduce our reliance on these dirty fuels. So forget about reversing or even stopping the change. That chance is gone. All we can do now is hope to slow the rate of increase and protect ourselves against the inevitable effects of more droughts, floods, high temperatures, rising sea waters, melting glaciers, etc.
As always I bow to my brother on all things scientific. That last paragraph is totally my opinion but is mostly my brother's writing. It was just too good to pass up.
Linkin Park - Iridescent
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Observations from the Window 1.27
So this winter from hell keeps spawning new terminology, at least new to me. Welcome to thundersnow. The snowpocalypse was bad enough but last night Mother Nature came to the party armed and it seemed more than a little pissed off. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain were followed by another foot of heavy wet snow. And than there was the thunder, at the same time awesome but so surprising because it is the last thing you expect while sitting watching the snow fall. Yes Mother Nature seems to be mad as hell and is taking it out on the Northeast this winter. I'm not alone in thinking that the Village has had quite enough of it.
It is now officially the snowiest January on record in New York City and has snowed eight times in the Village since December 14th. The mayor just said 1,700 plows are out on the streets but I have yet to see one on our street. But than the mayor was also late for his press conference so even his four wheel drive limo must be have problems navigating the streets. Those bicycle messengers don't seem to have any problem though and it’s funny to watch people dive out of their way as the bikes race down the sidewalk. I think I would need to throw a well placed hip check if one of them tried to run me out of the way but I haven't been that lucky yet.
Funny thing is that so far this year the Penn State’s main campus has received just 14" of snow or pretty much what was dumped on Central Park just last night. Go figure, either the snow is following me or my enviro-geek brother is right and it's global warming. Fresh from a photo walk in the falling snow I checked my email and found one from him with a link to an op-ed piece titled 'Bundle Up, It’s Global Warming.' It could be written in Sindarin for all I know so I'll leave the science to him but he likes it so I'll pass it on.
And finally I give you my thought for the day. I should be sitting on a beach digging my feet into the warm sand and than reaching for the bottle of Corona. No? Well at least I have my skates now.
Corona Extra - The Football
It is now officially the snowiest January on record in New York City and has snowed eight times in the Village since December 14th. The mayor just said 1,700 plows are out on the streets but I have yet to see one on our street. But than the mayor was also late for his press conference so even his four wheel drive limo must be have problems navigating the streets. Those bicycle messengers don't seem to have any problem though and it’s funny to watch people dive out of their way as the bikes race down the sidewalk. I think I would need to throw a well placed hip check if one of them tried to run me out of the way but I haven't been that lucky yet.
Funny thing is that so far this year the Penn State’s main campus has received just 14" of snow or pretty much what was dumped on Central Park just last night. Go figure, either the snow is following me or my enviro-geek brother is right and it's global warming. Fresh from a photo walk in the falling snow I checked my email and found one from him with a link to an op-ed piece titled 'Bundle Up, It’s Global Warming.' It could be written in Sindarin for all I know so I'll leave the science to him but he likes it so I'll pass it on.
And finally I give you my thought for the day. I should be sitting on a beach digging my feet into the warm sand and than reaching for the bottle of Corona. No? Well at least I have my skates now.
Corona Extra - The Football
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Observations from the Library 1.12
As much as I like to complain about it I have always liked snow and the winter. To prove my point I'll say I own two pairs of skis and two pairs of ice skates all of which are home at my dad's because one does not do winter in the city. At least that is what I thought until now. I'm either in a better mood since the holidays are past or I’m just resigned to this being one of those snowy winters because I didn't mind at all the coming of the second big nor'easter of the winter. Actually I was more than a little excited as I watched the storm start.
Last night I sat in the window watching the first flakes fall and I came to a decision. No matter how much snow fell overnight today was going to be a snow day and I wasn't going to let work get in the way of it. I even had a plan for the day because somebody had told me of a shop near Central Park that rents cross country skis. Now I may have cross country skied all of one time in my life but I was ready to give looking like a tall dark leather clad fool my best shot. Only problem was the store was closed so I had to move quickly to plan b, whatever that was going to be.
My winter exercises of choice have always been ice skating and ice hockey but I have notoriously weak ankles so I have to wear hockey skates for the extra support and many public rinks don’t rent hockey skates. As I wandered through Central Park I was dreaming of my oh so far away CCM skates when I happened to start talking to somebody and skates came up. Not long after I found myself the proud renter of a pair of well worn hockey skates and in search of ice to skate on.
I headed to Bryant Park because at Citi Pond it is free to skate and I had my camera with me and knew that lockers there were also free. How do they make any money? I didn't say locks were free I just said the lockers were but I'm smart enough to carry a lock in my backpack. When you carry a camera around all the time you never know when you might need one, just like with a bike. After a couple hours on skates, and a slightly bruised butt, I wandered into the library to check in. Than I can do some 'work' I need to do and still be able to skate again later. Skate until I have to head home or until my legs and ass scream for mercy, whichever comes first.
Even though we got another foot of snow dumped on us the storm wasn't nearly as bad as the last one. I do feel for the people of Connecticut, Boston, and the rest of New England where as of now they have gotten up to thirty new inches. Still for me it turned out to be a pretty good snow day. I got out in the air, I got to skate, and I wrote this instead of the gun control or Sara Palin posts I had been thinking about.
All in due time.
White Lies - Farewell To The Fairground
Last night I sat in the window watching the first flakes fall and I came to a decision. No matter how much snow fell overnight today was going to be a snow day and I wasn't going to let work get in the way of it. I even had a plan for the day because somebody had told me of a shop near Central Park that rents cross country skis. Now I may have cross country skied all of one time in my life but I was ready to give looking like a tall dark leather clad fool my best shot. Only problem was the store was closed so I had to move quickly to plan b, whatever that was going to be.
My winter exercises of choice have always been ice skating and ice hockey but I have notoriously weak ankles so I have to wear hockey skates for the extra support and many public rinks don’t rent hockey skates. As I wandered through Central Park I was dreaming of my oh so far away CCM skates when I happened to start talking to somebody and skates came up. Not long after I found myself the proud renter of a pair of well worn hockey skates and in search of ice to skate on.
I headed to Bryant Park because at Citi Pond it is free to skate and I had my camera with me and knew that lockers there were also free. How do they make any money? I didn't say locks were free I just said the lockers were but I'm smart enough to carry a lock in my backpack. When you carry a camera around all the time you never know when you might need one, just like with a bike. After a couple hours on skates, and a slightly bruised butt, I wandered into the library to check in. Than I can do some 'work' I need to do and still be able to skate again later. Skate until I have to head home or until my legs and ass scream for mercy, whichever comes first.
Even though we got another foot of snow dumped on us the storm wasn't nearly as bad as the last one. I do feel for the people of Connecticut, Boston, and the rest of New England where as of now they have gotten up to thirty new inches. Still for me it turned out to be a pretty good snow day. I got out in the air, I got to skate, and I wrote this instead of the gun control or Sara Palin posts I had been thinking about.
All in due time.
White Lies - Farewell To The Fairground
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Observations from the Snowpocalypse 12.29
The apocalypse in white is an apt description of the Village just days after the second 'great blizzard' of 2010. I suppose this is just our first because New York City itself was spared the worst of last winter's big storm. After two days of traveling, shoveling and wandering in the wasteland I am going to soak in a tub of hot water for as long as humanly possible. But first my thoughts from the snowpocalypse* ....
As I tried to get back to snow choked New York I quickly remembered something about long distance bus travel. I should never wear boots with any kind of heel at all because I'm too tall and even the two inch heels I had on made me feel cramped for space in no time at all. Also an MP3 player is an absolute must because you can put on the earbuds and zone out even if you aren't listening to anything. Just the mere appearance of the tall, cramped, zoned out dark bish is enough to keep people away, Sometimes it's just enough to get you two seats by yourself too.
A normal three hour bus trip stretched to four until I made it back. The city was a hodgepodge of stuck taxis, buses, and every other mode of transport imaginable. Only the ever present bicycle messengers seemed to be moving normally, albeit some were on mountain bikes. When I finally made it to our apartment building I found the entrance piled high with snow. Than at the gallery the sidewalk was in need of shoveling and I quickly decided that I should have stayed at my Dad's with Foxy. But shovel I did, from the gallery all the way to the liquor store up the street. After all I am no fool. I survived this back breaking labor relatively unscathed but for some sore muscles and a likely ruined pair of leather boots. Than again leather boots are never ruined to me, they just get worn with a diff outfit.
The one part of the city that does seem to have been cleared fast is Times Square. That is pretty easy to understand what with New Years Eve fast approaching. One doesn't want to worry about thousands of psycho snow ball wielding inebriated rubberneckers when terrorists are to be dealt with. And I'm sure the Mayor doesn't want to have this live TV quasi advertisement for the gleaming city disrupted either. How can Mayor Bloomberg expect to be President if he can't even get the snow cleared off the streets?
But I do have to say the city was beautiful when I got back, totally a disaster but still beautiful. Yesterday the snow was still a brilliant white in the Village and not the usual salt splattered grey you get used to seeing around here. The white snow under a clear blue sky just reminded me of the mountains, but not quite, somehow the towers don't remind me of trees.
After a day of shoveling and pretending the gallery was open I declared today a snow day and went exploring. Below is a link to some of what I found.
"the apocalypse in White" a set on flickr.
*Urban Dictionary: Snowpocalypse - A weather condition in which the amount of fallen snow, while not really such a big deal, wreaks havoc on a city, effectively shutting it down and leaving its citizens stunned and unable to see any sign of hope or a return to normalcy.
As I tried to get back to snow choked New York I quickly remembered something about long distance bus travel. I should never wear boots with any kind of heel at all because I'm too tall and even the two inch heels I had on made me feel cramped for space in no time at all. Also an MP3 player is an absolute must because you can put on the earbuds and zone out even if you aren't listening to anything. Just the mere appearance of the tall, cramped, zoned out dark bish is enough to keep people away, Sometimes it's just enough to get you two seats by yourself too.
A normal three hour bus trip stretched to four until I made it back. The city was a hodgepodge of stuck taxis, buses, and every other mode of transport imaginable. Only the ever present bicycle messengers seemed to be moving normally, albeit some were on mountain bikes. When I finally made it to our apartment building I found the entrance piled high with snow. Than at the gallery the sidewalk was in need of shoveling and I quickly decided that I should have stayed at my Dad's with Foxy. But shovel I did, from the gallery all the way to the liquor store up the street. After all I am no fool. I survived this back breaking labor relatively unscathed but for some sore muscles and a likely ruined pair of leather boots. Than again leather boots are never ruined to me, they just get worn with a diff outfit.
The one part of the city that does seem to have been cleared fast is Times Square. That is pretty easy to understand what with New Years Eve fast approaching. One doesn't want to worry about thousands of psycho snow ball wielding inebriated rubberneckers when terrorists are to be dealt with. And I'm sure the Mayor doesn't want to have this live TV quasi advertisement for the gleaming city disrupted either. How can Mayor Bloomberg expect to be President if he can't even get the snow cleared off the streets?
But I do have to say the city was beautiful when I got back, totally a disaster but still beautiful. Yesterday the snow was still a brilliant white in the Village and not the usual salt splattered grey you get used to seeing around here. The white snow under a clear blue sky just reminded me of the mountains, but not quite, somehow the towers don't remind me of trees.
After a day of shoveling and pretending the gallery was open I declared today a snow day and went exploring. Below is a link to some of what I found.
"the apocalypse in White" a set on flickr.
*Urban Dictionary: Snowpocalypse - A weather condition in which the amount of fallen snow, while not really such a big deal, wreaks havoc on a city, effectively shutting it down and leaving its citizens stunned and unable to see any sign of hope or a return to normalcy.
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