Friday, December 12, 2003
I'm Tired and It's Stormy
I was in the middle of reading some of the news and was getting ready to post when a thunderous boom voiced its opinion on that matter. I will state again that I love thunder and lightning storms but I’m still not used to how violent they can get here. Granted, this one wasn’t nearly as crazy as some in the past but I’m still not used to the sound...it’s like a bomb going off just down the block.
Anyway, before I begin, I’d like to point out how jealous of this guy I am:
Congratulations to Johana Dunlop, from New York, USA who has won our prize of an Antarctic Cruise for two with Bill Bryson.
Bill Bryson. THE Bill Bryson. The one who wrote the book, A Short History of Nearly Everything. The book a reader bought for me from my wishlist and I so enjoyed every word of it that I read it twice and will read it many more times. I am currently green. Green with envy.
Here’s something to enjoy while you are out and about celebrating the New Year:
When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31st, heralding the start of 2004, dash outside and look up. Directly overhead you’ll see a yellow star outshining the others around it. That star is a planet: Saturn, having its closest encounter with Earth for the next 29 years.
If you can find a way to get away from the city where the skies spread out before you for eternity and a telescope, you’re going to be in for a real treat. Per the story, Saturn’s rings will be “tipped towards us” and the sun will be reflecting off its surface. Decent.
One more science story:
Researchers Discover the Aunt or Uncle of the Eco-System’s Marauding Marsupial Mammals
...[T]he team of American and Chinese scientists describe a 125 million year old fossilized skeleton of Sinodelphys szalayi, ([Sino] - Latin for China, [delphys] - Greek term used for basal marsupial species; [szalayi] - in honor of Professor F.S. Szalay, a leading expert on mammalian skeletal evolution.).
“This mammal could be the great grand aunt or uncle, or it could be the great grandparent of all marsupial mammals..."
Have I mentioned how much I love science? Oh, I have? This is a lot more fun than ranting about the Moron Hit Parade that plagues the Left.
I lied, one more:
On December 13th at around 9:30 or 10:00pm, grab a lawn chair, a drink and plant yourself outside; look up at the sky and observe the annual Geminid Meteor Shower.
Geminid meteors stream out of the constellation Gemini--hence their name...the moon won’t be too high or glaring, and you should be able to spot dozens of meteors.
You should be able to see them clearly until around midnight. I fully expect the skies in Houston to let me down yet again and be cloudy.
Finally, on a completely unrelated topic:
Man Proves That Some People Are Stupider Than They Look
Jobless artist sells $1 snowballs during blizzard...Ten snowballs stood in two neat rows before it on the Times Square pavement...His total snowball sales stood at $9.50, or $9.50 more than seemed possible in the wake of a big snowstorm. Triplitt fished his proof from his jeans pocket, a modest but indisputable wad of dollar bills...
Surely this story is made up. Even if it’s not, please tell me it is. I know there are some classic fools out there but my mind refuses to accept that there are people dumb enough to pay someone for a snowball.
Anyway, on a more personal note, I’m having a good time at work. So far I really like all of my co-workers and my boss is great! One co-worker is kind of impatient but that’s no big deal. Each day I come home exhausted but I’m happy. The only thing that sucks is that I don’t have a car. I happened to get off early tonight and at first I was not delighted with that, (because I want to work mucho and make bank), but at the time I would have been coming home, the lightning was crazy and as mentioned above, the thunder was shockingly loud. Oh, and let’s not forget about the downpour, (yay! more flooding!) and the high winds. I would have been walking in that. Instead, I’m home, dry, warm and sleepy....and at peace. Actually, if the lightning was far removed, I’d rather enjoy walking around in that kind of weather. Approximately 100 people are killed each year in the U.S. by lightning. In the words of Jim Carrey in the movie, Dumb and Dumber, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.” That’s enough for me when it comes to that many volts of electricity.
Anyway, time to enjoy a barley pop, read a few sites and then head to bed.
