We had a high here today of 10ºF. I saw 9ºF on my car thermometer. It got down to 1ºF last night and it's currently 1ºF right now. But we've seen -20ºF this time of year sometimes, so that's all to be expected.
It might have been normal in times past to have a freeze hard enough to kill the tips of the grape vines and the crowns of eucalyptus trees less than once in 20 years. The last one I remember was about45 years ago. Citrus trees used to be planted in the low foothills, a little above the valley floor, so the cold air would drain away. North of us there are huge plantings of citrus right on the valley floor, made possible by installation of wind machines. When the light is just right one can see that the number of wind machines is huge; given the cost of installing all those wind machines, the citrus crop must be worth a LOT. We are a little far north for avocados, but they also can be damaged by freezing. Cold air falling down from the snows in the mountains is warmed by compression and rarely gets down to freezing on the valley floor, where it is trapped. Nowadays there is far less woodsmoke and soot in the air during the winter--that really used to be a problem. Oh, and the wind machines are WAY better than the old fashioned smudge pots.
If the royalty of Great Britain doesn't want him to be convicted they will do much behind the scenes...which is what I expect. In the name of good relations between nations. Grrr. I hope this time he's beyond that reach. But I don't think so. After all, guests included Clinton and DT and others.
NY attorney general subpoenas Trump, Ivanka and Don Jr [Click] Sounds like it is time for them to start rehearsing claiming the fifth. Also planning very long vacations in countries without extradition treaties with the US. [Hot tip: even countries without US extradition treaties are often willing to hand people over.]
Theranos jury returns to deliberations after deadlocking on three counts [Click] Speaking as someone with bona fides in medical laboratory testing, I have absolutely no sympathy for the big wigs who invested in her company. They obviously did not talk with anyone who knew anything about such work, even though they are abundant and easy to find. No matter if Holmes’ claims of innocence should be accepted, the whole business was obviously fraudulent from the get-go, and the investors deserve to lose their investments. In my opinion.
I would feel bad about the cost, but I'd rather spend it on this than the Defense budget. I wish we could take a LOT out of Defense and feed and house the poor.
TWICE today I came here to post and got sidetracked. Third time's the charm?
December 29 . . 940 . . positivity rate way up to 5.5% December 30 . .1352 December 31 . .1477 January 1 . . . 577 January 2 . . . 473 January 3 . . . 245 . . . positivity rate insane at 11.3%!!
https://politicalwire.com/2022/01/03/pro-trump-internet-descends-into-infighting/ [Click] Good!
ReplyDeleteKremlin Insider Incarcerated in US May Have Secrets of 2016 Hack [Click]
ReplyDeleteMichael Cohen Taunts After Bill Barr Served Lawsuit Papers [Click] Scroll down a bit for the substance of the lawsuit. Sounds to me like it should be at least partially successful.
ReplyDeleteMagic mushroom companies are on the NASDAQ now. [Click] What could possibly go wrong?
ReplyDeleteWorld’s oldest person celebrates 119th birthday [Click] “Kane Tanaka has set her sights on becoming 120 next year, as figures show the number of young adults in Japan in steep decline”
ReplyDeleteMy next door neighbour turned 90 yesterday and she's still going strong. Impressive!
DeleteA little more frost here this morning.
ReplyDeleteI hope the crops fare okay!
DeleteWe had a high here today of 10ºF. I saw 9ºF on my car thermometer. It got down to 1ºF last night and it's currently 1ºF right now. But we've seen -20ºF this time of year sometimes, so that's all to be expected.
It might have been normal in times past to have a freeze hard enough to kill the tips of the grape vines and the crowns of eucalyptus trees less than once in 20 years. The last one I remember was about45 years ago. Citrus trees used to be planted in the low foothills, a little above the valley floor, so the cold air would drain away. North of us there are huge plantings of citrus right on the valley floor, made possible by installation of wind machines. When the light is just right one can see that the number of wind machines is huge; given the cost of installing all those wind machines, the citrus crop must be worth a LOT. We are a little far north for avocados, but they also can be damaged by freezing. Cold air falling down from the snows in the mountains is warmed by compression and rarely gets down to freezing on the valley floor, where it is trapped. Nowadays there is far less woodsmoke and soot in the air during the winter--that really used to be a problem. Oh, and the wind machines are WAY better than the old fashioned smudge pots.
DeleteAshli Babbitt, Jan. 6 insurrectionist portrayed as martyr by some, had violent past [Click]
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete$500,000 settlement between Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew accuser now public [Click] Looks like the terms *could* give Andrew an escape route.
If the royalty of Great Britain doesn't want him to be convicted they will do much behind the scenes...which is what I expect. In the name of good relations between nations. Grrr. I hope this time he's beyond that reach. But I don't think so. After all, guests included Clinton and DT and others.
DeleteThat should be catnip for the British popular press, as well as the republicans.
DeleteNY attorney general subpoenas Trump, Ivanka and Don Jr [Click] Sounds like it is time for them to start rehearsing claiming the fifth. Also planning very long vacations in countries without extradition treaties with the US. [Hot tip: even countries without US extradition treaties are often willing to hand people over.]
ReplyDeleteHere’s a handy list! [Click]
Theranos jury returns to deliberations after deadlocking on three counts [Click] Speaking as someone with bona fides in medical laboratory testing, I have absolutely no sympathy for the big wigs who invested in her company. They obviously did not talk with anyone who knew anything about such work, even though they are abundant and easy to find. No matter if Holmes’ claims of innocence should be accepted, the whole business was obviously fraudulent from the get-go, and the investors deserve to lose their investments. In my opinion.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Holmes trial: jury finds Theranos founder guilty on four fraud counts [Click] “The jury delivered the partial verdict after announcing they were deadlocked on three of the 11 charges Holmes faced”
DeleteJames Webb space telescope sunshield tensioning has begun. [Click] If all goes well, it should be completed some time Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteNASA: First Layer of Webb’s Sunshield Tightened [Click] “The team has now begun tensioning the second layer.”
DeleteThis is so exciting!
DeleteI would feel bad about the cost, but I'd rather spend it on this than the Defense budget. I wish we could take a LOT out of Defense and feed and house the poor.
Fossilised ‘hell heron’ dinosaur unearthed on Isle of Wight [Click] Two different species of spinosaurs— with very different teeth! Not a new story, but I had overlooked it.
ReplyDeleteI was only aware of the spinosaur fossils found in North Africa.
DeleteTWICE today I came here to post and got sidetracked. Third time's the charm?
ReplyDeleteDecember 29 . . 940 . . positivity rate way up to 5.5%
December 30 . .1352
December 31 . .1477
January 1 . . . 577
January 2 . . . 473
January 3 . . . 245 . . . positivity rate insane at 11.3%!!
9 new deaths over the weekend
Was hoping today's photo would invoke Catreona and maybe even Renee. With a little luck they'll each be by in a few days.
ReplyDelete