Musings While on Cloud Nine
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Just thinking …
After more than a month of heat and humidity, it’s amazing how quickly this weekend’s weather shifted to the look and feel of September with pleasantly warm, dry days and cool, comfortable nights. Just another of the delights of New England weather!
But don’t get too used to it. We’ve still got most of August ahead of us … and we all know what that can be like. Don’t get into apple picking and cider sipping mode just yet.
Gotcha politics is just beginning to rev up now as the fall approaches. If you listen to all the rhetoric you’ll be led to the conclusion that EVERYONE running for office is a no-good-rotten-despicable-so-and-so out to destroy our way of life in this country. I guess a few are but most aren’t, however getting anywhere near the truth is like searching for the lucky ducky in the duck pond at the local church festival … nearly impossible.
Weather Trivia Questions:
The month of July in Rhode Island was one of the hottest on record, but it was not the hottest. In what year did the hottest July occur? Where did this one rank? Also, when did official U.S. Weather Bureau (as it was called at the time) weather record keeping begin in Providence?
The Sox brass sure did a lot to improve the club for the playoff run at the trading deadline, huh?
Here comes Colin
After a hiatus of nearly a week and a half, there’s finally some activity in the tropics with Tropical Storm Colin heading westward from the far reaches of the Atlantic.
For what it’s worth, we’ve lost just over 55 minutes of daylight since June 21. By Labor Day, daylight will be around 2 hours and 6 minutes shorter than June 21.
From what I’ve read inflation has been close to zero for the past two years, so how is it that my cable bill continues to creep steadily upward each month for the same services? While I’m at it, that goes for about everything else including food, energy, water, etc. You name it … nothing is headed DOWN!
Let’s face it. The math does not look good for the Red Sox. With 56 games left (not including last night) they are 7 games down in the loss column to the Rays and Yankees. If the Sox play, say, .650 ball (36 wins, 20 losses) either the Yankees or Rays would have to go 29 wins, 27 losses for them to tie either team. Impossible? No. Probable? Don’t think so. It would take a major collapse on their part and a big turn around by the Sox. Do you believe in miracles?
How hot?
So far this summer the mercury has topped out at 90 degrees or higher 12 times with only 6 days in the 70s. Every other day has been in the 80s.
We’ve all heard that NFL training camps are brutally tough and can be even more so when the heat and humidity are high. So far the Patriot’s have lucked out. Since last Thursday, when camp began, it’s been reasonably comfortable for all but a day or two.
It’s great to see Wes Welker recovering so nicely from his devastating injury. Let’s hope the Pats can avoid the injury bug that has put such a crimp in the Red Sox season.
Weather Trivia Answers:
With all the hoopla over global warming you’d think the hottest July on record was fairly recent. It wasn’t. It happened nearly 60 years ago in 1952.
This July ranked number 2. Number 3 was a long time ago too, July 1949.
The Weather Bureau began keeping records in Providence during October 1904, nearly 106 years ago.
Gotta go … The blueberries are ripe and the birds are circling. Time to do battle with the crows and blue jays.
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