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11:04 p.m. - 2003-08-10
Whether Watch
Well, the Pope asked Europeans to pray for rain today in order to help with the weeks-long extreme heat (over 100 F/37 C in England yesterday and in the 40's C in Germany) and the extensive wild fires occurring there. Helped bring things to a standstill here - right?

The risk is still very high in some of the forest fires here. As the temperatures soar again and thunderstorms generate lightning strikes, thousands of people in remote areas are still being evacuated or are on a one hour alert to leave their homes. Two tornado funnels reported yesterday. Severe weather warnings all over the country.

A special watch is being kept on Turtle Mountain. Why? One hundred years ago, part of the mountain split away and fell on the mining town of Frank below. 70 people sleeping in their homes died, as did the miners working night shift. In 1918 a fire was detected still burning in one of the mine shafts. Think of the mountain as your body and the seams of coal as your circulatory system. Add in fire (infection)spreading through the coal seams and you have an entity in a very unstable state of existance. One of the biggest forest fires is sweeping across Turtle mountain now. There is a risk that the very high temperatures - one person returned to a burned out home and found that even their old fashioned cast iron tub had melted in the flames - could ignite outcrops of coal (surface seams) multiplying the fire(infection)increasing the speed at which the mountain's structure destabilizes. Hard to know how that will play out.

Sort of science lessons of the day today? The other bits and pieces I gleaned on the same search - perchlorates creating dangerous levels of pollution the length of the Colorado river courtesy of a major munitions manufacturer near the headwaters. A British man driving across their island using cooking oil as fuel. This website http://www.lowimpact.org tells how to modify your vehicle to accommodate the oil. A search on Cushings disease turned up some very surprising clinical evidence that links some obesity problems experienced in North America with the use of anti-inflammatories. Finally a link to some research on the attempt to use crystals to increase the speed of light www.sciscoop.com. What is that phrase about curiosity and cats?

Number five son dropped in for a visit today and stayed for supper. Appears his employer is considering sending him to the provinces east (Saskatchewan) and west (British Columbia) of us where they are planning to open new restaurants. His job would be to train new staff to take over eventually. Sounds like it might be a great adventure. It was his first time meeting Miss Kitty's new family. He immediately became attached to "little girl" the one with the tiger stripes. She was the last born, and is the smallest and most affectionate of the litter. I told him the affinity was because they were both the fifth born. Nonetheless he would like to adopt her for his own. I checked with my youngest son (Miss Kitty is his pet) and he was ok with that since it means he can see little girl whenever he wants then. Maybe finding the babies good homes won't be so bad after all. We can offer respite care on holidays and check on their well being (and their boy's) as well that way.

In Calgary today? A delayed Mardi Gras - well would you wear those costumes in February here where the temperatures are often well below zero - in the Marda Loop community. A Taste of Calgary with food from 40 different cultures offered downtown in Eau Claire. Comfort food and New Orleans jazz all on the same day. Yum!

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