Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Sunspots Are Returning

solar disc

It looks like the solar activity is starting to increase. This is the first day in a while where there are three sunspots visible on the Earth-facing side of the sun. These images are from the SOHO spacecraft. The left panel is the visible light snapshot and the right panel is energy being emitted in a narrow band of ultraviolet. You can’t see UV, but it’s common knowledge that it is a major cause of skin damage.

Just how solar activity affects the climate isn’t well understood, but there is correlation between sunspot numbers and the climate.

I don’t know about you, but I am sure there are a lot of Americans rooting for warmer weather tonight. That includes us, even though we’re California weather wimps according to Breda.

09 Feb 2010 by Astronomy Environment Rocket Science

Super Sunday

pulled-pork.jpgDamsel and I prepared our Superbowl Sunday meal today – we decided on pulled pork sandwiches served with blue cheese broccoli slaw and a dill pickle, a traditional Memphis pit BBQ meal.

I started the picnic roast (pork shoulder) in the crockpot early this morning, throwing in some pepper, fruit juices, chopped onion and garlic cloves. We let it cook all day. When I pulled the pork it was literally falling off of the bone. I used a couple of forks to shred the meat and separate the lean stuff away from the fat.

Damsel came up with a wonderful home made barbecue sauce with that tart southern cooked taste. She placed a scoop of the shredded pork on a bun and topped it with the sauce. It was the best.

We chowed down during the pregame show and took our after dinner walk at halftime. It was a great meal, a good football game and an all around great day – really a Super Sunday.

07 Feb 2010 by Food & Dining Sports

After a Gentle Rain

While most of the east is enjoying the biggest blizzards in 90 years (so much for that global warming crap), we had a gentle rain last night which this Christmas cactus seemed to enjoy. Click on Damsel’s image to enlarge.

gentle-rain.jpg

06 Feb 2010 by California Environment Home & Garden

Bad Karma for Prius-Driving Greenbats

libtard.jpg

In addition to Toyota’s accelerator pedal vehicle recall, there may be additional problems in the Prius’ brake system.

From the OC Register:

greenbatmobileThe U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today that it is opening a formal investigation into problems with brakes on the 2010 Prius hybrid.

The probe, the agency said, is “to look into allegations of momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump.

The news comes a day after the car’s brakes were put into question in several media reports and the Japanese government ordered the automaker to look into the issue. Of course, this latest news comes amid two recalls for millions of cars worldwide over unintended acceleration.

The guy in the cartoon (old hippie-lookin’ dude) reminds me of another Prius driver I posted about here for having an unusual paint job . . .

04 Feb 2010 by Greenbats Money and Business Whacko Politics

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