PSoTD

YOW!

AccuWeather is predicting a colder and snowier winter than normal, but municipalities and heating businesses say they are prepared for whatever Mother Nature has in store this season.

“It looks like were going to have a colder and much snowier than normal winter across most of Pennsylvania,” said John Dlugoenski, a meteorologist for AccuWeather in State College. “We can say with pretty good certainty it will be snowier than normal.”

Dlugoenski said we could have up to as much snow as the winter season of 1995-96, based on weather patterns. That season, 62 inches of snowfall was recorded in Reading, while 77.6 inches was recorded in Harrisburg.

I like snow, but I can't say this news is being enjoyed in our household...

And it's natural? Imagine!

Australian scientists say they have stumbled upon a plant-based treatment that stops termites dead in their tracks.

Two years of testing has found that the post contains a plant extract called false sandalwood that repels the insects.

"In fact they'll stay on the other side of the barrier and starve to death rather than move through to the feed," Associate Professor Spooner-Hart said.

Researcher Albert Basta says if termites are exposed to the extract, they die.

What's really interesting is how they found out about false sandalwood.

But University of Western Sydney Associate Professor Robert Spooner-Hart says the discovery of a lone fence post in a paddock in central Queensland may hold a solution.

"It had been there for between 50 to 75 years," he said.

"It was the only fence post that hadn't been attacked in the area and of course, the question was why."

And another question is why false sandalwood was on that post. Was this anti-termite knowledge known 75 years ago that has been forgotten or ignored? Or just a lucky accident?

You all know that Holy Pat said this yesterday:

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city."

Pat - I think God's been trying to get your attention about Virginia Beach for quite a while. WTF, don't you notice what happens in your own neighborhood?

Aug. 17, 1986, Hurricane Charley: The center passed over southeast Virginia Beach. Fastest wind blew from the northeast at 94 mph with gusts to 104 mph on the southern island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Many trees were blown down, including 250 in Hampton Roads. Over 110,000 homes were without power in the Tidewater area. Six-foot waves destroyed 70 feet of the fishing pier in Norfolk. Total damages were less than $1 million.

Aug. 27, 1998, Hurricane Bonnie: Bonnie made landfall near Wilmington, N.C. and then moved back out to see over the northern Outer Banks as a tropical storm and then strengthened again over the open waters. Fastest wind speed was northeast at 46 mph with gusts to 64 mph at Norfolk International Airport. Langley Air Base recorded a sustained wind of 53 mph with gusts to 67 mph. Cape Henry recorded a sustained wind of 81 mph and a gust of 104 mph. Power was knocked out to 320,000 customers in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area. Numerous trees were down, and some structural damage to buildings occurred. Windows were blown out of high-rise hotels and there was some roof damage. The heavy rain and a two to four foot storm surge combined to produce street flooding in Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Portsmouth. Total storm damages in Virginia reached $24 million.

Sept. 15-16, 1999, Hurricane Floyd: Hurricane Floyd, at one time a large Category 4 storm, had weakened to a minimal hurricane as it reached Virginia. However, rain associated with Floyd began well in advance of the storm and intensified as the storm neared and crossed Virginia Beach on the 16th. Rainfall amounts averaged 10 to 20 inches in a 50 to 75 mile path over southeast Virginia. More than 300 roads were closed in the peak of the storm from flooding and downed trees. Flooding caused $30 million to $40 million. The hardest hit counties were Southampton, Sussex, Isle of Wight and Surry. The city of Franklin experienced a record flood with 206 businesses impacted and numerous homes. Two people died in flooding in the state. The highest sustained wind recorded over land was only 46 mph at Langley Air Force Base with a gust to 63 mph. The James River Bridge recorded a wind gust of 100 mph. The saturated ground from Dennis and Floyd combined with the wind and lead to trees uprooting and widespread power outages. Two people were killed by falling trees. Total storm damage in Virginia reached $255 million with 64 jurisdictions affected.

So, Pat... who keeps screwing up in Virginia Beach and incurring God's wrath? Is it you, Pat? Is it you?

There's been a lot of discussion this week about America's fear of the female nipple. It is about time we get this out in the open - the discussion about why Americans are so hung up on them.

Looking around, I found some interesting posts about the concept of humility that are worth reading...

The Existentialist: The Void in Pursuit of Happiness

The Red Book Diaries: Noble

Baptist Revivals Blog: Bickering, Bashing and Branding

Biblicallate.com: Can a truly humble person think he is better than someone else?

Ecstatic Spiritualism: Cassandrah’s Thoughts... on Humility and being Humble

The Fleur-de-Lis's Reverie: Dolcis Humus