Hey all,
I know, I know. I just mangled a great title, but I swear to you, the writers of the movie, If it's Tuesday, it Must be Belgium, sure didn't know anything about global warming when they made the picture.
Seriously, I've heard all kinds of weather reports across the globe and I am still baffled by the change in our weather patterns. I know it's a scientific fact that something is going on, and I'm sure we, as people, with all our "stuff", are probably the culprits, but I feel as if suddenly all the changes went from meandering to speeding down the track to the finish line.
Isn't 2012 the year the Mayans say we all are going to die? The weather sometimes sure makes me wonder.
Case in point is here in Belgium. It's the middle of July and I can count on one hand the number of days we've seen the sun. I'm not kidding. We've been here since the middle of June and I'm tempted to go to a tanning salon just so I don't look like a corpse any more!
And on those very few, infrequent days we do get some sun, it usually rains all day and THEN sometime between 5:00pm and 6:00pm, just when everyone is ready to head home, the sun breaks through. I can set my watch on it. I see the sun, I think, "Oh...must be after five!"
Now I don't want to get into a debate over whether global warming is real. I've heard the arguments for and against, and in all honesty, they just irritate me. Look outside your window, people. Something IS going on. Arguing that it isn't won't make it go away.
I've heard of crazy weather everywhere. Drought conditions in the US, avalanches in the French Alps, freak tornadoes in Poland. You can't open up a news bulletin without seeing something.
Was it this way back in the day? Has the weather always been slowly disintegrating and we didn't know it? Or have we as a species actually changed the weather patterns of the planet?
Tell me what you think in the comments below!!!
Hugs and see you on Friday. Boy...do I have some new and interesting signage to show you this time! LOL
CJ England
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/
12 comments:
What makes it even worse is they are suffering a terrible drought back home. I wish they could find a way to transfer rain to another area of the globe as needed.
That would win a scientific Nobel for sure!!!!
When parts of Florida were getting all that rain, I wanted a way to transfer to the places that had the fires. Still haven't figured out one that won't cost two arms and a leg.
Something is going on with the weather and I'm sure we have put our footprint on it but I also think the earth goes through cycles and this is one of them.
I would love to get some rain! We are in the middle of one of the hottest cycles of weather the Mid-West has ever seen and we haven't had any rain in at least 6-8 weeks. All of the plant in my yard are pretty much toast!
I do know that in 1968 to 1970 when I was stationed in DC and lived 47 miles to the north in Mt. Airy, MD It would be snowing until I got inside the Beltway where there was mixed snow & rain. By the time I got to the city itself there was only rain.
On one motorcycle trip from New Bern North Carolina I felt cold until I got to the Hampton Roads metro area where all of a sudden it became instantly warm.
If the population of the world was what it was before the industrial revolution and everyone's carbon footprint was as large as now, we would not have man made climate change to the degree we do now. The reason there is so much skepticism is that we are seeing drought where there was none and monsoons where there were none.
What is more or less proof of warming is the loss of glaciers and Arctic and Antarctic ice packs at an accelerating rate. The Arctic Ocean has no ice in places that never completely thawed in years past.
I worry about younger people. I probably won't be around when there has to be mass migration away from current tropical and temperate zones to what has been frigid year round for the most part. Animals less adaptable than humans are already moving. Migrating birds are staying too long on the route and getting caught when it gets cold at later dates, etc.
As to the humor about Belgium and summer there is an old saying in the state of Washington. Whidbey Island has beautiful summer, both days.
That's true, Phylis. There are all kinds of seasons. And this very well could be one of them. Maybe it just feels strange because it seems to be changing so very quickly.
I've heard that from others, Maria. Belgium is very green. Reminds me of parts of the Pacific Northwest. Except it's as flat as a pancake. LOL
I've felt that instant change too, Ray. Thermoclimes I think they're called. It feels strange to go from cool to balmy and then back again before you can take a deep breath.
Being a SF writer, I get to do all kind of fun research.
First of all the Mayan calender ended on 2012 because they ran out of room on that rock they carved it on. Some people believe that after 2012 the Mayan meant to start over with a new calender. Maybe there another calender out there that hasn't be dug up yet.
Also with leap year, which the Mayan didn't have, 2012 was last year.
Second of all, our sun is in the end of a twenty-two year cycle. Every eleven years it changes its polarity. We're in what is called the solar maximum. Sun flares and solar storms are playing havoc with not only your cell phone, TV receptions and anything electronic, but also with the weather too.
I wouldn't be surprised if we have a volcanic eruption to end this year with a bang!
Janice~
I recently saw an article that said some Mayan writings were found mentioning the writing of a new calendar. Either they didn't get to it for some reason or it was never found.
I think it was either NPR's web site or National Geographic. I know there was a thumbnail pic with the article.
Wow, Janice. I had no idea. No wonder things are going to Hell in an handbasket.
Interesting, Ray. Wouldn't that be a find.
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