Spinning Tires, and Spinning Politicians

I can't help but think about the tens of thousands of residents of Springfield, and surrounding communities without power. With deadly cold temperatures hitting the area, and no way for people to heat their homes there's a critical need to restore power to those effected by Friday's ice, and snow storm.

Streets Still In A Dangerous State

Sangamon County Sheriff Neil Williamson's pronouncement on WICS newscast yesterday evening that Sangamon County's roads were "o.k."

I live just blocks from some yet to be incorporated Sangamon County. It's always amusing to see City of Springfield road crews handle their section, then the Village of Jerome handle its section, and then Sangamon County handle its section of neighborhoods in this little area.

Overall I'd say that The Village Of Jerome's Street Department does the best, followed by Sangamon County road crews, and Springfield's Street's Department performance coming in last.

Springfield Driving Was Slow Going

Despite exercising great care I almost slid through an intersection, and watched others do so. I noticed cars abandoned in the middle of the streets at strange angles (spin outs on the ice), and actual pieces of automobiles (bumpers, quarter sections) from what must have been accidents at several intersections.

Along my drive to, and from work, I noticed just one police car on patrol.

The roads I drove down were some of the most heavily used roads in the city, but all were covered with a compressed mixture of ice, and snow. I saw no snow trucks spreading salt, or cinder ash (Springfield doesn't use cinder ash anymore, but the County does).


Then Versus Now

Ozzy Langfelder was the Street's Commissioner back in the late 1970's. Year after year there would be major winter storms, and somehow the streets were kept cleaner of ice, and snow than they are today. Ozzy built a good reputation based upon how well the streets were kept in repair, and how well the Street's Department responded to winter storms. He was in fact so popular with the city's voters that when he ran for Mayor he won.

I realized that Springfield, Illinois has grown in size since the 1970s, and that due to global warming we haven't seen as many winter storms as in the past, but it seems obvious that there simply aren't enough trucks, and salt available. While I am not advocating a return to the commission form of government, it seems that handling these types of winter storms aren't taken quite as seriously as in the past.

I guess when a person's job isn't on the line, or when doing a good job can't act as a springboard into the Mayor's office, that priorities will change. Yet someone needs to be held accountable, so wouldn't that be the Mayor?

In the meantime, I believe that we need to see, and hear, fewer spinning tires before we see public officials doing their spin for the media.

Note to readers: I live in Jerome, Illinois a suburb of Springfield, Illinois. The roads in the Village of Jerome look much better than in surrounding Springfield.

Blue, Green & Red Lightning Over Jerome Illinois

The following is a paraphrasing of an actual conversation which took place last night during a winter ice, and snow, storm which hit Jerome, Illinois on the evening of November 30th, 2006. Jerome, Illinois is a suburb of Springfield, Illinois.


Light Spectrum (NASA)

JeromeProphet: That's all we need, you birds need to fly back south before you set off an avalanche.

Wife: Who are you talking to?

JeromeProphet: Nobody Dear (finger points to the sky).

Wife: Oh my God, what is that?

JeromeProphet: What do you think it is?

Daughter: Dad, what are you, and mom talking about?

JeromeProphet: Nothing, it's nothing honey.

Wife: I've never seen green, blue, and red flickering lights in the clouds like that, what is that?

Daughter: (Coming to doorway) Dad, what is that?

JeromeProphet: It's nothing.

Daughter: That's really weird. Come back in, Dad!

Wife: I remember you said that when the tornado hit last Spring that the sky looked like that.

JeromeProphet: Yes, but those were power transformers popping, as the tornado approached.

These lights appear to be coming from directly overhead, from within, or above the clouds. Do you see how the cloud is only illuminated right over this area?

Notice how the light grows outward away from the center as it brightens, and then as the flash diminishes that the area of illumination shrinks back upon itself? It's not like an on-off switch, but more like the light in the bedroom - the one with the dimmer switch.

If you increase the power to the light, the light gets brighter, and it brightens the whole room, but if you reduce power to the bulb the light dims to where only the immediate area around the bulb is visible. It's the same pattern in the cloud above us.

If it were only reflections from a transformer the transformer would have to be directly under the cloud to make the same pattern. To make that amount of light there'd have to be some significant electrical arching (electric sparks caused by a short), yet the power around here is still up, and running.

What about those quick flickers, which look more like a strobe, than a random pattern of light? What about those quick shifts from deep shades of red, to blue, and then to green? Have you ever seen those colors coming from lightning? Have you ever seen those colors coming from electric sparks off of power lines? It doesn't look like electric sparks from downed power lines, or from tranformers to me, and I've seen that on more than one occasion.

Wife: What is that rumbling? Is that thunder?

JeromeProphet: Sounds just like thunder, but I'm not so sure if it is, or not.

Daughter: Dad, come inside, and close the door.

JeromeProphet: There's nothing to be afraid of.

Wife: What is it honey? That's red, and green lightning in the clouds. What's causing that?

Daughter: Yes, what is it Dad?

JeromeProphet: We must look at this scientifically, and not jump to any conclussions. We see strange colored lights, and hear rumbling sounds coming from the cloud?

Wife & Daughter: Right?

JeromeProphet: And that's as much as we can assume, and that is all.

Daughter: (Speaking on phone to boyfriend) It's really weird out above our house, there's green, and red flashing going on. I think it must be aliens.

JeromeProphet: No one said anything about aliens.

Wife: Is lightning green, or red, because I've never seen green, or red lightning before!

JeromeProphet: O.K., do you want my Mr. Science explanation? I believe that oxygen gives off a red color when it is heated into a plasma, and the bluish green would be the color which nitrogen gives off when it is superheated. Obviously this is not an ordinary lightning phenomena. We see white colored lightning because the atmosphere contains a variety of elements which produce a spectrum of colors that combine to form the color white. I've seen colored lightning before on several occasions, but it is rare. The intriguing question is how the oxygen, and nitrogen is being superheated in exclusion of each other.

Daughter: Hey Dad, make sure the side door is locked o.k.?

JeromeProphet: O.K. sweetie, I'm heading to bed. It's not aliens!

You're Feeling Sleepy. Very Sleepy.

Calendar No. 319
109TH CONGRESS
S. 517
1ST SESSION
[Report No. 109202]

To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and
for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 3, 2005

A BILL

To establish the Weather Modification Operations and
Research Board, and for other purposes.

Mrs. HUTCHISON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

---

A BILL

To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated national weather modification policy and a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather modification research and development.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) BOARD- The term `Board' means the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.

(2) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- The term `Executive Director' means the Executive Director of the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.

(3) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT- The term `research and development' means theoretical analysis, exploration, experimentation, and the extension of investigative findings and theories of scientific or technical nature into practical application for experimental and demonstration purposes, including the experimental production and testing of models, devices, equipment, materials, and processes.

(4) WEATHER MODIFICATION- The term `weather modification' means changing or controlling, or attempting to change or control, by artificial methods the natural development of atmospheric cloud forms or precipitation forms which occur in the troposphere.

SEC. 4. WEATHER MODIFICATION ADVISORY AND RESEARCH BOARD ESTABLISHED.

(a) IN GENERAL- There is established in the Department of Commerce the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.

(b) MEMBERSHIP-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Board shall consist of 11 members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, of whom--

(A) at least 1 shall be a representative of the American Meteorological Society;

(B) at least 1 shall be a representative of the American Society of Civil Engineers;

(C) at least 1 shall be a representative of the National Academy of Sciences;

(D) at least 1 shall be a representative of the National Center for Atmospheric Research of the National Science Foundation;

(E) at least 2 shall be representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce;

(F) at least 1 shall be a representative of institutions of higher education or research institutes; and

(G) at least 1 shall be a representative of a State that is currently supporting operational weather modification projects.

(2) TENURE- A member of the Board serves at the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce.

(3) VACANCIES- Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(b) ADVISORY COMMITTEES- The Board may establish advisory committees to advise the Board and to make recommendations to the Board concerning legislation, policies, administration, research, and other matters.

(c) INITIAL MEETING- Not later than 30 days after the date on which all members of the Board have been appointed, the Board shall hold its first meeting.

(d) MEETINGS- The Board shall meet at the call of the Chair.

(e) QUORUM- A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.

(f) CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR- The Board shall select a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

(a) PROMOTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT- In order to assist in expanding the theoretical and practical knowledge of weather modification, the Board shall promote and fund research and development, studies, and investigations with respect to--

(1) improved forecast and decision-making technologies for weather modification operations, including tailored computer workstations and software and new observation systems with remote sensors; and

(2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather modification, both purposeful (including cloud-seeding operations) and inadvertent (including downwind effects and anthropogenic effects).

(b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE- Unless the use of the money is restricted or subject to any limitations provided by law, the Board shall use amounts in the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund--

(1) to pay its expenses in the administration of this Act, and

(2) to provide for research and development with respect to weather modifications by grants to, or contracts or cooperative arrangements, with public or private agencies.

(c) REPORT- The Board shall submit to the Secretary biennially a report on its findings and research results.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

(a) STUDIES, INVESTIGATIONS, AND HEARINGS- The Board may make any studies or investigations, obtain any information, and hold any hearings necessary or proper to administer or enforce this Act or any rules or orders issued under this Act.

(b) PERSONNEL- The Board may employ, as provided for in appropriations Acts, an Executive Director and other support staff necessary to perform duties and functions under this Act.

(c) COOPERATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES- The Board may cooperate with public or private agencies to promote the purposes of this Act.

(d) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS- The Board may enter into cooperative agreements with the head of any department or agency of the United States, an appropriate official of any State or political subdivision of a State, or an appropriate official of any private or public agency or organization for conducting weather modification activities or cloud-seeding operations.

(e) CONDUCT AND CONTRACTS FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT- The Executive Director, with the approval of the Board, may conduct and may contract for research and development activities relating to the purposes of this section.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH THE WEATHER MODIFICATION OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH BOARD.

The heads of the departments and agencies of the United States and the heads of any other public or private agencies and institutions that receive research funds from the United States shall, to the extent possible, give full support and cooperation to the Board and to initiate independent research and development programs that address weather modifications.

SEC. 8. FUNDING.

(a) IN GENERAL- There is established within the Treasury of the United States the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund, which shall consist of amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) or received by the Board under subsection (c).

(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Board for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Act $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2014. Any sums appropriated under this subsection shall remain available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended.

(c) GIFTS- The Board may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.

SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect on October 1, 2005.

Something With Meaning

Image: StareIntoTheSun

I'm never sure what you're thinking.
I can see that you have many things to say.
But I'm not sure if you want to share yourself with me.
So I smile, and walk on by.

I want you to know that I didn't make things the way they are.
I'm just an unhappy tool trying to survive.
We're forced to treat each other as strangers here.

And there's little I can do, but smile.

Covert Weather Mod Covers Up Global Warming

In prior post I have argued that the United States is operating a covert weather modification program. I've stated that the U.S. is employing stealth aircraft equipped with artificial lightning (particle beam) generators, and other weather modification technology, and methods (e.g., infrared lasers, and ultraviolet lasers, and cloud seeding) to trigger lightning bolts.

I've also linked lightning to sonic booms (i.e., thunder) which I claim triggers rain by forcing water vapor within clouds to condense. I've argued that by triggering more lightning within clouds than would be present naturally that precipitation patterns can be significantly altered.

By triggering rainfall over areas that are stricken with drought, or by reducing likely precipitation in already flooded areas, a covert weather modification program could justify in economic terms its existence.

By forcing precipitation over rural areas energy can be drained from weather fronts headed toward heavily populated areas thus reducing the likelihood of tornadic activity in highly populated areas.

By seeding clouds with carbon dust (soot) dispersed from stealth aircraft surface dimming can be used to reduce temperatures, alter barometric pressure gradients, and change the course of hurricanes. And through the use of dimming water surface temperatures in areas likely to spawn hurricanes can be reduced, thus reducing the likelihood of hurricane formation.

One could reasonably argue that the consequences of a properly administered weather modification program would more than justify the cost of such a program's existence.

It can also be argued that having such a program available in times of war would be extremely useful, and that using such a program covertly in times of "peace" against adversaries, or in favor of allies, would find use in both economic, and military terms.

However, there is at this very point in the history of both mankind, and the planet itself, a convergence of issues relating to the use of such a program. Simply stated, in the age of global warming the most important consequence of using a covert weather modification program is to enable greater devastation to the Earth's climate.

What might be good for one nation at one point in history may in fact lead to tremendously long term negative consequences for all of humanity for thousands of years to come.

Using such a program to smooth out weather to our advantage is similar to using a fire extinguisher to put out a fire in one room of a home that is engulfed in flames. One may feel comforted, and come to believe the danger is over, but by ignoring the greater crisis the entire home is doomed.

I mentioned before how odd it was that 2005 saw a greater number of severe hurricanes than in recent history, and yet 2006 saw not one single hurricane which hit the U.S. The effects of shutting down a hurricane season through the use of carbon dust cloud seeding may be an immediate savings of billions of dollars, but dimming does not result in a reduction of energy trapped within the atmosphere. Dimming surface areas will not stop the melting of the glaciers, nor will it stop the rise is sea levels, or an ice age triggered by global warming.

Covert weather modification will result in less political pressure being placed on our leaders to address carbon dioxide emissions, and addressing global warming as the rest of the world is doing.

Therefore I call for bringing the covert weather modification program out of the black. It most likely could be operated with significantly greater efficiency if it were no longer conducted covertly (e.g., lightning bolt corridors with significantly greater number of bolts in rural areas as needed to shut down tornadoes, and more accurately tune precipitation patterns). We then would need to admit that there is a huge problem which needs to be addressed - global warming.