The Secret Plan To Freeze The World [?]

Originally posted by Bizarre news 13/01/2010

If you have been reading or watching any news at all in the last couple weeks you have noticed an unusual weather related trend to the stories. Record cold temperatures, record snow-falls, cold related deaths, frozen crops, severe weather.

This is odd when compared to what half of the climatologists [Ed: what about the other half?] in the world have been predicting for the last ten years, namely global warming. But it begins to make a bizarre sort of sense when you consider it in conjunction with the unexplained light display that occurred in the skies above Norway December of last year.

For days there was speculation as to what caused that bizarre spiral light in the sky, with no official explanation being given. Only after three days did the Russians come forward and claim that an experimental missile had been tested in the area and blew up in flight.

The media may have bought that story, but thinking people, or anybody who has ever seen pictures or video of exploding rockets, have their suspicions.

The story starts to make more sinister sense when you learn that a massive Partial Reflection Medium-Frequency Atmospheric Radar Facility is located in Ramfjordmoen, Norway, operated by European Incoherent Scatter Facility (EISCAT).

This facility is ostensibly for atmospheric research, but the United States' own High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (located in Alaska) has demonstrated that high energy beams shot into the upper atmosphere can literally "punch" holes in the protective layer surrounding the planet. Could such holes dramatically effect weather patterns around the world? Could it be a weather weapon disguised as benign research?

Certain international newspapers have finally picked up the story, demanding that the United States admit to its involvement and cease experimenting with the atmosphere and global weather patterns. Could we actually be on the brink of a new, man-made ice age?

Tired Ol' Bus

She may be old (1994), she may be tired, but she is a good ol' gal in the snow!

I am, of course talking about my old Mazda BongoWagon, or as I affectionately call her, Zola, the Zola Budd, or the Matatu.

During normal weather (UK normal weather, that is) she leaks rain over my legs, gives me a stiff neck from all the drafts that are let in due to windows not closing properly, she is underpowered and very thirsty.

But in the snow, she is a star! Why? well, in normal mode, she is a normal rear-wheel drive 8-seater people carrier. But, and this is a big but, I can select four-wheel drive at the flick of a lever - on the move if necessary.

The front wheels are then driven as well as the rear wheels, and as the power hits the front wheels, the hubs lock, so for one front wheel to spin, they both have to spin, and with the engine sitting between them, it is unlikely.

OK, so going around a bend on a non-slippery surface is not possible without scrubbing tyres (as both wheels are always spinning at the same speed), but on the slippery stuff, old Zola has dragged me up and down hills and always got me to where I want to go without any fuss, no tantrums, no threats to throw me into the nearest ditch.

But will I remember this when the snow has disappeared, the weather gets warmer and Zola dumps a load of rain on my lap, or will I curse her like I do every Summer?

Snow Madness

The speed limit in our village is 30 mph (48 k/hr), but we are quite used to vehicles passing through at 50mph, sometimes faster.

But the stupidity of drivers was really shown up today. The road is covered in frozen snow, so is very slippery. There is a major accident at the north end of the village as a result of the snow. But drivers, who have passed the accident, are still passing my house, at the south end of the village, at 40 to 50mph (64 - 80 k/hr).

Do these people think that they are invincible?

What I Had To Drive On ...

It finally happened - I was called out to a computer breakdown, in a little village in the back of beyond. This is one of the roads I had to travel on. Thankfully, the old matatu has selectable 4-wheel drive.

Having managed to get there and back, I braved it into town to top up food supplies. Below is the main road into town, while the temperature was hovering around 0°C

Pretty, isn't it?

Snow

Highclere, Hampshire, morning of 2nd February 2009.

Back garden

Back garden

The pond

Time for a change and mental ramblings

It is summer (in the Northern hemisphere at least) and I felt it was time for a change. Nothing devastating, just a minor change to format and colour. The previous template was dark and serious. I don't feel dark and serious at the moment, just a bit frivolous.

-oOo-

In the UK, I drive a multi-purpose vehicle with 7 passenger seats. I have this urge to paint a broken yellow stripe around its waist and MATATU across the front - perhaps route 19C (my route from office to home when I am in Nairobi).

[Yes, I know this is a Nairobi~Kisii shuttle, not a matatu - but it has the yellow stripe!]

Can't do that. I want to sell my ol' bus, and turning it into a matatu would not be conducive, unless a local Kenyan wanted to buy it. It is too old to take to Kenya, although it would be put to good use at the ophanage.

-oOo-

There was a South African choir in our town yesterday. They sounded very similar to the Ladysmith Black Mambazo Choir and were very entertaining.

But the most entertaining for me was a little girl, braided and beaded, wearing what looked like a kanga, moving to the music. I had forgotten just how easily black kids pick up rhythm.

-oOo-

That little girl reminded me of a winter a few years ago. I was in town when it started to snow. A few feet in front of me, there were two little black girls with thick quilted jackets and wooly bonnets. As the snow fell, they both stopped and looked up. Their wide-eyed amazement was fascinating. As the snowflakes settled on their upturned faces, they looked shocked, then they both burst into giggles - as only little girls can.

I just had to speak to their mother. These girls had just arrived from Uganda for the Christmas holiday, staying with friends in the area. And, naturally, they had never seen snow before. I wish I had had my camera with me.