Posted On: Wednesday - July 26th 2023 4:28PM MST
In Topics:   Internets  Music  Websites  Curmudgeonry  Science
The color of the sky is anything but coal gray, as it was for the 10,000 Maniacs in some music for the depressed*. Hot isn't depressing, Thunderstorms aren't depressing. No, what's depressing is that the predictive ability of weather forecasts seems to be getting worse lately.
Who's actually doing the forecasting that the iCrap devices use for their built-in weather apps? You may recall that Peak Stupidity bemoaned the loss of the site Dark Sky as it got merged with the app borg, in DarkSky goes Dark. After that I was using WeatherBug, and I received other suggestions here about sites. I've since "migrated" to the app out of convenience, which is the problem. Anyway, Wiki says "From iOS 8 to iOS 15, The Weather Channel was used as the app's weather data source. Since iOS 16, Apple has used their own internal forecast data.". I guess Storm Stories and Aviation Disasters aren't the weather anyway, as TWC morphed a few times.
So Apple is using their internal forecast data. Who do they have working in that department? Is that where they put the AA/Woke hires to keep them from fucking up the software? I mean, a few weeks back we did a lot of watering in two different places, as the phone said it was not going to rain until the weekend at the earliest. This was on a Tuesday. It rained like hell Tuesday night, and it rained like hell on Wednesday night. We could have saved on the water bills, but more importantly, on our time.
I know, I know, it didn't rain in Cupertino, California, the headquarters of Apple. It never rains in California, but apps, don't they warn ya', it poured (where we are), man it poured! And yes, I had a window up for OUR town, which is not, for you gleeful doxxers reading this post, Rockville, Maryland either. (Though feel free to assume so, but I'd advise you to not go back and waste another year.)
I do get that chance of rain given in percent means just that, but there was NO rain forecast. I remember Steve Sailer giving lots of credit to the weathermen and their computers a year or two ago for forecasting the time of the start/end of rainfall within 15 minutes. Sure, programs that interpret the progress of radar returns are one thing. I could argue this stuff in another post. However, while searching for Mr. Sailer's post on that, I ran into one from 11 years ago, "the Weather Man Is Not a Moron", in which he wrote "The forecast on the evening news is much more accurate than when I was a boy." That's because there IS no evening news.
OK, no, but there are apps now. Aviation weather has gotten better due to the short termedness of it. The general longer-term weather outlooks I've been looking at on the build-in iCrap app seem to have gotten worse. I've never trusted any predictions out past 4 days, as they ridiculously come out with 10-day forecasts, but I don't trust this app now. Incompetence has even infiltrated Meteorology. If I'm gonna get a bogus forecast, at least I want it to come from Flavia, even if it is for a country on a different continent a decade ago.
* Off that "Alternative Rock" band's excellent album In My Tribe. Holy moley, that's the "new stuff", but it was 36 years ago! (I first heard the alternative rock about 5 years later - sort of a late adopter.)
That post, BTW, has another great song, about Porcelina of the Vast Oceans - Smashing Pumpkins rocked! Was it "The Smashing Pumpkins", as in the adjective "smashing" or "Smashing Pumkins", with "smashing" as a verb?
Comments:
Moderator
Thursday - July 27th 2023 2:36PM MST
PS: Alarmist, even Al Gore has not produced enough hot air to melt a whole glacier. Let's keep him out of Ketchikan anyway, just to be on the safe side.
I don't know if those people are confused, devious, panicked, or a combination of the those options.
Mr. Smith, those batteries are amazing. I thought about going electric for the first chain saw I've ever owned. The Stihl takes a minute or two to get going, but once it runs, it's good for the afternoon, or as long as I want to use it that day. I have a Cobalt brand leaf blower, and it's on its 2nd battery. The batteries are about 75% of the cost of these blowers. (After all, it's nothing but some big plastic parts, electronics, and the small motor/fan.)
The best I've gotten was about 18-20 minutes of high-speed, which I need 95% of the time, then time for a union break. The charging time is more than that, so the union break is enough time to make me forget that I'd been out in the yard, as by then I'm in the middle of a blog post!
It would have been nice to have 2 batteries, one to be charged while the other is discharging, but then I'm in for more money, and I wonder if I can keep the 2 batteries up good when I'm not using the thing for months in the winter.
These things are compatible with other electric yard tools probably.
Come to think of it just now, I guess electric yard tools with cords are going away now, or are they? For a mower, it's a PITA. For the blower, it may have worked, but for one thing - the roof. Up there is pretty safe, unless you catch a cord on something and lose your balance. Not agonna take that chance. I know 2 people who have fallen off roofs.
I don't know if those people are confused, devious, panicked, or a combination of the those options.
Mr. Smith, those batteries are amazing. I thought about going electric for the first chain saw I've ever owned. The Stihl takes a minute or two to get going, but once it runs, it's good for the afternoon, or as long as I want to use it that day. I have a Cobalt brand leaf blower, and it's on its 2nd battery. The batteries are about 75% of the cost of these blowers. (After all, it's nothing but some big plastic parts, electronics, and the small motor/fan.)
The best I've gotten was about 18-20 minutes of high-speed, which I need 95% of the time, then time for a union break. The charging time is more than that, so the union break is enough time to make me forget that I'd been out in the yard, as by then I'm in the middle of a blog post!
It would have been nice to have 2 batteries, one to be charged while the other is discharging, but then I'm in for more money, and I wonder if I can keep the 2 batteries up good when I'm not using the thing for months in the winter.
These things are compatible with other electric yard tools probably.
Come to think of it just now, I guess electric yard tools with cords are going away now, or are they? For a mower, it's a PITA. For the blower, it may have worked, but for one thing - the roof. Up there is pretty safe, unless you catch a cord on something and lose your balance. Not agonna take that chance. I know 2 people who have fallen off roofs.
Moderator
Thursday - July 27th 2023 2:25PM MST
PS: Thanks for playing, SafeNow, as they say, haha. I was overly paranoid about the details here, on personal anecdote posts, that would be, starting out. I suppose one could go through a lot of posts and UR comments and narrow things down. I don't care as much as some people do, and then, I've not made the big-time to where I'm pissing off self-important leftists day-in-day-out. (I WISH!!)
Now, "road trip" could be more general than the way you see it, but I don't know... I just work here. I'm sure I gave away that it wasn't some loooong trip, but in my younger days, I did some seriously long road trips, such as across the country on various routes about 17 (1-way) times. Rockville puts the REM song in my head - very nice acoustic song - and it's what came up when I looked for a "file photo".
Now, as for that one hobby, if you have not watched the John Cusack/Jack Black/Some nerd movie "High Fidelity" you need to go watch it right now. Drop everything, as you'll love it. For me, it's "The Rockford Files" again. Later '70s, I'm getting into '78 shows are not quite as good as the previous ones, IMO, so far...
Now, "road trip" could be more general than the way you see it, but I don't know... I just work here. I'm sure I gave away that it wasn't some loooong trip, but in my younger days, I did some seriously long road trips, such as across the country on various routes about 17 (1-way) times. Rockville puts the REM song in my head - very nice acoustic song - and it's what came up when I looked for a "file photo".
Now, as for that one hobby, if you have not watched the John Cusack/Jack Black/Some nerd movie "High Fidelity" you need to go watch it right now. Drop everything, as you'll love it. For me, it's "The Rockford Files" again. Later '70s, I'm getting into '78 shows are not quite as good as the previous ones, IMO, so far...
Adam Smith
Thursday - July 27th 2023 1:04PM MST
PS: Greetings, everyone,
Mr. Moderator, corn takes up quite a bit of space in the garden and sweet corn invites the bugs in. We don't really mess with it because of those reasons, but some of the old timers around here grow what they call field corn. (In Maryland they call it cow corn.) It's not a sweet corn so the bugs are not as crazy about it. Some people prefer it over the sweet corn. They say it has a better (more corn like) flavor.
Yeah, the trees do groweth. We get a little less sun than we used to because the trees have grown so tall. I would cut them down, but I like the trees and the shade they provide this time of year.
Speaking of tree trimming, I'm a bit surprised and happy to report that I bought an electric chainsaw. It works surprisingly well. Lots of power, a little quieter and it doesn't leave you smelling of two cycle oil after using it. As an added bonus, I won't have to mess with winterizing or replacing the carburetor every couple years. I went with this one because it uses the same batteries as my electric blower...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/HART-40-Volt-Cordless-SUPERCHARGE-Brushless-16-inch-Chainsaw-Kit-1-4-0-Ah-Lithium-Ion-Battery/160678555
I've only used it a little bit so far, but I'm impressed with it.
Dieter, I just looked at your weather forecast. Looks quite pleasant in Konstanz this time of year. Even a little chilly some nights. Seems quite refreshing to me as we enjoy a little heat wave here in Dahlonega. (Mid 90's all week)
Cheers!
âŽ
Mr. Moderator, corn takes up quite a bit of space in the garden and sweet corn invites the bugs in. We don't really mess with it because of those reasons, but some of the old timers around here grow what they call field corn. (In Maryland they call it cow corn.) It's not a sweet corn so the bugs are not as crazy about it. Some people prefer it over the sweet corn. They say it has a better (more corn like) flavor.
Yeah, the trees do groweth. We get a little less sun than we used to because the trees have grown so tall. I would cut them down, but I like the trees and the shade they provide this time of year.
Speaking of tree trimming, I'm a bit surprised and happy to report that I bought an electric chainsaw. It works surprisingly well. Lots of power, a little quieter and it doesn't leave you smelling of two cycle oil after using it. As an added bonus, I won't have to mess with winterizing or replacing the carburetor every couple years. I went with this one because it uses the same batteries as my electric blower...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/HART-40-Volt-Cordless-SUPERCHARGE-Brushless-16-inch-Chainsaw-Kit-1-4-0-Ah-Lithium-Ion-Battery/160678555
I've only used it a little bit so far, but I'm impressed with it.
Dieter, I just looked at your weather forecast. Looks quite pleasant in Konstanz this time of year. Even a little chilly some nights. Seems quite refreshing to me as we enjoy a little heat wave here in Dahlonega. (Mid 90's all week)
Cheers!
âŽ
The Alarmist
Thursday - July 27th 2023 12:38PM MST
PS
There were roughly 13 thousand glaciers in the world when Al Gore was born. Today, 75 years later, there are still roughly 13 thousand glaciers.
I got trapped in my auto in snow in the Alps one fine June a few years back.
People tend to confuse weather for climate.
There were roughly 13 thousand glaciers in the world when Al Gore was born. Today, 75 years later, there are still roughly 13 thousand glaciers.
I got trapped in my auto in snow in the Alps one fine June a few years back.
People tend to confuse weather for climate.
SafeNow
Thursday - July 27th 2023 12:34PM MST
PS
Itâs 575 miles from Rockville to Elberton, Georgia (the location of the erstwhile Guidestones). A nine-hour, two-minute drive. If memory serves, Mr. Moderator described his family visit to the Guidestones as a âroadtrip.â The aforesaid distance/time exceeds âroad tripâ distance (unless the term has drastically expanded since back in my day). Back to the drawing boards. I am good at this hobby. Tracking-down every high-school gal
who turned-down a date with me is such a large dataset to work that I have become skilled. if perchance I ever crack the moderator-location problem, I will not reveal my findings, as I am only a partial doxxer; it is my private challenge.
Itâs 575 miles from Rockville to Elberton, Georgia (the location of the erstwhile Guidestones). A nine-hour, two-minute drive. If memory serves, Mr. Moderator described his family visit to the Guidestones as a âroadtrip.â The aforesaid distance/time exceeds âroad tripâ distance (unless the term has drastically expanded since back in my day). Back to the drawing boards. I am good at this hobby. Tracking-down every high-school gal
who turned-down a date with me is such a large dataset to work that I have become skilled. if perchance I ever crack the moderator-location problem, I will not reveal my findings, as I am only a partial doxxer; it is my private challenge.
Moderator
Thursday - July 27th 2023 11:26AM MST
PS: Antoine de Saint-ExupĂŠry is someone I want to read more about. I do get him confused with the aviator from Brazil who was part French I think, flying his gas-engine-powered dirigible around Paris, and mooring it at ground level to step into the bars. I'm blanking out right now, but I read a book about him. What a life!
Yes, and about Argentina, they will report on how extreme the daily highs are next January too, hoping to fool some of the, errr, geographically-challenged. "It's 92 degrees in Buenos Aires, in JANUARY, people!"
Yes, and about Argentina, they will report on how extreme the daily highs are next January too, hoping to fool some of the, errr, geographically-challenged. "It's 92 degrees in Buenos Aires, in JANUARY, people!"
Moderator
Thursday - July 27th 2023 11:21AM MST
PS: People in western Washington State are the same, Alarmist, bitching when it's 82 F, and it's DRY air too! I will have to save that meme you got from WRS. Thanks.
Depending on where you are in Florida, 25C highs are winter temps even.
Mr. Blanc, haha! In that old Steve Sailer post I linked to, his point was pretty much along the lines of your joike.
Oh, you gave me the elevation of Mr. Carrado, Dieter. Sorry. (Then, again, but I hadn't read your 2nd comment yet.) That's fairly high.
Depending on where you are in Florida, 25C highs are winter temps even.
Mr. Blanc, haha! In that old Steve Sailer post I linked to, his point was pretty much along the lines of your joike.
Oh, you gave me the elevation of Mr. Carrado, Dieter. Sorry. (Then, again, but I hadn't read your 2nd comment yet.) That's fairly high.
Moderator
Thursday - July 27th 2023 11:16AM MST
PS: Thanks for your report(s), Dieter, on the Climate Panic. All the way from Germany to Arizona, spewing one's fair share of Water and Carbon Dioxide along that long Great Circle route (well, I don't know which hub she got to in the US - are there direct Frankfurt or Munich, flights to Phoenix?), just to commiserate with people that, if they can't stand the heat, ought to get back across the line to California. (To the coast or north to the Sierras to cook down much ...) Are we supposed to be impressed by this ballet critic's deep compassion?
What do you mean by "firestorm", the one the Theater critic experienced? Then, the green tourists were headed the other way? Maybe they wanted to get their (iCrap app) steps in before the vacation, so they would not feel guilty hanging at the beach drinking alcoholic calories. Still, you should do the hiking when you get to the beautiful vacation spot - sounds like none of these people are potential Rhodes scholars ...
How high up are these cows that got the snow storm, or flurries, as the case may have been?
What do you mean by "firestorm", the one the Theater critic experienced? Then, the green tourists were headed the other way? Maybe they wanted to get their (iCrap app) steps in before the vacation, so they would not feel guilty hanging at the beach drinking alcoholic calories. Still, you should do the hiking when you get to the beautiful vacation spot - sounds like none of these people are potential Rhodes scholars ...
How high up are these cows that got the snow storm, or flurries, as the case may have been?
Moderator
Thursday - July 27th 2023 11:03AM MST
PS: I'm glad your garden, at least the tomatoes, is/are kicking ass this season, Adam. My wife is doing our gardening. The corn she planted took up a lot of it - not my choice - but it doesn't get enough sun. There is nowhere with even half sun, but then who planted those trees? Hmmm ...
I can remember when the Weather Channel went on the air. I thought it was kind of weird, but it was a pretty good idea for the time (before the internet by 10-15 years, depending on how you define the latter).
I can remember when the Weather Channel went on the air. I thought it was kind of weird, but it was a pretty good idea for the time (before the internet by 10-15 years, depending on how you define the latter).
Dieter Kief
Thursday - July 27th 2023 11:01AM MST
PS
Today in our local paper SĂźdkurier* -p. 4, very small note: Snow in the Alps***.
* this name Southern Carrier - . - stems from famous French aviation pioneer/writer Antoine de Saint-ExupĂŠry (The Little Prince).
Last week front page: Heat wave of never before seen intensity about to crush us all --- (ok - my paraphrase - but: It was a four (of six -) columns wide article with lots of red in the graphics - - - SOUNDING the ALARM!!
***famous prediction from the 90ies: No more snow noth of the Alps / in the northern Alps from 2020 on - - - now we have summer-snow as low as 1800 meters... In Argentina, its the coldest July since ages - - - .
Today in our local paper SĂźdkurier* -p. 4, very small note: Snow in the Alps***.
* this name Southern Carrier - . - stems from famous French aviation pioneer/writer Antoine de Saint-ExupĂŠry (The Little Prince).
Last week front page: Heat wave of never before seen intensity about to crush us all --- (ok - my paraphrase - but: It was a four (of six -) columns wide article with lots of red in the graphics - - - SOUNDING the ALARM!!
***famous prediction from the 90ies: No more snow noth of the Alps / in the northern Alps from 2020 on - - - now we have summer-snow as low as 1800 meters... In Argentina, its the coldest July since ages - - - .
MBlanc46
Thursday - July 27th 2023 10:29AM MST
PS Q: Why are their economists? A: To make weather forecasters look good.
The Alarmist
Thursday - July 27th 2023 4:37AM MST
PS
2018 ... not 2028.
2018 ... not 2028.
The Alarmist
Thursday - July 27th 2023 4:37AM MST
PS
I saw a headline talking about runners in the London Marathon passing out in the âswelteringâ 23°C heat. This was in 2028, BTW:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5643561/40-000-taking-hottest-London-marathon.html
When my UK colleagues complain about the Summer temps topping 25°C, I tell them we call that Spring back home.
Then thereâs this:
https://westernrifleshooters.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2852657295842689562.jpg.jpg
I saw a headline talking about runners in the London Marathon passing out in the âswelteringâ 23°C heat. This was in 2028, BTW:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5643561/40-000-taking-hottest-London-marathon.html
When my UK colleagues complain about the Summer temps topping 25°C, I tell them we call that Spring back home.
Then thereâs this:
https://westernrifleshooters.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2852657295842689562.jpg.jpg
Dieter Kief
Wednesday - July 26th 2023 11:32PM MST
PS
We have the drums of the climate-war noice turned up to deafness territory in Europe:
Â
World is going under already. The ballet-critic (!) Wibke Hßster of the FAZ flew from Frankfurt to Arizona a few days back to - be there with the suffering masses, and to experience the devastating record temperatures - - - .b.o.d.i.l.y. - herself!
She wrote, that she "managed" to .ta.l.k. to the suffering locals there - in person - in the killing heat!
Imagine!
The theatre critic No. 1 of the FAZ, Simon StrauĂ, was on Rhodos, when a firestorm hit and - - - then wrote a 1800 word piece published tuesday - how he had to get into his car at night - flee his house at the steep rocky coast right above the water - and drive 20 km - - - at night!! - and check in into a strange hotel!!!Bottom line: We all are refugees these days!
On his way, he saw people with kids - walking the 20 km - - possibly Deep Green ones amongst them who resist to drive in automobiles and fly only "when absolutely necessary" - - - like on their way to their holiday destination Rhodos.
Oh - our weather forecasts did not mention that the cows would wake up this week with their grass being snowed in. The swowed-in 2500 m high Säntis in Markus Schär's post we see from Konstanz, in most of its majesty behind the lake.
Â
Corrado is a shepered, who lives with his cows at the alpine summer meadows at ca. 1500 - 1800 meters height - they had some snow too. Corrado is a decent photographer - I recommend his twitter-site!
https://twitter.com/KurtNiederhuse1/status/1684077150263975937?s=20
https://twitter.com/SchaerWords/status/1684153091417862144?s=20
We have the drums of the climate-war noice turned up to deafness territory in Europe:
Â
World is going under already. The ballet-critic (!) Wibke Hßster of the FAZ flew from Frankfurt to Arizona a few days back to - be there with the suffering masses, and to experience the devastating record temperatures - - - .b.o.d.i.l.y. - herself!
She wrote, that she "managed" to .ta.l.k. to the suffering locals there - in person - in the killing heat!
Imagine!
The theatre critic No. 1 of the FAZ, Simon StrauĂ, was on Rhodos, when a firestorm hit and - - - then wrote a 1800 word piece published tuesday - how he had to get into his car at night - flee his house at the steep rocky coast right above the water - and drive 20 km - - - at night!! - and check in into a strange hotel!!!Bottom line: We all are refugees these days!
On his way, he saw people with kids - walking the 20 km - - possibly Deep Green ones amongst them who resist to drive in automobiles and fly only "when absolutely necessary" - - - like on their way to their holiday destination Rhodos.
Oh - our weather forecasts did not mention that the cows would wake up this week with their grass being snowed in. The swowed-in 2500 m high Säntis in Markus Schär's post we see from Konstanz, in most of its majesty behind the lake.
Â
Corrado is a shepered, who lives with his cows at the alpine summer meadows at ca. 1500 - 1800 meters height - they had some snow too. Corrado is a decent photographer - I recommend his twitter-site!
https://twitter.com/KurtNiederhuse1/status/1684077150263975937?s=20
https://twitter.com/SchaerWords/status/1684153091417862144?s=20
Adam Smith
Wednesday - July 26th 2023 10:40PM MST
PS: Cheers!, Mr. Moderator, and Friends!
(Happy Thursday Morning!)
The weather forecast(s) say(s) we are going to be hot and dry for the next (like) week (+) or so... (~95° (ish) which is HOT for Dahlonega...)(At least since I've lived here...)
Who knows... It might rain tomorrow...
(Pop up showers,and such?)
Happy to report that our new (to us) San Marzano (tomatoes) seem to be a hell of a producer...
(I hear they're tasty too!)
Cherokees and Rugifers (Rutgers) are doing well, (As usual)...
Just hope I can keep the deer out of the most important parts of the garden...
(They're so hungry anymoar!)
(Need to hang moar deer fence (and other barriers soon)!
(50lb fishing line around the perimeter really helps!)
Haven't watched the weather channel in (like) 25 years...
(One day all so called "weather channels" will be owned by TacoBell⢠or YumBrands⢠or Some-Other-Entity.)
Hope you all have a great evening!
(Peace Sign Ascii!)
âŽ
(Happy Thursday Morning!)
The weather forecast(s) say(s) we are going to be hot and dry for the next (like) week (+) or so... (~95° (ish) which is HOT for Dahlonega...)(At least since I've lived here...)
Who knows... It might rain tomorrow...
(Pop up showers,and such?)
Happy to report that our new (to us) San Marzano (tomatoes) seem to be a hell of a producer...
(I hear they're tasty too!)
Cherokees and Rugifers (Rutgers) are doing well, (As usual)...
Just hope I can keep the deer out of the most important parts of the garden...
(They're so hungry anymoar!)
(Need to hang moar deer fence (and other barriers soon)!
(50lb fishing line around the perimeter really helps!)
Haven't watched the weather channel in (like) 25 years...
(One day all so called "weather channels" will be owned by TacoBell⢠or YumBrands⢠or Some-Other-Entity.)
Hope you all have a great evening!
(Peace Sign Ascii!)
âŽ
Moderator
Wednesday - July 26th 2023 6:30PM MST
PS: Possumman, as I wrote in the post about the DarkSky going dark, I used to use wonderground.com. Then, something about it got political, in the wrong direction, of course. It's hard for me to recall now, but it must have been that they were plastering Climate Calamity⢠stuff on the pages I would look at.
Possumman
Wednesday - July 26th 2023 6:16PM MST
PS. Dark Sky was the best weather app. Apple killed it. All the others suck!
Corded electric blowers (my Dad had one when I was a kid) are about as useful as a corded weed whip or a corded lawn mower. (Not very.) The blower works well, but it's a pain in the a** to be dragging a cord around behind you. (In my opinion.)
Stihl chainsaws are among the best. (đđ)(Husqvarna being the other brand that is consistently great.) Stihl has also started making electric chainsaws. They are a little pricey, but they seem really nice in the video reviews I've watched on youtube.
As you know, I'm not a lumber jack. I don't need a really great chainsaw to clean up things around the yard. This little chainsaw fits the bill nicely. It's great that I have multiple batteries. (I have 4 40V 4Ah batteries and 2 chargers.) The one time I used it I didn't have to switch to a second battery. I ran it for about a half hour.
The blower that I impulse bought works quite well too. It's nice for blowing off the deck and other quick things like that. It's actually more powerful than our old echo back pack blower. (As you know we have lots of leaves to blow/burn & mulch in the fall.) It's also nice that I don't smell like two cycle oil after blowing leaves for a couple hours. I'm pretty good about not buying things on a whim, but it worked out with the blower. (It was last fall when they were clearing our the summer stuff. I paid half price!)
Off to water the plants...
Happy evening!
âŽ