Saturday, January 17, 2009

Identity Crisis

So I was shoveling my parking place the other day, in subzero temps since I read that it was going to snow again and be even colder and the wind chill was going to be in the -30-40°F range. I figured I'd best get it done while the risk of frostbite and hypothermia was a little lower. During this activity I came across something strange, can any of you tell me what it is:


Also look what happens when one breathes in subzero temps, especially one wearing something over the bottom of their face which causes their breath to channel upwards:


That's right, there are ice drops on my eyebrows and eyelashes, that was the best picture I got out of it. I think it was about -5°F at the time, it got down to -28°F at one point, horrid (it was worse up north in Minnesota, ick!). We really need to build a border fence between Canada and the US, keep their cold air out! We really need to increase our emissions people, I want me some global warming! Polar bears can kiss my frost bitten butt. I am not going to think about believing in their little global warming hypothesis until they can with 99.9% accuracy predict the weather on day 10 of the 10 day forecast, in detail. A model system that can't even predict much beyond 2-3 days is NOT enough to convince me. I believe in conservation and recycling and alternative fuel and such, don't get me wrong, I just don't like the idea of some crackpot hypothesis/theory being used to try and force it on people. Sometimes scientists need to take a step back and think about what they are saying and what the limitations are on their research and how valid their conclusions are before sharing it with the general public.

Stay warm all you cold climate readers, and for you warm climate ones does any of you want to adopt an adult microbiology grad student?!

6 comments:

WeaselMomma said...

I'm with you on the polar bears and the fence! And the 'science'.

nonna said...

awww isn't that cute! i think you should go back outside and stay longer so we can see how long the icicles can grow. will make for more good blog fodder.

um, is it possible that it is pavement and you don't recognize it? if not my blog mechanic (hubby & his term too) says it looks like oil. he also says it sounds like we need to swap places for awhile so i can get my snow fix and you can thaw out. i'm up for it..but i'm pretty sure i'll screw up your slides and i already warned hubby you eat as bad or worse than me so he won't be getting a lot of good meals cooked (he says how is that any different than now).

OhCaptain said...

Who doesn't like the feeling of having your eye lashes freeze together?

K'man said...

I think that is a phenom known as Al's Fault. Not normally seen in this state until April. The fact that you have uncovered Als Fault in January means that you are not only HAWT* but are working too hard at shoveling.
As far as your attempts to be adopted by a family with a grad school nearby in a warmer locale... Don't get greedy** and be thankful that you have it as good as you do.
------------------------------------
*hawt as in such an inferno of a grad student that you have melted thru 4 inches of ice and 6 inches of hardpack snow.
** See FWM post of fate sending her to CANADA (Do they have college, let alone grad school, in CANADA, EH?)

The Microblogologist said...

WeaselMomma: We should write your soon-to-be former senator (too bad not in the same way as your soon-to-be former governor)!

Nonna: I was out there about 2 hours, mainly they just form drops not spikes like snotcicles (which I avoid with the face covering winter gear and NO I won't go out and make one for you). 'Pave-ment', what is that? It is not oil, Oldsie's oil slick is like 3' from the phenomenon.

My apartment is in a family neighborhood and I am surrounded by parks so you would have plenty of slides to tackle. I doubt you would damage any of them, they are tough midwestern slides that are built for the abuse of the weather (we have extreme cold, occasional extreme heat, and tornadoes/hail). And I should probably point out that I usually eat two at least somewhat healthy meals a day and while I do not bother too much for just myself I am actually a decent cook. Daddy says if I want to marry some guy I should feed him my mushroom gravy. There are days when my main intake is chocolate but I try not to do that too much since it makes me sickly.

OhCaptain: It is the feeling of nose hairs freezing together that really does it for me ;)!

Kevin: It did seem like I hit a fault line or something because it broke off into a solid chunk and there was that mysterious black stuff under it. Al's Fault, totally makes sense, thanks! I was definitely working too hard at it but my ankle is getting screwed up by sliding all the time, I'm worried I will fall while carrying something from the car and end up majorly screwed (I've fallen carrying stuff but thankfully not catastrophic yet). At least it is my right ankle this time, last time I screwed up an ankle it was the left and I was barely able to walk since my right knee is messed up. Of course since my right wrist is messed up crutches and the like are out of the question. OCD shoveling it is!

Though Flat WeaselMomma is supposed to make at least one stop in Canada I am hoping that the real one (who is not flat) stays in Chicago. Or adopts me and moves south. My boss just laughed when I suggested we transfer to University of Hawaii, sigh.

Pasha said...

I feel the need to just leave a comment and harass you how California has been having temps ranging from 50°F-78°F. However it is fucking up our plants and food supply just a tad....