RT, a 36-year-old chimpanzee, is one of many old animals at the N.C. Zoo. This month (August, 2007), the Zoo lost April, a beloved 30-year-old giraffe who had lived at the N.C. Zoo since the first permanent exhibit opened in 1978.


Zoos

Buffalo Zoo is part of the fight to save rare animal
By Tom Buckham
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
Updated: 09/06/07 7:03 AM
There was no sign that the tiny white calf lying in the shade knew anything about his future role in the grand plan to save the addax, an endangered African antelope.
His only concern at the moment was staying out of Wednesday’s hot afternoon sun and out from under the feet of the big roan antelopes in the Buffalo Zoo’s hoofstock yard.
But bigger things are surely in store for the 6-week-old calf, who has a year-old brother.
At present, fewer than 250 of the species remain in protected areas of their sub-Saharan stomping grounds. As with countless species, the wild population has been severely curtailed by the loss of natural habitat — domestic livestock devour all vegetation, leaving nothing for antelopes. Poachers pose another threat.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/156149.html



Irwin remembered at memorial
05/09/2007 - 13:29:24
Australians paid tribute to late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin at his zoo in Queensland on Tuesday.Irwin's widow Terri and children Bindi and Bob spent the first anniversary of his death in private, but appreciated the fans' memorial at Australia Zoo.Irwin was killed by a stingray barb while snorkelling near the Great Barrier Reef on September 4 2006.Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said: "The spirit of Steve Irwin lives on in many ways. I again pay tribute to his energy, joy and commitment to conservation and wildlife, and acknowledge all those who continue his work today."Irwin's family are planning to honour the wildlife expert at Steve Irwin Day, which will be marked across Australia on November 15.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=230525238&p=z3x5z5944



Knoxville Zoo going "hog wild" over newest arrivals
By: Beth Haynes, Reporter
Date created: 9/5/2007 6:28:30 PM
Last updated: 9/5/2007 6:46:19 PM
"I like seeing animals," says James Dyer.
He and his little brother Mark are especially found of the four legged creatures making a new home at the Knoxville Zoo."It's a type of pig," says James. "And, it's red.""It's black, yellow and red," adds his little brother.The hogs are the most colorful of the swine species. "They are very pretty," says Knoxville Zoo Keeper Amy Chester. "They're red coat is very distinctive."

http://www.wbir.com/life/programming/local/liveatfive/story.aspx?storyid=48790



Security measures stepped up in zoo
Zoo authorities resolve to install metal detectors - Photo: Mohd. Yousuf Safety MEASURES: A guard frisking a visitor as part of the beefed up security in the Nehru Zoological Park on Tuesday.
HYDERABAD: In the wake of recent bomb blasts at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park in city, the Nehru Zoological Park has stepped up security measures and is in the process of installing metal detectors.
Spread over nearly 380 acres, the zoo is a major attraction for both local visitors and tourists from outside, who throng in large numbers every day. Even during a lean season such as now, the daily attendance is anywhere between 10,000 to 12,000 visitors while it rises considerably during peak season of holidays and summer vacation for schools.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/05/stories/2007090560700200.htm



Work on zoo enclosures slow
G. Mahadevan — Photo: S. Mahinsha Long hibernation: The snake house at the city zoo shows no sign of getting completed.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The impasse over the construction of new animal enclosures continues at the city zoo, scheduled to be reopened to visitors on September 5.
Conceived as part of the ongoing zoo modernisation scheme, the enclosures for the snakes, otters, giraffes, zebra, ostrich, emu and crocodiles are yet to be completed. The new pseudo-habitat enclosure for the cape buffalo remains firmly on the drawing boards.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/05/stories/2007090553400400.htm



Don’t mistreat zoo animals
By AMY FLUME La Crosse
Having been out of the La Crosse area for some time, I took a stroll through Myrick Park yesterday. I discovered that the zoo now houses a ferret. I am disheartened at the lack of care for this animal. She (and her food) was covered in flies and in a building with no air conditioning.Unless there was another ferret hiding somewhere, I did not spot a playmate for her. Her tail was balding which could likely be due to the stress of being confined. Being a “mom” to two of these very loving and curious animals, I know that they need social interaction to thrive.Ferrets do not have the ability to sweat as humans do; therefore, the fan placed by the cage does little good. They also do not possess the ability to pant like a dog does, for example, so heat is very hard on their little bodies. Because this ferret is exposed to mosquitoes and is in the vicinity of wild animals, I would hope that she has had proper vaccinations against heartworm, distemper and the like.In my opinion, if this “zoo” cannot recreate a close to natural habitat as possible, then none of the animals should be there. I saw nothing more than concrete slabs that smelled of waste. It is truly sad and an embarrassment to La Crosse. Though I applaud the efforts of educating others about animals, it should be done with compassion and respect for their well being, and I surely did not encounter that during my visit.

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/09/05/opinion/letters/let5.txt



Adore Mei Lan while you can; China's calling
By MARK DAVIS
The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 09/05/07
Bad news, Atlanta: That little panda cub isn't ours.
One day, Mei Lan is heading to China, where a fellow waits for her.
6, 2006, a sightless, hairless little thing — may be here about a year longer, said Dennis Kelly, the zoo's president and CEO. The zoo is celebrating her birthday all this week.
Then she'll be off to the misty, bamboo-dotted hillsides of Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, the native land of the Ailuropoda melanoleuca.
There, scientists hope Mei Lan will rise to the standard set by her mother Lun Lun, and get pregnant. She may be bred by the time she is 3 to 4 years old, Kelly said.
As popular as Mei Lan is in America, she's needed elsewhere, Kelly said.

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2007/09/04/panda_0905.html


Lion House at SF Zoo to Reopen Friday
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- The Lion House at the San Francisco Zoo will reopen Friday, nine months after a zoo keeper was mauled during a public feeding.
Extra safety measures have been added to the facility, but zoo officials are offering no details until a media tour Thursday.
Zoo visitors including many children watched in horror last year as a 350 pound Siberian tiger attacked a long time employee who was feeding the animal at the time.
That employee is said to be undergoing extensive physical rehabilitation, though the extent of her injuries were never made public.
Up until that incident, visitors were allowed to watch the lion and tiger feedings from behind a barrier about four feet from the cages, while zoo keepers moved freely between the cages and barrier.

http://www.kcbs.com/pages/899660.php?contentType=4&contentId=876611



Bear bites man's hand in zoo
From correspondents in Himachal Pradesh, India, 01:31 PM IST
A man at a zoo teasing a bear had to pay dearly -- the furious animal reacted by biting his hand.
Caretakers at the Tutikandi zoo here said Wednesday that Mahmood, the visitor, put his hand through the cage and repeatedly touched the sloth bear.
Irritated, the bear held the man's hand in his jaws and let go only after the man screamed in pain. The bleeding man was rushed to a hospital and treated with 11 stitches. The incident occurred Tuesday.

http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20070905/68706.htm



Sydney Must-Sees: Taronga Zoo and the Blue Mountains
Posted by Hannah Grace
Aside from the Sydney Opera Hourse, the Rocks Market, and Darling Harbour Sydney musts sees for me are the Taronga Zoo and the World Heritage Blue Mountains.
Taronga ZooTaronga Zoo won the 2007 ARAZPA (Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria) Exhibit Award for small-scale exhibits which showed the zoos dedication to helping conserve and revive the almost extinct Corroboree Frog. Though efforts like these are laudable in itself Taronga Zoo will awe its visitors not (only) because of their dedication to conservation but also because of the wide variety of animals (340 species) that live there. Like any zoo the animals are the real stars in Taronga Zoo. Aside form the wildlife Taronga Zoo also boasts an excellent “garden”. The “garden” covers a total area of 33 acres of landscaped gardens with exhibits as well as bushland.

http://www.travelogger.net/family/sydney-must-sees-taronga-zoo-and-the-blue-mountains/



Gay Media Success - London Zoo
TOPICS: Gay media. Gay marketing. Gay media strategies. Gay and lesbian marketing communications. London Zoo UK gay market media campaign. Lesbian and gay communications. Gay media targeting for lesbian and gay communications. New lesbian and gay media campaign by London Zoo to target lesbian and gay visitors with themed 'Gay Days' gay and lesbian communications strategies.Ian Johnson, Out NowSeptember 4, 2007Here is an interesting example of a mainstream brand employing an effective gay consumer marketing, and lesbian and gay media communications strategy.London Zoo is one of the most well known global brands in the world of travel and tourism. It also has a strong attraction to increasing numbers of local UK visitors as well.
Market research suggests that the zoo is often seen as an ideal location for a 'first date' in the initial stages of a tentative new relationship.London Zoo marketing has responded to the reality that many of the people visiting are likely to be lesbian or gay, by announcing its third 'Gay Sunday' lesbian and gay themed day at the London Zoo park.

http://www.gaymarketnews.com/2007/09/gay-media-success-london-zoo.html



First baby elephant in Dublin zoo named
05/09/2007 - 2:55:02 PM
There were jumbo celebrations in Dublin Zoo today as its first baby elephant was officially named.Asha – meaning ’hope’ in Hindi – was chosen for the bouncing baby girl who arrived almost four months ago weighing in at 80kg (176lb) .Zookeepers trumpeted Asha’s arrival in the early hours of May 7 when she became the first elephant to be born in Ireland.Infrared cameras capture the natural birth and showed her taking her first steps within eight minutes.Asha can be seen with her mother Bernhardine and other elephants Yasmin and Anak, in the recently opened Kaziranga Forest Trail.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=230537946&p=z3x53865z&n=230538706



Zoo defies rain to notch up a record-breaking summer
Published on 05/09/2007
NEW ATTRACTION: Hanas, the Andean Condor, arrived in his new home at the South Lakes Wild Animal Park in August
JOE RILEY REF: 0400515

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=539145



Khao Khieo Open Zoo
Khao Khieo Open Zoo is located at Tambon Bang Phra. The zoo can be reached by either one of two ways: first from Sukhumvit, one can follow the Bang Phra Reservoir route passing the Bang Phra Golf Course for another 19 kilometers or, second, one may follow the new State Highway 36 (Chon Buri - Pattaya - Rayong) following direction signs. The open zoo, operated by the Dusit Zoo Authority (Khao Din Wana) in Bangkok, has a large number of animals such as deer, bulls, monkeys, gibbons, hippopotami, bears, kangaroos, elephants and peacocks, and etc. Visitors can stroll around the grounds and observe the animals closely. There is also a large aviary with hundreds of varieties of birds. The zoo is open daily from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Call (038) 298187-8 for more information.

http://www.traveltoursite.com/khao-khieo-open-zoo/



Family fun at the zoo for young heart patients
5 September 2007
A donation by Redrow Foundation has given children suffering from heart conditions a memorable weekend in Chester, including a trip to Chester Zoo. The £10,000 donation from the charitable trust – set up by award winning house builder Redrow – to The Children’s Heart Federation (CHF) was used to fund a weekend break for 44 children and their families.The families enjoyed a two-night stay in a hotel complete with evening entertainment and a trip to the world-famous zoo where the youngsters got the chance to see a host of exotic animals.

http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/Cheshire/article-138009.html



Get Up Close and Personal at the Mendoza Zoo
By Vanessa Latimer
If you have a few extra hours in Mendoza and find yourself hangover free after touring the scattered wineries, a great way to spend the day is at the Mendoza city zoo. Located in the western part of the city is the huge Parque General San Martin (San Martin Park). It is the largest park in town and provides many fun activities. It is easy to lose yourself in the 865 acres of the park that is made up of soccer fields, walking/jogging paths, a national science museum, camp grounds, and of course the Mendoza Zoo.

http://argentinastravel.com/661/mendoza-zoo/



Hippos Reunited
Posted at 8:09 pm September 5, 2007 by Nerissa Foland
As promised, I said I would write a blog when our hippopotamuses Jabba and Funani were re-introduced here in Ituri Forest at the San Diego Zoo (see Nerissa’s blog, Jazi the Hippo Moves to Texas). Well, we couldn’t be more pleased to announce that the introduction went very smoothly and the two seem to be working out their differences nicely. On Thursday, August 23, very early in the morning, Funani was given access to the big outdoor pool. A couple of minutes later, Jabba also emerged from the bedroom and headed towards the pool. They immediately saw one another and as Jabba made his way into the pool, Funani came over to establish some ground rules! They locked mouths a couple of times in the next hour but it all looked mostly for show. Jabba finally made his way to the far end of the pool and Funani rightfully claimed her place on the rock, front and center.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/hippos-reunited/



Zoo Officials Determine Gender, Name of Baby Anteater
By Joe Holley
Washington Post Staff WriterWednesday, September 5, 2007; 4:44 PM
No more "Little Schnozzy" for the 6-week-old giant anteater at the National Zoo. Veterinarians determined today that the youngster -- the first anteater to be born at the zoo in its 118-year history -- is female. She'll be called Aurora.
The public picked the name, choosing from three male possibilities and three female, before the sex could be determined. Of 3,899 votes cast for the female names, Aurora received 1,600. Isabel was favored by 1,200 voters, Pilar by 1,100.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090501697.html



Chinese panda’s ‘a symbol of friendship’ with Australia
Posted Thu Sep 6, 2007 3:47pm AEST Updated Thu Sep 6, 2007 4:13pm AEST
Wang Wang is one of two giant pandas which will be brought to Adelaide from China soon. (Adelaide Zoo) (Adelaide Zoo)
Chinese President Hu Jintao says two giant pandas bound for Australia are a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
China has agreed to send the endangered animals to the Adelaide Zoo after talks were held today between Mr Hu and Prime Minister John Howard.
The Chinese leader says they will be part of a joint research program.
"I would like to stress that this is the first time that a pair of Chinese giant pandas have ever settled in Australia and to be more specific in the Southern Hemisphere," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/06/2026093.htm



Secret life of endangered species comes to light in zoo deal
Katharine Murphy
September 7, 2007
IN ALL the impenetrable haze of polite diplomatic language swirling behind the security fence in Sydney we can bring you one definitive fact: Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, does not want to be a panda.
As enthusiastic as Mr Downer is about a looming transfer of two rare and endangered giant pandas to delight punters at the Adelaide Zoo, he's perturbed by their short annual breeding cycle.
Learning yesterday from zoo director Chris West that pandas could only go at it successfully four days a year Mr Downer blurted, "Glad I wasn't born a panda," before blushing to the roots of his wavy hair and giggling at his own risque hilarity.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/secret-life-of-endangered-species-comes-to-light-in-zoo-deal/2007/09/06/1188783415805.html



Flu fears for Zoo Animals
By Denise Deason
4th September 2007 11:06:08 AM
Scare for animals ... Werribee Open Range Zoo’s Debbie Jones with one of the white rhinos.
FEARS over the equine flu outbreak led Werribee Open Range Zoo to isolate 39 of its animals last week.Zoo spokeswoman Leah Grinter confirmed four species at the zoo could potentially be affected by the virus, according to veterinary experts.They are the southern white rhinoceros, of which the zoo has nine, zebra (23), Przewalski horses (five) and donkey (two).“There’s no problem at the zoo, we’re just managing security for our animals,” Ms Grinter said.“We’re not allowing members of the public to get close to these animals.

http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/47902



Zoo staff needs focused fundraising
Letters to the Editor
This past weekend I volunteered to help with a pancake breakfast to benefit the NW Florida Zoo held at the Longhorn Steakhouse in Destin ($5/person).
We only raised $400 and $150 of that was from one donor who didn't even stay to eat pancakes. So, if she had not stopped by, we would have only raised $250.
Longhorn Steakhouse donated their facility and part of their staff for this event, but I do not think it was their responsibility to promote it.

http://www.gulfbreezenews.com/news/2007/0906/Opinion/026.html



Tangerine-colored baby monkey debuts at Oregon Zoo
04:58 PM PDT on Wednesday, September 5, 2007
By ANTONIA GIEDWOYN, kgw.com Staff
There’s a new baby at the Oregon Zoo – an exotic, tangerine-colored monkey eliciting squeals of delight from an ever-growing crowd of onlookers.
The healthy infant known as a Francois langur was born last weekend to 13-year-old My Linh and eight-year-old Chuy and is doing well, according to zoo keepers.
“The birth was a surprise, but certainly not unwanted,” said senior primate keeper Dave Thomas.
With fewer than 75 of the endangered animals in North American zoos, Francois langur births are crucial for the success of the captive population.

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_090507_animals_baby_francois_monkey_zoo_.a5662446.html



S.F. Zoo plans to reopen mane attraction
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - More than eight months after a 350-pound tiger viciously attacked a trainer, the San Francisco Zoo will reopen its popular Lion House exhibit Friday.
Tatiana, a 3-year-old endangered Siberian tiger, mauled the arms of a female caregiver during a routine feeding at the Lion House in front of dozens of onlookers on Dec. 22, 2006. Witnesses to the attack recall that the victim’s right hand and most of her arm were eaten by the big cat.

http://www.examiner.com/a-919221~S_F__Zoo_plans_to_reopen_mane_attraction.html?cid=rss-San_Francisco



Zoo Atlanta Baby Panda Turns One
Over the past year, no Atlanta celebrity has received more publicity than the adorable pile of black and white fur born at Zoo Atlanta.Star panda Mei Lan celebrated her first birthday Thursday with a party attended by dignitaries from China and Atlanta. Zoo officials pulled out every stop to make the celebration one of the year's A-list events.Chinese performers played music and danced while visitors to the zoo were treated to a slice of birthday cake -- but not the same leaf-eater biscuit crust and fruit given to the 57-pound birthday girl.

http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=102703



Honolulu Zoo to host zoo vet tech conference
Advertiser Staff
The Honolulu Zoo will host the 27th Annual Conference of the Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians (AZVT) from Friday through Monday.
Ninety veterinary technicians representing 65 zoos and aquariums from across the United States, Canada and the Netherlands are expected to attend. The AZVT was organized in 1981 and has nearly 400 members worldwide. Its goals include promoting continuing education, improving professional standards and contributing to conservation.
Members will present papers on a variety of topics, including Restraint and Anesthesia of the Electric Eel, Primate Surrogacy Program at the Columbus Zoo, Stranding Response and Husbandry Care for Stranded Sea Otter Pups, Medical and Surgical Management of Dystocia and Vestibulotomy for Removal of a Retained Fetus in an African Elephant, and Naughty Mosquitoes and a Flamboyance of Flamingos — A Closer Look at a West Nile Virus Program.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/06/br/br5716049382.html



Polar Bears Beat the Heat
Posted at 11:15 am September 6, 2007 by Kelly Murphy
Well, it may officially be the end of summer but it sure doesn’t feel like it. We have had some fairly hot days in the past few weeks. I myself just got back from a little family vacation camping on a beach. A good portion of every day was spent playing in the water. I decided that before I headed back to work, I would log onto our Polar Cam and check out the bears. I see that they, too, seem to be spending quite a bit of time in the water.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/polar-bears-beat-the-heat/



Recent loss of 2 animals weighs heavy on N.C. Zoo
By Martha Quillin - McClatchy Newspapers
ASHEBORO, N.C. --
The loss this summer of two elderly animals from the collection of the N.C. Zoo heralds a somber milestone for the park. As it approaches 30 years of operation, its older generation has begun to die off.
April, a beloved giraffe that arrived at the zoo before the first permanent exhibit opened in 1978, died last month at age 30. Masha, a polar bear that was old and infirmed when it came to the park in 2002, died in June. Both were euthanized after it was determined nothing more could be done to relieve their discomfort and that they would not get better on their own.
Just as with humans, medical breakthroughs and improved diets have extended the life spans of captive animals, said Lorraine Smith, curator of mammals for the park. While most of the more than 1,100 animals in the N.C. Zoo are youthful and spry, enough are approaching the end of their life expectancies that zookeepers are learning to make accommodations for their geriatric population.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/story/176379.html



Ontario to study safety of small zoos
Activists have argued the province is lax in legislating rules for roadside attractions
Aug 31, 2007 04:30 AM
Chinta Puxley Canadian Press
The governing Liberals are putting together a group to study how to better protect animals in roadside zoos, but it won't report back until after the Oct. 10 provincial election.
In a move welcomed by animal-rights groups who have long advocated for the regulation of small zoos, the Liberals will unveil the working group today at the Toronto Zoo.

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/251961



Phone disposal
Making the right call
Recycling your cell phone will benefit charities and preserve the environment
By Christa Ritchie The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal
Article Last Updated: 09/03/2007 02:05:35 PM
If you just bought an iPhone or you've upgraded to a flashier model, don't toss your old cell phone in the trash just yet. What you don't want, others do. ''Cell phones are small . . . but inside that cell phone is lead, arsenic, cadmium - you name it,'' says Eric Ronay, president of Eco-Cell, a Louisville, Ky.-based national cell-phone recycling company. ''It's incredible how something seemingly as innocuous as a cell phone can have such an extreme impact.''

http://www.sltrib.com/entertainment/ci_6792908



Zoo regulations are necessary
Editorial - Tuesday, September 04, 2007 @ 09:00
The Ontario government's decision to study the need for roadside zoo regulations is a welcome move. For years, animal rights groups have released annual report cards on the estimated 50 such enterprises in Ontario, one of which is in Chatham-Kent. They have alleged that, in some facilities, animals are suffering from substandard conditions and visitors are at risk from inadequate protection. Their claims received a boost last year when the province's environmental commissioner joined the call for more rules.

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=679221&catname=Editorial&classif=



Born Free Update
Remember the story of Sinbad the lion?
Sinbad, only five or six years old, lived in a run down zoo in Bacau in northern Romania, in a tiny run of just 15 ft x 6 ft. As a cub he was used by a beach photographer, and taken on by a sea-side hotel but when Sinbad grew too big, he was brought to Bacau zoo, which had been closed by the Romanian authorities as it did not meet the EU Directive on zoos. Totally alone, very small for his age and with only a small shed for shelter, life was looking pretty bleak for this friendly lion, who would allow people to stroke him through the bars of his cage. When the Born Free Foundation visited him last year, heavy snows had just melted, turning his enclosure into a muddy mess. Sinbad’s heavy mane was filthy and matted and soaked in mud. But what a difference a few months can make…

http://thomsonholidays.blogs.com/my_weblog/2007/09/born-free-updat.html



"Jungle Jack" Hanna Coming to Fort Wayne
The following information was provided by the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo:Animal lovers can meet the ultimate animal adventurer when "Jungle Jack" Hanna visits the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo on Thursday, September 13. Hanna will be available to meet fans on the Australian Adventure Plaza from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. The event is free with zoo admission.
Jack Hanna is one of the most visible and respected ambassadors between the human and animal worlds. His hands-on approach has won him widespread acclaim as Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo, conservationist, author, and television personality.

http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=7028880&nav=menu32_2



Cattle Breed Of The Week: The Ankole

Ankole-Watusi cattle are the show-stoppers of the bovine kingdom. Medium-sized animals, with long, large-diameter horns, they attract attention wherever they appear. These regal animals can easily trace their ancestry back more than 6,000 years and have often been referred to as "cattle of kings."

The History of an Ancient Breed

Long-horned, humpless domestic cattle were well established in the Nile Valley by 4000 B.C. These cattle, known as the Egyptian or Hamitic Longhorn, appear in pictographs in Egyptian pyramids. Over the next twenty centuries (2.000 years), the Egyptian Longhorn migrated with its owners from the Nile to Ethiopia, and then down to the southern reaches of Africa.


http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=157626

continued...

Louisville Zoo gets third siamang

A siamang inflating his gular sac during a territorial display. (click here)
Photo (c) 2006 Melissa Barton
Both male and female siamangs have these “gular sacs” on their necks, which they can inflate to the size of their heads to produce resonating calls. Even through the fairly soundproof glass of the enclosure, these calls are loud. The pair started off in unison, alternating between a resonating bark and a sort of mournful wail (a little like elk bugling). As they called, they swung about wildly and stomping on the glass — while staying in perfect vocal unison!

The keepers told us that this is a territorial display, and secondarily, a bonding ritual for the pair. Sometimes a keeper hosing down the enclosure too loudly will set them off, but most of the time the displays seem to be prompted by instinct (there are no other siamangs at the zoo). Captive lions also make territorial calls, although theirs are prompted by sunrise and sunset.
I’m impressed that the tiny baby isn’t deaf yet.

12 hour loop - I'm not going to leave this alone because I know I'm right

September 07, 2007
1015z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite

The dissipation of the storms that were dramatic yesterday is rather alarming. The same occurred only a week or so ago with another 'set' of storms. The lull after the manifestation of a Cat 5 storm is more than notable. The fact of the matter, there is preciously little 'available' water vapor to support these storms. The reason the storms occurred this time of year rather than earlier and at lower latitudes rather than more northern is because Sol's radiation had to concentrate in the region of Earth where water vapor existed in abundance to provide enough 'energy' and it's absorbance by water vapor to allow these storms to manifest. To many that is 'not news' HOWEVER this reality is accompanied with drought in Western USA; which is on fire everywhere; unique flooding in areas of the country not usually 'under water,' melting ice caps and sea level rise. These storms manifested as the 'only' seasonal turbulence due to extraordinary climate conditions under a very thick carbon dioxide blanket.

In the image above the dissipation of storm intensity is amazing to realize the disappearing of water vapor to a very hot troposphere. The storms are dissipating rapidly as soon as they are exposed to super hot terra firma. Not just dissipating, but, evaporating.

I want to point to the water vapor intensity believed to be a burgeoning hurricane that would organize enough to drench the northeast USA. While I applaud the weather service in following every possibility to save human life and they should continue to do so without a doubt in my mind, I propose this reality. Could it be that the low pressure off the Carolinas would move out to sea and to northern latitudes only to dissipate rather than concentrate because there is NOT enough tropospheric water vapor to support an increasing velocity of a storm. I remind earlier in the season there was a tropical storm near the latitude of New York State so the ocean temperatures are plenty warm enough to spawn a storm but with increased heat of the tropsophere there just isn't enough water vapor to maintain that level of velocity. The Tropical Storm near New York State earlier in the year manifested as this land mass was emerging from huge floods and a very percipitated winter. In other words, a saturated land mass that made water vapor available to the troposphere regionally.

The reason I point to this is because the populous of the USA have to come to terms with the severity of climate change this dictates to their society. Deaths in the southwest due to very high temperatures, storms that have drenched the Mississippi River system and the Great Lakes area, Texas as well due to Gulf Storm evaporation, and Central America struggling to survive when they are little equipped to do so. And that is just the Western and Northern Hemisphere. When anyone with a conscience puts these understandings to work globally, there is profound drought in Australia, storms in Asia killing and displacing people in multiples, droughts in Africa and species of all kinds threatened and moving toward extinction.

We have to come to grips with the reality of Human Induced Global Warming and it's profound future to destroy any livable climate. Weather is not possible without tropospheric water vapor and with a super hot air masse Earth is facing not just drought but an unavailable water supply if this continues without USA cooperation to dramatic measures.

I believe the role of the USA weather service extends beyond prediction capacity but also maintaining an understanding with the public they serve that climate change is due to Human Induced Global Warming and while that source of carbon dioxide continues to spew high levels to the troposphere the danger increases to human life. This is 'not' politics. Human Induced Global Warming is a reality and is a danger to human life as well as the species of plant and animals we value and the oceans we count on to be plentiful. This issue has been labeled as political because it threatens traditional forms of energy as outdated and dangerous including the oil and gas industry, hence, opposing that reality of Human Induced Global Warming has been assigned to the Republican Party. The Republican Party of the USA traditionally supports business over any humanitarian efforts. The fact the Democrats have stepped up fearlessly to 'take on' this challenge to change the face of energy and transportation in the USA is simply a reality we all need to come to appreciate to 'save the future' for our children. There is nothing to prevent George Walker Bush from coming out tomorrow with an aggressive change proposal in the energy and transporation infrastructure EXCEPT for perhaps the personal and political agenda of the likes of Dick Cheney. The LACK of a USA president to address such drastically important issues is unconscionable. The challenge to any professional in weather forecasting and caring for the public they inform is to hold the line on the understanding of Human Induced Global Warming to promote it's reality and it's relationship with carbon dioxide with a clear path to tropospheric hostility that accompanies that reality.

Not long ago, I believe Goddard Labs came out to predict more numerous and more volitile storms including tornadoes due to the climate change of Human Induced Global Warming. Taking this path of public awareness is not a matter of being a maverick in the weather prediction business, it is correct and promotable with current scienfitic findings. It is correct and prudent to be proactive to facilitate public awareness of their responsbility in finding solutions to end this deadly trend of the tropsophere.

All too often I hear statements from professionals that 'we are over the edge already' and hence tends to demoralize their resolve to promote the understanding of Human Induced Global Warming and opting to 'hold the hand' of the populous of the USA as they demise their own planet. That is simply a matter of 'spiritual distress' to those that have 'believed' for so long and never seeing a reason for changing their belief regarding their vision to change the way the USA relates to energy and transportation. There is 'a lot' of satification for these professions to realize the ARE the answer and always have been with the ability to say, "I told you so" being the relief to their chronic state of 'battling' to make 'the truth' survive.

Oh, one other thing, that burgeoning vortex in the center of North America? Pay attention to it.

I want to address a few news items....

The Republicans are just plain old. Their party is old, their ideas are old and I don't care whom the candidate is. When it comes to Romney, his ideas are not only old, but, disingenuous. He simply mimicks Bush in everyway and most of the candidates do as well. Romney is attempting to 'buy' the presidency with his own money and that spells trouble. He is for sale by anyone that can replenish his personal treasury after being elected.

Today, Rudy Giuliani made a very dangerous statement:

Giuliani promotes disaster readiness plan (click here)
Republican Presidential contender Rudy Giuliani said today he wants to remake the Department of Homeland Security and provide better disaster-response training to local officials. Giuliani spoke today at Hinds Community College in Pearl.He proposed dividing the the Department of Homeland security into regions to better respond to disasters and terrorist attacks. Giuliani is the latest 2008 presidential candidate to pass through Mississippi raising money. He attended a luncheon in the home of Jill and Richard Beneke.

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Every 'region' of the country with it's own 'decentralized' Homeland Security Department. Sounds like it's exactly what we need.

"W"rong.

The Republicans are notorious for decentralizing the federal government. If Giuliani was successful in his presidential bid, which he won't be, but I'm willing to 'entertain' the idea to make a point. If Giuliani was successful in his presidential bid to actually 'lead' this nation, he would decentralize Homeland Security. That is exactly what this country does not need and is more of the same mistake of the Bush White House.

Bush's administration 'cherry picked' the federal monies distributed through the country in order to play favorites to Republican cronies. The Giuliani 'idea' would lead not only to decentralization, but, would in 'the beginning' cherry pick the funding to 'special centers' throughout the country to act as 'Regional Homeland Security Centers.' Anyone can guess whom would get the funding and where the 'centers' would be; namely; strongly Republican districts that supposed his candidacy.

Additionally, the regionalization of Homeland Security would lead to removing it from a Cabinet level position. In that, the federal funding would no longer be available and the 'regions' would have to fund their own Homeland Security. The 'decentralization' of authority would lead to 'specialized interests of the region' and would preclude effective response to the country in general if required. There is nothing to say the federal government would cut the tax burden to facilitate regional funding. The funding would not be equitable as some areas of the country as some states just can't supply the tax base others can and some Americans would face 'short falls' in their preparedness because of this lack of funding.

This is simply Giuliani 'skirting' the issue of responsibility for the national security of the USA. There are many credible people whom fault his performance before, during and after the events of September 11, 2007. By decentralizing his authority at Homeland Security he is putting the burden of responsibility on the shoulders of others. Giuliani isn't even elected yet and he is 'outsourcing' Homeland Security for fear he could cause another September 11th or Hurricane Katrina. Amazing.

I would think, as a candidate, anyone would be anxious to express ideas that would instill confidence in leadership rather than running from the issues of National Security by 'farming out' that responsiblity to other.

.........................................

So, after trying to 'make it go away' now Senator Craig wants to reverse his position. No surprise there, a familiar Republican strategy, when a lie won't do, try the truth and ask for forgiveness. Except at this point, we don't know if Senator Craig is masking the truth by attempting to make it go away or by stating he is not guilty after stating he was guilty. Very Confusing.

The 'thing' that puts a smile on my face is Senator Craig has decided to stand up to the 'Alphas' of the Republican Party and FOX News. That alone in confronting a controversial 'gay rights' issue is refreshing. Could it be the Republicans will actually have to come to terms with another Barney Franks? That would really be refreshing.

Craig Moves to Block Senate Ethics Panel Complaint
By DUFF WILSON
Published: September 5, 2007
Lawyers for Senator Larry E. Craig of Idaho delivered a letter to the Senate ethics committee today asking the committee to reject a complaint relating to his guilty plea in an airport sex sting operation. The move opens a potentially ugly battle between Mr. Craig and the Republican leadership, as Mr. Craig reconsiders his plans to resign from the Senate.
Mr. Craig stunned Washington late yesterday with an announcement through his spokesman that he may return to the Senate despite announcing Saturday “my intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30.”
His spokesman, Dan Whiting, said Mr. Craig is fighting the ethics and misdemeanor charges “and should he be cleared before then, he may, and I emphasize may, not resign.”...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/washington/05cnd-craig.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Regardless, the 'idea' a Republican Senator would actually find a strategy against 'the truth' of any circumstance in trying to 'make it go away/stop a distraction' is more than troubling and in and of itself is an ethical issue needing address.

................................................

Does everyone realize how large a B-52 Bomber is? They are huge and when they fly across the sky there is no missing them. Now, what is a B-52 is doing flying over the USA at all is enough of a question but to realize the one catching the nation's attention today, was carrying nukes is more than unnerving. I am not sure the people handling the nukes were completely incompetent either. Someone either 'shelved' these things "W"rong and treated them as munitions for transport or someone made a cognitive decision to 'teach the nation a lesson' for the degree of incompetency that exists under this administration. There is even a better chance that both those statements are TRUE and the 'stunt' occurred 'on purpose' to alert the nation to the level of 'National Insecurity' that actually exists. Chilling.


Air Force confirms bomber was based at Barksdale
September 5, 2007
From Staff Reports
The Air Force has released an official statement on an incident that occurred Aug. 30 when a Barksdale Air Force Base B-52 traveling home from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., transported nuclear missiles unintentionally.
Here is the statement from Lt. Col. Ed Thomas, Air Force spokesman, from the office of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne:
"The commander of Air Combat Command has directed an immediate investigation, led by a general officer, into a situation involving the transfer of weapons from Minot Air Force Base, N.D. to Barksdale Air Force Base, La, on Thursday, Aug. 30. The transfer was safely conducted and the weapons were in Air Force custody and control at all times. The Air Force takes its mission to safeguard weapons seriously. This investigation is being conducted to find facts, determine causes, and to identify any appropriate corrective actions. No effort will be spared to ensure that the matter is thoroughly and completely investigated.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070905/BREAKINGNEWS/70905032

What is even more chilling, is the fact, it's reported in that media that no one knew these 'ready weapons' were on the B-52. Where was this bomber headed for? What if it made a stop in Venezuela? What if the folks in Venezuela 'armed' the bombs, loaded them onto the B-52 and sent the bomber back to the USA to drop the bombs on sensitive areas of the USA? I don't know if the White House qualifies as a sensitive area anymore, but, that would have been a possibility. Hm? Any of these folks involved former citizens of Venezuela or somewhere in Arabia? Perhaps some were illegal aliens seeking citizenship and recruited to serve the USA. It's getting scary.

...............................................................

On Saturday Night past I mentioned the fact Osama bin Laden has been ramping up his rhetoric 'on the net.'

Germans say they've halted terror plot (click here)
BERLIN -- Police have prevented the most ambitious Al Qaeda-linked attack in Europe to date, authorities said today, accusing three suspects allegedly trained in Pakistan of plotting multiple car-bomb attacks on U.S. military personnel near the Frankfurt airport and American bases.After more than nine months of surveillance during which police surreptitiously diluted explosive material stockpiled by the suspects, a SWAT team raided a vacation home in a wooded area of central Germany on Tuesday and arrested two Germans and a Turk, one of whom wounded an officer in the hand during a struggle over a gun.Coming a day after Danish police seized bomb materials in Copenhagen and charged a Pakistani and an Afghan with plotting an attack in league with Al Qaeda leaders, the German operation by 300 officers intensified fears that a resurgent Al Qaeda network is using hide-outs near the Afghan-Pakistan border to train Europe-based militants for attacks on an expanding range of Western targets....

This is proof there is a reason for the rhetoric, but, the average Western citizen has to realize there is strong history regarding the increase in 'activity' surrounding political events such as elections. We have seen it over and over again, the latest in Great Britain with their more recent elections. The reason the terrorist network chooses these strategies is for the same reason, Mohammad Atta, chose the date September 11th (911). It was a strategic move, contemplated to impact the psychi of the citizens of nations. This is a legitimate strategy by these terrorist networks to the point where it is nearly predictable. As before, when Germany once tried to warn Bush/Cheney of the plot of September 11th, it would seem they have a great deal of insight to the 'activities' of the terrorist networks in the EU. If one recalls, Mohammad Atta was a resident of Germany before he participated as a leader to the attacks of September 11th.

One aspect of all this is that al Qaeda and it's sympathizing networks are very thwarted to their 'abilities' to carry out attacks such as happened on September 11th. Airports are different, security is different and the West has done incredible 'infrastructure' design to prevent any such tragedy again.

The reason I bring this up, is because the USA has to realize these reports are going to appear over and over again in the media. They are sensational news items by nature of their alarming quality. What 'lacks' in the media with the reporting of these events are the measures that 'have worked' in catching the terrorists, the measures the West has taken that would have stopped the attacks even if they were successful, ie: pointing to the Scotland Airport and the security measures that prevented deaths and tragedy. As we learn more and more about the terrorists attempting attacks the less and less successful they will become.

The other aspect to this that bothers me, is the way the media doesn't point to the fact, these terrorist networks continue to be a concern 'in the face' of a war that is supposed to be the 'central front on terror.' These plans by terrorist networks continue to manifest and be discovered by Western Intelligence with targets that are nowhere near Baghdad. That reality only enforces the fact that the Iraq War had absolutely nothing to do with September 11th and continues in the face of that reality costing Islam more and more concern to the point where Iran is activating 3000 centrifuges.

In order to stop the mischief of these terrorist networks, the West has to find a way to make Islam a full partner in stopping murderers. The 'mission' of Islam does not include killing, it is however that of peace and the one religious sect more strongly anchored in that Islamic Peace belief are the Shi'ites. One needs to realize, the more the Shi'ites suffer, the more they will (as a minority religion) seek to fight back irrationally to survive a long lived bias by The West against them.

At this point, the only enemy to The West, realizing the competency of it's 'intelligence networks,' is 'fear itself.'

..........................................................

Last for this evening, but hardly least is the continued enthusiasm "SiCKO" continues to attract. Michael Moore is every American's best friend. Yesterday, he featured a statement by Senator Clinton as if she had to pretend about the nation's focus on health care.

The topic of national health insurance is an appropriate focus. One that is benevolent toward Americans to stop incompetent commercial insurance companies from literally causing the deaths of their subscribers while racking in money for their stockholders.

At any rate, Michael asked his readership to write to the good Senator. I did. I want to list it here to encourage others to do the same. I think Hillary Clinton has been sufficiently 'beat up' as a First Lady over the issue of national health insurance to allow her to feel vanquished before she gets started. I also believe she is an expert on the issue and needs to realize the nation is different today regarding national health insurance due to "SiCKO" and we deserve her attention again. So, if you will:


"You can't pretend the system doesn't exist."
-- Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

http://www.michaelmoore.com/

With speech, Clinton lays out goals as president
Democratic says she is willing to work for change from within system
By Patrick Healy / New York Times
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York unveiled a new stump speech on Sunday, outlining the “four big goals” she would have as president and saying she was willing to “work within the system” and make “principled compromises” to achieve them.
Praising the leadership styles of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson, Mrs. Clinton described herself as a pragmatist and an alliance-builder. Without naming names, she said her strategies would yield more results than those of her two chief rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.
“From my time in the White House and in the Senate, I learned you bring change by working in the system established by the Constitution,” Mrs. Clinton said at an early afternoon rally in Concord, drawing a pointed contrast to the outsider messages of Mr. Obama and Mr. Edwards. Referring to the Roosevelts and Johnson, she said, “They got big things done because they knew it wasn’t just about the dream, it’s about the results.”

http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/news/article.php?id=10198

Tell Hillary No One is Asking Her to Pretend

Contact Us Online
Please fill out the form below to contact us by email.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/help/contact/


This was my entry to "Tell Hillary"

Dear Senator Clinton,

I realize you have been dragged through every opposition to national health care the Republican Party could conjure up when you were First Lady.

To begin, you have to know how admirable it was as a First Lady to take on compassionate care of the nation in seeking a resolve to good quality health care. There is no other First Lady with the leadership skill you exhibited in taking on the entire reform of our nation's well being.

It wasn't your fault the Clinton Initiative on National Health Care failed. With the airing of Michael Moore's "SiCKO" it was completely obvious the initiative would fail to the profiteers backed by the "W"rong-headed Republicans.

I first apologize to you for having a nation on your conscience while being faced with such overwhelming corporate forces that would see your compassion be dealt an unjust end. It is difficult to realize from where I sit why any level of compassion which you exhibited at that time would be ridiculed and defeated. Your efforts were more than correct and if they had succeeded many Americans would have received timely care and would be with us today. You have to realize, Senator Clinton, the efforts you made was to save lives of the most vulnerable Americans. We all know that now more than ever.

I ask you, if you would please take up the nation's health again. I believe you will find far more support this time than ever before. There is an idea of the perfect form of American Health Insurance and it is published for your consideration at Michael Moore's website. He has been a force to contend with regarding this issue. It is a vital issue, Senator Clinton. But, those of us that believe in Michael need for you to take him seriously and kindly consider his well researched ideas.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/health-care-proposal/

We appreciated you as a First Lady, we appreciate you as a Senator and we offer you a chance as a Presidential Candidate to change the health care outcomes of America. I know you won't look the other way.

Best regards,
Elisa Barrett


The Michael Moore Health Care Proposal

http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/health-care-proposal/

I encourage everyone to write to the Former First Lady/Senator Clinton/Presidential Candidate to express their views regarding the need for a national health insurance. Thank you, Michael.

Pavlof Volcano rocks and rolls, blasting ash up to 20,000 feet

Pavlof is located on the Alaskan Penisula (click for link to 'listening to volcano').

Pavlof Volcano and Pavlof Sister Volcano

ALASKA DIGEST (click on link to title)
Published: September 2, 2007

Last Modified: September 2, 2007 at 02:20 AM
COLD BAY -- One of Alaska's most active volcanoes sent a billowing white cloud almost 4 miles high late Thursday night, the biggest explosion since the 8,261-foot cone began vigorously erupting last month.
Pavlof Volcano, on the Alaska Peninsula about 600 miles southwest of Anchorage, put up a 20,000-foot plume about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, said Steve McNutt of the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Pavlof stayed restive Friday and Saturday, blasting ash clouds 10,000 feet to 16,000 feet high, McNutt said.
"It just looked like a tall column rising, kind of like a cumulonimbus (cloud)," said Michael McLaurin, a meteorological technician with the National Weather Service in Cold Bay. "It rose about 18,000 or 20,000 feet and subsided, then built up again."
Clouds blocked the view on Saturday night.
Cold Bay and its 90 residents are about 40 miles southwest of the action.
Ash, a danger to aircraft, likely caused lightning Thursday, McNutt said.
An FAA spokeswoman said no flights were diverted Saturday. It wasn't immediately clear if Thursday's event interfered with air traffic.
The volcano set a personal record for explosions early Thursday morning -- 14 every minute, McNutt said. Seismic instruments began tracking activity at the volcano in 1973.
"I've never seen more than 10 a minute," said McNutt.
To check the volcano's activity, go to avo.alaska.edu/activity/Pavlof.php.
-- Anchorage Daily News

Trip around the globe - animate loop with controls at site

September 5, 2007
0033 gmt
Global Pacific Satellite



September 5, 2007
0210 gmt
(Click here for loop - then animate with control at site)



September 5, 2007
0027 gmt
Africa-Europe Satellite

There is still plenty of heat to spawn more storms in the Atlantic although the Autuminal Equinox is approaching and the sun's radiation will be crossing to the southern hemisphere.



September 5, 2007
0016 gmt
Tropical Atlantic Satellite



September 5, 2007
0029 gmt
Western hemisphere

The continent reporting stations are all below zero,but,are warmer across the board except for the very high elevations(24 hour loop missing 3 views)

September 4, 2007
1928 gmt
North Pole Satellite

The reason for all this colder weather over Antarctica are the heat storms, hurricanes, cyclones of the Northern Hemisphere.


September 4, 2007
1928 gmt
South Pole Satellite

Easily discerned are very cold high elevations over East Antarctica. There are heat transfer vortexes from nearby land masses, which explains the winds and high level intrusions on the jet stream.


September 5, 2007
1200 AM UTC
Antarctica Surface Winds (Click here for loop)

Except for the peninsula, there is little break in the higher winds. It explains why so much of the continent is the same temperature; as the wind mixes the heat with frigid air.


September 4, 2004
0600 GMT
Jet Stream satellite image for Antarctica (Click here for six day image)

Basically, no surprises. All the higher elevations are untouched by heat transfer vortexes while there is significant heat exchange at lower latitudes.


September 4, 2007
0900 PM UTC
Antarctica

The coldest reporting stations on Antarctica :

Vostok, Antarctica

Time :: 6:00 AM VOST

Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m

Temperature :: -111 F / -80 C

Humidity :: 70%

Dew Point :: -113 F / -80 C

Wind :: 4 mph / 6 km/h from the West

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers


Amundsen-Scott

Time :: 1150 AM NZST

Elevation :: 9285 feet / 2830 M

Temperature :: - 75 F / - 60 C

Conditions :: Blowing Snow Mist

Wind :: 17 mph / 29 km/h / 7.7 m/s from ESE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 28.32 in / 959 hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 1.0 mile / 1.2 kilometers

Davis 76.05S 65.02E

Time :: 900 AM DAVT

Temperature :: - 58 F / -50 C

Conditions :: Calm


Warmest Reporting Stations

Palmer Station, Antarctica

Time :: 8:00 PM CLT

Elevation :: 26 ft / 8 m

Temperature :: 22 F / -5 C

Conditions :: Clear

Humidity :: 75%

Dew Point :: 17 F / -8 C

Wind :: 4 mph / 7 km/h from the South

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.35 in / 994 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.0 kilometers



Casey 66.28S 110.52E

Time :: 8:00 AM WST

Temperature :: 21 F / -6 C

Conditions :: Heavy Blowing Snow

Humidity :: 92%

Winds :: East at 54 mph/ 87 km/h

Dew Point :: 20 F / -7 C

Pressure :: 28.70 in / 972 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 0.0 miles / 0.1 kilometers

The weather at Scott Base, Ross Island, Antarctica (Crystal Ice Chime0 is warmer than usual.

The link at the title will take you to a collection of pictures from the photographers at McMurdo. Questionably the snow in some photos looks rather soft/wet, but, all are quality photos with extensive explanations. I found them enjoyable.

Looks like an abstract rendition of "Day on a Texas Beach" but the waves say it all.

September 3, 2007

Corpus Christi, Texas

Photographer states :: Bob Hall Pier through the rain coated windshield of the truck.

Rain expected to persist through the day (Click on title of entry. Thank you.)
Web Posted: 09/04/2007 11:59 AM CDT
Express-News
Clouds from a Pacific Ocean hurricane streamed across Texas on Tuesday, touching off widespread rains, gloomy skies and flood watches and warnings around South Central Texas.
Hurricane Henriette, near Baja, Mexico, was supplying deep mid- and upper-level tropical moisture streams, supplemented by low-level moisture from the Gulf of Mexico....

...Heaviest rains overnight will bring the threat of flooding to an area from north of Del Rio to San Antonio to LaGrange, the weather service said.

Felix seeks Henriette (12 hour loop click here)

Streets were flooded in La Ceiba, Honduras.


September 4, 2007
2330z
UNISYS Infrared Satellite GOES East

These storms exploded after reaching land nearly at the same time. There is a slight hint of a quasi-eye in the Carribean just northeast Honduras border with Nicaragua. There is also a storm building east of Florida. It will more than likely remain in the Atlantic. There is an odd little storm that formed in a few hours over Lake Okeechobee. Everyone on the North American continent upto the Rio Grande is drenched. Texas and the Mississippi states into the middle of the USA are experiencing rains. This dual system storm is gigantic and very, very dangerous.





Hurricane Felix Strikes Central America (click here)
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Sept. 4 — The hurricane of the moment, the one that smashed ashore in northern Nicaragua today and began inundating the Honduran countryside, was Felix. But it was an earlier storm, the devastating Hurricane Mitch of 1998, that continued to haunt Hondurans.


Merchants recalled Mitch as they packed up their belongings as Felix moved in and hustled to higher ground. Residents told horror stories about Mitch as they hoped and prayed that the new storm would not do what the last one did....

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) is:

North of Alaska, researchers aboard the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy are gathering the data legally required to extend national territories across vast reaches of the mineral-rich seafloor usually blocked by Arctic ice.

Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m

Temperature :: 63 F / 17 C

Conditions :: Clear

Humidity :: 59%

Dew Point :: 48 F / 9 C

Wind :: 7 mph / 11 km/h / 3.1 m/s from the SSW

Pressure :: 29.87 in / 1011 hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers

UV :: 4 out of 6

Clouds :: Clear
(Above the ground)

Arctic Ocean ice sheets smallest on record (click title to entry)
The Yomiuri Shimbun
This summer's ice sheets in the Arctic Ocean are the smallest on record since satellite observations started in 1978, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency announced Thursday.
The Arctic ice observed Wednesday was 5,307,000 square kilometers, falling below the previous low of 5,315,000 square kilometers recorded in September 2005.
The situation is similar to what the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted this year would happen 30 or 40 years from now, showing that global warming may be progressing much faster than anticipated.
This summer, temperatures on the surface of the sea were between 0.8 C to 0.6 C below freezing, the highest temperatures since 2000.
The decrease of the Arctic ice likely will continue until mid-September, causing the ice sheets at the North Pole to shrink even further.
JAMSTEC and JAXA have been observing Arctic ice since 1978 using satellites and vessels.
The agencies said the sea ice sheets were shrinking because the Arctic ice formed later than usual last winter and was relatively thin from the start. As a result, the ice started melting earlier than usual, causing the sea water to absorb more solar heat due to a lack of ice, which usually reflects sunlight.
Furthermore, a low pressure system off Siberia brought strong winds to the North Pole, resulting in much of the Arctic ice being driven to the Atlantic Ocean.
IPCC projected this summer's Arctic ice sheet at about 7.5 million square kilometers, dropping to about 5.5 million square kilometers in 2040 and about 4.5 million square kilometers in 2050. However, some research institutes, including one in the United States, have pointed out that the reality is 30 years ahead of the projections.
(Aug. 18, 2007)


September 3, 2007
2311 gmt
Pacific Ocean Satellite

This is a heat transfer event. The storm in the left lower corner of the satellite image is Typhoon-2 FITOW (click here).

Typhoon Fitow brings swells (click here)

A distant typhoon will bring long period swells to the region, according to a National Weather Service release. Typhoon Fitow, located well north of Guam, will impact north-facing reefs into the midweek. Two to four-foot northerly swells will push the rip current risk into the moderate category, the release stated. A moderate rip current risk means wave conditions support stronger or more frequent rip currents. For weather updates, visit the Pacific Daily News at www.guampdn.com or the National Weather Service at www.prh.noaa.gov/pr/guam.
Pacific Daily News

September 3, 2007

1430 AKDT

Adjustable speed loop of vortex event (click here.)




Gale warnings along the Alaska coast and southwest ...Strong wind this evening through tuesday morning along turnagain arm and higher elevations...








Flask flood warnings in southern California and along the Baha peninsula. Large pink area is regarding high wind events. There are also gale warnings off Georgia and South Carolina. There has been significant flooding in that area as well already.

September 3, 2007

Edisto Beach, South Carolina

Photographer states :: Storm flooding scenes after 4 days of rain.

South Carolina Lowcountry swamped by heavy rain (click here)
Monday, Sep 03, 2007 - 08:58 AM
By Associated Press
BEAUFORT, S.C. - The South Carolina Lowcountry has seen heavy rain that has led to flooding in some areas.
The National Weather Service says a record 1.75 inches of rain had fallen as of 5 p.m. yesterday at Charleston International Airport.
Flooding closed a section of U.S. Highway 278 on Hilton Head Island for more than six hours Saturday. The resort town got 6.39 inches of rain. That's more rain than normally falls in all of September.
The heavy rain put a damper on summer's last hurray.
Hunting Island State Park assistant manager Kenny Heater says the park is usually full during Labor Day weekend, but there only about a dozen cars in the picnic area Saturday.

Tropical storm strengthens off Mexico's Pacific coast

September 3, 2007
2230z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite West and North Hemisphere (click here for 12 hour loop).

The deluges of water is/will cause major flooding to Mexico on both coasts. There is also a resumption of a familiar pattern of a drenched central USA. Coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Atlantic seaboard need to remain vigilant for the exacerbation of severe storms accompanying this 'dual' storm system. No one is going to tell me Texas and Louisiana isn't in for flooding. As a matter of fact I know there is flooding (flash flood warnings) in Texas (click here) and increase in percipitation in Louisiana (click here) and here.


September 3, 2007
2230z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite GOES East (click here for 12 hour loop)



September 3, 2007
2230z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite GOES West (click here for 12 hour loop)

Tropical Storm Henrietta clearly illustrates how 'moisture deprived' the troposphere actually is. There is virtually NO equatorial water vapor as it has gone into supporting the 'heat storm' TS Henrietta.

September 3, 2007

2119 gmt

Mexican Satellite

Partners prepare for Hurricane Felix in Honduras and Nicaragua

September 3, 2007
Photographer states :: Once in the eye, the view was breath taking even at night. The moon had just risen over the top of the eyewall and lightning lit up the eyewall all around us.


September 3, 2007
Photographer states :: The first eyewall penetration was a bit rough but not too bad. The wind field was incredibly tight.We had winds less than 50 knots at flight until we got within a few milesof the eyewall. Once inside, the plane was surrounded on radar by a ring of high winds and rain.


September 3, 2007
Somewhere under the 'eye' of Felix
Photographer states :: Once in the eye, the view was breath taking even at night. The moon had just risen over the top of the eyewall and lightning lit up the eyewall all around us.

These are such incredible pictures, the photographer needs to be known. Thank you, Mr. Byron.:

Randy Byron - I was an aviation weather forecaster for 15 years for the Air Force. I am now a dropsonde systems operator and load master flying with the Hurricane Hunters at Keesler AFB, MS. I have been an amateur photographer for 20 years. I am also a private pilot.