The Matterhorn is crumbling from the Climate Crisis. Ice melt running into crevices is destroying it.

The very start of the route from near the hut. The debris from the recent rockfall (July 2003) can be seen as the smear of gray on the snow to the left.

...Researchers from the University of Zurich, (click here) who have been studying the mountain closely since 2007, say melting water is permeating exposed cracks and crevices on the 4,478m (14,690ft) mountain, which straddles the Swiss-Italian boarder. Subsequent cycles of freezing and thawing in these gaps are creating subtle movements under the rock surface, causing ever-widening fissures with the result that lumps of rock are falling off, the researchers say.

Their investigation, which relies on sophisticated monitoring devices situated on 17 key parts of the mountain, was prompted by a huge rock fall from the Hörnligrat part of the mountain in July 2003, when more than 50 climbers had to be airlifted off the mountain in the one of the big- gest rescue operations ever mounted in the Alps.

The disintegration of the Matterhorn, which the researchers warn is symbolic of the problems affecting the rest of the Alps, appears to have continued since, the Swiss research team's report in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

"There has been a big increase in the number of rock falls in the past decade that can't be explained simply by the fact that we're looking out for them more now," the lead researcher, Stephan Gruber, told The Independent.

His team's discovery of the key role that icy crevices play in the Matterhorn's decay suggests that global warming's deleterious effect on mountain ranges is greater than previously thought....

The view from the summit. You can see how dry the upper slope is. Normally this is nearly all snow. (click here)

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH                       
VOL. 117                          
F01016                    
17 PP.
2012
doi:10.1029/2011JF001981
Kinematics of steep bedrock permafrost (click title to entry - thank you)

The mechanisms that control climate-dependent rockfall from permafrost mountain slopes are currently poorly understood. In this study, we present the results of an extensive rock slope monitoring campaign at the Matterhorn (Switzerland) with a wireless sensor network. A negative dependency of cleft expansion relative to temperature was observed at all clefts for the dominant part of the year....

Does anyone remember the day when there were NOT 'tornado outbreaks?'

Wednesday, April 4, 2012           Forney, Texas

That is the characteristic of tornado season. To begin, there really hasn't been an end to tornado season from 2011. It slowed down, but, it never really stopped. The geographical occurences of the touchdowns are very random besides.

By Miguel Llanos, msnbc.com

Tornado season is only just beginning, (click title to entry - thank you) but already this year has seen dozens of destructive twisters from Illinois to Texas, where up to 18 might have touched town on Tuesday alone in the Dallas-Fort Worth area....

April 4, 2012
1630.00z
UNISYS Visual Satellite which reflects the presence of sunlight.

Also noted near the tropics and the West Pacific are accumulations of tropical distrubances. There was a minor distrubance near the Yucatan today, but, it has dissipated into the tail of the vortex north of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

The tropical Atlantic Ocean hurricane season usually is normally described as June 1st through November 1st.

In 2010 and 2011 the season started in late June, but, the years 2007 thought 2009 the season started in late May.  With the troposphere this hot, it can start early, however, as seen with Irene last year there has to be a huge accumulation of water vapor to ignite the first one. But, the tropical activity in the area of the Yucatan both in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific is providing a question about a calmer season until August.

Kennedale Texas (Fort Worth) Tornado April 3, 2012 - Jason McLaughlin

April 3, 2012 "I can't get a hold of my wife."

If the birds leave, it is a sure sign humans should not stand and watch.

The Republican Primaries are a tribute to Citizens United.

Romney won in every primary where televisions were in dense numbers and could overshadow the message of all the others.


...Six in 10 Wisconsin voters (click title to entry - thank you) looking for a "true conservative" backed Santorum -- more than four times the number who backed Romney....


In Wisconsin, Santorum won in rural areas. Romney bought his nomination. It is completely evident money talks, especially, in this case.

No doubt Jerry Smith is a strict constructionist.

It is about ideology. 


He loves Citizens United. 


He believes life in the court or anywhere else in the world is simple and straight forward and predictable.


The issue of competence comes to mind. How could the Robert's Court call corporations people and have freedom of speech.


No one has to look very far to realize the Bush impact on the USA court system has been adverse.


It is a conversation the nation should have. 


Former Justice O'Connor looked at THE LIVES OF PEOPLE when she made her decisions. They were decisions based in an understanding of legislation in relation to the people it effected. Judges like Smith don't see the world as a 'whole' he treats words as autocratic and predetermined. Smith has gone too far and he needs to take the same seat Alito did. He disappeared at the State of the Union address and it was a wise decision.

Jerry Smith got upset. Isn't that cute?

Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judges (from top, left):
Alan E. Glenn, John Everett Williams, Thomas T. Woodall, Joe G. Riley, Jr., J. Curwood Witt, Jr., Norma M. Ogle, Robert W. Wedemeyer, (front row, from left) David G. Hayes, Joseph M. Tipton, Gary R. Wade, David H. Welles, and Jerry Smith. 

An activisit judge, no doubt. Jerry must be confused. He must have sentenced at least one person to death in his career, why not tens of thousands at the hands of health insurance companies. Jerry Smith needs to have a rush of conscience BEFORE he rules and not after!


..."I want to be sure (click title to entry - thank you) that you are telling us that the Attorney General and the Department of Justice do recognize the authority of the federal courts through unelected judges to strike acts of Congress or portions thereof in appropriate cases," Smith said....


It looks like Jerry needs a refresher on his job description.


Hey, Jerry, BRING IT ON !!!!!!!!!!