Category Archives: Science And Society

My Talk With Alan Boyle

For those people who foolishly thought that the Republican debate was more important than my conversation with Alan Boyle tonight, the podcast is up now.

[Update]

It’s all ME, ME, ME, over at Cosmic Log tonight.

So if you’ve had enough of me, don’t go there.

[Thursday morning update]

Related thoughts from Rick Tumlinson.

[Update a few minutes later]

Man, many of the comments over at Cosmic Log are typical, in their rampant ignorance and straw men.

Good News For Texans

They may be getting a break in the drought soon:

A significant shift in the atmospheric circulation is predicted for the region, with the ridge of high pressure that has brought Texas its record heat and drought predicted to shift eastwards and allow a flow of moist, tropical air into the state. A low pressure region is forecast to develop in the Gulf near the coast of Texas on Wednesday or Thursday, and this low will need to be watched for tropical development. The shift in the large scale weather pattern does not signal a permanent end to the Texas drought, but it should bring welcome rains and cooler temperatures to the Lone Star state beginning on Thursday. This will be a relief to the residents of Austin, where the temperature topped out at 112°F yesterday–the hottest day in Austin’s recorded history, tied with September 5, 2000. By Labor Day, hot and dry weather will settle back in over the state, but the new ridge of high pressure will be weaker, and temperatures will not be as hot as this week’s.

From what I understand, it’s been brutal. It’s one of the reasons that I’m glad I’m in coastal CA and not TX.