trisonic

I’ve had a lot of experience of freezing rain over here, mostly when I lived on the Piedmont plateau in North Carolina. You can’t drive on solid ice, it brings down power lines (and even transmission towers), collapses roofs etc., etc. Here’s an extreme example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_1998_North_American_ice_storm Snow is much easier to deal with. Best, Pete.

Woke early, feeling guilty about everything........... 5:30am and it’s 42f outside. All things must pass. Best, Pete.

I didn’t know that Ian had moved to Japan? Note car. Cheers, Pete.

Don’t give me a hard time! Just been very busy............... I heard on local radio that a “Red Alert” has just been issued for the South West, Wales and seemingly anywhere west of London. Dunno how accurate this is after it has filtered through US media. Nearly half a yard of snow expected???? It’s getting near North American quantities. On the other hand we’re in a snow deficit and it’s been one of the better Winters in the North East with barely three feet of snow for the whole season, so far. We’re getting a classic “Nor’easter” tonight and tomorrow but we seem to be on the warm side of it with only rain and very high winds. Anyway hope that England can find some snow plows to use as they can’t borrow Scotland’s... I’ll try and keep more in touch, promise. Best, Pete.

Apologies for being AWOL so long - just been very busy. I’ll get into that later! Reason I popped in today is that I just heard on the radio that there is a “Red Alert” now for South West England, Wales and virtually anywhere west of London. Dunno how accurate it is having been filtered through the US media.... The report I heard advised that a possible snow amount of over half a yard over the next 24 hours is to be expected. Hope everyone is OK ‘cos you don’t have the infrastructure in place to deal with it in a timely manner. We’re in a snow deficit here (still in New Jersey - it’s a long story...) I think our running total for the whole season is only about three feet. We’re expecting a rather severe “Nor’easter” tomorrow but it looks like we’re to be on the warm side of it, so only high winds and rain. It has been quite cold during January and February but nothing to write home about - above normal if anything. Hope everyone in Blighty gets through this OK. Best, Pete.

They’re going South from here! Tonight -7C Tomorrow: 2C. 25 mph wind. God knows what it is like in Canada - we’re the same latitude as Barcelona..... I just found out tomorrow will have the lowest High temperature for the day since 1929. Roll on Global Warming! Best, Pete.

You’re referring to my earlier post. Surely you have realized by now that everyone has opinions like everyone has, er, sphincter muscles. Just because you don’t agree with mine is no reason to feel bad or think I’m evil.... Look at the discussion above on the “Best F1 driver” for examples of opinions. Best, Pete.

Don’t forget the tedious list of cyclists............ Best, Pete.

Hope I haven’t posted this before on this thread: Best, Pete.

Which newb driver in F1 did Steve Matchett say was: “Dancing on the razor’s edge of adhesion” in Mexico? Brilliant line by the way...........NBC’s coverage of F1 is still great, I’m surprised to say. Best, Pete.

Off for my Annual Physical. Have you noticed that they get longer the older you are? Somewhat exponentially too... I will have a woman’s finger up my bum this time - I hope she keeps her nails trimmed. Later, Pete.

That is why I got out of modeling UK stuff - I never thought 00 looked right even when I was a kid - and there is too much variety of the more correct gauges... Fine, until someone thought of P87 (at least straight HO rail is fairly correct) and P48............... What annoys me most about P48 is that road vehicles are grossly oversized to my eyes. Don’t get me started on wheels... Best, Pete.

The minimum wind speed to be recognized as Hurricane Force is, I think, 73 mph (they measure in “knots”) - that is as a steady wind not including higher gusts. As that was a “Shipping Forcast” you can expect winds to be higher over water because the “friction” is minimal - overland friction can reduce wind speed considerably. I suspect that Fraggle Rock will get the highest winds (south of the northern isles) in the UK. It’s really a little too small for the landmass to have any effect. Best, Pete.

Don’t Panic! What was Ophelia is not a hurricane (it is “Extra-Tropical”). It all be over by tonight. Sobering to think that the recent Hurricanes in the Caribbean and Florida had some winds threes times as powerful (up to 255mph gusts around the Virgin Islands - which is why they are totally denuded of trees and shrubs). I was at my late Mum’s place in 1987 and always slept with the windows open. I awoke at 5:30am to a tremendous noise and the sensation of the mattress “pumping” up and down. Compared to say, Superstorm Sandy it was quieter and Sandy would have ripped the windows off. We kept power but the Great Eastern mainlines were closed due to downed trees which were fixed over the weekend. I suspect the the South West will have some big waves battering the usual locales - so the photographers will be out. Best, Pete.

It ate 100 watt Marshalls....... The loudest thing that night was the HC bassist’s 260 watt Acoustic amp. In fact I remember it made me feel queazy out front. Best, Pete.

Best, Pete.

Does it still have that fine old Cinema building? My band supported “Hot Chocolate” there when I was about 19...... Best, Pete.

“Works Beano” in Telford? We used to have one in Cannes...... Best, Pete.

I used to think that Dagenham was the of the World until I discovered Jersey City. Best, Pete.

I can’t understand Columbus Day either - but it pleases the Italian Americans. Here it should Verrazano Day..... First real rain since September 3rd today, thanks to former Hurricane Nate. Tomorrow it will be a warm 80f then down to 65f on Thursday. I don’t care; we get enough cold weather in January and February for my liking. I received my 2018 Calendar from the BNSF today. I get it every year free. Usual good quality but more photos (from staff only, which is a good idea) from their Northern tier. Who needs the movie “It”?: Best, Pete.

Thanks Rick none that I’m aware of. Personally I’ve never worked in or even visited Las Vegas. I’m very anti-gambling but understand that many people get off on it. The known facts (available to the public, I’m not giving away anything here). Total shooting time was between 5 and 8 minutes. It had already finished by the time Police breached the hotel room door (the same method the SAS would have used - blowing off the frame). The Police and FBI found one man dead in the room with a fatal bullet wound (Paddock). They found ten automatic weapons in the room and a large amount of ammunition. They later found a small assortment of weapons in his home in a “Retirement Community” in Mesquite and are now investigating a further property nearby. The main home is well kept, normal interior, similar well manicured garden to the rest of the community. One of the first things the authorities have to make clear is to ensure that Paddock actually shot the rounds from the hotel room. This is vital. His brother in Florida advised total shock within the family (incl. their 90 odd year old Mother) at the incident. He also advised that he helped Paddock to move from Florida to Mesquite and the only weapons he moved was a small quantity of non-military weapons (similar to what you’d find in many American homes - Bolt actioned Deer rifle, .38 Special revolver). Paddock was, he said not a “gun nut”. The whole incident is “incomprehensible”, he said. Beware of reporters jumping to conclusions. Even in Nevada you cannot simply walk into a Gunsmith’s and buy fully automatic weapons. They are banned to the regular joe, usually only available by special license to serious firearm experts. That’s it for now! Best, Pete.

Oh, dear, I was a bit concerned about posting this photo here: It could lead to more confusion such as this one: I suspect Mal and a few others will know why........... Best, Pete.

Long distance flights. I did plenty to Narita, Japan when the Russians were still Soviets you had to go from London via Anchorage (and vice versa). I hated the flight back because you crossed the IDL backwards, i.e. taking off from Narita on a Thursday night you landed in Anchorage on Thursday morning before you took off! That really messed my head up. All those flights were, thank God, BA First Class. I did the same from LA (but due to schedules went back to London) those flights were tolerable because we used, what was then considered the best airline for service and comfort - Singapore Airlines. Super and beautiful cabin crew... Other interesting flights (for different reasons) were the great North South routes (with little East- West deviance) like London to Rio de Janeiro or South Africa. If you ever get to Rio take the railway to the top of Corcovado. Best, Pete.

Here is a very interesting video of a SuperCell T-Storm over Amarillo, Texas. Some superb shots of the odd “Red Sprites”. The first photos of tho phenomena were taken in 1989 (first color in 1994). Pilots had reported them previously but had suffered some derision (!). There is a video floating around of shots from the ISS, so they must be kosher....... Best, Pete.

Shock News: Maria will not devastate Britain (although the weather will get a bit nasty). Actually the combined track of Maria and Lee now takes them up the Severn Estuary - but it’s quite likely to change before Sunday... In the meantime some doggies to cheer you all up: Cheers! Pete.