February 16, 2016 Night

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Good evening. Currently partly cloudy and 33 degrees in Delmar. A big drop from 54 degrees earlier today. Through the clouds, you can see the stars but the ground is still pretty wet from today’s rain.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind 7 to 10 mph. Waxing gibbous moon, setting at 1:21 am.

Tomorrow’s sunrise will be at 6:48 am with first light at 6:20 am, which is 2 minutes and 26 seconds earlier then today. Tomorrow will be partly sunny, with a high near 38. Northwest wind around 8 mph. The sun will be nice, as I know I find these gray days to be so depressing.

Looking ahead to the weekend, mild conditions are expected but cloudy and some rain or snow showers expected for Saturday and more sun for Sunday. I wouldn’t mind going to the Adirondacks but not if it’s going to snow or rain. I just want a really nice weekend to go camping in the Adirondacks. Maybe it won’t happen until spring time at this point. I could use a good campfire in the wilderness though.

Went down to the library for an hour or two then for my evening walk. It was pretty nice weather for the evening walk. It’s been a few days since the evening walk because of the frigid weather and my lack of heavy a winter coat. I like getting out in the evening but I’m not as crazy as years past on doing my evening walk come hell or high water.

I hope you had a good Tuesday. Sleep well!

KunstlerCast 274 — Chatting With Bill Kauffman Of The Front Porch Republic.

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KunstlerCast 274 — Chatting With Bill Kauffman Of The Front Porch Republic.

This podcast is utterly fascinating. Definitely worth a listen.

"Bill Kauffman is a founder and contributor to the Front Porch Republic website. He’s also the author of Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette; Ain’t My America; and the recent collection of essays, Poetry night at the Ballpark. He also wrote the screenplay for the 2013 motion picture Copperhead, about community strife on the home front during the Civil War. He’s a supporter and defender of the American small town and its economic interests. Just out of college, he joined the staff of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and he is deeply acquainted with Inside-the-Beltway culture. He abandoned Washington DC to return to his hometown of Batavia in far, far western New York (near Buffalo) where I chatted with him by phone."

More Driving Means More Dying.

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More Driving Means More Dying.

Cheaper gas prices have lead to increased driving which has lead to more gore on the roads. It turns out the relationship between miles driven and fatal crashes isn't just proportional, it's actually logarithmic.

In other words, 1 mile extra driven doesn't equal 1 more fatal accident or a ratio like that, it's more like 1 mile extra equals 1.4 extra deaths.

The reasons probably are complicated, but increased congestion and drivers spending more time on the road, leading to increased distracted and drowsy driving, at leading to increased fatalities. Congestion means your more likely to hit another car in your path then free-flowing, empty roads.

Long hours on the roads mean more drivers are distracted. 2/3rds of all distracted driver collisions (per NTSHA) are caused by day dreaming and paying attention to the scenery (or the guy in the clown suit at the big box retailer) rather then the road ahead.

February 16, 2016 Evening

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Good evening on this Tuesday after Presidents Day. Currently partly cloudy and 53 degrees in Albany. It has cleared out since the heavy rain that melted away this morning’s snow and ice.

Tonight we have a Waxing Gibbous Moon with 59% illuminated, setting around 1 AM. At times look for rain showers, possibly mixing with snow after 10pm, then gradually ending. Low around 30. West wind 6 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

In four weeks on March 15 the sun will be setting at 7:02 pm, which is 34 minutes later then today. That’s Daylight Savings Time. There are 4 months, 2 days until Go Fishing Day. when the sun will be setting at 8:36 pm.

Very little traffic on the way home on the 787, because a lot of state workers take this week off and school is not in session. I expect to get home fairly early tonight.

Been studying up on HDTV tuners and over the air antennas, but I still don’t know if I want television in my home. I know it will work with my monitor as I confirmed it has HDCP. I’m a bit worried that the tuner won’t last because while many of the reviews are good, some aren’t. At worse I guess I’m out $30. I know Staples has free recycling of e-waste but I don’t want to buy garbage. But there isn’t much better on the Internet. Likewise, I still aren’t sure I want TV in my home, even if I only plan to watch it rarely. I can leave the monitor off to save energy and only use the sound. It’s just a lot to think about.

February 16, 2016 Mid-Day

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Good afternoon on this rainy Tuesday. Currently moderate to heavy rain and 54 degrees in Albany. It’s a driving rain with winds around 16 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

I don’t know if you’ve been watching the temperature, but it’s jumped from 36 degrees to 54 degrees in a little over two hours as the front came through. The drop back down to 30 degrees by midnight will be much more gradual.

Stay dry! And don’t waste your time with an umbrella outside this afternoon, it’s just going to blow open.