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May 24, 2010

Sudden Weather



According to the radar, this line of storms that just popped up is heading nearly due north, which would put it to the west of me (white dot) Most disturbing is the pink part of the storm near the very end of it with what might be a hook from rotation.

I can hear the thunder and feel the gusts of wind which are coming from the front. If the storm decides to head just a little bit to the east, it might mean some severe weather for my vicinity.

It's getting closer and I may very well shut down this computer, even unplug the TV. Sometimes these storms are not only dangerous, but a major PITA.

Before I close, I want to add that I can feel the pressure as it increased, and now it's fallen a substantial amt. (not sure where the barometer is) It's gotten cooler and is very dark outside and very still, much diff. than earlier. More thunder rolls across the sky...

adumbrate

adumbrate \a-DUHM-breyt\ , verb;
1. To foreshadow; prefigure.
2. To produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch.
3. To darken or conceal partially; overshadow.



I remember this word from the uproar over O.J.‘s Darkened Mug Shot and how it left Time magazine with egg on its face.

May 22, 2010

suspire

From the Word of the Day

suspire \suh-SPAHY-uhr\ ,
–verb (used without object)
1. to sigh.
2. to breathe.
–verb (used with object)
3. to sigh; utter with long, sighing breaths.

"And from that one intake of fire
All creatures still warmly suspire"
- Robert Frost

Storm Chasing with the Taylors!

With Reed and Chris in Mississippi having the Dominator outfitted with scientific instrumentation, Joel headed out with his storm chasing dad Jimmy to document the moderate and high risk set-ups. On May 18 they observed several tornadoes in the Texas Panhandle, near Dumas and Stinnett. The next day was a high risk, and they caught a rain-wrapped wedge near Loyal, Oklahoma!

Dominator Air Cannon Test




Looks like they'll work fine, if they're extremely close to a tornado. One parachute looked to me as though it was high enough to be caught up in wind, not so sure about a couple of 'em.

It seems to me as though they need some sort of spring loaded gadget to open the parachute, one that wouldn't trip with the G-force of going up, but rather trip on the way down. Perhaps something like an half -sized umbrella mechanism that could lock in place, seems like that would make an excellent sail. The trigger could be something like a ball bearing in a long narrow race, much like an umbrella handle; when the ball bearing, forced to the top of the race during the force of the ejection, fell down - from gravity - it would trigger the spring that would cause the mini-umbrella/parasail to fully open.

Not sure on the physics of my ball bearing gizmo, but it also seems to me that since you're shifting mass in the projectile to the top of the parachute device, you'd also gain some momentum, perhaps even some altitude in the parachute shot. It wouldn't have to be a great deal of mass, just an oz. or so would help and not hurt.

Probably been better to have diagrammed it. Just got inspired after watching the vid.