iPod

I finally got a 20GB Apple iPod from HP from my parents! Oh, is it nice!

Happy Easter

Well, It's easter, don't forget the real meaning of the day.
I haven't posted lately because I haven't had anything to post about.

New templates

I've created 4 templates, all of them look about the same as this one: Template 1, except for the background color.
If you want a copy of the source code, just email me (you'll find my email in the sidebar) and tell me whether you want the Pastel Yellow, Pastel Blue, Pastel Pink, or Pastel Green version.

I've changed my blog template again, and I still haven't got a chance to reinstall Palm Desktop, I'll have to do that tommorow, and I'll have some template tweaks to do tommorow.

Severe Storm Spotter Class Notes

OK, it was too late for me to post all of this when we got home last night so here it is now:

In 2004 there was 69 tornados statewide in Missouri, and 122 in Kansas (a new record)
On May 24, 2004, there was a tornado outbreak in Northern Missouri, a 6" dia. hail stone near Meadville, MO.
On May 29, 2004, there was a tornado outbreak along I-35.

Spotters are critical to a successful warning
Green clouds normally mean hail.
When looking at what you think is a tornado, look before you report. It might just be a smoke stack from the power plant down the road, or it might just be a low hanging cloud. Also look for rotation - no rotation means no tornado.
Tornado - What's important to report:

• Rotation
• Wall Cloud
• RFD - Rear Flank Downdraft
• Tornado
  

A Wall Cloud is a cloud that slopes down and away from rain.
A Shelf Cloud is a cloud that slopes up and away from rain.
Flash Flooding is DANGEROUS, 2' of water can carry a car away, 6" can carry you away, and can carry a car off the road TADD = Turn Around, Don't Drown.
If you have a rain gauge, 4" an hour can mean flash flooding.
On a Doppler Radar, Hot colors means wind blowing away from the radar site, cool colors means winds blowing towards the radar site.

Always know where you are with respect to the storm
If you are spotting in your car, bring a map and know escape routes to get out of the path of a storm.
When a storm is coming through, and you are in a building remember this duck:
Down to the basement or lowest floor
Under something sturdy
Cover your head and neck
Keep in shelter until the storm has passed

DON'T HIDE IN AN OVERPASS!!!

Call-in Phone Number: 1.800.438.0596

Now for the handouts:

Beaufort Scale

Internet Links:

NWS Home Page
Kansas City (Pleasent Hill) NWS Office
Pleasent Hill "Storm Tracker" page
E-Spotter website
Skywarn frequencies
Turn Around, Don't Drown
NOAA Lightning Safety
NWS Real-Time Doppler Radar Network
Storm Prediction Center (SPC)
SPC Mesoanalysis Page
National Centers for Enviromental Prediction (NCEP)
Climate Prediction Center (CPC - Hazards Assessment)
NWS Safety Brochures and Other Publications

Severe WX Spotter Training

At 7:00 PM tonight at the American Red Cross Building at 12th & Faraon here in St. Joseph, will be the annual mandatory NWS WX Spotter Training. I will be there and I will blog the class, so if you're in the St. Joseph, MO area, Please come early if you want good seats, also for Amateur Radio operators, there will be seats reserved for us up in the front.

Flickr

Well, now I'm using Flickr and I love it. My Flickr address is http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyblog2.
Also, I'm reading more blogs than I was, and when I get a chance I will put more links in the sidebar.

It's Furby!

DCP_5552
Originally uploaded by happyblog2.

Stupid computer!!!

This stupid computer won't let me hotsync my Tungsten|T3, now I'll have to reinstall the Palm Desktop, Grrrrrr!!!

Bill Gates, Doing a Blog?

I just found out that Bill Gates is planning to do a blog. Now that might be a good thing except for the fact that he probably won't tell anyone that reads his blog about upcoming Microsoft products. If he would, myself and plenty of other people would like that.
And if he would post links to pre-betas of Microsoft software, or select a few of his blog readers to give copys of pre-betas, or even alphas, then Microsoft would have even more beta testers.
If he would post more info on his blog about what Microsoft is planning to do in the future, then that would be nice.

On a side note, Yahoo!, is planning to have a blog service called Yahoo! 360, which I won't be using. Go blogger.