Long Run Solutions

Colorado Tornado Action

We have had quite a spate of weather here on the Front Range in Colorado. Everyday for the past five have seen Tornadoes within 20 miles of Denver. And the hail we saw this past weekend was the biggest I have ever seen.

The above picture was taken 45 minutes after this hail fell. The orange ball is a ping pong ball to give you some perspective on the size of the hail. The biggest of the hail was significantly bigger than a golf ball and it sounded like gun shots were going off as it hit our house.

When we took the attached video of the tornado that ended up ripping up Southland's Mall just 1 mile from our house, we had no idea that there would be so many tornadoes around that it seemed like everyone had video.

This 45 second video is of the tornado that came within a few hundred yards of our house. It actually turned directly at our house and as you can imagine, we headed for the basement. There is audio also so turn up your speakers. The comments are almost entirely about the hail, not the funnel cloud. Imagine that; we have a funnel cloud 1/4 mile from our house and we were more impressed with the hail.

Enjoy.

Download Southland's Tornado

Four dollar a gallon blessing?

No one I know actually likes paying $4 a gallon for gasoline. For many, it is a true hardship. For others, they modify their lifestyle so the gas prices are not too much of a hardship.

The silver lining in these ridiculously high prices is that there is real money being poured into alternative energy sources and hybrid vehicles. We all know about the Toyota Prius. A friend tells me she gets 48 miles a gallon. And then there is E85.....oh please stop with the E85. I love farmers too, but on principle I think we should grow corn to eat. Maybe I'm just a bleeding heart liberal, but does anyone else have a problem with people starving in third world countries while we burn "food" in our cars and trucks. But, I digress.

Here is what is cool about $4 gasoline.

We have a company that has legitimate technology to run cars and trucks on compressed air. What? Yes it's true and it could be available as soon as 2010! That is exciting.

Second, we have a company with legitimate technology to retrofit cars with electric assist motors. For the first time, we are looking at a concept that appears like it may be easy to install in any car for under $4000 and boost gasoline mileage significantly. Both of these articles are worth checking out, so click on the links above.

Neither of these alternatives is going to put a dime in your pocket tomorrow. But, either or both of these technologies could make a big difference in how we build cars and what we pay for gasoline in the future. If we find ways to burn significantly less gas, prices will plummet. Oooo, that sounds good. 

Say it isn't so!

I read this morning that global temperatures are supposed to cool in 2008 due to the cooling effect in the Pacific Ocean's current. NO, NO, NO. Say it isn't so! Is this a lie or a damn lie?

Some misguided people might even start thinking this is good news. Don't be fooled people. We are not talking about just anything here. We are talking about a subject that we have already decided is a problem and there is no reason to start thinking foolishly now. I mean, if I'm not careful the Al Gore Fan Club might pull my membership.

Here is a quote from the article, "If the forecast holds true, global temperatures will not have risen since 1998, prompting some to question climate change theory." Ah, hello people, now your going to start questioning Al Gore?

For a look at the full article, which must be wrong, click here.