Saturday, February 11, 2006
Life's Little Battles - The Weather Forecast
I was at the gas station earlier today. Filling my tank in expectation that the weathermen actually get it right and my area does in fact get dumped on by snow.
While filling up I was chatting with the gut at the pump which I normally do. He is a fellow from Egypt and is a very nice guy and goes by the name Avri (sp?). Folks like Avri are quite common where I live, as I have discussed in a previous entry; Of Yeah-mans and Yemens.
In any case we were discussing the pending snow and he asked me how much I thought we would get. Given the fact that I was born, bread and spread in New Jersey, having spent the last 25 years of my life at the Jersey Shore area I felt fairly qualified to make a prediction. The sky, the air and the 'feel' was that we would in fact get somewhere between 6"-12". After providing my prediction, Avri, went on to tell me that he felt we would not be getting any "real" snow, only a dusting. Perhaps feeling a little too comfortable or sure of himself, he went on to say that all the hysteria was created by "your corporations and business". "People go out and buy shovels and things for no reason, It is only to help business".
In some other context I might have been taken back by what he said but given the nature of the conversation, and the light heartedness for which it was said I can comfortably focus on the issue at hand. While it is certainly true that companies like the Home Depot, Wal - Mart etc. do benefit in the additional sales of snow shovels, road salt and de-icers (to name a few products), I am not quite sure how connected these companies are to the Weather Channel, the local weathermen on TV. Also, while such dire weather predictions are being made, does the increase in sales of these items outweith the potential in loss revenue? Does someone hold off from buying the new ourside door, lamp or paint because of such looming conditions?
We all have our conspiracy theories and Avri is no different (though in the back of my mind the genesis of his thinking would be a bit interesting). In reality there is no telling and I am not sure what the point of such a debate would be, so I disengaged from the conversation by saying "well let's just see, we will have to talk about it in a few days when I see you next". We both shook hands on it and I went my way.
With the snow expecting to arrive at approximately 4Pm time we both sit anxiously awaiting. If I am right, it's another imaginary feather in my cap for always being right. If Avri is right, well he just proved a local yahoo wrong and he has (perhaps) a working example to support his theory.
In any case I plan on locking myself up in the house after dinner, working the pot belly stove and sucking down the hot chocolate's. I also plan on taking measurements every few hours. That's just the way I am, especially when I engage in one of Life's Little Battles.
Check for periodic updates!
UPDATE #1: At about 2:45PM we began to get a wintry mix. Things were looking good and I was preparing my back for some serious shoveling.
At 5:25PM Though (the time of this entry), it now is mostly rain and I begin to remember some of the other things that Avri said. Something about how the birds are not huddling together. Some type of frontier meteorology? My pajamas are lined up on the bed. Of course if need be I shall wear them inside-out tonight. *thinking in my head that I can't possibley lose*
UPDATE #2: It is 7:30PM...Rain Rain Go Away, Come Back Some Other Day!! Could it be that there will be no snow? no snow men? no snow angels? no snow ball fights?
The best in the business are still backing mighty merk and predicting major snow...but at 0" accumulation...boy the fella from Luk Oil is sitting pretty! *thinking in my head how I could set myself up for such public embarassement?*
UPDATE #3: 10:00PM and all is wet! Accumulation is still at 0". Is Avri a Shaman of some sort?
UPDATE #4: 4:00AM on Sunday and It's On Baby!! After having gone to bed at 12:00AM with no snow, I woke from my sleep to see the Winter Wonderland outside. Official measurement at this point is 3", but it is still coming down fairly heavily. It appears that the pajama thing may have worked.
UPDATE #5: 10:15AM. Official measurement is anywhere from 6.5-8.5 inches (taken from several spots on my lawn (though after just getting done doing some shoveling my back says that it feels more like 20".) In any case it is still snowing fairly heavy and a full foot of snow still seems very much possible.
While filling up I was chatting with the gut at the pump which I normally do. He is a fellow from Egypt and is a very nice guy and goes by the name Avri (sp?). Folks like Avri are quite common where I live, as I have discussed in a previous entry; Of Yeah-mans and Yemens.
In any case we were discussing the pending snow and he asked me how much I thought we would get. Given the fact that I was born, bread and spread in New Jersey, having spent the last 25 years of my life at the Jersey Shore area I felt fairly qualified to make a prediction. The sky, the air and the 'feel' was that we would in fact get somewhere between 6"-12". After providing my prediction, Avri, went on to tell me that he felt we would not be getting any "real" snow, only a dusting. Perhaps feeling a little too comfortable or sure of himself, he went on to say that all the hysteria was created by "your corporations and business". "People go out and buy shovels and things for no reason, It is only to help business".
In some other context I might have been taken back by what he said but given the nature of the conversation, and the light heartedness for which it was said I can comfortably focus on the issue at hand. While it is certainly true that companies like the Home Depot, Wal - Mart etc. do benefit in the additional sales of snow shovels, road salt and de-icers (to name a few products), I am not quite sure how connected these companies are to the Weather Channel, the local weathermen on TV. Also, while such dire weather predictions are being made, does the increase in sales of these items outweith the potential in loss revenue? Does someone hold off from buying the new ourside door, lamp or paint because of such looming conditions?
We all have our conspiracy theories and Avri is no different (though in the back of my mind the genesis of his thinking would be a bit interesting). In reality there is no telling and I am not sure what the point of such a debate would be, so I disengaged from the conversation by saying "well let's just see, we will have to talk about it in a few days when I see you next". We both shook hands on it and I went my way.
With the snow expecting to arrive at approximately 4Pm time we both sit anxiously awaiting. If I am right, it's another imaginary feather in my cap for always being right. If Avri is right, well he just proved a local yahoo wrong and he has (perhaps) a working example to support his theory.
In any case I plan on locking myself up in the house after dinner, working the pot belly stove and sucking down the hot chocolate's. I also plan on taking measurements every few hours. That's just the way I am, especially when I engage in one of Life's Little Battles.
Check for periodic updates!
UPDATE #1: At about 2:45PM we began to get a wintry mix. Things were looking good and I was preparing my back for some serious shoveling.
At 5:25PM Though (the time of this entry), it now is mostly rain and I begin to remember some of the other things that Avri said. Something about how the birds are not huddling together. Some type of frontier meteorology? My pajamas are lined up on the bed. Of course if need be I shall wear them inside-out tonight. *thinking in my head that I can't possibley lose*
UPDATE #2: It is 7:30PM...Rain Rain Go Away, Come Back Some Other Day!! Could it be that there will be no snow? no snow men? no snow angels? no snow ball fights?
The best in the business are still backing mighty merk and predicting major snow...but at 0" accumulation...boy the fella from Luk Oil is sitting pretty! *thinking in my head how I could set myself up for such public embarassement?*
UPDATE #3: 10:00PM and all is wet! Accumulation is still at 0". Is Avri a Shaman of some sort?
UPDATE #4: 4:00AM on Sunday and It's On Baby!! After having gone to bed at 12:00AM with no snow, I woke from my sleep to see the Winter Wonderland outside. Official measurement at this point is 3", but it is still coming down fairly heavily. It appears that the pajama thing may have worked.
UPDATE #5: 10:15AM. Official measurement is anywhere from 6.5-8.5 inches (taken from several spots on my lawn (though after just getting done doing some shoveling my back says that it feels more like 20".) In any case it is still snowing fairly heavy and a full foot of snow still seems very much possible.
Posted by mightymerk,
9:21 AM
1 Comments:
By 
BK
Out here in Fairless Hills, PA, it is just after 11 p.m. and there is an inch or two of snow on the grass and dirt...the sidewalk is just starting to get a dusting now.
It started snowing lightly here between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The snow picked up a bit a couple of hours later and started to stick to the grass and dirt.
I'm going to try to post some pics during the night since I tend not to sleep too well. Of course, the one thing I forgot to buy were batteries for my digital camera. I'll have to take some with my DV camera.
Don't worry...you'll get more than a dusting (fingers crossed).
It started snowing lightly here between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The snow picked up a bit a couple of hours later and started to stick to the grass and dirt.
I'm going to try to post some pics during the night since I tend not to sleep too well. Of course, the one thing I forgot to buy were batteries for my digital camera. I'll have to take some with my DV camera.
Don't worry...you'll get more than a dusting (fingers crossed).
@ 8:27 PM
