Life in the eye of the storm
Feeling confused, a little out of sorts? There might be a reason…
**** STRONG GEOMAGNETIC STORM IN PROGRESS ****
A geomagnetic storm began at 05:55 AM EST Monday, April 5, 2010. Space weather storm levels reached Strong (G3) levels on the Geomagnetic Storms Space Weather Scale. The source of the storming is an Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejection associated with a weak solar flare that occurred in Active Region 1059 on April 3 at 05:54 AM EST. This is expected to be an isolated storm that should subside quickly. Other than the flare and CME erupting on April 3, this active region has not produced any significant activity. Systems that can be affected include electric power systems, spacecraft> operations, high-frequency communications, GPS, and other navigation systems.
And here, I thought it might be something we’d eaten. Seriously, we’ve been at the minimum in the sunspot cycle for several years now, meaning that amateur radio hasn’t been getting “out” the way I’d like. I’m glad to see that activity is picking up, even if it messes with a lot of important systems. Just wanted to mention it.
The great travel saga (son #3 on his first international tour) is down to D-1. Of course, by suppertime, he concluded that some luggage might be useful. No green garbage sacks for my boy. It’s times like this that the principle of filicide moves beyond my collection of Shakespearian tragedies (and send us off to the bargain aisle at Wallies). I don’t want to travel vicariously, when the process becomes this nerve-wracking. The passport quest is worthy of my next novel (OK, my first novel), but I am SO looking forward to this trip being over and done with.
