Monthly Archives: June 2012

Feng Shui & Your Street Address

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Hey, just for fun:

Feng Shui Tips Using the Numerology of Your Street Address

Written by avenefica on April 6th, 2012

 

Did you know you can align the energy of your home using Feng Shui and the numerology of your street address?  No joke.  These Feng Shui tips really help (I’ve gotten great feedback!).  I know this is a long post, but you don’t have to read all of it.  Simply crunch the numbers to get your street address down to one digit, and look up the Feng Shui according to your home number.

Feng Shui is an ancient Asian practice in which strategic placement of certain auspicious objects in your environment can release positive energy (also known as “chi“).

Numerology is the practice of interpreting the deeper energy of a number and utilizing that vibe for optimal understanding and alignment.

By combining the energy of your home address with Feng Shui, you can encourage the flow of beneficial energy in your home.  So let’s get started!

How to get your single digit home-number:

First, you’ll need to determine the prime root number of your home address.  We do this in numerology by a process called reduction.  Here’s how to do it:  Take your street address, and add all the numbers together.  For example, if you live at 2542, add them up like so: 2+5+4+2=13.  If you come up with a double digit such as in this example, add the two numbers together like so: 1+3=4.  In this case, your prime number is four.  Of course, if your address is a single digit, you can skip this step altogether. If you come up with a 10 in your calculations, your prime number will be one.

Now that you have your prime address number, it’s time to open your home up to luck, love and good mojo!

Simply refer to the guide below according to your prime address number to stimulate your chi!

One:
Like the song says, one can be the loneliest number.  One-energy can express isolation.  It’s the first in the procession of numbers, and it can represent a “lone wolf” feeling.  This is great if you’re a loner, but if you want to attract lots of friends, family and good juju in your home, you’ll need to jazz up the south quadrant of your home.  In Feng Shui, south represents fire, and lightning.  Activating the southern area of your home will connect the initiatory (new beginnings) flavor of number one.

  • Activate the south wall of your home by painting it with a warm, fiery color like amber, gold or blood-red. Number one is an initiator, and this color in this quadrant will enhance a quality of igniting energy, making your environment energized and welcoming.
  • Since one is a solitary number, incorporate pairs in your home.  For example pairs of fish, swans, fu dogs, geese or double lanterns are all lucky symbols in Feng Shui.  Consider hanging these items (in pairs) in the southern area of your home.  Doing so will enhance a sense of balance, partnership and equanimity.
  • The number one is a yang energy (male, aggressive, assertive), so it’s a good idea to temper that, especially if you sense a bit of assertive tension in your home.  Incorporate yin energy (female, passive, reserved) in the southern area of your home.  Some ideas for yin items include moon motifs, silver accents, flowers, or a water feature.

Two:
The number two encourages balance and partnership, which is great if you share your home with a committed partner.  Two is also a wonderful number for families.  The drawback with number two energy can be a sense of indecision, duality and doubt (inability to make your mind up about choices/decisions).  We’ll activate the northwest area of your home to neutralize a bit of that doubt. The northwest represents ‘big metal’ and activates creativity as well as paternal energy in the Feng Shui practice.

  • Consider hanging a wind chime made of metal in the northwest area of your home.  The number two is a yin (feminine) energy, and the metal or silver marries well with this chi.  The chime accentuates harmony and balance, while still activating your senses with its musical tones.  These tones will encourage clarity and mental stimulation.
  • Place a vase in the northwest section of your home.  This structure will “capture” feelings of doubt or frustration.
  • Think about painting your northwest wall a light color, like pastel blue, ecru, or ‘barely there’ pink.  These soothing colors will stimulate a sense of security and comfort, making it easier for you to know what you want, and how to get it.

Three:
Three is a number that rules creation and creativity.  It’s an outstanding number for artists with studios in their home.  However, the number three can produce too much creativity, which may lead to a sense of chaos under your roof.  Too much activity, too many ideas…these can lead to a sense of being overwhelmed, and not knowing which project/direction to pick.  We’ll look to the southeast sector of your home to neutralize that potential crazy vibe.  Southwest represents the ‘big earth’ in Feng Shui, and breeds a sense of grounding as well as receptivity.

  • Soften up some jagged nerves by placing a vase of pink flowers (peonies are especially auspicious in Feng Shui symbolism) on a delicate end table in the southwest corner of your home.
  • Another way to neutralize an over-active three vibration is to place a water plant in the southwest.  Get a lucky bamboo plant, place it in an elegant, glass vase or bowl.  Water is a purifying agent, and will cleanse your home’s aura.  The green of the plant is also a great way to attract luck and wealth! Be sure to change the water when needed, so it’s always clear and clean.
  • Take that calming water element a step further and consider getting a goldfish!  A goldfish will enhance creativity in the home, while the water will encourage emotional well-being.  The most ideal set-up would be a small aquarium with a bubble feature (an oxygenating device).  The bubbles will make your goldfish happy (you can have more than one if you like), and will activate the receptive flavors inherent in the southwest section of Feng Shui practice.  Be sure not too overfeed your goldfish. Also, change the water as needed, keeping it clean and clear of algae.

Four:
The number four is an energetic expression of community, stability and is THE number for homesteads.  It’s a rooted energy, and very structured.  Consider the four points of a traditional home foundation (most homes are square).  It’s a optimal number for building a solid home, and a solid relationship/family/environment.  The drawback is, this sense of stability can become too overbearing, and you may get a sense of rigidity under your roof.  You may also get a feeling of being ‘closed in’ if number four is too overbearing.  We’ll look to the east to balance that potential cloistering.  The east governs thunder and the ‘big wood’ in Feng Shui.  Wood will encourage stability, while thunder will insure things are not overly structured by shaking things up a little.

  • There’s no better symbol than the dragon to introduce spontaneity and vibrant chi in your home.  Display an image of a dragon, or place an ornate dragon figurine in the east of your home. Dragon energy is sure to get you out of a rut!
  • Consider shopping for a jade ornament or figurine (jade dragons, fu dogs, or turtles are perfect!) and placing it in an east corner of your home.  Jade is incredibly lucky, and wards off negative energy.
  • The jade plant (a succulent which loves bright light – perfect for an east window) is synonymous with jade stone.  This plant will oxygenate the air, which will stimulate your sense of well being, and thwart any kind of stuffiness looming in your home.  If jade plants aren’t your thing, consider orchids, or a chrysanthemum plant.  These are all very auspicious in Feng Shui.  If you don’t have a green thumb, an artificial plant will do.  Either way, pick a plant with bright green leaves, a perky demeanor. If you opt for a live jade plant, follow nursery instructions to keep it happy in your home.

Five:
The number five can be a tricky energy.  Five is always seeking to balance itself.  This number is also a very spiritual number because it represents the completion of the elements, which are: Fire, earth, air and water.  The fifth element is ether (spirit)- an ephemeral, all-pervasive essence which imbues all things.  In the home, an over-active five energy has a potential to trigger a sense of instability or imbalance.  It may also render a flighty or ‘spacey’ feel to your home – a sense of not feeling ‘all together’, but rather drifting out into space.  The west sector of your home represents focus, closure and security. West governs the ‘small metal’ in Feng Shui, and prompts joy, stability and completion.

  • If you’re in a mental fog, or feeling discombobulated, consider placing a metal gong in the western section of your home.  The roundness of the gong encourages a sense of cohesion (circles are symbolic of unity).  Give that gong a whack when the urge comes to you.  The tone of the gong will chase away any fuzziness in your home’s energy.
  • Five-homes are prime headquarters for spiritually minded people.  Remember, five is the number of ether (or spirit).  You can enhance a sense of spiritual connection by placing unique crystal elements in the west.  A crystal ball, crystal vase, candle holders…these are all perfect features.  Ideally, place these crystal accents in a window, and watch the setting sun make prismatic patterns on your walls.  This will activate the rainbow within you!
  • Find a sun-and-moon motif and hang it on your westwall.  The union between these two energies will offer balance and stability, while still encouraging a celestial connection for you in your home.  The sun is a yang (male) energy and moon is yin (female) – these are ancient archetypes for perfect harmony.

Six:
The number six is the perfect number for sensual evenings by your hearth fire, and romantic interludes.  It’s because the six is the number of love, sensuality and romance.  It’s also a number for nurturing (great for raising families in the home) and physicality.  There’s a flip-side to six if it’s over-active in your home’s energy.  Too much six vibration can lead to obsessive-compulsive tendencies.  If not in balance, the number six can lead to jealousy or potentially abusive behavior.  It’s the passion backing number six that causes a backfire if the vibration in your home is out of whack.  Incorporating Feng Shui practices in the southeast area of your home will assist in keeping that six energy loving and bright.  The southeast region in Feng Shui represents the ‘small wood’, and governs the element of wind.  This Feng Shui sector is also the region of gentleness and clear communication.  Activating these elements will keep your six-house in perfect order.

  • Red is an energizing and passionate color.  Temper that powerful essence by incorporating soft, comforting fabrics in the southeast area of your home.  Lush, velvety pillows or rich window treatments will activate that sexy-six vibration while the soft tactile fabrics gives a mellowing effect.
  • Crystals, like quartz and amethyst are perfect accents for your six-aligned home.  Make a Zen rock garden with a bunch of your favorite crystals and place it in the east corner of your home.  Crystals (especially amethyst) will boost positive chi in your home, while at the same time, eradicate any negative energy looming.
  • Hang a light from the ceiling to unify heavenly and earthly energies for harmony.  Pick out a pretty crystal chandelier.  Or, get a candle holder that hangs from your ceiling for the same energetic effect.

Seven:
Seven is the number of scholarly pursuit, higher education and serious study.  If you have a seven house, it’s a great place to learn new things, and explore new topics.  Seven also has an introspective quality; its vibration prompts us to go within, reflect, ponder and meditate.  Clearly, these attributes of number seven are valuable, but if the energies in your home are not in balance, seven can bring about a hermit mentality within the home.  If there’s a tendency for you to want to withdraw to an unhealthy extent, or you’re spending too much time holed up in your house – it’s time for a little Feng Shui to put the balance right.  The northeast should be activated in your home to counteract any unhealthy, or overly cerebral tendencies.  In Feng Shui, the northeast rules the element of the ‘small earth‘ which will put a grounder on overactive intellectual pursuits.  The northeast is also a representative of mountains, which will enhance studious behavior too.  Mountains are grounding, while promoting mental/spiritual ascension at the same time. It’s all about balance, so incorporate these Feng Shui elements to get the energy in your seven-home just right.

  • If you’re feeling too much “in your head” consider placing a stone/marble statue in your northeast corner.  The stone will effectively ground you.  Some suggestions for statues to bring you back to earth include: The horse, fu dog, bear, elephant, or a tiger.
  • Warm metals like bronze and copper are nice energetic conductors for mental energy.  They enhance alacrity, while disbursing it too, so your mind doesn’t have a tendency to get all clogged up.  Think about stringing Chinese amulet-coins (they have a square hole in the middle and are marked with Chinese writing characters) on a red ribbon and hanging it on your northeast wall.
  • If you have moments when you feel withdrawn and overly introverted, grab some bright vermilion candles and light them in the northeastern section of your home.  This will energetically illuminate you, and bring you out of yourself.

Eight:
Eight is a very cyclical energy.  It represents change, seasons, time, and the realm of the infinite. Eight is a great number for a home because it maintains the emotional flow of its resident’s.  Eight speaks to us of balance, and consistency.  As with the rest of our Feng Shui numbers, these awesome qualities can backfire if the energy of your home is not harmonious.  Some negative results of unbalanced eight energy include stagnation, anxiety and lack of motivation.  Off kilter eight energy may also incite sudden, unpleasant changes in your home, causing arguments and unrest.  Feng Shui can help!  Avoid these unwanted scenarios by sprucing up your west wall with some Feng Shui power symbols.  The west rules the ‘small metal’ which serves as a conduit, keeping chi flowing on a steady current.

  • Adorn your west wall with an elegant arrangement of Chinese fans.  Fans are very in auspicious in Feng Shui, and are believed to deflect negative energy.  Fans will also keep the chi flowing smoothly in your home.
  • Get creative an consider painting the image of a lotus on your west wall.  Or, find a pretty print or painting of a lotus and mount that instead.  The lotus is a symbol of enlightenment, progress, purity and perfection.  This peaceful blossom will insure to keep anxiety at bay!
  • The moon is a universal symbol of cycles and phases in the universe.  Because the number eight is also a cyclical vibration, consider placing a moon motif in the west segment of your home.  The moon is also associated with metal in Feng Shui (silver).  Here we have similar energy between the moon and number eight which deals with cycles, while we have a metal conductor to keep the energy electric and flowing smoothly.

Nine:
Nine is a number of happy returns and completion.  It’s symbolic of attainment, wealth, abundance and full potential.  For a home, nine is a supremely optimal number because it proposes that you have achieved an ideal residence with positive energy for you and your residents.  Gone awry, nine energy can produce negative qualities like unhealthy egotism (cockiness), greed, lust, mistrust and envy.  Not good.  To keep things in perfect prime, activate the north region of your home.  North governs the element of water in Feng Shui.  North also rules the winter, so it has a cool energy, just the thing counteract a potential powder keg in the home.

  • Consider adopting a live turtle and setting upan aquarium along your north wall.  Turtles are symbolically synonymous with nine energy.  They stand for accomplishment as well as long life.  Incorporate an aeration element (bubbles) in the aquarium to get that vital chi moving.  The water in the aquarium will serve as a purifying agent and marries nicely with the northern energy.  Be sure to care for your turtle, and keep the aquarium clean and clear.  If turtles aren’t your thing, you can get a statuette/figurine or a picture of a turtle will do nicely too.
  • Water is an essential element for nine-homes in the north.  Consider a water feature, like a fountain.  These accentuate the beauty of the home, while assuring continual energetic . If this isn’t an option for you, perhaps you could play a CD with water sounds (waterfalls, the ocean, babbling brooks, etc) in the north region of your home.  You could even paint a water scene (or buy a painting) on your north wall.
  • Adorn the north area of your home with a large, ornate vase.  Vases ‘contain’ good luck, and are symbolic of harmony, wealth and peace.   Choose a vase with lucky symbols on it.  Some suggestions are: Peacock, phoenix, fish, seashells, or floral prints.  Take the power of the vase a step further and place long stemmed flowers in it.  Choose white or red flowers for optimal energy.

As you can see, it doesn’t take a home renovation to adjust the energy of your domain.  Just a few simple additions will do the trick to make the right shift.

from:    http://www.symbolic-meanings.com/2012/04/06/feng-shui-tips-using-the-numerology-of-your-street-address/

Syrian Desert Ancient Rock Structures

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Desert mystery

June 25, 2012

Desert mystery

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Archaeologist Robert Mason spoke at the Semitic Museum about the discovery of mysterious rock formations near the Syrian monastery Deir Mar Musa (above), and the need for further exploration. Photos by Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer

There’s a mystery in the Syrian desert shielded by the conflict tearing apart the Middle Eastern nation.

 

In 2009, archaeologist Robert Mason of the Royal Ontario Museum was at work at an ancient monastery when, walking nearby, he came across a series of rock formations: lines of stone, stone circles, and what appeared to be tombs.

Mason, who talked about the finds and about archaeology at the monastery on Wednesday at Harvard’s Semitic Museum, said that much more detailed examinations are needed to understand the structures, but that he isn’t sure when he will be able to return to Syria, if ever.

Analysis of fragments of stone tools found in the area suggests the rock formations are much older than the monastery, perhaps dating to the Neolithic Period or early Bronze Age, 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Mason also saw corral-like stone formations called “desert kites,” which would have been used to trap gazelles and other animals. The region is dry today (“very scenic, if you like rocks,” Mason said), but was probably greener millennia ago.

It was clear, Mason said, that the purpose of the stone formations was entirely different from that of the stone-walled desert kites. The kites were arranged to take advantage of the landscape and direct the animals to a single place, while the more linear stone formations were made to stand out from the landscape. In addition, he said, there was no sign of habitats.

“What it looked like was a landscape for the dead and not for the living,” Mason said. “It’s something that needs more work and I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen.”

In a talk in 2010, Mason said he felt like he’d stumbled onto England’s Salisbury Plain, where Stonehenge is located, leading to the formations being dubbed “Syria’s Stonehenge.”

Mason also talked about the monastery, Deir Mar Musa. Early work on the building likely began in the late 4th or early 5th century. It was occupied until the 1800s, though damaged repeatedly by earthquakes. Following refurbishment in the 1980s and 1990s, it became active again.

Mason thinks the monastery was originally a Roman watchtower that was partially destroyed by an earthquake and then rebuilt. The compound was enlarged, with new structures added until it reached the size of the modern complex, clinging to a dry cliff face in the desert about 50 miles north of Damascus.

Mason was searching Roman watchtowers when he came across the stone lines, circles, and possible tombs.

The monastery is the home to many frescoes — some badly damaged — depicting Christian scenes, female saints, and Judgment Day. Mason also explored a series of small caves that he believes were excavated and lived in by the monks, who returned to the monastery for church services.

Mason said that if he’s able to return, he’d like to excavate the area under the church’s main altar, where he thinks there might be an entrance to underground tombs. He’s already received the permission of the monastery’s superior, who was recently ejected from the country.

from:    http://phys.org/news/2012-06-mystery.html

Report from SETICon 2

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Alien life searchers conference SETICon 2 held in Santa Clara

June 25, 2012 by Bob Yirka report

Aliens don’t want to eat us, says former SETI director

SETI’s Alien Telescope Array (ATA) listens day and night for a signal from space. Credit: SETI

SETICon 2, a conference unlike any other, ran this past weekend in Santa Clara, California. In attendance were people from all walks of life whose area of interest intersects on the topic of the search for intelligent life somewhere other than here on planet Earth.

Thus, they were made up of scientists; from and other groups, artists, and even entertainers. The goal of the conference, which is set up and run by the Institute () is to share ideas on what has been discovered of late regarding the possibility of and what might lie ahead.

Fueling much of the discussion this time around (the first SETICon was held in 2010) are findings by NASA’s Kepler mission which is dedicated to looking for extraterrestrial life, regardless of form or degree of intelligence. Since 2009, the mission has uncovered the existence of over 2,300 exoplanets that researchers believe hold the possibility of harboring some forms of life. Most notably, due to the existence of that precious resources without which we here on this planet could not survive: water. Some scientists who actually work on the mission (Geoff Marcy, Jon Jenkins, Debra Fischer, etc.) spoke to those in attendance, as did astronauts Tom Jones and Mae Jemison.

This year’s conference, those in attendance noted, was much more upbeat than the last, as more information from Kepler becomes available, the numbers of planets that might have life on them keeps going up, making the possibility of detecting its presence more plausible than ever before. As noted by several speakers, the Kepler mission is helping to find planets farther away from their stars, rather than just those that are close enough to cause their star to appear to wobble to us due to planetary gravity effects. The new more sensitive telescopes are better able to discern planets that are not only farther (meaning cooler) from their star, but smaller, some of which may have water and are rocky, making them more Earthlike and thus potentially more likely to posses the conditions necessary for the kind of life we know and understand.

In addition to offerings talks, the conference also held panel discussions, interviews, and even screenings of movies, all aimed at opening the door to the possibility that extraterrestrial life might truly exist, and if it does, highlighting the fact that we are now in a better position than ever before to find evidence of its existence.

from:    http://phys.org/news/2012-06-alien-life-searchers-conference-seticon.html

New Theory About Stonehenge

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Stonehenge a Monument to Unity, New Theory Suggests

Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Date: 22 June 2012
Stonehenge in Great Britain.
The reason for Stonehenge’s construction is unknown.
CREDIT: Albo, Shutterstock

The mysterious structure of Stonehenge may have been built as a symbol of peace and unity, according to a new theory by British researchers.

During the monument’s construction around 3000 B.C. to 2500 B.C., Britain’s Neolithic people were becoming increasingly unified, said study leader Mike Parker Pearson of the University of Sheffield.

“There was a growing islandwide culture — the same styles of houses, pottery and other material forms were used from Orkney to the south coast,” Parker Pearson said in a statement, referring to the Orkney Islands of northern Scotland. “This was very different to the regionalism of previous centuries.”

By definition, Stonehenge would have required cooperation, Parker Pearson added.

“Stonehenge itself was a massive undertaking, requiring the labor of thousands to move stones from as far away as west Wales, shaping them and erecting them. Just the work itself, requiring everything literally to pull together, would have been an act of unification,” he said.

The new theory, detailed in a new book by Parker Pearson, “Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Stone Age Mystery” (Simon & Schuster, 2012), is one of many hypotheses about the mysterious monument. Theories range from completely far-fetched (space aliens or the wizard Merlin built it!) to far more evidence-based (the monument may have been an astronomical calendar, a burial site, or both).

The Culture of Stonehenge

Along with fellow researchers on the Stonehenge riverside Project, Parker Pearson worked to put Stonehenge in context, studying not just the monument but also the culture that created it.

What they found was evidence of a civilization transitioning from regionalism to a more integrated culture. Nevertheless, Britain’s Stone Age people were isolated from the rest of Europe and didn’t interact with anyone across the English Channel, Parker Pearson said.

“Stonehenge appears to have been the last gasp of this Stone Age culture, which was isolated from Europe and from the new technologies of metal tools and the wheel,” Parker Pearson said.

Stonehenge’s site may have been chosen because it was already significant to Stone-Age Britons, the researchers suggest. The natural land undulations at the site seem to form a line between the place where the sun rises on the summer solstice and where it sets in midwinter, they found. Neolithic people may have seen this as more than a coincidence, Parker Pearson said.

“This might explain why there are eight monuments in the Stonehenge area with solstitial alignments, a number unmatched anywhere else,” he said. “Perhaps they saw this place as the center of the world.”

Theories and mystery

These days, Stonehenge is nothing if not the center of speculation and mystery. The monument has inspired its fair share of myths, including that the wizard Merlin transported the stones from Ireland and that UFOs use the circle as a landing site.

Archaeologists have built some theories on firmer ground. Stonehenge’s astronomical alignments suggest that it may have been a place for sun worship, or an ancient calendar. A nearby ancient settlement, Durrington Walls, shows evidence of more pork consumption during the midwinter, suggesting that perhaps ancient people made pilgrimages to Stonehenge for the winter solstice, Parker Pearson and his colleagues have found.

Stonehenge may have also been a burial ground, or a place of healing. Tombs and burials surround the site, and some skeletons found nearby hail from distant lands. For example, archaeologists reported in 2010 that they’d found the skeleton of a teenage boy wearing an amber necklace near Stonehenge. The boy died around 1550 B.C. An analysis of his teeth suggest he came from the Mediterranean. It’s possible that ill or wounded people traveled to Stonehenge in search of healing, some archaeologists believe.

Other researchers have focused on the sounds of Stonehenge. The place seems to have “lecture-hall” acoustics, according to research released in May. One archaeologist even suggests that the setup of the stones was inspired by an acoustical effect in which two sounds from different sources seem to cancel each other out.

from:    http://www.livescience.com/21125-stonehenge-theory-unity.html

Jeff Masters on TS Debby & Continuing Record Heat

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Debby stalls, drenches Florida; 114° in Colorado ties state heat record
Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 1:09 PM GMT on June 25, 2012 +32

Tropical storm warnings continue to fly from Alabama eastward to Suwannee, Florida, as Tropical Storm Debby sits motionless over the Gulf of Mexico. On Sunday, Debby spawned a multitude of severe thunderstorms over much of Florida, which brought torrential rains, damaging winds, and numerous tornadoes. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center logged 20 preliminary tornado reports on Sunday, and a tornado in Venus, Florida killed one person. Venus is in Central Florida, between Port St. Lucie and Sarasota. Another person is missing in Alabama, swept away by rough surf. The heaviest rains of Debby affected the Tampa Bay region, where over ten inches were reported at several locations. The Tampa Bay airport picked up 7.11 inches on Sunday. It’s a good thing this isn’t the week of the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled for late August in Tampa! Minor to moderate flooding is occurring at three rivers near Tampa, and flooding has been limited by the fact the region is under moderate to severe drought.


Figure 1. Radar-estimated rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby has totaled over 6 inches (orange colors) along a swath from Tampa to Ocala.

Winds from Debby have fallen considerably since Sunday, thanks to a slug of dry air that wrapped into Debby’s core, disrupting the storm. Our Wundermap for the surrounding ocean areas shows that winds at almost all buoys and coastal stations along the Gulf Coast were below 30 mph at 8am EDT. The exception was a Personal Weather Station at Bald Point, near Apalachiacola, Florida, which reported sustained winds of 32 mph. An Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft flying through Debby has measured top surface winds of 43 mph as of 9 am EDT. Visible satellite loops show Debby has virtually no heavy thunderstorms near its center of circulation, which will severely limit its potential for intensification today. The heavy thunderstorms of Debby are mostly on the east and north sides. Upper-level winds out of the west creating a moderate 10 – 20 knots of wind shear that continues to drive dry air into Debby’s core. This dry air can be seen on Water vapor satellite loops. Ocean temperatures are about 27.5°C (81°F) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, which is about 1°F above average, but these waters do not extend to great depth, which will limit how strong Debby can get.


Figure 2. True-color visible Aqua satellite image of Debby taken at 3 pm EDT Sunday June 24, 2012. At the time, Debby had top winds of 60 mph. Image credit: NASA.

Forecast for Debby
Debby’s slow motion will make rainfall the primary threat from the storm, though tornadoes will continue to be a threat over the next few days. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has placed most of Florida in its “Slight Risk” area for severe weather today. The slow motion of Debby will inhibit intensification of the storm by stirring up cooler waters from the depths to the surface. Debby’s close proximity to land places a portion of its circulation over land, which will also tend to slow down intensification. Wind shear is expected to remain in the moderate range through Wednesday. I expect Debby will begin to build heavy thunderstorms near its core today and Tuesday, with the winds increasing again to 60 mph by Wednesday morning. The latest SHIPS model forecast gives Debby just a 4% chance of undergoing rapid intensification–a 30 mph increase of winds in 24 hours. The 8 am EDT NHC wind probability forecast is giving Debby a 19% chance of becoming a hurricane by early Wednesday morning. Steering currents for Debby are very weak, a the storm should hang out in its current location for several more days. The models continue to have a large spread in where they thing Debby might eventual make landfall, and the official NHC forecast may have large errors for its positions at the 3 – 5 day range.

Colorado’s 114°: hottest temperature in state history
The remarkable heat wave that affected Colorado on Saturday and Sunday has tied the all-time heat record for the state. According to wunderground’s weather historian Christopher C. Burt, Saturday’s 114° reading in Las Animas tied for the hottest temperature ever measured in the state of Colorado. Two other 114° readings have occurred in Colorado history: in Las Animas on July 1, 1933, and in Sedgwick on July 11, 1954.

Colorado Springs tied its all-time record for warmest temperature ever measured on both Saturday and Sunday, with readings of 100°. The city has hit 100° four other times, most recently on July 24, 2003. The record heat in Colorado Springs exacerbated a wildfire that grew to more than 3 square miles on Sunday, driving 11,000 residents (2% of the city’s population) out of their homes.

In Fort Collins, the mercury hit 102° on Sunday, just 1° below the city’s all-time hottest temperature of 103° set on Jul 21, 2005. The heat did no favors for firefighters struggling to the contain the massive 81,000 acre High Park fire fifteen miles northwest of Fort Collins. The fire is the second largest and most destructive wildfire in Colorado’s history, and is 45% contained.

La Junta, CO hit 110° on Sunday, tying its all-time hottest temperature record, set on June 28, 1990.

The heat wave extended into neighboring Kansas, where Hill City hit 114°, tying its all-time warmest June temperature. Tribune, Kansas hit 109°, tying its all-time hottest temperature. Goodland, Kansas hit 109°, its hottest June temperature on record.

Two more days of exceptional heat are predicted for Colorado and Kansas, with the forecast for Denver calling for a high of 101 – 104° on Monday. The city hit 102° on Sunday, just 3° below the hottest temperature ever recorded in Denver, the 105° readings on July 20, 2005 and August 8, 1878.

Jeff Masters

from:    http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2133

El Hierro Update

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El Hierro Volcano : Green and Yellow alert – today : RECORD number of strong earthquakes (88) since September 30, 2011 (pre-eruption phase)

Last update: June 25, 2012 at 3:58 pm by By

Update 25/06 – 15:45 UTC
-The number of earthquakes is picking up again
– Today will have the highest number of (M+2) earthquakes since September 30, 2011 (pre-eruption process at El Hierro). IGN has still a delay of several hours and we have counted already 88 M+2 earthquakes.
We have compared data from the full length of the eruption process. On November 3 (fierce action) 62 M+2 earthquakes were registered.  On October 6, 2011, 88 M+2 were registered.

Update 25/06 – 15:28 UTC
– As stipulated in the 14:36 UTC update, we see a drastic decrease  in number and strength of the earthquakes. It looks like the strongest swarm episode  is over for now and we expect no further deterioration of the situation if the current activity continues.
– Earthquake Animation of Julio del Castillo Vivero in cooperation with Avcan – magma trail has been currently blocked at El Julan (last set of bullets)

Update 25/06 – 14:36 UTC
– We have the impression that, based on the HT hourly graphics, HT and the number of earthquakes has decreased considerably although we still notice strong ones.  Probable explanation : Flow decreased due to blocked lava tubes, but pressurizes the paths even more which is related to a number of stronger quakes
– 82 earthquakes (the most important ones) listed by IGN until 12:12 UTC (we are now more than 2 hours later)
– The AVCAN map below shows the “road” the magma is following while pressurizing the below the island tunnels. The magma is gradually moving from the El Golfo island towards a cluster below the old volcano crater and finally towards El Julan (south coast). It still has to travel a little bit towards the submarine crater to restart the eruption process. The main question now is whether it will reach and reopen the cone or withdraw before that.

Map (without green line) courtesy AVCAN – quake locations based on official IGN list

The El Julan coast where the magma seems to have been blocked (last recorded group of listed earthquakes) – image Joke Volta

for more information and updates, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-spain-volcanic-risk-alert-increased-to-yellow/

June 24-30

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This week can bring some surprises, some freshness, some questions, and lots of emotions.  This is not a time for doubt or uncertainty, rather you must own your own power.  Take time each day to center and align.  Put aside some time for meditation.  It does not have to be a huge chunk of time.  Just take a moment, center, breathe into your heart, and allow the energies of All That Is to fill you with light.

The good news is that if you are working from your heart and open to the winds of Universal Consciousness, ultimately, it will all be fine.  Everything is going to work out if you allow for things to flow.  The Universe wishes the best for all.  How could it not, we are all bits of Universal energy.  The important thing is not to get in the way of the flow.

 

On the larger scale, there will be rumblings on every level, on the Earth, within the Earth, in politics, in finance, in health, in war.  Things are being shaken up on a very critical level.  The Sun will bring in new information in terms of how it works and how it is affecting all the planets.  Meanwhile, the galactic energy is causing turbulence within the Solar System.  Expect new information about the structure of our Solar System.  Old ways and predictions are no longer working.  Things are no going according to definition or schedule.  This can lead to some interesting commentary, especially by non-mainstream talk show hosts.  And Gaia, she has so much to say.  Look for her message in the patterns and locations of her movements.

Sunday, June 24, 2012    Light Lime Green

This is just a day that will be what it is meant to be.  You can get the results you are wanting if you just let go.  Admittedly, the results will not be earth shaking but they may be just enough to let you get a glimmer of your power.  It is a good day for a smile.  Look for a contact from someone you care for who has been out of touch for a while.  It is good to speak with old friends and family.  The evening is a sigh and a kind of hug.  It will let you relax.  See things for what they are and add your gratitude for what you have.

Monday, June 25:    Light Pink

This is a day of in-betweens.  Things will be okay.  Trust that today.  Even if it may seem that there will be a conflict/upheaval/confrontation…. Etc.  Things will not escalate.  They will fumble.  Things can be stirred up and unclear, but that is about the extent of it all today.  So, what to do?  Just take the day for what it is.  Step back from all the potentially big stuff and take time to enjoy all the stuff that you tend to overlook.  The spotlight is on that which has been forgotten, stuffed in the back of the closet, taken for granted.  There are huge lessons to learn from all of this.

Tuesday, June 26:    Frosty White

There are things you had hoped for and things you had planned for.  In the energy of today, everything will be topsy-turvy.  This can leave you wondering just what exactly is happening, and that is okay.  It is okay because as everything is in flux, it is probably good to see things as moving and changing.  That which is too stationary is probably not going anywhere.  So take a look at things in your life in terms of the stationary focus.  Do you want to stay there or move on?  It is up to you, and btw, no judgment; no right; no wrong.  Just what you choose.

Wednesday, June 27:    Aquamarine

The uh-oh’s have it today.  The energies are reminding you to check and double check.  This means, also, relying on your intuition.  Today it is right on and if you will listen and heed, not only will you not be left behind, but also you can find yourself making some interesting discoveries.  There are those around you who have been playing a role and in the current energy, the facades are breaking down.  This can lead to emotional episodes.  Stay grounded and within your heart.  Make compassion your motto today.

Thursday, June 28:    Grainy White

Things that you have to do today will be just what you expected, so let it be.  No illusions.  And, under any circumstances, you can make some interesting observations about it all.  So be the observer.  Definitely not the commentator.  You just might find, if you choose that route, that your commentaries can be misunderstood, even later to come back to haunt you as the words were twisted and turned.  Everyone is on their own trajectory, and it is totally unrealistic to expect that they all will complement each other.  So let it go.

Friday, June 29:   Dark Pink

Things that were supposed to be easy can prove to be more tricky than expected today.  You are not going to feel that you have the requisite energy to deal with all this stuff, and that can make it all be more than it would seem to be on the surface.  There are things out there that can push you to the edge.  Okay, all of this seems overwhelming but attitude makes all the difference in this energy.  Choose how you are willing to let what is out there affect your inner Core.  Focus on what is important and alluring to your true essences, and all will be well.  And is it September yet??????

Some of the Satellites over Leiden

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THE BUSY-NESS OVER YOUR HEAD: Earth orbit is crowded with nearly a thousand operating satellites and tens of thousands of spent rocket engines, splinters from satellite collisions, and other space debris. Space is a busy place. This picture taken by expert satellite watcher Marco Langbroek frames some of the madding crowd over Leiden, the Netherlands:

“This single image of a 10×14 degree-wide part of the geostationary belt was taken near midnight of June 18-19 and shows 30 satellites,” says Langbroek. “Each black box contains one or more (mostly) geostationary satellites plus a few rocket bodies: 23 commercial geostationary satellites, one classified military geostationary satellite (Milstar 5), and 6 spent rocket boosters.”

“The geostationary belt can be seen as a slanting line of objects diagonally over the larger image.” he continues. “The geostationary belt (at declination -7.4 degrees for the Netherlands) never comes high in the sky for my country (which is at 52 N). All the objects on the picture have an elevation below 30 degrees. The image was taken from the center of Leiden–i.e. not an ideal dark sky. I did a slightly bad job in focussing, so the image is slightly less sharp (especially near the edges) than it could have been with this fine lens. Still, an amazing number of objects recorded in this small field of view!”

fr/spaceweather.com

Sichuan-Yunnan Border Dangerous Earthquake

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Shallow earthquake on the Sichuan/Yunnan Border – 2 killed, 17 seriously, 86 slightly injured

Last update: June 24, 2012 at 2:47 pm by By

This damaging earthquake has hit on the Sichuan-Yunnan border. Both seismological bureaus are sending teams to survey the damage.

UPDATE:- 2 killed, 17 seriously injured and 86 slightly injured.

UPDATE:- A second person has been found dead in the rubble. This value may rise given the fact that communications are down within the epicentral region.

Houses have collapsed in the epicentral region.

Earthquake damage (Courtesy: China News)

The Yunnan Provincial Civil Affairs Department, Yunnan Provincial Committee for Disaster Reduction and the provincial Civil Affairs Department has launched three emergency responses, and are  transporting to the disaster area 300 tents, 500 blankets, 500 coats. At the same time, the Working Group of the provincial Civil Affairs Department is helping guide disaster relief work.

UPDATE:- The earthquake has occurred in the Ninglang-Yanyuan region.

1 person has been killed and at least 2 seriously injured and 100 people have been slightly injured. In Ninglang!

Damage is expected to be greater than 30 million dollars via historic damage estimates.

PAGER has determined from the algorithm that the earthquake will cause between 10 and 100 million dollars damage, and 0 deaths (30% chance of 1-10 deaths). The predicted intensity is VII.

The location of the Chinese Quake (Courtesy:Yunnan Seismological Bureau)

This earthquake is CATDAT RED.

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : M5.7 (CEA)
UTC Time :  7:59:32, Sunday 24th June 2012
Local time at epicenter : 15:59:32, Sunday 24th June 2012
Depth (Hypocenter) : 11km
Geo-location(s) : Close to Lijiang City. At least 900,000 people live within a damaging radius.

for more information and updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/06/24/shallow-earthquake-on-the-sichuanyunnan-border-1-killed-200-injured/