Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Almanacs “The Almanac - March 2 - Post Chronicle” plus 3 more

Almanacs “The Almanac - March 2 - Post Chronicle” plus 3 more

The Almanac - March 2 - Post Chronicle

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 04:36 AM PST

Today is Tuesday, March 2, the 61st day of 2009 with 304 to follow.

The moon is waning. The morning stars are Mercury, Neptune and Jupiter. The evening stars are Venus, Mars, Saturn and Uranus.

Those born on this day are under the sign of Pisces. They include statesman DeWitt Clinton, chief sponsor of the Erie Canal project, in 1769; Sam Houston, first president of the Republic of Texas, in 1793; Pope Leo XIII in 1810; journalist, politician and reformer Carl Schurz in 1829; Pope Pius XII in 1876; publisher Max Schuster in 1897; German composer Kurt Weill in 1900; children's author "Dr. Seuss," Theodor Geisel, in 1904; baseball player Mel Ott in 1909; entertainer Desi Arnaz in 1917; actors Jennifer Jones in 1919 and John Cullum in 1930 (age 80); former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and writer Tom Wolfe, both in 1931 (age 79); author John Irving and singer Lou Reed, both in 1942 (age 68); singer Karen Carpenter in 1950; comedian Laraine Newman ("Saturday Night Live") in 1952 (age 58), rock singer Jon Bon Jovi in 1962 (age 48); actor Daniel Craig in 1968 (age 42), musician Chris Martin in 1977 (age 33); and NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 1982 (age 28).

On this date in history:

In 1836, Texas proclaimed its independence from Mexico.

In 1925, the first system of interstate highway numbering was introduced in the United States.

In 1943, in the Battle of Bismarck Sea, U.S. warplanes attacked a Japanese convoy en route to New Guinea in the South Pacific, eventually blocking Japan's attempt to send in reinforcements.

In 1945, units of the U.S. 9th Army reached the Rhine River opposite Dusseldorf, Germany.

In 1949, a U.S. Air Force plane piloted by Capt. James Gallagher completed the first non-stop around-the-world flight in just more than 94 hours.

In 1962, Philadelphia's Wilt Chamberlain set the single-game scoring record in the NBA by scoring 100 points.

In 1991, Yugoslavia's federal army was sent to Croatia to protect Serbs after violence erupted between Croatian security forces and villagers.

In 1992, U.S. President George H.W. Bush vetoed a bill linking improvements in human rights to continued most-favored-nation trade status for China.

In 1999, Texas Gov. George W. Bush said he was setting up a committee to explore a run for the White House.

In 2000, the British government abruptly dropped extradition proceedings against former Chilean dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who had been under house arrest in London for 16 months as Spain sought to try him for crimes committed during his regime.

Also in 2000, a longtime political fundraiser for U.S. Vice President Al Gore was convicted for arranging more than $100,000 in illegal donations in 1996.

In 2004, U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., locked up the Democratic presidential nomination with a series of primary victories.

Also in 2004, at least 125 people died in explosions at two Shiite shrines in Iraq.

In 2005, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan urged Congress to scrutinize spending and taxes to help solve the problem of federal budget deficits that he called "unsustainable."

In 2006, the U.S. Senate gave final congressional approval to a long-term extension of the USA Patriot Act, after settling disputes over privacy rights of U.S. citizens. The law had been enacted in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Also in 2006, the United States and India announced agreement on a plan to allow India to buy U.S. nuclear fuel and reactor components. India in return reportedly would separate military and civilian nuclear programs and allow inspections.

In 2007, U.S. Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey announced his resignation amid charges of poor conditions for patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

In 2008, outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin's choice as his successor, Dmitri Medvedev, was elected president in a landslide. Putin remained in power as the new prime minister.

Also in 2008, the latest clash between Israel and Hamas continued to escalate with more than 100 Palestinians killed in five days of intense fighting.

In 2009, American International Group, the insurance giant whose massive failure helped bring on the global financial crisis, reported a record U.S. quarterly loss of $61.7 billion. The federal government in bailout and extended financing paid AIG about $180 billion to keep the firm afloat.

Also in 2009, the Central Intelligence Agency was accused of destroying 92 tapes recording harsh interrogation proceedings with the al-Qaida terror suspects.

A thought for the day: Mikhail Gorbachev said, "Sometimes when you stand face to face with someone, you cannot see his face." (c) UPI

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March to bring more snow to Asheville area - Asheville Citizen-Times

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 05:19 AM PST

ASHEVILLE — With snow in the forecast this morning, Graham Ramsey can't bear the idea of — yet again — slogging up the muddy dirt road to his house near Weaverville.

That's why the Reems Creek Valley resident is in Florida, in short sleeves, playing a round of golf.

"I've had enough," he said Monday, "and I even like snow. When I left (home) on Friday, it was 17 degrees and blowing snow, with 3 inches on the ground."

Asheville is likely to get 2-4 inches of snow today, starting just after sunrise.

All of Western North Carolina should see snow, with the heaviest amounts falling along the South Carolina border and in the far west counties.

But don't think snow in March comes as a rarity. Far from it.

"Some of the more memorable snowstorms have occurred in March, actually," said Larry Gabric, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Two inches fell at the Asheville Regional Airport on April 28, 1928, making it the latest measureable snowfall on record.

To this day, folks still talk about the March 12-14, 1993, snow "superstorm," which dropped 18.2 inches on Asheville.

Over the past three decades, March has seen an average snowfall of 2.6 inches, said Scott Stephens, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Asheville.

An April 3, 1987, a winter storm dropped a foot of snow around Asheville, stranding the supersonic jet Concorde at the Asheville Regional Airport.

And there's the storm in May of 1992 that dumped about 4 feet of snow at Mount Pisgah, surprising tourists staying on the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Pisgah Inn.

The Old Farmers Almanac says the beginning of March should see some of the winter's heaviest snows. It also called for the heaviest snows around Thanksgiving and in late December 2009, mid- to late January and in early and mid-February.

Bud Sales, 72, says this winter ranks alongside the top of harsh winters he's seen, especially in the longevity of the snow.

"I've got snow that's been on our farm since Dec. 18," said Sales, who farms in the Reynolds area of Buncombe County. "I don't remember snow hanging around that long at all."

This year, he's already spent $10,000 in propane heat to keep his eight greenhouses at about 80 degrees when it snows. That ensures the snow melts and doesn't collapse the structures — he lost two greenhouses that way in 1995.

Sales said he does remember a particularly harsh winter in the late 1940s, another in 1960, and of course the blizzard of 1993, but overall he thinks folks sentimentalize how much colder and snowier it was way back when.

"We had the snows back then, but it seems like the snow would come and then the sun would come out and melt it and dissipate it," he said.

Reporters John Boyle and Jon Ostendorff contributed to this article.

• March 2-4, 1960: 10.7 inches.

Source: National Weather Service

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Experts Weigh In On The Old Farmer's Almanac - Chicago Tribune

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 04:50 AM PST

YORK COUNTY - The Old Farmer's Almanac dates back to 1792 & is full of planting tables, zodiac secrets and weather predictions. It's used by people across our area, but is it correct?

That's the question we asked people in York Township, York County.

Melody Botterbush of York says, "I don't buy it, I have people who do and do follow it, I listen to their predictions and sometimes it's accurate, I don't put a lot of trust into it."

"I guess I feel like it's making predictions for too far in advance, I don't know how you could possibly believe something that's so far away," says Lindsay Barshinger of Dallastown.

Some of those long term claims do come to fruition, like snow that was predicted to fall in February.

Tasey Marechal of Stewartstown says, "it predicted the big storm this last one, it was a little early, about a week early, but it was there."

Now, there's another prediction: more snow this Sunday, March 7th.

Barshinger says, "I know there's lots of rumors about how much snow we're going to be having, so I'm hoping we have more snow coming, I'm a teacher."

Meteorologist Jim Buchanan says students shouldn't look forward to any more snow days.

"In the Old Farmer's Almanac, we're located in Zone 3, it's a big area, all the way from Elmira, New York to Asheville, North Carolina. It says March 6-9, it will snow, well, yeah, some place in here there might be some snow."

But in this case, for our area, the Old Farmer's Almanac is more like an old wives tale.

Jim Buchanan says, "my forecast for the 7th, sunny & 48!"

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Columbia rates high for retired rowers - The State

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 05:33 AM PST

The Columbia profile on rowingandsculling.com says there are more than 100 rowers in the area and highlights the Columbia Rowing Club.

Georgetown University, Bucknell University and Syracuse University are among the colleges that have sent squads to Columbia for training.

According to a release by the magazine, the idea for the survey was born when a retiring master rower set out looking for a "small, pedestrian-friendly town, warm weather and walk-able access to a rowing venue." When he couldn't find it, he contacted Rower's Almanac who took that initial criteria and expanded upon it.

The entire list: 1) Sarasota, Fla.; 2) Austin, Texas; 3) Cape Coral, Fla.; 4) Raleigh, N.C.; 5) Columbia; 6) DeLand, Fla., tied with Tempe Ariz.; 7) Klamath Falls, Ore.; (8 Natchitoches, La.; 9) Lakeport, Calif.; 10) Greenwood, N.Y.

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