The coming weeks will be dominated by mostly fair weather with clouds increasing later in the month. A work-load ridge will slowly build-up, dominated by a Jackson system which will create some electric instability in the air. What out for lightning folks!  The wild card is the position of the jet stream, which may direct more work our way if a research front drops from the north. Based on activities last month in Europe, we give this an 80% chance of happening before the end of October due to a proceedings and paper trough developing in the North Pacific.

A respite will come at the end of the month when a series of birthday fronts will lighten up the skies. However, furious weather arrives immediately after that thanks to a midterm arriving out of the northwest. We are confident that this will be associated by a Jackson front, however a Pathria front may also be thrown into the mix. Behind all this activity will be small contributions from a subtropical Stellar system, which will feed moisture into the system and strengthen any storms which may develop.

Once the midterm passes, weather will only clear up slightly. Models show increasing cloud cover with winds shifting from the north due to a stationary homework system which will deepen in the weeks to follow. A respite may come in late November, but models are not clear. Immediately following that we see a ‘one-two’ punch in the form of an exam system–likely a Jackson front–and then a triple exam system. This latter system may be a real doozy. Be prepared for high winds, sleet, and cool temperatures for upwards of a week. Currently we don’t predict any snow, but just messy, disgusting weather. Once this system passes however, there is pleasant, seasonal weather for the rest of the year, perhaps with some  weather more akin to the southern Great Lakes for a week or so around Christmas.”

There is much worth discussing every week. For example, this past week saw the dissemination, then denial, the modification and further denial of rumors of rumors about the detection of the Higgs Boson at Fermilab. The sources of the rumors of rumors are responding to criticism with a discussion on the importance of engaging the public. I agree that engaging the nonscientific public in science is important, not in the least since they fund it. However, rumors? They chose a risky path. Still, if I heard a rumor, which I honestly believed to be true, about the discovery of the Higgs boson, I would have great difficulty in containing myself. My great excitement this week related to reading papers about dark stars, which I’ll discuss here at a later time.

Outside of science, a great discussion which came to my mind this week that I find worth discussing is the need for an annotated copy of Les Miserables. So many now obscure French references fill that book but when I take the time to seek out explanations of who Babeuf and Lacenaire and Quenisset (see September 13, 1841) were my experience becomes all the richer.

Like most holidays that involve giving gifts, Sweetest Day started as day in which one was supposed to remember the less fortunate by giving them sweet things, like candy. Therefore, it might be unjust to credit its inventor, a 1920′s candy maker in Cleveland, of inventing a holiday for profit. However,  nowadays it has moved to an excuse to expect and/or give cards, candies, and plush toys. Indeed, unlike Valentine’s Day, which is accepted as a day for expressing affection with or without gifts (though interesting studies suggest that gift giving is a very important social action associated with bonding and friendship),  Sweetest Day seems to have as its sole purpose the giving of gifts, especially chocolates

The day hasn’t quite caught on beyond the Great Lakes. Indeed, my parents never celebrated it, and it was only from my grandparents that I learned of the holiday. But, just in case, if you’re ever wooing a Great Lakes guy or gal, it might be good to remember this date. At the worst you’ll impress them with your knowledge of mid-American culture.

This is the Valentine’s Day edition:

I am wondering if there is a connection between the origins of the heart as the seat of love and the butterflies in the stomach/ funny feeling in the chest feeling that comes with nervousness, excitement, longing, general “lovey-dubby” feelings, ect.

I’ve read that in certain ancient cultures the heart was deemed the seat of knowledge. But why? And is that also connected to why the heart is associated with love? I also wonder if this is a learned association…would someone never exposed to the idea hold their hands crossed over their heart and say, “I love you” ?

What are you wondering about this week?

A snowy sidwalk in Brookland after the North American Blizzard of 2010.

Piles of snow in Brookland

The aftermath of the storm in December

Sunday morning after the Feb. storm

In my part of DC we received around 15 inches during the December blizzard. I a friend reported 2 feet around her house outside of the city.  The snow started Friday and was hardest on Saturday. By Sunday it was over. Monday was a messy day but people were able to get places.

I measured 20 inches after this new storm, but I’m wondering if I picked a shallow area. It wasn’t more than 24 in my neighborhood, but what a difference 5 inches makes!   The streets were messier, the sidewalks in worse shape. The Brookland metro station opened on Tuesday. Schools are still closed.With more snow coming, I don’t expect classes at all this week.

It is interesting that the storms were both Friday evening-Saturday storms.

A snow fence in Wyoming

What are paczki?

Only the most awesome pre-Lenten treat.

Don’t worry, I had never heard of paczki until my freshman year at MSU when I noticed a heaping pile of large jelly and custard filled “doughnuts” in the cafeteria on Fat Tuesday. All around the cafeteria, students were eating them and sharing them with friends–these were big “doughnuts” and heavy too. So of course I got into the tradition too.

Paczki, pronounced, roughly I’m told, as “punch-key”, is a plural word mind you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the singular word…who talks about just one? It’s like Lays Chips…only much better and less healthy.

Paczki Credit: Rmhermen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paczki

But what are pazcki?

Paczki are a filled pastry from Poland. They differ from what you might call a normal jelly doughnut in that the dough is richer and the fillings often a bit different–I’ve seen chocolate, custard, apple, as well as normal jellies and I’ve heard rose hip and prune  are traditional flavors. In areas with a strong Polish heritage like Cleveland and Detroit, packzi fill the bakeries and stores this time of year and are gobbled up by all around, regardless of heritage.

Louisiana can keep their king cake, around the Great Lakes we’ve got paczki!