weather whopatooli

It's going to be a beautiful day - once this upper trough tracks through the sun will come out and get up to near 80.  The stratus deck will yield to fair weather cumulus this afternoon. Dry tomorrow with above average temps which MIGHT produce some T-storms later tomorrow night from the mid day heating and more moister entering the state.

Very interesting weather story coming Friday as several LOWS and a cold front mix it up in a weather whopatooli over Wisconsin. A HIGH ridge sped up in the last 12 hours creating a dry but cool Saturday.

78 today, 82 and sunny tomorrow, 81 and who knows what on Friday, 61 Saturday and then slowly warming.

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Went to the new Palace Cinema in the Madison Sun Prairie metroplex. WOW.  They figured out how to get people to go to movies.  Finally a sound system that beats mine, and recliners for every seat. 

On Tuesdays tickets are $5 and a free 44oz popcorn.  A thing of water was $4.50, beer $7.50.  

We saw Tomorrowland. I'm still not sure what I thought of the movie but I liked the message.  All of the gloom and doom about the future is a self fulfilling prophecy.  We take all the "hope" out of our lives so no one really tries to make things better. Instead we should show how good the future could be so people work to get to it. 

We are feeding the wrong wolf. 

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We refinanced our house yesterday and should save about $200 a month.  rates are goign to start moving north soon with more good economic news.  

Oil - seems the US oil industry has found a comfort zone.  Last week the ALMOST the first time in a few years the number of oil wells stopped dropping (did that make sense?)  OK  last week the number of operating oil wells dropped by only 1.  Seems $60 a barrel is comfortable and next week there might actually be an increase in the number of operating wells.   

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The average age of humans keeps raising - however the average age of the oldest humans remains the same - normally in the 115 to 117 level. However, there are more of them.  

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Oh - not to stay on the marijuana theme but National Geographic has a huge article about it.  One thing I have always wondered is why scientists just don't take all the good stuff out of the weed for medical purposes. Just the GOOD chemicals. 

WELL - it seems that in 1970 the US government made it illegal to do ANY research with the weed that it deemed as bad as heroin.  Something that had been used for over 1000 years to cure people could no longer even be looked at by scientists.    

NOW they have tried to isolate the different compounds but there is a problem. it does not work because there is an "entourage effect". They all need to work together.  They have found that the same areas of the brain effected by marijuana is the same part that is triggered by runners when they say they get a "runners high" and they part of the brain plays a very important function in memory, balance, movement, immune health and neuroprotection. 

And I still have 20 more pages to read :-) 

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There is a pretty deal going on in the art world as a few larger shows are making photographers label ALL images "reproductions".  Well YEA.  A lot of photographers are saying "no" to those shows.

It seems the problem is that there are too many photographers that are selling scenic's and travel photos which are pretty pictures but . . are they art?   I have a lot of gorgeous images but it's only because I was there at the right time and with the right equipment.  It's nothing "I" did.  Just a dude with a camera.

Anyway 

Whacky Bonus photo of the day! 

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If case you have not noticed there is a new store getting ready to open downtown at 111 S Ludington.  Columbus Comics and Collectibles.  There are no comic and graphic novel stores in a large area. 

People in Portage need to drive to Madison.  Soon they can stop in downtown Columbus.

Facebook -  Columbus Comics and Collectibles

there is a good article to read - The Benefits of Comic Books and Graphic Novels - Discover 10 benefits your kids can reap by reading comics and graphic novels. 

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And finally - I want to give my heart felt condolences to our Mayor and his family for their loss over the weekend.  Kelly's dad passed away suddenly.  I met him a few times and he was a ball of energy and seemed like a really super guy.

Elwood and I were sitting on the front porch one Saturday evening and he drove by, stopped the car and introduced himself.  We talked a while and he introduced us to his game, Crombalia (sp?) and gave each of us a copy of the game. 

I'm very sorry for your loss Kelly. He was a cool dude and will be missed. 

Rod