Pieces of April

4/1  No April Fools:

50 year annivers0ry of science fiction becoming fact

The Television Infrared Observation Satellite Program (TIROS)

The TIROS Program (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) was NASA’s first experimental step to determine if satellites could be useful in the study of the Earth. At that time, the effectiveness of satellite observations was still unproven. Since satellites were a new technology, the TIROS Program also tested various design issues for spacecraft: instruments, data and operational parameters. The goal was to improve satellite applications for Earth-bound decisions, such as “should we evacuate the coast because of the hurricane?”.

The TIROS Program’s first priority was the development of a meteorological satellite information system. Weather forecasting was deemed the most promising application of space-based observations.

TIROS proved extremely successful, providing the first accurate weather forecasts based on data gathered from space. TIROS began continuous coverage of the Earth’s weather in 1962, and was used by meteorologists worldwide. The program’s success with many instrument types and orbital configurations lead to the development of more sophisticated meteorological observation satellites.

People are so infinitely inventive. We write science fiction and make it fact. 50 years later, we can communicate instantly across the world with millions of people. Maybe we can come up with some ideas about how to survive another 50 years.

4/6

Report:

Animals thrive without oxygen at sea bottom

Creatures found where only microbes and viruses were thought to survive.

Janet Fang/ Nature News

These animals  spend their entire lives in oxygen-starved waters in a basin at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. They have no mitochondria. Life takes so many forms! How can it be stopped?

4/11

Mary worked the first shift of her preceptorship at a hospital in the neighboring county. This is the final clinical experience in RN training where the student works under a nurse preceptor doing most of the tasks of an RN. She worked 12 hour shifts, when her preceptor was not sent home early due to low census, starting at 6 am. Early mornings are a big challenge for Mary, so she was tense and tired during much of this period, but she did not have class only a few assignments to complete.

4/13

Journal Entry:

I am feeling harassed this morning. Drizzle. Hesitance, irritation with the dog. Woke up early again before Mary’s alarm. No inspiration so far. I will have a wet walk in the woods to work.

The small woman from Kenya gets on the bus, and makes a little smile inside me. I wonder how her American journey is progressing. She has a bright red umbrella that marks her as someone who is not from around here.

A young woman in hole strewn jeans and carrying a bottle of orange juice looks glass downly. (?)

4/14-21

Natural Events on Land and in Air:

the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull,  resumed erupting after a brief pause, causing floods and throwing volcanic ash several miles up in the atmosphere which led to air travel disruption in northwest Europe for six days, including the closure of airspace over many parts of Europe.

4/20 and far into the future

BP Oil Spill!

Need I say more. I don’t think so!

4/21

Dream:

Tim McVeigh was working at the school (BCS).

Hazel splashed her feet in the puddles and the splattering water froze arabesque patterns around her legs.

4/25

I watched this movie a couple of times, once with my daughter and youngest son. Women in Austin, Texas come together and make roller derby happen, and then all kinds of interesting issues ensue. Real life does not get better than this, and with music by And You Shall Know Us By the Trail of Dead and tough women on skates, you know it rocked. It is a great story that no one could invent except by living it.