Samantha Pierce

I haven't done a weather post in a little while so here goes. Doesn't look like there's much going on around here does it? But check out the satellite map. Behold the power lake effect . We're recording snowfall in feet 'round these parts now. Warming trends put the temperature into the 10s and 20s (wind chill makes it feel like 1s and 10s). We're due to warm up to almost freezing sometime tomorrow with 10 to 20mph winds. That slightly brown bump on the map below immediately south of Watertown and east of I81 is the Tug Hill Plateau . Also known as the snow belt. They've gotten the worst of the snow so far. It's a good thing that the winter has been so mild until now. If we had had to endure this after enduing a more typical October, November, December and the first part of January in addition to the weather we're getting now I'd be really desperate for spring. As it is I'm only a little desperate for spring. Every day it's a little bit b...

'Chaos' Reigns in Iraq, Speaker Pelosi Says Consider, Nancy Pelosi considers "insurgents" in Afghanistan killing men, women, children, and US and coalition troops as part of the war on terror and worthy of the sacrifice of American lives to keep the peace. But "insurgents" in Iraq killing men, women, children, and US and coalition troops is not a part of the war on terror and not worthy of the sacrifice of American lives to keep the peace. Why? Why is declaring the situation in Iraq "chaos" and then demanding that we run away from it as quickly as possible seen as preferable to restoring order? What kind of foreign policy is that? How exactly is sending a US general to Iraq who wants to increase troop levels there and then telling anyone who will listen that you want to vote to cut off funding for troops in Iraq supportive of the American military? I'm asking because I really would like to know.

This isn't the best representation of the art form but it is a good demonstration of the versatility of what Americans call bellydance. And the song is a favourite of Sis1's.

Today I am thankful for/that: One last shopping spree with one of my shopping buddies before she leaves the country again. The peace that passes all understanding. Central heating. Bed time. The inventor of the washing machine and dryer. What are you thankful for?

Here's a Dianne Rehm interview of Roy Richard Grinker author of "Unstrange Minds: Remappping the World of Autism" After anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker got the news of his daughter's autism diagnosis, he set out on a journey around the world to better understand the disorder. He tells the story of his travels and how he came to the conclusion that there is no autism "epidemic," as some experts have claimed, but that we are in a period of vastly improved diagnosis and treatment for the problem. Grinker speaks of the common report from parents that receiving an autism diagnosis for their child is devastating. Personally I never had that feeling of devastation. The closest I've come so far is the day I broke down crying after receiving a particularly grim prognosis of what I could expect in dealing with my school district in getting services for Isaiah. His autism is very different from Ethan's and much more difficult to deal with. I've recentl...

This is interesting: A complete list of things caused by global warming . (Via Tim Blair .) When I was in junior high and high school the most popular predictions had many coastal cities underwater by now. It was also predicted that rain would be so acidic and the atmosphere so toxic that we would not be able to go outside without hazmat suits.

there was supposed to be one of those YouTube box thingies with a really funny Dr Who clip but YouTube (or Blogger) doesn't seem to be cooperating with me so there's nothing. You can go here to see the clip. Oh wait, I figured it out. Here for your viewing pleasure is retro Dr Who in island talk.

Today I am thankful for/that: Central heating. The vaporizer my dad got us at Thanksgiving. Warm blankets. Hot coffee. What are you thankful for?

Some SMU Profs Balk at Hosting Bush Library . Does anyone else see the irony of academics being opposed to a library? From the above NPR story we learn that the professors don't want to be linked with President Bush through the presidential library that could be built at Southern Methodist University. They don't want the public policy think that would go with it. It seems because they would not be able to control and which they seem to think would foist conservative ideas on students and faculty to the detriment of the university. ( Southern Methodist University faculty voice concerns about Bush presidential library .) Some SMU students and faculty seem to fear that the library would make the university ideologically one sided (like it isn't already?) making faculty hesitant to be there. I found the comment by the student lamenting the possibility that more conservative students might come to the university and make it ideologically more conservative interesting. So much fo...

So what had happened was.... Yesterday I was supposed to be in Utica at 9:30AM. It's a one hour and fifteen minute drive. Hubby went out to scrape the car off for me while I got th kids ready to go outside. At 8:45AM hubby was out in the driveway trying to get the driver's side door to stay shut after having had to force it open. At 9:00AM we were in the driveway with some extension cords and a portable heater trying to thaw the locking mechanism in the door so we could use the car. Needless to say I never made it to Utica. I did get to the local Walmart. I did not use the driver's side door to get in and out of the car.

Old Man Winter is back from his vacation in the Rockies. Aren't you glad you aren't here? This storm has already seriously messed up the midwest . Things haven't gotten too bad here yet. We did get to church a little late yesterday because we had to scrap ice off of the car. My parents have to get through this stuff to get back to NYC today. They're getting ready to head out and take things really slowly on the road. The highway that runs through town here was closed down for a few hours because of 6 accidents involving 30 cars. Every time I look out the window I'm really glad that we finally cut down the tree that had been leaning over the driveway menacing the car. An ice crusted tree leaning over my car would have done bad things to my nerves.

I've recently been bitten by the Harry Potter bug. I'm really looking forward to the next movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . Hubby and I are about halfway through the book. I've told my sisters that we all have to be in the same city this summer when it hits the theater. I've sorted them out into Hogwarts houses already and made them Christmas presents in their house colours. Having said all of that I present you with several Hogwarts sorting quizzes. Three placed me as Hufflepuff and one (based on Myers-Briggs personality types) placed me as Ravenclaw. I guess I'm not quite reckless enough for Gryffindor. Check out the Leaky Cauldron . It is one of the least creepy fan sites that I've come across (it doesn't make me feel like a peeping Tom invading the actors' private lives). There's also J.K. Rowling's official website . Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into? Your in-depth results are: Hufflepuff - 16 Gryffindor - 11 Rave...

I've been slacking lately but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. To that end I am thankful for/that: The return of friends from a far. God's grace. God's wisdom. Wise people to learn from. The peace that passes all understanding (I certainly don't understand it). Family. The terrible twos can only last for so long. What are you thankful for?

I suppose you've all heard the news by now that amniotic fluid contains stems. Human stem cells found in amniotic fluid Like embryonic stem cells, they appear to thrive in lab dishes for years, while normal cells, called somatic cells, die after a time. "They are easier to grow than human embryonic stem cells," Atala added in a telephone interview. And, unlike embryonic stem cells, they do not form a type of benign tumor called a teratoma, he said. Atala said a bank with 100,000 specimens of the amniotic stem cells theoretically could supply 99 percent of the U.S. population with perfect genetic matches for transplants. I'm sure that many of you, like myself, breathed sigh of relief that we now had yet another source of stem cells that did not require destroying embryos. I thought, surely we would not want to continue such a morally repugnant practice as harvesting stem cells from embryos. But I was wrong. Scientists find stem cell source in amniotic fluid Researcher...

Sis2 has got me watching the news for her for updates on a reported gas leak in Manhattan. She's just a few blocks from what seems to be the epicenter of this situation. They've turned off the air in her building and are waiting to find out what's going on. Mayor Bloomberg will be making a statement soon. 10:20 AM EST Fox News channel is reporting that some buildings have been evacuated and NYPD is saying that the smell (Sis2 says it smells like gasoline) is not harmful and ConEd (the NYC power utility) says they don't have a leak. Current speculation is that something might be wrong in New Jersey. Other than this reports are pretty sketchy. This story will likely be updated during the day. No Bloomberg yet. 10:40 AM EST Fox News channel is reporting that the odor seems to be traveling north from the Village up into Harlem. The Mayor still hasn't spoken. Air quality monitors have been deployed. 10:44 AM EST Bloomberg speaks: Small leak in Bleecker Street area bu...

This is a shameless plug for my friend's eBay store. She is currently listing some my handmade stuff. So go check out Danita's Assorted Delights . If you're looking to plan a trip somewhere check this out, Etissop Travel.

Nothing fancy here people. Just me wishing you a happy new year, glad that I survived to see the dawn of another day. Glad that you did too.