Tuesday, January 20, 2009

At huge public expense, Franken to save us from trace amounts of natural atmospheric gas?
Franken planned to attend the inauguration and two Minnesota gatherings today. On Monday night, he said, he was going to a dinner with Steven Chu, the next energy secretary, and a "Green Ball'' hosted by former Vice President Al Gore. He said he hoped to talk to Chu about Minnesota's role in the energy policies of the future.
S. Fla. temps to dip to 30s
Stop smirking South Florida. A taste of all that cold weather tormenting the Midwest will plow into town today, triggering shelters to open and putting farmers on freeze alert.
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Some growers may turn to using helicopters to hover over crops as a way to keep them from freezing. But that's an expensive proposition at about $1,200-per-hour, Holt estimated.
For many weeks, harsh modern Canadian winter delays attempt to recreate flights made 100 years ago
Originally departing Lynncrest Field in Winnipeg on December 1st, the goal was to fly back to Edmonton in merely three days.

"We knew it would be difficult with the prairie winter, but with the worst one in many decades, I think it would have even taken Punch Dickens by surprise" said pilot and project brainchild Tom Hinderks of the Alberta Aviation Museum referring to the original 1920's pilot.

Record low temperatures, high winds and reduced visibility have all been factors contributing to their lengthy delay in Neepawa.

"When we tried again in early January, it was -34" said President and CEO of Aviation.ca, Curtis Peters, the second pilot. "The forecast said -15, so we prepared for -25. We had no concept of how cold it was really going to get. The hangar doors were frozen shut, the plane wouldn't start, communication was on the blink, even the batteries in our electric socks were frozen within a few minutes" he continued.

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