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<p>June 25, 2008 -- The phrase "blame it on the weather" takes new meaning in light of research suggesting that regional climate may very well have been responsible for the evolution of lifestyle, culture and even religion in the Middle East.</p>

In Russia, sometimes it rains cement Tue Jun 17, 11:17 AM ET Russian air force planes dropped a 25-kg (55-lb) sack of cement on a suburban Moscow home last week while seeding clouds to prevent rain from spoiling a holiday, Russian media said on Tuesday. "A pack of cement used in creating ... good weather in the capital region ... failed to pulverize completely at high altitude and fell on the roof of a house, making a hole about 80-100 cm (2.5-3 ft)," police in Naro-Fominsk told agency RIA-Novosti. Ahead of major public holidays the Russian Air Force often dispatches...

Cloud Falls on China's Claim to Stop Rain Andrea Thompson LiveScience Staff Writer LiveScience.com Tue Apr 22, 2:02 PM ET Editor's note: Updated at 2:00 pm ET China's plans to force Mother Nature's hand with "cloud seeding" and keep rains at bay during the start of the Olympic Games this August may be all wet, one scientist said today. "I'm very skeptical about what they claim they can do," said Roelof Bruintjes, the lead researcher for U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., at an international symposium on weather modification held today in Westminster, Colo. Chinese officials will...

BEIJING - As they prepare to host the Olympics — an event whose very purpose is to push the limits of human beings — the Chinese are trying to do what man never has: Control the weather. With five months to go before the Summer Games come to Beijing, Chinese scientists say they are confident they can keep rain away from the opening ceremony, or summon a storm on cue to clear the city’s choking pollution.

Biological organisms play a significant role in the formation of rain and snow, according to a study released Thursday by the journal Science. The discovery of these organisms and their importance in the water cycle could help researchers improve climate forecasts and better understand the relationship between the biosphere and climate, the authors concluded. They could also one day be used to bring rain to dry areas, said lead author Brent Christner of Louisiana State University. Scientists have long known that the ice crystals in clouds which become rain or snow need to cling to some kind of particle, called...

Heavy rain can trigger earthquakes 13:44 25 February 2008 NewScientist.com news service Catherine Brahic The rain-induced tremors occurred in karst landscape. This forms a distinctive topography of soft carbonate rock, such as limestone, riddled with deep channels and caves in which water pressure could build Huge downpours of rain can trigger earthquakes in landscapes riddled with caves and channels by increasing pressure within underlying rock, suggests a new study. It was already known that rainfall could cause tremors, but the amount of water needed is much more than previously thought, says Steve Miller, a geologist at the University of Bonn,...

It is yet another attempt by man to triumph over nature. Determined not to let anything spoil their party, organizers of the 2008 Summer Olympics said Wednesday that they will take control over the most unpredictable element of all -- the weather. While China's Olympic athletes are getting ready to compete on the fields, its meteorologists are working the skies, attempting the difficult feat of making sure it doesn't rain on the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies.

Blizzard Warning West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada (California) URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA 613 AM PST THU JAN 3 2008 ...A SERIES OF POWERFUL STORMS EXPECTED TO HIT THE INTERIOR OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LATE TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY... .THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF STRONG STORMS IS FORECAST TO IMPACT INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LATE TODAY INTO FRIDAY MORNING BRINGING RAIN...WIND AND MOUNTAIN SNOW. A SECOND EVEN MORE POWERFUL STORM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA WITH HEAVY SNOW AND DANGEROUSLY HIGH WINDS ON FRIDAY. THE POWERFUL WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW ARE LIKELY TO CREATE WHITEOUT...

ATLANTA (AP) - Rain fell in the city for a fourth consecutive day Sunday, assuring that 2007 would not go down as the driest year on record for the drought-stricken Atlanta area. The most arid year ever recorded for Atlanta was 1954, when only 31.80 inches of rain fell. Meteorologists had feared this year would have even less rain, predicting that showers on Sunday morning would taper off. But the rain continued long enough to raise the 2007 cumulative rainfall to 31.85 inches. Dry weather was forecast for Monday. More than one-third of the Southeast is in a severe drought....

A storm rolling in from the Gulf of Alaska could dump as much as 8 inches of snow in Los Angeles County mountains overnight, weather forecasters said this afternoon. A snow and blowing snow advisory for Los Angeles and Ventura County mountains is in effect now until 8 a.m. Wednesday, said Stuart Seto, a weather specialist for the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Blowing snow propelled by gusty winds could make it difficult for drivers to see, he said.

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue is the subject of much chatter around the blogosphere for leading several hundred Georgia citizens in a public prayer for rain. Georgia has been in the midst of a drought this year, which is ruining agriculture crops and causing water shortages. So Mr. Perdue asked for divine intervention on Georgians' behalf. He and colleagues came together Tuesday to "pray for a storm." Sure enough, two days later, an unpredicted cloudburst dropped an inch of rain over the southeast. But the rain wasn't everybody's idea of a happy ending. The Atlanta Freethought Society staged a public protest...

Firefighters battled stubborn wildfires across Southern California on Saturday, but cloudy skies scattering rain showers brought a welcome improvement in conditions. Tropical moisture flowing from the south replaced the hot, dry, skin-cracking Santa Ana winds that roared in a week earlier and spread fires over more than a half-million acres, destroying more than 2,300 structures, including 1,700 homes. Drizzle fell as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited a command post near Orange County's Santiago Canyon fire to announce assistance for people with losses, warn of contracting scams, and pledge to find whoever set the nearby blaze that continued to threaten homes after...

Rain uncovers Viking treasure trove Published: 14th September 2007 08:30 CET A bout of torrential rain left a surprising legacy in the garden of one Swede: a Viking treasure trove. Two coins were uncovered by the rain on the lawn of farmer Tage Pettersson, on the island of Gotland, in early August. He called in Gotland's archaeologists, who last week found a further 52 coins on the site. Most of the coins are German, English and Arabic currency from the late 900s and early 1000s. But archaeologists are most excited about the presence of six very rare Swedish coins, from...

Extreme weather brings flood chaos round the world 18:40 30 July 2007 NewScientist.com news service New Scientist Environment and Reuters People in countries across the world, from China to India and Sudan to Indonesia, are coping with severe wet weather, highlighting the position of flooding as the most deadly of all natural disasters. While single events cannot be linked to climate change, the flooding come as research suggests that global warming will increase rainfall in some parts of the world, including the Indian monsoon, and increase the number of hurricanes – both due increased evaporation in a warmer world. One...

Pure vanity here! I am going to Seattle tomorrow. Have been there and love it, but wonder if there are any places my fellow conservatives recommend to visit. As well, as some to avoid, if needed. lol Thank you!

Texas Drought-Free After a Dry Decade Thursday July 26, 2007 9:01 PM COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - For the first time in at least a decade, Texas was declared drought-free Thursday. ``We've gotten so much rain this year, we've pretty much made up for the past few years' drought conditions in several areas of the state,'' said John Nielsen-Gammon, the state's climatologist and a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University. Only isolated areas in the northern Panhandle, far West Texas and along the eastern margins of the state are below normal when it comes to rainfall, and they're...

Oxford floods deepen as more rain is forecast By Richard Edwards Last Updated: 2:43am BST 26/07/2007 Flooding may have caused greater devastation in affected areas than the foot and mouth crisis, farmers warned last night, as the floods extended throughout the Thames Valley. Allotments in Oxford. Oxford became the latest area hit yesterday and parts of the city will be left under water for two days. There are further fears with forecasters predicting up to half an inch of rain today in some areas already suffering. The worst floods in modern history have now stretched more than 150 miles along...

UK floods: More rain forecast, worst to come By David Millward, Graham Tibbetts, Richard Edwards and Toby Helm Last Updated: 2:17am BST 23/07/2007 Gordon Brown's proposals to build three million homes in the South East could lead to even more flooding, the Government has been warned by its own planning consultants. With vast swathes of the country underwater, the Prime Minister's new government found itself under attack not only over its handling of the crisis, but also accused by the Tories of adopting policies that could make things even worse. Last night the Environment Agency issued 56 flood warnings across...

11 deaths reported as rescue crews struggle to keep up with emergencies. Rain poured down Thursday for the 16th straight day across Texas and Oklahoma, where flash floods and high winds have already killed 11 people. With little relief expected until the Fourth of July, emergency crews were being flown in from other states to help with rescue efforts.

www.news8austin.com Numerous rescues as Hill Country deluged by rain Updated: 6/27/2007 7:13:50 AMBy: News 8 Austin Staff The San Gabriel River in Williamson County is 30 feet higher than normal   Heavy overnight rains Wednesday created flood conditions in several Hill Country counties, including Williamson, Lampasas and Burnet. More than 18 inches of rain has been dumped on the area since midnight. There are multiple reports of people trapped in fast-moving water atop vehicles, on rooftops or clinging to trees.At 2:50 a.m. STARFlight rescued at least two victims from vehicles in fast moving water at San Gabriel Ranch Road/County...

Hi, folks! Getting some contradictory information, and I know you guys can straighten me out. KS particularly and OK somewhat also, have been very wet all year. That's fine until it's time to harvest wheat. I'm hearing tales that the crop is so wet that it's starting to sprout from the head. Questions -- Is this true? Is the ground really that wet? It has looked for a couple of days after Friday that KS and OK are no precip with a nice breeze, but...who trusts weatherguessers, eh? If anyone would care to offer a local weather report, esp. regarding...

SYDNEY (AFP) - Parts of parched Australia received its heaviest rainfall in years on Friday but farmers warned much more is needed if the six-year drought is to be broken. Towns in eastern Australia have experienced at least 25 millimetres (one inch) of rain since a wet weather system arrived on Thursday. The National Farmers Federation said the rain was vital to winter crops but more was needed to break the drought which is crippling farm production and threatening water supplies in major cities. "A system moving through like this doesn't break the drought, it provides relief, but we really...

Rain free Beijing opening guaranteed By Nick Mulvenney Wed Apr 25, 7:47 AM ET BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing's meteorological bureau believes it can manipulate the weather to guarantee a dry opening ceremony at next year's Olympic Games, an official said on Wednesday. Rainfall is often made heavier by cloud seeding in the drought-stricken Chinese capital but scientists have also been testing "artificial mitigation of rainfall" and found it can be effective in small areas. "We are talking about limited areas, the area around the National Stadium," Zhang Qiang, head of the office of weather manipulation, told a news conference. "We...

HELENA, Mont. -- Thursday's meeting of the Montana Drought Advisory Committee was canceled, because of rain. The rain-out message was sent to council members by the office of Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger. The e-mail described the rain and snow Montana has been getting this spring as "wonderful inclement weather." Jackie Williams, executive assistant to the lieutenant governor, said drought committee members didn't want to travel through the storms. The next meeting of the Montana Drought Advisory board is next month, weather permitting.

********************************************* The latest Pacific storm to cross California will dip southeastward on its way inland Friday and Friday night bringing significant rainfall to central and even Southern California. Indeed, in Southern California, where the winter water season has been one of the driest on record, there is potential for this storm to leave the highest one-day rainfall since the rainy season begin in October. In Los Angeles, a paltry 0.42 of an inch on February 11 was the highest daily rainfall tally. This storm is showing good potential to deliver widespread amounts of one-half of an inch or more with...

Nov. 7, 2006— Will it rain on the Democrats' parade? Although most experts predict heavy voter turnout in today's midterm elections, some of the most hotly contested races in Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and New Jersey could be affected by bad weather. And some experts say that, based on history, Republicans should pray for rain. Brad Gomez, an assistant professor at the University of Georgia, examined weather data and its impact on elections in a study titled "The Effect of Bad Weather on Voter Turnout and Partisan Vote Share in U.S. Presidential Elections, 1948-2000." Gomez concluded that when it rains,...

Moon and rain could mean quakes 25 October 2006 From New Scientist Print Edition. A full moon may have triggered the Indian Ocean earthquake that caused the tsunami on 26 December 2004, a new study concludes. Between October 2004 and August 2005 Robin Crockett from the University of Northampton, UK, and his colleagues monitored tremors and collected tidal data along the Java/Sumatra trench. They found that major quakes were 86 per cent more likely around new and full moons, when tides are at their greatest. "At new and full moons the biggest mass of water is being loaded and unloaded...

Warmer climes have led to more rain and less snow falling in the Western U.S., a shift that could increase the risk of flooding and affect water supplies, according to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey. Researchers found that warmer weather in the last half century has led to an average decline in snowfall of about 20% in the 11 Western mountain states -- much of it falling instead in the form of rain. During that period, the average temperature in the region has risen by about one degree Celsius. Two years ago, a separate group of scientists at...

Prayers for rain answered in West Texas – and how! Reservoirs overflowing 1 month after officials made case to God Posted: September 4, 2006 10:39 p.m. Eastern © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com Heavy rains impact Lubbock, Texas (courtesy KCBD-TV) There was some snickering in certain parts of the country when city officials in the drought-stricken West Texas towns of Lubbock and Rockwall took their case for rain to God in the form of resolutions calling for prayer. While the votes made national news – sometimes in the "quirky" sections of big-city dailies and news services – the results didn't, until now. Within...

LUBBOCK, Texas, July 24 (UPI) -- Public officials in Lubbock, Texas, are organizing a day to pray for rain. "Nobody is going to tell God what to do and what not to do, but we are in a serious drought in West Texas and since he is the man who controls the rain clouds, we're asking him for his mercy and his help," Mayor David Miller told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. The City Council and the Lubbock County commissioners are expected to adopt resolutions this week asking local residents to both pray and fast for rain this Sunday. So far this...

For those of us in Central New Hampshire, Live Free or Die, for you in the slave states, I seem to have noticed a lot of water coming down. I need a refresher in building an Ark, I slept through that in my Bible class.

More Rain Likely for Soaked NortheastBy STEPHEN MANNING Tuesday, June 27, 2006 WASHINGTON - Workers pumped water from the IRS headquarters' flooded basement Tuesday and mopped up at other government buildings Monday after heavy rain swamped the nation's capital. A brief break from the two-day deluge gave crews a chance to reopen commuter routes and set up sandbags to prevent more water from getting inside buildings. More than 7 inches of rain fell on the nation's capital in a 24-hour period Sunday and Monday, shutting down several federal buildings and closing some of the city's busiest tourist attractions just days...

THESE ARE THE SENATORS WHO VOTED TO GIVE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS TO ILLEGAL ALIENS REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL PARTY, THESE POLITICIANS NEED TO BE DEFEATED IN 2006, 2008 OR 2010, WHENEVER THEY NEXT COME UP FOR OFFICE. SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW; THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION -- THAT IS, UNLESS THEY DO NOT MIND SHARING THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY WITH FOREIGN WORKERS WHO NEVER PAID INTO IT AND AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE BEING LEFT OUT. Grouped by Home State Alabama: Alaska: Stevens (R-AK), Yea Arizona: McCain (R-AZ), Yea Arkansas: Lincoln (D-AR), Yea Pryor (D-AR),...

I am curious why none of the media covers the most important aspect of the Malvo shootings. If you look at Newspapers on the dates when the shootings are underway you discover something I find quite interesting. The shootings begin to dominate the news the day before the debate on the Iraq war starts and they catch them the day after the declaration of war??? If you ask most people "do you remember the debate about starting the second Iraq war", they will all answer "yes of course". But if you followup with the question "name one point in the...

I recently received a reply to a post that stated: "This should be beneath a "freeper". Sad." So I asked.. what is it that makes a FReeper? My reply (and I will admit was tasteless) was also questioning. It stirred controversy and was removed? Why Moderators? Can you not tell me? Did it not meet with your "FReeper" mentality? According to all posted guidelines it should be listed but no, you chose to delete it. Yes.. I'm the first one IBTZ, I'm sure you'll nick me for speaking up..

BEIJING - Beijing will use artificial rainmaking to clear the air after a choking dust storm coated China's capital and beyond with yellow grit, prompting a health warning to keep children indoors, state media said If oil prices surge to record highs, what affect will this have on the US dollar? The huge storm blew dust far beyond China's borders, blanketing South Korea and reaching Tokyo. The storm, reportedly the worst in at least five years, hit Beijing overnight Sunday, turning the sky yellow and forcing residents to dust off and hose down cars and buildings. Hospitals reported a jump...

Storms Dump Rain on Northern California, Triggering Mudslides; Man Still Buried SAN FRANCISCO — Storms that dumped up to 6 inches of rain over 24 hours triggered mudslides across Northern California, burying an elderly man in an avalanche of mud, closing roads and forcing the evacuation of several homes. Dozens of rescue workers in Mill Valley searched for Walter Guthrie, 73, whose home was hit by a slide that was about 50 feet wide and 12- to 14-feet deep. Rescue teams used a crane to remove the debris and planned to tear down the house to locate the missing man...

...OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE TENNESSEE AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS INCLUDING A FEW STRONG...LONG-TRACK TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF ALABAMA...MISSISSIPPI AND TENNESSEE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE NORTHERN ALABAMA NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI WESTERN AND MIDDLE TENNESSEE SURROUNDING THE HIGH RISK AREA...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY NORTHEASTWARD INTO OHIO VALLEY AND THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS

Heaving rain is causing flooding in Dallas/ Ft. Worth. Heavier Storms still coming. Six Flags Over Texas is under water.

Red rain could prove that aliens have landed Amelia Gentleman and Robin McKie Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer There is a small bottle containing a red fluid on a shelf in Sheffield University's microbiology laboratory. The liquid looks cloudy and uninteresting. Yet, if one group of scientists is correct, the phial contains the first samples of extraterrestrial life isolated by researchers. Inside the bottle are samples left over from one of the strangest incidents in recent meteorological history. On 25 July, 2001, blood-red rain fell over the Kerala district of western India. And these rain bursts continued for the...

Amelia Gentleman and Robin McKie Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer There is a small bottle containing a red fluid on a shelf in Sheffield University's microbiology laboratory. The liquid looks cloudy and uninteresting. Yet, if one group of scientists is correct, the phial contains the first samples of extraterrestrial life isolated by researchers. Inside the bottle are samples left over from one of the strangest incidents in recent meteorological history. On 25 July, 2001, blood-red rain fell over the Kerala district of western India. And these rain bursts continued for the next two months. All along the coast it...

Zimbabwe crops fail despite good rain By Peta Thornycroft in Harare (Filed: 01/02/2006) Food crops in Zimbabwe have failed again despite ample rainfall. Zimbabwe is expected this year to grow less than half of what it needs to feed the population and the rains have denied President Robert Mugabe his standard explanation of poor weather for slumping production. Foreign exchange-earning crops, such as tobacco, flowers and coffee, are now almost too small to count. More than 20 million acres of Zimbabwe's well-developed agricultural land has been confiscated from about 4,000 experienced white farmers since 2000 and handed to Mr Mugabe's...

Fellow Americans, there comes a time every mans life when we must give up ourselves before we are worthy to recieve. There comes a time in this war on terror when in order to protect liberty, we have to give it up in the mean time for safty. That's right folks. Today, Americans have forsaken the creator for the creation and have decided that they would value our "civil liberties" than protecting western civilization and rich white people from the tender mercies of radical Islamic terrorists. Selfish liberals insist and whine that Bush has no right to spy on Americans...

SEATTLE – After 22 consecutive days of measurable rain, Seattle is closing in on a record so dismal even forecasters in this city famous for its gray skies are complaining. With more wet weather predicted over the next several days, Seattle may soon break a record set in 1953. The city saw 33 consecutive days of measurable precipitation then – the most since the National Weather Service office there started tracking rainfall in 1931. "Usually we have a few days of rain and one or two days of cloudy and dreary days and then it rains again and that's the...

Yaa, you repukes are not doing so well, huh? Imagine, you repukes control the presidency, both houses of Congress, and appointed 7 of the 9 Supreme Court justices. Yet the Supreme Court thre out sodomy laws in all 50 states and recognized the right of government to seize land for any reason. And you couldn't pass your Social Security changes could you? Sorry, that was your last shot. Come November, we're going to start seeing more Democratic faces in the House. It's the end for you guys. You guys are celebrating when Bush's numbers go *up* to 45%. Then Faux...

Bush’s giant Right Wing Noise Machine (RWNM) loves to preach about the Bush economic miracle. In fact, the RWNM’s current thinking is Bush doesn’t spend enough time talking about his economic triumphs. If only he did, then everyone would fall in line and believe in the great Bush economic miracle. There is one problem with this argument: it’s a lie. Any way you look at the Bush economy, it comes up short. Today, I want to compare Bush’s job creation record with other economic recoveries. As usual, Bush comes up way short. The national Bureau of Economic Research has identified...

California vineyards flooded as torrential rain causes chaos By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles (Filed: 02/01/2006) Northern California's famous wine country suffered widespread flooding yesterday after powerful storms pummelled the region. Rivers overflowed their banks, engulfing homes and triggering mudslides that blocked roads across the area. At least a dozen people were rescued from the rushing waters and, with more rain forecast, emergency officials urged residents in low-lying areas close to rivers to evacuate. The heaviest rain hit the Napa Valley area, just north of San Francisco and home to more than 200 vineyards, including the Robert Mondavi Winery, Francis...

Why does anybody support George w Bush as President? He is clearly the worst President I have ever seen -- a complete disaster. And before you say anything, I have been a registered Republican for 25 years.

After reading all of the crap that people have been saying regarding Adult Private Social Clubs, I felt that I had to post an article and give my opinion. I am sick and tired of all the religous groups that are saying that there are drugs, prostitution, minors, non-consenting people, and just immoral people at these clubs! First of all, who do these people think they are to decide what is morally right or wrong for me? I believe that I have a good set of morals. I am a law abiding, tax paying citizen, I work full time and...

Lies of omission about 9/11 -- stoking fears of terrorism THEY WANT YOU TO BE AFRAID The following post was censored by freerepublic.com shortly after it was posted on their "public" forum on 9/11/04. That forum is designed to appear as though it is a community forum open to all, but this post only received three responses before it and its replies were deleted, and a repeat posting at 4 am PST on 9/20/04 didn't stay online for 5 minutes! Someone is apparently watching closely over the content of the freerepublic.com forums and censoring them 24/7 (though they might have...