A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....08-11-04...The Dog Days of Summer

Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997. Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

The Dog Days of Summer are almost behind us. For some it will be a reason to celebrate, for others (like me) it is a time to lament the passing of the summer season.

"While the dog days have made many us feel like we're swaddled in fur, the period is actually named after Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius rises with the sun when summer is at its hottest. The dog days traditionally run from July 3 to August 11.

The ancients believed extra heat generated by Sirius in conjunction with the sun caused this sizzling spell of weather. Sirius is the brightest star at night, after all.

But Sirius, which is found in the Canis Major (big dog) constellation, is some 50 trillion miles (80 trillion kilometers) from Earth—too far away to influence temperatures here.

In Roman times the dog days—or dies caniculares in Latin—were associated with intolerable heat, lethargy, disease, and, appropriately enough, mad dogs." James Owen for National Geographic News July 16, 2004

What was the highest summer temperature ever recorded in the United States?

A - 114 degrees Fahrenheit
B - 124 degrees F.
C - 134 degrees F.
D - 144 degrees F.

Answer >>> C - The highest temperature ever recorded in the U.S. was in California's Death Valley. The temperature reached 134 degrees. The hottest record on Earth took place in El Aisisa, Libya. That temp was 136F.

When does summer officially start in the Northern Hemisphere?

A - June 19th
B - June 21st
C - June 22nd
D - It varies

Answer >>> D - It varies. The summer solstice doesn't always occur on June 21. In 1896, summer began on June 20. It won't begin on that same date again until 2012.

It's not just the heat. It really is the humidity! When the thermometer reads 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the humidity stands at 60%, how hot do you really feel, according to the National Weather Service's heat index?

A - 116 degrees F.
B - 126 degrees F.
C - 136 degrees F.
D - 146 degress F.

Answer >>> C - According the heat index, 100 degrees F at 60% relative humidity will warm the human body as much as heat at 136 degrees F at 0% humidity. When the Heat Index gets above 90 then it's time to take some precautions. About 175 people die in this country every year due to excessive heat.

What is the official definition of a heat wave?

A - Two or more days of 90+ degree weather.
B - Three or more days of 90+ degree weather.
C - Any period of unusually hot weather.
D - A period of 48 consecutive hours when the air temperature is 15% or more above normal.
E - There is no "official" definition.

Answer >>> E - There is no universal "official" definition. The National Weather service has set no temperature or duration to define a heat wave. The American Heritage dictionary defines a heat wave as, "a period of unusually hot weather."

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 08-09-04 Military Monday 08-10-04 God Bless the USA ~ Lift Every Voice (Rerun)

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

CLICK

[Pippin]

((((LORI))))!

You survived the dentist visit! ;o)

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you for the lovely , clever thread. & Love the quizzie.

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.

.... want to ping the ATRW group but can't do that any longer with FR, I think.

You can't? I wonder why?

Will go over there & post link.

Awww....that's sweet. Thank you so much. :-)

Have a great day, Dolly.

[Pippin]

LOL!

A political "Mona Lisa"! :o)

Hope to be seeing you in January in DC.

[Mama_Bear]

WOOF! WOOF!

LOL! Hi, Pipper. Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. Having to go to the dentist this morning has put me way behind.

Hope you are having a wonderful day. ((((((((Pippin))))))))

[Pippin]

I was having a good day, but now it's storming. :o(

[Mama_Bear]

Good day to you, Mr. Mayor. Hope all is well in your world. Thanks for the inspiration you bring each day. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

That was neat! :D

Thanks. I'm glad you enjoy it. :-)

Happy Wednesday!

[Mama_Bear]

Take the gas; you'll still feel it, but you won't give a rat's rearend!

LOL! I should have. I went the Novocaine route. It's didn't go very well, but it's over now and I survived. :-)

Next time I might look into having gas instead.

[Lakeside]

And a hearty hobbit 'hello' to you Pippin!

[Mama_Bear]

I was having a good day, but now it's storming. :o(

I wish it would storm more often here. Did you know that it doesn't rain in California? Well, at least not in the summer.

A good storm would be refreshing and would wash the dust off of everything. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

You gave the secret away of our magic decoder ring! :-)

LOL. Yes, I guess I did. But I did forget to tell people how to get the answers to show up. Maybe our secret is still safe. ;-)

[Mama_Bear]

Good afternoon, a fun thread today.

Hi Gail. Thank you. I couldn't think of what else to post and didn't have time to get a state profile put together.

I'm sure sorry to see summer passing so quickly. I would be happy to have a few more months of it. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

HHHWHPL! (Hot Hazy Humid With Pathetic Liberals)

LOL!! Sounds a bit like California.

[Aquamarine]

Hi Mama Bear. Your opener looks wonderful, love all the lil doggie gifs.

Glad you're back from the dentist and have that all behind you for the day.

[Mama_Bear]

Glad you're back from the dentist and have that all behind you for the day.

Thank you.......ME TOO! I have to go back in three weeks and then I am through with it for awhile, I hope.

(((((((((sistah aqua))))))))))

[Mama_Bear]

I've done the root canal routine - so you have my complete and total sympathy and understanding.

Thank you. This root canal didn't go as well as others have (do any of them go really well? LOL), but I survived and don't have to go back for three weeks.

[LadyX]

Yo, Mama !!! Yo thread is sho nuff kewl..:))

Sooooo...in the middle of winter,
are they the Polar Bear Days??

[Pippin]

You can have our storm ;o)

[Pippin]

(((((MAGGIE))))!

[Mama_Bear]

Yo, Mama !!! Yo thread is sho nuff kewl..:))

Thank you, LadyMaggie. :-)

I love that laid-back polar bear picture!