World of Banished

All The Rest => Off Topic => Topic started by: kee on March 26, 2015, 01:58:25 AM

Title: The weather
Post by: kee on March 26, 2015, 01:58:25 AM
Just realised we don't have a weather thread! What gives?
So this is the thread to blow the breeze on the universal smalltalk subject.
Remember I declared spring in an other thread? Well...
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: Nilla on March 26, 2015, 04:04:30 AM
It looks almost like that, when I look outside my window too. Snow! Really big flakes. And they are not coming from above but from the east (heavy wind ) :(  I suppose Sweden and Norway have the same "macro wheather"
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: salamander on March 26, 2015, 04:26:21 AM
We had snow on the first day of spring.  I figure Mother Nature likes to remind us who's really in charge from time to time.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: rkelly17 on March 26, 2015, 06:18:03 AM
When I lived in Southern California no one talked about the weather. I mean, what was the point? It was always the same. My wife and I can still recite the typical radio weather report. "Late night and early morning fog and low clouds along the coast . . . ."

Now that I live in Southern Ontario everybody talks about the weather all the time. It can change on a dime. I once drove half way around the perimeter of Kitchener-Waterloo and went from rain to sun four times in 15 minutes. Yesterday we were supposed to get an hour or so of freezing rain (which coats everything with ice--in my mind the worst of all possibilities), but it never came, just a hour or two of cold rain followed by fog. Today it could either rain or snow--or both. I'd say about 80% of the snow in the front yard has melted, less in the back yard. But I have hope. I'm getting my Winter tires taken off next week.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on March 26, 2015, 08:36:37 AM
Quote from: rkelly17 on March 26, 2015, 06:18:03 AM
When I lived in Southern California . . . . Now that I live in Southern Ontario


thats the part i will never understand ^^  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on March 26, 2015, 12:32:39 PM
K-W has the problem of being more or less land locked among the Great Lakes.  You get the weather we don't here next to Lake Huron.  At the moment it is 3 degrees outside, with a low tomorrow of -5 according to the weather network.  Overcast all day, and yesterday there was freezing rain around Georgian Bay, but it only rained here in Hensall.

Typical end of March weather, and I am expecting a really nasty equinoctal gale to close out the month.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: chillzz on March 26, 2015, 12:42:26 PM
I'll trade this cold to the bone rainy windy north sea weather for real Ontario weather (snow in winter, warm in summer) or cali weather all year any day!

Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on March 26, 2015, 09:47:27 PM
North Sea?  Eastern Scotland, the Orkney Islands, Denmark, other? 

What would you ever to if there was a Heinrich event that turned the Gulf Stream into a circular current in the Caribbean?
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: chillzz on March 27, 2015, 04:48:40 PM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on March 26, 2015, 09:47:27 PM
North Sea?  Eastern Scotland, the Orkney Islands, Denmark, other? 
Other : The Netherlands
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on March 26, 2015, 09:47:27 PM
What would you ever to if there was a Heinrich event that turned the Gulf Stream into a circular current in the Caribbean?
Probably be dead by then.. else i would move from the fridge to better climate ;)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on March 28, 2015, 05:26:07 AM
Outside right now it is sunny but -11.  High today forecast at -3.  We are having an end of March cold snap.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: Rayden on March 28, 2015, 07:35:04 AM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on March 28, 2015, 05:26:07 AM
Outside right now it is sunny but -11.  High today forecast at -3.  We are having an end of March cold snap.

Nearly +30ºC around here today, summer's on its way :P
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: Nilla on March 28, 2015, 10:02:03 AM
+30ºC, that's too hot for me. I am pretty content with the weather here today. We made our first picnic by the lake for the season. Nice spring wheather about +8 ºC, but no wind, and that's important here in the spring.

When the wind blows in spring it's always cold, influenced by two lakes. In the west the big Vänern 5 km away (I know, compared to the big North American lakes it's tiny, but the largest in Europe outside Russia) in the south and east we have the smaller Skagern but we're only 150 meters away, so it has a big impact on the micro climate here. It's only in the north we have no lake but the north wind....... generally not warm.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on March 28, 2015, 12:01:46 PM
personally i would accept a 30C all years long :) 365 days per year ^^

so it is funny (and not cause i m stuck with the -30C lol)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on March 28, 2015, 01:42:18 PM
30 degrees year around would get very boring.  However, that kind of climate would soon acclimate everyone and people wouldn't notice the temperature unless it changed.  The big factor would be the relative humidity.

According to the current forecast, we should get 11 degrees, overcast and rainy on April 2nd.  "Though April showers ... May come your way ...".  And then the May tricks.  Around here I've seen ice storms in May.

Anyway, the frost is out of the ground now, so the snow melt is going straight down instead of running off in a flood.  We had a lot of snow, so it may be too wet to plant at the usual time.  I was on a trip to the Huron county dump yesterday getting rid of my old printer and scanner along with some other stuff.  We took a long run down one of the country roads, and the fields are not looking too bad.

Anyway, the robins are back from hibernation and the jays are making their usual ruckus, so it must be spring.  There is a pair of cardinals nesting in one of the pine trees on the street.  The male is utterly glorious.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: salamander on March 28, 2015, 02:52:47 PM
We've had robins back in the area for a couple of weeks, now; but, as usual, they look sort of disgusted that maybe they came back too early.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: chillzz on March 28, 2015, 04:22:40 PM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on March 28, 2015, 01:42:18 PM
30 degrees year around would get very boring.  However, that kind of climate would soon acclimate everyone and people wouldn't notice the temperature unless it changed.  The big factor would be the relative humidity.
i totally wouldn't mind 30c year round, if the humidity is low. with our humidity in summer 20/22c is quite comfortable, anything more is blegh.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on March 28, 2015, 07:16:51 PM
j'attend avec impatience le cris des outardes :)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: rkelly17 on March 31, 2015, 10:16:48 AM
Quote from: RedKetchup on March 26, 2015, 08:36:37 AM
Quote from: rkelly17 on March 26, 2015, 06:18:03 AM
When I lived in Southern California . . . . Now that I live in Southern Ontario


thats the part i will never understand ^^  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

A person has to work to eat and the sort of work I did meant one of 8 or so locations in North America--some much worse places to live than Waterloo, ON. Even now after almost 30 years every so often some says, "Why did you ever move here? Besides, by moving here we missed the embarrassment of having "The Govenator" as our governor. Of course that would have been cancelled if we had moved to Toronto.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on March 31, 2015, 12:47:42 PM
Quote from: RedKetchup on March 28, 2015, 07:16:51 PM
j'attend avec impatience le cris des outardes :)

A l'enfer avec les outardes.  All they do is mess up the grass and shorelines with droppings and pollute the beaches.  Canada Geese are protected so one has to scare them off.  They are a great nuisance.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 01, 2015, 12:59:47 PM
Unbelievably, the forecast high for tomorrow is 18 C.  Single digits otherwise for the week.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 07, 2015, 08:53:33 AM
Second week of April.  Went shopping in shorts today.  Temperature around 5 C.  Since I have to wear therapeutic knee-highs (pressure stockings), there was not much exposed flesh.  It was refreshing.

As of March 31, 2015 Environment Canada has established a broadcast warning system.  A two tone siren on all broadcast media indicates a demand for attention as a warning follows.  This was announced today by the weather channel.  It seems TWN is the host site for this system.

Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 08, 2015, 08:49:36 AM
Good morning, he said.  Ice pellets are bouncing off my windows.  We seem to have a nor'easter today.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: Nilla on April 08, 2015, 09:02:47 AM
Ice pellets, that doesn't sound very pleasant. We have a lovely spring wheather here. Sunny! OK it's frost in the morning, the wind is cold, but that's the way it is. It's lovely if you find a place sheltered from the wind.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 21, 2015, 10:28:09 PM
Tuesday was an interesting day to go shopping in this area.  Rain in bands on the way into town (Exeter, ON) but by the time we got to the grocery store it had changed to sleet with fairly large ice pellets.  The spring weather has regressed three or four weeks due to what the weather mavens call an irregularity in the Jet Stream which has dipped south over central Canada but lies to the north in the west.  BC and Alberta are hotter than normal, and we are in a cold snap.  The east coast is also getting a lot of nasty weather off the Atlantic.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on April 21, 2015, 11:54:39 PM
yeah in days to comes... they forcast like 30-40cm of snow in the north east of quebec ^^

http://www.msn.com/fr-ca/meteo/articles-principaux/sept-%c3%aeles-30-cm-de-neige-attendus/ar-AAbsNKY?lang=fr-ca (http://www.msn.com/fr-ca/meteo/articles-principaux/sept-%c3%aeles-30-cm-de-neige-attendus/ar-AAbsNKY?lang=fr-ca)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 22, 2015, 05:50:06 AM
Isn't that actually in the Ungava?  A lot of Quebec is north of 60.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: kee on April 22, 2015, 06:30:42 AM
April shows of her stuff here in Norway instead. 59,18413°N 9,64961°E is the place and 19' C is the name. Cloudless blue skies of course, when she flirts she doesn't do it halfway, April.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on April 22, 2015, 07:45:49 AM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on April 22, 2015, 05:50:06 AM
Isn't that actually in the Ungava?  A lot of Quebec is north of 60.

nan. sept-iles, a bit more further than quebec city, on the st-laurent. and also all gaspesie.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 22, 2015, 07:52:30 AM
Ah, je sens.  Les cantons de l'Est.  [OIC the eastern counties]
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on April 22, 2015, 07:59:23 AM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on April 22, 2015, 07:52:30 AM
Ah, je sens.  Les cantons de l'Est.  [OIC the eastern counties]

yeah and all along the Appalaches that goes up to Gaspé :)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: rkelly17 on April 23, 2015, 07:51:32 AM
On the way out to my model train club (in the country between Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph, Ontario) last night got caught in the middle of a major snow squall. Woke up this morning to -3 C and snow on the ground. The snow is now melting, but the furnace is still coming on to keep the house at 19 C at 10:30 AM. Not my idea of fun for April 23.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 23, 2015, 07:59:48 AM
11 a.m. -2 degrees (wind chill -8) just 20 Km east of Lake Huron.  The weather mavens are predicting a high of 3 this afternoon.  Feels more like March than April.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: Nilla on April 23, 2015, 08:18:07 AM
These big lakes, how do they influence the climate? We have lakes here too, much smaller, but still real lakes and they do influence the climate local. My son lives 80 km away and the wheather is often very different from here. We live 150 m from one smaller and 5 km away from a big one.

In spring we have this cold wind, in summer the clouds sweeps away and we have much sun, the autumns are warmer and the winter, it's different depending on if it's ice on the lakes or not.

Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 23, 2015, 02:05:03 PM
The upper great lakes are like inland seas.  Lake Superior is big enough to have tides and swells.  I've only been on it in a small boat (40 ft.) once, and it was like being on the ocean.  Huron is more land-locked so doesn't get the big storms and sea effects but it can still swallow large ships, and has done so frequently.

The remaining lakes are tiny by comparison:

St. Clair is a wide spot in the river.

Erie is very shallow, so in any kind of wind it rolls up quickly.  Lake effect snow often buries the City of Buffalo, NY.  There is a large pool of natural gas under this lake.

Ontario, the last in the chain, it the largest of the lower three, but doesn't have quite the nasty effects of the upper lakes.  I've done a lot of sailing on it, and it can be as contrary as any large body of water even though it really isn't very deep.  283 m. at the deepest hole down by the St. Lawrence River.  However, with Canada's largest city (Toronto) on its west shore, Lake Ontario can have some rather nasty storms that head for this big city because of the heat low that rises from the city.  The west shore of the lake, from Niagara-on-the-Lake to the mouth of the St. Lawrence seems to get the worst of the weather, even though the continental weather pattern is from west to east.

To make things more interesting, the U.S./Canada border runs on an agreed line down the middle of the whole chain and makes for some interesting action in the International Joint Committee on the Great Lakes.  If the Americans could suck these lakes dry, they would, but it becomes an international thing and if they try the big corporations would jump all over them because Thunder Bay at the top of Lake Superior just happens to be the western most port on the Atlantic Ocean thanks to the St. Lawrence Seaway.  This access to ocean traffic makes the lakes vital for sea traffic that reaches the middle of North America.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: salamander on April 25, 2015, 04:35:22 AM
Even the smaller Great Lakes, like Erie, have a definite effect on our climate here in western Pennsylvania.  I'm located about 70 miles south of Erie and 20 miles east of the Ohio border.  Every fall and early winter, a lot of our snow comes from the lake effect off of Erie.  But, once the lake freezes over later in winter, that effect pretty much stops and our snow comes mainly from weather fronts moving in from the west.

If the Great Lakes were ever sucked dry, though, just think of the tourist benefits for the area as Garrison Keillor pointed out -- 'Come visit the Superior Canyon, and climb Mount Royale.'
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 25, 2015, 05:24:12 AM
Quote from: salamander on April 25, 2015, 04:35:22 AM
<snip>

If the Great Lakes were ever sucked dry, though, just think of the tourist benefits for the area as Garrison Keillor pointed out -- 'Come visit the Superior Canyon, and climb Mount Royale.'

And visit the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: rkelly17 on April 25, 2015, 11:16:05 AM
Quote from: salamander on April 25, 2015, 04:35:22 AM
Even the smaller Great Lakes, like Erie, have a definite effect on our climate here in western Pennsylvania.  I'm located about 70 miles south of Erie and 20 miles east of the Ohio border.  Every fall and early winter, a lot of our snow comes from the lake effect off of Erie.  But, once the lake freezes over later in winter, that effect pretty much stops and our snow comes mainly from weather fronts moving in from the west.

The "event" in November where the south side of Buffalo got 2-3 meters of snow  in a couple of days shows how crazy lake effect snow can be. In mid December we flew to California via Buffalo and the airport limo driver said where his sister lived in a southern suburb they were buried under massive drifts for several days and where he lived downtown they got about a foot. There was an incident a couple of years ago where a "streamer" off the lake buried the 402 freeway west of Sarnia and stopped traffic for several days, but weather was clear and sunny within a couple of hundred meters on either side of the highway. Crazy!
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on April 25, 2015, 01:57:50 PM
Here in the Bluewater area we seem to be in the lee of the Lake Huron cliffs.  Further north, Kincardine gets socked frequently and the Georgian Bay area is often stricken with odd ball weather.  On the other hand, when I lived in Wasaga Beach, we didn't get the heavy snow that seemed to hit all around us.  Collingwood and Blue Mountain seemed to get most of it.

Goderich, about 30 Km north of us is at the northern focus of the U.S. Tornado Alley.  They had one a few years ago that almost wiped out the downtown area, and damaged the harbour.  If a super cell crosses the Lake at the top of Lake Michigan, there is a chance of an F1 to F3 for the area.  Barrie got one about 15 years ago.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 01, 2015, 01:29:25 PM
May 1, 2015: Currently 14 C outside.  Forecast for the week is all double digits as high as 23 C (tomorrow).  It is bright and sunny.  Shirtsleeve weather is coming soon.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: salamander on May 02, 2015, 03:51:09 AM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on April 25, 2015, 05:24:12 AM
And visit the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

And the Apostle Mountains would be worth seeing, too.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 04, 2015, 07:38:11 AM
May 4, 2015 (VE day, May 4, 1945 when I was 7 years old)  Overcast, scattered showers with risk of afternoon thundershowers.  19 C heading for 24.  Shirtsleeve weather arrives with a bang.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on May 04, 2015, 12:24:19 PM
looks like summer here since 2 days :)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 04, 2015, 12:42:16 PM
Nay h'out t'clout, 'till May is out as my Scottish friends say.  This warm spell could easily be followed by a week of sleet storms.

Summer happens when the temperature gets in the high 20s and low 30s.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: salamander on May 09, 2015, 11:03:35 AM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on May 04, 2015, 07:38:11 AM
May 4, 2015 (VE day, May 4, 1945 when I was 7 years old)  Overcast, scattered showers with risk of afternoon thundershowers.  19 C heading for 24.  Shirtsleeve weather arrives with a bang.

And also Annual Star Wars Day -- May the 4th be with you.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: chillzz on May 09, 2015, 12:16:42 PM
i always thought VE Day was may 8th, the complete surrender of nazi germany,
when it was already may 9th in soviet union, and still may 7 in the America's.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 09, 2015, 02:58:33 PM
Actually, there was a kind of rolling defeat of the NAZIs.  May 5th in the Netherlands, earlier or later elsewhere.  Mr. Churchill proclaimed May 8th as VE day and kicked off a Commonwealth wide party.  The Americans did not participate as they were busy with the Pacific war, and had their bash on VJ day.

Hot to the point of sweltering today.  The sky has been grumbling, and there are severe thunderstorm watches on the weather network.  Currently 22 C outside, but it was warmer earlier.  It is now nearly 6 p.m. 

There are at least two birds nesting in the trees outside my window: one is a Robin for sure since he makes his territorial call at dusk;  The other one appears to be a Cardinal who has a pweet pweet, ..., peet call, with a slightly lower third note.  I've seen the Cardinals, they are here all winter and they nest very high up in the pine trees.  The Robins are Johnny-come-latelies, but I've heard their calls all my life.  I think the Robins are in the ornamental Crab-apple tree that is just coming into bloom.  All the trees are coming into leaf, and there is no doubt that Spring is in full swing.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: chillzz on May 09, 2015, 04:44:44 PM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on May 09, 2015, 02:58:33 PM
Actually, there was a kind of rolling defeat of the NAZIs.  May 5th in the Netherlands, earlier or later elsewhere.  Mr. Churchill proclaimed May 8th as VE day and kicked off a Commonwealth wide party.  The Americans did not participate as they were busy with the Pacific war, and had their bash on VJ day.
Yes may 5th in the Netherlands, just commemorated the dead on may 4th and celebrated liberty on may 5th. That was the day Blaskowitz was ordered to start the capitulation negotiations with Foulkes, in Wageningen. (still may 4th in Canada), full military capitulation in Berlin, may 8th.
Several german generals surrendered on may 4th and 5th, but actual fights until may 20th in the Netherlands, with quite a few casualties.

We thank a lot to the Canadians, even though the Americans and Brits would say otherwise.
I actually should look up and visit the grave of one of my family members in mt. Pleasant cemetery St. John, NB, Canada.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 11, 2015, 05:36:39 AM
As you probably know, Canada hosted the royal family of the Netherlands during the war.  A section of an Ottawa hospital was declared extra-territorial so that the heir to the throne could be born on Dutch soil.  There were news photos of the Queen of the Netherlands in an ordinary cloth coat with a bandana covering her head shopping in the markets of Montreal.  We did our best for the Netherlands and were prepared to host the British royals if it came to that.

One thing that I had forgotten is that the grave sites in the Netherlands have been ceded to us as Canadian territory.  It is no wonder that there is a special relationship between our two countries.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: chillzz on May 11, 2015, 06:21:56 AM
yes princess Magriet (Marguerite) -3rd in line- was born in Ottawa hospital, the only one of 4 daughters to be born outside Palace Soestdijk. Dutch law doesn't require Dutch soil to be born on, so declaring it extra-territorial was not for the Dutch, but for Canada, else she would have been Canadian ;) Jus sanguinis (Right of Blood) vs Jus Soli (Right of Soil)

I believe there are 3 Canadian only war cemeteries (Holten Canadian War Cemetery, Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery and the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery) the others are marked as Commonwealth cemeteries. All cemeteries are taken care of by the Commonwealth War Graves commission.. a full list : http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lijst_van_begraafplaatsen_met_oorlogsgraven_van_de_Commonwealth_War_Graves_Commission_in_Nederland (http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lijst_van_begraafplaatsen_met_oorlogsgraven_van_de_Commonwealth_War_Graves_Commission_in_Nederland)

Quote from: A Nonny Moose on May 11, 2015, 05:36:39 AM
We did our best for the Netherlands and were prepared to host the British royals if it came to that.
Yes you did and most if not all of the Dutch are very grateful for that :)
Aren't British Royals your royals too, as noted in the constitution ?

And indeed a special bond between both countries, long before WWII and still lasting :D
from the first settlements, pioneering Canadian west, to Dutch Americans fleeing the 1812 war,
1800-1900's Canadian's east, to the WWII 'War Brides'  and the mass emigration right after the war till early 60's . :)

After living and working in Toronto for half a year back in 2001,
I too want to live the 'American Dream' without the violence in Canada one day, or at least travel it A Mari Usque Ad Mare.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: rkelly17 on May 11, 2015, 08:14:10 AM
Quote from: chillzz on May 11, 2015, 06:21:56 AM
Aren't British Royals your royals too, as noted in the constitution ?

Indeed. We don't see them much over here, but the Queen is all over our money, coins and $20 bill--now in plastic or Mylar or something that nobody much cares for. Like much of the Commonwealth, we have a Governor General for federal and lieutenant governors for provinces as stand-ins for the Queen. Instead of the House of Lords we have a "Senate" which is appointed by the Prime Minister and had been providing us with a series of juicy scandals and political jokes for the last year or so. If you want to join in the fun, Google Mike Duffy.

Quote from: chillzz on May 11, 2015, 06:21:56 AM
After living and working in Toronto for half a year back in 2001,
I too want to live the 'American Dream' without the violence in Canada one day, or at least travel it A Mari Usque Ad Mare.

We'd love to have you! My family moved here from California in the mid eighties (right after Reagan's re-election--we couldn't take it any more) and have never regretted the move one bit. Well, maybe a little when it's still snowing and cold in April.


Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 11, 2015, 02:01:20 PM
We finally got a consolidated Constitution Act in 1982, which replaced the Statute of Westminster and a bunch of other acts of both Westminster and Ottawa.  And yes, it is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen as head of state represented by the Governor General. 

The current circus over the Senate has been caused by the current PM mostly.  He wants to abolish the Senate and go with a unicameral federal government but many, yours truly included, don't think this is a good idea.  It would take an amendment to the constitution accompanied by the unanimous consent of the the provinces.  Of some interest is that the flap over the Senate expenses was mostly caused by members appointed by the current PM, who foolishly appointed some people from the fourth estate simply on the grounds of them being well known Conservatives.

IMHO the best reform for the Senate would be to completely remove the political aspect from it by changing the appointing authority from the Prime Minister to the Crown (Governor General), which essentially means royal assent to any such appointment.  This should shut out the current practice of appointing political cronies to the upper chamber rather than the statesmen that were originally envisaged for the "chamber of sober second thought".

At the moment, as in all large commonwealth countries, there is a small republican movement that is quite vocal, but usually when you challenge them on how they would replace the monarchy, they haven't really given the idea much thought.  We don't need to have another elected poltroon as head of state.  The idiots we get who live at 24 Sussex Drive and at Stornaway are enough, thanks.  The prisoner of Rideau Hall usually does a very good job, and is generally above all the political scrum.

Rideau Hall reports only to the prisoner of Buckingham Palace, and this is just fine with me.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: chillzz on May 11, 2015, 03:11:06 PM
Ha! reading this, our countries are not much different at all.. The only difference being that the king resides in this country, which is part of the larger kingdom. He has not much say in it either, because eventually everything he does say and do falls under the accountability of the prime minister, the defacto head of state.

Imagine being the second country in the world, after the kingdom of Scotland to have a declaration of independence (from the Spanish throne) to become the Republic of the United Netherlands (United seven provinces), which lasted for 214 years. Copied by the Americans (some parts of the declaration of Independence are verbatim), first country to acknowledge the American republic, only to become a kingdom again in 1806, in 1815 and then again in 1839 :O
Somehow the Dutch already knew an elected monkey as prime minister isn't working well ;)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 12, 2015, 04:33:58 AM
The political weather in Canada right now could be called warm with local disturbances.  The atmospheric weather on the other hand is showing symptoms of climate change with heavy thunderstorm warnings yesterday with a tornado watch for this area.  Cold front went through overnight and it is currently 10 C, bright and sunny.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: kee on May 12, 2015, 08:14:41 AM
A propos thunderstorms: The website http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime shows the location of lightning strikes in realtime.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: kee on May 20, 2015, 11:54:13 PM
This morning.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: RedKetchup on May 21, 2015, 12:30:26 AM
nice farm :)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: assobanana76 on May 21, 2015, 03:10:57 AM
@kee
You look just the perfect person for a technical question!  ;D
I'm building the "honey farmhouse" ..
which fruit trees (vanilla and CC) have flowers suitable for bees ??  ???
you consider that I will also place the CC planters ..
the one on the corner ..

(http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/531768175152982874/240C4FCCDCF372139B4FC248322FE1F84D17D288/)
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: kee on May 21, 2015, 02:09:40 PM
I do not know if the trees have any kind of game mechanic that differentiates between their usability as nektar and pollen sources. I can give some real-life pointers though:
The bees should have access to nektar producing flowers as early as possible and stretch as late as possible. This means either a mix of plants in one yard or (more common) moving the cubes to somewhere with flowering plants.
In my garden the trees, herbs and bushes start to flower in roughly this succession: Maples, dandelions, cherries, plums, blackcurrant, pears, apples, redcurrant, lilac, strawberries, raspberries, roses, clovers, peas,georgines. Some keep flowering throughout the season, others have as short a period as a week.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 22, 2015, 07:54:06 AM
One of the disappointing graphics features is the lack of cherry blossoms in cherry orchards.  I suppose at the sim-rate the period of about a week real time would be too brief to show blossoms.

Anyway, for bee culture, it is a matter of whether you plan a static set up or a dynamic one where you move the hives to different locations dependent on the blossoming/pollination periods.  I generally let nature take its course and don't use the apiarist mods.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: rkelly17 on May 23, 2015, 08:49:16 AM
Quote from: assobanana76 on May 21, 2015, 03:10:57 AM
which fruit trees (vanilla and CC) have flowers suitable for bees ??  ???

We're just back from a tour of a fruit farm in Niagara on the Lake, ON, which is part of the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario's major stone fruit growing region, where the question of bees came up. According to the farmer, honey bees can get pollen and nectar from most any fruit blossoms. The question for fruit farmers is which fruit trees need insect pollination and which are self-pollinating. This particular farmer does not use the "migrant" honey bees that are so popular in North America (truck-loads of bee hives following the flowering season) but encourages bumble bees, which are actually better pollinators. He does have some local bee-keeping friends who bring their hives by for a visit in flowering season and we observed those in action.

As @kee mentions, in Banished it doesn't really matter except for aesthetic reasons. You can build an apiary in the middle of town and it will be as productive as one built in the middle of orchards or out in the forest. The neighbors don't even complain.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: A Nonny Moose on May 23, 2015, 11:50:48 AM
Well, here we are in the last week of May (Memorial Day weekend in the U.S.) and the high temperatures here in balmy southwestern Ontario are forecast to be in the low 20's.  Hardly a run up to summer.  It is currently 20 C with a chill factor of 18.  It has been chilly all week.

I can hardly believe we are running along with only about four weeks to go to the solstice and the official beginning of summer.  Overall, this month has been more like the historical April.

And yet, the NOAA is warning about the formation of an exceptionally large, hot El Niño.  This promises some really bad cyclonic storms in the Pacific ocean and continuation of the southwestern U.S. drought.  The local landscrapers should be promoting desert flora instead of grass for home settings.

And about the Niagara Bench:  That's my home stamping ground, and I grew up in Stamford Township in the 1940s and '50s.  In the bad old days the wines from there were made from the Labrusca grape and were very foxy.  Now, they are using imported vine stock, and are producing wines that compete in the world market.  It's a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there any more.

The blossom tours must be in full swing by now, as I expect things were a little late.  Nothing like a hill covered with cherry blossoms.  Many other fruit trees are just as spectacular.  If anyone gets a chance in the summer, book a week at the Shaw festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  A fun place for a tourist trap, and there are three live theatres.  Yachties can find accommodation in the mouth of the Niagara River, but do watch the currents.  Very friendly marina/yacht club there.
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: assobanana76 on May 25, 2015, 12:18:36 AM
Quote from: kee on May 21, 2015, 02:09:40 PM
I do not know if the trees have any kind of game mechanic that differentiates between their usability as nektar and pollen sources. I can give some real-life pointers though:
The bees should have access to nektar producing flowers as early as possible and stretch as late as possible. This means either a mix of plants in one yard or (more common) moving the cubes to somewhere with flowering plants.
In my garden the trees, herbs and bushes start to flower in roughly this succession: Maples, dandelions, cherries, plums, blackcurrant, pears, apples, redcurrant, lilac, strawberries, raspberries, roses, clovers, peas,georgines. Some keep flowering throughout the season, others have as short a period as a week.
thanks!
then I put within maple, plum, pear, apple, strawberry and raspberries!
Title: Re: The weather
Post by: rkelly17 on May 26, 2015, 09:09:25 AM
Quote from: A Nonny Moose on May 23, 2015, 11:50:48 AM
And about the Niagara Bench:  That's my home stamping ground, and I grew up in Stamford Township in the 1940s and '50s.  In the bad old days the wines from there were made from the Labrusca grape and were very foxy.  Now, they are using imported vine stock, and are producing wines that compete in the world market.  It's a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there any more.

The blossom tours must be in full swing by now, as I expect things were a little late.  Nothing like a hill covered with cherry blossoms.  Many other fruit trees are just as spectacular.  If anyone gets a chance in the summer, book a week at the Shaw festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  A fun place for a tourist trap, and there are three live theatres.  Yachties can find accommodation in the mouth of the Niagara River, but do watch the currents.  Very friendly marina/yacht club there.

When we were there on Victoria Day weekend the apricots were all done, most of the cherries were done, but most peaches were in full flower. The farm we visited is just north of Virgil. All of his neighbors used to live on the farms and grow stone fruits. Now all the neighboring farms are owned by people who live in Toronto (or further away) and grow wine grapes. Hard to make a living growing fruit; many people who own wineries don't have to make a living from them. The wine is much better than it used to be