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Sunday, March 29, 2009

Global Warming? AGAIN!


Due to the recent strange weather events across the nation I thought I would re-post something that I wrote a couple of months ago. I feel that many people do not understand the real "Global Warming" issue. It frustrates me when people develop an opinion without researching it first and obtaining the facts first. I hope that by reading this that some will open their minds a little more to the issue and understand it a little better. Read this with an open mind and think about this subject. Do not make this a left vs. right issue.
Why else would the Lord have told us to be stewards over the Earth? This Earth was created for our use and we are to care for it. I ultimately feel that the changing climate here on Earth is part of the plan of the Creation. The Earth will take care of itself and it will be renewed again! The Earth is angry!


ORIGINAL POST: JANUARY 29, 2009
Global Warming? Think for a moment… Is it real????? Hmmmm! Yes! WAIT! Don’t leave! Take a few moments and read this one. It is a little long, but trust me, I have shortened this, REALLY! And this is right up my alley; I studied this extensively in school, so give it a chance!!!! And please do not argue with me with anything that you heard from Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity. I like them both, but they are not scientists, just conservatives like me, but I however understand the Earth System Processes, well more than they do!Temperatures on a global average have been on the rise. (Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 100 years ending in 2005) This is a fact! No, I do not like Al Gore. His work is flawed and inconsistent. And he has bad hair. Does this mean that everyone is experiencing a warming? No. Some places are cooling and some are warming. This is an “average” global temperature increase, “average.” And yes, I know some of you are thinking, I am really cold right now. Yes! It is winter. HELLO! Really though, this is what happens when there is a climate shift, weather begins to see extremes. When a climate begins to change, bad things can happen. (I really like this, but then again, I am a natural disaster “FREAK,” as long as nobody gets injured or killed) If you have noticed in the past few years there has been an increase in extreme weather events. I know my friends in Arkansas thinks so. So when it gets colder than usual and you say, Wow! Global Warming huh! You are correct! When it snows in June you say, Wow! Global Warming huh! You are correct again! There are those that may say, well I thought they said back in the 70’s and 80’s that we were going into an ice age? Yes, this is the pattern that the earth should be going into. (This is what is great about science; new discoveries are made, let’s see what we can figure out next!) Does this mean an Earth covered in ice? No! Although, here in Utah this could be very bad, anyone remember the great prehistoric pluvial lake, Lake Bonneville, from the Pleistocene? I don’t, I was not around yet, but our mountains and shorelines remember. Take a look sometime if you are in the area, remarkable!There are cycles that the Earth goes through called Milankovitch cycles, named after a Serbian civil engineer and mathematician, Milutin Milanković, that helped to determine these various orbital variations. These orbital variations are eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession of the Earth's orbit and they are very complicated, so I will not bore you with them. Feel free to read about them if you can’t fall asleep. Talk about "moving!" These cycles show that we should be headed toward what looks like an ice age, but we are not. We are warming! (Sorry Phoenix! It is getting hotter!) This is where the confusion begins.There is a direct correlation with warming to the industrial revolution. Also, there is a direct correlation to the increased amount of CO2 in the atmosphere with the industrial revolution. By the way, the levels of CO2 have been measured from the top of Mount KÄ«lauea, Hawaii. Far away from any heavily polluted areas. It is very hard to ignore this evidence. So, Yes! global warming is happening. Now this is where the argument about global warming can begin.Since it is a fact that temperatures have been on the rise, now we need to ask why. Is it anthropogenic? (Dang humans!) Perhaps! This is where there is such a debate. This is where I feel the real question should be. Is Global Warming Man Made? I personally believe that we have had some sort of an impact on climate change. To what extent? I am not sure. To actually know how much is very hard to track. Could there be some variable that we do not know? Yes! Could we, as humans, have just set off a tipping point and caused the warming to occur, or a climate shift to occur? Perhaps! There are just too many variables to consider. Whatever has caused this to happen may never be known. On the flip side we have also been helping to cool our planet with the sulfates we have been releasing into the atmosphere. This was discovered through methods called pan evaporation. (Cool Huh!) Pans of water are measured for the amount of evaporation that occurs over time. Evaporation is related to temperature and solar insolation or sunlight. The temperature has been increasing over the past years, but the amount of evaporation has been decreasing. Long story short, this has been because of the amount of sulfates that have been releases into the atmosphere. These sulfates block the amount of solar insolation the Earth receives. Now, could we have actually been slowing the rate of warming, very likely! Can you say, “Global Dimming!” (Very interesting study performed the day after 911 when all the planes were grounded, let me give you a little hint, no vapor trails!)
So, as you can see there are so many factors to consider. Since we do not know how much man has contributed to global warming, it is hard to say what we need to do, or if anything. My problem with these global warming extremists is that they think that we can fix this with no problems. They also paint a very dim picture of our future. It has taken a long time for this problem to happen and it is going to take a very long time to correct the problem. I personally feel, too little too late! I believe we are past the point of no return. The damage has been done. I am not an extremist when it comes to the global warming issue, but if we know we are contributing then it is our responsibility to do what we can to stop polluting our atmosphere. Even though I feel. it is too late, let's be good stewards of our Earth. Ultimately, the Earth will fix itself as it has done many, many times in the past. We will probably not be around to see this, but Earth will take care of this problem. Think About It!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!


I would like to wish my father, Lloyd William Schempp, a Happy Birthday. I truly feel that he is the greatest father that anyone could be blessed to have here upon the face of this Earth. I would like to start with a couple of paragraphs from the autobiography of my father. These two paragraphs should and will shed a little bit of light on my thought process. It should give you an indication of why I think the way I do. GENETICS?


"Lloyd William Schempp was born on 22 March 1940 at Alamosa, Alamosa County, Colorado. I was born at the Alamosa Community Hospital and delivered by our family doctor, Dr. Sidney Anderson. I came into the world at 12:30 a.m. on the morning of Good Friday."


"The 22nd of March is the earliest date upon which Good Friday can fall. Are you ready for this. Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal full moon is the 14th day of a lunar month occurring on or following the next day after March 21. Anyway with Good Friday occurring the Friday before Easter, Good Friday, on a March 22, is a once in a lifetime happening. Between the years 1940 AD and 2041 AD, March 22 occurs on Friday only 15 times and only once does it occur on Good Friday. I won't even get into the equinox for 1940, aren't you glad?" - Lloyd William Schempp


"KARL, I AM YOUR FATHER!" (In a deep breathing voice)


Now, I hope this give you a little indication of why I am the way I am. (For the better, I feel) I am a very lucky person to have such a great man as a father. He is one of the smartest men that I know. I have learned many things from just growing up around him. I have also learned many things from the example that he has set for me. I would have to say that the greatest thing that I have learned for my father is not anything scientific or anything to do with a thought process. The greatest thing that I have learned from my father is how to treat your wife and mother. My father treats my mother with the greatest respect of anyone that I know. My father grew up without his mother. She passed on to the next stage of life on April 21, 1940. I have always wondered if this is why he treats my mother with the greatest respect. By not having a mother, growing up, I feel that he perhaps he has taken the love and respect that he would have shown to his own mother and carried it with him until he was married and expressed this love for mothers and gave my mother, his wife, an extra appreciation of love and respect. This is the greatest example that he has shown for me.


My father has always been there for me through the years and continues to be there for me to this day. I love just being around my father. He is just fun to be around. As I grow older I can see that I am a lot like my father. I can see many things in me that I have either learned or inherited from my father. There is one thing that we do not see eye-to-eye on though! BYU vs. Utah. I can not think of a greater example of a father, than my own father, to follow here upon this Earth.


I usually try to not give the age of any of my family members on their birthdays, but this one was given in the beginning. It was too great to pass up the opportunity in showing how I came to be the way I am. I am looking forward to spending many more equinoxes with my father. If you are wanting to know about the equinox, read my previous post. Don't worry! I did not get into the equinox of 1940 either. But, I will say that it does involve two points of view. Heliocentric or Geocentric! THINK ABOUT IT!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! I LOVE YOU!


*If you want to read more about my father see http://sonofathinker.blogspot.com/2008/12/quotes-from-my-dad.html

Friday, March 20, 2009

What a Great Day for Equality here on Earth!


True equality only happens twice a year on Earth. People try to equal in many ways. Boys want to be equal to girls and girls want to be equal to boys, but this can never really be achieved. There is only one way that we can achieve true equality here on Earth. And today is one of those lucky days that we have equality. Today at 11:44 UTC the Earth reached an equinoctial point. This happens twice a year. This is a point where the Earth's axis is inclined neither away or toward the sun. The sun's solar isolation is directed directly at the Earth at the equator. (No, the sun is not only shining on the equator!) This happens twice a year at the vernal point (no, not Vernal, Utah) and the autumnal point. The names given to these days are the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox. The term equinox is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night). This is exactly what occurs. The the night and day are approximately equally long.


Summer is my favorite season, but the first day of spring has to be one of my favorite days. Even though it is not as warm as summer, I like to look at it this way. From this point moving into summer, each day we will be blessed with an increasing duration of sunlight. (unless you are reading this from the southern hemisphere, SORRY!) And if you have not caught on by now, I LOVE THE SUN AND SUNLIGHT! (There are many, many reasons that I love the sunlight that I will not go into now(Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD)) From this point we will be able to enjoy the blooming plants and trees. We will see an increasing activity of life, both in human and animal forms (also an increase of mosquitoes from where I chose to live in close proximity too, thanks Utah Lake) I love the increasing sunlight! There is nothing greater than the light we receive from the sun. We would not be here without it.


Whenever I feel the increasing sunlight it always bring to me a feeling of renewal and life. I am thankful for such a great and marvelous Creation. I often think of this passage of scripture when I feel the warming sun upon my skin.


Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. JOHN 8:12


So, on the great day of equality on Earth, be thankful for this day, a day of renewal and optimism. THINK ABOUT IT!
As a side note I would also like to add a link to something very interesting thay my mother sent me.
Further reading also at

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHARI!

Shari in Germany


On this day, March 19th, a very special individual was brought into this World. It was a beautiful Tuesday in Mesa, Arizona when Shari Loree was sent from Heaven to start her journey here on Earth. Shari was chosen to be sent to Earth at a specific time. She was chosen to be sent to Earth at this time so magical things could happen in her life. She was chosen to be sent, at the time she was, so she could best influence those around her. As she grew she was able to touch the lives of many as she traveled around the world in her young age. Even at this young age she was able to influence and touch peoples lives for the better. Her outgoing personality, that has been handed down to her own daughter, has always been a great characteristic that has been used for the best. Shari, just like most that have been sent to Earth, has had many trials and struggles in her life. She has faced these challenges in her life and carried on. Many people would have not been able to take on the challenges that she has. But, because of her great strengths and abilities she has always been able to put these trials behind her and learn from them and help others with trials in their life. Shari has blessed the lives of many people in her life, but I personally feel that I am the one that has been most blessed by having met her.

Shortly after meeting her, in the Fall of 1993, I knew I was in love. I knew that she was the one that I wanted to spend eternity with and we were married in February 1995. After we were married I continued to learn more about my wife and saw what a great example she was to those around her. She always makes people around her feel very comfortable. She has always been one that people are attracted to. And for good reason, she is an amazing person. Like many couples, as you continue in your relationship things change as you pass through the different stages of your life. Shari has only done one thing as we have known each other and that is, she continues to progress and become a better person.

Many years after being married we were blessed to have our first child, Cruz. I was able to see many changes in Shari as she became a mother. She was a natural at being a mother. Soon came our second, Kenyon then Mara our third. Within days we will be blessed to have our fourth child, a boy, join us here on Earth. Her children, as well as I are very lucky to have a woman so great as her. Once again, Shari was chosen to be sent at a specific time here in Earth. She was chosen to be sent so she could mold her children's lives for the better. As you look around at the world, it is filled with much good, but also there is a lot of evil around. Shari was chosen to be sent here on Earth at this time in Earths existence to be a guide, a leader, a teacher, and a mother for these special children. She is truly the greatest woman that I know. I am very thankful to have met her and to be married to her for eternity.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHARI!

I LOVE YOU!

Now, It would not complete and it would not be me if I did not add a little bit of thought into the whole thing. How old is she? Well, she is younger than me! Let's do it like this. Let us find her age by counting the successful revolutions around the sun of my second favorite planet in our solar system. It is my second favorite for many reasons. One being a comet magnet! Thanks (PLANET) I love you for this! Well, you guessed it! It is a Jovian planet! It is also the third brightest object in our night sky with an apparent magnitude of -2.3. (Which in just a few nights the Space Shuttle docked with the International Space Station will also have this same apparent magnitude YES! Can't wait!) It is the fifth planet form the sun and the largest of the planets within our solar system. Yes, Pluto! DOH! Pluto is not a planet. Sorry Pluto, but you had this coming. Pretending to be something you are not. COME ON! YES! JUPITER! So, if we were to start counting from the moment she was born, which I actually did on this day, March 19th of a certain year, the planet Jupiter has made roughly 2.95129519697 successful solar passes. I never knew until just this moment why I started counting the orbits Jupiter was making around our sun. So, you can do the math if you want, but, I hope that she is around for a few more passes of this Jovian planet. And Shari, like this planet, you are out of this world!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


I LOVE YOU!

Monday, March 16, 2009

99942 Apophis!


The coming attraction has arrived! Well, not really! I have been wanting to post information on the asteroid Apophis, but could not condense all the information I wanted to present. (Shari has informed me that I present too much information and too detailed) I am sure that you are happy. ( I am trying to do better, REALLY!) I thought for this post that I would let my favorite astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, present this information to you in his very entertaining way. I feel, somewhat, that I have taken the easy way out on this post and have not given you all the information that I wanted to. But I know that this clip will present the basics of this asteroid. ENJOY!

BE SURE TO MUTE MY PLAYLIST (MUSIC) AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE BEFORE STARTING THE VIDEO.



Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Happy Birthday Sandy!

Sandy, top left 1974

On this day many years ago my oldest sister was born not too far from where I currently live. Sandra Lynne Schempp was born in Provo, Utah. She was born on........well, I am not going to give this to you. You are going to have to figure this out if you really want to know. First I want to wish her a Happy Birthday!


I usually make it too easy in giving away the ages of my siblings or parents on their birthdays. I usually indicate how many successful solar passes they have made. WAY TOO EASY! Well, not this time. I will say she was born many years before Neil Alden Armstrong first set foot on the moon. I will also let you know that she was born before the assassination of President John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy! I will make you work for the rest. My sister Sandy has been on the Earth long enough that the fifth largest satellite in our solar system has made 615.018315015 revolutions around her. I will not give you any further information. Well, I will let you know that the satellite that I have referred to is a natural satellite with a mean radius of 1,737.10 km or 1,079.383 898 miles. GOOD LUCK!


Sandy is the oldest of six Schempp children. She is the only one of the Schempp children born in Utah, but now all but one of the Schempp children currently reside in Utah. Sandy was always a quiet person, but she made up for this with her athletic ability. She is a very, very good softball player. I know this personally, YES! PERSONALLY! When I was five years old all of the Schempp kids, minus Kelly, were playing ball out in the backyard of our home in Omaha, Nebraska while our parents were out. (At a church function, if I remember correctly) Well, it was Sandy's turn at bat. Did I mention that Sandy was a very good softball player? And I think I failed to mention that playing softball requires swinging a bat. (SWING BATTER!) Anyway, as Sandy was batting a certain five year old, named Karl, decided to move into close proximity to his sisters batting area. You guessed it! POW! This is why I told you that I knew from personal experience that Sandy was a good softball player and could swing the bat very well. Let's just say she is so good that this required a few stitches on the top of my head to repair. OUCH!


I was still in elementary school when my sister Sandy was married. I don't have as many memories of her as I do some of my other siblings. I can remember her always studying and reading the scriptures in her room. I can remember her always attending church and all of her church activities growing up. This was a great example to all of the younger siblings in our home. I am very grateful to have her as a sister. She is currently studying to be a nurse and I know personally how hard it is to go to school and raise a family at the same time. I know that she will be wonderful nurse and help many people with her skills. I love you very much Sandy and hope that you have a Happy Birthday!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


I LOVE YOU!


YOUR MIDDLE LITTLE BROTHER!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

COMING ATTRACTION!


99942 APOPHIS


Friday the 13th!


Impact on Earth?


Impact on the Moon?


Gravitational Keyhole!


450 metres (1,500 ft)!


Coming soon to a Galaxy (or a blog) near you!