Sunday, December 19, 2004

Geologist Love Beer

At Michigan State all of the geology grad students go to the same bar every Friday. And at Miami's Geology Field Station there's a bar less than a mile away. That bar is in the middle of nowhere so it must be the Geologists and oil field workers who keep it going.

Dr. Maltman from the University of Wales at Aberystwyth discussed the role of Beer and Geology at the GSA conference in Denver. It appears this discussion was taken from his article in Geology Today titled ‘Wine, beer and whisky: the role of geology’ . Most newspaper articles about the presentation at the GSA conference discussed the strong connection between beer and the rocks the groundwater flows through and discounted the concept of terroir in wine.

However, this may be because the effects of terroir have not been fully investigated. But there is no doubt that groundwater and hence geology has a tremendous impact on beer. And the difference can be as subtle as noticing a difference of taste between Guinness brewed in London and Guinness brewed in Dublin. Along these lines some brewers are reviving "geologic brewing methods".

Hail Dolphins


And so it begins... It appears dolphins have begun their subterfuge to control the human race. First they show up where you least expect them, and now they are acting like our "friends". Be afraid...

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Colleen's Slow Cooker Jambalaya

If there were a Santa Claus I'd ask for this.

Subaru developing diesel boxer engine.

Sweet mother of God what is the holdup? - I hope this comes to the U.S. soon.

2004 Music

Rolling Stone's top albums of 2004

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

December Witch

November Witches now seem to be happening in December:


DEEP LOW PRESSURE WILL PRODUCE STRONG ONSHORE WINDS ALONG THE LAKE
MICHIGAN SHORELINE TODAY. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE WAVES OF
15 TO 20 FEET...LEADING TO SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION...DAMAGE TO
UNPROTECTED VESSELS AND STRUCTURES...AND HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ON
DOCKS...PIERS AND BREAKWATERS.


The climate is changing. Grand Traverse Bay has not frozen over more often than not in the last 10 years, and in fact, there have been more unfrozen winters in the last 10 than in all of 1850-1993. But it could be worse. We're still in an Ice Age and if the climate were not warming then it would be cooling. In fact, the climate was much warmer 1000 years ago when wine was grown in England. The thing to remember is that the Earth and the climate are never static.