160 Years After: Live Shell Found at Gettysburg Civil War National Battlefield

 Twenty days ago, a 160 Year old live ordnance shell from the Civil War was found in Gettysburg National Military Park! With all the people that visit the Battlefield annually, its amazing they are still finding things. Here's the story:

(Photo; The live shell at Gettysburg Civil War National Battlefield. Credit: National Park Service)

160 Years After:  Live Shell Found at Gettysburg Civil War National Battlefield

On February 8, 2023, the Gettysburg National Military Park reported that an unexploded ordnance shell was found within the Little Round Top rehabilitation area. The 55th Ordnance Disposal Company EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team from Fort Belvoir, VA (U.S. Army) safely removed the shell before it was destroyed off-site. The EOD team gently washed off the mud to allow park staff to photograph the shell.

ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG: Adams County, PA | Jul 1 - 3, 1863 Battlefields.org described the battle this way: The Battle of Gettysburg marked the turning point of the Civil War. With more than 50,000 estimated casualties, the three-day engagement was the bloodiest single battle of the conflict.

How it ended

Union victory. Gettysburg ended Confederate general Robert E. Lee’s ambitious second quest to invade the North and bring the Civil War to a swift end. The loss there dashed the hopes of the Confederate States of America to become an independent nation.

TO FIND THE NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD _ 

1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA, United States, Pennsylvania

(717) 334-1124

GETT_Superintendent@nps.gov

nps.gov/gett

Who Collects Shaving Cream Cans?

 Last week when I was shaving in the morning, as I always do, I realized the can of shaving cream was labeled "Collectors Edition." It had images of dinosaurs from a Jurassic Park film- whichever one they are up to now.  The can is still half full and it's already rusted badly, making me wonder, "Who collects shaving cream cans?"  Today's blog just ponders what people collect... and includes photos of those rusted shaving cream cans! 

   I know that we all collect something. My mother-in-law collected little figurines from Tetley Tea boxes (and I admit, they are tiny and cute). Others collect coins and stamps. Since the 1970s, I've been collecting comic books! I have heard of people collecting beer cans (if you live in California and you're tired of them, turn them in for a 5-cent bottle deposit!). 

  But I don't know anyone that collects shaving cream cans. Do you? What do YOU collect? I would be interested to know. 

Idiot of the Week: Prisoner Escapes Just Before Sentence Ends

HOW stupid is this guy?  Seriously. This week's idiot was in state prison for a five year sentence, and it was nearing the end of its term. But, he decided to escape. NOW, he's going back to prison for a Longer term. What an Idiot. Here's the story.

(Photo: Police have located and arrested Jeremiah Ballard, an inmate at the Central MD Correctional Facility in Sykesville who escaped on Jan. 19. (7News))

Escaped Maryland inmate captured at Upper Marlboro shopping center

by 7News StaffMonday, January 23rd 2023

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (7NEWS) — Police have located and apprehended Jeremiah Ballard, an inmate at the Central MD Correctional Facility in Sykesville, MD who escaped on Jan. 19, The Md. Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSCS) announced.

Ballard was taken back into custody by the DPSCS and the U.S. Marshals Service at the Vista Garden Shopping Center in Upper Marlboro Monday morning, according to DPSCS.

Ballard was nearing the end of his five-year state sentence for theft and assault charges when he escaped from the minimum-security facility.

(Photo:  Jeremiah Ballard, an inmate at the Central MD Correctional Facility in Sykesville who escaped on Jan. 19. (DPSCS))

DPSCS confirmed there were no injuries during Monday's incident which also included a brief foot chase.

Ballard was transported to a DPSCS facility and will now face escape and other charges.

Hero of the Week: A Maine Barber - offers free cuts to those who can't pay

This week's hero is a barber in Maine who helps the poor by giving free services. After all, everyone needs a haircut. Here's her story.

Photo:   Maine-based hairstylist Lynn Cressey first opened her A Little Off the Top barbershop in 2007.

A Maine barber knows struggle. It's why the great-grandmother offers free cuts to those who can't pay.

Ashley R. Williams, USA TODAY, Feb 1, 2023 

For anyone short on a few bucks at A Little Off the Top barbershop in Brunswick, Maine, it won’t turn into a hairy situation. Shop owner Lynn Cressey’s got you covered.

“I’ll work with you,” reads the sign in front of the Woolwich, Maine, native’s shop.

In September, she added a note to the sign beneath the hair and beard cut prices. It said: “If this creates a hardship for you, please let me know. Nobody will be turned away for lack of ability to pay.”

Cressey’s customers, many of whom she says are retired or military, come from various situations: they may be on fixed incomes, out of work, disabled or simply going through a rough patch. Lynn Cressey, owner of A Little Off the Top barbershop in Brunswick, Maine, added a note to the sign outside her storefront informing customers they won't be turned away if they can't afford to pay for a haircut. “As I'm cutting somebody's hair, I know by talking to a lot of them how much they're struggling, and a lot of times I'll just tell them there's no charge,” Cressey, who opened A Little Off the Top in February 2007, told USA TODAY.

She's had customers who have offered to pay the next week.

“I know they’re going through a lot," said Cressey, a mother of nine children, with 38 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

One customer with an upcoming job interview had raided his child’s piggy bank for $6 worth of change. He’d promised to give Cressey the remainder later. She cut his hair. Took his change. Opened her drawer. “I took (money out) and said, ‘here – put this back in your kid's piggy bank, the haircut’s on me, and here's $10 for gas to get to the interview,” Cressey recalled. “He was so grateful.”

Giving back to a community that is 'like family' The hairstylist, who runs her shop solo, is no stranger to difficult times. A three-month shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was tough, she said. At the same time, her husband, who died last January, was "extremely" ill. The hairstylist used the time away from the business to care for him.

She’s a believer in people looking out for each other. It’s what her community, which she describes as “like family,” did for her. “People would call just to check up on me,” Cressey said. “They sent cards, gave me a few donations and I was able to pay the rent at the shop.”

As she chats with customers between every snip of her shears, signs of hardships sometimes linger beneath the facade of an “I’m fine” in response to “how are you?” she said.

“Fine’ is not a real answer when really, you're actually there struggling, and if you look closely enough, you can see it, you can sense it,” Cressey said. “Sometimes, even if they can pay, they just need a hug, they need to know that somebody's out there that cares about them.”

Part 4: Differences in English Words between U.S. vs. U.K.

This is Part 4 of Several blogs about Words with different meanings in the U.S. versus U.K. These were compiled by Dictionary dot com, so if there are errors, I am simply sharing.  - Regardless, if you watch BBC/British television these will come in handy! Today's blog will look at 6 more of them, from sidewalk to washcloth . Read on!

sidewalk

In the US, the word sidewalk refers to a paved path that people can walk along the side of a road. In the UK, the words pavement or footpath are more likely to be used instead.

sneakers

Most sources claim that the word sneakers or sneaks referring to shoes emerged in the 1800s to refer to noiseless shoes with rubber soles. These words aren’t common in the UK, and Brits are more likely to use the word trainers to refer to casual footwear.

sweatpants

The word pants often refers to underwear rather than outerwear in the UK. Likely for this reason, the word sweatpants is used a lot more often in the US.

thumbtack

While the word thumbtack isn’t totally alien to the UK, the term drawing pin is the more common name for the tiny fastener.

trash and garbage

In the US, the words trash and garbage are commonly used to refer to unwanted junk people throw away. In the UK, other words such as rubbish or litter are more commonly used. Along the same line, Brits are more likely to chuck something into a dustbin rather than a trash can.

washcloth

The word washcloth is an Americanism that combines the words wash and cloth. In the UK, the terms face cloth or flannel are much more likely to be used to describe towels or cloths used to wash the face and body.

 

Part 3: Differences in English Words between U.S. vs. U.K.

This is Part 3 of Several blogs about Words with different meanings in the U.S. versus U.K. Today's blog will look at 6 more of them, from jackhammer to scuttlebutt. (These were put together by someone else). Read on!

jackhammer

The word jackhammer is an Americanism resulting from combining the names of two tools, jack and hammer. In the UK, this tool is usually called a pneumatic drill or similar name.

ladybug

The names ladybug and ladybeetle for the Coccinellidae family of beetles are popularly used among Americans, but Brits prefer the name ladybird for these creepy crawlies. Regardless of which name is used, it seems that the “lady” that all of these beetles are named after is Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.

narc/nark

In the US, the slang narc/nark (short for narcotics) is used as a noun and a verb to refer to reporting someone to the police. In the UK, the slang grass is used instead both as a noun and verb for the same reason.

period

In the US and Canada, the punctuation mark resembling a dot used to end sentences is called a period. In the UK, this mark is instead more commonly known as a full stop or full point.

rutabaga

The rutabaga, also known as Swedish turnip, gets its name through an Americanism from the Swedish rotabagge. In the UK, this root is commonly known as a swede, referencing its Swedish origins.

scuttlebutt

In both the US and UK, the word scuttlebutt is used to refer to a drinking fountain on a ship. More commonly in the US, though, scuttlebutt is also used as a slang term to refer to rumors and gossip, likely referencing gossipy sailors who gathered while getting a drink.

Part 2: Difference Between English Words in U.S. vs. U.K.

 This is Part 2 of Several blogs about Words with different meanings in the U.S. versus U.K. Today's blog will look at 8 more of them, from discombobulate to Freshman. Read on!

discombobulate

The Americanism discombobulate is thought to be a humorous alteration of the word discompose or discomfort.

freeway and beltway

The US and UK use different road systems, so the Americanism freeway to refer to toll-free roads isn’t used in the UK. Similarly, the American word beltway for a belt-shaped length of highway around a city doesn’t see much use in the UK either.

doohickey, doodad, thingamajig, thingamabob, whatchamacallit

The words doohickey, doodad, thingamajig, thingamabob, and whatchamacallit are some examples of colloquialisms that Americans use to refer to gizmos, gadgets, and other things popular among mermaid princesses. In the UK, the word thingummy is more popularly used to refer to random things.

drugstore

The word drugstore is an Americanism that refers to a store that sells (pharmaceutical) drugs and possibly other items. In the UK, the term pharmacy is used to refer to a place that sells pharmaceuticals.

dude

The word dude, whether it refers to a cowboy on a ranch or a California surfer hanging ten, is an Americanism with an unknown origin. As a result, you are unlikely to hear it used in the UK. You might hear bloke or mate instead.

dumpster

The dumpster was invented by American George Dempster and was used by the Dempster Brothers Company. It isn’t too surprising that this trashy word that resulted from an American trademark has yet to become popular anywhere else.

flashlight

The word flashlight is used by Americans to refer to a battery-powered electric lamp. In the UK, this device is instead known as a torch.

freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior

The US and UK take different approaches when it comes to school and that includes how people refer to students. In the US, a high school or college student is referred to as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior usually depending on what year of school they are in. None of these words are used to describe UK students, and phrases such as first year or second year are used instead.

Part 1: English Words With Different Meanings in the U.S. and U.K.

This is Part 1 of Several blogs about Words with different meanings in the U.S. versus U.K. Recently, Dictionary dot com posted a great blog about the differences in meanings of English words spoken by Americans and Canadians that aren’t commonly used anywhere else. These words are either rarely used in the UK, and British dictionaries may not even acknowledge their existence—or identify them as words only Americans and Canadians say. Today's blog will look at 7 of them, from Bachelorette Party to Craps. Read on!

bachelorette party

In the UK, the word bachelorette (a combination of the word bachelor and the feminine noun suffix -ette) for an unmarried young woman is less commonly used than it is in the US and Canada. So, a bachelorette party in the UK is instead referred to as a hen party, hen night, or hen do. Interestingly, unmarried UK men must also be party animals because the term stag party is more commonly used there than bachelor party.

checkers

The American and Canadian name for the game of checkers seems to be based on the checkerboard surface the game is played on. In the UK, the game is instead known as draughts after a pluralization of the word draught that was once used to refer to a move in chess.

cleats

Americans refer to shoes with rubber or metal projections underneath them as cleats while Brits prefer the term studs. Both terms are pluralizations of words that refer to a single projection attached to the shoe, cleat and stud.

cooties

In America, young boys and girls know to keep their distance from one another or risk getting cooties. In the UK, not so much. This name for a fictional disease seems to be based on the word cootie to refer to a body louse, which originates from the Malay word kutu.

cookout

The word cookout is an Americanism formed from the verb phrase cook out. In the UK, the word barbecue (also an Americanism) is more commonly used to refer to parties where food is cooked outside.

cotton candy

A mass of fluffy sugar on a stick is called cotton candy in the US and candyfloss in the UK. Both names likely reference the shape and texture of the candy.

craps

The name of the dice game known as craps is an Americanism that is believed to come from a variant of the word crabs, which referred to a bad roll in another dice game known as hazard. The slang word crapshoot comes from the name of a game of craps, so it too is rarely used in the UK.

Explained: The White in an Egg

If you eat a lot of eggs, you likely never knew what the white string-like thing is attached to a yolk. This article from Huff post gives you the answer.

What's That White String Inside A Raw Egg? Behold, The Chalaza

By Carla Herreria Russo, Huff post

The egg: One of the most basic staples in the American diet.

You've probably cracked one open over a frying pan for breakfast, whisked a few into flour to make a birthday cake, or maybe you've gone full-on Rocky and chugged those babies raw.

But no matter how many times you've handled a raw egg, one thing has left you, at the very least, mildly perplexed: What the heck is that white, gooey, ropey thing that's hanging onto the yolk?

It's time you met the chalaza. (Pronounced: cuh-lay-zuh.)

Relax. Despite its weird ropey appearance, it is not an umbilical cord.

The chalazae (plural) can be found on two sides of the yolk and their main purpose is to hold the yolk at the center of the egg -- like little anchors.

Because the cords, which are a special form of protein, are connected to both the lining of the eggshell and the yolk, they are usually most noticeable when separating egg whites -- and they can sometimes make the task a bit challenging.

The chalazae are also completely edible, so removing them is unnecessary. In fact, seeing those stringy cords clearly is a sign that you’re looking at a fresh egg.

An egg’s chalazae disappear as the egg ages, so if you can’t find at least one after cracking an egg open, chances are the egg has been sitting at the store (or in your refrigerator) for a while.

So now that you know what to look for in terms of freshness, you might want to whip up some delicious eggs.  

Idiot of the Week: Woman pulled from storm drain 3rd time

You would think that if you get stuck in a storm drain and there's a risk of drowning, you wouldn't do it again. Well, this week's idiot didn't think that way. In fact, after attending a Bible class, she decided it would be her religious journey to do it again (for the 3rd time). Plus- she was a driver of a Hit and Run, whose license was suspended 17 times before. She's some kind of idiot. Here's her story.

Lyndsey Kennedy (shown in 2021, Grand Prairie Police Dept.) was pulled from yet another storm drain, Jan. 18, 2023. (Delray Beach Police Dept.)

Dry again, for now: Woman pulled from storm drain 3rd time in less than 2 years

by LENNY COHEN | The National DeskWednesday, January 18th 2023

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (TND) — A woman with a history of being rescued from storm drains was pulled from another one on Wednesday. It was Lyndsey Jane Kennedy's third storm drain in just over two years.

LATEST INCIDENT (#3):  Delray Beach police in Florida said the latest call came at noon. A witness reported someone possibly in distress while swimming in a canal. Officers and firefighters arrived rushed to the scene and asked Kennedy, who they didn’t recognize, if she needed help. They didn’t get a response.

According to police, “She ignored them and climbed into a storm drain pipe. The woman refused to come out and began crawling farther into the culvert pipe, which crossed under Lindell Boulevard. Apparently, a rescue attempt became trying to catch Kennedy.

Firefighters said they contained her between two sections of pipe. Then, special operations team members from Delray Beach Fire Rescue used a ladder and rescue harness to get her out.

They said Kennedy appeared to have minor injuries. Paramedics treated her and then took her “to the hospital for further evaluation.”

(Photo: She was arrested for hit and run in July 2021. Credit: Palm Beach County sheriff)

INCIDENT #2: Kennedy had a brush with another storm drain in Delray Beach in March 2021. Police said the story she told them started with her swimming in a canal near her boyfriend's house and seeing a doorway near a shallow part of the canal. She entered it, noticed a tunnel, and followed it out of curiosity. She told police the tunnel led to another tunnel and so on, until she realized she was lost. Long story short, Kennedy told police she’d been walking around the sewer system for the three weeks she was missing.

Family members said Kennedy attended a Bible study group with her mom before she disappeared. They learned about the prophet Elijah (not Jonah!) taking a journey and said she wrote a note to her mom, telling her she planned to go on her own journey. Still, relatives said they didn't believe her journey was meant to take her into a storm drain.

Kennedy was listed as "endangered" on the sheriff's office's missing person’s documentation, and a detective wrote in the report, “She has gone missing under similar circumstances on 4/27/2020.”

INCIDENT #1: The next storm drain incident for Kennedy took place two months later — in May 2021 — in Texas. Police in Grand Prairie, between Dallas and Fort Worth, reported searching for Kennedy for four days. That search ended when her mom and best friend found her at a canal.

Her family told WPEC Kennedy wandered off after checking into a rehab facility. That best friend, Brady Morgan, said police spotted Kennedy near a creek but when they approached, she slipped into a nearby storm drain.

It was a tracking app on Kennedy's cellphone that led her family to her last location before she disappeared underground and in the meantime, family and friends dropped bags of food and Gatorade into area manholes.

ANOTHER RUN-IN- A HIT AND RUN: Kennedy made news again in Florida, but for a different reason.

She was arrested for hit and run in July 2021. Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies said she ran from the crash scene to an apartment complex, but the staff there led them to her.

Authorities said her injured passenger told them they were making a beer run but Kennedy ran from a gas station, saying she stole the beer, and sped off, nearly hitting the store clerk who chased her outside. The crash with another car happened after running several red lights.

The passenger said Kennedy ran because she didn’t have a driver’s license.> It turned out, hers had been suspended 17 times from 2007 to 2020.

Heroes of the Week: Firefighters of Merrimack, NH Rescue

 This week's heroes are the firefighters of Merrimack, New Hampshire that rescued a person from an island after crossing ice on a semi-frozen lake. If you look at the photo of the lake, there's a good amount of open water... so what was the ice-walker thinking? Or not thinking?  Here's the story of the heroes who saved the person:

N.H. firefighters rescue person stuck on island after crossing thin ice

"Merrimack Fire would like to remind everyone to stay off the ice in town it is not safe at this time," the firefighters wrote.

Firefighters rescued a person from an island surrounded by thin ice Sunday morning. Merrimack Fire Department

By Susannah Sudborough

January 22, 2023

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Email
• 8

Firefighters in Merrimack, New Hampshire rescued a person who got stuck on an island Sunday after they crossed thin ice on the lake surrounding it.

Firefighters said in a Facebook post that by 11:30 a.m., many teams had responded to Naticook Lake for an ice rescue. One person had crossed thin ice on the lake to get to the island and was now stuck.

Crews were able to get to the island using a flotation device to rescue the adult from the island, firefighters said.

“Merrimack Fire would like to remind everyone to stay off the ice in town it is not safe at this time,” they wrote on Facebook.

New pterosaur species with hundreds of tiny hooked teeth discovered!

If you enjoy reading about new dinosaur-era discoveries like I do, today's blog is for you, too. Recently a new Pterosaur (a flying reptile) named Balaenognathus maeuseri was discovered. Here's the story! 

(Image: An artist’s impression of Balaenognathus maeuseri. Credit: Megan Jacobs) 

New pterosaur species with hundreds of tiny hooked teeth discovered

by University of Portsmouth, Jan 23, 2023

An unusual new species of pterosaur has been identified, which had over 400 teeth that looked like the prongs of a nit comb.

The fossil was found in a German quarry and has been described by paleontologists from England, Germany and Mexico.

Professor David Martill, lead author of the research, from the University of Portsmouth's School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, said, "The nearly complete skeleton was found in a very finely layered limestone that preserves fossils beautifully.

"The jaws of this pterosaur are really long and lined with small fine, hooked teeth, with tiny spaces between them like a nit comb. The long jaw is curved upwards like an avocet and at the end it flares out like a spoonbill. There are no teeth at the end of its mouth, but there are teeth all the way along both jaws right to the back of its smile.

"And what's even more remarkable is some of the teeth have a hook on the end, which we've never seen before in a pterosaur ever. These small hooks would have been used to catch the tiny shrimp the pterosaur likely fed on—making sure they went down its throat and weren't squeezed between the teeth."

The discovery was made accidentally while scientists were excavating a large block of limestone containing crocodile bones.

Professor Martill said, "This was a rather serendipitous find of a well-preserved skeleton with near perfect articulation, which suggests the carcass must have been at a very early stage of decay with all joints, including their ligaments, still viable. It must have been buried in sediment almost as soon as it had died."

The pterosaur belongs to a family of pterosaurs called Ctenochasmatidae, which are known from the limestone in Bavaria, Germany, where this one was also found.

Since the first pterosaur was described from there in the 18th century, hundreds of remains of these flying reptiles have been discovered, making the quarries of the Franconian Jura in Bavaria one of the richest pterosaur localities in the world.

"This pterosaur had teeth in the upper and lower jaw, which are a mirror image of each other. There is one other pterosaur with more teeth—Pterodaustro from Argentina—but it has stubby teeth in its upper jaw and even longer teeth in its lower jaw, so this new specimen is very different from other ctenochasmatids," Professor Martill added.

The teeth of the new pterosaur suggest an extraordinary feeding mechanism while it waded through water. It would use its spoon-shaped beak to funnel the water and then its teeth to squeeze out excess liquid, leaving prey trapped in its mouth.

The animal likely dabbled as it waded through shallow lagoons, sucking in tiny water shrimps and copepods and then filtering them out through its teeth just like ducks and flamingos.

It has been named Balaenognathus maeuseri. The generic name roughly translated means whale mouth because of its filtering feeding style. The specific name is after one of the co-authors Matthias Mäuser who sadly passed away during the writing of the paper.

Enjoyable book: Murder She Wrote: Murder in Two Acts by David Deutsch

 Before the current "Murder She Wrote" series of mysteries began in the late 1980s, there were 4 paperbacks by various authors. I recently enjoyed the 4th in the series "Murder in Two Acts" by David Deutsch published in 1986. I liked it, but not as much as the books in the second, more recent series. Today's blog will explain why. 

I have to confess that the second series of Murder She Wrote books, authored by Donald Bain (until he passed a couple of years ago) are my favorites. This book was apparently taken from two different episodes of the television show, and although I've seen 90% of them I don't recall these. 

MY TAKE ON THE TWO STORIES -  There are 2 separate stories, which makes sense, given where they came from- and the first one that takes place in an theatre in England was good, although it took three long chapters to even introduce Jessica Fletcher, the mystery writer who solves murders. Needless to say, it took some effort to read through the first three chapters. The second story about a murder on a soap opera set did have me guessing. So, it's a good read- about 4 of 5 stars. 

ONE QUIRKY THING - This author is obviously British, because of the spellings of words in British English... so that was a bit odd.

FROM THE BOOK COVER/ABOUT THE BOOK: Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher can't seem to complete any of her murder mysteries these days, what with having to deal with real life murders on both sides of the Atlantic.

But it's all in the family - so to speak. First of all, her cousin Emma, a London music hall singer, mysteriously disappears after a series of attempts on her life, leaving Jessica to find the party which wants the singer dead. And then in New York, Jessica's niece, an actress in a TV soap opera, becomes the main suspect in the killing of the show's producer.

But Jessica suprises audience and actors alike by exposing the murderer, proving that whether in London or New York, all the world's a stage.

 Here's a fascinating look at the past- tunnels that were an ancient Roman Aqueduct located under the City of Naples, Italy!   Here's the story from LiveScience.  

Image: Roman aqueduct found in Naples supplied water to ancient luxury villas. This Roman aqueduct found in Naples supplied water to ancient luxury villas.(Image credit: Associazione Cocceius (Cocceius Association))

Vast subterranean aqueduct in Naples once 'served elite Roman villas'

By Kristina Killgrove Jan 30, 2023, LIVESCIENCE

Once played in by local children, a vast tunnel that goes through a hill in Naples, Italy, is actually a Roman aqueduct, archaeologists say.

Forty years ago, when children in Naples were playing in caves and tunnels under the hill of Posillipo in Italy, they didn't know their playground was actually a Roman aqueduct. When they shared their memories with archaeological authorities recently, it kicked off an exploration of one of the longest, most mysterious examples of ancient water infrastructure in the Roman world.

Rome's famous aqueducts supplied water for baths, drinking, public fountains and more. Built during a period of about half a millennium (roughly 300 B.C. to A.D. 200), aqueducts around the former Roman Empire are highly recognizable today thanks to their multitiered arched structure. But this marvel of ancient architecture represents only a small fraction of the actual water system; the vast majority of the infrastructure is still underground.

Outside of Rome, subterranean aqueducts and their paths are much less understood. This knowledge gap included the newly investigated Aqua Augusta, also called the Serino aqueduct, which was built between 30 B.C. and 20 B.C. to connect luxury villas and suburban outposts in the Bay of Naples. Circling Naples and running down to the ancient vacation destination of Pompeii, the Aqua Augusta is known to have covered at least 87 miles (140 kilometers), bringing water to people all along the coast as well as inland.

(Photo: the current entrance to the aqueduct. . Image credit: Associazione Cocceius (Cocceius Association))

Thanks to reports from locals who used to explore the tunnels as kids, association members found a branch of the aqueduct that carried drinking water to the hill of Posillipo and to the crescent-shaped island of Nisida. So far, around 2,100 feet (650 meters) of the excellently preserved aqueduct has been found, making it the longest known segment of the Aqua Augusta.

Graziano Ferrari, president of the Cocceius Association, told Live Science in an email that "the Augusta channel runs quite near to the surface, so the inner air is good, and strong breezes often run in the passages." Exploring the aqueduct requires considerable caving experience, though. Speleologists' most difficult challenge in exploring the tunnel was to circumvent the tangle of thorns at one entrance. 

FULL ARTICLE: https://www.livescience.com/ancient-roman-aqueduct-discovered-naples?utm_term=CB486BD9-5E56-49FC-869B-EA0DD0662C29&utm_campaign=368B3745-DDE0-4A69-A2E8-62503D85375D&utm_medium=email&utm_content=E13662E5-778E-4A26-AC9F-7118E15998DC&utm_source=SmartBrief

Weather Answers: Why Destructive Tornadoes Happen In The Middle Of Winter

As a meteorologist, I like to share information about the weather and educate people on what we've learned about seasonal patterns. Today's blog shares an informative blog from two Weather Underground Meteorologists about why tornadoes form in the winter.

(Image: Confirmed tornadoes and reports of tornadoes in five separate outbreaks from Nov. 4, 2022, through Jan. 12, 2023. (Note: Not all confirmed tornadoes may show up on this map, particularly on the Jan. 12, 2023, map which was created before many NWS damage surveys were completed. Credit: Weather Underground)

Why Destructive Tornadoes Happen In The Middle Of Winter 

Chris Dolce and Jonathan Erdman Weather Underground Published: January 13, 2023

Destructive tornadoes, even outbreaks, can occur in parts of the United States in December, January and February, despite winter's bone-chilling reputation.

That's certainly been the case recently, with three tornado outbreaks since mid-December, and five since early November.

The most recent outbreak on Jan. 12 included a destructive tornado in Selma, Alabama, and a deadly twister in Autauga County.

How This Happens In Winter 

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes need a mix of ingredients.

First, they typically need strong wind shear, a sharp change in wind speed and/or direction from the ground to the jet stream. Since the jet stream is strongest in the U.S. in winter, this first ingredient is almost always sufficient. That was certainly the case on Jan. 12, when a 125-mph jet stream punched across the Deep South.

T​hen, you need it to be at least somewhat warm and humid. T​his is why severe thunderstorms in winter are relatively rare in the Northeast, Midwest or Northern Plains. It's just too cold. 

(Severe weather set up. Credit: Weather Underground) 

I​f Arctic cold air dominates the country in winter, that shuts off the threat of severe thunderstorms everywhere. B​ut, the Deep South isn't always cold in the winter. High temperatures can soar into the 60s, 70s or even low 80s, as happened during the Jan. 12 outbreak.

Its close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico means the Deep South can quickly become humid, fueling the instability needed to generate thunderstorms.

I​f that warm, humid air is in place ahead of a strong low-pressure system accompanied by a powerful jet stream, you get severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Tornadoes Are Typical, Even In Winter 

W​hile tornadoes in the U.S. are usually infrequent in winter, it is typical for at least some to touch down each season. Over the last 20 years, an average of 123 tornadoes have occurred in the U.S. from December through February.

However, t​hat average masks a lot of variability. A​ December record 232 tornadoes tore through the U.S. in 2021, mainly from two large outbreaks in less than a week.

But some winter months only manage a handful of tornadoes, if that. February 2015 produced three tornadoes, and January 2014 only had four.

These winter tornadoes are often deadly. T​here's been at least one deadly winter tornado in the U.S. every year since 2005, according to data from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.

Since 1991, only three years – 1992, 1994 and 2004 – didn't have a single deadly winter tornado.

Usually A Southern Thing In Winter 

T​his probably isn't surprising, given the most recent outbreaks, but winter tornadoes favor a corridor of the South, especially the lower Mississippi Valley, Deep South and northern Gulf Coast. Occasionally, some tornadoes can occur farther north into the Ohio or Mississippi valleys.

Comics: The BEST Justice League of America Team Over the last 50 Years

    As a comic book fan since the 1970s, one of my favorite comics was the Justice League of America. Superheroes like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Flash were mainstays. In the 1970s and 1980s, that group had the BEST line up of members (in my opinion). Since that era ended, it's never been as good, despite 9 other iterations.  If DC Comics looked at the most popular issues, they'd go back to the "Satellite Era." 

   Because they haven't, and DC continues to leave out a lot of characters, I re-read my Six 500 page collections of the Justice League stories from the 70s and 80s . BTW-  This summer, DC Comics is going to launch an 11th iteration of the team, and I hope it's the same group as the "Satellite Era." 

   Here's a summary of that Era from Gamesradar... and if you want to see all the other iterations, click the link to the original article at the bottom of today's blog. 

 Justice League of America: Satellite Era

(Image credit: DC Comics)

From the late '60s through the early '80s, the Justice League wasn't just a team - it was practically an army. An expansive line-up of the DC Universe's greatest heroes, the definitive Justice League called their iconic satellite home, and is still referred to as the 'Satellite League.'

While this wasn't the first iteration of the League, it did set the template for the most popular versions of the team, with members ranging from the top-tier heavy hitters, to mid-card mainstays, and surprising additions. The Satellite League remains the definitive, prototypical version of the League that gave rise to Morrison's Pantheon, the animated league, and more.

Key members: Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Flash (Barry Allen), Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Atom, Green Arrow (Oliver Queen), Black Canary, Red Tornado, Elongated Man, Firestorm, Zatanna, Superman, Batman, Hawkman (Katar Hol), Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol)

LINK TO ALL JUSTICE LEAGUE ITERATIONS: https://www.gamesradar.com/best-justice-league-line-ups/