April 24-26, 2009 Forecast Results

Recent aspects between Mercury and Neptune were forecast to affect weather patterns over the Pacific Northwest and Rockies. The Weather Alternative forecast posted on April 12th called for a low pressure system to enter the Pacific Northwest on the 23rd and to strengthen over the Nevada-Utah-Arizona around the 24th.



The Weather Channel map at left for April 25th shows a low pressure over the very Nevada-Utah-Arizona area. The National Weather Service issued a number of wind warnings over this area on the 24th due to the low.

The second portion of the forecast called for the Mars-Pluto square to affect the eastern U.S. stating that a storm system would originate over the Mississippi Valley and push eastward intensifying over the Virginia-North Carolina area.

As can be seen from today's Accuweather map at right, storms are affecting the Mississippi Valley area but a high pressure system is intensifying over the eastern U.S. not a low pressure system. This high is bringing summer-like warmth to the area.

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Famous Quotes

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” -Mark Twain

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” -Benjamin Franklin

“A government which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always count on the support of Paul.” -George Benard Shaw

“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” -Thomas Paine

“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” -Edward Murrow

Mars-Uranus Results

The Weather Alternative forecast for April 14-16, 2009 relied on the Mars-Uranus conjunction for an energetic storm system to affect the Mississippi Valley and head eastward to New England.

The Weather Channel map at left for April 14th shows a low pressure system and front affecting those very areas. Meteorologists expected locally heavy rain (one to two inches) from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic Coast.

Conventional forecasters also expected severe storms over the Southeast with damaging winds, large hail, with the possibility of a few tornadoes. Some rain was expected over the New England area on the 15th.

April 23-26, 2009 Forecast
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Money and History

In my opinion, the quickest and easiest way to understand history is to study the history of money, especially gold and silver. This is because money is a mirror of civilization. Throughout history, whenever we find good, reliable non-inflated money, we almost always find a strong, healthy civilization. Whenever we find unreliable, inflated money we almost always find a civilization in decay.

The quality of money reflects the quality of ethics. This brings up an interesting question. Does good money create a healthy civilization or does a healthy civilization create good money? Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? --Richard J. Maybury

April 23-26, 2009 Forecast

Mercury will square Neptune on April 25th and Mars will square Pluto on April 26th. Because of the distribution of these planets in key charts for the season, the Mercury-Neptune combination should produce a low pressure system or front triggering storms over the western U.S. while the Mars-Pluto square should affect the eastern portion of the country with another strong low pressure system.

Weather events out west should start around the 23rd over the Pacific Northwest, however, the Nevada-Utah-Arizona area is also highlighted for severe weather or a strong low pressure area around the 24th.

The Mars-Pluto square on the 26th affects the eastern portion of the country. Pluto, in the seasonal chart occupies the 80th line of west longitude through the eastern Great Lakes, the Mid-Atlantic States and on into the Southeast. This particular storm system, however, may originate further west over the Mississippi Valley and push eastward. Storm intensity may be greatest over the Virginia-North Carolina area.

Mars Conjunct Uranus April 15th

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Financial Woes

Scores of times throughout history, we've seen today's type of economic calamity repeated on a national level, but never before has it happened globally. This is the first time the world reserve currency has been fiat paper that can be created infinitely, producing unlimited amounts of malinvestment. Until 1971, the global reserve currency had been gold for thousands of years. Now the fiat chickens are coming home to roost.

We cannot have an honest financial system and stable economy when the currency they depend on is corrupt. --Richard Maybury

Mars Conjunct Uranus April 15th

The Mars-Uranus conjunction of April 15th will affect weather patterns over the U.S. Mars, known for its acute and energetic action on weather systems, when coupled with Uranus by conjunction and parallel often results in high-velocity winds and storm damage.

Key astro-meteorological charts place the influence of these two over the Mississippi Valley and over the New England area.

The Moon enters the action by squaring Mars and Uranus on the 14th, thus activating their potential a day earlier.


April 14-16, 2009: An energetic storm system will gather strength over the Mississippi Valley and proceed eastward over the New England area. Lately the U.S. has experienced some blizzard-like conditions. This may produce similar effects over the eastern half of the country.

Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made


Success is not getting the most you can, but giving the best you can.
* * *
When this life is over and earthly days past,
Only what's given to others will last.
* * *
A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle.
* * *
One makes a living by what he gets; one makes a life by what he gives.

Texas Rain and the Full Moon

The Weather Alternative post of March 25th presented the idea that between the second and fourth of April Texas would receive some rainfall. This was due to planetary alignments set up by the Full Moon of March 10th.

The Weather Channel map for April 2nd at left shows a low pressure system over north Texas and Oklahoma with another low over southeast Texas and Louisiana.


The Weather Channel reported thunderstorms delivering large hail over central Texas and widespread severe thunderstorms over eastern Texas.

Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made



Results and Roses

By Edgar Guest

The man who wants a garden fair,
Or small or very big,
With flowers growing here and there,
Must bend his back and dig.

The things are mighty few on earth
That wishes can attain.
Whate'er we want of any worth
We've got to work to gain.

It matters not what goal you seek
Its secret here reposes:
You've got to dig from week to week
To get results or roses.

Texas Rain and Other Forecast Results

Forecasters are wondering when rain will return to the Texas area. As of March 10, the U.S. Drought Monitor continued to show much of south-central Texas remaining in an extreme to exceptional drought. Severe drought conditions expanded through western and north-central
Texas, as well as southwestern Oklahoma.

As you may recall, on March 11th, Texas received some long-awaited rain on that day, which
helped to snap a prolonged dry spell for many cities. That rain came the day after the Full
Moon set up the planet Venus over Texas and the Plains.

One possibility is that between April 2nd and 4th, when the influence of Venus is again
triggered, the area may once again receive beneficial rains. Let's hope so.

Here are the results of The Weather Alternative forecast for March 17-19, 2009. The forecast stated that Mercury's opposition to Saturn would bring storms to the Front Range
followed by cooler temperatures.

The Weather Channel map at left for the 17th shows a cold front pushing south over the Front Range, Rockies, and Plains. The Weather Channel reported that shower activity would extend from Michigan and Ohio westward to eastern Nebraska and eastern Kansas with temperatures across the Central Plains dropping from the 70s and low 80s on the 17th to the
60s on the 18th.

Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Scientists “prove the power of prayer” By Aisling Irwin, Electronic Telegraph, November 1999

RESEARCHERS claim to have proved God's healing powers by showing that heart
patients who are being prayed for do better than those who are not.

The American study examined the fate of patients attending a coronary care unit in Kansas City, Missouri, over 12 months.

They were enrolled in the trial without their knowledge or that of their doctors. Volunteers from a prayer group, contacted by the hospital chaplain, prayed for those patients whose medical record carried an even number over four weeks.

The 470 patients who were prayed for did significantly better than the 520 who were
not, according to the study published in Archives of Internal Medicine. The scoring system
rated symptoms such as fever and whether patients had antibiotics.

Dr. William Harris, who led the research, claimed his work was as rigorous as many
drug trials. "If people are willing to accept the outcome of a drug study, they have to
accept this one too," he told New Scientist.

Beneficial Rain for Texas

Beneficial rain is falling over the state of Texas and the lower-Mississippi Valley with widespread 2"+ totals through Friday.



As Accuweather forecaster Alex Sosnowski puts it "It would seem prayers have been answered over Texas and the southern Plains."

The chart above is for the Full Moon of March 10th at Austin, Tx. Notice the position of Venus on the 7th house cusp and square the Midheaven. Venus (at the 3 o'clock position) is known to "make moisture pregnant" in astro-meteorological terms.

Venus is sextile the benefic Jupiter, and the rains are considered by all to be beneficial in keeping with astrological symbolism.

Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Paper Money

"That paper money has some advantages, is admitted. But that its abuses also are inevitable, and, by breaking up the measure of value, makes a lottery of all private property, cannot be denied. Shall we ever be able to put a constitutional veto on it?" --Thomas Jefferson

"You have to choose, as a voter, between trusting to the natural stability of gold and natural stability and intelligence of the government. And with due respect to these gentlemen, I advise you, as long as the capitalist system lasts, to vote for gold."--George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950 Playwright and Novelist

"The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debase the currency."--Nikolai Lenin, 1870-1924 Socialist founder of the Soviet Union

Blizzard Conditions!

Meteorologists are warning of a potential blizzard to affect parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota by Tuesday the 10th. This may be one of the major storms that Joe Bastardi of Accuweather talked about last month when he mentioned that the end of February and the beginning of March could bring a major storm.




This is also a fulfillment of The Weather Alternative's long range forecast for March 8-12, 2009. In an update of that forecast posted on February 15th, I told of strong storm potential to hit the West Coast as well. As can be seen from the Accuweather map at right, a storm system entered the Pacific Northwest on the 7th and 8th.

Not only are blizzard conditions expected over the Northern Plains area but damaging thunderstorms are also expected to erupt across the southern Plains Monday and the lower Midwest on Tuesday. Along with damaging winds, large hail, and heavy downpours, there is also a tornado threat that will have to be dealt with.

The West Coast storm is a result of the Mars-Neptune opposition and the Plains blizzard and storms are triggered by the Sun's opposition to Saturn.

Major Storms for February and March?
Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Hitler versus Stalin

Even Hitler's armies of snoopers, his 95 Germans a day convicted of political crimes in 1933-39, his political murders, concentration camps and killings of Jews and left-wingers in that period, cannot match Stalin's record. Russia had traditions of secrecy and violence; but the isolation, paranoia and terror that kept the Soviet people in thrall for so long exceeded anything comparable, anywhere, ever. -- "The Heights of Evil," THE ECONOMIST, December 31, 1999, p.39.

According to R.J. Rummel in his book Death by Government, Hitler was responsible for a death toll of 20.9 million including prisoners of war, the aged, the sick, homosexuals, Jews, Slavs, Serbs, Czechs, Italians, Poles, Ukrainians and many others; but Stalin was twice the demon that Hitler was. Stalin murdered 42.7 million.

Recent Plains Weather

The Weather Alternative forecast for Feb 28 - March 2 took into consideration aspects of Mars and Mercury to Saturn, and called for possible windy and cold weather over the Plains.
The Accuweather map at left shows a deep penetration of arctic air over the Plains on the 28th, which came in on gusty breeze. The cold dropped temperatures 20 to 30 degrees and effectively bringing an end to the Texas heat wave.

Major Storms for February and March?

Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

The Gore Effect

The "Gore Effect" is the phenomenon of cold and snowy weather that enjoys mocking global warming fear promoters.

BREAKING: Not again! Big DC March Snowstorm to Greet 'Largest public protest of global warming ever in U.S.!' – Unseasonably Cold March Temps!

Pelosi Snowed-Out of Global Warming Rally

Plains and Midwest Storms

The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for February 24-26, 2008 was posted last January. The forecast pointed out that due to Saturn and Uranus' positioning over the Plains for the winter season that cold and windy conditions would be expected during this period resulting in storms.

The Weather Channel map at left shows a cold front penetrating down through the central Plains today while a low pressure system forms over the Rockies.

The Weather Channel also reports that "A swath of wind-driven, accumulating snow, perhaps on the order of 4 to 8 inches with locally 10" or more, will stream eastward north of a strengthening storm center tomorrow, lining out from South Dakota across southern Minnesota into central Wisconsin. By evening, the snow should be sweeping over northern lower Michigan."

In addition, sleet and freezing rain is expected in parts of Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Rain and thunderstorms will also prevail across the lower Midwest, while some severe thunderstorms are expected in parts of Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois.

Arctic air will then plunge southward over the northern Plains, while gusty southerly winds will bring mild air into the lower Midwest.

Major Storms for February and March?
Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

The Two Laws that Make Civilization Possible:

Do all you have agreed to do.

Do not encroach on other persons or their property. -- Richard J. Maybury

Major Storms for February and March?

Accuweather's Joe Bastardi views current weather patterns as being similar to those of February and March 1969 and 1993. In the 1993 example, Philadelphia recieved 6 inches of snow up to February 20th and then a whopping 18 inches of snow afterwards. March of 1993 brought a superstorm.

Although Joe can't guarantee a major storm, he would be surprised if there were not one or two on the eastern seaboard over the next three weeks. These storms, he says, can start on the West Coast, push out into the Plains and then intensify over the eastern seaboard, or in some cases get pushed down to the Gulf Coast.

What does Kepler's astro-meteorological method show? Well, I haven't looked at the next few weeks in detail but the period of March 8-12 looks like it has the potential to be quite stormy.

I've already mentioned the period in my January 6th post. Here's a bit more information. On March 8th, Mars will opposes Neptune exactly along the Pacific Northwest Coast. At the same time the Sun opposes Saturn over the Front Range of the Rockies and Plains.

This indicates that there is strong potential for a storm system to hit the West Coast at this time and push eastward towards the Rockies and eject out into the Plains as a strong winter storm. These storms usually continue eastward. The astro-locality map above shows the planetary alignments circled.

Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Obama stuns pro-lifers with prayer breakfast speech Says no God condones taking life of 'innocent human being' (read more)

Oklahoma Tornadoes

On Tuesday, February 10th, two tornadoes touched down in central and southern Oklahoma. The tornadoes smashed housing developments and severe storms killed at least eight people.

This type of severe weather is likely the result of the Saturn-Uranus opposition that heavily afflicts the Plains in this winter season's solar ingress chart. The transit Moon triggered the opposition on the 11th. This powerful storm system by then was over the Mississippi Valley area.


The Weather Alternative forecast for Feb 4-6, 2009 expected this type of severe weather over the Plains and into the Mississippi Valley, but that period was relatively calm. It seems it all kicked in with the Moon's trigger to the Saturn-Uranus opposition on the 10th and 11th.

Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Decision Making


Always take plenty of time to make a snap decision.

Choice, not chance, determines human destiny.

There are no born decision-makers. The most successful decision-makers follow a set of rules that help them select the best alternative under the circumstances. The basic rules of decision-making involve six steps: a) State the apparent problem or situation you face. b) Gather the facts. c) Organise and interpret the facts. d) State the real problem or situation. e) Develop alternative solutions. f) Select the most appropriate alternative.

England's Worst Snow In Years

Today Accuweather reports that heavy snow is falling across England. Eight inches fell in short order on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel. Widespread snowfall of 3-5 inches occurred across southern England. Snow spread into Ireland, northern England and Scotland late Monday.

The astrological scenario as portrayed in the Solar Ingress shows the Sun conjunct Pluto on the Midheaven through England, and the Saturn-Uranus opposition rising and setting over western portions of England.

In astrometeorology, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto are cold planets. Saturn and Uranus are just a few days away from an exact opposition and the Sun-Pluto conjunction is being squared by transit Venus today. The squares and oppositions are foul-weather makers and are truly living up to their reputation.

Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

John Updike

Raised in the Protestant community of Shillington, Pa., where the Lord's Prayer was recited daily at school, Updike was a lifelong churchgoer influenced by his faith, but not immune to doubts.

"I remember the times when I was wrestling with these issues that I would feel crushed. I was crushed by the purely materialistic, atheistic account of the universe," Updike told The Associated Press during a 2006 interview.

"I am very prone to accept all that the scientists tell us, the truth of it, the authority of the efforts of all the men and woman spent trying to understand more about atoms and molecules. But I can't quite make the leap of unfaith, as it were, and say, `This is it. Carpe diem (seize the day), and tough luck.'"

Plains Weather Courtesy of Venus, Saturn, and Uranus

The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for Jan 22-24 is shaping up just fine. The forecast was posted on January 6th and stated that the conjunction of Venus and Uranus and the opposition of Venus and Saturn would bring cold, and rainy or snowy weather. Aspects between Mars, Uranus and Saturn would add windy or breezy conditions.

The cold is settling in over the Plains as fresh arctic air has driven temperatures down by 50 degrees or more in some areas since yesterday. Snow is knifing across the central Plains and heavy snow has hit Nebraska.

As far as windy conditions go, the National Weather Service has issued wind chill advisories like the following for Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Texas.

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY NORTHWEST AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TODAY...

...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THROUGH 9AM CDT SATURDAY MORNING...

.A FRESH ARCTIC BLAST IS SPREADING INTO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN ...RESULTING IN BITTERLY COLD AIR TEMPERATURES BELOW ZERO BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Where do we draw the line?

Mom spanks kids on plane, gets charged with terrorism
Reporting from Los Angeles and Oklahoma City -- Tamera Jo Freeman was on a Frontier Airlines flight to Denver in 2007 when her two children began to quarrel over the window shade and then spilled a Bloody Mary into her lap.

She spanked each of them on the thigh with three swats. It was a small incident, but one that in the heightened anxiety after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks would eventually have enormous ramifications for Freeman and her children.

The incident aboard the Frontier flight ultimately led to Freeman's arrest and conviction for a federal felony defined as an act of terrorism under the Patriot Act, the controversial federal law enacted after the 2001 attacks in New York and Washington. ...

CLICK HERE to Read Entire Articlewww.latimes.com

A Shot of Cold Air

The Sun's sextile to Uranus and trine to Saturn were the basis for The Weather Alternative's recent forecast for the Plains. The forecast called for a shot of cold air to push through the Plains between January 9-11 and head southward.

The Weather Channel map at left is for January 11th. As can be seen a cold front is pushing through to southern Texas.





Accuweather reported today that bitter cold will plunge into the northern Plains on Monday and continue on to the Midwest, Deep South, and Northeast. This coincides with The Weather Alternative's view expressed in the long-range forecast for this winter that the nation's midsection would experience a brutally cold winter due to the positioning of Saturn and Uranus in the seasonal weather map.

Saturn, Uranus and Winter 2008-09
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Savitri and Arjun
At six o'clock on an April evening in 2001, five-year-old Arjun Janki Dass died in New Delhi from an accidental electrocution.

His parents took him to a medical clinic where they worked on his body for two hours—without success. The doctor charged them 5,000 rupees (about $110) and told them to call a mortician.
Instead they called Rodrick at the nearby Deliverance Church. He then called upon Savitri, one of his staff members.

Savitri brought two other Christians to Arjun's home, and the five of them began praying over the dead body at 10:00 PM. They prayed their hearts out for six hours. Then at 4:00 AM the next morning, Arjun snapped back to life—no brain damage, no problems.

Today he's a normal eight-year-old. I met with Savitri, Arjun, and his mother (Mina), and took photos, and the boy is A-OK.

Savitri is a 60-year-old widow, a Dalit ("untouchable") from the lowly Dom caste. She spent her life as a street sweeper, which made her, in the caste system, part of the lowest of the low. The broom was her livelihood, but she's a fine, humble lady, a former Hindu turned to Christ.

As we were parting, I asked Savitri through an interpreter, "How many resurrections have you been involved with in the six years that you've been doing ministry?"

She answered quietly, "Sixteen."

Megashift by James Rutz

The Saturn-Uranus Opposition and Winter 2008-09

This winter the Saturn-Uranus opposition will be one of the dominating influences on U.S. weather patterns according to astro-meteorology. These planets have been observed to correlate with cold weather. Saturn’s influence is cold and damp while Uranus tends toward cold and dry conditions. The opposition aspect disrupts atmospheric conditions by generating low pressure areas or strong fronts that upset the meteorological status quo.


In assessing weather patterns it is important to observe planetary placements in a number of key charts such as the Cardinal Solar Ingress chart for the season in question as well as in key lunation charts such as the New Moon, Full Moon etc. Eclipse charts add further details to the forecast when they are activated.


Due to time constraints, the following forecast is only based on the Cardinal Solar Ingress chart for the winter season. This is one of the most reliable charts in astro-meteorology, but once again, does not represent the complete astro-meteorological picture.


These long-range forecasts focus on the weather patterns resulting from the activation of the Saturn-Uranus opposition. In the Cardinal Solar Ingress chart, Saturn and Uranus are angular over the Plains, and will affect that area throughout the winter season.

Forecasts

Jan 9-11, 2009

The Sun’s sextile to Uranus and trine to Saturn will bring a shot of cold air through the Plains heading southward.

Jan 22-24, 2009

Venus conjoins Uranus on the 22nd and opposes Saturn on the 24th. These aspects bring cold, and rainy or snowy weather. Mars also aspects Uranus and Saturn adding windy or breezy conditions.

Feb 4-6, 2009

A major cold front or low pressure system should hit the Plains bringing shivering temperatures and snow. The Mississippi Valley will share in the stormy weather as cold and unsettled conditions push toward the East Coast.

Feb 24-26, 2009

Cold and windy conditions are expected resulting in storms.

Feb 28-March 2, 2009

May be a period of windy and cold weather.

March 8-12, 2009

Cold air spills into the Rockies and Plains on the 8th triggering precipitation due to the Sun‘s opposition to Saturn. By the 12th, another shot of freezing temperatures is on its way over the Plains.

March 17-19, 2009

More storms are indicated over the Front Range and Plains as Mercury opposes Saturn. Precipitation followed by cooler temperatures.

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

The Story of Mrs. Chang

For 21 years Mrs. Chang had lain in bed at her home in China, unable to move her arms and legs. Finally the pain got to be too much, and she asked her eldest son to take her to the hospital, 40 miles away.

The doctors there discovered that some of her organs were almost dead, so they advised the son, "Take her home so she can die with your family."

But before she left, a Christian nurse came by her bed and slipped her a copy of the Gospel of Mark. "Read this when you get home," she whispered.

When Mrs. Chang got home, about the first thing she did was to ask her son to read something from the booklet. Opening it to page one, he began, "This is the good news of Jesus Christ…" Before he could read any further, Mrs. Chang's bones started to move. Within moments, she sat up, completely healed! She promptly gave her life to the Lord.

The very next day, on her way to the village well to draw water, she was asked by everyone, "Say, aren't you Mrs. Chang? What doctor healed you? We want to use him too!"

Mrs. Chang invited all the women to her simple home. When a large group had assembled, she stood up and began speaking: "This is the good news of Jesus Christ."

In only four weeks, all 600 people in the village decided to follow Jesus! When the report got around, a police force arrived to stamp out this "new sect." They beat the villagers, shot their animals, burned their crops, and left, thinking that would be the last they would ever hear about Jesus Christ.

They were wrong. The 600 stood steadfast, and within four years, 70,000 had turned to Christ throughout that whole region. The star of this story? The faithful and obedient nurse. She was a nobody responding to the love in her heart, reaching out (despite the risk) to an unimportant lady. May her obedience be sung and celebrated by millions.--Megashift by James Rutz

New Year's Forecast Results

The Weather Alternative's long-range weather forecast for December 31, 2008-Jan 2, 2009 was based on Saturn's retrograde station. Saturn's energies were concentrated over the Northern Plains southward through Texas. The forecast called for cold and damp conditions to progress southward out of Canada.



The Accuweather map at left for Dec 31st shows a clipper system headed toward the Plains and a blast of arctic cold ending the year on a frosty note. Another storm system hit the central Plains on the 3rd.

This next Accuweather map for January 2nd shows the cold air pouring into the Plains area. This push of cold air is still underway today and has reached down to south Texas.

Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

From Megashift by James Rutz

I have a good friend named Barclay Tait who sells vacation real estate in Niceville, Florida. Back in 1977, he was a 36-year-old basketball coach. That summer, he decided to hitchhike to a Christian conference in Front Royal, Virginia.

Arriving four days early, he went to a nearby forest and pitched his tent by a stream. On the last day, a tall thin hiker with a notebook under his arm suddenly appeared, startling him as he read his Bible.

They introduced themselves, and Barclay explained his presence: "I came out here to meditate." The hiker, whose name was Dave, replied, "Well, I'm an intercessor. What would you like me to pray for?" Feeling overwhelmed, Barclay said, "Uh, frankly, I'd like prayer for a wife—one that God would choose for me."

It was a brief conversation. The man wrote the request in his notebook, promised to pray and walked on.

Fast-forward 11 years to 1988. Barclay has been married for a while, and he and his wife, Sherry, have been divinely guided to move to Asheville, North Carolina, though they don't know anyone there. Within three hours, however, Barclay has a house and a job. Also, a chance encounter in the Holiday Inn parking lot leads them to a Christian group on a hilltop outside of town at the home of a UNC professor.

Arriving just before the 7:00 PM meeting, they see about fifteen cars parked by a rustic log house. They walk in and find people chatting—all strangers to them. But just then, the host walks in from the kitchen and stops dead in his tracks.

"I know you!" he exclaims, pointing his finger. "You're Barclay Tait!"

Barclay draws a blank.

"Just a minute; I have something to show you," the host announces. He scampers upstairs, leaving the puzzled Taits standing in the middle of the suddenly hushed room. In a moment he reappears with a well-worn ledger book. "See here? This is where I wrote your prayer request in column one when I met you in Front Royal in 1977: 'Barclay Tait: God's choice for a wife.'"
Barclay looks and sees it's the most detailed, methodical prayer journal he's ever seen.

"I prayed for you for seven years," proclaimed Dave. "Then in the middle of the night on December 30, 1984, God woke me up out of a sound sleep and said, 'Write in your journal, Prayer Answered.' So I did. See?"

Barclay and Sharon look at each other with their mouths open. They sit down, and their eyes fill with tears. Quietly, Barclay tells Dave, "That was the day we were married."

December 27-30, 2008 Forecast Results

The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for December 27-30, 2008 warned of a strong cold front that would press toward the East Coast and move offshore. Nova Scotia would most likely wrestle with stormy conditions.



The Weather Channel map at left is for December 28th shows the front overtaking the East Coast and a strong low pressure system over Canada. The front brought showery weather and gusty winds of 40 the 50 mph.

The next Weather Channel map is for December 30th and shows a low pressure system over Maine headed for the Nova Scotia area.

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Happy New Year

Author Jane Johnson Struck in an article entitled How Subtracting From Your Life Can Add To It decided to take the opposite approach to New Year's resolutions by determining to delete certain things from her life instead of adding new goals to her life.

She decided to fast from worry, fast food, certain negative forms of mass media, criticism, and noise overload.

Christmas Forecast Results

The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for December 23-26 was posted on November 23, 2008. The Great Plains and the East Coast were highlighted for important weather action. It read as follows:



Dec 23-26

Mercury’s sextile and trine to Uranus and Saturn, which are paired up over the Great Plains, will bring abruptly falling temperatures courtesy of a northwest wind. At the same time, Mars runs along the length of the East Coast as it aspects Mercury. This duo is known for exciting sudden bursts of whipping winds. This may materialize as the result of a low pressure area or front pushing eastward toward the coast.



Results

The Weather Channel map above for December 23rd shows a low pressure area over the Plains and windy conditions. They reported "Wintry weather is on the way once again for portions of the Central U.S. A storm system developing in the Central Plains will bring snow over the Upper Midwest, freezing rain...from eastern Kansas into the Ohio Valley, snow...along the southern Great Lakes tonight, with a wintry mix from eastern Kansas through...Missouri,...Illinois,... Indiana,...Ohio,...Michigan. Freezing rain...from eastern Oklahoma through Arkansas to western Tennessee... Winds will also become an issue as the area of low pressure deepens and moves eastward.

The second part of the forecast mentioned a low pressure area and/or front pushing toward the East Coast and generating whipping winds.

The Weather Channel map at right for December 25th shows the low pressure area over eastern Canada and a cold front along the length of the East Coast.

The National Weather Service posted wind warnings on December 23rd and 24th for New York State, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington DC, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Maine, Georgia, and Virginia.

December 2008 Forecasts

Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Steps Towards Better Communication with Teens

--Think before I speak
--Listen without interrupting
--Avoid a judgmental tone of voice
--Speak calmly without raising my voice
--Ask questions that promote interesting conversation
--Talk to my teen the way I want my teen to talk to me

HOW TO TALK SO YOUR TEENAGER WILL LISTEN--By Paul W. Swets

Eclipse Activation Affects Weather On Both Coasts

Solar eclipses are known to have about a 3 year "life span." For long-range weather forecasting, this means that, within that 3 year or so period, outer planets can trigger the eclipse and the atmosphere will react according to the influence of the planets involved in the activation.





The Weather Alternative issued a forecast 3 months ago on September 23rd noting that the solar eclipse of March 18th, 2007 would be triggered on December 19th by the Last Quarter Moon. The forecast stated that "This may trigger a storm system or front over western Canada and pushing into the Pacific Northwest. After the 21st temperatures should increase over the mid-Atlantic states leading to storms."


The Accuweather map above, shows the storm hitting Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Accuweather calls it a major storm which will easily bring several inches of snow to Seattle by Sunday night and 1 to 2 feet of snow for the mountains.

Stormy conditions were also mentioned in the forecast for the mid-Atlantic area after the 21st. There will be no increase in temperatures before the storm, however. Accuweather is calling for three to six inches of snow to accumulate in southern New York state and northern Pennsylvania, especially in the higher elevations. The weather will deteriorate by Sunday morning (Dec 21). Then bitterly cold air will also pour in after the storm, leading up to the holiday.

The Weather Channel explains that "As one storm system weakens around the Great Lakes, another one will form off the Middle Atlantic Coast and will move northeastward and intensify as it makes quick time toward the Canadian Maritimes."

December 2008 Forecasts

Solar Eclipse Activation Fall 2008 Part 1

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Saint Nick

Nicholas was born of wealthy parents in A.D. 280 in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek, and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. He lost his parents early to an epidemic, but not before they had instilled in him the gift of faith. Then Nicholas went to Myra and lived a life full of sacrifice and love and the spirit of Jesus. Nicholas became so Christlike that when the town needed a bishop, he was elected. He was imprisoned for his faith by Emperor Diocletian and released later by Emperor Constantine.

There have been many stories of his generosity and compassion: how he begged for food for the poor, and how he would give girls money so that they would have a dowry to get a husband. The story most often repeated was about how he would don a disguise and go out and give gifts to poor children. He gave away everything he had, and he died around 345. His body was later moved to Bari, Italy, where his remains are to this day.

But the story of Nicholas has spread around the world. Within a century of his death he was celebrated as a saint. There are more churches in the world named after St. Nicholas than any other person in the history of the church.

People have also done strange things to him. Poet Clement Moore gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. And Thomas Nast, the illustrator, made him big and fat and gave him a red suit trimmed by fur. And others have given him names, like Santa Claus. But what’s important about St. Nicholas is that he had the mind of Christ. Because of his gentle, selfless love, he touched the whole world. And this same mind of Christ can be in us.—James Hewett