Sandy wins race for Obama - Inevitable?

The below article doesn't say that Hurricane Sandy has won the race for Barack Obama, but all of the ingredients are there. Not only is a president in a time of crisis a popular president, but with one week of campaigning left:

• Obama can effectively say nothing about the election for several days, avoiding confrontation and potential blunder. Instead he can speak of the damage and the aftermath.
• This is Obama's chance to be seen as an action man.
• Romney more or less can only watch and reiterate what Obama says. To be critical - foolish. Anything else however will just echo whatever the Obama camp has already said.
• Obama will get countless hours of in-demand and free television and press coverage. Chances of seeing Romney on television in the next 48 hours? 0.
• The days after this hurricane will give Obama more than enough photo-ops with republicans such as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and switch-hitters such as NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg.
• Democrats will cite the much criticized response from the Bush Administration in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 
• Just in case Obama needs another advantage, he can enjoy the fact that he is the incumbent. 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/lupica-president-obama-candidate-obama-coming-nyc-article-1.1194462http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/lupica-president-obama-candidate-obama-coming-nyc-article-1.1194462

Circumhorizontal Arc

Circumhorizontal arcs (pictured here) occur only between 55 degrees South and 55 degrees North, usually near the time of the respective summer solstice. They are formed by plate-shaped ice crystals in high level cirrus clouds. Other accepted names for circumhorizontal arcs are circumhorizon arc and lower symmetric 46° plate arc. Due to their large angular size they are rarely seen complete and most often appear as part of a cloud, as seen here on May 23, 2012 at 39°36'5"N, 74°20'17"W.

May 23, 2012    39°36'5"N, 74°20'17"W     (Click for full-size image)

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?...

... was a great song by Chicago on their debut album The Chicago Transit Authority released in 1969. It is also a very difficult question to answer.

The video here is a bit long, but just start watching - you'll finish it!

Here is the accompanying New York Times article. For even more strangeness, Google "daylight savings half hour", and check out this link: Time in Indiana.

Is it time for dinner?

IBM Pushes Atomic Depths of Data Storage

On January 12, IBM scientists published an article in Science describing a technique that can store 1 bit using just 12 atoms of iron. Modern storage devices typically use on the order of 1,000,000 atoms to store 1 bit. Beyond this, science will have to push through the atomic domain and into the sub-atomic to significantly increase storage density. Too bad it was just one month late to make the 6th annual IBM 5 in 5. Will this month be too long ago come next December for this discovery to make 2012's 5 in 5? If so, 2012 will be an exciting year indeed. For more from the horse's mouth see this link. Click here for the Science abstract.