The Jet Stream Of Consciousness

     Good morning and greetings, global warming fans. Growing up as a love child of the 60′s, one of my favorite albums was ‘The Chicago Transit Authority,’ which featured the classic hit, ‘Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?’ Well, recently in the Windy City, people have been asking the question, “Does anybody know how hot it is?” as they’ve been breaking temperature records faster than I can come up with clever metaphors.

     For eight straight days, President Obama’s old stomping grounds recorded record high temperature marks going back to 1872, right around the birth of John McCain’s babysitter. This heat wave was as historic and unprecendented as the first time Michelle went sleeveless in public, as the mercury topped 80 degrees each day.

     The National Weather Service said these conditions were extraordinarily rare, which is the way I like my cheeseburgers, for climate locations to break records like this day after day after day. But as the lead vocalist from Chicago remarked when asked about this phenomena, this was “Only the beginning, only just the start.” When Bachman-Turmer Overdrive was later asked to comment, they said “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

     So what in the wide, wide, world of sports is going on with the atmosphere? Why were the east, south and midwest having summer weather in March? What is this unprecedented event involving the earth saying to us? And most importantly, will “Southland” be picked up for another season by TNT and why wasn’t anyone watching the recently cancelled horse-racing drama ‘Luck’ on HBO? On that sad note, 26 horses die each week at racetracks around America.

     This heat wave, which has been burning in my heart and tearing me apart, has blown the minds and clothing selections of many Americans who are still usually digging out of the snow at this time of year. We’re talking about one of the most extreme heat events since LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh teamed up for the big decision in Miami.

     Looking at the weather map, it’s been the warmest March on record in seven states. International Falls, Minnesota, which is fondly known as the ‘Ice Box of the Nation,’ topped out at 79 degrees last week, shattering their warmest temperature record in March by 42 degrees. At the same time Minneapolis and Boston set more records than early Celtic championship teams. It’s not supposed to be warmer in Bismark, North Dakota than in Yuma, Arizona. Much like us still being in Afghanistan for more than a decade, you’ve just got to shake your head and wonder why we’re in this warming pattern.

     So why the summer-like conditions? According to Weather Channel meterologists and Tipper Gore, a stubborn high pressure system had been stuck over the eastern two-thirds of the nation, forming a blocking pattern that brought more heat than a Mexican drug cartel barbecue.

     While natural factors contributed to this stretch of high temperatures, if you think about the extreme weather events of recent years, there is a high probability that global warming is having an influence upon these events. Just don’t tell Ricky Santorum. Now until we reduce the emissions of industrial carbon pollution or the Golden State Warriors make the playoffs, these extreme weather conditions and the fan’s booing are only going to get worse.

     Moving along, for our final photo foray for the month, we are heading back to the morning of February 2, where I took in the early sights and sounds at Lighthouse Point and various locations along West Cliff Drive. I later fulfilled my manifest destiny by shooting the glorious sunset that night, which would then give this day daily double status, a place that holds a certain fondness in my digital heart and colon.

     To check ou these photos, click on http://www.SunriseSantaCruz.com/blog