Jo's Blog Full Post View | List View
Whatever takes my fancy
- Cyclone vs. Hurricane & Water Down the Drain
-
Cyclone Larry, which recently hit the Queensland coast, has prompted the question, "what is the difference between a hurricane and a cyclone anyway?" Turns out they're the same thing and the generic term is actually cyclone. For whatever reason, according to NOAA the term hurricane is used for Northern Hermisphere tropical cyclones east of the international dateline to the Greenwich Meridian (did you get that?). A typhoon is also a cyclone, but is in the northern hemisphere west of the international date line. Go figure.
But here's the really cool part! Cyclones & hurricanes do actually spin in different directions. According to some smart guy at NOAA, the earth's rotation sets up an apparent force (called the Coriolis force) that pulls the winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. So when a low pressure starts to form north of the equator, the surface winds will flow inward trying to fill in the low and will be deflected to the right and a counter-clockwise rotation will be initiated. The opposite (a deflection to the left and a clockwise rotation) will occur south of the equator.
Here's the not so cool part! The water in the drain/toilet spinning in different directions depending on which hemisphere you're in is a myth! (I have to admit I've never paid close enough attention when traveling between here and Australia.) Apparently it has something to do with Rossby numbers, velocity, the Coriolis parameter, and the Journal of Fluid Mechanics (I kid you not!).
Glad I got to clear all this up and we can all sleep easier at night now.
Wednesday March 22, 2006 - 02:15am (PST) Permanent Link | 7 Comments - Australia Day
-
Jan. 26 is Australia Day! I'm actually sad not to be in Sydney for Australia Day, as it always goes off. Besides the BBQs, ferry boat races, free concerts, fireworks, etc Australians also have a quirkier side that shows itself. I mean, how can you not love a country that has annual cockroach races, a Dummy Spitting Contest (translation: pacifier) , a Thong Throwing Contest (translation: flip flop) , and a Ute competition (translation: pick up truck)?
Wednesday January 25, 2006 - 06:55pm (PST) Permanent Link | 4 Comments - Monumental Date
-
Today was a momentus occasion on the national events calendar. Yes, you better believe it, it was National Pie Day ! Yes, such a day exists. And yes, we celebrated (with apple and peach pies and vanilla ice cream). I'm considering printing out the entire national events calendar and having the team celebrate each one. That would practically be an "event" each day...Monday January 23, 2006 - 11:36pm (PST) Permanent Link | 4 Comments - Denny's First Time
-
Had my first time at a Denny's the other night. Ordered mushroom and swiss burger. Just the kind of healthy food you should be eating at 1am. Now I really am living the American Dream.Sunday January 15, 2006 - 01:03pm (PST) Permanent Link | 2 Comments - Tom Cruise is a good guy
-
Finally, I get to write about Tom Cruise! I wanted it to be on record that I think he's a good guy. Working with him and his people for CES was totally easy, they were polite, they didn't have any big, way out requests, they said thank you, hell, they even sent me a gift basket. He was completely down to earth. And he and Katie are cute together, it looks like the real thing.Friday January 13, 2006 - 05:47pm (PST) Permanent Link | 2 Comments
