One of our local regular readers, Cruxshadows, brought forth some interesting information and a question. A crop circle in England predicts 5 massive solar eruptions which will affect the earth. Now, these Coronal Mass Ejections, were to begin yesterday. But, the crop circle forecast does fall within the time frame of the noted increase in solar activity cycle. If this does occur, then there will be great interest to see how the plasma reacts with a breach in the earth’s magnetosphere, which was found by NASA in December of last year. Of course, there’s no word on how the crop circles got there in the last ten days of June. The crop circle caper seems to mesh quite nicely with this report yesterday of the largest sunspot ever witnessed It also fits in with the idea that, with the sun’s 11 year cycle, we are in a period of increased solar activity with the peak not expected until 2013.

Here’s the problem. NASA reports the exact opposite. It claims in its 3 day forecast from yesterday that solar activity was “very low” and that “no x-ray flares were observed during the past 24 hours.” It predicts that solar activity will remain very low. So the question on the table from Cruxshadows is, do we believe the government (NASA) or do we believe those who interpret the crop circles? Do we believe NASA’s report that nothing much is going on or do we believe the report of Wappa Falls Observatory claiming that so much is going on that “the flares have been so bright that NASA has had trouble taking accurate pictures of the sunspot.” I’ve found other stories about the Australian observatory’s claims, but there seems to be a disconnect. I suppose we’ll find out the veracity of the crop circle prediction and the Wappa observations soon enough. But Cruxshadows wants to know whom to believe? The government, the Australian astronomers or the Crop Circle? Two things to note. The Wappa Falls Astronomical Observatory in Australia doesn’t seem to have a website, which seems a bit odd in the 21st century. Further, the stories that I’ve found seem to come from the same source. Hoax? maybe. Guess we’ll have to wait and see. I question why NASA would cover this up or how they could make such a mistake? It doesn’t make sense, to me.

I have an old friend. Let’s just call him “F”. “F” once pondered how men didn’t really get into the scene, if you know what I mean, when a man and woman in a movie shoot a sex scene. I suppose the idea of professionalism gets tossed out in “F’s” world. But, you gotta admit, some of those scenes, even on the soap operas, can get pretty steamy. Maybe too steamy for some viewer’s taste. Anyway, it seems that actor Ryan Reynolds was given a little insurance that he didn’t get to worked up during a nude scene with Sandra Bullock in his recent movie, The Proposal. Ryan Reynolds wore cellophane underwear.

A Louisiana man was arrested after a 72 year old woman called the police after she heard noises and saw someone in her backyard going into her shed. The Alexandria Town Talk reports the man was clad only in his undies when the police clapped the old bracelets on him when they witnessed him trying to break into the woman’s house. Maybe he was looking for some hand-me-downs.

Meanwhile, in Britain, the recession is hitting hard. So hard, in fact, that people apparently aren’t going out on the town so much. So, people are having to improvise. Lingerie and “racy underwear” sales are up over 50% since the recession began. Not sure who took the time to find out that odd statistic. I guess it gives a new meaning to “a cheap date.”

On This Date in History: THIS MAN WAS SAVED BY ANOTHER MAN’S UNDERWEAR!!! John Wesley Powell was a self-taught geologist and naturalist who had lost his right arm at the Battle of Shiloh. He is credited with charting the Grand Canyon and went on to lead the US Geological Survey and Bureau of American Ethnology. When making what would be the first trip through the Grand Canyon with a 9 man party down the Colorado River, they stopped to do some surveys. On this date in 1869, the one armed Powell and George Bradley gingerly moved along a shear cliff when Powell made a short leap and found himself stuck with no where to go. Bradley was above him and tried to find a branch or something to extend to Powell, whose legs and one hand were giving out. Quick thinking ensued. Bradley stripped off his long underwear and lowered them down. Bravely, Powell let loose with his hand and quickly grabbed the dangling drawers. The fabric held, Powell was pulled to safety and he lived to tell about it and map the Grand Canyon. If this story happened today, can you imagine the commercials? “Acme Longjohns….So tough it saves lives!”

Weather Bottom Line: Remember that I mentioned the boundary sagging down our way and potentially bringing some insignificant showers here? Well, I wasn’t too enthused about the prospects so Snow White and I ventured out to do some sculling yesterday afternoon and it was wonderful, though I got a little overheated. Had a headache all night. Well, it just so happens that the airport reported .01″ of rain this morning! Aha! Vindicated. But who cares, right? Other than that little bit of information, everything else is on line. Upper 80’s today, maybe a stray afternoon t’storm. Upper 80’s tomorrow. Low 90’s Friday and Saturday with maybe an errant storm on Saturday with activity more likely on Sunday as another front tries to make its way our direction.