tid bits

[Hobbyfarmer]

Knock down perfect weather the last five days. 60s and 70 s snow and ice is about just a memory. Birds are singing their spring songs. 

One glarring thing missing so far is the sound of frogs. Not even one sickly croak.

[ECIN]

Nothing like that here Hobby - been in the 40's and 50's - tears from heaven fell all day Tuesday - then again all day yesterday and all night last night - No frogs here either but has been very foggy a couple of days - you the kind you can't see your hand in front of your face type - quarter mile now . They are calling for 71 on Monday - then drop to 46 on Tuesday . Seen Sand hills flying North on Thursday - thats always a good sign

[Hobbyfarmer]

Finally a frog makes its presence known last night.

Hawaii in in a drought too and now this .....

Blizzard on Hawaii Summit Delays Telescope Construction

March 11, 2015

By The Associated Press

HILO, Hawaii (AP) -- Construction of one of the world`s largest telescopes is being delayed because of blizzard conditions on a Hawaii mountain summit. 

The Thirty Meter Telescope will be built near the summit of Mauna Kea. If not for the winter storm, construction preparations would be getting underway at the site of the $1.4-billion project, Sandra Dawson, telescope spokeswoman, told Hilo newspaper Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

The Mauna Kea access road was closed Monday because of snow and wind. Because of frozen weather gauges, it was difficult to estimate snowfall and wind speeds, said Ryan Lyman, meteorologist for the Mauna Kea Weather Center. He`s expecting up to 2 feet of snow and winds of 50 mph to 70 mph, with a break Tuesday and then snowing again Tuesday night. Conditions may improve to reopen the road by Friday or during the weekend, he said.

"The winds are pounding," he said. "Snow is all over the place."

[ECIN]

ST. STEPHEN, S.C. (WCIV) -- Two men were arrested for stealing pesticide and now one of them faces involuntary manslaughter charges after someone accidentally drank it.

Kenneth M. Beauford, 56 and 40-year-old Damon Lamonte Kelly were arrested on February 27 by agents from the South Carolina Department of Pesticide Regulation.

Investigators said that last June, Kelly stole Gramoxone, a restricted use herbicide and stored it in soft drink bottles labeled as Pepsi. Gramoxone contains the extremely poisonous chemical, paraquat.

Officials said he then sold the bottles to two people in St. Stephen where someone mistook the herbicide for a soda and drank it. He died on June 15, 2014.

The victims wife, Marcia Hattel, said her husband John was known as a handy man who loved being outdoors and caring for his lawn.

“He used a lot of weed killer and we heard about this weed killer in particular and it was inexpensive to use," said Hattel. "Store bought weed killer is rather expensive so this was cheaper and it worked very well."

Hattel said her husband bought the $15 "weed killer" from Kenneth Beauford and Damon Kelly who sold the chemical in Pepsi bottles.

“Somehow or another he had mixed up the Pepsi bottle, the real Pepsi, with this dark colored weed killer and had put it in the refrigerator,” she said.

Hattel said that single sip cost her husband his life. She said it was a painful death.

“People don't know what they have. They have something that could kill them very fast,” Hattel said.

“He presented text book burning of the mucus membranes in the mouth and down the esophagus,” said Dr. Mike Weyman, Deputy Director with the SC Department of Pesticide Regulation.

He said Beauford and Kelly didn't have the skill set to realize what exactly they were dealing with.

“By taking it out of those federally approved containers, with all of those use directions and environmental hazards and human health effects, it becomes an innocuous weed killer," said Weyman. "This was initially thought to be Round Up."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, paraquat sold in the United States has a blue dye to keep it from being confused with brown beverages, a sharp odor to serve as a warning, and an added agent to induce vomiting if someone drinks it. Paraquat from outside the United States may not have these safeguards added.

Beauford and Kelly are also accused of applying Gramoxone without a valid certified pesticide applicator's license.

Beauford is charged with one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, one count of receiving stolen goods, worth $2,000 or less, and three counts of Pesticide Control Act violations.

Kelly is charged with one count of petty larceny of $2,000 or less and three counts of Pesticide Control Act violations.

[Hobbyfarmer]

Bad news for Kansas, good news for Cyclone fans. Three games in a row right down to the buzzer, 

Need to play better in the first half if they want to go very far....