The Other Shoe: News From Around The World

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News from Around the World[/caption]

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. As well, welcome to one of the most far-flung editions of ‘News From Around the World’ ever published! So far-flung that I start today as far as one can get, in outer space! That’s right; one of the biggest stories I have to share on this Wednesday is a story about out Sun. Yesterday NASA monitored two ‘X-Class Solar Flares’[1] erupting on the surface of our Sun. Only to be followed today, at 5:06AM EDT, with a third X-Class solar flare.

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Solar Surface Image 6-10-2014[/caption]

(Solar Surface Image 6-10-2014)

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Now for a little science, and some explanation of the classification of solar flares, and the ‘X-Class’ of flares. Solar flares are categorized as A, B, C, M, or X. X being the strongest in output in ångströms. Then the X class is broken down further as; 1 to 9. So, you can have sun flares with designations like; A-1 (the lowest of the lows), B 1-9, C 1-9, and like yesterday and today’s flares X 1-10. These designations are made by determinations of data from the GOES Satellite[2] (Geostationary Satellite Server). Below are the three images of the ‘X-Class’ solar flares of June 10^th and 11^th.

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Three ‘X-Class’ Solar Flares in 24 hours[/caption]

(Three ‘X-Class’ Solar Flares in 24 hours)

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All three of the monitored sun flares, yesterday and today, have all been of the ‘X’ class. Now, there are even higher classifications of sun flares, the “super X-class solar flares”. This classification ranges from X-10 Up! Therefore, when a solar flare goes higher than X-10 it does not get a new letter designation. It just goes higher in the number value, like ‘X-13’. Below is a moving image of an ‘X-13’ solar flare capture4d by NASA and GOES from 2003.

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Super X17 Solar Flare 2003[/caption]

(Super X17 Solar Flare 2003)

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Now, My Dear Readers, I do not want to instill panic among my readers. Therefore, let me explain the most important fact of all (of us on earth) is the direction the solar flare goes. You see even an ‘X-13 solar flare’ is only dangerous to us if the solar flare erupts, from the surface of the sun, in a trajectory (flight path) that will cross our orbital path. In other words, this is really only a major problem if the X-13 solar flare erupts from the sun and ends up striking the earth’s surface. In 2003 NASA’s GOES measured the ‘X-13’ solar flare I have pictured above, and life went on without taking much notice. Because the solar emission did not cross earth’s orbital path and/or strike the earth’s surface.

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June 10th 2014 X2-Part2 Solar Flare Crop[/caption]

(June 10^th 2014 X2-Part2 Solar Flare Crop)

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Of course these gigantic solar flares always effect our radio wave transmissions, regardless of their trajectory. They are such a huge release of energetic energy, and radio waves, that these solar flares always effect the radio transmissions on the side of the earth that happens to be facing the sun, when they happen. You, My Dear , can always get information on the past and upcoming disturbances, and how/where they will disrupt radio transmissions, at NASA’s Space Weather Prediction Center [3]. Here is this morning’s notification:

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“2014-06-11 10:56 UTC Region 2087 picks back up

After producing a pair of R3 (Strong) Radio Blackouts in quick succession yesterday morning (10/1142 and 10/1252 UTC), active Region 2087 produced yet another R3 event today at 11/0906 UTC. Impacts from this activity were short lived and affected HF communications for the daylit side of Earth at the time of the flare. Continuing chances for more events R3 or greater events exists. Unlike yesterday, a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is not believed to be associated with this latest impulsive event. A CME associated with the activity yesterday morning has been observed moving at a flank from Earth and a glancing blow to Earth from this event is expected on June 13. An outside chance of at most G1 (Minor) Geomagnetic storms remains in the forecast.

Stay tuned here for information on these events or additional space weather as it happens.”

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The web site is regularly updated with the most recent information from the GOES and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory [4]. As well, on the site linked in the previous sentence, you can see an image of our sun at any given moment. This site is also a great resource in tracking solar flares, and predictions of interruptions to radio transmissions. Between all the sites I have listed, in this article, you My Dear Readers can accurately track (in real time) any and all solar flares. I am sharing all this information to help dispel any fear and anxiety, that some might experience, hearing of these larger solar flare events. Knowledge is power, the power to understand and the power to control your reaction to news of this kind. Below is a video of the two ‘X-Class’ solar flares by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory.

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/rRpxs39zn20]

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As far as any of the information I have read, to the time of publication, none of these ‘X Class’ solar flares are set to do any harm to earth, or us. Now, understand that these energy pulses come in two waveforms. The first is radio waves and these happen (nearly) in real time. The disruptions to radio signals happens directly after the solar flare occurs on the sun’s surface. Then, there is the slower moving energy pulse, which moves at the speed of light. These energy pulses are set to arrive on June 13th, 14^th and 15^th. They are not anticipated to do any harm to our planet or its atmosphere.

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GOES X-Ray Flux Chart[/caption]

(GOES X-Ray Flux Chart)

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This is all the information on these solar events that I have at this time (10:30AM PDT 6-11-2014). As they merit, I will update you My Dear Readers as needed. Now, on with ‘New From Around the World’!

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We are all aware that Brazil is hosting the ‘World Cup 2014’ . If you have been following the daily games, then you have heard about the traffic jams. One such traffic jam, yesterday, resulted in Ross Barkley missing the first day of training with the English team.[5] However, today just might take the title as ‘Largest Traffic Jam in History’. That’s right in San Palo Brazil NBC is reporting a ‘214 MILE LONG traffic jam’! The image, below, is of the 214 traffic jam. You can read more on the NBC web site .

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214 Mile Traffic Jam in San Palo[/caption]

(214 Mile Traffic Jam in San Palo)

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Now, for the final story of today’s edition of ‘News From Around the World’ the upset loss of ® Rep. Eric Cantor at the polls in the Virginia primary, last night. Republican House of Representatives Majority Leader, Eric Cantor, has lost the Republican primary in Virginia last night. This has to be the single most unanticipated turn of events of the 2014 election cycle. Rep. Cantor lost his bid for the Republican nomination for his Congressional seat to a ‘Tea Party’ primary contender.

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David Brat was that ‘Tea Party’ primary contender and lead Rep. Cantor to the very first time a ‘House Majority Leader’ has ever lost a primary. FYI My Dear Readers, if you know me on Facebook, then you have read me post on threads about candidates being ‘primaried’ (yes, that IS verbing a noun). What happened to Rep. Eric Cantor is being ‘primaried’. This is a huge loss for the Republican establishment, as Rep. Cantor was the #2 man (in the House) for the Republican Party. There is no one in the news media or up ‘On The Hill’ saw this coming.

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The only answer anyone has, at this point, it that ® Rep. Eric Cantor was way too busy courting Wall Street and spending $140,000.00 on steak(s), and the night of the election he wasn’t even in his own district! To me, this has to be the best explanation and the simplest. No matter how high you may climb, if you forget the people (like you, My Dear Readers) that lifted you… you will loose. Let this be a lesson to us all, and one that I will not soon forget.

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With that, My Dear Readers, we come to the end of the journey that was this weeks’ ‘News From Around the World’. We started in outer space with news from the sun. The news of the three ‘X-Class’ solar flares, that have erupted on the surface of the sun. Next, to San Palo, Brazil for the longest traffic jam in the history of man. Finally, to land back here in America for the single most surprising upset in the 2014 elections cycle. We have come a long way, in a short time, My Dear Readers.

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I hope that you have enjoyed this week’s edition of ‘News From Around the World’ and I hope to see you right here, next week, for another edition!

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!

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