Iceland Plume

[+ glutes]

Is anyone stuck out there, can't get home or go on vacation due to the air travel disruption?

Curious what the airlines are telling you, and how you are coping...

[CowboyUp]

Volcano's Impact

 

we're sooooooooo puny in the grand scheme of things... even with all our modern technology and a small lil hiccup by Earth and we are so profoundly affected. In the big picture we're about as insignificant as an ant. Maybe even less so. Kinda makes you wonder doesn't it?

[GoodFella69]

Hey Glutes,

Fortunately, I'm not traveling this week. I was stranded in Frankfurt for six days after the 9/11 tragedy...I empathize with those folks who are trying to get home and are stuck at the crowded airports.

 

The millions of tons of ash and particles being spewed into the atmosphere aren't going to magically disappear, and the effect of this eruption is far greater than all the cancelled flights combined. The entire Northern Hemisphere is going to be feeling the effects of this eruption for decades - because that stuff doesn't just fall out of the sky. The particles are suspended in the atmosphere and affect the sun's rays striking the earth. The impact of eruptions such as St. Helens and Mt. Pinatubo were felt for years afterwards.

[Guest OCBeachbody]

Well I do have co-worker that was impacted by the ashen plume. They booked a cruise leaving from Dubai. There flight leaving from NYC was canceled and they couldn't get any seats on some of those workaround flights....

What really sad I think they missed there boat and everything, and I don't think there traveler's insurance is going to cover this "act of god". Well if I see her in on Monday (which I know if she missed it...she is the type to come in).

[Damascene]

I'm travelling the week after next via a European connection. I hope this plume is settled by then.

[+ glutes]

Delta is ready when you are?

 

I have a friend who works for one of the major airlines doing reservations, she has been soooo swamped with re-routing the last 3 days she has to take next week off to recover.

[foxy]

I'm convinced the planet is angry what with all the earthquakes and such. I have a European trip coming up in a few weeks and have my fingers crossed.

[happyguy2]

What an interesting observation Foxy. Has anyone seen any articles on this, inspired by scientists, etc?

[KMEM]

The same scientists who say mankind is virtually the only source of pollution and the product is global warming. The truth is we don't have a chance against Ma Nature if she decides to "punish" us.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[+ glutes]

I agree KMEM, Mother Nature always wins.

 

http://www.akiranews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/cliff-300x186.jpg

[+ Hoover42]

I was in Iceland in the vicinity of Hekla volcano three years ago. I remember thinking to myself, "I hope this thing doesn't go off while I'm here!"

[foxy]

I think it's time to sacrifice a virgin but they are in short supply. The gods are angry! I don't think trip insurance will cover any of this.

[KMEM]

Even though Iceland is a volcanic island there is very little imminent danger. If you can't outrun a lava flow, you must not be able to move at all. If you happen to be standing on the edge of an active volcanic crater and it blows up at that moment, you might be in trouble, but that is very rare, both to be standing there and for it to blow up.

 

Mt. Saint Helens, Krakatoa, Vesuvius and a very few others scattered through out several hundred years of history don't make me want to stay home.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[uwsman2]

re the health risks

 

So I am wondering... All the news reports have been about airports closing down because the silica dust from the volcano may cause problems with the airplanes. But what about PEOPLE????? Can it be healthy to breath that stuff? Are people in the path of the dust in danger of severe health consequences? Why is nobody speaking about this?

[MsGuy]

Not so fast, KMEM...

 

Even though Iceland is a volcanic island there is very little imminent danger. If you can't outrun a lava flow, you must not be able to move at all.

 

Depends on the type of volcano. Some have a tendency to poop out pyroclastic flows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_flow

 

Not to mention the type of supercauldera lurking under Yellowstone.

http://www.armageddononline.org/yellowstone_caldera.php

[KMEM]

Live and learn. I always thought of those kinds of volcanic activity as explosions which in a way I guess they are. Kind of slo mo explosions, only expanding outward at 400 or so MPH. Hey, you could be hit by a meteor tonight.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[OneFinger]

I'm travelling the week after next via a European connection. I hope this plume is settled by then.

 

I have a relative leaving 28 Apr for Europe. Even if he is able to get there, I'm sure there will be other problems associated with trucking of goods, over-crowded trains, etc.

 

Keeping my OneFinger crossed that the plume quiets down very, very soon.

[Guest greatness]

well

 

Be care our hot pilots KMEM and Goodfella~~ Whenever I see hot pilots, I think about you two~~~

[happyguy2]

I think Foxy is right. We need to sacrifice a virgin. Anyone ready to join the search party?

[+ glutes]

lungs to livestock

 

Health concerns? You betcha!

If the silica clogs jet engines, imagine lungs and drinking water.

 

http://img.breitbart.com/images/2010/4/16/CNG.c4773885b0f4ad2b6a7a4623e7ea3e85.4e1/photo_1271442558161-1-1.jpg

 

http://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=iafpCNG.c4773885b0f4ad2b6a7a4623e7ea3e85.4e1p0&show_article=1&article_id=CNG.c4773885b0f4ad2b6a7a4623e7ea3e85.4e1

[+ Charlie]

I think Foxy is right. We need to sacrifice a virgin. Anyone ready to join the search party?

 

I don't think you will find one here.

[azhiker]

In the online UK Mail newspaper yesterday someone asked why the firemen don't put the volcano out. It's like right next to the ocean and they could use seawater.

[KMEM]

This would work so long as your objective was to boil unlimited amounts of sea water.

 

Iceland today heats and powers a lot of the country using geothermal energy. That basically means they have access to water and "earth" heat aka volcanoes right under the island without resorting to sea water.

 

So far, mankind is unable to circumvent Ma Nature.

 

Best regards

KMEM

 

Charlie, I have to think you mean there are no virgins reading or posting hereon rather than there are no "search parties". I think there may be a lot of parties searching for someone or other.

[+ deej]

Dutch airline KLM is calling for a resumption of flights because they've been able to fly some planes through "holes" in the ash plume.

 

Question: would you board a flight knowing they're counting on finding holes in an ash plume that isn't detectable by radar?

[KMEM]

I think there are a lot of ways to deal with this "cloud" of ash. One is to fly over it. That might mean going around it to climb or descend but airliners (and other aircraft) do this every day to avoid severe weather. So, yes, I would do it as a matter of course.

 

Just as an aircraft should not try to penetrate a thunderstorm, they probably should not try to penetrate the ash plume. Again, flying a few hundred miles out of the way is no big deal for a jet. Safety is paramount and safety issues can be addressed.

 

Best regards,

KMEM