Amarillo.Fun

06/26/2025

Good morning! How are you on this fine, hot day?

The Amazon is nearing a critical tipping point due to deforestation and global warming.

04/09/2025

My dog fell asleep.

09/20/2024

The autumn equinox in 2024 will occur at precisely 7:44 a.m. Central Time on Sunday, September 22.

Fall begins.

08/18/2024

Did you know? marillo, Texas, has a unique historical connection to the U.S. nuclear arsenal. During the Cold War, the Pantex Plant, located just outside Amarillo, became the primary facility for assembling, disassembling, and maintaining the nation's nuclear weapons. Established in 1942 as a conventional bomb manufacturing plant, it was repurposed in 1951 to support the country's nuclear weapons program. The Pantex Plant remains a crucial part of the U.S. nuclear complex, making Amarillo a key site in the history of American defense and nuclear deterrence.

08/17/2024

Amarillo, Texas, was originally named Oneida, but it was soon changed to Amarillo, which means "yellow" in Spanish, because of the yellow wildflowers and the nearby Amarillo Creek that was colored by yellow soil. Interestingly, in the early 20th century, Amarillo was the self-proclaimed "Helium Capital of the World" due to its vast underground helium reserves. These reserves were critical during both World Wars, especially for airships and other military applications. The Federal Helium Reserve, established near Amarillo, is still one of the largest such reserves in the world today!

07/28/2024

Oh no. My wife is a cat woman!

07/26/2024

Amarillo is known as the "Helium Capital of the World." The city sits atop the world's largest helium field, discovered in the early 20th century. In fact, the Federal Helium Reserve, which is the only one of its kind, is located near Amarillo. This reserve has played a crucial role in supplying helium for various uses, including scientific research, medical applications, and even for inflating balloons. This unique distinction makes Amarillo a key player in the global helium market.

07/24/2024

Hottest global temperature in thousands of years according to the weather people who monitor this stuff.

07/23/2024

Amarillo, Texas, is home to the Cadillac Ranch, an unusual public art installation created in 1974 by a group of artists known as Ant Farm. It features ten classic Cadillacs buried nose-first in the ground. This quirky landmark attracts visitors from around the world who come to spray paint and leave their mark on the cars. The installation is a dynamic and ever-changing piece of art, reflecting the creative spirit of Amarillo.

07/05/2024

Once upon a time in a galaxy not so far away (like, right here), there were these pesky little things called climate tipping points. Picture them as the "game over" screens in your favorite video games, except instead of "Game Over," it's more like "Planet Over."

Now, there are six of these bad boys, and once they're reached, it's like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube—good luck with that. The Arctic sea ice, for example, is like nature's mirror, reflecting sunlight back into space. But when it melts, it's like the mirror is shattered, and the Earth starts absorbing more heat than a teenager on a beach vacation.

Then there's the Greenland ice sheet, which is melting faster than an ice cream cone in the Sahara. If it collapses, it's like dropping a giant ice cube into the ocean, and we all know what happens when you put ice in your drink—it gets watered down, just like our coastal cities will when the sea levels rise.

And let's not forget about the Amazon rainforest, the lungs of the planet. If it starts to die back, it's like the Earth is holding its breath, and we all know what happens when you hold your breath too long—you turn blue, just like our planet will if it loses its carbon sink.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is like the conveyor belt of the ocean, moving warm water around the globe. If it weakens, it's like the belt is slipping, and the weather patterns get all wonky. Europe could get colder, monsoons could go haywire, and we'll all be left wondering what the heck happened to our umbrella.

Finally, there's the permafrost in the Arctic, which is like nature's freezer. If it thaws, it's like the freezer door is left open, and all the frozen carbon and methane start leaking out, like an invisible, odorless fart that's warming the planet.

These tipping points are like dominoes—once one falls, the rest start tumbling down. It's like a chain reaction that could lead to a planet that's less like a cozy home and more like a hot, sweaty, uninhabitable mess. So, let's take a page out of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and remember: "Don't Panic!" But also, let's take action before it's too late. Because once these tipping points are crossed, there's no going back, and we'll all be left wondering, "What the heck happened to our planet?"

06/28/2024

Since you were born in 1953, there have been 13 U.S. Presidents. Here is the list:

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
Gerald Ford (1974–1977)
Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)
George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
George W. Bush (2001–2009)
Barack Obama (2009–2017)
Donald Trump (2017–2021)
Joe Biden (2021–present)

But this is not about me. Who was your favorite first lady?

06/26/2024