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Offline Vinz Clortho

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Hello
« on: July 19, 2013, 11:10:49 AM »
Hello all,

I've been a visitor to the forums for quite a while now, but last night I decided to make the plunge and register. I am an Earth Science nerd, but my knowledge is admittedly small, though I try to learn a little more each day.

I'm an atheist, but I was raised in a Baptist home. Church attendance was never that big of a deal growing up, and we hardly read the Bible. My father has gotten decidedly more religious as he has aged, but I have taken an opposite route. I first started doubting my beliefs not long after I joined the military, and drifted between different sects of Christianity, Buddhism, and pagan religions for a few years. I guess I always had doubts, but I had a hard time voicing and exploring those doubts from the fears of disappointing my family and friends.

When my daughter began to learn about about space in pre-school, I sat down with her and began to explain some basic facts about the planets and stars, and began to do some more research myself. I don't know why, but discovering the recordings of radio waves emitted by the planets (Symphonies of the Planets, if anyone is interested) made me feel a lot more comfortable about my beliefs, and inspired me to learn as much as I could about Earth and the solar system. I was never scientifically illiterate; I forecast the weather for a living (I am not technically a meteorologist, still working on a degree), but I felt there was much more to be learned.

That is pretty much me in a nutshell. I look forward to participating in discussions with all of you.  :)
« Last Edit: July 19, 2013, 11:18:49 AM by Vinz Clortho »
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Offline William

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Re: Hello
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2013, 11:15:59 AM »
Quote from: Vinz Clortho on July 19, 2013, 11:10:49 AM
I forecast the weather for a living ...

Hey Vinz, welcome.  Somebody once said words to the effect: "Don't knock the weather - without it 99% of people couldn't start a conversation."  :)

Maybe we should start a Climate Change discussion thread hey?
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Offline neopagan

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Re: Hello
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2013, 11:29:03 AM »
Welcome aboard, Vinz.  I'm a recovering Baptist myself.

I live in Oklahoma where weather is a BIG deal - it tends to tear off my roof and try to kill me at least once a year, so I have a great respect for weather forecasters. 

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Online One Above All

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Re: Hello
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2013, 11:32:32 AM »
Welcome to the forum. I'm sure I can learn a lot about the weather from you.
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Offline William

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Re: Hello
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2013, 11:57:05 AM »
Correct quote:
Quote
"Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while." --Kin Hubbard
:laugh:
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Offline ParkingPlaces

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Re: Hello
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2013, 11:59:13 AM »
Welcome Vinz

A lot of us here appreciate and enjoy science without being experts in the field. Heck, I enjoy everything and I'm an expert in nothing. But you're among friends and we have some great discussions in the science section about various newsy things in the science world. So hey, you may end up smarter every day by being here.

Hasn't helped me though. My brilliance peaked a few days before my third birthday. But it hasn't hurt either.  :)
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Offline William

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Re: Hello
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2013, 12:15:14 PM »
Quote from: Vinz Clortho on July 19, 2013, 11:10:49 AM
I look forward to participating in discussions with all of you.  :)

Here's one for your arsenal:

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Offline Nick

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Re: Hello
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2013, 01:16:47 PM »
Welcome VC.  I like weather also.  I have a rock outside my window.  If it's wet its raining.  If its dry and hot it is a sunny day.  Works pretty good until a foot of snow covers it then I don't know what's going on. ;)
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Offline Vinz Clortho

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Re: Hello
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2013, 03:44:28 PM »
Quote from: William on July 19, 2013, 11:15:59 AM
Quote from: Vinz Clortho on July 19, 2013, 11:10:49 AM
I forecast the weather for a living ...

Hey Vinz, welcome.  Somebody once said words to the effect: "Don't knock the weather - without it 99% of people couldn't start a conversation."  :)

Maybe we should start a Climate Change discussion thread hey?

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I must admit, my knowledge of all of the particulars surrounding climate change is limited. I work primarily as an aviation weather forecaster, and I issue weather watches and warnings from time-to-time. I am forced to focus on the short-term changes in patterns. I got to meet a few of the scientists retrieving ice cores from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and sit in on one of their science lectures when I was at McMurdo Station this past summer...some very interesting information. It is amazing how much they can decipher by analyzing the volcanic ash and chemical composition held within the ice.

One of my favorite weather quotes is from meteorologist Bob Ryan, especially when people are busting our chops:

“Imagine a rotating sphere that is 8,000 miles in diameter, with a bumpy surface, surrounded by a 25-mile-deep mixture of different gases whose concentrations vary both spatially and over time, and heated, along with its surrounding gases, by a nuclear reactor 93 million miles away. Imagine also that this sphere is revolving around the nuclear reactor and that some locations are heated more during parts of the revolution. And imagine that this mixture of gases receives continually inputs from the surface below, generally calmly but sometimes through violent and highly localized injections. Then, imagine that after watching the gaseous mixture you are expected to predict its state at one location on the sphere one, two, or more days into the future. This is essentially the task encountered day by day by a weather forecaster.”

Quote
I live in Oklahoma where weather is a BIG deal - it tends to tear off my roof and try to kill me at least once a year, so I have a great respect for weather forecasters. 

You Oklahomans had a pretty tough two weeks towards the end of May this year. First the Moore tornado, then the 2.5 mile-wide monster near El Reno as well. I have a buddy who lives in Moore. Luckily his house survived mostly unscathed, but some of his neighbors were not so lucky.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2013, 03:51:22 PM by Vinz Clortho »
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Offline Quesi

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Re: Hello
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2013, 06:21:07 PM »
Welcome!  We look forward to learning all about you and about how your journey has lead you to atheism.  I'm also delighted to get a new parent on the forum.  The second one in two days!  My daughter is almost 7.  Is your daughter still in preschool? 
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Offline The Gawd

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Re: Hello
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2013, 07:19:06 PM »
"the earth is very far from the sun, but I'm still hot"
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Offline Vinz Clortho

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Re: Hello
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2013, 08:27:58 AM »
Quote from: Quesi on July 19, 2013, 06:21:07 PM
Welcome!  We look forward to learning all about you and about how your journey has lead you to atheism.  I'm also delighted to get a new parent on the forum.  The second one in two days!  My daughter is almost 7.  Is your daughter still in preschool?

My daughter is still at pre-school age (she is 4), but is not currently enrolled in pre-school since we moved recently. We still try to keep her engaged in learning by taking her to the library and on field trips to the zoo and museums as well. I also have a son who will be turning two in September.
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Offline junebug72

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Re: Hello
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2013, 04:14:55 AM »
Welcome Vinz C.  I'm a theist hellbent on spreading love throughout the world. LOL  I'm harmless though and I look forward to hearing more about you.  I'm not here to judge your beliefs or you I'm not that kind of theist. 

Take Care,

Junebug
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