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SpaceX rocket launch spooks Californians with eerie glowing trail (VIDEOS)

spacex rocket launch
© Skyes9 / YouTube
A still from video footage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg US AFB. From left to right: the crescent moon, the rocket, and a detached booster.
The launch of a SpaceX rocket into orbit from California on Friday - the 18th and final launch of 2017 for SpaceX - left behind a trail of mystery and wonder as it soared into space. The Falcon 9 booster lifted off from coastal Vandenberg air force base, carrying the latest batch of satellites for Iridium Communications. Cars stopped on freeways in Los Angeles as millions across the US southwest watched in awe.

Spectacular footage of a glowing, billowing streak was widely seen throughout southern California and as far away as Phoenix, Arizona. Calls came in to TV stations and emergency services as far afield as San Diego, more than 200 miles south of the launch site, as people were spooked about what caused the strange sight.

Here's the event as seen from Anaheim, Los Angeles, 160 miles southeast of Vandenberg:


The view from Phoenix, Arizona, which is 500 miles east-southeast of Vandenberg, was equally spectacular. Note that the reporter in the chopper was in the air to cover a traffic accident, not the SpaceX launch:


In this last video we want to show you, reporter Jeff Platt for KBAK-KBFX Eyewitness News was actually covering the SpaceX launch, providing commentary on the event from lift-off to space from his vantage point in Bakersfield, California, which is 95 miles northeast of Vandenberg. Platt is reduced to saying, once the trail fans out into 'maximum-spectacular' mode, "At this point I really couldn't tell what exactly is happening [pause]... space travel isn't exactly my line of expertise."


Info

Vampire bats are killing hundreds of cattle every year in Peru

An image of a vampire bat.
© AFP
An image of a vampire bat.
Vampire bats have long been suspected of passing on rabies to humans and livestock in Latin America, but up until now solid statistics have been hard to come by. A new study gives us some idea of the problem - and it's not looking good.

The study, carried out in Peru, estimates that more than 500 heads of cattle each year are killed by rabies passed on by the common vampire bat, at a cost of up to US$300,000 in lost livestock and rabies vaccination costs for local farmers.

However, the international team researchers suggests that the number of deaths and the associated costs can be lowered through some simple preventative measures, like earlier vaccinations and more accurate reporting of rabies outbreaks.

"This estimate, at least four times higher than official reports, is essential in planning and implementing cost-effective measures to prevent and control the disease, which mainly affects low-income, small-scale farmers," say the researchers in their published paper.

Fire

Thomas Fire is now the largest wildfire in California history

Satellite imagery shows the vast Thomas Fire
© NASA/EPA
Satellite imagery shows the vast Thomas Fire, north of Los Angeles, which has spread as far as the Pacific coast
A deadly wildfire which has destroyed more than 700 homes in California is now the largest blaze in the state's recorded history.

The Thomas fire has burned more than 1000sq km - an area greater than New York City, Brussels and Paris combined.

The blaze broke out in Santa Paula in early December and has moved west towards the coast, one of several major fires in California in recent months.

Thousands of firefighters have been deployed to bring it under control.

Most of California's largest wildfires have been recorded this century. Scientists say the warming climate and spread of buildings into wilderness areas have contributed.

The Thomas fire slowly eclipsed previous record-setting blazes, finally overtaking the 2003 Cedar fire in San Diego County, which burned 273,246 acres.


Comment: Thomas Fire Becomes Third-Largest Ever as California Experiences Another Record-Breaking Wildfire Season
The climate is changing; it is tending towards increasing extremes; and it is becoming more volatile, unpredictable, and expensive to mitigate against. But as I've written about before, people are completely overlooking the likely 'arsonist' behind increased wildfires: an increase in outgassing of methane and other natural gases from below:

The growing threat of underground fires and explosions



Fish

Thousands of dead fish without eyes found on beach in Pinetamare, Italy

All of the fish were mullet. But their deaths reman a total mystery
© Getty
All of the fish were mullet. But their deaths reman a total mystery
Stunned residents watched in horror after thousands of dead fish without eyes washed up on a picturesque beach in Italy.

The frightening sight took place at Castel Volturno, in the province of Caserta.

Beachgoers found themselves walking on a carpet of dead fish on Sunday near beach Pinetamare on a beautiful, hot sunny, day.

And, the dead fish were stranded on the shore for at least five hundred meters, from the Royal Residence to the condominiums of Parco delle Rose.

All of the fish were mullet. But their deaths reman a total mystery.

Bizarro Earth

97% climate change consensus? Meteorologists don't think so

climate change
A recent survey conducted by Weather Central and George Mason University makes this claim: TV Weathercasters' Views of Climate Change Appear to Be Rapidly Evolving

Meteorologists examine causes of weather change every day. They are the scientists most likely to understand when unusual weather extremes are weather or climate change. Thus they have been polled every year about climate change.

However most don't respond. Basically three fourths of weather scientists choose NOT to get entangled in a political, non-scientific debate. In 2015 the response rate was 22%, just 32% in 2016 and in 2017 just 22%. And as true for most skeptics, most agreed climate change is happening. However the question is: What is the cause of that change?

Comment: See also:


Cloud Precipitation

Massive flooding hits Cagayan de Oro, Philippines following Storm Vinta (UPDATE: More than 130 dead)

Flood in Cagayan de Oro

Flood in Cagayan de Oro
Massive flooding, reminiscent of the deadly 2011 Tropical Storm Sendong, hit this city Friday morning, December 22, after Tropical Storm Vinta (international codename: Tembin) battered Mindanao Thursday night.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department (CDRRMD) placed the city on red alert Friday morning as the Cagayan River reached its critical level.

"It was like Sendong all over again, but only this happened in the morning," a resident said.

Sendong (international codename: Washi) ravaged Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions on the night of December 16, 2011, leaving more than 1,200 people dead -- at least 900 bodies were found in Cagayan de Oro.


Comment: UPDATE 12/23/2017:
Philippines tropical storm: More than 130 dead after flooding

Dozens of people are said to be missing, while power and communication lines are down, complicating rescue efforts.

Mudslides and flooding triggered by a tropical storm in the Philippines have killed 133 people, officials have said. [...]

Most of the deaths were in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, and on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Romina Marasigan from the government's disaster response agency said.

In the fishing village of Anungan, more than 30 people were swept away by flash floods. Sibuco town mayor Bong Edding said five bodies had been recovered so far.

"The floodwaters from the mountain came down so fast and swept away people and houses," Mr Edding said.

"It's really sad because Christmas is just a few days away. But these things happen beyond our control."

Mr Edding blamed the tragedy on years of logging in the mountains near Anungan.



Question

'Weird, strange trumpet sounds' heard in Queens, New York

Strange sounds in Queens, NY
© YouTube/A Fox
*Audio Only* - I apologize about the video of my window screen, but I finally caught the noise with my phone and that's all I was concerned about. I was drifting back to sleep with my sick kid when this sound jostled me awake, I threw open the window and just let it record. (( Friday, December 15th approximately 8:30 AM. ))

This is maybe the 5th time I've heard this in the past 1.5 to 2 years. I always hear it when I'm near my home in Queens, New York. The sounds can vary but are always extremely loud coming from everywhere, lasting 5 to 10 minutes.


Interestingly enough, a few different "intuitives" that I've asked have all told me the same thing. That it's coming from the Earth because the earth puts out its own vibration and noises but only now are we actually able to hear it. The earth is going through some major shifts so it's producing these loud vibrating noises but it's nothing to fear.

Comment: We aren't so sure these trumpeting sounds are not a warning of some kind. In historical accounts chronicling cataclysmic events that occurred in Ancient Rome, similar sounds were described:
Consulship of Tiberius Gracchus and Manius Iuventius - BC 163

At Capua the sun was seen by night. On the Stellate Plain part of a flock of wethers was struck dead by a thunderbolt. At Tarracina, male triplets were born. At Formiae two suns were seen by day. The sky was afire. At Antium a man was burned up by a ray of light from a mirror. At Gabii there was a rain of milk. Several things were overthrown by lightning on the Palatine. A swan glided into the temple of Victory and eluded the grasp of those who tried to capture it. At Privernum a girl was born without any hands. In Cephallenia a trumpet seemed to sound from the sky. There was a rain of earth. A windstorm demolished houses and laid crops flat in the fields. There was frequent lightning. By night an apparent sun shone at Pisaurum. At Acere a pig was born with human hands and feet, and children were born with four feet and four hands. At Forum Aesi an ox was uninjured by flame which sprang from its own mouth.

A Book of Prodigies: After the 505th year of Rome by Julius Obsequens
See also: Strange sky sounds: Metallic, groaning, trumpet-like noises heard worldwide in 2016


Attention

Baby injured in raccoon attack inside home in Philadelphia

Raccoon

Raccoon
Distraught parents said a raccoon attacked their baby girl inside their own home.

Four-month-old Journi Blake Rodgers' injuries are so bad that she's getting treatment at the hospital.

Neighbors were horrified when shown images of the child, bloodied following the attack.

Her family said it happened Wednesday in their first-floor apartment on the 2100 block of North 22nd Street.

"A raccoon dragging an innocent baby off a bed onto the floor," said the child's uncle, Kenny McDuffy. "What was he going to do? Eat her? Kill her?"


Comment: See also: Surge of vicious raccoon attacks on people in the United States


Snowflake

Deep snow covers Mauna Kea summit in Hawaii

Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea
Heavy snow has fallen on Mauna Kea, and more is expected as a Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for Hawaii Island summits.

The Mauna Kea Access Road remains closed at the Visitor Information Station, rangers say.
"Plan on difficult travel conditions," the National Weather Service stated this morning. "Additional snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches, with localized amounts up to 12 inches, are expected."

Mauna Kea already appears to be buried, according to the view from the observatory webcams that are not iced-over.


Binoculars

Rarely seen white morph gyrfalcon from the high Arctic spotted in New Brunswick, Canada

This gyrfalcon eats seagulls and duck.
© Nora Hebert
This gyrfalcon eats seagulls and duck.
A women from Bouctouche got the sighting of a lifetime this week after spotting the largest known falcon in the world.

Nora Hebert found a white morph gyrfalcon at Caissie Cape Wharf near Grande-Digue on Monday.

"He was right beside the road eating his lunch," said Hebert.

She said the bird was spooked when she got out her car, but she was able to snap a few pictures before it flew away.

"Oh my God, I have to get a picture of him," said Hebert, telling the tale to Information Morning Moncton.

The white morph gyrfalcon is a bird with shades of white, gray and dark brown. Their bodies are thick and their tail is long. Females are typically larger than males.