You don’t have to freeze
January 19th, 2009 6:47 pm · 20 comments
Just arrived at my hotel in Laurel, Md., and the entire way as I drove through the heaviest snow of the season I was thinking how we oughta write an article targeting how wrong meteorologists have been this year. I’m one of meteorology’s biggest defenders, but this year has been ridiculous when it comes to predicting the ferocity of winter storms. Today’s storm was suppose to leave just a dusting to an inch. Tell that to anyone driving Route 30 between 2 and 4 p.m. An awful mess.
Fortunately, I made it down without wrecking the car. The first hurdle to covering the Obama inauguration has been conquered. Now hopefully the Metro train will be running on time at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.
After admonishing the pathetic meteorology wing of our culture, I’m gonna offer up the forecast. Funny, I know. You can still expect icy temps barely reaching 30 degrees with windchills in the teens tomorrow. Consider the following ways to stay warm as you watch Barack Obama take the oath:
* To keep your hands warm, do jumping jacks or wave your arms. It will help the flow of blood to your extremities.
* Cover your head! Most of your body heat escapes from your dome, so keep a hat on.
* When you entire body starts to feel frigid, go for a walk. Movement is key to staying warm.
* Eat! Eat! Eat! Break your New Years resolutions if you need to. As your body consumes and breaks down food, it’s using energy and that creates body heat. Try South Beach Diet bars or anything high in protein since protein takes longer to digest.
* Huddle up. The more warm bodies you have around, the better. Get to know your neighbor.
More later. Gotta go find something for dinner. There’s an IKEA nearby, and I’m thinking Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes would be fine to dine on.
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Tags: Inauguration · President Barack Obama
There are currently 20 comments on this blog postView Topic | Comment on this blogPericles
1/20/09
11:55 AM | Post your thoughts and comments about this blog post.
Cover your head! Most of your body heat escapes from your dome, so keep a hat on.
That's an old wives tale. You should know better Dave.
barefaced-truth-hats-myths.html |
davepidgeon
1/20/09
7:49 PM | Cover your head! Most of your body heat escapes from your dome, so keep a hat on.
That's an old wives tale. You should know better Dave.
barefaced-truth-hats-myths.html
Pericles,
As an experienced winter backpacker and a published outdoor writer, I think I speak with some expertise. Cover your head in cold weather. |
reese
1/20/09
8:06 PM | Pericles,
As an experienced winter backpacker and a published outdoor writer, I think I speak with some expertise. Cover your head in cold weather.
He's right, Dave. I was going to post the same information. This was just published in numerous articles, including medical journals.
Fact-checking should still apply to blogs. Just because it feels true doesn't mean it is true.
Debunked |
Pericles
1/21/09
8:26 AM | Pericles,
As an experienced winter backpacker and a published outdoor writer, I think I speak with some expertise. Cover your head in cold weather.
No kidding, cover your head. That's not the same as saying most of the body's heat is lost through the head, which is what you said. |
davepidgeon
1/21/09
8:40 AM | From Backpacker Magazine:
Put A Lid On Heat Loss
There's good advice in the old maxim, "If you have cold feet, cover your head." That's because about half of your body's radiant heat escapes through your head. Now you can reduce that heady heat loss with a silver hat called the Hot-Head Thermocap. Durable, waterproof, washable, and weighing less than an ounce, this "shower cap" contraption really does keep your heat close to your noggin. It can also be wrapped around cold hands or feet. The down side: It looks odd, but, hey, no one ever said comfort was cute. |
Pericles
1/21/09
8:58 AM | From Backpacker Magazine:
Put A Lid On Heat Loss
There's good advice in the old maxim, "If you have cold feet, cover your head." That's because about half of your body's radiant heat escapes through your head. Now you can reduce that heady heat loss with a silver hat called the Hot-Head Thermocap. Durable, waterproof, washable, and weighing less than an ounce, this "shower cap" contraption really does keep your heat close to your noggin. It can also be wrapped around cold hands or feet. The down side: It looks odd, but, hey, no one ever said comfort was cute.
And cold weather causes people to catch colds too. My granny told me that.
Fact-checking should still apply to blogs. Just because it feels true doesn't mean it is true. Debunked
Unless it's published in Backpacker Magazine. |
RedRosie
1/21/09
9:13 AM | This was just published in numerous articles, including medical journals.
Fact-checking should still apply to blogs.
I'd like to check your facts, too. Can you provide a citation?
Just because it feels true doesn't mean it is true.
Whaa? We're talking about how to feel warmer, aren't we? So what if balaklavas have a placebo effect -- feeling warmer IS warmer, anywhere outside of a double blind study. |
Pericles
1/21/09
9:19 AM | Whaa? We're talking about how to feel warmer, aren't we? So what if balaklavas have a placebo effect -- feeling warmer IS warmer, anywhere outside of a double blind study.
No, it's not about feeling warmer. It's about debunking the myth that most body heat escapes through the head. Body heat escapes equally from all parts of the body, the head is just the most likely to be uncovered. |
RedRosie
1/21/09
10:23 AM | Were we talking about going out with ONLY a hat?
I think the old wives assumed you had everything else covered.
On another note: wasn't it nice to see so many men in fedoras? Looked sharp. |
dragonrider
1/21/09
5:39 PM | To keep warm I listen to right wing nuts it always raises my temperature a bit.
Damn its cold in this house. I swear my bedroom is 50 degrees. |
A1
1/21/09
5:49 PM | Now you can reduce that heady heat loss with a silver hat called the Hot-Head Thermocap. Durable, waterproof, washable, and weighing less than an ounce, this "shower cap" contraption really does keep your heat close to your noggin. It can also be wrapped around cold hands or feet. The down side: It looks odd, but, hey, no one ever said comfort was cute.
I think they must have meant tinfoil hat.  |
reese
1/21/09
6:17 PM | I think they must have meant tinfoil hat.
LOL |
WinstonTheLastHuman
1/21/09
6:42 PM | No, it's not about feeling warmer. It's about debunking the myth that most body heat escapes through the head. Body heat escapes equally from all parts of the body, the head is just the most likely to be uncovered.
Serious..........you busted his bolls over that?
if you are worried about escaping body heat, it's probably cold out. if its cold out, you are probably at least partially dressed. if you are only partially dressed, your head is a likely last body part covered. therefore most of your body heat escapes from your head.
you may be right technically, but practically dave trumps ya.
Common Sense: 1
Experts: Nil |
ceejay
1/21/09
8:08 PM | Were we talking about going out with ONLY a hat?
On another note: wasn't it nice to see so many men in fedoras? Looked sharp.
Now that I would have gone to D.C. for.
(great post!)
|
caitlinndad
1/21/09
9:16 PM | your head is just another another extremity , just like feet or hands , if you don't cover them , they get cold .
for some thick headed people it does'nt bother them !
 |
Pericles
1/21/09
9:36 PM | Serious..........you busted his bolls over that?
Yes I did. The newspaper spent good money to send him to the Inauguration, and when he gets there, he recites a old wives tale. Someone needed to bust his bolls.  |
legaleagle
1/26/09
3:16 PM | He's right, Dave. I was going to post the same information. This was just published in numerous articles, including medical journals. Fact-checking should still apply to blogs. Just because it feels true doesn't mean it is true. Debunked
Two factors to consider.
1 - The surface area of an uncovered head is substantial great than most other uncovered parts.
2 - There's more blood flow closer to the surface and more sweat glands in your head than in places such as your back, backside, or meaty areas.
The combination of these factors means that you're losing more heat at your head than most places on your body. And exposed armpit, belly or groin, given the same surface area of your head would rival the head, but are typically covered, if nothing else than for modesty. And an armpit the size of your head would be gross. |
WinstonTheLastHuman
1/26/09
4:04 PM | Two factors to consider.
1 - The surface area of an uncovered head is substantial great than most other uncovered parts.
2 - There's more blood flow closer to the surface and more sweat glands in your head than in places such as your back, backside, or meaty areas.
The combination of these factors means that you're losing more heat at your head than most places on your body. And exposed armpit, belly or groin, given the same surface area of your head would rival the head, but are typically covered, if nothing else than for modesty. And an armpit the size of your head would be gross.
Last winter, while in Minnesota, I ran into a man on the street with a goiter on the side of his neck the size of a volleyball. He wore a northface beanie on it. I asked "why the hat?" He said "check into the heat loss to surface area ratio, you arsehole."
I dont plan on returning to Minnesota anytime soon. |
Pericles
1/26/09
4:14 PM | Last winter, while in Minnesota, I ran into a man on the street with a goiter on the side of his neck the size of a volleyball. He wore a northface beanie on it. I asked "why the hat?" He said "check into the heat loss to surface area ratio, you arsehole." I dont plan on returning to Minnesota anytime soon.
Goiters are scary looking, and they are usually accompanied by a bad demeanor. I don't blame you a bit. |
bigstew
1/27/09
1:58 PM | To keep warm I listen to right wing nuts it always raises my temperature a bit.
Damn its cold in this house. I swear my bedroom is 50 degrees. Guess that means that leftwing banshees make it cold. LOL  |
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