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Volcanic Ash Disrupting Travel

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Ludmilla
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Post by Ludmilla » Fri April 16th, 2010, 12:56 pm

Seems like this may turn out to be a very geologically active year.

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Fri April 16th, 2010, 1:44 pm

It's the London Book Fair at the moment but half the publishers and editors are stuck until airspace opens again. My agent (going nuts at all the cancelled appointments) has sent some of her staff to help man a South African book stand because everyone who was coming to do the work on that is stuck like Ken's wife!
I'm supposed to be having dinner with CEO of Sourcebooks on Monday - she should have been flying out today, but we'll now just have to wait and see.
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Telynor
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Post by Telynor » Fri April 16th, 2010, 4:54 pm

I remember watching one documentary that had the theory that a similar eruption in Iceland in the 1780's, triggered widespread famine in France, which in turn helped to cause the Revolution. As to this one, it all depends on how long the eruption last, and how much ash gets tossed up into the air. The effects will cause some global cooling, and there will be some spectacular sunsets coming up in the next year or so. Mt. Tambora when it erupted in the 1810's triggered the 'Years without a Summer' in the NE US and in Great Britain. (ok so I am a geology nerd)

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Fri April 16th, 2010, 4:59 pm

Yup, Sourcebooks dinner in London cancelled due to Volcano.
Son who did 2 years of environmental science degree says that we may be in for some acid rain now. It does show how fragile we are. It seems so odd that flights are being cancelled when at the moment we have glorious sunshine in the UK, but I guess the problem is higher up and out of sight.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

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Telynor
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Post by Telynor » Fri April 16th, 2010, 5:10 pm

[quote=""EC2""]Yup, Sourcebooks dinner in London cancelled due to Volcano.
Son who did 2 years of environmental science degree says that we may be in for some acid rain now. It does show how fragile we are. It seems so odd that flights are being cancelled when at the moment we have glorious sunshine in the UK, but I guess the problem is higher up and out of sight.[/quote]

That's rotten about the dinner. Speaking of your works, I spotted Scarlet Lion in the local Barnes and Noble, and was able to find it on my Nook.

With jets, volcanic ash can be catastrophic. As it is composed of very fine bits of carbon and sand and glass, once it gets into a jet's engine, it can tear up the blades, and jam up the turbine part. This makes the engine stop cold -- it's happened at least once that they know of, and sadly, large aircraft have the glide ratio of a brick, especially at 30,000 ft. and now it's SOP to divert or cancel aircraft around actively erupting volcanoes. Anchorage Alaska gets closed down all the time when Mt. Redoubt blows her stack.

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Post by michellemoran » Fri April 16th, 2010, 5:12 pm

Yes, the London Book Fair is not fairing well, EC (excuse the pun). As you say, everyone is stuck here, there, and everywhere, but how can the Fair cancel? The convention space must go to someone else soon, so they have to do what they can. Very frustrating for everyone involved. VERY. The President of Norway is stuck in NY airport and running his country from... his ipad!
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Post by michellemoran » Fri April 16th, 2010, 5:16 pm

From the London Book Fair's website:
The London Book Fair Team is working hard to minimise the disruption to the fair caused by the volcanic ash temporarily closing airports in the UK and Europe. Our customer service team are calling international exhibitors to offer assistance with manning stands and arranging alternative travel plans where possible. Our view is that the show must – and will – go on and we will provide all the help we can to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible.
The Fair is a big, big deal, as this is where agents go to sell foreign rights and where buzz can begin to build for forthcoming books. Books can be "made" at a rights fair simply because of the buzz surrounding them.
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Ludmilla
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Post by Ludmilla » Fri April 16th, 2010, 5:28 pm

[quote=""Telynor""]Mt. Tambora when it erupted in the 1810's triggered the 'Years without a Summer' in the NE US and in Great Britain. (ok so I am a geology nerd)[/quote]

The 'Year without a Summer' (1816) was also the year that Shelley, Polidori, et al challenged one another to write their horror stories while on their Swiss vacation -- interesting how that chilly weather inspired Frankenstein.

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michellemoran
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Post by michellemoran » Fri April 16th, 2010, 5:29 pm

Oh - interesting point Ludmilla! I never connected the two.
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Madeleine
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Post by Madeleine » Fri April 16th, 2010, 7:32 pm

[quote=""Ludmilla""]The 'Year without a Summer' (1816) was also the year that Shelley, Polidori, et al challenged one another to write their horror stories while on their Swiss vacation -- interesting how that chilly weather inspired Frankenstein.[/quote]

Interesting snipped Ludmilla, thanks for that.

Looks like another UK summer will be scuppered then :( , still we're used to it by now.
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross

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