M. Banner - Stone Age

“Wow, it sure is dark tonight. Moon must be coming out later,” Bill said, squinting to see their house coming up.

“22… 24… There it is 26 Avenita Mar De Cortez,” Sally said loudly. “We’re home.”

They pulled up to the dark front gate.

Meanwhile, onboard the GEOS-12 Environmental Satellite in geostationary orbit 22,500 miles above Hawaii, the Solar X-Ray Imager, or SXI is routinely snapping one full disk image of the sun’s atmosphere every minute. The results are sent automatically to dozens of research facilities and universities across the world, including CMERI’s facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. CMERI’s computers then process this along with other data from various satellites and ground based telemetry, using an algorithm developed by Dr. Carrington Reid to determine which of the 1 to 5, or more, CMEs daily generated by the sun are likely to hit the Earth, along with their severity.

To: Maxwell Thompson

From: bulletins@CMEResearchInstitute.org

Subject: 75% Chance of Carrington-Sized CME Expected

As we described in yesterday’s bulletin, two large CMEs have caused above normal aurora activity in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Auroras have been reported as far south as Wisconsin and Washington in the US, as well as multiple locations in China, India, and Russia.

A power substation in Anchorage, Alaska was severally damaged, causing power outages to most of the city and continues up to this bulletin’s release.

Hundreds were killed in China from fires believed to be caused by the larger CME’s charged particles, which caused geomagnetic induced currents, believed to have reached more than 450 amperes, through local transmission lines, causing transformers to explode, touching off the fires.

NASA confirms that communications have been lost with the International Space Station, and have attributed the loss due to as many as three communication satellites permanently damaged from the duel CME’s.

We are tracking a CME with less intensity, which is expected to hit Earth in 18 to 30 hours from now. There is less radiation expected, but auroras should be visible through most of the United States and as far south as Northern Mexico.

Far more worrisome; one or more CMEs of greater intensity than last night’s duel CME’s are expected in the coming days, as we have observed over a 5000% increase in sunspot and solar flare activities in the last three hours. Radiation readings recorded by ISS prior to its loss of communications, and the Hubble were the highest in the last 100+ years, or since such recordings have been made.

From the most recent images received from the SXI telescope, and other sources, we predict as much as a 75% chance of a Carrington-sized event, or worse to hit the Earth within the next few days.

We recommend that you take precautions immediately as outlined in our free downloadable eBook, The Solar Apocalypse Survival Guide .

Stay tuned for additional bulletins.

For more information go to www.CMEResearchInstitute.org& click on “Bulletins.”

The dark of night gave way to a hint of the coming day. A faint orange glow knelt on the edge of the horizon, separating the water from the heavens. Soon, the sun would stand up, revealing itself fully, setting fire to the whole sky, and this part of the Earth below. Before noon, the temperature would already be near triple digits. For now, it was a perfect 80 degrees.

It was the start of a new day; a play that God puts on every dawn. His narrative by the sea is among the most mesmerizing. The audience stirs to the sounds of His actors: the birds calling out for food, the waves washing in from the Sea of Cortez, carrying with them a light breeze and pungent briny aromas, both alive and decaying at once. The sun, the protagonist of the show, rises slowly, taking its obeisant bow to its Creator whose hand slowly turns up the dimmer controls of the stage lights. In every moment, the backlight of this living stage changes. At any instant in time, it is imperceptible, but after a brief period, it becomes brighter and brighter. It is a grand orchestra, playing a piece far more magnificent than anything Mozart could have written. Moreover, it happens every day in front of their beach home.

Bill could never describe how much he relished this display. Nothing could match the feelings that stirred within when he witnessed God’s amazing show each morning on the beach. It was why Bill always arose before anyone else, sat in his favorite chair, poised above and behind their sea wall in between pool and sand, pointed south toward the beach. He sat in quiet awe, coffee in hand, taking in the bounty before him, wearing a never-ending smile.

He longed for the time when this would be his every morning. When he could sell his business and his only decision most days would be deciding whether to turn right or left on their daily beach walk. Perhaps in a couple more years .

A paddle boarder glided by, breaking his mental meanderings. His sinewy form barely visible because of the great distance created by the low tide, and Bill’s tired eyes. The man waved and Bill waved back, not recognizing the form, and not knowing if he ever met the paddler in person. That was the way of the beach. Everyone shared a friendly love for this magical place, welcoming to all others who shared their conjoint passion.

“Good morning, friend.” Max’s raspy voice came from behind, startling him like an unexpected ocean wave. He turned to see a beaming Max standing on the walkway that their properties shared with a common waist high gate. Lisa called it their “coffee gate.” His bearded face set with a wide grin spoke of genuine happiness, but his eyes full of worry, and deeper set wrinkles spoke of a lifetime of past worries. Max was positioned on his side of the gate, holding it open with one hand and appropriately a coffee mug of his own in the other. His mug, a gift from Lisa and Bill last Christmas, had “My other drink is a Margarita” hand painted on it.

“Come on over. I want to show you something,” Max beckoned his best friend.

There was very little that could drag Bill away from watching the sunrise. Max wanting to show him something was one of those. Max prided himself on his toys, and maybe more so offering anecdotes of how he smuggled them down through Mexico without getting caught or being forced to pay a tariff. He still called it mordida, even though the tariff payments were above board and not bribes benefiting the government officials extracting the tariff.

“Heard you pull in late last night in Stanley,” taking a sip of coffee. “I do want to say a quick hi to Lisa and Sally, but I’ve been dying to show you something and talk to you for a few minutes first.”

“Sure,” Bill said, now facing his friend, “They’re looking forward to seeing you too. Maybe, you’d like to join us for breakfast. Lisa is making chorizo and eggs.”

“Damn, I would love to, but I’ve got some business inland with Miguel. Rain check?”

Bill shook his head in the affirmative, “Of course, but you get to explain this to the ladies.” Bill followed through Max’s open patio door. Max spun around and curiously closed the blinds behind them and then both walked through the living room, stopping to face a handcrafted, locally made, wood bookcase, positioned at an angle between the dining room and kitchen areas. It was the showpiece of Max’s home. Bill figured Max must have paid a fortune just to get it into the house. So large and heavy, it took a crane to lift it over the house from the street and a large group of workers to get it through the patio and into the living room/kitchen area.