National Geographic names 'Adventurers of the Year'

National Geographic announced earlier today that Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa had been named as the winners of the 2012 People’s Choice Adventurers of the Year Award. Voting for the award was done through National Geographic’s website, and nearly 72,000 ballots were cast this year.

Sunuwar and Sherpa are best known for their 2011 expedition to the top of Mt. Everest and their paraglide from the top to the sea. They did so with borrowed gear, on a small budget and without corporate sponsors.

For more information about this year’s winners, visit http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2012/peoples-choice-lakpa-tsheri-sherpa-sano-babu-sunuwar/.

As you might imagine, this award has gone to a number of outstanding adventurers since it was first handed out in 2006. What follows is a complete list of the all-time winners followed by the all-time nominees.

Adventurers of the Year:

2006 – Ed Viesturs: American mountaineer, best known for being the first American to summit all of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks and the sixth to do it without supplemental oxygen.

2007 – Colin Angus and Julie Wafaei: Canadian adventurers, best known for circumnavigating the globe under their own power, i.e., walking, cycling, skiing and rowing.

2008 – Andrew Skurka: Rhode Island native, best known for extremely long cross-country hikes.

2009 – Rob Gauntlett (now deceased) and James Hooper: British Adventurers, best known for trekking 26,000 miles from the North Pole to the South Pole at the ripe old age of 19.

2010 – Albert Yu-Min Lin: American Explorer, best known for his search for the tomb of Genghis Khan.

2010 – Marc Hoffmeister: American Veteran, best known for barely surviving an IED attack in Iraq in 2007 and then leading a team of six to the top of Denali in 2009.

2011 – Edurne Pasabn: Spanish Alpinist, best known for having climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks.

2012 - Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa: Nepalese mountaineers and paragliders best known for summiting Everest and then paragliding from the top.

Past nominees include the following individuals

2006:
- John Ackerman (Cave Explorer)
- Josune Bereziartu (Climber)
- Greg Hill (Ski Mountaineer)
- Ellen MacArthur (Speedy Circumnavigator)
- Matty McNair (Polar Explorer)
- Michael Reardon (Free Soloist)
- Jure Robic (Biking Across America)
- Andreya Wharry (Solo Kiteboarder)
- Daniel DeLaVergne, John Grace, Tommy Hilleke and Tobin MacDermott (Kayakers)

2007:
- Anousheh Ansari (Citizen Spacewalker)
- Bruce Beehler (Modern-Day Darwin)
- Olav Heyerdahl (Heir to Kon-Tiki)
- Dan Mazur (Everest Hero)
- Eh Kalu Shwe OO (People’s Provider)
- Stephanie Sinclair (Frontline Photographer)
- Jamilah Star (Soul Surfer)
- Greg Stone (Ocean Defender)
- Ben Stookesberry and Jesse Coombs (Rulers of Class V)

2008:
- Angelika Brandt (Sea Scout)
- Tim Cope (Horse Whisperer)
- Mike Fay (Wilderness Prospector)
- Colleen Hardy (Mortal Hero)
- Trip Jennings (Whitewater Visionary)
- Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry (Arctic Royalty)
- Steve Bogaerts, Robbie Schmittner, Sam Meacham (Cave Champs)
- Borge Ousland and Thomas Ulrich (Polar Pioneers)
- Andrea Palos and Gabor Rakonczai (Wave Runners)

2009:
- Gretchen Bleiler (Snowboarder)
- Francois Bon (Sky Flyer)
- Ashley Clements (Humanitarian)
- Pemba Gyalje Sherpa (Hero)
- Ben Skinner (Journalist)
- Kelly Slater (Surfer)
- Emma Stokes (Biologist)
- Maroy Correa Estenos and Sam Stime (Amazon Trekkers)
- Deia Schlosberg and Gregg Treinish (Andes Hikers)

2010:
- Katy Walter Anthony (Scientist)
- Khadija Bahram (Educator)
- Maya Gabeira (Surfer)
- John Grunsfeld (Astronaut)
- Dean S. Potter (Sky Flier)
- Louie Psihoyos (Filmmaker)
- Diane Van Deren (Ultra Runner)
- Stephen Bouey and Steven Shoppman (Road Trippers)

2011:
- Leven Brown (Oarsman)
- Alex Honnold (Climber)
- Jamie Mitchell (Paddler)
- Matt Moniz (Kid Climber)
- David de Rothschild (Voyager)
- Roz Savage (Rower)
- Ed Stafford (Explorer)
- Jessica Watson (Circumnavigator)
- Martin Wikelski (Tracker)

2012:
- Alastair Humphreys (British Adventurer)
- Cory Richards (American Climber and Photographer)
- Jennifer Pharr Davis (American Speed Hiker)
- Jon Turk and Erik Boomer (Kayakers)
- Gerlinde Kaltenbruner (Austrian Mountaineer)
- Danny MacAskill (Scottish Cyclist)
- Nick Waggoner (American Skier and Filmmaker)
- Travis Rice (American Snowboarder)
- Carissa Moore (American Surfer)

In the end, who would you have picked as this year's Adventurer of the Year? Why? How would you rank the all-time winners from top to bottom and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Tues., March 6, 2012

Temp: 43.7 degrees F (6.5 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.0 inches.

Humidity: 55 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Clear.

Winds: 3.8 mph out of the East-Southeast (light air)

Barometric Pressure: 29.96 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.0 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 1.3 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 13.7 inches

Local Weather Alerts: Local pollen alert in effect.

NOTE: 76th day of Winter.

And Remember - "No weather is ill, if the wind be still."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level

FICTION - The Ambulance Incident - Part IV

I struck the steering column so hard that I blacked out for a few seconds. In the confusion, I forgot about the wolf and collapsed back into my seat. My chest hurt, and each breath was like the thrust of a knife in my side. I was sure that I’d broken a rib or two, but was thankful that I hadn’t punctured a lung.

I considered all of this in the second before the wolf sank his teeth into my right shoulder. I cried out in surprise, tried to shrug away from him only to realize that he was closer than before. The force of the sudden stop moments ago had caused the wolf to surge forward a few inches in the tight hole that separated the cab from the back of the ambulance.

The wolf’s bite was strong, and the pain was blinding. I bordered on the edge of consciousness again and wonder how long I could maintain. I’d lost a lot of blood, and my head swam as white spots of light danced before my eyes. I jerked away from the wolf to free myself from his jaws, but he held me tight.

I flailed with my left hand in an attempt to reach the road flares that had fallen at my feet, but they were too far away. In the next moment, I gouged at the wolf’s eyes, but had little effect. It was clear to me that all of the wolf’s head and most of its neck had been forced through the one-foot hole. The animal’s shoulders were wide, and its thick gray fur bunched up around the opening.

My weak attempts to poke the wolf’s eyes out only enraged the beast. He was furious and began to shake his head like a terrier trying to shake the life out of a rat. The pain was unbelievable. Fresh blood soaked my shirt. Worst of all, the wolf’s grip on my shoulder kept me from sitting forward. I couldn’t reach the flares at my feet, and I couldn’t open the door and jump out.

I fought the urge to panic as questions without answers marched through my mind. Would I die here? How long would it be before someone came along and found us? Would the wolf still be here, trapped in the hole? What then?

Just then, never releasing his grip on my shoulder, the wolf wriggled forward, and I knew what he had in mind. If he could just get one foreleg through the hole, he’d be able to work his whole body through the opening. If he ever got his entire body through the opening and into the cab, I’d be done for.

The wolf surged again in an attempt to inch forward and for an instant his grip on my shoulder relaxed. I punched him hard on the end of his black nose and pulled away from him with what little strength I had left. I heard my uniform shirt tear as I jerked my shoulder from between his teeth.

The wolf howled with fury, and the noise was unnervingly loud inside the closed cab of the ambulance. He snapped wildly, hoping to catch some part of me with his teeth. I kept away from him as best I could and tried to open the door. My hands were slick with blood, and they slipped again and again on the handle. I thrust my shoulder against the door repeatedly, but grew certain that the force of the accident must have bent the door’s frame, wedging it shut. Just when I was on the verge of giving up, the door creaked with a sharp metal on metal eek that told me I was making progress.

With the eyes of a killer, the wolf watched me, and to my horror I saw him bring one of his forelegs through the hole. This relieved the pressure on his other side, and a second later both of his legs were through the gap. In the next moment, I did the only thing that I knew to do. I turned in the driver’s seat, braced my legs against the center console with my back to the door and pushed with all the strength I could muster.

At first, the door didn’t budge, but then all of a sudden it gave way with an ear-rending shriek of metal that made the wolf howl in frustration. The door popped open so unexpectedly that I fell out of the truck and landed hard on my back in the tall, wet grass of the ditch.

Almost immediately, I heard the wolf scrambling inside the cab. He was trying to work his way through the hole, and it wouldn’t be long before he managed to do so. Next, I reached up, grabbed the side of the door and pulled myself to my feet. I then saw the wolf an instant before I grabbed the edge of the door with both hands and tried to slam it closed.

To my surprise, the door only closed half way. It bounced a few times on severely bent hinges that had been damaged in the accident. I knew that it was only a matter of seconds before the wolf would be able to climb into the cab and there would be no way to trap it inside if the door wouldn’t shut.

My only choice was to run, so I scrambled up the ditch. About the time I reached the end of the ambulance, I heard a commotion in the cab. The wolf had finally wriggled through the hole. I could hear its weighty claws on the upholstery as he move towards the driver’s side door. It was only a matter of time before he bore down on top of me.

I ran for the double doors only to slip down onto one knee. I dared not to look back out of fear of what I would see. I could hear the wolf. It was out of the truck and in the grass now. It would be on me in any second.

I got back on my feet, rounded the back of the truck and made a leaping grab for the double doors. I felt that my only hope was to barricade myself inside and to wait for help. The skin on my back crawled with gooseflesh for I knew that the wolf was close behind. I grabbed the handle to the right side of the double doors and pulled. It stuck on my first hard pull, but came open on my second try as I pulled as if my life depended on it.

The door swung open, and I was almost blinded by the bright fluorescent lights in the back of the ambulance. I leapt inside and tried to pull the door closed behind me. My worst fears were realized in the next moment when the door did not close all of the way. My heart sank when I glanced over my shoulder and saw half the wolf’s body in the gap between the open and closed doors.

My only other option was to make for the side door, but I went down hard a second later when my feet became entangled in the small space between the stretcher and the bench seat. I fell hard against metal and plastic and knew that this would be the spot where it all would come to an end. I imagined the wolf pouncing on top of me and ripping out my throat as it had my partner’s just a short time ago.

I spun onto my side and looked up in time to see the wolf climb into the back of the ambulance. I glared with black, lifeless eyes, and its gray chest swelled as it let loose with an ear-splitting howl that seemed to shake the very full moon to its icy foundations. A moment later, it pounced, and I shut my eyes in the face of my inevitable doom.

Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! was the noise that followed, the sound of gunshots filling the closed space of the ambulance’s rear compartment. The wolf fell heavy and lifeless onto the soft cushion of the stretcher, and I sat up in time to see the handgun fall from the limp grip of my partner, John, who was still sprawled on the bench seat.

I got to my feet and checked John’s pulse. He was dead, and when I turned to examine the wolf, I was startled to see that in its place was the body of the man that we’d struck with the ambulance earlier in the night. In the center of his broad chest, there were five fresh gunshot wounds, weeping blood into the white sheet that covered the stretcher.

At that point I collapsed. When I came to there was a man standing over me. He was a log truck driver who came upon us on his way to the pulp mill that morning. He called 911 on his CB radio and help arrived in force in the shape of deputies and paramedics.

By the time they got there, the man on the stretcher was nowhere to be found. He’d been gone when the truck driver found me. I ended up spending nearly two weeks in the hospital. None of the investigators believed my story even though I passed two polygraph exams about that night’s events.

In the end, they wrote it off as a highly unusual animal attack and told me to go home and get plenty of rest. That was three months ago, and I’m pretty much healed up now. I’ve got a few scars from the wolf bites, but they only bother me when the moon gets full, big and bright.

(All rights reserved. This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.)

Yesterday's News from The Evergreen Courant for March 5, 2012

10 YEARS AGO
MARCH 7, 2002

“Chris Garner, son of Eddie Garner and Denise Griffin, exhibited the Grand Champion Steer at the 57th Annual Conecuh County 4-H/FFA Steer and Heifer Show on Sat., March 2, 2002 at the Evergreen Stockyard Livestock Arena. Chris was also the recipient of the Morgan Stanford Holley Memorial Award, which is presented each year to the person exhibiting the Grand Champion Steer. Pictured with Chris is Gary Huff, representing D.W. McMillan Trust, who purchased the calf for $1.40 per pound.”

“The Southwest Alabama Tri-County Steer and Heifer Show was held Sat., Feb. 2, 2002 at the Conecuh Stockyards in Evergreen. Winners in the Senior Showmanship were first place, Carolyn Pritchett of Conecuh County; second place, Chris Garner of Conecuh County; third place, Jena Smith of Monroe County; and fourth place, Riley Norris of Monroe County.”

“Edwin L. Booker of Evergreen qualified Monday night as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Sheriff of Conecuh County. Booker served as Sheriff of Conecuh County from 1974-1994.”

“Army National Guard Pvt. Keith D. Gantt Jr. is one of more than 5,000 active duty and reserved U.S. Armed Forces troops who served as a member of Joint Task Force-Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“Soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines and coast guardsmen helped to support the 2002 XIX Winter Olympic Games in February.

25 YEARS AGO
MARCH 5, 1987

“The Marshall Middle School eighth grade Mathematics Team won first place at the regional MATHCOUNTS Tournament held at the University of South Alabama, Mobile, Saturday. Team members are Rachel Barlow, Charity Wallace, Sharon Alexander and Marlo Cartwright; and Clint Hyde, Matthew Hartley, Ryan Burt and Gary Armstrong. Not shown is Brent Salter, who was at the County Steer Show when the picture was made. Mrs. Pat Cassady is coach of the team.”

“Earl Windham reports .14 of an inch of rain on Feb. 24, .45 Feb. 25, .40 Feb. 26, 1.51 Feb. 27 and .63 Feb. 28. Total rainfall for the month of February was 7.73 inches and the total for January and February was 12.04 inches, well above normal.”

“Tommy Burt of Lyeffion showed the Grand Champion at the 42nd Annual Conecuh County 4-H and FFA Steer Show held Monday at the Evergreen Cooperative Stockyard Livestock Arena. Anderson Peanut Co. of Andalusia represented by Robert Ward, paid a premium prices of $1.06 per pound for the 1,150-pound steer, a total of $1,145.”

“Conecuh Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors awarded Ed Witherington the 1986 Conservationist of the Year Award for Conecuh County. Witherington has implemented a conservation plan and a wildlife plan on his property. Pictured (are) Frank Pierce, Ed Witherington, W.J. Reed, Bill Cook and J.T. Ward.”

40 YEARS AGO
MARCH 2, 1972

“Butch Adams will exhibit this Charlois-Angus crossbreed calf in the Southwest District FFA Calf Show at the Coliseum in Monroeville on Tuesday. Adams is a senior member of the Evergreen High FFA Chapter. Five chapter members will also exhibit calves: Jimmy Beverly, Robert Neese, Kenny Brown, Alan Covin and Eric Pugh. All the calves are Charolois-Angus crosses. This is the first time the local chapter has taken part in the show. D.C. Fleming is chapter advisor.”

“Johnny Crook of Evergreen is one of 16 students from Troy State University who will lead a special weekend of youth activities March 3-5 at the Evergreen United Methodist Church. The group pictured above is called ‘The New First Century Fruit Pickers’ and they are a part of the Challenge Life Group on the Troy State campus. The group will lead a youth rally at 7:30 on Friday night and Saturday night and participate in Sunday School and morning worship services Sunday.”

“Saturday the Conecuh County Cowbelles sponsored their annual county Beef Cook-Off. The Beef Cook-Off is sponsored each year by the Cowbelles, and each year the county winners goes to Montgomery to participate in the statewide cook-off.”

“MARION – Rhythm, music and colorful costumes on pretty girls promise something special at Judson College, Feb. 28, when Terpsichorea presents its spring recital. Martha Wolff, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Wolff of Evergreen, is a participant.”

55 YEARS AGO
MARCH 7, 1957

“Conecuh Has Victory Of Five Court Houses Beginning With Log Cabin At Hamden Ridge: The present Court House building is the fifth court house with the history of Conecuh court houses dating back to before Alabama became a state in 1819.
“The first ‘court house’ was at Hamden Ridge, and was built and used shortly after the War of 1812. The log house could hardly be called a court house as is known today, since Conecuh was not a county, and it was generally used for a court room only.
“After Alabama became a state, the ‘court house’ was moved to Old Sparta, where special structure was built. It was at this court house that the first Conecuh company of volunteers was organized for the Confederate Army, in April of 1861. This company served with distinction throughout the Civil War, and was among those which surrendered at Appomatox in April of 1865.
“Shortly after the Civil War, the court house at Old Sparta burned down, destroying all records. It was rumored at the time that the fire was deliberately set by a party or parties to destroy records which would have been damaging to them.
“After the fire, which is variously said to have been in 1866, to 1868, the county seat was moved to Evergreen, and Old Sparta gradually waned away. The court house erected here then burned a few years later, and an imposing red brick structure took its place. The red brick court house was condemned about 1899, and the present building was finished in the summer of 1901. Other accounts place the completion as late as 1906, but it is believed that the summer of 1901 is the most accurate.
“The destruction of Conecuh’s court houses by fire have made it virtually impossible to trace land transactions, since the records were also destroyed.”

70 YEARS AGO
MARCH 5, 1942

“William Tharp, eldest son of Mrs. R.S. Smith of this place, arrived home Tuesday morning all decked out in a brand new set of wings which were awarded him Feb. 27 when he completed his training course with the Royal Canadian Air Force.”

“W.A. Moore, whose announcement as candidate for Sheriff of Conecuh County is appearing this week, is running without opposition.
“Mr. Moore has already served two terms in this office besides serving in between times as deputy Sheriff.”

“Joseph C. Lambert Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Lambert of this place, recently returned to his post at Maxwell Field after a visit with his parents. He is attached to the veterinary department at Maxwell Field.”

“Oscar C. Moorer, well known citizen and successful farmer of this county, qualified as a candidate for Member of the Board of Revenue from District 2, Saturday afternoon and is announcing his candidacy this week in The Courant.”

“Friends of Chief of Police H.L. Riley Sr. will be glad to know that he is at home convalescing after a major operation at the Mobile Infirmary in Mobile.”

Daily Weather Observations for Mon., March 5, 2012

Temp: 48.0 degrees F (8.9 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.0 inches.

Humidity: 68 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Clear.

Winds: 1.5 mph out of the West-Southwest (light air)

Barometric Pressure: 29.80 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.0 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 1.3 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 13.7 inches

Local Weather Alerts: Local pollen alert in effect.

NOTE: 75th day of Winter.

And Remember - "When the wind is blowing in the West, that is when the fishing's best."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level

'The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest' No. 1 again on best-sellers lists

It’s Sunday, so that means that it’s time for my weekly review of this week’s Publishers Weekly Best-Seller List. According to the list, there are three new books at the top of the four major best-sellers lists this week.

"Lone Wolf" by Jodi Picoult replaced "Private Games" by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan as the No. 1 book on the hardcover fiction best-sellers list.

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson replaced "Against All Enemies" by Tom Clancy and Peter Telep as the top book on the mass market paperback best-sellers list.

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson replaced "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett as the No. 1 book on the trade paperbacks best-sellers list.

"American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" by Chris Kyle, Jim DeFelice and Scott McEwen remained the top book on the hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list.

There are five books on this week’s hardcover fiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They (along with their place on the list) include "Lone Wolf" by Jodi Picoult (1), "Celebrity in Death" by J.D. Robb (2), "A Perfect Blood" by Kim Harrison (3), "The Shadow Patrol" by Alex Berenson (9) and "Sonoma Rose" by Jennifer Chiaverini (11).

There are four books on this week’s hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They include "Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think" by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler (2), "Indivisible: Restoring Faith, Family, and Freedom Before It's Too Late" by James Robison and Jay W. Richards (7), "Yes! Energy: The Equation to Do Less, Make More" by Loral Langemeier (9) and "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp (15).

There are four books on this week’s mass market paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on that list last week. They include "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson (1), "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin (6), "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks (12) and "Carte Blanche" by Jeffery Deaver (14).

There are three books on this week’s trade paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They include "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson (1), "Kill Me If You Can" by James Patterson, Marshall Karp (9) and "The Devil in the White City: A Saga of Magic and Murder at the Fair that Changed America" by Erik Larson (14).

As a reminder, I’m posting these lists each Sunday because they, as a whole, represent a great, contemporary recommended reading list. These lists are initially released each week on Thursday, and if you’re interested in reading them then, visit Publishers Weekly’s Web site at www.publishersweekly.com. Below you’ll find all four of this week’s best-seller lists.

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Lone Wolf" by Jodi Picoult
2. "Celebrity in Death" by J.D. Robb
3. "A Perfect Blood" by Kim Harrison
4. "Kill Shot" by Vince Flynn
5. "Private Games" by James Patterson, Mark Sullivan
6. "Defending Jacob" by William Landay
7. "The Wolf Gift" by Anne Rice
8. "I've Got Your Number" by Sophie Kinsella
9. "The Shadow Patrol" by Alex Berenson
10. "11/22/63" by Stephen King
11. "Sonoma Rose" by Jennifer Chiaverini
12. "Death Comes to Pemberley" by P.D. James
13. "Home Front" by Kristin Hannah
14. "A Dance with Dragons" by George R.R. Martin
15. "The House I Loved" by Tatiana de Rosnay

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle, Jim DeFelice and Scott McEwen
2. "Abundance" by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler
3. "The End of Illness' by David Agus
4. "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
5. "The World of Downtown Abbey" by Jessica Fellowes
6. "Steve Jobs: A Biography" by Walter Isaacson
7. "Indivisible" by James Robison and Jay W. Richards
8. "The Start-Up of You" by Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha
9. "Yes! Energy: The Equation to Do Less, Make More" by Loral Langemeier
10. "Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America" by Mark R. Levin
11. "The 17 Day Diet" by Dr. Mike Moreno
12. "Quiet" by Susan Cain
13. "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" by Katherine Boo
14. "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand
15. "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson
2. "Against All Enemies" by Tom Clancy with Peter Telep
3. "The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson
4. "Tom Clancy Presents: Act of Valor" by Dick Couch and George Galdorisi
5. "44 Charles Street" by Danielle Steel
6. "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
7. "Lucky Penny" by Catherine Anderson
8. "The 9th Judgement" by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
9. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson
10. "Crunch Time" by Diane Mott Davidson
11. "Bonnie" by Iris Johansen
12. "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks
13. "Bennett and Camilla" by Nora Roberts
14. "Carte Blanche" by Jeffery Deaver
15. "Cold Vengeance" by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson
2. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
3. "The Vow" by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter with Dana Wilkerson
4. "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, Colton Burpo and Lynn Vincent
5. "The Tiger's Wife: A Novel" by Tea Obreht
6. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson
7. "Bossypants" by Tina Fey
8. "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
9. "Kill Me If You Can" by James Patterson, Marshall Karp
10. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
11. "The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson
12. "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey" by The Countess of Carnarvon
13. "Save Me" by Lisa Scottoline
14. "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
15. "The Weird Sisters" by Eleanor Brown

In the end, let me know if you’ve had a chance to read any of these books. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Sun., March 4, 2012

Temp: 40.5 degrees F (4.7 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 48 hours): 0.2 inches.

Humidity: 72 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Clear.

Winds: 0.1 mph out of the West-Southwest (calm)

Barometric Pressure: 29.64 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 1.6 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 1.3 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 13.7 inches

Local Weather Alerts: Fire Weather Watch in effect until 11 a.m.

NOTE: 74th day of Winter.

And Remember - "When the wind is blowing in the south, it brings the food over the fish's mouth."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level