Republican Tim O'Connell, a state representative, says he thinks it is at least six months, if not a year, too early for the current level of intensity and activity.

NPR: Welcome to Milford: Town's View of 2008 Race

If the current military offensive succeeds, the intensity of the conflict is likely to diminish from late 2009, with tight security controls being relaxed in 2010.

ECONOMIST: Army setback

Again, a weather overlay will show current or approaching storms, their type and intensity.

FORBES: Mapping The World's Energy On The Move

Although the current eruption of Eyjafjallajoekull in Iceland appears not to be comparable in intensity to those of Laki and Tambora, it will have some effects, such as those on air travel, that were never realized back in those simpler times.

CNN: How volcanoes can change the world