[Texascavers] Off topic - Need advice re: Mexico City
I would appreciate some opinions from you folks. I know it is really difficult to get cavers to express opinions, but I would appreciate it if you could try. J I got a call about a gig down in Mexico City. They are having trouble filling it. I am hesitant with all the problems they are having in the cities. Although, I lived in Houston for over 40 years, and I may be just buying into the whole media hysteria about Mexico. But, I wanted to be sure. We tend to avoid the cities when we go down there. Opinions? Anyone living in Mexico City? I know we have some folks on here who live in Mexico, but not sure where. Thanks! Sheryl
Re: [Texascavers] Off topic - Need advice re: Mexico City
�Hola! I'll reply off-list. - Fofo Sheryl Rieck wrote, on 11/8/10 6:13 : I would appreciate some opinions from you folks. I know it is really difficult to get cavers to express opinions, but I would appreciate it if you could try. J I got a call about a gig down in Mexico City. They are having trouble filling it. I am hesitant with all the problems they are having in the cities. Although, I lived in Houston for over 40 years, and I may be just buying into the whole media hysteria about Mexico. But, I wanted to be sure. We tend to avoid the cities when we go down there. Opinions? Anyone living in Mexico City? I know we have some folks on here who live in Mexico, but not sure where. Thanks! Sheryl - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] FW: Northern Bexar County Tracer Test Report Release
Folks, The Edwards Aquifer Authority recently released a report titled Tracing Groundwater Flowpaths in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, Panther Springs Creek Basin, Northern Bexar County, Texas. A copy of the report can be viewed as a PDF at the Authority's Web page at www.edwardsaquifer.orghttp://www.edwardsaquifer.org The report can be directly viewed at the following location: http://www.edwardsaquifer.org/display_science_research_s.php?pg=fmsreports Report Description The purpose of this study was to characterize groundwater-flow directions and velocities and to evaluate hydrostratigraphy in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone in northern Bexar County in south-central Texas. It presents the findings of investigations by the Edwards Aquifer Authority regarding groundwater flowpaths, velocities, and hydrostratigraphy in the Panther Springs Creek groundwater basin, which is located in the San Antonio segment of the Balcones Fault Zone Edwards Aquifer. In a series of four phases, the Authority injected nontoxic organic dyes into six caves and sampled an array of 32 wells to track the dye movements. The tracer tests revealed discrete groundwater flowpaths near Panther Springs Creek with apparent (point-to-point) groundwater velocities ranging from 13 to 5,300 meters per day from the recharge zone to the transition/artesian zone of the Edwards Aquifer. The results indicated that groundwater flows freely across faults with displacements up to 104 meters through a single hydrostratigraphic unit comprised of the upper member of the Glen Rose Formation in the Upper Trinity Aquifer and the overlying Edwards Aquifer. Dye poured on the ground surface in an area with no observable karst features such as sinkholes, dissolutioned fractures, or caves demonstrated that the aquifer is vulnerable to contamination even in the absence of recognizable karst landforms.
[Texascavers] gadgets for high-tech caving
The link below shows a new motion technology gadget. This is an amazing product. It could be used in some caving situation somewhere. At the end of the video shows its practical application. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTg7PUSVidIfeature=youtu.bea - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] crystals caves of Abacos Islands, Bahamas
Must-see videos. Think swimming through a combination of Caverns of Sonora and Natural Bridge Cavern. http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=koCCJv2iLigfeature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRKJZGwZHR8NR=1 --Mixon May the last lawyer be strangled with the entrials of the last priest. You may reply to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] Fw: TPWD - Wildlife Permitting WNS UPDATE
Thanks to Mark Minton for pointing out errors in the previous version. Andy Andrew G. Gluesenkamp, Ph.D. 700 Billie Brooks Drive Driftwood, Texas 78619 (512) 799-1095 a...@gluesenkamp.com --- On Wed, 8/11/10, Christopher Maldonado christopher.maldon...@tpwd.state.tx.us wrote: From: Christopher Maldonado christopher.maldon...@tpwd.state.tx.us Subject: TPWD - Wildlife Permitting WNS UPDATE To: Christopher Maldonado christopher.maldon...@tpwd.state.tx.us List-Post: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010, 1:54 PM 08/11/10 Update to the USFWS decontamination protocol Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) would like to make all Scientific Research Permit holders aware of a current Scientific Collector Advisory concerning White-nose Syndrome. While most permit holders do not collect bats, this message serves to amplify the growing concerns with the spread of White-nose Syndrome. The following links will provide knowledge to aid in WNS identification, alert you to all of the current equipment requirements, and offer a TPWD point of contact for questions regarding this disease. Scientific Collector Advisory Considerations of White-nose Syndrome in Bats during Scientific Collecting Activities Since you have applied for a Wildlife Collector’s Permit to trap, salvage, or collect bats, you are likely aware of White-nose Syndrome (WNS) and the danger it poses to populations of cave bats in North America . If you are not familiar with this disease, please take the time to familiarize yourself. A few websites that provide good information and additional links are: National Speleological Society http://caves.org/WNS US Fish Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/ Bat Conservation International http://www.batcon.org/wns USGS National Wildlife Health Center http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/white-nose_syndrome/index.jsp Even if you are already aware of WNS, it is a good idea to check one or more of these websites regularly because new information is posted quite often. Noticeable signs of a fungal infection are scars and damage to wings and other membranous tissues and/or white fuzz on the nose and wings. See the following website for descriptions and pictures of affected tissues – http://www.fws.gov/northeast/PDF/Reichard_Scarring%20index%20bat%20wings.pdf Examine all bats handled or collected for wing damage and score them according to this index. Pictures of suspicious damage should be taken and submitted. Report any signs of WNS to John Young at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (john.yo...@tpwd.state.tx.us) as soon as possible. Because human spread of WNS is considered a possibility, the following special notes apply to your Wildlife Collector’s Permit – Any equipment that has contacted bats or has been inside caves or mines in confirmed WNS-affected states are prohibited from being used in Texas . Equipment used in Texas should be decontaminated with with a 10% bleach solution, 0.3% Lysol (Lysol – antibacterial type with quaternary ammonium salts), or other USFWS recommended disinfectant, before being used at another location. For additional disinfection protocols see: http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/ppt/NPS_Decontamination_Protocols_Webinar_June_9_2010.ppt USFWS is requiring case-by-case approval for the use of harp traps (especially at hibernacula entrances during fall swarming and spring emergence), please contact John Young (512-389-8047) at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department if you are planning to use a harp trap in Texas or have other questions related to WNS. Chris Maldonado Wildlife Permits Specialist Texas Parks Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 (512) 389-4647 (512) 389-4550 fax
[Texascavers] underwater videos
A better source for viewing underwater the underwater video I recently posted about, and another mind-blowing one as well, is http://vimeo.com/3528068 http://vimeo.com/10402471 You can switch to high-res full-screen mode. -- Mixon May the last lawyer be strangled with the entrials of the last priest. You may reply to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] Parisians Find Playground Under the Streets (WSJ Article)
Residents Take to an Underground Network of Tunnels and Caves to Explore City's Past, Paint Murals or Throw a Party http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704271804575405283969684798-lMyQjAxMTAwMDAwNzEwNDcyWj.html Maybe we will have to do a new kind of caving until the WNS problem s solved. Cheers Rob from Upstate NY
texascavers Digest 12 Aug 2010 02:23:34 -0000 Issue 1133
texascavers Digest 12 Aug 2010 02:23:34 - Issue 1133 Topics (messages 15772 through 15788): Re: TPWD - Wildlife Permitting (Scientific Collector Advisory) 15772 by: Andy Gluesenkamp Re: NSS Convention ? 15773 by: ellie :) 15774 by: Mark.Alman.L-3com.com 15776 by: Nico Escamilla Re: Location for TCR 15775 by: Sheryl Rieck Re: Engineer job with frim owned by caver 15777 by: Geary Schindel Do Bats Eat Mosquito's 15778 by: SS 15779 by: Jim Kennedy bats in the news 15780 by: David Off topic - Need advice re: Mexico City 15781 by: Sheryl Rieck 15782 by: Fofo Re: Northern Bexar County Tracer Test Report Release 15783 by: Geary Schindel gadgets for high-tech caving 15784 by: David crystals caves of Abacos Islands, Bahamas 15785 by: Mixon Bill Re: TPWD - Wildlife Permitting WNS UPDATE 15786 by: Andy Gluesenkamp underwater videos 15787 by: Mixon Bill Parisians Find Playground Under the Streets (WSJ Article) 15788 by: Robert Tait Administrivia: To subscribe to the digest, e-mail: texascavers-digest-subscr...@texascavers.com To unsubscribe from the digest, e-mail: texascavers-digest-unsubscr...@texascavers.com To post to the list, e-mail: texascavers@texascavers.com -- ---BeginMessage--- Mnay thanks, Mark. I'll pass it on right away. Andy Andrew G. Gluesenkamp, Ph.D. 700 Billie Brooks Drive Driftwood, Texas 78619 (512) 799-1095 a...@gluesenkamp.com --- On Tue, 8/10/10, Mark Minton mmin...@caver.net wrote: From: Mark Minton mmin...@caver.net Subject: [Texascavers] Re: TPWD - Wildlife Permitting (Scientific Collector Advisory) To: texascavers@texascavers.com List-Post: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 11:21 AM Andy, There are a couple of errors/updates in that advisory that you might want to pass along to the powers that be. The link for the USFWS white-nose page has changed to http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/. There is a newer USFWS decon protocol (June 2010) at http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/ppt/NPS_Decontamination_Protocols_Webinar_June_9_2010.ppt, also available as PDF on the NSS WNS page. For decon your advisory says 10% bleach or 3% Lysol, but the latter should actually be 0.3% Lysol (an order of magnitude less), and not just any Lysol, but specifically the antibacterial type with quaternary ammonium salts. Mark Minton At 11:02 AM 8/10/2010, Andy Gluesenkamp wrote: I just received this advisory from our permitting folks. It is being sent out to all scientific permit holders who may work in caves but I think cavers might find it of interest as well. This is not a notice of closure or anything of the sort. Just good ol' common sense. Andy The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) would like to make all scientific research permit holders aware of a current Scientific Collector Advisory concerning White-nose Syndrome. While the majority of current permit holders do not collect bats, this message is intended to alert researchers to growing concerns about the spread of this disease. The following links will provide information to aid in its identification, alert all to current requirements surrounding the use of equipment, and offer a TPWD point of contact for questions regarding this disease. Scientific Collector Advisory Considerations of White-nose Syndrome in Bats during Scientific Collecting Activities Since you have applied for a Wildlife Collector’s Permit to trap, salvage, or collect bats, you are likely aware of White-nose Syndrome (WNS) and the danger it poses to populations of cave bats in North America . If you are not familiar with this disease, please take the time to familiarize yourself. A few websites that provide good information and additional links are: National Speleological Society http://caves.org/WNS US Fish Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html Bat Conservation International http://www.batcon.org/wns USGS National Wildlife Health Center http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/white-nose_syndrome/index.jsp Even if you are already aware of WNS, it is a good idea to check one or more of these websites regularly because new information is posted quite often. Noticeable signs of a fungal infection are scars and damage to wings and other membranous tissues and/or white fuzz on the nose and wings. See the following website for descriptions and pictures of affected tissues – http://www.fws.gov/northeast/PDF/Reichard_Scarring%20index%20bat%20wings.pdf Examine all bats handled or collected for wing damage and score them according to this index. Pictures of suspicious damage should be taken and submitted. Report any signs of WNS to John Young at Texas Parks and
[ot_caving] Locklear's Ultimate 500 LED Extreme Flashlight
50 Watts http://www.wimp.com/homemadeflashlight/
Re: [ot_caving] Locklear's Ultimate 500 LED Extreme Flashlight
Neat! I've seen this though. IMHO, multicolors would be far more efficient just because white LEDs are actually UV reflecting of a phosphor and hence less direct and less efficient. (Least that's what Frank said.) -Light WaV On Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 9:50 PM, Bill Bentley ca...@caver.net wrote: 50 Watts http://www.wimp.com/homemadeflashlight/
