Re: [Texascavers] new Texas laws
I was on a minor 6 person trial where a man ( he drove a Mercedes) was contesting a traffic ticket. He was caught reading the newpaper (on the wrong side of the road at the time) while wandering all over the road and did not contest that part. He just said that he should not get a ticket or pay any fine. Took us 5 minutes but most of that was reading the charge again in the jury room and finding paper and pencil. Quinta Ron said: Driving is very serious business in Texas today. I recently sat in on a criminal trial where an individual felt he could flee from a police officer trying to stop him. That is a felony. A DWI today is very costly and an offender is booked into jail on the first offense. Even medication can result in a DWI offense. A simple speeding ticket will cost you nearly $200 even if you do the defensive driving school.
Re: [Texascavers] Big-Brother related
I had to do much more that fingerprints when my daughter married a German national in the GAF. Where I was born what I belonged to. Names of my grandparents and much more. I was certainly given the once over in Germany when I went there and learned to take a carry on with one change of clothes. I used the laundry a lot and bought another set or so while I was there to visit my grandchildren who have dual pasports. Quinta
Re: [Texascavers] Big Brother
There have been people in the past who were in teaching postions that were offenders. Quinta I have 4 greatgrandchildren from kindergarden to 5th grade. My grandaughter is a teacher and she does not mind in the least. I does make you easy to eleminate if they have fingerprints also.
Re: [ot_caving] FW: Want to know what's in the proposed health care bill? Read it and weep
Fritz You can get that non bias opinion on your NPR or PBS station any day of the week. They will let you know what changes have been made or are being talked about also. So nice to have a way to get the non slanted facts. Quinta
Fw: [Texascavers] --- Texas Cavers Premiere --- Monday, July 20, Dietert Auditorium 6pm --- Please join us!!
I was in Alaska watching with my daughter and we had the first live broadcast (five minutes) in place of 'canned' flown up at 10 at night for the news. I think they claimed it cost 1 mil to do that. We had all TV other than the news 3 weeks late - even the football games. Quinta I was 9 yrs old and had stopped playing long enough to in the glorious West Texas Summer sun to come in and watch it on the TV... Bill I was watching in Television with my family. I had just gotten out of active duty in the Navy in June. Butch Fralia Fr If you're old enough, do you remember where you were when this happened? I was sitting in the lobby of my hotel in Barcelona at 0 dark 30 listening to the whole thing in Spanish. Other worldly!!! The only thing in English was what the astronauts said when they stepped onto the moon. Louise Make sure to wish everyone a happy 40 yrs anniversary of man walking on the moon. Matt Turner It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. - Aristotle Empty pockets never held anyone back.Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.- Norman Vincent Peale -- From: Grace Borengasser borengas...@gmail.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 2:24:54 PM Subject: [Texascavers] --- Texas Cavers Premiere --- Monday, July 20, Dietert Auditorium 6pm --- Please join us!! Hello everyone, There are only three more days til the long awaited premiere of Texas Cavers. We would be delighted if you and all your caver friends would join us for the screening! The movie premiere is scheduled at 6:00 PM on Monday 20 July in Dietert Auditorium on the Schreiner University Campus. Check out the movie website and link to the trailer: www.texascaversmovie.com View the movie poster here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/graceborengasser/3619004889/sizes/o/ 18 x 24 posters as well as DVDs will be available for sale at the TSA's booth in vendor-ville. Thanks Lee Jay! Hope to see you there!! Plunge Productions crew: Joe Datri Aimee Beveridge Geoff Hoese Grace Borengasser
Re: [Texascavers] the loud campground
And a lot of us remember going to sleep in the back yard as a child with cicada music! I know I was catching fireflies and hearing that at age 5. Quinta Do you really mean Cicada? I know folks say locust, but it always 'bugs' me. LOL :) From Wiki: A cicada (pronounced /sɪˈkeɪdə/) is an insect of the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha, in the superfamily Cicadoidea, with large eyes wide apart on the head and usually transparent, well-veined wings. There are about 2,500 species of cicada around the world, and many remain unclassified. Cicadas live in temperate to tropical climates where they are among the most widely recognized of all insects, mainly due to their large size and remarkable acoustic talents. Cicadas are sometimes colloquially called locusts,[1] although they are unrelated to true locusts, which are a kind of grasshopper. They are also known as jar flies. Cicadas are related to leafhoppers and spittlebugs. In parts of the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States they are known as dry flies because of the dry shell they leave behind.
Re: [Texascavers] Any suggestions for North Texas Caves?
Sent Andy contact info off list. Quinta
[ot_caving] Forest System protection
FYI I just got this you might be interested Quinta Great news: A federal judge just struck down the Bush administration's rules limiting protection and citizen oversight of the entire 193-million acre National Forest System. The Bush rules stripped away the U.S. Forest Service's requirement to maintain viable wildlife populations whenever it planned a new clear-cut, mine, or road. The rules also banned the Forest Service from even considering environmental impacts when developing long-term management plans guiding million of acres of lands. The court, however, agreed with the Center for Biological Diversity's lawsuit that such willful disregard for endangered species, clean water, and quiet recreation violated the Endangered Species Act and other laws, and struck down the rules in their entirety. Our national forests provide critically important habitat for thousands of fish, wildlife, and plant species, and are a source of clean water and recreational opportunities for millions of Americans. We look forward to working with the Obama administration to develop a new set of rules that truly protect the invaluable resources they contain. Enjoy this major victory for our national forests. Thank you for helping make it happen. We'll be calling on you soon to contact the Obama administration to ensure its new rules do everything possible for wildlife and wild places.
[ot_caving] Re: [Texascavers] OT - storing cave movies on DVD
Do you have a life that is not teckno? Do you watch the sun come up? Do you hear the wind in your hair? How about a campfire and the warmth of friends close by? There is life out of the text - video cone. Think the kids could do this and not just vicariously? Quinta
[ot_caving] FYI oil and gas leases
Pro or Con this is interesting for all of us. I am pleased but some of you might not be. Quinta Great news for Arctic wildlife! A federal court has vacated the Department of the Interior's 5-year plan for oil and gas leasing in Arctic waters off the coast of Alaska. The court said the Bush administration plans failed to properly consider environmental sensitivity.
Re: [ot_caving] FYI food and history of milkweed
Well after you ask for a photo I was suprised to find so many and I remember the silky stuff that blows in the wind not the flower. Link below to many kinds http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/index.htm the structure http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/index.htm All info is from a monarch site as you can tell and if you want the butterflys this seems to work. Now I did find one with the silky stuff I loved to play with as a kid. http://www.all-creatures.org/pics/wfshl-milkweed.html Thanks Fritz for asking a question as I learned so much more! Quinta
[ot_caving] FYI food and history of milkweed
By Sam Thayer Director of the Wild Food Institute Bruce, Wisconsin Milkweed isn't your average weed; in fact, I feel guilty calling it a weed at all. The common milkweed, Asclepias syriacqa, is one of the best known wild plants in North America. Children love to play with the downy fluff in autumn, while farmers despise it as a tenacious weed of hayfields and pastures. Butterfly enthusiasts adore milkweed as the sustenance for their beloved monarch. Hardly any country dweller can fail to notice this unique, elegant plant so laden with fragrant, multi-colored blossoms in midsummer. Milkweed has served humans in many ways. During World War II, American schoolchildren collected milkweed floss to fill life preservers for the armed forces. This same floss is being used today by a Nebraska company called Ogallalla Down to stuff jackets, comforters, and pillows-and some people believe that it will become an important fiber crop in the future. It has an insulating effect surpassing that of goose down. Native Americans employed the tough stalk fibers for making string and rope. Not least among the uses of common milkweed, however, is its versatility as a vegetable. Milkweed produces four different edible products, and all of them are delicious. It was a regular food item for all Native American tribes within its broad range. Gathering and cooking milkweed There is a beautiful patch of milkweed in an old hayfield near my house. I treat it as an outpost of my garden-one I never have to tend. Because milkweed is perennial, it appears every season in this same locality. The milkweed season begins in late spring (just about the time that leaves are coming out on the oak trees) when the shoots come up near the dead stalks of last year's plants. These resemble asparagus spears, but have tiny leaves, in opposing pairs, pressed up flat against the stem. Until they are about eight inches tall, milkweed shoots make a delicious boiled vegetable. Their texture and flavor suggest a cross between green beans and asparagus, but it is distinct from either. As the plant grows taller, the bottom of the shoot becomes tough. Until it attains a height of about two feet, however, you can break off the top few inches (remove any large leaves) and use this portion like the shoot. Milkweed flower buds first appear in early summer and can be harvested for about seven weeks. They look like immature heads of broccoli but have roughly the same flavor as the shoots. These flower buds are wonderful in stir-fry, soup, rice casseroles, and many other dishes. Just make sure to wash the bugs out.
[ot_caving] FYI Guns and Nat Parks
Late last week, a judge issued a preliminary injunction against the Department of Interior's (DOI) regulation allowing loaded, concealed firearms in parks. Among other things, the court recognized that the Bush Administration ignored substantial information in the administrative record concerning environmental impacts, and went on to say that the process was astoundingly flawed. Consistent with concerns raised by NPCA and several park ranger organizations, the judge ruled that the DOI's process ignored the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a law which requires the government to assess whether or not a proposed policy will have an adverse impact on the environment, including park wildlife, before finalizing it--which the Administration had not done. Unsurprisingly, the National Rifle Association has filed an appeal, but NPCA will continue to advocate in the courts that the DOI should follow environmental laws before proposing changes to any policies that affect our national parks.
Re: [Texascavers] Dada means Death!
I think there is much more to do and enjoy in this life than to play Russian Roulette in any form. At least for me. Quinta
Re: [Texascavers] Dada means Death!
How would you have felt if they had caught you? RE: Some years ago I went to Malaysia. The first thing I saw when I got there was a big billboard that said Dada (drugs) means Death and had an actual hangman's noose draped over the top to make it clear that drug users would be imprisoned and drug dealers would be executed. So what was the first thing I did? Go buy some drugs! So I hope Allah was looking when I displayed my middle finger to him and all of his fanatical followers, regardless of whether they wear wrapped rags, gold crosses around their necks, ten gallon Stetsons, or shiny new badges. They can all kiss my ass! (sorry for the French). The fact that organized criminals often own the grow houses is just more evidence that the only people who should be allowed to grow pot should be little old ladies with an organic garden in the backyard! Sleazel
[ot_caving] AT$T
This morning, Randall Stephenson, who is the Chairman and CEO of ATT made a very important announcement. ATT is going to replace 17 percent of its fleet - which is one of the largest in America - with vehicles running on natural gas and other renewable fuels. They are going to purchase 8,000 truck chassis built by an U.S. automaker and then they'll work with domestic suppliers to convert those chassis to run on natural gas. A big portion of ATT's fleet is going to domestic natural gas and is using vehicles built in America to do it. ATT will also be working with natural gas suppliers - domestic natural gas suppliers - to build the fueling facilities they will need for these vehicles. ATT is also going to replace some 7,100 cars which are running on gasoline with cars using battery and other alternative sources. When this is done, ATT will have one of the largest alternative fueled fleets in history. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] Urine or You're Out - Another Perspective
Re: your defense of several persons that does include me~ I had parents who were much older and they lost all the money that they had - quite a lot for the 1970 and 1980's by the time they died. It went for medical - the 30 year policy with Blue Cross kicked them out when my mother had one heart attack which did not even send her to the hospital. Then the buisness they sold was owner financed and dad had to repo it and work again at 70. They did have a lot of expenses and mom was not able to have some wonderful things you can do now with heart problems. Dad had a brain tumor and was in a nursing home. The help (much smaller in that time) was not there as he had a few dollars in the bank. UMM it all went when by the time they died. And 250,000 in the bank and homes and cars paid for in 1970 was a lot back then. I will not go into more but I have seen it from all sides. I am now disabled and am in section 8 housing. Am I a grungy do nothing. I worked all the time I was able. The bit I had went in the last stockmarket bit - I needed to cash in when it was tanked. Thanks for some person remembering that there are some of us in wheel chairs or walkers who are not on food stamps but do need help and did not take all the time they were able to work. And if my typos are not all fixed too bad I type very badly with post polio and do try to find them prior to posting. Oh I would be glad to take a urine test as the drugs do not help PPS. Nor do I like them. I just want stem cell research. I need new motor neurons! Quinta What strikes me most significantly is how people who've never been poor, disabled or otherwise challenged can make such broad, sweeping, self-satisfying judgment calls about such things they know nothing about. It seems that so many people that call themselves Christian have no problem at all determining which people don't live up to their particular standards, and therefore do not qualify to be part of the human race. (I.E. the complete antithesis of everything J.C. 'son o God' was said to teach.) Rather than empathize with the grungy unpleasant-looking people begging for change at the intersection, it is too easy for many to assume that these people actually choose to live that way, But... I don't think ONE of us would be willing to actually walk in those same shoes, because without what we have (social, material, financial) - it is impossible to imagine the nightmare of attaining a decent standard of living after having lost all of the above. And there's a whole lot wrong with a society that believes in equal rights, but just for those that deserve it. In this system - ONE strike and you're essentially OUT. Loose your credit rating - get into a little trouble with the law - loose your spotless employment record and THEN see how easy it is to get back on top of the heap. So - for those who - in the name of financial expediency, pontificate ignoring and further disenfranchisement of those who don't follow all the rules - there should be a special place in hell waiting for them. (But 'm an atheist - so I guess karma will suffice).
[ot_caving] UK busy on global warming
The Guardian Feb. 9, 2009 More than one in four homes in the UK will be offered a complete eco-makeover under ambitious plans expected to be announced this week to slash fuel bills and cut global warming pollution. The campaign is thought to involve giving 7m houses and flats a complete refit to improve insulation, and will be compared to the 10-year programme that converted British homes to gas central heating in the 1960s and 1970s. Householders could also be encouraged to install small-scale renewable and low-carbon heating systems such as solar panels and wood-burning boilers. In total, it is thought the Department of Energy and Climate Change will commit to cutting a third of greenhouse gas emissions from households by 2020. The announcement by the energy and climate secretary, Ed Miliband, and the communities and local government secretary, Hazel Blears, which is expected on Thursday, will be widely welcomed by environmental groups and fuel poverty campaigners who have been lobbying hard for more action to tackle emissions from homes. The proposals are likely to require skills training and create thousands of jobs. Ed Matthew, head of UK climate for Friends of the Earth, said: Twenty-seven percent of emissions in this country come from people's homes and if they don't cut emissions from homes radically we have got no hope of achieving our climate change targets. However, campaigners will be worried about how much money the government is prepared to commit. Last year, the prime minister, Gordon Brown, announced nearly £1bn from power companies for energy-saving initiatives. By contrast, various reports have estimated the cost of insulation and small-scale clean energy alone to be £2bn-£12.9bn a year to reach the government's target of an 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Matthew said the targets would only be met if each home treated was insulated well enough to cut those emissions by two-thirds, the financial incentives were high enough, and people on low incomes had the work paid for to tackle fuel poverty. It is estimated that more than 5m households are in fuel poverty, meaning they spend more than 10% of their income on heat and power. My concern is they will not be investing enough money to take these homes to a high enough energy efficiency standard to insulate them from rising fuel prices, he added. A report by Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute in 2007 found that carbon dioxide emissions had risen 5% since Labour came into power in 1997, and only four out of every 1,000 homes had any low-and-zero carbon technologies. The report also warned that with rising population and falling household numbers, emissions from the sector would rise by 23% by the middle of the century if nothing else changed. As well as the target of seven million homes, the heat and energy saving strategy is understood to push for a dramatic increase in the level of insulation for each house or flat, and to encourage more small-scale zero-or-low carbon heat. The schemes will be voluntary, but Miliband is expected to announce financial incentives. Similar schemes overseas included grants or cheap loans, transferable to a new homeowner if the property is sold. Also, the Sustainable Energy Academy estimates that if homeowners spend £15,000-20,000 they would save that amount in lower bills in 10-15 years, even less if fuel prices rise. Another possibly option is for whole districts to be offered community clean energy schemes, or mass fitting of efficiency improvements. The Conservatives have proposed grants of up to £6,500 per household, which would be repaid over up to 25 years from expected savings of £160 on gas and electricity bills.
[ot_caving] global warming
I know I have not heard this on the news. Wonder why not? Quinta In his his first interview since taking office, Energy Secretary Steven Chu didn't hold back on what's at stake for California if the nation doesn't act to stop global warming: vanishing vineyards, fading farms, and major cities abandoned. Why so dire? Because some of the anticipated impacts of climate change include water shortages in the Upper Midwest and West, which could decimate California's agricultural production -- the largest in the nation. One worst case scenario he described would have 90% of the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountain range -- one of the state's major storehouses of fresh water -- disappearing as global temperatures rise. His talk with the Los Angeles Times echoed two recent reports -- one, released in January, projected global crop shortages as a result of climate change. A study last year by UC Berkeley researchers suggested that about $2.5 trillion of the state's real estate is at risk, including land used for agriculture. I don't think the American public has gripped in its gut what could happen, Chu said. We're looking at a scenario where there's no more agriculture in California...I don't actually see how they can keep their cities going, either. So what will he do about this as Secretary of Energy? Chu wants to see: a.. Public education on global warming; b.. Billons of dollars invested in alternative energy research and infrastructure; c.. A national standard for electricity generated from renewable sources; d.. Cap-and-trade legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. He said the threat of warming is keeping policymakers focused on alternatives to fossil fuel, even though gasoline prices have fallen over the last six months from historic highs. But he said public awareness needs to catch up. He compared the situation to a family buying an old house and being told by an inspector that it must pay a hefty sum to rewire it or risk an electrical fire that could burn everything down. I'm hoping that the American people will wake up, Chu said, and pay the cost of rewiring.
[ot_caving] more midnight stuff overturned
Just FYI on federal land stuff. Quinta It's Inauguration Day and all of us are focused on the historic proceedings in Washington. But I wanted to share a fantastic piece of environmental news because I know it will lift your spirits even more. On Saturday night, a federal judge ruled in our favor and blocked the Bush Administration from proceeding with the lease sale of 110,000 acres of Utah's Redrock wilderness to oil and gas companies. This is a huge victory for our nation's legacy of public lands -- and a final rebuke to the Bush Administration as it slinks out of town. As you know, Bush's Bureau of Land Management auctioned off our Redrock wildlands on December 19, and was determined to close those transactions before the Obama Administration could take office. But thanks to your outpouring of financial support, NRDC and our environmental partners raced to federal court and asked for a temporary restraining order. This weekend, Judge Ricardo M. Urbina granted that restraining order, saying that the development of energy resources...is far outweighed by the public interest in avoiding irreparable damage to public lands and the environment. The case will be heard later in 2009. Until that time, the government is prohibited from cashing the checks that industry issued for the contested wilderness. Of course, we're hoping that President Obama's Interior Department will act quickly to reverse Bush's attempted giveaway of our natural heritage. Indeed, this terrific court victory, combined with President Obama's inauguration, should herald a new era in which America strives to secure a clean energy future without destroying our birthright of public lands.
Re: [ot_caving] computer questions
I use Open Office - free and I can do all I want with it. I have not used the Draw yet.
Re: [ot_caving] Google Chrome again
I use Windows Explorer and they have the same icons David. The bar at the top will work as a search tool also. I do not see any difference in it and what you say is Google Chrome. I typed Lubbock grotto in the bar and got a live search that gave me the link. I have used Google (not chrome) at times but do not see much to set it apart from Explorer. I do not have crashes on any of the open tabs. I do have two come up at the start. I have had as many as 6 or so up at one time. Just cause' the darn things open up new ones. Quinta
[ot_caving] saving energy
A village in Germany is pioneering a method of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions by switching off the street lights at night. But local residents can use their mobile phones to turn the street lights back on again for 15-minute periods whenever they want. Steve Rosenberg visited Doerentrup in north-west Germany to see how it works. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7795492.stm
Re: [Texascavers] Lebanon's Jeita Caves on list for New 7 Wonders of Nature :
The Grand Canyon is the top US wonder just now. We need to vote for Mammoth Cave as it is way down the list. It also does not have official support at this time. There is a way to start an official support group. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] Holiday lights
David said It appears to me that there are less decorated houses this year. They may be thinking 'electric bill'. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] FW: Call President Bush - URGENT
It did not have a long wait time. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] huge flat screen TV
I imagine there will be one in all the major cities within a year or so. I wonder if this could bring back the drive-in movie? My understanding is that they cannot have flashing items and they must keep the same photo for at least a minute. I saw it on the news and not sure if it was over the rules for our city or not. I am pretty sure it was on our local news.I was as usual heating up a cup of tea at the time. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] movie reviews - Bond Australia
David said: \The Bond movie was a waste of film media or digital bytes. There is one scene I will mention. Bond jumps out of a plane at 20,000 feet without a parachute, links up with someone who is struggling The Green movements are talking of it as a statement about oil. I have not seen the movie so not sure of any of that. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] Prez-elect Obama
Private school. I would think the secret service would not be as happy with public school as they were when Carter sent Amy. The times have changed. Look at the security with this swearing in compared to the earlier ones. Quinta
[ot_caving] Davidson Seamount
Davidson Seamount added to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary San Luis Obispo Nov 21 09 A federal plan filed Thursday increases the size of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. With the addition of a 585-square mile area above and around the Davidson Seamount, about 80 miles west of Cambria, the sanctuary now encompasses 6,094 square miles of ocean. The seamount is one of the world's largest undersea mountains. Sanctuary protections include prohibitions on harmful discharges by cruise ships; protection of white sharks; protection from non-native and invasive species; and restrictions on disturbing marine mammals. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released the final management plan for the sanctuary, which stretches along 276 miles of coastline from just north of San Francisco to Cambria. Plans for Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones sanctuaries northwest of San Francisco were also released. The three plans were prepared concurrently during the past seven years of planning, public meetings and revisions. In addition to the added area, sanctuary regulations will also be tightened in its existing area, including discharges by desalination plants and restricting personal watercraft to four areas near Monterey Bay harbors. Regulations in the plans will become effective in mid-March. Sanctuaries are supposed to update their management plans every five years to keep up with changing conditions, technologies and knowledge of undersea areas. For details, go to http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/jointplan. Quinta
[ot_caving] lame duck politicians
Would you prefer to just shoot all of them? It seems what you are wanting is anarchy. We could be spending mega bucks each year on good old Queen Liz. Or we could go the way of King David L.UMM I think I like the way we have. Even if it is not perfect. Quinta David said : How much money does this so-called Transition cost the taxpayer? Shouldn't we see an itemized list? For example, Secret Service is working double time. Hey - maybe I need to get a job with them. Certainly, Obama is going to have the highest security cost of any person in the history of the world. How much good
[ot_caving] 'Jelly balls' may slow global warming
Just FYI. Quinta Brisbane Times 'Jelly balls' may slow global warming Geoff Strong | November 17, 2008 VAST numbers of marine jelly balls now appearing off the Australian east coast could be part of the planet's mechanism for combating global warming. The jellyfish-like animals are known as salps and their main food is phytoplankton (marine algae) which absorbs the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the top level of the ocean. This in turn comes from the atmosphere. Mark Baird of the CSIRO said salps were notoriously difficult for scientists to study in the laboratory and consequently little attention has been paid to their ecological role until recently. Dr Baird was part of a CSIRO and University of NSW marine survey last month that found a massive abundance of salps in the waters around Sydney. They were up to 10 times what they were when first surveyed 70 years ago. Different salp species are found around the world and attention is now being paid to what effect they might have on global warming. They are also of interest because in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica they are thought to be displacing krill, which is a key food source for many marine animals, including filter-feeding whales such as the southern right and humpback. By eating the algae, the salps turn the algae and their carbon dioxide into faeces which drops to the ocean floor. They also take carbon to the floor with them when they die after a life cycle as short as only a couple of weeks. This is thought to be a natural form of carbon sequestration similar to what scientists are trying to do with carbon capture from emission sources such as power stations. Dr Baird said Australian salps, which grow to about half a centimetre, are biologically closer to vertebrates such as humans than to jellyfish because they have the rudiments of a primitive nervous system. They are interesting because they are the fastest reproducing multi-celled animal on the planet and can double their numbers several times a day. Salps had in the past been considered of little interest because they had fairly low nutrient value and were insignificant as a food source. He said this was a concern because as the Antarctic ice melted, they were replacing krill, which is a high-nutrient food
[ot_caving] eco friendly housing
This one is interesting but I am not sure it was the one I was looking for. The info I heard this morning, (UMM 2 am) was on a housing project that used both sewage, trash, and garbage to make bio gas and recycle the trash. They had a vacum system built in that moved it along after a holding area was filled to some point. It was several years old and they only complaint was they did not place quite enough car parking. Quinta http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5413960.stm Taller buildings are on the outside, facing the sea and sheltering the inner spaces. Passages to the sea are narrow to keep the wind out. Bo01 has an open drainage system which traps rainwater on numerous living green roofs, in courtyard ponds and open channels. That allows the water to run off slowly into a saltwater canal or the sea. The ponds and canal not only look attractive - they provide habitats for wildlife, creating biodiversity. For recycling there are waste separation units close to home and a centralised system of vacuum waste chutes.
Re: [ot_caving] 80,000 mile report
Umm bet the security men would have a time loading the sub-compacts up with saftey stuff. Q David said: I think Obama needs to make a statement and get rid of all the gas guzzlers in his motorcade and drive either a sub-compact Honda or Toyota or even a Nissan.
Re: [ot_caving] money-saving tips
My dad had a grey water cut out for our yard and garden. He put the bathwater and the washer on a drain which went to pipes (the kind with drainage hole in them) that ran all over the lawn and watered the trees and some areas of the lawn. I know it was at several of our homes over the years. that was one thing he did early on in renovations. That came with the extra baths and then he moved on to other harder to live with improvements. I say that as he did them on the weekends and it took many weekends to fix the kitchen which went from 10 by 12 to about 25 by 25 as a den / kitchen with fireplace. The floor was out for some months and we walked across it on 2 x 10's on blocks to the fridge and hot plate on the dining room table for a long time. Umm what memories. Quinta
[ot_caving] Snowmobiles in NPS going up up!
The info below is on s short fuse. Another last minute push from the top it looks like. In response to NPCA's recent legal victory challenging the Winter Use plan for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the Park Service is developing a temporary plan for this winter. Despite the legal ruling, NPS is still proposing more snowmobiles each day than the daily average of the past five winters, and it wants the 'temporary' plan to be in place for up to three years in Yellowstone and to be permanent in Grand Teton. Worse yet, they've only provided 10 days to comment!!! http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?parkID=111projectID=23430documentId=25017 Despite continued public outcry and court intervention they still continue to press the issue. Urge the Park Service to heed its own science, the will of the people and the courts and help put a stop to snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
[ot_caving] Gills reply THE COLONEL AND LINCOLN
Thanks for the reply to the hate mail. And if the same stuff had been sent for McCain I would still call it hate mail! I think it is actionable. Quinta
[ot_caving] Desert encroachment
I thought some might like to know about this. Quinta Other approaches are being used to halt soil erosion and desert encroachment on cropland. Algeria, trying to halt the northward advance of the Sahara Desert, announced in December 2000 that it was concentrating its orchards and vineyards in the southern part of the country, hoping that these perennial plantings will halt the desertification of its cropland. In July 2005, the Moroccan government, responding to severe drought, announced that it was allocating $778 million to cancel farmers' debts and to convert cereal-planted areas into less vulnerable olive and fruit orchards. Sub-Saharan Africa faces a similar situation, with the desert moving southward all across the Sahel, from Senegal on the west coast to Djibouti on the east coast. Countries are concerned about the growing displacement of people as grasslands and croplands turn to desert. As a result, the African Union has launched the Green Wall Sahara Initiative. This plan, originally proposed by Olusegun Obasanjo when he was President of Nigeria, calls for the planting of 300 million trees on 3 million hectares of land, in a long band stretching across Africa. Senegal, which is currently losing 50,000 hectares of productive land each year, would anchor the green wall on the western end. Senegal's Environment Minister Modou Fada Diagne says, Instead of waiting for the desert to come to us, we need to attack it. China is likewise planting a belt of trees to protect land from the expanding Gobi Desert. This green wall, a modern version of the Great Wall, is projected to reach some 4,480 kilometers (2,800 miles) in length, stretching from outer Beijing through Inner Mongolia. In addition to its Great Green Wall, China is paying farmers in the threatened provinces to plant their cropland in trees. The goal is to plant trees on 10 million hectares of grainland, easily one tenth of China's current grainland area.
[ot_caving] Re: consumerism stores closing
Sears is doing away with 50 parts and repair stores and will notkeep any of the people who are trained and know how to find the right part. It seems that they think you can do it all on line. They will keep the techs to come to the house for your warsher or other big item. Think about finding your car part on line and the pain to send it back and replace it on line or the phone! Quinta
[ot_caving] Just FYI
Did you know... ... that today is National Metric Day? On the 10th day of the 10th month, celebrate the metric system. The metric system has been adopted by most major countries. The United States is one of only three countries which do no use the metric system; the others are Liberia and Burma... If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say, I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me. -- Ann Landers
Re: [ot_caving] the current financial slump - part of my opinion
? How about getting a job and keeping it even if you do not like it? I did many times as I knew I needed another job to go tobefore I quit one. I would have dug ditches to feed my kids and did do many times two jobs to pay the Dr. bills. I worked for men who tried to pat a fanny and wore pants to work prior to that as a normal thing to keep my dignity when I had to bend over. I put up with ugly remarks to pay the rent. But I would be looking all the time for a better one. Some times that one paid more and was worse to live wtih but I did it. They have better jobs that I ever did now thank goodness. Just a cranky old lady! Quinta
[ot_caving] Re: consumerism
My daughter is in the process of closing down the local Sears parts and repair shop (which also has some tv's and lawn equipment). Yesterday she told me had people who were telling her they had a day or two to go prior to the closing down or short term lay off. The same people were paying CASH for 40% off 52 inch tv's. She was blown away that they were not saving the cash to pay for food or rent that would be needed soon. Some were not just taking tv's but lawn equipment, weed eaters, and saws. This was not one person but a number who were doing this. We have Howmet and others cutting back on labor as I am sure other areas have. Oh, the internet will be how you get your Sears part for the mower or dryer. She tells me that the computer will give many wrong answers when you ask for the part on the internet. She has been doing hundreds of returns for the internet purchases for the last few years. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] Republican Hypocrisy
My parents were born in 1902 and 1904 so I grew up with parents who were in their 40's when I was born and the story of onion sandwichs were talked about often. I am one who always has enough canned goods for a bad storm. I was very uneasy when I bought a car that was not paid for with cash. Quinta Don't get your girdle in a knot! A lot of us old folks don't have houses (although I've now been approved for a modest home loan) and many of the pensions people thought they were going to have are now non-existent. If you want to blame somebody (and there's certainly enough blame to go around), add to your blame list the lenders who encouraged people with bad credit and spending habits to borrow beyond their means and borrowers who couldn't tell the difference between what they needed and what they wanted. They may have wanted that new SUV and the 5,000 sq ft house, but did they really need them? Were they all Republicans? I'm sure that many of those borrowers and lenders were Democrats or of no affiliation. One thing for sure, greed and bad judgement are not the sole purview or raison d'etre of Republicans. Blaming is easy, ferreting out the truth is hard. My parents were children of the depression. I grew up in a very fiscally conservative home. Debt and borrowing were discouraged at my house. I'm not sure who raised this generation who thought they were entitled to run this nation into debt, but it wasn't my generation. Life is easy; comedy is hard!
Re: [Texascavers] Nevada Barr's Blind Descent
If you liked this one you will like the other park mystery books by Nevada Barr. Quinta In 1998, she published Blind Descent, her sixth in the series, which took place in a highly disguised Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns NP: Blind Descent, the sixth in the Anna Pigeon series, is set in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Lechuguilla, the cave the action takes place in has been largely fictionalized both for plot and because, to preserve it, the NPS has closed the cave to visitors. Blind Descent was nominated for an Anthony Award.
[ot_caving] CNG
I know this is not a 'fix' and may bring up prices in the short run but It is interesting. Quinta Source - NGV Global Friday, 22 August 2008 00:00 USA, Texas The Texas General Land Office is expanding eligibility for their Natural Gas Vehicle Initiative Grant Program to include private fleets in urban counties. Street sweepers, forklifts, buses and garbage trucks that run on diesel are expensive and dirty, Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson said. This grant program helps convert these fleets to clean-burning natural gas, which is produced right here in Texas, costs less and even earns money for public education. The Land Office grant program has already drawn the attention of public entities, like the cities of Dallas and Austin, both of which have made applications. The goal of opening up the grant program to private fleets is to ensure that private companies doing contract work for public entities won't be cut out, Patterson said. Patterson said the biggest hurdle in switching to natural gas is the lack of natural gas stations at every corner. But once a network of CNG [compressed natural gas] stations is developed, as in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the savings can really start to add up, Patterson said. Dallas alone now has a fleet of more than 1,200 CNG vehicles. The NGV grant program, provided to the Land Office through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, will be open in 34 counties in areas specified by the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan to meet air quality program goals. This $5 million grant program also is a step toward achieving President Bush's goal of reducing U.S. gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next 10 years. Eligible public partners in the Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Tyler, Longview and Baytown areas also will be able to save money by purchasing natural gas for their fleets from the Texas General Land Office's State Energy Marketing Program. Proceeds from that program are earmarked for the Permanent School Fund.
[ot_caving] LNG
More on change over. Quinta Market Developments Source - NGV Global Thursday, 21 August 2008 00:00 USA Canada CleanAir Logix of Oakland, California has ordered 9 Kenworth T800 heavy-duty liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks, featuring Westport Innovations' High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) technology, for deployment at the Port of Oakland. The Port will use the trucks for hauling containers to and from the seaport. Said Bob Cross, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of CleanAir Logix. We specialize in environmentally responsible logistics solutions, and these Kenworth trucks featuring the Westport ISX G engine fit the bill for this application and our corporate mission to provide practical and commercially viable alternative-fuel based solutions. We are pleased to see Westport's product going into operation in another busy California port, added Michael Gallagher, President Chief Operating Officer of Westport Innovations. The environmental and economic benefits of clean, low-carbon, and domestic LNG are leading more and more truck fleets to consider LNG trucks. The Westport ISX G and LNG fuel system on the Kenworth T800 provides operators with a robust, high performance package that addresses those needs. Based on the Cummins ISX diesel engine with cooled EGR, the Westport's ISX G LNG version of the engine offers the same horsepower, torque, and efficiency as the base diesel engine it is replacing. The Westport LNG fuel system comprises LNG fuel tanks, proprietary Westport fuel injectors, cryogenic fuel pumps and associated electronic components to facilitate robust performance. The Westport LNG system is 2007 EPA and CARB certified to 0.8g/bhp-hr NOx and 0.01g/bhp-hr PM.
[ot_caving] Alaska oil
About Open CRS American taxpayers spend over $100 million a year to fund the Congressional Research Service, a think tank that provides reports to members of Congress on a variety of topics relevant to current political events. Yet, these reports are not made available to the public in a way that they can be easily obtained. A project of the Center for Democracy Technology through the cooperation of several organizations and collectors of CRS Reports, Open CRS provides citizens access to CRS Reports already in the public domain and encourages Congress to provide public access to all CRS Reports. RL34547 Possible Federal Revenue from Oil Development of ANWR and Nearby Areas June 23, 2008 Download Locations: Open CRS (User submitted) Summary: Recent high petroleum prices, and the related economic burden on consumers and energy-intensive industries, has raised the issue of stimulating domestic supplies of crude oil. One possible source is the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), which is estimated to contain significant quantities of oil and gas. Interest in developing the ANWR oil resources has also focused on the revenues that the federal government could collect should exploration and development be successful. Some observers have suggested using such revenues for purposes such as providing relief to petroleum consumers, further subsidizing energy conservation measures, or reducing federal budget deficits. However, current federal law prohibits the production of oil and gas in ANWR. Federal revenues would consist primarily of corporate income taxes on profits earned by oil producers from the production and sale of ANWR oil. As landowner, the federal government would also collect royalties from such production on federal lands, which are included in the estimates. If producers were able to recover 10.3 billion barrels of oil over the life of the properties -- the United States Geological Survey has estimated there is a 50-50 chance that the ANWR coastal plain contains at least this amount of oil -- and if oil prices are $125/barrel, then the federal government might be able to collect $191 billion in revenues over the production period, estimated to be at least 30 years once production commences. This estimate consists of nearly $132 billion in federal corporate income taxes, and about nearly $59 billion in federal royalties. These estimates are subject to major limitations. Estimates of technologically recoverable oil used in this report include the resources from the federal lands, and assume the availability of resources in Native lands in the Refuge and offshore state lands. The Alaska Statehood Act would allot 90% of gross royalties to the state and 10% to the federal government. The federal government would collect revenues from bonus bids from federal leases, and rents on undeveloped leases. These are not estimated separately by CRS. Independent estimates by the Congressional Budget Office for President Bush's FY2009 budget proposal show estimated bonus bid revenues of $6 billion between FY2011 and FY2018. Finally, income tax revenues from the secondary feedback effects would also increase as a result of the stimulus to general economic activity. However, these revenues are not included here due to the difficulty in estimation over the projection time horizon. RS22928 Oil Development on Federal Lands and the Outer Continental Shelf August 06, 2008 Download Locations: Open CRS (User submitted) Summary: Over the past year, crude oil prices have nearly doubled, reaching record levels. Proposals before Congress include a number of legislative initiatives to increase domestic oil production. These proposals have fallen into two broad categories: (1) to open areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) which are currently under leasing moratoria; and (2) to encourage companies holding oil and gas leases to diligently develop leases to bring them into production. Two bills were introduced that would have denied new leases to those lessees who were not developing their leases or producing oil or gas (H.R. 6251 and H.R. 6515). The two bills, including similar provisions, were introduced under suspension of the rules in the House and both failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds support. Comparable legislation has been introduced in the Senate (S. 3239). There are also several proposals to lift the congressional OCS moratoria (e.g., H.R. 6418, H.R. 6529, and S. 3126, S. 3202), including an amendment to the FY2009 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriation bill. Proponents of these initiatives argue that promising areas should be open for exploration to maximize domestic oil production as quickly as possible. However, there are long lead times and often numerous considerations and constraints in getting federal oil and gas leases from the lease sale into production. Many leases
[ot_caving] Yes Calif again NGV
This may help oil but will it help the economy? The air quality - some help. Quinta Source - NGV Global Tuesday, 26 August 2008 05:06 USA, California Two national truckload carriers have signed letters of intent to participate in the port of Los Angeles' Clean Trucks Plan. The two, Swift Transportation Co. and Knight Transportation, both based in Phoenix, plan to begin drayage operations at L.A. in October, the port said in a statement late Thursday. While the number of trucks they will operate in the market is still to be determined, port officials expect that, collectively, their pool of trucks will exceed 2,000. The trucks will meet 2007 federal diesel emissions standards using a mix of clean diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled trucks, the port's statement said. It's a big deal, a major breakthrough, said John Husing, a California-based economist and a logistics and supply chain expert who was called on to evaluate the port's truck replacement plan. Paul Bingham, managing director of trade and transportation markets for economic research firm Global Insight, said, These are both well-known, national trucking companies. They are very serious players.
Fw: [ot_caving] Bookcrossing more
I have been looking for a post I saw about a year ago and it had a book released in SE Asia on a mountain but I can't find it. I know one book has had 378 journals. A crossing friend of mine took a book to Africa for me and another let some fly off on a cruise in the library recently. They have been left in Lady Liberty since her reopening I think. The ones I see really interesting come from England and Scotland. They tend to travel a lot and they may end up anywhere. Below a couple of interesting spots. I release at the kids fishing ponds here, at the Field and Stream and it gets a lot of people eating on the benches in the summer. Country List USA -- Parks (National and State) -- Pikes Peak Add Pikes Peak to my Release Alerts list List of Crossing Zones in Pikes Peak with books in the wild... Pikes Peak Gift Shop (top) 1 book, released about 4 wks ago Country List Laos List of states or provinces in Laos with books in the wild. The number indicates how many books were released within the last 30 days that have not yet been caught. If the number listed is bold red, the location has books released in the last 3 days. Vientiane Prefecture 20
[ot_caving] RE Bookcrossing
I had a post a bit large again so here is part of it. Books in caves? Well most books left out in nature are left in a rain jacket. Umm book rainjackets are either quart or gallon zip baggies. I put a note on mine that says please take me home before I get wet! Please! I know there was one left at http://www.flickr.com/photos/swan-scot/1350819105/in/set-72157594434890798/ River Traligill Caves in Scotland. - the link is to a photo and it has been journaled three times now. Here is a note about it It's different caves, just north of the Bone Caves. These 3 caves are beside the River Traligill. The track we walked leaves the A837 beside the Inchnadamph Hotel (NC251218) and heads SE up to the caves in Gleann Dubh about NC275206. We looked at the track into the Bone Caves afterwards, but decided it was a bit late to walk into them, But I remembered your release and wondered if you'd heard from it again. In Austin at Panera Bread on Bee Caves Rd they have a Meetup to talk and or share books. New Twist! We'll be releasing books related to the Butterfield Overland Mail Stage on the 27th or 28th of each month through September 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first meeting of the western- and eastern-bound stage coaches at the Guadalupe Mountains. Check at our many historic Butterfield sites in the Texas Mountain Trail region on those dates...you may find a BookCrossing book! For more information on Buttefield, click here. Texas Mountain Trail BookCrossing Program The Texas Mountain Trail and four regional Chambers of Commerce and CVBs are working together on a project to promote visitation of our museums, parks and historic sites to be launched the first weekend in October 2007. The project is based on the very popular BookCrossing concept, a worldwide phenomenon involving more than 4 million books since 2001. BookCrossing--the literary equivalent to geocaching--is the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise. Some folks liken the program to a treasure hunt. Some books travel all over the world, getting caught and enjoyed, registered and then released many times over. This is a fun way for visitors and potential visitors to learn about our culture, history and natural history, and encourage visitors to enjoy Far West Texas. For more information on BookCrossing worldwide, click here. Quinta
[ot_caving] part 2 Bookcrossing cave release
A book I released on a mountain summit in England has turned up on a summit on the other side of the world, in Australia. The copy of Arundati Roy's The God of Small Things which I left on the trig pillar at the summit of Coniston Old Man, in the English Lake District, last September has turned up on another mountain-top, this time in south-eastern Australia. Bookcrosser duddles picked up the book and took it home, all around the world. It has now been released on Pigeon House Mountain in New South Wales. This book has already had quite a few adventures, and I'm quite sure it will have many more! Ok, ok, it isn't Mount Elbrus, but it is the highest closed place in Europe: 4,554 m (or 4459) above sea level, Capanna Margherita, the hut in the summit of punta Gnifetti or Signalkuppe for Swiss people. The place is near the top of Monte Rosa, a mountainous massif across Piedmont, Aosta Valley and Canton of Valais (Wallis). Two words only, (I'm Italian and my English is terrible). Why This book, particularly? Simple, the lighter book in my hands! In weight, obviously, but also in reading (in my language, light book means easy book). We walked with food and equipment in backpack for one week, around and in the top of mountains upper 4K meters, and in the evening we need to relax. Ah, first the link: Un bivio nel passato. Now three photos: the book, at capanna Margherita in the hand of my friend Roby, Omar, another my friend in the top of peak Ludwigshöhe (4,341 m), near the hut at right, and me at the top of Piramide Vincent, in the lower left of photo. Perhaps, in future, a book release in White Mountain (Monte Bianco 4,810 m), in an aluminium can.
Re: [Texascavers] All border crossings to be put into a data base.
I think we have been in the land of '1984' for some time. I am watching for Winston Smith to be up for Pres. The rewrite of old 'poems' to match party ideology seems in the future a bit. Quinta
[ot_caving] Cute black bears
I have an email that I wanted to forward that has a black bear with 5 (yep count em) little bears. She was followed by people in the are and later on he got a second photo of all 6 again late in the spring. If anyone wants me to send it I will be glad to. The file is too big to send to OT. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] My F250 Craves E. Coli!
I am so glad we are not missing anything important with David off the web. Quinta
Re: [Texascavers] Wall Arch collapsed
Pretty please! Can you copy and past the park news? I am -- Forbidden You don't have permission to access /arch//parknews/news080808.htmhttp:/www.nps.gov/arch/parknews/news080808.htm on this server.
[Texascavers] Re: Wall Arch collapsed
Thanks to all how sent a good link!
[ot_caving] 108 mpg car has 8 gal gas tank
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/08/08/air.car/index.html full story You've heard of hybrids, electric cars and vehicles that can run on vegetable oil. But of all the contenders in the quest to produce the ultimate fuel-efficient car, this could be the first one to let you say, fill it up with air. Whether the engine uses just air or both air and fuel would depend on how fast the car is going. It would run purely on compressed air at speeds less than 35 mph, Vencat said. Since the car could only go a short distance when using just air, fuel is needed to get the full range, he explained. Above 35 mph, there is an external combustion system, which is basically a heater that uses a little bit of gasoline or biofuel or ethanol or vegetable oil that will heat the air, Vencat said. Heating the air increases its volume, and by increasing its volume, it increases [the car's] range. That's why with one gallon of gasoline or its equivalent we are able to make over 100 mpg.
[ot_caving] 125,000 endangered gorillas found
'Astonishing' gorilla find reported Hopes for the survival of a critically endangered primate have been boosted after the discovery of 125,000 Western lowland gorillas living in a swamp in the Republic of Congo. It's pretty astonishing, Hugo Rainey, one of the researchers who conducted the survey for the U.S.-based Wildlife Conservation Society, told CNN today. full story
Re: [ot_caving] internet question
You can get BBC, all the PBS stations and oh so much more. Try a google. Even the tiny stations like Seymour TX KSEY is on the net now.
[ot_caving] Whitehouse comments got to junk mail!
Yes, I comment to Senators and more. The latest Whitehouse comment reply went to my junk mail! LOL Quinta
[ot_caving] More NGV
I know this is a carbon problem but it is less oil used. The last one is in Nigeria so who knows if it will happen or just be bombed. Quinta Market Developments Sourced NGV Global Friday, 04 July 2008 00:00 Germany, Mannheim New building for two additional vehicle models opened on July 4, 2008 E and B-Class, Sprinter and Econic all fitted with natural-gas engine Mercedes-Benz centre of competence for emissions-free commercial vehicles (known by its German acronym of 'KEN') has been expanded to become the Mercedes-Benz Production Competence Centre for Natural Gas Drive. With the formal opening of the new building, the company can push ahead with its aim of positioning natural gas powered vehicles in all segments. When it was first established in October 1994, KEN was part of the Commercial Vehicles division. Since 2002 the centre has been part of the Vans division, as the largest projects from that time onwards involved vans. At that time the predecessor of today's Sprinter was manufactured there with a monovalent natural-gas engine. The E-Class and the Econic are already being fitted with natural-gas engines at the Mannheim plant. With the opening of the new facility, they will be joined by the Sprinter and the B-Class. There is an impressively wide variety of models: up to 16 natural-gas variants of the Mercedes Sprinter, for example, will be available from the Mercedes-Benz Production Competence Centre for Natural Gas Drive. in Mannheim. A gas-powered vehicle combines the benefits of environmental protection with efficiency and practicality. The advantages include a considerable reduction in emissions and noise, substantially lower maintenance costs and a large range when used in combination with the conventional engine. The customer-driven concept of KEN is reflected in unit sales, which have grown exponentially since 1994. In 2003, 300 vehicles were sold while the planned figure for 2008 is 5,000, and the trend is upward. Sourced NGV Global Wednesday, 09 July 2008 00:00 Argentina Pakistan Cylinder manufacturer Inflex Argentoil SA has announced the formation of a JV with the Pakistani WAH industries to produce CNG cylinders for natural gas vehicles. Argentoil is to take 51% stake in the new venture. Inflex has more than forty years´ experience in the manufacturing of cylinders and has sold more than four million cylinders with no accidents reported. WAH industries is a member of the government run POF industrial complex in Pakistan and owns several plants with about fifty thousand employees. The new facility will be set up in Pakistan and is expected to manufacture 260,000 cylinders a year. This output will cover Pakistan domestic cylinder needs. The investment will require about $US20 Million dollars and will be financed by local banking institutions. Sourced NGV Global Wednesday, 02 July 2008 00:00 Nigeria, Lagos Local NGV industry association to be formed Prospects for natural gas vehicles (NGV) in Nigeria have increased following the success of a conference on the issue held in the country last week. Outcomes of the conference included a commitment to form a local natural gas vehicle industry association, to be formed with the backing of the Nigerian Energy Ministry. Speaking from Nigeria, IANGV president, Rich Kolodziej, called on the Federal Government to make NGV ownership and use, economically attractive by making it easy for private sector participation. The situation in every country is different. No two countries are the same, but any challenge faced by one country has been successfully dealt with in another country. I urge you to learn from the experience of others, he said. Nigeria currently flares about 900 billion cubic feet per year of associated gas. The government, however, is committed to capturing an increasing amount of that gas. Some will be liquefied and exported, but much of it could be used domestically for power generation and to power vehicles. Because Nigeria does not have sufficient refining capacity, it must import petrol and diesel fuel at world prices, Kolodziej said. It costs the Nigerian treasury the equivalent of about US$6 million per day to subsidize that fuel. By switching to NGVs, that money could be saved - and it would help reduce air pollution in the major cities. The natural gas vehicle industry in Nigeria is currently in the pioneering stage. The Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) has successfully converted 52 vehicles to use natural gas. NGC is also responsible for issuing licenses and has so far certified three companies to provide CNG in Lagos, Benin and Abuja
Re: [ot_caving] Pending Legislation: AWNAA
Alex Just in case you have not read the dictionary lately - one of thedefinitions of disability is - Unproductiveness Sterilize, addle; disable, inactivate. Specialty Definitions: Ability Satire ABILITY, n. The natural equipment to accomplish some small part of the meaner ambitions distinguishing able men from dead ones. In the last analysis ability is commonly found to consist mainly in a high degree of solemnity. Perhaps, however, this impressive quality is rightly appraised; it is no easy task to be solemn. Source: Devil's Dictionary. Tips from 1870 Usage: Ability, Capacity. A fond mother was told by the principal of a boarding-school that her daughter would not be graduated, as she lacked capacity. Get her a capacity. Her father don't stand on the matter of expense. Get her anything she wants. He'll foot the bill. But for once the indulgent mother was obliged to learn that there are some things money will not purchase. The father had the financial ability, but the daughter lacked the necessary intellectual capacity. But we may have literary as well as financial ability. Ability implies the power of doing; capacity the faculty of receiving. Ability Noun 1. The quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment. 2. Possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done; danger heightened his powers of discrimination. Definitions: Disable Verb 1. Make unable to perform a certain action; disable this command on your computer. 2. Injure permanently; He was disabled in a car accident. Computing To remove or inhibit a normal capability. Source: European Union. (references) To suppress an interrupt feature. Source: European Union. (references)\ Impotence Render powerless; Adjective: deprive of power; disable, disenable; disarm, incapacitate, disqualify, unfit, invalidate, deaden, cramp, tie the hands; double up, prostrate, paralyze, muzzle, cripple, becripple, maim, lame, hamstring, draw the teeth of; throttle, strangle, garrotte, garrote; ratten, silence, sprain, clip the wings of, put hors de combat, spike the guns; take the wind out of one's sails, scotch the snake, put a spoke in one's wheel; break the neck, break the back; unhinge, unfit; put out of gear. Inutility Render useless; Adjective: dismantle, dismast, dismount, disqualify, disable; unrig; cripple, lame; (injure); spike guns, clip the wings; put out of gear. Restraint Enchain; fasten; (join); fetter, shackle; entrammel; bridle, muzzle, hopple, gag, pinion, manacle, handcuff, tie one's hands, hobble, bind hand and foot; swathe, swaddle; pin down, tether; picket; tie down, tie up; secure; forge fetters; disable, hamstring (incapacitate). Unproductiveness Sterilize, addle; disable, inactivate.
[ot_caving] Re: [Texascavers] solar incentives going away 12/08
After reading the info below I want to know are they doing it here ? link if you want to see the photo. I did not want to put it on Texascavers as they think this belongs on ot. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/07/04/ericsson-solar-cell-solution-deployed-in-south-america/ July 4, 2008 Ericsson Solar Cell Solution Deployed In South America A solar radio-site system from Ericsson will provide enough clean energy to power Digicel's network coverage in remote areas of Suriname, the company announced. The system will help Digicel, the largest mobile telecommunications operator in the Caribbean, lower its energy consumption, reduce operating and maintenance costs and reduce the company's environmental impact. Ericsson's main remote GSM base station RBS 2111, has a smaller environmental footprint than a standard base station, and consumes up to 50 percent less energy, according to the company. Ericsson will also supply its all-outdoor transmission, solar panels and battery back-up products. Mobile carriers in general are looking for ways to improve energy efficiency. Nokia has said that it wants to cut energy consumption at some of its mobile base stations by up to 40 percent by 2010. Vodafone has announced plans to reduce its carbon-dioxide emissions by 50 percent by 2020. More info on mobile carriers and alternative energy here
[ot_caving] Alaska refinery
A thought on the refinery in Alaska. The short summer and other factors might make it not very cost efective to refine in Alaska. Also there are the ice fogs created by the power plants - it might be worse with a refinery. I have had to drive in it Ugg! Then the chance of a quake in the Anchorage area like the last one. There were large cracks in the earth as far up as Fairbanks. Then ther are permafrost melts under the roads and I would think it would make for a problem finding a place to build. You have to watch were you build a house and I have seen the road south out of Fairbanks have dips that were feet not inches from this.
Re: [ot_caving] Re: Alaska refinery
http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Seis/Denali_Fault_2002/ I know some one who was there in 1964 and he is the one who told me about the Fairbanks area with large cracks and the 'slough' - 'creeks' to us that drained into them for quite a while. This one gives the line of the Denali which was the largest inland ever in the US. I know there were several small quakes in the Fairbanks area in about 1970 when I lived there that we noticed. The one below is a map which shows it is a mess all the way fro the west most islands across the bottom of Alaska to the line that curves down the north south edge of Canada and the other area of Alaska. http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/vltpage3.html Earthquakes of large magnitude occur at depth along the Aleutian Megathrust; the fault surface on which the Pacific Plate slides beneath Alaska as it is subducted into the earth's mantle. Earthquakes of small to large magnitude are also distributed throughout southeastern, southcentral, interior, and northern Alaska at shallower depths within the crust
[ot_caving] Russia's Gazprom Talks Up European CNG Refuelling Network
Look who is working on a strong hold on Europe's NG supply! Ummm! Wonder if they take it? At the same time there is info on French Biogas at the bottom of this email. I know my town is setting up our dump site for future bio gas as they have had one or more offers to buy the gas at a pretty good price and will put in the equipment at no cost to the city. The city has to place and cover the trash in some frame work and this means some seperation (that was going on anyway) of trash. Quinta Market Developments Sourced NGV Global Friday, 27 June 2008 00:00 Russia, Moscow Alexei Miller, CEO of Gazprom - Russia's state-controlled gas giant - announced that the company would like to develop a network of CNG filling stations for automobiles all across Europe. I would like to announce Gazprom's new initiative. We are offering our European partners to consider together a project to set up an extensive network of natural gas filling stations in Europe with Gazprom's participation, Miller, who is also deputy chairman of Gazprom's board of directors, told the company's annual shareholder meeting in Moscow. Miller said CNG could be the best alternative for traditional petroleum fuels. There is no any real alternative for the use of hydrocarbons at present or in the next decades, Miller said, adding that an attempt to replace motor fuel with biofuels has lead to a threat of the global food crisis. Gazprom has massive resources at its disposal. If their offer is taken up by European partners, this could result is a major growth shift for NGVs in Europe. Market Developments Sourced NGV Global Wednesday, 25 June 2008 00:00 France Capacity to service 210 light vehicles Veolia Environmental Services Ile-de-France is to establish their first French unit producing biomethane from biogas. The project was established in collaboration with Veolia Environnement's Cleanliness and Energy Research Center (CRPE) and recovers biogas in the form of biomethane on its non-hazardous landfill site of Claye-Souilly (France, 77). This new process, currently in the industrial project phase, will be implemented in the second quarter of 2009. It will produce 60 Nm3/hr of biomethane fuel from 200 Nm3/hr of biogas captured in the landfill, representing the energy requirements of a fleet of 210 light vehicles. From an environmental point of view, biomethane is a renewable fuel and presents a positive carbon balance, compared with the use of natural gas or other fossil-based fuels. For example, the replacement of diesel by biomethane fuel would offset a light vehicle's average emission of 140g/km of CO2, i.e. 882 tons of CO2 per year for a fleet of 210 light vehicles, based on an annual consumption of 30,000 km/year/vehicle. Pascal Peslerbe Veolia Environmental Services Ile-de-France's Treatment Director said, With this industrial pilot, Veolia Environmental Services will develop an area of expertise that complements its energy recovery activities by the direct production of a renewable fuel that is a substitute product for fossil energies, and for natural gas in particular. Veolia Environmental Services, on its Claye-Souilly site, carries out material recovery (sorting center for economic waste, wood crushing facility, tire crushing facility, bottom ash treatment center) and energy recovery activities (production of electricity from the biogas generated by waste fermentation, with a 26MW power equivalent to the annual consumption, excluding heating, of 228,000 inhabitants).
Re: [ot_caving] 108 TV
I do not want one. I am happy with my analog plain jane tv and the converter box. If it dies then I will buy a tv but it will be plain jane. Keeping up with Jones or Dave is not part of my life. Quinta
[ot_caving] Wind energy Texas
Would you believe Texas has almost twice the amount of wind energy - installed - than Calif? Texas had 4,296 Megawatts and Calfi had 2,439 in 2007. That makes us a big part of the US total of 16.596 for 2007. Calif and Texas had about the same in 2006. 2739 in Texas and 2,376 for Calif.
Re: [ot_caving] Wind energy Texas
'Hope the wind stays within range so someone can see that power to make a return on their investment.' I heard a man from one of the big oil bunch - I think it was Chevron - say he believed that wind or solar would be the cheapest way to go in the future. 'That also means we have more installed then Denmark (only 3,136MW).' Yes, but it is a bigger percentage of what they as a country use.
[ot_caving] Shell - new EarthSky Clear Voices for Science podcast
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : June 30, 2008 A leading scientist for Shell has spoken in a new EarthSky Clear Voices for Science podcast about the need for what he called aggressive action on the issue of CO2 and other emissions leading to global warming. Chief Technology Officer Jan van der Eijk told a reporter from Earthsky - whose science podcasts are heard on broadcast outlets around the world - that the increase in energy demand and also the need to use all kinds of sources of energy will lead to an increase in CO2 emissions, and we all know that the CO2 emissions are related to global warming. That's a major concern and also something that calls for aggressive action. In this interview, Dr. van der Eijk described to EarthSky's Jorge Salazar the three hard truths of the world's energy use. The first, he said, is simply that Earth's population and energy needs will substantially grow. The second is that the easy-to-reach oil and gas will struggle to supply that growth. And the third hard truth relates to rising CO2 in our atmosphere . What is important is that people start to realize that fossil energy is a finite resource, and that we need to find ways to use that energy in a more responsible manner, said van der Eijk. A second EarthSky Clear Voices for Science podcast- also released today - features Carl Mesters, Chief Scientist of Shell, on the subject of gas-to-liquid technology for use in transportation fuels. EarthSky will release 6 more interviews on global energy over the coming months, featuring such topics as biofuels from algae and cellulose, technologies for recovery of hard-to-reach oil, and research on carbon sequestration. Bringing these interviews to our audience is part of our mission to be a clear voice for science, said Deborah Byrd, founder and lead producer of EarthSky. These interviews will give our audience a unique look at the research, insights, concerns and hopes of oil company scientists. The podcasts are available here: Jan van der Eijk of Shell on '3 hard truths' Carl Mesters on gas-to-liquids technology
[ot_caving] Solar grocery roof
It was larger than I remember. it wa Whole Food that is doing 24 % of it's power with Solar and it was in 2002 that it went in. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/issues/greenaction/solarpower.html Quinta Grocery Chain Tesco USA To Install World's Largest Solar Roofing System Covering 500,000 Square Feet 01/24/2007 LONDON, UK, AND LOS ANGELES, CA -- Solar Integrated Technologies, Inc., a provider of integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) roofing systems, has won a $13 million contract from Tesco, the fourth-largest retail chain in the world, for a 2 MW roofing system to be installed at Tesco USA's distribution center under construction in Riverside, California. The 2 MW of Solar Integrated's innovative BIPV roofing system will be installed on two of the five distribution center buildings and will cover 500,000 square feet of the 640,000 square footage of roof space. The project is expected to be completed in 2007. We believe this will be the largest roof-mounted solar installation in the world, stated R. Randall MacEwen, Solar Integrated's President and Chief Executive Officer. We are thrilled to partner with Tesco USA on their exciting entry into the U.S. market. Our BIPV roofing system at this distribution center will produce over 2.6 million kilowatt hours per annum, provide a fifth of the depot's power supply, and save 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Tesco was founded in London in 1919 by Jack Cohen and started as a market stall, with the first store opening in 1929. The company is expanding into the United States.
Re: [ot_caving] Texas solar power
This all smell like a plan of, by, and for the big corporate energy providers. What about using all the empty roof-top space INSIDE the cities, such as the roofs of malls, Walmarts, grocery stores, That is being done - One of the eco grocery stores is doing it and I have heard of others. Just from memory I am not sure of the names. Tesco grocery in the UK and US anounced a really big one about the first of the year - I am sure it can be googled. Below is news I had in my mail this am. First Fuel Production at Liquid Biomethane Project in Albury, Surrey Source NGV Global Thursday, 19 June 2008 00:00 Maximum capacity of plant sufficient to power up to 150 HGVS or 500 LGVS Hardstaff Group to transport using dual-fuel trucks Gasrec (the UK's first commercial producer of liquid biomethane fuel), BOC (a member of the global gases and engineering Linde Group) and SITA UK (one of the country's leading recycling and waste management companies), have begun successful production of liquid biomethane (LBM) fuel from the Gasrec plant at SITA UK's Albury landfill site in Surrey, UK. Gasrec has been working closely with BOC and SITA UK to develop an LBM production facility at Albury which can recover over 85% of the methane contained in the raw gas produced from the landfill site. GM India Plans Three CNG Model Variants Source UPI Friday, 13 June 2008 00:00 India, New Delhi General Motors India says it is working on compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) variants for at least three models of vehicles. UPI reports that P. Balendran, Vice President (corporate affairs) of the company, said CNG and LPG experiments are being carried out on the compact car Chevrolet Spark; upper premium compact segment car Chevrolet Aveo U-VA; and midsize car Chevrolet Aveo. We have been working on alternative fuel technology for some time, and the recent fuel price hike has expedited the process, he said, while declining to comment on the launch date. Balendran said it is too early to talk about the date of launch as certain tests and trials are to be done. Alternative variants of all three models are reportedly expected to hit the market within a year. CALSTART Initiates NGV Purchasing Cooperative Source NGVAmerica Friday, 20 June 2008 00:00 USA CALSTART is partnering with other NGV stakeholders to create a Natural Gas Vehicle Cooperative Purchase Program to coordinate the high volume purchase of light- and medium-duty vehicles by public and private fleets. It is proposed to conduct this program mostly within California, but will include Arizona and Nevada to increase potential demand, with the possibility of expanding it beyond these states if this effort is successful and if there is funding available. The Cooperative will assist fleets in greening their fleets with cleaner alternative fuel vehicles at affordable prices. It addition, the Cooperative wants to aggregate large enough numbers to incentivize dealers and manufacturers to not only participate in the Cooperative, but help them expand the market for these vehicles. Tough Australian Market Orders More CAP Dual-Fuel Systems Source NGV Global Wednesday, 18 June 2008 00:00 Australia Perth Clean Air Power Limited, the developer of Dual-FuelT combustion technology that enables heavy-duty diesel engines to run on a combination of both diesel and natural gas, is pleased to announce that it has won another important order in Australia for 10 systems. The Australian truck market is one of the most demanding in the world with very heavy vehicle weights and extreme ambient temperatures. Mitchell Corp Australia Pty Ltd (Mitchell), a bulk logistics solutions provider, has ordered 10 systems worth approximately US$1 million for delivery during 2008. This brings the total Mitchell revenue from these orders to around US$5.75 million Australian Heavy Duty Engine Testing Facility Established Source NGV Global Thursday, 19 June 2008 00:00 Australia, Perth Alt Fuels tests capabilities International clean energy technology group, Orbital Corporation Limited, is to construct and operate a heavy duty engine test facility after securing Australian Federal Government support. The new facility will be capable of operating engines on Natural Gas, LPG and Biodiesel as well as Diesel and Gasoline. Orbital said today that it had entered into a Funding Agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia (Commonwealth) to construct and operate the new state-of-the-art facility at its Australian headquarters in Balcatta, Western Australia. It is anticipated that the facility will be fully operational by March, 2009.
Re: [ot_caving] Texas solar power
Shell is doing it in Europe why not here?? Nieuwland Amersfoot Location: Netherlands Operator: Eneco Holdings, Amersfoot SCW Configuration: 1.62 MWp Operation: 2002 System supplier: Shell Solar, BP Solar, Colt EPC: Ecotec Systems Quick facts: At completion, this was the world's largest residential PV installation. It includes rooftop panels mounted on homes, a sports complex, and schools. Planning started in 1995 and most construction was finished in 2002. Phased development was by several utility, municipal, and cooperative entities with individual homeowners also participating. The main players were Regionale Energiemaatschappij Utrecht NV (REMU, later Eneco), Ecofys, Amersfoot SCW, HBG Vastgoed, and Novem. Some funding was provided by the EU Thermie program. Costs are somewhat indeterminant due to the number of participants but were estimated to be €9.23mn Oceanium Blijdorp Zoo Location: Netherlands Operator: Eneco Holdings Configuration: 510 kWp Operation: 2004 System supplier: Shell Solar EPC: Siemens Nederland Quick facts: In January 2004, Rotterdam Mayor Ivo Opstelten activated the Sunport generator installed on the roof of the Oceanium in Rotterdam’s Blijdorp Zoo. At the time, it was the largest urban rooftop solar energy system in the Netherlands. The 5,000m² roof has 3,000 panels expected to produce about 325,000 kWh/yr. The €3.9mn project was supported by Eneco (47%), Novem (33%), Rotterdam municipality (12%), Zuid Holland province (6%), and Blijdorp Zoo (2%). rdmilhollin said: This all smell like a plan of, by, and for the big corporate energy providers. What I'd like to know is who besides big corporate energy providers is going to provide power and energy to this country? We can't get it from the little mill down by the old mill stream. Too many people in this country, too few ways to provide big amounts of energy economically. So tell me, who else is going to provide energy for this energy-hungry country? Most people don't have the expertise, desire or resources to provide energy for themselves, much less a whole country. So tell me, what is the alternative? It's easy to criticize, but do you have a better plan?
Re: [ot_caving] Texas solar power
' Hmm. Read that again, slowly. ...at prices competitive.with _new nuclear plants_! Ever wondered why you haven't seen any new nuclear plants in the last 30 years? Aside..' Alex, what do you think the new cost of nuclear is? I bet it will be much more than solar or wind in just a few months. With a lot more to transport for nuclear than the other two I do not see how it will not be. Have you seen the price of building products in the last few days? I talked to a building contractor here and he and his partner both have income from former jobs or company's. He was parking his large SUV most of the time and driving a small car when he did not have to haul things. His income from a former life as a Dentist is well invested but he does not see the future as a good one. Quinta
[ot_caving] Texas solar power
Well this is some info I found today pasted below. It comes from http://environmenttexas.org/action/clean-energy/transmission?id4=ES I was interested in the numbers they say would power all of Texas. Just FYI. Quinta Texas is the national leader in wind power and we have the potential to meet the rest of our energy needs with solar power. In fact, if we put solar panels on an area thirty miles by thirty miles in west Texas, we could generate enough electricity to power the entire state at prices competitive with new nuclear plants! But to bring all that clean wind and solar power from west Texas, we need to invest in our transmission grid. Right now, the Public Utilities Commission is deciding how much renewable energy transmission to build. The most ambitious plan they're looking at would create transmission capacity for almost an additional 18,000 megawatts of wind and solar power, which would reduce smog pollution from power plants by 13% and global warming pollution by 16%.
Re: [ot_caving] Texas solar power
Devil's advocate here - ;-) I bet a tornado could damage solar panels and wind turbines a lot more than it could a nuclear reactor! -DC Yep, I play devils advocate a lot some days. How many times does one 30 sq mile area get a tornado? Wichita Falls has had two big ones in my life time 63 yrs. But most of the town and suronding county has had none. The reactor could be a 3 Mile Island also. And yes we have only had one - then the Russian one. Q
Re: [ot_caving] an option to drilling
their neighbors when they allowed the government to erect hundreds and hundreds of wind machines as far as they eye could see. His point was that he thought this is a fad industry which would fall by the wayside and, when wind power was no longer useful, there would be all those machines cluttering up the view. I wonder if his is a majority or minority view. Your remark made me wonder also. http://www.infinitepower.org/projects.htm This site seems to have most of the renewable info on it and who owns it. There are links for Geothermal and more. The El Paso Solar Pond was one I had nor heard about. I use Texas Electric who had an opetion - I had a option to sign up and they would promise to use up to 10% renewal power.for a better price. It has been two years now. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] an option to drilling
Fritz, My complaint is that we started after many and did not devote enough government resources to it. Most of Europe did. Even Spain was ahead of us at one time and still is I think. We lost sight of the OPEC oil problem in a hurry. There is a new company in Idaho? (if my memory is right) that is from Spain and is building turbins. I think it opened in the last year. We are behind on a lot of this. The states that are doing well are the ones with state incentives. There was a new Senate hearing on this sort of thing - ummm! This is from the BWEA in the UK. It is clear to see how much wind energy has taken off in some countries, notably Denmark, Germany and Spain, the first of which now gets 20% of it's electricity from wind turbines, compared to our 1%. However, the UK has the largest wind energy resources of any country in Europe, and now that the European market's economies of scale have driven the price of wind energy down, the UK is set for a massive expansion of clean energy. For more information about wind energy in Europe read this report commissioned by the European Union in 2004. Also visit www.ewea.org our European sister organisation. They speak in terms of TWh - I need to look up what that is past MW. The exploitable onshore wind resource for the EU-25 is conservatively estimated at 600 TWh and the offshore wind resource up to 3,000 TWh; the upper end of this far exceeding the EU-15's entire electricity consumption. The European Wind Atlas produced by the Danish national research laboratory, Forskningscenter Risø, gives a good overview of the EU potential. An offshore version is also available.
Re: [ot_caving] an option to drilling
'no new refineries have' I think that was what the big deal was when they lost one in Rita. Not enough capacity.
[ot_caving] Re: Public Transportation
I know we have a good transit system here for the size of the town/ city. 100,000 is that cut off and I do not know which we fit in. Wichita Falls has worked hard to upgrade the buses here. Some 3 or 4 years ago they put in cameras in all buses and keep a month of files - digital I think. It goes to a central computer system I think. I pasted the rules below. They have lifts on all buses for disabled and will detour up to two blocks to pick up and deliver disabled. You have to request it piror - 24 or more hours but if you need to go to a doctor or grocery store you can do that, There is a special bus that runs every two weeks on one side of town and then another day on the other side for elderly or diabled to go to the store and a volunteer will be on it to carry the grocery items to the bus and load and even unload it for you if you qualify. To qualify call and get on with the Senior group in town. I think some of the funding comes from them. The times are a bit short but for a town of just over 100,000 it is not bad. I do not remember just how far along they were on propane or other fuel but they were doing it on new buses as new ones were purchased. I have used it and the drivers and great and know most of the regular riders by name. The city runs a review of the routes and changes as needs change every few years. Hours Monday - Friday: 5:30 AM - 7:30 PM Saturday: 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM Rules The safety, comfort and satisfaction of our customers is our number one goal. In order to better serve you we ask that you adhere to the rules and regulations set forth when using the Falls Ride. If you have questions or comments please call 761-7642. We hope your trip is a pleasant one. Courtesy Please! WHEN RIDING ON A BUS: . Passengers must have the exact change. Drivers cannot make change. . No eating, consuming alcohol or smoking tobacco products on bus. . Drink contatiners must have screw on tops. . Do not play radios or musical instruments. . Shoes and shirts are required. . Do not stand forward of the YELLOW LINE. . Animals must be crated, except for guide animals. . Children under 5 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. . Firearms are not allowed bus. . Explosive materials are not allowed on bus. . No loud, foul or abusive language allowed . Carry on bags are limited to the number that can be carried on a passenger's lap. . Remain seated until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. . Aisles must be kept clear of passenger's belongings. Non-compliance of the preceding rules may result in the passenger not being allowed to ride the bus.
[ot_caving] an option to drilling
There should always be an option. I hope there is a petition to do some and not all some where out in web land and that it calls for more wind and solar. https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/SPageServer?pagename=coastal_drilling_petition Quinta
[ot_caving] Bats in Alamogardo
http://www.alamogordonews.com/news/ci_9582577?source=email Bat colony raises concerns Alamogordo Daily News Nick Fahl, Staff Writer
[ot_caving] Great book - Nature Noir
I just read a copy that I need to mail on to someone else and I will find a copy of my own for the quiet and beautiful spots in the book that read like poetry. Nature Noir by Jordan Fisher Smith - A park ranger's patrol in the Sierra. Quinta The San Francisco Chronicle : A taut drama . . . Smith's book follows the tradition of nature writers such as Emerson, Thoreau, John Muir and Annie Dillard. --Jennie Yabroff Park rangers have one of the tougher jobs our society has yet devised--they come up against all the varieties of human unhappiness that a city policeman encounters, and they come up against nature in all her moods. Both seem amplified in the canyon of the American River that Jordan Fisher Smith writes about with such calm power. This book will tell you things you didn't know, and in a strong and original voice. -Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age.
Re: [ot_caving] Bio fuels and the pump....
It might get better if we had it in a few more gas stations. The big boys are not happy with any product other than oil. Quinta
[ot_caving] poison ivy cure
I found an intresting cure for poison ivy. I had never heard of it. I don't get out much to have this now but some of you will and this site talks about it and shows a photo of the plant. I hope it might help someone. I know it is easy to overlook it in heavy brush. Quinta http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm
Re: [ot_caving] Noah's Ark and Iowa
Do you think he has time to work? Get back to work, David On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 3:22 PM, David dlocklea...@gmail.com wrote: With all the flooding going on in Iowa, now would be a good time to test the Noah's Ark Theory.
Re: [ot_caving] eating healthy info
You get Iodine in your salt if you do not buy sea salt. If you buy the naturaly decaffeinated tea in green or black you can stop the caffeine. If tea will kill then I should be dead as I have never had coffee and since the age of 10 or so hot tea in great quanity has entered my body. I started the decaf only about 10 years back. Quinta
Re: [Texascavers] Fwd: -- Pamukkale, Turkey (house of cotton)
Rick Steves did a show in Turkey and this was one of the features recently. Quinta
[ot_caving] Old faithful changes eruption cycle
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/06/04/old-faithful-geyser.html Old Faithful Changes Its Tune This was also in the June issue of 'Geology'. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] Hillary for Independent Candidate
Looks like we get the choice of the best of two bad choices. I think we had this at least one time before. I did not like the best of that two after he was elected. I was mad at myself for the vote I cast that time just a few weeks later. Not sure I will even vote and I have never said that before. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] computer news - medical related
I have printouts of a heart scan I had. He told me he was giving me very pretty pictures Quinta
[ot_caving] interesting uninsured drivers
AUSTIN, TX - Texas Police officers will have a new tool to get uninsured drivers off the road. Officers in Austin will start using the new insurance database next week. It will automatically notify officers whether a driver has valid car insurance, just by entering the license plate number into the system. The insurance database works with information from other databases and is funded by a portion of a $1 fee when you pay your car registration. The Texas Department of Insurance says about one in five drivers is uninsured.
Re: [ot_caving] computer news - Vista related
Well it seems that my statement that I would not go back to XP was not clear. I like Vista - It is user friendly and it just took the old I do not like anything new bit to settle down and learn a bit about it. I do not like the reminder that I need to do a full back up but it is nice for ones who forget. It seems not to understand that I do the back up but with Norton's utility not Vista's. But like any of us getting older it is not easy to make changes. I never liked Mac. No problems with any virus ever but it could have as much to do with Norton as Vista. It had a lot of junk loaded which I cleaned out. Quinta
[ot_caving] DTV update
From Wichita Falls I now am getting Sherman area broadcast and the local ones are more stable reception. The wattage output must be higher now. This makes 9 stations I get with only the indoor antenna and the converter box. Quinta
[ot_caving] computer news - Vista related
Vista was loaded on a computer I bought ( the old clunker died) and I was not sure I would like it but I would not go back to XP now. Quinta
[ot_caving] gas price
It was in 2004 according to the New York Times that it first hit $2.00 and they said (and I do remember that time) 'in the early 1970's adjusted for inflation it hlit $3.00 at the peak.' That was when I drove only as far as I could go and come home with a tank of gas (Ford Fiesta) on the weekend or fill up in a hurry on Saterday night before the stations closed and would not reopen before Monday morning. Quinta
[ot_caving] Fw: Re:: coal
First think if the following items will go up in price if you do this. Coal, a combustible organic rock composed primarily of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Coal is burned to produce energy and is used to manufacture steel. It is also an important source of chemicals used to make medicine, fertilizers, pesticides, and other products. Coal comes from ancient plants buried over millions of years in Earth's crust, its outermost layer. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, and oil shale are all known as fossil fuels because they come from the remains of ancient life buried deep in the crust. Then per Scientific American Magazine on line . The conversion technology is well established (the Germans used it during World War II), and liquid coal can power conventional diesel cars and trucks as well as jet engines and ships. Coal industry executives contend that it can compete against gasoline if oil prices are $50 a barrel or higher. But liquid coal comes with substantial environmental and economic negatives. On the environmental side, the polluting properties of coal-starting with mining and lasting long after burning-and the large amounts of energy required to liquefy it mean that liquid coal produces more than twice the global warming emissions as regular gasoline and almost double those of ordinary diesel. As pundits have pointed out, driving a Prius on liquid coal makes it as dirty as a Hummer on regular gasoline. One ton of coal produces only two barrels of fuel. In addition to the carbon dioxide emitted while using the fuel, the production process creates almost a ton of carbon dioxide for every barrel of liquid fuel. Which is to say, one ton of coal in, more than two tons of carbon dioxide out. Congressional and industry proponents of coal-to-liquid plants argue that the same technologies that may someday capture and store emissions from coal-fired plants will also be available to coal-to-liquid plants. But even if the carbon released during production were somehow captured and sequestered-a technology that remains unproven at any meaningful scale-some studies indicate that liquid coal would still release 4 to 8 percent more global warming pollution than regular gasoline. Liquid coal is also a bad economic choice. Lawmakers from coal states are proposing that U.S. taxpayers guarantee billions of dollars in construction loans for production plants, guarantee minimum prices for the new fuel, and guarantee big purchases by the government for the next 25 years. Their mantra is that coal-based fuels are more American than gasoline. But no operating coal-to-liquid plants exist in the U.S., and researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimate it will cost $70 billion to build enough plants to replace 10 percent of American gasoline consumption. Some energy experts worry that the scale of the incentives could lead to a repeat of the disastrous effort 30 years ago to underwrite a synthetic fuels industry. The country would be spending billions in loans, tax incentives and price guarantees to lock in a technology that produces more greenhouse gases than gasoline does. This is unacceptable at a time when leading scientists from all over the world are warning that greenhouse gases must be cut by at least 60 percent over the next half a century to avert the worst consequences of global warming. Instead of spending billions to subsidize a massively polluting industry, we should be investing in efficiency and in renewable energy technologies that can help us constrain global warming today. Another thing which ISNT being done You can make petroleum out of COAL for about $40 a barrel. Screw ethanol and making diesel out of soybeans! There's a LOT of coal out there - why are we being raped at the gas pump
Re: [ot_caving] a good samaritan story
And Listen to your messages to see if you mom is in the hospital or someone found your purse? I was brought up to answer the phone and buisness or emergency is important!! List you phone on the do not call list! The one time I was not home prior to haivng an answering machine my cousin called to tell me his dad died and when the funeral was. I had enough time to get to Amarillo when I got home from a caving trip if I had had an answering machine at that time. But I missed it and have still felt bad some 15 or 20 years since. Quinta
Re: [ot_caving] hi-def tv's
$10,000 for a TV set. Get out the nets! Let's go back to slides. I thought David was always screaming about being poor / broke or some word of that nature. Where did this silver spoon come from? Quinta Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 09:53:14 -0500 From: dlocklea...@gmail.com To: o...@texascavers.com Subject: [ot_caving] hi-def tv's Before you rush out and spend several grand for a home enterntainment system with a 1080 pixel hi-def TV, you might consider that in a few years, Mr. Jones down the street will have a TV system much better than your new one.
Re: [ot_caving] hi-def tv's
That makes sense - Quinta
