Sunday, May 29, 2011

Recent observations...

Nik thought this stump was very interesting for the way the moss grew at the rim, and a little microcosm environment in the center.  :)

Today is Sunday, May 30.  It's quite warm these last few days, and is presumably going to get warmer.  Nighttime temps will dip only to 67 according to the weather widget... so we broke down and put the little air conditioner in our bedroom window.  Generally this is the only area we keep cool.  If it turns into another summer like last year (temps above 90, humidity above 90 for most weeks, and only down to 80 degrees F. at night (unheard of heat for nighttime in this region)... then we have another 5000 btu air conditioner and I'll put it in the "crazy room" where i do arts and crafts...

But for now, it's one little air conditioner at night.  And I kind of hate it because it's noisy, and unnatural... but not sleeping makes me noisy and unnatural as well!  :P

Ever seen a Skunk Cabbage Flower up close?
They're very unusual looking.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Recent outings...

It's been incredibly England-like this spring, lots of rainy, grey days... Penns Creek has flooded it's banks behind my apartment 3 times.  It's a muddy mess that we braved last week, and I took some photos...

 In the lower part of our back yard there are two apple trees that have been left in a feral state for many years.  Every spring they are bursting with blooms, as you see here.  In the fall, of course they produce a large quantity of smallish apples which attract lots of bugs and worms, and therefore aren't really palatable.  A great many blue jays make them their home. 


 The lower two of the Gray Squirrels is "Miss No Tail".  She has kept me company throughout the winter, coming to my window to pan handle for nuts when I'm studying.  I fed her peanuts and walnuts, some chestnuts, and some hickory nuts.  Something nearly every day.  ( She turned her squirrel nose up at dry Chick Peas and Sunflower seeds...  evidently the protein is just not there... )  One day, as she stood on her hind legs, I saw that she had obviously been "feeding" little ones.  She was also losing a lot of hair, or molting.  I suppose this might have been from the strain on her of bearing a litter.  Now we see her frolicking with one of her offspring.  In this photo, she is chasing the little one up a small tree.  :)

 It was  very muddy along Penns Creek, and we had to step carefully between clumps of grass.  We got a bit muddy, but our feet managed to stay dry.  Here's some raccoon tracks. 


 These were growing in some gravelly sand-stone rubble, and were rubbery and "ear-like".  I picked one, and it felt very cold.   Their sandy color blended into the background, they were almost camouflaged.  I can't believe camouflage has a U in it.  :p. 



 The farmers have had to wait to get into their fields for plowing as it has been very wet.  This farmer has a large tract along the river that is excellent for scouting for arrowheads when it's been freshly plowed, and just after, a slight rain.  The soil here contains a lot of flint, and some kind of periwinkle-bluish stone.

 Pheasants backs newly formed, this little trio is only about 4" high by 4" wide.  Each segment is about 1" across.  They are so strange.  They grow to enormous sizes... and we later saw some that were "full blown"...

 These are about 12" across when theyré mature. 



The snapping turtles were sunning themselves en mass on each log that protruded into the river from the banks.  They have extremely sensitive sense of sight and hearing, and this turtle was the only one of them that I managed to take a clear photo.  It was also the very last one I saw before leaving the woods and entering our town again. 

At the edge of the forest there was a "run off" that had formed from the draining floodwaters, and it had left a very dark residue along the ground... It doesn't look as black in the photo as it did in person.  It looked sort of like "coal".  There is a coal fired electric plant about 5 miles up stream from this point along the river.  Along this newly formed "run off" trench laid a dead muskrat.  You can see it,nearly centered in the photo, it is a very small dark spot.    :(   I don't know what this sediment was, but it didn't look like it belonged  here, and the muskrat was not a good sign... 




When we got back into town, a block down the alley was this little bird, standing stone-still.A juvenile who was apparently sulking from having been thrust into the world from the nest...  I squatted down and was only inches from it, and it did not move.  I snapped its picture as Nik said, "Is it real?" (jokingly).  I reached out, and just barely touched it, and it flew away only about 2 feet off the ground.  It was pretty obvious that it had only just learned to fly.  :) 

Sunday, May 15, 2011

A call to end the long and worthless "War on Drugs"....

The fact is, the War on Drugs is a BULLSHIT operation, and everyone knows it...
It's an EXPENSIVE bullshit operation, and they're pouring money down a big black hole... meanwhile, in my area, while tiny little towns like "McClure, PA" are inundated with heroin, parents watching, with no means, they are seemingly helpless to know how to deal with this in such communities, law enforcement is still "pulling over speeders" while kids in this area as young as 13 are known to start on this drug. This is happening all across America. Where does heroin come from ? Afghanistan. We have had a military presence in Afghanistan for almost 10 years now, still the HEROIN FLOWS. As the economy tanks in more places across rural America, people are turning to meth, as an escape, and as a money maker... For fucks sake, it's made to look almost reasonable in a popular TV show. War on Drugs seems to have made drugs even more popular, more accesible, and since the "War on Drugs" began, we've gone from kids twisting a few doobies after school to 16 year old junkies breaking into businesses and robbing banks.

WTF??

The Petition available at the link in this post has, since May 8, and at last count, garnered 700 more signatures than they were hoping for.

Signatures to this petition have come from each and every Congressional District in the United States!

Here's what the petition says.

Dear Senators and Representative,

The U.S. government has said many things about the drug war, including that it's over. But as we've seen in recent months, it continues to rage on.

We're tired of all the empty rhetoric about the drug war, and now that public opinion and state legislatures are moving in our favor, we need to show that there is broad public support for legalization and ending the war on drugs.

I stand with Americans across the country in demanding an end to the war on drugs.

The war on drugs has destroyed lives in our country and sapped our nation's resources for nearly 40 years. It's widely agreed to be a failure, but has continued unabated.

Public opinion is increasingly against the war on drugs, and many states facing tight budgets have finally changed their policies to de-emphasize criminalization in favor of strategies that work.

The coalition of people who want to see the drug war end is one of the most diverse, broad-based alliances in America today: we come from every state in the nation and every spot on the political spectrum. I stand with this coalition in demanding public accountability for the war on drugs, and serious consideration for legalization.
*********************

The letter I sent to my senators:

The drug war is well known as yet another opportunity for certain people's connections to get their hands on more of the tax payers dime, meanwhile doing NOTHING that effectively will stop serious imports of drugs like heroin and cocaine, and production of meth. A drunk mother cooks her infant in a microwave, yet alcohol is widely distributed and barely regulated, until someone, drives drunk, gets hurt, or worse... Meanwhile marijuana (and hemp, one of the most environmentally sound crops with potential for dozens of industrial applications, just ask George Washington) remains illegal. We have suffered through watching government become insane. The war on drug is ONE of the biggest, most fraudulent wastes of taxpayers money ever perpetrated by the government. (There are many with the distinction). Very very few people lack awareness of the pathetic-ness of the campaign. Most individuals who say they believe the war on drugs is a good idea are ALWAYS either 1. in government; or 2. buddies with government and receiving revenues from the programs this initiative is funding. I'd be willing to bet it's 99 percent Republicans. They're always bent on scare tactics and abuses of authority in order to create opportunities for their little circle of friends... at the local level right on up to Washington DC. to get their greedy little paws on more tax dollars, even when it has to be filtered through ""initiatives" (you know, like the way Cheney profits off the war machine-cum-Halliburton, et. al?) ALL government representatives need to wake up to the fact that their public they are to SERVE is no longer apathetic to their agendas. Those days are gone. People are empowered, and they love their country enough to protect her from weasels in government who chip away, one by one, to serve themselves.
Those who sent you into office will no longer tolerate the greed, waste, nepotism, and "special status" that those elected have demonstrated for far too long. No amount of campaign money, or tax dollars allocated can fix the stupid that is being perpetuated by our government today. It's simple. End your waste, or lose your votes.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Solar Snow Job...

I'm pretty sure there are some shady things happening in the "solar market".
I know a lot of this technology was suppressed in the United States, while the interests of such entities as the Koch brothers coal and building supplies were working overtime to sell everyone bigger McMansions that aren't necessarily able to be easily retrofitted with solar that would justify the expense.
And it can be an expense.
Those who can afford it have money to burn, so why would they bother?
Those Joe the Plumber types who would benefit the most from the efficiency and savings can't afford to buy in.

No wonder solar isn't more prominent. There's so much bullshit surrounding this market, it's hard to see the light of day.

If you're considering solar, take some time to educate yourself about what's available, what's involved in their installation, how much power they can be expected to generate, how that power would be stored and utilized, and how they must be installed. Do not rely on the "sales guy".

They will typically tell you installation costs at $5 to $6. a watt. This is about used in construction.

The Department of Energy of the United States Government published a white paper and held a meeting to address the potential of drastically lowering the cost of solar (to say $1. a watt!) with an initiative they've "coined" SunShot.
From the White Paper:
A key plank of the Obama Administration’s Energy Policy is to put the country on a path to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) Emissions by 80% by 2050. Solar energy technology has the potential to play a major role in achieving this goal but to date has been limited by high costs.So pay attention to this, and look for ways to do it yourself, or have the "local roofer", or a really handy husband do it if possible. Installed PV array prices for utility‐scale systems were $8/watt in 2004 and bids below $3.50/watt are
expected by the end of 2010 if not sooner. Residential and commercial prices are over $6/watt since
they are much smaller in scale and incur much larger installation prices and retail markups. With
current market trends and cost reduction opportunities, utility scale system costs are expected to reach
$2.20/watt by 2016 if no new program is launched. The $1/watt goal will require a major change in the
rate of innovation.

So why are we not training a workforce to do these installations, and developing methods that offer a DIY option? The manufacturers covet their installation and create a caveat for supporting these installations through their warrantees. (DIY and void your warantee!) I suspect that they also hire illegals to do these installations in some instances... Just a sneaking suspicion of mine...

So, to consider Solar, where to begin in the simplest of terms? First off: Got Sun? You need to have a clear enough southern exposure, with either east or west (or all three directions as well. Here's what I'm talking about:


So, with the directional issue the versatility of such a product becomes very advantageous. This photo is from "New Age Solar"...
Note the first quote on their website:
One of the mottos of New Age Solar is "Expertise Where Expertise Is Needed" It is a motto that we live by.
So I think there is a sense of "entitlement" the industry is holding over the means of installation. These companies do not want to hand over the goods unless they can double dip for the installation. They see a way to further profit. First they manufacture them in China. Then they have the installation done at a premium, while charging quite a lot. Solar is relatively easy to install, particularly the types that are not only systems that snap together which any roofer can do, but they're aesthetic solutions as well...

Many references to solar products that I have seen commercially that offer installation also mention the fact that these are prodcuts for "upscale" or "high end" customers. Read: The industry is gouging the wealthy. They're approaching this from an angle of "quality, not quantity"... Not that I blame anyone from trying to get a position in that market where fools and money are soon parted, but face it, wealthier homeowners' guilt feelings over the environment really only goes so far, and the industry doesn't seem to be getting much of a foothold.

It's not much different than their defense of eating steak, claiming it's local, so it's sustainable. Even as they pay $15. a pound, they believe this. There's a willful Cluelessness.

In broad, general terms, to power most of the needs of a small home, you need 1000 watt hours worth of panels (1000 watts can be stored per hour of sunlight). That's about 10 100 watt panels that measure around 2 feet by 5 feet, facing the sun for a total of 6 hours a day. That still assumes that efficient appliances are in use, CF lighting, LED, and LCD television, passive solar water heat, and other supplemental heat in colder climbs for the short gray days and long dark nights of winter.

Heating a home with solar is difficult, and may be limited to your water. There are some DIY methods for solar heating for your water, and a suitable option shouldn't break the bank either.
Nonetheless, if you live in a particularly cold region, then a backup source of heat is in order, and you may consider a wood stove, propane, or natural gas furnace.

And about that price for the panels themselves... A 100 watt solar panel generally runs around $450 to $550.

SunSlates, made by Atlantis Energy Systems, seem to have been kept pretty darn hush hush, because it can be retrofitted onto nearly any surface, and would be relatively easy to install, and very light weight to save on delivery costs... but you don't hear much about them, and "local dealers" and "certified" installers is kept at a scarcity in the United States.


Back in January, a solar panel manufacturer, Evergreen Solar shuttered its manufacturing facility, to the tune of 800 lost jobs, leaving about 100 in place in its Marlborough, Mass.-based headquarters.


Citing Chinese competition as the primary reason for the decision.
It will continue to make silicon cells in Michigan and in China.
For better or worse, Evergreen is now a Chinese wafer manufacturer with a headquarters in MA," said analyst Brett Prior in an article.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20028245-54.html#ixzz1M6AHwAEH

Now we're supposed to feel good about GE creating 400 new jobs manufacturing solar in the USA, (quite likely on subsidies generated from the taxpayers dime)... when they've not paid any taxes...
400 jobs. Wow, the recession is surely over.
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