chuck kottke

I'm suddenly fascinated with Chinese Astrology.:) Here's one to check out, and some great music (Al Stewart and The Year of the Cat).:sunny: Chinese Astrology, Chinese Signs, Feng Shui, I Ching and more! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM7LR46zrQU]YouTube - Al Stewart - Year of the cat[/ame]

It's actually the strawberry moon when the natives dance; a type of swing dance done during the month of the strawberry moon..:P

I have a platform to watch game from, but no gaming platform!:P TNP has a Metallica Poster!

You dislike the Prius because of the environmental harm done in manufacturing, or is it the vehicles looks, or something else? I'm not a real big fan of the Prius, but it does offer a place for a flexible solar panel (the Aptera does too..). Climate change - well, think of it this way - the coal and oil in the Earth's crust stored a huge amount of carbon, which we have rather rapidly burned and thus put into the living portion of the Earth - into the air, water, and life. This is probably having some effect, and a lot of evidence is pointing to our activities as significant in changing or modifying the normal climactic changes (corroborating evidence, including acidifying oceans, gasses trapped in ice, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4, temperature extremes and averages going up, measurable re-radiation of infra-red increasing (more greenhouse effect)). Probably the single thing that spells it out for me is the sheer volume of coal and oil we've burned, taking that stored carbon and launching it into the oceans and air as CO2. Yes, I'm with you on recycling! I wish all the products we use were made of safer materials, and more returnables (like washable glass bottles) put back into the system.. Yes, I agree on the rain forests too - it's such a shame to be loosing so many beautiful things, and the rain forests are the Earth's Emeralds. It's important to value more than beans and lumber.. Well, the oil is running out, and yes, we need something else. Actually, it's not that hard for us to change, but it takes incentives, that's for sure!! But we'll actually improve our quality of life in the process, so it's actually a win-win situation.. I think that's fine for someone to choose, but if the choice doesn't include an ofsetting method to make up for the damage to the environment (which for an SUV is a lot), I would be against it. One thing I see is egotism causing great harm, when everyone races to show off the biggest things they can get - and then everyone tries to do the same - it's a stampede with blinders on. We need a better value system, all other things aside. Hydrogen may be a good choice - I'm just concerned about storage, and other things like metal embrittlement and fires. Adsorbers make hydrogen safe, as long as they're earth-friendly. & Nothing is perfectly safe, but just to a matter of degrees. Hydrogen stored in zeolites may be the way to go. It's a common element, and so are the silicon and aluminum used in the zeolites; so this is viable! I'm interested in it too! But Lithium batteries are good too, and so carbon nanotubes may be as well; even compressed air might work well for part of the power supply. I think biofuels, if used very efficiently and obtained ethically, has a place in the future as well - so in that sense, hybrids may make some sense if coupled to biofuels and either hydrogen or newer battery technologies. In my mind, I can see using an SUV for hauling purposes; true, often this is necessary. One problem with them though is their drag coefficients are so very high - they'll need better streamlining in the future to get the effiency up, for that's where the low hanging fruit is - it's so much easier to save energy than to make hydrogen, batteries, solar panels, turbines, etc. There is lots of elbow room, but I think what most people like is the higher-up view they offer, and the sense of size which offers some comfort to our psyches. I understand what you're saying, and I've driven everything from tandem axle trucks to sub sub compact cars, so I can see this.. Hmm... just takes two or three times the energy to make as a smaller car, and gets poor mileage. But, with streamlining and lighter materials, they could be vastly improved. Certainly I do think it fair to charge extra for their negative effect on the commons - our shared environment, if they remain so energy intense. Well, generally trucks tow vehicles that get stuck, and SUV's are basically trucks with bodies. But the reality for most drivers is going to the mall, or going to work, or school, or driving to see something somewhere. Most of them never see muddy roads, or off-road use, and when I've seen cars in the ditch, it's usually after a bad storm, and lots of the ones stuck are SUV's! Probably the low clearances on some of them, and the sheer slippryness of snow or ice does anything in at that point.. and if the drivers had chains, they could get un-stuck, but not many carry chains. I'm babbling, but for the most part, SUV's only get used in the mud, hills, and rough terrain on TV; 95% of them go from well-paved flat highways to well-paved driveways. If you're thinking they're better in an accident (bad drivers), well, you're right. But that safety comes at the expense of the other drivers (the heavier vehicle feels less impact in a collsion). And it's not that much safer, when one considers roll-overs due to high center of gravity, lack of sense of speed in one, and the general problem for accidents is inattenative driving (cell phones and distractions), or drunken drivers (I can only attest for the US, where 2:30 AM is a dangerous time to be on the road!). But if you're farming in the Welsh mountains, I can see one being important there! (or a pickup as well..). Anyhow, just trying to find answers to a dillema we all face. How do we become more green, to make our world a liveable place for ourselves, and for the next generations to come?

Truthfully, it could be... that the Cookie Monster opens some of the packages that might contain chocolate-chip cookies, and this explains some of the mystery!:P

Welcome Kate! & Fantastic Sayings from Mother Theresa - I'm impressed by her philosophy, and your adoption of those elegant saying!:)

Fossils, ah those old trilobites strike back!:P It's not cutting edge, this is true, but it is a production auto which gets very good mileage when coupled to solar panels & allowed to charge (some get 100mpg or better average with the added panel). Many are being retrofitted with more batteries, and achieving total electric except for long trips. It's a long ways from perfect, but much better than the average! Honda Hydrogen - sounds interesting! But the hydrogen is an energy carrier, like the battery's plates, LPG, gasoline, etc. It can be made from renewable energy (Iceland does it, for example), but it's tricky to work with. Since it must be stored either under high pressure, or in some type of adsorber material (NiMH, etc.), the issue there becomes how much of the exotic material is needed, and where does it come from. Nickel is relatively rare on the earth's surface, and the mining and refining often leaves a mess, plus the sheer volume of the demand is more than we can supply for everyone to go that route. Still, storage in synthetic zeolites looks promosing for hydrogen; zeolites are a class of aluminosilicate minerals, some made synthetically for adsorbing things like hydrogen. So, I think hydrogen is one way to the future as well. True, the Prius is, like most automobiles, energy intensive to manufacture, and the batteries might still be either cadmium, lead-acid, or nickel in composition. But that could be changed to Lithium in the near future, an abundant clean element. SUV's are something we need to change. I recognize the desire for larger families to own one, and perhaps body shape changes, engine efficiencies, and the like can improve the SUV to the point where they're 5X as efficient as current levels. We all like big, roomy things, but when one thinks of the volume of materials and the energy consumed, you have to ask yourself if this is really the right thing to do?? Got a family of 6, and I'd say sure. But a lot of it is just luxury boxes on wheels. May I ask why you love SUV's?

:rolleyes:Black or White, It can all be green if done right.;) But the point is green cars, and car overheating in the the sun is an issue, one which requires extra energy to cool off.. My contention was that all the parking lots should have solar shade canopies that have solar panels on them (they even have panels now that allow some light to come through, so this makes much sense in a parking lot setting.). The solar power then fed into the car's battery, or into the local grid.

Bright finish Silicon:P The future is cool blue.:cool:pvprius.jpg (JPEG Image, 370x278 pixels) Toyota to sell solar panel equipped Prius « from the inside, looking in

**Bumps pet thread**:P

Black is too hot in the summer! Green is cool. Better still is solar panels over the whole thing.:P Dark Blue Shiny Solar!!! I did see bits of "Who killed the Electric Car"; it's obviously the work of misanthropic GM heads. But now there's competition, so things are looking up!! Is the new Fiesta green? Yes, but there are varying shades of green. 123456789. So, it's all a matter of degree, and which component one values more than another. Some say the Trabant, for instance, wasn't green because of the emissions. But it did get 34-40 miles per gallon (US), and the body was made from recycled materials, including cotton waste, wool, and cellulose fibers. How we measure each aspect makes a big difference. Personally, I think the true green machines are: bicycles.:) Check out a local favorite, if you're interested...Trek Bikes | Bikes | Bike Path | Lime Lite

You may choose a ray guided sun celestial orb; but whatever you choose, choose free will!:sunny:

I think I might be a universe deist, but I'm not positive..but definitely a free thinker. Anyhow, it's all amazing we're all here, people working together to get all this stuff to work, for a variety of reasons and motivations, including the love of our fellow man, pure fun, accomplishing goals, and just for the hell of it. OOPS, there's that word again!:laugh3: It's just amazing, and if Jesus did one thing (and his embellishers who deified him later on) it was to soften the hard edge of life, bring meaning to the basic elements of human existance, and lift our spirits. To me, there is no true "sin", just a misanthropic short-sighted act, the excess of which, or if done it an inappropriate time, leads to consequences that are harmful to others in that social setting; our actions affecting others in a negative way, in an unfair way; the long result is that it comes back to us like a bommerang does, if we're not careful we get clobbered by our own misdeeds. But we all make errors in judgement, and need to both examine our own actions, and have others remind us of our excess selfishness from time to time, so that we learn to bring about greater harmony in human endeavors. That being said, it's pretty self-evident what the true nature of sin is. It's excess selfishness, thoughtlessness, or inappropriateness when we need to show greater depth of understanding towards others, and be less insecure and self-interested. I suppose it's safe to argue that there is a bit of the old crocodile within all of us, and that need restraint from time to time as well. Hypercompetitiveness is not always good, as the Roman gladiators showed us. But a prescription for saving us is silly - we need to understand that we are both individual and within the nexus of society simultaneously. At times having personal experiences, and at other times, totally interconnected interactions. The balance of which depends on circumstances. Still, it seems only rational that, given our propensity for knowledge and learning, one of the highest aspirations humanity can strive towards is enlightenment, and that is a gradual process of logical analysis and testing hypothesis, both in the emperical sense and in the theoretical sense. That is to say, we are advancing our total sense of the universe, as the dawn slowly lights the earth, and shapes take form out of the grey darkeness. To be saved we merely need to be taught and to reflect on what makes sense, and to see that peace and cooperation, and balance in life punctuated by exceptionalism is our true path. We make mistakes, but realizing those mistakes and correcting them pays us back in ways that must be learned to be appreciated. Anotherwords, more like Bugs, less like Daffy.:P

Welcome maple tapper!:) Be careful in the land of OZ here - it's a little bit surreal at times, but in general, enjoy & glad you (IHeardYouSing) (who is you, by the way?) could join in the wildness!:sunny::bandana::flutterby:

Hello Philip! Aloha:)

That's quite formal! Perhaps more effective than my letters. I did mention to Barack that I felt we need to boost the economy in Afghanistan; as unfortunate as it may be, the farmers are dependent on crops of poppies, and the drug trade with Europe. So, I made mention of the fact that if the US were to directly buy the opium and poppy seeds from the Afghan farmers, it would both boost their economy so there would be less poverty, and it would cut out the profits taken by the drug warlords, thereby reducing their power. In time, the shift from opium to other crops can be made, and subsidies both to the farmers and to the average citizens would help the economy, while also allowing the local food to be purchased by local people. I also expressed feelings that the US needs to approach the matter of Al Qaeda and Osama bin laden as a matter of criminal justice, not War. Pakistan needs to be allowed to deal with the terrorists in the midst of their tribal regions, and we should not interefere, as our interference only builds resentment and hostility towards the US. Often mistakes are made, and every mistake costs us dearly not only in loss of life, but loss of badly needed support in the region from the good will of its citizens. And if we offer direct assistance, it needs to be full measure. The building of schools, courthouses, and other buildings is all good, but the necessary funding for supplies and equipment has to be there as well, or it might as well be monuments to futility.

I went berry picking today in the swamp; the chickadees were lively and sang a beautiful chorus. The stream babbled by, the sweet lullaby of life in flowing water..

Hello Loretin!:sunny:

Here's a good site to look at for the fires, and the aftermath, just to visualize the intensity and effect of it all:Bushfires in Victoria, Australia - The Big Picture - Boston.com Better management practices seem in order, if we're ever going to keep things under control.. and more fire-safe shelters?Bushfire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The bigger trees seemed to survive at King Lake - different species, or just more water? At the moment, quite a sad tragedy... Maybe some conditions are beyond any control, if prolonged drought and extreme heat make any strategy ineffective...

A Thread Where You Can Post Absolutely Anything About Green Cars: samplers - - - - - -- - - - - Aptera - Drive Design of new Mercedes-Benz bionic car inspired by fish body shape Tesla Motors 2009 Toyota Prius Hybrid Chevrolet | Electric Car - Chevy Volt. Fully Charged 2010 2012 Ford Focus Electric Vehicle (EV) | Gas-Free, Battery-Powered Electric Car | Ford.com Nissan Leaf Electric Car: 100% electric. Zero gas. Zero tailpipe. MiEV / Mitsubishi i Electric Vehicle / Mitsubishi Motors BMW i. Born Electric. CODA Electric Vehicle, Electric Cars, Zero Emissions EV Car, Electric Vehicles | CODA Automotive Honda FCX Clarity - How FCX Works - Official Web Site ZAP Electric Vehicles | ZAP Electric Cars, Trucks, Scooters, ATV's, Alias, 100% electric.

How about a really good calculator?:idea2: Or, maybe a wallet? A new pair of shoes? Some Fair-Trade chocolate?:P A book on star gazing? Some socks? A Coldplay T-shirt?:D

All I can say is we have a huge disconnect between disciplines. The scientific community is saying there's a problem, and the manufacturing and construction community is starting to respond. But really, I don't see a conflict between standard of living and the environment. I think there's so much to be gained in improved efficiency, that it's almost unimaginable. Energy companies don't want us to fully realize this (hence, their TV ads always tout a combination of more exploration and extraction, along with wind, solar, & efficiency), but the truth is, we are, collectively, mind-bogglingly inefficient.:rolleyes5: Really! The bulk of the energy is going to heat and light buildings - homes, office, plants, etc. and I'm sure what's true here is true anywhere, since the world isn't radically different from place to place (unless you're ahead of the curve). Amory Lovins says this as well. So, if a home in Suamico that I had the good fortune to visit uses 1/10th the energy needs of an average home, and it hasn't even had any solar panels installed on the roof, there's an example of what's possible! Through sound building practices, we can reduce energy demand by a factor of 10 or greater, and it's really all just common sense. Think of a home as a hot air balloon, where you want to keep the air inside the balloon warm, and not let it leak out. But, you also want fresh air in the balloon, without loosing the heat. So, basically, it's a matter of reducing the leaks first and foremost; insulating effectively; & controlling moisture properly - you want the moisture in the balloon's air, not in the skin of the balloon. But, if some does get through the membrane & into the skin, you want that moisture to percolate to the outside of the balloon & escape. And finally, since fresh air is essential for our health, we want to blow a certain amount of stale air out of the balloon, while bringing in fresh air from the outside, but not loose the heat. So, for the first part, a building is much like the fabric of the hot-air balloon. On the structural side (the balloon frame, or skin) you want a thick warm blanket of insulation, snugged up tight around the frame. The insulation should be able to breath out, but not let moist air in. The skin of the balloon or house must be made tight on the inside - even a small leak can lead to a lot of warm, moist air getting into the insulation, which can condense and fill the wall with water & soggy insulation. So, use a good vapor barrier. Seal the connections where air can sneak in with elastomeric caulk, & long-life tape. Seal the holes in the outlet boxes with flexible, non-shrinking caulk or foam once the electrical is in. Seal the holes cut in the frame where pipes and wires go with flexible foam. Finally, add a heat exchanger. You won't need one if you've got a way of letting in enough fresh air for one air change an hour in the house, but to save the maximum energy, adding a heat exchanger pays for itself quickly. Basically, an air-to-air heat exchanger is a metal box with a fan, an air intake from the outside, and an exhaust port to the outside. The core in the heat exchanger works like the core in a car's heater - only instead of hot water flowing through the core in pipes, air flows through, and fresh air is passed over the fins. It's even simpler than that, but that's the basic idea. If you're on a tight budget, the best quick fixes are tighter doors/door seals; window films, and go along searching for the leaks where outside air is streaming into the house. Remember to not seal up too tight without an air exchanger (or window slightly ajar), because the fresh air is necessary - just not huge leaks. Truthfully, it's all so simple - efficiency can deliver up 90% improvements in our energy use, and the remaining 10% can more readily be supplied with green energy sources. It's blindingly simple, actually. What might have to change is - better attention to details with building envelopes, automotive shape, weight, and design, and better lighting use. I can't figure out why everyone keeps saying the changes will be so hard, or why it might reduce our standard of living! The only real loss will be for those cats that hang out around the windows and doors of houses, huddled up where the warm air is leaking out!:laugh3: (cats are useful heat-loss detectors in winter; in summer, cool loss detectors). And this whole scheme works as well in summer as it does in winter. If you're broiling hot, these changes will allow you to cool your house with very little energy! Still, many scientists & economists think it's some huge hurtle to be overcome - like it's some gut-wrenching change we have to make. Some people think it's beyond our scope to do this quickly. But it's all so easy. Maybe so easy that they just can't believe it?? I don't understand myself why the pessimism, or the idea that somehow we can't conquer the obvious.:thinking: Anyhow, that's my rant for today! :P Check This Out If You Haven't Seen It Already!:Design of new Mercedes-Benz bionic car inspired by fish body shape One thing to consider: Bird, fish, and anything else that zooms through water or air has a tail. Automobiles often do not. This causes many autos to have turbulence in the aft end, and a vacuum pulling on the vehicle as it travels. If we could simply make the aft end taper off, instead of a blunt truncation, we could move that drag coefficient from the .19 to .09 or less. Aptera does this in their design:Aptera - Drive And it's not a new idea. The Marmon Wasp which won the Indianapolis speedway race of 1909 had a tapered tail (a stinger, some might say). If the end were made of some soft, impact-absorbing material, I think this makes a great deal of sense as well.The Marmon Wasp

Thanks for the information, Cobalt! I had been wondering just that - and Australia isn't alone with the problem of lax forest management - California has similar issues, where the undergrowth has built up, much of it dead and tinder dry in places. Sounds like you could see this problem before it got going as well.. Here, the pines go up like flashbulbs; but Eucalyptus must be more so, with all the volatile oils. Anyhow, sad to hear the news about your country's predicament & I hope you're safe & sound!

Get a Job repairing elevators; repair the elevator!

did they bug my aunts place as well?