Hail to the ENVIRONMENTALISTS

George Will of The Washington Post wrote -

Forty years after “The Limits to Growth” imparted momentum to environmentalism, that impulse now is often reduced to children indoctrinated to “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” Lomborg calls recycling “a feel-good gesture that provides little environmental benefit at a significant cost.” He says that “we pay tribute to the pagan god of token environmentalism by spending countless hours sorting, storing and collecting used paper, which, when combined with government subsidies, yields slightly lower-quality paper in order to secure a resource” — forests — “that was never threatened in the first place.”

My comment - I did not write this - but I wish I did. Sometimes George Will Is Right On - Even A Stopped Clock is Right Twice a Day.

MACHINE RAGES AGAINST PAUL RYAN

Republican Vice Presidential Candidate

From The Huffington Post

Paul Ryan has previously cited Rage Against the Machine as his favorite band, but the group's guitarist isn't returning the niceties. In a blistering op-ed published Thursday night on Rolling Stone's website, Tom Morello blasts Mitt Romney's new VP choice as "the embodiment of the machine our music rages against."

In painting Ryan as antithetical to progress, Morello compares the Congressman's appreciation of RATM to Charles Manson's love for The Beatles and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's liking for Bruce Springsteen.

CARBON DIOXIDE - At Its Lowest Level In 20 Years

Natural Gas Fracking Well in Pennsylvania

Harry Wrote - 

Carbon Dioxide is a pretty harmless gas. It is produced by our body in our breath. It is also the product of burning - whether is be wood - coal - natural gas - gasoline - diesel fuel. Scientist called it a Greenhouse Gas. The more carbon dioxide in the air - the more the earth's atmosphere traps sunlight heat in - causing global warming. 

In the past I have been an advocate burning coal as a major fuel in our country. We have more coal than the Arabs have oil. We are able to make coal into a type of gasoline for autos. We can heat our homes and factories with coal cheaply. But coal adds more carbon dioxide into the air than natural gas. 

FSU FOOTBALL - Mark Stoops - The Future Can Wait

From Today's Tallahassee Democrat

Stoops wants to be a head coach, but in no rush

“I’m not worried about that whatsoever — the when and where and why. I’m just worried about right now and helping this team win. And that’s the truth.”

MARK STOOPS

By Corey Clark 

This much was certain after Mark Stoops concluded his 25-min­ute press conference with the local media recently.

The Florida State defensive co­ordinator wants to be a head coach someday, but he’s not going to take just any job.

“I‘m in a great situation,” said Stoops, who is considered a rising star in the profession.“I’m in a situ­ation where it’s one of the top coor­dinator jobs in the country. We have great players. Coach (Jimbo Fisher) has a fantastic structure. It gives me the ability to coach these guys and be successful. I mean, what else can you ask for? So it’s a great situation here.”

JOHN ORLANDO - On Romney's Tax Returns

Daytona Beach News-Journal

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Release the returns

Previously John Edwards, a Demo­crat, ran as a candidate to become his party’s nominee for president. He did this in spite of knowing he had fathered an illegitimate child. Had he been elect­ed and then this story was revealed, he would have created turmoil beyond be­lief — a situation that would have caused immeasurable harm to the pre­sidency and, in all likelihood, his resig­nation or impeachment. When I learned of this, along with the rest of the United States, I was incensed with his arro­gance and disregard for the well-being of our country.

IPADS - Selling Like Crazy

 

Steve Jobs introduced the iPad.

At the London Olympics - Apple gave out these little jewely quality iPad and iPhone pins.

When Apple made the first iPads - the critics went wild. They had very few specifics to complain about so they chose to mock the name as if it were a new feminine product. Apple created a completely new niche product - and in a couple short years - Americans can't do without it.

BLOG FORMAT - How Do You Like My New Web Page Format?

If you are a regular reader - you have noticed I have changed my web page layout.

This chart shows where my readers are from the last week.

I use the free web server called blogger.com - a service owned by Google. I have been posting my web page faithfully with them for 7 years. There has never been a charge nor a hint of one coming. If you like - you can post ads on your page and make money that way - but I have resisted. You would get paid my the number of "hits" on your ads. Hits is the name of the game in modern media. One day I got 1800 hits when I wrote a story about Elian Gonzalez - the Cuban custody battle boy.

LONDON - Last Picture Before Coming Home

We took the Tube to Heathrow Airport. Lulu made a feverish attempt to put her remaining pound notes to good use. 

As we were taxing out to the runway - I noticed this strange craft in front of Virgin Atlantic's service building. It did not take too long to realize it was a composite dummy airplane that is used by emergency crews to practice fire fighting and rescue work. The front looks like a Boeing 747 - the back looks like a DC-10 - and the wings look a bit like a Boeing 767. Notice the burn marks on the body from practice fires.

Since the plane looks pretty permanent there - I can imagine getting ready for takeoff and seeing that plane burning away with people jumping out of it. Gotta love those Brits.

LONDON SIGN - Moon Beever

This place was just down the street from our apartment. See Lulu.

LONDON - Transportation During the Olympics

Typical London Red Bus - that is a sweet ride in the top front seat.

Typical London Black Cab - seats 5 in the back.

From London Transport - During the Games - the subway Tube carried over 60 million passengers - an increase of 30 per cent compared to last year - that’s more passengers than at any time in the 149 year history. The local DLR trains carried over 6 million passengers - an increase of over 100 per cent compared to last year and London Overground trains carried almost 6 million passengers - an increase of 47 per cent compared to last year. Again - that’s more passengers than ever before. Traffic on the roads kept flowing and buses coped well.

CAR OF THE DAY - Routemaster Diesel Hybrid

This is the NB4L - New Bus For London - Routemaster

The bus has 3 doors - front - middle - back. Note the Wenloc statue in foreground. Wenloc is the symbol for the London 2012 Olympics.

GEORGE DAWSON - Sent This Picture of a Scamp from Montana

Scamp Fiberglass Travel Trailer

My friends George and Joel are on the camping trail. They sent this picture of a Scamp trailer to me. Every time I see one I have to tell my story of the one we had. 

In 1977 - when Lulu and I sold our newspaper - we were flush with cash. We bought a trailer like this and a 1977 Chevy Chevette - a very tiny car. We decided to make a tour around the USA in our Chevrolet.

The 1977 Chevy Chevette was red and had a 1600cc engine. It also had automatic transmission and no air conditioner. The Scamp was made of fiberglass. It weighed 900 pounds. We towed it with a 1000 pound rated bumper hitch - just three bolts into the bumper.

ROMNEY TAX RETURNS

Heathrow Airport - 9 Hours Home

Lulu met Mnazakan Iskandaryan. He won a gold medal in 1992 in Greco-Roman Wrestling. Note the Russian teammates behind him. I was surprised when she posed with him - he really liked it.

These frames are stupid - but we are a sucker for them.

We took the Piccadilly Line (blue line) directly from our apartment to Heathrow Airport. It took about one hour and made 15 stops. The train was packed for the first 3 stops - then it thinned out. We were able to get seats and ride sitting down the whole trip with our 6 bags stacked up. We took along a stroller for the kids and we used it to haul our big bags.

At the airport we had an hour to kill - and plenty of left over pounds to spend. Soon we were winging to Atlanta - the ride was smooth most of the way. Seats were full and they served two nice meals. 

Then we had one more flight from Atlanta to Tallahassee - our bags were booked right through. When we got to Tallahassee - the bags were already waiting for us. As we got off the plane - the warm/humid air of Tallahassee hit us - there was no mistaking where we were. Just like snowbirds fly to Florida in the winter - many folks leave Tallahassee for the cooler mountains up north in July and August.

Our friends Joel and George are camping in the Rockies. We have wan other neighbor that spends the whole summer in Miane. Before long we will all be together cheering for the Seminoles.

We are back to laundry - vacuuming - mowing the lawn - raking leaves - and soaking up the AC. Lulu's pool looks good - the pool guy did his job - the grass is cut - JC did his. It will take a few days for jet lag to go away - but we are home.

THE DAWSONS - Are Following Lewis and Clark's Trail West In Montana

George Dawson wrote -

We are now at the beginning of our third week of our trip and are getting into the routine of setting and breaking camp on the road.  Now that we are in the Northern Rockies and finally out of searing heat, we are enjoying being outside considerable more.   In the past couple of days we have not been driving all day long but taking time to raft, hike a bit and really relax.  Here are some short notes from the past two days of my journal which I have attempted sporadically.  

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Today we are taking on the Bitteroot Mts which we can cross in four hours or so but which took Lewis and Clark five weeks.  We will be driving and walking today and tomorrow on top of the footprints of Lewis and Clark where they experienced some of their toughest days on there great exploratory adventure.  They crossed these mountains in September and October, 1805 and returned headed east in May and June 1806.  There are roadside markers and place names related to that expedition all along our route (US 12).  

Tuesday August 7th - Last Day in London - Now They Know How Many Holes It Takes To Fill The Albert Hall.

 Across the street in the background is the Royal Albert Concert Hall.

On Sunday - Monday - and Tuesday - all our guests left London for home. Lulu and I were lonely and homesick so we just decided to tour the city by foot - bus - and subway - just the two of us.

We walked to Hyde Park where the Triathlon was going on. They also had giant screens set up so people could watch Olympic events if they did not have tickets. 

Then we went to see the Royal Albert Hall and the Prince Albert Memorial. Queen Victoria pined over Albert for 50 years after he died. 

Next we walked south to the Victoria and Albert Museum - an impressive collection of buildings similar to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington - no admission fee. Portions of the paintings - jewelry - and statuary reminded me of the Louvre in Paris. 

After all that walking - we had a dinner at home on leftovers from our frig. 

We were tempted to make one more try to get Olympic tickets - but watched the events from home instead. 

The next morning we had to leave the apartment at 8 AM - take the blue line subway to the airport - then we had a 9 hour flight to Atlanta. We ended up spending the night in Atlanta - and then flew into Tallahassee at 9 AM this morning.

We have been away from home for 40 days - almost 6 weeks. I will be posting a review with a picture form each day.

This is the Prince Albert Memorial in Hyde Park

 Lulu is dwarfed by the giant statue and hall.

In Hyde Park is the Princess Diana Memorial Pool. It is a granite circle with water flowing through it. Kids can play in it - some strip down to their underwear and wade in the water.

At the Victoria and Albert Museum you can see damage left over from the World War II Battle of Britain. I have my hand in a hole made by a big piece of shrapnel from a bomb. Brits will never repair these holes - they are badges of honor.

BURLESQUE SHOW - Harry Burlesque Virgin Last Night

In order to become more well-rounded - Harry along with his escort Lulu - saw their first burlesque "art" show.

The Duchess Theatre is within walking distance of our apartment. Yesterday - while walking by - Lulu suggested that we get tickets. At the box office - tickets ranged from 20 pounds in the rafters to 60 pounds in the prime stalls. We were lucky to get the "producer's seats" according to the ticket seller for 40 pounds each. They were third row from the stage - exactly in the middle. 

The 8 PM show filled up quickly. The agent reminded us that there is no plot to follow. It is just comedy - dancing - singing - and "entertaining." To my surprise - I would say 90% of the crowd were women - mainly small groups of ladies out for a night of drinks and fun. It is not the kind of crowd I expected to watch a burlesque show.

The entire cast was 8 women between the ages of 25 and 29. They appeared in many states of dress and undress - imitating singers like Madonna and Lady Gaga. There were plenty of suggestive routines and dialog. The women at all times appeared in some sort of garments - even if they were only pasties and a g-string. There was no total nudity. 

I was surprised at what talented singers and dancers they were. They were all in excellent shape and coniditon - not an ounce of cellulite anywhere - not in any way bovine.

After 2 hours of getting the audience to participate in clapping - singing - dancing - just like that it was over. Lulu was a good sport - she seemed just as interested as I was. After the show - we walked home.