I was left here while the spouse went to a public hearing on building a supposed "hybrid" coal plant in southwest Virginia. Do we need MORE coal plants at a time when we are experiencing weather extremes related to global warming? It certainly won't reduce the price of gasoline.
Gasoline, uh, it's ridiculous at $4.00 a gallon! When I was a kid it was about 25 CENTS (!) a gallon. And so many people out there are driving big SUVs and vans and not doing anything to conserve energy. If our state and federal governments worked with us on these issues, maybe we wouldn't have to pay all that money, and have cleaner air too!
We NEED TO REGULATE GASOLINE and it needs to be done worldwide. It is not a commodity to be gambled on like gold, silver or pork bellies. The oil companies are making all this money. They should take some responsibility for the recession they are causing. They should be made to do some drilling and work with the government on conservation and alternative energy programs. Why couldn't they help finance hybrid cars and railroad service in rural areas? They have enough profits that they could afford this!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tubing can be fun, needing to get away,
Sometimes you just need to get away for, you know, a day or two. Just to forget about all your bills for a while and to be less stressed (a somewhat healthy idea) and have a little good, clean fun. Well, we found that visiting friends in North Carolina who used to live by us. And their idea of a fun, cheap diversion was just right.
The second day with them we went down to a place on Green River that has these huge, colorful tubes (the donut hole is not cut out for younger children, who can be "towed" by a stronger adult). A bus took us to a place along Green River to start out, and before we were in the water a minute we hit rapids. They were not the boat churning, tip you over in an instant kind, but the kind that toss you a bit as you sit in the tube on your back. You can also lean forward on your stomach. This didn't seem comfortable to me, so I stayed on my back --- but I got sunburned later (and should have shifted position more often).
This 3 mile water trek took us by some slow "riffles" and some real good dips. In a few places, I had to use my shoe -- an old one I allowed to get all wet-- to push off of the big, jutting out rocks. It seemed a little hairy a few times, because it was my first time going tubing. We went as a group and tried to stay near each other; sometimes, if someone got too far ahead, he or she would grasp a passing branch and hang on and wait.
We weren't given any special instructions, but our friends said to watch out for jutting out branches because they could smack you in the face. And if you wore glasses you could lose them! So I was careful to keep away from branches and hand paddled away from them, and put a string around my glasses (got it at Walmart) to help keep from losing my glasses. It was quite a ride and you got some exercise too!
The spouse also did some fishing and we did a little hiking and ate a "cookie" cake for our friends' grandaugther's birthday. I guess that hit the spot.
The second day with them we went down to a place on Green River that has these huge, colorful tubes (the donut hole is not cut out for younger children, who can be "towed" by a stronger adult). A bus took us to a place along Green River to start out, and before we were in the water a minute we hit rapids. They were not the boat churning, tip you over in an instant kind, but the kind that toss you a bit as you sit in the tube on your back. You can also lean forward on your stomach. This didn't seem comfortable to me, so I stayed on my back --- but I got sunburned later (and should have shifted position more often).
This 3 mile water trek took us by some slow "riffles" and some real good dips. In a few places, I had to use my shoe -- an old one I allowed to get all wet-- to push off of the big, jutting out rocks. It seemed a little hairy a few times, because it was my first time going tubing. We went as a group and tried to stay near each other; sometimes, if someone got too far ahead, he or she would grasp a passing branch and hang on and wait.
We weren't given any special instructions, but our friends said to watch out for jutting out branches because they could smack you in the face. And if you wore glasses you could lose them! So I was careful to keep away from branches and hand paddled away from them, and put a string around my glasses (got it at Walmart) to help keep from losing my glasses. It was quite a ride and you got some exercise too!
The spouse also did some fishing and we did a little hiking and ate a "cookie" cake for our friends' grandaugther's birthday. I guess that hit the spot.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Organic Insecticide, try to hypermile
We have gotten a garden underway in the last week or two and it is about time. We have several tomato plants ( 3 are in pots now), green (bell) peppers, onions getting big, and a recent crop of bean plants near the zucchini hills. But only the tomatoes and the onions with their acidic/spicy parts are not full of holes.
So I went to Mike McGrath's (Mr. Organic) website and then did a search through http://forum.gardenweb.com and learned that you can try a soapy mixture you can make yourself! Yes, you can make a basically organic insecticide you spray on the leaves. For each quart of water add a teaspoon of Ivory Liquid (the liquid dish soap) and about a half cup of oil and shake up and spray it on the leaves. It is supposed to be done in the early morning or late afternoon. I did it in the evening, but I thought rain was threatening. But it didn't rain. So, will the soap be too toxic? My pepper and bean plants look like Swiss cheese, I don't think they could do worse. My cabbage plants are only "partly" holey.
So, I try to be hopeful about the garden. Better than I feel about the price of gasoline. At almost $4 a gallon it's ridiculous! What is it, gold or something? And why should commodity traders gamble on such a neccesity item? It should be regulated, just like utility companies! Even Saudi Arabia thinks the price of oil is too high!
There was an article in Reader's Digest about a fellow who "hypermiles" and I may try that. It's not complicated. Things like no fast starts or stops. You 'gradually' slow down to the stop sign or light. You have to be a conscious driver. If you live in a windy, hilly area, that's good. Use those hills to coast down and use less gas! You should also fill up in the morning when the gas is denser and then less will evaporate! Oh, and I need a new gas cap as well to keep in gas!
So I went to Mike McGrath's (Mr. Organic) website and then did a search through http://forum.gardenweb.com and learned that you can try a soapy mixture you can make yourself! Yes, you can make a basically organic insecticide you spray on the leaves. For each quart of water add a teaspoon of Ivory Liquid (the liquid dish soap) and about a half cup of oil and shake up and spray it on the leaves. It is supposed to be done in the early morning or late afternoon. I did it in the evening, but I thought rain was threatening. But it didn't rain. So, will the soap be too toxic? My pepper and bean plants look like Swiss cheese, I don't think they could do worse. My cabbage plants are only "partly" holey.
So, I try to be hopeful about the garden. Better than I feel about the price of gasoline. At almost $4 a gallon it's ridiculous! What is it, gold or something? And why should commodity traders gamble on such a neccesity item? It should be regulated, just like utility companies! Even Saudi Arabia thinks the price of oil is too high!
There was an article in Reader's Digest about a fellow who "hypermiles" and I may try that. It's not complicated. Things like no fast starts or stops. You 'gradually' slow down to the stop sign or light. You have to be a conscious driver. If you live in a windy, hilly area, that's good. Use those hills to coast down and use less gas! You should also fill up in the morning when the gas is denser and then less will evaporate! Oh, and I need a new gas cap as well to keep in gas!
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