Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Oil Glut
It is time for someone to explain to me, and the rest of the world, why oh why the price of gas is going through the roof.
As I recall we have been told that the price of gas at the gas station should not go up because that fuel has already been paid for. West Texas crude traded for as low as $81 per barrel in December.
Those increases have happened despite a glut of surplus oil at the Cushing, Ok.., delivery point for New York Mercantile Exchange crude oil futures. That is due primarily to the flow of oil coming down from Canada. (This from the Des Moines Register). U.S. now gets less than 20 percent of its imported oil from the Middle East.
There are at minimum 2.5 million abandoned oil and gas wells, none permanently capped, littering the US, and an estimated 20-30 million globally. There is no known technology for securely sealing these tens of millions of abandoned wells. Why can't these wells be retapped and the oil used?
Exxon Mobil’s announcement in 2008 that it broke its own record for quarterly profits by hauling in $11.7 billion in the second quarter-the largest profit for any company ever. 2008 was considered one of the hardest years when the oil went up as it is doing this year. Exxon didnt hurt in 2008. They made billions when they too were suppose to be hurting.
So tell me now....why are we paying the prices at the pumps again?
Bubble Wrapped Kids
School sack races cancelled by health and safety - because the children might fall over
Last updated at 2:49 AM on 14th July 2008
Children have been banned from taking part in sack and three-legged races at their school sports day in case they hurt themselves.
The decision has been slammed as 'completely over the top' and of no benefit.
Teachers at John F Kennedy Primary in Washington, Tyne and Wear, dropped the popular events after discussions with Beamish Open Air Museum, where an Edwardian-themed sports day is being held today.
Teachers at the John F. Kennedy Primary school have scrapped the sports day sack race fearing children will fall over
Children taking part are to dress in period costume and play old-fashioned games as part of the school's centenary celebrations.
Events such as running, hopping and throwing ping-pong balls into buckets will take place, but it was decided that the sack and three-legged races were far too risky.
Simon Woolley, head of education at Beamish in County Durham, said: "We looked at a three-legged race and a sack race but what we want to do is minimise the risk to the children.
'We had to assess which of the activities were liable to cause a risk. We thought we would be better to do hopping and running instead because there was less chance of them falling over.'
The decision has come under fire by the Campaign Against Political Correctness group.
Founder Laura Midgely, of Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, said: 'It's health and safety rules gone mad. I think it's completely over the top.
'Why should these activities be so dangerous when they're fine in every other school? We certainly had no problems with these events when I was at school.
'In any case, the worst thing that could possibly happen is the children fall over.
'They're going to fall over doing any event aren't they?
'Three-legged races are very constructive and involve teamwork . . . they are good for a number of reasons. It's a great shame.'
Around 375 children aged four to 11 are taking part in the event.
Teacher and organiser Gill Hanley said: "As far as I know, an awful lot of schools haven't done these kind of activities for a long time so I don't see that it's a problem.
'We decided we had too many events anyway and we wanted the easiest things that we could get for the children to take part in.'
Friday, March 4, 2011
Keep on flying, keep on flying
On the way home today I needed to stop my car to let it cool down. I sat there and talked on my phone for a bit and watched a red-tailed hawk soar against the high winds. I noticed hanging from his legs two long strings which I am sure are training strings for raptor birds.
I only hope he/she is not a missing bird from an worried owner. Phone calls made to alert and hope the hawk is ok and will not get tangled in something.
For now he is a free spirit in the wind...keep on flying keep on flying.....
Yard Yack
It is that time of year when everything is melting and because of this melting snow things are being discovered or rediscovered and uncovered to the sounds of "ewwww yuck".
The once white snow has gone to dirty gray with bits of trash here and there and lots of animal stuff here and there is varying sizes in piles, mounds and small mountains. There is no easy way across the mine fields of dog do (or don't). I find myself stepping around each pile only to face another, looking like Indiana Jones walking across the booby trapped floor to get the idol.
It is that time between two seasons....Winter and Spring...Yard Yack season. Enough branches and limbs of varying sizes that, if I utilized my hot glue gun, I could create a tree large enough to dwarf some of the taller oaks in the yard. Or pile them up and burn them come summer for a great bonfire that can be seen from space.
Battle Of the Puddle Pirate
We accept too much from the Weather Science Dudes. We are told that with storms you will get thunder, wind and lightening and these things come from clouds banging together and stuff like that. To that I say PAH or better yet.....AARRRR! I know for certain they come from the Puddle Pirates and their battles.
With each downpour you will see where large puddles will form. It is best if there is one of these large puddles on each side of a house.
The wind picks up and on that wind comes the pirates already arguing about who makes the best hot chocolate or if it should have marshmallows or not. They find two good puddles and the battle begins.
At times you can hear the arguments in the battle/storm. Flash boom goes the cannon (lightening and thunder). At times you will hear a loud rumble. Don't worry, those are just the cannon balls rolling across a roof.
The battle ends when the mermaid sitting nearby gives the score for the winner. And as quickly as the Battle of the Puddle Pirate started it ends with the wind shifting them into a different part of the clouds....on to the next Battle of the Puddle Pirates.
For Love of a Lovie
We all deserve a Lovie. Just because we have "grown out of it" I find my husband and I still fight over who has our Lovies....his lovie pillow and mine have just the right soft squish to it.
All children have that special Lovie, be it a pillow, blanket, stuffed doll, or piece of clothing. We grab for it before bed, when there is a storm, at quiet moments or when we are ready to go on flights of fancy. We would use the blanket (blankie) as a cape, flying carpet or just roll up in its warmth.
Blankie would be dragged through the foulest, germ riddled parts of the earth creating its own bit of life forms on the surface and deep in its well worn threads. Adults would devise plots to get Lovie away from a child in hopes to clean away that wonderful filth which has become a danger to all passing person.
When Lovie is snagged for its "bath" the drama begins. Weeping for the loss of a friend. Sitting in front of the washer and dryer as it goes through its cycles. Catching a glimpse of Lovie as it moves from washer to dryer only brings on new harder tears. When it is finally removed from the dryer the child would bury his/her face into the warmth of Lovie, breath in its new fragrance and race off to start the cycle all over again.....flying carpet, tug of war and dragging through the refuse of the world.
Today we as adults have our pillows and blankies. They have become bigger and we still fight over the comfort of the favorite ones. We still roll up into the warmth of that fluffy blanket fresh from the dryer, argue who has who's pillow.
We were told as children we would grow out of our obsession with a Lovie but in fact we just lose one Lovie and move on to larger ones and even more of them.