Warm Water...

Here is a report on ocean temperatures from the BBC that will give you sleepless nights thinking about your grand children...

Opps, wrong article, this one's about biofuels and their viability...

The ocean article discussed the change of the mean ocean temperature by 1 degree towards the warmer.

That is one big heat sink.

And the amount of energy it takes to do that,

as well as how much energy has to be released to get it back to "normal"...

We are in for some rough weather...


http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/5369284.stm

Cold Weather

Our first freeze of the year came through today.

Just at 32f, not all that cold, but we have some rain today so I am being Mr. Conservative and staying home.

I emailed the files I was working on to myself last night so through the miracle of modern technology.

In my younger days I was a good employee and dutifully made my way through 20 miles of icy roads. Had my slips and slides with out accidents.

In my younger days was was not so bright and my cars back then were clunkers.

Since then I've been hit by others (My dark gray Maxima seemed to be a magnet! Three times in as many years) and been stuck in rentals for a week at a time.

So Z and I are once again working together.

Politics

I was reading an article on the BBC and it referred to a group here in America touting "guns, god, and personal ownership of land" as the saving of America.

They are the American Policy Center.

They disclaim global warming.

They have Petition forms on their web site all you have to do is print, sign and mail out.
Fortunately, form letters to politians look like form letters, and do not get as much clout as individual hand written notes from actual people.

But I noticed in reading one of their reports, they throw around the word titles such as "liberal", "alarmist", etc. in an effort to cloud the issue.

Whether or not someone may or may not be "liberal" or "alarmist", Nature doesn't care.

And as we have seen, Nature will swat us down and think nothing of it...

"Liberal" is from the word "Liberty"
which is from the French word
"Free".

Had the founding fathers been
Conservative,
we'd be using
the Britsh Pound
today...

And thanks to the Liberal 60's (the 1860's was well as 1960's) we no longer own people as property.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/index.html

Times change

I was tromping through old entries.
May of 2005 we were planning our wedding and moving Z south.
I miss Z's entries. (Curse you diary-X for not backing up the server).

Life was colorful and sex hazed.

Things are much much more settled.
No more Boob brush women and older potential love interests.
***
I had coffee with Older Woman (see May 2005) this week.
Was surreal.
Originally we hung out and went out because we both wanted to get the other in bed.
That is no longer viable.
So if we are to forge a friendship of sorts, it has to be based on Other things.
I don't know for sure if we have enough Other things in common.

Her daughter has moved out with friends.

She, like me, no longer attends church.
Like mine, her church went through massive growth and the politics shine thru in such instances.

I asked if there was any romantic interests in her life.
Not at the moment.

She has been working and taking classes. Not much social life.

I recommended finding a lover with no strings attached for meeting the physical needs we all have. Someone to go to the museum with and a show.

I don't have any single guy friends I could introduce her too. Though I doubt she'd be interested in them...

Who knows.

Hot Peppers

Herpes brought me to the world of blogging.

At that time it was tramatic.
(Society doesn't approve of STDs.)

Some how
you are expected
to live life
with out
getting any bumps or bruises
of the Sexual Kind.

When you see someone
with a broken arm,
or a scar,
or cut,
it means
they were

Trying Something.

Life rewards those who

Try Something.

Payment for those scraped knees.
***
Once upon a time,
a woman,
or a man,
came across a
Jalapeno Pepper and
decided it might be something
they'd like to
Eat.

Now I bet that first man
or woman
was taken by
suprise.

But thousands of years later,
we still
Eat them.

Why?
Because they are
good!
They add
Spice to life!
(that and some folks just like to hurt themselves!)

Same goes for STDs
and those who have them.

Handle the Pepper correctly and with care,
and you can enjoy it every night.

Handle STDs with respect
and you can enjoy
those who have them

without

getting burned.
***
In preparing a jalapeno,
you can handle it
without gloves
so long as you do not have any open wounds on your hands.

(Same with Herpes.)

When using gloves while cutting peppers, remember to avoid touching any sensitive membranes,
such as your eyes,
or nose.

The peppers will let you know...

And the same with Herpes.

Wear protection.
Don't let any juices come in contact with sensitive membranes,
ie. soft tissues that are kept moist by the body,
and you can safely enjoy
the pleasures of
life.

Happy Thanks Givin' Y'all

Z and I signed off on the finishes for the House on Monday.

The builder's staff have been wonderful.

Now it's time to start the waiting!

House!!!

***
Z's old Nebraska office called to ask for help on a project she installed years ago.

The new project manager is one of her bestest friends.

Bestest friend went through channels to be on the up and up.

Z's former imeadiate supervisor nixed it.

She has personal grudge against Z leaving.

This job would have involved site visits.
(Z had already planned her Crain Coffee visits, what, where, and whens.)

Bestest friend will not bother with channels on the next job.

***

New house,
new job,
good friends,
Z has her own company,

life is good!

Good fences

When my family moved from the north west to Texas in the early 70's, we lived for a time in a rental my uncle owned in Farmers Branch.

Today, the city of FB passed an ordinance making English the Official language.

The hispanics in Texas have not gotten a good deal in the history of Texas.
And this new ordinance has caused some commotion.

A man on a bull horn yelled that it will cause hatred and discrimination.

If the man with the bull horn REALLY wanted to solve a problem, yelling through a bull horn isn't the way to do it.

No one who can do anything about it will be listening to the man with the bull horn.
Only the people he REALLY wanted to hear him...
the media.

Anyway.

Where was the guy with the horn when the South Texas town of El Cenizo, adopted Spanish as the Official Language in a country of English speakers???

Farmers Branch wants to make English, in a town in an English speaking country, the Official Language,
let them do it...

As far as I know, the ordinance didn't make speaking other languages

illegal...
***
Texas politicians in their infinite wisdom, have decided to build a

700 MILE

fence on the Mexican Border.

(We get to pay for it).

The Great Wall of China didn't stop the Huns.

It's bad politics to placate and get a vote from Biggots...

(You can cut my lawn, just don't live near me or speak Spanish to me)

colors?

Zelda and I stopped by the selection office today to pick colors and materials, and stuff...

The nice thing is... with the discount we received, we can get the upgrades we want, and still keep under our price.

Or, keep our total numbers down and upgrade later.

Wooo Hooo!!!

For my own reference

This entry is more for myself than y'all.

I have important info just a mouse click away.


SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4304
202-224-5922
202-224-0776
(FAX)202-224-5903 (TDD)


SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
LB 606
10440 N. Central Expressway
Suite 1160
Dallas, Texas 75231
214-361-3500
214-361-3502 (FAX)

May I have 12 minutes of your time?

Have you heard the latest about the Internet?

AT&T wants to provide us with on demand movies, content, etc.

But what it means to have this kind of service is there is a cost.

that cost will be,
AT&T, because it owns the wires that provide access, will decide what gets on the Internet, what will not get on the internet, and finally
how much it will cost
you
to access what they want us to see...

Save the Internet.com has a 12 minute informational video that you can take from the link above to "video", then "pick more videos", then sellect "Humanity Lobotomy".
Or cut and paste the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rNg_FVaPek

From my letter to
Rep. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas)

"I am concerned over the possible loss of internet neutrality.

Corporations already control our newspapers, increasingly our radio stations, and what be buy, read, and listen too.

AT&T charges me $40.00 a month for internet access,
$70.00 for my wife and I to have cell phones,
and $20 a month for the land line to provide that internet access.

My wife has a small business working from home that depends upon the internet.

As my elected official, I ask that you protect the Neutrality of the Internet for my wife, or me, and my children.

Sincerely,

"

Elections

I am happy with the Election returns.

Yes I am upset with the War.
If that's what you can call it.

The media would have us believe that the War was the main reason We the People voted Democratic Party.

I would like to point out that we are much more complicated than a one issue vote.

I am more upset with the corruption and arrogance and "we are The Power" than Bush's personal problems.

With that being said...

Write your congressmen/women about your views on Clean Elections.

the Move II

Zelda and I need to purge our home and the thought, the theory is, moving will help us take only that which we need.

So in the mean time, we are pack rats.

It's difficult to purge because we are so good at avoiding it...

That and we seem to be adding daily to the problem...

Maybe a week's vacation and a real determination (and un plug the TV) could do it.

I think it has more to do with a realist system that helps us everyday.

***

The cats should like the new place too.
We pulled up the old wall to wall carpet and exposed the vinyl tile.
The new place will have wall to wall, which will give them much better traction.
"Hammy, More pad, less claw."

There are also many more windows and window seats!

good news

As Zelda and I were waiting to buy our tickets at the Drive In last night, Zelda called to tell her brother about our home news.

He trumped her and shared that he proposed to K last night.

My ears are still ringing from the squeals of joy!

The Move

Yes, Zelda and I decided to sign yesterday on the new house...

Partially it was to secure a reduced price on some of the up grades.
I guess we maybe signed a week earlier than we may have planned.
***
We have signed a deal with the Devil...
other wise known as
the H.O.A.

Amusing and scary at the same time.
I, a free American Citizen,
am 'voluntarily' signing away many of my Rights over my property to a Corporation that can legally determine my paint color, so as to preserve the value of my 'investment'.

Translation,
we are willing to sell our souls for
the True G-d,
Money.

Crazy...

But I have to say that Zelda's parent's neighborhood community looks great and would be a place I'd want to live Because they DO have a HOA.

I do want to pursue enegery saving items such as solar and maybe wind...
though I might have to sign on as President to get it passed!

Next Christmas and Thanks Giving is at our place!

Blog spot is creating a new blog page

which I am not sure about...
I may create another blog to test it out...
you can't go back to the old system once you switch.

Part of it I am not sure about is,
you have to create a Google account,

And I'd like to limit the amount of info Google knows about me.

(did you know that the creators of Google have purposely worked their personal info so that they DO NOT show up on the same system which they use to make $$$,$$$,$$$,$$$,$$$ collecting and Selling Your info?!)
***
That being Said.

Zelda and I signed a contract on our New Home!

Four to Six months from now, we'll be moving into our first new home!

What to do...

Texas continues to grow.
Our population that is.

(Unless the Rio Grande changes its course, the land mass is constant.)

In order to meet this demand for more energy, the Current, (and now re-elected) Govenor has fast tracked the construction of 14 or so Coal fired Electric plants.

I favor solar and wind solutions.
Wind especially.
And Texas is now the number one wind generating state in the US.

But I can understand the Govenor's position, even though I disagree with him.

Coal takes a lot of energy.
Human and other wise.

People have to
mine it,
sell it,
buy it,
ship it,
burn it,
clean up after it,
legislate it,
etc., etc., etc.

Build a wind generator and although it produces clean renewable perpetual engery, it doesn't employ many folks...

***
That being said.
What good does having a lot of jobs if the world is so poluted you can't breathe?

The USA consumes more energy than any other country.
The USA creates more polution than any other country.

The state of Texas produces more Carbon Dioxide (green house gas) than the entire country of Great Britain. (GB uses alot of Nuclear instead).

If I recall, Texas is number 13 on the list of CD producers.
That is
Country
country,
country,
country,
country,
country,
country,
country,
country,
country,
country,
country,
Texas,
Great Britain (a country)...

***
Fortunately, there are many concerned people, including many Mayors of important Texas Cities, who are ready to do something about the Coal Burning and polution.

Namely,
sue the Govenor and the power companies...

rock on!

Texas Energy Codes

Dear Sir,

I am writing to ask about the new Texas energy codes impacting the Construction Industry.
As an Architect, I am required now to implement energy efficient design, which I am happy to do.
I care deeply about the state of the Natural Environment and the Human impact.

My question to you, the writers of the new energy code are as follows...

1) Why is it, that spaces in which people work 8 hours a day, are limited in the amount and type of lighting (namely flourescent), while retail spaces may still use large amounts of electricity to show off merchandise, that, to be honest, could care less about the quality of light they have.

2) Why is it that residential builders here in North Texas are allowed to install the entire Air Conditioning/Heating Unit in the unconditioned Attic Space?
Would it not be more prudent to design systems that are encapsulated totally With-In the conditioned space?

My attic typically gets upwards of 150 degrees in the summer and in the 30s in the winter.
(Seems counter intuitive to pump 55 degree air through a 95 degree temperature difference, even with the duct work insulated. Same goes for pushing 100 degree air through 30 degrees)

Research by University faculty have shown that placing the air handler in an interior closet, and by building the house on a perimeter bond beam, a void is created benieth the home into which the conditioned air is pumped and directed into the various rooms through floor vents. Thus eliminating the need for expensive duct work.

This would also mitigate some of the expansive clay soil movement under those same houses, reducing repairs, etc.
Sincerely,

Troubled

Umm...
I was going to write about energy and politics... but my naked wife becons...

back later

Fall Football

This is the first season in ten years I have not had season tickets to Aggie Football.

Odd to be at home on Saturdays.

But nice at the same time...

College Station is about 3 hour drive.
Add in a 4 hour game.
And it makes for a Long Day.

That and my bride is a KState fan.

So, it's been nice to spend it with Her.

City Love Letter

We received a Love Letter from the City today regarding a "leaf pile", that is most likely our compost pile.

Seems there is something potentially illegal about it and would warrant a "fine" or "lien" on the property.

Aikido promotes blending with the conflict.
Something I need to continue practicing...

***
The city recently changed our trash pick up.
It went from twice a week to once a week.
And from trash cans to "the trash can we provide".

So most folks in the neighborhood have had "over flow" problems.
The City has offered a remedy for this City induced problem...
We will charge you and provide an additional trash can.

(In addition, the Bulk Trash Pick Up that had been monthly, is now every other month.
There is no scheduled bulk pickup for January.
It will be interesting to see how the post Christmas clean up happens...)
***
Zelda and I don't have this trouble.

First we recycle.
90% of our trash is recycled.
It takes about a month to fill up our regular trash.
While our recycle bins go out everyother week.

And second
we compost.

Coffee grounds,
garden waste,
banana peels,
grass clippings.
Any old food stuffs.
Egg shells.
(no meat products which cause vermin and odor problems)

The standard method of dealing with yard clippings is to bag it and put it in the trash.
Which goes to the land fill, and is taken out of the life cycle, burried between layers of plastic used to contain toxic fluids and heavy metals, also thrown out, from making its way into the water table.

Composting is promoted by the state through the State Parks.

We are keeping the biowaste created in our home/yard here on the property where it can be used to improve the local soils.

No fossil fuels needed to ship it off to the dump.

No money made...

Maybe That's the real problem...
***
America, land of the ...'free'.

opps... typo

that should read

"fee"

The Universe

Zelda often says she is Impatient.

And I counter that maybe the Universe is trying to teach her something...

It helps to be aware of when it's MY turn to be taught.

The builder 'never got back to us' on that counter-counter offer on the house.

And we have to be satisfied that Zelda and I did everything with in our power to give the builder a sweet deal.
(More expensive lot, up grades in the house, add the room over the garage, sign a check that very night.)

There isn't anything else we can do that I am aware.

And so, the Universe is trying to tell me something.

Exactly What, remains a mystery to me...

Could be...

Should have acted sooner...

or...

wait for something else...

or...

something...

Settle for what you have available.

And on to more important things....