Very Interesting Read!

Can a Burger Help Solve Climate Change?
This article in the online version of the New Yorker will open in a new window

So, what do YOU think? We've actually been thinking along the same lines for some time now, which is why I stopped eating red and very fatty meats over a decade ago.

It's a fairly long read, but it has its merits. Red meat just isn't good for you, but still, millions, if not more around this dying globe we call home, eat red-meat. I group the need for red-meat the same as smoking: people continue to smoke though they fully realize they will most likely die a very slow, agonizing painful and awful death, but who's worrying about that now?

What have you done to improve your health and future? Are you a family member who decides what to cook for everyone? Are you helping to keep your family healthy, strong for a sustainable future where the planet as well as its inhabitants all being responsible and accountable, and treating themselves and other species with respect and care?

The main issue here though, is that WE, as a common group concerned for not only our welfare and well-being but of our sons and daughter who will eventually take our place on this dying choking world, should take a serious stand NOW to change our daily routine and routines, and change our diets now. Will the results of one family or even one community stop the earth from dying sometime after the year 2050?

Anyone who has a real concern for their personal health should be thinking of real actions to take, after reading this article. It seems that the year 2050 will be a turning point in the survival of the race we call Humans. Humans have created this problem, first with the development of the plastic product, then the destruction and healing of the ozone, and now the methods necessary to control and eventually STOP climate change throughout the planet.

I sincerely believe there are many who say all this talk and screaming about climate change and the greenhouse effect is all nonsense, but as we live in a world where constant change is the norm, and every season is an extreme of more and more floods, fires, and famine, every day should be built around a personal plan in what can WE each can do to call more attention to this, what will our personal actions be, and finally, can anyone actually convince each individual who calls this planet home, to make the change or die, or at least the children of our sons and daughters will be faced with a future world of extreme unknowns.

What will YOU do?

Clouds seen while on the Road

Well, during the past few weeks we've put more putting miles on that odometer, and this week is NO exception. We are again in the higher latitudes, not high enough to see the aurora forecast for the next few days, but high enough to be able to drive a few hours if the skies were clear (NOT!), to see some green meanies!

We didn't stop as many times on the drive up as we would have liked, but it was still nice with some very nice clouds, and here's a few snaps of the clouds.

We knew in advance the area was getting rain, and sure enough, as we got into the last miles of our looong drive, the rain began. By time we arrived at our final destination Sunday evening, it was pouring down quite nice. 

It's nice of Mother Nature to be so kind to clean our poor dirty minivan!

On the other hand, we regularly pass through Michigan, and this drive was again no exception. Michigan has an interstate speed limit of 70 miles per hour (mph), but still the cars zip by us as if we were standing still. I guessimate their speeds far exceed Michigan's speed limit of 70mph, and we often see cars racing on the interstate roadways. I have often complained of vehicles in the states of New York, Pennsylvania and especially Michigan, how they pass even over double yellow NO-passing lanes, on curves, and seem to enjoy driving at the speed of illegal and suddenly stop approximately two feet behind your back bumper. 

In my opinion, there is NO way to prevent a deadly accident on any roadway while driving 70mph or faster. By allowing vehicles to drive 70mph and above, the state is basically saying you can get to your destination faster, and to the cemetery even faster! It's bad enough that most vehicles that cause an accident kill others while seemingly the vehicles causing those accidents disappear into the distance to again speed recklessly another day. In one recent incident in Michigan, a pickup truck zoomed up to pass but instead encountered two trucks side-by-side, one passing the other. The truck simply veered suddenly to the right of both trucks, passing both on the interstate shoulder, and disappeared within seconds!

The overall sad thing about higher speed limits, is that drivers drive fast everywhere. It seems in these states and others, drivers speed faster than the posted speed limit everywhere, since they are already used to speeding faster than the speed limit. Yesterday, we saw two black sedans racing each other at what I estimated to be 85mph, weaving in and out of traffic, with no regard to the safety of others nor for themselves. Then we passed by a state trooper on the side of the road, after having stopped some other vehicle, but those two speeding racing vehicles had passed by them just minutes ago!!

This story doesn't end there. We are saddened to see so many signs with the following sad words CRASH INVESTIGATION SITE, and the frequency of these signs appearing on roadways is increasing!! We saw one such sign in New York state roadways even, the first ever! On this trip, after crossing into Michigan from the southeast, there must have been 10 and more of these signs. I don't think anyone can see these signs since they are driving faster than the speed of signs!

Wherever you are, stay at a safe speed, and that speed should be the speed you can safely control your vehicle should a situation present you with a split-second decision to decide what action to take: stop, slow down, or steer away. At the top speed of 70mph or faster, any one of the three actions I mentioned, will most likely result in a roll-over, a collision with another vehicle, or all. Other vehicles will then be affected also, building into a high-speed crash scenario that is encouraged by many states by increasing the speed limit. 

How many have, and will die because of these high speeds? How many innocent drivers who are driving below the displayed speed of 70mph, will be affected and/or be seriously injured or killed?

You can write, email or call your state transportation representative or others, to voice your opinion that speed limits need to be lowered. No matter what happens, all of us are affected in one way or another.....  

What will YOU do?

Have you had a close-call with a speeding driver? Please share your experience, detailing the location, the direction you were headed, and what was the posted speed limit....

It's been said before lots but I seriously don't think many are hearing it: BE SAFE OUT THERE!

I Never Realized.....

On a very recent road trip, we again passed through Ohio and decided to see what else Ohio has to offer....  

Guess what: WE love covered bridges and guess what Ohio has? A LOT of covered bridges, to the tune of 125 with many still in use. Pennsylvania has the most covered bridges in the USA, with 219 bridges in all!

Here's a view of the Olin-Dewey Road Bridge, located in the Ohio county of Ashtabula, located about five miles from the southern coast of Lake Erie. This is an unedited and uncropped image!

Can you believe this was snapped blind with my SSG S5?

O M G It's a HUGGEEEE solar storm tonight!!!

Thinking of going out later tonight with cameras at the ready. I have never seen RED in the aurora activity maps ever before!!! Below are screen captures off my S5 of the app I use to determine whether we go/don't go to attempt "seeing" any auroras that might be floating around.

WE were in this area earlier this year!

It was here we watched the simmering night sky from a cabin

Upon arrival, this was my initial focusing image with light pillars at right

Second pix of the night with more light pillars

The smartphone app screen capture below shows the aurora map that we didn't see till we were nearly home at about 3am, Sunday morning (1 Sept). We had NO idea we had just departed our viewing area with another HOT red "excellent" (excellent being VERY dependent on your location!) zone of the aurora heading right to left and closer to where we were last night! Hours earlier, the red displayed below was even LARGER than pictured! Unfortunately, these areas most go to see/snap auroras are dead of data and/or phone service. While we were in the upper peninsular area of Michigan, we were basically without both data and cell reception within an hour of departing to the upper Peninsular, and within an hour and a half of returning to the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan from the upper Peninsular (UP), and it's a 3hour+ drive from where we were just to get to the bridge leading to the UP! 

I must say that in all of my few years of hunting the aurora and viewing such aurora data and pages displaying aurora maps like this below, I have NEVER seen RED at all! Really!

 

At least, we DID see the light pillars, which we have never seen previously! How was your luck if you are in a higher latitude area, and ventured out to try your luck?

Memories of Clouds and Sunset Heaven!

So we have returned earlier this afternoon from our latest trip, and it has been quite a trip! A lot of surprises, sadness, shock and sunsets....  say that quickly ten times! We are of course happy to be back, since there is no place like Home, but on the other hand, we are saddened by some revelations which has brought sadness to our hearts, minds and souls.

We will survive, but still, it's quite disappointing to know of these revelations, of which I will speak of no longer.....

On the other hand, we've met some people on the trip who brought a smile to our faces and a jump to our walk, while waiting for the departures of Tall Ships (olden-days sailing vessels) at Erie, PA. With no details of the vessels departing, nor even time of departure, we arrived very early in the morning to witness the lovely grand old ships, and were disappointed yet again to see one large sailing vessel had already departed!

We sat around watching several Eagles, a few Ospreys which we thought to be the same each time, and a variety of other birds! Turns out that only after six hours did we finally see a sailing vessel, then another, and finally followed by a few more. We were sad to see not even the host ship, the Brig Niagara of Erie didn't even bother to come out with the departing ships, but on the other hand, it costs time and money each time these ships leave and enter a port. We forgave them quickly!

I'll post a few pixs later but will leave these moments for you to enjoy now! It's been a looong three days on the road without a shower, plus the bed is calling!

THESE are signs I'd like to see MORE hanging everywhere!!

Odd sight of traveling horses on the WNY highways!

The lighthouse and sunset at Port Clinton, Ohio

Cloudy set at a Presque Isle State Park beach

Clouds as seen from the passenger side at 60mph

Clouds Clouds and clouds!

Valley of the Clouds!!

Through the windshield and not a drop - yet!

Can you tell it's sunset burning the clouds orange?