A View on Global Warming

Tonight I found this video of a high school science teacher who boils down the global climate change debate to its 'nuts and bolts'. I suggest you watch it intently and think about the issue on the same scale as it put forth....

Thank You.

His YouTube page, with other good vids is here.

WOGE#79

I've been pretty lucky in finding these lately. WOGE#78 posted by Ron took me in all kinds of directions before I tracked it down. From ice lands to the Caribbean to eventually Guinea.

Where on Google Earth?

Photo: WOGE#79. Note North arrow.

The location I chose for #79 is pretty tight zoom. But that was the only good way to show that cool landslide feature. I think you smart monkeys out there can figure it out from here.

No Schott Rule today.

SlingShot Thought *geology*

Tonight I was stumbling through some sites and came across the UBasics and found their solution to the answer "What happens if i dig straight down?"

I first did the obvious thing of finding out that from my house I would end up in the sea south-west of Australia. Great.

Figure Left: Yellow slashes show Chain trend. Green slash, lower frame, Valley trend.

Then, I quickly started just swinging the map around to find where Land and Land would meet. I soon discovered that the hot spot responsible for building the Hawaiian Island chain is located approximately opposite of the Great Rift Valley of Africa. The trends of the Chain and Valley are very nearly similar.

My SlingShot Thought is: Are these features related to internal processes within the earth cores? Some type of...equation balance? force balance? What role does mantle convection come into play? Why have I never noticed this before?

If anyone has thoughts to add or documents for me to understand this potential connection better, please comment.

Art Tuesday

Its Tuesday and if my analytical data is telling me anything, its that Tuesday is my biggest traffic day of the week. So for today I post art. we all need a little more art in our lives. And as usual I will post another piece from Steve Dean.


Of course each piece is for sale and comes framed. Steve will be having a showing on March at Breaking New Grounds in Portland.
Stop by and by something.

WOGE # 77

I will chalk up finding Ron's WOGE 76 to the good clue of 'paradise'. The atolls he posted are Tahaa and Raiatea located northwest of Tahiti. A place I would love to vacation at some day.

Unlike Ron, I have no students. But I will keep in mind that some may visit I will keep it interesting and fun. Plus the colors are cool.

The view is slightly oblique help enhance the elevation.

Schott Rule is active. Good Luck.

Geology Post : 12-3-07

This photo comes from my field work in 1999. It is in the top 5 cool geology pictures I have. Though the picture quality sucks, the geologic principal is stellar.

The rock is a pelitic schist. The two veins are quartz.

The interesting things to note are that one quartz vein (down from upper left to lower right) is pretty much unchanged. This represents a 'zone of flattening'.
The other quartz vein (the squiggly one; down from upper right to lower left) is within a 'zone of compression'. It demonstrates the direction of compression oriented between approximately N18-40 E.
Which fits in with the regional geology of south western Maine very well.

Teachers, feel free to use in class. Questions? Comments?

FAHRENHEIT451 COMES TRUE!

Have you read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury? If not you should. TODAY.

The reason being is that today I found this story.

It seems that Homeland Security may have found a way to circumvent the Fourth Amendment
(unreasonable search and seizure, if you don't know, or'd rather not click the link.)

Firefighters (Men and women trained to extinguish fires) are now receiving additional training to:

"to identify material [books?] or behavior that may indicate terrorist activities" and were also "told to be alert for a person who is hostile, uncooperative or expressing hate or discontent with the United States." reports David Edwards and Muriel Kane Published: Thursday November 29, 2007 on Raw Story.

The story goes on to say:

"Unlike law enforcement officials, firemen can go onto private property without a warrant, not only while fighting fires but also for inspections. "It's the evolution of the fire service," said a Phoenix, AZ fire chief of his information-sharing arrangement with law enforcement."

So, I know my last couple of post have been bordering on governmental paranoia but this is one more red flag that our personal lives are being intruded upon by the public office. The same people we 'elected' to look out for and fight our interests.

Well, I have no interest in being spied upon. Though I'm sure somewhere that some FBI agent is reading my blog and assembling a psychological profile.

How long before the firemen of today completely morph into the firemen written about by Ray Bradbury in 1951?

I think Ill have to go and bury some books in the backyard tonight.

If you'd like to explore more extreme scenarios visit the SHTFBlog.

What say you?

Big Brother Clashes Heat Up

• Reading my morning news sites I found this story about a guy in Tennessee who got busted for using a .30-06 rifle to shoot out cameras with at stop lights. I guess he got sick and tired of being watched over. However, the story indicates he needs some range practice as it took him 3 shots to take out the one camera. Any decent marksman could have done it in one shot.

• Then I find that police in Miami will be adding drones to their skies. I view this as erosion of our personal privacy disguised as 'protection' and 'safety'.
  

"The capability of the unit is phenomenal," said Miami-Dade Detective Juan Villalba.

When will you say something? When the drone is flying over your backyard? Or will it be after they knock down your door because they saw you in the yard sharing some beers with your 18-year old son one summer day?

It is not JUST to keep informed but to RECOGNIZE and ACT.

-Thank you, this has been your daily dose of reality.

Geology Post

After all that excitement of the previous two posts I definitely need to get back to roots. At least for the moment.

Yesterday, I was looking back through some of the pictures and images I got while putting my geology thesis together. I got some really cool pictures and for any of the geologist teachers that may swing through here, feel free to use the pictures for teaching aids.

This is a sketch I made from a thin section (cut parallel to lineation and perpendicular to foliation, is that right? i cant remember) about 9 years ago (*geeze* it dosen't seem that long).
Red/pink colors are garnet.
The green is a chlorite reaction rim contacting the dominantly muscovite matrix.

I believed and still do that there are two generations of garnet growth. The older showing a poikiloblastic internal structure. The younger did not.

On one garnet I highlighted asymmetric quartz tails.
The beige I never actually identify. Though it could have been andalusite. It was very homogenous...almost microscopic oatmeal structure.

Book Review: Good Omens

Good Omens
The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Authors: Neil Giaman & Terry Pratchett

I just finished reading this book. It, if you couldn't tell by the title and cover, is fiction. In my own words I will attempt to sum the novel up as quickly as possible:

Agnes Nutter was a witch, who in 1655, wrote a book of prophecies. One of which was the exact day the end of the world would come. It just so happens that it is going to be Sunday.

The anti-christ (Adam, somehow fittingly) is re-born in to the modern world. A mix up in the delivery room causes Adam to be raised in the country as a normal boy. The authors do a good job at adding an overshadowing of his true power in his everyday world.

There are two angels, one on the side of heaven (Arizaphale) and one on the side of hell (Crowley). They both live on earth and help people or create problems, respectively. Since they have lived on earth since The Beginning they actually have become quite accustom to life on earth. As a result they are not looking forward to the Rapture. However, since they are here each respective side is sending them to find Adam. It seems that the delivery room mix up caused both sides (Heaven and Hell) to lose track of him.

As the book moves along the heat (pun intended) between the two sides is building and building into the great last battle. More and more weird shit is happening all over the world, like Atlantis rising. Arizaphle and Crowley get more and more frantic looking for Adam. The Four Horsemen appear, riding motorcycles, looking for Adam.

The armies of Good and Evil take the field of battle with Adam, caught, unafraid in the middle. I will not say what happens after this point. But it was a fairly clever solution to destroying all life on Earth.

This is a pretty easy reading book. I particularly enjoy that there were plenty of places to break because I usually only have 20-30 minutes to read at anyone time. I find that when chapters drag on, so can the book. Anyway, If you are looking for a good, fun fiction this could be it for you.

Side thought: I thought this was much better than American Gods also by N. Gaiman.

Creation Museum

Surfing around last night I came across the website for the Creation Museum. Then I found some pictures via Digg apparently taken of the displays. Going through and reading the summary panels of the displays I noticed a couple of things worth noting. I see the words 'probably' and 'legend' being used.

Well then if its a legend IT MUST BE TRUE. Who would make up such a thing?

*Can you hear me rolling my eyes?*

Moving on... take a look a the image below titled (I presume) "Life Recovers":

Anything about that strike you as odd? In the first frame it seems to me that "Organisms changing rapidly as the earth changes" is called EVOLUTION. They even made up a pictorgraph showing an evolutionary chain for the horse.
Then the second frame "Variety recovers rapidly after the flood". The frame is showing the evolutionary changes of the dog. WTF?

Why do the creationists refuse to accept evolution? The bible is a historical document. A very old one at that. Think of the bible as a very old version of the game 'telephone', to take it for its literal word is preposterous.

Believe in science. Believe in facts. Not Legends.

What are your comments?

Gun Rights

There is a big flap in the rags today regarding second amendment rights. In March the US Supreme Court concluded that the 2nd Amendment protects an individual's right to have firearms. The USSC could be taking a fresh look at the whole issue on Tuesday and beyond. Again.

The key phrase in the 2nd amendment states :

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Reading this, the solution seems clear to me. If you wish to have guns, you need to be a part of the militia. I don't think I have a problem with this. Unfortunately the authority is that of Congress and the problem comes when they want to send me to boot camp and force the friggin' government agenda on me. I'm all for protecting my self, family and lands from foreign invaders but I'll be damned if I'm forced to do something outside of my own will. Now, if the authority deferred to my state, I think we are getting somewhere. We could have some basic, and I mean real basic, training in state. Show me how to shoot, how to move and communicate with my fellow militiamen. Just don't make me go to Georgia in August to get yelled at by a jarhead. Its gonna do no one any good.

Sure, I'll take shifts at the former 295 toll booth converted into checkpoint to watch for commies - if the need be. Or creep through the northern Maine woods to blow up a nazi bunker (Return of the Jedi style). But fuck going outside of my own state or country to fight.

According to wikipedia a militia is: "... a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency, law enforcement, or paramilitary service, and those engaged in such activity, without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service."

The worse thing that could come of this is that: if you want a gun you need to join the militia.
The best thing is that things stay as they are. I suspect things will stay as they are.

I am an ordinary citizen.

Bicycle ist

It's either a really fond hobby or an addiction but I came across and bought another bicycle, this time a mid-1980's Shogun 200. It's yard sale cost, $1.00 Dollar. How could I possibly refuse? Then consider that it has shimano hubs, front and rear derailer AND breaks...well there was just no going back.

I have already stripped it and transfered the brakes and seat-post onto my Raleigh single-speed. This bike was originally planned as a fixed gear, but I am laying in wait for a rear fixed hub and currently ride it with the freewheel at 42x16. Its a great city bike- light, silent and could preform too.

I'm not exactly sure yet of what to do with the remaining parts of this Shogun. -????- At this point I am thinking I could add the other Shimano gear to that Peugeot I got a while back and start building that back up. I just finished a pretty decent re-paint job to the frame. So thats an option...

Any random suggestions/ guidance out there?

Art ist

Here is one of a series done by Steve Dean on pages of Jim Morrison's poem book The Lords.

I particularly like the poem because it remains relevant, maybe even more so, today. Comparing the worship of our entertainers to spiritual leaders.

Perhaps this is where some of the faith in the world is being funneled off to?

Have an art-full day.

Cunning Linguist

Im just feeling like a fool and thought it might be fun to throw that title up there.

It makes me laugh. :)

Muslim Racist?

Nope. Just a guy with an honest opinion.

Apparently vid was made back in May of this year, but I just found it and thought that I would like to share the message.

vid from liveleak. thanks.

'08 Tour de France

The course for the 2008 Tour de France has just be published. One interesting change this year is that time bonus' have been scrapped. This should create more equal finish times. Which will probably lead to frequent changes of the yellow jersey (overall leader). I nabbed this image of the route from velonews (who got it from letour.com)

Here is the basic schedule:

• Saturday, July 5 Stage 1, Brest to Plumelec (195km)
  
• Sunday, July 6: Stage 2, Auray to St. Brieuc (165km)
  
• Monday, July 7: Stage 3, St. Malo to Nantes (195km)
  
• Tuesday, July 8: Stage 4: Cholet TT (29km)
  
• Wednesday, July 9: Stage 5, Cholet to Châteauroux (230km)
  
• Thursday, July 10: Stage 6, Aigurande to Super-Besse (195km)
  
• Friday, July 11: Stage 7, Brioude to Aurillac (158km)
  
• Saturday, July 12: Stage 8, Figeac to Toulouse (174km)
  
• Sunday, July 13: Stage 9, Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre (222km)
  
• Monday, July 14: Stage10, Pau to Hautacam (154km)
  
• Tuesday, July 15: Rest day at Pau
  
• Wednesday, July 16: Stage 11, Lannemezan to Foix (166km)
  
• Thursday, July 17: Stage 12, Lavelanet to Narbonne (168km)
  
• Friday, July 18: Stage 13, Narbonne to Nîmes (182km)
  
• Saturday, July 19: Stage 14, Nîmes to Digne-les-Bains (182km)
  
• Sunday, July 20: Stage 15, Digne-les-Bains to Prato Nevoso (216km)
  
• Monday, July 21: Rest day at Cuneo
  
• Tuesday, July 22: Stage 16, Cuneo to Jausiers (157km)
  
• Wednesday, July 23: Stage 17, Embrun to L'Alpe d'Huez (210km)
  
• Thursday, July 24: Stage 18, Bourg d'Oisans to St. Étienne (197km)
  
• Friday, July 25: Stage 19, Roanne to Montluçon (163km)
  
• Saturday, July 26: Stage 20, Cérilly to St. Amand-Montrond TT (53km)
  
• Sunday, July 27: Stage 21, Étampes to Paris (Champs-Élysées) (143km)

Total distance: 3,554km -2,208 miles

If you are new to the sport the best days/stages to watch will be Stage 9, Stage 17 and Stage 21.

More info available: Here, Here, Here.

Mushroom Identification

It was unusually warm this past weekend (upper 60's-lower 70's). I was in the yard with wife and we came across this mushroom. I know that its a 'stinkhorn' because well...it looks like a...a ah...well, penis. It smelled, had a sticky coat and had flies all over it. It was about 4 inches tall. The stem was hollow. It was spongy.


I was just wondering if anyone out there knows which type of stinkhorn this is?

WoGE #61

Well it looks like I was first to identify Where on Google Earth #60 at the blog of Ron Schott.
Yeah for me. It also means that the responsibility of WoGE #61 falls to me. I chose this image because it looks gnarly and I would like to do a little hiking there. Though I doubt Ill ever get any closer than Google Earth can take me.

Here ya go. I tried to use a similar scale as the WoGE 60. Send comments if there are issues.
Schott Rule in effect. (Post time 09:45-EST, 10-16-07)

Blog Action Day: My Post

Today is blog action day. The topic is the environment. I am a trained geologist working in the environmental field. I suspect every blog-hole in cyberspace will write some shit about global warming. It doesn't matter if they actually know anything or not, there is enough information out there that any monkey with a brain can pull something together. I would like my post to focus on small changes that I have done and have produced big benefits.

• Driving slower.
  
• driving only 5 mph slower can increase your vehicles fuel use by ~5 gallons per mile. (of course every car is different).

• Second Car
• If you have a gas guzzler, and so many people do, buy a second car.
  
• A small 3-4 cylinder POS for 800$. Use it in place of the GasPig as often as possible and you will save more money in gasoline than you paid for the car in 6 months. You may even like it.
  

• Remove Stupid Shit
• That fuckin' stupid air foil from your trunk. Its robbing you of at least 1 GPM.
• Your kayak rack. Great I get it, you have a boat. Now quit being lazy and take that shit off. 1 GPM.
• Fuckin' cargo racks...on SUVs... THAT ARE EMPTY inside. With one driver. Put the crap inside the car.
  

• Maintenance. You've all seen these before: tire air pressure, air filter, fuel filter etc.... I won't get in to that.

• Ride a Bicycle to Work.

• Do you live less than 7 miles from you workplace? A this distance or less, you can pedal to work in about 30 minutes. Your health will increase and you don't even need a gym membership. I will not further extol the virtues of cycle-commuting. The benefits are huge, quit being such a pussy and do it.
• Walk to Work.
• Two miles or less should be easy enough for most. Try it
• Electricity Use.
• My dad was right! Turn off the lights when you leave the room the power bill will drop. Unplug items not being used. The biggest thing to any reader of this blog would be to unplug battery chargers (cell phone, ipod etc.) They draw power even when a device is not connected.
  
• Home Heating.
• Dial back the thermostat to 65 deg. F. Put on sweater.
• Use a wood stove (carbon neutral)
• Better Home Design
• Acceptance of Wind Turbines
• Solar Panels for every roof in America: tied to a common grid; providing power for all.
  

Where am I going with this post? Shit I don't know...I am writing it while at work so my thoughts are not as well formed as they need to be.

Plus there are so many things one can do to reduce the personal load on the ecosystem. It requires thinking and action.

Enough Talk... DO!

Northern Maine Woods

I took a camping/ hunting scouting trip into a remote region of the Maine woods this past weekend. The Seboomook Region to be specific. While out one day searching for deer signs we came across this slate outcrop----->

45o 53.833N

69o 44.353W

Within the outcrop were some slight kinking, as can be seen in this photo and some pyrite clasts (pods). The pyrite I found occurred within the same bed indicating that chemical differences in sedimentary deposition were in play. But that is usually the case, no? Unfortunately I forgot my brunton back at camp, a stupid error on my part, so I was unable to log structural data like strike and dip of the bedding, trend/plunge of the kinking etc.

This region of geology is far enough away from the real tectonic action that little metamorphism has occurred. We explored along the east end of the lake. The interesting thing is that I found slate in an area that is mapped as sandstone with medium bedding. While that was true for where our camp site was located, a direction south east of out camp (roughly the #2 on the MGS figure to the left) is where I found the slate. Then again this figure to the left is just a generalized map.

I wanted to go check out the pillow lava at the west end of the lake but by the time that idea came around I was half way though an 18-pack of budweiser and lost my motivation to drive the woods roads. Next trip.

The Maine Geological Survey has this page with a really good description of the area geology.

Useless Commuting Statistics

Yarmouth, Maine Par-n-Ride to Downtown Portland, ME.

• Distance: 14.25 miles
  
• Average Speed: 16.7 mph
• Ride Time: 50 min. 56 seconds

Weather: cloudy, cool but dry. 50 deg F.

Blacks Boycott LLBEAN

This vid is a frickn' riot. I think its funnier if you are from Maine and have been to L.L. Bean. After thinking about it actually, I cannot recall ever seeing a black person there.



For this and other vids, visit the onion

Peak Oil

Seems like I haven't done a geology related post in a while and recently I came across an excellent and well written piece on peak oil by Eric Cheney and Marianne Hawkes in the June 2007 edition of GSA Today.

The full article in pdf format is HERE. It is only two pages and definitely worth the read.

The crux of the Peak Oil argument is based on Hubbert's 1956 prediction that annual oil production in the US (lower 48 states) would peak in 1970 and decline (read decline as: use oil) steadily and fast from then forward.

"...that production will fall as sharply in the twenty first century as it rose in the twentieth." (state Cheney and Hawkes (C&H) via Urstadt, 2006).

Image from Wikipedia "Peak Oil"

What I found most interesting in reading the article is that C&H point out the differences in assumptions between predicting peak oil in 1956 to the 2007 knowledge base. Which are:

1. Plate Tectonics (1970's) re-defined rationale for deep-water drilling;
2. Knowledge of petroliferous rocks and stratigraphy;
3. Advancement of geochemistry;
4. Advancement of Technology
• geophysical surveys
• deep and deeper water drilling abilities
  
• horizontal drilling
  
5. Substitution of other sources
• coal (it is possible to get oil from coal)
  
• nukes
• oil sands
• oil shales
• methane ice

Now keep in mind that a few of those, like oil sands, only become economically viable as the prices of raw crude oil increase. It is unlikely that oil shales will ever be worth the energy input to derive oil. More likely is that some smart monkey scientist will figure out a better way to get your 4,000-pound SUV moving down the road. As a side note: ethanol is not the answer.

The article concludes with a point that 2004 oil production is twice what Hubbert projected. Well that is good news, kind of. But the real take away, and one that seems to be logical and non-alarmist in the presentation is that while gasoline will not run out soon it will be come more and more expensive. The every day person will see is gas increase per gallon from 4$ gas, 6$ gas, 20$, 100$ per gallon.

The question I have is; At what price will there be enough outcry and demand for vehicles that are powered by fuel not derived from hydrocarbons?

So, don't freak out. The sky is not falling. Just don't expect gasoline tp be below 2$ per gallon in the U.S. ever again. And have faith in man and science that we will invent a new and better way.

Mars Geology

I stumbled upon the European Space Agency (ESA) site and found cool pictures of the surface of Mars. The image at this link was one I spent a little time looking over.

'It is of the Deuteronilus Mensae region... The area is located on the northern edge of Arabia Terra and borders the southern high- and northern lowlands, at approximately 39° North and 23° East.'

At the very bottom, off center to the right I found an interesting feature, FOLDING.






In the center of the 'round' feature appears a fold string (shortening direction) trending northwest, south east. While this doesn't seem too exciting, it does add evidence of plastic deformation has/does occur(ed) on the planet. It also suggests: active tectonics; temperatures high enough to soften the rock; high pressures and also liquids. Liquids because adding liquid reduces the temperatures and pressures needed to soften rocks and is frequently present here on Earth.

*Of course it may not be a fold at all and I am just spewing prophecies of ignorance. Which is fun just the same.

Fall Vacation

In the Fall, particularly in September and October I like to use up my last vacation days. I enjoy these months because it gives me a week off during or after my birthday and also gives me plenty of time to make the winter preparations. Typically, preparing firewood and outdoor cleanup tasks.

Last night (Friday) to kick off my vacation I went on a bike ride after dark. I live in a rural part of Maine and the roads are totally dark. Street lights are usually only at intersections or tricky stretches. It makes the route seem completely different than during the day time in these ways:
(*)The pace feels faster, although I can't see my real-time speed (too dark) and my average is usually a bit lower;
(*)You can get a tunnel feel from the bike light;
(*)A short trip feels longer.

Last night my stats were: Average Speed 16.1 mph, Max Speed 35.5, 10.39 Miles, in 38 minutes and 27 seconds.
I really like riding at night. Done right, its totally safe.
If a post reader needs advice about road riding at night, just ask, I have suggestions.

St. Lucian Kids

I was looking though my vacation photos and found this great one I took at the airport during our departure of some local children. They were at the airport on a field trip. It wasn't until I got home and looked at the pic before I realized how good it came out. It helped they the kids were animated and quite frankly beautiful children.

Naked-ish Grandmother

Ill probably get a lot of pervy porn hits with that title, but hey, whatever brings in the readers.

On Sunday I went to dad's to have lobsters. Yeah, again. lobsters, lobsters lobsters...I'd say Im getting sick of eating so many but shit, I aint crazy. Anyway, as is her tradition my grandmother always ALWAYS wears a apron. So my dad pulls out this one I got for him a couple of years ago in Italy. She wore it all night. She don't give a shit. She's 86, wishes she was 36 and has an awesome sense of humor. So I bring you...

NAKED-ish GRANDMA

Useless Commuting Stastics

Today, August 29, 2007

Bike: 1999 Trek 520
Route: Yarmouth to Portland via Middle Road
Distance: 14.24 miles
Ride Time: 47 mins. 24 seconds
Avg. Speed: 18.0
Max Speed: 29.0

Carrying: tool kit, trunk bag with lunch and misc., pannier bad with clothes and sandals.

Slingshot Thought of the Day

I was reading a story the other day about the recent conclusion of the scientific experiment to replicate living on Mars. This group of scientists just completed 4 months living in a 'replica' space habitat, conducting experiments, learning how to live with each other in cramped quarters etc. They were studying stuff (permafrost and global warming) but that is not my Slingshot Thought.

The ST is:
Why is this experiment even being done? We have years and years of information related to a mass of people living in an isolated and cramped environment. Its called a SUBMARINE.
This idea then sprung forth a solution, perhaps, of getting humans to Mars. NASA is caught up in using pilots and air force personnel. Why not look to the Navy and use sub-mariners. They are trained and acclimated to life in a small vessel with a large task load.

According to a web site I found:
" The living conditions on board a submarine are extreme, to be sure. For example: 110 men must share two showers, four toilets, one urinal.
...
Personal space is limited to the bunk, which measures six feet by two feet, for a total of 12 square feet. In contrast, the prisoners at Warden Penitentiary in Washington, D.C., are allowed 90 square feet of personal living space."

So there you have it. What would appear to be an example of scientists not thinking through a solution to a problem then plow ahead with re-inventing the wheel.

*rolling eyes* Academics.

Got Milk?

During lunch time recently my 'high-noon journey' around the streets of Portland led me to one of my usual sit-n-watch spots at Tommy's Park.

"Well then, what do I see here?" I think strolling down the uneven brick sidewalk.
"Wanna free milk?" from a young woman in a light blue shirt.
"Why...YES I DO!" I proclaim.

I drank. It was yummy.

It was my lucky day. The 'Got Milk?' people were giving out free samples and taking 'milk moustache' photos. I wandered over to this little set up and ask the guy if i can get a copy emailed to me? He then showed me what you do get. A print copy which has web directions for viewing and download. I can go with that. So I get handed a little cup with a the secret 'milk moustache' recipe .

"The best way is to just put your lip in it and tip it back."
"Can I do a 'Hogan' 'stace?" I ask.

Guy then looks at me oddly as I just tip is back over my face. Dripping down either sides of my chin I say "Howz it?".

Guy takes picture.
Then hands me a napkin and told me to wipe the middle out.
So I did. There's the result -------------------->

Thinkaboutyourdrink

I cropped the image a bit but NOTICE MY SWEET 'Hogan' MOUSTACHE. The milk was good. Too bad it wasn't really Cheryl Crow. "Hey baby! Yeah that's right...i ride a bike." ;)

Slingshot Thought -blog types-

Is it just me or are there more blogs about blogging blogs than there are actual interesting blogs to read? Which has led me to create a list. It seems that at some point, all blogging assholes end up making some kind of list. So here is mine:

Annoying Blogs

1)blogging blogs
2) marketing blogs
3)make money blogs. which is usually blogging about blogging, attaching links and blogging about making links. can you say "fuckiiiinng booooriiiinng"?
4)sell shit blogs.

Good Blogs

1)tech blogs
2)science blogs
3)personal blogs
4)blogs that actually pass information and ideas.

I had grandiose plans to make this post really interesting, add links etc., but I lost my steam. Whatever, my point stands.

Lobby Rolls

I finally got the pics of the lobster rolls we made after that killah pahty. With 6 bugs we made 6 rolls. To say these were delicious would be a drastic understatement. I think I went into a lobster induced coma (my favorite kind) after chowing down. There are only 3.5 pictured here. I was feverishly plowing my first and half way through wife reminded me to snap a pic. *with mouth stuffed, mmm meezeah ah 'ood. mmm swallow, yeah picture-good call**

I probably would have ate them all if she didnt remind me. Then I'd have said to my self, 'shit, that'd had made a blogpost.' Well, luckily for the readers...here they are.

Recipe available upon request.

MS Thanks

I just wanted to thank two of my readers who donated to my MS bike ride back during the beginning of the month. MzMik and Mard.

They are both good people and I thank you both.

Killah Pahty!

Wife and I drove down to York in what turned out to be a wicked sweet party Saturday. Our friend just got engaged and a party they were planning turned into an engagement celebration. Well sort of, no gifts were exchanged, it was in the woods (literately) and no special atire was required.

Girl is getting married to a fisherman. I hear you asking: "GeologyJoe, what was there for food and drink?"

Well, 50 pounds of steamers (clams, for those of you from away). 200 pounds of lobster. 2 kegs of beer. 6 large coolers of juice, soda and bottled beer. Deserts, hot dogs, hamburgers and standard grill-fare.

So we played a little horseshoes. drank some beers, ate a couple of lobsters, shot the shit with 40 people I have never met, and had a general good time.

When it came time to leave our hosts are like: "Well, you wanna take some bugs?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods?"
(if you've read this blog for a while you have seen the proof post, unfortunately it didn't make the long term cut)

So wet get a couple of plastic shopping bags and Fisherman loads in the lobsters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. TEN. Sweet.

We gave 4 to wife's dad. We took 6 home and made the best lobster roll I have ever had.

Pics to come.

MS 150 - Addendum

I figured I could get at least three posts out of this adventure. Maybe more, who knows? In my Day 1 post I mentioned a police report. Well here's that story:

As I was finishing up, coming down the final stretch. I could see the College entrance. A rider ahead of me was in the road making his left. The flagger was out waving him in. I moved to the left of the fog line(white line). Checked over my shoulder, didn't see anyone but the bikes behind me. Looking forward I signaled by dropping out my left hand when all of a sudden a red Chevy Impala comes whipping down the road (I could hear the car engine) blasts his horn at me. I'm thinking 'Fuck this guy" So I tried to keep position, I was turning left. His left car tires were over the yellow. As he forced his way pass me the rear view mirror hit my left forearm. I was PISSED! PISSED! ITALIAN PISSED! I started swearing like... unbelievable.
I didn't get knocked over. Thank God. I then took two or three good cranks to speed up and got the license plate number.

" I gut you, you muthahfuckah."

So I immediately went to an event organizer. Got the local sheriff involved and filled out a police report. One good thing is that I write a lot and I am observant and the leads to a superb written witness account. I found out there are two things this jackass can be summonsed for: reckless driving and driving within 3 feet of a cyclist. I have to get back in touch with the cop to remind him of that second offense, its a new law in Maine.

The car turned out to be a rental. Cops will have to do a little back tracking to get the driver. I wish bad karma on this guy. It was totally un-called for...He must have passed more then a dozen other cyclists along the stretch of road before me. Did he not see the big red MS signs? or the 20 other riders in the road? or the guy with the orange flag in the road with the yellow vest on? Ugh. I'm still racked with anger toward this guy. But now I'm just ranting....

Thanks for reading.

MS 150 - Day 2

On Sunday a similar routine of the day before occurred. Drive in at 06:30, prep bikes and selves, get ready to ride. However, the main difference was that today you could hear people in the parking lot as they were getting their selves ready with similar comments of pain. "Oh my legs, oh my butt etc. etc. " Yeah I was a little saddle sore but not too bad. I'm fine now.

Here is our group photo:
So we started again at 07:30. Again the speedy ground went ripping off. My friend and I told our wives " see ya at the finish" (They were doing the 50 miles option. We were doing the 75) and we rolled out. The second day the weather was MUCH cooler. Like about mid-60s in the morning, which is PERFECT!. This loop took us through Gorham, Scarborough, Hollis, Buxton and around. We rode through past the Scarborough Tidal Marsh, past an Elk Farm... really nice roads.

At mile 50 is the lunch stop. On our way out a guy who we had seen the day before asked if he could 'hook on' with us. This is a term used when you want to share the effort as a group rides down the road drafting each other. The trick is to stay less than 1/2 a wheel length off the guy in front of you. The #2 gets like a 25% word decrease, the #3 guys gets like 33% decrease. The bigger the group the easier it gets. Additionally, because the two drafting are working less they will come up front and break the wind for a while. Then just continue to rotate and before you know it everyone is moving along faster than if you were alone. Anyway, this guy started to ride with us. My friend got totaly gassed out and couldn't keep the pace. He told us to just go on. So we did.

Man we pounded out the last 25 miles in just over an hour (1hr 13 mins or there abouts). I was glad we did, because the temperature was so much lower I really had a fair amount of energy in me. I didn't have much when I finished, but that was the whole point.

Ride Stats: 4 hours 13 mins.
71.23 miles -apparently day 2 is slightly shorter
16.8 mph average speed.

Total Ride stats: 8 hours 30 mins, 145.5 miles, 17.1 mph avg speed.

We finished by 12:30 again.
By 1400 I had my free massage.
By 1700 were were home.
By 2100 we were passed out cold.

MS 150 - DAY 1

Saturday morning we arrived in the parking lot at St. Joe College in Windham, Maine at 06:30 sharp. After a brief check in and readying ourselves and our bikes we rolled up to the start line. The local weatherman (Joe Cupo) has been the 'official' famous guy promoting and riding in this event for somewhere around 20 years.

We started the ride at 07:30.

510 riders rolling down the road just absolutely glowing in all colors of the rainbow. As this was my first large event I was amazed by several things:

• the color explosion;

• the 510 people not concerned that they were wearing spandex shorts;

• the array of bikes from 3+thousand dollar sweet ass road machines to bikes that look more at home slowly creaking down a city street;
• the array of people (fit to fat, to put it bluntly)

As we got underway and going the peleton thinned out, riders getting into their own paces and whatnot, the riding was SUPER. The roads, while not closed, were monitored at intersections and with that many cyclists out the cars were mostly careful around us. Thou, there are always a couple of real assholes. One of which I filled out a police report on, but that is for another post.

I feel as if I'm beginning to lament. The ride was excellent. The roads through Standish, SteepFalls, Buxton and where else ever were well marked. With a rest stop every 15 miles or there abouts it made the 90 degree heat less of an issue.

Riding stats: 4 hours 17 minutes
74.24 miles. My computer popped out for about .75 miles before I caught it.
17.3 mph average speed.


I rolled through the misting tent at about 12:20 to the applause of volunteers and a few folks in wheelchairs with MS. Seeing them there made my pain and exhaustion seem minuscule.

MS-150 (stickypost until the ride)

I have just registered for the MS-150 charity ride to benefit the multiple sclerosis.
Wife has registered as well. I'm doing this ride with her, my good friend Mugsy and his wife.

On August 4th and 5th we will ride 75 miles each day.

I'm pretty excited about the ride. I haven't ridden in a large group before. I think it will be great! Of course I will be posting photos of the event when we are done.

**Now for the plea**

If you'd like to donate on-line and help me meet my goal please visit the web page I have set up through the MS Society.

DONATE HERE

Illegal Aliens

I have been working at a job site is Skowhegan this week. A couple of days ago a Border Patrol vehicle (SUV) pulled into the parking lot.

"Hey look, they gutta guy in 'der right now." one of the guys on the construction crew points out.

A while later a second white van with normal everyday citizen license plates pulls in next to the other SUV. It was a prisoner transfer. How cool for us since we were on break from the 90 degree heat! I got an issue with that license plate thing that is off topic, anyway...

They all ended up coming into the store. I guess the perp. had to piss or something. At first we thought, Mexican-obviously. but then as they got closer I started to think, Cambodian?. but as we all talked about it we all settled on Latin America...like Guatemalan or something of that nature.

Here is the pic I covertly took as they left the store.

This poor guy is probably just picking broccoli or blueberries for 3 bucks per bail to send the cash home, is about to be deported.

I have mixed feelings. Sure he was clearly here illegally, but was he really a threat? On the other hand don't do the crime if you cant to the time.

Art Sunday

Steve Dean

A Good Load

Last Sunday we went up back of the house to clear brush and get some cord wood. Wintahs Commin' dont ya know? We were up there for a couple of house loading this truck (see pic) with all the brush and junk wood for transport down to the pit for burnin'. The hardwood has been real nice from this spot...mostly beech. Beech burns real good. Long and hot. Anyway, as we were loading the truck the pile started to get too high to reach so my brother went up top and I handed him limbs from below and we were able to really stack that shit high. We even inserted long 'pole-like limbs to build the effective side walls higher. We even got a 'thats a good load' from the ol' timer next door. Now THAT is best comment possible.

So here we are enjoying the fruits (or should I say beers) of our labor.

Volcanic Vacation Geology

St. Lucia is located in the Lesser Antilles. The chain of islands (Cuba to Tobago-basically) are created from volcanic activity as a result of the Caribbean Plate subducting beneath the South and North American Plates.

'blah blah blah...were are the pics?'

In this picture, yours truly, is standing next to an excellent contact between what I believe to be an andesite conglomerate (tuff perhaps) overlain by a basaltic lava flow. Here is another picture of the same contact looking across the beach and at some nice resort rooms.

And here is some pillow lava at Pigeon Island's Fort Rodney at the north end of the island.

That's all the geology I cared to do on this trip. The sun, pool bar and food were too much of a distraction. Better luck next time.

Vacation Stuff:Part 2

When we arrived we learned that our room was upgraded. No reason. Just upgraded. Who am I to argue with that?

So we ended up with a room with a suite. Ill post a vid of it over on my you tube page shortly. But anyway, the room included room service and a mini bar.
You can see the Absolute, tanqueray, JD, Bounty rum, and bottle of red wine. In the 'fridge there was all the mixers, plus 3 Heineken, 3 Pitons, a bottle of champagne and water and tonic water.

Too much to drink so I focused my effort on the Jack Daniels. Well we hit the beers, wine and champagne too but by the end of our stay respectable dent in that bottle of JD.

How was my vacation?

AWESOME!!!

more posts coming, after I get my shit back in order.

(p.s. this picture is not faked in anyway. crazy I KNOW!)

Day with Dad

This past Sunday my dad was doing an antique show at the Wells Reserve. It was a great place, with a nice ocean view, plenty of miles of walking trails etc. etc...

It was a pretty good show, as far as sales go. Plus its a good chance to see my dad, see him in his element (wheelin' and dealin'), and learn to identify old shit. So that in case I run across stuff at yard sales i know what is good and what is crap.

Anywho, he has quite a collection of Wallace Nutting pieces. They are hand painted photographs. The colors are beautiful and the scenes are well laid out. Here's a pic...

If you are interested in Wallace Nutting here are a pair of links. LINK1, LINK2. There are others...just google it.

If you want to buy one, email me.