Montana’s Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Reserve. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 6/9/14.
Archive for June 2014
Montana Is Pretty. Who Knew? Leave a comment
Dear Smart Person, Leave a comment
I have a problem, and I need your help.
I’ve spent the weekend trying to do too much, and not getting it done. When I got to the end of my weekend, I discovered that my plan wasn’t going to work. I’d relied on a rough sketch and layout to base my design on … and it failed. I was trying to put too much stuff in too little space.
After days of thinking and days of building, what I had wasn’t going to work.
“Rough sketch” isn’t going to cut it anymore.
So, I need some design software that is easy for this woodworker to use. Something I don’t need a degree in … well, anything other than Speech & Dramatic Art … to know how to operate.
Oh, and it should be cheap enough that I can buy it, and robust enough to, uh, work.
So, smart person, what should I be using?
Thanks,
Ignorant In The Garage Workshop
Bathing Suit Inspector Leave a comment
Beach rules require bathing suits be within 6 inches of the knee. Here, an inspector is enforcing that rule. 1922. Photo by Herbert E French. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.
Lassen Volcanic National Park 4 comments
Where Is It: 237 miles north of San Francisco.
The Birth: The Park began as two separate National Monuments. Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation in 1907 creating the Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument. In 1916, the Park was created, becoming the United States’ 15th National Park.
It Happened Here: From NationalGeographic.com:
On June 14, 1914, three men climbed Lassen Peak to see why a seemingly dormant volcano had started rumbling 16 days before. Now, peering into a newborn crater, they felt the ground tremble. As they turned and ran down the steep slope, the mountain erupted. Rocks hurtled through the ash-filled air. One struck a man, knocking him out. Ashes rained down on the men. They seemed doomed. But the eruption stopped as suddenly as it had begun, and the three men survived.
From 1914 to early 1915, Lassen spewed steam and ashes in more than 150 eruptions. Finally, on May 19, 1915, the mountaintop exploded. Lava crashed through the 1914 crater. A 20-foot-high wall of mud, ash, and melted snow roared down the mountain, snapping tree trunks. Three days later, a huge mass of ashes and gases shot out of the volcano, devastating a swath a mile wide and three miles long. Above the havoc a cloud of volcanic steam and ash rose 30,000 feet.
Eruptions of steam, ash, and tephra continued until June 1917, when the volcano resumed its quiet profile, with minor steam clouds occasionally reported. Since 1921 Lassen Peak has remained quiet.
Size: 106,452 acres
# Visitors: 427,409 in 2013. Attendance peaks in July/August, and was lowest in December.
Plants: From Wikipedia:
Lying at the northern end of the Sierra Nevada forests ecoregion, Lassen Volcanic National Park preserves a landscape nearly as it existed before Euro-American settlement: its 27,130 acres of old growth include all of its major forest types.
At elevations below 6,500 feet the dominant vegetation community is the mixed conifer forest. Ponderosa and Jeffrey Pines, Sugar Pine, and White Fir form the forest canopy for this rich community that also includes species of manzanita, gooseberry and ceanothus. Common wildflowers include the iris, spotted coralroot, pyrola, violets and lupin.
Choices: From Gorp.com
The park’s 150 miles of trails include a 17-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail. Pick up a copy of the Lassen Trails booklet, which gives nifty descriptions and maps of the park’s trails. You’ll find it for sale at the park offices as well in stores in nearby communities.
Besides the Pacific Crest Trail, GORP recommends the Bumpass Hell Trail, a three-mile (round-trip) trail to the largest thermal area in the park. The trail is also one of the most scenic. The Lassen Peak Trail is an approachable summit that takes an average of four hours up and back. Most moderately in-shape hikers will have no problem completing the hike in good weather. The Cinder Cone Trail is another fascinating trail. The ground is loose and somewhat hard-going, but you’re treated to peculiar landscape along the way and a great view of the surrounding peaks when you reach the top.
Fees: A vehicle pass is $10 for 7 days.
Staying There: There are seven campgrounds in the Park, including two group campgrounds. The group campgrounds require reservations; all individual campsites are first, come, first served.
Contact Info:
Lassen Volcanic National ParkPO Box 100
Mineral, CA 96063Visitor Information 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. everyday, (530) 595-4480
Current Issues: From LATimes.com:
A Northern California family who watched a retaining wall give way and crush their 9-year-old son to death in Lassen Volcanic National Park several years ago has settled with the federal government for $3.5 million.
During a family outing in 2009, Tommy Botell Jr. was sitting on a wall near a hiking trail with his sister when it collapsed. Sections of the wall fell on them as the two children tumbled about 30 feet and their parents struggled to grab them.
Perceived unethical conduct clouded the lawsuit filed on behalf of Botell’s family. At one point, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory G. Hollows said park Supt. Delores Koontz did not fix the wall despite knowing it was dangerous, and then tried to cover up her mistakes after Tommy Botell’s death.
“This was a horrific event that no family should have to endure. Our grief and loss were compounded by the refusal of the Park Service to accept responsibility and to act responsibly during the lawsuit,” according to a family statement issued through an attorney.
Nonetheless, U.S. Atty. Benjamin Wagner said that “as the settlement agreement indicates, it is in no way intended to be, and should not be construed as, an admission of fault or wrongdoing on the part of Park Service employees.”
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
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National Park Service: Lassen Volcanic National Park
YouTube: Lassen Volcanic National Park
The Path To The Sun 1 comment
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. Photo: Tyrone Singletary. Posted by the US Department of the Interior on Tumbr, 6/3/14.
That Tin Roof Is Still Hot Leave a comment
The 1958 film starred Burl Ives, Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman.
Tennessee Williams’ “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955.
In my community, a performance of this 59-year old drama resulted in an audience member heckling actors, a physical confrontation with that audience member, a fired actor, a canceled production … and national news.
Santa Clarita, CA, is not a liberal hotbed, to be sure. It’s one of the more conservative towns in Southern California … our region has had a Republican representative to the US House for many years, for example.
Still, we’re in California, the land of fruits and nuts. We’re a historic filming location for Hollywood productions. Disney is building a very large production complex here. As many have discovered, one sure way to fail in Hollywood is to present a bigoted, discriminatory face to the industry. Rejection will follow.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t idiots in the world!
So, what happened?
The Repertory East Playhouse (AKA The Rep), located on Main Street in Santa Clarita, was producing “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.” This award-winning play explores many of William’s consistent themes: dysfunctional families, alcoholism, sexual identity and mendacity. During the performance on Saturday, May 31, an audience member called out “fag” when the character named Brick was speaking. News accounts vary somewhat, but the heckler apparently kept up his stream of invective throughout the production. During a scene between Brick and Big Daddy (the patriarch of the piece), after yet another insult was launched, the actor portraying Big Daddy, John Lacy, walked into the audience and confronted the heckler directly. Eventually, Mr. Lacy pushed the heckler to the floor.
At that point, the heckler was removed from the theater by a (helpful?) audience member, and the heckler and his companion left the premises.
The performance then resumed on stage, with the cast receiving a standing ovation at the end of the Brechtian event. The police had been called at some point during the evening, but nothing was to be done as the heckler was long gone.
But, oh, the aftermath.
The Rep decided to fire John Lacy for his actions. As a result of that decision, two other cast members quit in a move of solidarity, and then the rest of the production’s run was canceled.
All because of a 59-year old play that, in part, discusses sexual identity in a style that must be described as somewhat quaint by today’s standards. But that didn’t stop the heckler from expressing his opinion, and all of the rest that followed.
What Have We Learned
1. Old plays can still stimulate controversy.
2. There is at least one idiot among us.
3. It’s not nice to make John Lacy angry.
4. The Rep’s management apparently does not condone physically attacking theater patrons.
5. The Rep’s management apparently does condone heckling: nothing was done to stop it.
I must admit I have not been a supporter of the Rep. Nothing here will change that decision, for sure!
More
Santa Clarita Signal: “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” Performances Canceled….
The Animals Of Yellowstone 10 comments
Beaver lodge. Photo from the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Yellow Headed Blackbird. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Tiger Salamander. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Spotted Frog. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Sagebrush Lizard. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Bighorn Sheep. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Boreal Toad. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Columbia Spotted Frog. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Prairie Rattlesnake. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Bighorn Ram. From the Yosemite National Park’s website.
Wolf. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Short-tailed Weasel. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Black footed ferret. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Pronghorn Antelope. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Pine Marten. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Mountain Lion. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Bull moose. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Yellow-bellied marmot. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Grizzly tracks. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Bull elk. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Bull elk. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Elk Fawn. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Chipmonk. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Bison. From Yellowstone National Park’s website.
Yellowstone National Park 12 comments
Where Is It: The very large Park has 5 entrances. The East entrance is 1 hour west of Cody, WY.
The Birth: Ferdinand V Hayden explored Yellowstone in 1871 with sponsorship by Congress. Hayden compiled a comprehensive report, complete with large-format photographs by William Henry Jackson and paintings by Thomas Moran. This report helped convince the Congress to withdraw the area from a planned public auction. Generally regarded as the first National Park in the world, Congress passed the law that was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872.
It Happened Here: From Wikipedia:
Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America and is centered over the Yellowstone Caldera, the largest supervolcano on the continent. The caldera is considered an active volcano. It has erupted with tremendous force several times in the last two million years. Half of the world’s geothermal features are in Yellowstone, fueled by this ongoing volcanism. Lava flows and rocks from volcanic eruptions cover most of the land area of Yellowstone. The park is the centerpiece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest remaining nearly-intact ecosystem in the Earth’s northern temperate zone.
Size: 2,219,791 acres. The Park is larger than Delaware and Rhode Island, combined. It’s 96% in Wyoming, with small parts in Montana and Idaho.
# Visitors: 3,691,191. Attendance at the most popular National Park peaks in July, and is at the lowest levels December – February.
Choices: From Yellowstone.net, who recommends a 3-day visit to the Park, here are the site’s Top 10 things to do:
#1 Old Faithful Geyser/Upper Basin
#2 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
#3 Hayden Valley
#4 Mammoth Hot Springs
#5 Yellowstone Lake
#6 Norris Geyser Basin
#7 Lamar Valley
#8 Tower Fall
#9 Lower Geyser Basin
#10 West Thumb Geyser Basin
Fees: The entrance fee for a private vehicle is $25 for a 7-day pass.
Staying There: From USAToday.com:
Campers have 2,000 campsites in 12 campgrounds to choose from. Seven, run by the National Park Service, are first-come, first-served. Five, run by park concessioner Xanterra, require reservations. Slough Creek, Norris and Fall Tower are among the most popular and fill up quickly, so be sure to arrive early in the day if you want a good spot. For backcountry hikers, Shoshone Lake is a good bet, with an active geyser basin on the lake’s west side; you can also get there by boat on one of the canoe trails. Luxury camping in safari tents and tipis is available from a concessioner called Yellowstone Under Canvas. Old Faithful Inn, on the edge of the famous geyser, is undoubtedly the most distinctive of the park’s lodges. The grand 1904 lodge, named a National Historic Landmark, features four layers of balconies that peek out from the gnarled branches of old trees. The old part of the lodge has the drawback of shared bathrooms, but the character of the old rooms is worth it.
Contact Info:
Yellowstone National ParkPO Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168 By Phone: 307-344-7381
A major 50 minute eruption from Castle Geyser, February 2014. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 2/26/14.
A frost-covered bison, tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/15/13.
Spring sunset on the Madison River. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior on 5/20/14.
American globeflower (Trollius laxus) and, in the background, glacier lily (Erythronium grandiflorum). From the Park’s Facebook page.
Streamside bluebell (Mertensia ciliata). From the Park’s Facebook page.
Pasqueflower (Anemone patens). From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
Old Faithful. From the Park’s Facebook page.
Sandhill Crane. From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
Bull elk drop their antlers grown last year in March and April. The drop in testosterone levels and lengthening daylight trigger the growth of this year’s antlers. Blood flowing in the skin deposits calcium that makes the antler. It will take roughly 140 days for a healthy, mature bull to grow its antlers to full size – about 55-60 inches. From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
Slimpod Shooting Star (Dodecatheon Conjugens). From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
Badger. From the Park’s website.
Yellow-bellied Marmot. From the Park’s website.
Pronghorn Antelope. From the Park’s website.
Bull Moose. From the Park’s website.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
Photo courtesy of Terra Galleria. http://www.terragalleria.com.
More
National Park Service: Yellowstone National Park
Kansas City Star: Yellowstone National Park: Old Faithful Visit Is Just The Start
EdR Photography: The Mad Weather Experience
Jason’s Travels: Five Things To See In Yellowstone National Park
YouTube: Yellowstone National Park Highlights
PBS.org: Yellowstone National Park
The Future Of Newsprint Is Electronic Leave a comment
Interesting infographic from the Newspaper Association of America about news consumption today. What they don’t say, unfortunately, is how print readership, subscriptions and advertising are all still declining precipitously.
But, good news! People are reading digitally. Just like you.
Soon, terms like “newspaper” or “album” or “prime time” or “turn the page” will be footnotes in history instead of descriptions of how we consume information and entertainment.
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Brandywine Falls Leave a comment
Though a short distance from the urban areas of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away. The park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discovery for visitors. The winding Cuyahoga River gives way to deep forests, rolling hills, and open farmlands. Walk or ride the Towpath Trail to follow the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal.
Photo of Brandywine Falls by Brian Frankforther. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 5/31/14.
