No new thoughts or insights, today. Of the important things going on in our society, others have written about with more clarity and persuasiveness than I would be able to muster, short of a sustained effort. This is not supposed to take any effort, right? It's supposed to just flow....
I think it's time to spend a bit of effort realigning my consume/create balance. You may not notice it here, but this is just one portal.
Titles come at the (thought to be) end of writing and I like the one for today. It immediately elicited a vision of early morning practitioners of tai chi I saw in China - flowing balance. I like it.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Vision? We don't need no stinkin' vison!
Leaders provide the vision - where's the vision?
Visions help define who we are and where we want to go - where's the vision?
Just askin'
Visions help define who we are and where we want to go - where's the vision?
Just askin'
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Backyard Pool
We recently (last Fall) had a backyard pool constructed. Beautiful job done by the contractors. We did experience delays (permitting, hurricane, overseas trip, etc.) which meant that, rather than a finished pool in August, it was November. Too cold (even in Houston) for the pool (not the hot tub).
I'm the pool boy and actually enjoy the routine and accomplishment of keeping the pool clean. I knew there would be leaves in the pool but had not realized the extent of our pools ability to attract - well - just about every thing.
After the dead leaves came the pollen (oak) as new leaves were unfolding: Cottonwood seeds, tallow seeds, other, unknown little berry-like seed from trees - all were attracted to the pool. The flora deposits have pretty much abated but the fauna have, I fear, just begun.
Who knew that sowbugs ("roly polys") would reenact the lemmings to the sea scene. Hundreds of roly polys bodies, carpeting the pool bottom, greeted me each day. Fortunately, to every thing there is a season and for roly polys, it past. However, spiders like to hide in the waterfall outlets, so that, when activated, they come leaping out like creepy cliff divers. I think we've flushed them all out now - or they've returned to their spider universities after the spring break.
Other fauna have tried to enjoy the pool. I have a catch and (back into the bayou - or less prosaically - the ditch) release program in place for frogs (about half a dozen - or if I count the possible gastronomic possiblities, a dozen frog legs).
We have size limits on other critters: Any turtle whos shell is under two inches in diameter becomes an immediate pet. We have a great turtle habitat set up and currently occupied. We have returned the football sized turtle (Red Eared Slider) back to his/her home.
Can't wait to see what appears next - Just know that I will never run out in the middle of the night for a swim without turning on the lights.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Alternative Energy Generation
I've been thinking about alternative energy generation lately. One reason is to eventually get off the Houston grid.
(We have power outages more frequently than we should - some due to malfunctioning equipement and some due to the fact that we have above ground lines and lots of trees. Why we don't bury our power lines is beyond me. Any initial extra costs would be recovered quickly in reduced maintenance.)
I've been particularly intrigued by Sterling engines, which generate mechanical motion (and hence can generate electricity) from differing temperatures (Stirling Engine). There is a project beginning which will use just this technology in California (Sterling Energy Systems).
The heat pump systems already used in residential settings turn the sterling engine around for cooling and heating purposes, but are based on the same principles. It seems we should be able to use a sterling engine along with a radiant heating system, similar to those used for hot water generation, to build a home electricity generator.
(We have power outages more frequently than we should - some due to malfunctioning equipement and some due to the fact that we have above ground lines and lots of trees. Why we don't bury our power lines is beyond me. Any initial extra costs would be recovered quickly in reduced maintenance.)
I've been particularly intrigued by Sterling engines, which generate mechanical motion (and hence can generate electricity) from differing temperatures (Stirling Engine). There is a project beginning which will use just this technology in California (Sterling Energy Systems).
The heat pump systems already used in residential settings turn the sterling engine around for cooling and heating purposes, but are based on the same principles. It seems we should be able to use a sterling engine along with a radiant heating system, similar to those used for hot water generation, to build a home electricity generator.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Semi-Annual posting
I'm running behind on my semi-annual blog posting, so here goes.
Father's day was great - My wife and daughter let me buy an Archos 605 wifi meadia player. It it very cool. Thanks. My daughter made this breakfast that had to be seen to be believed: A lion made from a frozen breakfast bar, prunes (for the legs, of course), and a brownish cookie for the head & mane.
All kinds of news in the world, of course, but most all of it analyzed and expounded by people who have really thought about the issues. No need for my uninformed opinion.
Father's day was great - My wife and daughter let me buy an Archos 605 wifi meadia player. It it very cool. Thanks. My daughter made this breakfast that had to be seen to be believed: A lion made from a frozen breakfast bar, prunes (for the legs, of course), and a brownish cookie for the head & mane.
All kinds of news in the world, of course, but most all of it analyzed and expounded by people who have really thought about the issues. No need for my uninformed opinion.
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