The 83rd Save Rain Forest Thread

Raining steady the past four days, and yesterday was very odd weatherwise. Rained, plus fog so thick visibility was approx 100 ft. if that! Driving the Corridor was a trip! Trucks and cars appearing seemingly out of nowhere, and even lights were not visible unless someone was driving directly behind another vehicle. Brought to mind memories of driving Hwy 1 near Pacifica on the California coast. Soup...

Wishing all a relaxing Sunday, WildClickers




http://rainforest.care2.com/i?p=583091674

Stradee, I'm sure X must have mentioned that fog on the ground happens only when the outside ambient temperature and the dewpoint are within 4 degrees of each other - the closer together - the more fog. That's WX 101.......Grin

Also, short field landings........ The one I loved to do in Vietnam was on a high hilltop that had been flattened. The runway was 750 feet long with NO over runs at either end. It was like a short aircraft carrier. I looked at the takeoff run for my 16,000 pound OV-1 and it said I could take off in 750 ft - under the correct temp and altitude conditions of course. So, I lined up with the little dirt strip on the hill and slowed the plane to just above stall speed with power blasting - literally, hanging on the props. Aimed that metal at the very end of the runway and waited. When the main wheels touched - I pulled the power levers back into full reverse. WOW, what a kick in the pants. Only took about 400 ft to stop. Went to lunch at the local chow hall - C's mostly because it was so remote. Then back to the plane - all started and lined up as close to the takeoff end as possible - brakes set, I placed both engines at full takeoff power and released the brakes. It started rolling fast - 3000 hp pushing 10 ft diameter props. We saw the end coming fast - I looked at the airspeed and knew we were ok. Had slow flight speed as we cleared the end of the runway and dipped the nose to gain speed. It was a hill top.

After that I had lunch there quite often. Nothing like fun flying.

One of my favorite blonde stories is =
Two blondes were out hiking - one on one side of a river and the other on the other side of the river. They both came to the river at the same time - on opposite sides of course. One yelled to the other, "How do you get to the other side of the river??" The other blonde yelled back, "You ARE on the other side of the river!!!"

Big Grin

Wow, Dan. Good piloting!

Short field landings were fun, but i'd get a bit nervous during short field takeoffs. Occasionally, we'd take a flight with friends for dinner, and one such flight was to a place called Pardadise {Calavares County, i believe} and the runway was on a plateau - and very short. Plus, landing at well over 3000 ft. altitude is a bit tricky. Taking off, the runway was very short, and at the end of the runway was the end of the plateau, and a drop. Not much room for error. The flight was a good one, our friends first small aircraft trip, the landing was perfect, dinner excellent, and good conversation. We were getting ready to leave the restaurant, and an elderly many who was walking toward the parking area suddenly dropped on the ground. Long story short, the x administered mouth to mouth resusitation {the man had had a stroke} and we sat with the gentleman until the ambulance arrived. Was quite an evening for our friends first small aircraft flight.

The x was also a SF Fireman, and trained in rescue procedures.

Thanks for the ambient reminder. {grin}

You, Beth, and Maggie are the leaders for telling blond jokes! LOL

Great story. More please.........

Blonde jokes are many a plentiful. Like the old Polock jokes of the 60's and 70's. Making fun of someone else takes some mental pressure off ones-self.

A brunette and a blonde fell out of an airplane - which one hit first?? The brunette of course - the blonde had to ask directions.

Ok, here's a story anyone who experiences motion sickness will appreciate.

Probably the worst flight was a trip we took to Tahoe. Nice day, a few clouds, and pretty soon we're flying over the Nevada dessert. Have no clue how we managed that detour, but it was kinda funny. I'm all "Hon, there's a road! Let's follow it" He was not amused. Mentioning it was our first flight to Tahoe - ever - we finally found the Sierras, and began the climb. Was beautiful seeing the lake from the air - but then we began the descent. The first few circles were ok - I thought "this isn't so bad" and then the turbulance was just to much for this girl. Hubby looked at me and said "OMG - you're GREEN"! Then began a dissertation about 'how he'd heard that people turned the color green, but hadn't ever seen.......... and all i said was - "You will get me out of this airplane and quick!" Deciding the best course of action was to begin climbing to an altitude that wouldn't kill me...we immediately decided flying home was a good idea. Hubby felt very badly about that flight and apologized {like it was his fault} but we never did attempt another Tahoe flight.

The Tahoe Basin is absolutely stunning viewed from the air though.

Dan, you crack me up! LOL

Good earthturn, WildClickers





http://rainforest.care2.com/i?p=583091674

Stradee, similar thing happened to my Patti in E. WA state close to Idaho. we had of course come across the Cascade Mountains on the way and I stayed at altitude because it takes less fuel to fly a distance when you are higher. When we began the descent into Harrison, ID - Patti started to yell - her ears were hurting. I stopped the down and started back up until her ears weren't hurting. Then, I started down SLOWLY and all was well. It was a good trip.

I am LOVING reading both of your tales of life in the air!

You and your 300 friends have supported 2,926,687.0 square feet!

Marine Wetlands habitat supported: 220,333.8 square feet.
You have supported: (0.0)
Your 300 friends have supported: (220,333.8)

American Prairie habitat supported: 68,776.4 square feet.
You have supported: (17,909.6)
Your 300 friends have supported: (50,866.9)

Rainforest habitat supported: 2,637,576.7 square feet.
You have supported: (188,988.7)
Your 300 friends have supported: (2,448,588.1)

~~~~

from the blonde to the absurd

OMG, poor Pattie! That had to hurt!

Recall SCUBA diving trips where at a 25ft depth, the ears said "eek". Clearing eardrums, or allowing for changes {pounds per square inch} underneath the water isn't quite as difficult. A person can just stop and float, clear their ears, then continue the descent or stay at whatever depth they feel comfortable with.

During the Tahoe flight, once we flew out of the basin and gained altitude again, i was fine. There's a series of circle manuvers so the plane can descend to the correct altitude for landing. The turbulance was way to much that day. Not only was there the normal jostling that sometimes happens during a flight, but also the sensation one gets when riding an elevator just before the car settles and stops - only the plane wasn't stopping. {burp}

Plus, after the flight, we discussed flying to Tahoe for ski trips. The thought of flyiing during the winter months, with the kids, didn't seem like a good idea to either he or i. So, we drove. {grin}

Most of the flights were really quite nice, but during each taxi to the runway, we'd look at each other and say laughingly - "Now what".

And what a better place to tell flying stories than here.

OMG - a 'flasher' joke!



And may his raincoat rest in peace...

reat memories they all are, and wonderful to hear the stories.

No place will let me click today. Will keep on trying.

Hi Sue,

From the lady who jumped out of airplanes....

...bet you have a few good flight stories.



http://rainforest.care2.com/i?p=583091674

big snow
bad roads
glad I made it home to click another day

~~~~~~

aktbird57 and the WildClickers have supported 2,926,731.4 square feet!

Marine Wetlands habitat supported: 220,370.8 square feet.
You have supported: (0.0)
Your 300 friends have supported: (220,370.8)

American Prairie habitat supported: 68,776.4 square feet.
You have supported: (17,909.6)
Your 300 friends have supported: (50,866.9)

Rainforest habitat supported: 2,637,584.1 square feet.
You have supported: (188,996.1)
Your 300 friends have supported: (2,448,588.1)

In 1976 I went to helicopter flight school at Ft Rucker, AL. The instructor I had did have a good sense of humor. One day close to the middle of the flight training I asked him what would happen if such and such happened in flight - he told me the correct procedure to take and land safely. I then asked if that and another thing happened at the same time what to do - he carefully explained what to do. I then asked him if that and the other thing and two other things all happened together what to do. He sat back in his chair and looked at me and said, "Well, then you reach over with you right hand and unhook your safety belt - then you move forward and sit on the flight control stick and let the Safety Board try and figure it out."

I howeled with laughter and bought him a beer later.

Here's a funny from the cold section of our USA =

-----------------



Two Minnesotans, Sven & Ole, walk into a pet shop near Brainerd. They head to the bird section and Sven says to Ole, "Dat's dem."

The owner comes over and asks if he can help them.

"Yah sure, ve'll take four of dem dere little budgies in dat cage up dere," says Sven.

The owner puts the budgies in a paper bag. Ole and Sven pay for the birds, leave the shop, get into Sven's
pick-up and drive to the top of some big cliffs near Brainerd Lake.

At the cliffs, Sven looks down at the 1000 foot drop and says, "Dis looks like a grand place."

He takes two birds out of the bag, puts them on his shoulders and jumps off the cliff. Ole watches as Sven
falls all the way to the bottom, killing himself dead.

Looking down at the remains of his best pal, Ole shakes his head and says: "By yumpin' yiminy, dis
budgie yumping is too dangerous for me."

VAIT!!! Dere's MORE!

Moments later Knute arrives up at the cliffs.

He's been to the pet shop, too, and walks up to the edge of the cliff carrying another paper bag in one hand
and a shotgun in the other.

"Hey, Ole. Vatch dis." Knute says. He takes a parrot from the bag and throws himself over the edge of
the cliff.

Ole watches as half way down, Knute takes the gun and shoots the parrot.

Knute continues to plummet down and down until he hits the bottom and breaks every bone in his body.

Ole shakes his head and says, "And I'm never trying dat parrotshooting either."
BUT VAIT!!! Dere's MORE, you betcha!!

Ole is just getting over the shock of losing two friends when Lars appears.

He's also been to the pet shop and is carrying a paper bag, out of which he pulls a chicken.

Lars grasps the chicken by the legs, holds it over his head, hurls himself off the cliff and disappears down
and down until he hits a rock and breaks his spine.

Once more Ole shakes his head. "First der was Sven with his budgie yumping, den Knute parrotshooting ..
and now Lars, hengliding .....">

Dats all. Dere ain't no more!







Watcha lookin' down here for? I told you dere's no more!

Thank God!

That was a bit much for me too.

No great skydiving stories - just almost landed in a tree.

Will go click.

January 29, 2009
Editorial
Suing the Belugas

In October, while Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska was campaigning to be vice president, the federal government added the beluga whales in the state’s Cook Inlet to the endangered species list. At the time, Governor Palin opposed the listing, saying it would be “premature.” (She said the same thing about protecting polar bears.) Now Ms. Palin has announced that she will sue to remove the whales from the protection of the Endangered Species Act.

In Governor Palin’s view, what is really endangered is Alaska’s economic growth. Cook Inlet, the long arm of water that reaches toward Anchorage from the Gulf of Alaska, is one of the busiest and fastest-developing regions in the state. There are plans for gas and oil development, an expansion of the Port of Anchorage, as well as a possible new bridge.

Ms. Palin argues that the state has already taken adequate measures to protect the belugas. The numbers certainly argue otherwise. The beluga population in Cook Inlet last year was estimated at 375, down from a high of 653 in 1994.

In explaining her intent to file suit, the governor has challenged virtually every aspect of the listing decision " including the scientific finding that these belugas are a separate and distinct genetic population seriously at risk. Former Senator Ted Stevens went so far as to call the listing “a deliberate targeting of an area vital to the Alaskan economy.”

There is no doubt that Cook Inlet is vital to Alaskans. But it is also vital to the species that live in its waters. Listing the belugas does not mean shutting down the economy of the Cook Inlet. It means adjusting it to accommodate species that cannot adapt or survive any other way.

Sara Palin = zero

Endangered Species = 2

Palins questioning scientific findings is wearing thin. Wolves, grizzlies, polar bears, baluga whales; her idea of conservation = shoot.

She's everythings that's wrong with American right/wing politics.
###





http://rainforest.care2.com/i?p=583091674

PRESS BRIEFING
BY PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS
AND SECRETARY OF INTERIOR KEN SALAZAR
January 28, 2009
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room


MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon, guys. Before we get started, I wanted to introduce Secretary Salazar, who is going to make his second trip as our Secretary of the Interior tomorrow -- he's going to go out West. And I've invited him here to talk a little bit about the reform agenda that he's going to take with him on that trip, and answer a few questions. And then we'll get back to our regularly scheduled programming. So, Secretary.

SECRETARY SALAZAR: Thank you, Robert.

President Obama has immediately set high ethical standards for all of government as part of his reform agenda. As part of that commitment and implementing the reform agenda, I intend to do my part in the Department of Interior to make sure that scandals that have occurred in the past are properly dealt with, and that the problems that we uncover are fixed so that they don't occur again.

President Obama immediately made clear that the type of ethical transgressions, the blatant conflicts of interest, waste and abuses that we have seen over the last eight years will no longer be tolerated. Nowhere is President Obama's commitment to reform and to cleaning up the waste, fraud and abuse of the past more important than at the Department of Interior, which I now lead on his behalf.

Over the last eight years, the Department of Interior has been tarnished by ethical lapses, of criminal behavior that has extended to the very highest levels of government. The former deputy secretary of the department under the Bush administration, Steven Griles, was sent to prison. It is a department that the American people associate with Jack Abramoff. And it is a department that was tarnished by a scandal involving sex, drugs and inappropriate gifts from the oil and gas companies that the employees were in charge of overseeing.

The Lakewood, Colorado, office of the Minerals Management Service is taxed with making sure that taxpayers, the American taxpayers, collect their fair share from oil and gas development on their public lands. Last year that office collected $23 billion. That's $23 billion on behalf of the American people. Yet during the last administration, some of the employees of that office violated the public trust by accepting gifts and employment contracts from the very oil and gas companies that they were supposed to be holding accountable.

Some employees engaged in blatant and criminal conflicts of interest and self-dealing. It is one of the worst examples of corruption, abuse and of government putting special interests before the public interest.

Tomorrow I will be traveling to the Lakewood MMS office to meet with the employees. I there will be announcing our own review of what happened, what has been done to address it, and what additional steps need to be taken.

It will be clear that we will no longer tolerate those types of lapses at any level of government, from political appointees or career employees. This is only the first step of our long-term effort to enact comprehensive top-to-bottom reforms within the Department of Interior. The American people should be proud of their government, all of their government. Those who work for the government should be proud of their service to the American people. We will work to reform the Department of the Interior, to restore the public's trust and confidence in the highest levels of ethics and accountability that the American people deserve.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog_post/Cleaninghouse/