Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Joplin, MO. Petfinder Vote. Old San Francisco. Isle Royale Park, MI. Gulf Coast. CO River Basin. Cargo Trailer.

Joplin, Mo. tornadoOur hearts and prayers go out to all the people devastated by these recent weather events around the country.  
Now there is another one:
"Joplin, named for the founder of the area's first Methodist congregation, is the hometown of poet Langston Hughes and "Gunsmoke" actor Dennis Weaver.
It flourished though World War II because of its rich lead and zinc mines. It also gained fame as a stop along Route 66, the storied highway stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif., before freeways diminished its importance."

"Triage centers and shelters around Joplin rapidly filled to capacity. At a Lowe's home-improvement store, wooden planks served as cots."

"You see pictures of World War II, the devastation and all that with the bombing, that's really what it looks like."

"Joplin-area historical tornado activity is above Missouri state average. It is 161% greater than the overall U.S. average."
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Voting ends at midnight on Wednesday, May 25.      Please Vote.

"Dear Petfinder.com members,
I need your vote!  The Petfinder.com Foundation is only 200 votes behind 1st place for the $500,000 (Facebook) Chase Community Giving program.  We are so close.  As you know, the Foundation provides grants for Hide, Perch and Go boxes for your adoptable cats, vaccinations for homeless pets, and disaster relief.  In the last year, we have given over $7 million dollars to support Petfinder.  This could help us do even more (plus if we win, the press for homeless pets will be fantastic). 
Here is how to vote for us:
1. Go to:     facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving and LIKE that page
2. Go to:      http://bit.ly/jBwkql and vote for the Petfinder.com Foundation
3. LIKE the Petfinder.com Foundation charity page to post it on your wall
Also, please pass this along to your adopters, supporters, staff, volunteers and friends. Thanks!"
 Betsy Banks Saul   Co-Founder, Petfinder.com      Chairman of the Board, Petfinder.com Foundation
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Now let's get on with Travel Tuesday:

How about a visit to San Francisco…. 100 years ago!   BEFORE The Quake of 1906.
"Scenes from a video shot from a streetcar traveling down Market Street in San Francisco in 1905, before the earthquake/fire of 1906 destroyed the area.       Remarkable footage of the turn of the century lifestyles"

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Isle Royale National Park, Michigan


"View SlideshowAccessible only by ferry, personal boat, or float-plane service, Isle Royale National Park--perched in the northwest corner of Lake Superior--is worth the extra effort to get there. Fewer than 20,000 people a year visit the park, but the island has a loyal following.

The average visit to Isle Royale is four days, compared to a few hours at the Grand Canyon. Though closed in the winter months, summer at the park is warm and fall foliage provides a colorful backdrop for potential sightings of rutting moose.
Not for the faint of heart, park visitors should prepare for rugged canoe portages and primitive-backcountry hiking and camping.
If you go,  free backcountry permits are required for the island's 36 campgrounds."
Read more about Isle Royale in National Parks > >           View the slideshow > >

_________________Gulf Islands oil spill


Gulf Coast Parks One Year after the Spill


"A year after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, national park staff are still working hard to help ensure that the plants, animals, and landscapes that anchor our communities and draw people outdoors are restored for future generations. Park scientists and researchers at both Gulf Islands and Padre Island National Seashores are paying special attention to this year's nesting seasons for both shorebirds and sea turtles; nesting can run from March through the summer months.


Given the unknown impacts of the oil remaining in the Gulf, this season could be a significant indicator of what the future holds. Still, researchers and park staff warn that much like the long road back seen after the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, only time will tell the full impact of last year's disastrous spill."       Read More > >
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National Parks of the Colorado River Basin

Colorado River report
"OUR LATEST REPORT:   The Colorado River and its tributaries are a major water source for western states with increasing water demands, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Dams along these waterways are used to generate hydropower and regulate usage.

National Parks of the Colorado River Basin: Water Management, Resource Threats, and Economics identifies the effects that these large dams have on natural and cultural resources in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Grand Canyon National Park.

The report considers the economic value of our national parks, as well as the economic value of hydropower generated by large dams along the route."     Read More > >
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 Yesterday:

Jay and I have just about finished the dinette benches in the cargo trailer.  First, we had to install a junction box for the GFI outlet wires which will also feed the outlet on the outside of the trailer.  That inside GFI outlet will go on the side of the dinette next to the front door.
 
There is just enough sturdy plywood left to make the bases for the bed in the rear.  We have both bench seat tops and sides cut, but didn't get it all screwed together yet, as it was already past lunch time.

We were ready to quit on such a humid, warm day.

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