News: Doug Dubrouillet. Landslides. Heat and Humidity. Right and Wrongs. Will and Kate. Boat People Down Under. 10 Technologies. Ramadan Begins. Doctor.

By Sam Griffin:  "Doug Dubrouillet, my grandfather passed away early this morning. He suffered from terminal cancer for four and a half years. During his last months that I was able to experience, Doug was one in a million. He had an atmosphere of goofiness and jolly fun, even on the edge of life. His tradition of ice cream hour is one of my favorites." 

A memorial service will be held Sunday at Unity of Panama City at 1:30 p.m.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

Doug Dubrouillet
"Here is a link to a memorial site for Doug: Please share your thoughts and memories with us. We would love to hear your stories."     Frank Douglas Dubrouillet (January 3, 1941 - August 5, 2011) - Online Memorial Website

http://doug-dubrouillet.last-memories.com/

We all new that his passing was imminent, but it is still a shock when it happens.  Poor Fillmore, probably didn't realize that Doug was losing his battle with cancer, and he will miss his Dad.
Picture 'borrowed' from Ellie, http://justravelin.blogspot.com/
it was the only one I could find with Joanne, Doug and with Fillmore in it, too.

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South Korean deluge

"After a month of heavy rain saturated mountainsides, a fresh deluge sent landslides sweeping into Seoul last week, killing 59 people. Ten were still reported missing. In a strange compounding of the misery, the landslides and flash flooding washed away landmines buried near an air defense unit in Seoul. Soldiers were searching for those landmines as well as North Korean landmines washed away near the border. A total of 76 landslides of different severity struck after the most intense rainstorm in Korea in the last century. Ten university students lost their lives while volunteering at a summer camp for kids when a landslide struck in Chuncheon. "If it keeps raining like this, no country in the world can endure this," South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said. -- Lane Turner (25 photos total)"

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Heat And Humidity Conspire For Discomfort, Danger

WASHINGTON -- "When it comes to the discomfort and health risks of the current heat wave, it's not just the heat or the humidity – it's both.
The temperature conspires with the amount of moisture in the air to make it hard for the human body to cool itself.
When people get hot, the body tries to cool down by moving extra blood to the skin and by sweating.
Blood in the tiny vessels near the skin can dissipate heat into the air, if the air is cooler than the body. But that doesn't work if the air is as hot as the body or hotter.
Sweat helps, because when water evaporates it removes heat. But the more moisture already in the air – the higher the humidity – the less evaporation can occur.
Those two processes account for more than 90 percent of the body's ability to dissipate heat, and when they aren't working, trouble can come from heat exhaustion, heat stroke and even death.
Heat exhaustion, or heat prostration as it's sometimes called, is a common condition caused by prolonged exposure to intense heat, and marked by symptoms like dizziness and weakness. It has no race or age boundaries and can strike anyone who's spent some time in the sun. Once noticed, it's easy to fully recover from this sunny ailment, but not unless you know the signs and treat immediately -- untreated, heat exhaustion can turn dangerous fast, leading to heat stroke and other serious weather-related illnesses.
If you're brave enough to stand the steamy summer heat wave of 2011, have fun, but remember to keep an eye out for excessive sweating, sunburn, panting and chills, and even nausea.
For tips on how to stay hydrated in the heat, check out our article, Summer Hydration Mysteries, Solved."

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'Our Government Has Now Given Up The Concept Of Right And Wrong' (VIDEO)

First Posted: 8/2/11: "Keith Olbermann excoriated Washington for the debt ceiling deal it struck over the weekend--and called for a protest movement to rise up against it.
In a Special Comment on his Monday show, Olbermann did not mince words about the deal, which passed the House on Monday and is headed for a vote in the Senate.
"Our government has now given up the concept of right and wrong," he said. "...Those who defend [the deal] have called it a credit to a pragmatic president who wins some sort of political 'points' because, having stood for almost nothing here, he gave away almost nothing for which he stood." "  More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/02/olbermann-debt-ceiling-special-comment-protests-obama_n_915957.html?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%7C220756



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Royals Fly Commercial Airlines Home After Zara Phillip's Wedding

Getty Images
After the wedding of his cousin, Zara Phillips, this past weekend, Prince William didn't take a private flight back to Manchester.
Instead, he whisked his new bride, Catherine Middleton, on a budget airline jet for the hour-long jaunt from Edinburgh to their new home in Anglesey (Manchester is the closest airport), the Daily Mail reports.
The royal duo hopped on a Flybe flight and sat with everyone else on the plane (the airline doesn't offer a first class section). The couple reportedly went through security (see, they ARE just like us!) and sat with bodyguards on the flight. Cost of a one-way ticket? A thrifty $62.
A Manchester Airport spokesman told the Daily Mail: "With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge living not too far away in North Wales, we were hoping to seem them more often and become their local international airport of choice and we are looking forward to welcoming them through out doors over the coming years."
Meanwhile, Prince Harry took to the skies with easyJet for the hour-long hop from Edinburgh to London, the Telegraph reports. His ticket price? $36.
This isn't the first time Kate and Will have flown commercial. The couple flew back to London from Los Angeles on a British Airways jet following their North American tour. Prince William flew a commercial Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Christchurch back in March.




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10 Technologies That Will Change the World in the Next 10 Years

Posted By Dr. Mercola | August 01 2011 |

Dave Evans is Cisco's chief futurist, and the chief technologist for the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group. He outlined what he believed to be 10 technological trends that will change the world in 10 years. Here are some of them:

• The Internet of Things: There are now more things are connected to the Internet than people. By 2020, the number of Internet-connected things could be more than six devices for every person on Earth.
• The Data Flood: About 5 exabytes of unique information were created in 2008 -- the equivalent of a billion DVDs. In 2011, it will be 1.2 zettabytes (one zettabyte equals 1,024 exabytes.)
• The World Gets Smaller: With always-on connectivity, social influences will continue to move rapidly between cultures. A smaller world also means faster information dissemination.
• The Power of Power: As the human population also continues to grow, more efficient methods to provide power are becoming a necessity, particularly solar energy.
• Another Family Tree: Virtual humans, both physical (robots) and online avatars will be added to the workforce. By 2025, the robot population could surpass the number of humans in the developed world. By 2035, robots could completely replace humans in the workforce.

To read the rest, you can click on the link.   Sources:  Network World July 19, 2011
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Here's one way to deter illegal immigrants!

Australia Uses YouTube To Deter Boatpeople

First Posted: 8/2/11 08:30 AM ET Updated: 8/2/11 11:54 AM ET

SYDNEY (Reuters) - "Australia will film boatpeople being sent to Malaysia under a new refugee swap deal and post the video on YouTube in an effort to deter future boatpeople, the immigration department said on Tuesday.
The 54 boatpeople, intercepted last week and the first to be sent to Malaysia, will be filmed arriving at Australia's Christmas Island detention center, boarding a plane to Malaysia and arriving in camps in Kuala Lumpur for processing.
Border protection is a high priority with Australian voters, although U.N. figures show Australia receiving just under 0.5 percent of the world's asylum seekers.
The YouTube video was aimed at dispora communities in Australia, such as Iranian, Iraqi, Afghan and Sri Lankan, to discourage family and friends from supporting boatpeople, said immigration department spokesman Sandi Logan.
"We don't want them funding, we don't want them in any way suggesting an option for coming to Australia is getting on a rickety dangerous boat, for a highly risky voyage across the open ocean north of Australia," Logan said.
"But of course we know that YouTube is not restricted to people in Australia. It will be a very potent message that demonstrates the futility of engaging with the people smugglers...risking your life at sea, only to be put on a plane to be flown back to Malaysia."

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Ramadan begins

"Muslims around the globe have begun their holiest month of the year by giving up food, drink, smoking and other physical needs from dawn till dusk each day. In many communities, large dinner gatherings are held each evening to break the fast. The month also marks a time for Muslims to reexamine their lives through the prism of Islamic teachings." -- Lloyd Young (38 photos total)
Photo: A Pakistani Muslim prepares food stuff for 'Iftar' a time to break their fast, on the first day of holy fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque August 2 in Karachi. Muslims across the world are observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan, where they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. (Shakil Adil/Associated Press)
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Yesterday:

Having had enough of feeling bad, I went to the doctor.  He prescribed a "steroid pack" and some antibiotics.  He also wanted me have an "Inhalation Aerosol", I had never had one of those before.

After we left the doctor, we went straight to the Angelic Thrift Shop , as Jay wanted to buy a motor cycle helmet for the 3-wheel ATV that he had bought from someone in this subdivision.   I thought those dangerous 3-wheel things were outlawed.  That was why Jay went with me, and also as back-up as I didn't feel right about driving by myself.

As I didn't have the energy to crawl out of a wet paper bag, we didn't go anywhere else, except to our local Kroger Pharmacy, because they should have my info as I had my last prescriptions filled there, years ago when I had the sinus infection.  They said it would take an hour to fill the prescriptions, but I didn't feel like walking around shopping, so I didn't even look at my list.   With me hacking and coughing in their waiting room, they had it ready in 35-40 minutes.

After I had dropped off Jay and given the kittens their lunch, I took two of these, and two of those, turned off the phone and doorbell ringer, and laid down.  I didn't want to be bothered by anybody.  When I woke up an hour later, I felt better, the achiness and cough had gone.
 
The rest and meds renewed my strength so I cooked some of my Nolan Ryan's beef from Krogers,  http://www.nolanryanbeef.com/quality/all_natural.aspx , a sweet potato and some veggies.  To conserve power I cooked it on my propane cooktop, instead of my electric pressure cooker.     TX has been having 'rolling blackouts', due to the excessive use of electricity.  The news media said that to avoid the blackouts, we should all cut down on our usage during the peak hours.  I brought the kittens into the house and turned off the AC in their room, raised the temperatures in the other rooms, and didn't use any hot water from my electric water heater.    I'd rather have a little AC, than no power at all.

So at least I did something constructive yesterday.

Do You Want DEHP With That? Do You Have Asthma? CLA's and Vit. D. Trailer Tongue Painted, and Sore Muscles.

FDA bares list of DEHP-contaminated products

MANILA, Philippines - "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a list of products from different parts of the globe that are found to contain toxic chemical Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a substance used in making plastic.
The list, currently available at the FDA website, mentioned the following products from Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Canada:

Taiwan
Presotea Tea Drink
Strawberry and Grape-flavored Prescription Syrup
Nature House Lactic Acidic Bacteria (apple vinegar-flavored lactic acid powder)
Skinny Dietary Drinks
Taiwan Sugar Ginger Clam Tablets

Singapore
Sunlight brand drinks (Star fruit juice)

Hong Kong
Speed Sports Drink
Speed Sports Drink Lemon Flavor
Brand's Calcium Grow Chewable Tablets

Xiamen, China
A-Sali Guava Juice

Beijing, China
Beverages produced by Taiwan Yes Sports Drink
Brand's Calcium Grow Chewable Tablets

Canada
Possmei's Passion Fruit Juice
Possmei's Mango Juice
Possmei's Litchi Juice
Possmei's Passion Fruit Jam
Trojan's Mango Juice
Trojan's Passion Fruit Jam
Trojan's Dark Plum Jam

FDA Deputy Director Nazarita Tacandong urged the public to stay away from these products, as well as items that do not contain one or more of these details: name of product, name of manufacturer, address of manufacturer, complete list of ingredients and FR number (a unique registration number that the agency assigns for processed food).
She said companies tend to use DEHP because it is cheaper than palm oil.

DEHP is used mainly to increase the plasticity or fluidity of materials like plastic, cement or concrete. It can also be used as a clouding agent for medical devices.
If taken in high doses, DEHP can cause fertility and kidney problems in children, Tacandong said.
Given this, she advised those who have consumed DEHP-tainted products to flush it away by drinking lots of water." 
By Karen Flores, abs-cbnNEWS.com  From: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/06/01/11/fda-bares-list-dehp-contaminated-products

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Europe Calls This One of the Top 6 Chemical Threats to Humans...

"Who would suspect that the everyday plastics in your house or the medical products used at your hospital would be made in such a way as to leach a toxic chemical into your body?
But this is exactly the case with DEHP.

This includes the IV tubing connecting your preemie to life-sustaining nutrition...And the teething toy your toddler chews on to relieve the pain in his gums...And the "Cinderella shoes" your little princess runs around in while playing dress-up. These common plastic products contain a toxic chemical that can potentially damage you or your child's liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system—and particularly the developing testes of prenatal and neonatal boys.

Unfortunately, these products carry varying amounts of a chemical called di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, or DEHP. DEHP is an industrial chemical used in vinyl-type plastics to make them soft and pliable. Unplasticized PVC is hard and brittle, so the DEHP polymer is added to soften it.
You can be exposed to DEHP through air, water, food, intravenous fluids, or skin contact with DEHP-containing plastics.
But before I go into the risks specific to DEHP, it is important to understand the chemical family to which it belongs, whose risks have been known for decades: the phthalates……"
More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/24/europe-bans-penis-shrinking-chemical-america-does-not.aspx
and: http://www.sfenvironment.org/downloads/library/roundtablepresentation8706.pdf

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Take 4.5 Grams of Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLA) Each Day to Prevent or Fight Asthma

Are Inhalers the Best Treatment for You?

"The conventional asthma treatment typically consists of a non-steroidal bronchodilator – an anti-inflammatory agent that you inhale. It causes the smooth muscle cells in your lungs to relax, which opens up your airways. If that doesn't work, the next level is typically an inhaled steroid, which is a very potent anti-inflammatory agent. The reason these aggressive types of intervention are performed is because asthma is indeed a serious condition. It can be fatal, so you need to be serious about treating it.

Unfortunately, as usual, Big Pharma wants you to believe that their inhaled asthma drugs are the magic bullet you need to combat this disease, but the truth is asthma medicines don't work and can be dangerous to your health. In fact, a new box warning on one long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist (LABA) clearly states that LABA can actually increase the rate of asthma-related death!^[3]

How CLA Helps Asthmatics

Asthmatics get asthma because they produce much higher levels of leukotrienes, which are fatty molecules of the immune system and at least 1000 times more potent than histamine at causing bronchial constriction. These highly inflammatory leukotrienes are produced when an enzyme known as 5-lipoxygenase (5-lipox) acts on a particular fat called arachidonic acid (AA). Many of the inhaled drugs that treat your asthma work by reducing leukotrienes.

But there's a more natural way for you to fight leukotrienes.
With nutrition you can reduce the precursor molecules (5-lipox and AA) in your body, thus preventing the inflammation from ever being produced. CLA helps fight 5-lipox and AA inflammation without harming your arteries.^[5] CLA does this by converting inside your body to both DHA and EPA, both of which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.^[6] CLA can also help lower blood pressure,^[7] which is a serious condition that may be a co-factor in your asthma.^[8] One of the best things you can do for your health right now is to balance your omega 3 to omega 6 fat ratios, and CLA from organic, grass-fed meats can play a big part in this."
More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/26/cla-eases-airways-for-asthmatics.aspx
And: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/CLA-may-ease-airways-for-asthmatics-Cognis
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Vitamin D May Improve Asthma Control. WebMD Health News

Study Links Vitamin D Deficiency and Asthma Severity

"Vitamin D is the new "it" vitamin. A number of studies link its deficiency to a host of medical conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Now, a new review article makes the case for vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of asthma. The findings appear in the September issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Researchers reviewed nearly 60 years' worth of literature on vitamin D status and asthma. They found that vitamin D deficiency is linked to increased airway reactivity, lower lung functions, and worse asthma control. Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency include obesity, being African-American,  and living in Westernized countries, the researchers report. These are also populations known to be at higher risk for developing asthma.

Vitamin D supplementation may improve asthma control by blocking the cascade of inflammation-causing proteins in the lung, as well as increasing production of the protein interleukin-10, which has anti-inflammatory effects, the study authors suggest." 
More at:  http://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20100910/vitamin-d-may-improve-asthma-contro
By Denise Mann  WebMD Health News     Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
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Yesterday:



Even though I went to bed early, I had trouble getting to sleep, even after taking an Aleve for my aching body.    Some Vicks VaporRub seemed to help my stopped up sinuses, and my breathing improved.  But I did drop off, because I was harshly awakened by water pouring all over me.  I had reached over to get a sip of water, and must have fallen asleep before I put the glass back on the night stand.  So here am I, groggily removing nightclothes, sheets and mattress pad in the middle of the night.  I grabbed another nightie and mattress pad, just laid on it, and fell back to sleep.  I do not recommend a cold dunking to wake one up.

Ray could now work in the shade on the front of the cargo trailer, but found out that he hadn't put the white body paint and primer on the list.  So he painted the tongue with RustOleum Hammered Black.

The trailer is now fairly close to the shed, and there was a prickly bush that was going to 'reach out and touch someone', so I trimmed that side off with the clippers.  Now we can get past the trailer and into the shed easily.  Anything that is flammable is kept in the shed, that means paint, paint thinner, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, acetone, contact cement, etc.  All the things that I don't want in my attached workshop.  I lost one house and workshop to fire, so I am extra careful now.

Jay didn't work for long, but we did get the cargo trailer leveled on jack stands, and the cement block steps in place for the rear and the side doors.

We were going to re-stuff the washed beige ultra-suede cushion covers for the cargo trailer's bed decor, but I felt like I had taken statin drugs, (Muscle Pain and Weakness: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacob-teitelbaum-md/statins-cholesterol_b_910841.html), which I hadn't.  Every muscle was crying out, so I took Jay home after an hour.  Even when I tried to lie down for a bit it didn't bring any relief, and I couldn't nap, so it was another early night for me.  I don't remember a cold doing this to me before.

When I took Jay home, I brought back his broken lawnmower for Ray to look at, but Ray thinks the shaft is bent, so he is passing the buck to a repair shop.     There is a Western Auto south of Conroe, and another one north of us in New Waverly.  We don't know where to take it since our Western Auto in Willis closed down, so that means another trip in either direction one day.

Your Shorts. RV AC Dripping? Replacing AC Gasket. $1 Breakfast. Camp Free or Cheap. No Reservations. Bandelier National Monument Burned. Lazy Day.

RV electrics: Finding your shorts

"No, this is not an exercise in laundry hunting, as the title suggests, we’ll talk about tracking down electrical circuit problems. What’s the telltale for a short circuit? Blown fuses, tripped breakers, and occasionally a melted component. Happily the latter is a rare occurrence, as the fuse or circuit breaker should provide the protection needed to stop a catastrophic issue like a melt-down from happening. In this blog we are discussing tracking down electrical shorts in low voltage, battery power circuits. AC (shore power) circuits are a bit of different animal, and we’ll talk about them later.

 

Tracking down a short requires a bit of a detective’s mind, and a simple electrical tool called a multimeter. You may already have a multimeter in your too chest, if not, get thee to a Radio Shack or Harbor Freight Tools outlet. You can find them elsewhere too, but these two outfits will always have them, and for a reasonable price.

A little background: Electrical current flows from a power source (in our RVs, oftentimes the house battery) to a load, like a light, water pump, or some other power user. On the way it may travel through a switch that will shut off the load by stopping the flow of electricity enroute. An electrical load provides resistance to the flow of current or amperage. Without the load of resistance, current flow increases dramatically, blowing the fuse or tripping the breaker-a short circuit. Too much load on a circuit will also trip a breaker or blow a fuse. Check it out by reducing the loads on the circuit–if no safety mechanism trips, you’re ok.

 

Finding a short circuit is a multi-step process:

First, Look things over and scratch your head. Have you recently put a screw or nail into something (a wall or ceiling)? Penetrating a wire with a metal object is a quick way to create a short circuit. You may get a breaker trip or fuse blown if some current carrying object (piece of metal for example) falls across a positive (hot) wire and connects up to ground. Eyeball where you can.

Next, try resetting the breaker or replacing the fuse. If these fault out again, you’ll need to move to the next step. If the fuse holds up or breaker doesn’t trip, it may have been a fluke. It happens, but only occasionally.

Drag out your multimeter and set it for ohms.  Disconnect the circuit from the power source on the positive side.  Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to disconnect the positive lead from the house battery, and make sure the power converter is turned off.  Leave the power switch to the load turned on. Now disconnect the load (for example a light fixture), taking off both positive and negative wires. Using your multimeter, test the load device.

In RVs, with the exception of a fluorescent light, nearly all load devices will show some resistance. If you read 0 ohms of resistance, reverse the leads and check again. Why? Some electronic loads show resistance only in one direction, although incandescent lights will show it both directions. Still no resistance? Then there is a short circuit in the load device. Fix it or replace it.

If the load shows resistance, you’ll need to look further in “detective mode.” You’ll be looking for continuity, or zero resistance, where there should be none. Where should there be no continuity? Since you’ve disconnected the load from the circuit, there should be no continuity between the negative lead and positive lead at the load end. Touch your probes to both leads. If zero ohms, or a few ohms read, there is a short in the circuit.

Test for where the short is by leaving the multimeter probes hooked up to the wires at the load end. Now remove the fuse for the circuit, or disconnect one of the terminals from the circuit breaker. If the meter reads infinite resistance now, you’ve found the short is between the fuse and the positive battery terminal. If the meter still shows zero resistance or a few ohms, the short is on the load side of the fuse.

To track it down more, put a good fuse back in the fuse holder or reconnect the lead to the circuit breaker. Now turn off the power switch to the load. If the meter reads infinite resistance the short is between the fuse or circuit breaker and the power switch. If the meter indicates zero resistance or a few ohms, the only place left for the short to be is between the switch and the load device.

RV wiring inside walls or ceilings is a major frustration, as manufacturers can run stuff darned near anywhere. If you can get a copy of the wiring diagram from the manufacturer it may help. If you suspect a nail or screw may be the cause of your problems, try pulling it out and starting out fresh. Often getting the offending object out of the wiring will fix it, and in a low voltage situation may not present a safety issue. Still, it’s best to get to the wire to properly repair the damage if at all possible."   Posted by Russ and Tiña DeMaris.

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New RVer asks: Why is my air conditioner dripping? 

"It can be a bit disconcerting: You've got the RV out for a trip and you notice water dripping down the side of the rig. There's not a cloud in the sky, but water is flowing away merrily. Or it could even be worse: You flip on the air conditioner on a hot day and after a short while, a nasty drip, drip, drip of water falls from your air conditioning unit--onto the floor--INSIDE your RV!

What's going on? In one instance, nothing unusual, and not a thing to be worried about. In the latter, a normal thing, but happening in a place where it ought not. The water that you might see streaming down the side of your rig (or off your awning) is simply a byproduct of the weather: Condensation.

 
Every time you fire up your RV air conditioner, it pulls humidity out of the air inside and puts it outside. The higher the humidity, the greater the amount of water produced. Typically the condensate rolls into a pan in the base of the unit that lives above the roof line. That drip pan has small holes that allow the condensed water to harmless drip out on the roof. If the weather is hot enough, the the condensate small enough in volume, it may well evaporate before it can run off to the side of your rig and down the side. If not, just expect it.

When you see water dripping into your RV and there's not a cloud in the sky, the chances are good it's still air conditioner produced condensation, but unfortunately, it's not making its way harmlessly onto your roof. The most likely problem is that dirt, leaves, or other junk have gotten into your a/c unit and blocked the drain holes in the bottom of the pan. If the level gets too deep, it runs up and over the lap of the pan and makes its way into your RV. Left unchecked it can be worse than a nuisance, it can actually damage your rig.

 
The fix is easy. Turn off the air conditioner unit. For safety sake, put a "lock out" tag on the switch or thermostat to warn others not to turn it on, or better still, disconnect the power to the RV. At roof top level, remove the shroud covering your a/c unit. Typically a few screws or nuts hold it in place. Carefully lift the shroud and set it aside.
Now look closely at the pan at the bottom of the unit. Remove any debris that blocks the drain pan. With the holes uncovered, your inside 'rain showers' should be a thing of the past."     By Russ and Tina DeMaris

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If it is an older RV, it might be the AC's gasket:

After repairing AC for a leak, an RVer wonders if did it wrong.   By Gary Bunzer

"Dear Gary,
I have a Coleman air conditioner on the roof of my RV. I had a problem with water leaking inside through the air conditioner when it rained so I sealed around the edges of the roof unit. I have since been told not to do that, that the condenser must drain onto the roof and now I will have that condensate coming inside. I removed the shroud but am unable to locate the hole or holes in the drain pan to see where it drains. Could you tell me where the holes are located so I can make sure they are clear and draining properly? The unit is so old that I am afraid to remove it to replace the 14-inch gasket." -- Gus Tarver

Dear Gus,
"Indeed the only water seal on the roof air conditioner occurs at the perimeter of the 14-inch opening. The air conditioner sits atop the 14-inch gasket only. Condensation must drain through the pan and onto the roof of the RV outside of the 14-inch opening. The holes in the pan may be located under various internal components making them hard to see by simply taking off the shroud. You may be able to locate them by using a flashlight and a mirror, but they must be clear to allow the pan to drain.

The fact that you have rainwater leaking under the air conditioner mandates the unit be removed from the roof and a new gasket installed. It's likely the constant weight and possible over tightening of the mounting bolts have compressed the gasket beyond usefulness.

Remove the interior shroud and the filters and you should be able to see three mounting bolts that can be removed. These bolts sandwich the roof between the bottom of the air conditioner and the interior plenum. Be sure to disconnect the AC power before removing the plenum.

Once the plenum is down inside the coach, the air conditioner can be carefully lifted off the 14-inch opening on the roof. Take care lifting the unit so that the roof material does not tear during the process. It's best to use two people to remove the unit from the roof. Once exposed, the 14-inch opening can be cleaned and a new gasket installed. Do not over-tighten the mounting bolts. You only want to compress the gasket enough to prevent leaks while securing the air conditioner."

http://rvtravel.com/RV_Doctor_160/rvdoctor384.shtml

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When we have done this, we placed the AC on some 4x4 blocks instead of removing it completely off the roof.

 

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"Almost" free breakfast at Flying J

 

 
"Out on the road and looking for a cup of Java and a breakfast sandwich? Flying J has a print-it-and-bring-it coupon right here. The catch? OK, it's not absolutely free, it'll cost you a buck. The offer works ONLY at participating Flying J locations, NOT at Pilot."

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Camp free or cheap at fish and wildlife refuges

 

"Be on the lookout for Fish and Wildlife refuges, both national and state, for good boondocking and cheap camping opportunities. When there is no hunting season active, these refuges can be deserted. Though policies vary with each state, generally you can camp either free or very cheap.
Some refuges can be quite scenic, on ponds maintained for ducks for instance (photo - Finney-Ramer Unit of California's Imperial Wildlife Area). In some states (California is one example) you can camp free if you have a state fishing or hunting license. If not, you can still camp but will have to pay, usually a very reasonable fee.
Check online or at regional Fish & Game offices for policies and locations--but avoid during hunting seasons."  See: http://www.nrahq.org/hunting/statefishgame.asp

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RVing by whim instead of reservations

 

"If you find your RV life still controlled by working life remnants (calendars, appointment books, itineraries), it may be time to throw them into the campfire--along with the perceived necessity of having to make campground reservations.

 
Instead, commit yourself to whims. Decide on where you will camp tonight on whatever comes up that day and wherever you happen to be when you want to stop for the night. You can do this by having a couple of good campground directories, including one that lists free and cheap campgrounds--as well as similar websites bookmarked (you can find these at RV Bookstore).
And learn boondocking skills so that if you don't find a campground, you can stop at a rest stop, in a national forest, at a Walmart, Flying J, Cracker Barrel, or other commercial location--in fact anywhere you find comfortable. You may find this new freedom from reservations both exciting and exhilarating. "

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Fire storm ravages New Mexico monument

 

 "Bandelier National Monument, a park preserving the history of Pueblo people and showcasing some of New Mexico's breathtaking scenery has suffered a huge blow. The fire that threatened Los Alamos National Laboratory turned and has burned over half of the park's 33,000 acres.
The Las Conchas Fire roared through the monument, incinerating 11,000 acres of the canyon's 12,000-acre watershed. More than 4,000 acres were so severely burned that no vegetation remains. One of the toughest hit areas was the monuments most visited spots: Frijoles Canyon. The canyon receives approximately 95 percent of the monument's visitation and is home to the Monument's only visitor center, the largest concentration of prehistoric cultural sites, the historic Civilian Conservation Corps district, offices, several popular hiking trails, and employee residences.

While the visitor center was left untouched by the fire, efforts are underway to prepare it and other structures in Frijoles Canyon to withstand potential flooding. Artifacts and exhibits have been removed from the visitor center and relocated to secure storage areas. Sandbags and diversion dikes have been strategically placed to seal the visitor center and divert water away from facilities and historic sites in the canyon."

Sections of Bandelier National Monument Reopen: http://www.nps.gov/band/index.htm

Sections of Bandelier National Monument (see list below) reopened to the public on Friday, July 15, 2011. Most of the park will remain closed for the foreseeable future. The Las Conchas Fire, which began on June 26, has burned over 50% of the park's landscape and has left Frijoles Canyon, where the visitor center and main sites are located, subject to flash flooding.

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Yesterday:

 

After leaving messages on Jay's and Ray's answering machines, and getting no replies, I was glad.  I didn't feel like working out there in the heat.  Jay thought that I was going to take a gal down the street on my Wednesday shopping trip, and he didn't want to go, so he didn't call me back.   Shopping was postponed as I wasn't going in to Conroe unless I could pick up the washer, dishwasher, or both from the repair shop.  Ray and Shay were busy paying bills and shopping, so Ray didn't want to work either.  Thankfully, our SS checks had showed up!!

 

It is difficult for someone like me to know if they have a cold, as my sinuses are all messed up with cysts, and so I can't blow my nose.  (That was all the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor said, and didn't not even suggest a remedy)  Maybe this is why I have felt so tired the last couple of evenings.  The other day, I remember being in a grocery store and wishing I had my sweater out of the car.   Being in really cold air conditioning usually makes me feel like this. 

 

Hoping a nap would get rid of this vague achy feeling, but I couldn't sleep, so I just took it easy all day.