Campus Chatter – August 13, 2011
Today in history, greetings, and social banter here. (More)
Hernán Cortés captured Tenochtitlán today (1521). Also, Harry Brearley produced stainless steel (1913), Opha Mae Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on the same day that Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) was founded (1918), the Central African Republic declared independence (1960), the first barriers of the Berlin Wall were erected (1961), and the Russian Orthodox Church agreed to send observers to the Second Vatican Council (1962). And the Apollo 11 crew emerged from a three-week quarantine for a ticker-tape parade in New York City (1969).
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
60 degrees in North Central Blogistan on it’s way up to 75. Dense fog advisory. Or dense people. I will let you know later.
Yesterday on Campus
Morning Feature – The 3rd Annual Bippies: Movies and TV Series
Furthermore! – the BPI Squirrel with Messaging Works
Midday Matinee by winterbanyan We Shall Be Free
Last night’s Campus Question asked about the double standard for bank loans
Today on Campus
Morning Feature – The 3rd Annual Bippies: Political Columns (Non-Cynical Saturday)
HEMMED In with Saturday Videos
Noontime News at noon time
Campus Question at 6pm ET
Evening Focus at 8pm ET – JanF with This Week’s News and Views (Delayed from Friday Night: The weeks news has had time to digest and it is in the perfect form to share)
Bonus:
Our Earth at 9pm ET – citisven with Freiburg, Germany: City of the Future. Part I: Keeping What Works
Fog brings out the dense people sometimes…..
Only those who choose to drive in it when they don’t have to. I remember a few years ago when we had hundreds of people trapped on highways during a snowstorm. Law enforcement had warned people to stay home and said that they would be unable to rescue people in stranded vehicles. Did that stop people from venturing out? Nope.
On Facebook last winter, from a neighbor’s daughter, “On way to town for a beer, slid into ditch!” I had to stop myself from typing, “Well, nobody saw THAT coming! It’s not like every TV and radio has predicted this ice storm for the last two days!”
And in the category of FWD (Facebook-ing While Driving), there’s this jeenyus….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
That was one of those should I laugh or cry? moments.
This: “the first barriers of the Berlin Wall were erected (1961)” led to Ronald Reagan becoming a Republican in 1962 in preparation for his “Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall” speech which solidified his place in history as an actor in B movies and led directly to all of his pronouncements being immediately implanted in every human’s brain. Curse you, Soviet Union!
Of course that led the young (9 day old Barack Obama) to see an America that was not a liberal America and a conservative America but a United States of America , something we hope will eventually embed itself in every human’s brain. The problem is that in current America, we first need to drain the ideology so that there is room to implant real patriotic messages:
Very well-said Jan. Very.
Thanks, Jan. Very well-said indeed!
Good morning. It’s currently 51, clear, and expected to get into the mid-70′s today. Lots of things going on around here, an antiques weekend, a fireworks show, concerts, and so on. Ought to be (we hope) good for the economy.
One interesting thing on the way home yesterday. I ran into a police roadblock right in front of one of the state campgrounds. State Police, Environmental Conservation Officers, and on the side of the road, a big dump truck with a wood chipper. They were doing a firewood/lumber check to see if people were violating the state laws against moving untreated wood more than 50 miles from its point of origin or bringing it from out of state. They’re ramping up the efforts against the Emerald Ash Borer. The ECO’s told me that after two years of education efforts, now it’s time to make it clear that “hey, we’re serious about this.”
Hope they’re serious about keeping their eye on those darn frackers, too, Norwood.
We have them here.
I was driving down one of our main drags the other day and the loss of foliage is startling to say the least.
Two years to “finally get serious” about something? I wish Congress moved so quickly.
In terms of “serious,” they’ve been that way ever since it was found in western NY. I know they’ve had a big effort through various agencies – state & federal – about it, and they’ve got the traps spread all through the state. What they did the first two years after the law was passed was to try to educate people, and keep up the message. This year, they’re moving to not just education, but “if you haven’t gotten the message yet, we’re going to hurt you.” They’ll confiscate any wood if you can’t prove where it came from – or if it’s been moved farther than it should have been – and if you’re really egregious about it, they’ll ticket you. They’ve been running these all over the state on a random basis. One of the things you’ll see on every wood stand in the area is a “certificate of origin” stapled onto the wood – so you pick up some firewood from one of them, you’re OK – assuming you kept it.
We have the purple traps too and the good wood certificates. The only camper who has ever asked if he could use firewood he bought way south was a Boy Scout Leader. For his honesty I gave him a bundle of good wood and put his in a garbage bag. I called the Forest Service to come and get it and the guy who came seemed shocked. He had no idea if they had a disposal plan because this had never happened before.
I was left shaking my head. Seriously?
We move around so much these days that enforcement of something like this would have to be almost draconian. And so many folks wouldn’t mention they’d brought their own wood, thinking it was safe as long as they burned it, or unaware of the beetles, that I can see why the guy who came to get the wood was astonished. He’d never met our addisnana before.
Down here we’re in a constant battle against Mediterranean fruit flies. Entire orchards get sprayed over local objections, if you see fruit flies in the produce you buy you’re supposed to report it… but I doubt many people do.
I am trying to think of a single state in the mid-Atlantic or Northeast that does not have a law on its books right now preventing the transportation of uncertified wood across its borders. Speaking of “draconian,” I’ve heard a lot of griping about the current rules, and I’ve told people “You don’t have a clue of just what it could be, if they think this doesn’t work.” I’m serious, the state is right now talking about “no moving at all” as a next step. There’s a nursery owner in Maryland who can give testimony to “draconian.” He (idiot) imported young ash trees from Michigan, and lied about it. They had EAB, and then MD had a problem, which was traced to him. $250K fine from the feds, plus what MD did to him.
Disposal plans – the wood needs to be chipped (<1/2" pieces) or burned. What the state forester told me was they're recommending it be burned "immediately" if it's in a campground, or it'll be confiscated by the forest rangers and either burned or chipped.
I guess folks could do the old Cheech & Chong routine with a small twist, “Why officer, we merely found this firewood, and were on our way to the police station to turn it in!”
Emerald Ash Borer is being watched in downstate IL as well. Last year, the state placed an EAB trap on our property without notification or permission. You wouldn’t believe the calls to Springfield to get it removed. The bureaucrat was just certain it was on a public right of way, and we were even more insistant that, NO it was on our private property, and please come take it down before we do, and thank you! Sheesh….. We have always spared Ash trees, because they’re good firewood. We didn’t want the State trap attracting EABs to our woods.
The trap only attracts EAB if they’re in the area. The normal flight movement is less than a mile. So all you did by removing the trap is insure that it’ll be a few years before you find out that you’ve had it all along.
Yeah, that’s what the guy said pretty much. Our neighbor had his Ash harvested because he figured it’s be better to cut them while they were healthy. I think there’s an embargo on sending it out of state.
Our thinking was that if there were EABs nearby, we didn’t want to attract them to the trap. Our ash trees aren’t clustered or cultured, they’re part of the natural mix hereabouts.
The other angle is: Hey, if you want to put something like that on private property, you should ask first……
We have normally cooperated with the State for any and all population surveys, natural history inventories, etc. It seems to us, and we may be wrong, but it seems to use that when the DNR wants something from US, they are Johnny-on-the-spot. When we need something from THEM, it’s quite the tooth pulling, so-to-speak, to get anything accomplished.
Best, G.
This trap business bothers me in more than one sense. Years ago we lived in an apartment and couldn’t get rid of the roaches. My ex bought traps thinking they’d do the job. Actually, all they did was draw more roaches to us. I made him get rid of them.
OTOH, if you find the beetles in traps, then you know you have a problem and can get to work on it.
Two sides. I always see two sides…. except with the TGOP.
The first incidence of EAB in NY was in Cattaraugus county, near Letchworth State Park, so it was also part of the “natural mix.” That’s what caused the traps to go up all over. Within a year, it was found across the state in Ulster County. Right now the entire western part of the state, and a nice part of the southern part is under quarantine. If EAB’s are nearby, they’ll find your ash trees. The trap is baited but it’s not that efficient, and its presence is not going to attract them to a new area. I agree they should have asked, but at the same time, saying that you’re trying to prevent infestation by removing the trap isn’t correct, either. The traps simply tell you if it’s there, and really, if they trap one, you’ve already got a serious problem and you have had it for a couple of years.
I do a lot of invasive species stuff as part of my work, and the EAB is just one of several major problems. There’s the Asian Longhorned Beetle, the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, and the Sirex Woodwasp, for insects. The list of aquatic species and invasive plants is getting longer each day – they’ve got a real problem with Asian clams down in Lake George right now.
Thanks for all this information, Norbrook. It’s been interesting to read about. Wish you’d write an article for us here about it, or on your own blog and cross-post. We need to understand how these things work.
In Wisconsin, Lake Michigan was invaded by zebra mussels. They clogged the intake pipes for freshwater all up and down the lakeshore. Then people realized that boaters who used their watercraft on Lake Michigan were bringing the mussels to the inland lakes. That led to crackdowns where boats had to be rinsed off before they were allowed to use those lakes.
I’d heard about the zebra mussels infestation, but not about the steps to help control it.
Thanks for the info.
Thank you for the link to the StopTheBeetle site, Norbrook. I learned about a problem I hadn’t heard about before, and their Stop The Beetle game brought back memories of playing a similar game with my grandmother.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
You’re welcome.
The way this beetle moved so quickly is not because it’s a great flyer and prolific breeder. It’s not a very good flyer at all. It’s because people had a habit of cutting down dead or dying trees and using it as “camp wood,” which they’d take with them to campgrounds, and leave it there “for the next camper.” 
It started in Michigan, and it’s normal spread would have only moved it (at most) a mile or two a year. What they found in MI was that it was popping up in places hundreds of miles away, and when they drew a circle around the new infestation, there was always a campground or park in the center of it. The problem was that a lot of people didn’t take it seriously, and kept right on carrying their camping wood around, so it spread rapidly. 
If I look at the map for NY, you can draw a line right down NY-17 (a major east – west route) or up I-90 to see where it spread.
Ha! Do you need to know any more about Republican’s attitudes towards elections?
Reckon the “Peter Principle” applies to politics?
The Guardian has a list of links and quotes related to Rick Perry.
I recommend that everyone read up on him because this is likely who we will face next year. He has Republican hair, religious-right credentials ( psst, he’s not a Mormon ), and is the kind of candidate that the big money guys love: without any real scruples or unbendable principles except the willingness to promote the oligarchy.
I agree with your fear, Jan. For all the naysaying about Obama, we need to keep the veto pen in Dem hands.
It would help, too, to elect more Dems to replace the Tea Party Caucus and actually get Congress moving again.
I guess inflation also applies to the price of political supporters….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Cool idea for campaign finance reform…spend not more than a penny a vote!
I think this has possibilities.
We can call it The Rick Perry Pledge. Republicans are all about pledges.
Hey, LI Mike!
Look where I will be on Thursday:
We are on a bit of a roll right now:
The real test will be to see if the Brewers can sustain the interest of Wisconsinites with Packer mania officially starting tonight. We have never won the NL Central Division. Our one visit to the playoffs (since joining the NL) was as a wild card team a few years ago.
Ooohhh! Very cool. I can almost guarantee a Brewers’ victory, unless you draw Clayton Kershaw, then LA has a chance.
Attended a house party for Cong Bishop last night. A mix of first timers, for me, anyway, and some stalwarts. 2 folks in attendance were NYCers who recently moved to LI. I just so happened to have a couple of voter reg forms in the back of the car (along with my Obama 2012 signs). They seemed thankful that I was prepared for moments just like these.
Conversation was about what you’d expect: debt ceiling, taxes, Medicare (from me), healthcare, jobs. Cong bishop provided some inside scoopery on the tense relationship between Nancy Pelosi and Pres Obama. The message from Nancy to the Pres — get a clue politically. The House Dems believe that the advantage accruing to them after the Ryan budget fiasco and Cong Hochul’s vcitory in an upstate Republican district was squandered during the protracted debt ceiling talks. Sigh. In the words of Pogo — we have met the enemy and he is us.
This …
… would explain this week’s Gallup poll showing Democrats with a 7-point lead in the Generic Congressional Ballot, and the CNN/OPR poll that shows the debt ceiling debate helped Democrats, hurt Republicans, and drove Tea Party support to an all-time low.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Thanks for the polls. That was interesting reading.
Good morning!
Clouds and some bits of blue sky today. Had a bit of rain overnight, but just a bit, looks like. I am thinking that the garden can use a good soaking this morning, will apply as needed. Re-grading out there getting close to complete. Still have more loads of soil to haul in for the slopes and then grade. I enjoy that sort of work.
Took friend to DDS yesterday for 2 extractions. He was doing well last night. I had to babysit him until his wife returned from work, per signed statement with the DDS office. Guy snores like a Mack truck…..
Interestinly enough, neighbor is a union Democrat, says he doesn’t much care for Pelosi. I said, “I do, she stands up for us and everything that’s good for us!” I think Nancy Pelosi is the new liberal. They’ve turned her name into a foul word some way or another, what a shame!
Also no real surprise that she’d get flack for trying to school BO in basic politics. “Get a clue politically,” a very good message, IMO! And long overdue…..
Best, Gardener
PS: If going to grocery store today, you may want to be sure you have a box of “Jiffy corn muffin mix,” just in case Chef posts a receipe calling for some on Sunday. Just sayin’…..
Between gardening, laundry, caring for your neighbors, and sending recipes to Chef, you’ve had a busy week!
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Strange weather here yesterday. Lots and lots of loud thunder with intermittent light rain. For all the noise I would have expected buckets of rain. Clouds stayed overnight which was a bit of a bummer as last night and tonight are prime viewing for the Perseid meteor showers. Maybe I’ll get another chance tonight.
Are the Perseid meteor showers unscented?
Seriously, I hope the clouds clear so you can see them tonight, addisnana.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
I love watching meteor showers, addisnana. The first one I can remember was when I was at SUNY Stony Brook and we had an assignment in astronomy class to go out late at night and map the shower.
Fantastic!
Around here we have too much light pollution now. Sadly I expect Mike would tell me there’s too much light pollution now at Stony Brook, too.
Hugggs!
Tonight my eldest daughter and her husband are arriving for a week-long visit. I’m so excited!
And yesterday I finally got prescription reading glasses, because despite the confidence of the sugeon beforehand, I have a bit too much astigmastim and reading was giving me headaches.
But I had fun walking around our “main street” mall, and found it a really pleasant place despite the broiling heat. I intend to spend more time there strolling (but not spending) once the weather cools down.
Hugggs and good morning, everyone!
PS I also found out youngest daughter does NOT know how to mop a floor. It’s smeared not clean. So I guess I’ll have to do it myself. The question is will she get home from work soon enough for some “instruction” so that in future here or at her own place, she can do it. It’s so dang easy to do right, hardly requires any more effort. I think I need to save her from herself.
(donning caped crusader cape)
Glad to hear you got prescription reading glasses, winterbanyan. To get headaches from reading, as a writer, would be very stressful. The BPI I Clinic got together and set up this helpful test:
Can You
Read
This?
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
LOL
yes
Problem was never with magnificently magnified screen on computer.
Enjoy the visit with your daughter and S-I-L. Maybe you were sleeping a lot last week to prepare for this week?
Could be. They’re night owls and guaranteed to wear me out.
Coming from the Central time zone only makes them bigger nightowls from my perspective.
I may be dragging in a week!
So is Iowa officially irrelevant for Republicans yet? Looking at the photos from the debate, it is the most inclusiveness we will probably ever see from Fox News or the Republican Party. Only one of the people on the stage has a reasonable shot at beating Obama and yet they were all allowed to come and speak. It looked like Survivor, Political Island to me and (I have only watched that TV show once) made about as much sense. It was politics as performance art though.
EOR
Thank you, thank you, thank you for my a really good belly laugh.
Iowa will never be irrelevant as long as it is FIRST. Right now the field is so crowded that we need something to thin it out and the straw poll will separate the weeds from the burned-out-crusted-over weeds.
Here is my prediction:
- Michele Bachmann wins the meaningless poll because after Rick Perry announces he will become the defacto front-runner, the putative nominee and the Hope-for-White(teethed)-America
- Newt stays in because now that he is not paying a campaign staff, “campaigning” is actually just a “book signing tour” which is good for Newt, Inc.
- Pawlenty ends up under 3% and drops out.
- Rick Santorum ends up under 2% and drops out.
- Herman Cain ends up under 1% and forges on showing his relentless
delusionmentbelief in himself and hishates Muslimslikes Muslimsif-you-say-I-should-hate-Muslims-I-will principled stands.Mitt? He will ignore the results.
Making note of Jan’s predictions.
Actually, as acurate as they probably are, they’re awfully funny.
Thanks!
I saw actual pieces of the Berlin Wall which are now included in a monument on the Rhine near Cologne. It was a muddy, frigid day, and as much as I needed to keep moving to keep warm, I stood and stared. I assume other pieces of the wall may have been incorporated in other monuments around Germany, but I was very glad to be able to actually stand there and look at those panels.
It brought up so many memories, not the least of them my sheer outrage when that wall was built. At the tender age of 13, I knew in my heart and gut how WRONG that was.
We have short memories when it comes to walls and fences, don’t we. The Berlin wall was wrong but our border fence is okay to too many people. I like Richardson’s comment, “Show me a 12 foot wall and I’ll show you a 13 foot ladder.”
Agree with you, addisnana. I’ve never liked the idea of the border fence. It’s ugly.
But also ugly is the number of people who die in the desert southwest because they’ve been dumped across the border by coyotes and have to avoid the border patrols.
Equally ugly is what is done to some of those people by the coyotes.
No wall is going to fix this. A little compassion might.