An early spring slushy snow came to Bellingham. Snow is rare near the bay, but cool weather often persists late into season. Fourth of Julys with doors shut and furnaces running can happen, but late July through Sept can get pretty dry. 
Refreshing chill in air felt during bike ride after heated sauna at YMCA with warm conversation. Bike ride might be too chilly otherwise, unless I get a new jacket.
A pink and white world. Japanese Cherry in the snow.
On the radio I heard, "don't try this if you're driving." I guess you need your headlights. Wait a minute, who's driving if they are that concerned with the Earth?
With part of Whatcom County Court House in the background. Circles work together.
We're having an unusually cool (early) spring. It's too early to say all of spring will be unusual. I remember some other years with cooler than normal end of March weather. Snow mixed with rain. When I was a kid, my brother called this kind of weather "Snain."
A friend of mine from California is questioning global warming.
Is it global cooling?
There is always a lot of random fluctuation in weather from year to year. The weather is often weired because it's either warmer than normal or cooler than normal. Sometimes it hits "normal" right on the head.
Normal is just the average over many years. In global warming, the "normal" gets slightly warmer as years go by.
Sometimes cool weather feels cooler if one has been used to warmer than normal weather for a while. Also some of our recent migrants from California are thinking the weather is cool. Yes, it's probably cool compared to Sacramento.
Some folks see nuclear power as a great solution to the global warming / fossil fuel problem. It can be viewed as a convenient source of energy that doesn't emit CO2 gas into the atmosphere and also doesn't rely on declining fossil fuel resources.
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Electric cars are thought to be a solution to our fossil fuel problems, but the electricity that powers these cars still must be generated somewhere. A March 10 article on LiveScience.com says "Electric Vehicles Could Strain Water Supplies." This is because it can take a lot of water to cool power plants.
According to article, a mechanical engineer at the University of Texas in Austin, named Michael Webber and a colleague did research on water usage. They compared the amount of water consumed during petroleum refining and electricity generation in the United States. For each mile driven, electricity could demand roughly 3 times more water than gasoline. I wonder if these figures take into account electric cars often being lighter than the average car?
A lot of power plants burn fossil fuel and then use tons of water to cool the turbines. This often just vents out a cooling tower.
Pictured here is the steam plume from a power plant and cooling tower on Bellingham's waterfront. This plume made a neat picture one morning walking through town.
I don't mind living near industrial things as they can make something called "found art." The art that's not necessarily intended as art which is found in everyday life.
One way to get more value from power plants is to reuse the waste heat in other things. The Bellingham plant was built as a co-generation facility to provide steam for Georgia Pacific's pulp and paper mills.
Now that Georgia Pacific is closed, what will happen to the extra steam?
New development is planned on the waterfront and this extra heat could be used, even in space heating. I'm not sure what the plans will be.
Co-generation requires other uses to be located close to the power plant. Basically it's people living and / or working in close proximity to power plants. Co-generation provides more bang for the cooling water buck.
It seems like most folks just want to sweep things under the carpet, so to speak. Drive a car that appears clean, plug it in and then have the power plant in some other neighborhood.
Wind and solar energy can use less cooling water, but some people don't wish to see windmills. Solar farms can take lots of space.
Then there's riding a bicycle, which I thoroughly enjoy. This can require living close to things, like power plants.
Actually it's "Iraq War Phase 2." Phase 1 started more like 17 years ago.
Remember Desert Shield? Then Desert Storm? Then the questions, "why didn't they go all the way and get Saddam Hussein?"
Well, now we know. It may even be worse after Saddam, if that's believable.
The more USA tries to fix things, the worse things get, it seems like.
Road to hell is paved with good intentions, or maybe tainted intentions.
Part of the problem is petrodollars going to dictators over the years. Going to terrorist groups. Seems like the situation is tainted by world demand for oil with it's heightened concern about the Persian Gulf.
Can our economy survive an interruption of Persian Gulf oil, or do we have to make sure, at all cost, that this never happens?
To some extent, maybe we need to address these issues domestically, rather than so much through foreign policy.
What type of transit and pedestrian planning do our local governments have?
I know people who have traveled the world by jet plane, but still haven't figured out how to get across their own town using alternative transportation.
Our domestic situation taints the way we deal with the world. Better domestic planing can lead to better foreign policy.
There was a recent show on the radio about how much harder it is to own horses as the price of fossil fuels rise.
Some folks might say, declining fossil fuel era could bring back horsepower, but I would think not.
It takes trucks to bring in the hay. Trucks to take horses around to shows, the vets and so forth.
Land is getting more expensive and more hay fields are turning into grain crops for bio fuel consumption, rather than feeding horses.
Prices for horses are going down and it's harder to unload them, if one is stuck with a horse.
Horses are not really used for energy anymore and they take a lot of energy to maintain. They are kind of a throwback to the past.
Another radio show about some big solar power farms is more likely a wave of the future. NPR Science Friday March 14, Solar Power Scales Up.
Solar farms instead of horse farms.
One time I was bicycling over White Pass (US Highway 12 in 1986) on a hot day. At one of my many rest stops, a truck with horse trailer was stuck along side the road.
Vapor lock.
The drivers marveled as I started to pass them on my bike. Then I stopped again for conversation.
I suggested they hitch up the horses and pull the rig.
That was just good for a few laughs.
Eventually I biked on.
To be totally fair, I am sure the truck and horse trailer got into Yakima well before me. Eventually they got it going again and passed me on down the road, but they expected to get into Yakima a lot sooner. I didn't expect to get there till late evening anyway.
For me, it was a fun day.
I guess one could say, "horses are a hassle."
With all the talk in Bellingham about noise from music venues versus the downtown residents, wouldn't it be nice if more dancing could be like the dancing at the Purple Church. Music is not real loud so it's hardly heard outside the building. Also better for one's ears inside, but there's still plenty of energy in the dancing. Event is early evening. Ends at 9:45 PM so even the coming and going from the dance can be over by 10. Also it's nice to have a dancing experience without alcohol.
A friend of mine made this Youtube video about the Lawrence King Candlelight Memorial in Bellingham, WA 3/12/08. Lawrence King was a student in California who was shot for his sexual orientation. Vigils have been held around the country including this one in Bellingham sponsored in part by Whatcom Human Rights Taskforce. I attended and a friend of mine filmed it. There was not only some silence, but also much needed discussion among people in the circle.
A friend's video. 9 minutes 37 sec.
Mr. Bush said that the economy was now having “a tough time.”
He compared the government’s reaction to driving through a “rough patch” of road.
“If you ever get stuck in a situation like that, you know it’s important not to overcorrect,” Mr. Bush said. “If you overcorrect, you end up in a ditch.”
I say when the road gets rough, maybe it's time to ditch the car, or at least park the car and unleash your bicycle from that rooftop carrier.
Then ride your bicycle for a less stressful ride. Walk around the worse potholes. Take time to notice the scenery.
Gardens are nice, but I bet a lot of people are struggling with gas prices and mortgage costs just so they can have a place with a garden.
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Every once in a while, I put a few hundred dollars into my broad based mutual fund. This might be a good time to buy as the stock portion of that fund is low, but who knows. It could fall still lower. At least I'm not putting a huge chunk of money in. Just contributing some now and then to see how it goes.
It's slowly building up. Even in these turbulent times, my mutual fund isn't doing that bad. Even if it does dip for a while, I know that a lot of folks are in the same boat. In the long run, it seems to go up slowly.
I don't have a lot of money, but something is probably better than nothing.
No, I don't think the end of the world is coming yet. Not in our lifetimes at least. I've been hearing about the collapse of civilization ever since I was in Middle School. That was clear back in the late 1960s. It hasn't happened yet.
I guess if we do get to a point where we run out of food, I can eat my words.
Bellingham is outgrowing it's popular library.
Scott Ayer's column in Bellingham Herald has had some interesting thoughts about the proposal for a new city library.
There's the question, do we really need a new library since many functions of the library can be done on the Internet? Research, for instance. Quite a few books are now on-line. Libraries provide spaces for community gatherings with conference rooms, but there are chat rooms and other forms of interaction on the Internet.
One cost estimate for the new library would be around 54 million.
City of Bellingham has put the idea on hold for a while.
I say, thank God there is the Internet. The gathering of community in real space can get expensive as well as problematic. Still, like so many people, I do prefer face to face interaction. People also like real things, like books made out of paper that one can hold.
On the other hand, there are problems in society that prevent face to face community as well as access to a wide variety of real items such as books. Paper books take lots of space and real estate is expensive. The city does own the land under our proposed library, but 54 million for a new facility is a chunk of change.
"Real" can be expensive especially when real estate is expensive.
I'm sure they wonder if a new library bond would pass with all those other straws on the taxpayer's back. Also there's the higher cost of maintaining a larger facility. Something that would still have to be calculated into our city's ongoing budget.
Folks often blame the Internet for generations of Americans who don't interact much in person.
Well, I think this problem is more related to economics. Can taxpayers afford such things as libraries and community centers?
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There are many forces in society that keep people isolated from one another. Isolated and insular; especially in the sprawling suburbs.
Many neighborhoods don't even have sidewalks. The amount of time folks spend alone in automobiles just getting to work is phenomenal.
Speaking of work, the lack of time for friends and conversation is a problem. Everyone seems so busy. Folks are often are kept busy with trivial pursuits, such as ringing up orders for soda pop at a cash register.
In our fast pace world, thank God there is the Internet. At least there's some interaction on the net and it is great to have such a wide variety of reading material at one's fingertips. More than a single library could afford.
Don't blame the Internet for the dumbing down of America, or people's lack of face to face community. There are a lot of trends in society that create this environment. Things like economic forces and even lack of sidewalks.
The automobile is a big culprit. Interesting to note that part of the cost of a new library is the parking garage. Estimated cost of 4.8 million for roughly 123 parking spaces. That's $39,000 per parking spot.
Maybe folks should be asked to meet their neighbors face to face on the bus.
I'm generally in favor of things like building a new library, but people sometimes call me a "tax and spend liberal."
Bay to Baker Bike Trail would be fun to ride, but if they ever complete the trail, it might take another 50 years.
New Whatcom, where Georgia Pacific once stood could be an interesting neighborhood, but the "process" (planning, cleanup, construction, whatever) could take a long time.
Bellingham's new library might take a long time in coming, but I don't use it that often. Glad there's the Internet.
Was sitting in my closet, but I don't have much space. Haven't gotten around to bringing it to the Restore, or some spot for recycling. Also they charge to recycle old computers into precious metals. At least keeping it away from toxic landfills.
Then a friend needed a monitor, so I brought it to her. Still works, but the red isn't always there. Must be a faulty red on the electron gun. Good enough for her till she gets hers fixed. Then she can recycle it.
It was one of the more unusual loads on my bicycle. Rode carefully and used plenty of bungy cords. She lives about 2 miles from me, maybe not quite.
My own economic fortunes look pretty good now. Sure, the small amount of money I've placed into a mutual fund (less than $15,000) has lost value and the modest 401K at my place of work isn't doing that great temporarily, but it's still good times.
One measure of success is how you compare to others around you. If just about everyone Else's assets are dropping around you, your own well being is kind of a relative thing. Sure, mutual funds are hurting, but a lot of people are in the same boat. Wealth is often perceived in relative terms.
I would feel worse if my tiny savings were dropping while others around me continued to see their house values growing. Then one could feel like a fool not owning a home.
There's no responsible way I could have paid those high monthly mortgages of home ownership over the years. Not, at least without having to take on the headaches of being a landlord right from day one of owning. It's not just getting used to the responsibility of owning, but being a landlord to boot. Talk about baptism by fire.
No, I'm just a renter, but it's been a good time. Now that home owner's values have been dropping around me, it doesn't look as bad.
Economists will say bad times are actually good times to invest. Put money into mutual funds when they are low. Still, it's kind of scary as they seem to be going still lower (for a while at least).
Seeing so many fortunes drop around me makes it feel like I'm in good company at least, but I still may not have the stomach to invest right now. I've never had much fortune anyway. It's just a couple of hundred dollars now and then.
Keeping some extra cash in the bank can be good even though interest rates are low. Return on investment is low, but one reason for saving is just to hang onto the principle.
Same can be said for US Treasuries. Ironically, Uncle Sam is said to be the most solid investment there is, but Uncle Sam may have the worse looking balance sheets of them all.
Money sitting in "cold storage," such as low interest FDIC accounts, does loose ground during inflationary times. There's news of gas prices continuing their climb, but I don't drive.
Yes, I've never learned to drive a car.
I feel pretty good riding my bicycle, especially these days. It's also nice to be living in a small rented room close to my somewhat low wage job.
While I can be smug and not worry about filling up the gas tank, some environmentalists say that oil shortages will lead to a food supply crisis.
I've noticed slight food price increases, but it's not devastating.
Some of my friends have tried to live in bigger spaces so they can have gardens; survivalist style. They are struggling just pay their mortgages, or rents on the bigger space. They're also grumbling about buying the gas to commute farther since the bigger spaces tend to be in outlying places.
I'm still just walking to the supermarket and paying a bit more for my chocolate milk and apples. No big deal.
At least I've still got my job. It's never been a real prestigious one, but it's "low hassle."
I've been living in this small space for 21 years now.
Still have a good life counting my wealth in the number of friends, rather than financial assets.
People passing me by in their glitzy SUVs haven't been laughing at me too harshly over the years. Now it looks like more folks are thinking of joining my somewhat modest path in life.
Is this a big sacrifice? Not necessarily. There's new technology, so we can still look forward to a brighter future. The modest path doesn't have to be a dark path. Bike lights with LEDs are sure a lot better than my childhood memories of flashlights with the batteries always wearing out, or generators that kept breaking.
Better is always a matter of perception. Better doesn't always have to mean more consuming.
Glad I'm healthy enough to ride a bike, but even if that weren't the case, one can still sit in front of a computer, I guess. At least the Internet doesn't have to be too costly. The Internet is not costly compared to a mortgage. Also not costly compared to traveling the globe, or health care costs.
That's another dreadful thing in our economy. What do people do when their health runs out?
Hang on to your healthy and non obese living as long as you can.
In the end, the spirit might be the only asset we can take with us.
Take where?
Looks like I should postpone that question and go get something to eat.
Woodinville area (north Seattle suburbs) has seen 3 rural luxury homes destroyed and two more damaged with fires believed to be set by arsonists. Few clues in the investigation, but there was a spray painted sign left near the scene with initials of ELF, thought to stand for Earth Liberation Front. Scary.
These were big McMansion style places. Others speculate that the fires were insurance fraud.
Arson is a bad kind of radical thing. I have a better idea that is often thought of as radical in a different way. Bump up zoning density in a lot of neighborhoods. Yes, such a big house is probably too much for one individual, couple or small family. People often rattle in a great big place. With denser zoning, more people could live in these neighborhoods.
Allow home owners to rent out some rooms, small apartments and mother-in-law type spaces. A few would choose to do this. It would utilize these huge mansions more efficiently, provide more affordable housing and help bridge the gap between haves and have-nots.
This could especially be a good idea in the heart of large metro areas such as Seattle which could always use more affordable housing and need to bring growing populations close to jobs, bus lines and services.
Ability to rent out space can help some home buyers pay their high priced mortgages.
It's my kind of radical idea, but it's a lot better than destructive fire. Yes, I know. A lot of people will say (about my ideas) "there goes the neighborhood."
The phrase "Money doesn't always buy happiness" may be worn out, but death of a top Microsoft Millionaire from suicide can underscore this point. Ric Weiland retired a rich man at age 35 in 1988, according to a Seattle Times article. More recently he suffered from depression and committed suicide in 2006.
At least he left lots of money to various causes. 160 million worth.
This included 65 million for several gay rights organizations. More than 19 million to the Seattle based Pride Foundation.
While "high finance" seems a long way from me, I do remember some local things that Pride Foundation is starting to effect.
Image from March 2005 Pride Foundation newsletter. Group photo of people who showed up at a meeting in Bellingham as the foundation discusses becoming more active in this area. I'm in that picture with my bicycle helmet.
Recently, even before that huge donation, Pride Foundation has been getting more active in Bellingham area as it works to build community beyond just the Seattle area.
It will be good to see this organization do more in various outlying parts of the Pacific Northwest such as Montana, Spokane, Yakima, Alaska and here in Bellingham. They sponsor a lot of community building events, educational activities and scholarships.
Ironically, the most secure investments are said to be things like US savings bonds. Yet the US government is now around 9 trillion dollars in debt. If the government were a corporation, it's bonds would likely be in the "junk bond" category. If accountants were evaluating the government in terms of future liabilities versus future income, it would look scary. Future liabilities include things like Social Security, interest on the deficit, Medicare and all the other obligations of the US government. Future income would be the ability to raise money from taxes and other income sources such as user fees for services.
It sure looks like liabilities out pace potential revenue. Scary.
I guess US savings bonds are still about the most reliable investment out there because the government owns the mints where US dollars are printed.
This comment inspired after I listened to an interesting hour on the Bob Brinker Money Talk show about the problem of the deficit. He interviewed an interesting author, but of course I forgot some of the details. Still, my mind keeps spinning.
Maybe it's just as well that Boeing lost the big contract for building those Air Force refueling tankers. Seattle is getting so expensive and congested (traffic wise at least), one wonders where they would accommodate all that new economic activity. Much of Boeing's operations are around Seattle. The city has become quite expensive and there's always the question of where is new growth going to go? Infilling neighborhoods and transit (rather than gridlock cars on the freeway) is good, but there's resistance to these changes.
Seattle Metro area has had a successful economic engine, but success also comes with a price. Maybe it's time to take a breather?
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