Dennis & David , La Puente, California in maybe 1961.
Click the names for a fun story about David and I.
And one with Sandy as a barber.
Notice that all the plants behind us are tall and straight. That is because my dad learned to garden from his father Pablo.
Pablo's Work

Automobile

Ford Motor Company - Rouge Plant 1947

United States products were made from foundry to assembly when I grew up in the 1950's. Cheap labor moved the foundry's into other countries in the last 60 years.
We have all had to wait for a car part from some country where the standards are not as high as ours.
I think President Obama is tired of those poor standards and wants us (the United States Citizen) to manufacture our cars of the future.
When they built Lock and Dam #50 (finished 1929) on the Ohio River the foundry ( for the parts of the lock and Dam ) was in Crittenden County (at Lock and Dam #50).
When I was in the Navy aboard the USS Frontier AD-25 the ship had a foundry onboard to make parts for other ships.
Children can create a foundry with jello and a mold or jello and fine wet sand out side.
Do our children understand the craftsmanship of the 20th century?
As I see it most young folks work at Big Bank, Burger Biggie and Pay Little.
It will take a leader who will grab our hands and lead us toward a well-crafted automobile.

March 30, 2009 In this MegaVote for Kentucky's 1st Congressional District: Recent Congressional Votes - Senate: The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act House: Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Upcoming Congressional Bills - Senate: Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2010 House: To amend the executive compensation provisions of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 House: Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2010

Recent Senate Votes

The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act - Vote Passed (79-19, 1 Not Voting) The Senate passed this national service bill which would increase the number of AmeriCorps volunteers from 75,000 to 250,000 and designate September 11 as a national day of service and remembrance. Sen. Mitch McConnell voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Jim Bunning voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (285-140, 6 Not Voting) The House agreed to the Senate amendments to H.R. 146, sending this package of public lands, national parks and water development legislation to the president. Rep. Ed Whitfield voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2010 - S.Con.Res.13 This week, the Senate will work on the FY 2010 budget. To amend the executive compensation provisions of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 - H.R.1664 The House will vote on this bill intended to curb bonuses of executives at financial institutions that receive Troubled Asset Relief Program money. Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2010 - H.Con.Res.__ The House is scheduled to vote on their FY 2010 budget.

Earth Day

Ever since we had our ice storm in February I have been keeping everything off except for the heat, two computers (I leave Motherkitty's computer alone), refrigerator, freezer and one light bulb (fluorescent). I do use the dishwasher and the clothes washer. But they are off until needed. When I walk into a room I leave the lights off unless I am going to need light for a project or it is too dark to see.

Just about every light we have is fluorescent.
We were in bed asleep when the time arrived to turn off everything.

Nuclear Power

I woke up listening about the Messerschmitt Bf 109 then something about the environment and nuclear power (Michael Goo Legislative Director of the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council).

Nuclear may work elsewhere but here in Western Kentucky we have real damage to people, land and water because we to tried to clean up nuclear rods and ended up with an environmental disaster.
From a reliable source! is what is happening around me as I speak. Is our local water safe to drink? I have not a clue? Is the problem in the Ohio River fixed I do not think so; it is one of those problem that we hear, "We will deal with that in a while." And our leaders will move on like the Madd Hatter whispering to hiss... self like Gollum, "Gotta run! gotta run?!"
It is still dark out and our clock is ticking in the quiet morning of this abode. Alleycat is resting on the arm of this chair and Peaches is taking a bath on Motherkitty's Chair. I rock and Alleycat does not mind; her claws are in a prevent sleeping mode (she is there but she does not know it mode). She turned her head because a sense in her realized I was thinking about her. Time for a cup of coffee.
MAP OF AREA

Nuclear Power

The Ohio River runs south between Metropolis Il. and Paducah Ky. The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant is located in western Kentucky, 10 miles west of the City of Paducah. The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, operated by the United States Enrichment Corporation, a subsidiary of USEC Inc., is the only operating uranium enrichment facility in the United States. The soil around the plant is not healthy and has been known to invade underground water sources.
Across the river at Joppa Il. is a concrete Mfg. and loading facility. If you have ever held powdered concrete in your hand you know that it generates a heat and can burn you severely.
Down river above Olmsted Il. is Lock and Dam # 53. A friend who worked for USACE told me that in a study to build Olmsted Dam they put a stainless steal plate at the bottom of the river with a cable tied to the bank for retrieval. When they came back the following year they lifted the cable and realized that their cable had chemically disappeared. The river is so chemically volatile there that Olmsted Dam is not complete because steel below the water will not last.
They have tested a wicket type dam across the river from Smithland Lock and Dam. The wickets tested were made of composite materials. As of 2002 they were still in place at the Smithland facility.

MAP of AREA

A few years ago I bought at the sporting goods store some "SpiderWire" fishing line. Well I did not like it as fishing line because my knife or teeth would not cut it. Fingernail clippers seem to be the only thing that works.

Any way I love the line because it is indestructible and very useful around the house. At the moment I am watching a program about composite airplanes. Are they good or bad? At Smithland lock we have composite wickets on the far side of the dam. They were put there to test there usefulness against rust and corrosion. Fishing rods are made of composite materials and so are windshields on NASCAR racing cars (Lexan). Yesterday swiftly moving across the Internet I found this website which says that they have developed a thin material stronger that steel. We can imagine an airplane with this covering inside and out to give it flexibility and strength in a storm or crash.

From: Kentucky Environmental Matters

US DOE’s Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) is located approximately 10 miles west of Paducah, Kentucky, and 3 miles south of the Ohio River. PGDP is owned and operated by the Department of Energy (DOE.) It was constructed from 1951 to 1954. DOE enriched uranium at the plant from 1952 to 1993. At that time, Congress transferred production of enriched uranium from DOE to the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC). DOE assumed the role of landlord with an environmental cleanup mission. Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC is currently DOE’s management and integration contractor, with responsibility for environmental remediation, waste management, and management of depleted uranium hexafluoride.

From fiscal year 1988 through 2003, DOE spent $823 million (in 2002 dollars) at the Paducah site. Of this total, DOE spent about $372 million (45 percent) for a host of operations activities, including general maintenance and security; $298 million (36 percent) for actions to clean up contamination and waste; and $153 million (19 percent) for studies to assess the extent of contamination and determine what cleanup actions were needed. DOE currently projects that the cleanup will take until 2019 and cost almost $1.6 billion to complete - 9 years and about $300 million more than DOE’s earlier projection.
The $1.6 billion, however, does not include the cost of other DOE activities required at the site after the plant ceases operations, including final decontamination and decommissioning of the plant and long-term environmental monitoring. DOE estimates these activities will cost almost $5 billion and bring DOE’s total costs at the site, including the $823 million already spent, to over $7 billion through 2070 (in 2002 dollars). [...]” See United States General Accounting Office: Nuclear Waste Cleanup: DOE Has Made Some Progress in Cleaning Up the Paducah Site, but Challenges Remain, Report to Congressional Committees, GAO-04-457, April 1, 2004. Download full report (927k PDF). U.S. EPA’s second five-year review of the CERCLA cleanup of the PGDP will begin in 2008.

Another Katrina - Flooding This Year

Since Ronald Reagan was president we have cut back the size of the Federal Government. One of the maintenance programs that has been cut badly is the dredging of the rivers and lakes in the United States. Because of this 20 year lack of funds the Army Corps of Engineers has to run their business on shoestring budgets and cut back on badly needed maintenance. This may be the first time in over 20 years that they have enough to pay for some of this maintenance.

It is a little to late for the folks that have communities under water this morning.

I just chatted with Kitten Yarn on facebook. That was a surprise. She saw me online and said,"Hi Dad"

Little Sister at Motherkitty's

Here is something that Little Sister did on her own while she was here for her birthday party. She was busy doing this while everyone else was busy elsewhere. The link above shows us more photos of Little Sister at Motherkitty's blog. It took a lot of patience to create this alphabet and numbered drawing.
Good Job Little Sister. Give her a hug mom.

I am cleaning the carpets. A male cat came in Tuesday-Wednesday night and left his scent in our home.
I closed the cat door and all the cats are outside except for Alleycat and Ice D. I have a big project here to clean this mess up. So much for the freedom to come and go as you please.