Company Affair

In all the coastal regions nets and other traps are lost. It usually depends on what type of fishing is being done that determines lost equipment rates, but that doesn’t change the fact that this equipment is usually still functional and continues to trap hundreds of sea animals a day. These include everything from invertebrates through sea mammals. Usually these trapped creatures are killed by a bigger creature that is then trapped in the lost equipment and can not get out. Some of these creatures will starve to death, while others like the seals drown. There is now a program that has been put into place that deals with these lost pieces of equipment and works to clean up the waters and save the ecosystems.

If you didn’t know about the Plastiki now is your chance to find out about this green boat. Not only the material that it is made out of is green, but so is the energy that is used to power it. They about 1500 watts coming from solar panels, and another 500 or so watts from turbines. Their biggest problem so far is that they have been traveling a little slower than they were anticipating and therefore threatened to run out of water on their trip across the Pacific.

There has been some controversy going on recently with the suggestion that America should increase the gas taxes as a measure to help people decide to move away from gasoline. The controversy is whether this can even get passed at a time like this this when the economy at such a low. There is some talk that it could work if Social Security Taxes were reduced, but that also seems unlikely.

A beached wale was found the other day with human trash in it’s stomach with everything from plastic golf balls and plastic bags, to sweat pants and duct tape. While it is common to find small amounts of trash in the stomach of whales that are beached, this is the largest quantity ever of human trash found in a gray whale. More information on this can be found in this article. If there was ever a time to be thinking about what we are doing to our environment, this reminds us why we need to start now.

Last week Google put out a product that lets you make videos with Google search, one of the best ones that has been done so far are the ones made for Sesame Street, a program that has gotten very good at using social media and the internet to stay relevant with the evolving nature of technology. See if you can decide which character made this video.

I found this video that has opinions on either side of the issue. Obama is talking about new offshore drilling sites. They cut people off sometimes, but overall there is at least a few different ways to view this. Here is the video.

Fall is an excellent time for visiting Phoenix, AZ. The spring are goo times to visit too. This is because the days are generally warm and the evening cool. The sunrises over the cool air mass that settles over the valley Phoenix is situated in every evening. The suns warm rays quickly warm the air to a comfortable temperature. Sunrise may see the temperatures being cool, in the 50′s, but the days warm rapidly into the 70′s to 80′s and occasionally the 90′s. The day temperatures and clear sunny skis make for a perfect place for out door living. If you like to sit out side and read, sleep in the sun, hike, bike, run or play sports the weather is perfect for that. As the sun goes down the air cools off quickly in the desert. It can become cool enough for a jacket as soon as the sun leaves the skies. This is because of thermal cooling. The dry air and clear skies do not hold the heat in and so it goes right up into the atmosphere and out to space. Evenings are beautiful sometimes with warm desert breezes blowing through the cool air. Here is the perfect weather in fall and spring. The winter is cooler and still nice. The days generally are in the 50′s to upper 60′s with cooler nights. Nights can get down to freezing occasionally and briefly. The days warm up not quiet as quickly as the rest of the year because the sunlight is not as strong. The sun is low in the sky and cooler at this time of year. The summer is very very hot in Phoenix. In the heart of the summer the sun rise temperature can be in the upper 80′s with day time highs getting into the hundred and teens. These days can be brutal. The sunlight very strong and searing. Mornings heat up quickly and temps will reach 100 before noon and can top out at 115 or more! This is a good time to head down under to Adelaide boutique hotels where it is winter and the temperatures are cooler then the summer in Phoenix.

Everyone is going green and it’s not a bad idea. So what if the government suspended the cash for clunkers program. There are still ways that you can save on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint this summer.  Here are some easy steps you can take to reduce your electricity bill. And we all know how high that can be in the summer if you run the air conditioning constantly.

Here are some home renovations you can make:

Insulate your house: You can save yourself about 20 to 30 percent on your heating bills and reduce your Carbon dioxide emissions. If you live somewhere colder you can even consider super insulation.

New windows: If you have old windows in your home they could have invisible cracks in them that you can’t see. That means that the air you are using to either cool or heat your home could be escaping. Inevitably, you are letting the bought air out!

New blinds: Having window coverings replaces or put on can also help with your electricity bills. If the sun does not beat through your house via your windows you won’t have to use as much energy to cool it. Consider going to Next Day Blinds, they have a great assortment of styles.  Next Day Blinds also has showrooms available in certain states so you can go check out the shades, covers and array of everything else in person.

Other stuff you can do:

Wash your clothes in cold water: It will use less energy because your washer will not have to heat up to warm up the water.

Only run your dishwasher when it’s full: If you wait until you have a full load of dirty dishes, you will use the dishwasher less often, resulting in less electricity use.

Yet another day of travel. This day is for touring the county called Dorset. Located in the Southern part of England along the seaside. We were so tired from our trip yesterday in the port town, Poole, we took our time about waking up this morning in our Dorset Hotel room. While my husband was taking a shower, I went for a run through a most pleasant forest named Wareham. It was a gorgeous day, the sun was peaking through the trees, the trees provided enough shade which cooled a soft breeze going through the forest. Yes, a nice run.

Not only did I notice that the forest was amazing, I really can’t describe it, I wish I had brought my camera with me. The paths with which I could choose from were too numerous, some were wide, enough for runners, bikers and walkers, other paths were very narrow, just enough room for one person at a time. I decided to be random in my path choices which lead me running through incredible hills right into the heart of the forest. I was in the midst of wines and heathers. Purple heathers surrounded me, I was running through a carpet of heavenly heather. I didn’t want to leave the forest, I felt like I was on an adventure, like the Hobbits in the Lord of the Rings. But, I knew if I didn’t head back, my husband would call a search party.

Coming back into the hotel room, my husband had a nice breakfast waiting for me, this really helped me love him even more than before. I told him all about my run while we ate. After breakfast, we drove on to our next destination. But, my soul is still back in the Wareham forest. I think there must have been a magical spell cast upon the forest way back when, which captures a part of ones soul, so if you have to leave the forest, a part of the forest goes with you.

There are many activities to participate in in the city of Singapore.  Many of the best Singapore hotels, have brochures and pamphlets that will give the first time tourist a better idea of where they would like to spend their time.  For those wanting to stay up and dance through the night, then the Mohamed Sultan district is the place to go.  This is the club zone with best of discos and DJ driven dance scenes.

In the Singapore Zoological Gardens one can actually come into an enclosure with cheetahs, or swim with the pink dolphins on the island of Sentosa.  And for those wanting more of an outdoor experience with animals, there are the sharks in the Underwater world, as well as seals and rare creatures in the sea, perfect even for those that are not certified in scuba diving.  One can handle wild falcons or others at the Jurong Bird Park or dine with flamingos.  At the Sungei Buloh Wetland one can catch a glimpse of the Monitor lizard, a rare beast that is quite elusive in the wild, but is impressive at two feet in length.

There are many flavors to chose from in the restaurants as well as museums and art galleries.  For those interested in the history of war, the Chagi Chapel Museum and the Fort Siloso, which is on the island of Sentosa, illustrate and document the effects on the country during World War Two.  Or for those interested in this kind of novelty, the largest fountain in the world is located in Singapore, at Suntec.

And there is even a shopping mall that is open twenty four hours a day at the Mustafa Centre. Or if shopping is really on the mind, a trip to Orchard Road is in order.  This is the favorite spot for Singaporeans to shop and is a feast for traveling to the city.  There is a grand variety of adventures on the island of Singapore.

The United Kingdom is windy.  This is one of the best locations in Europe and perhaps of the world, for the sites of wind farms, on and offshore due to this fact.  Wind farms utilize the wind turbine, or rather many wind turbines located in one area, generating large amounts of this free and abundant energy source.  The UK has become throughout the years one of the most attractive spots for this kind of development, and there is a lot of wind, and it is always blowing.  That is one consideration when companies are decided on new locations is that the wind, while it is not necessary that it is strong wind, the wind must blow consistently in order for the power plants to provide reliable and cost effective service.

In 1991, the first wind farm was built in the UK, and now less than twenty years later, there are one hundred eighty six wind farm plants operating in the country.  The goal of the British Wind Energy Association is that by the year 2020, the electricity for every home in Great Britain will be provided by the energy of harnessing the wind.  The largest of the farms in the UK is in Glasgow, Scotland, the Whitelee Farm.  This is an onshore site that has been in operation for years and is currently about to expand the number of turbines.  Scotland’s goal is that by 2020, at least fifty percent of the energy used in the country is that from renewable, and greener, resources.  Right now the Whitelee Farm produces enough energy to power Glasgow, and they are looking to expand the farm by almost forty percent.

Another project was recently approved for a farm even larger than the Whitelee, in Shetland.  Shetland has the most consistent and high speed winds in the entire UK, making it a supreme location for such a project.  Both projects when in use, will defiantly serve to meet the government of Scotland’s goal of 50% of the energy coming from the wind by 2020, as the goal set for one third by 2011, has already been met and surpassed.  Wind farms are becoming increasingly useful throughout the world, as the energy provided is cost effective, and produces no hazardous emissions, taking one more step towards a greener and more environmentally friendly way of life.

I noticed it’s nesting season in Singapore. Once the migrants leave, by late March, our local birds got into high gear. Courting rituals, gathering nesting materials and then incubating and hatching their little babies. I have witnessed this everywhere. The Doves, Mynas, to Hornbills and now the Olive-backed Sunbirds, which really thrills me. See, birds in Singapore tend to nest this time of year because there is less competition for food from those wonderfully beautiful, but pesky migratory birds. So, there’s more grub to feed the their new brood of cute little twittering, hungry and featherless chicks.

I was so excited when I located a nest of an Olive-backed Sunbird in one of the trees in the garden of one of the Singapore Luxury Hotels
I work for. I discovered its brown droplet nest in a tree with which I was pruning. I managed to delicately prune around the nest to leave it undisturbed. I’ve been monitoring it assiduously in between the other hotels I work at. I’ve seen the female bird fly to and fro sporadically from the nest to go fetch for food for her young. I wish I was an expert photographer because that activity is hard to capture because the intervals between her arrival is extremely short and she heads straight into the nest without hanging about outside the nest. Very frustrating to capture on film.

Plus, there’s no way to photograph the baby chicks cause of the distance and angle I’d need, it’s just not available. So, it’s just the female and the occasional male that I manage to see, but not see how they feed or what they feed there young. Too bad, really. Maybe I should set up my telescope instead! Or, like those National Geographic people do, hide a video camera inside the nest. Oh well, I’m not that sophisticated or have the means to do so. Someday, maybe, just maybe.

Many people in the city of Phoenix are taking steps to cut down on their usage of water, for both economic and environmental reasons.  Maintaining large swimming pools and and large lawns requires the constant filling of the pool due to evaporation, and the constant watering of the lawn due to the high temperatures and the dry weather conditions.  Also, due to the more clay like consistency of the ground in the desert, most species used to plant yards and golf courses requires the use of inorganic and chemical fertilizers.

In current times, many are making a few decisions differently, opting to install smaller hottubs rather than large swimming pools, and choosing to plant species of trees and plants that are native to the desert environment in which we live.  Hottubs do require care and maintenance, but are not so labor intensive as pools.  The remain covered when not in use, which has two obvious benefits.  One being that the leaves and dirt that can fall into and wreak havoc on the filters of swimming pools, especially during the monsoon season, are kept out of the hottubs.  And secondly, the cover prevents some of the evaporation of the water that requires most pool owners, hours of refilling the pools each morning.

The choice to switch out lawns for plants indigenous to the environment not only cuts down on labor as well, but is more ecologically sound, reducing water usage and taking away the necessity for the use of chemical fertilization.  Many plant gardens with the sense of sight in mind, which is one of the elementary and important concerns, however there are many plants of the desert that also smell incredibly great.  Many are opting to plant ornamental grass throughout their yards, species that do not require feeding or cutting, along with some of the various good scented trees and flowers.  There are many to choose from such as jasmine vines or one of the species of sage plants.  Creosote bushes and Acacia trees are also wonderful options, all of which smell lovely after an early morning desert rain.  This is the perfect time to grab a cup of coffee and to relax in a backyard hottub before beginning the day.

What is it about a hot tub? They evoke relaxation and a kind of luxury that normal folks can only seem to get when they go on vacation. And normally it’s the gross hot tub at the Super 8 motel, but hey I’ll take a little bit of luxury wherever I can get it.

Saturday Night Live has been making fun of the hot tub and the people who love them for almost 20 years now. Remember when Eddie Murphy used to impersonate James Brown on his talk show that took place in a hot tub? That is super classic. “It’s too hot in the hot tub!”

And again later with Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch as the hot tubing couple who like to call each other “lova.”

Well now more people than ever are having that same type of luxury in their own homes.

Hot tubs are a great way to relax, especially in this hectic world we live in where there is barely enough time to think about what to eat for dinner.

Some people who live in states where it is acceptable to have a pool in their back yard choose to make a hot tub part of their pool when they remodel. But, most people in the United States don’t have that kind of luck. So they have to turn to above ground hot tubs and Jacuzzis. But finding one that you like can be difficult, especially if you are looking online.

Steve Barbarich ran into this problem a while back. He was in the market for a portable spa Jacuzzi and was looking into retailers online. Too bad none of them had any sort of customer service standards. So Steve decided he would start his own website to fill the void of what he thought was poor customer service and it has worked out fairly well so far.

No matter what you decide, a hot tub is a worthy investment!

Many surfers have commented throughout the years, that the Peninsula of Cape Town has some of the best surf beaches.  That in the waters of the Atlantic off the coast, the waves are always easy to find.  There are so many fine surfing spots, that it does matter the direction the wind may be blowing, somewhere it will be blowing in the right direction off the shore.  Many of the best Capetown restaurants are located along the surf beaches, and there is nothing better than some nice food and relaxation after a day on the waves.  In these well known surf spots though, as in any surf towns be it Bondi Beach in Australia or Malibu Beach in California, USA, local surf spots mean that one must show respect and gain respect of the local surfers.  And as far as shark attacks go, this has not been a factor off the Peninsula.  There have been reports of great whites, but at this time, there have been no attacks.

That being said, the best spots for surfing are all located to the north and to the south of the city.  There are a few spots located in the area of Muizenberg.  The best spots to the north are Table View, Blouberg, and Big Bay.  Derde Steen is a spot however, the waves do come in very big and are more suited for beginners.  Blouberg is really the hot spot, if Blouberg is crowed then Table View is the next best place.  Most all of the spots at Blouberg are surf-able, but wet suits are necessary as the temperature of the water is fairly cold year round.  The waves here tend to be much more intense than they look, breaking often times close to the shore.  Big Bay, just next door is one of the best spots, always with big waves and relatively mild water temperatures.  Surfing in South Africa will provide one with a love of the sport, many memories and just incredible amounts of good times.

Dubai is a vibrant city and full of cultural landmarks and historic buildings. There is a thriving arts scene and a progressive cosmopolitan feel to this major UAE city. Visiting the city as a tourist can be an extremely enlightening and exciting event as the food, entertainment, and general scenic views are unique and inviting to Westerners. Two the major landmarks that most tourists will not want to miss are the Dubai Marina and also the Deira Clocktower. Guests staying in five star hotels in Dubai should have no difficulty in finding information on these and other major landmarks of the city.

The Deira Clocktower is also commonly referred to as the Dubai Clocktower. It is a roundabout located in the Al Rigga area of Deira at the intersection of Umm Hurair Road and Route D 89. It is the major landmark of Deira and also provides access to the Al Maktoum Bridge, which was the first land crossing to be constructed between Bur Dubai and Deira. The Clocktower was built in 1964 and throughout the years suffered from corrosion and the steal reinforcements began to crack and deteriorate. It was refurbished in 1972 and stands a major landmark of Dubai.

The Dubai Marina is a residential district and is commonly considered to be the heart of the new Dubai. It was designed and developed to be a model of the Concord Pacific Place along False Creek in Vancouver, BC, Canada. It has been developed by the UAE real estate firm Emaar Properties and is entirely man made. When completed, the marina will include some 200 high rise buildings and sky scrapers. Among them are the Infinity Tower, The Princess Tower, Marina Terrace, and the Torch Dubai Marina. Also included are the residential towers. When it is completed, it will be the largest man made marina in the world. Marina del Ray in California, USA is currently the largest man made marina.

Visitors to the Dubai Mall Aquarium and Underwater Zoo will now have the opportunity to view the rare Leafy Sea Dragon. A native of western and southern Australia, “leafies” can only be found at a handful of aquariums around the world.

The Leafy Sea Dragon is unique amongst underwater species in that the young are carried by the males in a stomach pouch. Once they are born, the babies are left to fend for themselves, as with many marine species.

Named for the leaf-like protrusions that cover their bodies, the leafies preferred habitat is grassy and weed beds or man-made structures such as docks and piers. The largest leafies grow to a mere 43 centimeters.

Dubai has become a premiere tourist destination in the Middle East over the last decade. Visitors can choose a five star hotel Dubai, a resort on the beach, a golf resort or a variety of other lodgings. The city itself offers water and desert sports, great restaurants, excellent shopping, and interesting attractions such as the aquarium and a water park.