MaxRedline

Wave Of The Future!

Flooding was caused by a slow-moving, low-pressure weather system that sat over the region from 15 July, releasing two months’ worth of rain in two days. Over 10 inches of rain fell continuously in some places in the hilly Ardennes, Eifel, and Ruhr regions; in many cases, this was then channeled down steep-sided river valleys, unleashing massive destructive power in towns and villages in the water’s path.

There's nothing quite like modern rail; just ask the Germans:

That's not going to buff right out...these lines will be down for months (and in many cases, years).

You can see why so many politicians here in America are so eager to dump millions of tax dollars into modern rail.

 

 

You Can Die In U.S. National Parks, But It's Rare.

Banish Shea & Boyle LLP data showed that drowning, motor vehicle crashes, “undetermined” causes and falls were the top four killers, highlighting the rural and scenic nature of most sites.

Washington’s North Cascades National Park was the most dangerous, statistics-wise, with 652 deaths per 10 million visits.

You sort of have to work at it, but it can be done.

 

There's A Drought Going On.

As of June 21, there is at least some level of drought in at least one county in 42 of 50 US states. However, exceptional drought is only seen in ten states -- North Dakota, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and California.

It does seem to have been uncommonly warm and dry here, of late.

 

The Green, Green Grass Of Home

Lawns are the largest irrigated crop in the United States, more than corn or wheat. Nationwide, more than 7 billion gallons of water per day are used to keep them looking fresh. And that’s not to mention the 2.4 million metric tons of fertilizer that go into them every year either. 

Not exactly "eco-friendly"....

 

South Of The Border

Down Mexico way...

MEXICO CITY is sinking at an alarming rate, according to new data.

Scientists think the problem is largely unstoppable because some parts of the city are now too low to save.

They probably shouldn't have built in on a lake, but that's where the Spanish chose to start their ball rolling. Mexicans just kept adding onto their problem.

Mexico City is the densely populated capital of Mexico.

It's built on a lake bed which has been growing increasingly dry due to centuries of water drainage.

Cracks are now forming in the cities foundations, putting infrastructure at risk of collapse.

 

Brit Warship Not Deployed Because Of Water

A flooding incident aboard the British Royal Navy’s second Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, will reportedly prevent the warship from going to sea for at least six months.

Maybe they ought to turn their ship-building over to professionals. I helped to build ships back in the 1970s; never had such issues.

 

Beer: Is There Anything It Can't Do?

So far, it seems pretty effective:

Every week, Darwin Brewing Company in Bradenton needs to get rid of thousands of pounds of soggy barley.

Known as spent grain, the cracked kernels are a byproduct of making beer, each a little bigger than a grain of rice. Usually, farmers haul off totes of the grain for their livestock to eat, said Blue Hellenga, Darwin’s head brewer. But more recently, some of it has gone to a new destination at the nearby Mote Marine Lab.

Researchers there are trying to find ways to thwart Red Tide, a scourge for Florida’s Gulf Coast. They believe the used grains could hold an answer in molecules that stunt algal blooms. Red Tide kills fish in droves and forces sunbathers off the beach. Besides the putrid smell, it causes breathing problems.

So Mote researchers discovered that enzymes remaining in the spent barley stops the organism behind red tide, if delivered in time - before the bloom really gets underway. Seems like a big win for brewers and for Florida tourism.

 

Salmon Fillet

The Fisherman Style Fillet

Do as the fishermen do in Alaska aboard their vessels and keep your approach to cooking wild-caught seafood dead simple. These instructions work great for any species, whether its salmon, halibut, cod or something else!

The Drill

1. Bring the portion to room temperature 15-20 minutes before cooking and dry well with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
2. Warm a large, non-stick skillet with oil (or butter) over medium-low heat.
3. Season fish with salt and pepper.
4. Note: Wild fish is easy to overcook, and every stove is different. So it's always better to err on the side of undercooking at first.
5. Raise heat to medium-high. Place the portion, skin-side up in the pan. Don’t touch it. Cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 3 minutes.
6. Turn fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch, but still flaking, and the skin is crisp if desired, about 2-3 minutes more. (The skin can be served or removed with a knife or spoon).
7. Transfer to a plate and serve.

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Key Pro Tips

Start with room-temperature fillets: this helps fish to cook more evenly.

Dry fillets well: Before cooking, use a paper towel or a clean dish towel to pat each one dry. Any excess moisture will cause fillets to stick and won’t give you that crispy skin effect.

Make sure your pan is really hot: Keep the flame around medium to medium-high, but before anything touches the pan, let it get really hot. After, pour in a thin layer of oil and heat until it shimmers. Then add the fish.

Don't Overcook It: Keep in mind that wild-caught fish, like other proteins, will continue to cook after taking it off the heat, so don’t worry if it looks a tad rare at first; it’ll likely be perfect by the time you’re ready to feast.

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And of course, everyone’s stovetop is different, so if you do find that your fillet isn’t at the doneness you prefer, simply cook it for another minute, skin side down, with the lid on the pan. Also, always thaw your seafood under refrigeration at or below 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

Before you thaw, remove all packaging and place the portions in a bowl or on a plate on the lowest shelf in your refrigerator. Following these instructions will help prevent the possibility of the fish coming in contact with other food in your refrigerator.

The Angst Is Understandable.

For years, a group of Metzger residents have been battling to save a stand of old-growth Douglas fir trees from being torn down to make way for homes. In a May ruling, the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission said Washington County was out of compliance with planning goals designed to protect significant natural resources.

Those trees are a century old and 150 feet tall, and they're an important pocket of habitat for deer, beaver, and a host of other critters. A developer wants to cut them down so he can build six homes there, and planned to "mitigate" the losses by planting a few fir saplings around after the homes were built. That's hardly mitigation, as it'd take decades for any sort of canopy to form. And that's assuming the beaver didn't fell the saplings and use them for construction materials of their own.

Of course, they would; been there, done that.

 

 

Something Smells

A rare and once-endangered fish, which makes its home in a southern Oregon lake that can reach temperatures of up to 104 degrees, has made a full recovery and was removed from the endangered species list, according to federal officials.

The Borax Lake chub, which lives only in Harney County’s Borax Lake, was granted emergency protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1980 after its numbers dropped precipitously due to geothermal projects around the lake, shoreline degradation from off-road vehicle use and development.

When fully grown, it's essentially a bait-fish; running to a whopping two inches long.

Borax Lake is fed by geothermal springs, accounting for the lake’s extreme temperatures, and the lake also contains high levels of borax, arsenic and lead. Despite high levels of chemicals toxic to other animals, the Borax Lake chub thrive in the 10-acre lake, keeping to the edges where temperatures were more suitable. It is the only animal that is known to live in the lake’s harsh environment.

Presumably, it feeds on algae or something like that, as it apparently has nothing to hunt. I wonder how much in tax dollars were spent to save this important fish. Reminds me of the great California Delta Smelt escapade.