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Published On: Dec 21, 2005 07:32 AM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Dec 21, 2005 07:32 AM
Wed - December 21, 2005
Save the world, run your car on sewage ...
Save the world, run your car on sewage ...
A e-mail from Mike Smith on another source
of fuel
A well written article at:
http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html
covers both U.New Hampshire work and work done by the U.S. Government on
making biodiesel from algae.
They got truly astounding yields (from 20 to 50 TONS / acre of algae at
about 50%+ oil content). Yes, oil content. Algae naturally have lots
of oil in them. No cellulosic conversion or fermentation needed.
The buggers are raised in salt water and fed sewage... Total land area
to replace all U.S. motor fuel needs (diesel and gasoline equiv.) is
about 150 miles by 100 miles. Absolutely dinky in comparison to any
other system I've seen anywhere. Doesn't need 'farmland'. It uses any
crap dirt with sun and sewage.
Texas alone is 900 miles wide. Call it a 17 mile wide stripe across
Texas. Heck, I bet that's less than they use to park their Trucks!
(Texas hyperbole ;-) Take a 150 x 100 mile chunk of West of the Pecos
Texas, and nobody could even find it with a map... This would be a
stripe about 5 miles wide across the whole nation. Call it 7.5 miles x
the Gulf of Mexico coast (with a bit of Florida atlantic ocean side).
Heck, you could drop the whole thing on Bakersfield and improve the
esthetics of the place too ;-)
Or think of it as a 30 x 10 mile facility in each state (though R.Island
might need to borrow a bit of land from Texas ...) And THAT is all
before the process is fully optimized or any genetic enhancement is done
to the algae. Algae are grown in open "raceways", not fancy closed
systems. Think "sewage pond" or doughboy pool ... not exactly high tech
or optimal sealed glass systems.
BTW, you don't need to be near the coast to do this, I'm just using that
example. There are algae that don't need salt water. The salt water
ones are preferred because folks like to drink the fresh water, and we
have unlimited salt water available. The most likely place to put this
"raceway" is next to sewage plants of major cities or large cattle feed
lots (like all the pig factories in Georgia and the Carolinas that are
destroying waterways with massive pig poo runoff pollution...)
Minor side bar (unrelated): I stumbled on several dozen sites wanting
to use Hemp (i.e. mary jane) for biomass fuel production. They sited
"10 tons / acre in 3 to 4 months" for production. If grown in warm
places with multiple crops / year that starts to be pretty good too,
though Eucalyptus and Algae still beat it in many cases. On the other
hand, it takes no special facilities other than dirt, it grows anywhere
and takes zero special skills to grow and harvest (heck, even stoners
can do it ;-0 ) Also, http://www.iogen.ca is a company that has
efficient enzymatic cellulose to ethanol systems. Don't let the stoners
find out though, "high and drunk" is not a good combination ;-)
So, the bottom line is that a zero net carbon system is: a) relatively
easy to do. b) takes relatively little land. c) doesn't need any
particular leap of technology. d) is already available in several
forms and technologies using many different species and can be
implemented anywhere from the Tropics to the Arctic Circle, though warm
is better. e) Is economically competitive at about present oil prices
and with little other than someone willing to do it and buy the
product. THE major reason it isn't done is because of the fear that
OPEC will cut oil prices to $25 /bbl and put you out of business. Now
that OPEC is pumping at near capacity and oil is staying at $60+ /bbl,
someone may finally start doing some of this.
Mikey
http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html
covers both U.New Hampshire work and work done by the U.S. Government on
making biodiesel from algae.
They got truly astounding yields (from 20 to 50 TONS / acre of algae at
about 50%+ oil content). Yes, oil content. Algae naturally have lots
of oil in them. No cellulosic conversion or fermentation needed.
The buggers are raised in salt water and fed sewage... Total land area
to replace all U.S. motor fuel needs (diesel and gasoline equiv.) is
about 150 miles by 100 miles. Absolutely dinky in comparison to any
other system I've seen anywhere. Doesn't need 'farmland'. It uses any
crap dirt with sun and sewage.
Texas alone is 900 miles wide. Call it a 17 mile wide stripe across
Texas. Heck, I bet that's less than they use to park their Trucks!
(Texas hyperbole ;-) Take a 150 x 100 mile chunk of West of the Pecos
Texas, and nobody could even find it with a map... This would be a
stripe about 5 miles wide across the whole nation. Call it 7.5 miles x
the Gulf of Mexico coast (with a bit of Florida atlantic ocean side).
Heck, you could drop the whole thing on Bakersfield and improve the
esthetics of the place too ;-)
Or think of it as a 30 x 10 mile facility in each state (though R.Island
might need to borrow a bit of land from Texas ...) And THAT is all
before the process is fully optimized or any genetic enhancement is done
to the algae. Algae are grown in open "raceways", not fancy closed
systems. Think "sewage pond" or doughboy pool ... not exactly high tech
or optimal sealed glass systems.
BTW, you don't need to be near the coast to do this, I'm just using that
example. There are algae that don't need salt water. The salt water
ones are preferred because folks like to drink the fresh water, and we
have unlimited salt water available. The most likely place to put this
"raceway" is next to sewage plants of major cities or large cattle feed
lots (like all the pig factories in Georgia and the Carolinas that are
destroying waterways with massive pig poo runoff pollution...)
Minor side bar (unrelated): I stumbled on several dozen sites wanting
to use Hemp (i.e. mary jane) for biomass fuel production. They sited
"10 tons / acre in 3 to 4 months" for production. If grown in warm
places with multiple crops / year that starts to be pretty good too,
though Eucalyptus and Algae still beat it in many cases. On the other
hand, it takes no special facilities other than dirt, it grows anywhere
and takes zero special skills to grow and harvest (heck, even stoners
can do it ;-0 ) Also, http://www.iogen.ca is a company that has
efficient enzymatic cellulose to ethanol systems. Don't let the stoners
find out though, "high and drunk" is not a good combination ;-)
So, the bottom line is that a zero net carbon system is: a) relatively
easy to do. b) takes relatively little land. c) doesn't need any
particular leap of technology. d) is already available in several
forms and technologies using many different species and can be
implemented anywhere from the Tropics to the Arctic Circle, though warm
is better. e) Is economically competitive at about present oil prices
and with little other than someone willing to do it and buy the
product. THE major reason it isn't done is because of the fear that
OPEC will cut oil prices to $25 /bbl and put you out of business. Now
that OPEC is pumping at near capacity and oil is staying at $60+ /bbl,
someone may finally start doing some of this.
Mikey
Posted at 07:32 AM Read More
Tue - December 13, 2005
Trees as a fuel source
An e-mail from Mike Smith about research he did on
the web that shows that trees can be used to create oil.
Rich: I've exchanged some mail with Gary about
trees as a fuel source,
mostly Cottonwood or Eucalyptus.
Gary: This one is more interesting in that it grows in hot places
(Arizona, Texas, Florida) and makes a latex / sap that can be easily
used for "oil" production (or making plastics)...
I find the price estimates startling (about $10 / bbl of "crude") and
can only presume they are talking about using Brazilian land and labor
rates... Though the reference to an area the size of Arizona providing
enough for all the U.S. Gasoline needs is "impressive"...Considering
that most of West Texas is "underused" at present, and far larger than
Arizona, this is an interesting point...
from
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Euphorbia_tirucalli.html
we have:
Euphorbia tirucalli L.
Euphorbiaceae
Petroleum plant, Aveloz, Milk bush
Source: James A. Duke. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops. unpublished.
...
Probably most familiar as a subtropical and tropical ornamental, aveloz has recently made popular headlines as a potential "cancer cure" and more important, as an energy source. Growing in rather arid zones as well as more mesophytic zones, the species makes a good living fence post. A large shrub, Euphorbia tirucalli, is used as a hedge in Brazil. According to Calvin, these plants grow well in dry regions or land that is not suitable for growing food. He estimates that the plants might be capable of producing between 10 and 50 barrels of oil per acre. Cut near the ground, they would be run through a mill like a cane crushing mill, while the plants would regrow from the stumps. Crude obtained from these plants would run $3.00 to $10.00 per barrel. Calvin discussed this concept with Petrobas, the Brazilian national petroleum company, which is investigating. Calvin's most exciting statement, if
true, would be a boon to Brazil and the United States. "He estimates, assuming a yield of 40 barrels per acre (100 barrels per hectare) that an area the size of Arizona would be necessary to meet current requirements for gasoline" (in the U.S.). (Science 194: 46, 1976). The latex is toxic to fish and rats. Africans regard the tree as a mosquito repellent. In Ganjium, rice boiled with the latex is used as an
avicide. Aqueous wood extracts are antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus. The wood, weighing 34 pounds per cu. ft., is used for rafters, toys, and veneer. The charcoal derived there from can be used in gun powder. Since the latex contains rubber, whole plant harvesting seems most advisable from an energy point-of-view (if the tree coppices well) with rubber, petroleum, alcohol as energy products, and resins, which may find use in the linoleum, oil skin, and leather
industries. In Brazil, Euphorbia gymnoclada, very similar to tirucalli (both are called aveloz), is much used for firewood. One cu. m. of wood yields 2 kg latex with the fibrous residue usable for paper pulp.
mostly Cottonwood or Eucalyptus.
Gary: This one is more interesting in that it grows in hot places
(Arizona, Texas, Florida) and makes a latex / sap that can be easily
used for "oil" production (or making plastics)...
I find the price estimates startling (about $10 / bbl of "crude") and
can only presume they are talking about using Brazilian land and labor
rates... Though the reference to an area the size of Arizona providing
enough for all the U.S. Gasoline needs is "impressive"...Considering
that most of West Texas is "underused" at present, and far larger than
Arizona, this is an interesting point...
from
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Euphorbia_tirucalli.html
we have:
Euphorbia tirucalli L.
Euphorbiaceae
Petroleum plant, Aveloz, Milk bush
Source: James A. Duke. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops. unpublished.
...
Probably most familiar as a subtropical and tropical ornamental, aveloz has recently made popular headlines as a potential "cancer cure" and more important, as an energy source. Growing in rather arid zones as well as more mesophytic zones, the species makes a good living fence post. A large shrub, Euphorbia tirucalli, is used as a hedge in Brazil. According to Calvin, these plants grow well in dry regions or land that is not suitable for growing food. He estimates that the plants might be capable of producing between 10 and 50 barrels of oil per acre. Cut near the ground, they would be run through a mill like a cane crushing mill, while the plants would regrow from the stumps. Crude obtained from these plants would run $3.00 to $10.00 per barrel. Calvin discussed this concept with Petrobas, the Brazilian national petroleum company, which is investigating. Calvin's most exciting statement, if
true, would be a boon to Brazil and the United States. "He estimates, assuming a yield of 40 barrels per acre (100 barrels per hectare) that an area the size of Arizona would be necessary to meet current requirements for gasoline" (in the U.S.). (Science 194: 46, 1976). The latex is toxic to fish and rats. Africans regard the tree as a mosquito repellent. In Ganjium, rice boiled with the latex is used as an
avicide. Aqueous wood extracts are antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus. The wood, weighing 34 pounds per cu. ft., is used for rafters, toys, and veneer. The charcoal derived there from can be used in gun powder. Since the latex contains rubber, whole plant harvesting seems most advisable from an energy point-of-view (if the tree coppices well) with rubber, petroleum, alcohol as energy products, and resins, which may find use in the linoleum, oil skin, and leather
industries. In Brazil, Euphorbia gymnoclada, very similar to tirucalli (both are called aveloz), is much used for firewood. One cu. m. of wood yields 2 kg latex with the fibrous residue usable for paper pulp.
Posted at 12:57 AM Read More
Thu - November 24, 2005
Review Jarhead
A movie review of Jarhead
My son, my nephew, and I went to see Jarhead tonight
and all three of us were disappointed. We thought we were going to see a war
movie but what we found was it was a coming of age piece that didn't bother to
linger long enough on any single challenge of that the young Marine experienced.
He went to boot camp, was confronted by the drill sergeant. Next we see the
drill sergeant telling the Lieutent that he thinks the young man is worth
something but we are never shown why he thinks that or why he is even asking the
question.
After way to short a time there he is assigned to a unit. Then the gulf war starts and the unit is transfered to the middle east. No build up. They are just there. This is the major issue I have with the movie. It moves to the next part without have set the stage for it.
They spend sometime sitting in the desert being bored. The young Jarhead's girlfriend dumps him (you knew it was coming). Now the attack comes and they spend a couple of days walking around and then the war is over. Sigh...
There was some fine acting here and there but the story itself made you wonder why they bothered.
After way to short a time there he is assigned to a unit. Then the gulf war starts and the unit is transfered to the middle east. No build up. They are just there. This is the major issue I have with the movie. It moves to the next part without have set the stage for it.
They spend sometime sitting in the desert being bored. The young Jarhead's girlfriend dumps him (you knew it was coming). Now the attack comes and they spend a couple of days walking around and then the war is over. Sigh...
There was some fine acting here and there but the story itself made you wonder why they bothered.
Posted at 02:25 AM Read More
Sun - April 4, 2004
Review Brother Bear
A movie review of Brother Bear
We just got back from Walt Disney World, we stayed
at the Polynesian Resort, and one of our group bought the DVD "Brother Bear".
The movie did OK at the box office, but it didn't get much press. I remember
when it came out that I wasn't really interested in seeing it. Well, I just
watched the DVD and the movie was very good! It is excellent family fare with a
good story, great animation (of course it was nominated for an Academy Award),
good music, and excellent character
interaction.
The movie is set in the far north back when Mammoths still walked the earth. It's about coming of age, brothers, and how we are all connected. Kenai kills a bear and finds himself transformed into a bear. He then has to go on a quest to be changed back to a human. During the journey he picks of a cub as a companion and learns of the importance of love. It's standard Disney mush but it works. The combination of the great animation, the story, and the music works the normal Disney magic. It was a really touching film.
The DVD has several very interesting features. Not the least was watching the movie with two of the voice actors doing a commentary. It was hilarious.
Anyway if you have kids, get the DVD. If you are a Disney fan, get the movie. If you just like a good movie, get the movie.
The movie is set in the far north back when Mammoths still walked the earth. It's about coming of age, brothers, and how we are all connected. Kenai kills a bear and finds himself transformed into a bear. He then has to go on a quest to be changed back to a human. During the journey he picks of a cub as a companion and learns of the importance of love. It's standard Disney mush but it works. The combination of the great animation, the story, and the music works the normal Disney magic. It was a really touching film.
The DVD has several very interesting features. Not the least was watching the movie with two of the voice actors doing a commentary. It was hilarious.
Anyway if you have kids, get the DVD. If you are a Disney fan, get the movie. If you just like a good movie, get the movie.
Posted at 07:06 PM Read More
Fri - March 5, 2004
Same Sex Marriage
My thoughts on Same Sex Marriage
My position on same sex marriage is very simple.
It's none of my business and it surely isn't the Government's business. I don't
care if two people who care for each other are married or not. It's their
business not mine. I think what goes on between consenting adults is between
them.
So why am I writing this blog? It's because others wish to codify their beliefs as the beliefs of all and I am tired of hearing the shrill cry against this minority. So the reason it is important to talk about it at all has to do money (doesn't it always) and with Religion.
Some people get tax benefits from being married and some don't. I don't think it should matter. My taxes shouldn't change because I'm married. If you are married companies will subsidize purchasing medical benefits for your spouse. If you are married your spouse gets all of your property when you die (in some states). If you are married your spouse has some rights as to how and when you die.
I don't think that should matter. I think my taxes should be based on my income not on how I choose to live my life (yes I believe in a flat tax). I think you should be able to designate who you wish to be on your medical plan (after all you're paying for it). I think all people should specify where their property goes (remember you can specify that you have join ownership). I think all people should specify who has a say in your death.
Now the moral issues. I think that if you believe that marriage is between a man and women then you should marry some one of the opposite sex. If you think marriage is between two people who want to make a commitment to each other then that is OK as well. Why should it be my business? Why should I be able to tell you how to live? How does it hurt me? How does it interfere with my rights? The answer is simple it doesn't. So why does the majority feel like they have a right to force their beliefs on a minority? Why do some people think that they should be able to legislate their own beliefs on everyone else? That's what the Taliban did! That is what the radical Muslims want to do! I strongly believe in the separation between Church and State.
One of our basic beliefs is the freedom to choose. By the way, freedom of choice doesn't mean you have to like me. if you don't like how I have chosen to live my life then you don't have to associate with me. You can make me unwelcome in your church. You can cross the street when I walk towards you. But if I choose to live differently than you, you don't have the right to impose your beliefs on me and reduce my rights. It is not your business or the Governments.
For me it boils down to keep the Government and other people's ideas of Religion out of my private life! If I choose a religious belief then it is my choice to live by those rules. If I choose to live with one woman all my life then that is my business. It is not yours, it is not the Governments, and it is not any religions business it's mine.
BTW - I have been happily married to my wife (she's a woman and I'm a man) for over twenty years.
So why am I writing this blog? It's because others wish to codify their beliefs as the beliefs of all and I am tired of hearing the shrill cry against this minority. So the reason it is important to talk about it at all has to do money (doesn't it always) and with Religion.
Some people get tax benefits from being married and some don't. I don't think it should matter. My taxes shouldn't change because I'm married. If you are married companies will subsidize purchasing medical benefits for your spouse. If you are married your spouse gets all of your property when you die (in some states). If you are married your spouse has some rights as to how and when you die.
I don't think that should matter. I think my taxes should be based on my income not on how I choose to live my life (yes I believe in a flat tax). I think you should be able to designate who you wish to be on your medical plan (after all you're paying for it). I think all people should specify where their property goes (remember you can specify that you have join ownership). I think all people should specify who has a say in your death.
Now the moral issues. I think that if you believe that marriage is between a man and women then you should marry some one of the opposite sex. If you think marriage is between two people who want to make a commitment to each other then that is OK as well. Why should it be my business? Why should I be able to tell you how to live? How does it hurt me? How does it interfere with my rights? The answer is simple it doesn't. So why does the majority feel like they have a right to force their beliefs on a minority? Why do some people think that they should be able to legislate their own beliefs on everyone else? That's what the Taliban did! That is what the radical Muslims want to do! I strongly believe in the separation between Church and State.
One of our basic beliefs is the freedom to choose. By the way, freedom of choice doesn't mean you have to like me. if you don't like how I have chosen to live my life then you don't have to associate with me. You can make me unwelcome in your church. You can cross the street when I walk towards you. But if I choose to live differently than you, you don't have the right to impose your beliefs on me and reduce my rights. It is not your business or the Governments.
For me it boils down to keep the Government and other people's ideas of Religion out of my private life! If I choose a religious belief then it is my choice to live by those rules. If I choose to live with one woman all my life then that is my business. It is not yours, it is not the Governments, and it is not any religions business it's mine.
BTW - I have been happily married to my wife (she's a woman and I'm a man) for over twenty years.
Posted at 07:50 PM Read More
Mon - December 22, 2003
I have a life again
We launched our site and I have a life
again
Well, last week we finally launched our site. It's
one of the most complex sites on the Internet because we are merging mainframe
systems that run the existing systems to a bran new Web front end. Add to this
that there are many support organizations that keep the back end systems going
and this makes anything a challenge.
Any how it's launched and it's working (kind of) so we should not have to work 80 hours a week for a while.
This site launch is why I haven't been updating my blog. My spare time has been spent sleeping. Even though there has been lots happening I really haven't had the time to comment on it or to work on my blog.
Hopefully after the holidays.
Any how it's launched and it's working (kind of) so we should not have to work 80 hours a week for a while.
This site launch is why I haven't been updating my blog. My spare time has been spent sleeping. Even though there has been lots happening I really haven't had the time to comment on it or to work on my blog.
Hopefully after the holidays.
Posted at 08:48 PM Read More
Mon - November 17, 2003
My Son Selected to All State Choir
My Son was select to the Florida all state
choir
On Saturday, 11/15/03, my son was select to be part
of the Florida all State Choir! I can't tell you how proud I am of him.
He is on the left and his friend (who also made All State is on the right)
He has worked hard to get to this point. His school has an excellent Music Director that he just loves. He had to take a written test,
go through an audition where they had to demonstrate their ability to read music and sing it and then last Saturday he had to perform
for the selection committee.
He must have done well for they selected him!
Did I mention that I am proud of him!
He is on the left and his friend (who also made All State is on the right)
He has worked hard to get to this point. His school has an excellent Music Director that he just loves. He had to take a written test,
go through an audition where they had to demonstrate their ability to read music and sing it and then last Saturday he had to perform
for the selection committee.
He must have done well for they selected him!
Did I mention that I am proud of him!
Posted at 11:38 PM Read More
Thu - November 6, 2003
What a Day
What a day. What a day. What a day.
Today my day started at 2 am and will be ending
right after I finish this entry (11 pm). It started out with my supervising the
updating of the Privacy Policy for my company's web sites. Sounds easy right?
We when your web sites is in the thousands of pages and make millions of dollars
people get a bit grumpy when they are not up and running
properly.
Well this upgrade didn't go as well as we would have liked and it did go well for the oldest reason in the world, poor planning. There were lots of assumption by some people as to what other people would do. It's not that people wouldn't have done what was required. If anyone would have asked them to do it they would have been happy to. Sigh... This part lasted from 2 am to 7 am.
Then I ate breakfast, showered, shaved, brushed my teeth, got my son ready for school and went to work. My wife had to take my son to the bus stop.
During the next part of my day I had to deal with ensuring that someone was trained to take on the duties of a person that we are going to let go at the end of the month. Do you know how fun it is to get someone to train the person that will be doing their job in the future? Well let me tell you it is not all that much fun. This part lasted from 9 am to around 11 am.
I then got to go to a parent teachers conference because my son hasn't been doing his homework for several weeks because one of his teachers accused him of "Goofing off"! When I was a kid I had teachers who would break a yard stick over my head (I sound like my father, "I had to walk 10 miles in the snow to get to school". He lived in Florida!) What I had to do was convince a bunch of teachers that they should really give my son special treatment because... well because! I managed it but now my son has to earn what I talked them into giving him. Sigh... Oh yea, that was my lunch break.
Then from 2 pm - 7 pm I had to get all of the things that other people broke during the morning upgrade fixed. Not real hard but we had a half dozen other people wanting help as well! Then the last part of this portion I got to write a report telling everything that went wrong and what we wanted to do to fix it so it wouldn't happen again.
I came home fixed my self a tv dinner and tried to explain to my son why he was failing 3 out of 4 subjects and what he had to do if he wants to fix it. He promptly didn't do anything else for the rest of the evening. It would so have helped him with his teachers if he would have done at least one of his assignments. Sigh...
So I did the dishes and now I'm doing this. After this day you might ask why are you typing on a computer? Why don't you go to bed? To that I would answer, "OK I will"
Good Night Moon
Well this upgrade didn't go as well as we would have liked and it did go well for the oldest reason in the world, poor planning. There were lots of assumption by some people as to what other people would do. It's not that people wouldn't have done what was required. If anyone would have asked them to do it they would have been happy to. Sigh... This part lasted from 2 am to 7 am.
Then I ate breakfast, showered, shaved, brushed my teeth, got my son ready for school and went to work. My wife had to take my son to the bus stop.
During the next part of my day I had to deal with ensuring that someone was trained to take on the duties of a person that we are going to let go at the end of the month. Do you know how fun it is to get someone to train the person that will be doing their job in the future? Well let me tell you it is not all that much fun. This part lasted from 9 am to around 11 am.
I then got to go to a parent teachers conference because my son hasn't been doing his homework for several weeks because one of his teachers accused him of "Goofing off"! When I was a kid I had teachers who would break a yard stick over my head (I sound like my father, "I had to walk 10 miles in the snow to get to school". He lived in Florida!) What I had to do was convince a bunch of teachers that they should really give my son special treatment because... well because! I managed it but now my son has to earn what I talked them into giving him. Sigh... Oh yea, that was my lunch break.
Then from 2 pm - 7 pm I had to get all of the things that other people broke during the morning upgrade fixed. Not real hard but we had a half dozen other people wanting help as well! Then the last part of this portion I got to write a report telling everything that went wrong and what we wanted to do to fix it so it wouldn't happen again.
I came home fixed my self a tv dinner and tried to explain to my son why he was failing 3 out of 4 subjects and what he had to do if he wants to fix it. He promptly didn't do anything else for the rest of the evening. It would so have helped him with his teachers if he would have done at least one of his assignments. Sigh...
So I did the dishes and now I'm doing this. After this day you might ask why are you typing on a computer? Why don't you go to bed? To that I would answer, "OK I will"
Good Night Moon
Posted at 10:23 PM Read More
Thu - October 23, 2003
Terri Schiavo
I might as well weigh in everyone else
has!
Everyone has decided, with great emotion, that Terri
should live or that Terri should die. Great debates on the radio and even a
State Government has gotten involved. Do the hundreds of thousands of people
who are so upset know the facts?
I don't.
I hear peoples thoughts on the radio. I read a newspaper's position. I see on TV Governors and State Representatives stating the facts. Some are supporting the right for Terri to die. Some are supporting Terri's right to live. Each of them seems to be supporting some cause or the other. They even seem to be more interested in their cause than Terri.
What does Terri want? We can't know. She can't say.
How do we decide for her? We ask the experts. Some say there is nothing left of Terri. Some say therapy might help her. How do we decide.
I know what I would want to happen for me and I have told my wife so. My wife knows what she would want to happen to her and she has told me. Neither of us have created a living will. This was Terry's mistake. She didn't tell us. So now everyone would like to decide for her.
I have no answer for this one. Is the husband a creep that only wants his wife dead? Or does he know that she is not really there and that what she would want is to stop being? We can't know because who are we to believe if everyone is more concerned with their position or more concerned with selling time?
I don't.
I hear peoples thoughts on the radio. I read a newspaper's position. I see on TV Governors and State Representatives stating the facts. Some are supporting the right for Terri to die. Some are supporting Terri's right to live. Each of them seems to be supporting some cause or the other. They even seem to be more interested in their cause than Terri.
What does Terri want? We can't know. She can't say.
How do we decide for her? We ask the experts. Some say there is nothing left of Terri. Some say therapy might help her. How do we decide.
I know what I would want to happen for me and I have told my wife so. My wife knows what she would want to happen to her and she has told me. Neither of us have created a living will. This was Terry's mistake. She didn't tell us. So now everyone would like to decide for her.
I have no answer for this one. Is the husband a creep that only wants his wife dead? Or does he know that she is not really there and that what she would want is to stop being? We can't know because who are we to believe if everyone is more concerned with their position or more concerned with selling time?
Posted at 08:11 PM Read More
Tue - October 14, 2003
My Heart
My Physical Heart
Back in April of this year I had a heart
attack . As heart attacks go it was a small one. I didn't grab my
chest in pain or feel my left arm go to sleep. What I felt was a back ache
which I couldn't relieve by stretching. I was at work typing at the computer
when it came on. After around 10 minutes, when it wouldn't go away, I decided
to go to the emergency room at Celebration Hospital . I
told one of my friends that I was going to the emergency room and then drove
myself over there. It was only a block away but I had to walk out to my car,
drive it over to the hospital, park it, and then walk into the emergency room.
At this time I didn't realize it was a heart attack! Well I had never been to
the emergency room at this hospital before and I parked about as far away as was
possible. As I walked through the hospital I started to think that this might
have been a bad idea.
I got there and they took me right in. Checked me out, gave me a nitro pill, an aspirin, an EKG, and they took some blood. After 5 minutes they gave me a second nitro and that made the pain in my back go away. This all took less than 15 minutes from when I showed up at the emergency room. I was told that it didn't look like a heart attack but they wanted to keep me for observation. They schedule me for a stress test the next morning (a tread mill). Every couple of hours they woke me up and took more blood. Around 2 in the morning they told me the blood they had taken at midnight indicated that I had had a heart attack.
The Doctor showed up at 7 am on Saturday morning and explained that I yes I did have a heart attack although it was mild and caught early so there was no damage to my heart. Because I had the chemicals that indicated a stressed heart in my blood that they couldn't do a stress test but he wanted to go in via a catheter to perform a Coronary Angiography and see what the problems might be. I agreed.
Within 30 minutes they had prepped me and had me in the operating room. They put a very thin tube in my leg and went up the major vein to my heart and put some dye and looked at my heart. I was awake and could watch the whole thing! The technology was incredible. I could see my heart pumping. I could see where the thin tube was. I could see the dye they put in me. The Doctor explained what I was seeing the whole time. He found 1 artery on the back of my heart 90% blocked. This is what had given me a back ache. The source of my heart attack. He said we should fix it.
They didn't have the facilities to perform a angioplasty at Celebration so they transfered me to Florida Hospital. They took me from the operating room into a recovery room to await transfer. They had no sooner than put me in the room when the ambulance drivers showed up to take me. After a short ride I arrived at Florida Hospital. The EMT's wheeled me in and asked which waiting room did they want me in? They said take him to Operating room 4. They wheeled me in and they started prepping me again. Once I was prepped another tube was put in my leg. Within 5 minutes the Doctor said Done! By Noon! It was 3 hours short of 1 day since I told my friend I was going to the Emergency room!
I was then kept in the hospital for two more days to make sure there were no problems. I was released on Monday. Rested at home for the rest of the week and was back at work the following week.
During the entire experience I was treated with dignity and respect. The people were friendly and did all they could to make my ordeal less stressful.
I got there and they took me right in. Checked me out, gave me a nitro pill, an aspirin, an EKG, and they took some blood. After 5 minutes they gave me a second nitro and that made the pain in my back go away. This all took less than 15 minutes from when I showed up at the emergency room. I was told that it didn't look like a heart attack but they wanted to keep me for observation. They schedule me for a stress test the next morning (a tread mill). Every couple of hours they woke me up and took more blood. Around 2 in the morning they told me the blood they had taken at midnight indicated that I had had a heart attack.
The Doctor showed up at 7 am on Saturday morning and explained that I yes I did have a heart attack although it was mild and caught early so there was no damage to my heart. Because I had the chemicals that indicated a stressed heart in my blood that they couldn't do a stress test but he wanted to go in via a catheter to perform a Coronary Angiography and see what the problems might be. I agreed.
Within 30 minutes they had prepped me and had me in the operating room. They put a very thin tube in my leg and went up the major vein to my heart and put some dye and looked at my heart. I was awake and could watch the whole thing! The technology was incredible. I could see my heart pumping. I could see where the thin tube was. I could see the dye they put in me. The Doctor explained what I was seeing the whole time. He found 1 artery on the back of my heart 90% blocked. This is what had given me a back ache. The source of my heart attack. He said we should fix it.
They didn't have the facilities to perform a angioplasty at Celebration so they transfered me to Florida Hospital. They took me from the operating room into a recovery room to await transfer. They had no sooner than put me in the room when the ambulance drivers showed up to take me. After a short ride I arrived at Florida Hospital. The EMT's wheeled me in and asked which waiting room did they want me in? They said take him to Operating room 4. They wheeled me in and they started prepping me again. Once I was prepped another tube was put in my leg. Within 5 minutes the Doctor said Done! By Noon! It was 3 hours short of 1 day since I told my friend I was going to the Emergency room!
I was then kept in the hospital for two more days to make sure there were no problems. I was released on Monday. Rested at home for the rest of the week and was back at work the following week.
During the entire experience I was treated with dignity and respect. The people were friendly and did all they could to make my ordeal less stressful.
Posted at 07:55 PM Read More