LIVING IN A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

I have a friend.  His name is Tom.  He has created an eco-home for survivability.  He is well-armed.  I'm not sure if I'm exaggerating his feelings, but I sense that he is driven by fears of a total stock market collapse and the disintegration of government as we know it.  Picture a society with no police and the obsolescence of money.  Compounding, or, perhaps catalyzing this dystopian world, would be the worst case scenario for Peak Oil.  We would be in a Mad Max (the original in 1979, incidentally remains as the highest grossing Australian film) rubble, where survival becomes your highest priority.  

On the other end of the spectrum we have the Federal point of view, the usual standard mush, such as the Partnership for Sustainable Communities of HUD, DOT and EPA.  The site begins with a statement from President Barack Obama.  Well meaning, of course, but I need not go further into the contents.

There is a plethora of books, from a scholarly $109 Sustainable Communities to a list of forty from Amazon.com, which includes  such classics as Collapse, Silent Spring and Limits to Growth.  Then too, there are various free blog sites providing info, such as Survival Acres, the Survival Podcast and SurvivalBlog.com.

So what do I think about the shape of the world and the need to resort to a sustainable community?  While I did sell all my stocks a few weeks ago, partially in fear of a crash, I think the next fall will only be a mad bear market leading, maybe, to another recession, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average sinks from the record high of 16, 577 at the end of last year, down 30% to 11,604 by the end of next year.  A bear market is supposedly a 20% fall, so 30% is significant.  However, remember that we are still recovering from that then record high of 14165 on 5October2007 down to 6647 on 6March2009, a 53% dive in a 17 month period, and survived.  

The recovery of 149% during the reign of President Barack Obama is rarely brought up.  Forget Obamacare.  This mad bull market could well be his legacy, especially if it continues for another couple of years.

I also keep a close watch on Japan, and as metastable as we are, I especially worry about that country.  Today their Nikkei 225 fell 611 to 14,008.  Their record high was 38,916 on 29December1989, sinking to 7055 on 10March2009, 82% below that peak.  After a rise, the Fukushima disaster caused another bottoming out at 8160, but since Prime Minister Shinzo's Abe ascendance at the end of 2012, the Nikkei jumped to 15,942, an increase of 34%.  But even at that lofty level, this is 41% below that max.  Inflation adjusted, 38,916 is worth $72,100 today, so the Japanese market is only at 19% of its all time high, and looks to sink further. If the Dow Jones Industrial Average were at 19% of our peak, we would be down to 3150, so you can imagine the true current state of Japanese economics.

Thus, clearly, on the basis of my not too positive / not too negative viewpoint, government will continue with law and order maintained.  I do worry about the long term effects of global warming, but any cataclysmically damaging effects will not affect me in my lifetime.

So what do I think about sustainable communities?  I am joining one in a few weeks.  I'm moving into 15 Craigside, my kind of sustainable community.  While there are no armed guards, we are well-protected by uniformed security and have a full hospital floor with nurses.  We don't grow our own food, but free enterprise will enable us to purchase what we need, and my biggest concern is to avoid weight gain, for every meal missed is $20 wasted.  If higher temperatures do arrive prematurely, the whole place is air-conditioned. 

There is Tai-Chi, a current course in oceanology, hulaerobics, yoga, excursions, Mah Jong, poker, University of Hawaii sport games on a 200 inch screen, strength training, a wide range of religious opportunities, gym machines, photography classes, art classes, a morning music club, regular lectures on health and nutrition, movies, karaoke, dance classes, investment talks, lectures on global warming, pool exercise, the Royal Hawaiian Band and hundreds of other activities.  It's just like a resort hotel, with my room being regularly cleaned and bed changed with free towel/sheet service.  Plus I have 250 friends.

The ultimate in stress reduction, of course, is death, so this anticipated lifestyle is getting too close for comfort.  Further, it seems like I'm sadly sliding back to childhood where I had no responsibilities, got served regular meals and mostly played.  On the other hand, I can live life my way, and this will certainly be a lot more enjoyable than being in a constant survival mode.

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AIR CONDITIONING AND RADIOACTIVITY FOR HAWAII

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser today had an editorial entitled:

     Think creatively for cooler schools

If you made the calculations, the total bill to air-condition all 255 campuses would exceed $2 billion.

Five months ago I reported on the absurdity of the State of Hawaii spending a billion dollars to air-condition our schools.  I was off by a factor of two.  Anyway, I compared this sum to:

• President Obama seeking tens of millions from the U.S. Congress to bomb Syria.
• Japan's estimate to spend $470 million (less than half a billion) to deal with the toxic water at Fukushima.

So will Hawaii cool our schools.  Nope.  First of all, the annual State Department of Education budget is around $2.5 billion.  So, forget about any significant cooling, for the $2 billion is just to install the hardware.  Consider then the future cost of electricity.  [For the record, the Star Advertiser the following day, as the front page headline article, touted Funding for coolor school advances.  The State House tossed $25 million--which is around 1% of what is required--into the budget, but the Senate wanted yet another study.  What a tease to make voters think they are being responsive.]

However, there are many other ways to reduce the heat:

• First forget solar air-conditioning.  It's too expensive.

• A hundred fans for each school would cost around half a million dollars.  I function in my home using fans and I don't need to use my three air-conditioners at all.  My bedroom goes up to a hundred degrees on occasion (the wall is all glass and the sun beams in during the afternoon).  No fan will help this condition, but there must be a way to block the direct rays of the sun on school buildings.  Trees would help.  Certainly, where applicable, ceiling exhaust draft fans should be helpful, and these might even be wind-powered.

• I wonder how cold, deep ocean water would work?  I suspect for now this, too, will be much too expensive.
• Move the school year so that they skip the 14 hot weeks of July, August and September.  The 180 instructional days could go up to 190, which equates to 38 weeks, meaning 14 weeks are left.  Sure, there are holidays and such, but something can be done about a 12-week off period.  How would this sync with universities and whatever else?  Not sure, but something should be adjustable.

The fact of the matter is that there will always be inequities in teaching temperatures, for education just does not get any kind of serious priority.  Why?  There are more important ones, or those that are more successfully  lobbied.  My education chapter in SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanities explains this all.   Even though the Kindle edition is virtually free, you don't even need to spend a dime, as this blog site, beginning with Part I, serializes this chapter.

Speaking about Fukushima, yes, radioactive water is already leaking into the ocean.  But their plan to build a million tanks to hold all this waste is finally beginning to convince them that this is stupid.  SO, AN ATTEMPT IS BEING MADE TO DUMP ALL THIS DANGEROUS FLUID DIRECTLY INTO THE OCEAN!!!  Guess where this radioactivity will go?

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SO WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SUPER BOWL?

In a few words:  Seattle defense, Harvin, QB Wilson and interceptions of Manning.  What were the highlights?

• Perhaps the goof of the day was Referee Terry McAulay catching Joe Namath's coin toss in mid-year because the official forgot to ask the Seattle captain for his choice.
• The second biggest mistake occurred on the first play from scrimmage resulting in an embarrassing safety.

• Halftime:  Seahawks 22 - Broncos 0. 
• Halftime show:

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were also on the card.  Bruno Mars was fabulous, although I still can't remember any of his hit songs.

By the way, at halftime, here were the corresponding temperatures:

• The kick-off after halftime?  Percy Harvin ran it back for a touchdown:

Seattle 29 - Denver 0.
Seattle 36 - Denver 0.
Seattle 36 - Denver 8.

Seattle 43 - Denver 8.

What did I learn from this super bowl?

• Terrorists missed another opportunity.
• Bob Dylan is still alive (he headed a commercial for Chrysler).  Robert Allen Zimmerman is, actually, a year younger than me.
• 24, the movie, is coming in May.
• The Denver Broncos lost to the San Francisco 49ers 55-10 in 1990, so this was not the biggest embarrassment in the Super Bowl.

• However, it's so revealing that those experts who predicted a close score (90+% of them), knew even less than me.  I was smart enough to not care.  By the way, I should take another selfie (but I'll spare you this unnecessary impudence--see me in orange by scrolling down), for I did so much cleaning of my apartment this morning that I had to take a shower before the game, and re-dressed in green and blue.  At least I was in the winning colors.  That's quarterback Russell Wilson to the right.  Victory is not fully assured until that Gatorade shower of the coach, Pete Carroll:

I also had a nice sunset today:

And there was even a tiny Moon:

There is now some talk that NFL Commish Roger Goodell speaks to higher powers, as he was able to arrange for "perfect" weather.  This is MetLife the next day with 6 inches of snow still falling:

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THE COLOR ORANGE

I awoke this morning and decided to wear orange to support the Denver Broncos.  I even took a selfie:

For breakfast I decided do orange, both the fruit:

and half a papaya:

with a passion-orange yogurt.  By the way, I thought papayas cost about a buck.  However, this one set me back $6 because it was supposedly organic:

Why I got it I don't know, for it had several defects, as you can see.  Although it actually tasted great, I'll probably go back to the genetically modified and chemically treated version.  Wonder what that costs?

In keeping with the color orange, here is my most recent sunset:

That third photo is truly weird.  I waited until I could optimally click the shutter and apparently photographed THE GREEN FLASH, but the shot was out of focus.  Why a full sphere is a mystery.  Here are the stages of a real green flash, from left to right:

I've seen at least a hundred green flashes in my life.  The most memorable one I saw through binoculars resembled a chartreuse green hydrogen bomb blast with a cobalt blue thin internal core.

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THE ULTIMATE JUNK FOOD WEEKEND

Hoping no one from Chaine des Rotisseurs reads this, for I could get kicked out of that 766-year old gourmet society if they find out that I like junk food.

I love Zippy's and Rainbow Drive Inn cuisine, and am looking forward to my ultimate junk food weekend (JFW).  Here is a typical Chaine gathering, although the next one will be at Lucky Belly in Chinatown, where  the specialty is pork belly and the corkage charge for wines older than 5 years is FREE.

Second to Thanksgiving, the biggest food day is Super Bowl Sunday.  More than a billion bottles/can of beer will be drunk.  The average American will spend $68.27 on NFL apparel and food.  And, of all the things, it appears that Velveeta is now in short supply.  This is a kind of cheese that actually gets smooth when heated, for this product is manufactured from milk, water, cheese culture, salt, calcium phosphate, lactic acid, sorbic acid, sodium alginate, sodium citrate, enzymes, apocarotenal (for color), annatto (also for color).  Do refrigerate after opening.  Amazingly enough, Velveeta became the first cheese product to gain the American Medical Association's seal of approval.  And the fact that this hasn't been rescinded must be through powerful lobbying by Kraft.

According to the web site The Daily Meal, here are the top 10 unhealthiest (which probably also means most consumed) Super Bowl snacks:

• Queso (Guess what goes into this dish?)
• Pigs in a Blanket
• French Fries
• Pizza
• Potato Chips
• Buffalo Wings
• 7-Layer Dip
• Beef Sliders
• Pretzels
• Nachos

As some like to match wines with meals, here is one list for JFW:

• Chips/pretzel:  ale
• Chicken wings:  frozen margherita
• Pork rinds:  michelada (light Mexican beer with lime, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce)
• Pizza:  red wine
• Hamburger:  IPA (what is this?)
• Nachos:  mead (honey wine)
• Beef jerky:  bourbon
• Hotdogs:  light beer
• Brownies:  scotch

All joking aside, this engorging is unhealthy and dangerous.  Americans will devour 30 million pounds of snacks, with MORE than one third being potato chips.  POTATO CHIPS!!!  11.2 million pounds of them.  I purchased 0.43 pound of garlic potato chips from Foodland, and this bag is really large.  It also cost $1.77 (right), so the value is outstanding.  This photo shows a bag already half eaten.  My JFW started Friday night.

What else am I getting ready?  Steak, hot dog, chile, foie gras, lau lau, poke, six kinds of beer, a couple hundred bottles of wine and 25 types of scotch.  Of course, I'm also overloaded with vegetables and some fruit:  corn, endive, lettuce, onions, cucumber, asparagus, orange, papaya, avocado, apple and mango.  If this sounds like a big party, actually, all the above is just for me.  I'm currently enjoying a hermit mode, as in a few weeks I move next door where I will have 250 others sharing three meal/day.

How to maximize survival and minimize death?

• Hit the veggie tray first, and fill up.  I can't, though, go so far as to recommend healthy snacks.
• Drink a lot of water.
• Keep in mind that too much alcohol leads to elevated blood pressure (maybe more so than the two buck bet you lose), anemia, drowsiness, impaired judgement and inability to drive.
• High fat and sodium can lead to:
•  an increase in blood pressure, 
• jump in blood lipids, 
• high serum phosphate
• bad effects on:
• body inflammation
• obesity
• diabetes
• kidney
• UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILLL BE A QUADRUPLING IN THE RISK OF A HEART ATTACK!!

Now that I've ruined JFW for many, there is, too, the game itself:

• It will not snow over the MetLife Stadium, which will sit 83,000. 
• The Denver Broncos or Seattle Seahawks will win the Vince Lombardi Trophy (right) and players $92,000 each (losers get half of the $s).
• Game will be broadcast into 180 countries (but probably still not yet India), but it is possible that the World Cup final is watched by ten times more people than the Super Bowl:  1 billion versus 110 million.  However, that billion could well be exaggerated, or might be more than one game.

• Renee Fleming will sing the national anthem and Bruno Mars will headline the halftime show.
• The first super bowl tickets were sold for $6, but the cheapest this year is said to be $1500, with the unusual prospects for supply availability crashing the value down to $500 by game time.
• Fox will use 52 cameras, including 8 robotic types.
• Super Bowl TV watching begins at Noon (EST), but kickoff will not be until it gets dark, at 6:30PM.

On other related matters, the NFL is smart enough to show heart, and is hosting armless high school freshman kicker, Issac Lufkin, and his mother to the Super Bowl.  His secret weapon is the onside kick.  

The day will also need to be shared with Punxsutawney Phil Sowerby (yes, he has a last name) for the first time ever.  20,000 are expected to watch if he sees his shadow or not in Punxsutawney, Philadelphia at sunrise, about 7:32 AM EST.  The record shows 100 times yes and 17 times no.  A yes means it will be a longer winter.  It will probably be ten to twenty degrees colder for the Groundhog Day ceremonies than Super Bowl 48.

As this is an energy blog site, the least I can do is show something related to solar photovoltaics:

Who will win?  Frankly, I don't care.  However, I will watch the commercials, which this year could well again place Budweiser at the top with their Clydesdale horse remembering his/her past.  This time, though, it will be Puppy Love.

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