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Showing posts from February 26, 2012

Wyoming and Idaho

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We are back from a quick vacation. I managed to score three (actually several more) bucket list items in 4 days. 1.) Long Snowmobile Trip. 2.) Yellowstone Park and 3.) Wyoming. I reached my 50th State --Wyoming! And we took a 90 mile snowmobile trip in Yellowstone National Park. We went to the "Craters of the Moon--National Monument and Preserve" in Idaho and also stopped at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) where I got to see (with my own eyes) the very cool nuclear powered twin turbojet engine. It was a successful experiment in the 1950s and 1960s. https://whatisnuclear.com/safety-minutes/htre-3-meltdown.html Of course, I had my Radiacode scintillation detector with me and yes, the apparatus is "Hot". The screenshot of the readings from my three walk-arounds the artifact. I swear you could smell the radiation. There was a very un-natural burnt smell something reminiscent of burned bakelite. Although, I am quite certain the emitted radition was not the source...

Dachau Concentration Camp Visit

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I had the opportunity to visit the Dachau concentration camp near Munich Germany a couple weeks back over the weekend. I found the visit to be enlightening and moving. It was a solemn experience thinking about the mindset of 70 years ago and the nature of war. The thing I did not expect was that I could faintly smell rotten flesh in the crematorium -gas chamber area. Some stink never comes out I guess. "Brausebad" is "showers" where people were apparently gased with Zyklon B gas instead of geting hosed down as they thought they would be. I will be in Atlanta for the next 6 weeks (I think).
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I knew I might out-do myself on this most recent trip. It has been a busy-busy trip and complicated. Thankfully, I really did not have any significant travel or meeting disruptions. I am currently in NY and headed back to ATL tonight. I have been away from Atlanta for 17 days. Although, I liked the bed in one of the hotels in Italy, I am looking forward to my favorite bed in Duluth. I am staying at Douglas and Becky's in Lisle NY. It has been pleasant. We have moved a lot off the farm into storage. It is good to see horses on the farm. There is nothing sadder than a farm without animals. The truck front right wheel bearing is about to totally fail. I have just a couple more trips to make today. I will need a little luck, but the contingencies are coming clear. Knock on wood, I can complete my mission with it today. Ian is shown wearing a carnavale mask from Venice Italy playing with his turtle flute from rural Argentina. Friday I had a productive meeting in Detroit with a ...