Icewind's Ramblings

I saw this story which I found interesting.   The world is in a huge “going green” movement right now making efforts to use recycled materials or designing new building and structures with energy efficient fixtures or systems.  Many seek a LEED certification giving the owners a tax break or other incentives to invest in our future.   One of the changes in an everyday product is finding unexpected results.  Was it a lack of testing in appropriate conditions or possibly a rush to get the product in the marketplace. What I’m talking about is the traffic signal light that you see everyday.  The electrical versions have been around since the 1920’s with the first gas type lights being used in Britain in 1868. With the changing times and everyone talking about energy there have been changes with traffic lights going to a more energy efficient LED light bulb.  It may use less energy which is a good thing but with the new type bulb it also produ...

And so did the ditch divers who cannot drive worth a crap. The front came through and with it a nice steady snowfall covering the frost on everything the last two weeks and as those who make their way to work in the darkness forgot some of the tenants of safe driving.  The main on is slow down lest you end up in the ditch or overturned with that unique view upside down sliding to a scary stop hoping someone else doesn’t hit you.  Another is turn of cruise control on icy roads as they can make you veer off the highway when the tires hit uneven ice on the road making the false sense of slowing down when it just spins those tires until you hit the brake spinning you out of control. After the front stalled over Anchorage it produced some nice fluffy large snowflakes which was pretty to watch once the light of day came but caused major traffic tie ups along the Glenn Highway which was closed for several hours due to out of control vehicles.  It was a long commute ...

Nope, not again this week. Anchorage has been basking in ice fog for the last week which means we have not seen the sun during the brief daylight hours we have this time of year. Traveling around town has been interesting looking at the many objects covered in the hoar frost   makes everything look like the white ice world Hoth in the Star Wars movie, Empire Strikes Back.    Trees, power lines, or anything outside in the elements is covered with about ¾ inch rime ice.  It looks cold and with the temperatures around ten degrees it feels it at times too.  At least the wind has not been blowing making it even colder but at the same time it would have blown out all of this fog with even a gentle breeze. The contrasts between things is interesting as the vehicle colors against the white is nice but the real beauty is seeing the dark colors of moose and different colors of birds against the ice or frost.  As they come and go around the bird feed...