Iron, Chromium and the American Presidency

In his article on September 13, 2008, "Making America Stupid" NY Times Op-Ed writer Thomas Freidman writes "And imagine for a minute what these observers would have been doing when Rudy Giuliani led the delegates in a chant of “drill, baby, drill!”. Mr, Friedman goes on to state they were also thinking about the US lust for more oil and not interested in "kicking the habit.

What else should we as Americans be thinking about? Strategic minerals reserves.

Look to the sources of our strategic mineral reserves. Strategic mineral reserves are defined as "minerals not found or produced domestically in sufficient quantities to meet our needs in times of foreign threats to national security and/or the economy". (1) Our strategic mineral reserves come from countries that we are not always on the most friendly terms with, but come they must. Our reliance on minerals in all our manufacturing industries is huge. From the production of specialty steel used in surgical instruments to cans soup sold in the supermarket. We use minerals...literally by the ton. Those minerals are imported. Needless to say international relations are partly based on the strategic need for a particular counties non-energy mineral resources.

For an understanding of the US inventory of mineral reseources go to the USGS Minerals Information: Minerals Yearbook. Another excellent reference is the online publication of Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy by the Committee on Critical Mineral Impacts of the U.S. Economy, Committee on Earth Resources, National Research Council.

Next ask yourself the question "What has the current President done with our strategic mineral resources? Buy or sell?

Andy

(1)U.S. RELIANCE ON AFRICA FOR STRATEGIC MINERALS, The Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia, Major R.A. Hagerman, United States Marine Corps, April 6, 1984

Stupid Cellphone Sightings

Proof that drivers on their cell phones are not aware of their surroundings occurred today while driving back to the office from lunch. Approaching a very busy intersection, four lanes in my direction, both outside lanes turning lanes, I noticed a truck with Hazmat placards on it in the center left lane set to go through the intersection. The placard note the truck was carrying Class 1 - Explosives Division 1.1 Explosives with a mass explosion hazard. Here is a list of what could have been in the truck: Listing of Class 1 materials

I have no problem with the truck transporting hazardous materials. It was the minivan with the soccer mom who pulled up behind it I have the problem with. Initially she stopped a reasonable distance behind the truck, also right next to me. She was chatting on her cell phone and I could see a little one in the back seat strapped into a car seat. As we waited for the light to change, she gradually inched her way all the way up to the bumper of the truck carrying the explosives. Of course chatting on the cell phone the whole time. Had she been hit from behind at this close range, surely there would have been injuries, but who knows what cold have happened to the load of hazardous materials. DUMB, DUMB and DUMBER.

The driver of the minivan clearly needs to take a defensive driving class. Go to the National Safety Council for their list of Defensive Driving courses.

I'm pretty sure the driver of the truck carrying the explosives has had much training on transporting and handling the materials. Too bad the general public is clueless to protecting their own safety, that of their passengers and all others around them.

Andy

An Odyssey continues - Arthur C. Clarke

A wonderful writer, scientist and explorer, Arthur C. Clarke has passed on. I wonder where his journey will take him now.

He created this video on his 90th birthday. His words and wishes should be heard the world over.

I read 2001: A Space Odyssey a very long time ago before seeing the movie adaptation and at the age of 11 made perfect sense to me. I still meet so many people who have no clue to what the movie was about. My explanation goes like this. The movie is broken into three parts. Each one is an attempt to explain the origins of man. Sounds simple? It is.

Follow these links to learn more about Arthur Clarke, his life and work.

The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation
Wikipedia - Arthur C. Clarke

Clarke's Three Laws

Clarke formulated the following three "laws" of prediction:

1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Although not a quote from Clarke, he truly believed and lived his life as this quote from from Charles Kettering:

"My interest is in the future, because I'm going to spend the rest of my life there."

God Speed, Arthur

Andy

Bilbao, Spain

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Originally uploaded by njtrout_2000

Bilbao has so many colors and shapes to photograph. Walking along the river, this bridge just past the Guggenheim Museum, stood out on this sunny day in January 2008.

Reflections - Seoul, Korea November, 2007

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Originally uploaded by njtrout_2000

Changdeokgung palace, originally built in 1405

Street Performer - Vienna, Austria

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Originally uploaded by njtrout_2000

I found this charming street musician at the edge of a park in downtown Vienna, Austria. The weather on that afternoon in September 2007 was just warm enough to bring out many talented performers as well as the more than eager tourist.

Brno, Czech Republic

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Originally uploaded by njtrout_2000

Some of the places that I have seen in the last few months. From my hotel window in downtown Brno, Czech Republic during a trip in September 2007.

Where in the World?

Thinking all the time about providing regular updates to this blog...traveling has gotten the better of that idea.

So where in the world have I been?

• Brno, Czech Republic

• Vienna, Austria

• Seoul, Korea

• Bilbao, Spain

I've selected photographs that represent the character of the city when I was there. All photographs were taken with a Nikon D200 and a 17-200mm ED-IF VR lens.

FWIW,
Andy

Are you following me?

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Originally uploaded by njtrout_2000

This is Nathan. He's a 5 year old Australian Silky Terrier.

What's on the sidebar

Time to seriously get into blogging. Let's start out by checking the sidebar. I've added a few of my "cultural" Web sites.

If you have a library at home and would like to share your catalog with others you MUST sign up at LibraryThing. Add up to 200 books for free and for a small fee you can add an unlimited number of books. Once you have a few books entered check out the variety of tag clouds showing who you have books in common with. Since I've first joined, LibraryThing has grown both in the number of books as well as features.

Also on the cultural side of life, I've added a sidepanel to Pandora Internet Radio. Enter a music artist, song or genre of music and Pandora will build a radio station based on your original selection. There's much more; explore.

NJTrout