Friday, March 13, 2009

Wind Power Recently as I was driving, I spotted a really long truck hauling a very large propeller. My first thought was, "I'd like to get a lookie-loo at the beanie that thing sits on top of!" Of course what I was looking at was not a beanie propeller, rather a propeller intended for a wind turbine to generate electricity with the use of wind power. Alternate energy sources interest me, because I have this idea that I would like to get off the grid, the electrical grid, that is. I read up on things like How Do I Get Wind Power, Wind Energy Basics, and Wind Power Today. There is a lot happening with development in terms of big wind-power operations, but I am interested in applications for individuals for home power generation. However, not everyone lives in a suitably windy area. Check out your location using wind power maps. You can also get additional information on the status of wind power in your state, click on your state in the Quick Links area in the left column. If you are interested is learning more about wind power, here are some additional resources: Wind Power Department of Energy Wind Powering America Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program Wind Power Installation, Cost and Performance 2007 American Wind Energy Association DOE Report Analyzes a Path to Reaching 20% Wind Power by 2030 Consumer Energy Tax Incentives Financial incentives, technology critical for further development USA.gov -wind power search results Seeing the propeller got me to thinking: put propellers on cars to generate electricity? Many hydroelectric cars use braking technology to generate electricity. That works for city driving, but it doesn't do much when driving long distance. If you install propellers on top of your car, as you drive forward, the force of the air could spin propellers and charge the battery that is being used with the braking technology. You would be generating power both ways. Wow, someone should pay me to sit around and come up with this stuff. Oh wait, the government already does! Kidding! There are a lot of people exploring different ideas, so I'm sure this isn't a new thought. It will be interesting to see what kind of wind powered technologies will be developed. Do you think that President Obama will push more for development of alternative energy sources? Would you be willing to use a wind turbine to generate some of your electricity? If so, what are your key concerns in using such technology? - Ginger [Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog] 2:02:00 PM     Upcoming Events at HPL Hands On Genealogy Workshop Saturday, March 14 9:30 - 11:30 am Learn how to do Genealogy research in the Local History Department “Ruff Reader” - Kids Read to Dogs! Saturday, March 14 2:00 pm The Reading Dogs are back! Kids will boost reading skills at this popular program from last fall. Sign up for a private read-aloud session with a trained Listener Dog. The friendly pooches are from West Michigan Therapy Dog, Inc. Read aloud sessions are 15 minutes. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Toddler Storytime Monday, March 16 11:00 am Stories and activities aimed at 18 to 36 month olds. Toddlers and grownups attend together. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Friends of the Library Meeting Monday, March 16 4:00 pm Meets at the Torrent House Monday Storytime Monday, March 16 6:45 pm Stories and activities for ages 3-5. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Hackley Library Board Meeting Tuesday, March 17 5:30 pm Julia Hackley Room, Hackley Public Library. Open to the public. For more information call 231-722-7276 x 222 Herb Society Tuesday, March 17 6:00 - 9:00 pm Torrent House. Toddler Storytime Tuesday, March 17 6:45 pm Stories and activities aimed at 18 to 36 month olds. Toddlers and grownups attend together. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Computer Class--Intro to the Internet Wednesday, March 18 6:00 - 7:30 pm Learn how to "surf the net", set up an email account, and find your away around cyberspace. Class size is limited. Please call ahead to register (231-722-7276). Registration starts on March 2. The class will be held at Hackley Public Library. OFF THE WALL COFFEE HOUSE Wednesday March 18 7:00 pm The Coffee House honors winners in “Off the Wall,” HPL’s writing and drawing contest for teens. Winning writers will share the mic, reading their poems and stories. A Coffee House Art Gallery will display the comic art, drawings and other exciting work by Off the Wall artists. For more information call 231-722-7276 x 230. Watch for our Off the Wall magazine, published in April, featuring all the winners. For more information call 231-722-7276 x 230. Read Along the Lakeshore Author Visit March 19, 2009 7:00 pm Muskegon Museum of Art The author will make at two appearances in our community to discuss the book, possibly read from it and discuss his/her progression as an author, and answer questions. There will also be a book signing. For more information call 231-722-7276. Saturday Storytime Saturday, March 21 2:00 pm Stories and activities for ages 3-5. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Monday Storytime Monday, March 23 6:45 pm Stories and activities for ages 3-5. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Toddler Storytime Monday, March 23 11:00 am Stories and activities aimed at 18 to 36 month olds. Toddlers and grownups attend together. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Toddler Storytime Tuesday, March 24 6:45 pm Stories and activities aimed at 18 to 36 month olds. Toddlers and grownups attend together. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. Computer Class--Intro to the Internet March 25, 2009 6:00 - 7:30 pm Learn how to "surf the net", set up an email account, and find your away around cyberspace. Class size is limited. Please call ahead to register (231-722-7276). Registration starts on March 2. The class will be held at Hackley Public Library. Book Signing Saturday, March 28 2:30 pm Rose Hammond will be at Hackley Public Library to sign her new book, Idlewild and Woodland Park, Michigan. For more information or to register call HPL at 231-722-7276. Saturday Storytime Saturday, March 28 2:00 pm Stories and activities for ages 3-5. Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230. 9:52:58 AM     Experimenting with new recipes When I was thrust into the real world after college, it was my first real opportunity to cook my own meals. As a health nerd, I had a couple recipes that I knew were nutritious, but after making grilled chicken with vegetables or salmon with broccoli hundreds of times, the recipes started to get boring and I was craving something different. Often that meant I would hit the salad bar at my grocery store or order a veggie hoagie from a sandwich shop. While still nutritious, these on-the-go meals started to make a dent in my budget. In honor of National Nutrition Month, I'm challenging myself to try at least one new recipe a week. This week I made a vegetarian stir fry that I found on a friend's blog. Next week I might try some of the heart-healthy recipes from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. In my quest to put lots of color on my plate, I'll definitely explore recipe options from the the Centers for Disease Control that focus on creating meals around fruits and veggies. And of course, I'll check out meal options from the United States Department of Agriculture as I try to put as much variety in my menus as possible. If this sounds like a challenge you are up for, I'd love to have you join me. If you're worried that healthy cooking is going to be too expensive, you can check out tips for cooking thrifty meals that are still healthy. Nutrition.gov is another place you can turn for healthy eating guidelines. If you know of any other great nutritious recipe sources please feel free to share in the comments! - Jess [Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog] 9:40:00 AM     First a Podcast, Next . . . Who Knows! Here at Gov Gab, we're continually looking for new ways to get you the information you need and in the format you want. And we're not alone. Government-wide, agencies are offering a wider variety of ways to access their information than ever before. Just check out USA.gov's list of Web 2.0 tools to see what I mean. We're still working out what our next steps will be (increasing our Twitter presence? a more dynamic tag cloud?), but we're happy to say our first foray into one area we're exploring was a great success, as well as a lot of fun. Many of our team were interviewed for the Government Info Pro blog's podcast series. We talked with Marie Kaddell, LexisNexis Senior Information Professional Consultant, about our work here, what it was like to launch the blog, and helping to humanize a big institution like the federal government. A big thanks to Marie for making it such an enjoyable experience! Check out the podcast, then let us know which format you'd like to use to get our information. We're all ears! - Editor [Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog] 9:38:24 AM     Gongwer News Highlights, March 12, 2009. HOUSE PASSES WORKER PACKAGE A 12-bill package dubbed by proponents as the "Hire Michigan First" plan because it targets economic development incentives to businesses hiring Michigan residents was passed by a mostly bipartisan House on Thursday. TAX BREAK FOR HOMEOWNERS WITH DECLINING VALUES GETS SENATE PANEL OK A constitutional amendment that would protect homeowners against rising taxes when their property values are declining, but which critics said would add inequities into the current structure and diminish local government services, won approval by the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. SENATE PASSES TAX BILLS OVER CHARGES OF 'CLASS WAR' Three bills that supporters said could cut taxes by better than $270 million, and boost business activity in the state, passed the Senate Thursday even though critics warned the state's budget could not afford the tax cuts at this time. STATE FAIR BOARD LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES The Michigan State Fair wants to start looking for a developer or investor for its grounds that would compliment continuing operations of the fair, the House Appropriations Investigations, Intergovernmental Affairs and Oversight Subcommittee was told Thursday. PRUSS: STATE HOPES TO EXPORT ENERGY EQUIPMENT With the recent changes in electric regulation that included requirements for renewable power and energy efficiency and with Governor Jennifer Granholm's recent directive that all options be explored before issuing permits for new coal-fired generation, Michigan is poised to attract renewable power production facilities that will export that equipment at least regionally, Energy, Labor and Economic Growth Director Skip Pruss told the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee. HOUSE PANEL LOOKING AT CHEMICAL RESTRICTIONS The House Great Lakes and Environment Committee will be looking at a variety of hazardous chemicals and seeking to place new or further limits on them, committee Chair Rep. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) said after Thursday's meeting. COMMITTEE CONSIDERS DISCLOSURE FOR REFUND ANTICIPATION LOANS Tax preparation companies that give out refund anticipation loans to consumers would have to disclose more information about the costs and fees associated with the program under legislation under consideration by the House Banking and Financial Services Committee. D.H.S. HOPEFUL STATE WILL AVOID MILLIONS IN FEDERAL SANCTIONS While the state could face up to $27 million in federal sanctions for failing in 2007 to get at least half of welfare recipients who were required to work into a job, Department of Human Services officials told a House subcommittee on Thursday they are hopeful that Michigan's progress toward meeting the jobs goal will be a convincing tool in helping the state keeping its federal stipend. SENATE PASSES RESOURCES TRUST FUND MEASURE A measure spending $58.4 million on acquiring 37 properties and implementing 44 development projects under the Natural Resources Trust Fund, as well as other projects, won unanimous approval by the Senate Thursday. Source : Gongwer News Service : Michigan Report, Volume #49, Report 48, March 12, 2009. Full access requires subscription or a visit to a subscribing library such as the Michigan State University Main Library. [Red Tape Blog] 9:34:46 AM

© Copyright 2009 Jocelyn Shaw. Last update: 4/1/2009; 2:33:34 PM. Photo curtesy of Marjorie O'Brien