Bear-proof chicken coop in the forest
Posted at
Friday, January 07, 2011
4:38 AM
House Republicans solicit lobbyists help in overturning clean air regulations
Read it and weep (or get busy):
"The newly empowered Republicans in the House aren’t wasting any time making good on their pledge to throttle the Environmental Protection Agency.
"On the first full day of legislative business, House Republicans introduced measures on Wednesday to block the environmental agency’s proposed regulation of greenhouse gases and new rules limiting toxic air emissions from cement factories.…
"Representative Darrell Issa, Republican of California and new chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has asked lobbyists and trade organizations to identify the federal rules they would most like to see overturned, and the E.P.A.’s air quality regulations were high on the list.…"
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/e-p-a-faces-first-volley-from-the-house/?hp
"The newly empowered Republicans in the House aren’t wasting any time making good on their pledge to throttle the Environmental Protection Agency.
"On the first full day of legislative business, House Republicans introduced measures on Wednesday to block the environmental agency’s proposed regulation of greenhouse gases and new rules limiting toxic air emissions from cement factories.…
"Representative Darrell Issa, Republican of California and new chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has asked lobbyists and trade organizations to identify the federal rules they would most like to see overturned, and the E.P.A.’s air quality regulations were high on the list.…"
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/e-p-a-faces-first-volley-from-the-house/?hp
Posted at
Thursday, January 06, 2011
1:47 PM
Bike, candy cap mushrooms in woods yesterday
Posted at
8:01 AM
Progress on tiny homes book
I started putting pages together a few months ago, getting a feel for what this new book was going to be. I've been gathering materials and making contacts over the course of a year. That's my m.o.: assemble a ton of material, then figure out how to put it together. This includes making physical (folders with photos and print-outs) files, as well as an email mailbox and folder on the Mac for each contributor (containing text and photos). There are over 100 files, and new material coming in almost daily.
Layout: I've been doing layout whenever I get the chance (and mood) over the past several months. I do layouts by hand, using a color copy machine. It's a pre-computer process and although time-consuming, gives the pages a touch of hand-crafting that direct-to-computer ain't gonna do.
I've been going through the folders (in a rolling file cabinet), grabbing ones that are the most exciting, spreading the material out on the layout table, and designing and assembling a 2-page spread at a time. And boy, is it going good! The book's got a life
It's such a rich world. Building small (rather than large) gives the builder a chance to do something unique. Not having a lot of money means being creative. Small and simple can be (even if only temporarily) the alternative to the half-million house or condo and mortgage enslavement.
Contributors seem to be aware of the significance of it, and are on the ball (with hi-res photos and text). People are (still) sending us one wonderful thing or another. Lots of women builders. Lots of cob. Lot of road vehicles.
I've been thinking about a book like this -- the kind you'll hold in your hands and thumb through the pages -- compared to an eBook of any persuasion..."I knew Jack Kennedy, Senator, and you're no Jack Kennedy..." This ain't gonna be no stinkin eBook.
The times are obviously right. It reminds me of 1973 when we were assembling Shelter. There's a spirit of simplicity and self-sufficiency afoot these days. Hell, even the New York Times is on it. I think this will be a major book, as was Shelter, a reflection of the times.
Shameless commerce dept.: we are selling a package of 3 building books -- Shelter, HomeWork, and Builders of the Pacific Coast -- for a 40% discount. Both of the latter 2 books have lots of buildings directly inspired by Shelter, so there's a continuity and some history here: http://is.gd/kfiEq
Layout: I've been doing layout whenever I get the chance (and mood) over the past several months. I do layouts by hand, using a color copy machine. It's a pre-computer process and although time-consuming, gives the pages a touch of hand-crafting that direct-to-computer ain't gonna do.
I've been going through the folders (in a rolling file cabinet), grabbing ones that are the most exciting, spreading the material out on the layout table, and designing and assembling a 2-page spread at a time. And boy, is it going good! The book's got a life
It's such a rich world. Building small (rather than large) gives the builder a chance to do something unique. Not having a lot of money means being creative. Small and simple can be (even if only temporarily) the alternative to the half-million house or condo and mortgage enslavement.
Contributors seem to be aware of the significance of it, and are on the ball (with hi-res photos and text). People are (still) sending us one wonderful thing or another. Lots of women builders. Lots of cob. Lot of road vehicles.
I've been thinking about a book like this -- the kind you'll hold in your hands and thumb through the pages -- compared to an eBook of any persuasion..."I knew Jack Kennedy, Senator, and you're no Jack Kennedy..." This ain't gonna be no stinkin eBook.
The times are obviously right. It reminds me of 1973 when we were assembling Shelter. There's a spirit of simplicity and self-sufficiency afoot these days. Hell, even the New York Times is on it. I think this will be a major book, as was Shelter, a reflection of the times.
Shameless commerce dept.: we are selling a package of 3 building books -- Shelter, HomeWork, and Builders of the Pacific Coast -- for a 40% discount. Both of the latter 2 books have lots of buildings directly inspired by Shelter, so there's a continuity and some history here: http://is.gd/kfiEq
Posted at
7:33 AM
Layering, music, running, sk8ing
Layering for the cold: Yesterday I managed to get up at 6 AM - needed to get work done on tiny homes book before heading over the hill - dark and cold at that hour. We have very little heat in the production studio, so I wear layers. Silk t-shirt, other layers of various wool shirts*. Gloves with open fingers for typing. Yesterday I had on 7 layers. Lesley came out and draped one of her homemade coats on me. (She dyed and wove the fabric, then made the coat), So I had on 8 layers. Plus my Cowichan warmest-of-hats with ear flaps (from Hill's Native Art).
*My favorite article of clothing of all time is my Icebreaket Sport 320 shirt, which I wear every cold day (all winter).
Music on the mountain: Took off around 9 for Mill Valley, sun was out, yahoo, powdery blue skies, sun reflecting off water in the lagoon, felt warm, John Lee Hooker singing Chill Out (Things is Gonna Change), perfect. On the road again…
As I drove, I was thinking of the "downturn:" Fact is, we (Americans) were way over-consuming. It couldn't go on. Plus the money-savvy pricks , with Bush & Co. leading the way, caused a huge transfer of wealth to the few.
"It's not over til it's over,
And it's not over yet…"
by Billy Joe Shaver came on, a great song by a great songwriter/singer. Then Lay Down Sally by Eric Clapton, next Good Old Boy (Gettin Tough) by Steve Earle, and I turned up the volume full blast as I went through the redwood trees with dappled sunlight on the mountain road. Creeks were gushing. Little seasonal waterfalls were streaming, the mountain's alive…
Running at night: I ran by myself south along the coast from Muir Beach last night. I counted lights of 14 crab boats out there. Best crab season in many years, they're all over out there, creeping along the ocean bottom. Deep blue black night, here they are once again after all the rains: Orion, the glittering Pleiades, and my boy Taurus. A beautiful night. I'm running lightly, boy, when you don't care about speed or training for races, it's a whole different experience. Went down the ridge to a lookout spot, San Francisco across the water, 1000 feet down to the waves. Place of power.
Pic of Mt. Tam yesterday driving into Mill Valley
Oh yeah, I got on my skateboard for the first time in 4 months yesterday. Old brown eyes is back.
*My favorite article of clothing of all time is my Icebreaket Sport 320 shirt, which I wear every cold day (all winter).
Music on the mountain: Took off around 9 for Mill Valley, sun was out, yahoo, powdery blue skies, sun reflecting off water in the lagoon, felt warm, John Lee Hooker singing Chill Out (Things is Gonna Change), perfect. On the road again…
As I drove, I was thinking of the "downturn:" Fact is, we (Americans) were way over-consuming. It couldn't go on. Plus the money-savvy pricks , with Bush & Co. leading the way, caused a huge transfer of wealth to the few.
"It's not over til it's over,
And it's not over yet…"
by Billy Joe Shaver came on, a great song by a great songwriter/singer. Then Lay Down Sally by Eric Clapton, next Good Old Boy (Gettin Tough) by Steve Earle, and I turned up the volume full blast as I went through the redwood trees with dappled sunlight on the mountain road. Creeks were gushing. Little seasonal waterfalls were streaming, the mountain's alive…
Running at night: I ran by myself south along the coast from Muir Beach last night. I counted lights of 14 crab boats out there. Best crab season in many years, they're all over out there, creeping along the ocean bottom. Deep blue black night, here they are once again after all the rains: Orion, the glittering Pleiades, and my boy Taurus. A beautiful night. I'm running lightly, boy, when you don't care about speed or training for races, it's a whole different experience. Went down the ridge to a lookout spot, San Francisco across the water, 1000 feet down to the waves. Place of power.
Pic of Mt. Tam yesterday driving into Mill Valley
Oh yeah, I got on my skateboard for the first time in 4 months yesterday. Old brown eyes is back.
Posted at
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
11:45 AM
Sculptural treehouse in woods near Portland, Oregon
http://www.home-reviews.com/robert-harvey-oshatz-project-wilkinson-residence-treehouse
Architect: Robert Harvey Oshatz
Photo by Cameron Neilson
Sent us by Tilikum
Posted at
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
7:38 AM
The Beatles - Something/onetrippass.com
The Lads cavorting with their respective ladies. I just picked this up from Jay Carroll's excellent blog, http://www.onetrippass.com/blog/
This led me to John's Imagine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVg2EJvvlF8&feature=related
This led me to John's Imagine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVg2EJvvlF8&feature=related
Posted at
7:18 AM
Recycled cardboard sculptures
http://www.greendiary.com/entry/most-amazing-cardboard-creations-to-leave-you-spellbound/
Posted at
Monday, January 03, 2011
9:57 AM
Translucent bamboo house in Costa Rica
"The overall idea, envisioned and executed by architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, inverts the traditional roles of forest and home – instead of surrounding the house, the bamboo wood establishes the basis for every part of its interior. Plants growing between the two core living areas – situated under a roofless portion of the structure – reinforce this open-layout, inside-out concept…"
http://dornob.com/small-shoots-big-shades-beautiful-tropical-bamboo-home/
Posted at
Sunday, January 02, 2011
4:53 AM
Huge new cave discovered in Viet Nam
"…I switch off my headlamp just to feel the depth of the darkness. At first there is nothing. But then, as my pupils adjust, I’m surprised to make out a faint, ghostly light ahead. I pick my way through the rubble, almost running from excitement, rocks scattering beneath my feet and echoing in the invisible chamber. Traversing up a steep slope, I turn a ridge as if on a mountainside and am stopped in my tracks.
An enormous shaft of sunlight plunges into the cave like a waterfall. The hole in the ceiling through which the light cascades is unbelievably large, at least 300 feet across. The light, penetrating deep into the cave, reveals for the first time the mind-blowing proportions of Hang Son Doong. The passage is perhaps 300 feet wide, the ceiling nearly 800 feet tall: room enough for an entire New York City block of 40-story buildings. There are actually wispy clouds up near the ceiling.…"
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/01/largest-cave/jenkins-text
Story by Mark Jenkins for National Geographic
(Picked up today on BoingBoing)
Posted at
Saturday, January 01, 2011
11:31 AM
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