A Rascal of Boys

The tradition of using collective nouns that are specific to certain kinds of animals is at least 300 years old. More formally known as "terms of venery" these collective nouns were actually taught to the children of nobles and the ruling class as a means of distinguishing themselves from the commoners.

Sometimes the term used will apply to a group only in a certain context. A group of geese on the ground are referred to as a "gaggle" while, in flight, it is a "skein". Ironically, a group of Baboons is referred to as a "congress".

Some examples:

A mimsy of birds
A rascal of boys
A kaleidoscope of butterflies
A stumble of drunks

The coining of such terms is also a popular "parlor" or car game. So we're announcing a contest
today to come up with one or more terms for the following across three different websites. The prize for each is a signed Mindscape image from our Mindscape photo blog, valued at $295.

Please suggest a term for each or any of the following:

1. A gathering of [name of any public figure]____________ supporters.
2. A friendly gathering of "talking heads" on "Hardball with Chris Matthews"
3. A screaming, blathering group of disagreeing "talking heads" on "Hardball with Chris Matthews"
4. A group of expatriot Obama supporters
5. A gathering of Sarah Palin supporters
6. A group of Florida voters
7. A group of Minnesota voters
8. A group of Bill O'Reilly viewers forced to watch Keith Olbermann
9. A group of Keith Olbermann viewers forced to watch Bill O'Reilly
10. Add your own group!

Submissions may be by email or as a comment added to this or any related post. Winners will be announced February 14, 2008.

Natural Gas and Propane: The Difference

Propane is a natural gas but Natural Gas is not propane. Propane is a more highly refined form of natural gas with approximately 2 - 2.5 times the BTU power of natural gas. Propane combustion is much cleaner than gasoline combustion, though not as clean as natural gas combustion.

The difference between propane, or liquid petroleum gas (LPG), and natural gas comes down to their portability, compression, efficiency, and cost. However, there is generally no difference when it comes to performance in appliances for heating, cooking, or drying. The mixture of natural gas is comprised of propane, along with other gases like methane, butane, ethane, and pentane.

One difference in the physical properties of propane and natural gas is how easily they liquefy and transport. Propane turns into a liquid at —46° F (-43° C), so it's easy to compress and carry in a portable tank. You can buy compressed propane at many gas stations as well as agricultural feed stores like Agway. It's decompressed by a valve at the source of use, such as a barbeque grill.

Natural gas does not compress easily. Which explains why it is most commonly distributed via a gasline.

Propane is heavier than air which is heavier than natural gas. Both natural gas and propane will dissipate into the air if they are released in an open enough environment and both can pose an explosive risk if they concentrate enough and are ignited. However, because propane is heavier, it tends to fall to the ground, collect, and pose a greater explosive risk. On the other hand, because natural gas is lighter than air, it tends to rise and dissipate into the air, posing less of an explosive risk.

Wash Day is Fun Day

by Alexander Lee, Reprinted with permission.

Note: This is a snippet of a longer piece. Found here.

For Ma and other pioneer women, each day had
its own proper chores. Ma used to say,

"Wash on Monday,

Iron on Tuesday,

Mend on Wednesday,

Churn on Thursday,

Clean on Friday,

Bake on Saturday,

Rest on Sunday."

-Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House in the Big Woods

Since 1945, General Electric and other large appliance manufacturers have spun a myth that all new appliances will liberate you from the drudgery of housework and make your life easier.[1] Today, Americans work harder and take less vacation than any of the nations to which we normally compare ourselves.[2] Groups like the Center for a New American Dream and my organization, Project Laundry List, have been questioning this for over a decade and offering an alternative perspective.

 

An ad from GE (part of which is pictured here) tantalized women of the post-World War II era, "Wash day is fun day. In go the dirty clothes...and out they come, cottons ready for ironing; synthetics ready to wear!" One can imagine Rosie the Riveter stretching her feet out in a 1948 Levittown home and imagining that the long, grueling war of housework was finally over. Alas, this is not the case.

 

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that we view all sorts of gadgets as necessities which we recently regarded as luxury items—the microwave, the dishwasher, and home air-conditioner, for example. They found, "more than eight-in-ten (83%) now think of a clothes dryer as a necessity, up from six-in-ten (62%) who said the same a decade ago..."[3] These statistics are staggering and tell an interesting story.

---

[1] Town-builder Levitt previews the new 9 ½-foot wonder kitchen by General Electric, GE ad, http://server1.fandm.edu/levittown/images/lg_jpegs/GE-ad.jpg (last visited October 30, 2007).

[2] Don Mekrund, Americans Work Harder and Go Without Vacations, http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0728-02.htm (last visited October 30, 2007).

[3]Pew Research Center, Luxury or Necessity? Things We Can’t Live Without: The List Has Grown in the Past Decade, http://pewresearch.org/pubs/323/luxury-or-necessity (last visited October 30, 2007).

Sharon Dugan, Basketmaker

NH Trees - Shaker Traditions
Green Gifts

Sharon Dugan is a nationally recognized black ash basketmaker who has been creating baskets for over twenty years.

Initially learning Appalachian type baskets from her mother, Sharon worked in reed and natural found materials. After discovering ash splint and Shaker design in the early 80’s she experimented with that material and in 1987 left the world of advertising and graphic arts to study with local ash basketmakers including the well known Martha Wetherbee.

In 1997, feeling confident enough with the quality of her work, she applied to and was juried into the highly respected League of New Hampshire Craftsmen where she is currently a member of the standards committee and a basket juror.

Sharon’s baskets have been exhibited in many competitions and exhibits across the country winning numerous awards including the Handweavers Guild of America Award for her piece “Fool The Eye” in the Northern Colorado Weavers Guild’s Fiber Celebration 2005 and Best Traditional Design for the piece “Pueblo Tapestry” in the Living with Crafts exhibit at the League of New Hampshire’s annual craft fair in 2006.

Consistently chosen to be included in Early American Life’s Annual Directory of 200 Traditional Craftsmen, Sharon is currently making Shaker and traditional baskets as well as more contemporary pieces with black ash on her own molds with her own birch handles and rims.

She strives, as did the Shakers, for consistent quality and integrity of design and construction.

Sharon Dugan, Basketmaker • 54 Oak Hill Road • Sanbornton, New Hampshire • 03269 •
603 528-5120 • sdugan@metrocast.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it • www.sharondugan.com

Hanging Out with Project Laundry List

Changing the World Through Clotheslines – One Household at a Time

Alex Lee is on a mission. A mission to restore the clothesline and to save the planet. Project Laundry List uses words, images, and advocacy to educate people about how simple lifestyle modifications, including air-drying one’s clothes, reduce our dependence on environmentally and culturally costly energy sources.

www.laundrylist.org

Project Laundry List Blog

The Eastern Larch

Most children learn that conifers are often called "evergreens" because they don't loose all their needles in the fall. However there is one beautiful exception to this rule. . . the Larch also known as the Tamarack. Every fall the Larch paints the landscapes it inhabits with a beautiful yellow as it loses its needles.  More

Purchase Larches & Geese Mindscape

Useful Links & Resources:

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About the Eastern Larch aka Tamarack

Botanical Lampshades

Nature’s Beauty Illuminating Your Home Let the flowers pick you with a Botanical Lampshade; handmade in Sandwich, NH for over 50 years. These one of a kind, hand-crafted shades with pressed flowers come alive with color when illuminated, brightening your home with nature's beauty for years of enjoyment. Jennifer Allen is the fourth “generation” owner of this extraordinary shop featuring technique and design standards that have been passed from one craftsman to another. Custom work is a specialty, and over 200 different sizes are available. Call 284-7468 for an appointment at the Sandwich studio, or visit the League of NH Craftsmen store in North Conway to see an excellent selection of lampshades and bases. Prices range from $28.00 for a nightlight, to about $100.00 for the largest sizes. Lampshades can also be ordered from their website.

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