Stormy Weather Gallery

Red Sky at Morning – Forecasting the Weather With Weathervanes and Old Weather Wisdom

Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight

Old proverbs such as this were the earliest weather forecasts. Passed down from generation to generation, these rhymes helped our ancestors recognize when a storm was brewing or a cold snap was on the way.

Long before Doppler radar, farmers and sailors in Colonial America knew how to predict the weather by reading the wind and watching the skies. Their approach to reading the weather is just as useful in today’s world.

Watching the Clouds

Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight

This is perhaps the best-known weather proverb, but what does it mean, exactly?

The type and color of clouds in the sky can be an excellent weather predictor. When the sun rises or sets, its light takes on a reddish tint as it is filtered through the atmosphere.

To have a red sky in the morning, the eastern sky needs to be clear of clouds and the western sky must be cloudy. Since the prevailing wind direction in the northern hemisphere is west to east, a red sky at morning means that storm clouds are headed your way.

Likewise, a red sky at night means that the clouds are to the east and clear skies to the west, all of which meant that you can expect a calm night.

Halo around the sun or moon,

Means rain or snow soon

This old rhyme can forecast precipitation within the next 24 hours. There are several different types of clouds, and the appearance of some is a pretty good sign that rain or snow are on their way.

A halo around either the sun or the moon is caused by ice crystal floating inside cirrostratus clouds. The ice crystals refract light, which will cause the halo mentioned in this proverb.

Cirrostratus clouds are very thin, high altitude clouds that give the sky a milky white appearance. If you see cirrostratus clouds, you can indeed expect rain or snow within 24 hours.

Written in the Wind

“He doesn’t know which way the wind is blowing.”

This old saying means that a person is a fool who can’t see an obvious trend.

Knowing the wind direction was vital to the lives of farmers and anyone working outdoors. That’s why every early American farmhouse featured a weathervane. The direction your weathervane pointed could warn a coming storm or tell if it was a good day to work the fields.

Colonial Americans loved weathervanes and adapted them into beautiful, ornate designs, including flying eagles, angels and leaping fish. In part these designs were aesthetic; in part they were functional, since they made the weathervane easier to read from across the fields.

So what does wind direction tell us? This proverb gives an idea.

When the wind is blowing in the North

No fisherman should set forth.

When the wind is blowing in the East,

‘Tis not fit for man nor beast.

When the wind is blowing in the South

It brings the food over the fish’s mouth.

When the wind is blowing in the West,

That is when the fishing’s best!

In the eastern half of the United States the prevailing winds blow from the west. A shift in wind direction toward the east or north means bad news. It could even mean that a dreaded “Nor’easter” was approaching.

Keep that in mind next time you see a weathervane. It might tell you whether you need your umbrella soon.

Wood Screen Doors

Pleasant weather has finally arrived this season; the kind of weather that makes you eager to turn off the AC and throw open windows and doors. However, the bugs come right in along with the cool air. The answer to this problem has been available for homeowners for quite a while now: screens. Unfortunately, many owners of historic homes no longer have their original window and door screens. Because window screens are easily removed when in need of repair, they usually get stacked in the garage and added to the bottom of the To Do List. Wood screen doors typically get removed directly to the trash. The result is both a loss of historic character and a loss of comfort and function.

While the majority of wood window screens tend to be similar in design, the wood screen door has a greater degree of design variety to suit various architectural styles. The screen door also is subject to much more daily wear than the average window screen. Add some high humidity and temperature fluctuations and you do have to spend some time thinking about screen doors if you want them to look appropriate and last for a reasonable amount of time.

Although basic wood screen doors are available at local home improvement stores, they are rarely suited to historic homes or are built to last. Many of the available screen doors are built of finger jointed, soft woods with narrow frames. The result is an oddly proportioned door that tends to sag and stick shortly after installation and rot within a season or two. They also are available only in stock sizes that often need to be modified in order to fit existing historic door openings.

A better, longer lasting solution is to install a custom built screen door that is designed to complement the architectural style of the home and built of rot resistant materials using durable joinery techniques. Screen door styles range from simple rectangular frames suited to vernacular homes to ornate ginger-breaded doors for Victorian era homes. Several designs are available for the Craftsman-influenced and Mission style homes as well. Materials such as cypress and dense pine are suited for wood screen doors due to their rot resistance and dimensional stability. Strong joints, such as mortise and tenon connections add to the strength and durability of screen doors as well. Finished with period-appropriate hardware, a well designed and built wood screen door can add character to a historic home and serve as a welcome to pleasant weather and friends alike.

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Satellite Internet Keeps Truckers Connected On The Road

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The profession of big rig trucker is an admirable. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to spend countless hours on the open highway with no one to talk to apart from others in the same line of work. But now that satellite internet has become more affordable, the road need not be so lonely for truck drivers everywhere.

 

The internet has always been a mode of communication for anyone with friends and loved ones far away, but one market seems to have previously been overlooked. Truckers spend most of their working lives away from friends and loved ones, making it hard to maintain strong ties. Thanks to satellite internet, truckers have a whole spread of communication outlets to choose from. They can send emails, write instant messages, use the internet to make calls and even do video chats to simulate a real face-to-face conversation.

 

Truckers can also look to the internet to keep up on daily events in news and pop culture. Nearly every newspaper on the planet has a website so it can be checked in every language. YouTube is a fantastic resource for entertainment like music videos and all of those catchy viral videos that have become so ingrained in today’s culture. Furthermore, there are thousands of online game sites to keep anyone busy for ages. One could even start up a side career playing online poker or blackjack and retire early—please look into your local Gambler’s Anonymous chapter if this becomes a serious problem.

 

Satellite internet also allows truckers access to a ton of online movie and television websites where they can gain access to the latest films, episodes of their favorite TV shows, and documentaries. With all of the media out there, it’s nearly impossible to exhaust all of the options, making for endless entertainment. Best of all, most of them are free and don’t require any downloading—they’re streamed directly to your computer.

 

Having satellite internet also comes in handy for work-related issues, like checking the weather before getting trapped in a serious storm. Access to satellite maps is also useful if a wrong turn was taken somewhere along the way and an escape route needs to be taken or if traffic deems an alternative route necessary. On top of that, there are a number of websites that cater specifically to truckers, such as the American Trucking Association website which features news of interest to truckers as well as information about upcoming industry events. There’s even a trucker dating and social networking website called Trucker Passions for anyone in the market for love or friendship.

 

The only real downside to satellite internet is that there can be some complications with blocked signal, particularly during poor weather conditions. Stormy days will have to be spent like they were back in pre-internet days, so it would be well advised not to toss any reading that may have previously been brought along on the road.

A Picture Says a Thousand Words For Autistic Children Is This True?

Pictures, visual aids can improve communication between parents and their children, that have Autism Spectrum Disorder or, other disabilities. Visual aids helps children with autism, to understand directions, how it affects their world, and what is expected of them.

Having visual aid supports, such as, pictures, numbers, puzzles, and large shapes of different colors, can help children with autism, develop management skills, improve reading comprehension, and make it easier for children to learn about the passage of time and sequencing, such as, (what comes first, second, etc). Telling time, the hour, minutes, night and day, is advantageous for the use of visuals. One could make play clocks, or use real ones, create scenery to show night as dark, light for day light. Create a sunrise, a sunset, and perhaps use clouds for stormy weather. Use your imagination. There is no the limit.

Visuals can help a child organize a routine. Pictures, are an example, of what they can create to formulate a schedule and keep a child on a healthy routine. This would involve, having a snack, brushing teeth, exercising, the time to get ready for bed, breakfast, bathe, dress, etc., will help children understand and predict events in each time of day or night.

Social scripts as visuals, with pictures added, could be used to educate and teach children social rules. The stories help children learn typical social behaviors, such as covering their ears if it becomes noisy, instead of using a hurtful behavior.

One can also, use visuals for autistic children to reduce or stop unwanted behavior. For example, many autistic children do not know how to express themselves in a healthy way with anger, frustration, asking for what they want or need, verbalize with healthy communication skills. In addition, social visuals are an excellent way to teach children how to express their needs and encourage them to verbalize, through pictures and other visuals.

Pictures do say a thousand words, to assist and aid positive changes for autistic children to communicate in several areas, and better under themselves. The color of pictures or the texture is not the concern for proper visuals. What matters for proper visuals and learning aids, is the quality of how it is represented. Which means, the size, the use, interchanging the visuals, thick and thin lines, and what you are trying to convey to the student. Color is always a nice touch. It makes it exciting and keeps the attention of children with autism. Go ahead and try using visuals for your child with autism. It is an exciting way to communicate, and grow with your child.

Related Stormy Weather Pictures Articles

In Bible versus Quran: the Lord Jesus denies the Weather Forecasts

The Sons of the Lord God in Bible versus Quran (20)

This is the 20th article (and the last one) of the series:

“The Sons of the Lord God in Bible versus Quran”

 

The Bible says that the Lord Jesus said no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again of water and the Spirit and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. The Noble Quran says that the Spirit belongs to Allah’s knowledge, about which you know not. Also the Quran replies the disbelievers who claim that the Angels are God’s daughters; and also, the Quran answers the dualists who claim that Satan is Allah’s partner.

 

It is interesting that the Bible claims that the Lord Jesus said that the wind blows wherever it pleases, you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from and you cannot tell where it goes.

From the scientific point of view, winds are plotted on surface weather analyses indicating the direction the wind is blowing from as well as its strength, and over much of the globe wind speeds are measured over a ten-minute time frame. Wind direction is reported by the direction from which it originates and where it goes with the use of weather vanes. Everyday, the “Weather Forecasts” on TV, radio, newspaper etc. determine precisely the direction of the wind, where it comes from and where it goes.

Hence, the Bible initiates an important question:

Has the Lord Jesus refuted the climatology and the Wind Advisory? Has the Lord Jesus denied the Weather Forecasts?

As a matter of fact, I do not believe that the Lord Jesus said that; He knows better than the Scientists.

——————————————————————–

 

The Sons of the Lord God in the Bible (20)

 

The Bible (John 3:1-8) says:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

——————————————–

 

John 3:1-8 (King James Version)

1There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

 

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The Sons of the Lord God in the Quran (20)

 

The Noble Quran says that the Spirit is of the command of Allah; it belongs to His knowledge, about which you know not.

Also, the Quran answers back the disbelievers who claim that the angels were God’s daughters by asking them many sensible questions.

In addition, the Quran replies the dualists who claim that Satan is Allah’s partner in that Allah created the good things while Satan created the evil ones.

Then, the Quran says that Allah exonerates Himself from the lies they attribute unto Him.  He is exalted, above what they attribute to Him in the way of His having a child or a partner.

Essentially, the Quran decisively forbids saying that Allah has a son.

It is not befitting for the Majesty of Allah to take to Himself a son.

Allah is exalted, magnified; He is above what they associate with Him of son or partner.  Allah is far transcendent above all that they ascribe unto Him!

In Islam, this point is very important faith wise.

Basically, it is unforgivable sin to say or to believe that the One Almighty Creator [who is Allah or God or the Lord or Jehovah or whatever name(s) you are giving Him] has a son or Sons.

From the Islamic point of view, the conclusion of this essential topic that may establish or tear down the faith is that:

Any one who believe that the Almighty Creator has a son or Sons; he corrupts and spoils his faith and he is considered as a disbeliever; and in the afterlife he will dwell in the eternal fire.

Any one who believes that the Almighty Creator has no son or partner, he has a good faith and he is considered as a believer; and in the afterlife, he will dwell in the eternal paradise. 

Verses 17:85 and 37:149-159 of the Noble Quran (respectively) make the topic of the Spirit and the son(s) of God plain, clear and understandable.

——————————————–

 

The meanings of verse 17:85

The background of the verse

It is narrated that some members of the Jewish ruling council went to the Prophet Muhammad and asked him: O Muhammad, what do you say about the Spirit? They asked him this question to know if he is a true or a false prophet.  Muhammad kept quiet. Then a revelation was coming to him.

Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse (17:85):

“They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little”.

 

The meaning of the verse 17:85

And they (that is, the Jews) will question you O Muhammad, concerning the Spirit, from which the body receives life. Say, to them: ‘the Spirit is of the marvels of my Lord; the Spirit is of the command of my Lord, that is, it belongs to His knowledge, about which you know not. And of knowledge you have not been given except a little’, relative to His knowledge, exalted be He.

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The meanings of verse 37:149

Before Islam, the ignorant disbelievers among Arabs used to hate having female girls and they preferred having sons, also, they used to kill their female because they think that it is shameful to have females and it is an honor to have sons. On the other hand, they claim that the Angels are God’s daughters!  The verse says: So ask the disbelievers (O Muhammad): are daughters to be for your Lord, after their claim that the angels were God’s daughters, while sons are to be for them? Do you wish for Allah what you do not wish for yourselves? “That is to say, the best (as they think) are exclusively theirs?

 

The meanings of verse 37:150

Or did Allah create the angels females as you claim while they were witnesses to the act of Allah’s creation? Were they present thereof that they might then say such a thing?

 

The meanings of verse 37:151

Lo! It is indeed out of their [own] mendacity, their [own] lies, it is of their falsehood) it is due to their denial that they say,

 

The meanings of verse 37:152

God has begotten’, for they claimed the angels are Allah’s daughters. And verily they are liars, in what they say.

 

The meanings of verse 37:153

And again of their falsehood, Has Allah preferred daughters to sons?

 

The meanings of verse 37:154

What is wrong with you? How do you judge? It means that you consider having female an evil and shameful although you choose for Allah what you would not accept for yourselves,

 

The meanings of verse 37:155

Will you not then remember? Will you not then reflect? Will you not take heed from what you say? That Allah, glory be to Him, is exalted above having a child?

 

The meanings of verse 37:156

Or do you have a clear warrant, a Scripture stating that the angels are Allah’s daughters? Do you have a plain definitive proof that God has a child?

 

The meanings of verse 37:157

Allah said: then produce your scripture, and show Me that the angels are Allah’s daughters in it, if you are being truthful, about this statement of yours.

 

The meanings of verse 37:158

And the disbelievers have set up between Allah, exalted be He, and the angels a kinship, by saying that they are God’s daughters, while the angels certainly know that the disbelievers shall indeed be arraigned, into the Eternal Fire, to be chastised therein.

It is also said that this verse was revealed about the dualists who claimed that Satan is Allah’s partner in that Allah created the good things while Satan created the evil ones; However, the angels know well that the disbelievers who claim that will be brought before Allah and will be chastised in the Eternal Hell.

 

The meanings of verse 37:159

Glorified be Allah, He exonerates Himself from the lies they attribute unto Him.  He is exalted, above what they attribute, to Him in the way of His having a child or a partner.

===============================

 

Verses 17:85 and 37:149-159 of the Noble Quran in one translation (YUSUFALI):

 

Verse17:85 (YUSUFALI Translation):

they ask thee concerning the spirit (of inspiration). say: “the spirit (cometh) by command of my lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (o men!)”

————————————————————-

 

Verses 37:149-159 (YUSUFALI Translation):

 

Verse 37:149

Now ask them their opinion: is it that thy lord has (only) daughters, and they have sons?-

 

Verse 37:150

Or that we created the angels female, and they are witnesses (thereto)?

 

Verse 37:151

Is it not that they say, from their own invention,

 

Verse 37:152

“Allah has begotten children”? but they are liars!

 

Verse 37:153

Did he (then) choose daughters rather than sons?

 

Verse 37:154

What is the matter with you? how judge ye?

 

Verse 37:155

Will ye not then receive admonition?

 

Verse 37:156

Or have ye an authority manifest?

 

Verse 37:157

Then bring ye your book (of authority) if ye be truthful!

 

Verse 37:158

And they have invented a blood-relationship between him and the angels: but the angels know (quite well) that they have indeed to appear (before his judgment-seat)!

 

Verse 37:159

Glory to Allah! (he is free) from the things they ascribe (to him)!

========================

 

Back to my question to the smart and interested reader:

Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?

All about rainbow

Each rainbow is definitely a eye plus meteorological sensation that causes a array of light to look within the skies when Light shines against tiny droplets with humidity in the Earth\’s atmosphere. These require are the multicoloured arc, along with reddish around the external component of this arch in addition to violet for the inside part of the particular arch.

Some rainbow spans the constant assortment of colours; the actual different bands will be a strong artifact associated with individuals color eyesight. The best normally reported together with appreciated routine, around British, will be Newton\’s sevenfold reddish, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (commonly memorized by means of mnemonics similar to Roy G. Biv). Rainbows could be attributable to other kinds of water than rainfall, which includes mist, spray, plus dew.

Rainbows is usually found every time there are actually water falls in the air in addition to the sun glowing through behind with a lower height angel. One of the most breathtaking rainbow exhibits happen when 50 % of this atmosphere continues to be dark together with raining atmosphere plus the observer is a any place together with distinct sky toward sunlight. The actual result is usually a lustrous rainbow of which contrasts with the dim backdrop.

The actual rainbow consequence can be traditionally found around falls or features. Also, the particular impact can be artificially produced by dispersing water minute droplets in to the surroundings throughout a sun-drenched daytime. Not often, some sort of moonbow, lunar rainbow and also evening rainbow, is visible about powerfully moonlit evenings. Since man visible notion pertaining to color will be bad within decreased light, moonbows tend to be perceived to be whitened. It is not easy to be able to picture the complete semicircle on the rainbow a single duration, as this can call for a great perspective involving see involving 84°. To get a 35 millimeters digital camera, some sort of zoom lens having a focal time 19 mm and also much less wide-angle lens would be required. Given that potent software with regard to sewing numerous pictures right panorama can be purchased, photos from the entire arc and even extra arcs could be produced fairly very easily coming from a series of overlapping casings. From a good aeroplane, you’ve got the method to discover the entire eliptical from the rainbow, while using plane\’s shadow at the heart. This kind of phenomenon can be perplexed while using honor, yet any honor is generally much smaller, masking only 5°-20°.

From great awareness problems (as an example, any dark impair behind the particular rainbow), the next arc is so visible, with inverse order associated with shades. In the background from the glowing blue atmosphere, the 2nd arc will be barely noticeable.

The particular gentle is actually very first refracted getting into the surface with the raindrop, shown from the again with the decrease, and also once again refracted as it leaves the actual fall. The complete impact is that the inbound mild will be reflected back over an array of angles, with the most extreme gentle with an angle of 40°-42°. The position is actually separate from how big the actual decrease, yet does depend on their refractive catalog. Seawater includes a increased refractive index when compared with rainwater drinking water, and so the radius of your \’rainbow\’ within sea apply is smaller than the usual accurate rainbow. This is noticeable for the naked eye with a misalignment of those bows. Just how much in which mild is refracted is dependent upon it’s wavelength, and therefore it’s colour. Azure gentle (quicker wavelength) is actually refracted at the higher position compared to red-colored lighting, although because of the representation of light rays in the again from the droplet, the blue light emerges from the droplet at a more compact perspective to the original occurrence whitened light ray than the reddish gentle. You may after that believe it is strange how the routine associated with colours in a rainbow offers red-colored on the outside of the arc along with glowing blue with this report. Nevertheless, once we look at this problem a lot more strongly, we understand that if the red lighting in one droplet is seen simply by a good observer, then a azure gentle coming from that droplet will not be observed as it has to be on the distinct way from your red-colored gentle: any path which can be not really occurrence while using observer\’s eye balls. The blue light seen in this rainbow may therefore come from a different droplet, that should be beneath in which whose reddish light could be noticed.

Contrary to popular belief, the actual gentle at the rear of the actual raindrop will not go through complete inner expression, plus some mild does arise from the back again. However, light developing the back from the raindrop doesn’t produce a rainbow among the observer and also the sun’s rays because spectra imparted from the back of the raindrop would not have at the most power, as the additional noticeable rainbows perform, and thus the actual colors blend together instead of building the rainbow.

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The History of Transportation in the U.S

Jefferson proposed that a group of explorers travel across North America in search of such a waterway. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the exploration west from eighteen-oh-three to eighteen-oh-six. They discovered that the Rocky Mountains divided the land. They also found no coast-to-coast waterway.

So Jefferson decided that a different transportation system would best connect American communities. This system involved roads, rivers and railroads. It also included the digging of waterways.

VOICE TWO:

By the middle of the eighteen-hundreds, dirt roads had been built in parts of the nation. The use of river steamboats increased. Boat also traveled along man-made canals which strengthened local economies.

The American railroad system began. Many people did not believe train technology would work. In time, railroads became the most popular form of land transportation in the United States.

In nineteenth-century American culture, railroads were more than just a way to travel. Trains also found their way into the works of writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Walt Whitman.

VOICE ONE:

In eighteen-seventy-six, the United States celebrated its one-hundredth birthday. By now, there were new ways to move people and goods between farms, towns and cities. The flow of business changed. Lives improved.

Within those first one-hundred years, transportation links had helped form a new national economy.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Workers finished the first coast-to-coast railroad in eighteen-sixty-nine. Towns and cities could develop farther away from major waterways and the coasts. But, to develop economically, many small communities had to build links to the railroads.

Railroads helped many industries, including agriculture. Farmers had a new way to send wheat and grain to ports. From there, ships could carry the goods around the world.

Trains had special container cars with ice to keep meat, milk and other goods cold for long distances on their way to market.

People could now get fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Locally grown crops could be sold nationally. Farmers often hired immigrant workers from Asia and Mexico to plant, harvest and pack these foods.

VOICE ONE:

By the early nineteen-hundreds, American cities had grown. So, too, had public transportation. The electric streetcar became a common form of transportation. These trolleys ran on metal tracks built into streets.

 
H. Nelson Jackson at the wheel of his Winton

Soon, however, people began to drive their own cars. Nelson Jackson and his friend, Sewall Crocker, were honored as the first to cross the United States in an automobile. Their trip in nineteen-oh-three lasted sixty-three days. And it was difficult. Mainly that was because few good roads for driving existed.

But the two men, and their dog Bud, also had trouble with their car and with the weather. Yet, they proved that long-distance travel across the United States was possible. The trip also helped fuel interest in the American automobile industry.

VOICE TWO:

By nineteen-thirty, more than half the families in America owned an automobile. For many, a car became a need, not simply an expensive toy. To deal with the changes, lawmakers had to pass new traffic laws and rebuild roads.

Cars also needed businesses to service them. Gas stations, tire stores and repair centers began to appear.

Many people took to the road for personal travel or to find work. The open highway came to represent independence and freedom. During the nineteen-twenties and thirties, the most traveled road in the United States was Route Sixty-Six. It stretched from Chicago, Illinois, to the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California. It was considered the “people’s highway.”

VOICE ONE:

The writer John Steinbeck called Route Sixty-Six the “Mother Road” in his book “The Grapes of Wrath.” Hundreds of thousands of people traveled this Mother Road during the Great Depression of the nineteen-thirties. They came from the middle of the country. They moved West in search of work and a better life.

In nineteen-forty-six, Nat King Cole came out with this song, called “Route Sixty-Six.”

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

 
Traffic in the 1950′s

World War Two ended in nineteen-forty-five. Soldiers came home and started families. Businesses started to move out to the edges of cities where suburbs were developing. Most families in these growing communities had cars, bicycles or motorcycles to get around. Buses also became popular.

The movement of businesses and people away from city centers led to the economic weakening of many downtown areas. City leaders reacted with transportation projects designed to support downtown development.

Underground train systems also became popular in the nineteen-fifties. Some people had enough money to ride on the newest form of transportation: the airplane.

VOICE ONE:

But for most automobile drivers, long-distance travel remained somewhat difficult. There was no state-to-state highway system. In nineteen-fifty-six Congress passed a law called the Federal-Aid Highway Act. Engineers designed a sixty-five-thousand kilometer system of roads. They designed highways to reach every city with a population over one-hundred-thousand.

The major work on the Interstate Highway System was completed around nineteen-ninety. It cost more than one-hundred-thousand-million dollars. It has done more than simply make a trip to see family in another state easier. It has also led to the rise of the container trucking industry.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

The American transportation system started with horses and boats. It now includes everything from container trucks to airplanes to motorcycles. Yet, in some ways, the system has been a victim of its own success.

Many places struggle with traffic problems as more and more cars fill the roads. And a lot of people do not just drive cars anymore. They drive big sport utility vehicles and minivans and personal trucks.

For others, hybrid cars are the answer. Hybrids use both gas and electricity. They save fuel and reduce pollution. But pollution is not the only environmental concern with transportation. Ease of travel means development can spread farther and farther. And that means the loss of natural areas.

Yet, every day, Americans depend on their transportation system to keep them, and the largest economy in the world, on the move.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE

The National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. has a new transportation exhibition. “America on the Move” explores the connection to the economic, social and cultural development of the United States. And you can experience it all on the Internet at americanhistory.si.edu. Again, the address is americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/exhibition.

Needsee can do you a favor to help you develop your business. Needsee is an integrated service provider of overseas marketing for the global import and export enterprises to provide a full range of overseas marketing outreach programs.

Weather stripping your car

One of the most important things you can do to insure your car stays rust free is making sure your car’s weather strips are in good condition.

Weather strips are little pieces of rubber usually found around your car’s doors, windows and even trunk. They serve to keep moisture out of your car interior and frame, and are therefore instrumental in preventing rust.

The consequences of defective weather strips are dire: over time, rainwater will seep through your car windows and doors and come into direct contant with and build up near your car’s frame, greatly accelerating rusting, potentially costing you hundreds of dollars.

Fortunately, making sure your weather strips are in good condition is easy. Inspect your car and make sure the rubber strips are not cracked or collapsed, and that they fit tightly between your car door or window and the frame.

If your weather stripping has deteriorated, worry not. There are many good places to find good auto weather stripping on sale. The best places I’ve found so far have all been online stores. However even if you find what looks like an amazing price on one web site dealing in weather strips, don’t stop there: considering how easy it is to look up online stores, keep browsing and comparing prices for the best possible deals.

If online shopping is not your thing, any major real world store dealing in car parts will have a wide selection of weather strips for your perusal. You can always compare prices and check inventory on their web sites, to save you time.

You should also know that not all weather strips are the same. There are countless manufacturers dealing in them, in every variety, size, quality and price range. You might want to check reviews, either in online forums dealing with cars or even any aquaintance of yours who has recently bought new weather strips.

Be aware that not all weather strips are of the same size. Measure the precise amount of stripping you require before you buy.

Don’t let Stormy Weather ruin your Winter

Autumn has arrived and with it the weather begins to turn. As in previous years we can expect some pretty atrocious storms at various points over the winter but there a few precautions we can take in order to limit the amount of damage should they head our way
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Because storms can inflict a fair degree of damage to residential properties the majority of home insurance policies include storm or flood as an insurable risk; subject to location and vulnerability of the property being insured, of course. So, if the worst happens and you have buildings and contents insurance at least you will have peace of mind that the majority of your property and possessions will be covered. However, do check your policy for any exclusions such as fences or other items in your garden or exterior of the property.
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But, being uninsured when catastrophe strikes causes not only cause a fair degree of emotional distress but can lead to severe economic hardship. Flood damage can wipe out the entire contents of a property’s ground floor, or may even cause damage even higher up the property depending upon the severity of the flood. That could result in the ruination of tens of thousands of pounds worth of electrical appliances, furniture and other personal possessions including some that are irreplaceable and whose loss causes great sadness.
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In addition to making sure that you have adequate  <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”home”>http://money.marksandspencer.com/insurance/home-insurance/overview/”>home insurance</a> there are some precautions you can take when storms are heading your way in order to minimise any potential damage. For example, if there is a risk of flooding take all valuables and, if possible, electrical items upstairs. Or if you live in a single storey dwelling try to move as much as you possibly can into the loft. Obviously, very heavy items such as sofas, dining room tables and white goods are not easily moved so attempt to raise such heavy items a few inches off the floor onto bricks or wood to at least offer some protection against shallow flooding.
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In the case of severe winds and gales ensure that you stow away as much from your garden as you can in a garage or secure outhouse. Although you can put away patio sets, garden machinery, bikes etc you cannot protect fences or other less robust structures. If your fences are very long you may wish to buy a home insurance policy which covers damage to such structures, although do check that storm damage is covered, as many policies state that as an exclusion.
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