My wife and I just spent the last week camping in Oregon/Idaho along the Snake River. In addition to great weather and good times, we learned a few valuable lessons — the hard way.
#1) Pack sunblock. Normally, when I think of camping, I envision dense forests with ample shade. Last week, other than the Snake, we didn’t have much to cool us down or protect us from the sun. Needless to say, I may be uncharacteristically red as I type this.
It appears Apple is attempting to broaden its target market by appealing to outdoor enthusiasts. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can embrace certain technological advances within the realms of camping and hiking — like LED light technology or new knife innovations – but accepting the Ipod as a potentially useful item in the outdoors went a little too far for me.
Apparently, there are a number of applications available on the Ipod Touch that are tailored to the outdoorsmen. Some of the suggested applications or uses include: (more…)
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is hosting 14 pheasant hunts for youth (17 and under) during the month of September. Additionally, youth 15 and under have the opportunity to participate in a youth-only waterfowl hunt September 26-27 (before the official opening of waterfowl season in October). All the hunts will include a review of safe hunting practices and most will offer the chance to practice shotgun skills prior to going hunting.
In order to participate in the bird hunts, youth must have passed a certified hunter education class and must be accompanied by an adult (21 and older) who may not hunt during the event. Participants are encouraged to bring their own hunting gear, however, extra blaze orange clothing and eye protection will be available at all events.
Roger Deane of Scottsdale, Arizona, has converted his entire home to LED lighting, according to LEDs Magazine.
You can read the full article here. Below, are a few quick highlights: (more…)
With their 360° Tour underway, U2 is yet again setting a new standard for entertainment — and this time, they’re using LED technology to do it.
In fact, the very name of the current tour is derived from the LED technology they’ve incorporated. Utilizing the creative powers of LED manufacturer Barco, the band now employs the use of a 360° LED screen for their concerts. That’s right, no more boring boxes and squares.
Earlier this month, a 26-year-old Idaho man was convicted of illegally guiding anglers on the South Fork of the Boise River, after officials saw the man’s advertisement for illegal services on Craigslist.org. Yes, you read that correctly. The man actually advertised his illegal services on the Internet.
According to Idaho Fish and Game, officers were alerted to the Internet advertisement in early July. Later, the phony guide was arrested while guiding clients on the South Fork. His fishing gear, including a Hyde drift boat and fly rod and reel were seized as evidence in the case.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced earlier this week that starting today, August 15, anglers will have the option of fishing with two poles in the water on most Washington lakes. The result of a new law passed by the state Legislature, the two-pole endorsement option will apply to the majority of the 8,000 fishing lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in the state.
As is the case with most things that sound too good to be true, the two-pole option doesn’t come without its fair share of fine print. For instance, anglers wishing to take advantage of the new opportunity will be required to pay a $20 fee (in addition to the cost of a recreational fishing license). What’s more, the total cost for the endorsement will be $24.50 because of a 10 percent state surcharge, a 10 percent transaction fee, and a $.50 dealer fee.
We all know how energy efficient LEDs are, as they sometimes boast nearly 80-90 percent energy savings when compared with conventional bulbs. However, the new question: Is the LED’s energy efficiency worth its production cost? In other words, is it still more efficient overall — from production to disposal — to use an LED lamp? According to OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, the answer is “Yes.”
OSRAM recently conducted a new LED technology study based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) which revealed just how environmentally-friendly LED lamps really are. Basically, an LCA quantifies how much energy and raw materials a lamp consumes in terms of production, use and disposal, and the environmental impact involved in the process. To be expected, LED lamps achieved the LCA values of compact fluorescent lights and were far superior to conventional incandescent lamps.
