Update III: Help Save the University of Wyoming Geological Museum

UPDATE: A museum without a curator? It's worse than a church without a preacher--worse than a library without a librarian or a bar without a bartender...who is going to take care of the collections? Make sure research specimens are preserved and returned after study? Who is going to preserve the present and coordinate growth for the future...who is going to provide leadership and vision for the museum?

Certainly not the boobs and cretins who came up with THIS plan.

It would be nice to think that the University was run by thoughtful, adult professionals who understood their jobs in general and the requirements of running a museum in particular...but NO, we get that boob Buchannan--who obviously would store his wife's jewels in the shit house, judging by the idiocy of his plan. What complete nonsense and buffoonery.

Yes, Donnie, but do you have an OPINION about this?

Reprinted from here.

UW to Use Private Funds to Reopen Geological Museum to Visitors

July 18, 2009 -- UW President Tom Buchanan has directed the University of Wyoming Geological Museum to reopen on Aug. 24 on a part-time basis for public visits.


The UW Foundation has identified and offered private funding to pay for security so the Geological Museum can be open to UW visitors through the coming academic year.

"I remain fully committed to meeting UW's budget reductions and intend to achieve savings in our state appropriation from the museum's operations," UW President Tom Buchanan says. "I am grateful to the Foundation for providing the resources needed to keep the doors open to the public."

The museum closed June 30 as one of a series of steps taken to meet an $18.3 million state budget cut that took effect July 1. Buchanan says UW administrators are working hard to minimize the impact of recent budget reductions on students, faculty, staff, the community and the state of Wyoming.

"The generous assistance of Vice President Ben Blalock and the UW Foundation will allow us to respond to concerns the museum would remain closed to alumni, tourists, school children and families. Although the museum will not be open on the same basis it was before July 1, this approach meets the most pressing desires for access articulated by the public," Buchanan says.

Buchanan has initiated steps to identify a financially sound future for the museum and will direct a campus group to develop a plan for the display collection no later than the end of the fall semester. The plan will also address the extent to which the research and display collections can mesh with UW's broader academic mission, especially in earth and energy sciences and in science education.

For more information call Jessica Lowell, (307) 460-0604.

Posted on Saturday, July 18, 2009

Volcano Update: 2009—A year of noteworthy volcano anniversaries in Hawai`i

Reprinted from here.

2009—A year of noteworthy volcano anniversaries in Hawai`i

Thomas Jaggar (second from left) prepares to measure the temperature of the Halema`uma`u lava lake in 1917. Pictured, left to right, Norton Twigg-Smith, Thomas Jaggar, Lorrin Thurston, Joe Monez, and Alex Lancaster.

Thomas A. Jaggar, founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), first visited Hawai`i 100 years ago during a decade-long period of exploration in which he witnessed first-hand the destructive power of volcanic processes.

His quest began in 1902, when Jaggar traveled to the West Indies just 13 days after two volcanoes there erupted with devastating consequences. The first eruption at La Soufriere on the island of Saint Vincent resulted in 1,500 deaths. It was followed only a few hours later by a second, more tragic, eruption at Mount Pelee on Martinique, in which 28,000 people perished. Jaggar's experience at Martinique set the stage for his work on volcanoes and earthquakes during the next half century.

After Martinique, Jaggar's expeditions took him to the scenes of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Aleutians, Central America, and Japan. In 1908, an earthquake near Mount Etna in Italy killed 125,000 people. Following that natural disaster, Jaggar declared that "something must be done" to support systematic studies of volcanic and seismic activity.

The next year, in 1909, he traveled at his own expense to Hawai`i, where he determined that Kīlauea was to be the home of the first American volcano observatory. His vision was to "protect life and property on the basis of sound scientific achievement."

In 1912, construction began on the new Hawaiian Volcano Observatory with support from Hawai`i businesses, private endowments through the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, and funding from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. HVO has since been managed by the U.S. Weather Bureau (1919-1924), U.S. Geological Survey (1924-1935), and National Park Service (1935-1947). The USGS became the permanent administrator of HVO in 1947.

In 2012, HVO will celebrate its centennial anniversary, a milestone made possible through the vision and efforts of Thomas A. Jaggar.

Today, in 2009, as we look back at Jaggar's first visit to Kīlauea 100 years ago, we also reflect on the landmark anniversaries of several significant eruptions on Kīlauea and Mauna Loa:

25^th — 1984 Mauna Loa summit and northeast rift zone eruption
40^th — start of the 1969-74 Kīlauea east rift zone eruption (Mauna Ulu)
50^th — 1959 Kīlauea summit eruption (Kīlauea Iki)
60^th — 1949 Mauna Loa summit eruption
90^th — 1919 Mauna Loa southwest rift zone eruption
150^th — 1859 Mauna Loa northwest flank eruption

Update II: Help Save the University of Wyoming Geological Museum

***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***

Brent Breithaupt, the World Renowned and Beloved Curator of the UW Geological Museum Has a Private Word with the Allosaurus (photo from: http://www.wyomingtourism.org/stream/28740?width=300)

I received an email from Wyoming State Senator Stan Cooper containing this note Donald Richards, UW Deputy Director of Governmental Relations, sent to members of the 60th WY legislature in regards to the the closing of the UW Geological Museum.

Isn't it nice to know they are going to let the people who PAY for the museum actually get to SEE it once in a blue moon?

Donald Richards' memo: "Many of you have expressed concern regarding the closure of the
Geological Museum due to budget reductions. Several other concerns
relating to other cuts have also been raised, but the Museum has seen
the greatest public visibility. Please note that UW is working hard
to mitigate the impact to the students, faculty, staff, the community,
and the State of Wyoming with respect to ALL of our budget reductions.
We have had in place a plan for the operation of the Geological
Museum and have shared it widely with many of you who have expressed
interest. In short, the collection would remain and it would remain
open to faculty and students, but not external visitors. The largest
outcry has been with respect to access by tourists, school children,
alumni and families. In response to this specific and prominent
concern, UW’s Foundation has identified resources that will fund
security to allow external visitations during the upcoming school
year. President Buchanan has also initiated steps to identify a
financially sound path forward that best integrates the Museum and its
collection with our academic, research and service mission into the
future.

To be clear, President Buchanan remains fully committed to meeting the
budget reductions and intends to achieve state appropriation savings
from the Museum’s operations. The Museum will not return to the
status quo that was in affect prior to July 1, 2009. Nonetheless, we
have taken every effort to thoughtfully design an approach that meets
the most pressing needs articulated by the public, and your
constituents.

President Buchanan and UW’s Administration appreciate hearing any
concerns on this and the range of other budget reductions UW has
experienced. We fully intend to work to mitigate the adverse affects
of all of them, to the extent possible. If you have any questions,
please advise.

Regards,

Don C. Richards
Deputy Director of Government Relations, University of Wyoming"

Please keep your letters and emails pouring in...without our prodding, we'd never have gotten the feckless University of Wyoming Administration to budge this far...

Previous Post:

Help Save the University of Wyoming Geological Museum!!!

***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***

The Casper Star-Tribune has an online poll today to vote for either a full time, part time or closed Geological Museum. We all need to show the administration at the University of Wyoming what we think of their recent decisions. So head on over to the Casper Star-Tribune website and scroll half-way down the page and vote! Thanks!

So far, the vote is 93% in favor of having the Museum open on some basis, 5% in favor of closing and 3% in favor of turning the Museum into a skate park. In fact, the facetious answer of "turn it into a skate park" is statistically similar to those who want to close it! Keep the pressure on the feckless UW Administrators who want to favor losing athletic teams over academic pursuits and the fanatic Religious Right who want the Museum closed on religious grounds

Add your voice, here!

ALSO: Remember to keep the letters to the Editor and to UW officials pouring in. Email address available below, as well as here.

Don't let the creationists, religious zealots, christards and intelligent design hoaxers win! Express your opinion here: http://www.trib.com/

Wyoming Fossil Fish (source: http://www.treasure-hunting-team.com/Pictures/Fossil-Fish-1.jpg)

Previous Post:

The Administration of the University of Wyoming have decided to close the Geological Museum due to a funding shortfall. Despite continuing to lavish millions upon millions of tax dollars on a lack-luster-to-losing Division 1-A Athletic Program, the Administration has tried to reconcile this shameful misallocation of funding as loss of Bowl and television revenue, loss of tradition and loss of long-standing inter-collegiate rivalries.

Well wah-fucking-wah.

What about the 122-year tradition of excellence at the UW Geological Museum? What about the thousands upon thousands of primary, secondary and college students who annually come to the museum to have their curiosity nurtured, scholastic experiences enriched and their intellects stimulated? What about the hundreds and hundreds of families who visit the museum each year who otherwise would not come to Laramie and spend money in the local economy?

In fact, revenues from athletics does not come close to compensating the residents of the State of Wyoming for the millions and millions of tax dollars in real cost these programs suck in--just look at the waste of many millions in the new stadium sky boxes as just a single example. The details of this bait-and-switch deviousness can be found in the UW budget numbers (see for example here: http://www.uwyo.edu/president/info.asp?p=3672 and here: http://www.uwyo.edu/president/info.asp?p=11604) and the thinly disguised misinformation-as-rationale here (http://www.uwyo.edu/president/info.asp?p=11789#Revised).

If we can flush millions away on a robust, if dismally-performing, athletic program, can we not find a couple hundred thousand dollars to keep the successful and popular Museum funded?

Provost Myron Allen proposes his plans for the UW Geological Museum here (http://www.uwyo.edu/presidentsupport/outbox/2009/geology_museum_15_jun_09.pdf). Although a brilliant mathematician and otherwise decent guy, Dr. Allen's proposal for closing the museum manages to be simultaneously short-sighted, amateurishly incomplete and maddeningly misleading.

In a personal e-mail, Dr. Allen assured me that Christian intolerance, religious superstitions and irrational creationist beliefs played no part in the closing of the Museum. However, a quick survey shows that such scientific illiteracy and non-reality-based belief systems are rife among many of the the UW Trustees as well as some Members of the Wyoming State Senate and House of Representatives; perhaps this explains the lack of vociferous opposition to this obscene and perverse misallocation of University resources.

The fact that, in this day and age, in this state, so many University Trustees, Senators and Congressmen do not understand the value of a Museum, the fundamentals of science nor even subscribe to any modern notion of science, underlines emphatically and exactly why this University has an absolute ethical responsibility and urgent need to keep this museum open.

Perhaps it is not possible for non-scientists (such as the UW President and Provost) to understand the importance of science museums, but science and technology only grow though fostering early interest in young students--this is done primarily through programs like the UW Geological Museum. Every time Drs. Buchannan or Allen listen to their iPod, check their schedules on their handheld, email their colleagues or microwave popcorn to eat while watching their plasma screen Televisions, perhaps they should stop and consider the enormous debt Americans pay daily to scientists and engineers developing and refining new technology to produce new products. Scientists and engineers who chose, and excel at, their professions precisely because as children they had access to, and were captivated by, programs such as the UW Geological Museum provides.

Or perhaps it is our job to remind Dr. Buchannan and Allen of their debt and responsibility to the future. Below are a list of the most essential people for you to contact and express your outrage at an institution that is willing to pour millions and millions and millions of tax dollars, year after year, into losing athletic programs that produce nothing, while letting a successful, brilliant and beloved academic program, such as the UW Geological Museum, die simply to save a couple measly hundred thousand dollars. It is clear to even the most casual observer that this is not in the best interests of the people of Wyoming, nor in the spirit of academic excellence to which UW claims to aspire, nor even in keeping with the simple recognition that these men are responsible for preserving for the future the best parts of the present at UW.

Drs. Buchannan and Allen, if allowed to carry through with this hideous misallocation of tax money, are failing miserably at all three tasks.

I am reminded of how Winston Churchill is reported to have once characterized a similar caliber decision: "Save us from the maliciously ignorant and the aggressively stupid!"

Write. Today. NOW. EVERYBODY ON THE LIST!

Sincerely and with hope-

Donald B. MacGowan, PhD

For MORE go here and here.

ADDRESSES:
Important UW email Addresses:
President of the University of Wyoming
Tom Buchannan
tombuch@uwyo.edu

Provost of the University of Wyoming
Prof. Myron Allen, Provost
allen@uwyo.edu

Chairman, Department of Geology and Geophysics
Prof. Art Snoke
snoke@uwyo.edu

State Geologist
Dr. Ronald C. Surdam
rsurdam@uwyo.edu

Governor of the State of Wyoming
Governor Dave Freudenthal
governor@state.wy.us

Letters to the Editor:
kerry.drake@trib.com

http://www.wyomingnews.com/our_services/letter_to_the_editor/

dthomsen@laramieboomerang.com

openforum@denverpost.com

University of Wyoming Trustees:
Jim D. Neiman
jimd@neiman.biz

Warren A. Lauer
warrenlauer@lauerlegal.com

Dave Bostrom
mba-db@mbawyoming.com

Dick Davis
dick@davisandcannon.com

Betty Fear
bfear@centurytel.net

Taylor Haynes, M.D.
rangebeef@aol.com

David F. Palmerlee
dpalmerlee@vcn.com

Bradford S. Mead
bradmead@wyoming.com

Ann Rochelle
arochelle@casperlaw.net

James Trosper
jltrosper@wyoming.com

Ex Officio Trustees:
Jim McBride
supt@educ.state.wy.us

Kelsey Day
asuwpres@uwyo.edu

Elected Officials:
Members of the Wyoming House of Representatives
Representative Rodney "Pete" Anderson
randerso@wyoming.com

Representative George Bagby
g.bagby@bresnan.net

Representative Joseph M. Barbuto
jbarbuto@wyoming.com

Representative Rosie Berger
rberger@wyoming.com

Representative Stan Blake
sblake@wyoming.com

Representative Dave Bonner, Jr.
dbonner@wyoming.com

Representative Bob Brechtel
bbrechtel@wyoming.com

Representative Kermit C. Brown
kermitbrown@wyoming.com

Representative Edward A. Buchanan
ebuchanan@wyoming.com

Representative James W. Byrd
jbyrd@wyoming.com

Representative Richard L. Cannady
rcannady@wyoming.com

Representative Seth Carson
scarson@wyoming.com

Representative Pat Childers
childers@wyoming.com

Representative Roy Cohee
roy@cytransportation.com

Representative Cathy Connolly
cconnolly@wyoming.com

Representative Bernadine Craft
bcraft@wyoming.com

Representative Kathy Davison
kdavison@wyoming.com

Representative Ross Diercks
diercks@wyoming.com

Representative Amy L. Edmonds
aedmonds@wyoming.com

Representative Ken A. Esquibel
kesquibel@wyoming.com

Representative Mike Gilmore
michaelgilmore@wyoming.com

Representative Keith Gingery
kgingery@wyoming.com

Representative W. Patrick Goggles
pgoggles@wyoming.com

Representative Mary Hales
mary.hales@realestateincasper.com

Representative Timothy P. Hallinan, M.D.
tphallinan@bresnan.net

Representative Debbie Hammons
dhammons@wyoming.com

Representative Steve Harshman
sharshman@wyoming.com

Representative Elaine D. Harvey
harvey00@tctwest.net

Representative Peter S. Illoway
pete_chloeilloway3@msn.com

Representative Allen M. Jaggi
ajaggi@wyoming.com

Representative Peter M. Jorgensen
pjorgensen@jorgensenassociates.com

Representative Jack Landon, Jr.
jlandon@wyoming.com

Representative Thomas A. Lockhart
tlockh1617@aol.com

Representative Thomas E. Lubnau, II
tlubnau@vcn.com

Representative Michael K. Madden
madden@wyoming.com

Representative Robert M. McKim
rmckim@wyoming.com

Representative Del McOmie
dwmcomie@bresnan.net

Representative Erin E. Mercer
emercer@wyoming.com

Representative Saundra Meyer
slmey@wyoming.com

Representative David R. Miller
repmiller@wyoming.com

Representative Lori Millin
lorimillin@bresnan.net

Representative Glenn Moniz
gmoniz@bresnan.net

Representative John W. Patton
johnpatton@wyoming.com

Representative Frank Peasley
fpeasley@wyoming.com

Representative Bryan K. Pedersen
bpedersen@wyoming.com

Representative Owen Petersen
opetersen@wyoming.com

Representative Frank Philp
fphilp@wyoming.com

Representative Lorraine K. Quarberg
lquarberg@wyoming.com

Representative Jim Roscoe
jroscoe@wyoming.com

Representative Mark A. Semlek
msemlek@wyoming.com

Representative Lisa A. Shepperson
lshepperson@wyoming.com

Representative Colin M. Simpson
csimpson@skelaw.com

Representative William "Jeb" Steward
jebsteward@union-tel.com

Representative Tim Stubson
tim@stampedeforstubson.com

Representative Matt Teeters
mteeters@wyoming.com

Representative Bill Thompson
billthompson@wyoming.com

Representative Mary Throne
mthrone@wyoming.com

Representative Sue Wallis
sue.wallis@vcn.com

Representative Dan Zwonitzer
dzwonitzer@wyoming.com

Representative David L. Zwonitzer
davezwonitzer@wyoming.com

Members of the Wyoming State Senate
Senator Jim Anderson
jamesda1@msn.com

Senator Eli D. Bebout
senbebout@wyoming.com

Senator Bruce Burns
bburns@dbburns.com

Senator Cale Case, Ph.D
ccase@wyoming.com

Senator Henry H.R. "Hank" Coe
hcoe@wyoming.com

Senator Stan Cooper
scooperwy@gmail.com

Senator Dan Dockstader
ddockstader@wyoming.com
Senator Floyd A. Esquibel
fesquibel@wyoming.com

Senator Gerald E. Geis
ggeis@wyoming.com

Senator John M. Hastert
jhastert2@wyoming.com

Senator John J. Hines
jhines@wyoming.com

Senator Rick Hunnicutt
rhunnicutt@wyoming.com

Senator Kit Jennings
kit@kitsenate.com

Senator Wayne H. Johnson
wajohnsonsd6@yahoo.com

Senator Bill Landen
blanden@bresnan.net

Senator Grant Larson
senlarson@wyoming.com

Senator Marty Martin
mmartin@wyoming.com

Senator Mike Massie
mamassie@msn.com

Senator Curt Meier
cmeier@wyoming.com

Senator Phil Nicholas
nicholas@wyolegal.com

Senator Drew A. Perkins
drew@schwartzbon.com

Senator R. Ray Peterson
rpeterson@wyoming.com

Senator Tony Ross
tross@wyoming.com

Senator John C. Schiffer
jschiffe@wyoming.com

Senator Charles K. Scott
charlesscott@wyoming.com

Senator Kathryn Sessions
ksessions@wyoming.com

Senator Charles Townsend
ctown@wyoming.com

Senator Bill Vasey
bvasey@wyoming.com

Senator Michael Von Flatern
mvonflatern@wyoming.com

US Senator John Barrasso
http://barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.ContactSubmit&CFID=1239277&CFTOKEN=16382076

US Senator Mike Enzi
http://enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.EmailSenatorEnzi

US Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis
http://mail01.mail.com/scripts/common/login_home.cgi?a=8f98139853a8036ef957959bc549ccbb9038a83922ff63e1f0f0eb5b4b61dfdabce6feb0bdc38a56668f46386b88ababbac9158156503c7c8e90a60cee2396f14a7bbf2ebfd857c722e5e29ca5151f69d55cb84105916d

Help Save the University of Wyoming Geological Museum!!! ***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***

Help Save the University of Wyoming Geological Museum!!!

***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***

The Casper Star-Tribune has an online poll today to vote for either a full time, part time or closed Geological Museum. We all need to show the administration at the University of Wyoming what we think of their recent decisions. So head on over to the Casper Star-Tribune website and scroll half-way down the page and vote! Thanks!

So far, the vote is 93% in favor of having the Museum open on some basis, 5% in favor of closing and 3% in favor of turning the Museum into a skate park. In fact, the facetious answer of "turn it into a skate park" is statistically similar to those who want to close it! Keep the pressure on the feckless UW Administrators who want to favor losing athletic teams over academic pursuits and the fanatic Religious Right who want the Museum closed on religious grounds

Add your voice, here!

ALSO: Remember to keep the letters to the Editor and to UW officials pouring in. Email address available below, as well as here.

Don't let the creationists, religious zealots, christards and intelligent design hoaxers win! Express your opinion here: http://www.trib.com/

Wyoming Fossil Fish (source: http://www.treasure-hunting-team.com/Pictures/Fossil-Fish-1.jpg)


Previous Post:

The Administration of the University of Wyoming have decided to close the Geological Museum due to a funding shortfall. Despite continuing to lavish millions upon millions of tax dollars on a lack-luster-to-losing Division 1-A Athletic Program, the Administration has tried to reconcile this shameful misallocation of funding as loss of Bowl and television revenue, loss of tradition and loss of long-standing inter-collegiate rivalries.

Well wah-fucking-wah.

What about the 122-year tradition of excellence at the UW Geological Museum? What about the thousands upon thousands of primary, secondary and college students who annually come to the museum to have their curiosity nurtured, scholastic experiences enriched and their intellects stimulated? What about the hundreds and hundreds of families who visit the museum each year who otherwise would not come to Laramie and spend money in the local economy?

In fact, revenues from athletics does not come close to compensating the residents of the State of Wyoming for the millions and millions of tax dollars in real cost these programs suck in--just look at the waste of many millions in the new stadium sky boxes as just a single example. The details of this bait-and-switch deviousness can be found in the UW budget numbers (see for example here: http://www.uwyo.edu/president/info.asp?p=3672 and here: http://www.uwyo.edu/president/info.asp?p=11604) and the thinly disguised misinformation-as-rationale here (http://www.uwyo.edu/president/info.asp?p=11789#Revised).

If we can flush millions away on a robust, if dismally-performing, athletic program, can we not find a couple hundred thousand dollars to keep the successful and popular Museum funded?

Provost Myron Allen proposes his plans for the UW Geological Museum here (http://www.uwyo.edu/presidentsupport/outbox/2009/geology_museum_15_jun_09.pdf). Although a brilliant mathematician and otherwise decent guy, Dr. Allen's proposal for closing the museum manages to be simultaneously short-sighted, amateurishly incomplete and maddeningly misleading.

In a personal e-mail, Dr. Allen assured me that Christian intolerance, religious superstitions and irrational creationist beliefs played no part in the closing of the Museum. However, a quick survey shows that such scientific illiteracy and non-reality-based belief systems are rife among many of the the UW Trustees as well as some Members of the Wyoming State Senate and House of Representatives; perhaps this explains the lack of vociferous opposition to this obscene and perverse misallocation of University resources.

The fact that, in this day and age, in this state, so many University Trustees, Senators and Congressmen do not understand the value of a Museum, the fundamentals of science nor even subscribe to any modern notion of science, underlines emphatically and exactly why this University has an absolute ethical responsibility and urgent need to keep this museum open.

Perhaps it is not possible for non-scientists (such as the UW President and Provost) to understand the importance of science museums, but science and technology only grow though fostering early interest in young students--this is done primarily through programs like the UW Geological Museum. Every time Drs. Buchannan or Allen listen to their iPod, check their schedules on their handheld, email their colleagues or microwave popcorn to eat while watching their plasma screen Televisions, perhaps they should stop and consider the enormous debt Americans pay daily to scientists and engineers developing and refining new technology to produce new products. Scientists and engineers who chose, and excel at, their professions precisely because as children they had access to, and were captivated by, programs such as the UW Geological Museum provides.

Or perhaps it is our job to remind Dr. Buchannan and Allen of their debt and responsibility to the future. Below are a list of the most essential people for you to contact and express your outrage at an institution that is willing to pour millions and millions and millions of tax dollars, year after year, into losing athletic programs that produce nothing, while letting a successful, brilliant and beloved academic program, such as the UW Geological Museum, die simply to save a couple measly hundred thousand dollars. It is clear to even the most casual observer that this is not in the best interests of the people of Wyoming, nor in the spirit of academic excellence to which UW claims to aspire, nor even in keeping with the simple recognition that these men are responsible for preserving for the future the best parts of the present at UW.

Drs. Buchannan and Allen, if allowed to carry through with this hideous misallocation of tax money, are failing miserably at all three tasks.

I am reminded of how Winston Churchill is reported to have once characterized a similar caliber decision: "Save us from the maliciously ignorant and the aggressively stupid!"

Write. Today. NOW. EVERYBODY ON THE LIST!

Sincerely and with hope-

Donald B. MacGowan, PhD

For MORE go here and here.

ADDRESSES:
Important UW email Addresses:
President of the University of Wyoming
Tom Buchannan
tombuch@uwyo.edu

Provost of the University of Wyoming
Prof. Myron Allen, Provost
allen@uwyo.edu

Chairman, Department of Geology and Geophysics
Prof. Art Snoke
snoke@uwyo.edu

State Geologist
Dr. Ronald C. Surdam
rsurdam@uwyo.edu

Governor of the State of Wyoming
Governor Dave Freudenthal
governor@state.wy.us

Letters to the Editor:
kerry.drake@trib.com

http://www.wyomingnews.com/our_services/letter_to_the_editor/

dthomsen@laramieboomerang.com

openforum@denverpost.com

University of Wyoming Trustees:
Jim D. Neiman
jimd@neiman.biz

Warren A. Lauer
warrenlauer@lauerlegal.com

Dave Bostrom
mba-db@mbawyoming.com

Dick Davis
dick@davisandcannon.com

Betty Fear
bfear@centurytel.net

Taylor Haynes, M.D.
rangebeef@aol.com

David F. Palmerlee
dpalmerlee@vcn.com

Bradford S. Mead
bradmead@wyoming.com

Ann Rochelle
arochelle@casperlaw.net

James Trosper
jltrosper@wyoming.com

Ex Officio Trustees:
Jim McBride
supt@educ.state.wy.us

Kelsey Day
asuwpres@uwyo.edu

Elected Officials:
Members of the Wyoming House of Representatives
Representative Rodney "Pete" Anderson
randerso@wyoming.com

Representative George Bagby
g.bagby@bresnan.net

Representative Joseph M. Barbuto
jbarbuto@wyoming.com

Representative Rosie Berger
rberger@wyoming.com

Representative Stan Blake
sblake@wyoming.com

Representative Dave Bonner, Jr.
dbonner@wyoming.com

Representative Bob Brechtel
bbrechtel@wyoming.com

Representative Kermit C. Brown
kermitbrown@wyoming.com

Representative Edward A. Buchanan
ebuchanan@wyoming.com

Representative James W. Byrd
jbyrd@wyoming.com

Representative Richard L. Cannady
rcannady@wyoming.com

Representative Seth Carson
scarson@wyoming.com

Representative Pat Childers
childers@wyoming.com

Representative Roy Cohee
roy@cytransportation.com

Representative Cathy Connolly
cconnolly@wyoming.com

Representative Bernadine Craft
bcraft@wyoming.com

Representative Kathy Davison
kdavison@wyoming.com

Representative Ross Diercks
diercks@wyoming.com

Representative Amy L. Edmonds
aedmonds@wyoming.com

Representative Ken A. Esquibel
kesquibel@wyoming.com

Representative Mike Gilmore
michaelgilmore@wyoming.com

Representative Keith Gingery
kgingery@wyoming.com

Representative W. Patrick Goggles
pgoggles@wyoming.com

Representative Mary Hales
mary.hales@realestateincasper.com

Representative Timothy P. Hallinan, M.D.
tphallinan@bresnan.net

Representative Debbie Hammons
dhammons@wyoming.com

Representative Steve Harshman
sharshman@wyoming.com

Representative Elaine D. Harvey
harvey00@tctwest.net

Representative Peter S. Illoway
pete_chloeilloway3@msn.com

Representative Allen M. Jaggi
ajaggi@wyoming.com

Representative Peter M. Jorgensen
pjorgensen@jorgensenassociates.com

Representative Jack Landon, Jr.
jlandon@wyoming.com

Representative Thomas A. Lockhart
tlockh1617@aol.com

Representative Thomas E. Lubnau, II
tlubnau@vcn.com

Representative Michael K. Madden
madden@wyoming.com

Representative Robert M. McKim
rmckim@wyoming.com

Representative Del McOmie
dwmcomie@bresnan.net

Representative Erin E. Mercer
emercer@wyoming.com

Representative Saundra Meyer
slmey@wyoming.com

Representative David R. Miller
repmiller@wyoming.com

Representative Lori Millin
lorimillin@bresnan.net

Representative Glenn Moniz
gmoniz@bresnan.net

Representative John W. Patton
johnpatton@wyoming.com

Representative Frank Peasley
fpeasley@wyoming.com

Representative Bryan K. Pedersen
bpedersen@wyoming.com

Representative Owen Petersen
opetersen@wyoming.com

Representative Frank Philp
fphilp@wyoming.com

Representative Lorraine K. Quarberg
lquarberg@wyoming.com

Representative Jim Roscoe
jroscoe@wyoming.com

Representative Mark A. Semlek
msemlek@wyoming.com

Representative Lisa A. Shepperson
lshepperson@wyoming.com

Representative Colin M. Simpson
csimpson@skelaw.com

Representative William "Jeb" Steward
jebsteward@union-tel.com

Representative Tim Stubson
tim@stampedeforstubson.com

Representative Matt Teeters
mteeters@wyoming.com

Representative Bill Thompson
billthompson@wyoming.com

Representative Mary Throne
mthrone@wyoming.com

Representative Sue Wallis
sue.wallis@vcn.com

Representative Dan Zwonitzer
dzwonitzer@wyoming.com

Representative David L. Zwonitzer
davezwonitzer@wyoming.com

Members of the Wyoming State Senate
Senator Jim Anderson
jamesda1@msn.com

Senator Eli D. Bebout
senbebout@wyoming.com

Senator Bruce Burns
bburns@dbburns.com

Senator Cale Case, Ph.D
ccase@wyoming.com

Senator Henry H.R. "Hank" Coe
hcoe@wyoming.com

Senator Stan Cooper
scooperwy@gmail.com

Senator Dan Dockstader
ddockstader@wyoming.com
Senator Floyd A. Esquibel
fesquibel@wyoming.com

Senator Gerald E. Geis
ggeis@wyoming.com

Senator John M. Hastert
jhastert2@wyoming.com

Senator John J. Hines
jhines@wyoming.com

Senator Rick Hunnicutt
rhunnicutt@wyoming.com

Senator Kit Jennings
kit@kitsenate.com

Senator Wayne H. Johnson
wajohnsonsd6@yahoo.com

Senator Bill Landen
blanden@bresnan.net

Senator Grant Larson
senlarson@wyoming.com

Senator Marty Martin
mmartin@wyoming.com

Senator Mike Massie
mamassie@msn.com

Senator Curt Meier
cmeier@wyoming.com

Senator Phil Nicholas
nicholas@wyolegal.com

Senator Drew A. Perkins
drew@schwartzbon.com

Senator R. Ray Peterson
rpeterson@wyoming.com

Senator Tony Ross
tross@wyoming.com

Senator John C. Schiffer
jschiffe@wyoming.com

Senator Charles K. Scott
charlesscott@wyoming.com

Senator Kathryn Sessions
ksessions@wyoming.com

Senator Charles Townsend
ctown@wyoming.com

Senator Bill Vasey
bvasey@wyoming.com

Senator Michael Von Flatern
mvonflatern@wyoming.com

US Senator John Barrasso
http://barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.ContactSubmit&CFID=1239277&CFTOKEN=16382076

US Senator Mike Enzi
http://enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.EmailSenatorEnzi

US Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis
http://mail01.mail.com/scripts/common/login_home.cgi?a=8f98139853a8036ef957959bc549ccbb9038a83922ff63e1f0f0eb5b4b61dfdabce6feb0bdc38a56668f46386b88ababbac9158156503c7c8e90a60cee2396f14a7bbf2ebfd857c722e5e29ca5151f69d55cb84105916d

Advice: Driving and Hiking to the Summit of Mauna Kea, Big Island of Hawaii

Aloha! I'm Donnie MacGowan and I live on the Big Island of Hawaii. Today, I'd like to take you to the top of Mauna Kea. At 13, 796 feet above sea level, Mauna Kea's summit is the highest point in the State of Hawaii; since its base lies at 19000 feet below sea level, its has a base-to-summit height of 33,000 feet, making it the tallest mountain on earth. It's also one of my most favorite places on earth.

Mauna Kea began forming on the sea floor about one million years ago. Its name means "White Mountain" in the Hawaiian language and it is snow-capped much of the winter, and the summit is covered with permafrost 35 feet deep. During the ice ages, Mauna Kea's summit was glaciated 3 times, starting about 200000 years ago and ending only 11000 years ago. One can see the U-shaped valleys and cirques, striated bedrock, glacial tills covering the summit area and remnants of ice-damned lava flows from those times. There are even the remains of extinct rock glaciers near the summit.

The Visitor's Information Station and summit are reached via a road which turns off Saddle Road at about 6600 feet elevation near the 28 mile marker and tortuously stumbles its way up the south side of Mauna Kea to the Visitor Information Station at about 9300 feet. The road, though steep, is paved to the Visitor's Information Station. Above that, the road is graded dirt for about 5 miles, returning to asphalt paving for the final sprint to the rim of the summit crater. Road conditions for the summit road are available at 808.935.6263.

The Visitor Information Station is open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. 365 days a year. Informational multimedia presentations, souvenirs, and some food items are available here, as well as clean restrooms and drinking water. Every evening after dark the center allows visitors to stargaze through several telescopes and informational talks by visiting scientists are occasionally scheduled. Saturday and Sunday the staff lead escorted summit field trips, but visitors must provide their own vehicle. Call 808.961.2180 for information. It is suggested that summit-bound visitors stop at the Visitor's Information Station for at least half an hour before heading to the summit so they can acclimate. The rangers there can help you decide if you and your vehicle are fit for the trip to the summit.

A wonderful, easy road trip that includes a visit to the summit of Mauna Kea can be made a memorable part of any visit to the Big Island. Directions for a 1-day scenic drive from Kailua Kona to the top of Mauna Kea and on to Hilo (with stops along the way) can be found here. More information on the summit drive and hike is available here; information about the Hawaiian mythology surrounding Mauna Kea can be found here.

Produced by Donnie MacGowan; original musical score written and performed by Donald B. MacGowan; videography by Donnie MacGowan and Frank Burgess.

For more information on visiting Hawaii in general, or touring the Big Island in particular, please visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com. Information about the author can be found here.

IZ! The Music of Hawaii: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Over The Rainbow

By Popular Demand...Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Over The Rainbow.

Jason Mraz Video...by popular demand...

By popular demand...here it is, just click the link!

"I'm Yours" Official Video


What To Pack And Take To Hawaii: What You Need, What You Want, What You Can Leave Out Of Your Luggage

By Donald B. MacGowan

The MacGowan Family Deplanes in Sunny Hawaii; You Want To Be sure You Have Everything You Need to Enjoy Your Vacation, but Not So Much You Have To Haul a Pile of Luggage: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Packing Your Bags for Hawaii: With airlines charging for a second--or even for the first--piece of luggage, and strict "50 pounds each" weight limits being enforced, the thrifty traveler is wise to plan ahead carefully, to avoid racking-up expensive fees. I used to travel by the motto "Don't check baggage unless you can afford to lose it; if you can afford to loose it, why did you bring it?"; thus I never traveled with anything more than carry-on. While it is always good to travel lightly, with the advent of stringent new carry-on limits and my advancing age (and concomitant increasing desire to travel in comfort) I have learned to travel with only one piece of checked baggage plus carry-on. The key is packing intelligently so you can pack less.

MacGowan Family and Luggage for 3 for a Fourteen Day Trip to Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Be Smart About Your Carry On Baggage: Most airlines allow you to bring one carry-on bag and a personal item such as a purse or a lap-top. I push this a little by bringing a carry-on bag plus my lap-top in a computer pack which also has room for one video camera, my SLR Camera and an emergency change of clothes (in case all my other luggage is lost). Usually they let me get away with this. Because I trust neither baggage handlers nor TSA inspectors and my luggage has been lost or ransacked and robbed more times than I remember, I pack my other cameras and the more of my clothes in my other carry on bag so they don't have to be checked. In this bag I also carry a quart of water and some snacks.

You'll want at least one book to read on the flight; your tickets, travelers checks, list of phone numbers, spare glasses (contacts and solution) and medications should be put in a water-proof bag in the carry-on bag you intend to hold most tightly to. It's a good idea to bring a copy of your eye-wear prescription, your health and car insurance cards, confirmations of hotel reservations, tours and activities and any printed itinerary you may have. Bring identification for your children. Put a swim suit and t-shirt in your carry-on--if your luggage is lost, you can wait for it by the pool! I always pack a small first aid kit, wet wipes and hand sanitizer. I always seem to use them. You'll want a sunhat, trust me.

Remember that more books, extra batteries, memory cards, video tape or film, masks-fins-snorkels, insect repellant, sun cream, beach towels--all the extra hoopla one might want on a Hawaii vacation--can be purchased at WalMart or Costco on-island as cheaply as the mainland. If you do pack film, and it is in your carry-on, be sure to protect it against x-rays.

Checked Luggage; First, Plan for Your Activities: Know your itinerary and pack only what you need; resist the temptation to toss in all those extra unnecessary items. You may be planning on some particular activities in Hawaii requiring specific gear or clothing--it is best to think this through thoroughly. Many people intend to save money by bringing their own snorkeling gear. This is false economy if it causes you to pay for additional luggage. Buying snorkel gear on island is fairly inexpensive and renting is faster, easier and even cheaper. The same can be said of renting diving gear and golf clubs. Activities such as hiking and horseback riding require a fairly specific wardrobe, but if you plan correctly, you only have to bring your hiking/riding boots and an extra pair of suitable pants and shirt. If you plan on visiting the mountain summits, remember that they can be quite cold--even snowy or rainy--so plan and pack accordingly. If you bring boots, I advise wearing them (and all your other bulky clothing) on the plane to save room and weight in your bags. As for photography gear or musical instruments--any expensive or delicate equipment for that matter--my philosophy is to never turn loose with it. Never check your cameras, your guitar, your laptop, etc--it's a recipe for theft, loss or destruction.

You Need More Suntan Lotion Than You Think...Put it on Before You Go Out in the Sun and Keep Putting It On Throughout The Day. Likewise, Drink More Water Than You Think You Need...Drink Before You Get Thirsty, When You Get Thirsty and Drink Again After You've Just Had Some Water. No, Drink Some More--I'm Serious: Photo By Donnie MacGowan

Next, Plan for the Weather: Being tropical, temperatures at sea level in Hawaii vary only by about 10 degrees between day and night and throughout the year. It's hot during the day, plan a cool wardrobe. The windward side is generally rainy and the "up-country" towns (mountains) frequently can experience afternoon showers. Evenings, particularly up-country, are delightfully cool as there is generally an evening or onshore breeze. With forethought, your wardrobe can cover all these situations without being bulky, heavy or ornate. Remember to pack layers of clothing for warmth, rather than one or two bulky coats and sweaters-this allows for maximum adaptability and a certain amount of built-in variability. This also means that if an emergency hotel-room laundry session is required, your laundry will dry much more quickly. Remember, chinos will dry in a day hanging in your room--jeans will stay wet all week. When deciding on wardrobe, bear in mind that Hilo is the rainiest city in the US; the Kona and Kohala Coast are mong the driest parts of the US, but rains do come here, as well.

Don't Forget Some Lightweight Raingear: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Finally, Specifics: Be efficient--coordinate around a basic, neutral color so everything you bring matches everything else. Black or khaki are the traditional traveler's choices. Dark colors show dirt less than light colors, and this can be a saving grace where doing laundry is impractical. Choose clothes for lightness, packability and washability. Remember that suits in Hawaii are unnecessary; even Circuit Court judges wear Aloha Shirts under their robes here. A nice shirt, generally an Aloha Shirt, and a pair of khakis are the wardrobe of choice at the finer restaurants and nightclubs--everywhere else, it's shorts and sandals. I would advise a basic wardrobe consisting of a polo-style shirt and a couple Aloha Shirts, one pair of long khakis and three pair of shorts, a swimsuit, a couple tank tops or t-shirts, a sunhat and a light jacket for evenings; that's all you really need to cover most bases. Women may want to toss in a light sundress or skirt. Sandals are all you'll need or want in the way of footwear (your feet will be HOT)--you may want to toss in a pair of running shoes for exercise or hiking. Unless you are attending a formal event such as a wedding, don't worry about dressing up or you will not only find yourself carting far too much luggage, but awkwardly overdressed as well.

Jewelry is unneccessary, dress-code wise, it causes an extre security headache and it must be left in your hotel room when you are doing most activites. You are coming to Hawaii to get away from all the froofrah...leave the jewelry at home.

Be thoughtful about your wardrobe and activities: for instance, you may wish to think about bringing two swimsuits--you will be amazed how pleasant being in the water is in the hot tropics. Whether you are just cooling off in the pool or snorkeling with the turtles and fish, you'll probably want to swim everyday. Swimsuits rarely dry overnight and it's a lot more pleasant to get into a warm, dry suit than a wet, cold one. Also, if you plan on riding horseback or exploring the higher elevations such as Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or Mauna Kea, be sure to bring some chinos and appropriate footwear, a medium weight fleece sweater and light rain jacket/windbreaker. A compact traveler's umbrella is always a good idea--rains come at unexpected times and they make a nice shelter from the mid-day sun when walking around town or the resort.

Don't forget to pack your toiletries and personal items; I used to carry these on, in case of lost luggage, but restrictions on liquids and gels and razors make this impractical. Medications, of course, go in the carry-on. Sun block, sun hat, sunglasses, insect repellent and sun-burn cream (I use an aloe gel) will make your vacation smoother, but can be purchased cheaply locally if you don't quite have room for them.

Brad MacGowan on Kauai...A Tripod is Essential If You Intend To Photograph The Volcanic Eruptions Or Do Any Video Photography: Photo By Donnie MacGowan

Other Things to Bring: Just as an aside, two things you need to be head's up about when you are in Hawaii--if you begin to feel thirsty, you've waited too long to get a drink of water; if you begin to feel the sun, you've waited too long to put sun block on. Wear your sun hat. All the time. Drink more water than you think you need, apply sun block before you go out and re-apply more often that you think you need. Your body is used to more moderate climates and won't warn you in time of the danger. In fact, sometimes it's dry enough on the leeward side that you won't even feel yourself sweat—it evaporates before you get wet. So remember to keep drinking water—alcohol, coffee and ice tea (as well as caffeinated sodas) are both diuretic and vasodilatory, so are counterproductive to keeping hydrated and cool. Drink water. Lots and lots of water. Although bottled water is abundantly available, being a thrifty traveler, I always bring my own reusable water bottles. These may be carried on, but you need to take them through Security Screening empty, filling them at a water fountain before boarding—this also allows you to have water to drink during the flight, remembering that tap water on some airlines has proven to be unsafe.

Don't forget your sunglasses...if you are in the market to buy new ones, don't scrimp on price; Hawaii's tropical sun glaring off water and bright sand can permanently damage your eyes. If you can, get glasses that provide at least 90% darkening, screen 100% UVA and at least 80% UVB and IR. Cheap sunglasses, designer glasses with amber lenses or only slightly darkened lenses actually do more harm than good by causing the pupil of the eye to open up without screening enough of the damaging radiation out. Even if you wear regular glasses, bring prescription sunglasses or get good clip-ons--remember that cheap ones may be more damaging than none at all.

Lora Aller Hydrates on a Kona Coast Hike; Taking a Small Pack Helps Keep Water Bottles, Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Camera and Other Necessities Handy and Easy to Carry: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Many people plan ahead by leaving ample room in their luggage to bring back souvenirs and gifts; recent luggage restrictions are making this impractical. Rather than buying new outfits for my trip, I spend the week before my trip weeding through my wardrobe, packing one very nice set of clothes and the remainder are items I pack were already bound for the thrift store. Thus, I simply abandon them at the end of my stay and thereby have more than enough space in my luggage for anything I buy. Remember—Hawaii is part of the US and the U.S. Postal Service sells flat-rate, pre-paid, boxes for very inexpensive rates. Ask for "Flat Rate Shipping Boxes" and ship those gifts home safely, cheaply and with no fuss on your part.

You should toss in a small fanny pack or day-pack for day trips...it's amazing how many things you find you need to carry around during the day (sunscreen, water bottles, guidebook, camera, small purchases) and a pack helps to keep them organized and in hand. A small pack can also double as a laundry bag on the flight home.

I never travel anywhere without my laptop...you may not be so addicted, but I like being able to email photos and notes to friends left behind, as well as check-up on or change any reservations or activities at a moment's notice. Hawaii is so strange and wonderful anyway, you will wish you had access to Google to learn more about what you are seeing at least 5 times a day. They are a hassle at airport security and another thing to lug around, but I find it worthwhile. Free Wi-Fi is available all over the islands and your resort most likely will have it, as well. If you are traveling with children, a laptop with a few games in it can make long car rides or a rainy day more bearable.

A Small Pack Come In Very Handy For Keeping Your Stuff Together and Right At Hand: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Although this is not the time for a discussion of vacation photography in general, let me say a few words about cameras. This is Hawaii for pete's sake, one of the most beautiful places on earth! You are going to want to take pictures while you are here, you are going to wish you had taken pictures all the long years down the road after you return if you do not. You do not have to be like me, packing two video cameras, a digital SLR and a digital underwater camera; even if you are not camera savvy at all, there are easy alternatives.

Simplest by far, and not terribly expensive, are pre-loaded, disposable film cameras. Available for $5-10 each, and costing about the same for film developing, these are the most basic point-shoot-enjoy photographic choice. There are even disposable underwater cameras if you plan on any swimming, kayaking or snorkeling. May I suggest that you have your film developed in Hawaii—WalMart, KMart and Costco all have 1-2 hour processing at reasonable prices. The color balance in Hawaii, because of its equatorial position (angle of sun and thickness of atmosphere) and the richness of the colors of flora, land and sea, is different to what most film-processing shops know and thus, if you wait until you return home to develop the film, the colors will turn our disappointingly. Getting your film processed on island also allows you to share prints with people you meet or are visiting.

Digital cameras may at first seem confusing, but are really much easier to deal with than film cameras, have such great storage capacity that they quickly pay for themselves in film and processing costs and produce images that, even for the rank beginner, are startling and gorgeous. You don't even need a computer to enjoy your digital pictures, just take them to any film processing shop and they'll make prints for you—much more cheaply than prints from film. If you plan to buy a digital camera for the trip, or are not quite used to the one you have, start practicing with it about a month before you leave...standing with your arm around your lover in the perfect sunset, with the palm trees swaying, the hula girls dancing on the beach and the humpback whales leaping in the ocean (oh, yes, these scenes DO happen!) is not the time to be fiddling with camera and instruction booklet trying to figure out how the damn thing works. Secondly, be sure to bring that instruction book, all accessory cords, chargers and adapters in a small plastic baggie when you come—they are expensive to buy on vacation and you never know what you'll need. Experience will teach what you can leave behind on successive trips. If buying a new digital camera to immortalize your trip to Paradise, think about getting a waterproof version. Most major camera manufacturers produce fine, submersible cameras, good to 40 feet or so, that are every bit as good as the regular cameras and are not very much more expensive. Many also have video features that allow you to take brief video clips, even underwater. One final note on your camera—never let go of it. Keep it in your carry-on bag during the flight, in your pocket or you day pack on the trip, do not leave it in your rental car or your hotel room or lunch table. Ever.

Amanda, Amy and Laurie Maus Pose for the Underwater Camera: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Another useful item, many tourists bring their GPS from home to help navigate—be sure to download the maps for Hawaii before you come; some brands of GPS do not offer Hawaii coverage. A few of the rental car agencies have GPS units for rent at reasonable prices. The best solution, however, are the folks at Tour Guide Hawaii (808.557.0051; www.tourguidehawaii.com) who offer a hand-held computer with an onboard GPS at very reasonable rental rates (a video about the Tour Guide product is available here). They have stuffed into this device over six hundred points of interest (did you hear that? 600!) of recreational, cultural and historical importance. They have produced a short audio/video presentation for each site, telling you all about it, the history and culture, what to bring, what to do while there; they even have the public restrooms listed! These presentations play as you approach the points of interest, or can be searched for at any time or location. Thus, the device can be used to preview all the sites around the island in the comfort of your hotel room, pre-plan trips or to get information and turn by turn navigation on the road. Combining cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned story-telling, the unbelievably easy to use, fabulously informative and terrifically fun Tour Guide Self-Guided GPS Tours are an amazing bargain and a great way to see Hawaii. They are now offering a pared-down version (45 of the top sites—AND the restrooms!) that is downloadable to iPhone and iPod.

Finally, one of the most enduring visions I have of travel is standing exhausted, late night at the luggage carousel as hordes of weary travelers lift first one anonymous piece of black luggage, then the next, searching for their own amongst a sea of ubiquitous black nylon and leather travel bags. Not everyone is comfortable carrying the bright Hawaiian print luggage I have (although I always instantly recognize my bags...except when returning to Hawaii where EVERYBODY has this luggage), but there are ways to customize and personalize your bags. One of the more common, and therefore useless, is the nylon rainbow-colored strap...there are almost as many of these wrapped around the anonymous black luggage as there are plain black bags themselves. Airlines don't like straps and cords flopping around off the luggage, for obvious reasons, but you can buy colorful and unique baggage tags or tie a bit of uniquely colored ribbon or a small scarf to the handle of your luggage...just something that screams “Mine!” to you as it slides down onto the carousel so you do not have to search plaintively through the weary lot of black bags with rainbow belts on them.

The MacGowan Family Deplanes From Airforce 1--Even Traveling in Style Your Luggage Can Get Lost So Plan Ahead: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

This is Hawaii, remember? You came to have fun!

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general, or touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com. Information about the author can be found here.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan

The beginning of a new era—Kilauea's 1952 summit eruption

Reprinted from here.

Halema'uma'u 1952:

A single low lava fountain emitted a steady stream of gas when photographed by Fred Rackle on July 21, 1952, when Halema`uma`u Crater was more than twice as deep as it is at present. View is to the southwest.

The HVO Web site was recently revamped to make access to our increasing number of Webcams easier for About 20 minutes before midnight on June 27, 1952, almost exactly 57 years ago, Mrs. John Fox walked from the living room of her home on the east rim of Kilauea caldera into an adjoining room. She was instantly startled by a loud, whistling roar coming through an open window. Running back into her living room, she saw a bright orange glow lighting the night sky.

At about the same time, just down the road at Kilauea Military Camp (KMC), Colonel B.W. Rushton pointed out the bright glow to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff member John Forbes, who quickly called Gordon Macdonald, then Scientist-in-Charge of HVO.

When John Forbes arrived minutes later at HVO, on the edge of Kilauea caldera, he was greeted by the top of a huge lava fountain rising above the rim of Halema`uma`u. The crater was then nearly 245 m (800 ft) deep—more than twice its current depth from the rim to the crater's floor. By the time Gordon Macdonald arrived at HVO some 10 minutes later, the fountain was no longer visible, but incandescent fragments could still be seen arcing out of the crater.

Quickly grabbing the necessary equipment, Macdonald and Forbes set out by car for Halema`uma`u Crater to make detailed observations. As they followed Crater Rim Drive down onto the western floor of Kilauea caldera—the section of road that is closed today due to ongoing summit activity—they encountered a choking, sulfurous fume cloud so thick that they could barely see the road.

The fall of tephra onto the road was so heavy that they were hard-pressed to keep the car moving forward as it plowed through the drifts of pumice. The hail of tephra onto the car, with pieces reaching up to 10 cm (4 inches) across, sand-blasted the car's exterior to the point that it later had to be repainted and have its windshield replaced.

Pressing onward, Macdonald and Forbes passed through the tephra fall and quickly walked to the southeast rim of Halema`uma`u, reaching it about 10 minutes past midnight. When they peered into the crater, they saw a continuous line of lava fountains, 790 m (2,600 ft) in length, crossing the entire crater floor from southwest to northeast and extending part-way up the northeastern crater wall.

For the most part, the individual fountains were 15 to 30 m (50 to 100 ft) in height, but a fountain 120 m (400 ft) high jetted up near the bottom of the southwestern wall of the crater—probably a diminished version of the same fountain, at more than 245 m (800 ft) in height, seen minutes earlier from HVO.

Though views were poor due to the heavy fume, brief glimpses of the crater floor showed that older spatter cones on the floor of Halema`uma`u had already been buried beneath a rising lava lake. This suggested that more than 3 million cubic meters (4 million cubic yards) of lava were erupted in the first half-hour of the eruption. It would take about six days for Kilauea's current east rift zone eruption to pump out that much lava today.

The eruption rate quickly declined after the initial outbreak, but lava fountains continued to play on the surface of the lava lake over the following weeks. By late summer 1952, activity had begun to decline, but the eruption persisted until November 10, when the last fountaining activity was observed.

Having erupted for 136 days, the 1952 summit eruption brought to an end, in grand fashion, any doubts as to whether or not Kilauea was still alive. Prior to 1952, Kilauea had been quiescent since October 1934, when the previous summit eruption had ended, and some had begun to think that Kilauea was dead. But frequent earthquakes and the occasional swelling and shrinking of the volcano over the intervening years told volcanologists otherwise. It was no great surprise, then, when the eruption finally occurred.

Followed by dozens of eruptions in the years since, the 1952 eruption undoubtedly ushered in the current era of volcanic activity at Kilauea. Today's ongoing summit and east rift zone eruptions are just the most recent in the string of eruptions that have followed since Mrs. Fox was surprised by the glow outside her living room window.

Kīlauea Activity Update

Surface flows in the Royal Gardens subdivision may have stagnated early this past week in response to a deflation-inflation (DI) event at Kīlauea's summit. Smoke continues to rise, however, from forested kipuka in the subdivision, indicating that at least some burning continues. At the coast, the Waikupanaha and Kupapa`u ocean entries remain active and continue to produce prominent plumes, accompanied by small littoral explosions, as lava spills into the ocean.

At Kīlauea's summit, the vent within Halema`uma`u Crater is still emitting elevated amounts of volcanic gas, resulting in high concentrations of sulfur dioxide downwind. Glow from the vent was visible at night through the past week, and rare views into the vent by HVO scientists found that the lava surface is still present about 205 m (675 feet) below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater.

No earthquakes beneath Hawai`i Island were reported felt this past week.

Visit our Web site (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov) for detailed Kīlauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more; call (808) 967-8862 for a Kīlauea activity summary; email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov. Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and exploring the Big Island's volcanoes in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com.

Give new life to your old photographs of Hawai`i's volcanoes!

Reprinted from here.

A view of the lava lake within Halema`uma`u Crater on December 27, 1911, with Uwekahuna bluff (where HVO and the Jaggar Museum now stand) and Mauna Loa in the background. The lake level had risen about 120 m (400 ft) since October 1911 and will drop 90 m (300 ft) in January, 1912, the month that HVO was founded by Thomas A. Jaggar's arrival for duty.

The adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" is certainly true, especially when it comes to photographs of Hawaiian eruptions and volcanic landscapes from earlier times.

Long-time readers of "Volcano Watch" might recall our January 20, 2005, article (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/2005/05_01_20.html), which describes an HVO geologist's excitement at finding an 1860s photo of Kilauea's caldera. By comparing the photo to a present-day view of the caldera, he could see the location of volcanic features described in written records (with less than a thousand words) but no longer visible today—a valuable discovery when your job is to decipher a volcano's eruptive history.

Without realizing it, you or a family member may have captured a similarly important historical record of Hawai`i's volcanoes. How? By taking a photo and keeping it.

Your `ohana, like many families, probably has several albums—or shoe boxes—filled with old photographs. Perhaps your great-grandmother took a picture of a long-ago Kilauea summit eruption or your brother snapped a photo of `a`a lava as it flowed down the slopes of Mauna Loa. If you possess photographs that show volcanic landscapes or features, volcanic fume (vog), or any kind of eruptive activity, HVO geologists would like to hear from you and see the photos.

We learn the most from photographs that have some documentation about when and where they were taken. Date and location are essential pieces of information that help us interpret the geologic significance of a photo. If people are recognizable in a photograph, their names should also be included. Any other details you can provide about the image will add to its meaning.

Wide-angle shots are more helpful than close-ups. For example, if a photo is zoomed in on the leading edge of a lava flow and shows nothing else, we cannot determine the size of the flow-or much of anything else—from the image. With wide-angle views, we can see the geographic or geologic context of the eruptive activity or volcanic features shown in the photograph.

If you're interested in sharing your photos with HVO scientists, the first thing you should do is contact us by telephone (808-967-7328) or email us (askHVO@usgs.gov). Geologists are standing by to speak with you. The purpose of this initial conversation is to determine which of your photographs might be beneficial to our research and monitoring efforts on Hawai`i's volcanoes. We will then send you additional information on how we can receive and duplicate photos selected from your collection.

No need to worry about giving up your photographs—you retain ownership of them. We will return your photos to you after duplicating the images selected as most useful. In appreciation of your loaning us the photographs, we will be happy to give you digital copies of the images we scan.

To kick off our effort to expand HVO's photographic collection of Hawai`i's volcanoes, we are asking at this time to see photographs from 1924 and earlier. Those years included frequent lava lake activity in Halema`uma`u Crater and culminated in the explosive eruptions of May 1924.

Pre-1924 photos are of particular interest to us now because they could shed light on Kilauea's current summit eruption. Even if they show no eruptive activity, early photographs of Kilauea's caldera can contribute to a better understanding of the volcano's past and reveal features that are no longer visible. The same is true for early photos of Mauna Loa and Hualalai.

We will initially focus on early historical photographs, but you can contact us about any volcanic images you think might interest us. Although we may not be able to look at photos taken in recent decades right away, we would eventually like to see them. Our ultimate goal is to acquire images from the 1800s through the 20th century.

So, please lend us a hand while taking a trip down memory lane. Look through your family photos and contact HVO if you find images of Hawai`i's volcanoes. Your old photographs could give new life to eruptive events and volcanic landscapes rapidly fading from our visual memories.

Kīlauea Activity Update

Surface flows in the Royal Gardens subdivision remained active as of Thursday, June 18, burning through forested kipuka. Another area of breakouts active higher up on the pali was also reported. The Waikupanaha and Kupapa`u ocean entries remain active and continue to produce prominent plumes as lava spills into the ocean.

At Kīlauea's summit, the vent within Halema`uma`u Crater continues to emit elevated amounts of volcanic gas, resulting in high concentrations of sulfur dioxide downwind. Bright glow from the vent was visible at night through the past week. A collaborative effort last week between HVO and UH-Manoa scientists, using a sophisticated optical remote-sensing technology called LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), has measured the lava surface to be about 205 m (675 feet) below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater.

No earthquakes beneath Hawai`i Island were reported felt this past week.

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and exploring the Big Island's volcanoes in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com.

Frank's Guide to Pronouncing the Hawaiian Langauge

by Frank Burgess

When people come to Hawai'i, especially for the first time, they notice that most of the locations, towns and street names are in a language they are unfamiliar with. It looks strange and sounds even stranger. But Hawaiian isn't very difficult to pronounce once you know a few basic ideas and rules.

Hawaii Has Very Poor Signage for Towns, Beaches and Attractions; What Signs There Are Are n Hawaiian Words Which May Be Hard For The Visitor To Pronounce And Remember: Photo By Kilgore Trout

Alphabet: The Hawaiian alphabet has five vowels and seven consonants; a total of 12 letters altogether. Several vowels may be used in a row, but consonants are never placed together. Some words have no consonants at all and Hawaiian words always end with a vowel. There are many subtle nuances to the language as well, but for now let's just hit the basics.

Vowels: The vowel sounds in Hawaiian are always pronounced the same and are similar to Spanish or Latin. This chart might visually help as we progress through the sounds using “b” at the beginning and “t” at the end of each vowel sound:

A...pronounced as a soft “u” as in but. (not “aw”)
E...pronounced as a soft “e” as in bet. (not “ay”)
I...pronounced as a hard “e” as in beet.
O...pronounced as a hard “o” as in boat.
U...pronounced as a hard “u” as in boot.

Even at Highway Speeds, The English on This Sign Is Easy To Read, Whereas The Visitor May Have Trouble Decoding The Hawaiian Language Words Quickly Quickly Enough to Turn: Photo By Japhy Ryder

These are the most common vowel sounds. There are some exceptions, such as words with a macron. The macron extends the vowel sound to twice the normal value. (Not all road signs and maps include the macron.)

Ā = Bought...pronounced as “aw” and extends the sound.
Ē = Bet...and extends the sound.
Ī = Beet...and extends the sound.
Ō = Boat...and extends the sound.
Ū = Boot...and extends the sound.

Hokina: The hokina looks like a comma and is added to Hawaiian words to change the meaning or to replace consonants that have been dropped over time. It creates a glottal stop (a slight hesitation with an “uh”, like starting a new word). The hokina will always occur between vowels, especially the same vowel repeated (a'a, i'i, etc). Because of it's significance, in 2004 the hokina was officially added as the 13th letter in the Hawaiian language.

As you explore Hawai'i, you can now begin to pronounce the words correctly. Have fun and aloha.

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and visiting the Big Island in particular, please also see www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com.

Copyright 2009 by Frank Burgess.