Article submitted by Dr. Larry Losoncy, CEO of Clean Up America
Lightning: Beautiful, Dangerous and Phenomenal
Although we mostly consider lightning a nuisance, it is one of the greatest phenomena in all of nature. Besides being beautiful and dangerous, it is a marvel of physics.
Lightning can strike from 10 miles away. At any given minute there are more than 1,000 thunderstorms happening on earth with more than 6,000 flashes of lightning. The air heated by lightning is 54,000 degrees: five times hotter than the sun. So it is a great idea to avoid lightning! Estimate how close the lightning is by counting the seconds from when you see the flash. Every five seconds equals one mile. If you count ten seconds from the flash the lightning is two miles away: that is NOT a safe distance! As one weatherman in Oklahoma often says, “It seems as though nature is always trying to kill us.” The surface of our planet is unstable and dangerous. Luckily, we easily forget that because the rest of the time it is tranquil and beautiful.
Photograph by William R. Curstinger; National Geographic
Thunderstorms, as well as dust storms and volcanic clouds, have wind drafts, drawing down ice from above. When liquid and ice collide they create large electrical fields, separating the charges (atoms). This allows negative charges to accumulate near the base of thunderheads. Like charges repel, so negative charges from the ground are pushed down away from the surface of the ground by the negative charges of the thunderheads, leaving net positive charges. Opposite charges attract. The positive charges from the surface of the ground are attracted to the negative charges in the cloud. Negative charges are a thousand times smaller than positive charges, so they travel down from the clouds much faster, creating an invisible path that is like a crooked ladder and is called a stepped leader.
Photo credit: iWitness user Ranjit Bosu; Weather.com
At the point where the negative and positive charges connect, the negative charges from the cloud start rushing down the path, creating the flash. The flash we see is light travelling up the stepped leader created by the negative charges rushing down. The thunder is air displaced by the heat. Since light travels faster than sound, we can see the lighting before we hear the thunder.
Safety: do not lie down on the ground in a thunderstorm and do avoid the highest trees and structures. Being inside is safest but not totally safe. Cars but not convertibles are safe, so are cell phones and cordless phones. Inside of buildings avoid water (showers, baths, hand washing) and electrical appliances. Surge protectors are not always effective. Unplug computers and anything else using electricity and watch for sparks and fires.
Yes, lighting can strike in the same place twice, three times, even more.
Do you work in the outdoor elements? Have your own story to tell? Send it to me!
Watch Crisafulli Product videos.
Visit Clean Up America, Inc. online.
Contact Dr. Loconsy about training and business coaching at cautulsa@cox.net.
Dr. Losoncy, Ph.D., is the CEO of Clean Up America, Inc., a company that markets waterless sanitation systems, including the South African Enviroloo. He writes about environmental and business management issues and does training and consulting. He is also a mental health professional, licensed as a marriage/family therapist. He brings communication and psychological perspectives to bear on business practices.
By Elizabeth Kaiser, SRS Crisafulli Marketing Manager
SRS Crisafulli's employees are a mix of deep rooted Montanan families, returned children and transplants. It seems those who find themselves here share common goals and values, whether it is access to fresh air and wide open landscapes or taking advantage of a current employment boom. Everyone here also values hard work, the rugged environment, and strong community.
Montana is the 4th largest U.S. state and yet is the 7th least populous. Montana's economy is primarily agriculural and resource-based, with ranching, farming, and mining foremost. We at SRS Crisafulli are sometimes asked how a dredge manufacturer ever evolved in a dry, land locked, rugged state such as Montana. We just laugh and explain we worked, we grew, we drew on that rugged initiative that defines Montana.
Photograph by William Albert Allard
Two sorrels belonging to Buster and Helen Brown have gone AWOL in the snow.
National Geographic recently published an article exploring the history of Montana's Hi-Line. The rails were an important factor in that history, and as Montana today is the 3rd least densely populated state, they are still a widely used method of transportation. "Eventually pavement as well as rails linked those communities, forming a portion of U.S. Highway 2, America's northernmost cross-country ribbon of blacktop. Within Montana, this stretch of road and railway and towns and surrounding landscape became known as the Hi-Line."
Photograph by William Albert Allard
Justin Hofeldt, a welder for BNSF Railway, repairs track near Rudyard. The rails opened this ground to homesteaders, with illusory promises of easy crops and plenty of rain.
SRS Crisafulli's own Maureen Lundman, Sales Manager, hails from Malta, which is part of the Hi-Line. Born and reared there, she and her 6 brothers and sisters went to school in Malta, her mother managed the household and her father ran the Lumber Yard. Joel Basta, a SRS Crisafulli Engineer, still works his family's dry land farm operation in Dawson County. Isaiah Helm, SRS Crisafulli Applications Engineer and his 2 brothers still participate in his family's cattle ranch outside Jordan, Montana. Larry Hegel, factory foreman and lifetime SRS employee, is the youngest of eight children raised in Glendive. These and many others at SRS Crisafulli have deep roots embedded in the culture and hardworking standards of the area.
Read more of the National Geographic article, Northern Montana's Hi-Line.
See more of William Albert Allard's pictures of Montana's Hi-Line, Riding Out Another Season
Interested in visiting the factory? Contact us.
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By Elizabeth Kaiser, SRS Crisafulli Marketing Manager
Our economic future is a topic that is on everyone's minds especially as we enter into 2012. Will our economic future improve? Will we get our funding? What are others doing to prepare?
A recent internet search produced interesting results on the topic. Here are some of the results:
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Dealing with Economic Pressures in the Water Industry
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Black & Veatch provides recommendations for overcoming economic pressures in the water industry.
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Water industry leaders discuss economic pressures at WEFTEC ...
What do these links have in common? Black & Veatch. From their website: Black & Veatch Corporation is a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company with the mission of "Building a World of Difference®".
At the 2011 WEFTEC event in Los Angeles, Black & Veatch introduced their roundtable discussion, Black & Veatch's Water Dialogue with the goal to identify "actions and processes to help water industry leaders manage current economic pressures."
The 2011 WEFTEC roundtable consisted of about 90 water industry 'thought' leaders and produced six key recommendations:
- Find new business opportunities or revenue streams and then, once identified, put them into play
- Determine the best source or mix of new and established financing options
- Facilitate innovation to deal with the “new norm” and to discover the next big idea
- Collaborate more closely with all stakeholders and create “one voice” for water
- Reach out to educate the public about water issues
- Optimize assets to control costs
“Economic pressures have challenged all of us to think differently and develop new strategies,” said Dan McCarthy, President and CEO, Black & Veatch.
About WEFTEC's Technical Programs: Thousands of water and wastewater professionals attend WEFTEC to learn, network, find out about new products and services, and earn continuing education credit and PDH hours. Cutting-edge technical sessions and workshops address topics including collection systems; membrane technologies; plant operations, treatment, and management; regulations and research; residuals and biosolids; water recycling, and more.
For a solution that fits your requirements and budget, consult with an SRS Crisafulli Applications Engineer or Specialist today.
Article submitted by David Zamida, Mineral Project Manager and Mining Property Broker for BCgold.com
Superfund
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, was created by the United States government in 1980. This fund was created to finance cleanup of hazardous waste sites. Superfund grants earmark funds for hazardous waste removal and remediation by qualified agencies and contractors. The funds are collected through corporate taxes levied on companies in the industries (mining, oil and gas, etc.) as well as awards recovered through litigation directly against the responsible companies.
Superfund sites are publicly listed at http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/.
Superfund Regions Cleanup Sites
Graphic Courtesy of www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/
Leading edge mineral identification technology such as XRF (X-ray Fluorescence) Analyzers enables speedy identification of contaminated areas and quickly pinpoints contamination sources within these sites.
Innov-X Handheld XRF
Photo Courtesy of www.innovx.ca/
Sites are being continuously added to the Superfund database such as Chevron’s Questa Molybdenum mine in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The largest gold producing countries
South Africa holds a dominant position in total historic world gold output, much of which was produced in the last century. Today, Australia, Russia, the US, and China are competing for the top spot.
About the author
Dave Zamida is a Mineral Project Manager and Mining Property Broker for BCgold.com, which launched its first website in 2004, aligning unique mining property assets with market demand.
David’s clients include major, junior, public, private and government agencies. David has earned several accreditations through The University of British Columbia’s NBK Department of Mining Engineering, the British Columbia Institute of Technology and other institutions and is a member of the PDAC and CIM.
Would you like to learn more about SRS Crisafulli's involvements in the Gold Mining Industry? Contact Maureen Lundman.
Subscribe to this RSS feed and don't miss Ms. Lundman's blog article about gold pond reclamation dredging - coming soon.
Article submitted by David Zamida, Mineral Project Manager and Mining Property Broker for BCgold.com
Waste processing and storage
A good operator first understands the unique characteristics of the mineral deposit under their management. Each deposit is unique, as is the volumes and types of waste streams it will generate. Waste characteristics to be considered include: storage structure integrity, waste chemistry (including interaction with other materials), particle size, shape, hardness, mechanical properties, specific gravity and more. To enable storage facilities to effectively withstand chemical and mechanical stresses, groundwater dynamics and affected aquifers must be identified through a hydrological site study. To ensure that equipment matches the specific working conditions and requirements, company engineers and project managers must work closely with their equipment providers
SRS Crisafulli FLUMP Dredge
in a Lined Gold Reclamation Lagoon
World class operators understand that reclamation is not only a responsibility but also an opportunity to enhance the reputation and image of the industry. On mine closure, up-to-date knowledge, technology and equipment can be used to enhance landform aesthetics and functionality, leaving the land in better condition than when they found it.
About the author
Dave Zamida is a Mineral Project Manager and Mining Property Broker for BCgold.com, which launched its first website in 2004, aligning unique mining property assets with market demand.
David’s clients include major, junior, public, private and government agencies. David has earned several accreditations through The University of British Columbia’s NBK Department of Mining Engineering, the British Columbia Institute of Technology and other institutions and is a member of the PDAC and CIM.
Be sure not to miss part 3 of this article, Superfund and the largest gold producing countries – subscribe to this RSS feed (above this article).
Would you like to learn more about SRS Crisafulli's involvements in the Gold Mining Industry? Contact Maureen Lundman.
Subscribe to this RSS feed and don't miss Ms. Lundman's blog article about gold pond reclamation dredging - coming soon.
Article submitted by David Zamida, Mineral Project Manager and Mining Property Broker for BCgold.com
Impacts of gold mining and mineral processing on communities and the environment
Mining operations today have a wide range of economic, environmental and cultural impacts on society. Such impacts may be either positive or negative.
On the one hand, mining can provide an economic boon to the local community. A new mining venture may create jobs, improve local infrastructure, enhance quality of living and even increase property values for nearby population centers. Along with job creation, there are also skills-enhancement programs which improve the education, ability and value of mine personnel within the community.
Near a Gold Mine in a Rural African Community
On the other hand, mining communities can be strongly affected by commodity price declines. Moreover, when mines and mills shut down, the entire community can be devastated. In such cases, the mine operator is often blamed despite their inability to affect market conditions. For this reason, responsible operators will plan ahead for mine closures. One approach is to earmark funds for community enhancement programs, such as cross-training programs which upgrade mine personnel skill sets for compatibility with potential post-closure industries.
Mining can have various impacts on the environment. No two mines or mineral deposits are exactly the same – each one has its own inherent risks. While initial emphasis must focus on the economic extraction of valuable minerals, an important key to sustainable operations is effective management of high volumes of waste and byproduct. Using a gold mine as an example, economic grades of ore may have gold concentrations as low as 1 part per million, therefore the principal task of mining can be 99% waste management.
The earth is constantly shifting. This shifting can cause the destruction of habitat, species and communities due to soil erosion, breached tailings dams, ruptured geo-containment structures and other storage failures. Long-term waste storage structures must be effectively designed by qualified operators to withstand this shifting.
Another concern for communities is the potential loss of culturally significant land. In most developed countries, mechanisms exist for archeological review of potentially affected sites prior to setting a reclamation bond and issuing permits. In many jurisdictions where indigenous cultures exist these groups are given the opportunity to participate in the archaeological evaluation process themselves, to identify and safeguard culturally significant areas.
About the author
Dave Zamida is a Mineral Project Manager and Mining Property Broker for BCgold.com, which launched its first website in 2004, aligning unique mining property assets with market demand.
David’s clients include major, junior, public, private and government agencies. David has earned several accreditations through The University of British Columbia’s NBK Department of Mining Engineering, the British Columbia Institute of Technology and other institutions and is a member of the PDAC and CIM.
Be sure not to miss Part 2 of this article, Waste processing and storage - subscribe to this RSS feed (above this article).
Would you like to learn more about SRS Crisafulli's involvements in the Gold Mining Industry? Contact Maureen Lundman.
Subscribe to this RSS feed and don't miss Ms. Lundman's blog article about gold pond reclamation dredging - coming soon.
Glendive, Montana has held the Miss Montana Scholarship Program since 2005. SRS Crisafulli, Inc. signed on as a sponsor in 2006. We were inspired in part by the model of the Blue Crew from our competitor, Thompson Pump.
Each year SRS Crisafulli invites the contestants to the factory for a tour and a photo shoot. SRS Crisafulli supports these young women in their goals for higher learning and their community volunteerism.
The contestants visit is a favorite day at the factory.
This year the Miss Montana Outstanding Teen Contestants also toured the SRS Crisafulli factory and participated in the photo shoot, with great success.
A full twelve month calendar is in the final planning stages, and will feature the ladies from both groups of contestants.
View some pictures from their visit -use the stop button if they change too quickly.
Congratulations to Miss Montana 2011, Veronika Ohlinger from Cooke City, Montana. Miss Ohlinger will represent Montana at the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas, January, 2012. She is a Montana ambassador, speaking to schools, conferences and at special events. Her platform is Inspiring America: Dare to Dream.
Miss Montana 2011 Veronika Ohlinger
Jalyssa Gorder of Sidney, Montana was named 2011 Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen at the Miss Montana Scholarship Pageant in Glendive. Jalyssa won a $1,000 scholarship. Ms. Gorder represented Montana in Orlando, FL at the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant in August.
Miss Montana Outstanding Teen 2011 Jalyssa Gorder
SRS Crisafulli congratulates these young women and wishes them all the success in their endeavors.
Visit the Miss Montana website.
SRS Crisafulli prides itself on the high quality, reliability and durability of its dredges, pumps and power units. SRS Crisafulli asserts "Best Value" for its products. But is "Best Value" always what our customers are looking for?
The July 2011 Public Works publication titled 'Holding Steady and Looking Ahead' cites poll results from their readers.
“Public private partnerships are an important option that can be utilized in times of economic uncertainty and in periods of prosperity. There is a nexus between the public sector’s needs and the private sector’s goals. Local and state governments, particularly in today’s challenging economic times, need to find innovative ways to improve infrastructure that makes sense to the taxpayer.”– Doug Domenech, Secretary of Natural Resource of the Commonwealth of Virginia; Source:The National Council for Public-Private Partnerships
Many of SRS Crisafulli's customers are contractors, engineers, as well as municipal, state and government agencies. This Public Works article describes the current views of its readers regarding public/private partnerships.
"As budgets shrink, public agencies are exploring alternative project delivery methods. Arrangements such as public/private partnerships can help fill short-term funding gaps - assuming there are private funds to be had. Nearly a quarter of Public Works readers have tried a partnership at least once..." Source: Public Works. SRS Crisafulli finds this information intriguing.
We wonder how our customers would answer the same question.
So we created our own poll. What do YOU say? If you bid on government projects, please leave your comments below.
Read the Public Works article.
PUBLIC WORKS Online is part of the Hanley Wood network of construction-industry Web sites.
Are you bidding on a pump or dredge project? Contact us today!
Read SRS Crisafulli customer case histories and testimonials.
Read about SRS Crisafulli's technology and development.
SRS Crisafulli's FLUMP Dredge was in the news this spring for its role in meeting the opening day schedule at a unique Wyoming golf course.
The Casper Star-Tribune reported on the FLUMP's contribution to a remediation effort at the Three Crowns Golf Course, Casper, Wyoming. When we called to find out if the deadline had been met, we were told it was close, within one week.
Three Crowns Golf Course resides on the award winning remediation project of the former Amoco Oil Refinery along the North Platte River, as described at WyomingTourism.org.
Photo Credit: WyomingTourism.org
The environmental management master contractor, Trec, Inc., chose the SRS Crisafulli FLUMP dredge. "Golf courses everywhere use these to clean these ponds," said Jesse Fuller with Atlantic Richfield, which also assists with the remeditation maiintenance at Three Crowns Golf Course.
Crisafulli reports that many golf course ponds are being dredged to restore the irrigation capacity of their ponds.
Contractors from Grizzly Excavation reported on the ease of use of the FLUMP system. They "held a remote control, pushed a switch, and a motor activated the propeller to push an SRS Crisafulli FLUMP Dredge tethered to a cable strung across the major stormwater pond on the back nine of the course."
An SRS Crisafulli FLUMP dredge can "pass" a golf ball - which apparently were abundantly present in the Three Crowns Golf Course water treatment system ponds and stormwater pond.
Dairy Specialists, an SRS Crisafulli agricultural dealer for more than two years, was awarded with the Colorado-based CEBA Bill Daniels Business Award in March for conducting every aspect of its business with the highest of ethical standards.
Companies who receive the CEBA award are nominated by customers, vendors and organizations in the community at large.
When asked why Dairy Specialists was selected for this award, Owner Randy Sorensen had the following response:
“I think the way we choose to do business really resonates with people.
Dairy Specialists’ mission statement serves as the framework for how our company operates.
Mission Statement:
Dairy Specialists will be the Rocky Mountain Region’s Premier Provider of Dairy Construction, Supplies and Service by providing:
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The Best Designs in the Marketplace
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The Best Construction Quality & Time to Completion
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The Best Service & Products Available
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The Best Internal Systems in the Industry
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The Best People in The Business
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The Best Value for Our Customers…Our Partners…
We will be Outstanding Citizens of the Community that Makes Our Business Possible.
Creating a culture driven by the mission statement is a function of ethical, principled leadership at Dairy Specialists. The Leadership Team models the way for all our employees by framing every activity and decision it makes around the questions, “Is it the right thing to do?” and, “Does it drive us towards completion of our mission?” It’s simple, but it seems that, when framed in these terms, every issue, be it with vendors, customers, employees or the community at large yields consistently fair, quality outcomes. Our employees have quickly embraced this approach to doing business and feel empowered to make decisions and act accordingly knowing they will be supported.”
Dairy Specialists, one of three honorees, was selected from a group of 27 finalists, including 13 companies, seven non-profits and seven individuals representing a wide range of industries and community organizations from hospitals and youth agencies to law firms and financial institutions.
Dairy Specialists is one of the largest and most innovative dairy service and supply dealerships in the country. Supplying commercial dairy farms with innovative parlor designs, new construction, remodels and state-of-the-art dairy equipment and dairy waste management technology.
Dairy Specialists consult with their Dairy Customers for SRS Crisafulli’s Trailer Pumps and Remote controlled FLUMP Lagoon Dredges.
As with the agricultural industry , 2008, 2009 and early 2010 were 30 of of the worst months in the last thirty years for the entire dairy industry and specifically for dairy farmers in Colorado. Declining milk prices, increased feed and energy costs, coupled with the failure of one of the largest local dairy industry lenders, New Frontier Bank, led to the perfect storm for Colorado dairy farmers.
The opening of a new Laprino Foods Plant in Greeley will ultimately lead to the need for additional milk generation in the state, which will open up new opportunities for Dairy Specialists to participate in the design and construction of new dairy parlors as well as in the expansion of existing facilities. Ongoing innovations and involvement in bringing green energy and efficient waste management technologies to agriculture and the community as a whole, represent realistic opportunities for growth. The prospects for a good year in 2011 are looking up for the Colorado Dairy Industry.