New Wind Turbine for Donny Q

Five years ago, the US Army spent 3.8 million dollars on a windmill* at Tooele Army Depot that has never worked. 

Disfunctional Chinese-made Tang Energy turbine with Oquirrh Mountains in background.

FAIL

The 262' tall monolith promised to deliver 1.5 megawatts of power, saving the military facility an average of $200,000 annually. Unfortunately, the Chinese-made Tang Energy turbine failed to perform.

With an average wind speed of around 14 mph, this location on Tooele Army Depot is the perfect location for a wind turbine. Therefore the Army has contracted** to build another wind turbine in the same location, right next to the one that doesn't work. 

The windmills are located near the southerly boarder of the southeast corner of the Tooele Army Depot and can be seen from almost everywhere in the Tooele Valley.

The new wind turbine that has been under construction for the past few months will soon be fully operational, but this time, sporting a new American-made General Electric turbine that the Army Corps of Engineers promises will deliver 1.5 to 2 megawatts of free*** energy. 

There are no plans to retrofit or remove the $3.8 million Chinese-made turbine so it will remain where it is... forever and forever in Tooele.

The power lines that supply electricity to operate the controversial NSA Data Center run adjacent to the southerly boarder of the depot.

* $3.8 million contract was awarded to PNE Corp, who installed all Chinese-made components.


** $5.5 million contract was awarded to Juhl Energy in partnership with Aegis Renewable Energy and Icenogle Construction Management inc.

***  The windmill project combined cost of $9.3 million will take an estimated 46.5 years to pay for itself.

Three Dog Night Live in Tooele - That Ain't the Way to Have Fun... Son!

Three Dog Night played in Tooele tonight. 

They were no doubt the biggest and best band to ever play in the city famous for chemical and bio weapons stockpile and development. 

 

The old-school rockers sounded great and pulled off quite a show.

They played all of their hits and even some new material that they said would be released by 2030.

The Oquirrh Mountains were a beautiful backdrop for the show. 

The ugly and intrusive power lines installed to to operate the new NSA spy center, along with their resulting permanent scars on the mountain sides, were visible from every angle. 

The crowd enthusiastically held up index fingers as the band played an old favorite, and one of Three Dog Night's biggest hits. One of my earliest memories of playing records on the old family console stereo is the Three Dog Night 45" single, One, (the loneliest number). The record belonged to my sister and I clearly remember watching it spin on the turntable. I recall that the song was credited to have been written by Nilsson, my first introduction to a composer/performer who is numbered among my favorites. I love Harry Nilsson and prefer his original version of One over Three Dog Night's cover. Both are good though.

When I was in fourth grade, I performed* the popular Three Dog Night song, Joy to the World, in the West Elementary Talent Show. It wasn't the first time I had performed publicly, but it was certainly the best received performance and gained me respect from my peers. Joy to you and me.

One of the most entertaining songs Three Dog Night played tonight is their popular cover of the Randy Newman song, Mama Told Me. Newman originally wrote the song for Eric Burdon** in 1966, but it was made famous by Three Dog Night in 1970. Tonight's version lasted about ten minutes and featured disco and rap variations of the familiar tune. 

The show ended with a spectacular lightning storm accompanied by rain... lots of rain. 

Three Dog Night has never been one of my favorite bands, but they are certainly featured prominently on the soundtrack of my life.

*I sang the song whilst playing my baritone ukulele. The following year, I performed Obla Di Obla Da. In sixth grade, I performed with my first band, Deep Six. I played my 1964 Dakota Red Fender Musicmaster.

**Ecic Burdon of the Animals - first solo album 

The Residents - Again? Part 2 of the Randy, Chuck and Bob Trilogy

I've lost count of how many times I've shoveled snow this winter. My neighbor, Dylan, has been nice to clear the sidewalk in front of my house a couple of times with a snow blower. I have been using the old school method - snow shovel, which is sadly the only real exercise I get.

Three inches of ice covered by a foot of snow atop my roof for months on end has been far too common, therefore, earlier this month, a friend and I drove all the way to Santa Cruz, CA to get away from what seemed like an unrelenting winter, and to do some stuff that can't be enjoyed here in Utah, behind the Zion Curtain. 

One of the primary reasons we went to Santa Cruz was to see the Residents 40th Anniversary Tour at the Rio Theatre. Their final show on their US tour. 

The Residents power trio of Randy, Chuck and Bob played some of their biggest hits and even did a tribute to the late great Snakefinger. 

I love going to the Seabright Beach overlook at Atlantic Ave and 3rd where it is common to see a large peace sign constructed on the sand. 

I was getting some strange vibration sounds when driving between 15 and 20 mph, so I took my car to my mechanic friend, Waid, who checked it out thoroughly and informed me that it was only a tire wearing issue. Waid didn't even charge me for the inspection. I replaced and upgraded the tires when I got back to Utah. 

While we were waiting for Waid to inspect my car, we took a loaner over to Rosicrucian park in San Jose to check out the Egyptian museum there but unfortunately it was closed that day. 

The grounds of the museum and park were a nice place to relax whilst we waited to hear from Waid.

As usual, the pacific Ocean was spectacular. This picture was taken at Natural Bridges State Park.

Aaron's two grapefruit trees presented us with a most delicious specimen... BEST grapefruit I've ever eaten. 

And one that was a bit over-ripe.

The snails were having their way with Aaron's garden. He battled the slimy creatures every night and by the time we departed, it appeared that he had the upper hand on the situation. 

Before leaving town, we stumbled on a Blorb on Pacheco Avenue. God bless Brad Stock!

Twas wonderful to see my kids and SO many good friends. SO difficult to leave. I'll be back.

4/20 Post BIRDHAND Behind the Zion Curtain

Recently, my friends from the band, Birdhand, took time off from their US tour to stop in Tooele and hang out behind the Zion Curtain for a couple of days.

On Easter Sunday, we all piled into Wilma, (the Birdhand tour van), and traveled thirty or so miles to Temple Square in Salt Lake for a recital featuring the awesome Mormon Tabernacle Organ.
It was late in the afternoon, and no one had eaten yet, so after the recital, everyone hurried to the closest eatery for sustenance. JB's Big Boy was only a hop-skip-jump-n-stumble away, and before we knew it, we were enjoying the finest diner food in that part of Salt Lake.
On the way back to Tooele, we took a detour to some salt flats near Stansbury Island where Birdhand enjoyed some yoga on the salt with local yoga teacher, Heidi Rosenberg.

I got lots of great 3D photos of Birdhand as they frolicked under the bluest of skies. Their boots will never be quite the same.


Birdhand recently recorded one of my songs, so here, for the first time, is the full version of Guineapig Man performed by Birdhand.

3D Winter

On the eve of Super Tuesday, here's a bunch of non-political 3D photos to enjoy.
A few days ago we got about a foot of wet, heavy snow.

Last week, Mighty Mo happened to notice these sparkling ruby red slippers dangling from a tree near the Great Salt lake.
I drove the pickup truck over the old Lincoln Highway recently, and found dinner on the side of the road. Glad I took my saw.
I noticed this broken backboard here in Tooele and couldn't resist the 3D photo opportunity.
The field betwixt Wallmart and Deseret Industries is littered with hundreds of baggies that have escaped from inattentive shoppers, only to be trapped by the barren brush that no bag can escape. Way too go Tooele! Lookin good!

A snowy field of hay bails in Idaho was too wonderful to pass without stopping for a photo.

My World in 3D

Here are a few more 3D photos to enjoy.

The above photo features four Norma Forsberg originals from the popular "Pear Collection" currently on display in my living room.

Above is a nice scene from inside the historic Mormon Tabernacle, looking outward through a beautiful old-glass window that provides an interesting refracted view of some buildings.

Nothing says "Welcome to Tooele" better than an operative military tank.

Above - Mason standing in front of the infamous Bldg. 649 on the Tooele Army Depot.

Above - Mason at old dilapidated barracks.

Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes in 3D

I sliced my finger a good one whilst washing a glass, therefore, typing will be minimiZed for this post.

My son, Mason, flew out from Santa Cruz to celebrate my birthday. After Mighty Mo left for Central America, Mason and I took the old truck out for a drive across the valley. The photo above is an enormous windmill that can be seen from almost everywhere in Tooele Valley.

The 3D photos below were taken earlier that same day at nearby Rush Valley. The towers under construction are part of an enormous power line project that has already permanently scarred the landscape and will change the skyline forever.