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Author: signordal
Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River
Some miles south of the Mexican city of Los Algodones, near the Baja Peninsula, the Colorado River ends. It used to flow to the sea, emptying into the Gulf of California. As recently as midcentury, its delta was a wetland ecosystem, with lagoons, fish, and jaguars. Now the drainage basin is an arid wasteland. Motorists have to pay a toll to drive over a bridge that crosses only sand. In 2014, an agreement between the United States and Mexico authorized a one-time release of river water through an upstream dam over an eight-week period. Children came to marvel at a river they didn’t even know was there.
In Where the Water Goes, longtime New Yorker contributor David Owen explores one of the most complex water systems in the world. Although visually stunning, the Colorado River is not a storied transportation waterway like the Mississippi or a cradle of civilization like the Nile. It is only 1,400 miles long and not very wide in places. Yet what it lacks in size it makes up for in footprint. The Colorado runs dry because it provides water to tens of millions of people. In addition to residents of northern Mexico and southern California (including Los Angeles), the river and its tributaries supply water to Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
Along its southwesterly path from the snowpack of the Rockies, the Colorado winds through a network of dams and reservoirs that provide hydroelectric power as well as water to large portions of the West. The system’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, “have been treated like lower-basin credit cards,” Owen writes, and now stand at historically low levels. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation estimated recently that the Colorado has a “structural deficit” of over a million acre-feet per year — meaning claimants have paper rights to more water than actually exists. (An acre-foot is the volume it takes to cover one acre in water to a depth of one foot — roughly 325,000 gallons.) Climate change will only exacerbate the shortage by reducing the precipitation that forms the snow that becomes the river. The situation is unsustainable.
The answer would appear to be obvious: “All we need to do is turn off the fountains at the Bellagio, stop selling hay to China, ban golf, cut down the almond trees, and kill all the lawyers,” Owen writes facetiously. Not at all. Where the Water Goes exposes and revels in the complexities of water policy. The Bellagio’s famous fountain in Las Vegas, for instance, might seem like a wanton waste of a precious resource in the middle of a desert. Yet it is a drop in the bucket. The fountain uses a miniscule 64 acre-feet of water — and its source is not the Colorado but a combination of groundwater and storm runoff. Moreover, Las Vegas and Nevada more broadly have some of the most effective water conservation policies in the Southwest. Las Vegas has reduced its annual consumption by over 15 billion gallons since 2007. If southern California were so efficient, the river would produce a surplus rather than a deficit.
Owen writes that water problems do not have easy solutions. Trees in the southwestern cities and suburbs exist because of irrigation. One way to reduce consumption would be to stop watering them. But this would only produce a different environmental problem. The loss of shade provided by tree canopy would lead to a dramatic spike in energy consumption. Perhaps people should not live in deserts, then — but if they moved elsewhere, Owen writes, they would strain the water systems of their new homes as well. Another paradox is agriculture, by far the biggest use for Colorado River water. Some might argue that growing plants in an arid region makes little sense. Yet desert agriculture carries far less risk of catastrophic storms, droughts, and frosts, and supports a year-round growing season in which precise planning — and thus efficient use — is possible. In other words, addressing the Colorado’s shortage is not as simple as using less water.
What, then, is the solution? Here Where the Water Goes suffers its only real shortcoming. The book is a delightful read, digressive and omnivorous in its concern with natural history, travel, public policy, and geography. But Owen does not pretend to have answers. While identifying difficult trade-offs in water management, he does not make any choices. The closest to an effective water policy the Colorado has seen in recent years was a sharing arrangement known as Minute 319 between the United States and Mexico after the Baja earthquake of 2010. It was a momentary reprieve from the tragedy of the commons that the Colorado River exemplifies. But rights sharing won’t halt population growth or climate change. Get it while you can. One day it will be gone.
The Barnes & Noble Review http://ift.tt/2pP9T6f
The Disasters of War
It comes as a surprise to a British reader to find World War I routinely referred to, by Americans, as America’s “forgotten war.” The British would never use such a term. It is true that certain significant aspects of the war have faded from the collective memory. Every one of us can remember why World War II was fought (“Hitler had to be stopped”), but few can do the same for World War I. Yes, the archduke had been shot in Sarajevo, but who the archduke was, and why his assassination led to general war, and why the war was or wasn’t worth fighting—that takes a rarer expertise to answer.
A Scandinavian Style Apartment with a Special Touch of Coziness
The basis for Scandinavian style in theory is simple, but it’s more difficult in practice. The space must enjoy a good supply of natural light, and the interior design must be the height of chic without leading the home to lose that special touch of coziness that makes a home a home, usually done in neutral tones of white and gray, but with slight and strategically-placed touches of color to..
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This awesome shot of Fantasy Canyon in Utah took the scenic…
This awesome shot of Fantasy Canyon in Utah took the scenic landscape prize in the 2016 Share the Experience Photo Contest. The intricate sandstone formations and terrific light make this unique area a photographer’s dream. If you have outstanding pictures from public lands, sign up and share them at http://ift.tt/18oFfjl for your chance to have your photo on the America the Beautiful public lands pass! Photo by John D’Onofrio (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). @mypubliclands
A Stunning Villa with Spectacular Views in Lugano, Switzerland
This marvelous villa—which rises majestically from the hills of Lugano, the Swiss-Italian city, boasting incredible views from the Lugano Lake to the mountains of Capriasca, in Switzerland—was designed by the architectural firm Attilio Panzeri & Partners in 2013 and has a total area of 412 meters squared. With spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and lake, this grand building is characterized, both in its exterior as well as its interior,..
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10 Ways to Avoid Making Your Kid Resent You
When I was younger, I worked in a nursing home. It was a sad and disheartening place to work. The people you’d normally find there are not in their best condition and it was heartbreaking on most days.
On weekends, the grown children of some of those people would come to visit. They’d sit awkwardly on the stiff chairs, obviously just fulfilling their duty. However, once the obligatory hour and a half were over, they’d quickly walk out looking visibly relieved.
The parents would be left with nothing else but to look forward to when their children would be back next. Some residents had no visitors at all. It was so sad to watch.
On occasion, there would be a special resident, one who always had visitors. The children of this person would stay the entire length of the visiting hours and show up punctually the next week. Many times, his family members would bring dinner. His grandchildren would come on weekends and the halls would turn into a family reunion every Saturday.
And I asked myself, what was the difference between these two sets of circumstances? How were these residents different?
So, I started to look at my own situation and of the people around me. I finally came up with the most important items that would ensure a long and loving relationship with your children.
Let your kid be whatever or whoever he wants to be
Identity is very important to anyone.
When you were young, you probably had a good idea of wanted you to be- a teacher, pilot or doctor. Although you did not grow up to be those things, you were pretty much decided at that time.
Kids, as they grow, change their minds almost as quickly as sand falling from an hourglass. It is what they do. If you do not allow them to be who and what they want to be when they want to be it, they will resent you.
Don’t force them to share their toys
I know this is a sore subject for some.
When we were young, we were taught that nice people share. Our parents would take away our toys and give them to another child to play with.
Let’s look at this from another perspective.
How would you feel if your boss or your parent insisted that you give the keys to your new car to your friend just because nice people share? You would hate it. After all, it is YOUR car.
Well, if the toys truly belong to the child, shouldn’t he be the one to decide whether he should share or not? If you take his possessions away, he will dislike you as much as you would dislike someone who takes your things.
Instead of forcing him to share his toys, keep a separate basket of toys that are for everyone. This will make it easier for him to share with his playmates.
Stop finding fault
Some parents never realize that their kids grow up. They continue to correct them all their lives without knowing that it embarrasses and upsets the kids. Nobody likes to be constantly told they are not measuring up. No one wants to be corrected all the time.
If your boss did that to you, you’d probably quit. So, validate the things your child does right instead of constantly correcting the things he does wrong.
Know when there is something very important to your child
When my son was thirteen, he wanted his ears pierced very badly. His dad did not want this. So, my son, being the resourceful and totally badass kid that he is, recruited his little brother to steal sewing pins from my sewing basket and did it himself.
I didn’t realize what had happened until I noticed that he was wearing his hoody all the time- even in 90-degree heat. I pulled the hood off and there were my sewing pins sticking out of his earlobes.
Now, I could have gone ballistic, but all I did was laugh. I told him to take out the pins, let his earlobes fully heal and I would take him to a nurse to have it done right. In short, I knew I was licked.
Now, ear piercing is not a life or death thing so I could afford to be magnanimous. Some things aren’t, so make sure to choose wisely which issues to stand your ground.
Make the ratio of your time together way overbalanced on the fun and happy side
One of my biggest regrets in life was that I was so stressed out trying to work an insane job while raising my kids. I should have given myself more breaks. For that reason, the happy times were fewer.
Everything that happens to us, we will remember as either happy or unhappy.
Summer vacations and birthday parties are some of the events we consider happy. These are times we think of as pleasurable. Dentist appointments, on the other hand, are sucky so we consider them as unhappy.
Don’t give them too much
This is a problem for many parents and I’m guilty of this one, too.
I grew up in a house with seven kids. I shared a bedroom with three sisters in bunk beds shoved against the wall. There was little money for buying clothes. It was only when I was thirteen that I could finally babysit and buy the clothes I wanted.
Because of this, I thought it was best to give my kids everything I wanted as a child but could not have. This, unfortunately, made them feel overwhelmed.
It wasn’t until later that I realized that I was making them miserable while trying to make them happy. They felt that there was no way they could contribute back.
When I finally let them work and make money to buy what they wanted, they became resourceful and happy.
You cannot make up for a hard childhood by buying things for your kids. You make up for it by being a loving parent.
See Also: What You Need To Know About Teaching Children Values
Let them make you laugh
Everyone loves someone who finds them sparkling, charming and amusing. When your child makes you laugh, have you noticed how he tries to be funnier and funnier? Making you laugh is a gift from him to you. And laughing at his jokes is a gift from you to him.
Was there ever someone who made you feel sparkling, charming and amusing? How did you feel about that person?
Touch their hair as they pass
There is nothing like physical touch to make a person feel that you really want to share your space with them. Kids love to cuddle and get close.
I have endless photos of me and my son as he was growing up. In each one, our arms are entwined. We were always physically close and that closeness has remained to this day now that he is grown.
Love and protect your own parents
No matter how much we may have resented our own parents, they loved us and they did the best they could do for us. No parents hate or dislike their kids unless they have serious issues. Our parents just got overwhelmed and upset as we were growing up, and our kids, when they grow up, will probably feel the same way, too.
Show your kids a good example and overlook all the upsets for the time you have left with your parents.
See Also: Top 10 Tips to Help Children Develop Useful Habits
Always be willing to start over
My oldest son and I used to have fights. If we had kept it up, we would both have been miserable and upset all night.
At that point, I would look at him, hold out my arms and say “Can we please start over?”. He would tear up, come to me and we would be done.
This is a great way to end an upset. You both agree that it’s the end, and you start over.
Love your kids. Tell them how precious they are to you. Use discipline with love and understanding and you will not be alone in your later years.
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A Seafood Restaurant Newly Renovated in Babahoyo, Ecuador
Located in the city of Babahoyo—in the Ecuadorian province De los Ríos, an area in which fishing is one of the most productive economic activities and is undertaken by its inhabitants—this restaurant, having served this type of food for over twenty years, sought to expand its business and offer its clients better service. Therefore, they made the decision to invest in the acquisition of the business premises and renovate it…
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11 Life Hacks All Lazy Girls Definitely Do
Every lazy girl knows a few tips and tricks to look her best and arrive on time with as little effort as possible. To give you an idea, here are a few lazy girl life hacks you can try to simplify your life:
Dry Shampoo / Baby Powder / Cornflour
Maybe your shampoo ran out without you noticing or maybe you’re just plain lazy that day. Don’t worry! Dry shampoo can get you through another day of skipping the tedious hair-washing routine.
Here’s a great video that teaches you how to make DIY dry shampoo AND how to apply it to your hair.
A little bit of baby powder or cornflour can go a long way– well, I mean a little. Blonde haired girls don’t have to worry too much about overdosing on powders. Brunettes, however, need to be light-handed with the powder and only apply enough to absorb excess moisture.
Air Out Your Dirty Laundry
Haven’t had time to wash your favorite outfit that you’re dying to wear? No problem! Hang them out in the breeze to refresh your clothing and it’ll feel like they’ve just been through the wash.
For added freshness, spray the garment with your favorite deodorant and iron it out to combat any smells and creases. After that, you’re good to go.
If you know that you will have to hit the gym in the same pair of leggings twice in one week without a chance to give them a good wash between wears, make sure you take them out of your gym bag as soon as you get home and air them out straight away. This will help to dry the sweat and they’ll gain second-wear status.
Blow Dry Your Hair After a Gym Session
You washed your hair in the morning and decided to hit the gym. After your workout, you now feel sweaty and gross. Since your hair has just been washed, you can just get rid of the smell and sweat by applying dry shampoo.
Keep in mind that you can’t apply dry shampoo or powder to your hair while it’s still wet. So, pull out your hair dryer and dry up the sweat before applying dry shampoo and your hair will look as good as it did in the morning.
Knot Your Hair in a Bun
There are so many lazy girls who can’t be bothered to dry their hair and apply dry shampoo. Lucky for us, messy buns are all the rage. Toss your hair into a tight knot or bun and no one will know when you last washed it.
Quick tip: Braid your hair and style it before you go to the gym and you won’t have to touch it afterward.
Plan for a Good Snooze
Waking up in the morning can be hard work, and no one likes to get up with the first alarm. Take a leaf out of your lazy girl’s book and set your alarm a couple of minutes before the actual time you need to wake up. This will ensure that you get to hit the snooze button and still have time to get yourself ready in the morning.
It’s a win-win!
Run Errands in a Sweatshirt
Running out of time? Need to go to the shops but you’re just too lazy to get changed?
Throw a sweatshirt over your top and you’ll be able to run your errands with your pajama top on- and no one will know.
Kick this tip up a notch and run your errands bra-less too. A cute sweatshirt needs to be in every lazy girl’s closet for the days when she’s struggling to find the motivation to get things done.
Refuse to Wear Jeans (or anything you can’t slide on and off)
Jeans are tough to get on and off and, let’s be honest, no one enjoys jumping around to get the button done. We don’t need that kind of negativity in our lives.
Invest in some nice pants or leggings that you can slide on and off and you’ll be stylish, comfortable and ready to go at the drop of a hat.
Keep Makeup Removers With You At All Times
Some makeup products can be stubborn to remove. Keeping makeup removers in your bag or next to your bed can save you all the trouble. Your pillow will surely thank you, too.
Added hack: If you didn’t manage to get all of the eyeliner off from the night before, build on it. Last night’s eyeliner is today’s eyeshadow.
Minimal Make-Up That Will Leave You Glowing
The best make-up essentials for any lazy girl are a good concealer, mascara, eyebrow pencil and blush.
The concealer is perfect for covering any blemishes. Wearing mascara is a must if you want to look more awake and glowing. An eyebrow pencil is essential, too. Simply neatening up and darkening your eyebrows will have you looking well-kept in no time. Wearing a nice blush can give some color to your face. It’ll make you look youthful and flirty.
Braid Your Hair Before You Go to Sleep
Want to have flowing beach waves but don’t like putting too much effort?
Braid your hair into a plait before you go to sleep and you will wake up with beautiful loose curls. This hack can also save you precious time in the morning, so you can hit snooze a few more times.
Use Your Hair Straightener As An Iron
This hack is an absolute life-saver and time-saver. Using your hair straightener as an iron will allow you to get your hair done and get rid of the creases in your outfits without taking up too much time.
Bonus Life Hack:
Use Testosterone Boosters to Improve Your Energy Levels
I know, ladies using testosterone boosters sounds ridiculous, but a lot of the time that people (both male and female) feel run down is because their hormones are out of balance.
Testosterone boosters have proven to have numerous benefits for women, and they won’t make you big or bulky.
Men and women require a certain level of testosterone and women are often on a birth-control pill, which messes with their natural hormone balance. Many women complain about a loss of libido and general lethargy when taking hormonal medication and a boost of testosterone can help to remedy these negative effects.
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Sig Nordal 