A Map for Memorial Day - Sobering remembrance

I spent the Memorial Weekend in the Washington DC area. We celebrated my son's 8th birthday, toured the Air & Space Museum, and heard the roar of the Rolling Thunder bikers as they massed on the mall for remembrance of our soldiers' sacrifice.

This particular site (www.MapTheFallen.org) seemed to capture my mixed emotions on the two wars and the sacrifice born by our military. I wish I could bring them all back, and hope this site continues to geographically illustrate their deeds, and emphasize the eternal thanks we owe them all.

In the Google Earth environment, you are able to see home of record, approximate place of death, and other thematic/temporal representations.

Visualizing the US Alternative Power vs. Current Grid

This visualization of the current national power grid and comparisons of several alternative energy "landscapes" (Solar, Wind, etc.) is an intriguing comparison of current power network to potential new sources of energy in an environment of ever increasing "power-hungry" demand.

Quick "Cut & Paste" highlights:

Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid

The nation’s electricity grid is facing a crisis -- it’s outdated and unprepared for increasing demand and a future that includes more renewable sources of energy. A new digital smart grid is part of the picture envisioned by advocates, as is building new electricity infrastructure.

Credits:

To Flowing Data for bringing it to my attention, and these NPR folk (below) for putting it together:

Sources: American Electric Power, American Wind Energy Association, Center for American Progress, Department of Energy, Edison Electric Institute, Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Research Institute, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Western Resource Advocates

Credits: Producer: Andrew Prince; Designer: Alyson Hurt; Editors: Avie Schneider and Vikki Valentine; Supervising Editors: Anne Gudenkauf and Quinn O'Toole; Additional Research: Jenny Gold; Database and GIS Analysis: Robert Benincasa

When I Finally Go .... I want to be a Drop in the Ocean

I saw this on BBC and thought ..."Yup, that's a neat way to go into the Great Beyond".