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Explorer 1 launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 31, 1958, atop a Jupiter-C rocket. 1958: The United States enters the space age with the successful launch of the Explorer I satellite. Data from the satellite confirms the existence of a radiation belt girdling the Earth. Explorer I, known officially as Satellite 1958 Alpha, blasted into orbit from Cape Canaveral atop a Jupiter-C rocket, a modified version of Wernher von Braun’s Redstone ballistic missile, which itself was a direct descendant of another von Braun production, the German A-4/V-2 rocket. The project was carried out at Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the U.S. Army (before NASA was founded). It was already on the drawing board but was accelerated dramatically following the successful launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union the previous October. In all, it took 84 days to modify the rocket and to design and build the satellite. Explorer I was tiny, weighing 30 pounds fully loaded. More than half the weight was instrumentation, which included a cosmic-ray-detection package, a variety of temperature sensors and a microphone for picking up micrometeorite impact. Data was sent back to Earth using 10- and 60-milliwatt transmitters. It was a model of simplicity, and it worked. In NASA’s own words: “Because of the limited space available and the requirements for low weight, the Explorer I instrumentation was designed and built with simplicity and high reliability in mind. It was completely successful.” Dr. James Van Allen, an astrophysicist working on the project as part of the International Geophysical Year 1957-58, designed the on-board equipment that helped detect and return data on the radiation belts circling the Earth, belts that now bear his name. The Van Allen belt is, in effect, two croissant-shaped belts girdling the Earth. Trapped within these belts, which run in depth from roughly 125 to 620 miles above the Earth, are radioactive particles capable of penetrating about 1 mm of lead. The existence of the Van Allen belt poses some difficulty for space flight, both with and without crews. Radiation can damage solar cells, integrated circuits and sensors necessary to satellite operation, and astronauts passing through the field may run a slightly higher risk than normal of developing cancer. In response, NASA has taken to turning off sensors as they pass through the Van Allen belt, as well as improving the protective housing for sensitive instruments. The belt has not seriously impeded human travel in space, though that’s often cited by believers in the Apollo moon-landing hoax. |
About Me
- Ric
- Florida, United States
- Bred, raised, educated and life long Floridian, and proud of it. E-mail at one(dot)legged(dot)old(dot)fat(dot)man(at)gmail(dot)com
Monday, January 31, 2011
Faced with a dramatic decline in the number of Americans moving to Florida, community boosters are promoting the Sunshine State as a cluster of research and technology, not just a balmy place to live.
The rebranding reflects attempts to attract businesses and college graduates while reviving the stream of retirees and home buyers who once poured into Florida and nurtured economic growth.
A batch of hurricanes, a housing crisis, the Great Recession and the loss of a million jobs in the state have brought the stream of new arrivals to a trickle.
Using the latest available data, census surveys estimate that only 461,088 people moved to Florida from another state in 2009. Nearly as many Floridians -- 439,665 -- moved to another state. That's roughly one-third fewer new residents compared with 2005, when 632,168 moved to Florida from another state.
Moves to Broward County from outside the state plunged from 46,338 in 2005 to 27,148 in 2009. In Palm Beach County, the number declined from 43,796 to 32,809.
In the Orlando/Kissimmee area, the number of new residents who moved from another state plunged from 78,138 in 2005 to 62,872 in 2009.
The Florida numbers reflect declining mobility nationwide, as far fewer Americans move across state lines in the aftermath of the recession and housing crisis.
Low housing values in other states make it harder for would-be transplants to sell a house and move to Florida. Many baby boomers have put retirement plans on hold because their savings are depleted. And Florida's unemployment rate -- among the nation's highest at 12 percent -- has forced job seekers to look elsewhere.
``The economy is the culprit here,'' said William Frey, a demographer with the Brookings Institution, who said only 1.4 percent of Americans moved across state lines last year, the lowest rate since World War II.
``Once the economy picks up, it will help bring back the flow of residents and the labor force that is an essential part of Florida's industry,'' he predicted.
Frey and other demographers have noticed that young adults are attracted to urban areas such as Tampa, South Florida, Boston and San Francisco because they are considered ``cool cities'' buzzing with street life, cafes, concerts, art exhibits, major-league sports teams and partying. Florida cities add sand, sun and warmth.
``A lot of young people want to live in certain places because of things like cultural events and the marriage market. Then they look for some kind of job once they get there,'' said Emily Eisenhauer, a researcher at Florida International University who studies the labor market. ``We have seen that in Miami. I know that's part of why I wanted to move here seven years ago.''
``But with the loss of jobs,'' she said, ``it's harder for the out-of-college cohort to come here.''
The Great Recession and housing bust prompted Florida promoters to realize they could no longer rely on climate and low taxes to foster growth. And they decided that Florida's economic triad -- agriculture, construction and tourism -- is not enough to employ all those who want to come to the state.
``The Florida you knew three years ago is gone, and it's not coming back,'' said Bob Swindell, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, which tries to draw businesses to the region. ``Our challenge is to create high-skilled jobs to accommodate people who want to move to Florida.''
The strategy means going beyond ``a retirement mentality of people coming to Florida for the quality of life,'' he said. ``You also need employment opportunities.''
For instance, the Alliance tells employers that by moving to South Florida they can tap a talent pool of high-skilled workers, including many who were laid off by Motorola in 2008. The idea is to retain residents while drawing new businesses and creating more jobs, stoking growth that lifts the entire economy.
Three technology companies -- Research in Motion, Foxconn and General Dynamics -- took advantage by setting up shop in Broward.
``This community really didn't have a reputation for research and development, especially in the wireless communications sector,'' Swindell said. ``If you relocated your family down here, there was only one game in town: a signature operation like Motorola. But you didn't have a lot of options if, for whatever reason, that didn't work out. Now we've got a robust cluster.''
The Scripps Research Institute in Palm Beach County is another magnet for those seeking good-paying jobs. And in Central Florida, a cluster of research facilities known as Medical City -- anchored by the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute -- potentially will draw workers wanting to move to the region.
``These projects were slowed down by the recession, but the pace is picking up,'' said Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness. ``We think Central Florida will be one of the fastest-growing areas as far as job creation is concerned. It will pick up this year, but we don't anticipate rapid growth until 2012 or 2013.''
The big barrier to mobility is not Florida's housing market, which now offers bargains. The obstacles are low property values elsewhere -- which make it hard to sell a home -- and the lack of jobs in Florida.
New Gov. Rick Scott, a former health-care executive, spends time every day calling chief executives around the country, urging them to look at Florida. He said last week he intends to revamp the state's economic development efforts, placing them directly under his office, as part of his campaign pledge to create 700,000 new jobs in seven years.
``Most people learn to love it here. It's a great place to live,'' said Thomas Shea, CEO of the Florida/Caribbean region for Right Management, which coaches displaced executives on where and how to find jobs. ``But it's not that easy for someone from another state to come here and find a job unless they have a skill that is much in demand.''
"A guy makes a rolling stop at a stop sign and gets pulled over by a local policeman. Guy hands the officer his driver's license, insurance verification, plus his concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit.
"Okay," the officer says, "I see your CCW permit. Are you carrying today?"
"Yes, I am.
"Well then, you'd better tell me what you've got."
The motorist says, "Well, I got a .357 revolver in my inside coat pocket. There's a 9mm semi-auto in the glove box. And, I've got a .22 Magnum derringer in my right boot."
"Okay," the officer says. "Anything else?"
"Yeah, back in the trunk, there's an AR-15 and a 12 gauge shotgun. That's about it."
"Sir, are you on your way to a gun range?"
"Nope."
"Well then, what are you afraid of?"
"Not a d**ned thing!"
By Andrew Pantazi North Florida Herald
NEWBERRY -- Want to shoot airsoft guns, BB guns or even real guns in the city limits of Newberry?
You can't. Not legally, at least.
Recent agricultural annexations in the city of Newberry revealed that under current law, the city bans all gun use in the city, except when used for defense.
So the city is now working on amending the city laws regarding weapons. The first attempted amendment was shown Monday night by city attorney Scott Walker.
No vote was taken on the amendment. Commissioners offered advice at the meeting on how Walker could reword the amendment.
The amendment states that as long as someone is a half-mile away from residential, commercial or industrial property, then he or she can shoot a gun.
Some of the problems with that were identified by gun-owning Commissioners Bill Conrad and Joe Hoffman.
A half-mile, Conrad said, is excessive. It should be reduced to an eighth of a mile or no distance at all, as long as the shooter is on agricultural property.
Hoffman countered that there might need to be some distance or some exception made, since a rifle can shoot an eighth of a mile. But, he didn't want to eliminate recreational shooting.
"Any man with a rifle, I would hope, is governed by his common sense," he said.
Maybe, Conrad also added, exceptions for hunting clubs can be added to clarify the law.
Commissioner Alena Lawson added her own recommendation that the City Commission should be more willing to err on the side of caution.
After Walker makes the proposed changes to the amendment, it will brought back before the elected officials.
By Cindy Swirko
Staff writer Gainesville Sun
Staff writer Gainesville Sun
On the outside, it looked pretty much like any other tiny, greenish-blue Honda Civic hatchback from the early '90s. But under the hood, well, that's what gets Joshua Bermudez and Melissa Hernandez moving.
"I just raced the car. It went pretty good," Hernandez said, calculating that the little car hit 99 mph within a quarter-mile. "I always race. All the time. Second gear is the greatest thing — your heart is pounding and you see everything so clear."
Bermudez and Hernandez were just two of dozens of amateur car racers who participated in Test and Tune at the Gainesville Raceway. Scheduled weekly through much of the year, Test and Tune features street-legal cars and dragsters, and draws racers from throughout the region.
Racers such as Bermudez, who works as a mechanic in Gainesville, and Nick Sebastian — driving a red Volkswagen — admit to having drag-raced at night on country roads.
But now they pay $25 to test their cars all day against others in a controlled environment that is safer than the streets — and it's legal.
"I'm more of a Mustang guy, but this is just the daily driver. It's kind of slow — so far 89 mph," Sebastian said. "I have raced on the streets before. Not anymore."
Nate Cross, sales and marketing manager for the Gainesville Raceway, said Test and Tune is held on either Saturdays or Wednesday nights through much of the year at the track on County Road 225 north of Gainesville.
A typical Saturday will have about 100 cars tearing down the track — from the souped-up Japanese cars popular with young people to classic Chevy Novas from the 1960s.
"Some of them are getting ready for our divisional points races later in the season, some just want to race for fun and bragging rights," Cross said.
It's clear at the track that the events are a family affair. Bermudez and Hernandez had their two children in tow. Ernie Griggs, 73, a tire dealer in Ocala, races along with his son.
And then there is the Arnold family of St. Johns County — dad Q.J., mom Michelle and kids Jessica, 17, and Jordan, 14. Arnold used to race dragsters and so did his father. Now it's the girls — they travel throughout the Southeast to race and hope to make it a professional career.
"I've been going to the track since I was a week old, so ever since then, I've been hooked," Jessica said. "It's a rush, but there is so much thinking that goes into it. It's a real mental sport."
Jordan, who is not old enough to drive cars on streets, said the sisters have tried other sports and activities such as soccer, cheer and dance.
"But this is what we were meant to do," she said.
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It's a simple question: What is the best park in Alachua County? Getting one answer, however, is anything but easy.
Alachua County has dozens of spots set aside for recreation and conservation, but each has something that makes it unique in the minds and hearts of area residents.
Whether playground or pool, skate park or sinkhole, this area's parks and preserves offer something for everyone just about year-round
The Sun asked its readers what parks in Alachua County stand out to them and why, and below is a round-up of what they had to say. Use this guide — as well as a new map and searchable database of all city, county and state-owned parks on Gainesville.com — to plan your next family outing.
Best playground: Northeast Park
Off Northeast 16th Avenue, tucked behind the baseball fields and tennis courts, past the fenced-in dog park and open walking trails is a huge playground just waiting for kids of all ages to climb and jump and swing.
Northeast Park is a quiet place to play. It's tucked back from a main road and shaded by tall trees that offer a reprieve from Gainesville's hot summers.
Kathy Stewart, founder of the free website Fun4GatorKids.com, usually takes her kids to parks in the southwest part of town where the family lives, but when she's looking for an adventure for Becca, 8, and Ryan, 5, she takes them to the playground at Northeast.
"We love that one," Stewart said. "There are features for little, little kids, but the big kids like all the monkey bars and merry-go-round."
Location: 400 NE 16th Ave., Gainesville
Hours: Seven days a week, sunrise to sunset
Walking/jogging trails: Yes
Playground: Yes
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: Free
Honorable mentions: Green Tree and the nearby Kiwanis Challenge Playground in Gainesville; Hampstead Park in Haile Plantation; Carl's Corner Spin Playground in Brytan
Best dog park: Squirrell Ridge
Squirrel Ridge Park has one thing that most dogs crave: lots and lots of room to run.
The two fenced-in, off-leash dog parks — one for big dogs, one for small dogs — nestled behind a large open field and small playground is a favorite of man's four-legged friends.
“I like how they can socialize,” said Santa Fe College student Lauren Montgomery of her two dogs, Rosie, a border collie mix, and Ruby, a bassett hound. “Everyone's dogs really play together and are so good together.”
Montgomery brings her dogs to the park, which is free, a couple times a week to get exercise and play with other pooches.
“I can let them off the leash, and they just run around,” she said. “They love it.”
Location: 1603 SW Williston Road, Gainesville
Hours: Seven days a week, sunrise to sunset
Walking/jogging trails: No
Playground: Yes
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes
Restrooms: No
Cost: Free
Honorable mentions: Forest Ridge in Gainesville
Most unique to Gainesville: Devil's Millhopper
When visiting Devil's Millhopper, the geological wonder in northwest Gainesville, there's one number to know: 232.
That's how many steps one must climb down — and then back up — to view this one-of-a-kind state park hidden amidst the sandy terrain and pine forest of North Central Florida.
The limestone sinkhole measures 120-feet deep and leads down into a lush, shaded landscape that has a soundtrack of singing birds and trickling water. A half-mile nature trail surrounds the top of the sinkhole.
Park rangers lead guided walks through the park at 10 am each Saturday.
Location: 4732 Millhopper Road, Gainesville
Hours: 9 am-5 pm Wednesday through Sunday; closed Monday and Tuesday
Walking/jogging trails: Yes
Playground: No
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes, on a leash
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: $4 per vehicle; $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists
Honorable mentions: Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville; Dudley Farm Historic State Park in Newberry
Best place to see real Florida: Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Naturalist and artist William Bartram first described the natural wonders of what he called the “great Alachua Savannah” in 1774, and much of what he saw then is still there today.
The 21,000-acre park is home to alligators, bison, wild horses and hundreds of species of birds. Visitors have the chance to see the wildlife in its natural habitat along hiking and equestrian trails, bike paths, picnic areas and on the water by canoe or kayak.
If you've never been, start your day at the air-conditioned Visitor Center, which is open from 9 am to 4 pm daily. If you've got a weekend, spend the night under the stars at one of the park's campsites, and don't miss the 50-foot-high observation tower.
Location: 100 Savannah Blvd., Micanopy
Hours: 8 am-sundown, seven days a week
Walking/jogging trails: Yes
Playground: No
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes, with the exception of some of the trails
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: $4-$6 per vehicle; $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists; camping starts at $18.
Honorable mentions: Morningside Nature Center
Best place to bike: San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
With more than 30 miles of cross-country trails, San Felasco Hammock State Park is a mountain-biker's dream. More than 15 trails of varying distances are interconnected and take riders of all levels up steep climbs, over hills and open fields and across wooded hammocks.
Randy Brown, park manager at San Felasco, said the park is different from the county's rail-trails in that its biking trails don't go through any towns. Instead, outdoor adventurers travel through 18 natural communities found within the state preserve.
“You're seeing the real Florida,” he said. “You won't see Mickey Mouse anywhere on our trails.”
The almost 20 miles of trails range from the 1-mile Cotton Tail Trail for beginners to the more challenging Conquistador Trail, which has steep up and down turns.
“It's not for the faint of heart, for sure,” Brown said.
Location: Bike and equestrian trailhead is at 13201 Progress Blvd., Alachua; hiking trailhead is at 11101 Millhopper Road, Gainesville.
Hours: 8 am-sundown, seven days a week
Walking/jogging trails: Yes
Playground: No
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes, on a hand-held leash on the hiking trails only
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: $4 per vehicle; $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists
Honorable mentions: Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail
Best place for kids to splash: Hal Brady Recreation Complex
For families looking for a cheap way to beat the heat each summer, it doesn't get much better than the free splash pad at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex near downtown Alachua.
Water shoots from the ground, falls from buckets and sprays out of brightly colored fountains, making for hours of wet fun in the sun for young children.
And parents concerned about safety need not worry: The play area — and nearby shaded picnic tables — are surrounded by a high chain-link fence with a childproof gate.
Location: 14300 NW 146th Terrace, Alachua
Hours: Splash pad opens around the first of March, depending on weather; 9 am-6 pm daily
Walking/jogging trails: No
Playground: Yes
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: No
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: Free
Honorable mentions: H. Spurgeon Cherry Pool and splash pad at Westside Park in Gainesville; Poe Springs in High Springs
Best park to skateboard: Possum Creek
The concrete ramps, pipes and rails at the skate park at Possum Creek Park are a stark contrast to the open fields and tree-lined nature walks that surround the 18,000-square-foot haven for skateboarders and bikers.
The popular park reopened last year — it first opened in the 1990s — with a large playground, two dog parks, a boardwalk and jogging trail, but the skate park is its biggest draw. Skateboarders of all ages ride across the banks and around curves, while people who have come to enjoy the parks many other activities look on.
Location: 4009 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville
Hours: Seven days a week, sunrise to sunset
Walking/jogging trails: Yes
Playground: Yes
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: Free
Best park for a birthday party: Westside Park
Visit Westside Park on any given Saturday, and you'll most likely find the covered picnic areas decorated with balloons and streamers. Children will be running back and forth from the playground to the tables, where they'll sing “Happy Birthday” to a good friend.
A popular birthday destination, the park also features a running trail, baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts and a skate park, not to mention a community center and pool.
Karen Pruss, an executive assistant at the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, and her husband Bill got married at the park 27 years ago.
“We went over on our lunch hour and got married — we eloped at the park,” she said.
A year later, the family celebrated their son Taylor's first birthday at Westside. The family has had endless picnics and barbecues at the park throughout the last two decades.
“It's a wonderful park for small kids, or adults who want to exercise or walk their dog,” Pruss said.
Location: 1001 NW 34th St., Gainesville
Hours: Seven days a week, sunrise to sunset
Walking/jogging trails: Yes
Playground: Yes
Picnic tables: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes, on a leash
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: Free; call for admission prices and hours for the pool and tennis courts.
Honorable mentions: Kanapaha Veterans Park, Green Tree and Northside parks in Gainesville
Best kept secret: Mill Creek Preserve
The county's oldest Alachua County Forever conservation area, Mill Creek Preserve opened to the public on Earth Day 2008.
Since that time, the park has added marked trails, including the recent 0.6-mile Hammock Trail in November, which includes two foot bridges made from recycled and reused materials.
Gainesville freelance writer Mike Walker said Mill Creek's remote location makes it an ideal place to spot wildlife.
“With some of the bigger parks, the crowd, it's a blessing and a curse,” he said. “And for anyone's who's serious about photographing wildlife, I've never run into another person when I've been at Mill Creek.”
Location: Corner of County Road 241 and 236, north of Alachua
Hours: Seven days a week, sunrise to sunset
Walking/jogging trails: Yes
Playground: No
Picnic tables: No
Dogs allowed: Yes, on a leash
Restrooms: No
Cost: Free
Honorable mentions: Cellon Live Oak in LaCrosse
More Information:
Parks database
Search a database for parks in Alachua County. Check by zip code, park name or activities and features offered at each location. Detailed information about each park also is available.
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110130/ARTICLES/110129497?p=all&tc=pgall
Search a database for parks in Alachua County. Check by zip code, park name or activities and features offered at each location. Detailed information about each park also is available.
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