Environmental Impact to Height of Land Area

The Height of Land scenic byway in western Maine overlooks many awe-inspiring views including Mooselookmeguntic Lake and surrounding areas. The proposed highway reconstruction for the byway on Route 17 between Byron and Oquossoc has finally been approved funding after 4 years of lobbying for the project. The project will have an impact on the environment throughout the vicinity of the reconstructed highway.

This area is peppered with Maine wildlife including moose, eagles, and a variety of fish species.

The biggest positive environmental impact will be the effect is has on the watershed. It has been shown in the past that the road consistently washes out. The new reconstruction will prevent the silt and pollutants from draining into the watershed. The project consists of blasting ledge to the east of the old road to shift it to a different slope.

Mike Michaud, a Maine Congressman, has stated, "The $3.2 million Height of Land Economic Stimulus project could create good-paying jobs, increase tourism in western Maine, connect three scenic byways and three premier recreation/ski resorts, improve safety, and protect a lake and watershed."

Therefore, the project is not only positive for the environment, but even for the economic status of the western Maine area.

The proposed project will no longer be a 'pull-over wherevever you want' type of tourist attraction, according to Mark Hume, Maine Department of Transportation Region 3 engineer.


SOURCES:

http://www.sunjournal.com/node/834817
http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/13830/places/15021/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g40835-d103845-r44298004-Height_of_Land-Rangeley_Maine.html
http://www.eaarts.com/Rangley/Height%20of%20Land%202.htm
http://www.mainebiker.net/photo/height-of-land
http://www.rlht.org/
http://www.trails.com/usgs-topo-height-of-land-scenic-overlook-locale-topographic-map-1908341.html

NBA Playoffs Heat Vs Celtics Game 2 Recap 04/20/2010 (0-2)

NBA Playoffs - Boston Celtics v. Miami Heat (Game 2)

The National Basketball Association's playoffs began April 17 and it has been a nonstop excitement train since then. The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat tipped off their best-of-seven series on that date. When Game 2 was set in place on Tuesday, April 20, the Celtics were already topping the series with a 1-0 lead. Game 2 took place at the TD Bank Garden in Boston at 8 p.m. in front of an audience of 18,624. Not one person attending the game had a lack of anticipation for the hopeful victory for their home town team.
As the crowd filtered in, there was an evident buzz throughout the entire arena. The Celtics started the game slow, matching the Heat point for point for the first seven minutes. By the beginning of the second quarter, it was apparent that the Celtics meant business. There was no way they were going to be stopped. Ray Allen led a 21-0 run in the second quarter and ended the game with 25 points. The Heat were only allowed 33 points before halftime.
After halftime, the trend was no different. The Celtics did not let up. Their defensive presence was strangling the Heat. It seemed as if Dwayne Wade, the Heat's perennial all-star, was the only player to show up to stand up to the Celtics, as he scored 29 points. It was not enough to beat the over-powering Boston team, who were a well-oiled machine all night long. The fastbreak points differential was 27-2 in Boston's favor.
Except for the first few minutes of the game, there was no point in the game when Ray Allen and the rest of the Celtics were not in control. With a 106-77 win, the Celtics will take their 2-0 first round series lead to Miami to try and sweep the Heat to advance to the next round.

Spreading the Love for Virginia Tech

With the invention of online networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Wikepedia, and YouTube, people has become much more exposed to information. This information can range from what your next door neighbor is having for dinner to how the Bank of America stocks are performing. This knowledge has become instantaneous and is updated every second of the day. There are pros and cons to having unlimited information at your fingertips. However, in the case of natural disasters or tradgedies, it is human nature to reach out a hand and help. For some, help comes in the shape of websites, blogs, and emails.
On April 16th, 2007, a tradgedy occurred on the Virginia Tech campus the gained national attention. The United States as a whole was in complete schock that a student would enter an academic building one day and decided to kill 33 people. However, the nation didn't just sit around and observe as the investigators and media got involved. Everyone got involved in the situation; not necessarily involved in the investigation, however, intangled in social networking organizations to discuss the massacre, help distribute information, and find and talk to more sympathizers and/or victims.
A Facebook search for "Virginia Tech Massacre" queries more than 500 different groups. A few of the names of groups include: "Praying for VT"; "A Hokie Nation"; and "All will be missed -VA Tech: April 16, 2007." All three of those groups have over a thousand members, which translates to: when a disaster happens, people band together. These groups were used two years ago to pray and vent emotions. Today, these groups still exsist, but as memorials, more or less.
Facebook is not the only interface used to spread word about the massacre. Wikipedia was used as an enormous resource for many people. The article titled "Virginia Tech massacre" did not spare any details about the incident. Over 100 sources were cited. Since Wikipedia is an free-sharing network, anyone can post information about anything. In the case of the Virginia Tech shootings, it is obvious that many people joined in on sharing information.