texascavers Digest 7 May 2014 21:57:05 -0000 Issue 1974
Topics (messages 23789 through 23796):
Re: Vertical related
23789 by: David
Re: Bad fire season a-comin'
23790 by: Jacqueline Thomas
Way to save a tortoise!
23791 by: Louise Power
caver.net mailing lists
23792 by: Bill Bentley
Misplaced (packed) extension cords from Spring Convention.
23793 by: caverarch
Oklahoma removed from list of suspected bat fungus areas
23794 by: William Tucker
articles
23795 by: Jill Orr
Disposable caving boots
23796 by: David
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According to the news reports today, the circus apparatus and the
acrobats weighed 1,500 pounds and where held up by
a single steel carabiner rated at 10,000 pounds. They allege the
carabiner snapped. I want to see a photo of that. It must
have had a fracture, because on a a tensile test machine those things
don't just snap, but deform before snapping, and would still supported
1,500 pounds if stretched open, unless it somehow got rigged
horizontally by getting tangled in something.
The picture below shows the carabiner, but you have to squint to see it.
http://i.cbc.ca/1.2631836.1399248145!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_300/circus-accident.jpg
A 5/8" stainless-steel anchor shackle like the one pictured below has
a rated breaking load of 26,000 pounds, and only cost about $ 40 plus
tax, and could safely handle 9,750 pounds, and they are readily
available in 3 larger sizes. The galvanized versions are stronger
than the stainless-steel versions, but are given the same working load
rating.
http://www.e-rigging.com/assets/images/Drawings/SS_Bolt-Type_Shackle_Drawing.jpg
My bet is their D-ring had not been properly cared for, and dropped
hard on the concrete.
David Locklear
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Very good advice for anyone living in an urban/wild land interface. That said,
last time I was at Punkin/Deep the building was in excellent shape regarding
wildfire preparedness.
We have already had a 14,000+ acre wildfire out this way. Which brings me to
another concern: Don't burn stuff outside. Anything. The aforementioned fire
was started by someone burning trash.
Keep cool and be safe,
Jacqui
On May 5, 2014, at 1:43 PM, Louise Power wrote:
> According to all indications, this may be one of the worst wildfire seasons
> on record because of the continuing drought and hot weather. I
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Congratulations to the two BCI employees who rescued a tortoise from an Arizona
mineshaft. The tortoise had fallen 20 feet to the floor and they were able to
bring it up and take it in for care. It had a hole in its shell. Good work,
guys!
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The caver.net mailing lists are down as the server is being migrated.... I
don't think anything will be lost... only delayed...
Thanks,
Bill Bentley
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I just got a call from Tom Summers of CWAN. We (TSS? Or another entity with a
trailer and lots of stuff set up by the pavilion?) accidentally packed up and
left with two of his grounded extension cords, one yellow and one orange. Tom
is not upset at all (and he really enjoyed the convention) but would like to
get the cords back.
Roger
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I haven't seen anyone discussing this; possibly because the news has
not gotten around, yet. I just received this press announcement.
May 6, 2014
A service of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation
OKLAHOMA REMOVED FROM LIST OF SUSPECTED BAT FUNGUS
AREAS
After re-examining an Oklahoma bat specimen
originally tested in 2010, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey
National Wildlife Health Center have dropped Oklahoma from the list of areas
where White-Nose Syndrome in bats has been suspected or confirmed.
The scientists have also removed the Cave Myotis
(Myotis velifer) from the list of bat species that have tested positive for
the fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) that has been associated with
White-Nose Syndrome, which since 2006 has killed millions of hibernating
bats primarily in the eastern United States and Canada.
The Oklahoma specimen was collected in a private
Woodward County cave in May 2010, and at the time appeared to have the
fungus. While original test results were positive for the fungus associated
with White-Nose Syndrome, new testing procedures have revealed the bat was
not infected with the fungus and did not show characteristic lesions.
Five bats tested from that private cave in 2010-11,
along with 81 swabs from that cave and surrounding caves taken in 2013-14,
failed to show the presence of the fungus. This monitoring will continue in
24 caves across the state.
Shortly after the suspected case of White-Nose
Syndrome, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation created the
Oklahoma Bat Coordinating Team, composed of at least 20 entities that have
direct bat and cave management responsibilities. The team created a
communication plan involving scientific cooperators, interested parties,
stakeholders and user groups on bat and cave management, bat research and
bat diseases in Oklahoma. The team has been active in creating the state's
White-Nose Syndrome Response Plan and participating in disease surveillance
work in multiple cave systems in Oklahoma.
Wildlife Department biologists commended the U.S.
Geological Survey National Wildlife Heath Center's continued efforts to
ensure accuracy and transparency in diagnostic results.
For more information on White-Nose Syndrome, visit
whitenosesyndrome.org. For general information about bats including a "Bats
of Oklahoma Field Guide," visit wildlifedepartment.com.
- 30 -
News Contacts: Don P. Brown or Micah Holmes (405)
521-4632
Website: www.wildlifedepartment.com
E-mail: i...@odwc.state.ok.us
This program receives federal assistance from the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and thus prohibits discrimination on the
basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and sex
(gender), pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as
amended), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. To request an
accommodation or informational material in an alternative format, please
contact the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation by calling (405)
521-3855. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program,
activity, or service, please contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, Attention: Civil Rights
Coordinator for Public Access, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203.
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Ya'll
I walked all over St Thomas looking for wi-fi to check my empty email for
articles and photos for the Texas caver: I'm sure some of you all can send
articles and photos. I'm hot and sweaty and I've done my duty and I'm going
to sit under a tree and sip coconut juice and rum from a coconut. Thanks to
those of you who did. You know who you are. J
I'll be checking email and drop box one last time tomorrow before I am
unavailable for 7 days.
Please send articles.. -- Jill
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The product described below is mainly for wet walking caves where a caver
might prefer the standard industrial rubber boot.
Have you seen or worn the molded croc-style sandals, that are popular with
kids ?
A company has an industrial boot made out of this molded material. It has
a nice lug sole, but I bet the sole would wear down after a few trips.
The boots are almost as light as a pair of gloves.
They are made in USA.
They are about twice the price of rubber boots.
There is an integrated plastic safety-toe sandwiched inside the molding.
For more info go to:
www.billybootsusa.com
Disclaimer: I doubt my big foot would fit in their largest size.
One idea would be to let all tourist wear these on the cave tours just for
the fun of it.
My theory is these could be worn with a thinner pair of socks than a
standard industrial rubber boot, as the material seems to be soft and
flexible. However, they appear to offer no ankle support, so a caver might
want to wrap their ankles like athletes do with sport tape.
David Locklear
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