Snippets: August 2015

Mighty Zion Park

Located 160 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Zion Park is called a spiritual place.

"People are coming not only to tour the park but to nourish themselves," says an owner of a local antique shop.

With its towering sandstone cliffs and slot canyons shaped by the winding Virgin River, Zion is one of America's busiest parks. On the Emerald Pools Trail, one can see waterfalls spill from above while walking on an iron railing below. The river creates lush green vegetation and trees.

The most popular vista could be the Court of the Patriarchs, three peaks that reminded early visitors of biblical figures Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

I would love to have a pad of paper, pen, and an open sky. The inspiration would be heavenly.

Is Trump A Bully Towards Megyn Kelly?

I usually don't write about politics, but Donald Trump's tweets were burning with criticism today. Read the below what Trump tweeted about Megyn Kelly. (All are from Trumps Twitter) Tell me what you think. Is he bullying her?

‏@realDonaldTrump

"@PatrickStinard: @megynkelly Kelly File was much better without Megyn Kelly. Her replacement while she was out on vacation was much better!

‏@realDonaldTrump

"@mstanish53: @realDonaldTrump @megynkelly  The bimbo back in town . I hope not for long ."

‏@realDonaldTrump

"@MikeRaj7:  @megynkelly Show has become a opinion show. Leading questions, Stirrwalt and Thiessen, used, Fair and balanced, NOT"

‏@realDonaldTrump

"@ColeHudson68: @megynkelly  @FoxNews @theBlaze @greta @OreillyFactor Megyn needs to go back on vacation. What a waste of an hour on Fox."

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 17 hours agoManhattan, NY

I liked The Kelly File much better without @megynkelly. Perhaps she could take another eleven day unscheduled vacation!

‏@realDonaldTrump

.@megynkelly must have had a terrible vacation, she is really off her game. Was afraid to confront Dr. Cornel West. No clue on immigration!

Fear Ameer

That's the title Abdullah Ameer had when he was a Nebraska Cornhusker. That was last year. This season the running back took a handoff, bolted to his right, cut hard back to his left for a 45-yard run in a Lion's uniform.

"There's no hype when it comes to Ameer," says Bell an injured Lion's player.

Bell won't be the only one watching Ameer this season. I look forward to seeing some twists and turns like I had when I watched the Cornhuskers when Ameer took the ball down the field.

You watching any football this season?

Playing With Feeling

Danielle Gillis, 17 of Yankton, SD placed first in the 42^nd annual Fiddle Contest. “I have played with my dad at the Smithsonian Festival in Washington, D.C. and have been on the garrison Kellor show in Minneapolis. It has been an amazing ride.”

“It’s funny sitting here listening to these contestants. Some come up and play a tune that makes you want to tap your foot. Others come up and play waltzes that make you want to cry. There is so much feeling in the music,” Foss, 93 says.

I hadn’t taken much thought in the arts until I began a serious career in writing. I consider myself an artist, painting pictures with words. We have a lot in common – passion.

10 Best Reader's Choice Awards for Best Place to Propose

Proposals Places

1. Empire State Building, New York
2. Love sculpture, Philadephia
3. London Eye
4. Eiffel Tower, Paris
5. Moto Picnic, Tahiti
6. Grand Canyon, Arizona
7. Rocky Mountain Hike, Colorado
8. Trevi Fountain, Rome
9. Canals of Venice
10. Magic Kingdom, Orlando

Maybe someday, in a future book that I'll write one of these places will be included. It sounds like a lot of fun and something I'm looking forward to.

What place would you pick?

Students Rewriting History

Barry Jurgensen's history class is helping to ease racial tension. Over the past five years, the teacher and his students have researched and successfully nominated 15 sites associated with the Underground Railroad.

Jurgensen, who worked as a National Park Service historian before becoming a teacher, blogged that he wanted to teach students to look outside the history book. He provided them the opportunity to become historians.

He likens this work to a treasure hunter. "'Indiana Jones' and 'National Treasure' aren't too far off from what we find here," he said.

I'd love to have been in this history class. The surprise of discovery had to have been high.

Adult Coloring Books

On The Creative Penn Podcast, I heard again about adult coloring books. I also read a newspaper article that claimed 3 million books were sold with titles like, “Flower Fashion Fantasies and The Garden.” The books are occupying much of Amazon’s top sellers.

Coloring clubs have sprung up because of this frenzy. “People are stressed and anxious all the time. Coloring is a way to calm down and unwind at the end of the day,” says one of the publishers.

A colorer says, “It’s really relaxing and takes your mind away from stressful things in life.”

I may try it. Who knows, I may like it.

Yesterday's Trains

Hands at the controls of a 130-ton steam locomotive, would-be engineers experience the days long gone by.

"They are not refined machines," says Bill Hobbs, a retired securities industry executive. "The feeling of crude power is a big part of the attraction."

Bill is in his third day of the school, spending thousands of dollars learning how to drive the trains. The locomotives are owned jointly by a Colorado-New Mexico state trust and operated for excursions and education.

Would you want to operate a train of yesterday?

Drones: Here They Come

The Revolution

There coming in droves to spray crops, inspect high-voltage power lines, and hover over movie sets to provide directors with new vantage points. They will work for insurance companies, real estate agencies, ski resorts and dozens of other businesses.

You guess it – drones.

What is slowing the explosion? – the slow moving government. Most Americans associate drones with the military, used on the battlefield.

Some of the areas that could benefit from drones:
Farms – A drone could survey an entire farm, find bugs or soil that is too dry or too low in nutrients and then send the exact coordinates back to a tractors that will apply pesticide, water or fertilizer only to areas in need.

Other areas: Risky Situations, Hobbyists, Deliveries and Investors.

What could you use a drone for?