All That Junk

Did you ever wonder what happens to all that junk? Your old car, broken appliances, maybe an ancient lawn mower? Well here’s what happens to the vast majority of it. Actually this is Phase 2. Phase 1 is the local scrap metal hauler, be it the trash collector or another individual, picks it up from you or your recycling center or some such place. Then it travels to a place where it ends up looking like this:

You can see flattened cars in the pile as well as a jumble of other things. From this pile, the material is fed into what is known as a “shredder.” This machine is technically a hammer mill. Just imagine a long shaft with huge hammers hanging from it. Now spin that shaft with a 2,000 horsepower electric motor. Whatever those hammers strike is shattered into little pieces. Below is a photo of your junk being fed into the machine.

Here’s another one. This time the claw of the machine is beside the throat of the shredder.

Notice the steam coming off the shredder. Plenty of heat is generated by those hammers pulverizing all that material. Water is sprayed in to keep things cool. The pieces fall onto a conveyor belt system. These belts pass through various sorting devices including magnets to separate the ferrous (iron) from the non-ferrous (copper, aluminum, etc.). That system looks like this:

Ultimately some of the material is separated by hand. At the end of the line, there are individual piles of ferrous scrap, non-ferrous, and “fluff.” Fluff is all the plastic, foam rubber, paper, and miscellaneous garbage that is not metallic. Believe it or not, fluff has many uses including landfill cover and fuel stock. This pile is of the ferrous scrap or “frag” as it is called.

In Phase 3, this will be sent to a steel mill and converted into new steel. Scrap iron is the most recycled commodity in the United States. Every year, millions of tons of junk are converted into new products. There is also a massive export market for this and the non-ferrous scrap.

So what’s this got to do with a guy who writes books and travels? Well, a friend of mine owns the plant shown above. He’s quite the entrepreneur. It’s people like him and the guys who work in scrap yards that sometimes form the basis of the characters in my books. Besides, there’s never a dull moment around this kind of action. It sure beats the office.

Published in: on June 18, 2008 at 7:42 pm  Leave a Comment  
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A Brief Reminder

Here’s a photo of a fading Coca-Cola sign, this one taken in Aruba.

People ask me why I’m such a big fan of Coca-Cola. Well, it goes back a long way, my whole life actually. You see, my grandfather worked for Coca-Cola Bottling of New York. They owned the local bottling works in the next town over from where I grew up. He drove a delivery truck, hauling various products to stores and restaurants located around the area. The company treated my grandfather very well. When he finally retired they gave him an expensive clock, which I only learned much later was powered by the changes in atmospheric pressure. It’s a long explanation exactly how. Suffice it to say it works with a barometer that acts as a winding device so you don’t have to wind it. For the company to give him such an expensive gift was a remarkable gesture. Sadly, my grandfather died young, as many of his generation did, a victim of cancer. I remember going a few places with him, the local fire house where he liked to meet his friends was one in particular.

But it’s more than just loyalty to my grandfather. I like the taste of the product. Some people may not like it, but Coke is a universal symbol of Americana. I’ve been many places in this world and buying a stranger a Coke is not a bad way to break the ice or start a friendship. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s simple. A properly chilled and served Coke goes a long way to refresh and inspire. I can’t pour one without being reminded of my grandfather. Funny how things remind us of people, isn’t it?

As always, ENJOY Coca-Cola, ICE COLD.

Published in: on June 18, 2008 at 12:24 pm  Comments (2)  
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A Long Goodbye

On the southern edge of Aruba, beyond the famous Baby Beach, is an area where pets are buried. We all love our pets, think of them as members of the family, and treat them better than ourselves at times. It’s only appropriate they are buried respectfully. Here’s a view of the way it’s done on the island.

This is a solemn place. You can’t look at the makeshift crosses without thinking about your own pets, both past and present. I’ve seen people come here to place flowers and other offerings, which only proves how beloved these animals were. Some day I want to incorporate this scene into a story.

And yet only a quarter mile away you’ll find families frolicking in the water, people snorkeling, and others just working on their tans. In the distance, beyond that clear blue water, you’ll see super tankers and cargo ships passing by.

Life goes on, but it’s only right to pause once in a while to remember the ones we loved, especially our pets.

Published in: on June 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Too Much of a Good Thing?

Since so many people have messaged me to demand more beach and Aruba photos, I’ll bow to the pressure and put just two more up. Then, we’re going back to Spain. But we’re still in Aruba for now, going to one of my favorite spots to snorkel. This is an area known as Mango Halto (which can be spelled many different ways) also known as Spanish Lagoon. This area features a dramatic cliff that drops straight to the water. The ocean is buffered by a reef located about two hundred yards from the cliff. Some nice soul cut a stairway down the cliff to a spot where you can don your gear and get in the water.

The mast (flagpole) and landscaping here was installed by a local fellow who wants to keep the spot as a pleasant retreat for those who appreciate the opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty. People respect this, leaving it as they found it, clean and tidy. That boardwalk leads to the stairs down to the ocean.

The snorkeling along the cliff is average. There are usually a bunch of fish but very few spots of coral. Nonetheless, if you go out toward the reef you’ll find all sorts of coral including fans. The fish swimming here are the brilliantly colored types that are never boring. Sometimes the choppy waves make the swimming a challenge. Early in the morning is the best time to go.

Then after some awesome ocean viewing, you come back up the stairs and take a seat here:

You can see this is a comfortable spot for two. Here you can dry off, relax, maybe enjoy your favorite beverage. Just one more reason why so many people love Aruba, and rightly so.

There’s a small hotel within a two minute walk of Mango Alto. It’s called the Sea Breeze, and it is a charming bit of Caribbean hospitality. They have a small swimming pool in the courtyard, a barbecue, and a bar. It’s the type of place to stay when you want to get away from the crush of the high-rise hotels, when you want to get back to the basics. Isn’t that why you came to a Caribbean island in the first place?

Published in: on June 17, 2008 at 12:57 pm  Comments (1)  
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