OT: Alternate heat source

I realize that junk mail isn't anybody's idea of high quality fuel, but it might be acceptable in the right application. For instance, I've read that the huge masonry stoves used in Russia and other European countries of the far north burn what we would normally consider kindling to create an intensely hot fire that doesn't last long, but dumps a lot of heat into the masonry mass for sustained release over many hours afterwards. Junk mail isn't kindling, of course, but then nobody's going to deliver free kindling to your house six days a week, either.

Stan

Yes, I'm bitter ;o)

Nice to see that others are aware of Russian Stoves. I have built two and a half stoves and they are fabulous. Junk wood, even demolition debris, is far superior to good cord wood. I would draw the line on paper though. Too much ash with a high potential for the burnt paper flakes to plug up the flues.

For those who want more info on the stoves, search on "Albie Bardon" at google. He is the guru and major promoter of the stoves in this country. I was a trainee with him on the 'half' stove about 30 years ago.

West of the Cascade mountains, it is much warmer and in most places wetter. But lots of Eastern Washington has pretty high elevation and is almost dry enough to call it a desert.

Washington should have been made into two states: the wet and urban West side and the dry and mostly rural Eastern side. Since the West side has the most population, they control the whole state and this leads to some laws that are really contrary to what we want and need in Eastern Washington. Division of the state has been talked about for many years, but it doesn't seem like enough people are serious enough about it for the division to actually happen. I'd vote for it if it ever came up on a ballot.

What you're saying is that you want to secede from the state and form your own state. Why, that's rebellion, isn't it? Just kidding. Separate states east and west of the Cascades makes a lot of sense. I suspect that most private citizens in western WA understand the unfairness of imposing urban oriented laws on the rural part of the state. My guess as to why no action ever takes place about it is that there's so little precedent for that kind of event. West Virginia splitting off from Virginia is the only occurrence I can think of---and that was in relation to actual civil war. Anyway, I'd vote to cut you free.

All the best, Stan

North Idaho has about as much in common with Southern Idaho as the West/East halves of Washington. I had not thought about Eastern Oregon, but maybe that area also feels dissed by their Western majority.

If a new state was ever created, it is my understanding that it would be relatively poor as compared with the current states, but at least we would have some voice in what happens in our area. For example, I would guess that the current law prohibiting the hunting of mountain lions with dogs would be struck from the books, and the growing problem of not very shy cougars attacking people would decrease.

And I would guess that the new state would have 2 senators and the members of the house would be on the basis of how much population there was. The electoral votes would also reflect what the people of Eastern Washington voted, rather than the winner take all situation that we now have.

And so, for that last reason, I doubt that the party now in power would EVER let a split of the current state happen. Oh well, it's fun to think about.

Nathaniel