Government of Canada at Quaker Oats

The Quaker Oats plant in 42N's Cedar Rapids, Iowa is one of the world's largest cereal production facilities. On some days throughout the city of five seasons you can smell which cereal is being made - some say Cedar Rapids is the city of five smells. Anyways, behind the plant are railroad tracks which deliver raw material to Quaker for processing. On this day the Government of Canada's railroad freight car was in position for unloading. Many rail cars left in accessible areas display artwork of graffiti painters - some good and others pure crap. Too bad these artists can't direct their talent towards something positive like updating the 1970s-ish logo of grain haulers for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Know that.

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Orange Crush at the Blue Room Lounge

42N country has it all. Here in Cedar Falls, Iowa - on Main Street no less, you can relax from holiday shopping and driveway shoveling at the Blue Room Lounge. What to have? Hmm how about mixing something orange and blue together?  That will make a brownish color liquid. Lovely. Know that.

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A Calm Late Fall in Manchester, Iowa

Snow is already on the ground in 42N country and more is on the way tomorrow (a blizzard watch is in effect.) However during a time when no snow was around last month near Manchester, Iowa was this scene of leafless trees and calm waters. Looks cold - it was. Know that.

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Imagine: John Lennon 1940 - 1980

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Remembering Pearl Harbor and the Iowa Class Battleships

Photograph at left is from the DoD photo by: PH1HILTON Date Shot: 15 Aug 1984 http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/Defens

Today is the 69th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Hawaii. The USS Arizona was sunk at the harbor and lies there today as a monument to the attack, and to the those who fought Japanese imperialism. A few yards from the ship's wreckage is the floating museum of the USS Missouri, the battleship where the Japanese later signed cease fire documents in 1945 at Toyko Bay. In essence the beginning and the end of the World War II in the Pacific theater is enshrined at Pearl Harbor.

The USS Missouri is an Iowa-class battleship, and part of a group of six fast attack battleships - Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky. The first ship built of that class was the USS Iowa which served both theaters of war, the Korean War, and later conflicts through the 1980s. It currently lies in Suisun Bay in California as part of the decommissioned ghost fleet, awaiting being made into a museum or another fate. Find the USS Iowa and other decommisioned ships at this map link. Know that.

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Gettysburg Battlefield Boulder in Lisbon, Iowa

Its hard to believe that not everything in the world lies on the 42 North parallel. However within just a few degrees either way of the famous latitude there are actually more interesting people, things and places.

Located in nearby Lisbon, Iowa (41.92 N, 91.39 W) is something from half a country away. In 1916 the Womans Relief Corps obtained a large boulder from the Gettysburg, PA (39.83N, 77.23 W) battlefield and had it moved to eastern Iowa's Lisbon Cemetery. The apx. five foot tall boulder is sheltered from the elements and contains a bronze plaque. The battlefield remnant is made of the same rocky material as the current day stone walls found around the historic battlefield. At the base of this stone are bronze markers with the names of America's wars.

Just a few feet away is this concrete triangular base. I suspect it held 10 canon balls like those found at many military displays. Either that or its a buried golf ball from Dwight Eisenhower who maintained a house adjacent to the battlefield and was known to play much golf after serving as President. Know that.

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Iowa's Temporary Mountains of Corn

What happens to the corn harvest when it is too plentiful for local storage capacity? Grain goes old school - on the ground.

In 42N country there are a variety of open air, temporary storage areas for corn and soybeans used during the harvest season. In this case the temporary storage area is a concrete floor and wall structure located in Manchester, Iowa. Skid loaders or tractor powered augers later move the harvest to grain transportation semi-trucks for further distribution.

One important development lately is a expandable, tent-like structure used by grain elevators to cover large grain heaps during harvest. The cover keeps the grain dust down, the elements and critters out, thus preserving the product for later sale. Know that.

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