Purchase you Metals from One Reliable Source.
I have seen several students, all located in different area of the country with either the wrong metal or impure metal. When you are enameling for fine jewelry it is most common to select fine silver as your base metal. For several reasons, sparkle and clarity of the enamels, and second the enamel fuses to the fine silver. With hobby style resources available for purchasing metal and the introduction of new metals such as Argentium silver it is easy to get the wrong product. Before you begin working with any silver, it is not that easy to tell the difference. But once you have began your project, maybe four layers of enamels later you start seeing the bubbles and discoloration of impure metals. I highly recommend to buy all your metal from one reliable supplier, and only one. Then you know exactly were you purchased it and can hold them accountable if it is fine silver. But more than likely, if it is from a notable refinery they will not have a problem of recognizing metals.
We are so weak as humans.
It really is amazing to me, how much time and money we spend going over and over the same issues. What happens to the innovation of mankind? Is it just easier to rebuild the same no good path, verses developing a new good one. Below, in these two articles released in the same month, in the same state, one will destroy the waterways and one will clean it up. But notice the penalties in the clean up the reef, are aimed at the residents that use the ocean to play and are uneducated or just don’t give a cry on public responsibility. ”This legislation will go a long way to protect and restore the daily damage from boaters grounding and anchoring on coral reefs,” said Paul Johnson, President of Reef Relief. And yet at the same time the same legislation opens the option to vote on oil rig drilling 10 miles out, to endanger the reef??? It is like the war in the East, maybe if we keep fighting about the same thing over and over, we will get it right this time.
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE PASSES BILL TO BETTER
PROTECT AND RESTORE CORAL REEFS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tallahassee – May 1, 2009 Today the Florida legislature unanimously passed a bill (HB1423) regarding the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission which included provisions to better protect and restore coral reefs from boat groundings and anchoring in southeast Florida waters.
The provisions, originally in a bill filed by Representative Ron Saunders (D) – Tavernier, was amended to a bill by Representative Troutman (R) – Winter Haven, by Senator Constantine (R) – Altamonte Springs, and passed by the full house and senate. It authorizes the Department of Environmental Protection to establish methods for calculating damages to and access civil penalties for the damage of coral reefs in Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Dade and Monroe counties. Penalties range from $150 to $1000 per square meter depending on the extent and location of the offense. Penalties would double if in a state park or aquatic preserve and for repeat violations. First time damage of reefs of less than one square meter would result in a warning letter by the Fish & Wildlife Commission.
”This legislation will go a long way to protect and restore the daily damage from boaters grounding and anchoring on coral reefs,” said Paul Johnson, President of Reef Relief. “Coral reefs take millennia to form, but can be physically destroyed and degraded by careless boaters not familiar with their presence nor importance in a generation.”
The bill provides definitions for coral reefs and authorizes the department to enter into settlement agreements requiring parties responsible for injury to or destruction of coral reefs to pay a third party to fund projects related to the restoration of the reef.
”We thank the leadership in the legislature and cooperation among the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission in bringing this good bill to completion,” said Johnson. “We look forward to working with the boating public and these agencies to better educate and implement this new law.
REEF RELIEF ACTION ALERT Oil and gas development threatens Florida coast and coral reefs Contact Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Florida Representatives today. After years of opposing offshore oil and gas development near Florida, the Florida House recently passed H.B. 1219 to lift a legislative ban on drilling in state waters and allow the governor and cabinet to approve leases as as close as three miles off Florida. Companion legislation in the Senate, S.B. 2294, has yet to be heard in committee. The governor isn’t sure where he stands. Reef Relief encourages you to contact Governor Charlie Crist and Florida representatives to express your opposition to opening Florida’s coast to polluting oil and gas development. Tell them Oil and Water Don’t Mix! Encourage them to support current legislation in the Florida House that will increase solar and other renewal energy sources to provide for our energy needs in a responsible way. Florida’s coral reefs, beaches, commercial fishing and tourism industries depend upon clean ocean waters. There is no having it both ways. Oil and gas exploration and development is irreversibly damaging to coastal ecosystems and routine as well as accidental spills and seepage result in chronic water quality decline. You can find your legislators’ contact information here: (handy lookup website, by ZIP Code & other options):http://flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Mode=Find%20Your%20Legislator&Submenu=3 Thank you. Here’s the April 23rd, 2009, article from the Key West Citizen: Oil drilling vote shocks opponents A Florida House committee on Tuesday passed a plan to allow oil drilling off Florida, despite concerns from environmentalists about its potential dangers. Supporters claim the state could reap at least $31 billion in tax revenue over the next 20 years if oil production were developed. Opponents say that pales in comparison to the $562 billion a year the state’s beaches, coral reefs and coastal waters generate, according to the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council. Environmentalists and tourism indus “I can’t believe it,” said Billy Causey, the National Marine Sanctuary Program regional manager and former Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary superintendent. “Any short-term benefit would not be worth the long-term risks. If there was a spill, you would never make that revenue back. Can we really risk losing $562 billion a year?” The Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and other waterways support 5.8 million jobs and account for 79 percent of the state’s economy, The ocean, reefs and backcountry waters off the Keys generate $1.2 billion a year through fishing, diving, and restaurant and hotel business, Causey said. While drilling in the sanctuary will never happen, drilling in the Gulf of Mexico could have disastrous effects on the Keys, critics said. The Loop Current, which brings gulf waters into the Keys, could also bring oil and oil slicks in the event of an accident. “Oil and water don’t mix,” Key West-based Reef Relief Executive Director DeeVon Quirolo said. “This would be a disaster for Florida. The Legislature should be looking more at pursuing pending legislation on renewable energy.” Vote to lift ban The House Policy Council voted to lift a legislative ban on drilling in state waters and allow the governor and Cabinet to approve leases as close as three miles off Florida. The proposed legislation, H.B. 1219, heads to the floor. Its Senate companion, S.B. 2294, has yet to have a committee hearing. Supporters released a Mason-Dixon Polling and Research survey showing 59 percent of respondents support drilling off Florida’s coast. “We’re giving the governor and Cabinet that chance to have that dialogue with no obligation whatsoever,” House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, told members. “But we are taking away the shackles that currently prohibit Florida from not only pursuing energy independence but economic development and security and environmental protection.” Surprise bill The legislation came as a surprise to critics. Tuesday’s agenda was not released until late Monday night and the amendment containing the drilling proposal was not available until just before Tuesday’s meeting. Supporters were prepared with talking points and background material related to the amendment that opponents had not had a chance to see in advance. Keys Rep. Ron Saunders said he and other Democrats were surprised by the legislation. In a 17-6 vote, all Democrat committee members voted against it, Saunders said. “The Republicans knew this was coming and didn’t share it with us,” Saunders said. “I don’t expect it to pass, but we are going to keep our guard up.” Florida law now restricts oil exploration and drilling in state waters, which extend nine miles into the Gulf of Mexico. Since approved, gas prices have climbed to more than $4 a gallon, but dropped significantly to about $2 a gallon. Many federal and state officials say it’s time for lawmakers to take another look at the rules. The proposal would lift the moratorium on drilling in Florida waters and allow the governor and Cabinet to make the call. Companies that wanted a lease would have to pay a $1 million nonrefundable deposit to seek state approval. Once a lease were let, competing companies would be able to review it and offer competing proposals. Proceeds from the leases would fund the Florida Forever land buying program up to $300 million a year, which is its current funding level. The earmarks also include $20 million for local beach restoration and $20 million for local governments in areas affected by the leases, according to the House bill. “Our reliance on fossil fuel will continue for at least the next generation,” said Barney Bishop, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Florida. “It’s time for Florida to become a national leader in energy independence … and reap the benefits of billions of new revenue dollars.” Critics argued the bill lacked specificity in regard to royalties, severance tax and other payment to the state. Given the dollars involved, those details should be answered, they said. “Lifting the prohibition does not mean that issuing permits to drill will actually happen,” said Martha Barnett, a lobbyist for Florida Energy Associates, a coalition of independent oil companies that wants the moratorium lifted. “It opens up the opportunity for that.” U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson quickly came out against the legislation. “I can’t believe some Florida lawmakers might actually be serious about allowing oil drilling within 10 miles offshore,” Nelson said. “They even want to ‘expedite’ permits for refineries in coastal communities.” The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
try officials have long fought offshore drilling, saying the revenue is not worth the potential losses if spills wreck local beaches and destroy the Florida Keys’ fragile coral reefs.
Florida Times-Union, JacksonvilleGov. Crist, Sen. Nelson and off-shore drillingSubmitted by David Hunt on Wed, 04/22/2009 – 14:34.Gov. Charlie Crist reportedly has an open mind about drilling for oil near Florida’s coastline.U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson suggests he close it.The Democratic Florida senator released a statement today saying:“There’s no good reason for undoing protections wisely put, and kept, in place by Govs. Graham, Chiles and Bush. Those protections spared our state’s economy and environment from the ravages of industrializing and degrading our coastline. Those who now propose to allow oil rigs know full well the plan will do nothing to reduce energy prices or reduce our country’s reliance on oil. This simply is the agenda of big-oil interests hiding behind shadowy advocacy groups and controlling Florida’s lawmaking.”Nelson was responding to an Associated Press story reporting that Crist was keeping an open mind about legislation that would allow him to authorize drilling within 10 miles of the Gulf Coast.The Crist-Nelson tangle is one of the latest volleys in a debate over whether drilling off shore for domestic oil is the best answer to reduce foreign-oil dependency and lower U.S. energy costs.A poll commissioned by the Times-Union and South Florida Sun Sentinel last year suggested 53 percent of respondents favored drilling, but most wanted it to be kept at least 125 miles from the coastline.