My Daily Smile

Life is short - begin every day with a smile!

Video: Watch this helicopter pilot trim trees along power lines from the air

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If you have ever seen power lines running through a forest you might have wondered how they keep the trees trimmed back from the wires.

Well, believe it or not, much of that tree trimming is done by helicopter!

The precision flying required to pull this off is simply amazing. The pilot has to make sure the line of rotating blades suspended below the aircraft doesn’t come into contact with the wires, while at the same time making sure the helicopter doesn’t get too low and crash.  [Read more…]

Q&A: Has there ever been snow on the ground in all 50 US states at the same time?

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Question from Melissa:  Several of my friends and I were talking about all the snow we received this year in upstate New York when someone said they can remember a time when there was snow on the ground in all 50 states at the same time.

None of us believed him when he said that. Is it true? That just doesn’t seem possible.  [Read more…]

Video: Why Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth

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As you probably know, California’s Death Valley is one of the most inhospitable places on the entire surface of our planet.

The area’s extreme heat combined with the virtual non-existence of water has claimed the lives of numerous people over the years.

It’s really not hard to imagine how this very unique place got its name.  [Read more…]

Why it pays to never let your car’s gas level drop below half-full

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I’ll admit it – back in my younger days I loved to live life on the edge.

Yep, I would drive all around town or even on the interstate and backroads with my car running on fumes, waiting until the very last minute to wheel into a gas station and pump a gallon or two in the tank.

The first time I ran out of gas it was sort of a thrill. I had lived on the edge and finally teetered over it. Even the two mile walk to the nearest gas station and the two mile walk back had me humming to a great tune.  [Read more…]

Video: The world’s most dangerous roads

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Have you ever traveled on a road that made you too nervous to even look out the window?

Like me, you have probably crossed a mountain or two and driven across some pretty rickety bridges, but if you want to see some really dangerous roads just check out the video below.

In many parts of the world the roads aren’t as wide as the ones you’re probably used to, with some being barely wide enough for the wheels to find a place to grab onto. And on top of that, they tend to be little more than a combination of jagged rocks, dust and mud.  [Read more…]