PICTURE PERFECT -- CAPTURE AND CAPTION

This was taken several weeks ago at the annual Sand City Artists and Art Festival. The camera is a Kodak Z612

TRIPLE PLAY #6 IN THE DARK

In the dark
so easy to lose your way
stumbling on smooth paths
never knowing if you are going towards
or running from.
So easy to see
so clearly
in the dark
things that are not.
So easy to miss
so quickly
in the dark
things that are.
Running your hands
along walls
mumbling tall tales in the dark
as you return to where you began.
A velvet comfort
in the dark
until you choose

to open your eyes.

(thanks Rodent!!)

The Cave is in the Lava Beds National Monument, Northern California.  The picture was take by LindaO, certainly a member of the family!!!  I lost all of mine in a computer crash, from which I still did not learn to back up information!!!  Some photo shopping took place, names were changed to protect the guilty.

  

ZOMBIES COULD EASILY TAKE OVER THE WORLD

Another one of those studies that you just have to shake your head in wonder over.  This time it is Canadian tax dollars at work!

ZOMBIES WOULD MOST LIKELY WIPE OUT HUMANITY IF THEY REALLY EXISTED CLAIMS SCIENTISTS
by Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent; The Telegraph, UK, online edition

Civilisation would most likely be finished in the event of a zombie outbreak, claim Canadian mathematicians who have calculated the possible devastation caused by an attack by the fictional monsters.

Zombie gathering at Eastnor Castle Deer Park in Herefordshire. Photo:PA

Using models developed to calculate the effects of more plausible pandemics, the team from the University of Ottawa have discovered that unless man struck back quickly and aggressively then they would be doomed.

The scientific paper, which is published in a book “Infectious Diseases Modelling Research Progress”, (The Study is at this link, it is a PDF file: P. Munz, I. Hudea, J. Imad and R.J. Smith? When zombies attack!: Mathematical modelling of an outbreak of zombie infection (Infectious Disease Modelling Research Progress 2009, in: J.M. Tchuenche and C. Chiyaka, eds, pp133-150).  --JohnOh) looks at an attack by the undead creatures, who infect the living with a bite.

In their study, titled When Zombies Attack!, the researchers picked “classic” slow-moving zombies such as those in Dawn of the Dead as models and divided humanity into three: the living, zombies and the “removed” – zombies who had been killed by decapitation.

They concluded there was no point trying to cure those infected or live with them - the best thing was to destroy them as quickly as possible.

“A zombie outbreak is likely to lead to the collapse of civilisation, unless it is dealt with quickly,” they write in the book:

“While aggressive quarantine may contain the epidemic, or a cure may lead to coexistence of humans and zombies, the most effective way to contain the rise of the undead is to hit hard and hit often.

“As seen in the movies, it is imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly, or else we are all in a great deal of trouble.”

Joe Imad, the study's co-author, said: “If you look at it in a more realistic way, zombies are about the same as any other major infectious disease, they get out and we try to eliminate them.

“Modelling zombies would be the same as modelling swine flu, with some differences for sure, but it is much more interesting to read.” 

  

BEER MADE WITH 45 MILLION YEAR OLD YEAST

Shades of JURASSIC PARK!!!  At the face this is just fascinating, and shows just how tenacious life is.  But I cannot help but wonder if a bacteria that could be extremely harmful could also be activated.   As that great Greek philosopher Anonymous, said thousands of years ago.  "Just because you are paranoid, does not mean they are not out to get you."

PREHISTORIC YEAST REBORN IN MODERN BEER

ERIC BLAND; Discovery News

Sept. 23, 2008, Discovery News Channel -- Trapped inside a Lebanese weevil covered in ancient Burmese  amber, a tiny colony of bacteria and yeast has lain dormant for up to 45 million years. A decade ago Raul Cano, now a scientist at the California Polytechnic State University, drilled a tiny hole into the amber and extracted more than 2,000 different kinds of microscopic creatures.

Activating the ancient yeast, Cano now brews barrels (not bottles) of pale ale and German wheat beer through the Fossil Fuels Brewing Company.

"You can always buy brewing yeast, and your product will be based on the brewmaster's recipes," said Cano. "Our yeast has a double angle: We have yeast no one else has and our own beer recipes."

The beer has received good reviews at the Russian River Beer Festival and from other reviewers. The Oakland Tribune beer critic, William Brand, says the beer has "a wierd spiciness at the finish," and The Washington Post said the beer was "smooth and spicy."

Part of that taste comes from the yeast's unique metabolism. "The ancient yeast is restricted to a narrow band of carbohydrates, unlike more modern yeasts, which can consume just about any kind of sugar," said Cano.

Eventually the yeast will likely evolve the ability to eat other sugars, which could change the taste of the beer. Cano plans to keep a batch of the original yeast to keep the beer true to form.

If this has a ring of deju-vu, it could be because Cano's amber-drilling technique is the same one popularized in the movie Jurassic Park, where scientists extracted ancient dinosaur DNA from the bellies of blood-sucking insects trapped in fossilized tree sap.

Cano's original goal was to find ancient microscopic creatures that might have some kind of medical value, particularly pharmaceutical drugs.

While that particular avenue of research didn't yield significant results, the larger question of how microscopic creatures survived for millions of years could help scientists understand certain diseases, said Charles Greenblatt, a scientist at Hebrew University in Jerusalem who studies ancient bacteria.

"We've got cases of guys who contracted [tuberculosis] during World War II and lived with it for 60, 70 years," said Greenblatt. "Then suddenly they get another disease, the TB wakes up from its dormancy and kills them."

Inducing dormancy could be a new way to fight disease and infection, said Greenblatt. Instead of outright killing infectious creatures, doctors could instead put them to sleep. The infection would still be present in the patient's body, but it wouldn't hurt the patient.

Neither Cano nor Greenblatt can say what the upper limit for hibernating yeast or bacteria is; it could be hundreds of million years. But while other scientists work on that, Cano plans to spend his time tossing back a few cold ones, and hoping others will too.

"We think that people will drink one beer out of curiosity," said Cano. "But if the beer does taste good no one will drink a second."

  

9-11

9-11-2001
REFLECT AND REMEMBER

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S STRING QUARTET

After posting the previous blog, Delightful Mia got me to thinking I should actually post a video of Apocalyptic. The first time I actually saw them in a video, after listening to their music for several years, was a shock to say the least. Is it even legal to do this to a cello?  I hope you enjoy both the sight and the sound, or at least one or the other.  Enjoy!!

A MUSICAL JOURNEY -- THE MONKEYS AND METALLICA

This could explain a whole lot of things about  music and music fans that have puzzled me over the years. 

THE MONKEYS ARE FANS OF METALLICA

A group of cottontop tamarins were played a variety of music, including Bach, Led Zeppelin and Miles Davis, but they only reacted when heavy metal rock songs by Metallica were played.

He would fit right in with a heavy metal concert!

Psychology Professor Charles Snowdon teamed up with musician David Teie, who plays cello for the National Symphony Orchestra. They found that 30-second clips composed by Mr Teie on the basis of actual monkey calls provoked the strongest reaction.

Of all the human bands played to the tamarins, Metallica calmed them down.

Photo by Getty

They look calm don't they?  Much calmer than the next picture!

Mr Teie of the University of Maryland composed using specific features he noticed in the monkey's calls, attempting to convey two opposite emotions – danger and safety.

"I WANT MY MTV!!!"

The monkeys responded accordingly being either anxious or relaxed.

The pair also found monkeys use tone, pitch and other auditory clues to express emotions.

Prof Snowdon, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told the Royal Society Journal Biology Letters: "My talking does not necessarily tell you about my emotional state.

"When I add extra elements, change the tone of voice, the rhythm, pitch or speed, that is where the emotional content is contained.

"Monkeys interpret rising and falling tones differently than humans. Oddly, their only response to several samples of human music was a calming response to the heavy-metal band Metallica."

Prof Snowdon added that human babies are also able to interpret tone and pitch.

"We use legato – long tones – with babies to calm them. We use staccato to order them to stop," he said.

"Approval has a rising tone, and soothing has a decreasing tone. We add musical features to speech so it will influence the affective state of a baby. If you bark out 'PLAY WITH IT' a baby will freeze.

"The voice, the intonation pattern, the musicality can matter more than the words."

The music is a Metallica song, but I chose to use a version by a group of cellists called Apocalyptica

  

I HAVE COME TO REALIZE . . .

I do not usually do these things, but since The deity and Milli are such dear friends, how could I refuse,  here you go, things I have come to realize. . .


1. I've come to realize that my chest-size ...is not very interesting.

2. I've come to realize that my job ...
was awesome, enjoyed work, great cast of characters. 

3. I've come to realize that when I'm driving ...I enjoy taking different routes.

4. I've come to realize that I need ...very little.

5. I've come to realize that I have lost . . .some very dear friends over the years.
 
6. I've come to realize that I hate it when ...people are rude.

7. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk ...I will suffer in the morning
 
8. I've come to realize that money ...is a tool.

9. I've  come to realize that certain people ...you just cannot please, no matter how hard you try.

10. I've come to realize that I'll always...be curious about everything!  (have to agree with Milli on this one!!)
 
11. I've come to realize that my sibling(s) ...
are quite wonderful. . .and know I have a favorite!

12. I've  come to realize that my mom ...
is the greatest Mother on earth...ditto!!! (agreed!)

13. I've  come to realize that my cell phone ...
where is my cell phone??

14. I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning...I have at least one more day!

15. I've come to realize that last night before I went to sleep...
there are so many books I want to read.

16. I've come to realize that right now I am thinking...
 some of my answers would change in another day or a different time..

17. I've come to realize that my dad......was the best Dad and Friend a person could have.

18. I've come  to realize that when I get on Multiply...
I am able to meet people I would have never met without it, to travel to different lands and cultures through their pictures and blogs, I can make friends I never would have met,  that have enriched my life,  that people, the world over, for the most part, desire the same things.

19. I've come to realize that today... 
I did not make very good use of my time

20. I've come to realize that tonight...
another day has passed, never to be retrieved.

21. I've come to realize that tomorrow...
will come soon enough, without having to worry about it.
"Therefore, do not worry about Tomorrow, for Tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its' own."  Matthew 6:34  NASB

22. I've come to realize that I really want to... be pain free.

 23. I've come to realize that the person who is most likely to re-post this is......not up to me.

24. I've come to realize that life...
is a gift we can squander or build upon.

25. I've come to realize that this weekend...
is one of many to come.

26. I've realized the best music to listen to when  I am upset...
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons.

27. I've come to realize that my friends...
are a treasure!

28. I've come to realize that this year...
has a lot of life in it.

29.  I've come to realize that my ex...
is just that an ex.

30. I've come  to realize that maybe I should...do the things I have been thinking about doing.

 

31. I've come to realize that I love...to see a mountain valley, or the waves break against the shore.

32. I've come to realize that I don't understand...a lot of things.

33. I've come to realize my past...
the good and the bad, made me who I am at this moment.

34. I've come to realize that I'm totally terrified...so small dark confined places.

35. I've come to realize that my life...has few regrets.
 
I was tagged by Dearest Deity and Milli. .. Everyone consider yourselves tagged. Blame Deity!

PICTURE PERFECT: I SPY W/ MY LITTLE EYE A RED ROTARY WINGED AIRCRAFT (AND A RODENT)

This was taken on the afternoon of Sept 24th, on Highway one, near Ben Lomond, this copter was working with several ground crews mopping up hot spots from the large wild fire they had earlier in the week.  The camera is a Kodak EasyShare Z612, using auto focus, and the telephoto lens.  (The background photo is the helicopter filling his bucket not more than a couple of hundred yards from the highway, and low and behold, I noticed a rodent peeking from a rock!!  Okay, I fess up, I added the rodent because my friend, who will go nameless for modesty's sake, was noticing that no one chose the word Rodent, a perfectly wonderful word, as their "R' theme!)

THE BIKINI AND MEN'S BRAINS

For the rest of the story titled (did I spell that right?):

Science Proves That Bikinis Turn Men Into Boobs

The link is:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25197962/

Just so you know this is educational material, the article mentions Virgil in his The Aeneid, said basically the same thing over 2,000 years ago, some things never change.