Summer of Alana: 2008

Lions and Bears, and Killer Whales! oh my!

It's been months, I know. I have been busy at the store, but I will try to get this up and going again, so I can tell you all kinds of fantastical things that are going on in my life, and hilarity that surrounds me on a daily basis.

Plans for the weekend:

80's Party, God my getup is good, get ready for pictures next week.

But this I found interesting today as I was driving the 5 minutes to work and listening to NPR:

K7, aka Lummi, the Oldest Killer whale (probably in existance) is reparorted missing from K pod. She is the Matriarch. Orcas are kind of like Elephants in that way, the Alpha Female basically is their wealth of collected knowledge. Orcas aren't technically reported as dead until they have been missing a year, but for a matriarch to be missing is unusual. What is CRAZY about this particular whale is how old she was.

Take a guess.

98. You heard me. A 98 year old gammy whale. DAMN. She saw WWI subs- now that's old. I had no idea they lived that long. According to the Friday Harbor Whale research Center, old is usually 50, but I guess a lot of calves die early so that brings the ratio down.

Another fun factiod about our whales. The local Puget Sound pods only eat salmon and fish... not so killer. But those crazies who come up from Cali, they will eat your babies, provided you dress your baby up like a seal and flap around in freezing waters. We all know babies are delicious, but they take it to a new level.

I found this article in the Vancouver Sun about Lummi

They like to hang out by San Juan. Who can blame 'em? They are cute too.

We were up there looking for them on this day, and almost went to Pender, buy they were just out of reach ://www.whaleresearch.com/thecenter/2008_Encounter_028.html

Italian Cars

It's been awhile, sorry about that. actually its been a whole season- but hey, whatareyagonna do. I am in love with italy, and that is why the background of my header, atleast for the next few days, til i find something more inspiring is the Lamborghini Murcielago. I love this car. granted it probably only gets 11 miles to the gallon- but man, like most things italian, it is real good looking and has a personality.

that's it for now. But check out some new links I am adding, like Slow Food. Good stuff.

When Elephants Fly

For those of you who haven't seen this already. It is pretty awesome. I can't draw an elephant or myself that well. Here's to Dumbo!!!!
In tribute as sung by Three Crows (Disney was aweful with racial slurs in the early 20th Cen.- don't get me started):

I saw a peanut stand, heard a rubber band,
I saw a needle that winked its eye.
But I think I will have seen everything....

When I see an elephant fly.

More Science and Technology

As a note to yesterday's post, apparently it takes much more energy to create radio waves than the energy produced by the output of breaking apart the molecules. Tim did some research on this the other day and it seems that ever five to ten years or so, this idea comes up, as a means to get people excited about the prospect of clean energy but in actuality it is very very far from anything useful. Too bad- I was excited.

Okay So I am actually watching it right now on the Sundance channel but this is also an interesting hypothesis. Apparently this is relatively known about in the scientific community, but I had absolutely no idea- and because I didn't know, maybe you don't either- so let enlightenment ensue.

There are several theories as to the emergence of HIV/AIDS in Africa- this is one I have never heard, but the evidence put forward is fairly substantial if not conclusive. I don't think it is fair to blame the people about which I am going to write about for the emergence of HIV/AIDS, but it seems a much more plausible conclusion as to HIV emergence than the cut Hunter theory (which i believe is that a hunter had an open wound and killed an infected chimp this contracting the virus).

This documentary called The Origin of AIDS, and a book by the title of RIVER- by Edward Hooper (a journalist) and Bill Hamilton (one of the leading evolutionary scientists since Darwin) claims that HIV/AIDS basically was introduced to human populations through the creation of live-virus oral Polio Vaccines administered in the Belgian Congo circa 1956-1960.

The virus was created by creating tissue cultures from chimpanzee organs (don't get me started on the animal rights abuses shown in the lab videos- i understand medical research requires these types of experiments, but hey- at least kill them before you dissect the poor bastards), mainly kidneys. Now normally and it is claimed that Chimps do nothing in terms of telling scientists about polio vaccine effectiveness (no idea why), normally they use Macacs and Rhesus monkeys- but these Belgian scientists used Chimp tissue because it regenerates faster than that of the lower monkey orders.

Okay basically what happened is in the creation of the Live oral polio vaccine there were 'several', repeat several unknown things (don't remember the word they used- but basically there were other present viruses in the vaccination- like a Macac encephalitis or something)-- My mom by the way was watching this with me and remembers have to take this oral vaccine-- creepy. One of those unknown strains seems to have been HIV-1 (the monkey type) and the first documented outbreaks of HIV/AIDS in the Congo correspond to where this specific (there were several varieties) vaccine was administered. really really creepy.

No samples of the live virus are currently around because they were all used at the time so there is no recourse to back track and test said oral live virus- and even if there was one sample stashed away at the Swedish Virus Lab place that keeps a medical library of these things- perhaps not all samples would have been contaminated. Nonetheless, it is an interesting notion- and to me seems much more probably that HIV/AIDS was introduced to human population by human error and bad medical research practices than other avenues--- many other things have also come into existence this way.

This theory was openly challenged by the Royal Society in 2000, but what struck me most about that discourse was the royal society's unwillingness to be fair about open ideas. It shouldn't be guilty until proven innocent, it should be a hypothesis until ABSOLUTELY proven otherwise- until it can be full-proof this is a theory that must remain in the public sphere.

Depressing, I know, but interesting. I had no idea this was even something that was debated about in the Scientific community. now you know.

Welcome to the Future

How this is not earth shattering global news I don't know- So I will take a moment to inform you. There are two major topics to be discussed in this post. The First involves a potential answer to clean renewable energy for future generations- at least it is a technological breakthrough that will lead to more efficeint meatyhods of extracting or creating our dreams of hydrogen fuel cell technology.

A guy in some lab at a university i believe in the Midwest- either Michigan, Wisconsin or Minnesota found a way to light salt water on fire. I know right??!!! Crazy!

What happened is he was blasting a test tube of salt water with radio waves (its winter in the midwest- what else was he going to do?) and it caught fire. What happened (and this is layman's terms, i will find a actual scientific article about it as soon as I can) is the radio waves disrupted the bonds between the hydrogen and oxygen molecules thus releasing the hydrogen in an expenditure of energy. What this means really is amazing. Hypothetically this research could lead to the development of technology that leads to a truly renewable source of energy! Ocean water will one day power your flying car with a hydrogen fuel cell. Buy Salt futures now.

The other great scientific breakthrough of this last week is truly amazing. Here is the Actual Article that talks about a guy who chopped off the tip of his finger and his brother was some research geneticist studying how salamanders can regenerate tissue, and his brother sends him some powder and tells him to just keep sprinkling this stuff on his wound. Long story short, the guy now has a brand new fingertip- and his own body created it. The potential

value of this breakthrough is staggering. Imagine people being able to regrow their own organs. Apparently (claims Brendan- I have yet to actually read the article in full- and I bet there are several on the topic) scientists can build some kind of cellulose structure basically with HP printers building the organ buy spraying cells in a certain fashion in layers.- Just read the article so I don't have to type.

And Welcome to the Future...

Let Duff Play

Sign this petition please.

http://www.petitiononline.com/guth716/petition.html

I want a dog park for Duffy- as do these people, in kirkland. Please sign this so Duff can live more in kirkland and I can cuddle with him.... I miss my fluff nugget.

As a side note I bought him a very expensive (of course i didn't look until after I bought it) collar,

that is very regal (it is exactly the one pictured here). Mom just bought him a bright green plastic one because his old one was gross because of his love of water and ponds- but this is a martingale really wide thick one so you can actually see it because he has so much hair.

Please sign it- pretend you live in kirkland, i really want an off leash park nearby- seeing as how it is probably illeagle when I play with him off leash at Juanita Beach park- even though no one is there- i don't want to be fined.

And when i was buying him collars yesterday I also found this cute little store in Kirkland, Barkz, that has breed specific play groups- so Duffy is entered in Newfie/border collie play group. And They have advanced tricks & sticks classes- which i think we will be attending, as well as some kind of agility group in the summer which we will enroll in. He is going to be a super Star!!!

Yay Jiggly Duff!

Buy me one of these please

I shall post more about this when I have time- but just so you can take a look inside my mind- here is my new passion The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera

It is so good looking, I can't think. However, the fact that it is even offered with an automatic transmission makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit. That is an affront to everything this car is- even though I don't know how to drive a stick... I will learn.

Nothing feels better than a carbon fiber fed machine going 190 mph at 11 miles per gallon- truly a green vehicle for the ages. I wonder if it comes in Burnt Umber. I am drooling on my keyboard. Pics to come later- I'll see if i can't find a drive test of it.

The italians are so clever. Not only is this car comparable to the dodge and chevy sport model versions, it cost three times as much... ahh to be italian.

Sarah Silverman

Is a funny....uhm, woman. Watch this- but it may not be work appropriate as she does say Fuck a lot. But really- I laughed- HARD.

Caucusing and Puppy Playing!

So much has gone on in the past few weeks. I have moved into a sexy new Pad on the eastside on the waterfront- looks really REALLY good- and with the new store opening- be sure to check out our blog once it is up and running.... www.mushoe.blogspot.com where i will talk about all the cute things coming in to the store!!! and our website www.mushoe.com (insert Plug for store here......)

Anyway- I have been quite busy but I'll try to keep up- even if it is just something little and stupid so you all have something to look at when you are sitting at your boring desk jobs. I am going to start carrying my camera around with me- well it is with me now- but it is not charged.

I decided this for two reasons- First I was going to document my experience at the Caucus this last Saturday, and then put it up here to the blog- along with photos of me entering the caucus- caucusing, chatting with other caucusers, the counting of the caucus, me getting elected as a delegate for the caucus, you know caucusy things. (I just like the word Caucus ==) Maria Cantwell's Momma (That would be one of our senators for those of you out-o-staters) was in my Caucus group- she ran over from the hospital just to say she likes Hillary. Run over is an exaggerationg- she hobbled over. And here I was going to wish her well on her recovery until I heard that leak out of her mouth. Filthy.
-I'll make sure i do pictures for the next round when this ol'gal (that would be me) will represent the Obams for Edmonds 42nd, legislative 32nd. Janie Bunch (she an alt- she's gonna bump someone off so we can go a caucusing together-aka drunk chatting AT people).

The other reason was out at Marymoor Park with Duff the other day when we were caught in the most awesome and sensual of rainstorms. God Bless the Spring Rains- how I love them- even though it is February and still winter- bless you global warming. I think it is the, oh hell I don't know what river it is, but it is flooding- and it looks cool- all the shrubs and whatnot semi-underwater. Anyway it was around 5 pm- light was fading- dark by about 530/545- but it was one of those rare times when a storm is rolling in but it must be the sunlight reflecting off the clouds that causes this gorgeous but eerie pink-orange color. Salmon colored almost- Pacific

salmon, not Atlantic- that shit is farm raised-color added and bad for wild populations. Don't eat it. i repeat DONT EAT ATLANTIC SALMON- unless it really is like scottish salmon in which case that is ok- because it is from scottish rivers- and who doesn't love all things scottish.

So I had just had a chat with Randy and his Belgian Tervuren Max (they are there pretty much every day) and was heading back to the river for a dip before we went home, when the sky simple opened its spout. Now one of my favorite, not one of- MY FAVORITE sound in the world is the sound of raindrops on water- it makes like a light pinging noise that i find eerily soothing. So after a few minutes- it wasn't too cold- it started to mix with a little bit of hail and it w

as just so awesome. The rain was so dense you couldn't see very far infront of you. This doesn't happen that often in Seattle- but man was it fun. I would have loved to have had my camera so i could get pictures of duff splashing around in it and the flooded river. I love stuff like that- Makes me really like living here. AND it wasn't ungodly cold, just semi-godly- like a deified Julius Caesar cold.

FCU: Fact Checkers Unit

So we watched Life Aquatic last night and it reminded me of this post. check it.

It's about 8 minutes long, and that chick from Flight of the Conchords is in it to boot, but well worth it. I wonder if that Really is Bill Murray's House?

Fact of the Day

The term: Three Dog Night is an american eskimo term referring to how many dogs need to be brought inside to act as warmers in your bed. They do keep it toasty. Duff is like a squirmy down blanket that only covers one side of your body. Not very effective, but cute.

The other morning I was watching Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon as I got ready for the day and he was mesmerized by the fighting scene that was on. I want to say food wouldn't even tempt him from it- but that's a little far-- but he definitely was watching it intently. Can't say he doesn't have good taste.

This was the Scene

Budo

Is not only an art form- all i know is it is a martial art, but I bet a short trip to wikipedia would solve that lack of knowledge problem- but also Josh's beats- Pretty cool....
listen in

War on Scientology

See, Justin will be mad because I did the 'i will talk about this more later' routine with the last post. I'll add that topic to my large list of things to continue, which is long.

However this was just found, and needs to be appriciated. I like how they say, "for the good of your followers, for the good of mankind, and for our own enjoyment..." I love hackers. Their penchant for hilarity is unending.

Weeds....

So the Song for today is from the band Ratatat- which also goes swimmingly with today's topic of Weed- which I actually heard for the first time in college when I accompanied a friend to their dealer's place- that's what he was playing. I also find that drug dealers almost always go by Hilarious names: Chewie, Big Black James, Nancy Botwin....

Dad and I just finished watching the end of the 1st season of Weeds, thanks Andrew for the loan, and well, we loved it. The most hilarious thing however is in the special features wherein they provide you with Weed recipes. You heard me. I was laughing my ass off that they actually did this. Recipes for her Hash Browns, Popcorn Balls, brownies (of course) as well as weed baked ziti, zen zuchini soup, etc. absolutely hilarious. Plus the guy who plays Conrad is hot.

Now on to Season two.

What is also funny is in California where they give out perscriptions. When I was in Santa Barbara I met this friend of a friend who had a perscription for it and the picture on the bottle of a guy being high was hilarious, I'll see if I can't find a representation.

This is such a huge topic I am going to have to extend it to next time because I don't have the time at the moment to do it justice....

But here is something to keep you entertained in the meantime http://celebstoner.com/

A New List

So I was talking with Brendan last night and he and his co-workers are doing something I think is very intruiging. They are creating a cd/ playlist of all of their favorite songs of 'all time' as an insight into one anothers personalities. I can only imagine that my list will be embrassing, but nonetheless insightful, as I have the occasional lack of taste in music.

It is tough to pick favorites but here is what I purpose: I am going to continue adding/ or try to add a song every day or every couple of days to the list. These will be all-time favorites and just favorites of the moment- that I may detest later. I suggest you listen to them on itunes, download them illeagally, or bug me to send you them via email if you haven't heard of them, so you can laugh with me/ at me and the awesomeness that is my taste in music- and maybe realize just how cool I am, and you are not....

Be prepared because the range is from Hip hop to Willie Nelson, which happens to be the first two songs I have added to my list:

The inaugural songs are Willie Nelson's- Redheaded stranger- truely one of my favorites of all time, and Heiruspecs- Tiger Dancing- just plain good- Minneapolis is full of Talent appearntly.

This list is sure to be eclectic and cover a WIDE range of music- you have anything you think I might love- send it my way and we'll see if it makes the cut.

Southpark Part 3

Because I made some that never made it to the web, here is the 3rd installment in an ongoing series. If you are not present, do not be upset, perhaps you are located on my other computer and will be posted shortly, otherwise I must not like you. Just kidding, tell me and I'll make you one so you will forever be immortalized on the intrawebs.

Janie Bunch

Justin

Sean Connery

Sightings!

The New Year is here and with it a new tally of sightings- if you have any ideas of what else should be counted, by all means please reply within. More posts will follow as I have promised!

Sig Sightings: Every morning when I wake up and stare at his pretty framed picture!

Celebrities: 0

Rick Steves: 2 - he was chowing down on some of the delicious Mexican food E-town is known for circa 1pm today. Maybe he was plotting his new trip Mexico through the back door? That just doesn't sound right.

Points in Trivia thus far this month: 24 -come on Kokanee snowboard you are MINE!!!!

Highest amount of kills in a Halo online game: 4

Movie being watched as I type this: American Graffiti -I haven't ever seen it. George Lucas has an eye for young talent even if with two good hands and 20 assistants he can't write two words of dialogue... but maybe that's because the writers are on strike.

Who am I voting for for Prez: Stephen Tiberius Colbert. Stay strong Colbert Nation.

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Summer of Alana