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Of Wolves and Men: An Idea

I just read an article about the controversy surrounding the wolves that live in the West. It appears they were on the endangered species list, then off it, and are now back on again. The reason their "endangered" prefix has been re-instituted is because ranchers are killing them off again, the same as they did at the beginning of the 20th century. And they are doing it for the same reason. The wolves prey upon their livestock.
The article went on to say that wolf populations in the Great Lakes area are faring much better, and that the many reasons range from an overpopulation of white tail deer to more tolerant "educated" city folk who think saving wolves is cool.
So what it boils down to is that in the West the ranchers don't like wolves because they eat their livestock. Other than that I don't think they have a problem with wolves just roaming around.
So here is my ingenious (or just regular genius) idea.Find an inexpensive way to tag the cows (or maybe just the leader of the herd) with a device that emits a high frequency whistle that would frighten the wolves away but not be perceptible to the cows! 
Dogs hear in the range of 64-4500 Hz, cows hear between 23-2500 Hz, so it should be possible to have the frequency up around 4000 Hz that would work. It could even be a chip of some sort implanted in the cow (if they were inexpensive enough to produce) or maybe a collar that one or two of dominant members of  the heard would wear. Doesn't that sound like a good idea? Wolves would find other things to eat, and ranchers would be happy.
Or maybe the better way to go (in terms of expense) would be to tag the wolves with really low frequency transmitters that would alert the cows but not interfere with the wolves. If the cows were warned, and the wolves rarely successful, then maybe they would start hunting their natural prey. What do you think? Or do you have a better idea?

A Question of Ethics

I have been a little apprehensive about writing this blog because I feel like I might be taken the wrong way. But at the same time I think it's an interesting enough question to throw out there and see what people think. So here I go.

Would it be ethically wrong to throw all our trash and nuclear waste into space?

I think it would solve a lot of problems such as pollution of water sources, the lack of space for landfills in urban areas, and the question of what to do with radioactive material. When I see photos of rivers in India and China choked with plastic bags and Styrofoam and little kids bathing in it it's just horrible. I feel bad for the people (even though it's their own fault) and for the flora and fauna that are obviously being devastated. Launching it out into the cosmos seems like a fine method to get it out of the way. But I have a hard time evaluating the impact all the trash on the planet would have on our solar system, or even if it would. I mean space is HUGE! The probability of us (or anyone else for that matter) accidentally running into a previously tossed bundle of trash has got to be really small. And the odds of finding again previously discarded interplanetary trash (without the use of GPS or calculations) seems like it would be impossible. I t just doesn't seem like the maximum amount of refuse we could produce here on earth for the next 500 or 1,000 years would "put a dent in space" so to speak. But maybe it would? And who knows maybe in the distant future some alien race would find one of our trash heaps floating past Proxima Centauri and come looking for us. Our bundles of plastic bottles and uranium could be like calling cards floating through the universe saying "Hey! We're here! And we're slobs!" It seems like such a good idea except for the fact it just sounds wrong doesn't it?

I get a nagging feeling that there is something wrong with the idea, like I'm saying "lets dump it in the ocean. No one will notice." (Except that space is MUCH bigger). I start thinking tossing our garbage into the cosmos is an "easy" way out of our problems, and that it's unethical somehow. Why bring re-usable bags to the store when plastic ones are easier and you can just send them off to Jupiter when you are done with them? It seems cruel. I mean what did space ever do to us? We made a mess of the earth, and now instead of taking responsibility for our mistakes we decide to make a mess of the entire solar system? (Again, if that's even possible.) Would it be less bad if we launched everything into the sun instead of just into empty space? Maybe it would give the sun extra fuel to burn longer. (OK I realize that was completely ridiculous, all of the garbage on the planet wouldn't do a darn thing to the Sun, but that's kind of my point...)

On top of that I wonder is throwing garbage into interstellar space more wrong than burying it beneath the ground? And if so, why? Every year the population is growing, and every year so is our waste production. Recycling and reusing are great, but the largest increases in populations occur where these methods are impractical and too expensive. You could argue that transporting all our trash into space would be equally as costly, and you may be right. I have no idea. But if it wasn't too expensive, do you think ethically, it would be OK to do it?
Tell me what you think!!!

Watch it Fly

I just read an article about a machine called an Ornithopter. The video is really quite amazing! Instead of re-phrasing the article I just thought I'd give you the link. You can check it out here.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Eli Manning suffered a head wound after having his helmet knocked off in the 2010 pre-season game against the Jets. (Photo borrowed from here.)

 Even if you are not a football fan, you may have heard on the news that Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley committed suicide last week. He was only 23. From interviews of his teammates and coach Jeff McDaniels, it seems that McKinley was not the suicidal type. They recalled him as being thoughtful, and funny, appreciative and always having a smile on his face. His family was equally shocked. So the question is of course, why did he do it? And maybe more importantly, why didn't anyone notice something was wrong?

It is just a coincidence, but I was doing a little reading up on chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is a degradation of brain tissue as a result of repeated blows to the head. It is rapidly becoming a major area of concern in the NFL, and that is where I first herd the term CTE for short. Several past players including Lou Creekmur of the Detroit Lions were diagnosed post-mortem with CTE (see photo). And recent findings are questioning whether baseball great Lou Gehrig may have actually died of CTE. It may be Lou Gehrig maybe didn't die of Lou Gehrig's Disease after all.

Photo of portion of Lou Creekmur's brain. Brown areas indicate deposits of tau proteins. Photo borrowed from CSTE Website.

I am no neurologist, but from what I gather, the basic idea is that when a head gets knocked around too much actual brain tissue gets replaced with Tau proteins which are supposed to stabilize microtubules that are found in neurons which make up the brain. So the whole organ becomes more stable in the cranium, but portions of the functioning brain are sacrificed in the process. This creates symptoms like dementia, and aggression, confusion, memory loss and sometimes unsolicited violence.

On the Wikipedia site for CTE, I read that as recently as this year a 21 year old linemen from the University of Pennsylvania, Owen Thomas, committed suicide for unknown reasons. His autopsy revealed elevated abundances of the Tau protein in his brain. It is believed that those early signs of CTE may have had more to do with his hanging himself, and less to do with whatever was actually going on in his life. He is the youngest documented case of CTE.

I was immediately struck by the similarity between the deaths of Thomas and McKinley, and wonder whether or not anyone has thought CTE could be cause of his untimely death. Of course those closer to him might have reason to suspect he was depressed or whatever, but if they are truly mystified, them CTE could explain it. I don't know if they are having an autopsy performed on him, and you wouldn't think a wide receiver would have sustained that many head injuries as say a linebacker or center, but I mean it is football, and I would think it would be worth investigating. If they did happen to find that he had accumulations of Tau proteins, then...shoot, well, the implications of that would be staggering to the NFL and all the players. And as much as I LOVE football, if it's killing young guys who have barely played in a game, then think of what it's doing to the veterans, guys that have been playing for 10 or more years!
Of course this is all speculation, and I am not a doctor, or a biologist even, so I am really not an expert, but it's just a thought.

Anyway, as I mentioned above the NFL is taking  CTE very seriously. So are the players. In 2009 Matt Burk, center for the Ravens, Lofa Tatupu linebacker for Seattle, and Sean Morey a receiver who last played with the Cardinals were the first to pledged to donate their brains to the Center for the Study of  Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy after they die. This year many other NFL players have followed suit.

I can't help but wonder how, or if, this problem can even be resolved in the NFL. Football is inherently a violent sport, and hard on the body. As long as there is tackling going on, heads are going to get hit and helmets are going to fly. But if you remove the dangers that bring about CTE, you're be left with a very boring, very cautious game that doesn't resemble football at all. So what do you do?

Quote of the Day

"The biggest cause of trouble in the world today is that stupid people are so sure about things and the intelligent folks are so full of doubts."  
-Bertrand Russel

Flores de Calabaza

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I bought squash blossoms (aka. flores de calabaza) at the market this week. I find that when experimenting with food one of the best methods is to just go out and see what's available and then ask who ever is selling it how to prepare it.
So that's what I did. The seller said to fill them with cheese (I used pepper jack), dip them in egg and flour and pan fry them. So that's what I did. And they were delicious! They tasted very similar to chiles rellanos, but are ten times easier to make since you don't have to grill and peel the skin off the peppers! Win!
I am not sure if you are supposed to pull out the seeds inside the flower or eat the base of it, but I found both to be yummy, so I guess I'd leave that up to you. This was a very fast, very simple and very easy recipe that is sure to bring "ohhs and aahs" if severed as an appetizer at your next gathering.

Dogs and Indians

I don't know why but it's suddenly gotten very hot here. The whole summer was cool with foggy mornings, but things have heated up. I thought this is what you'd call an Indian Summer, but after looking it up, I believe the more accurate term would be that we are in the "dog days" of summer. The dog part apparently refers to the dog star Sirius (in Canis Major), and it hangs out in the sky in August and September, when it typically is the hottest.
An Indian summer occurs after the leaves have turned and the first killing frost has passed, but before the first snowfall, usually in October or November. Either way it's a' roasting out there!

17 Points vs. 18 Penalties

Packers beat themselves with penalties while Bears pick their nose and watch.

If you've ever heard the phrase "to beat yourself at your own game", the Packers/Bears game last night was the best example of this  the NFL has ever seen. If you watched it you might feel as I do, that the first half was played by a different team than the sloppy undisciplined group that came out on the field for the second half. What happened?!? I have no idea, but I can tell you that the Bears didn't beat the Packers. The Packers beat themselves. They didn't shoot themselves in the foot once either. No, they did it 18 times. As a fan it was painful and disappointing to watch. TWO turnovers and a sweet Jermichael Finley touchdown were called back because of penalties against the Pack. It's one thing for rookies to botch things up in their first couple games, but the veterans on the offensive line made several costly blunders as well. Tauscher got two in a row all by himself. Add to that the over 180 penalty yards, that we gave away, and you begin to wonder who's side the Pack was really on. To round out the tragedy there was the dropped ball in the end zone by Quarless, the rookie from Penn State, a blocked field goal by Peppers, and a weird challenge by McCarthy that kind of ruined our chances for a comeback. It felt hauntingly like the beginning of last season, except Rodgers is (thankfully) staying on his feet and getting rid of the ball when he has to. Which brings me to the good news. (Yes, surprisingly there is good news!)

I am not panicking...yet. The first half of the game was pretty awesome. I thought Green Bay played well on both sides of the line. There were a couple of holding calls against the offense, but in some cases I think it's better to take the 5 yards than to have your QB run over by a guy that weighs as much as a tractor. And I like that they were protecting Rodgers at all cost, because when AR has time, he gets things done.

Aaron Rodgers runs and leaps for a touchdown!

Look how well he did last night! One interception on a Hail Mary is pretty much all you can hold against AR in last nights game. And those kinds of balls are thrown with the expectation that they will either end with a touchdown or a turnover. He extended plays. The one where he bounced around in the pocket like a marble in a pinball machine was really something. He had a couple good runs, one for a 1st down, one for a photo worthy flying leap into the end zone to score a TD (see picture for details). He found a way to connect with Jackson (who got nowhere running the ball) on short passes. I think it was really important to get Jackson in the game, and to allow him to make positive plays (whether they be passes or runs). He's in a tough spot with Grant out, and he needs to build his confidence, and his experience, both of which I think he did last night. People argue with me that Jackson isn't that good. But I think he is. He just needs a chance to prove it. AR had some great throws. And when I say great, I mean like spot on. I have a feeling that most of those throws were within a quarter inch of where he wanted them to be. Greg Jennings made a smooth catch for a touchdown. The passes to Finley and Driver were equally flawless. Best of all, Rodgers made some great decisions with the football. Although the game in general was a disaster, it is clear that Aaron Rodgers has learned from his mistakes of last year. Over anything else he may have achieved in the off season, it is that fact that makes him a good quarterback and a threat to every defense in the NFL.  He is making adjustments at the line of scrimmage when he sees what the defense is up to. He stays in the pocket when he should, scrambles when he can, and gets the ball out of his hands when he has to. Bravo #12. Bravo.

The Bears when Kuhn hunting and failed.

Over all I thought the Packers defense was solid, minus the penalties of course. They got one interception that counted, two that didn't. The Nick Collins grab was rad even though it got called back. The Bears had to double (and one time triple) cover Mathews, so he's obviously playing well and still scaring the Shennanagans out of the offense. There were a couple cool blitz's by Woodson who was all over the field making plays. Zombo did good (except for the holding call. Grrrrrrr).
I am almost done, but I couldn't end without mentioning how AWESOME John Kuhn played last night! In the post game show one of the commentators said it "apparently took the entire Bears defense to stop Kuhn." and that pretty much sums it up. He gave 110% on every play and did a fantastic job. He might not be a Ryan Grant, but I think he'll be (along with Jackson) enough of a threat to keep the defense guessing.

The penalties killed the Pack. There was so much good in the game, but all of it has been overshadowed by the 18 penalties (most for the Pack in one game since 1943), the MCCarthy mismanagement of the time, and the loss to division rivals. I guarantee that's all the folks at the NFL Network will be discussing. I think I will avoid ESPN for a couple days.
The Packers need to put their heads down, and focus on execution of plays. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to not hold onto someone when they are going to catch a ball and score a touchdown, or not grab the shirt of the linebacker about to sneak past my right side. But the Pack needs to. They have to see their tendencies, break the habits, stay in control and and still make plays.
My advice to them about this game would be the same as my advice to myself: Let it go. They are a better team than they played in that game. It's a long season, and there is much more ahead. They'll buckle down, and get it done..

All drawings by J. Smith

Yummm-O

Figs are delicious! I don't mean the sticky paste that you find in a "Newton", I mean real fresh figs. I'd never had one before, so I leaped at the chance to try one at the outdoor Sunday market this week. I was a little skeptical, because like I said, I don't like Fig Newtons, or dried figs for that matter. But the actual fruit is really lovely. They have a mild taste with a hint of something resembling honey at the center.
Another experimental purchase were squash blossoms, which are supposedly delicious filled with cheese and pan fried like a chiles rellanos. Those are on the menu for tonight, along with tacos while we watch the Packers take on the Bears for Monday Night Football. Happy Game Day everyone!

Letters From The Earth via M. Twain

I haven't been reading much in the last couple of weeks because I have been so busy. But even under the most hectic of schedules I can always find time to read a little Twain. Letters from the Earth is FANTASTIC! I just love it. It primarily deals with MT's views and thoughts on religion, namely Christianity, society, and morality and is (in my opinion) superbly written. Like his other works it's amusing, and witty, and he has a singular way of making you think he is agreeing with one thing when, in actuality he is mocking it. For being such a short book (composed of several short stories) it is surprising how many hours of thought it has inspired my brain to embark upon. If you haven't read it already, then you should. Here is a a sample.



"The best minds will tell you that when a man has begotten a child he is morally bound to tenderly care for it, protect it from hurt, shield it from disease, clothe it, feed it, bear with its waywardness, lay no hand upon it save in kindness and for its own good, and never in any case inflict upon it a wanton cruelty. God's treatment of his earthly children, every day and every night, is the exact opposite of all that, yet those best minds warmly justify these crimes, condone them, excuse them, and indignantly refuse to regard them as crimes at all, when he commits them. Your country and mine is an interesting one, but there is nothing there that is half so interesting as the human mind.
Very well, God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden, and eventually assassinated them. All for disobeying a command which he had no right to utter. But he did not stop there, as you will see. He has one code of morals for himself, and quite another for his children. He requires his children to deal justly -- and gently -- with offenders, and forgive them seventy-and-seven times; whereas he deals neither justly nor gently with anyone, and he did not forgive the ignorant and thoughtless first pair of juveniles even their first small offense and say, "You may go free this time, and I will give you another chance."
On the contrary! He elected to punish their children, all through the ages to the end of time, for a trifling offense committed by others before they were born. He is punishing them yet. In mild ways? No, in atrocious ones.
You would not suppose that this kind of Being gets many compliments. Undeceive yourself: the world calls him the All-Just, the All-Righteous, the All-Good, the All-Merciful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Truthful, the All-Loving, the Source of All Morality. These sarcasms are uttered daily, all over the world. But not as conscious sarcasms. No, they are meant seriously: they are uttered without a smile"

All I Can Say...

...is that Clay Mathews is a BEAST! He is so scary and so awesome all at the same time. Every time I look at him my first thought is "thank God he's on our team" and I sigh in relief. Incidentally my second thought is "holy shennanagans, what a body!":) He looks like one of Leonidas' 300 Spartans on steroids. He is leading the NFL in sacks so far, and if I was Jay Cutler, I'd be having nightmares about him from now till Monday night. He is just incredible to watch. If Mathews performance so far is any indication, we are in for quite a season!

*Photos borrowed from the NFL website.

Fast Track....It's Not

I had a recent experience that brought to my attention something that seems at the very least shady, and at the most illegal. I am curious to know what others might think about this.
As I've said I have been driving back and forth up to Napa for work. My route takes me across the Benicia/Martinez toll bridge. You can buy a "FastTrack" sticker so you don't have to stop every time, but I don't have one. So every morning I would stop at the booth, hand the worker my $5 and request a receipt. You don't just get a receipt, you have to ask for it. (I keep my receipts because I get reimbursed by my work.)

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I get a letter in the mail from Fast Track saying that I "evaded the toll", and was being fined $25 on top of the $5 toll. On the citation was a blown up photo of my license plates as "proof" of my crime. There was no picture of my car, or anything that could be used to indicate which lane I was in. Luckily I had my receipt, because how else would I have been able to prove my innocence? And that is what is bothering me.

Suppose I (like most people) hadn't gotten a receipt? What would my options have been other than to pay the fine? I know I didn't evade the toll, but there would have been no way to prove it. And who would go through the hassle of trying for $30?

If Fast Track sends out 15 errant citations a day (for each major bridge in the Bay Area) and 10 of the accused evaders doesn't have their receipt, FT is receiving over $650,000 a year from innocent people. And most people probably just pay it because they think to themselves "What can I do? Besides it's only $30, it's not like I am going to hire a lawyer."

I can't help but think something is wrong with the way Fast Track is doing business. What do you think?

Photo is of Benicia/Martinez Bridge with fog bank in the background.

Sushi Time!

Daikon root are delicious in sushi.

Try something new! Make sushi at home. It's pretty easy once you have the veggies cut up, and it's fun to experiment with different combinations. All you need is sticky rice (the recipe is on the back of the bag), seaweed sheets, a bamboo rolling mat, and whatever veggies and fish you desire! Make a party out of it, or do as I did and have a "girls night"!

Incidentally I was also able to try two more of my roots (although one I bought in a jar already pickled). Ginger root is a must for me and sushi. I can live without wasabi, but not ginger. It's great with fish, most Asian cooking, and yummy dried and ground and put into fall pies.

The finished product.

The second root is called a Daikon Root, and it is pictured in the foreground of the above picture. Its a large white root that has both the texture and taste of a radish, but slightly more mild. It doesn't have to be cooked to eat. In fact I think it would taste funny cooked. It's great for sushi filler, cut up as veggies and dip, and would make a nice topping for a salad. I give the diakon root 3 stars for versatility, texture and being easy to prepare.

My Secret Garden

I love my patio. It's one of the reasons I chose this apartment. It has enough room for all my plants. It even was spacious enough to allow me to adopt two very large, very beautiful olive trees. My mom works at Restoration Hardware, and she informed me that two of their "displays" were no longer needed. The trees were free, but the planters were $150 each on clearance. After much heaving and pulling I was able to cart my new "babies" home...needless to say without the planters. On over a couple of many trips back from Napa I aquired two wine barrel planters for $20 each. As I type they are snugly situated in their new homes, adorned with white twinkly lights and looking very happy to be living on my patio. Their names are Mr. and Mrs. MacWilliams, and they have adopted little Dennis (my olive tree that was previously my goldfish). It's one one happy family. Whether it be a solitary cup of coffee in the morning and a magazine, or an evening of friends and wine, I have found my own Secret Garden.

Autumn Equinox

Is it too early...to be decorating for fall? I think not! I love fall/winter! And I do believe the autumn equinox is next week, so technically I am only jumping the gun by a few days. I will concede that it might be a tad early to put the Thanksgiving turkey on the dining room table. But along with staying up late, and eating whatever junk food I want to, decorating my house however I choose is one of the perks of being an adult.
I realize that the next big holiday is Halloween, but for those of us who are not color blind, the combination of black, purple and florescent orange is never a pallet that works. Plus I am not that into zombies, witches and Freddy Kruger. I will confess to carving a pumpkin or two, but that is the extent of my Halloween festivity. The highlights have always been dressing up in my Three Amigos costume and handing out candy to the millions of kids that came by the old house. SO....turkeys, scarecrows, fall leaves and pumpkins it is for me! HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!

Start of the Season

I have finally made it back to blogging! My two weeks in Napa turned into...let me see...going on seven now. I have been commuting 4 hours a day and have been obligated to get up at 5:30 am, which unless you are a bird, is utterly ridiculous.
I have been busy. But not too busy to miss the beginning of the new football season. Since we still don't have TV, I have only seen a smattering of games, but I thought I'd recap my thoughts on week 1.

I saw the season opener between the Saints and the Vikings. I have friends who are fans of both teams, but since the Vikes are in our division and a long standing (but not as long as the Bears) rival, I cheered on New Orleans, and was happy to see them win. I thought it was pretty weird the Favre ran the ball so much. I wonder if that was his decision or Brad Childress? There is no love lost between the two of them, and it still appears undecided as to who the "boss" is in Minneapolis. Remember last year when Favre was talking to a reporter who had a cold, and he told him to go give Childress a hug? It was hilarious, but you could feel the jab.

Anyway, then I caught the tail end of the Lions/ Chicago game. OMG! It was so exciting, and I was sure that Calvin Johnson got that touchdown! It was one of those classic football moments...only it didn't count because of some stupid rule that the NFL came up with. I'd hate to go through the tapes of the greatest football moments of all time and see how many of them would have been taken back because of this bizzare and absurd rule. I saw on ESPN they took a poll and asked people to text in as to whether or not Johnson should have gotten the touchdown. Every state, including Illinois, replied with a resounding "yes". I absolutely agree. If you pushed me, I'd almost go so far as to say I think all "instant replays" should be removed from the game.

Onto the Packers game. Well, I am glad we won. The defense didn't disappoint, and I am glad to see the carry over from last year. But as Rodgers said in his post game interview, he played terrible. I'm not trying to criticize, but it's the truth of the matter. Watching his first few pass attempts made me feel like my feeble tries to toss the ball around the yard aren't as bad as I thought. The high point was Crosby making a 56 yard field goal. I was happy for him. It's not that often that kickers really get to shine, and I think everyone was pretty amazed. Ryan Grant leaving the game was bad news, but luckily I think Jackson is good enough to fill in without dropping expectations.

Other than that I caught a couple minutes of both Monday night games (but I had to go into the office). My brief takes are that I am glad Baltimore won because the Jets (and their HBO show) were super cocky and obnoxious. While it's true I really don't like Ray Lewis (no idea why, I have just always had a really bad vibe about him) Joe Flacco is OK and anyone is better than the Jets. As for the Chargers/ Kansas City game, I can't believe KC won, but in a way it was cool. Matt Cassel has got to be one of the most shafted NFL players in the league (right up there with McNabb). He did a great job in New England when Brady was out, and then the Patriots just dumped him off to the Chiefs as soon as Brady was better. LAME,

OK, well that's enough about football... Until Sunday....Wa ha ha:)

SCORE!!!

I have been on a hiatus from blogging...not on purpose, but just because I have been swamped and going to bed an 9:30 every night. But I am back! At least for the weekend. Then it's off to Napa again for another couple of weeks.
I have been meaning to write about my super-awesome-and-totally-fantastic vacation to Green Bay though! And I have a moment now to do it so here it goes:
After a detour through Dallas and Chicago (both scary places to be dressed head-to-toe in Packers gear:) Eduardo and I arrived in Green Bay. From beginning to end (well, at the very end I was hung over and tired) it was more than I could have ever hoped for. The open practices were amazing, Lambeau field was breathtaking and Aaron Rodgers pre-season beard was as heinous as it looked on TV the past couple years and did not disappoint. My Daddy met us there as did my ultra-famous Uncle Bob (who has his likeness mounted on the wall in the Lambeau Atrium!!!) and Aunt Elisabeth, and they brought their Packermobile (which I plan to paint green and gold the next time I see them:) . ANd the Pack scored 59 points during the game against Indie! It was the perfect medley of family, fun and FOOTBALL! A great beginning to the season! Here are a few pictures: