Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Stingrays, Weddings and Avian Flu


In central Thailand an enormous freshwater stingray was captured, tagged and released during a National Geographic expedition.

This is a big ass ray!!! 





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We just found out that our son and his fiance’ (Kris and Christine) have decided to fly out to Hawaii to get married. How cool is that? 

I barely blundered through my own wedding and, undoubtedly, owe apologies to the entire Catholic Church, the whole town of South River and a multitude of other people.  I wonder if the kids know who they’re trusting...

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Avian Flu News

The story below has some interesting and upsetting aspects to it. Apparently, an American company sent out the live Avian/Human Flu Virus to 18 regions in Europe. The fact that both the bird AND human strains were combined leaves people worried that, either it was intentional...OR if it was accidental, all the protocols that the CDC use to protect us are horribly ineffective.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/02/27/8560781.html

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Slideshow from March 7th, 2009

Last weekend, Ron and I took a drive up to the North Shore to visit Jerry and his family. They live right across from Leftovers Beach surfing spot. Here are a few pics from last weekend. 


Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Northeast Bat Die-Off

White fungus growing around the mouths of bats


Unprecedented Northeast Bat Die-off Spreading Rapidly
Insects Expected to Increase

Personal Note: I listened to Linda’s interview online about this and these bats had a ring of fungus around their mouths. Scientists are extremely worried about this die-off as it’s occurring worldwide. They don’t know if it’s the fungus that’s killing them off or whether the fungus is a secondary infection caused by some kind of immune suppressant.

http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1529&category=Environment

Monday, March 9, 2009

Bananas Gone Bad ~ Live Sessions 2008

Welcome to the live sessions we recorded while onboard our sailboat. We are jamming with a dear friend from the North Shore of Oahu. His name is Jerry Merils ~ songwriter, guitar player and primo vocalist.
Ron Tiernay is on drums and vocals and works with me on sound.
I play bass, guitar, keyboards, mediocre vocals and sound



Saturday, March 7, 2009

This Will Make the Guys go "EEeeewww"




Jugum Penis, United Kingdom, 1880-1920


Guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes, this device was intended as a treatment for "nocturnal incontinence" and to prevent masturbation. It was designed to deter nighttime emissions by causing enough pain to waken the sleeper if an erection threatened.




Anti-masturbation device, United Kingdom, 1871-1930


Worn beneath the clothes, this device was hooked onto a waistband and covered the penis and testicles.


Sunday, March 1, 2009

Bananas Gone Bad ~ MySpace

I've uploaded four tunes onto our new Myspace page. Ron's family's been asking to hear what we've recorded (to date) so I put them up despite the fact they're not finished. They're uncompressed on the lower end so headphones may be a better way to listen instead of computer speakers. Don't want to blow those little buggers on ya...

www.myspace.com/bananasgonebad

If you have a myspace page, please invite me. I'm lonely...only a few friends so far (including Tom) LOL!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Friday Musings about Nothing Much...








This is a percipitation/temperature gradient of what's hitting the Hawaiian Islands. It's coming straight down from Alaska. Pretty rare...

It’s Friday! Since we haven’t been living our lives around a schedule, remembering what day it is has its challenges. Not complaining…just sayin’. It'll change soon enough.

Becky from the Pirate Coast magazine wrote and, after four years, is still after me to do an article about my dad. I don’t know what it is. I love to write. I’m not a good writer but I don’t care anymore. Such as it is with music – I don’t care if I don’t sound like Joss Stone. At my age, I’ve figured that it’s "doing it"and not always acquiring that “goal of perfection” you’ve set for yourself. One could find oneself "void" of any talent if you freeze up because you think “It sounds horrible” or “I can’t believe I just wrote that”. Yet, when it comes to dad…words just don’t come for me. Not even bad ones. Not yet, anyway.

I just read an article on Tony Hubble’s site about a soldier who escorts another soldier home ~ in a flag draped casket. The story wasn’t necessarily about our fallen brother, himself…but rather how he affected the people around him.
As the escorting officer accompanied the fallen soldier to the gravesite he wrote (regarding the moving casket):
“…I felt that, as long as he was still moving, he was somehow still alive.”
I guess I believe dad’s still moving…


Last night, we watched Horton Hears a Who! It was good to hear Ron chuckle and, I have to say, was a funny DVD. We needed it. I’m the one in charge of ordering Netflix movies. There are times when Ron rolls his eyes but our mutual agreement is that we watch what the other likes. I can only watch “blow em, crash em or shoot em” up movies for so long and he can only watch comedy, romance or science fiction movies for so long. Both of us liked Horton.


I hope you have a delightful weekend. I’ve included an opinion piece from the Kauai Garden Isle News regarding Urban Cheeekins. I thought it was a cute perspective on the issue:
Jen

The Garden Island - Cock-a-doodle-doo


I believe it was Hamlet who speaketh “To eradicate the chicken or not to eradicate the chicken, that is the question.”(Perhaps he did not.) Anyway, isn’t it a valid question, worthy of debate?

There are piecemeal solutions: with a humane rooster trap, an area can eventually be cleared of chickens (if emptying your trap of doves and java sparrows doesn’t wear you down).But once a void in a biosphere occurs, roosters and their harems would consider such an area as prime real estate and migrate to it. There are businesses that have come into being to rid us of noisy, disease carrying, environmentally degrading, noisy, noisy roosters.

But unless the county organizes an island-wide eradication program, the rooster will rule.Now I realize there are some rooster positives as well: fertilized, free-range, organic eggs without growth hormones and other potentially harmful chemicals; a source of organic meat without much fat (a bit thinner than the Costco chicken-on-a-spit); a natural and, for some, a pleasant wake-up call; and for those who are inclined, an outlet to satisfy one’s bloodlust and betting on the outcome of the illicit cockfight.

Most people would not much mind if the roosters disappeared; as a matter of fact, block parties would erupt in celebration. Stamp out the tyrannical rooster! Perhaps then we can enjoy a good night’s sleep.

But the other day, coming home from Big Save, I stopped in time — as did the large-tired truck coming toward me — to allow a clucking hen and a dozen chicks to pass.

Charles Cushman, Koloa
http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/02/26/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/doc49a632669e516992304869.txt

Say Aloha!