We're leaving today for the Middle Fork Salmon in Idaho. It's a 7 day river trip, and the flow is currently maximal for our purposes. I have just relocated my stuff to W's house and a storage unit and am about to explode with stress. At least I finally found my fingernail clippers. So I'll be out for a while, ya'll take care.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives,
nor the most intelligent,
but the one that is most responsive to change.
-—Charles Darwin

This study had a sample size of nearly 400,000 adults and lasted for 13 years. They had to adjust the findings for cigarette smoking, which is of course prevalent among coffee drinkers.
( notes )

Here's the photographer's story (and more images):
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/turning-yoga-into-art/

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophy... Our own brain, our own heart is our temple, the philosophy is kindness.
--the Dalai Lama

I've been mulling over the significance of this effort. Perhaps if we did all draw our idea of this man, over time, the Muslims would become less sensitive about the issue. Or perhaps they will be more sensitive, because we are actively disrespecting their faith. In the Old Testament, Christians too were bidden to make no "graven images" (Exodus 20:4).

I for one have no idea what he looked like, and so if I did attempt the sketch it would be of a caricatured bearded Muslim. Perhaps a halo or some such symbol of his spiritual importance would ease the insult. I don't know. But I do offer to you that this is the day to create your visual representation of the great prophet Muhammed, in protest of censorship, with respect for the man and his path, and in humble appreciation of the complexity of our international and intercultural reality.

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day was an event held on May 20, 2010 in support of free speech and freedom of artistic expression of those threatened by violence for drawing representations of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. It began as a protest against censorship of an American television show, South Park, "201" by its distributor, Comedy Central, in response to death threats against some of those responsible for two segments broadcast in April 2010. Observance of the day began with a drawing posted on the Internet on April 20, 2010, accompanied by text suggesting that "everybody" create a drawing representing Muhammad, on May 20, 2010, as a protest against efforts to limit freedom of speech. (from Wikipedia 5/20/12)

It's called Omission. Good name. Haven't tasted the product yet.

http://thedrinknation.com/articles/read/7271-Introducing-Widmers-Omission-Gluten-Free-Beers

This was passed on by a health-interested friend on facebook:
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/228583-Scientists-cure-cancer-but-no-one-takes-notice

My reply was along the lines of:

Interesting, but I wonder; why haven't I heard about this? The article says I can access the original science "here" but the hyperlink isn't there. And I wonder, can the same effect (as is claimed for dichloroacetate) be had by modulating metabolism by other means? They don't postulate a mechanism for the action on mitochondria. I remain skeptical. Show me the science.

A little research reveals that it is indeed a hoax.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/cancercure.asp
http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/DrLensBlog/post/2010/05/14/More-On-Dichloroacetate-(DCA)-In-Cancer-Treatment.aspx

Got on the Upper East Fork Hood again yesterday. It was about a foot higher water than what I experienced last year. I was with Paul and Steve, and Ron joined for the second run. I shuttled and walked and yoga'd while they were making the second run. It was a little juicy for me and I was happy that my one impromptu hole ride was on my left side. My left shoulder feels so solid compared to my right. I got slung out to one edge of the hole, and forced a sling to the far end and out. Meanwhile Steve paddled right over my stern, and my hand bumped his boat. No flips no injuries, just good clean fun. We could have water for a couple-three more weeks then it will be over.

WATER LEVELS
Here's the gage that I'm using:
http://www.dreamflows.com/graphs/mon.226.php
It's an estimated flow, and may be based on the Tucker Bridge flow hence no more accurate than that. Most folks here are using the foot gage at Tucker but because there are other large tributaries this gage may not reflect the actual flows on the UEFH.
Here's the CFS at Tucker: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=14120000

http://m.active.com/mindandbody/articles/why-every-athlete-should-practice-yoga.htm

I do so agree.

Woke up at 4am eastern time (1am Pacific time) to fly back to the left coast. Due to a coffee mistake (didn't ask and was served caffeinated at 8pm) I slept only 2 hours. Wow does that make for a long day. Arrived in Portland at 10:30am local time, and was grouchy by noon and incoherent by 5pm. Went to bed at 7pm and slept 11 hours, and I feel almost normal this morning. Phew!

So I woke up in the upstairs room here at Will's, which is to be my new home. The room that was the bedroom in this house will become my office. It is a pleasant room and will be even nicer once I can clear the old juju from it. From this day forward any time I use something from my old apartment it is moving to Will's house.

My old apartment smells like cat shit, has no toilet paper or paper towels on the roll, has vines growing into the stairway, has compost rotting in the kitchen, and is generally covered in cat hair and disgusting to me. It quickly becomes apparent how much energy I put into keeping the place clean, and how quickly things will decline in my absence. Emily's new boyfriend, the unemployed smoker from Jersey, is still hanging around. He avoids my eye. He may be the housemate she is thinking of having move in....a disaster in the making. The downstairs neighbors are very upset at her for making noise all night long every night, walking with heavy feet and moving furniture around at 4am. I don't know what she has been up to but I know that she is neurotic and the new boy is likely to aggravate that. I was a moderating presence.

So I have 9 days in PDX before I leave town for another adventure. In that time I am supposed to relocate my possessions from the apartment and clean it. I am leaving Kitten there until we return from Idaho. I hope she doesn't freak too much when the bed etc are removed. I will relocate her to Will's in June.

More later, hope you guys are well. I haven't read anything on LJ in a month or so, so if there has been some major happening in your life please let me know.

This engineer (ironically named Mix) knew that the 4/20/10 BP oil geyser was bigger than the company had told the media, and they're arresting him for deleting 300 text messages on that subject. Not to be totally uppity but I KNEW at the time that the guesstimated amount was likely to be false and low. Anybody with half a brain knew the number was not likely to be the eventual truth. They just picked a nice round number and were sticking to it. It sorta sickens me to see an engineer go down for this. Somebody higher on the food chain is more responsible, and for more heinous crimes.

READ ALL ABOUT IT
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/energy-environment/justice-dept-makes-1st-arrest-in-bp-oil-spill-ex-engineer-accused-of-obstruction-of-justice/2012/04/24/gIQAOuKieT_story.html?wpisrc=al_comboNE_b

A study showed that engaged women want to lose on average 20 pounds to look great on the big day. A doc in Florida is offering the Ketogenic Enteral Diet (K-E diet) for ladies wishing to slim down before their nuptials. The diet lasts 10 days, costs $1.5K, and causes approximately a 10lb weight loss. The ketosis is monitored using ketostix which are widely available for diabetics. The dieting ladies are permitted nothing caloric by mouth. Great idea? Not so fast. It's not that hard to eat a calorie-restricted ketogenic diet without paying $1.5K and having a tube up your nose. Think about it.

SOURCE
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/fashion/weddings/Losing-Weight-in-Time-for-the-Wedding.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
http://www.medpagetoday.com/CelebrityDiagnosis/32229

The law is ORS 163.465.

(1) A person commits the crime of public indecency if while in, or in view of, a public place the person performs:
(a) An act of sexual intercourse;
(b) An act of deviate sexual intercourse; or
(c) An act of exposing the genitals of the person with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of the person or another person.

As if it were as legitimate a "theory" as evolution... This is painfully embarrassing to me, as a Tennessean. The governor who allowed it is William Haslam. Unimpressed, I am. What will we call this period in time---the Unenlightenment?

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/04/11/tennessee-opens-door-to-creationism-in-schools/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/law-allows-creationism-to-be-taught-in-tenn-public-schools/2012/04/11/gIQAAjqxAT_story.html

http://mblogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/04/11/tennessee-passes-law-allowing-creationism-in-the-classroom/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BadAstronomyBlog+%28Bad+Astronomy%29

THE LAST NEANDERTHALS:
The Evolution and Extinction of a Species
April Nowell, PhD, is an archaeologist and associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Victoria
Since the discovery of the first Neanderthal remains in 1856 in Germany, this species has generated controversy: questions concerning their genetic relationship to modern humans, their capacity for language and artistic expression, and the reasons for their extinction. Learn about the latest research transforming our understanding of these ancient people.

( from my notes at the science pub the other day )

It will get you a girl in a bikini if you believe the ad. I bet the gas mileage stinks.

No one has to do everything
but everyone has to do something.
--GreenDot

I'm not sure how they figured that I'm "pro-family". Probably because I support Ron Paul. Contrary to their assumption, I am capable of appreciating his positions without being a social conservative. The message behind the cut is stimulated by the Student Nondiscrimination Act which is before congress. They claim that this will be the last straw causing our descent into the vice of promiscuous sex, by way of indoctrinating our youth in "pro-homosexual" values from kindergarten on. I don't know about this being a significant law in the great scope of our cultural slide, but the writer is correct in his panic that all will be lost. What he does not see is that the new thing which arises from the ashes may well be an improvement. My personal position on homosexuality is as follows: May all people love who they love, no matter. Now, on to the ridiculous slant of this email:

Dear pro-family American,

The Radical Homosexuals infiltrating the United States Congress have a plan:
( behind the cut is the text of today's anti-homo spam email )

Great Mercola article here on identifying which of the weeds in your back yard are EDIBLE for making salads or green smoothies.

(At the flow we had, that big midriver rock was completely underwater.)
( notes )

here:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761557?src=mpnews&spon=12

Surging above $1 trillion, U.S. student loan debt has surpassed credit card and auto-loan debt. This debt explosion jeopardizes the fragile recovery, increases the burden on taxpayers and possibly sets the stage for a new economic crisis.

SOURCE
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/04/nations_student_loan_debts_thr.html

The Democratic minority on the House Education Committee and Workforce Committee released new figures showing that more than seven million students will incur an additional $6.3 billion in repayment costs for the 2012-2013 school year if student loan interest rates double on July 1.