If the neighbor's inflatable ghost isn't scary enough for you, watch this video to learn how vampire electronics are sucking the blood out of your electric bill when you're not even home!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Black Lab Mutts In My Life
Recently I took the FB quiz “What breed of dog are you?” and got the response that I am a beagle. My response was “big floppy ears, occasionally walks into walls, yep, sounds like me.” But I think the quiz is flawed. It must not have “black lab mutt” as a choice because I think that is what I must really be. Why? Because my three best doggie friends right now are all black lab mutts:
Barney
Barney is my family’s $25 backyard litter labramation/dalmador (black lab + dalmation, a.k.a. black lab mutt). He used to be jet black except for a white with black spots chest, white tip of tail, white tips of toes, and a gray nose; but now he is graying all over (he is ten years old now). But I think it just makes him the George Clooney of dogs. The way he is graying on his muzzle just brings out his brown eyes. His favorite toys are kong toys (with Scooby snacks in them of course) and hedgies (pretty much any furry toy that goes ::grrrunt:: instead of ::squeak::). He also enjoys wearing his santa coat and scaring people with his bark.
Lily
Lily is my landlady’s black lab mutt puppy. She has some very interesting quirks. (1) When I am sorting my dirty laundry (or folding clean laundry even) and I am obviously paying more attention to my laundry basket than I am to her; she drops whatever toy-of-the-day into my laundry basket and then stares at me like “where’d my toy go?” (2) When I am sitting in my chair in the living room eating dinner, watching a movie, doing a puzzle book (it doesn’t really matter) she likes to pile her toys on my lap so that if I’m not paying attention to her an avalanche of toys will fall off of my lap when I stand up. (3) She sleeps on a couch in the living room but every morning like clockwork, when I open my door, she comes in, drops to floor, rolls around on my carpet, and then demands a belly scratch.
Raven
Barney
Barney is my family’s $25 backyard litter labramation/dalmador (black lab + dalmation, a.k.a. black lab mutt). He used to be jet black except for a white with black spots chest, white tip of tail, white tips of toes, and a gray nose; but now he is graying all over (he is ten years old now). But I think it just makes him the George Clooney of dogs. The way he is graying on his muzzle just brings out his brown eyes. His favorite toys are kong toys (with Scooby snacks in them of course) and hedgies (pretty much any furry toy that goes ::grrrunt:: instead of ::squeak::). He also enjoys wearing his santa coat and scaring people with his bark.
Lily
Lily is my landlady’s black lab mutt puppy. She has some very interesting quirks. (1) When I am sorting my dirty laundry (or folding clean laundry even) and I am obviously paying more attention to my laundry basket than I am to her; she drops whatever toy-of-the-day into my laundry basket and then stares at me like “where’d my toy go?” (2) When I am sitting in my chair in the living room eating dinner, watching a movie, doing a puzzle book (it doesn’t really matter) she likes to pile her toys on my lap so that if I’m not paying attention to her an avalanche of toys will fall off of my lap when I stand up. (3) She sleeps on a couch in the living room but every morning like clockwork, when I open my door, she comes in, drops to floor, rolls around on my carpet, and then demands a belly scratch.
Raven
Ah, Raven, the newest to the bunch. Raven is my friend’s shaggy black lab mutt. Raven’s favorite activities include sitting on people’s feet and demanding belly rubs. Although Raven wouldn’t hurt a fly (my friend had to stop getting squeaky toys for Raven because she wouldn’t play with them – she thought she was hurting them), but one night she did sit on me. Of course, I don’t know why I was on the floor to begin with.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Calling All Mixed CDs
I have less than a month left here on the foggy Oregon Coast which means I have less than a month until my mom and I depart on a seven days, six nights cross-country adventure which means I need your best custom-made mixed CDs.
As you know, I’m not that picky about my music. My Pandora stations range from Van Halen to Mozart to Marc Broussard to The Dandy Warhols to Enrique Iglesias to Van Morrison to All American Rejects to Joe Jackson to Boston. So, send me your favorite music.
Send your mix CDs for Marley’s cross-country adventure to:
PO Box 5689
Charleston, OR 97420
PS: if you like the sound of my eclectic Pandora stations and want a CD from me, just let me know!
As you know, I’m not that picky about my music. My Pandora stations range from Van Halen to Mozart to Marc Broussard to The Dandy Warhols to Enrique Iglesias to Van Morrison to All American Rejects to Joe Jackson to Boston. So, send me your favorite music.
Send your mix CDs for Marley’s cross-country adventure to:
PO Box 5689
Charleston, OR 97420
PS: if you like the sound of my eclectic Pandora stations and want a CD from me, just let me know!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Why 350?
A new website, 350.org, is spreading the word about why 350 is the most important number in the world. Leading climate scientists say that 350 ppm is the "safe upper limit" for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
What are people saying about 350?
"If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm." ~ Dr. James Hansen
"As a resident of a Small Island Developing State, I am acutely aware of the dangers of global warming. Some countries are closer to the frontlines of global warming than others, but we are all affected by this global problem, which requires from us a global response. Getting to 350 means saving our planet and ourselves from a disaster of our own creation." ~Liz Thompson
Reaching 350 ppm is a matter of living by my values—which include both “love your neighbor” and “try not to wreck every blooming thing on the planet while you’re here.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver
"Sustaining 9.3 billion people on the planet, ensuring a prosperous future for inhabitants of poor countries and simultaneously protecting the species that share the globe with Homo sapiens will only be possible with an energy revolution. The climate crisis is our biggest collective challenge, and it can only be solved if we stick to ambitious objectives – like 350 ppm." ~Claudio Angelo
Where are we now? 390 ppm and rising.
What can you do?
(1) Educate yourself. Visit 350.org to learn about why 350 ppm is so important and learn about what people around the world are already doing. If you're a teacher, visit climatechangeeducation.org for lots of resources on how to teach climate change issues. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change can get you up to speed on climate and energy research and legislation. More great organizations are linked on the 350.org Friends & Allies web page.
(2) Share the knowledge. The UN Climate Change Conference is 52 days away. If you are worried your decision-makers won't make big enough statements at this conference, speak up now! Get involved with the International Day of Climate Action on Saturday October 24th. Use the widget below to search for actions near you. People from over 150 nations have already registered creative on-the-ground actions.
(3) Change one thing. Change one thing about your every day life to reduce your impact on the environment. Check out Earth911.org's Tip Garden for lots of creative ideas. Once you are comfortable with that change, change something else. Set a goal for yourself to change something for the better every week... every month... whatever works for you. Just remember, whatever you do, you are making a difference.
One idea: Put reusable shopping bags in your trunk, and use any plastic bags you do accumulate as garbage bag liners or puppy duty bags. Any bags you can't reuse, be sure to return to a plastic bag recycling collection center, usually found at your local grocery store.
Another idea: Save electricity and save money! Remember to turn off the lights, turn off the TV, unplug your cell phone charger, etc. You would be surprised how much energy your appliances are draining when you're not even home to use them.
Yet another idea: Car or bus? Neither, bike! Biking is good for your body and good for the planet. Check out Craigslist or local pawn shops for cheap bikes. But remember to wear your helmet, have your bike outfitted with lights and wear light-colored clothing, and tell a family member when to expect you home (since biking will probably take you longer). Don't have safe biking paths or lanes in your area? Get involved. Petition your city council for more bike and pedestrian-friendly streets!
What are your ideas? Share your ideas here. Then get out on the street and do it! You can make a difference!
Friday, October 9, 2009
The News As I See It
It seems like the Olympic committee has a renewed interest in oddly-shaped balls. Word is, golf and rugby are both approved sports for the 2016 and 2024 summer Olympics. Rugby hasn’t been an Olympic sport since 1924 (of course, the US took the gold that year). To learn more, visit http://www.olympic-rugby.org/. Rugby has been one of my favorite spectator sports for several years and I even wrote an article about rugby for my college newspaper back in 2006.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) had a very successful Cruise for Compassion in Annapolis, MD last month. Little Ben, a rescued Jack Russell Terrier takes the cake – literally. Watch the video here.
Any news story that combines human-accelerated climate change with the plight of wild animals gets a strong reaction from me. This week I learned of 131 young walruses being trampled to death by a stampede of other walruses. Scientists hypothesize that a decrease in sea ice forced the walruses onto a beach near Icy Cape, Alaska. The AP reports; “Walruses in large numbers on the northern shore of Alaska is a phenomenon seen for the first time in 2007.”
Warmer temperatures and parasites are threatening moose in Minnesota and warmer temperatures are also threatening the migration patterns and health of the Brant goose here in the Pacific Northwest. And the Yellowstone grizzly bears are back on the threatened species list of the Endangered Species Act due to the fact that warmer temperatures are allowing pine beetles to flourish, killing whitebark pine (whose nuts they love to eat in the fall), forcing the grizzly to leave the park looking for other sources of food - where they are being killed by hunters acting in 'self defense.'
The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) had a very successful Cruise for Compassion in Annapolis, MD last month. Little Ben, a rescued Jack Russell Terrier takes the cake – literally. Watch the video here.
Any news story that combines human-accelerated climate change with the plight of wild animals gets a strong reaction from me. This week I learned of 131 young walruses being trampled to death by a stampede of other walruses. Scientists hypothesize that a decrease in sea ice forced the walruses onto a beach near Icy Cape, Alaska. The AP reports; “Walruses in large numbers on the northern shore of Alaska is a phenomenon seen for the first time in 2007.”
Warmer temperatures and parasites are threatening moose in Minnesota and warmer temperatures are also threatening the migration patterns and health of the Brant goose here in the Pacific Northwest. And the Yellowstone grizzly bears are back on the threatened species list of the Endangered Species Act due to the fact that warmer temperatures are allowing pine beetles to flourish, killing whitebark pine (whose nuts they love to eat in the fall), forcing the grizzly to leave the park looking for other sources of food - where they are being killed by hunters acting in 'self defense.'
Monday, October 5, 2009
Remembering Retreating
In late September, my AmeriCorps group gathered on the northern Oregon Coast to share four days of walking barefoot on the beach, telling stories around the campfire, indulging in delicious food, making hoola hoops, hiking, and of course doing some official AmeriCorps things like presenting our CAP projects. A unique part of the retreat were IP-led activities in which I got to teach bhangra dancing, and learn how to use a GPS, and to make hoola hoops, sand candles, and crocheted hats.Our retreat location was the beautiful and secluded West Wind.
WestWind had a great beach near the inlet to the Salmon River. Playing 4-square and "Wah" on the beach was so much fun.
View from the Highlands. Welcome to the Oregon Coast. We stood there for less than ten minutes and multiple waves of fog rolled in and out in that time frame.
View from Cape Perpetua on my leisurely drive back down the coast.
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