Cheesy music that is… From our Spam box, a couple doozies:
“I principled present up on some mind-boggling further galvanizing cars that purpose be coming out in the next 3 years that competition my budget and inclination be struck by up to 300 mpg!!!
But I was wondering, how these cars would hold on a row after a ice storm? The pile would be expert recompense me, but i material in the midwest and coerce a jalopy that can get almost ice and snow.
The facts I would like to from is the regular bias an stirring wheels, front/rear wheel pilot, and backing bowels space.”
It’s time for the boys to shine. They’re both tired. It was raining so hard this morning that I thought I was in So. Florida. I think there was some hail mixed in. The boys were NOT amused. We’re between storms at the moment, but the next one is starting to move in.
Tito is soo relaxedKitsy in the window
As a bonus, I’ve included a happy little video about a kitty who gets a new prosthetic paw. Please pardon the advertisement.
The maker of the prosthetic paw is Orthopets. According to their site:
OrthoPets was founded in 2003 to become the first Veterinary Orthotic & Prosthetic clinic in the world.
In recent months we have made several trips to the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, at different times of day, in sunny and rainy weather, you name it. This, to observe blooms in different stages and light conditions.
By contrast to the Conservatory, the Strybing arboretum, also in Golden Gate Park, offers open space, leisurely walks and a few exotic species. I originally expected the Conservatory to be a claustrophobic experience, and to be fair, it should be: passages are narrow, the various sections of the building are compartmentalized by double doors with a plaque reminding visitors to shut them.
As well, each section has its carefully calibrated climate control, with a fairly high level of humidity. Virtually every species in the Conservatory is exotic, and striking in more than just appearance.
On our most recent visit, about a week ago, the blooming orchids brought back a singular feeling and thoughts I remember experiencing only once.
I’ve commented before on visiting a Sphynx cattery and the feeling of inquisitive, playful intelligence I felt looking into the cats’ huge eyes.
Kitsune
Photos do not reveal the elegance of the Sphynx in motion, or their seeming lack of fear.
And the more you know about them, the more orchids fascinate the casual observer into similar a form of reverence.
Consider a species estimated to be 120 million years old, striving in wildly different environments on all continents save Antartica, long after innumerable other species of flora and fauna alike disappeared.
A species having developed pollination methods as varied as stealth, smell and mimicry: the pattern on some orchids’ petals looks attractive to flying insects, the slippery tube-like pouch of others lures insects which fall into the opening, collecting pollen as they brush their way past to the exit…
So far, orchids have even survived man’s exploitation, which led to most species of the plant to be on endangered lists. Today, they are specifically cultivated for commercial ends. While it can seem odd to think of intelligence in such a context, I think there are lessons to draw about adaptability and coping with change, not just from orchids, of course, but from Sphynxes as well. Not to mention the enjoyment of their complex aesthetics.
Both orchids and Sphynxes are very much dependent on humans to provide the environment necessary for their survival and continued development, yet I suspect the nature of this relationship is symbiotic rather than… Parasitic.
“Squirm” – (1976, USA, 92 minutes – VHS rated PG; DVD rated R)
From the ‘70s, we have in “squirm” yet another “nature strikes back” offering, although this one doesn’t preach, it entertains.
During a severe storm, power lines are downed near the small Georgia town of Fly Creek. As a result of live wires sweeping across the mud, bloodworms crawl out at night to devour the unsuspecting inhabitants of the county.
The hills of San Francisco, with the Bay to the East and Pacific to the West, offer many opportunities to enjoy magical beginnings and ends. As in dreams, many of those locations reveal themselves at the end of winding stairways, as unexpected treasures, often breathtaking.
People who live here share these places and moments with reverence and the instant friendliness of those who respect life in all its forms: their four legged friends abound and welcome newcomers and natives alike.
We took the following pictures at sunrise, a wonderful beginning to yet another day. Bernal Heights is located just south of San Francisco’s Mission District. For more photos and a bit of news about the area, visit Bernalwood, a local blog.
3D printing, the process of layering various materials into objects, appears to be moving mainstream, with new applications, such as printing skin cells for burn patients, as the institute of regenerative medicine at Wake Forest University (NC) has been experimenting with.
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!. Rather than go into the history of this day, I’m going to talk about my love: I met Lastech back in November of 2001. He cracked a joke about cats and that was all she wrote. LOL! We’ve been together since. I had to wait until middle age to find him, but you won’t hear me complain.
Soooooooo I’m going to post a vid or two. They best express how I feel.
The first is by Barry Louis Polisar, who writes children’s songs and this one was used in the movie “Juno”. My hope for today is that our readers have as much happiness as we do.
Note: In spite of what you see on the video, Rod McKuen did NOT write this song. He translated it from the French. The song was written by Jaques Brel. I couldn’t find an embed of it that was good enough. Dame Shirley Bassey did an excellent cover of the song.
I just couldn’t resist this one. Simon’s cat reminds me of Tito when some flying critter winds up in the apartment. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
“Getting Any?”– (1994, Japan, 108 minutes – no rating)
In modern day Japan, Asao (Dankan) is an ordinary guy in his thirties living with his grandfather. Asao, however, is driven by an obsession to have sex in a car and soon embarks on an extraordinary journey in this comedy from Takeshi “Beat” Kitano.
