The Bar, Volume #4

[MyDearFriend]

Yes, good luck Yggy!

Where is my

I need to head out soon to take my poor old mother to a medical appointment. But I will browse around here first to cheer myself up.

Moonrise reports that his physical therapy is going well, and he might be getting home soon. In the meantime he is still jonesing for a "really nice salad."

[^Rhino!]

AntiM......


PLEASE!

Don't encourage her.

Every time Mother Nature decides to hiccup, the DOT calls me here.

After the flood of '93, we thought we could breathe easy for a while, but landslides are a strange type of highwauy-related failure. We investigated over 150 of them in 6 months time. Our soils laboratory was backed up another 6 months beyond that. And that was above and beyond the normal workload. We still get over 50 landslides a year, but nothing like 1993. You see, the soil gets saturated, the fines lose their cohesion, and road embankments go splat on the shoulder of the road or sometimes IN the road. If the road is built on an embankment, the road sometimes is gone overnight.

It's a fragile geologic environment we live in.

[ygmir]

*wanders in, makes CCC*
HI MDF! good luck with your dear mother today. Hoping your dear brother is doing better?
Thanks for the good wishes gang......it's so dang stressful, finding a new tenant, so many say they "need a break"......and so often, they turn out "dip wads" who screw up and blame others.....and yet, there are legitimate folks, good folks, who need to find a place. And it's so hard to weed through them. Part is, my rent is lower than most, trying to be fair and all,so, I get over run with folks at times.

ah well.

Rhino: I bet your job can be fun, though, too? I know the geology of northern NV pretty well, having spent decades rock hunting all over the place......for sure, some super strange formations and materials.


*heads for IBBOD*

[AntiM]

Yikes. Don't encourage her, or don't piss her off?

[ygmir]

[media]

[^Rhino!]

*wanders in, makes CCC*
HI MDF! good luck with your dear mother today. Hoping your dear brother is doing better?
Thanks for the good wishes gang......it's so dang stressful, finding a new tenant, so many say they "need a break"......and so often, they turn out "dip wads" who screw up and blame others.....and yet, there are legitimate folks, good folks, who need to find a place. And it's so hard to weed through them. Part is, my rent is lower than most, trying to be fair and all,so, I get over run with folks at times.

ah well.

Rhino: I bet your job can be fun, though, too? I know the geology of northern NV pretty well, having spent decades rock hunting all over the place......for sure, some super strange formations and materials.


*heads for IBBOD*

I'll echo you ygmir in hoping that MDF's mother is doing better.

And I wish YOU the best in finding a new tenant. Good ones are tough to find. Ever ask for references? That might help. I got my present luxury apartment simply because I had a good reference list of folks who knew me. I even included my former landlord, who could only report that I paid my rent ON TIME IN FULL, and I'd cleaned the apartment thoroughly before I left it (my current landlord heard that all he had to do was repaint the walls after 5 years of me living there...and it was only touch-ups....the apartment was rented again the next day).

As far as my job goes? I'll spell it out to you in Venice Beach -speak. D-O-O-D. Dude.

I love my job. When I first started, I was travelling up to eleven weeks in a row, but coming home every weekend to a 3-day weekend. It made for some serious down time that felt like I could go that way forever. But the geology? Oh, man...it's diverse here. We have igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks of multiple ages, and I've seen a lot. The structure is there, but it's SUBTLE, not like Nevada with basin-and-range faulting. Lots of interesting fossils if you know where to look. I see the road cuts first, since I know when they're opened up. Some of the more fascinating stuff we've found included a shark spine near Branson, a strange archeocyathid-sponge evolutionary link near Jefferson City,and then I got to drill all three of Missouri's meteorite impact craters. Absolutely cool. I won't bore you (pardon the pun) with the engineering geology stuff, but needless to say it's also diverse and keeps me interested.

I KNOW Nevada is cool. I also like Wyoming geology, and Appalachian geology (where I cut my teeth in the science).

Many happy ones to all. Now where's the coffee?????



Oh, that's right, I brought a thermos. Coffee's on me!

[goathead]

[Aurelia]

Rhino, you are not a bore

there are some of us who learn from you

Yes, I took the classes in school but at that time I had other interests

xoA.

[AntiM]

I agree, not boring at all.

I was interested enough to learn the basics of geology, and my parents would stop when we we diving across country to read roadside markers. Fascinating to a kid lie me. I still have random rocks tucked away around the house, including some with fossils which MyLarry picked up on UP land. The railroad just churns up all kinds of interesting things. Utah is an interesting place physically.

[magicmarty]

I did that with my youngest daughter (now 35) and she went on to get a PhD in Geochemistry and will soon have her own lab at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratories. Geology has always been a source of fascination for me and was really stimulated on my trip down the Grand Canyon many years ago.

Off to LA tomorrow for a grandsons's graduation from UCLA on Saturday. See ya'll when I get back

Meanwhile, carpe diem!

(((((((all))))))

(((LF)))

[Aurelia]

Burners are coming out to play

Tonight at the deYoung

Tomorrow at Flambe Lounge.

xoA

[ygmir]

*wanders in, makes CCC*
I'll echo, Rhino, geology is very interesting.
Congrats to your grandson, Marty!

Went up to the Hof yesterday,and will again for the next few days, hoping to get the stove in.

doors open:

DSCN1084.JPG

unloading Hofstove, disassembled for transport:

DSCN1086.JPG

bringing hearth stones (black granite, 4" thick) in.........the bobcat has about 1" clearance side to side to get in.....total luck it fits.

DSCN1097.JPG

[Simon of the Playa]

" clearance side to side to get in.....total luck it fits.

thats what she said.

[^Rhino!]

I agree, not boring at all.

I was interested enough to learn the basics of geology, and my parents would stop when we we diving across country to read roadside markers. Fascinating to a kid lie me. I still have random rocks tucked away around the house, including some with fossils which MyLarry picked up on UP land. The railroad just churns up all kinds of interesting things. Utah is an interesting place physically.

Thank you, AntiM and aserendipity. Hats off to you, magicmarty, for raising a daughter the right way (stimulating her interest and ambition into a worthwhile career).

Hearing your interests, AntiM, lets me know that the geology bug has bit you too. If it takes hold, the fascination lasts a lifetime.

I'm an engineering geologist by trade, but have published in other areas as well - granite geochemistry, Ordovician stratigraphy, and meteorite impact craters. We have all three in Missouri, so I guess overall I'm just a Missouri geologist. But that's gone by the wayside now, too, since I've published a paper on the Sioux Quartzite of Minnesota. The point of it is that when the fascination hits you, and something bothers you, you investigate it, and hopefully learn something new.

My working mottoes are:

Investigate by choice, AND Veni, vidi, pertudi. (We came, we saw, we drilled.)
Discover by chance,
GEOLOGIZE by profession

I'm still working on a playa dust paper that I've been working on for three years now, investigating some of the backwaters of dust science, aeolian sediments, geochemistry, and mineralogy. One of the last papers I cross-referenced was one from the Persian Gulf (they have playas there, too, only they call them sabkhas). Two Iranians set up a bunch of graduated cylinders around the Persian Gulf and measured the amount, timing the amounts of windborne silt particles thrown around and found out that most of the movement is across the Gulf from Saudi Arabia to Iran. Rates of up to 2 millimeters a day of silt are deposited. We've had that and more on the Black Rock playa. I measured it on top of my truck hood in '08 when we had the dust storms during 'American Dream'.

My new fascinations are rare earths in southeast Missouri and the effect geology had on battle outcomes in the Civil War. Wierd? Yep. Fun? Absolutely.

[Aurelia]

Lovely You are !
thank you for the photos Yggy
thank you for the geology..forever

Veni Vidi aserendipity !

[trilobyte]

Damn, Yggy, you confused me there for a second, I thought I'd clicked on Work In Progress by mistake! Love the pics, and whew on the bobcat being able to make it in there on luck (sometimes the universe abides hehe).

That's right, the desert arts preview at DeYoung is tonight... not sure if that'll be doable for us, the girl's got a little thing at her work this afternoon and I've got a full day of working on ziggurat parts. Then tomorrow and Sunday we'll have some kind of crazy parking disruption, there's going to be some race happening, and their path is along our street. Hopefully things won't get too messy and congested, and I'll be able to get to/from my workshop place on Sunday afternoon.

Sounds like fun stuff, Rhino!

Alrighty, daylight's burning - time to get cranking

[AntiM]

Interesting stuff, Rhino. I used to live in Iran, parts of it are spooky close to what we have here out West.

My SIL has a degree in geology, however, she was pushing 60 when my brother died, she never did find work. No work history, and even though she did something with GPS (???), no one would take her on. Makes me rather sad for her.

Marty, you did good with your daughter! Her own lab, that is so cool. My parents raised me to be a housewife. Oh, they let me go to college, but they never placed any faith in my abilities, nor pushed me to succeed. Now and then I seethe quietly about that.

[burner von braun]

.. Now and then I seethe quietly about that.

(((AntiM)))

[trilobyte]

Yes, hugs to AntiM... for what it's worth, it wasn't because they were actively trying to keep you as an individual down (at least I hope that wasn't the case). Times then were different, and for quite a while I think the whole idea of a woman getting an education was either thought of as a novelty, or something they could occupy their time with until they found the right man.

Growing up, the gender as well as the racial bias just boggled my mind. For whatever reason I always saw it as people and we're all supposed to be equal... hell, it still boggles my mind.

What doesn't boggle my mind is my recently restocked supply of vodka and vicious chemicals. In other shopping news, we had to go hit the pet store and buy new cat food today. The dry food we give 'em (good stuff and vet recommended) and they've loved for years appears to be giving them upset stomachs. Must have been a bad batch or something. We swapped over to an alternative brand they like, and both kitties seem all kinds of happy about it. And of course, bonus points for not having to clean up after sick cats!

[burner von braun]

Well, I'm currently sitting out back enjoying bonfire No.3 for this year.. but then, who's counting..

A few minutes ago I ran around to the car to get my reading glasses so I could use my smartphone to catch up on my favorite threads here on eplaya, and before I knew it, walked right up to a small critter standing there in the dark. I could tell it was white with a big bushy tail because it was backlit. I went to the car, got a flashlight, and yes, glasses.. and reacquired the critter. It was a flippin' albino skunk! I didn't even know they made those. All white with a faint grayish/black stripe along its tail.

*has visions of going on tour with one of a kind albino skunk and making millions*

Now I'm sitting here in the dark, huddled next to the fire, knowing that little fucker is out there somewhere in the weeds staring at me..

[knowmad]

hahaha!
little beady red eyes! yeah Albino Eyes creep me out.
I too have some reading to do, and some planning, I'm trying to get out of here next week. (seems like this has been happening for a few weeks) but there are a lot of moving parts and supply's to pack up for ttitd. But I'm about to step off for the summer! and YAY!!!
now for a drink, over here it is a Hard Cider made by a Friends dad, his never disappoint.

[Patsh]

Well, I'm currently sitting out back enjoying bonfire No.3 for this year.. but then, who's counting..

A few minutes ago I ran around to the car to get my reading glasses so I could use my smartphone to catch up on my favorite threads here on eplaya, and before I knew it, walked right up to a small critter standing there in the dark. I could tell it was white with a big bushy tail because it was backlit. I went to the car, got a flashlight, and yes, glasses.. and reacquired the critter. It was a flippin' albino skunk! I didn't even know they made those. All white with a faint grayish/black stripe along its tail.

*has visions of going on tour with one of a kind albino skunk and making millions*

Now I'm sitting here in the dark, huddled next to the fire, knowing that little fucker is out there somewhere in the weeds staring at me..

Heheheeheee...I had a spotted skunk who was invited by Grace, my wonderful kitty (of years ago), to share her food on a regular basis (out on the veranda). This little fellow didn't consider me a threat, never raised its tail or stomped its front paws... I guess we had a tacit understanding. Until then, I'd never seen a spotted skunk. Kind'a Cool!!

[Patsh]

hahaha!
little beady red eyes! yeah Albino Eyes creep me out.
I too have some reading to do, and some planning, I'm trying to get out of here next week. (seems like this has been happening for a few weeks) but there are a lot of moving parts and supply's to pack up for ttitd. But I'm about to step off for the summer! and YAY!!!
now for a drink, over here it is a Hard Cider made by a Friends dad, his never disappoint.

Knowmad, I raise my glass to you in hopes for an absolutely wonderful trip, coming up, (say HI to MA for me) and also in hopes of seeing you again at ttitd...

YUM... nothing like Good hard cider!

[theCryptofishist]

So, today I got a letter from a hospital chain saying that the Sheriff had told them that my social had been stolen from them. Apparently, they got this information on the 23rd of last month. But the fraudulent jc penney's card (which also arrived in today's mail) was applied for and issued this month...
Anybody know anything about ProtectMyID? Now I'm a little jumpy about the idea of giving out my social security number to anything on the web...
I suppose it means that I can get a police report...

[Thecatman]

"peeks in, tip toes to the bar for a mug of HAMMS."

Late, but Happy Bday lucky and Adam.

Been reading posts from earlier this week about the rain we got here in northern Nevada. The hills east of Spanish Springs had hail but from Pyramid Hwy
it looked like snow around 2:30 in the afternoon.

be interesting to hear if it rained enough to make standing water out there.

In the January/February 2013 issue of Nevada magazine there was an article about "Land sailing" on the playa playgrounds. A small side article was titled
"BLACK DESERT GOES SOFT."
The Black Rock Desert in northwest Nevada was once a premier land-sailing destination. Not anymore. The key is moisture-or lack of. "It has not flooded
since 2000" says a land sailing pilot (not be IDed.) "Four years ago the surface went from so hard you did not leave tire tracks to so soft a 250lb dirt board
would sink so deep you cannot sail"
According to the pilot, the Black Rock needs a substantial flood covering after which the water soaks deep into the subsurface. "Perhaps this will be the
year we get that amount of rain and snow we had when the Truckee river flooded and the Helms pit became the Sparks marina. That's what it will take
to repair the Black Rock Desert," he says.
I found that interesting.

[trilobyte]

Ah, the silly (and bitchy) land sailors/sailers (in case the article didn't mention it, I think some had lobbied at some point to block Burning Man). I think calling it a premier land sailing destination is quite a stretch, from what I understand it's neither the best place in the nation (Utah and California have better flats, from what I understand) or even the state (further south is better). Don't get me wrong, if you're into land sailing, you definitely want fewer dunes and there are more dunes now than before a) Burning Man and b) climate change. I disagree with the claim that the place hasn't flooded since 2000 - we know that it flooded so badly after the event in 2010 that playa restoration had to be halted until the spring. Knee-deep water remained after the big rain, more followed, and there was a massive frozen lake all winter. That's one of the factors behind the 2011 event's nearly perfect weather.

Woohoo for bonfires! And damn, they'll make albino versions of anything these days. Sounds like it was an uneventful encounter (other than "holy shit, albino skunk!"), and you didn't have to drive home with the windows open or burn anything.

[MyDearFriend]

Good morning! Let's have some

Yggy, those are great pix of the Hof. I wish I could come to your party.

Marty, congrats on all your great family news! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Albino skunk??? !!! There was a white skunk haunting my Mom's yard last year, but we have not seen (or smelled) him this year yet. Hoping the fox ran him off.

Fishy, I hope you get that ID theft nailed down soon. Scary stuff.

[AntiM]

Fishy, that ID stuff sucks. I'd think the police report would be a good first move. Yikes.



Serious land sailors go to the Bonneville Salt Flats, don't they? Heck, we were on a Pony Express field trip and took the university's ten passenger van out there. Got that baby cranked up to 100 mph. Woo.

Albino skunk, now there's a Spirit Guide. Or a great name for a mountain man, I reckon.

Sick kitties, no fun. Mine are quite sensitive, and I have to brush the big guy frequently. He isn't a long hair, but he sure has a ton of fuzz. I can get up to six handfuls of hair in a single brushing.

Thanks for the hugs. Yeah, the times were different, plus my folks were Mormon. I recall a Young Woman church class when I was 14, preparing for our futures. All they talked about was how to stay pure enough for temple marriage so we could find eternal salvation through worthy husbands. I am dead serious. In high school, girls were not allowed to take wood shop. Freaking wood shop! And they wondered why I joined the Navy. Ugh.

[Simon of the Playa]

i scored some albino skunk in denver a few weeks back.


oh wait...


we're not talking about THAT are we..

[MyDearFriend]

No Simon but I scored some real nice cheap beer cans for our altar to John Frum:



These are from your home town, yes? So DRINK UP PLEASE we need empty cans.