This is a really great link that gives a detailed timemap of it's journey through out sky along with amazing pictures. I was finally able to see if the other night. Just amazing! I remember my dad waking me up at 4am in lake tahoe when I was a little girl, to walk down in the freezing cold air to the pier and look at Haley's Comet.
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/10775326.html
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Leonids 2007
Leonids 2007
The Leonid meteor shower has been responsible for some of the most spectacular celestial displays in history. Most recently, there were several extremely intense Leonids from 1998 to 2002, with some observers reporting more than 1,000 meteors per hour.
Meteor storms like these happen only around the time that the parent comet, 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, makes it closest approach to the Sun. Tempel-Tuttle is now far from Earth and the Sun, so the 2007 Leonids are expected to be modest, with no more then 10 meteors visible per hour. However, the Leonids have yielded surprises before, so they're always worth watching.
The shower peaks on the night of Saturday–Sunday, November 17–18. Leonids start to be visible after the shower's radiant rises above the horizon, around midnight at mid-northern latitudes. Conveniently, the Moon sets around the same time. You're likely to see increasing numbers of meteors as the radiant gets higher toward dawn.
As long as you're outside in the early morning, don't forget to look at the sky's other attractions. In addition to all the brilliant winter stars, several bright planets are on display. Mars blazes at magnitude -1 almost directly overhead. Saturn climbs into the sky not far behind the Leonids' radiant. And Venus clears the eastern horizon around 3 a.m.
And of course, take a good look at amazing Comet Holmes, which is well above the horizon all night long.
The Leonid meteor shower has been responsible for some of the most spectacular celestial displays in history. Most recently, there were several extremely intense Leonids from 1998 to 2002, with some observers reporting more than 1,000 meteors per hour.
Meteor storms like these happen only around the time that the parent comet, 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, makes it closest approach to the Sun. Tempel-Tuttle is now far from Earth and the Sun, so the 2007 Leonids are expected to be modest, with no more then 10 meteors visible per hour. However, the Leonids have yielded surprises before, so they're always worth watching.
The shower peaks on the night of Saturday–Sunday, November 17–18. Leonids start to be visible after the shower's radiant rises above the horizon, around midnight at mid-northern latitudes. Conveniently, the Moon sets around the same time. You're likely to see increasing numbers of meteors as the radiant gets higher toward dawn.
As long as you're outside in the early morning, don't forget to look at the sky's other attractions. In addition to all the brilliant winter stars, several bright planets are on display. Mars blazes at magnitude -1 almost directly overhead. Saturn climbs into the sky not far behind the Leonids' radiant. And Venus clears the eastern horizon around 3 a.m.
And of course, take a good look at amazing Comet Holmes, which is well above the horizon all night long.
Terry Factor - An absolutely amazing Ventriloquist!
Watch these videos to check him out! Wow, I'm just stunned!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZMi5IQNY84
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTSFhIv9bYg&feature=related - Kermit the Frog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnVDHzUAj30&feature=related - Unforgettable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZMi5IQNY84
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTSFhIv9bYg&feature=related - Kermit the Frog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnVDHzUAj30&feature=related - Unforgettable
Gold Country Lost Caves Discovered!
Lost caves revealed
Published: November 16, 2007
Click this picture to view a larger image.
Amy Alonzo/Union Democrat
By JAMES DAMSCHRODER
The Union Democrat
When New Melones Dam was filled a quarter century ago this year, thousands of acres of history and prehistory were lost to its watery depths.
Drought conditions, however, have lowered the lake level by 93 feet, bringing back a glimpse of what was lost – notably, several of the 20-plus caves inundated when the dam's floodwaters began to rise.
Ralph Squire, 78, vice president of the Columbia Grotto of the National Speleological Society, said there are two significant caves that became visible when the water level dropped.
Both are located near the east end of the reservoir where the Main and South forks of the Stanislaus River converge. Several smaller grottoes also exist.
One of the significant caves is Coral Cave.
"When the Native Americans lived there, they quarried travertine for religious jewelry," Squire said. "Some of that jewelry has been found on the North Coast because they used to trade it."
Squire wasn't able to save this cave from drowning, but he was able to save others.
While serving as the chairman of the New Melones Task Force almost 30 years ago, he made recommendations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to purchase 1,500 acres of land in the area to preserve some of the more significant caves threatened by the reservoir.
Still, 20 to 30 caves lay beneath the murky waters of the New Melones Lake, he said.
Where the Main and South forks of the Stanislaus meet, the landscape changes — the valley narrows and
the clay banks that surround the lake's western edges are replaced by jutting limestone cliffs.
The limestone is responsible for the area's caverns, said John Gardner, 60, of Columbia, a member of the Columbia Grotto.
Millions of years ago, hot brine pools formed, dissolving much of the limestone, and left these enormous caverns.
"I like the formations," said Gardner, who started caving when he was 16. "All the beauty the caves have to offer. I've been doing it a long time."
The caves attract people of all ages, like Michael White Jr., 15, a member of the Columbia Grotto, who first starting exploring caves with his father at age 6.
"You get to see a lot of things that other people don't," White said. "When I'm down there, it's relieving. There is no one around. It's quiet."
To explore Coral Cave now, you have to get in the bone-chilling water to fit through the cave entrance, which is now peaking out only a few feet above the waterline.
Once inside the cave, it opens up. Stalactites drip from the ceiling and stalagmites boil from the floor.
Experts warn that cave exploring is not for novices.
Lisa Boulton, marketing director for Sierra Nevada Recreation — the company that runs the tours for the area's Moaning and California caverns — said it's not a good idea for the inexperienced to explore wild caves.
"Don't go without someone that's an experienced caver," Boulton said. "It can be extremely dangerous."
Another reason novices are urged to go with more experienced spelunkers: Caves are fragile.
Grotto member Mike White Sr., 37, said that when someone abuses rock or mineral formations in a cave, it can take thousands of years for the damage to be undone.
"People should treat them (wild caves) as a treasure," White Sr. said. "Stalactites don't look as good on your coffee table as they would in the cave."
Particularly caves one rarely gets to visit.
"It's special because of the limited time you get to see it," White said of Coral Cave. "It's neat because it was proven that American Indians used it as a shelter."
Published: November 16, 2007
Click this picture to view a larger image.
Amy Alonzo/Union Democrat
By JAMES DAMSCHRODER
The Union Democrat
When New Melones Dam was filled a quarter century ago this year, thousands of acres of history and prehistory were lost to its watery depths.
Drought conditions, however, have lowered the lake level by 93 feet, bringing back a glimpse of what was lost – notably, several of the 20-plus caves inundated when the dam's floodwaters began to rise.
Ralph Squire, 78, vice president of the Columbia Grotto of the National Speleological Society, said there are two significant caves that became visible when the water level dropped.
Both are located near the east end of the reservoir where the Main and South forks of the Stanislaus River converge. Several smaller grottoes also exist.
One of the significant caves is Coral Cave.
"When the Native Americans lived there, they quarried travertine for religious jewelry," Squire said. "Some of that jewelry has been found on the North Coast because they used to trade it."
Squire wasn't able to save this cave from drowning, but he was able to save others.
While serving as the chairman of the New Melones Task Force almost 30 years ago, he made recommendations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to purchase 1,500 acres of land in the area to preserve some of the more significant caves threatened by the reservoir.
Still, 20 to 30 caves lay beneath the murky waters of the New Melones Lake, he said.
Where the Main and South forks of the Stanislaus meet, the landscape changes — the valley narrows and
the clay banks that surround the lake's western edges are replaced by jutting limestone cliffs.
The limestone is responsible for the area's caverns, said John Gardner, 60, of Columbia, a member of the Columbia Grotto.
Millions of years ago, hot brine pools formed, dissolving much of the limestone, and left these enormous caverns.
"I like the formations," said Gardner, who started caving when he was 16. "All the beauty the caves have to offer. I've been doing it a long time."
The caves attract people of all ages, like Michael White Jr., 15, a member of the Columbia Grotto, who first starting exploring caves with his father at age 6.
"You get to see a lot of things that other people don't," White said. "When I'm down there, it's relieving. There is no one around. It's quiet."
To explore Coral Cave now, you have to get in the bone-chilling water to fit through the cave entrance, which is now peaking out only a few feet above the waterline.
Once inside the cave, it opens up. Stalactites drip from the ceiling and stalagmites boil from the floor.
Experts warn that cave exploring is not for novices.
Lisa Boulton, marketing director for Sierra Nevada Recreation — the company that runs the tours for the area's Moaning and California caverns — said it's not a good idea for the inexperienced to explore wild caves.
"Don't go without someone that's an experienced caver," Boulton said. "It can be extremely dangerous."
Another reason novices are urged to go with more experienced spelunkers: Caves are fragile.
Grotto member Mike White Sr., 37, said that when someone abuses rock or mineral formations in a cave, it can take thousands of years for the damage to be undone.
"People should treat them (wild caves) as a treasure," White Sr. said. "Stalactites don't look as good on your coffee table as they would in the cave."
Particularly caves one rarely gets to visit.
"It's special because of the limited time you get to see it," White said of Coral Cave. "It's neat because it was proven that American Indians used it as a shelter."
Monday, November 12, 2007
Explore a real cave!! Neato :)
This is so cool!! Click on the link and then click on a red spot on the map of the cave. A new window will open and you'll see a 360 degree view of the part of the cave that you are in. With your cursor, click on that new screen and you can move around the cave, go down the tunnels, etc. This is a fantastic project!!
http://www.burger.si/Jame/KriznaJama/NovaKriznaJama/ENG_Uvod_NovaKriznaJama.html
:)
http://www.burger.si/Jame/KriznaJama/NovaKriznaJama/ENG_Uvod_NovaKriznaJama.html
:)
New study - Teens who use cannabis!!
I think it is awesome that someone is doing studies like this one!
Teens that use cannabis may function better than teen tobacco-users, and appear to be more socially driven and have fewer psychosocial problems than those who do not use either substance, according to a Swiss survey.
Researchers at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland surveyed 5,263 students, including 455 who smoke marijuana only, 1,703 who smoke marijuana and tobacco and 3,105 who smoked neither one.
The survey, which will be published in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found that marijuana-only smokers had better relationships with friends, better grades and were more likely to play sports than teens who smoked tobacco and those who abstained from both substances.
A U.S. substance abuse expert disagreed with the study and said U.S. teens should not be encouraged to use marijuana, particularly since teenagers’ brains are still developing at this time.
“Switzerland is very liberal compared to us in many ways,” Dr. Edwin Salsitz, senior physician of chemical dependency at Beth Israel Medical Center. “In general, it’s not a good idea for teenagers to use psychoactive drugs. The brain is still developing until the age of 21.
“Maybe (there’s) a cultural bias there that says it’s ok to use marijuana once or twice a month,” he continued “But from what I know, I’ve never heard that anyone thought it was beneficial. Most experts here would say that it’s not a good idea to use cannabis before the age of 15, because it interferes with school and the development of brain.”
Researchers found that marijuana-only users had the following characteristics:
— More likely to be male (71.6 percent marijuana smokers versus 59.7 percent of teens who used tobacco and marijuana)
— Play sports (85.5 percent vs. 66.7 percent of tobacco and marijuana)
— Live with both parents (78.2 percent vs. 68.3 percent of tobacco and marijuana)
— Have good grades (77.5 percent vs. 66.6 percent of tobacco and marijuana)
Cannabis-only smokers were also less likely to have been drunk in the past 30 days, less likely to use cannabis before the age of 15 and less likely to use marijuana more than once or twice in the past 30 days. They were also less likely to use other illegal drugs, compared to students who used both substances, researchers found.
“The gateway theory hypothesizes that the use of legal drugs (tobacco and alcohol) is the previous step to cannabis consumption,” the authors wrote. “However, recent research also indicates that cannabis use may precede or be simultaneous to tobacco use and that, in fact, its use may reinforce cigarette smoking or lead to nicotine addiction independently of smoking status. In any case, and even though they do not seem to have great personal, family, or academic problems, the situation of those adolescents who use cannabis but who declare not using tobacco should not be trivialized.”
In comparison to students who abstained from both substances, marijuana-only smokers were:
— More likely to be male (71.6 percent cannabis users vs. 47.7 percent of teens who abstained)
— Have a good relationship with friends (87 percent vs. 83.2 percent)
— Be sensation-seeking (37.8 percent vs. 21.8 percent)
— Play sports (85.5 percent vs. 76.6 percent)
— Less likely to have a good relationship with their parents (74.1 percent vs. 82.4 percent)
The fact that some students who smoked marijuana were less likely to have a good relationship with their parents wasn’t surprising to Salsitz. “The way to look at it is to look at alcohol as an analogy,” he said. “Do adults or teens who use alcohol have better relationships than those abstinent? That’s just not true. It looks like if you smoke marijuana and not tobacco, it’s better for you.”
He said the study should be viewed in terms of culture. “In France, people drink wine with food, but they don’t get drunk,” he said. “Kids also start doing this when they are young, and that’s different from here. I don’t think anyone would say that the active ingredient in marijuana is doing anything good in the brain, compared to abstaining or smoking tobacco, so there must be cultural reason for this happening.”
Teens that use cannabis may function better than teen tobacco-users, and appear to be more socially driven and have fewer psychosocial problems than those who do not use either substance, according to a Swiss survey.
Researchers at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland surveyed 5,263 students, including 455 who smoke marijuana only, 1,703 who smoke marijuana and tobacco and 3,105 who smoked neither one.
The survey, which will be published in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found that marijuana-only smokers had better relationships with friends, better grades and were more likely to play sports than teens who smoked tobacco and those who abstained from both substances.
A U.S. substance abuse expert disagreed with the study and said U.S. teens should not be encouraged to use marijuana, particularly since teenagers’ brains are still developing at this time.
“Switzerland is very liberal compared to us in many ways,” Dr. Edwin Salsitz, senior physician of chemical dependency at Beth Israel Medical Center. “In general, it’s not a good idea for teenagers to use psychoactive drugs. The brain is still developing until the age of 21.
“Maybe (there’s) a cultural bias there that says it’s ok to use marijuana once or twice a month,” he continued “But from what I know, I’ve never heard that anyone thought it was beneficial. Most experts here would say that it’s not a good idea to use cannabis before the age of 15, because it interferes with school and the development of brain.”
Researchers found that marijuana-only users had the following characteristics:
— More likely to be male (71.6 percent marijuana smokers versus 59.7 percent of teens who used tobacco and marijuana)
— Play sports (85.5 percent vs. 66.7 percent of tobacco and marijuana)
— Live with both parents (78.2 percent vs. 68.3 percent of tobacco and marijuana)
— Have good grades (77.5 percent vs. 66.6 percent of tobacco and marijuana)
Cannabis-only smokers were also less likely to have been drunk in the past 30 days, less likely to use cannabis before the age of 15 and less likely to use marijuana more than once or twice in the past 30 days. They were also less likely to use other illegal drugs, compared to students who used both substances, researchers found.
“The gateway theory hypothesizes that the use of legal drugs (tobacco and alcohol) is the previous step to cannabis consumption,” the authors wrote. “However, recent research also indicates that cannabis use may precede or be simultaneous to tobacco use and that, in fact, its use may reinforce cigarette smoking or lead to nicotine addiction independently of smoking status. In any case, and even though they do not seem to have great personal, family, or academic problems, the situation of those adolescents who use cannabis but who declare not using tobacco should not be trivialized.”
In comparison to students who abstained from both substances, marijuana-only smokers were:
— More likely to be male (71.6 percent cannabis users vs. 47.7 percent of teens who abstained)
— Have a good relationship with friends (87 percent vs. 83.2 percent)
— Be sensation-seeking (37.8 percent vs. 21.8 percent)
— Play sports (85.5 percent vs. 76.6 percent)
— Less likely to have a good relationship with their parents (74.1 percent vs. 82.4 percent)
The fact that some students who smoked marijuana were less likely to have a good relationship with their parents wasn’t surprising to Salsitz. “The way to look at it is to look at alcohol as an analogy,” he said. “Do adults or teens who use alcohol have better relationships than those abstinent? That’s just not true. It looks like if you smoke marijuana and not tobacco, it’s better for you.”
He said the study should be viewed in terms of culture. “In France, people drink wine with food, but they don’t get drunk,” he said. “Kids also start doing this when they are young, and that’s different from here. I don’t think anyone would say that the active ingredient in marijuana is doing anything good in the brain, compared to abstaining or smoking tobacco, so there must be cultural reason for this happening.”
Live painter on stage
This guy is pretty cool: http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=QZFkZiwMLZ4&eurl=&iurl=http%3A//img.youtube.com/vi/QZFkZiwMLZ4/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskJYd0whWtTTSf7dOhlgctTV&rel=1&border=0
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
New comet in the sky and many events associated...
Space Weather News for Nov. 9, 2007
http://spaceweather.com
COMET TAIL: Exploding Comet 17P/Holmes continues to amaze onlookers. On Nov. 8th and 9th part of the comet's blue tail broke away in view of many backyard telescopes. Visit http://spaceweather.com to see photos of the "disconnection event" and speculation about what might have caused it.
TAURID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Northern Taurid meteor shower caused by Comet Encke peaks on Nov. 12th. Although Taurid rates are normally low, only about five meteors per hour, those five can be doozies. The shower is a well-known producer of slow, bright fireballs visible at all hours of the night. If you're outside after dark this weekend, be alert for Taurids.
Would you like to subscribe to Spaceweather Alerts? Click here: http://spaceweather.com/services/
http://spaceweather.com
COMET TAIL: Exploding Comet 17P/Holmes continues to amaze onlookers. On Nov. 8th and 9th part of the comet's blue tail broke away in view of many backyard telescopes. Visit http://spaceweather.com to see photos of the "disconnection event" and speculation about what might have caused it.
TAURID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Northern Taurid meteor shower caused by Comet Encke peaks on Nov. 12th. Although Taurid rates are normally low, only about five meteors per hour, those five can be doozies. The shower is a well-known producer of slow, bright fireballs visible at all hours of the night. If you're outside after dark this weekend, be alert for Taurids.
Would you like to subscribe to Spaceweather Alerts? Click here: http://spaceweather.com/services/
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Fleet Week from afar
I love Fleet Week every year. I remember very clearly growing up in Alameda, right smack next to the Naval Base here when it was up and running. I miss that. I wish we still had some kind of a miliary prescense here. My dad was in the Navy as a Naval Dentist, pretty cool! Anyway, many times a month we'd have these amazingly awesome jet aircraft flying over our house from takeoff or before landing at the Alameda naval base. I love the booming sound of Mach 1 and the prescision at which they can fly, so fast and such amazing acceleration. Fleet Week is all about celebrating that for the Bay Area. There are awesome naval boats that come into the bay and dock and you can actually tour the boats themselves. I believe this year and a few years ago there was a submarine included in the on water fleet. The Blue Angels fortunately were able to perform this year - some stupid anti-war people protested their prescense and tried to get them kicked out of the show. I realize what they fly is a war plane but also realize that I used to live here when they flew here all the time and I felt pretty darn safe. I am very anti-war but I love airplanes, especially jets so I'm not going to be against them flying. I think realistically they stand for more than just war but for freedom for our country and living free as Americans do. They also stand for peace. The Blue Angels recently lost one of their own when a stunt went wrong and they celebrated this pilot's legacy by having a new pilot come on board. I think what they do is really cool and just amazing. So I got some great pics from far away - when I was walking Goldie out in Harbor Bay, at the point and there was some other people out there purposely to watch the show. Over that weekend, I went out onto the Alameda Base and drove out on one of the many runways to where a bunch of parked cars were and people were up on their cars, looking over the fence and through it to get a great view of the planes flying and doing their stunts. I went over to the city with my dad last year for the first time but decided against it this year as I was not feeling well enough to deal with that many people - almost as bad as during Kaboom - on public transportation, so we stayed home. On Sunday my dad and I went out to the Berkeley marina, parked and walked out on the pier to watch them fly and I'm glad we did, because they occasionally did loop backs, where they fly across the bay to the Berkeley/Oakland area, turn around and fly back to set up for a new stunt. So my pics came out surprisingly well and I don't know if you'll be able to see the planes in the picture clearly or not but maybe you can get it to resize. :)
Tahoe in September
So at the same Tahoe trip as below, my brother was here with us, which was just awesome, as we don't see him in person that often. We really wanted to go in and see Euer Valley before it got closed for winter. So off we went on Monday after the wedding fun weekend. It was so beautiful, hardly any people in there besides the caretaker and it was still very green too. But the lake was really low, as well as the stream, which can be sad to see but I know that is part of life too. J and I went up to the lake on the motorcycle, me riding on the back. It's great that the two of us can ride one bike, me holding on for dear life - almost got bounced off coming back down the hill! I took some amazing pictures, practicing taking pictures of the reflections in the water and on the water's surface - of trees and these beautiful clouds that rolled in while we were up there. So enjoy these pictures too!
Pictures from Dog Art Festival in Lake Tahoe
These are from the dog art festival I went to day after the wedding, which is noted for Sept 2007 - it was just awesome! I got some really incredible pictures, which I will list below. So many dogs, the most I've ever seen in one place, even more different varieties of breeds then you would see in a dog park! And most were friendly and loved the attention, so it was a free for all in terms of getting lots of doggy love. I got some great information and was able to donate a few extra bucks towards the organizations that I learned about AND learned about some vets in the area, and other holistic pet shops and such that I'll have to check out next time I'm up in Tahoe and now I know that if I ever had an emergency situation with my kitty, because I do take him up to Tahoe when I go, that I will know where to take him. Knock on wood that that never happens but I like to be prepared!
So below are the pictures I was just talking about. These dogs were amazing. There was a fly ball contest, where the owners launched a tennis ball and the dogs would run and leap off the dock and the contest was to see how far the dog would jump and then land in the water. The pics of those came out amazingly great! The winner landed 21 feet out! Wow! I missed that one, which was right in the beginning but my brother saw it and said it was pretty neat.
We also at the end of the festival, before we left, got to watch a rescue dog demo, put on by the Alpine dog team that works out of the whole Tahoe and Donner areas, in search and rescue all year round. But they are the ones you'll see with dogs on snow mobiles and out running next to their partners who are on skiis. So they eldest rescue dog, the greyish cattle dog that is in my picture, is a female and has been working as a rescue dog since she was a puppy. She is now 15 and still does it. It's based on a reward/game system. The dogs really enjoy finding a person or object and they know that once they go to work, the faster that they find what they are looking for, the quicker they'll get to play afterwards with their favorite toy. Many of the dogs like the game of tug, so that is their reward. I was told that in the united states we use the toy reward and in Canada, they use a treat system. So everyone is different and different techniques work well for many reasons. But it was so fun watching this dog get into 'work' mode and run off and watch as the trainer gave her commands and how intelligent she really was. We all knew where the person was hiding but it was neat to see how accurate she was and what signals she gives her handler when she knows that she's in proximity to the person needing to be saved. They work a lot with avalanche victims and other situations like that. Enjoy the pictures!
So below are the pictures I was just talking about. These dogs were amazing. There was a fly ball contest, where the owners launched a tennis ball and the dogs would run and leap off the dock and the contest was to see how far the dog would jump and then land in the water. The pics of those came out amazingly great! The winner landed 21 feet out! Wow! I missed that one, which was right in the beginning but my brother saw it and said it was pretty neat.
We also at the end of the festival, before we left, got to watch a rescue dog demo, put on by the Alpine dog team that works out of the whole Tahoe and Donner areas, in search and rescue all year round. But they are the ones you'll see with dogs on snow mobiles and out running next to their partners who are on skiis. So they eldest rescue dog, the greyish cattle dog that is in my picture, is a female and has been working as a rescue dog since she was a puppy. She is now 15 and still does it. It's based on a reward/game system. The dogs really enjoy finding a person or object and they know that once they go to work, the faster that they find what they are looking for, the quicker they'll get to play afterwards with their favorite toy. Many of the dogs like the game of tug, so that is their reward. I was told that in the united states we use the toy reward and in Canada, they use a treat system. So everyone is different and different techniques work well for many reasons. But it was so fun watching this dog get into 'work' mode and run off and watch as the trainer gave her commands and how intelligent she really was. We all knew where the person was hiding but it was neat to see how accurate she was and what signals she gives her handler when she knows that she's in proximity to the person needing to be saved. They work a lot with avalanche victims and other situations like that. Enjoy the pictures!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Living With Invisible Chronic Pain!
Living With Pain That Just Won’t Go Away
* Sign In to E-Mail or Save This
* Print
* Reprints
Article Tools Sponsored By
By JANE E. BRODY
Published: November 6, 2007
Pain, especially pain that doesn’t quit, changes a person. And rarely for the better. The initial reaction to serious pain is usually fear (what is wrong with me, and is it curable?), but pain that fails to respond to treatment leads to anxiety, depression, anger and irritability.
Skip to next paragraph
Stuart Bradford
At age 29, Walter, a computer programmer in Silicon Valley, developed a repetitive stress injury that caused severe pain in his hands when he touched the keyboard. The injury did not respond to rest. The pain became worse, spreading to his shoulders, neck and back.
Unable to work, lift, carry or squeeze anything without enduring days of crippling pain, Walter could no longer drive, open a jar or even sign his name.
“At age 29, I was on Social Security disability, basically confined to home, and my life seemed to be over,” Walter recalls in “Living With Chronic Pain,” by Dr. Jennifer Schneider. Severely depressed, he wonders whether his life is worth living.
Yet, despite his limited mobility and the pain-induced frown lines in his face, to look at Walter is to see a strapping, healthy young man. It is hard to tell that he, or any other person beset with chronic pain, is suffering as much as he says he is.
Pain is an invisible, subjective symptom. The body of a chronic pain sufferer — someone with fibromyalgia, for example, or back pain — usually appears intact. There are no objective tests to detect pain or measure its intensity. You just have to take a person’s word for it.
Nearly 10 percent of people in the United States suffer from moderate to severe chronic pain, and the prevalence increases with age. Complete relief from chronic pain is rare even with the best treatment, which is itself a rarity. Doctors and patients alike, who misunderstand the effects of narcotics, are too often reluctant to use drugs like opioids, which can relieve acute, as well as chronic, pain and may head off the development of a chronic pain syndrome.
Why Pain Persists
The problems with chronic pain are that it never really ends and does not always respond to treatment. If the pain initially was caused by an injury or illness, it can persist long after the injury has healed or the illness defeated because permanent changes have occurred in the body.
Mark Grant, a psychologist in Australia who specializes in managing chronic pain, says the notion that “physical injury equals pain” is overly simplistic. “We now know that pain is caused and maintained by a combination of physical, psychological and neurological factors,” Mr. Grant writes on his Web site, www.overcomingpain.com. With chronic pain, a persistent physical cause often cannot be determined.
“Chronic pain can be caused by muscle tension, changes in circulation, postural imbalances, psychological distress and neurological changes,” Mr. Grant says on his site. “It is also known that unrelieved pain is associated with increased metabolic rate, spontaneous excitation of the central nervous system, changes in blood circulation to the brain and changes in the limbic-hypothalamic system,” the region of the brain that regulates emotions.
Dr. Schneider, the author of “Living With Chronic Pain” (Healthy Living Books, Hatherleigh Press, 2004), is a specialist in pain management in Tucson, Ariz. In her book, she points out that the nervous system is responsible for the two major types of chronic pain.
One, called nociceptive pain, “arises from injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments or in the internal organs,” she writes. Undamaged nerve cells responding to an injury outside themselves transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and then to the brain. The resulting pain is usually described as deep and throbbing. Examples include chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches, interstitial cystitis and chronic pelvic pain.
The second type, neuropathic pain, “results from abnormal nerve function or direct damage to a nerve.” Among the causes are shingles, diabetic neuropathy, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, phantom limb pain, radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.
The damaged nerve fibers “can fire spontaneously, both at the site of the injury and at other places along the nerve pathway” and “can continue indefinitely even after the source of the injury has stopped sending pain messages,” Dr. Schneider writes.
“Neuropathic pain can be constant or intermittent, burning, aching, shooting or stabbing, and it sometimes radiates down the arms or legs,” she adds. This kind of pain tends “to involve exaggerated responses to painful stimuli, spread of pain to areas that were not initially painful, and sensations of pain in response to normally nonpainful stimuli such as light touch.” It is often worse at night and may involve abnormal sensations like tingling, pins and needles, and intense itching.
Some chronic pain syndromes involve both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. A common example is sciatica; a pinched nerve causes back pain that radiates down the leg. In some cases, the pain of sciatica is not felt in the back but only in the leg, making the cause difficult to diagnose without an M.R.I.
Beyond Physical Problems
The consequences of chronic pain typically extend well beyond the discomfort from the sensation of pain itself. Dr. Schneider lists these potential physical effects: poor wound healing, weakness and muscle breakdown, decreased movement that can lead to blood clots, shallow breathing and suppressed coughing that raise the risk of pneumonia, sodium and water retention in the kidneys, raised heart rate and blood pressure, weakened immune system, a slowing of gastrointestinal motility, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite and weight, and fatigue.
But that is hardly the end of it. The psychological and social consequences of chronic pain can be enormous. Unremitting pain can rob a person of the ability to enjoy life, maintain important relationships, fulfill spousal and parental responsibilities, perform well at a job or work at all.
The economic burdens can be severe, especially when the patient is the primary breadwinner or holds a job that provides the family’s health insurance. Only about half of patients with chronic pain “who undergo comprehensive multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation are able to return to work,” Dr. Schneider reports.
As for the notion that chronic pain patients are often malingering — seeking attention and escape from responsibilities — pain specialists say that is nonsense. No one in his right mind — and most patients were in their right minds before the pain began — would trade a fulfilling life for the misery of chronic pain.
* Sign In to E-Mail or Save This
* Reprints
Article Tools Sponsored By
By JANE E. BRODY
Published: November 6, 2007
Pain, especially pain that doesn’t quit, changes a person. And rarely for the better. The initial reaction to serious pain is usually fear (what is wrong with me, and is it curable?), but pain that fails to respond to treatment leads to anxiety, depression, anger and irritability.
Skip to next paragraph
Stuart Bradford
At age 29, Walter, a computer programmer in Silicon Valley, developed a repetitive stress injury that caused severe pain in his hands when he touched the keyboard. The injury did not respond to rest. The pain became worse, spreading to his shoulders, neck and back.
Unable to work, lift, carry or squeeze anything without enduring days of crippling pain, Walter could no longer drive, open a jar or even sign his name.
“At age 29, I was on Social Security disability, basically confined to home, and my life seemed to be over,” Walter recalls in “Living With Chronic Pain,” by Dr. Jennifer Schneider. Severely depressed, he wonders whether his life is worth living.
Yet, despite his limited mobility and the pain-induced frown lines in his face, to look at Walter is to see a strapping, healthy young man. It is hard to tell that he, or any other person beset with chronic pain, is suffering as much as he says he is.
Pain is an invisible, subjective symptom. The body of a chronic pain sufferer — someone with fibromyalgia, for example, or back pain — usually appears intact. There are no objective tests to detect pain or measure its intensity. You just have to take a person’s word for it.
Nearly 10 percent of people in the United States suffer from moderate to severe chronic pain, and the prevalence increases with age. Complete relief from chronic pain is rare even with the best treatment, which is itself a rarity. Doctors and patients alike, who misunderstand the effects of narcotics, are too often reluctant to use drugs like opioids, which can relieve acute, as well as chronic, pain and may head off the development of a chronic pain syndrome.
Why Pain Persists
The problems with chronic pain are that it never really ends and does not always respond to treatment. If the pain initially was caused by an injury or illness, it can persist long after the injury has healed or the illness defeated because permanent changes have occurred in the body.
Mark Grant, a psychologist in Australia who specializes in managing chronic pain, says the notion that “physical injury equals pain” is overly simplistic. “We now know that pain is caused and maintained by a combination of physical, psychological and neurological factors,” Mr. Grant writes on his Web site, www.overcomingpain.com. With chronic pain, a persistent physical cause often cannot be determined.
“Chronic pain can be caused by muscle tension, changes in circulation, postural imbalances, psychological distress and neurological changes,” Mr. Grant says on his site. “It is also known that unrelieved pain is associated with increased metabolic rate, spontaneous excitation of the central nervous system, changes in blood circulation to the brain and changes in the limbic-hypothalamic system,” the region of the brain that regulates emotions.
Dr. Schneider, the author of “Living With Chronic Pain” (Healthy Living Books, Hatherleigh Press, 2004), is a specialist in pain management in Tucson, Ariz. In her book, she points out that the nervous system is responsible for the two major types of chronic pain.
One, called nociceptive pain, “arises from injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments or in the internal organs,” she writes. Undamaged nerve cells responding to an injury outside themselves transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and then to the brain. The resulting pain is usually described as deep and throbbing. Examples include chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches, interstitial cystitis and chronic pelvic pain.
The second type, neuropathic pain, “results from abnormal nerve function or direct damage to a nerve.” Among the causes are shingles, diabetic neuropathy, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, phantom limb pain, radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.
The damaged nerve fibers “can fire spontaneously, both at the site of the injury and at other places along the nerve pathway” and “can continue indefinitely even after the source of the injury has stopped sending pain messages,” Dr. Schneider writes.
“Neuropathic pain can be constant or intermittent, burning, aching, shooting or stabbing, and it sometimes radiates down the arms or legs,” she adds. This kind of pain tends “to involve exaggerated responses to painful stimuli, spread of pain to areas that were not initially painful, and sensations of pain in response to normally nonpainful stimuli such as light touch.” It is often worse at night and may involve abnormal sensations like tingling, pins and needles, and intense itching.
Some chronic pain syndromes involve both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. A common example is sciatica; a pinched nerve causes back pain that radiates down the leg. In some cases, the pain of sciatica is not felt in the back but only in the leg, making the cause difficult to diagnose without an M.R.I.
Beyond Physical Problems
The consequences of chronic pain typically extend well beyond the discomfort from the sensation of pain itself. Dr. Schneider lists these potential physical effects: poor wound healing, weakness and muscle breakdown, decreased movement that can lead to blood clots, shallow breathing and suppressed coughing that raise the risk of pneumonia, sodium and water retention in the kidneys, raised heart rate and blood pressure, weakened immune system, a slowing of gastrointestinal motility, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite and weight, and fatigue.
But that is hardly the end of it. The psychological and social consequences of chronic pain can be enormous. Unremitting pain can rob a person of the ability to enjoy life, maintain important relationships, fulfill spousal and parental responsibilities, perform well at a job or work at all.
The economic burdens can be severe, especially when the patient is the primary breadwinner or holds a job that provides the family’s health insurance. Only about half of patients with chronic pain “who undergo comprehensive multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation are able to return to work,” Dr. Schneider reports.
As for the notion that chronic pain patients are often malingering — seeking attention and escape from responsibilities — pain specialists say that is nonsense. No one in his right mind — and most patients were in their right minds before the pain began — would trade a fulfilling life for the misery of chronic pain.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Other bad drivers
I really don't get it about California. Why does everyone have to be in such a damn hurry to get to where they are going? Do you know that when you drive like a maniac that you cause accidents and sometimes cause lives? All of these innocent people out on the roads, driving by the law and then someone comes weaving down the hwy, and bam, crashed into someone. I had a nightmare last night that I was on Hwy 80 and some jerk slammed into my car, pushing me into a pileup of cars, then pinning me in the car and I couldn't move. I woke up before finding out the rest - needless to say, I didnt' sleep so well after that :(
If you're not aware, when you leave the state of California and go into another state, driving is so much more relaxing and peaceful. This is true! I can prove it to you! Drive north on I-5 and cross the border into Oregon. Yes, you're still up in the mountains so driving is still risky but once you get down into Ashland, people are obeying the speed limit - what a concept!!! - and no one tail gates or flips you off when something is their fault. There are no mad drivers weaving in and out of traffic like maniacs. There are less crashes, more related to the weather and not bad drivers. I always look forward to driving up to Oregon for this very reason. The drive on the way back, however, is garenteed to put a frown on my face :( It's always a nightmare. One thing I can't stand in Calif., is these stupid drivers, usually older ladies, who cannot and refuse! to drive around a truck. And this is usually on the highway, where you have two lanes in each direction and they are in the fast lane and just sitting directly behind or right next to a truck, going the same speed as the truck, so below the speed limit. You can honk and scream and yell all that you want to but it does no good. These types of drivers should not be on the road! I would yank their licenses so fast if I were a cop or a judge. I really think someone should bring the idea of "Citizens Arrest" into the works.
For example, tonight on my way home. I stop at the stop sign, make a FULL stop because it's the law! and on the side of the incoming traffic is a car that just kinda rolls through the stop sign and then sorta stops out halfway in the middle of the intersection. I'm sitting in my car, with a frown and discusted look on my face - i then realized it was a cop! WTF??!! You have to follow the rules too buddy. Unless you're in an emergency and have your ligths on, you can't just roll through a stop sign. So if I could pull a citizens arrest, I would take pictures of the event happening, document the location, time and date and then bring the paperwork into my local police station. I think there should be something that allows us good, safe drivers to do this! Thats just my way of doing some wishful thinking.
And there should also be a way to report wrreckless drivers. YOu can report drunk drivers by calling 911. One time when I was driving home from Oregon, on I-5, a truck was speeding - and I mean going over 80, because I only wanted to get ahead of this bastard, so I had to go almost 90 mph just to get around him. Then he passed me again, almost side swiping me in the process and then almost tapping the front bumper of my car. I swear that time slowed down in that instant and I thought, I don't want to die this way! I thought what can I do about this: So I dialed the highway patrol number that I have in my cell and got a message saying for me to hold. I stayed on the phone (which I hate doing when I'm driving and I cannot wait for January when the new law about not driving with a cell phone in use comes into play) and I couldn't sit on hold forever so I hung up. What I ended up doing and I recommend you doing this if you are ever in a similiar situation, is to get all of the numbers off of the truck - and learn to write without looking at what you're writing - get the numbers off the cab most importantly but I know it's almost impossible to read the license attached to the cab, so get the one on the trailer. Also note the date, time, and where you are on a freeway or hwy. Get the name of the truck company and any other info that you can get. When I got home, I googled the truck company and on the website, got the email for phone for the CEO or manager or owner and filed a complaint. I had to do this with two different truck companies from that one trip and one of the companies, the guy I dealt with was very apologetic and said that the driver would be reprimanded right away. I dont know what actually happened to the driver but I at least felt relieved that someone was notified.
If you're not aware, when you leave the state of California and go into another state, driving is so much more relaxing and peaceful. This is true! I can prove it to you! Drive north on I-5 and cross the border into Oregon. Yes, you're still up in the mountains so driving is still risky but once you get down into Ashland, people are obeying the speed limit - what a concept!!! - and no one tail gates or flips you off when something is their fault. There are no mad drivers weaving in and out of traffic like maniacs. There are less crashes, more related to the weather and not bad drivers. I always look forward to driving up to Oregon for this very reason. The drive on the way back, however, is garenteed to put a frown on my face :( It's always a nightmare. One thing I can't stand in Calif., is these stupid drivers, usually older ladies, who cannot and refuse! to drive around a truck. And this is usually on the highway, where you have two lanes in each direction and they are in the fast lane and just sitting directly behind or right next to a truck, going the same speed as the truck, so below the speed limit. You can honk and scream and yell all that you want to but it does no good. These types of drivers should not be on the road! I would yank their licenses so fast if I were a cop or a judge. I really think someone should bring the idea of "Citizens Arrest" into the works.
For example, tonight on my way home. I stop at the stop sign, make a FULL stop because it's the law! and on the side of the incoming traffic is a car that just kinda rolls through the stop sign and then sorta stops out halfway in the middle of the intersection. I'm sitting in my car, with a frown and discusted look on my face - i then realized it was a cop! WTF??!! You have to follow the rules too buddy. Unless you're in an emergency and have your ligths on, you can't just roll through a stop sign. So if I could pull a citizens arrest, I would take pictures of the event happening, document the location, time and date and then bring the paperwork into my local police station. I think there should be something that allows us good, safe drivers to do this! Thats just my way of doing some wishful thinking.
And there should also be a way to report wrreckless drivers. YOu can report drunk drivers by calling 911. One time when I was driving home from Oregon, on I-5, a truck was speeding - and I mean going over 80, because I only wanted to get ahead of this bastard, so I had to go almost 90 mph just to get around him. Then he passed me again, almost side swiping me in the process and then almost tapping the front bumper of my car. I swear that time slowed down in that instant and I thought, I don't want to die this way! I thought what can I do about this: So I dialed the highway patrol number that I have in my cell and got a message saying for me to hold. I stayed on the phone (which I hate doing when I'm driving and I cannot wait for January when the new law about not driving with a cell phone in use comes into play) and I couldn't sit on hold forever so I hung up. What I ended up doing and I recommend you doing this if you are ever in a similiar situation, is to get all of the numbers off of the truck - and learn to write without looking at what you're writing - get the numbers off the cab most importantly but I know it's almost impossible to read the license attached to the cab, so get the one on the trailer. Also note the date, time, and where you are on a freeway or hwy. Get the name of the truck company and any other info that you can get. When I got home, I googled the truck company and on the website, got the email for phone for the CEO or manager or owner and filed a complaint. I had to do this with two different truck companies from that one trip and one of the companies, the guy I dealt with was very apologetic and said that the driver would be reprimanded right away. I dont know what actually happened to the driver but I at least felt relieved that someone was notified.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)