If you're tired of hearing the watered-down science in the mainstream media, read a much more scientific FAQ concerning the earthquake/tsunami at the USGS. Also very interesting is the list of recent earthquakes which shows how many widespread aftershocks there have been.
I took a long look at the Indian Ocean floor map in my atlas last night, and it seems odd to me that geologists weren't overly concerned about tsunamis there. There's a lot of plates pushing and pulling under there, something was going to give eventually. And I'm sure it was plain old classism that kept a warning system from being installed in the Indian Ocean when the Pacific system went in.
I don't think I'll hear any more tourists joking about the tsunami evacuation route signs on the Oregon coast. Climb to safety!
Every other blogger is plugging the charity of their choice, so here's mine: Doctors without Borders.
For the last week or so I've been suffering from what I thought was a case of seasonal depression. Emotional, insomniac, brimming with anxiety, and what was worst of all for what I needed to do this week, totally indecisive. I had the worst time trying to buy X-mas gifts, nothing was appealing. I didn't even have a big problem being out in the crowds, I just couldn't pick anything out. So, I'm making excuses for not having bought anything for anyone. And I only got X-mas cards out yesterday.
But, it was all just PMS, and I'm fine now. Happy Solstice!
This one goes out to all my homies working in the fiber arts:
Mathematicians Crochet Chaos.
"Prof Krauskopf asked her: 'Why don't you crochet something useful?'"
Good news, the idiots from Pale Male's building finally backed down and allowed him to return to build his nest.
I think red-tailed hawks are just fascinating. They adapt so well to living in urban environments, and yet most people hardly ever notice them. A walk through downtown Portland will generally yield a sighting, either perched on a fire escape, or cruising over the buildings. And if you're really lucky you can also spy the Peregrines. Whenever I'm downtown I'm always looking up to see who's flying around, mostly it's pigeons, sparrows and crows, but even they are fascinating in their own way. All these creatures making a living amongst the concrete and glass. Except the rats, I can do without seeing them.
Jeez, the travesties committed against birds this week...
Pale Male Evicted from Central Park West. "The lawyer, Aaron Shmulewitz, also said Pale Male and his family had brought 'torn and bleeding animal carcasses' to the building's roof and pavement below."
Give me a break. How typical of New Yorkers. Would they rather have a city drowning in pigeon droppings and rats? I'm sure they'd rather just have all the animals in NYC poisoned. Maybe Pale Male will pick a more tolerant building to make his nest on this spring. And if he does choose the same building there's nothing they can do about it. Ignorant whiners. When a Red-Tail was evicerating a pigeon outside my office window in Portland we were all thrilled to have seen it. Granted, I was the only one who would remove the carcass afterwards.
Another bird species, gone the way of the dodo. Probably.