From the Rhino's Heart

It can be cold in the mountains.

Missouri-Rhino — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 03:10:43 GMT

While I work on my continued interest in the mystery novels of Robert Parker (Spenser series, Jesse Stone series, Sunny Randall series, the various overlaps of the thre, and the 1840s western stories of Marshal Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch), I've now found a new ally in the 'finding things out about myself I never knew existed" in the writings of Craig Johnson and his fictitious character Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire. You see, there are times for all of us when we want to do nothing but withdraw from the world. But we can't. I suppose some folk think that a small town in the middle of nowhere (like Durant, Wyoming) is a good place to get caught up in avoiding the pressures of life. For Walt Longmire, it was the death of his wife that nearly broke him. Walt didn't care much for the way things were run in Durant, so on a platform of integrity and honesty he wins the election to become Absaroka County Sheriff. But that's just the start of HIS adventure. I got interested in the concept behind Walt Longmire when I watched the TV series last year on A&E. Later, I find the BOOKS! I'm all excited inside because the DVD for the 1st season comes out next month, and the next book in the series hits the store shelves in June. It's something to do before Burningman, after Interfuse, and before next fall and Sons of Anarchy season 6 I am, though, not at a loss for things to do and have a little fun with, both at home and at work. Work right now is incredible. First, they hit me up with a NEW SOIL SURVEY to do, and it's one that involves rock slope stability, is IN Jefferson City, and is really high profile. But that's not surprising in a state capital with legislators all skulking around like worms. But last Friday was the icing on the cake. I made my salary for the year. Route 63 had a vehicle-endangering rockfall on Thursday night. The planning and the contract were based on my say-so the next morning. I got a call at 9:00 a.m. to get out there. I was there by 9:30. By 10:30 the sketch and a damn good hypothesis was done. I went back to the Central District, where I'm helping out as the de facto District Geologist (though I'm the Central Office Geologist with additional responsibilities). The project manager said I had twenty minutes to boil it down into something he understood and could deal with on the plans. I gave it to him in nine. I've been sitting on this job all week as the face was scaled, and lots of good things are being sent my way in the e-mail internally. AS A TEAM, from the time of the rockfall to the time final plans were issued was a mere 12 hours. The Department Director signed off on it on Monday, and I got brownie points for my involvement. Today, the first explosives were used to bring rock down, and they're going with my final plans, and I get to do a Colorado Rockfall Simulation Program calibration test. FUN. Rolling rocks off the top of a 70 foot bluff is cool, and it gets me higher-management kudos. At home.....gradually I'm even surprising myself with my cooking. But that's for another time. Being busy is like being on the mountaintop. But it's still cold in the mountains when you're alone. Thank goodness I have good friends. Otherwise, I'd never be able to face the cold winds again. Life. Live and learn, live and learn.

Friggin' Amateurs......

Missouri-Rhino — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:00:15 GMT

Amateur sleuths can be funny, especially when it comes to the book titles that result. I was poking around in the "Fiction" catalog that Hamilton Booksellers sent me, and ALL of these titles were under the subheading of 'amateur sleuths'. My comments follow each title. I cannot help but chuckle at all of these: "Pies and Predjudice" I HATE lemon meringue pie. I absolutely HATE lemon meringue....... "Fatally Flaky" Arsenic in the pie crust? The ex-wife? "Fleece Navidad" BAAAAAAAAA! Humbug. "As the World Churns" Amish soap-opera? Looking at the description, the lead amateur sleuth is named...Yoder. I rest my case. "Killer Sudoku" and "Sinister Sudoku" Somebody's got their number. "Scones and Bones" Imagine the Jolly Roger with a pastry on the front...... "The Wurst is yet to Come" Oktoberfest with an attitude. Sure enough, the description of the book has the setting as a small-town's Oktoberfest. Thanks, but I'll stick with my Robert Parker, Alastair MacLean, Robert Whitaker (Trevanian), Sax Rohmer, Eric Van Lustbader, and Mickey Spillane for my fictional reading. In my opinion, Jimmy Carter's historical fiction title, 'The Hornet's Nest' beats Jeff Shara's 'Shiloh' hands down. I snagged the photo for one of these off Amazon.com, and found out it has recipes......maybe a second look? Naaaaaaaaaaaa........

The Law of Unintended Consequences

Missouri-Rhino — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:19:59 GMT

Things happen. I heard on NPR after the legalization of marijuana in Colorado for recreational use that the Colorado State House and Senate are getting together to work out the how and what they want to reflect the voters' wishes. Appropriately, the working group will be called the "JOINT Committee on Reform of Marijuana Laws". How appropriate.

Pun of the Week

Missouri-Rhino — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:21:14 GMT

After examining the rock at a local quarry, I was obliged to turn the quarry operator over to the sheriff's department for prosecution. He turned to one of his deputies, and said, "Book 'em, Dano. The charge is aggregated vesicular basalt."

Because it's there.....giving back to others.....the wake-up call for this year.

Missouri-Rhino — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 20:23:52 GMT

Sir George Mallory, when asked why man would want to climb the world’s highest mountain, gave the explorer/adventurer’s stock answer, “Because it is there.” I think that Mallory forgot a critical element, curiosity, which drives the stock answer. When man reaches the top of Mount Everest today, he is now also given the opportunity to reflect on something just as awesome. The rock that comprises the TOP of the mountain is over 530 million years old (Ordovician age). This sedimentary rock is also marine in origin. In 1959, a New Zealand apiarist (beekeeper) finally attained the mountain’s summit, accompanied by a hardy Sherpa guide. Sir Edmund Hillary (knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his achievement in attaining the summit of Everest) and Tenzing Norgay had done what no one previously had done. They did it because it was there. Hillary went back to Nepal after all the whoop-de-do had finished with all of the honors and awards he had won, and then the real work began, of giving back to the people. Nepal was largely denuded of vegetation and schools were in disrepair. Hillary gave back to the people who had aided him in his quest. I have an advantage in the world today. I’m single and mobile. I’ve been to Burningman in my voyage of personal growth FOUR times to date, each time growing a little bit wiser (and older, too). I’ve been all over the US, from California to New York, picking up geological tidbits in my journey. I’m STILL learning each and every day. I’m not only very good at this engineering geology stuff, I’ve dabbled in meteoritic impacts, abandoned underground mines, Precambrian clastic stratigraphy, trenchless technology, and military geology of the Civil War. Each day is a huge thrill of ‘What’s next?” I’m doing it because it’s THERE, and because the doors for me are WIDE OPEN. I’m still having whoop-do-do! Still, I KNOW I have to give back. And now, there’s a need. A big need. A BIG, BIG need. This has been the worst summer ever for Alaskan native fisheries on the western coast along Bristol Bay. We’re not quite talking Artic Circle here, but it is VERY harsh. For the last three years, first at the request of, and now in memory of my departed friend jar jar, I’ve been sending packages of foodstuffs up to Alaska, putting them in US Mail Priority Mail packages at the Priority rate. A large box will fill up to 70 pounds of dry goods. Last year I sent 19 packages of foodstuffs to my adopted family group of Yu’pik Inuits that live in Nunam Iqua (formerly Sheldon Point), Alaska. This year, there is not enough salmon to go around the village, let alone be packaged for sale in the Lower 48. I hope to be contacting the community activist in charge of the effort this week via e-mail, and maybe, just maybe we can help aid our fellow American citizens to survive another winter. See the story that may trigger the effort here: http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/dismal-king-salmon-returns-across-alaska-stokes-fear-crisis Acccording to the folks at Alaska's Department of Fish and Game, it WILL be a disastrous year: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hottopics.federalchinookdisaster I’ll start sending goods after Thanksgiving, hopefully averaging about three to five boxes a week. Stay tuned to my blog for more information on how you too can get involved. It’s not just about giving this time. It’s about survival of our fellow human beings, and fellow Americans. For only with community can we make the world prosper. Today is the time to start. In an upcoming blog, I'll tell you what to send, and give an address of who to send it to. Blessings on all of you who CAN give, I know times are tough right now.

This one's for Lady Cyn

Missouri-Rhino — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:17:47 GMT

Her latest blog post set me to thinking, and WHOOSH! In a moment of clarity, I realized what she was saying. The same thing I've been saying all along. It's only because of my past that I'm at this point right now. I know the lyrics by heart. When the phoenix arises from the ashes of the past, as it did for the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, sometimes you realize that it ain't easy to take, but you still have to carry on. So says the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxzIFAHytY I want to ride every highway.........the time is now. It's August 7. Thirteen days from now, the loadout begins, and I'm on my way home, to that place in my memory, to that place in my heart and soul where I truly awakened five years ago. It gave me the strength to save the life of another. It gave me the strength to save my own life. It gave me the strength to realize the value in radical acceptance of how things ARE. And now? Forging ahead. The past is gone. The future beckons brightly. The ephemeral presence of Black Rock City awaits. Seven days to create.

Midwest Burners loses one of its own.

Missouri-Rhino — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 01:21:46 GMT

I'm sitting here in stunned silence. Just read a note from Zay: " Aaron Frank, our beloved friend and one of The Leisure Army Leaders died last night in a car accident. His sister called to tell me that he was driving with his daughter Hadleigh and ran off the road while trying to make a turn. Hadleigh cut her head but is ok and with her mother. Aaron was breathing when the police arrived but didn't make it through the night. Aaron and Hadleigh were on a camping/float trip together. This is such a tragic loss for Aaron's daughter, for him at such a young age with so much life left, and for everyone who knew and loved him. His family is planning a visitation in Martinsburg or Wellsville, MO probably Sunday night and a funeral there Monday. They need pall bearers. I will post more details as soon as I get them. Life is so short. Please enjoy it while you have it and spend it loving each other." I knew Aaron. TLA and Rangers don't normally go together at burns, but all rivalry and petty baloney aside, we'll still face this together as one. As BURNERS. I'll keep you all posted.

I found it, again, at perhaps what might be the time to find such things.

Missouri-Rhino — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 03:26:46 GMT

There are times when the fullness and richness of life's tapestry overwhelms us, and we find ourselves in tears. I originally found this little gem when I was looking up some of the symphonic metal and operatic catalog work done by former Nightwish lead singer Tarja Turunen. It seems there are other equally talented lead symphonic metal lead singers out there in Europe. In this case, I mean Sharon den Adel of the group Within Temptation and Annette van Geirsbergen of a group known as The Gathering. The song struck a chord for me. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR_mBh5mqok&feature=related Enjoy!

Catching up

Missouri-Rhino — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:23:27 GMT

Well, it took me just a day and a half once I got back to work after being off last week with sick leave. I'm more or less up to date with all of the major projects that I'm involved with, and a new one dropped in my lap, too. This, plus all of the mail, missed phone calls, and prioritization of the work. The phone calls, as always, were the most interesting and the most easily disposed of . The first was from a project manager asking for project status. It was rapidly disposed of. I finished his report today, and acknowledged the next two that came my way. He's with the central district in the state, and though I am not the actual District Geologist in title, I am the District Geologist de facto. As well as the Central Office Geologist, who REVIEWS all of the other District soil survey work. Normally, it's a rubber stamp, because I know all the work everyone does, and they know to call me if they get into something wierd or unexpected. The next one I couldn't allow to get my dander up, though it could have quite easily. Typical municipal cluelessness, and from the 'engineers' in my home town! "Can we put an uncased 36" diameter polyethylene pipe under the right-of-way?" The answer, going by the book, is a HUGE "NO!". Especially if it's 80 feet in depth. The utility pipe, for a waterline, would get squashed. I'm sure the pressure on it would build until bursting, all the more so if they tried to force main the water through. Normal water pressure in the hundreds of pounds per square inch could build to thousands of pounds per square inch. That could cause the polypipe to balloon, and then, in a massive catastrophic failure, enable a geyser of water to shoot sky-high, and undermine a major US highway. Guys, there's a reason we CASE these things. Instead of letting it get my dander up, I just invoked policy and said 'no'. I shook my head and laughed. One nice thing - I've finally gotten the heat off in my office. My windows face west, so during the afternoon, the office can heat up like a little oven. I got a cheap and quiet little fan from Dollar General, and it's not only livable again, it's comfortable. More news is on the way! Ciao!

Reasonable end to a tough week

Missouri-Rhino — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 07:28:59 GMT

After Gateway last Saturday and Sunday (the two days I attended), I came home and promptly got sick. Not nauseous and vomiting sick, but stomach cramps and diarrhea sick. So, I 'rode out the storm' on Monday, called for an MD appointment on Wednesday, got the appointment, and by Friday, I'm back up and feeling 'better' again. What caused it? Probably improperly cooked pig on the nignt of the burn...Caz cooked a whole pig. I'm not sure , so I'm not pointing any fingers. All I know is that I positively HATE stomach cramps. I did a lot of reading, took my Imodium AD as the MD told me to, and I've now let the whole deal run its course. One nice byproduct of it all - I told myself I wasn't going to waste time with TV or the computer. And I didn't. Damn near everything is sorted, up-to-date, mailed, and put away. Stuff I'd been meaning to do for a while is DONE. My laundry is all done on FRIDAY. Today, I cleaned the apartment from stem to stern and all is shipshape. I did watch one movie on the computer - Appaloosa - with Viggo Mortenson and Ed Harris. This western is an adaptation of the Robert Parker novel by the same name, taking place in 1882 New Mexico. It actually follows the book pretty faithfully, even down to the 8-gauge shotgun that Mortenson carries as Marshal Hitch. Jeremy Irons is functional as the villain in the film. I just don't think his British accent works well for me in the Old West. Books I've finished include Richard Fortey's "Earth" and a few more Civil War related books (6 in all for the week). Other than that, I'm just waiting to return to work on Monday. Friday, playa preparations began in earnest with the purchase of a new set of Bigfoot all-season radial tires for the truck. Overall, the truck is in good shape. A new transmission this spring cured what ailed the truck, and now it's just a couple of minor things remaining to do to make sure it is ready for the trip to Nevada. The only place I'm going offroad is at the 12-mile entrance to the playa. That's 12 miles north of Gerlach on one of Nevada's state routes. I'm trying to think on whether or not to travel on US 50 or I-80 on the way out there. If I go on US 50, I'll definitely want to sightsee in Ruby Valley, Austin, and maybe even Carson City and Virginia City. I'll also be on the lookout to stop at any turquoise localities to do a little bit of rockhounding. After the playa, I'm going to try to spend at least a half-day at the Bonanza opal mine, the only precious opal-producing locality in the US. I'm particularly interested this time on the geology of the area (I damn well better be...I'm the Chief Geologist of the Black Rock City Division of Geology - a totally made-up entity that I've produced t-shirts for in 2009 and 2010 - I'm Chief Geologist because I paid for the t-shirts and he who has the gold makes the rules - lol). And so, it begins anew.

The passing of a wonderful burner.

Missouri-Rhino — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:54:30 GMT

Whatever the cause, I don't know particulars. I just opened my e-mail and got kicked in the head. Hard. Wicked Wench is no longer with us. She was a special burner who I met for the first time at Interfuse last year. In a critical time in my life, she made my life worthwhile with her simple acts of friendship. I was reading or something inconsequential, and Wicked Wench came in to the ranger camp, headed straight for me sitting at the picnic table, grabbed my head, and planted a kiss on my forehead. I took a deep breath and smiled. She said, "There. Job completed. It just looked like you needed a little TLC." I thanked her, and she left. Gone. Trying just to spread a little good cheer. Tiny's post from the Midwest Burner's Yahoo group: "Found out earlier that one of the MWB family members passed this morning. I do not know any details. Da Wicked Wench left us this morning at I know not what time. I wrote and posted this on Facebook for her. Sometimes, you never know how innocuous the last conversation you have with someone will be... May 13th, 2012. Da Wick Ed-Wench: I regret the drama i caused this past weekend. Can you forgive me? Thomas Tiny Fox: I know not of what you speak. *hugs* Da Wick Ed-Wench: Awwwwww you rock! I hate drama, because I always get caught up in it. Thanks for being there. Thomas Tiny Fox: No prob Da Wick Ed-Wench: GATEWAY......28 days Thomas Tiny Fox: Yeah, I'm hoping to be there. Maybe with more than just me. Da Wick Ed-Wench: Gateway is my favorite burn." Less than dozen sentences just doesn't seem to be enough. I will greatly miss your passion and the light you brought to everything you were a part of, Deb. But mostly I'll just miss you. Nemoi, my heart aches for you and everyone else she touched with her love. My deepest and most sincere sympathies and condolences to all of you. TINY "Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life." -BERTOLT BRECHT, The Mother "We sometimes congratulate ourselves at the moment of waking from a troubled dream: it may be so the moment after death." - NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, American Note-Books "Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force." - YODA" MY take on this? I mourn the passing of a kindred spirit. Wicked Wench, you will be remembered. And in the brief shining moments we spent together, you were no less than a wonderful soul. May you rest in peace with the knowledge that you will be rememberd by all of us who call themselves Midwest or Gateway Burners.

A find that NPR steered me into.

Missouri-Rhino — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:47:13 GMT

Score another 'find' for the Rhino. I listen to NPR on the way home (Terri Gross of "Fresh Air"), and it turned me on two years ago to Caspar Lomayesva and the Mighty 602 Band. Very cool stuff. Hopi reggae music. Very positive uplifting stuff. But now, I've found a new turn on that's down and dirty, funky, bluesy, and has got a horn section that just won't quit. Out of Brooklyn, NY, let me introduce you to Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. ANY band that has a baritone sax.....good grief....that can USE it has gotta be cool. Talk about funky? This is IT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSmJ5Dwl45s&feature=related The tune is called 'Crawdaddies'. The lead singer's voice is like golden honey to me....just husky enough...and she can belt it out. Try this one, called 'Guns': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTRDJC1D9hk&feature=relmfu Sir Skip is not gonna be able to find this stuff just anywhere. I can see me 'stumping the DJ' at Interfuse '2013. What else is new?

Silly me. You thought I would have learned.

Missouri-Rhino — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:07:14 GMT

At Interfuse, I had a problem. I lost my keys. It turns out that they had fallen out of my pocket while I was 'sleeping' in an old recliner at Interranger HQ. It turns out that when I went to look for them on Sunday morning, I checked the recliner, Sheridan checked the recliner, as did Becka-kitty, Tapestry, and Lead Ranger Chris. Duhy. Silly me. They had fallen THROUGH the darn thing, and were sitting just visible under a couple of maps that had wedged themselves there. The unexplainable part is, I dreamed about those lost keys on Saturday night, and 'found them' in my dream underneath two papers. Magic of Interfuse? I don't know, and I'm not asking. I just am accepting the case that my dream was right. Monday at home, getting ready to go to work, I couldn't find my wallet. I have a recliner. Last night, after looking around the laundry, the cab of the truck, AND taking a brief peek in the trash bag, it hit me. The recliner? Lightning doesn't strike twice, but absent-mindedness does. Sure enough, wedged between the seat and the armrest was my wallet. Life's little parallels often lead down the same paths. Taking advantage when you know the path puts you a step ahead of the game, sometimes even when you make an honest absent-minded mistake. The really good thing is, the cat didn't take my leftover cash, or run up a credit card bill. Right after an event called "Apocalypse Meow", I'm expecting the cat to take over.

Tagine and my old bud Mahomed

Missouri-Rhino — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 03:29:11 GMT

Tonight, it was time for dinner, and I had TWO chickens needing to be cooked. So, I put them on a broiler pan in the oven at 375 degrees for two hours, and then deboned them and stripped off the fat. About 4 1/2 or 5 pounds of meat came off both of them, but I didn't hesitate. I put ALL of it in a 14" cast iron skillet with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. I added a can of chicken broth, the chardonnay used to marinate the manzanilla olives I got on Monday at the grocery store, and then added a teaspoon and a half of cumin, the same amount of ginger, the same amount of paprika, and a cup of those manzanilla olives. I brought it to a boil, and then turned off the stove. The result is my variation on a Moroccan dish called 'tagine'. Good stuff. I filled two halves of a pita bread with some, and that was a good dinner with a salad and some fresh onion added to the pita and tagine. While I was eating, I was smiling. I was remembering one of my fellow graduate students at the University of Missouri, a Moroccan named Mahomed. He was a nice guy, and he played soccer and rugby with Missouri also. He spoke with a gravelly voice, but was eloquent and well read. The graduate students pooled their resources around finals for 'finals food'. We had something different every night.....cheese and veggies and crackers, pizzas from Shakespeare's, and one night we got donuts from Dixie Cream. Mahomed would always go after the jelly donuts filled with raspberry jelly, or strawberry jelly. He'd roll his eyes like he'd never had anything quite so good back in Morocco, and he'd praise the American system for producing such tasty treats. He was also a Moslem, and he wore army fatigue pants and a t-shirt to most of his clases. I miss the guy because I always associated him with good memories of our grad school study sessions. The guy really knew his biology and taxonomy. He always was level-headed and seemed really nice. Maybe some day if I ever get a hold on his address, I'll send him a box of jelly donuts. Bro, whereever you are today, may the cool breezes of the Mediterranean light on your existence, and may you and your family have long, prosperous, and fulfilling lives. I hope that some day we may meet again.

I'm impressed - Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone

Missouri-Rhino — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:29:48 GMT

This was ....an 'interesting' weekend, though I spent it largely alone. The bargain bin at the grocery store and the closeout bin at Dollar General are full of movies, stuff I like or stuff I'd like to see. A few months ago, I picked up a copy of 'The French Connection', which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1971, back when the Academy didn't seem to be as politically and Tom Hanks driven/motivated."Castaway" and "Forrest Gump" are good movies, and Hanks is an excellent actor, but neither film had me 100% convinced of greatness. I picked up a copy of 'Congo', and had a laugh when I saw what the 'diamonds' in the movie were....my geoscience background is always coming out...and they were using fist-sized, not-so-rare singly and doubly terminated QUARTZ CRYSTALS. You can't fool a mineralogist who knows even elementary crystallography with these - they had hexagonal pyramidal ends, instead of tetragonal pyramids. Hmph! One of the more endearing scenes in the film to me was when the primatologist is singing 'California Dreamin' softly to the gorilla he's returning to the jungle, and then all of the native porters pick up the song and carry it along like an African work chant. Funny. And then I watched the made-for-TV movie you see here, starring Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone. Frankly, I'm impressed with the quality and attention to detail in this movie and the other movie I saw, 'Thin Ice", with the same character and star.Seems to be thinking man's TV. My question still remains, borrowed from Popeye Doyle: " Do you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?"

There are others like me who aren't on Facebook. With good reasons.

Missouri-Rhino — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:53:46 GMT

Just came on this: http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/real-people-reveal-why-im-not-facebook Comments, anyone? Oh, and by the way, the photo is an artist's conception of a wooly rhino that appeared in the Pleistocene epoch of geologic history.

Last night's special dinner

Missouri-Rhino — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:50:53 GMT

I ate at home last night with a self-made recipe I thought I'd try out. It involves acorn squash. If you don't like acorn squash, go no further. I happen to love the stuff, and it's a rare thing to get one at the grocery store, though, because if you bake it, it takes a lot of time to cook it right. Enter the wonders of modern technology, and quality ingredients. Taking two tablespoons of real melted butter, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, one acorn squash. Three strips of bacon optional, but as anyone knows with me......bacon is universally good. mmmmmmmm, BACON. I cut slits in the side of the squash and then put it in the microwave for 13 minutes on high. That cooks the squash. Then, I cut open the squash, removing the seeds, and add one tablespoon of brown sugar to either half of the squash, and then a tablespoon of butter (1/8 stick = 1tbsp). Now, enter the bacon. Locally, we have a purveyor of bacon and ham called "Burger's Smokehouse' out of California, Missouri. Burgers' is found in most all the groceries around here, and they have a new product.....steak-cut bacon. EXTRA thick slices......6 in a 12-ounce package. I took three slices, and then I cooked them and cut them into 1-inch strips, neatly arranging them in the hollowed portion of the squash with the butter and brown sugar. Well, I knew already that brown sugar and bacon go together (i.e. candied bacon strips), but putting a couple of strips in a squash.....OMG.....Taste Explosion! YUMMY! I ate half a squash for dinner last night, and that was all I wanted. Satisfaction = Rhino's acorn squash.

A VERY interesting day - and it's not over with.

Missouri-Rhino — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:43:29 GMT

I'm totally awed today. Part of my job does involve public contact, and that can mean ANYTHING. One lady several years ago wanted to know whether her child had actually found fossil amber in a local filled sink deposit (it was nothing more than congealed tree sap, and melted when a match was lit under it). Another lady brought in a piece of slag found along the railroad tracks that 'looked pretty'. You handle these folks gently, show interest, praise their insights, and make it a 'feel good about myself' experience. Today, I didn't have to feign interest....a local farmer came by and didn't know what he had on his property. It turned out to be a pair of hematite nodules from the Roubidoux sandstone formation, not a meteorite as he had hoped. Turned out he's also a Civil War fan, and wants to learn more about the area of Camden County that he's from. We had a nice chat, and then he let me copy some information about a battle that took place not far from where he grew up. Camden County was a hotbed for Confederate sympathizers during the war, and Union troops brought supplies through the area to reinforce their forces near Rolla. This relatively unknown battle, the Battle of Monday's Hollow, was fought on October 13, 1861, and his descriptions picqued my interest. We've agreed to cooperate on whatever I find, and I'll get it to him. He's a gentleman who lives not far from Russellville, and he was a nice guy. I l;ike dealing with public contacts like that. I've also been looking at some of the vertebrates in Missouri from the Pleistocene, in an effort to illustrate some of the stuff found on roadway projects that have to be preserved by Federal Law, so I can train our cultural resource people, too. And I stumbled upon the baddest rhino-like critter of them all,"Arsinotherium zittelli' shown in todays picture as an artists conception. TWO horns four inches in diameter at the base side by side and three feet long. It's not too hard to figure out why it went extinct.....it's too hard to extract them from whatever the critter was defending itself against, it got stuck, and died. A clear case of evolutionary overspecialization in the fossil record. Well, I can't include it in my Pleistocene survey (it's Oligiocene) but I CAN include the wooly Rhino. The leg still hurts like sin, still using a cane, and trying to get better, but I'm trying to find the bright spots. And (heh-heh) creating them. I actually helped Vanette fix a light in her dining room yesterday. No charge. She's been kind to me, helping me get my pickup truck to a safe parking spot when I went to the hospital in January in an ambulance. Kindness works two ways. And, I've been trying to find information for her (and succeeding partially) about Woods' Brigade of Marmaduke's Division, a cavalry unit in the Civil War in which she had a relative. We're still friends - I hope it continues always. I start having more MD appointments next week. Ugh.

I've been saying this for YEARS, and someone else finally noticed it.

Missouri-Rhino — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:22:10 GMT

I was going to fuse together a pair of pictures this morning to finally SHOW people what I've been talking about, and somebody already did a comparison in a sports blog. Actor and former US Senator from the state of Tennessee (R) Fred Thompson bears a striking resemblance to former University of Tennessee head football coach Phil Fulmer. Something that I used to joke about was how Fred Thompson would fly down from Washington, D.C. on Friday night and he'd change into his UT football clothes and coach at Neyland Stadium on Saturday. Then, he'd fly back up to Washington for Senate business on Monday morning bright and early. Thompson is best known from movies as the tough-talking air traffic controller tower supervisor in the movie "Die Hard 2 - Die Harder" and his role as the Admiral on the aircraft carrier in the movie "The Hunt for Red October", as well as his TV role in the series "Law and Order". He was also a candidate for US President on the Republican side of the aisle in 2008. It thus becomes a no-brainer who any Hollywood studio casting agent should get to play Phil Fulmer in a movie about UT's 1998 National Championship in football. And they did it WITHOUT Peyton Manning, who graduated the previous year.

Bill O'Reilly lives up to the Fox News credo of 'We distort, you decide'

Missouri-Rhino — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:40:53 GMT

I wasn't paying attention to this until I got this month's issue of Civil War magazine. I know, I know, it's not what you'd think of as a news magazine, but I subscribe to it because of the multi-author perspective on battles, personalities, and historical questions regarding the American Civil War (1861-1865). In this month's issue, nestled in among an article on the battle of Shiloh (perspective of Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard, and how the Confederates lost the initiative and the battle), Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler (martial law and its effect on New Orleans), Morgan's Raiders (Confederate raid into Ohio from Kentucky), and the possible origin of dogtags (a very interesting article) is a comparative review of recent presidential biographies written by some of the popular talking head pundits of our times. No less than three presidential histories on the New York Times' non-fiction bestseller list are written by popular talk show hosts - Hardball's Chris Mathews, Glenn Beck, and Bill O'Reilly. Chis Mathews wrote a book on John F. Kennedy, for whom he has exuberant admiration. According to most reports he has some good yarns to spin about Kennedy. By no means does that mean he's another Winston Churchill or a Stanley Karnow, but Mathews was neither a prime minister nor was he an expert historian on the Vietnam War. Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly both have writers with whom they share credit. Beck's book is on George Washington, a man he admires for courage under fire and Washington's imperfections as a general and leader. The book is popular, BUT I don't think that it has half the content that Ron Chernow's or James Thomas Flexner's biographies of Washington did - even if it outsells both those eminent biographies. O'Reilly deserves special notice here because he has been touting his book on his show as 'the most accurate assassination account ever written'. If that were truly the case, I might be tempted to offer some respect to the man. He also used to be a teacher of history at the high school level. The book, however, is an epic FAIL. Why? O'Reilly and his co-author Martin Dugard advance as fact two disproven myths. The first myth is that the Union Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, conspired with others in Lincoln's assassination. Not even original (this idea was advanced 50 years ago), this myth is easily disproved. Second, O'Reilly and Dugard also advances the postulate that John Wilkes Booth was partially driven by jealous rage to assassinate Lincoln as Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert Lincoln, had a crush on on one of Booth's girlfriends. Say what? That really doesn't make much sense. Sales of the book are probably a tribute to O'Reilly's public popularity or the public's gullibility, but most definitely NOT its accuracy. Who do we 'blame'? Is it the pundit or the co-author? Or the publishing house editor? Or perhaps all three? In any case, O'Reilly's book isn't on my 'buy' list with good reason. I don't support inaccurate history for whatever the purpose. The mere fact that O'Reilly is from the opposite side of the political spectrum from me only serves to add to the level of my disgust. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. O'Reilly is only living up to the Fox credo of "We distort, you decide." It makes him look like the fool he is.

Where I'm headed at the moment...

Missouri-Rhino — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:02:09 GMT

Where I'm at right now: Tomorrow is my last day of pain relief. The reason I say that is I have to go to work on Tuesday, and I'm not driving under the influence of oxycodone. I'll use ibuprofen and suffer if I have to. And yes, I'm in a fair degree of pain right now because I'm trying already to taper off the drugs. Call it about a 5.5 - 7 on the pain scale. The doc prescribed corticosteroids for me also. Tonight, I found out how long it takes for a quadricep muscle strain to heal - between 4 and six months. Things could be worse, right? Nonetheless, I've been trying to maintain a FEW things around the apartment. I enjoyed the cooking I've been able to do in limited amounts (it's difficult to cook leaning on a walker), and I've now read 6 books and watched three movies on the computer. I still haven't turned on the TV. I've made a few phone calls here and there and watched things unfold that are beyond my control. The office is really clean right now, just the end result of putting a few things away. I even managed to do two loads of laundry yesterday. But a lot of the time has been just sit, or just sit and think time. It's too easy to fall into a fitful oxycodone-induced blissful sleep for a few hours, and then you wake up and start on something else - maybe. Your mind focuses on the source of the pain, and you try to compartmentalize it. Right now, I'm trying to focus on beating the pain of the ache on my kneecap, and slowly massaging my upper thigh where it also hurts. The thigh muscle itself is hard, like it's locked up tense, and I can't seem to release the tension. There's times I ask "why?", but it seems to be a useless exercise. It just 'is'. I'm not too concerned about the hospital bills....I haven't gotten them yet. I'm insured, but insurance doesn't cover the deductible. With one $600+ ambulance the first of last month and a night at the hospital +MRI + X-ray + CAT scan, it could get expensive really quickly. Also add the ultrasound last month and this month as well. Then there's also physician payments, etc. I told them at the hospital NOT to give me my daily aspirin last month because I didn't want to pay $4 for it. I may have to start carrying my meds with me so that I never have to pay the hospital excess. I believe in getting money the old fashioned way....you EARN it, you DON'T charge a patient for every move you make. That scares me....when I see the nurse read a bar code on my hospital bracelet every time she reads my vitals, does that: 1) act as computer proof that she did so? OK by me. 2)read into a system to build my patient history? OK by me. 3) read as a patient charge on my account? I sure as hell hope not. Reading a patient's vital signs are NOT a reason for another hospital charge. I AM looking forward to Interfuse. That's the next step. Let's hope my health cooperates. See the compass? It's a Silva Ranger, a good solid utility compass to determine general direction. Being a geologist, I own the next step up, a Brunton. And work provides me with GPS to sub-centimeter horizontal and vertical accuracy. I know exactly where I'm headed.

Tonight's dinner was no less than fantastic.

Missouri-Rhino — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:07:29 GMT

Saturday night is usually a 'cook at home' night or a night out. I took the latter course, and went for the first time to Jina Yoo's Asian Bistro. This restaurant, located in Columbia Missouri on Forum Boulevard, was no less than phenomenal. This is the kind of place where you want to savor every bite, and empty your plate (if you can). This 'Asian fusion' cuisine took elements of the best of Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cooking to make for a memorable dining experience. The owner/proprietor, Jina Yoo herself, came out to make sure everything was no less than perfect. I started off on an order of the 'monkey nut' sushi rolls and fried pork dumplings. The sushi rolls are pictured here for your reference. They are in the peanut sauce so prevalent in Thai cooking, and they were 'melt-in-your mouth' sushi. I don't normally care for sushi, but these were GOOD. The fried dumplings didn't look like they were fried...they WEREN'T loaded down with grease like you normally get in a Chinese restaurant. They looked more like a gently steamed dumpling, but with a light and crispy crust. Consumed them IMMEDIATELY. No sooner were my appetizers gone than I got my main order...a teriyaki chicken breast (must have been 3/4 pound) over vegetables in a bulgogi sauce with steamed rice on the side. Again, really good food. The service was excellent, the restaurant ambiance was friendly and high-class. I'm glad I went.

Another rockslide, this time on Highway 1 in California.

Missouri-Rhino — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:06:31 GMT

Rain is NOT the engineering geologist's friend. When it comes to rock slides, that is. Recent rains in California have closed Route 1 near Big Sur, and Route 120 going into Yosemite National Park.Water works its way into the fissures and cracks of the rock., where it may freeze and thaw, loosening the rock and then acting as an additional lubricant for the hillside to give way. It happens all the time in California, and in Tennessee (see my previous blog post). Thanks to Miss Phae for the heads- up! The photo is of the Route 1 rockslide.

Rockslide last night closes I-40 near Newport, Tennessee

Missouri-Rhino — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:09:53 GMT

I just got notified on this little problem by my Tennessee colleagues. The rock is 40' by 40' by 15' in size. Assuming that it has a weight of 160 pounds/ cubic foot, it weighs1970 tons. The road will be closed until Feb. 14.

That's a small lemur!

Missouri-Rhino — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:10:08 GMT

Researchers who've completed the field work have announced the possible discovery of new species of lemur. Lemurs like the one pictured are forest mammal denizens in Madagascar. What caught my eye was the size of these little guys....about 68 grams in weight! That's under three ounces! BUT, it makes them GIANTS compared to one species of mouse lemur that averages about 44 grams in weight. (about an ounce and a half) Here's the link to Science Daily, which also has the link to the original scientific article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120107151247.htm And look at those eyes......amazing critters.