i sleep diagional in my bed...

Snow snow snow....and um....more snow!!

r0ssyPenguin — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:55:42 GMT

Spring?....what's that? I don't have too much time to bloggy...cuz i'm on a public PC....but, Life is freakin FABULOUS! I've been skiing almost everyday! I'm in fabulous shape. I'm crazy in l&#9829ve, and loving life. I'm happy.....need i say more? :P I just posted some photos! LOVE & HUGGS TO YOU ALL!! &#9829, Snowy Mt. Penguin

Mt. Penguin's adventures....

r0ssyPenguin — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:26:06 GMT

I look around me and all I see are pines and white fluffy snow rising high along rocky slopes. The roaring Gallatin River just 30 feet from my window, and rolling logs up along the walls of our little log cabin. It's so peaceful...and warm...my new home. :) The Gallatin river gets steamy when it's cold, and when it's -24 degrees out....like the other day.....it gets so steamy that the river is barley visible. Just a fuzzy dark haze amidst the blinding white snow. The Gallatin River is fed by many streams and often the water is warmer than the current air temperature. What a beautiful winter wonderland! Ravens and eagles fly overhead, their cry cutting the cold silence. I've seen lots of bighorn sheep, a few moose, and lots of elk & deer. The bighorns are everywhere, and the other day we had one in the middle of the road. He didn't budge till we slowly inched forward and bumped him. He was all eye, just this huge beautiful golden brown sunburst eye...such beautiful creatures! The other day while on the lift Harry & I saw an Ermin, a little white weasel. They're hard to see in the snow, but Harry has an eagle eye, and points out all of the little critters to me :) From magpies to elk on the top of a ridge, he can spot animals where I only see little dark specs on the snow. I've been here for almost a month now, and I've already surpassed my skiing abilities. I've been skiing almost every day since arriving! Harry got me some used skis and i bought some cheap boots, so the snowboard is currently collecting dust. Skiing is what I grew up learning, and is way easier on my knees than the snowboard. My season-pass x-mas gift from Harry gives me a lot of freedom of when to ski too :) The skiing here is amazing! I'd never been on a 6-pack...it's so HUGE...but not as cool as riding the gondola and fishbowling it! Riding the Tram reminds me of riding the T back home....pack em in like sardines they do.. :) The views at the top are AMAZING! Just white mountains & forest as far as the eye can see. Every single time i'm in awe...in absolute awe of the vastness and wintery beauty. I've never skied powder before...beautiful puffy fluffy boot deep powder.....and fresh corduroy groomed trails.... It's like skiing on velvet Styrofoam. The snow is squeaky like green beans against your teeth, or dry cotton ball squeaky. (stay tuned for an ode to snow) Harry has just been soo sweet and patient in helping me acclimate to the new surroundings and the altitude, introducing me to all his friends and showing me around. GUSH GUSH!!! ♥. The other day I did my very 1st (intentional) black diamond on the slopes (unlike the unintentional..."oh sheeeet!...how'd I get on THIS trail!?!"). Harry is impressed by my progress, and i'm stoked to have such a great teacher, and learning to rip up the slopes. I am no longer a stranger to frozen toes, muscle cramps, and shin-bang...plus I have a goggle tan to look forward to this spring. Next: Photos....I just got some more memory....so i'll photo bomb y'all soon. cold wet huggles, -snowy mt. penguin PS....if you haven't done so already, please send me your snail mail addy :)

Today was my last day at work!!!

r0ssyPenguin — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:15:23 GMT

HUZZZZA! I'm FREE! I'm FREE!

gurggle gurggling .....on <3

r0ssyPenguin — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:51:34 GMT

I taste a liquor never brewed by Emily Dickinson I taste a liquor never brewed -- From Tankards scooped in Pearl -- Not all the Vats upon the Rhine Yield such an Alcohol! Inebriate of Air -- am I -- And Debauchee of Dew -- Reeling -- thro endless summer days -- From inns of Molten Blue -- When "Landlords" turn the drunken Bee Out of the Foxglove's door -- When Butterflies -- renounce their "drams" -- I shall but drink the more! Till Seraphs swing their snowy Hats -- And Saints -- to windows run -- To see the little Tippler Leaning against the -- Sun --

aRt

r0ssyPenguin — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 02:08:40 GMT

Unique Handcrafted Barbie Jewelry by Maargaux Lange: http://www.margauxlange.com/portfolio.html nostalgic....and better than just ripping their heads off :P

The Gloryhole Choir...

r0ssyPenguin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:27:34 GMT

http://youtube.com/watch?v=f8rXrVe7XfI HILLARIOUS! I went to the Varietae X-mas Show Saturday at the Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain.....they had me in hysterics! Varietae: http://varietae.com/aboutUs.php Check out more here: (like Jesus/Vice/Superstar) http://youtube.com/results?search_query=Varietae&search=Search Try to catch them....if you can.

Ebola....it's what's for dinner...

r0ssyPenguin — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:09:55 GMT

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe and highly fatal disease caused by a virus from the same family as the one that causes Marburg hemorrhagic fever. Both diseases are rare, but can cause dramatic outbreaks with human-to-human transmission and high fatality. There is currently no specific treatment or vaccine. The highly fatal Marburg & Ebola viruses - are estimated to kill upwards of 90% of those infected - are studied by USAMRIID and PHAC researchers in "Biosafety Level 4" (BSL-4) containment facilities......silimar to the one we have here in BOSTON - BU Lab. Ebola : Wikipedia entry = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola Questions and Answers about Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever : From the CDC http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebola/qa.htm Outbreak Postings from the CDC: This section has archived postings of outbreaks that have occurred since the year 2000. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/outbreaks/ Ebola in Uganda....15+ deaths since August 2007 http://allafrica.com/stories/200712040002.html A total of 51 cases in Uganda http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/SHES-79FPRK?OpenDocument&RSS20=18-P New Subtype of Ebola Suspected in Uganda. http://www.physorg.com/news115638790.html Ebola like virus kills fish in great lakes region: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-29-virus-fish_N.htm Ebola may have killed the Aztecs http://www.geneticarchaeology.com/Research/Ebola_may_have_killed_the_Aztecs.asp Ebola Outbreaks Killing Thousands Of Gorillas And Chimpanzees....over the last decade. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070416160721.htm ~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~ DO YOU WANT THIS IN YOUR BACK YARD??? I DON'T ! http://www.stopthebiolab.org/ http://www.stopthebiolab.org/about-biolab.php?language=en ~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~~!~!!~!!!~!!~!~ MISHANDLED GERMS: Problems at U.S. Labs that Research Deadliest Biological Agents (An interactive map): http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/wdc/biohazards/ How safe are our labs? http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1668850,00.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PHOTO: A painting by me...."Ebola...it's what's for dinner". Lousy fuzzy photo...but there are 2 forks in there...on the canvas...in the middle. http://vogon.cybercom.net/rozz/paintings Scary ain't it?

i'm drunk......

r0ssyPenguin — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:07:07 GMT

....on love. that.is.all. i can't help it..... :)

Happy Halloween!

r0ssyPenguin — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:11:31 GMT

See you in a week!

Mercury in Flu Shots

r0ssyPenguin — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:06:44 GMT

MAM (Moms Against Mercury)...funny org. name...but interesting. http://www.momsagainstmercury.org/mercury.htm I've been getting the Flu shot for years, but I never knew what was in it. According to the CDC it's "safe". http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm Other articles: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6332053/ I'm going to try and request a Thimerosal free shot...

We're all going to HELL IN A HANDBAG!!!

r0ssyPenguin — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:13:17 GMT

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1034604 Another reason to get the fuck out of "Dodge". Seriously....the crime and shootings have only gotten worse in the past 16 years that i've lived in JP. About 11 of those years have been in my current apartment that is located right on Hyde Park Ave....only a 8 minute walk from where this drive by shooting took place.... Across the street from the Train station that I walk to every day to get to work & back. Scary ain't it? Images of bloody Buddhist sandals plague my dreams.....US soldiers who never make it home to their families...earthquakes, typhoons, corruption, intimidation, suppression, genocide.....and one of my biggest fears...biological warfare. Children's toys tainted with lead paint. Un-inspected shipping containers that come into our country....the flooding of our city streets with guns....it never ends. We're all going to HELL IN A HANDBAG!!! And everything we eat, drink and breathe causes cancer. There's no running away from it either....there is crime everywhere...even in our "utopian community of BRC". :( - a sad and scared penguin :(

)'(

r0ssyPenguin — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:03:45 GMT

My head feels like a sea full of diving penguins devouring a cloud of iridescent krill! ,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+ Safe travels to you all! See you on ze playa everyone! ,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+

Single person's HEART guide to BM

r0ssyPenguin — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:13:44 GMT

Well written and a must read for everyone! :) http://burningsingles.tribe.net/thread/8ad44c22-16cd-46e5-af75-5a0a5d11fcbe

Yaaaay! The container is loaded!

r0ssyPenguin — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:52:57 GMT

So now i have about 9 days to relax and clean up the house after all the craziness. Then one day of freak out & pack on the 22nd before I fly out on the 23rd. oOh my JEEBUSS!!! I'm spinning in the fire conclave, I'm spinning in the fire conclave!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's just starting to hit me how freakin AWESOME that's going to be. I had a dream/nightmare the other night.... It starts out with a pan from space...into Nevada...onto the playa ....zooming in....onto a girl flaying and writhering spaztically on the playa like a fish out of water. Suddenly the sounds whoosh in...."bike box....bike box...how could i have forgotten my bike box....whaaah aaarrrg....bike box...what am i going to do without my bike....bike box"....shiver spaz spaz ..."bike box". And i wake up feeling dusty....coughing.... it was only a dream...the dusty feeling goes away...i'm in my bed at home...i'm not covered in dust. It felt so real....the chalky dust...the hard surface of the playa....it was quite surreal. First thing I did was pack that darn bike box. It's on the container....i loaded it myself...with a little help from my friends! :) THANK YOU! GOOD JOB EVERYONE! NEXT STOP BRC!!! The man burns in 20 days!! (This will be my 3rd year on the playa 2000, 2006 & 2007!)

JEEEEBUS!!!!

r0ssyPenguin — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:17:56 GMT

The trucks load in 2 days!!! SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!! <in booming WWF voice> EEEeeeeeks! hufff pufff puff <anxiety attack> ok..ok..okay...breathe in...breathe out....breathe...in ARE YOU READY?????!!!! Bike - Clean of last years playa dust, assembled, wrapped in el-wire & tested, tires checked, inspected, test driven, tools packed, extra tubes & pump packed. BIKE CHECK! Shelter - secured, aired out & tested, shade built & tested, PVC & rebar secured. SHELTER CHECK! Clothes - el-wired & tested, ready to go. CHOTHES CHECK! Food & booze - list in hand, ready to purchase. FOOD & BOOZE CHECK! Camp duties - completed, secured & packed. CAMP CHECK! Flight, CHECK! Transportation, CHECK! Ticket, CHECK! marbles lost. ok continue with your regularly scheduled day. :)

ready ?

r0ssyPenguin — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:43:44 GMT

Helpful tips for desert camping: http://www.ae-zone.org/Tips/tipscontents.html Visit some of my fav. tribes for more useful info: http://tribes.tribe.net/shadegeeks http://tribes.tribe.net/burning_man_tips http://playacooking.tribe.net/ http://playaliciousplaywear.tribe.net/ STEAMBATH PROJECT will be located at 8:00 & Arctic!!!

Penguins survived the mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs!

r0ssyPenguin — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:50:52 GMT

Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0411_060411_penguins.html Sean Markey in Golden Bay, New Zealand for National Geographic News April 11, 2006 The oldest penguin fossils yet found suggest that at least some ancestors of modern birds survived the mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs. The 58- to 62-million-year-old bones unearthed in New Zealand belong to four specimens from a previously unknown genus of ancient penguin called Waimanu. Ewan Fordyce, a paleontologist at the University of Otago in Dunedin, helped analyze the fossils. He says the seabirds' age, combined with DNA sleuthing by colleagues, make a "strong case" that modern birds appeared well before dinosaurs died out some 65 million years ago. "When [we] saw that penguin lineages were established by 60 or 62 million years ago, it became clear that other bird lineages, which were more remote from penguins, must have had earlier origins," he said. The study describing the ancient penguins and the associated theory of a dino-era origin for modern birds appeared in last month's online issue of the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. Dino-Era Waterbirds The name Waimanu comes from the Maori words wai (water) and manu (bird). Similar in size to present-day yellow-eyed or king penguins, Waimanu penguins stood about 26 to 30 inches (65 to 76 centimeters) tall. (http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0210/feature4/zoom3.html) The ancient birds could flex their wings slightly at the elbow and, like their modern counterparts, used their wings as hydrofoils to "fly" underwater. A government geologist found the first Waimanu penguin specimen in the mid-1980s on a rock outcrop in the Waipara region, today a wine-growing area near Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island . "It turned out to be … a sort of missing-link penguin," Fordyce, the Otago paleontologist, said. Fordyce is a past recipient of research grants from the National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration. An amateur fossil-hunter found three more closely related specimens in the 1990s. The additional bones, composing nearly a full skeleton, gave Fordyce and his colleagues a more complete picture of the birds. But only in more recent years did the researchers realize that they were looking at a significant new group of ancient penguin. Microfossil dating techniques firmly place the seabirds in the age range of 58 million to 62 million years old, Fordyce says, making them the world's oldest known penguins. "We are absolutely sure that they come from early Paleocene time, the time that immediately followed the extinction of dinosaurs," which occurred about 65 million years ago, Fordyce said. Prior to the discovery, the oldest previously described penguin was a fragmentary specimen from Antarctica estimated to be some 55 million years old. Waimanu pushes the age of early penguins back by millions of years, Fordyce says. This fact, plus the knowledge that the penguins were highly specialized, suggests the birds descended from other, still-modern species that lived many millions of years further back in time. "We can use that quite ancient penguin to argue [that] all the other modern [bird] groups—many of the other modern groups at least—[arose] back in Cretaceous times contemporaneous with the dinosaurs," Fordyce said. Feathered Family Tree Lacking a clear fossil record, scientists have debated precisely when modern birds first took flight. Some experts believe the group first diversified during the reign of dinosaurs. Others argue that modern birds appeared only after dinosaurs died out in what proponents of the theory call a "Big Bang" of rapid bird evolution. While the penguin study may not definitively settle the flap, it does highlight the growing use of genetic detective work by researchers attempting to pinpoint the evolutionary origins of man and beast. Study co-author David Penny, a geneticist with the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Massey University in Palmerston North, analyzed avian DNA sequences to construct a family tree of bird evolution. Penny and colleagues identified genetic differences between living bird species and the rate at which those DNA changes, or gene mutations, likely occurred over time. That information enabled his team to use the newly found penguin fossils and a recently described duck relative from the Cretaceous period (145.5 to 65.5 million years ago) found in Antarctica as reference points to establish a time frame for bird evolution. "From the [DNA] sequences we can build [an evolutionary] tree fairly easily …" Penny said. "But that doesn't tell you anything about the times [certain species appeared] until you can get these calibration points from the fossils." Based his team's work, Penny estimates that modern birds first appeared around 90 million years ago. June 25, 2007 A fossil skull recently uncovered in Peru reveals that penguins about the size of people roamed the country's Atacama Desert more than 30 million years ago. The newly described species, Icadyptes salasi, is shown above next to a skull of the only modern penguin living in Peru, Spheniscus humboldti. A new study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describes the species, which stood about 4.5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and sported a foot-long (0.3-meter-long) beak. The study also describes a smaller ancient penguin species found in the same region. Despite I. salasi's unusual height, its beak is disproportionately large, said lead study author Julia Clarke. Other clues on the beak—including texturing on the bone and a horny sheath—suggest the animal employed a feeding style akin to spear fishing. ABOUT THE PHOTO: An artist's rendition shows two newfound species of ancient penguin—Icadyptes salasi (right) and Perudyptes devriesi (left)—next to Peru's only living penguin, Spheniscus humboldti (center). P. devriesi, which lived 42 million years ago, was comparable in size to the king penguin, the second largest modern species. But at about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, the 35-million-year-old I. salasi is one of the largest penguins ever described. The two newly described ancient penguins were found in the Atacama Desert in Peru. With just tens of millimeters of precipitation a year, the Atacama is the driest desert in the world. Some parts haven't seen rain for an estimated 40 million years. Geologists say the Atacama is also the oldest desert on Earth. Its long-term stability is attributed partly to a cold, upwelling offshore current that may have insulated it from the dramatic temperature changes of the ice ages. Temperatures in the desert region vary widely between its barren coastal plains, its white-capped volcanoes, and the region where it gives way to the foothills of the Andes mountain range. A map of South America shows the Atacama Desert, which spans about 600 miles (966 kilometers) in northern Chile—including historically controversial borderlands between Chile and Peru—and eastward into Bolivia and Argentina. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/photogalleries/giant-penguins/photo4.html) The Atacama's latitude has remained stable over millennia, staying in the Southern Hemisphere's dry subtropical climate belt since the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago. All of today's penguin species live in the Southern Hemisphere, with Peru housing the northernmost modern species, Spheniscus humboldti. ,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+-.,.-+*'^'*+ EVOLUTION!! http://tribes.tribe.net/burningpenguin/photos/0a9c5706-fde8-4f49-af82-8961d87de6d1

I've been devirginized!!!

r0ssyPenguin — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:24:08 GMT

FIRE Yaaaay! I spun fire for the 1st time this weekend! It was orgasmic, memorizing, intoxicating and hella FUN. I can't wait for my poi to arrive in the mail this week (maybe today! whoot whoot!). The sound....I'm in love with the sound, that swoosh woosh deep fire burning sound. I love it, I crave it, I want it.... Gosh...it was like being 16 again.... FIREFLY FireFly work weekend was a complete success! Yaaay! Outhouses were moved, trees were cut, trails were cleared, brush was whacked, grass was mowed, fire wood gathered and fun was had....and Snicker, Sandy & I fed the masses. The steam bath is up and running, and I enjoyed hanging, chilling, and talking with everyone. Call me RANGER PENGUIN! This will be my 1st time as a ranger, I had an extensive ranger training course via Ranger Carbon...thank you! So if you see me, ANYTIME, even "off duty"....i will be glad to assist, or get you some assistance in what ever you need at the event. :) (ps......the penguins are no longer eating my legs)

What to do with Dead Rats....

r0ssyPenguin — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:30:22 GMT

Be warned, this is an extremely graphic tutorial featuring guts, dismemberment, and soldering. http://www.instructables.com/id/E7Y1MAP6SOET2JXPD2/ :)

FireFly Ticket release!

r0ssyPenguin — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:06:49 GMT

http://fireflyfestival.tribe.net/thread/de50f9eb-1ebc-494c-beea-e43134cd2589 We need volunteers too, so do it!!

NEW TENT :)

r0ssyPenguin — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:20:34 GMT

http://people.tribe.net/r0ssy/photos/328ba740-4b59-4028-8dad-95a8bd011108 ^^Photo of full tent in my album^^^ I picked up my new tent from UPS yesterday and set it up in my living room. Well...I set up 1/2 of it....it's freakin HUGE! :) Quonset hut shaped, it came with no set up instructions, but I figured it out in about 15 minutes or so. 4 poles all the same length, huge quonset hut shaped outer shell. 2 "tents" that hang inside the outer shell on either end, with a foyer in the middle. I was only able to set up one side with the hanging tent in my living room. It has plenty of space for a queen size air mattress, and some footsie space on 2 sides. The inner tents have a thick plastic tarp type floor, that comes up the sides 5" inches, and the roof is made of a light breathable cotton. I've never used a tent made from cotton...so i've no idea how well it will work. The LARGE door has a zippered screen, and solid nylon zippered door. The zippers look strong, well sewn & sturdy. Oh...and it's not quite tall enough to stand fully erect in, but almost......the foyer will be nice with a chair and table in it. So far it looks good, and the cats approve :) My only concern will be the guide wires...it needs a lot of them to hold it up....and they will need to be VERY securely tied and staked at Burning Man. But if i use pool noodles ( http://www.julieleung.com/archives/noodles.jpg ) to cover the stakes.....it could make it fun and colorful ....especially if i add el-wire to them ...yea...! Oh and the tiny stuff sack it came in...yea, there is no way in hell it's going to fit back into that sack. I'll just pick up a duffel bag big enough for the tent and air mattress....and viola...all set! :) I'll have more to say once I test it out at Wildfire, it's probably too big for my needs on that trip, but it's the first chance i'll get to set it up fully. It is going to be PERFECT for firefly and the art project i'm doing. I can't wait! Whoot whoot! PICS IN MY ALBUM...check it! (stay tuned for more on that art project .....) Penguins ♥ camping!

MS Ride ~ Thank you!!

r0ssyPenguin — Tue, 08 May 2007 14:19:16 GMT

My ride on Saturday (5/5) was great! Perfect sunny weather on the Vineyard, with a cool breeze. I managed to raise a total of $662.53 for Multiple Sclerosis research. THANK YOU, to all who were able to donate, THANK YOU!! You can still donate by visiting this link: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=1836253&pg=personal&fr_id=4460 It was a fun ride, and I look forward to doing it again on May 3rd 2008. Please contact me if you would be interested in joining me in this ride next year. xo&#9829xo, Rossy

MS Ride TOMORROW

r0ssyPenguin — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:37:20 GMT

Hello again......this is the last post :) TOMORROW, May 5th 2007, I will be tackling the 25 mile off-road bike course in the Correllus State Forest on Martha's Vineyard. This year will be my 8th annual ride to benefit MS, but people with MS tackle much larger obstacles than this everyday. The ability to get out of bed on one's own, much less ride a bike, is an impossibility for many people with MS. I am doing the Ride for those who are unable to walk today, and for those who live daily with the possibility that they may not be able to do so tomorrow. This year I want to surpass my past efforts by raising a total of $900. Keep in mind that every charitable donation you make is tax deductible. There is no minimum amount to donate, and every cent counts! The National MS Society helps people by funding research to find the cause and cure of MS and by offering services to those affected by MS until a cure is found. You can help me help them by sponsoring me in the Ride. You can donate on-line with a major credit card. Just visit the link below. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=1836253&pg=personal&fr_id=4460 Thank you for your help and support. If you have any questions please email me or visit http://www.nationalmssociety.org for more information. Together we can make a difference! L ♥ v e, ® ⊛ § § ¥ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ps... 25 miles does not seem that far, but *off-road* it's A LOT.....a lot of hard work....and 4hrs of heavy duty pumping! Yaaay! I'm @ 68% of my fund raising goal of $900.00! A BIG THANK YOU to those of you who have already donated!!!

lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)

r0ssyPenguin — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:32:20 GMT

i was busy this weekend....and now i'm paying the price... teeheeheee :P

A sheep that's 15% human???

r0ssyPenguin — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:10:41 GMT

Now scientists create a sheep that's 15% human By CLAUDIA JOSEPH Scientists have created the world's first human-sheep chimera - which has the body of a sheep and half-human organs. The sheep have 15 per cent human cells and 85 per cent animal cells - and their evolution brings the prospect of animal organs being transplanted into humans one step closer. Professor Esmail Zanjani, of the University of Nevada, has spent seven years and £5million perfecting the technique, which involves injecting adult human cells into a sheep's foetus. He has already created a sheep liver which has a large proportion of human cells and eventually hopes to precisely match a sheep to a transplant patient, using their own stem cells to create their own flock of sheep. The process would involve extracting stem cells from the donor's bone marrow and injecting them into the peritoneum of a sheep's foetus. When the lamb is born, two months later, it would have a liver, heart, lungs and brain that are partly human and available for transplant. "We would take a couple of ounces of bone marrow cells from the patient,' said Prof Zanjani, whose work is highlighted in a Channel 4 programme tomorrow. "We would isolate the stem cells from them, inject them into the peritoneum of these animals and then these cells would get distributed throughout the metabolic system into the circulatory system of all the organs in the body. The two ounces of stem cell or bone marrow cell we get would provide enough stem cells to do about ten foetuses. So you don't just have one organ for transplant purposes, you have many available in case the first one fails." At present 7,168 patients are waiting for an organ transplant in Britain alone, and two thirds of them are expected to die before an organ becomes available. Scientists at King's College, London, and the North East Stem Cell Institute in Newcastle have now applied to the HFEA, the Government's fertility watchdog, for permission to start work on the chimeras. But the development is likely to revive criticisms about scientists playing God, with the possibility of silent viruses, which are harmless in animals, being introduced into the human race. Dr Patrick Dixon, an international lecturer on biological trends, warned: "Many silent viruses could create a biological nightmare in humans. Mutant animal viruses are a real threat, as we have seen with HIV." Animal rights activists fear that if the cells get mixed together, they could end up with cellular fusion, creating a hybrid which would have the features and characteristics of both man and sheep. But Prof Zanjani said: "Transplanting the cells into foetal sheep at this early stage does not result in fusion at all." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This scares me, especially after watching, Michael Bay's "The Island" starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. In this movie they cloned humans, and had them live in a strictly regulated indoor futuristic colony, their only purpose...an insurance policy, perfectly cloned specimens to be harvested, hacked up and used when the primary human needs some compatiable "spare parts" in case of an emergency/accident disease etc. I'm all for cloning to fight disease and growing human tissues...etc...but how far will we take it?