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One of California's Most Precious and Endangered Ecosystems: Riparian Oak Woodlands
Sunset at Caswell Memorial State Park
Ask people who know California what ecosystem has declined in area by more than 90%, and chances are they will answer "the Redwood forests". And they would be right. But given that there were once millions of acres of Redwood forests, it is also true that there are still a few large wilderness areas in the Redwoods, including a national park and many state parks.
The Stanislaus River in Caswell State Park
If they think a little harder, they will answer "and also the prairies and grasslands of the Great Valley", and they will also be right. Almost all the native grasslands have been co-opted by agriculture, and that is kind of a shame, because the losses are continuing today as "hedge-fund" almond orchards are eating up tens of thousands of acres of grasslands with no secure source of irrigation water.
As they think more deeply, and develop a sad look because they don't like the direction these thoughts have gone, they will answer "and also the riparian oak woodlands". And they will once again be sadly right. The Great Valley once had hundreds and hundreds of miles of dense woodlands along the many rivers that flow out of the Sierra Nevada and into San Francisco Bay. Most of those woodlands have disappeared as levees were built, floodplain farms were planted and rivers were dammed (damned), cutting off the flow of the water. Precious few areas remain of these gloriously chaotic forests.
We spent the afternoon in one of the small remnants of these riparian (river) forests. Caswell Memorial State Park preserves 258 acres (about 2/5 of a square mile) of woodlands along the Stanislaus River near Ripon and Modesto. It's been developed at one end into a campground and picnic area, but the rest is managed as a de facto wilderness area, traversed only by a few trails, and consisting mostly of dense oak forest with an impenetrable undergrowth of shrubs and bushes (including a lot of poison oak, which discourages off-trail travel.
A "slough", or abandoned river meander in Caswell Memorial State Park
It's a popular summer destination for the locals, with a nice picnic area and a sandy beach along a slow moving stretch of river. During weekdays, many local schools take their kids on field trips, but on this late Friday afternoon we had the entire park to ourselves. Not a single other person in either parking lot. We happily wandered along some of the trails as the sun sank low onto the horizon, which wasn't visible because of the dense forest (see that top picture).
The park was once the home of the Yokuts people, but their populations were decimated after European contact. The Spanish missions, smallpox, malaria, and war with the Mexican Army eventually ended their existence in this region. The Stanislaus River is named after Estanislao, a Native American who led a rebellion against the Mexicans in 1829. Decades later the lands were purchased by Thomas Caswell, and in 1950 the land was given to the state of California to preserve the woodlands.
Despite its small size the park preserves the only known natural habitat of the Riparian Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius), a subspecies of the Cottontail. The original counts in the early 1990s suggested that only 200 or 300 of the rabbits remained, but the floods of 1997 were catastrophic, and only a few seemed to have survived in the park. Some were later found living in the San Joaquin Delta area, and a small population has been established at a ranch just downstream. Many of the rabbits have been captive-bred, trying to ensure their survival.
We might have been alone in the human sense, but the trees were alive with birds. They were mostly small and constantly moving so we weren't particularly successful in getting photographs, but we saw Ducks, Egrets, Juncos, Warblers, Starlings, Flickers, Vultures, and Hawks (and many others we couldn't identify), and we heard Sandhill Cranes in the near vicinity.
There were more than a dozen Turkey Vultures roosting in the trees above the river. I admit it was a little bit creepy having them all staring at us...
I was also lucky enough to catch one fairly sharp shot of a Northern Flicker, a species of woodpecker, in the trees above us. I heard it before I saw it...
Caswell Memorial State Park is a special place, well-loved by many people in the local region. Given that most of them see it when the weather is hot, the picnic areas crowded, and the grass dead and brown, they would have been surprised at the serenity of the place this afternoon. It's a great place to see what the valley was once like, and still could be today, if we continue our vigorous efforts at reclaiming some of the wetlands for nature.
Labels: Caswell Memorial State Park, Northern Flicker, Riparian Brush Rabbit, Riparian Oak Woodand, Stanislaus River, turkey vulture
The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: Wait! Is that...a Glacier?
People who visit Yosemite Valley often think about glaciers. Even those with no geologic background quickly become aware of the role of glaciers in forming the valley, but the thoughts are often of the past. It's been 11,000 or 12,000 years since any glaciers have been in the bottom of the valley, and it's been around 800,000 years since glaciers filled Yosemite Valley. The glaciers seem a part of the distant past.
When we reached the crest of the White Mountains on our fall field trip, we could see across the Owens Valley to the highest ridges of the Sierra Nevada. It was late September in one of the driest years ever recorded in California. And yet...there was still ice in the high country. How could any snow still be left after one of the hottest summers on record?
A closer look through the zoom lens told the story. The isolated patches weren't snow at all, they were ice, and the cracks and fractures tell us that the ice has been moving. In other words, these are glaciers!
Glaciers would not seem to be a California phenomenon. Too much sunshine, too many droughts, it just doesn't seem to be the kind of place where snow could accumulate and compress year after year, decade after decade, until the frozen mass starts to slip under the weight of 100-200 feet of ice. Indeed, the permanent snowline would be in excess of 15,000 feet or more, and no peaks in California are that high. But given certain areas with cold "microclimates", glaciers have persisted in the ranges, in the shaded hollows of the highest mountains where the sun almost never shines.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there are nearly 500 glaciers in the Sierra Nevada, but none of them is very large, the biggest being only a mile (1.6 km) wide and half a mile (0.8 km) long. The total area covered by glacial ice in the Sierra is only about 19 square miles (50 square km). We were looking at some of the largest remaining glaciers, those that persist beneath the peaks of the Palisades Crest, a group of 14,000 foot mountains on the east boundary of Kings Canyon National Park.
It is known that there was a much warmer period several thousand years ago following the last major ice age, so these are not remnants of those Tioga stage glaciers. Small glaciers like these would have melted completely away. There was a general worldwide cooling event in the 1700s, the so-called Little Ice Age, and it was in those decades that these glaciers accumulated.
If you want to see the remaining glaciers of the Sierra Nevada, make your plans now. Since the early 1900s, the glaciers have been shrinking, and they have already lost 50-80% of the volume that existed at the time of their discovery. Glaciers are one of the most sensitive indicators of global temperature, and most of them are shrinking worldwide (a precious few are expanding, but because of increased precipitation in some areas; their climate is still warming). Many or most of the Sierra glaciers will be gone in a matter of decades. That will lead to some serious changes to the alpine climates of the Sierra, especially as they will no longer be there to provide streamflow during the driest times of the year.
It's been a long time since I was able to visit a glacier in the Sierra (it was back in 1982. It was the biggest of the Palisades glaciers, the one in the picture above, and as I stood at the base of the ice, I was able to see the Sierra's youngest natural lake, a tarn produced as the glacier receded. The lake didn't exist in 1950. It's sad that these small reminders of the awesome power of ice will soon be gone. I hope I have at least one more chance to see them up close.
Labels: Global Climate change, Global warming, Palisades crest, Palisades Glacier, The Sierra Beyond Yosemite, White Mountains
The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: A Stunning Impenetrable Wall of Solid Rock
Mount Whitney from the Alabama Hills in the Owens Valley
Impenetrable. The imaginary mountain barrier surrounding Mordor in the Lord of the Rings has nothing on this real-life wall of solid granite. For more than one hundred miles, from Mono Lake south to Owens Lake and beyond, there is a 10,000+ foot high crest that divides California from the rest of the country, which stops almost all precipitation from Pacific storms, and which denied immigrants an easy path to the gold-fields of the Mother Lode.
The Wheeler Crest from Bishop in the Owens Valley
The Sierra Nevada is a barrier to travel of all kinds: paths, wagon trails, roads, and railways cross the mountains in only a few places, and those few places present serious engineering challenges. No paved roads cross the mountains for well over 150 miles between Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park, and Walker Pass south of Sequoia National Park (The only minor exceptions: Sherman Pass, a paved former logging road is inappropriate for heavy traffic, and a dead-end road that travels to Devils Postpile). The only freeways exist at Donner Summit and Tehachapi Pass.
The Sierra beyond Yosemite provides some of the most stunning scenery on the planet. On the previous day of our fall trip we had crossed the Sierra Nevada at Sonora Pass, and explored the ghost town of Bodie, but the sun was disappearing in the west by the time we arrived at our campsite in the little town of Bishop in the Owens Valley. For those on our trip who were seeing these lands for the first time, it was a revelation to wake up to the high remote ridges of granite and metamorphic rock that towered over the flat valley floor.
Mt. Humphreys (13,996 feet) above Bishop, California in the Owens Valley
Many would say that Death Valley is the ultimate expression of basin and range style geography, and in many ways it is extraordinary, but few valleys in the world can match Owens for pure grandeur. One one flank, the Sierra Nevada rise to elevations exceeding 14,000 feet. On the other, the White Mountains average 11,000 feet, culminating in White Mountain Peak at 14,252 feet. Given the roughly 4,000 foot elevation of the floor of Owens Valley, the declivity is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. Comparisons are unfair, of course, since the Grand Canyon is water-carved, and the Owens is of fault origin, but the scale of the landscape is grand in any case.
The origin of the wonderful scenery is a two-edged sword, of course. The faults that formed the Owens Valley are still very active. In 1872, the Owens Valley fault was responsible for one of the biggest earthquakes in the state's recorded history. The magnitude 7.8 event killed 27 people (out of a total population of around 300), and shifted the ground dozens of feet along a scarp more than eighty miles long.
The Palisades Group of peaks on the Sierra Crest from Sierra View in the White Mountains
One of the most spectacular ways to see the mountain wall is to climb into the White Mountains and see most of the Sierra escarpment from one view point. It's called (by incredible coincidence) Sierra View, which is a pullout on the equally spectacular road to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. From the one view, one can see the Sierra Crest from the Tioga Pass area to south of Mt. Whitney, a distance of over 100 miles. We were blessed with a clear morning despite the fires raging throughout the region.
Later in the day we drove south to Lone Pine, which lies on the floor of the Owens Valley beneath Mt. Whitney, which at 14,505 feet is the highest point in the lower 48 states. After a number of stops, we ended up at an old mine, the Reward, and watched the sun sink over the high ridges.
Sunsets for the people of the Owens Valley are different. There is no horizon over which the sun emerges or sets. There are only high ridges. When the conditions are right, the light show is wonderful.
Labels: Mt. Tom, Mt. Whitney, Owens Valley, Palisades crest, Sierra Nevada batholith, Sierra Nevada crest, The Sierra Beyond Yosemite
The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: Where the Sierra Ends (maybe), and Gold
In some places it is pretty clear where the Sierra Nevada ends. For a hundred miles or more there is a solid rock wall that reaches a height of two miles in the Owens Valley. There is no mistaking that the mountains end at the cliffs above Lone Pine. Likewise, it's an unmistakeable demarcation between the flat Great Valley and the Sierra Nevada foothills. But in the central and northern Sierra Nevada, the division between "Sierra" and "not Sierra" is a line not so easily drawn.
From Mono Lake to the north, there are fault lines that mark the edge of the Sierra Nevada structural block, but they diverge from the watershed crest of the range, forming a series of north-trending ranges and valleys. These ranges, the Bodie Hills, the Sweetwater Mountains, the Pine Nut Mountains, and the Carson Range, are connected directly to the Sierra Nevada, are composed of rocks related to the Sierra Nevada, but are often considered "not" the Sierra Nevada. Geologically, the Sierra Nevada block is moving northwest from the adjacent Basin and Range province, making it a so-called "microplate", a much smaller version of the North American or Pacific tectonic plates. The mountains mentioned above are the jagged edge of the incipient plate boundary that has not yet completely separated from the rest of North America. If you are patient enough, buy up some desert scrublands in the Great Basin of Nevada. In a few million years they may be oceanfront property!
Our journeys last fall through the "Sierra Beyond Yosemite" took us over Sonora Pass and into the lands east of the Sierra Nevada crest, a land that is both "Sierra" and "not Sierra". Our first destination was the ghost town of Bodie, between Mono Lake and Bridgeport Valley in the Bodie Hills.
"Hills" in this instance is a deceiving term. In any other setting, the Bodie Hills would be considered mountains, reaching elevations of more than 9,000 feet, and rising steeply above the Mono Basin. Still, the hills around the ghost town are more gently rolling, having not been glaciated, or deeply eroded by rivers. They lie in the rain shadow of the main Sierra crest, receiving only 12 inches of precipitation a year, making the region technically a desert (in climate terms, a dry-summer subarctic environment). Bodie competes with Barrow, Alaska as the place in America with the most freezing days per year: 308 of them on average. I just can't help thinking that this was a miserable place to live. Why would anyone...oh yeah, gold.
As I've described before, Bodie was a gold mining town. In the decades following the fabled Gold Rush, hungry miners started to explore the region east of the Mother Lode, and over the crest of the Sierra, and a lucky few found the elusive metal. W. S. Bodey was one of these; his exploration party found gold in 1859 in what later came to be known as the Bodie Hills (apparently the spelling was changed to help with the pronunciation). He may have found the gold, but he wasn't lucky. He froze to death the following year while making a supply run near Mono Lake.
The mines took some time to take off. The discovery of a rich lode in 1876 led to the development of the Standard Mine, and thousands of people came to the town of Bodie. The population peaked at 10,000 in 1880. The town developed a fearsome reputation for lawlessness, and one legend declared that a young girl, finding that Bodie would be her new home, said "Goodbye God, I'm going to Bodie". The town had its pride, too: an editor of the town newspaper insisted the punctuation was wrong; she had really said "Good, by God, I'm going to Bodie".
The mines were active for years, producing $34 million in gold (at a mixture of prices, $20/ounce in the 1800's and early 1900's, and $36/ounce in the 1930's). The gold is worth a great deal more at today's prices, perhaps $1 or 2 billion. As time went on, gold production waned, and the town began to die away. The Standard Mine shut down in 1913, although sporadic efforts at mining continued through 1942. A disastrous fire in 1932 destroyed most of the buildings in the town (only 110 of the original 2,000 buildings remain).
The gold at Bodie resulted from hydrothermal activity in the heart of a volcanic center that was active between about 14.7 and 8.0 million years ago. The field included at least 20 vents, including four trachyandesite stratovolcanoes. The town lies along the boundary between the deeply eroded Silver Hill and the Potato Peak cones, while the access road to Highway 395 meanders between the Willow Spring and Mt. Biedeman complexes. The sage covered hills reveal little of the volcanic violence that formed this landscape, but they do provide an analog for the appearance of the pre-glacial Sierra Nevada crest. The alpine topography of the present-day Sierra Nevada crest is a very recent geologic event. Without the glaciers, the Sierra Nevada would have been a different place entirely.
Today the town is a popular state park, and it has been declared California's official Gold Rush Ghost Town (as opposed to California's official Silver Rush Ghost Town in Southern California). I have a hard time envisioning a life here. I imagine that it was a relief on the coldest winter days to get out of the house or tent and get underground in the mines where it was warmer. Today, during a visit in the warm summer months, it is a photographer's playground, and an interesting place to learn about ancient Sierra Nevada geography.
Labels: Bodie Ghost Town, Eastern Sierra Nevada, The Sierra Beyond Yosemite
The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: Donnell Vista and Sonora Pass
It's gloomy and foggy, and I haven't seen the sun for days. It's a few more weeks before field season (Death Valley!), but I can't help exploring the sunnier places from warmer times. I'm looking back at the pics from our fall semester where we explored a lot of places in the Sierra Nevada that aren't Yosemite.
That's the thing. Say "Sierra Nevada", and a lot of people will immediately think of the beautiful valley of the Ah-wah-nee, John Muir's favorite place on the planet, and in many ways mine as well. But the floor of Yosemite Valley is about 7 square miles. The national park covers 1,190 square miles (3,081 square kilometers). But the Sierra Nevada? It covers 39,612 sq miles (102,594 km²). You could hide more than 30 Yosemite parks in the rest of the range. It is in fact the largest single range in the lower 48 states (large mountain systems like the Rockies and Appalachians are made up of numerous smaller sub-ranges).
So we are off onto a short exploration of some of the wonderful corners of the Sierra Nevada that aren't Yosemite Valley. We are following a week's worth of our trips last fall that took us over the range at Sonora Pass and down the east side of the range as far as Lone Pine and Mt. Whitney. We'll also explore the other national parks of the range, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, which we visited on a second trip.
We began our journey in some serious smoke from a series of fires burning through the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The drought and the fires have been catastrophic. We made a stop at the Twain Harte Lake exfoliation site. I wrote about it back then, and it was picked up on Reddit and IFLS, links that led to the post being the most read ever on Geotripper (12,400 hits and counting). We emerged from the smoke and climbed the upper reaches of the Stanislaus River, approaching Sonora Pass, which after Tioga is the highest paved highway over the Sierra Nevada at 9,624 feet (2,933 meters). Tioga Pass in Yosemite is 9,943 ft. (3,031 m.).
In a series of ice ages, glaciers covered about 30% of the range, reaching as low as 3,000 feet or so in some of the deeper canyons. Yosemite is simply the most famous of the glacially carved gorges, and many others are of incredible and spectacular beauty. This was not always fully appreciated, and some of these wonderful wild canyons were dammed for irrigation storage and domestic use. Hetch Hetchy is the most familiar, but the canyon below Donnell Vista on Highway 108 has also been inundated. Still, the glacial heritage of Middle Fork of the Stanislaus is evident from the viewpoint. The steep canyon walls of granitic rock and the overall U-shape of the valleys are the result first of ancient river erosion and then modification by thick rivers of ice.
If you look at the second picture above, you can see some unusual looking mountain peaks. Their blocky flat aspect indicates they are composed of something different than the "expected" granitic rock. They are the remains of lava flows, ash flows and volcanic cones that once covered this part of the Sierra Nevada. Indeed, until 9 or 10 million years ago, the Sierra looked far more like today's Cascades Range than the lofty glacial peaks we see today. There were a number of snow-covered stratovolcanoes, but much of the remainder of the range was composed of lower hills. The upper reaches of Highway 108 where it crosses Sonora Pass cut through some of the volcanic rocks.
We stopped a mile or two short of the pass to get a detailed look at the granitic rocks. Depending on the relative proportions of plagioclase and orthoclase feldspar and quartz, rocks may be identified as granite, granodiorite, tonalite, diorite, or monzonite. The rock exposed just below the pass is called the granodiorite of Topaz Lake, dated about 89 to 83 million years ago, during the Cretaceous era. It was intruded in the deep crust about 4 or 5 miles down where it cooled slowly, forming visible crystals of feldspar, quartz and dark minerals like biotite mica and hornblende.
Glaciers scoured the surface of the granodiorite, polishing it and providing a nice view of the structure of the rocks. Some of the orthoclase (potassium feldspar) has formed huge blocky crystals easily visible in the shot below. Even better, during the intrusion process, blocks of the surrounding rock broke off and sank into the magma. Composed of minerals that had higher melting points, it didn't melt, but instead persisted as an alien mass in the granitic rock. Such inclusions are called xenoliths. They provide a peek at what existed here before the intrusion of the magmas.
We drove over Sonora Pass and headed into the barren lands beyond. Our destination was the site of a gold rush, but not the one that Californians are familiar with.
Labels: Beyond Yosemite, Donnell Reservoir, Donnell Vista, glaciation, granite, Sierra Nevada, Sonora Pass, xenolith
The Insight of Werner Herzog (applied to Geology in the Field)
I was wandering through Salon.com when I ran across this piece about film director and all-around creative person Werner Herzog. Many of his excellent films have had wilderness/outdoor themes, including Grizzly Man and Encounters at the End of the World. A recent book about Herzog has a list of 24 maxims about life and film-making that really struck a chord, and I couldn't help but think how they apply to understanding not just life and film, but also geology in the field. Here, for the fun of it, is an annotated list (stuff in parentheses is mine, and not nearly so wise):
1. Always take the initiative.
2. There is nothing wrong with spending a night in jail if it means getting the shot (sample) you need.
3. Send out all your dogs (graduate students) and one might return with prey (field data that you need).
4. Never wallow in your troubles; despair must be kept private and brief.
5. Learn to live with your mistakes (so true in the field).
6. Expand your knowledge and understanding of music and literature, old and modern (the first researchers who did work in a region had much to offer).
7. That roll of unexposed celluloid you have in your hand might be the last in existence, so do something impressive with it.
8. There is never an excuse not to finish a film (field project).
9. Carry bolt cutters everywhere (!!).
10. Thwart institutional cowardice.
11. Ask for forgiveness, not permission (before you get shot for trespassing).
12. Take your fate into your own hands.
13. Learn to read the inner essence of a landscape (have you ever heard of a better explanation of field work?).
14. Ignite the fire within and explore unknown territory (the heart of the field geologist!).
15. Walk straight ahead, never detour (well, I don't know about this one...).
16. Manoeuvre and mislead, but always deliver (is this advice for teachers??).
17. Don't be fearful of rejection (for you shall experience it much).
18. Develop your own voice.
19. Day one is the point of no return (so true in the field).
20. A badge of honor is to fail a film theory class (which geology related course should be listed here?).
21. Chance is the lifeblood of cinema (and geology in the field, too).
22. Guerrilla tactics are best.
23. Take revenge if need be.
24. Get used to the bear behind you (no further comment needed).
Thank you, Mr. Herzog for your wonderful work!
Labels: field geology, Geology education, Werner Herzog
4.4 Magnitude Earthquake near Pinnacles National Park
A 4.4 magnitude earthquake at a depth of about 10 kilometers struck Central California near Pinnacles National Park early this morning. We got an excellent seismic record of the event at Modesto Junior College, as can be seen in the picture above.
Earthquakes of this magnitude are generally felt, but are not likely to cause serious damage. The shake map generated by the U.S. Geological Survey shows that extent of the region where the quake was felt.
The earthquake looks to have occurred on the San Andreas fault, but in detail it was more than two miles away from the fault. The movement was compressional (a "reverse" fault), rather than lateral, as would be expected on the San Andreas. The odd looking ball below is how seismologists are able to tell the type of causative fault. It is generated by the network of seismometers across Northern California, measuring whether the first wave or motion of the quake is compressional or extensional.
There is a small percent chance (5% or less) that this moderate/small event is a foreshock, or precursor earthquake to a larger event. Such moderate events are good reminders that the people who live in earthquake country must be prepared for large earthquakes. Check your emergency supplies, read up on earthquakes, and be prepared with an emergency plan for your family.
Posted by Garry Hayes at 9:15 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: 4.4 magnitude earthquake, Earthquake, Pinnacles National Park, San Andreas fault
Giant Alien Space Bear about to Destroy the Earth? Or the Impending Opening of a Great Museum?
What you are actually seeing here is the Science on a Sphere learning area in the soon-to-open Great Valley Museum, and one of the very few blank walls left in the wonderful new center of learning that will serve the northern San Joaquin Valley and the town of Modesto. The new facility was introduced to the community for the first time last night at the "Night at the Museum- the Inaugural Gala" that brought out 240 supporters to a formal dinner and tours of the museum.
The Great Valley Museum has existed since the late 1970s, occupying an old house that originally served as the Modesto Junior College campus bookstore. The employees and volunteers did a wonderful job of bringing science education to the children of the local community, but they were always hampered by very limited facilities. There has always been a dream of a larger building, but it wasn't until our community passed Measure E in 2004 that the dream could begin to be a reality. The new Science Community Center houses the MJC Science Division with chemistry, biology, astronomy, physics and geology laboratories and classrooms upstairs. Most of the bottom floor of the huge building is now devoted to the museum. The impending opening is a thrilling moment for those of us who have planned and at times fought for a world-class facility to be housed on our campus.
Mrs. Geotripper and I had a marvelous time last night welcoming guests to the Discovery Room, the hands-on area of the museum, which also includes the live animal room. This is the "classroom" for the museum, which will be filled with an array of demonstration materials, books and science based puzzles.
We set out some of the skulls from the museum and school collections, to illustrate some exciting new discoveries that our children and students will be able to make: that our region has an incredible paleontological heritage. The first dinosaur ever discovered in California was found in our county by a 17 year old high school student in 1936. The same young man found a new species of Mosasaur just a year or so later. The skull below is a related species of the gigantic sea-going reptiles that terrorized the late Cretaceous seas. The local species ranged up to 35 feet long.
In the late Pleistocene, the savanna grasslands of our Great Valley supported an extensive ecosystem of grazing animals including horses, camels, antelope, bison, elk, and sloths. They were preyed upon by some terrifying creatures like the American Lion, the Dire Wolf, Sabertooth Cat, Grizzly Bear, and Short-faced Bears (bigger than grizzlies!). Fossils of these creatures have been found in and near our county, but to date few people are aware of this. The opening of the museum will be a big step towards filling in this missing part of our history.
It was through the efforts of our Geology Club and the late Sandy Vanwey (our division's administrative assistant and strong museum supporter) that we were able to purchase a full-scale replica skeleton of a Sabertooth Cat that will grace the entrance hallway along with a number of other symbols for the state of California.
The most important part of the museum's mission is to tell the story of the natural environments of the Great Valley, which includes the northern Sacramento Valley, and the southern San Joaquin Valley. The valley is one of the richest agricultural regions on the planet, but it also still retains some of it's primeval character in a few places, and the museum is equipped as never before to tell that story.
The museum finally has enough space to exhibit the extensive collection of preserved animals specimens in naturalistic settings.
All of the native environments of the Great Valley and adjacent foothills are represented, including grassland/prairie species, riparian species, and the animals of the wetlands and marshes.
There is only one major component of the museum left to build: the Outdoor Education Laboratory, which will be the ultimate part of the learning adventure for the children and students who visit the museum. Imagine seeing the exhibits, and then being able to go outdoors to see many of the species living in a near-natural habitat. Plans call for a stream and pond along with vegetation representing the environments that exist from the mountains to the foothills and the valley floor. The funding for this last part is still pending, but it's been a dream for everyone who has been involved in planning this facility. Proposals for an outdoor lab area date back at least 35 years. It would be such a gift to the community and science education to have that last piece fall into place in the next year or two.
In the meantime, 240 community members gathered together to support and celebrate the impending opening of the Great Valley Museum. Dozens of students and community volunteers were there to welcome them and to help out as servers and guides. It was the biggest event in the 40 year history of the museum, and it was a wonderful privilege to be involved.
The museum still needs financial support to get new teaching supplies and resources that were not provided for in the original bond act. Please consider donating! For more information, check out the museum website here, and the museum facebook page here. It's a great new day for science education on our valley, and it would be great if you could play a part!
Labels: Great Valley ecosystem, Great Valley Museum, Modesto Junior College, science education
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The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: Wait! Is that...a Glac...
The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: A Stunning Impenetrabl...
The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: Where the Sierra Ends ...
The Sierra Beyond Yosemite: Donnell Vista and Sono...
The Insight of Werner Herzog (applied to Geology i...
4.4 Magnitude Earthquake near Pinnacles National P...
Giant Alien Space Bear about to Destroy the Earth?...
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2014: Our Year Without a Freezing Temperature


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Tag Archives: Civilian control of the military
This Might Be A Problem For The Obama Legacy
On Wednesday, The Washington Examiner posted an article about Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead, a book written by General James Mattis about his time as leader of U.S. Central Command from 2010 to 2013, overseeing military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. Some parts of the book do not portray President Obama in a positive light.
"From my first day at CENTCOM, I knew we faced two principal adversaries: stateless Sunni Islamist terrorists and the revolutionary Shiite regime of Iran, the most destabilizing country in the region," he writes. "Iran was by far the more deadly of the two threats."
That's not how the president under whom Mattis served saw it, though, and Barack Obama eventually fired the storied Marine general for what Mattis believes were his insistent warnings about the Iranian threat.
Mattis says Washington didn't even inform him when Iran committed an "act of war" on American soil.
The duty officer at his Tampa, Florida, headquarters on Oct. 11, 2011 told him that the attorney general and FBI director had held a press conference to announce the arrest of two Iranians who had planned a bomb attack on Cafe Milano, a high-end restaurant in Washington that was a favorite of the rich and famous, including Saudi Arabia's ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir.
As Mattis writes, "Attorney General Eric Holder said the bombing plot was 'directed and approved by elements of the Iranian government and, specifically, senior members of the Qods Force.' The Qods were the Special Operations Force of the Revolutionary Guards, reporting to the top of the Iranian government."
Mattis says his reaction to the Cafe Milano bomb plot contributed towards Obama's decision to fire him abruptly.
"While I fully endorse civilian control of the military, I would not surrender my independent judgment. In 2010, I argued strongly against pulling all our troops out of Iraq," Mattis writes. (Earlier in the book, he recounts a discussion he had on the subject in Baghdad with Vice President Joe Biden, who was in charge of Iraq policy but "ignoring reality" and uninterested in the considered opinion of the general in charge of operations there.) "In 2011, I urged retaliation against Iran for plotting to blow up a restaurant in our nation's capital. In 2012, I argued for retaining a small but capable contingent of troops in Afghanistan. Each step along the way, I argued for political clarity and offered options that gave the Commander in Chief a rheostat he could dial up or down to protect our nation."
The commander in chief chose another option: fire the CENTCOM leader.
"In December 2012, I received an unauthorized phone call telling me that in an hour, the Pentagon would be announcing my relief," Mattis writes. "I was leaving a region aflame and in disarray."
And the biggest threat in the region, Mattis says, then as now, was Iran. He predicted the Obama administration's reluctance to punish Tehran for its bad behavior while the two sides negotiated a nuclear deal would come back to haunt the U.S. He concludes that "the Iranians had not been held to account, and I anticipated that they would feel emboldened to challenge us more in the future."
Unfortunately I think that in the future we will see more situations where President Obama put his own search for a diplomatic victory ahead of the safety of Americans.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Civilian control of the military, Eric Holder, Iran, James Mattis, President Obama, Revolutionary Guard, Saudi Arabia, terrorists, The Washington Examiner, Washington Examiner
The Unseen Cost Of A Litigious Society
This story has been sitting on my toolbar since Thursday. I didn't want to write it because I don't fully understand it and it is very complex, but it needs to be written.
Paul Mirengoff at Power Line posted an article on Thursday entitled, "Power and Constraint — how the JAGs hijacked U.S. anti-terrorism policy." The article deals with how our actions in fighting the war on terror have been hijacked by lawyers rather than being run by the military.
During the Bush years, we often heard from the left that the war on terror was changing America for the worse by undermining our values and our Constitution. These claims were mostly nonsense. But one portion of our system did take a hit — the concepts of civilian control of the military and the Commander-in-Chief as chief law interpreter for the executive branch. This was the handiwork of the JAGs.
We covered this development as best we could on Power Line, mostly by reporting on the work, and the preening, of Lindsey Graham, the JAGs men in Congress. However, until I read Jack Goldsmith's book Power and Constraint, I didn't know the half of it.
Mr. Mirengoff then excerpts a large portion of his review of the Book Power and Constraint to explain how the JAGs have influenced the way the war is being fought. I strongly recommend that you follow the above link to the Power Line article and read the entire article.
The article at Power Line concludes:
Goldsmith appears troubled by the military's undermining of the President's ability to interpret the law on behalf of the executive branch. He also recognizes that the injection of lawyers into battle harmed U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Ultimately, he is agnostic as to whether the harm is outweighed by the possible prevention of misguided polices and the blowback they would have caused.
Goldsmith's agnosticism is understandable. Both sides of the cost-benefit equation are impossible to measure. But this much should be clear: our elected executive is responsible for making the cost-benefit decisions. His decisions may be subject to judicial review, but they should not be undermined or thwarted by military lawyers. It also seems clear that in war, including war on terrorism, the president should err in favor of defeating the enemy, rather than minimizing "blowback."
As a relative of a soldier who served two tours in Afghanistan, I object to the current rules of engagement. I think it's time we either fought wars or left situations alone. There really is no successful in-between path.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Civilian control of the military, Commander-in-chief, Jack Goldsmith, Lindsey Graham, Paul Mirengoff, Power Line, rules of engagement Afghanistan, United States, War on Terror

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This isn't the usual trip report. I won't be describing a specific peak or providing pictures. Instead, I'd like to express my thoughts about redlining.
To White Mountain hikers, redlining means hiking all 549 trails (1420.8 miles) in the White Mountain National Forest. To date, only twelve people have accomplished this feat -- that we know of, anyway. Over the next few years, dozens more will surely follow.
Redlining is an excellent notion -- in fact, I'm happily pursuing the goal myself. I do want to emphatically state, however, that I have no desire to rush through all the trails, finish ahead of anyone else, or create massive mile loop hikes in order to combine as many new trails as possible into one outing. There's nothing wrong with any of that, of course. Those are all legitimate ways to "get 'er done" and I respect anyone and everyone who's out there checking off the miles. That's just not the way I want to do it.
Every hiker takes to the woods for his or her own reasons -- it's all good. Some like to set speed records, some like to spend every second of their spare time in the woods, and some, like me, simply like to get out and see something new on a regular basis. I enjoy walking a path I've never walked before. It's as simple as that. I like to amble, I don't like feeling as though I have to check off multiple trails in one day, and I could care less how soon or late I finish this quest. I just want to get out there and see something new.
I figure it'll take me fifteen years of casual hiking to finish all the trails in the Whites. If I'm mistaken and it actually takes me much longer, then that's just fine. Of course, after I'm finished with the White Mountain trails, there'll be the state park trails, the New Hampshire town trails, the trails which lead up Cardigan, etc. etc. etc. In other words, if I want to see something new every time I take a hike, then it's a good thing I live in New Hampshire. I've a lifetime of hiking ahead of me. That's not a bad thing.
I've been reading your blog for several weeks now and have so enjoyed many of the back posts. I first heard of your book from Jeff who blogs at hikinginthesmokys.blogspot.com. In the midst of preparing for a seven week trip through New England, I decided to wait and purchase the book to read while I was actually IN New England. I bought it a the Yankee Bookstore in Woodstock, VT and simply could NOT put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed it and love the fact that you keep the blog so regularly. The only thing that would've been better was to have met you (all of you!!) while I was in NE.
This post just really resonated with me and I decided it was time to say "hello!" My hiking territory is Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We have over 900 miles of "official" trails and we call the goal of doing all of them, "coloring the map." I've personally backed away from TWO different hiking groups because the focus became so much more on the things you mentioned that these people had totally forgotten to enjoy hiking! Or why we were out in the woods in the first place. Thankfully, I've found others with whom to hike that share my philosophy of slow hiking, don't miss anything and it gets done when it gets done! Plus I've learned to love solo hiking.
I'm hoping to return to New Hampshire soon and spend a couple of weeks that are totally focused on hiking. Didn't get to do enough of it while there in June. Maybe we can hike a mile or two together (slowly, of course)!
Please continue to take care of yourself!
Keep hiking and by all means, keep writing.
Thanks for the compliments regarding UP! I'm glad you enjoyed the book. :) I'd love to share a few miles with you when you return to NH if the timing works out.
Regarding hiking -- I truly don't think there's anything wrong with hiking quickly, or trying to set records, or doing as many trails as possible in one day. I know lots of folks who enjoy the woods and mountains that way, and I'm glad those approaches work for them. It's all good, to each her own.
I'm glad you've found hiking companions who share your style, and it's great you are comfortable hiking alone. Trying to hike with folks who aren't a good fit is never a fun experience.


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Why Taxing Carbon May Not Make the World More Green
Although taxing carbon is an idea that enjoys significant support among policymakers and business leaders, new research indicates that carbon taxation can actually cause energy investments to gravitate away from the cleanest energy technologies. This counterintuitive finding reflects two key characteristics of energy markets: the worldwide increase in renewable energy sources whose output is intermittent and variable; and greater market liberalization, which has made the spot pricing of electricity more volatile. The intermittency of renewable energy sources requires backup generation, typically from generators using fossil fuels. The dynamics of market liberalization amplify this negative effect of intermittency. Policymakers need to take steps to reduce intermittency by supporting storage technologies or setting monetary incentives to increase renewable generation capacity investment.
Addressing Personal Income Tax Manipulation with Tools from Psychology
In order to better understand the tax manipulation decision-making process—both legal uses of tax deductions and illegal tax evasion—this brief looks at the impact of gain/loss framing. Analysis of tax data confirms that tax decisions are influenced by "loss aversion." For instance, taxpayers are more likely to pursue tax reduction activities when they make a loss smaller, as compared to when they make a gain larger. The brief looks at tools that policymakers have at their disposal for both deterring tax evasion and making existing tax incentives maximally effective. The brief discusses instances when such gain/loss framing interventions might be deployed, and provides estimates around the size of the revenue responses they may generate. The author estimates that if tax filers who face losses experienced the lower motivation to manipulate shown by those facing gains, annual tax revenue would increase by $1.4 billion. Even attempts at marginal interventions, though smaller in predicted effects, might be financially worthwhile.
Before International Tax Reform, We Need to Understand Why Firms Invert
A wave of corporate inversions by U.S. firms over the past two decades has generated substantial debate in academic, business, and policy circles. The core of the debate hinges on a couple of key economic questions: Do U.S. tax laws disadvantage U.S.-domiciled companies relative to their foreign competitors? And, if so, do inversions improve the competitiveness of U.S. multinational firms both abroad and at home? This brief summarizes both old and new research that views these questions through the lens of corporations' global effective tax rates (ETRs), and finds that the stronger case seems to be that U.S.-domiciled corporations are often tax-disadvantaged and that they can improve their competitive position by inverting. Additional evidence also suggests that U.S. MNCs can increase their after-tax cash flow by inverting.
Regulating Robo Advisors: Old Policy Goals, New Challenges
Financial "robo advice"—an automated service that ranks or matches consumers to financial products—has gained significant attention in the investment industry and on the Hill, but there has not yet been a consensus on how to regulate these new services. Robo advisors often are on par with and can exceed the standards of human advisors, but they don't fit into the category of fiduciary, and therefore won't be held to the same regulatory standard that human advisors are. Nonetheless, they are subject to systemic risks and the potential for abuses that can hurt consumers. Professors Tom Baker and Benedict Dellaert offer a regulatory trajectory to follow as the technology of robo advisors continues to develop and expand.
An Updated Look at Student Loan Debt Repayment and Default
Over 41 million Americans now owe more than $1.2 trillion in outstanding federal student loan debt. Policymakers are considering a number of amendments related to federal student aid programs in the context of the Higher Education Act reauthorization. In addition to providing a snapshot of key data related to student loan debt that all policymakers should consider, this brief discusses recommendations for facilitating repayment and curbing defaults on student loans, including: protecting students from low-performing institutions; encouraging use of forbearance and deferment mechanisms; and strengthening income-driven repayment options.
A Financial Assessment of Municipal Fiber in the U.S.
In the interest of bringing high-speed broadband access to communities underserved by current Internet service providers, many U.S. cities have initiated municipal broadband projects. Such efforts have received favorable attention from those eager to help close the digital divide. This brief presents a first look at a new, comprehensive empirical analysis of 20 U.S. municipal fiber builds for which financial data is available. The findings show that half of the projects in this study are cash-flow negative, and based on their performance from 2010-2014, 90 percent are unable to generate sufficient cash to recover their project costs within the 30-40 year life expectancy of a municipal fiber build. City leaders considering such projects, as well as state and federal officials interested in supporting them, need to understand the documented costs and risks before encouraging new municipal fiber programs to form.
The Issue at the Heart of America's Great Unbanking
Consumer protection regulation targets services like payday lenders under the presumption that these services can be predatory and associated with high costs. Yet an increasing number of Americans are utilizing such alternative financial services and joining the ranks of the "unbanked" and "underbanked." Altering this status quo and promoting greater middle-class stability will require that policymakers foster innovation in the development of high-quality, transparent, and consumer-oriented financial services within the mainstream banking system.
The Economic Realities of Replacing the Affordable Care Act
Using simulations based on a new economic model, this brief empirically examines the pivotal mechanisms of the Affordable Care Act, such as the individual mandate, employer mandate, and premium subsidies, to inform the debate over repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. The research suggests that the ACA, if left intact, in the long run significantly reduces the uninsured rate. The simulations also suggest that the employer mandate is not a crucial pillar for the success of the ACA. The analysis indicates it is the premium subsidy, rather than the employer mandate or the individual mandate, that is crucial for the success of the ACA, in terms of expanded coverage. The brief concludes with a look at the key elements of the main legislative proposals Congressional Republicans have offered to replace the ACA, including the American Health Care Act.
The Presidency, Congressional Republicans, and the Future of Financial Reform
This brief examines the tension between the Republican ideological commitment to curbing executive power and the opportunity Republicans now have for Trump to dominate the direction of financial regulatory reform. The discussion will focus on three key policy outcomes that Republicans have sought during the last six years: reforming the Federal Reserve, overhauling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and changing the way in which the nation's largest financial institutions are designated and regulated.
Lessons for Policymakers and Regulators on the (Predictable) Future of the Digital Economy
The next stage in the evolution of the digital economy involves the creation of what can be called the "Internet of the World"—an expanding web of transactions, anticipated today by on-demand platforms such as Uber and Airbnb, that eventually will occur across trillions of networked devices and penetrate every sphere of human activity. This brief looks at the many legal questions raised by these novel services, in particular, at the regulatory classification of on-demand services, as well as the application of antitrust provisions, the imposition of taxes and fees, and the assignment of liability to these new platforms.


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Stray Mobile – Download & Play for Android APK & iOS
Stray Mobile is now available on Android and iOS. Finally we can enjoy it on our portable devices!
Home > Android > Stray Mobile – Download & Play for Android APK & iOS
Stray cats are friendly, but in stressful environments they might act like feral cats. They may avoid people and show aggression in order to avoid being touched.
The word stray is a common idiom that means "lost or homeless. " A stray is an animal that is found without its MOBILE owner.
Stray Mobile game is an adventure video game set in the year 2022. It is developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive.
Stray Mobile Game Description
Name Of The App: Stray APK + IOS
If you want to find out more about the game, stay tuned for the release date! Although Stray is an animated short film, it looks like an episode of Netflix's dystopian animation anthology series.
After completing Stray Apk game main story, you can unlock a second game mode.
However, this will not affect the game's sales or player's enjoyment. It will be available on PC in early 2022 and has a Steam page.
In the second game, you can play a competition mode against another player in the Colosseum.
There are various items in the Stray Apk that you can collect to help you in your quest. These items can be exchanged for hints or other items that can help you complete puzzles.
Tutorial Level
They're also more likely to have scars from fighting in Stray game and are often spiky. They may also be prone to growl or hiss in response to household sounds.
These animals are homeless and friendless. As such, it's important to adopt stray animals so that they can find homes and have safe and happy lives.
By pressing "X" several times, you can chain several jumps together. The game will also feature action-packed segments.
Both modes use a health bar that represents the game's clock. Your health bar will diminish when you are caught by locals, so it's important to keep an eye on the time.
Storyline Game Mode
Despite their lack of socialization, stray cats are generally clean and healthy. They usually have a large head, thick neck, and a muscular body.
What Is Stray APK?
Its development team of Stray APK consists of mostly cats and a few humans. We've rated it four paws.
Stray Game Features
The game follows the adventures of a stray cat who falls into a world of robots and machines. The goal of the game is to bring the cat back to the surface with the help of his drone companion, B-12.
Difficulties Of The Game
The game's developers had real-life references for the character's cat. In their Twitter profiles, the developers often posted pictures of Stray game.
Map Of The Game
The game's most important goal is to return the main character to its home. This is done by exploring and solving puzzles.
You'll never know when one of your animals might be a stray. But if you love animals and have compassion for them, you might be able to help them find a new home.
The game's storyline is well-developed and cohesive. There are plenty of interesting details to discover, but the lack of customization of the protagonist is the most common complaint on social media.
Battle Mode Of The Game
Players can play Stray in one of two different game modes: the story mode and the daily challenge mode. The story mode follows a pre-defined path and involves completing tasks and solving puzzles.
How To Have Fun Playing Stray!
However, if you're lucky, you can try reintroducing a stray to your home and let it acclimate.
However, it's important to know a few STRAY game tips before playing to avoid common mistakes. For example, pressing "X" during a conversation can allow you to bridge gaps between objects.
You can also use the text message feature to send messages to the other player.
This mode also includes a jukebox where you can listen to music tracks.
Is Stray APK Safe To Play?
You can also reset challenges in the Challenges tab. Stray is a third-person adventure game.
It is available for PC and PlayStation. While the game can be challenging at times, it's not as difficult as other adventure games.
Once you complete the Stray APK on your Android, you can also compete with the other player in a multiplayer mode.
In these segments, players will be able to download and install the game and use items to defeat enemies. They can also upgrade their B-12 robot drone to take down robotic creatures.
If the first few weeks of reintroduction to an indoor environment are traumatic for the stray cat, it may take a while for it to adjust. Install the Stray Mobile game right now!
Q. What device do you play Stray on?
A. You can play Stray on both Stray android and Stray iOS devices like PC, Mobile, Pad, etc.
Q. Can I play Stray APK with strangers?
A. Of course, you can play Stray APK with strangers. But since the game level requires cooperation, you need to continuously communicate with other players.
How to Download Stray For Android iOS & APK:
Download Stray Mobile
Categories Android, iOS Tags Stray android, Stray apk, Stray ios, Stray mobile
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Residents of West 7th nominate individuals or groups who have helped to make the West 7th/Fort Road community a better place to live, work, and/or play. We know there are many unsung heroes in West 7th and this is an opportunity for them to be recognized. The West 7th/Fort Road Federation Board of Directors selects up to three of the nominees to be recognized at the Neighborhood Honor Roll Awards Night which typically takes place in January.
Marit and Tom Brock organized the Little Bohemia Neighborhood Association (LBNA) 10 years ago, when Little Bohemia was experiencing many investor-owned foreclosed homes.
Working with the Fort Road Federation, LBNA identified foreclosed properties to be rehabilitated and sold to new residents; existing residents could be reimbursed for home some repairs. LBNA then established a park with artist-designed exercise equipment and renewed and maintained the I-35E biking and walking trail. LBNA continues by ensuring a succession of resident leaders: Mark Fangmeier and Lindsay Kimball, Lam Nguyen and Michael O'Hare.
Craig Cohen has worked in the West 7th neighborhood for several years as property owner and developer. By developing Keg and Case West 7th Market, Craig and his team revitalized an iconic building that may have remained neglected or turned into a big box retailer. Instead it provides a gathering place with unique vendors and events. He has been an exemplary community partner - engaged in community interests and concerns. Craig is a model for Saint Paul community developers.
Cathalina Young, after school teacher and Michelle Ooley, Mobile Menders, Inc. Cathalina teaches at the Community Center for over 15 years. She helps keep Fare for All in the neighborhood, organizes free movie night, and always knows who will make the best use of a donation.
Michelle Ooley, a West 7th resident, founded Mobile Menders, which is a non profit volunteer group that provides free mending services to those in need. They believe everyone deserves clothes that fit and are in good shape. Mobile Menders is at the West 7th Community Center monthly and mends for Meals and Wheels in addition to 25 other locations throughout the Twin Cities.


I grew up in Germany in a town close to Nuremberg. Like many illustrators I was always drawing. As a teenager I spent a lot of time indoors watching anime and reading manga. I started to use Photoshop to create related artworks and maintained my own personal website which I doubt anyone was actually interested in. But it made my future in design very clear and improved my Photoshop skills in an early age. After school I did an internship at an ad agency where I prepared my portfolio to study design. During my studies I realized how little I cared for graphic design and focused completely on illustration and hand-lettering. After graduating from university I moved to Berlin to work with an art collective and went freelance. I do a lot of illustrations on large surfaces but I mostly prefer working at my desk.
I draw a lot of letters because they are easy to use and very reliable. I like clear messages and bold colour combinations – lately mostly pink and blue. These are typically colours assigned to girls and boys. By combining them I'm trying to play with the stereotype because gender is something I'm very interested in. I think my style comes across as more feminine then I actually am, which I like a lot.
It's definitely digital. The workflow is so fast and efficient, I like getting stuff done. Sometimes I forget to experiment and try new things though. So every now and then I draw with markers on paper or do embroidery which is a nice challenge for my impatience.
I type my idea into my phone and later sketch a composition very roughly into my sketchbook. It makes it easier to decide if the idea works well. Then later I redraw the composition on my tablet and repeat it until I'm satisfied.
Definitely the people around me. I like watching people a lot because I don't understand most of them. Also nature blows my mind every day. Music and pop culture have had a huge impact on my work as well. I listen to music almost all the time and watch a lot of TV – mostly when working.
First of all I don't consider myself an artist but more a designer. I feel very pretentious when I'm trying to make art. For me it is something that doesn't have any purpose but to exist and not everyone can make it. But I love art. Especially if it's whimsical. It makes me think even if it's nonsense thoughts. Just walking around a museum in a slow pace and looking at things is something so meditative, it brings me joy. Like music illustration and art are forms of expression and communication which are essential, so we don't go crazy.
I studied design (visual communication) at the University of Applied Science Nuremberg, Germany.
I would like to live somewhere more quiet than Neukölln (Berlin) with a garden nearby for my dog to run in and work in a studio with many creatives and my closest friends.
I already struggled with thinking five years ahead.
I'm trying to make sense of things and to create something relatable. Also I want to entertain.
Vietnamese rice noodle salad with tofu and peanuts.
I don't have one, but I can relate a lot to the books of Wolfgang Herrndorf.
Indie rock, post punk and non-sexist hip hop.
Petting my dog, growing plants, baking cakes (not eating though), going to concerts and drinking coffee with my best friend.


In our experience, family members take special advantage of that.
This makes me think of an agreement I have with my son and partner, David. At my point in life, every day is a Monday or a Sunday. There's no difference because I don't have to think about soccer games, singing lessons, and break time to be with my wife and kids. My kids are grown, an occasional golf game can come mid-week, my office is in my home, and my wife and I are both in a 24/7 work/play mode – whatever we plan or opt to do at the moment, we do.
It's different for David. His week-ends are his time for his family and himself. So, we have an agreement. I don't call him on his business line or cell phone regarding business issues, other than in an emergency, on Saturdays and Sundays. Family related calls on either his cell or house phone are permitted. When it comes to emails, we have a further agreement. When I think of something, I tend to prefer dealing with it immediately. That means I could pepper him with dozens of emails all week-end long starting at 5:00 AM on a Saturday morning. In order to stop what would be an annoyance and intrusion on David's personal time, I create one email, add all my thoughts, ideas, requests, etc., to it throughout the week-end. I save it as a draft to be sent at 5:00 PM on Sunday, because I know that's what David prefers as he prepares his work week on Sunday nights.
Respect for personal time and space is an important component of working with family members. We hear stories, especially from younger generation members, that they have little or no desire to be with other family members on the week-ends because they spend so much time together at work.
Caution: set boundaries to make it work for both family and the business.


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Ex-Leicester City star urges fans to be patient
Next Flashmob to boost breastfeeding in Leicester
Previous Fraudster in bogus claim over speed bump damage to car
Former Leicester City striker Steve Claridge has urged fans to have patience as the club launches another bid for the Premier League.
City fans were heart-broken last season when Troy Deeney's late strike for Watford dumped them out of the Championship play-off semi-final.
Despite being in second place two thirds of the way through the campaign, City ultimately had to resign themselves to a 10th season outside the top flight.
The sole aim since the club's Thai owners took over has always been promotion and next season will be no different.
City get their new campaign under way with a trip to Middlesbrough on August 3 and it will be imperative they get off to a good start.
But Claridge urged fans not to put too much pressure on the players too soon.
"It is going to take some kind of understanding from the crowd and from everyone that it is no good putting pressure on from the start," said the man who sent City back into the Premier League with his 120th-minute goal in the 1996 play-off final.
"That's probably why they fell down a bit last season because of the pressure and expectation. It is not easy to play when you are expected to win things.
"Different players react in different ways to pressure. Some enjoy it, some thrive on it but some don't like playing like that.
"It will be interesting to see what the expectation will be this year – there is no doubt when teams play under that sort of pressure they can find it a struggle.
"The expectation should be, look, 'let's see this team settle, let's see this team develop and let's have a look at this at Christmas unless it is an absolute disaster'."
City's performance last season was definitely a tale of two halves.
At the end of January, they were sitting pretty in the automatic promotion spots.
But an abysmal run of just three wins from 17 Championship games after that saw them relying on a stoppage-time winner on the final day of the season proper to creep into the top six.
"They will just want more consistency next season," said Claridge. "If they do that, they'll probably make the play-offs and might even nick an automatic spot.
"I think they also might need to strengthen a bit in central midfield and they need more consistency from the wide players.
"The back four did okay, albeit for one or two hairy moments. Up front they have got players who can score goals but they went through some poor patches.
"Also they need a little bit more strength when they are not on the ball.
"They are very good, as a lot of teams are, when they have got the ball, and look nice with it, but when they haven't got it, they look a bit vulnerable."
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Alion to assist Navy with ship modernization
Contractor will provide acquisition management support for several vessels
By Doug Beizer
Alion Science and Technology Corp.will assist the Navy with modernization programs for some ships under a five-year, $71.8 million contract to provide acquisition management support.
Under the contract, Alion will provide the Navy program management, business and financial planning, acquisition and configuration management, and enterprise resource planning implementation support, company officials said Feb. 16. The contract is with the Program Executive Office for Ships, Acquisition Management Directorate.
Alion will also help acquire and manage Government-Furnished Equipment and Government-Furnished Information for several ship classes, including the DDG 51, DDG-1000, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Sea Frame, Cruiser Modernization, Destroyer Modernization, LCS Mission Module program and the Egyptian Fast Missile Craft programs.
Alion leads a team of contractors for the project including TASC, The Columbia Group, Delta Resources and Triumph Enterprises, Inc.
The contract runs until December 2014.
Alion, of McLean, Va., ranks No. 39 on Washington Technology's 2009 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.
Doug Beizer is a staff writer for Washington Technology.