The Wow! Signal

No I am not talking about world of warcraft.

The Wow! signal is a transmission picked up by the Big Ear radio telescope. The signal was so unusual it caused the researcher to write WOW! in the margin of the record, thus the name. The signal is possibly our best evidence of an artificial radio transmission from space. Even skeptical researchers have agreed that it is very unlikely to be reflected Earth based transmissions or an aberration in a natural continuous noise. What is even more bizarre is that the signal comes from the middle of no where in space. Meaning no planets, no solar system. Is this an SOS from an intergalactic titanic?

Now while the scientific skeptic in me wants to believe that this is probably caused by some unknown astrophysical phenomenon we have yet to discover, another part of me wonders if intelligent, signal producing life may not be the phenomenon we have yet to discover.
Now don't get me wrong. I am not a believer in ETs and Area 51 or abductions or anything like that. I don't believe that aliens are little green men among us and that Earth is such a damn interesting place that they keep wanting to come back and stick things in the anuses of people living in rural areas.

(courtesy of XKCD)

But who can say that in all the vastness of the universe we are the only life that decided to broadcast? I prefer to imagine that just maybe we are catching the very smallest sliver of some larger drama. Think of all of the stories we can't even imagine telling.

check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow!_signal

Fun with Fistulation

So for my last class we were learning about ruminant nutrition. In an effort to show us how cattle select forage, our professor set up an exercise with some rumen-fistulated steers.

Ok, so here is how this works. The rumen is the large fermenting section of a cow's 4 chamber stomach. When the steer is fully grown, a veterinarian performs a surgery in which the rumen wall is stitched to the skin and left to heal. This leaves a 4 inch diameter hole directly into the animal's stomach. This is sealed with a plastic cap and the animal can go about their lives with no side effects.

We took 3 fistulated steers up to the Maxwell Research Ranch and let them acclimate for a few days before the study. The morning of the study, we rounded up the steers and got them locked into the chute so that we could handle them. We popped open the plastic caps on their stomachs and got scooping. We had to remove all of the solid matter by hand.
Here I am arm deep in the first steer.

There is a massive volume of material in the rumen. Each animal hadn't eaten since the night before and still had about 30 gallons of material in their rumens. Our professor considers cleaning out rumens to be a right of passage due to the paticular smell of partially fermented cow food. Its not like methane or cow shit as it hasn't been digested that far, but the microbes in the rumen are producing volatile fatty acids that do smell. This is the amount of material taken from one steer. The bubbles are the fermentation byproducts

After scooping out by hand as much as we could we had to use a shop vac to clean out their stomachs. That's right, we used a shop vac inside a live animal. Blew my mind.
Once the steer were empty, we let them back out to graze as they were suddenly very hungry. We had some students trying to clip forage samples similar to what the animals were consuming. After we let them graze for almost an hour we rounded them back up, put them in the shoot and opened their rumens again. We took samples of the recently consumed material, the partially digested material, and the rumen fluid and then put the entire trashcan of goop back in the animal.
The point of this whole exercise was to see what the animals were actually eating. While a .25 square meter plot of forage may have only 3-5% crude protein content, the cattle were able to pick the best parts and ended up with a dietary crude protein content as high as 8%. That pretty impressive considering they look like living lawnmowers.

Here are some of the better pictures from the day.

This guy was a kicker

Here is my prof vacuuming out the steer

Megan getting deep

Joel watching the cattle graze

It got a little messy...

A lovely yet chilly day on the ranch

This guy was my favorite. He let me pick burrs out of his coat.

Black hole

So overall it was a fun yet exhausting day. We returned to campus hopefully wiser, surely smellier.

Vet Stuff 1/11-1/18

So I am trying to keep a record of some of the more interesting cases I am involved with at the humane society so that I can hopefully include them in some amazing inspired personal statement later on this year.
So here are some of last weeks highlights:

• Stray cat was brought in by the animal control officers. We aren't sure whether the cat was hit by a car or attacked by an animal, but it was missing about 10 square inches of skin on its left hip and the whole area was infected. Despite being very hurt the cat was still kickin and was so aggressive we had to burrito it in a towel and use a mask to sedate him. Luckily the vet was able to get it all cleaned up and remove the dead tissue. Kitty is now healing and much less angry.
• We had a ferret in the clinic that was maced by police. Apparently the owner was resisting arrest and the police shot mace grenades in through the windows. They discovered the innocent ferret after arresting the man and took the poor animal to the vet school to be decontaminated. While the poor guy should have no lasting damage, he has lost almost all of the fur on the middle of his body and looks more like a fleshy tube sock at the moment.
• While working in the wildkind department, an officer brought in a raccoon that was found living in a backyard shed. The guy was apparently easy to catch, but once in the cage proceeded to freak out. He peeled up the metal bottom of the cage, so by the time we got him his hands were bleeding profusely. Bob, the head of wildkind was able to coax the raccoon into a larger cage to get a good look at him. This is the biggest raccoon I have ever seen. We usually work with babies and adolescents that are up to 20 lbs. This guy was probably >35lbs. He is also a little worse for wear. His left eye is milky and blind, his tail is missing and his teeth would make Austin Power's cringe. After doning shoulder length chain mail gloves and leather armored gauntlets, Bob grabs the guy out of the cage and wrestles him to the ground. He ends up having to sit on him and can barely control the head while another employee feels the furless patch between his shoulder blades. Unfortunately for old man raccoon it was covered in small scabby bumps. I learn that this is a sure sign that this raccoon has distemper. This deadly disease apparently causes self mutilation (there goes the tail), gingivitis (there go the teeth), and eventually death. It is highly contagious and very few animals survive. We unfortunately had to euthanize the hardy old bugger even though he looked like he may have been on the road to recovery as it would be impossible for us to re-release him knowing he had the disease. On a gruesome side note, Bob once saw a distemper raccoon chew off its own penis.
• Wildkind had another raccoon brought in that had been hit by a car. The adult male was lucky enough to not loose any limbs. Bob had done a good job of stabilizing him but he was still not eating well. The vet agreed to take a look at the guy's mouth. It took Bob and another vet tech to get the pre-surgery morphine shot into the guy, but 5 min later he looked very happy and very stoned. It was pretty easy getting him fully sedated and intubated. Turns out that the car had crushed all of his front teeth and they were now infected. The doc was able to get all of the infected teeth pulled and sewed the gums back together with dissolving sutures. The raccoon should have no problem in the future because the teeth most essential to eating (canines and molars) were thankfully intact. Last I heard, the raccoon was recovering well and eating again

Here are some pictures I took during the surgery

That is Bob in the blue scrub top


Well that's it for now. I am going to try and be disciplined and keep recording interesting cases.

Lady GayGay

Ok, I will admit I am a closeted Gaga fan. I am not saying she is the artist of our generation but she makes damn catchy songs.

Almost as catchy, is this remake of poker face by the westboro baptist church.
God Hates Fags and Lady Gaga. Seriously people with all of the terrible, corrupt things in the world you are protesting Lady Gaga?!?!

@LadyGaga "Poker Face" parody by WBC is done! Lyrics: http://tiny.cc/LGL2 Music: sound bite

nerd time

I know I am a huge science geek. For example I got really amped today talking about Ardipithecus ramidus and Homo floresiensis with the vet tech at the humane society, and was extremely pleased that I knew that a fat cat not eating was at risk for ketoacidosis.

I am sometimes baffled by people who are not interested in science. It just seems like the universe is so facinating you must find some of the science interesting. Here is a video for nerds and those trying to love a nerd

music after 11

trout heart replica is still one of my favorites

Killing things is not so hard
It's hurting that's the hardest part
When the wizard gets to me
I'm asking for a smaller heart


this is as far as i could get
he jabbed a needle in my neck
erasing all the evidence
but there were match sticks in my pants
and if a rock should hit my head
and i remember what he did
you'll be the very first to know
maybe i'll find out why this damn thing won't stop bleeding


zoe keating reminds me of hanging my head off the edge of my mattress to watch snow fall blur with twinkle lights and wishing i was sleeping


how do i feel this good sober


everything is perfect now

The animals in my life

Baby Mika the tiger
we chuff (tis how tigers say hello check it out )

Leopards enjoying the morning sun

Camel at the ranch

Bison at the Ranch

Cappy, Lakota, and Mystic

In the tiger round house

Coatis waiting for their fruit pie

Lioness

Lazy Tigers

Brody and I napping

Amanda Palmer- Is pop art art?

A lovely vlog from amanda fucking palmer on women in the music industry and the role of pop in the art world. looooove her
Every thing is better on a ukelele

This Is Quite Possibly The Coolest Art I Have Ever Seen

This woman won the Ukraine's Got Talent contest with her sand art performance. She is able to live animate a story of the invasion of Ukraine during WWII in sand. Absolutely incredible

Thanks NPR

Compare and Contrast

The health care debate is driving me nuts. I come from a family of doctors and I know my opinions are shaped by their expeiences and views. Both of my parents believe that we MUST reform the system even though it will cost them a substantial portion of their salaries. The insurance companies are a scam. There needs to be more government regulation. My otherwise healthy 25 year old sister can only get coverage from her university because of some herniated disks in her back and a friend my age with lukemia will have no options when she graduates next year. That is wrong.

Now I enjoy watching political news shows (of the liberal tilt) but I try and listen to conservative pundits as well. I have trouble making it through half of a broadcast. The misinformation and scare tactics are disgraceful.

Here are two clips. One from Keith Olbermann and one from Glenn Beck.





While I agree with Keith and can't stand Glenn I think its really interesting to hear how similar their outrage is but how differently it is packaged. While Keith is very well spoken, it is always with a feel of intellectual down talking. He uses long words and complex sentence structures woven in an almost hypnotic way such that I sometimes find it hard to follow. I get lost in the flow.

Glenn on the other hand tries to be the "everyman" and defend America against the rich intelligista who have "high jacked" the government. His sentences are short and delivered at maximum volume. While Keith scolds, Glenn mocks.

It all seems like school yard politics. And everytime Obama tries to instigate balanced adult discussion he gets nanner nanner boo booed from both sides.

thanks to Ana Marie Cox's blog for the clips

Pirates of the Potato Kind

Went to see my friends' band The Potato Pirates kick off their summer tour on the 16th. It was pretty awesome. The show was at Moe's BBQ and Bowling Alley on south Broadway. The BBQ was amazing and I definitely want to go back and bowl some time.
I tried to video a couple of the songs. The audio isn't great because I was so close to the guitar amps but I got some ok clips.
Here is Ghost Ship


And here is Start the Show


If you are interested in the band go to their website

They have a self titled album on sale on iTunes

End of Show Madness on Stage

Fists

Zach "Skinny Vinny" Capaldo

Nick McCombie and the Reverend David LaBarbra

Mattrick Emrick

My favorite beer! Yay for being back in Colorado

3rd of July

Went up to Salida for the 3rd of July which was my grandparents' 61st wedding anniversary. We had a little party for them with fried chicken and other yummy foods then lit some fireworks.


Alex (my uncle's step son) is a fireworks fiend. Here he is lighting the biggest one we had, kind of a let down, but my whole family is cute.


Family banter about my uncle Kurt's redneck wedding.

Salida is a really beautiful area

oh ya

I forgot to mention in the last post that this happened
Most ridiculous outfit ever. Whoever decided a square cardboard hat was fitting garb for the pinnacle of academic achievement should be shunned.

still alive

So i am back blogosphere. I have been very negligent of updating this thing recently. But nobody really reads this anyways so its not a huge deal.
I am back home and doing nothing. I decided to not do the internship at the wildlife rehabilitation center because it was too far away, too much time, and no money. But I did just apply for a job with the Division of Wildlife as a wildlife technician tracking the spread of chronic wasting disease in wild elk, moose and deer populations. So basically I would be driving around, talking to hunters and collecting animal heads. Pleasant right? But I would get into the DOW and get to work in wildlife management which would be cool. fingers crossed I get it.

I have been just hanging out now that I have nothing to do. I am on my 3rd book and I ride my scooter every day.

I am playing field hockey with the adult league in Denver. Its suprisingly high level play, last night the opposing teams forward line had an ex-USA men's national team player, an ex-Dutch men's national team player, and a currant USA women's national team player. I got schooled but at least it was pretty to watch.

My goal for the summer is to learn how to cook so if anyone has any interesting recipes send them my way. I will actually have to feed myself next year so its an issue of survival.

I find it suprising how content I am with my life right now. I've got my friends, I've got my puppy, things look up in my love life for a change. I'm in Colorado and I have a plan for the foreseeable future. I don't really know what to do with this contentedness. I am used to being upset or brooding or at least dissatisfied. Any advice for contentedness would be appreciated =)

Free fancy dinner courtesy of Tabard dues

Tabard Exec Retreat dinner at the Juniper Hill Inn was AMAZING!!

Fancy mansion

Our Private Dining Room

Amanda and Me outside the Inn
Steph and I enjoying our wine
and looking damn fine

Kush and execs et al

My macadamia encrusted lamb

Me =)Pretty Flowers on the table

Almost there

Sara Sisun's Art installation, she is awesome


I got a haircut today, check it out. I'm only in a sports bra because its too hot in my room.
i don't think its as short as I normally get it but that just means I have to get it cut in 3 weeks instead of 4


Took brody to the dog park this morning. She wasn't so sure about some of the bigger dogs but she did ok. Whenever she got scared she jumped up on the picnic table. I brushed her too. Rediculous amounts of hair.
The Annual Dartmouth PowWow is this weekend but I don't think I am going to go watch.

11 Days to my birthday
24 Days of classes left
36 Days to Graduation

Psychosomatic swine flu?

So there are 5 cases of swine flu here at Dartmouth and I am getting sick. I don't think its swine flu because I don't have a cough, but sucks none the less. Luckily our beautiful tyke (read: dirty, shhhh don't tell) pledge Mia brought me mint tea which is helping my stomach.
Today I did something I haven't done in a long time: unicycle joyriding. Complete with music, dancing, and drum solos. The nice weather and empty parking lots made me miss home and miss my bronco. I felt like I was 16 again. Somehow my ipod shuffle knows my mood and picks the perfect song. Brilliant!

I feel like I should be more upset over the weekends events, but it hasn't effected me really. I am very zen about it. Just going on with my life. I want to start meditating more. Anybody know anything about aromatherapy?

In other news, I am definitely going to CSU in the fall =)
Now I have to find a place to live. I am so excited to live in my own place and have my own kitchen. Mostly I am excited to have more than 100 square feet of personal space for me and brody.

I went on a Primitive Wilderness Survival trip this weekend and learned all sorts of cool stuff but I will post all of that and some pictures later when I have the motivation to find my camera and upload the pictures.

Until then, lets hope I am not actually getting sick, positive vibes

god is in the rain

watching V for Vendetta while studying made me sad. Tragic gay love story, government developed virus, no one to watch it with. Good god it is hot in hanover. Its after midnight and its 62 degrees.

Also I am freaking the fuck out about swine flu. Reminds me of Frank Herbert's book the White Plague. On a positive note if it reaches new hampshire I think the college will send us home. THat would be ideal but selfish to wish for.

I am so fucking sick of hanover, i just want to be done with dartmouth already so that i can go back to colorado. i miss the life i had there. and i know going back won't bring that back but i like who i am and what i do when i am in colorado. dartmouth just seems like a fake place and the life i lead here seems very artificial. 48 days left....

heres to hoping i don't die of swine flu


"Our integrity sells for so little, but it is all we really have. It is the very last inch of us, but within that inch we are free.
I'd always known what I wanted to do with my life, and in 2015 I starred in my first film, The Salt Flats. It was the most important role of my life, not because of my career, but because that was how I met Ruth. The first time we kissed, I knew I never wanted to kiss any other lips but hers again...It seems strange that my life should end in such a terrible place, but for three years I had roses and apologised to no-one. I shall die here. Every inch of me shall perish. Every inch but one. An inch - it is small and it is fragile, and it is the only thing in the world worth having. We must never lose it or give it away. We must never let them take it from us."