Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Preventing A Cave Calamity

The Deschutes National Forest says it's taking safeguards to prevent the spread of a deadly bat disease at Lava River Cave south of Bend.

KTVZ reports that when the cave opens July 1, visitors will be asked not to wear clothing or use gear that has been used in caves or mines outside Oregon and Washington.

(From KGW) I've seen a couple of articles on preventative measures being taken here in the PNW to protect cave-dwelling bats. I mentioned it to an IZ friend earlier today; she is planning to visit Oregon Caves (in the Klamath Mountains of SW Oregon), and said they had warnings on their website asking visitors to not bring clothing, shoes or other gear that had been in eastern caves.

Lava River Cave is a heavily used, semi-developed lava tube, and the longest of its type known in the state. It's quite fun and not too demanding or hazardous. There are others I like better, but I haven't visited any of them in years. Given the environmental services bats provide- especially insect control- please take time to consider and exclude any items that may have been in eastern caves from visits you make to any PNW caves, not just the heavily used ones that are mentioned in articles like the one above. Once this disease (a fungal infection referred to as white nose syndrome) gets established, it appears to spread rapidly with or without human vectors or intervention. But the only way it is likely to be able to spread (at least quickly) from the eastern US to the west coast is through ignorance, thoughtlessness, and indifference.

Twitter Assistance for Bachmann

Today's big Twitter meme is , and it happens to fall at a time when it seems the snark is strong with this one. Here are my suggestions to help Michelle get her minty cylon frying circuits up and running:
  • We've never had a tax attorney for president. Isn't it about time we did?
  • I'm on a boat! I'm president of the world!
  • Ohhhh, I'm an idiot and I'm okay, I sleep all night and I talk all day
  • Insert vapid slogan here
  • Please disregard previous slogan. Through miscommunication, it was thought to be finished, and released prematurely
  • Rabies: It's what's for president!
  • She may be a raving crazy IDiot, but she's YOUR raving crazy IDiot!
  • Because we all know 8 years of disinterested, impulsive, ignorant, arrogant and inhumane leadership wasn't enough.
  • All four Wizard of Oz folks in one: A lost little girl with no heart, no brains, and no courage.
  • In your heart you know "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" can come true. (reference to a too poorly known Poe short story)
  • She knows what Real America looks like. She saw it out the window when she flew to Washington. And she will again.
  • Because she recognized the word "constitution" once.
  • We hate brown and poor people way more than any of those other guys.
  • Colder than a Minnesota winter, buggier than a Minnesota Summer
  • Our campaign bus is the short one.
  • Nature may abhor a vacuum, but the GOP abhors nature.
  • Because "Lune" is French, but "Loon" is Minnesotan.
  • Because the voices in your head said "Vote Bachmann in 2012"
And a great one from : "All four horsemen in one folksy package."

Also, I forgot to note who tweeted this, so I can't give credit (anyone want to fess up?), but for the GOP debate last night, someone said "How about this for a GOP debate drinking game: if any of these fuckers win next fall, spend the next four years drinking."

Yup.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Sunday Funnies

Darius Whiteplume's Tumblr
demotivational posters - ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY WALK INTO...
see more Very Demotivational
Flamethrower Trombone Gif - Flamethrower Trombone
see more Gifs
funny pictures history - All together now!
see more Historic LOL
Skull Swap
funny pictures history - I Don't Suffer From Insanity...
see more Historic LOL
demotivational posters - CLEAVAGE
see more Very Demotivational
Skull Swap
funny celebrity pictures - Once Upon A Time...
see more Lol Celebs
Bits and Pieces
Socrates Totally Looks Like Anthony Hopkins
see more Celeb Look-A-Likes
Bizarro
The Never Ending Story Gif - The Never Ending Story
see more Gifs
funny pictures history - TELEVISION
see more Historic LOL
Climbing Dog Gif - Climbing Dog
see more Gifs
epic4chan
funny celebrity pictures - Famous twins
see more Lol Celebs
political pictures - arnold Schwarzenegger - Thumbs Up for Weiner
see more Political Pictures
political pictures - One Up From The Golf Channel
see more Political Pictures
Dark Roasted Blend
see more Hacked IRL - Truth in Sarcasm
Mind Your Step Gif - Mind Your Step
see more Gifs
God Hates Protesters
Stupid Gifs
political pictures - queen elizabeth II - Bloody Hell
see more Political Pictures. Wait... Seattle? What?
Darius Whiteplume's Tumblr
Darius Whiteplume's Tumblr
Regret the Error- this has been popping up all over, but this was the first screen capture I've seen where I can clearly tell that the inset picture really is Tina Fey.
Sofa Pizza
Sofa Pizza "Oh no, I’ve said too much..."
Sofa Pizza
Questionable Content
The New York Times
Cyanide and Happiness
Medium Large
Sober in a Nightclub
One of a series of "propaganda posters for WWIII" from Historic LOLs.
Hark, a Vagrant
Pundit Kitchen
funny celebrity pictures - Oh boy, Weiner just texted me another pic.
see more Lol Celebs
Sofa Pizza
Sofa Pizza... This is your cat on caffeine.
Surviving the World
political pictures - sarah palin - paul revere for 1000
see more Political Pictures. See also The Borowitz Report: Supercomputer Fails to Translate Palin Emails into English.
epic4chan
Clay Bennett