Saturday, December 13, 2008

Pity the Poor Crab













It is tough on crabs this time of year. The catch has been poor. But we all want to eat 'em up anyway. I know, usually we don't expend much fellow feeling on bugs and as arthropods, crabs are big bugs. Compound eyes on stalks, shells, lots of legs, scary mandibular mouths. And according to some (UC Berkley) they are the real rulers of the earth,with 3/4 of all living and fossil species in their exalted phylum.

But we got over our crabbie pity to feast TWICE in the last week - the first another incredible Ciopinno Feed at the I.D.E.S. (Irmandade do Divino Espirto Santo Do Estado Da California) Hall in Half Moon Bay. Thanks to Dave for making it all happen. They kept bringing the crab ciopinno, bread, salad, wine and White Russians until we could take no more and fled to the Ritz for a late evening confab around a fire pit on a terrace overlooking the beach. Ferris (our attentive waiter) brought hot coffee in china cups. Warming by the fire in Adirondack chairs wrapped in blankets, we sipped coffee, watched a bright half moon over the breakers and pondered it all.

And last night, another crab slaughter in honor of Erin and Roark who are on their way to a multi yearAustralian Adventure. Man, it was good!! The huge pots were a' boiling out on the deck of the KM Community Center and out came crab for thirty! Magic. What a great party. Good luck Erin and Roark - we will all be visiting you soon.








Poor little crabbie

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Uh Oh...Pictures Captured Directly From Brain











This research was published in the December 11 issue of the journal Neuron

Abstract

"Perceptual experience consists of an enormous number of possible states. Previous MRI studies have predicted a perceptual state by classifying brain activity into prespecified categories. Constraint-free visual image reconstruction is more challenging, as it is impractical to specify brain activity for all possible images. In this study, we reconstructed visual images by combining local image bases of multiple scales, whose contrasts were independently decoded from fMRI activity by automatically selecting relevant voxels and exploiting their correlated patterns. Binary-contrast, 10 10-patch images (2100 possible states) were accurately reconstructed without any image prior on a single trial or volume basis by measuring brain activity only for several hundred random images. Reconstruction was also used to identify the presented image among millions of candidates. The results suggest that our approach provides an effective means to read out complex perceptual states from brain activity while discovering information representation in multivoxel patterns."

--------------------------

Or, as described in the blog Pink Tentacle:

"Researchers from Japan’s ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories have developed new brain analysis technology that can reconstruct the images inside a person’s mind and display them on a computer monitor, it was announced on December 11. According to the researchers, further development of the technology may soon make it possible to view other people’s dreams while they sleep.

The scientists were able to reconstruct various images viewed by a person by analyzing changes in their cerebral blood flow. Using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, the researchers first mapped the blood flow changes that occurred in the cerebral visual cortex as subjects viewed various images held in front of their eyes. Subjects were shown 400 random 10 x 10 pixel black-and-white images for a period of 12 seconds each. While the fMRI machine monitored the changes in brain activity, a computer crunched the data and learned to associate the various changes in brain activity with the different image designs.

For now, the system is only able to reproduce simple black-and-white images. But Dr. Kang Cheng, a researcher from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute, suggests that improving the measurement accuracy will make it possible to reproduce images in color.

“These results are a breakthrough in terms of understanding brain activity,” says Dr. Cheng. “In as little as 10 years, advances in this field of research may make it possible to read a person’s thoughts with some degree of accuracy.”

The researchers suggest a future version of this technology could be applied in the fields of art and design — particularly if it becomes possible to quickly and accurately access images existing inside an artist’s head. The technology might also lead to new treatments for conditions such as psychiatric disorders involving hallucinations, by providing doctors a direct window into the mind of the patient."


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Hand Made Visible


















Thanks Conrad! This one is from Tom Tomorrow at Salon.com (That's a pretty good likeness of Paul Krugman in panel three)

Monday, December 8, 2008

Another Winnah!
















Emily scores again at the Half Moon Bay Ritz, continuing Gingerbread House dominance!

The Half Moon Bay Ritz Carlton's Annual Gingerbread House contest is over. Gingerbread houses from all categories were featured in a silent auction to benefit Coastside Children’s Programs in Half Moon Bay. Emily's North Pole Surf Board Workshop with Santa's little penguins hard at work won "The People's Choice Prize" as well as 2nd Place for "Home Cooks" and raised over $250 in the silent auction. Wow! Congratulations Emily.

We enjoyed the display last Saturday. After studying the contestants there was no question - Emily blew the competition away. Definitely the first time ever appearance of surfboards and penguins in a Gingerbread house.
















"

Posted by Picasa

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Nautical Adventures In the Midwest

Matt forwarded these pictures and the following description of his recent adventures bringing a new sailboat to StL from Chicago... Thanks Matt!













Photo Matt F
.

Here's a fun picture of Gibson and I on day 4 delivering my new boat from Chicago to STL. Great trip, on my "new to me" boat a 30' Seidelman. Gretchen and I are excited about next season. Learned alot about river travel fast. Cold, Coal and Corn everywhere. Two really nice days the rest were very cold, total trip of 6 days 335 miles. Until Gibson joined me near Peoria on day 4, It was around 50 miles a day, with his help up to 80 miles a day. Giving me time to cook better food and have a drink.
















Photo- Matt F.

Second is a guy we stopped and talked to while waiting for a lock to open. He almost went over a dam in that little rig and was so close an Army Core tug retrieved him, escaping total boat loss and possible death. He was fun to talk with and was so shook up he dropped his phone in the water. He said he was better off with out it anyway. We think he was pretty fatigued and made an slight oversight. It did kinda look like a way through but, you just couldn't miss all the lights and signs of the lock. Barges were filled to the brim with scrape metal, maybe waiting for a better price?

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Art , Play, The Prairie Garden Trust (and Henry) Explained



I really like this short video Henry recently placed on his website Check it out.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Two Big Days At Mavs









View from the Cliff ( 800mm) Photo Credit Agrinberg















Sunday's Action at Mavericks - more the view I had-( Frank Quirarte Photo)

"We are the luckiest organisms in the history of the universe."
Grant Baker after surfing Mavericks last weekend.

_____________________________
A big swell came in Thanksgiving weekend. I managed to paddle out and witness the action as well as catch a few mackin' wild rides (kayak surfing) about midway between Mushroom Rock and the Mav's peak. I found out my adrenal glands are still working, if not my prefrontal cortex.
Some, including Jeff Clark said Sunday was the best day ever for Mavericks.

Saturday night the sound of the ocean was strong,even at up at my house. B and I went out to Montara beach and watched the massive breakers and rips, roaring like freight trains and looking more mysterious and awesome than ever by starlight.

The big news of the weekend was the Robert heroically paddled out into the maelstrom for a first time ever kayak adventure. The picture below shows us getting into the water with Sail Rock beckoning in the background. Even the protected waters of the lagoon were pretty crazy. WAY 2 GO ROBERT!

Beautiful Thanksgiving















Beverly, Robert and Sarah came to El Granada for T Day. The combined efforts ( esp Beverly) and appetites made it a bounteous feast day followed by a late afternoon walk at the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve at low tide, and an expedition the next day to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Why didn't I become a marine biologist? The marine/nature theme was carried through on the pumpkin pie decorations created by Robert and Sarah for some artistic eating. Yum!