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

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."

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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."

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)

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.
















"

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?

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

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

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!

He's Baaack! (Yet another trip to a mysterious and remote N CA surf spot )

PICTURES

















(Roark Photo)

The Man himself!
Not seen for months due to fearsome surfing injuries, King Neptune Jordan has surfaced and made the scene for Novembers' Bsecret spot trip. Not yet cleared to surf he nonetheless made the hike in fine form and was probably a stabilizing presence in camp when confrontation with locals loomed. (He knows that headlocks [see Jordan bio] aren't the solution to everything, but aggro moves in your repertoire creates some room for diplomacy. Nixon opened China, right?) Looking good, dude!!




















(Roark Photo)

Roark - full combat load, ready for anything, belly pack full of Fosters Ale - outside now, inside soon!

It looks to have been a fabulous trip catching the weather and waves just right. Way to go boys! Roark's pictures HERE




Beautiful glow and impressive swell - not sure who is on the wave



Roark on this one?? ( Still goin', still goin', still goin'.....)

Galapagos Adventures Continued

Mike and Dan swimming with the iguanas

Elizabeth -thoughtful girl that she is- forwarded an updated set of pictures from the Galapagos Isles. featuring more big reptiles (All right!!) and their friend Mike who recently visited.
Thanks!. Check them out Here.










In other Galapagos related news: evolutionists have been flocking to a Charles Darwin image that has appeared on a wall - a miracle! Being in its presence gives one an overwhelming feeling of logic.

Excerpt: "I brought my baby to touch the wall, so that the power of Darwin can purify her genetic makeup of undesirable inherited traits," said Darlene Freiberg, one among a growing crowd assembled here to see the mysterious stain, which appeared last Monday on one side of the Rhea County Courthouse. The building was also the location of the famed "Scopes Monkey Trial" and is widely considered one of Darwinism's holiest sites. "Forgive me, O Charles, for ever doubting your Divine Evolution. After seeing this miracle of limestone pigmentation with my own eyes, my faith in empirical reasoning will never again be tested." Read the article HERE
(Courtesy "The Onion")

Sunday Solarity Sears Sunbathers &Surfers

Bob finds the Lagrange point, unaware his high albedo noggin is causing retina damage to children on the beach. MORE PICS
________________

We now know why the Hawaiian tourist economy is suffering - no one from N CA needs to go because we've got their weather!

The same high pressure system over the Great Basin driving the firestorm winds burning up Southern California created a warm offshore flow for us resulting in killer beach weather. Glassy waves and a small, clean swell made for sweet surf conditions. A few pictures of the beautiful beach afternoon on Sunday HERE. Nice!

Yosemite Conquered

We made it! Happy trail crew Beverly, Kristin, Dave, Cindy, Marty, Steve & Sarah at lunch turn around point in Little Yosemite Valley after hiking up past Vernal and Nevada Falls during last weekend's outing. First night of cold rain cleared to allow perfect hiking & biking weather. The day after this picture was taken we biked to the Yosemite Falls trailhead and cranked up the unending switch backs to tremendous views of both the lower and upper falls. Kristin and Marty almost made it to the top of the upper falls but group capability and short daylight necessitated their turn around before summiting. The meals were fabulous (My only camping experience that included being served rack of lamb on a rainy night - or any night!) and the company unbeatable. What a great group! More pictures HERE

Half Dome captured under an almost full moon by Cindy (Ansel Adams) Phelps.

Note to Obama: as we traversed the Yosemite trail systemi we enjoyed the benefits of incredibly crafted riprap and stone work of all kinds including eroded patches of pavement . We encountered several crews doing the backbreaking work of splitting and moving rock to maintain the trail. I stopped and talked with one of the guys to thank him and mentioned that his crew was probably repairing work that had been done by the CCC in the '30s. He had never heard of the CCC. After I explained it was part of FDR's effort to put unemployed young men to work during the depression, he said 'Hey, that sounds like a great idea!" Hmmm....

Athelete of the Week!!

Yep, that is our Sarah, this weeks' athelete of the week! Check out the article in this week's HMB Reveiw recognizing Sarah's contribution to the tennis team! Pretty cool. Congratulations Sarah! The photo above is from the same edition of the paper for the athlete of the week award. click on the photo for a larger view. _______________________________________- Half Moon Bay Review Oct. 29, 2008 HMB wins tennis title By Mark Foyer The sun was setting on the day and the tennis season. Yet, there was still doubt about the outcome of Half Moon Bay High School’s final match with Terra Nova on Oct. 21. It was 3-3 and the No. 4 singles match was still on the court. Half Moon Bay player Sarah Knight wasn’t aware of the significance of her match. If she won, not only would it clinch the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division match for Half Moon Bay, it would also clinch a co-title. Westmoor had done its part, beating El Camino that day. Knight, a senior, came close to winning her match in straight sets. But Terra Nova’s Isabel Claytor rallied, forcing the third and decisive set. With the lights coming on, Knight turned on her game, winning the third set, 6-2. The win allowed Half Moon Bay to play in the PAL playoffs, where it lost to Burlingame, 7-0, Thursday. But to get to Thursday’s match was a challenge, more so than Knight thought. “If I knew the situation, I would have worked harder in the second set,” Knight said. Simone Vandroff and Rebecka Joshua won their singles matches in straight sets. But Lauren Davison and the doubles team of Kristen Kalkin and Paige Farrell lost their matches. Half Moon Bay’s No. 1 doubles team of Alyssa Brinkmeier and Sophia Whiting would win their No. 1 doubles match in three sets. Meanwhile, the team of Elaine Oldham and Hanna Ingraham lost in three sets. All eyes turned toward Claytor and Knight, who rethought her strategy. “I figured if I hit the ball harder and to the corners, I would prevent her from hitting lobs,” Knight said. She then learned of the win’s significance. “I never imagined us being co-champs,” Knight said. It was just as exciting for the other players as well. “It was a great season for us,” Whiting said. “It’s nice to end with the league title.”

Storm Paddle

The first big storm of the season came through yesterday.
And of course my phone was ringing -why not take this wonderful opportunity for a delightful paddle? Why not indeed. This photo shows Marty trying to get past the shore break near the jetty. The specks in the sky are kite surfers on the other side of the break water in the calm harbor. Some of them were catching 30 feet plus of air in the high wind of the storm.
Our plan was to paddle around the breakwater and out to Mushroom rock. We spent a crazy 90 minutes trying to battle our way out, but there was no way, the wind waves were stacked one on the other with no intervals and there was a tremendously strong littoral current washing us toward the breakwater. But we did get to work the paddling muscles,
practice combat rolls, swallow some sea water and enjoy some nice sideways rain.

Marty seemed happy...

Big Boys at Secret Spot

One for the ladies

Bob, Roark & Eric: The Masters of Big Surf

I don't have any details except Roarks's pictures, but it looks like another successful expedition to a Secret Spot on the North Coast. The adventurers appear to have survived the long, low-tide, in the dark, hike-in and were rewarded with both weather and waves. Way to go! Roark's expedition pictures HERE

Rednecks For Obama

Two days ago I was lucky to be able to visit Henry in his natural habitat, the Prairie Garden Trust. The day was cool and wet which brought out the fall/earth colors for our walk around the property. The highlight of the day was a visit to Tree House III. As faithful followers of this blog know, the tree house is masterful in concept and execution, a bold human foray into the world of bird nesting. For pictures of the structure and of our walk click HERE.

Thanks for a great day, Henry, and the update on your amazing projects of natural preservation and restoration, health care, art and good living.

Iguana Pie

Elizabeth has forwarded more great pictures she has taken in Galapagos Isles.
Here is the link to view them> LINK

Adam's Pumpkins

Photo credit: Cindy Phelps

Adam Winnen is an incredible gourdologist!
He has somehow mastered the secrets of the great pumpkin as this picture shows.

Last night he oversaw a major pumpkin moving and loading operation at Kings Mountain pumpkin patch ( undisclosed location) in preparation for today's weigh-in prior to the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival.

Pumpkin moving was followed by a massive feed and Sarah P birthday celebration at the Winnen homestead. Click HERE for pictures of the festivities and the giant gourd moving operation.

Up date: See video of the weigh-off here: KTVU VIDEO
(Sorry - you have to let a commerical roll before the weigh-off report starts). At about 1:19 into the video, see Holly and Adam in their pumpkin hauling truck answer a question on growing secrets.

Tree House Blog

This is a must see blog - Henry is at it again! LINK

Science in Action

The harsh realities of the global financial crisis is hitting hard in the Galapagos Islands, but trooper that he is, Dan carries on in the cause of science. Whatever it takes! More pictures HERE

Bad Day in the Ice Age

Ice Age Siberian Bear Skull showing possible micrometeorite impacts (Taken by Jon at the Krasnoyarsk Museum this summer.)















34,000 yr old mammoth tusk with detail of confirmed micrometeorite hits surrounded by carbonized rings

Let say you are a woolly mammoth, wandering with your mammoth pals across the North American Savannah, not thinking bout nothin, certainly not the sub-prime mess. It's a good day - the friggin' paleo-indians are leaving you alone for once, no saber tooth tigers are trying to get at the kids, you're just soaking up sun, munching your veggies, thinking maybe this winter head the herd for Nevada, when all of a sudden- what the...? O man!~! a micro-meteorite shower, little grains coming at thousands of kilometers per second! Yow ow ow ow! You don't feel the radiation, at least not right away, but the temperature seems to be rising......,

Bill first pointed out a great work by Paul S. Martin, called Twilight of the Mammoths which lays out the case for human agency in the extinction of the vast majority large land mammals coincident with the timeline for the spread of human populations.

Another line of research has been pursued by Richard Firestone at Lawrence Berkley Labs. The pictures above show micrometeorite impacts on Ice Age mammals and are evidence of the effects from a supernova that hit earth in several waves (separated by thousands of years). The waves included intense radiation, small particles, comets and asteroids. The particles have been analyzed to show composition that is definitely extra terrestrial. Jon Hagstrum has assisted in some of the analysis in the USGS Paleomagnetism Laboratory.

As a part of the waves of cosmic events stemming from the supernova Firestone and buddies have postulated that comet impacted earth about 13,000 years ago accounting for the large mammal extinctions in North America. Summary HERE Check it out.

Something Willie This Way Comes

Willie off the hook at 'The Hook' in Santa Cruz
OK Half Moon Bay Surf Club- here is who is coming up the line to compete in the coming years. Willie Eagleton 8th grader in Santa Cruz, has the aloha spirit and kills the competition with his athletic surf style. Word has it his mom, (Beverly's pal Ellen), is talkin' trash about Half Moon Bay, so get ready!
Click Willie's name for more pictures of him on Surfline.

UPDATE: The ISF junior surfers are arriving from Santa Cruz to take on HMB Dec 21st at the Jetty. Be there...

Fine Dawn at 'Africa'

Marty Studies His Immediate Future















Steve Goes Left


Last weekend Bob,Roark,Marty and Steve were accompanied by Oscar, Cindy and Sarah P. on a dawn patrol outing at Redondo Beach. (Poor Tim remains on injured reserve, at home nursing two broken ribs.) Cindy took these great pictures. See more of her shots of the morning session HERE

Mike in Paradise

There has been a Mike Shobe sighting! Thought I'd share... Excerpt from a Mike message:

"We're at Lemon Lake a few miles west of Vallecito. (In CO. He's with girl friend Kari and their dog Banjo - SK) It's a forest svc cg, just 12 sites, pretty unknown and pretty empty except for weekends and awesome. as u can see we're right on lake and my inflatable is up on shore. Been here 2 mos and probably stayin till Nov. Tons of trout! Just yesterday finalized being camp hosts (GodI'mgettingold!) for next summer. We get a great site just above us, there's hardly any work to do and $500/mo pay. Also full hookups. This way we can still manage the house rental ourselves (Mike is renting out his home near Durango for the summer season-SK) and not be nat. forest gypsies. We've been booked up almost solid all summer... In Oct. we're setting up camp north of Silverton and doing the infamous Alpine loop to Lake City and back over Engineer and Cinnamon passes. 13000 ft!

It's That Time of Year

All Pro Corner-Back, John "The Hammer" Jakle
is starting practice for the coming season. After a lengthy suspension from the league for unnecessary growling at the line of scrimmage and off season surgery to remove excess brain cells, The Hammer will soon be sweating it out on the practice fields of August, trying to get back into shape for the season opener against arch rivals, the San Francisco Mutants.
If Jakle can stay focused, listen a little more in the huddle and completes his anger management therapy (big ifs ) he could be a major asset to this year's team.













Also in the sporting news, it looks like a new star may be rising in the Northwest. Finally out of stir on work-release, Thomas "The Mauler" Jakle is saving up for a complete uniform. Once he is able to afford shoes he may make this year's starting team as a clutch field goal kicker. Known for his icy nerves, Jakle is the go-to guy when the game is on the line. Don't forget to trim your toenails, Mauler.

Go get 'em boys!

Girl In the Curl

Sarah came back from two weeks on NJ shore having adjusted to the watery surf world. We took advantage of her new gills and spent a few hours kayaking off Pillar Point. A foggy, but warm afternoon, with a beautiful feel. We paddled past mushroom rock to the outer buoy and across the Maverick's break zone. On the way back in, we stopped to play in the breakers a hundred yards off shore, inside Mushroom. Here are two water blurred shots: one of her paddling up and over, the second taken moments after punching through a wave that broke over her head. An aquacandy rinse. Yeah! She paddled into several of nice curls and surfed beautifully -once showing off some trick rodeo moves, side surfing, 360s etc. Wow. And a couple of swells caught her, providing an opportunity for open ocean swim practice. Doesn't get any better than that!
A few more pictures HERE
(Question: are sharks really attracted by mammal urine?)

CCA Graduation

Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend an open house of student work at the California College of the Arts. The occasion was Sarah's graduation from the intensive pre- college program she took this summer, focusing on print making and drawing. The range of students was amazing, from all over the world and I think about 20 states. The range of work was incredible too as the photo album indicates - and there were many of the display buildings I didn't get to. Sarah's work was prominently displayed and we received some glowing comments from her teachers. Enjoy the pictures of the graduation HERE

Play - the Universal Language?

A most amazing brief slide show and talk by the founder of the National Insitute of Play

Click the window below to view the show.

Dan & Elizabeth in Otovalo Ecuador

Excerpts from an email from Elizabeth on 7/23.
___
Hola Steve!

Como estas? Estoy bien. Dan y yo estamos en Otavalo , Ecuador . We arrived on Sunday after a tough few days in Bolivia of high altitude, stomach issues, little sleep -- all in LaPaz, which is, well, a dump. We´re so glad to be here.. The difference is like night and day. We´re living with a family and going to language class every day -- 2.5-hour siesta included. Tomorrow we have an all-day field trip, which will be fun. It´s nice to not have to eat every meal in a restaurant and grapple with deciding what is safe to eat. The food is quite good and certainly better than what we eat at home. My profesor still can´t completely understand that neither Dan nor I cook.

Ecuador is nicer than both Peru and Bolivia , though we enjoyed our time in Peru , particularly visiting Machu Picchu , our trek, and our couple days in the jungle. Just yesterday, we received our plane tickets for Galapagos. We go there 2 August. I am really, really looking forward to finally getting there.

...I was pretty miserable.[in Bolivia] I had a cold, was quite hungry (we both have lost quite a bit of weight), tired, homesick (our tour ended the day before and all our tour friends were gone), and not enjoying dirty, overcrowded, noisy, hectic LaPaz. Did I mention that we didn´t really like Bolivia ?! We both are much better now. Dan has had stomach problems for much of the trip because of the altitude. My stomach hasn´t been so bad, but we´re both glad to be down a bit lower. I think Otavalo is at about 8,000´. LaPaz and Lake Titicaca are both over 12,000´, I believe. "
__________

Later in the day they SKYPEd me from an internet cafe. It sounded like they are really enjoying lush Otavalo where the air is oxygenated and they have a friendly family to stay with and looking forward with excitement to the last leg of their trip to the Islands.