Earth Hour 2009, The Big Picture

More than 1,000 cities in over 80 countries observed Earth Hour 2009 on Saturday March 28th, as homes, office towers and landmarks turned off their lights for an hour starting at 8.30 pm local time to raise awareness about climate change and the threat from rising greenhouse gas emissions.

Check out this page and look at the beautiful images of our great cities when the lights got dimmed. I think most look more beautiful in the natural light.

I think it was a great idea to raise awareness and to show that we can indeed turn out the lights ourselves if we want. We don't have to wait until they are turned off for us.

Jaguar killed in southern Arizona

Arizona officials captured and placed a tracking collar on a wild jaguar for the first time ever in the United States (2/20/09 see article in AsStarnet here )the state wildlife agency said Thursday. The male cat was captured southwest of Tucson during a research study concerning mountain lions and black bears. While individual jaguars have been photographed sporadically along the Mexican border the past few years, the capture occurred outside the area where the last known photograph of a jaguar was taken in January, state Game and Fish officials said in a press release.

Then, a few weeks later the Jaguar was recaptured and euthanized in a Phoenix zoo. It was believe to have had acute kidney failure. However, since then a Tucson pathologist at the UA's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory said authorities may have moved too fast to euthanize the animal early this month. See the article here.

The Jaguar was caught in a snare trap of some kind while Arizona Game and Fish was tracking bear and mountain lion. It is believed that this Jaguar had lived in southern Arizona for most of its life (14 ys). In the following photos you can see the claws made on a tree and 2 other shots of the Jaguar after its capture.

All images are courtesy of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Bela Fleck's 'Throw Down Your Heart'

"The bond between a musician and his instrument is a mystical one. Without him the instrument is mute; without the instrument, the musician's soul is voiceless." By TINA DAUNT March 4, 2009 LA Times

Bela has released his latest project, a solo one hid did without the Flecktones.

This is a story of how Béla Fleck, virtuoso banjoist, went on a quest in search of his musical soul mate's African roots. Out of this project has come a Documentary Film and a CD.

Check out the official website for it all: http://www.throwdownyourheart.com/

Bela lives somewhere around the Nashville area, which is where I am currently located. He presented a rough draft of his documentary last year at the local Greenhills Theatre. Rose and I were lucky to be in attendance. He described some of his experiences being in Africa and showed the video that they had put together. The documentary that has since been released (is being released) is more edited and polished and the CD is available for sale or download. Next month at Nashville's famous Ryman Auditorium Bela will be performing with Toumani Diabate, Vusi Mahlesela, D'Gary, and Anania Ngoliga from Africa. These are some of the guys who play their own African version of a banjo-like instrument whom Bela linked up with in his travels there.

Look for the Documentary to play somewhere near you in the coming months. And buy the CD or Download it from your favorite online music venue. The music is excellent and adventurous and much more. There's no one does it like Bela can!!!

Here's a good article from the L.A. Times on the project: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-cause4-2009mar04,0,2143297.story

Stone Door, Tennessee

Stone Door describes a geologic feature found in the South Cumberland State Recreation Area (Tennessee). This larger area is formed by the action of several big creeks and eons of time carving a five mile canyon through the Cumberland Plateau. Cliffs line portions of the rims of the canyons appearing sporadically but dramatically. The Stone Door is a narrow passageway leading from the cliff tops to their base, one of the few easy ways to gain entry to the gorge below in this area. Climbing is not permitted within the narrow slot of Stone Door, but is found on the surrounding cliffs.

The President speaks on Persian New Year

Sandra O'Connor's Civics Website

Former Supreme Court Justice, my Aunt Sandra!!, has recently launced a new Civics website designed to help promote the teaching and learning of civics in the US. Currently civics has been pushed to the back burner of education to make room for reading, writing, and math, which is the bulk of No Child Left Behind legislation. So check out the link to her website and see what you think.

Sandra Day O'Connor speaks with Jon Stewart part2

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Sandra Day O'Connor Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

Sandra Day O'Connor speaks with Jon Stewart

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Sandra Day O'Connor Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day