Open Thread – Wet Moose
7 07 2009Driving down the Parks Highway is mostly just driving by lots and lots of trees – birch, cottonwood, black spruce, blue spruce, mile after mile. Now and then you’ll pass a lake, or a creek, or a river, and your head naturally turns to look upstream or downstream to enjoy the view. Returning home from points north this past weekend, I looked up one of those dozens of little creeks and saw something brown in the water. I realized it was a moose. “Moose!” I exclaimed. It’s kind of an obligatory thing that Alaskans do. They don’t always stop, and everyone in the car doesn’t always see the moose, but if someone sees one, it’s like an automatic reflex. “Moose!”
“Do you want me to turn around?” Spouse asked. “Yes!” I frantically tried to find my camera gear, all the way in the back, not having learned my lesson of always having my camera ready to go and sitting in my lap whenever I go driving in Alaska. So he pulled the car out on to the gravel shoulder, turned the wheel hard, and pulled up right next to the guard rail so I could roll down the window and snap a few pictures. It turned out to be two moose, not one. A youngish looking mother, who was busily dunking her whole head and neck below the water, and coming up with mouthfuls of slimy, dripping grass.
I had never actually seen a moose in a body of water before. I’ve seen pictures on postcards of noble bull moose standing up to their knees in a lake, with a mountain range behind, and this wasn’t quite the same, but I was very excited to see the whole drippy grass banquet happening right before my eyes.
There was grass growing all around, but she acted like the stuff at the bottom of the creek was a delicacy. Her little mooselet watched from the shore, and munched a little bit here and there, but in general he seemed far more concerned about what Mom was doing up to her belly in water, farther out than he coudl safely go. Every so often he’d skittishly get as close to her as he felt comfortable, just to touch base.
I was hoping for crystal clear focused shots, but having a car full of living beings, one of which was a very indignant ‘Buf the dog’ made it difficult. Buf obviously started buf!-ing the moment the car stopped and she spotted the moose out the window. Trying to get her to stop was almost impossible, and with every “buf!” the car shook and bounced. Her nose was quite out of joint at all the shushing.
They stayed for quite a while, and when I thought I had enough pictures, we headed on home.
Enjoy the open thread. [I'll put up more than one tomorrow if comments stat to build up].
July 7th, 2009 at 4:15 PM
lol, Nebraska! I’m still waiting for a quiet time where I can listen to the podcast…
DH got all his DirecTV channels back today….sigh….
July 7th, 2009 at 4:20 PM
OK… I’m now on firefox.
That said, my yahoo toolbar had like 22 one click buttons… bank, utilities, local news & weather, my hotels in Greece, etc.
Seems I can only have 5 buttons, and only 2 of which I can determine that are not from a pre-set yahoo list.
Any suggestions?
PS: FF IS way faster!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:26 PM
I am not sure sorry samper.. Ive never been a firefox fan.. I use http://www.opera.com on my computers (freeBSD) and on my cell phones! I have been an opera user since 1999 and I love it!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:26 PM
samper Says:
July 7th, 2009 at 7:19 AM
Would love to hear our own Aussie Blue Sky call into Shannyn’s show just to hear the accent!
How goofy am I?
————————————————
No so goofy, samper. It’s Sunday here when Shannyn’s show is on – the cheapest time to call. If I ever do, I will be sure to give you a shout-out.
Unfortunately I never have an original thought to contribute …..
July 7th, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Samper: click file open new tab then load a new site. When you exit firefox asks if you want to save your tabs.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Wowie 602 posts on this thread alone, lol…time to toss a couple bucks in the kitty for AKM’s bandwidth!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:33 PM
L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is asking fans of Michael Jackson to kick in and offset the $4 million it will cost the city to cover the city’s costs associated with the funeral and memorial.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:34 PM
L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is asking fans of Michael Jackson to kick in and offset the $4 million it will cost the city to cover the city’s costs associated with the funeral and memorial.
Credit Cards and Checks Accepted
July 7th, 2009 at 4:40 PM
London: Nope, that’s not doing it.
On IE, I have a yahoo toolbar that allows limitless one click buttons. I have like 22 of them.
On FF, I have a yahoo toolbar that allows only 5 buttons. Three of them are yahoo preferred (you tube, mail, and my yahoo (national news, E! and such).
I can add only 2 personal buttons on FF. I have like 22 faves, including local news & weather, hotels, usair, etc.
How do I get my FF yahoo toolbar to duplicate my IE yahoo toolbar?
July 7th, 2009 at 4:42 PM
samper
I don’t use the Yahoo toolbar, but Firefox offers a Bookmark toolbar which is very nice. Did you transfer your bookmarks? Do you have bookmarks for the sites you had on your Yahoo toolbar?
July 7th, 2009 at 4:49 PM
I’ve never used bookmarks, but I guess I could switch… Does that give you buttons or drop down menus?
July 7th, 2009 at 4:51 PM
samper:
have you permanently allowed Yahoo on firefox?
i don’t have that answer, but you can always have ie open for yahoo only and firefox for all else
July 7th, 2009 at 4:52 PM
FYI: My yahoo toolbar even picks up the icon from the website it’s for… for example, my button for mudflats has a little moose on it. There is the bank logo, the electric company logo, home * garden logo… each logo is a one click button.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:52 PM
bookmarks are drop down and you can create folders for certain categories of favorites. Like political, music, health, etc.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:52 PM
I thought I heard that AEG owned the Stapleton Center. Same co. that was doing the London shows. Anyway , according to that site I linked up thread , MJ is still among us. They have the first siting on the site.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Geeze…
Too much of a day. It can wait for tomorrow when I have a chance to go through the posts I’ve noted with info.
I’m going to take a break (nap) and hopefully see you all back at the assembly.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:55 PM
austin: With FF, your little avatar has CHANGED! I think mine might have too, but it’s the same color, at least.
I KNEW IT! The resurrection was today!!!!!!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:56 PM
#610 firefox picks up the symbols, too!
just use it for a while and your become more familiar with it.
If you use the new tab procedure you can set your most favorite sites as separate tabs and save that setting group when you exit.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:57 PM
God, she’s blathering on Rachel now…
A nap is definitely the order up right now!
See you all in a bit!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Isabella,
Suggestion to L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa:
Here’s a quarter — call the family – they’re not hurting for money
July 7th, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Did anyone notice on the MJ Memorial — Jennifer Hudson is preggers!!!!
July 7th, 2009 at 5:12 PM
The Anchorage Assembly Chairperson Debbie whatever her last name is — does she wear Red Jacket to all assembly meetings?? Or is this her contribution to the ‘Red’ side as she has red jacket on again tonight!!
Mayor Sullivan’s first night at Assembly Meeting. I’m sure the Red Shirts will cheer in that they were not happy with Fill-in Mayor
July 7th, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Andrew Sullivan lets us know that he ALWAYS reads Mudflats AND our comments! Hi Andrew (waving wildly)!
07 Jul 2009 08:35 pm
“Another Lie?
Always read the Mudflats commenters:
That boat that supposedly was built by Todd, and a buddy? Actually, it’s a 32 ft Modutech Gilnetter, built by Modutech Marine, out of Tacoma, WA. Another lie?”
July 7th, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Do we have Red Shirt/Blue Shirt tonight?
Sullivan is in attendance at Assembly!!!
July 7th, 2009 at 5:34 PM
619 Canadian Neighbour Says:
July 7th, 2009 at 5:12 PM
The Anchorage Assembly Chairperson Debbie whatever her last name is — does she wear Red Jacket to all assembly meetings?? Or is this her contribution to the ‘Red’ side as she has red jacket on again tonight!!
*****************************************************************
She did at the last meeting.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Does anyone know anything about this? It is a comment from today’s ADN article:
justahumaninak wrote on 07/07/2009 02:15:42 AM:
She’s skipping town before her promised favors to the personnel board are leaked. I’m surprised that no one from Meg’s campaign workgroup has spilled the beans yet. I know that there were at least two people from the workgroup tasked with making the calls, one local and one an East Coast lobbyist.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:47 PM
I don’t think I can take any more AK politics tonight… Nebraska is boring and predictable, I think that’s a strength anymore. I am suffering from Palin fatigue and the notion of those bigoted red-shirt a$$holes is more than I can take. “Night puppies, sweet dreams to all!
July 7th, 2009 at 5:47 PM
samper sez:
OK… I’m now on firefox.
That said, my yahoo toolbar had like 22 one click buttons… bank, utilities, local news & weather, my hotels in Greece, etc.
Seems I can only have 5 buttons, and only 2 of which I can determine that are not from a pre-set yahoo list.
Any suggestions?
PS: FF IS way faster!
You can add to the toolbar area. just open the page you want to save, then click on BOOKMARK menu, then BOOKMARK THIS PAGE, then a pop up box appears. Change the NAME to something short like bank or ‘flats if needed, change the folder to BOOKMARK TOOLBAR. You manually add folders first thru the BOOKMARKS, ORGANIZE so that they appear when you save a link.
I highly recommend setting up your folders thru the ORGANIZE feature. You don’t have to be online to do that. You just drag/drop links you have to where you want them to be, and just dag/drop them within a folder to the order you want….
July 7th, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Priceless! Olbermann: Gay bashers using Elton John tickets to raise money. (S-s-h-h. Don’t tell ‘em.)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#31788781
July 7th, 2009 at 6:11 PM
What BS is going on with the ADN comments? I sorted by most recommended and clicked to recommend a few and the number of recommendations WENT DOWN as I clicked, like 48 down to 7!?!?!?!?!?
July 7th, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Not sure if this has been posted, but NPR’s show “Fresh Air” with Teri Gross discussed Palin today with Michael Carey. He is a former editorial page editor with Anch Daily News, and is very familiar w/ Palin and local politics. It was a good interview, and will be replayed (locally at least) at 11PM tonight on KSKA 91.1 FM. Could probably find a podcast of if at kska.org.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Re: #620:
Andrew Sullivan, if you’re reading this blog, please, please, please please PLEASE send your compiled list of Palin’s lies to the mainstream media! It’s so well put together, so easy to digest, and so powerful to see them all together on one page (well, 2 or 3 or 4 pages are required, actually). It would succinctly boil down so much of what we in Alaska know about Palin for those who haven’t had the “luxury” of being here on the frontlines.
Oh, And P.S:
One more lie for the list was that Palin LIED last week about the firing of Bev Wooley, Head of the Dept. Health. She fired her for her unwillingness to claim Palin’s own biased views on teen parental consent for abortion as her OWN views in her testimony to the legislature.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:30 PM
627 nswfm CA Says: July 7th, 2009 at 6:11 PM
What BS is going on with the ADN comments? I sorted by most recommended and clicked to recommend a few and the number of recommendations WENT DOWN as I clicked, like 48 down to 7!?!?!?!?!?
Sounds like multiple votes from same person/IP address….
July 7th, 2009 at 6:52 PM
PepperzMom (GA) Says: You can add to the toolbar area. just open the page you want to save, then click on BOOKMARK menu, then BOOKMARK THIS PAGE, then a pop up box appears. Change the NAME to something short like bank or ‘flats if needed, change the folder to BOOKMARK TOOLBAR. You manually add folders first thru the BOOKMARKS, ORGANIZE so that they appear when you save a link.
i second this. the bookmark feature is the best. then go to “view,” then “sidebars,” then “bookmarks.” and all of your folders and links will be on the left-side of your screen in a nice little strip. FF is SO much better than IE.
and thank you pepperzmom for helping me with bold and italic
July 7th, 2009 at 7:22 PM
No problem, JHOP…
Time for Letterman….
July 7th, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Top 10 Messages on Sarah Palin’s Answering Machine coming up on Letterman.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Letterman:
Obama waved to Palin from Russia….
Palin waved goodbye to Russia….
Puzzled FOLKS – Octo-mom?!?!?!?!
Palin called “KABOOM” Cheney for strategic maneuvering help….
Friends say Palin leaving due to attacks: Thank God I didn’t (Letterman sez)….
****
Coming up: top 10 involving SP’s answering machine….
July 7th, 2009 at 7:44 PM
@ Dr. Patois
“Does anyone know anything about this? It is a comment from today’s ADN article:
justahumaninak wrote on 07/07/2009 02:15:42 AM:”
This similar comment has popped up at ADN in January and at least once more. It was worded in previous posts that it’s the Palin campaign team here in November, INCLUDING Staplemush, which did favors for the personnel board in exchange for Troopergate special treatment.
Who knows? Why doesn’t this poster call the press since they act / post as though they have information? Guess it’s just another RUMOR (so SUE me Palin!) for now, until someone substantiates it. It would be a LOT of fun, though, if that RUMOR were true!
July 7th, 2009 at 7:53 PM
Top 10 SP answering machine messages…going to fast to get them all…
callers: GWB, McCain, Sanford, dry cleaners, sarah herself, Arnold,
1 McCain: Who’d have thought you’d retire before I do!!!!!!!!!
July 7th, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Martha Unalaska@635 Thank you! If what they are saying is true, it kind of clarifies the point that the personnel board is not the way to handle ethics complaints. I wish they would take it to some other authority.
Sourdough Mullet@629 You can email Andrew Sullivan.
andrew@theatlantic.com
AKM, as always, thank you for the wonderful photographs!
July 7th, 2009 at 8:49 PM
@lee323
re your comment #119 on June 29 at 8:03 pm
‘character of the modern church’ [David Murrow, Almost Former Gov. Sarah Palin's new Communication Director thread]:
Well done response to ‘How did Christianity, founded by a man and his 12 male disciples become the province of women?’
You addressed the question that progressive women in the church know intrinsically; they have to prevent the rocks from crying out when men lead (as ‘the head of the woman’) many times poorly. The cultural history of scripture is overlooked, it seems, by far too many fundamental evangelicals. Too bad.
Thank you for the discussion. Just so that you know that I will use the info pretty much as you intended!
July 7th, 2009 at 9:16 PM
TPM funny piece with shout out to AKM and Mudflats!!
http://tinyurl.com/ltnfub
Sorry if already posted, I can no longer read all of the posts.
July 7th, 2009 at 10:29 PM
@ dowl 638
————————–
You’re welcome….and thanks.
Very interesting but volatile subject, eh?
July 7th, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Thanks, Dr. Patois, I will email him.
I’m on a roll today, I actually emailed the NBC Today show about Andrea Mitchell’s interview w/ Palin. I’ve never done that before, but was so disgusted by the fact that Sarah’s lies during the interview went unchallenged, I had to get it out! This woman is going to drive ME to the crazy train too!
July 7th, 2009 at 11:39 PM
City of LA should just send a $4M INVOICE to the Estate of Michael Joseph Jackson.
Absurd to ask fans to pay for the funeral.
Thanks, all, for firefox suggestions. Will be toying around with them now. I’ll let you know how it goes.
4AM, wide awake. I’m gonna hurt tomorrow!
July 8th, 2009 at 1:40 AM
OK, here’s what I discovered about Firefox:
Go to BOOKMARKS
BOOKMARK TOOLBAR
A new toolbar appears at the top.
Left Click on the toolbar.
Choose NEW BOOKMARK.
Fill in the information and Save.
Click on the new toolbar icon for that bookmark.
You go to the site. If the site has a logo in the address bar, the toolbar will pick it up.
Now, my toolbar looks much like Yahoo’s. The difference is that if there isn’t a logo in the address bar, Yahoo will let you choose from a selection to designate the button (IE: If the local news page doesn’t have a logo, you can choose a rolled up newspaper to denote the button).
On Firefox, best to enter the name of the site, but the icon will just be a blank page.
SO… for all my logo’d sites, I don’t have the name of the site on the toolbar. I just know the logos (IE: It’s easy to tell which one is Home Depot). I have four that are blank pages with their names and 16 that are logo’d.
Very cool! Plus, you can put as many buttons as you want on this toolbar. The Yahoo toolbar for Firefox limits you to 5 (2 personalized, 3 that are from a pre-selected list of user favorites).
So far, VERY happy with FF! Quicker, my toolbars work, etc.
What other really cool things does it offer? I don’t like sidebars, but is there anything else?
OK… It’s now 6AM… have been up since the Assembly.
Think I’ll take another nap and try to get on “real people” time.
THANKS, ALL for turning me onto FF!!!
July 8th, 2009 at 1:41 AM
That should be RIGHT click on the Toolbar to add buttons!