Open Thread – Ghost Forest
20 07 2009 
There is an interesting phenomenon visible in the coastal areas of South Central Alaska called the “ghost forest.” You’ll be driving along, and all of a sudden you’ll notice stands of old spruce trees, denuded of branches and bark, standing there like pale sentinals. I’ve heard different terms for these trees, but I like “ghost forest” the best. You hear stories all the time from indigenous cultures that speak of the ancestors that are present all around us, and it seems that way with the ghost forest, that still exists so close to its living counterpart.
The ghost forests came to be after the Good Friday earthquake in March of 1964. Those who were here at the time remember it well. A whopping 8.4-8.6 on the Richter scale, the largest earthquake ever recorded in North America. The epicenter was only a few miles from where this picture was taken, just north of Price William Sound. The devastating quake caused 131 deaths, many from tsunamis. Large sections of the ground shifted vertically, and several coastal areas sank down many feet to much lower levels. This put the roots of the spruce trees far down enough to reach salt water, which eventually killed the trees where they stood. Eventually they will decompose, but for now they still stand, eerie and beautiful – a reminder of the power that lies beneath us.
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July 20th, 2009 at 4:02 PM
She cracks me up. What other Governor reacts like a teenager when official complaints are filed against them? Only Sarah. What a gal.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:02 PM
In Juneau: Guys are such babies!
Little do they realize that these “issues” are all connected to the continuation of the human race and their own BIRTHS.
They should be a lot more sympathetic and should come bearing MANY more gifts for our sacrifice!
LOL!
July 20th, 2009 at 4:02 PM
HistoryGoddess–Yup, there’s a whole fun thread up about the ethics stuff: http://www.themudflats.net/2009/07/20/new-ethics-complaint-filed-against-sarah-palin/
July 20th, 2009 at 4:03 PM
UK LADY and samper: I just wanted to throw this out there, speaking of exceptional hair genes…
My age is yours, reversed, samper — I’m 64 headed for my next birthday around Thanksgiving…
About 10 years ago my hairdresser and I had a heart-to-heart talk, and I gave up perming my hair but decided to stick with the frosting for a while. Anyway, I gave up on the coloring too, about 2 years ago.
To my surprise the frosting/”weaving” wasn’t hiding much gray at all. I have about 20 white hairs sprouting just above my bangs, and that’s about it. Even my younger sis, who’s 55, and has near-black hair, has only about 30 white hairs.
—————-
Palin’s hair could have been thinning because she’s having some thyroid imbalance in addition to stress and/or menopause. What’s the big deal about that? I think her hairdresser’s tizzy is just hilarious.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:03 PM
samper–well, yes they should, but I don’t think you or I should hold our breath waiting!
July 20th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
KaJo–couldn’t a thyroid problem result in lots of weight loss too?
July 20th, 2009 at 4:05 PM
Samper,
6 years and counting. It gets worse before it gets better, they say…
July 20th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
What do ethics complaints have to do with Veterans?
She is SUCH a whiner!
FEW of the complaints were “frivolous”, as her CLEARED $8K check might attest to. They are LEGIT.
Just because the folks whom she could FIRE ruled in her favor doesn’t mean that violations didn’t happen.
I love it when she says “wearin’ a coat with a logo on it” instead of “head to toe neon walking billboard”. Talk about MINIMIZING the truth!
Yeah, menopause will be WAY easier than deciphering/dissecting this moron!
July 20th, 2009 at 4:14 PM
booboodog: The peri thing? SIX years? I’ll shoot myself. I will. I really will. I’ll borrow that nice new AK-47 from SP! She won’t have a problem cleaning up the blood. She loves field dressing dead things.
I can’t imagine it being worse. I’m 46, dammit, and have the “accidents” of a 13 year old who hasn’t established her routine yet.
In Juneau: I’m far from breath holding. Gave that up at 6 when Mommy told me boys are thoughtless.
(Present company excluded, of course!)
Thyroid – always connected it with weight issues. That, also too there, runs in the family – mom’s side.
Kajo: AWESOME! I bet you look like you’re 30!!!!
July 20th, 2009 at 4:17 PM
PS: Not to belabor my stunning youth or anything, but if you look at some good close ups of SP, you’ll notice her crow’s feet.
Not a wrinkle to be seen here and I have the WORST ritual ever! I use a buff puff single (love these!) after my shower and that’s it. No creams or potions to ward off aging. Mom goes through a battery of steps before going to bed each night. I leave my make up on and after brushing my teeth, just flop into bed… GASP!
Again, good genes. There is ONE furrow between the eyebrows, but I attribute that to my intense “thoughtfulness”.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Samper,
Peri phase can go on for approx. 10 years. Not for everyone, of course.
Lucky me! I think I am near the end (I almost said the end is near-another
symptom?) Good thing is the last phase is you just don’t care about the petty stuff of youth; just happy to be alive and enjoyin’ things we gave little thought to in our youth. Like shaving… just kidding
July 20th, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Anybody a Twitter expert? …I opened an acct to get ready for the ‘unrestricted’ palin tweets. I have followers already…ppl I don’t know. How does this happen? …how do they know where to find me? anyone? anyone?
July 20th, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Vanity Fair actually found enough red ink to edit Palin infamous July 3 Duck and Run (resignation) speech.
Vanity Fair hater defaces Sarah Palin’s iconic leaving speech.
http://tinyurl.com/my7xah #palin
July 20th, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Lainey, people can ’search’ for your email address if they already have it. Also there are some people selling stuff on Twitter, so if you don’t know ‘em, reject ‘em.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Lainey
I opened an acct before the Iran election and had the same experience with quickly getting lots of followers once the protests started. I think it’s just people cruising unknown accts hoping for nuggets. It’s easy to block them.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:47 PM
212 ds55 &
213 Closet Mudpup
thanks…I will reject/block…….kinda creepy that they find you right away.
July 20th, 2009 at 5:03 PM
I agree with just blocking people I don’t know. The day I set it up, I had 4 followers. Trollers, I think. Blocked them. Only one other since then. Clipped it in the bud.
Something I did do, though. I did not use my HistoryGoddess since it is something my students also know me as. There were already a few so I was going to have to add a number or two. I know people can find stuff on google, but Twitter takes not long at all to see the tweets written and followers, and all their tweets. I was going to have to mind my mouth way too much.
Bottom line, I used a completely different name for Twitter. It is one my kids would be able to remember, but I feel a bit more protected.
Back to the twitter thread. Did you all know Sarah already changed one? Thank heavens for screen shots! That makes her look even stupider.
July 20th, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Rachel very good tonight. I missed the first bit, but joined in when Paul Reikoff? the Iraqi and Afgan Vet guy; He’s way cool and got all over the former military guy on Fox that called the ID soldier/captive a traitor. She ends the show with a talk about where Pat Buchanan was absolutely wrong the day he was on. She did it very respectfully. She is SO cool.
July 20th, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Just watched Rachel’s show on MSNBC, and it seems perhaps her unlikely love affair with Uncle Pat might be over–she was pretty harsh! Factual, of course…
July 20th, 2009 at 6:46 PM
VF said the complainers violated the confidentiality provision??? Is this a true statement?
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…This is the fourth ethics complaint filed against the Governor since the announcement of her resignation on July 3. In every case, the complainers violated the confidentiality provision of the Ethics Act in making their complaints public knowledge.
THOMAS VAN FLEIN—Personal Attorney for Governor Palin
July 20th, 2009 at 8:27 PM
I haven’t read comments here (so many threads/comments and too little time) but I wanted to comment on the anniversary of the lunar landing. Since this is the open thread I thought it would be ok.
I remember clearly watching the landing live in my parent’s living room 40 years ago today. It really seems like yesterday. I was a young teen at the time and I was completely blown away with what I was seeing. I will never forget the feeling. To this day, I don’t think there has been a more magnificent milestone accomplished in science/technology.
Just wanted to comment and share. I’m a “space bug” and dabble in astronomy so today was special to me.
Back to current events……
What the heck does that last tweet about not having the right to drive down the street if you can’t walk? I must be missing something. ????
July 20th, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Oh….and Rachel was awesome tonight on Pat Buchanan. She is so subtle yet sharp. Loved how she “corrected” all those mis-facts. What a classy woman. She made her points with clarity and it was a beautiful thing!
July 20th, 2009 at 8:44 PM
@ seattlefan: It’s probably about undocumented immigrants not being allowed driver’s licenses. Just a guess.
July 20th, 2009 at 8:51 PM
@ds55: That would be a good guess! Thanks.
July 20th, 2009 at 9:29 PM
I am going to shamelessly promote my own blog as I wrote about my Mom’s death when she did not have health care – and since it was tough to write about, hope many of you will read it. Just click on my name – it will take you to the site. Thanks – I will probably put this up on the next open thread also as this one is about done for.
July 21st, 2009 at 1:06 AM
It seems to me, given Governor Palin’s outgoing favourability numbers, that every ambitious politician in Alaska will wish to be associated with her legacy. And if i am reading the runes correctly, no ambitious politician will wish to be associated with failed ‘ethics’ complainers. Still less will they wish to be associated with Alaskan ‘progessives’. It would be the kiss of death.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:43 AM
seattlefan @ 08:27, so there are other ‘geeks’ here (no offense intended). I have been a “space bug” since about 12. Your post struck a cord with me. I have been peering out at the Cosmos (as Carl Sagan would have said) for a very long time
. It has always been a search for truth. It has gotten more mysterious as I have gotten older. But it sure is fascinating to watch.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Better late than never…
InJuneau Says: July 20th, 2009 at 4:04 PM KaJo–couldn’t a thyroid problem result in lots of weight loss too?
Depends on which kind of thyroid problem it is. Hyperthyroidism, yes. The kind I had, complete shut-down of the thyroid, probably not. The kind I had (now with artificial hormone replacement) if it goes far enough, you are listless, your face gets puffy and rounded (some Cushing’s Disease folks show this), and untreated, you die. I had to change doctors to get it diagnosed; I had a really stupid doc who also misdiagnosed a heart condition that I really didn’t have.