Open Thread – Moose Nugget
Here is the first of many little treasures I’ll share with you from my trip to the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Museum of the North. This first shot is designed to set up the mystery. What the heck is that thing? I used Brian the Mudflats Moose for a sense of scale. He’s has far more character than a ruler, or a quarter, or one of those 1 cm. cubes they use. Brian would fit comfortably on your hand.
So, what is he standing on?
Believe it or not, it’s a copper nugget – and a very large one at that! Usually when “moose” and “nugget” are used in the same sentence, the response isn’t “Wow! That’s cool!” But this is one of those rare times.
I wonder how many pennies they could make out of that thing? Or how much copper wire? I’m glad it ended up here where it can be enjoyed.
Morning all. That is some nugget!
Another nugget I have just seen is that Michael Stinson (of the Sarah Palin colouring book fame) was at the Leno/Palin performance. Apparently, they used canned laughter.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/4/843138/-Lenos-Tonight-Show-Reality-Hacking,-adds-Laugh-Track-to-Sarah-Palin-Appearance
That is a lot of copper. howza.
That nugget is just beautiful – as is Brian – of course.
Thanks AKM!
I never thought about a copper nugget. Actually, I didn’t know that’s how it came. Cool picture.
So . . . canned laughter for Palin on Leno. Thanks for the link, Irishgirl. I didn’t watch the show but saw some clips later. It surprised me that a Los Angeles audience was that receptive. Apparently, they weren’t. Too bad it wasn’t aired live, because all the media types are now reporting that she was funny and well-received. I remember when they used to add laugh tracks to sticoms (maybe they still do, but I don’t watch them anymore), and it always felt weird. That whole idea that someone is going to tell me what to think is funny is just odd.
I listened to the recording of your Palin panel. You did a great job.
That nugget is beautiful! I have never seen such a thing. It looks like a rock you would find at the bottom of a creek. Please thank Brian for helping me understand the size.
I didn’t realize copper came in nuggets. Interesting.
That nugget looks river-washed. Wonder where it came from?
Whoa! That’s a Nugget?
It Does look river-washed. Can you tell us more about it? Where Did it come from? IS it water-worn?
Curiouser and curiouser…and a taste of more wonderful “Little (?) Treasures” awaiting us. *all tingly with Museum Joy and anticipation of more to come*
Have a happy, everyone.
Came across this interesting, toung-in-cheek comment/post at a HuffPo thread on Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln:
“I fully support the people who are beating me up. I will do whatever I can to help those people. I think this is the best way to get my agenda passed. The more people oppose me, the more I will try to compromise with them. This seems the best way to go. I am going to let the people with agendas opposite mine guide me. I will support them in their attempts to block my legislation by reducing my demands and including more and more of their advice. This is how I will do things.”
This is NOT a quote from Sen. Lincoln, but from a poster speculating on what political philosophy drives Lincoln, other Blue Dog Democrats, and most sadly, President Obama. You could call this the Blue Dog Philosophy, fully funded by all the Big Lobbies in DC. At the end of the day, it’s not about political philosophy, but about the unrelenting need to raise money for upcoming re-election campaigns. That’s really the key to the Blue Dogs. If they weren’t collecting big time from lobbyists for Pharma, Banking and Wall Street, Healthcare, Military/Industrialists, Insurance, Keep Those Drug Laws in Place to Increase Demand for Profiteering Private Prison Operators, etc., they (“our” elected representatives) might refocus their priorities on the health and well-being of their constitents.
It becomes increasingly hard for me to keep hope alive that the US is not spiraling into a second-rate/third world economy and society.
Irishgirl @1…thanks for that link. Sadly, it’s another kernel of truth that the general public will ignore. So many people are bending over to make this woman rich that it’s disgusting.
Brian looks like he is riding the wave of a mocha latte.
very cool, i love the shape of it
There are so many wondrous sites all around us, yet we pass them by without giving a second thought – then AKM shares her artist’s eye and skill, and reminds that we need to take a few minutes of each day to look around us and be thankful for the beauty of this earth. We are truly the caretakers.
It was no surprise when the Southern Poverty Law Center came out with their latest report of the rapid growth of homegrown terrorists of late, and it was really no surprise that he names Dobbs, Bachmann, Beck, and Palin. What I find so hard to understand is how some of the groups are allowed to operate. There was a report on the group in Colorado, let by a law enforcement officer – some 200 white men, armed and ready. Then there is this story where the group is openly antagoniing citiens and businesses that do not follow the group’s specific brand of christianity.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/04/texas-taliban/
Then there are those in Indiana who have renounced their citizenship, have printed *diplomatic* ID cards, and believe they answer to no one for any laws. Sicko!
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/04/sovereign-citizens/
The more Sarah garners publicity of a celebrity nature, the further she gets from the political arena. We are beginning to see a gradual slide away from her as a prospective candidate for 2012. Her sense of entitlement and craving for the $$$ and limelight will eventually be her downfall. Once beauty and talent have dissipated, people such as she simply fade away………..we can only hope!
Happy Friday and may all have a wonderfully warm and peaceful weekend.
That’s a big hunk of copper!
Michigan’s northern peninsula still has the best.
http://www.irocks.com/db_pics/pics/t5114a.jpg
WOW. That is astounding. I ♥ Brian.
Happy Friday all.
All TV shows have used canned laughter at times, yet this is just more FRAUD perpetrated on us to prop her up.
It IS important because the next day, the cable idiots were all, “shes so confident, she did so WELL!”
It is better in this country to be an idiot, so the bar is set as low as possible and then if you manage to read a joke written for you, you are a HUGE HIT!
That thing puts a whole new meaning to the word nugget! Very cool, and very cool that Brian was allowed to pose there!
Irishgirl (#1!)
Thanks for that link. Wow.
PennLawyer (#10)
Very well said (unfortunately). I’ve read where some claim that the health care reform is “trampling the Constitution.” Where were these clowns when “warrantless wire-tapping” was instituted? When “indefinite detention” began?
My biggest “hope for change” was in the restoration of habeus corpus, etc – in the reworking of some of the legislation passed pre-Obama, to the point that the Constitution was once again intact.
I find I have to keep reminding myself that there are three more years, and hopefully (ha) there is still time. The alternative is way too depressing.
I want to curl up and take a nap on that copper nugget but I want it to be outside in the sunshine. I bet that thing would warm up beautifully. It’s really gorgeous .
GG2C – thanks for the links @14. I wasn’t going to do any Palin / extreme right reading today but I can’t pass up those articles. And GG2C , I hear you. How the heck do these groups get a pass ? Maybe I’m going overboard but some of this seems like it falls under the category of treason .
And thanks to everyone who offered advice about my “moving out of my house” situation. Reading the comments this morning helped to start my morning off with a smile and keep me from kicking over one of the box mountains .
Off to take one more look at apartments before making a final decision. Fingers crossed !
Morning All & Happy Friday !!
was curious if the proprty tax assessor had updated the cabins values yet…NOPE… and the Castle has a building value listed at $5500.00….. WTF ?? even if it’s “Not Finished”, the vaule of just the building materials is more than that !! Does she have some sort of power over people there ?
Not sure if this was posted yesterday but it’s a good one:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/04/AR2010030405052.html
>>>National Republican leaders scrambled Thursday to control damage caused by an internal party document that caricatures President Obama as the Joker and stokes fear of socialism to raise money in a critical election year.
The 72-page PowerPoint presentation reveals the blunt appeal to emotion that both parties use to motivate donors and prefer to keep private. But its release online and consequent cable chatter became an unwelcome distraction for Republicans, because the strategy it outlined fit squarely with Democrats’ portrait of the GOP as the party of “no.” <<<
———————
There is no way this is just an isolated incident. It points directly to all the talking points we've been hearing since the town hall meetings and "grass roots" events. This needs to be used by Dems in the upcoming elections.
Gay scandal in the ranks of the Vatican. 4 arrested. Color me shocked :\
I have several opinions about this whole thing. Central to them is the idea of hypocrisy. The Vatican and its holdings are massive and have had undue influence all around the world. Ugh…I cannot tolerate it.
Awesome picture. Thanks.
Yee-haw !! Seems they had a little “Name sarah’s show” contest over at Huffpo. Then some artwork was added.
Ahem……..AKM , we gonna have some fun , or what ??
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05/sarah-palins-reality-show_n_487162.html#s72349
What a wonderful base for a surreal landscape. That nugget has wonderful flowing contours, and with Brian there it looks exactly like a hilltop with a moose walking along the horizon. Break out the Tonka Trucks, legos, and lincoln logs and get building, shooting, and photoshopping! You could do a whole Brian story using that nugget as the ground, Brian as, well, Brian, and various toys as landscape and supporting characters. You might even be able to work in the fetal Sarah Palin, though that would need to be in the “adults only” section, because it just darned disturbing.
R’ipley in CT Says:
Gay scandal in the ranks of the Vatican. 4 arrested. Color me shocked :\
More seemingly unending, ungodly corruption scandals at the Vatican at the same time the self-righteous Stupak tries to impose his personal Catholic views on the whole country.
Keep Your Religion Away From Our Health Reform!
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/04/keep_your_religion_away_from_our_health_reform/
AKM, I posted to Gryph and will to you as well….put up the pic of Oscar grifter next to Andrea Martin’s SCTV Edith Prickley character. The similarities are AMAZING. Side-splitting giggles!!!!!
I just read “Midnight Come Again” by Dana Stabenow. It wasn’t in our library, so I ordered it. Heading each chapter are lines from poetry authored by Mary TallMountain, taken from her book “The Light on the Tent Wall.”
They are beautiful. Here’s one:
the seventh sense develops
that we may vibrate to a height
-The Seventh Sense
One more:
A naked tree leaned down, its
Chalkwhite skeleton jaunty
-Hidden Creek at Northspur Junction
Have any of you read this lovely work?
Lovely copper specimens. It’s a beautiful metal. Think I need some museum joy this weekend. Glad I’m a member of AMNH & the Smithsonian.
Speaking of gay……….how about California State Sen. Roy Ashburn, a major family values, anti-gay Republican father of four getting a DUI leaving a gay bar ?
Read more at Wonkette: http://wonkette.com/414040/california-hardcore-anti-gay-rights-gop-state-senator-caught-finish-yourself#ixzz0hJtXYtqT
Our local musuem here in Bisbee (one of Arizona’s oldest copper mining towns) is a Smithsonian affiliate and has a world-class (thanks to Mr. Smithson!) gem and mineral hall. Thinking of the incredible hordes of hidden splendor right under our feet give one a renwed regard for Mother Earth. Come visit!
austintx @ 23…thanks for the link…that was wonderful!
Nice nugget!
You know, you just can’t make that sound like a leer no matter how hard you try. LOL
But it is very nice.
Shameless bragging and gratuitous free market commentary.
Taco Bell is giving away Atari Arcade Game disks. Get them in a kids meal or for $1 each. Asteroids, Lunar Lander, Breakout & Centipede. Classic and “Evolved” Gameplay modes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VakUI-WwqEE
Legacy Engineering is my son’s company. It goes without saying that I’m beyond proud of him.
That is awesome.
Our local natural history museum used to have a huge nugget of jade sitting out where people could rub their hands on it and small children could even sit on it. When the expanded and remodeled the museum….it disappeared. Along with the ancient stuffed grizzly bear. I have no idea where all of the wonderful gem and mineral stuff went. Or the stuffed stuff. There’s very little left. The dino bones are there and some interactive exhibits. There is a large space for traveling exhibitions. But I really miss the old stuff.
Whoa !!
If this was not so disturbing and alarming , it would be a sick joke.
I’m glad I left Texas.
**********************************************************************
An evangelical Christian hate group called “Repent Amarillo” is reportedly terrorizing the town of Amarillo, Texas. Repent fashions itself as a sort of militia and targets a wide range of community members they deem offensive to their theology: gays, liberal Christians, Muslims, environmentalists, breast cancer events that do not highlight abortion, Halloween, “spring break events,” and pornography shops. On its website, Repent has posted a “Warfare Map” of its enemies in town.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/04/texas-taliban/
BigPete — re: Stupak
It appears Mr Stupak has bought himself a problem with his latest attempt to become famous. Rachel Maddow is not impressed by his grandstanding, and began disassembling Mr Stupak last night. As she pointed out, when people do things in an attempt to become famous, other people suddenly care enough to look at things they never cared enough to look at before. It seems Mr Stupak lived for several years at The Family’s “C” Street house. He not only has lied about his involvement with The Family on more than one occasion, but, for a room, meeting facilities, and other amenities provided at “C” Street – a $1.8M townhouse just a few blocks from the capital – Mr Stupak paid only $600/mo rent. The obvious question now is – who was subsidizing him? We can count on hearing a lot more on that topic.
Also, The Nation did a good article on Stupak’s nonsense.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100315/arons
@29 austintx: I’m sure he was just doing “research” to cooroaborate his view on the subject. RME.
#35 @austintx
I believe the sort of hate crimes this group is perpetuating is a Federal offense. I’m sure the FBI is aware of them, but a heads up to their regional office wouldn’t be out of line.
Here’s some fun Sarah Palin news (some old, some new) via Seattle’s the Stranger.
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/03/05/today-in-sarah-palin-isnt-funny-and-has-no-class
austintx Says:
March 5th, 2010 at 8:25 AM
Speaking of gay……….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05/colbert-treats-hannity-li_n_487078.html
That is one fabulous nugget!
Speaking of the Vatican: I had a gay friend from Perugia and there is a Vatican outpost for training priests or something there. Well, where do you think the best gay parties were? You guessed it…..
Repression does not work.
Repressed sexuality always pops out in an inappropriate way, always.
If these men were allowed to be who they really are, this crap would stop, and a lot of the abuse in Catholic churches would end too.
Gorgeous stone! I wants it for my garden, yes, I does.
Oh, and I’m living Palin-free today.
That’s a whole lotta’ pennies. I’m just glad it ain’t a whole lotta’ moose poo.
Meanwhile, back to the wolves of Denali:
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/030410/opi_570700918.shtml#mdw-comments
This article made me cry in anger, and the commentary following presents an interesting slice of Alaskan opinion as well.
With her new show she can assure any Americans who haven’t noticed that the “real” Alaska is a comical joke and the state is filled with blubbering idiot fools, ’cause you know, our elitist hating little lady won’t allow any of those smart, educated, well spoken “fake” Alaskans on her show. Alaskans must be so thrilled. UGH. Here’s hoping no one bites…
BigPete Says:
March 5th, 2010 at 9:58 AM
austintx Says:
March 5th, 2010 at 8:25 AM
Speaking of gay……….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05/colbert-treats-hannity-li_n_487078.html
___________
I’m not a huge Colbert fan (he goes way overboard on the stupid sometimes) but this clip rocked.
They added the laugh track on Leno and now someone has added a laugh track where it originally belonged…the Couric interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1J7xJpUgY4&feature=player_embedded
I just posted this on yesterday’s open thread before I noticed this one, so I’ll post again here:
That does it! I’ll never watch Leno again. I’ll turn on Letterman every night just to give him the ratings. I can’t believe the teflon granny grifter. Everything just rolls right off her back and she keeps making money. Another book? Ridiculous. Will this never end?
Brian, you rock! (or should I say you “copper” ?)
Wow that christian group in Amarillo, TX are a bunch of insane people. I’m glad people are opposing them – they’re wrong to persecute people they don’t agree with.
I have a friend from Peru who says that while growing up watching American TV shows, they thought Americans had the lamest sense of humor, based on the laugh tracks.
Most people — even those living in Alaska — have never experienced a copper storm. You have to ask the old-timers (here in Alaska we call them “sourdoughs”) about the coldest winter nights with the wind from the southwest. They will tell you tales of nights when blizzards whipped snow through their camps, then suddenly begin pelting down tens of thousands of copper nuggets. Fortunately, most copper storms produce nuggets about the mass of a penny (some think this was the origin of the penny); these will bounce off a canvas tent harmlessly, though with a loud drumming sound. After breakup, when the winter snows have melted away, you can sometimes find huge drifts of small copper nuggets. Larger nuggets, the size of golf balls, will shred a tent. The old-timers would pull cooking pots over their heads and huddle with their backs against a spruce tree to wait out these copperfalls. This explains why so many of the old-timers have bad hearing today. I have never before seen a copper nugget the size of Brian’s. That must have been a terrifying storm.
Seagull, I must admit to thinking that before I got to know you all! Mudflats set me straight. Mudpups have a wicked sense of humour!
Arg. I’ve been reading info about SwagGate and like everything else associated with SP, nothing adds up. Various reports cite different details, but the two extremes are the E! Online ‘locust’ article, and the LA Times article (more like brief mention, actually) by Matt Donnelly, which that Texas 4 Palin site is using as proof positive Sarah is a saint for giving back all the goodies to be auctioned off for charity … at least that’s what he says someone told him. No other mention of that is found anywhere.
Most curious is when you link to the ‘we want a retraction’ press release supposedly from the organizers, The Silver Spoon: the letter comes up linked from the C 4 P website. If you go to The Silver Spoon’s own website, there’s zero, nada, diddly and squat about the event, much less Palin ever having been there. No pictures. And no call for a retraction from anyone for anything.
If I were a Tinfoil Hat Conspiracy Theorist, I might think that R. A. Mansour fabricated and then leaked all the details in the E! Online article just so she could then be indignant against them. And I might think that R. A. M. photoshopped The Silver Spoon logo and created the statement calling for a retraction and apology mysteriously only to be found on C 4 P (that I am aware of).
But then, that’s all just too crazy to be believed, isn’t it?
#50 @Seagull Junker Palin
I’ve never been able to figure out why we need laugh tracks in the first place. We must be VERY stupid if we need to be coached when to laugh. (Shaking head.)
Insert *laugh track.* Don’t mind me, I am a bit giddy tonight!
Irish! Too funny, those dang Yanks.
waving madly at slipstream here.
hi there!
Paddy Powers, that same Irish bookie who bet on Palin not staying with Fox for the year, has a new mission. Tiger Woods!
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/03/05/sports/sports-uk-golf-woods-paddypower.html
I am interrupting for a station identification…
I am an Iditarod race nut. I used to volunteer when I lived close to the race area, and I helped handle and train dogs for mushers involved in racing. I used to gather every newspaper article w/ pictures of the race and send south to friends and family. I follow the race on radio, TV and Internet. It is almost the most exciting event that happens up here, actually for me – it IS the most exciting event.
http://www.iditarod.com/
I hit the site today to check out the mushers, the prep, the news – and oh my god there is the Quitter on the main site, top of the page in some stupid advertisement. I am almost embarrassed to think back on the last half hour of my life – I started to get so angry I went and yelled at my husband and scared my dogs. I threw stuff around in the kitchen. I was completely taken off guard about how angry and disappointed I am that the Iditarod Committee allowed this to happen. That stupid twit has no business being associated with the Greatest Race on Earth (sorry if there are other great races out there but I’m a mushing fan so this is it for me), representing the hard work and grit of Alaskans and their wonderful dogs.
I just wrote a scathing email to the Iditarod Committee, and my husband called the Race Supervisor’s office in Anchorage to express our displeasure. When my husband called the Supervisor’s office, the person who answered the phone did not even know the Queen Twit was on the website. She told my husband she completely agreed that a quitter of her magnitude should not be representing Alaska’s great race. She told him to pass the word that people should call into the office, or send an email, stating their opinion of this Twit’s appearance on the Iditarod site.
If you are a race fan, Alaska fan, dog fan or just sick of this twit trying to plaster her face everywhere – please take five minutes to send an email or make a phone call to the Anchorage office:
Email:
Stan Hooley, Executive Director – shooley@iditarod.com
Joanne Potts, Race Director – jpotts@iditarod.com
Chas St. George, Public Relations – cstgeorge@iditarod.com
Anchorage Race Supervisor’s office: 907.248.6874
Thank you. Please flood their phones and email boxes, even if it’s just a two liner email or one minute phone statement. This Alaskan is very angry!
I sure hope ‘ someone who owns a blog ‘ in Alaska is able to make it to the one Show that Kathy Griffin in putting on for all of you up there tonight.
Kathy is VERY outspoken about S’error and you know the Show will be personalized to include some bits for and about Her.
Kathy will be at her snarky best. I’ll bet they won’t even have to include a ‘ laugh-track ‘ to tell the people to laugh. It will be ‘ REAL’ American laughter.
Would Kathy use ‘ props ‘ in her show…
I could see her coming out on stage with a ‘ loaf of french bread ‘ in her arms instead of a bouquet of flowers.
If an Alaskan blog got an interview with her for a story post…. even better.
Omigoodness ! I was just hit with a realization and I can’t believe it’s just now coming to me.
For those of you that read my post of yesterday re: moving out of my house and dealing with my fairly insane ” step father” –
I JUST this moment remembered that crazy George lived in Alaska for many years! After he came back from serving in the Korean War he went north , landed in Alaska and stayed for a very long time, hunting, fishing and being an overall mountain man. ( Hey – maybe he and good ol’ Papa Heath went out huntin’ together. Now wouldn’t that just blow my mind to bits! ) He’s got a ton of old film footage from his time up there. I’m going to have to find those reels !
Hey, don’t be blaming the crazy on us! And, if he has film footage from up here and wants it to go to someplace that would appreciate it and properly preserve it, IM me on the Forum. I know just the place and just the people (really, I do… AK Pi and MUYS can vouch for that).
@ Buffalo Gal
Yep, InJuneau is the go to person for knowing what to do with that footage! I hope you can find those reels – what a kick that would be!
Thanks, “sis”!
InJuneau -@63 I’m quite sure it was the war that started Geo. on the road to crazy and not Alaska. His time up there probably helped balance him a bit, methinks.
Re: the film reels – That’s a great idea. He would want that footage preserved. I believe he went up around 1954 and stayed for more than a decade. That makes me happy to think there’s a good home for them. He truly does love Alaska and he’d want that.
He’s also got lots of footage from the Korean War that I’ll be donating after he passes.
Seconding the vouching-for -InJuneau thingy!
AK Pi–Thanks to you too!
“Nother station identification break…
Has everyone made their phone call and email to the Iditarod Committee? We can affect this. We can get her off that site. We can, yes we CAN!
Yes. We. Can.
@ LiladyNY
Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to Alaskans who love the Iditarod race, and who detest the Quitter having anything to do with it this year. It was bad enough last year when she was still pretending to be Gov, but this year? After quitting and selling out Alaska? It’s beyond disgusting.
60 Martha. I did. I might have gone overboard a little bit, calling her Paris Hilton with a “Fargo” accent, but that smirk all over the homepage just ticked me right off!
@ jimzmum
Good for you! I didn’t post my actual letter here because I, also, too went overboard – making sure that they understood my disgust in no uncertain terms.
Paris Hilton with a Fargo accent – poor Paris! Never thought I’d say that.
73 Martha
I figured it was Friday. It is nearly 5 p.m. here. I am still in my pajamas, although not in the basement. I have been staring at show photos all day and editing them until my eyeballs fell out about 10 minutes ago. The Grandgirlies are due in along with The People Who Take Care of Us after dinner for a weekend, and I need to get ready. However, here I sit.
So, I channeled that mess and let it rip! Fun!
@ # 61 Martha UAYS
Sent an email. Thanks.
Disgusting that the quitter should in any way be associated with one of the greatest endurance races in the world. Slap in the face to the mushers and their amazing dogs.