Facial Hair

ZZ Top would be jealous.

I have had a moustache for over 40 years and at one time had a pretty big handlebar going until Julie nixed it. But I never aspired to facial hair stardom, as these men obviously do, and I never could have made it to first base in the International World Beard and Moustache Championships recently held in Germany.

Photos were borrowed from a Reuters story on the web Sep. 30, 2009.

Dungeness Crab

I went crabbing in the Siuslaw River this morning with my neighbor Dan and only came back with seven keepers. Actually catching crab is only half of the point though, with the other half being enjoying the beauty of the dunes and river.

The State of Oregon census taker was at the dock and duly recorded our catch, but the idiot behind us was caught with a native Coho Salmon, which will cost him at least $4oo, or more if it is not his first time. It is easy to distinguish between an illegal and legal Coho, thus the "idiot" title.

The Brain Strainer

Do not enter here unless you are looking to waste part of your day.................................
perhaps a goodly portion of your day.

http://www.globalspec.com/BrainStrainer/

Marina Seca

This is for Sandy and Chris. This is a web cam shot on Septmeber 9th at 7:17 AM taken from the Posada condominiums. As you can see the mast forrest is vertical.

More Video of SC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChUmDnLYzCg

More San Carlos Photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42253894@N04/show/

So sad.

Cleaning up in San Carlos

After reading the San Carlos Forum there is nothing new in the way of damage to report. Everyone seems to be getting into clean-up mode and helping one another. The Freeway, Highway 15, is still a mess, but people are able to get through. There was one report, or speculation, that the military is spread out throughout Guaymas to keep things under control, but that may just be guessing and not very helpful at that.

There are a few restaurants and hotels open, and power is back on in some areas, but water may take a while. Some wags joked on the Forum about how odoriferous gatherings may become until water is restored.

It is sunny there and things are drying out. I am rethinking my packing list for our trip there in November and think that more tools are in order. There will be plenty of opportunities to volunteer and if my Habitat for Humanity experience is a guide, there is always a lack of tools, or at least the right tools.

One of my "daily check" sites is the web cam somewhere up the side of the Posada condominiums. In the view of the camera there is a defunct hotel called the La Posada next to the Palapa restaurant on the beach. This hotel was the only structure in San Carlos in the late 1950's (?) when Chris and I first visited there with Aunt Joann as the adult in charge, with Steven, Tammy, Chris and myself as kids. I do not remember much about the drive down from Tucson, other than it was hot and the window mounted evaporative cooler did not help all that much. I do remember the first night in Sonora was outside Guaymas in and un-air conditioned motel, which prompted our San Francisco based Aunt to seek out other digs the next day. The sand at the La Posada was so hot that it was painful to make it to the water at my fastest run, but the rooms had AC! The restaurant was great and the water was warm. What more could kids want?

http://www.posadacondominiums.com/webcam.php

Real Estate Disclosure Laws

If you have ever sold a piece of real estate you know that full disclosure of EVERYTHING affecting the property is made in an effort to avoid being sued later, or at least standing a chace of prevailing if sued.

I am not sure how this homeowner would handle the disclosure problem, but I can think of a lot of creative ways that I would do it. Read on.

Fri Sep 4, 9:51 pm ET, Associated Press

UNIONTOWN, Pa. – A Pennsylvania history buff who recreates firearms from old wars accidentally fired a 2-pound cannonball through the wall of his neighbor's home. William Maser, 54, fired a cannonball Wednesday evening outside his home in Georges Township that ricocheted and hit a house 400 yards away. The cannonball, about two inches in diameter, smashed through a window and a wall before landing in a closet. Authorities said nobody was hurt.
State police charged Maser with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
No one answered the phone Friday at Maser's home. He told WPXI-TV recreating 19th century cannons is a longtime hobby. He said he is sorry and he will stop shooting them on his property, about 35 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

More San Carlos Video

This is a 9 minute video of San Carlos post Jimena.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E40-FolEfv4

San Carlos - Hurricane Jimena

For those of you that do not know what happened to San Carlos with the "remnant" of Hurricane Jimena, I thought it would be instructive to post some photos and captions.

I periodically follow the San Carlos Forum web site and this is the source of most of my information. Jimena stalled almost directly over S.C. for more than 24 hours after crossing over the Baja Penensula and one resident claimed that they recieved 22 inches of rain, and that was before the event ended. They have been cut off from Guaymas and Hermasillo for a couple of days by bridge washouts and the power has been mostly out.

"It's hard to tell, but those are boats from Marina Seca blocking the main road."

This is the main road into San Carlos, near Charley's Rock.

Note the water mark about 3 feet up the wall on this house in Tecali Park.

This is a post on the Forum from a local man with a screen name of EL MATON, apparenly really named Pillo;

"I have pictures bet you dont want to see ,be 17 sailboat and the beach 4 sailboat sink and the bay 7 chater boat sink(mostky cooperativa,and my brother boat AMIGO),no road is broked before la roca,cars and boats and the streets in front EL GUARDIAN STORE ,bet the worst ,real worst THE MARINA SECA whit the biggest damagge boats in side of the oficce becose water come front the mounts make one river and distoyer all he touch"

"Going to be a day or two before we know the situation at Seca. I've attached a shot taken this afternoon of what used to be the two-lane blacktop entrance road. Not a pretty sight." From Charlie on the Forum.

This photo is from Encanta storage, I think.

The current situation there is not good and their most immediate need is drinking water, which could be solved when power is restored. Some areas apparently do have power and internet, which is how the photos are getting out.

Media reports about this situation, at least from where I sit in the Northwest, have been virtually nonexistent.

I just got this from a post on the Forum. Video taken during the storm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbqUwnQ_Jz8