Wayde and I have been watching, rather sadly, the last couple of weeks as several people have been cleaning and fixing the little blue house on the right as you go down the hill and out of the LVH gate. Sadly, because we knew there was an elderly man living there and we have to surmise he either went into a home or passed away. It is nice to see the house fixed up, though. As we were driving by yesterday afternoon we noticed a man cleaning the roof. I thought I saw something else on the roof and asked Wayde to go back to take a look. Sure enough, as you see to the left of the stove pipe there is a small raccoon. The raccoon just stood there while the man worked, apparently they were friends. What a nice way to end the day!

Goodbye Mary...

Color-blindness Cured by Gene Injection in Monkeys

Color-blindness Cured by Gene Injection in Monkeys: "A simple injection of cells has cured monkeys of color-blindness—giving a green light to future research into improving human vision with gene therapy, a new study says."

Oregon Coast Dining Guide: A Look at Newport Restaurants

Oregon Coast Dining Guide: A Look at Newport Restaurants: "Along Oregon's coast, Newport sports something different in the way of eateries. There are more restaurants with outdoor eating areas than anywhere along these shores. And there's a unique mix of places to eat along the bay, with a beachfront view or in especially handsome interiors."

Cat and faucet

Coyotes @ play Damascus, OR

fire behind Passadena @ Jet Propulsion Labratories

This photo emailed by John Spangler

Navy to Make Jet Fuel From Seawater: Discovery News

Navy to Make Jet Fuel From Seawater: Discovery News: "The U.S. Navy could soon be sailing through an ocean of jet fuel if new research proves economical.

By extracting dissolved carbon dioxide from seawater and combining it with hydrogen stripped from water molecules, Navy chemists hope to one day secure a cheap and steady fuel source for its fleet of jets."

Still Life: Bear in a Chair - Dot Earth Blog - NYTimes.com

Still Life: Bear in a Chair - Dot Earth Blog - NYTimes.com: "A black bear sat in a lawn chair briefly during a backyard foray in Philipstown, N.Y., in mid-August."

Google Reader (558)

Google Reader (558): "'Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.'"

What the Heck is the Public Option in simple language

I found this on the internet and it explained the public option in terms I can understand...

OSU now offering a Mastery of Aging certificate | Local News | kgw.com | News for Portland Oregon and SW Washington

OSU now offering a Mastery of Aging certificate | Local News | kgw.com | News for Portland Oregon and SW Washington: "Older adults can take a college course and earn a certificate in the mastery of aging well through a new Web-based program developed by Oregon State University.

(kgw.com graphic)

Co-branded by AARP Oregon, the program developed at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center in Central Point is expected to have nationwide reach, says Sharon Johnson, the OSU associate professor who designed the coursework and Web content.

'This is one of the first times the university has really targeted older adult students,' Johnson says."

Woods Hole of the West? That's what Newport hopes to become - OregonLive.com

Woods Hole of the West? That's what Newport hopes to become - OregonLive.com: "When the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced last month that it would move its Pacific fleet to Newport, the analogy on many lips was Woods Hole, as in Newport is going to be the Woods Hole of the West.

Comparing little old Newport, home to the Hatfield Marine Science Center, to Woods Hole, home to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts, may seem a pretty big stretch."

Officers seize dogs, rabbits from filthy Newport home - OregonLive.com

Officers seize dogs, rabbits from filthy Newport home - OregonLive.com: "The Lincoln County Animal Shelter, working with Newport police, seized two dogs and 13 rabbits today from a garbage-filled home in Newport, police say.

Officers responded Thursday to reports of a barking dog at the only home on a dead-end street about a block from the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area."

Commentary: Why seniors are health reform winners, not losers | McClatchy

Commentary: Why seniors are health reform winners, not losers | McClatchy: "seniors are likely to be big winners if responsible health reform passes and prime victims if it fails. The casualties will not only be today's elders, but the Baby Boomers, who are the next generation of seniors. They will all pay the price if the existing health system is allowed to fester."

The FLU

H1N1 Flu and General Flu

H1N1 -- At risk groups are:

• Small children and
• Young adults up to age 35-40

Have a Flu Buddy.

• Make arrangements with family or friends to call them if you are too sick to care for yourself but not sick enough to go to the Emergency Room.
• Need someone to go to the store for you.
• Someone to be sure you are hydrated and eating.
• Your Flu Buddy needs to wear a mask around you and be absolutely sure to wash their hands. Gloves would be best.

General Information:

• Oregon has had 105 hospitalizations of H1N1 flu resulting in 12 deaths
• The US has had 9000 hospitalizations resulting in 555 deaths (.06% of those hospitalized died)

Get Your Flu Shot -- No Excuses

• You CAN NOT get sick from a flu shot. The vaccine is killed -- dead; it can’t infect you.
• You may feel a general achiness and have a low grade temperature (100 – 101). This is your immune system working to protect you.
• If you are allergic to the preservative they make vaccines without preservative.

The Flu is NOT a Cold is:

• Slow onset. Feeling generally icky
• Scratchy throat
• Runny nose
• Low grade temperature under 101

The Flu Is:

• One day you are feeling fine but the next day you feel horrible.
• High temperature 102 or higher.
• Coughing
• Possible vomiting and diarrhea (only 25% of H1N1 patient present with these symptoms).

Elderly fraud victim amazed and pleased at outpouring of good wishes and offers of help - OregonLive.com

Elderly fraud victim amazed and pleased at outpouring of good wishes and offers of help - OregonLive.com: "In February 2008, Roth's health was dire after she was diagnosed with a cancerous growth on her esophagus. But she did not die. Instead, she made a remarkable recovery, only to learn her cousin and niece, who had obtained power of attorney while Roth was ill, had sold her Southeast Portland house of 56 years. Police say they deposited the money into Roth's bank account and then wrote checks to themselves and family. They emptied out her accounts, cashed her annuities and even arranged and prepaid her funeral."

Boat capsizes in Newport surf - OregonLive.com

Ron says... 18ft of boat doesn't appear to be big enough... Last week's drowning was also an 18ft.

Boat capsizes in Newport surf - OregonLive.com: "Three Albany men were treated for hypothermia, cuts and bruises and released from a Newport hospital this afternoon after their 18-foot boat capsized off South Beach State Park."