Tales From the Tail

Stack: Is my nose really that big?

Julie: They say if your paw is the same size as your nose it means you're exceptionally smart and highly intellectual. Hold it up and I'll show you...

Stack: Oh boy, Ok.

*THWACK*

Friday's Fact: Biggest Living Organism

Armillaria ostoyae

People have known about the "honey mushroom" for some time, but were not aware of how large and invasive this species of fungus could be. The fungus was investigated more closely by researchers when they realized that it was responsible for killing large groves of evergreen trees. When foresters cut into an infected tree they would find spreading white filaments, mycelia, which draw water and carbohydrates from the tree to feed the fungus. Researchers collected samples of the fungus from a widespread area and analyzed the DNA. A large sample of the specimens they collected turned out to be from a single organism.

Until August of 2000 it was thought that the largest living organism was a fungus of the same species (Armillaria ostoyae) that covered 1,500 acres (600 hectares) found living in the state of Washington. But then mycology experts surmised that if an Armillaria that large could be found in Washington, then perhaps one just as large could be responsible for the trees dying in the Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Researchers were astonished at the sheer magnitude of the find. This most recent find was estimated to cover over 2,200 acres (890 hectares) and be at least 2,400 years old, possibly older.

Wednesday's Worst - #17

Worst "Healthy" Burger

Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger

"Healthy" and "Burger" have never gone hand in hand. Oh, but they want you to believe that this Turkey burger is sooooo healthly. It's good for you! Look, there's something that resembles a tomato. They care so much about your livelihood and ability to see your feet while standing, don't they?

I doubt it.....check out how this behometh weighs in:

1,145 calories

71 g fat

56 g carbs

Do you remember what I told you about carb intake? That's the least of your concerns. How many restaurants like this will serve just a burger? Gotta have those fries, yeah? How 'bout a Coke and smile? And a few more chins while your're at it.

Next week: Burrito de la Muerte!

Autopilot

The blog has been on cruise control while I rally the troops in my head. There's been a lot of things going on lately that pulled me away for one reason or another.

Although, it may just be the Sloth in me.

Curse you fourth deadly sin. Curse you...

The good weather last weekend allowed me to get back on the van pimping project I started last month. I finally cut the last panel for the remaining section of the wall. I also have the "rough draft" of a platform to store our extra crates and x-pens. Couple of tweaks here and there and it's ready for finishing. I have one gripe, though. I wish I owned a planer/jointer. It is so hard to find the right material to build everything straight and true. It would be nice to have something with straight edges and corners once in a while. Lowe's sure isn't helping me, though. They just kicked a nugget to me in the form of a gift card, although they left a couple zero's off of it. Just enough to draw me into the store (like that's hard) but not enough to realize the dream. I hope to get back to it this weekend, but we may be rather busy.




On a more painful note, my Volvo, Ingrid, as been admitted once again to the Grim Reaper's La Casa automotora de Separación Financiera. She's been hemorrhaging black gold for the past week and the diagnosis isn't good. As soon as I heard, "The leak seems to be coming from a sealed component", my heart sank. Why can't it be, "Hey it looks like the drain plug was loose", or something like that? I may have to take her for a long drive out to the middle of nowhere one of these days...




Finally, to end on a finishing note similar to nails on chalkboard.....yeah, you just imagined that, didn't you? My portable hard drive is now a bona-fide Illinois Governor. Yep, it's corrupt. I'm hoping to find an unconventional (cheap) way to recover some important pictures and files off of it, so I'm open to any suggestions you might have. I've already done an inquiry at the local nerd brigade and the recovery fee is mighty steep.