Wheeknee

Obama

2008-11-05T10:07:00.007-05:00

Le Kenya fête la victoire de l'enfant du pays
LEMONDE.FR | 05.11.08

Well, I guess it won't embed, so you'll have to clicky, click, click.

Whoa, This is Cool... and Kind of Spooky...

2008-10-22T21:24:00.001-04:00

Please.

2008-09-15T22:29:00.000-04:00

Lab Project Update

2008-08-09T12:30:00.005-04:00

Here are a few pictures from my latest work on my lab.

Oz

2008-06-17T22:53:00.008-04:00

Oz trip was fun:

More photos at "gallery.mac.com/ericbuck"

Cheers!

2008-05-27T17:31:00.005-04:00

Well, I may be warming to ole Hill-dog. At least she knows a quality beverage...

Obama

2008-05-24T15:09:00.014-04:00

I just saw Obama speak in Sunrise yesterday. A good, motivating speech, but better in person. A big crowd, maybe 15K+ of 20K capacity, and he did screw up by calling the town "Sunshine".

BFT Mattanza Term Paper

2008-04-04T18:03:00.006-04:00

Here's what I'm working on for my term paper this weekend:

(http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3706693n?source=search_video)

Mom & Dad Snorkeling off Key Largo

2008-03-22T17:04:00.003-04:00

O Really?

2008-03-04T17:39:00.001-05:00

Cute:

Pain Cave

2008-03-02T21:16:00.002-05:00

about Michael Friedman in the 63rd Omloop Het Volk on cyclingnews.com:

"He mustered every bit of energy he had when the race went into the red to hang on and finish within the top 15 in one of Belgium's top races. Friedman was impressed when Gilbert passed by, but did not lose sight even though the lights were dimming. "I was a already in the hurt locker [when Gilbert passed at kilometre 173]. I was in the pain cave and I had dropped the flashlight, so it was pretty dark at that point," he laughed. 'I was just hanging on. Like I said, it is an honour to be here and be a part of it.'"

Can you see the rings?

2008-02-21T01:24:00.005-05:00

This is an otolith from an unspecified billfish with clearly visible daily growth rings... It's what we are working on in Population Dynamics. The white perch were much easier...

...oh, and what was up with that satellite shoot-down???

Manatee in the Canal

2008-01-21T22:57:00.000-05:00

I went down to Manatee Bay today to check out a boat launch and saw these manatee munching on algae on the canal gates wall on the C-111 Canal near US-1. From what I could see they looked good - not too many boat scars - two adults and a little one.

Wet Lab

2008-01-06T22:29:00.000-05:00

My project is coming along. I've got the basic rig built in our lab and the water is flowing (not much flooding). Now it's time to check the gradient, then a thousand other details.

Not Looking Good

2008-01-02T17:38:00.001-05:00

I don't think I was going to vote for before I saw this but now.....

That Sounds Delicious!

2007-12-17T21:46:00.001-05:00

... and it's fun to live in a multicultural community...

Brrrrr!

2007-12-17T21:26:00.000-05:00

Nice

2007-12-05T22:06:00.000-05:00

I know it's small and light and compact, but I'm a still a little queasy about diesels and fossil fuel combusters in general selling on a save-the-reef motif I don't think Nemo would approve. All that soot and oil and rubber dust washing off the streets over the reefs..... blehck!

Man, and me with no snow...

2007-12-03T07:35:00.000-05:00

Pretty slick ride - Porsche's Kinderbob.

Evel - That Was One Tough Guy

2007-11-30T20:05:00.000-05:00

Sadly, Evel is gone...

Dive Camp

2007-11-06T06:31:00.000-05:00

What's left of the class went over to North Port to work on dive skills in Little Salt Spring.

More Wet Pix

2007-10-24T21:55:00.001-04:00

Bubbles - Biscayne Bay Reef Sweep

2007-10-09T22:20:00.000-04:00

Here's me drifting around trying to untangle some line without wrapping myself up. It was for the Biscayne Bay National Park Reef Sweep clean-up day.

It was good fun and good dive practice, and was actually on the one sunny day in two weeks of rain.

Kenny's Wedding Epilogue

2007-10-09T21:40:00.000-04:00

Well, thanks to all who carted me around and helped host me last weekend. I had fun seeing all the old MTB'ers and the more recent crowd, too. Pix:

Chattanooga- Kenny's Wedding

2007-09-21T06:25:00.000-04:00

I'm coming into town 6 Oct. I am diving Friday, so I have to wait until Saturday to fly in. With the ATL - Chatt shuttle, I should be in town around 12. And I'll need a ride to the wedding that afternoon (4pm) if anyone would offer to carpool....

PowerBooks For Sale

2007-09-18T21:39:00.000-04:00

I have two 2005 PowerBook notebook computers for sale. They will go to eBay next week, but if anyone is interested in seeing them please let me know.

They have both been well cared-for. My 15" has worked well but has been replaced; the 12" I am selling for a friend. the 12" has been ignored by its owner for the past year and a half, so is clean and in great shape. Both have had a fresh installation of the latest operating system, OS 10.4.10 (Tiger) and updates, as well as MS Office and Apple's '08 version of iWork (more info on PowerBooks here).

For the 15" I would ask $900.

For the 12" I would ask $700

Apple PowerBook G4 15" Al
(new '05) $900

1.67 GHz G4 processor
1 GB DDR SDRAM memory (upgradable to 2 GB)
100 GB hard drive
OS Tiger 10.4.10

Airport Extreme & Bluetooth wireless
DVD / CD burner (superdrive)
400 & 800 Firewire
2 USB (1.0 & 2.0)
ethernet port
internal phone modem
ATI Radeon 9700
128 MB VRAM
DVI and S-video out (w/ DVI to serial and S to RCA adapters)
PCI card slot
Sudden Motion Sensor
2-finger trackpad
back-lit keyboard

Battery replaced '06
(flaws: top has long thin staple scratch; one foot pad is missing; may need new power cord)

Apple PowerBook G4 12" Al
(new '05) $700

1.5 GHz G4 processor
512 MB DDR SDRAM memory (upgradable)
60 GB hard drive
OS Tiger 10.4.10

Airport Extreme & Bluetooth wireless
CD / DVD drive
CD Burner
400 Firewire
2 USB (1.0 & 2.0)
ethernet port
internal phone modem
mini DVI video out
nVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200
64 MB VRAM

Battery replaced 0709
(no start-up disks)

Tropical Marine Ecology

2007-09-18T21:24:00.001-04:00

My other credit course (no credit for the dive class). This one so far is focused on reefs and coral biology and ecology.

(sample slides from Chris Langdon's lecture today)

GIS

2007-09-18T21:20:00.002-04:00

This is what I am doing:

It uses a cranky old Windows program to modify all the ways the data is represented, but it should prove fairly useful, once I get more used to it.

The Daddy

2007-09-16T19:47:00.000-04:00

I just came across these old maps. This was a fun Chattanooga event. I hope someone puts it on again some day....

It was a 50 mile ride, down and then back up a 1000 foot mountain (Lookout) with a few hills in between. At the top of the main climb (Robert's Mill Rd) there was Spam available for time off your total elapsed time. After T1 there was a 13 mile trail run back down and up the same mountain. T2 was pretty easy - collapsing back in the parking lot. But the final liquid stage was tough - a can of the Beast. I never won the prized trophy - the legendary Herschel Walker's jock strap.

2007-09-08T10:10:00.000-04:00

Kyle Trowbridge photo (http://www.dorschgallery.com/)

Tiempo Limitado

2007-08-29T22:28:00.000-04:00

I wish I could do this again... Busy week - not much time to do much but sort shrimp at work, and run between classes. It should slow down next week with my work schedule cut in half. There has been one bright spot to all this new stress. Some of you may already know. Hopefully there will be more good news to come [retract that]. I need to catch up on reading....

I Always Thought These Soaps Were Bunk

2007-08-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

This was published in the Washington Post today.

Antibacterial Soap Claims Just Don't Wash
Tuesday, August 28, 2007; 12:00 AM

TUESDAY, Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Antibacterial soaps that contain triclosan as the main active ingredient are no better at preventing infections than plain soaps, say University of Michigan researchers who reviewed 27 studies conducted between 1980 and 2006 to reach their conclusion.

The team also concluded that these antibacterial soaps could actually pose a health risk, because they may reduce the effectiveness of some common antibiotics, such as amoxicillin.

That's because -- unlike antibacterial soaps used in hospitals and other clinical settings -- the antibacterial soaps sold to the public don't contain high enough concentrations of triclosan to kill bacteria such asE. coli.

"What we are saying is that theseE. colicould survive in the concentrations that we use in our [consumer-formulated] antibacterial soaps," researcher Allison Aiello, of the U-M School of Public Health, said in a prepared statement.

"What it means for consumers is that we need to be aware of what's in the products. The soaps containing triclosan used in the community settings are no more effective than plain soap at preventing infectious illness symptoms, as well as reducing bacteria on the hands," Aiello said.

The study is published in the August issue ofClinical Infectious Diseases.

Other types of consumer antibacterial products that contain different active ingredients such as alcohol (hand sanitizers) or bleach (household cleaners) were not included in the study.

More information

The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics has more aboutantibacterial agents.

SOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, August 2007

Key Biscayne Sprint Triathlon

2007-08-26T05:38:00.000-04:00

Third of a local sprint distance series this morning out on the key. Swimming along the beach, running around a parking lot, riding the causeway, including the Mount Tri bridge.

There was a pretty good turnout. So it's good that I rode the bike out, so even though I was late leaving the house, I was able to bypass hundreds of cars waiting to park.

There was a little sprinkle on registration, but by the time the sun came up the rain had stopped. The ocean swim was not too far off shore - most of the distance was along the beach in a deep pool with a sandbar on the ocean side of the course. As I was on the outside round the first buoy to avoid all the kicking I admit to using this bar to push off a few times... The wind blew into shore and the chop wasn't too bad. I breath more easily to the left, so I didn't drink too much sea water.

T1 was a long run across the wide beach and through along some sidewalks, then I had to sit down and have a cheeseburger before getting on the bike...

The pavement was a bit wet from the rain earlier, so I got a good start passing some cautious riders in the parking lots before we headed out onto the causeway. The bike leg went well. I kept a good pace - passing a good stream of riders. And I didn't get DQ'd for cutting the turns straight and passing on the right.

The run was slow and hot, but I didn't cramp and kicked a little at the end. Overall a decent attempt. And a well run event. The event was pricey, with not much schwag to show for the $60 entry fee (Multirace.com).

I ended up seeing some friends there. Leah Harmon and her boy, Gus, were around. Leah won her 20-29 age group, and Gus provided support - also posing for several photos in his chicken hat... Thanks for the Hammerhead tri club BBQ invite Gus - good meat and beer.

Oh, btw, the high today was around 90 F, like it has been for the past four months, no triple digits here...

Something Like This

2007-08-23T22:28:00.000-04:00

... will be what I am working on for the coming months...

(copyright ELB '07)

New Student Picnic at Prez Shalala's Spread

2007-08-21T06:04:00.000-04:00

A little rain shower, but good food and a beautiful location on a canal in Coral Gables, with band (Suénalo) and some new RSMoids.

Jury Duty

2007-08-21T05:58:00.000-04:00

Even with everything else going on we can't forget our civic duties. I spent a thoroughly dull day in the Miami-Dade criminal courthouse - I didn't make the cut.

Biscayne Bay Sampling

2007-08-21T05:51:00.000-04:00

A couple of shots showing the sampling routine for the western mangrove shoreline of Biscayne Bay.

Terp in Biscayne

2007-07-23T02:05:00.000-04:00

A rare diamondback terrapin a couple of hundred meters off the mangrove edge in the warm as bath-water Biscayne Bay last week on our three-day sweep-trap sample trip.

(sorry - couldn't figure out how to rotate for the web page - I'll work on it)

Florida Bay Shots

2007-07-23T01:20:00.000-04:00

Some pix from my last trip to Florida Bay out of Flamingo:

Joe and Maria

Hard Work

New Gig - Sampling Shrimps in Florida and Biscayne Bays

2007-07-13T16:06:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick post on my new J.O.B. It looks like it's going to be good, with pleasant, smart, reasonable, hard-working people with whom to work. And selfishly, it should fit multiple needs for me.

I'll be working as a contractor through U of Miami's CIMAS catch-all division with Joan Browder of NOAA's SEFSC South Florida Everglades Ecosystem Restoration project (more on the project, more). As well as being interesting work that should help pay some rent, I should have access to some good advice and data on the Biscayne and Florida Bays ecosystems from which to mine some sort of master's thesis work. This position will also make it easier to take some courses at UM-RSMAS towards my master's degree, as I may get some financial help and the school is right across the street from work...

Sarkozy Runs

2007-07-07T00:22:00.000-04:00

(Photo by Remy De La Mauviniere -- Associated Press)

"I am not deterred . . . by the accusation that jogging is right-wing," he says. "Of course it is right-wing, in the sense that the facts of life are generally right-wing. The very act of forcing yourself to go for a run, every morning, is a highly conservative business. There is the mental effort needed to overcome your laziness.

By Joel Garreau
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 7, 2007; Page C01

Traveling

2007-06-27T21:25:00.000-04:00

I don't drive a very straight path. On my way back to Miami from Houma I found my way to Chattanooga, Charlotte, D.C, and Southern Maryland, visiting friends and family. Look for another entry soon explaining what I will now be doing back in Miami.

Stop-Off at Abita for Dinner and some Mementos

First "See Rock City" Sign in Alabama

First Big Hills

Blurry Shot of Chattanooga Waterfront

Dinner with Friends in Chattanooga

N.C. Hills

Lake Fontana - Low

Crawdad in the Nantahala River

Ruby Mine

A Little Car Work After a Fun Day Scrounging the Salvage Yards for Parts (http://www.pullapart.com/)

Francis Scott Key Memorial in Georgetown

C&O Canal, G-town

Me & Sis

G-town Campus Tour

Sis

Borf in Georgetown

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History (D.C.)

Tracy (better as a blur...)

Stopped in Jax to wait out rush hour.

Back in Miami (Coral Gables)

Last... sniff, sniff... Trip to N.O.

2007-06-15T07:55:00.001-04:00

Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar

St. Louis Cemetery

Louisiana Longboards - (lalongboards.com)

2007-06-10T14:23:00.000-04:00

Nice stylish, comfy longboards, made right here in Houma.Derek can't wait to ride his new blue "Big Easy".
What about a black "Mosquito" (like the one on the table) or "Genesis" (below) with the "Big Easy" graphics, fish tail, and big clear wheels with a truck lift?

Matt and Dan of Louisiana Longboards.

Punkathon - Houma

2007-06-10T11:23:00.000-04:00

Pictures from the Punkathon at the Brickhouse in Houma, La.

Mmmmmm... Shiner and Abitas readily available

All this for Cheree's B-day

Nice Tats...

Houma Update

2007-06-04T16:48:00.000-04:00

Not really much going on in Houma. I'm back from my second trip out on the tuna fishing boat, which was a long one (15 - 30 May). I'll still be around Houma, La for a while, as our project runs through 15 June.

Here are some pix from various various adventures in La.

E

One way to get the move done.

Some of the long liners at dock.

Somewhere in this shot is a roseate spoonbill flying off. This is a surprising wildlife area behind the WalMart in Houma.

.

Fun on Frenchman's Street in N.O

Stunned self-portrait to show at-sea beard growth (now cleanly shorn).

Job Description for Five-Year-Old

2007-05-13T20:07:00.000-04:00

... necessary small talk about what's going on with her... then a pretty simple but accurate description of what I've been doing...

My new job is observing fishers catching big tuna and swordfish out in the Gulf of Mexico. I will report to the federal government agency which sets the regulations for the fishery. My reports will help determine future regulations for the species of fish effected by this fishery.

I will be stationed in Houma, Louisiana, near New Orleans, through June. It is a rural area sort of like southern Maryland where you are, but there are more swamps, and bayous, and alligators. This is an interesting area. There are descendants of french settlers, so there are family and place names in french, and the speaking accents of the locals are different from what you hear other places.

Back on Terra Firma

2007-05-05T02:34:00.001-04:00

I'm back on land, very aware of my underappreciated usually low risk life...

As it's all double top secret confidential stuff, I have no new pix from my latest adventure. But imagine lots of big amazingly powerful and intensely colorful fish (bright blues, purples, and yellows) manhandled on a slippery deck, big deep indigo waves, clear horizons (moving in all unpredictable directions, sea spray, rich red meat, and decks awash in bright red blood... and me staggering around on a pitching deck in white shrimp boats, bright orange Grundens foulie bottoms and blood splattered old white college t-shirt with a tape measure and buck knife - and of course regulation PFD and survival packet. Up at 5 for a haul?

I had an accomodating and helpful crew that could use some multi-species sensitivity training, and it's amazing that there can be so little fresh air 100 miles off shore in the Gulf, but overall it was a hearty experience. I just need to screw up my courage to do it all again in a week or so.

Maybe it was just something I ate? More fluids next time.

E

Road Trip to the Delta

2007-04-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

It's good to see some hills again - FL Panhandle

Then it's flat again around Mobile and down to N.O.

Nice swamps near Dulac, La.

Off to Sea

2007-04-11T23:09:00.000-04:00

Ernest and friends with some of their catches:

So I'm headed to Louisiana to go onto the Gulf to play with fish for a couple of months - see "Some Chicken" post.

(Images from http://www.antiquefishingreels.com/galleryFishing.html and http://www.popeyespoopdeck.com/000-theclub.htm)

Observer Training, Sir!

2007-04-07T19:34:00.000-04:00

Here are some scenes from the Jimbo's field trip. Click on the image to download the full resolution file.

Showing up in style...

Rolling Stones

Some Chicken...

2007-04-05T00:07:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess I have about decided to go out on the Gulf to hunt some of these down. Unfortunately it will not be a true fair fight as some of my friends would prefer. I'll be on a big boat smelling like fish for a couple of months like the poor guy on deck below.

Sunday

2007-03-25T16:03:00.000-04:00

More Everglades Pictures

2007-03-24T17:30:00.001-04:00

Well, now after hearing from another old friend, I feel I need to maintain a steady stream of adventures coming. This is really not much of an adventure, as the trail is flat and paved with convenient parking and restrooms nearby, but the gators and anhingas are always cool.

Many Gators.

All the way down at Flamingo, we didn't see any of the namesake birds, but we did finally see some white pelicans and roseate spoonbills. Bothe species are quite small in this picture. I need to invest in some high-end digital and underwater photog kit.

Brown Water Snake (?)

Anhinga

Green-backed Heron

Talbot Visit

2007-03-24T17:22:00.001-04:00

Anita and Paul from Chattanooga came to visit

After a day spent frying at the beach, I had to take them to Jimbo's.

... and Robert Is Here for milkshakes and fruit after a trip to the Everglades.

This is an older picture of Chattanooga. It is a nice town, and a close friend may be moving back there if he has the cojones....

Key Largo Larva Tracking Trip

2007-03-24T17:03:00.000-04:00

These pix are from the beginning of the month.

This is the Neuston net with which we trawled.

This is Klaus who swam with the fishes. He jumped into the 400-foot deep blue sea to watch a 1 cm blue and semi-transparent mutton larva. We then drove the boat away to leave him alone with the fish.

This is Dan. He threw up.

This is the canal in Key Largo.

This is a nice home, or at least a nice looking house.

Ubi o ubi est mea sub ubi?

2007-03-24T16:07:00.000-04:00

Very cool DH chick: http://mtbike.mountainzone.com/blogs/marla_streb.
She is one of the cooler DH pros. I remember her playing a grand piano while waiting for a riders' meeting to start at one of the races.

Tortugas February

2007-03-06T17:54:00.000-05:00

Another Fun-Filled Trip to Play with the Fish of the Dry Tortugas

This is me hard at work trying to reel in a large rock...

Nick and a big red

The Fishing Crew with Cap'n Toby manning the helm once again

Star Fisher, John H.

Describing His Hooking Technique

Beautiful Tiger

Maybe we should reconsider this? (Thanks to the special mission photographer for these out-of-boat shots)

Big Sharp Teeth, but tagging successful

Crew

Joey C. and a nice cero

Our other master fisher, Hyatt

Bonnethead

Scorpionfish

Amber Jack

More Little Sharks

For the most part it was good weather and calm seas...

WQFS

2007-02-12T21:22:00.000-05:00

But I wish my old college station would stream.

Projects

2007-02-12T21:12:00.000-05:00

I still want another of these some day. I like the blue, maybe lose the deep air dam though...

WOXY Is Back!

2007-02-12T21:09:00.000-05:00

They have been back for a while now, but I forgot to mention it. I am enjoying the tunes (http://woxy.lala.com/). And the Vintage channel is good, too.

Daytoner 24

2007-01-31T11:54:00.001-05:00

Me

Ah, My Fellow Fans...

Nice 2002

Night Blurs

I wonder which team he is with?

Hard Work in the Garages Through the Night

Here's an RX-8 for the Mazda fans. I didn't see much of this one in the race, but the ones from Speed Source Racing were there after 24 and sounded great over the whole distance.

Miami Beach Diving

2007-01-26T12:52:00.000-05:00

a few pix from the ride out to dive on some wrecks and reefs of Miami Beach...
Now I need to get some underwater photog equipment...

Tortugas

2007-01-09T15:33:00.000-05:00

Pictures from RSMAS research trip to the Dry Tortugas, 68 miles west of Key West. Good trip with fun crew and cool fishies.

Crew at Fort Jefferson

"Soft Handle"

Mike L. at Ft. Jeff

Black Grouper

Chief Scientist

No Explanation Found...

Operating Theater and Cap'n Toby

Big Goliath Grouper Under Boat at Fort

Pepper and His Shark (C. brevipinna?)

Marjesca and Nick

Ft. Jeff Lighthouse

Sis Visit

2007-01-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

OK, Robin, here are the pix from New Year's. I had fun showing you around. I hope you had a good time.

E

War Machine

2006-12-19T19:17:00.000-05:00

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Jason Snydor Art

2006-12-09T15:10:00.001-05:00

Some interesting work done by one of my past Maryland roommates, http://www.jasonsnyderart.com/main.html.

Osceola's Buying Burgers

2006-12-07T18:57:00.000-05:00

AP: "At a Thursday news conference in New York that began with a blessing from a tribal representative, tribe Vice Chairman Max Osceola compared the sale to when American Indians sold Manhattan to the Dutch for "trinkets."
"We're going to buy Manhattan back one hamburger at a time," Osceola said.
Hard Rock International President and Chief Executive Hamish Dodds gave Osceola a guitar that belonged to Hank Williams Sr."

Semester

2006-12-03T14:58:00.000-05:00

Well, hopefully I finished up the semester OK. I have a lab practical on fish identification, then two lecture exams, and then I'm finished.

After that still some choices for next semester... which is better than no choices...

What does Leibniz know?

2006-11-05T18:00:00.001-05:00

This must be useful for something...

Vultures

2006-11-05T13:15:00.000-05:00

The Black Vultures have returned to soar over Miami. The locals see this as a welcome sign that most of the oppressively hot weather is done for the year, and that cooler weather is here for a while.

View from Wetlab

2006-10-22T17:03:00.000-04:00

... of the R/V Walton Smith in Bear Cut between Virginia and Biscayne Keys.

Finally Field Work

2006-10-22T16:53:00.000-04:00

It was good to get out on a boat again. I boat-tended while these guys did surveys of juvenile reef fish off the east coast of Key Largo. I did get to do some free-diving to start to learn some new-to-me fish species. An under-water camera would be good... really I saw cool fish....

WOXY?

2006-10-01T11:52:00.000-04:00

So where is WOXY?

Cory the Coryphaenid is Coming Along

2006-09-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

Cory is coming together now. After some scraping, soaking, bleaching, and deft use of a hot glue gun (without parental supervision) the head is taking shape.

E

Fish Pix - Coryphaenid

2006-09-08T16:02:00.000-04:00

Our Lab project in Fish Systematics is to dismember and then reassemble a fish head.

Here's some pix of our long suffering Coryphaenid: