 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
| VacaChat News | Vriends News | Zorro's Corner | Recommended Watching | Fun Stuff | Newsletter Archives |
Vaca Shopping |
September 11, 2016
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
| Broadcast Schedule | Channel Links | Important News |
| Today!!! Sunday, September 11, 2016 |
| 3 PM PST/6 PM EST |
| Story Writing! Join us for all the "behind-the-scenes" fun as we write the new story! |
| 6 PM PST/9 PM EST |
| VacaChat Broadcast. Time for more fun, frivolity, festivity, and fervent activity! |
| Upcoming!!! Sunday, September 18, 2016 |
| 3 PM PST/6 PM EST |
| No Story Writing! We'll write again on October 2. |
| 6 PM PST/9 PM EST |
| No VacaChat Broadcast. The chatroom will be open at 6:00 PM PST (9:00 PM EST; 8:00 PM CST) |
 |
| Channel Links |
| The pop-out chat link no longer uses the old style chat.
However, it is still a nice way to save on memory and be able to refresh
without losing both chat and video. The easiest way to do this is to open the pop-out chat in a browser window. Log in. (Type a period in the chat line—hit enter. This will open the login screen.) Size this chat window to equal about 1/3 of your desktop space. Then open a new window or tab (Ctrl-T or Ctrl-N in most browsers) and use it to open the pop-out video. If you opened a new tab, you can then click on the tab and drag it to an open space on your desktop. Size it to about 2/3 of your desktop space beside the chat. Now you have both open and can refresh one without disturbing the other. You can resize either without resizing the other. I hope this helps. |
| VacaChannel |
| http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vacadude |
| Pop-Out |
| If you want to view the chat or video in pop-out screens, use the links below. Some find that this places less stress on their computer and/or its memory. |
| Video: http://www.ustream.tv/channel-popup/vacadude |
|
|
|
|
| If you use the pop-out links, it is recommended that you open two browser windows. That way, if one needs to be refreshed, the other is not affected. |
| Our Furred, Feathered, and Scaled Babies |
| We will soon have a new feature on the VacaNews
website. Send us pictures of you and your pets. We'll have a page
featuring all our animal family members. Send them to
vacachatb@gmail.com. Make sure
you include your chat name and your pet's name. You can also include
your real name and location if you want to. I've only gotten photos from a few people. (The new page will be posted soon—just waiting on some graphics from TheDude.) Surely more chatters have pets that they'd like to show to the world! |
 MODs Foundation |
|
The 5th Anniversary International MOD Meet!!! |
|
|
|
Click on the title above to see the entire Laughing Outside the Box 2015 series. |
| VacaChat Broadcast Changes |
| Look here for any changes to upcoming broadcasts. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||
| A Note from the Dude | Chatter News |
Prayer Requests |
Vaca Blog |
 |
| Hello Vriends, | ||
|
Welcome to September! Things have definitely been feeling pretty
fall-like around here, with the chilly mornings and leaves
burying our cars in the driveway.
The day after Labor Day my 3D printer kit arrived, so guess what I have been doing for the past few days. Yes, I have been endeavoring to build a 3D printer! The three motion axes (X,Y,Z) went together pretty smoothly, with about eight hours of work. However, the extruder carriage is proving to be a real challenge. I guess I should not be surprised--this is where all of the work really happens. You see, a spool of plastic filament is heated to where it is gooey and pushed through an extruder. After it comes out, fans blow on it to make it cool fast enough that it holds its form. So this one little carriage has a motor for pushing the filament through, a heater to melt the plastic, one fan to cool the heater, one more fan to cool the plastic after it exits, a temperature sensor to keep an eye on the extruder temperature, and a proximity sensor to let the machine know when the extruder head is too close to the print bed. All of that needs to get jammed into one small unit. So yes, it is a tricky build. But I'm hoping to get the machine up and running in the next couple of days. And the other big thing for me for this last week was that the 50th anniversary of "Star Trek" came and went. We went to a viewing party Saturday night and had fun watching three episodes with some like-minded friends. It was great fun! It really is surprising to watch that original series--it really doesn't look like it was made a half a century ago! I have been reading some of my book "These Are the Voyages" which chronicles the process of making the series during that first season. It really is a miracle that they managed to get the show off the ground at all! In some ways I almost feel as though actually landing on the Moon was easier... Well, it is time for me to roll up my sleeves and get back in there and have another go at that printer. I'm determined to get that sucker put together! Have a great week, everyone! |
||
| Cheers, VacaDude | ||
| Sharoot | Sharoot's featured pictures can be found
at the end of each newsletter, under Photos of the
Week. She says that since they are located at the end, then "Sharoot's
the Caboose!" Today we have photos of two beautiful avian friends. |
||
| Elsalynda | Elsalynda's latest column entitled Nature in the
City: Summer Moments, is available online here: http://waltham.wickedlocal.com/news/20160826/nature-in-city-summer-moments |
||
| Littleguys | Update as of August 2016: Great news. Both her mammogram and her oncologist have declared her to be cancer free for the second year in a row. She sends thank yous to all the people that have given her moral support. Also thank you to those of you who sent well wishes and congratulations on her Facebook page. | ||
| We'd love to include more news of VacaChatters. If you have something you'd like to share (something about you or your family) or if you know of exciting news about another chatter that they're just too shy to share, please send it to us! (We won’t run it without that chatter’s permission, however.) | |||
 |
| DotRot |
I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask everyone worldwide for some
special prayers. Please pray for the fostering and healing of relationships between races and ethnicities, between citizens and law enforcement and other officials, and between differing faiths. This madness must stop! |
||
| Jes | Jes has requested prayers. She has lost a close friend and is also facing some rather daunting medical tests and procedures. She is, of course, worried and stressed, and in need of all our prayers and healing vibes. | ||
| KSBorn |
UPDATE: (as of
6/19/2016) KSBorn writes: My Cancer has now Spread to my Upper Spine. So we are changing my Chemo and Hormone Blocker. Please continue the Prayers. I will keep you up-dated. |
||
| Marilyn Crabb | UPDATE:
Hi! I survived six months of chemotherapy. I'll have my breast
tumor and left axillary nodes removed on Friday, Feb. 13. Radiation will
be next. Please pray that the surgeon does a good job and all my cancer
is removed! My screen name was/is MarilynLA on UStream. (Marilyn from Los Angeles) |
||
| Elsalynda | (as of 3/27) Keep Elsalynda in your prayers. Elsa was recently in Mexico and had a great time until she was hospitalized there! Keep her in your prayers for continued good health for herself and her bird Nupi. | ||
| GentleDoe | Has anyone heard
from GentleDoe lately? The latest update we
have from GentleDoe is from 1/10/2016.
GentleDoe gives us much more information on her situation and
struggles. To read her entire post, click
here.
|
||
| Shari in Memphis | UPDATE!!!
We heard from Shari recently. She is now on the VacaNews mailing list,
so we'll be able to keep in touch with her more easily. She tells us,
"Hi guys! Shari in Memphis is alive. I've been having tons of health
problems, so that's tons of doc appointments! I have moved to northern
Arkansas, for health reasons, and looking forward to hub moving up here
in a couple of years, when he retires. It's gorgeous in the country, and
I love that we were able to find a place on a stream. Lots of wild
animals around! I miss you all. Shari (no longer in Memphis) (Shari Sides on FB)" |
||
| Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts for owl our wonderful VacaFamily members! If you have any prayer requests, updates or news of answered prayers, please let us know. Email us with the information so it can be included in the next newsletter. | |||
|
Check out VacaDude's blog! Don't forget to send VacaDude your comments to let him know how much you appreciate him, his time & his talent! (No recent updates) |
||
| http://vacadude.wordpress.com/ | ||
 |
||
| Vaca YouTube | ||
|
Be sure to check out the Dude's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/splinesmith/videos NEW VIDEOS ADDED!!! |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||
| A Message From Zorro | StoryTime News | Recipe of the Week |
| Hello there, Everbuddy! | ||
|
So the summer fair season is over, and now it is time to
settle in for the long, coming winter. I think I have
packed away enough food for the season. Mostly in the
way of deep-fried food. Meanwhile, the Dude is eating
lots of things made of soy and low-carb stuff--yuck!
I do hope he manages to get the 3D printer thingie going soon--I think we will have some fun around here printing and inventing things! We all went to the Star Trek party the other night, which was a lot of fun. Of course, the Dude brought a plate of veggies to the party, just so he would have something he could eat. Myself, I brought a tray full of cupcakes. I saw them in the store and just could not resist--because they all had brightly colored frosting--in the primary colors of red, yellow, blue, and green--so it looked just like the colors of the uniforms for the original series! Now, I like Star Trek--I really do. However, I have always been bothered by the fact that they never had any mouse crewmembers. They prided themselves on having a racially-diverse crew, but not a single rodent! And we even watched the episode called "The Trouble With Tribbles." On that one, they had a whole bunch of furry critters called Tribbles, and they were all played by robots. They could have easily cast mice in that roll. In fact, I would not even need any make-up or wardrobe changes...after I eat six or seven packages of brie, I kind of look like a big ol' Tribble anyway. The Dude even made a punk Tribble to take to the party. His name is Urf. He's a pretty cool cat, and he is pretty intimidating with his tattoos, piercings, and Mohawk haircut. But deep down he is a pretty cool guy. I just hope he doesn't give any of the rest of the critters here any bad influences, or everybody might start shaving their fur off! Well, it is time for me to shove off and get to my urgent agenda--starting with a nap!! |
||
| Yours Most Whiskerly, Zorro |
||
 |
| Next StoryTime | TODAY!!!
Sunday, September 11, 2016 3:00 PM PST/6:00 PM EST |
||
| Title | TBA | ||
| Invitation | We REALLY need story writers! Please consider dropping in and checking out the fun we have writing the stories. Honestly, it's not at all difficult to join in and you'll surely be glad you did. | ||
 |
If anyone wants to request a recipe or a recipe category, just email me.
|
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole |
|||
| Ingredients: | |||
|
2 packages (6 ounces each) reduced-sodium stuffing mix |
 |
||
| Directions: | |||
|
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare stuffing mixes according to package
directions. Meanwhile, whisk together soup and milk. Toss chicken with pepper; divide between two greased 13x9-in. baking dishes. Layer with ham, Swiss cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casseroles. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, covered, until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°, about 45 minutes. Uncover; bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. |
|||
|
Taco Stew |
|||
| Ingredients: | |||
|
1 pound ground beef 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 1 cup water 1½ cups frozen corn (about 7 ounces) 2 teaspoons chili powder ½ teaspoon ground cumin Crushed tortilla chips, optional |
 |
||
| Directions: | |||
|
In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no
longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, water, corn, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. If desired, top each serving with tortilla chips. Freeze option: Freeze cooled stew in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||
| Owl Cams | Other Bird Cams | Other Nature Cams | Video Picks of the Week | Inspiration |
 |
| Puffins | |||||
 |
Shetland Islands Puffins | http://www.shetland.org/puffincam/ | |||
 |
Sea Island, Maine |
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/puffin-burrow-cam | |||
 |
Sea Island, Maine |
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/puffin-loafing-ledge-cam These pages also contain links to numerous other nature cams. |
|||
| Eagles | |||||
 |
Southwest Florida Eagles
|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi6DdvVbbi8 | |||
 |
Black Eagle |
http://www.africam.com/wildlife/black_eagle_webcam |
|||
 |
Decorah Eagles |
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles | |||
 |
Berry College Eagle Cam |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/berry-eagle-cam | |||
 |
http://www.pixcontroller.com/eagles/index.htm | ||||
| Peregrine Falcons | |||||
 |
PA Falcon Cam |
http://www.pacast.com/players/falcon.asp | |||
 |
Commerce Tower Peregrines |
http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/wildlife-cameras/peregrine-falcon-web-camera Cam not live now but should be returning soon. |
|||
 |
Pitt Peregrine Falcon |
http://www.aviary.org/PF-NestCam1 | |||
 |
Gulf Tower Peregrine Falcon |
http://www.aviary.org/PF-NestCam2 | |||
 |
Emily
Falcon Cam |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/emily-falcon-cam | |||
 |
RFalconCam |
http://rfalconcam.com/rfc-main/ | |||
| Talking Birds | |||||
 |
Watch the Birdie |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Watch-the-Birdie | |||
 |
Disco |
https://www.youtube.com/user/MsJumpinJude/videos | |||
| Other Birds | |||||
 |
Hummingbird University of Arizona |
Marmou (Marilyn) sent this from her new home town in Arizona. This
little lady built a nest on the end of a data cable for a future
wireless access point. http://www.pdc.arizona.edu/webcam/ENR2_HummingBird.aspx |
|||
 |
California Condor San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego, California |
http://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/cams/condor-cam | |||
 |
KC Zoo Penguin Cam |
http://www.kansascityzoo.org/penguincam |
|||
 |
Whidbey Island Back Porch other assorted birds |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/katersch | |||
 |
Hellgate Ospreys |
http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/27/Hellgate_Ospreys/ | |||
 |
Ostrich Chicks |
|
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ostrich-egg-cam-live | ||
 |
Streaming Bird Cams |
http://www.beakspeak.com/ | |||
| Pandas | ||||
 |
San Diego Zoo Pandas |
www.sandiegozoo.org (click
on live cams)
or
http://www.ustream.tv/sandiegozoo. Zoo's
blogs: http://blognew.sandiegozoo.org/category/animals-and-plants/giant-pandas/ |
||
 |
Twin Pandas at |
|||
 |
Giant Panda Cam |
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/webcams/giant-panda.cfm | ||
| Bears | ||||
 |
Kansas City Polar Bears |
http://www.kctv5.com/category/244581/nikita-berlin-polar-bear-cam | ||
 |
Brown Bears and Salmon |
http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls (lots of other cams at this site, as well) |
||
 |
Black Bears |
http://www.bear.org/website/live-cameras/live-cameras/holly-bears-den-cam-live.html | ||
| Other Animal and Nature Sites | ||||
 |
Golden Paw-Prints Classic Golden Retrievers Oshkosh, Wisconsin |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/golden-retriever-puppy-cam All the puppies have gone to their forever homes. The cam is now offline. |
||
 |
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park |
http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/ | ||
 |
Wild Earth Safari Cam | http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wildearth-safaris | ||
 |
The Pet Collective |
http://www.thepetcollective.tv/livestreams/ | ||
 |
Critter Chat Cams |
|||
 |
Friends of Felines Rescue
Center |
www.ustream.tv/ffrc | ||
 |
Little House |
|||
 |
CC's Page of Links (scheduled for updating) |
|||
| Other Sites of Interest | ||||
  |
Fascinating Information about the Jeweled City | |||
|
John has talked about the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition
(PPIE). Tzunamie found us this link: |
||||
| http://home.comcast.net/~sgsanders/index.html | ||||
| Mother Owl Takes On Snake—and Wins | ||||
| Ketaki sent this in. She says, "I saw it live when it happened and it was so fast. It's too bad she didn't kill it and feed to the owlets. They could have used the food, and the snake, a rat snake, is non-venomous. But she was intent on protection. They run it in slow motion at the end so you can see her, and the inset window shows the snake coming down from the top." | ||||
| http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/05/150514-owl-snake-video-animals-fight/ | ||||
| This Bird Song Collection Will Get You In Tune With Nature | ||||
| http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=15112 | ||||
| Help in Identifying Birds | ||||
| Try www.whatbird.com It's helps identify lots of birds. | ||||
| Meet Zeus | ||||
| http://kittensdaily.com/meet-zeus-blind-owl-gorgeous-eyes/ | ||||
| Some Interesting Information About Someone We All Know Well | ||||
| http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1511369/ | ||||
| International Space Station Links | ||||
| During a recent
broadcast the Dude talked about the websites where one can view the
spacestation and the view that the astronauts have. Here are the links: This one has the map, but no chat. http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/ This site has a chat room. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload |
||||
 |
The Wind Wins!
A Symbiotic Relationship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFALyP2e7U
A Bonus Related Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1dnocPQXDQ
Pure Imagination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2pt2-F2j2g
I Sooooo Wanna Do This!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFVXsnq230c
AWWWW! Baby Pandas!
video.nationalgeographic.com/video/magazine/160713-ngm-rewilding-pandas
Classic Comedy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5lKbtCmvzI
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6QOr-oCTwU
176 Year Battery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=15&v=UtQGYz4f3YQ
Visiting My Friends
http://twistedsifter.com/videos/dog-walks-4-miles-into-town-each-day-to-say-hi/
PingPong Level: Chinese
https://www.facebook.com/shanghaiist/videos/10154841024976030/
Bonding
video.nationalgeographic.com/video/magazine/160615-ngm-virunga-national-park
Incredible Pantomime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3RthqsEaeQ
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||
| Just for the Fun of It |
Fun Animations | Photo of the Week | Zorro's Word of the Week |
 |
Origami Puffin
https://blog.puffin.co.uk/2013/04/16/how-to-make-an-origami-puffin/
Origami Tauntz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u-TF_W_z5g
Origami Zorro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMl92gjcv3Y
Origami Owl
http://www.origamiway.com/origami-owl.shtml
Another Fair Specialty for Zorro
http://www.spendwithpennies.com/grilled-bacon-wrapped-corn/
For the Dude's Birthday
http://blog.eeboo.net/2013/08/craft-idea-birthday-cake-box/
Unleash the Feesh!
OUCH!
Pure Athleticism
Taking Care of My Friend
Olympic Photoshop
Best Reaction Ever
From the Dude
Here are the photos I mentioned in the Notez.
First is the Rainbow Swoosh, a light painting.
Next, is an extreme close-up of a red agate.
And this is the 3D model of the Juno lander.
Sharoot's Caboose
Sharoot shares,
"
The second is our own baby Red Shouldered Hawk all grown up and perched on our fence, looking for a “birdie” snack.
| Kyle's well known among his friends for his "triple
groaner" riddles and jokes. Now he shares them with VacaFamily. Enjoy! |
|||
|
Where does a rabbit learn how to fly?
In the hare force. |
|||
|
What does the gorilla call his girlfriend?
His prime mate. |
|||
|
What do you get when you cross a wolf with a ceramicist? A hairy potter.
|
| ||
|
There are three guys in a boat with four cigarettes. They have no
matches or anything and were trying to come up with a way to smoke their
cigarettes. "I got it!" said the one guy as he threw one of his cigarettes overboard. "Why did you do that?" yelled his buddy. To which he replied, "To make the boat a little lighter." | |||
|
Why did the burglar take a shower? He wanted to make a clean getaway! |
|||
| It was time for the final and the
student depending upon getting at least one right answer on the
chemistry test. The question was "If H2O if water, what is H2O4?" This was a quick question for most, but it took the student some thinking time. Finally, he wrote down his answer: For drinking, washing, and cleaning. |
|||
| Think About It: Feathers are light. The sun gives off light. Therefore, the sun gives off feathers |
|||
| Upcoming Holidaze! | |||
|
September 2nd Sunday—National Pet Memorial Day September 11 National No News Is Good News Day “I Want to Start My Own Business” Day Make Your Bed Day Patriot Day September 12 National Chocolate Milkshake Day National Video Games Day September 13 National Defy Superstition Day Fortune Cookie Day National Peanut Day Positive Thinking Day Snack a Pickle Time Uncle Sam Day (his image was first used in 1813) |
September 14 National Cream-filled Donut Day Stand Up to Cancer Day September 15 Felt Hat Day (on this day, men traditionally put away their felt hats) Greenpeace Day Make a Hat Day William Howard Taft's Birthday (1857) September 16 National Stay Away From Seattle Day National Collect Rocks Day Wife Appreciation Day Stepfamily Day Mayflower Day Mexican Independence Day Working Parents Day National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day September 17 National Apple Dumpling Day Constitution Day |
||
 |
DELIQUESCE
Pronunciation: \del-ih-KWESS\
verb
Definition of DELIQUESCE
1: to dissolve or melt away
2: to become soft or liquid with age or maturity—used of some fungal structures
(as the gills of a mushroom)
EXAMPLES
"'Number Nine,' a 16-minute bonbon of a ballet …, keeps its yellow-clad ensemble and four principal
couples wheeling through kaleidoscopic patterns that surprise as they smoothly crystallize and
deliquesce, sometimes matching the musical rhythms, sometimes working against them."
— Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times, 26 Sept. 2012
"But wait. If you have the brisket, will there be room for the beef rib? There'd
better be, because it is
a triumph. The salt-and-pepper-coated smoked meat and fat deliquesce into a sort of beef confit."
— Mark Vamos, The Dallas Morning News, 25 Dec. 2015
DID YOU KNOW?
Deliquesce derives from the prefix de- ("from, down, away") and a form of the Latin verb liquēre,
meaning "to be fluid." Things that deliquesce, it could be said, turn to mush in more ways than one.
In scientific contexts, a substance that deliquesces absorbs moisture from the atmosphere until it dissolves
in the absorbed water and forms a solution. When plants and fungi deliquesce, they lose rigidity as they age.
When deliquesce is used in non-scientific contexts, it is often in a figurative or humorous way to suggest the act of
"melting away" under exhaustion, heat, or idleness, as in "teenagers deliquescing in 90-degree temperatures."
Test Your Word Knowledge
Fill in the blanks to create an adjective derived from Latin liquēre that is synonymous with wordy:
p _ _ li _.
Scroll Down for Answer
PROLIX
 |
VacaShopping for the Holidays
A NEW VacaShopping Site!!!
Vaca is now posting new items to Zazzle!
His new store is at: www.zazzle.com/Vacadude
The first item available is a note card or greeting card with an all new
Vaca drawing on the front.
Check it out at:
http://www.zazzle.com/owl_igloo_holiday_card-137686885203006237
Don't you need some new decorations for Valentine's Day?
Just think of all the VacaDude gifts!
Check them all out at VacaDude's CafePress store! Support our beloved
artist/broadcaster/friend!
http://www.cafepress.com/vacadude
MollyTheOwlBooks
Eric has discontinued the sales of all his books and merchandise.
of that and want one, let DotRot know
and she'll do what she can to make it available to you.
