csziggy
csziggy's JournalUpdate on April the Giraffe - basically nothing new
Animal Adventure Park has a video update with lots of information:
The official webcam site for live feed:
The others are not official - watch the top video for more informaiton
The big "news" is that they are wondering if April conceived a cycle later than they originally thought. Giraffe's cycle every 17 days - if she had conceived when they thought, she would have been due about February 24/25. If it was a cycle later, it could be two weeks before she has her baby.
She is NOT in labor yet - any bumps seen in her abdomen are just the baby moving around. Everything is normal, nothing to worry about, just a lot of waiting around for those few minutes of excitement!
Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum says hes running for governor
Jim Rosica
17 hours ago
Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a Democrat, Tuesday said he will run for Florida governor in 2018.
In a conference call with supporters, Gillum said he had a “clear and authentic voice to break through … and have an agenda for opportunity” for voters to identify with. He said he will focus on jobs and education.
<SNIP>
Gillum, a 37-year-old, has been the capital’s mayor since 2014. He first was a city commissioner, the youngest person ever elected to that body and is among the youngest people to run for governor.
<SNIP>
On the Democratic side, former Congresswoman Gwen Graham, also of Tallahassee, has announced she is considering running. Other names mentioned include Democratic mayors Bob Buckhorn of Tampa and Philip Levine of Miami Beach.
http://floridapolitics.com/archives/232954-andrew-gillum-governor
April the giraffe still has not had her baby!
Streaming video at:
I watched a couple of hours last night and stopped because I didn't think she was going to have her baby soon. I've never watched a giraffe have a baby except on video but from my experience monitoring my mares foaling I didn't think April was within a day or two.
Tonight she is much more restless and she's not spending any time hanging out with the giraffe outside her stall. The position of the baby has changed, which can be another sign birth is closer. I'm not sure she'll have her baby tonight but will watch for a while!
White House Joint Address Issue Survey:
Just got this email from the White House:
There is an incredible spirit of optimism sweeping across the Nation, and in preparation for this address, the President has hosted numerous listening sessions at the White House. During these meetings he has heard from men and women from all over the country about issues that are impacting American families, communities, and workers.
Now is your chance to give your input. We want to know what issues you want President Trump to focus on and your ideas for the future of our country.
It will only take a couple minutes to complete the survey.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/joint-address-issues-survey#page
The President is checking off the promises he made to the American people, and he won’t stop until the job is done.
The forgotten men and women of this great Nation will be forgotten no longer. That is the heart of this movement. As President Trump has made clear, this is your country and this is your Government, and now we want to hear from you.
It's not as stupidly designed as the other Trump surveys but there are still places for comments. It accepted my fake name and email so you don't have to give them real information.
An easier way to cook rolled flake cereal - even not cook it at all!
Even with a warmer winter, I like having cooked oatmeal for breakfast. Recently at our local food co-op I saw rolled barley flakes and decided to try that instead or in combination with my oatmeal. I love the flavor but barley just doesn't cook the same way that rolled oats do. Even the organic rolled oats from the food co-op don't cook the same as the barley does.
My usual way to cook one serving of old fashioned oatmeal from the grocery (Quaker or the store brand) is to put 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1/2 cup of milk, some cinnamon, and a shake of salt into a bowl. I microwave it for 1 minute, stir, then microwave at 30 second intervals stirring at each break until the oatmeal is thick and done. Then I add a teaspoon of butter, stir that in and add anything else I might want - fruit, honey, whatever. It works just as good for the organic rolled oat flakes from the food co-op.
The barley flakes just don't do well this way. The barley is much slower to absorb the liquid which means I have to watch the cereal cook so that it doesn't boil over. I have to break up the cooking times, let the cereal sit to let the barley absorb the milk, and pay way closer attention than I want to first thing in the morning.
Yesterday my husband was throwing out my last container of Quaker oatmeal. He mentioned that the box had a recipe for making cold oatmeal. I looked it up (at http://www.quakerovernightoats.com). Their recipe is to put equal amounts of old fashioned oatmeal and a dairy product: "Use a one-to-one ratio of raw oats and your choice of milk, yogurt, or any other dairy substitutes." Add fruit or whatever additions and let it soak in the refrigerator overnight - they recommend at least eight hours. If you like it cold, just pull it out and eat.
While I don't want cold oatmeal, I decided to adapt the recipe - I put my mix of barley and oat flakes in a bowl, added the milk (equal parts cereal and milk), covered it and let it soak overnight. This morning most of the milk was absorbed into the cereal, so much so that I added a little bit more milk, then microwaved as usual. It worked perfectly! No boiling over, perfectly cooked barley and oat meal for breakfast without a mess! And while even with closely watched barley flakes before there was more chewiness, with soaking overnight the texture was much better in my opinion - still some chewiness, but not as "raw" seeming.
Later today I will go buy some more rolled oat and barley flakes and maybe some rolled rye and wheat flakes to change out my breakfast choices.
25 Airbag Rainbow Explosion in 4K - The Slow Mo Guys
Rep. Gerrold Nadler files resolution that could be first legislative step towards impeachment
Headline on banner right now on MSNBC. Katy Tur interviewing Nadler (D-NY) - resolution of inquiry relating to intelligence about emoluments clause, business interests & violations of 18 different laws. 
Must be taken up by committee in 14 days.
Women can ignore law on 24-hour abortion waiting period, Floridas Supreme Court rules
February 16, 2017
BY MICHAEL AUSLEN
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
Women do not have to follow a state law requiring them to see a doctor 24 hours before having an abortion, the state Supreme Court made clear Thursday in a ruling that upholds a lower-court decision blocking the law from going into effect.
The 4-2 decision says the 24-hour-delay law, which was signed by Gov. Rick Scott in 2015, has a “substantial likelihood” of being ruled unconstitutional under broad privacy protections in the state Constitution.
“Because the right of privacy is a fundamental right within Florida’s constitution, this Court consistently has required that any law intruding on this right is presumptively unconstitutional and must be justified by a ‘compelling state interest’ which the law serves or protects through the ‘least restrictive means,’ ” Justice Barbara Pariente wrote in the decision.
The law has been effectively blocked for most of the 20 months since it went into effect.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article133096884.html
The law has not been overturned in the courts, this just keeps the stay that prevents it from being enforced. But it looks very likely that it WILL be overturned!
Now Spicer seems like an adult: Internet reels at Trumps rambling, incoherent press conference
David Ferguson
16 Feb 2017 at 15:07 ET
Pres. Donald Trump’s press conference on Thursday was combative, rambling, hostile and at times incoherent. Some web users wondered if they were watching a Saturday Night Live sketch. Others — like CNN’s Jake Tapper — said it seemed like “the airing of the grievances” from Seinfeld’s made-up holiday Festivus.
Others said it made Sean Spicer’s hot-faced, argumentative press conferences look professional by comparison.
Some of the best reactions are embedded below: {Follows various GREAT Twitter responses. The only one I will post is in my opinion the winner of the internet today.}
https://twitter.com/KatyTurNBC/status/832293731139198977
Katy Tur ?@KatyTurNBC 9h9 hours ago
When are the feats of strength?
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/now-spicer-seems-like-an-adult-internet-reels-at-trumps-rambling-incoherent-press-conference/
Way to go Katy!
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