Spotted tail. Moron.
Lots.
Next?
Oh yes, the melatonin question i was asked a couple of weeks back when I went away.
Um, nobody really knows. Melatonin does have significant effects in maintaining and phase-altering one’s sleep cycle. Small doses (1 mg or less) can be used to initiate sleepiness, and reset the body clock forward to cope with jet lag. Melatonin dos not actually generate the circadian rhythm (that is done by a pair of small brain nuclei), but is involved in helping signal it from the pineal gland to other parts of the hormonal system. Some studies show that it works well for some kinds of insomnia, others do not support it: perhaps it depends on the kind of insomnia you have and reflects a range of susceptibility to such a drug (for brain things like sleep, there is huge variation in how people are wired and how they have established ways of getting to sleep). Larger doses have other effects too.
Melatonin has been touted as a dream enhancer. It enhances the amount of time spent in REM sleep, which is when we dream. perhaps it does nothing about the quality of dreams, just increases our recall of them. Some people get great dreams, some get nightmares right off the bat. Again, individual variation. But here it is less straightforward as dreams and nightmares are essentially the same thing with different content…
as for the situation of melatonin first giving you good dreams then bad ones as you keep taking it, I have no explanation for that.
Where can [I] find this Spotted Tail Moron?
Okinawa. Not sure about the tail, though.
I think I spotted some tail around here somewhere.
Me neither, more’s the pity. 
But I doubt they’re coyotes or bobcats, seeing as how neither are found in Taiwan.[/quote]
I was guessing this was in the States some where South West judging by the soil.
It’s a domestic/feral cat if it’s in Taiwan. I can’t judge by the photo the size-you should lay a coke can down next time for reference. I’m sure it’s some kind of cat.
Here’s a link
http://www.bear-tracker.com/bobcat.html[/quote]
Yes, it is in the states, Northern AZ, the noise was more like mewing than yelps. The tracks were about 2.5" long, they also didn’t have nail marks, which is more likely coyote tracks.
Domestic cat is unlikely, my nearest neighbor is 1 mile away.
I don’t hunt anymore either, but I think it is time to get a gun, those tracks are about 50 ft. from my son’s playhouse.
Hey uro, do you know stuffs about parabens in cosmetics being hormone disrupters and hence having effects on certain cancers in wimmins? I’ve been trying to google but I just see conflicting reports, and I’m not rilly edumacated enough to understand the sciyunce.
Generally, I only buy stuff from Neal’s Yard or Lush, mainly because I’m a delicate little tomato who comes out in hives at the slightest thing. Lush’s website sounds squealy and defensive on the topic. Other websites are just as squealy on the other side.
Yes, I’m neurotic, I know.
It does look like they can raise cancer rates slightly, especially when one sees that parabens are absorbed rather easily through the skin. They are stored in fat so they can rise to high levels in the body where they are now known to mimic oestrogens (there actually is no single molecule called oestrogen, but a group of maybe ten hormones. Their effects are so similar that for simplicity they are collectively known as oestrogen (or oestrogens) for “inducing oestrus”, which is we all know is the festival of Easter.
OTOH, there are other factors at work here. I found a just-published article that refers to your earlier question about aluminium in deodorants… the rate of upper outer quadrant breast cancers as a proportion of all breast cancers has risen about 40-50% (ie, from 30-35% of breast cancers to 50-60% in UK), which is attributed to increased use of aluminium deodorants in the armpit (upper outer breast quadrant). of course, are there parabens in these deodorants too?
paraben free cosmetics might be the go if you use every day. but for irregular use, say in a sunscreen, or for tiny applications, eg eyeliner, perhaps there is less need to worry.
The tracks in that photo are not domestic cat tracks–too large and too heavy an animal. I’m with Sandman that they’re wild cat tracks. I don’t think they’re bobcat tracks, though. Bob cats have large tufts of hair between their toes and those tracks are too clear and clean. Mountain lion or puma, maybe. Yes, I believe there are stil pumas.
[quote=“urodacus”]It does look like they can raise cancer rates slightly, especially when one sees that parabens are absorbed rather easily through the skin. They are stored in fat so they can rise to high levels in the body where they are now known to mimic oestrogens (there actually is no single molecule called oestrogen, but a group of maybe ten hormones. Their effects are so similar that for simplicity they are collectively known as oestrogen (or oestrogens) for “inducing oestrus”, which is we all know is the festival of Easter.
OTOH, there are other factors at work here. I found a just-published article that refers to your earlier question about aluminium in deodorants… the rate of upper outer quadrant breast cancers as a proportion of all breast cancers has risen about 40-50% (ie, from 30-35% of breast cancers to 50-60% in UK), which is attributed to increased use of aluminium deodorants in the armpit (upper outer breast quadrant). of course, are there parabens in these deodorants too?
paraben free cosmetics might be the go if you use every day. but for irregular use, say in a sunscreen, or for tiny applications, eg eyeliner, perhaps there is less need to worry.[/quote]
Thanks, that’s great info. Yes, I am thinking about lotions, etc, that I put all over my bod.
I’ve been experimenting deodorants and the one I like most is Tom’s of Maine, which might be available in Jasons? Or I just skip it. Your body adjusts. Not usually parabens in deodorant - I guess the alcohol preserves it?
Thanks again!
Thanks for all of your reply’s.
Puma sightings used to be quite rare, but there are a lot of reports of a comeback in the area.
My son is back in Taiwan until the summer, so that should give me some time to learn how to protect him.
I understand that cats generally don’t bother adults unless they are ill, but can go for kids.
Me neither, more’s the pity.
But I doubt they’re coyotes or bobcats, seeing as how neither are found in Taiwan.[/quote]
I was guessing this was in the States some where South West judging by the soil.
It’s a domestic/feral cat if it’s in Taiwan. I can’t judge by the photo the size-you should lay a coke can down next time for reference. I’m sure it’s some kind of cat.
Here’s a link
http://www.bear-tracker.com/bobcat.html[/quote]
Yes, it is in the states, Northern AZ, the noise was more like mewing than yelps. The tracks were about 2.5" long, they also didn’t have nail marks, which is more likely coyote tracks.
Domestic cat is unlikely, my nearest neighbor is 1 mile away.
I don’t hunt anymore either, but I think it is time to get a gun, those tracks are about 50 ft. from my son’s playhouse.[/quote]
Bobcat wouldn’t show nail marks either they retract as they walk, tell your son if he hears/sees the cat to never run, stand straight up with his arms high in the air and “Make a monster sound” and walk backwards to the house, never run-
show him videos of animals with rabies-that sounds weird but if he can spot an animal with rabies it might save his life-my dad and I once saw a raccoon with rabies and he made sure I knew what it was.
Check hunting laws in your area before buying that gun, if you live near a state or national park call them to handle it.
Or you can buy me a plane ticket, some rabbit scent, and a .308 with some ammo and I’ll get it for you. Though having a large scary man laying in your back yard dressed like a bush might traumatize your son even worse. 
Good advice. Thanks Bubba.
Are there more earthquakes than normal now?
It seems there’s been three big ones in about as many days in Japan, Chile and NZ.
sometimes slips on one side of a plate induce slips on another side of a plate.
USGS swears that earthquake frequency remains constant
[quote=“USGS”]According to long-term records (since about 1900), we expect about 17 major earthquakes (7.0 - 7.9) and one great earthquake (8.0 or above) in any given year. [/quote] Any increase in apparent frequency is due to better seismic monitoring catching more quakes, especially those smaller than 4.9.
other people, like apocalyptic end-eartherstake the same data (or cherry pick the same data) and come up with an increased frequency. the data are well picked over at this end-earth times web page.
take your pick as to who you believe…
Where’s the brain to respond? I couldnot Wiki it la!
You probably just remember the bad ones more. Dreams are the brain’s way of ‘filing away’ difficult or new or not needed info for later. It’s natural to remember unusual things more than others. For example, i bet you could drive along the same motorway 100 times, but you remember the one time your car crapped out and you had to wait ages for a mechanic, in the rain, rather than remembering time no 67 where nothing was out of the ordinary.
Could you actually surf a tsunami wave? I went to the beach last weekend hoping the Chile thing was going to rock and roll the waves on the east coast but it turned out to be slop and chop. I’d probablly need a ‘gun’ …like in the last scene of Escape from L.A.
Well, it came from Chile, for crying out loud. How big would have been when it got here, a foot?
I’d say the surfability of a Tsunami would have to depend on it’s size - but it would certainly be something to boast about!