Near the End

          Well, my loyal minions this term is near its end and you brave souls are the ones who have remained to this not so bitter end.It has been an interesting journey. We have traveled from where semantics lurks within the chambers of imagination and naming; through the realms of entertainment media and the lands of myth and legend and arrived, blazing a trail, in the lands of vampire mice and genetically engineered primates. And all of this gave rise to one of the greatest gifts of humanity, a child’s curiosity and open-minded laughter. I will continue this Blog without the welcome restraints of the academic community’s regulations, so I hope you will continue to visit. For now, I simply have two recommended readings.

1    

    1)BOOSTERS ;  http://viciouscoule.blogspot.com/

2)Rogues; 

by George R.R. Martin   

“I'm just trying to make a smudge on the collective unconscious”; Dave Letterman

Laughter is the best medicine

  

For a Chuckle Click the Link

                                                                                                 

                                                 https://youtu.be/RP4abiHdQpc

          Doernbecher Children's Hospital does wonders to keep kids healthy, alive and laughing.
          Recently they teamed up with Nike to develop a unique program that allows their patients the chance to support the hospital that supported them in their time of need. The program, "Doernbecher Freestyle"has raised over $11 million since it's inception in 2003.
http://www.katu.com/news/local/Photos-Nike-Doernbecher-designers-launch-collection-at-Portland-store-233179341.html?tab=gallery&c=y&img=6
          Every year the hospital staff nominate patients from Oregon and Washington  to design footwear and clothing for Nike. The kids get to travel to Nike, meet with designers, brainstorm ideas, tell their stories and help sketch out designs. And then they get to see these designs unveiled at the Doernbecher Freestyle auction before the footwear and apparel  are put on line and into stores to be sold.The money will go to support the children's hospital. This is just another way that the research at OHSU/ Doernbecher helps, not only the Portland community but folks all around the world.
 

http://blogs.britannica.com/2008/07/funny-science-why-do-we-laugh-and-can-it-really-help-healing/
http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/news_events/news/2015/06-24-ohsu-doernbecher-childre.cfm
http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/doernbecher/about-us/why-choose-doernbecher/index.cfm

Monkeys Shine

          We have explored two of the three topics required for English 115. And we touched on the third when examining the vampire mice of Stanford University.The research at Stanford using parabiosis (the anatomical joining of two individuals, especially artificially in physiological research) focused on cognitive regeneration and stem cells. Specifically they were interested in how younger blood would affect older stem cells and genetic makeup.
   I hope you've noticed that the common thread of this Blog assignment has been that it focuses on Portland Oregon;1) entertainment businesses,2) myth and legend and now 3) research and development.
   

          I want to be cloned. No, I need to be cloned.Then my clone shall be cryogenically frozen until such time the technology to download, my personality, my identity or dare I say, my soul is not only possible but normal. Why? Well, who doesn't want to live forever? Huh?... UH.... Right. You and me both.

         It’s a cool 60 degree Portland morning, August 13th, 2015... You're walking Sparky, your Dachshund/Ausie mix. He’s happy. You’re happy. Sparky believes HE takes YOU, for YOUR morning constitution, while he takes care of his all - important morning business. You stop three houses down from your place. Bob Johnson’s place; A 3500 square foot ranch-style, three bedroom two bath family home, with a Winnebago squeezed into a too small single vehicle carport on the right side of an overfull garage.You scratch your crouch, stretch, yawn and think to yourself, “Gee, last summer Bob sure did have the greatest Bar-B-Q.”  Sparky religiously pops a squat under Bob’s mailbox as he does every morning around 6AM. And every morning you think to yourself. “Dam, I should just leave it. That would teach him to borrow tools and not return them. But no…”Bob does Q a mean sturgeon burger after all”, you grumble, as you reach down with your blue bagged covered left hand and cradle Sparkies steaming hot log of delight freshly deposited beneath Bob’s American Confederate flag mailbox.  And then you hear it… The deafening time-stopping life-altering mind-blowing… SCEEEECH! Brakes! 

       The last thing you remember is seeing Sparky getting wedged up under the front bumper of a 1973 Ford Pinto and a license plate that reads Born to Breed.

       No white light, No Angels singing Hotel California, not even a glimpse of the Pearly Gates.

          Thank the lord you haven't used up all of your Genetic stem cells. Last month you made a fresh deposit and you should have enough to clone yourself for the next 500 years. Not to mention the cells you've preserved for Sparky, Smittens (your cat), your wife Bunny and your two lovely kids.

         As you wake in the ICU you look around dazed and confused and mumble

"Poor Thparkles, Ohhh….. Bunny is going to kill me."

        And then you remember the stem cell/cloning/genetic research you've been a part of for the last 35 years and all your worries about life and death fade away into the blissful afterglow of the anesthesia-induced cloning procedure that has just been completed at OHSU. It is now December 13th, 2050 and the genetic research of today has reached its predestined and perfected conclusion.

             Clone -”a cell, cell product, or organism that is genetically  identical to the unit or individual from which it was derived.”   

A healthy rhesus monkey, born at Dr. Mitalipov’s lab in Portland after the nucleus of the mother’s egg cell was removed and placed in the egg cell of another female that is healthy.

       The genetic research done here in Portland Oregon boarders on science fiction and we God fearing, morally upstanding citizens of the American experiment don’t quite know how to deal with it. Though I truly believe we Portlanders are secretly proud of the, what some say is clandestine and possibly nefarious, research taking place at OHSU (Oregon Health Science University) and the Beaverton primate research center (BPC).The man, whose name most Americans have never heard, Shoukhrat Mitalipov (American biologist) has kicked the proverbial scientific hornets’ nest with his ground-breaking, controversial stem cell, gene and cloning research at OHSU and BPC( The Primate Center is part of OHSU)
Click on link to watch monkeys at primate center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGzvewAfys0


Please take some time to help shape the future and respond to this simple Yes or No three question survey...Just click on the link.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/V2YX3F7

Synthesis

 

           Weird! Are you weird? Is your family weird? Is your town weird? "Keep Portland Weird"...is the motto of Portland, Oregon, and the town delivers as advertised, in a good way. When Portlanders think of weird, they think of innovation, sustainability, profitability, and community; ways in which citizens may support their community as well as ways to attract and hold on to profitable community friendly businesses. Portland hosts a flourishing and comfortable atmosphere for its entertainment media industries. (Specifically, radio, television and film) 

         KPOJ AM 620 Radio ( owned by iHeart Media and affiliated with Fox Sports radio) is the station where fans can catch live broadcasts of football, baseball, and basketball in addition to nationally syndicated programming. the station covers Oregon State Beaver collegiate football, Hillsboro Hops professional baseball and  Portland Trailblazer professional basketball. Though many of the shows that air on 620 hale from other towns, programmers keep a weather eye and a strong foothold on the local sports scene. I for one appreciate the hometown touch that AM 620 brings to the Portland community as they move from a mid-sized city to a major player in the media market as witnessed by its designated rank of 23 in the Nielson Ranking system.

In addition to this high national ranking, Portland continues in its tradition of hosting successful television productions. Some are based in Portland and produced by Portland studios, some are based outside of the local area and take advantage of the media friendly atmosphere , and some are hybrids of both; All appreciate the economic incentives that Portland offers. Two of the better known productions are cult favorite "Leverage", which starred academy award winner Timothy Hutton and aired from 2008 to 2012, and the current spin off of the highly successful "Librarians” films, which recently filmed portions of season three at Portland State University. Both of these productions have made significant economic contributions to Portland and have helped to enhance the cities entertainment media social status. 

Laika LLC is the product of local resident and Portland State University alumni Travis Knight. Laika, founded in 2005 is a stop-motion animation studio that produces feature films and occupies an expansive production facility in Hillsboro, Oregon. they have produced such ground - breaking hits like Coraline and The Boxtrolls and are currently working on a feature due out in August of next year. Laika contributes to the local community in many ways. They assist local non-profits, have an environmental sustainability program, and by their mere existence supply employment opportunities and economic advantages for Portland residents.

Weird...Is Portland weird? I think so. They promote high quality entertainment, in an eco-friendly unobtrusive fashion. the companies that choose Portland do not do so so simply for the economic benefits, or the beautifully convenient scenic advantages, they do so also because of its unconventional forward-thinking population and the welcoming communities. And this is why Portlanders strive to....

The Legend of Bunko Kelly

          As you know, if you have been following SQUAT!SQUAT?SQUAT with the dedication and loyalty of which I believe you posses - And well you should .... then... you are aware that this Blog is a requirement for a college English course. One of the requirements for our Blog is to choose three topics, research them, and then post about them in a somewhat compelling manner.. It's now time to move on to topic number two - PDX(stands for Portland Oregon) Myth and Legend.We have introduced one Portland legend, the Green Man, which we will continue to investigate.

 However, Portland's Old town China Town is infamous throughout the universe for more than just the Green Man. There is also Myth and legend surrounding some hidden tunnels that lie beneath the city. The tunnels, referred to as "The Underground" or "The Shanghai Tunnels" have been hidden below the Portland streets for over 150 years. Scallywags, Ne'er-do - wells, Pirates and ruthless murdering Nefarians once used these tunnels to kidnap men, women children puppies, kittens and unsuspecting octogenarians for pleasure, profit and unspeakable debauchery. They would "Shanghai"( Kidnap) these innocents, herd them through the Underground, then sell them into slavery, to serve upon ships wandering  the open seas, or abroad where they would serve as concubines to  fulfill the twisted fantasies of scoundrels and gentlemen alike. Once Shanghaied from the ports of Portland they were  never to be seen again. They would be remembered only in the foggy dreams of drunken sailors and fantasies of dockyard prostitutes.One of the most dastardly villains to prowell the Portland waterfront in the late 1800s was Joseph "Bunko" Kelly -" King of the crimps" ( crimp = shanghai = kidnap)

He could and would Shanghai and sell anyone or anything. Most of the time his victims were  alive but, as legend tells, Kelly kidnapped and sold a couple of dead men without blinking an eye; And, he did this without conscience and for a tidy profit. It's said that he even once stole and sold a wooden cigar store Indian into servitude. He received Fifty dollars for the stiff.

      These are just two of the many legends and myths that lurk beneath the friendly underbelly of this "Weird" not so little community -  Portland , Oregon, If you dare to the tour the "Underground" or wander near the waters edge, be extremely careful for you never know what dangers lie above or below the seemingly harmless surfaces of Portland.

http://shanghaitunnels.info/
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shanghai
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Kelly_(crimper)

AM RADIO STILL THRIVES

Hillsboro Oregon, located just outside of Portland is not only the home of Laika stop-motion production studios,

creators of the feature films Caroline, Paranorman, The Box Trolls and the much anticipated Kubo and the Two Strings,  but also home of the Hillsboro Hops minor league professional baseball team.

You can catch a Hops game 3 to 5days per week throughout the summer at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro or by tuning in to KPOJ, AM 620 Radio, where Rich Burke presides as radio announcer for the team. And if you are a true fan of Oregon sports, or sports in general, you can tune to AM 650 and  enjoy a Portland Trailblazer game or Oregon State football where Brian Wheeler hosts the Blazers and Mike Parker announces for the Beavers.

In addition KPOJ Airs a number of nationally syndicated sports shows.    

DUFORD, DEVLIN, KNIGHT

Green Man Update

I was riding our local transit train( Portland’s Tri-Met) and as it made its way through Old Town China Town I spotted two more of Dan Daniel Duford’s Green Man sculptures. They are located on Fifth Street.

   

           Daniel Duford

Also, this weekend I was fortunate enough to witness the filming of a fairly new T.V. series “The Librarians”; A Dean Devlin production. They were shooting at PSU campus. The owner and president of production company Electric Entertainment, Devlin filmed four seasons of the TNT Network series "Leverage" here in Portland. And is back in Oregon to film "The Librarians". 

 DEVLIN 

And I’ve come to the conclusion that before the term is over I need to meet Devlin, Duford and Travis Knight. President of local company, Laika; producers of stop motion animation features such as Caroline and Paranorman. 

                                                                KNIGHT 

 As a matter of fact I watched Paranorman this weekend and recommend it for the family,friends and kids of all ages. I suppose I will give the movie a Triple SQUAT on my new movie ranking scale of 0 to four SQUATS where 0 = what we do when we Squat and the ultimate QUAD SQUAT = God Father, Citizen Kane SQUATNESS.

Two other people I must meet to satisfy MY needs for this Blog, this term.

Rich Burk “Voice of the Hillsboro Hops (Portland’s minor league baseball team) He broadcasts on 650 AM radio, and Nancy Haigwood PhD (Director and senior scientist OHSU, including the primate research center.

Who would you like to meet and what would you ask? Please take the survey. YOUR ANSWERS COULD SAVE OUR GALAXY! Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XHSX6MC and respond to the two most important questions ever.

1)      https://www.google.com/search?q=images+of+Daniel+Duford&safe=off&espv=2&biw=944&bih=951&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB0QsARqFQoTCO_NodiX6sYCFRaYiAodrQsHzA#imgrc=KDF16BRiIQ5ptM%3A

2)      http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2014/06/leverage-producer-dean-devlin-on-what-it-would.html

3)      http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130311&content_id=42580084&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t419&sid=t419

4)      http://www.ohsu.edu/vgti/haigwood.htm

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!

As you know or are about to... This is my first venture into the Land of Blogs. And this Blog in fact was assigned as a project for a college English course I am presently experiencing and...
Well I suppose I have decided on the three required topics for this for this Blog....
1) Local Business
    a) Radio; KOPB 91.5 FM or RIP City Radio 620
    b) Television; Local news or GRIMM
    c) Film; Laika Animation Studios or Northwest Film Center
2) PDX MYTH and LEGEND
    a) Green Man
    b) Shanghai Tunnels
    c) Ghosts and Dastardly deeds
 3) Local Scientific Research 
     a) Stem Cell
     b) Genetics
     c) Cloning
We've already touched on these subjects so review the Blog and get ready for the ride. We probably won't get to the whole of this list but we will have some fun discovering why we......

                         KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD!

So you think Vampires have "Jumped the Shark"

          The Throngs of the community have spoken and the verdict is... 

Yes my grateful follow has chosen Vampire Mice and all that goes with that topic.

          The statement “vampirism improves the quality of life” seems ridiculous and unscientific at first glance. However it is definitely a scientific.It is a valid hypothesis, focuses on our natural world (ignoring myth and legend), relies on fact, and the beliefs behind the statement can be scientifically tested and reviewed by the scientific community. Furthermore, the results of testing this hypothesis will lead to research in many fields. [i.e. Genetics, Sports, Geriatrics, etc.]  Researchers at Stanford ...

have discovered that “blood found in young mice seems to have the ability to turn back time in older mice.” Once injected with younger blood the older mice had increased cognitive and physical abilities. Now, what’s fascinating to me is that the process worked in reverse. When the young mice were given older blood they had to cope with geriatric – related issues. Work done by the Villeda lab and others has demonstrated that the nervous system as it ages upholds a certain plasticity. And using “heterochronic parabiosis” where they connect the circulatory systems of old and young animals, they have found that this plasticity can be used to reverse age- related impairments.  In addition these studies using parabiosis show that altering the levels of circulating proteins can restore stem cells and may be an “evolved mechanism to suppress cancer risk.”

         Now, the last step to see if “vampirism improves the quality of life “- human life – would be to   give young human plasma to older people with medical conditions. These tests will begin soon and were not difficult to gain approval. Experiments will begin in October.

          And finally, disregarding the vampire legends, the ideas of parabiosis and blood rejuvenation have been of interest to scientists as far back as the 1950s with studies at Cornell University in Ithaca and will continue with supplying the human race with significant scientific data that will lead to the improvement of the qualities of our lives 

So is “vampirism improves quality of life” scientific and will it become the fountain of youth that all "Baby Boomers" hope and prey for as they nip and tuck, inject and pop, meditate, and invent exercise programs only the desperate could practice? Undoubtedly YES. As it should be.... And thank the heavens for Rock and Roll Never Dies...

            

Lose your dreams and you might lose your mind.

Mick Jagger

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mick_jagger.html#deL8GhXIejHtC1wo.99

 http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/05/05/stanford-uc-san-francisco-researchers-use-vampire-mice-to-show-newer-blood-can-have-rejuvenative-effect/

http://villedalab.ucsf.edu/current-lab-members

https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2014/08/human-trials-of-young-blood-transfused-into-old-individuals.php

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22329831.400-young-blood-to-be-used-in-ultimate-rejuvenation-trial.html?full=true#.VaBK_vmjOG4 

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+and+quotes+from+interview+with+a+vampire&safe=off&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=935&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=1luhVeGFE4StogSM24HIBQ&ved=0CCAQsAQ#imgdii=axvDm9ptCfN6HM%3A%3BaxvDm9ptCfN6HM%3A%3BsRj8KXjMtZ2BYM%3A&imgrc=axvDm9ptCfN6HM%3A

UPDATE

          To date this blogging extravaganza has lead us to places we never intended to go yet intrigue and expectation have resulted in unexpected results.; If not for you, then at least for me.

If you have been following then you know this blog is an assignment for an English course. And today we have been instructed to clarify our motives and goals and give some sort of reason to this insanity we call creativity. So. I will.
         Thus far we have touched on a number of topics ranging from the semantics involved in nicknames or the naming of a company to dogs in space to a mythical legend that engrosses those who dare to investigate the GREEN MAN.
          I suppose the reason for my interested in Laika began with the movie the produced -  Para Norman - and my prospective major at PSU(Portland State University) Radio/Television/Film with an emphasis on non-linear editing. In addition and what I think is cool is that my Grandpa Fred was a Rocket Scientist. He worked at Aerojet in Sacramento on propulsion systems and rocket fuel. Ergo - Laika The Space Dog.
          Ultimately however I will focus this portion of the assignment on Portland's local movie production companies; And there are many.
 

       

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+of+portland%27s+local+movie+production+companies&safe=off&espv=2&biw=929&bih=931&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=_TKfVaqcF4KlyATaiY3ADQ&ved=0CCAQsAQ#imgrc=JnFqF9MEBzyZXM%3A

       Our second adventure has  taken us to a place of  myth and legend to where the Green Man of Portland dwells. This journey will ultimately find us visiting the Legends of the Green Man of various cultures and various times. And may very well uncover some of the deepest darkest secrets ever told or withheld. 

And finally we must embark on a third adventure.

The destination will be of your choosing. I have posted a link to a survey I wish for you to take that will help guide us to our next journey. [ Vampire Mice, Yoga, Sports legends, Television, or your suggestions] 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZGSBMT9

Keepin It Weird In PDX

I have been through Old Town PDX more times than I can count and I've casually strolled by this monument's monument enough to recognize it, and know that it represents an elusive mythical elf-like creature that shoots arrows at unsuspecting passers by.

Archer Sculpture

2009. Part of 10 piece public art installation titled The Legend of the Green Man of Portland. Located between NW Couch and Davis on 6th Ave. in Portland, Oregon.

          What I did not know is….” Green Man of Portland is the basis of a permanent public art installation as part of Portland’s Old Town light rail extension. There are two sculptures and eight “historic” markers that occupy 10 blocks of Old Town/Chinatown.”

           The creator...Daniel Duford ...Tells the legend of small green archers, a celestial stag, a phantom building, and a huge tree that  have been spotted in Old Town from time-to-time. The legends have been documented through Duford”s Art which include wall paintings, acrylics, monuments, comics and more. 

          My goals before the next posts are 1) Locate all 10 monuments of the Green Man, mount the celestial stag, brunch with an archer under the huge tree and crash for a night in the phantom building. And 2) Find out if Laika(the Russian Astro Dog) still lives and if he stays with the Green Man. And exactly what Laika(the animation studio) knows of such things. For it is my humble opinion that these three phenomina and possibly many many more have more in common than we here in PDX would care to admit. HMMMM. 

                                                         Daphne Wall; 2006. Part of installation of first iteration of The Green Man. Charcoal on the wall, small paintings are acrylic on panel.

For more information see;

                          http://www.danielduford.com/dana-buckley/

  ww.pfmreports.com/2012/05/19/the-green-man-of-portland/ 

“It”s not going to be a six–month situation. We have to prepare for the duration.”                             Al Green

 

         

          

More about Laika...Enter..."The Green Man or Portland"

Well, I have posed the ultimate question!
    Would our life be diminished without Laika?

When you ponder the answer, which do you think of; the Dog or the Studio?

I've contacted the company Laika[Founded in 2005, it is an animation studio that produces features and shorts] and am anxiously awaiting a reply on the wherefores and howevers and whycomes they chose the moniker Laika for, what I consider, one of Portland Oregon's premier companies.
 While we wait......

 I've always been fascinated and somewhat smitten by a mystical myth, a fractured fairy tail, or a fickle fable.
        And none has stretched and twisted my imagination  more than the ever elusive and universally underestimated...        
                                                       Green Man of Portland.

What does Laika have in common with the Green Man?
 We shall see..




http://www.laika.com/aboutus.php
http://www.danielduford.com/dana-buckley/

The Name is the Thing

       

          Nicknames or names in general are ways of communicating how one feels about a person place, thing, or just about anything. I have found that whether it be a person [I 've been called Motor, Scooter, Stretch, Tap Out and Scott which is my God given moniker and many others.], a place [A huge hole in the Earth = ”The Grand Canyon”] or a thing [Stop motion animation/production studio =Laika, Loose Moose, Freak show or Panic Button], the name given is meant to add specificity and evoke an emotional response. Now the benefactor of the name applies it in hopes of evoking a specific response. And the recipient feels what they feel and react accordingly;And hopefully in the manner in which the benefactor expects. If the named is a place or thing then it is meant for others to respond emotionally and again, hopefully in the way the benefactor intends. However that's not always the case.

          Can You think of a time when you have misinterpreted the intention of the name?

I suppose being  that my major is Radio/Television/Film we'll begin by examining one of the names given to the stop motion animation studios; Laika. For a more complete list of stop motion studios see. - http://www.stopmotionnimation.com/page/animation-studios

 Based on my extensive knowledge of the universe and omnipotent sense of intuition, what I'm going to do now is to GUESS why the aforementioned businesses, Laika chose this label .Yes! I will begin by guessing why and how this studio chose it's name and later after further investigation and YOUR INPUT we shall  unveil the hidden secrets that lurk behind the curtains of fantasy that are shrouded and hidden deep within the minds of those who chose the name; LAIKA
          Let's begin. Because of my Russian heritage[My Grandpa Frank was Russian according to his birth certificate]  I  happen to  know that Laika was the name of a Russian dog that was rocketed into space. So I will GUESS that the ones who chose this name are not members of PETA. I come to this ridiculous conclusion because being that although this dog may seem happy to " Go - For - A -  Ride?"  He... We..... and the people of Earth had know idea whether the experiment would be  successful: Whether or not  the dog would return, wagging his tail triumphantly because he had seen things from a perspective that no human ever had ...... OR........Return as a semi conscious  mutilated fur ball  speaking a language only the residents of Titan could understand, wielding a deadly light saber, and ready to attack any unsuspecting life form unlucky enough to come within the saber's realm.

           As history can attest the dog did come back alive and well providing invaluable information that would change the course of mankind forever.
                 
            Is this Laika studio's mission;to change the world and boldly go where no company  has gone before?
         
           If that be case, Then they may very well be loyal members of PETA. They may even have founded PETA. For all I know the studio may contribute millions to the care and protection of animals of all kinds.
                                              WHO KNOWS?

            My best guess is that  Laika (The Dog), one of the first  to leave our atmosphere,  symbolizes innovation, courage, intelligence, risk taking and the ability to push the boundaries of thought and creativity while realizing the potential of humanity.Now......
         
                                  Is this LAIKA's ( Stop motion picture studio) mission? OR......
                                                   Do they simply like dogs?

I suppose we shall investigate.......

“Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.”
—Dean Koontz 



           Would our life without Laika be diminished?

                          Until we uncover more clues into the mysteries of  Laika
                                               You can find more information at....
                                                      http://www.laika.com/
                           http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/space_level2/laika.html

                            Next ..... We Shall delight in the legend of Portland's

What's In a Name?

            Is your past defined by the Nickname you once hated                                                                                       OR LOVED    
                              Do you cherish the name you now own  
                                                             OR DOES YOUR NAME/NICKNAME OWN YOU

       
          This blog is required for a College English course I am currently attending. After reading, I compel you to respond with brutal honesty and relentless constructive criticism. That said, our first assignment was to brain storm ideas and come up with three topics we find interesting enough to hold our attention; and hopefully keep you, the undeserved victims who have stumbled into what I call Squat World USA, entertained enough to reply and keep coming back. I believe a little self disclosure would be appropriate before we start: WHY SQUAT? Well, it was the nickname given me by my high school club/gang partners in crime. Oh, and as a side note; for a nickname to be a true nickname you….

   

          1)  Cannot give yourself the name

          2)  It has to last for a reasonable length of time.

          3)  No less than ten people must be aware of the name and at least five must have called you by       it more than once.

          4)  And, though not a requirement, it’s preferable that it be included in a song. (a made up song,                or part of an existing song, or a replacement for a term in a song)

                ------ If any of you have any other requirements let us know ----------

         So, now you get the Idea. Here’s my incomplete list -  followed by the people who gave the name[ and a brief reason why I, and I repeat I, believe the names were given and stuck.]

    

       1)  Moose – My mother [I’m not sure but maybe I was secretly conceived in an Alaskan igloo safe house while she was obtaining her new identification after she turned state’s evidence against the New Jersey Cosa Nostra]

 2) Stretch– Little league baseball coach [ I played 1^st base and would do the splits to scoop short hops]
 3)  Shotgun - High school/college baseball [I’m a left handed ballplayer/ambidextrous at most other  things. And, I believe it to be common knowledge the we lefties as a rule are Wild and Crazy Guys; think Wild Thing(Charlie Sheen) from the movie Major League]

    

        4)  Squat – Adolescent friends [Only God knows why]Use your imagination and send me some suggestions or images of your best guess.]
   
     5)  Motor – Bass player of post college Rock bands – [I was the singer in a Rock and Roll Band – Front man -  at a time in my life when controlled substances along with a reasonable amount of adult beverage kept the Motor running 24/7/365].

 6) Tap Out – Fellow electricians/construction workers. [Given following a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) type scuffle that happened after the helmets and tools were put away for the day. Curiously my opponent was also named Scott].

     

   

       When I began this blog we brain stormed about some very serious subjects (i.e. Human Trafficking/black market organ sales, Cloning, and the disenfranchised youth and how they survive living on the streets.) But now, the first topic must be Nicknames. We've all had them whether we cherished or loathed them they were ours and became part of our life stories.So tell some of your story if you dare and ..... 

       

 --------POST YOUR LIST OF NICKNAMES YOU HAVE SUFFERED OR CHERISHED -------

                   “Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe