Friday, November 28, 2014

French Sheep Protestors

Here is the link to the original article:

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Disgruntled farmers have brought their sheep to the Eiffel Tower to protest wolf attacks, and what they call the government's anti-farmer environmental policies.
 
The woolly protesters munched grass near the Paris monument while their owners urged tougher measures against wolf attacks. The government says its existing plan on preventing attacks and compensating farmers is sufficient. Authorities also want to ensure protections for wolves.
 
The march Thursday came as President Francois Hollande spoke at an environmental meeting about plans for cleaner energy and France's plans to host the U.N. Climate Change Conference next year.
 
Protester Franck Dieny said government policies — which include large subsidies to agriculture — are less and less farmer-friendly and "don't recognize ... the role we play maintaining the landscape" that so many visitors to France appreciate.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thanksgiving comics

Hope ya'll had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
 



 
 
 

Monday, November 24, 2014

Tim and Nell

Earlier this year, I got Nell (aka Peep) from Tim Naasz. She is the daughter of Ryn who is the full sister to my Nan and Tommy Wilson's Sly.  Her sire is Helsley's Cap. She is the full sister to his Wizard. I love the bloodlines and leaped at the chance to get her. She has been in training with me and can almost do a Novice course. She is pushy and takes no prisoners.
 
This summer a new handler came out with his older dog, Kodi. His name was Tim.  He is a city boy but his life was going to change and he had no idea.  He took a few lessons then became seriously interested in herding. Around that time, I got a new dog named Peep who became Nell. Nell's mom is Ryn who is full sister to my Nan. Nell's sire is Helsley's Cap and she is a full sister to his Wizard.
 
So his dog became ill,  so we used my dogs for his lesson.  Once we used Nell and you could see something "magical" was going between them.  I kept training Nell and got her to Novice level. She is a strong dog, pushy and fearless. Off stock she is like Nan, very loving and a one person dog. She would leave the other dogs at play time to sit by me.
 
Then Tim came more into the picture. She adored him. She quickly became like a "tick" and attached herself to him.  She made it known that she wanted him to be her handler. Tim was working with Reba to go to trials with but Nell made sure that we all knew that was a big mistake.
 
So, after much thought and Nell's input, we decided that Tim will be her new owner. We co-own her so she will be coming out for lessons and so forth.  She has been with Tim since I had surgery and it was evident that she made his place her new home. She goes everywhere with him, the local brew pub, coffee shop, the marina, and anywhere else. Sleeps with him on the bed and never far from his side.
 
 Having a beer at the local pub.
 
Tim is dog sitting Reba, Billie and Nell during my recovery but notice Nell is close to him . She never leaves his side.

At the dock at the marina. She has her own speedboat now. Tim gets to be the captain.

At his feet at the brew pub. She loves to go to the coffee shop as well. She is his shadow.  He didn't realize the new gal in his life would have four legs and a tail.
 
We wish Tim well with his Nell. They make a great team and you can see the love they have for each other.  I am second fiddle but I am happy with that. They will be running in a trial in a couple of months. They will do well as she tries so hard to please them.
 
Love that when you see that magic between" a boy and his dog."
 

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Maid and her lambie

Maid loves her toys. She has one favorite lambie toy that squeaks.   She also like to grab other toys and line then up near her bed so she can pick and chose when she wants to play with another toy. But the lambie toy is her favorite and she will not share it with anyone else.
 
Here she is playing with her toy and my Mom and Aunt are in the kitchen cooking. You hear them at the end speaking in Japanese and then as soon as I quit filming this, Maid had to help them in the kitchen. She gets lots of treats from them.  She was on a stay but as soon as she heard them speak, she was sure one of the Japanese words was a release word. 

They speak to her in Japanese and she acts like she understands them. She does her repertoire of tricks (sit, down, turn head to side, spin and hop on two legs)  to get treats. But she wont even share her lambie with them.



Friday, November 21, 2014

Sheep Crossing

This so needs a caption.  If you can think of one, put it in the comments.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Steve Harvey and Family Feud

I haven't watched Family Feud for years. But these was sent to me and I just had to share them with you.
 

 
 

 


 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Sheep saliva may reveal deadly diseases

I found this article and put it below....here is the link to the original article...
 
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UCLA research could lead to a simple saliva test capable of diagnosing — at an early stage — diabetes and cancer, and perhaps neurological disorders and autoimmune diseases.
 
The study, the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted of RNA molecules in human saliva, demonstrates that saliva contains many of the same disease-revealing molecules that are contained in blood. It was published online today by the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Chemistry and will be published in the journal’s January 2015 special print issue, “Molecular Diagnostics: A Revolution in Progress.”
 
“If we can define the boundaries of molecular targets in saliva, then we can ask what the constituents in saliva are that can mark someone who has pre-diabetes or the early stages of oral cancer or pancreatic cancer — and we can utilize this knowledge for personalized medicine,” said Dr. David Wong, a senior author of the research and UCLA’s Felix and Mildred Yip Endowed Professor in Dentistry.
Wong said the test also holds promise for diagnosing Type 2 diabetes, gastric cancer and other diseases. “If you don’t look in saliva, you may miss important indicators of disease,” Wong said. “There seems to be treasure in saliva, which will surprise people.”
 
RNA, widely known as a cellular messenger that makes proteins and carries out DNA’s instructions to other parts of the cell, is now understood to perform sophisticated chemical reactions and is believed to perform an extraordinary number of other functions, at least some of which are unknown.
 
Wong’s research over the past decade has focused on identifying biomarkers in saliva. His laboratory discovered that some of the same RNA that is inside human cells are also present in saliva and can be used to detect diseases — a surprising finding, he said, because enzymes in saliva can degrade RNA, making the mouth “a hostile environment.”
 
The new research is a collaboration with Xinshu (Grace) Xiao, the paper’s other senior author and a UCLA associate professor of integrative biology and physiology in the UCLA College. Using state-of-the-science genomics and bioinformatics, the researchers analyzed 165 million genetic sequences.
Among the many forms of RNA are some unusual ones that live in the mouth and in cells. For example, it wasn’t known until very recently that RNA comes in a circular form; the linear form has long been known. But the UCLA scientists identified more than 400 circular RNAs in human saliva — the first discovery of circular RNA in saliva or any body fluid — including 327 forms that were previously unknown.
 
Circular RNA’s function in saliva is not entirely understood, although it does serve as a sponge for tiny RNA molecules called microRNAs, which bind to it.
“Circular RNAs in saliva may be protecting other RNAs,” said Xiao, who also is a member of UCLA’s Molecular Biology Institute. It’s likely, she said, that circular RNAs in saliva protect microRNAs from being degraded.
 
MicroRNAs, which once seemed to be little more than molecular noise, play important roles in many cell types, and have been implicated in cancers and other diseases, Xiao said. One microRNA can regulate hundreds of genes, she said.
 
The scientists compared microRNA levels in saliva to those in the blood and other body fluids, and found the levels of microRNA in blood and in saliva are very similar — indicating that a saliva sample would be a good measure of microRNAs in the body.
 
They also found that saliva contains another class of small RNAs, called piwi-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, which are produced by stem cells, skin cells and germ cells. There are very few piRNAs in blood and most other body fluids, but Xiao’s analysis showed that piRNA are abundant in saliva. Although their function is not yet known, Xiao said they may protect the body from viral infection.
 
While most RNA molecules translate genetic code from DNA to make proteins, there is also a class called non-coding RNAs that does not.
 
“Saliva carries with it non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, piRNAs and circRNAs that are biomarkers for disease and health monitoring,” said Wong, who also is associate dean of research at the UCLA School of Dentistry. “Had we not done this collaboration, we would never know that non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, piRNAs and circRNAs exist in saliva.”
 
Their overriding conclusion is that saliva has tremendous medical and scientific value. In the not-too-distant future, dentists might be able to take saliva samples to analyze for a variety of diseases. And, Wong says, the research could lead to a new category of self-diagnostic devices. “This could indicate that wearable gear that informs you whether you have a disease — even before you have any symptoms — is almost here,” he said.
 
The scientists, both members of UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, will continue their research, aiming to better understand the biology behind their findings, including the function of piRNAs.
 
“With a collaborator like Dr. Xiao, UCLA will continue to spearhead this science,” Wong said. “Now we have the capability and technology to reach deeper and study non-coding RNA, which has never been done.”
 
Co-authors of the research were UCLA postdoctoral scholars Jae Hoon Bahn and Qing Zhang in Xiao’s laboratory; Feng Li, an assistant researcher in Wong’s laboratory; Tak-Ming Chan, a former postdoctoral scholar in Xiao’s laboratory; Xianzhi Lin, a postdoctoral scholar in Xiao’s laboratory; and Yong Kim, a UCLA adjunct associate professor of dentistry.
 
The research was supported by the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (award UH2TR000923) through the Extracellular RNA Communication program.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Maid in her Open run on Sunday (Nov 8)

This last Saturday, I was feeling sick so only ran Maid in the Open trial. She was quite happy to be the only dog with me. We watched a few runs then went out, They used three young lambs that were not dog broke and had no leader. The fetch was over a ditch and they labs didn't want to go over it and on the first leg, and last leg they had to cross that ditch again. A right hand drive, shed in a small ring and pen. She went out well and on part of the first fetch was pushing a bit hard but I got her to settle down. At the last second, they skimmed the fetch panels (grr) but we recovered and had a good turn. Nice first leg, although she had to convince them to jump that ditch, bit of a wide turn but we got back online but dipped low and missed the second panels by inches. Back online for the last leg and she came screaming in the single like bullet and the lamb was stunned to see her and not his buddies. He backed up very careful as Maid inched forward. Then she regathered and sauntered then into the pen. She got a perfect pen and shed, missed half on her fetch and drive (or so) and placed third for a tie but placed fourth based on outwork. We just have a few little things to work on but overall she ran like a champion and tried very hard to please me and was soft and biddable.
 
After the trial, we hung out for a bit and she worked the crowd for food, getting some chicken from Janet and pets from other folks. She was a super social butterfly.  Janet and I went out for sushi after our runs and soon I got home in time for a nap.



Looking at the field.

 At the post turn.

I just open the gate and look cute. 

After the run for a cool down.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Happy Birthday Rain Bug

It's hard to believe that seven year ago, out little Princess was born. Rainey, the only female out of Tess x Scott's litter.  She is a diva but we love her. For Christmas, she as Getty's Christmas gift.
 
Wasn't she the cutest puppy?
 
She started reading at a young age about sheep, trials and strategy.

 She would watch the runs.  She ran well for me and was my Open dog until she lost hearing in one year at 6 years old. So she is my farm dog, lesson dog and sidekick.

She handled sheep well and they trusted her. She had a bit of eye that I had to  work with and grew more confident. She never let a sheep back her down.
 
 And if one did, she was more that happy to floss.

She was thoughtful.
 
 Couch snuggler like her mom.

 Perfect size to be a lap warmer.
 
here is a poem that I wrote for her a few years ago....
 
RAIN
 
Life is a journey
with many paths
to tempt and tease
but stay true.
 
Take not the wayward path
but the path of goodness
to lead to the path of life
and happiness.
 
Look deep into your dog's eyes
and what  you will see
is a reflection of your soul
of who you really truly are.
 
Hope that the person that you see
is one your dog can be proud of
of one that stands tall
and trusts with all of the heart.

 
 Today I looked into Rain's soul
we smiled at each other
she leaned against my feet
and I brushed her with love.
 
My journey with her started with her dam
so many long years ago
and now it is passed on to her
and she walks by my side.
 
My journey with her
is of trust and love
and together we gathered the sheep
and again sat by each other's side.

 
 The sun beat down upon us
and we looked up in the sky
and we both saw our journey
has just started to begun.
 
d. pagel may 2011

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Sheepdog car

This is a great story.....
 
 
He spent £2,000 covering the family car in fur and modifying it until it became an exact replica of Floss, his favourite sheep dog.
 

Floss the sheep dog car, who has a top speed of 40mph, soon proved to be a surprisingly effective herder as the flock of sheep failed to notice they were being rounded up by a much larger animal with headlamps for eyes and an exhaust.
 
Mr Issac, who also has a herd of pedigree Aberdeen Angus cattle, said: 'I know it was a bit of a mad thing to do but it was a tribute to my old sheep dog Floss who passed away.  'I have three kids and we loved her and as a family we all missed her terribly.