Odds 'n Ends

Mom takes so many pictures, only a very small percent of them end up on Jade's Palace. So she thought she'd throw a few other gems on today just for fun!

The Terrifying Toothpick Fish

The vast freshwater ecosystem of the Amazon River is home to abundant animal life, and many of its species thrive by virtue of their ferocity. If one were to ask the locals which of the river's indigenous species is the most treacherous, a few might describe the roaming packs of carnivorous piranhas, or the massive anaconda snakes; but based on the general sentiment of the region, the most frequently uttered response would be "candirú."

The candirú is a tiny catfish which dwells in the depths of the Amazon River. These fish do not hunt in packs like the piranha, nor are they exceptionally large like the anaconda. In fact, the candirú is among the tiniest vertebrates on the planet, and it is sometimes referred to as the "toothpick fish" due to its small size and slender shape. Only a handful of people have had the misfortune of crossing paths with the candirú, but their experiences serve as cautionary tales to any who venture into the mighty river.
Though the candirú is a parasite, humans are not among its viable hosts. It lingers in the murky darkness at the river's bottom, quietly stalking its neighboring fish. Light is scarce in the soupy deep, but the candirú does not need to see… it can taste the traces of urea and ammonia that are expelled from breathing gills.


The tiny hunter shadows its prey, almost invisible due to its translucent body and small size. When the target fish exhales, the candirú detects the resulting flow of water and makes a dash for the exposed gill cavity with remarkable speed. Within less than a second it penetrates the gill and wriggles its way into place, erecting an umbrella-like array of spines to secure its position.

Unconcerned with the host's panicked thrashing, the firmly anchored parasite immediately nibbles a hole in a nearby artery with its needle-like teeth, feasting upon the bounty that gushes forth.Within two minutes the candirú's belly is swollen with the blood of its victim, and it retracts its gripping barbs.Though it may seem that the exploited host fish has escaped, its injuries are so extensive that chances of survival are grim. Meanwhile the victorious attacker slinks back into the river's dark places to digest its meal.
There are many troubling stories regarding human run-ins with the candirú, though until recent years these were not given much credence by the medical community. It is not uncommon for people swimming or bathing in the river to urinate in the water, an action which creates tiny water currents that are rich in urea and ammonia. It seems that the tiny, slender catfish cannot always distinguish a urinating human from an exhaling fish gill, and on occasion it will attempt its trademark high-speed attack on some unfortunate soul.

Written by Alan Bellows

First shots from Mars

This image, one of the first captured by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, shows the vast plains of the northern polar region of Mars.



This image shows a polygonal pattern in the ground near NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, similar in appearance to icy ground in the arctic regions of Earth.

-All photos courtesy of NASA

Island Chefs’ Collaborative Local Food Festival

Yesterday my Uncle Mark and Auntie Glo took my Mom and Kimmy to the Island Food Festival at Fort Rodd Hill. Mom said it was a gorgeous day, and the food was awesome. My Uncle Mark brought home some tuna and snapper to cook on the barbecue. We sat out on the deck for awhile and had a delicious supper.

Happy Birthday Uncle Mark!

Lechuguilla Cave

Lechuguilla Cave is, as of 2006, the fifth longest cave (120 miles (193 km)) known to exist in the world, and the deepest in the continental United States (489 metres (1,604 ft)), but it is most famous for its unusual geology, rare formations, and pristine condition.

It is located in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico. Access to the cave is limited to approved scientific researchers, survey and exploration teams, and National Park Service management-related trips.


Since 1986, explorers have mapped 118 miles (190 km) of passages and have pushed the depth of the cave to 1,604 feet (489 m), ranking Lechuguilla as the 5th longest cave in the world (4th longest in the United States) and the deepest limestone cave in the country. Cavers, drawn by the caves' pristine condition and rare beauty, come from around the world to explore and map its passages and geology.

May Long Weekend

It was a beautiful long weekend that just passed. Scott and Karlie came for a visit and helped my Mom and Dad do an assortment of yard chores. We had some big juicy steaks and skewers if prawns and fish for dinner. I had a lot of fun spending time outside in the sun!





This last photo was taken by my Uncle Scott :)

My Recent Accomplishments

As most of you know, I've been learning things at a high rate of speed lately. I'm going to be 2 years old in a couple of months, and there is always so much to learn and explore these days. I can repeat most of the words that Mom & Daddy have taught me, and I can sing a few songs too. When I am in bed sometimes I'll sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", or I'll count to 10 on my fingers. My manners are coming along fine as well. I always say "Bless You" when someone sneezes, and "Please and Thank-You" has come naturally to me recently. Playing outside is my favorite thing to do after my lunch, and when it is nice outside, I like to play "kitchen" with my pots and pans.
But that's not all! You should see me kick a ball! I am getting really good at coordinating my kicks in the right direction, and I can usually score a goal on my brother and my Dad with little effort. It's hard to tell from my pictures, but I am 3 feet tall now, and weigh about 38 lbs. So I've been doing a lot of growing, and it's pretty much been keeping me busy.
Well, that's a real update for everyone,...and Thanks for checking out my Blog.

Love Jade

MMmmmm...

Last weekend, when my Daddy wasn't looking, I snuck a donut from the patio table. I wonder why I didn't know about these delicious sugar coated things before!