As many of you know, I've been hacked over the last couple of weeks and my posts in Google Reader are coming up as penis enlargement pill advertisements (!) and all that fun stuff. I'm not so wonderful at these kind of technical computer things, so myself and the Cold Splinters backend guru, Tim, are doing our best to get the problem fixed. Thanks for the emails and concerns, friends. Wish us (Tim) luck.MP3: John David Souther - Run Like A Thief
White Pine Blister Rust
Nevada's beautiful Great Basin National Park boasts the oldest trees on the planet, the bristlecone pine. The oldest living tree of the bunch, named Methuselah, is over 4,800 years young. According to a NYT article posted yesterday, scientists say these ancient trees may soon come in contact with not only white pine blister rust, an Asian fungus that came to the United States from Asia, via Europe, a century ago, but the ubiquitous native pine bark beetle as well.There are three species of bristlecones — the Great Basin, Foxtail and Rocky Mountain. As of now, only the Rocky Mountain has been effected, but scientists believe it's only a matter of time until it spreads to the rest of them. More info at NYT.
REI Is Coming
Recreational Equipment Inc is moving into the Puck Building on Houston in NYC. That is going to be one big store. Lordy.MP3: J Tillman - Come On Baby Lets Go Downtown (Thank you JG + AD)
VBS + Oregon Fire Lines
The Filson booth at OR sure was handsome, especially when juxtaposed with the dreadlocked teenagers walking across tightropes a hundred feet away. (I'm not knocking dreadlocks or walking across a nylon chord. Both are extremely difficult achievements.) The Seattle-based Filson has collaborated with San Francisco-based Levi's and made some co-branded workwear together. Check it out here.Even more exciting is that they've tapped VBS (who also brought you Heimo) to make a series of videos to help promote the collaboration. Lucky for us. The first installment is a two-parter called "Oregon Fire Lines" that chronicles the daily work of the wildland firefighters who work for Grayback Forestry in Southern Oregon. Go watch it and be thankful/depressed that you work at a computer.Watch: The Oregon Fire Lines - We Are All Workers | VBS.TV