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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2016)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 COMMUNITY 1B GO FOR THE GO-BAG orth Coaster Cameron McKirdy (pictured), aka Cam the Cuddler, has been busy, and not just with his pro- fessional platonic cuddling busi- ness (https://cuddlelife.com). “I believe cuddling is therapeutic,” Cam said, “and a fun and safe way to get the positive human touch we all need to survive.” Speaking of which, sur- vival is his other business niche. Tonight, you can watch Cam at 9 p.m., when he is appearing on the VICELAND TV (www.viceland.com) show, “Abandoned,” offer- ing tips on surviving a disaster. “It’s a new travel documentary-type show featuring deserted places,” Cam explained. “I guided the VICE TV crew around our area, and shared my story. Producers from British Columbia ilmed the host, professional skateboarder Rick McCrank (pictured left) and I discussing preparations for a nuclear disaster and a tsunami. VICE and I took my Volkswagen van for a ride along the ocean in Long Beach, Washington, looking for shelter, plus debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami. “Over two days, we built emergency preparedness kits with ammo boxes to bury in the ground along escape routes, like I have shown on my YouTube Channel, Survival Bros (http://tinyurl. com/survival-bros). We scavenged free health food samples from A Gypsy’s Whimsy, and purchased essential gear items to cache at more stores located in Astoria and Seaside. “The survival kit I helped McCrank build should help him endure a disaster, if he keeps it close by,” Cam added. “I always have my emergency go-bag with me.” Good idea. Do you? AROUND TOWN N EYES IN THE SKY MIGHT STOP ant to track commercial ishing activity anywhere in the world? No problem, now that Oceana, SkyTruth and Goo- gle have rolled out Global Fishing Watch (http://globalishing- watch.org). One of the Watch’s global maps is shown. The group estimates that more than 200,000-plus vessels — over 35,000 of which are commercial ishing — are broadcasting their position, course and speed using the Automatic Identiication System (AIS). A mind-boggling 20 million data points are added to the AIS daily (http://tinyurl.com/no-overish). Satellites record the information, and send it back to earth. Global Fishing Watch corrals all the data, identiies the likely ish- ing vessels, and populates a near real-time map on its website showing the vessels’ locations. The goal? To catch vessels that are overishing or ishing illegally. Yes, ships can spoof their AIS data (i.e. they look like they are ish- ing in the Himalayas), or turn it off, but Global Fishing Watch’s algo- rithms can help detect such behavior. Not to mention, it’s dangerous to turn off the AIS, as it helps prevent collisions with other vessels. “Global Fishing Watch is a powerful tool in the ight against illegal ishing,” Jacqueline Savitz, vice president for the U.S. and Global Fishing Watch at Oceana, said, “and has tremendous poten- tial to preserve and protect our world’s delicate marine ecosystem for generations to come.” W THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS his headline on the Rolling Stone website sure was an eye- catcher: “Satanist Club Coming to Oregon Elementary Schools” (http://tinyurl.com/club-satan). Huh? Honest, it’s true. Nehalem Elementary School — and another elementary school in Portland — have approved After School Satan Clubs (https://afterschoolsatan.com) recently, making Ore- gon the irst state in the nation to allow Satanic after-school pro- grams in public schools. The club is the national Satanic Temple’s attempt to provide an alternative to the after-school evangelical Good News Clubs by offering a “uniform syllabus that emphasizes a scientiic, rational- ist, non-superstitious world view.” A screen shot is shown from a jarring promotional video made by the Satanic Temple (http://tinyurl.com/club-satan1). If the clip is meant to entice irst graders into joining the club, the Ear predicts a negative outcome, since it’s easily enough to scare the knickers off a jaded adult. The Temple should probably ire the marketing director, but hey, maybe the devil made him do it. T ALT FOR NORGE idbits from The Daily Astorian, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 1898: • The appropriation for moving the Point Adams Light to the lower end of Desdemona Sands is now available, and work on that important improvement will be commenced in a few days. (Desdemona Sands Lighthouse, pictured, wasn’t actually con- structed till 1902, though (http://tinyurl.com/desdesands). It stood 46 feet above the water on wood pilings and could be seen for 12 miles. The lighthouse was demolished after World War II, but a light remained until 1965, when it was decommissioned.) • Special Oficer Stuart of the Boys’ and Girls’ Aid Society of Portland was in the city yesterday. While here, Oficer Stuart found a home for a stray boy named Marshall with the family of Frank McGregor. • The work of improving Exchange Street, between Ninth and Tenth, is progressing satisfactorily. The new planking has been taken to the scene of the improvement, and the work of laying it will com- mence, probably tomorrow. (The devastating 1883 ire apparently didn’t teach anyone not to use wooden planking for streets.) • Work on two more new gun emplacements is now in progress at Fort Stevens. Other preparations are also being made which, when completed, will make this one of the largest and most mod- ern systems of coast defense in the country. T n a city full of Scandinavians, there must be a passel of Norwegians, and this one’s for you: Chicago’s O’con- nor Casting Company is casting for Season 8 of “Alt For Norge” (aka “The Great Norway Adventure”), Norway’s Emmy award-winning reality show. Norwegian-American contestants are lown to Nor- way to compete in a series of silly, but non-life-threaten- ing stunts. The winner receives $50,000 and meets Norwe- gian relatives they’ve never heard of. No, you do not have to speak Norwegian, or be 100 percent Norwegian, either. Contestants must simply be “Americans with Norwegian ancestry (even a little bit counts) who are age 18-plus (but there’s no age limit) and have never traveled to Norway.” You can read the rules and apply at http://tinyurl.com/ applynorge “When past contestants describe the experience as ‘life changing,’ ‘epic adventure’ and ‘most meaningful thing I’ve done in my life,’” casting producer Joan O’Con- nor said, “you know you’re working on something truly spectacular.” And she’s right. Portlander Tom Torresdal, shown in an old photo, was a contestant on the show a few years ago. “Such an amazing experience,” he said at the end of ilm- ing. “I’ve loved every single second that I’ve been here.” He loved it so much, in fact, that he moved to Norway for a while to help build a brewery. Now he’s a brewer at Port- land Brewing. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1, but the casting com- pany recommends applying early. “Act Fast!” the web- site says, “Early application and video submissions receive immediate attention …” I A TRAGIC FATE DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME ow that tourist season is over, the Ear trusts that an incident such as the one described in the following headline won’t hap- pen here on the North Coast: “Man rescued after getting head stuck between jetty rocks ...” Really? Yes, it’s true, and it happened in Narragansett, Rhode Island, according to WJAR (http://tinyurl.com/jettyhead). A screen shot of the jetty is shown, courtesy of WJAR. While on the jetty, the man dropped his phone; when he bent over to pick it up, he got stuck in the rocks up to his chest. The tide was coming in, so time was of the essence. How did the ire- ighters get him un-stuck? Not air bags, which might have shifted the rocks. Nope, they got creative and used olive oil. It took 2 1/2 hours, but it worked. The man is ine, and all of his body parts are intact. His dignity, not so much. N HERE A WHALE, THERE A WHALE he story of the trials and tribulations while inding the Northwest Passage (connecting the Atlantic and Paciic oceans via a sea route across the top of North Amer- ica) has intrigued Paciic Northwest history buffs for more than a century. According to Biography.com, in 1845, British sailor John Franklin, pictured inset, attempted to sail the route with a crew of 129 and two vessels, HMS Erebus and Ter- ror (pictured), with all the latest and greatest equipment aboard (http://tinyurl.com/biogfrank). The expedition was last seen in July 1845 in Bafin Bay, in the Canadian arctic, by whalers, before completely disappearing. The mystery went unsolved — until recently. The wreck of the Erebus was discovered in 36 feet of water in Bafin Bay in 2014 (http://tinyurl.com/erebus-found). Now, almost exactly two years later, The Guardian reports that the Terror has also been found (http://tinyurl.com/terror-found), at the bottom of Terror Bay. It’s in such good condition, the glass in three of the four stern windows is still intact. It was originally believed the ships became trapped in the ice in 1846. From “brief written records,” it is known that Franklin died in 1847. What was left of the crew was forced to abandon ship in 1848. Starvation and/or scurvy plagued the men during their vain attempt to reach land, and the con- dition of some skeletal remains found by Inuits also led to suspicions of cannibalism. No one survived. “This discovery changes history,” Jim Balsillie of the Arctic Research Foundation told the Guardian. “Given the location of the ind and the state of the wreck, it’s almost certain that HMS Terror was operationally closed down by the remaining crew, who then re-boarded HMS Erebus and sailed south where they met their ultimate tragic fate.” T ive Oregon Coast high school students, including Char- lotte Watkins of Warrenton High School, and three teachers, including Josh Jannusch, also of WHS, had the learning oppor- tunity of a lifetime helping Oregon State University scientists aboard the R/V Oceanus on a research cruise Sept. 13-18. They collected data on marine mammals and seabirds between Asto- ria and seamount Heceta Bank (near Florence) and learned about marine-related careers. The cruise was organized by Oregon Sea Grant and the Ore- gon Coast STEM Hub. Pictured, the Oceanus, in a photo by Sha- ron Nieukirk; inset, a whale and Charlotte, both by Tracy Crews, Oregon Sea Grant marine education program manager. More are at http://tinyurl.com/oceanus-trip “The students and teachers also collected plankton, entered and analyzed data and deployed and retrieved oceanographic instruments that proile the water column,” Tracy wrote. “They spotted jellyish, ocean sunish, albatross, tuna, orcas, in whales, over 50 humpback whales, and more than 400 smaller whales, including Paciic white- sided dolphins, Northern right whale dolphins, and Dall’s porpoise.” More than 500 whales in all, actually. The Ear is oficially jealous. F COMMUNITY NOTES SATURDAY Angora Hiking Club — 10 a.m., Vernonia Lake trail head of Banks-Vernonia State Trail. Bike trip. For information, call Nguyen Trung at 503-739-0243. Sit and Stitch Group — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Custom Threads, 1282 Commercial St. Knitting, cro- cheting and needle work. For infor- mation, call 503-325-7780. Detachment 1228 Marine Corps League — noon, Uptown Cafe, 1639 S.E. Ensign Lane, War- renton. For information, contact Lou Neubecker at 503-717-0153. Columbia Northwestern Model Railroading Club — 1 p.m., in Hammond. Group runs trains on HO-scale layout. For in- formation, call Don Carter at 503- 325-0757. Spinning Circle — 1 to 3 p.m., Astoria Fiber Arts Academy, 1296 Duane St. Bring a spinning wheel. For information, call 503- 325-5598 or go to http://astoriafi- berarts.com SUNDAY Line Dancing — 5:30 to 8 p.m., Seaside American Legion, 1315 Broadway. For information, call 503-738-5111. No cost; suggested $5 tip to the instructor. MONDAY Chair Exercises for Seniors — 9 to 9:45 a.m., Astoria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St. For in- formation, call 503-325-3231. Scandinavian Workshop — 10 a.m., First Lutheran Church, 725 33rd St. Needlework, hardanger, knitting, crocheting, embroidery and quilting. All are welcome. For information, call 503-325-1364 or 503-325-7960. Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m., Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do- nation $3 for those older than 60; $6.75 for those younger than 60. For information, call Michelle Lew- is at 503-861-4200. Columbia Senior Diners — 11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St. Cost is $6. For information, or to have a meal delivered, call 503-325-9693. Warrenton Senior Lunch Pro- gram — noon, Warrenton Commu- nity Center, 170 S.W. Third St. Sug- gested donation of $5 for seniors and $7 for those younger than 60. For information, or to volunteer, call 503-861-3502 Monday or Thursday. Astoria Rotary Club — noon, second loor of the Astoria Elks Lodge, 453 11th St. Guests always welcome. For information, go to www.AstoriaRotary.org Knochlers Pinochle Group — 1 p.m., Bob Chisholm Community Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Cost is $1 per regular session per person. Players with highest and second highest scores split the prize. Game is designed for play- ers 55 and older, but all ages are welcome. Mahjong for Experienced Players — 1 p.m., Astoria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St. For in- formation, call 503-325-3231. Line Dancing for Seniors — 3 to 4:30 p.m., Astoria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St. Not for begin- ners. For information, call 503-325- 3231. Astoria Toastmasters — 6:30 p.m., Hotel Elliot conference room, 357 12th St. Visitors welcome. For information, go to www.toastmas- ters.org or call Christa Svensson at 206-790-2869. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance — 7 to 9 p.m., Room A, Columbia Memorial Hos- pital, 2111 Exchange St. Open to all those diagnosed with a mood dis- order, or have a family member or friend diagnosed, or who think they might have depression or bipolar disorder. For information, contact Patricia Fessler at 503-325-8930. TUESDAY World War II Warbirds — 8 a.m., Labor Temple Diner, 934 Duane St. Stewardship Quilting Group — 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., First Lu- theran Church, 725 33rd St. All are welcome. Donations of material al- ways appreciated. For information, call Janet Kemp at 503-325-4268. Do Nothing Club — 10 a.m. to noon, 24002 U St., Ocean Park, Wash. Men’s group. For information, call Jack McBride at 360-665-2721. Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m., Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do- nation of $3 for those older than 60; $6.75 for those younger than 60. For information, call Michelle Lew- is at 503-861-4200. Columbia Senior Diners — 11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St. The cost is $6. For information, or to have a meal delivered, call 503- 325-9693. See NOTES, Page 2B
