California Appreciation Thread

[mordecai]

Today we celebrate and remember Gemina, the crooked neck giraffe, who until a few years ago lived at the quaint and bucolic Santa Barbara Zoo. As a child, my little sister referred to her as "The giraffe that swallowed a stick."

Gemina was born on July 16, 1986, at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. She showed no signs of a neck deformity at birth and was moved to the Santa Barbara Zoo when she was approximately one year old. Gemina's deformity did not appear until she was three years old. Her neck vertebrae began to jut out from her neck at this age. Eventually her neck became bent sharply. The last time that this type of a deformity had been documented in a giraffe was 1902. X-rays of Gemina's neck showed that her vertebrae had fused together, but scientists, zoologists and veterinarians could find no explanation for the deformity. The zoo cited her as an inspiration for disabled children, and she was featured on an episode of Miracle Workers, an ABC reality show, as an inspiration for a child with scoliosis. She was sung to by children on her 21st birthday celebration in July 2007.

Gemina Memorial Fund

 

[Piobaire]

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

 

[mordecai]

Is that RSS? kidding

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by Manton

I was thinking of you when I posted that.

 

[Manton]

 

[mordecai]

 

[Hombre Secreto]

Clint Eastwood is from Cali!

Close thread.

 

[Svenn]

I can understand where that Payne guy is coming from in the OP... California has some of the most awesome native vegetation in the world (madrones, manzanitas, big gnarly oak trees, etc) on picture-perfect rolling hills. Even the crappiest neighborhoods of LA seem to have interesting plants, palms, flowers growing all year round.

 

[NorCal]

California Cats. Feral.

California Dog. Domestic.

California Cow. On the Hoof.

 

[mordecai]

Israel has an incredible feral cat problem. They're literally everywhere. I've seen them in the middle of the desert.

 

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by mordecai

Israel has an incredible feral cat problem. They're literally everywhere. I've seen them in the middle of the desert.
That's what happens when you have no right of return.

 

[mordecai]

Originally Posted by NorCal

That's what happens when you have no right of return.
The freedom to speak your opinion on topics for which you have absolutely no understanding is enjoyed all over this country, not just in California. Please stay focused.

 

[Gus]

Napa Valley

Lake Tahoe

Schramsberg caves in the Napa Valley

Mt Diablo Open Space in my backyard

Cafe Fanny Berkeley (European cafe meets Berkeley. Simple menu, everything is excellent)

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

Cafe Fanny Berkeley (European cafe meets Berkeley. Simple menu, everything is excellent)

And it shares a wall with the best wine shop in the country.