Post-burningman road trip

We took the long way back, hitting Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake, and Yosemite over the next three days.

Clearly my car was up to the challenge. I was hoping to mimic those silly SUV ads with this picture:


Amazing sunsets on the way out:

 

After a week in the desert the deep blue of Tahoe was refreshing:

   

We caught the tufa of Mono lake right at sunset.  We found the area to be full of photographers:

 
( And lots more... )

Browse the whole set on flickr. 

Vasopressin and pair bonding

- Apparently vasopressin (a polypeptide) is released during sex and helps contribute to attachment in pair bonding.
- Some people have fewer receptors for vasopressin, and this affects their ability to form attachments.
- One genetic determinant for vasopressin receptors has been found... apparently people with two copies of this gene have far fewer vasopressin receptors and are more likely to have marital problems because they do not form strong attachment to their spouses.
- So there's a possibility that in the near-future, people who have trouble staying in marriages could take some kind of pill to help them to pair-bond more effectively with their spouses.

I can imagine someone saying "I used to date a string of abusive jerks.  Now I can medicate them!"

This raises some very interesting possibilities for personal development in general.  Most procrastinators I know would happily take a pill to help them stop procrastinating, but some people might resent giving up something they consider a part of their identity or changing in a way that would alienate them from their existing peer group.

More Ephemerisle art ideas...

I'm thinking about various artistic possibilities for narrow floating pathways -- imagine a long 4"x4" wooden beam that has floats under it. 

- Achievement Lounge:  There's a nice floating platform with some soft pillows, lights, and music, but to get there, you have to cross a long, narrow beam.  The beam can be lit up in interesting ways.  There's some nice psychology wrapped up in making the lounge a bit difficult and harrowing to get to.

- Sea garden boardwalk:  Make a boardwalk that people can walk along... perhaps a hexagon-shaped grid of six triangles.  The paths would likely be a bit wider (say, 6") for slightly more comfort.  Place various glowing items in the water around the boardwalk.  Some could be triggered by people's motion.

- Playground challenge:  The boardwalk could have various sections that are difficult to cross (eg sections that rotate, thinner sections etc).  It could be a fun area for people to walk around and explore. 
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There are all kinds of engineering issues associated with making this work ... how to make the beams float in a stable way as people walk on them etc.  If I'm lazy (correction, expedient), I can buy a few premade buoyant slabs for around $60 each. (careful, page takes a long time to load!  :-)  Alternatively, I could use much cheaper air drums, but those are typically barrel-shaped and a little more unwieldly for this sort of application.    I could also take some cheap floats and put weight-distributing things (eg cardboard boxes) on top of them.  Finally, the path itself could be buoyant -- a 10' long 12" PVC pipe could hold the weight of a person standing on it. 

Oh, and if anyone is interested in helping on a project like this, let me know.