The latest star attractions in San Diego are the baby condor chicks in the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park. Since Friday, two baby condors have knocked and pecked their way out into the world, with one more on it’s way out on Wednesday, and seven more expected to hatch in the coming months.

The Wild Animal Park began it’s breeding program 27 years ago, and with this new lot,  has notched up an impressive 150 California Condors which were born in the Park. The California Condors were almost extinct, with only 22 condors left, when the Park’s breeding program began. There are now 320 of these Condors, with more and more being able to survive in the wild by themselves.

Speaking of cute wild chicks cute chicks in the wild, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin must surely be reading the New York Times travel section (what? she said herself she reads the NYT). Palin says she’s embarking on a ‘36 Hours in Indiana’ vacation. And, as we all know, the NYT has a lock on these 36-hour vacation guides.

Actually, Gov. Sarah Palin is attending the Vanderburgh County Right to Life dinner in Evansville, IN, as well as a breakfast the next day for S.M.I.L.E., a nonprofit organization for people with family members who have Down syndrome. Palin’s son Trigg has Down syndrome.

If you’re wondering why Palin is so wildly popular with the Republican base, this story is a perfect example. She disses the establishment who wanted her to be one of the star attractions in Washington DC for a gala event, and heads down to Indiana for a Right to Life event and another one involving Down syndrome.

Explains why the Washington Republicans are so out of touch. And out of power. If the whole lot of them were made to stay at some Fort Wayne motels for a week and interact with ordinary people, they would likely understand a lot more about their ‘base’.

Ever wonder what’s so special about a vacation that makes you enjoy it so much? Sheri Goggin, of the Athens Banner-Herald, dissects the key components of a vacation, and lists  the ingredients for what she calls ‘A Vacation State of Mind’.

She says the food doesn’t have to be fabulous - it’s the company that counts. And also suggestions like spending more time in the pool than the lounge chairs, and not taking yourself so seriously. Basically, you need to put your worries and insecurities aside, and have a good time, is all.

Photo courtesy office of Governor Sarah Palin.

Posted on April 2nd, 2009 by Thomas
Filed under: News, Vacation