Why you should stay away from sick sea lions, for their good — and yours

• July 4, 2023

The best (and safest) way to help sick sea lions, it turns out, is to not really help at all — except for calling the experts.

A toxic algae bloom up and down the California coast has been sickening sea lions and other ocean mammals over the last month or so, causing them to come ashore in alarming numbers, which has overwhelmed care facilities.

More than 1,000 sea lions and more than 100 dolphins have been reported sick or dead along the California coast. And more than 100 sea lions likely suffering from domoic acid toxicity have stranded themselves on Los Angeles area beaches since the bloom, the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a Friday press release.

“To see a sea lion on the beach in the middle of a crowded summer day, that’s not normal,” Dave Bader, chief operations and education officer for the Marine Mammal Care Center, in San Pedro, said in a Friday interview.

While you may want to go up to the sea lions and do what you can to help them, it’s best that you don’t. There are mulitple reasons why — including that you can be poisoned by the toxin too.

Here’s everything you need to know about the sick marine mammals and why staying away from them is the best thing you can do to help — especially since the Fourth of July is a typically busy beach day.

Why you should stay away

A neurotoxin in the algae, domoic acid, gets concentrated through ingestion as it goes up the food chain. So when small fish eat the sea greenery, the toxin builds in their tissues, then the sea lions eat the fish.

Because they’re semi-aquatic, it’s not uncommon for sea lions to come onto shore if they’re sick — or just want some air.

“If people didn’t exist in the world, there would probably be sea lions on the beach,” Bader said. “But because we do, they don’t really haul out on local beaches anymore.”

When they do, it’s usually to rest, he added.

“They don’t spend their entire lives in the water,” Bader said. “It’s natural for them to come out onto shore if they’re in need.”

But the domoic acid can cause the animals to behave in ways they normally wouldn’t, Bader said, including hauling out onto the beach even with lots of people around.

Sea lions typically stay away from people, Bader said, and it’s rare for them to be aggressive. But because of the neurotoxin, Bader said, the animals may act differently — potentially endangering humans who get too close.

“Because these animals are sick and unpredictable,” Bader said, “coming in close contact with them, you could get bitten.”

Giving the sea lions space so they’re not worried is one thing people can do to help them heal, Bader said.

And for what it’s worth, it’s also illegal to harm or harass the animals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Bader said.

Marine experts and public health officials have urged people to stay at least 50 feet from stranded sea lions, Bader said.

And if you see an animal on a beach, the best way to help is to email a picture of it, along with a photo of the nearest lifeguard tower, to [email protected]. People can also call 1-800-39-WHALE to report stranded sea mammals.

“We’re trying to find the most restful and calm spaces for them to be so they can sleep, be not stressed,” Bader said. “When you have the flu, the last thing you want to do is go to work; you need the most restful situation to recuperate. For sea lions, it’s not too dissimilar.”

Are humans at risk of getting sick?

In short, getting to close to these sick animals can make you ill as well.

But that’s not the only way people can get domoic acid poisoning. They can also get it by eating recreationally caught shellfish, Bader said.

Commercial shellfish, however, is generally considered safe, as it gets tested and wouldn’t make it to market if were contaminated.

But the California Department of Public Health has issued an advisory warning folks not to eat sport-harvested mussels, clam or scallops that come from from Santa Barbara County, per LA County’s Friday release.

Symptoms of toxicity, also called amnesic shellfish poisoning, can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood, according to CDPH. In mild cases, people may experience vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness, with the symptoms disappearing within several days.Severe symptoms include trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma or death.

There’s really no telling when things will calm down with the algae bloom, Bader said. Marine experts say this algae bloom could last six to eight weeks, based on instances in the past, Bader said, but we’re already four weeks in — so it’ll be at least another month before things clear up.

“It depends on what the waves and water want to do,” Bader said. “Algae responds to oceanic conditions, so as long as the ocean is favorable for that algae to grow, it’ll keep happening.”

With warmer temperatures ahead for July 4 and beyond, it looks like the algae won’t die down too soon.

​ Orange County Register 

How do I go about patenting my invention? Ask the lawyer

• July 4, 2023

Q: Two questions: I have come up with a device and have the detailed drawings for it. Now I want to try to patent it. How do I go about doing that?

J.S., Rancho Palos Verdes

Ron Sokol

A: Patent law allows you to patent an invention, machine, process, plant or design. Once (or if) you have determined that your device can be protected by a patent, you will then decide what type of patent you need.

There are different kinds of patents. I believe the two most common are a utility patent, which protects new inventions, machines, processes, compositions of matters, article of manufacture, and any improvement on these items; and a design patent, which protects the aesthetic or the appearance of an invention. There can be an invention that qualifies for both of these kinds of patents, in which event you may file for both.

Note that the utility patent protects how your invention works or functions, whereas the design patent protects the appearance of your device.

The threshold issue: If you are going to seek to patent a device with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (whose website is online), you have to present a novel invention. This “novelty” requirement means your invention is different from anything that has ever been patented before and different from anything that has even been publicly disclosed.

Research indicates that if you have something that is patentable, you must file the application within 12 months of publicly disclosing your invention, or from the date you offered it for sale. Note that a part of your due diligence should be to research whether any one has ever patented the device you are pursuing, or has already disclosed it to the public.

Patent law is a specialty. It is not uncommon for a patent lawyer to be an engineer or have a good working knowledge of the engineering field. I would be remiss if I did not encourage you to consult with (if not retain) a patent law specialist.

I also have not mentioned a provisional patent, which you may want to consider, or a plant patent.  So, again, give thought to sitting down with a specialist.

Q: Second question: What is meant by non-obviousness? I understand my invention has to be “non-obvious.”

J.S., Rancho Palos Verdes

A: Non-obvious is both a subjective and factual inquiry, undertaken by the patent examiner to assess if your invention is new, or instead just a combination of previously patented or publicly disclosed inventions. The subjective part is that the examiner is conducting the determination as to whether an ordinary person skilled in the field, pertinent to your invention, would have believed the invention is obvious at the time you filed.

Bottom line, you want to be able to show that there is a real difference between your invention, and previously patented and publicly disclosed items.

Vocabulary

Utility patent: This is what most people think of when they think about a patent. It’s a long, technical document that teaches the public how to use a new machine, process or system. The kinds of inventions protected by utility patents are defined by Congress. New technologies, such as genetic engineering and internet-delivered software, are challenging the boundaries of what kinds of inventions can receive utility patent protection.

Provisional patent: United States law allows inventors to file a less formal document that proves the inventor was in possession of the invention and had adequately figured out how to make the invention work. Once that is on file, the invention is patent pending. If, however, the inventor fails to file a formal utility patent within a year from filing the provisional patent, he or she will lose this filing date. Any public disclosures made relying on that provisional patent application will now count as public disclosures to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Design patent: This patent offers protection for an ornamental design on a useful item. The shape of a bottle or the design of a shoe, for example, can be protected by a design patent. The document itself is almost entirely made of pictures or drawings of the design on the useful item. Design patents are notoriously difficult to search simply because there are very few words used in a design patent. In recent years, software companies have used design patents to protect elements of user interfaces and even the shape of touchscreen devices.

Plant patent: Just what it sounds like, a plant patent protects new kinds of plants produced by cuttings or other nonsexual means. Plant patents generally do not cover genetically modified organisms and focus more on conventional horticulture.

Ron Sokol has been a practicing attorney for over 40 years, and has also served many times as a judge pro tem, mediator, and arbitrator. It is important to keep in mind that this column presents a summary of the law, and is not to be treated or considered legal advice, let alone a substitute for actual consultation with a qualified professional.

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​ Orange County Register 

Niles: ‘Rogers: The Musical’ shows the importance of live theater at Disneyland

• July 4, 2023

Live musical theater is back at Disney California Adventure, and I could not be happier.

“Rogers: The Musical” opened in the park’s Hyperion Theater last week. The Hollywood Land facility had been dark since the pandemic, after Disneyland closed the “Frozen — Live at the Hyperion” production that had played there since 2016. “Rogers: The Musical” will run through Aug. 31.

More from Robert Niles

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Here’s what’s missing from DisneylandForward

After that, Disneyland has not announced what will happen in the theater. But I hope that it does not remain dark for long. Live theater provides an important draw for any theme park, and Disney should continue to set an example for the industry by supporting it in all of its theme parks.

As for “Rogers,” the new musical surprised me. “Rogers: The Musical” is a punchline in the Disney+ series “Hawkeye,” where it first appeared. When Disneyland announced that it would bring an expanded, 30-minute version of the musical to the Hyperion, I worried that the park could not sustain a joke for that long. Disneyland’s reveal that the production would include a second satirical number, “Star Spangled Man” from “Captain America: The First Avenger,” along with “Save the City” from “Hawkeye,” did not help ease my concern that this would be a one-note show that left audiences cringing as much as laughing.

Don’t worry. “Rogers: The Musical” triumphs. The production offers three exceptional original songs that help frame the show as a classic, heart-tugging Broadway romance. Led by director Jordan Peterson, the creative team has delivered a show that delivers the emotional mix that fans have come to expect from the best Marvel productions. Sure, fans will laugh at “Save the City,” and even more so when Nick Fury sings in a new number which leads up to that. But fans will cry and cheer, too.

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Good word of mouth, along with the enduring popularity of the Captain America character, should help keep the nearly 2,000-seat theater filled multiple times daily for show’s limited run. When shows are running, the Hyperion Theater is a people-eater that helps improve wait times at other attractions throughout Disney California Adventure and Disneyland.

But expanded resort capacity isn’t the only reason why Disneyland should keep the Hyperion running. Theme parks can, and should, use their popularity to help more fans discover and fall in love with theater. Live theater helps develop and sustain generations of actors, singers, writers, composers and designers — many of the creative artists that theme parks need to bring adventures to life for their fans.

Street entertainment and character shows help create the magic in Disney’s parks, but there’s nothing like seeing a show in a big house like the Hyperion to help more fans discover why Broadway remains such a popular and enduring art form. Success drives imitation in entertainment, and I would love to see Disney do whatever it can to inspire the entire theme park industry to commission and support more large-scale, live professional theater for fans across the country and around the world.

​ Orange County Register 

Happy Independence Day: Political Cartoons

• July 4, 2023

Check out our regular cartoon gallery featuring some of the best cartoonists from around the world, and across the political spectrum, covering current issues and figures.

​ Orange County Register 

Los Alamitos horse racing consensus picks, Tuesday, July 4, 2023

• July 4, 2023

The consensus box of Los Alamitos horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

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Watering right can save gardeners money, gallons and their plants, too

• July 4, 2023

By Jessica Damiano

Until I installed soaker hoses throughout my vegetable beds this year, I’d always watered my plants by hand, which over the years had become tiresome.

Standing outside holding a garden hose wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time, but it directs water precisely to the soil above roots, making sure it lands where it’s needed. That eliminates waste, and goes a long way toward preventing diseases like powdery mildew. That’s good for plants, the environment and the water bill.

Placing flexible, porous rubber or fabric soaker hoses on the soil around plants is another preferred way to irrigate, as it allows water to seep slowly over roots. Drip irrigation hoses (rigid tubes with emitter holes that drip or stream water) work similarly.

There are plenty of other easy ways to save water around the garden.

Applying water in the morning, for instance, allows time for it to permeate deeply into the soil before the sun gets too hot. Wait until later in the day, and a good portion of that water will evaporate from the soil surface before doing its job. Later still, and moisture could stick around overnight, risking mold, mildew and fungal diseases.

How you water is just as important as when. Giving plants a quick, daily sprinkle offers little if any benefit to roots, which, depending on the plant, could extend a foot or more into the soil. Instead, water less frequently but deeply.

And when the soil is really dry, it’s even more important to slow down, or the water will run off without penetrating the surface, just as a bone-dry kitchen sponge has difficulty absorbing a spill.

You can recycle water from boiling pasta, vegetables and eggs instead of pouring it down the drain, as long as it hasn’t been salted. Water from dehumidifiers can be used, too. Waste not, want not.

Redirect a downspout to fill a rain barrel, then use the captured water to fill watering cans. Or use an adapter to attach a garden or soaker hose to the spigot hole at the bottom of the barrel.

When planting a garden, we typically give thought to what looks good with what and (hopefully) each plant’s sunlight requirements. Consider water needs, too, so as not to overwater drought-resistant plants when trying to appease thirsty water hogs nearby.

For the same reason, it’s a good idea to keep lawns separate from trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials and annuals if you use an automatic sprinkler system, which, by the way, wets the foliage of plants in the path of the spray, making them susceptible to disease.

Better yet, use native plants, most of which are drought-tolerant. They’ll need regular watering during their first year or two, but once they’re established, they can typically get by on rainwater alone, except maybe during prolonged heat waves. To find plants native to your area, plug your zip code into the online databases at T he National Wildlife Federation (https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants) and Audubon Society (https://www.audubon.org/native-plants) websites.

When planting in the garden, incorporate a generous amount of compost into holes to increase the water-holding capacity of sandy soil and improve drainage in clay.

Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around trees, shrubs and plants to retain soil moisture, reduce surface evaporation and inhibit weeds. Wait until the soil warms up before mulching, and keep the material a few inches away from stems and trunks.

When planting containers, look for a potting mix that includes vermiculite, a moisture-retaining mineral. Soil moisture polymer granules such as SoilMoist can also be added to reduce watering needs by as much as 50%.

You can even tear open a (clean!) baby diaper and mix the absorbent hydrogels with your potting mix, or simply place an unfolded diaper at the bottom of a container (plastic side down, with holes poked in for drainage) to absorb and hold moisture. Just don’t use any of these if your container includes succulents or other plants that require dry, well-draining soil.

If you’re using an automatic sprinkler, set the timer for early in the morning, preferably just before dawn. Look for a timer with a rain sensor, or manually override its programming to avoid waste on rainy days.

Most lawns need about 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week, including from rain, but you won’t know how much your system puts out unless you test it. Set a tuna fish can on the lawn during a cycle, then measure the water accumulation in the can.

A rain gauge, which sort of looks like a test tube marked with measurements, will also inform on rainfall amounts.

___

Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for the AP.

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​ Orange County Register 

Mike Trout leaves Angels’ loss to Padres with left hand injury

• July 4, 2023

SAN DIEGO — Everything was already going wrong for the Angels on Monday night.

And then Mike Trout got hurt.

Trout, who had just been heating up at the plate, left the Angels’ 10-3 loss to the San Diego Padres in the eighth inning, with an injury to his left hand.

There was no immediate word on the nature or severity of the injury. Trout took a swing at a pitch and fouled it off, and then he shook his left hand. Head athletic trainer Mike Frostad came to check on Trout, and he was quickly removed from the game.

Trout, who is set to start in the All-Star Game next week, had two singles and a walk in the game, continuing a stretch that had seen him hit .340 over the last two weeks.

He had been one of the bright spots on a bad night, when the Angels lost for the fifth time in their last six games.

Starter Jaime Barría didn’t pitch well enough, and he was burned by his defense in one crucial sequence.

Shortstop David Fletcher made a bad throw on what would have been a first-inning double play. It allowed the inning to extend for Xander Bogaerts to hit a three-run homer.

Barria still managed to get through five innings, allowing just one more run. The Angels trailed 4-0 when he threw his final pitch because they had come up empty repeatedly with runners in scoring position.

In the first five innings, the Angels were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine runners on base and getting nothing out of seven hits and four walks.

The Angels finally got back into the game in the sixth.

Rengifo and pinch-hitter Mike Moustakas singled. Taylor Ward drove in one with his second double of the game. Trout then knocked in a run with his second hit of the game, pulling the Angels within 4-2.

Manager Phil Nevin took Barria out after five innings and 87 pitches, with the heart of the Padres’ order due for the third time. With the Angels still losing, Nevin likely didn’t want to burn his high-leverage relievers in a game they were losing, so he summoned rookie right-hander Victor Mederos for his second major league game.

All he had to do was face Soto, Tatis, Machado and Bogaerts.

Mederos didn’t retire any of them – although Tatis reached on a broken-bat hit and Bogaerts on an infield hit. That led to two more runs.

Tucker Davidson and Sam Bachman combined to give up three more runs in the seventh. Bachman continued and gave up another run in the eighth. In his last five games, he’s allowed 11 hits, three walks and five earned runs in five innings. The Angels also had him throw 44 pitches two days after he threw 34 pitches.

More to come on this story.

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Dodgers beat Pirates, kick off homestand with Dave Roberts’ 700th win

• July 4, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― The Dodgers limped home Monday on the heels of back-to-back losses to the woebegone Kansas City Royals, having lost their best pitcher to a shoulder injury earlier in the day.

A couple of big hits by outfielder David Peralta and a serviceable spot start from Michael Grove got them back on track. Max Muncy also hit his 18th home run of the season in the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before an announced crowd of 49,652 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers (47-37) delivered the 700th career win for Manager Dave Roberts.

Grove allowed one run over four innings, facing the Pirates’ starting lineup twice before turning the game over to the bullpen. With a little help from his defense, Grove delivered one of his best performances of the season.

Grove allowed a wall-banging double to Carlos Santana to begin the second inning. The Dodgers’ infielders drew closer to home plate with Santana at third base and one out. Shortstop Miguel Rojas devoured a grounder by Nick Gonzales and threw quickly to home plate, in time to cut down Santana and keep the game scoreless.

Grove did not help his own cause when he made an unwise throw to first base later in the inning, rather than holding on to a swinging-bunt ground ball halfway up the first-base line off the bat of Rodolfo Castro. When Grove’s throw eluded Freddie Freeman, Gonzales scampered all the way from first to third, then scored on a single by Jared Triolo.

The Dodgers rattled off five unanswered runs against right-hander Mitch Keller (9-4). Muncy broke open the scoring with his solo home run in the second inning. Later that inning, Peralta doubled and scored on a Jason Heyward grounder that got past Santana at first base.

With two outs in the fourth inning, Keller hit Miguel Vargas with a 93-mph sinker, then served up an RBI double to Rojas that gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.

Freeman and Smith led off the fifth inning with a pair of singles, and another two-out rally led to two more runs. Peralta poked a single into left field to score Freeman. Heyward hit a soft line drive in Santana’s direction, but the first baseman simply missed it, allowing Smith to score.

The Dodgers’ bullpen had a fairly easy time protecting the 5-1 lead. Caleb Ferguson (5-3), Ryan Brasier, Daniel Hudson, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five over the final five innings.

Peralta, Muncy and Rojas each had two of the Dodgers’ nine hits.

The Dodgers are sending three position players to the All-Star Game next Tuesday in Seattle. From May 1 through Sunday, Peralta had a higher batting average (.346) than Freddie Freeman (.327), a better on-base percentage (.387) than Mookie Betts (.383), and a higher slugging percentage (.508) than Will Smith (.476).

There’s an obvious caveat to Peralta’s success. As a part-time player, he rarely bats against left-handed pitchers. The Dodgers have effectively limited Peralta’s greatest weakness – he’s hitting .240 in his career against lefties – by never making him confront it. At 35, the extra time off might be beneficial to Peralta’s health.

Still, most pitchers throw with their right hand, giving Peralta plenty of chances to do damage. He did very little before May 1, when he was hitting .167 with one home run.

More to come on this story.

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​ Orange County Register