The Rock Bag Page 1

Rock BagAugust 2013 Vol. 51 Issue 8 Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society

Oxnard Gem & Mineral SocietyP. O. Box 246

Oxnard, CA 93032Web address: www.oxnardgem.com

Email Address: oxnardgem@gmail.com

The Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society is a non-profit organization formed to increase our knowledge in geology, mineralogy and other such related fields in the earth sciences. We classify, cut, grind and polish rocks and minerals for our personal collections and to display at club shows. We learn from each other through club speakers, programs and monthly field trips. We co operate with other clubs to encourage others to participate in our activity.

The Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society is a member of the State of California Federation of Mineralogical Society and the National Federation of Mineralogical Society.

O X N A R D C L U B

Rock Bag

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President Adrian Ruiz512-3383

pebpupdad@yahoo.com

1st Vice President (Programs)

Louisa Carey(503) 309-6147

big_L76@yahoo.com

2nd Vice President(Show)

Brett Johnson822-3836

bj9709@yahoo.com

3rd Vice President(Field Trips)

Bob Driskell485-2983

digital.alchemy@verizon.net

Recording Secretary Laura Driskell485-2983

driskellmom@yahoo.com

Treasurer Miriam Tetreault642-5779

ml_tetreault@hotmail.com

Corresponding Secretary

Brett Johnson 822-3836 bj9709@yahoo.com

Displays/ Exhibits Brett Johnson 822-3836 bj9709@yahoo.com

Editor Brian Miller 509-0815 oxnardgem@gmail.com

Education Director Donna Knapton 407-3968 dknapton@hotmail.com

Federation Director Louisa Carey(503) 309-6147

big_L76@yahoo.com

Historian Adrian Ruiz 512-3383

peppupdad@yahoo.com

Hospitality Open ----------------------------------

Librarian Kay Hara 525-7634

kharaftdoc@aol.com

Member at Large Open ----------------------------------

Membership Secretary Carolyn Howe 486-1185

cswhowe50@yahoo.com

Public Relations Open ----------------------------------

Parliamentarian Laura Driskell 485-2983

driskellmom@yahoo.com

Refreshments Laura Driskell 485-2983

driskellmom@yahoo.com

Sergeant at Arms Bob Driskell 647-8762

digital.alchemy@verizon.net

Ways & Means Open ----------------------------------

The Rock Bag

The Ventura County Fair is just around the corner. Come and see your fellow club member’s exhibits at the Gem & Mineral and

Hobbies building. We would love to see you there

on any of these dates, Mark it on your Calendar.

July 31- Aug 11.

Appointed Standing Committee Chairs

OGMS Officers for 2013

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Minutes of the July 3, 2013 OGMS General Meeting

Call to order: 7:42 pm. Adrian Ruiz, presiding. Bob Driskell led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Hospitality: Eleven members signed in, 4 guests. Guests included a Potential Pebble Pub and parent.

Minutes: Table to next meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: Table to next meeting.

Correspondence: None.

Membership: Not present.

1st VP, Program: Louisa invites all to enjoy fellowship and good food. Next month, August, meeting held as a field trip at VC Fair. September: Mary-Pat Weber, Condor Agates. October: Steve Mulqueen, Trona minerals, Searles Lake. November: Show Meeting. December: Holiday Potluck.

2nd VP, Show: Not present.

3rd VP, Field Trips: August Field Trip, VC Fair on August 7th.

Old Business: Regarding 1st VP, Programs, Laura Driskell will assume position for next two months, while Louisa is on “walkabout,” and take extra mailbox key to check mail if necessary. Upon Louisa’s return, she will decide how much responsibility she wants to take on.

New Business: Storage rental for Show Trailer is due. Miriam and Diane Cook will coordinate payment.

Federation News: CFMS Tri-club Show Meeting was held; each club earned just under $5K after expenses. Club will have to discuss what to do with profits.

Education: OGMS’ youngest Pebble Pup won ribbons and trophy for case display, and won first place in the dinosaur coloring contest for her age group!

Classes: Classes will still be starting in September. Construction is to be completed in July, but may not be done in time for VC Fair displays.

Library: Not present.

Refreshments for August meeting: Not discussed. Refreshment chair will provide refreshments.

Ways and Means: Not present.

Scholarships: Not present.

Announcements: Ventura Estate Sale for couple who were rock hounds. Announcement to be forwarded to members.

Adjournment: Nothing further to report, Adrian Ruiz adjourned meeting at 8:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Laura Driskell, Recording SecretaryJuly 21, 2013

Summer Potluck, dinner started 6:30pm. Small group, great food!

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Minutes of the July 10, 2013 OGMS Board MeetingCall to Order: 7:33pm, Brett Johnson, presiding. Attendees: Brett Johnson, Brian Miller, Bob Driskell, Larry Knapton, Donna Knapton, Carolyn Howe, Miriam Tetreault, Stephanie Hagiwara, Laura Driskell.

Minutes: Motion by Bob Driskell to approve May Board Meeting minutes as published in the Rock Bag. Motion seconded, minutes approved.

Treasurerʼs Report: Discussion of bills to be paid, deposits. Motion to pay bills, and accept Treasurerʼs Report, by Carolyn Howe. Motion seconded and approved. Bob Driskell will need to go to Union Bank with Stephanie and get his name on the General Account signatory card.

Corresponding Secretary: Lots of junk mail, promotional cards for Gem Faire, Santa Barbara, CFMS newsletter. Brett will go to OPACC to set up dates for the next yearʼs meetings and events.

Membership: One renewal, Betty Rutledge. This brings our roster to 41 paid members.

OLD BUSINESS

1." Stephanie and Brett will meet at Fairgrounds to set up the OGMS Club case for VC Fair.

2." Donna & Larry Knapton went to Santa Paula to look at the collection for sale. Mostly petrified wood.

NEW BUSINESSNone.

1st VP, Programs: Laura Driskell will take this position while Louisa Carey is on hiatus. August 7th, Field Trip to VC Fair. September 4th, Dick and Mary Pat Weber, Condor Agates. October 2nd, Steve Mulqueen, on evaporative minerals. November 6th, Show meeting. December 4th, Holiday Potluck, with entertainment.2nd VP, Show: Brett will have a show meeting next month. The storage for the show trailer is

due, and there was discussion regarding how to handle the invoices for show storage.

3rd VP, Field Trips: Bob Driskell reminded everyone regarding VC Fair Field Trip on August 7th. Greenhorn Mountain trip coming up August 16th and there will be a scouting trip next weekend. Since the Tri-Club Field Trip Chair has already made arrangements with the mine owner, he will be in charge of the arrangements.

Federation: CFMS wants each club to document field trips to show to ALLA.

Classes: No word yet on when classroom will be available. Jennifer Friedman has decided not to teach enameling.The City will now require the classes to pay for the electricity used.

Education: CFMS Dinosaur Coloring contest results were judged and prizes given out.

Editor: New articles were printed, bulletin looks great.

Library: Not present.

Displays & Exhibits: No information.

Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Respectfully submitted, by Laura Driskell, Recording Secretary July 10, 2013

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August Program

Pebble Pups

Calling all Pebble Pups!

We are joining up with the general meeting for a very special

meeting held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

This is a chance to talk and get to know others in the club. Come and see the exciting club cases

that our fellow club members put together to be show cased for the fair. Lots & Lots to look at.

You may learn something new you never knew…

If you attend the VC Fair, you need to pay the entrance fee, unless you signed up in advance

with Diane to work a shift.

Newcomers are always welcome

The meeting will be held in the Gem and Minerals & Hobbies building at the Fairgrounds.

(Pebble Pup meetings will resume in October.)

-Courtesy of Diamond Dan

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OGMS is doing something a little different this month. Due to recored low attendance due to the Ventura County Fair and Summer Vacation, we as a club decided to make a field trip out of it. Come on over and have some fun... If you attend the VC Fair, you need to pay the entrance fee, unless you signed up in advance with Diane to work a shift.

ROCKS ROCK!!!

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Hi OGMS,

Please Remember the rules when checking out a book: 1. You must be a current member with your dues paid, hopefully an active member.2. Up to three books can be checked out at one time.3. Books can be checked out for one month at a time you check them out at a meeting and

bring them back the next following meeting. If you wish an extension, please arrange with the librarian.

4. Books must be brought back in good shape; any damage must be reported. If a book is lost, please make every effort to replace it or pay for it. Some books are very valuable.

5. If books are overdue a week, you will be called and reminded to return them ASAP.6. Any book(s) you have that are relevant to our hobby and are fairly current, in good

condition that you wish to donate to the library, it would be greatly appreciated.

THE OGMS BOOK CORNER

Since I will be gone out of the area for the month of July, there will be no book review for July but we will have one for August. In the mean time, those who have checked books out in June, please enjoy them and return them in August.

Have a great summer! Kay - yo're old librarian

Club News

Ventura County Fair Awards goes out to...

 Congratulations to Oxnard Club Members, Donna Knapton for 20 years of volunteer

service. Cynthia Baumgartner and Miriam Tetreault for 25 years of volunteer service at the Ventura County Fair. Thank you and again Congratulations.

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2013 Show Report

I hope everyone was successful in getting their Exhibits and Entrees into the Ventura County Fair. I am looking forward to see what you have offered up as a display.

And speaking of Exhibits, it is time to think about what you will be showcasing at our 44th Annual Galaxy of Gem Expo. Our theme will be Agate, so think about displaying all those amazing, little beauties. There is an Exhibitorʼs application on the back of the RockBag. Fill it out as the deadline for entry is Oct. 31st.

Raffle tickets are available for sale from Kay Hara. He will have them available at the next meeting. Tickets will be sold as: one (1) for $1.00, six (6) for $5.00, twelve (12) for $10.00, or Twenty-Five (25) for $20.00. What a deal! Also, he will be offering the You Choose prizes, like what was offered at the CFMS Show. Their will be several valuable and excellent items to choose from that will have a separate container for each prize. Pick the item(s) you would like to win, fill out your ticket stubs, and drop them in the itemʼs container. If your stub is chosen for that item, you win! Fun. Also, we will need some nice and desirable prizes for the Raffle. Please contact Kay Hara to acceptable your donations for the Show.

Get your plants ready for sale at the Show. Make sure to water and feed them until then. Start those clippings and sprouts now, ask around the neighborhood for donations, and continue the Can Drive for the Plants Booth. We still need the soup cans, milk cartons, and coffee tins that we will decorate and use as planters during the Show. It will be a fun way to Recycle Reduce Reuse and make the Plants booth more attractive to our visitors and boost the sales. Hang on to your plants for now, and remember to water and feed them.

Finally, there will be a Show Meeting at the next board meeting, Wed. Aug. 14th at 7pm. I will need all the Show Chairpersons to attend the board meeting to report on your status and progress in your area of expertise. Thank you for all your help and support. See yʼall there, Brett

More Club News

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cNews Flash

The Art and Science of Fireworks DisplaysArt, Chemistry, Physics and Math Light Up the Fourth of July!

Lights, Colors, Sounds, Shapes and Surprises!

Why do fireworks displays attract so many people? There are many answers to this question but most people simply enjoy the bright explosions of light, color and sound. Others enjoy being surprised by the shape and color of the fireworks bursts. These shapes and colors do not happen by chance. They are deliberately produced by a careful combination of art, chemistry, physics and math!

How Fireworks Work

An aerial fireworks burst is produced by launching a fireworks shell high into the air where an explosion occurs. This explosion propels brightly burning particles (known as "stars") in many directions. Each streak of light in the photo at right is a burning "star" flying through the air.

Examine the diagram of a fireworks shell below and read the caption to better understand what happens in the air when this explosion occurs.

When a fireworks shell is launched into the air the fuse is burning. The fuse is just the right length to ignite the explosive charge at the desired altitude. When the charge explodes it instantly ignites the gunpowder, increasing the size and force of the explosion. This explosion ignites the stars and throws them outwards in all directions. The stars burn as they travel through the air to produce the streaks of a brightly colored

What Causes the Colors?Chemistry holds the secrets to the color of a fireworks burst. The colors that you see in the sky are determined by metal salts that are deliberately added in very small amounts to the stars when they are manufactured.

As the stars burn the metal atoms absorb energy, become excited and emit a specific color of light. Some of the metals that produce the colors of fireworks are tabulated here.

Color Metals

Red Strontium, Lithium

Orange Calcium

Yellow Sodium

White Magnesium, Aluminum

Green Barium

Blue Copper

Purple Strontium and Copper

Silver Titanium, Magnesium, Aluminum

-http://geology.com/articles/fireworks/

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cOn The Web

Hubble Discovers a New Moon around Neptune

July 15, 2013: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a new moon orbiting the distant blue-green planet Neptune, the 14th known to be circling the giant planet. The moon, designated S/2004 N 1, is estimated to be no more than 12 miles across, making it the smallest known moon in the Neptunian system. It is so small and dim that it is roughly 100 million times fainter than the faintest star that can be seen with the naked eye. It even escaped detection by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft, which flew past Neptune in 1989 and surveyed the planet's system of moons and rings.

Mark Showalter of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., found the moon July 1, while studying the faint arcs, or segments of rings, around Neptune. "The moons and arcs orbit very quickly, so we had to devise a way to follow their motion in order to bring out the

details of the system," he said. "It's the same reason a sports photographer tracks a running athlete -- the athlete stays in focus, but the background blurs."The method involved tracking the movement of a white dot that appears over and over again in more than 150 archival Neptune photographs taken by Hubble from 2004 to 2009.

On a whim, Showalter looked far beyond the ring segments and noticed the white dot about 65,400 miles from Neptune, located between the orbits of the Neptunian moons Larissa and Proteus. The dot is S/2004 N 1. Showalter plotted a circular orbit for the moon, which completes one revolution around Neptune every 23 hours.

Credits:Production editor: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASAThe Hubble Space Telescope is a cooperative project between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Md., conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc., in Washington.

This composite Hubble Space Telescope picture shows the location of a newly discovered moon, designated S/2004 N 1, orbiting Neptune. The black and white image was taken in 2009 with Hubbleʼs Wide Field Camera 3 in visible light. Hubble took the color inset of Neptune on August 2009. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, M. Showalter/SETI Institute

-http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/15jul_neptunemoon/

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Peridot has been the official birthstone for August since 1912 but its history goes back much further than that. Peridot was considered a very spiritual stone for Ancient Egypt. Egyptian priests would brew a strong drink from the crushed up stones and partake of this hot drink during ceremonies. It was

believed that drinking peridot brought them closer to nature. These peridot drinks were especially popular among priests of the goddess Isis.

Cleopatra had a deep love of peridot. While many sources from the time describe her as bejeweled in emeralds there is much archaeological evidence that the stones people were taking as emeralds were actually peridot.

In fact one of the nicknames for peridot since ancient times has been ʻevening emeraldʼ. This also brings to mind the long held belief that peridot burned with an inner fire that would glow at night. In some ancient cultures miners searched for peridot during the early evening or at night when they said it was the easiest to find.

Ancient Hawaiian folklore says that peridot is actually the hardened tears of a goddess named Pele. Pele, as a deity, was associated with fire, lightning, and volcanoes. Pele was in many stories a destructive goddess but, as the Hawaiian Islands themselves were formed from the explosion of the volcanoes beneath them, Pele was known to be generous as well. Peridot is one of the gifts it is said the goddess gave to the Hawaiian people.

Peridot is also mentioned in the Bible under the name chrysolite. During the Crusades many pieces of peridot were brought back from the Middle East and were used to decorate churches.

With its lovely pear green color it should be no surprise that peridot is linked to success, peace, and good luck. In modern new age tradition it is also supposed to help soothe the wearer to deep sleep, to dispel negative energy, and calm anger.

Health-wise throughout history it was believed that powered peridot could cure respiratory problems such as asthma and that the gemstone acted as a salve to heart troubles. In the Middle Ages peridot was placed under the tongue of sick people to reduce fevers.

Myths and legends about Peridot, the August birthstone

-http://www.examiner.com/article/myths-and-legends-about-peridot-the-august-birthstone

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Upcoming Shows & Events

Aug. 30 - Sept. 2: FORT BRAGG, CAMendocino Coast Gem & Mineral Society Town HallCorner of Main & LaurelHours: Fri-Sun 10 - 6; Mon 10 - 4Contact: Jerry Sommer, (707) 937-1833

2013 CAMP PARADISE DATES:1st week: August 25-30, 2013

2nd week: Sepember 1 - 6, 2013

Form: attached to the Rockbag

THE VENTURA COUNTY FAIRJuly 31 to Aug 11

August 2 - 4: NIPOMO, CAOrcutt Mineral Society, Santa MariaNipomo High School525 North Thompson Ave.Hours: Fri/Sat 10 - 5; Sun 10 - 4Contact: Wes Lingerfelt, (805) 929-3788Email: info@omsinc.org

Sept. 7 & 8: DOWNEY, CADelvers Gem & Mineral SocietyDowneyʼs Womenʼs Club9813 Paramount Blvd. Corner of Paramount & LubecHours: Sat. 10-5; Sun 10 -4Email: Jon FultsFults007@gmail.com

Sept. 21 & 22: REDWOOD CITY, CASequoia Gem & Mineral SocietyCommunity Activities Building1400 Roosevelt Ave.Hours: 10 - 5 DailyContact: Preston Bingham (650) 368 6351Email: preston.bingham@att.nethttp://sgms.driftmine.com

Sept. 28 & 29: LODI, CAStockton Lapidary & Mineral ClubLodi Grape Festival Grounds413 East Lockeford St.Hours: 10-5 DailyContact: Jerold Kyle (209) 368- 9411Email: jeroldkyle@yahoo.comwww.stocktonlapidary.com

Sept. 28 & 29: MONTEREY, CACarmel Valley Gem & Mineral SocietyMonterey Fairgrounds2004 Fairgrounds Rd. Hours: Sat: 10-6; Sun 10- 5Contact: Janis Rovetti (831) 372-1311Email: janis12@sbcglobal.netwww.cvgms.com

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Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society “Galaxy of Gems” Expo 2013

DUE TO THE EXTREMELY HIGH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, OXNARD GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR

DAMAGE TO EXHIBITS AND/OR THEIR CONTENTS.

We would like to invites you to Exhibit at our 2013 “Galaxy of Gems” Expo. Our theme this year is “AGATE – Natural Art by Design”. The Show will be held on November 16th & 17th at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center (800 Hobson Way, Oxnard). Set-up times for your case will be Friday, Nov. 15th between 1:00 pm and 9:30 pm and on Saturday before 9:00 am. Society guards will be on duty around the clock for security and members will be on hand to assist you in loading / unloading or in any other way that will make your stay enjoyable. A complimentary dinner will be served to exhibitors at 6:00 pm on Friday. Your exhibits must remain on display until the end of the expo on Sunday at 4:00 pm. We would be honored to have you take part in our Show and would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible. Deadline to submit your Exhibit Form will be Oct. 31st. Please fill out and return the below entry form to: Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society c/o Brett Johnson 5138 Corbina Way Oxnard, CA. 93035 or email the information below to: bj9709@yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NAME: TEL: ADDRESS: EMAIL: CITY: STATE: ZIP: WILL EXHIBIT A TOTAL OF CASES. WISH TO BORROW OGMS CASES. (CASE INSIDES: 46inch x 22inch x 22in) HAVE OF MY OWN CASES, THEY ARE inch WIDE by inch DEEP MY OWN CASES WILL BE: BOX OR PONY UPRIGHT / FLAT A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY EXHIBITS: JOINING FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER? HOW MANY IN YOUR PARTY?