Dog Diabetes. Pet Foods. Please Click. Feral Cat Hoarding. Dog v. Wolf. Michael Vick's Dogs. Cutest Frog. Baptist Pastor on Easter. April Fools. First Weather Satellite. Tobacco Ads Banned. “Food Matters”.

 

For “Mammal Monday”:

A Single Treatment Cures Diabetes - How to Protect Your Pet Now

“Researchers in Spain have successfully used gene therapy to treat type I diabetes in dogs.

Type I diabetes, known as juvenile diabetes in humans, is the form of diabetes that most often affects canines. It occurs primarily in adult dogs as the result of lifestyle factors, including over-vaccination, diets high in carbohydrates, and lack of exercise.  The gene therapy treatment is given in a single session, and the dogs in the study recovered their health and showed no further signs of the disease – some through over four years of monitoring.

The dogs experienced good glucose control whether fasting or eating, with no episodes of hypoglycemia, even after exercise. The dogs also had improved body weight and developed no secondary complications four years after treatment.

Dog diabetes is almost always avoidable, so while the news of a cure is exciting, preventing disease in your pet should remain the focus of your efforts.

Obesity in companion animals is becoming an epidemic. And obesity stems from two sources:

1. Lack of movement
2. Diet, which is the underlying and most obvious reason behind weight gain and the development of diabetes 

The majority of pets in the U.S. consume a high calorie, high carb diet. And yet, dogs and cats have no physiological requirement for grains like corn, wheat, rice, soy, millet or quinoa as sources of energy.

Dogs are scavenging carnivores, cats are obligate carnivores – they are designed by nature to burn fat and protein very efficiently. The majority of commercially available dog and cat foods in the U.S. use grains or potato starch as filler.

Your pet’s body doesn’t need those carbs, and certainly not in the quantities contained in most commercial pet foods. You should really only give carbs as treats, if at all.

All the carbohydrates in your pet’s food – which can be as much as 80 percent of the contents – break down into sugar. Excess sugar can result in diabetes.  Too much sugar in your pet’s system can result in pancreatic failure, insulin production deficiency or insulin resistance, a condition in which the body’s cells stop using insulin efficiently and become starved of essential nutrients.

To avoid feeding carbs, transition your cat or dog to a species-appropriate, preferably raw diet.”  More at:   http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/04/07/causes-of-pet-diabetes.aspx

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How to Tell If a Pet Food Manufacturer is Untrustworthy

“Recently a DVM and professor from Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Lisa Freeman, gave a lecture based on her research on companion animal nutrition.

During her presentation, Dr. Freeman showed images of various pet food labels. One label for a cat food showed flaxseed on the ingredient list. Flaxseed can be metabolized by the human digestive system. It can also be marginally digested by dogs. However, cats can't digest the stuff at all – but there it was, big as life, on the ingredient label.

In Dr. Freeman's view, this is a sign the pet food manufacturer doesn't know much about canine and feline nutrition. I would take it a step further and suggest the company also doesn't care much about pet nutrition. How can a maker of cat food use an ingredient wholly indigestible to cats and still give a hoot about feline nutrition?

It is shocking how many pet food companies do not have a nutritionist on staff. She would prefer companies spend less money on marketing and more on research and development and experts in animal nutrition.

Animal by-products are rendered ingredients in pet food. The rendering process is designed to blend anything and everything – from clean muscle meat … to slaughter floor waste … to roadkill … to euthanized shelter pets – into ingredients pet food manufacturers can include in their formulas.”  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/27/pet-food-label-guidelines.aspx

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How to Know if the Poultry in Your Pet's Food is Chicken... or Roadkill

“The pet food rendering industry exists for one reason – to turn animal and food waste not fit for human consumption into ingredients pet food manufacturers will buy.

What most pet parents who buy popular commercial pet foods don’t know is exactly what type of “raw materials” wind up at rendering facilities and ultimately, in the food they feed their beloved dog or cat.

Plenty of pet food consumers also don’t realize there’s a huge difference between “chicken” and “poultry” on pet food ingredient labels. There’s also a huge difference between “chicken” and “chicken by-products.” And these differences are extremely important when it comes to the health of dogs and cats.

The sad fact is, most of the biggest pet food companies are consumed with increasing profits, not your pet’s health. That’s why every pet parent should learn to read pet food labels and know the difference between good, acceptable, and poor/dangerous pet food ingredients.”   More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/11/pet-food-contains-poultry.aspx

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It's High in Protein, High in Fat - But Should You Feed It to Your Dog?

“Unfortunately, the ingredient lists for these new diets aren’t impressive. Chicken did top the list (before processing), but the next several ingredients in all three formulas were primarily grains – including plenty of corn/corn derivatives -- and byproducts.”  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/03/20/new-dog-food-formula.aspx

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Please Click every day.

“Angie asks all ANIMAL LOVERS to pass this on. The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site DAILY -www.theanimalrescuesite.com  It is the only way they can meet their quota of getting free food to be donated every day to abused and neglected animals.  Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned and neglected animals in exchange for advertising.

Just go to their site and click on the purple box 'FUND FOOD FOR ANIMALS' for FREE.”   Thank you.

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Florida Legislature Poised to Approve Public Cat Hoarding

(Washington, D.C., March 29, 2013) “Despite public opposition, the Florida legislature is moving towards approving legislation that would authorize the public hoarding of cats by feral cat activists, in the face of potential public health and property value impacts, as well as predicted high mortality for native animals. The cost of cleaning up these areas could also fall on Florida taxpayers.

“Even if the threat of serious disease is not off-putting, the fact is that one in five Americans - about 48 million people - engage in birdwatching. None of those people will want to live in an area that has a state-sanctioned cat hoarding area. We continually get calls from people asking what they can do to get rid of the feral cats that kill the wildlife in their backyards that they so enjoy watching. It is not inconceivable that when word gets out to the wildlife community, birdwatchers may begin to avoid Florida as a birding destination with potentially significant economic impacts to small businesses."  More at: http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/130329.html   

On ABC’s Facebook page many have said that they will boycott FL if this approved!!

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Born to Be Wild: Why Wolves Are and Dogs Aren’t

“Based on exciting new research, it seems we’ve made some incorrect assumptions about how wolf pups mature. Their senses of sight, sound and smell develop very similar to those of dogs, but there’s one important difference – wolf pups begin walking and discovering their world two weeks sooner than their domestic counterparts.

This means wolf pups enter the all-important socialization period at just two weeks of age, when they cannot yet see or hear. Only their sense of smell is functioning as they begin to explore their world. This is a vastly different developmental experience than that of dog puppies, and is very likely the reason the behaviors of adult wolves and dogs are dissimilar.

It seems nature has designed wolf pups to be prepared to survive out in the world at a young age... but with that readiness comes a greater level of fear and aversion to other species and unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells.”  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/03/27/dog-wolf-differences.aspx

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Michael Vick's former dogs celebrated at reunion

“Six of the 22 dogs taken in by Best Friends Animal Society from Vick's notorious 'Bad Newz Kennels' gather for an event sponsored by the animal sanctuary.”  Pictures and more at:  http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/michael-vicks-former-dogs-celebrated-at-reunion

 

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I know it’s not a mammal, but it sounds like a dog’s squeaky toy.

Worlds Cutest Frog - Desert Rain Frog

“The Desert Rain Frog’s natural habitat is in Namibia and South Africa along a 10 kilometer stretch of land along the ocean. The frog is nocturnal and enjoys moist areas, which the ocean fog helps provide.”

“Is he crying for his mama?   A viral video that was released earlier this week of a tiny, squeaky-voiced frog has won the hearts of many, including dogs, some of whom can’t get enough of the clip. The so-called “world’s cutest frog,” a South African desert rain frog, has a voice like a squeaky toy, drives dogs wild.

The frog was found and filmed by naturalist Dean Boshoff, who was walking past a sand dune in South Africa when he heard an insistent squeaking.   “I found him, I knelt down,” said Boshoff. “I couldn’t believe the little sound that he was making.”    Neither, apparently, can many dogs.

When Dean posted the video, he asked others to share their pets’ reactions.  The resulting video clips have shown dogs butting computers with their heads, running around in circles and even trying to make off with one user’s smart phone.”

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Should Christians Celebrate Easter?  By Pastor Jeff Alexander,    Pastor Calvary Baptist Church of Lamar, Colorado

“Easter is commonly understood to be a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The date for it is set as the Sunday immediately following the fourteenth day of the paschal (Passover) moon, which happens on or after the vernal equinox. However, as is explained in the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (Vol. 2, p. 682), “The present variable time [for fixing the date of Easter] was appointed by early Romanism in amalgamation with the very ancient pagan spring festival to the goddess of the spring.”

As a result, pagan symbols have been so thoroughly embedded that they are now generally thought to be Christian in origin. An example is the Easter lily. Where is there biblical authority for its prevalence at Easter? Merrill Unger (Archeology and the Old Testament, pp. 173, 174) describes the Canaanite goddess “as a nude woman bestride a lion with a lily in one hand and a serpent in the other.” The lily “bespeaks the grace and sex appeal of the bearer” and the serpent “symbolizes her fecundity” (fertility).

The Roman Church incorporated the egg as an emblem of Christ’s resurrection. Pope Paul V taught people to pray at Easter, “Bless, O Lord, we beseech thee this, thy creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome sustenance unto thy servants, eating it in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Again, where is the biblical authority to support such a notion?”     More at: http://www.inplainsite.org/html/easter.html

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On This Day:

April Fools tradition popularized, Apr 1, 1700:

“On this day in 1700, pranksters begin popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools' Day by playing practical jokes on each other.

Historians have also linked April Fools' Day to ancient festivals such as Hilaria, which was celebrated in Rome at the end of March and involved people dressing up in disguises. There's also speculation that April Fools' Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather.”

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First weather satellite, Apr 1, 1960

“The first weather satellite to be considered a success was TIROS-1, launched by NASA on April 1, 1960. TIROS operated for 78 days and proved to be much more successful than Vanguard 2. TIROS paved the way for the Nimbus program, whose technology and findings are the heritage of most of the Earth-observing satellites NASA and NOAA have launched since then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_satellite

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Nixon signs legislation banning cigarette ads on TV and radio, Apr 1, 1970:

“On this day in 1970, President Richard Nixon signs legislation officially banning cigarette ads on television and radio. Nixon, who was an avid pipe smoker, indulging in as many as eight bowls a day, supported the legislation at the increasing insistence of public health advocates.

Tobacco has played a part in the lives of presidents since the country's inception. A hugely profitable crop in early America, Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Jackson owned tobacco plantations and used tobacco in the form of snuff or smoked cigars. Regulation of the tobacco industry in the form of excise taxes began during Washington's presidency and continues to this day. In 1962, Kennedy became the first president to sponsor studies on smoking and public health.”

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Yesterday:

After watching the sermon program on WGN TV, I tried to take care of Misty and Terry’s breakfast.  Misty is easy, she’ll eat anything, though I try to feed her only the best.  She is still spry and happy at 18 years old.  But Terry was not his usual ravenous self.  He had finished the amoxicillin antibiotic for his URI on Saturday, but he has been sick for nearly a month, and he is still having trouble with his breathing.  Now, he doesn’t want to eat.  I tried different foods, but he didn’t want them, so I poked some Nutri-Cal in his mouth to keep him going. 

DD had left a comment about a health show called "Know The Cause", so I found it online and watched some of the episodes.  But to me, they had the tone of infomercials for the products that they sell. 

So I started looking at some of the sites from the well-known health doctors, (some are non-profit sites), like Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr Mark Fuhrman, Dr. Weston Price, Dr. Mercola and Dr. Andrew Saul, and came across the documentary “Food Matters”.  It is very interesting, and everyone should see it.  It could be one of the most important 1¼ hours of your life.  http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/food_matters_2008/

 

While the video was playing on my computer, I did dishes, removed sheets, did laundry, dusted, put sheets back on, (doesn’t everyone have their favorite sheets?), and caught up with a few household chores. But I was anxious to get back to it, to hit ‘play’ each time.

In the afternoon, I had just finished drinking some homemade veggie juice and getting ready to take Misty for a walk down to the mailboxes, when it got humid and started raining.  It didn’t last long, but then the grass was all wet. So much for that.

Terry had been hiding in my closet most of the day and still didn’t want any dinner.  I mashed up some canned cat food with some Whiskas cat milk, and got it down him with a feeding syringe. I know I have to take him back to the vet today.

Birds: 'Akiapōlā'au. Stresemann's Bristlefront. Bald Eagle Freed. Arctic Birds in FL. Snowy Owls. Carolina Waterfowl Rescue. BLUE BIRD. BirdNote: The Early Bird, Egrets, and Chickadees ... Marias Massacre.

 

For “Winged Wednesday”:

'Akiapōlā'au

“The 'Akiapōlā'au (pronounced ah-kee-ah-POH-LAH-OW) is a member of the highly specialized Hawaiian honeycreeper family. This species is most notable for its mismatched-looking beak that has a long, downward-curving upper mandible, used for probing, and a shorter lower mandible, used as a drill as the bird creeps along tree trunks and branches, probing for arthropods under the bark. It also takes flower nectar and drinks sap from shallow wells it drills in live bark.

Threats include grazing and logging, that have degraded or destroyed much of its habitat; predation by introduced mammals; mosquito-borne avian diseases; and depletion of the birds’ prey by introduced insects. Global climate change could allow mosquitoes to move to higher elevations, further decreasing suitable habitat for the 'Akiapōlā'au and other native Hawaiian passerines.

ABC is involved in a significant conservation project that will benefit the 'Akiapōlā'au and other native birds on the Mauna Kea volcano, where the species disappeared when overgrazing by non-native mammals severely degraded the forest.  Mouflon sheep and goats will be removed following the completion of an ungulate-proof fence that will encircle the mountain, setting the stage for forest regeneration and restoration. Fencing and removal of cattle and pigs has also been successfully employed at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, a key stronghold of the 'Akiapōlā'au.”

Help ABC conserve this and other birds and their habitats!

Listen to a two-minute broadcast about this bird!Photo: Jack Jeffrey; Range Map, ABC

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First Nest Ever Discovered of One of the World's Most Endangered Birds

Stresemann's Bristlefront by Ciro Albano - NE Brazil Birding.

(Washington, D.C., January 17, 2013) “The first known nest of one of the world's rarest birds - the Critically Endangered Stresemann's Bristlefront - has been discovered in Brazil. Of perhaps equal significance is that strong evidence of active nestlings was also found.

The Stresemann's Bristlefront is one of the world's most threatened bird species -- unrecorded for 50 years until it was rediscovered in 1995 near Una, Bahia, in Brazil's Atlantic Forest region. The world population estimate is fewer than 15 individuals. Its population is declining owing to fires, logging, and the clearance of humid valley-floor forest for cattle ranching and agriculture.

On October 30, 2012, Dimas Pioli and Gustavo Malacco, two Brazilian researchers visiting Fundação Biodiversitas’ Mata do Passarinho Reserve discovered the bird’s nesting tunnel entrance, a tennis ball sized hole, located about three feet from the ground in an exposed dirt vertical edge that contained overhanging vegetation. Nesting tunnels are typical for the ground dwelling Tapaculo family, to which the Bristlefront belongs.”  More at:  http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/130117.html

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Eagle hurt in brawl with another eagle released into wild

Credit: West Sound Wildlife Shelter

“A bald eagle hurt in a fight with another eagle in October was released back into the wild on Sunday.
West Sound Wildlife Shelter had been caring for the 10-pound raptor, which is about six years old and was suffering from soft tissue injuries and soreness.”

Watch it hanging on to it’s security ‘blankie’!!

“The West Sound Wildlife Shelter says in 2012 they cared for 1003 animals in need of medical care. 
The West Sound Wildlife Shelter provides injured, orphaned and sick wild animals a second chance at life and promotes the well-being of wildlife through public outreach, education and involvement.”

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Dead & dying arctic birds showing up in Florida, possibly due to Hurricane Sandy

NBC NATIONAL NEWS — “Arctic birds that are supposed to be up north are ending up in Southwest Florida. They're about 1,000 miles from where they should be.

They're called razorbills and they look a little like penguins.  They're migrating to Southwest Florida and dying within hours. We found out how Hurricane Sandy might be responsible months after it made landfall.

Walking down the beach near Clam Pass, Ed Selby saw a bird he'd never seen before on the shores of Southwest Florida.  "They look a little bit like penguins. This is the first time I'd ever seen the birds here. In fact, I think it's the first time anyone's seen them here," said Selby, a volunteer with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

He found two dead razorbills - an arctic migratory seabird not native to Florida.  Over the past few weeks wildlife clinics have taken in dozens of the protected birds. Most were already dead; others were found exhausted and starving and died within hours.”   Video and read more: http://bit.ly/Wiv1tJ

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Thousands of Snowy Owls Migrate South in Unbelievable Wildlife Event

“In "... the most significant wildlife event in decades," thousands of Arctic snowy owls are migrating south to the U.S. this winter. They have been spotted coast-to-coast and as far south as Oklahoma.

Experts believe a snowy owl population boom that followed mating season has forced the birds -- mostly young males -- south in search of less competition for food.

The snowy owl is one of the largest species of owl, with an impressive five foot wing span. These owls have few predators, but their population is thought to be in decline.”

Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/03/12/arctic-snowy-owls-migrate-south.aspx

“Get an intimate look at these white owls from the north through video and photographs captured by the Cornell Lab's, Gerrit Vyn.”:

“Snowy Owls lead nomadic lives and travel vast distances from year to year searching for productive feeding areas. Some years, most recently in the winter of 2011/2012, conditions cause them to come south in great numbers.”

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Rescue U - Final day at the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue

From me: One of the ways you helped with your clicks every day:

“The Rescue U team rolled into North Carolina in January 2013 to help Carolina Water Fowl Rescue rebuild and expand their facilities after being hit by severe storms in 2012. This $60,000 project was made possible by Gifts That Give More at The Animal Rescue Site and the many college volunteers who gave up their vacations to help.”

“As always, a huge THANK YOU is owed to all of the college student volunteers of Rescue U. They provided the woman and man power to make it happen!”

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BLUE BIRD OF HAPPINESS, MY ASS!

“It's Friggin' Freezing.  There's snow up my ass, all the food's covered with 3 feet of this white shit, and you want ME to sing?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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BirdNote Weekly Preview: The Early Bird, Egrets, and Chickadees ...

 

Upcoming Shows

Sooty Tern

SUNDAY  Sooty Tern  by Dennis Paulson   LISTEN NOW ►

MONDAY  A New Year Dawns featuring the recordings of Gordon Hempton LISTEN NOW ►

American Robin

TUESDAY The Early Bird? by Bob Sundstrom LISTEN NOW ►

Reddish Egret

WEDNESDAY Reddish Egret - Lagoon Dancer by Bob Sundstrom LISTEN NOW ►

King of Saxony  Bird of Paradise

THURSDAY The Birds of Papua New Guinea featuring Alexandra Freeman LISTEN NOW ►

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

FRIDAY Why Do Chickadees Come and Go? by Dennis Paulson LISTEN NOW ►

American Crow

SATURDAY Tale of a Rascal Crow by Frances Wood LISTEN

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On This Day:

Soldiers massacre the wrong camp of Indians, Jan 23, 1870:

“Declaring he did not care whether or not it was the rebellious band of Indians he had been searching for, Colonel Eugene Baker orders his men to attack a sleeping camp of peaceful Blackfeet along the Marias River in northern Montana.

The previous fall, Malcolm Clarke, an influential Montana rancher, had accused a Blackfeet warrior named Owl Child of stealing some of his horses; he punished the proud brave with a brutal whipping. In retribution, Owl Child and several allies murdered Clarke and his son at their home near Helena, and then fled north to join a band of rebellious Blackfeet under the leadership of Mountain Chief. Outraged and frightened, Montanans demanded that Owl Child and his followers be punished, and the government responded by ordering the forces garrisoned under Major Eugene Baker at Fort Ellis (near modern-day Bozeman, Montana) to strike back.

Strengthening his cavalry units with two infantry groups from Fort Shaw near Great Falls, Baker led his troops out into sub-zero winter weather and headed north in search of Mountain Chief's band. Soldiers later reported that Baker drank a great deal throughout the march. On January 22, Baker discovered an Indian village along the Marias River, and, postponing his attack until the following morning, spent the evening drinking heavily.

At daybreak on the morning of January 23, 1870, Baker ordered his men to surround the camp in preparation for attack. As the darkness faded, Baker's scout, Joe Kipp, recognized that the painted designs on the buffalo-skin lodges were those of a peaceful band of Blackfeet led by Heavy Runner. Mountain Chief and Owl Child, Kipp quickly realized, must have gotten wind of the approaching soldiers and moved their winter camp elsewhere. Kipp rushed to tell Baker that they had the wrong Indians, but Baker reportedly replied, "That makes no difference, one band or another of them; they are all Piegans [Blackfeet] and we will attack them." Baker then ordered a sergeant to shoot Kipp if he tried to warn the sleeping camp of Blackfeet and gave the command to attack.

Baker's soldiers began blindly firing into the village, catching the peaceful Indians utterly unaware and defenseless. By the time the brutal attack was over, Baker and his men had, by the best estimate, murdered 37 men, 90 women, and 50 children. Knocking down lodges with frightened survivors inside, the soldiers set them on fire, burnt some of the Blackfeet alive, and then burned the band's meager supplies of food for the winter. Baker initially captured about 140 women and children as prisoners to take back to Fort Ellis, but when he discovered many were ill with smallpox, he abandoned them to face the deadly winter without food or shelter.

When word of the Baker Massacre (now known as the Marias Massacre) reached the east, many Americans were outraged. One angry congressman denounced Baker, saying "civilization shudders at horrors like this." Baker's superiors, however, supported his actions, as did the people of Montana, with one journalist calling Baker's critics "namby-pamby, sniffling old maid sentimentalists." Neither Baker nor his men faced a court martial or any other disciplinary actions. However, the public outrage over the massacre did derail the growing movement to transfer control of Indian affairs from the Department of Interior to the War Department--President Ulysses S. Grant decreed that henceforth all Indian agents would be civilians rather than soldiers.”

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Yesterday:

Jay called wanting to work, so Misty and I went to get him and had our walk down there, while we waited for him.

Jay and I moved all the remnants of the back wall of the RVport that we had torn down on that cold day last week.  We were just too cold to do that at the time.  The lumber was cleaned (that means the old nails were removed), and stacked on the other side of the house.  But we kept one 10’ 2x6 and screwed it between two side posts in the area in front of where the Puddle Jumper is parked.   This is a covered area between that carport and the storeroom, with one open side.  Before, it had been protected by the RVport roof. We screwed two of the panels that were on the back of the RVport onto the 10’ 2x6, so now that side is weather protected, temporarily. 

It was a lovely warm day, and it was great to be outside again.

Jim, the mechanic brought my van back after the tune-up.  He said as difficult as some of the plugs were to get to, he doubts if they have ever been changed before. I drove him home, it’s all better now, and drives great, so I can go shopping today.

End Mountaintop Removal. Income Tax. Houses in Nat. Pks. Israelis Recover. Coal Ash Problems. Before Winter. Red Light Cameras. Help Pets Online. Dog Named 'True'. Jack Ruby. D.B. Cooper.

 

For “Summary Saturday”, News, some New, Some Old:

Patriot Agrees To End Mountaintop Removal Mining

Historic agreement signals beginning of end for tragic mining practice

Polluted Cabin Creek in West Virginia.
(Mark Schmerling)

“Patriot’s statement shows that the nation’s second largest coal company sees the writing on the wall: Mountaintop removal coal mining is severely harming people, and the environment, and it should end. The costs for Appalachian communities are simply too high, both morally and financially for these companies. It’s time for investors to follow through and start putting funds in clean energy industries like renewables, that could create 52,000 new jobs in the four Appalachian states alone, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission.”  More at: http://earthjustice.org/blog/2012-november/patriot-agrees-to-end-mountaintop-removal-mining

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If the national debt doesn't matter, then why are we still paying federal income taxes?

“The U.S. federal government is over $16.2 trillion in debt. But that doesn't really matter, we're told, because the Federal Reserve -- a private banking monopoly -- can create an unlimited quantity of dollars to keep buying up the U.S. debt. This is called "QE unlimited," meaning unlimited quantitative easing (money creation).
On top of that, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner recently suggested we simply eliminate the debt ceiling altogether and launch America into INFINITE debt.
This program of fiscal suicide is already under way. The Federal Reserve announced a few weeks ago that it would begin buying up to $80 billion a month in U.S. debt, continuing indefinitely.
At the same time all this is going on, the government insists it needs to confiscate an ever-expanding portion of your income in order to increase "government revenue." Current federal tax "revenues" (which is a warped word to use for taxes in the first place) are at roughly $2.4 trillion a year.
But hold on just a second... and here's the IQ test, are you ready?
If the Federal Reserve can just create trillions of dollars a year in new money and hand it over to the federal government, then why are tax revenues needed at all?”      More at: http://www.naturalnews.com/038069_national_debt_income_tax_social_engineering.html
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Private land development in U.S. parks criticized

National parks' landscape changing as private land developed.

(CBS News) “The National Park Service is announcing that a 30-acre piece of private land in Utah's Zion National Park will not be developed. That's welcome news for conservationists, as a growing number of private homes are being built in some of these protected areas.

Our national parks have been called "America's best idea," places untouched by time. Nearly 300 million people visit America's national parks each year.

When National Parks and "McMansions" meet

People don't think of the parks as places where you could build a vacation home. But people are now erecting McMansions in the middle of some of the most pristine places in the United States.”

More at: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57530300/national-parks-landscape-changing-as-private-land-developed/

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Israelis begin to recover from a week of conflict

Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

Israeli soldiers dance to music provided by visitors who turned up to show their support at the border with the Gaza Strip.

KIRYAT MALACHI, Israel — “As the news sunk in Thursday that a cease-fire had ended an eight-day crisis that saw about 1,500 rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, Israelis began cleaning up, rebuilding and getting their lives back in some semblance of order.

Military flatbeds loaded with tanks headed north, away from Gaza, on Thursday as the Israeli government appointed two committees to help damaged communities and injured residents, tally the destruction and assess compensation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the panels to work “quickly and without bureaucracy.””     Read more

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180 Seconds of Coal Ash Problems.

More at: https://secure.earthjustice.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1379&JServSessionIdr004=pmh4wkd07d.app333b

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Before Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

“To prepare for a winter storm you should do the following:

• Before winter approaches, add the following supplies to your emergency kit:
  • Rock salt or more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency for a complete list of recommended products.
  • Sand to improve traction.
  • Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.
  • Sufficient heating fuel. You may become isolated in your home and regular fuel sources may be cut off. Store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
  • Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.
• Make a Family Communications Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
• Listen to a NOAA Weather Radio or other local news channels for critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS). Be alert to changing weather conditions.
• Minimize travel. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supplies kit in your vehicle.
• Bring pets/companion animals inside during winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.”  From: http://www.ready.gov/winter-weather

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noPhoto Device Blocks Red Light Cameras, May Be Solution To City Camera Tickets

“It's a simple concept that utilizes sophisticated technology: The optical trigger detects the flash of the camera as it surreptitiously snaps the license plates of cars caught running a red light. The trigger in turn sets off the xenon flashes, overexposing the picture of the plate.”          More and VIDEO at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/19/nophoto-invention-blocks-red-light-cameras-may-be-solution-to-city-camera-tickets_n_1989352.html

From me: I already solved it…Don’t run Red Lights. If you run red lights, you should be ticketed, it can KILL.

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Now You Can Help Homeless Pets While You’re Shopping Online

“Just about a year ago, a website called AdoptAShelter.com was launched to tap into the existing Internet economy and redirect some of the revenue generated to help animals.

When online shoppers visit the site, in a matter of seconds they can select the shelter of their choice and start shopping at any one of nearly 500 retailers, including Amazon.com, Petsmart, eBay, and others.

Over 700 animal charities in 48 states have registered with the site. So if you shop online, consider making your first stop AdoptAShelter.com so a small percentage of your purchase price can go to help homeless pets.”

More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/08/22/help-homeless-pets.aspx?e_cid=20120822_oldPetsNL_art_3

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Blind, Deaf, 3-Legged Dog Named 'True' Saves Oklahoma Family From House Fire

“A blind, deaf 3-legged dog saved his Oklahoma family from a house fire by warning them to get out in time.

Katie Crosley and her baby son, Jace, lost everything in an house fire, but they survived thanks to a heroic three-legged, blind and deaf dog, KFOR reports.

Crosley had no idea that an electrical short set her Grady County, Okla., cabin aflame as she slept soundly on Sunday morning, but her disabled Dachshund, True, sensed the danger, according to the news outlet. The rescue dog woke his owner, and she was able to get out of the burning house with her baby, Jace.    “We’re thankful for him,” Crosley told KFOR of True. “This could have been a bad deal.”   True was able to save his family despite his severe disabilities, and he’s not the only adopted dog out there protecting his owners.”  More and VIDEO at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/21/blind-deaf-3-legged-dog-saves-family_n_2171614.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl29%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D237432

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On This Day:

Jack Ruby kills Lee Harvey Oswald, Nov 24, 1963:

“At 12:20 p.m., in the basement of the Dallas police station, Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy, is shot to death by Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner.

On November 22, President Kennedy was fatally shot while riding in an open-car motorcade through the streets of downtown Dallas. Less than an hour after the shooting, Lee Harvey Oswald killed a policeman who questioned him on the street. Thirty minutes after that, he was arrested in a movie theater by police. Oswald was formally arraigned on November 23 for the murders of President Kennedy and Officer J.D. Tippit.”

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Hijacker parachutes into thunderstorm, Nov 24, 1971:

“A hijacker calling himself D.B. Cooper parachutes from a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 into a raging thunderstorm over Washington State. He had $200,000 in ransom money in his possession.

Cooper commandeered the aircraft shortly after takeoff, showing a flight attendant something that looked like a bomb and informing the crew that he wanted $200,000, four parachutes, and "no funny stuff." The plane landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where authorities met Cooper's demands and evacuated most of the passengers. Cooper then demanded that the plane fly toward Mexico at a low altitude and ordered the remaining crew into the cockpit.

At 8:13 p.m., as the plane flew over the Lewis River in southwest Washington, the plane's pressure gauge recorded Cooper's jump from the aircraft. Wearing only wraparound sunglasses, a thin suit, and a raincoat, Cooper parachuted into a thunderstorm with winds in excess of 100 mph and temperatures well below zero at the 10,000-foot altitude where he began his fall. The storm prevented an immediate capture, and most authorities assumed he was killed during his apparently suicidal jump. No trace of Cooper was found during a massive search.

In 1980, an eight-year-old boy uncovered a stack of nearly $5,880 of the ransom money in the sands along the north bank of the Columbia River, five miles from Vancouver, Washington. The fate of Cooper remains a mystery.”

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Yesterday:

Ray brought a neighbor’s little old black and tan “Rosie”, a Chihuahua, over for bathing, nail cutting, ear cleaning etc.  She was very wiggly during her bath, and I could tell that she had been scared by having water running over her nostrils in the past.  When will people realize that is a dog’s weak spot, they are just terrified by that.  I think she knows now that I won’t do that to her, if I bathe her again.

Some time was spent trying to answer, file, forward, or delete emails, and then I went through the Thanksgiving left-overs.  Some were put in the freezer, some were given to Ray, and some were eaten.  Ray liked the veggie juice I made with my auger juicer, he had never had any fresh homemade before.  It was made with kale, beet, carrots, red cabbage, and apple for sweetness.  Organic, of course!

It drizzled off and on, but not enough that Misty had to wear her raincoat.  If it is really raining,  she won’t go out unless she is wearing it.

It was warm though, so the foster cats, Prime and Prissy spent their time on the screen porch most of the day.

King Solomon. Did You Buy a Sick Pup? Vespa Runs! Rest for Wildlife. Visions of the Arctic. Fragile Arctic. Hiroshima. Voting Rights Act.

For “ Mammal Monday”:

“The top ten reasons to spay or neuter your pet were killed at a pound this morning.”      Please spay or neuter your pet.

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Proverb of the Week: The Tender Mercies of the Wicked? 

Proverbs 12:10  A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

“King Solomon recognized that a righteous person will not only treat his fellow man kindly, but will also care for his animals. It seems the implication is that the godly person shows more kindness to animals than a wicked person shows to other people—even on a good day. We should treat animals—and people, especially—with compassion, not cruelty.”  From: http://cogwa.org/daily-bible-verse-blog/entry/proverb-of-the-week-the-tender-mercies-of-the-wicked

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“If you or a friend bought a sick puppy online, please contact us» “

Published on Jul 9, 2012 by hsus

“This is the reality behind many of the commercial kennels that tout affiliation with the American Kennel Club. Dogs live in filth and misery. Now a report from The Humane Society of the United States details why "The Dog's Champion" isn't living up to its name.”

For more on HSUS' findings on the AKC, visit:  http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2012/07/akc_puppy_mills_070912.html

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Watch Vespa, a disabled Chihuahua mix, who was born to run – and now she can.

Run, Vespa, RUN!  From: http://videos.theanimalrescuesite.com/?p=568

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A Day of Rest for Wildlife and People

“Peace and quiet in the outdoors, the opportunity to flee the city grid or the orderliness of the suburbs, and an opportunity to take in the soothing tonic of the natural world—these are values that Americans hold dear, and millions more of them each year, in fact.

I’m speaking of birdwatchers and hikers and wildlife photographers, as well as those everyday housebound souls who just want to take a stroll in a state forest or charge down a hiking path—fleeing the settlements and designs of humanity and recharging their spirits in our ancestral home.

Just around the bend, autumn is an especially nice time for these outdoor experiences, with, in so many parts of the country, the cooling temperatures and the bright hues of the changing forest defining seasonality itself. But while it’s peacefulness we seek in the woods, it’s not always what we find. For those out to see or watch wildlife, and to do it safely, it just doesn’t feel safe with so many hunters also trudging around the woods.

Most states allow hunters to take to the field with rifle, shotgun, or bow-and-arrow all week long during hunting seasons. My concerns right now are the 11 states that provide other outdoor users freedom to enjoy the outdoors, or at least partial freedom to do so, on Sundays—with a ban on Sunday hunting providing some measure of balance, albeit limited, for outdoor users.

Considering that hunters are a diminishing segment of our population, you’d think that such a lopsided allocation—being allowed to kill wildlife six of every seven days—would be enough to satisfy them. But no. In Pennsylvania today, and before long, in the other 10 remaining states, lobbyists with the National Rifle Association are setting their sights on opening hunting seasons on Sundays too. They want it all.

A more selfish demand than expanding hunting season to include Sundays is hard to imagine. Between the stifling heat of summer and the cold of winter, autumn is a season we all can cherish, and fundamentally, it is one that ought to be shared.

Birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, horseback riders, families out for a picnic—these audiences, these people, often don’t feel comfortable wandering in the fields and the woods when every day is open season. Seeking out nature and looking for wildlife shouldn’t require this kind of risk assessment. You shouldn’t have to dress your children in fluorescent orange and cross your fingers if you want to go look for the season’s migrating birds at a state park or other public lands.

What makes this such an outlandish political power grab is that hunters are a dwindling part of our culture. In Pennsylvania, they are outnumbered better than 3-to-1 by others who want a larger share of outdoor recreation. Nationwide, the ratio is nearly 6-to-1—and the ratio is skewing more and more in favor of the non-hunters every year.  More at : http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2011/08/sunday-hunting.html

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Visions of the Arctic 

“Of all the places Earthjustice works to protect, few are as iconic and misunderstood as the Arctic. At best, it conjures images of a distant, icy land sparsely inhabited by polar bears and walruses—beautiful, but removed from our everyday lives. At worst, it's a frozen wasteland devoid of life but rich in oil, a place to exploit at will.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Arctic is a thriving, diverse landscape filled with life. Here, caribou in the hundreds of thousands still embark on epic migrations across mighty rivers and coastal plains. And here, wetlands, lakes and oceans teem with life, supporting whales, polar bears, seals and waterfowl. Learn about Earthjustice's work to protect the Arctic.   http://vimeo.com/12771280

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President Obama: Protect The Fragile Arctic Ocean

Take Action: Protect The Fragile Arctic Ocean

“Shell Oil’s ships are steaming towards the remote and fragile waters of Alaska’s northern coast. These waters are home to threatened polar bears, endangered bowhead whales, walrus, seals, and birds that range through every state.”

Make your voice heard!https://secure.earthjustice.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1275

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Shell Oil Living in a Land of Make Believe

“Earthjustice calls Shell’s oil spill response plan for the Arctic “totally inadequate.””

Oil drilling platforms at Cook Inlet, Alaska. (Photo: Florian Schulz / visionsofthewild.com)

“Apparently, Shell Oil and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) live in a land of make believe. Thankfully, Earthjustice makes its abode in a place called reality.

Earlier this month, BOEMRE approved Royal Dutch Shell’s plan to drill for oil next summer in the Alaskan Arctic’s Beaufort Sea. Putting the sled in front of the dog team, BOEMRE approved Shell’s risky drilling plan before ensuring the company had a realistic oil spill response plan. Shell’s current oil spill plan would be laughable if the consequences weren’t so dire.

Shell claims that it will be able to clean up 95 percent of an oil spill with booms and skimmers if one were to occur in the Arctic’s remote, icy waters. Never mind that only 8 percent of the oil after the Exxon Valdez spill and only 3 percent of the oil after the Deepwater Horizon spill was captured and removed from the ocean using skimmers and booms.

Never mind that 23 hours of darkness, 20-foot swells and widow-maker chunks of ice riding wave crests are par for the course in the Beaufort Sea. Yep, 95 percent, piece of cake.”  

More at: http://earthjustice.org/blog/2011-august/shell-oil-living-in-a-land-of-make-believe

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Lloyd’s Urges Caution In The Arctic

“Will Obama listen to the risk market makers?

Are you listening, Mr. President?

“The Obama administration is all ears—deaf ones—when it comes to dire warnings about drilling in the Arctic made by scientists, policymakers, international figures and celebrities.

The latest caution came today from the world’s largest and oldest insurance market, Lloyd’s of London, which warned that offshore drilling in the Arctic would “constitute a unique and hard-to-manage risk.” The agency urged companies to “think carefully about the consequences of action” before exploring for oil in the region.”  More at: http://earthjustice.org/blog/2012-april/lloyd-s-urges-caution-in-the-arctic     

and https://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/report-sounds-warning-arctic-development-risks

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Arctic offshore spill preparation lacking:

http://www.adn.com/2012/04/11/2418547/arctic-offshore-spill-preparation.html

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Shell's Arctic drill plan has too many holes:

http://www.adn.com/2012/07/16/2544429/shells-arctic-drill-plan-has-too.html 

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On This Day

Atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima, Aug 6, 1945:

“On this day in 1945, at 8:16 a.m. Japanese time, an American B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay, drops the world's first atom bomb, over the city of Hiroshima. Approximately 80,000 people are killed as a direct result of the blast, and another 35,000 are injured. At least another 60,000 would be dead by the end of the year from the effects of the fallout.

U.S. President Harry S. Truman, discouraged by the Japanese response to the Potsdam Conference's demand for unconditional surrender, made the decision to use the atom bomb to end the war in order to prevent what he predicted would be a much greater loss of life were the United States to invade the Japanese mainland. And so on August 5, while a "conventional" bombing of Japan was underway, "Little Boy," (the nickname for one of two atom bombs available for use against Japan), was loaded onto Lt. Col. Paul W. Tibbets' plane on Tinian Island in the Marianas. Tibbets' B-29, named the Enola Gay after his mother, left the island at 2:45 a.m. on August 6. Five and a half hours later, "Little Boy" was dropped, exploding 1,900 feet over a hospital and unleashing the equivalent of 12,500 tons of TNT. The bomb had several inscriptions scribbled on its shell, one of which read "Greetings to the Emperor from the men of the Indianapolis" (the ship that transported the bomb to the Marianas).”

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Johnson signs Voting Rights Act, Aug 6, 1965:

“On this day in 1965, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act, guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote. The bill made it illegal to impose restrictions on federal, state and local elections that were designed to deny the vote to blacks.

In a speech to Congress on March 15, 1965, Johnson had outlined the devious ways in which election officials denied African-American citizens the vote. Blacks attempting to vote were often told by election officials that they gotten the date, time or polling place wrong, that the officials were late or absent, that they possessed insufficient literacy skills or had filled out an application incorrectly. Often African Americans, whose population suffered a high rate of illiteracy due to centuries of oppression and poverty, would be forced to take literacy tests, which they inevitably failed. Johnson also told Congress that voting officials, primarily in southern states, had been known to force black voters to "recite the entire constitution or explain the most complex provisions of state laws"--a task most white voters would have been hard-pressed to accomplish. In some cases, even blacks with college degrees were turned away from the polls.

Although the Voting Rights Act passed, state and local enforcement of the law was weak and it was often outright ignored, mainly in the South and in areas where the proportion of blacks in the population was high and their vote threatened the political status quo. Still, the Voting Rights Act gave African-American voters the legal means to challenge voting restrictions and vastly improved voter turnout. In Mississippi alone, voter turnout among blacks increased from 6 percent in 1964 to 59 percent in 1969. In 1970, President Richard Nixon extended the provisions of the Voting Rights Act and lowered the eligible voting age for all voters to 18.”

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Yesterday:

Now that it is just about a week since the pups had their shots, I am opening the door of the puppy pen and letting them run around in the Grooming Room before each meal.  Airborne viruses like Distemper and Parvo could have been tracked in on anyone’s shoes from the outside, but the pups should be safe by now.  They scamper around the pen like they are greyhounds on a track!  I put a Pee-Pad down, but they just drag it around, or try to ‘kill’ it, so I had to go back to newspaper, which they use, when they are out of the pen. Then I put their meal inside the puppy pen, and they walk in there to eat and then just flop.  A tired dog is a good dog.

Doing laundry, and other odd jobs, like clearing out a lot of my email inbox, kept me busy for the rest of the day.

Tucuman Parrot. Sandhill Cranes. Hummingbird Rain Trick. Baby Penguins. "War to End All Wars". PT 109.

For “Winged Wednesday”:

But first this commercial break!:

“Jessica gives the second update for the You Can Do this Campaign. As of July 30, 2012 we are 1/2 way to our goal! Visit - http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/Give5 to donate and help shelter animals.         It only takes one minute.
The Animal Rescue Site, Petfinder Foundation and What You Can Do Present - The You Can Do This Campaign to raise $50,000 in 50 days $5 at a time.   And while you're there - remember to click! http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com .     Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/theanimalrescuesite .”

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Tucuman Parrot

“The Tucuman Amazon (often called Tucuman Parrot) is a mid-sized, mainly green parrot, with feathers strongly edged in black giving the bird a scaly appearance on its head and body. This Polly does not need a cracker, just a safe place to feed and nest.

The biggest threats to this species are habitat loss and capture for the pet trade. In the 1980s, thousands were captured and exported from Bolivia and Argentina before protections under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) greatly reduced international trade.

Despite these protections, nest-raiding for the local pet trade within Bolivia and Argentina continues on a smaller scale. Habitat loss and degradation due to logging, and clearing for agriculture and grazing also remain significant problems. Parrot trappers contribute to the loss of habitat by felling old trees with nesting cavities to reach the nest and young.

Recently, Asociación Armonía, ABC’s partner in Bolivia, announced some good news for this species: the establishment of the 44-acre Tucuman Parrot Reserve in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, which now protects the largest Podocarpus conifer trees in the area as crucial nesting sites. The new reserve is adjacent to the Quirusillas Municipal Reserve, effectively extending the area under protection. For more details on this victory, please see ABC’s recent press release.

Birders interested in seeing the Tucuman Parrot could combine a visit to the new reserve with a stay at the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve. Please see ConservationBirding.org for more information.”

Help ABC conserve this and other birds and their habitats!       Photo by Luis Rivera; Range Map, NatureServe

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Sandhill Cranes Migration: 

Nebraska Sandhill Cranes Migration
-- with a stopover on the Platte River near Grand Island, Nebraska.  Three Sandhill Cranes Flying over against a blue sky & white clouds

“Near Grand Island and west along the Platte River to Kearney, NE in south central Nebraska, the Sandhill Crane Migration is a very popular annual attraction for the hundreds of thousands of Migrating Cranes and also their many viewers who come from all over the world to watch the event.
An estimated 500,000 Sandhill Cranes pass thru the Nebraska Platte River valley heading north every year during the Annual Spring Migration and headed south during the Fall Sandhill Crane Migration. They migrate through an 80 mile wide "Flyway" stretch along the Platte River from near Grand Island to west of Kearney, NE. It is estimated that about 80% of the world's population of Sandhill Cranes do an annual migration layover in this area of the Platte River. The Platte Valley area has great habitat for many types of birds - even bald eagles.

Sandhill Cranes feeding in the cornfields near the Platte River in Nebraska

This is wasted corn left from the harvest - and actually benefits the farmers since it would otherwise be "volunteer" come growing season. - It is estimated the Sandhill Cranes eat up to 1,600 tons of waste corn during their 3 to 4 week stay in Nebraska on the Platte River. 

They spend about 3 - 4 weeks in the cornfields along the Platte building up fat reserves to help them sustain the flight and nesting period in their destination up north in Canada, Alaska, and for a few, Siberia. The Cranes usually add up to two pounds to their approximately 12 pound body weight during their "refueling" stay in the Platte River Valley in Nebraska.”  More at: http://www.nebraskatravels.com/sandhill-crane-migration.html  and: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/animals/birds-animals/waders-and-waterfowl/crane_sandhillmigration/

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Hummingbird Rain Trick: New Study Shows Tiny Birds Alter Posture In Storms (VIDEO)

“Hummingbirds are the acrobats of the avian family—flapping their wings more than 45 times a second, they hover forward, backward, and even upside down. But their mid-air moves are energy exhaustive, and they must feast on nectar at least once a day, even in severe weather, or they will perish. So when a storm rolls in, how does this tiny bird fare when being pummeled by heavy rain drops that can collectively feel like 38% of its body weight? Quite well, according to a study published online today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Similar to experiments conducted on mosquitoes earlier this summer, researchers subjected five male Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) to light, moderate, and heavy rain conditions in the lab, and then analyzed their flight responses with high-speed video (seen above).

They found that the birds were barely affected by light and moderate rain, but that they had to take on a completely different body posture to maintain aerial control under heavy rain, shifting their bodies and tails horizontally, beating their wings faster, and reducing their wings' angle of motion. The researchers found the position change paradoxical at first because each bird exposed more of its back to the incoming rain. But further investigation revealed that this position may reduce the amount of drops hitting the bird's wings, which helps keep it more stable in the air. The researchers also found that the hummingbird's water-resistant feathers absorbed 50% of the impact from the heavy falling drops, helping the animal stay light in flight, and in control no matter the weather.”   More and video at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/19/hummingbird-rain-video_n_1685752.html By Nicholas St. Fleur

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Baby penguin meets a man for the first time. Could have lost an eye!

“This short real life clip of Antarctica gives you a glimpse of the natural beauty of Antarctica. You'll see the raw cold Antarctic islands of Nelson including ancient Glaciers, gigantic Icebergs, and Penguins hanging out on a floating piece of ice.”

More videos at: http://travelingepic.com/2012/05/31/new-unseen-baby-penguin-first-encounter-footage-from-antarctica/

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On This Day:

First World War erupts, Aug 1, 1914:

“Four days after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Germany and Russia declare war against each other, France orders a general mobilization, and the first German army units cross into Luxembourg in preparation for the German invasion of France. During the next three days, Russia, France, Belgium, and Great Britain all lined up against Austria-Hungary and Germany, and the German army invaded Belgium. The "Great War" that ensued was one of unprecedented destruction and loss of life, resulting in the deaths of some 20 million soldiers and civilians.

World War I was known as the "war to end all wars" because of the great slaughter and destruction it caused. Unfortunately, the peace treaty that officially ended the conflict--the Treaty of Versailles of 1919--forced punitive terms on Germany that destabilized Europe and laid the groundwork for World War II.”

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PT-109 sinks; Lieutenant Kennedy is instrumental in saving crew, Aug 1, 1943:

"On this day in 1943, a Japanese destroyer rams an American PT (patrol torpedo) boat, No. 109, slicing it in two. The destruction is so massive other American PT boats in the area assume the crew is dead. Two crewmen were, in fact, killed, but 11 survived, including Lt. John F. Kennedy.

Japanese aircraft had been on a PT boat hunt in the Solomon Islands, bombing the PT base at Rendova Island. It was essential to the Japanese that several of their destroyers make it to the southern tip of Kolombangara Island to get war supplies to forces there. But the torpedo capacity of the American PTs was a potential threat. Despite the base bombing at Rendova, PTs set out to intercept those Japanese destroyers. In the midst of battle, Japan's Amaqiri hit PT-109, leaving 11 crewmen floundering in the Pacific.

After five hours of clinging to debris from the decimated PT boat, the crew made it to a coral island. Kennedy decided to swim out to sea again, hoping to flag down a passing American boat. None came. Kennedy began to swim back to shore, but strong currents, and his chronic back condition, made his return difficult. Upon reaching the island again, he fell ill. After he recovered, the PT-109 crew swam to a larger island, what they believed was Nauru Island, but was in fact Cross Island. They met up with two natives from the island, who agreed to take a message south. Kennedy carved the distress message into a coconut shell: "Nauru Is. Native knows posit. He can pilot. 11 alive need small boat."

The message reached Lieutenant Arthur Evans, who was watching the coast of Gomu Island, located next to an island occupied by the Japanese. Kennedy and his crew were paddled to Gomu. A PT boat then took them back to Rendova. Kennedy was ultimately awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, for gallantry in action.   The coconut shell used to deliver his message found a place in history—and in the Oval Office.

PT-109, a film dramatizing this story, starring Clift Robertson as Kennedy, opened in 1963."

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Yesterday:

It was nice to get up and not hear Mindi's dogs barking and clamouring to go outside.  They must hear my feet touch the floor!  Actually, I think they could feel me walking in my bathroom which is on the other side of the Grooming Room wall.  I doubt if they could hear me, as there is so much insulation between the sections of the house.  It was great to be able to take my time getting dressed, and to feed Misty, Prime and the puppies their breakfasts without being rushed.  

The puppies are as happy, healthy and playful as can be.  They wrestle each other, play with their toys, eat, poop, and then just sack out curled up together in their bed.  I know they must feel better now that they are here in the air conditioning, and don’t have fleas anymore.

Misty and I went to get Jay, so he could finish caulking the board we put up on the crack on the soffit to keep the wasps out.  But first he screwed the front door back on the white cage in the Grooming Room.  I had used it as a bed for Mindi's dogs as they stay loose in my Grooming Room. It also has a top opening.  I needed a cage to put the pups in while I clean their puppy pen, and also to keep track of which ones I have given their de-wormer.  Just three more days of that.

Back 50 years ago when I used to raise puppies, before I knew better, I found out that if the pups get used to the routine of being put in another pen several times a day, they will think of that as their 'poopy area', and keep their living quarters clean.  My pups were just about housebroken when they went to their new homes. Once they are weaned, pups will leave the nest to do their thing when they are in the wild.  They like to have a clean den.

Ray came over to paint the other dog cage, the one that didn't get sold, and we all had a hand at making a new tray for it.  Parts of it's tray were missing.  Jay and I went up in the storeroom attic and found a sheet of thin dull-black plastic. We cut it to size, clamped each of the plastic's edges around a broomstick, and heated them with a heat gun to make them curl up.  It worked, but it isn't marvelous. 

Ray and I tied up some of the lower branches of the Red Maple Tree out front, they were growing over the pathway.  It has grown more outwards than up, this year.  We can’t cut them off as the tree will need them as it gets taller.   Then Jay mowed again.  I think we have mowed, and trimmed the hedge more this year than any year.

Painting the cage used up several partial cans of primer and paint.  Time to buy some more when shopping today.