A Bald Eagle Named Clark

On Monday, a bald eagle named Clark was seen traveling home after making a special appearance at High Point University's convocation Sunday in North Carolina.

Twitter user @ElijahWhosoever shared a video of Clark making his way through the TSA checkpoint at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which has now garnered more than 120,000 views.

Clark was bred at the World Bird Sanctuary in Missouri 20 years ago in the conservation department, according to the organization's website. 

He was initially supposed to be released into the wild, as the species was endangered at the time, the website states, and due to Clark's feet deformities, he wasn't able to join his siblings in the wild.

"Clark's feet would not be properly protected from the cold during the winter, and he would suffer from things like frostbite and loss of toes," the organization states.

High Point University tweeted its support of Clark after some users questioned why he was allowed to enter the TSA checkpoint.  READ MORE...

Majestic Cat

 

Traveling in an Electric Vehicle

Driving long distances in an electric car isn’t as bad as some of the naysayers might have you think. Provided, of course, the car in question has a solid range estimate. 

But what if your car doesn’t have particularly good range? What if your electric car is just like mine?

I am currently the owner of a Nissan Leaf with a 40 kWH battery. It’s the smallest battery Nissan currently offers in a Leaf, and has an EPA-tested range of 149 miles. 

The Nissan Leaf is a perfectly good city car, with a few questionable hardware choices, but it is categorically not built for road trips. Especially with high-speed highway driving.

It’s a fact that was living rent-free at the front of my mind as I prepared to take the car on a road trip. Because the choice was either that, pay about $140 to fuel my girlfriend’s car, or spend even more renting a more long-distance-friendly EV. 

Taking the Leaf seemed like the best option available, and now that the trip is over I still can’t decide whether I did the right thing.  READ MORE...

Rainy Day

 

Cottonmouth's Eating Pythons

The ecosystem in which the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) has made its home in the Florida Everglades is fighting back as native species are eating the invasive snakes. 

Scientists studying the big constrictor in Florida have documented the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), the Gulf Coast indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) and the bobcat (Lynx rufus) as consumers of these snakes. 

The Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) is also possibly a consumer of the Burmese python.

Now scientists with Zoo Miami have confirmed at least two cases of adult Florida cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti) snakes eating young Burmese pythons. 

The scientists have radiograph verification of the venomous snake eating a radiotelemetered Burmese python in 2020 and in 2021. The 2020 observation took place in the Picayune Strand State Forest in Florida and the 2021 observation took place in the state’s Big Cypress National Preserve. 

Both young Burmese pythons were radio tagged for research purposes.

The first cottonmouth was captured via the radio-tracker and sedated and transported to a lab until the transmitter was expelled. 

It measured 63 cm Snout to vent length, 74 cm total length, and 317 g. The snake, a female, was then released back into the location in which it was captured.

The second cottonmouth snake consumed the Burmese python tail first. The snake was captured and released the same day. 

It measured between 87 cm SVL and 108 cm total length. No other data was collected.

It has been documented that the venomous snake is known to eat 27 snake species, including other cottonmouth snakes.  READ MORE...

Be All You Can Be

 

Just A Day Trip

My wife and I went on a little day trip up to Greeneville, TN about 50-60 miles north of us to visit an Omish Market and see what they had to offer.  We picked up several handmade items including soup starter kits which was the original reason for driving up there.  While in Greeneville we filled up the car with gasoline as it was $.25/gallon cheaper up there than at home...

So, my first question might be Why?

And, the obvious answer is that city and county taxes are less up there than they are where we live... 

I knew that because when I first moved over to TN from NC, I lived in Greeneville but I did not pay that much attention to local taxes until the Biden Administration and began experiencing a lot of inflation.

And, while $.25/gallon is not much, if you fill up once a week and get 10 gallons that is $2.50/week or $130/year.

For those of us on a fixed income $130 is a lot of money...  we could go out to dinner 4 times in Knoxville and spend less than $150...

If you are lucky enough to have a job or have the desire to even work in the first place, then the money that you spend is not that much of a concern...  I say this because, gasoline prices have doubled in the last year, and while many have cut back on how much they drive, the drivers that I am around have no desire to save money by driving the speed limit.

It does not take a brain surgeon to realize the faster one drives the more gasoline is burned or consumed by the vehicle's engine...  yet, no one wants to slow down.

On the Interstate, our speed limit is 70 and if I want to stay with the pack of cars around me, I need to drive 85-90+.  On rural roads, the speed limit is 55 but if I want to stay with the pack of cars around me, I need to drive 75-85+.  In town, the stop lights and the volume of traffic slows the cars down but if there is little traffic, then the cars don't even come close to the posted speed limit of 35 mph.

Gasoline companies want us to drive fast because we buy more gas and they become more wealthy...  and then we bitch because of all the wealthy people we created by our habits.

Follow the Leader

 

An Ice Age Bison

Gold miners discovered the mummified Steppe Bison now called "Blue Babe." Researchers believe it is more than 55,000 years old. Unfortunately, radiocarbon dating tools can't measure any further back that.  University of Alaska Museum of the North



In 1979, researchers unearthed the mummified body of a 55,000-year-old Steppe bison in the Alaskan tundra. Shortly after, they sliced off a piece of its neck — to eat!

Here's a news story told in rhyme:
This is not a traditional story.
Not many names or dates, so don't worry.

It's also not incredibly timely,
But it's about an ice age Steppe bison
And a man whose thought process defies me.

Let's start with the creature, lived more than 55,000 years ago
Was brought to his knees by a lion-ancestor foe.

Down went the bison on permafrost ground,
Which kept him from being eaten or found.

Neither predator nor man disturbed the behemoth mass
As it remained encased in a protective frozen glass.

Leaping forward to 1979,
a team of explorers venture out to mine

Gold is what they are on the lookout for,
on the spot where the bison hit the floor

With a hydraulic mining hose, they melted away,
Some frozen sludge, 'til someone said, Whoa! Stop! Hey!

They reported their findings to University of Alaska Fairbanks officials
Dale Guthrie, led the excavation, limiting interstitials.

The skeleton, the skin, the muscles — all in near-impeccable condition,

Guthrie named it Blue Babe, then sliced off a piece for a culinary mission.

"You know what we can do?," he asked
Host a dinner party and with cooking the meat, I'll be tasked.

The Blue Babe neck steak served eight,
With veggies and spices, and lots of booze they ate

Years later, writing about the taste,
Guthrie said, When thawed, one could mistake

The aroma for beef, not unpleasantly earthy.
But once in the mouth, his wife, Mary Lee Guthrie,
Told podcasters from Gimlet, it was worse than beef jerky.

Still, it was a great party, she fondly remembered,
A dreamy symbolism of the meal that endured.

It was a feast; by all counts a true celebration
An "imagining of the human experience on earth!,"
She said, with elation.

Muscle Lady

 

Ancient Methane Release

A group of scientists this week said they have discovered new evidence of how methane deposits stored deep in the seafloor can break free — and they are now trying to figure out what this could mean for our climate future.

The research published Monday suggests a major destabilization of seafloor methane off the coast of Africa around 125,000 years ago, after a global shift in currents warmed the middle depths of the ocean there by 6.8 degrees Celsius, or 12.2 degrees Fahrenheit — a massive rise.

Several scientists who reviewed the study said they weren’t ready to raise major alarms about the planet’s ample stores of subsea methane in the form of what are called hydrates. 

While most experts agree that this methane could cause tremendous warming if it somehow hits the atmosphere, many say that the gas would be unleashed only slowly as the planet warms, and that the ocean itself would protect us by absorbing most methane before it can escape to the air.

Still, the new findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, underscore how little we still know about how the planet will respond to our uncontrolled greenhouse gas emissions — and how unpredictable that response may be.

The new sample of sediment unearthed from the seafloor paints a picture of tumultuous events during a period of Earth’s history around 125,000 years ago, called the Eemian. 

The era has often stirred scientists’ fears about the future, for while the Earth was not much warmer than it is today, seas were 20 feet or more higher. Some suspect the West Antarctic ice sheet may have collapsed at that time — and a few have even postulated superstorms powerful enough to lift boulders atop cliffs in the Bahamas.  READ MORE...

Jumping for Seeds

 

Largest Crock in the World

The largest crocodile in the world, the estuarine crocodile, or “saltie,” is 22 feet long and can weigh up to 2,200 pounds. Other crocodile species include the dwarf crocodile, which is less than six feet long, and the saltwater crocodile.

The warmer tropical waters of the Southern Hemisphere’s wetland ecosystems are home to a range of crocodile species. Because they are unable to control their body temperature inside, they rely largely on the sun to rewarm their bodies after they have submerged themselves in water to chill them.

That brings us to the beautiful country of Australia. While the country down under is known for animals such as koalas and kangaroos, one crocodile seems to stand out. Meet Dominator. Dominator, a 20-foot crocodile that weighs more than a metric ton, is reputedly the second-largest crocodile ever seen.

Australia’s saltwater croc populations are expanding, and the Adelaide River is one of the nation’s densely populated regions. Images of a massive crocodile ripping a pig in half before eating it made headlines throughout the world last year.

In comparison to Lolong, who is held captive in the Philippines, he is only three inches shorter. He was caught in 2011, and at 20 feet three inches long from nose to tail, he is the largest crocodile ever recorded.

This big croc lives in the murky waters of the Adelaide River and likes to show off for tourist boats. While this giant croc will have your jaw on the floor, he’s not the only one in the area. His rival is named Brutus and is ever so slightly smaller than Dominator. One thing’s for sure – you won’t catch me swimming in the Adelaide River.  READ MORE...

Sea Creature with Blue Thingies

 

Who is Really in Charge?

Most macho males would tell you that the male is in charge...  but, if you dig around in the relationship, you will typically discover that the wife really is the one who is in control.

Why do I say that?

• Wives do the shopping
• Wives take care of the children
• Wives cook the meals
• Wives clean the house and wash clothes
• Wives plan the vacations
• Wives buy the presents and cards for holidays and birthdays
• Wives remember the names of all the inlaws, cousins, and nephews
• Wives take care of all the pets
• Wives write the checks
• Wives balance the check book

Personally, I don't like balancing the check book and I don't like to take the time to pay bills...  perhaps I am lazy...  so, I have no problem having my wife do all of that.  I bring home the money and she spends as she sees fit...  however, if I want to buy something then I want to be able to that without any resistence.

BUT, all that does is serve to give the spouse the power...   still, making those decisions is not that important anyway...  it is not like we're investing in stocks and don't know what we're doing.

As I get older, I find myself depending more and more on my wife to take care of stuff...  and, my back surgery really tested her having to do stuff that I used to do...  and, quite honestly, it has put an enormous strain on her both mentally and physically...

However, I am not unusual and most marriages are controlled by the female whether the males agrees or whether on not it is appreciated.  It just happens.

This does not mean that females are better than males...  it just means that females are better at managing marriages and households than males and we need to accept that.

Perspectives

 

If you are sitting or standing on the ground and look up and see an airplane flying by...  it appears that the airplane is moving across the sky quickly...   BUT, if you were in that airplane looking down at yourself looking up at this airplane crossing the sky, it would appear to you that the airplane is not really moving that fast at all.

How can this be?

This is the relativity theory in action as developed in the mind of Albert Einstein while spending a little time by himself just thinking.

From a writing or artistic point-of-view, this is considered to be perspective and how when you look off into the distance, objects that you see look like they are getting smaller and smaller the farther out you can see.

Perspective is what happens when two people have an argument or disagreement...  it is because their perspectives don't align themselves together.  For instance: some might see a glass containing liquid as being either HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY...  so, who is right?  who is wrong?

Some people might see liberals as saviors while others might see them as lunatics.  Some people might see conservatives as deplorables others might see them leaders.

Our perspectives are different and so much so that currently the United States is divided 50/50 because our perspectives differ...  sounds simple but it is hurting the nation because neither side is willing to compromise so that we can move forward.

And, if the midterms put the conservatives back in power then they will undo everything that the liberal put into place and the nation as a whole moves back to square one.

The only people who benefit from this nonsense are the wealthy. 

Last Day of August

 

For me, August is an important month because it symbolizes the end of the summer...  so, today, August 31, 2022 officially is the end of thisyear's summer...

For me, summer is June - July - August and once September gets here, we begin the Fall Season which lasts through November and Thanksgiving.

For me, winter is December - January - February - March (but only half of March)...

For me, spring is March (the last half) - April - May...

Nice clean seasons regardless of Global Warming or Climate Change or going GREEN...

Changing the seasons is relatively studid in my opinion and shows just how silly some of the book educated intellectuals can be.

Payback Dog

 

Spanish Stonehenge Emerges out of Water

Last week we told you about the flurry of recent coverage resurfacing 2018 news stories about the re-emergence of so-called "hunger stones" due to extreme drought conditions in Europe. 

We also noted that Europe is once again in the midst of a historically severe drought. Now an ancient site known as the "Spanish Stonehenge"—submerged underwater by a reservoir for decades—has been fully exposed for the second time since 2019 due to low water levels in the reservoir.

The site is also known as the Dolmen of Guadalperal, a circular grouping of 150 large vertical granite stones (called orthostats) dating back to between 2000 and 3000 BCE. However, some artifacts recovered at the site suggest it might have been used even earlier. 

A team led by German archaeologist Hugo Obermaier discovered the monument in 1926 near a town called Peraleda de la Mata.

Among the recovered artifacts were 11 axes, flint knives, ceramics, and a copper punch. A nearby settlement likely housed the people who built the monument, given the presence of houses, charcoal and ash stains, pottery, and stones to hone axes. 

Obermaier restored some of the granite stones to their rightful places and made reproductions of the engravings, which were published in 1960.  READ MORE...

Squirrel Started