Our Avian Masters

Birds are best known for their ability to fly. It has always been the dream of humanity to be able to soar like eagles. It had repeatedly been attempted my countless inventors & the adventurous. That is not the only thing we have learned from our winged friends.

Before we discovered the secret to human flight, we did utilize the properties. Kites were used to fish by dangling bait from the tail. They were once used to lift observers, in war, to get a vantage point over their opponents. The story of Ben Franklin & electricity is famous. There is a famous photograph of Marconi on Signal Hill, just outside St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador in which he is raising a kite antenna to receive the first radio signals from across the Atlantic Ocean, in December 1901. This was all fine and dandy, but we were tethered. We did gain a bit more of a vantage point & we found a way to fish from the air, like the birds do. We managed this after learning how to make pieces of material soar & glide like birds.

Long before the power of human flight came into being, the feathers of birds were commonly used for other purposes. Basically, feathers consist of a tube with smaller tubes running the length of it at regular intervals, with smaller tubes running the lengths of these & so on. This makes feathers very lightweight & strong. They can be very soft as in the down we use for pillows. They are used as insulation as in our clothes. We were once using feathers as pens. We knew about their aerodynamic value in arrows. Feathers can be used to absorb or repel moisture. Furthermore, as in the male birds, they have been widely used as an extravagance.

A lot of birds also utilize air bags throughout their bodies which makes them a lot lighter than they look & creates buoyancy. This is great for impacts, which they would presumably get as most travel off of the ground, usually at speeds greater than the other animals. We use air bags to reinforce the interiors of certain structures as well as to cushion the impact of accidents in automobiles.

Those very cleverly adapted beaks were once used as punches for tailoring clothes. In some birds like gulls, salty water is expelled through the beak. The beak makes an important part of their respiratory or ventilation system. We utilize the same characteristics in moving vehicles to push cool air through the heated bodies of vehicles.

What makes a bird so light in weight, as in eagles and gulls? Their skeletons consist of a honeycomb-like structure. The bones are filled with holes. This allows air to fill the space of bone. It also gives the bones a more rigid construction. How does an hummingbird or a songbird manage to not break its bones, tiny bones, whenever they land or squeeze into their nests. They are very strong. It also protects those deep diving penguins. It explains the forces they exert on their bodies during flight. Peregrine falcons can dive at an higher velocity than any other animal can move, including humans. Gannets can dive from great heights head first into the ocean. They don't break any bones. This honeycomb structure has been copied throughout history by people.

Then we have the power of flight. We did manage to glide & soar with a little assistance. We first had to figure out the aerodynamic properties of feathers & their setups on different birds. The gliders we fly, have long rigid wings like gulls & other seabirds. Human powered flight had been tried, and still is, using our own muscles to propelled the wings. We need a way to dramatically enhance what meager power we possess. Even the most powerful person on the planet would not be able to sustain flight. The largest part of a birds anatomy is the chest muscles or the breast, along with a very strong sternum. But it is the wings that we learned from in order to create a machine that could fly. We figured out the shape, strength, & size of the wings of a vehicles to get it off the ground & stay there. We used these same properties to further customize the ability & to make it more comfortable & efficient through the advent of wind tunnels. Now, some planes have a short, wide wings for maneuverability like some of the predators of dense forests. They have long slender wings for long travel. Some are made to be quieter, as in some owls.

Some of these advances by humanity may or may not have been directly attributed to birds. Some may have been enhanced from later knowledge of birds. What else can we learn from these unique animals. Can we figure out why vultures can tolerate such extremes conditions as rotting, disease ridden flesh. The optics associated with some birds may greatly enlighten our view of our planet. Can we discover anything from their method of giving birth? Some early peoples, no doubt, starting building nests as birds did leading to dwelling in trees. Can we figure out what makes birds so highly adaptive? Several bird species have been trained to mimic noises. They actually do this in the wild with birds of different areas using different animal calls. There is much research on birds ability to navigate great distances. What more can we learn from the masters of the air?

History

History is a cool topic. Each day is unique. April 23, 1969 is April 23, 1969 & that's it.

Ice Shove at Mile's Cove, Newfoundland & Labrador

This is apparently the best video footage of an ice shove or ivu. It occurs in the northern parts of the world when conditions are right. The following link shows some nice images of huge ice shoves, which can get up to 50 feet high.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivu
PEACE

Ain't gonna study war no more...

I just got this video e-mailed today from Brasscheck, about the state of New Orleans from an American Vietnam veteran who's ticked off with the wasted potential of the US. How the richest country in the world can't respond to a major disaster in it's own country but can invade countries half way around the world. This man is still supporting his country while the ones who are supposed to aren't.

It kills me to see someone betrayed by their governments after giving so much to it & giving up so much for it.. We get enough of it here as well which is why I can relate. I admire the people who fight for their peers freedom & rights. I would have joined the forces myself if I weren't diabetic, partly because my family has been involved since WW1 & probably before.

We have a military, here in Canada, who only a couple of weeks ago couldn't participate in naval maneuvers with the US & German navies off our eastern seasboard, due to insufficient funds. In the meantime, our troops are all over the world peacekeeping & at war in Afghanistan, being killed in while in service.

A Canadian sailor was killed a couple of years ago while transporting a 2nd hand deisel powered sub from Great Britain that caught fire en route to Canada. We had to borrow uniforms from the US forces because ours clashed with the environment in Afghanistan instead of camoflauged with it. This is because our government is trying to save money.

I've seen it on TV & the internet where soldiers are welding pieces onto thei vehicles to stand up to enemy fire. I believe we're still using jeeps. With our technology, why is this? If we can't arm our forces better & protect them while they are trying to protect us, haul 'em out of there.

The man in this video speaks of the way the US armed forces should & could be influencing the world.



I can still fight for our rights though. That's why I posted this as soon as I saw it. How can we involve ourselves in other country's affairs while we ignore or mishandle our own?


I heard the song he is refering to many years ago & thought that line was fitting.

Common Sense?

Most people have common sense. Why do we lose it?

It is common sense that a check for $49 per week from employment insurance won't pay amy bills. Working for $250 per week will barely feed a family, regardless of how big. Let alone pay for heat, lights, insurance (home or auto), clothes, medical, travel, paint, appliances, home repairs & more depending on the age & how many children there are. To then have to wait, sometimes 6 weeks or more, for employment insurance. Then recieve up to $150 per week to manage the same household as before.

Who, in their right mind, would be able to decide another person should have to deal with this issue. These are people who want to make a living instead of relying on social assistance to provide for them. That is common sense. I want to work for a living & prosper in doing so. Most of us want a good paying job. A carpenter should not have to work for $6.75 an hour.

Who loses their common sense. How about former opposition parties in politics? The ruling party can do no good by opposition. A person can & will walk into your home & tell you he/she knows your predicament & can help, only if the individual gets elected. Once the person gets elected & is in power, they have no power. They can't. The first thing we notice is how user fees have tripled & insurance rates skyrocket.

We go through this every election. They will make all the difference in the world. Then they have to tow party lines. There is no democracy in running a democracy. A free vote is a big thing when it occurs.

Is this a lack of common sense? The government decides to move a government office which employs a dozen people, to another province, at a cost of several million dollars for no good reason. These people either move or lose their jobs. Well, they can get other jobs. From other people. The member for that area can't make a peep. Why? Because his party is in power.

This is a good one. Lobby for years to have the federal government to put an end to bottom trawling of our oceans because you know from experience in your home province that this is causing irreversable damage to the sea floor. Some of the top fishing nations come asking for support for exactly what you were fighting for for years. Your party is now in power & you are the fisheries minister & turn them down flat. What, you've changed your mind?

You're getting ripped off for many years by the feds & the opposition party knows it & claws & fights for your right to be treated fairly & get the royalties you very well deserve. Your provincial leader takes the feds to task & gets exactly what is owed & was promised. The opposition leader is all hoorays & in your face Mr. Prime Minister. The same leader, now in power, now wants to take back that richly deserved victory.

Man, I could go on for days.

Swearing

I use profanity on occassion but I won't swear.

People swear on this & that. I feel like smacking people when they swear on their children's lives. Why the hell would I swear on a Bible?

What happens when something goes a bit off course? You swore on your parent's graves that you would not be late. As you are on the way, you are sideswiped & put off the road. What happens to the graves?

In some traditions we have to swear on the Bible.
"James 5:12
(12) But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by
heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let
your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation."

We swear on a book that preaches to us not to swear on material things. Tell that to your children as they are learning about Christianity. What would your response be if your child or grandchild or whatever were to pose this to you?

I use profanity on occassion but I won't swear.

Positive Thinking, not LOA.

I just read some of Chi's blog & this topic came up to which I was going to respond. Then I thought, wait a minute, I have my own blog.

Anyway, this film, The Secret has been turning some heads & some are, unknowingly being taught the secret will, not can, will change their lives for the better without affecting other people's lives.

People will do just that, sit around hoping things will soon be a lot better.

This film has been out now for a few months & I haven't heard or read about any miraculous changes in anyone's life due to this, Not one.

Now anyone who knows me hear or read my opinion on the way to achieve a better lifestyle & outlook on life. If there is any way possible I can turn something into a positive result, I'll do it. I look at tragedy as something to learn from. IMO, most of these occurences do indeed have a lesson to be learned by others or yourself.

The idea of thinking & acting positive is a little getting used to but it can be life altering through practice. Greet people as you walk pass them. Add a little smile. Thank you & you're welcome will come naturally over time. Hold doors open for people. Not just seniors or prominent individuals, anyone.

Think about it every now & then.

What I'm saying is similar to "The Secret". The law of attraction does work, in that smiling does catch on. Thank you will bring a you're welcome. How do we get a losing team to pick up their spirits? The more positive you behave, the more people will respond in kind.

The same works with negativeness. How do riots start? It's certainly not by the crown who is having a good time, enjoying the game, movie, concert & the like.

When you see the world as an opportunity, you will strive & look for these opportunities. When they arise you will answer the knock because you were listening for it. If you are thinking negatively you are looking for & expecting bad things so you will find these things or actions because you were looking for them.

Now, we cannot go around being all happy-like & ignoring life's real issues. We will always have bills to pay. The cost of living is going up. People get sick & people die. We all make mistakes. Natural disasters occur all around us. We deal with life as it happens. It's good to be prepared but not everything goes as planned.

We can however, look at theses real life issues as what they are. We learn from both the good & the bad. How does cursing & swearing help a situation. An even bigger situation when family is involved. When someone dies, we grieve. Then we, IMO, think about all the positive aspects of their past. The worst thing, IMO, one can do when visiting someone at the hospital is to say things don't look good. We don't talk about people dieing or becoming worse. We try & uplift a person's spirits.

When you are looking for a new job, for instance, do you look for the lowest paying job? Do you look for a job where you will be treated like crap? Do you try & work your way to the bottom of a company? I don't.
PEACE

Employment

Okay let's get down to business. I'm a Horticultural Technician with traing & 5 years experience as a landscaper. I am looking for a job. Something full time permanent.
I have the skills required for any landscaping or gardening job. I worked for 3 different companies in this field. The iniital experience is what got me into landscaping. I went to school to become a Horticultural Tech. & as soon as I graduated I went straight to work. 2 years went by without a raise. Minimum wage. I then went to Alberta for one season. Foreman. I've been working here in Bonavista since 2004.
I am very well rounded in the skills department. I've spent the past year doing mainly renovations & restoration. Most of my working life has been labourious work. I've spent several years doing custodial & mainteneance work. Lot's of construction experience as well as demolition. I have a diplomas for Small Engine Repair & I've done a bit of work in that field when required. I am computer savy.
I am really easy to get along with. I am pretty well educated in different fields. I am intelligent. I solve challenges very well. I am a very hard worker & I love to learn new skills. That is how I attained the skills I own. I communicate very well with co-workers & have dealt with the public quite a bit over the years.

If anyone is interested just give me a shout. I am working full time right now but, I'm not in my field so I would like to work at horticulture.

Later.

I may just have it.

Ah, the weather is becoming windier & colder. I go to work at the cape in the morning & come home in the evenings looking at the whitecaps on the water. West & northwest winds all week. We couldn't work on the west facing roof for fear of being blown over.
This should be fun.

Hello Again

I had little satisfaction with my initial attempt. I will now begin anew.

These are images of what is referred to as Manson.

In '95 he chose us to provide for him.

We believe, in a former life he was a sentry of sorts.

This is HIS chosen cozy corner.

He knows what the situation is at all times.

Manson is always making his rounds.

He can hear any sound whatsoever on our property.

You can't tell what he's thinking.

What mood is he thinking about.
Manson, "Charlie or Marilyn?".

We are very well protected.

Sometimes, Manson gets a little too protective!

Allright, he's letting me know that's enough.

Gotta go people.

See you on the flipside.

:PEACE:

NOW!

I will now attempt to post some images.

This is Manson.

<

He knows! He always knows.>>

Wow. Am I here yet?

I think I'll have a look around. Lots of space.

Well. 1st post. Hello people. Don't mind me. Just getting used to the place.

Now I gotta figure out the images part. Later.

:peace: