The Islamic world has always been prone to decorating firearms in an ornate fashion. Most examples I have seen have been Afghan and Arab “Jezail”- type muzzleloaders. Recently frequent reader and commenter “Johnny UK” was in Morocco where he photographed a modern example at the mausoleum of Mohammed V , the founder of modern-day Morocco. …
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Catching Up
Like Matt, I should soon have good news (though mine should continue to let me blog freely). I have been dealing with that and also Libby’s taking over the local Post Office so it has been a bit hectic here. Let me do a quick blogging news roundup and post some pics– with more to …
Matt in the Weeds
I work for a large public University in the American South. It’s easy to learn which, considering I’ve been there ten years, serving most of them as a Web administrator. It’s too hard to hide on the Internet… I’ll have a new job on campus, effective early next month. It’s in large part a press …
Ataika’s Career
Steve, why didn’t you tell us that Ataika was moonlighting as a supermodel? Did you have to pay to get headshots for her portfolio? I certainly hope she’s working for more than just kibble!
Minor miracle
Lest we forget why animals are more amazing than you and me, in general, and why we love to have them around: Witness Kato, my cat since 1986, killer of squirrels, rabbits and birds a plenty; the world’s only (known to me) hawking cat, who followed the hawk and me on numerous hunts in my …
Tenacious
I saw this small “chimney” of uneroded soil in the middle of a small arroyo east of the house yesterday. Closer examination showed that a matt of prickly pear had anchored the soil in place while everything else around it eroded away. Looking at the size of the arroyo and the stability of the vegetation …
Surprise
Last Saturday’s predicted high of 52 with a chance of thundershowers turned into a high of 35 and a Spring snow storm. Native Southern Californians Sadie and Maggie ask: What is this stuff?
Squirrels Gone Wild
This item is a little old, but it happened while I was busy moving and couldn’t get to it. The LA Times reported that the city of Santa Monica has been faced with a problem where one of its parks has been overrun by a population explosion of ground squirrels. And what did the city …
Auctions
This NY Times piece on an auction of fossils and antiquities has it right – it is painful for paleontologists and archaeologists to watch these things. Artifacts and fossils taken from the context of their deposition lose much of their ability to contribute to scientific analysis.
More Granddogs
Matt suggested I put up this photo of Nate’s lurcher Pearl and tazi girl Maty. Photo Nate Moody: Matt says: Ah…dog humor.