Fans of Dr. Darren Naish and his frequently-highlighted blog Tetrapod Zoology will enjoy hearing him “in person,” in a podcast interview by George Kenny of Electric Politics. Beyond the nature of the topics discussed (origin of dogs, Bigfoot, being a “famous scientist”), I was fascinated simply to experience the podcast itself. Here blogging and broadcasting …
Once more around the web
Still busy, but reading… Terrierman shows us that despite hysteria, Lyme disease is hard to catch. Gun Nut Dave Petzal reminds us that “outmoded” equipment often– isn’t. Good firearms and optics should outlive their owner– I shoot one shotgun made in the (18)70’s. Has Hell frozen over? Peter Singer gives support to animal medical experimentation! …
Terrierman on Condors
Patrick Burns gives us his thoughts on California condor conservation and species loss. This post sort of got kicked off by an e-mail discussion that he, Steve, and I had about a lawsuit in California that seeks a ban on lead bullets. The plaintiffs maintain that many condors die after feeding on the carcasses of …
Post-Card From Above
Rebecca O’Connor’s essay “Post-card From Above” was in today’s issue of West, the LA Times Sunday magazine. It gives her perspective as a falconer on the expansion of suburban development in the area of Southern California where she lives. Also take a look at West’s editor, Rick Wartzman’s, comments on Rebecca’s work. Congratulations, Rebecca!
The Antikythera Mechanism
The BBC, New York Times, and LA Times all have fascinating accounts of an ancient “computer” used to predict astronomical phenomena. This ancient Greek device dated to about 100 BC was salvaged from a Roman shipwreck off the island of Anikythera between the Greek coast and Crete. Over eighty fragments have been found that represent …
More Pack Rats!
One more footnote from my trip west might be appropriate, given Querencia’s recent pack rat-related posts, here and (Yum!) here. Reid reported on the value of the Neotoma as archeo-climate-geological index and even as a human food item. The natural history of the pack rats (or wood rats) deserves plenty of attention, and maybe we …
Once more around the web
I just finished an article on Turkish pigeons for the excellent online pigeon mag Aviphilia and am getting caught up,so will I hope soon return to real blogging. Meanwhile, a roundup of things serious and trivial.. At Three Martini Lunch, Roseannn– between recipes!– has just posted on her recent diagnosis with breast cancer. That such …
Scenes from Magdalena
For the best words on Magdalena and thereabouts, I recommend you first to Steve. His vivid descriptions of the place–his base camp for more than twenty years–provide evocative settings for many of his published works. Though Steve travels widely, his frequent musings on what’s familiar or different about each place he visits suggest his mind …
Back Home
Composite of Magdalenan landscape and a trio of Steve’s pigeons in flightJust a quick note with more (and worse) to follow. I’m back in from a record-breaking November hawking trip: 3,000 miles over nine days and from Zero to 7,000+ feet of elevation. Lungs, butt and truck all still feeling the trip! As mentioned below, …
Rock Art Convergence
A while back Steve and I posted on some common features that we had seen with regard to representations of shamanism in rock art. I shared pictures from Little Petroglyph Canyon in Inyo County, California, and Steve showed his from the site of Tamgaly outside of Almaty in Kazakhstan. Steve sent me this picture of …