Posts
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Adopt A Pet
At Arizona State University, a professor, his wife, students, staff and other faculty members rescue abandoned cats on campus, have them neutered, have their shots brought up to date and care for them in private homes until they can be adopted. The group is called Mildcats. If you are looking for a pet, click on the title for information about the adopt-a-pet program near you.
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Showing posts with label Comment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comment. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Fist Bump
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Fist Bump: A greeting of sorts similar to a high five, deriving ultimately from the handshake. Signifies something akin to 'Whoopee!'.
The high five and its precursor, the 'gimme five' have been around for a long time as efforts to exuberate the mere mortal handshake. Though it seems to please children, athletes and presidential families, it looks to me that the high five is a slap and the fist bump is a punch. These gestures remove the warmth and personal aspect of a handshake and substitute actions which are usually evidence of anger and dominance. We are pretty much stuck with them now. Click on title for Time Magazine's take on the Obama fist bump.
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Fist Bump: A greeting of sorts similar to a high five, deriving ultimately from the handshake. Signifies something akin to 'Whoopee!'.
The high five and its precursor, the 'gimme five' have been around for a long time as efforts to exuberate the mere mortal handshake. Though it seems to please children, athletes and presidential families, it looks to me that the high five is a slap and the fist bump is a punch. These gestures remove the warmth and personal aspect of a handshake and substitute actions which are usually evidence of anger and dominance. We are pretty much stuck with them now. Click on title for Time Magazine's take on the Obama fist bump.
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Friday, December 26, 2008
Peccaries
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Peccaries, or javelinas abound in the southwest deserts. They are not pigs though they resemble them. The problem with peccaries is that they are more or less lovable and people feel sorry for them because they are being ousted from their natural territory by suburban development and could starve. So kind and sensitive people feed them.
Whenever people feed wild animals, the animals lose their fear of humans. In pack animals like peccaries, this can create serious problems. Javelinas (Spanish for spear, referring to their sharp incisors) usually travel in groups, sometimes quite large. If upset, they can charge and hurt or kill dogs, babies or even adult humans. This is very rare but documented.
It is better for the human community for members to avoid feeding javelinas, just as it is better not to feed raccoons or bears. Feeding them contributes to their dependency on human largesse and reduces their ability to forage for themselves. There is not universal agreement on this, but it could be said that feeding wild animals contributes to their domestication and that assumes considerable responsibility to the feeder to maintain support for the now dependant yet still dangerous animals. Click on title for detailed information.
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Peccaries, or javelinas abound in the southwest deserts. They are not pigs though they resemble them. The problem with peccaries is that they are more or less lovable and people feel sorry for them because they are being ousted from their natural territory by suburban development and could starve. So kind and sensitive people feed them.
Whenever people feed wild animals, the animals lose their fear of humans. In pack animals like peccaries, this can create serious problems. Javelinas (Spanish for spear, referring to their sharp incisors) usually travel in groups, sometimes quite large. If upset, they can charge and hurt or kill dogs, babies or even adult humans. This is very rare but documented.
It is better for the human community for members to avoid feeding javelinas, just as it is better not to feed raccoons or bears. Feeding them contributes to their dependency on human largesse and reduces their ability to forage for themselves. There is not universal agreement on this, but it could be said that feeding wild animals contributes to their domestication and that assumes considerable responsibility to the feeder to maintain support for the now dependant yet still dangerous animals. Click on title for detailed information.
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Saturday, December 13, 2008
Elder Wisdom Circle
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Elder Wisdom Circle is a free service on the web which offers the opportunity for anyone to get advice on any subject from selected Elders. Elders are 60 years old or older. Legal issues, medical matters and financial advice are not given because of the terms of the charter. That does not mean that you cannot ask those kinds of questions, simply that the answers will not include specific advice that should come from a professional.
Each letter is answered individually by an elder or a group of elders, usually within a week. The more carefully you ask the question with pertinent details, the more complete an answer will be received.
Typically, the elder or group will share information from their own personal experience and may include links to websites that can provide thorough information relating to the question or problem.
If you click on the title of this article you will be taken to the homepage of Elder Wisdom Circle where you can read examples of letters sent and answered, and you may send in a request for help with any problem that bothers you.
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Elder Wisdom Circle is a free service on the web which offers the opportunity for anyone to get advice on any subject from selected Elders. Elders are 60 years old or older. Legal issues, medical matters and financial advice are not given because of the terms of the charter. That does not mean that you cannot ask those kinds of questions, simply that the answers will not include specific advice that should come from a professional.
Each letter is answered individually by an elder or a group of elders, usually within a week. The more carefully you ask the question with pertinent details, the more complete an answer will be received.
Typically, the elder or group will share information from their own personal experience and may include links to websites that can provide thorough information relating to the question or problem.
If you click on the title of this article you will be taken to the homepage of Elder Wisdom Circle where you can read examples of letters sent and answered, and you may send in a request for help with any problem that bothers you.
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Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Gershwin
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Gershwin and Ravel
George Gershwin was a songwriter of popular music, a talented pianist and entertainer and wished to be a great classical composer. He had some success in that field with his folk opera Porgy and Bess, Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F.
He was something of a playboy and didn’t always tend to his assigned tasks. He didn’t finish Rhapsody in Blue till the day before it was to be premiered and there was no time to write out all the sheet music the orchestra needed. This was the job of Ferde Grofé, later to become well known for his Grand Canyon Suite. Grofé knew he would never be able to finish the copying chores so he gathered the orchestra together and asked them if they knew the names of all the chords in music. Of course they did. So instead of writing everything out, he simply wrote the names of the chords over the notes of the melody. Everybody understood and went right into rehearsal and the premiere went off beautifully. That was the start of using chord symbols such as A, B minor, etc. A set of symbols was soon developed and standardized and now musicians frequently use what are called fake-books which have only melodies and chord symbols.
Gershwin spent a lot of time in France along with writers and painters of the time. He met the great composer Maurice Ravel, best known for his Bolero. Gershwin asked if he could study music with Ravel the master. Ravel said no. Gershwin asked why. Ravel said that Gershwin was a first-rate Gershwin; there was no point in him becoming a second-rate Ravel.
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Gershwin and Ravel
George Gershwin was a songwriter of popular music, a talented pianist and entertainer and wished to be a great classical composer. He had some success in that field with his folk opera Porgy and Bess, Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F.
He was something of a playboy and didn’t always tend to his assigned tasks. He didn’t finish Rhapsody in Blue till the day before it was to be premiered and there was no time to write out all the sheet music the orchestra needed. This was the job of Ferde Grofé, later to become well known for his Grand Canyon Suite. Grofé knew he would never be able to finish the copying chores so he gathered the orchestra together and asked them if they knew the names of all the chords in music. Of course they did. So instead of writing everything out, he simply wrote the names of the chords over the notes of the melody. Everybody understood and went right into rehearsal and the premiere went off beautifully. That was the start of using chord symbols such as A, B minor, etc. A set of symbols was soon developed and standardized and now musicians frequently use what are called fake-books which have only melodies and chord symbols.
Gershwin spent a lot of time in France along with writers and painters of the time. He met the great composer Maurice Ravel, best known for his Bolero. Gershwin asked if he could study music with Ravel the master. Ravel said no. Gershwin asked why. Ravel said that Gershwin was a first-rate Gershwin; there was no point in him becoming a second-rate Ravel.
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Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Training Cats
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Training cats is like juggling three balls made of Jello or sorting wet noodles by hand; they go off in all directions at once. There are ways to indicate what you want them to do or refrain from doing, but the results depend a lot on the willingness and intelligence of the cats.
Of course, you don’t ever want to hit them and any correction must be done at the very moment of the infraction or the cats won’t make the connection and will be bewildered about what you want. One approach is to make a noise of disapproval just as the cat is where you don’t want it to go; as it is just getting there. I have found that they respond to a hissing sound. I start with a quiet “ssssssssss” then gradually increase the loudness. Clapping hands once is startling and effective. Nothing will be very effective the first time, but after a while the cats, if they are smart enough, will recognize that certain places and actions are not allowed. That doesn’t mean they won’t try to go there, but they will be looking out for signs of disapproval. It is also true that they may get used to certain behaviors on your part and ignore them when earlier they would find them startling.
I have a smart cat (for a cat) and another one whose brainpower may be limited. The latter cannot learn or will not obey. I haven’t figured out whether she is just dumb or simply willful. I have learned to accommodate her for the most part, but will still insist that she not play with or chew wiring and stay on her side of the kitchen counter. I do this mostly with a squirt gun. The water is harmless (except to books and papers) and after a few squirts, the cats respond to the sound of my picking it up; they dash for the hills, (the bedroom).
One of the biggest problems with cats is scratching. People used to solve this problem by de-clawing the cats. It is still done but is much frowned upon by humane societies since it is very painful for the cats and has been compared to cutting off the first knuckles of a person’s hands. Most people these days keep their cats inside because of the danger of the cat picking up rabies or other diseases by catching infected mice. A de-clawed cat that accidentally gets outside is helpless without claws.
I have several scratching boards and cylinders which the cats use regularly. They can hide inside or scratch on the outside. I trim their claws regularly; just the tips. They have done very little damage with their claws.
Ultimately you will have to realize that the cats are limited and you will have to adapt to their peculiarities. Just think of them as teen-aged humans covered with ever-falling fur.
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Training cats is like juggling three balls made of Jello or sorting wet noodles by hand; they go off in all directions at once. There are ways to indicate what you want them to do or refrain from doing, but the results depend a lot on the willingness and intelligence of the cats.
Of course, you don’t ever want to hit them and any correction must be done at the very moment of the infraction or the cats won’t make the connection and will be bewildered about what you want. One approach is to make a noise of disapproval just as the cat is where you don’t want it to go; as it is just getting there. I have found that they respond to a hissing sound. I start with a quiet “ssssssssss” then gradually increase the loudness. Clapping hands once is startling and effective. Nothing will be very effective the first time, but after a while the cats, if they are smart enough, will recognize that certain places and actions are not allowed. That doesn’t mean they won’t try to go there, but they will be looking out for signs of disapproval. It is also true that they may get used to certain behaviors on your part and ignore them when earlier they would find them startling.
I have a smart cat (for a cat) and another one whose brainpower may be limited. The latter cannot learn or will not obey. I haven’t figured out whether she is just dumb or simply willful. I have learned to accommodate her for the most part, but will still insist that she not play with or chew wiring and stay on her side of the kitchen counter. I do this mostly with a squirt gun. The water is harmless (except to books and papers) and after a few squirts, the cats respond to the sound of my picking it up; they dash for the hills, (the bedroom).
One of the biggest problems with cats is scratching. People used to solve this problem by de-clawing the cats. It is still done but is much frowned upon by humane societies since it is very painful for the cats and has been compared to cutting off the first knuckles of a person’s hands. Most people these days keep their cats inside because of the danger of the cat picking up rabies or other diseases by catching infected mice. A de-clawed cat that accidentally gets outside is helpless without claws.
I have several scratching boards and cylinders which the cats use regularly. They can hide inside or scratch on the outside. I trim their claws regularly; just the tips. They have done very little damage with their claws.
Ultimately you will have to realize that the cats are limited and you will have to adapt to their peculiarities. Just think of them as teen-aged humans covered with ever-falling fur.
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Sunday, November 30, 2008
Smartest State
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The state rankings were announced in the "Education State Rankings 2006-2007," released by Lawrence, Kan.-based Morgan Quitno Press, an independent research and publishing company.
Vermont retained its title as the nation's smartest state for the second year, while Arizona held the title of being the lowest-ranked of the 50 states.
The Smartest State Award is based on nearly two dozen elementary and secondary education indicators from Education State Rankings, an annual reference book comparing the states in education-related categories. The 2006 award measured states in areas as instruction expenditures, teacher-pupil ratios, graduation and dropout rates, and proficiency in reading, writing and math, the publisher said.
Top states after Vermont, which earned the title for a second straight year, were Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maine, the publisher said. Arizona was preceded by Nevada, Mississippi, California and Alaska in the bottom tier.
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The state rankings were announced in the "Education State Rankings 2006-2007," released by Lawrence, Kan.-based Morgan Quitno Press, an independent research and publishing company.
Vermont retained its title as the nation's smartest state for the second year, while Arizona held the title of being the lowest-ranked of the 50 states.
The Smartest State Award is based on nearly two dozen elementary and secondary education indicators from Education State Rankings, an annual reference book comparing the states in education-related categories. The 2006 award measured states in areas as instruction expenditures, teacher-pupil ratios, graduation and dropout rates, and proficiency in reading, writing and math, the publisher said.
Top states after Vermont, which earned the title for a second straight year, were Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maine, the publisher said. Arizona was preceded by Nevada, Mississippi, California and Alaska in the bottom tier.
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Friday, November 28, 2008
Napolitano
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Janet Napolitano is currently the democratic governor of Arizona, a
conservative state which voted for its own senator John McCain for
president. Napolitano is being tapped for the leadership of Homeland
Security.
Upon her departure, Jan Brewer, republican secretary of state, will
assume the governorship. Napolitano has had her finger in the dike of
conservative legislation. With Brewer in the saddle, that flood will
likely flow. There are democrats in the state assembly but not enough
to prevent the right from flowering. It has been suggested that Barack
Obama offer Jan Brewer a spot in his administration, thereby showing
bi-partisanship and freeing state attorney-general Terry Goddard, a
democrat, to fill the governor's chair for the remaining two years of
the current term. This should be enough to keep the balance till the
next election, at which time, Goddard would be a likely candidate.
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Janet Napolitano is currently the democratic governor of Arizona, a
conservative state which voted for its own senator John McCain for
president. Napolitano is being tapped for the leadership of Homeland
Security.
Upon her departure, Jan Brewer, republican secretary of state, will
assume the governorship. Napolitano has had her finger in the dike of
conservative legislation. With Brewer in the saddle, that flood will
likely flow. There are democrats in the state assembly but not enough
to prevent the right from flowering. It has been suggested that Barack
Obama offer Jan Brewer a spot in his administration, thereby showing
bi-partisanship and freeing state attorney-general Terry Goddard, a
democrat, to fill the governor's chair for the remaining two years of
the current term. This should be enough to keep the balance till the
next election, at which time, Goddard would be a likely candidate.
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Xanadar
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Once upon a time there was a planet in a distant galaxy whose inhabitants all had perfectly proportioned bodies. Everyone was beautiful and had all the curves in the right places, but no one was happy because they longed to meet people who were different. So they sent to earth for men and women to bring back to their planet to marry. But these people on earth who were not perfect became perfect as soon as they landed on the magnificent Planet Xanadar.
So the Xanadarians could only find imperfect people if they came to earth to live. Many of them did that and they became movie stars and rock stars and fashion models and they all married imperfect people and lived happily ever after. Well, not the movie stars.
So if you want to be happy, either you go to Planet Xanadar and become perfect, or send the person who wants you to be perfect there and he or she will see how unhappy the perfect people are and will come back and fall madly in love with you.
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Once upon a time there was a planet in a distant galaxy whose inhabitants all had perfectly proportioned bodies. Everyone was beautiful and had all the curves in the right places, but no one was happy because they longed to meet people who were different. So they sent to earth for men and women to bring back to their planet to marry. But these people on earth who were not perfect became perfect as soon as they landed on the magnificent Planet Xanadar.
So the Xanadarians could only find imperfect people if they came to earth to live. Many of them did that and they became movie stars and rock stars and fashion models and they all married imperfect people and lived happily ever after. Well, not the movie stars.
So if you want to be happy, either you go to Planet Xanadar and become perfect, or send the person who wants you to be perfect there and he or she will see how unhappy the perfect people are and will come back and fall madly in love with you.
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