Hi all: Getting a late start here today. Been busy in the garden all day and now working on getting some of the glue out of the corners of the panes in the French door, so have back to computer.
Previous Weekly Chat's last page included long chatty posts from Lindybird and OG, a link from Djoan to the BOT Barn Owls, which have their first egg, and a colorful greeting from Diane to AQ who's having a birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AQ! :-)
Hey AQ; Yes, there is a Fritillary butterfly.
Diane: Missed the eulogy for the miners - how many citations did that place receive? I heard a commentary at the time it happened asking where the union representatives were in all the news media coverage - the conclusion being that the unions, which had they had any real power, could've shut the mine down when management didn't follow safety rules. And now there's the oil rig in the Gulf which just happens to be run by BP, which already had that accident in Texas some years back and was found to be horribly negligent as regards safety regs. Jim's great grandmother (I think) was the first woman lawyer in Kansas and represented the United Mine Workers of Amerca.
Annette, our most frequent use of the word 'bludge' is in the term 'dole bludger', meaning someone living on unemployment benefits and making absolutely no effort to get a job.
Smiles, Jan.
Unknown said: Diane: Missed the eulogy for the miners - how many citations did that place receive? I heard a commentary at the time it happened asking where the union representatives were in all the news media coverage - the conclusion being that the unions, which had they had any real power, could've shut the mine down when management didn't follow safety rules. And now there's the oil rig in the Gulf which just happens to be run by BP, which already had that accident in Texas some years back and was found to be horribly negligent as regards safety regs. Jim's great grandmother (I think) was the first woman lawyer in Kansas and represented the United Mine Workers of Amerca.
Annette: The federal government should have shut the mine down a long time ago. The Upper Big Branch mine, owned by Massey Energy, had been cited for 1,342 safety violations from 2005 through last Monday. It's a non-union mine (so the United Mine Workers Union had no presence or authority there). If it had been a union mine, the union safety crews would have had the right to prevent workers from entering unsafe areas. Massey Energy has had 1,000s of citations and orders filed against them for mines around the country -- they routinely violate safety laws and regulations. Interesting about Jim's great-grandmother. My great-grandfather helped organize the coal mines in Indiana.
Unknown said: Hey Diane: Aaack. A tornado watch?! How would you know if one was approaching? Do you have to sit glued to the telly or radio? Do you have reverse 911 calling or would that even be effective given that you probably wouldn't get much notice. And where would you and your Dad go if one did show up? Don't feel you have to rush to answer all that! Discovery Channel program just starting but torn between that and "Small Island." Hmmmm.
Hey Diane: Aaack. A tornado watch?! How would you know if one was approaching? Do you have to sit glued to the telly or radio? Do you have reverse 911 calling or would that even be effective given that you probably wouldn't get much notice. And where would you and your Dad go if one did show up? Don't feel you have to rush to answer all that! Discovery Channel program just starting but torn between that and "Small Island." Hmmmm.
Hey, Annette. I don't worry too much about tornadoes. I get a little nervous if the sky turns that awful shade of green that always precedes one. :-) This time of year, we have lots of tornado watches, and it's just part of living here. I usually do turn on the local TV news to watch the radar. We don't have anything as advanced as reverse 911. The local town does have tornado sirens, but they are difficult to hear. Dad can't hear them at all, bless his heart, and I have to be paying attention. We don't have a basement, all of our rooms have at least one window, and this house was built before homes had built-in closets. So we don't have many options for a place to go. The one time a tornado did hit here, it happened so fast that my parents had no time at all to prepare. It took the roof off of the garage before they could even move. It's all up to Mother Nature, so I don't obsess over it. LOL
Happy Monday All: here is something to start the week (don't think it's a real photo !)
Hi Diane, up in the small hours again I see! Just popped in when I saw you here, to say Congrats on the Indy peregrine hatch, as I know you follow them.
I am watching for a hatch at Chichester, which is due any time from now on, and I think will be the first on the webcams in the UK. http://www.carnyx.tv/CarnyxWild/WildlifeCameras/Chichester.aspx
According to David Shaw's blog, http://www.chichesterperegrines.co.uk/blog.htm they also had intruder trouble the other day, and an interesting comment has just been added about that. The relationships between UK peregrines, and their movements, aren't well documented, because a lot of the adult birds are unringed - though since they came to nest in cities, the chicks are generally ringed.
The Chichester pair have raised 30 chicks since 2001, and a 2005 male, Black 15, took over last year as the resident male at Sussex Heights, Brighton - another webcam site about 30 miles away. As the intruder has been identified as a 2009 Sussex Heights chick, presumably Green 36, this means he was attacking his own grandparents' nest! http://www.regencybrighton.com/birds/2009/
Enjoyed that piece of local detective work - sorry all about the "peregrine diversion". I will pay a visit, once they've hatched.
Morning all,
OG : I was just trying to remember how many clutches Phoebe had laid this year and I think it may be 5 if you include Jade and Julep the 2 that fledged successfully. More great photos incidentally.
Lindybird : Enjoyed eagle and the cats pic.
SueC : Thanks for the peregrine update. I have been trying to follow them off and on when not osprey watching.
Annette : If you are recording the live video at LG you are best to use IE as your browser as I cant get it to work using AOL.
Everyone else thanks for the chat pics etc,
I may be called out on a shopping mission soon so will catch up later.
Weather is bright and sunny at the moment.
Lindybird That is such a good cartoon. I love it.
Sue C I have a peregrine group on Facebook if you are interested.
Tiger Signature
Good morning Alan thanks for the pic of Phoebe. Wishing her better luck this time.
Margobird
Morning all ... wasn't around much yesterday ... too many visitors kept popping in .... how dare they disturb my osprey watching!!
Cool and cloudy weather here ... don't know where all the sunshine is that they kept promising because it hasn't materialised here over the last few days.
OG - your photos are fabulous .... makes me think I need a new camera!
AQ - Happy Birthday
Everyone else thanks for pics,cartoon,chat etc
Thought I would just mention ... British Airways sometimes gets a bad press, but my OH said that they were wonderful while he was stranded in Canada ... posh hotel for the seven days, more than adequate meal vouchers, taxi voucher from the airport, and frequent updates. Its nice to give credit where its due!
Take care
Joan - avid bird and nature watcher in Northumberland!
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