#National Pelican's Day

[milkdongcomics]

National Pelican's Day 2024 HEY HUMAN, SEE WHAT YOU DO!? ANIMAN - OILED PELICAN Instagram:  milkdongcomics Facebook:  Milk DoNg Comics

[rabbitcruiser]

Audubon Day

We greatly admire people working towards conservation activities and this factors into our celebrations of Audubon Day on April 26 each year. Held to commemorate the birth of John James Audubon, a brilliant illustrator, conservationist, ornithologist, and naturalist, this day also recognizes the crucial work done by The National Audubon Society.

WHEN IS AUDUBON DAY 2024?

John James Audubon’s brilliant work and legacy are celebrated on Audubon Day on April 26.

HISTORY OF AUDUBON DAY

This day is celebrated in honor of (and marks the birth of) John James Audubon, a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter who was well-known for his extensive studies on American birds and their habitats. Born in Saint Domingue (now Haiti), Audubon was raised in France by his father and stepmother. He began studying and drawing birds after moving to America, continuing to do so even as he moved to Kentucky with his wife, Lucy. He began delving deeper into his hobby of bird illustrations after the store that he owned went bankrupt, even sailing down the Mississippi River on a flatboat to find new birds to paint. He was so successful that he took his work to England and published it there. This work, Audubon’s greatest work, “The Birds of America,” is now widely considered as one of the most noteworthy examples of wildlife illustration. It set the tone for future wildlife illustrations; even today, artists are measured against this book’s standards.

Years after Audubon’s death on January 27, 1851, one of Audubon’s wife’s students, George Bird Grinnell, went on to co-found the National Audubon Society in John Audubon’s memory. This society promotes and protects the habitats that support the world’s birds, and also sponsors National Audubon Day. Located in the United States, this society is one of the oldest such organizations in the world. Today, there are many branches of the National Audubon Society all over the U.S., connecting John Audubon’s name to bird conservation forever.

AUDUBON DAY TIMELINE

1803

John Audubon Arrives in America

Audubon arrives at his family estate in Pennsylvania, America, where he studies and draws birds.

1820

Illustration Glory

Audubon floats down the Mississippi River on a flatboat so he can paint new species of birds.

1827–1838

“The Birds Of America” is Published

Audubon's exceptional work is published during this period, containing more than 700 North American bird species with 435 hand-colored, life-size prints of 497 bird species.

1905

The National Audubon Society is Born

A student of Audubon's wife, Lucy, establishes the first Audubon Society to protect birds and their habitats.

AUDUBON DAY FAQS

Is Audubon reliable?

The National Audubon Society emphasizes science as their basis for sound policy and action, which shows they are reliable and effective.

What is the bird society called?

National Audubon Society. Their official website states, “The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. We protect birds and the places they need.”

Who helped found the Audubon Society?

John Muir, George Bird Grinnell, T. Gilbert Pearson, are the founders of the National Audubon Society.

HOW TO CELEBRATE AUDUBON DAY

Go bird watching: Bird watching is a very fun pastime enjoyed by around 45 million people, as per data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Step outside for a quick (and safe) walk and observe the birds around you. You can look up details of birds you don’t recognize on the Audubon website. You can even take the fun one step further by learning about their names, habitats, and migration patterns.

Create your own bird-friendly space: Have some space in your backyard? Go ahead and design your own bird-friendly locale with native shrubs, trees, pedestal birdbaths, and more. You can hang bird feeders that you've created from plastic bottles, coffee cans, or even milk jugs for a better environmental impact. If you want to try your hand at more professional-type bird feeders, there are various woodworking tutorials online for making such feeders.

Draw, paint, and sketch birds; By all accounts, John Audubon loved illustrating birds. Take a feather out of his book and immortalize your neighborhood birds too. Grab a pencil and notebook and head to your bird-friendly backyard to draw the birds you see. Add in pops of color using paint or colored crayons.

FUN FACTS ABOUT AUDUBON DAY

Audubon introduced the concept of bird banding to Americas: The process of attaching a small tag to the wing of wild birds to make identification easier was first introduced by Audubon in North America.

His book is worth A LOT! In 2010, the first edition of Audubon's book, “The Birds of America,” sold in London for a whopping $11 million.

Audubon was an exceptional taxidermist. So he could sketch birds, then, if they died, prepare, stuff, and mount them too.

You might recognize a particular student of his: Famous naturalist, geologist, and biologist Charles Darwin sat in on one of Audubon's demonstrations of his methods, as a student.

Audubon made his money selling animal skins. A noted hunter, Audubon's practice of selling animal skins was his primary source of income for much of his life and even funded the printing of his book, “The Birds of America.”

WHY WE LOVE AUDUBON DAY

It brings us closer to nature: Many of us live in concrete jungles where the only brush of nature is a faraway tree, a kitchen garden, or a small shrub. Observing Audubon day brings us closer to nature and to what it means to be human in this world.

We can give back to the environment: The climate crisis reminds us that most of us aren't that mindful when it comes to nature or conservation. Perhaps learning about Audubon's conservation attempts and the Audubon Society's efforts to study and help birds and their habitat will inspire us to make more hands-on contributions, starting by simply being more bird-friendly.

We make some feathered friends: Who says no to making more friends? Only this time, we're making friends with some feathered buddies. All our conservation attempts, creating bird-friendly spaces, and even simply increasing our awareness bring us one step closer to making birdie friends and embracing Mother Nature.

Source

[burigi-chato-safaris]

1day Tanzania safaris - lake manyara national park

[rapha-reads]

IWTV rewatch

(how to resume the second half of this episode: *Captain Holt's voice* paiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin)

Season 1 episode 5 [A Vile Hunger For Your Hammering Heart] - part 2/2

- The way Louis' face is still as a statue as Loustat make their plans. The way you can feel the resentment covering the entire house.

- Lestat immediately shutting down going to Paris.

- And now welcome to the portion I'd like to call "Claudia Suffered More Than [insert your favourite martyr figure here]". Oof, Bruce immediately gives off a bad vibe, more than that white student who is after all only reproducing classic patterns of racism and classism.

- [Louis] "As the depression set in on the nation, I barricaded myself within the dilapidating walls of 1132 Rue Royale, educating myself from Lestat's library, ignoring all other duties of the role Claudia once mocked me for - the unhappy housewife." - was the raccoon really necessary? It is a nice touch, I won't lie, but really hammering in the point: the depression Louis talks about isn't just the Great Depression, it's his own (I like hammering points too, sorry). But you know what, I WISH I could lock myself wherever my books are and just ignore the whole fucking world and everyone in it for 3 or 4 years.

- [Louis] "Flaubert's style is so dense." - L'éducation sentimentale is, I'll admit it, a horror to read (but less than Le Rouge et le Noir, Stendhal really gave it his whole to make that one unbearable). Madame Bovary on the other hand is a gem.

[Lestat] "Louis Armstrong is in town tonight, playing at the Pelican" - when a bookworm introvert dates a music addict extrovert - beware the conflicting schedules and discordant ambiances. (In which I am Louis and the perfect day is a quiet day with classic music playing lowly in the background and a pile of books)

[Lestat] "You sound like every pompous Sorbonne student I've ever eaten." - ... As a former Sorbonne student, I have absolutely nothing to say in my defence (I studied French and English literature and linguistics for a year with a minor in audio-visual media, fyi). I am sadly very self-aware of how pompous I sound whenever I start talking literature. Sorry not sorry. (would absolutely not protest if Lestat decides to give me a visit. Ahem. Who said that.)

- [Lestat] "'You draw me into your gloom.' [Louis] 'It's your fault she's gone. If you hadn't pushed her... ' [Lestat] 'Claudia.' [Louis] 'If you hadn't done your...' [Lestat] 'Claudia, Claudia. I cannot listen to this insanity about Claudia one more time, bordel de merde.'"

I know we justifiably talk about Armand's "Lestat, Lestat, Lestat" litany, but Lestat's "Claudia" is quite good too.

Also, can't quite decipher what Lestat says in French there. English accent too thick. I think it's "ils me chient dans la main [gibberish]" ("they" or maybe "he shits in my hand") but don't quote me on that.

- Bruce's been stalking Claudia for a while, huh. And interesting to note that it's partly Louis' fault, his repetitive calls to Claudia that attracted his attention.

- Louis's destroying that table. I'm going to focus on that instead of whatever happened to Claudia or what Louis's doing to Daniel, no thanks. Just like how Armand immediately calms Louis down, and gonna cheer for that slap, good one, Daniel, well deserved, about time.

- [Lestat] "It could be her, but I am the one who is currently standing in front of you, and unlike Claudia, I am a full-blooded adult... with all the right appendages. So if all my considerable considerables continue to be squandered..."

'Stat... Yeah, I have nothing to say.

- [Grace] "Whoever you are that took my Louis" - yeaaah, if one of my sibling would say that to me, I think I'd just crumble and shut down. But at the same time, kudos to Grace for having the strength to bury her brother while he's standing in front of her and keeping whatever secrets he's guarding.

- [Claudia] "I spent time following Louis and Lestat now that I am my own woman, with no obvious sense of why I follow them, other than meaning slowly disintegrates without them... my companions in immortality. But today at the cemetery, I finally understood something so obvious, which I pondered for a decade... why they made me. To be Louis' sister."

*silently sobbing* It's the way Louis knows that passage by heart, and the way Claudia's prose keeps on being heartbreaking.

It's how Louis curls around his pain, and how Claudia makes herself taller in the face of this pain. It's how they don't even need more than an embrace and a word to make it better. It's how siblings who have gone through the same shit know each other so intimately. It's how that's the moment Claudia goes from daughter to sister.

- [Lestat] "The vampires out there are vicious. Oh. But you knew that already. Who did you meet out there in the American hinterland?" - oh, you are being especially awful, Lestat. I love you but you are being unfair. Even if you fear loneliness and abandonment, even if you've just went through seven years of not getting a single kind word or affectionate gesture from Louis... Lashing out, refusing to tell Claudia the truth about European vampires, the cruelty, the violence... No, that's not a good reason for it. But then again you wouldn't be Lestat if you didn't lash out when terrified and angry.

- Ouch. Contrasting that fight seen through Claudia's perspective with the s2 scene seen through Louis and Lestat's... Shivering. This is baaaaad.

Oh, no, no, no, no, I don't wanna see that part. I don't want to have to think about it and analyse it.

Man, I had forgotten how much that episode fucking hurts.

No, but the way Louis won't even say "I don't love you" not just because he won't give Lestat that satisfaction, because he lives to be stubborn and contrary, but maybe also because after all, after everything, that would still be a lie, and Louis doesn't lie; he forgets, he obfuscates, he redirects, he refashions his memories, but he doesn't lie... Even when his own life depends on it.

Episode insider:

Rolin Jones saying for Claudia "why was I the thing to make up for your mistakes". Yeah.

"This is where we start building the Anne Rice universe. As Lestat rightfully warned her there are wolves around the corner."

"It's the kid that goes 'My parents weren't all that bad. I have gone out and seen life. It is not all easy and conquerable'. And she comes back with hat half in hand, but with a mission - to take the good vampire and continue on with her life, and that is at odds with the other vampire in the house."

"It is about the fight of Louis, the fight for Louis's soul. I mean, in the end, it's 'Everbody Loves Louis', isn't it?" - Louis is catnip for vampires. And honestly I can relate. Did I say lately he's my favourite too...

That shot of Lestat hovering in the air all dressed in black with his hair floating around him while Claudia covers Louis's broken body with hers... Enraged Angel. Oh, that's worthy of a full oil on canvas painting.

Alright. That was harsh. And we're so not done. We love angst and tragedy, yey! *sobbing*

episode 1 | episode 2 | episode 3 | episode 4 | part 1 | episode 6 | episode 7

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

A Call to Repentance

1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,

2 before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes on you, before the day of the LORD's anger comes on you.

3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD's anger.

4 For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.

5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites. The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.

6 The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7 The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for the LORD, their God, will visit them, and restore them.

8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the people of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

9 Therefore as I live, says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the people of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.

10 This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.

11 The LORD will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.

12 You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.

13 He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.

14 Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.

15 This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, "I am, and there is none besides me." How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in. Everyone who passes by her will hiss, and shake their fists. — Zephaniah 2 | New Heart English Bible (NHEB) The New Heart English Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 19:24; Exodus 4:31; Deuteronomy 29:23; Joshua 5:9; Ruth 1:6; 1 Samuel 30:14; 2 Chronicles 20:4; Job 16:4; Psalm 22:26; Psalm 45:4; Psalm 72:8; Psalm 72:10; Psalm 102:6; Isaiah 5:17; Isaiah 7:25; Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 10:16; Isaiah 14:29-30; Isaiah 15:1; Isaiah 16:6; Isaiah 17:13; Isaiah 18:1; Isaiah 20:4; Jeremiah 3:3; Jeremiah 4:4; Jeremiah 6:4; Lamentations 1:9; Ezekiel 25:16; Revelation 18:2; Revelation 18:7

Zephaniah 2 - Smith's Bible Commentary

[westadventure24]

Day 5 - We made it to Yellowstone!

It was a long day of travel as we left Moorcroft, WY towards Cody. Everything seemed rather barren and desolate as we moved down the highway. At the last minute, we decided to take a more scenic route through Big Horn National Forest…and scenic doesn’t fully describe the majestic views! The thick, tall pine forests, the crystal clear rocky streams winding with the road, and the much smaller, less known Gooseberry Badlands. Quite of the day from Mom, “Now I know why people live here!!!”

We stopped in Cody for a bite of lunch at Annie’s Soda Saloon, where Lily was able to join on the patio and Todd drank his long-awaited root beer float!

We continued down the road for just over an hour to Yellowstone! Didn’t see too much wildlife on the way in other than this grazing mule deer and one solitary bison. We stopped at Pelican Valley, which was supposed to a place to se moose. Unfortunately, no luck. Instead, Mom got a bear protocol education by the reading the sign indicating it was bear country.😳🐻

At our campsite, elevation of over 7,900 ft, Todd got a nice warm fire ready to cook our dinner of burgers and dogs. Todd took care of Dad by getting him a nice spot by the fire to prop his feet while dinner cooked. At check in, campground personnel mentioned to Todd that Bear wandered through the night before for a visit, we thought it best to lock up all food for the night in the bear proof container.

Needless to say since you are actually getting our Day 5 post on Day 6, service here is not great. Will try to post our Day 6 adventures when I can. Here’s a hint…we will have a “faithful” explosive report for our faithful readers. Stay tuned!

[desertmountainapothecary]

Tidepools of La Jolla, California – Nursery of The Pacific Ocean Marine Life - Torrey Pines, California – San Diego Pacific Ocean Beach Adventure

To the north and east of the beach Los Peñasquitos Marsh Natural Preserve is one of the last remaining salt marsh areas and waterfowl refuges in southern California. The marsh, coves, and tidepools are rich in sea life: limpets, shore crabs and hermit crabs, mussels, barnacles, sea anemones, and many species of snails and cast-off shells.

This is the perfect place to watch the annual gray whale migration. All year round, you can see Seals, dolphins, porpoises, and sea lions in the ocean. About two hundred species of birds are protected at the reserve, including migratory ones.

Year round Resident shore birds include brown and American white pelicans, black-bellied and snowy plovers, American avocets, western sandpipers, willets, whimbrels, sanderlings, great egrets, and longbilled curlews. Occasionally, visitors may see gray foxes, bobcats, coyotes, and mule deer. Reptile residents include rattlesnakes and various other snakes and species of lizards, including the endangered horned lizard.

The Torrey Pines 2,000-acre reserve contains about 300 endangered and protected species of native plants. These vanishing habitats are home to sand verbena and beach primrose on the beach, as well as California sagebrush, California buckwheat, black sage, and coastal barrel cactus. On the cliffs other high elevations there are many chaparral plants, including chamise, manzanita, ceanothus, California scrub oak, toyon, and mountain mahogany. Many of these scrub plants in particular provide the refreshing herbal fragrance that mixes so incredibly with the ocean breeze.

Before this area was colonized by Spain, the Kumeyaay tribes migrated lived here, and migrated between here, the deserts, and the mountains throughout the seasons. The land was bountiful, and the Kumeyaay would have fished, hunted, collected crustaceans, and gathered seeds, fruit, roots, to create probably a very healthy and tasty diet. The Kumeyaay have left an indelible archaeological and cultural legacy here in San Diego county and they continue to be a strong tribal nation today both here and south of the border in Baja Norte state.

The water is usually so clean and clear here, and because of the lack of shoreline development, and the underwater marine reserve, this constantly ranks as one of the 3 cleanest beaches in SoCal. This is a wonderful rare instance of extremely valuable real estate, both being a wildlife refuge and habitat, and a beautiful escape from civilization for people to enjoy for the most part in harmony.

It’s been an incredible day on the coast here in Torrey Pines and La Jolla, and I’m so glad that we were able to explore my favorite beach together. You can enjoy my series: Torrey Pines – La Jolla, California – San Diego Pacific Ocean Beach Adventure, full length, 3 glorious days on the North County coast, and experience all of the different moods and landscapes from the ever-changing interplay between the coastal inversion and sunlight.

Full Length Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLyySza85jA

Thank you so much for joining me for this adventure in my favorite beach town on the west coast, the gem of the San Diego coastline, La Jolla, California. It means the world to me to be able to share my treasured slice of heaven in the summer heat with you, and thank you so much for watching, upvoting, commenting, and subscribing.

All the best,

William Z. Brennan & Desert Mountain Apothecary

Please Enjoy Anza Borrego Desert Wildflower Superbloom – We had the most incredible wildflower superbloom in the California Desert this past year, join me from the beginning of the cold winter through the waves of dazzling blooms to the hot end of the season.

Web: https://desertmountainapothecary.com/

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Please Enjoy More Videos!

Supreme Superbloom! Anza Borrego Desert Spring Wildflowers! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGDPHEmN3v8

Grateful Desert Ocotillos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bstybc3XcAk

Coyote Canyon Offroad Adventure! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQYPvqj2ouU

Julian & Santa Ysabel, CA Epic San Diego Backcountry Road Trip- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Z_o0S4Hpg

Bellport in Spring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9hzsFhS-k

Santa Ysabel Preserve – Backcountry Hiking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XLrSJMLXUw

[hepatosaurus]

national poetry month, day 7

Day Beginning with Seeing the International Space Station And a Full Moon Over the Gulf of Mexico and All Its Invisible Fishes None of this had to happen. Not Florida. Not the ibis’s beak. Not water. Not the horseshoe crab’s empty body and not the living starfish. Evolution might have turned left at the corner and gone down another street entirely. The asteroid might have missed. The seams of limestone need not have been susceptible to sand and mangroves. The radio might have found a different music. The hips of one man and the hips of another might have stood beside each other on a bus in Aleppo and recognized themselves as long- brothers. The key could have broken off in the lock and the nail-can refused its lid. I might have been the fish the brown pelican swallowed. You might have been the way the moon kept not setting long after we thought it would, long after the sun was catching inside the low wave curls coming in at a certain angle. The light might not have been eaten again by its moving. If the unbearable were not weightless we might yet buckle under the grief of what hasn’t changed yet. Across the world a man pulls a woman from the water from which the leapt-from overfilled boat has entirely vanished. From the water pulls one child, another. Both are living and both will continue to live. This did not have to happen. No part of this had to happen. —Jane Hirshfield

[janeaye]

2024 Golden Globes

Hello!! I watched the Golden Globes tonight and like many others was underwhelmed and off-put by the monologue at the top of the show. Bored and reading too many Buzzfeed "Best Dressed" and "Check Out These Awkward Moments" posts after, I decided to take a sorry stab at a shortened, substitute monologue. I'm no comedy writer, but consider it award-show alternate universe fan fic. Enjoy :)

---------

Welcome to the Golden Globes!!!

The Golden Globes of course are a unique time where television and film combine for a night of joint celebration. Which differs from our more categorial counterparts in the Oscars for film and the Emmys for TV. And so for those of you looking to claim a Globe tonight for either medium, please know this does not make you one step closer to the EGOT. Okay? That G is for Grammy. Leave that to Taylor Swift & Billie Eilish. (Hi Taylor *smooch*. Billie *wink*.)

Tonight the Golden Globes competes with the likes of the final games of the regular season of the American National Football League. Thank God we’re only competing for ratings and not actually competing. Although these folks may portray the occasional superhero or athlete on screen, these are a bunch of theatre and improv kids, okay? Wouldn’t be pretty.

We also have a couple new awards this year. We have one for stand-up comedy. You’ll notice no current late-night show hosts are nominated in that category. That’s because they perform 80% of their comedy sitting down. Doesn’t qualify. Not a high enough threshold.

Another new award is for cinematic and box office success. Because if there’s one thing those nominees need more than all of the money they made at the box office is the acknowledgement of all of the money they made at the box office. In the form of solid gold handed to them on a glittering stage.

Amongst that gold, true Hollywood Royalty is here. We have Emma Stone. Margot Robbie. Oprah Winfrey. All people that exude the confidence and message and grace of Barbie. But perhaps not quite that of Poor Thing's.

The content nominated tonight really is magnificent. Killers of the Flower Moon is nominated tonight. Or what women used to be called in the olden days before menstrual cycles were truly understood.

The cast of Oppenheimer is here tonight. Oppenheimer has one of the most star-studded ensemble casts I’ve ever seen...From Matt Damon to Cilian Murphy to RDJ..It’s the stuff Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve dreams are made of. (Sorry Bradley Cooper.. Robert De Niro..)

Saltburn made it in under the wire for a nomination for the outstanding Barry Keoghan. Barry, somehow I was more comfortable when you portrayed a deranged joker at the end of The Batman than I was when I saw you in a mere bathtub. 

Speaking Batman, William Dafoe is here tonight. He’s one of a select few nominees who have multiple projects up for awards tonight. William, of course, voiced the Noble Pelican in the English dubbed version of The Boy and the Heron. And yet Batman himself, Robert Pattison, was actually the voice of the eponymous heron and not William, which, if you’ve seen the film, I mean believe me you’d understand why I’m mentioning that tonight. Truly a shocking non-plot-related twist for us viewers.

And, finally, you know what, forgive me for the delay folks, Happy New Year! Welcome to 2024. It’s a big year. Big year for our industry following what our incredible writers and actors advocated for last year...Big year for world events too. Leap Year. The Olympics. The Election. Because at the end of the day, can’t we all agree that Paris & [insert US politician’s name here] don’t get enough attention as it is?…

:)

[aroundtheworldwithphillyfogg]

December 3rd: San Francisco, where Verne really has it for Americans

(warning for the N word)

on the 3rd of December, the “General Grant” entered the bay of the Golden Gate, and reached San Francisco.

Mr. Fogg had neither gained nor lost a single day.

It was seven in the morning when Mr. Fogg, Aouda, and Passepartout set foot upon the American continent, if this name can be given to the floating quay upon which they disembarked. These quays, rising and falling with the tide, thus facilitate the loading and unloading of vessels. Alongside them were clippers of all sizes, steamers of all nationalities, and the steamboats, with several decks rising one above the other, which ply on the Sacramento and its tributaries. There were also heaped up the products of a commerce which extends to Mexico, Chili, Peru, Brazil, Europe, Asia, and all the Pacific islands.

Passepartout, in his joy on reaching at last the American continent, thought he would manifest it by executing a perilous vault in fine style; but, tumbling upon some worm-eaten planks, he fell through them. Put out of countenance by the manner in which he thus “set foot” upon the New World, he uttered a loud cry, which so frightened the innumerable cormorants and pelicans that are always perched upon these movable quays, that they flew noisily away.

Mr. Fogg, on reaching shore, proceeded to find out at what hour the first train left for New York, and learned that this was at six o’clock p.m.; he had, therefore, an entire day to spend in the Californian capital. Taking a carriage at a charge of three dollars, he and Aouda entered it, while Passepartout mounted the box beside the driver, and they set out for the International Hotel.

From his exalted position Passepartout observed with much curiosity the wide streets, the low, evenly ranged houses, the Anglo-Saxon Gothic churches, the great docks, the palatial wooden and brick warehouses, the numerous conveyances, omnibuses, horse-cars, and upon the side-walks, not only Americans and Europeans, but Chinese and Indians. Passepartout was surprised at all he saw. San Francisco was no longer the legendary city of 1849—a city of banditti, assassins, and incendiaries, who had flocked hither in crowds in pursuit of plunder; a paradise of outlaws, where they gambled with gold-dust, a revolver in one hand and a bowie-knife in the other: it was now a great commercial emporium.

The lofty tower of its City Hall overlooked the whole panorama of the streets and avenues, which cut each other at right-angles, and in the midst of which appeared pleasant, verdant squares, while beyond appeared the Chinese quarter, seemingly imported from the Celestial Empire in a toy-box. Sombreros and red shirts and plumed Indians were rarely to be seen; but there were silk hats and black coats everywhere worn by a multitude of nervously active, gentlemanly-looking men. Some of the streets—especially Montgomery Street, which is to San Francisco what Regent Street is to London, the Boulevard des Italiens to Paris, and Broadway to New York—were lined with splendid and spacious stores, which exposed in their windows the products of the entire world.

When Passepartout reached the International Hotel, it did not seem to him as if he had left England at all.

The ground floor of the hotel was occupied by a large bar, a sort of restaurant freely open to all passers-by, who might partake of dried beef, oyster soup, biscuits, and cheese, without taking out their purses. Payment was made only for the ale, porter, or sherry which was drunk. This seemed “very American” to Passepartout. The hotel refreshment-rooms were comfortable, and Mr. Fogg and Aouda, installing themselves at a table, were abundantly served on diminutive plates by negroes of darkest hue.

After breakfast, Mr. Fogg, accompanied by Aouda, started for the English consulate to have his passport visaed. As he was going out, he met Passepartout, who asked him if it would not be well, before taking the train, to purchase some dozens of Enfield rifles and Colt’s revolvers. He had been listening to stories of attacks upon the trains by the Sioux and Pawnees. Mr. Fogg thought it a useless precaution, but told him to do as he thought best, and went on to the consulate.

He had not proceeded two hundred steps, however, when, “by the greatest chance in the world,” he met Fix. The detective seemed wholly taken by surprise. What! Had Mr. Fogg and himself crossed the Pacific together, and not met on the steamer! At least Fix felt honoured to behold once more the gentleman to whom he owed so much, and, as his business recalled him to Europe, he should be delighted to continue the journey in such pleasant company.

Mr. Fogg replied that the honour would be his; and the detective—who was determined not to lose sight of him—begged permission to accompany them in their walk about San Francisco—a request which Mr. Fogg readily granted.

They soon found themselves in Montgomery Street, where a great crowd was collected; the side-walks, street, horsecar rails, the shop-doors, the windows of the houses, and even the roofs, were full of people. Men were going about carrying large posters, and flags and streamers were floating in the wind; while loud cries were heard on every hand.

“Hurrah for Camerfield!”

“Hurrah for Mandiboy!”

It was a political meeting; at least so Fix conjectured, who said to Mr. Fogg, “Perhaps we had better not mingle with the crowd. There may be danger in it.”

“Yes,” returned Mr. Fogg; “and blows, even if they are political, are still blows.”

Fix smiled at this remark; and, in order to be able to see without being jostled about, the party took up a position on the top of a flight of steps situated at the upper end of Montgomery Street. Opposite them, on the other side of the street, between a coal wharf and a petroleum warehouse, a large platform had been erected in the open air, towards which the current of the crowd seemed to be directed.

For what purpose was this meeting? What was the occasion of this excited assemblage? Phileas Fogg could not imagine. Was it to nominate some high official—a governor or member of Congress? It was not improbable, so agitated was the multitude before them.

Just at this moment there was an unusual stir in the human mass. All the hands were raised in the air. Some, tightly closed, seemed to disappear suddenly in the midst of the cries—an energetic way, no doubt, of casting a vote. The crowd swayed back, the banners and flags wavered, disappeared an instant, then reappeared in tatters. The undulations of the human surge reached the steps, while all the heads floundered on the surface like a sea agitated by a squall. Many of the black hats disappeared, and the greater part of the crowd seemed to have diminished in height.

“It is evidently a meeting,” said Fix, “and its object must be an exciting one. I should not wonder if it were about the ‘Alabama,’ despite the fact that that question is settled.”

“Perhaps,” replied Mr. Fogg, simply.

“At least, there are two champions in presence of each other, the Honourable Mr. Camerfield and the Honourable Mr. Mandiboy.”

Aouda, leaning upon Mr. Fogg’s arm, observed the tumultuous scene with surprise, while Fix asked a man near him what the cause of it all was. Before the man could reply, a fresh agitation arose; hurrahs and excited shouts were heard; the staffs of the banners began to be used as offensive weapons; and fists flew about in every direction. Thumps were exchanged from the tops of the carriages and omnibuses which had been blocked up in the crowd. Boots and shoes went whirling through the air, and Mr. Fogg thought he even heard the crack of revolvers mingling in the din, the rout approached the stairway, and flowed over the lower step. One of the parties had evidently been repulsed; but the mere lookers-on could not tell whether Mandiboy or Camerfield had gained the upper hand.

“It would be prudent for us to retire,” said Fix, who was anxious that Mr. Fogg should not receive any injury, at least until they got back to London. “If there is any question about England in all this, and we were recognised, I fear it would go hard with us.”

“An English subject—” began Mr. Fogg.

He did not finish his sentence; for a terrific hubbub now arose on the terrace behind the flight of steps where they stood, and there were frantic shouts of, “Hurrah for Mandiboy! Hip, hip, hurrah!”

It was a band of voters coming to the rescue of their allies, and taking the Camerfield forces in flank. Mr. Fogg, Aouda, and Fix found themselves between two fires; it was too late to escape. The torrent of men, armed with loaded canes and sticks, was irresistible. Phileas Fogg and Fix were roughly hustled in their attempts to protect their fair companion; the former, as cool as ever, tried to defend himself with the weapons which nature has placed at the end of every Englishman’s arm, but in vain. A big brawny fellow with a red beard, flushed face, and broad shoulders, who seemed to be the chief of the band, raised his clenched fist to strike Mr. Fogg, whom he would have given a crushing blow, had not Fix rushed in and received it in his stead. An enormous bruise immediately made its appearance under the detective’s silk hat, which was completely smashed in.

“Yankee!” exclaimed Mr. Fogg, darting a contemptuous look at the ruffian.

“Englishman!” returned the other. “We will meet again!”

“When you please.”

“What is your name?”

“Phileas Fogg. And yours?”

“Colonel Stamp Proctor.”

The human tide now swept by, after overturning Fix, who speedily got upon his feet again, though with tattered clothes. Happily, he was not seriously hurt. His travelling overcoat was divided into two unequal parts, and his trousers resembled those of certain Indians, which fit less compactly than they are easy to put on. Aouda had escaped unharmed, and Fix alone bore marks of the fray in his black and blue bruise.

“Thanks,” said Mr. Fogg to the detective, as soon as they were out of the crowd.

“No thanks are necessary,” replied Fix; “but let us go.”

“Where?”

“To a tailor’s.”

Such a visit was, indeed, opportune. The clothing of both Mr. Fogg and Fix was in rags, as if they had themselves been actively engaged in the contest between Camerfield and Mandiboy. An hour after, they were once more suitably attired, and with Aouda returned to the International Hotel.

Passepartout was waiting for his master, armed with half a dozen six-barrelled revolvers. When he perceived Fix, he knit his brows; but Aouda having, in a few words, told him of their adventure, his countenance resumed its placid expression. Fix evidently was no longer an enemy, but an ally; he was faithfully keeping his word.

Dinner over, the coach which was to convey the passengers and their luggage to the station drew up to the door. As he was getting in, Mr. Fogg said to Fix, “You have not seen this Colonel Proctor again?”

“No.”

“I will come back to America to find him,” said Phileas Fogg calmly. “It would not be right for an Englishman to permit himself to be treated in that way, without retaliating.”

The detective smiled, but did not reply. It was clear that Mr. Fogg was one of those Englishmen who, while they do not tolerate duelling at home, fight abroad when their honour is attacked.

At a quarter before six the travellers reached the station, and found the train ready to depart. As he was about to enter it, Mr. Fogg called a porter, and said to him: “My friend, was there not some trouble to-day in San Francisco?”

“It was a political meeting, sir,” replied the porter.

“But I thought there was a great deal of disturbance in the streets.”

“It was only a meeting assembled for an election.”

“The election of a general-in-chief, no doubt?” asked Mr. Fogg.

“No, sir; of a justice of the peace.”

Phileas Fogg got into the train, which started off at full speed.

[swede1952]

Good morning. ☀️

4 October 2023

I wonder do introverts get lonely, I don't, and I admit I'm a bit introverted. But I'm never really alone. I pretty much enjoy solitude.

"Good morning, Mister Sunshine You brighten up my day. Come sit beside me, in your way."

- Bee Gees, Lonely Days

“Let me tell you this: if you meet a loner, no matter what they tell you, it's not because they enjoy solitude. It's because they have tried to blend into the world before, and people continue to disappoint them.” - Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

This morning's photograph is of four brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) flying from right to left in a blue sky with light clouds. Thye pelicans themselves are mostly silhouetted against the clouds.

"Brown pelicans are large birds with gray-brown bodies, yellow heads, white necks, and long bills with pouches. They hunt fish by plunging into the sea from high altitudes and are the only pelican species that does so. They nest in colonies on islands or vegetated areas and lay two or three white eggs5. They are very social and often gather in flocks. They can live up to 40 years. They are the national or state bird of several places in the Caribbean and North America" - bing.com

[rabbitcruiser]

World Wildlife Day

The World is full of amazing creatures from every possible medium. From the birds of the air to the majestic whales of the sea, wildlife abounds in the most unusual and unexpected places. Wildlife benefits us in many ways and has since timed out of mind. World Wildlife Day is a day to remind us of our responsibilities to our world and the lifeforms we share it with.

Even though we might like to think so sometimes, humans aren’t the only living things on Earth. In fact, we’re far outnumbered by other living things, from animals and plants to fungi and bacteria. Wildlife isn’t just something that we passively observe; it’s part of our world, and something we need to care for. World Wildlife Day is your chance to celebrate all wildlife, from the smallest insect to blue whales. No matter what you love about wildlife, you can spend the day taking action to help protect it.

This day is all about raising awareness of wild flora and fauna across the world. Whether you love animals, you’re passionate about plants, or you’re concerned about climate change, it’s the day that you can use to educate yourself or others. You can celebrate the incredible biodiversity across the world and perhaps get out there to explore the huge range of flora and fauna the world has to offer. Celebrating World Wildlife Day is a must for anyone who loves our planet.

History of World Wildlife Day

On March 3rd, 1973 the United Nations General Assembly took a stand to protect Endangered Species throughout the world. Whether plant or animal, the importance of these species in every area of human life, from culinary to medical, could not be understated. At this time hundreds of endangered species were being threatened every year, and extinction was at a staggeringly high rate. CITES was put into place (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) to ensure that the world did not continue to hemorrhage species that would never be seen from again.

On December 20th, 2013 another step was taken to help spread awareness of the fragility of endangered species in the world. At its 68th session, the UN declared that each year World Wildlife Day would be dedicated to a new purpose and idea to help keep people abreast of the changing nature of our world, and the treasures we stand to lose from the animal and plant kingdom if we don’t take care.

Sometimes the day highlights an endangered animal or group of animals, while in other years, it has focused on a specific issue affecting the world of wildlife. Previous themes have included getting serious about wildlife crime and listening to young voices. World Wildlife Day is implemented by the CITES Secretariat, working together with relevant UN organizations. The day might not have been around for long compared to some others, but it’s already made a big impact. If you are passionate about the Earth and everything on it, celebrating is a must.

World Wildlife Day Timeline

1900 First wildlife conservation act is passed in the US

The Lacey Game and Wild Birds Preservation and Disposition Act is passed by Congress, which is the first legislation of its kind in the United States.

1948 International Union for Conservation of Nature begins

This is the first effort toward conservation that is supported by governments and societal organizations globally and its purpose is to encourage cooperation and the sharing of resources regarding conservation.

1961 World Wildlife Federation is established

A group of individuals who are passionate about protecting endangered species and places bands together to secure funding to this end.

1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Negotiated in Washington DC, CITES is an international agreement between governments to protect the survival of various wild species by ensuring that trade does not threaten them. The signing takes place on March 3.

2013 First World Wildlife Day is celebrated

At its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declares March 3 as the day to raise awareness and and celebrate the wild animals all over the world.

How to Celebrate World Wildlife Day

You can celebrate World Wildlife Day on your own or with others, whether you just want to spend some time contemplating the majesty of nature or you want to spread the word about just how amazing the world’s wildlife is and how we can protect it.

The first thing that always comes to mind when we think about World Wildlife Day is heading out to our local zoo or botanical conservatory and reminding ourselves of the vast variety of life our world offers. If you have children, this can be one of the best ways to really introduce them to the wonders of the animal and plant kingdom. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, an outdoor excursion with a book of local flora and fauna (That’s plants and animals) can help make that connection come even closer to home.

You could also spend the day spreading the word about the importance of our wildlife. If you love our planet, what better way to celebrate everything on it than to encourage other people to care about it too? You might create an event, get people to sponsor you or create some education materials. Choose a cause that matters to you, whether it is a local one or an international wildlife issue that you want to highlight.

Another way you can get involved is finding out what this year’s theme is by stopping by www.wildlifeday.org and finding ways to get involved. The website has a map of events that you can search to discover things to do near you, or you could add your own event to encourage others to get involved too. You can find a range of useful materials on the site too, including posters, logos, a social media kit, and a special action card that you can use to take photos. You can find suggestions for World Wildlife Day hashtags to use on social media or any materials that you create for your event too. Some of their suggestions for getting involved include running a competition, engaging with influencers, celebrities and politicians, and showing your appreciation for those who help to conserve wildlife every day.

There are few things as important as making sure that the world’s biosphere remains healthy, every time we lose a plant or animal, we have no way of knowing if a cure for a disease or some new medical breakthrough was lost with them. World Wildlife Day is your opportunity to do your part in preserving our world.

World Wildlife Day FAQs

Who started World Wildlife Day?

World Wildlife Day was started by the United Nations General Assembly which is the main policy-making sector of the assembly. Over the years it has become the most important annual event dedicated to the preservation of wildlife.

What is World Wildlife Day?

World Wildlife Day offers a simple opportunity to consider the animals and plants that humans share the planet with and to take action to help them in a variety of ways.

How to get involved with World Wildlife Day?

Taking part in World Wildlife day can be simple or more involved. The best ways to stay connected are to learn more, share the need with friends and family members, get to know threats to your local area, and host an awareness day at the office or at school.

Why do we celebrate World Wildlife Day?

The purpose of the celebration of World Wildlife Day is to raise awareness for the plight of and care for wild species that may be at risk and need to be protected.

When did World Wildlife Day start?

Although attention to wildlife has been active for more than 70 years, World Wildlife Day is a fairly modern celebration, officially started by the UN in 2013.

Source

[victorysp]

Visit to The Caribbean part of The Kingdom - Day 8

The Royal Couple and the Princess of Orange visit Fort Amsterdam in the morning and go on a birding expedition in search of the brown pelican, the island's national bird. Feb. 7, 2023.

📷 Royal House of The Netherlands

[nameless-brand]

Labor unions amuse me. I don't know why. Maybe because we technically are in an adversarial relationship, but I'm in an even worse relationship with my fellow companies. Alas, hated all around. The fate of being beautiful and intelligent and stellar as me φ(。。*).

So American Labor Law is a wonderful fun mess to navigate. But they did get one thing right, and it's preventing companies from making their own internal unions: company unions / "yellow" unions. The company union in theory is supposed to do the job of independent trade unions, but since they are managed and paid by the company, it's obvious they won't do anything that would severely harm the company's profits or image. They rarely strike, undercut other unions in terms of wage, and will rarely countermand a company's unjust ruling. Not the type of union you want on your side if you are a worker.

There are proponents of company unions, stating that it gets worker grievances addressed faster and they have a closer relationship with the company and thus are able to contextualize things better. But in my opinion, the company union will always protect the company first. Much like trickle-down economics, company unions being for the worker are a lie.

Section 8(2)(a) of the National Labor Relations Act does not allow an employer "to dominate or interfere with the formation or administration of any labor organization or contribute financial or other support to it." This forces unions to be independent trade unions in the States and technically prevents companies from influencing union affairs. Unfortunately, this also means I can't directly donate money or provides goods to a union to help support a strike.

But I own grocery stores and stationary stores in a good number of places. If my stores so happen to be selling products at cost that day... let's see February 22nd was the last time I did it - for National Walking the Dog Day while a strike is happening, that isn't really collusion, is it. :)

There's already a handful of Unions that have been made in several of my divisions. Given I haven't received a list of demands from them, I'm assuming this is more preventative - like if I decide to become another gluttony-obsessed pelican or something. Still irks me a little though, but I keep reminding myself that people don't live to work, they work to live.

Regardless, my competitors hate me because I pay well above industry standard and provide very good benefits. And their workers see it and either come over to me since they're tired of living paycheck to paycheck - or unionize to fight for better pay and benefits. My competitors can't undercut me as easily as a mom-n-pop shop because I control everything from the transportation to the farms to the production line; and when they are trying to resist a strike, I'll actually undercut their undercut anyway lol.

They either shape up - or leave and I buy their land using a shell company later. I almost always find room for the displaced workers. Eventually, these people are going to realize that shutting down because a union is forming/has formed (which is illegal by the way, but hard to directly prove) just benefits me in the end lol.

Anyway, happy National 529 Day.

[laresearchette]

Wednesday, November 30, 2022 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: WILLOW (Disney + Star) LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS (Slice) 9:00pm MONEY COURT (CNBC) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER  (NBC Feed)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

CBC GEM CUP OF CHEER

DISNEY + STAR EL CLUB DE LOS GRAVES (Season 1 premiere) FOR LIFE (Seasons 1-2) WILLOW

NETFLIX CANADA THE LOST PATIENT A MAN OF ACTION MY NAME IS VENDETTA SNACK VS. CHEF TAKE YOUR PILLS: XANAX

FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER (TSN/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) 9:45am: Tunisia vs. France (TSN2) 9:45am: Australia vs. Denmark (TSN/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) 1:45pm: Poland vs. Argentina (TSN2) 1:45pm: Saudia Arabia vs. Mexico (TSN5) 8:30pm: Match of the Day

NHL HOCKEY (SN1) 7:00pm: Rangers vs. Sens (SN) 7:00pm: Sharks vs. Leafs (SN360) 7:30pm: Oilers vs. Chicago

NBA BASKETBALL (SN Now) 7:30pm: Bucks vs. Knicks (TSN/TSN4) 8:00pm: Raptors vs. Pelicans (TSN/TSN3) 10:30pm: Trail Blazers vs. Lakers

THE OTHER SIDE (APTN) 7:30pm: On a dark and stormy night, the team heads to the Saint Boniface Museum in Winnipeg. After getting the sense that someone from the past has invited them for tea, they make an offer in hopes of connecting with the other side.

WRITING AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE (CBC) 8:00pm: Michaela, a successful writer who each year heads up to a quaint bed and breakfast on a Christmas retreat on snowy Lake Tahoe falls for a handsome writer, Levi, who shows her that she shouldn't be writing about love if she doesn't allow herself to get out and actually experience it.

PLANES, TRAINS, AND CHRISTMAS TREES (City TV) 8:00pm:  An event planner and sports agent team up to travel home after their flight is delayed.

SPIRIT TALKER (APTN) 8:00pm:  Shawn heads to Atikameksheng First Nation to meet with Riel Dumont and to help construct a traditional lodge. During a reading, a young woman receives some grandfatherly guidance and a spirit connection packs an emotional punch for a man.

GHOST HUNTERS OF THE GRAND RIVER (APTN) 8:30pm:  The ghost hunters investigate the many reports of paranormal incidents at the Royal Conservatory of Music, including disembodied singing, apparitions, pianos playing on their own and shadow figures occupying a theatre.

SARAH'S MOUNTAIN ESCAPE (HGTV Canada) 9:00pm

FIXER TO FABULOUS (HGTV Canada) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE):  A couple who has made a positive impact in their community for many years is eager to complete their long-delayed dream house remodel; Dave and Jenny incorporate custom and meaningful touches throughout the family's home, including a sweet surprise.

[fenrislorsrai]

How to Train a Raven by Smithsonian's National Zoo Via Flickr: March 26, 2014 Photo Credit: Erica Royer, Smithsonian's National Zoo Read the full update: nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Birds/News/raven-training.cfm Meet Kanga and Dekali—two beautiful female ravens who were injured in the wild. After recovering in a rehabilitation facility, they arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in 2012 and took up residence in the Outdoor Flight Exhibit at the Bird House. Most injured birds that come to the Zoo—including American Trail pelicans Wendy and Tinkerbell—arrive with little or no flight capability. To keepers' surprise, Kanga and Dekali could maneuver around the exhibit and fly—quite far, at that! This ability, coupled with the birds' wariness of people, made day-to-day husbandry care a challenge. Interaction with keepers is an integral part of the birds' care. Knowing this, Bird House staff turned to the Enrichment and Training Committee—a cross-collaboration between the Zoo's American Trail, Great Ape House, and Asia Trail exhibits—for help. This group of Animal Care Sciences professionals specializes in training techniques that reduce stress during health and husbandry procedures.