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The Finster Log
Archive — February 2010
New Research On Migration
Posted on: 02/21/10, 18:35:53 | no comments | link
The article "Pudgy Birds May Migrate Faster" was posted on the LiveScience site on February 17, and it's been picked up by a few online papers since then. There didn't seem to be too many birds involved in the study to me (only 20), but I'm sure standards for migratory research don't need to be nearly as stringent as they do for human drug testing. For instance.
The research suggests that chubby migratory birds can reach their breeding grounds faster by taking shorter breaks — since they have bigger fat reserves, and don't have to stop as long for food. The researchers found that fat birds usually move on the night of their arrival at a stopping point, while thin birds remain at the stopping point for an average of almost two days.
That's pretty interesting, in and of itself. But what's really fascinating is how the British paper The Register spun the story. Their article was titled "Fat birds get laid sooner, have more one-night stands." And the article was filled with vocabulary like "chubbies" and "wobblebottomed." Which makes me think I ought to be reading The Register more often. My kind of spin.
The research suggests that chubby migratory birds can reach their breeding grounds faster by taking shorter breaks — since they have bigger fat reserves, and don't have to stop as long for food. The researchers found that fat birds usually move on the night of their arrival at a stopping point, while thin birds remain at the stopping point for an average of almost two days.
That's pretty interesting, in and of itself. But what's really fascinating is how the British paper The Register spun the story. Their article was titled "Fat birds get laid sooner, have more one-night stands." And the article was filled with vocabulary like "chubbies" and "wobblebottomed." Which makes me think I ought to be reading The Register more often. My kind of spin.
Harley Protection Device #1
Posted on: 02/06/10, 20:14:30 | 2 comments | link
I'm sure I've mentioned our breakfast bar, better known as Harley's Bar. I don't think I've taken a particularly useful photo of it, and I won't now — since the camera is far away, and I'm a lazy slug. But it is home to Harley's dog dish (which holds any number of toys that can be dropped into the sink or on the floor), it is home to several toys upon which Harley can Stand And Chew, it is where he eats dinner and (usually) lunch, and it is a step away from the kitchen faucet, one of Harley's favorite perches. It also places the creature with the Sharp Beak of Biting right where he can chew up a corner of wall. Which he has done. Of course.
So some time ago now (because I am a lazy slug), Bruce created our first Harley Protection Device, in the form of a wooden sleeve that wraps around the wall, so Harley can't eat the corner anymore.
Right. We may need to make this a little taller.
Gotta add that I pulled this last photo up on the screen and Bruce and I could not stop laughing.
Oh, and in case these details help fill in the picture of the Harley Bar: the "terra cotta" color in the first picture is around the corner (in the kitchen area) of the second picture. And, in the second picture, Harley is standing on some toys upon which he can Stand And Chew.
So some time ago now (because I am a lazy slug), Bruce created our first Harley Protection Device, in the form of a wooden sleeve that wraps around the wall, so Harley can't eat the corner anymore.
Right. We may need to make this a little taller.
Gotta add that I pulled this last photo up on the screen and Bruce and I could not stop laughing.
Oh, and in case these details help fill in the picture of the Harley Bar: the "terra cotta" color in the first picture is around the corner (in the kitchen area) of the second picture. And, in the second picture, Harley is standing on some toys upon which he can Stand And Chew.