Ancient mammals discovery in China

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video is called Ancient Mammals. Mammal evolution from the Triassic to now.

Fossils push back origins of modern mammals

Common ancestor evolved over 200 million years ago

by Meghan Rosen

2:39pm, September 10, 2014

Modern mammals’ ancestors may have emerged millions of years earlier than scientists suspected — around the time the first dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

The fossilized remains of six little tree-dwelling animals push the lineage of today’s mammals back to the Late Triassic, more than 200 million years ago, researchers report September 10 in Nature.

“That’s really, really old,” says paleontologist Robert Asher of the University of Cambridge, who was not involved with the work. Scientists had thought that the common ancestor of those animals originated sometime in the Jurassic, he says. “This is very exciting stuff.”

Xianshou songae is the name of the newly discovered dinosaur age mammal.

Purple heron migration, record numbers

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video from Asia is called Beautiful Purple Heron, Pheasant tailed Jacana, Black-headed Ibis, Pond Heron & Great Egret. Towards the end of the video, there is also an intermediate egret.

Before purple herons arrive for winter in southern Asia or Africa, they migrate from their more northern nesting areas.

On Monday 8 September, 427 purple herons flew south over the Dordtse Biesbosch bird counting point. A record number for one day in the Netherlands.

The total number for the whole Netherlands this autumn migration season so far is 1837. Nearly all those came from nests in the Netherlands, as they don’t breed further to the north. Sometimes, grey herons fly along with the migrating purple herons.

Detroit water shutoffs again

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

Tim Rivers from the USA writes about this video:

13 September 2014

After a brief pause, water shutoffs to poor residents resumed in Detroit last week. Speaking at the city’s West Side payment center and along the waterfront downtown, residents denounced the city’s drive to shut off water service to its most vulnerable people. Residents noted that the growth of economic inequality paralleled the increasingly dictatorial character of American society.

Victims of water shutoffs and public health experts testified this week on the impact of the city’s policy during a hearing at a US Federal bankruptcy court. They provided details of the health danger and the human suffering caused by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s (DWSD) campaign to shut off as many as 150,000 households for late payments: here.

The Daily Show skewers Detroit over water shut-offs: here.

Next month, Detroit city officials plan to resume shutting off water to tens of thousands of residents. Nearly 30,000 households that cannot afford to pay their water bills are scheduled to receive shutoff notices, affecting perhaps one in seven residents: here.

Dutch horses victims of quackery

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video from India says about itself:

Lack of veterinarians helps quacks

25 July 2014

It is being estimated that there are about 3.5 lakhs of cattle in the district of Cuddalore. There are about 89 dispensaries for the cattle. But unfortunately they are not put to good use since there seems to be a shortage of staff. The dispensaries are reported to be open for just a few hours in the morning. Hence people are forced to take the services of quacks who pose as doctors.

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:

Horses victims of quacks

Saturday Sep 13 2014, 16:27 (Update: 13-09-14, 16:54)

Hundreds of quacks and alternative healers do misdiagnosis in the treatment of horses. That means that for example, horses remain crippled or keep having back pain.

Julius Peters of the Royal Dutch Society for Veterinary Medicine (KNMvD) will tell this tonight in Nieuwsuur TV show. Owners go to such alternative practitioners because it is much cheaper than a vet.

According to Peters, president of the horse section of the KNMvD, alternative healers treat thousands of sick horses.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recognizes the problems. “It is penny wise pound foolish,” says director Frank Dales. “Instead of the horse getting better after treatment, it often gets worse. And then finally the recovery process becomes only more prolonged and more costly.”

Expensive hobby

In the Netherlands there are about 400,000 horses. They are at large riding stables and breeding farms or in small stables at the owner’s home. When buying, new owners are often not aware of the high cost. And keeping a horse gets more expensive if it gets an injury and the vet should be called.

That’s why owners go the alternative medical system. With practitioners who don’t know what they’re talking about, according to Peters.

Worrisome

“What I hear about, is a twisted spleen, a clamped sciatica or ‘something’ about the ovaries. Sometimes in a male animal, so that does not quite fit. And even kidney problems. Well, that I have in my career as a veterinarian, which has spanned 32 years, not seen often.”

The sector council for horses, the umbrella body for horse businesses, rejects these practices. “I think that’s a worrisome situation,” says Ruud Timmermans Pruijsten of the sector council. “The welfare of the horse benefits if it gets the necessary care.”

No disciplinary tribunal

According to the law medical procedures should only be performed by veterinarians. But there is little people can do in practice about misdiagnosis by a quack, says Peters. “We veterinarians, but also animals physiotherapists are included in the so-called BIG register. They are not registered anywhere. We have a disciplinary committee, so if you are not satisfied with my actions, you can sue me. This is certainly not the case in the alternative scene.”

The Royal Dutch Society for Veterinary Medicine and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals want a mandatory biannual inspection of horses. Owners should thereby allow horses to be checked medically by a veterinarian.

Crippled

Research from Wageningen University indicates that, in general, over 30 percent of the horses in riding schools and breeding farms have back problems, sometimes mild, sometimes severe. 20 percent is crippled or has difficulty walking. The researchers studied 3,000 horses at 150 businesses.

The sick animals should benefit from the best possible treatment, says Pruijsten Timmermans of the sectoral council for horses. “Any horse that is in pain, is one too many. What we can do about it, is to reach owners and advise them to really deal with it that way.”

Parliament will talk in November with Minister Dijksma about horse welfare.

Rare moth in English garden

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video says about itself:

This is footage of a couple of oleander hawk moths emerging from their cocoons. Found the caterpillars while cutting back our oleander bushes. Did a little research into what they were and decided to put a few in a box to see what happened. Watched them feed, shed skin, cocoon and then managed to see these ones emerge about a couple of weeks later. These are very beautiful moths, and quite large. We measured one with a wing span of 11cm. That to me is a big moth. Was very interesting to see it change from a caterpillar through all the different stages it went through into a fabulous moth.

From Wildlife Extra:

Very rare moth spotted in a Gloucestershire garden

One of the UK’s rarest and most spectacular moths has been spotted in a Gloucestershire garden – the first time it has been seen in the county for eight years, wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation (BC) has revealed.

BC Gloucestershire Branch has only ever received five records of the moth being seen in the county, with the last in 2006.

The oleander hawk-moth was recently recorded in the Cotswolds by Jean Booth, who found it near to her tobacco flowers – a known food plant of the giant moth.

The moth can be identified by the swirling cream and pinkish-brown markings on its green coloured forewing. A white band across the front end of its abdomen is also distinctive.

BC Gloucestershire Branch member Mrs Booth from Gretton near Winchcombe, said: “When I saw this great big moth by the plants I knew it was a hawk-moth, but it wasn’t one I’d seen before so I had to go and check my books.

“When I realised it was an oleander, all I could think was ‘Wow’! It was so big and had the most beautiful markings. I’ve only been recording moths for just over a year and still can’t believe this rare migrant made its way to my garden.”

There have been very few recent sightings of the oleander hawk-moth in the UK as it breeds abroad in very warm, open places.

If it does make its way over here, it is often to southern England between August and October. The most reported in any one year was in 1953 when a total of 13 were seen.

The wildlife charity’s Head of Moth Conservation, Mark Parsons, says it was a wonderful find: “This large and striking moth is rarely encountered in this country and is not seen every year. This individual probably originates from North Africa, which has perfect breeding conditions for this species. Jean was extremely lucky to see one of these magnificent moths, as most recorders never see one during a lifetime of recording.”

Anyone interested in taking up mothing or finding out more about Gloucestershire’s moths, are invited to join a special event taking place in Coleford on Friday 19 September. Find out more by visiting www.gloucestershire-butterflies.org.uk.

Bahraini girls protest against oppression of journalists

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

Girls hold placards 'I am a journalist not a terrorist' at protest in Bahrain

Daily The Nation in Pakistan writes about this photo:

Bahraini girls hold placards reading “I’m a Journalist not a Terrorist” during an anti-government protest in the village of Sitra, south of Manama.

The Structure of Tyranny in Bahrain. A study of the Balance of power within the ruling family: here.

Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner poem on stage

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video from Britain says about itself:

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge ~ Full Version

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (originally The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere) is the longest major poem by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, written in 1797–98 and published in 1798 in the first edition of Lyrical Ballads.

By Indianna Purcell in England:

Memorable rebranding of Coleridge

Saturday 13th September 2014

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
South Bank Centre, London SE1

5/5

IT WOULD seem that there’s nothing too ambitious for Britain’s darkest warbling cult trio The Tiger Lillies. And thank goodness for that as their latest project — premiered in France over two years ago — is one of their most spellbinding shows in recent times.

Having embarked on projects such as transforming WWI poetry into songs or a macabre classic German children’s book into an even more sinister musical, The Tiger Lillies now take on Samuel Coleridge’s epic poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Along with Mark Holthusen’s stunning visual effects, they transform it into a unique, haunting and effortlessly graceful stage production.

Coleridge’s eerie crime-and-punishment classic recounts the tale of a mariner who narrates his nightmare sea voyage where, having shot an albatross, he’s forced to wear it round his neck in penance by his fellow sailors, who ultimately all perish.

In bringing that morbid tale to life, lead singer and accordionist extraordinaire Jacques grimaces through his usual glass-breaking vocal range, with many of the 20 seductive songs sounding sombre in comparison to the Lillies’ usual circus-style cabaret tracks.

In contrast with many of their shows where the group perform on a stage with minimal visual effects, relying more on their own startling stage presence, this time they perform behind a screen of animated handmade puppets. It’s a puppet theatre which they memorably transform into a work of nightmarish art.

Giraffes helped by photographers

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video is about Niger‘s endangered white giraffes (full documentary).

From Wildlife Extra:

Citizen science project launched to help the world’s giraffes

The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) with the support of the Polytechnic of Namibia has launched a project to develop an online citizen science platform for giraffes.

GiraffeSpotter.org is an easy to use web-based application that allows people to upload their photos of giraffes they have seen, together with the location where the image was taken and any other valuable information they can supply to help in conservation efforts, such as herd size, sex and age class of the giraffe.

With the help of GiraffeSpotter.org, GCF will be able to improve its understanding of giraffe ranges, distribution, numbers and ultimately the various species of giraffes’ conservation status across Africa.

At the same time, the charity hopes that the project will also engage people and raise awareness of the plight of giraffes in the wild.

15 years ago there were 140,000 giraffes in Africa. Today there are 80,000: here.

Poem about World War I, by Attila the Stockbroker

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video is called Attila the Stockbroker – A Centenary War Poem For My Father Bill Baine, 1899 – 1968.

By poet Attila the Stockbroker from Britain:

Cheers for proud Hull, punking about in Brussels and a poem

Saturday 13th September 2014

On the road with Attila the Stockbroker

LAST weekend I was on at the Freedom Festival in Hull, and what a wonderfully organised and vibrant event it was.

Set in the old streets of the historic port area and featuring loads of diverse bands, poets, dancers — you name it — all washed down with a fine selection of local beers and food from all over the world.

Hull is Britain’s City of Culture for 2017 and has had a vibrant scene for years. It also hosts my favourite venue the Adelphi, basically a hollowed-out terraced house next to a bomb site. It’s been presided over for 30 years by the indefatigable and inspirational Paul “Jacko” Jackson and spawned loads of household names in the independent music scene from the Housemartins to Pulp to Death by Milkfloat, to name but a few.

What d’you mean, you haven’t heard of Death by Milkfloat? Legends, comrades, legends.

Best T shirt of that weekend: “Welcome to Hull, European City of Culture 2017. We’re not shit any more.” You never were, Hull, you’re great.

This music video from Belgium is the song Nuit blanche, by the band Contingent.

I’ve just been playing bass in Brussels with Contingent, the punk band I joined there in 1979. They still gig occasionally — and incendiarally — and we’re supporting Sham 69 at a celebration of the 20th anniversary of Magasin 4, the alternative venue set up by our late, great guitarist Eric Lemaitre. Belgian beer awaits in vats – and then I’m off with my wife for a week’s holiday in Marseille.

I wanted to use this poem in my column at the actual anniversary of the start of world War I, but so much was going on gig-wise then that I decided to hold it back for the relatively relaxed few weeks between the end of the festival season and the start of my autumn touring, where it could have pride of place.

It is a true and unusual story — and a poem from the heart.

A Centenary War Poem

For my father, Bill Baine

“What passing-bells for those who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.”
And so some lines to spike centenary prattle:
These words a sole survivor soldier’s son’s.

My father Bill, born in Victorian England:
The sixth of January, 1899.
His stock, loyal London. Proletarian doff-cap.
Aged seventeen, he went to join the line.

Not in a war to end all wars forever
Just in a ghastly slaughter at the Somme —
A pointless feud, a royal family squabble
Fought by their proxy poor with gun and bomb.

My father saved. Pyrexia, unknown origin.
Front line battalion: he lay sick in bed.
His comrades formed their line, then came the whistle
And then the news that every one was dead.

In later life a polished comic poet
No words to us expressed that awful fear
Although we knew such things were not forgotten.
He dreamed Sassoon: he wrote Belloc and Lear.

When I was ten he died, but I remember,
Although just once, he’d hinted at the truth.
He put down Henry King and Jabberwocky
And read me Owen’s “Anthem For Doomed Youth”.

“What passing-bells for those who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.”
And so some lines to spike Gove’s mindless prattle:

These words a sole survivor soldier’s son’s.

British Tesco killing of pied wagtail prevented

Posted on September 13, 2014 by petrel41

This video from Britain says about itself:

My friendly Pied Wagtail

30 November 2012

This is the 3rd winter this Wagtail has returned to our garden. As you can see he is quite happy to feed from my hand. … The longest recorded lifespan for a Pied Wagtail that I have been advised of is just over 11 years which is well over the average 3 – 5 years.

During the slaughter of World War I, a French general decided to have a cat shot ‘for treason’.

Though there are ominous signs now of the world being on the slippery slope to another horrible war, like in 1914, at least bird lovers in England have prevented business bigwigs from having a pied wagtail shot; at least for now.

From Wildlife Extra:

Pied wagtail in Tesco store given last minute reprieve from the firing squad

A bird that made its home in a Great Yarmouth supermarket has been given a last-minute reprieve after the store threatened to shoot it, reports the Great Yarmouth Mercury.

Tesco had considered bringing in marksmen to kill the pied wagtail in its Great Yarmouth branch, but have now announced that it will continue attempting to capture and release the bird, possibly with help with the British Trust for Ornithology.

The bird has been flitting around the store for some time, and has become known to customers.

…

Pied wagtails, which can often be seen hopping around supermarket car parks, are among birds protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. Anyone who kills one could be fined up to £5,000 or jailed for a maximum of six months if they do not have a licence.

However, plans to bring a marksman into the Pasteur Road store to shoot this particular wagtail were shelved after a local newspaper article revealed the potential fate of the bird when the store closed after 4pm this Sunday, and customers protested.

Shoppers took to the internet to express their anger at the decision to shoot the bird.

“We’re going to continue to try to release the bird over the next few weeks,” said Tesco.

Natural England (NE) said licences, such as the one granted to Tesco, were issued “occasionally” but only when environment bosses were “satisfied” all other methods had been exhausted.

…

Even naturalist and broadcaster, Chris Packham, weighed in on the side of the wagtail, tweeting: “Can I ask you to rethink the shooting of the wagtail in Gt Yarmouth store please. I’m sure the bird could be caught.”

Tesco East Anglia replied in a tweet, saying: “We’ve tried for a number of weeks to catch the bird, definitely our preference to catch and release. Any advice welcome.”

Packham called for Tesco to talk to the British Trust for Ornithology. He tweeted: “Please liaise with BTO who have experts in the field of live capture – and promise us a stay of execution!”

Tesco East Anglia then tweeted: “Happy to liaise with BTO, we’re going to explore other options over the next few weeks and will keep you updated.”

On hearing the news the bird had been saved, Packham posted: “All @Tesco are going to work with @_BTO to try again to catch the Wag’ and the guns are stood down. Result and thank you all for lobbying”.