Dibs on the
barkeep for trivia night.
he can do all the talking and i can do the team drinking! unless it's about shoes. i got all the shoe questions.
Piffka
I think there's a good chance.
This pub does appear to attract an eddicated bunch of bods. Makes ya feel quite humble, really. I jes' sit in the corner and watch.
But they'se gunna start asking questions of the rest of us soon, and if we dunno, well, we out the door!
1066 and all that was one of my favourites, too. Don't have a copy now, but remember it well.
btw, Piffka, my friend has just returned from your region, and is raving about how beautiful it is. He roamed around the Sound area, and some national parks, and your mate, Mt Ranier (dunno if I have the spelling right, but sure don't have the pronunciation!). Saw the slide show last night - does look nice - but where's the sun???
In the American Northwest, the population has always been too cheap to ante up on their sunshine dues--therefore, they only get to see it on off days, when the southern California crowd is doing other things than going to the beach . . .
Hey barkeep. Declan's being stingy with the lemon wedges. If I promise NOT to take you shoe-shopping, will you get me some more?
Here ye go darlin' . . . can't really bust Declan, he's figured out that i'm sweatin' him so i can goof off me own self . . . hafta kinda tip-toe around him here of late . . .
Heehee. Ray Near. Ray Near. Easy... Just don't say Rain E errr. It hurts EVERYBODY's feelings and the mountain may spit lava.
As to that dratted sun? It was out in all its glory today. I was up with the chickens, while my friend, SeattleFriend slept in. She has a lovely park nearby... I saw the moon set, the sun rise, the fog lift away from the water, the mountains catch the morning light, the ferries land and the seals swim. All in the sunlight (well, once it rose). What can I say??? A rose is a rose is a rose, except when it is rising and then it most likely a sun. Anyway, gotta pick your times.
About those dues. We believe they were instituted by someone of ignoble blood whose own dues will be coming up very very soon.
cuppa joe and a red wine please, Declan....
Did you go to your class last night? Tell all!
Thanks for the lemon, barkeep. You seem like a keeper.
Declan is cute, says Bunny, examining him with interest - oh my goodness me YES! he is very cute.......pay that man better Setanta - so he can have a night off every now and then!
Ye'd better find me another slumgullion to work here, then, darlin', 'cause i take every night off . . . (psssst, bunny, watch out fer the scantily clad lady in the funny hat, she's been moonin' after Declan ever since she learned of his happy combination of stupidity and out-sized plumbin' . . . )
I did go to the class. I met SF at her house, chatted with her husband as he cooked, then raced off with SF in her volvo to the Center for Urban Horticulture. It was pitch black and raining, I was tired and cold. We were late. The class was much more intense than we expected but was v. good and promises to be even better on Friday. The instructor was from Sussex, England, a lecturer and researcher at the University of Washington.
On Friday we will actually learn what the birds are singing about. Apparently territory, individual recognition, mate requests, etc.
Last night we learned how the song control system of a songbird's brain works -- basically through some odd nucleus masses in the brain that create and respond to hormones, (testosterone, androgen, estrogen and melatonin) and how the song is created. The vocal organ, syrinx, sits between the bronchi and can manage either independent of the other, e.g. breathing in through one while the other is singing.
Here are some amazing facts:
Song birds, as distinct from other birds, have relatively big brains.
Their brains have specialized hormone receptive nucleus bodies which are phototropic (grow and ebb in response to light).
Avian brains are plastic and change depending on age, season.
Brain Cellular mechanisms aare conservative through evolution and are therefore applicable to all vertebrates.
Melatonin acts in opposition to testosterone, at least in these studies.
He advised everybody to quit using melatonin or any steroids!
Bird calls are not learned and are distinct from songs.
Most songs are from the males... few exceptions.
Songs are learned from a "tutor" -- usually the father bird.
Isolated birds do not learn normal song.
Isolate groups will converge toward a similar, abnormal song.
There is a critical period to hear the song and a slightly different and later critical period to learn to produce it.
There are close-ended learners (one-song wonders) and open-ended learners.
Females are attractd to males with a varied repertoire. (Well duh)
That explains it....I was always a poor whistler
Robert E. Lee expelled Whistler from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Whistler racked up more demerits than anyone previously in the history of the Academy. Lee doubled the number of demerits required for expulsion. Before the end of the second term that year, Whistler had exceeded that number. Lee sent an apologetic letter to Whistler's Uncle (I guess Whistler's Mother wasn't taking an interst), but commented that the young man had shown some talent in military drawing.
Back from promenading through the town with one sashaying and one prancing dog. I think another hot drink is in order. I'm in the mood to peel off some polar fleece.
Another barrell this way please
and thankee
Anybody home? I'd like a cup of coffee please.
By god, so would i . . . hurry up, damned coffee machine ! ! !
kiss me, you fool :wink:
and i'm off to the subway
