Bird rescue update II

We arrived right when the center opened - bird did well on the trip - and there was a lady waiting with a dove who had been hit by a car. She went on and on about how great Kathy and the rehab center were. She brings birds in all the time (made me wonder if she was the one casing all the injuries) and gushed about the wonders they do. There were birds all over the place - ducks, geese, egrets, about 10 peacocks walking around the parking lot. When the workers showed up about 5 minutes later, we went into the office. I had noticed a sign on the door that said..."Caution - STRONG bird smells inside office area"....I think what they meant to say was the office smelled like bird crap. How anyone could stay in that space for more than 5 minutes is beyond me. Then again, you probably get used to it. Birds were walking around everywhere - doing their business everywhere. We had to sign in, give a description of what we thought the problem/injury was and leave our name and phone #, for updates on the rehab of the bird we brought in. They thought mine had either flown into something during the storm and addled himself or, because they said he looked skinny, had eaten something that might have been poisoned (like a bug that had been sprayed). He didn't have any obvious wing damage, so they didn't think that was the problem. Prognosis was very good and they expected to be able to release him back to the wild fairly soon.

So, my good deed for the week is done....

Bird rescue Update

Checked on him early this morning and he made it. Didn't want to open the box too far, because we did that last evening and he was able to briefly escape. In about an hour, I'm off to transport him to the rescue center. We'll see what they have to say about his condition and prognosis. I'll continue to update....

Bird rescue

I woke up this morning to a very violent summer storm (later heard we had winds up to 80 mph in the DFW area) and when the sun finally came up, I noticed a bird laying in our backyard near the bushes against our back fence. It was an adult grackle. At first, I thought it had sustained head and back injuries, because you could see skin. But it was just very, very wet and when it dried out, I couldn't see any noticeable injuries. It spent the entire day either in the bushes or just in the grass, never venturing very far. My next thought was broken wing(s). But as I found out later, it was able to somewhat get off the ground. It is obviously injured - I just don't know how.

I called a bird rescue center in the DFW area and they said to bring it in. By the time I called them, it was too late to make it out there, so I'll have to go tomorrow morning. So I had to try to capture it to keep it safe during the night. I followed the instructions of the rescue center (a box with a towel in the bottom, a dish of water, a dish of cat food, holes for air) and attempted (with limited help from C) to throw a towel over it and get it in the box. After numerous failed attempts - fluttering away, C running away when it moved because "it's gonna peck me" getting in the bushes, etc - I finally wore it down and got it in the box.

It's on the back porch, where it will not be as hot as the garage and where I think it will be safe from any neighborhood cats or nocturnal critters. I hope my efforts will not have been in vain. I'll update tomorrow....

TPaw

TPaw is starting to use more colorful, more incendiary language as he tries to make his presence felt on the national stage. He compares Obama to Bernie Madoff; that should get him a mention on Limbaugh, shouldn't it?

I've said it before: I don't understand why conservatives aren't more interested in him. He's smart, politically skilled, a true believer in conservative economic principles, hasn't cheated as far as anyone knows, hasn't gone AWOL at any time during his governship, kept the job until the end even though it is no fun right now. That's a lot more than you can say for certain other Rethug hopefuls. He got elected and re-elected in Minnesota by downplaying the social issues that would have ignited opposition. Maybe that's why the national crowd doesn't pay any attention to him, but I think that's why he's your answer. I think you all are missing the boat. (I know, I know; he's a little dull. But I would have thought you believed you were about substance over style.)

Update: I should note that his pronouncement that Minnesota has "avoided new taxes" is an example of his political skill. All kinds of "fees" have been implemented or raised to generate revenue. When is a fee a tax?

Shatner does Palin

The front flip

Paris Rosen, a man from a suburb of Minneapolis, will attempt a front flip on a motorcycle on Friday at the Summer X Games.

On how he got a spot to compete, as a newcomer:

After interviewing Rosen, Taublieb made the announcement: Rosen was an alternate for the X Games. Three days later, Cam Sinclair was hospitalized after a double back-flip went wrong, turning Rosen from alternate to X Games competitor.

Finally, he had his break, his chance at fame.

ICU, bad pun.

Here's the mentioned YouTube video:


Update: I see there are rumors that others may bring a front flip to the Summer X Games, too. Ambulances, stand by.

Update II: Walk down memory lane. Here's Jim De Champ's front flip bail from last year:

God is on Twitter

God has a Twitter account:





I am wishing that God was a little bit wittier than he is. He can be amusing, but he leaves gold unmined. Others apparently have the same feeling and can't help but write material that God ought to have tweeted, like this: