So Uncle Jawbreaker accused me the other day of being an environmentalist. I told him “No, I am not an environmentalist, but rather a naturalist.”
‘What’s the difference?” he asked.
“A naturalist is someone who is interested in and knows a lot about the natural world. An environmentalist is someone who hates people.”
The latest from our avifaunalist in Iraq, LTC. Bob.
Hey all-
Well, it looks like it was a short spring. The rooks are gone, headed north with the coots and pochards, and it’s hit well into the 90s several times in the last week.
But I did see the first Little Tern today, and I saw two new water birds on their way north – a White-faced Duck. You can see why they’re called “stiff-tailed ducks” and look like our Ruddy Duck in the USA.
Also saw a Widgeon – no picture, well I have one, but you probably wouldn’t be able to see that it’s a widgeon.
And maybe the prettiest birds of all have returned, the Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters.
Closing in on my leave, and I am ready to go.
Bob
It looks like I’m not going to win $5 million dollars from Yahoo for my NCAA Tournament picks. Winning the $5 mil requires picking all 63 games in the tournament correctly.
I started off the day 8 for 8. And then USC tanked against Kansas State. They blew my bracket picks out of the water. There’s a bright red streak through my Midwest region where USC flamed out. I had them going all the way to the final 8.
This is what happens when I rely on my psychic powers to choose tourney winners. I mentally weigh each match-up, trying to picture the name of each team in the next round. I alternate the names in that space until one outweighs the other. Then I pick.
I’m 10 and 2 so far. USC hosed me and it’ll cost me in later rounds. BYU also let me down by losing to Texas A&M but I had BYU out in the second round anyway.
I did pick Duke to go to the second round but I would’ve been perfectly happy to have them bust my bracket and lose to Belmont. Belmont did their best but came up a little short, God bless ‘em. Maybe next year. I still have Duke going out to West Virginia in the next round.
I typically call quite a few upsets in the early rounds of the tournament every year. I don’t have the feeling that there will be a great number of upsets this year. The tournament feels a little top-heavy to me. About the biggest upset I have projected is 7th seeded Miami over 2nd seeded Texas in the second round out West. Actually, I have Miami going all the way to the Final Four. If they make it, I may start my own 900 psychic hotline.
If they don’t make it, my later rounds will look increasingly silly. My Western regional picks will be a shambles. Of course, they could be redeemed in the Final Four as I have UCLA finally bouncing Miami and taking on UNC in the final round, UNC having beaten Kansas to get there.
If UCLA makes it, this will be their third Final Four in a row. It seems like they’re due for a win after losing to National Champ Florida twice. I hate to break it to them, but I predict UNC will take the crown this year. I liked the way they celebrated (or didn’t celebrate) their win in the ACC Championship game. They were very business-like and seemed focused on the coming task rather than the task behind. It bodes well for them.
And I’m sure that’s my psychic powers talking.
I’m sure it’s not any kind of bias whatsoever.
Update: Barak Obama also picks UNC over UCLA. I’m taking that as good karma. You can take it however you’d like.
I can’t believe I did this, but somehow I picked George Mason over Notre Dame. If current scores hold up, I’m going 13-3 on the day.
I feel it incumbent upon me to post a little something after the tornado here in Atlanta. My phone started ringing and buzzing shortly after 6:30 a.m. and has been ringing and buzzing ever since. Apparently people are concerned for my well-being. I’m touched. Thanks to all who have called or texted to check on me! I am alive and well.
I was also doing my best to sleep in this morning. I didn’t even know there had been a tornado until reading the headlines this morning. My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected negatively by the storm.
Ngnat chose Nabie Kamara for this month’s loan.
But I bet folks in Louisburg will have a hard time telling the difference.
March 21, 2007 – Lincoln Memorial University Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. J. Michael Clyburn will be installed as Louisburg College’s 26th president.
…
“Clyburn believes in the mission of Louisburg College,” Cameron said. “He will be a sterling representative of the college in all avenues of his presidency.”
Clyburn will take office in the summer of 2007, when current Louisburg College President Dr. Reginald W. Ponder retires.
Feb 6, 2008 – Finances Threaten Louisburg College’s Future
Louisburg College in Franklin County is struggling financially and could lose its accreditation. If the college closes, the local economy is bound to take a beating.
The college has been a cornerstone of the Louisburg community for 220 years. The two-year college draws nearly 800 students and employs about 130 people, and those students, faculty and staff bring their business downtown.
March 6, 2008 - A-B Presidential Candidates Narrowed to Two Finalists
“After reviewing their credentials, many of the candidates have been personally interviewed,” continued Dr. Thralls. “We feel very confident that the finalists, each of whom brings their own unique skill set and approach, can take Alderson-Broaddus to the next level.”
The finalists are:
from the beach detour.
Stationed at the beach nearly every day, Jarvis Williams, an owner of Cape Point Exxon in Buxton, said Wednesday morning that he had by then towed 217 vehicles and trailered another 150.
Over the months, Williams said he has seen sightseers, beachcombers, college students on winter break, fishermen unknowingly surf-fishing in the path of traffic and even a motorcycle that needed rescuing.
Initially, vehicles were getting flat tires from hitting part of a shipwreck that was barely sticking out of the sand. After four flats, Williams found the spot and covered it with a crab pot. But the pot was gone in a few weeks, and Williams said he later figured out who removed it.
“He was a good Samaritan cleaning up the beach,” he said. A traffic cone soon replaced the missing crab pot.
Williams said that his busiest day was Sunday, when eight vehicles were pulled out of the sand, and eight others were loaded onto his trailer, equipped with wide tires, and carried around.
One day, he said, he was driving his truck with the trailer and came upon a stuck truck that was pulling a trailer. So he hooked up his rope and pulled it.
“We had a little train going,” he said.