Billhook

Not showing birds but bird nest! This old cast iron Edwardian post box was in a lay-by in our hamlet but one year, some time ago, the wooden post supporting it rotted and the Post Office took it away. My father complained and demanded its return. I welded up a metal stand for it and we put it by the back door, really for the paper man and other non PO stuff. As the years went by new postman came along and took it to be the real thing and active, so we just posted all our mail there, which was handy Now not in use for several years I discovered a new tenant, a Robin. cast iron home, safe as houses! (With a lockable front door as well)

Wrong again K

Very late Brimstone about a week ago and two Orange tips today. Very late but thankfully a whole load a insects have appeared, some bees, wood wasps, drone flies and midges

CALGARY Is Police Brutality a Racial Issue simply because the Media says so? Mark Meincke Published 11 months ago 9 minute read For the first time in my lifetime, there is finally a topic that has garnered ubiquitous agreement; George Floyd was murdered. Absolutely nobody is challenging this assertion, and the cop who killed him along with his uniformed accomplices are almost certainly going to spend a long time in jail. George Floyd’s murder was the spark that lit a powder keg of frustration, pain, and outrage which has exploded across dozens of cities worldwide. His death has been interpreted as proof of the long-held, media endorsed belief that Cops are hunting and killing Black people, as if it was a sport. Canadian news outlets parrot their American counterparts by repeatedly referring to the killing of Mr. Floyd as, “the RACIST murder of George Floyd”. With relentless repetition, the “racist” murder narrative has easily convinced most people that the cop, Derek Chauvin killed Mr. Floyd, at least in part because of his skin colour. Although no evidence has been presented to suggest that Chauvin had any history of racist comments, or associations with racist organizations, the conclusion by the media has been nearly unanimous. In criminal law, for a crime to exist, there must be two main elements: Actus Reus, and Mens Reus. Actus Reus is the physical element of the crime, or the “act”, and Mens Reus is the mental element of the crime, or the “intention”. The act is much easier to prove than the intention, but the intention doesn’t have to be proven. Intention can instead be assumed based on circumstances and past history. Now that you have a lesson in Criminal Law 101, you may see a problem with the media narrative of George Floyds’ death being concluded as “racist”. Although it’s entirely possible that Derek Chauvin was in fact a murderous white supremacist, at this point we don’t have any actual evidence that would help us understand either his intentions, or his personal beliefs. All we know for sure is that Officer Chauvin’s arrest and control procedures were entirely wrong, and were certainly a major factor in the death of Mr. Floyd. Having a knee on a person’s neck for more than a few seconds is not an acceptable practice in any circumstance. But about those “protests”…. The public is absolutely justified in staging massive protests over the police brutality which caused a man to die unnecessarily. Police must be held accountable for their actions, and change must happen to prevent similar instances in the future. The issue though, isn’t about the protests, it’s about the underlying assumptions being made which are fueling the protests. First, FBI statistics are not supportive of the assumption that black people die in custody more than white people. Though, there are other stats from other sources which strongly support this assumption, it’s difficult to know which stats to believe. Even if the stats did show, without a doubt that black people die in custody more than white people, the only factor mentioned to explain this is “racism”. Did you know there is another segment of society who are just as likely to die in custody as black people? Military Veterans. Since this segment can not be identified by race, religion, or heritage, what possible explanation could there be for Veterans to be dying in custody at nearly twice the rate of non-veterans? It seems like a valid question to ask, and even an important question to ask in order for us to be able to better understand why some people die in custody more than others. It seems there must be more to it than racism, but that’s not a question that anyone seems to be interested in asking. Without the media supported presumption that George Floyd’s murder was motivated by racism, the protests would not likely be morphing into full out criminal riots. When the looting starts, the valid protests end. Adorning your living room with an ill-gotten 75” flatscreen does not honour the life of George Floyd, nor does it provide an argument for defunding the police. By fueling the violence both the media and many politicians have been partly responsible for the deaths of numerous police officers and civilians of all races. Anger over one death has caused the deaths of many others, and that is not an outcome that can be justified. In 2016, Tony Timpa died in Police custody in nearly the exact same way as George Floyd. The main difference is that Mr. Timpa wasn’t arrested for committing a crime, instead Mr. Timpa called 911 for help because he was scared, and having a psychotic episode. Tony Timpa asked the police for help, and within 15 minutes of the police arriving, Tony was dead. Timpa was cuffed, and placed on his face with an officer kneeling on his back for several minutes. Like Mr. Floyd, Mr. Timpa begged for help, said he couldn’t breath, and told the officer that they were killing him. The Cops laughed and joked once Timpa lost consciousness, and like Floyd, they did not attempt to resuscitate him. Tony Timpa happened to be white. The National media showed very little interest in the story, and the arresting officers were not fired, and did not do jail time even though the autopsy concluded the death as a Homicide. The three officers were charged, but the charges were all dropped, and they got off scot-free. If the George Floyd protests are about Police Brutality, then where are the protests for Tony Timpa? Why is his name not mentioned as a precursor to the current situation? It seems that if the accusation of racism can’t be used, then the story will not be run. The media likes it when you’re angry, and they love it when you’re scared. The more frightened you are, the more you look to the media for answers. The more angry you are, the more likely you are to participate in newsworthy protests. Either way, the media wins at your expense. You should be outraged at the death of George Floyd, but if you’re not equally outraged about Tony Timpa, then you’re not really interested in Police reform. Most Police officers are dedicated public servants who are doing an impossible job. I’m not anti-cop in any way. I am however anti-corruption no matter where I find it. Whether it’s in the media, with the Police, within the Government, corruption and abuse of power must be addressed, and fixed. In the absence of good questions, and clear thought, corruption will always flourish. Mark Meincke Author, Writer, Podcast Host Buy the Home Seller’s Bible by clicking HERE Buy “Why not Me?” HERE Meincke Show Podcast Operation Tango Romeo For more stories, visit Todayville Calgary. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Print Report An Issue RELATED TOPICS:FEATUREGEORGE FLOYDMEDIAPOLICE BRUTALITYPOLITICS UP NEXT Black Lives Matter: What would Martin Luther King Jr Say? DON'T MISS Hockey, basketball and volleyball gone from the U of A’s fall and winter to-do lists Mark Meincke Father, Professional Development Trainer, Author FOLLOW AUTHOR MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR ALBERTA / 7 MONTHS AGO Why We Remember ALBERTA / 8 MONTHS AGO Being a Cop has Always Been a Thankless Job CALGARY / 11 MONTHS AGO Why The News Is Fake, And Liberals Rely On Racism ALBERTA Major drug haul; ALERT seizes $3 million in drugs and cash Published on May 13, 2021 By Todayville

Good balanced article here now followed by an equally harrowing video of the event which has surfaced. Indeed, why the difference, especially as Tony Timpa had called the police to help him as he was having a psychotic problem and had no criminal record. Is Police Brutality a Racial Issue simply because the Media says so? - Todayville WWW.TODAYVILLE.COM For the first time in my lifetime, there is finally a topic that has garnered ubiquitous agreement; George Floyd was... 'You're gonna kill me!': Dallas police body cam footage reveals the final minutes of Tony Timpa's life WWW.DALLASNEWS.COM Tony Timpa wailed and pleaded for help more than 30 times as Dallas police officers pinned his shoulders, knees and...

Not up to the standard of Arbtalk SUYBs I am afraid! I will go down and take a proper video with the camcorder.

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Reed Buntings male and female with a Reed Warbler making a lot of noise At first I thought the female Bunting was a Reed Warbler Wish I had the proper camcorder to have a bit more zoom but you can expand it if you are watching on your phone IMG_1244.MOV IMG_1243.MOV

I am talking about the ones where a tree misses a cyclist by two inches or a four foot diameter tree is dropped in a four foot two inch gap between two greenhouses! The wonders of digital manipulation!

ok, now I don't believe any of your tree videos that anybody posts!

The only ones I have seen were looking weak like Myxy ones from a distance but close up their heads and eyes were normal but their bodies were just skin and bone. I believe they just starve to death as they perhaps cannot swallow or digest normally.

Exactly the same here in Lincolnshire. We used to have a couple of Barn Owl nests but Jackdaws have taken over the boxes and I have not seen one floating around for nearly two years. The volunteers who put up the boxes and check them regularly have the same story but the Tawny Owls are doing ok. I feel that the rabbits are suffering from the dreadful Haemorrhagic disease What is Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) , and why should I be concerned about it? - Goddard Veterinary Group WWW.GODDARDVETGROUP.CO.UK RHD is a serious and fatal disease in rabbits. It is also known as VHD (Viral Haemorrhagic Disease) and RCV (Rabbit... I have not seen a Myxomatosed rabbit for ages and the Haemorrhagic ones die in the burrows. This could spell disaster for the Foxes, Badgers Stoats, Weasels and others that rely on young rabbits. The lack of insects will also affect mammals as will the amount of rain this month. Actually have not seen a rat in the yard for ages or seen a sign of one. " 'tis an ill wind that blows nobody any good"

I do not sell firewood, only use a lot of it here at home. But it would be interesting to try out these rules on the two types of wood that I have sitting outside in my slightly less than 2 cubic metre boxes. On is full of Elm which died from DED and I have it in the round in 16 inch lengths unsplit. An ordinary wood splitter would not touch this stuff and even my X27 bounces off it. I think that it is so hard that the prongs of a moisture meter would not penetrate it. The other box is full of finger sized Ash branch loggings, which would also be fun trying to find an average reading.

Looks very much like they are pulling your plonker! Its a dummy.

Yes Goldfinches all over the Niger feeder, but they seem to drop most of the seeds on the ground as there is a carpet of black under the feeder. Do they just nibble the heart and leave the husk? We used to have six or seven Roe Deer regularly but only one or two now, Munties were everywhere but rare now. Bees well down and most insects too. I see that the Swallows have gone away again having started their nest building collecting mud in the yard and I suppose that they are driven away by lack of insects. I don't know how far they might go to find some. But I always look forward to taking the memory card out of the Trailcam every fortnight and looking through the 10 second video clips. There would generally be 40 or 50 clips to look through, Badgers and Foxes regular, Deer drifting through, Otters the old dog Otter was on most times and the mum if she had some pups. Now hardly anything apart from the Canada Geese Even Squirrels are rare now and we have not seen one on the bird feeder when they used to be regular.

Foxes?

We have changed nothing much here on the farm since I started in about 1970. Never did any game shooting, only ever shot rabbits and pigeon and I have not done that for years now. In the last few years when I drove around I would often see foxes who were not bothered by my presence I have set up a trail camera since 2014 and the wildlife that is captured on it has been consistent, Foxes, Otters, Stoats, Badgers, Roe deer and Muntjac But all this year there has been nothing Hardly any rabbits and one or two hares. Plenty of Buzzards, Carrions, Jackdaws, Jays and the occasional Red Kite No Rooks. The air is full of the sound of Song Thrushes and Blackcaps , just heard a Chiffchaff, several Swallows no Swifts or House Martin’s or Cuckoos. Just wondering if the Rabbits have had a really bad Winter, maybe with the haemo virus, the knock on effect for all these mammals which rely a lot on young rabbits to see them through the Winter, has done for a lot of them Just wondering if anyone has a similar tale.

How are your knees?

That was the quickest reaction I have ever seen Stubby!

Great photos! Like some women I have known , strikingly beautiful but with an unpleasant side to them! I have been bitten by one several times and although I may not have been aware of the settling and starting to bite there is definitely a Yeeowww moment but by the time you have reacted to swat they have buzzed off! ( the flies I am talking about!)

Very good call! My father was a keen entomologist and lepidopterist and had a large collection of horse flies, His favourite was Chrysops which is also known as a Deer Fly Beautiful colouring and eyes. Generally they buzz you first to test your response and then switch to stealth mode as you say Could be but I could not think it had the time from my short walk from the car to the bench. Deer fly - Wikipedia EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG On the subject of Hornets, he was always fascinated by them. Again at the lakeside I had chainsawed a seat from a large whole log, leaving most of the log intact. It rotted in the middle over the years and one year a woman friend was sitting there while her dog was let loose. It started to burrow at one end of the log, hornets appeared in the air and started squirting venom which is really time to run as the whole nest becomes animated! The dog was stung several times and the woman once on her head. Father showed little compassion when she came up to the house and wanted to examine her head for the wound where he found as he expected a slash left by the sting. He though that the actual sting was not much more venomous than a wasp sting but that it was the slash that really made it hurt. The Hornets are generally quite passive compared to Wasps except when provoked. Father had a friend who would rehome Hornets nests from people houses and would carry them down without protection. He used to say it was fine if you did not bump into anything on the way down! I was not convinced of his story and a couple of years ago we had another Hornets nest in a pallet box of wood again by the lake near the cabin. I thought that I would move it away with the Teleporter into the nearby wood. I sealed the doors and every hole with duct tape and very very gently pushed the forks under the box. No reaction from the Hornets. So I waited a bit longer and ever so gently lifted the boom and the box but they were not having that and a cloud of Hornets appeared very agitated. Interestingly none came for the cab or tried to come in. I took the box to the wood but none followed and they stayed around the cabin eventually starting a new nest underneath. I do feel that they are beneficial insect and loathe to kill them but I could not have them there with children and dogs around so I gave them a second chance. Wasp killing powder is high in pyrethroid but ant powder only has a few percent. I sprinkled a small amount at the entrance to where they were going in and the result was they all disappeared the next day and there was not one dead one.

I am familiar with ticks so I do not think so. I would not be carrying on about this if it was not for the second lump appearing at the same time with different symptoms. The first wound was clear neat and the blood was clean and there was no pain ,swelling or redness. I was only aware of it visually. It scabbed then healed The second one I became aware of only when it started itching. There was no central point or bite mark and the skin was intact. Over the next few hours and area the size of a 5 p coin became raised and hard Nothing scabbed or burst and both have healed now. All this is good practice for the time when we can never see a doctor again and all consultations are done over the web!!

I was once driving my car when I felt something on my eyebrow, just a feather like touch. I raised my hand to brush it gently away and the terrible , blinding pain which followed caused me to swerve onto the verge and stop. Luckily it was a minor road with no traffic. I jumped out of the car expecting to find a wasp but nothing, no buzzing ,no insect but I did have two puncture marks on my eyebrow so I concluded that it was a spider. Took ages to heal.

No time for that to happen I would think as the itching started soon after I saw the nick with the blood. Also no wire around no blackthorn, no hogweed, some figwort but that is meant to be medicinal and used to cure scrophula or tuberculosis, hence its Latin name. A lot of fuss about nothing really but I was just interested to know if there was an insect that could anaesthetise the skin before depositing an egg. Anyway I will let you know if I have an alien popping out or you will hear about it on the news!