Random Thoughts Part 4 - Split Thread

[Ibix]

Chutzpah: n

Reversing round a corner from a minor road to a major road (illegal) where the view is blocked by parked coaches (dangerous), and drawing attention to yourself by making a mess of it because you are talking on a mobile phone (illegal and dangerous)...

...outside a police station.

 

[lisab]

If I owned a garden store, I'd call it Plant Parenthood.

 

[fluidistic]

I have seen a medium sized bird (slightly smaller than a pigeon, with a yellow belly and definitely not a hummingbird) hovering a few seconds over the water before taking a drink.
However I had heard and read that hummingbirds are the only birds to be able to hover without wind help. For instance see http://www.bbc.com/news/28563737 or http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ealed-help-improve-helicopter-technology.html:

Hummingbirds are one of nature’s most energetic fliers and the only birds to hover in the air by relying on their strength alone.

and

of a hummingbird - the only bird capable of sustained hovering -

I think that they are spreading misinformation.

 

[OmCheeto]

I have seen a medium sized bird (slightly smaller than a pigeon, with a yellow belly and definitely not a hummingbird) hovering a few seconds over the water before taking a drink.
However I had heard and read that hummingbirds are the only birds to be able to hover without wind help. For instance see http://www.bbc.com/news/28563737 or http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ealed-help-improve-helicopter-technology.html: and
I think that they are spreading misinformation.

I agree. I've also seen lots of birds, other than hummingbirds, hover. .

Hovering

Hovering is used by several species of birds (and specialized in by one family). True hovering, which is generating lift through flapping alone rather than as a product of the bird's passage through the air, demands a lot of energy. This means that it is confined to smaller birds; the largest bird able to truly hover is the pied kingfisher, although larger birds can hover for short periods of time.

As I interpret sophiecentaur's saying; "Classification, is stupid".

An ornithological pedant would probably point out the word "sustained".
At which point, I would bonk them on the head, with the nearest heavy object.

 

[fluidistic]

I agree. I've also seen lots of birds, other than hummingbirds, hover. .
As I interpret sophiecentaur's saying; "Classification, is stupid".

An ornithological pedant would probably point out the word "sustained".
At which point, I would bonk them on the head, with the nearest heavy object.

Interesting. Though I am almost sure that the bird I've seen was bigger than a pied kingfisher. Ah, it may be that the definition of "true hovering" discards about 3 seconds hovering I guess.

 

[Astronuc]

What did you accomplish on Spring break?

13-year-old Ashima Shiraishi has just shattered two world records—and she did it in just 10 minutes over her spring break.
https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/13-year-old-ashima-shiraishi-is-a-rock-climbing-114605874218.html

 

[Ibix]

What did you accomplish on Spring break?

13-year-old Ashima Shiraishi has just shattered two world records—and she did it in just 10 minutes over her spring break.
https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/13-year-old-ashima-shiraishi-is-a-rock-climbing-114605874218.html

Impressive. To say the least.

Why have Yahoo put this in the Beauty section...?

 

[Silicon Waffle]

...
Why have Yahoo put this in the Beauty section...?

I read your question, think, till my head aches. She is a young strong teenager.
Maybe it's not so far as what I may think...

 

[lisab]

I have seen a medium sized bird (slightly smaller than a pigeon, with a yellow belly and definitely not a hummingbird) hovering a few seconds over the water before taking a drink.
However I had heard and read that hummingbirds are the only birds to be able to hover without wind help. For instance see http://www.bbc.com/news/28563737 or http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ealed-help-improve-helicopter-technology.html: and
I think that they are spreading misinformation.

Could you tell if the bird was a raptor?

 

[fluidistic]

Could you tell if the bird was a raptor?

Yes: it wasn't a raptor. It had a very particular behavior of hiding in trees and going down over water making a "U" shape flight every 8 minutes or so. I didn't figure out what it was doing so quickly over the water, I don't think it was drinking nor catching bugs. But then after 40 minutes of observation or so it went over the water and hovered about 3 seconds and drank while doing so.

 

[OmCheeto]

Yes: it wasn't a raptor. It had a very particular behavior of hiding in trees and going down over water making a "U" shape flight every 8 minutes or so. I didn't figure out what it was doing so quickly over the water, I don't think it was drinking nor catching bugs. But then after 40 minutes of observation or so it went over the water and hovered about 3 seconds and drank while doing so.

We have river raptors around here, that I'm sure I've seen hovering.
(google google google)
Ah ha!

"Osprey hovers like a hummingbird hunting in Yellowstone National Park"
​

ps. I can never remember the names of those birds, for some reason.

 

[DennisN]

Nice and interesting artwork, IMO, on this page: http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/a-modern-surrealist-painter-picks-up-where-dali-left-off, e.g. "The Sun Sets Sail":

 

[zoobyshoe]

Nice and interesting artwork, IMO, on this page: http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/a-modern-surrealist-painter-picks-up-where-dali-left-off

Those are very cool paintings. It's strange to me, though, that the writer of the article didn't realize the influence Escher had on them as well as Dali and Magritte.

 

[lisab]

Yes: it wasn't a raptor. It had a very particular behavior of hiding in trees and going down over water making a "U" shape flight every 8 minutes or so. I didn't figure out what it was doing so quickly over the water, I don't think it was drinking nor catching bugs. But then after 40 minutes of observation or so it went over the water and hovered about 3 seconds and drank while doing so.

Hmm. Perhaps a flycatcher. They often have yellow plumage, and some can hover for short periods.

 

[fluidistic]

Hmm. Perhaps a flycatcher. They often have yellow plumage, and some can hover for short periods.

I think it was bigger than that. Anyway next time if it ever happens again I'll try to take a photo.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

hairless men look OK in public but hairy women doesn't.

 

[WWGD]

It seems the self-appointed gurus that tell you money does not matter are all rich.

Think twice before flushing:
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/scientists-want-to-mine-our-poop-for-gold

 

[WWGD]

hairless men look OK in public but hairy women doesn't.

Where do you come on women with mustache ;) ?

 

[HomogenousCow]

Got rejected by Boston University, but admitted to Imperial College and U Chicago.
What the hell?

 

[Ibix]

hairless men look OK in public but hairy women doesn't.

Really? 3bn+ individuals, not one of whom could even appear "OK in public" with hair?

 

[nuuskur]

When a police officer is waving his hand up and down it means the driver has to slow down Not stop the car. I was pursued and pulled over and asked why I didn't pull over when the officer told me...


...it's not the first time it's happened to me -.-

 

[Silicon Waffle]

When a police officer is waving his hand up and down it means the driver has to slow down Not stop the car. I was pursued and pulled over and asked why I didn't pull over when the officer told me...


...it's not the first time it's happened to me -.-

That guy pulling you over didn't know well the rules, or worse he wanted to show you that he was the rules.

 

[JorisL]

Ah the joys of cataloguing an extensive collection of PDFs. 2 hours in, 200 named and tagged.
Expected to be done: 2020

 

[Silicon Waffle]

Ah the joys of cataloguing an extensive collection of PDFs. 2 hours in, 200 named and tagged.
Expected to be done: 2020

It's reasonable, I see a good future with PDFs.

 

[WWGD]

When a police officer is waving his hand up and down it means the driver has to slow down Not stop the car. I was pursued and pulled over and asked why I didn't pull over when the officer told me...


...it's not the first time it's happened to me -.-

Officer is just showing he doesn't care http://www.cuil.pt/r.php?cx=0028257...hands+in+the+air+like+you+dont+care&sa=Search

 

[collinsmark]

When a police officer is waving his hand up and down it means the driver has to slow down Not stop the car.

Being in the United States, that sounds so bizarre to me. There's absolutely no parallel here. There's no signal at all in the USA where a police officer would signal someone to simply slow down. [Edit: Well, besides pulling them over first, and then verbally telling them face-to-face, as a warning, to slow down.]

 

[nuuskur]

We have a whole system of signals meant for traffic regulators primarily, because they are sometimes needed due to roadworks or w/e the reason when a traffic light won't cut it. Waving means "slow down", stretched out arm without moving means "stop". You would think a local police officer would know that in his sleep, but apparently not :/

 

[collinsmark]

Fascinating.

[Oh, I should mention that sometimes road workers hold up caution signs that have "SLOW" printed on them. So there's that.]

 

[OmCheeto]

3 year old Chuuks sound like baby Klingons, when they want in, and their mother has shut the front door.

"TU VA WA APA WA TAH! Wahhhhhhhhhhh!"

hmmmm... I wonder if this is where Neal Stephenson got the idea.

ps. Does anyone know if "Wah" is the British equivalent of the American "Blah"?
When I first watched the Concert for George, I didn't like that song.
But, lately, it's stuck me as one of the best.
Kind of like broccoli, I suppose.

Live and learn.

 

[nuuskur]

Fascinating.

[Oh, I should mention that sometimes road workers hold up caution signs that have "SLOW" printed on them. So there's that.]

Depends on the extent of the roadwork at hand. What they typically do is seal off that area of the street entirely, because the entire road will be torn up for weeks hence impassable. Traffic lights are not portable, unfortunately, so these people stand at the strategic points that lead into that part of the town and regulate traffic from there. It wouldn't be a big deal if it weren't for public transport.