Open Thread - Thurs 26 Jan 2023 - Brahhhhhh! Donkeys!
Donkeys!
We often talk about the Democrat type of donkey, concerning which I have little approval (don't like the Republican type of elephant, either).
But OTC and I had a little discussion about using real, honest, reliable, non-paid, hardworking donkeys as guardians for goats, and then she gave us the story of her wonderful donkey, Tarbaby, from when she was young.
Donkeys: from the BBC article
And just about then, I found this article on the Beeb about how donkeys changed the world, featuring some skeletal finds from a Roman villa/farm, amongst other things. I had no idea that donkeys weren't present in France until Roman times (it was all horses before then) and weren't abundant there until late Roman times, although mules were highly abundant during the Roman period. Mules were integral to the movement of people (like soldiers), their supplies, commercial goods and more during the Empire and late Antiquity. In the Late Roman Empire huge donkeys (as large as modern horses) took over from mules, and donkeys (albeit smaller ones) took over from mules as an 'important element of economic activities' in the Middle Ages (science article on origins, etc). The donkeys originated from West Africa.
Genetic work on donkeys (see the BBC article) shows that donkeys were domesticated around 7000 years ago (which is before horses were domesticated), and originated in Kenya and the horn of Africa (east Africa). Other work suggests another domestication event in Yemen, with donkeys being part of how humans handled the increasing desertification (Sahara desert increased) when the monsoons slowed down about 8,000 years ago.
Anyway, the article has more about the domestication, use, and importance of the donkey to human society. It is a fun read!
Other than that, this is a short Open Thread. Thanks for reading! And dive right in and tell us what you are doing, reading, learning, whatever! Love to hear it!
EDIT: 1 pm PST 26 Jan
OH My GOODNESS, it seems something has sucked up the bulk of this post... I am trying to fix it asap, my apologies. I have no idea what did it...
1:08 pm, I have fixed it, and added back in the content of the post. As I said, I have no idea what did this, everything was great when it published and I went to bed, after doing my last coyote round! Sorry for the weirdness!
Comments
Hey, hey, hey!
The coyote patrol I've been having to do is actually doing me some good. And there's been no coyotes coming close now, although they howl in the woods around the farm pastures. It's great being outside late at night, early in the morning. I'd forgotten that. I walk around, check the goats, shine a light out into the field, then come back inside. It only sucks when it's raining hard!
Right now, there is a flock of Canadian geese on the goat pasture. Must be about 30 of them. I wonder if they have passports or border crossing papers???
Also, did you know that sink faucets can apparently get pinhole leaks in their goosenecks (not the same as the necks of the geese in the previous paragraph!) after 30 years of being a great kitchen sink faucet? I do, now! Looking for a replacement faucet. But duct tape stopped the leak for a little while, at least.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning, sima! (et al)
Ah, Donkey.
I didn't know Kenya gifted the world with donkeys. I've been there twice, never heard that from the guides. They need more education, perhaps?
Must get on the road, trial this morning in another county. Hope I do not hit a deer on the way, which I have done before.
Glad to know coyotes are scared of flashlights!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Kenya?
Very cool. I don't think the guides knew, not because of education, but because this is the result of new research. Also, there's a bit of a scientific kerfluffle (of course!) about it, since Yemen might also be a spot of origin for the donkey. Still, domesticated before the horse! So cool.
I hope the trial went well!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
I did a quickie
8 day trip there with a couple of friends, one of whom was celebrating her daughter's college graduation. We had fun, and the 2 college age women were very nice. I had expected to avoid them, so that was a pleasant surprise.
We stayed in or near Nairobi. Saw lots of animals,4 of "the big five". Leopards are very difficult to spot!
The second trip was an expensive, 2 week visit that started in Kenya, ended in Tanzania. The Kenyan guide was sort of arrogant. The Tanzanian guide was outstanding. For whatever reasons, as we had our farewell dinners and goodbyes, he came up to me and gave me a hug, which is surprising, given his Muslim practices. I hope to return one day.
I do not remember seeing any donkeys or horses at all. We spent quite a bit of time visiting very primitive villages. The tribe members all walked.
It's great to learn something every day!
One trial was postponed, the other resolved in an agreement between the parties.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I found out something interesting
from a court house security guard this morning.
Biden issued some executive order that confiscates all long guns given to police from Army surplus.
Ukraine must need them.
The guns were taken yesterday.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning otc. Sounds like a good thing.
We don't really need our cops to be armed up like military or militia forces. They also don't need loads of long guns to do their jobs. Should they need a couple for specific uses, they should put them in their budget and go through normal procedures.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I think cops should be disarmed.
I just thought it was a remarkable event, given that the past 4 or more presidents are hell bent on fortifying cops.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Wonder if the feds are fearing an armed militia
especially in places like Texas? Just a hunch. It is an about face.
If the fed loses control of LOE by some stupid domestic military move,
then it makes some sense to de-weaponize potential adversaries.
question everything
I thought of the poor
neo-Nazis in Ukraine needing them. But you are correct, that local and state police are less likely to come after a mass of pissed off civilians than the military.
The timing of this, the lack of media coverage, lack of any stated reason or stated goal. It is just weird, eh?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Weird yes
The benefactors of a well armed public are not going to be the feds
positioning their domestic forces against us should things go weird.
We are getting our butts kicked in Ukraine, Pentagon won't go there,
so who are they going to fight? Nobody wants their wars. Once the
citizenry stands up to the domestic abuse, things get tricky. We will
have to fight enemies domestic and otherwise. If the government
continues this war of attrition agains their own citizens, there will be
a reaction.
question everything
Hell,
I have read statements from elected officials from other countries say something to the effect the reason we, the people, can protest and not be compliant with various government mandates is because we have guns.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Yep
It is kinda remarkable, isn't it? Shows how low the military stockpile must be getting as we arm Ukraine, maybe?
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good
I'm glad the guns were taken away. I'm not happy they are being sent to Ukraine though. Still the police don't need long guns... or tanks or... whatever.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning Sima et. y'all.
Today's content got me thinking. Geese - domesticated ones, have been known to guard and protect their flocks from moderately large predators (Greater white fronted??). Canada's can also flock attack, but dunno about while on migration.
I have noticed helmeted guinea fowl on assorted "farms" and "ranches" throughout the west, but I have no idea why. In the wild they mostly forage for insects and small critters. I saw some in Kenya drive a couple of juvie cheetahs from their kill, so maybe coyote patrol?
A tiny bit of reading indicates that some have seen them do exactly that and that they also police herd animals for ticks and stuff.
Possibly read p on them a little and see if maybe a suitable answer?
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Swans, too, I have heard
They are big birds and fiercely defensive of their nests.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
hola Maven. That sounds about right, I guess
ground nesting birds need to do that to survive.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I hadn't thought about geese that way
although I've watched them defend themselves in flocks before, so I don't know why I never thought of it. The defense was against a dog (not mine). Where I live there is a huge pond created in the winter by the winter rains and very bad drainage planning on the part of the county many years ago (they stuck a drainage pipe too high, and haven't ever corrected it). So we get this pond. Used to get tons of waterfowl on it. Now, not so much, but we still get the geese in the fields. And this year, we've two huge white swans as well!
The geese in our fields get along really well with the goats. They follow them around, quite happily, and even come into the inner goat paddock when they can.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hee-haw hee-haw
Hi all, Hi Sima,
Thanks for the great Donkey info Sima! I have ignored much in the animal world that is domestic. I like Donkeys myself. Butalso know the 'wild Burros' as they are oft-called can be an ecological nightmare and some places have had to resort to culling them to save sensitive habitats. I think Death Valley N.P. had to. Wild is a misnomer, they are introduced non-natives here. They must be one of the toughest beasts out there.
I suspect I must have an enlarged crepuscular gene, dusk and dawn are the best parts of the day.
Birders generally see more sunrises than milkmen. That is what we said when there were milkmen. I'd like the night more if I could see anything. But the things you see at night are often not available in daylight. Soooo much is nocturnal. I go outside once an hour or so and have a listen in the dark. I have always had fair number of birds on my yard lists which are calling nocturnal migrant flyovers. Shorebirds especially call on passage from up above. Got a yard list Virginia Rail thataway too!
Maybe if Coyotes are close just firing a .22 round into the ground would be enough to put them off. They often know what that is, and don't like it. Scaring your animals is a problem though.
EL's idea about Geese or Guineafowl is good. Lots of folks here keep Guineafowl, I think mostly for eggs (must be a one-egg omelette), but I think they do eat them too. In Mexico geese of various domestic varieties often seemed the watchdog of choice. China Goose, or the 'barnyard' domestic type (which are white or natural colored similar to White-fronted Goose, probably derived from Greylag Goose methinks. If you have ever been pinched good by that shoe-leather bill, you will never forget it.
BTW the proper correct official name of those beasties is Canada Goose. For some reason 'Canadian' Goose took off (amongst non-birders) and is oft-used, somewhat unfortunately. There is a Canada Jay too. Other examples are California Quail, Arizona Woodpecker, Oregon Junco, Carolina Wren and Chickadee, and so on. They typically do not use that attributive suffix like that in the proper correct formal common names of birds. Sorry I don't know the proper term for that type of usage.
Anwyay, thanks for the interesting Donkey info! And the OT!
Be well all!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Can't find the don key on my key board
glad you are up with the dawn
and down with the proper calling
of goose types
the area we inhabit is called sakonnet
which comes from the native word
where the black goose land
question everything
the black goose?
Hey Q! Wow how cool! I only ever had the famous grouse.
I bet the name black goose must have been for Brant. The sea goose that eats eel grass in winter in coastal bays used to be abundant there. There still are common... but not like they were. But way back the Canada Goose was truly a Canadian, in that they all nested up there. And only wintered in the states. And they are brown. But the Brant, is black. And also was only a winterer there in the olden days. A fair number of Brant fly down the Hudson River from Hudson Bay and on the right day you can see thousands going over way up high. It is a saltwater goose in winter, the only one really. All the others are freshwater, save the near-arctic Emperor Goose. The Pacific population of Brant is so black it is called the Black Brant, though has lost full species status and is a subspecies now. I bet they were the black goose.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Brant Geese
I've seen a couple here, over the years. We are only about a mile or less from sea water, so sometimes we get them here... they are really neat!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Woo hoo, another 'night person'!
Or at least, an early dawn person. I have been a night person all my life. Love the dusk, love the dawn! I forgot that it's Canada, not Canadian, Geese. Thanks for reminding me. Once in a while we see California Quail around here, usually in the more wilder areas, like my parents' property in the Olympic mountains.
At night, right now, I get to listen to owls. I really like it. One sometimes accompanies me down to see the goats. I think it's looking for whatever I might scare up. The other night, it was a bunny! It was too big for the owls...
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Once camped near an intermittant spring in the Panamint
valley, a few miles from Ballarat. Was awakened in the middle of the night by a herd of "wild burros" milling around and spent the night in the bed of the truck lest we get trampled.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Interesting observation
You are a veritable wellspring on all things avian.
We do still have sizable flocks of the Canada variety
mostly fall thru spring, but I have not seen a black goose.
The Brant Black makes sense. Reminds me of Brent Crude
in an oily sorta way.
thanks
question everything
Well...
I spent my life birding and like a fool squandered the rest...
The big Canada Goose is often called 'Honker'. And now nests across the U.S. often resident and no longer migratory (!) due to a million artificial permanent water sources being installed. Lakes, reservoirs, parks, etc. have greatly increased their numbers and they resident south to southern California now! They will have new genes soon. I don't recall how far north Brant winter, maybe Long Is. sound? Or just south of that. Shallow water bays, with eelgrass, but can be seen in flocks at sea in migration. Nov in the NE fall, and March-April in the spring. Cool unique goose, the Brant. Long ago just called Sea Goose.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein