Bare Feet and Feathers? How Do Birds Survive Winter Weather?
Well, it turns out that although our avian winter neighbors share a similar technique for keeping their feet from freezing, their strategies for dealing with cold, snowy days can differ.
First Rule: Use Those Feathers!
Male cardinal using the air between his feathers to stay warm.
A Red-bellied Woodpecker looking very chubby on an ice cold morning.
What About Those Bare Feet, Though?
Last summer I caught this American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) staring at its feet in a tree near Lost Lake. I laughed to think that perhaps it was worrying about how they'd feel on a snowy day! Birds really do have very cold feet in the winter. According to scientist and professor Bernd Heinrich on the Cornell website, the feet of chickadees stay just above freezing even while their body temperatures are very high. Presumably, they don't feel it much. Their feet are mostly tendons and bones with very few muscles or nerves. If you look at those three birds with feather puffed that are pictured above, you can see they've hunched over their feet, covering them with their body feathers. Or sometimes birds simply tuck one leg at a time against their breast. Also, the arteries and veins in birds' feet are close together. As Heinrich explains it, a bird's feet are provided with continuous blood flow which keeps them from freezing. Since the arteries pass close to the veins in a bird's legs, the cooled blood from the feet gets warmed on the way back to the heart to keep the bird's body warm. And the warm blood from the heart is cooled down as it moves out to the legs, reducing heat loss. Pretty efficient system!
Second Rule: Eat as Much as Possible!
But What Do They Eat in Winter?
Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) and American Goldfinches can be gluttonous at feeders during the winter because they are vegetarians; no insects or caterpillars for them! On most winter days, they can find seeds or fruits, but your feeder helps to supplement the wild supply. Mourning Doves can eat 12-20% of their body weight per day! They store seed in their crops, a muscular pouch near the throat, and digest it later to help keep themselves warm at night.
Mourning Doves eat 12-20% of their body weight in seeds each day.
I've seen Cedar Waxwings (Bombycillia cedrorum) eating frozen vine fruits or leaf buds that overwinter on the branches of trees.
Cedar waxwings will eat leaf buds on trees during the winter as well as frozen berries.
But many local birds, including Waxwings, are omnivores who can eat a wide range of foods. The Tufted Titmouse, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Chickadees and all kinds of Woodpeckers (family Picidae) spend winter days probing loose bark or hopping along branches looking for frozen dinners; insects, insect eggs, pupae or perhaps a frozen caterpillar will do just fine as sources of protein on a cold day.
Crows find deer carcasses a great source of protein in cold weather.
Where Do Birds Spend Cold Winter Nights?
According to the Smithsonian's Peter Marra, "Many small birds, like Black-Capped Chickadees, Eastern Bluebirds, and House Wrens, will gather in large groups at night and crowd together in a small, tight space to share body heat." Sharing body heat keeps down fat loss during the night to preserve energy for the next day's foraging. In his article for Cornell's All About Birds, Bernd Heinrich describes finding a group of tiny Golden- Crowned Kinglets (Regulus satrapa) huddled in a circle on the branch of a pine tree, beaks in, tails out, sharing their body heat on a winter night. These tiny birds, which overwinter in our area, are about half the weight of a Chickadee! This lovely winter photo of a Golden-crowned Kinglet was taken by a photographer named cedimaria at the website inaturalist.org.
Bernd Heinrich reports in his essay collection, Winter's World, that woodpeckers provide some cozy winter housing for other birds as well as themselves. Every spring, woodpeckers make a fresh hole for raising their young, but they tend to use them for only one year. So small birds can often find an abandoned woodpecker hole to get out of the wind and snow on a winter night. In the autumn, Dr. Heinrich has also spotted both Downy Woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens) and Hairy Woodpeckers (Dryobates villosus) constructing special overnight shelters just for winter use. I spotted a Downy doing just that in Gallagher Creek Park one November day. Note the flying wood chips!
A Downy woodpecker in November excavating a hole, chips flying.
Even though Chickadees can excavate their own holes, in extreme cold they require a few extra tricks at night. According to the Audubon society, these little birds can lower their body temperature at night by as much as 22 degrees, minimizing the difference between their body temperature and the bitterly cold air. They also keep warmer by shivering, which activates opposing muscle groups and produces heat. Luckily, they can even shiver while sleeping, which is something I can't quite imagine doing! And of course once settled, like many birds, they can tuck their beaks and feet into their feathers to preserve heat as well.
Though Chickadees can excavate their own holes , sometimes they explore an available cranny in a snag as a possible place to spend a cold night.
Thank Goodness for Our Adaptable Winter Birds!
A Chickadee plumped up and ready for a winter day.
Aren't you glad that some birds stay with us all winter? And that some actually arrive for an extended stay just as the snow begins to fall? The constant flutter of a busy Chickadee, the "yank yank" call of a Nuthatch as it circles a branch or the friendly chirping of a flock of foraging Tree Sparrows in dry grass are so companionable on gray winter days. And what could be more heartening on a frigid morning than the sight of scarlet Northern Cardinals or azure Blue Jays in a snowy bush? I'm so thankful that some birds have figured out how to survive the cold along with us. By taking shelter, shivering, eating heartily, and snuggling into down comforters very much like we do, they keep us company as we make our way towards spring.
Footnote: My sources for information, besides Oakland Township's Stewardship Manager Ben VanderWeide, are as follows: Allaboutbirds.org, the website of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University; Wikipedia; A Field Guide to Nature in Winter by Donald Stokes, Winter World by Bernd Heinrich, A Naturalist at Large by Bernd Heinrich and others as cited in the text.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: Amazing Migrators on the Move!
Well, they're off! When the wind sails in from the north, it's a signal to all kinds of creatures: "Time to go!" So they take wing singly and in large flocks, letting the flow of cool air support them, carrying them quickly onward as they beat wings of all sizes to make their way to warmer climes.
And of course, it's not just birds. Above you can see our friend Nancy Isken's photo of Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) last week resting at Tawas Point State Park before crossing Saginaw Bay. They were beginning their long journey to Mexico where they will spend the winter. In the spring, these Monarchs will make the first leg of the journey back north, stopping in warm areas like Texas to produce a new crop of butterflies who continue heading north. These new generations will fly only a few hundred miles, stop and reproduce, completing their whole life cycle in only 5-7 weeks. So it takes several generations to complete the trip back to Michigan each summer. Sarina Jepson of the Xerces Society, which is focused on invertebrate conservation, says in a fine National Geographic article, "…when fall rolls around again, a special 'super generation' of monarchs that can live up to eight months will make use of air currents to wing all the way back to Mexico—a seemingly impossible feat for such a delicate-looking insect." Imagine that! So the Monarch butterflies born here In Oakland Township each summer can potentially live for 8 months instead of 5-7 weeks and fly 3,000 miles instead of a few hundred. We are living among real, live superheroes!
And Monarchs aren't the only insects that migrate. Green Darner Dragonflies (Anax junius) (also tracked by the Xerces Society) travel down to Texas and Mexico as well. For dragonflies, it also takes many generations of reproduction before their trip is completed, though their migration is less well understood. But again, like the Monarch generations that arrive here each summer, the dragonfly offspring seem to know how to find their way in the right direction. Citizen science and research is helping explore dragonfly migration. But for now, I love a good nature mystery, don't you?
Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui) make multiple generation migrations all over the world. But they migrate erratically. Some years they migrate and some years they don't. And the direction and route can vary widely. Some experts speculate that their migration routes may be affected by dramatic changes in weather and climate – another nature mystery yet to be solved.
At this time of year, the night sky begins to fill with thousands, even millions, of birds riding the wind south in the darkness, navigating by the stars or the setting sun, or by sensing the earth's magnetic field. Some may navigate by landmarks or simply remembering good feeding grounds. And amazingly, most juvenile migrating birds, like those insects hatching during migration, somehow know how to find their way without any help from adults! Cornell's BirdCast website is a great way to watch the flow of birds across the United States day by day throughout the fall.
If you're thinking you'd like to see some bird migrations in BIG numbers, you might check out the Hawk Fest featuring hawks, eagles, falcons and owls at Lake Erie Metropark on September 15 and 16. Or if you love our Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis), consider a trip to the Audubon Society's Cranefest at Big Marsh Lake in Bellevue, Michigan (near Battle Creek) on October 13 and 14.
Of course, if you want to stay close to home, you'll be warmly welcomed at our Oakland Township Wednesday morning bird walks. The walks rotate through our township parks each month and in September and October, they start at 8 a.m. The schedule is available year 'round if you click on the drop-down menu above for "Stewardship Events." We're a friendly group with some experienced birders who are glad to help beginners see their first migrators. Bring your binoculars or borrow a set from Ben, our Natural Areas Stewardship Manager, who leads the walks.
So yes, summer is waning. But I can't help feeling celebratory as autumn air turns crisp and the skies fill with winged creatures. I recommend looking upward this fall and perhaps wishing "Bon Voyage!", to our migrators who provide such beauty and mystery as they find their paths through the air.
Oakland Township is honored to have royalty stop by on their way to the north country! No entourage for this group, though the paparazzi do follow them avidly, as you'll see below. Like many royals nowadays, they mostly look ordinary. But once in a while, if you're lucky, each of them don their extravagant gold and ruby crowns – especially when courting their royal consorts or battling over territory.
As you may have guessed, I'm referring to two kinglets, those tiny avian migrators who, when excited, raise their brightly colored crests. In the last two weeks, both little "crowned heads" of North America paused in their northern sojourn to enjoy a brief respite among the trees of Charles Ilsley Park.
Most of the time, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) is an unassuming green-gray bird with a white eye-ring. It hops at a frenetic pace from limb to limb, tree to tree, twitching its wings, and moving on. Here's a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in its humble garb at Ilsley last week.
But when agitated, this diminutive monarch pops up a bright scarlet crest. Unfortunately all of the Ruby-crowns I've seen have been reluctant to display their crowns for me. So, here's a photo of one doing just that, taken by Mathesant, a talented photographer at inaturalist.org.
On a cold April morning, the birders spotted another royal migrator, the Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa). Since this one preferred to stay high in the treetops, taking his portrait at Ilsley on a gray day was a bit challenging – but at least we were able to admire that bright yellow head stripe from a distance.
These little birds (smaller than a chickadee!) keep a patch of orange/red feathers hidden beneath that stripe. This tiny kinglet also only flaunts his splendid crown when he's really excited. I couldn't find a photo of the raised crest that I could share here. But it's pretty impressive, so catch a glimpse at this Cornell link instead.
These two aerial royals only grace our parks on their way to the dense spruce or fir forests to the north, the summer retreats where they raise their offspring. So be on the lookout right now for royalty in the tree tops!
At first glance, Bear Creek Nature Park in November doesn't have much to recommend it. A frequently gray sky glowers overhead. Insects don't buzz, soar over or spring out of the fields now drained of color. Birds only occasionally call but never sing. A casual observer might say that that there's "nothing to see." But they'd be wrong.
It just takes a bit more attention and a dash of memory to enjoy a late autumn hike. That quick little movement in the bare shrubbery could be a group of small golden migrators wintering here with us. Leaves skate across the pond's first skim of ice or frame a bit of brilliant green and red moss. The birds that live with us year 'round are making winter homes and energetically seeking out bits of nourishment all around us if we look. Summer creatures snooze under the bark of trees and under the soil at our feet as we walk. Life doesn't stop, even in November. We just need a bit more care to enjoy it on a November day.
Noticing November's Birds – Blue, Red, Golden, Even Ones with Fancy Hairdos!
All month the Center Pond has shifted from water to ice and back again – but it's always a place to watch with a keen eye. On the first bird walk of the month, the group saw Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) as usual, calmly cruising at the far end of the pond. But then, wait! What about that bird with the bouffant crest? It seems that those sneaky Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) may have added an egg to a Mallard or Wood Duck nest, as they occasionally do. The young female Merganser steamed up and down the bank at a snappy pace, as her Mallard companions paused to preen along the way.
This female may have come from an egg that the adult laid in a Mallard or Wood Duck nest.
That same early November day, the birders heard the "tsee, tsee" call and then saw a group of winter visitors from northern Canada, Golden-crowned Kinglets (Regulus satrapa). The flock was too quick-moving for me, so I've borrowed a lovely shot from iNaturalist.org's photographer, Joanne Redwood. Though we saw these little Kinglets in bare shrubs, look for them mostly where there are lots of pines whose needles provide shelter for them on snowy days.
Late in the month, a male Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) had claimed the center pond as his winter territory and found my presence quite annoying. When I spotted this guy, he was calmly gazing out across the pond with his crest lowered. But as I approached, his crest began to rise as he swooped between three trees at the eastern end of the pond, shouting his rattle-call to declare his territory. Female Belted Kingfishers usually migrate a bit south to be guaranteed some open water, which they need for fishing. But the males often stay north to protect possible nesting territory. When the pond freezes, though, he'll temporarily move south or to water that stays open in the dead of winter.
An agitated male Belted Kingfisher pauses for a shot as he defines his territory for me by swooping between 3 trees.
The next time I saw the mallards at the pond, the day was icy cold but the pond was still open. Three males were "bottoms up," feeding.
Three male Mallards go "up tails all" while feeding in the Center Pond.
On that same icy day, a large flock of Mallards on Bear Creek Marsh preened frantically, trying to keep warm by adding oil to their feathers from a gland beneath their tails. The oil helps align their feathers, providing maximum waterproofing and insulation.
On any icy day, Mallards in the marsh preen busily, adding more oil to their feathers for insulation and waterproofing.
A female Bluebird with her characterisitc gray head.
She looked at me with some curiosity as I looked at her in the same way.
The number of "dees" in the call of Black-capped Chickadee indicates how much danger it perceives.
A few minutes later, a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) decided to take it step further – either looking for possible insect eggs or perhaps exploring the depth of a hole in the same snag for a winter retreat. In winter, Nuthatches hang out with Chickadees and Titmice for protection and to take advantage of possible food sources other birds may find.
A White-breasted Nuthatch explores a hole in the same snag graced by the Chickadee a few minutes before.
A "kwirr" call from high above alerted us to a Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus). This male definitely seemed to be foraging. I think I spotted little insect eggs on his beak as he concentrated his attention on one spot in the bark. He can use his summer nesting hole in a dead tree or limb on cold winter nights.
On days when birds are elusive and the parks seem quiet, I watch for reminders of summer creatures who are hidden away, spending the winter underground, under water, or under bark and leaves all around me. Here are a few that came to mind during November.
The Raccoon's (Procyon lotor) hole is empty now, but I bet there may be one or two sleeping deep in that well-used south-facing hole.
The empty raccoon hole looks forlorn.
But one of two raccoons may be curled up down below.
It looks as though a Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) built this unusual "push-up" den among the trees on a small mud flat in the Center Pond. So there will be probably be one swimming very slowly and eating in the air space inside the den during the winter.
Muskrats spend the winter slowly swimming and feeding under the ice and resting in the airspace of their dens.
Of course, some of the reminders concern summer visitors. This little nest we spotted during an early snow shower could be the summer breeding home of a variety of birds. I'm no expert on nests, but I'm imagining that it could be that of a Chipping Sparrow since Cornell describes their nests as "a loose cup of rootlets and dried grasses so flimsy you can often see through it" But that's just a guess.
A small nest appeared on a snowy day.
Perhaps it's the nest of a Chipping Sparrow. But that's only a guess.
And this fragile, scrap of nest near the pond brings back memories of the faithful father, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) who patiently took his turn at the nest – an unusual behavior in male birds. The nest was never very sturdy but autumn winds and rain have left only the base.
The remains of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak's nest near the pond.
The faithful male Rose-breasted Grosbeak takes his turn on the nest at Bear Creek Nature Park.
And this abandoned, tattered masterpiece was probably the home of some sort of Yellow Jacket species, perhaps the Bald-Faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata.) The only surviving member of this once active hive would be the inseminated queen who is probably spending the winter under bark or inside a log nearby. She'll emerge to lay the eggs of future queens and future workers whose infertile eggs produce the males.
A Bald-faced hornet landing on a nest in the summer.
Standing by a wetland pond in the park last week, I was reminded of the Salamanders (Order Urodela) who now must be hibernating under my feet. On a warm, wet night next spring, salamanders will wriggle their way to the water, lay their eggs on a stick and hide again under logs further upland. That's where I found some of their young when the trees were green last spring.
The Mourning Cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa) which can actually overwinter as an adult under bark or in a tree cavity might be camouflaged inside or on any tree you pass on your hike. The underside of it wings imitate tree bark when folded. The upper side, however, features a white edge and a lovely band of blue spots when it flutters forth in early April, as you can see in this photo by inaturalist.org photographer Lewnanny Richardson.
How about placing bets on which leaf wins the race across an icy Center Pond? Here's a silly 10 second video with faint "play-by-play" by my husband, Reg.
And adult and child venturing out on the Walnut Lane.
Footnote: My sources for information, besides Oakland Township's Stewardship Manager Ben VanderWeide, are as follows: Caterpillars of Eastern North America by David L. Wagner; inaturalist.org;Allaboutbirds.org, the website of the Cornell Ornithology Lab at Cornell University; Wikipedia; Herbarium of the University of Michigan at michiganflora.net; various Michigan Field Guides by Stan Tekiela;Butterflies of Michigan Field Guide by Jaret C. Daniels,  and others as cited in the text.
What a glorious week for seeing migrating songbirds – and what frustration for a photographer who can't quite manage to capture them all! The trees, bushes and vines (like the Virginia Creeper on the right) are full of tiny, chirping birds that hop about quickly searching for sustenance before the next leg of their fall journeys.
I'll share what I was able to photograph this week, with all the imperfections of an amateur photographer who, until this year, had almost no experience with warblers – who are very small and move very fast!
And then I'll link you to better photos from Cornell Lab or Audubon.org, so you can see these little beauties up close – instead of half hidden by brush, silhouetted against the sun or at the very tops of trees! So much color and energy in the park! It's a wonder how these small songbirds sail through the night and land in Bear Creek for a day's rest and some fruits, seeds and insects to sustain them on the next leg of their journeys.
Winged Visitors : Warblers and Kinglets Everywhere!
If you're looking for small migrating birds at Bear Creek, bring good binoculars and a lot of patience! I learned a lot at Wednesday's bird walk from Dr. Ben and Ruth Glass who leads bird walks at Stoney Creek Metro Park and is a highly experienced birder. For instance, they told us that in early morning, it's best to look for birds where the sun first hits the trees. (Makes sense, eh?) So take the path into the park from Snell and once you get out in the field, look in the trees and bushes at the first large curve to the left. Wow! Lots of birds in those bushes and trees!
Other great places for me have been the Walnut Lane and the circuit all the way around the Playground Pond. Walk slowly and very quietly and begin by listening to any cheeping in the bushes. Watch for twitching foliage and you'll see them. But you need to go soon! The migration for many songbirds peaked this week and numbers will decline until they are gone by early November.
Palm Warblers (Setophaga palmarum) hopped from branch to branch again this week. Look for their "field marks," including a rusty cap, dark eye line, breast streaks at the sides and yellow underparts. It'll be leaving soon to go as far south as the Caribbean – which could be where it got its name?
Palm Warblers are passing through the park. Look for their yellow underparts with streaking on the side and a rusty cap.
I caught sight of what I think is a Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) going after some fruit. It seems to be a male in its non-breeding, fall colors. Page down to the bottom of this link for several different good views, including the non-breeding (fall) plumage. Side note: Last week's Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) and this one aren't necessarily from Tennessee. According to Ruth Glass, they were first reported and drawn by John James Audubon who lived in Kentucky for part of his life and probably named birds for where he saw them.
A Tennessee Warbler forages for fruit before continuing its migration.
The tiny, almost constantly moving Kinglets pass through Bear Creek during the spring and fall, too. The flitting Ruby-Crowned Kinglet is identified by its size, irregular white eye ring and its twitching wings! Its "ruby crown" only shows when it's excited or courting, though one of the birders saw a Kinglet's crown this Wednesday! Maybe you can see the tiny red dot on the head of this bird that I saw the next day – or you can have a look at it really flared in this Audubon link.
A tiny Ruby-Crowned Kinglet – see the link above for a photo with the crown flaring.
I saw another Kinglet last weekend silhouetted in the sunlight and had no idea what it was until Ruth Glass identified it from my poor photo as a Golden-Crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa.) Their field marks are a very short, thin beak perfect for winkling out insects and of course the gold on their wings and crown. Have a look at this Audubon link for a better view!
My not-so-terrific photo of a Golden-Crowned Kinglet. See the link for a much better photo!
I learned this year to stop ignoring small, brownish birds assuming they were all sparrows that I already knew. That's how I missed seeing other small migrants. Look at this beautiful White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) with the bright yellow dots(called "lores") in front of its eyes, a striped crown and of course, a white throat marked by black stripes called "whiskers" or "malar stripes"!
Keep an eye on sparrows! Here's a migrating White-throated Sparrow with a bright yellow dot in front of his eyes.
A White-Crowned Sparrow born this summer, readying itself for its first migration.
White-Crowned Sparrows look radically different after one year. Here's a photo I took at Bear Creek on October 6, 2008 and then a closeup of one at my house in spring a few years later. Hard to believe it's the same bird as the brown "first winter" bird in the photo above, isn't it?
A White-crowned Sparrow looks radically different after its first year.
A White-Crowned Sparrow looks very different after its first year – and it breeds below the Arctic Circle!
Sharp-eyed Ruth also saw two Lincoln's Sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii ) which look very much like a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) but are smaller and daintier and have no central spot on their breasts. Unlike the courser streaking on a song sparrow, the Lincoln's Sparrow's black streaks are finer and on "buffy" flanks. Wikipedia says they are "quite secretive" – too much so, for my eyes and camera! So here's another Cornell link to get a look.
The visiting summer sparrows that spent their summer in the park are still here too. A Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) with its bright white eye ring and pinkish bill and feet watches other migrants hop in the trees. As their name implies, Field Sparrows avoid suburban areas and will soon fly off to somewhere south of Michigan so keep an eye out for them soon at places like Bear Creek!
The Field Sparrow avoids suburban living so come see it in the park! It'll migrate farther south for the winter, though it breeds here in the summer.
During the Wednesday bird walk, the treetops on Walnut Lane were filled with Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus). This nomadic finch appears some years and not others as it follows the best seed crops. My photo in morning sun in the treetops shows its streaky head and body but not the flashes of its subdued winter yellow as they flutter or fly, so have a look at Cornell Lab's photo.
Down at the Center Pond, we saw an Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) darting from the shore to the water, catching a few bugs. The most distinguishing field mark of a Phoebe is a constantly pumping tail, plus a dark head and white breast. The males usually sing "Phee-beee" only when courting but one was trying out its song on Wednesday. It probably spent the summer here. It will be migrating in the next couple of weeks and be gone by early November.
An Eastern Phoebe flitted between the shore and water catching insects for its migration in the next week or so.
At the western edge of the pond on Wednesday, deep in the brush, skulked a migrating Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) who probably raised its young farther north in Michigan or Canada. These birds rummage in leaf litter looking for insects, so they can be hard to see. But the following day, it appeared on a log near the pond.
A Hermit Thrush near the Center Pond.
Also at the pond, Ruth spotted a Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) which may have spent the summer among pines farther north. It generally looks blue-gray but Ruth told us it's more blue in direct sunlight. I love its white "spectacles." Unfortunately, I didn't get a shot of it but here's the link to Cornell's photo.
The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) males at the Center Pond are slowly getting rid of their eclipse plumage. Here's one whose beautiful green head feathers have almost completely molted.
This male Mallard is almost finished molting, but his iridescent green head feathers still have a little way to go.
He'd probably like the molt to be over, since some of the males now have their full complement of courting plumage and are already pairing up with females, though mating won't happen until spring! They'll move to the Gulf Coast this winter, unless they can find an area with sufficient food and open water farther north.
Some male Mallards have completed their fall molt and are pairing up with females, though mating won't happen until spring.
The Gray Catbird raised its young here this summer but will be leaving soon, too. This one in the vines and bushes north of the Playground Pond looks like it's finished molting and is about ready to go.
A Gray Catbird ready to fly south, as far as Florida or even Mexico, in a week or so.
A flock of young Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), who have left their fledgling feathers behind and now wear their first winter garb, jostled noisily among the fruiting vines and trees. Some of them may remain here for at least part of the winter and then head south. I saw a flock of Waxwings at Bear Creek eating in ice-glazed branches on Christmas Eve two years ago! Others have already left for warmer climes, sometimes as far south as Central America. These noisy young ones are identified by mottled chests, shorter crests, and a wider white lines around the mask – but the tips of their tails still glow bright yellow in sunlight like adult waxwings.
A first winter Cedar Waxwing, part of a large noisy flock eating fruits from trees and vines north of the Playground Pond.
This female American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) looks a bit disconcerted about molting into her drab winter colors, much like the female Cardinal that I posted last week.
This winter-ready Goldfinch, though, looked as if it enjoyed its ride on a plume of Canada Goldenrod as it picked seeds from the dried blossoms as they swayed in the wind.
A Goldfinch in its winter garb rode a plume of Canada Goldenrod, picking off seeds as it swayed in the wind.
A tiny Eastern Chipmunk ((Tamias striatus) dashed up a tree near Snell Road. I love how his tail was backlit by the late afternoon sun.
In the southernmost meadow near Snell, I spotted a large patch of white plants I'd never seen before. Dr. Ben identified them as Fragrant Cudweed. The University of Michigan Herbarium uses that common name or the slightly less bovine Old-Field Balsam. Many internet sites call it Sweet Everlasting (my fave of the three) and look at its Latin name – Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium – !! Whatever you call this native plant, it's interesting. According to a Minnesota Wildflower site, the clusters of what look like egg-shaped buds are actually the blooms with the yellow/brown anthers (pollen- producing flower parts) exposed at the end. And what looks like whorled petals are bracts, leaflike structures which will open and fall when the seed ripens. Nice to have fresh blooms so late in the year! As the weather gets colder, we'll really wish they were everlasting!
Cudweed or Sweet Everlasting blooming now in the southernmost meadow near Snell.
They may look like they're buds, but they are the egg-shaped blooms of the Cudweed or Sweet Everlasting.
Fall migration must be a restless, exhausting, but exciting time for birds. Their hormones, the shorter days, and the temperature all tell them it's time to go south. Dangers lurk along the way, which is one of the reasons perching birds travel at night, avoiding raptors who travel by day. Severe weather, a shopping mall where a woods used to be, lighted buildings that confuse the birds' navigation systems can all be disastrous. But the pull is strong and off these small birds go in the night, riding the wind if they can. I hope you get to see some of them off.


text:
Data showing no racial bias in police shootings dubbed "racist," college researcher who compiled it fired
Michigan State University (MSU) has driven out of a job one of its longtime professors who dared to go public with the results of a "controversial" study showing that there is no racial bias when it comes to police violence.
Physicist Stephen Hsu was basically forced out of his position by the school after demonstrating with facts that police officers abuse and terrorize people equally, as opposed to the false Black Lives Matter (BLM) narrative that only black people are victimized by cops.
Hsu had gotten this information from fellow MSU psychology professor Joe Cesario, who explained during an interview "that the race of the officer doesn't matter when it comes to predicting whether black or white citizens are shot."
Cesario's study, which was published back in 2019, unequivocally concluded that "contrary to activist claims and media reports, there is no widespread racial bias in police shootings."
This conclusion is based on data-driven facts, it is important to note, not the opinions of either Hsu or Cesario. And yet these facts are being treated as a "hate crime" by MSU, which reportedly coerced Hsu into resigning from his position for the "crime" of bringing them to people's attention.
"The [Graduate Employees Union] (GEU) alleged that I am a racist because I interviewed MSU Psychology professor Joe Cesario, who studies police shootings," Hsu wrote on his blog following his forced resignation.
Police brutality is a problem for people of all skin colors
Cesario's study was also cited in a June 3 Wall Street Journal op-ed piece entitled, "The Myth of Systemic Police Racism," which further explains how the idea of race-based police violence is a misnomer driven by a political agenda.
The reality of the situation is that police brutality is a serious problem in this country for all people. America's tyrannical "drug war," as one prominent example, has created a culture of contrived criminality where cops are excused for targeting otherwise innocent people for victimless crimes, this being why the United States has the highest incarceration rate among all other first world countries.
There are many other non-race-based reasons why police brutality is a major problem in this country as well, and yet neither BLM nor Antifa seem interested in addressing them because it is pushing a pro-black, anti-white race war agenda.
None of this was part of Cesario's work, of course, but it is worth mentioning in light of the current conversation surrounding police reform. America has far too many unjust "laws" on the books that turn otherwise innocent people, often with black skin, into criminals, and these "laws" are what need to be abolished for the betterment of society.
Keep in mind that people with white skin are routinely persecuted – and yes, even killed – by rogue police officers who are never punished for their crimes. But because this goes against the official BLM narrative, to discuss it cannot be tolerated.
"It is the union's position that an administrator sharing such views is in opposition to MSU's statements released supporting the protests and their root cause and aim," reads a statement issued by GEU Vice President Acacia Ackles, illustrating this point.
In other words, rather than update its "statements" to reflect actual science, MSU has instead silenced Hsu by ending his career at the school, as well as indicated that politically correct feelings, rather than facts, are the basis upon which the school crafts its policies.
"One of the great paradoxes of our present time is that so-called 'academics,' and especially university administrators, are often the most narrow-minded, reactionary, and stupid people you will ever meet," wrote one Zero Hedge commenter about the situation.
For more related news about academic tyranny, be sure to check out CampusInsanity.com.
Tagged Under: college researcher, data, fired, intolerance, left cult, Michigan State University, police shootings, race wars, racial bias, racism, racist, rigged, Stephen Hsu
Police action proves unborn babies are alive and worth protecting
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Dallas Methodist church self-appoints two LGBT PASTORS after bishops deny request for appointments
GRUESOME: MSNBC says we "desperately need" to display images of dead children to promote gun control
GOP lawmaker lashes out at Democrats who chastise him for handling his own guns during Zoom session
Politif*cked: An office manager from Florida and a Gates-funded professor are censoring studies linking mask usage to increased deaths.
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After dropping merit-based admissions standards, "elite" San Francisco school sees spike in D and F grades among students
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And like a CREEPY-PERV neighbor, State Farm is there
Doug Billings: Democratic Party has been replaced by the Communist Socialist Party – Brighteon.TV
Science teachers go full libtard, ordering students to stop using "oppressive" words like mother and father
Clockwork: Musk facing allegation of sexual harassment days after declaring he'll vote "Republican"
Elon Musk: "Democratic party has been hijacked by extremists"
Senior engineer at Twitter says platform is communist, "does not believe in free speech"
Elon Musk says he was 'spot on' about Democrats being the party of hate after 'relentless hatestream'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Sunday Night Football action this week takes place at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan as the hometown Lions look for their first win of the season against the Denver Broncos. The Lions have been a mess so far this season–the defense has looked porous and is struggling to rebuild following the loss of Ndamukong Suh. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is hurting with a rib injury but is expected to play here. Denver, meanwhile, is off to a 2-0 start despite the fact that Peyton Manning has lost some of the 'zip' on his passes. So far so good, however, as Manning and head coach Gary Kubiak have done a nice job retooling the offense to compensate for the Hall of Fame quarterback's decline. Whether this will get them to a Super Bowl in what is almost certainly Manning's last season remains to be seen but so far so good.
Obviously, NFL coaches and players would suggest that they want to win 'every game' but clearly some are more important than others within the context of a full season. And in light of this reality, this game means much more to the home team than it does to the Broncos. Detroit has a tough road game at Seattle on deck next Monday Night followed by a tough home game against Arizona six days later. A loss here and the Lions could very realistically be staring at an 0-4 or even 0-5 start. Denver has some breathing room by virtue to their start to the season including a big win against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. They've got a home game against Minnesota on deck followed by road games at Oakland and Cleveland.
Denver hasn't been a good team on artificial turf over the past few seasons. They enter this contest on a 2-8 SU/3-7 ATS run on turf. They've also lost both straight up and against the spread in their last two dome appearances. They've made money as a favorite (20-15 ATS) and the Lions have been a horrible play as an underdog (2-8 SU/3-7 ATS). But this is a case where it looks like the road team is overvalued and the home team undervalued. We'll take the FG and look for Detroit to scrap out a win.


text:
Q: How to run a python script taking arguments with blender? I have a script I want to run within blender to generate AO maps (script was given to me and the source guarantees it works).
I try to run the script as follows:
blender --background --python /opt/ff/product_builder/furniture_builder/generate_ao_maps.py --input_dir /tmp/test.obj --output_dir /tmp/test.png --mode ao

Which produces:
AL lib: (EE) UpdateDeviceParams: Failed to set 44100hz, got 48000hz instead
found bundled python: /usr/share/blender/2.79/python
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/opt/ff/product_builder/furniture_builder/generate_ao_maps.py", line 195, in <module>
    main()
  File "/opt/ff/product_builder/furniture_builder/generate_ao_maps.py", line 178, in main
    args = parse_args()
  File "/opt/ff/product_builder/furniture_builder/generate_ao_maps.py", line 21, in parse_args
    return parser.parse_args(os.getenv(BLENDER_ENV).split(' '))
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'split'
Error: File format is not supported in file '/tmp/test.obj'

Blender quit

If I run this same script without blender (but with the argument) it tells me:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/opt/ff/product_builder/furniture_builder/generate_ao_maps.py", line 5, in <module>
    import bpy
ImportError: No module named bpy

What do I need to do to pass the parameters to the script and get it working?

A: You are seeing that error because your script is looking for the environment variable BLENDER_ENV, which is not on your system. I don't recognize BLENDER_ENV as a standard Blender related environment variable so it's probable that your friend added BLENDER_ENV to his or her environment.

A: Firstly, blender processes its cli args in the order they are given, so your example will start in the background, run a script, then set the input_dir... This will most likely not have the result you are after.
The problem with your script failing is that the arg passed to os.getenv() needs to be a string that is the name of a shell environment variable, if you are using bash you need to export the variable to put it into the environment before you start blender.
export BLENDER_ARGS="arg1 arg2"
blender -b myfile.blend --python myscript.py

If you are using a csh then use setenv BLENDER_ARGS "arg1 arg2"
Then in your py script, you use os.getenv('BLENDER_ARGS').split(' ')
Note that each shell instance is a separate environment, you need to set the variables in the same instance that starts blender.
You may also be interested in passing cli arguments to the script as explained in response to this question.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


All of our cakes, favors and dessert bars are priced individually based on your needs! We factor in how many guests you would like to serve, the flavors chosen, and design elements to give you a price that reflects exactly what will meet the needs of your special occasion. Please contact Allison for all specific pricing information.


text:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project version="4">
  <component name="ProjectRootManager" version="2" project-jdk-name="Python 2.7.12 (C:\Miniconda2\envs\condaenv\python.exe)" project-jdk-type="Python SDK" />
</project>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
La Municipalité de Macao était l'une des deux municipalités de Macao jusqu'à la rétrocession du territoire en 1999. Cette division administrative couvrant l'ensemble de la péninsule de Macao était administrée par le célèbre et multiséculaire hôtel de ville appelé « Leal Senado » et supervisé par une assemblée municipale.

La municipalité était divisée en cinq Freguesias:
Freguesia da Sé
Freguesia de Nossa Senhora de Fátima
Freguesia de Santo António
Freguesia de São Lázaro
Freguesia de São Lourenço

Avec l'abolition de la municipalité de Macao par le nouveau gouvernement, après la rétrocession, cette municipalité a été remplacée temporairement par la « municipalité provisoire de Macao » . Sa mairie (Leal Senado) et son assemblée municipale ont été réorganisées et ont pris, respectivement, le nom de « Conseil municipal provisoire de Macao » et « Assemblée municipale provisoire de Macao ». Mais, le , les municipalités et leurs organes municipaux provisoires ont finalement été abolis, ce qui a abouti à un nouvel organe administratif, l'Institut pour les affaires civiles et municipales (IACM). L'IACM est subordonné à la secrétaire de l'administration et de la justice.

Notes et références

Articles connexes
Leal Senado
Géographie de Macao
Freguesia

Politique à Macao

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Concern was raised regarding Level 2 Bonus Exercise 2, as it was felt that leaving the dog unattended could be stressful and was a potential welfare issue. Consequently, the General Committee has approved the removal of the exercise from the rally rules and regulations.
Two exercise signs are needed for this exercise. At the first sign - Halt Stand for Exam - the handler halts and the dog sits at heel. Handler may leave the heel position and "stack" (or pose) the dog as done in conformation, or may simply cue the dog to stand. Handler may touch the dog to help position the stand, but may not physically force/lift the dog to stand. Handler then returns to heel position, cues the dog to wait or stay, then leaves the dog, walks 1.8 metres away, and turns to face the dog. The judge steps forward and examines the dog briefly, touching the dog lightly making a continuous movement from the head to the base of the tail.
This sign is placed so that it can be observed by the handler after he/she has moved away and turned to face the dog. After the judge has completed the examination of the dog, the handler returns to heel position by passing the dog on the handler's right, turning around behind the dog and moving up into heel position. The handler then cues the dog to heel and moves forward without instruction from the judge.
Please find attached images of the relevant signs. For more information about rally, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/rally/.


text:
Amendments proposed to the Utilities Bill - continued House of Commons
back to previous text
Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Clause 13, page 8, line 45, at end insert—
'(1A) In preparing guidance under this section, the Secretary of State shall ensure that such guidance does not impose significant financial implication for consumers.'.
Mr Ian Bruce [R]
Clause 13, page 9, line 5, at end insert—
'( ) appropriate Select Committees of Parliament;'.
Norman Baker
Mr Andrew Stunell
Clause 13, page 9, leave out lines 10 and 12 and insert—
'(d) any other persons or organisations with an interest in the matters contained within the guidance'.
Clause 13, page 9, line 14, after 'section', insert 'will be based on long term vision and'.
Clause 13, page 9, line 16, leave out 'forty' and insert 'sixty'.
'Enhancement of competition and deregulation 3BA.—(1) In order to enhance competition and promote deregulation in the electricity market the Secretary of State shall on or before the 30th September in each year prepare and lay before each House of Parliament a report which sets out—
(a) the status of competition in the electricity market;
(b) any significant changes that have occurred in that market which have occurred during the previous 12 months;
(c) a review of any legislation which may impede or discourage competition in, or deregulation of, that market; and
(d) his recommendations on repealing, amending or enacting any legislation in order to enhance or reflect competition within that market or to promote its orderly deregulation.
(2) In this section "electricity market" means the market in the United Kingdom for the generation, transmission, distribution or supply of electricity.'.
Mrs Helen Liddell
Clause 10, page 7, line 2, leave out 'Executive' and insert 'Commission'.
Clause 10, page 7, line 2, after 'Executive', insert 'and any other relevant body'.
'( ) The Secretary of State may require the Authority also to consult him about gas safety issues of particular descriptions.
( ) The Authority shall, in carrying out its functions under this Part, take into account any advice given by the Seceretary of State about any gas safety issue (whether or not in response to consultation under the above subsection.'
Clause 10, page 7, line 11, after 'through', insert 'fixed'.
Clause 10, page 7, line 17, at end insert 'conveyed through pipes'.
Clause 14, page 9, line 36, leave out 'Executive' and insert 'Commission'.
Clause 14, page 9, line 36, after 'Executive', insert 'and any other relevant body'.
Clause 11, page 7, line 19, at beginning insert—
'( ) Section 4AA does not apply in relation to the issuing by the Secretary of State of guidance under section 4AB.'
Clause 11, page 7, line 24, after 'may', insert 'with the permission of the Secretary of State'.
Mr Christopher Frazer
'Advice from Competition Commission. 4C.—In the exercise of its functions under the Act, the Authority may seek the advice of the Competition Commission on such matters relating to the conveyance of gas through pipes or the supply of gas as it considers appropriate.'.
Mr Christoper Chope
Mr Christopher Fraser
'(4) The Authority when acting as above will ensure that investigation will not duplicate other regulator's investigations and not allow the parties investigated to be put in double jeopardy.'.
Clause 15, page 10, line 14, at beginning insert—
'( ) Section 3A does not apply in relation to the issuing by the Secretary of State of guidance under section 3B.'
Clause 15, page 10, line 33, at end insert—
'Advice from Competition Commission. 3E.—In the exercise of its functions under this Act, the Authority may seek the advice of the Competition Commission on such matters relating to the generation, transmission, distribution or supply of electricity as it considered appropriate.'.
'(5) The Authority when acting as above will ensure that investigations will not duplicate other regulators' investigations and not allow the parties investigated to be put in double jeopardy.'.
Clause 16, page 10, line 38, leave out ', including matters in different areas of' and insert 'in'.
Clause 16, page 10, line 40, leave out ', including the views of consumers in different areas'.
Clause 16, page 10, line 42, leave out from beginning to end of line 10 on page 11.
Clause 16, page 10, line 44, leave out from beginning to end of line 2 on page 45 and insert 'may establish a separate Committee of the Council for Scotland and Wales.'.
Clause 16, page 11, leave out lines 1 and 2 insert—
'(b) shall establish a committee of the Council for each of the areas of the Regional Development Agencies.'.
Clause 16, page 11, line 1, leave out 'may' and insert 'shall'.
Clause 16, page 11, leave out lines 7 and 8.
Clause 16, page 11, line 17, leave out subsection (6).
Clause 16, page 11, line 20, leave out 'supply' and insert 'provision'.
Clause 17, page 11, line 24, leave out 'or' and insert 'and'.
Clause 17, page 11, line 25, leave out '(including matters affecting consumers in different areas)'.
Clause 17, page 11, line 27, leave out '(including the views of consumers in different areas)'.
Clause 17, page 11, line 28, at end insert 'and
( ) promoting and advocating the interests of consumers,'.
'( ) In carrying out its functions the Council has a general duty to publish information when it is in the public interest to do so. Before publishing such information the Council must consider whether the public interest is outweighed, by any consideration of confidentiality attaching to it. Should there be a dispute, the Council has the power to appeal to the Information Commissioner or similar appropriate body.'.
Prepared 2 Mar 2000


text:
Home / Publications / For Your Information: Australian Privacy Law and Practice (ALRC Report 108) / 4. Regulating Privacy / Scope for co-regulation
4.82 The ALRC's approach to regulating privacy retains the ability of organisations and industries to flesh out the requirements of the privacy principles in privacy codes approved by the Privacy Commissioner under Part IIIAA.[63]
4.83 This scope for co-regulation is consistent with the overall hybrid approach adopted by the ALRC in its regulatory model. In this model, the legislation establishes the general principles, which then operate 'as the minimum benchmarks or safeguards that must apply across the board'.[64] A code can then sit below the principles and set out the steps that an organisation should take in order to achieve the outcome set by the principles.
4.84 As noted above, within the model of responsive regulation supported by the ALRC, there is an important place for using regulatory tools which conceive non-state actors as 'important regulators in their own right'.[65] While the ALRC understands, to date, that the code-making provisions have not proved popular with industry as a whole, the provisions provide for an important measure of co-regulation which may gain favour in the future as a means of addressing new and developing technologies, and other international concerns.
Codes in regulations
4.85 The ALRC's recommended regulatory model also has the flexibility to accommodate industry-developed codes that derogate from the UPPs. These codes would not be approved under Part IIIAA, as privacy codes under the current and recommended Part IIIAA code provisions cannot derogate from the principles. Instead, such industry codes would need to obtain the approval of the relevant minister who would then pass the requirements in the codes as regulations, using the ALRC's recommendation regulation-making power.
4.86 This is similar to the approach adopted in Part IVB of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth). Under the Trade Practices Act, the Minister has the power to prescribe an industry code of conduct in the regulations.[66] The regulations declare the industry code to be a mandatory industry code or a voluntary industry code, with the former binding on all industry participants.[67] The Act makes the codes enforceable by prohibiting a corporation, in trade or commerce, from contravening an applicable industry code.[68] In the privacy regime, the codes would be enforceable because a breach of the code would constitute an interference with privacy of an individual.
4.87 In the Trade Practices Act regime, formal proposals for industry codes are initiated at the ministerial level, 'following representations from industry participants, consumers or government authorities about problems in a particular industry'.[69] It is expected that a similar initiation would take place in the privacy regime, with industry participants lobbying the relevant minister to pass a code in the regulations.
4.88 Being a legislative instrument, the minister must undertake appropriate consultation before making the instrument, which would include ensuring that 'persons likely to be affected by the proposed instrument had an adequate opportunity to comment on its proposed content'.[70] This obligation would ensure that industry views are sought in making the code, and that other bodies—such as the OPC and consumer groups—are also consulted.
4.89 Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs) are part of a new framework for regulating privacy in the information age, proposed by the Privacy and Trust Partnership (PTP).[71]
4.90 Under the PTP's proposed framework set out in the Working Paper A Possible Way Forward: Some Themes and an Initial Proposal for a Privacy and Trust Framework, the privacy principles would remain the benchmark but 'organisations would be able to vary the principles for their own circumstances'[72] by drafting BCRs to replace the default privacy principles. The PTP explains that any variations in the principles incorporated in a BCR that 'might be perceived as a weakening would need to be compensated for by the variations in other principles and by the surrounding compliance, accountability and enforcement framework'.[73] While the PTP suggests that this proposal is similar to Part IIIAA privacy codes, the ALRC notes that the current code provisions (as well as the ALRC's recommended code provisions) do not permit a code to be approved if it weakens a privacy principle.
4.91 While the ALRC understands that this proposal is still being developed, it is useful to note that some aspects of BCRs potentially could be accommodated in the ALRC's recommended regulatory approach. If the BCR derogated from the UPPs, such as by weakening a privacy principle, it would need to be put into regulations, using the ALRC's recommended regulation-making power. The ALRC recognises that having to use the regulation-making power may significantly reduce the flexibility and ease with which BCRs can be changed, which is seen as one of the primary advantages of BCRs. A BCR, however, could not be approved as a code under Part IIIAA, as a code applies in addition to the principles and cannot derogate from them.
4.92 If a BCR was put into regulations, as part of the regulation-making process, the organisation would have to convince the relevant bodies, as well as the general public, that the BCRs were in the public interest and that the BCRs were consistent with the objects of the Privacy Act, if not with all the privacy principles.
Summary: Interaction of regulatory tools
4.93 In summary, the basic premise of the ALRC's regulatory approach is that the privacy principles will provide the primary obligations in relation to privacy. The principles will be high-level, technology-neutral and generally non-prescriptive, thereby capable of application to all agencies and organisations subject to the Privacy Act. These obligations can, however, be modified or displaced in certain circumstances, including where regulations are passed, a public interest determination is made, or a rule is approved.
4.94 Therefore, the 'privacy obligations' that will apply to an agency or organisation will depend on the agency or organisation in question. Most entities will be regulated entirely by the privacy principles, with an option to refer to (voluntary) guidance issued by the OPC where the agency or organisation desires further detail or advice.
4.95 Agencies and organisations operating in industries where more prescriptive regulation has been deemed necessary—such as credit reporting and health—will be subject to the privacy principles and to any further rules specified in the regulations. In addition, they will have the option of referring to voluntary guidance where they want further assistance.
4.96 Industries that desire more certainty in how to comply with the principles may decide to embellish on the privacy principles by developing a privacy code to be approved by the Privacy Commissioner. Pursuant to the ALRC's recommended model, such a privacy code would not derogate from the principles and would operate in addition to the principles to prescribe steps on how the organisation should apply or comply with one or more principles. The ALRC's recommended regulatory model, however, will also have the flexibility to accommodate Binding Corporate Rules and codes that are incorporated into regulations.
[63] Part IIIAA privacy codes are discussed in Ch 48.
[64] Revised Explanatory Memorandum, Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill 2000 (Cth), 17.
[65] J Braithwaite 'Responsive Regulation and Developing Economies' (2006) 34(5) World Development 884, 888.
[66]Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) pt IVB.
[67] Ibid s 51AE.
[68] Ibid s 51AD.
[69] J Hockey, Prescribed Codes of Conduct: Policy Guidelines on Making Industry Codes of Conduct Enforceable under the Trade Practices Act 1974 (1999) Australian Government Treasury, 6.
[70]Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (Cth) s 17(2)(b).
[71] See Privacy and Trust Partnership, A Possible Way Forward: Some Themes and an Initial Proposal for a Privacy and Trust Framework (2007). The Privacy Trust Partnership is a consortium of businesses, consisting of Veda Advantage Limited, Axciom, IBM, SAS, Suncorp and Microsoft.
[72] See Ibid, 11.
[73] See Ibid, 11. Emphasis in original.


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Suppose you wanted to search for mp3 files (as well as files that contain the string "mp3" in their name) on your Linux system, what would you do? It wouldn't be a stretch to say that most of you would go for the commonly-used desktop searching techniques. For example, in case of an Ubuntu system, you would likely perform a search through Unity Dash.
Some users may also go for Nautilus search, but that wouldn't be a system-level search, so that option is ruled out. Coming back to the Unity Dash method, you'll observe that results would not include files that contain the string "mp3" in their name. This means that even a search through Unity Dash is not reliable in this case.
So, what other other options do you have? Try searching through the command line (using the "find" command), some would say. But unless you are a command line pro, or at-least a daily command line user, that wouldn't be an easy way to go.
If you face problems similar to the one we have mentioned here and are looking for a solution to perform comprehensive file searches in Linux, look no further, as in this article we will discuss an easy way to do that.
Note: all the commands/instructions mentioned in this article have been tested on Ubuntu 14.04.
With ANGRYSearch, the developer has aimed to make a Linux version of Everything Search Engine.
That's it. Now you should be able to launch ANGRYSearch from both command line (using the angrysearch command) as well through Dash.
When the tool is launched for the first time, it requires some basic setup before it can be ready to use. A screen similar to the following will show up.
A good thing worth pointing out here is that the first screen itself gives you some useful information about the application such as the location of its config and database files as well some prominent features. Moving on, the first thing that you're required to do here is to press the "Update" button.
Once you do that, a small window will launch telling you that the operation will involve crawling the file system, creating a new database, and replacing the old database (if any). You also have the option to tell the tool to ignore some directories that you don't want it to crawl and add to its database.
There's an option to select an icon theme as well. Once you're all set, click the "Update" button.
After the tool is done with all the crawling and database creation work, you'll see a window similar to the following indicating that ANGRYSearch is now ready to use.
Now, coming back to the use-case we discussed in the beginning, here's the list of results displayed in Unity Dash on my system.
And here's what ANGRYSearch showed.
Clearly, ANGRYSearch produced far more comprehensive search results.
Diving in a bit deeper, it's worth mentioning that the ANGRYSearch database can be set in two modes: Lite (default) and Full. When set to the former, the tool shows only the name and path of the entries, while in the Full mode, information like size and date of the last modification are also displayed. The drawback of the Full mode is that "crawling through drives takes roughly twice as long since every file and directory gets additional stats calls," the official documentation explains.
Moving on, the application also offers three search modes: Fast, Slow, and Regex. Enabled by default, the Fast mode – the documentation says – is "extremely fast," as no substrings are searched in this case. In the Slow mode, on the other hand, substrings are also searched.
Finally, the Regex mode – activated by the F8 key, indicated by an orange color background – is slowest because it allows you to perform very precise searches using regular expressions.
If your work involves a lot of file search operations, it's really important that you follow a way that consumes as less of your time as possible. The solution mentioned in this article should definitely help you with that, so do give it a try.
Why install another package, other than to have another tool?
and within couple of minutes all the files and folders on the entire system containing the string 'mp3' are listed.
The procedure works for any distro that has the "Find Files/Folders" utility.
Unfortunately I think the easiest way would be to type in "ls" and then "*.mp3" in my terminal, then it will show me everything with the ".mp3" extension on my system. I don't understand why there should be a need to install YET ANOTHER program or application to do something for the user, when there's ALREADY all these tools installed in Linux to do them! Its just a matter of the person being willing to do the "homework" and study the commands, syntax, etc for it. If you dfon't have the time to do so?…then by all means install what you must to make your life easier, but to go out in search of these kinds of apps is kinda like feeding into the "I Need This App" feeding frenzy…..I for one use what usually comes in a Linux distro, the only things I might install (besides wallpapers of course!) are a few IDE's for trying to learn Python and coding…..sometimes the simple stuff IS the "better" way.!


Novels And Nonfiction – Page 36 – Book reviews of nonfiction, contemporary fiction and literary classics with a dash of real life.
When I discovered Robert K. Massie's books on tsarist Russia's Romanov family I realized I had struck historical nonfiction gold.
Tragically, the author's interest in the Romanov dynasty began with the discovery that his own newborn son suffered from hemophilia, a disease which also affected tsar Nicholas II's son Alexis Nikolaevich.
You might expect a pedantic writing style from a Yale and Oxford educated Rhodes Scholar, but Massie brings his training as a journalist to his prose. What results is highly-accessible and still richly-evocative portraits of some of Russia's most storied tsars and tsarinas.
Though published in the 1960s, Nicholas and Alexandra remains the definitive account of the lives of the last Romanov Tsar and Tsarina. It starts with the improbable story of how a Princess from a small German state was selected to become Empress of Russia. Alexandra's strong, overbearing personality is contrasted to her husband's relatively weak demeanor, and her influence essentially directs his political decisions. The happiness of the couple at producing a male heir (after four daughters) is short-lived with the discovery he suffers from the then deadly disease of hemophilia. As mystical faith healer Rasputin's influence on Alexandra increases due to her distress over her sons's illness, the Russian people's disaffection with their distant monarchs propels the country towards a revolution that will ultimately spell a bloody end for the Romanov dynasty. I couldn't put this book down.
Considered in part a more recent update to Nicholas and Alexandra's story, The Romanovs: The Final Chapter also stands on its own as a chilling scientific account of the efforts to recover and identify the purported remains of the Romanov family.
After the demise of Soviet Communism brought to light the prior 1979 discovery of the possible grave of the Romanov royals, an examination of the remains was conducted by an international team of forensic specialists to determine their authenticity. Massie adds details to the tragic story of the capture, prisony and assassination of the Romanovs and of the expert effort to determine the provenance of these remains. Interweaved is also a thorough analysis of Anna Anderson's claims to be Nicholas and Alexandra's remaining living daughter Anastasia.
Though empress Alexandra's story of rise from unknown German princess to Russian tsarina is remarkable, Catherine The Great's similar beginnings led to an even more incredible result. After being plucked from relative obscurity and married to Russian heir to the throne Peter III, Catherine quickly realized her husband was no match for her strength of character or intelligence. Unable to count on him as an effective ruler on his ascension or even as a viable partner to produce an heir, Catherine took matters into her own hands. While Peter was still alive, she took a lover to secure the royal family's line of succession and then orchestrated a coup d'etat after his assassination, installing herself as empress. She became the longest ruling female monarch in Russia and her reign is often considered as the Golden Age of the Russian Empire.
Peter The Great's rule established the Romanov dynasty, preceding that of all other tsars and tsarinas covered in Massie's books. Through significant territorial gains, Peter turned Russia into an empire and speerheaded a series of Enlightenment inspired reforms that modernized the country's military,its educational system and its government, transforming Russia into a great European nation in its own right.
This is actually the only one of Massie's books on tsarist Russia that I have yet to read. Now that I've been reminded of how much I loved reading his other works, I'm adding it to my short term list.
I really liked this post about how to create your Zen-Den on Best Kept Self. My morning yoga and meditation routines have been feeling a little haphazard, and I think some of these suggestions might help with getting in the right mood.
Starbucks granitas now available after 3PM. Coffee granita? Don't mind if I do.
Orecchiette may just be my favorite shape of pasta and this simple summer recipe that pairs them with cherry tomatoes and arugula looks dee-licious.
This white hydrangea iphone background. Changing mine immediately.
A VERY tongue-in-cheek article about how hard it is for women in the workforce to strike the right balance between being assertive and pushy – 9 Non-Threatening Leadership Strategies For Women.
This is worth a rewatch. Michelle Obama, ladies and gentlemen.
I'm always looking for a new easy toast idea to make for lunch or dinner, and A Cup Of Jo's Tomato And Hummus Tartine is making me salivate.
Pretty much my exact workout philosophy, so I really connected with this article. Dance parties in your room 100% count as exercise.
This wonderful art print. Make sure to always water your own garden first.
Though I've read most of the usual suspects as far as literary classics are concerned, I wanted to broaden my reading to less known classic titles, including more modern novels as well.
I searched online for a good comprehensive book list to work from and found The Guardian's list of 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read.
Two by two, I'll review as many books as I can from this list, while I get through them. I've unbelievably only read 64 so far though there were several on the list that I *thought* I read a long time ago but wasn't sure.
Here are the first two reviews – I absolutely loved both novels.
Available for free on Amazon Kindle!
I confess that the only novel I'd read by Charles Dickens before this one was A Tale Of Two Cities. Bleak House felt very different both in topic and in tone. My main reason for tackling Bleak House was that I really wanted to see the TV series (available on Amazon Prime), but not without first reading the original.
The story is based on the intertwining destinies of three orphans – Esther Summerson, Ada Clare and Richard Carstone – and their guardian John Jarndyce. The legal case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce serves as backdrop and heavily weighs on their futures, involving Ada and Richard directly as potential heirs. The mystery of Esther's birth and the scandal that follows its revelation add considerable tension, while she's also kept busy dealing with multiple suitors for her hand.
The result is a suspenseful saga of perdition for some and revelation for others – which, with its 'bleak' English weather would make a great rainy day read. Any fans of George Eliot or Thomas Hardy will find themselves right at home.
Rebecca tells the story of a young and naive 20-something woman who falls in love with and marries affluent widower Maxim De Wintour. What starts as an oddly matched love story builds into a thrilling mystery as the figure of Maxim's former accidentally-drowned wife Rebecca hovers over the newlyweds' relationship. As our heroine tries to settle into a routine in Maxim's Cornwall estate of Manderley, the reader learns more about each of our characters – both dead and alive – and they morph like figures in a fun-house, until the final resolution of the mystery.
I didn't research what to expect from Rebecca before diving into it, and I was definitely surprised at how dark the book ended up being in parts. It's also full of lusciously beautiful descriptions of the gardens and ocean coves at Manderley though, which act as counterpoint to the tenseness of the atmosphere between the characters and the spookiness of the story. It made me want to read more from the author soon. Her other popular novels include My Cousin Rachel and Jamaica Inn.
The next two books on the list I'm planning on tackling are Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood if you'd like to read along with me.
On Friday I'm heading home to visit my family in Milan. For most people this wouldn't count as staycation, but I actually grew up in Milan, so visiting my family there is like going home for me.
I don't know about you but I almost like staycations better than actual vacations. Sometimes you really need to either do nothing, or catch up on all the little things you wish you had time for but never do.
During a typical two-week vacation in Milan, I wander around the city (in the sweltering August heat) in a way I rarely have the chance to do in LA. Of course, I also spend a hefty amount of time reading, catching up with family, and reconnecting with some habits I may have neglected.
And as a bonus, here are a few of the books I'm planning to read during my staycation (links below).
Since the Olympics are starting this Friday (go Italy!), I thought I'd review two great books I've recently read on the topic.
The first deals with the fallout from preparations in Brazil for the past 2014 World Cup and this year's Olympics.
If you want to just enjoy the Olympics as a spectacle of global athleticism, don't read this book. It cuts straight through to the destructive potential of world tournaments like the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic, following their devastating effects on Brazil's already corrupt government and residents of urban slums in Rio. Scandals in this year's Olympics continue to this day, with warnings of insufficient security and unfinished facilities, so this is very much a developing story.
The second book tells the story of a team of American rowers who famously ended up winning gold at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
Aside from being a great underdog story – following nine regular American Joe's as they beat Adolf Hitler's rowing team – The Boys In The Boat has a quiet power to it that I was mesmerized by. Before the roaring success of the final Olympics chapters, the story winds quietly around main character Joe Rantz as he tries to make ends meet, rebuild a family for himself after his has dissolved, and still show up for morning after ice-cold morning of rowing practice.
I have a confession to make – I'm addicted to reading about cults, especially Scientology. There's something riveting in the stories coming out of the 'religion' by people who have escaped its clutches.
Here are six of the most popular titles on the topic – 3 of which I've read and loved, and 3 of which are on my short term reading list.


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Join our equity networks - BCGEU
Join our equity networks!Your union is committed to building diversity and inclusion and speaking out for equity and social justice for all workers. Key to achieving this goal is creating the opportunities for members to feel heard, represented and able to contribute to their union, their workplace and their community.Over the last 18 months, your BCGEU Equity and Human Rights committee held a ...
Racism in our healthcare system - BCGEU
Have you witnessed or experienced racism within the B.C. healthcare system? Right now, an independent investigation is looking into anti-Indigenous racism in B.C.'s healthcare system, and the investigation team is inviting healthcare workers to support the investigation by taking a short, anonymous survey about their experiences.The survey closes on August 27th, so there's no time to waste. Wil...
Members at Mountainview Village - BCGEU
It's been almost five months since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Since then, members like you have gone above and beyond to continue delivering some of the most critical essential services in the province – supporting those most vulnerable to the virus. The COVID-19 crisis has also demonstrated how quickly government can act when pressed to do so, as well as the ...
UPDATE/ CORRECTION to PANDEMIC PAY BULLETIN of July 22, 2020 - BCGEU
Our apologies to our members working at single site locations that are not publicly funded. In our bulletin last week about pandemic pay we had said that all workers would be receiving pandemic pay and that is sadly not the case. The BCGEU has been lobbying the government from the beginning to apply the pandemic pay to all workers who provide direct care and we have not yet achieved that outcom...
Sienna-Baltic (Cascades)-Bargaining Committee Elections - BCGEU
Nominations for the three positions on your bargaining committee have now closed. The Union has received nine (9) nominations for the three positions, so there will be an election. The election will be conducted by an electronic ballot. All members in good standing will be receiving an email with instructions on how to cast your ballot. If you do not receive a ballot, please contact the BCGEU N...
Pandemic Pay and Health Sector Pay Rate - BCGEU
Since the pandemic started, the BCGEU has been working very hard to ensure that you are treated fairly and equitably in light of the many changes imposed by the response to the pandemic. The BCGEU achieved the following results for our efforts. First, through the BCGEU's extensive lobbying efforts to government on your behalf, you will receive Temporary Pandemic Pay of $4 per straight time hour...
Proposed changes to Workers Compensation Act marks beginning of restored bala...
Proposed changes to Workers Compensation Act marks beginning of restored balanceAfter years of advocacy by workers and their unions – including your union's submission to the B.C. workers' compensation system review last year and the courageous testimonies at public hearings by dozens of current and former BCGEU members who had been injured on the job – the provincial government has begun to re...
BCGEU calls on government to protect renters by extending eviction ban
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 17, 2020 BCGEU calls on government to protect renters by extending eviction ban Burnaby, B.C. – The BCGEU is calling on the provincial government to extend the ban on evictions for non-payment of rent—today the government announced that ban will be lifted on September 1st. "This decision is utterly baffling to me," said Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU. "COVID-1...
BCGEU recommendations for Budget 2021 - BCGEU
Click here to read the full submission For many years, our union has been participating in the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services consultation process to inform the government's budget priorities. By making a written submission and an oral presentation, as well as encouraging members to participate via the committee's online survey, we make sure that our members' prior...
Your bargaining committee is pleased to report that your Employer has responded to our demand to meaningfully continue monetary negotiations. We are not done yet but we are happy to report progress. We will continue to press your Employer towards the fair settlement you deserve and will provide another update as soon as there is more to report. In solidarity, Karen Dalton, Bargaining Commi...


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