I have never seen a bald eagle in the wild but there is one that lives at the Maine Wildlife Park. I could not get over how big the bird was. The foot was as big as my hand and the talons were as long as my fingers!

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/wildlifepark/index.htm

I have seen Ospreys when I go hiking along the coast and they are just as beautiful.

>> ^Enzoblue:

In PA here I saw a bald eagle at conserve and told a bird expert at work about it. I told him it's the first time I've ever seen a bald eagle in the wild. He said I'm wrong, that I've probably seen a few and just didn't know what I was looking at and that he see's 1 or 2 every month just on his ride to work. Food for thought.

I was so waiting for those razor-sharp talons to poke in somewhere, but I am amazed at how careful the owl was being, it was grabbing the fur of the dog's ear under it's knuckles, not using the talons at all.

Does he have large talons?

I'm well for being sick since night...happier than I have the right to be though.

Synchronicity was coined by CG Jung in 1923 while penning the Foreward of a book. It basically means meaningful coincidence. Acausal based reality stuff....

I miss the Sift as well. I pop through to vote for as much as I can and find the odd deviation(s). Your mention of the Police may have sparked free association in that I, while reading your reply, considered myself more of a traffic cop here these days.

I do relish the comparison to your venerable self. I must admit, however, variance with your comparison as being simultaneously too flattering of me and certainly too self deprecating of you.

I am glad to hear life is treating you well and, therefore, you life. And that your flare for imagery is still strong.
In reply to this comment by Kevlar:
Hey there! I've heard the term synchronicity before (even outside of The Police's Greatest Hits) but I figured I should check the Wikipedia entry just to do something seemingly enlightened today. I then managed only to read as far as a distracting graph that read 'indestructible energy' at the top, so yes, I am synchronously indestructible and I thank you for the compliment.

I'm good! Busy as heck and missing the sift, but loving life. Old man moment: You remind me of myself, commenting about 'walking out of here' as though the Sift is a physical place, with you its custodian and Keeper of Awesome, clocking out nightly when the weariness overtakes the desire for dupes and bans. I then looked at your Super Duper rank - 82 - and for me to say 'you remind me of myself' is probably akin to a worm complimenting the eagle who is busy squeezing it between its talons.

Anyway, how are you?

Hey there! I've heard the term synchronicity before (even outside of The Police's Greatest Hits) but I figured I should check the Wikipedia entry just to do something seemingly enlightened today. I then managed only to read as far as a distracting graph that read 'indestructible energy' at the top, so yes, I am synchronously indestructible and I thank you for the compliment.

I'm good! Busy as heck and missing the sift, but loving life. Old man moment: You remind me of myself, commenting about 'walking out of here' as though the Sift is a physical place, with you its custodian and Keeper of Awesome, clocking out nightly when weariness overtakes the desire for dupes and bans. I then looked at your Super Duper rank - 82 - and for me to say 'you remind me of myself' is probably akin to a worm complimenting the eagle who is busy squeezing it between its talons.

Anyway, how are you?


In reply to this comment by chicchorea:
Are you familiar with the term synchronicity?

Last night I came across something of yours and it occurred to me it had been a while and to rectify that. A little while later having shut down for the night I was walking out of here thinking about your comment which I still consider the funniest I have ever encountered here.

Six hours later I find.... How are you sir?

BTW, I searched and found that quote in the fire tornado video comment stream and read it to all here to much laughter.

And, thank you sir.
In reply to this comment by Kevlar:
Mighty fine work keeping the Sift clean, Sheriff.

Seems like a standard mobbing attack. You'll often see ravens and crows doing this to hawks and other birds that enter their nesting territory. The best way I would describe it is an escort flight out of the perimeter of their nesting area. Sometimes however they will gang up and kill other birds(especially owls and hawks) that are in their territory. Though it is mostly a corvid behavior you will also see sparrows and other LBB(little brown birds) do this to larger birds to try to keep them from their eggs and chicks.

The other explanation which doesn't seem to fit is a mating routine which usually involves a male and female raven or crow locking talons and free falling together quite spectacularly towards the ground only to separate at the last minute(or height) and fly to an altitude and do it again to enforce a bond before mating....

Great Video!!!

>> ^ponceleon:

Hmm I don't know enough about ravens/hooded crows to understand the motivation behind the attack? Does the crow think it is another bird, or is he just playing with it the way a cat plays with a toy mouse?

>> ^BoneRemake:

I upvoted, But I feel that the ostrich should of smacked that man with his/her MIGHTY TALONS of furry.
1= the kid was riding on its back, then falls.
2- the child becomes prey
3 the ostrich does whats natural and tries to subdue the opponent using all methods possible.
4- man beats ostrich because man is piece of shit prick mother fucker.
5- ostrich gets a coke.


I wouldn't think so many people would upvote a troll!

>> ^BoneRemake:

I upvoted, But I feel that the ostrich should of smacked that man with his/her MIGHTY TALONS of furry.
1= the kid was riding on its back, then falls.
2- the child becomes prey
3 the ostrich does whats natural and tries to subdue the opponent using all methods possible.
4- man does whats natural and protects his child.
5- ostrich gets a coke.


Fixed.

Good point on military spending;

"I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.." -Mark Twain

>> ^BoneRemake:
I upvoted, But I feel that the ostrich should of smacked that man with his/her MIGHTY TALONS of furry.
1= the kid was riding on its back, then falls.
2- the child becomes prey
3 the ostrich does whats natural and tries to subdue the opponent using all methods possible.
4- man beats ostrich because man is piece of shit prick mother fucker.
5- ostrich gets a coke.


Well, actually the man was just protecting his genetic code, which is being carried in his spoiled, "I want to ride a pony," brat of a son, so I'm not sure if he was being a prick because of that

Lesson learned: don't mess with the descendants of dinosaurs. Especially ones that still look like them.

I upvoted, But I feel that the ostrich should of smacked that man with his/her MIGHTY TALONS of furry.

1= the kid was riding on its back, then falls.
2- the child becomes prey

3 the ostrich does whats natural and tries to subdue the opponent using all methods possible.

4- man beats ostrich because man is piece of shit prick mother fucker.

5- ostrich gets a coke.

That chicken could fuck that dog up so fast. One good flying talon strike to the face and it's over. Their claws are really, really sharp.

I looks like they do just that, they lock onto the throats and try to puncture it with their talons. It looks like in some cases the Mongolian hunter comes in and helps finish the job as well.

>> ^ghark:
Wow at first i thought it was a semi-suicide mission for the eagles as the wolves were clearly bigger, heavier and fighting back pretty fiercely, but the eagles always seemed to come out on top. I'm curious as to how the eagle actually makes the kill, do they lock onto the throats and try and strangle the wolves?

>> ^gwiz665:
There is not one good argument for Christianity or any other religion, which non-religion cannot do. In that sense, it's useless.


Can it provide you a life after death?

I honestly believe the biggest issue for most believers is that they have been raised with this idea that the current existence is imperfect and that afterlife will provide -- Gettin' high on 24/7 Holy Spirit and full knowledge of life, universe and everything. At least, that's what my parents sold me at the age of 4. I sometimes don't understand how I escaped the talons of fantasy Christian afterlife. Indoctrination from a young age is a brick house that rarely fails. It really is a comforting notion that may be too much for some believers who are on the fence. Why do I think this? Because I, like most believers (this is a guess) was on the fence before I got the balls to start having honest, systematic dialogues with my pastor. But after a lot of discussion, argument, and a near middle finger from my youth pastor, I realized what bullshit it all was. It's the ultimate peer pressure scheme with a back up afterlife threat, just in case you're a black sheep in your congregation. Accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior comes with the high cost of a twisted conscience.

J’voudrais faire un slam pour une grande dame que j’connais depuis tout petit
J’voudrais faire un slam pour celle qui voit ma vieille canne du lundi au samedi
J’voudrais faire un slam pour une vieille femme dans laquelle j’ai grandi
J’voudrais faire un slam pour cette banlieue nord de Paname qu’on appelle Saint-Denis
Prends la ligne D du RER et erre dans les rues sévères d’une ville pleine de caractère
Prends la ligne 13 du métro et va bouffer au McDo ou dans les bistrots d’une ville pleine de bonnes gos et de gros clandos
Si t’aimes voyager, prends le tramway et va au marché. En une heure, tu traverseras Alger et Tanger.
Tu verras des Yougos et des Roms, et puis j’t’emmènerais à Lisbonne
Et à 2 pas de New-Deli et de Karashi (t’as vu j’ai révisé ma géographie), j’t’emmènerai bouffer du Mafé à Bamako et à Yamoussoukro
Et si tu préfères, on ira juste derrière manger une crêpe là où ça sent Quimper et où ça a un petit air de Finistère
Et puis en repassant par Tizi-Ouzou, on finira aux Antilles, là où il y a des grosses re-noi qui font « Pchit, toi aussi kaou ka fé la ma fille ! »
Au marché de Saint-Denis, faut que tu sois sique-phy. Si t’aimes pas être bousculé tu devras rester zen
Mais sûr que tu prendras des accents plein les tympans et des odeurs plein le zen
Après le marché on ira ché-mar rue de la République, le sanctuaire des magasins pas chers
La rue préférée des petites rebeus bien sapées aux petits talons et aux cheveux blonds peroxydés
Devant les magasins de zouk, je t’apprendrai la danse. Si on va à la Poste j’t’enseignerai la patience…
La rue de la République mène à la Basilique où sont enterré tous les rois de France, tu dois le savoir ! Après Géographie, petite leçon d’histoire
Derrière ce bâtiment monumental, j’t’emmène au bout de la ruelle, dans un petit lieu plus convivial, bienvenu au Café Culturel
On y va pour discuter, pour boire, ou jouer aux dames. Certains vendredi soir, y’a même des soirées Slam
Si tu veux bouffer pour 3 fois rien, j’connais bien tous les petits coins un peu poisseux
On y retrouvera tous les vauriens, toute la jet-set des aristocrasseux
Le soir, y’a pas grand chose à faire, y’a pas grand chose d’ouvert
A part le cinéma du Stade, où les mecs viennent en bande : bienvenue à Caillera-Land
Ceux qui sont là rêvent de dire un jour « je pèse ! » et connaissent mieux Kool Shen sous le nom de Bruno Lopez
C’est pas une ville toute rose mais c’est une ville vivante. Il s’passe toujours quelqu’chose, pour moi elle est kiffante
J’connais bien ses rouages, j’connais bien ses virages, y’a tout le temps du passage, y’a plein d’enfants pas sages, j’veux écrire une belle page, ville aux cent mille visages, St-Denis-centre mon village
J’ai 93200 raisons de te faire connaître cette agglomération. Et t’as autant de façons de découvrir toutes ses attractions.
A cette putain de cité j’suis plus qu’attaché, même si j’ai envie de mettre des taquets aux arracheurs de portables de la Place du Caquet
St-Denis ville sans égal, St-Denis ma capitale, St-Denis ville peu banale.. où à Carrefour tu peux même acheter de la choucroute Hallal !
Ici on est fier d’être dyonisiens, j’espère que j’t’ai convaincu. Et si tu m’traites de parisien, j’t’enfonce ma béquille dans l’…
J’voudrais faire un slam pour une grande dame que j’connais depuis tout petit
J’voudrais faire un slam pour celle qui voit ma vieille canne du lundi au samedi
J’voudrais faire un slam pour une vieille femme dans laquelle j’ai grandi
J’voudrais faire un slam pour cette banlieue nord de Paname qu’on appelle Saint-Denis.