Tanuki

Filly brought a picture of a tanuki in a comment and since I never heard of it, I went searching. This information is from TREEHUGGER.COM.

The tanuki is a wild canid species native to Japan that is related to wolves, foxes, and domestic dogs. It’s also known as the Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) and is a subspecies of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) that’s found in mainland Asia.

With its thick fur, masked face, and curious nature, the tanuki has served as a cultural icon in Japanese folklore for centuries. The bushy-tailed animal is known as a mischievous trickster that’s shown up in legends and myths as a shapeshifter with supernatural abilities. In popular culture, tanuki can be spotted in Nintendo video games and Studio Ghibli films.

Here are eight little-known facts about this fascinating canid species.

Tanuki Are Not Related to Raccoons

Despite their masked appearance, tanuki are not close relatives of the common raccoon, the famous species native to the United States. Tanuki belong to the Canidae family, alongside wolves and foxes. In contrast, the common raccoon shares more in common with mustelids, a family that includes weasels, badgers, and otters. Their similar appearance could be a case of convergent evolution, where different species evolve to occupy the same ecological niche.

They Can Climb Trees

Tree-climbing isn’t a skill often associated with dogs, and in fact, tanuki and the North American gray fox are the only canid species that exhibit this trait. They are accomplished climbers thanks to their curved claws and can be found foraging for berries and fruit among the branches. In addition, their natural habitat is woodlands and marshes, and tanuki are skilled swimmers that will dive underwater to hunt and forage.

They Are Bred and Killed in the Fur Trade

Both the tanuki and its mainland raccoon dog cousin are bred in captivity for the global fur trade. In some instances, their fur has been found in garments that were advertised as containing faux fur. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 70% of the faux fur garments they analyzed contained raccoon dog fur.  Most of the animals killed and sold for their fur are bred in captivity and spend their entire lives in cages. Even when clothing is advertised as animal-free faux fur, it could be a false statement, and it’s worth knowing how to check for yourself.

They’re Considered an Invasive Species in Europe

Originally introduced into Russia to bolster the trapping trade in the early 20th century, the tanuki has spread into all of Europe, where it’s considered an invasive species that is threatening biodiversity.1 With few natural predators and an affinity for scavenging near humans, the tanuki population has exploded. Many European nations have started programs to hunt and trap the animal and banned its trade as an exotic pet.

They Are Highly Social Creatures

Companionship and family are important for these critters, which usually live in monogamous pairs or small, close-knit groups. In winter, a mating pair will share a den and raise a litter of pups together. Male tanuki have been observed taking part in family life in ways that other species seem like poor parents. They bring food to their pregnant mates and help to raise their pups, who live alongside them for four to five months after birth.

They Are the Only Canines That Hibernate

While wolves, foxes, and other canines have no trouble braving the snowy, barren winter months, tanuki prefer to wait them out and hunker down. In early winter, they will gain weight, decrease their metabolism by 25% to 50%, and settle inside their burrows until warmer weather arrives. They don’t go it alone either. These sociable animals are communal hibernators that prefer to spend the long winter in close proximity to their mating partner, though by definition they actually enter a state of torpor rather than hibernation because they remain semi-conscious and will emerge to forage on especially warm days.

They Hold an Important Position in Japanese Folklore

The version of tanuki often referred to in Japanese folklore is a mystical creature known as bake-danuki, which can be translated as “monster raccoon dog.” The creature was first referenced in a text published in 720 A.D. called “Nihon Shoki,” which is one of the oldest Japanese history books, weaving important historical events with mythology and creation stories. Tanuki have since been a recurring figure in folk tales throughout Japanese history, usually appearing as a trickster, shapeshifter, or a sign of good luck. The mythical version of the animal is often depicted with an oversized scrotum, which has been the source of both comedy and confusion. One theory is that this depiction dates to the 19th century when metal workers wrapped gold in tanuki skin before hammering it into gold leaf. The strength of the tanuki’s skin was so great that, according to legend, a tiny piece of gold could be hammered thin enough to stretch across an entire room.

They Are One of the Most Ancient Canine Species

The tanuki is considered a basal species, or one of the species most similar to its ancestors. Thousands of years ago, most dogs probably looked more like the tanuki than your modern domestic pet. Since tanuki do not bark—instead whining, growling, and mewling—and are more omnivorous than most other wild dogs, its ancient lineage provides insight into the diverse origins of canine species. Fossil found in the Tochigi Prefecture of Japan suggests the first tanuki appeared between 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago during the Pleistocene era.

Thanks Filly!!!

SOURCE: TREEHUGGER.COM

“Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV…”

Today is George Carlin’s birthday (born May 12, 1937 and died June 22, 2008).  In honor of his birthday, I found an interesting article on Mental Floss about him.

From Mental Floss:

George Carlin did more than make people laugh—he made them think. Over the course of his long and storied career, the legendary comedian released more than 20 albums, recorded more than a dozen HBO comedy specials, and challenged both conventional American thinking and governmental procedure. From being described as a “significant social satirist” in a Supreme Court ruling regarding indecency to serving as the conductor in Shining Time Station, Carlin touched the lives of generations of fans. Here are some facts about the comedian/actor/author in honor of what would have been his 80th birthday.

HE INHERITED HIS LOVE OF LANGUAGE.

George’s father, Patrick, was an advertising manager for the New York newspaper The Sun. He won a nationwide Dale Carnegie public speaking contest in 1935 with his speech “The Power of Mental Demand.” “He had a real line of sh*t, boy,” Carlin said of his father. “He could talk your donkey’s ear off.” Carlin’s grandfather, a New York City police officer, wrote out Shakespeare’s tragedies in longhand for fun.

GROWING UP, HE WANTED TO BE LIKE DANNY KAYE.

“Danny Kaye was my childhood dream when I was 10, 11,” Carlin said of the actor/singer/dancer/physical comedian/musician. “I kind of looked at that and thought, ‘Gee, I can do that … He makes funny faces, he talks in funny accents and he can do very, very intricate vocal pieces.”‘

HE WENT TO THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL AS MARTIN SCORSESE, REGIS PHILBIN, AND DON DELILLO.

Unlike Regis Philbin, Martin Scorsese, and Don DeLillo, Carlin didn’t graduate from Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx—because he was expelled. In an interview with Playboy, Carlin admitted that he was failing subjects and running away from home for days at a time while he attended Hayes. His scholastic career included stealing money from the visiting team’s locker room during a basketball game, and getting caught telling kids on the playground he had heroin. In 1983, Carlin performed at a Hayes school fundraiser in honor of Msgr. Stanislaus P. Jablonski—the very man who threw him out. Despite the fears of some in the alumni association, Carlin kept his act clean, and Jablonski enjoyed the tribute. Jablonski at one point read old detention slips he had issued Carlin. One read, “He thinks he’s a comedian.”

HE WAS COURT-MARTIALED (MORE THAN ONCE) IN THE AIR FORCE.

Carlin worked as a radar technician on B-47s at Louisiana’s Barksdale Air Force Base. He smoked pot he had mailed to him from New York on the base; the others did not recognize the smell. He was court-martialed once after celebrating the Brooklyn Dodgers winning the 1955 World Series by downing cooking wine and telling off his tech sergeant. He was court-martialed again after falling asleep during a simulated combat drill.

HE HAD A LIFELONG INTEREST IN CURSE WORDS.

He wrote down the “most colorful” profanities he heard in his neighborhood and put them in his pocket. When he was 13, his mother found them in the wallet. Carlin claimed he overheard her saying to his uncle that she believed George needed a psychiatrist.

HIS ARREST OVER SAYING THE SEVEN DIRTY WORDS WAS ALMOST A LOT WORSE.

Carlin was arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1972 for obscenity after giving a stand-up performance at Summerfest. What the six cops didn’t realize was that Carlin had cocaine in his pocket moments before they got to him.

During the show, Carlin’s wife came up on stage to bring him a pitcher of water, and to inform him that he should go offstage to the right, because police were waiting on the left. When he finished his performance, he exited, stage right, and handed the drugs off to a band.

HE WAS THE FIRST-EVER HOST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, BUT DIDN’T REMEMBER THE EXPERIENCE.

He was “loaded on cocaine all week long” leading up to October 11, 1975, when he performed stand-up and introduced the inaugural episode’s musical guests, Billy Preston and Janis Ian. Carlin and the longtime SNL director Dave Wilson had gone to summer camp together as kids. For the Saturday night talent shows, a young George would do monologues. After years of Wilson winning the contests, Carlin finally beat him. (George eventually got kicked out of camp for stealing film from the owner’s camera to take his own photographs.) When Lorne Michaels interviewed Carlin about performing the hosting duties, he said, “Well, I know the director.”

Carlin was also the first-ever host of Fridays (1980-1982), ABC’s attempted version of SNL.

HIS SECOND OF THREE HEART ATTACKS OCCURRED DURING A BASEBALL GAME.

Carlin was taking in a New York Mets/Los Angeles Dodgers contest at Dodger Stadium with his agent in May 1982—Carlin was a Mets fan since the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to L.A.—when he had his second heart attack. After realizing the park’s first aid station was, as daughter Kelly Carlin wrote, “nothing more than a glorified place to get a Band-Aid,” their limo driver booked it to St. John’s Hospital. George didn’t believe it was as serious as a heart attack, but it in fact was an almost full blockage of the right descending artery. The doctors used an experimental anticoagulant, Streptokinase; they had gotten it that week. It did its job of unclotting.

HE LIED TO KIDS WHO RECOGNIZED HIM AS MR. CONDUCTOR.

A perk to Carlin taking the role of Mr. Conductor in Shining Time Station in the first place was that he didn’t have to deal with other actors, as it was all green-screened. But he would inadvertently traumatize children, who spotted him at airports—out of uniform and much bigger than depicted on TV. “I’m not on the island of Sodor, I’m not working today,” he would gently tell them. “But I am Mr. Conductor.” This didn’t lessen the kids’ confusion.

THE IRS HELPED HIM BECOME A BETTER COMIC.

About the Internal Revenue Service taking a large percentage of his money after years of owing taxes, Carlin saw the bright side of it all:

“It made me a way better comedian, because I had to stay out on the road, and I couldn’t pursue a movie career—which would have gone nowhere—and I became a really good comic and writer eventually, saving all my files and thoughts and things. I had to be prepared for that, because HBO was coming along, and about every two years—at my choice—I had to have another hour ready. So my having to stay on the road turned me into a g**damn good comedian. So there’s a bright part of everything.”

SOURCE: MENTALFLOSS.COM

What Shall We Bake Today?

Peach bars made me think of our Georgia, which led me to this recipe…Pecan Balls.

Ingredients

¼ pound butter

1 cup ground pecans

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the flour, ground pecans, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together—don’t overmix.

Scoop out about 1 heaping teaspoon of dough and roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.

Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly golden on the bottom.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. While still slightly warm, roll each cookie in powdered sugar until coated.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can roll them in powdered sugar a second time for extra coating, if desired.

Enjoy!

Funny Mother’s Day Gifts

This is the time of year, we think about honoring our mothers, and yet how many of us simply don’t know what to buy?  You could go the safe, but uninspired route of a gift card or—gasp! cash, or you might consider one of these gifts!

that’s right, you’re Mom’s favorite—rub it in!

time to RUN!

look at the bright side!

he’s still got it!

but it’s not a contest!

not sure about this one…won’t it dilute the wine? (shower wine holder)

she will love you for this, trust me!

another great idea!

chocolate makes everything better!

when all else fails…

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there!

SOURCE: GIFTRABBIT.COM

Happy National Washington Day!

Planning on visiting Washington? Make sure to see these destinations that Trip Advisor recommends!

Chihuly Garden and Glass

This must-see museum exhibits creative and colorful blown glass sculptures of renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Eight indoor galleries and lush landscaped gardens feature a mix of new and past significant works. They are awe-inspiring whether you visit during the day, or in the evening when the sculptures are lit up. The highlight here is a 100-foot-long glass sculpture suspended in a glass conservatory—one of his largest ever.

Space Needle

Located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, this iconic landmark and observation tower was built for the 1962 World’s Fair. Perch on the glass benches known as “Skyrisers” and gaze out of floor-to-ceiling windows, snap a selfie at the outdoor deck, or head upstairs to The Loupe, an indoor lounge featuring the world’s first and only rotating glass floor. Here, you’ll be greeted with 360-degree views of the downtown Seattle skyline, Mount Rainier, Elliot Bay, and the Olympic and Cascade Mountains.

Pike Place Market

The Pike Place Market has been a defining Seattle icon for more than a century. Considered by many “the soul of Seattle,” the Market spans nine historic acres in the center of downtown where everyday locals and tourists alike shop, visit, eat and discover. Founded in 1907, the Market is one of the oldest and largest continuously operating public markets in the United States and is brought to life by the hundreds of farmers, crafters, small businesses, and residents that call it “home”.

The Museum of Flight

Walk the aisle of JFK’s Air Force One and climb aboard the Concorde at Seattle’s Museum of Flight. Built around Boeing’s original factory, it is the world’s largest air and space museum. Here, you can learn everything about the history of aviation, from the Wright Brothers and the exploration of Mars, to revolutionary aircrafts and spy planes. You’ll get to barrel-roll a Mustang, land on the moon, soar over Puget Sound in a simulator, and even sit at the controls of the fastest jet on Earth. Certain days of the month have free entry, so check before you go.

Mount Rainier

At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the fifth highest mountain in the continental 48 states.

SOURCE: TRIP ADVISOR.COM

Happy National Coconut Cream Pie Day!

This recipe is delicious AND so EASY!

Ingredients

1 ½ cups milk

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked (I used a graham cracker crust.)

Directions

Whisk together milk and pudding mix in a large bowl until mixture starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Fold in 1 cup coconut and 1/2 of the whipped topping until well combined. Pour filling into baked pie crust.

Spread remaining whipped topping over filling. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Refrigerate pie and serve chilled.

ENJOY!

The 27th Amendment

This amendment, limiting the extent to which Congress could raise their salaries, was nearly 200 years in the making.

FROM: ARCHIVESFOUNDATION.ORG:

(Very) Early Origins

The text of the 27th Amendment reads: “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”
The issue of lawmakers’ salaries was quite contentious during the Constitutional Convention. The framers held competing visions about the extent to which congressmen should be paid, if at all. One of the most vocal opponents to congressional pay altogether was Benjamin Franklin.

Franklin argued that public servants should work without pay, believing that they should be virtuous in their commitment to governmental service. Ultimately, his view was on the more extreme end and did not make its way into the draft constitution. While representation in the early iterations of Congress was still quite limited to white landowning men, the provision for a salary at least opened the opportunity to more than the wealthy.
While the inclusion of compensation was eventually agreed upon, many framers and the general public still worried that people would greedily enter public office to enrich themselves. James Madison foresaw the complication of allowing Congress to adjust its own salary without some guidelines. He also worried that having the President control congressional salaries could lead to bitter politicking and corruption.

In 1789, Madison and other framers submitted 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution to the first Congress. The first 10, known as the Bill of Rights, were fully ratified in 1791. The congressional pay provision, however, was only ratified at the time by six states. Because there was no time limit on ratification, what eventually became the 27th Amendment lay dormant for nearly two centuries.

An Unexpected Voice for Change

Gregory Watson was a sophomore studying political science at the University of Texas at Austin in 1982. In a class on constitutional law, students were asked to write about constitutional change and process. Watson’s paper argued that since time limits on ratification were not enumerated anywhere in the Constitution, the congressional pay provision was still “live” and thus could be ratified and implemented.
While Watson received a grade of C for his argument, he did not let that stop his momentum. He initiated a letter-writing campaign to various state legislatures in the hopes of closing the loop on ratification. Starting with Maine and Colorado, states began ratifying the amendment. Watson’s movement gained quite a bit of traction and media attention nationwide.
By 1992, three-quarters of the states reached the necessary consensus as laid out in Article V of the Constitution to legitimize the 27th Amendment. For the first time in history, the Archivist of the United States certified the amendment.

Concerns were raised about the legality of the ratification process after its passage, since the first six states signed on in the 18th century. Some scholars interpret the process of ratification laid out in Article V as needing to be a simultaneous event, with state-by-state ratification taking place within a short time span. This is in sharp contrast to the elongated timeline for the 27th Amendment. The Speaker of the House at the time even proposed litigating its legitimacy until it was clear that the provision had gained widespread popularity among the general public.


The amendment process is an important cornerstone of checks and balances inherent to our democratic system. During every two-year term in the House of Representatives, members of Congress typically propose about 200 amendments, although few ever make it out of committees. Despite its unusual path to ratification, the 27th amendment’s saga is the realization of the framers’ wishes for a participatory and engaged citizenry.

DIY: Garden Feature

I thought these ladybugs were so cute and so easy to do!

You need golf balls…

spray paint Primer…

some acrylic paints…

and water-based varnish.

The procedure is simple:  Use some sandpaper to lightly smooth the surface of the balls.  Spray the primer to help the paint adhere to the surface.  When the primer is dry, use the acrylics to paint the ladybug.

National Bird Day: Temminck’s Lark

Thanks to Filly for bringing this unusual bird to my attention!

FROM: inaturalist.org:

Temminck’s lark (Eremophila bilopha) or Temminck’s horned lark is a bird species of the family Alaudidae. It breeds across much of north Africa, through northern Saudi Arabia to western Iraq. It is mainly resident, but some populations of this passerine bird are partially migratory, moving further south in winter. This bird’s common name commemorates the Dutch naturalist Coenraad Jacob Temminck. The population is declining in Israel and may also be declining elsewhere, probably as a result of habitat loss. Nevertheless, this is a common bird in many parts of its wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of “least concern”.

Description

Unlike most other larks, Temminck’s lark is a distinctive looking species on the ground, similar to the other, larger, member of its genus, the horned lark. The 5.5 to 5.9 in adult is mainly reddish brown-grey above and pale below, and it has a striking black and white face pattern and a distinctive black patch on its breast. The summer male has black “horns”, which give this species its alternative name. The juvenile of this species is reddish above and pale below, quite unlike the juvenile horned lark. The adult Temminck’s lark differs from the horned lark in its reddish, rather than brown-grey plumage, and the lack of yellow in the face pattern. It has a similar but less harsh metallic call.

Distribution and habitat

Temminck’s lark is native to North Africa and the Middle East. Its range includes Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and Western Sahara.

This lark is a bird of open stony semi-desert. Its nest is on the ground, with two to four eggs being laid. Its food is seeds supplemented with insects in the breeding season.