OK, still under construction but progressing, this page is on my interests. (fer those of u who ask wut LOF means...) I'm interested in everything, but i'll narrow it down sorta, these include everything from subs, computers, handball, astronomy, military hardware and all things that fly including peregrine falcons.
A few interesting things about the PF...
The Peregrine Falcon
The falcon family of birds are recognized by thier bulletlike heads, short necks, and broad shoulders leading into wings that taper into a point. A tapered tail, hooked beak and sharp curved talons may also remind you of the similarities of falcons with hawks and eagles. These features allow the falcon, hawk and eagle survive as predators.
The peregrine falcon is I think the most beautiful airborne creature on earth. A streamlined body, high-speed wing, large yellow feet, black talons, dull blackish-brown feathers and fluffy front make the peregrine falcon unique.
No other bird kills its prey the way a peregrine falcon does. Climbing high in the sky, usually over open country... the peregrine scans below for prey with it's really sharp eyes. The peregrine falcon eats a wide variety of small to medium birds including pigeons (a favorite), crows, kestrals, ducks, robins and many many more... The peregrine also eats dragonflies and occasionally small mammals.
Its unique ways of hunting deserves a closer look. High in the sky, the falcon uses its sharp eyes (which are capable of spotting a pigeon a mile away) to locate prey. After finding a bird... the falcon initiates its famous dive, or "stoop" as falconers call it. With a few quick flaps of its wing, the peregrine dives at over 180 miles per hour down at its prey, talons ready... the impact of the powerful talons on the preys body is usually enough to kill it. If the prey quickly breaked at the last moment and the peregrine missed, the falcon can come aournd for another pass. If not killed outright by the sheer force of impact, the stunned prey falls to the ground with the peregrine at close pursuit. When the prey crashes to the ground, the pergrine pins it down with its strong talons and while defeathering the prey, tears bits of flesh off.
Despite the peregrine's successful hunting techniques... it is an endangered species due to human destruction of it habitat and eating prey infected with disease or pesticides and pollution. The falcon lives all over the world except in Antarctica. A strong flier, falcons are known to migrate over thousands of miles (peregrine means wanderer BTW). A number of peregrine falcons can be seen not in the wild but in cities in the US, especially the northeast region. This may be actually good for repopulation since young peregrine falcons can be safe from horned owl from eating them and still have plenty of food in the form of pigeons.
At one time, the peregrine falcon was as common as the raven and osprey. Although several releases have been made from captivity to the wild... there is still much to go. I think a month ago the US took the Bald Eagle off the endangered species list... hope the Peregrines are next=)
Peregrine falcon to be removed from endangered list
August 20, 1999 Web posted at: 8:58 AM EDT (1258 GMT)
(This is from the Associated Press of DC) -- DDT and other pesticides once pushed the world's fastest bird to near extinction in the United States. Now, the peregrine falcon has recovered enough to be taken off the endangered species list.
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt planned to formally remove the peregrine from the endangered list today in a ceremony at a Boise, Idaho, center for breeding birds of prey.
"We're going to go out there and get up and celebrate," Babbitt said Thursday in a conference call with reporters.
The bird's recovery is proof that the Endangered Species Act can protect wildlife with little economic harm, Babbitt said.
"That is the message that comes at us at 200 miles per hour with the peregrine falcon," Babbitt said.
At the falcon's low point in 1970, only 39 breeding pairs existed in the continental United States *sniff sniff* -- all west of the Mississippi, said Jeff Cilek of The Peregrine Fund. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates more than 1,650 breeding pairs of peregrines live in North America. *yay!!!*
The highest number are in the West, with 167 pairs in California, 164 in Utah and 159 in Arizona.
Dropping the peregrine from the list means it loses some of the strictest protections of federal law, such as shielding its habitat from development. The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act still makes it illegal to kill the falcons or possess their feathers or body parts without a rare federal permit.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to monitor peregrine populations for 13 years to ensure they don't get in trouble again.
While Babbitt cited the 1973 Endangered Species Act as a big factor in the peregrine's recovery, falcon experts say the key to saving the birds was the 1972 ban on DDT and later restrictions on the use of similar pesticides. Peregrines that accumulate DDT and its chemical cousins lay eggs with thin shells that often break and kill the chicks.
"If that (DDT ban) hadn't happened, we wouldn't be here today, Endangered Species Act or no," said Peregrine Fund founder Tom Cade.
The ban on DDT was prompted by concerns for such birds as the peregrine falcon and the bald eagle.
Private groups like The Peregrine Fund have released more than 6,000 peregrines hatched in captivity. Falconers prize the peregrine for its speed, which can reach more than 200 mph when diving to catch prey, Cade said.
"Its performance in the air and courtship aerobatics are really spectacular," he said.
Peregrines prey on smaller birds such as pigeons and starlings, zooming down on them from above to catch and kill them in midair. The falcons lay their eggs and raise their young on high ledges such as cliffs, skyscrapers, smokestacks and bridges, and they have thrived in urban environments.
"To see a falcon cruising down Wall Street and looking for pigeons and moving in on them, as I have, is an amazing sight," Babbitt said.
The American peregrine falcon is the sixth U.S. species to recover enough to be removed from the endangered species list, which currently includes about 1,200 plants and animals in the United States. The other recovered species are the brown pelican, the American alligator, the Rydberg milk-vetch (a small plant in the pea family), the gray whale and the Arctic peregrine falcon.
Seven U.S. species on the list have become extinct, and another seven have been removed because scientists discovered they were variants of other species or were not endangered in the first place.
OK guys, a lil invention of mine... "Wak Tea" is the ultimate "pre-sport" drink. I do not recommend it for ppl who cannot take a lot of sugar at a time or ppl who tend to get very hyper w/it. Seriously, dun drink this too much, it causes stuff like kidney stones and blood composition imbalances... It's jus very effective if u need quick energy and a nice cool drink. WT is incredibly easy to make. (this is the an optimal ONE serving, about a liter...)
In a liter sized bottle, glass/plastic (see-thru) preferrably, 'cuz u'll see y... Put in enough warm (boiled then cooled) water so that water takes up 90% of the volume. Now add in two(2) Lipton™ "the BRISK tea" Tea Bags... allow to dissolve, should take like jus a couple minutes. Now add the active ingredient; SUGAR!!! , add sugar so that the water rises all the way up to the top of the bottle. Cap the bottle and let ~that~ dissolve and chill the whole thing and drink cold. It's an awesome sports drink... almost as good as Sprite when i bike or play handball. Another obvious advantage w/WT is that it's fully customizable. U can vary the amount of sugar, i usually have around an inch of sugar at the bottom of a bottle when i make it. U can put in one(1) tea bag if u wish, and if u prefer, u can substitute milk for some of the water.
That's about it for this "Line Of Fire" page for now, chk bak sum other time for some more specialties =)
Feb. 4th, 2000.
WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR GORE AND NOT BUSH. 11.8.00 00:37
First, Gore's been VP for 8 years, that's the closest thing to prez. Putting intelligence aside, Bush is very contradictory and unfair. He raised the character issue of Gore's political campaign contribution first, when he was later found to be guilty of an arrest for DUI. In 1995, he changed his license plates. Obviously, Bush knew of this blemish on his record and tried to cover it up. In addition, Bush often blasts Gore and Clinton for the decline of the military... let's get this straight... (esp. all u ppl who really kno me, i'm pretty reliable when it comes to this defense stuff) the decline and setbacks of the military, if however significant; started under the Bush/Quayle admin. ... and guess who's dad was in office then??? Furthermore... guess who was the Defense Secretary at that time???, Bush Jr's VP!!! Cheney started the cuts as the cold war ended... logically... In "actuallity", the US spends more on defense than the next five nations combined... we have adequet structures in place and readiness levels. As i am typing this, although it may b too late... w/Bush winning and all now... it may b of some comfort to hypothsize that the US economy isn't probably gonna b doing too well sometime soon, and again; a Bush will b in office when that occurs... so Democrats will again b up... geez wut a crazy sys. =)
Besides, we'd have more situations like the pic below when Bush goes up...
I have to admit, the Bush administration is doing a remarkable job in handling the current events. It has shown leadership, decisiveness, consideration, and awareness of the problems (and how to prevent further problems)... Bush is quite lucky to have such a great VP who himself led the Dept. of Defense during his father's administration. Cheney must b proving his worth every minute. Bush's nat'l security advisor, C. Rice (also present in Bush Sr.'s term) must also have great input. Anyways, for the first time during our current president's run, i feel we are in good hands =)
chk bak fer more updates of this page... the Bruce Lee Section is now up. Writing section is too. I'm thinking about incorporating the Opinions Section into NewUd instead of making a new and different page/section for it.
Home
Me!
Friends=)
New
Downloads/Pix/Sounds
Links/Sources
-Contact-
My Writing
Bruce Lee
FrontPage