Odds and ends, 8/9/07

Officials in Hurricane, W.Va., are trying to scare Canada geese away from their park with "Birdfrite," which is fired from shotguns and creates a very loud noise. The idea is to condition the geese to avoid the area. But city officials aren't doing anything to change the habitat that attracts the birds.

Said it before, saying it again. To get rid of the vermin, you have to get rid of the habitat that attracts them. That means not having as much delicious grass close to lakes or ponds or rivers. It's either that or exterminate the species, which I don't see anyone wanting to do.

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Speaking of vermin, I have seen an awful lot of little spotted deer in my area lately. Either they are separated from their mothers or their mothers do a better job of hiding themselves. I almost hit one yesterday when it bolted in front of me in panic.

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Remember, global warming will lead to an increase in destructive hurricanes such as Katrina. In fact, Bush's environmental policies created Katrina. I know it's true because Robert Kennedy Jr. said so back in 2005.

Now read this, which AP carried this afternoon:

MIAMI (AP) — Government forecasters minimally reduced their expectations for Atlantic hurricane season Thursday, saying up to nine hurricanes and up to 16 tropical storms are expected to form.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maintained its prediction that three to five of the hurricanes to be strong.

The revised forecast trimmed by just one the upper-level predictions for the number of tropical storms and hurricanes expected.

Oh well.

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Earlier today, I pasted a spreadsheet with some data from the IRS. The more I look at it, the more I realize it needs work to make it understandable... and viewable within the parameters of this display. So let me work on it some more and I'll see if I can get a better version up.