CygnusGal

Tom Sawyer... a big opening blast of a huge E followed by about 40 minutes of musical brilliance. :haz:

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

For sure not better than the original, but I love this guy and his version of the song.

http://youtu.be/W4vd9OVLO7Q

That's one of the better covers I've heard of a Rush song. I tend to prefer new takes on covered material.

 

Thanks for the link, greyfriar. :cheers:

07 August 2014

Thursday

 

 

Nile Crocodile

 

The Nile crocodile has a somewhat deserved reputation as a vicious man-eater. The proximity of much of its habitat to people means run-ins are frequent. And its virtually indiscriminate diet means a villager washing clothes by a riverbank might look just as tasty as a migrating wildebeest. Firm numbers are sketchy, but estimates are that up to 200 people may die each year in the jaws of a Nile croc.

 

Africa's largest crocodilian, these primordial brutes reach a maximum size of about 20 feet (6 meters) and can weigh up to 1,650 pounds (730 kilograms). Average sizes, though, are more in the range of 16 feet (5 meters) and 500 pounds (225 kilograms). They live throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the Nile Basin, and Madagascar in rivers, freshwater marshes, and mangrove swamps.

 

The diet of the Nile crocodile is mainly fish, but it will attack almost anything unfortunate enough to cross its path, including zebras, small hippos, porcupines, birds, and other crocodiles. It will also scavenge carrion, and can eat up to half its body weight at a feeding.

 

One unusual characteristic of this fearsome predator is its caring nature as a parent. Where most reptiles lay their eggs and move on, mother and father Nile crocs ferociously guard their nests until the eggs hatch, and they will often roll the eggs gently in their mouths to help hatching babies emerge.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/8TCNykv.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/AsuytDj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AtjPtZx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0DxUcxW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/QELckyE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lle73IH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/jeCdtJP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8HdAktB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ILptQ3c.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lqvitZv.jpg

 

It's actually quite beautiful. Though if I saw one sitting on a river bank, I would give it a very wide berth.

 

I really the rhyme to its name.

A large audio file comprised of text to speech YYZumbi posts (ordered chronologically)

 

Just so I could satisfy my own curiosity...

 

I've always thought of Tool as one of the closest comparisons to Rush. More so than the bands listed here. Rush really have their own thing going though, no band is THAT similar

Good point. I've never heard of those bands, but Tool...well, no band can induce a trance in me like Tool can. An absolutely hypnotic band whose music speaks to me much like Rush's does.

I really enjoy his latest album...and this video.

I agree. His latest album is wonderful - his best in years, I think.

 

Sir Paul

 

Hey CG. Hope all has been well with you.

 

I like New too, but I think McCartney has actually been on a roll with solo albums since the late 90s and Flaming Pie to be honest.

Hey Rick :) :hi:

 

Yes, I liked The Fireman quite a bit but his latest reminds me more of his 70s material (my favorite McCartney solo era).

 

Things are well and summer's been good - could the weather be any better? Off to Maine for a two week vacation in about ten days :yay:

 

You?

I really enjoy his latest album...and this video.

I agree. His latest album is wonderful - his best in years, I think.

 

Sir Paul

my mom bought this for me when I was in 2nd grade :)

 

http://assets-s3.rollingstone.com/assets/images/album_review/led-zeppelin-ii-1400175028.jpg

 

That's very sweet of her. My mother bought me Hemispheres for Christmas in '82. That album is special to me for that reason and I think of her whenever I hear it.

 

It also rocks! :haz: :)

06 August 2014

Wednesday

 

 

Tapirs

 

Tapirs look something like pigs with trunks, but they are actually related to horses and rhinoceroses. This eclectic lineage is an ancient one—and so is the tapir itself. These animals have changed little over tens of millions of years.

 

Tapirs have a short prehensile trunk, which is really an extended nose and upper lip. They use this trunk to grab branches and clean them of leaves or to help pluck tasty fruit. Tapirs feed each morning and evening. During these hours they follow tunnel-like paths, worn through the heavy brush by many a tapir footstep, to reach water holes and lush feeding grounds. As they roam and defecate they deposit the seeds they have consumed and promote future plant growth.

 

Though they appear densely built, tapirs are at home in the water and often submerge to cool off. They are excellent swimmers and can even dive to feed on aquatic plants. They also wallow in mud, perhaps to remove ticks from their thick hides.

 

New World tapirs generally live in the forests and grasslands of Central and South America. A notable exception is the mountain (or woolly) tapir, which lives high in the Andes Mountains. Woolly tapirs, named for their warm and protective coat, are the smallest of all tapirs.

 

All four tapir species are endangered or threatened, largely due to hunting and habitat loss.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/ekxn2bH.jpg

Malayan Tapir

 

http://i.imgur.com/jc0H8Qd.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/pryCtxy.jpg

Mountain Tapir

 

http://i.imgur.com/isoeh9K.jpg

Lowland Tapir

 

http://i.imgur.com/AdI4s3L.jpg

Baird's Tapir

 

http://i.imgur.com/x2yJakU.jpg

Lowland Tapir

 

http://i.imgur.com/iLHWwgL.jpg

Lowland Tapir

 

http://i.imgur.com/RMfqap8.jpg

Malayan Tapir

 

 

Don't forget the adorableness that is a baby tapir:

 

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01431/Tapir_1431170i.jpg

 

(I can't believe I just started reading this thread. A little late to the party :( )

I think its the best thread on TRF. SWS does a yeoman's job, I learn a lot, the comments are great and the pictures are invariably cute or utterly terrifying.

I choose spy. It was a tough choice.

 

What do I win?

I don't mind Feedback. It is interesting to hear their take on well known songs. They still sound like Rush.

 

I don't think they are better than the originals (how could anyone do a better version of For What It's Worth). But, I've never heard a cover of a Rush song that was better than the original either.

Cygnus X-1 all the way. My favorite Rush song. :haz:

Very nice. :ebert:

 

I can't find Roll The Bones. A die somewhere I'm not seeing?

 

The Farewell To Kings' crown is on the skull.

 

 

Nicely done. :ebert:

Oh, so it is. I knew I was just not seeing it (I had to hunt for the bunny too). Thanks, LedRush. :D

Very nice. :ebert:

 

I can't find Roll The Bones. A die somewhere I'm not seeing?

05 August 2014

Tuesday

 

 

Pufferfish

 

Biologists think pufferfish, also known as blowfish, developed their famous “inflatability” because their slow, somewhat clumsy swimming style makes them vulnerable to predators. In lieu of escape, pufferfish use their highly elastic stomachs and the ability to quickly ingest huge amounts of water (and even air when necessary) to turn themselves into a virtually inedible ball several times their normal size. Some species also have spines on their skin to make them even less palatable.

 

A predator that manages to snag a puffer before it inflates won’t feel lucky for long. Almost all pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a substance that makes them foul tasting and often lethal to fish. To humans, tetrodotoxin is deadly, up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.

 

Amazingly, the meat of some pufferfish is considered a delicacy. Called fugu in Japan, it is extremely expensive and only prepared by trained, licensed chefs who know that one bad cut means almost certain death for a customer. In fact, many such deaths occur annually.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/IdqZSuR.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/IAu1AAl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/LR97USf.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nlWOrjh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iXLL33a.jpg

Wow. That is very...puffy :o. Kinda cute too and it looks like it fries well. ;)

 

(Homer looks over the menu.)

Homer: There's got to be something I haven't tried. Huh? Hey, hey, what's this? Fugu!

Akira: (Gasps.) It is a blowfish, sir. But I should warn you that one-

Homer: Come on, pal. Fugu me!

Moody Blues - Long Distance Voyager was the first album I bought with my own money. The first album I got as a gift was a K-Tel album with Kung Fu Fighting and Beach Baby. The first album I remember hearing is Deep Purple - Machine Head - I was mesmerized with that album :haz: .

 

:)

I've been thinking about this for a bit. So many games, but I'll give it a shot...

 

Zork - the game that started it all

 

Ultima IV - old school RPG

 

Doom - must. kill. monsters.

 

SimCity - manage the minutia and watch your skyscrapers grow

 

Call of Duty - I eventually had to stop playing FPS that shoot people. My brain can't handle it.

 

Mass Effect trilogy (less the last 10 minutes). A fantastic RPG.

 

The Incredible Machine - build Rube Goldberg devices

 

Crusader Kings II - easily the greatest game I have ever played (at over 1200 hours so far). Grand strategy at its finest!

 

WOW you know what Zork is???

That's might impressive lol. The last time I saw a Zork game was on an olllllllllllllllllllllllllllld IBM I believe.

Well, that makes me feel quite unyoung ... ;)

 

It's hard to believe it was nearly 35 years ago and I was a mere middle school whelp.

 

Zork plays a prominent role in Cline's "Ready Player One". As does Rush. Man I loved that book.

Oooo...I don't know that one - I'll have to check it out.

 

Thanks, LedRush. :)

I've been thinking about this for a bit. So many games, but I'll give it a shot...

 

Zork - the game that started it all

 

Ultima IV - old school RPG

 

Doom - must. kill. monsters.

 

SimCity - manage the minutia and watch your skyscrapers grow

 

Call of Duty - I eventually had to stop playing FPS that shoot people. My brain can't handle it.

 

Mass Effect trilogy (less the last 10 minutes). A fantastic RPG.

 

The Incredible Machine - build Rube Goldberg devices

 

Crusader Kings II - easily the greatest game I have ever played (at over 1200 hours so far). Grand strategy at its finest!

 

WOW you know what Zork is???

That's might impressive lol. The last time I saw a Zork game was on an olllllllllllllllllllllllllllld IBM I believe.

Well, that makes me feel quite unyoung ... ;)

 

It's hard to believe it was nearly 35 years ago and I was a mere middle school whelp.

04 August 2014

Monday

 

 

Hedgehog

 

There are some 15 species of hedgehog in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hedgehogs have also been introduced into nontraditional ranges such as New Zealand. The hedgehog was named because of its peculiar foraging methods. These animals root through hedges and other undergrowth in search of the small creatures that compose the bulk of their diet—insects, worms, centipedes, snails, mice, frogs, and snakes. As a hedgehog picks its way through the hedges it emits piglike grunts—thus, the hedgehog.

 

Some people consider hedgehogs useful pets because they prey on many common garden pests. While on the hunt, they rely upon their senses of hearing and smell because their eyesight is weak.

 

Hedgehogs have a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked they will curl into a prickly and unappetizing ball that deters most predators. They usually sleep in this position during the day and awaken to search for food at night.

 

Hedgehogs hibernate in cold climates. In deserts, they sleep through heat and drought in a similar process called aestivation. They remain active all year in more temperate locations.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/w24icCb.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/rWOFM0O.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e3PsdM7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CtiOuIQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/c6sqtUZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/b6Vhkzq.jpg

 

marshmallows crazy cute

I've been thinking about this for a bit. So many games, but I'll give it a shot...

 

Zork - the game that started it all

 

Ultima IV - old school RPG

 

Doom - must. kill. monsters.

 

SimCity - manage the minutia and watch your skyscrapers grow

 

Call of Duty - I eventually had to stop playing FPS that shoot people. My brain can't handle it.

 

Mass Effect trilogy (less the last 10 minutes). A fantastic RPG.

 

The Incredible Machine - build Rube Goldberg devices

 

Crusader Kings II - easily the greatest game I have ever played (at over 1200 hours so far). Grand strategy at its finest!

This is wrong

 

http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad190/TDear_1984/GeddyGene_zps320fdbfd.jpg

On several levels ... :rfl:

01 August 2014

Friday

 

 

Opossum

 

There are more than 60 different species of opossum, which are often called possums. The most notable is the Virginia opossum or common opossum—the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the United States and Canada.

 

Opossums are scavengers, and they often visit human homes or settlements to raid garbage cans, dumpsters, and other containers. They are attracted to carrion and can often be spotted near roadkill. Opossums also eat grass, nuts, and fruit. They will hunt mice, birds, insects, worms, snakes, and even chickens.

 

These animals are most famous for "playing possum." When threatened by dogs, foxes, or bobcats, opossums sometimes flop onto their sides and lie on the ground with their eyes closed or staring fixedly into space. They extend their tongues and generally appear to be dead. This ploy may put a predator off its guard and allow the opossum an opportunity to make its escape.

 

Opossums are excellent tree climbers and spend much of their time aloft. They are aided in this by sharp claws, which dig into bark, and by a long prehensile (gripping) tail that can be used as an extra limb. Opossums nest in tree holes or in dens made by other animals.

 

These animals are widespread and are sometimes hunted as food, particularly in the southern United States.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/ZDjE7BE.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/TyH4Oa1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/sISFDnv.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ml01JWH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3qJHcI6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2wBjUxY.jpg

 

That's a cool set of pics! All those babies! So they really do hang upside down (see one of the Ice Age movies) :P And those teeth! :o

and they're friendly with cats. :)

02 August 2014

 

Paleontology Saturday

 

 

Diatryma

 

 

Diatryma is a genus of large flightless birds that lived from the late Paleocene epoch to the middle Eocene epoch, between about 56 million and 45 million years ago. Fossils of these birds have been found in a number of countries in Europe, as well as in the United States.

 

Diatryma was about 6½ feet (2 meters) tall, and had a huge beak with a hooked top, and powerful legs. It is not certain what type of feathers it had, but it is thought that it may have had hair-like feathers similar to modern ostriches.

 

After the extinction of the dinosaurs, large ground-dwelling carnivorous birds, such as Diatryma, filled the role left vacant by the flesh-eating theropod dinosaurs. The gigantic head, short powerful neck, and functionless forelimbs of Diatryma are all reminiscent of a small Tyrannosaurus rex, which suggests that it had a similar lifestyle and diet. Most paleontologists agree that Diatryma was a fierce carnivore preying on the contemporary mammals, especially young, sick and old individuals. It probably hunted in packs or was an ambush hunter; it may not have been particularly agile, since the areas in which it lived were covered with dense forests.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/DIG89Sz.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/OQjolVi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FsuZEDB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lUjuRic.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Yz3wV0w.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SR7e2jL.jpg

 

Oooo...like a bird...that would want to eat me.

 

Did Spielberg kill one of those on safari too? ;)

01 August 2014

Friday

 

 

Opossum

 

There are more than 60 different species of opossum, which are often called possums. The most notable is the Virginia opossum or common opossum—the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the United States and Canada.

 

Opossums are scavengers, and they often visit human homes or settlements to raid garbage cans, dumpsters, and other containers. They are attracted to carrion and can often be spotted near roadkill. Opossums also eat grass, nuts, and fruit. They will hunt mice, birds, insects, worms, snakes, and even chickens.

 

These animals are most famous for "playing possum." When threatened by dogs, foxes, or bobcats, opossums sometimes flop onto their sides and lie on the ground with their eyes closed or staring fixedly into space. They extend their tongues and generally appear to be dead. This ploy may put a predator off its guard and allow the opossum an opportunity to make its escape.

 

Opossums are excellent tree climbers and spend much of their time aloft. They are aided in this by sharp claws, which dig into bark, and by a long prehensile (gripping) tail that can be used as an extra limb. Opossums nest in tree holes or in dens made by other animals.

 

These animals are widespread and are sometimes hunted as food, particularly in the southern United States.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/ZDjE7BE.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/TyH4Oa1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/sISFDnv.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ml01JWH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3qJHcI6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2wBjUxY.jpg

 

covered in babies too cute :)