Geese and Turtles in the Lake

When I was walking last week I counted more than 50 Canada geese...

... and one duck (a Mallard)...

... in or on the banks of the lake--

and a number of large turtles were sunning on logs:

I don't think the lake has been stocked with fish yet, but that should soon come-- and the banks are greening up with grass. I expect the lake to look lovely by April.

The Lake Level Seems A Bit Low

The lake level has been constant for some time now.

 It seems a couple of feet low to me.

I've been wondering if that's as high as it will get or if the city is keeping the level low deliberately.

Yesterday (January 30th, 2012) machinery was at work on the upstream side of the lake, so I'm hoping it's the latter.

Cat Dominos

Christmas found me at my Sweetie's house in New York, with her parents visiting.

Here's a way to have fun with two cats and a set of double twelve dominos.

Notice Ivory, the Egyptian Mau cat, using her paw to knock over the set. Maus use their forelimbs almost like hands. Madeline, a more traditional cat, leads with her nose.

Politic Against SOPA and PIPA

Written 19 January, 2012

Politic Against SOPA and PIPA

The Stop Online Piracy and Protect Intellectual Property Acts, now wending their ways through, respectively, the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, while designed to stop copyright theft from websites outside the Unites States, present grave threats to free expression and the Internet.

As you no doubt know, a number of high profile websites, including Wikipedia, shut down yesterday in protest. Others, like Google, changed their home pages for the day to register their concern.

In support, I temporarily placed a black box at the top of this blog.

To see Wikipedia's concerns, track the bills, or register your support with Congress, start here. Go here to see the Electronic Freedom Foundation's discussion of the dangers of the bills. Then please go here to contact your Congressperson to register your concern.

While the bills have had a recent setback as legislators have changed sides to oppose the bills, they're both very much alive. Please act now.

Protect the Internet! Stop SOPA! (Software Online Piracy Act)