Home for Random Thoughts

[MajGenl.Meade]

Bats - a frequent visitor to our SA home. I learned how to get 'em out of the house in a simple and non-lethal way. They'd usually show up cruising in confusion round a bedroom or my little office at night. Method: turn out all room lights except in the living room. Believe it or not, the bat will make its way to where the light is and fly around that room. Then, open the porch door, turning porch light on (the bat won't be attracted to this one - but you need it on to see the silhouette as it leaves.

Then one person stands on the couch holding up a blanket stretched arm to arm and high; the other person stands by the light switch with another blanket held up and turns off the light. The bat will circle the room but the blankets force it to fly lower (don't ask me why - it just does). After as little as a minute but at most five minutes, the bat will finally be low enough to "see" the open space and will fly out via the exit to the porch.

Cursing, pleading and talking to the bat help. We must have done this at least 20 times... the bats lived in our roof with their entry right above our porch and seemed to have an uncanny ability to go the wrong way.

(Note: this method may not work for those who don't have a couch in the right place, a porch door and convenient blankets)

[BoSoxGal]

That method works because contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind - for noctural creatures, they actually have pretty decent vision.

The blanket trick probably worked because of the bats' echolocation abilities.

Just for fun:

[Crackpot]

Picked up some marmite the other day. Still haven't tried it.

[Econoline]

[Daisy]

Crackpot, start with a thin layer of it on hot buttery toast. Let us know the results :

[Long Run]

Crackpot, start with a thin layer of it on hot buttery toast. Let us know the results

Are you referring to the Marmite or Idiot Repellent, or is there a difference?

[Econoline]

[Lord Jim]

Great adventures in bat removal:

[Crackpot]

Crackpot, start with a thin layer of it on hot buttery toast. Let us know the results :

tried it didn't find it much different then I recall vegimite being that is aside from being more easily spreadable/a little less of a shoe polish consistency. not bad but I'd have to do a comparison between the two to understand the difference buy alas I used the last piece of bread to try it.

[PMS Princess]

I was curious if anyone is familiar with WOR radio about 1920-1938? I have only found bits and pieces about L. Brean, a pianist/composer I am researching. He performed on Alfred Wallenstein broadcast WJZ/WOR from 1921 up to 1943.

Thanks Much!

[Lord Jim]

PMSP, I like a data mining challenge, (I'm generally pretty good at it, if I do say so myself... ) but I have to admit to epic fail on this one...

If you found "bit's and pieces" about "L. Brean" you did way better than I; I can't find a single reference...

Lot's of stuff on Alfred Wallenstein, and his radio program, but not one reference to L. Brean...(I even tried a different spelling, still nada)

Do you have a first name for this person?

[Joe Guy]

If two cats fight in the cyberwoods, do they make a sound?

Just wondering...

[Lord Jim]

Something new to bitch about...

Monetized captchas that require you to sit through a commercial to get the captcha code...

[Lord Jim]

I'm worried about what the new President of Egypt might do...

A guy who grew up with the last name "el-Sissi" will probably think he has a lot to prove...

[Crackpot]

So they've rehashed the plot of one of the poorer original Star Trek episodes into a full length movie.

[Gob]

Must have been a lot of competition....

[Joe Guy]

Over here in the SF Bay Area we have days that are triggered by poor air quality readings where a Spare the Air day is declared.

That means we are advised to do things like drive as little as possible, not use power lawn mowers, don't burn wood in your fireplace, don't light a barbeque and anything else that contributes to bad air.

In my city you can be fined for doing one of the above on a Spare the Air day.

The other day I was wondering what the local governments would do, especially those that shoot off air polluting fireworks and have public barbeques, if one of those bad air days was on the 4th of July.

Would they call all events off?

Then I thought that since this country became the powerful nation that it is by using things that pollute the earth, bad air days should not be recognized. That's un-American! Not only that, air pollution should be encouraged on the 4th of July and any other day that celebrates American soldiers and our various bloody victories.

After having those profound thoughts I drove my car for a few miles, came home and went outside and started the barbeque (with charcoal fluid), fired up the lawnmower, lit a cherry bomb and saluted the flag.

[Lord Jim]

The other day I was wondering what the local governments would do, especially those that shoot off air polluting fireworks and have public barbeques, if one of those bad air days was on the 4th of July.

Would they call all events off?

And of course fine anyone having a private barbecue, and shut down all private barbecues on public park property....

Let's not give them any ideas Joe...

[BoSoxGal]

Why doesn't HBO want my money?????

(Endlessly frustrated that I can't buy episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher or Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - there isn't any point in buying the season after the fact when the politics are no longer timely.)

[oldr_n_wsr]

I don't have HBO. I'm a Discovery and History channel kind of guy. Oh, and NatGeo.