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Outdoors (General/Chat)

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  • Bigfoot report describes odd encounter in Colorado's Summit County

    12/31/2020 8:10:42 PM PST · by DUMBGRUNT · 89 replies
    Out there Colorado ^ | 31 Dec 2020 | Spencer McKee
    Believe it or not, Bigfoot has been reportedly spotted in Colorado more than 100 times in recent years, including one notable daylight spotting that occurred in Summit County, Colorado. During this summer 2019 spotting, a daytime hiker was taking a break near an old log cabin in the area of Mayflower Gulch near Frisco when he spotted something odd at about 11,000 feet of elevation. He reports seeing a large bipedal creature attempting and failing to climb a 20-foot high snow wall. After the failed attempt at scaling the barrier, the creature moved on and out-of-sight. The hiker was joined...
  • These Bears Have a Job, and It's Destroying Coolers

    12/31/2020 12:54:04 PM PST · by SJackson · 22 replies
    Outdoors ^ | 10-9-20 | Emma Walker
    When I was 23, I spent a summer working as a counselor at an overnight camp for eight-to-12-year-olds near the central mountain town of Genesee, Colorado. After a stern talking-to about what might happen if anyone went to bed with a snack in their sleeping bags—bears, people!—we’d zip the kids into their tents for the night, lock up the cabin containing our kitchen, and try to catch a few hours of sleep. One morning around 5:30, after a particularly long night of comforting tearful, homesick tweens, I dragged myself into the kitchen for coffee. Two other counselors were already there,...
  • Black Women's Groups Find Health And Healing On Hikes, But Sometimes Racism, Too [deceptive title]

    12/31/2020 12:00:35 PM PST · by SJackson · 52 replies
    NPR ^ | December 30, 2020 | CHANDRA THOMAS WHITFIELD
    It would be the last hike of the season, Jessica Newton posted on her social media platforms. With mild weather forecast and Colorado's breathtaking fall foliage as a backdrop, she was excited — convinced an excursion at Beaver Ranch Park would be the quintessential way to close out months of warm-weather hikes with her "sister friends." Still, when that Sunday morning arrived in 2018, Newton was shocked when her usual crew of about 15 had mushroomed to include about 70 Black women. There's a first time for everything, she thought, as they broke into smaller groups and headed toward the...
  • Look at All These Mind-Blowing Photos of Asteroid Pieces Retrieved From Ryugu

    12/31/2020 7:14:23 AM PST · by Red Badger · 65 replies
    https://www.sciencealert.com ^ | CARLY CASSELLA | 31 DECEMBER 2020
    The best present this holiday season came in a small package, parachuted into the Australian desert from far within our Solar System on 5 December 2020. Inside, astronomers were delighted to unwrap the first significant samples of a rocky asteroid which is currently 9 million kilometres (5.6 million miles) away, and returned to Earth in "perfect" shape. Photographs of the pristine pebbles have finally been released, and while the tiny, black-coloured grains inside may resemble nothing more than dirty coal, this galactic gift is hardly a rebuke. It's the culmination of a five-year-long journey, requiring careful planning and execution. The...
  • Massive, Unrivalled Deep-Sea Project Just Discovered a Bunch of New Atlantic Species

    12/30/2020 8:40:28 AM PST · by Red Badger · 9 replies
    https://www.sciencealert.com ^ | CARLY CASSELLA 30 DECEMBER 2020
    Fish and hydrocorals. (University of Edinburgh) ================================================================ It's taken nearly five years, 45 research expeditions, and more than 80 scientists and students, but the largest oceanic research enterprise, the ATLAS project, is officially complete. Exploring 12 locations in the deep northern Atlantic, the project has set a gold standard for future marine research. Driving underwater robots to areas never before explored, researchers have uncovered a dozen newly identified species, including fish, cold-water coral and other invertebrate sponge species. Not to mention the discovery of 35 known species in previously unknown areas. Already, the results have produced 113 peer-reviewed papers, with...
  • CZ P07 vs Sig P229

    12/30/2020 7:34:43 AM PST · by kjam22 · 61 replies
    Vanity | Dec 30, 2020 | Kjam22
    Just general chat..... Preferences Cz P07 vs Sig P229?
  • Video shows ranger tasing Native American man at New Mexico’s Petroglyph National Monument

    12/29/2020 11:12:22 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 8 replies
    KRQE ^ | Dec 29, 2020 | Stephanie Chavez
    A Native American man who regularly visits the Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico claims he was assaulted by a park ranger over the weekend. Darrell House posted a video that gives a glimpse of what he says was an unjustified tasing. The National Park Service said Tuesday that the incident is under investigation. House said he was walking through the Petroglyphs at the Piedra Mercado trail with his dog, Geronimo, when he saw a large group of visitors on the trail ahead, so he decided to cut through the blocked-off area to maintain social distancing. He said he’s never...
  • Illinois’ largest rodents are in city lagoons, rivers and streams. Now, they’re on Instagram

    12/29/2020 12:36:57 PM PST · by SJackson · 42 replies
    CHICAGO TRIBUNE ^ | DEC 29, 2020 | MORGAN GREENE
    Among the more humble recipients of our longer walks and affinity for nature during the pandemic: beavers. On recent mornings, shortly before and after sunrise, small groups of people have traveled to a bridge on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston. Some leave willow branches. For the beavers. “They’ve got this whole following,” said Tamar Selch, who stops by regularly with her husband, Zach. “They’re very cute. And how often do you really get to see beavers out there?” Illinois’ largest rodents are in city lagoons, rivers and streams. They’re on Instagram and TikTok. Sometimes a nuisance, and at other...
  • Cruise Ships Forced to Cancel Sailings Due to Possible Cyberattack

    12/29/2020 10:27:47 AM PST · by Capt. Tom · 19 replies
    Cruise Hive ^ | Dec 29, 2020 | Emrys Thakkar
    Carnival-owned Aida Cruises is suffering from major IT issues and does seem to be a possible cyberattack. This could now be the third major cyberattack against a cruise line this year and shows a worrying trend on keeping systems secure. Aida Cruises IT Issues, What We Know So Far The cruise line has already stated on its Facebook page that it’s currently being affected by IT issues but has not yet detailed anything specific. However, Cruise Law News reports a possible cyberattack after crew members got in touch about the matter. Ransomware is a likely cause and also seems to...
  • 'Deadliest Catch' Star Nick McGlashan Dead at 33

    12/28/2020 11:26:24 AM PST · by Red Badger · 72 replies
    TMZ ^ | 12/28/2020 6:48 AM PT | Staff
    Nick McGlashan, a 7th generation fisherman who starred in "Deadliest Catch," has died ... TMZ has learned. The Medical Examiner and family tell TMZ ... Nick passed away Sunday in Nashville. The cause of death has not been determined. Nick appeared on the show for years ... from 2013 - 2020, in 78 episodes. Nick's family has a storied tale of the sea. His great uncle worked on the first boat in the U.S. crab industry. Two of his aunts were crabbers ... one of who was lost at sea after the boat sank. As for Nick ... he started...
  • Being a Parent (and a Kid) Hasn’t Been Easy in 2020

    12/28/2020 11:39:05 AM PST · by SJackson · 11 replies
    Outdoor Life ^ | 12-28-20 | Joe Genzel
    The coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on families, but getting outside—and getting through it together—is more important than ever Editor’s Note: This has been a tough year for everyone. And while we’ve collectively experienced many of the same events, the changes, challenges, and often outright hardships everyone has endured remain deeply personal. We asked six contributors to look back on 2020 and reflect on how the events of this year shaped their lives, in ways both big and small. We will be publishing one essay each day through the end of the year, on topics ranging from subtle differences...
  • Mass die-off of birds in south-western US 'caused by starvation'

    12/28/2020 11:25:58 AM PST · by SJackson · 64 replies
    Guardian ^ | 12-26-20 | Phoebe Weston
    The mass die-off of thousands of songbirds in south-western US was caused by long-term starvation, made worse by unseasonably cold weather probably linked to the climate crisis, scientists have said. Flycatchers, swallows and warblers were among the migratory birds “falling out of the sky” in September, with carcasses found in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Arizona and Nebraska. A USGS National Wildlife Health Center necropsy has found 80% of specimens showed typical signs of starvation. Muscles controlling the birds’ wings were severely shrunken, blood was found in their intestinal tract and they had kidney failure as well as an overall loss...
  • Woman says her 2 dogs, bicyclist saved her from bear in Collier County

    12/28/2020 11:23:55 AM PST · by SJackson · 32 replies
    Wink News ^ | 12-17-20 | Rachel Cox-Rosen, Jack Lowenstein
    A black bear attacked a woman and her two dogs in Collier County on Christmas Eve morning. Kathleen Boyle said Friday that her two dogs, one ironically named Bear, and her other pup, Robin, helped save her from a bear they ran into on their morning walk in the Fiddler’s Creek community. “It wasn’t until probably 11:30, 12 o’clock that I stopped shaking,” Boyle said. “Because it was that trauma, ‘I can’t believe this just happened.’” Boyle’s two Westies are show dogs, but they didn’t worry about manners when a bear approached them and their owner. “So here you’ve got...
  • Falling iguanas in store for Florida as temps drop below 40

    12/25/2020 3:34:04 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 89 replies
    CLICKORLANDO ^ | December 24, 2020
    With unexpectedly cold weather in the forecast and pandemic-related curfews in some places, Florida is about to have a Christmas unlike any other in recent memory, and it may involve falling iguanas. The National Weather Service earlier this week warned that South Florida could experience the coldest Christmas Day in 21 years. Morning lows on Saturday could drop into the low 30s and 40s degrees Fahrenheit, the weather service said. “ Brrr! Much colder temps expected for Christmas," the National Weather Service in Miami tweeted earlier this week. “Falling iguanas are possible."
  • New county measure could affect HCTRA funding of northwest Harris County road projects

    12/22/2020 5:10:57 PM PST · by Tolerance Sucks Rocks · 1 replies
    The Houston Chronicle ^ | September 26, 2020 | Paul Wedding, Staff Writer
    Harris County Commissioners approved a restructuring of how county toll road revenue can be used, which is concerning some people in northwest Harris County about how road projects will be funded. The measure approved creates a corporation to oversee duties performed by the Harris County Toll Road Authority. According to HCTRA, this measure would also change the grip the state has on where toll revenue can be spent by the county. A memo from Peter Key, HCTRA’s interim executive director, said HCTRA currently can only provide the issuance of revenue bonds for tolled infrastructure, and not non-toll transportation infrastructure challenges....
  • Warren County jailer and 101 inmates test COVID positive [none until now; [delaying the inevitable? See comment]

    12/22/2020 3:50:12 PM PST · by daniel1212 · 9 replies
    .wnky.com ^ | December 15, 2020 | Deborah Highland
    BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Warren County Jailer Stephen Harmon, eight deputy jailers and 101 inmates are COVID-19 positive. There are 92 inmate tests pending and six staff tests pending. “Thanks to the steadfast jail management and sanitation efforts, Warren County Regional Jail has been among the only few county jails with no COVID positive inmates, until now... The majority of COVID positive inmates are asymptomatic. None of the inmates are hospitalized or experiencing severe symptoms.
  • Meteorite Clues Point to a Huge, Unknown Object in The Early Solar System

    12/22/2020 9:20:35 AM PST · by Red Badger · 33 replies
    https://www.sciencealert.com ^ | PETER DOCKRILL | 22 DECEMBER 2020
    2008 TC3 animation. (Astronomical Institute of Charles University/CC BY 4.0) In 2008, something unique fell out of the sky over Sudan, exploding into fragments across the vast, arid expanses of the Nubian Desert. This hurtling object from above became known as Almahata Sitta: a collection of roughly 600 meteorite fragments, painstakingly recovered by researchers, and taking its name – 'Station Six' – from a nearby train station. What was unique about Almahata Sitta is that it represented something unprecedented in astronomy: the first time an asteroid impact was successfully predicted in advance by scientists. Ever since, the splinters of...
  • Harris County Commissioners vote unanimously to change engineer of $962 million Ship Channel bridge

    12/21/2020 7:25:06 PM PST · by Tolerance Sucks Rocks · 22 replies
    KHOU 11 Adware Farm ^ | August 14, 2020 | Chris Costa
    HOUSTON — Harris County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to change the engineer of record on the Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel Bridge after a review found one portion that had not yet been built contained a potential design flaw. The Harris County Toll Road Authority hired an independent consultant, COWI North America, Inc., to review the design of the bridge. HCTRA deputy director John Tyler told KHOU 11 in January that COWI found the possible weakness in December 2019. The design comes from FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc., the same company behind a Florida pedestrian bridge that collapsed in 2018,...
  • Texas Highway Funding Advocates Push for More Toll Roads

    12/21/2020 5:51:54 PM PST · by Tolerance Sucks Rocks · 24 replies
    The Texan ^ | September 17, 2020 | Kim Roberts
    With the Texas House Committee on Transportation currently studying the funding of highways in Texas, advocates of toll roads and other funding methods are making their voices heard. As part of the interim charge by Speaker Dennis Bonnen, the committee was tasked with investigating whether “the current mix of use fee-based funding for the state highway system, including registration fees, tolls, and fuel taxes, and [determining] if current funding generated is sufficient to maintain cost demands” — making recommendations for additional methods for funding road infrastructure projects. Ordinarily, the committee would hold meetings and receive testimony from relevant state agencies...
  • 57,000 Year-old Wolf Puppy Found Frozen in Yukon Permafrost

    12/21/2020 11:34:18 AM PST · by SJackson · 29 replies
    National Geographic ^ | DECEMBER 21, 2020 | RILEY BLACK
    A well-preserved wolf pup has been recovered from permafrost in the Yukon Territory of northern Canada, revealing new details about how ancient wolves spread across North America and Eurasia. PHOTOGRAPH BY GOVERNMENT OF YUKON IN THE SUMMER of 2016, a gold miner in Canada’s Yukon Territory found an unexpected treasure. While blasting a wall of permafrost with a water cannon to release whatever riches might be found inside, Neil Loveless saw something melting out of the ice. It wasn’t a precious mineral, but the oldest and most complete wolf mummy ever discovered. Loveless quickly placed the frozen pup in a...