"Why is this one my favorite!"
Funny Animal Photos by Ty Buchanan
Northern Australia Has a New Dolphin
There are many species of dolphin. To most people they do look much alike. We know that they are very intelligent and like to be in the presence of Man, even if it is only following boats
A new species has been identified off northern Australia. It could have always been there or moved there from somewhere else. They are in the "hump" class, having a raised portion below the dorsal fin.
Scientists are treating the dolphin as a new species which makes three species of Indo-Pacific humpback. There are four kinds of humpback in total including the eastern Atlantic type, Sousa teuszil.
Apparently, naming of the "new" species is a complex process based on the previously used naming practice, behavior of the animal itself and its habitat.
Discovery of the northern Australian dolphin came about by the first intense study into the humpback genus. It involved examination of 180 skulls and 235 tissue samples.
Evolution by Ty Buchanan
Large Ancient Platypus With Teeth
We see the platypus as a quiet curious animal always on the go, but millions of years ago it was twice as big and had vicious teeth. It hunted turtles crayfish and frogs. Paleontologists have called it Platypus Godzilla because it would have been quite vicious.
The modern platypus, Obdurodon tharalkooschild, is only half a meter long. Its quiet, secretive life could indicate that it is heading for extinction. Identifying platypus fossils is easy if teeth are found, because they are so different from other species.
Platypus teeth are blunt. The animals must have "bruised" their prey to death. Fossils of the ancient platypus were not ancestors of modern platypus. They were a side branch "experimenting' with being a larger size.
Just why platypus millions of years old had functioning teeth while modern ones have virtually lost theirs is not known. Despite being good a hunter Godzilla did itself go extinct. Modern tharalkoo live in a narrow niche. If there is drastic change in the environment they will perish.
Society by Ty Buchanan
Germany Disappointed With Immigration "Experiment"
If Germany expected immigrants to become German by living there it is no wonder people are disappointed. The best one can hope for is that the children of immigrants born in the new country will be fully integrated. If a model of "multiculturalism" was needed Australia could be the example. In the 50s, 60s and 70s the term "wog" was prevalent. Though Australians should have more correctly called people from the Mediterranean region "waps", these Greek and Italian "new Australians" quickly moved into enclaves of major cities. They not only imported themselves, but corner store businesses sprang up selling goods that no native born Australian would buy. The stores did quite well from the local expatriate clientele.
It was common to hear people on buses and in queues speaking the language of their mother country. Australians were not offended by this because the new people were hard working and they didn't try to change Australian culture per se. Their culture just ran "alongside" the dominant culture. If one was lucky, an invite to a party or a wedding was offered. There was this congruency between the cultures. All enjoyed having a good time where alcohol was consumed. Even Asian societies have blended in well.
Today new arrivals come from the Middle East and Africa and they are predominantly Muslim. It is no wonder a clash of cultures occurs. While Christianity strongly affects Mediterranean societies, freedom of the individual is paramount. Islam expects the individual to live strictly by the laws of this religion. This means no alcohol and "kicking up one's heals" is frowned upon. Fundamentally, the problem is a religious one. If the hope is for the children of Muslims to be socialized into their new country Islam needs to be interpreted in ways that for the most part do not clash with the dominant culture. Children of immigrants who strictly follow the ways of their parents are doomed to a life of not fitting in. The pressure on them will be just about insurmountable.
It was common to hear people on buses and in queues speaking the language of their mother country. Australians were not offended by this because the new people were hard working and they didn't try to change Australian culture per se. Their culture just ran "alongside" the dominant culture. If one was lucky, an invite to a party or a wedding was offered. There was this congruency between the cultures. All enjoyed having a good time where alcohol was consumed. Even Asian societies have blended in well.
Today new arrivals come from the Middle East and Africa and they are predominantly Muslim. It is no wonder a clash of cultures occurs. While Christianity strongly affects Mediterranean societies, freedom of the individual is paramount. Islam expects the individual to live strictly by the laws of this religion. This means no alcohol and "kicking up one's heals" is frowned upon. Fundamentally, the problem is a religious one. If the hope is for the children of Muslims to be socialized into their new country Islam needs to be interpreted in ways that for the most part do not clash with the dominant culture. Children of immigrants who strictly follow the ways of their parents are doomed to a life of not fitting in. The pressure on them will be just about insurmountable.
Society by Ty Buchanan
A Stockman's Life Is a Little Easier
Australian stockmen used to lives of absolute isolation, controlling cattle for months on end, going into small towns infrequently. Drovers spending their lives in pubs drinking beer was a myth.
Today, the Internet has allowed people who live and work in outback stations to stay in contact with friends and relatives. Businesses are run using computers. Information flow is now immediate, where in the past getting a newspaper only a day or so old was a luxury.
People now know if rain is on its way. This was always an unknown factor years ago. The horse is not the only mode of transport. Motorbikes are used on stations. Some people even own and fly a helicopters and planes.
Processing of cattle now day just a few days. Few animals are missed with transportable trapping devices placed at strategic points. Staff has been halved. Workers can usually get back to the station every day. Drovers no longer work 100 hour weeks; they used to give stamped letters to passing motorists for posting somewhere along the way.
Most cattle these days are transported by road. It is more cost-effective and faster. Repairing fences is still one of the chores, but aircraft make the job more efficient and much quicker to do. Country people will still tell you that life is harder than in the cities. The sun beats down as hot as it used to.
Society by Ty Buchanan
New Ground Dwellers Found in Northern Australia
A large country with a low population has a lot to offer in regard to potential scientific discoveries. There are many places which individuals have not visited in a long, long time. Look around and there may be a few surprises.
Cape York and Cape Melville are virtual "lost worlds". New animals have been discovered by a team exploring the mountainous areas. New reptiles have been discovered that have to be given official names: a gold-colored skink and a leaf-tailed gecko. A new yellow, brown-spotted frog was also found. Frogs are amphibians, not reptiles, because they change from tadpoles into frogs.
Being mountainous and relatively inaccessible northern parts of Australia are pristine regions just waiting for visits from scientists. Though it gets very hot, mountain rainforest regions stay wet all year round, so rare species can survive for thousands of years. More intensive searches are planned for the near future.
Environment by Ty Buchanan
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