Thursday, May 29, 2025

A Thursday Tune - I Don't Mind


As a 25-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter and producer, Jimi balances nuanced storytelling, soulful guitar lines, and an intimacy of voice with a musical maturity beyond her years. Inspired by a childhood listening to Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and the Eagles’ records, her debut album exhibits a musicality and artistic clarity unparalleled by her contemporaries in the music world. With impeccable attention to production and dynamics inspired by the legends of pop, soul, and R&B, Jimi’s latest work mediates that delicate line between pushing the sonic boundaries of genre and performance and positioning her firmly among the musical greats of Canada’s pop rock and songwriting worlds.

TikTok tiktok.com/@iamjimi
Instagram instagram.com/jimisound
Facebook facebook.com/songsbyjimi

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Are the Ospreys Starving?

Another article on the possible connection between Menhaden fishing, and the struggling Osprey populations in the Bay. At What's Up Media, The Osprey-Menhaden Bay Connection

Each spring, birders eagerly await the return of ospreys to the Chesapeake Bay—a welcome sight that signals the end of winter. An estimated 8,000 to 12,000 breeding pairs of ospreys live in the Chesapeake Bay, which is home to the largest breeding osprey population in the world. Since ospreys are sensitive to changes in their environment, they serve as a monitor of the health of the Bay.

So, when 2024 breeding performance results released by the College of William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) showed that osprey chicks continue to starve in their nests in portions of the Bay where they typically depend on menhaden—a small, silvery, nutrient-packed fish—for food, the findings intensified ongoing, decades-long concerns.

 

According to a press release issued on September 13, 2024, by the CCB, osprey chicks aren’t surviving at rates that sustain the population. A survey monitored 571 osprey pairs in 12 sites in Virginia and Maryland during the nesting season (March through August). Ten study areas were located within the main stem of the Bay, where salinity exceeded 10 parts per thousand (ppt), and ospreys are highly dependent on menhaden. Two additional study areas (used for comparison) were located on upper tributaries within tidal fresh waters, where salinity was less than 1 ppt, and ospreys feed primarily on catfish and gizzard shad.

The generally accepted reproductive rate for population maintenance is 1.15 young/pair. Breeding performance varied between the higher-salinity sites—ranging from minor, moderate, and major deficit. However, the reproductive rate within the tidal freshwater sites was 1.36 young/pair, which is above the maintenance target (surplus).

“It’s clear to researchers that ospreys are struggling due to food stress, but the starvation issue is mostly confined to the main stem of the Bay, where waters are greater than 10 ppt salinity,” says Bryan Watts, Ph.D., director of the CCB. “We do not know why menhaden have become less available to ospreys. The osprey-menhaden issue is a moving target. Some have suggested that ongoing harvest, warming waters, water quality, or other factors are impacting menhaden in the Bay. However, we do know that osprey broods [groups of chicks] are starving in their nests and that there is not enough menhaden in their diet to support sustainable reproductive rates.”

Snakehead! It's what's for dinner!
 

In addition to starvation, scientists and researchers are also observing uncharacteristic behaviors among ospreys. According to Watts, a large number of osprey pairs didn’t lay clutches during the 2024 nesting season. This is the first time that this behavior has been documented on a large scale within the Chesapeake Bay. Researchers believe that the most likely explanation is that the females didn’t reach the nutritional condition required to produce eggs.

Single-chick broods and asymmetric broods were also widespread throughout the Bay in 2024. Asymmetry develops when food coming into the nest is inadequate to feed all of the chicks—resulting in a dominance hierarchy, which allows the dominant chick to monopolize access to food. Depending on the available food supply, one or all of the chicks may starve.

For what it's worth, I'm beginning to give this hypothesis a little more credence. Ospreys have been noticeably in short supply in our neighborhood this year. I've seen them a couple of times, but usually, by this time of year, Ospreys would be hunting out in front of the beach almost constantly.  Ospreys return to the same nest every year, which suggests that one or more pairs failed to return from their winter vacations. I do wonder about the role of Bald Eagles in this matter too. Ospreys bringing food back to the nest have to run the gauntlet of hungry eagles to get to the nest. From what I've observed, about one in ten catches results in a steal from an eagle. If fish are a limiting resource, that could definitely affect the Osprey nesting success. 

Flotsam and Jetsam - Dem Pols Planned "Proof of Life" Presidency

Mike La Chance at LI reports a Journalist Claims Biden Aides Planned Second Term Where They Only Needed to Sometimes Show ‘Proof of Life’, “if you believe — and I think a lot of these people do sincerely believe that Donald Trump was and is an existential threat to democracy — you can rationalize anything,” including cheating in the election, per chance? Ace, Unnamed Biden Aide Admits Plan Was for Biden to Get "Re"-Elected and Then Disappear, Letting His "Aides" Run the Government, and Only Occasionally Appearing on Video to Demonstrate "Proof of Life" "The aide also says that "when you vote for a president, you're voting for the aides around him." Oh, so that's what "Democracy" turns out to be. An illicit government run by unelected criminals and grifters." Emma-Jo Morris @EmmaJoNYC, "I don’t want to hear about “norms” ever again." Quote Leading Report @LeadingReport, "BREAKING: Biden White House staff reportedly felt justified in taking “undemocratic” actions to stop what they saw as the existential threat, Donald Trump, per Axios." Margot Cleveland @ProfMJCleveland, "Same reason judges are entering orders against Trump even though they lack jurisdiction." Quote "Rep. James Comer @RepJamesComer, " Longtime aide to former President Joe Biden admitted that White House staff felt justified doing “undemocratic things” during his term in office because they believed President Donald Trump posed an existential threat to American democracy." Sundance at CTH, President Trump Notes the Biden Autopen Scandal Extends Beyond the Pardon Controversies. Dave Strom at Hat Hair is Revisiting the Hunter Biden Laptop Excuses. Mostly Peaceful Memes @MostlyPeacefull "“Hunter Biden could have the corpses of children in his basement, I wouldn’t care” When people tell you who they are, believe them." At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Evening Edition).Legal Insurrection, You Won’t Believe The “Unexpected Heavy Hitters” In Proposed Democrat “Shadow Cabinet” (Actually, Yes You Will).

Joe Concha @JoeConchaTV "Here comes the pivot! These people are shameless. Again- with feeling: Anyone with eyes and ears knew exactly what was happening for years." Quote Tom Elliott @tomselliott, "Axios’ @AlexThomp: “While we didn’t know much about Joe Biden’s health, we know even less about Donald Trump’s health”" Bonchie at RedState hears Jake Tapper and His Co-Author Expose the Grift Behind Their Book on Biden's Senility. Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok "Jake Tapper, who covered up for Biden’s health problems and mental decline for 4 years then pretended he was shocked that nobody reported on it, is now claiming that Trump isn’t honest about his health and suddenly wants transparency from presidents on their health. Unreal." A Larry video at Hat Hair, Jasmine Crockett's Take on Trump's Mental Fitness Will Make Your Head Spin. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Evening Edition) Twitchy, Jake Tapper’s PR Team Has Him Trying To Sell His Fake “Humility” But Nobody’s Buying, and Louder With Crowder, “Original Sin” authors claim Biden health coverup worse than Watergate… but of course, now comes their anti-Trump pivot.Dave Catron at Am Spec sees Trump’s Poll Numbers Rise, Resistance 2.0 Flops, "Democrats and the corporate media continue to attack the President and his party, but no one is listening." From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Leftover Linkagery) Twitchy: Rasmussen Poll Shows 50% Of Country Thinks We’re On The Right Track, Big Mistake Canada! and This Is What We Voted For.The Peacock whines Consumer confidence for May was much stronger than expected on optimism for trade deals. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn is Movin' on Up: Consumer Confidence Does a BOINK! At JTN, Denver mayor points finger at Trump after $250M shortfall brings hiring freezes, furloughs. From NYPo, Trump says US wants to make tanks, not T-shirts.

At Althouse, "Lately the American president has been spending quite a bit of time redecorating the Oval Office. The results can only be called a gilded rococo hellscape." "I'm reading "All Hail Our Rococo President!" — "an installment of Visual Studies, a series that explores how images move through and shape culture" — by Emily Keegin, in The New York Times. That's a free-access link." and We were talking about Trump not being "polished or smooth" and about a place called "Creatable World." "The first post of the day, here, quoted a NYT writer who said: Trump "wasn’t polished or smooth. His appearance was shoddy, strange, lacking all polish." Trump has tarted up the Oval Office with gold, but he's still rough, lumbering, and orange."

Rasmussen Reports@Rasmussen_Poll "Fact Check: According to our polling, True" Quote, Catturd ™ @catturd2 "Republicans have ZERO chance of holding the House in 2026 if they don't codify Elon's DOGE cuts and Trump's executive orders. Republican voters are furious with the Republican Congress right now." TownHall's Kurt Schlichter says Calm Down, Conservatives "I get the frustration. I get the irritation. We’ve waited decades for justice. We’ve waited decades to use the power granted to us by the American people to reshape this country back into something like it was rather than the gross, formless blob of neo-commie failure it has become. But this Gramscian Rome wasn’t built in a day, and we’re not going to burn it down overnight, no matter how hard we fiddle. Start taking “Yes” for an answer, conservatives." Jesse Kelly @JesseKellyDC "The last president told me his patience with me was “wearing thin”, tried to have me fired for not taking a fake vaccine, and then told the entire country I was a threat to the very foundations of democracy. You don’t ever get to call anyone else “divisive.” It’s on now." Quote Chris Cillizza @ChrisCillizza, "“He intentionally doesn't want to govern for half the country. This should be disqualifying, right? The American president shouldn't be this divisive, intentionally divisive. We've had divisive figures, but he goes out of his way. He wants to be divisive. He doesn't even want to try to bring the country together. He wants this.” -- @chucktodd on Donald Trump's Memorial Day Truth Social post."



en-aide-admits-staff-undemocratic-trump-threat-democracy/
At PJM Matt Margolis thinks this is The Most Hilarious Scheme yet for Democrats to Win Back Power and Vodka Pundit, So This Latest Move Will Save the Democrats for Sure. "Democrats spending millions to learn how to speak to ‘American Men’ and win back the working class," the Independent reported today, with party leaders holed up "in luxury hotel rooms on a strategy codenamed SAM, or 'Speaking with American Men: A Strategic Plan.'" Dave Strom at Hat Hair, If This Is The Best Democrats Have... Sean Spicer@seanspicer "If this the best the Dems can do we’re in great shape The Shadow Cabinet That Can Help Democrats Win Back Power - POLITICO" Also at Hat Hair, Duane Patterson says Democrats, Don't Change A Thing. You're Doing Great, Dave Strom worries Democrats Can Retake the South! and Capt. Ed sees NYT Wonder Where Do Democrats Go After a 'Cultural Rejection'? Althouse, Did this "longtime Democratic researcher" really ask "around 250 focus groups of swing voters" to name the animal each political party reminds them of? "I'm reading this free-linked NYT article — "Six Months Later, Democrats Are Still Searching for the Path Forward" — because my son John posted about it on Facebook. . . Somehow Republicans do way too much, so aggressively, but Democrats don't get anything done? And these were swing voters? Sorry. Not believed. Sounds too much like the opinion of someone with left-wing policy preferences. You want more from the Democrats and you want it faster. And those terrible Republicans!" And, "At the end of last week, the Democratic Party sent an email to members and supporters, asking them to chip in $30 each for its election fighting fund. The email was dressed up as a personal appeal from Kamala Harris...." I laughed at this line "At 60, she is still young enough to have another run at high office...." Another? Like there's only one more chance for her to threaten us with a presidential candidacy — in 2028? She's only 60. She can go at least 4 more times. She can be there in 2028, 2032, 2036, and 2040! Imagine the 80-year-old Kamala Harris, well-seasoned, sharp as a tack." I'm having trouble with that. From Fox, Viral video of Biden wearing Trump hat reportedly left Kamala Harris fuming.

Scott Pinsker at PJM hears The Dems Declare War on the Obama Boys. "This morning — at 5 a.m. on the flippin’ dot! — NBC News dropped a triple-bylined, 40+ paragraph bombshell: “Obama world loses its shine in a changing, hurting Democratic Party”"

Stacy McCain has another flashback, May 27: A Date That Will Live in Hilarity. "Big hat-tip to Ace of Spades for reminding us that it was on this date — May 27, 2011 — that Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) used his official Twitter account to send a photo of his . . . pelvic bulge, and then claimed that his account had been hacked."

From Ace, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino Announces Fresh Investigations Into the "Pipe Bombs" Left at the DNC and RNC, the Leak of the Dobbs Decision, and Who Left Hunter Biden's Cocaine in the White House, "Obviously all three of these investigations were deliberately crippled to protect the left." The Divine Ms. Devine at NYPo says FBI agents who covered up Hunter Biden’s laptop in 2020 must not get away with it. Legal Insurrection: FBI Investigating Cocaine Found at White House, DC Pipe Bombing, and Dobbs Leak. At Twitchy, WHOA! Sounds Like They May Know Who Leaked Dobbs and OF COURSE, They're Totally Anti-Trump Connected. Tony Seruga @TonySeruga, "It sure is looking like Sheldon Snook leaked the Dobbs decision. He is the husband of Mary McCord who’s the center of every op to get Trump. Snook was on John Roberts’s staff. Roberts protected Snook because he wanted to damage Trump. Just like Roberts protected the Ukraine impeachment whistleblower. Remember Roberts is besties with Norm Eisen. Chief Justice Roberts’ Secret Friendship with Trump Prosecutor Ally Norm Eisen Exposed Roberts didn’t just bump into Eisen at a D.C. cocktail party. No, these two are apparently such “good pals” that Roberts jetted off to the Czech Republic for a week-long sleepover at Eisen’s lavish 150-room palace. It’s straight from the mouth of Norm Eisen himself—the very same man who practically wrote the Deep State’s instruction manual on how to destabilize political opponents via color revolutions, lawfare, and weaponized legal warfare against President Trump." At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Evening Edition) The Federalist, Alito, Thomas Left Stunned After SCOTUS Refuses To Protect Middle Schooler’s Speech Rights,

Duke at RedState, NPR and PBS Stations Sue Trump Administration for Cutting Their Federal Funding. Margot Cleveland @ProfMJCleveland, "As I've noted many times before, Trump is going to great lengths to obey the letter of the orders entered against his administration even though judges are acting without jurisdiction and in violation of his Article II authority. We have further proof of that recently. 1/" At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Evening Edition) The Geller Reports, Obama Judge Enters TRO Against Trump Administration in Harvard Case WITHOUT a Trump Attorney Even Appearing in Case, The Lid, Judge Delivers Huge Pro-Life Win Ending Terrible Biden Rule.

Jeff Charles at TownHall hears Former GOP Lawmakers Cry Foul About Felony Assault Charges Against Democrat Politician. "In a statement provided to USA Today, 11 former GOP members of Congress condemned the charges against McIver." "However, a popular saying comes to mind when considering this situation: Turnabout is fair play."

John Lott at Am Great does the research and says Crime Rates of Illegal Migrants are Underreported. "Despite media claims, illegal immigrants commit crimes at disproportionately high rates—yet nearly 42% of voters now believe the opposite." Twitchy says 'What's Your Stupid Point?' WaPo Faceplants With Another Attempted Hit Piece About Tom Homan. The Washington Post @washingtonpost, "Before he joined the Trump administration, “border czar” Tom Homan previously consulted for GEO Group, a key contractor in the administration’s mass deportation agenda, according to a newly released disclosure." Really, he had job? "Homan, while not in any government capacity, was paid a whopping $5,000 to consult with GEO Group." At Pop Times, Black Democrat’s Flopped Visit to Illegal Alien Abrego-Garcia Ends in a Meltdown and Stephen Miller Erupts Over Biden Judge Grounding Deportation Flight of Violent Criminals. DeVory Darkins @devorydarkins "MIC DROP: Stephen Miller absolutely excoriates the Democratic Party’s tactics using judicial lawfare to circumvent President Trump’s America-First agenda. ”You have a handful of judges elected by nobody sitting in local cities and communities claiming that they can rule over the foreign policy and national security in defense of the entire United States to micro-manage the activities of our defense department, of our federal immigration officers, of our cabinet secretaries….Judges who will claim the powers of a king. All for the purpose of the mass importation of illegal aliens. The mass importation of illegal aliens into this country, mass third world migration. That is what the entire Democratic party now serves and exists for. Not the American people.” From Your News, More Democrats Keep Trying To Meet Alleged Gangbanger Deported To El Salvador. 'Becca Downs at TownHall hears Maryland Democratic Rep. Posts About Abrego Garcia As His 'Constituent' on Memorial Day. They sure want their gangbanger back, don't they?

Matt Vespa sees One Tweet That Obliterated a CBS News Host's Rant at Wake Forest. Guy Benson @guypbenson, "60 Minutes recently ran a lengthy report gushing over Germany’s anti-free speech policies, in which prosecutors laughed about confiscating phones and levying fines over bad thoughts. The lengthy report featured ZERO dissenting voices. Not even one quote against censorship." Quote Western Lensman @WesternLensman "CBS/60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley raged at Trump in angry, unhinged commencement address at Wake Forest: "In this moment, this morning, our sacred rule of law is under attack. Journalism is under attack. Universities are under attack. Freedom of speech is under attack." "And insidious fear is reaching through our schools. Our businesses, our homes and into our private thoughts. The fear to speak in America!" As he speaks openly and freely in America. This self-important, sermonizing propagandist is what passes for a legacy media “journalist."" Stacy McCain, finds Conclusions in Search of Evidence: Sex and the Modern Female Journalist. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Evening Edition) The Federalist, NPR Is Under The Delusion It Has A Constitutional Right To Your Money.

At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Evening Edition) Don Surber: Trump has Harvard on the run. At Hat Hair, Dave Strom finds Harvard Doubles Down Defending Antisemitic Assaulters, John Sexton has Harvard Revokes Tenure of Professor Accused of Data Fraud (in Research on Honesty) and Capt. Ed says Harvard Proves Again: They Are Who We Thought They Were. Alan Dershowitz to Newsmax: Harvard Inciting Antisemitism. Ace, Trump Directs Government to End All Contracts With Harvard, "Good:" Capt. Ed again, Shoe, Dropped: Trump 'Pauses' Student Visas Across the Board. "Universities and colleges across the country can thank Harvard for this latest development. If federal courts won't allow the Department of Homeland Security to deal directly with Harvard on compliance for the Student Education Visa Program (SEVP), the administration can simply make it more difficult for everyone instead." The Tax Prof fisks Sovern: What Could A Hostile Federal Government Do To Law Schools? From the College Fix, Former Cornell professor, climate protesters blindfold university founder statue at graduation. The Jefferson Council @TheJeffersonC ""The President of the University of Virginia was justifying the marginalization of students on Grounds—and doing nothing about it. At that moment, I knew that man should not be sitting behind the desk in Madison Hall." The Jefferson Council’s president, Joel Gardner, doesn’t hold back. In this must-watch thread, he exposes 15 years of decline at UVA—from scandal after scandal with no accountability, to bloated DEI bureaucracies, to the targeting of dissenting students and faculty—and Joel makes a powerful call for bold, urgent reform to restore the University’s core values. This is your crash course in everything going wrong at UVA."

Capt. Ed hears Trump Orders Newsom to End Male Intrusion in Female Sports: Cultural Rejection, Part II and Beege Welborn finds Erasing All Doubt Dems Fully Intend to Restrict You to Their Plantation the Second They Can: Erin for Parental Rights @Erin4Parents "Wow. @GovofCO just signed a bill forcing all of us to pay for elective transgender-affirming procedures… this bill even includes a slush fund to circumvent Medicaid no longer covering this. Women of CO: you will all now be paying for men’s breast implants, laser hair removal and skin tightening. But your insurance will NOT cover any of these elective procedures for you. Let that sink in. *1309 also takes testosterone off the drug tracking program. So the wrong-sex hormones you’re paying for for children will be secret." Quote Governor Jared Polis @GovofCO, "We continue to expand and protect healthcare access for all Coloradans! In Colorado, healthcare is a private choice, and we're dedicated to protecting your freedoms and keeping healthcare costs down." From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.27.25 (Leftover Linkagery) Louder With Crowder, “My daughter matters too”: Mother shuts down woke school forcing (trans) boys into girls’ sports.

The Wednesday Wetness

Volunteers testing creeks in the Little Falls watershed found that salt readings in area creeks spiked to toxic levels after snow storms, but they did not always return to safe levels after the events. April readings showed that chronic toxicity (over 230 parts per million) remains in 3 locations on the Little Falls Branch - by the Somerset Pool, by the Willard Avenue Neighborhood Park, and by Westbrook Elementary School. Chronic toxicity means that the habitat of the aquatic life that depends on fresh water is compromised to the point where they cannot survive.

Since December 2024, trained LFWA volunteers have tested 8 sites along the Minnehaha, Little Falls and Willett Branch creeks before and after snow storms as well as once a month in the warmer months. The data shows that we have a serious salt pollution problem in the watershed. Most of our sites experienced spikes to levels of over 860 PPM after snow events. Chloride is naturally present in the environment. Chloride concentrations between 1 and 100 ppm (mg/L) are “normal” in most freshwater waterways. But levels over 230 PPM are considered chronic toxicity as aquatic organisms cannot tolerance this much salt for more than a few days. Levels over 860 are considered acute toxicity as the organisms can only survive for several hours at this level.