The thread of learning something new every day
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<p>I learnt how they used to measure speed in knots back in the day while watching TV<br>
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<p>“With no landmarks to gauge their progress across the open sea, sailors couldn’t tell how fast or how far they were traveling,†explains Camila Caballero, an MIT senior and the academic coordinator for Amphibious Achievement, an athletic and academic outreach program for urban youth in Boston. But when the nautical mile – 1.852 kilometers – was introduced in the 15th century, they had a handy standard against which to measure speed and created out of necessity the chip log, the world’s first maritime speedometer. “They used materials they had on hand,†she explains. “A wedge-shaped piece of wood, a small glass timer, and a really long rope.â€<br><br>
But not just any rope would do. Based on the length of the nautical mile, knots were tied along the log line at intervals of 14.4 meters. One end was secured to the ship’s stern and the other was attached to the wooden board, which was dropped into the water. “As one sailor watched the sand empty through the 30-second glass, his shipmate held the line as it played out behind the ship and counted the knots as they passed between his fingers,†says Caballero. Dividing that 14.4 meters by 30 seconds told them that one knot equaled 1.85166 kilometers per hour, or one nautical mile. By performing the calculation using the actual number of knots that unspooled, the sailors were able to measure the ship’s speed.</p>
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<p>TR, that reminds me of the unfortunate Admiral visiting a brothel "How am I doing miss"? </p>
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<p>"About 3 knots Admiral"</p>
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<p>"Only 3 knots"?</p>
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<p>"Yes. You're not hard. You're not in and you're not getting your money back"</p> -
<p>Well, for a while I've needed to buy a new aftershave....or cologne....or Eau de toilette....or Eau de parfum.... :)</p>
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<p>The selection in the local chemist shop didn't look superb last time I looked, so I left it. But, this week, a flyer arrived in my mailbox advertising a 5-day fragrance pop-up shop in Nelson. And it seemed to have a shitload of men's "fragrances" to choose from.</p>
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<p>Now, I know from experience that if you turn up to buy - after you've squirted about three of these on your wrists you can't smell a thing, so I thought "google is my friend". Little did I know.</p>
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<p>I came across the Base Notes forum.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.basenotes.net/forums/17-Male-Fragrance-Discussion'>http://www.basenotes.net/forums/17-Male-Fragrance-Discussion</a></p>
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<p>Look at that first sticky thread.... 1.5 million views!!! </p>
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<p>Rugby is in its infancy in New Zealand. And Kirwan and Bart are in the wrong business!</p>
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<p>I am dumbfounded - but, I think I made good choices at the pop-up shop! :)</p> -
<p>There has been a Doco on Nat Geo/Discovery about Haast's eagle a few times</p>
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<p>There are still Moa in Fiordland apparently!! :)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="489069" data-time="1431055780">
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<p>I learnt today that the Moa had a natural predator. I never knew that. The Haast Eagle! What a hua!</p>
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<p>I also would love to try moa and also, what was the then Maori next thing they moved onto after the Moa in the 1400's?</p>
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<p>Muttonbirds!!? Yeah that Haast Eagle is a right fuck off predator aye! Would be cool to see a scale version mocked up alongside the great eagle (Hobbit) hanging in the Wellington airport foyer.</p> -
Size isn't everything. You should go to Wingspan in Rotorua and watch them put a Karearea (NZ Falcon) through its paces. 300grams of pure predator. Arguably the fastest bird in the world and will take down a possum. Way cool.<br>
But those Haast Eagles must have been something awesome. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="461264" data-time="1416035043">
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<p>it hurts alot when you hit your thumb with a hammer, and then almost as much again when you have to jam a needle through the nail to relieve the pressure...</p>
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<p>I learnt this last year when putting up a shed, I dont however believe I learnt a lesson, nor this time as I suspect <strong>I might do it again one day</strong>! </p>
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<p>that day was today
although not quite as bad as last time, so maybe I am learning? </p> -
<p>Did you heat the needle up so it kind of burns through more easily? (and sterilizes it). Makes it a trickier operation but the heat does seem to help in my limited experience </p>
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<p>nah this one didnt need relieving, but yeah I did heat the needle</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="489085" data-time="1431064609">
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<p>Size isn't everything. You should go to Wingspan in Rotorua and watch them put a Karearea (NZ Falcon) through its paces. 300grams of pure predator. Arguably the fastest bird in the world and will take down a possum. Way cool.<br>
But those Haast Eagles must have been something awesome.</p>
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<p>When I was a member of Arikikapakapa in Rotorua I saw one of those falcons take out a massive Rabbit near the 6th green. It was amazing to watch. And the noise after the kill was peircing</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="491407" data-time="1432068012"><p>When I was a member of Arikikapakapa in Rotorua I saw one of those falcons take out a massive Rabbit near the 6th green. It was amazing to watch. And the noise after the kill was peircing</p></blockquote>
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Cool. <br><br>
The Karerearea should be our national bird. The Kiwi is a pathetic wuss in comparison. <br>
Much more regal as well. Here's a photo I took earlier in the year. <br><img src="http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/19/7d1c3718baa860a20f65682868e3e99e.jpg" alt="7d1c3718baa860a20f65682868e3e99e.jpg"> -
<img src="http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/19/846e305e1589b1b249e613d453c5250c.jpg" alt="846e305e1589b1b249e613d453c5250c.jpg"><br>
This was another time on the 8th green when it caught a small bird. It just stood there having a nosh while we were putting. Didn't give a shit!! :-)<br><br>
Best time was when it absolutely smoked a black backed gull in the air. We didn't see the actual impact but heard it and then the thud as it landed in the fairway. <br><br>
There were a pair of them obviously nesting on the course for a couple of years. -
<p>Their bravery or 'don't give a shit' attitude that has been one of their downfalls. They are afraid of nothing (the terrier of the bird world), including humans, and their biggest threat has often been fuckwit pigeon fanciers and chicken owners that decide to shoot them, often mistaking them for the far more populous and larger Harrier Hawk (the ones you see eating road kill and soaring in circles).</p>
<p>Harriers are scared of Karearea.</p>
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<p>Back toward the 'something you learn' topic, I had previously heard Tui called the 'guardian of the forest' but didn't pay it much attention thinking it was a Maori folklore name.</p>
<p>At Wingspan, when they let one of the Karearea off to circle the valley and swoop on the lure, the Tui came out and flew higher, making a racket. They explained that this was the Tui alerting the other birds there was a predator around. </p> -
<p>The story I heard of Maori folklore is that the white part under the chin supposed to have been put there by Tane Mahuta to show everyone the Tui was a coward for not wanting to protect the forest floor because he was scared of the dark, when Tane Mahuta asked all the birds for help and then with the Pukeko not wanting to get his feet wet, was then consigned to the swamps and then the brightly coloured Kiwi volunteered and although lost its colour and ability to fly due to foraging around the forest floor it is now the most revered bird.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.kiwinewz.com/html/losewing.htm'>http://www.kiwinewz.com/html/losewing.htm</a></p>
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<p>One time I was awoken at about 5am to some birds making a hell of a racket, when I looked out the window 2 Tui were dive bombing a bird on the ground, so I went out to look and it was a Morepork that was sitting there, so I picked it, put it in a box for an hour and then when I opened it, it flew away.</p>
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<p>Also had a baby Morepork fly into our window just last week, when I went out to see it, it was amusing watching it turn it's head right around as it followed me, only for it to fly away when I reached out to pick it up.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="491427" data-time="1432078157">
<div>
<p>The story I heard of Maori folklore is that the white part under the chin supposed to have been put there by Tane Mahuta to show everyone the Tui was a coward for not wanting to protect the forest floor because he was scared of the dark, when Tane Mahuta asked all the birds for help and then with the Pukeko not wanting to get his feet wet, was then consigned to the swamps and then the brightly coloured Kiwi volunteered and although lost its colour and ability to fly due to foraging around the forest floor it is now the most revered bird.</p>
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<p>That is quite cool.</p>
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<p>That certainly explains why Pukeko's lift their feet delicately when around the marshes. (According to legend of course)</p> -
That could be good or bad news TR.<br><br>
Some believe that if Ruru enter your house or hang around nearby their will be a death in the family, others believe they carry the protective spirit of your family.<br><img src="http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/19/d3b0899b9bcb7d73150b9402b278d9b8.jpg" alt="d3b0899b9bcb7d73150b9402b278d9b8.jpg"> -
<p>he/she didnt hang around!! </p>
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<p>There is the same spritual belief with a Fantail/piwakawaka flying in your house isnt there? </p>
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<p>At the place we were renting while building they hung about all the time, but only cos of the big juicy Puriri moths that they got to eat! </p>
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<p>Which I learnt something new about when I saw them...they live for about 5 years as a grub in the Puriri tree, yet spend only about 24-48 hours as a moth! </p>
