Free email delivery
Please sign up for email delivery in the subscription area to the right.
No salesman will call, at least not from us. Maybe from someone else.
How Computers Work: HTTP & HTML | Video
Tumblr founder David Karp and Xbox program manager Jasmine Lawrence give a detailed description of how the Internet works using HTTP and HTML.
Part VII (7 minutes) of the series produced by Code.com explaining computers in terms most of us can understand. We’re getting past the ins & outs of downloads and uploads and into the guts. We’ll post a new installment approximately every ten days until we run out.
If you like this series and want to go through it at your own rate, the 17 videos listed HERE include the 12 which I have scheduled so far. Having some familiarity with the topics, I watched the first 12 in about an hour. It’s time well spent.
[Chuck Almdale]
Porcupines Give You 30,000 Reasons to Back Off | Deep Look Video
Porcupines may be adorable, but their quills are razor-sharp, designed to impale and next to impossible to remove. But it’s not all bad news. Researchers are designing new surgical staples that mimic the quill’s shape to better close wounds and promote healing.
This is another installment of the PBS Deep Look series; this installment is adapted from the “It’s OK to be Smart” series. If no film or link appears in this email, go to the blog to view it by clicking on the blog title above. If the film stops & starts in an annoying manner, press pause (lower left double bars ||) to let it buffer and get ahead of you. [Chuck Almdale]
Native Plant Sale Reminder: 10am – 3pm, October 12-13, 2019
Here’s a message from the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society
Native plants feed native insects which feed native birds.
No food, no insects, no birds.
A native oak can feed 500 native insect species where an African or
Australian tree will support only three species.
Native Plant Celebration & Symposium, Wildflower Show & Plant Sale
Saturday-Sunday, October 12-13, 2019 – 10 am – 3 pm
Sepulveda Garden Center
16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino, CA 91436
Member Pre-Sale at 9:30 am -10 am Saturday only
All CNPS members get 10% off plants & books*
*CNPS members must show CNPS ID card or a
recent Toyon with their address label to receive discounts
Website: Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns. Chapter of California Native Plant Society
We will continue with our expanded selection this year – with a focus on species that can survive in our hot and dry climate – there is a plant that can fill your garden’s needs. Many native plants can survive quite well with natural rainfall once they get established. ltems for sale include perennial wild flowers, irises, mints, sages, berries, hummingbird and butterfly plants, shrubs, perennials, and trees. A diverse selection of wildflower seeds will be available for purchase. Also for sale are new and used natural history and native gardening books, activity books for children, field guides, and posters. Refreshment s and lunch will be available for purchase.
During the sale, experienced CNPSers can assist you in selecting plants that are suitable for your garden! Proceeds from the plant sale help support the activities of the Los Angeles / Santa Monica Mountains chapter of CNPS.
Native insects and birds love native plants (Roxie Seider 10-29-16)
[Chuck Almdale]
How Computers Work: How Search Works | Video
Join John, Google’s Chief of Search and AI, and Akshaya, from Microsoft Bing, to find out how search really works. They cover everything from how special programs called “spiders” scan the Internet before you even type in your search terms to what determines which search results show up first. Find out how search algorithms bust spammers, manage location services and even use machine learning to make search better every year.
Part VI (5 minutes) of the video series produced by Code.com explaining computers in terms anyone can understand. I know it’s not about birds, and this is supposed to be a website devoted to birds, but as computers in their numerous forms now inhabit 95% – perhaps more – of our waking life, it would be handy for us to know something about them beyond how to start your car, download a book or movie, post sightings to eBird, google migration data or I.D. a bird by recording its song. Like…how the things actually work. We’ll post a new installment approximately every ten days until we run out.
If you like this series and want to go through it at your own rate, the 17 videos listed HERE include the 12 which I have scheduled so far. Having some familiarity with the topics, I watched the first 12 in about an hour. It’s time well spent.
[Chuck Almdale]
Real Angry Birds: Sharp-tailed Grouse Battle | Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Sharp-tailed Grouse square off in intense battles for territory and breeding rights. These grouse form leks, mating arenas where males meet to compete for territory and attract females. This leads to continual fighting as they strive to outdo each other.
Learn more about Sharp-tailed Grouse on All About Birds: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sharp-tailed_Grouse/id
A film from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. If no film or link appears in this email, go to the blog to view it by clicking on the blog title above. If the film stops & starts in an annoying manner, press pause (lower left double bars ||) to let it buffer and get ahead of you. The Lab is a member-supported organization; they welcome your membership and support. [Chuck Almdale]
SANTA MONICA BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY BLOG 