unlimited odds and ends

[Woolly Bugger]

This is the most adorable creature you might never see
The spotted salamander has been heralding the season's arrival for millions of years.



I am standing on the edge of a woods, in total darkness, shivering. My Gore-Tex jacket has proved to be no match for the soaking rain, which has now intensified — as has the nearby thunder. For a moment, I am questioning my decision to drive two hours through rush-hour traffic on Interstate 66 to be here, on a weeknight, slipping in mud on the edge of a murky pond.

But I have come because this is the night the animal world announces the arrival of spring.

"They're over here!" calls the biologist in our group, Jennifer Servis. I walk carefully in the direction of her headlamp, over rocks and tree roots. And then I see them: first one, then another, then dozens of them, crawling out from under the trees and toward the water.

I pick one up and hold it in my hand: Its smooth skin is a purplish gray, and it is covered from head to tail in bright yellow dots, as if painted by a child. It sits calmly in my hand, peering back at me with big, curious eyes, its closed mouth forming a line that looks very much like a grin.

What? You were expecting Punxsutawney Phil?


https://wapo.st/4btxe4h

[Woolly Bugger]

A park ranger took action 25 years ago. Now, 85 miles of the Escalante River have been saved

[Onslow]

Looks like a swift water rescue exercise on the Yadkin.  Chopper has been hovering the last couple days.

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[trout-r-us]

A park ranger took action 25 years ago. Now, 85 miles of the Escalante River have been saved



<iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5333836/nx-s1-5396626-1" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"></iframe>

🎶..all it takes is one voice; shout it out and let it ring. 🎶

[Woolly Bugger]

I've read that Smithfly Deigns, which filed chapter 11 back in 2021, has shuttered all operations.

https://www.smithfly.com/

returns: Sorry, this store is currently unavailable.


I've also heard that they've pulled a Harvey, kept money, not delivering product....

from r/flyfishing

[Onslow]

The radar loops look ok but the rainfall is scant.  Don't think .2 will fall from the last two rounds combined.  No bueno.

[Woolly Bugger]

Thunder and lightning here, but very little rain hitting the ground

[Onslow]

It would be interesting to know how many pounds white bass and other fish are consumed at the High Rock lake dam by the numerous white pelicans and hundreds of loons.

[Woolly Bugger]

U.S. walks out of shipping emissions talks, threatens retaliation
Washington urges other governments to reconsider global maritime climate deal; Brazil supports agreement

The U.S. has withdrawn from ongoing negotiations in London aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector, which is responsible for over 90% of global trade and around 3% of worldwide emissions.

Talks are taking place at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), situated along the Thames, where more than 1,000 delegates from 176 countries have gathered over the past two weeks. Their goal is to finalize the steps needed to achieve targets set two years ago for decarbonizing international shipping.

The proposed measures would aim to bring the sector to net-zero emissions around 2050.

On Tuesday, reports circulated of a memo from the U.S. government being shared among some delegations, stating that the U.S. rejects "any and all efforts to impose economic measures against its ships based on GHG emissions or fuel choice"—key issues currently under discussion.

According to a version of the memo seen by Valor, the U.S. delegation warned that it would pull out of IMO meetings and that Washington would consider "reciprocal measures so as to offset any fees charged to U.S. ships."

The statement also declared: "The UN should halt all efforts to proliferate the deeply unfair agenda reflected in the Paris Agreement in other fora." The U.S. under Donald Trump has again exited the Paris Agreement during this presidential term.

Washington also called on other governments to reconsider their support for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions measures.

https://valorinternational.globo.com/environment/news/2025/04/10/us-walks-out-of-shipping-emissions-talks-threatens-retaliation.ghtml

[Woolly Bugger]

[Onslow]

Blewitt


The fish trap discussed near the end of the article is operational.  Shad are now being elevated over Blewett falls dam.  Will they end up at Tillery dam?  The cost of this project cost Duke power 80 million.

The long-term plan is to elevate shad over the Tillery dam so they can spawn in the Uwharrie.

The water levels have not been high at all in the Yadkin/Pee Dee basin.  It is unclear if this will dampen the shad run on the Pee Dee.

[Woolly Bugger]

On a recent Sunday, @Saahil_Desai drove America's most polarizing car around Washington, D.C.—and was flipped off at least 17 times:

On the first Sunday of spring, surrounded by row houses and magnolia trees, I came to a horrifying realization: My mom was right. I had been flipped off at least 17 times, called a "motherfucker" (in both English and Spanish), and a "fucking dork." A woman in a blue sweater stared at me, sighed, and said, "You should be ashamed of yourself." All of this because I was driving a Tesla Cybertruck.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/cybertruck-washington-dc/682232/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social

[Woolly Bugger]

The Hidden Health Penalty of Seafood Tariffs
President Donald Trump's tariffs will raise seafood prices, which could undermine cardiovascular health

he average American eats 20 pounds of seafood each year—about three-fourths of which is imported. New tariffs will increase prices for and reduce consumption of shrimp, salmon, canned tuna, and tilapia—the four most popular seafood products in the United States. That could pit Americans' heart health against their wallets. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary guidelines [PDF] recommend consuming eight ounces of seafood per week, or 26 pounds per year. Underlying that recommendation is a mountain of scientific evidence showing that consuming seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids supports health and reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. 

Seafood imports have made fish and shellfish more affordable for low- or middle-income families. The real price of shrimp, the most popular seafood consumed in the United States, decreased dramatically in recent decades thanks to farmed shrimp imports. Salmon prices also tumbled with innovations in salmon farming. 

Despite low-priced seafood imports, Americans eat too little seafood and too much of other animal proteins that pose health risks. Seafood is still relatively expensive compared to domestically produced meat, poultry, and eggs, and 90% of Americans [PDF] fall short of the goal of eating eight ounces of seafood each week. At the same time, 70% of Americans consume more than the USDA recommendations for meat, poultry, and eggs. 

Because most seafood is imported, tariffs will cause Americans to eat less heart-healthy seafood and more heart-unhealthy red meat. Tariffs will hit vulnerable populations particularly hard, in part by contributing to higher overall food prices and steering low-income consumers away from healthy seafood alternatives. Low-income consumers already struggle to incorporate seafood into their diets and fall short of USDA seafood consumption guidelines more than the average American. They also tend to consume seafood lower in healthy omega-3s compared to high-income consumers. 


https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/hidden-health-penalty-seafood-tariffs