To celebrate Chinese New Year, one needs to be aware of the traditions and the customs. This year, I decided to search the Web to better educate myself and to share my findings. Below are some of the Web resources that I found useful:
Happy Chinese New Year and may the Year of the Ox be a productive one for you!
Warning: I found this video clip to funny, but it may be a bit offensive. So please view at your own discretion. Cheers!
If you have seen a Dolphin show at SeaWorld or similar venues, you would recognize that Dolphins have tremendous acrobatic skills. Apparently, some of these acrobatic skills are not enhanced version of the natural behaviors exhibited by Dolphins in the wild. I recently read in the news (Australia's Daily Telegraph, BBC Science/Nature) that tail-walking is one such skill that is learned (from human trainers?) by Dolphins in captivity.
Why am I surprised, and why am I blogging about this topic you ask? Well, I recently wrote a blog about my encounter with Dolphins in the Monterey Bay. In the pictures that I shared in my previous blog, you will see that Dolphins are playful and acrobatic animals. Their natural showmanship skills is especially elevated by their curiosity around humans. In one the pictures (on this blog), I believe I happen to captured a wild Dolphin doing the tail-walking. Perhaps this isn't a coincidence.
Due to more human and Dolphin interactions in the wild, I believe Dolphin's behaviors are evolving. Dolphins are intelligent animals. I believe they are trying to learn from us, just as we try to learn more about them. If we humans (e.g. Michael Phelps) can learn and use the Dolphin kick to our advantage, why can't Dolphins learn to walk? I agree it's not obvious (the benefits) what they gain by tail-walking, except more fanfare. Nonetheless, we will soon see more Dolphins tail-walking in their natural habitat, one that they are having to share more and more with their two legged friends.
If you have observed similar behaviors, please feel free to share your experience in the comments field below.
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For some reason, I felt compelled to write a Blog today. Perhaps it's because the number 8 is the most auspicious number in the Chinese culture, and I didn't want to miss the chance for good fortune by not acknowledging today's date: 08.08.08. Or it's because today is grand opening for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and I wanted to publicly express my excitement for the event. My family and I are looking forward to the opening ceremony tonight (delayed broadcast on NBC) which starts officially at 08:08pm CST. Of course, my wife also reminded me that our baby girl turned 8 month old today. She now weighs in at 20 lbs, measures 27 inches in height, and has grown out 8 front teeth. She also recently started crawling and that's a significant milestone that I want to share with the world. Finally, 08.08 is Father's Day in Taiwan (my birthplace). Although we now observe the US holidays, I still want to wish a Happy Father's Day to my dad. And in keeping with the theme of the day, I should mention that this my 8th Blog, since I started sharing my thoughts with the world. What a coincidence! P.S. If you're a fan of the Olympics and a FaceBook user, you should checkout the myPicks Beijing 2008 game. Select your country to the right and click on Play Now! Below are a couple other Sun Blogger's perspective on today: |
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I bet you didn't know that Dolphins live in the Monterey Bay. Actually, it's quite common to spot Dolphins, Whales and other marine mammals, if you spend enough time on the Bay or if you go on a Whale watching tour boat. What made our recent Dolphin encounter so special is that we weren't seeking them out. We were visiting Monterey for the day. We stopped by the Breakwater to admire the SCUBA divers, as we have done on every Monterey trip since we stopped diving. Amazingly, this is the first time that I have spotted Dolphins so close to the shore, only about 150 feet away. They hung around for a while, and provided lots of entertainment for the Kayakers, the people on the beach and the tourists on the glass bottom boat (typically not a great way to spot wildlife, just divers). It was a very unexpected and unforgettable experience.
Press Play to start the slide show.
Over the July 4th weekend, my wife and I went for a short hike at Rancho San Antonio, an open space preserve that borders Los Altos, Cupertino and I-280. Rancho is one of my favorite outdoor playgrounds, since it's conveniently located in the heart of Silicon Valley. It's where I first discovered trail running and where I trained (PG&E Trail) for my hike up to Half Dome at Yosemite. It's also where I return year after year to find a new generation of lambs, goats and piglets at the Deer Hollow Farm.
I have also had my share of wildlife encounters at Rancho San Antonio: Bobcats, Rattlesnakes, Blacktail Deers, Wild Turkeys, Quails, Rabbits, Owls, Acorn Woodpeckers, etc. Each time, I always said to myself "If only I had brought my camera." Well, I finally brought my camera this past weekend, and I was not disappointed. I'm sharing my pictures in this Blog (Press Play on Slideshow below), out of complete respect for the wildlife and their home. In shooting these photos, I kept my distance, tried to blend in with nature, and captured the close-ups through a zoom lense.
In a world of global warming and diminishing natural habitats, I think it's great that open space preserves such as Rancho San Antonio is able to sustain an ecosystem that is thriving despite being in the shadows of encroaching home developments, congested freeways and high-tech business parks. As a parent, I often wonder if such wonderful places will still exist when my daughter is old enough to appreciate it. As a nature lover, I'm quite hopeful (based on my observations) that I will find a new generation of thriving wildlife at Rancho this time next year, the following year, and for the foreseeable future.
BTW in case you are wondering, I have not had a Mountain Lion encounter. They are elusive, solitary animals that hunt mostly during the wee hours when the parks are closed. By chance if I'm lucky enough to spot one, I will be sure to Blog about the experience. Stay tuned!
First of all, I would like to wish my father and all the fathers out there a Happy Father's Day. This year is extra special for me. I'm celebrating Father's Day for the 1st time, since my wife and I became proud parents of a baby girl 6 months ago. Time sure flies by quickly.
There's no doubt parenthood is a major life changing event. It comes with great responsibility, but it offers even greater rewards (love, happiness, long lasting memories, etc). Becoming a father has taught me a great deal about taking responsibility and caring for others, especially my baby girl. It has also instilled in me a deeper appreciation for my family.
On this Father's Day, I have realized the true significance of this event. It's not just about me, nor is it just about my father or any one individual parent out there. In my mind and at least within my family, it's a celebration of the family and the bond that brings everyone together each year on the 3rd Sunday of June, on Mother's Day, and on all the other holidays!
This blog copyright 2009 by Alfred Chen
