This week we are looking at the Sechuran fox, also called the Peruvian desert fox or the Sechuran zorro, is a small South American species of canid closely related to other South American “false” foxes or zorro. It gets its name for being found in the Sechura Desert in northwestern Peru.
It has sandy-coloured fur and distinctive facial markings, this fox species is adapted to the harsh and arid conditions of its habitat, where it plays a crucial role as a predator and scavenger.
The Sechuran fox is nocturnal and spends the daylight hours in a den dug into the ground. It is generally solitary, although occasionally seen travelling in pairs. Pups are born in October and November, although little else is known of its reproductive behavior.
When conditions allow, Sechuran foxes are omnivores, but can also survive on a completely herbivorous diet when necessary. They can eat seed pods and fruit of Cordia and mito plants. More commonly, however, they also eat insects, rodents, bird eggs, and carrion. It is thought that they can survive for long periods without drinking, receiving the water in their food.
This week we have moved onto Iraq, officially known as the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and Kuwait to the southeast, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west.
The country is dominated by two famous rivers: the Tigris and the Euphrates. They flow southeast from the highlands in the north across the plains toward the Persian Gulf. The fertile region between these rivers has had many names throughout history, including Al-Jazirah, or “the island,” in Arabic and Mesopotamia in Greek.
Many parts of Iraq are harsh places to live. Rocky deserts cover about 40 percent of the land. Another 30 percent is mountainous with bitterly cold winters. Much of the south is marshy and damp. Most Iraqis live along the fertile plains of the Tigris and Euphrates.
Baghdad is the capital and largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the most populous cities in the Middle East and Arab World and forms.
The Iraqi dinar is the currency of Iraq. The Iraqi dinar is issued by the Central Bank of Iraq. On 7 February 2023, the exchange rate with the US Dollar was US$1 = 1300 dinars.
The Iraqi flag has four horizontal stripes of red, white, green, and black. The colours are inspired by a poem by Safi al-Din al-Hilli. The flag also has an Arabic inscription that means “Allah is the Greatest”.
The current version of the Iraqi flag has been in use since 2008.
The flag was modified in 1991 by President Saddam Hussein.
In 2004, the Iraqi Governing Council proposed a new flag, but it was almost universally rejected by Iraqis.
The colours of the Iraqi flag are inspired by a poem by Safi al-Din al-Hilli.
The poem refers to red as willingness to shed blood, green for Arab fields, black for battles, and white for purity of motives and deeds.
The three green stars on the flag represent a desire to unite with Egypt and Syria.
It is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the Middle East. Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Assyrians, Mandaeans, and Armenians, among others, speak their own languages and retain their cultural and religious identities.
Iraqis once had some of the best schools and colleges in the Arab world. That changed after the Gulf War in 1991 and the United Nations sanctions that followed. Today only about 40 percent of Iraqis can read or write.
The country is a federal constitutional democracy. The Head of State is the President. The Head of Government is the Prime Minister, who appoints the Council of Ministers (Cabinet). The Council of Representatives (CoR) is the unicameral legislature. The Iraqi people elect the 329 members of the CoR through an open-list, proportional representation electoral process. Nine seats are set aside for representation of Iraqi minorities. The Constitution sets a quota of 25 per cent of CoR seats to be held by women. Members serve four-year terms. The Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers do not have to be elected members of the CoR but the CoR must approve their nominations. Ministers must forgo their CoR seats to serve in Cabinet.
During late 2013 and 2014, the terrorist organisation Da’esh seized territory in west and northwest Iraq, including the city of Mosul. Da’esh systematically persecuted ethnic and religious minorities and committed abuses against vulnerable groups including women and children. On 9 December 2017, then-Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the defeat of Da’esh in Iraq.
Despite the territorial defeat of Da’esh in Iraq and Syria (announced by the Syrian Democratic Forces in March 2019), Da’esh remains a very real threat to the region. At the request of the Government of Iraq, the Global Coalition to Defeat Da’esh continues to support the Iraqi Security Forces to combat the threat posed by remnants of Da’esh.
Iraqi women today suffer from insufficient educational opportunities and healthcare and limited access to the labor market, as well as high levels of violence and inequality.
The status of women has been affected by wars, Islamic law and the Constitution of Iraq as well as Cultural traditions. Abusive practices such as honour killings and forced marriages still persist.
The security situation in Iraq is volatile and could deteriorate with little warning. There’s a risk of violence, armed conflict, kidnapping and terrorist attacks.
After a much better night, I am up washed and dressed. Sue came over to see if she could help Tasha with her studies about massage and she could help a bit but said she has a book at home that may help, and she will look for it.
It is a hot day, but I haven’t turned the air con on. It reached 31C but I didn’t turn the air con at all. However, I will have the bedroom air con on when I go to bed.
I was in bed for an hour and was unable to settle so I got up to use the powerfit and update this entry, then I will go back to bed and try to settle.
Steps: 10,650
THEA’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS TWO TODAY
After I went back to bed it still took at least an hour to settle and fall asleep.
When I woke up, I wasn’t feeling good I don’t know if the reason is lack of sleep or lack of food, I didn’t eat much yesterday.
Sue and I went and had a massage, it felt good
I am extremely tired this afternoon.
Steps:5,577
I slept straight through the night, I woke up feeling tired, I hope that passes soon.
It has been a coldish and wet day, I walked up to get Sam in the rain this afternoon, I am glad I bought a rain poncho.
Sue was telling me that she thinks Dave & Leigh have helped Dawson get a car.
I have a headache and stinging eyes this arvo.
I am off to bed a bit early it is 7.30pm and I am done for the day.
Steps: 10,087
I slept ok, not great it was after midnight before I settled fully.
Sue rang and let me know her car is out of rego till next week when she gets paid. She also noticed that she had a flat tyre, and she has a $600 power bill so right now she feels like she is drowning in debt.
Sandy rang to tell me she is moving again, as she has been offered a 4-bedroom place at Elermore Vale, a 10–15-minute drive from me, this is wonderful news.
Later Sandy rang to ask if Tim could loan her $2,500 for a removalist, DCJ just paid one to move her to Raymond Terrance and will not pay for one to move her to Elermore Vale
We are in for another hot day, this the last day of summer and the last day of February. It is currently 19C at 6am, my BGL was 5.0.
I have already vacuumed and fold the clean clothes up.
Now to read some blogs and do my Friday post.
It got to 34C here I had the air con on from 10.30am.
Didn’t do much other then put the clean clothes away, emptied the dishwasher, vacuumed a second time and I ironed a few things. I also managed to write three letters to penpals.
The national anthem of Kuwait was written by poet Ahmad Meshari Al-Adwani with music composed by Ibrahim Al-Soula and arranged by Ahmad Ali. It was first broadcast on 25 February 1978. Prior to 1978, the “Amiri Salute” was used.
After the proclamation of Kuwait’s independence, the Kuwait national anthem was written by the poet Meshari Al-Adwani and was broadcast for the first time on 25 February 1978. The music was composed by Ibrahim Al-Soula and arranged by Ahmad Ali. The Amiri Salute was composed by Yusuf Adees in 1951 and was used until February 1978.The National Salute consists of the first six bars of the National anthem.
The anthem is played every day at the beginning of the day in most Kuwaiti schools and on TV and radio stations.
The words of Kuwait national anthem are:
Kuwait, My Country, May you be safe and glorious! May you always enjoy good Fortune! You are the cradle of my Ancestors, who put down its memory, With everlasting symmetry, showing all eternity, Those Arabs were Heavenly, Kuwait, My Country, May you be safe and glorious! May you always enjoy good Fortune. Blessed be My Country a homeland for harmony, Warded by true sentry Giving their soils aptly, Building high its history, Kuwait, My Country, We’re for you My Country, Led by faith and loyalty, With its Amir equally, Fencing us all fairly, With warm love and verity, Kuwait, My Country, May you be safe and glorious, May you always enjoy good Fortune
Ok this we are going to look at the brave and strong women who decided to join the military during the second world war. Three of the organisations that put these women into uniforms were The Land Army, The National Emergency Services (NES) and the Australian Women’s Army (AWAS).
The Land Army was voluntary group where women worked on farms, performing tasks like milking cows, harvesting crops, and tending livestock, to maintain food production while men were fighting overseas.
The AWAS was an official military unit within the Australian Army where women could enlist to serve in roles like driving, clerical work, communications, and even some combat support positions.
The Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) was formed in August 1941 to release men from some military duties to serve with fighting units. Women worked in traditional roles such as clerks, typists and cooks.
The NES was a general term for civilian volunteer organizations that provide support during emergencies like fire, flood, or medical crises, not specifically related to wartime service
There was a network of searchlights and listening posts that formed part of Newcastle’s defences were largely operated by women. These women were carefully selected for good eyesight and hearing as they would be on high alert lookout for the distant hum of aircraft engines.
They also had to maintain the searchlights in a high state of readiness, constantly polishing the lights and greasing their mechanisms. The searchlights batteries were connected by telephone to headquarters and each battery had a command post with a plotting board to track the positions and courses of aircraft.
Some of the hardships the women had to deal with things like having to bunk down in unlined shed in the bush, they were given hessians bags and a pile of straw to make their mattresses. They also had to shower under a modified kerosene tin full of water. Just because they were women didn’t mean they got an easy ride, they had route marches with full packs and training with live ammunition on .303 rifles, bren and Thompson guns.
The Australian Women’s Army Service served in New Guinea during World War II, making it the only non-medical women’s service to serve overseas during the war.
The Land Army and the AWAS were both disbanded shortly after the end of World War II, between 1945 and 1947.
This week we are look at the bat-eared fox, another fox I hadn’t heard of.
The bat-eared fox is a species of fox found on the African savanna. It is the only extant species of the genus Otocyon and a basal species of canid. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene.
As the name indicates, this fox has unusually enormous ears in proportion to its head, like those of many bats. Their bodies are generally yellow-brown with a pale throat and under parts. The outsides of the ears, the racoon-like “face-mask,” lower legs, feet, and tail tip are all black.
They can be found living in groups of mating pairs and their young. They are a very social species and spend lots of time grooming each other, as well as playing and sleeping together.
Their hearing is remarkable, but bat-eared foxes are also known for their social nature. They often live in family groups of up to 15 animals. They do not mark or defend territories aggressively against other packs.
They seldom drink water as they obtain most of the moisture they need from their food; 3. Unlike other canids, the male undertakes most parental care duties, while the female forages for food that maintains her milk production
Termites and dung beetles make up about 80 percent of their diets. In addition to termites and dung beetles, they also eat other insects and arthropods, small rodents, lizards, the eggs and chicks of other birds, and plant matter. They obtain much of their water from the body fluid of the insects they consume.
Predators include cheetahs, jackals, spotted hyenas, rock pythons, African wild dogs, and leopards. Bat-eared foxes are named for their large ears, which are also used for thermoregulation. To escape from predators, bat-eared foxes rely on speed and their incredible dodging ability.
They typically live for 6 years in the wild but can be up to 13 years in captivity.
They reach sexual maturity at 8–9 months old, both male and female. They usually leave their family groups at 5–6 months old.
They breed annually, producing litters of 3–6 pups, with a gestation period of 60–75 days.
This week we are looking at Kuwait, a country I have heard of but know bugga all about.
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south.
The capital is Kuwait City it’s located on the Persian Gulf, and is the country’s political, cultural, and economic centre. The city has a modern skyline with skyscrapers, mosques, malls, and hotels
The city features a mix of Western-style architecture and traditional Islamic architecture. It is home to Kuwait’s Seif Palace.
The city’s name comes from the Arabic word kūt, which means “fort”, it underwent a transformation after the discovery of oil in the 1930s.
As of January 2024, Kuwait’s population was 4.91 million people. This includes 1.545 million Kuwaiti citizens and 3.36 million expatriates.
The official language is Arabic.
The official currency is the Kuwaiti Dinar.
Their flag was adopted on 7 September 1961, and officially hoisted 24 November 1961. Before 1961, the flag was red and white, like those of other Arabian Gulf states at the time. Now the flag is a tricolour of green, white, and red with a black trapezium on the hoist side. It is the only flag in the world featuring an acute trapezium.
Kuwait is an emirate. The Emir of Kuwait, a hereditary monarch from the Al Sabah ruling family appoints the prime minister (who is always a royal) and other members of government, as well as members of judicial, police and financial institutions.
An emirate is a political territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. The term “emirate” is similar to “kingdom” or “principality”.
The Cabinet of Kuwait is the chief executive body of the State of Kuwait. The 46th cabinet in the history of Kuwait was appointed on 12 May 2024. On 15 April 2024, Amir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah assigned His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad as Prime Minister.
There has been some progress in women’s rights but there is still discrimination in many aspects of life. They have access to education, economic and political rights, and can serve in the military, police, and as judges.
Kuwait’s personal status laws discriminate against women in matters of marriage, divorce, and child custody, including by requiring women to have male guardian permission to marry and by stripping them of spousal maintenance from their husband if they refuse to live with their husbands “without justification.”
In Kuwait, women should dress modestly and conservatively, covering their arms, shoulders, and legs. Tight-fitting clothing is not recommended.
Traditional dress consists of the abaya, along, black cloak that covers the body except for the hands, feet, and face and the daraa a traditional Kuwaiti dress that is long-sleeved, loose, and floor length.The hijab and the niqab are worn by some women, especially during religious occasions.
There’s an increased risk of terrorism in Kuwait, including threats against military bases. Maintain a high level of security awareness and be aware of your surroundings.
It’s illegal to buy, sell, import, carry and consume alcohol. Penalties range from fines to imprisonment and deportation.
What a night, I haven’t had a lot of sleep, but I am still up and dressed and starting my day. It is a chilly 17C only supposed to reach 21C, my BGL was 5.0
I sent Tim a short clip about Parkinson’s, and he couldn’t be bothered to look at it. This annoyed me, I am trying to help him, and others understand a bit about Parkinson’s.
I have been tired all day often dropping off for a moment while watching TV.
Steps: 5,238
I had a good night, slept straight through till the alarm went at 5am it is a coldish morning with the temp sitting at 15C only supposed to reach 21C again today.
Sam is starting a Tafe course this morning, so no school today, Tasha will drive her there, but she is going to catch a bus home, I hope that works out well.
Sue took me shopping as I wanted some stuff from Woolies and also needed stamps. While out we booked in to have a massage next Monday.
Dawson come over for a visit he was here for a couple of hours, it’s always nice to see him.
Sam arrived home while Dawson was here, she said Tafe went well but it felt like a long morning. There was no problem catching the bus home.
Steps:9,517
I had a good night, slept straight through till the alarm went at 5am it is a coldish morning with the temp sitting at 15C we are looking at a top temp of 26C today.
Sandy has got a rental place in Raymond Terrance,32k’s from me or a 41-minute drive from me. It isn’t somewhere she really wants to live but with only 3 weeks till she will be homeless she is just happy to have a place.
Steps: 7,533
I had a good night, slept straight through till the alarm went at 5am, after Tim left for work, I had a shower. It is currently 16C with a top temp of 26C.
Tasha was in a bit of a state as her ride to Tafe cancelled at 11pm and Sue isn’t answering her phone. She did eventually answer, and she drove Tasha to Tafe.
Sue took me to have my hearing checked and I got a quote on the basic hearing aids, $2,098. I will check with Tim and order them. I have another appointment on the 25 March.
We then went to the chemist to get scripts and webster pack for Sam, I rang on Friday to arrange the webster pack, it wasn’t done.
Steps: 9,760
I had another good night, slept straight through till 4.20am when I had to pee, went straight back to sleep till the alarm went at 5am.
It is currently 20C, we are looking at a top temp of 24C, with showers during the day.
While sitting up the front waiting for Sam’s transport we had so very light rain.
I have vacuumed twice, cleaned the bathroom, done a load of washing and hung it up to dry, I have also done 20-minutes of exercise, and I am exhausted.
It has been raining on and off all day and was raining when I went up to meet Sam at 3pm.
On the 6 March Jessica will have no power for a couple of hours while the neighbour’s meter is change.
Tim was an hour late getting home this afternoon due to a traffic accident.
Steps:9,657
SUMMER’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 12 TODAY
I slept well, woke once to pee but straight back to sleep.
Had a nice talk with Sandy this morning.
This afternoon I walked up to meet Sam but while I was waiting a white van pulled in and I just knew it would be a delivery for us, so I came back, and it was, and it was heavy so I was glad I could get the delivery man to carry inside for me. I then decided to take the scooter up as my legs were shaking and I felt unsteady.
It is 5.30pm and I am feeling like shit, I have a headache.
I am having a restless night.
Since I am up, I checked my emails and had one from Miller’s about a $5 sale so went into the site ordered 5 things, they had 2 of the 5 but not surprised as they are closing down.
Steps:13,170
After a rough night I still got up at 5am, had a shower and now I am ready to start my day. I have already vacuumed once, went to unpack the dishwasher only to discover I forgot to put it on yesterday.
I put the dishwasher on after breakie, then when it was finished, I unpacked it.
I am just not with it today, however, around 4pm, I managed to write 2 letters.
Jo-AnneRamplings 