This week we are looking at the Sierra Nevada red fox.
Then we have the Sierra Nevada red fox which is found in the mountainous regions of California’s Sierra Nevada, it is also considered endangered. It is threatened by unpredictable events like wildfire and drought, competition with coyotes, and hybridization with non-native foxes, as well as habitat loss from logging and livestock grazing, disturbance by recreational vehicles, and climate change.
The Sonora Pass population of the Sierra Nevada red fox may be one of the most endangered species in the U.S. When FWS listed this population as endangered in 2021, the agency estimated that as few as 39 individuals may remain in the wild.
They appear to be opportunistic predators and foragers, with a diet primarily composed of small rodents. Their favorite foods are hares and gophers, but they also eat manzanita berries and deer carrion, particularly in winter and spring.
They have a small, slender body and legs; long, pointed ears; an elongated snout; and a long, white-tipped tail. They’re typically smaller than lowland red fox subspecies, with males weighing up to 9.2 pounds and measuring up to 3.4 feet long and females up to 7.7 pounds and 3.2 feet.
The biggest difference between it and the Red Fox is the Sierra Nevada red fox’s specialized adaptations for cold and snow. They have well-furred paws as part of their winter coat, longer hind legs and are slightly smaller.
They mate between December and March, with most mating occurring in January and February. They are believed to be monogamous.
They are sexually mature at 10 months they have a gestation period of 52–54 days, they can give birth to litters of 1–12 kits, with an average of 3–6 kits they are born in early to mid-April the pups move outside the den by June and are dependent on parents for 6 months.
They prepare multiple dens after mating and may share a burrow with another pair.
A conservation strategy is being developed to help recover the Sierra Nevada red fox. The strategy includes translocations and introducing other alpine foxes to support breeding.
The Forest Service, Park Service, and Department of Defence have resource management plans to minimize forest fragmentation.
Ok this week we are looking at Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about.
The country was established in 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, its transformation has been astonishing. In a few short decades, the Kingdom has turned itself from a desert nation to a modern, sophisticated state and a major player on the international stage.
In 1932, the two kingdoms of the Hejaz and Najd were united as the “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”. Boundaries with Transjordan, Mandatory Iraq, and Kuwait were established by a series of treaties negotiated in the 1920s, with two “neutral zones” created, one with Iraq and the other with Kuwait.
The capital is Riyadh and is the main financial hub, it is on a desert plateau in the country’s centre. The business district landmarks include the 302m-high Kingdom Centre, with a sky bridge connecting 2 towers, and 267m-high Al Faisaliah Centre, with a glass-globe summit.
The currency is the Saudi Riyal and has been since the country was first established.
The flag is green with a white Arabic inscription and a sword. The inscription is the Islamic creed, or shahada, which translates to “There is no deity but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God”. The current design has been used since 1973.
The colour of Islam is green, the sword represents the strictness in applying justice and the shahada is the central symbolic design of the flag. The flag must always be represented so that the inscription reads correctly on both sides. The flag is never to be flown vertically or at half-mast due to its religious symbolism.
The inscription is the Islamic creed, or shahada: “There is no deity but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God”. The current design has been used by the government of Saudi Arabia since 15 March 1973.
As of February 2025, the population of Saudi Arabia is 37.47 million.
The official language is Arabic. The three main regional variants spoken by Saudis are: Najdi Arabic – about 14.6 million speakers. Hejazi Arabic – also known as Hijazi Arabic & West Arabian Arabic – about 10.3 million speakers.
The official religion of Saudi Arabia is Islam, and the country is considered an Islamic state. The majority of Saudi citizens are Sunni Muslim, with a Shia minority.
When it comes to religious freedom there isn’t any, the Saudi government does not provide for freedom of religion under the law. However, the government generally permits Shia religious gatherings and non-Muslim private religious practices.
The country’s constitution is the Quran and Sunna, which are traditions and practices based on the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
The legal system is based on sharia, which is Islamic law.
The government does not allow public worship of any religion other than Islam.
The government does not allow public display of non-Islamic religious symbols.
The government criminalizes proselytizing by non-Muslims.
Shia Muslims make up about 10–12% of the citizen population.
The majority of remaining Shia are Sulaimani Ismailis, also known as “Seveners”.
Pockets of Zaydis, another branch of Shia Islam, live in the provinces of Jizan and Najran.
Saudi Arabia has made progress in improving women’s rights, but discrimination still exists.
Recent improvements are the following, women can apply for passports, travel abroad, and register marriages and divorces without a male guardian’s permission.
Women can register as co-heads of households and live independently from their husbands
Women can join the senior ranks of the military
Women can change their personal data without a guardian’s permission
Women can register to perform the Hajj without being accompanied by a mahram
Women can vote and run in municipal elections
Female athletes can participate in the Olympics
There are still other challenges to overcome such as.
Women still face discrimination in law and practice, including in matters of marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance
The Personal Status Law (PSL) codifies male guardianship, which can prevent women from fully consenting to marriage
Many Saudi women still cover their faces or hair in public even though they are not required to wear a hijab or abaya in public. However, the government does encourage modest dress for both men and women.
When it comes to visiting the country both Australia and The States advise reconsidering travel to Saudi Arabia due to the threat of missile and drone attacks. Also, the country is a target for radical Islamic terror groups. There are also human rights abuses, cultural sensitivities, and government surveillance concerns.
I slept well woke only once to pee, a cool morning we are in for another hot day, with a top of 29C, it is currently 6am and 23C.
Tim took the car in for its first service, I noticed after he left that he forgot his phone, that would be annoying as who doesn’t scroll through Facebook while waiting. Those who left their phone at home that’s who.
I changed the sheets and by the time I was done I was dripping sweat and felt exhausted. So I turned the air con on.
I have answered 6 letters today.
Tim went and cashed in cans and bottles.
Steps:11,150s
It was midnight before I fully settle last night, at 5am I got up and took my meds then went back to bed for an hour.
Around 10am Tim and I went to Sue’s so he could change her flat tyre, however, he wasn’t able to get the lug nuts off as the tool he had was too big as was the one Sue had. Although the one Sue had, come with the car so you would have thought it would fit.
We called into the shops so I could get the scrips and some bread before coming home.
I have been tired on and off all day and it has been stinking hot.
Steps: 6,085
I had a much better night, last night, felt a little heavy headed when I first got up, but I am doing better now.
I made myself an egg and cheese roll for breakie but only managed to eat half of it.
Tim went to Sue’s after his morning school run to change her tyre, but he wasn’t able to do it as he couldn’t get the lug nuts off as they were on too tight.
This afternoon Dawson called in to see me and make sure I knew had another car.
Been raining this afternoon.
Steps: 9,822
Another good night, I can’t have my morning egg flip as we have no milk till the groceries are delivered and I have no bread, but I did have a stale bread roll which I have used to make a grilled cheese.
So, I managed to only eat half of the bread roll, nothing wrong with it just no appetite.
I had a wagon wheel hot cross bun for lunch, but it was too rich for me, in future I will only have half at a time.
It started out cool but warmed up by 11am.
By 5.45pm I was falling asleep, I will stay up till 7.30pm.
Steps:7,947
Another good night, I slept straight through waking only when my alarm went off.
I have both front and back sliding doors opened and it is nice just a slight breeze.
It started raining while I was wait for Sam this afternoon.
Tasha drove Blain’s girlfriend’s car to Tafe and on her way home the car stopped, and she couldn’t get it going and was in a state. Tim was able to go and help her turned out it was a flat battery.
Kathy rang Tim via Facebook as she does every Wednesday just to see him and have a short chat.
Steps:9,999
Another good night, I slept straight through waking only when my alarm went off.
I had a shower after Tim left for work, then I vacuumed before making breakie.
Sue rang the mobile tyre place, she had to buy a new tyre as they wouldn’t put the spare on in place of the flat one, well the guy turned up he was a friend of Ed and Les, she got the number of the mobile tyre mob from Sandy. Anyway, he told her for only $20 more she could have got two tyres as they would waive the call out fee.
It started to rain here around 1.45pm it didn’t last long maybe 10-minutes. It then started raining again at 3.30pm.
Steps:12,201
Had a reasonable night’s sleep, although when the alarm went off, I didn’t want to get up.
This morning I was sitting here reading blogs when I heard a loud squark and I jumped, when I turned round there was a cockatoo standing a foot away from me, I said what do you want, it walked over to bird seed and looked at me, so I feed it and all the others out the front.
It has been a nice day, haven’t done much not much motivation today. I started to feel real tied by 6pm.
It is 8.30pm and I am off to bed.
Steps: 5,945
I had a good night, woke at 5am with the alarm but after taking my meds I went back to bed for another 40-minutes.
It is raining this morning; it looks like it will be a wet day.
This week we are looking at Iraq’ national anthem it is titled Mawtini which in English mean My Homeland, it is a poem written by the Palestinian poet Ibrahim Tugan and is a popular patriotic song amongst the Arab people as well as being the official national anthem of Iraq.
It was adopted as the country’s anthem in 2004, the song formerly served as an unofficial anthem of Palestinians and other people of the Middle East during much of the 20th century. In 1996, Palestine formally adopted it as their official anthem. Even though it has since been superseded by something else, many Palestinians still identify strongly with it and consider it the unofficial national anthem of their country.
It has been described as a reflection of the shared experiences and struggles of Arab peoples, evoking strong emotions tied to national pride, hardship, and the aspiration for freedom. It is regarded as a symbol of resistance and a representation of the collective longing for liberation during periods of occupation and oppression. The anthem conveys emotions such as sorrow, anger, and hope, fostering a sense of renewal and solidarity among those who have endured similar adversities. Its lyrics express a deep love for the homeland, a commitment to its liberation, and a vision of a united and free nation. This message resonates widely across the Arab world, reflecting the shared struggles for independence, identity, and sovereignty.
The national anthem of Iraq between 2003 and 2004 was “Mawtini”, an instrumental composition composed by Iraqi Assyrian musician Louis Zanbaka.
Also, the “Arḍu l-Furātayni”, also known as the “Land of The Two Rivers”, was the national anthem of Iraq from 1981 to 2003, during the Ba’athist regime of Saddam Hussein.
My homeland, my homeland, Glory and beauty, sublimity and splendour Are in your hills, are in your hills. Life and deliverance, pleasure and hope Are in your air, are in your air. Will I see you, will I see you? Safely comforted and victoriously honoured. Safely comforted and victoriously honoured. Will I see you on your eminence? Reaching to the stars, reaching to the stars My homeland, my homeland.
My homeland, my homeland, The youth will not tire Their goal is your independence. Or they die, or they die. We will drink from death, and this will not be our enemies. Like slaves, like slaves. We do not want, we do not want An eternal humiliation, or a miserable life. An eternal humiliation, or a miserable life. We do not want to, but we will take it back. Our storied glory, our storied glory. My homeland, my homeland.
My homeland, my homeland, The sword and the pen, not talk nor the quarrel Are our symbols, are our symbols. Our glory and our covenant, and a faithful duty Moves us, moves us. Our glory, our glory, It is an honourable cause and a waving flag. It is an honourable cause and a waving flag. O, behold you, on your eminence, Victorious over your enemies, victorious over your enemies. My homeland, my homeland!
This week we will look be looking when the USA invaded Australia during WW11. Kinda…
In my area of Australia there was the Joint Overseas Operations Training Services.
The Port Stephens area was the centre of much activity during 1943-44, 20,000 US servicemen and 2,000 Australian servicemen trained for beach landings.
A country club became headquarters for amphibious warfare training area know as JOOTS (Joint Overseas Operations Training Services).
Port Stephens an area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, it is just north of Newcastle.
This came about due to Australia asking for help from the States to dissuade the Japanese from trying to invade and it worked.
For America, Australia was a natural springboard for a major counterattack against Japan and the Newcastle area saw plenty of evidence of the American commitment.
HMAS Assault was a naval training centre established by General Douglas MacArthur. The base was chosen because it was a safe haven from Japanese submarines and was a small, isolated fishing village. The HMAS Assault was used to train landing craft crews, beach parties, and signal teams.
Tomaree Head was a critical part of Australia’s defence of the east. It includes a curved concrete wall with a gun that protected Newcastle and the Williamtown airbase.
You can take a guided tour of the historic gun emplacements at Tomaree Head in Tomaree National Park.
In total nearly one million US troops passed through Australia during World War II. The first US troops arrived in Brisbane in December 1941.
By 1943, there were 250,000 Americans stationed in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
The US Army used Australia as a base of operations to support US forces in the Philippines.
Their main role in north Queensland was to provide services and supplies, and there was a large presence in Queensland mostly around Brisbane, Rockhampton, and Townsville.
The US Army also had a joint command with the British, Dutch, and Australian forces in the Pacific.
They had a substantial impact on the local economy and influenced fashion, consumerism, and domestic technology.
Of course, at times there were tensions with some Australians, which sometimes erupted into fighting.
There was also a large social impact on Australia, including many Australian women marrying US servicemen.
The US Army’s presence in Australia was part of a larger US deployment to combat zones overseas during World War II.
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
