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I'm sure you know that May 5 is Cinco de Mayo. How could you miss that? Did you also know that Cinco de Mayo commemorates the outnumbered Mexican Army's 1862 victory over the previously invincible French in the Battle of Puebla? Some historians think this battle was a turning point that helped prevent the French from spreading their influence throughout the Western Hemisphere. Sacré Dieu! Today, Cinco de Mayo is a minor, mainly regional holiday in Mexico. But, thanks to its promotion by Big Beer, Cinco de Mayo has taken on a life of its own throughout the U.S.
Melanin is a natural pigment found in animals; it occurs in mammals, birds, reptiles, and other organisms. However, melanin isn't just about color. Melanin can also strengthen. The melanin in the wingtips of a bird helps to protect the feathers from wear and tear. And it also makes them black. And all this time, I was thinking those black wingtips made us look cool and sophisticated... Now, as a result of this week's reader question, it looks like we've uncovered a lot of fascinating information about gull wings—the stuff future blog posts are made of. Watch this spot! You, too, could have your question featured in an upcoming edition of Fun Fact Friday. Click Comments in the top right corner of this page, and don't forget to say "please!"
Today is National Two Different Colored Shoes Day®. In case you think this event is something I made up, just so I'd have something to blog about today, may I point out that NTDCSD has a formally registered name and an official Facebook page, with a grand total of 20 followers so far. That's bound to double after my post hits the web today.
This once-proud organization ran into some hard times, and was banished for more than three decades to lower-tier professional competition. But this year, the team was admitted into the top-flight Premier League, matched with giants like Manchester United. Home field is the relatively new Falmer Stadium, which holds 30,000 screaming, singing, drunken, brawling, blue-and-white-bleeding fans. Most locals know the facility as "the Amex" due to the American Express sponsorship. In fact, team jerseys say "American Express" on the front, with "BHAFC" on the back. Guess somebody has to pay the freight. I know these people are English. They live in England and speak the language. But it's nothing like the English I'm familiar with. I could have used a translator to make sense of what's written on their web pages and spoken in their videos. It's that different. Looking on the bright side, though, they do call their team "the Seagulls." Sometimes. Unless they're calling them "the Albion." or "Brighton and Hove." Does this suggest the English have a hard time making up their minds? Or are they just a moody lot? *The Stylistics, "Betcha By Golly Wow," 1972.
How come I seem to go through phases, getting hung up on one topic for a few days, then jumping to something entirely different? It's called drive-by blogging. But seriously, just consider what kind of attention span a seagull has. I'm sure you've seen one of us drop whatever was in our beak and fly off after another gull, because we've noticed that the other gull has found something tastier-looking. That doesn't mean we can't remember what it was we dropped and left behind. And that's analogous to today's post. It's been several days since I last turned my attention to the growing number of seagull mascots in the world of team sports. But that certainly does not mean I've lost interest in the subject.
Sandy the Seagull comes from a family of baseball-loving birds. Sandy’s grandfather grew up on the telephone poles of Brooklyn in the 1950’s. He lived in a small nest on Flatbush Avenue next door to Ebbets Field and every weekend, he would fly out to Coney Island to hang out on the beach and ride the Cyclone. On game nights, he would fly over to the ballpark and watch the great Brooklyn Dodgers teams, while snacking on the ballpark leftovers. Grandpa Seagull was sad when the Dodgers left Brooklyn, but he kept their memory alive by telling stories to his grandson, Sandy, who loved baseball even more than he did!
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Meet the AuthorHi. I'm Geo the Seagull.
I'm the distinguished Park Host on South Jetty Beach at Bandon, Oregon, USA. I'm a firm believer in First Principles: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Your Lunch. Archives
August 2018
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