Photo: JasonTromm

Any member of the parrot (or parakeet) family is your best bet but before you rush out to your nearest pet store, you’ll need both time and money to spare; feathered friends require a huge amount of commitment and investment. Costing anywhere between $20 (a baby budgie) to $5,000 (a mature macaw), birds have a much longer lifespan than the average pet and some larger species will even outlive their owners.

They can also be loud and messy creatures and like a small child, will crave attention.

Photo: M e d a

The only way to be 100% sure that you are getting a bird that will talk is to buy a bird that already talks. However, mature animals may have existing behavioural problems (like an unruly adolescent) and this isn’t a good start for the novice. It’s probably best to look for a hand-fed baby so you can teach it yourself from scratch; this will not only be a great way to bond, but also improve chances that he or she will speak.

As there are several hundred different species of parrot, it’s important you do some research to find out which one suits your personality and lifestyle. Although bigger birds make impressive pets, they can be more stubborn and moody and are not the best choice for a starter bird.

Once you’ve made a decision, look for a reputable breeder or supplier. Parrots are delicate creatures– even a healthy looking specimen might be carrying some sort of disease. Buy from someone you can trust.

Key species that have the ability to ’speak’ include:

African Greys:

Known for their extensive vocabulary and cognitive skills, these are highly esteemed among the parrot family.

Amazons:

Have a good reputation thanks to their outstanding talking ability and make a reliable pet.

Budgies:

Small, affectionate and attractive, budgies are a great budget buy. With an average lifespan of 8 – 10 years, they may take a little more effort to train but can become incredibly proficient talkers.

Cockatiels:

Originally from Australia, cockatiels are the smallest member of the Cockatoo family. Known for their excellent whistling and imitation skills, with love and attention, they’ll take on an extensive vocabulary.

Conures:

What Blackbeard would’ve had, these come in an array of colours and are the joker of the pack. They are prone to the occasional screeching outburst and can nip but they love to play and cuddle and can make very rewarding pets.

Macaws:

One for the more experienced owner, Macaws have an excellent talking ability and form a strong bond with humans. They do require constant training to keep them under control and stop them from being excessively loud.

Quaker Parrots:

Their dull exterior hides a fantastic personality. Quakers can be impressive talkers and are capable of using words within 6 months. Their reasonable price and life expectancy makes them an excellent choice.

Ringneck Parrots:

Ringnecks are also a good option as they speak clearly and have attractive plumage.

Now comes the tricky bit: training.

Photo: Dawn Endico

Using the bird’s name or a few easy words to start (”hello”, “goodbye” and “peek-a-boo” are popular though rather unoriginal), speak enthusiastically in a happy and positive tone. Watch the parrot’s reaction and whichever word gets the most response, make that your first training word.

Birds learn to mimic through repetition so repeat the word as often as possible. Bear in mind that some birds can take months or even years to say their first word.

If you don’t think you are getting anywhere, try whistling as many birds find this easier than speech. Also, listen out for your bird mimicking the environmental sounds around your home, such as the telephone, doorbell, and alarm.

Confidence is also important in encouraging the bird to speak; if it feels unsafe, it won’t want to attract attention. Many parrots are shy and will prefer to talk when humans aren’t present so try moving the cage to a more protected area. On the other hand, another human often stimulates speech as the bird will compete for the owner’s attention.

If the bird is making unpleasant sounds or lots of noise, it may be unhappy. Like a child, pets need a good diet, a clean and safe place to live, toys to play with, and human interaction. Improve the environment and spend time training the bird to use more appropriate sounds.

Once the bird has mastered imitative speech, it’s time to move on to responsive speech, where you teach the bird to answer questions. While this takes a lot of practice and patience, the results are obviously pretty cool. But be warned: this can take years.

Whatever the clerk in the pet store tells you, there is NO guarantee your bird will ever talk. Birds need huge amounts of love, patience, and training. Even if yours never speaks a word (and some never will), don’t be disappointed. With all that time spent together, you’ll have made an intelligent and interesting (albeit silent) companion. At least they’ll agree with everything you say.

Community Connection:

Traveling with your pet? Check out our 10 tips for traveling with pets here.

And what will we do about all the translated editions? Photo: ~Mers

In a story that seems straight from Chuck Shepherd’s News of the Weird, that venerable mainstream media giant, Associated Press, is reporting that President Obama’s books, Dreams of My Father and The Audacity of Hope, have been banned.

The ban was issued by officials at a US federal supermax prison in Colorado and applies specifically to inmate Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, who requested President Obama’s books to help him while away some time during his 30 year sentence. He was convicted for joining al-Qaeda and plotting to assassinate former President George W. Bush.

Prison officials reported they were advised by the FBI not to grant Mr. Ali’s request, citing the claim that providing Mr. Ali with President Obama’s books would constitute a threat to national security.

Meanwhile, anyone with a library card can check out and read either book without potentially threatening the country?

What will the FBI recommend next?

Community Connection:

It’s common practice to redact news and approve (or deny) prisoners’ reading requests, but this one seems a bit extreme.

What do you think?

Matisyahu rocks the mic. Photo: Daniel Zana

1. Matisyahu’s Music:

“Up next, Hasidic reggae pioneer….”

It sounded like the beginning of a bad joke rather than the intro to an upcoming segment of the WNYC radio show, “Soundcheck,” but when Matisyahu started rocking the mic with studio performances of “One Day” and “So Hi So Low,” I was wondering how I hadn’t heard of him before.

Check out these spiritually and socially aware lyrics:

and then go to Matisyahu’s YouTube channel and try to find a single negative comment.

2. Will Allen, Businessman & Urban Farmer Extraordinnaire:

Will Allen teaching urban farming. Photo: mjmonty

I first learned about Will Allen and the work he’s doing in Milwaukee when he was awarded a 2008 MacArthur (”Genius Grant”) Fellowship, and I was happy to see him profiled in this feature-length article in last weekend’s New York Times Magazine.

Allen seems to have the perfect balance of business smarts and hands-in-the-dirt energy that urban agriculture initiatives need if they’re going to have widespread success.

3. Activist Architecture:

I’ve been interested in the role architecture can play in activism, environmentalism, and social change since reading about the late Sam Mockbee in an article in BOMB Magazine in 2001.

Since then, I’ve come across Architecture for Humanity and the group Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility, both of which are fascinating collectives of professionals who are using their skills for socially conscious design and construction.

To really get inspired, check out ADPSR’s Prison Alternatives Initiative, which invites architects, designers, and planners to “not participate in the design, construction, or renovation of prisons.”

4. Farmers’ Markets and “Food, Inc.”

One of my favorite summer pastimes is shopping at my local farmers’ market. This week alone, I’ve come home with bunches of lemon basil, scamps (those are the tops of garlic), lettuce, green beans, sugar snap peas, and peaches–all grown within a 100 mile radius of New York City.

If you’re not near a farmers’ market, though, maybe you’re near a theater showing “Food, Inc.,” a documentary about the production of food in the US. Despite its sobering and seemingly nichy topic, the doc is getting some incredible reviews, praised for helping movie-goers begin to look at their food and their own eating habits more critically.

Here’s the trailer:

5. “Heart of Janin”:

It’s not easy to watch “Heart of Janin,” a documentary about a Palestinian man whose son is killed and decides to donate his child’s organs… to Israeli children.

But it’s an important reminder, first of all, to consider organ donation, and, secondly, to try working through our prejudices even in the most extreme and painful circumstances.

You can watch the full video online here.

Community Connection:

Need more inspiration? Check out last Friday’s five inspiring stories here!

Photo: Meanest Indian

As a rule, my nights are dreamless. Oh, I know they say you dream every night. I guess I have to take that on faith.

As a boy my dreams were glorious Technicolor affairs, weaving fantasy, absurdity, terror, and profundity into narratives the might give Lewis Carroll a run for his money. Somewhere, all that stopped, until I set foot in Italy in 2002, my first journey overseas.

Then came the dreams. It was like the dreams were all stuck in traffic and arrived at once.

When you travel without rush or any real consequence of time, your mind shifts to a watching, patient thing.

One tested method for more dreaming is keeping a dream journal. Starting a dream journal is easy and makes an awesome addition to your regular travel journal. Here’s how:

1. Get a notebook or journal specifically to record your dreams in and keep it within arm’s reach of your bed. Dreams fade fast and it is important to record as much as possible as soon as possible.

Photo: akshay moon

2. Write in the present tense and write down every possible detail of your dream. Location, sounds, objects, colors, characters, and your emotional state are important elements of your dream to explore.

What is the feeling it leaves you with when you wake up?

It is OK to scribble random feelings and scattered, lingering thoughts from your dream. Don’t constrain your journal with grammar or punctuation worries. Sketch the landscapes or scenes from your dreams. The more you actively remember your dreams the easier it will be to slip into dreams and remember them with clarity.

3. Be consistent. You don’t have to do it every day but journal as often as possible. Enriching the memory and experience of your dreams takes practice. Who knows? Soon you could have a best selling dream journal like Jack Kerouac’s Book of Dreams.

Dream often and dream big!

Photo: A.K. Photography / Feature: Torley

Would you give up getting your hair cut, walk or take the bus to work, or limit yourself to one happy-hour beer per week to save for vacation?

In this economy, travel has taken a beating. It is often the first thing to go when budgets must be tightened.

But a family in Charlotte thinks that getting away is priority-numero-uno. So they grow their own vegetables, use old-school rabbit ears and a digital converter box on their TV, and drop off their trash instead of paying for pick-up.

They also search out free community events, and when they travel, stay in condos instead of hotels. Condos tend to be both cheaper and allow for cooking meals on the home-away-from-home front.

Plus, once on the road, you can always go the timeshare route for a freebie, if you can handle a nice big sales pitch. And BootsnAll Travel recommends the time-honored tradition of hanging out at your local port (no, not for prostitution purposes). Apparently, boat crews are often looking for a helping hand, and you can build up those muscles in the process (hey, a two-for!).

Personally, I plan to spend a lot less while traveling than I would living in Fairfax. At $1,000 in rent a month, plus general high cost-of-living, Marin, CA certainly ain’t a cheap place to settle.

Moving out of my pad also produced quite a few articles of clothing and shoes that went for sale in the front yard, along with finding their way into consignment stores. Oh, and I can’t forget the many books I bought for school that hadn’t been touched in a year - yep, you guessed it, now on the shelves of used bookstores and Amazon.

What are some things you have cut back on so that you could continue to travel? Share your thoughts below.

Community Connection

Check out Tim Patterson’s diatribe on how to travel the world for free and Ernesto Machado’s musings on how to figure out when budget travel becomes exploitation.

Photo: irene.

Even if you’re not in France on July 14, you can still celebrate the French national holiday with other Francophiles at one of many events around the world.

London

Across the Channel in London, Bastille Day will be commemorated at events throughout the city. On July 12, Battersea Park will host the Bastille Day Garden Party, one of the biggest celebrations outside France.

In addition to a picnic, the party includes a pétanque tournament, a French market, an open-air cinema, and a chance to win prizes such as cooking classes at the Alain Ducasse school in Paris.

New York

Each year, the Alliance Française puts on a large celebration on 60th Street between Fifth and Lexington Avenues. It goes down July 12 this year, with market stalls, music, dance, and food. Among the prizes being raffled off are trips to Paris and French language lessons at the Alliance Française.

The Committee of French Speaking Societies also holds its annual Bastille Day Ball on July 13, with this year’s theme being Les Années Folles, or the Roaring Twenties.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia goes all out with a 4-day celebration at the Eastern State Penitentiary beginning July 9.

The throwing of the Tastykake / Photo: thatpicturetaker

On July 11, revelers are invited to take part in a storming of the Bastille, with Marie Antoinette escorted by armed troops as she shouts “let them eat Tastykake,” throwing the locally-produced pastries from the prison tower.

She’s then presented to the audience, who decide her fate as she stands next to an executioner and real guillotine. French Revolutionaries, played by members of the Old Fort Mifflin Historical Society, also make appearances.

Milwaukee

For the past 28 years, Milwaukee has put its predominantly German heritage aside for 4 days in mid-July by staging the Bastille Days festival at Cathedral Square Park downtown, complete with a 43-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower, street performers, minstrels, and music.

The festival begins with a Storming of the Bastille on the first night. Visitors can also participate in free French lessons, observe a traditional French Mass, and have their caricatures drawn. Genealogists are on hand to trace the roots of anyone with French heritage.

Seattle

On July 11, Seattle’s celebration begins with a Bal des Pompiers, or Firemen’s Ball, which traditionally takes place in every French town and city the night of July 13 or 14. This year, the event features a Moroccan menu, recognizing the popularity of the cuisine in France.

On July 12, a day of free events is held at the Seattle Center with food, live music, painting workshops, theater, and cooking demonstrations.

Franschhoek, South Africa

Photo: Julien Carnot

Meaning “French Corner,” this town in the Western Cape province was originally settled by French Huguenot refugees in the 17th century. Each year, Franschhoek enthusiastically celebrates the French national holiday with a weekend festival.

A masked ball begins the festivities on July 10. This year’s event features a food and wine marquee, film festival, game of pétanque, and a chefs and waiters race.

Budapest

The French Institute in Budapest and French Trade Office throw their Bastille Day celebration on the Buda side of the Danube on July 11, with food, wine from the regions of Aquitaine, Bordeaux, and Champagne-Ardennes, and music from French and Hungarian bands.

Fireworks cap off the festivities, just as they do in France.

*Feature photo: Cyril Plapied

Community Connection

If you’re lucky enough to be in France this time of year, check out these Matador titles for travel advice and anecdotes:

How to Enjoy Paris for Free

Top 10 Free Things to Do in Paris

Beyond Paris: 5 Other Places to Experience La Belle France

Losing My Travel Virginity: Homeless in Paris

How to Move to Paris with No Money

Photo: stusev

It was 1992 when the US hip-hop group Arrested Development hit #1 on Billboard’s R&B and Rap Chart and #6 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart with their song “Tennessee.”

I was 15 and dorky and while the black consciousness song “Tennessee” didn’t do a lot for me, I actually liked “Mr. Wendal,” the group’s song about a homeless man who gave the singer cause to ask:

“Civilization, are we really civilized, yes or no ?
Who are we to judge ?
When thousands of innocent men could be brutally enslaved
and killed over a racist grudge.”

“Mr. Wendal” did pretty well, too, reaching the top 10 on several of Billboard’s charts. The group went on to win Grammys for Best Rap Album and Best New Artist; it was also named Rolling Stone’s Band of the Year.

And then, Arrested Development seemed to disappear.

Sebastian Lindstrom caught up with the group recently, interviewing them at a music festival in Essouria, Morocco:

Arrested Development at Gnaoua Music Festival in Essouria from What Took You So Long on Vimeo.

As Lindstrom reported to Matador:

Front man MC Speech is a proponent of “conscious rap” as opposed to mainstream gangster rap. He chooses to write songs with a message to encourage and uplift people faced with… harsh realities….

His music covers many themes he feels passionately about in the US and Africa. He sings about his relationship with God and speaks of incorporating traditional African values into his life. He believes African Americans and Africans can relate to his message of overcoming struggles.

The group is led by elder Bob (”Bob-Bob”). Ishu, a backup singer and dancer, has family in Accra, Ghana. The band is also accompanied by JJ, Tasha, “One Love” and Zay. Each band member gives to African charities of their choice. The group was the first African American group to give to the African National League (ANC) in South Africa and after recently appearing on an ABC program gave to UNICEF in the Congo.

I’m glad to know this group from my adolescence is back on stage… still raising consciousness.

Community Connection:

Read more about Sebastian Lindstrom and the What Took You So Long Foundation in our previous profile of the organization.

Hey, kid, need a job? Photo: Tony the Misfit

It was a beautifully sunny day here in New York City, so it came as somewhat of a surprise when I heard the alert that flights were delayed at JFK… until I learned the reason.

Seems like dozens of turtles–diamond black terrapins, to be specific–were feeling randy, and their runway love fest caused delays of up to 1.5 hours. Wonder how pilots notified their passengers about that news.

JFK, which is bounded by a bay on one side, actually seems to be a haven for wildlife. According to the New York Times‘ City Room blog, 78 turtles were ultimately removed from the runway safely and returned to a safe place.

Community Connection:

Want to learn about other places where you can get in touch with New York City’s greener side? Check out our Green Guide to New York City and take a look at our photos from New York’s newest urban park, the High Line.

Feature photo by faster panda killl kill. Photo above by Martin Kingsley

Backpacking and semi-roughing it in hostels doesn’t mean your daily grooming routine should go down the drain. Here are a few travel-sized items guaranteed to help you maintain your debonair style while on the road.

Tie Caddy

Unpacking your neckties from your backpack only to find them wrinkled can be irritating.

Say No! to wrinkled ties with the Tie Caddy, a plastic cylinder for storing rolled up ties.

With its transparent design, you can easily spot the tie you’d like to wear out without unloading your entire backpack.

Inflatable Hangers

Face it, finding hangers for your suits in hostels can be a drag.

Why not bring your own lightweight, inflatable hangers? Made from durable vinyl, its backflow valve technology allows you to easily inflate the hangers when needed, and quickly deflate them.

Multi-Purpose Lint Brush

Forget Swiss Army knives.

The only multi-purpose tool you need is this Austin-house plastic lint brush that also morphs into a shoe horn, mirror, and comb, with a bonus sewing kit thrown in.

Laundry Pack w/ Sink Stopper

Now you can have a fresh pair of socks everyday with this handy travel laundry kit.

Included are 5 liquid Woolite sachets (to be used with cold water), a sink stopper for plug-less sinks, and a portable laundry line with suction cups for hang-drying your clothes.

Jack Black On-the-Road Travel Pack

TSA-friendly at 3 oz each, this all-in-one pack includes:

• A beard lube conditioning shave with jojoba and eucalyptus,
• An All-Over-Wash for face, hair, & body with wheat protein and panthenol,
• A face buff energizing scrub with Vitamin C and menthol,
• An industrial strength hand healer with vitamins A & E,
• A double duty face moisturizer with blue algae extract & sea parsley SPF 20,
• and an intense therapy lip balm.

All in a sleek looking black travel bag.

Dual Voltage Travel Clothes Steamer

Using a portable iron on your Hugo Boss suit while backpacking is nothing short of heresy.

This compact steamer gently removes wrinkles from your clothes by converting water into steam within a few minutes. Its handle folds away nicely, and this design makes the steamer ideal for travelers.

Magic Wand® Stain Remover

Now, red wine and pasta sauce mishaps on the road can be quickly remedied by busting out your magic wand, applying it to the stain, wetting it, and rubbing it out.

This non-toxic, biodegradable stick works seamlessly on chocolate, grass, and blood stains and is safe for double knits and synthetic fabrics.

Community Connection

Looking for more travel-sized items? Check out 10 Surprising Travel Sized Items and 10 Multi-Use Items You Should Consider Packing.

Photo: bowtoo

Apparently, Paganism is where it’s at these days. According to a recent Examiner.com piece, the amount of Pagans is doubling about every 18 months in the US, Canada, and Europe.

So naturally, this increase eventually showed itself in travel.

A record 35,000 attended the Solstice celebration at Stonehenge this summer, eco-retreats are doubling as neo-pagan travel, and there are Fairy/Fairie/Faerie festivals flying in and landing all over the world, from Maryland to Perth.

But beyond travel, the best of all has to be the job possibilities. Or possibility. BBC News ran a piece on the latest Job Centre opening that will bring in £50,000 a year for the right candidate.

Yep, they have a ‘witch’ vacancy. You must be willing to live in a cave at tourist site Wookey Hole, can’t be allergic to cats, and must be able to cackle. Teaching a bit of witchcraft to the people coming through is also a part of the deal.

Hmm, for that kind of money in this economy, I think my cat would dig the darkness and the people-watching. And I’ve certainly been known to let out a good cackle here and there.

What do you think about the upswing in Paganism? Share your thoughts below.