truffles, turtles & tunes

Fighting Viruses and Malware on Mac computers

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:04:00 +0000

In April of this year I realized that my hiatus in the fight against computer viruses and malware had come to an end. For four lovely years I didn't pore over websites describing the effects of the latest worms or trojans. I didn't run any lengthy scans or poke around editing the registry of a PC. It was nice while it lasted, but that time has passed. Mac owners now need to pay attention to the evils of viruses and malware.

My "wake-up call" came in the form of MacKeeper popup windows like the screen prints below. (Rest assured that these images are NOT linked to a MacKeeper site and therefore pose no danger.)

If you see popups like these, close them immediately.

If you see MacKeeper advertisements on a website, close your browser window and avoid that site in the future.

Do not install Mackeeper, advised the Apple Support Forum on March 23, 2012.

Symptoms

MacKeeper popup screens appeared on my husband's MacBook several times a day. My husband also reported that he spent way too much time watching the colorful spinning wheel (the Apple equivalent of the hourglass on PCs).

Theory #1, or going down the garden path

The computer is just too old. Thinking there wasn't much point in spending a lot of money to fix a four-year old computer with an expired warranty, I bought my husband a new MacBook Pro. However, the new MacBook Pro did not bring the expected improvements. Even with its newer architecture and four times the RAM of the old machine, this new one was only marginally faster. Worse yet, the popups persisted and watching the spinning wheel was still a major part of everyday use. That's when I realized that something funky was going on.

I also realized I had spent a huge pile of money in the Apple store for no good reason! Despite the fact that I had unpacked and used the new computer (see More Adventures with Migration Assistant), I marched it back to the store and returned it. Did you know that Apple will give you a full refund -- no restocking fees! -- if you return a computer within 14 days of purchase?

Theory #2, or waking up to reality

The computer has a virus. By now I was convinced that I had transferred some sort of virus or malware from the old computer to the new one. That would explain spinning wheel syndrome and the tendency for the old MacBook to get slower and slower until it was rebooted - sometimes more than once a day.

As I read more and more technology sites, I learned that the reason Macs didn't get viruses in the past had nothing to do with their physical construction or the Mac operating system. Hackers just were not motivated to write nasty, disruptive programs for such a small portion of the computer market. Now that more than 10% of computer users have Macs, the appeal to hackers is growing.

Nothing proves that fact more than the rampant Flashback, a trojan reported in April 2012 to have infected over 600,000 Macs globally, half of those in the US alone!

Mac Flashback Malware: What It Is and How to Get Rid of It (FAQ) - CNet, April 5, 2012
Widespread Virus Proves Macs Are No Longer Safe From Hackers - New York Times, April 6, 2012

Apple has been recommending anti-virus software for quite a while. In 2008 Apple published a technical note on their support forum recommending "widespread use of multiple anti-virus utilities so that virus programmers have more than one application to circumvent, thus making the whole virus writing process more difficult." This statement was picked up by all the major technology media as well as mainstream news publishers like the Washington Post.

Apple Suggests Mac Users Install Antivirus Software - CNet, December 1, 2008
Apple: Mac Users Should Get Antivirus Software - Washington Post, December 1, 2008

By the way, if you still need to obtain and install an antivirus program for your Mac, the article below is an excellent resource.

Antivirus Utilities and Recommendations for OS X - CNet, January 13, 2011.

The antivirus program that caught my eye was Sophos Antivirus, "an enterprise-level virus scanner that was just released as a free home version." It runs in the background without hogging system resources. It scans files prior to download and notifies you if it finds any danger.

Solution: antivirus and adblocker software

Getting back to my own computer issues, I downloaded and ran Sophos Antivirus. It found and quarantined three malware files that I promptly deleted.

Interestingly, MacKeeper was not one of the quarantined files. That fact sent me off to do additional internet reading. I learned that MacKeeper is indeed considered malware because it chews up system resources, doesn't do what it advertises, and is nearly impossible to get rid of. In the article below, the Apple Support Forum says "MacKeeper can be regarded as highly invasive malware that can de-stablize your operating system."

Do not install Mackeeper, Apple Support Forum, March 23, 2012.

Thankfully, I concluded that my husband's MacBook wasn't infected with MacKeeper. Sophos Antivirus hadn't identified it, and it didn't appear on the hard drive as an installed application. So far, so good, but I still needed to get rid of the MacKeeper popup nuisance. That challenge inspired still more internet reading, this time about the elimination of popups.

On the Apple Support Forum I discovered adblockers -- programs will prevent popup advertisements and will also suppress some sidebar ads. Glimmerblocker is an adblocker specifically for Mac OS X. Apple also has an Adblock extension for Safari. I downloaded and installed those as well.

I am happy to report that my husband's MacBook ran somewhat better after I added Sophos Antivirus, Glimmerblocker and the Adblock extension for Safari. It took quite a bit of research, but in the end my solution did indeed prevent the MacKeeper popups and alleviated the spinning wheel syndrome.

The computer's improved functioning would allow me a little more time to figure out what to do next. After all, it was still a four year old computer. Could I persuade my husband to use it for another year? Should I add some RAM or do a hardware analysis in the meantime? What would Apple's new line of MacBooks would be like? Actually, Apple would be making those announcements in a few more months.

Yes, dear readers, the saga will continue...

Related posts:

Migration Assistant Misery, September 5, 2009
More Adventures with Migration Assistant, April 9, 2012

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

2010 Vigil for Immigration Justice at Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Here's a post that I almost forgot about! It describes an event two years ago, but the information is still relevant.

On May 1, 2010, Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship joined many churches across the country in a prayer vigil for immigrant justice. I was one of three presenters. I focused on Irish immigration of the nineteenth century while the other two speakers dealt with more recent events. Jean Montrevil talked about the New Sanctuary Movement, and Confesor Linares, pastor of First Mennonite Church in Brooklyn, described his experience as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic.

My presentation appears in green text below. I concluded my talk by singing Mick Moloney's arrangement of McNally's Row of Flats.

My focus is on Irish immigration of the nineteenth century. Here are a few facts that will serve as background to my remarks:

Ireland was under British rule, established in 1803 by the Act of Union.
Anti-Catholic prejudice accompanied British political domination
Most of Ireland's inhabitants were poor, rural tenant farmers renting from British land barons.

These three facts alone were enough to inspire some people to emigrate to America in hopes of a better life, and we see heavy Irish immigration as early as 1820.

In 1845, when a fungus infected the potato crops, conditions in Ireland worsened. Since most of the healthy potatoes were exported, very few potatoes were left to feed the Irish population whose dietary mainstay was the potato. Wheat, livestock, and other agricultural products were also earmarked for export to Britain and therefore were not available for general consumption. British politicians subscribed to a strict laissez-faire economic policy which argued against state intervention of any sort. As a result, famine and starvation were widespread, and many people died.

Those who survived faced eviction for being unable to pay rent for their land to their English landlords. Homeless tenant farmers ended up in overcrowded government poorhouses where disease was rampant. Cholera and typhus, together with starvation, caused the death of over a million Irish people.

These conditions inspired a massive emigration out of Ireland. Nearly half of all immigrants entering America during the famine years were from Ireland. Census figures show that between 1841 and 1891 almost half the population of Ireland either died or left the country!

Emigrating to America was almost as risky as choosing to remain in Ireland. So many people died en route that the ships were referred to as “coffin ships.” On the night before departure, families would gather to say goodbye to the person leaving Ireland. These gatherings were actually called wakes, for everyone knew that if the immigrant survived the voyage, he or she would likely never return to Ireland.

For those who made it across the ocean, the struggle for survival continued. Immigrants were swarmed by runners who tried to grab their bags and force them to a particular tenement house (and collect an outrageous fee for this service, of course). Immigrants ended up settling in the city they arrived in because they had no means to move on. Many families crowded into apartments meant for only one family. Those who couldn’t afford any rent sometimes built makeshift dwellings in alleys. Irish immigrants were seen begging on the streets and often found themselves in almshouses. No immigrant group in America was considered lower than the Irish during the 1850s.

The rural Irish were not strangers to hard work though, and America needed workers. Irish men comprised the majority of the workforce on the construction gangs of the great canal systems dug in the 1820’s and the rail systems established between 1830 and 1880. Irishmen also joined the fire and police departments.

The women worked too. They became chamber maids, cooks, and the caretakers of children. Early Americans disdained this type of work, considering it fit only for servants. A common sentiment of the time could be expressed this way: "Let Negroes be servants, and if not Negroes, let the Irish take their place..."

In the twentieth century, the immigration of other ethnic groups overtook that of the Irish. Large numbers of Jews, Slavs, and Italian immigrants cast the Irish, now Americanized, in a more favorable light, and hostility shifted from the Irish to the newer nationalities. This sort of phenomenon goes on even today, with the most recent immigrant group bearing the largest burden of prejudice.

The song I’m going to sing is called McNally’s Row of Flats. It describes tenement living in Manhattan’s famous immigrant neighborhood -- the Lower East Side. If you visit the Tenement Museum on Orchard Street just south of Delancy, you can see the very tenements depicted in the song.

The song was written by David Braham and Edward Harrigan for a vaudeville production called "McSorley's Inflation." After its Broadway debut in 1882, the play ran for over 100 performances.

Irishman Edward Harrigan was a prominent songwriter from the 1870’s through the 1890’s. His songs were as wide-spread in their day as those of Oscar and Hammerstein in the twentieth century. Harrigan’s songs never degraded the immigrants. On the contrary, he depicted the conditions of immigrants in New York in a way that allowed people to see the humor of their situation and gain a few minutes of comic relief. Many of Harrigan’s songs have been revived and recorded by folklorist and musician, Dr. Mick Moloney of New York University.

At this point in my talk, I sang McNally's Row of Flats, accompanied on guitar by my son, Michael. I recorded our performance with all good intentions of including it in this post. However, the sound file had some serious technical glitches. Several times since then I have tried to fix it, and thus the delay in posting. Recently I decided to give up and instead post this YouTube clip of McNally's Row of Flats sung by the master himself, Dr. Mick Moloney referenced above. Please have a listen to this great song describing immigrant life on the Lower East Side of New York in the late 1800's.

Internet Sources as viewed on May 1, 2010:
(many of the items below have footnotes to more authoritative sources)
Economic History of Ireland, Wikipedia.
The Famine 1: Potato Blight, by Wesley Johnson
McNally's Row of Flats CD liner notes by Mick Moloney, Ph.D.

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

My First NYTTS Annual Show

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 01:11:00 +0000

On Saturday, June 2, I attended the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society's Annual Show. Here, NYTTS members exhibit their pets and receive awards for the quality of their animals as well as the quality of their husbandry.

What fun it was to see all the various turtles and tortoises, some wandering freely in the enclosed playground at the Village Community School where the show was held.

Some tortoises posed for pictures.

Others were clearly too busy.

The female red-eared slider below is much bigger than either of my male sliders.

There were tortoise families in wooden pens...

as well as tortoise gangs in plastic tubs.

There were unusual turtles...

dramatic turtles...

and the occasional dramatic display of affection!

I was particularly glad to have the opportunity to meet Anita Salzberg. I have been receiving her monthly Turtlewife Newsletter ever since I read her book, Confessions of a Turtle Wife. I enjoyed her sense of humor about getting drawn into the strange and wonderful world of turtles via her husband's passion for them. I ordered the paperback in 2004 from the link above, but Confessions of a Turtle Wife it is now available in a variety of eBook formats. Click HERE to read it on your Kindle or iPad.

Photo by Flash Rosenberg

I was also happy to meet Allen Salzberg, a stalwart of the NYTTS who has been actively involved for years in all turtle-related matters in the NYC area and beyond. Allen runs HerpDigest.org, "the only free electronic newsletter reporting the latest news on reptile and amphibian science and conservation." Once a year Allen and I exchange emails when I order the lovely turtle calendars he sells through HerpDigest.

Together, Allen and Anita have written a great book called Turtles (what else?). Teachers, take note: this book is appropriate for use with children, and the website offers exercises and additional tips for classroom use upon request.

On her blog Anita recently posted a number of pictures taken at the NYTTS Annual Show. She's a much better photographer than I am, so have a look at New York Turtle & Tortoise Show 2012. From Anita's pictures as well as mine, you can see that everyone had a good time, including the neighborhood visitors who stopped by to see the turtles and talk to their owners.

I'll definitely be going back next year. Maybe I'll even exhibit one of my turtles. Doofus might not win any prizes, but he would sure love roaming that playground!

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Pinta Island Tortoise now extinct

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Updated July 3, 2012

Turtle Tidbit #7 reports the June 24, 2012, death of Lonesome George, the last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis abingdoni) that lived in the Galagapos Islands of Equador. Though it is tragic to see a species become extinct, George's death was not in vain. His situation - being the last of his kind - simulated "an extraordinary effort by the government of Ecuador to restore not only tortoise populations throughout the archipelago but also to improve the status of other endangered and threatened species," says Galapagos National Park Public Relations.

Please wait patiently while the video loads. Then, click on the Play icon, and the Lonesome George video will begin
after a 15-second advertisement.

This video was part of the Washington Post story entitled Famed Galapagos tortoise, Lonesome George dies, a conservation icon.

Tortoises in the Galapagos Islands were popular sources of meat for sailors and fisherman who hunted them to near-extinction. Compounding the problem, their habitat has been eaten away by feral goats introduced from the mainland.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The World Loses Lonesome George, Galapagos Conservancy news release, June 24, 2012.

Lonesome George Dead: Last-Of-His-Kind Galapagos Tortoise Dies at 100, Huffington Post, June 25. 2012. Interesting background info by Reuters beneath a fabulous video of George when he was alive. You can see why he captured the hearts of so many. The guy's got charisma!

A Giant Tortoise's Death Gives Extinction a Face, NY Times, July 2, 2012.
Galapagos Tortoises, my blog post of August 18, 2011, contains links to additional information on the endangered Galapagos Tortoise.

Turtle Tidbits is a Truffles, Turtles & Tunes series that calls attention to news about turtles and tortoises. Since the news items themselves are copyrighted, I will post just the link accompanied by a short introductory comment and some followup information. To view all posts in the Turtle Tidbits series, click on its Topic Label in the navigation column on the right side of the screen.

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

The Plight of Red Eared Sliders

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:04:00 +0000

Dinky, admiring his own reflection. Isn't he pretty?

In honor of World Turtle Day, I want to focus on the problems associated with the breed of turtle that I own: the Red Eared Slider (Latin name: Trachemys scripta elegans, but commonly abbreviated as RES). These turtles, the size of a small coin as hatchlings, are widely sold by street vendors, flea markets, Chinatown tourist shops, carnivals and fairs. Buyers are rarely aware RES live 70+ years and grow as big as 12-inch dinner plates. Those who buy the cute little green turtles receive no information -- or wrong information -- about their care, even though raising a healthy turtle requires very specific elements and becomes more expensive as the turtle gets bigger and bigger.

I got my two RES in October 2003 in at a Chinatown gift shop in New York City. The picture below shows my two turtles in April of 2004. Less than a year old, they could sit comfortably together in a 20-gallon tank on a brick eight inches long.

Nine years later, Dinky is 6 inches long and lives in a 55 gallon aquarium.

Across the room, Doofus measures a whopping 7.5 inches in length and lives in a 90-gallon aquarium. (yes, that's right... I have two large aquariums in my living room.)

To give you an idea of the cost and the work involved, let me briefly describe the aquarium setup. Overall, I spent at least $500 on the initial setup of each tank. Each aquarium is fitted with two Magnum 350 Deluxe Canister Filters; each filter processes 350 gallons per hour. Fish hobbyists will recognize that the combined filtration rate is quadruple what would be used for fish in the same size tank! The filters run 24 hours a day and require periodic cleaning. It takes me about 3 hours per tank every 8 weeks or so to clean the filters and change the filter media, clean the tubes, and remove any algae and debris from the tank. Each aquarium also is equipped with a UVB basking lamp, necessary for maintaining the health of the turtle's shell. Online, I can get the UVB bulbs for about $50 each while my local pet store in Manhattan sells them for $98. (Needless to say, I try to keep at least one spare bulb on hand.) Each bulb lasts about 6 months. The lamps are on timers so that they stay on for at least 10 hours each day.

Turtles who are not so lucky as mine suffer a variety of unfortunate fates. Most baby RES die. Mass produced, they are usually not healthy and, once purchased, they generally receive improper care. If they live, owners sometimes dump them in the nearest pond or river when they get too big and too smelly (which happens if the water is not filtered). Besides the fact that dumping a turtle is illegal, the dumping solution upsets the balance of the local ecosystem. RES are aggressive eaters and rob native species of the food they relied on before the arrival of the slider.

Even the most responsible and caring turtle keeper can encounter any number of legitimate reasons for needing to find another home for their large and no-longer-cute turtle. Rescue organizations are overwhelmed with RES, and some have stopped accepting sliders altogether. Eventually, if you own a red eared slider, you come face to face with the realization that your turtle's future is anything but secure.

What can be done about these problems created by an over-abundance of red eared sliders?

Do not buy baby turtles, especially RES. Adopt from a rescue organization. (see the links below)

The rescue organization will insure the turtle is healthy and can instruct you about proper care, whether you keep your turtle indoors or outdoors in a landscaped pond. (If your turtles live outdoors, make sure to install protection against predators.)

Report the illegal sale of turtles.

Actually, the sale or distribution of turtles under four inches long has been illegal throughout the US since 1975 (Title 21 CFR 1240.62). The ban was created by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many states also have their own laws about the sale of hatchling turtles and/or red-eared sliders because they carry Salmonella. The reasoning behind the laws is that young children are less likely to play with larger turtles, and older children and adults can remember to wash their hands after handling a turtle.

If you see baby turtles on sale, lodge a consumer complaint with the FDA. Click HERE for state-by-state FDA telephone numbers. You should also contact your state or county health department, state wildlife agency, and/or local animal control or humane society.

New Yorkers: New York State has a 24-hour Tip Hotline for reporting anything related to wildlife that you think is illegal. This includes sale of any reptile or amphibian species native to New York State for any purpose -- food, pets, whatever -- as well as sale of turtles under four inches. That number is 1-800-847-7332. Put it in your cell phone!

Make plans in case your turtle outlives you.

Do not rely on your spouse or relatives to know what to do with your RES after you're gone. If possible, get an informed commitment from someone who will care for your turtle if something happens to you. Leave instructions in your will or in a document kept with your will. Whatever you do, please don't release a RES into the wild. As mentioned above, this is a very bad idea for the turtle as well as the environment.

Do not take a turtle from the wild unless it needs medical attention.
RES are not native to the Eastern United States, but they are indigenous to certain parts of the Southern US. Respect the fact that turtles are wildlife. They belong in nature - do not kidnap them for your own enjoyment. If a wild turtle is injured or in trouble, that's different. Take it to a wildlife rehabilitator who will administer medical care and then return it to the wild.

Where can you learn more about Red Eared Sliders?

Information on RES Care

Melissa Kaplan's Red Eared Slider Care Sheet
Austin's Turtle Pages - Red Eared Slider
The Turtle Puddle's Health Pages
Red Eared Slider

Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation

New York State Wildlife Rehabilitators list on NYS Wildlife Rehabilitation Council website
Wildlife Rehabbers by State
Wildlife Rehabilitators in Suffolk County NY
Wildlife Rehabilitators in Nassau County NY
Wildlife Rehabilitators by County in New Jersey
or just google "wildlife rehabilitator" and the name of your state or county and state

Other Informative Links

New York Turtle and Tortoise Society (NYTTS)
California Turtle and Tortoise Club (CTTC)
World Chelonian Trust
American Tortoise Rescue (founders of World Turtle Day)
Turtles on Wikipedia
World Turtle Day (my 2008 blog post)

Blog posts about my own Red Eared Sliders (in chronological order)

What's in a Name?
Lucky Larry
Turtle Troubles

Doofus, the bruiser. He's got ATTITUDE.

Performing at the 2011 Catskills Irish Arts Week

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:05:00 +0000

2011 was a big year for the my Irish band, the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra. The release of our first CD in March 2011 (see the sidebar on the right) brought us lots of performance opportunities. In this video you will see highlights of our performance at Catskills Irish Arts Week last summer. We were thrilled to perform at this prestigious US Irish music festival which has "the largest faculty (65 instructors) teaching the largest number of classes (120) of any summer school devoted to Irish traditional music and dance in the U.S." (Earle Hitchner, The Green Hills of the Catskills, The Wall Street Journal, July 6, 2011)

This 5-minute video contains snippets of three songs from our CD. You'll see me on your left up there... Close-ups (at 2.53 and 4:11) reveal I'm having lots of fun!

Many thanks to Albany photographer Timothy Raab for tirelessly documenting the music at Catskills Irish Arts Week year after year. Tim's entire collection of 2011 CIAW videos can be viewed HERE.

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

More Adventures with Migration Assistant

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:29:00 +0000

Since my 2009 experience with Apple's Migration Assistant utility, I have had two more occasions to use this seductive tool. It promises so much, but I've come to believe that using Migration Assistant is rarely as easy as Apple makes you think it will be. Here's a brief recap of my last two adventures with Migration Assistant, along with some advice and lessons learned.

Adventure #1: Restoring a computer after a hard drive crash

In 2011 my son's MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.26 suffered a complete hard drive crash. After a new drive was installed, my son followed the setup steps presented on the screen, choosing to restore the data later. A perfectly legitimate choice, but when we tried to do the restore, it didn't work. I could see all the files Time Machine had recorded. However, neither the Time Machine nor the Migration Assistant utilities would pull those elusive files back onto the now-fixed computer.

I had been doing Time Machine backups on a Western Digital My Book for Mac (a separate hard drive) attached to the Time Capsule. This unusual configuration was necessary to facilitate automatic wireless network backups because there wasn't enough space on the Time Capsule. It was already housing the backups for two other computers.

After a few troubleshooting maneuvers the Apple Genius (that's what Apple calls its technicians) told me that my Time Machine backup was not 100% intact, probably because of the way I had "daisy-chained" the drives. Apparently this configuration is not recommended. I ask you, how is one supposed to know that when the backups never produced an error message?

Getting back to the solution, I was advised to move the files manually in small groups from the Time Machine backup to the new hard drive. Any applications, other than those included with OS X, would have to be loaded manually. It wasn't pretty, but in the end it worked.

LESSON LEARNED: Don't daisy-chain your backup drives.

Adventure #2: Moving data to a new MacBook Pro from a 4-year old MacBook

In a more recent project I transferred all profiles, data, and settings from my my husband's MacBook Core 2 Duo 2.4 purchased in 2008 to a brand new MacBook Pro Core i5 2.4 with 8GB RAM. I decided to do a computer-to-computer transfer via FireWire.

My first attempt didn't work. (Why do these failed attempts still surprise me?) The setup program asked me to specify how I wanted to transfer the data. I selected "from another Mac" -- and that's when the problems started. The two Macs couldn't find each other!

I immediately called AppleCare. The "lucky" fellow who took my call was not exactly a genius when it came to Migration Assistant. He was a competent support agent though, and finally he found the right "script" and successfully resolved the problem.

LESSONS LEARNED:

1) One must finish the setup of a brand new computer before it's possible to migrate the data using the FireWire method. During setup, just indicate that you will migrate the data later. Once the computer has all its programs loaded, Migration Assistant will be able to bring over all user accounts, applications and settings, and all your data (music, movies, pictures, etc.) from the old computer. It will even bring your viruses and malware, but we'll save that story for the next post.

2) Give a fictitious name when you first set up the computer. (advice from my September 2009 blog post). In other words, don't set up the computer with the same account name you plan to migrate from the old computer.

3) Regarding the Firewire method of migrating data from one computer to another:

Shut down the old computer (the one with the data that you want to move).
Attach the FireWire cable to both computers and boot up the old computer in FireWire Target Disk Mode. You do that by holding down the T key while pressing the power button to turn the "source" computer on. When you see the light blue screen with the FireWire symbol, you can let go of the T key.

4) Regarding Migration Assistant (which, by the way, is found under Applications in the Utilities folder):

Tell Migration Assistant you want want to transfer information "From a Time Machine backup or other disk." You see, when your "source" computer is booted in FireWire Target Disk Mode, it becomes nothing more than a big hard drive!
When asked to Select Your Disk, you will see the "source" computer's name listed. Select it.
The next and final screen will show you what will be transferred. Unless you know of some good reason to uncheck any of the selections, leave the default selections checked.

When Migration Assistant is finished, reboot the computer that's in Firewire Target Disk Mode so you can compare settings between the two.

Check the Preferences on all applications.
Look at all the System Preferences if you moved onto a newer operating system.
Authorize your iTunes on the new computer (and de-authorize it on your old one)
Do a Software Update on your Mac. Keep doing updates until the program tells you your computer is up to date.
Do a Microsoft Software Update if you use Microsoft Office for Mac.
Update any other third-party software you may have.
Do a full system backup. If you use Time Machine, you will need to configure the new computer. Then, connect your computer and Time Machine with a cable and disable Wi-Fi for the purpose of the backup. This first backup will be your baseline and will take a substantial amount of time.

In conclusion...

When it works as advertised, Migration Assistant is pretty amazing. However, despite the fact that I have used it at least 4 times, I have never done so without calling AppleCare, and I am a relatively advanced computer user!

What if you're not an aspiring geek? Apple offers to do the data transfer in the store, so even if you buy your computer online, have it delivered to a nearby store. If that's not possible, you can probably find someone who will, for a fee, do the data migration.

I wouldn't necessarily discourage a novice from trying to use Migration Assistant. Just ask AppleCare to walk you through the process. This is what you paid for when you purchased the AppleCare Protection Plan. (You will definitely want the 3 years of warranty and phone support.) An Apple Genius will ask you some questions, decide how to proceed, and give you step by step instructions. Apple support people are very patient and pretty good at what they do -- they're "Geniuses," after all!

Related post:

Migration Assistant Misery, September 5, 2009

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Mourning Doves at Menno House

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:39:00 +0000

Last summer mourning doves nested on a windowsill of Menno House. Manager Rachel Smith recorded the development of the squabs (that's what you call mourning dove chicks) from hatchlings to fledglings.

Video by Rachel Smith

Did you know . . .

Mourning doves mate for life
Mourning doves often reuse their own nests or the nests of other birds, even squirrels
Both parents feed their young with "crop milk" produced by glands in their crops
The young squabs fledge (fly from the nest) after only 14 days, but parents continue to care them for another 2 weeks
Mourning doves can fly at speeds of 55 mph

If you'd like to entice mourning doves to nest on your property, this site offers an inexpensive and nice looking nest box. I bought one for Menno House and am hoping the doves will use it this year.

In case you're wondering how I came to know about the Menno House doves, well, I'm on the Board of Directors of Menno House which is owned and operated by Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship.

Additional reading:
Mourning Doves and Their Young
The Mourning Doves Coo Begins Season Of Nesting and Feeding
Mourning Dove (Wikipedia, with great pictures and links)

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles &amp; Tunes Copyright Statement

A Bald Pigeon With My Name

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:48:00 +0000

My second pigeon rescue two weeks ago made me remember that the account of my first pigeon rescue somehow never got published. Time to rectify that oversight!!

Sunday, May 15, 2011
It started out like any other laundry day. I loaded my dirty clothes into the grocery cart we New Yorkers use to transport anything too heavy to carry and pushed the cart across the street to the laundromat. As I entered, I noticed a young pigeon huddled at the side of the step. After loading my clothes into the washers, I went back to the doorway to see if the pigeon was still there. Indeed it was, and the little thing just didn't look right. It had some scabby-looking patches on top if its head and, although nervous, it seemed unwilling or unable to fly to a safer location. The laundry attendant claimed it couldn't fly because an elderly woman had run over it accidentally with her cart.

I hate it when I happen upon situations like this, because I know that no one else is going to do anything.

Having no clue what to do, I came back home and googled "pigeon rescue NYC." Google fetched NYC Pigeon Rescue Central. Within 20 minutes, someone named Anna returned my phone call and gave me clear and calming instructions. So back to the laundry I went. I picked up the bird (who did not resist at all) and put it in my cat carrier along with some bird seed. I added a small container of water after the picture was taken.

Next, I called the number Anna gave me for Animal General, requesting for an appointment the next day (Monday) to see Rita from The Wild Bird Fund. (The Wild Bird Fund works from Animal General at certain times during the week.)

Monday, May 16, 2011
During my appointment at Animal General I met Rita McMahon, a New York State Wildlife Rehabilitator who runs The Wild Bird Fund. First, she cleaned the dirt and dried blood off the pigeon's head which revealed that the skin had been peeled off. Yuk! The poor little thing had actually been scalped!!

Rita weighs and examines the injured pigeon

In the course of her examination Rita noticed the little pigeon had various other health issues. The middle toe on its right foot had been broken. Rita said it was an old wound and wouldn't be a problem in the future. The odd angle of the pigeon's right leg was a little more worrying. Rita also cleaned up the pigeon's right eye which was crusted shut, probably with blood from the scalp injury. Rita said they would keep the squab (that's what you call a pigeon chick) at Animal General to check the wings and the leg and to see if the scalp could be reattached.

Rita also informed me that the bird would be called Linda -- regardless of its sex -- since The Wild Bird Fund has a custom of naming each bird after whoever rescues it. Rita also said this little one was probably about 4-5 weeks old.

So... here's how Linda looked the last time I saw her -- scalp covered in ointment, crooked leg and broken toe, but with both eyes now open. Despite looking a little silly, I think she knew she was safe. She didn't struggle or show any fear.

Saturday, June 18, 2011
At The Wild Bird Fundraiser held at the Hudson River Boat Basin in Manhattan, Rita informed me that my Linda-bird was much improved. She had sustained no wing damage. Her leg was ok too. Her scalp could not be reattached, but new skin had grown over her skull and had healed nicely. No feathers had yet appeared in the new skin on her head, but the pigeons she lived with didn't mind her baldness and were educating her on how to be a pigeon. (Pigeons need pigeon role models, it seems.) She was being fostered in Brooklyn, where she would undergo a "soft release." In a soft release, young birds are kept in a place where feral birds can come and go at will. The youngsters gradually become integrated into the flock where their education in pigeon life skills can be completed.

At the end of this very positive report, Rita said the folks at The Wild Bird Fund had taken to calling "my bird" LindaHood -- all one word -- because, really, how could you not use the word HOOD when naming a bird with a head injury!

I thought that was probably the last update I would receive because, with a soft release, no one would invite me to witness LindaHood's release. It would happen gradually as described above.

Friday, August 19, 2011
In a serendipitous Facebook exchange, I read that every morning a bald bird is one of those being fed by someone else who follows The Wild Bird Fund on Facebook. Now I ask you, how many bald pigeons can there be out there? I mean, have YOU ever seen a bald pigeon? "Baldy," as this woman calls her, is in all likelihood the one and only LindaHood!

Three months after I picked her up, LindaHood is flying free -- but yet she's seen every day by a follower of the Wild Bird Fund. How cool is that?

In summary, I am thrilled I was able to help this bird, and in the process I learned many things about pigeons and about the Wild Bird Fund. Here are some links to illustrate what I've learned:

Pigeon chicks change dramatically as they grow up

Pigeon Photos from egg to adult

Pigeons are really, really smart.

Handling pigeons will not make you sick

Pigeons are safe for most people to handle.
"The New York City Department of Health has no documented cases of communicable disease transmitted from pigeons to humans." - Dr. Manuel Vargas, New York City Department of Health. (quote taken from Urban Wildlife Society.)
Pigeon Lady from Tribeca, by Harry Peronius and Jewelene Maraget. A photo essay about the friendship between the pigeon Petel and two lovely people who rescued him as a baby bird. Petel has live his entire life, 15 years, with Jewelene and her partner Rey.

You CAN do something for pigeons who need help.

For birds with string tangled in their feet, call the FOOT SQUAD.
Does that baby pigeon (called a squab) actually need rescuing? Read THIS.
If you are about to rescue a squab, call NYC Pigeon Rescue Central (212) 873-6030 Additional instructions are on their website.
If you are caring for squab, read THIS PAGE so the bird doesn't end up in your care forever. (This is a real danger -- read the link!!)
How to rescue a bird that has hit a window.

The Wild Bird Fund is amazing.

They help all NYC wildlife, not just birds.
The are planning to open the only wildlife rehab center in Manhattan. Click HERE to read about it.
"Like" The Wild Bird Fund on Facebook so you will see the fabulous bird pictures they post and read many interesting facts about NYC birds.
Consider tax-deductible donation -- Donate Here
Consider volunteering. Email rehabbers@wildbirdfund.com

The Loop

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:27:00 +0000

It's no wonder British author Nicholas Evans writes interesting books. He leads an interesting life. He studied law at Oxford University, worked as a journalist, produced documentary films, and has traveled extensively. He is best known for his debut novel, The Horse Whisperer. If you didn't read the book, maybe you saw the movie directed by and starring Robert Redford.

The Loop is a novel based on the re-introduction of wolves to the Rocky Mountains. The wolf colony that was brought to Yellowstone National Park has grown, and wolf packs have spread outside the park. In the town of Hope, Montana, ranchers strongly oppose the wolf's return; environmentalists support it. The local U.S. Fish & Wildlife agents find themselves squarely in the middle of the controversy. The book opens with a wolf attack on the property of Buck Calder, a very influential rancher. The "special agent" called in by the local Fish & Wildlife office to investigate wolf activity in the area is a biologist named Helen Ross who is running away from a love life gone bad as much as she is running towards a challenging new job. From there, the plot unfolds.

What makes The Loop particularly engaging is all the information that accompanies the plot's adventure, intrigue, and romance. The facts about wolves as well as the politics and the various opinions about the re-introduction of wolves are solid and clearly explained. The real "hook" that held my interest throughout the 544 pages was the detailed descriptions of what field biologists actually do. Their work with wolves runs the gamut from computer technology to wilderness tracking and physical contact with the wolves themselves -- examining them and attaching tracking devices. Very cool stuff!

I liked The Loop for a few personal reasons as well. It recalled for me some wonderful vacations in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks. I'm also very interested in wildlife and I knew very little about wolves before reading this book. Finally, I must admit that a love story thrown into the mix has its appeal as well. All in all, The Loop is a fascinating tale that weaves many elements together into a most enjoyable book.

Additional information on wolves:

Ralph Maughan's Wildlife Reports on Yellowstone and Idaho Wolves
The Wildlife News, blog by Ralph Maughan with many posts on wolves
The Wolves of Yellowstone, National Park Service website with map of wolf territories and charts of pack estimates
Gray Wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains, US Fish & Wildlife Service website
In the Valley of the Wolves, PBS special on wolves. The first episode is viewable in its entirety online.

Note: On October 4, 2011, the US Fish and Wildlife service announced its proposal to remove the gray wolf in Wyoming from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species, claiming that its numbers demonstrate it no longer needs protection. Hearings are in progress and information is being collected. Needless to say, the wolf controversy is far from over.

To see blog posts about other books I've read, click HERE.

© 2012, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

This Is Not The Story You Think It Is...

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:30:00 +0000

\This is Not the Story You Think It Is... A Season of Unlikely Happiness is often misunderstood or misrepresented. Many online reviews say it's about how one woman saved her marriage. Those reviews prove only that the reviewer really didn't "get it." No, this book by Laura Munson is really about how a woman married 20 years saved herself.

The premise for this book appeared first as a Modern Love column in the New York Times on July 31, 2009. The column was entitled Those Aren't Fighting Words, Dear. The enormous response generated by that column resulted in a book contract for Laura Munson. She was thrilled. After having 14 books rejected, finally she would have one published.
This tale of self-discovery and transformation begins with Munson pondering whether or not her husband will return after he said he didn't love her any more and walked out on her and their two children. In the first chapter Munson tells us her strategy: No matter what happens, she is going to commit herself to not suffering. Munson resolves not to play the role of victim. She will offer alternatives that will give her husband the space and time he needs to work through his issues. She will keep family disruption to a minimum. She will create beauty and harmony at home. She will continue to write. Above all, she will strive to keep a positive outlook. What follows the first chapter are the details of how Laura Munson survives the four months it takes her husband to realize he does love her and rejoin the family.

This is Not the Story You Think It Is... offers a close look at one woman's struggle to maintain her own perspective during a time of crisis and confusion. Munson allows us to share her panic and her fears as well as her hard-won insights and triumphs of spirit. It's difficult not to hold her account before you like a mirror. Let's face it: we married women can all use help and inspiration. Staying grounded as an individual while making the compromises marriage and family demand is difficult, even in the best of times.

As a memoir, This is Not the Story You Think It Is... will make you laugh and cry and experience suspense as you watch the events unfold. As a self-help book, you can use Munson as a role model for some techniques you want to incorporate in your own life. Either way, This is Not the Story You Think It Is... is an interesting, compelling, and rewarding book. So totally the opposite of Family Ties, which I reviewed yesterday.

Here's a few selected reviews of This is Not the Story You Think It Is... :

"Her Husband of 20 Years Said, 'I Want Out. I Don't Love You.' She Said, 'I Don't Buy It.' And Then..." Huffington Post, Jessie Kornbluth, March 26, 2010
Washington Post review, April 9, 2010
This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Review and A Resolution, Not Just Another Jen, (blog) , Janary 12, 2011

To see blog posts about other books I've read, click HERE.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Family Ties

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:45:00 +0000

I read Family Ties because I found myself in an airport without a book to take onto the plane. Having never read anything by Danielle Steel, I hoped this book would be an absorbing page-turner that would make the flight pass quickly. WRONG! Family Ties was predictable and repetitive and contained no pithy truths about family relationships.

The premise of Family Ties is that we all need family relationships much more than we think we do. This should not come as news to most people. The novel revolves around Annie Ferguson, who raised her sister's three children after her sister died. The children are now young adults and embarking on their own lives. Annie finally has time to build a life of her own, despite struggling with a bad case of empty nest syndrome. The book follows Annie and her nieces and nephew as they explore the various options life offers them. In the end, they all realize they still need each other.

My main gripe was that Ms. Steel kept repeating so many of her points so often. She obviously thought I wouldn't "get it" if she didn't spell it out for me... over and over and over. The 348-page book could have been 100 pages shorter if all the repetition had been removed.

Danielle Steel has written about 85 novels as well as some non-fiction and children's books. She has sold more than 800 million copies of her books worldwide and holds the distinction of being the bestselling author alive today. (See the Wikipedia links for the source of those statistics.) Nevertheless, I'm afraid I'm not one of her fans. In fact, reading Family Ties has cured me of wanting to read any more of Danielle Steel's books.

Next time, if I don't have a book to take onto the plane, I'll watch the movie -- or sleep.

To see blog posts about other books I've read, click HERE.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

A Case of Need

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:28:00 +0000

A Case of Need is a novel based on the facts and politics of abortion before Roe vs. Wade. The book was published in 1968 under the pseudonym of Jeffery Hudson and won an Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1969. In 1993 A Case of Need was re-released under the author's real name, Michael Crichton.

In this book Crichton creates fictional characters that present us with compelling arguments in favor of abortion, both from the medical as well as the practical point of view. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Crichton was well acquainted with the fact that illegal abortions were "about 25 times more deadly than they had to be." Using the format of a novel, Crichton illustrated the ramifications of abortion in the lives of his well drawn characters. Click HERE to read a summary of the book's plot and of Crichton's opinions on abortion.

Reading A Case of Need forty-three years after it was written caused me to reflect on current attitudes about abortion. In certain respects we have come a long way towards realizing that abortion should be a woman's choice based on her overall circumstances. However, the opposition is still very vocal and has been successful in reclaiming some of the ground gained in the period that followed the writing of Crichton's book.

Although I read A Case of Need from cover to cover, I must admit it was often tough going. Abortion is, after all, not very entertaining. The fact that the main character is a pathologist and the plot contains many descriptions of autopsies lent a macabre element to certain parts of the book. Despite the intrigue created by the pathologist's quest to find out who was really guilty of botching the abortion on the disturbed daughter of a respected heart surgeon, I found myself repeatedly concluding that abortion is a very difficult subject for mass-market fiction. Perhaps the fact murder mysteries are much more common than abortion mysteries is evidence that abortion is still a highly charged and divisive issue. Kudos to Michael Crichton illuminating and de-mystifying the procedure itself and the complex social and personal implications that surround it.

A Case of Need is an interesting and worthwhile read, especially if you didn't live through the stormy times in which it was written.

To see blog posts about other books I've read, click HERE.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

An Irish Christmas, A Musical Solstice Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:51:00 +0000

They say good things come in threes... and here is the third CD this year on which the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra appears. Amazing!

An Irish Christmas, A Musical Solstice Celebration was recorded last year during the Irish Christmas shows at the Irish Arts Center. The Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra has been part of these shows since their inception four years ago, so it was only natural that we should appear on the CD. Our track is a song called The Rebel Jesus written by Jackson Browne. Louise Sullivan is the lead vocalist.

Here is the complete track listing:

1. The Holly and the Ivy
2. Christmas Day
3. Jigs: Trip to Athlone / Castletown Connors | Reels: Father Kelly's / Man of the House
4. The Bushes of Jerusalem
5. Christmas in the Trenches
6. O D’wata Holi Kemudnung / Pangulawit
7. Slow Air: Port na bPúcaí (the Tune of the Fairies) | Reels: The Piper on Horseback / Lady on the Island / The Foxhunter’s
8. The Buskers

9. The Rebel Jesus

10. Celebration
11. Breaking Up Christmas
12. Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake
13. The Cherry Tree Carol
14. The Wren Song
15. Reels: The Girl Who Broke My Heart / My Love is in America / Christmas Eve

All the tracks are really good, not your usual saccharin Christmas fare. The performances as well as the production are top notch, just as you would expect from Mick Moloney and the Irish Arts Center. Yet again, I'm really proud to have had a part in this CD.

If you like seasonal music, you will definitely want this CD. You can order it from the Irish Arts Center by clicking HERE.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

In Partnership with the Poor

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:44:00 +0000

Artwork by the children of the Mercy Centre

NEWS FLASH!!!

"Waltz Me Around Again, Willie" -- my song with the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra -- has been released on the CD entitled In Partnership with the Poor: Irish musicians for the Mercy Centre, pictured above.

To order, click HERE.

Your purchase will help fund a music program for the children of the Mercy Centre, a highly successful charitable organization in Bangkok, Thailand.

Maybe you're wondering how the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra (WSHSO) came to be involved with an organization on the other side of the world. Well, Mick Moloney who sponsors our group spends a portion of every year at the Mercy Centre. He has been most impressed with their work with children and communities in the desperately poor Bangkok slums. The children are often orphans, victims of AIDS and/or various types of abuse. The Mercy Centre provides schools, hospitals, homes and, above all, love. From time to time, Mick sends the WSHSO reports from the Mercy Centre. Some members of our group, like Donie Carroll, have visited there. After his visit, Donie felt compelled to do something to help the kids, and thus his CD project was born.

Many events have promoted the sale of the CD:

October 10 - golf outing at Forest Park Golf Course sponsored by the Grandstand Pub and Restaurant in Elmhurst (Queens), NY
November 14 - concert at Irish Repertory Theatre in Manhattan
November 19 - Murphy's Bar in Sunnyside (Queens), NY
November 24 - The Landmark Tavern in Manhattan
November 30 - Dunne's Pub in White Plains, NY
December 11 - Shanachie Irish Pub and Restaurant in Ambler, PA near Philadelphia

In Partnership with the Poor is a compilation of songs from many artists, all of whom contributed tracks free of charge. The 20 tracks constitute a really nice mix of Irish music in a variety of styles. Below are the songs and artists:

Rolling Hills of the Border - Emily McShane and Girsa
McNally's Row of Flats - Mick Moloney
The Night the Goat Broke Loose on Grand Parade - Donie Carroll
The Cat's Meow - Joanie Madden and Cherish the Ladies
Dancing at Whitsun - Marian Makins and Gabriel Donohue
Walts Me Around Again, Willie - Linda Mason Hood and the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra
Star of the County Down - Congressman Joe Crowley and Sean Crowley
The Fox and the Hare - Jimmy Crowley
Miltown Malbay - Victor Cuneen
In Memory of Coleman / Paddy Fahy's - Athena Tergis
The Jetty Queen / The Apple Tree Polka - Máirtín de Cógáin
The Ploughboy - Sean Hennessy and Blackwater
Days of Wonder - Mick Curry
Maudabawn Chapel / Never Was Piping So Gay / Fisherman's Island - Brian Conway and Brendan Dolan
Uncle Jim - Larry Kirwan and Black 47
Murphy Can Never Go Home - Donie Carroll
Johnny, Lovely Johnny - Kitty Kelly
Young Reilly, The Fisherman - Deirdre and Mattie Connolly
Danny Boy - Cathie Maguire
Surgo Hodie / I Rise Today - Marian Makins and Gabriel Donohue

Please give In Partnership with the Poor to lots of people this holiday season. Since all the music and labor was donated, 100% of the proceeds will go to the Mercy Centre in Bangkok. It's the gift that keeps giving!! Place your order today.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Tributes to Mike Rafferty

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:45:00 +0000

Mike Rafferty died on September 13, 2011. If you're a regular or even an occasional reader of this blog, you know that Mike was very important to me. To officially mark his passing, I have noted below the many remembrances he received. I have compiled this list mainly for myself, but others may find such a reference meaningful or useful.

TRIBUTE FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

PRESS TRIBUTES

On September 14, NorthJersey.com, the online version of the local paper in the area where Mike lived, reported the news of Mike's passing.
Mike Rafferty of Hasbrouck Heights, legend of Irish traditional music, dies at 84

On September 23, Paul Keating of IrishCentral.com wrote a lovely description of the funeral and tribute to Mike.
The heart of Irish traditional musician Mike Rafferty

On September 28, Earl Hitchner of The Irish Echo wrote a beautiful tribute which included comments about Mike from various well-known Irish musicians.
A Music-Filled Farewell to Mike Rafferty

TRIBUTES FROM BLOGS AND IRISH MUSIC WEBSITES

September 13, Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Mid-Atlantic Region's newsletter
Farewell Mike Rafferty

September 14, World Music Central
Renowned Irish Musician and National Heritage Fellow Mike Rafferty Dies at 84

September 15, Gwen Orel of New York Irish Arts
Safe home, Mike Rafferty (1926-2011). Mick Moloney on "The Mighty Raff".

September 16, IrishPhiladelphia carried some reflections by Gabriel Donohue
In Memory of Mike Rafferty

September 18, Ramblinghouse
Death of Flute Player, Mike Rafferty

October 30, Truffles Turtles & Tunes
Rafferty, a piece written by Mike's protege, Brian Holleran. (Brian's tribute was originally posted on Facebook on September 14, 2011.)

November 18, Truffles Turtles & Tunes
Fatherly Connecgtions, my own tribute detailing the similarities and differences between Mike and my own father.

RADIO TRIBUTES

September 17, "A Thousand Welcomes" on WFUV Fordham University Radio, 90.7 FM - Kathleen Biggins host
September 17, "The Wind that Blows" on Shannonside.ie, Shannon, Ireland
September 18, "The Traditional Hour," Cork Community Radio, 100.5 FM Cork, Ireland - Jessie Cawley host
September 18, Manao Radio, 91.5 FM, Maui, Hawaii
October 11, "The West Wind" on Clare FM, - Claire Kelville host

If I have missed any significant memorials, please post a comment or email me.

__________________________

To see all my blog posts that mention Mike Rafferty, click HERE.

Fatherly Connections

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 04:22:00 +0000

Ralph Mason (left) and Mike Rafferty (right)

Ralph Mason and Mike Rafferty were two very different men. Ralph was my father, Mike was my flute teacher. I began lessons with Mike in 2004, six years after my father died. Over time, I found myself making comparisons between them. A few similarities existed despite the fact that other things about them seemed to be reversed, just like their initials.

One hundred and two years ago today -- November 18, 1909 -- my father, Ralph William Mason, and his twin brother Roy were born. They were descendants of Robert L. Mason, who came from East London, England, in 1775 to fight in the Revolutionary War. Ralph lived his whole life in or near Indianapolis, Indiana. Golf was his major passion. He died on February 9, 1998, at the age of 88.

Mike Rafferty was born on September 27, 1926. While he had six siblings, he wasn't a twin. He was born and lived the East Galway region of Ireland until he emigrated to the United States in 1949. Music was his passion, and I never heard him mention golf. He died on September 13, 2011, at the age of 84.

Despite different heritages and circumstances, these two men bore a physical resemblance to each other. They were about the same height and had the same general body type. Both had a wide forehead, a square jaw, and rather large ears -- and they wore similar glasses. The resemblance was especially strong on the days when Mike wore his shirt with the vertical maroon stripes, so similar to the one my father is wearing in the collage above. (Click the collage to enlarge it.)

(Photo by Kitty Kelly, used with permission)

Like Mike, Ralph was musically talented. In addition to singing in the choir of every church he attended, my dad also sang solos and duets. He had a lovely baritone voice.

Like Mike, Ralph didn't read music. As a choir member, my dad would always place himself next to the strongest singer in the bass section and, listening carefully during rehearsal, he would learn the bass part by ear. He got so adept at learning by ear that nobody realized he was only reading the words, not the notes, when he held up the music and sang.

My dad always encouraged me in all my music activities, but never in a way that created expectations or pressure. He was happy if I was enjoying myself. I always felt the same could be said of Mike. The difference, however, was that Mike had a much deeper appreciation of how important music is to me.

My dad was a watchmaker, but before settling into that trade he did his fair share of manual labor and developed strong hands. I remember family friends often commenting about his large hands and thick fingers. "Ralph, how can you manage tiny watch parts with hands like those!" they would exclaim.

Mike had a strong frame from years of working in the warehouse for the Grand Union supermarket chain. He too had well developed, muscular hands. I loved watching Mike's hands. Watching his fingers helped me learn the tunes, of course, but every now and then I would think of my father's hands and for a fleeting moment the memory would warm my heart.

My father worked as a self-employed watchmaker until the last decade of his life. He also played golf all his life. As he took in fewer watches, he played more golf. Both activities were present throughout his life.

Mike, on the other hand, had little to no time for music when he was raising his five children. He sometimes worked as a bartender in addition to his "day job" at the Grand Union. His retirement from the Grand Union in 1989 brought a major change to his life. Suddenly he could devote himself to music. He taught at festivals here and in Ireland, he played regularly around the New York metropolitan area, and he made his first CD in 1995. His music really took off when he retired.

So many differences, and yet I feel a very strong fatherly connection to both men. Ralph taught me many things about life, and Mike helped me find a way to play the flute again.

Mike opened up a whole new musical world for me. He taught me not only tunes but, indeed, the essence of traditional Irish music and its central place in Irish culture. He showed me that one can strive to play really really well without the pressure and negativity I had experienced as a classical player.

Most importantly, though, Mike showed me by example that retirement can be a rich time of achievement and reward. There is hope...

Rest in peace, Mike.
Happy birthday, Daddy.
I miss you both.

__________________________

To see all my blog posts that mention Mike Rafferty, click HERE.

Rafferty

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:21:00 +0000

Updated July 4, 2012

This post honors my Irish flute teacher and mentor, Mike Rafferty, who died on September 13, 2011. At the time of his passing, so many people posted touching tributes on Mike's Facebook page (which was and still is maintained by his family). The most moving of those remembrances, for me anyway, was the piece written by another one of his students, Brian Holleran. Although my association with Mike was not as long or as intimate as Brian's, the essence of my relationship with Mike --- indeed, of Mike's relationship to all his students -- has much in common with what Brian describes below. Thanks, Brian, for giving words to what many have experienced and for allowing me to share it on my blog.

Rafferty
by Brian Holleran

Photo by Tom Madden, used with permission.

I began flute lessons with Mike Rafferty when I was fourteen. My father would take me up to Rafferty's house every Friday after school. We’d come in the side door, down the stairs, into the basement to the music room. It was in this room that I learned, discovered, and explored an identity that I am still forging.

In the beginning I was a “tune hound.” My goal was to learn as much as possible, and Rafferty was more than generous with his music. Some weeks I’d come home with close to ten new tunes. But I was young and immature. I only thought of him as a nice man who gave me loads of tunes and told me to “slow down.” I didn't understand who he really was and what he had to offer me.

When I got to college, I wasn’t going to Rafferty’s every Friday so I had to make good use of my time. I would bring him cassette tapes of sessions I had attended in New York City and would ask Rafferty if he could teach me some of these tunes. For the most part he would know immediately what tune it was and show me. There were other times when he would hear a tune and say, “I don’t play that tune, but they’re playing it wrong.” This blew my mind! I thought, “Who does this guy think he is? He doesn’t know the tune but says the people who do know it aren’t playing it the right way?” But I never challenged him…except this one time. I asked him, “How are they playing it wrong?” He then went on to tell me that he remembered Paddy Cronin playing the tune at a Fleadh in 1960-something. They were at a pub and the All-Ireland Football Finals were on and that he played it with “such and such” tune. And then he began to figure the tune out. He managed to remember the first time he heard the tune, what was going on, and then recall the actual tune. That day I learned not to question the man. But I also realized something amazing. His ear and mind were so trained he could recount moments in his life that related to tunes. His father and uncle were musicians, so he was born listening to music and developed that ability at a young age.

It was in my first year of college that I had my musical epiphany. I was going to sessions every night of the week, learning tunes and meeting all different types of players. Being exposed to all of this, I realized something different about Rafferty’s style. His was steady, deliberate, and truthful (a perfect description of the man himself). His had an effective delivery of emotion. Finally, I realized what he’d been trying to tell me all these years.

After this, I paid much more attention to what he did and said. I learned tune after tune with greater intensity because of my new-found idea of what good music was. A lot of time was spent learning good habits and unlearning bad ones. Music lessons went from the regular one-hour session to three hours, and they became much more enjoyable for both of us.

Whenever I would go to Rafferty’s and we were out of ideas for tunes to learn, I would ask him for a waltz. Waltzes were always fun because I remembered him playing them with Joe Madden at the monthly céilí and everyone would be up dancing and having a good time. My parents don’t dance sets, so this is also when I would see them “cutting a rug.” This one particular time, Rafferty gave me a tune he learnt from his uncle. It was called “Over the Waves.” He told me there were two flute players, Jimmy Dillon and Gilby Jennings, who would go around to different houses and be the “band.” He remembered them playing this waltz as well. He also remembered not being allowed to play tunes like this because they were considered “buttons and bows” and inappropriate for GAA-sponsored dances! [GAA = Gaelic Athletic Association]

I loved this waltz and, like any other tune I would learn, went to the sessions to see if anyone else played the tune. Don Meade, the great organizer and encyclopedia of Irish music in New York City, said to me, “that’s not an Irish tune, that’s an American tune. There are words to it, ‘George Wash-ing-ton Bridge…' ” This bit of information was hard to swallow. How could a tune I learned from my old Irish music teacher -- who got it from his old uncle before he even moved to this country -- not be Irish? So I did a little research, and it turns out this waltz was written in Mexico by a native named Juventino Rosas and published in New Orleans in 1884. The tune became popular in the US with circuses and vaudeville shows and made its way over to Europe. It also made its way into a country house in rural Ireland to a man who has never read a single note of music. I love the journey of this tune. From Mexico to New Orleans to New York to Europe to Ireland to Rafferty’s childhood home, then back to the United States to Rafferty’s basement and now to me. The tune has been considered Mexican, American, German, Austrian and Irish -- and every one of those characterizations is correct.

Rafferty was a vessel for that tune, just like he was for every tune he taught me and countless other people. These tunes and this music come from a place and time that we can only imagine. They call to mind the images with which we think these tunes were associated, and they recall images and memories from our own lives. Knowing where I learned a tune and who I learned a tune from is very important to me. I like knowing the names of tunes. It gives us context. It shows us that these tunes did not appear out of thin air. They connect us with our culture and the people who have gone before us. They show us that we are part of a big picture and something great in this world.

I was twenty-three the first time I was in East Galway with Rafferty. By this time I had had nine years of tunes and stories relating to East Galway. We went for a walk around his family’s land, and he showed me where all the people he had talked about lived. I saw where the Maloney family of the famed Ballinakill Ceili Band came from. Rafferty said they were tailors and made him his first suit. He also pointed out various other musician's houses he used to visit when he was a young man. It was as if I was discovering the ground from which the music flowed.

While I was taking lessons, I was not only figuring out who I was musically but also socially. Growing up with a father from Ireland and a mother whose parents were from Ireland, I considered myself to be Irish. I played Irish music and associated with Irish people. But when I would go to Ireland, it was a different story. I wasn’t Irish at all. I was only American, a Yankee. This troubled me for a while because I didn’t know which side of the fence I was on, but Rafferty showed me what it meant to be both Irish and American.

He would tell me stories about playing at dances before he came to America, how he got a ride to the boat that brought him over and the people he socialized with when he got here. I also heard stories about his days as a mechanic and his yearly trips back to Ireland. When I listened to these stories, I noticed how perfectly they fit together. They weren't exclusively Irish or American. They were a part of one identity that Rafferty embodied, the Irish-American. He showed me that I’m a part of this identity and that I have my own stories to tell.

I feel the goal in life is to identify who you are in relation to the world around you. Rafferty did just that for himself and taught me the same by his example. Rafferty is important to us all, not just as a cultural figure but as a human being. His music [traditional Irish music] is associated with people and places. It’s a real living, breathing thing. It reminds us of good times and bad times. It is a part of our everyday lives. It transcends being Irish and gets at the core of what it means to be alive. With the music he played and the tunes he gave us, Rafferty linked the past with the future and showed us how we are all connected from generation to generation.

Brian Holleran works as a high school counselor in Cleveland, Ohio, and is an active participant in Cleveland's traditional Irish music scene. Brian recently released a CD called Traditional Irish Music on Flute + Pipes which received a rave review in The Irish Echo. He can also be heard on the 2004 CD entitled Live At Mona's. Brian teaches flute in Cleveland and at various Irish music festivals, passing on the tunes and style he learned from his mentor and friend, Mike Rafferty.

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To see all my blog posts that mention Mike Rafferty, click HERE.

Hawksbill Turtles Adapt

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:24:00 +0000

Turtle Tidbit #6 reports the amazing discovery that the critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle, thought to be nearly extinct in the eastern tropical Pacific, may not be in fact not so close to extinction after all. Now that fact alone is newsworthy, but the reason behind that statement is what really excited me. Get this: Hawksbill Turtles moved to a new habitat! Researcher Alexander R. Gaos says, "This is a unique behavior that represents a new life history paradigm for this species..." And we are talking about a species that's been around for millions of years. Imagine that!!

On September 1, 2011 ,Conservation International put out press release entitled Solving the Mystery of the Missing Hawksbills. It described the amazing discovery that Hawksbill turtles have been found living in mangrove estuaries rather than their customary habitat of coral and rocky reefs. The press release marked the day the original study was published in Biology Letters.

Conservation International also carried a wonderful blog post by Alexander R Gaos, lead author of this new Hawksbill research, in which Gaos conveys his excitement at the surprising discovery.

Click the link below to read the blog post:

Finding Hidden Hawksbills in the Eastern Pacific

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative (ICAPO), devoted to the preservation of Hawksbill turtles in the Eastern Pacific, Alexander R. Gaos - executive director
Hawksbill Sea Turtle, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fact sheet
Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Conservation International's web site

Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Wikipedia

Hawksbill Sea Turtles Not Extinct In Eastern Pacific (PHOTOS), Huffington Post, September 1, 2011.

Galapagos Tortoises

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:59:00 +0000

Turtle Tidbit #5 is an "eyewitness report" on the giant tortoises of the Galapagos Islands. A friend of mine recently vacationed in the Galapagos Islands. Her adventure is recorded on her blog via the link below. In her post on August 17, 2011, Nancy writes about her reactions as well as about the tortoises. What she says is exactly what I imagine I would be thinking if I had been there. I totally recommend this post to you, and be sure to double-click on her high resolution photos. Each time you click, the picture get bigger!

Click this link for the story:

Galapagos, Part 5: Dinosaurs with shells

Nancy is right when she calls these giant tortoises "dinosaurs with shells." Their history dates back 6-12 million years. See the Evolutionary History section of the Wikipedia article below for details.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Galapagos tortoise, Wikipedia page (REALLY extensive information.)
The Galápagos Tortoise Conservation Program: the Plight and Future for the Pinzón Island Tortoise, by Fred Caparoso. Published on the California Turtle & Tortoise Club's website.
The Endangered Galapagos Giant Tortoise, on a travel website called Discover Galapagos, Darwin's Enchanted Island.

Turtle Tidbits is a Truffles, Turtles & Tunes series that calls attention to news about turtles and tortoises. Since the news items themselves are copyrighted, I will post just the link accompanied by a short introductory comment and some followup information. To view all posts in the Turtle Tidbits series, click on its Topic Label in the navigation column on the right side of the screen.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Andre Returns to the Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 04:40:00 +0000

Turtle Tidbit #4 is a report on Andre, a green sea turtle who was severely injured by motorboat propellers in June 2010. Advanced medical techniques such as VAC therapy and Strattice Reconstructive Tissue Matrix implants saved Andre's life. Green sea turtles are classified as endangered in Florida, where this incident took place. Coverage appeared on Reuters website on August 5, 2011.

Click this link for the story:

Injured sea turtle returned in sea off U.S. coast

Click this link for the video:

Turtle heads home after receiving pioneering medical treatment

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

'Miracle Turtle' released as crowd cheers in Fla., Associated Press coverage
Green Sea Turtle,Wikipedia page (extensive information)
Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia mydas, NOAA Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources
ML Video 59485, Chelonia mydas, Green Turtle, Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (underwater video)

RELATED POSTS on Truffles, Turtles & Tunes:

Sea Turtle Rescue in Texas, January 20, 2007
Sea Turtle Rescue Update, January 24, 2007
Sea Turtle Rescue Update and Pictures, February 6, 2007
Sea Turtle Release, February 24, 2007

Turtle Tidbits is a Truffles, Turtles & Tunes series that calls attention to news about turtles and tortoises. Since the news items themselves are copyrighted, I will post just the link accompanied by a short introductory comment and some followup information. To view all posts in the Turtle Tidbits series, click on its Topic Label in the navigation column on the right side of the screen.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Padraig O'Keeffe's Slide

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:07:00 +0000

On April 27-30, 2011, I attended Cruinniú na bhFliúit (The Flute Gathering) in the village of Ballyvourney in West Cork, Ireland. Modeled after pipers' gatherings, this workshop is completely focused on traditional Irish flute playing with lots of good discussion of flutes, flute technique, flute problems, flute tunes, and various flute playing styles. Organizers Hammy Hamilton and Conal O'Grada keep the attendance intentionally small to allow people to become acquainted personally as well as musically. The intimacy that's achieved promotes learning and sharing.

Instruction is a core element of the Cruinniú. The 40 or so flute players in attendance were divided into four groups. Each group received three hours of instruction from each of the four teachers: Hammy Hamilton, Conal O'Grada, John Wynne, and Aoife Granville. Additionally, each person enjoyed 20 minutes of one-on-one advice from Tara Bingham whose flute clinic ran concurrent with the classes.

In this post I want to focus on one of the tunes we learned from Aoife (pronounced EE-fah) Granville, a Padraig O'Keeffe slide(1). O'Keeffe, a noted performer, teacher, and composer, came from the Sliabh Luchra area of Ireland near the borders of Counties Cork, Kerry, and Limerick where slides and polkas(1) are very popular. This slide was the first tune I learned at the Cruinniú. I had never heard it before (or so I thought), and I really liked it. In fact, I was quite taken with Aoife's playing and enjoyed all the tunes she taught us.

Aoife Granville

After I got home, I played the slide for some friends here in New York. Don Meade, well known in Irish music circles for his knowledge of tunes and their background, chuckled at my excitement over this tune and informed me that my Padraig O'Keeffe slide was in fact the traditional children's song Comin' Through the Rye. I have to admit that his comment deflated my enthusiasm just a little bit!

A few days later I did some internet research that put the tune in better perspective. According to Wikipedia, Robert Burns wrote the words to Comin' Through the Rye in 1782 and set them to the Scottish minstrel tune Common' Frae The Town which is also a variant of the tune used for Auld Lang Syne.(2) I read on TheSession.org that the earliest version of Comin' Through the Rye was called The Duke of Buccleughs Tune published in 1690.(3) So this is a VERY old tune.

These dates made me realize that I didn't know when Padraig O'Keeffe lived. A quick Google search revealed Padraig O'Keeffe's lifespan as 1887-1963.(4) In relation to Comin' Through the Rye, he was born about 100 years after Burns put words to the tune, so it is possible that he sang it as a child.

I also played O'Keeffe's slide for Sliabh Luchra fiddler, Tes Slominski. Tes commented that the first half of the slide is clearly related to a jig(1) called Haste to the Wedding.(5) Tes speculated that since O'Keeffe was a great one for making tunes out of other tunes, the resemblance was probably intentional.

Suddenly I realized that O'Keeffe's slide is a fascinating example of how traditional musicians regenerate and recycle tunes. I'm hypothesizing now, but perhaps O'Keeffe recast Comin' Through the Rye (a strathspey(1) in 4/4 rhythm, complete with Scottish snap) in the 12/8 meter of a slide because he was also familiar with Haste to the Wedding (a jig in 6/8 time). The slide version of this melodic material, with its internal triplets and slower tempo, allows time for players to insert some lovely ornamental flourishes. One could argue that O'Keeffe intended it that way, otherwise he would have written it as a reel(1). Pretty cool stuff!

To illustrate the difference, have a listen:

Click HERE to hear Aoife Granville's charmingly ornamented version of the Padraig O'Keeffe slide. (Thanks, Aoife, for granting me permission for me to the recording I made in our class on April 28, 2011.)

Now, click HERE for a plain-and-simple midi version of the familiar Comin' Through the Rye. Hear the resemblance?

Finally, click HERE to hear Haste from the Wedding as presented on the website of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the worldwide association for the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music. The A-part of the tune is very much like Comin' Through the Rye, whereas the B-part is completely different.

_______________________________
References:
1) Rhythm (Tune Types) Definitions, from Irish Traditional Music Tune Index
2) Comin' Through the Rye, Wikipedia
3) Discussion of Comin' through the Rye, The Session
4) Padraig O'Keeffe, Wikipedia
5) Haste to the Wedding on TheSession.org

Additional information:

Kerry Fiddles. Topic Records TSCD309 - Padraig O'Keefe, Denis Murphy, Julia Clifford (picture of P O'Keefe on cover)
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann - website home page
Haste to the Wedding is the first of three tunes in the well known dance set called "The Three Tunes:" Haste to the Wedding (a jig), Leslie's Hornpipe (a hornpipe), The German Beau (a reel).

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

JFK's Tweeting Turtles

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 03:57:00 +0000

Wikipedia's public domain photo by Mary Hollinger, NODC biologist, NOAA

Turtle Tidbit #3 is a report on the diamondback terrapins on the runway today at JFK International Airport. Flights were delayed by about 30 minutes while airport officials picked up the turtles and relocated them to a safer nesting area. JFK Airport borders Jamaica Bay where the turtles live. They leave the water every year around this time to lay eggs, and their appearance at JFK is an annual event. Today there seemed to be an unusually large number of them -- the highest count I read was 150.

The press had a field day with this story. Please check all the links below for the variety of pictures they contain as well as the audio from the flight tower.

The headlines ranged from factual ...

March of Turtles Snags JFK (Wall Street Journal)
Turtles on Runway Cause Airport Slowdown (NBC New York)
Finally! We’ve got actual pictures of the Turtles on the runway at JFK International Airport earlier today. (NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams)

... to whimsical.

Delays at JFK? This time, blame turtles (New York Times City Room Blog)
JFK turtles bring some NYC air traffic to a crawl Wednesday (Christian Science Monitor)
Turtles on Runway Shell Out JFK Delays (The Atlantic Wire)

Prize for the most outrageous headline goes to The New York Daily News:

JFK flights delayed because of sex-starved turtles crossing runway to get to breeding grounds

Unlike previous years, this year's internet savvy turtles wasted no time in getting themselves a Twitter account. News of their tweeting was nearly as big their presence on the runway!

Turtles Stop Traffic at New York's JFK Airport, and Promptly Get Twitter Account (Time Newsfeed)
The 'JFK Turtles' Are Back, And This Time They're Tweeting (The Two-Way, NPR's News Blog)

And of course, you will want to visit the JFK Turtles' Twitter site: JFKTurtles

I surely have had fun following the various news organizations as they posted their articles throughout the day. Turtles RULED today!!! Hopefully the local raccoons don't eat ALL the diamondback terrapin eggs. It would be a shame if all this turtle news didn't yield a good crop of turtles!

Turtle Tidbits is a Truffles, Turtles & Tunes series that calls attention to news about turtles and tortoises. Since the news items themselves are copyrighted, I will post just the link accompanied by introductory comments and some followup information. To view all posts in the Turtle Tidbits series, click on its Topic Label in the navigation column on the right side of the screen.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Advice on Snapping Turtle Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 01:28:00 +0000

Photo by Brian Cook, used with permission

My friend Brian was excited to discover that his resident snapping turtle (Common Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina) laid eggs in the field near the pond on his property. Sadly, the eggs never hatched. Instead, they provided a gourmet breakfast for some local crows. Brian wondered if he should have done something to protect the vulnerable eggs. Good question!

Trying to provide him with some sound advice, I checked all my favorite turtle sites on the internet and did numerous Google searches. Interestingly, I didn't come up with very much information, so I took my many questions to Julie Maguire, a New York State Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator who runs Turtle Rescue of Long Island. Here are her answers:

Aren't turtle eggs usually buried?

Yes. Generally the female snapping turtle digs a hole, moving the dirt or sand with her back feet. She lays her eggs in the hole, then she covers the eggs with the loose material she removed to make the hole. Since these eggs were out in the open, the female may have gotten scared off or interrupted by something or other before she finished her nesting ritual.

Would crows or raccoons have eaten the eggs if they were properly buried?

Perhaps. A nest of turtle eggs might be discovered by a hungry critter with a good snout. Crows or ravens would be more likely to go after easy food, grabbing exposed eggs or hatchlings.

Should you protect snapping turtle eggs?

Well, snappers in New York State are not threatened or endangered, so you could just leave Mother Nature alone. However, if done properly, there's no harm in protecting the eggs.

What is a good way to protect a nest of snapping turtle eggs?

Use an upside-down milk crate (or similar) with a heavy brick on top. This will allow air flow to keep temperatures normal but not confine the hatchlings when they emerge. The little snappers will break out of their eggs in six to ten weeks, depending upon the temperature. They will instinctively head for the pond. If you happen to be there, you can give them a hand and move them to the pond.

Is it ok to move a nest of snapping turtle eggs?

Yes, but follow a few simple precautions. Handle the eggs very gently and don’t turn them at all. The eggs need to stay in the same position so as not to detach the embryo.

What if you weren't very happy about a snapping turtle roaming about or about having turtle eggs hatch in your yard?

Try to be tolerant of the presence of the turtle. Keep in mind that snapping turtles leave the water only to nest. Once the eggs are laid, the turtle will head back to the pond. She won't be sticking around to tend the eggs. In any case, please don't try to move the turtle. You could get hurt if you don't do it properly, plus moving the turtle increases the chance that while trying to get back to her pond she will wander across a road and get hit by a car. This is the sad fate of all too many turtles at this time of year.

If you want to move the nest to a more out-of-the way spot, first give some thought to where the hatchlings will emerge and make sure they won't have to cross a road to get to water. After that, just follow the instructions in the question above.

RELATED POSTS on Truffles, Turtles & Tunes:

Close Encounter with a Snapping Turtle

Our State Turtle

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

What to do if you find an injured or ill turtle
How to help a Snapping Turtle Cross the Road (video by the Toronto Zoo)

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement

Turtles Pay Tribute to Victims of War

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:41:00 +0000

Turtle Tidbit #2 is a report on the sculpture installation by French artist Rachid Khimoune. Now installed on Normandy's Omaha Beach, the exhibit consists of 1000 soldier's helmets fashioned as turtles. It protests global violence and commemorates the 67th anniversary of D-Day. Coverage by The Associated Press appeared in many newspapers today.

Click this link:

EXHIBIT MARKS 67th ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY LANDING

Additional information:

This same installation, called 1000 Tortues-Casques, was in Paris near the Eiffel Tower in May, 2011. Click HERE to see pictures taken in Paris. Page through pictures 65-71.
Rachid Khimoune has featured turtles in various other works and projects. On his website, click on Sculptures, then Turtles.
Rachid Khimoune, Wikipedia page

Turtle Tidbits is a Truffles, Turtles & Tunes series that calls attention to news about turtles and tortoises. Since the news items themselves are copyrighted, I will post just the link accompanied by a short introductory comment and some followup information. To view all posts in the Turtle Tidbits series, click on its Topic Label in the navigation column on the right side of the screen.

© 2011, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement