The truth about the Corvid-19 and what you need to know – part 3.
We continue our coverage of the real truth about the Corvid 19 with a move to the Indo-Chinese area, and more specifically in this case, Java.
We have looked at some well-known Corvids so far, but now we look at a little known one, uncharacteristically gaily coloured, so that one might think of a finch or other class of bird, but this is indeed a crow family member.
Unfortunately this particular one, the Javan green mapgpie, is highly endangered, with only 50 left in captivity, and none sighted of late in the wild.
Thanks for Vaclav Silha for this CC4.0 licensed image of the Corvid in Prague Zoo, part of an approved breeding programme aimed at keeping the species alive.
We are presenting the info for each Corvid in a similar tabular form and there will be a publication available at the end of the series where you will be able to get hold of the combined table.
| Common Name | Javan Green Magpie |
| Other names | Ekek geling Jawa (local name) |
| German | Gruenelster |
| French | Pirolle à queue courte |
| Russian | Цисса |
| Polish | Kitta zielona jawańska |
| Scientific Name | Cissa thalassina |
| Number of species in the genus | 4 |
| Number of subspecies in this species | 0 |
| Literal meaning of Scientific name | Jay of the sea |
| Described by | Temminck, 1826 |
| First attested in literature | Temminck, 1826 |
| Wingspan (cm) | 40 |
| Length bill to tail (cm) | 30 |
| Distribution | Very limited locations in Java, if at all. |
| Remarks | This is one of four species of Cissa, or green magpies. As we saw in the case of the blue-jay, the word in Greek for jay was kitta, but another version ‘kissa’ also existed at certain periods of the language, and this is the form that gives this genus its name, although Polish retains the other Greek spelling for their version of the common name. Unfortunately many of these beautiful birds are nearly extinct, and only 50 individuals of this bird at the most are thought to exist, possibly none in the wild, with the remaining hope resting with breeding programs in captivity. Their diet is fully carnivorous, with a large proportion of insects, and the protein lutein which gives them their green pigment cannot be produced if this element of their diet is missing, and the birds retain their initial blue plumage. |
| Migrations | Not migratory |
| Sexual dimorphism | Barley distinguishable. Juveniles have a more bluish tint and their beak only reddens on maturity. |
| Close relatives | The other three Cissa species are Cissa chinensis, the common green magpie, with 5 subspecies, the Bornean green magpie (also known as the sort tailed green magpie) C. jeffreyi, and the Indochinese green magpie, C. hypoleuca, which is in fact blue rather than green, but gets called “green magpie” because it is in the Green Magpie family, in much the same way as a person with the name “William Brown” would not need necessarily to wear or be that colour. |
| Not close relatives thought to be close | It’s a rather disctinctive bird, so it is not really mistaken for unrelated species. Some confusion exists between this species and the short-tailed green magpie, which is closely related, but not a subspecies as first thought. In some sources the two species are still treated that way. |
| Cultural significance | Despite their ornate and iconic appearance, little use has been made of these green magpies in terms of mascots and heraldry. The song of the Javan green magpie was considered one reason for its ravages into the pet trade, a main reason along with habitat destruction, for its current critically endangered status. |
All I ask of you
Original YT playout date: 25 December 2008
Duration: 4:50
Yes, it’s another musical muckaround with Sophie, as we deconstruct the song “All I ask of you”, Llord “Scruffy” Webber’s remake of the song “I don’t talk to strangers”. Yes I know it’s not the Phantom but Raoul that sings it in the thing, but frankly I don’t care! Enjoy.
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Interview with a Marsupial
Original YT playout date: 25 December 2008
Duration: 19:20
Many people are wondering how Lord Moggy of “lordmoggy” channel is getting on since he’s stopped posting normal videos. So in reply, here he is in all his sheepskin. He finds Poland less warm in the winter than his native Australia, so he has to wear his sheepskin coat indoors.
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Maid in Denver (or “You fill up my Minibar”)
Original YT playout date: 25 December 2008
Duration: 3:28
I snatched a few moments back in the Grosvenor House hotel to do some of the singing I usually don’t get the privacy to do, and this turned out to be no exception! As least she didn’t start joining in, although that would have been a laugh. What she may have thought of the “let me lay down beside you” just as she was making the bed I have no idea, but I didn’t plan it!
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Wrap-up (Huliganov’s Moscow #7/7)
Original YT playout date: 25 December 2008
Duration: 17:10
This wraps up this series of Huliganov’s Moscow. We see the brand new train connection to Sheremetievo airport, as well as have a chat with the driver of the famous restaurant tram in Chistye Prudy.
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The truth about the Corvid-19 and what you need to know – part 2.
We continue our coverage of the real truth about the Corvid 19 with a move to the Eurasian continent.
You’ll be chuffed to know that another iconic corvid is the subject of today’s article, and which one it is, as well as the way of pronunciation, is hinted at in this very sentence.
In English the -ugh- cluster has a large number of pronunciations, from “ug” in the case of the exclamation “Ugh!”, to “af” in the case of “laughter”, “laughing”, or “uf” in “enough”, or “tough” or “of” in “cough”, just “ow” in “bough” or “o” in the topical “furlough” or “dough”, so it is well worth commenting on the actual pronunciation of this Corvid’s name.
Let it be enough to say that chough is spoken as “chuff” and tough on all the other alternatives.
And we are going to look at the more common of the two choughs, rather than the Alpine one, which you are less likely to see in the wild, but more likely to see in an aviary.
Attribution: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dibyendu_Ash (CC 3.0)
We are presenting the info for each Corvid in a similar tabular form and there will be a publication available at the end of the series where you will be able to get hold of the combined table.
| Common Name | Chough |
| Other names | Red-billed chough, Cornish chough |
| German | Alpenkraeher (note Alpine chough is “Alpendohle” in German) |
| French | Crave à bec rouge |
| Russian | Клушица, Клуша |
| Polish | Wrończyk |
| Scientific Name | Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax |
| Number of species in the genus | 2 |
| Number of subspecies in this species | 8 |
| Literal meaning of Scientific name | Flame-raven |
| Described by | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| First attested in literature | Homer, Arthurian legend, many others |
| Wingspan (cm) | 90 |
| Length bill to tail (cm) | 40 |
| Distribution | Especially cliffs and rocky areas from Ireland to China, absent in much of the range. |
| Remarks | Feeds in flocks on grassland taking invertebrate prey. Therefore a useful bird for agriculture but was often regarded as a nuisance for thieving like magpies and also for setting light to houses (which obviously they could not do, but such was the superstition, not helped by the scientific name). Also not helped by modern farming methods, has become vulnerable in Europe, but gradually returning to South West England. The range of vocalisations is limited. |
| Migrations | Not migratory |
| Sexual dimorphism | Male slightly larger |
| Close relatives | Alpine chough, P. graculus, a similar bird with a range restricted to high altitude areas, overlaps with the range of the red-billed chough but is much smaller and in different places without a continued representation. A fossil ancestor P. primigenius has been discovered in France. |
| Not close relatives thought to be close | White winged chough of Australia (not a Corvid but a Corcoracid) |
| Cultural significance | High in Europe and Central Asia since classical times, mentioned in the Odessey as a dweller in Calypso’s island. Also linked to St Thomas a Beckett. Due to the association with King Arthur, whose soul is supposed to have turned into one of them, is a common feature of Cornish folklore and heraldry. |
The truth about the Corvid-19 and what you need to know – part 1.
A lot of nonsense is being spoken these days on the news about the Corvid-19
One could honestly describe it as a flurry of fake news.
In order to ensure my subscribers have a full and accurate Pica of what is really going on, and to ensure these fake journalists eat crow, I have decided to make a series of articles right here, on the Corvid 19, or 19 corvids you need to know the science about. You will learn how to recognise the symptoms – the images, the names in various languages, the cultural significance of each.
There are more than 120 species and possibly more than 400 subspecies of Corvids, which in themselves are among the most intelligent birds, with a brain to body mass ratio similar to humans and whales, and have adapted to nearly every climate and area of the world. This is, therefore, just a representative selection that should give you a feel for the family Corvidae. We will also mention related species to each chosen Corvid, and not more than one per genus will be chosen, as there are anyway 24 different genera so I have to leave out some from the line-up of 19. If Coronavirus comes back with a new strain in five years’ time, it will be an easier matter.
Anyway, for today’s Corvid, let’s kick off with a little fellow very well-known and popular with our American readership.
http://KenThomas.us courteously released this photo to the Public Domain
Here’s the info, which for each of the Corvids in this series will be presented in a similar tabular form.
| Common Name | Blue jay |
| Other names | Jaybird, Bluebird |
| German | Blauhaeher |
| French | Geai bleu |
| Russian | Голубая сойка |
| Polish | Modrosójka błękitna |
| Scientific Name | Cyanocitta cristata |
| Number of species in the genus | 2 |
| Number of subspecies in this species | 4 |
| Literal meaning of Scientific name | Dark blue jay, crested. |
| Described by | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| First attested in literature | 1731 by Mark Catesby |
| Wingspan (cm) | 43 |
| Length bill to tail (cm) | 30 |
| Distribution | North America, especially eastern side |
| Remarks | Aggressive to other birds, omnivorous, including catching insects on the wing. Like squirrels, can hide nuts for later use. Wide range of vocalisations including the mimicking of human speech. |
| Migrations | Limited, in some populations |
| Sexual dimorphism | Males and females similar in size and plumage |
| Close relatives | Steller’s jay, of the Rocky Mountains |
| Not close relatives thought to be close | Crested jay (not a Corvid but a Laniid) |
| Cultural significance | High, in America. References in African American traditions and also because of its iconic appearance frequently adopted as a mascot. In Vera Lynne’s song @there’s ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover” the bird most likely to be envisaged by American listeners would be this bird, but neither this nor any other obvious candidate for the name “bluebird” actually lives in the UK. |
The New Tommy Boyd Show 22nd September 2008
Original YT playout date: 24 December 2008
Duration: 3:56:49
There are but two of these, the first in the new series of Tommy Boyd starting on 22nd September. After that, the cams went off. This is the penultimate radio show I have to play out from http://www.Playradiouk.com . In the new year, if the cams come back and they want me to do more, there may be more, but I don’t know anything for sure about that yet. As it is, enjoy this fantastic show and then the last show from the 23rd September, which I plan to upload between Christmas and New Year.
This particular show caused no end of controversy, as Tommy revealed it was indeed his own decision to allow the skype chats associated with the show to be “privatised”.
In the first half hour Seismorg bravely takes on Tommy about this decision, and gets told that he doesn’t have a right to his opinion. That’s what Seismorg thought Tommy said, although regular listeners will know that Tommy has an a priori view that people do not, per se, have a right to hold opinions unless they have put the work in to research them. but Seismorg took it personally, and after this was never to be heard on PlayRadio again. I hope that listening back people will see that no disrespect to him was intended, and somehow persuade him of this, as his input in shows is sorely missed.
Road Trip to Dadaj
Original YT playout date: 23 December 2008
Duration: 58:27
We drive in the company of Lord Moggy, Alan Heath and Marysia to a summer camp in Dadaj, seeing the roads of northern Poland on the way. When Alan is around, the conversation always flows, so enjoy!
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Sokolniki (Huliganov’s Moscow#6/7)
Original YT playout date: 21 December 2008
Duration: 20:44
A quick look at the place I used to live in Moscow, and supper with my friend Artem from TV7.
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An analysis at what may be the half-way mark
Here is my analysis of the medals table as run by Worldometer. The source data is theirs with some additional analysis by me, and in particular the countries are arranged by persons recorded to have died of Covid19, and I have added in the column deaths per case, and made a colour-scaling on the top 100 countries, by deaths, both of cases per thousand inhabitants (“C/Th”) and deaths per case as a percentage (“D/C”).
The scalings serve to assist us visually in the making of a number of observations, and namely:
1. There is little correlation between cases per thousand and deaths per case. I would have expected a slight negative correlation, which would corroborate the thesis that a higher number of cases per thousand is noted by countries with higher testing while the same would give a lower deaths per case rate, and this is not really seen, however the cases per thousand figure range is skewed by the outlier San Marino.
2. Which segues into the second point, that the range of cases per thousand is very broad indeed, even when counting only the top 100 countries on the medals table for number of deaths so far. San Marino is a clear outlier, Andorra also, but below 5/1000 they start to come thick and fast, but still there are those in the top 100 even which are coming in at fewer than 0.25/1000. A high population country like Tanzania is able to record 0.1, just under the top 100 by deaths, and within the top 100, India and China seem to pull the scale average down strongly with 0.07 and 0.06 cases per thousand respectively. For the Indians reading that’s 70 cases per lakh, by the way. This is a sizeable range of incidence of cases and seems to have little correlation to geography or economy. Certainly economy is almost working against this statistic, as some of the highest sufferers are also high GDP/capita countries. The total of that column is meaningless as it is a sum of those percentages, it should of course show the world average which is 0.61, kept so low by India and China’s 0.06 and 0.07 C/Th readings, given that they together make up 36.4% of the world’s population but only 2.4% of the global deaths so far.
3. The other observation I would like to make is the range of deaths per case reported, even among countries of big populations and big incidences. Belgium at 16.37% is the highest, but is not even an outlier as you have France, UK and Italy following not far behind. From the bottom of the graph we see a world average of 6.62% and most countries have kept below that figure, with Poland at 5% and Germany at 4.6%. The figures which may surprise us though come from Russia at 0.93% and Saudi Arabia, UAE, Belarus and some others also claiming results below 1% fatalities on Covid cases.
Either these people have different biologies – I know the phrase in Russian “Что русскому здоровье, то немцу смерть” (ie “what’s healthy for the Russian means death for the German”) but I don’t take it quite that literally – or else they are classifying their diseases quite differently.
Now if this were a real Olympic medal table, like the one they were supposed to be making in Japan right now, to prepare for a real international sporting event, and each nation made up its own rules for the way the games and sports should be done, it would be chaos, there would be accusations of cheating and the result would not be something that anyone could make any fair conclusions from.
This is the problem here – we may be able to get our act together internationally on how to play silly games and run around a field, but on an important matter of this consequence, where we have swept the Olympics aside over it, as well as our livelihoods and educations of our children and their futures, we cannot get any consensus.
Russia is saying “if someone has something that would probably have killed them in the foreseeable future anyway, and this death has only been hastened by Covid, then we still say that that other illness is the reason for the death”, while most western countries are saying “if a person dies having Corona virus, then they die OF Corona virus, and many have co-morbidities”. Many in the West may well agree with Russia’s take, or may say that the truth is in the middle, which is probably where Germany is defining it. Either that or they have really good treatments they are not telling us about, the rotters.
Before blaming these countries, though, consider closer to home, the misreporting of care home deaths first in France, then in the UK which needed correction. And then the refusal by the UK or the Netherlands to published “recovered” statistics and therefore not allow the active cases curve on a world basis to assume the reassuring parabola it has taken on in many countries. There seems to be no consensus on what a “recovered” case looks like, but if we don’t have that information then we cannot make important decisions, on an international basis, including when to allow travel between countries.
Countries with similar incidences, similar approaches to containment and are at a similar point in the curve may be able to open borders between each other on an exclusive basis, gradually gathering other countries in, but at present there is little basis for doing so as the way these things are even talked about and measured is inconsistent. This is a number one lesson to learn in the very near future, so that the second half of this crisis is managed a bit better than the first half.
If it isn’t, then it won’t be the second half, but the greater part of it. And with very good management it could be that we are well pasrt half-way.
Now the thing is, it calls for international co-operation. The EU had no international health policy simply referring all that back to the WHO. The WHO lost credibility with a number of countries. Now with or without the WHO there will be calls for more international level health government, and this is a very easy way for world government to push one stage nearer. A world government which belongs only to Christ but which will be first assumed by the Usurper, as we know from very ancient texts.
The speed at which this could now go, and the technology that can be applied with its implications in terms of freedoms and invigilation by the State, is something all too recognisable to anyone versed in scripture.
