BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 30 May 02 - 04:11 PM

This here is a no-shitter. Many years ago, I was staying on a sailboat for a festival. In the morning, when I was rowing in to go to a rehearsal, I saw 4 beautiful swans take off and fly in my direction. As they came near me, they all unloaded simultaneously. The poop hit the water right next to my yawl boat. I have distrusted swans ever since.

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 May 02 - 08:25 AM

The seagulls, they fly high over here (over here),
The seagulls, they fly high over here;
The seagulls, they fly high,
And they....yuckkk!

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 May 02 - 08:39 PM

Brings to mind Tippi Hedren being whacked in the head by a sea gull. Great story, Brett. Someone must have a video????

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 May 02 - 11:26 AM

There are seagulls around North Texas, but not so many that they're pests like in some coastal areas. In this region we also have some very talented and well-behaved mockingbirds and last night I heard one (from on top of my next door neighbor's HAM radio tower) doing a huge array of calls. This Bobby McFerrin of mockingbirds even had a seagull in its repertoir (along with car alarms and other mechanical sounds from our urban environment). I had my 10-year-old son come sit outside with me to listen, and during the performance he saw his first fireflies of the season. Music and fireworks--a truly entertaining dusk in the back yard.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 May 02 - 03:12 PM

I would think so but then I am not as attached to an anthropomorphic world view as some people.

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: DonD
Date: 27 May 02 - 10:07 PM

Was it Demosthenes or some other ancient Greek who supposedly was killed when he fell asleep by the shore and a gull dropped a clam on him from agreat height, mistaking his bald head for a rock?

BTW, much is made of certain mokeys using sticks to poke anys or larvae out of crevices, tool usage indicating a high level of intelligence. Doesn't using a rock as a 'nutcracker' qualify, too?

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Naemanson
Date: 27 May 02 - 08:23 PM

You would think they would know better but then they are military and bureaucrats and generally can't think outside the box.

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 May 02 - 09:35 AM

Oh bliss!!! There is a God and s/he loves seagulls and VIPs with red faces!!

Did any of them by any remote chance... try to lighten their loads maybe??

And it's obvious that the organisers don't live near the coast! I've had a whole cornish pasty removed deftly from my grasp by the most violent seagulls on the south coast of the UK... they live in Sidmouth and are the bastard offspring of a vulture and a ME109. Mind you, it was of such solid construction that they had to drop it three times before the pastry broke! They practice on holiday makers before swarming in for the real feast during Sidmouth Festival. There are times it isn't safe to go out without a stout hat and a packet of wet wipes. When they retire, they go to Hastings.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 May 02 - 01:12 AM

I thought it was ginna be a music thread! LOL!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Naemanson
Date: 25 May 02 - 11:00 AM

Hi Kat. Yes I know Schooner Fare. Chuck and Steve Romanov and Tommy Rowe are local guys. If I have the story right they started out in a group called Devonsquare but split off to form Schooner Fare quite some time ago. They have an annual reunion concert in Portland where they feature friends and rebuild the group.

I think Steve has backed off from performing a lot but Chuck and Tom have formed a group called Turkey Hollow Consort. It includes Tom's son, I believe. They are worth a listen as well.

I love the songs on SF's CDs but I don't go to a live concert. They have trapped themselves in a cycle of doing and redoing the same show. Once you've seen them you never have to go again. However, there is apparently quite an appeal for that because they used play out a lot until Steve backed off.

Ebbie, I have no idea what condition the food was in. I was laughing too hard at the description of the event to ask questions. My friend did say that she did NOT partake of the buffet.

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 May 02 - 11:55 PM

HeyaNaes, I went looking for news stories about this and was led to this site for a cd by Schooner Fare up in Lewiston. Did you by any chance know them or know the CD? I love the words to some of their songs!

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 May 02 - 11:45 PM

They drop clams from on high letting gravity break them on the stones below. Were they trying to crack open the cutlery? How much did they "take away?" LOL...thanks for telling us about it!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 May 02 - 10:56 PM

Good gracious. What condition was the food in? Have you ever stood under a horde of circling seagulls?

Subject: Of Seagulls and VIPs
From: Naemanson
Date: 24 May 02 - 09:47 PM

I just had to share this funny story. It's too good to keep to myself. I got it from a good friend who was present for the following events:

Last Friday, May 17, 2002, the Navy base at Winter Harbor Maine was officially "transitioned" to the National Park Service. (For those who are not seeking re-election from the newly unemployed in that area "transitioned" means "closed".) There was a big ceremony. Admirals, captains, the Governor of the State of Maine, representatives from the congressional delegation (the senators and representatives didn't have the guts to show up themselves), officials from the town government and the National Park Service, were in attendance. The day was beautiful with ice blue skies and evergreens. The ceremony was held outdoors in front of Building 1, a very picturesque sight indeed. There were speeches and flags flying and music from the band. Very stirring.

Because it was such a beautiful day they set up a nice buffet line on the veranda of Building 1 for the visiting dignitaries and the audience after the ceremony. This was behind the speaker's podium with a concrete wall between the ceremony and the veranda.

The ceremonial speeches were being delivered and all was going well when the first seagulls glided in to the buffet...

It took a while for those NOT in the audience (including the sailors who had set out the food) to notice the uninvited guests. The desperate mess attendants crawled out to do battle on their hands and knees so they wouldn't be visible to those involved in the solemn ceremony. They tried everything they could to clear out the gulls and when the gulls left, of course, they flew out over the crowd...

The dignitaries spoke on, blissfully unaware of the battle that raged between the sailors and the hungry gulls. They must have wondered, however, at the actions of the audience who winced and ducked whenever a gull flew over.

I think it was the crashing of the cutlery on the concrete that might have first got their attention...

I don't know if the official reports of the event mentioned the incident. I did hear a brief report on the radio but there was no mention of the gulls.