The Coolest Thing...Sweaters for Penguins

The Penguin Foundation has a global callout for knitters to make pullovers for penguins in rehab.

Penguins caught in oil spills need the little jumpers to keep warm and to stop them from trying to clean the toxic oil off with their beaks.
Knitter Lyn Blom is the receptionist at Phillip Island Nature Parks in Victoria and has knitted many penguin jumpers over the years.
The Penguin Foundation is based at Phillip Island, which is known for having a large penguin colony.

Lyn Blom says it's not just major oil spills that cause problems for local penguins.
"Fishermen might clean out a container or something while they're at sea," says Lyn.
"It's a continuing problem," she says. "We get probably about 20 birds a year."
One advantage of knitting a penguin sweater is that they are small.

"They're very quick," says Lyn.

The Penguin Foundation also distributes the jumpers to other wildlife rescue centres where needed.

You can download more information about how to knit for penguins, including the knitting pattern and where to send the finished product.

While the Penguin Foundation's website says it currently has a 'good supply' of the little jumpers, the organisation also uses them in educational programs as well as selling them as a fundraising measure.

In 2011 the foundation raised money for a new Phillip Island Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre which can house up to 1500 penguins in the event of a major oil spill.

http://on.aol.com/video/adorable-penguin-sweaters-save-birds-trapped-in-oil-spills-518148361?icid=search_results_click

Cheers

Shika

National Grammar Day

Today is National Grammar Day!!!

Language is something to celebrate, and today, March 4 is the perfect day to do it. Let's try speak well, write well, and help others do the same!

About the Founder

National Grammar Day was established in 2008 by Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and author of Things That Make Us 

Cheers

Shika

Best Speech Ever!

Tennis star Li Na’s Speech at the Australian Open…

Click here to find out what she said.

A few things to remember in sad times

It’ll be three years since I moved into this community at the end of this month. I’m proud to be a part of a community where I can go to a local gas station and have them treat me like part of the family. I can go to my mechanic and know they will be honest with what’s going on with my vehicle. I can go to a local business and know they will stand behind their product. I can go to our health unit and be treated like a person not a number. Those are things that happen in a community like ours and we are truly blessed.

I’m also blessed to have a job where I’m able to give back to this community. I made a deal with myself when I got into this business 10 years ago that I would use this job for good, not to use it to belittle, attack someone just to inflate my own  ego. My parents brought me up with this simple philosophy. “If you don’t like it done to you, don’t do it to someone else. Respect and you in turn will be respected, even if you don’t agree with the person.” A very good general manager taught me something a few months ago….before you react, step back and look at the whole picture.

Over the past few years social media has mushroomed. Technology has made it so we can snap a picture on our phone and within seconds, hundreds of people know what’s going on via Facebook/Twitter/Instagram…….you get the point.

Technology has now become something that breeds gossip and hurt. We post our thoughts and opinions and our “I heard” or our “I just got a text” on our Facebook page with no consideration to what impact that may have on someone else. People feel their opinions are right and everyone needs to hear them so they justify social media as a way to get their point across. However I do feel sometimes our intentions may mean well, but step back and think about things before you post. Would you like to hear about a death or arrest or some bad news though Facebook? Would you like rumours and gossip posted about you, so your family and friends can read it and feel worse?

Our community has had several unnecessary and accidental deaths in the past several months. We need to be respectful and sensitive to what we post on social media. A good friend of mine did an interview with the news this past week about social media and made this comment. “Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back” Things we post can come back to haunt us.

Social media can be used for good, but like anything, bad comes with it too. I encourage everyone to use this simple philosophy when posting something on social media “How would I feel if this were said about me? Would I want my family and friends finding out I had something tragic happen to me via social media? Would I want people speculating things about me that are hurtful and in turn my loved ones get hurt?” If you are honest with yourself….your answer will be no.

Respect/Love and Kindness and even TACT goes a LONG way my friend. ( I apologise for any spelling mistakes)

Cheers

Shika

Here's something for your COLD day!!!!!

BRRRRR! It is cold!!! But there's ALWAYS something that can warm our hearts and make us smile

Cheers!

Shika

Great Olympic Video

A Touching Video

Here's a little something to make your day. :)

A Laugh for Your Day

 A London man said he rolled over in bed to cuddle his girlfriend and was shocked to come face to face with a fox.

Leon Smith, 30, said he thought he felt his girlfriend, Sophie Merrell, nuzzling the back of his neck, so he rolled over for a cuddle, 

Smith said he was shocked to discover Merrell had already left for work and the warm body next to his was actually a fox that had come in through the cat door.

"I just couldn't believe it. It was so calm, just staring at me," Smith said.


Smith said he chased the fox out of the house and the couple are now considering getting rid of the cat door to keep their home safe from future visits.


LOL.....

Cheers

Shika