As chosen by survey (the 30th album starting with ‘T’), today’s spotlight is on number 816 from The List, submitted by pjohanneson. Though perhaps “story” is a better word for it. Gather ’round, class…

Once upon a time, there was a group of Martins who decided to live in a House, instead of with a Ricky, or with a Dean (and certainly not with a Hannett). The group came to be known in the neighborhood as “the House Martins” (or, if one was in a hurry, “the Housemartins“).

These Martins liked to make a bunch of sounds together, and liked to give names to short collections of their sounds, like “Happy Hour”, “There Is Always Something There to Remind Me”, or “Think For A Minute”.

Then, one day, during happy hour, something there reminded one of the Martins, and he thought for a minute: “I’m far too Fat and far too Slim to be a Martin in a House. Perhaps I should instead live as a Boy, not in a House.” And so, the Fat Slim Boy (or, as the other Martins started to call him, “Fatboy Slim“) moved out of the House, and the Martins who still lived in the House stopped making a bunch of sounds together.

But then, perhaps again during happy hour, perhaps again because something there reminded them, two of the Martins who were left behind thought for a minute that they still really liked to make a bunch of sounds together. They had heard of a Beautiful place, somewhere down South, where they could continue to make a bunch of sounds together as ex-Martins, perhaps even with others who were not Martins. And so, the ex-Martins moved to the Beautiful South, where they joined some not-Martins, and continued to make a bunch of sounds together.

One day, this new group of ex-Martins and not-Martins decided to make an entire collection of short collections of sounds in honor of sex hotlines and sexy instruments such as the glockenspiel. To ensure the wrong idea was not given by this collection of sounds, they decided to give one short collection of sounds the name “36D”. However, in the end, this short collection of sounds made one of the not-Martins, who was called “Briana”, move away from the Beautiful South, to make her own bunch of sounds.

In 2007, the ex-Martins and not-Martins who were left behind would permanently move away from the Beautiful South, due to “musical similarities”.

• Songwhip: The Beautiful South – 0898 Beautiful South
• Discogs: The Beautiful South – 0898 Beautiful South
• Wikipedia: The Beautiful South – 0898 Beautiful South

((This ridiculous write-up is courtesy of my dog absolutely hating the song “36D” (or, more accurately, hating me singing the song “36D”). Well, that and me also not liking it/the album. And then me having a not-so-crisis-ey crisis in which I didn’t know if I should be sharing my opinion of albums I don’t like on The List. It is true that the lyrics of “36D” (and of some other songs) are partially to blame for Briana Corrigan leaving the band, as is the fact that the entire band has since stated that the song “36D” hasn’t dated well. But the album isn’t just one song, and the band isn’t just one album, and lots of bands/albums we love have cringe-y songs, and my tastes don’t necessarily reflect the quality of an album, etc., etc… And so, my only advice here is, if you’re a dog person, perhaps avoid singing “36D” to it.))

[Alt text for accompanying image: The album artwork is a perhaps a photo, featuring 5 doll faces with various expressions, with each face placed upwards on the back of a striped turtle. The album name is in black font at the top center, and there is a cream-colored background.]

https://1001otheralbums.com/2024/04/23/the-beautiful-south-0898-beautiful-south-1992-uk/

Over 200 #MigratoryBird species endangered by #ExtremeWeather

Dec 8, 2023
By Imogen Howse via SWNS

More than 200 migratory bird species are endangered by extreme weather events such as #cyclones and #droughts, according to a new report.

And the situation is only set to worsen with #ClimateChange, say scientists.

The new study, by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), highlights the extent to which migratory birds – such as #eagles, #cranes, #swifts, #buzzards, and #nightjars – are impacted by cyclones and droughts.

These extreme weather events lessen the already tight windows of opportunity for migration, threatening both the lives of birds and their ability to carry out tasks that benefit the world’s #ecosystems – such as #PestControl and plant #pollination.

Research indicates that events like cyclones and droughts will only increase in frequency and severity as the planet’s temperatures continue to rise, meaning conservation efforts are essential if migratory birds are to survive.

The study found that 182 migratory bird species were ‘highly exposed’ to either cyclones or droughts in either their breeding or wintering ranges, while an additional 67 migratory bird species were ‘highly exposed’ to both weather events in a singular range.

Cranes, #crakes, rails, and nightjars were most exposed to cyclones, while #hawks, eagles, v#ultures, and #kites were most exposed to droughts.

The eastern #whippoorwill (a North American nightjar) and the grey-faced #buzzard (one of the only raptors to migrate over the ocean, traveling from Japan and Korea to southeast Asia) are particularly exposed to both weather events.

This is not only dangerous for the birds themselves but also for the planet, as migration also functions as a way to keep the ecosystem healthy.

Meanwhile, species such as the common swifts – often seen soaring across the British skies in spring and summer – provide insect control and crop protection, both in their breeding grounds in #Europe and #Asia and in their wintering grounds in #Africa.

Senior author Professor Nathalie Pettorelli, from ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, said: “We cannot ignore how important migration is for #GlobalEcosystem health.

“These birds travel huge distances every year to raise chicks and survive the colder months, connecting ecosystems across the world.

“They provide vital ecosystem benefits including pest control and pollination of plants, while sometimes acting as key food sources for local wildlife.

“These birds are also a source of delight for millions of bird watchers and enthusiasts around the world – and many species that we are used to seeing here in the UK, such as #Swifts, #PiedFlycatchers, and #HouseMartins, are already being exposed to these extreme events.”

Lead author Rhys Preston Allen, a former student at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology who is now doing his PhD at Imperial College London, added: “We are already seeing worrying declines in migratory species populations around the world.

“Migration is a vital survival strategy that evolved because the benefits - such as increased food availability - outweighed the costs.

“Unfortunately, this balance is shifting under escalating pressures from climate change and other threats, leading to less predictable ‘windows of opportunity’ along birds’ migratory routes.

“This trend not only endangers the bird species involved, but also threatens the entire global network of ecosystems reliant on their migrations.”

Dr. Henry Häkkinen, study co-author and researcher at ZSL, argued that this starts with a greater understanding of the threats birds are facing – pointing to the fact that, while the study identifies a significant number of species exposed to cyclones and droughts, only 28 are currently listed as threatened by these events.

He explained: “Extreme weather events such as cyclones and droughts aren’t always factored into extinction risk assessments – but our work shows they must be.

“The Red List is vital for guiding conservation, and as our understanding of the threats wildlife face grows, our assessments of their extinction risk must adapt to ensure we don't miss vital windows for action.”

Meanwhile, Professor Pettorelli emphasized the need for nations to work together to address global warming.

She said: “World leaders are currently in Dubai to discuss the action needed to tackle climate change.

“The biodiversity and climate change crises are two sides of the same coin.

“Not only is it imperative we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid climate chaos and protect people and wildlife, but it is also essential that decision-makers champion nature and healthy, functioning ecosystems as key players for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

“In the fight against climate change, humans and wildlife are allies.

“We need action now: the road to a sustainable future where humans and wildlife thrive is clear; all we need is the political will to get us there.”

Source:
https://www.wfmz.com/science_and_tech/over-200-migratory-bird-species-endangered-by-extreme-weather/article_c1706c9c-a8bd-5317-9832-8e6715582a3b.html