Mixed Signals
Any sufficiently advanced information is indistinguishable from noise
Monday 19 January 2009, 11:38 AM
Once bittern...
However, some still slip through. I was enchanted, enlightened and - frankly - puzzled by one that alighted late last week. It began:
"Rescued Bittern
Rangers in the Lee Valley Regional Park were swift to act to rescue a rare Bittern on Wednesday (14th January) evening; the exhausted looking bird was lifted from Seventy Acres Lake, Fishers Green, close to the Bittern Information Point (BIP). Checks by the Park's staff revealed that the bird was hungry and weak, but not injured. Whilst the bird has regained much of its strength it is still not strong enough to be released back into the wild and is being looked after by a local Bittern expert, who said "Although it's eating well it can't stand unaided and the vet thinks it will be anywhere between three days and a couple of weeks before it's strong enough to be released."
Fantastic! But... why me? Perhaps the Bittern Information Point (BIP) is some Web 2.0 gateway/portal designed to be accessible by large wading members of the heron family. And the bittern is famous for communications - its distinctive 'boom' call can be heard for miles.
So I asked:
"Thanks for that.
I am a bit confused about why you sent it to me, though. ZDNet UK is an enterprise IT web site, and only rarely covers events of interest to the avian community.
Is the Bittern Information Point internet-enabled?
Cordially,
Rupert"
Today, I had my reply:
"Sorry, but your address was automatically picked up from Vocus distribution lists when wildlife was selected!"
Vocus? American company offering PR-based software. Never heard of it before, but it's heard of me. And, clearly, my fondness for wildlife. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out that this isn't the sort that goes Boom! in reed beds (although I do love me some river), but the sort that goes Boom! Boom! Boom! in Soho.
If I hear any more about the bittern, I'll let you know. Any news from Soho's going to have to wait until Februray: Januaries are dry, schloss Goodwins.
PreviousComments on this post
There's a memorable segment in on of Gerald Durrell's books where he aquires a bittern, which reacts to this by skewering him up one nostril with its beak (missing his eye only due to his lightening animal-collector reflexes). He finds this difficult to explain to his wife:
G's wife: "what happened"
G: (through bloody nose) "bittern"
G's wife: "I can see you've been bitten, but what by?"
Your management lark is not good for our reading, there is a distinct lack of blogs/dialog box from you...... Start delegating..... :o)
Ah loved this Rupert -
It reminds me of when I used to be involved with a magazine called "Developer" and I would get press releases letting me know about revolutionary new bauxite compounds for building developments suited to the outer east coast soils of Guatemala (and the like...)
No - not "developments" - we're interested in DEVELOPERS!
** sigh ** poor research I guess... I thought PR was about the five "P"s, preparation prevents p**s poor performance...
AdrianB
It was more Christmas and its aftershock, RTF! We've one Dialogue Box in the can, another being shot today (more on that later), and lots going on... it's going to be (and has been, so far) a busy 2009.
