Duckling Update

WHEW! Last week was a crazy week! Too many things flying around all demanding attention - online and off. Luckily, I have a terrific article for you today from an “outside” writer.

But, First ... the Duckling Update

As of this writing on Friday, we still have 14 babies, and what a band of little outlaws they are! Every day, I see Adorable Dora teach them something else about being grown up. They always take it and run with it!

Right now, I'm watching them swim together about 15 feet out in front of Dora. Either she told them ahead of time, or they decided where they're going to hang out this morning. And that's where they're headed - to a shady spot on other side of the lake.

They are at least as big at 17 days as Alex was at three weeks, last year. Of course, that could be because of the food they forage for themselves in addition to what I feed them.

One of them finally decided to take something from my hand, yesterday. It almost did it the day before, but Mom moved in and stopped it. Yesterday, she allowed it.

I've read repeatedly that daddy ducks do not take care of their baby mamas or the ducklings. Ha! They should see this outfit!

We have outside lights here for night time. Last night, I looked out and saw Dora, Leroy, Jake and Cody all lying in a fairly close circle (or square, if you prefer) on the bank of the lake with all the babies in the middle. I tried to get a photo, but they were too far away. Amazingly cute!

To Answer a Couple of Questions ...

Someone wrote and asked me why I hadn't mentioned any of the ducklings looking as if they belong to Cody (The turkey-sized Caretaker) when I named the rest of the drakes. Well, for some reason I don't understand, Cody doesn't mate. But, he also doesn't quack, so I know he isn't female.

Maybe he's too busy acting as the patriarch and taking care of the rest of the flock. He's also the only one of the riff-raff bunch that won't eat out of my hand. (The mallards never have, either.) Cody is just a little different. He'll only occasionally even eat a treat from me if I throw it to him. Mostly, he completely snubs me, although he does come up to the patio.

The second question was from someone who had always believed barnyard-type ducks don't fly. Yet I mention these flying.

Well, Cody started it. He hangs out with the mallards about a third of the time, although he'll protect his own flock from them. Then, he learned he could fly, too. I don't know if it's because he has enough mallard in him, or just because he's so big and has such powerful wings.

Next, was Dora. She learned it could get her away from the unwelcome advances of the mallards faster. She never flies high like Cody, but I have seen her fly almost clear across the lake, maybe four or five feet off the water.

Next, Leroy - who flies about like Dora. Jake doesn't fly except for very short distances when he's in a hurry to get to the lake.

It might be because he's the smallest and may not have the strength of the others. You wouldn't know it to see him chase those mallards, though. He's quite ferocious when he's after them.

So, again, I have no explanation. I only know what they do.

I just realized this morning one of the reasons I write so much about ducks and things at the lake. I am so enraged at some of the crap going on in the world, this keeps me in the safe zone.

Maybe this is a warning. I'm not really sure how much longer I'm going to be able to keep my mouth shut - or my "pen" quiet. And, that's all I've got to say about that ... for now.

Traffic

I still haven't come up with a new traffic system for us to experiment with. The last one certainly brought in more traffic - but nothing like it promised. But, then promises are seldom produced when it comes to web traffic.

We'll come back to this as soon as I have time to find another one for us to try.

PayPal and Other Business Challenges

PayPal must have an idiot running their department that handles secondary funding sources, i.e., our credit card and banking information. I can't help but wonder how hard it is to live this stupid.

As you may know, when you update credit card or banking information at PayPal, they may cancel all your subscriptions. If you remove the old information before adding the new - it's all gone.

Now, it seems they are canceling subscriptions when someone's credit card expires - if you are using a credit card as your secondary funding source. Ridiculous!

But, far be it from them to simply send you a notice that your card needs to be updated. Rather, they'll let your membership companies deal with the situation of unintentional canceled subscriptions! Not to mention they are wasting our time dealing with their asinine business policies! UMPH!

My other business challenge is this: I love getting to know my readers on a more personal level. I've learned so much about you in the past few months - especially, what fascinating lives you lead.

The problem with that is, although I like having you think of me as a friend, I still have a business to run. And, friendship can get in the way of that.

Since I live The MASTER COURSE, I always manifest whatever I need. I don't say, “whatever I want” because I don't bother with that much, anymore. Been there - done that. It works, and that's all I needed to know.

I have no interest in making a fortune, or even the big bucks. I've already done that in my lifetime and it was a giant PITA. Why would I want to go back?

I also tend to give away most of what I have, anyway. And, I'm okay with that. It's what I do.

However - iCop is a lot of hard work. And this organization must adhere to good business practices. Otherwise, what kind of example am I setting for other online businesses?

iCop is well-known and makes a positive statement on the World Wide Web. I know that for a fact. I also know what, maybe, you don't - that iCop turns down almost as many new members as we accept.

Therefore, iCop ain't always rollin' in dough, like many folks think. iCop still has to pay the bills to stay in business - just like everyone else!

I do everything I can to give you as much as possible, whether it's “freebies” or working with you to the extent I can if you're having a hard time.

So, please don't give in to the impulse to take advantage of our friendship. Business is business, and it has to stay that way.

No matter what else goes on, whether with PayPal or iCop, business needs to go on in the most professional way possible.

Have a fabulous week, and ... Keep on Keepin' On!

     jl

Join me on Twitter - twitter.com/jlscott_iCop

Sink or Swim!

Here's the story ...

One day last week, I noticed that ET (my VERY dramatic pet cockatiel) had one fairly long flight feather on one wing and another just peeking out on the other. That morning, I had decided to wait to clip those wings until both sides were out far enough to do a good job.

One clipping is always better than two because he traumatizes me so badly when I do the deed. Yes, I got that right. He traumatizes me. He hates it!

Later that morning, I heard Adorable Dora (our resident sitting mamma duck) raising hell, outside, and went tearing out there to see what was after her. It was only one of The Twins (mallard drake).

A friend also ran out. After we ran off The Twin, we were talking, when she said, “Oh look! There's a baby out there!”

God help me, I knew before I even turned around - it was ET! It hit me that I had run out that door and didn't close it, while ET was on his playground.

That little sh** had flown the 35 feet to the lake and another 25 feet across it, before he came down. And, there he sat - swimming like a duck and looking around, very confused.

I immediately thought about that cottonmouth in the lake - then, put him out of my mind. I told myself not to panic because it would panic ET. The ducks were all swimming around him as if they were wondering, “What the hell is that?”

I went to the bank of the lake and started calling him as if I were playing with him. As soon as he figured out where my voice was coming from, and saw me, he started scrambling toward me.

He seemed to swim a little bit, then would kinda jump and flap his wings, which would move him forward a bit more. He just did those two things over, and over and over.

That 25 feet seemed a very long way - especially to that little bird. But, he made it! He couldn't climb out, since the lake level is a bit down. But, I offered my thumb, told him to “Step up,” and he did.

I wrapped my other four fingers around him to keep him from flying again. But, I don't think he could, anyway. He was drenched. And, his little heart was beating so fast, I was afraid he was going to keel over on the spot.

For two hours, he wouldn't leave my body - which was okay. I was watching him closely for shock and keeping him warm. These little parrots really can keel over at any trauma - either from shock or heart attack.

I still held my breath as I uncovered his cage the next morning. But, he was fine. Strutting around like he'd won a prize!

I guess he should. I didn't know a cockatiel had a prayer of swimming, so I got online to see. Everything I read stated they can not swim. In fact, one person wrote, “There isn't a parrot on earth that can swim ...” Well, excuse me, but there's at least ONE in Central Louisiana!

All I can figure out is maybe he thinks he's one of those ducks, and he sees them swimming every day. I'll never know how he did it without webbed feet, but the fact remains - he did.

The distance he flew didn't surprise me. He's always been a extraordinarily strong flyer, which is why I have to do such severe wing clips - 10 flight feathers back.

Plus, he always gets mad, and yells at me, when I go outdoors. He wants to go with me. But, all he ever gets is to be put out in a cage.

Now, all I have to worry about is what he might have picked up in that lake. But, I'm dosing him. And, I've noticed, he's been a bit less arrogant since it happened.

Of course, I'm doing my penance. For not clipping when I knew I should - and for being so incredibly careless as to leave a door open. That is beyond stupid when you have a bird - clipped, or not!

Traffic Experiment

If you signed up to participate in our web site traffic experiment, would you please send me a quick note to let me know? I need to get a count of numbers of participants to see how this is working.

I also need to know if you sent the experiment on to your list. Or, anything else you may have done to promote the project.

jlscott@i-cop.org

If a traffic program has worked for you in the past, would you please send its URL to me? I need to investigate several to find the next one we'll add to our experiment.

Copyright Protection

The special price for Trade Journal readers on the Intellectual Property Protection Plan (IPPP) will end on April 30, 2010. You have just five days left to grab the lower price.

Read about it here:

i-cop.org/go/uJCbYg

Not only will you have the legal forms and advice on what to do when thieves take your material or products, you'll also discover how to stop it before the theft occurs!

i-cop.org/go/uJCbYg

I have a backlog of about three free things to turn you on to next week. If you're reading the blog, and you want the free stuff, you'll need to subscribe to the email version of the Trade Journal in the right column above. Stay tuned!

Have a swimmingly wonderful week, and ... Keep on Keepin' On!

     jl

Join me on Twitter - twitter.com/jlscott_iCop