Carrion Luggage (Book)

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Carrion Luggage

Carrion Luggage

Native to the Americas, the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) travels widely in search of sustenance. While usually foraging alone, it relies on other individuals of its species for companionship and mutual protection. Sometimes misunderstood, sometimes feared, sometimes shunned, it nevertheless performs an important role in the ecosystem.

This scavenger bird is a marvel of efficiency. Rather than expend energy flapping its wings, it instead locates uplifting columns of air, and spirals within them in order to glide to greater heights. This behavior has been mistaken for opportunism, interpreted as if it is circling doomed terrestrial animals destined to be its next meal. In truth, the vulture takes advantage of these thermals to gain the altitude needed glide longer distances, flying not out of necessity, but for the joy of it.

It also avoids the exertion necessary to capture live prey, preferring instead to feast upon that which is already dead. In this behavior, it resembles many humans.

It is not what most of us would consider to be a pretty bird. While its habits are often off-putting, or even disgusting, to members of more fastidious species, the turkey vulture helps to keep the environment from being clogged with detritus. Hence its Latin binomial, which translates to English as "golden purifier."

I rarely know where the winds will take me next, or what I might find there. The journey is the destination.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

TJ says, "keep on keeping on!"

11 minutes ago
In response to "Fight the Power"

I think they missed something. How much does a person use power tools? If a person's work depends on power tools, sure, get the latest and greatest, but if the person is like me and uses them occasionally, why spend a small fortune to upgrade something that's collecting dust?

Winter's spud❄️

about 2 hours ago
In response to "Fight the Power"

In this house, the only reason to buy power tools has been because we don't posses the tech yet.(or we lost the tool somewhere.)

I gotta say, the tone of the article brought to mind Tim Allen's show Home Improvement and his catch phrase "More Power!"

1 Like

Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008

about 4 hours ago
In response to "Fight the Power"

My husband loved power tools. He had quite a few..the battery ones not so good cause the battery never lasted long enough and he was always misplacing the chargers..although that could have been the dementia. My brother has has every tool known to man!

1 Like

Aiva Raine

about 23 hours ago
In response to "Conflicting Emotions"

Um, weren't they called Trolls before this? Is this some new gen?? thing where they come up with a new name for something that's already been named?

Granted- I suppose not all Trolls make money being trolls- but...it's the same thing. Someone that gets off- whether financially or otherwise out of pushing buttons by saying disgusting things.

Robert Waltz

a day ago
In response to "It's a Tie"

I Heart My Sox

-

{/f ont}

1 Like

I Heart My Sox

a day ago
In response to "It's a Tie"

Bowties are cool just ask The Doctor..

2 Like

TJ says, "keep on keeping on!"

a day ago
In response to "It's a Tie"

Since clip-on ties is not actually tied, are they still ties?

1 Like

Annette

Feb 5, 2026 at 2:25pm
In response to "Conflicting Emotions"

Politicians are kind of forced to take a black or white approach to certain issues because they are tasked to cast votes on behalf of their own voters. There are votes where there should be no room for nuance. Like, we can't choose to "nuke such and such city only a little bit." We either nuke it or we don't.

The problem in this case aren't politicians who say, "It's a hard no from me." The problem are the conflict entrepreneurs who want to rile up enough voters into calling their representatives to cast a "yes" vote on nuking such and such city.

1 Like

Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008

Feb 5, 2026 at 12:55pm
In response to "Conflicting Emotions"

There are people who only live to cause trouble..now they have a name. A lot of them are politicians.

💘 Richard 💘

Feb 5, 2026 at 10:09am
In response to "Conflicting Emotions"

"We see example after example in popular media of people who make their living off of reducing complicated issues into black-and-white binaries, removing nuance from conversation in favor of parroted talking points, and stereotyping the many based off the actions of the few."

I think we call these people politicians, whom we elect to govern, which is why there is much governance taking place.

February 7, 2026 at 9:32am

#1107785

Fight the Power

I'm linking to Lifehacker today. Yeah, yeah, I know. Bear with me.

Five Reasons You Should Upgrade Your Power Tools (Even If They’re Not That Old)

Let me guess: 1) You're 2) getting 3) money 4) for 5) this.

Quality power tools are an investment, and if you take proper care of them, they’ll last a long time.

It's been a while since I bought power tools, so I'm not even sure which brands can be trusted, these days.

But power tools have seen a lot of advancement in recent years. While your old warhorses might still perform their core function well enough, if your drills, saws, and other power tools are five years old or older, it’s time to consider upgrading to a more modern version, for a range of reasons.

Seriously, this strikes me less as helpful advice and more as a tool companies paying for an ad that looks like an article.

And, indeed, they mention some brands by name in the article. But let's see what they come up with:

Advances in battery technology

I suppose this is fair enough. But if you've purchased a battery-powered tool of any kind, hopefully you're aware that the battery isn't going to last forever, regardless. Such tools are going to need to be replaced sooner than corded ones, in general.

Improved ergonomics

This feels like a stretch.

Get it? Ergonomics? Stretch? No? No. I'll be here all week.

And yeah, it's looking more and more like a paid ad.

More powerful motors

Uh huh. If it was, and remains, adequate for what you need it for, are you just upgrading because you're a Manly Man Who Must Have More Power?

Better safety features

Seems to me that the best safety feature is familiarity (provided one doesn't get complacent).

Smart technology

Until it can do the job on its own, I'm not interested.

I really didn't have much else to say, today. Just that stealth advertising sucks.

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