Squirrels Acting Nuts -- Squirrel Crazy Dancing

Hola and happy weekend everyone!

You know I'm a squirrel nut -- I  nurture and fed a large tribe for 24 years at the former Maison Newton and am doing the same here at the new maison.  In the northeast corner of my backyard are two large clumps of arborvitae that have grown nearly as tall as a telephone pole and there are a couple of squirrel nests inside the thick foilage, very much concealed from prying eyes because the arborvitaes are evergreen.  Because of how sunshine and wind come into the fenced backyard, the ground underneath the arborvitae clumps is bare, and it is not uncommon on a sunny afternoon even in bitter cold to see a squirrel or two stretched out on the layer of dead leaves that I put down last autumn to "melt" away during the winter, soaking up the warm sunshine.  This morning as I sipped my coffee and watched the first group of squirrels come for their morning hazel nuts, peanuts and sunflower seeds just after sun rise, I noticed a squirrel doing a "crazy dance" on the bare ground beneath the arborvitaes!

I've seen this kind of behavior many times over the past 25 years; I sat down at the computer and, not sure how to describe the behavior, did a google search under "squirrel doing sommersaults and acting crazy" and sure enough, up popped lots of results, LOL!  I found this website -- backyardsquirrels.com -- please check it out, it is a hoot! -- and this video:



This kind of show presented to us by Mother Nature is exactly why I find my squirrels so entertaining!

Goddesschess News: The Moscow Open (Tournament B - Women's Chess Ghetto)

Hola darlings!

As far as I have been able to determine from the website for the 2015 Russian Open, only males are allowed to play in the "A" Tournament.  Female players are relegated to "B" and below.  Well, figures.  There are a lot of hungry Russian chessplayers these days who cannot afford to travel outside the country, so they flock to events like this one, and male players greatly out-number female players.  The Russian Open used to be a far-more well-funded international event, attracting top-level players from around the world.  These days, not so much.

As you know, I don't give a fig about men's events but the ladies, yes, they are important to track, and not only because of their gender.  What is going on in the world as a whole is reflected in the miniscule world of chess, only greatly magnified.  Who suffers first?  Always women and children.  So take a look at this list of all of the female players from the 2015 Moscow (NOT SO OPEN) Tournament - the "B" Event, and draw your own conclusions.  "RR" equals Russian Rubles, which are STILL falling relative to international currency standards, despite the relative stablization of the price of a barrel of oil the past couple of weeks -- but this has happened after the tournament concluded -- wonder if the players actually got paid???

Warning:  The Women's "B" Tournament Results is in Russian alphabetic script and I can't read a damn word, so I may be reporting average Siberian temperatures for the past 50 years:

Итоговое положение после 9 туров Ст.ном Ст.ном. Имя Гр ФЕД. Рейт. Очки  Доп1   Доп2   Доп3  K рейт+/- 1 2 WGM Lei Tingjie CHN 2429 8.0 52.5 48.5 7 10 14.6 2 1 WGM Goryachkina Aleksandra RUS 2451 7.0 55.5 51.5 5 10 5.0 3 23 WGM Mirzoeva Elmira RUS 2220 7.0 52.0 48.5 5 20 49.0 4 35 WFM Tokhirjonova Gulrukhbegim UZB 2181 7.0 46.5 43.0 6 40 98.8 5 11 IM Ovod Evgenija RUS 2324 7.0 42.0 39.5 7 10 0.7 6 6 IM Guseva Marina RUS 2375 6.5 54.0 50.5 5 10 3.5 7 3 WGM Szczepkowska-Horowska Karina POL 2415 6.5 53.0 48.5 4 10 -2.0 8 44 WFM Bayarmaa Bayarjargal MGL 2134 6.5 51.0 47.5 5 20 58.4 9 7 WGM Charochkina Daria RUS 2370 6.5 49.0 45.0 6 10 -7.0 10 8 WIM Bivol Alina RUS 2355 6.5 48.5 44.0 5 20 -4.6 11 10 FM Pustovoitova Daria RUS 2334 6.5 48.0 44.5 5 20 4.6 12 12 IM Vasilevich Irina RUS 2320 6.5 45.0 41.5 5 10 -4.1 13 26 WIM Schepetkova Margarita RUS 2216 6.0 55.0 50.5 5 20 39.0 14 38 WCM Hojjatova Aydan AZE 2170 6.0 52.0 48.5 6 40 83.6 15 24 WIM Matveeva Olga RUS 2220 6.0 51.5 47.5 6 20 12.0 16 13 WGM Maisuradze Nino FRA 2310 6.0 49.0 45.0 5 20 -9.6 17 17 WIM Ibrahimova Sabina AZE 2273 6.0 48.0 45.5 5 20 8.0 18 9 WGM Nakhbayeva Guliskhan KAZ 2344 6.0 48.0 44.0 5 20 -7.8 19 49 WIM Baraeva Irina RUS 2105 6.0 47.0 43.5 5 20 34.6 20 15 IM Galojan Lilit ARM 2283 6.0 43.5 40.0 5 10 -6.2 21 5 IM Bodnaruk Anastasia RUS 2402 6.0 43.0 39.5 4 10 -17.7 22 45 WFM Pavlova Kseniia RUS 2132 6.0 36.0 33.5 6 40 -2.8 23 21 WIM Dordzhieva Dinara RUS 2244 5.5 49.0 45.0 4 40 -14.0 39 WFM Smirnova Ekaterina RUS 2161 5.5 49.0 45.0 4 40 57.6 25 28 WFM Petrukhina Irina RUS 2210 5.5 47.5 43.5 4 20 3.4 26 31 WFM Averchenko Ekaterina RUS 2204 5.5 47.0 43.5 4 20 0.0 27 77 WFM Belova Olga RUS 1971 5.5 47.0 43.0 4 40 83.6 28 71 Maslova Polina RUS 1996 5.5 46.5 44.5 5 40 118.8 29 20 WFM Khlichkova Tatiana RUS 2257 5.5 46.5 43.5 5 20 -13.8 30 27 WIM Drozdova Dina RUS 2215 5.5 46.5 42.0 3 20 -4.0 31 19 WIM Komiagina Maria RUS 2262 5.5 45.5 42.0 4 20 -16.2 32 33 WIM Baraeva Marina RUS 2191 5.5 45.5 42.0 3 20 -15.8 33 53 Gaboyan Susanna ARM 2086 5.5 45.0 42.0 5 40 81.2 34 36 WFM Zherebtsova Alexandra RUS 2181 5.5 44.0 42.0 5 20 3.0 35 4 WGM Kovanova Baira RUS 2405 5.5 44.0 40.5 4 10 -23.8 36 37 Sukhareva Evgeniya RUS 2171 5.5 41.5 39.5 4 20 -10.0 37 65 WFM Novikova Galina RUS 2016 5.5 41.0 39.0 5 20 22.2 38 34 WFM Gvanceladze Anna RUS 2186 5.5 40.5 37.0 4 20 -15.8 39 61 Azimova Karina RUS 2032 5.5 40.0 39.0 4 20 30.2 40 42 WFM Shuvalova Polina RUS 2149 5.0 49.0 46.0 3 40 62.8 41 22 WIM Tarasova Viktoriya RUS 2235 5.0 47.5 44.0 3 20 -20.0 42 29 WFM Derakhshani Dorsa IRI 2208 5.0 46.0 43.0 4 40 -8.8 43 16 WIM Dauletova Gulmira KAZ 2277 5.0 45.5 41.5 3 20 -38.2 44 40 WFM Rjanova Valery RUS 2160 5.0 45.0 41.5 4 20 -5.4 45 43 WFM Obolentseva Alexandra RUS 2145 5.0 44.5 42.0 5 40 9.6 46 30 WIM Semenova Elena RUS 2206 5.0 43.5 41.0 4 20 -28.2 47 102 Kuznetsova Darya RUS 1845 5.0 43.0 40.5 3 40 106.4 48 60 Trapeznikova Darya RUS 2038 5.0 43.0 39.5 3 20 0.8 49 50 WFM Pershina Elena RUS 2103 5.0 42.5 40.5 4 20 10.6 50 56 WFM Khazieva Elza RUS 2070 5.0 42.0 39.0 4 40 7.2 51 59 WFM Utiatskaja Irina RUS 2039 5.0 41.5 39.0 4 40 33.2 52 62 WFM Lingur Zalina RUS 2029 5.0 40.5 37.0 4 40 13.2 53 66 Nosacheva Mariya RUS 2009 5.0 40.0 38.0 4 40 6.8 54 47 WFM Protopopova Anastasiya RUS 2111 5.0 40.0 37.0 4 40 -17.6 55 48 WFM Kochukova Anna RUS 2107 5.0 39.5 37.0 3 40 -38.8 56 67 Romanova Anastasia RUS 2005 5.0 39.0 36.5 5 20 -2.2 57 114 Dyachkova Maria RUS 1736 5.0 38.5 35.5 4 40 110.8 58 63 Alieva Alexandra RUS 2029 5.0 37.0 34.5 4 40 -35.2 59 14 WFM Belenkaya Dina RUS 2304 5.0 37.0 34.0 4 20 -58.4 60 41 WGM Shaydullina Sandugach RUS 2149 5.0 35.0 32.0 3 20 -45.6 61 55 Imeeva Aysa RUS 2077 4.5 46.0 42.0 4 20 -7.6 62 80 Komissarova Oksana RUS 1953 4.5 45.0 41.5 3 40 22.4 63 46 WFM Vifleemskaia Svetlana RUS 2111 4.5 45.0 41.0 2 20 -3.0 64 119 Zakariadze Irina RUS 1704 4.5 44.0 40.0 3 40 134.0 65 32 WFM Ivanova Karina RUS 2193 4.5 43.5 39.5 2 40 -92.8 66 54 WFM Paramzina Anastasya RUS 2083 4.5 43.0 40.0 4 40 8.0 67 58 Mokshanova Elizaveta RUS 2042 4.5 41.0 37.5 3 40 2.8 68 51 WFM Goltseva Ekaterina RUS 2099 4.5 40.5 37.5 3 40 -56.0 69 72 Shalukhina Tatyana KAZ 1993 4.5 39.5 37.0 4 20 -7.6 70 100 Aksenova Maria RUS 1863 4.5 39.0 36.5 4 40 58.8 71 95 Chan Naruna RUS 1883 4.5 38.5 36.0 4 20 13.8 72 73 Aseeva Anastasia RUS 1992 4.5 38.0 36.0 3 40 -5.2 73 94 Sorokina Natalay RUS 1887 4.5 36.0 33.0 4 40 31.6 74 81 Malova Anna RUS 1950 4.5 35.0 33.0 4 40 11.2 75 74 WFM Drogovoz Maria RUS 1991 4.5 34.5 32.5 3 40 -44.0 76 96 Smirnova Nina RUS 1880 4.5 34.0 32.0 4 20 7.0 77 112 Gutkovich Polina RUS 1744 4.5 29.0 28.0 4 40 -4.4 78 25 Li Xueyi CHN 2218 4.0 50.0 46.0 3 20 -28.6 79 78 Muratova Saltanat KAZ 1966 4.0 45.0 41.5 4 40 13.6 80 104 Shchevyeva Liubov RUS 1825 4.0 44.0 40.5 1 40 84.8 81 70 Abramova Yulia RUS 1997 4.0 41.0 38.0 3 20 -9.4 82 93 Pavlova Nataliy RUS 1891 4.0 40.5 38.5 4 40 23.6 83 105 Zhemchuzhina Elizaveta RUS 1803 4.0 40.5 38.5 3 40 68.4 84 90 Kozina Anastasia RUS 1897 4.0 40.0 37.5 3 40 32.8 85 101 Ochneva Inga RUS 1850 4.0 40.0 37.0 4 40 26.8 86 85 Tukaeva Adelya RUS 1930 4.0 39.5 37.5 3 40 -7.6 87 76 Litvinenko Ekaterina RUS 1976 4.0 38.5 35.5 4 40 -38.0 88 64 Kobozeva Viktoria RUS 2022 4.0 38.5 35.5 3 40 -43.2 89 68 Maltsevskaya Aleksandra RUS 2003 4.0 38.0 36.0 3 40 -27.6 90 82 Ivanova Svetlana RUS 1940 4.0 38.0 35.5 3 20 -18.0 91 108 Vinokur Yuliya RUS 1796 4.0 37.5 34.5 4 40 12.0 92 88 Muratova Anel KAZ 1905 4.0 35.5 34.5 4 40 2.8 93 115 Chistyakova Daria RUS 1733 4.0 34.5 32.0 4 40 35.2 94 91 Beshukova Ekaterina RUS 1892 4.0 34.0 32.0 3 40 -35.6 95 52 Morozova Ulia RUS 2093 4.0 33.5 31.5 3 40 -126.8 96 109 Makhno Maria RUS 1775 4.0 32.5 30.5 3 40 20.0 97 83 Lysenko Viktoria RUS 1936 4.0 32.0 30.0 3 40 -60.8 98 123 Garifullina Leya RUS 1653 4.0 30.5 28.5 3 40 48.4 99 79 Kosova Ekaterina RUS 1958 3.5 45.5 42.0 3 40 -19.2 100 84 Lysenko Margarita RUS 1931 3.5 43.0 40.0 2 40 -18.4 101 75 Adamova Tuyara RUS 1980 3.5 43.0 39.5 3 20 -18.0 102 69 Sviridova Olga RUS 2000 3.5 42.0 39.5 2 20 -6.6 103 57 Mirzaeva Gulnara RUS 2056 3.5 41.5 39.5 3 40 -42.8 104 113 Pivina Mariya RUS 1739 3.5 41.0 37.5 3 40 78.0 105 103 Dolgaeva Evgenia RUS 1837 3.5 39.0 37.0 3 40 18.0 106 92 Chekalkina Viktoria RUS 1891 3.5 38.5 37.5 3 40 -17.2 107 107 Makarova Darya RUS 1797 3.5 37.5 35.0 3 40 17.2 108 87 Niks Yana RUS 1911 3.5 35.5 32.5 2 20 -28.4 109 110 Borisova Polina RUS 1764 3.5 34.5 32.5 3 40 -12.4 110 117 Sakorenko Adriana RUS 1732 3.5 34.5 32.5 2 40 32.0 111 128 Troyanok Tatiana RUS 1604 3.5 33.0 31.0 3 40 48.0 112 126 Gibadullina Rajana RUS 1614 3.5 32.5 30.5 3 40 24.8 113 89 Mamontova Anastasia RUS 1903 3.0 38.0 36.0 3 40 -35.2 114 98 Pranizina Alina RUS 1875 3.0 36.5 34.5 2 40 -80.0 115 111 Bulatova Kamaliya RUS 1764 3.0 34.5 33.5 1 40 -6.8 116 124 Golovchanskaya Alina RUS 1648 3.0 32.0 30.0 3 20 14.4 117 121 Chursina Ada RUS 1680 3.0 32.0 30.0 2 40 10.8 118 122 Zayniddinova Sabokhat UZB 1676 3.0 31.5 30.5 3 40 17.6 119 131 Akulova Taisiya RUS 1515 3.0 28.5 26.5 3 40 46.0 120 116 Golyshkina Marina RUS 1732 2.5 39.5 37.0 2 40 -29.6 121 127 Lopata Christina RUS 1612 2.5 32.5 30.5 1 40 -1.6 122 86 Kiseleva Ekaterina RUS 1914 2.5 32.5 30.0 1 40 -141.2 123 106 Kosolapova Olga RUS 1802 2.5 32.0 30.5 1 40 -105.6 124 130 Nagaytseva Marina RUS 1548 2.5 31.0 30.0 1 40 26.0 125 133 Lysenko Olesya RUS 1330 2.5 28.5 27.5 2 40 18.8 126 134 Radchuk Yana RUS 0 2.5 28.0 27.0 2 127 125 Galimzyanova Albina RUS 1628 2.5 26.0 24.5 1 40 -78.0 128 135 Reznik Sofya RUS 0 2.5 24.5 22.5 0 129 120 Shkljar Valeria RUS 1699 2.0 34.0 31.5 2 40 -21.6 130 99 Beshukova Alina RUS 1866 2.0 33.0 31.0 2 40 -70.0 131 118 Matafonova Yulia RUS 1729 2.0 33.0 31.0 1 20 -39.8 132 132 Bagaeva Maria RUS 1475 2.0 31.0 29.0 1 40 -2.0 133 129 Shchukina Ekaterina RUS 1550 1.0 30.0 28.0 1 20 -28.0 134 18 WIM Shumilina Alexandra RUS 2269 0.0 27.0 26.0 0 20 0.0 97 Milovanova Maria RUS 1879 0.0 27.0 26.0 0 40 0.0 136 136 Zhdanova Anastasiya RUS 0 0.0 21.5 20.5 0 Аннотация: Доп1: Buchholz Tie-Breaks (variabel with parameter) Доп2: Buchholz Tie-Breaks (variabel with parameter) Доп3: The greater number of victories