Thanks again Guys, Yes, this is the first time ever(!) I have taken an engine apart ...or partially apart. A beginner isn't going to figure this out within 30-60 minutes. I'm on the web for hours learning just one thing, like what a key is. Then another hour for how pushrods work and which is for exhaust or intake (steel vs. aluminum). Every little thing about an engine, I had to learn for the first time. The HUGE BREAKTHROUGH wasn't one for all mankind, it was my breakthrough on the discovery of what the problem was. A computer geek with degrees in philosophy and mathematics actually diagnosing a non-running engine for the first time felt like a huge breakthrough after all the things named that could be the cause. :-) Mo: I didn't get the names right on a few things when I look back, but I am never offended when someone knowledgeable corrects me. I have my strengths and others have theirs; I am all ears when I need correcting. I have been on the other end too in the 1980's when workers started using PC's, they'd call their computers "hard drives" or "CPU's." When describing a problem in words, it IS very important to use the correct names for everything, so I do not take any offense. One sentance story: I had a lady whos PC had an expansion card cover missing on the back of her PC and she thought she was losing files through it. :-O ...RC would have a HAY DAY with her, LOL. -Tony

As long as the hole in 1 1/2, that Starling shouldn't be able to enter the box, so yes, he will probably give up and leave. I had one land on one of my boxes once. The Male bluebird came STRAIGHT at it and flew after it for a little then drove it to the ground. Ours blues can still put up a fight! I've even seen my bluebirds take Tree Swallows to the ground! More than once. Other than the DRST, a BB gun would probably be the only way to end them. I have a BB gun, but it's not sighted the best, and my hands are really unsteady. But Starlings are larger. The problem is, if they recognize the gun, they'll take off! Good luck! ~Tim~

We switched to feeding safflower, thistle and upside down suet feeders along with fruit, jelly and nectar, after our first year living in the country. We moved from the city to a rural area in Wisconsin and decided to put nest boxes out for bluebirds and wrens, our first year we had mostly HS but we also had one set of bluebirds and one set of tree swallows. Before the little ones had a chance to fledge the HS killed them and nested on top of them, we were sick over this. I removed all the nest boxes and started researching on how to keep the non-native and rough birds away. The switch to the foods we place out on our property was the biggest part of not attracting the non-natives and rougher birds. When the HS try to take over the nest boxes in the spring I shoot them, it is the best way to keep them out of the box, plus it gets rid of another non-native invasive bird. I tried removing their nests at first but they are persistent and do not give up until you get rid of them. We now get one or two nesting pair of bluebirds and usually four to five nesting pair of tree swallows and a pair of nesting wrens(all have fledged within the last week and a half) the few starlings that come in the yard to feed on bugs in the grass do not stick around long ( they get shot as well). This is not intended to offend any bird lovers ( we are bird lovers at our house ) it is only to tell how we deal with the invasive non-native birds that are taking over the territory of our native song birds.

In our school district..each school has the option of using the robocall. You will usually get a call for elementary age kids around 11 am...if your child was marked absent and you either didn't call ahead or the secretary didn't a chance to get them entered. If I child is absent on a day and they aren't often absent..they will NOT be tracked down. If however a child is absent and it's a "typical" thing some schools secretaries will make a personal call. It's a history type thing to turn into the child court for truancy issues. Yep even in elementary. Now if the child is in middle school or high school and you don't call in, you can expect a robo call in the evening letting you know what periods your child was marked absent. Now if a sub is in..likely you'll get your child was absent periods 1,2, 4 and 6.. because sub sheet absences are entered by the attendance secretary at the end of the day or the next morning. Like I said the only time a personal safety call(live person) is made is if your child has quite a history of absences. And only the "main" number is called. Emergency numbers are only used if their is an emergency on the child's behalf and the home and parents cell numbers are not reaching the parent. I don't think I've ever worked in a school where the principal has time to make "safety" calls.