The Fuertes’s Parrot has recently found a home in an ever-changing world that doesn’t seem to offer them a habitat anymore. American Bird Conservancy and their partner group Fundación ProAves, recently created the first private protected area to help the critically endangered Fuertes’s Parrot. This species only exists in Columbia, in an area devastated by deforestation.

In 2002, Fundación ProAves President Alonso Quevedo discovered a flock of 14 Fuerte’s Parrots. Thought to already be extinct, Alonso was thrilled. The species has not been spotted since 1911. As of this date, their numbers have grown to 160 - a still precarious figure.

“By conserving these remaining patches of forest and taking other steps to help, we are giving this species a new lease on life,” said Paul Salaman, the American Bird Conservancy’s Director.

The conservancy group has a “bigger picture” plan as well - expanding their 5,000 acre reserve as well as developing an outreach program that includes the “Parrot Bus.”

“Since 2005, the ‘Parrot Bus’ has taken the conservation message out to local communities across the Central Andes – the priority zone for all threatened parrots in Colombia,” said Alonso Quevedo.

The bus is a mobile classroom, reaching remote communities in Columbia and hosting workshops for children and adults alike, teaching them about the importance of conservancy and biodiversity.

More positive news for a small group making big changes for a bird in jeopardy.

We all know but have trouble believing it - the way someone shakes your hand speaks volumes about their personality. According a recent study at the University of Iowa, a handshake can beat out a resume or a spiffy outfit as far as qualified personality indicators.

Researches at the University set up mock interviews for 98 business school students with local employers, who then ranked them according to their employability. The students were also met by five trained handshake experts, who ranked each student according to the firmness of their grip.

Interestingly, no matter how well the student fared during the interview, the handshake was the most persuasive predictor of whether he or she would land the job.

“We found that the first impression begins with a handshake that sets the tone for the rest of the interview,” researcher George Stewart said. “We probably don’t consciously remember a person’s handshake or whether it was good or bad. But the handshake is one of the first nonverbal clues we get about the person’s overall personality, and that impression is what we remember.”

A good handshake doesn’t necessarily have to be about a strong grip. An overly firm grip could be deemed too aggressive. A persuasive handshake is about genuinely matching and connecting with the person with which you are meeting. Can you improve your handshake? Sure. Simply being aware that you want to send a positive message with your handshake is often enough!

Shake Hands Like You Mean It!

In a sublime act of social protest, 3 women tied themselves to a crab apple tree, protecting it from its removal and protecting themselves against eviction.

Lea Perrone (64) and Pat Henry (65) and Ethel Casey endured several days tied to their beloved tree which the Shrewsbury Housing Authority had intended to cut down in order to relocate a trash bin. After days worth of protest, they received eviction notices.

Not to be deterred, the women hired a lawyer, Christopher Uhl. After some deliberation, the housing authority agreed not to evict the women…and the crab tree could stay. A resident advisory board would also be established, to protect tenants in the future.

Perrone said she was encouraged and proud that she took a civic stand for her rights - and the rights of a beloved tree.

”I hope that everybody involved is going to try to get along, as a whole,” she said. ”It’s not good for the town or anybody to have to live like this.”

Elderly Women Making a Difference!

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