Showing results by author "John Bates" in All Categories

For a moment, imagine everything you thought you knew about your life, your parents and siblings, your entire identity, turned out to be some sort of twisted fiction. Add a bit of cloak and dagger to the mix, and you'll have an idea of where this story takes you. You're not really who you thought you were - you're actually someone else in the same familiar body you've always known. You need to begin a new life story, putting the puzzle pieces in place as you go along.

The old saying "you can't fight city hall" was laid to rest 35 years ago when the author of this riveting tale decided to fight to keep his job as an Animal Control Officer in the City of Arlington, Texas. The story that lay buried beneath layers of intimidation and intrigue can now be told, as the author describes his quest to clear his name and salvage his reputation. Malfeasance, non-feasance, nepotism, discrimination, criminal acts, and drug use were mostly overlooked...until the author obtained the official report the City of Arlington didn't want you to see.

From our mom's hybrid funeral to our dad's family-directed funeral, a common theme emerged - none of this was common at all. Comfortable attire, smiling faces, bumper stickers, dry ice, kerosene lamps, curious strangers performing tributes in a hotel parking lot, and an old pine box served to remind us that our family was anything but conventional. That's just how we roll.

Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and nature podcast for bird lovers of all experience levels. Hosted by professional ornithologists John Bates and Shannon Hackett, curators of birds at the Field Museum in Chicago, alongside birding enthusiasts RJ Pole and Amanda Pole, the show blends expert insight with fresh curiosity.John and Shannon bring decades of ornithology experience and access to one of the largest bird collections in the United States, while RJ and Amanda represent newer birders—asking relatable questions that open the conversation to beginners without losing depth for...