Been Warm Lately
Here it is the beginning of June, not even summer yet, and in Nature’s Air Conditioned City, temperatures have ranged from the mid-80s to over 90, depending upon where in the area you are. A nearby town was said to have hit 102 today. Frankly, I doubt that, but I don’t doubt that some thermometer somewhere may have read 102.
In Nature’s Air Conditioned City temperatures in the upper 80s and above are unusual, so unusual that in the 40s the Chamber of Commerce began offering free lemonade the day after the temperature reached 90 degrees. There were pretty girls clad in shorts serving the tasty ade, and it was quite an event, given its rarity. Particularly when the official temperature upon which the decision to serve lemonade is determined at the airport, which is on a mountain top away from the warmer asphalt and concrete of the downtown area, and usually a few degrees cooler there.
Over the last several years, it has become more frequent, no doubt due to manmade global warming.
Today, the car thermometer read 93 at work, which is due in part to the fact that my car was sitting in the sun. When I got home, which is at a higher elevation, the car read only 91, still in the sun. The porch thermometer read a cooler 88. Officially at the airport today, it was 88, a record for this day set in 1966.
Temperatures in this range are unusual at any time of the year for our little burg, but nearly unheard of in June, especially for this many days in a row. If we get that high at all, it is in late July and August.
Well, I’m not complaining, especially remembering the chilly days of winter, and remembering my buddy Buffalo’s stories of Friendly, Frozen Manitoba.
It was the first evening we have been out on the deck, one of my favorite places at home. I had to stain the deck, or about half of it, before we could use it. It is very pleasant, even if a little warm.
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Showing posts with label Potpourri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Potpourri. Show all posts
Monday, June 09, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Duck!! It’s A Mother
Devoted readers may remember my rant last year about the “War of the Leaves,” the annual struggle to remove 40 million leaves from the tiered planted area behind our deck that the guy that built this house adorned with the most efficient leaf-catching plants known to Man. This year’s war was the worst yet, because we have had several very windy days in both the fall and the winter, with prevailing breezes of 30 mph and gusts of 50 or so. Those days blew in additional leaves from neighboring yards, compounding the chore of removing them.
I approached the task a little differently, foregoing raking in favor of using a blower for the task of moving the giant leaf piles to the wooded part of my lot. Mostly what has happened is that I have had to clear the planted area and deck multiple times, five, so far.
As spring approached there was a lot of unusual bird activity, which I wrote about. You remember: the dozens of vultures? But another bird appeared that was unusual in a different way. Not too far from our house—probably a couple hundred yards, as the crow flies—is the Town’s water supply pond, which has a rather large number of ducks on it during spring/summer/fall. Imagine my surprise when I saw one of those ducks walking around in the planted areas behind the deck. The only time I’ve seen ducks this far from the pond is the occasional fly-over. I commented to Diane that this critter must have bad radar or something. I didn’t see the duck again after one other sighting the next day.
Until yesterday. While removing the leaves for the fifth and I hope final time, this time with the vacuum feature of the blower, I stuck the vacuum’s pick-up tube in a planter and noticed something that looked a whole lot like the furry seeds that dandelions produce, only a lot larger. And then, I noticed the duck’s head nestled in the leaves. What I had mistaken for large dandelion-like seeds was duck down; that darned duck has built its nest out there, nowhere near the water.
I’m a little surprised that our prized hunter, Corky, the Beagle-mix, hasn’t found the duck, but since she doesn’t get up on the tiers often, I guess the critter and her babies will be safe. At least until they hatch and start moving around.
I could end this by saying, “Life is sweet - when the birds come home to roost,” but that would be plagiarizing Buffalo, and that would be wrong. So, I’ll just stop.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
The Birds
(Updated)
This winter I’ve noticed a large number of large birds perched in the trees near my house in the afternoon (Each of those black spots is a bird). I don’t know what kind of birds they are, but when in flight they look like
hawks, with “fingers” on their wing tips. Their bodies aren’t large, but the wingspan is three to four feet, and they have pretty massive tails, and when they perch in the trees, they look huge, because of the large wings and tails. I tried to get close enough to them to get a good close-up photo, but they are 20 feet or so off the ground, and spook pretty easy.
I did get a little bit of a close-up view while to a highway entrance ramp the other day, and they appear to be about 14 inches tall with black bodies/wings/tails and a gray head. I’ve seen a small splash of red on the beak occasionally, too. [[ I have been able to discern that there are at least two different species, one with the gray head, and one with red on its face, not its beak. ]]
I have actually counted more than 80 of them once, about 100 once, and another time I counted 84 with a large group that I hadn’t
gotten to when something spooked them and they started flying all over the place. My estimate is that that group numbered more than 120.
They don’t roost in our trees, they just perch there for an hour or so in the afternoon, and occasionally some of them leave for a while and return. Before they perch, you can see them soaring over the valley. I’ve also seen them in the trees in the morning after it gets light. I’m surprised there’s enough food around in the winter to support them all, but there must be, or they wouldn’t stay around. I’m guessing they are turkey buzzards, which is a hawk.
Anybody have a clue what they are?
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Short Subjects
Barack Obama (and others) keep referring to “the recession.” Attention Sen. Obama: There is no recession; there is a very specific definition for recession, which is two consecutive quarters of negative growth. That hasn’t happened yet and, in fact, we haven’t even had one quarter of negative growth. Please, be honest, Senator. An honest person would not try to win a nomination based on untruths.
The American media is once again/still misinforming the American people. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he expects some small, regional banks invested in real estate to fail, which was enough for the media to trumpet that there is a banking crisis in the United States. Just like the previous item, there is neither a recession nor a banking crisis in the United States. Currently there are 76 banks on the Fed’s worry list and that is more than the previous number of banks warranting the Fed’s concern. But 76 banks does not represent a crisis; it is making a mountain out of a mole hill. A real banking crisis occurred in the 80s, when ,1100 banks were on the worry list. Or worse, back in the 30s when for three or four years running 1,000 to 2,400 banks actually failed each year. That was a true crisis. The 80s were a lesser crisis. Today is no crisis.
On the subject of the media, the preceding item illustrates just how untrustworthy the American media has become. It comes down to media incompetence, media misfeasance, and/or media malfeasance. Please allow me to explain.
I am now working as executive director for a charitable foundation and in response to a news release we sent out recently about the beginning of our scholarship application cycle one of the local TV stations asked for an interview. When the reporter arrived at our office, the questions she asked me were so completely unrelated to the subject that it was all I could do to turn the answers into something that communicated what we were trying to communicate to the public. Without directly accusing the reporter of incompetence, it is accurate to say that she had no clue what a charitable foundation does, or what the news release meant.
Other times, we see the media reporting stories for the purpose of attracting viewers/readers/listeners. The banking story is one example of media misfeasance.
And the worst of the three, malfeasance, is where the media abandons its own standards to put out a story that is just false, like the recent New York Times cheap-shot non-story about John McCain’s imagined improper relationship with a pretty female lobbyist. More people trust President Bush, who is not a popular president, than trust The New York Times. Is there a message there?
On the positive side, Barack Obama recently refused to answer the “boxers or briefs” question from a reporter. Good for him. But a question: Is asking a candidate what type of underwear they wear relevant? Appropriate? Stupid?
No. No. Yes.
On the other hand, Sen. Obama’s dishonesty on the Iraq issue does more than counteract that. Sen. Obama claimed we are spending $12 billion each month in Iraq and that Sen. McCain has said that he will keep our troops there doing the same thing we are doing now for 100 years. That is simply wrong. What Sen. McCain said was that we will have a presence in Iraq for “perhaps” 100 years, not that we will be doing the same thing we are doing now for 100 years. Another example of blatant dishonesty from Sen. Obama.
And to bring this series of short subjects to a close, Ralph Nader has entered the race for president yet again. In 2000 his three percent of the vote has been blamed by Democrats and liberals for Al Gore loosing the election. God bless Ralph Nader.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
This and That
In the right column of this page are two site rankings, the top one indicating that you must be a genius to understand the material printed hereon. Below that is one that says that you must be capable of getting into college to understand the material on this site. These two rating were made only a few days apart.
I have other sites, as well. One is where I posted pieces of a more personal nature, which requires a junior high IQ, and the other is a site where I post jokes and cartoons that requires only an elementary school education to understand it.
The fact that Observations received two different ratings just a few days apart tells me that the method for determining the reading level must focus on the most recent posts. Also, some of the jokes on that site are a little sophisticated, although the words are pretty basic, so the method must focus on the number of four-letter words, or some such thing, to determine the rating.
What this all means is that this is a neat little trick, but essentially meaningless.
That
Monday sees the return of Don Imus to morning radio, and I for one am glad. I think Imus got a raw deal over his crude remark about a black women’s basketball team. The remark was crude, but it wasn’t any worse than a great deal of Imus’ material. That’s what made him interesting to listen to, that and the truly funny stuff on the show. But suddenly one comment out of thousands hit a nerve with the right people, triggering righteous indignation, and a huge fit of political correctness.
Even though I used to listen to Imus when a local station carried his show a few years back, I didn’t appreciate everything he did, but I did like the show. It was alternately high-brow and in the gutter; it had something for everybody!
A little advice for Imus: keep up the liberal politics, and the slamming of politicians. Keep doing the funny bits, the parodies, and keep bringing in personalities to interview. Just avoid anything remotely resembling racist material. That’s the only thing you have to fear. Everything else is okay.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Stupid is as Stupid Does
Occasionally, the stars and planets align such that inanities and absurdities abound. Such an alignment has recently unleashed a series of these events.
Queen Nancy Syriasly Screws Up
Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, recently ascended to Speaker of the House of Representatives, consistent critic of the Bush Administration, has undertaken to supersede the Constitutional directives and assume the role of directing foreign policy by unilaterally, and against the wishes of the executive branch, deciding to engage in direct talks with the president of Syria, a rogue nation involved in the support of terrorist organizations and terrorist activities.
Not only did Ms Pelosi overstep the boundaries of the Legislative Branch of our government, ignore the Constitutional separation of branches of government, and ignore the wishes of that branch of government given dominion over foreign policy by the Constitution, she screwed the pooch when delivering the message to the Syrian president that Israel is ready to change its previous stance vis-Ã -vis Syria, and begin talks. The Israeli Prime Minister has denied that.
Ms Pelosi appears to have grossly misread the results of last November’s election, and believes that because Democrats gained control of the Congress that she, as Speaker, is entitled to make decisions about troop deployments and can now set a foreign policy different from that of the Executive Branch.
Message to the Speaker: Nancy, the American people did not rescind the Constitution. You are only the Speaker of the House of Representatives. You were not elected Queen of the United States.
Further, your asinine actions have undermined the Constitutional, legal and appropriate policies of the United States.
Illegal Alien Drunk Driver Kills Two Teens
A drunk driver killed two teenage girls, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, while they sat at a traffic light. This is a tragedy under any circumstances; drunk drivers are a substantial problem in the United States. What makes this case even worse is that the drunk driver was an illegal alien.
And what makes this case even worse than that is that this particular illegal alien had been convicted of three alcohol-related crimes before he killed the two innocent teens, and was let off by the trial judge with no jail time. The illegal alien had no restrictions on his freedom to prevent him from repeating his crime, and the authorities in Virginia never reported the illegal alien to federal authorities. You see, Virginia Beach is what is called a “sanctuary city,” a place where illegals can live without fear that they will be reported to federal immigration authorities. Is it absurd that an illegal alien can be convicted of four crimes, three of them alcohol-related, not be reported to immigration authorities, and be free to get drunk and kill innocent American citizens?
You’re damned right it is!
Here is a list of sanctuary cities in the U.S.:
Anchorage, AK; Fairbanks, AK; Chandler, AZ; Phoenix, AZ; Fresno, CA; Los Angeles, CA; National City, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Sonoma County, CA; Evanston, IL; Chicago, IL; Cicero, IL; Cambridge, MA; Orleans, MA; Portland, ME; Baltimore, MD; Takoma Park, MD; Ann Arbor, MI; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis, MN; Newark, NJ; Trenton, NJ; Durham, NC; Albuquerque, NM; Aztec, NM; Rio Arriba, County, NM; Sante Fe, NM; New York, NY; Ashland, OR; Gaston, OR; Marion County, OR; Austin, TX; Houston, TX; Katy, TX; Seattle, WA; Madison, WI
(Source)
The Iranian Kidnapping of British Marines and Sailors
Fifteen British marines and sailors were taken captive by Iranian military personnel, who charged that the Brits were operating in Iranian waters. Predictably, there is a dispute about where the British boats actually were when the Iranians attacked.
There are many problems with this incident, among which is the fact that when someone actually goes into the waters of a country, taking them hostage is never the first step. The “invaders” are warned and escorted out of the territorial waters, and a diplomatic complaint is lodged. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to term the capture of the British sailors and marines “kidnapping.”
Another problem is that the Brits had enough firepower close enough to have blown the Iranian thugs out of the water. Why did they just sit by and watch?
Faced with his military personnel being improperly captured by the Iranians, British Prime Minister Tony Blair capitulated to the Iranians, took a weak position, and allowed the Iranian regime to embarrass Great Britain and score valuable points on the world stage. And the marines and sailors caved almost before they were captured.
Maybe the Iranians didn’t win much in this farcical episode, but it appears that they successfully picked a weak opponent, poked their finger in the opponent’s eye, and came out smelling like a dessert rose.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
From the “People Are Weirder Than Anybody” Files
Some renters in Tel Aviv have put up a bunch of cardboard cutouts of prostitutes in their neighborhood in an attempt to get their rent lowered.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Friday Collage
A raging wildfire in California set early yesterday morning by one or more arsonists had within 12 hours blackened more than 10,000 acres, had driven hundreds of people from their homes and had killed four firefighters. "This is an arson fire" and "constitutes murder," said Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins. Another fire official surmised the arsonist(s) might have set the fire knowing the hot winds would maximize its destructive potential.
Homicide detectives are working alongside FBI agents to find the responsible party or parties, and authorities are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Whoever is responsible for this deserves the death penalty.
I have a birthday coming up—number 39 (that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!)—and I have the distinction, if that is the correct term, of being one of those lucky enough to call themselves a “Halloween Baby.”
Yes, that’s right: I was born on October 31.
On Halloween there are basically two choices. As I’m sure all of you will acknowledge, I was a treat.
Please excuse this shameless effort to get some good wishes, and … well, give me a good wish. A gift would be appreciated, too ... a fifth of single malt Scotch, a good cigar, some good music ... you know the drill.
[[[ Edit: I neglected to note that the reason for the pic at the right is the name of the costume, which is, "Little Dead Riding Hood." I thought that was funny! ]]]
What is the obsession among homosexuals and those of the political left that “marriage”—an institution dating back hundreds or thousands of years, and upon which much of Western society is based, and which has traditionally meant the union of one man and one woman—must be redefined to satisfy the hunger of the recent development of proud homosexuality to also be “married?”
I see homosexuality as unnatural; it’s not the way things were intended to be. Even so, people who are “predisposed” to love same-sex partners ought to, in a free and open society such as in the U.S., be free to choose whomever they please as their partner, and if they want a legal relationship with that person, surely a few of the multitudes of lawyers in this country are capable of drawing up a contract that will bind man to man, or woman to woman just as tightly as do the marriage vows a man and a woman take when they tie the ties that bind. Such a contract ought to be able to satisfy the needs of homosexual couples for most/all of the same rights that a spouse has.
Write contracts; leave marriage alone. It is what it is, and that’s that.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Potpourri
Michael J. Fox is someone in the entertainment industry that I like, and there aren’t all that many that fit that description. I liked his Alex P. Keaton character immensely, I liked the “Back to the Future” movies, and I like him. Furthermore, I have great sympathy for him due to his physical condition. I hope that a cure will be found for Parkinson’s Disease. And Alzheimer’s. And cancer. And the other major diseases that wreck the lives of Americans.However, I dislike Michael using his disease and his celebrity to gain the sympathy of voters, even to the extent of mobilizing people to his own cause, and especially so because of the distortions his ad contains. And I also disapprove of him either not taking his medication so that his physical disabilities are more apparent—a tactic that he has confessed to using when it will do the most good—or acting out the physical characteristics Parkinson’s produces. If your cause is a worthy one, you don’t have to rely on distortions and cheap tricks to convince people.
Democrats are gleefully planning changes in Congressional office buildings early next year as a result of a voter rebellion against those dastardly Republicans in two weeks. That is premature, and maybe even wrong-headed, given that a Democrat sweep November 7 is anything but assured. George Bush predicts Republicans will maintain control of Congress, and he’s not the only one. However, the fact that W thinks Republicans will hold on to Congress is all the Democrats need to go bonkers.
As badly as the Republicans don’t deserve to win the Democrats don’t deserve to win, either. They offer nothing in the way of telling us how they will improve all of the things they say are so bad about our country and its government. And their efforts to paint the Republicans as dishonest, immoral, inhuman, and downright not nice are beginning to lose steam.
Even though things in Iraq are less than desirable, though not as bad as the media would have us believe, working to establish democratic governments in the Middle East is a worthy goal. George Bush is right when he says that freedom is the best weapon with which to fight the terrorist mentality. And he is right when he says that we must win this fight.
Technorati Tags: Potpourri, Politics, Terrorism, Misery, Health
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