Once again, I have the opportunity to "scoop" the local" mainstream news media. Just got a flash from the Associated Press that our state capital, Juneau was affected by a major electrical outage on Sunday. The outage affected about 10,000 residents of our capital city.

According to a spokes person for the Alaska Electric Light and Power the outage was created when an Eagle made a failed take off attempt. The Eagle, weighed down by the deer, apparently failed to clear the transmission lines. Both the Eagle and Deer were killed on impact with the high voltage wires.









Although, I do have a warning on my site pertaining to the subject of embellishment, I must honestly admit to you that only part of deer was dead when the Eagle launched into flight. The Eagle was hauling away the "head" of the Deer so it must have been dead, however, the spokes person did not say if the remainder of the deer was dead or not when the Eagle made off with the head.

There is a reason that we do not have deer on our major road systems in Alaska. Last year, there was about (reported) 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions in the United States. These accidents contributed 150 deaths (humans) and $1.1 Billion dollars in property damage. The number of deer killed in these collisions was not tabulated but one must assume the casualty rate was high.

If you plan on traveling the highways of our great nation, stay out of the midwest and east coast if you want to reduce your chances of having an encounter with a deer. Those states having the highest number of vehicle-deer encounters include Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, Minnesota, Texas, Indiana, and South Carolina in that order. If you love a good venison steak, you may want to keep these states in mind the next time you go on a hunting trip, evidently they have a high population of deer. However, keep in mind that if you see an Eagle carrying a deer, you may take a shot at the Deer but you are not permitted to shoot the Eagle.

This past evening, I once again had the opportunity to be the Master of Ceremonies at the Anchor Point Cabin Fever Variety Show. A small town, variety show that has been breaking up the spell of the winter for the past fifty years. The show is hosted as a fund raising opportunity for the Anchor Point Public Library. The variety show is an opportunity for the "locals" to demonstrate their talents in voice, instrumental, and even acting. It was another great show with a tremendous turnout of the community to support the project.

No being an avid reader and very rarely visiting the local library, I thought it best that I take the opportunity to read a few books in order that I would be able to communicate effectively with those that take full advantage of the library. I was surprised to find a special section at the library that has been developed for those of us that do not enjoy or to busy to read a book that contains over five pages. It is a new feature that has been developed in all libraries and is titled "World's Smallest Books". The books are a fast read, taking only a couple of minutes, they cover a wide range of topics, and written by well known authors. I am including a few of the titles that I enjoyed immensely as well as advancing my knowledge in a variety of areas.

"How To Get To The Super Bowl" by Dan Marino

"Things That I Can't Afford" by Bill Gates

"Everything Men Know About Women" by Dr. Joyce Brothers

"Beauty Secrets" by Janet Reno (Attorney General, Clinton Administration)

"Things I Love About Bill" by Hillary Clinton

"All The Men I've Loved Before" by Ellen DeGeneres

"Spotted Owl Recipes" by The Sierra Club

"Royal Family Guide To Good Marriages" by Prince Charles

"A Portrait of Integrity" by Bill Clinton

"The Wild Years" by Al Gore

"Cooking Gourmet Dishes with Tofu" by Martha Stewart

"Life Of A Beauty Queen" by Rosie O'Donnell

"Guide To Dating Etiquette" by Mike Tyson

I do hope you enjoy this selection of "Small Books" and that it will encourage you to visit your local library on a regular basis.

The summer residents that left their abodes at the Hole In the Wall Recreation Area can thank their neighbor, Papa Bear for his unselfish efforts in protecting their property. On Saturday, light rains begin to fall over the area. With the mixture of the heavy snow loads with a little added moisture then a good freeze, the extra weight of ice may have been to much for the roof tops to survive.
PaPa Bear brought out his snow machine to get access into the area. This was an added benefit because we now have a pack down sledding hill and on the level a great oval ring for cross country skiing. He cleared the snow pack off the Bear Den and then went to work on the Wolf Lair. He did see the big snow drift between the two camps, not one to let the opportunity pass, he decided to go over the drift. The only problem was that the drift was in actuality the stack of firewood that had been raised off the ground in order to keep it dry. The attempt at the make believe snow drift resulted in getting stuck. We will have to wait to see if the dunnage under the wood pile supported the extra load of the snow and snow machine, I think not.
I watched him as he cleared the roof on the Wolf Lair, I had missed my estimation on the depth of the snow, as he cut it back from the edges, it was a good three feet deep. Completing this task, he once again mounted his machine and headed for the Moose Wallow, again a snow drift challenged his senses as a snow machiner. He would have made it over this drift, except it was the picnic table and his skis went between the table top and the side benches, stuck once again. Getting the machine and the table disengaged took a little more time than the "camouflaged wood pile".
After clearing the roof on the Moose Wallow , he rode his machine up to the Eagle Nest for a short visit and return the shovel he had borrowed after breaking his. He did not need to clear the roof on the "Duck House", whoever built that building designed it to shed snow with enough support to take care of any amount of snow load, rock slides or mud slides.
Today, the elders of the Bear Clan are headed to LA, where they intend to spend the night and have a doctors (new doctor) appointment on Monday morning and return to the "Little Hamlet on Beluga Slough" on Monday afternoon. In preparation for next winter, in the fall we may want to place markers on all low level objects that could become obstacles in the winter. Someone must have stole the "fire pit", PaPa Bear said he could see no indication that the fire pit ever existed. How about a "Golden Shovel" Award for his efforts.

According to an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, your thoughts may be worth more than a penny! About a year ago, the topic of copper came up in the blog world when it was discovered that the price of copper escalated. I know of several who made a lot of extra spending capital by selling used copper. It appears that the shortage will continue.
There is a potential shortage of coins in the United States and with the price of copper still being high, those pennies are now worth a nickel. Since 1982 the mints have produced 910 pennies for every American. It is unknown how many were made for the illegal residents of our country. Currently there are 8.23 billion copper pennies in circulation which calculates out to 51,948,051 pounds of pennies. Copper prices were a high of $4.16 per pound last May so these pennies are worth $216,103,892.16 based on their metal content or $80,000,000 in face value. If you are like me and when you get over three zeroes in a number you get confused, the simple solution is to break it down into terms that us common folk can understand. Take the price of copper last May at $4.16 pound and there is a total of 154 pennies to the pound. So your option is that you can take your 154 pennies and cash them in for $1.54 or sell them to salvage for $4.16, a difference of $2.62 net profit. It is expected that by mid summer the price of copper and nickel will escalate once again so you may want to break into those "penny jars" and start weighing them.

After seeing this picture, I may reconsider my initial retirement plan of finding a "nice little desert lot" in Arizona for a winter retirement hangout. A little snow on the cactus does not bother me that much, but I am not sure that my snow plow will hold up on the trip from Alaska to Arizona, I would probably even have to buy a license for it to get through Canada.


Since the release of the discovery of "Kwispelbier", a "beer for your best friend" on this site a couple of days ago, it has become recognized throughout the country. The Tuesday issue of the LA Tribune even carried a story about this particular beer. I realize, that it is most likely very expensive, however, since the beer is of Dutch origin it is only right that my "Dutch" should be treated to at least a case for his birthday. It would most likely hurt his feelings if I were to show him these pictures of this Mesican Dog, which probably is not even a citizen let alone an "Alaskan" enjoying a "Dutch" beer. If I were his joint heirs, I think I would be a little nicer to him considering that he is at the top of the inheritance list. Sixty three (63) shopping days left and "Dutch" will be five. Two years of age is the legal drinking age for dogs.

I remember several months ago when several bloggers in the LA area were having a fit over the new electrical transmission towers that were being placed along the scenic boulevards of that fair city. Now, Anchor Point is not community to be left behind in the "war of progress". We now proudly display a tower in the core of our central business district. I am willing to bet, that our tower is larger than those erected in LA. Although, construction is not yet complete, it extends at a minimum of 100 feet into the air and is eight foot in circumference at the base. Unlike, LA we only have one but it is a big one and not yet completed. I am going to petition the Chamber of Commerce and see if we can make arrangements to string lights on it at Christmas, especially since it is clearly visible from my home and right across the street from Point West Video.

The only other local news is that it is finally snowing, I mean like it has been almost a day since we had our last snow, but this time it is plowable so I get yet another opportunity to put some mileage on the plow truck.

Not having a lot of news in Anchor Point has forced me once again to dig up some news worthy items that you may not see or hear from the normal news media.

Glancing through the LA Times today, checking out the weather forecast on page B-8, I came across this picture:
The caption under the picture is unique! "A Tanker Offloads Cook Inlet Crude In Nikiski". Now I wonder, why was a tanker off loading Cook Inlet Crude when it was setting in Cook Inlet and tied up to the refinery dock. I am sure the reporter must have got his nautical terminology wrong and meant to say, "A Tanker Taking On Cook Inlet Crude In Nikiski". Never trust the mainstream news media.

Lt. Commander Quinton McHale, of the 1960's TV comedy hit, "McHales Navy" will turn 90 years of age on Wednesday, January 24th. Ernest Borgnine starred in many movies and a very frequent visitor to the Anchor Point area. He is seen on a regular basis at the Anchor River Inn or the Happy Valley Restaurant. Last time that I saw him, he was enjoying an afternoon toddy (perhaps several) after a day of fishing.

I missed purchasing that 1959 Ford Thunderbird for $500.00, I was only forty years to late. But, now it appears I let another "classic" slip through my fingers. This little baby was only driven on Sunday by a little lady when she went to church. This is a 1966 Shelby Cobra, 800 horsepower and even in my favorite color. The "Super Snake" was sold at auction by Carroll Shelby, age 84. Mr Shelby created the Cobra in the 1960's and has been the only owner of this particular car. The "Super Snake" has twin superchargers on a 427 cubic inch V-8. The car had a twin, the 2nd car was built for comedian Bill Cosby who later sold the car and it was destroyed in an accident. The only reason that this car is not parked in my driveway is that it sold for a 5.5 million dollars.

For those that are wondering about the good looking dog on my site, his name is Dutch Harbor Dutchman or "Dutch" for short. He is a registered Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and as my children know, he rates very high in my Last Will and Testament. Next month he will be turning five years old, I mention this for the sake of my children, lest they forget.
After a long day of retrieving and working out, there is nothing as nice as a good cold beer, however, I refrain from this habit because all I can offer "Dutch" is a little water as he does not like beer.
However, today I discover that this error has been corrected and by coincidence in the Dutch Community of Zelhem. Teri Berenden, a pet shop owner in Zelhem has developed a "beer" for dogs! She has hunting dogs and felt guilty at enjoying a beer after a hunt when the dogs did most of the work. The beer is made from beef extract and malt.
She consigned the beverage to a local brewery to make and bottle and it is marketed under the name of Kwispelbier. It was introduced into the market last week and advertised as "a beer for your best friend". "Kwispel" is the Dutch word for "wagging a tail" and of course bier is beer. The beer is fit for human consumption, but in their market it is $2.14 cents a bottle, which is about four times more expensive as Heineken. (Side Bar: I think Homer and Plumma are buying their beer in the wrong country). Now I am not one to make suggestions, however with a birthday coming up real soon, I bet ole "Dutch" would be grateful to find a case of "Kwispelbier" cooling in the glacier snow at the Hole In The Wall Recreational Area" during the Memorial Day Week festivities. "A "Dutch" beer for the Dutchman, salute"

Have you ever heard the name, Slovenian Martin Strel? He currently holds the world record for swimming the Yangtze River? If that is important to anyone but himself. He has also completed a swim on the Mississippi River, not the width but the length.

Currently his claim to fame is that he will make an attempt to swim the Amazon River, again not from bank to bank but starting his swim in Atalya, Peru and finishing on Brazil's Atlantic coast, a distance of 3,375 miles. He will commence his swim on February 1st and hopes to complete his journey by April 11th.

Mr. Strel is fifty two year's old and will be dedicating his swim to "world peace and the environment". Although, I do admire him for his ability to swim long distances, but I surely hope that he is also a very fast swimmer. The Amazon River is one of those "great unknowns", they have snakes, bugs, fish, and flesh eating animals that have not even been invented yet! A quick inventory of the known species is piranhas, snakes, crocodiles, sharks, and the dreaded candiru. This is a small toothpick fish that likes to swim into body orifices, erect a spine and start feeding on blood and tissue. For his protection against the candiru, the swimmer will not urinate in the water, use a special cream on body orifices, and wear a wet suit which should also protect him from fresh water sting-rays, piranhas, and the aggressive bull sharks.

There will be a fleet of support boats accompanying him on his swim, as he intends to only swim 11 -12 hours per day. The support boats will also carry buckets of animal blood to lure the predators away from the swimmer. My concern is, how will those support boats see that crocodile laying on the bottom of the river, waiting for a tasty meal to swim overhead. How will they spot the schools of piranhas in the silty water as a school of them move up to their target. Spreading blood is great idea as a distractant but could it not also be reversed and become an attractant?

I will assume that he will complete his swim, but in the end, the question will be asked, Who is Slovenian Martin Strel? If you want to watch his daily swim, his feat will be carried live over the internet at www.amazonswim.com Good Luck to Mr. Strel and if you can please send me a fishing report as often as you can, I would appreciate it.

With the real Alaskan winter that we have experienced this year, it appears that the second phase of winter is commencing, Cabin Fever. However, do not let this mislead you in thinking that Spring is next. We still have the third Phase of Winter to experience in February and the fourth phase in March, which translates to more snow! We will not see spring until the moon is in the Full Fish Moon phase which will be on April 2nd this year. The coastal Indian tribes called the full moon in April the Full Fish Moon since it coincided when fish started running up the rivers to spawn.
Several signs of Cabin Fever has been observed in recent days, the most pronounced is the number of blog writers that have once again returned on a regular basis. Checking around, I have noticed the "Simple Thoughts" is back on line with a new look in red and completing a "dragon" story that she started last year. I am looking forward to the third and final chapter. "Reality" has also surfaced in recent days, now we just need to see Homer pop up on occasion. He has not posted in six months but has had 4,316 hits to his site! With the Full Fish Moon phase coming on within the next 90 days, the Bear Den is even stirring. I don't know how they did it, but somehow they got the National Football League to name a football after their Clan, the Bears! But, they did not have enough faith in their own clan to even pick the team to win the play-offs and eventually the Super Bowl! I really think this should be brought up at the council fire and some type of levy be applied for their non-support of their Brother Bear! I supported the Philly Eagles!

"Cabin Fever" is normally brought on by lunar activity, however this year Cabin Fever set in a little early. There will be a total lunar eclipse this year, it will come during the Full Crow Moon. Indian legend marks this moon by the cawing of the crows signaling the end of winter. The Full Crow Moon will occur at 10:17 AST on March 3rd, however, by the time the moon rises on the west coast, the eclipse will be all but over by the time the moon rises.

Some weather observers believe that if the Ground Hog can see their shadow, it means that there will be six more weeks of winter. I really do not trust something this important to a pig that wears a fur coat. I have found it is best to watch the sign of the Buffalo, if a Calf Buffalo can see it's shadow, it is spring. If the calf cannot see anything but snow, expect a little more winter.

I love history! A couple of days ago I was given an original copy of "The Homer News" dated Thursday, October 31, 1968. As far back as I can recall, the Homer News has always been published on Thursday. At the time of this publication, I was stationed at Naval Station, Adak and had no children! The reason this paper was given to me is that it contained a letter to the editor from my brother Tad.

In his letter, he thanked the residents of Homer and Anchor Point for their support during his "cobalt treatments" during his battle with cancer. He especially wanted to thank the students of Homer High School for their support. He was not a member of their faculty but the founder and coach of their wrestling program. In his closing line he said "I hope to return to Homer sometime in the spring", despite his best intentions he would not return to Alaska and passed away the following July. But prior to his passing, he was able to talk to each of his wrestlers by long distance the night that this small team won the Alaska State Championship in Anchorage. That same spring, the Homer High School Annual was dedicated to him. This serves as a reminder to each of us that we do not have to be a famous movie star or professional athlete to serve as a "role model" for our younger people. His life was short, but he lived it to the fullest and left a lasting impression on many.

On the front page of this particular issue of the Homer News was a advertisement for the Anchor River Inn in the celebration of their 4th Annual Halloween Party. A Halloween Party that has been held each year since that time. Their Sunday dinner special was advertised as Roast Turkey (Full Course Dinner) for $2.50.

This particular issue of the paper was published just prior to the elections consequently there were a lot of political ads. You may recognize some of the names: C.L. "Lindy Hammond, State House; Senator Ernest Gruening, U.S. Senate; Clemm Tillion, State House; Bob Palmer, State Senate; and N.J. "Nick" Begich, U.S. Congress. Letters written to the editor endorsing candidates were letters written by Jay S. Hammond, State Senator.

Other advertisements that caught my attention was from the Kirby Vacuum Sales and Service in Soldotna. Uminski's Department Store was advertising their 14th year of business. In the want ads, a 1959 Ford Thunberbird for $500.00 the phone number was 235-9996 (Is that a good buy, if so I will call them and see if it is still for sale). In the Men's Bowling League, it appears that Bob Lord was the big bowler but Jack Epperson did pick up a 5 / 10 split! Grocery Specials at Kachemak Food Cache included a 2 Pound Can of coffee for $1.49.

In the City Government news, the Homer City Council was considering an ordinance that "would make it illegal to sell or use fireworks within the city limits." Amendments to the ordinance say that the use of sparklers, toy guns, and other devices using paper caps are not considered a violation of the ordinance".

If you want a great Trivia Pursuit question, when did the State of Alaska begin the requirement that snow vehicles needed to be licensed? I thought that was something that was just recently enacted in the past several years. The announcement was in this paper, the requirement was approved by the Legislature to commence on September 1, 1968! But "Due to an unavoidable delay in obtaining lecense (sic) decals, the Dept. of Revenue will not be able to register snow vehicles until December 1, 1968". My question is, what is a snow vehicle?

You may be wondering who was operating the paper at the time of this publication, the Editor was Lucille Billings and the reporter was Ruth Kilcher.

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my journey back in time and it brought back many fond memories of "old" Homer.

January 14, 2006: You might want to use this picture as guide when looking at your own structures. This is a fine example of inferior construction and poor engineering.

The roof laying alongside the building was once a 41 foot awning that covered the deck area and stairwell leading to the second story apartment. Although the awning was a "pitched" roof, it was not supported to receive the heavy snow load sliding from the roof of the primary building. The concept was great, it has worked for many years without incident, however, eventually you will get a heavy snowfall which exceeds the safe working load of a four inch support post. Note, the roof line of the primary building still has a snow pack of two feet, waiting patiently to slide. This should also serve as a warning when parking your car in the winter, when parking in front a building with the pitch of the roof facing you, it may be wise to back up a few feet to allow for avalanches.

"Here Is Your Sign" The most asked question that I have had in the past 48 hours is, "Did the snow knock down your awning?" My standard reply is now, "Nope, I just lowered it so the snow would slide easier" or "No, the snow knocked down the landlords awning".


Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from Apes, Why are there still Apes?

HOLE IN THE WALL

Made an attempt to get into the Hole In the Wall Recreation area yesterday, was not able to access the floor area, however, I was able to get as far as the South Rim to snap a couple of pictures. In the top picture, the Bear Den is appears to be handling the snow load quite well, would be a great time to spend the night if you could get access into it. The Duck House, is looking good, the tarp covering was a good concept, at least it is protecting the sky lights and providing a little insulation so the emergency stock of beer does not freeze. The Wolf Pack Den which you can just see the corner behind the Duck House. The Wolf Clan were like the smart pig in the fairy tale of the "Three Pigs", they built their house on stilts and reinforced the foundation with quality dunnage so they will be in good shape when it comes time for the "Great Meltdown", however, I am not sure if the ceiling will withstand the snow load, perhaps a few more sheetrock screws will be in order come spring.

ANCHOR ANGLER AND DUTCH

Had a drive-by the Anchor Angler, it is handling the winter quite well. This is virgin snow, untouched except for the wind which has been instrumental in keeping the snow load on the roof to a minimum. Take note of the Anchor Angler sign, if you recall the sign is attached to a rock base that is at least 36 inches high, however, you would never know it was there unless you ran into it with a snow plow. Dutch dog loves the snow, however, it has restricted him pretty much to the plowed areas as he does have a height restriction. He has conned "Goldie" to breaking trail into a few areas of the trees where they like to go for their morning constitutional.

The day that I spent plowing snow was made brighter by a sight that could only occur in Anchor Point. I was traveling northbound on Main Street of Anchor Point enroute to the video store parking lot. An oncoming vehicle was approaching me in the southbound lane. As we got closer, I could not believe my eyes and once I realized that it was not a "vision" I started laughing. It made my day and for the remainder of my snow plowing time, the humor and smile remained with me. To save you time in linking or researching, on December 1st, I posted the following picture on this site.
What I observed was identical to the picture, same year but light blue in color and it did not have twin stacks. I have checked my sources around the "Village By The River", but no one knows who it belongs to but others have also observed the unique snow plow.


ANCHOR POINT FORGERY RING
No doubt by now, you have all seen the article in the LA times regarding the forgery ring that is circulating bogus $20.00 bills around Anchor Point. All of us that accept currency from the general public rushed out to acquire the magic pen that detects if the bill is legal tender or not. I was a little late, I had to visit each bank in the "Little Hamlet by Beluga Slough" but they were out of magic pens. I went to the office supply store to get the same results, they were sold out. Returning to the "Village by the River" I was able to borrow one from the largest business in the community, but only after I signed for it and promised to replace it. We now get $20.00 bills at the store that has a minimum of five magic pen marks on them. Considering the penalty for forgery, I asked myself why would anyone take the chance to pass a phony $20.00 bill? The only conclusion that I could come up with is that the "crooks" are very smart! They know that there is not one business in Anchor Point that could make change for a fifty or a hundred dollar bill at any given time! I really do not know how big of a "forgery ring" this is, I have not seen any members of the Treasury Department in town, the Alaska State Troopers are handling the investigation - isn't forgery a federal offense? Where is our federal protection?
Oh, I forgot, we do not have a donut shop in Anchor Point.

"THOUGHTS TO PONDER"
Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough money in the account?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

My son-in-law, JD Plumma is a hard working Professional Plumma and in time will build a nice retirement account for himself and the "Howler" for their "Golden Years". But first he must put three of my granddaughters through college, buy each of them a car, and support each of them after they graduate college until they can find employment to support themselves in the fashion that they are accustomed to.

The "Plumma" is somewhat of an inventor, always working on some type of project that will be humorous, fun, or explode. Perhaps, this time could have been directed in more lucrative fashion pertaining to his profession. With just a touch of initiative, he could be sitting back, enjoying the sun rays of tropical Hawaii as royalty checks rolled into his personal checking account. Retirement at 37, "How Sweet It Could Have Been".

The "Plumma" has several hobbies, of which rearing tropical or non tropical fish is one of them. I was shocked when I discovered a new product that not only incorporates his "hobby" but also his profession as a Plumma.
Knowing him as I do, he could have easily constructed this new device in his shop in less than a half hour. This is the newest renovation to "bathroom pleasure", the "Fish Privy". This is a standard functional toilet that has been altered to provides something to do besides read while visiting the "potty". The standard reservoir tank has been eliminated and in it's place an aquarium. It is slightly larger than the standard reservoir, however, when the flushing mechanism is activated, water flows from the aquarium to flush the toilet and additional tepid water flows into the aquarium. Through the flushing process, the aquarium stays clean which has always been a chore. The water is circulated several times each day so the oxygen levels remain high enough that no additional air pumps are required. Screens are inserted to prevent the accidental flushing of the fish, however, it is also very convenient when the time comes that you must flush a fish that has expired. A simple device, low production costs and the current manufacturer cannot keep up with the demand. In the event you were wondering, cost per unit is $2,750 for the basic model not counting installation fees. Those units that include a "bidet" and sound system escalate the cost per unit to $4,800. You do the math on the equation if you just sold a hundred units per year.
If I had known about it earlier, I would have given the Plumma a heads up on it. However, the LA market may still be available if a new and improved model could be built that would not infringe upon the current patent laws. Having given it some thought, I discovered the current company does not make a glass shower stall or bath tub that could also be utilized as an aquarium. Can you imagine how relaxing it would be to sit in a nice tub of hot water, bubble bath, glass of wine, with just the lights of a candle providing the natural light to see the fish swimming around you as you bathe in luxury. If I had something like that, stocked with Rainbow Trout, I may take a bath more often than once a month.

After enduring several blizzards and countless hours of windshield time plowing snow, we get hit by a great cold snap. Even those of you living in tropical LA have seen a noticeable decline in temperatures. Down here on the Kenai Peninsula, we have just about froze out. Had to stop using my 500 gallon propane tank at the video store, now we just have the tanker truck backed into the parking lot and taking it on directly from the tanker. However, things could be worse.

At least that is what I was telling myself until just a few minutes ago when I clicked onto the National Weather Service to see what we could expect tomorrow. If you notice those nice white spots which are a minority, that is where it is suppose to be normal. See that green color for LA, well that is a Dense Fog Advisory until noon on Wednesday. Oh, did I forget that you also have a strong wind warning from noon on Wednesday to Thursday, I wonder what happened to the fog?

See that green down on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula, they tell us that we have a Snow Advisory from 9 am on Wednesday to 6 am on Thursday with snow accumulation of just fourteen (14) inches, with the heaviest concentration south of Clam Gulch. That is the great news that I was really looking forward to hearing. You know those fence posts that I have around the tackle shop? Someone either stole them or they are somewhere under the snow. Remember when we were all wishing for a "White Christmas", you should always watch out for what you wish for.

I will try to trek myself into the Hole In The Wall Recreational Area on snowshoes and shovel off those campers that remain in the area. Yea, right, I will get on that - shovel your own roofs. I tried to warn all of you, I had a vision that we were going to have a hard winter. That is why I provided extra dunnage for the house on stilts, double wrapped the moose wallow and even covered the bear den. Good thing, I had the good idea about putting the extra security dunnage on the back door of that one camper, would hate to see that door come open with the prevailing winds and snow. It would have made a great place for the Plumma and Homer to cool their beer if it did fill up with snow.

Now I do not want you guys in LA feeling sorry for Grannie and me, we will be ok, you just relax, enjoy yourselves with your winter activities while your city government does all your plowing, snow removal, garbage pick up and all the other amenities that you enjoy in the city. Grannie and I will just take care of things ourselves, knowing that the job will get done properly.

Happy Birthday, Elvis! Today, would have been the 72nd Birthday of the "King of Rock and Roll", Elvis Presley. He gave all of us so many memories and so many great songs. I recall the first time that I saw Elvis on television. I was just a youngster, watching him on snow covered TV screen that measured about 4 inches by 5 inches attached to an antenna that was about fifty feet high. It was his first performance on the Ed Sullivan Show and "he shook up the whole world". He was perhaps one of the greatest entertainers of all time. He was an original. He was "The King".

Since my posting of yesterday, Tuna fish has filled my thoughts in regards to the price per pound differential between the Tuna and our own wild Alaskan Salmon. The American consumer eats more canned tuna than any other specie of fish, including our own canned salmon. In my own household, we eat more tuna than salmon even though we live on a world class salmon river.

Over the past few years, I have seen many of our commercial fishermen give up their traditional fisheries that they have passed through the family over the decades. The commercial fleet of salmon fishermen get smaller as each year passes. I have witnessed the price of cod bringing higher prices to the fishermen than the specie that was our mainstay, the salmon fisheries.

Each year, the State of Alaska with the assistance of federal programs stock or enhance many of our fisheries, even though our native runs are still strong. For instance, in "Smoky Bay" there are three enhancement sites, Homer Spit, Halibut Cove and Seldovia. The commercial enhancement site at Tutka Bay Lagoon for Pink Salmon which has funded by the Lower Cook Inlet Seiners Association has been shut down due to the decline in the price of Pink Salmon (12 cents per pound).

On this snowy day, I have spent the day researching this subject and have come to the conclusion that as long as our native run of salmon remain healthy, perhaps we should consider introducing a new specie that could be utilized as both a great sport fish and a very valuable commercial fish. Within a few short years, we could make the "Little Hamlet By the Sea" the tuna capital of at least Alaska. It would be my proposal, to the Department of Fish and Game, that we curtail any further stocking programs of salmon into the enhanced fisheries of Kachemak Bay and immediately commence a Tuna Enhancement project.

The "eggs" of the female tuna takes only a few days to hatch once they have been fertilized and free float on the water currents until they hatch. The waters of the lagoon on the Homer Spit and Halibut Cove Lagoon could be utilized as a hatching and rearing area because of the exchange of water and feed every six hours. They could be raised to fishable size, which is one year and then released into Kachemak Bay. The tuna does not die after spawning like our salmon. The Tutka Bay Lagoon could be re-opened and utilized as a commercial rearing area for tuna for the commercial fishermen. It would be interesting to see how many of the "spit snaggers" could hold onto a 200 pound tuna!

When most people think of Tuna, they think of tropical breezes, bikini clad women running around on boats, and fishing in our boxer shorts. Although, these are all great thoughts to have when you look out your window and see three feet of snow in your yard, it is possible to have Tuna in the colder waters of Alaska.

Several species of Tuna will range into the northern Pacific waters. Typical, these waters will be in the southeast and Gulf Of Alaska, however, a good number of Bluefin Tuna have been taken in the Shelikof Straits. Tuna fishing is quite productive in the northern Atlantic, the Grand Banks is world known for their Tuna fishing and has similar water conditions as Alaska.

In my research, I discovered that Tuna fishing has become a very popular sport fishery in Ireland, as indicated by the photo. Tuna first started showing in this area in the 1950's and since that time the population has continued to increase that it is now supporting both a commercial and sport fishery. The water temperature changes in Ireland are very similar to those we see in Alaska.

I will continue my research, although I may need to travel to Ireland, Canada, Nova Scotia, Mexico, Hawaii, and Australia to gather data and spend a little time fishing. This will be a very expensive research expedition so any personal funding that you could provide would be greatly appreciated. While I am on my "research expeditions" it may also help in the establishment of this program if everyone would write to Govenorness Palin as well as the good folks at the Department of Fish and Game encouraging them to assist in the implementation of this project. If we work together on this, we can be getting in some good Tuna fishing within the next five years and our commercial fishermen will be bringing in fish that will fetch $50.00 plus dollars per pound instead of less than a dollar a pound for their salmon. The future fishery of Alaska, "Wild Alaskan Tuna"!

The fresh Tuna season has commenced. The first Tuna auction of the year was recently held in Japan. Japan consumes approximately 25% of the world's total tuna harvest. However, they also consume vast amounts of wild Alaska salmon including all five species of the Pacific Salmon. Japan is the largest importer of Alaska salmon.

According to Alaska Journal of Commerce, the average price per pound of salmon at the delivery point in 2006 was as follows:
King Salmon: $2.27 Per Pound
Sockeye Salmon: .73 Per Pound
Coho Salmon: .68 Per Pound
Chum Salmon: .27 Per Pound
Pink Salmon: .12 Per Pound

A large percentage of the prime tuna is sold at a public auction, very similar to the livestock auctions that we see in the United States. Recently, when the first tuna auction of the year was held, the most expensive tuna, a Bluefin Tuna weighing 454.5 pounds was sold to the sushi bar market for a total of 4.13 million yen. So you do not have to do the math, that equates out to $35,000 dollars. Knowing that you do not have calculator handy, that computes out to just a touch over $77.00 per pound.

When you look at it in a dollar sense, you could spend $35,000 for a 454.5 pound tuna, however for the same amount you could purchase 15,419 pounds of King Salmon. If you wanted to be an economical shopper, for the same $35,000 you could purchase 291,667 pounds of Pink Salmon.

You make the choice, eat tuna or support your local commercial fishermen and eat salmon. As for me, give me one of those big, one inch thick rib eye steaks, baked potato with sour cream, butter, chives, and steamed asparagus but first bring me an order of those sauteed mushrooms filled with smoked salmon dip and garnished with a light cheese for an appetizer with a bottle of Merlot.

Today is a big day for Hyperbole Prattle. I came online as a Blogger 210 days ago, (February 27, 2006), since that time I have made 231 verbose prattlings. However, at sometime today my little counter will click over to 10,000 hits to my site. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you that visit my site. I know a lot of you just visit without leaving a comment to see what I am prattling about and I appreciate that. For those that leave a comment, I appreciate your time and effort. I have had so much fun with the site, it has become a daily habit so I really want to thank my daughters for getting me involved. I would especially like to thank my daughter, the Erotic Screamer and the Plumma for setting up my site and being my most avid readers. Who will be number 10,000? Don't get your hopes up, there is no prize. Once again, Thank You.

The year is divided by twelve months, during each month there is a Full Moon. In those months that contain two full moons. The second full moon is called a "Blue Moon" and normally occurs in the month of May. Although considered rare, it does occur once about every three years.

The American Indians of the Northeast region of the United States and as far west as the Central United States, Indian tribes tracked time by the full moon and had a name for each full moon phase.

The full moon that we will witness today, January 3rd is called the "Full Wolf Moon", the description according to Indian folklore is as follows: "Amid the zero cold and deep snow of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages." This moon was also called the "Old Moon", "Moon After Yule". In some tribes it was known as the "Full Snow Moon" which is also the name of the full moon that will occur on February 2nd.

Keeping this folklore as part of our lives, I would expect to here that the "Wolf Clan" showed up in the front yard of the "Buffalo Clan" and under the guidance of the full moon, all of them start howling in unison until the "Buffalo Clan" responds, the neighbors respond, or the police respond. In the event of harassment, plead your case for freedom of speech and that you cannot be inhibited from expressing your Indian Traditional rights.

For your personal celebrations the following Full Moon signs are used:

February 2nd "Full Snow Moon"
March 3rd: "Full Worm Moon"
April 2nd: "Full Pink Moon"
May 2nd: "Full Flower Moon"
May 31st: "Full Blue Moon"
June 30th: Full Strawberry Moon"
July 29th: "Full Buck Moon"
August 28th: "Full Sturgeon Moon"
September 26th: "Full Harvest Moon"
October 26th: "Full Hunter's Moon"
November 24th: "Full Beaver Moon"**
December 23rd: "Full Cold Moon"

**By coincidence, Ranger Bill's birthday is November 19th - perhaps that is his fascination and frequent layovers in Beaver, Utah as he crosses our great nation in his 18 Wheeler.

As the "Grand Master" (I had another vision)I will be declaring by Proclamation the Celebration of "Full Blue Moon" on May 31, 2007. Information pertaining to such will be forthcoming as the "vision" becomes clear to me under the phase of the "Full Flower Moon"

Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year, with the exception of loosing my brother, it was a great year. The year brought us many fond memories to cherish forever as we go into the New Year. In reflecting back over the past year, it was a tough decision but I have chosen these pictures as the "Best of the Year"

"A Moment To Reflect"

"Potential Beauty Queen"






"I Did It My Way"

"Daughter Like Mother"







"A Happy Bride"







"Contentment On the Water"







"I Love Camping"













"Favorite Picture Of the Year"
"Brother and Sister"

"Best Picture Find Of The Year"


"Best Sign Of The Year"
(Posted In Front Of Soldotna Senior Citizen Center)


"Best Practical Joke Of The Year"
1. Grandma Buffalo getting arrested by LA Police for throwing rocks at neighbor lady.

2. "Bra Caper" in Colroado

3. Exploding Firewood at the Hole In the Wall Recreational Area.