Full Moon Prattlings

Posted by Stan Harrington

"Global Warming"

Despite the fact that the latest polls indicate that 82% of those randomly polled felt that "Global Warming" was based on unreliable data, commonly referred to "B.S.". Despite the fact that 73% of the the scientific community feels that the data pertaining to "Global Warming" was misrepresented or manufactured, commonly referred to as "Double B.S.". Despite the fact that the Nobel Committee selected Egore (a.k.a. Al Gore) to receive the Nobel Prize for his discovery of Global Warming. The only thing that he did discover was a way to increase his annual earning from $3,000,000 to $93,000,000.

With that being said and done, I will go on record to support the theory of Global Warming. Not with data that can be easily mistaken in the interpretation but with pictorial fact. Currently, we are seeing record snow accumulation in Alaska. The "warm air" masses moving over the northern region and hitting the colder temperatures of the Arctic is creating these heavy snow storms.

Near my home a few days ago, this cow moose had to be rescued from the deep snow. On her annual trek from the high country to lower elevations, she was trapped in the deep snow. Immobile, they brought in snow mobiles to pack the snow down to allow her a walkway. They then moved the snow away from her so she could gain access to the "man made" trails. She was lucky, how many moose do we have to loose before we taken Global Warming seriously?

EAGLE VIEWING

Prior to reading this short article, I would recommend that you go to this link American Bald Eagle or scroll down to January 22, 2010 on this site for the article. Your next assignment, would be to click on this link, Homer News and read the lead in, front page article that appeared in the January 28th edition. Pertaining to the viewing opportunities and the feeding of the eagles. I have several pictures of the scene shown below, I have not published them in the past due to their graphic and disturbing nature. This picture was taken on the Homer Spit. Can you count the number of Eagles not being fed on the Homer Spit?

POLITICAL NEWS

This morning, while taking my morning coffee and staying informed on current events by watching the morning news, I was shocked by one particular news item. As you are aware, if you keep up with current events, our United States Attorney General announced several weeks ago that five terrorists would be tried in the civil courts in New York City. One of those being tried, with all rights granted to a U.S. Citizen is the mastermind behind the attack on 9/11.

It is assumed that his decision was approved by President Obama, at least it should have been. Upon the announcement of this decision an uproar occurred nation wide. However, only in the recent hours has this uproar reached a level that the White House can hear it. The Mayor of New York City, Governor of New York, and a number of leading Democrats are now insisting that no trials be conducted in New York City. There is also a movement to convince the White House to reverse their decision and try the five terrorists under the authority of a Military Tribunal instead of our Civil Courts. Remember, these are enemy, combatant, terrorists. They have no "civil rights" in accordance with our Constitution.

I want to see them remain in Guantanamo Bay and tried by a Military Tribunal. The one item that caught my attention on the news this morning is the budget that President Obama will be presenting to Congress for approval. In this budget, is a single line item requesting $200,000,000 (Two Hundred Million Dollars) for the trial and appeal process for the five terrorists in civil court.

I can guarantee a Military Tribunal is less expensive, the judge, jury, and lawyers are all government (military) employees on a fixed annual salary, security measures are in place in Guantanamo, and the secret documentation that our intelligence services have would not be made public. Cost of this trial, less than $200.00 if we buy new ropes to hang them with.

If the terrorist are to be tried in Civil Court, then let Osama Binnie Laden step forward, post their bail, pay for the lawyers, and provide them security.

If it was good enough for Remus Reid, Great, Great Grandfather to Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) then it is good enough for any and all terrorists that we capture. It is the only fair way to handle the situation, one that a terrorist can appreciate.

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"Political Spin"

Posted by Stan Harrington

The following information was sent to me. I have quoted it in the same format as I received it. I post it just to demonstrate how you can effectively "spin" just about any topic that you want to. The majority of our politicians have just perfected the process of "spinning"

"It all depends on how you look at some things....."

"Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in Southern California, was doing some personal work on own family tree. She discovered that Congressman Harry Reid's great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing, train robbery in Montana, and escaping from prison in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid share this common ancestor." "Reportedly, Remus Reid was apprehended by the Pinkerton Detectives for prison escape, train robbery, stood trial, convicted, and sentenced to hanging."

"The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory:"

Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada)

Judy Wallman contacted the Congressional Office of Senator Reid, to share her information with her cousin. The following is a excerpt of the letter that she received from Senator Reid's office:

"Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic fund raiser held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."

Watching Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev) since he became Majority Leader reaffirms my convictions that the "Acorn Does Not Fall Far The Tree". The backroom deals, ("Louisiana Purchase", "Corn Husker Compromise", and others to numerous to list") that he has cut in an attempt to get the medical bill through Congress would indicate that perhaps he has a little "larceny in his heart". But I am not here to judge ~ just to present the facts!

I have researched this information to verify the accuracy and authentication. You can do the same by clicking on Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada)

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Not Meant To Stir The Pot

Posted by Stan Harrington

Homer, Alaska ~ "The End Of the Road"

Up front, I was raised in Homer, Alaska and have considered it to be my hometown up to the time that I discovered Anchor Point, Alaska in 1959. A small "bedroom community" to the metropolitan area of Homer. I also do not intend this to be an article to "stir up emotions" or create any division of differences of opinions among the residents of Homer. Homer has always been a very united community.

A good number of years ago, a lady of seniority lived on the Homer Spit throughout the year. During the summer months, when Homer had a cannery row, she would gather fish scraps and freeze them for the upcoming winter months. As the winter winds blew across Kachemak Bay, the American Bald Eagles would return to the Homer Spit. Being the woman that she was, she would "thaw out" the collected fish scraps and disburse them to several feeding sites on the end of the Homer Spit on a daily basis.

Due in part to the "Eagle Feeding Project", on any given day you would see several hundred Bald Eagles on the Homer Spit. As time passed, a faction of the community complained that the great bird, that is the symbol of our country, was being made into a beggar for a few scarps of fish. A different faction complained that they could not go to the Homer Spit without getting splattered with the "waste product" created by the fish scraps. A third faction complained that with all the bald eagles in the area it was creating a "safety hazard" for aircraft utilizing the Homer International Airport. A fourth faction complained because they had nothing else to do at the time. The community was becoming "fragmented" due to the differences of opinions. At one time, even the acting Mayor of Homer was on national television carrying his "Eagle Bashing Stick"

Enough controversy was raised that in time the Federal Government intervened. It was their intention prior to deploying troops to "calm the atmosphere", they would hold a series public hearings on the issue. This aspect took a couple of years to resolve, meanwhile the lady continued to feed the eagles. The eagles were happy, the lady was happy, others that enjoyed seeing the birds were happy, and those that were unhappy remained that way.

In time, it was resolved that the "feeding program" would be permitted by the Federal Government, the program would be "Grand-mothered" in as long as the elderly lady could feed the birds. This created yet another controversy, as there were those that considered Homer as sovereign territory and not under the authority of the federal, state , or local government. Unfortunately the lady passed away and as the government agreed, the feeding program for eagles during the winter months was terminated. This is the second winter that the feeding program has not existed.

There is no doubt that the "feeding program" had a positive affect on the number of American Bald Eagles on the Homer Spit during the winter months. Enjoying the eagles, I traveled out to the Homer Spit to watch and photograph them. Although, I am not an authority on Bald Eagles, I can count and it would only be my uneducated guess that the winter population is approximately 11.3% of what it was during the feeding program. There are still enough eagles that you can enjoy doing a little bird watching.

In this weeks issue of one of the Homer news journals, in the "Things To Do and See In Homer" article was a picture and notation of the American Bald Eagle viewing opportunities that exist in Homer, at the Homer Landfill! Again, being uneducated, isn't that the same thing as garbage dump?

So, now instead of feeding the Eagles a supplement that is natural to them, we have them finding all kinds of neat things to eat at the "dump". I can just imagine what this foreign material is going to have on the digestive system of the eagle. Those that thought the eagles on the Homer Spit created a by-product mess on their cars, they have not seen anything yet.

It intrigue me why they would do an article advertising you could view and photograph the American Bald Eagles feeding at the "Sanitary Landfill". First, I visited the Homer Spit and got some beautiful pictures of the eagles. On my way home to my little "Shangri-La in Anchor Point, I pulled off the Sterling Highway at the "dump" to see how many eagles were hanging out.
I could not get a count, it is difficult to get all the eagles to stay in place while you get a head count. Perhaps, I should have had a "Eagle Bashing Stick". There was roughly twenty times the number of eagles at the dump than on the Homer Spit. They were double and triple parked in all of the trees, occupying them jointly with the crows.

Now, I do not know but did the City of Homer see the commercial potential of having "Eagle Viewing Area" within the city limits when the feeding program stopped on the Homer Spit. Their only alternative to get around the federal mandate was the "Sanitary Landfill" which was in place prior to the feeding restrictions but outside the City Limits of Homer. Could this be the reason the City of Homer annexed this area into the Incorporated City boundaries? Just a question, I do not know since I live in Anchor Point.

I would suggest that they close the dump to protect the American Bald Eagle, but then they would want to move it to Anchor Point and use some of our gravel pits to bury their trash. I do not know, but I bet they could lure some of those big birds away from the dump by opening up a "winter feeding station" on the Homer Spit.

One Tree At The Sanitary Landfill, Population At the Time Of The Photograph
Six American Bald Eagles and One Black Bird.

Two Trees, Four Bald Eagles Looking At Mt. Iliamna

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Thank You

Posted by Stan Harrington

The Beginning

(Click On Link Above)

Thank You

(Click On Link Above)

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"Go Navy"

Posted by Stan Harrington

There are those that consider our country as war-mongers and we spend excessive amounts of our resources in supporting a strong national defense system. It is seldom mentioned the amount of our taxes that is budgeted to the Department of Defense goes to humanitarian projects.
Regardless of what country is involved, whether it is a natural disaster or an act of terrorism, the United States military forces are always the first to respond and the first on the scene.
To wit, after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN-70), one of the largest nuclear powered aircraft carriers in our fleet and her task force are en route to Haiti to provide assistance. The Vinson will be arriving in the area on Thursday. Due to her size and capabilities, the U.S.S. Carl Vinson will provide rescue assistance as well as hospital facilities until temporary medical facilities can be established on shore. Countless number of military aircraft from all branches of the military will also be playing a role int he rescue operation. Two thousand U.S. Marines are also on their way to Haiti to assist in search and rescue operations.
Next time, when someone wants to "slash" the budget for the Department of Defense, you may want to consider the many roles that our military plays.

3 comments »

"Going To Hell In A Hand Basket"

Posted by Stan Harrington

As a youngster, I vividly recall my parents when talking with friends would discuss the younger generation. Their discussions would conclude with the fact that "everything was going to hell" because of the next generation. They were members of the "great generation" and have my sincere admiration, appreciation, and gratitude. This was the generation that survived the "Great Depression", "Dirty Thirties", and World War II all in a span of 10 - 15 years. They held America together, a beacon of hope for many that legally migrated to our beloved country.

As a "kid", when I walked down the street and when memorial possession passed by, all cars would stop and yielded the right of way. Those walking, would stop, remove their hats if they were wearing one and face the hearse as it passed by. In the western Colorado community that I was raised as a young man, there were several parades a year. The parade was always led by mounted horsemen carrying our national emblem of freedom. In respect , as our national ensign passed by everyone removed their hats and placed their hat or hand over their heart. You never saw a sporting event that the National Anthem was not played, each time everyone removed their hats and again saluted the flag. This was the generation that had family and friends die for that flag. Each morning, as school started, we would rise from our seats, place our little hands over our hearts and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I recall, we had just got it memorized and someone came up with the idea that "God" should be included in the pledge. We learned the new version and no one complained, no mass demonstrations, no kids sitting in their seats declaring their rights were being violated, and no lawyers filing court cases trying to ban the word "God".

My parents were almost correct. Now that I have joined the "gray haired" generation, I can look back and think to myself that my generation did not do a bad job in keeping America as we found it. However, it was on "our watch" that the erosion commenced and we did not stop it. In my wisdom, I predicted it in 1973 and my theory has proven correct. However, that is a different and lengthy theory.

I recently saw a news article on television pertaining to the laborers in Mexico protesting a United States company. This particular company made bowling balls and accessories that support the the art of bowling. It is one of the major companies in the United States that produces this type of equipment. Because of labor contracts, high costs of labor, and taxes in the United States they moved their plants to Mexico. The communities in the United States that were supported by this manufacturing giant were devastated in the loss of jobs.

Building new manufacturing plants in Mexico, they put thousands of Mexico residents to work. This greatly assisted the citizens and government of Mexico. Perhaps, it even assisted the United States as it provided employment in Mexico and possibly reduced the number of "illegals" crossing our borders. No one in the United States benefited from the move, except possibly "Corporate America". Prices due to cheap labor in Mexico did not reduce the retail prices in America. Several years have since passed since that move to Mexico. Today, the employed residents of Mexico are protesting because this same company is now going to close their plants and move to China to take advantage of cheap labor.

Today, the country of China, which has not been a friend of the United States since the revolution, holds the mortgage of America in their hands. With our national debt escalating into the trillions of dollars, the majority of this money was borrowed from China. Our current administration does not appear to be concerned about the national debt, as long as the well does not go dry. Concern yourself with this fact, what will happen when China decides to recall and collect their debt service. What will be the concern when the Chinese Navy appears on our horizon with a naval fleet that surpasses our fleet, including aircraft carriers?

What can we do as a single American? It is apparent that a majority of our elected representatives have taken their eye off the ball. If you recall, some years ago a large shipment of dog food component was exported to the United States from China. A great number of dogs died from this contamination. Americans went wild and started boycotting dog food with this particular component. A couple of years later, toys started showing up in America that were made in China, again deadly because of the lead base paint. Rightfully so, Americans screamed bloody murder. The trend continues today, how safe are the products imported from China?

Now, if you have made it this far you are wondering to yourself, "what in hell does smoked oysters have to do with this article". Rightfully so that you ask that question. I love smoked oysters with a little cream cheese on crackers. I also love oyster stew, an old secret family recipe. Shopping locally, each time I go into one particular store in Homer I looked at the smoked oysters. They have several brands to choose form. Since the dog food scare, I have been checking labels. Each of the brands this particular store stocks, the smoked oysters are made in China! Now, I ask myself, if they cannot properly take care of "dog food", what chance do I have by eating oysters that they smoked and canned in China? I have not purchased any food products from China in several years.

On a recent trip to Anchorage I took advantage of my retirement and shopped at the commissary on Elmendorf A.F.B. I was a in hurry as daylight was approaching so I and my little cart was making a speed run up and down the isle. As I passed the spam, sardines, and tuna fish I spotted the oysters, smoked and canned oysters for stew. Recognizing the brand name, I threw a few into my cart and headed for the dog food department.

Last evening, while watching an old western movie I decided it was time for a 1:00 am snack. Smoked oysters and cream cheese sounded very good. As I removed the "Chicken of the Sea" wrapper off the can, mouth watering, I could not help but notice the labeling in small print. "Distributed By: Chicken Of The Sea International, San Diego, CA 92121 U.S.A." A good American Company. Then the second line appeared in my vision, "Product of China". There went my appetite for "smoked oysters", again! I could not resist checking the canned oysters for my stew as they were also carrying the label of this American Company. Thank god, they were not a "Product of China"! They are a product of "Korea", it did not say whether it was South or North Korea. Don't they make oysters in America anymore?

What can you do as an "American", only a small thing but could be effective. Start trying to boycott any products "Made In China" and at the same time, if it is an American company send them an email telling them that you are boycotting their product until it is made in the U.S. of A. I have and I will continue. www.chickenofthesea.com

My "smoked oysters" remain on the shelf, as I placed them back into my "goodie cabinet", I could not help but notice two cans of sardines packed in oil of which I had received as a Christmas gift. Yes, people do give sardines as Christmas gifts! They are not "Made In China", they are a product of Morocco! Did all of our sardines and herring move out of our coastal waters after eating all of the oysters?

"God Bless America" ~ We could use a little help.

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