My Dad Is A Veteran  

Posted by Stan Harrington



The clip that you just viewed was aired on CNN, typically considered to be on the liberal side of politics. My concern is why was this not verified and researched by our news media. Perhaps, we have become accustomed to the fact that what we hear on our evening news is verified and reliable information.

I had four Great Uncles from the same family (Baker Brothers) that served in World War II in the Europe. My Great Uncle Wayne Baker, went ashore at Omaha Beach during the Normandy Invasion. I also had a Uncle on my other side of the family serve in the same area of operation during World War II. Uncle Marshall Riley served in both World War II and the Korean War. I remember when he returned home and visited us, following World War II. I also remember when he visited us when he was being transferred to combat in Korea. I did not know my Great Uncles, but I have visited their grave sites in recent years, I have a great deal of respect for this generation of Americans because they answered the call.

I also hold a great deal of respect for the office of the President of the United States. However, I hold very little respect for President Barack Obama. He is a great Orator, when he has the teleprompter in front of him but can we always trust what he is telling us. I served under one Commander In Chief, which I had little respect for however, his leadership qualities surpass those of our current Commander in Chief.

In regards to the news clip aired on CNN, why didn't someone stop to verify the contents of his speech or call him on his misleading representation pertaining to his fathers tenure in the military fores during World War II.

President Obama's father was named Barack Hussein Obama, Senior. His date of birth was 4 April 1936 and he passed away on 24 November 1982.

His mother remarried, Lolo Soetoro (two additional aliases). His date of birth was 2 June 1935 and he passed away on 2 March 1987.

World War II commenced in Europe in September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. America would enter the war in later years. In the Pacific, America entered the war with Japan after they attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. For practical purposes, World War II ended in August on both fronts, Europe and the Pacific Ocean region.

If President Obama's father returned as a Veteran of World War II as he claims, his father set a new record as being the youngest veteran in our history. At the conclusion of the World War II his father had not reached his 9th birth date.

Giving our President the benefit of the doubt, I researched (took all of five minutes) his stepfather, Lolo Soetoro. He was a year older than Barack H. Obama, SR which would have made him slightly over ten years of age.

President Obama, you are quoted as saying, "I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals." I would consider a blatant lie a testimony to the lack of values.

I must admit, that I did not include the complete quote above, the entire quotation reads as follows:
"I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But, if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

"Fruits Of Our Labor"  

Posted by Stan Harrington

Each morning, I find myself sitting on our front deck or on the bench in the rock garden taking my morning coffee and admiring the variety of flowers that are in blossom. The labors of last spring are now paying big dividends in every color and shape.
"Columbine"

Terry's Birthday Present A Half Dozen Years Past
"Lillies ~
A Gift That Continues To Give
"Lilly"

"Wild Lupine"
"Dianthus"

This is one of my favorites, the Livingston Daisy. Their colors are so vibrant, sunglasses are recommended to look at them. At night and cloudy days, they close up and when the first rays of the sun hit them, they pop open with a transfusion of brilliant colors. A hardy plant and when planted about six inches apart, they will then mat the ground in a blanket of color.

Bed of Livingston Daisies

Livingstone Daises
More Livingston Daises

These are the giants of our "rock garden, although the rainy and windy summer we have enjoyed this year, it has hampered their growth. We have a number of these in our garden, to date the tallest one is about seven feet tall. There is one white, that is just now forming the blossoms. In full bloom, it will likely peak out between eight and nine feet in height.

"Purple Delphiniums"
"
Poor little Riley James Harrington, Great Granddaughter, is not quite tall enough to "smell the flowers"
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Closing Of The Day  

Posted by Stan Harrington

Despite the every day stresses of life, you know you have had a great day when the daylight slowly surrenders to night allowing you to reflect upon the day that you experienced. As the sun slowly settled behind the mountains on the Alaskan Peninsula, I sat and observed the Eagle family and ending to their day. Setting on the bluff, overlooking the river of my youth, my family fished the river below me as I watched the antics of the Eaglets.

"Parent Checking On the Brood"

"3rd Eaglet Going To Scare His Unsuspecting Two Siblings"
As the Eaglets settled down for a nap, I visited the Anchor River, finding my family fishing one of my favorite stretches of the river. The traditional method that my father taught me, now passed to the next two generations. I reflected upon this as I watched my Grandson, Son, and Daughter In Law building their own fishing memories.

My son, Heath has fished this river on his own, from the time he was in the 2nd grade, guiding fishermen before he ever entered junior high school. He has built his own legacy on the river, although he was won his share of large fish derbies, he fishes because be loves to fish and this is his home waters.

Arriving home just as the sun settled behind the horizon, the sky was slowly turning pink. My two pals, "Dutch" and "Ruger" and I walked out to the edge of our lawn on the bluff overlooking Anchor River.

We watched, as the pink slowly changed to yellows, golds, and oranges making the final transition to night. As I walked back across the lawn, I thought to myself,
"It Has Been A Good Day".

 

Posted by Stan Harrington

When the wind and marine conditions finally subsided enough to allow us to get on Cook Inlet on Sunday, we found some fantastic fishing and the surprise of my fifty eight years of sport fishing. Fishing off of the Anchor Point Lighthouse in about 110 feet of water, we found some fantastic halibut fishing. Having boated the halibut shown below, which weighed in at 173 pounds and knowing this was enough fish to last us through the winter, I decided to see if I could not "mooch" up a Silver Salmon or possibly a late run King Salmon inbound for the Kenai River.

Rigging up my trolling rod with a Magnum Blade Cook Inlet Special, with a Chartreuse and Flame 50/50 Blade, I commenced mooching. We were consistently seeing both Silver Salmon and Pink Salmon jumping in this area. Growing weary of "mooching", I put my rod in the holder and just let the big flashing blade stream behind the boat, occasional breaking the surface with the tide running out. While watching the others fish for halibut, I sat drinking my coffee and harassing them for taking so long to catch a fish.

Fish On! No one saw the fish strike, but we could all hear my reel screaming as line was rapidly being stripped from the reel. Perhaps, I had got lucky and finally hooked up with that big King Salmon I had wanted all of my life. With assistance due to the pressure on the rod, two of us got the rod out of the holder. I had to sit and hold the rod with both hands as the rod tip bent to the waters edge. The others got their gear reeled in, started the boat and commenced giving chase after my King Salmon, hoping that I could get some additional line back onto my reel.

Catching up with the big fish, it decided to go deep and we hovered over the top of it just enough that the line would not touch the side of the boat, did not want to take the chance of loosing this fish! After 32 minutes of fighting the fish deep, I felt it starting to work itself back up to the surface, I reeled as fast as I could to recover my line and not allow any slack where it could slip the hook.

Once again, the fish hesitated on coming to the surface at about the twenty foot mark, since we were hovering close to the fish, we could pick it up on the fish finder which pretty much assured us that I had hooked into a big King Salmon. Hoping that it was tiring, one person got the net out that we use for King Salmon while the other two manned the cameras to capture the landing of the big King.

Again the fish went down to about 40 feet according to the fish finding, but not for long, he turned in an instance and headed to the surface, fast enough that the fish finder could not track his movement. By now, my arms were tired from the strain of the rod and reeling, there was no way that I could keep up with him as he ran for the surface. He broke the surface about 20 feet behind the boat, I stopped reeling in disbelief of what I saw. It was the fish that dreams are made of, but it was not a King Salmon. It was only after we got home and looked at pictures that we were able to identify the specie.

Breaking the surface, he was airborne four times, finally on the fourth jump he cleared the water about six feet and rolled to the left as he entered the water, the only assumption we can make is that he rolled in the slack line on his assent to the surface and snapped the line. The snapping of the line sounded like a gun shot, I was heart broken, but I also realized that it was one of those times in your life that you have to appreciate it, despite the outcome. The big fish that got away has been identified as a "Blue Marlin", why it was this far north is any one's guess. Perhaps, following migrating salmon runs to feed, similar to the Salmon Sharks, perhaps it is the warming the oceans and their migration patterns of the Marlin is moving north.

All, I know it was a great fish story and a great day on the water.