More Useless Information

I know you didn’t ask for it, but here it is anyway.

I finally installed both the hyper charger and the chips to adjust fuel delivery to the injectors on my scooter; which proves once again that you can find directions to do just about anything on the internet. After the installation, I hit the ignition and it actually started. I won’t be able to fine tune the fuel delivery chips until I can get it on the open road, but things look good in the meantime. A guy can dream can’t he?

It's a Joke?

I was out having dinner with the Petersons, the Giers and the Mathews last Friday when coincidentally the Fosters and Karen sat down at the adjoining table. After dinner, Joe came over with a joke for us. It involved an Arab and a Jew. Always in the mood for a good story (particularly one with ethnic accents), we were all ears.

Now without the accents this loses something in the translation, but here goes anyway.

The Arab and the Jew were in a plane over the Atlantic, traveling to the United States. Everyone had settled in and was relaxing; the Arab taking off his jacket, the Jew removing his shoes, etc. Muhammad, being in a window seat, asked Benjamin if he would be so kind as to find the flight attendant and get him a drink. Benjamin agreed. While he was gone from his seat, the Arab took one of the Jew’s shoes and proceeded to spit in it. Benjamin returned to his seat with Muhammad’s drink and the flight continued uneventfully.

Upon approaching their destination, the Arab put his jacket back on and the Jew his shoes. With this the Jew says, “When will it ever end?!.... Spitting in the shoes….. Pissing in the drinks!

Odd how we find reality so humorous.

Another Political Rant

It’s been a while since I made any political comments. Truthfully, politics have frustrated and angered me to the point that I no longer follow it as well as I used to.

As a general and rather casual observation, national politics have evolved into an obstructionist name calling fiasco, with no thought given to sincere problem solving. Here are some examples.

1. The Democrats have launched a campaign to point out that the involvement of the United States in Iraq was based on faulty intelligence. (Haven't we already beaten this dog?) They maintain that Bush “cherry picked” the reports to support his personal vendetta against that country’s president. They fail to mention that their own party members (most notably Kerry and H. Clinton) read the same intelligence report and clearly supported a war to overthrow that great humanitarian Suddam Hussein. The truth is, the minority party sees Bush’s low poll ratings and is hammering away to win seats in the next election. If the Democrats have a comprehensive plan to defeat terrorism; lets hear it!

2. The hearings regarding the appointment of the Supreme Court Justice are a joke. Should the nominee’s record be examined? Of course it should. If a nominee lacks the experience necessary to carry out the tasks of so important a position, they should be eliminated post haste. I believe nominee Meirs was a case in point. On the other hand, if a nominee is qualified, even though they may have different views than yours or mine it should not disqualify them. Other than whether or not they have the necessary credentials, the only question that’s pertinent is whether they will uphold the constitution of the United States. Congress makes the laws and the Court interprets them. If Congress has done its job well, it shouldn’t fear that a justice would misinterpret any law it has written. The truth is most of the hearings are blatantly obstructionist.

3. In order to keep this fairly short I won’t get into details. It regards a letter to the editor of our local paper. In it, a citizen went on a rant “exposing” how Bush and Cheney have been profiting from everything from the war in Iraq to the price of gas. I don’t know if that’s true or not; and neither does the writer of the letter. My point is, if a person makes a statement; support it with facts and if it’s an opinion; say so. If that person is unable or unwilling to do either then he or she should say nothing.

4. Although I could go on, the last item I’ll comment on is impeachment. I’m specifically referring to a bumper sticker I saw yesterday calling for Bush’s impeachment. Impeachment is not a devise to be used by the losing party to reverse the outcome of an election. It is a devise to accuse an elected official of illegal misconduct. If you are unhappy with the performance of an official, simply vote him/her out of office during the next election. If it can be shown that an elected political figure has broken the law; impeach him. This action is nothing to be bandied about lightly.

Both parties are guilty of “playing politics”. As trite as this rhetoric is, wouldn’t it be refreshing and maybe even helpful, to see them attack the myriad problems that this country faces instead of each other.

New Ride

I’ve been riding so much I haven’t been very good at keeping up with these entries. Did I mention that I bought a new ride back in August? The Vulcan 800 was terrific, but I wanted more POWER. In any even, I traded in the 800 and got a Kawasaki 1600 Vulcan Classic. Fun ride. Since I bought it in August, I put about 5000 miles on it. The snows about to fly around here, so there probably won’t be too many more miles on the old odometer until 2006. Check out the picture above. As money permits (if money permits) I intend to put a hyper charger and new pipes on it (oh, and a chip so it will still run). I’ll let you know if and when that happens (like anyone cares).

Flashback

During the summer (August 12th to be exact) Michael and I surprised Kim with a visit by hauling our scoots to South Elgin via the parking lot know as I-94. I mentioned in a previous entry that we had a great time and that I would comment more about that trip. So, here’s a little more.

It was great to see Kim and after settling Landi in for the weekend, the three of us set off to see the countryside, and a few of Kim’s friends. I don’t know that part of the world very well, but Kim led us through some pretty countryside and some communities near South Elgin.

We visited Toni, who was in crisis mode, because her car accident caused the loss of her job; but it was good to see her anyway. We also visited the home of Bonnie and Al (and girls). That was the first I met them, but Michael walked with them in the Y-Me breast cancer fund raiser earlier in the summer. They owned a Harley and both enjoyed riding; although a garage sale that weekend prevented them from joining us. Later Saturday evening, while I rested, Kim and Michael visited Denise; a friend of Kim’s who also participated in the Y-Me fund raiser.

During the weekend Michael and I wore our “colors”….. The picture is above.

Halloween '05

Well there you have it; another Halloween behind us. I usually plan for about 350 ghouls and goblins to assault my humble abode, but as always I was disappointed and nothing showed up but a bunch of street urchins and ankle biters demanding candy of me lest they mope and whine. The truth is, that about an hour into the appointed (and city approved) “trick or treat” time, the heavens opened, dampening costumes and spirits and limiting the number of knocks at the door. On the surface this may seem like a good thing, and in the grand scheme of things probably was, but the actual outcome is that I have been left with two unopened bags of treats that I will consume, contributing even more to my already over endowed girth. Actually the kids were generally polite, well mannered and most of them even wore costumes.

The day before, some of us more seasoned ghouls (there didn’t appear to be any goblins among us) took a little afternoon ride on our scoots, and ended up at Dan Olson’s house on Silver Lake. His wife is a Halloween aficionado and does their property up in a big way. We stayed for a while to enjoy her handy work and as it turned out celebrate her fiftieth birthday. I’ve included a couple of pictures for your perusal. All in all a beautiful day, an entertaining diversion and a fun ride.

Next we set our sights on November when that old boy Tom joins us for dinner. Will the fun never end?

Blog Spamming

Just a word about some of the comments that are left on the blog.

Morgan hit the nail on the head with his comment: "I hate the stupid blog spammers. Grrr." That about sums it up. The fact is I really enjoy reading your comments when you feel so inclined to leave them. If I allow an entry to receive new comments, anyone can comment, even the spammers. Therefore, I'll leave it up to you. If you drop by occasionally and read stuff other people left, let me know if the spammers bother you enough for me to block the comments. I will if the consensus is that I should..... Let me know. Too bad the host site can't screen that kind of junk, but I suppose it's impossible.

Dead Fish

I just finished watching the White Sox win the World Series then came in and sat down wondering what, if anything, I should stick on this site so the faithful will know I'm still drawing breath. Nothing struck my fancy, so I figured a picture of a dead fish would suffice. So here it is. This may also prove to the skeptics among you that when Larry and I go fishing we do occasionally catch a fish. I don't know what the occasion was in this case, but we caught three on this outing, sometime in mid-September.

October Birthdays

Ah…. January in Michigan. There’s something about a Midwestern winter that creates October birthdays. Specifically, Elli’s, Kim’s and mine. Additionally, several of Kim’s friends make the same claim to fame… Bonnie, Denise and John. So, when Michael and I visited Kim back in August, it was suggested that we get together in October to celebrate these days of infamy. A tentative time was set for the weekend of October 15th.

And so it came to pass that last weekend there was a gathering in South Haven, bringing together the “birthday people” and some of their friends and relatives for a ride through the fall landscape of South West Michigan. Michael and I thought about it a bit and decided that a winery tour with a lunch stop would be fun.

So, at 10:00 last Saturday, our little entourage set out for Coloma, our first stop. Bonnie rode behind me, Steve followed with Andrea as lookout, Kim rode her scoot alone (her saddle sacrifices a passenger for style), and Michael brought up the rear with Denise on board. Elli had to wait at home with Olivia and the sitter, and John came in for the evening’s festivities.

From South Haven, our itinerary looped us south to the Karma Vista and Contessa wineries then east to Kevin’s for lunch at the Warner winery in Paw Paw. North to Allegan, then west to New Richmond (Michael has a thing about this pastoral community….something about Huck Finn’s cousin). From there we crossed the “foot” bridge to Saugatuck where we stopped for coffee before moving on to the Fenn Valley winery. Our last leg returned us to South Haven via Blue Star Highway. Except for a few wind gusts, the weather was beautiful and everyone apparently had fun. Elapsed time, about 7 hours.

Upon returning to Michael’s, it was discovered that his oven was in the throws of a labor dispute and opted to execute a shut down. Thus ensued a period of gnashing of teeth and great emotional turmoil. Bonnie and I hauled the ribs (our dinner) over to Pearl Street to finish cooking them (Bonnie had the foresight to pre cook them). Meanwhile, Denise negotiated with the oven and convinced it to resume its duties…. alas, the meat was already done, and returning to the party. In any event, dinner was delicious and a good time was had by all. To add to the festivities, Amy and Brock and their kids arrived as did Andrea Quinn and her daughter. John from Illinois was there by that time as well.

Although I retired early, the party continued around the fire on Michaels deck well into the evening.

When all was said and done it was a terrific weekend.

A final note: as a gift from my daughters and Michael, I was given an “engine guard” for my bike….aka crash bar. Does that tell you something about what they think about my motoring abilities? (It looks great on the scooter.)

A Final Farewell

Back on September 17, ’05, Michael and the girls put together a “celebration” of Linda’s life. This was her request, and those three did a great job of honoring it.

Those in attendance first met at the arena on Phoenix Road to watch Chloe put Brie though some of his dressage routine. Brie is a beautiful animal, and Chloe showed him at his best (at least to my untrained eye). Before moving on to the Blue Star Theater, there was a champagne toast in remembrance.

At the Theater there was music, dancing, food and a montage of photos representing Linda’s life.

My only job for this event was to put together the photos and music the girls provided for the montage. If any of the family’s friends would like a copy of the DVD, please contact me, and I’ll make arrangements to get you a copy.

Still Alive and Kickin'

Here it is; the middle of October. I can’t say the frost is on the pumpkin, but judging by the coolness of the evenings, it won’t be long. As beautiful as this time of year is, there is a melancholy beneath each colored leaf and gust from the north. Birthdays come and go, holidays bring smiles and friends, but nothing marks the passage of time like fall giving way to winter. A few of the summer flowers are still blooming in the garden; some zinnias, dahlias (they didn’t even bloom until late September this year (the drought I suppose)), impatiens, and even the geraniums. One morning we’ll awaken to find them too lying tangled and wilted.

Summer this year was easy; warm and dry with new things to try and old things to savor. In fact it was too easy. I didn’t even make the effort to keep up with the thoughts and events I try to share here. My apologies to anyone kind enough to occasionally look in to see if I’m still alive and kicking.

So, with summer’s passage and winter’s arrival, I will try to share some of summer’s “adventures”. Notice I said “try”, and not “promise”. I know myself far too well to get carried away with promises. In the meantime, thanks for dropping by, whether by chance or design.

Alpaca

Allow me to get off the subject for a minute or two. Ok, you’re right, I was never on a subject; but if I were, this would be off it.

Recently, Larry has been saying how much he would enjoy visiting an alpaca “ranch”. “How about llamas?” I queried. “No, just alpacas; lamas spit at you, and, alpacas always relieve themselves in the same place”, he said. (I might point out that I generally relieve myself in the same place, but have never generated the interest that these animals seem to enjoy.) Regardless, I’ve been keeping an eye out for alpacas to let Larry know where he could witness these marvels of nature first hand. As luck would have it, Michael and I were out riding when he pointed out a bunch of alpacas not far from town. Today, while riding alone, I saw some people in the driveway of the farm and decided to stop to inquire if they would welcome a curious visitor. Evidently they deemed me curious enough and offered to give me the fifty cent tour.

For your edification, here are a few of the things I learned about alpacas and llamas.

Two guard llamas were kept in the herd of 13 alpacas to drive off coyotes. (Incidentally, llamas rarely spit at people, but Alpacas spit at each other frequently.)

Alpacas do poop in the same spot, and not to be outdone, others of the herd will queue up to make a deposit themselves. My tour guide likened it to ladies lining up at the loo in a movie theater.

The stuff covering an alpaca is called “fiber”.

The nearest factory to process the fiber is in South America. (The fiber from an alpaca generates enough money to feed it for a year. Alpacas are cheap to feed.)

Alpacas are not cuddly despite their appearance, and don’t like to be touched.

Alpacas are horny; however, some Alpacas don’t have a clue as to how to go about making little alpacas, and have to visit other farms where they can observe first hand what’s expected of them.

These breeders had two alpacas for sale at $15,000 apiece.

There were other interesting things, but this should be enough to pique even the most jaded curiosity.

One final note regarding the economics of alpacas. The ownership and sale of alpacas is a pyramid scheme. Except for producing a little fiber, their sole purpose is to produce little alpacas that can be sold to other people to produce more little alpacas to sell. When the alpaca market becomes glutted, pity the poor soul who was the last in line. Those Peruvians saw the fat man coming.

The Silence Is Broken

This old geezer had fallen silent for the past month. Why? you might ask; or you might not, but I will tell you anyway.

Michael called me during the last weekend in July and suggested that we do something fun with Kim, who lives in the Chicago area. (If you don’t know who these people are, please go back and find them in former entries because it would take too long to explain here.) Further, he said that there was a motorcycle for sale across the street from him and that he was thinking about buying it so he could ride with Kim (who rides), and suggested that I might want to get a bike so we could all ride together. My initial was response was “no way”, but the more I thought about it the better the idea sounded. Michael bought the 2003, Anniversary Harley Sportster that was for sale by his house and I got a Kawasaki 800 from the local dealer. The goal was to tow the bikes to Kim’s house A.S.A.P. and surprise her.

There were two major obstacles that had to be overcome. First, I had to learn to operate the damned thing (I rode a friend’s bike in the early to mid sixties a few times and owned a scooter, but otherwise had absolutely no experience.) Michael rode a motorcycle about 25 years ago and therefore qualified as the experienced rider. Second, we had to get motorcycle endorsements on our driver's licenses (Michael had previously had one, but let it expire).

I figured 2 weeks practice, before the skills test for the endorsement. So, I spent the first week of August taking short rides and practicing slow maneuvers in a church parking lot. My only injury…. a sprained wrist. I considered myself lucky so far (although the wrist still doesn’t work worth a hoot.) The next Monday, I called to make the appointment for us take the skills test in Lawton on the upcoming Saturday and continued to practice. The only part of the test that had me stressed out was the anticipation of doing the WEAVE. Here, the word “weave” should be said with reverence, and authority, as if it were being said by God with dark and ominous clouds quickly forming overhead.

On the day of the TEST (use the same voice inflection as was used with WEAVE), we arrived at the site, did the paper work, and got in line behind a bunch of confident whipper snappers; all of whom seemed to pass without any trouble. Michael went before me and passed. Ahhh, the pressure was unbearable. My turn, and the first maneuver on the course…. The WEAVE! Clearly I was in trouble. This was not set up at all like the practice course we had used. I launched into the course filled with trepidation. Three cones were successfully navigated when I took the turn too wide to get back into the game and ran over the last two. Had they been people, bodies would have been strewn about like ??? …. Well, like knocked over cones…. Death and destruction would have reigned. I returned to the instructor assuming I would be assigned a new test date, however, he informed me I had lost five points but was still in the hunt. The rest of the test would have to go without incident. No stalling, no dropping my feet to get balance, no errors. Impossible! But no; I actually muddled through the test.


Michael and I made arrangements to visit Kim and spring the surprise on her, which we did. I’ll make our visit with Kim a separate entry, but to show it actually happened, I’ve included here a picture of the three of us at a restaurant near her house in Illinois.

Good Bye Old Friend

Pete Mathews and I drove up to Traverse City yesterday to say good bye to Rich Bondy, an old friend. I won’t become maudlin, or write his obituary here. Suffice it to say that Rich died at 5:00 p.m., July 22, 2005 in his sister’s home after a hard fought battle with cancer. During our stay, there were smiles and laughter over good times spent together in the streams, marshes and fields of Michigan.

Rich still lives in our memories.

Seriously

I like this guy John Howard (Prime Minister of Australia).

Today, London was again struck by terrorists. Fortunately it appears that only one person was injured, but it’s too early to tell what actually transpired. Coincidentally, Australia’s Prime Minister was meeting with Tony Blair in London, and together they fielded questions at a press conference. While neither man wanted to comment on the specifics of the attack (answers were yet to come from any investigation), the journalists, naturally, wanted only to address the events of the day. Questions were answered in the non-committal, dignified way we all expect under such circumstances…. Until one of the reporters (from an unknown agency), asked Blair if he felt responsible for the attacks London has endured during these last several weeks. The question obviously suggested that England’s participation in the Afghan and Iraqi wars was the reason for the terrorism. Blair dodged the question skillfully. Howard did not.

Mr. Howard pointed out that terrorists have attacked the United States, England and Australia prior to the action taken in Afghanistan and Iraq. Recall that the destruction of the World Trade Center was the second attempt to bring it down. Australia was attacked before its involvement with East Timor, and both Australia and England were targets before they became involved in the coalition led by the United States. He further noted that the Islam leaders who pervert the teachings of the Koran are our enemies, and that until we hunt them down and kill them, we will continue to experience the work of terrorist throughout the world. This is paraphrased and the Prime Minister said it far more eloquently than I have relayed it here, but the notion is sound and our course of action should be clear.

Following Mr. Howard’s comments, at the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Blair looked at the woman who asked the question and rightly pointed out that it is the terrorists and only the terrorists who are responsible for their homicidal actions.

What a shame that people (maybe Americans in particular) have such short memories and are so short sighted.

I try to keep these posts on a lighter note, but some things should not be left unsaid.

New Strain Of Fish Discovered In Lake Michigan

Joe called yesterday, and suggested we try a little salmon fishing late in the day. We were on the water by 6:30 and fishing by 7:00. There has evidently been a new strain of salmo introduced into Lake Michigan, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha suicidus. That’s right; by 7:30 we actually hooked and landed a suicidal 16 pound Chinook Salmon. The beast make quite a showing for herself, but the superior intellect, imposing strength and total weight of the two fishermen prevailed. Before the evening was done, we released a “shaker”, and added another salmon to the stringer.

Speaking of stringers; Joe uses the “stringer” method of keeping his catch fresh (as opposed to the “cooler” method). He assured me that this technique has always served him well and that it takes up far less space on the boat. Far be it for me to argue with such logic.

As the sun set in a shmear (this is the Midwest Catskills after all) of golden afterglow, Joe pulled the lines for the ride home, and instructed me to put the boat in neutral while he hoisted the catch aboard. Yes, you guessed it, the stringer broke and our prizes drifted toward the horizon. Quick thinking and no small amount of luck enabled us to re-net the largest of the two. I’d like to think the other creature was provided a solemn (but unceremonial) burial at sea….. the gods of Lake Michigan having been provided, yet again, with a sacrificial offering.*

*Unfortunately cameras were left at home, requiring the reader to accept this account on blind faith.

Deck Survives Load Test!

The load test for the new deck was run on July 2, 2005. In that the deck is still standing, I declare it fit for loads.

This year’s load was made up of a group of miscreants, Democrats and ne’er do wells; interspersed with a smattering of do gooders, intellectuals, Republicans and a few plainly good people (I’ll let the reader sort out who was what). In attendance were: Larry and Chris, Marcia (Chris’s sister), Don, Toni and Ned, their daughter Laura and her husband Steve and their kids, N & T’s daughter Sarah and her boyfriend, Joe and Pam, Nancy (newly retired from Kentucky), Michael Parker, Sissy (Mike’s dog), Morgan Foster and a pair of newlyweds he picked up from no telling where, Chris’s daughter Jody, her husband Jeff and their kids, Landi the dog, and my partners in crime, my daughter Kim and unofficial daughter Toni. The latter two, ran themselves ragged saving my bacon throughout the test.

To prove the above mentioned test actually took place (in the event the city building inspector should require proof), I submit for your perusal the above picture snapped during one of the most strenuous periods of the trial.

Pete's Observations of Lake Tahoe

Dort and I left Monday for Lake Tahoe, NV. Saw some beautiful territory and had a great time. Arrived home around midnight last night (Friday) and are just shaking off the time change effects.

While there I saw some Lahotan trout, a species on the brink of extinction. They were in a special underwater viewing area of a pool on the Truckee River which flows into South Lake Tahoe. Basically a pool was constructed by damming a side channel of the Truckee. One of the sides of the pool was a solid glass wall that allowed a view of the pool. This viewing area was underground and covered so one could see in but the fish could not see out. Pretty interesting to observe the fish behavior. Interesting to note was that the largest fish in the pool was occupying a mid water level area in the center of the pool. The smaller fish were either along the bottom or in the roots and blow-down structures that framed the pool. I would have expected the big boy to have taken up residence in the most reclusive and protected area. The time of the viewing was around 0930 hours. Did not see the fish eat anything in the 10 minutes I observed their behavior. There were also rainbow, brook and brown trout in the pool.

My conclusions are:
1) The bigger the fish the more likely they are to be in water easy to fish with a fly.
2) Trout do not eat.
3) Trout peacefully coexist with other fish.
4) Trout swim around a lot.
5) Trout like their space.
6) The bigger the trout, the bigger the space they prefer.
7) Lahotan trout have developed a white "tag" type appendage immediately in front of their dorsal fin.

Following my scientific observations of the Lahotan Trout I went hiking in the mountains of the Eagle Lake area of the Desolation Wilderness (by myself, of course). The Eagle Lake area is a remote section of the Desolation Wilderness and features high country lakes and streams There are reports of huge trout in this area but no established records or pictures. I became aware of these reports when I overheard a couple of area Old-timers whispering of 50 lb Brown Trout that lived for over fifty years in some of the remote streams of the Desolation Wilderness. One of the Old-timers mentioned Eagle Lake. Then they appeared to notice my close proximity and immediately clammed up and began discussing the stock market. Eagle Lake sounded like an interesting area to hike so off I went.

I hiked for about three miles past Eagle Lake and then got off the established trail. Since I had my GPS and my maps I was not concerned with this situation and decided to look the area over even though the Ranger at the Forest Service headquarters had suggested one NEVER leaves the established trails. I had not seen anyone official so was not worried about getting in trouble with the establishment.

While exploring I found evidence of what appeared to be some sort of ceremonial site back in this remote section of the Eagle Lake area (I have attached a photo of this ceremonial ring). The ceremonial ring site sits on a barren granite shelf which forms the top of small knob projecting out from the side of the mountain on the south side of the area. While exploring in the ceremonial area I though I heard a low growl coming from a heavily wooded section with dense undergrowth which ran up to the top of the shelf. The section formed a wedged shaped piece of heavily wooded area which terminated at a large boulder on the ceremonial site. I stopped, the hair rising up on the back of my neck, and looked around while subtly slipping my knife out of it's sheath. Once again the growl........................ and then the growl transformed into what I thought were the spoken words, "Outsider" and "Our Land".

I backed up to a large rock outcropping, balanced myself on the balls of my feet, quickly wrapped my wind breaker around my left forearm, ensured my knife hand was free of obstruction and waited. I can't remember feeling more alive, my every sense was razor sharp, my muscles firm but flexible. Being thus ready for anything. I maintained this posture in anticipation something sinister.

After what seemed hours (probably minutes) I noted movement in the dense undergrowth coupled with more low growls and unintelligible words. The dense undergrowth expanded into a small draw which ran up to the bottom of the steep granite face of the mountain that formed the division between the Eagle Lake Valley and more remote areas of the Desolation Wilderness. The draw ended in what appeared to be a deeply fractured section of the granite cliff which appeared to run back into the cliff. The movement continued up the draw while the sounds slowly faded and finally disappeared. As it was getting late, and I had told Dorothy I would meet her for dinner, I was unable investigate further. So, after tightening the straps on my backpack and a long pull on the water bottle, I set off down the mountain using my GPS and the maps to return to the more civilized paths. The balance of the trip was enjoyable but relatively uneventful. I did some more hiking in the Lake Tahoe area (did not get an opportunity to go back to the Desolation Wilderness area due to time schedule), went for a romantic evening cruise with Dorothy on Lake Tahoe and enjoyed the sights, sounds and dining in the area. In the evening Dort had a good time at the Casinos while I finished my book by Joe Heywood, "The Legend of The Snowfly".*

*I believe Pete has been taking The Legend of The Snowfly too seriously, and include this as a disclaimer to the validity of some of his misadventures..... Howard

Even A Blind Squirel...

Well here it is Saturday, June 04 and Larry and I finally went fishing for a few hours Thursday evening. We ended up on Saddle Lake and found a bass tournament under way, but we figured “Why not?” and went anyway. The fishing was slow, but we did manage to avoid getting “skunked”. We boated (and released) the bass below and Larry had one of about the same size throw the bait. Even a blind squirrel will occasionally find a nut. As always, the company was excellent. Hopefully spring projects will be done soon, and we’ll find the time and energy to get out on the water more often.

Saddle Lake Bass

The Times They Are Achangin'

Ok, it’s time to commit small town blasphemy, and it all has to do with change.

While we were smiling contentedly at the notion that we are lucky to live in a “quaint” little village, right on Lake Michigan and away from the usual problems of the “big city”, the complexion of the global economy changed. Our state and each of its communities were drawn into this economic vortex. Specifically, we are no longer a country of manufacturing, but rather of service.

At one time most of the businesses in Michigan were tied to the automobile manufacturing industry. Today most of those jobs have left Michigan… and the United States for that matter. Whereas not many years ago there was National Motors, Bohn Aluminum, Overton’s and Everett Piano, today, there are but a handful of small factories (with the exception of Wyckoff Chemical), who employ few workers. Evidently, economies abhor a vacuum with the result that there are at least 6 motels, 6 fast food restaurants, a Wal-Mart Superstore, untold numbers of bed and breakfasts, and yes, friends and neighbors….. CONDOS; not to mention single family dwellings all over town owned by people from Chicago and Indiana. The downtown storefronts now display works of art, trendy home fashions, chocolates and antiques. Mercifully there are few “T-shirt” shops and there remain the hardware and barber shops.

Well all of this tedious rhetoric brings us to one conclusion. We have evolved into a service oriented community, catering to tourists and second home owners. In other words we have shaped ourselves (or have been shaped) to fit today’s economy. Is this a bad thing? No. Is it different? Yes. And the truth is there are always a vocal group of citizens objecting to “different”. A case in point (although no longer relevant), was the sale of the soon to be defunct Indiana School. The school board had a tentative agreement to sell the building (after it’s renovations, I would hesitate to call it an historic building) to a Chicago developer to convert it into condominiums. Neighbors objected on the grounds that it would change the ambiance of the neighborhood and create traffic problems. Would it change the neighborhood? No doubt, but not necessarily in a detrimental way. Would it create traffic problems? No more than existed with parents dropping kids off or picking them up from school several times a day. As far as I could tell, none of the people writing their opinions to the editor of the local paper suggested how the property should be utilized.

There are other examples, but enough is enough. People of South Haven, embrace the changes. Accept the tourist dollars, accept the taxes the second home owners pay (while we homesteaders pay less), and accept the jobs created (even though they may pay less than during the Union’s heyday). After all, the alternative is to move to where there are jobs. How about China for example?

Steelheaders Tournament '05

Ned, Joe and Beezer* struck out for Florida today. They waited until today to leave because Joe was working the Steelheaders Fishing Tournament yesterday. They just called from somewhere south of Louisville. (The drive must have been boring so far.)

In the course of the conversation, Joe passed along some information about the tournament that I found interesting.

I hope my recollection of the facts is close to accurate.

~There were 130 boats participating this year.
~Over 800 pounds of fillets were collected for the community Fish Boil later in the season.
~The winners in the tournament receive 110% of the entrance fees.
~This was the first year a licensed polygraph operator was on duty.

The remainder of the fish were distributed however the captains chose. With a trailer load going to a local camp ground for their own fish boil.

He also said that the start was late due to rough water and that most of the fishing took place in water over 200 feet deep…. the last time I was that far out a tanker almost ran us over.

If you're interested in more details about the Steelheaders or the tournament, try www.mssfa.com.

*Ned’s dog

The Truth About Foreigners

The United States, and by extension her citizens, has taken some hits from people around the globe since 9/11. Historically, we have frequently been characterized as the “ugly American”. I suppose this is human nature. People are quick to find fault with those who are perceived to have more money or power than they do. Even in this little tourist town, people from Chicago or Indiana who visit us are often referred to as “FIPs” (I’ll leave its meaning to your imagination). In both cases these critics have little problem taking the “foreign” money that finds its way into their coffers.

These observations are a lame excuse for me to queue up and throw in my 2¢ as it applies to the attitudes of people from different countries and cultures.

I have never had the opportunity to be an “ugly American” (‘though I am American and ugly). I have traveled across south eastern Canada and have been to Tijuana; but on both occasions I tried to behave myself and met few “natives”. Most of my contact with “foreigners” has come from playing backgammon with them on-line. Over the months I have had the opportunity to play with people from: Mexico, Sweden, Turkey, South Africa, France, Cyprus, England, Scotland (a man living in Japan), Australia, Austria, Spain and New Jersey. There were probably a few other countries, but I don’t recall at the moment. After gaming and chatting with these people I feel imminently qualified to comment of the kind of people they are. So here goes: they are rude, vulgar, surly, poor losers and winners, impolite, pessimistic, conspiracy theorists, egotistical, narcissistic, courteous, humble, well spoken, compassionate, sympathetic, humorous, optimistic, good natured, trusting and friendly. In fact they are just about like the people I’ve played in Dallas, Seattle, and Muskegon, except their English is better.

The Deck Vigilante

As I mentioned earlier, I’m building a small (10’ x 15’) extension on my deck. While this is a daunting project for me (most of my knowledge of wood comes from tooth picks), I am fortunate to have several friends who enjoy working with wood, and don’t seem to mind sharing their knowledge. Larry has been particularly helpful with his time and skill, but Don and Ned have been there for me too. Alas I digress.

For this small a project, I didn’t think a building permit was necessary. This proved to be incorrect. I was visited by the city’s building inspector (Mr. Fout) and educated on some of the finer points regarding the laws surrounding a structure such as mine. The truth is Mr. Fout is a very pleasant and helpful fellow. I brought him a drawing of the project the following day and was issued a building permit for $30. He told me with a project of this size that he wasn’t overly concerned about a permit, but that someone had called his office regarding my project and he was therefore obligated to act on it.

This brings me to the point of this little blurb. Who would feel compelled to report a backyard project to the city? Are there people roaming the streets who’s lives so lack meaning that they must take it upon themselves to police their fellow citizens? Have I somewhere along the way offended someone who perceived this act of “courage” as a way to “get even” for some imagined transgression on my part? May I humbly suggest that whatever their motivation, a knock on the door and a short conversation is both more courteous and effective than “dropping a dime” on some old coot whose major goal was to get some exercise.

People never cease to amaze me.

Curse of the Libra

The curse of being a Libra is that we weigh both sides of a question to the exclusion of settling on a conclusion. I mention this because it was my intention to include more political commentary in these postings than I have. Every time a political issue piques my interest I form an immediate opinion based more on common sense than fact. Then to the detriment of that opinion, I start to seek evidence to support it. There is usually a plethora of information available on any topic one might choose to research. Unfortunately this vast array of material is as varied as are the people taking the time to write it. Anyone can find “proof” to support his personal beliefs. Alas the poor Libra wallows in a quagmire of ideas seeing a fragment of truth and prejudice in everything.

Having said that, I’m going to paint three individual topics with one broad brush; Delay’s alleged misuse of funds, Bolton’s appointment to the U.N. and the congressional approval of Supreme Court judges.

The Democrats are being obstructionists basing their rhetoric on party politics. If it weren’t for the short memory of the American public their behavior would bite them in the butt during the ’06 and ’08 elections.

Can I present “proof” that I am right?…. Yes. Can I present “proof” that I am wrong?…. Yes. Will I?... No. I am a Libra and that’s my prerogative.

All Hands On Deck

Even though there is the possibility of snow this weekend, spring has arrived. “How do you know?” you may ask. I know because I have begun building an addition to the deck on the back of the house. Something like this happens every spring (almost). I feel the need to get my winter-fat butt off the sofa and launch into an outdoor project. That in itself is a good thing. The bad things are: a) every time I get off the sofa it costs me more money than I can afford and b) my delicate and finely tuned body is not prepared for the harsh realities of physical labor.

Forget about the dollar cost of the project, the price I am paying in pain and suffering goes beyond the pale. Most of the muscles from my ears down hurt; and the ones above my ears don’t feel so good either.

Larry came over after work last evening to help me set the ledger board in place (I had already dug the holes to receive the 4x4 uprights). If it weren’t for his experience, it never would have been done. In any event, we worked until about 9:00 p.m. when the sun took pity on us and set. Today I intended to put in the third 4x4 and concrete all the uprights into place. Mercifully it’s rained all day so I could heal for another few hours.

I’d guess I’ll be at this for another 2 weeks….. if I survive all the fun.

You may not hear from me for a while; the hand that holds the hammer, refuses to hold the mouse.

A Few Sheets Short

I used to think that people who spend tons of money on their pets were a few sheets short of a ream. I still believe that, but now I have joined their ranks. Dog and I went to the vet's today because her allergy medication had arrived from some specialty lab in Texas. The package indicated that she is allergic to: cats, cedar, cocklebur, dandelion, marsh elder, orchard grass, ragweed, sagebrush, sycamore and black walnut, to name a few. The allergies to pig, yeast, peanuts and mold were not included because they would require additional shots.

I was at the office to learn how to administer the shots that she will be taking for the the rest of either her life or mine. First, agitate the "serum" (stirred, not shaken; unlike 007 I never took that much care with a martini thank you very much). Next pierce the cap to the green container with the hypodermic needle and draw .1 cc of the fluid into the barrel. There is also a blue vial and a red one for later. Tap the barrel to release any bubbles that may have snuck in there. Next pierce the skin on the nape of the neck (the dog's that is) and draw back the plunger. Start the piercing again if you draw blood....remember this is sub-cutaneous, not intravenous. Finally inject the material into the patient, er...dog. Ok....my turn with a saline salution. First take the plastic protector off the needle .... oops, took the needle off the needle. I put it back on and the rest of the procedure went as is was supposed to.

Dog and I returned home to put the serum in the refrigerator and to make sure she didn't go into anaphylactic shock (always a possibility you know).

Later I went to the drug store to purchase a supply of syringes. The girl behind the counter kept looking for a spoon on a chain around my neck in which she expected I would cook the H when I returned to the car.

Just another day in paradise.

Hear My Prayer

Dear Lord, forgive my trespasses, get John Paul II buried as soon as possible and have a new Pope chosen post haste so all of us sinners out there can watch the news on TV again. Everyone agrees the pontiff was a great guy, but enough is enough.

Amen

What's Wrong With This Picture

Two weeks ago I took Dog to the vet to determine why she was scratching so much. Office tests were run: scabies...nooo, fleas...noooo. Ah, the possibilities of allergies. Over the years, I have owned a few dogs, and all of them scratched; mostly from fleas when they were in season. I had never had a dog with allergies, but, I never had a dog like Landi either. Blood was drawn, to be shipped off to a lab in Texas where it could be tested for things to which the dog might be allergic. The results came in over the weekend, and the vet called today to inform me of the results and to suggest a plan of attack.

Yes, she (the dog, not the vet) is allergic to a myriad of substances. While I haven't seen the list yet, I remember a few that were mentioned over the phone. The list included, but was not limited to: certain molds, yeast, cats, a variety of different weeds including ragweed, pork, peanuts, walnuts, and a bunch of other stuff which escapes me for the moment. In an old house such as this, I assume there are mold spores floating around someplace, not to mention the mold found in most leaf litter outside. I haven't checked, but I bet most dog foods contain some kind of yeast. Weeds....'nuf said. Her favorite treats are Pig Ears (pork). I found peanuts as an ingredient in her favorite "doggie" cookies. There are two trees on the property...Walnuts. You get the idea, the poor creature will be deprived of the few pleasures she has ... Lord only knows, it's no pleasure to live with me.

I have given the vet the go-ahead to contact the lab in Texas to mix up a cocktail to help her develop an "immunity" to the various offensive substances. When it arrives in a couple of weeks, I will be giving her shots (probably once a week to begin with, then once a month for the rest of her days (or mine)).

I'm not sure why I'm sharing this, but not too many years ago I don't remember dogs having allergies or people willing to refinance the farm in order for them to treat them. This observation, may reflect on our environment and on the neurotic behavior of pet owners today. Whether it's one or both of these things, it occurs to me that there's something wrong with this picture.

If Thine Eye Offends Thee Pluck It Out

This morning while most of this little town slept, Daylight Savings Time arrived. To celebrate the occasion my furnace decided it had enough of winter and quit. I was able to stay in bed until about 4:00 o'clock (DST) before the dog's shivering forced me to get up and don my winter togs. After checking to make make sure the frigid temperature wasn't in the dog's imagination, I sat bundled and glassy-eyed before the TV catching up on infomercials. There I stayed until what I deemed a reasonable hour to call Ron's Heating and invite him over to scalp me for being summoned on a Sunday.

To his credit, Ron arrived in short order and declared the glow plug to be the culprit. True to biblical teachings (Mathew 5:29 .... remember, it's Sunday), he plucked out the offending component. Unlike these teachings he replaced it with a new one. Actually the old one was still kind of new, but it evidentally felt it had glowed enough this winter.

While there is no moral to this story, there is a bottom line: 1 glow plug... $43.89, tax... 2.64, labor (15 minutes)...$28.oo, dragging his ass out on a Sunday... $50.00. Total $124.53.

No Pop Quiz

In that I'm too lazy today to come up with a quiz question, there will be none.

The answer to the last question was: Thomas Jefferson

Spring....When An Old Man's Fancy Turns To...Fishing

Time marches (slogs) on. Easter is behind us; the eggs (and hands) were dyed, and the bunny's hiding places found (I hope). As predicted, there was too much frost on the cotton tail to have an outdoor egg hunt, but fun was had by all. Something I did during the weekend rendered me a semi-invalid, but that's a story for another time. By 2 p.m. on Sunday, everyone had packed their goodies and headed for home. Dog and I were left to return to our hermit ways.

There is bright news on the horizon. The temperature today made it into the upper 60's under sunny skies. I went out for a while to clean up what I hope will be a garden this year, but my back doth protest too much and forced me to retire earlier than I would have liked. I therefore fired up the old computer and purchased a fishing license for 2005. Ah....hope springs eternal.

Dog and I drove down to the Lake to check its condition. No ice in the river or the Lake and the South Pier is clear.....the North Pier still has a few tons of ice on it, but my guess is it should be gone by the end of the week (I become optomistic on sunny days).

If all goes well, you will soon be able to read my rants about how lousy the fishing is and how I rue the day I ever bought a fishing license.

Pop Quiz

Who Said: "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Answer to the Pop Quiz of March 11 is Hillary Clinton

What, Me Worry?

I have never hesitated to buy things on the internet. Thus far I’ve been quite satisfied with the experiences. My last purchase, however, came close to souring me on shopping on the www. Oh, I know the potential for disaster is there, but I haven’t been bit in the butt hard enough yet to change my ways. But let me tell you about my last purchase; there may be lessons to be learned……..

I wanted a piece of software that would allow me to organize my paper documents into something that could be stored and managed on the computer. Adobe Capture 3 seemed like a possible solution, but quite expensive. Lo and behold I received an email from a company offering that very product at a quarter of the price for which it sold retail. Ah, that’s for me.

On February 4, I ordered the piece on line and was assured that I would receive an email confirmation shortly. No confirmation. I had given them my credit card number and wanted assurance that the order was being processed and that the company was what it claimed to be. So, I thought communicating with them might be appropriate. No phone number. There was an email system in place for questions, so I wrote them a note requesting the status of the order. It was answered, assuring me that everything was on track….. “don’t worry” was their advice. Do I look like Alfred E. Newman….I don’t think so. I wasn’t comforted by the ticket system that said the order was processed on the 14th and mailed on the 12th. “Don’t worry” they said. They told me delivery would take 4 weeks and the product was shipped by standard air…..where to these people live…..the Ukraine?

To make a long story less long, the disk arrived on March 11. It was shipped in a bubble wrap envelope from the Ukraine.

The directions said don’t register this program because it was supposed to be bundled with a computer sale. I installed the program, and it won’t allow me to scan; no tech. support without registration. My next step is to email these people again to see if they can help, but my hopes are not high.

As C. Brown would say, “Aaarrrggghhh”. Now there’s a boy who has obviously made purchases on the internet.

Pop Quiz

Who said:

"I am particularly horrified by the use of propaganda and the manipulation of the truth and the revision of history "....

Answer to the Pop Quiz on March 7...
Dan Rather while being interviewed on the Letterman Show

It's Not Nice To Fool Mother Nature

This week I had TiVo installed on my DirectTV system. I haven't figured out all of it's capabilities yet, but I'm fascinated by the fact that it allows us to replay, or play in slow motion, live TV. I can, in a vague way, understand how this is done, but it occurred to me that if Einstein were to see this for the first time, it may have made him think twice about his theory of relativity and the whole space time continuum thing. Part of the definition of this theory apparently involves the concept of time....."As three-dimensional beings, we perceive time only as a result of memory. We remember what was as a variable interval from what is now. If we had zero memory, we could not detect time - we would exist only for the moment." This makes sense to me. TiVo contorts the "variable" to the extent that the concept of time becomes blurred. Farewell to the days when if you missed the name of the actor at the beginning of the program his name was gone forever in the vastness of the time continuum. If we could only fast forward to the end of a live program .... now that would be something to install on your home entertainment center.

Pop Quiz (Current Events)

Who Said:

"...nobody broke the law, nobody lied. Depending on your point of view, it was a mistake."

Hint: No, it wasn't Richard Nixon
Answer to Pop Quiz from March 1: John F. Kennedy

Cure for the Empty Nest Syndrome

Thanks for sharing Pete....hope you don't mind Dort.

Dort and Maggie

Got Gas?

I was talking to Larry tonight and it reminded me that it’s time to talk about gas. No; I’m referring to fuel. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t understand the economics of oil, but I do understand the economics of getting in the car to take a drive. Today the price of regular gas is about $2.15 a gallon (yesterday I filled up for $1.99 a gallon). The talking heads tell us that these prices are due to two things: 1) $60 for a barrel of imported oil, and 2) refineries “retooling” (my word) to produce a summer blend of gas.

The gasoline industry is the only one I’m aware of that charges for a product based on anticipated shortages. If a freeze creates an orange shortage, we don’t pay higher prices for orange juice in the grocery store until the effect of the shortage becomes a reality. Not so at the pump. In my mind, this comes very close to gouging. We shouldn’t have to pay higher prices until the local distributor has to pay higher prices to fill his holding tanks.

Regarding imported crude, the only way to avoid being jerked around by foreign oil cartels is to rely on them less. This means developing alternative energy (a noble goal) and, at least in the short haul, acquiring more domestic crude. The latter would require drilling in ecologically sensitive areas; off shore and in parts of Alaska. When one weighs the risk against the gains, I believe it makes sense to tap our own natural resources responsibly. It can be done and should be done in order for us to remain competitive in the global community. As a bonus, it may even result in reducing some of the wealth currently being funneled in to terrorist organizations.

Pop Quiz

Some things die hard. Therefore, from time to time I will offer a pop quiz question. Fear not... no grading, just the opportunity to dust off some of the old grey matter. If you'd like to venture a guess, leave it as a comment.

Question: who said, "There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction."

Muddler Minnow

Therefore I am...

This probably should have been my first post. My friends and family know why I chose the name Muddler as my nom de guerre. This then is to the lost soul who strays onto this page and doesn’t know me from Adam.

I enjoy fishing; especially fly fishing for trout. For that reason I thought it would be fun to choose the name of a trout fly pattern as my on-line identity. I considered several: Royal Coachman…too English, Pale Evening Dun…too…pale, Jock Scott…too Scottish, Black Ghost…too ethnic, Undertaker…too depressing, Green Butt…out of the question. Muddler? Ah, a possibility.

This fly imitates those little forage fish that stay close to the bottom of a stream. They’re a rather dull mottled brown for camouflage (the fly is tied using deer hair and turkey quill as its main components). All in all quite an ugly creation, but effective…the trout love them. If dressed with floatant, they can even be used as a passable hopper imitation.

As a verb, the word also means to befuddle.

I like it…therefore, I am Muddler.

Just Another Easter in Paradise

I spoke to Kim briefly this evening to wish her a good trip to Florida. She is going to meet Andi (and Liv) there this weekend to help Michael sort out some of the things that have to be, well, sorted out at Michael and Linda's "Winter Home" before it's sold. Michael had gone down earlier with a friend to clean up the property...they hadn't been down there since last Fall's hurricanes.

While talking to Kim, she reminded me that my house will again be a gathering place for Easter. Andi and her family will be in town, Kim of course, Michael, and I hope Toni (my "other" daughter) and Cory, her son. I hope Toni doesn't mind the title, it's bestowed with the best of intentions. I look forward to these get togethers each year, and should probably show it more.

I told Kim that I didn't know when Easter will be this year. Neither did she. Small wonder! Easter is traditionally observed on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or next after March 21. This is not to be confused with Easter Monday, which is the Monday after Easter and observed as a holiday in some countries and North Carolina. I'm not kidding...look it up. It's a wonder when people "get together" for Easter that they show up on the same day...the same month for that matter! You can scramble around looking for you Farmer's Almanac, but I'll tell you that this year Easter is on March 27th. It will be cold and nasty regardless of what the seers say about March going out like a lamb...balderdash!

Where are those Easters of my youth when the sun always shined and a warm breeze stirred the daffodils in the garden. Poe knew from whence he spoke...Nevermore.

Elli, 2004

Sic Gloria Piscatoria

Don emailed me yesterday and concluded his message with, "Sic Gloria Piscatoria". I pondered two things upon reading that phrase: 1) Why wouldn't Don end his message with "Tight Lines" like every other fisherman I know and 2) What the Hell does that mean.

My initial assumption was that it meant "Gloria's fish wasn't well", then on second thought it occurred to me that it might be some vague sexual reference to Gloria Esteban. As luck would have it Don sent me a second message with the following translation:

"Actually I believe it is something like, ' Thus glorious fishing' or possibly something else like 'Thus fishing in glory' or..........it may not mean anything at all. I just made it up to sound intelligent in hopes that you would put it on your blog site."

I Saw That

The reason I'm writing and showing the picture that follows is to prove to Kim and Andi that their dear old dad actually got off his fat late February butt and did something...infinitesimal as it may be. The space shown below used to house the freezer. In order to remove the freezer there was some slight of hand involving a shoe horn and some Vaseline, however I won't bore you with those details.

I will admit that the most difficult part of the project was returning a new circular saw to its carrying case. The label said "made in China"; this isn't surprising because the technique necessary to store the saw requires the imagination of a Chinese finger puzzle and the dexterity of a Chinese fire drill. I managed, and everything is cleaned up.

Speaking of cleaning up, Larry is forever fretting over the dust he creates in his workshop at his house. I have a solution for him. Do as I did, and cut all your material in the kitchen. The thought of cooking and consuming food in that environment provides the incentive to vacuum all your waste up immediately.

Hopefully Spring will rear its lovely head sooner rather than later, and I won't be forced to be creative again any time soon. The entire project was far too taxing; which reminds me that April 15th will be here before we know it.....but that's a different entry.

Hobby Bench

From Don....always good for a story

An Indian walks into a cafe with a shotgun in one hand pulling a male buffalo with the other and says to the waiter, "Want coffee." The waiter says, "Sure chief, coming right up." He gets the Indian a tall mug of coffee. After drinking the coffee down in one gulp, the Indian turns and blasts the buffalo with the shotgun, then just walks out.

The next morning the man returns. He has his shotgun in one hand pulling another male buffalo with the other. He walks up to the counter and says to the waiter, "Want coffee." The waiter says, "Whoa, Tonto! We're still cleaning up your mess from yesterday. What the heck was all that about, anyway?"

The Indian smiles and proudly says, "Training for upper management position. Come in, drink coffee, shoot the bull, leave mess for others to clean up, disappear for rest of day.

Ponder This

Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?

Tip the Chip?

A while ago, Larry and I were talking about tipping. Not how much to tip, or who to tip; but the concept of tipping. Larry doesn’t like it. He believes that a restaurateur, for example, should pay their employees a sufficient wage, so that the patron shouldn’t have to supplement their income with a tip. I understand this; however, we all know that the guy who owns the restaurant will not reduce his profit to pay his employees more money; he will charge more. In the end we will be spending the same amount and be deprived of our ability to demonstrate our gratitude (thus gratuity?) for a job well done…or not.

While I usually tip 20% for services rendered, I like the idea of being able to tip less for that person with a chip on his shoulder.

How Depressing

I was hoping to avoid long entries in these posts, however I happened across what I thought to be an interesting site. Following is a quote from the site and its URL if your interested.

"The genesis of the Great Depression lay in the inflationary monetary policies of the U.S. government in the 1920s. It was prolonged and exacerbated by a litany of political missteps: trade-crushing tariffs, incentive-sapping taxes, mind-numbing controls on production and competition, senseless destruction of crops and cattle, and coercive labor laws, to recount just a few. It was not the free market that produced twelve years of agony; rather, it was political bungling on a scale as grand as there ever was."

http://www.fee.org/vnews.php?nid=4095

Beefeater and Tonic...It's What's For Supper

Earlier this evening I was chatting with a woman from England. Just to keep things “light”, I said, “So, how’s Charles and Camilla?”. Big mistake. If things were a bit tense regarding England’s view of the United States, that question may have pushed the limeys over the edge, and it might behoove us all to seek shelter lest we suffer the wrath of an irate British populace.

I mention this because the fact is; I don’t get it. From what I can tell, the Monarch de jour, rides around in a horse drawn carriage, waves to the “little” people of her (his) Kingdom with the back of her hand, and spends the rest of her time worrying about what people may think about the propriety of various members of the Royal Family.

Who, pray tell, cares if Charles was married to a babe some years back, or that the babe left him because of his dalliances with Camilla (although that was a very weird picture, you must admit), or that Charles may or may not have been caught with his pants down (at least Camilla is of the female persuasion….I think), or that a prince wears a swastika to a halloween party, or that the afore mentioned babe took up with an Arab gazillionaire, or…..well you get the idea. The Family just doesn’t matter any more. So, keep a stiff upper lip, get over it and while your at it, have a Beefeater and Tonic on me.

Cereal City

Saugatuck is like granola. Take away the fruits and nuts and all that's left are the flakes.

~Paraphrased from a remark made about San Francisco~

Who Said.....

...social security can furnish only a base upon which each one of our citizens may build his individual security through his own individual efforts.

http://ssa.gov/history/

....and the worst of times.

I went to dinner at Don and Dort’s last night. Chicken Parmesan, zucchini, and homemade bread were the fare: delicious. Where Dort found fresh peaches for desert in the middle of February is a mystery. Joe was there (Pam was in Florida helping her dad after some surgery he had), and Ned and Toni were there as well. All friends I’ve known since college or soon after moving to Michigan.

After dinner, over coffee and drinks, the conversation drifted to the state of the Union. Joe had left and Dort and Toni had gone to check something on the computer. Alas, I found myself alone with two staunch liberals (well, at least a bit to the left of center).

Without getting into the gory details of the discussion, the thrust of their comments centered on the notion that we live in the worst of times. Under the leadership of our august president, they contend, things will only get worse. For example, Don is convinced that if Bush has his way with social security, he will lose the benefits he’s due and his children will fare even worse. Ned is convinced that it is the corruption brought about by the rich and powerful that will bring the country to its knees. To compound this travesty, Bush is a liar and in the pocket of big business. Add to this mix the war in Iraq, and we’re clearly on the brink of Armageddon.

I know I’m not the brightest bulb in the box, but it seems to me Americans have remarkably short memories. Every generation has faced its own demons, running the gambit of wars, finances, corruption, health care and social reform. Most generations faced issues far more ominous and treacherous than many we face today. Although it isn’t my intention to minimize the tenuous position in which the United States finds itself in the world community, in the long haul, we have not only survived, but the nation as a whole has prospered.

So, maybe our forefathers who faced the corruption of Teapot Dome, the machinery of Boss Tweed, the unfair treatment of workers in the sweatshops of the 19th century or those forced to trade in the company stores of the early 20th century would look enviously at the prosecution of the corrupt CEO’s of our time. Perhaps those that survived the crash of ’29, and lived through the decade that followed would welcome some of the proposals set forth today attempting to help the economy or reform the Social Security System (even Roosevelt’s administration believed that social security was not a long term solution, and would need revision). Possibly even those that fought in the divisive American Revolution, the Civil War, both World Wars, the Korean War, Vietnam and lets not forget the cold war (and all the conflicts in between where Americans lost their lives and loved ones) would find a war that could conceivably bring democracy to a tyrannized people, a noble endeavor.

In the end, as fun as it may be to pretend otherwise, I suppose I’m a “glass half full” kind of guy. For those that find the glass half empty, rest assured the country will survive (it turns out our founding fathers were quite bright), and if you’re dissatisfied with our direction, the election is less than four years away. Who knows, we may all look back at these as being ......the best of times.

Incidentally, I think Oswald was the only shooter in Dallas that day, and it really was a weather balloon in Roswell.

Motto

Just because we're a borough doesn't mean we're all jackasses.

~Moto suggested for Kenilworth, NJ, by Hazel Murphy~

Thanks I needed that!

Notice the date of this entry. The picture below reminds me that, "Yes Virginia", there is a summer in South Haven. I need to be reminded of that during February and March of each year. Last February it was so bad I bought a Jeep in anticipation of taking its top off during the balmy days that lay ahead. I'm pretty sure that's why last summer was so cold.

South Haven's South Beach, July, 2004

How Old?

It takes about ten years to get used to how old you are.

~unknown~

What's The Matter With Kids Today

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.

~Socrates (470-399 B.C.)~

The French

In Marseilles they make half the toilet soap we consume in America, but the Marseillaise only have a vague theoretical idea of its use, which they have obtained from books of travel.

~Mark Twain~

Old Age and Dogs

Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to.

~Joe Gores~

Landi....3 months

W.

I like George W. I know, in some circles that isn’t a very popular position, but it’s true.

Over the years W. has been accused of being an intellectual lightweight, and a jackbooted thug trying to get even with Iraq for the sins he perceived were committed against his father.

His foreign policies have been characterized as ill conceived and poorly thought out. His domestic (particularly economic) policies are said by some to be hogwash and doomed to failure.

Is George a stupid man? Setting aside the fact that he graduated from one of the most prestigious schools in the country, I contend that no man attains the office of the President of the United States of America if he is inept. While it’s true that the man can’t correctly pronounce the word “nuclear”, it’s just as true that men like John Kerry must believe that there is an “r” in the word “wash”. It’s just not important enough to matter. (Although, I personally wish both would take the time to learn the correct pronunciations of the words).

Is the President getting even with Sadam for transgressions against his father (including an assassination plot)? I don’t think so. I do think that the dictator of Iraq was pulling the chain of the U.N. by not adhering to the conditions they set forth at the end of the Gulf War. The U.N. is so ineffectual (or corrupt), that Sadam misjudged the likelihood of any reprisals for his brinksmanship. Evidently he didn’t count on the resolve of W. As for the WMD; I’ll comment on that another time. For now suffice it to say, the World believed Iraq had these weapons, not just the president.

Regarding his economic policies; I believe his tax cut helped the average citizen, and aided the economy of the United States as a whole. Unemployment is moving down. Slowly to be sure, but at a little over 5% it's the lowest it’s been since 2001. Our GNP is stable and in the fast changing climate of the global economy, that’s no small task. These two indicators alone reflect a basically sound economy. There are problems, but an economy can be compared to a super tanker. From the time the bridge orders "full speed ahead", or "hard to starboard", there's a considerable passage of time before the result of the order is perceived.

At this moment, George’s biggest drive is for reform of the Social Security System. The intricacies of this issue are far too complex for me to understand. However, it makes sense that the 70 year old program was conceived during and for a different era in American history. S.S. has been described as a political “hot potato”. At least our president has the courage to raise the question and propose a revision.

Why do I like George W.? I believe he is essentially an honest man, and that’s more than we can hope for from the wonderful world of politics. Is he a great president? Only the passage of time will determine that; I have a gut feeling that history books will speak well of him.

As a last thought; I believe most Americans think basically as I do. That’s why W. won the last election. Furthermore, I believe his opponents still don’t get it.

In the beginning...

In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.

~Mark Twain~

Ice Fishing and Fish decoys

Fish decoys, in their present form and use, probably originated among the Native American of Alaska, Canada, and the Great Lakes region. The oldest examples in existence today were fashioned from stone, bones, antlers, and shells. We can assume that some of the earliest fish decoys were also carved from wood but did not withstand the test of time, as did those made from harder material.*

Winter spearfishing with the use of a decoy has long been a method of sport fishing. It was practiced in most of the Midwestern states, New York, and New England well into the twentieth century, and it still thrives today -- with some restrictions -- in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.*

Decoys are used to lure pike, muskys, and sturgeon. While sturgeon decoys are large, and attract the fish probably from curiosity, pike and musky decoys are smaller, and attract these predators because they resemble natural prey. When the fish approaches the decoy, a spear is dropped through a hole in the ice and the impaled target is retrieved through the hole.

I don't ice fish and I don't agree with the philosophy of spearfishing. I believe it has a negative impact on the pike and musky populations, and therefore diminishes the quality of fishing with rod and reel. After all, there can be no catch and release when fishing with a spear.

I do, however, respect spearfishing as a time honored tradition in this country and hope that fish decoy carving remains as a form of American folk art.

The photos below show some examples I've carved from bass wood (Linden). Each is lead filled for balance in the water, and each sports copper fins which can be bent to fine tune the swimming action of the decoy. All tail fins are carved. Each decoy is painted with artist's oils and the eyes are either copper or plastic.

Remember these are working decoys and not exact representations, so don't view them with too critical an eye.

*Carving Fish Decoys A Traditional American Folk Art by James T. Cottle

Rainbow Trout 

Brook Trout 

Bluegill 

Steelhead Trout 

sucker 

Perch 

Family Loss

On Monday at 1:34 in the afternoon, Michigan time, my daughters' mother passed away. That may seem like an odd way to identify Linda Parker, but she and I were no longer married. In fact, she had been married to her husband Michael for nearly 30 years.

Allow me to share a bit of recent history. Kim, my oldest daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer late in the Winter of 2004. By Spring she had a Lumpectomy and soon after began chemo and finally radiation therapy. I can't describe how positive and upbeat she remained during this difficult period. She was supported by her family throughout this ordeal --particularly by her mother. It was during this time that Linda, too, discovered a lump on her breast, and sought treatment of her own. In early January, 2005, she and Michael visited the MD Anderson Hospital in Texas and was told that the cancer had metastasize and that she would likely die within 3 months...she lived less than a month. Kim is now a cancer survivor, and all who know her are truly thankful for that.

Andrea (my youngest daughter), Kim and Michael have been on the front line in this very personal battle, and I love them all for their strength and courage supporting one another during this most difficult time in their lives.

Kim will participate in the Mother's Day Y-Me race in Chicago on May 8, 2005. I would encourage everyone to visit this website and support the efforts of all of the teams: Y-Me.

Miss Manners

It's okay to laugh in the bedroom so long as you don't point.

~Will Durst~

A Special Thanks

To all you virgins out there - Thanks for nothing!

~ Bumper Sticker~

Consider this

In Chicago during the years 2003 and 2004 there were 1043 murders (down considerably from previous years thanks to Chicago's finest). Chicago no longer holds the honor of being America's murder capital.

During the same period in Iraq 1333 Americans lost there lives (this includes non-combat fatalities). While any right thinking person is sickened by the loss of any life, it seems to me that those making the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq are doing so for a far more noble cause than those dying on the the streets of an American city in America's Heartland.

Why don't we see protesters marching on America's city halls?

For those serving in America's military.....thank you.

Mind Numbing Possibilities

We're in the deep freeze locker Michigan calls winter. Iraq is about to hold its first "democratic" elections in 50 years....the ice flows are on the rivers.....and uncertainty looms heavily on the horizon. Be patient and I may share some thoughts on Iraq....rivers....and uncertainty. Or not.

Still lost but getting there slower