I was out the door at 7:50 this morning. Driving down the street I spied two small flocks of white ibis making their way through the yards. Their big hooked beaks were digging up bites of breakfast from the ground. My first notice of the ibis came in the early ‘60s when a fellow I was dating told me he liked to shoot them to keep them from spreading diseases to the herd of cattle on his property. Today I like watching them meander about the neighborhood rarely making a peep.
North of Umatilla I came upon a very small bird trying to walk across Hwy 19. I was so startled and started to blow my horn. (I don’t like hitting any animals) Thankfully the bird fluttered its wings and raised itself three feet off the ground and made it across the two lanes before I got to it. Whew!
Made my turn onto 445 (Okay you classmates, what is 445 known for? Hint: cold water in the woods) Out of the grass on both sides of the road came birds by the gazillion! I noticed several to be female cardinals—now that’s a challenge. They reminded me of the love bugs in the wee hours of daylight just as the sun is coming up. They were everywhere! It was a delight watching them flitter about.
Before I knew it I was on 40 east of Astor and out 11 north toward Bunnell. I don’t care much for those big black birds—starlings? Martins? Crows? Who knows. I’ve never been able to tell those birds apart. They were thick as thieves but not as bad as in the movie “Birds” by Mr. Hitchcock. (I hated that movie) Some had the makings of nests in their beaks. Guess it’s that time of year for them.
On my return trip from St. Augustine I was zipping down I-95. On the left side of the highway there was a stand of very tall, dead, bare what-use-to-be trees in a thicket of Florida pines. In the tip top of a pine I glimpsed an eagle’s nest with its occupant moving around. Yea, I know, “Are you sure it wasn’t an osprey?” No, I’m not sure. But we do have lots of eagles and their nests scattered about Florida. So I honestly believe it was an eagle. Pictures I took of one recently down the road from the house were just too far away. The photos came out fuzzy; however, it was definitely an eagle—white head and all.
During the entire trip I saw flocks of birds hovering and circling. When they do this, they get my attention really fast. Six or seven years ago I witnessed circling birds over a house in downtown Eustis. Stopped by the police department to pass along my observation. The officer I spoke to knew the resident—a local hunter. He figured the birds were waiting over an animal carcass. Turned out to be an old woman at the house had died and dropped in the back yard. I watch those circling critters.
The bird I missed seeing all day was the sandhill crane—birds on stilts. I do enjoy watching them and listening to their strange vocal emanations. Yes, it was a wonderful day for the birds.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday, December 20, 2009
It's Okay to Lie and Cheat
Our Congressional leaders this weekend told us and our children that bribery is acceptable behavior as long as you get your way. Latest example is Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska selling his vote in favor of the health care bill for his state to receive full federal funding for medicare forever; we in the other 49 states have to pay it for them.
Secondly, the President demonstrated that lying is acceptable behavior as long as you get your way. Latest example is his promise of transparency in the writing and negotiating of the same bill. Harry Reid handpicked Dems and placed them behind locked doors—even changed the locks on the doors—for the bill to be hammered out.
Why should I even be surprised by this behavior? That’s right! Truthfulness and fair play are Judo-Christian values. And Judo-Christian values are no longer acceptable for guiding personal behavior.
I will never have respect or trust for people who lie and live by the code of “the ends justify the means” to get their way.
Secondly, the President demonstrated that lying is acceptable behavior as long as you get your way. Latest example is his promise of transparency in the writing and negotiating of the same bill. Harry Reid handpicked Dems and placed them behind locked doors—even changed the locks on the doors—for the bill to be hammered out.
Why should I even be surprised by this behavior? That’s right! Truthfulness and fair play are Judo-Christian values. And Judo-Christian values are no longer acceptable for guiding personal behavior.
I will never have respect or trust for people who lie and live by the code of “the ends justify the means” to get their way.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Unplug
Being an early baby boomer, I have grown up with the television or radio always being turned on. There was constant noise in the house. Not that we needed it, mind you. Three kids, lots and lots of neighborhood kids in the house. Even though we did eat at the kitchen table as a family, the TV was on in the background because Mom had to hear the news.
I can still remember standing at the opening between the living room and the kitchen watching TV while doing dishes during the commercials. It took a long time to get those dishes washed!
Even today I feel the need to have noise on in the house somewhere almost every waking moment of the day. And, yes, I find that sad.
Every morning the birds wake me with their singing. And what do I do? I turn over and turn the TV on to get the latest news even before I crawl out of bed.
This morning the first news item I heard was an interview of a Democratic aide about the passing of the House Bill on energy last Friday without the Reps having even read it. Heck, it was still being written while they were voting on it! To say I was angry is an understatement. And so I start the week off on a bummer. (Yes, it’s my own fault for pushing the on button.)
It is as though our legislators are spending money like drunken sailors (Sorry mariners for the association). And they don’t even know what they are spending it on these days. But it’s okay for them to throw our money around, it isn’t theirs. They know how not to pay taxes; just ask the Obama appointees.
If I sign a paper or contract without reading all the details and fine print, the court will not forgive me—Buyer Beware! But it is okay for our lawmakers to institute bills without doing the same? Oh yes, you’re right. We gave them a mandate in the last election to do just that—spend without looking. And what consequences do they face when it falls apart? Absolutely none. OH, RIGHT, anything they do is the best for all of us!
I consider this action by Congress to be gross negligence. They (Congress) want me to be more careful with my energy use. If I use less electricity or gasoline, the companies making the energy will pollute less because they don’t need to make so much. But they will also make less money, which I am sure they don’t want to do and won’t do. As it is, my electric provider is about to request a second increase in less than a year. They’re going to get theirs one way or another.
With this new legislation, here is how I am being affected: My thermostat (mobile home in Florida in June) is set at 85 day and night; I drive to town (groceries, stores for meds, church, etc.) two days a week; I no longer drive to work (no school, no substituting, no income); one light on in the house at a time and only for reading or sewing; I have purchased the energy saving light bulbs; I only wash and dry two loads of clothes a week; and my electric bill is to be doubled. All this I do (sacrifice) so somebody can start a new energy business. This is so there will be less air pollution. And I should be glad to do it.
Folks, when my glasses fog up when I’m trying to read the newspaper and when I am currently considering turning off my water heater to save on energy cost, I am not glad to do this. Nor am I happy with my government that is forcing me to take these measures.
Let’s see, how else can I cut my energy use? There is the television, I could stop watching it. And I could turn off my refrigerator. Fresh vegetables and fruits are better for me anyhow. I could turn off my computer and only use the one at the library. I only use my oven about once every two or three weeks as it is so that’s not a realistic option.
Do you think these adjustments would make them happy? Why don’t they make changes as well? Oh, forgive me, they’re too good to be inconvenienced with such trivial and uncomfortable conditions, but we aren’t.
I can still remember standing at the opening between the living room and the kitchen watching TV while doing dishes during the commercials. It took a long time to get those dishes washed!
Even today I feel the need to have noise on in the house somewhere almost every waking moment of the day. And, yes, I find that sad.
Every morning the birds wake me with their singing. And what do I do? I turn over and turn the TV on to get the latest news even before I crawl out of bed.
This morning the first news item I heard was an interview of a Democratic aide about the passing of the House Bill on energy last Friday without the Reps having even read it. Heck, it was still being written while they were voting on it! To say I was angry is an understatement. And so I start the week off on a bummer. (Yes, it’s my own fault for pushing the on button.)
It is as though our legislators are spending money like drunken sailors (Sorry mariners for the association). And they don’t even know what they are spending it on these days. But it’s okay for them to throw our money around, it isn’t theirs. They know how not to pay taxes; just ask the Obama appointees.
If I sign a paper or contract without reading all the details and fine print, the court will not forgive me—Buyer Beware! But it is okay for our lawmakers to institute bills without doing the same? Oh yes, you’re right. We gave them a mandate in the last election to do just that—spend without looking. And what consequences do they face when it falls apart? Absolutely none. OH, RIGHT, anything they do is the best for all of us!
I consider this action by Congress to be gross negligence. They (Congress) want me to be more careful with my energy use. If I use less electricity or gasoline, the companies making the energy will pollute less because they don’t need to make so much. But they will also make less money, which I am sure they don’t want to do and won’t do. As it is, my electric provider is about to request a second increase in less than a year. They’re going to get theirs one way or another.
With this new legislation, here is how I am being affected: My thermostat (mobile home in Florida in June) is set at 85 day and night; I drive to town (groceries, stores for meds, church, etc.) two days a week; I no longer drive to work (no school, no substituting, no income); one light on in the house at a time and only for reading or sewing; I have purchased the energy saving light bulbs; I only wash and dry two loads of clothes a week; and my electric bill is to be doubled. All this I do (sacrifice) so somebody can start a new energy business. This is so there will be less air pollution. And I should be glad to do it.
Folks, when my glasses fog up when I’m trying to read the newspaper and when I am currently considering turning off my water heater to save on energy cost, I am not glad to do this. Nor am I happy with my government that is forcing me to take these measures.
Let’s see, how else can I cut my energy use? There is the television, I could stop watching it. And I could turn off my refrigerator. Fresh vegetables and fruits are better for me anyhow. I could turn off my computer and only use the one at the library. I only use my oven about once every two or three weeks as it is so that’s not a realistic option.
Do you think these adjustments would make them happy? Why don’t they make changes as well? Oh, forgive me, they’re too good to be inconvenienced with such trivial and uncomfortable conditions, but we aren’t.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Books to Movies
The next Harry Potter movie was scheduled to be released last Fall. As we know, Disney chose to wait until July this year to release it planning to rake in more dough. When I heard the announcement, I was angry, even furious. I was ready for that movie. How dare they hold it back!
I love seeing books come to life on the big screen. Not many bring me to the theater the day of the release though. HP movies certainly do.
Adolescent lit books, including the HP series, have me in line for tickets early on when they are released. Among them: Hoot and Tuck Everlasting. In fact there are books out there I wish would be put on film. Hiaaisen’s Flush and Scat, Lowery’s trilogy of The Giver, Gathering Blue and Messenger and any of Robert Cormier’s books would top my lists.
Then there are the Khaled Hosseini books: The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns of which only Kite Runner has made its way on screen. I don’t know if I look forward to Suns being filmed. That story still haunts me. Don’t think I’ll be rushing out to see it if it does get filmed.
But one I have been waiting for a long time hit the cinemas today: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. His DaVinci Code was wonderful and very controversial when it was published. I didn’t know AAD was published first until I had finished reading Code. Either W or LA told me about it, so I rushed out and got the book. And I loved it.
When the announcement came on TV about the release of the film on May 15, I made sure I would have my ticket. I went straight from the elementary school (first graders today) to the ticket kiosk. I made the 4:30 showing--$7.75 ticket and $10.50 nachos and drink. Should have gone to the lady’s room first, but luckily I made it through.
What a treat! IMHO, Ron Howard has always done great work. And this time was no different. The storyline was spot on. The scenery and architecture and fountains/statues/obelisks and art and costumes made me feel as though I was right there in Vatican City as it all happened. The chambers and “tunnel” connection were believable. (The tunnel could have used some cobwebs or other dank material.) But the real treat was the fast paced action, especially the driving and shooting scenes.
If there was anything missing I guess I would say it was a stronger feeling of Hanks’ character’s knowledge of the Illuminati subject. It seemed to come through stronger in the book than on the screen. It reminded me of the same missing chemistry in Grisham's The Firm from book to movie.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Red on Black
Living with nature can be awesome. I wake up in the morning to birds singing all over the place. What prettier music is there! And in the evenings there are the soft hoots of the owls talking to each other.
On several occasions I have spied red foxes scurrying from yard to yard. F caught one in a squirrel cage a few months ago. They are beautiful, lithe animals.
Some nights as the sun is setting the bunnies come out and dart around the yard. They look soft and fluffy. Most are a light to medium shade of brown, but several are white. And, yes, they appear to have cotton tails.
Pet dogs are not allowed to set foot on the street, but cats can roam at will and leave their droppings everywhere. Being a dog person, I think this really stinks.
Then there are the armored rodents that have started to burrow under my home. Being olfactory animals, I have tried to thwart their efforts with moth balls. So now they want to dig holes in my front yard. Where is a BB gun when you need one.
J told me tonight that we have three baby gators in the boat marina. Where there are baby gators, there are momma gators nearby. Lake Yale is well known for its huge gator population.
All these animals, pleasant and nasty alike, I can tolerate. But when I came home tonight, I was met by a critter I just cannot, under any circumstance, live with. He must die!
As I got out of the car with arms overflowing, I went to lock the car and saw a slithering coral snake in the headlights. I know for sure it was a poisonous snake by reciting the rhyme C taught me many years ago: “Red on black, friend of Jack. Red on yellow, kill the fellow.” It was definitely red on yellow.
People living in Florida know full well the dangers of the many poisonous snakes indigenous to the area. And as far as I’m concerned they can live here too.
But when they come out from the bushes and between me and my front door, it is time for them to die.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Freedom of Or Free Press?
“If we're willing to use taxpayer money to build roads, pay teachers and maintain a military; if we're willing to bail out banks and insurance companies and failing automakers, we should be willing to part with some public funds to keep journalism alive too.” These words were written by Rosa Brooks, former columnist for the LA Times and now the undersecretary of Defense for policy at the Pentagon.
Brooks’ premise is that there will be no government oversight if the many newspapers across the nation, currently in a death spiral (her words), have to close their doors. Add to that in her last column Brooks stated “A decimated, demoralized and under-resourced press corps hardly questioned the Bush administration's flimsy case for war in Iraq….” Is that a confession that journalists haven’t been doing their job, so let’s bail them out? Sounds like it to me.
Before we bail out the newspapers, we need to understand why they are in this death spiral. Is it because there are more and more papers going online rather than hard copy print? Is it loss of revenue from advertising and, if so, why? Could it also be because people don’t want to subscribe to slanted news and editorials? Do any of these reasons, individually or collectively, warrant bail out from taxpayers?
We have National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Network already paid for by the taxpayers. Now we are going to be asked (Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-MD legislation) to pay for all non-successful newspapers to operate too.
Yes, a free flow of opinion is the basis of our successful democracy and must continue. Americans have promoted freedom of the press worldwide for decades. But we have already seen our government put restrictions on monies given for failing businesses. Can you imagine what would happen if the government told the newspapers they have given money what to write? Hmmmm. What will happen to our own democracy if we go there?
Brooks’ premise is that there will be no government oversight if the many newspapers across the nation, currently in a death spiral (her words), have to close their doors. Add to that in her last column Brooks stated “A decimated, demoralized and under-resourced press corps hardly questioned the Bush administration's flimsy case for war in Iraq….” Is that a confession that journalists haven’t been doing their job, so let’s bail them out? Sounds like it to me.
Before we bail out the newspapers, we need to understand why they are in this death spiral. Is it because there are more and more papers going online rather than hard copy print? Is it loss of revenue from advertising and, if so, why? Could it also be because people don’t want to subscribe to slanted news and editorials? Do any of these reasons, individually or collectively, warrant bail out from taxpayers?
We have National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Network already paid for by the taxpayers. Now we are going to be asked (Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-MD legislation) to pay for all non-successful newspapers to operate too.
Yes, a free flow of opinion is the basis of our successful democracy and must continue. Americans have promoted freedom of the press worldwide for decades. But we have already seen our government put restrictions on monies given for failing businesses. Can you imagine what would happen if the government told the newspapers they have given money what to write? Hmmmm. What will happen to our own democracy if we go there?
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Sticks and Stones
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” I yelled those words many a time at my tormentors as a child. Kids were always looking for a way to point a finger at someone and show their flaws.
“You’re a Fatso!”
“You wear dirty clothes. Doesn’t your mother ever wash.”
“You smell like your daddy. He’s a drunk!”
To escape the humiliation to any possible line of truth in those taunts, the “sticks and stones” was screamed back. And no matter how many times we said them or how loud we projected them, those words hurled at us really did hurt. We could hand them out as well at get them.
Today we are more sophisticated in our taunting. We have worked to increase our vocabulary adding softer but still destructive words to our list. And we have learned to finesse our selections to plunge deep when we use them. Yep, them’s fightin’ words for sure!
We know the words hurt and we want them to hurt. But we say them nicely so they come out as a “got cha.”
This ploy is used by everyone everywhere today. Some call it diplomacy. Some call it educated and civilized. And some use it to distort the truth. Intolerance can be made to be tolerant to some people just by choosing the right word.
I remember when homosexuals were referred to as queer. And that word used in that context is definitely hurtful. So it was replaced by a joyful, happy word: gay. See? Doesn’t that make it all better now? A queer lifestyle isn’t acceptable but a gay lifestyle is.
Our President has decided that we can’t have a war, so the term “war on terror” can’t be uttered by anyone in his administration. Someone might believe there really is a war. Albeit, there are people out there shooting and killing other human beings because they want to dominate and control them, but that isn’t a war. It is a man-made disaster. To me, a man-made disaster that results in mass killings is a war. Let’s rewrite the history books to correct this misconception. There was the American Revolution Man-made Disaster, the Civil Man-made Disaster, Spanish-American Man-made Disaster, International Man-made Disaster I and International Man-made Disaster II, the Vietnam Man-made Disaster, the Korean Man-made Disaster. We just have to stop using the word war because it is a negative term. Then people will feel better.
Did you know in schools no one can say “shut up” any more without being reprimanded or fired? No matter how much noise students make, no matter how many times they sass the teacher, no student is to ever be told to shut up. We have alternative words that mean the same thing, such as “be quiet.” Isn’t that less hurtful when you’re told to be quiet instead of to shut up? But do the students stop that noisy behavior when told to “be quiet?” Have any idea how they react when told to shut up?
Culturally we have embarked on a new era trying not to hurt anyone, probably because of the way we were scarred as children. And, yes, I agree that we shouldn’t intentionally toss around mean-spirited words to hurt others. Changing the meanings of words just doesn’t sit well with me; nor does using selected terms to avoid telling the truth.
Darn it all, that pendulum has swung too far the other way for me. A brick is a brick is a brick. And a person who kills another human being is a murderer. There are some things we just can’t take from ugly to pretty.
“You’re a Fatso!”
“You wear dirty clothes. Doesn’t your mother ever wash.”
“You smell like your daddy. He’s a drunk!”
To escape the humiliation to any possible line of truth in those taunts, the “sticks and stones” was screamed back. And no matter how many times we said them or how loud we projected them, those words hurled at us really did hurt. We could hand them out as well at get them.
Today we are more sophisticated in our taunting. We have worked to increase our vocabulary adding softer but still destructive words to our list. And we have learned to finesse our selections to plunge deep when we use them. Yep, them’s fightin’ words for sure!
We know the words hurt and we want them to hurt. But we say them nicely so they come out as a “got cha.”
This ploy is used by everyone everywhere today. Some call it diplomacy. Some call it educated and civilized. And some use it to distort the truth. Intolerance can be made to be tolerant to some people just by choosing the right word.
I remember when homosexuals were referred to as queer. And that word used in that context is definitely hurtful. So it was replaced by a joyful, happy word: gay. See? Doesn’t that make it all better now? A queer lifestyle isn’t acceptable but a gay lifestyle is.
Our President has decided that we can’t have a war, so the term “war on terror” can’t be uttered by anyone in his administration. Someone might believe there really is a war. Albeit, there are people out there shooting and killing other human beings because they want to dominate and control them, but that isn’t a war. It is a man-made disaster. To me, a man-made disaster that results in mass killings is a war. Let’s rewrite the history books to correct this misconception. There was the American Revolution Man-made Disaster, the Civil Man-made Disaster, Spanish-American Man-made Disaster, International Man-made Disaster I and International Man-made Disaster II, the Vietnam Man-made Disaster, the Korean Man-made Disaster. We just have to stop using the word war because it is a negative term. Then people will feel better.
Did you know in schools no one can say “shut up” any more without being reprimanded or fired? No matter how much noise students make, no matter how many times they sass the teacher, no student is to ever be told to shut up. We have alternative words that mean the same thing, such as “be quiet.” Isn’t that less hurtful when you’re told to be quiet instead of to shut up? But do the students stop that noisy behavior when told to “be quiet?” Have any idea how they react when told to shut up?
Culturally we have embarked on a new era trying not to hurt anyone, probably because of the way we were scarred as children. And, yes, I agree that we shouldn’t intentionally toss around mean-spirited words to hurt others. Changing the meanings of words just doesn’t sit well with me; nor does using selected terms to avoid telling the truth.
Darn it all, that pendulum has swung too far the other way for me. A brick is a brick is a brick. And a person who kills another human being is a murderer. There are some things we just can’t take from ugly to pretty.
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