Blowing Smoke

2009-07-18T18:15:00.001-04:00

Weekend Update #21: Gracias Para Peru from Russell Means on Vimeo.

Be Well, My Brothers and Sisters

2009-06-22T12:55:00.002-04:00

God Bless the Iranian People - May You Soon Be Free!

The World is Watching ....

Russell on Colonialism in the US

2009-03-16T18:53:00.002-04:00

I don't talk much anymore. But when I run into an eloquent speaker like Russell Means, I'd rather let him explain it.

Good Morning

2008-12-14T11:43:00.003-05:00

I love this song. I'd sing with them every morning if I still had a cable connection.
It takes about a half hour for this 4 minute song to load but it's worth every second I wait.

If you don't hear music - mute the sound and follow the images.
What do you see?

I know what I see. I see a beautiful way of living life on Planet Earth that has nearly been destroyed.

The first colonists called this place 'the last Eden'. It's not hard for me to see why. What is hard for me to see is why ... why, when we were welcomed as friends and brothers, family, why, oh why did we repay their kindness with treachery and lies?

My heart will never understand this. It's far too big for me to see.

Does anyone else hear them calling YAWEH? I hear it. Don't you hear it, too?

Peace and Blessings
~Namaste~

As Always -

2008-10-19T15:36:00.000-04:00

Because I can.

exxactly!

2008-07-27T11:06:00.001-04:00

more cat pictures

2008-07-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

more cat pictures

Good News! Good News!

2008-01-27T16:32:00.000-05:00

Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 3:05 PM
Subject: FW: Audubon Applauds Navy Decision to Eliminate Washington Co.

OLF Site

This is it - the real thing. Put a fork in the Pocosin Lakes OLF
issue;
it's done!! We can celebrate Victory at that site. See the statement
at the far bottom for details from the Navy.

I just issued the other below statement to press.

On a more personal note, I have a long, long list of thanks to offer.
From Joe Albea and Tom Earnhardt who started us on this path, to Brian
Roth, mayor in Plymouth, the fantastic folks at Southern Environmental
Law Center (Derb and Michelle especially), lawyers at Kennedy
Covington,
Doris and Jennifer and the NO OLF group, all the chapter leaders and
members who got engaged early and for the long haul, the refuge staff
and FWS leaders, our political representatives who, in increasing
numbers, sought the truth on this (especially Congressmen Price and
Butterfield and the governor's office - including Sec. Bill Ross at
DENR
and the Wildlife Resources Commission, the Museum of Natural Sciences).

Defenders of Wildlife and NC Wildlife Federation who joined in the
suit.
Our Audubon DC staff and sr staff and board... on and on. All our
donors and supporters. So many will be left off this list - my
apologies.

It is incredible to think that the most diverse coalition of groups and

people aligned about this globally significant IBA and community.
Special thanks are due to those that stepped outside their normal
comfort zones to align with "environmentalists" or for those of us
willing to align with others we normally don't. I have benefitted so
from getting to know and respect such wonderful people I'd have missed
without this struggle.

I hold no lingering grudge toward the Navy. I see evidence now that our

struggle may have actually helped the Navy in its approaches to
decision-making like this. Admiral Anderson now leading the effort has

seemed to offer a new tone in the work and a new model for community
engagement that could serve us all well long after this particular case

is forgotten. There were many good people involved for the Navy from
the start, and I suspect their voices of reason were probably
instrumental in this outcome in ways we may never know.

There are other sites under consideration, with complications possible
at those, and we will remain attentive and sensitive to that process,
but we should at least take time to celebrate today's clear victory on
this hard-fought and cleanly won battle over the past 5+ years.

Chris

***************************************************
Chris Canfield
Executive Director/Vice President
Audubon North Carolina
123 Kingston Drive, Suite 206A
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-929-3899; 919-929-4599 (fax)
ccanfield at audubon.org

Four Dead in Ohio

2008-01-20T19:07:00.000-05:00

Tin soldiers

and
Nixon coming ....

"Those few days after Kent State were among the darkest of my presidency."

- Richard Nixon

You Didn't!

2008-01-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

You didn't! You did!

You didn't! You did! You did!
OMG.

You did, didn't you?

Oh, Jim.

OffLine and That's That

2008-01-11T11:41:00.003-05:00

I'll be going off line on 1/29/08 so if you come here looking for something new - you won't find it.

Don't Lead - a companion post

2007-12-04T23:42:00.000-05:00

I may not follow:

Don't follow - some places are best seen from a distance

Walk beside me as a friend in truth and spirit.

And no place will be too far, too cold, or too lonely.

Now don't you wish you could go with me?

Who Said?

2007-11-24T08:59:00.000-05:00

who said cats don't go to heaven. i believe they do. so will you!!

Older than Me and Still -

2007-11-24T03:02:00.000-05:00

ROCKIN

rock on guys.

you are role models. always have been.... hopefully, you always will be. you got my vote.

the other white meat

2007-11-24T02:57:00.000-05:00

Say WHAT?

yes. the other white meat.

I always was fond of Pluto

2007-11-24T02:09:00.000-05:00

it is too a planet.

Sailor Pluto - she didn't come out of nowhere. She was born.

2007-11-19T15:36:00.000-05:00

moar funny pictures

Wish I Could Have Been There

2007-11-19T14:27:00.000-05:00

Yeah - those of you who know me can do the math and scratch your heads but I really, really wanted to go.

Ah, well. I was there in spirit. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever left. Why should I? From my view in the stands, it was perfect.

Tagged

2007-11-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

oh, noes! I've been tagged by Joanne!

Make a list of five strengths that you possess as a writer/artist.

1. I know a lot of words.
2. My grammar is pretty good - all things considered.
3. I can usually get my point across
4. I can make you laugh if I want to - usually.
5. I write snappy dialogue.

Hey! That's five - I did it. Neener, neener.

Wow. Just -

2007-11-04T09:23:00.001-05:00

Wow.

I'm glad she doesn't have blue eyes - she'd look too much like me.

Featuring -

2007-10-31T09:18:00.001-04:00

The Mean Kitty Song:

Station to Station

2007-10-21T09:07:00.000-04:00

The return of the Thin White Duke
throwing darts
in lovers' eyes
Here are we one magical moment
Such is the stuff from
where dreams are woven
Bending sound
Dredging the ocean lost in my circle
Here am I
Flashing no colour tall in this room
overlooking the ocean

Here are we
One magical movement
from Kether to Malkuth 1
There are you
You drive like a demon
from station to station
The return of the Thin White Duke
throwing darts
in lovers' eyes [x2]
The return of the Thin White Duke,
making sure white stains

Once there were mountains on mountains
And once there were sunbirds
to soar with
And once I could
never be down
Got to keep searching
and searching
Oh what will I be believing
and who will connect me with love?

Wonder who wonder who
wonder when
Have you sought fortune evasive and shy?
Drink to the men who protect you and I
Drink drink drain your glass
raise your glass high

[CHORUS 1]
It's not the side-effects of the cocaine
I'm thinking that it must be love
It's too late
- to be grateful
It's too late
- to be late again
It's too late
- to be hateful
The european cannon is here

[CHORUS 2]
I must be only one in a million
I won't let the day pass
without her
It's too late
- to be grateful
It's too late
- to be late again
It's too late
- to be hateful
The European cannon is here

[CHORUS 3]
Should I believe that I've been stricken?
Does my face show
some kind of glow?
It's too late
- to be grateful
It's too late
- to be late again
It's too late
- to be hateful
The european cannon is here, yes it's here

It's too late [5 times]
The European cannon is here

© David Bowie

I'll Bet You Didn't Know This About Me

2007-10-14T10:57:00.000-04:00

This was once a career goal for me. This is what I wanted to do for my life's work.

It is unfortunate that I was side tracked from my path - I hope someone stepped up to take my place.
I'll get back into it; however, it just may be the plants indigenous to North America will become my focus.

There is much to learn out there as well. We only have to look for it.

Sela.

(short for
C'est la vie)

C'est la vie

Welcome to My World

2007-10-10T09:17:00.001-04:00

This song still makes the goosehairs rise up on my arms. I don't know why.

It's not the pictures in the video that make the magic; it's the voices and the words that touch my heart and my mind.

Listen to the words - never mind the pictures - does it speak to you, too?

Kyrie
by Mr. Mister

Kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison, kyrie

The wind blows hard against this mountain side,
across the sea into my soul
It reaches into where I cannot hide,
setting my feet upon the road

My heart is old, it holds my memories,
my body burns a gemlike flame
Somewhere between the soul and soft machine,
is where I find myself again

Chorus:
Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel
Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night
Kyrie eleison, where I'm going will you follow
Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light

When I was young I thought of growing old,
of what my life would mean to me
Would I have followed down my chosen road,
or only wished what I could be . . .

Chorus:
Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel
Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night
Kyrie eleison, where I'm going will you follow
Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light

(chorus repeats out...)

"Kyrie Eleison (Greek for "Lord have mercy"; the Latin transliteration supposes a pronunciation as in Modern Greek) is a very old, even pre-Christian, expression used constantly in all Christian liturgies."

Live a little bit, learn a little bit. Click the link above and take a chance. Maybe you'll learn something you didn't know or remember something that you have forgotten.

There are more things in heaven and earth than man has an explanation for ... some famous guy said that. But I can't remember who ... whom ... whatever.

2007-09-29T20:13:00.000-04:00

I don't remember
when first we met,
it wasn't a hurricane,
just children at play.
I can't honestly recall
the first time we danced,
though I think we did.
It's been so long
since I saw your face.
It's more an idea
nowadays, anyways:
Waking dreams have me
back in your arms.
Your smiling face
says more this time
and I know it's not a lie
when you kiss me.

©Rivana 2008
er ... 2007 .. really!

A Joke

2007-09-21T15:22:00.000-04:00

well, it's kind of a joke ... I mean, if it could be true .. then maybe it's not a joke, right?
So anyway ... two guys walk into a bar.. No, wait. That's not it. This is it:

Mommy asked her little girl what she would like for her birthday. The little girl, excited, says, "I want a Barbie Doll and a GI Joe." Mommy says, "No dear, Barbie comes with Ken, not GI Joe."
Little girl says, "No mommy, she comes with GI Joe. She fakes it with Ken."

Sorry all the Kens of the world. I thought it was funny.

Ambidextrous

2007-09-03T09:16:00.000-04:00

Ambidextrous

I write with my right hand;
articulate and methodical
chirography.
Ink weaves itself, like silk threads
against a virgin leaf.

What's right feels wrong,
legible lines define
neatly drawn words
that fence in the honesty; truth
is confined like stallions
in orderly corrals.

Secrets never unleashed
sowed only in the unconscious,
as infertile seeds that release
prosaic verse, lacking passion...
desert sun-tinged sands,
dry and useless.

I use my left hand-these days,
speaking aloud thoughts
that never dared
to dance from my lips.

Prowling promises; as secrets
emerge, purging my past
of decadent pleasures,
sordid schemes seep
through crevices,
as unseen touches
that haunt in restless sleep.

Poetry surges;
across vacant pages-animated;
unfortunately the words
are much too sloppy to be read.

Elizabeth DiBenedetto - the poetprncess

Whew!

2007-08-19T21:20:00.002-04:00

Makes me sweat........
Is it hot in here?

Or is it just me?

Not just me? Good. I'm not ready for any Power Surges. Just keep the blood flowing and I'm good.

hah.

I Wouldn't Have Believed It if -

2007-08-18T19:47:00.000-04:00

I hadn't seen it myself.

Check it out. Look closely. Listen.

ENOUGH!

2007-08-16T17:32:00.001-04:00

Pass it Around. You Know You Want To. That's What it Was Made For. Just Do It.

Oops. Change of Plans

2007-08-15T22:57:00.000-04:00

I had a good one picked out with a nice commentary but I just had to share this one with you.

He nails it, folks. Aye-yup. He does.

Not Me, Maybe You

2007-08-11T22:55:00.000-04:00

Not mine, either.

Fuck You.

I'll Shoot him myself. Not really. Weapons? No, son. You don't have your mother teach you weapons.
Why?
Because she's sneaky - like a cat. Ask the polar bear or the shaman or the ninja or the artist or the engineer.
Why?
Because they're all so much smarter than your mother. Your mother is just your mother.

Quit killing the sons & daughters - it's not n.e.c.e.s.s.a.r.y.
You wanted off; you wanted it fixed - well, then have it. You asked - the Universeral - Heard You.
He did? Listen! The Northern Lights still play music, you just have to listen more carefully.

Carz? Don't need them any more - why? Guess, ....

Oh, No! I've Been Tagged!

2007-08-02T17:49:00.000-04:00

......according to my friend, Joanne, this is how it works; I write eight interesting things about myself on my blog. Then I send it to (tag) eight friend-bloggers....

Ha. There aren't eight interesting things about me. But I'll think of as many as I can.

hmm....

1) I love scotch.
I'd drink it every day if I could afford it. "Johnny Walker Black, on the rocks, water back; don't forget the straw."

2) I'm as mean as a junkyard dog. (My sister says so.)

3) I'm so sexy all the men want me and all the women are jealous. Deal with it.

4) I'm modest.

5) I'm shy.

6) And I never, ever lie.

That's all folks!

Now, go visit Joanne and tell her Unique sent ya!

COMPUTER ALERT!

2007-07-28T07:53:00.000-04:00

COMPUTER ALERT! COMPUTER ALERT! COMPUTER ALERT! COMPUTER ALERT! COMPUTER ALERT!

Volume ON! Volume ON! Volume ON! Volume ON!

DO SOMETHING!

Fun Food Facts Fast

2007-07-26T19:40:00.000-04:00

I recommend you have your volume off... but hey, do what you want.

You Are My Friend

2007-07-26T13:47:00.000-04:00

Does anyone have a love like the power in her voice?

Not here on earth -

- that I've ever seen.

To All My Friends in Cyberspace. You know who you are ... and if you don't, consider it done.

Thomas Dolby - I Can't Help It

2007-07-23T20:46:00.000-04:00

I still love you.

Hot Sauce ......

Don't forget to lock the garage when you leave.
heh.

Liars One and All

2007-07-22T17:26:00.000-04:00

You Can't Win a War Crime

2007-07-21T07:50:00.000-04:00

well, you can't you know.

pssst.... Do something!

Dear God! What Have We Done?! Forgive us our Inhumanity!

Just Another Day with the Neighbor Hood

2007-07-20T12:44:00.000-04:00

You think I do, I think you don't. I wish you would; I think you won't. Be on time, late is a bore.
I might love you but I'm ain't no .... piece of humble pie.

Boyz nda Hud

2007-07-20T05:48:00.000-04:00

Polarization

"hudlum"
disguised word
hiding its meaning
from anyone
in the -f- or -s- decades

street speak for
doin' the crime
defined by those
out of step
with today's time

we speak
they don't listen
they don't hear us

turn a blind eye so
they don't see us

we scream
they don't understand

we act
they gasp
they whisper
afraid

they run
hiding in their
big ass houses
behind their
big ass gates
surrounded by
their dumb ass kind

afraid of the dark
afraid of the young
afraid of words
they don't want
.....to understand

Judy Wallace-Pichichero ©2007

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

2007-07-19T07:17:00.000-04:00

Mary Don't You Weep

Brought to You Today by the Letter 'e'

2007-07-17T12:12:00.001-04:00

Humane --->Humana

Local Problems Need Local Options

2007-07-16T06:47:00.000-04:00

Wake Up North Carolina!

Please, before it's too late!

Don't let the high dollar PAC's hold your future hostage!

DO SOMETHING!

Who Are You?

2007-07-15T17:30:00.001-04:00

We are at one with the universe.

Past and present flow into the future on unseen wings. Angels touch the sky on God's behalf and it begins to rain.

Are you Experienced?

You Know You've Always Wondered. Now you Know

Just like I remembered it ....

It's Hard When There's Panic in Detroit ......

Do You Remember It as I Do?

Or Do you remember it like this .... ?

David Bowie - Space Oddity (RARE video, NEW version 1979)

Tell Us About It - C'mon, Kitty - Don't Look! Listen!

Why Don't You?

"Desperado"

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow

Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late

[Thanks to im4osu@cox.net, dolphin_song831@yahoo.com, graffagnin@aol.com for correcting these lyrics]

FCC

2007-07-14T22:11:00.001-04:00

Democrats.org has a post called "Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars Urges President Bush and Senate Republicans to Change Mission in Iraq" that's worth checking out...

Brandon Friedman, a former infantry officer in the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, delivers the Democratic radio address this week.

The Power of Love -

2007-07-14T07:14:00.000-04:00

Never Doubt the power of love to touch the heart.

In the end - that's all that really matters, isn't it?
I wish you well
En-Joy

Stronger Than Pride

2007-07-13T21:40:00.000-04:00

Stronger than Pride

You Know It's Never As Good ...

I Guess I Could Just ...

Is It a Crime ...

Once More ...

Mental Health : Who Cares Edition

Were That It Were - Then it would be easy....

Hang Onto Whatever You Have to Hand....

The End - Again

And Today's a Better Day

2007-07-04T10:05:00.000-04:00

Look at What I Found.

Howard Jones, Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby, Stevie Wonder

Where I Am Right Now

2007-07-04T03:47:00.000-04:00

but not necessarily in this order ... ... ...

I Hope You Have Cable....

Good Music is like a Classic Car - it never goes out of style.
If you know me, you know which one I mean.

They Went Home

2007-07-03T19:50:00.000-04:00

They Went Home

They went home and told their wives,
that never once in all their lives,
had they known a girl like me,
But... They went home.

They said my house was licking clean,
no word I spoke was ever mean,
I had an air of mystery,
But... They went home.

My praises were on all men's lips,
they liked my smile, my wit, my hips,
they'd spend one night, or two or three.
But...

Maya Angelou

Need else be said? I didn't think so.

Oh, Yeah -

2007-06-19T19:44:00.001-04:00

I cobbed this one ... but I really wanted you to see it ... so here it is. Think on it.

Please Help Me Make It Happen

2007-06-19T09:48:00.000-04:00

I invited John Edwards to Johnston County while I was at his birthday party. Clayton is a small town but I have lots of friends - they just don't all live in Clayton.

Here's how you can help: Sign up and ask (or as they say, 'Demand') he come visit us.

8% + 56% = 64%

2007-06-05T22:14:00.000-04:00

Where's the Rest?

You Are 56% Democrat

You aren't a full fledged Democrat yet, but it's likely the party that fits you best.
You probably consider yourself an independent Democrat. You usually support the party, but you also think for yourself!

How Democrat Are You?

Live Free or Die

2007-06-05T21:38:00.000-04:00

If love could heal
You would be well
My soul like a balm
Would cover your scars
But even time
With its amazing power
Can't stop
The cold rush of time
Your fevered brow
and one last kiss
Fare thee well
We'll meet again
on the other side
Will you know me then
Does love abide?

The working title of this poem is: Channeling Haskins on a Cloudy Day

"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be."

Voltaire

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion."

Albert Camus

Have a Memorable Memorial Day

2007-05-28T17:35:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have been light on words and heavy on embeds lately. Deal with it.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

2007-05-26T22:33:00.000-04:00

The Legacy of Watergate passed to the next generation; the Legacy of Bob Dylan passed on to the same.

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

Thanks for Visiting - Now Go Home

2007-05-22T10:30:00.001-04:00

But seriously, we know they aren't going back where they came from ... why should they? It's beautiful and it's cheap. Please take down the For Sale Signs at the NC border - we're being inundated!

Because I Can

2007-05-19T22:19:00.000-04:00

From Silent Spring to Silent Night

2007-04-22T08:54:00.000-04:00

This is a long video but well worth an hour of your time. Even if you are not a scientist, even if chemistry was not your bag, the information is easy to understand.

But don't despair, all is not lost; it is merely delayed. You know how to correct the problem, the question is - will you do it?

Just Say NO to Insanity - NO-OLF

2007-04-07T19:10:00.000-04:00

Because Adobe cannot be viewed by everyone, I found this YouTube video to share with you. It is not like mine - these people have been at the forefront of this issue from the beginning. I became involved because governmental insanity offends me. Our pilots are at risk, our farmers & their families are at risk, and our food supply is at risk because Virginia Beach and the Navy would not say NO to development around Fentress and Oceana. Now they are willing to put their pilot's lives in jeopardy to mitigate the noise for wealthy homeowners. I'm sorry but the pilot's lives and the farmer's lives are much more important that those stupid homeowners right to quiet. There is no way in hell they didn't know about those planes BEFORE they bought and built.

Today, it's in North Carolina. Tomorrow, it might be your state.

Please, for the love of nature, wholesome US grown food, and life itself - call, write, email, or fax your Senators and Representatives because every little bit helps. This is a national issue because this is a National Wildlife Refuge with endangered species protected by international treaty.

Your email can make a difference.

2007-04-05T22:44:00.000-04:00

2007-03-30T10:01:00.000-04:00

Why Should the Birds Dine Elsewhere?

In Washington and Beaufort counties, ‘Support the Troops’ is far from a meaningless phrase. The Navy’s insistence on Site C for an outlying airfield or OLF has brought stunned disbelief to many as the Navy continues to disregard scientific data, the warnings of military bird strike abatement experts and the professional opinions of the US Fish & Wildlife Service. They are dismayed that the Navy would have so little regard for their pilot’s safety and that the 57 million dollar price tag per aircraft for an F/A 18 isn’t an investment worth protecting. The experts agree – a birdstrike accident isn’t a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’.

Colonel Jeffery J. Short, USAFR stated, “In 25 years of dealing with military BASH (Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard) issues, I cannot recall a worse place to situate an airfield for jet training.” A recent radar study conducted by Ronald L. Merritt, a former Chief of the USAF BASH Task force was sent to Navy Secretary England that stated, “There are very few places in the United States where this level of threat exists.”

The US Fish & Wildlife Service is listed by the Navy as a cooperating agency on the SEIS (Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) but when the US Fish & Wildlife Service told the truth about their findings, the Navy decided they needed to find other experts to tell them what they wanted to hear. Don Hunsaker, II, may be a specialist in avian ecology but he was paid for his opinion. The experts at the NFWS were doing their jobs. They are also not allowed to discuss their findings with the public. They were placed under a gag order by Todd Willens, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of the Interior in January, 2007. If the public wants information, they can call Dr. Hunsaker in California or the public affairs office of the NFWS in Atlanta, Georgia but they can’t talk to the professionals at the Pocosin Lakes NWR next to Site C.

The original Environmental Impact Statement wasn’t only less than stellar – it was flawed. That is why Judge Terrence W. Boyle of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court ruling that the Navy had not addressed environmental issues required by the National Environmental Policy Act and ordered them to conduct a new study. In the newly released SEIS, the Navy again failed to address the birdstrike issue. The Navy couldn’t manage to fly one jet without dodging a flock of birds as recorded on video and hundreds of birds miles away were visibly disturbed by the planes during the demonstration.

The part of the study that has changed was the Navy’s decision not to buy all the land for the proposed OLF outright. Rather they would lease some portions under restricted easements leaving the families that farm here being told by the Navy that they could not grow what they’re currently growing – namely wheat, corn, and soybeans. This is part of the Navy’s ‘improved’ mitigation plan. They would starve the birds out of the fields by denying them the leavings of the field.

However, this is what the farmers are set up to grow. They have established markets in place. The Navy contends that they should switch their crops to grass, cotton, and trees. A farmer’s investment in equipment can run into millions of dollars. The Navy doesn’t say who should pay to replace their equipment since the machinery for wheat, soybeans, and corn is useless for growing cotton. It doesn’t matter to the Navy that as of February 9, 2007 the USDA states that the world cotton market is depressed and is likely to remain so. It doesn’t matter to the Navy that growing grass doesn’t pay or that trees take 20 years to grow to a profitable size.

One has to wonder at the Navy’s considerable effort and insistence to acquire acreage that by its own admission it does not need. The Southern Environmental Law Center reviewed over 200,000 pages of Navy documents and found that the Navy itself concluded the existing OLF in Virginia was adequate to meet the Navy’s needs. In an email dated April, 2003, it was stated that ‘OLF operations will become obsolete.’ So why the insistence on Site C? Why does the Navy believe it needs 33,000 acres for a concrete landing strip? Make no mistake, this is not a base, this is a runway for practice take offs and landings. Thirty three thousand acres is over 50 square miles – the size of a small city. A city the size of Akron, Ohio or Bloomington, Indiana, half the size of Raleigh at 115 square miles, or ten square miles larger than Wilmington.

All that nice open land probably looks good from 10,000 feet in the air. The northeastern section of North Carolina is some of the last undeveloped land on the Eastern Seaboard. You can see it yourself from Google Earth™. But what you can’t see from a plane or a satellite is what’s taking place on the ground. The family farmers and the birds of the wildlife refuges have a symbiotic relationship. The birds do more than eat the farmer’s leavings of grain and corn. They also leave nitrogen for the farmer’s next crop and they also dine on insects and weeds in the field. Good land stewardship should be rewarded not betrayed.

In these days of heightened national security you don’t hear much mention of one of America’s most vital interests, our food supply. As we continue to export jobs and import food, I hope that we as a nation don’t come to rue the day that we didn’t stand up and protect some of our true American heroes – our family farmers.

Poverty In America

2007-02-26T17:18:00.000-05:00

Think it doesn't happen? Think again.

A friend provided this link
after another friend commented on watching an elderly woman eating from the garbage cans at a local mall.
Not a poor looking woman, not a mentally disturbed woman - just a woman.

She could have been your grandmother. Or your mother. Maybe even you. Watch the video.

Do you still believe there aren't two Americas?
Don't forget to vote.

And the Point Is - On Top of Your Head

2006-12-19T10:02:00.000-05:00

You Are 8% Republican

If you have anything in common with the Republican party, it's by sheer chance.
You're a staunch liberal, and nothing is going to change that!

How Republican Are You?

I'm not as liberal as all that. 9%. That's low - even for me. YMMV.

Politics - Feh

2006-03-22T06:49:00.000-05:00

I've never been much of a political animal - probably because lies leave such a bad taste in my mouth.

However, today's political climate has me researching the subject more deeply than I ever have before. (Don't worry, I have my barf bag handy - just in case)

I don't for one minute believe that one ordinary person can have a major impact - but - I do believe that one ordinary person can influence more than one other ordinary person and eventually, by extension, an extraordinary person, and thereby unleash a tidal wave.

I'm not saying that I am that extraordinary person, but who knows, it might be you.

Think I'm exaggerating? Read this book. Talk to everyone you know. You may be the beginning of a tidal wave.

This Space For Rent

2006-01-22T12:41:00.000-05:00

What you see is what you get