Nature's Balance, Right?

Much has been written about the "endangered" Mountain Caribou, including the one in this morning's spokesman-Review, written by James Hagengruber.

Caribou...Cougars... Cougars...Caribou.

Joe Scott, of Bellingham, Washington, as mentioned in the above article, bemoans Canada's policy change, to give up trying to introduce Mountain Caribou into areas that they don't naturally prosper. Namly, the areas bordering Canada and Idaho, in the Selkirk range.

I'm wondering if Joe was in the forefront of the activists campaign of a few years ago, banning the use of dogs in hunting Cougars, and advocating natural selection.

Well, Joe, you've just been batted over the head with a dash of reality. Protection and reintroduction of predators does not bode well for the less hardy species or traditional victims.

You can't have it both ways, pal! Either give up on the artificial introduction of Wolves, Grizzlies and Cougars, or wave bye-bye to Caribou, deer and Elk.

Methinks you have been hoisted on your own petard...

Oh, and by the way, the Selkirk Caribou reside in Idaho. Police your own area, please. We have our own wackos without having to import any from a neighboring State...

My Time Out

For those of you that missed me this week, I've just been busy with my wind-up week at Silverwood. I am fine. To the female person that left a message re: my blog on my cheap answering machine, please e-mail me.

My hearing disability causes me to not hear certain tone ranges, which include the higher voices of the ladies. I've been told it was due to me ingoring my wives during all those years of marriage. I'm at hhuseland@aol.com. No comment on the cause of the hearing loss.

I will be back this week-end with more unsolicited comments about damn near everything. Hang on to your seats, folks.

Navy Base

In a recent inquiry by a local spy, I was asked,"What does the Navy REALLY do at their base in Bayview"?

I thought everyone knew that! It's a support base for the underwater city and U.N. arms factory bubble city between Lakeview and Bayview, Idaho.

You've seen the black helicopters, right? You know, the ones that are going to invade us through Canada? Right there... Flying Saucers? Right there...

The demise of the Blueback fishery? Food for the aliens working beneath the deep waters of South Lake Pend Oreille! Oh, and of course the secret underwater gold mine. I hope I've answered your question, Stebbijo...Oops! Now I guess you're out of the closet, dear...

Spokane Transit Authority

The Transit Authority in Spokane Washington, is typically known by the acronym STA. I didn't feel comfortable titling this blog with STA for fear someone would think it was contracted by unprotected sex.

Today, in the Spokesman-Review, was an editorial about STA. It was one of hundreds over the years. I finally got tired of hearing poor me stories about this abortion.

STA doesn't do well because they are unable or unwilling to separate the two primary goals of public transportation. The first, run it as a business and apply supply and demand principles.

The second, the welfare aspect.

It is all well and good to help underemployed and those more unfortunate than us get to work and the doctor, grocery shopping, etc.

What I am seeing here is that the STA has low ridership. That means that there is more service than the demand calls for.

While helping the needy is a positive thing, it is not the job of Public Transportation to be a welfare agency. If we need to subsidize, have the proper welfare agencies issue bus passes or reduced fare tickets, paid for by the welfare system, not the Bus Company.

As to low ridership, there are two obvious conclusions drawn here. If the transit authority is running buses that are not needed, then cut service. If featherbedding is the issue, if keeping a pre-ordained level of service is the goal, then back to applying good business principles.

Many people will not ride public transportation because of fear for their personal safety. There are some pretty cruddy people that ride this tax supported company.

Clean up your act, STA, then talk to us...

Random Thoughts

I am blessed. So many of you have sent me warm fuzzies, that I'm pressed to wonder why I didn't think of getting cancer sooner. You're all great.

I do, however have one disappointment to share with you...In accessing Cis's blog, there before my eyes, mocking me was her stats.

No! No! Not those kind of stats...I learned that she has 16 Grandchildren. That ties her with me, although, heh! heh! I have THREE Great-grandchildren. On the other hand, I've never been a Mother.

I'm finding that other than I can't stray more than, say, 30 feet from the nearest restroom, the after effects, so far, have been negligible. I still see the Sun come up, read good books, visit with my friends on-line, and rant.

That reminds me. Since DFO has become a recovering flame-thrower, someone has to take up the slack. Finding nobody more qualified, I have nominated myself.

If one considers, where else can you find unassailable opinions that are right on almost always...Well, sometimes...Would you believe once in awhile!

As we float innocently toward the week-end, I will discover some nefarious plot against mankind to expose. Until then...Adios, my friends.

After Effects

As they say, "you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs". This is also true when using radiation as a cancer treatment.

The collateral damage, as they would say in military circles occurs when radioactivity reaches healthy tissue and damages or destroys it.

I'm told I can expect to feel very lethargic for three to four weeks. This may be due to the 5 times I had to get up last night. That's bound to cause sleep deprivation.

Oh well, being lazy is something I'm pretty good at anyway...

I'm still working at the park, handling uniform turn-in and inventory, but should be free to loaf by the end of next week. I just hope I can hold out that long. I may not feel very creative for awhile, but keep checking the blog. I'll try to write something, if for no other reason than to let everyone know I'm alright...

Hanging in there, Herb!

Pearl Harbor

I have witnessed three sneak attacks during my lifetime.

The first, when I was only three years old, was Pearl Harbor, the sneak attack by the Japanese. More than two thousand Naval and Military personnel were killed during that attack.

The second, was the attack on civilians by Moslems. Unable to form effective armies, Arab extremists (read the Koran encouraged) resort to terrorism. The attack on the World Trade Center killed 2726 innocent people.

The third, is on going. It is the attack on the current administration by left wing radicals, including,it seems the majority of the written press. While liberating two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, bringing a new life to the Kurds, we have lost a total of 2139 lives.

Put into perspective, we lost 386,744 Military and Naval lives in World War two.

We lost 54,246 to death in Korea.

Vietnam deaths totaled 58,152.

All of these deaths were severe blows to the families affected. Still, American Patriots flocked to the banner of freedom...

I can't minimize the 2139 casualties in Iraq. All deaths are a tragedy. What I am attempting to do here is put this all into perspective.

Have we lost the will to defend freedom, or is it just that our media bends the news to reflect their own prejudices.

I am getting old, and maybe it's time. I don't like the direction this country of opportunity is taking. It has always been a statistical certainty that sooner or later the have not's, and underachievers would become the majority, and change this Country irretrevably to something that will resemble the decline of Rome.

I am saddened deeply.

The Bottom Line

It's done. After two plus hours in the stirrups, sixty two radio-active seeds reside in my prostate. I suddenly realized, while undergoing this giant indignity, that I was finally seeing the world from a Woman's point of view.

While I certainly hope that my next crisis is passing away at 90 while peacefully sleeping, (post-coital, of course) I'm glad I had it done. The nice thing about this treatment option, is that it's a one shot thing. No follow-up, except PSA tests to record the demise of the cancer cells.

I drove over to Seattle, in a friend's car. He figured, rightly that I wouldn't feel much like driving, so I played tour guide, while John Wirst, my chauffeur rubber necked. The procedure was done by the Veterans Administration Hospital there. The Doctor, a famous author, Radiologist and UW professor was Kent Wallner.

When I asked what the cost of the treatment would be in a private facility, I was told $30,000 to $45,000. Next time you hear any criticism of the patient care at VA, send them to me!

I'm home, my bottom is sore and it's wonderful to have this over with. Thank you all for caring...

Herb

Comments

Dave Oliveria writes in his on-line column "Huckleberries" that he encourages comments. That started me thinking about my blog. We need comments. When I write something that I am really proud of, and receive no comments, I feel like nobody is out there.

If a tree falls in the forest and there's nobody there, does it make a sound? That's what it feels like when readers go away without letting us know they were there.

I'll be out of town for a few days, as my cancer treatment is in Seattle at the V.A.
I'm getting brackytherapy, which is the implantation of radioactive seeds into the prostate. I'm expecting a full recovery without any serious complications.

I'll be back with a full report, well, maybe an abridged report, on the whole experience.

The Supreme Court

Many people that I meet in my daily life, when asked about their opinion regarding Harriet Miers appointment to the Supreme Court simply don't care. They either shrug their shoulders, saying "it doesn't have anything to do with me," or think it's some Mo-town music thing.

They are wrong. What happens in the next few weeks may effect everyone in very material ways. The next Justice appointed and confirmed will possibly bring about the largest swing in the high court since the ill begotten appointment of Earl Warren.

For several years now, the left wing feminist movement has held on to the "right" of abortion as a given. It hasn't always been that way. Prior the the activist Warren Court, abortion was illegal everywhere in this country. In my opinion, with perhaps a couple exceptions, it should still be. Killing our young is an animal response to stress.

In the old days, prior to legalizing this abhorrent act, it is true that many illegal back alley abortions killed and/or maimed expectant mothers. We now have modern day birth control. Something that we didn't have back then. We will very soon have approval of the "morning after pill". That should take care of rape cases, and some incest as well.

This year and with this appointment of a charismatic Christian woman,the high court will probably at the very least choose to limit abortion to very few circumstances.

We may see a shift from the welfare programs of the past, where we have multi- generational dependence on Government support. A shift back to values, something that many of our youth in these times doesn't seem to have.

Our society is imploding from lack of purpose and moral values. A few changes wouldn't hurt.

President Bush may be smarter that you think...

Editorials, plus and minus

I read each and every editorial in our hometown Spokesman-Review. Most are pushing extreme positions, and almost always are they politically correct.

Well, once in a while a real good one comes along. One did last Sunday. In an editorial that started out about Roberts and the Supreme Court, Andres Martinez of the Los Angeles Times hit a grand-slam.

When asked in hearings whether he would favor the "little guy or the big guy", Roberts replied, who ever is right...

Andres went on to explore the whole subject. He pointed out that targets that are unpopular, such as Tobacco Companies,Accounting Companies and such. Following Enron and other large corruption cases, the Feds went after the accountants. Smoking is more and more unpopular, so burn the companies that make them by using RICO, which is obviously not designed for this.

On the other hand, the Agriculture Department is subsidizing the tobacco growers.
Andres points out that while it is popular to go after unpopular industries, (Big Oil) because voters like that, it's bad law...

I like a guy that swims against the current and tells it like it is!

The Spokesman-Review

I've been musing about my blog, and blogging in general lately. Most of the inspiration for my stuff comes from articles and editorials in the S/R. Not only that, but Dave Oliveria of Spokesman-review.com/blogs/nhb, started most of us in this area, inspired us, then taught us how. When we actually do something interesting, he features it in his, the master of blogs. I wanted to take time out here to say thank you.

Sunday's paper was not an exception. The most hilarious piece was where the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has authorized the killing of an entire pack of re-introduced wolves. You know, the ones that are highly protected? Heavy fines for killing them? Well it turns out that these wolves are killing cows.

Duh!! It has become clear that what is lacking in the protection program is classes on English, the written language. If we had only the foresight to write "COW" on both sides of our livestock, we could, after teaching the wolves how to read, solve the problem.

Or maybe what we need here is a wolf class on discipline. You know, hey wolfy, deer and elk or O.K. but stay away from out cows and sheep! If a wild animal is given the choice between a Rib-eye steak or hamburger it will probably not be able to make the distinction between the right and wrong of it.

If we are going to re-introduce predator species that have disappeared from our forests, we have to first remember why they disappeared. We killed them because we couldn't co-exist with them. The wolves and Grizzlies killed livestock and folks back then. It was war. Survival. Now, we have environmentalists living in places like San Francisco in high rise apartments telling us what is good for the wilderness.

Have you noticed they don't ask us here in North Idaho our opinion? I invite these enviro-nazis to take up hiking and camping...Say on and around Bernard Peak here on the South end of Lake Pend Oreille. (pronounced pond oray) We have a resident Grizzly Bear for you to play with. Invite him to lunch! Or be lunch!

Be our guests. We'd love to have you.

Inheritance Tax

They just never quit, do they? The lead story in the Region section of the Spokesman-Review today,shows the have nots are once again attempting to rob the haves...

An organization calling itself the "United Vision of Idaho" have called on Idaho Senator Crapo to end his support for the repeal of the federal estate tax.

They contend that the loss of revenue from this governmental larceny will suck funds from programs that benefit the low income people. Here is a quote. "We question how anyone can put the interest of 51 millionaires ahead of the interest of...Ordinary Idahoans, " said William Whittaker, a Boise State University professor of social work.

Now, THAT'S a real endorsement for sending your kids to that school. Go to college so that you might learn to steal what someone else has earned, so that you don't have to bother with the work involved yourself. The point here is very simple, people...

The money that these families have accrued belongs to THEM! Just because the have nots outnumber the over achievers does not confer the right of confiscation...

I will go to my grave with part of my last pension check unspent, or not. I am not even close to wealthy. Being poor does not confer the right to take money away from people that were smarter, worked harder and were more dedicated in their careers.

These 51 millionaires so casually sniffed at, are probably the leaders of business and industry that have created jobs and wealth far outweighing their own for the community. Robin Hood, get thee behind me!

My Cancer Treatment

I have had many requests for updates about my prostate cancer and subsequest treatment. Well, actually, there was just one guy that said something to the effect that "would you just shut up about your reproductive stuff"?

I will enter treatment October 12 at 1:00 P.M. Everything being equal, I will exit said treatment at about 2:30 P.M.

I am going to have what is called Brackytherapy. Essentially, that is inserting radioactive isotopes into my prostate.

I have been told that there are certain restrictions...

Such as I can't approach pregnant women with-in six feet. I am happpy to report that this will not be a problem, as no woman has come within that distance for a very long time, pregnant or not.

I do however, now have the prospect of having a beacon...You know, like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer...

Everywhere I go for about two months, a certain portion of my body will glow in the dark. This is really great, since up until now, I've used a night light to find the bathroom.

Hopefully, in six months or so, I will be back to normal.

I send this message, so that you may feel sorry for me as I stand depraved, deprived, and very upbeat about the whole thing...

RITA

My Granddaughter, her husband, and my first Great-Grandchild will flee the Houston area tomorrow morning.

I urged them them to leave tonight, but, alas, the young know more than we do. I explained that fleeing to Waco, due north, was the wrong direction, and that the eye was going to hit Waco, dead on.

I suggested that they go west to San Antonio, which is about the same distance, but should be out of the path of the Eye.

I don't think they are going to listen to me. I pray that they will be safe.

Why is the wisdom of age wasted on the young?

Autumn in North Idaho

I have run out of items to be pissed off about, unless it would be Clinton, breaking away from the bi-partisan effort of the Clinton/Bush fund raising effort.

Instead, I would like to point out the beginning of Autumn. Alas, I don't have the skills of Phil or others, and haven't the slightest idea of how to take electronic pictures, and then in some mysterious way, actually put them on the screen. You see, I am old.

I learned to type before electric typewriters, which, I might add, are already out of style. I am a prisoner of a technology that I haven't a clue about.

It seems only yesterday, that I learned where the on/off button was on my computer. Now, I'm expected to know how to not only check my e-mail, but also, actually go on to the internet, to find out about things I didn't previously know about.

The thought occurs to me, at this time, that maybe, just maybe, this stuff is totally unnecessary.

Have I lived this long, just to discover that information is obsolete, and only impressions are of value?

But enough of that...My tomatoes are doing what they usually do at this time of year...Turn bright green, just before the first frost.

The town drunks are tuning up for the winter, and I don't have a clue as to what I will do, other, than I won't do the rocking chair bit.

On the other hand, the leaves are starting to turn, the harsh 95 degree weather of a few weeks ago are gone, it was a wonderful day today, and will probably be again tomorrow, as Indian Summer slides in. I think it's time to go fishing!!!

Bigotry

I am going to step into the politically incorrect abyss and talk about not just bigotry as seen from people of European descent toward minorities, but all kinds of bigotry and discrimination.

In my last blog, I talked about the blame game, and how both publicly elected officials, and the usual show biz radicals immediately pointed to the White community to scream about discrimination.

We as a society have become accustomed to being called names by the radicals of color, and have even accepted it as their right to do so. If given a mirror image of this principle, it would be considered horrible, unacceptable right wing behavior.

Bullshit! If one accepts, as I do, that we are all equal, then it flows both ways, Baby! Those of us that disagree with the double standard are usually branded as racist, right wing Bigots. Well, Bigotry comes in all sizes, shapes and colors.

To step aside for a moment, have you heard things like, "How long you lived here, huh? Or, you from where? I'm talking about regional bias. We have all kinds of differences. Regional, Race, Country of origin, What School you attended, and on and on and on.

I've had it, and hereafter, will only deal with people just like me, or lacking anyone in that category, people that think just like me. After all, everyone else is (pick your category) and not acceptable.

Blame Game

After reading article after article, editorial after editorial regarding the blame for the Gulf Coast tragedy, I have come to a conclusion.

A disaster, any disaster, whether caused by man, or nature, attracts those that have radical agendas. Writers, and/or special interest groups that hate Bush, or anything Republican, choose the disaster as a vehicle for attack, whether or not logic prevails.

Undoubtedly, the formation of the Homeland Security Department was one of the culprits. Any super agency that is new and untested, as this one, is ripe for bureaucratic bungling. We had a perfectly good FEMA, only to merge it into Homeland Security.

Any agency of the Federal Government is by nature a gigantic slug, made operational only by years of professionals toiling in the trenches, trying to overcome the political insanity that surrounds them. Some are incompetent, others not.

Homeland Security, with the paint still wet on it's office signs, simply wasn't ready yet to do anything of great import. Budgets were still being fought out in the halls of Congress. Executives were still settling in, learning their jobs.

As it was pointed out in this morning's Spokesman-Review, Federal Assistance to the States is only available after the States declare a disaster area.

Perhaps it is time to review the various departments of Homeland Security. It is definitely time to start funding the Coast Guard at higher levels. This department is perhaps the most well trained for disaster relief and at the same time, perpetually under funded.

State and local Governments, and the people that ignored warnings to head for high ground are much more to blame than the Feds. The Mayor of New Orleans can only throw racially motivated knives at Bush, when he would have been much more effective taking charge. Racists, as we are learning, come in all colors.

The Governor of Louisiana, when faced with this challenge, breaks into tears, totally unqualified to lead.

Two words, REACTIVE and PROACTIVE come to mind. Reactive screaming of racial motivation is not the answer... This was simply a case of many incompetent, small people, not being qualified to lead during this horrendous experience.

Perhaps it's time to become proactive, and find solutions, replace those that are not up to the challenges of office or position and learn from this how to do better next time around.

Dear anonymous

I recently wrote a blog, criticizing the Timberlake Fire District for not being able to appreciate the recently departed Fire Chief.

I just read an anonymous comment suggesting that the Chief had covered up an egregious act by one of his staff, and that, in effect, I didn't know what I was talking about.

A tax supported agency such as a fire district is obligated to keep the people that hire them, "read public", informed about important events that affect us all. Hiding behind "It's a personnel issue" and the implication that it's none of our business is bull-poop.

Being uninformed, or worse, misinformed is not a proper function of elected officials. I have no way of determining whether this source was accurate, since they didn't sign their name so that I could follow up.

Being, what I consider, a responsible blogger, I would never alter the known facts to support someone that didn't deserve it. Staying mum on the facts simply encourage rumors, most of which end up being not true.

The key here is the word "KNOWN". If I have served any function here, it would be to get the subject out in the open for others to question.

If the officials involved here know of a criminal act performed by one of the staff, it would be their obligation to report it to the authorities for proper action.

I sign my name to everything I write, whether fact or opinion. It would be helpful that others do the same...

More About Farragut State Park

As a follow up to the previous article, "Massive Tree Kill in Farragut", John Perfect got back to me. It seems that yes, the State killed the many trees by improper use of herbicides.

Unlike most Government Leaders I've met, Perfect was straight forward and honest about it. He regrets the mistake, and indicates that the State will alter the practices to prevent reoccurances.

One of the most picturesque views around, is the drive through Farragut State Park, here in Bayview, Idaho. Unfortunately, that view, as seen through the tunnel-like four miles through the heavily treed route, will never be the same.

Talking to Randall Butts, Park Manager, it seems inevitable that the trees will probably be cut back anyway, as the encroaching tree line imperils traffic, and gives cover to deer, wild turkey and other game animals. One only has to hit a turkey in flight to realize the damage it can cause. I know, I hit one doing 60 MPH.

One point that Perfect made, and was seconded by Butts, was that probably the Park and D.O.T. haven't coordinated their efforts as well as they could. Hopefully, they will put their heads todether for future maintenance, such as the center island, which neither agency keeps up adaquately.