visited 26 states (52%)
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Thursday, April 28, 2011
For Sh!ts & Giggles
So where you been? Here's where I been.
visited 26 states (52%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
visited 26 states (52%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
If Someone Would Shut Off The Damn Spiggot…
…I’m gone fishin.
I recall a few unusually rainy springs in the past. Just as this one, they never seem to end. And I hate fishing in the rain. Hell, there have been few mild dry days this year to even get the boat out onto the driveway to see if it will start up and run.
What a great time of year this is. We love going up to southwestern Michigan for the early bass and crappie in late April and early May. Maybe even a few snakey-wakey pike.
Once up there we may even spot a few morel mushrooms in the woods, just enough to cook up a buttery gravy that will smother a carefully grilled fine beef tenderloin filet or a venison backstrap. And there’s that tender Michigan asparagus.
Maybe next week, if N doesn’t call with a good wild turkey report for southwestern Illinois, it’s off to Michigan I go.
Dreaming. Again.
I recall a few unusually rainy springs in the past. Just as this one, they never seem to end. And I hate fishing in the rain. Hell, there have been few mild dry days this year to even get the boat out onto the driveway to see if it will start up and run.
What a great time of year this is. We love going up to southwestern Michigan for the early bass and crappie in late April and early May. Maybe even a few snakey-wakey pike.
Once up there we may even spot a few morel mushrooms in the woods, just enough to cook up a buttery gravy that will smother a carefully grilled fine beef tenderloin filet or a venison backstrap. And there’s that tender Michigan asparagus.
Maybe next week, if N doesn’t call with a good wild turkey report for southwestern Illinois, it’s off to Michigan I go.
Dreaming. Again.
What You Can't Buy
I don't remember where I was. Ah yes, it was San Francisco. I had just finished shopping for my wife and kids and was sitting at the bar having a glass of wine. The bartender struck up a conversation and asked me the usual - "where ya from?
After he found out, the usual next question came up - "why ya here"?
I told him for a few days away and to run in a ten mile race. The bartender said that he was a cyclist. Ah! Now it is conversation time.
After some bullshit back and forth he congratulated me on my time in the race and said something to the effect that "you can't buy things like that". He sort of mumbled it under his breath as he was walking away to help another customer. I stopped him and asked him to repeat what he just said because I wasn't sure that I heard him right. Yep, that is what he said.
I said "thanks man, I never really thought about it that way". Wise words from a stranger, those.
And I have something that you just can't buy with money. Fitness. I ran on a (very) hilly course in San Francisco ten miles and averaged eight minute miles. I have to admit, I was impressed with myself - and I train for other things. Wonder how well I could do if I just trained for one sport.
Even though you can't buy the level of physical fitness I have, it isn't really worth anything either. I will never be a professional. Then again, what is it worth?
It is worth a lot for me to have my wife ogle my new shape. It is worth an enormous amount to me to be able to hang out with my new friends who run, ride bikes and practice Muay Thai. My fitness buds are like family to me now. I suppose all of this working out may add a few years to my life, but that is something that is just unprovable. I live twelve miles from work and could easily walk or run that to get to my family if there were some sort of catastrophe. I suppose that is worth something (maybe).
I thought about the bartender again yesterday in my basement. I was doing another soul crushing workout on the bike trainer. Another hour and a half in the basement spinning away, pounds (literally) of sweat beading off of my body. That workout would have probably killed most men my age. Can't buy that, I suppose. I had on a dvd of the Tour de France. They were climbing some of the mountains that I will be climbing in just a few months. Seven weeks to be exact. My cycling pinnacle.
I have been spinning all winter on the trainer, putting in the time so I will do well in France climbing the Pyranees and I am ready. On top of that I ran, did strength training, and still do MT to keep my muscles confused and keep my all around level of fitness top notch.
Speaking of MT.
After tonight I will have been doing MT for four straight years. I am now at a brown sash level for another year or so and then I will be a black sash, the pinnacle at my gym. Everything has really come together this last block. For the last year or so I felt like I was pushing a huge rock up hill, and now as of late the rock is screaming down. The game is slowing down for me. My techniques flow so smoothly compared to just a few months ago. I am more fearless (this might be bad). I am confident in my abilities. The head instructor has seen it too and has told me so.
I like talking to people about physical fitness. I know body sizes and shapes now and I can smell a bullshitter a mile away. It is a little sad for people to lie about their physical fitness - sort of like kicking your golf ball out of a bad spot. I like to offer people to go for a run or ride with me when I doubt their level of fitness. Most don't take me up on it.
In the end, I am not sure where I am going with all of my fitness things. All I do know is that after a great workout, whether running, biking or doing MT, I feel absolutely great. And that is a feeling that you can't buy.
After he found out, the usual next question came up - "why ya here"?
I told him for a few days away and to run in a ten mile race. The bartender said that he was a cyclist. Ah! Now it is conversation time.
After some bullshit back and forth he congratulated me on my time in the race and said something to the effect that "you can't buy things like that". He sort of mumbled it under his breath as he was walking away to help another customer. I stopped him and asked him to repeat what he just said because I wasn't sure that I heard him right. Yep, that is what he said.
I said "thanks man, I never really thought about it that way". Wise words from a stranger, those.
And I have something that you just can't buy with money. Fitness. I ran on a (very) hilly course in San Francisco ten miles and averaged eight minute miles. I have to admit, I was impressed with myself - and I train for other things. Wonder how well I could do if I just trained for one sport.
Even though you can't buy the level of physical fitness I have, it isn't really worth anything either. I will never be a professional. Then again, what is it worth?
It is worth a lot for me to have my wife ogle my new shape. It is worth an enormous amount to me to be able to hang out with my new friends who run, ride bikes and practice Muay Thai. My fitness buds are like family to me now. I suppose all of this working out may add a few years to my life, but that is something that is just unprovable. I live twelve miles from work and could easily walk or run that to get to my family if there were some sort of catastrophe. I suppose that is worth something (maybe).
I thought about the bartender again yesterday in my basement. I was doing another soul crushing workout on the bike trainer. Another hour and a half in the basement spinning away, pounds (literally) of sweat beading off of my body. That workout would have probably killed most men my age. Can't buy that, I suppose. I had on a dvd of the Tour de France. They were climbing some of the mountains that I will be climbing in just a few months. Seven weeks to be exact. My cycling pinnacle.
I have been spinning all winter on the trainer, putting in the time so I will do well in France climbing the Pyranees and I am ready. On top of that I ran, did strength training, and still do MT to keep my muscles confused and keep my all around level of fitness top notch.
Speaking of MT.
After tonight I will have been doing MT for four straight years. I am now at a brown sash level for another year or so and then I will be a black sash, the pinnacle at my gym. Everything has really come together this last block. For the last year or so I felt like I was pushing a huge rock up hill, and now as of late the rock is screaming down. The game is slowing down for me. My techniques flow so smoothly compared to just a few months ago. I am more fearless (this might be bad). I am confident in my abilities. The head instructor has seen it too and has told me so.
I like talking to people about physical fitness. I know body sizes and shapes now and I can smell a bullshitter a mile away. It is a little sad for people to lie about their physical fitness - sort of like kicking your golf ball out of a bad spot. I like to offer people to go for a run or ride with me when I doubt their level of fitness. Most don't take me up on it.
In the end, I am not sure where I am going with all of my fitness things. All I do know is that after a great workout, whether running, biking or doing MT, I feel absolutely great. And that is a feeling that you can't buy.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Times Are Hard. Where’s The Beef?
Is it possible to beat their meat?
As a lover of domestic and wild meat we usually have enough meat in the garage fridge to last at least a month without buying much other than potatoes or fresh vegetables. If necessary. We do not own a dedicated deep freeze, that’s what the extra refrigerator/freezer in the garage is for. And yes, we do have a backup generator in case the power grid fails.
With food prices climbing, all we do here at the ol’ country bunker is what we’ve always done. Buy in bulk when meat prices are low. In addition I catch and shoot enough wild game to have a large supply of meat frozen and stocked. When freezing meat of any kind, we vacu-seal it all in marked and portioned plastic bags. Most of it will last at least one year without freezer burn and tastes nearly as good as fresh.
During the past month I have been hording chicken wings bought in bulk for (I kid you not) 69¢ - 99¢ per pound locally. That is less than half of the regular retail price. I now have enough to grill wings marinated in siraracha sauce all summer long and some leftovers to have a few tailgates. My guess is there is at least 30 lbs. of trimmed wings in the freezer right now. Hawww!
In addition we have some fine looking walleye and perch filets leftover from last year. Maybe this weekend we will have a nice fish fry. We still have a few bags of venison, pheasant and quail in the freezer as well.
This morning a large full-color ad appeared in my local newspaper. Why, it’s a “Spring Beef Bonanza”!! Eat The Best For Less they claim.
Skeptic that I am I noticed that the beef being offered is referred to as “Black Angus” which is a marketing scheme to either charge more $ per pound or convince the consumer that they are getting premium meat for less. It’s usually a hoax.
Here’s the skinny on the ANgUS beef myth.
Red Poll is said to be the standard breed of consumable beef livestock that is raised, cooked and eaten in America. Read about them here.
The ad may or may not be legit and this essay is not intended to mislead potential customers. These are my opinions purely based on a printed newspaper ad, not on my personal experience. I am all in favor of operating a business and making money. More power to them.
The ad placed in my local paper today has the visual appearance of an ad from a used car dealer or a TV infomercial (but wait, there’s more…) and there’s a lot to be said of that. In retail marketing it is a fact that if your ad does not look like a bargain it is less likely the retailer will get a positive response or increased sales from the unwashed masses seeking the Holy Grail of bargains.
A few clues caused me to be skeptical of this incredible limited time offer (LTO for those in the biz).
First, they offer 25 FREE ribeyes and 25 FREE top sirloins simply for opening an account. No disclaimer if these FREE steaks are angus or not.
Second. Would I be getting quality black angus choice meat or an inferior select grade of cattle? They say all meat is cut in my presence by appointment only but do I get to select the steer and see it slaughtered? That still makes it mystery steer as far as I can tell. Could I trust them?
Most folks do not have a dedicated deep freeze so this outfit makes the incredible offer of a 7 cubic foot freezer for $99. with a $300. bulk beef purchase. This is a nice enticement. I looked at sears.com to discover that this most likely is a good deal if it’s a quality brand that isn’t made in China and will fail after a year or so. They don’t mention the brand in this ad. Sears offers a Kenmore 6.9 cu.ft on sale for $199.74. I don’t know if a 7 CU.FT. freezer can hold 300 lbs. of beef or not. My guess is no.
CHARGE IT! 90 days to pay with no interest. Sounds good but what percentage of their customers do you think will exceed the 90 days? Probably enough to easily make up for that $99. freezer offer in interest on the balance after 90 days. Probably a lot more.
Another enticement is a $20. gasoline discount for out-of-town customers. They fail to define how far out-of-town a customer must travel to or from.
They tip it in for me on the #6 family pack for $36.73 per month plan (how did they arrive at that number?). They call it the “Year Round Food Plan”. It includes cuts of strip, ribeye, sirloin, t-bone, porterhouse (so far so good) but they lose me at the delmonico (huh?), oven roast, pot roast, ground beef and stew meat (no thanks). But wait, there’s more…
The same package includes pork chops, country ribs (not on my grill) bacon, sausage, ham and ham slices. But wait, there’s more…
With this package you get chicken!!! Boneless breast, bone-in breast, leg quarter (only one?) whole chicken, cut chicken, and the ever popular processed chicken nuggets. And if you order now you also get…
They’ll include frozen vegetables like broccoli (ugh) mixed veggies (yikes), onion rings, corn, steak fries, cauliflower and get this…a “California blend”. Someone spent a lot of time creating this business and marketing plan, that’s for sure. And, I am also sure they will draw in a lot of customers who are suddenly hurting to pay their grocery bills.
Here are my thoughts.
When you purchase beef in bulk such as a butchered ¼, ½ or whole steer you take a huge chance. If it is an inferior steer you get stuck with the whole damn thing. Imagine having to gag down a whole freezer full of tough steaks and roasts. That’s when I would pull out my meat grinder and turn it all into ground beef for burgers, tacos and enchiladas. Is that a good deal? Then again, if you do get quality bulk beef all turns out well. The same goes for winning the lotto.
Some friends and relatives I have known bought a bulk freezer beef deal only to regret it. Others will swear by it.
Look for meat on sale at the local grocery, buy a steak or roast and go home to try it. If it’s good go back to buy it in bulk then vacu-seal it in measured portions and freeze it to get a real bargain. But don't spend a lot on inflated fuel to get there and back.
Since this is the first time I have seen this specific ad it appears they are taking advantage of the tough times for many people who are not accustomed to living frugally when it comes to purchasing groceries and storing bulk meat in general.
My advice? Buyer beware. And go with God.
As a lover of domestic and wild meat we usually have enough meat in the garage fridge to last at least a month without buying much other than potatoes or fresh vegetables. If necessary. We do not own a dedicated deep freeze, that’s what the extra refrigerator/freezer in the garage is for. And yes, we do have a backup generator in case the power grid fails.
With food prices climbing, all we do here at the ol’ country bunker is what we’ve always done. Buy in bulk when meat prices are low. In addition I catch and shoot enough wild game to have a large supply of meat frozen and stocked. When freezing meat of any kind, we vacu-seal it all in marked and portioned plastic bags. Most of it will last at least one year without freezer burn and tastes nearly as good as fresh.
During the past month I have been hording chicken wings bought in bulk for (I kid you not) 69¢ - 99¢ per pound locally. That is less than half of the regular retail price. I now have enough to grill wings marinated in siraracha sauce all summer long and some leftovers to have a few tailgates. My guess is there is at least 30 lbs. of trimmed wings in the freezer right now. Hawww!
In addition we have some fine looking walleye and perch filets leftover from last year. Maybe this weekend we will have a nice fish fry. We still have a few bags of venison, pheasant and quail in the freezer as well.
This morning a large full-color ad appeared in my local newspaper. Why, it’s a “Spring Beef Bonanza”!! Eat The Best For Less they claim.
Skeptic that I am I noticed that the beef being offered is referred to as “Black Angus” which is a marketing scheme to either charge more $ per pound or convince the consumer that they are getting premium meat for less. It’s usually a hoax.
Here’s the skinny on the ANgUS beef myth.
Red Poll is said to be the standard breed of consumable beef livestock that is raised, cooked and eaten in America. Read about them here.
The ad may or may not be legit and this essay is not intended to mislead potential customers. These are my opinions purely based on a printed newspaper ad, not on my personal experience. I am all in favor of operating a business and making money. More power to them.
The ad placed in my local paper today has the visual appearance of an ad from a used car dealer or a TV infomercial (but wait, there’s more…) and there’s a lot to be said of that. In retail marketing it is a fact that if your ad does not look like a bargain it is less likely the retailer will get a positive response or increased sales from the unwashed masses seeking the Holy Grail of bargains.
A few clues caused me to be skeptical of this incredible limited time offer (LTO for those in the biz).
First, they offer 25 FREE ribeyes and 25 FREE top sirloins simply for opening an account. No disclaimer if these FREE steaks are angus or not.
Second. Would I be getting quality black angus choice meat or an inferior select grade of cattle? They say all meat is cut in my presence by appointment only but do I get to select the steer and see it slaughtered? That still makes it mystery steer as far as I can tell. Could I trust them?
Most folks do not have a dedicated deep freeze so this outfit makes the incredible offer of a 7 cubic foot freezer for $99. with a $300. bulk beef purchase. This is a nice enticement. I looked at sears.com to discover that this most likely is a good deal if it’s a quality brand that isn’t made in China and will fail after a year or so. They don’t mention the brand in this ad. Sears offers a Kenmore 6.9 cu.ft on sale for $199.74. I don’t know if a 7 CU.FT. freezer can hold 300 lbs. of beef or not. My guess is no.
CHARGE IT! 90 days to pay with no interest. Sounds good but what percentage of their customers do you think will exceed the 90 days? Probably enough to easily make up for that $99. freezer offer in interest on the balance after 90 days. Probably a lot more.
Another enticement is a $20. gasoline discount for out-of-town customers. They fail to define how far out-of-town a customer must travel to or from.
They tip it in for me on the #6 family pack for $36.73 per month plan (how did they arrive at that number?). They call it the “Year Round Food Plan”. It includes cuts of strip, ribeye, sirloin, t-bone, porterhouse (so far so good) but they lose me at the delmonico (huh?), oven roast, pot roast, ground beef and stew meat (no thanks). But wait, there’s more…
The same package includes pork chops, country ribs (not on my grill) bacon, sausage, ham and ham slices. But wait, there’s more…
With this package you get chicken!!! Boneless breast, bone-in breast, leg quarter (only one?) whole chicken, cut chicken, and the ever popular processed chicken nuggets. And if you order now you also get…
They’ll include frozen vegetables like broccoli (ugh) mixed veggies (yikes), onion rings, corn, steak fries, cauliflower and get this…a “California blend”. Someone spent a lot of time creating this business and marketing plan, that’s for sure. And, I am also sure they will draw in a lot of customers who are suddenly hurting to pay their grocery bills.
Here are my thoughts.
When you purchase beef in bulk such as a butchered ¼, ½ or whole steer you take a huge chance. If it is an inferior steer you get stuck with the whole damn thing. Imagine having to gag down a whole freezer full of tough steaks and roasts. That’s when I would pull out my meat grinder and turn it all into ground beef for burgers, tacos and enchiladas. Is that a good deal? Then again, if you do get quality bulk beef all turns out well. The same goes for winning the lotto.
Some friends and relatives I have known bought a bulk freezer beef deal only to regret it. Others will swear by it.
Look for meat on sale at the local grocery, buy a steak or roast and go home to try it. If it’s good go back to buy it in bulk then vacu-seal it in measured portions and freeze it to get a real bargain. But don't spend a lot on inflated fuel to get there and back.
Since this is the first time I have seen this specific ad it appears they are taking advantage of the tough times for many people who are not accustomed to living frugally when it comes to purchasing groceries and storing bulk meat in general.
My advice? Buyer beware. And go with God.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday Morning Blues
Sorry about missing the MMB last week, but I had the traveling blues. Two plane breakdowns. Twenty plus hours to get from San Fran to Madison. The blues indeed.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Around San Francisco
Recently Dan and I took a trip to San Francisco to run in the Presidio 10 across the Golden Gate bridge (they don't close the bridge to car traffic like they do for the "Bay to Breakers" race but there is plenty of room to run on the sidewalk). Unfortunately I was unable to run but went anyways and Dan did well and was happy with his time.
Upper left - the ubiquitous Powell street cable cars. I don't know if this is classified more as a "tourist attraction" or as a means of public transport. The sign shows all the "don'ts" especially for out-of-towners. Upper mid-left - we were at the Owl Tree bar which had great drinks on tap and the Ukrainian waitress made very strong drinks; this glass was pure alcohol and destined to be two martinis. Upper mid-right - there was an amazing shopping mall near the Powell street transit station which was packed to the rafters; it was as if the recession had never occurred. Dan and I were joking that everyone buying there came from a country with a positive trade balance. Upper right - a happy newlywed couple in a Powell street cable car. Lower left - Dan doing his version of the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". Lower mid - someone is drawing on the sidewalk with Koi fish as well as a playful cat. Middle right - Alcatraz Island. Lower right - stretching before the race in front of the Golden Gate bridge.
Cross posted at Chicago Boyz
Friday, April 22, 2011
Military Vehicle Technology Foundation
Dan and I recently traveled to San Francisco and visited the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation. This museum is privately owned (a foundation) and was founded by Mr. Jacques Littlefield, who sadly died in 2009 after a long battle with cancer.
The original intent of the museum was to restore the vehicles to original working order status - the restoration of the Panther tank (the only operating Panther tank in the US, I believe) was covered in a great TV show called "Tank Overhaul".
The museum is in Portola Valley California; Dan and I were completely astounded as we ascended the windy hills near the estate to envision dragging 70 ton tanks up these roads. And yet they are all there, in buildings atop a hill.
In addition to the tanks there is a wide variety of period military equipment including machine guns and other gear from the era. The attention to detail from the facility is amazing.
Upper left - 75mm German PAK anti-tank gun. As an Allied tanker you would not want to be on the receiving end of this. This AT gun is about as big as you can make it before it is essentially immobile because the crew is unable to traverse it unaccompanied. Upper right - the restored tanks are within the buildings and the un-restored tanks are out in the parking lot. This is a Valentine in un-restored condition, with the 2 pounder (40mm) gun that only shot AP rounds in the Western desert in WW2 for the British. Sadly after the death of Littlefield they are no longer restoring the tanks (this is incredibly expensive) instead they do park them out front for museum attendees like Dan and I to gawk at. Lower left - this is an MG34 German machine gun (a fantastic design) on the rear deck of the German PZ1 armed only with 2 machine guns. Right middle - this is a Soviet anti aircraft tank post war; it is notable because I think this is the same tank that Gaddafi is using to slaughter his citizens rising up against his dictatorship. Lower right - the US Grant, with the 75mm gun in the hull and 37mm on top; the British removed the top cupola and called it the Lee. Another fantastic restoration.
One other element of the visit that was fantastic was the tour guides or docents; they were either the mechanics that restored the tanks or ex-tankers themselves. They had a very humorous approach to the failures of the post war US tanks and how they were designed "in a bar". They also gave many examples of life inside a tank and how the Soviets used left handed gunners that were under 5' 4", for example, to fit in their low profile vehicles.
If you are in the region I highly recommend that you attend the tour; it is well worth the $20 entry fee.
The original intent of the museum was to restore the vehicles to original working order status - the restoration of the Panther tank (the only operating Panther tank in the US, I believe) was covered in a great TV show called "Tank Overhaul".
The museum is in Portola Valley California; Dan and I were completely astounded as we ascended the windy hills near the estate to envision dragging 70 ton tanks up these roads. And yet they are all there, in buildings atop a hill.
In addition to the tanks there is a wide variety of period military equipment including machine guns and other gear from the era. The attention to detail from the facility is amazing.
Upper left - 75mm German PAK anti-tank gun. As an Allied tanker you would not want to be on the receiving end of this. This AT gun is about as big as you can make it before it is essentially immobile because the crew is unable to traverse it unaccompanied. Upper right - the restored tanks are within the buildings and the un-restored tanks are out in the parking lot. This is a Valentine in un-restored condition, with the 2 pounder (40mm) gun that only shot AP rounds in the Western desert in WW2 for the British. Sadly after the death of Littlefield they are no longer restoring the tanks (this is incredibly expensive) instead they do park them out front for museum attendees like Dan and I to gawk at. Lower left - this is an MG34 German machine gun (a fantastic design) on the rear deck of the German PZ1 armed only with 2 machine guns. Right middle - this is a Soviet anti aircraft tank post war; it is notable because I think this is the same tank that Gaddafi is using to slaughter his citizens rising up against his dictatorship. Lower right - the US Grant, with the 75mm gun in the hull and 37mm on top; the British removed the top cupola and called it the Lee. Another fantastic restoration.
One other element of the visit that was fantastic was the tour guides or docents; they were either the mechanics that restored the tanks or ex-tankers themselves. They had a very humorous approach to the failures of the post war US tanks and how they were designed "in a bar". They also gave many examples of life inside a tank and how the Soviets used left handed gunners that were under 5' 4", for example, to fit in their low profile vehicles.
If you are in the region I highly recommend that you attend the tour; it is well worth the $20 entry fee.
Late Night TV
A couple of nights ago after the Bulls game (which started at 8:30pm) I got home so jacked up that I couldn't sleep. So I went through some of the shows stacked on our DVR.
MOTORHEAD was on a talk show! And unlike typical bands which play their latest songs (that you don't want to hear) they came out with "Ace of Spades" which of course was completely awesome. Luckily Lemmy hasn't forgotten that song yet.
And Uma was on too. For many years my tipping philosophy was 1) 50% of the tip based on service 2) 50% was based on degree of similarity of our waitress to Uma Thurman.
MOTORHEAD was on a talk show! And unlike typical bands which play their latest songs (that you don't want to hear) they came out with "Ace of Spades" which of course was completely awesome. Luckily Lemmy hasn't forgotten that song yet.
And Uma was on too. For many years my tipping philosophy was 1) 50% of the tip based on service 2) 50% was based on degree of similarity of our waitress to Uma Thurman.
Happy Earth Day - Suckers
Here is what some brilliant scientists predicted on the first Earth Day in 1970. H/T to these guys
“Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.” • George Wald, Harvard Biologist
“We are in an environmental crisis which threatens the survival of this nation, and of the world as a suitable place of human habitation. • Barry Commoner, Washington University biologist
“By…[1975] some experts feel that food shortages will have escalated the present level of world hunger and starvation into famines of unbelievable proportions. Other experts, more optimistic, think the ultimate food-population collision will not occur until the decade of the 1980s.” • Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist
“Demographers agree almost unanimously on the following grim timetable: by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India; these will spread by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa. By the year 2000, or conceivably sooner, South and Central America will exist under famine conditions….By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine.” • Peter Gunter, professor, North Texas State University
“It is already too late to avoid mass starvation.” • Denis Hayes, chief organizer for Earth Day
“Scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence to support…the following predictions: In a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution…by 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half….” • Life Magazine, January 1970
“Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make. The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years.” • Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist
“At the present rate of nitrogen buildup, it’s only a matter of time before light will be filtered out of the atmosphere and none of our land will be usable.” • Kenneth Watt, Ecologist
“Air pollution…is certainly going to take hundreds of thousands of lives in the next few years alone.” • Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist
“We are prospecting for the very last of our resources and using up the nonrenewable things many times faster than we are finding new ones.” • Martin Litton, Sierra Club director
“By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate…that there won’t be any more crude oil. You’ll drive up to the pump and say, `Fill ‘er up, buddy,’ and he’ll say, `I am very sorry, there isn’t any.’” • Kenneth Watt, Ecologist
“Man must stop pollution and conserve his resources, not merely to enhance existence but to save the race from intolerable deterioration and possible extinction.” • New York Times editorial, the day after the first Earth Day
“Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all the species of living animals will be extinct.” • Sen. Gaylord Nelson
“We have about five more years at the outside to do something.” • Kenneth Watt, ecologist
My favorite of all....drum roll, please....
“The world has been chilling sharply for about twenty years. If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.” • Kenneth Watt, Ecologist
UPDATE.
I almost forgot to embed my very favorite rant of all time.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Turkey Hunting 2011 - Part 3
In my second year of hunting these big turkey birds, a lot has been learned and a few things are best forgotten.
The reason that reverently-serious pro-turkey hunters on television make simple hunting look overly complicated is so you won’t want to venture out and try it on your own. They reap big bucks selling novice and corporately funded hunters a load of turkey hunting paraphanelia and guide services. It is what it is.
Hunting turkey is very similar to hunting deer (some say) and in other ways not so much. To put the odds in your favor it’s always best to be set up by daybreak and be prepared. Sit down, shut up and do not make any sudden movements. And (I cannot stress this enough) do not fart. And pee in a capped jug if you must pee, this goes mostly for deer hunting.
Deer and turkey do not like rain. Me neither. Hunting in the rain is no more comfortable or rewarding than changing a flat tire in the rain.
Deer can smell a human fart a mile away, turkeys can’t. Both can spot a human turd at over a mile. Prepare accordingly.
Deer have excellent eyesight, so do turkeys.
To kill a deer one large piece of metal hurled by an explosion in a metal cylinder must cause rapid internal hemorrhaging to get the job done quickly.
To kill a turkey requires only one of many BB’s to perforate the skull or take out the spine. Collapsing the windpipe also gets the job done. A body shot messes up perfectly good meat and the bird will most likely get away. Turkey skin is much thicker than goose skin.
Concealment is the most important consideration when hunting turkeys. I mean head to toe camo and a camo wrap for the shotgun as well. A facemask is an absolute must.
There is camo and there is camo.
When I first began deer hunting in the late 70’s the only camo available was the military woodland pattern and the best clothing was military BDU’s. While that’s fine for early season bow hunting in a leafy forest it’s not too good after the leaves drop.
Many believed that any breakup of the human shape helped. Then came the great camo explosion of the 80’s.
These days camo outerwear comes in a wide selection of realistic patterns designed to blend in with different landscapes. Many waterfowl hunters want to blend in with cattails. Soldiers in the desert need to blend in with the sand.
For turkey and deer it’s best to look like a tree trunk so I choose traditional Realtree®. Being frugal my practical choice is a thin, cheap, oversize camo coverall. This way I can layer as much or as little warmth as desired without interrupting my concealment pattern or spending a fortune for matching outerwear.
Here is a photo from last year wearing my Treebark® coverall.
To demonstrate how realistic and useful proper concealment can be, this as a photoshopped image of my leg from the same shot copied and pasted next to a nearby tree.
Be the tree from head to toe. Think like the alien beast in Predator when hunting deer and turkey. Total visual concealment erases many errors. Slow movements can be undetected when totally concealed. Keep movement to a minimum.
Animals are stupid.
There are only four things wild animals care about. Safety. Water. Food. Sex. Being able to take advantage of two out of three increases the odds of putting meat on the table.
There is this popular notion that because you take to the fields and woods with a gun you have an unfair advantage against natural wildlife. Try it. Then we’ll talk.
My trip was hastily planned for three hunting days and were determined by the long range weather forcast. It also took place during opening week. With three more weeks of open season it’s more than possible for me to get back there again.
No turkey for me so far this season but I plan on getting back down there next week when the weather gets back to normal.
A road trip side note.
Ever see a program on The Travel Channel called “Man v. Food”?
This pudgy young New Yorker dood travels across the country looking for unique roadhouses and café’s serving what we all take for granted. But this NY guy goes batshit crazy whenever he finds a dive serving cheese burgers and fries.
He likes to find establishments that offer free food with a catch. The food happens to be delivered to the table in insanely large portions and must be consumed within a given amount of time. The tape rolls. Fun ensues.
Last week I watched the host, Adam Richmann, on a food tour of Springfield IL. I kid you not.
Richmann visited two Springfield IL diners so I planned on trying one of them on the road home. One diner offered insanely hot chili that was far off my route. It was not considered. Not inviting potential indigestion or the squirts before passing thru Joliet was my goal.
Another diner featured was called Cozy Drive-In made more sense. Cozy Drive-In is located on old US 66 and has been there for decades. The family that started it still owns it. They claim to have invented the corn dog. On television it looked good and eating a corn dog with fries in my lap while driving home in the Mazda sounded easy, tasty and clean.
Cozy Drive-In is about five blocks off I-55 in south Springfield. It was typical Route 66 hype. There is the wall décor with images like Corvettes, James Dean, Steve Mc Queen and the ever-present Route 66 license plates, postcards, retro metal road markers, t-shirts and jackets along with an ordering counter to buy food. Ho-Humm.
I ordered a corn dog and small fries to go.
Back on the road my plan was to clear Springfield traffic before digging into my brown bag of heartland culinary lust. It was disappointing. The dog had no flavor and the coating was too sweet. The fries were fresh sliced with peels clinging to some. They looked good but were limp and greasy and not in a good way.
Not worth the side trip for a Cozy Dog. Just sayin’.
The reason that reverently-serious pro-turkey hunters on television make simple hunting look overly complicated is so you won’t want to venture out and try it on your own. They reap big bucks selling novice and corporately funded hunters a load of turkey hunting paraphanelia and guide services. It is what it is.
Hunting turkey is very similar to hunting deer (some say) and in other ways not so much. To put the odds in your favor it’s always best to be set up by daybreak and be prepared. Sit down, shut up and do not make any sudden movements. And (I cannot stress this enough) do not fart. And pee in a capped jug if you must pee, this goes mostly for deer hunting.
Deer and turkey do not like rain. Me neither. Hunting in the rain is no more comfortable or rewarding than changing a flat tire in the rain.
Deer can smell a human fart a mile away, turkeys can’t. Both can spot a human turd at over a mile. Prepare accordingly.
Deer have excellent eyesight, so do turkeys.
To kill a deer one large piece of metal hurled by an explosion in a metal cylinder must cause rapid internal hemorrhaging to get the job done quickly.
To kill a turkey requires only one of many BB’s to perforate the skull or take out the spine. Collapsing the windpipe also gets the job done. A body shot messes up perfectly good meat and the bird will most likely get away. Turkey skin is much thicker than goose skin.
Concealment is the most important consideration when hunting turkeys. I mean head to toe camo and a camo wrap for the shotgun as well. A facemask is an absolute must.
There is camo and there is camo.
When I first began deer hunting in the late 70’s the only camo available was the military woodland pattern and the best clothing was military BDU’s. While that’s fine for early season bow hunting in a leafy forest it’s not too good after the leaves drop.
Many believed that any breakup of the human shape helped. Then came the great camo explosion of the 80’s.
These days camo outerwear comes in a wide selection of realistic patterns designed to blend in with different landscapes. Many waterfowl hunters want to blend in with cattails. Soldiers in the desert need to blend in with the sand.
For turkey and deer it’s best to look like a tree trunk so I choose traditional Realtree®. Being frugal my practical choice is a thin, cheap, oversize camo coverall. This way I can layer as much or as little warmth as desired without interrupting my concealment pattern or spending a fortune for matching outerwear.
Here is a photo from last year wearing my Treebark® coverall.
To demonstrate how realistic and useful proper concealment can be, this as a photoshopped image of my leg from the same shot copied and pasted next to a nearby tree.
Be the tree from head to toe. Think like the alien beast in Predator when hunting deer and turkey. Total visual concealment erases many errors. Slow movements can be undetected when totally concealed. Keep movement to a minimum.
Animals are stupid.
There are only four things wild animals care about. Safety. Water. Food. Sex. Being able to take advantage of two out of three increases the odds of putting meat on the table.
There is this popular notion that because you take to the fields and woods with a gun you have an unfair advantage against natural wildlife. Try it. Then we’ll talk.
My trip was hastily planned for three hunting days and were determined by the long range weather forcast. It also took place during opening week. With three more weeks of open season it’s more than possible for me to get back there again.
No turkey for me so far this season but I plan on getting back down there next week when the weather gets back to normal.
A road trip side note.
Ever see a program on The Travel Channel called “Man v. Food”?
This pudgy young New Yorker dood travels across the country looking for unique roadhouses and café’s serving what we all take for granted. But this NY guy goes batshit crazy whenever he finds a dive serving cheese burgers and fries.
He likes to find establishments that offer free food with a catch. The food happens to be delivered to the table in insanely large portions and must be consumed within a given amount of time. The tape rolls. Fun ensues.
Last week I watched the host, Adam Richmann, on a food tour of Springfield IL. I kid you not.
Richmann visited two Springfield IL diners so I planned on trying one of them on the road home. One diner offered insanely hot chili that was far off my route. It was not considered. Not inviting potential indigestion or the squirts before passing thru Joliet was my goal.
Another diner featured was called Cozy Drive-In made more sense. Cozy Drive-In is located on old US 66 and has been there for decades. The family that started it still owns it. They claim to have invented the corn dog. On television it looked good and eating a corn dog with fries in my lap while driving home in the Mazda sounded easy, tasty and clean.
Cozy Drive-In is about five blocks off I-55 in south Springfield. It was typical Route 66 hype. There is the wall décor with images like Corvettes, James Dean, Steve Mc Queen and the ever-present Route 66 license plates, postcards, retro metal road markers, t-shirts and jackets along with an ordering counter to buy food. Ho-Humm.
I ordered a corn dog and small fries to go.
Back on the road my plan was to clear Springfield traffic before digging into my brown bag of heartland culinary lust. It was disappointing. The dog had no flavor and the coating was too sweet. The fries were fresh sliced with peels clinging to some. They looked good but were limp and greasy and not in a good way.
Not worth the side trip for a Cozy Dog. Just sayin’.
Guard Down, Lesson Learned
Carl and I just returned from a great weekend in San Francisco. After Carl left on Sunday, I had an afternoon to stroll the 'hood, take in some tourist sights, get some gifts for the family and basically just walk around and take in the city.
I didn't know it at the time, but I had stumbled into an area that was full of art galleries. I like art. And these galleries were top notch. Some of them had originals from masters like Picasso, Rembrandt, and other names that anyone would recognize. I went into a few of these galleries and window shopped many more. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.
That is, except for one brief experience that got my adrenalin pumping.
The tourist area of San Francisco is a wonderful place but there is one major downside. Tons and tons of bums. I don't know if the ordinances don't allow the cops to clear them out, of if they are just persistent or what. It was strange to walk by an art gallery that is holding literally millions of dollars worth of paintings and have to shuffle by some dude passed out in front.
While I was staring into one of the art galleries, a bum walked right next to me and said "do you like that?" and touched my arm. Instantly I said pretty loudly "Don't touch me!" (for safety and sanitary reasons). The bum rattled off a stream of racist and other curses and acted as if he was looking for a fight. At this time my back was facing the plate glass window of the gallery. I dropped the gifts that I had purchased for my family, felt my adrenal gland do its thing, turned around, naturally assumed my Muay Thai fighting stance and notified the bum that if he didn't back down that he was going to the hospital whether he liked it or not. The bum muttered some more curses and slinked away.
Looking back on this I made one real big mistake and perhaps one or two minor ones. First and foremost, I should have not been in the position of letting that guy get so close to me. I was mesmorized by the paintings and was just standing there enjoying them, and all the while the bum was probably sizing me up for the tourist that I was and started coming at me and I didn't even know it. I should have been much more aware of my surroundings. Having my back against a window when I wheeled around was not a good deal. This, of course, is a result of getting into that particular situation in the first place.
I did stand my ground rather than fleeing and it worked. The bum looked rather scared when he saw my fists ready to go and the tap tap tap of my front leg that felt so natural and familiar to me from all of my days sparring in the gym. This was probably not the best thing to do as fleeing is the best if you can get away, but the guy was close. You never know if the guy will pull a knife or gun.
In all, I handled the situation fairly well and in the end all that was done was a bum was swearing at me. But I learned a lot and will never let my guard down like that again.
I didn't know it at the time, but I had stumbled into an area that was full of art galleries. I like art. And these galleries were top notch. Some of them had originals from masters like Picasso, Rembrandt, and other names that anyone would recognize. I went into a few of these galleries and window shopped many more. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.
That is, except for one brief experience that got my adrenalin pumping.
The tourist area of San Francisco is a wonderful place but there is one major downside. Tons and tons of bums. I don't know if the ordinances don't allow the cops to clear them out, of if they are just persistent or what. It was strange to walk by an art gallery that is holding literally millions of dollars worth of paintings and have to shuffle by some dude passed out in front.
While I was staring into one of the art galleries, a bum walked right next to me and said "do you like that?" and touched my arm. Instantly I said pretty loudly "Don't touch me!" (for safety and sanitary reasons). The bum rattled off a stream of racist and other curses and acted as if he was looking for a fight. At this time my back was facing the plate glass window of the gallery. I dropped the gifts that I had purchased for my family, felt my adrenal gland do its thing, turned around, naturally assumed my Muay Thai fighting stance and notified the bum that if he didn't back down that he was going to the hospital whether he liked it or not. The bum muttered some more curses and slinked away.
Looking back on this I made one real big mistake and perhaps one or two minor ones. First and foremost, I should have not been in the position of letting that guy get so close to me. I was mesmorized by the paintings and was just standing there enjoying them, and all the while the bum was probably sizing me up for the tourist that I was and started coming at me and I didn't even know it. I should have been much more aware of my surroundings. Having my back against a window when I wheeled around was not a good deal. This, of course, is a result of getting into that particular situation in the first place.
I did stand my ground rather than fleeing and it worked. The bum looked rather scared when he saw my fists ready to go and the tap tap tap of my front leg that felt so natural and familiar to me from all of my days sparring in the gym. This was probably not the best thing to do as fleeing is the best if you can get away, but the guy was close. You never know if the guy will pull a knife or gun.
In all, I handled the situation fairly well and in the end all that was done was a bum was swearing at me. But I learned a lot and will never let my guard down like that again.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Turkey Hunting 2011 Part 2
Part 1 is here.
Not seeing any wild turkey on my first day was no reason to be discouraged. At least we heard them. They’re there.
Visiting N is not just a hunting trip. Having been friends for so long our quality time is spent at his vintage farmhouse with his wife and family or helping with chores on one of his nearby production farms, as he calls them.
N and I first met in about 1973 when he attended Purdue University. His future wife and mine were dorm mates. We all go way back and try to get together often because we have so much in common.
Turkey hunting is a good excuse to get together. So is duck hunting, goose hunting and urban cocktail hunting when they make a trip up north for a visit.
Day two was no different from day one. Waking up at 4:30 am is normal for me. The weather was similar to early summer, a departure form our abnormally chilly spring only 265 miles to the north. They have longer and greener grass, leafier trees and moderate humidity.
Once at our destination I took my spot and planned it out as if I knew what I was doing. It appeared this would be a carbon copy of the day before. It was.
The deer passed by almost if on cue. The storks flew by and dropped long ropes of white poop. The owls wouldn’t shut up. And the turkeys gobbled like mad until about 7am and then silence. A sound came from behind that startled me, a ground gobble. The turkeys very close and I was helpless.
If I got up the birds would freak. If I made a sharp move they would spook. If I turned my head oh so slowly I might get a fix on their position. Maybe.
Slowly as if to be painful I turned my head to the left where there was quite a sight. Ten yards away across the creek, there they were, looking right at me. Imagine three long brown sticks with huge baby blue lollipops stuck on top. The wattle-like red thingie that sticks out below their beaks were dangling and that part they call the snood tipped it in as I got a good look. These were mature tom turkeys judging by their size. But, what to do?
There was no way for me to get off a good, safe shot. All I could do was slowly turn my head back forward. So I wait. I listen. Nothing.
Then out of the corner of my eye to the left I see one big blue lollipop with the bright red snood and wattle (I just like typing those words) flapping away at about 30 yards. He stopped, laughed at the decoys and kept walking away from me. Then came another. He stopped, laughed at the decoys and kept walking. Then came another, and another for a total of five nice sized birds. No takers, they drifted into a ravine across from me and headed over to N’s position.
Not long after three more turkeys entered my left field of vision out of range and followed the same path. That was that. None of them wanted to play with me.
I looked ahead about 9am and saw N leaving his position.
Day 2: Skunked again.
Not hunting doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do at N’s place. N owns one farm where he has a silo/office/housing unit. He turned an old metal silo into a clubhouse for a sporting clay course he operates. He rents the upstairs living quarters to a young fella who prefers renting a place like that over some cheesy apartment building in town. N never leaves any money on the table.
A few sporting clay shooters were scheduled so we rode along with them and operated the commercial clay launchers for them. These two are retired school teachers and could hit in the 80’s out of 100. The fella on the left was shooting a 28 gage over-under and rarely missed. If you know anything about wing shooting, that’s damn good.
After a great farmhouse country dinner we went out by the pond to relax. I noticed what appeared to be cute little muskrats swimming around near shore acting as if they were about to have sex. N confirmed my observation and ran into the garage to fetch a rifle and get in a little muskrat plinking time.
At first I thought he was grabbing a .22 rifle but was not surprised to see him emerge with a scoped AR-15. “.22’s just bounce off them bastards”, claimed N. He demonstrated by cutting them in half with .223.
N has a landowner pest license form the DNR. His backyard pond is a dammed up creek and muskrats can easily erode the earthen dam if they get out of hand. Besides, they’re totally worthless.
He shoots as many muskrats as possible before they breed themselves out of control and keeps his eye sharp at the same time.
Muskrat love. Down on the farm.
Not seeing any wild turkey on my first day was no reason to be discouraged. At least we heard them. They’re there.
Visiting N is not just a hunting trip. Having been friends for so long our quality time is spent at his vintage farmhouse with his wife and family or helping with chores on one of his nearby production farms, as he calls them.
N and I first met in about 1973 when he attended Purdue University. His future wife and mine were dorm mates. We all go way back and try to get together often because we have so much in common.
Turkey hunting is a good excuse to get together. So is duck hunting, goose hunting and urban cocktail hunting when they make a trip up north for a visit.
Day two was no different from day one. Waking up at 4:30 am is normal for me. The weather was similar to early summer, a departure form our abnormally chilly spring only 265 miles to the north. They have longer and greener grass, leafier trees and moderate humidity.
Once at our destination I took my spot and planned it out as if I knew what I was doing. It appeared this would be a carbon copy of the day before. It was.
The deer passed by almost if on cue. The storks flew by and dropped long ropes of white poop. The owls wouldn’t shut up. And the turkeys gobbled like mad until about 7am and then silence. A sound came from behind that startled me, a ground gobble. The turkeys very close and I was helpless.
If I got up the birds would freak. If I made a sharp move they would spook. If I turned my head oh so slowly I might get a fix on their position. Maybe.
Slowly as if to be painful I turned my head to the left where there was quite a sight. Ten yards away across the creek, there they were, looking right at me. Imagine three long brown sticks with huge baby blue lollipops stuck on top. The wattle-like red thingie that sticks out below their beaks were dangling and that part they call the snood tipped it in as I got a good look. These were mature tom turkeys judging by their size. But, what to do?
There was no way for me to get off a good, safe shot. All I could do was slowly turn my head back forward. So I wait. I listen. Nothing.
Then out of the corner of my eye to the left I see one big blue lollipop with the bright red snood and wattle (I just like typing those words) flapping away at about 30 yards. He stopped, laughed at the decoys and kept walking away from me. Then came another. He stopped, laughed at the decoys and kept walking. Then came another, and another for a total of five nice sized birds. No takers, they drifted into a ravine across from me and headed over to N’s position.
Not long after three more turkeys entered my left field of vision out of range and followed the same path. That was that. None of them wanted to play with me.
I looked ahead about 9am and saw N leaving his position.
Day 2: Skunked again.
Not hunting doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do at N’s place. N owns one farm where he has a silo/office/housing unit. He turned an old metal silo into a clubhouse for a sporting clay course he operates. He rents the upstairs living quarters to a young fella who prefers renting a place like that over some cheesy apartment building in town. N never leaves any money on the table.
A few sporting clay shooters were scheduled so we rode along with them and operated the commercial clay launchers for them. These two are retired school teachers and could hit in the 80’s out of 100. The fella on the left was shooting a 28 gage over-under and rarely missed. If you know anything about wing shooting, that’s damn good.
After a great farmhouse country dinner we went out by the pond to relax. I noticed what appeared to be cute little muskrats swimming around near shore acting as if they were about to have sex. N confirmed my observation and ran into the garage to fetch a rifle and get in a little muskrat plinking time.
At first I thought he was grabbing a .22 rifle but was not surprised to see him emerge with a scoped AR-15. “.22’s just bounce off them bastards”, claimed N. He demonstrated by cutting them in half with .223.
N has a landowner pest license form the DNR. His backyard pond is a dammed up creek and muskrats can easily erode the earthen dam if they get out of hand. Besides, they’re totally worthless.
He shoots as many muskrats as possible before they breed themselves out of control and keeps his eye sharp at the same time.
Muskrat love. Down on the farm.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Turkey Hunting 2011 Part 1
We were at an undisclosed location somewhere in a very rural area about 45 miles west of Springfield IL. I awoke Tuesday morning at 4:30am in a familiar but strange bed.
There’s a hot homebrewed Cuban-style espresso waiting on the kitchen counter for me, and a pickup truck already loaded with our gear in the garage. The rural inky darkness is splattered with an infinitesimal amount of stars at 4:45am as we depart the farmhouse.
Our drive takes us from his secluded farmhouse on a long one-lane gravel drive to a paved two lane county road. The two lane county road eventually leads to a divided four lane state highway, then we turn to enter a two lane county road a few miles away. Soon we turn again onto a paved one-lane twisty road that dips into ravines and over the hills passing rich farmland, some planted and some not. I lost all sense of direction in the dark.
We are deep, deep in the rural countryside where I feel as if I really belong. It’s a place where one can speak his mind publicly and have others nod in agreement. They fish, hunt and live like genuine rural Americans do. Most are not at all happy with the current state of government events and what’s going on at the Blight House and in D.C. They are not at all afraid to let you know it. Truth be told, Illinois is only a blue state north of I-80. Out here residents are deeply annoyed that their state is ruled by two densely populated northern counties loaded with union lefty sympathizers.
Appropriately, country music plays on his satellite radio. Not the newer pop crap but that classic country music from the late 70’s performed by likes Johnny, George, Waylon, Willie and Merle.
The presence of deer is unavoidable on this road trip as we twist and turn up and down the gently rolling hills and ravines. There are separate groups of five to over a dozen deer in the surrounding fields, some crossing the road, then a solo deer or two dashing dangerously close in front of us here and there. Their eyes glow as the bright off-road lights give away their presence in the darkness.
I have never in my life seen so many deer within one five-mile stretch. And it’s no stretch to guess that we passed over a hundred deer. Some are small but most are large with a few huge bucks keeping their distance.
The twists and turns lead us to a gravel one lane road that leads us to a one-lane dirt road appropriately named “Dirt Road”. We soon turn onto the farm we intend to hunt.
Nobody lives on this farm, there is no home, no barn, silo or shelter but there are many deer bounding about as we drive to the back-end bottomlands. My good friend and hunting buddy (we’ll call him “N”) cash leases this production farm to a nearby farmer.
I exit the pickup, load the shotgun with three rounds of 3” magnum turkey loads, grab some decoys, a ground chair and a water bottle.
My path leads me down the hill and across old corn stubble on the way to a thick tree line beside a creek. My path is lit only by an LED flashlight as the day begins to break.
Loud turkey gobble sounds come from the woods to the north and south. A few hen clucks further stir up the toms and jakes into one big gobble chorus. This is where they roost all night and I intend to sit on the edge of their dining room.
Arriving at the base of my chosen tree I pace off twenty yards and plunge two stakes into the open field where my turkey decoys will be balanced on the tops. Hopefully they will twist and turn in the breeze adding a lifelike presence.
My comfortable stub-legged chair is opened at the tree base I will call home for the next 4-5 hours.
After the binoculars are strung around my neck, the headnet placed over my face and the fanny pack hidden by a thicket of brush I assume a comfortable reclining position in my camo ground chair where the shotgun will rest on my knee pointed in the direction of the decoys. My intent is to make little or no movement once the turkeys are lured into my two decoys (one hen and one tom). With everything set up I sit back totally concealed in camo from head to toe on the tree line as I relax and wait.
Soon the dim natural light reveals fresh new bright green buds on the surrounding vegetation. It is about 5:45am. Owls hoot and toms gobble loudly.
Woodpeckers peck, turd birds chirp and geese honk as they fly by at low altitude. I am enjoying a rather mild early spring country morning. This farm is so remote that hearing a passing car, semi or train is next to impossible but the sounds of nature are almost deafening.
To my left is a ridge where the turkeys roost in high trees about a quarter mile away At my back is a small gurgling creek.
With my position set I try as I might to be motionless. A noise from the thicket to my right causes my head to turn. Just as the year before, a few small young scout does emerge, heading out to the corn stubble looking to consume whatever grain may be left. Soon a few more larger does follow. They cannot see me but they certainly are aware of my position due to my aroma. Turkeys have a poor olfactory sense so human odor is of no concern to me on this hunt.
There are a total of nine deer that I can see and the final two appear to be good size bucks. They are totally aware of where I am but cannot see me. I enjoy their company, sit back and just watch. As they draw closer the wiser older deer catch a snoot full of my scent and they all literally high tail away into the field. They suddenly stop far enough away to feel safe then soon look back toward my position. They then bound safely into the thick woods about 200 yards away.
The gobbling stops at about 7am. This is a sign they have left the roost and are on their way to scour the fields for a breakfast of bugs and leftover grain to nourish their breeding effort.
Nothing comes my way. I saw nothing. I do hear nearby gobbles on the ground on the farm behind me, which leads me to believe they have decided to feed in another field. Dang.
At 10am I can see N emerge from his position. He picks up his decoys, which is a signal to me that nothing will happen today. N knows his gobblers and their habits very well. N is as good as any pro guide.
As a sidebar, if one wanted to hunt turkey at a private club nearby the cost is about $1500 for a thee day hunt.
N heads for his pickup parked on the hill and I soon follow.
Once at the truck we talk about our experience as we unload the guns and pack up for the trip back to his other farm where he and his family live. N also owns three other farm properties.
On the road back I can see what I missed in the dark. In distant fields we can see turkeys grazing and farmers planting. And there are clumps of deer in the fields as thick as herds of cattle.
Since I will be around for three days of turkey hunting my expectations are still high. The birds are definitely there.
All I need is a bit of luck.
Just like last year when I scored my first ever gobbler.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Squeezebox Update (Internet Radio) Part III
A while back I bought a Logitech "Squeezebox" which is an internet radio. The squeezebox used to retail for over $200 but now you can buy it through Amazon for $144.
This time I bought the radio for my parents because my father said that he was interested in an internet radio. It is funny because I was literally thinking about buying one for a gift for him that day and then when I saw him he had a WSJ article out on internet radio and asked for one. Sometimes I buy people digital gifts that they don't think that they want and it is hit-or-miss but this one was a big hit.
I did not set it up for them to run their own music wirelessly because they keep their music on a common drive (not a PC) and from reading the support materials I realized that the squeezebox can't read these files (unless they are on a live PC). In addition this keeps setup much simpler because I can take out the options for your own music and just concentrate on using it as an internet radio.
I used more of the search features and you can find any radio station by call letters. They are interested in Jazz so I found a couple of the most famous Jazz stations on the Internet and programmed them in. They also have "most popular" radio stations from around the world including Europe which were fun as well. I programmed in some stations including the weather station on the 6 buttons so that they could get right to them but they did figure out how to work the menu to find and save stations as favorites on their own (this allows you to save more than the 6 presets).
I haven't ever read the whole manual and there is lots that I find out by luck on the radio. I didn't realize that if you push the big dial on the front it brings up cool information on the station and many of the more organized stations have calendars of upcoming shows and the like. I need to read the manual except that when I tried previously it was from a few generations of "firmware" ago so the menus had changed significantly and it seemed pointless.
The sound from the radio is excellent for such a small package. The sound quality of the stations is pretty good but varies depending on connectivity and the bit rate.
All in all an excellent gift for someone and if you use it just as a radio it is easy to set up and use. Just put it somewhere where you have at least OK wifi coverage, get on your network, set up a squeezebox account (you don't even need to log in to your computer to do this), and go. You also can check for firmware updates even if you don't install the squeezebox control panel on your desktop.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Chicago & Illinois - Home Of the Unions
Sigh - compared to Indiana and Wisconsin where the legislators are "on the run", in Chicago and Illinois it is just the usual "tax and spend". Unions here don't have to worry about any pesky regulations or laws that might limit their behavior because they own the city and the state and can pretty much do as they please. I'm sure that has nothing to do with the fact that Illinois has among the most under-funded pensions in the US and that our governor is making noise about having the Federal government backstop our pension obligations, as you can see here:
Gov. Pat Quinn included the backstop proposal in the 2012 state budget he released last week. Critics said it would amount to a federal bailout of underfunded state pension programs and pronounced it dead on arrival in Washington. “Hell no--not happenin',” a House Republican aide said.
But one expert said policymakers could consider the idea in the future, as states lobby Congress and the White House for help in tackling their growing pension obligations. A federal guarantee would allow Illinois and other states with fiscal problems to sell pension bonds at lower interest rates.
Illinois faces an $80 billion pension shortfall. Quinn’s proposed budget said "significant long-term improvements will come only from additional pension reforms, refinancing the liability and seeking a federal guarantee of the debt, or increasing the required state contributions." Quinn claims previous state pension reforms will save Illinois taxpayers billions of dollars.
While the Federal government backstop of state pension debt went nowhere, it clearly is a strategy that will be tested at some point in the future, since Illinois has not implemented any of the policy changes necessary to sufficiently fund our obligations or reduce future requirements. Our unions will be on the vanguard of bankrupting Illinois to the point where there is no choice but to apply for Federal aid while the state is flat on our back.
Baltimore Scooter
A long-running gag from Dan and I is that you can't have too many skull tattoos if you are from Baltimore. So when I saw this scooter recently I knew that a Baltimore denizen had come to Chicago to visit.
Home Opener Booze
Who says the US has lost its innovation edge? There we have it - chocolate milk with alcohol and alcohol-infused whip cream.
Went to the White Sox on Sunday and it was a beautiful day, near 80 degrees in the sun. They have been upgrading their beer selection at the "Cell" and at a pizza place on the main concourse they sell Sam Adams on tap and it is awesome. I was joking with Dan that I ought to change my "blog avatar" from a hand holding a Miller Genuine Draft (plastic bottle, no less) to this but Dan said that the cheap US urine flavored water was more my style.
Even if you don't get to the ball park you can experience the same high quality brews at your local establishment.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, April 09, 2011
Complex Management Structures Spell Doom
Recently John Chambers, the CEO of CISCO, came out with a memo that discussed failings in the company. Over the last decade or so CISCO (CSCO) has lagged performance of its peers on NASDAQ and recently they haven't participated much in the broad market rally (down 20% or so in the last 6 months while NASDAQ is up by 16%). I read how the memo was portrayed in the media, but then I found the actual memo here and cite it directly.
What is interesting to me is that I was just sort of waiting for this to occur. Back in 2009 I read about CISCO's new team based model here in this WSJ article titled "CISCO CEO John Chambers Big Management Experiment". From the article:
The core idea of the business enterprise and entrepreneurial-ship is all about leadership, accountability and personal responsibility. Businesses aren't non profit organizations, they aren't schools, and they aren't after-school specials. They are serious efforts, with salaries and families and cities on the line, and people need to be given roles and held to the results that they committed to. These aren't concepts that can be maintained through revolving committees where no one is responsible. Trying isn't good enough.
And another reason this is doomed...
Awesome. Getting ideas for how to run a world-class company from dilettantes in Davos and a blogger, albeit one who was able to turn her re-posted "content" into actual cash through the dying AOL banner (don't ever underestimate the power of cashing out at the right time).
It is odd that Chambers thought that he was big enough to stand the lifetime of experience on management on its head and go with this ludicrous team concept. Not team in EXECUTION, which is critical, but in RESPONSIBILITY, which is doom. Someone has to stand up and make decisions and take the heat or fall for bad decisions, and you can't fire everyone in a committee.
This isn't the first time Chambers has been blinded by faddish ideas. I was with a consulting firm that was a partner with CISCO in the first dot-com boom and at the time CISCO was touting their "fast close" and their ability to rapidly forecast sales and earnings. This occurred right before the markets crashed and they had to write off millions of dollars in unsold inventory, basically proving that their forecasts weren't worth the paper they were printed on (or the internet space taken up explaining them, since this is now a virtual world).
Cross posted at Chicago Boyz
You’ve also made it very clear that we must make it simpler to do the work we love to do, and to accelerate the impact we know we are making for our customers... As I’ve said, our strategy is sound. It is aspects of our operational execution that are not. We have been slow to make decisions, we have had surprises where we should not, and we have lost the accountability that has been a hallmark of our ability to execute consistently for our customers and our shareholders. That is unacceptable. And it is exactly what we will attack.
What is interesting to me is that I was just sort of waiting for this to occur. Back in 2009 I read about CISCO's new team based model here in this WSJ article titled "CISCO CEO John Chambers Big Management Experiment". From the article:
Now executives work on committees—dubbed councils and boards in Cisco-ese—and the company makes 70% of its decisions collaboratively, up from 10% just two years ago.
The moves have been controversial at Cisco. About 20% of the company’s senior leaders have left since the shift began in 2007—a percentage organizational experts call unusually high. Chambers compares the executives who’ve departed to basketball stars who don’t fit into a team’s system and adds that Cisco is better of without them despite their talent. He says the old Cisco, which relied on a handful of people to oversee new efforts, would never have been able to pursue so many opportunities.
Critics of the new structure say that it adds bureaucracy and strips away accountability. Cisco has lost market share in key product categories recently, and some people who have worked under the new structure draw a line between these losses and the management-by-committee approach.
The core idea of the business enterprise and entrepreneurial-ship is all about leadership, accountability and personal responsibility. Businesses aren't non profit organizations, they aren't schools, and they aren't after-school specials. They are serious efforts, with salaries and families and cities on the line, and people need to be given roles and held to the results that they committed to. These aren't concepts that can be maintained through revolving committees where no one is responsible. Trying isn't good enough.
And another reason this is doomed...
Chambers says the idea for the new management structure came to him while participating in a collaboration exercise at the 2007 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He was on a team with Arianna Huffington, among others, and the group was told to present a vision for life in 2015.
Awesome. Getting ideas for how to run a world-class company from dilettantes in Davos and a blogger, albeit one who was able to turn her re-posted "content" into actual cash through the dying AOL banner (don't ever underestimate the power of cashing out at the right time).
It is odd that Chambers thought that he was big enough to stand the lifetime of experience on management on its head and go with this ludicrous team concept. Not team in EXECUTION, which is critical, but in RESPONSIBILITY, which is doom. Someone has to stand up and make decisions and take the heat or fall for bad decisions, and you can't fire everyone in a committee.
This isn't the first time Chambers has been blinded by faddish ideas. I was with a consulting firm that was a partner with CISCO in the first dot-com boom and at the time CISCO was touting their "fast close" and their ability to rapidly forecast sales and earnings. This occurred right before the markets crashed and they had to write off millions of dollars in unsold inventory, basically proving that their forecasts weren't worth the paper they were printed on (or the internet space taken up explaining them, since this is now a virtual world).
Cross posted at Chicago Boyz
Thursday, April 07, 2011
First Winter Down
We have been operating our hobby farm in full force for a whole year now and MAN have we learned a lot. Honestly, it is my wife who is out there every day doing the daily chores, which she admittedly enjoys.
We now have a skillset that might be valuable someday, and it might not. We learned that in our situation live barn cats are better than poison or traps. There was a mice problem in our barn last year. We got two cats from the feral cat humane society here. Yes, I know it sounds silly to actually pay $25 ea. for cats but we wanted them for a couple of reasons. We wanted them to kill. Domesticated cats do kill, but don't have as good survival instincts as our "little tigers" as I like to call them. We have seen evidence of nary a mouse all winter - last year we couldn't reset the traps fast enough. Now that it is warmer the rodents will head outside for food and we won't have to deal with that problem for a little while.
Our garden was a disaster last year due to neglect, but this year we are going to throw a little more energy at it. Even neglecting the thing we had a bumper crop of squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and jalopenos - I pickled the jalopenos myself and enjoyed them for a long time.
We raised five beef cattle through the winter. Our hay was analyzed by our local co-op and we are told that it is very good. More importantly, several farmers looked at our hay and said "hey, that is good hay!" which to me is a better indicator than most tests that are done. Our horses (three of them) did well over the winter too. Our first steer goes in for slaughter in just four weeks and it will be interesting to taste this beef. It is purely raised on pasture grass and hay. We are prepared for a different taste. We are told by many that this beef is in high demand and that we could get up to $5 per pound for ground beef. One butcher has approached us to sell our beef in his display case under the grass fed banner. We have Scottish Highland cattle. It is interesting to see how fast they have grown looking back at last years photos.
Our land supported all of the animals all winter. We worked out a deal with a local farmer who helped us harvest our hayfield. Stacking one thousand small square bales is a long day any way you slice it. But you only have to do it once, and that set us up for the whole winter, with plenty to spare. We may have to sell some before this years crop comes in. We usually keep the second cut - as we get three cuts of one thousand bales each. For your information that is only on approximately 13 acres of hayfield.
Our chickens laid all winter, surprisingly. We were told by many that they would stop laying as the days got shorter, but we kept on getting eggs. Now that the days are getting longer, we are getting a LOT of eggs. They are good, and it looks like we will have extras to give away and sell.
Our farm is right outside of Madison, and this summer we are building a house out there and moving. We have nothing against our current neighborhood, but I guess this is where we are supposed to be. Being a glass half empty type of guy, I think that these skills would be of use during an apocalypse of some sort - at least we could certainly last longer than most people with our supply of beef and eggs and vegetables. On the other hand, it has been a pleasant distraction for us, and we have learned a lot about how much work it is even to keep just a small farm in ship shape. I simply have no idea how people did this before the internal combustion engine. Well, I do know, but my god we don't really want to ever go back there, I hope.
Cross posted at ChicagoBoyz.
We now have a skillset that might be valuable someday, and it might not. We learned that in our situation live barn cats are better than poison or traps. There was a mice problem in our barn last year. We got two cats from the feral cat humane society here. Yes, I know it sounds silly to actually pay $25 ea. for cats but we wanted them for a couple of reasons. We wanted them to kill. Domesticated cats do kill, but don't have as good survival instincts as our "little tigers" as I like to call them. We have seen evidence of nary a mouse all winter - last year we couldn't reset the traps fast enough. Now that it is warmer the rodents will head outside for food and we won't have to deal with that problem for a little while.
Our garden was a disaster last year due to neglect, but this year we are going to throw a little more energy at it. Even neglecting the thing we had a bumper crop of squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and jalopenos - I pickled the jalopenos myself and enjoyed them for a long time.
We raised five beef cattle through the winter. Our hay was analyzed by our local co-op and we are told that it is very good. More importantly, several farmers looked at our hay and said "hey, that is good hay!" which to me is a better indicator than most tests that are done. Our horses (three of them) did well over the winter too. Our first steer goes in for slaughter in just four weeks and it will be interesting to taste this beef. It is purely raised on pasture grass and hay. We are prepared for a different taste. We are told by many that this beef is in high demand and that we could get up to $5 per pound for ground beef. One butcher has approached us to sell our beef in his display case under the grass fed banner. We have Scottish Highland cattle. It is interesting to see how fast they have grown looking back at last years photos.
Our land supported all of the animals all winter. We worked out a deal with a local farmer who helped us harvest our hayfield. Stacking one thousand small square bales is a long day any way you slice it. But you only have to do it once, and that set us up for the whole winter, with plenty to spare. We may have to sell some before this years crop comes in. We usually keep the second cut - as we get three cuts of one thousand bales each. For your information that is only on approximately 13 acres of hayfield.
Our chickens laid all winter, surprisingly. We were told by many that they would stop laying as the days got shorter, but we kept on getting eggs. Now that the days are getting longer, we are getting a LOT of eggs. They are good, and it looks like we will have extras to give away and sell.
Our farm is right outside of Madison, and this summer we are building a house out there and moving. We have nothing against our current neighborhood, but I guess this is where we are supposed to be. Being a glass half empty type of guy, I think that these skills would be of use during an apocalypse of some sort - at least we could certainly last longer than most people with our supply of beef and eggs and vegetables. On the other hand, it has been a pleasant distraction for us, and we have learned a lot about how much work it is even to keep just a small farm in ship shape. I simply have no idea how people did this before the internal combustion engine. Well, I do know, but my god we don't really want to ever go back there, I hope.
Cross posted at ChicagoBoyz.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Friday, April 01, 2011
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