Chan and Hope came out yesterday afternoon. They said it was a miserable day in Rapid. Windy sleet. Thgey were glad to get out here where the sun was shining, and it was just windy. I got Sam to smile for me! Gus just gets bigger and walks better ever time we see him. Chan and I worked on a set of carpenter bags for him. If they work I’ll probably build quite a few for guys he works with. Should make him help me on the tractor today and try and see why it’s making a funny noise. I hate to mechanic!

 

 

 

 

UPDATE: All we had to do to the tractor was tighten a bolt down on an injector! And I was even the one who figured it out! Cool. Who say’s I got no mechanic skills? LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve had several little snow storms blow thru’ today and then melt right off. Kind of weird. Oh well, we are in  South Dakota!

 

 

 

 

 

We got over an inch of moisture with snow and rain it looks like! Let it soak in and send some more!

http://www.nationalcenter.org/PolarBear.html

Environmental hysterics

By David Deming
April 6, 2008

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley recently warned that failure to take action on global warming could mean the extinction of the human race. Over the last few years, we’ve been repeatedly warned we are in the midst of a climate crisis that threatens our survival. Al Gore calls it a “planetary emergency.”
We might take this concern more seriously if the doom-mongering wing of the environmental movement weren’t burdened by a long history of false prophecies.
In the mid- to late-1960s, the leading environmental concern was overpopulation. The 1967 book “Famine 1975!” warned “by 1975 a disaster of unprecedented magnitude will face the world … famines will ravage the undeveloped nations … this is the greatest problem facing mankind.” A sober review of the book in the scholarly journal Science characterized the prediction of mass starvation as “self-evident,” argued that technological solutions were “unrealistic,” and concluded that catastrophe was unavoidable. The reviewer concluded “all responsible investigators agree that the tragedy will occur.”
More widely read was Paul Ehrlich’s shrill screed, “The Population Bomb” (1968). Mr. Ehrlich began with the infamous words “the battle to feed all of humanity is over,” and claimed that “in the 1970s … hundreds of millions of people are going to starve to death.” “We must have population control,” Mr. Ehrlich argued, because it is the “only answer.”
Mr. Ehrlich followed “The Population Bomb” in 1969 with publication of the essay, “Eco-Catastrophe,” in which he predicted the Green Revolution would fail and that the “ignorance” of the Cornucopian economists would be exposed. By 1980, environmental degradation would wipe out all “important animal life” in the world’s oceans, people would choke to death from air pollution by the hundreds of thousands, and life expectancy in the United States would fall to 42 years. “Western society,” Mr. Ehrlich proclaimed, “is in the process of completing the rape and murder of the planet for economic gain.”
In 1975, the news media informed us that a new Ice Age was imminent. An article in the Chicago Tribune titled “B-r-r-r-r: New Ice Age on way soon?” noted “It’s getting colder.” The Tribune interpreted a number of ordinary weather events “as evidence that a significant shift in climate is taking place — a shift that could be the forerunner of an Ice Age.” The New York Times chimed in, warning their readers that “a major cooling may be ahead.” Famed science reporter Walter Sullivan announced “the world’s climate is changing … a new ice age is on the way.”
Within 10 years, the imminent calamity of global cooling was replaced by global warming. And the mass famines predicted by Paul Ehrlich and others never happened.
From 1970 through 2000, the world’s population grew from 3.7 billion to 6.1 billion. But the food supply grew faster. Between 1970 and 2000, per capita food increased by 15 percent. The problem today is not of famine but of too much food. Obesity is even becoming a problem in the developing world.

• Feels, smells and looks like spring out there.
• I went out this morning and ran the geldings and team in seeing as how some smart aleck figured out how to untie the gate. I caugfht and harnessed the team and went up west to feed a bale to the cows. I walked the first half mile or so in my overboots and the mud and little snow that is left. I got on the wagon, drove up to the farthest hay corral and fed a bale. No new calves.
• I then drove home and walked while driving the team the last half mile home. I feel a lot better about all that ice cream I ate the other night now! 🙂
• When Chance and I fed hay the other day we had a slight wreck with a bale and some hay dropped in the gate I use all the time so when I got back to the barn I hooked on to the little wagon and drove back to it and pitched it on, pulled into the pasture and pitched it off. 
• When I turned the team out I caught up a couple saddle horse so I can go check on the mares and young horses.
• I have leather mellowing to carve on later.
• What have you been up to this morning? 🙂
• Ain’t a glorious day out there?

Just saw this and thought I would pass it along.

 

 

 

 

 

Recently, the inset email has been circulating. Humor me for a moment, if you will, and peruse it. Now, this really got me to thinking. What a great idea! This kind of thing could end the current equine industry crisis created by the closing of horse slaughter facilities in the United States.

The following is a sample letter that will be distributed:

Dear Anita Getaclue,

Thank you for your fervent support of the recent laws that were passed in Illinois and the taco state that effectively ended the closely regulated slaughter of horses in the United States. Thank you for pushing the practice past our borders and out of control of the USDA’s standards for humane treatment of food animals. We also appreciate your lobbying to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act currently in Congress, which will end the transport of unwanted horses to foreign slaughterhouses and keep each and every one of them within the borders of our beautiful nation—alive and well!

You’ll be pleased to learn that the “alive and well” part is where you come in! A new organization has been created through the cooperative effort of the numerous horse industry organizations and the USDA, called “Save Horses In Trouble—Help End Abandonment & Death,” or SHITHEAD for short. In accordance with the guidelines of this new program, and to alleviate the pressure on existing rescue facilities to take in the thousands of unwanted horses, we have decided to place one unwanted horse under the personal care of each and every person that supported banning horse slaughter in the United States.

As you may know, since the slaughter facilities have closed, not only have rescue facilities and shelters been inundated to the point that they have to close their doors to new arrivals, but many horses have also been neglected, starved to death, or abandoned because of the record high hay prices. Therefore, your participation in this program is mandatory. 

We understand that it is your feeling that horses are pets, not livestock, and since most people in the United States do not choose to eat them, therefore no one should, and all horses should live out their lives in an idyllic pastoral setting. We also understand that while your relatively large 40’ X 40’ suburban backyard isn’t exactly Yellowstone, it will just have to do. We are certain you will make the necessary adjustments.

Your unwanted horse is of unknown origin, but is roughly 6 years old (although we can’t get close enough to him to tell for sure), weighs approximately 1500 pounds and has a mean streak a mile wide, and has been known to randomly bite, strike, or kick, especially at small children, elderly people, and house pets. We have decided to call him “Satan.” 

While Satan is capable of physical aggression, unfortunately he is not able to be ridden because of his crooked front legs. He is capable, however, of reproducing, as he is a stallion. This is of special import to you, as your neighbors and fellow members of the “Horses Are Humans With Hooves” group will also be provided with horses through our program, some of which might be mares. 

For your information, the $20 you donate annually to the Humane Society of the United States can instead buy you approximately two bales of high-quality hay at the current market rate. Assuming that the bales weigh 100 pounds, and you feed 20 pounds to said beast per day, this will be enough to feed him for ten days. You will be happy to know that the lifespan of a horse averages about 25 years, and therefore Satan can bring you approximately 9,125 days of enjoyment. That is, of course, only if you provide him with the best care possible, which we are absolutely certain that you will. To ensure that Satan is receiving proper care, an inspector will visit your home on a weekly basis.

At your request, we can provide you with contact information for veterinarians, farriers, trainers, equine dental practitioners, whisperers, and tranquilizer gun dealers in your area, as well as the necessary contacts you will need for euthanasia and disposal of Satan’s earthly vessel when he crosses over. We foresee that Satan’s death will be especially traumatic for you, being the enlightened individual that you are, and counselors are already available at 1-900-NO-SENSE. ($3.99 for the first minute, $1.99 for each additional minute).

Unfortunately, there is no government financial assistance for care and maintenance costs of SHITHEAD horses, as all of the funds allocated for such things are dedicated to the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse program. 

Sincerely,

Gene E. Us

Program Director

If you look off to the side you will see the blog roll. This entry comes from the wonderful Matthew J Trask. He had this on his site and gave me permission to use it here. Check his site out some time. Just don’t let him  come to your house to eat! 😉

 

The Unfortunate Fred Ziffle

My dad is one of those people who has to tell cautionary tales to children and the inexperienced, to warn them of various pitfalls.

The fictional individual my dad employed for this purpose was a man named Fred Ziffle.  Poor Mr. Ziffle couldn’t pour water out of a boot with instructions written on the heel, and he was dismembered almost weekly in one of Dad’s illustrations.

For example, if we were working around a PTO shaft, and someone in the group was wearing loose fitting clothing, particularly drawstrings on a sweatshirt, Mr. Ziffle, still covered in dirt from last week’s burial, would be hastily shoved to the front of our imaginations.

“You don’t ever wanna do that,” Dad would begin.  “Let’s say me and Fred Ziffle are working around the PTO shaft (poor Fred at this point grimacing and saying “oh sonofabitch not again!”) and Fred’s got those drawstrings hanging down and he bends over to look at something. ‘Mr. Trask, I think I’- and POW (he was always in the midst of addressing Dad when the calamity befell him) he’s all wrapped up in the PTO shaft, he’s dead, there’s blood all over…”

But the best part, the part that really drove it home, was yet to come.

“And then I got to go to the house and call Mrs. Ziffle (ah yes, the long suffering Mrs. Ziffle, who understandably lived in terror for the well-being of her son) and say, ‘Mrs. Ziffle, I’m sorry, but your boy was working on the PTO shaft and he, uh, well, I’m sorry, I tried to tell him, but he’s dead, you’re going to have to come out here and get him, I’m sorry.”

Such a shame.  He was recovering so nicely from that wire stretcher accident he had last week…

Here’s what it looked like from the front door this morning. this afternoon as I type this, the sun is shining and we still have some wind, but it looks pretty good out there. I don’t think this will stick around very long. Good moisture. Just as soon as this melts off, send more!

 

• “The problem being is that the same derelict sons-of-bitches that think mustangs running around is good and horse slaughter is evil are the same jack asses that think grizzlies are wonderful noble creatures and wolves won’t kill anything but sick and diseased wild game and they never kill for sport. They don’t have to live or work where these animals are. They don’t have an f-ing clue what goes on in the real world. They think Bambi and Thumper are out there just happy as pigs in shit running around playing with butterflies and singing damn coombaya or what the hell ever. These people are happy in their ignorance and think that the rest of us are ignorant for not thinking the way they think. The problem with stupid people is you can’t talk any sense into them. Bunch of damn Forrest Gump wannabes. And it aint going to get any better boys. Ignorance is self perpetuating. The smarter these ignorant environmentalist, save the (insert animal here), tree huggin bastards think they are, the dumber they get.”
• A lady sent this to me in an email. Sounds like a great idea!
• “Horse Slaughter Proposal From A Rancher:
   
  I would like to propose a back-at-you reply to the US government and their horse slaughter ban.  I propose that on Independence Day, July 4, everybody should take their old used-up horses to the nearest national park or monument and donate them to the US government.  By actually handing the reins over to a park official and telling them you are making a donation they cannot charge you with abandonment.   They will become responsible for that animal from that moment on.   What a pretty picture to see hundreds of horses drinking at the reflecting pool at the Washington mall.   Or hundreds of horses tied up on the avenue of flags at Mount Rushmore.   If there is not a national park or monument nearby, donate your horse to the local PETA officials or your congressmen that voted for the ban.   You might even be able to claim a charitable gift tax deduction next year on your tax return.”

Took Gramma to town yesterday and we got a new sofa. It’s got built in recliners in each end. I wanted a love seat like that but Cindy wanted this. Guess who won? 🙂