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Tuesday, November 6, 2012
There is a subtle thing going on here - - -
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
"swampthing" asked for an Alaska story - - -
- - - well this ain't Alaska, but it is far north and has ice and stuff ! ! !
"The Devil His-self"
The preferred method of spearing fish is from a windowless "fish-house". The darkened interior allows the fishermen (?) to see well down into the water against the background illumination of the daylight through the snow covered ice. These houses are typically 8ft square, and made of Celotex, which is a flimsy fiber insulation board coated with a semi-waterproof black coating on the outside. It is used because it is light to handle, provides insulation, and most importantly blocks the light well. It is normally attached to a light wooden frame, and four such frames, one with a crude door, are assembled to make the walls of the house. Sometimes there is a Celotex or light plywood roof, or sometimes a couple of dark tarps. Inside the house a large hole is cut with a chainsaw after drilling a pilot hole with an ice auger. This hole is typically a couple of feet square to allow plenty of room for spearing.
One bright Saturday morning four of my New England buddies found themselves, a couple of cases of beer, a large supply of bratwurst, spearing equipment to include a fish decoy, ensconced in one of their fish houses. This all took place in the middle of the circus that is commonly present on a pleasant day on the ice. It includes tip-up fishermen, jig fishermen, bait fishermen, kids, dogs wives, tailgate cooking and general good spirits.
My buds were huddled in the darkness peering into their large hole in the ice, with the fish decoy in the middle suspended from the roof. The decoy is intended to attract fish to the hole so that they may be speared. Having consumed quite a few brats, and a large quantity of beer they were in great spirits enjoying the fellowship while attempting to spear the occasional fish that wandered into their trap.
Just the day before the fellow that had a neighboring fish-house had moved it to a more promising location, leaving a rather large spearing hole. He had dutifully marked it with a couple of large traffic cones to prevent anyone from wandering into it. The cones and hole had attracted a couple of minnow fishermen and they along with wives, kids, and dog set up to fish the "no drill" bonanza.
During the course of the morning, a yellow perch attracted to the brightly sunlit hole jumped with a resounding splash. The dog, a one hundred pound Black Labrador, followed his nature and attempted to retrieve what he may have mistook for a diving crippled duck. The dog disappeared into the large hole much to the shock of the minnow fishermen. And he did not come up.
"The Devil His-self"
The scene of this story is set up in New England, where the lakes freeze over deep and solid and where spear fishing is both traditional and legal. The location is protected to shield the pride of my friends who were involved.
The preferred method of spearing fish is from a windowless "fish-house". The darkened interior allows the fishermen (?) to see well down into the water against the background illumination of the daylight through the snow covered ice. These houses are typically 8ft square, and made of Celotex, which is a flimsy fiber insulation board coated with a semi-waterproof black coating on the outside. It is used because it is light to handle, provides insulation, and most importantly blocks the light well. It is normally attached to a light wooden frame, and four such frames, one with a crude door, are assembled to make the walls of the house. Sometimes there is a Celotex or light plywood roof, or sometimes a couple of dark tarps. Inside the house a large hole is cut with a chainsaw after drilling a pilot hole with an ice auger. This hole is typically a couple of feet square to allow plenty of room for spearing.
One bright Saturday morning four of my New England buddies found themselves, a couple of cases of beer, a large supply of bratwurst, spearing equipment to include a fish decoy, ensconced in one of their fish houses. This all took place in the middle of the circus that is commonly present on a pleasant day on the ice. It includes tip-up fishermen, jig fishermen, bait fishermen, kids, dogs wives, tailgate cooking and general good spirits.
My buds were huddled in the darkness peering into their large hole in the ice, with the fish decoy in the middle suspended from the roof. The decoy is intended to attract fish to the hole so that they may be speared. Having consumed quite a few brats, and a large quantity of beer they were in great spirits enjoying the fellowship while attempting to spear the occasional fish that wandered into their trap.
Just the day before the fellow that had a neighboring fish-house had moved it to a more promising location, leaving a rather large spearing hole. He had dutifully marked it with a couple of large traffic cones to prevent anyone from wandering into it. The cones and hole had attracted a couple of minnow fishermen and they along with wives, kids, and dog set up to fish the "no drill" bonanza.
During the course of the morning, a yellow perch attracted to the brightly sunlit hole jumped with a resounding splash. The dog, a one hundred pound Black Labrador, followed his nature and attempted to retrieve what he may have mistook for a diving crippled duck. The dog disappeared into the large hole much to the shock of the minnow fishermen. And he did not come up.
The children cried, the wives screamed, and there was general consternation and dismay among the crowd that had gathered.
Things were just calming down and the fate of dog was being lamented.
Things were just calming down and the fate of dog was being lamented.
The morning peace was again shattered by a huge disruption at the fish house as several new "doors" were created in its sides.
Out of these doors came terrified men, one followed by a happily shaking Black Lab, with a fish decoy in his mouth!
During the "after action interview" one of the spearers stated "a couple of us had just drifted off to sleep when I saw this huge black beast with large teeth bared (around the decoy apparently) heading up toward us. I thought it might be the devil his-self". " I screamed, everyone woke up just as that thing broke water, and we all just run like hell".
Nothing was hurt except the fish house and some pride! I as a witness and friend was sworn to secrecy, and good friend that I am I will take the names and the location to my grave. :)
During the "after action interview" one of the spearers stated "a couple of us had just drifted off to sleep when I saw this huge black beast with large teeth bared (around the decoy apparently) heading up toward us. I thought it might be the devil his-self". " I screamed, everyone woke up just as that thing broke water, and we all just run like hell".
Nothing was hurt except the fish house and some pride! I as a witness and friend was sworn to secrecy, and good friend that I am I will take the names and the location to my grave. :)
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'NO RED TAPE'? NEW JERSEY TURNS AWAY NON-UNION RELIEF CREWS
How desperate is hurricane-ravaged New Jersey? Not desperate enough to suspend a union monopoly that keeps the state in the bottom ten states for economic competitiveness (and #48 for business friendliness). Relief crews from Alabama who were specifically called to New Jersey found themselves diverted to Long Island, NY after they arrived because they use non-union labor.
http://www.breitbart.com/
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The wisdom of the ages
Dear President Obama,
My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.
I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a "rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor , allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.
One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.
So here goes.
I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.
I can't figure out what country you are the president of.
You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like:
" We're no longer a Christian nation"
" America is arrogant" - (Your wife even
announced to the world," America is mean-
spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching
that nonsense to 23 generations of our
war dead buried all over the globe who
died for no other reason than to free a
whole lot of strangers from tyranny and
hopelessness.)
I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.
After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."
Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.
I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.
Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.
Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue . You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.
And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts , who was putting up a fight? You don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.
One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you're the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job.
When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you're thinking of.
You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president.
You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.
And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle...
Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes
Snopes confirms as true:
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