Episode 67: Stimuli

They're Back
For five years now, a local educational nature reserve and conservation center has sponsored the "Hudson River Eaglefest" in February to celebrate the return of the bald eagle to the Lower Valley. They set up warming tents with hot chocolate, conduct raptor clinics with live birds, and set up high-powered spotter scopes and cameras with telephoto lens around the bay where the Croton River meets the Hudson.

The event marks the success of a recovery program begun in 1976. It was barely in the nick of time. By then, environmental degradation blamed on pesticides had reduced the eagle population of the entire state of New York to a single nesting pair. Now an estimated 500 eagles spend the winter here. They move south as lakes and rivers freeze over, denying them access to the fish that constitute much of their diet. Here, they are within sight of the spires of Manhattan.

Within the first two hours, dozens of eagles had been spotted by the crowds of serious birders and delighted first-timers who had never seen an eagle in the wild. By the end of the day, over 4,000 people passed through the several gathering sites. Only mature eagles sport the distinctive white heads and tails. The "bald" description isn't a misnomer - it derives from an Old English word meaning "white-headed". They are a thrilling sight on the fly, with wing spans of up to eight feet. Oddly, young, immature eagles up to three or four years old are larger than adults, due to longer feathers. Eagles mate for life, and build nests of sticks that over time can increase in weight up to a ton.

The day before the Eagle Fest, we spotted four eagles from our kitchen window.

News From The Rabid Right

Republicans have decided on their basic ongoing strategy for their coming years in the wilderness: Just say no. And no again. And again. Joe Scarborough, formerly a congressional spearcarrier in the Gingrich Revolution and now a token conservative on MSNBC, referred to the stimulus bill as "A steaming pile of garbage," cleaning up the image for TV. On the Senate floor, Lindsey Graham, groping for keen analysis and an erudite metaphor, said "This bill stinks." The new G.O.P. chairman, Michael Steele, declared that "in the history of mankind", no "federal, state, or local" government has ever "created one job." Steele is not a man to be troubled by the fact that tens of millions of jobs have been created by the government since the establishment of the republic. Ignoring reality is a bedrock component of the conservative mindset.

Somehow Geezer lands on the mailing lists not only of regional and national Republican and conservative interest groups, but of utter loons. One of the last is the Minuteman PAC, which addresses its recipients as "Fellow Patriots". A recent rant came under the subject line "The worst two weeks in our history." That is, the two weeks since Obama was inaugurated. "I'm steaming mad!" rages the no-doubt self-appointed Executive Director, Brett Farley. Words from his lips: "The socialist gravy gtrain is in full steam." "The vast majority of tax rebates are going to folks who don't pay taxes. " And my personal favorite, "SCHIP is the despicable legislation that will force the states to offer free health care to ALL children in the United States."

Promoting Stimulus
On a trip to Florida to drum up support for his $780 billion stimulus bill, Obama was filmed approaching a woman who was pleading for his help. To her right was a blonde white woman of middle years, presumably a Southerner, who could be seen clearly mouthing the words, "I love you, Barack!"
Next thing you know, they'll be throwing their room keys and underwear at him.

The President With A Heart

We remember "Tear down this wall!" and "The shining city on the hill," but Ronald Reagan also dropped such pearls as his claim that unemployment benefits were merely "a prepaid vacation for freeloaders."

No doubt the jobless Reagan Democrats of today have repressed memory of that bit of compassionate conservatism while sitting at their kitchen tables deciding which bills not to pay.

Two Women At Lunch
First woman: "So who are you going with?"
Second woman: "Never end a sentence with a preposition."
First woman: "So who are you going with, bitch?"

No Comment

Muzzamil and Aasiya Hassan migrated to the U.S. from Pakistan.

In 2004, they opened the Bridges TV cable station in Orchard Park, in upstate New York.

The stated mission of the station was to counter Muslim stereotypes in the wake of 9/11.

On February 6th, Aasiya filed for divorce.

A few days later, Muzzamil went to the police station and admitted he had beheaded Aasiya.

TiVo Alert

It isn't too late to set your DVR to catch Spain...On The Road Again. This is irresistible for those of those who think food is reason número uno for travel, with sightseeing and beachgoing mainly what you do to fill the hours between meals. The travelers are superchef Mario Batali,
Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow, food writer Mark Bittman, and gorgeous Spanish actress Claudia Bassols.
They shift combinations in each episode, engaging in unhurried conversations, taking in the sights, and most of all, checking out chefs both traditional and contemporary, cooking for themselves, and eating just about everything that comes within reach. They amuse and entertain both themselves and us, especially those viewers with a particular fondness for Spain. The series is shown, sporadically, on PBS stations at various hours.

YouTube Alert
Be prepared to go "awwww!" when you click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfmypfR9yjI. Let's say it's about two different species getting together.

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