Decorah Bald Eagles Ustream Livecam:http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheaglesThe Livecam link:This morning’s branching confirmation, where Eagle D12 goes to the Y-branch and back to the nest:The Decorah Bald Eagles are very close to being on the wing!Bald Eagle flying is a process with steps like exercising the wing muscles (wingercising). The eaglets wingercise at the edge of the nest cup. This process takes some time. At the same time, the flight feathers are developing. Next in the process is hovering and then branching, where the bird sort of hop-flys to a branch and back to the nest. What...…Decorah Bald Eagles Ustream Livecam:http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheaglesThe Livecam link:This morning’s branching confirmation, where Eagle D12 goes to the Y-branch and back to the nest:The Decorah Bald Eagles are very close to being on the wing!Bald Eagle flying is a process with steps like exercising the wing muscles (wingercising). The eaglets wingercise at the edge of the nest cup. This process takes some time. At the same time, the flight feathers are developing. Next in the process is hovering and then branching, where the bird sort of hop-flys to a branch and back to the nest. What...WW…

As problem-to-problem gridlock unfolds at Hanford with leaking radioactive waste storage tanks, Hanford is holding public meetings in Richland, WA and , through August 16, 2013, regarding cleanup proposal for 300 Area. 300 Area is another part of the giant nuclear superfund site.Hanford’s 300 Area covers 300 Area fabricated nuclear fuel for Hanford’s nine plutonium reactors (recall the steps in nuclear fuel manufacture to be mining/milling, conversion, enrichment, and fabrication). 300 Area was also an area of research into plutonium handling.During these activities in the Cold War...…As problem-to-problem gridlock unfolds at Hanford with leaking radioactive waste storage tanks, Hanford is holding public meetings in Richland, WA and , through August 16, 2013, regarding cleanup proposal for 300 Area. 300 Area is another part of the giant nuclear superfund site.Hanford’s 300 Area covers 300 Area fabricated nuclear fuel for Hanford’s nine plutonium reactors (recall the steps in nuclear fuel manufacture to be mining/milling, conversion, enrichment, and fabrication). 300 Area was also an area of research into plutonium handling.During these activities in the Cold War...WW…

Good morning everyone! I apologize for the brevity on the links post today. I took a week away from the internet to do some spring cleaning, so I am physically exhausted!There are a few more environment-related links I will add, but in the meantime, I hope you find these interesting.Although this is from 2009, it is still an interesigng read.is an update that discusses conditions causing the destructive beetle to survive.The tornado season has been mild this year, but the season is not over, and we can expect some activity.Environment newsWith governments failing to promote green energy,...…Good morning everyone! I apologize for the brevity on the links post today. I took a week away from the internet to do some spring cleaning, so I am physically exhausted!There are a few more environment-related links I will add, but in the meantime, I hope you find these interesting.Although this is from 2009, it is still an interesigng read.is an update that discusses conditions causing the destructive beetle to survive.The tornado season has been mild this year, but the season is not over, and we can expect some activity.Environment newsWith governments failing to promote green energy,...WW…

On Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) kicked off his 2016 bid for US President with a speech in his home town of Burlington, Vermont, noting that “enough is enough” and heralding the event as the beginning of a “political revolution.”Vox has a His beginning remarks include:Today, here in our small state — a state that has led the nation in so many ways — I am proud to announce my candidacy for president of the United States of America.Today, with your support and the support of millions of people throughout this country, we begin a political revolution to transform our country...…On Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) kicked off his 2016 bid for US President with a speech in his home town of Burlington, Vermont, noting that “enough is enough” and heralding the event as the beginning of a “political revolution.”Vox has a His beginning remarks include:Today, here in our small state — a state that has led the nation in so many ways — I am proud to announce my candidacy for president of the United States of America.Today, with your support and the support of millions of people throughout this country, we begin a political revolution to transform our country...WW…

Every once in a while I take some time away from Frog Gravy. During my time away from writing this week I once again searched for notes. To my utter shock, I located probably close to another thousand pages of notes. Most are related to the legal case.Frog Gravy is not even about me. It is about a criminal justice system gone mad. I will try my best to illustrate it with documents, official transcripts and audio YouTube recordings (as soon as I learn the technology).The Bill of Particulars is a document, sworn to under oath by the prosecution (ie, The Commonwealth) and then filed with the...…Every once in a while I take some time away from Frog Gravy. During my time away from writing this week I once again searched for notes. To my utter shock, I located probably close to another thousand pages of notes. Most are related to the legal case.Frog Gravy is not even about me. It is about a criminal justice system gone mad. I will try my best to illustrate it with documents, official transcripts and audio YouTube recordings (as soon as I learn the technology).The Bill of Particulars is a document, sworn to under oath by the prosecution (ie, The Commonwealth) and then filed with the...WW…

photo: dctourism/flickrThis is a true account of wedding customs in a rural Missouri farming community prior to WWII, as told by Letty Owings, age 87. The account is limited to the small geographical area. Customs may have been different, twenty miles down the road.The Shivaree and Farming Community Wedding Customs Prior to WWIIMost country weddings in our community took place in the home. The bride and groom dressed nicely, but there were no bridal shops or wedding dress makers. A preacher would come to the home to perform the wedding. Even if people were not churchgoers, the preacher...…photo: dctourism/flickrThis is a true account of wedding customs in a rural Missouri farming community prior to WWII, as told by Letty Owings, age 87. The account is limited to the small geographical area. Customs may have been different, twenty miles down the road.The Shivaree and Farming Community Wedding Customs Prior to WWIIMost country weddings in our community took place in the home. The bride and groom dressed nicely, but there were no bridal shops or wedding dress makers. A preacher would come to the home to perform the wedding. Even if people were not churchgoers, the preacher...WW…

Barring a last-minute stay, Texas will execute Scott Panetti today at 6 PM. Scott Panetti is a severely mentally ill,  “” individual whose trial was a farce that took place before a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole was an option. A Texas trial court allowed Panetti to decline a plea and represent himself at trial where he donned a cartoonish purple cowboy costume and subpoenaed Jesus Christ, JFK and the Pope, among others. His severe mental illness pre-dates his crime by twenty years and included multiple hospitalizations.Scott Panetti is not competent now...…Barring a last-minute stay, Texas will execute Scott Panetti today at 6 PM. Scott Panetti is a severely mentally ill,  “” individual whose trial was a farce that took place before a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole was an option. A Texas trial court allowed Panetti to decline a plea and represent himself at trial where he donned a cartoonish purple cowboy costume and subpoenaed Jesus Christ, JFK and the Pope, among others. His severe mental illness pre-dates his crime by twenty years and included multiple hospitalizations.Scott Panetti is not competent now...WW…

"Boiling Frog" by Donkey Hotey on flickrAuthor’s note: Frog Gravy is a depiction of daily life during incarceration, first in jails and then in prison, in Kentucky, during 2008 and 2009, and is reconstructed from my notes.Frog Gravy contains graphic language.Names are changed, except nicknames that do not reveal identity.This post is about cost-cutting measures in prison, and it is not comprehensive because the topic is broad. I will discuss education and treatment cuts for Class D inmates as well as elimination of other programs, in another post. I will do the same for the jail...…"Boiling Frog" by Donkey Hotey on flickrAuthor’s note: Frog Gravy is a depiction of daily life during incarceration, first in jails and then in prison, in Kentucky, during 2008 and 2009, and is reconstructed from my notes.Frog Gravy contains graphic language.Names are changed, except nicknames that do not reveal identity.This post is about cost-cutting measures in prison, and it is not comprehensive because the topic is broad. I will discuss education and treatment cuts for Class D inmates as well as elimination of other programs, in another post. I will do the same for the jail...WW…

all photos taken on 7/24/2012 by CraneStation on flickr(hat tip cmaukonen)(hat tip Missouri Mule)These are popcorn fields in Western Kentucky near our home. One owner, who wished to remain anonymous explained that no one in the area has crop insurance, and that everyone will likely lose the crops. Of the fields we photographed, his looked the best because they are lowland fields. The lowland corn is pictured in the first three photos. Some of the corn growers may chop the fields down for As you can see in the other photos, the creek beds are very low or dry (pictured). One ear we...…all photos taken on 7/24/2012 by CraneStation on flickr(hat tip cmaukonen)(hat tip Missouri Mule)These are popcorn fields in Western Kentucky near our home. One owner, who wished to remain anonymous explained that no one in the area has crop insurance, and that everyone will likely lose the crops. Of the fields we photographed, his looked the best because they are lowland fields. The lowland corn is pictured in the first three photos. Some of the corn growers may chop the fields down for As you can see in the other photos, the creek beds are very low or dry (pictured). One ear we...WW…