Scripps's Murrelet. Threats to Native Birds. One Square Inch of Silence? Australian Lyrebird. Woodpeckers, Buntings, and Pigeons! Ranger 7. Jimmy Hoffa.

 

For “Winged Wednesday”:

Scripps's Murrelet.

“The Scripps's Murrelet is a newly recognized species, a split from the population of Xantus's Murrelet once known as the "northern" race. Xantus's Murrelet was split into Scripps’s and Guadalupe Murrelets in 2012 based on a lack of evidence of interbreeding, differences in facial pattern and bill shape, and differences in vocalizations and genetics.

These small seabirds are only about the size of an American Robin. They spend most of their lives on the open ocean where they feed, often in pairs, using their wings to propel themselves underwater in pursuit of small fish and crustaceans. Adults visit their nests only by night. Chicks hatch fully feathered and well-developed, and leave the nest for the open ocean at two days old, navigating down steep slopes and cliffs to reunite with their parents in the water.

Scripps's Murrelet is threatened by oil spills, since most of its population live near busy shipping lanes. A single oil spill could spell catastrophe for the species. They are also threatened on their nesting grounds by introduced species such as rats and feral cats, although this threat has been lessened by efforts to remove introduced predators from its habitat.

You can help the Scripps’s Murrelet and other island-nesting birds by supporting our fundraising challenge, which launched this spring and is now drawing to a close. We urgently need your support to conserve nesting islands and other critical bird habitats.”   Photo by Peter La Tourrette; Range Map by ABC

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“There's only one day left in ABC’s challenge match to protect ten important habitats across the Americas.

Like Gulf Coast beach-nesting birds preparing to migrate to their wintering grounds, this opportunity will soon be gone! Remember, the challenge ends at midnight tonight, July 31, so please contribute today.” Save birds and their habitats with a donation to our challenge

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Threats to Native Birds, Major threats affecting bird populations

Habitat Loss and Degradation 

Male Painted Bunting.

“By far the largest threat to birds is loss and/or degradation of habitat due to human development and agriculture. In some regions the loss of habitat is extreme. For example, more than 95% of Tallgrass Prairie habitat in the U.S. has been destroyed since the 1800s. Aquatic habitats are drained, plowed, filled in, and channelized, while terrestrial habitats are clearcut, overbrowsed, and fire-suppressed. Natural disturbance regimes are changed by water and forest management practices. Habitat is also degraded by the introduction of invasive plant and animal species that can alter the nesting, foraging, and roosting habitats for birds.

Increased Numbers of Competitors

Competition with abundant and exotic species makes it harder for native species to survive.

Example: Snow Goose populations tripled in size between 1969 and 1993. Their foraging behaviors leave the arctic tundra denuded of vegetation, which will probably take hundreds of years to regrow. As a result, shorebirds that breed on the tundra are now declining.

Direct Exploitation

Birds are targeted for activities such as hunting and capture for pets. Each year, tens of thousands of migratory birds, including Baltimore Orioles and Painted Buntings, are captured for the caged bird trade on their wintering grounds in Mexico, Cuba, and Central America. Painted Buntings have declined 60% during the last 30 years, according to Breeding Bird Survey data.

Introduced Predators

Introduced predators are especially problematic on islands where, in the historic absence of predators, birds have evolved to nest on the ground. Hawaii and Guam are well-known examples where many of the native birds have gone extinct due to predation by introduced cats, dogs, rats, mongoose, ferrets, brown tree snake, monitor lizards, sheep, goats, pigs, and more.

Chemical Toxins

Birds can become sick or die from eating toxins, or absorbing them through their skin. Examples of such toxins include DDT, pesticides, metals, oil spills, and bilge discharges. A recent connection has been made between herbicide spraying on lawns and bird kills (see the Audubon website).

Indirect Chemical Pollution

Acid rain has recently been linked to population declines in forest birds. Acid rain washes calcium out of the soil and decreases the amount of calcium-rich prey for birds like thrushes, which require a calcium source to produce eggs. This interaction is being studied in more detail by the Lab's Birds In Forested Landscapes citizen-science project.

Eutrophication, excessive plant growth resulting from an influx of nutrients, changes the water quality and species composition of lakes and ponds. This can deprive birds of their food source, or even make the water body unsuitable as bird habitat.

Introduced Disease

Avian diseases, including avian malaria, pox, House Finch disease, and West Nile virus, are leading causes of death among some bird populations. Many of Hawaii's native birds suffered drastic population declines once introduced mosquitoes began transmitting avian malaria between birds. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is studying the mechanisms behind the House Finch eye disease (conjunctivitis) and West Nile virus.

Additional Threats

Human disturbance of nesting, feeding, and roosting areas. Disturbance can come from kayaks, jet skis, low flying aircraft, pets and feral animals, off-road vehicles, and other outdoor activities.

Many seabirds suffer from the longline and gill net fisheries when they become entangled and drown.

Diminished food supply through fisheries, eutrophication (see above), habitat alteration that reduces prey (salinity changes in estuaries, forest structure), and replacement of food sources with invasive species.

Shorebirds migrating along the Atlantic coast rely on horseshoe crab eggs to increase their body weight before continuing their flight to their Arctic breeding grounds. Horseshoe crabs are harvested for bait, and their populations take many years to recover. Therefore, shorebirds that rely on horseshoe crab eggs have declined in numbers and often have insufficient weight for breeding.

Degraded quality of foraging habitat by the invasion of introduced species or by fisheries that trawl the sea bottom.

Public dislike for some species, such as colonial waterbirds that nest or roost in urban and suburban areas, may be a barrier to long-term conservation. Examples include Double-crested Cormorant, Ring-billed Gull, or vultures.

Increased human populations bring communication towers, wind power development, domestic cats, lighted buildings along migration corridors, nest parasitism, and competition with exotic species such as European Starlings and House Sparrows.”    From: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/conservation/planning/threats

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One Square Inch of Silence?

” Want to visit the quietest place in the Lower 48? Follow SoundTracker Gordon Hempton to the Hoh Rain Forest in Washington State's Olympic National Park. His One Square Inch of Silence is not truly silent. It's an area free of human noise, and Gordon's trying to keep it that way. 

This recording demonstrates what we are giving up, not just for ourselves, but for future generations if we do not set aside a quiet place now,” says Gordon.”   Learn more about Gordon Hempton, and download an extended recording here >>

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The Deceiver

An Amazing Fact: “The Australian lyrebird is a copycat (or shall we say “copy bird”?). It is best known for its superb ability to mimic the sounds of other birds in the forest. It has also been heard to copy the sounds of chainsaws, car alarms, barking dogs, crying babies, and even camera shutter clicks.

In the 1930s, a Mrs. Wilkinson befriended a lyrebird in her back yard (“James”) by feeding him scraps. The bird bonded with her and would often perform long courtship dances accompanied by the calls of a dozen or more birds whenever she was around. Included in his repertoire were the sounds of automobile horns honking, a nearby rock crushing machine, and the sound of a hydraulic ram.

How can the lyrebird make such an incredible array of sounds? Its secret is in a very complex syrinx (vocal organ), the most complex of all song birds, giving it an extraordinary ability to copy the sounds of other birds and noises. A researcher once recorded flute-like sounds of a lyrebird near the New England National Park, as did a park ranger in New South Wales. After doing some research they discovered that a flute player living near the park used to play his flute for his lyrebird. This happened about 40 years earlier!

The Bible warns us of a deceiver who will appear to be what he is not. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4).   But he is not God.

The apostle Paul warns us this deceiver seems like the real thing. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders” (v. 9).   He might sound “just like the real thing,” but we are told not to be led astray. Study the call of the True Master. You will recognize His voice.”  KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. - Ephesians 5:6

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BirdNote Weekly Preview: Woodpeckers, Buntings, and Pigeons!

 

Upcoming Shows

Western Meadowlark

SUNDAY The Music of Birds featuring Ivan Doig LISTEN NOW ►

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

MONDAY Red-cockaded Woodpecker And Southeastern Forests by Bob Sundstrom LISTEN NOW ►

Indigo Bunting

TUESDAY Indigo Bunting - Bird of the Ecotone by Dennis Paulson LISTEN NOW ►

Rock Pigeon

WEDNESDAY Rock Pigeons: Bobbleheads by Frances Wood LISTEN NOW ►

THURSDAY Watching Birds' Behavior by Ellen Blackstone  LISTEN NOW ►

Varied Thrush

FRIDAY Finding Adventure In The Circumference Of Home featuring Kurt Hoelting  LISTEN NOW ►

Greater Roadrunner

SATURDAY Roadrunner by Bob Sundstrom LISTEN NOW

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On This Day:

Ranger 7 photographs moon, Jul 31, 1964:

“Ranger 7, an unmanned U.S. lunar probe, takes the first close-up images of the moon—4,308 in total—before it impacts with the lunar surface northwest of the Sea of the Clouds. The images were 1,000 times as clear as anything ever seen through earth-bound telescopes.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had attempted a similar mission earlier in the year—Ranger 6—but the probe's cameras had failed as it descended to the lunar surface. Ranger 7, launched from Earth on July 28, successfully activated its cameras 17 minutes, or 1,300 miles, before impact and began beaming the images back to NASA's receiving station in California. The pictures showed that the lunar surface was not excessively dusty or otherwise treacherous to a potential spacecraft landing, thus lending encouragement to the NASA plan to send astronauts to the moon. In July 1969, two Americans walked on the moon in the first Apollo Program lunar landing mission.”

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Jimmy Hoffa disappears, Jul 31, 1975:

“On July 31, 1975, James Riddle Hoffa, one of the most influential American labor leaders of the 20th century, disappears in Detroit, Michigan, never to be heard from again. Though he is popularly believed to have been the victim of a Mafia hit, conclusive evidence was never found, and Hoffa's death remains shrouded in mystery to this day.

Hoffa became president of the Teamsters in 1957, when its former leader was imprisoned for bribery.  Hoffa's dedication to the worker and his electrifying public speeches made him wildly popular, both among his fellow workers and the politicians and businessmen with whom he negotiated. Yet, for all the battles he fought and won on behalf of American drivers, he also had a dark side. In Hoffa's time, many Teamster leaders partnered with the Mafia in racketeering, extortion and embezzlement. Hoffa himself had relationships with high-ranking mobsters, and was the target of several government investigations throughout the 1960s. In 1967, he was convicted of bribery and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

While in jail, Hoffa never ceded his office, and when Richard Nixon commuted his sentence in 1971, he was poised to make a comeback. Released on condition of not participating in union activities for 10 years, Hoffa was planning to fight the restriction in court when he disappeared on July 31, 1975, from the parking lot of a restaurant in Detroit, not far from where he got his start as a labor organizer. Several conspiracy theories have been floated about Hoffa’s disappearance and the location of his remains, but the truth remains unknown.”

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Yesterday:

I always wake up earlier than I want to, like 4.00am, so for once I was hoping that I could sleep in, because I didn’t HAVE to do anything except publish the journal, and get ready to meet Greg and Nette at noon.  But I just couldn’t go back to sleep, so before 7.00am, I was up and raring to go.  After I had my coffee, dressed and fed the animals, Misty and I went down to Jay’s.  He had a lot of boxes and paper to recycle, so I gathered all that up into the Puddle Jumper, and we had our walk there.

Back here, I took Misty in the grooming room for the first step which is the "Rough in", which preps her for bathing.  I cut off all the excess hair that wouldn’t be needed for her Town & Country pattern.  I had cut her down short all over when it was ‘cocklebur’ season, and now that had grown out.

I didn’t think that I would have time to bathe her and myself, so I left her bath for another day.  She gets tired if I do too much at one time anyway.

After meeting Greg and Nette at our local Krogers, I followed them all the way west on FM 1097, across Lake Conroe, to Montgomery, TX.  Then south along the tree-lined country road FM 149 to just before Magnolia, to Arlene’s house.  Even though Arlene and I live about 30 miles from each other, I had never been there.  It is a lovely subdivision with large two story houses. Arlene lives in what used to be her 2 bedroom guest house, as her kids bought the big house.  Her handsome grandson came over and took this picture for us.

We had a very tasty and enjoyable lunch, chatting all the time.   Lots of fresh fruits, veggies and chicken. It was good to see them again.

Greg and Nette were going to Camperland afterwards, so that is why I took my van.  Also, I had intended to grocery shop, buy some paint and tags for the van.   But was just too hot to stop anywhere, so I just came home as Misty hadn’t been out since I had left earlier in the day.

Port Mansfield, TX. Fishing the Laguna Madre. Offshore Fishing. Birding. Duck Hunting. Diving Liberty Ship Reef. "In God We Trust". Medicare.

 

For “Travel Tuesday”, let’s visit Port Mansfield TX , in the Texas Gulf Coast Region:

“Home to some of the best beaches in America, the Texas Gulf Coast region draws millions of visitors to this Texas playground. Stretching some 350 miles from South Padre Island & the Rio Grande Valley, all the way to Beaumont & the Louisiana border, this region is renowned for its wildlife & natural beauty, as well as the home of America's space program. Discover the Beaches of the Texas Gulf Coast Region.”

“Port Mansfield enjoys the same latitude as Palm Beach, Florida.

The Rio Grande Valley has a semi-tropical climate and much of it has lush semi-tropical vegetation. Port Mansfield benefits from a sea breeze that keeps it warmer in winter and cooler during the summer.”  (That sounds good for a start!)

“Port Mansfield is one of the most popular fishing destinations on the Texas Gulf Coast, located on the Laguna Madre, opposite Port Mansfield Channel in northeastern Willacy County, Texas. Once an isolated and obscure fish camp known as Red Fish Landing, today Port Mansfield is recognized as one of the ten top fishing locations in the United States.

Port Mansfield offers fishermen access to the Laguna Madre, Padre Island and the Gulf of Mexico. Boaters and fishermen enjoy the uncrowded and unpolluted environment of Port Mansfield and South Texas.

Each July the Port Mansfield Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Fishing Tournament attracting anglers from all over the State of Texas to compete. The fishermen compete for prizes and trophies for both Offshore Fish, such as marlin and sailfish and for Inshore / Bay Fish, such as trout and red fish.

The port was opened in 1950 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, which wanted a harbor between Corpus Christi and Brownsville. It was named for United States Representative Joseph J. Mansfield, who introduced the Mansfield Bill authorizing the extension of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande.

In 1957, when the first pass was cut through Padre Island, the little settlement had a few residences, some port buildings, a motel and store, and a few fishing cabins. The final Port Mansfield Channel was completed across Padre Island in 1962. The ensuing tidal exchange between the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre produced an abundant population of redfish, brown shrimp, and flounder, and greatly expanded the sport and commercial fish economy of Port Mansfield.  Port Mansfield in the early 1990s had mail service through the community post office at Raymondville.

The Laguna Madre Ecosystem

The Laguna Madre is clear and shallow -- less than 4 feet deep in most places -- and its pristine waters support about 80 percent of the remaining seagrass habitat off the Texas coast. These vast "meadows" of seagrass provide a nursery for juvenile fish as well as prime hunting ground for larger predators like spotted sea trout and red drum, both of which inhabit the Laguna Madre in record numbers, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Other game fish in the Laguna Madre include snook, black drum, flounder and gray snapper.

Fishing the Laguna Madre

The Laguna Madre appears on most maps as a single body of water but is essentially two bays connected by a narrow channel. Port Mansfield is on the lower bay, and offers access to the Laguna Madre, a 130-mile-long bay that stretches from Corpus Christi to the mouth of the Rio Grande. The Gulf of Mexico is only a few minutes from Port Mansfield by boat, and its deep waters also harbor a wealth of game fish.

Some of the best fishing in the Laguna Madre takes place from spring into early summer, though angling opportunities exist year-round. Live bait, particularly shrimp, works well for trout and drum, and artificial bait like topwaters, shallow-diving plugs and soft plastics also work well on light tackle. Some anglers also have great success with fly-fishing.

Access

You can launch a boat in several locations in the Port Mansfield area, including the Port Mansfield TPWD boat ramp (tpwd.state.tx.us) and a public ramp in Adolph Tomae Jr. County Park (co.cameron.tx.us). Several privately owned marinas have launch facilities as well. You can also fish from several public piers and jetties in and around Port Mansfield, and several parks along the shoreline have access for wade fishing and kayak launching.

Offshore Fishing

The Laguna Madre is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by the Padre Island National Seashore (nps.gov), which represents the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world. Wade fishing can be very productive on both the bay and gulf sides of the island itself. Traveling farther into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico opens a wide range of other fishing opportunities, including a chance to tangle with marlin, barracuda, bonita and tuna, among others. After launching a boat in Port Mansfield, it takes less than 15 minutes to reach the offshore waters of the gulf.”

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Birding

“Port Mansfield and the Lower Rio Grande Valley boast some 487 different species of birds.  This diverse variety makes ours one of the premier birding spots in the United States.  Many of these birds can be seen up close and very personal in and around the Port. Additional opportunities to view these beautiful birds in their natural setting are available via water.

 

The Lower Rio Grande Valley has several major refuges and sanctuaries such as the Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge, Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, Bentsen State Park, Anzaldua Park Sal Del Rey (SALT LAKE), East Lake Tract, and Teniente Tract.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port Mansfield also offers a Nature Trail and a Bird Sanctuary.”

 

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Duck Hunting

“Some of the most exciting and unforgettable hunts are done out of the Lower Laguna Madre, which is teeming with wildlife and an abundance of waterfowl.  Morning and afternoon hunts available. 
Some of the waterfowl found in the Lower Laguna Madre include:  Bufflehead, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Green & Blue-Winged Teal, American Widgeon, Shoveler, Redhead, Mottled, Cinnamon Teal, and Snow Geese.”

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Port Mansfield Liberty Ship Reef
“World War II Heritage for Divers, Anglers and the Public

The bravery of America’s Merchant Marines helped the Allies win World War II. Now, fourteen World War II ships that carried supplies and oil into the most dangerous fronts of the war serve as artificial reefs off the coast of Texas. Located in six readily-accessible sites, they offer divers and recreational anglers an encounter not only with magnificent reefs, but also with America’s maritime heritage.

The Port Mansfield Liberty Ship Reef is composed of three Liberty Ships, the Edward W. Scripps, the Joshua Thomas and the George L. Farley. Nine other Liberty Ships and two tankers are located at other reef sites along the Texas coast. Brochures for these reef sites are available from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The Farley brought supplies to the embattled port of Antwerp in early 1945.  During that period an armed guard officer wrote that the “sky was black with Antiaircraft bursts.” The Joshua Thomas twice made the Murmansk run to the northern Soviet Union in springtime, a particularly dreaded voyage because the twenty-four hours of sunlight made convoys vulnerable to air attack from occupied Norway at any time. The Scripps transported Army and Red Cross personnel and vehicles to the Normandy invasion.”

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On This Day:

President Eisenhower signs "In God We Trust" into law, Jul 30, 1956:

“On this day in 1956, two years after pushing to have the phrase "under God" inserted into the pledge of allegiance, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring "In God We Trust" to be the nation's official motto. The law, P.L. 84-140, also mandated that the phrase be printed on all American paper currency. The phrase had been placed on U.S. coins since the Civil War when, according to the historical association of the United States Treasury, religious sentiment reached a peak. Eisenhower's treasury secretary, George Humphrey, had suggested adding the phrase to paper currency as well.

At a Flag Day speech in 1954, he elaborated on his feelings about the place of religion in public life when he discussed why he had wanted to include "under God" in the pledge of allegiance: "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

The first paper money with the phrase "In God We Trust" was not printed until 1957. Since then, religious and secular groups have argued over the appropriateness and constitutionality of a motto that mentions "God," considering the founding fathers dedication to maintaining the separation of church and state.”

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Johnson signs Medicare into law, Jul 30, 1965:

“On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Medicare, a health insurance program for elderly Americans, into law. At the bill-signing ceremony, which took place at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, former President Harry S. Truman was enrolled as Medicare's first beneficiary and received the first Medicare card. Johnson wanted to recognize Truman, who, in 1945, had become the first president to propose national health insurance, an initiative that was opposed at the time by Congress.

The Medicare program, providing hospital and medical insurance for Americans age 65 or older, was signed into law as an amendment to the Social Security Act of 1935. Some 19 million people enrolled in Medicare when it went into effect in 1966. In 1972, eligibility for the program was extended to Americans under 65 with certain disabilities and people of all ages with permanent kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplant. In December 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), which added outpatient prescription drug benefits to Medicare.

Medicare is funded entirely by the federal government and paid for in part through payroll taxes. Medicare is currently a source of controversy due to the enormous strain it puts on the federal budget. Throughout its history, the program also has been plagued by fraud--committed by patients, doctors and hospitals--that has cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

Medicaid, a state and federally funded program that offers health coverage to certain low-income people, was also signed into law by President Johnson on July 30, 1965, as an amendment to the Social Security Act.

In 1977, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) was created to administer Medicare and work with state governments to administer Medicaid. HCFA, which was later renamed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and is headquartered in Baltimore.”

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Yesterday:

Ray and I acted like carpenters again, and made new supports for the screen porch windowsills.  They had been made out of cedar 1x12’s, and in two areas where they had been cut around the posts, they had cracked.   Being hard to replace, even if we could find some more around here, we had to repair them.  It is difficult to go back over what someone else has built, and figure out why they did what!  Before noon, it was getting hot, we had had enough, so we called it a day.

Hot Dogs. Safer Heartworm Treatment. Three Pillars of Health. Digestive Enzymes. Edie Only Wanted Hugs. GM Buys Cadillac. NASA. Prince Charles & Lady Diana.

 

For “Mammal Monday”:

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." —Groucho Marx

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Heartworm Drug Shortage Prompts Use of Cheaper, Safer Therapy

“As is often the case when 'desperate times call for desperate measures,' in the face of the Immiticide shortage, the pet healthcare community has been faced with finding other means for treating active heartworm infections in dogs.

And as it turns out, one alternative therapy in particular is effective and much less costly and potentially deadly than the old standby treatment with Immiticide.

Why I Made the Switch from Immiticide

My own experience with Immiticide is that I've bought a small supply of it every year for several years, only to throw it away, unused, on its expiration date.

A few years ago it occurred to me this was a totally wasteful and expensive exercise, since I've never encountered a case of heartworm that couldn't wait 48 hours for me to order and receive a box of Immiticide.

Shortly after this revelation, the economic downturn descended upon us. The owners of the four heartworm-positive dogs I've seen since then have all opted for the less costly 'slow kill' treatment with a combination of ivermectin (heartworm preventive drug) and doxycycline.

As it turns out, low-dose ivermectin therapy in dogs with no sensitivity to the drug, in combination with the antibiotic doxycycline, can be an extremely effective, inexpensive option for treating heartworm infection.

The cost was about 50-75 percent cheaper than Immiticide  and all cases of infection cleared beautifully.

The only time I'll consider using Immiticide in the future (once it becomes available), is when I have an ivermectin-sensitive patient.

Why Doxycycline?

Heartworms are parasites, and it was recently discovered that another organism called Wolbachia lives inside heartworms.

Per VeterinaryPartner.com:

"Wolbachia is a genus of rickettsial organisms (sort of like bacteria, but not exactly). They live inside the adult heartworm. These organisms seem to be protective or beneficial to heartworms and treating the dog with the antibiotic doxycycline seems to sterilize female heartworms (meaning they cannot reproduce). Wolbachia is also thought to be involved in the embolism and shock that result when heartworms die. The role of this organism is still being investigated."

Research indicates Wolbachia organisms worsen the effect of both the heartworms themselves and the adverse events associated with heartworm treatment, including allergic reactions, inflammation and embolism.

Doxycycline, a member of the tetracycline antibiotic group, kills Wolbachia. It also simultaneously weakens the heartworms and sterilizes them so they cannot reproduce, which lessens the damage they can do inside a dog's body. It also dramatically reduces the risk of adverse reactions to heartworm treatment.

A study published in 2008 demonstrated that treatment with a combination of ivermectin and doxycycline has the following effects on heartworm infections:

• Sterilizes female heartworms
• Prevents the infected dog from infecting other dogs via mosquitoes
• Hastens the death of heartworms
• Limits inflammation and other damage caused by the presence of heartworms in the body
• Reduces risk of serious adverse reactions to Immiticide

These effects are significantly improved when the two drugs are used together rather than one without the other.

The doses used for the study were ivermectin (Heartgard) given weekly at the usual monthly preventative dose for 33 weeks, and doxycycline given at 10 mg/kg daily during weeks one through six, weeks 10 and 11, 16 and 17, 22 through 25, and 28 through 33.”    From: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/11/22/cheaper-safer-therapy-for-heartworm.aspx

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The Three Pillars of Health

“Preventative medicine is not only important for us humans, but equally important for keeping our pets with us for as long as possible. You have to "create your pet's health" proactively throughout his life, rather than waiting for pathology to happen and then struggling to reverse it.

By the time disease shows up, the damage has been done.

So often I hear, "My pet was healthy until she got cancer."

But disease doesn't just come out of nowhere. It occurs because your pet's body cannot function optimally, which leads to biochemical changes, which leads to structural changes, which leads to pathologic tissue changes, which leads to an ugly diagnosis you don't want.  Being proactive with your pet's health is your best way to prevent an eventual battle with a major illness.

Regardless of what kind of animal you have, there are three important aspects to your pet's well being. I call them "The Three Pillars of Health."

The Three Pillars of Health came into existence in my practice 10 years ago, in an attempt to make sure I was incorporating all the important facets of healing, in every 40-minute appointment, which is always a challenge.

The Three Pillars of Heath are:

1. Species-appropriate nutrition: Each animal must consume a diet that is biologically appropriate for that species.
2. A sound, resilient body (frame and organs): Muscle tone should be good; body weight should be optimal; teeth and should be healthy; heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and other organs should be working efficiently.
3. A balanced, functional immune system: The immune system should be able to protect the animal from pathogens, yet not be overactive, leading to things like allergies and autoimmune disease. The key here is balance.” 

More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/05/13/the-three-pillars-of-health.aspx

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The Supplement Most Needed by Your Pet

“Dr. Karen Becker, a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian discusses digestive health of pets and how to improve it with Digestive Enzymes”

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Meet the Scared Dog That Only Wanted a Hug

“Edie was labeled aggressive in a high kill shelter and was saved from euthanasia at the last hour. This is her story.”

Edie is adopted update.

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On This Day:

General Motors buys Cadillac, Jul 29, 1909:

“On July 29, 1909, the newly formed General Motors Corporation (GM) acquires the country's leading luxury automaker, the Cadillac Automobile Company, for $4.5 million.

Cadillac was founded out of the ruins of automotive pioneer Henry Ford's second failed company (his third effort, the Ford Motor Company, finally succeeded). When the shareholders of the defunct Henry Ford Company called in Detroit machinist Henry Leland to assess the company's assets for their planned sale, Leland convinced them to stay in business. His idea was to combine Ford's latest chassis (frame) with a single-cylinder engine developed by Oldsmobile, another early automaker. To that end, the Cadillac Car Company (named for the French explorer Antoine Laumet de La Mothe Cadillac, who founded the city of Detroit in 1701) was founded in August 1902. Leland introduced the first Cadillac--priced at $850--at the New York Auto Show the following year.

In its first year of production, Cadillac put out nearly 2500 cars, a huge number at the time. Leland, who was reportedly motivated by an intense competition with Henry Ford, assumed full leadership of Cadillac in 1904, and with his son Wilfred by his side he firmly established the brand's reputation for quality. Among the excellent luxury cars being produced in America at the time--including Packard, Lozier, McFarland and Pierce-Arrow--Cadillac led the field, making the top 10 in overall U.S. auto sales every year from 1904 to 1915.

By 1909, William C. Durant had assembled Buick and Oldsmobile as cornerstones of his new General Motors Corporation, founded the year before. By the end of July, he had persuaded Wilfred Leland to sell Cadillac for $4.5 million in GM stock. Durant kept the Lelands on in their management position, however, giving them full responsibility for automotive production. Three years later, Cadillac introduced the world's first successful electric self-starter, developed by Charles F. Kettering; its pioneering V-8 engine was installed in all Cadillac models in 1915.

Over the years, Cadillac maintained its reputation for luxury and innovation: In 1954, for example, it was the first automaker to provide power steering and automatic windshield washers as standard equipment on all its vehicles. Though the brand was knocked out of its top-of-the-market position in the 1980s by the German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz, it sought to reestablish itself during the following decades, and remains a leader in the luxury car market. 

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NASA established, Jul 29, 1958:

“The United States Congress passes legislation formally inaugurating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The establishment of NASA was a sign that the United States was committed to winning the "space race" against the Soviets.

In October 1957, the Soviet Union shocked the world, and particularly the American public, by launching the first satellite into orbit around the earth. Called Sputnik, the small spacecraft was an embarrassment to the United States, which prided itself on its leadership in the field of technology. Sputnik also provided the Soviets with an important propaganda advantage in terms of reaching out to underdeveloped Third World nations that were looking for scientific and technological assistance. The initial U.S. response to this challenge was not altogether successful. The Eisenhower administration passed the National Defense Education Act that provided federal funds for improving the teaching of science and mathematics in America's public schools.

In December 1957, the United States attempted to launch its own satellite. Named Vanguard, the "spaceship" got a few feet off the ground and then blew up. America had better luck with Explorer I a month later--the satellite completed its orbit of the earth. It was obvious to many U.S. officials, though, that a more organized and focused effort was needed. In July 1958, Congress passed legislation establishing NASA as the coordinating body of the U.S. space program.

During the next decade, NASA became synonymous with the space race. In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced that the United States should set a goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Eight years and billions of dollars later, Neil Armstrong stepped out of the lunar module Eagle and onto the moon's surface on July 20, 1969. The great space race was over.”

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Prince Charles marries Lady Diana, Jul 29, 1981:

“Nearly one billion television viewers in 74 countries tune in to witness the marriage of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, to Lady Diana Spencer, a young English schoolteacher. Married in a grand ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral in the presence of 2,650 guests, the couple's romance was for the moment the envy of the world. Their first child, Prince William, was born in 1982, and their second, Prince Harry, in 1984.

In the year following their divorce, the popular princess seemed well on her way of achieving her dream of becoming "a queen in people's hearts," but on August 31, 1997, she was killed in a car accident in Paris.

On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles wed his longtime mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles, in a private civil ceremony. Though Camilla technically became the Princess of Wales with the marriage, she has announced her preference for the title Duchess of Cornwall, in deference to the beloved late princess. Should Charles become king, she will become Queen Camilla, though she has already announced her intention to use the title Princess Consort, most likely in response to public opinion polls showing resistance to the idea of a Queen Camilla.”

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Yesterday:

Shay came over early to start work, so I wasn’t ready.  I unlocked the shed, set her up with the paint, and a paint pad.  Pads work so much better than a brush on rough cedar.

Then Ray came over, and we took the screen molding off the porch and ripped off all the old screen.  We replaced most of the windowsills which I had carefully saved when we took off the panels to put in that corner post.  While we were doing that, Shay painted all the panels on the screen porch, primed most of the new cedar shirting, and then went home.   As Jay wasn’t here to do the carpentry work, it fell upon Ray and me to cut the new windowsill boards to go around the new post.  We aren’t as fast at it as Jay is, but we got it done.  Still more to be done today.

How Do You Raise a King? Treasuring the Words of Jesus. What You Think. Biblical Questions for the President and You. Plane Hits Empire State Building. Worst Earthquake. Remember the Sabbath To Keep It Holy.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:

“Royal baby family portrait delayed as Prince Philip is too ill to pose for picture with William, Kate and George.” More at: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/prince-george-portrait-delayed-prince-2097790 

How Do You Raise a King?

“The eyes of the world have been turned toward London over the past several days, and we have now been rewarded with the first pictures of the newly named heir to the British throne.

Seeing those pictures of Prince William and Lady Catherine as they emerged from the hospital doorway tenderly holding their infant son, it would have been difficult not to smile. Catherine, like virtually every mother before her, was the picture of motherly love and devotion; and William looked as proud and happy as any father who ever walked the earth—even joking that his son already has more hair than he has.

I could not help but think that, were it not for the hundreds of reporters and well-wishers surrounding them, they looked so much like any other young couple welcoming their firstborn into the world—excited, a little nervous, filled with hopes and dreams of the future they imagine as this miraculous new person grows toward maturity.

It’s hard to believe it was just over 31 years ago that it was Prince Charles and Lady Diana who were coming out the door cradling their firstborn son, William. They were filled with hope and expectation as well, but the three decades that have passed since that day were not exactly what they had imagined. Fifteen years later, at the age of 36, Diana was gone.

For many of you, seeing the young couple with their newborn son probably brought back memories of your own children and what it felt like to see for the first time those tiny faces looking back at you. If so, what do you know now that you wish you had known back then? If you had the opportunity to give one small piece of advice to William and Catherine, what would it be?

Being a parent teaches so many lessons that it would be hard to select just one thing, but I have a suggestion—in the seemingly endless string of 2 a.m. feedings, diapers to change, teething and all the other facets of caring for a young child, don’t lose sight of the fact that time passes far more quickly than we realize. One day it can seem that the future stretches limitlessly before us and that we have almost forever to enjoy our children and teach them the things we want them to know. But the busyness of life can quickly come crowding in. We tell ourselves we’ll do this or that just as soon as … . But before we know it, the opportunities have slipped away.

How many parents have had that lesson driven home when they suddenly realize their children are grown and leaving home and childhood is over?

By its nature, life has time limits, and there is only a certain amount of time to accomplish what is really important. Are you accomplishing what is important in your life, or are your greatest opportunities being consumed by the busyness of busyness?

Does life have a purpose or are we just biochemical anomalies in a meaningless universe?

The good news is that, yes, life has a purpose; and it’s far greater than most people have ever imagined.   Life and time pass far more quickly than we realize. We hope you will invest your time in what really matters.”  From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/how-do-you-raise-a-king/

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Treasuring the Words of Jesus

An Amazing Fact: “The original biblical town of Bethany, home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, is believed to have been situated on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, less than two miles from Jerusalem. Historians believe the town was the site of an almshouse for the poor. Its name is derived from words in at least two languages that mean “house of the poor” or “house of poverty.”

According to the Bible, Martha welcomed Jesus and His disciples into her house. That apparently launched her into a frenzy of activity. She probably felt a little overwhelmed at having to prepare food and accommodations for all those men. Under the stress of the moment, she accused her sister, Mary, of leaving her to serve alone.
Unlike the “distracted” Martha, Mary realized this was the opportunity of a lifetime. The Messiah, the very Son of God, had come to her house to visit. She could sit at his feet and listen to soul-rousing truths that she had never heard before, at least not the way Jesus told them.
As Jesus made clear to the sisters, while there’s nothing wrong with serving, there is something more vital. What Martha needed, we all need—more attention to the things of God, the things that last forever. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus and treasure His every word.”

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. - Luke 10:38-42

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The Future

“We are builders of tomorrow, and we need not pay a
fortune-teller—a doctor, lawyer, preacher, banker—to
tell us what will happen to us tomorrow.   Nothing will happen. The inevitable will come. We shall inherit the fruits of today’s sowing.”

Galatians 6:7,8  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

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What You Think

“A comment we hear from time to time is, "Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

It seems common knowledge that our attitudes have everything to do with how we feel about almost everything. Our company can be good or bad. Our house can be wonderful or woefully lacking. Our friends can be strong or weak. We can have a happy or miserable marriage. Our work place can be tops or a poor outfit, a meal can be flat or tasty. What we think does have a lot to do with how we see things.

Sometimes we have this reversed, assuming that the conditions affect our thinking. There is some merit in that, but most of the time, our attitudes toward something is what makes that item seem good or bad. First impressions are often the guide for how we treat others. It is up to us a good deal of the time to be sure we do not allow a negative or sour attitude to form our opinions. Happiness depends on us as individuals developing a positive attitude. We are to learn to think well of others.” (Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
See All...).  From: http://www.ucg.org/this-is-the-way/what-you-think/

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The program on WGN TV this morning:

Biblical Questions for the President and You

“Given a chance, what would you ask your country’s leader as he or she begins a term in office?”

Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-program/christian-living/biblical-questions-president-and-you

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On This Day:

Plane crashes into Empire State Building, Jul 28, 1945:

“A United States military plane crashes into the Empire State Building on this day in 1945, killing 14 people. The freak accident was caused by heavy fog.

The B-25 Mitchell bomber, with two pilots and one passenger aboard, was flying from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to LaGuardia Airport in New York City. As it came into the metropolitan area on that Saturday morning, the fog was particularly thick. Air-traffic controllers instructed the plane to fly to Newark Airport instead.

Since it was a Saturday, fewer workers than normal were in the building. Only 11 people in the building were killed, some suffering burns from the fiery aviation fuel and others after being thrown out of the building. All 11 victims were workers from War Relief Services department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, into the offices of which the plane had crashed. The three people on the plane were also killed.

An 18 foot by 20 foot hole was left in the side of the Empire State Building. Though its structural integrity was not affected, the crash did cause nearly $1 million in damages, about $10.5 million in today's money.”

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Worst modern earthquake, Jul 28, 1976:

“At 3:42 a.m., an earthquake measuring between 7.8 and 8.2 magnitude on the Richter scale flattens Tangshan, a Chinese industrial city with a population of about one million people. As almost everyone was asleep in their beds, instead of outside in the relative safety of the streets, the quake was especially costly in terms of human life. An estimated 242,000 people in Tangshan and surrounding areas were killed, making the earthquake one of the deadliest in recorded history, surpassed only by the 300,000 who died in the Calcutta earthquake in 1737, and the 830,000 thought to have perished in China's Shaanxi province in 1556.

Caught between the Indian and Pacific plates, China has been a very active location for earthquakes throughout history. Earthquakes have also played a significant part in China's culture and science, and the Chinese were the first to develop functioning seismometers. The area of northern China hit by the Tangshan earthquake is particularly prone to the westward movement of the Pacific plate.

In the days preceding the earthquake, people began to notice strange phenomena in and around Tangshan. Well-water levels rose and fell. Rats were seen running in panicked packs in broad daylight. Chickens refused to eat. During the evening of July 27 and the early morning hours of July 28, people reported flashes of colored light and roaring fireballs. Still, at 3:42 a.m. most people were sleeping quietly when the earthquake struck. It lasted for 23 seconds and leveled 90 percent of Tangshan's buildings. At least a quarter-of-a-million people were killed and 160,000 others injured. The earthquake came during the heat of midsummer, and many stunned survivors crawled out of their ruined houses naked, covered only in dust and blood. The earthquake started fires and ignited explosives and poisonous gases in Tangshan's factories. Water and electricity were cut off, and rail and road access to the city was destroyed.

The Chinese government was ill-prepared for a disaster of this scale. The day following the quake, helicopters and planes began dropping food and medicine into the city. Some 100,000 soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were ordered to Tangshan, and many had to march on foot from Jinzhou, a distance of more than 180 miles. About 30,000 medical personnel were called in, along with 30,000 construction workers. The Chinese government, boasting self-sufficiency, refused all offers of foreign relief aid. In the crucial first week after the crisis, many died from lack of medical care. Troops and relief workers lacked the kind of heavy rescue training necessary to efficiently pull survivors from the rubble. Looting was also epidemic. More than 160,000 families were left homeless, and more than 4,000 children were orphaned.

Tangshan was eventually rebuilt with adequate earthquake precautions. Today, nearly two million people live there. There is speculation that the death toll from the 1976 quake was much higher than the official Chinese government figure of 242,000. Some Chinese sources have spoken privately of more than 500,000 deaths.”

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Yesterday:

After Wendy and I had our usual Saturday phone call, and I had fed the cat and dog, my neighbor Shay came over wanting to do some work for me as she was broke.  I felt sorry for her as she is trying to financially help her sister and son, right now.

I made the big mistake of telling her that she could paint the panels on the screen porch.  I had to quickly don some clothes, go out to the paint shed and get her everything she needed.

But first she wanted to go down to Jay’s to give him a piece of her mind.  He had said something about her and Ray that wasn’t true. (Jay says fictitious things when he is drunk that he doesn’t remember the next day.)  Misty needed a walk, and I had something to take to Jay’s mother, and another item to pick up there, so we went in the Puddle Jumper. 

Misty and I were walking when Jay came back from a neighbor’s house where he was working.   He tried to ignore Shay, but she got in his face and tried to make him listen.  (But I don’t think he was, and went into his mother’s house)  I guess Shay got it out of her system and we came back here.

Upon brushing the dust off the panels, she found out that a lot of the paint was loose, so it had to be pressure washed before painting.  So again, I couldn’t get ready for church, and got out the pressure washer. 

Then she didn’t know how to operate it, and Ray had to keep on coming over here to get her something, or help her.  Shay hasn’t worked for me for years, and she doesn’t know where everything is, like Ray does.   We never work around here on the Sabbath, and Ray looks forward to those quiet mornings to tend to his plants.  I could tell he was miffed, but he didn’t say anything.

Then she kept on bothering me, asking me if I wanted this or that pressure washed, too.   Ray came over to help her pack up my pressure washer and things, and then she had the nerve to say that he hadn’t helped her.  In the end, I just paid her, and tried to get ready. 

I felt very guilty, as I had contributed to Shay, Ray and I breaking the fourth commandment.  Remember the Sabbath, To Keep It Holy.

EXODUS 20:8-11  (KJV)

⁸ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
⁹ Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
¹⁰ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
¹¹ For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

DEUTERONOMY 5:12-15 (KJV)

¹² Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
¹³ Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
¹⁴ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
¹⁵ And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

By then I was so worn out, and late, that I didn’t have time to put together a dish for the potluck, or even go to Bible Study.

The sermon was given by one of the elders about the situations where ‘wormwood’ has been mentioned in the Bible, which is  
in Revelation 8:11, Deuteronomy 29:18-19, Proverb 5:3-5, Lamentations 3:14-16, Lamentations 3:17-20, and these:

“A nonpoisonous but bitter plant common to the Middle East. Wormwood often is used in analogy to speak of bitterness and sorrow. The Old Testament prophets pictured wormwood as the opposite of justice and righteousness (Amos 5:7 ; Jeremiah 23:15 ). Revelation describes as wormwood one of the blazing stars which brings destruction (Jeremiah 8:10-11 ).”

By examining the verses, one can see that in each case, the wormwood is caused by being pulled away from the LORD or by being told lies. 

It was an interesting sermon, and it was great to be there in that calm and loving atmosphere, so different from earlier in the day.

Baby George. George Mitchell. Fukushima Leaked To Sea. Tongass National Forest. Drugging of Our Children. Mercury Fillings. Preventative Medicine. First Jet. Watergate.

 

For “Summary Saturday”, News, some new, some old:

Royal baby: Why George Alexander Louis?

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first baby has been named George Alexander Louis. But what's in the name?

It is a partial victory for the old maxim, "the bookmakers are never wrong". George was the rock-solid favourite for boys' names for a while, backed all the way down to 2/1. Alexander and Louis were both not far behind.

A cynic might point out that before we knew it was a boy, Alexandra - the Queen's first middle name - had been the favourite.

Of the three names, it is the significance of the third that is most obvious. Louis immediately makes one think of Louis Mountbatten, uncle of Prince Philip and last viceroy of India, who was killed by the IRA in a bomb attack on his yacht.

His father Prince Louis of Battenberg was Prince William's great-great-grandfather. Louis is also one of William's middle names. And, of course, the name of 17 kings of France (or 18 or 19, depending how you count).

If Louis honours one side of the Royal Family, George clearly resonates with the other.”

A familiar name among British kings... George III, George V and George VI

More at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23444082

“Palace officials said the royals are "delighted to announce" their son's name, adding that the baby, who is third-in-line to the throne, will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.”  More at: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57595288/royal-baby-name-revealed-george-alexander-louis/

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From me:  I was trying to remember how many royal babies I have read about in all my years. The Queen’s, her sister Princess Margaret’s, Prince Charles, Princess Anne’s, Prince Andrew’s, Prince Edward’s,  and now the new baby.  Quite a few, at least a baker’s dozen.

Everyone prays for a good life for the new wee one.

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Oil giant, developer George Mitchell dies at 94, July 26, 2013

“George Mitchell, Texas oil man, real estate developer, and one of Houston's wealthiest businessmen, died Friday at his home in Galveston, a spokeswoman said. He was 94.

The son of a poor Greek immigrant, Mitchell had an uncanny knack for finding oil.

During his career, he participated in drilling some 8,000 wells, including more than 1,000 wildcats.

He was a pioneer in the technology of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, using it to tap oil and gas in the Barnett Shale of North Texas in the 1980s and 1990s. The process launched a revolution in U.S. energy, and prompted international environmental debate.

Mitchell Energy & Development, the company he built and later sold for $3.1 billion, was responsible for more than 200 oil and 350 natural gas discoveries.

While Mitchell's long and colorful career made him a billionaire, friends and colleagues said he always stayed grounded.

The oil billionaire and creator of The Woodlands was often seen casually strolling through the downtown tunnels at lunchtime.  He was also known to meet friends at a Galveston grocery store for coffee and conversation in the deli.  Though he lived primarily in The Woodlands, the master-planned community he created in the 1970s, Mitchell spent much of his time on his hometown island.  Mitchell was born in Galveston on May 21, 1919.”  More at:  http://www.chron.com/news/article/Oil-giant-developer-George-Mitchell-dies-at-94-4688832.php  By Nancy Sarnoff

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Fukushima Plant Admits Radioactive Water Leaked To Sea

“Experts suspect leak has been continuous since March 2011 earthquake and tsunami

A worker carries out radiation screening last year on a bus for a media tour at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The plant's operator had previously denied contaminated water reached the sea, despite spikes in radiation levels in underground and sea water samples taken at the plant. (Tomohiro/Reuters)

Operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. had previously denied contaminated water reached the sea, despite spikes in radiation levels in underground and sea water samples taken at the plant. Japan's nuclear watchdog said two weeks ago a leak was highly suspected, ordering TEPCO to examine the problem.”  More at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/07/22/japan-fukushima-nuclear-radioactive-leak.html

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Tongass National Forest: Conservationists Express Outrage over Industrial-Scale Timber Plan

Tongass National Forest.

Juneau, AK — “Forrest Cole, supervisor of the Tongass National Forest in Juneau, Alaska has announced his Record of Decision regarding the Big Thorne timber project. Read the Forest Service’s briefing paper.

Members of the conservation community expressed outrage over this decision. The agency is proposing to log 123 million board feet, making Big Thorne far and away the largest old-growth timber project in the Tongass National Forest, or any other national forest, in many years.”  More at:  http://ak.audubon.org/newsroom/press-releases/2013/conservationists-express-outrage-over-huge-industrial-scale-timber-proj

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The Drugging of Our Children

“The ‘Drugging of Our Children’ documentary details the devastating consequences of the excessive medicating of US children, with a focus on children who have been given the diagnosis of ADHD

Drugs prescribed for ADHD are "class 2" narcotics, regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency as a controlled substance because they can lead to dependence, heart attack, stroke, seizures and stunted growth; other mind-altering drugs commonly prescribed to kids can cause aggressive and violent behavior, suicide and more.

The long-term effects of medicating children with mind-altering drugs during their key formative years are largely unknown, but likely devastating.

The diagnosis of mental illness in children is far from an exact science; in many cases a child is labeled with a “disorder” such as ADHD based on subjective observations of behaviors that nearly all children exhibit at some time (such as excessive fidgeting or difficulty waiting his or her turn).

Behavioral problems in children – including what might appear to be serious mental disorders – are very frequently related to improper diet, emotional upset and exposure to toxins; these underlying issues should be resolved before suppressing symptoms with medications.”

More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/20/drugging-children.aspx

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From me:  This is Jay’s problem, he was given drugs like Ritalin when he was a child, and then never could adjust to the feeling of ‘normal’.  Now his brain thinks that he has to drink or take something to ‘feel right’. 

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Victories and Setbacks in the Fight to End Use of Mercury Fillings in Dentistry

“Mercury is a potent heavy metal toxin that can poison your brain, central nervous system and kidneys. Children and fetuses, whose brains are still developing, are most at risk, but anyone can be adversely impacted.

It’s considered such a potent toxic pollutant that just one drop of mercury in a lake would poison the lake to the extent that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would ban fishing in it.

Yet, unbelievably, they let you carry around a mouthful of this toxic metal and would have you believe it somehow loses its capacity to do harm once it’s put into your teeth.

Amalgams have been banned in several countries, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and largely in Japan.

The average person in the US has eight mercury fillings, falsely referred to as “silver” fillings. This misleading label, named “silver” after the color of the material, opposed to the actual ingredients, has been purposely used to keep you in the dark about the composition of the fillings. Clearly, this is no small problem and calls for urgent action.” 

http://www.change.org/petitions/dentsply-stop-making-mercury-dental-fillings

More at: http://researchinghealth.com/victories-and-setbacks-in-the-fight-to-end-use-of-mercury-fillings-in-dentistry/

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Trivia

“The first man to appear without a woman on the cover of "Ladies Home Journal" was Robert Redford in October, 1980 — after the magazine had been published for 97 years.”

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On This Day:

First jet makes test flight, Jul 27, 1949:

“On this day in 1949, the world's first jet-propelled airliner, the British De Havilland Comet, makes its maiden test-flight in England. The jet engine would ultimately revolutionize the airline industry, shrinking air travel time in half by enabling planes to climb faster and fly higher.

In 1939, an experimental jet-powered plane debuted in Germany. During World War II, Germany was the first country to use jet fighters. De Havilland also designed fighter planes during the war years. He was knighted for his contributions to aviation in 1944.

Following the war, De Havilland turned his focus to commercial jets, developing the Comet and the Ghost jet engine. After its July 1949 test flight, the Comet underwent three more years of testing and training flights. Then, on May 2, 1952, the British Overseas Aircraft Corporation (BOAC) began the world's first commercial jet service with the 44-seat Comet 1A, flying paying passengers from London to Johannesburg. The Comet was capable of traveling 480 miles per hour, a record speed at the time.

However, the initial commercial service was short-lived, and due to a series of fatal crashes in 1953 and 1954, the entire fleet was grounded. Investigators eventually determined that the planes had experienced metal fatigue resulting from the need to repeatedly pressurize and depressurize. Four years later, De Havilland debuted an improved and recertified Comet, but in the meantime, American airline manufacturers Boeing and Douglas had each introduced faster, more efficient jets of their own and become the dominant forces in the industry. By the early 1980s, most Comets used by commercial airlines had been taken out of service.”

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House begins impeachment of Nixon, Jul 27, 1974:

“On this day in 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommends that America's 37th president, Richard M. Nixon, be impeached and removed from office. The impeachment proceedings resulted from a series of political scandals involving the Nixon administration that came to be collectively known as Watergate.

On August 5, Nixon complied with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling requiring that he provide transcripts of the missing tapes, and the new evidence clearly implicated him in a cover up of the Watergate break-in. On August 8, Nixon announced his resignation, becoming the first president in U.S. history to voluntarily leave office. After departing the White House on August 9, Nixon was succeeded by Vice President Gerald Ford, who, in a controversial move, pardoned Nixon on September 8, 1974, making it impossible for the former president to be prosecuted for any crimes he might have committed while in office. Only two other presidents in U.S. history have been impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998”

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Yesterday:

I woke up about 4.00am, and couldn’t go back to sleep I was so excited.  The contractors were coming to build the front porch roof extension.

Ray and I worked on the cedar skirting on the back of the house again.  We put the chop saw on a big board across the little red black wagon, and trucked it to the back yard.  So I measured and cut, while Ray stayed down on a kneeling pad to unscrew the old boards, and screw on the new ones.  As that area is sloped, some of the longer boards at one place, could have the bad end cut off and recycled at shorter places. 

This picture was taken from my front door. 

The contractor and his helpers put up the framework for the roof extension.  This time it is built all square and straight, not like when Jay did it.  Now it needs to be painted white.   As soon as it comes in, we will put translucent polycarbonate roofing on it.  Then it will be shady, but not dark on the front entrance porch, my living room and the screen porch. 

Next week, Ray and I will take down the mess that Jay built over my screen porch, and the contractors will come back to rebuild it, and replace the soffit on my front porch.

It was a busy, tiring day.