Dishing out spicy liberal social commentary and critical thinking news analysis on America, world politics, the news, fun political humor, cartoons - and a little poetry by Independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon.
A Truth Journal: Time For New Unorthodox Solutions For Rapidly Changing Dangerous World Situations?: From Denny: Watching this man-child implode in North Korea because of a rapidly deteriorating economy, placing the whole world on the brink of war and destruction, started me thinking this entire week about a radical approach for a change of world mindset, a paradigm shift. After all, we can no longer operate on the 60-year status quo as set in place by the World War II generation after the Korean War peace signing.
It's past due time this generation institute a new program, one designed to preventing or circumventing this kind of international mess of loose cannon dictators and terror organizations that want to blow up the world. It would give the various sincere world leaders and experienced diplomats the time they need to work it out when there is an impending crisis. Or, if all hell broke loose there is an apparatus in place globally, in every country, to do the horrifically unthinkable: rebuild from nothing...
A Truth Journal: FYI, Spring Fever At Our House! 6 Funny Links Too: From Denny: Yeah, been enjoying Spring time here in Louisiana, along with the huge hanks of oak tree pollen falling at my feet. The weather has been almost like Hawaii lately: soft warm breezes. Soooo, have not been posting as much lately. Too busy being downright happily sloth like and getting Pollen Head at the same time. I'm sure you all understand. :) My heart goes out to all of you still stuck in snow weather and Snowquester. Should be posting tonight, if not tomorrow. Talk about Lazy Bones here... Throwing kisses out to you all - and thanks so much for your support on this and all my other crazy blogs!
Related articles - meanwhile, to keep you entertained...
Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone experiencing difficulty and loss from the appropriately named "Frankenstorm." It's the rebuilding that can prove testing to the human spirit.
On the Martin Bashir show (we like him at our house as he spares no unclear opinion carefully considered), he ran clips of Prez Obama with New Jersey Gov. Christie. Kudos go out to Prez Obama setting aside the campaign and truly governing. A cheer went up at our house when Obama announced he had "instituted the 15 Minute Rule for returning phone calls" from the politicians and officials in the devastated states.
Obama is hands on, demanding all agencies to abandon the usually frustrating red tape and give immediate help.
From Denny: Have you ever noticed that when you go off the grid your mind turns to comedy? OK, during a hurricane the mind often slides on down toward dark humor.
After all, your brain is geared up to engage with technology and suddenly finds itself in total withdrawal. And, it's a good thing that humor was created. It's the best weapon in the human arsenal for survival.
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The Swamp House at New Orleans Audubon Zoo that houses T-Boy Nutria, the Groundhog Day prognosticator - Image via Wikipedia
From Denny: Groundhog Day contenders are popping up all over America. Groundhogs are not native to Louisiana (because it's too hot) but we didn't allow a little factoid like that to stop us. Louisiana likes its holidays so what effort was it to rustle up another creative idea than to draft the swamp rat nutria into the Groundhog Day?
Up in the northern part of America it's considered really bad news when a groundhog sees its shadow, foretelling another miserable six weeks of winter. But here in Louisiana it means a spring that is shorter than usual.
A short spring means summer's grueling heat and drippy humidity will return sooner than desired. So, you see, burrow-loving animals can come in handy to predict the weather both in the chilly North and the hottie Deep South.
From Denny: Predicting the end of winter is serious business in America. We take our groundhog psychics seriously, so seriously that several other cities are promoting their own prognosticators. Watch the media attention grow and the dollars flow in for tourism.
Punxsutawney Phil
The psychic rodent best known is Punxsutawney Phil of Pennsylvania. His fan club, The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, keeps those all important statistics.
Their groundhog Phil has seen his shadow 99 times, which means winter will continue another six weeks. He has not seen his shadow only 16 times. Only nine years are not accounted for since they have been keeping records since 1887. FYI, it isn't the exact same rodent for the past century.
From Mike Johnston, Vice President of the Inner Circle of Punxsutawney Phil, he says that Phil "has never been wrong. Phil can't err because he never applies his prognostication to a specific place. I guarantee you someone's going to have six more weeks of winter." I bet he winks every time after dishing out that boat load of wisdom.
Image by Official U.S. Navy Imagery via FlickrFrom Denny: The massive storm, Hurricane Irene, that came on land as a category 1 storm on Sunday, left behind billions of dollars in damage and plenty of clean-up headaches. The devastation is widespread because of the relentless 12 hours of rain that pummeled an already soaked landscape.
The video clips tell the story: Rivers of water rushing through a Vermont town, mud-slimed furniture thrown out of houses during clean-up.
Those of us here in Louisiana know the pain of these people. We deal with flooding threats every year. We bear the brunt of extra unexpected financial worries that come from these disasters. We understand how difficult it is to keep your attitude positive and start over once again.
The only good news that may come out of this storm is that the rebuilding may stimulate the economy is these areas. To date this huge hurricane affected 66 million people in America, the largest ever in our history.
From Denny:Congress and President Obama have so slashed the federal budget on the backs of the low-income and retired Americans that many are dying in this heatwave. What has happened?
Federal weather assistance fund broke
About $5 billion from a federal fund is spread around the states every year to help subsidize those households in need of covering their heating and cooling bills. The usual gamesmanship in Washington is now wrecking havoc on the most personal level.
Our federal government generally reserves several hundred million dollars to distribute during weather emergencies. We have certainly seen our fair share of weather emergencies for several years now.
America has the most violent and extreme weather of any nation on the planet. Just this one year we have experienced monster hurricanes, tornados wiping out whole towns, raging floods from the Spring snow melt, fires from drought-striken areas of the country, extreme cold in the winter and now extreme heat this summer.
That emergency weather fund used to be $590 million but recently Congress slashed it by almost two-thirds to only $200 million. Why is that significant? Before the heatwave began the fund went dry, completely empty of assistance monies.
From Denny: At almost 200 mph a tornado obliterated half of the town of Joplin, Missouri, of about 50,500 population. This is some stunning video to witness such complete devastation from a level four tornado.
Current estimates are that at least 116 people have died in this sudden fierce storm last night. The storm touched down at 5:41 PM last night. The town had only 24 minutes after the warning sounded to get to safety.
The three-quarter wide twister cut a four mile swath through this town. It is the fiercest storm to hit America in 61 years since the National Weather Service started keeping records. More tornadoes are predicted today to strike the area again.
While the rain pounds relentlessly there are rescuers and volunteers from 40 agencies fanning out across the town to help. Sadly, the town's hospital, St. John's Regional Medical Center, was hit directly and badly damaged. The storm was so severe that residents 70 miles away found X-rays from the hospital in their driveways.
From Denny: When it rains it pours, goes the proverb. It applies to weather these days from the Spring snow melt-offs flooding the American Midwest to the South to the frenetic weirdo politics of 2012 presidential campaigning.
Mississippi River flood
I live in south Louisiana in Baton Rouge, a large city just south of the Morganza Spillway. The Army Corps of Engineers let open a number of gates to flood 18,000 acres of farmland and small towns. They hoped to save two of the largest population centers that are each a large port: the capital city of Louisiana, Baton Rouge and the largest port, New Orleans.
So far the drought conditions in Louisiana have contributed to keeping the earthen levees strong enough to hold the strong Mississippi River while it pushes to change its course. Millions of gallons of water per minute are straining to scour the river bed and the levees as the river challenges its boundaries.
At present the estimated damage economically is about $2 billion due to the flooding. The flooding prevents planting crops that feed the nation. The flooding prevents port traffic on the River that slows down or prevents the chemical plants, the oil refineries and farms from delivering products.
Osama Bin Laden death
Speaking of boundaries - it's that segway thing - Bin Laden wore out his welcome on the national stage a decade ago and has been hunted ever since. Finally, this president and his intelligence community found the rat, set the trap and dealt with him and his enablers.
From Denny: This weekend I traveled downtown in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to take a look for myself at the above flood stage Mississippi River in my home town proverbial back yard. Can I tell you it was a regular "shock and awe" moment?
Just imagine for a moment a herd of elephants gone rogue and running fast and furious down hill. They are a herd packed tight and fanning out three miles wide. The Old Man River looked like those elephants were just under the water, the top of their heads barely seen in the rough choppy water. The surface of the water looked like a 60 mile an hour wind was pushing it yet the reality was there was barely a slight breeze.
Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide warm up the climate while some aerosols like sulfate, from fossil fuel combustion, are a cooling influence on global warming, acting as a counterbalance.
Energy balance on Earth affected by aerosols and clouds
Arctic clouds and aerosols are thought to influence the loss of sea ice, carving out a niche as important roles in the energy balance on Earth. We all know what a cloud is but do you know what an aerosol is?"
*** Poem and photography: Ever wonder "just how hot is it?" this summer...
Sweltering Summer Heat
The country is baking in a heat wave. Temperatures are rising high and higher. Trapped heat stands like waving fingers Escaping from the hot pavement in hope It can ride the air to a cooler place.
Weathermen roll out maps of restless red, Colored past state lines all over America. High hot numbers marking the worst cities Where people faint from the heat and The energy grid strains to provide relief.
Emergency crews rush to put out fires and Hospital emergency rooms fill up while City officials turn off the electricity in Rolling brown-outs to limp past high demands; News media records it all, making you feel hotter.
People open their doors to go outside and Are greeted by a blast of humid high heat That just takes your breath away, gasping. You touch the door on your car only to scream, Burned as you grasp and lift the handle.
Inside the car, you fumble for the hot knobs To crank down the air conditioning full blast While you drive down the road sweating like You just ran a marathon standing perfectly still. And you ask yourself, “Did I really need those groceries?”
Denny Lyon Copyright 16 July 2010 All Rights Reserved
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From Denny: Here we are now four long weeks into an extended winter, proclaimed by the celebrity groundhog himself to last a full six weeks. Punxsutawney Phil is known around the globe for his famous forecasting abilities even the psychics envy. And he does it all on a non-cash basis, preferring to barter for great room and board, yummy treats, lots of petting and celebrity status adoration. Read that as he is one spoiled pampered little guy. His fan club is known as the Inner Circle and is made up of local dignitaries dedicated to providing his lavish style.
Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2010 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:
Hear Ye Hear Ye Hear Ye
On Gobbler's Knob on this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2010, Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators awoke to the call of President Bill Deeley and greeted his handlers, John Griffiths and Ben Hughes.
After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers, Phil proclaimed, "If you want to know next, you must read my text. As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me. So six more weeks of winter it will be."
With that he bid everyone a good night as he retired to sleep away the remaining winter. Too bad we can't get off that easy.
Check out the well dressed fellows of Punxsutawney Phil's Inner Circle who are responsible for arranging Phil's publicity and celebrity events:
*** To contact the Inner Circle send e-mail in care of events@punxsutawney.com
How did this revered Pennsylvania tradition of Groundhog Day begin?
As with most cheeky endeavors, it evolved over humorous time. Groundhog Day has its mysterious roots in the earliest Christian celebration of Candlemas where candles were distributed and blessed. It was declared if there were clear skies on that day then it was an omen there was to be a longer winter.
Well, one thing led to another, for the ancient Roman legions were to spread the custom during their conquest of the northern country to the Germans. The German culture added some sparkle to the celebration by declaring if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, then a hedgehog would cast his shadow. The Germans declared this shadow business as a sound prediction of six more weeks of bad weather, also known as Second Winter.
Yeah, but where does Pennsylvania come in? Come on, we all know America was settled by immigrants, hordes of them. The German hoarde came to Pennsylvania and this fun groundhog custom stuck. The Germans have a wonderful sense of humor about life sometimes.
What does a furry marmot like our boy Phil have to do with the celebration anyway?
"The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" popped into existence back in 1886-1887 (exact date lost in the mists of time) when a fun-loving group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney formed the group. As luck would have it there was a cheeky newspaper editor, of The Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, in the group so you can imagine how he took the story and ran with it. Or should I say he ran away with it - all over the world. He did such a good job of marketing the local groundhog named Phil that he was dubbed as "the one and only weather prognosticating groundhog." That's a pretty big reputation to uphold but the succession of Phils in the dynasty have made their great great great... grand daddy groundhog proud.
The funny thing is this editor issued his "proclamation" coincidentally on Candlemas Day, renaming Candlesmas as Groundhog Day. Boy Phil's fame sure spread, all the way around the world in thousands of newspapers equally smitten with the marmot's Gobbler's Knob predictions.
Today the Groundhog Day festival has grown to over 20,000 people in live attendance at the Gobbler's Knob site. Around the world, the news networks carry Phil's psychic prediction live to millions who are waiting with breathless anticipation. Like we can't plan our week without knowing whether Punxsutawney Phil has given his blessing.
Groundhog Day 2009 video - Watch the procession to Gobblers Knob by the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and Punxsutawney Phil's Prognostication:
A little late winter Groundhog Day Poetry to get you through the next two weeks before Spring arrives:
Old English song:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.
Old Scotch couplet:
If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There'll be twa (two) winters in the year.
Another variation of the Scottish rhyme:
If Candlemas day be dry and fair,
The half o' winter to come and mair,
If Candlemas day be wet and foul,
The half of winter's gone at Yule.
*** Be sure to check out the official Groundhog Day site for a poetry competition! It is a proper "dot org" and provides lesson plans and all manner of cheeky fun for teachers and students - and writers...
From the site, here's their fun offer: Create a two to four stanza poem that talks about Phil, groundhogs, the six weeks of winter, prognosticating, shadows, the weather and more. We will post selections on our website. With 15 million visitors annually, it may bring you fame or at least get you or your school on our web page. Send entries to Inner Circle member: Ben Hughes aka "Fog Spinner" at bhughes@pah.org.
But wait, there's more... these guys at this celebration are some kind of cheeky. They have created their own Groundhog Cookies. Here's the delicious recipe to make for your own celebration every winter!
Groundhog Cookies
Does it get any better than this on the humor meter? To order a Groundhog Cookie Cutter go to Groundhog Stuff.
Groundhog 4.5" cookie cutter, the bigger the better as it is more majestic, deserving of such an awesome celebrity, don't you think?
Groundhog Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg yolk
1 egg, slightly beaten
Currants or raisins
Directions:
Sift together first seven ingredients. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in molasses and yolk. Stir in flour mixture and mix well. Form into a ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill overnight, several nights or freeze.
Place small amounts of dough on a sheet of plastic wrap, and cover with plastic wrap. Roll 1/8 inch thick. Cut out cookies with lightly floured cutter.
Place cookies on greased baking sheet. Brush with slightly beaten egg. Decorate with currants or raisin eyes. Repeat until all dough is used.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Makes 72 or more medium-sized groundhogs.
*** If you prefer to order the cookies: They are $3.99 plus shipping for 12 regular or 18 minis. Ask for plain, iced or sugared.
County Market in Punxsutanwey: email orders to punxsutawneycm@svharbor.com.
According to the official groundhog day site: Over the course of Phil's appearances, Phil has had numerous noteworthy highlights:
During Prohibition Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink. (Psychics must need a stiff shot every now and then.)
In 1958 Phil announced that it was a "United States Chucknik," rather than a Soviet Sputnik or Muttnik that became the first man-made satellite to orbit Earth.
In 1981 Phil wore a yellow ribbon in honor of the American hostages in Iran.
Phil traveled to Washington DC in 1986 to meet with President Reagan. He was joined by Groundhog Club President Jim Means, Al Anthony and Bill Null.
Phil met Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburg in 1987.
In 1993, Columbia Pictures released the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray.
Phil appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show in 1995.
In the years following the release of the movie, record crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney!
In 2001, Phil's prediction was shown live on the JumboTron at Times Square in New York City.
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell attended the ceremonies, making him the first sitting governor ever to do so.
Also from Phil's official site as he likes to educate the public about his awesomeness and that of his relatives, by association, you know:
Groundhog Facts
The average groundhog is 20 inches long and normally weighs from 12 to 15 pounds. Punxsutawney Phil weighs about 20 pounds and is 22 inches long.
Groundhogs are covered with coarse grayish hairs (fur) tipped with brown or sometimes dull red. They have short ears, a short tail, short legs, and are surprisingly quick. Their jaws are exceptionally strong.
A groundhog's diet consists of lots of greens, fruits, and vegetables and very little water. Most of their liquids come from dewy leaves.
A groundhog can whistle when it is alarmed. Groundhogs also whistle in the spring when they begin courting.
Insects do not bother groundhogs and germs pretty much leave them alone. They are resistant to the plagues that periodically wipe out large numbers of wild animals. One reason for this is their cleanliness.
Groundhogs are one of the few animals that really hibernate. Hibernation is not just a deep sleep. It is actually a deep coma, where the body temperature drops to a few degrees above freezing, the heart barely beats, the blood scarcely flows, and breathing nearly stops.
Young Groundhogs are usually born in mid-April or May, and by July they are able to go out on their own. The size of the litter is 4 to 9. A baby groundhog is called a kit or a cub.
A groundhog's life span is normally 6 to 8 years. Phil receives a drink of a magical punch every summer during the annual Groundhog Picnic, which gives him 7 more years of life.
Groundhog Day - Not to be outdone by the Americans, UN officials held their own Groundhog Day.
In their own Groundhog Day ceremony, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), tying in reports on global warming, announced that there would be six more weeks of winter.
Over breakfast one morning, a woman said to her husband, "I’ll bet you don't know what day this is."
"Of course I do," he answered as if he was offended, and left for the office.
At 10:00 a.m., the doorbell rang and when the woman opened the door, she was handed a box of a dozen long stemmed red roses. At 1:00 p.m., a foil-wrapped, two-pound box of her favorite chocolates was delivered. Later, a boutique delivered a designer dress.
The woman couldn't wait for her husband to come home.
"First the flowers, then the chocolates and then the dress!" she exclaimed.
Top 11 Reasons to Celebrate Groundhog Day
11. It's on nearly every calendar.
10. Helps relieve cabin fever.
9. Spring or not, it's six weeks till St Urho's Day.
8. Forecast is no less reliable than the National Weather Service.
7. At least one of them critters is bound to see things your way.
6. Valentine's Day is too depressing for nerds.
5. Unlike the Easter bunny, he keeps his dirty paws outside.
4. As they used to say on radio: "The Shadow knows."
3. It's fun to say "Punxsutawney."
2. If a rodent can bring us an early spring, more power to him.
Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" - Robin Williams
Where does the white go when the snow melts? – Anonymous
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. - Hal Borland
Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world. - Virgil A. Kraft
In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours. - Mark Twain
You can't see Canada across lake Erie, but you know it's there. It's the same with spring. You have to have faith, especially in Cleveland. - Paul Fleischman
First a howling blizzard woke us,
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus. - Lilja Rogers
In springtime, love is carried on the breeze. Watch out for flying passion or kisses whizzing by your head. - Emma Racine deFleur
Indoors or out, no one relaxes in March, that month of wind and taxes, the wind will presently disappear, the taxes last us all the year. - Ogden Nash
Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. - Doug Larson
*** Hope you enjoyed this romp through Phil's life with enough grins to get you through the next two weeks left of winter! THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
