John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina.
He was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer, and composer. Gillespie, with Charlie Parker, was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz.

YouTube has some excellent videos of Dizzy Gillespie performing. This is one. Follow link for more. [Link]

The Birds are Turkey Vultures

Remember The Birds,directed by Alfred Hitchcock, 1963? Well, Chatham, a small town in southern Virginia, not far from the North Carolina border, has a bird problem too. The birds are buzzards (turkey vultures, Spanish (Mexico): el Zopilote, Cherokee: Suli) [Link]
About 300 of the critters have taken up residence in the little village, to the discomfort of the human inhabitants.

Shooting a turkey vulture is out of the question as they are protected by United States Code Title 16, Chapter 7, Subchapter I , International Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

Chatham Police Chief Floyd Poindexter: “The buzzards are nothing new here. They’ve just never been this close to residential areas. We don’t want them that close to residential areas.

"Why they like Chatham, I don't know."

Facts about turkey vultures you may not want to know (courtesy,TURKEY VULTURE FACTS, MAPS, and STATISTICS:

There is an important purpose to the vulture's bald head. When the vulture is eating carrion, it must often stick its head inside the carcass to reach the meat. A feathery head would capture unwanted pieces of the vulture's meal, along with all the bacteria it hosts. After mealtime, the turkey vulture perches in the heat of the sun. Here, whatever has managed to cling to the few bits of fuzz on their head will be baked off once and for all.

The turkey vulture is one of the only birds in North America with a sense of smell. This vulture relies both on its keen eyesight and powerful nose to search out food.

The Turkey Vulture, contrary to popular belief, does not feed strictly on carrion.
This bird enjoys plant matter as well, including shoreline vegetation, pumpkin, and bits of other crops. The Turkey Vulture soars above the ground for most of the day, searching for food with its excellent eyesight and highly developed sense of smell.

Non aggressive and non-confrontational, the Turkey vulture will not feed on live prey.

p.s. [Link]
to "Buzzards take over cell tower" at BoingBoing.


Watch for buzzards on bridge (click photo for larger view) courtesy Flickr

Presidential Signing Statements Started with James Monroe

Regarding The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, (H.R. 6407) signed into law on December 20.

This is one of the signing statements added to the bill by Mr. Bush. (The entire statement [Link] )

The executive branch shall construe subsection 404(c) of title 39, as enacted by subsection 1010(e) of the Act, which provides for opening of an item of a class of mail otherwise sealed against inspection, in a manner consistent, to the maximum extent permissible, with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances, such as to protect human life and safety against hazardous materials, and the need for physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection.

Press Secretary Tony Snow said yesterday that the government needs this power to inspect mail in cases of emergency.

The concern being expressed by many is in the White House definition of emergency. Some fear it may be whatever Bush want it to be.

Presidential signing statements can be traced back to James Monroe. The American Presidency Project [Link] has a lot of information about signing statements issued by many past presidents and the particular concern with statements issued by President Bush.

The ACLU calls the signing statement "deliberate ambiguity".

Senator Charles Schumer, D-NY :

"This last-minute, irregular and unauthorized reinterpretation of a duly passed law is the exact type of maneuver that voters so resoundingly rejected in November."

Senator Susan Collins of Maine, Republican sponsor of the bill:

"It is my hope that the administration will clarify its intent with this recent statement,"

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, says Bush is:

"willing to circumvent those legal protections intended to safeguard both our citizens' privacy and our national security."

God Speaks to Pat Robertson Again

The Viginian-Pilot[Link]
"The Lord didn't say nuclear. "But I do believe it will be something like that." Pat Robertson



"God is Love--tough Love."

Yesterday, Rev. Pat Robertson revealed to a waiting world part of a discussion he recently had with God almighty. Robertson said the informal talk included topics of the weather, politics, Gerald Ford's, Saddam Hussein's and James Brown's death. "God was pretty proud of the way that worked out, with all three going on the same weekend" Robertson said.

The major topics of the talk, of course, were homosexuality and abortion. Poverty, disease and the Iraq war never came up, according to Robertson. "God told me that until the homo thing and baby killing are squared away, he couldn't even begin to talk poverty and that other stuff." Mr. Robertson said that God is "really getting PO'd with these secular humanist, liberal, leftie, commies " and that He is "going to put (his) foot down, pretty soon." According to Mr. Robertson, "God is planning something really big for the end of '07. Something along the lines of a terrorist attack. I mean a BIG terrorist attack. Lots and lots of death and destruction."

When asked for a more specific date and details of how God's wrath will be dispensed, Robertson said, "God wouldn't be more specific than to say the end of 2007. He's holding his cards pretty close to his chest. There is still some logistical stuff to work out. Besides, he wants it to be a surprise. All I can tell you is that many will perish, including innocent women and children."

Robertson said his talk with the Almighty ended with best wishes for the new year all around. "Except towards the end of the year", Robertson chuckled. "You know, God has a wonderful sense of humor, and he told me a blond angel joke I wish I could share with you, but He made me promise not to." Robertson grinned his boyish grin and blushed as he added, "I really wish I could because it was a gem, only a teensy bit naughty. All I can tell you is that it has to do with a blond angel, a harp, puffy clouds, a lamb and St. Peter."

God has been talking to Mr. Robertson for many years now, and although not all of what God has told him has come to pass Robertson continues to feel confident and hopeful. "Hey, this could be the really big one" he said. "On the other hand, even God can be wrong now and then. After all, He's only human."

Post script:

There is an excellent letter to the editor of the Virginian-Pilot "Robertson's predictions stir up fear and trembling" which speaks to my main concern with Robertson and his prediction of doom. Since God did not tell him where or when these events will occur or what steps we can take to prevent them, why would Robertson tell us. To strike fear in the hearts of those who believe anything he says? Maybe.

I must admit, I thought I'd get a lot more mileage out my bypass surgery than I have. It's mostly forgotten by just about everybody, including me. When I take a shower and see the scar, I'm often taken aback and then I remember. Mostly I don't think about it. These things are so routine these days. And every body's doing it. It's no longer a novelty.

I was shaving at the Y this afternoon when I heard a voice next to me say, "I see you're a member of the club?" I turned to the voice trying to think of what club he might be referring too. "Excuse me?" I said. He pointed at his chest and I could see a scar down the middle of his sternum. Clearly, he'd had bypass surgery as well. His scar was barely discernible though, whereas mine is very visible still. I asked when he had his surgery and told him when I had mine and that was that. Just when I was thinking no one would ever notice. I've been waiting for somebody to ask what the scar is all about.

People were much more accepting of the heart surgery than they were of the prostate cancer surgery I had a few years ago. Friends disappeared in droves. Uh, oh. I fear I may have just lost you too, dear reader. As happened when I told friends of my impending surgery. It's that word. You know to which word I refer. I can only think that the fear the word is so great that some people just can't remain in proximity to it, spoken, written or walking around. They were my friends, too.

I have a hard time with the word too. Not so much with saying it, but now, as I type the word and see it on the page in front of me, I feel a bit uncomfortable. Embarrassed? Afraid? I'm not sure. I'm OK now. I was a lucky man. I am a very fortunate man. I really have nothing to be embarrassed about. So why am I?

I lost track of where I was going with this as soon as I typed the word.
Man, this is silly!

I'm going to excuse myself and say goodnight. Goodnight!


"You telling me you don't want to go?"

"I reckon that's about it. Yeah. I don't.
I don't want to go."

"You sure?"

"I'm damned sure. You bet I'm sure."

"Ok. If you're positive."

" I told you I was sure. Damned sure.
Positive. Man alive. What else do I got
to say? I do not--even if God came down
and asked me personally--I do not, now or ever---want to go to that meeting of scoundrels and lawyers. Do I make myself real clear?"

"Then I'll just go on without you. If that's alright. I'll just get on along by my lonesome."

"Thank you."

"Alright then. I'm outta here."

"Thank you. Have a nice time and please don't ask me again if I want to go."


Married to the Sea

Happy New Year

Daughter trucks in white Christmas, Concord Monitor , Concord, N. H. [Link]

The Sign Bandit, Exeter News-Letter, Exeter N. H. [Link]

"John Decker, aka "The Sign Bandit," becomes a household name in the Seacoast following his efforts to remove and have banned illegal roadside signs."

Have A Hoppin' New YearMesquite News, Mesquite, NV [Link]

"You'd have to have your head completely buried in the desert sand not to have heard of Hoppin' John."

Police Take Over for Fed-up Cabbie Cleburne Times-Review, Cleburne, TX [Link]

"Officers took Helm into custody on a charge of public intoxication after they noticed a strong odor of alcohol on him."

Pedestrians attacked by drive-by yolk-yobs, [Link]The Reading Chronicle, Reading, Berkshire, UK

"POLICE are warning shopkeepers to look out for anyone shelling out on large quantities of eggs after a spree of bizarre drive-by attacks on innocent pedestrians."

Get paid to send child to school on a bike, [Link]
The Bolton News, UK

"The Government has said the proposals will improve school transport, cut congestion and encourage children to lead more active lives."

Gay Weddings Prove Popular, [Link] Isle of Wight County Press UK

"Of the 48 services, all but six were partnerships between Island couples.
Twenty were female weddings and 28 male."