Wood Fake

Way back when, in 1917, the Army Air Service built a base in a rural area way south of Houston, Texas. As a training base, it went through different phases, including almost closing before WW2. During that war, the base was upgraded and continued in training aviators. In the 60's, NASA adopted the base for astronaut training, which is when I became aware of its existence. The astronauts, while training, would escape from the crowded air space around Houston and fly over my hometown. The even broke the sound barrier on one day, which led to some angry complaints, grounding of a few astronauts and a thrill only a child can understand. A flight of jets, at low altitude, breaking the sound barrier, while being watched, can only be described as a once a lifetime event. I still think it was a reaction to a bet, friendship, dare or retribution for some infraction by a local.

NASA built the Manned Space Center, which eventually was renamed the Johnson Space Center. The workers, scientists, engineers and astronauts lived in the adjacent community of Clear Lake. During the moon missions, it was an idylic place full of the then celebrity astronauts and those that took part in one of the greatest efforts of the human race. Not only was the community proud, the entire nation was proud of these pioneers of the next frontier. No space flight was possible without these people and the facility.

At the facility is a museum. I toured it when I was teenager. Besides the space capsules, rockets, and equipment on display, there were moon rocks, which I remember as though I looked at them this morning. A fine place to display the miracles of the space age, you would think one of the shuttles would finally come to rest at this location, but that's not the situation. The facility will get a shuttle made from wood, which I consider an insult to the fine people that made it all happen.

To those instrumental in this politically motivated travesty of condescension, go suck an egg. I hope your political career ends due to your decision. If not, I hope someone throws rotten vegetables at you daily until you can't live a normal life.

Bastards!

                      A real shuttle, in case you bastards don't have a photo.

Bird Sanctuary

I live in an area that can only be described as a bird sanctuary. The variety is almost astounding and the opportunities to watch birds only means stepping off the front porch.

In some earlier posts, I described some observations of a family of robins. Since that time, I've seen them, although their territory seems to have expanded.

I've been working on a large concrete dock, so I've been watching what are locally known as "Chimney Swifts", although I don't know if they're that, or some type of swallow. What's interesting is the nest they build. The picture below is a good representation of their nests.

This doesn't look like the bird, but the nest is identical.The birds - whatever they are - spend a substantial part of the day flying to a muddy bank a few hundred feet from the dock, grabbing a beak full of mud, then flying back to paste it to their nest. When not involved with this activity, they fly around and eat the swarming mosquitos, or "bathe" in the dust on a road, which I assume gets rid of parasites.

Yesterday, a crow visited the site. My guess is that the crow was looking for an easy meal of eggs, but its hopes were shattered when it was swarmed by the swifts and chased away. Although it tried more than once, all efforts were futile and it was forced to find a meal somewhere else.

The nests take up a substantial part of the overhangs on the dock and are placed precariously over the water, which has plenty of predatory fish to consume anything that falls in the water. Even without any predators, the birds are not equipped to swim; a fall would probably end with the bird drowning.

So, now you know substantially more about something that doesn't catch your interest.

You're welcome.

I was well into this post, when I realized I was like my father. He was fascinated by birds; he even put a bird bath in his back yard, so they'd have water and he could watch them. 

With me, it calms my mind to watch birds. Maybe it's a longing to escape - even for a moment - and be free of the confines of the ground.

Bizarre News

I started a long post about the zombie attack on the homeless man in Florida and the "personal decision" opinion of the President when it comes to selective abortion to determine the sex of a fetus, but reached the point I was too disgusted to continue.

WTF people? Am I the only sane person left in the world?

No Waste...

...of a catastrophe in California.

If there's any doubt in your mind about never trusting the government, this should remove it forever.

Writer's Block

I think I might be dealing with it. It's that or rapid cycling bipolar disorder, the culmination of a childhood head injury, laziness, procrastination, constipation or fatique. Then again, it might be I'm just pulling your leg and will wow you with something fantastically creative.

Only time will reveal the truth.