text:
Food Network's recipe of the day, pegged to Kwanzaa, was fried chicken. Charges of racism ensued. BuzzFeed takes a look.
Food Network called racist for fried chicken as Kwanzaa recipe
32 Responses
Number of complaints of racism filed after Food Network features corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day: Zero. Nada. Zilch.
Give it a rest already.
BTW: That chicken looks pretty good. Lunch time yet…?
It's nonsense like this that tend to invalidate the legitimate claims (and there are plenty out there) of racism. Time for these nitwits to move on to issues with merit!
Irony, thy name is BuzzFeed? Here is BuzzFeed's page on Kwanzaa foods from one year ago. Take particular note of the first item displayed:
Why is EVERYTHING and ANYTHING that happens or is said ALWAYS turned into the race card? Seriously, I'm so sick of that.
i love fried chicken. just saying.
There were probably no charges of racism on St. Patrik's day for corned beef and cabbage recipes because Irish isn't a race, and its a dish associated with the holiday.
It almost seems to me that the people making the claim that serving fried chicken on Kwaanza is racist are racist for making the claim. It's just chicken, folks.
Anyone know what happened to the recent restaurant review link in the online edition of this paper?
Kwanzaa itself is racist and fried chicken is a super-popular recipe for this African-American holiday. BTW, Kwanzaa has nothing to do with the African-American experience, since 90% or more of A-As are descended from West Africa, and Kwanzaa celebrates so-called "Swahili" values, which are East African, around 5000 miles away. Now, let the hate comments commence.
St. Patrick's Day, on the other hand, is a generally recognized "holiday" participated in by millions of Americans, while Kwanzaa is an invented holiday, created out of nothing, with fictional "African" roots and is observed by something less than 5% of blacks.
If a holiday is completely invented to make a political point, how is any food associated with it racist?
St. Patrick's Day is an actual religious holiday celebrated by Irish and Irish Americans that don't need to complain about such silly issues. On the other hand, Kwanzaa was invented in the 60's (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=kwanzaa&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.officialkwanzaawebsite.org%2F&ei=SrDdUK6dFIe_0QGElIDwDw&usg=AFQjCNFsiM3Fcfj-466wjfbVsr9TNSP0aw) because there wasn't an African American holiday.
'It's nonsense like this that tend to invalidate the legitimate claims (and there are plenty out there) of racism.' – You ain't kiddin'!
Racism is usually defined as views, practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior or superior. So How does posting a Kwanzaa
fried chicken recipe fit into this definition?
Kwanzaa, originated in 1966, is based on seven principles, none of which contain any stipulations about food.
i just got done with a month of watching sesame street's elmo's world holiday special with my toddler over and over again.
the kwanzaa part shows fried chicken being served on kuumba, the sixth day of kwanzaa.
yes, clearly sesame street was being racist in that depiction, too.
I can understand concerns about African American stereotypes, but the Food Network is far from the only website that is including fried chicken in its Kwanzaa recipe offerings. These sites are including African and American southern recipes in this group. I don't personally see a problem here – and the chicken looks delicious!
All holidays were invented at some point.
Over the years having lived in several regions in the US, I associate fried chicken with the South because in the South they cook it the best. I don't associate it with a race but a region. I think people who read race into everything need to get a life. I am not familiar with food traditions for Kwanzaa maybe someone who is could educate us on what they are.
Festivus for the rest of us!!!!!!
JB, most however are organic in that they spring from an event, or a social decision to commemorate a person or event e.g. MLK Day.
Kwanzaa is a hoax, notable for its attempt to reject rather than embrace a culture. It gathered some degree of recognition out of the fairly standard mix of lack of understanding (white culture thought it was an African import) and guilt (no one wanted to say the Emperor had no clothes).
Speaking of holidays that people only care about when there are gifts involved…time for the stores to start clearing out the terrible Christmas candy and start stocking the awful Valentine's Day candy, yay!
Speaking of sweets, I think it's racist that white chocolate is treated so poorly on Valentine's Day…and I'm Black!
White (chocolate) Power!
It's a good thing we have JB and others to let everyone know which holidays are "real" and which aren't, and which are worth celebrating.
I meant Elmer, not JB.
NB, what's the difference between them telling us and Hallmark?
Happy Festivus NB, knock yourself out!
Fried chicken has historically been popular with Southerners/Blacks. I can't believe this is being labeled as racist.
Kwanzaa is ostensibly an African-American holiday. Fried chicken is a popular Southern dish. One hundred years ago, 90% of those Americans of African-American descent lived in the South. Today only 57% do. Certainly many of the more than 30% of those who have moved north retain some of their families' cultural (including food) traditions. So, the numbers may justify the association, but someone at The Food Network might have anticipated this.
seriously? this is just too stupid to comment on.
well–I did comment, didn't I?
I think kawanza is great, so is fried chicken.
Why does every discussion of this type turn into an opportunity to belittle people whose opinions are different from ours? How much smoother (and quieter) would life be if the concerns about racism were met with a statement like this: Why does that seem racist to you? Then listen to the answer and try to understand. We'll never get anywhere expecting everybody to think and feel the same way. What good is the yelling across divisions doing our country?
Ask anyone in the USA who celebrates kwanza what they are serving for the holiday and I bet that many will say fried chicken is on the menu. I see nothing racist about this if this is what is considered a traditional food for this holiday. It's kind of like saying that it's racist for people to assume that Caucasians eat turkey to celebrate Thanksgiving. It is what it is. It has nothing to do with race. It has to do with tradition.
Honestly???? Who really gives a "sh-t" !


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Hokepoints Goes National
Last week I started playing with Lemming's recruiting information to see how national recruiting had changed over the last few decades. Too late for that article I realized I could actually take this study back more than a century using lists of historical lettermen published by various teams in their annual media guides. Using the same regional breakdown I tried to get data for the same six I used in the old decimated defense series—Michigan, MSU, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Alabama—but only three had accessible info.
These are based on letterwinners, not entire rosters, so scholarship freshmen on the scout team aren't counted. It still gives us a picture:
Vestibulum ut maior
First the goofy things. The breaks in Alabama's lines are 1919 and 1943, when the Tide didn't field teams because too many players were fighting World Wars I and II, respectively. That big spike for Bama right before WWII is because they were used as an officers training base just prior to the war. Michigan got this same temporary—by 1943 those officers had shipped overseas—bump, but not as many registered since most came from the Midwest (e.g. Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch from Wisconsin).
Second the obvious things. Notre Dame's claim to be a "national" program is defended by the data. From the 1920s through the '70s their teams were fielded from between 30% and 60% by players from outside of the Great Lakes States (plus Iowa). Since the '80s about 65% is the new normal. Michigan and Alabama tracked pretty similarly as major state schools who kept to their home regions up until Bo arrived. Beginning in 1969 Michigan began a trend upward that finally settled over 30% of players from outside their region. Alabama remained a predominantly regional program until Nick Saban arrived.
I zoomed in on the years since 1964 so we can better appreciate how coaching changes affected the programs:
Tangere facere magnum
Ewww don't touch me. I trust you know who Michigan's and Alabama's coaches were in 1964. The late '60s were the last time Michigan was as regional as Alabama. That now seems in danger of happening again. Last year Michigan dipped to 25.67% and Bama peaked at 25.33%.
Michigan graduated five players from outside the Midwest (Dileo, Gallon, Gibbons, Lewan, and Qwash), and two more (Ash and Furman) aren't returning for fifth years, but they brought in nine this year (Peppers, JBB, Winovich, Pallante, Watson, Speight, Mone, Cole and Canteen) so I expect their total to climb a little for 2014. It's too hard to say what Bama's number will be since they still need to cut 10 or 11 players before fall.
Championships win defense. Carr's 1997 championship, Parseghian's 1966 one, and Saban's 2009 title were all followed by steep increases in national recruiting; of the 14 titles in that chart two (Holtz's in 1988 and Stallings's in 1992) were accompanied by drops in the % of roster made up of extra-regional players. Michigan's historical peak is 2000, three years after their only TV-era national championship and one year after their Orange Bowl victory. The great Hoke classes of the last two years were very local.
[After the jump, I test another culprit]
Unverified Voracity Rides The Dolphin
Pretty much. Midnight Maize returns with MS Paint sidearm:
I do not know why Petway is riding a dolphin.
Brackets. Surveying the panoply of brackets at the Bracket Matrix gives the impression that to most Michigan is currently a three seed. Michigan's currently the last one overall, but the Matrix generally lags as brackets are up to a week old. They're on the cusp of a 2, especially with Oklahoma State losing last night.
That's where Jerry Palm has them, in a rather unpleasant region with potential rematches against Stanford (the 11), Iowa State(the 2) and Arizona(the 1) plus winged-helmet-on-winged-helmet crime in the opener against Delaware. There is exactly no reason to get exercised about team placement in a random January bracket, I know. I just am not feeling positive about that business.
More on Aneurysm Two. Beilein has not and apparently will not disclose what set him off, but when MLive is getting screenshots from youtube of the LeVert layup attempt that was (officially) blocked by Appling, it seems that everyone agrees. Beilein, for his part, on Stauskas getting him away from the spittle exchange:
"Yeah, that was a good assist by him," Beilein said of Stauskas in the postgame press conference. "He was a little rough with me, too. I was in control, though, believe it or not."
I do not entirely believe it, and if it was anyone other than John Beilein I would be snorting in derision. Also:
"(Stauskas) made a great move there because I was an innocent bystander at the time," Beilein said. "At any rate, we got through that. That would have been a shame if I would have gotten a technical at that time."
The implication there is that Beilein started barking at this Wymer guy and it was Wymer who got in his face. Imagine that happening to, say, Tom Izzo. It does not compute. No wonder he blew up.
Coach Mitch. Presented without context.
"I'm Coach Mitch," McGary said to reporters after the game Saturday.
Also, another photo in the Horford/McGary odd couple bin:
Photographers, you have been notified that side by side shots of McGary and Horford are of bottomless joy and utility.
Aw man. I was just getting into the swing of calling the Huskers something like Increasingly Dangerous Nebrasketball™ and they had to go and kick Deverell Biggs off the team.
[checks kenpom]
Nevermind! Biggs was a unique combination of high volume and absolutely miserable efficiency: his usage rate was 35th nationally and his ORTG 92nd. I'm only thinking this is a major loss because Biggs had 14 points against Michigan. Now I am worried abut Michigan's defense. More worried.
Just another Alabama offseason. Alabama fans believe they will take 27 kids in this recruiting class, which means they'll have to eject eight guys from the program. Unless it's actually eleven, ie, the different between Michigan signing the 16 or 17 they expect to this year and a near-NCAA maximum class. At least Bama fans are no longer able to deny what's happening with sleight of hand, and have to admit they don't care:
Don't care.
Scholarship limits are designed to limit student-athlete opportunities in the name of competitive balance. Those who laud scholarship limits while suggesting that oversigning is harmful to student-athletes are hypocrites.
Next question.
I knew I shouldn't have worn my I LAUD SCHOLARSHIP LIMITS t-shirt today. The only thing more endangered by Alabama than backup offensive linemen are strawmen.
Injuries issues for Wisconsin hockey. Badger defenseman Tyler Barnes will be out for this weekend's series at Yost. Nick Kerdiles, a first round pick, is questionable after missing the Michigan series in Madison. Even if they get a weakened version of the Badgers, Michigan is going to have to significantly step up their game to compete with the #5 scoring offense in the country.
Wow, Yost. Remember that? It's January 28th and this is the first game at Yost since December 11th. Scheduling. I am not impressed with it. If they're going to have all these bye weeks because the conference tournament is one weekend instead of three, they should endeavor to fill breaks like last week with nonconference series. I very much want to go to hockey in January, because it's a star attraction. In the heart of football season it's not.
Well now. There's been a kind-of-bonkers rumor floating around the past few years that when Red retires, one of the primary candidates to replace him will be Mike Babcock. Here is the first circumstantial evidence this is not something a twelve year old posted on a message board:
"He always mentions that -- (coaching college hockey) at some point -- when we talk," Berenson said. "When he's done (in the NHL), he could see himself doing that. He's a student of the game and understands academics and sports and life after hockey."
IIRC, Red's tentative plan is to serve out the next two years of his contract and then hang it up. If Babcock wants the job I think we might let him have it.
Etc.: Obituary of the year. Venric Mark will return for Northwestern. Hockey moves up its recruiting calendar by six months so coaches can talk to guys before the CHL drafts. Nebraska's new ice rink will not support D-I hockey. Oh man I forgot to put the fact that MSU was favored by five by Vegas in the 30 for 30 pitch.
Upon Further Review: Bama Offense vs Oklahoma, a Hokepoints
Years ago, Brian posted a UFR of a West Virginia game in order to provide his readers with a feel for how the Rodriguez spread offense worked. Nussmeier's offense at Alabama isn't so different from Michigan's under Borges in 2013, and indications are he plans to be a little more dynamic than he was under Saban. But I wanted to get a feel for the subtle differences, for the kinds of plays he ran with the kind of talent Michigan has been recruiting. And I've been meaning to actually try my had at UFR-ing because I know a guy who learned an awful lot about football that way. So I put Nussmeier's last game under further review, in hopes of maybe separating what's Nuss from what was just the Tide.
I went with this year's Sugar Bowl since they faced a defense whose talent level was relatively close to their own. Unfortunately Oklahoma's 30-front defense is closer to Michigan's than any M opponents save Notre Dame, and things you do with a fake plastic tree at quarterback are not the same you do with Devin Gardner, Most Alive Man on the Planet. I've since been downloading some games from his time at Washington and might do one of those next week if this attempt doesn't put me off forever.
Meta note: UFR is really Brian's thing. I am an interloper here.
FORMATION NOTES: Nothing very fancy. Not a lot of fullbacks; when they went to a Pistol H-back formation usually it was just a U-back they motioned into that spot. They do have a hybrid Shotgun-Pistol formation that's Pistol (QB is 5 yards behind L.O.S.) with the RB offset like in the gun. This isn't uncommon:
Oklahoma spent a lot of time in the 3-3-5 nickel above that was sometimes more like a 4-2-4-1, by which I mean the Quick (Deathbacker, stand-up WDE, Thing-Roh-Was-And-Shouldn't-Have-Been) came up to the line, and they nearly always kept one safety deep. When Bama subbed in an extra TE they went to a 3-4 with a safety playing the backside OLB; I called this "3-3-5 Eagle."
…and later started cheating this (not like how Bama does) like hell to the field:
Later on they did this then audibled out of it, moving Striker to the other side of the line; Bama hit them with a 43-yard run down the middle.
Oklahoma also used lots of Okie and things like Okie, which led to this:
From top to bottom on the line of scrimmage that is a WDE/OLB rusher type, a 3-tech, the MLB, a 5-tech, and the box (not Spur) safety, and two more safeties in the LB area. I asked for help and decided to call it 3-3-5 Dime to differentiate it from the nickel look; usually the MLB backed off into coverage anyway.
[after the jump]
The 2013 Iron Bowl: Auburn should be dead, because we watched it die
Orson on the Iron Bowl.
How to make a Jell-O mold of Nick Saban's face
oh no spilly
Inside the Saban autograph tsunami as fan tries to give Alabama coach a gift
do you activate Godwin's Law if your Hitler comparison is positive?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Set type
|O(n+m). See difference.
|O(1). Is this the empty set?
|O(1). The number of elements in the set.
|O(log n). Is the element in the set?
|O(log n). Is the element not in the set?
|O(n+m). Is this a subset? (s1 isSubsetOf s2) tells whether s1 is a subset of s2.
|O(n+m). Is this a proper subset? (ie. a subset but not equal).
|O(1). The empty set.
|O(1). Create a singleton set.
|O(log n). Insert an element in a set. If the set already contains an element equal to the given value, it is replaced with the new value.
|O(log n). Delete an element from a set.
|O(n+m). The union of two sets, preferring the first set when equal elements are encountered. The implementation uses the efficient hedge-union algorithm. Hedge-union is more efficient on (bigset union smallset).
|The union of a list of sets: (unions == foldl union empty).
|O(n+m). Difference of two sets. The implementation uses an efficient hedge algorithm comparable with hedge-union.
O(n+m). The intersection of two sets. Elements of the result come from the first set, so for example
import qualified Data.Set as S data AB = A | B deriving Show instance Ord AB where compare _ _ = EQ instance Eq AB where _ == _ = True main = print (S.singleton A `S.intersection` S.singleton B, S.singleton B `S.intersection` S.singleton A)
prints (fromList [A],fromList [B]).
|O(n). Filter all elements that satisfy the predicate.
|O(n). Partition the set into two sets, one with all elements that satisfy the predicate and one with all elements that don't satisfy the predicate. See also split.
|O(log n). The expression (split x set) is a pair (set1,set2) where set1 comprises the elements of set less than x and set2 comprises the elements of set greater than x.
|O(log n). Performs a split but also returns whether the pivot element was found in the original set.
O(n*log n). map f s is the set obtained by applying f to each element of s.
It's worth noting that the size of the result may be smaller if, for some (x,y), x /= y && f x == f y
O(n). The
mapMonotonic f s == map f s, but works only when f is monotonic. The precondition is not checked. Semi-formally, we have:
and [x < y ==> f x < f y | x <- ls, y <- ls] ==> mapMonotonic f s == map f s where ls = toList s
|O(n). Fold over the elements of a set in an unspecified order.
|O(log n). The minimal element of a set.
|O(log n). The maximal element of a set.
|O(log n). Delete the minimal element.
|O(log n). Delete the maximal element.
O(log n). Delete and find the minimal element.
deleteFindMin set = (findMin set, deleteMin set)
O(log n). Delete and find the maximal element.
deleteFindMax set = (findMax set, deleteMax set)
|O(log n). Retrieves the maximal key of the set, and the set stripped of that element, or Nothing if passed an empty set.
|O(log n). Retrieves the minimal key of the set, and the set stripped of that element, or Nothing if passed an empty set.
|O(n). The elements of a set.
|O(n). Convert the set to a list of elements.
|O(n*log n). Create a set from a list of elements.
|Ordered list
|O(n). Convert the set to an ascending list of elements.
|O(n). Build a set from an ascending list in linear time. The precondition (input list is ascending) is not checked.
|O(n). Build a set from an ascending list of distinct elements in linear time. The precondition (input list is strictly ascending) is not checked.
|O(n). Show the tree that implements the set. The tree is shown in a compressed, hanging format.
O(n). The expression (showTreeWith hang wide map) shows the tree that implements the set. If hang is True, a hanging tree is shown otherwise a rotated tree is shown. If wide is True, an extra wide version is shown.
Set> putStrLn $ showTreeWith True False $ fromDistinctAscList [1..5] 4 +--2 | +--1 | +--3 +--5 Set> putStrLn $ showTreeWith True True $ fromDistinctAscList [1..5] 4 | +--2 | | | +--1 | | | +--3 | +--5 Set> putStrLn $ showTreeWith False True $ fromDistinctAscList [1..5] +--5 | 4 | | +--3 | | +--2 | +--1
|O(n). Test if the internal set structure is valid.
|Produced by Haddock version 2.4.2


text:
According to PWInsider.com, the character of "Harold" during the anger management segment on Raw tonight was played by indy talent Scorpio Sky.The Wrestling Observer reported yesterday that Sky was scheduled to take part in the post-SummerSlam WWE tryout camp but did not attend. No word on whether or not Sky has been offered a WWE deal, but it appears as if he is not headed to TNA despite rumors that he might be signing a deal there.
Have a news tip? Attended an event and want to send a live report?


text:
Innovative New Patent Awarded to 7's Electronic Cigarettes
Sep 27, 2013, 18:21 ET from SS CHOICE, LLC
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Sept. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- New Patent awarded to SS CHOICE, LLC's 7's Electronic Cigarettes. New patent award follows previous Company patents to place SS CHOICE, LLC in an unrivaled position.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130927/DA88254LOGO)
The United States Patent Trademark Office has awarded a new patent to SS CHOICE, LLC. The technology covered by this new patent will provide consumers with the most contemporary electronic cigarettes in today's market place.
One advantage this new patent allows is for the e-cig smoker to determine the level of e-liquid remaining in a "tank system" cartridge versus having to change an old technology cartridge that is smaller in volume with no see-through window. The new SS CHOICE patented technology allows the electronic cigarette to be filled less frequently and lasts much longer between e-liquid refills.
On September 10th, 2013 the United States Patent & Trademark Office published Patent No. 8,528,569, for the "next generation electronic cigarette cartridge" belonging to SS CHOICE's 7's Electronic Cigarettes. This patent offers unequalled technology that embodies ultramodern hi-tech design for Clearomizer, Tank, Clear Cartomizers, and Tank Systems.
SS CHOICE, LLC, established in 2009, has invented, advanced, and patented a significant technology that enriches consumer electronic cigarette functionality. Through the grant of a new patent, the SS CHOICE 7'sElectronic Cigarette brand further establishes itself as a leader in bringing consumers state-of-the-art improvements to "alternative to smoking tobacco products."
The 7's brand is distinguished in the e-cig industry for the manufacture and supply of unsurpassed electronic cigarettes, e-liquids, and accessories available to non-tobacco smokers at least 21 years of age. The Company is dedicated to continued research and development aimed at evolving and advancing electronic cigarettes technologies.
Bradford J. Cunningham, Board of Directors, stated, "SS CHOICE's wide range of technologies covered by awarded and pending patents, replace obsolete electronic cigarette designs and represent the prospect for new customer relations supported by exclusive technologies for the future of the electronic cigarette industry."
Press release contact:
Media Relations
SS Choice, LLC
Phone: 1-877-771-5196
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.my7s.com


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Water: A Right and a Risk
I've grown up with a love of water. Swimming in it, boating on it, relaxing near it, drinking it. Water brings me peace and gives me life. I've often taken water for granted -- both the free water that I have such easy access to and the affordability and convenience of bottled water.
I've made a lot of changes in terms of my relationship with water and I could be more vigilant yet. To motivate myself and hopefully to educate and motivate others, I've decided to share what I've learned along the way as part of the Healthy Child Healthy World blog carnival on clean water and air solutions.
Water as a human right
In July 2010, the United Nations declared clean water to be a fundamental human right. According to a BBC article on the topic "about 1.5 million children under five die each year from water and sanitation-related diseases" (many of them drinking infant formula that has been mixed with dirty water) and "884 million people have no access to safe drinking water and more than 2.6 billion lack access to basic sanitation."
According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) publication The right to water, ensuring that access to clean water is a human right is essential to ensuring that it becomes a reality. Water as a right should mean that:
- fresh water is a legal entitlement, rather than a commodity or service provided on a
charitable basis;
- achieving basic and improved levels of access should be accelerated;
- the "least served" are better targeted and therefore inequalities decreased;
- communities and vulnerable groups will be empowered to take part in decision-making
- the means and mechanisms available in the United Nations human rights system
will be used to monitor the progress of States Parties in realizing the right to water
and to hold governments accountable.
Canada, apparently out of concern over its sovereignty over its natural water supply, abstained from the vote on the United Nations motion (which did pass), despite the fact that Canadian water activists say the resolution does not put Canada on the hook for sharing its water resources (source: Montreal Gazette).
This United Nations resolution is important because the availability of a clean water supply is still so uneven around the world, as can be seen in this graph from the WHO's The right to water:
Access to clean water "on tap" is something we take for granted. According to the WHO, when water is provided through a tap in the home, water consumption is around 50 litres per person per day and many households use, for example, up to 30 times more water for child hygeine compared with communities where people have to collect that water from a communal source. Our household consumption of water from our taps could certainly decrease (see Crunchy Domestic Goddess' Five Minute Shower Challenge if you want to try to decrease water consumption in your home).
Although we should reduce our household consumption of water overall, there is one exception. We should be turning our taps on more often to drink up instead of reaching for a bottle from the fridge.
Risks of bottled water
There is a huge market for bottled water. People now understand that it is healthy to drink water and they are decreasing their intake of other beverages in favour of water. Bottled water is convenient and people assume it is better and safer than what comes out of their taps. However, just like the promotion of infant formula (versus breastmilk), the promotion of bottled water comes with a huge advertising budget and a vested interest in trying to convince you that the free stuff isn't good enough. But just because an argument has lots of advertising dollars behind it, doesn't mean it is true.
According to the Mother Nature Network's (MNN)article 5 reasons not to drink bottled water, bottled water sales worldwide amount to between $50 and $100 billion annually and are increasing at an annual rate of 7 percent. This is shocking considering the downside of bottled water.
According to MNN's article, the 5 reasons (described and substatiated in detail in their article) not to drink bottled water are:
- Bottled water isn't a good value
- No healthier than tap water (and in some cases may even be riskier)
- Bottled water means garbage
- Bottled water means less attention to public systems
- The corporatization of water
There are other great articles on this topic too, including Food and Water Watch's Get the Facts on Bottled Water (includes a great video) and the New York Times Bad to the Last Drop by Tom Standage.
Better than bottled
We should be drinking water. Adults and children alike should be decreasing their consumption of sugary and caffeinated beverages and replacing them with water. We should decrease our consumption of bottled water, but that doesn't mean reaching for a bottle of Coca Cola or even a bottle of orange juice instead.
As an alternative to buying bottled water, people should consider the many benefits of purchasing a refillable stainless steel water bottle. Not only will you save money and avoid the other risks of bottled water mentioned above (such as endocrine disruptors leaching from plastic bottles), but you'll be making a much smarter and more sustainable choice. If you like your water colder than it comes out of the tap, purchase several stainless steel bottles so that you can keep a few in the fridge.
Some people may worry about the pollutants that are in their tap water and in some cases they would be right to worry (more action is needed on this front). But if you educate yourself about the water quality in your area (U.S. only) and look into water filtration options, you'll be much better off than purchasing a bottle of water than could come from an unknown tap source and be contaminated with unknown substances.
Fill up at the tap and put your money somewhere better
I mentioned above that the worldwide spending on bottled water is between $50 and $100 billlion annually and growing at 7 percent each year. I also mentioned the water crisis facing much of the developing world. Consider this:
Clean water could be provided to everyone on earth for an outlay of $1.7 billion a year beyond current spending on water projects, according to the International Water Management Institute. Improving sanitation, which is just as important, would cost a further $9.3 billion per year. (ref: Standage, Bad to the Last Drop, New York Times)
Imagine how much good we could do if instead of increasing our consumption of bottled water by 7 percent each year, we found a way to decrease it by 7 percent each year? What if we took the money we would have spent on bottled water and instead donated it to water and sanitation projects in countries in need? All it should take, theoretically, is one year of reversing the trend to ensure that clean water and improved sanitation is available around the world.
We should do this, as individuals, but our governments should be doing this too. According to Inside the Bottle, the Government of Canada spent over $5 million in a five year period buying tap water for locations that have access to safe tap water. The government's purchase of bottled water increased about 70 percent between 2003 and 2009. Just as individuals could opt to spend less on bottled water and put it towards water projects in developing countries, so too could the Government of Canada.
So grab a reusable water bottle. Fill it up at the tap. You'll be doing your health and finances a favour, you'll be doing the environment a favour, and if you do find a way to donate some of the money you saved to water projects in the developing world, you'll be helping those less privileged than us access the most basic of human rights.
I already try to do this, but I'll be trying even harder. I already use a stainless steel water bottle or a glass all the time at home and at work and I send them with my kids to school and carry them in my bag when we go out. But there still are times when we'll crack open a bottle of water because we forgot our own or because we weren't thinking. I'd like to eliminate those scenarios as much as possible and I'd also like to reduce my purchase of non-water bottled drinks (e.g. juices, soft drinks).
I'll be trying harder. Will you join me?
Image credit: greekadman on flickr
P.S. - Do you know a Mom on a Mission? Healthy Child Healthy World wants to honour special and inspiring women in the United States who are dedicated to creating healthier and happier environments for children and families. Nominations close very soon! Get your entry in by August 31, 2010.


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April 24, 2013
Youth Binge Drinking Can Lead To Heart Disease Later In Life
redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports - Your Universe Online
Binge drinking among young adults causes immediate changes in circulation that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life, according to new research published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."Regular binge drinking is one of the most serious public health problems confronting our college campuses, and drinking on college campuses has become more pervasive and destructive," said study leader Shane Phillips, PT, PhD, associate professor and associate head of physical therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
"Binge drinking is neurotoxic and our data support that there may be serious cardiovascular consequences in young adults."
College students age 18 to 25 years old have the highest rates of binge drinking episodes, with more than half engaging in binge drinking on a regular basis.
However, while previous studies have shown that binge drinking among adults age 40 to 60 years old is associated with an increase in risk for stroke, sudden cardiac death and heart attack, the effect on younger adults has not been studied.
In the current study, researchers looked at two groups of healthy nonsmoking college students: those who had a history of binge drinking and those who abstained from alcohol.
Binge drinking was defined as consuming five or more drinks (12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80 proof spirits or 8-9 ounces of malt liquor) in a two-hour period for males, and four or more such drinks in a two-hour period for females.
On average, the binge-drinking students had six such episodes each month over four years, while abstainers were defined as having consumed no more than five drinks in the prior year.
The students were also questioned about their medical history, diet, history of family alcohol abuse and frequency of binge drinking.
The researchers found that the binge drinkers had impaired function in the two main cell types — endothelium and smooth muscle — that control blood flow. These vascular changes were equivalent to impairment found in individuals with a lifetime history of daily heavy alcohol consumption, and can be a precursor for developing hardening of the arteries and other cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke, the researchers said.
Binge drinkers were not found to have increased blood pressure or cholesterol, which are well-established risk factors for heart disease. However, both high blood pressure and cholesterol cause changes in vascular function similar to what the students demonstrated.
"It is important that young adults understand that binge drinking patterns are an extreme form of unhealthy or at-risk drinking and are associated with serious social and medical consequences," said study co-author Mariann Piano, PhD, RN, professor and head of the department of bio-behavioral health science at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
"Discoveries and advances in many different areas of medical science have cautioned against the notion that youth protects against the adverse effects of bad lifestyle behaviors or choices."
The researchers said additional work is needed to determine if damage caused by binge drinking in young adulthood can be reversed before the onset of cardiovascular disease, and to determine the timeframe for onset of disease.
The study coincides with a new CDC Vital Signs report that finds that half of all high school girls who drink alcohol binge drink.
The problem is most commonly seen among high school girls and young women, although more than 14 million US women of all ages binge drink three times a month, consuming an average of 6 drinks per binge, according to the report.
This increases the chances of breast cancer, heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy and many other health problems, the CDC said.
"Drinking too much, including binge drinking (defined for women as consuming 4 or more drinks on an occasion) results in about 23,000 deaths in women and girls each year," the CDC wrote in its report.
Binge drinking may be particularly problematic for women and girls, because their bodies respond to alcohol differently than men´s. For instance, it takes less alcohol for women to get intoxicated because of their size and how they process alcohol.
Furthermore, pregnant women who binge drink risk exposing their fetus to high levels of alcohol, increasing the chances the baby will be harmed by the mother´s alcohol use.
The full CDC report can be viewed here.


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Forget teacup pigs, miniature horses and giant rabbits, and baby elephants. What I really need is a petite lap giraffe from Sokoblovsky Farms, Russia's Finest Purveyors of Miniature Lap Giraffes -- just like you've seen on those DirecTV ads. (Click on the link, above, to see the miniature giraffe cam.)
Just remember, Mother's Day is less than two months away....
[H/T to friend of the blog CRR]
*OK, technically I'm No. 172,268 on the wait list, BUT someday I will has petite lap giraffe.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Miniature giraffe, I has it*
3 comments:
So want one! Coming over and stealing yours when it is delivered!
- March 26, 2011 at 3:48 PM
- J. said...
How about joint custody?
Btw, here is the latest miniature giraffe ad (from DirecTV).
- March 26, 2011 at 5:48 PM
- jen said...
I'm #222,846...
I guess I'll just go get a goat. Their dang cute too!
- March 27, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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|( 6 upvotes )
|( 26 upvotes )
|( 8 upvotes )
|What great people
|( 5 upvotes )
|Teenager logic too. 5stars
|W-eed + guns = a good time! Don't knock it to you try it........mannnnnn. X-D (Don't agree w/the poster, but I still give this 5stars anyways, if for nothing else, it has picture from Pineapple Express in it. I mean, come on!) X-D LOL
|Because that America would be too awesome and no one would feel depressed or insecure for any reason (aside from people who get paranoid when they smoke), basically there system would fall apart.
|The only good thing about Libertarians is that there is no hidden agenda, it is all written in the constitution.
|The only good thing about Libertarians is that they want everyone to have guns and weed. Why can't we live in THAT America?
|...aside from 'political bs' I fail to see why anyone would want to keep it illegal. taxing and selling it could allow for a boost in the economy, fewer arrests and subsequent trials, more (legal) jobs, plus medical benefits and further research of them.
|but look at all the cases of people getting high on marajuana and going on murderous rampages, and causing bar fights, and high speed fatal accidents...
|Sure would end the war on drugs
|( 8 upvotes )
|How can that paper tiger support his weight?
Misc info


text:
" Klirinski interbankarski sistemi AD Skopje is a payment system operator providing settlement of small interbank payments in Macedonia and a provider of additional services in common interest of the banks".
Clearing of interbank payments of small amounts is the basic service managed and handled by KIBS.
KIBS manages the Single Registry of Transaction Accounts (ЕRTS)
Receipt of information on a blocked/deblocked transaction account by the payment transaction operator
A number of services for exchange of information between the suppliers of data and their users
Since June 2006, KIBS has been the first registered Issuer of Certificates (IC)


text:
|January 2011
|ABA YLD Home | Affiliate Newsletter Online | ABA YLD Affiliates Home
Welcome to e-Affiliate, an electronic update for young bar organizations and their leaders provided by the ABA Young Lawyers Division.
- Free 1/26 teleconference highlights two key programs to boost bar association membership.
- Affiliate roundtable and debate of key issues among events planned for the February ABA Midyear Meeting. Registration and hotel deadline is 1/14.
- Registration is now open for the 3/10-3/11 ABA Bar Leadership Institute (BLI) in Chicago. This two-day conference is the premier program for developing the skills and substantive grounding for leading a bar association with inspiration, insight and innovation.
- Division seeks 2011-2012 leaders and volunteers. Application deadline is 2/15.
- Submission process opens for Law Day Video Contest. Help spread the word about this contest which encourages high school aged students to participate in and increase their understanding of Law Day and the chosen Law Day theme: The Legacy of John Adams, from Boston to Guantanamo. The submission deadline 3/1.
- Application process opens for the Subgrant Program which provides funding to young lawyer organizations for activities that benefit local communities, leaders or members. Application deadline is 3/1.
- Nomination process opens for the Rosner & Rosner Young Lawyers Professionalism Award. Nomination deadline is 3/31.
- David M. Evans of San Antonio, TX (Texas Young Lawyers Association) wins the 2011 National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award (NOYLA). Finalists include Jessica King of Oshkosh, WI (State Bar of Wisconsin Young Lawyers Division), and Amanda A. Sansone of Tampa, FL (Hillsborough County Bar Association - Young Lawyers' Division).
- The January / February Affiliate is now online.
• Texas Lawyers Partnering for Pro Bono • New Lawyer Bootcamp Series: Basic Training in Legal Practice • Affiliate Spotlight: Louisiana State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section • The Child Advocacy Award • Affiliate Leader Spotlight: Melissa Gertz • Midyear Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia: What You'll Miss If You Don't Attend! • 2010–2011 ABA YLD Scholars • Around the Country . . . • Supreme Court Justice Captivates Audience at Santa Fe Fall Conference • Subgrants: What, How, and Who? • Failure Is the Key to Success
May 12-14, 2011 — Las Vegas, NV
ABA YLD Spring Conference
August 4-6, 2011 — Toronto, Canada
ABA YLD Events at the ABA Annual Meeting
Closing out your Bar Year?
Make sure your young lawyer affiliate organization continues to receive valuable ABA YLD information. Update your online affiliate profile today!
Your e-mail address will only be used within the ABA and its entities. We do not sell or rent e-mail addresses to anyone outside the ABA.
To unsubscribe, click HERE and follow the instructions.
Updateyour profile | PrivacyPolicy
American Bar Association | 321 N Clark | Chicago, IL 60654 | 1-800-285-2221


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Credit card numbers aplenty will be typed into online shopping sites today.
Really, you should be working. But this is the day a lot of consumers are online, doing their holiday shopping.
It's Cyber Monday, after all. (How many times have you heard that phrase today?)
So Clocking In wants to know if you're shopping or are you working? And if you're shopping, what are you shopping for? Also, if you're interested in any of our sizes or what we might want for Christmas, feel free to drop us a line. We'll be more than happy to help you. We know we're hard to shop for so gift cards work just fine too.


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Take a look at the below list of Top 10 Best Selling Maxi Dresses For Summer 2017. These maxi dresses will look wonderful on you no matter what size you are. Yes they are suppose to fit that way but they look great no matter what. If you are a lady that loves form fitting designs then these are great for you. You husband or boyfriend will love the way they make you look. Depending on where you buy the dress from depends on what you will get. Be very careful and if you do get a faulty dress tell the seller and they will refund your money. Having the choice of so many will make you want them all. Look at these top ten dresses and see what you think.
List of Top 10 Best Selling Maxi Dresses For Summer 2017
10. Shekiss Women Sleeveless Sexy Maxi Stretch Bodycon Party Bandage Club Dresses
This beautiful dress is comfortable to wear anywhere you go. Whether it is out to eat with friends or just to go shopping in a store. It is casual yet formal too. It is form fitting but accetns the body with the visual line of the material. If you are in a hurry but need to look your best then this is the perfect dress to grab. Just pull it on and go, that is it! The price is awesome for those that enjoy saving money and honestly who does not like to save money? Some reviewers had problems with the stitching lining up in the middle and they did not like that there is a seam that is very visible running along the middle of the dress. If you get the right seller then you will end up with a great dress for many different occasions.
9. Meaneor Women's 3 4 Sleeve Solid Plus Maxi Long Dress
The meanor maxi dress is not only pretty but will be a comfortable fit that every woman will enjoy. The waistband is elastic so you will not have to worry if it is going to fit correctly because it will stretch out. It can be worn at home all day if you just feel like lounging around or you can go out in it and still feel beautiful while also being comfortable. Reviewers love that the dress is true to size, if you order an XL then it is going to fit like an XL. It is well made and the stitching is perfect.
8. Kranda Women's Paris Bohemian 3/4 Sleeve Faux Wrap Maxi Dress
The material for this lovely dress is a mix between cotton, spandex, and polyester. It is not see through and has soft, stretchy material that will be a perfect fit for anyone. The neckline is a V-neck so it will show only a hint of cleavage for that peek-a-boo sexy feel you want to have. It is perfect for all seasons because it is long and has the option not only for three quarter sleaves but you can have it made with long sleeves as well. People really love this dress because it has the soft material and stretchy fabric that did not make them feel as if it was really tight on their body.
7. POSESHE Women's Solid V-Neck 3/4 Sleeve Plus Size Evening Party Maxi Dress
This dress would be perfect as a bridesmaid dress in a garden or beach wedding. It is sexy but elegant and is a wonderful choice for an evening party dress. You can dress up while wearing or just wear it for a casual setting. The soft, stretchy fabric is perfect for those bigger women that want to feel as beautiful as anyone else. It has a deep v-neck to show the cleavage off just enough for that sexy feel. The fabric is thick so may be best to wear in the spring or fall instead of the hot summer months.
6. Demetory Women'S Boho Casual Maxi Dress
This item is perfect for the hot summer months because the fabric is light and airy. The top is a little see through but if you wear a light colored bra or maybe a tank top underneath then it will be perfectly fine. The material has the perfect stretch so you could even wear as a maternity dress if you want to. It is floor length so if you are on the shorter side you may need to wear some heels or wedged sandals with it so you will not trip over the bottom. Everyone says it is super comfortable and feels great on the skin since the fabric is soft. The best thing about this one is that if you do not want to show off very much cleavage due to being in a public setting then just wear it backwards and it will look the exact same but the neckline will be higher! This is one of the Top 10 Best Selling Maxi Dresses For Summer 2017.
5. Yidarton Women's Wave Striped Summer Beach Dress Party Long Maxi Dresses
This jersey style dress is perfect for any occasion. You can wash it in a washing machine unlike some other maxi dresses that need to be hand washed. The material will fit comfortably and not be to tight since the bottom is made to flow out. The top has a lower neckline for a hint of cleavage to show so you can feel sexy while being dressed medestly. If you want to have a looser fit then just choose a size up and it will be perfect. If you want to dress up for a special occasion then slide into this dress and add a few accessories like a necklice and some heels and add a nice overtop jacket such as a blazer and you have a professional look all while being comfortable.
4. LILBETTER Women's Beach Crochet Backless Bohemian Halter Maxi Long Dress
You can wear this dress for any occasion such as a cocktail party or going out with family and friends, or just walking along the beach in the summer and enjoying a nice warm night. The crocheted top is beautiful and lined with some polyester material so it is not see through. It is long but not too long that you will trip over it if you decide to wear only a pair of cute sandals with it. You can pair a denim jacket together with this and it will make a great fall dress as well. People love how it fits so well and is not to tight.
3. LILBETTER Women V-neck Polka Dot Print Spaghetti Strap Boho Long Maxi Dresses
This is the best fitting dress so far because it has a very loose and wide hem on it. If you are a slimmer person then pair it with a belt and it will be real cute. The best thing about this product is that it has pockets made into it that are great for carrying your cell phone or something. I feel this is a more casual wear type dress but if you add some accessories then it could be worn to parties also. The fabric is soft and makes it really comfortable to wear at any time. The dress is perfect for them hot summer days.
2. 82 Days Women'S Rayon Span Jersey Maxi Long Dress
This is the perfect dress for daytime casual wear or you can wear it for a romantic outing such as a date. The neckline is rounded so it will show only a tiny amount of cleavage. The material is soft and it flairs out just under the bust line. Reviewers love how soft the fabric is and that it has a great flow to it. The hem goes to the floor and would be perfect for heels or some sandals.
1. ZANZEA Women's One Off Shoulder Striped Irregular Long Maxi Dress Kaftan Dress
Finally, our number one maxi dress is the zanzea off the shoulder dress. It has just the right amount of sexiness that you want for any type of outing. Whether it is a casual get together or a formal type of party. It is loose fitting so that it will flow around your body perfectly. There is a slit that runs up the material in front of one leg. The material is soft and feels perfect. Some people had issues with the neckline not coming off the shoulder but if you order up a few sizes I am sure it will fit just fine. Also the slit on some people was on the side of the thigh instead of running up the front but if you wear a belt for an accesory then just twist the material to where you need it and it will work ok too.
These are the Top 10 Best Selling Maxi Dresses For Summer 2017. Now that you have looked at them go get the card cause you will not regret these dresses one bit. If you think it needs to be a size up just look at what some of the other people say and go with that. You will need to look at the different colors and different designs so you know which one you will be getting. These are great for the summer and great for fancy get togethers. Or just buy them to it around the house in because you are sick of wearing the blue jeans you have. Enjoy these dresses while you can cause it will get cold at one point. I still wear mine if it is cold and I do stay a little warm but not much so be careful and do not get sick.


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Harta8 Vacation Home @ Golden Triangle
Address: No 7, Jalan Munsyi Abdullah, Golden Triangle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50100 (View on Map)
It is a very small yet comfortable hotel with two guestrooms. The Harta8 Vacation Home @ Golden Triangle has rooms with separate kitchen, spacious washrooms and well designed living rooms. The disabled boarders are provided with special facilities. There is an indoor swimming pool where the guests can spend their leisure time.
The restaurant and the café serve good food and drinks. The kids can play in the separate children's' pool. Internet connection is given to the boarders in each of the rooms. Extra bed must be rented if there is a child in the family. The hotel gymnasium is a good place for working out.


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HARVEY, La. - After finding what looks to be someone's wedding photographs from the 1960's, a local woman is doing what she can to find whoever they belong to.
She found the photos with her daughter while the two were in downtown New Orleans enjoying parades on Mardi Gras.
"What I love about this picture is somebody is hosting back there," said Yesenia Lockhart, while describing one of the photographs.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For Lockhart they also hold a thousand memories.
"My dad documented my life in pictures," she said smiling. "He had a Polaroid camera and this reminded me of that."
So when Lockhart and her daughter, Dania Ernestine, spotted some photos on the ground near the Rouses in the CBD, they picked up the Polaroids and saw they told someone's story.
"They were literally laying there, just waiting for me to walk up to them," she said.
The women said they know the photos are special to someone.
"I thought they were cool," said Ernestine. "I mean they look pretty special because it was somebody's wedding so I would think they were pretty special to somebody."
The two photos appear to show a wedding from December 1969.
"They're pretty old pictures," said Lockhart.
In one, a bride poses with a possible family member, while the other seems to be the bride next to her new husband.
"It just broke my heart that someone didn't have their wedding pictures," Lockhart said.
However it doesn't matter who's in the photos because for Dania and her mom, they just want them back in the hands of family.
"It's somebody's mom, somebody's aunt, sister, grandmother, somebody," Lockhart said. "At the end of the day, all we have are pictures."
So they turned to social media, with the hopes of finding an owner.
"I just want them to go back home," Lockhart said.
"I hope somebody comes and claims them because it doesn't feel right having somebody else's memories in our house," said Dania.
As they wait, they can't help but think that maybe it was fate that put these photos in their hands.
"I think so," said Lockhart. "Hundreds of people were walking by there some with coolers. And I happen to be looking down and pick them up?"
"I don't see how these photos ended up there," said Dania. "It's just so random and it was really random for us to end up with them. I do believe and feel like the people, if they come to claim these photos, that we were meant to meet each other."
If you know anything about these two photographs, or know who they belong to, please call the WWL Newsroom at 504) 529-6298 or you can e-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Record online video: download Record online video related software
oRipa Video Recorder 1.2.3
oRipa Video Recorder-Record streaming video and audio, online video (Windows Media, Real Video, QuickTime, Shoutcast). Record TV programs on your PC.
oripa, video recorder, record video, record online video, record audio, record streaming video, record tv, real video, windows media
Web Stream Recorder Pro 2013
Software that allows you to save multimedia data streams coming from the Internet or a LAN to your computer. Having saved these streams, you will be able to play them on your computer without connecting to the Internet.
record windows media, record video, record streaming video, record audio, record streaming audio, record music, record adult
liteCam 4.8
liteCam allows users to record any type of movie playing on a computer screen (whether it's streaming or non-streaming) to an AVI movie file. liteCam comes with Audio Setup Wizard, which automatically detects the sound card for easy recording.
record, streaming, online, movie, stream, streams, recording, screen, internet, video
Huelix ScreenPlay Screen Recorder 2.0
Huelix ScreenPlay Screen recorder records entire screen, a region of the screen or a specific window directly as compressed Windows Media Video. You can also record streaming video and record audio from a microphone or other source.
screen recorder, screen video capture, desktop recorder, streaming video recorder
WinAVI Video Capture 2.0
Do you want to remember your parties and travels? Record your favorite TV programs? You can with WinAVI Video Capture. WinAVI Video Capture can record your films from AV devices such as video tape and web-cam, save it on your computer and even burn
video capture, capture video, vhs to dvd, video recording


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|laziness, impatience, and hubris
Re: how to mute system volume under windows 7by dasgar (Priest)
|on Feb 28, 2014 at 06:26 UTC ( #1076473=note: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
Not sure if you would be comfortable with this idea, but you could download nircmd and use something like system/exec/backticks to call nircmd.exe to mute/unmute your system volume.
The syntax of nircmd to mute the system volume is nircmd.exe mutesysvolume 1 and use nircmd.exe mutesysvolume 0 to unmute the system volume. On my system running Windows 7 (64-bit), I was able to use both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of nircmd.exe to mute/unmute the system volume.
In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom


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Yeah, Obama did 'dat'!
13th November 2012 · 0 Comments
By Edmund W. Lewis
The Louisiana Weekly Editor
He said he would do it and he did it not once, but twice. While some doubted that they would live long enough to see America a Black man or woman twice to the highest office in the land and others who simply wanted a very contentious presidential race to finally complete its course, "someday" came last week.
Say whatever you want about President Barack Obama, but the brother is bad. Super bad.
The collective sigh of relief from Black folks last week reflected the joy that comes with knowing things will at least begin to calm down politically and socially. But it may also arise from a false sense that we have "overcome." Simply put, we have not.
Our job as members of the Black Press is to remind our constituency that we haven't reached "happily ever after" quite yet. While we may have President Obama for four more years, we must also contend with chronic unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and homelessness. We in New Orleans still have to deal with efforts to rob the public school system of scarce funds, contaminated seafood, blight, excessive police force and an egomaniacal, controlling mayor who throws a hissy fit whenever he can't get his way.
Just so you know, there's no bat signal that we can light up the sky with to summon President Obama every time danger arises. There's no bat phone or other device to get word to him quickly that we need help.
We've got to get out there and fight for ourselves, our families and our communities the way we fought for the president to get a fair shot at re-election. We need to be every bit as animated, innovative, enthusiastic and vigilant in fighting for justice, recognition as free human beings in this society and equal protection under the law as we did when we saw Obama's political opponents were stacking the deck.
We need to take conscious, deliberate action every day to make things better.
Let's keep talking about the things we want and need for our communities and make sure that we hold everyone from the lowest elected public official to the president accountable when he or she fails to do right by us.
Let's jump right in with a few questions that have been rolling of the tongues of some in the community who are keeping their eyes on the prize in New Orleans and beyond:
• How do you think the firemen in Florida who were discovered with President Obama's image on their toilet tissue really feel about themselves, their families and their relationship with the Most High?
• Why does anyone think that someone who places their hopes in the likes of a Mitt Romney could believe in climate change or evolution?
• Why hasn't the sister who allegedly dated GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan had anything to say about his character?
• What is up with Donald Trump?
• Was the irony of having longtime rock legend Ted Nugent call President Barack Obama "subhuman" lost on anyone?
• How much dinero is conservative talk-show Rush Limbaugh going to rake in now that his supporters are forced to admit that America is no longer "their country" to take back?
• How do you think Stacey Dash and Nicki Minaj spent Election Night?
• Is there anything that says the city of New Orleans is preparing to host another major sporting event better than the "herding of the homeless" from their makeshift homes under various bridges in the Central Business District?
• So, let me get this straight — the City of New Orleans is telling NOPD officers to replace pepper spray with Taser guns as part of the federal consent decree, which all started because cops were killing Black people like they were going out of style?
• With higher-ed mercenaries tearing down and undermining historically Black colleges and universitites, Blacks being systematically locked out of opportunities at mainstream universities and elected officials and profiteers in the form of charter schools and voucher proponents siphoning funds out of public education, what kind of chance do young Black people have to get a decent education in Louisiana, particularly in New Orleans, in 2012?
• Is there anyone who knows the history of Africa and its inhabitants surprised by the modern-day racial posturing and rhetoric that have taken place since the U.S. elected its first Black president?
• Did GOP leader Newt Gingrich really say that Ohio voters can "go to hell" after Tuesday's hotly contested presidential election?
• Now that the latest round of elections is over, what are you going to do NOW to make your community safer, better and cleaner.
• Now that President Barack Obama has been re-elected, can we finally get a straight answer from the Justice Department about why the NOPD and the City of New Orleans are being let off the hook with regard to the NOPD consent-decree proposal?
• And, it it's not too much trouble, can we get an Attorney General who is not beholden to anyone in Louisiana or Congress and has no problem whatsoever with holding the NOPD's feet to the fire after its decades-long reign or terror, use of deadly force and outright murder?
• If U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu decides to give the thumbs-up to George W. Bush appointee U.S. Attorney Jim Letten keeping his post in New Orleans, does she deserve the support of the Black Press and the Black community, particiularly since she was called to task for that very reason after President Barack Obama was elected the first time?
This article originally published in the November 12, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
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Sonoran tiger salamander
Canyon Creek Riparian Restoration
The Canyon Creek Riparian Restoration Project has been a long-term effort to implement habitat improvement measures that will restore the stream ecosystem and its trout fishery to a resilient and productive status. Collaboration between various interests (see below) began in the late 1970s. The goals of the long-term project are to:
Streamside vegetation or "riparian habitats" are critical to the health of streams and an important component of fish and wildlife habitat. A series of fenced "exclosures" have been constructed along Canyon and Mule Creeks to protect riparian vegetation from grazing and trampling by elk and livestock. This protection will allow native plants to grow along stream banks and floodplains, helping the stream to withstand disturbances such as floods and fires, and improving wildlife habitat quality.
The project has been accomplished through the collaboration of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S.D.A. Forest Service/Tonto National Forest, the OW Ranch, and the help of numerous volunteers and the following organizations who continue to donate their time, money and equipment to make the project a success.
The Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission has funded all or a portion of this project. The views presented are the Grantee's and do not necessarily represent those of the Commission, the State, or the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Funding for this project was also provided by the Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage Fund, Wildlife Conservation Fund, Sport Fish Restoration Program, and the U.S.D.A. Forest Service.
What is "riparian?"
In a general sense, the term "riparian" refers to both the vegetation along a stream corridor and the stream itself.
For a more formal definition, the term "riparian" is defined as vegetation, habitats, or ecosystems that are associated with bodies of water (streams or lakes) or are dependent on the existence of perennial, intermittent, or ephemeral surface or water drainage.
Arizona Riparian Council
What is a stream like with vegetation? What is a stream like without vegetation?
Promotes quality stream habitat for fish…
narrow and deep channel; cool and clear water
Creates complex habitats…
that provide food & shelter for a diversity of wildlife
Reduces erosion…
by slowing flood water and trapping fine silt and sand
Retains water…
in mountain valleys like a sponge
Less shade and high water temperatures…
are less suitable for many fish species
Less productive…
less food & shelter for wildlife
Less stable…
stream banks are more susceptible to erosion
Higher runoff…
less water available for plants & animals
Why do we need to restore?
Historic logging, livestock grazing and heavy recreation use, compounded by damaging floods and wildlife impacts (elk and beaver), have adversely affected riparian habitat along Canyon Creek. As riparian habitat quality was degraded, so in fact was the stream quality and trout fishery. Over many years, habitat quality has slowly improved as a result of management practices such as vehicular barriers and developed campgrounds, fencing to prevent livestock from grazing stream banks, and temporary removals of beaver.
During the summer of 2002, the Rodeo-Chediski wildfire burned through the watershed, causing severe impacts. Post-fire monsoon rains moved mud, fire-killed trees, and even boulders downstream and temporarily destroyed the quality of the stream habitat for fish and other wildlife. The fire burned and killed many trees that provided shade along the stream course, and stream water temperatures increased.
The changes that natural events like floods and fire cause also provide the ingredients for habitat "recovery". The sediment that floods transport downstream and the nutrients that fires release from burned vegetation create the seed bed and fertilizer for new plants to grow. This growth or "colonization" on bare cobble bars and stream banks is a natural and dynamic process common to all riparian ecosystems.
Since the Rodeo-Chediski fire, the Canyon Creek ecosystem is recovering. Changes are documented using photopoints replicated over years.
Photopoint taken in 2002 post-fire (left) and replicated in 2006 (right).
However, in some areas resident elk have slowed the process because they like to browse on the new growth of riparian plants. So, a series of "elk exclosures" have been constructed to protect riparian vegetation from grazing and browsing. They are a short-term tool (5-10 years) to accelerate the colonization and regeneration of vegetation. Over time, they will be deconstructed and replaced with livestock fence to continue the management practice of keeping livestock out of the riparian or stream zone.
The newest exclosure was funded by Arizona Water Protection Fund and constructed in 2005. The exclosure is 8 feet tall and begins approximately 12-18 inches above ground level to allow small wildlife, such as turkey, deer or coyote, to move through the exclosure. The fence has access points for people hiking or fishing along the stream corridor. At the stream crossing or "watergap" the fence is constructed with a high tension steel cable and rebar swing panels that each weigh approximately 100 lbs. The panels are designed to allow flood flows and debris to be transported downstream without destroying the fence. Large ungulates such as livestock and deer don't push through because they don't like the feel of the heavy rebar panel dragging across their back.
Canyon Creek background
Canyon Creek is a spring-fed stream that originates at the base of the Mogollon Rim and flows southeast approximately 30 miles to its confluence with the Salt River in central Arizona. Just downstream from the spring source is the state-operated Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery. The location of this hatchery is no coincidence; in fact, the hatchery relies on the spring water to grow thousands of rainbow trout annually.
Traveling further downstream we find the OW Ranch, an active cattle ranch today. Eventually the stream flows onto the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, where it joins the Salt River, providing water for recreation, agriculture and municipal uses downstream.
The Canyon Creek watershed has a rich history of human habitation and over time has been highly valued for water, wildlife, fisheries, timber, livestock, recreation and aesthetics. In 1993, the upper 5.4 miles of the stream were proposed eligible for inclusion in the nation's Wild and Scenic River System and classified as Recreational Wild & Scenic. Canyon Creek was found to have outstandingly remarkable wildlife and ecological values. Today, the Arizona Game and Fish Department promotes the area for fishing, hunting and watchable wildlife.
Habitat description
At its origin below the Mogollon Rim, the Canyon Creek area is surrounded by a ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest. The forest shades the stream corridor, and riparian vegetation is limited here because of competition for sunlight. The stream channel is steep and formed by large boulders and log jams in this area.
As the stream flows down the watershed, past the OW Ranch, it traverses a mountain meadow where the highest diversity of riparian vegetion is found. The stream channel is not as sloped, and historically, beaver created dams along the meadow, which formed pools. Wildllife such as elk, deer and turkey forage in the meadows and riparian habitat along this area.
Riparian vegetation (facultative and obligate wetland species) found along the stream course includes narrow-leafed cottonwood trees (Populas angustifolia), willows (Salix spp.), alder (Alnus oblongifolia), false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) and box-elder (Acer negundo). These plants have deep-root systems that hold streambanks and floodplains together during floods.
However, native grasses and forbs ("weeds"), sedges (Carex and Cyperus), rushes (Scirpus and Juncus), and other plants like horsetail (Equisetum) play a critical role in narrowing the stream channel. These species have finer root systems that form a dense and more protective layer along stream banks that trap sediments.
Over time, the stream channel may form undercut banks under the root systems, providing cover and habitat for fish and wildlife. Plants like watercress (Nasturtium) form dense mats of floating or emergent vegetation in the stream that are used by young fish for escape cover (below). All types of riparian vegetation support a diverse assemblage of insects and aquatic invertebrates that form the base of the food web in this ecosystem.
Project scientists are monitoring important changes in vegetation inside and outside of the exclosures in the meadow reaches. Those changes include:
Photopoints are used to document changes in a qualitative way. While they don't quantify with measurements how much things may be changing, they provide for a quick visual assessment of changes. Following are several photopoints from project monitoring over a 3-year period that illustrate some of the changes we are seeing inside the elk-livestock exclosure.
PHOTOPOINT #CC5-view 3: PHOTOPOINT #CC8-view 3:
2005 2005
2006 2006
2007 2007
2008 2008
2009 2009
Photopoint CC5-View 3 is no longer going to be replicated because vegetation has completely covered the floodplain and there is no longer visibility. See the comparison between 2005 and 2009 below.
2005 2009
If you would like to learn more about those changes, see the project final report for the 3-year monitoring period between 2005 and 2007 (downloads).
Fish management
The riparian restoration activities are an integral component of fisheries management. As riparian vegetation colonizes floodplains and stream banks, it becomes dense. Stream banks with dense vegetation and roots don't erode as easily during floods and therefore help focus the movement of water within the stream channel.
When the energy of moving water dissipates along a streambed, it forms a deeper channel with a more diverse pattern of stream habitat features such as pools, runs and riffles. As moving water flows against well-vegetated stream banks, the water can cut under the roots and erode the ground below, creating overhanging banks. This habitat feature is important as cover and shade to fish such as trout. Generally speaking, more complex stream habitats support a greater productivity and biodiversity of aquatic invertebrates and fish.
The fish management goals for Canyon Creek are:
Fish management history
Over the years, there has been considerable interest in angling and recreational opportunities at Canyon Creek. Canyon Creek was isolated until the late 1970s, when the Forest Service improved access and camping facilities. In 1970, the department built the Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery at the headwaters of Canyon Creek. The hatchery relies on three springs for water and hydroelectric power and produces thousands of catchable rainbow trout annually .
In 1986, the Canyon Creek Aquatic Habitat Improvement Project Operational Plan was developed by the department, Tonto National Forest (TNF), and interested public angling clubs, including Trout Unlimited (TU) and Anglers United (AU). Between 1986 and 1989, an ambitious riparian management strategy was initiated which included building livestock exclosures along the creek, planting cottonwood and willow trees, and constructing 65 in-stream fish habitat structures (log and boulder). Within two years, brown trout reproduction had responded and population densities increased three-fold.
As a result of access improvements and habitat improvement projects that improved the fishery, the public use increased over the years. In 1970, there were 14,000 Recreation Visitor Days (RVDs) reported. By 1985, that had jumped to 66,500, and the Forest Service expected it to double again by the year 2025. This dramatic increase in public use has affected fishing activities as well. In 1981, 6,600 Angler Use Days (AUDs) were spent on Canyon Creek versus 13,400 AUDs in 2001.
Since the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire, angler use has been limited due to the temporary loss of the fishery and temporary forest closures as a result of the fire impacts. By 2005, watershed conditions were more stable and stream access was opened to the public once again. The department resumed stocking rainbow trout weekly from April through September in the upper section of Canyon Creek above the OW Bridge.
Fish population status
The last fish survey to be conducted before the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire was in July 1998, and results showed healthy native and sport fish populations in the stream. The species assemblage included 2 natives (speckled dace and desert suckers) and 2 sportfish (brown trout and stocked rainbow trout).
Desert sucker (Catostomus clarki) Speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus)
Immediately after the fire, a limited number of all species were confirmed still present. However, by the end of the 2002 monsoon season, sedimentation impacts to the stream were so severe that all fish populations were reduced by an estimated 90 percent. Since then, fish populations have rebounded as the stream channel has moved sediment downstream and water quality has improved. Recent fish surveys (June 2003–2007) tell us the native fishes are reproducing and have rebounded successfully. A one-time stocking of 900 rainbow and 500 brown trout was undertaken in April 2005 to augment trout populations. There was no indication of natural reproduction after the fire, until Fall of 2005, when 12 brown trout redds (nests) were first observed in the stream.
By July 2006, hundreds of young fingerling brown and rainbow trout were found throughout Canyon Creek.
Department biologists estimated that 67% of the trout surveyed that year were year 1 age class or "young of the year". For the first time since the fire, the brown trout population was increasing through natural reproduction and on the road to recovery. In fact, later that fall biologists observed 44 redds, and by summer of 2007, brown trout densities had increased in all reaches of the stream over the 2006 estimates. And most important to the angling community, biologists found more large trout (greater than 16 inches in length) in many reaches of the stream.
Brown trout (Salmo trutta) Rainbow trout (Onchorhynkiss mykiss)
Based on the fish surveys since the fire, we believe that native fish populations are once again sustainable. Brown trout populations continue to increase through natural reproduction and recruitment. With future habitat improvements such as deeper pools, overhanging banks and cooler water temperatures, we expect that brown trout populations will rebound to carrying capacity. Rainbow trout will continue to be stocked for a put-and-take fishery.
To learn more about past fish surveys see downloads for reports.
Current fishing regulations
In 1962 the Arizona Game and Fish Department wanted to provide public access to the upper half of the creek at the OW Ranch. The land along the lower half of the creek was owned at that time by a group of sportsmen. They agreed that if a fly-fishing only regulation were enacted, they would allow public access. As a result, in 1963 a "fly-fishing only" restriction was passed by the AGFD Commission and public access was allowed. Since then, the Forest Service has acquired this land from private ownership.
The department has divided Canyon Creek into two management sections. The upper portion from the springhead to the OW Bridge (1.5 miles) is managed under a "put-and-take" scheme where bi-weekly stockings of rainbow trout (between April and September) maintain the fishery. Four trout of any size can be taken with bait as well as artificial lures and flies.
Between the OW bridge and Fort Apache Indian Reservation (2.8 miles), a "catch-and-release" fishery has been established, where anglers are only allowed to use artificial flies and lures. Anglers practice catch and release for all trout, with an emphasis on large brown trout (greater 14 inches) under a "Blue Ribbon" management concept. To learn more about the history of fish management in Canyon Creek, see the "Saga of Canyon Creek".
OW Ranch history
The OW Ranch is one of the oldest and most scenic ranches in Arizona. The headquarters are situated along Canyon Creek at the confluence of Mule Creek. The ranch was started in the spring of 1883 and has been operated continuously for the past 124 years.
In the days of open range, the OW was the largest ranch in the entire Pleasant Valley area, ranging from the Mogollon Rim on the north to Pleasant Valley on the south, and from the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation on the east to Haigler Creek on the west. The OW Ranch uses water from creeks to irrigate hay fields and water from Mule Creek Spring to power a hydroelectric generator.
The ranch has been owned for the past 30 years by E.K. Delph (an Arizona native) and his wife Margaret (an Arizonan since 1934). Their interests have been to preserve the historic value of the ranch, improve and enhance the rangeland, and to protect the area from all adverse influences.
When current owners bought the ranch, it had a year-round grazing permit. The Delphs quickly realized a summer permit was more in order for the good of the forest. Livestock have been fenced off from most of Canyon Creek since 1988. For many years Canyon Creek flowed through OW land, and fishing was a unique and remote opportunity.
Historically, the ranch changed hands through several owners. John Adams and his brother were the first Mormon settlers to live in the area. They were followed by Blevens. Eventually, James Ramer put together five separate homesteads to create the OW as we know it today. One of the original homesteads exists today and serves as the ranch manager's home.
For more history on the area, see "The Crooked Trail to Holbrook" by Leland J. Hanchett Jr.
Project plans, accomplishments and events:
Currently riparian restoration activities are focused on the maintenance of the elk-livestock exclosures that have been constructed to protect vegetation from browsing, grazing and trampling of stream banks along short reaches of Canyon and Mule Creeks. There are a total of 4 exclosures, 2 on Canyon Creek and 2 on Mule Creek that require periodic maintenance. The newest exclosure on Canyon Creek was funded by the Arizona Water Protection Fund and built fall of 2005. After construction, volunteers of all ages from several fishing clubs helped to deconstruct old livestock fencing within the new exclosure.
Fall 2005 volunteer workday
Typically we experience high flow events during the early spring snow melt and the summer monsoon season that cause flood damage to the fence "watergaps" or stream crossings. Older exclosures were constructed so that the fence would break away during high flows to avoid trapping debris and pulling down larger sections of fence. This design requires periodic maintenance. The new "swinging panel" design has greatly reduced watergap maintenance.
Occasionally, dead trees fall on the fence, elk find a way to push under the fence, or floods cause debris flows across the floodplain and pull down the fence.
Constant monitoring and repairs ensure the project will be a success. Volunteers are welcome to help the Department with our monitoring and maintenance activities. Please contact the Department's Region VI Habitat Program (480-981-9400) for information on future workday events. Announcements will also be posted on this webpage.
Spring 2006 Workday
Spring 2008 Workday
2010 Summer Workdays
In 2001 the first of two elk and livestock exclosures was constructed along Canyon Creek to protect riparian plant species from the negative effects of browsing and grazing by ungulates (elk & livestock). The exclosure replaced an existing livestock exclosure and was designed to prevent elk and livestock from accessing the stream corridor for forage. The exclosure was intended as a short-term "tool" to allow riparian shrubs and trees the opportunity to sprout and grow to a size and density that could sustain a limited amount of browsing by elk. The project was initiated by the Department and the Tonto National Forest.
Since 2001 the Department has monitored positive changes in the amount of riparian vegetation that has grown inside the exclosure. After nine years of elk exclusion there has been sufficient riparian plant growth to merit removal of the elk exclosure fencing. Removing the fence would return access to the stream for recreationists to a more user-friendly state. Two volunteer workdays were conducted in June and July of 2010 to remove the 10' tall elk exclosure fencing and reconstruct a wildlife friendly livestock fence that would still restrict the access of livestock to the fragile riparian area.
There was an impressive showing of volunteers that came out for both workdays to help the Department, Tonto National Forest and the OW Ranch with the deconstruction project. We had 29 volunteers in June and another 31 in July, whom drove several hundred miles to the remote location to support the project. Volunteers included members of the Desert Flycasters, Arizona Flycasters, Trout Unlimited, Payson Flycasters, a Boy Scout Troop, several other non-affiliated individuals and the OW Ranch manager.
June Workday
July Workday
The work crews spent both days cutting down, re-rolling and carrying out the exclosure materials so that they could be re-used at other locations by the Forest Service. The 10't tall t-posts were removed and replaced with shorter ones, new walk-through gates constructed and the new barbed-wire fence was constructed. The barbed-wire fence was strung according to wildlife friendly design specifications. This reach of the stream is now fully accessible to elk, while still limiting livestock access. The project also helped to improved accessibility for people trying to hike or fish along the stream.
In the future, the department plans to continue stream restoration efforts. Plans are underway with the U.S. Forest Service to install a series of instream habitat features such as clusters of large boulders and log or rootwad overhangs to enhance stream habitat for fish. Restoration plans also include stream bank stabilization measures such as brush revetments or revegetation treatments such as pole plantings of willow, seeding of grasses, or plantings of wetland plant propagules.
As project planning proceeds we will post updates and opportunities for volunteers to get involved on this webpage.
The Ponderosa pine forest, mountain meadows and stream habitats in the Canyon Creek watershed are home to a diverse assemblage of wildlife species. Depending on the time of day and season of your visit, you may be fortunate enough to view a variety of species. While some are common and quite easy to see, others require a little more patience and even some detective work to catch a glimpse of them.
Common species that you may encounter year-round include elk, mule deer, turkey and coyote. Some species such as the black bear and Abert's squirrel will be hibernating or inactive during the winter months, while other species, such as the wintering bald eagles, will have just arrived and can be spotted regularly near the OW Ranch or OW Hatchery. The attraction for bald eagles is a ready supply of fish to carry them through the winter months. In the early spring, these eagles will migrate north to areas as far away as Alaska to breed.
During the winter riparian vegetation, meadow grasses and forbs are dormant and often snow covered. After the snow melts, you may notice a maze of mounded bare earth snaking randomly across the lightly vegetated ground. These are the tunnels of valley pocket gophers left as they burrowed beneath the snow. Close inspection along the stream among the dense grasses, sedges and rushes may reveal small runways belonging to secretive voles. You have to be quick to get a glimpse of these small rodents as they scurry about on their trails. As the spring progresses into summer, coyotes are often seen hunting for the many small mammals in the meadows along the creek.
Early spring is a busy time along Canyon Creek. As the snow melts and the riparian trees and shrubs begin to form buds and new growth, elk and deer can be found browsing quite regularly on these favorite browse forages. They are especially fond of willow, of which three species are common to the area: the Gooding's willow, red willow and arroyo willow. Another favorite browse is seedling or sapling Alders. Both elk and deer give birth to their young in the spring, and it is not unusual to see them with their mothers at this time of year.
During the snowmelt-induced spring high flows, the desert suckers, speckled dace and rainbow trout will be spawning. Below and on the water's surface live numerous aquatic invertebrates: snails, diving beetles, boatmen, water striders, hellgrammites, mayfly, caddisfly and stoneflies, to name a few. These invertebrates are important food for the fish and other animals that inhabit the creek.
Look close and see whats in the casing! The snailcase maker is one of many families of caddisfly commonly found in Canyon Creek.
By May and June, thousands of canyon tree frog tadpoles populate the shallow margins of slower-moving water in Canyon Creek, while the adult can often be spotted quietly perched atop rocks or boulders. The Arizona toad is another resident amphibian often seen in the moist vegetation bordering the creek. Look below the water surface and you may see young of the year fish and tadpoles along the stream margins and hiding in the vegetation from predators.
The terrestrial gartersnake is often encountered while it hunts for small prey like fish and frogs in and out of the water through the warm spring, summer and fall months. A more rare find would be the narrow-headed gartersnake. This species seems to be declining rangewide and is the focus of captive rearing programs and population monitoring studies in Arizona's high country. The Arizona Game and Fish Department would like to know if you see this species. Be sure to snap a photo and record your location if you do!
As early spring turns into summer, acrobatic violet-green and the tree swallows may be seen dipping and swirling as they forage above the stream corridor. If you look close, you may see them land on one of the many cottonwoods and duck into a cavity to feed their young. This time of year the wildflowers and butterflies are abundant and spectacular!
Another common aerial hunter is the red-tailed hawk, often seen hunting the meadows for small mammals. Belted kingfishers are often seen perched along the creek or flying back and forth patrolling their territory along a similar flight path, often landing on the same perches as they go about their daily routine of foraging, roosting or mating. Other less commonly seen bird species include the Mexican spotted owl, the Northern goshawk, and the Northern pygmy owl and the American dipper. There are far too many migratory songbirds to list, so pack up your binoculars and bird guide and see what you can find!
Summer monsoons can be quite dramatic in this mountain valley. Accompanied by thunder and lightning, the rains often turn into short floods, as the fire-scarred watershed has not fully recovered from the Rodeo-Chediski fire of 2002. If you happen to get caught in the rain, after the shower is a great time to view wildlife. The sun's return often encourages many animals to become active, searching for their next meal. Wildlife often seems to come out of the woods in a flurry of activity.
As summer progresses into fall, the bugle of the bull elk is a common sound echoing across the meadows. You may be lucky enough to see a turkey hen with poults feeding on seeds and insects along the meadows and creek. Fall is a great time to fish for the secretive but voracious predator, the brown trout. And, as the water temperature cools, you may also see brown trout redds or spawning beds in gravelly areas of the stream bed. These are a sure sign that winter is on its way and the cycle begins again.