Old Weird Ward
Unless otherwise noted, that which is posted here is opinion, which is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. If you don't like my opinions, go somewhere else. Nobody is forcing you to actually read this drivel.
The presumption exists that you can read at all.
That may be a large assumption.
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Saturday, May 15, 2004
- - - - - What's Doing In OWW-land - - - - -
I have a number of essays percolating in the mists of the trash heap that OWW's alleged mind. One of them is the gruesome murder of Nick Berg. It's going to take a while for me to be even close to rational on the subject. Yes, I've seen the video. I'm not going to comment any further on that for now.
- - - - - Yet Another Reason to Be Glad I'm No Longer in California - - - - -
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has an article regarding the lack of the freedom of speech at California institutions of higher learning. In this case, the venue is California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.
In a major victory for liberty and equal rights on campus, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) has settled a free speech lawsuit. The case involved Cal Poly student Steve Hinkle, who was punished for posting a flier on a public bulletin board announcing a College Republicans-sponsored speech by a black social critic. Some students at the campus Multicultural Center found the flier "offensive."
See the article HERE.
Editorial Comment: I am becoming more glad by the day that I'm no longer a resident of the PRC (People's Republic of California).
- - - - - What's Doing In OWW-land, Part II - - - - -
Last night, while chatting with Mrs. OWW out on the deck in our back yard, we noticed a pick-up pulled off to the side of the road, and a couple of guys running around in the dark with flashlights, near the pond that was advertised as giving a "lake view" when we first saw our house here, which I am now naming "The Swamp".
After collecting my own flashlight, I strolled nonchalantly (Really! I did!) to the back yard gate and opened it up, asking "Hey, guys! What's going on?"
"Well, suh, ah'm gonna catch me a 'gator."
"A 'gator?" I asked.
"Sho 'nuff," he said, and shined his flashlight across the surface of the "lake" to the far side, about 25 yards. "Thet one raht there, a little 'un, 'bout foah foot. A lady that lives out heah called 9-1-1 to report him. If you shine yo light over theah, y'all 'll see his eyes."
(I'm going to drop the accent now, but that's how this gent talked.)
So I shined the light, and sure enough, there were two little green dots shining back at me on the opposite shore.
"OK," I said, "and then what're you going to do with him?"
"Relocate him, 'bout 20 miles thataway," he said, pointing West, "in Okefenokee Swamp."
"Cool," I said, "OK if we watch this operation? We've never seen an alligator outside of a zoo."
"Sure," he said, "I'll just get my boat and gear and my cousin, and we'll have him in about fifteen minutes."
So the missus and I watched him and his cousin slide the boat into the water. The cousin slowly sculled across the pond while the Gator Catcher held a pole with a wire loop on the end and shined the light on alligator. Pretty soon there was a quick thrash, a quiet, satisfied "Got 'im!", and a soft grunting sound.
When the boat grounded on our side of the "lake", the Catcher climbed out carrying a 3 1/2 foot young alligator. The Catcher told us he was about four years old, and had probably been in the "lake" for about a month. The little gator had his feet tied front and rear, and a king-sized rubber band around his snout. "Go ahead, touch him," said the Catcher, "He's soft on the sides and underside and around the jaws, but rough and hard on the top side."
Sure enough, he was. Mrs. OWW was fascinated by his markings, which are not the black-and-white or black-and-cream you'd expect from seeing pictures, but are more of cream-and-green, with some blue, especially on the sides.
This whole time, Tiny The Ferocious Mutt was going crazy wanting to see what it was that was so fascinating to the humans, but she couldn't see, so she yelped and barked the whole time.
After the Catcher had loaded his boat up and he and his cousin had gone, Mrs. OWW and I looked at each other, and almost in harmony said, "This sure isn't San Jose, is it?"
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