The Conservative Cave

Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on July 30, 2012, 08:42:28 PM

Title: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on July 30, 2012, 08:42:28 PM
This has been a summer like no other summer has been.

Because of where I live, this place is a "magnet" for primitives and primitive-like people seeking a campground in a scenic-but-isolated area, so they can do their alcohol and drugs thing without interference from law-enforcement (alcohol and drugs are prohibited on state property in Nebraska).

In past summers, about every weekend from Memorial Day until Labor Day, one could see a bunch of old hippies camping and cavorting on the riverside about two football-field lengths away from the back porch.

I must point out there's never been a problem, and they do ask permission.  They don't ask me (the riverside is my territory), but they do take the time and trouble to inquire of someone in town, who directs them to the property caretaker who lives in town.  Because of my peculiar circumstances (being deaf, and living alone out in the middle of nowhere), he "vets" them, inquiring of their backgrounds, and then gives the okay.

I'm sure he also tells them that franksolich is an axe-murderer or something out on parole, because they assiduously avoid coming to house to bother me.

Or perhaps the cats, which are trained to be watch-dogs, keep them at bay.

The caretaker did however some years ago attach a telescope to the railing of the back porch so I could keep a closer look on them.  I check every so often, but not being a nosy person, usually don't.

This summer, four old hippie guys showed up down on the river over the Memorial Day holiday, after which there haven't been any more.  Of course, I've been gone; there were a couple of weeks where the business partner and I traveled around Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota, watching the prairies burn, and so someone might've been down there then, but it doesn't look like it.

Also, in early July--ChuckJ knows the story--I came down with something, and was pretty much out of it for another couple of weeks.  I'd gone to see a physician because I wasn't feeling well, and he advised me that the lungs were full, crammed to the top, with liquid.

My eyes grew as big as saucers, and I pointed out the window.  "It's a hundred and five degrees out there--a hundred and five degrees--and I have what?????

"It's the hottest and driest summer in the Upper Great Plains since the catastrophe of '56, and I have pneumonia?????"

Well, I did, and so underwent two weeks of enforced bed-rest (and a regimen of penicillin--the real stuff, not the chemical stuff).  I was very well taken care of--the femme, the neighbor, the business partner, the property caretaker, the neighbor's wife, and many others who happened to drop by.

But the house is very old, and not air-conditioned, excepting a two-year-old small window unit in the bedroom.  Otherwise, it has big windows and doors on all four sides (and good screens too), and so there's plenty of big fans located in strategic areas to help the air flow along.  But it still gets incredibly hot inside here.

One can sleep and read in a bedroom only so much, and seeks other things to do.

I kept checking, hoping to maybe get a story or something, but no primitives showed up down by the river.

So it's been a boring summer; no unusual occurrences, no middle-of-the-night "guests" catching me off guard.

In the meantime, during this, the Great Barack Drought of '12, the prairies all around have been afire.  I've seen some of this, usually when driving to see the business partner 130 miles to the west, but of course from the ground one can't grasp the Magnitude of it all.

These are photographs (not taken by me, obviously) of what it's been like; these fires are just west of here, near my good friend Skul's stomping-grounds when he was growing up in this area, about 250 miles east of where my good friend dutch508 lives (although his area, on the other side of the Sandhills, has been similarly ravaged).

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-1.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-2.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-3.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-4.jpg)

The National Guard (part of the defense budget Barack Milhous wants to cut so as to give more goodies to the special interests) is on its job, as usual, using the Niobrara River as its fire-hydrant.

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-5.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-6.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-7.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/072612-8.jpg)

franksolich remains defiantly confident that it'll soon be all over, the three-digit temperatures, the lack of rain, the damage and destruction.....and by 98 days from today, a new president who offers real Hope and Change.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: obumazombie on July 30, 2012, 08:46:09 PM
I saw Stossel interviewing the manufacturers of a product called fire ice. It is supposed to be an excellent fire suppressant. Ever heard of it ? The USFS doesn't want to use it, leading me to believe it is a good product.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Chris_ on July 30, 2012, 08:47:03 PM
Condolences on the pneumonia.  That stuff hurts like having a pair of lead weights in your chest.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on July 30, 2012, 08:49:51 PM
Quote from: obumazombie on July 30, 2012, 08:46:09 PM
I saw Stossel interviewing the manufacturers of a product called fire ice. It is supposed to be an excellent fire suppressant. Ever heard of it ? The USFS doesn't want to use it, leading me to believe it is a good product.

They're probably using a variety of fire-dousing means, but as the fires are right on the Niobrara and Elkhorn rivers (the Elkhorn's franksolich's river), there's plenty of water handy, right at one's elbow.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on July 30, 2012, 08:50:46 PM
Quote from: chris_ on July 30, 2012, 08:47:03 PM
Condolences on the pneumonia.  That stuff hurts like having a pair of lead weights in your chest.

Yeah, it did, but I'm over it now.

Too bad for the primitives; franksolich is back.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: FlippyDoo on July 30, 2012, 09:08:27 PM
Quote from: franksolich on July 30, 2012, 08:50:46 PM
Yeah, it did, but I'm over it now.

Too bad for the primitives; franksolich is back.

I and all the other fictional spirit-guides are happy to see that you're back in action.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: obumazombie on July 30, 2012, 09:10:21 PM
Quote from: franksolich on July 30, 2012, 08:50:46 PM
Yeah, it did, but I'm over it now.

Too bad for the primitives; franksolich is back.
It's weird that they can look in your lungs and say they're full of fluid. Why can't you just stand on your head, and let it pour out ? Or would they just fill right back up again ?
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on July 30, 2012, 09:15:53 PM
Quote from: obumazombie on July 30, 2012, 09:10:21 PM
It's weird that they can look in your lungs and say they're full of fluid. Why can't you just stand on your head, and let it pour out ? Or would they just fill right back up again ?

It was my fault--as it usually is--for letting it go on too long.

Not being a primitive, I'm hyper-insecure about being a hypochondriac.

I credit it to the smoke in the atmosphere.

On the ground, what one sees and drives through, looks very much like in the last photograph, above.  A great wall of smoke, nothing else.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Ballygrl on July 30, 2012, 09:21:20 PM
Wow at the fire pics, and I didn't know you had pneumonia, glad you're feeling better.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: longview on July 30, 2012, 11:02:31 PM
Glad you're on the mend. 

Didn't even know to worry about you having pneumonia.  I kept hearing about the Fairfield fire loping eastward at 60 mph and was afraid it would reach your side before they got it stopped.  I've forgotten how wide that region is.  Just read that fire got 104 square miles, but is 100% contained as of now. 
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Dblhaul on July 31, 2012, 12:40:12 AM
Good to hear you are feeling better! You were missed.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: RobJohnson on July 31, 2012, 03:50:39 AM
Frank I'm glad you are feeling better and I hope you get a break from the heat and humidity.

My sister said the climate in the Kearney area has been their worst summer ever. Her sons are happy there is no grass to mow.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Skul on July 31, 2012, 06:34:37 AM
There's something about prairie fire smoke that's double nasty.
Seems like it burns the throat a lot more than forest stuff.
I'm amazed the bald dwarf wasn't running around with her good rig, getting crunchy action shots.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: hillneck on July 31, 2012, 06:57:59 AM
Coach, Glad to hear you're feeling better and good to see to you back.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: BlueStateSaint on July 31, 2012, 07:07:48 AM
Yes, Coach, it is good to hear that you're back.  I'll PM you.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on July 31, 2012, 07:56:15 AM
Quote from: longview on July 30, 2012, 11:02:31 PM
I kept hearing about the Fairfield fire loping eastward at 60 mph and was afraid it would reach your side before they got it stopped.  I've forgotten how wide that region is.  Just read that fire got 104 square miles, but is 100% contained as of now. 

Yeah.  It's considered pretty much out now, but can resurrect itself in no time any time it wishes to.

Kudos to the volunteers and National Guardsmen who did the job.

A few homes were burned down, but really there aren't that many people (and thus homes) around here.  The ones that got burned down had--guess what--trees around them. 

The ones that had no trees around them escaped.

There's a God-given, nature-given, reason trees aren't supposed to be artificially here.

Trees have their place, but in the Sandhills, their only place is alongside the rivers, not out on the open prairies.

The other aspect of it is that homes that were built at the bottom of rises or hills or canyons escaped, while homes built atop rises and hills and canyons didn't. 

An elementary law of physics here--prairie fires race upwards, crawl (if they even go at all) downwards.

But all in all, due to the scarcity of people, not many homes were burned, or even threatened.

The fires were mostly in wide-open areas.  There's lots of little towns where life went on as usual, although maybe a little nervously.

There were no "refugees" from these fires; given that, all church (no one saw any atheists around) and other related efforts directed at helping out concentrated simply upon making the firefighters themselves comfortable.  Oceans of bottled water, first-aid and medical supplies and personnel, places open 24 hours a day so the firefighters could come in and chow down at will, beds in private homes so firefighters could come and go, getting cleaned up and some sleep, as they wished, &c., &c., &c.

Barack Milhous didn't do a damned thing; the people did it all.

There were plenty of jokes about how people were sitting in isolated towns and villages, waiting for the Magic One to personally fly Air Force One in to take them out, and we all know the source of those jokes. 
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on July 31, 2012, 08:08:30 AM
Quote from: BlueStateSaint on July 31, 2012, 07:07:48 AM
Yes, Coach, it is good to hear that you're back.  I'll PM you.

By the way, I proved my manhood the other week.

(Actually, I'm joking; I never had to prove my manhood around here.)

I bagged my first deer.

franksolich the deer-slayer.

I was still sick at the time, and was driving down an out-of-the-way road so as to not have to bother with roadblocks.  It was night.  I spied a deer on the side of the road ahead of me, and took measures so as to avoid it.

Unfortunately, I should've paid attention to a second deer, a deer that was right in front of me.

Excresence happens; at least it happened with my own vehicle, and not someone else's (I drive other people's motor vehicles more than I drive my own, depending upon the "mission").

The temperatures, the drought, and the fires encouraged wildlife to seek safer havens; i.e., they came down from the hills and into populated areas.

A trucker illuminated me there's a new "sport" further west of here.  Rattlesnakes have been coming downhill so as to avoid the heat, and congregate on the right-of-way of highways.  You can imagine what this "sport" is; I won't go into details other than to comment it's something similar with what would happen if the big guy in Bellevue slipped and fell atop franksolich.

edited to add: the same truck driver confirmed to me that yes, rattlesnakes can grow to the thickness of a man's thigh--or at least franksolich's thigh, say about 18" around.  I had expressed some doubt about this a few months ago, elsewhere on conservativecave.  franksolich is one of only six or half a dozen native Nebraskans who's never in his life seen a tornado or a live rattlesnake (most have seen both, not just one, of these phenomenons).  I used to be more curious about seeing a rattlesnake--I feel left out--but now not so much, any more.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 01, 2012, 09:14:58 AM
Well, Hell.

Yesterday (Tuesday), the Plains began descending down into the abyss, another heat wave, expected to last for some time again--the sorts of days when 95 degrees seems almost polar.

I'm going to be erratic in showing up here, again.

Anyway, some market advice: if one's a beef aficiando and has a big freezer, stock up on the hamburger and steaks now, or within the next couple of weeks, as prices should drop considerably.

The roads here are clogged with caravans of cattle-trucks going to market.

The farmers and ranchers can't afford to feed their livestock any more, and so are shipping them to market early, dumping them at fire-sale prices.  There's going to be a big glut on the beef market soon, and prices should go down.

How far down, I dunno.

However.

However.

However.

This is only a short-term situation.

As the now-cheaper beef gets diminished, there's not going to be any new beef coming in.

Say "good-bye" to the $2.49 Big Mac of August 2012, and "hello" to the $5.99 Big Mac of.....late October, early November 2012, just before the election.

When chomping down on that expensive beef, be sure to remember under whose watch this happened.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: obumazombie on August 01, 2012, 09:46:24 PM
That will affect the price of chicken. As will the drought. Corn prices might reach record highs.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 01, 2012, 09:50:39 PM
Quote from: obumazombie on August 01, 2012, 09:46:24 PM
That will affect the price of chicken. As will the drought. Corn prices might reach record highs.

I don't see the beef (and other) market getting stable again until next spring.

I expect the prices to peak circa a week before, or the week of, election day.

<<caution; NOT a market expert.

But by the time honor and dignity's taken up residence in the White House again, it should start getting better.

Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Chris_ on August 01, 2012, 09:57:52 PM
The price of meat and everything related to it has already gone up past being affordable.  Pork is six dollars a pound.  Steak is twice that. 
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 01, 2012, 10:25:10 PM
Whoa.

Whoa.

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/rain.jpg)

The inside of the house, where windows are wide open on all four sides, suddenly got breezy, so I checked.

It can't be.

franksolich hasn't seen rain since.....April.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Skul on August 01, 2012, 11:40:46 PM
That's nice to see.
I hope Hastings got a bit of that rain.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 02, 2012, 03:03:28 AM
Quote from: Skul on August 01, 2012, 11:40:46 PM
That's nice to see.
I hope Hastings got a bit of that rain.

Well. it's 3:00 a.m., and it appears Hastings is still getting "a bit" of that rain.

The southern half of Nebraska's been pounded all night long.

Alas, we up here on the roof of Nebraska, not so much.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: obumazombie on August 02, 2012, 03:11:49 AM
Quote from: franksolich on August 02, 2012, 03:03:28 AM
Well. it's 3:00 a.m., and it appears Hastings is still getting "a bit" of that rain.

The southern half of Nebraska's been pounded all night long.

Alas, we up here on the roof of Nebraska, not so much.

By the way, we have another member whose dad's house burned down in Colorado. I asked in that thread, did any of the sandhill's blazes sweep into Colorado ?
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 02, 2012, 03:16:12 AM
Quote from: obumazombie on August 02, 2012, 03:11:49 AM
By the way, we have another member whose dad's house burned down in Colorado. I asked in that thread, did any of the sandhill's blazes sweep into Colorado ?

Nope.  Too far away.

His dad's home is in the Rocky Mountains, in central Colorado.

The fires in the Sandhills were, or are, up on the roof of Nebraska.

A few hundred miles' difference there.

I dunno what started the fires there--usually in blue states, they're started by stupid primitives with malicious motives, but I have no idea about this particular case.  The fires up here were started, as they inevitably always are, by lightning.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: obumazombie on August 02, 2012, 03:18:49 AM
Quote from: franksolich on August 02, 2012, 03:16:12 AM
Nope.  Too far away.

His dad's home is in the Rocky Mountains, in central Colorado.

The fires in the Sandhills were, or are, up on the roof of Nebraska.

A few hundred miles' difference there.

I dunno what started the fires there--usually in blue states, they're started by stupid primitives with malicious motives, but I have no idea about this particular case.  The fires up here were started, as they inevitably always are, by lightning.

Ah. Thanks. My curiosity is temporarily slaked.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Skul on August 02, 2012, 03:21:05 AM
Sky sparks have always been a problem your way.
Happy to see Hastings get a bit or rain.
The museum there, has always held a fascination to me.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 02, 2012, 03:34:26 AM
Quote from: Skul on August 02, 2012, 03:21:05 AM
Sky sparks have always been a problem your way.

Happy to see Hastings get a bit or rain.

I haven't been to bed yet, because I wanted to see the first rain I've seen since.....April.

Hastings and the rest of southern Nebraska are dry and could use rain, yes, but they have had some rain the past few months.  Some big rains, too.  Up here, no, not a drop.

My attitude is, well, even if the roof of Nebraska got a Noahian deluge--we got a sprinkle--it's far too late to save anything, so I guess it best rain where it would do some good.



Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: Skul on August 02, 2012, 04:01:49 AM
Ya know, my friend. I now where to go with my two squirrels, two chickens and a couple of obnoxious raccoons.  :rotf:
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 02, 2012, 05:19:56 AM
Quote from: Skul on August 02, 2012, 04:01:49 AM
Ya know, my friend. I now where to go with my two squirrels, two chickens and a couple of obnoxious raccoons.  :rotf:

I've heard it said there's raccoons around here, but all I've ever seen of anything like that are opossums.

<<not an expert on wildlife.

The cats do a pretty good job at keeping varmits at bay; when I first came here, the meadows and groves were infested with rabbits and garter snakes.  It's now been about, oh, four years, since I've last seen any of these.

One time when I woke up in the middle of the night, I thought there was a cat on the front porch who wanted inside, and so I kindly opened the door.  As it came inside and immediately headed for the kitchen, it took me five or ten seconds to think, "Hey, that's rather big for a cat."  (The house was dark.)

It turned out to be a big fat opossum about the size of a small (but not an infant) pig, and it'd vacuumed down the entire contents of the cat-food bowl before I could persuade it to leave.

The cats weren't on the job that night.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 02, 2012, 07:55:27 AM
Well, it's now official.

According to the Omaha World-Herald this morning, in July 2012, Nebraska was drier even than it was during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

The Great Barack Drought of '12.

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1001.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1002.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1003.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1004.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1005.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1006.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1007.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1008.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1009.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1010.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1011.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1012.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1013.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1014.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1015.jpg)

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/1016.jpg)

It doesn't look any better for Barack Milhous in November 2012 than it did for Herbert Hoover in November 1932.

We'll get over the drought, but too bad for the primitives.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: thundley4 on August 02, 2012, 08:05:57 AM
I watched one of the local station's news yesterday.  They interviewed a farmer that split his corn planting this year. He planted some in very early March which isn't normally done because of the danger from frost.
  It seems that those acres he planted early might be the only productive acres this year.

That got me to thinking, that maybe the growing seasons might be undergoing a time shift. This summer has been hotter than most of the recent years, but then again, the past few summers were cooler than in the past.

Recent winters have for the most part been more mild than I remember as a kid, too.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: obumazombie on August 02, 2012, 09:18:29 PM
Drought owebuma was built by him. No one else built that.
Title: Re: franksolich's primitive-free summer
Post by: franksolich on August 04, 2012, 05:25:36 AM
Quote from: obumazombie on August 02, 2012, 09:18:29 PM
Drought owebuma was built by him. No one else built that.

We had rain during the night (Friday night into Saturday morning), and more than just a sprinkle-sprinkle like a couple of nights ago.  And in fact it looks as if it might rain more during parts of today.

It's too late to do any good, but it did feel good.

But at any rate, the record's broken; July 2012 was the driest and hottest month in the recorded history of Nebraska, including the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.  The foliage covering the William Rivers Pitt, which always has something to sustain plant life even during the coldest of winters, is burned to a cinder.

It's very reminiscent of August 1932, and we all know what happened November 1932.....