Sunday, December 13, 2009

Letting out the Horses after the Snow.

We are well into December and we have had our first decent snowfall. I always like the first snow, especially if it has some volume to it, like the blanket we just got last week.

I always remember as a kid getting dressed up to go out, and that "let's go out and ram around in the snow feeling!". That never really goes totally away, even after the long months of a cold winter.

It lasted two days and we got about 6 inches of the white powdery stuff, with a good wind drifting. I like scoop shoveling out the doors and then coming in from the wild and woolly winter of Minnesota.

The tree work slows and I am kept busy (thankfully) at the adjoining horse barn there in Stillwater.

The day after and the wind has fallen off. We wake to a crystal blue sky and a pure white landscape. My drive to work goes by lakes with sparkling ice sheets that are soon, but not yet, dotted with fishing houses.

I pass white rolling hills with white capped tree-lines, and fence posts; each one holding up three strands of barbed wire and a small pillar of snow.

I see cows and horses and people getting the mail, or kids waiting for the bus; all of them with breath clouds that freeze tiny sparkly diamonds in midair.

Just before getting to work, I descend along a tree lined creek bed as it drops to the Saint Croix river, less than a mile further down the road.

On this particular day, the storm has past, the shoveling needs to be done, and the horses have been in the barn for over a day and would really like to go out.

Here is where it kinda separates those walking horses and those leading horses. ..and we will find out if you have been paying attention.

The main barn layout has the stalls facing inward towards the arena.

There is an aisle on either side of the arena. The stall faces are on one (outboard) side of the aisle, and a half wall with posts on the other (inboard) side of the aisle.

So if you are standing in the arena you can look into all the stalls on both sides and see the horses facing you.

They can also see you. When you are walking down an aisle and have hay, or are leading a horse, or whatever, the horses on the other side of the arena are watching you. And they react like you should expect, if you have been paying attention.

Some horses are patient, some are not. Some are down right a pain in the ass.

It is not wise to leave a horse alone, at least the ones that are used to being around other horses all the time, like the ones I work with. They are instinctively herd animals.
So the first ones out are usually neighbors, or are in the same paddock.

Some cannot be lead together. Some need boots or a blanket. Some need to be treated sternly, some are waay too timid and tender. And some are just old.

Some are young and are often unpredictable and a bother to lead.

So, as you get the horses individually harnessed up, out of their stalls, and into their respective and proper paddocks; a lot is going through your mind, or it should be if you've been paying attention and you're not just a fat-head, dragging your boots around, and just mucking stalls.

You must be in control and they must know this. This is done mostly through attitude, body movement and talking.

You don't need to be rough or gruff, just convince them that you will fend off the mountain lion when it comes jumping out of the tree.

I can spot right off, someone who is not really comfortable or aware around the horses. For some reason they often have a desire to try and hide this fact. You have to watch these people, they can cause problems until made more aware.

So as I am going about the business at hand I am thinking ahead a bit.

Priorities include: I am cleaning this barn so I want them out fast, cause they keep filling the stalls. I want the problem children out first, so their out of the way and not causing trouble for others. I want to make as few trips back and forth, so I like to double or triple or quad run the horses out if they are game for it. I want them to damage nothing, if they do it could halt everything and I will probably be the one fixing it.

After being boxed up for a day we are lucky to double up the less problematic ones.

It being cold out, I also like to shut the doors behind me when leading the horses in and out, it usually means a spin about at the door, but it helps keep the heat in, big-time.

So the way I start usually is to grab the two Arabian mares (-very flighty-) and harness and blanket them up and take them together, to their paddock down below. Then they're done and out of the way.

Well they were a little springy, all eyes and ears, and when I opened the door to the bright outside world the black one gave a little snort. Well, I let here know everything just fine and out they came. I shut the door and lead them, short leashed, as they pranced all the way down to the pen.

When I released them, they were off like a couple of springs, galloping up the hill, kicking snow and looking all over. Then they came back down to the hay for their morning munch.

By then, when you walk in the barn; half the horses are eyeing you, a third of them are pacing, and several are whinnying at you. "Hey me next! I wanna go out and play!" and in so doing are getting the others excited.

Oh, and some have to stay in per the weekly schedule, they get a flake of hay and I forgot and when I bring it they start hollering about that too.

Some, when taken together go at such different paces that you are nearly pulled in two between the slow poke and the "I want my hay" quick-stepper. Lots of pulling in both directions can leave you very frustrated, especially when your trying to shut a paddock gate snaphook and chain. Ahggg!

Sheesh, lets get these animals out of the barn and get some peace and quiet so we can get the stalls cleaned.

Some, like Sulivan, are such a pacing bother that they go out early and, being part of a set of four, he can go out with Max right now. Then I can get Dancer out on the return and start to take advantage of the back and forth pattern as I enter and leave one end of the barn, then the other, leading horses out to paddocks and their morning hay.

It's kinda like being a bartender at an unruly road house, or a manager at a hotel with very noisy and demanding customers.

You can't lead these two together but you can those two, but one has to have his halter removed at the paddock gate, he has a sore that is healing on the nose.

And on and on it goes, every day at many horse barns throughout Minnesota, as it has for decades, centuries...

And this barn eventually returns to a relatively normal routine as the horses go out into this winter wonder-land, snorting and stomping into paddocks, jumping and kicking...and rolling, lots and lots of rolling and then getting up and shaking and settling into some nice hay.

Now to clean the stalls.

It is kind of fun in its own annoying way.

So those of you, who I have spoken to, may see why, I talk like I do.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Global Warming Was a Fraud and Is Still a Fraud.

When I was working at Riverbend Stables in Rockford Minnesota in the 90's, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its report, (based on the data out of the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia), that 2000 scientists had come to the "consensus" that "Global Warming" was a real and urgent problem brought on by human industry.

The debate was over, so they said.

I found that interesting and did some research. You see I am a member of "The River Warren Research Committee" (RWRC).

I am the editor of "The Warren Report" the official newsletter of RWRC. You can read some fun and informative past issues Here.

At that time here in Minnesota there was a great "debate" ongoing over the condition of the Minnesota River in southern Minnesota. Very much like the UN, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)had issued a report stating that the Minnesota River was on the verge of ecological collapse and that great changes were necessary to save it. The "solutions" to the "Problem" offered by the MPCA where drastic and wide ranging.

The Minnesota River watershed covers about a quarter of the state and they suggested draconian measures to address this "calamity". Greater restrictions on farmers, large fees and fines to change behavior, identify and dealing with "bad actors", and purchasing huge swaths of land by THE STATE to remove it from private hands, was just some of their plans.

For some reason they think property held by big distant governments is better than in the hands of local individual Americans and Minnesotans.

What was most interesting was the interim report half way through the MPCA and Multi-agency report on the Minnesota River. They say in it they have not reached any conclusions and then outline a whole host of conclusions and recommended policies based on them.

This is known as aprori reasoning. They already had the conclusion and were tailoring a "scientific" report to support it, much like the UN and its global warming study.

This is bad science.

Also similar, was that what was finally released in both cases was the "executive" review of the study, a overarching review of the massive multi-agency study.

In both cases the individuals in the larger study were given a small focus to address and were usually unaware of the activities of the others involved in the "global" study.

In the UN's case most of the "2000 scientist" were not atmospheric and the like, but "social" scientists, specializing in modifying human behavior, not hard scientific study of our natural world.

In both cases the executive study was written for political, rather than scientific concerns. In reviewing both, you are hard pressed to find the data in the main study to bolster the conclusion in the executive study.

The River Warren Research Committee issued a study to rebut the official MPCA (and other Federal and State Agency study) Although a little dated, it still holds up and can be read in full here.

It is very informative and is well worth the read. It also comes to some very different conclusions because it takes into account some extremely important factors ignored by the government agencies looking for more money and power.

The Minnesota River is naturally a flood prone, sediment laden stream due to its very unique geological characteristics. Not because of human farming in the watershed, contrary to the official position.

With that in mind, all the expensive, intrusive and behavior changing policies pushed by the government seem unnecessary and irrational. Just like the UN's global warming nonsense.

Now the UN is found in a situation similar to the MPCA.

Especially in light of the correspondence between the so called "scientists" at the UN that shows them fudging data, stifling debate, and denying peer review to opposing viewpoints and outright professional destruction of skeptical scientists.

The debate is over if you, like Al Gore, refuse to debate.

You can and probably should read some of these behind the scene UN correspondences here.

"On 20 November 2009, emails and other documents, apparently originating from within the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia.

From the link above...
"The authenticity of these emails has been confirmed by most of the relevant parties including the CRU at University of East Anglia and many of the authors. These emails contain some quite surprising and even disappointing insights into what has been happening within the climate change scientific establishment. Worryingly this same group of scientists are very influential in terms of economic and social policy formation around the subject of climate change."


Here is a little taste of the "scientists" internal conversations..."Hi Keith,
Thanks--yes, we seem to back in the days of McCarthyism in the States. Fortunately, we have
some good people who will represent us legally pro bono, and in the best case scenario,
this backfires on these thugs..."


What is the scientific method?..It is the taking of a hypothesis, generating a repeatable experiment-removing as many external factors as possible, issuing studies open to peer review.

Science is based on skepticism. Show me the data...nothing but the facts mam...repeatable experiments, and open and honest debate and rebuttal with others.

They wont show their data or computer models. Why? That's sound science?

Science is not dropping a paper on the table and saying the debate is over, no matter what your station in life. (...like being an ex vice president of the United States.)

That didn't seem to matter to the ClimateKooks. They marched forward with their predictions of dire calamity. Everything from death of millions of people, flooding coastlines, fires, floods,pestilence, hurricanes, even increased poison ivy.

Here in Minnesota, we have for well over a decade, put in place policies and behavior modifying rule, regulations, and taxes to combat this phantom menace. All the while the STATE run media blares out these terrible predictions, Minnesota is under threat and we have to act NOW!!!!

These have made electricity more expensive, gasoline more expensive, automobile more expensive (and dangerous read this newsletter with information on deadly FEDERAL CAFE standards for autos.)

There is no time to wait they say. All the while HUGE sums of money are spent by governments on individuals, groups,"non-profits" and agencies.

These grants and tax dollars have, and still are corrupting.

"Our studies show a great concern and need for more studies". Of course they do.

What a racket. The MOB could only dream of such returns...then again where/who is the MOB now?

Like the MPCA, the UN is lying to take your money, property, freedom and future.

They think too many people are living, or aspire to live, the lifestyle enjoyed by Al Gore. Lots of homes, lots of cars, lots of travel, lots of wine and dine.

Speaking of Al, I was at the gala premier of his polemic "An Inconvenient Truth" what a farce. Even the United Kingdom ordered that when shown to children in school it has to first list the 17 proven factual errors in the propaganda film poured into the minds of these poor kids.

Our leaders are telling us to do with less. Turn down the thermostat, eat less meat, unplug your cell phones, drive less, buy less, use less; or we will all fry and the polar bears will die.

What a bunch of nonsense from the do as I say, not as I do crowd.

It is sad to see a whole generation of Americans (the 60's crowd) so blithely give up their and YOUR (and your children s) freedom for such irrational claptrap.

Sensing a little problem the eco-freaks, true to form, want to change the rules in mid game. Now they want to talk of "climate change", as opposed to the discredited "global warming". What a farce.

They seem to put little value in Liberty, at least yours that is. They demand theirs.

Freedom is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.

Hopefully, this worldwide deadly delusion has started to come to an end.

As they say at the River Warren Research Committee, "Truth is an Alternate Form of Expression".

The folks in the media should give it a try some time.

Friday, December 4, 2009

I Debate Minnesota Sierran on PBS.

If you want to see me debate Clyde Hanson, Conservation Committee Chair of The North Star Chapter of the Sierra Club about timber issues, click here.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Press release issued in 2007. After 60 buildings burn.

This was released after the fire along the Gunflint trail torched 60 buildings, many old historic and sentimental log cabins and homes.

May 9, 2007
PRESS RELEASE: Sierra Club Agenda proves costly again.


Statement by: Forrest C. Wilkinson. FCWilkinson@hotmail.com
Editor of “The Warren Report”; official newspaper of...
The River Warren Research Committee, RWRC.
Go www.riverwarren.org for more info.


Statement: Here in Minnesota we have great pride in the outdoors. There are basically two ways to discuss items concerning the territory that is Minnesota.

A) Assume a heavily regulated people – prevent potential harms and hazards to people through State agencies.
B) Assume a lightly regulated people – deal with harms and hazards to people as they arise through courts and juries.


In "A" we tend to trust the data from the agencies of the State and severely question the facts and motives of anyone suggesting less regulation.


This is what I refer to as “The Sierra Club Way”.


In "B" we tend to trust the data from a free-people and severely question the facts and motives of anyone suggesting more regulation.


This is what I refer to as “The American Way”.


We as a people through our elected representatives here in Saint Paul have chosen "A" …”The Sierra Club Way”.


We did this through long debate and with our eyes wide open over decades. So we must accept the natural results of our political decisions.


As we continue to follow the Sierra Club Agenda for Minnesota we must stoically admit and accept that there will be costs to be paid by individual people. By our fellow Minnesotans.


When we accept that dams are; as Sierra Club Hero David Foreman puts it, “At the center of environmental hell”, we must accept all the facts resulting from these positions. We must expect that places on unique rivers like the Red and the Minnesota will experience wild fluctuation of water level. If we refuse to use dams for “Flood Flattening”; towns like Ada, and Breckenridge and Granite Falls will have regular floods, with the resulting destruction to people and their property.


When we say that we must stop some odd concept like “sprawl” we should expect less roadwork and bridge building. Stillwater has been waiting for a new bridge for over fifty years. We will; and have seen, not only loss of productivity, but also human life, to the Sierra Club Agenda directing our transportation infrastructure.


And when we say all logging should stop in all National Forests, it is only rational to expect the conditions the people of Cook County are experiencing right now. With the resulting property loss and atmospheric contaminants. Why is a burned stump better than a logged one?


The Sierra Club Agenda is not necessarily worse for the “environment”, but it is most certainly very hard on People.

Forrest C Wilkinson. FCWilkinson@hotmail.com