Once Upon A Swine Flu

Good Morning, my Friends. Unless you live under a rock, which is a tempting life style, you are aware of the outbreak of Swine Flu. Apparently it got the jump on Mexico and was picked up by tourist and promptly brought back to the United States and beyond. As soon as I saw the news, something sparked in my mind. I remembered something from my childhood. Something like this has happened before. Then as I was traveling to Athens Ga yesterday morning and the Morning DJ down there on WPUP reminded of the 1976 outbreak. The vaccine was blamed for more deaths than the flu itself. The outbreak started at Ft. Dix NJ. I'm not a Health Professional, even though I'm pretty healthy. This post is for Historical Reasons Only.



How about those 1976 hairstyes!
The Appalachianist

God's Gloucester Gorge

These shots are from down in the Gloucester Gorge of Transylvania County NC. The River is the North Fork of the French Broad and the shots are down stream and up stream, respectfully. I took these back in March, before the leaves came out. As we say here, it ain't no easy walk down in there. That River has been cutting into the south slope of The Balsams since God put them here. In heavy rains that river becomes a massive torrent, but in fine weather it's as pretty and peaceful as God ever intended it to be. It makes a racket as sweet as any music and can match any Lion's roar. It starts under The Devil's Courthouse and meets with the West Fork, as pretty a River, but not as big. The two form the French Broad and pushes it's way out of this country.

There's no easy way down in there, and no easy way out.
The Appalachianist

The 105th Day of the Year

Today is April 15th, the 105th day of the year. Today is the deadline for Federal Taxes as well as many State Taxes.


All of the money manipulation can be avoided. All of the "wealth envey" could be avoided. All of the Income Tax Fraud and double standards could be avoided. All of this could be avoided with the Fair Tax.

We need real answers, not gimmicks.
The Appalachianist

Winters Parting Shot

I owe you pictures. I'd post them, but my camera is out the road in my truck. My truck is awaiting parts. Don't laugh, it beats payments and the Tax Payer is not burdened with having to back a guarantee. But, I do have some pictures from a walk down in the Gloucester Gorge I took last month.

Well, Patriaites, we are about to experience Easter. One sure fire way to tell is not the full moon and spring, but...A cold snap. About Easter every year, we get a cold snap. This one came with blustery winds and blowing snow (accumulations in some places). April 1st may be April Fools Day, but April is a fools month. It's like fools gold, everything looks nice, you want to put your shorts on, suddenly it gets winter like again and you feel like a fool. "A mid spring snow fall, jokes on you". You feel like a sucker. Ones born every minute, but you look at it and think it's pretty and know it won't last long.
Spring is a struggle. That doesn't mean it has to be difficult, just a little hard. Just enough resistance to have to use a some muscle. Just enough to spring out in the open. With that cold snap gone, it's a good time for the people on the mountain to plant their gardens. April fools but is a little prettier after Easter. May is a merrier month.

If you want that soul Asylum song, go here."Anything to be cool".

It can still frost in May, but you can't count on it like the Easter Cold Snap.
The Appalachianist

Unintended Stimulus.

Rain. Rain. Rain...Let it rain. It's doing what it's supposed to be dong this time of the year. In places where you push 100" of Annual Rainfall a year, it doesn't take much to miss it.

Wiggly
Tip, that Pup I posted about a few months ago, well, she's a big Dog now. She's still full of puppy, but she's a big dog. As of Yesterday, Wiggly is gone. She needed to be around other Dogs, so, I sent her back to the boy that gave her to me so she could be. When other excited Dogs were around she threw her tail between her legs and looked around in gloomy bewilderment. She had some good abilities. She had a nose on her, would stick to a track, cat footed, good build with a good stance and alert. Just freak out shy. So in view of her abilities, we decided to try to get her socialized.
But, the gap is filled. I picked up a male Plott Hound about seven or eight years old. He was culled, for age, which is too early in my thinking, from Jackson County to someone that took him Down East and was impressed with him, but couldn't keep him. So, I've got another Chop Mouthed Plott in the back. He's just a bit long haired for a Plott, but he has the build. He's not quite as stout as Squeaky, but strong none the less. The only thing is, so far, no one knows his name...So, I've got to find the fellar that culled him.

Clinging to Guns and Money
Last weekend there was a gun Show in Asheville. The place was packed. Despite a recession that will drag on, people were buying what they could up. It was hard to find any ammunition in a sizable quantity. Either in quantity, or by the box, it was expensive. There were no real bargains, just decent prices. Anyone in the business will tell you ammunition is on three week back order. Suppliers are working over time to meet demand. Why is there such a demand? It has to do with a combination of reasons. One being "Mr. Cult of Personality" and a Firearms unfriendly Congress which shows a propensity to tax what they wish. Mexico, crumbling from it's own corruption (and our refusal to legalize drugs) and our own political elites are making(false)statements that 90% of Guns in Mexico come from the US. So, legislation is a concern. Another concern is the prices going up due to other problems in the market. As funny as it seems any time the Government prints money, we have inflation. Our Government is about to print off allot of money to make up for this spending bill that s supposed to save us from ourselves. We're looking at some major inflation to come. A buy it while you can attitude is is out there. So, so far, the only stimulus that Washington can get is an unintended one. Don't blame me, I voted Libertarian.


Speaking of...
Have you ever noticed that there more crazy mass killings in the spring of the year? Usually March and April. I can offer you no explanation other than those on edge are coming out of some Winter dormancy. I guess Spring is not all pretty.

I was supposed to post some pictures...I ought to remember that.
The Appalachianist.