South DaCola odds and ends

This is from a multitude of emails I have gotten over the past few weeks (H/T- Eggbert), so I am going to try to tie all this shit together.

You can also redesign the bp logo.

The $600 billion challenge

Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett are asking the nation’s billionaires to pledge to give at least half their net worth to charity, in their lifetimes or at death. If their campaign succeeds, it could change the face of philanthropy.

Ironic Johnny Thune accepts $5,000 from a pizzeria employee;

And for the artist in me a little poetry;

A  SUMMER  DAY

The extra girl
fell off the bicycle

The other
just rode on

Charles Luden
6-15-10
(at Black Sheep)

And let’s finish with some Alaskan news from Sideshow’s mom;

In 1999 we vacationed in Nome, AK and as I read the sign “There’s no place like Nome” I chuckled and thought “good thing”.  The weather was lousy, the town was littered with garbage and I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to live here.  Now, eleven years later, I live here 10 – 14 days a month and have a different perspective of this community.  It’s a vibrant little town with three grocery stores, great restaurant choices, a movie theater, a bowling alley in the works and a wonderful road system.

There are three roads or about 220 miles to go out and view nature at its best. The Council road is about 75 miles long that ends at a river.  This is a popular place for the locals to launch their fishing boats.  There is a small summer community or fishing camp across the river called Council.  The Teller road ends at the village of Teller.  The third road is the Kougarok, where many birders go to find the bristle-thighed curlew.

Joe was here visiting me in Nome this weekend.  We had three full days and we turned each road into a full day of adventure.  A short drive out of Nome and it is a tranquil paradise…wide open spaces with views of mountains, ocean, and wildlife.  When the wind isn’t blowing, the only noise to be heard is from the birds.  Much of the land is wind swept rocky turf covered with beautiful dainty little flowers.  We saw a moose munching on the new green brush.  We watched herds of musk ox as they napped, ran and grazed.  The reindeer were plentiful.  We enjoyed great views of one large grizzly bear and of a fox.  We snuck a few peeks at some spotted seals and a couple of beavers.  The arctic ground squirrel added a little entertainment to the trip and the birds were spectacular.

The birding highlights include – a pair of Peregrine Falcons close to their nest, a nest under a bridge with two large Gyrfalcon fledglings eating a Ptarmigan for dinner, 4 different types of loons (Common, Red-throated, Pacific and Arctic), Willow and Rock Ptarmigan (not being eaten for dinner), Common Eiders and  great looks at another 70 species.

Enjoying summer and hope you are too!

BTW, they are birdwatchers!