THE SNOWY OWL
By: Stan Jordan
Thank goodness everyday someone tells me about sighting a big snowy owl. A fellow from up around Edon-Edgerton area has seen a big male owl and Ann Snider reported that she saw one on a telephone pole on SR 49 about a mile north of US 30.
The other day, the Journal Gazette had a story about a big snowy owl that had been injured and raised back to good health and turned loose again.
Yes, I think that here in the Tri-State area we have a few nests, now not as many as we have eagle nests, but I’m sure the snowy owl has some nests here and are here to stay.
There was a lady in the shop today who lives across the river on east River Road and she has seen otter, beavers, eagles, bobcat, wild turkeys and just about all of our wild friends and is always glad to talk about it and so am I.
See ya!
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL STARTS
By: Stan Jordan
Spring has finally arrived here at Antwerp and the little league baseball opening day is Saturday, May 5th.
Bob Winslow was in the shop the other day and gave me all the data.
Well, the officers this year for the Antwerp Ball Association are: President – Chad Coppes, Treasurer – Reggie Clem and Secretary – Malinda Schmidt.
They have a new score board for this season and 180 ball players. In the leagues they have: 3 teams of 11 – 12 year old boys; 2 teams of 9 – 10 year old boys; 1 junior high girls team; 1 junior high 7th & 8th grade; 2 peewee boy teams; 2 peewee girl teams; 2 teams of girls 9 – 10 and 2 teams of girls 11 years.
Mr. Winslow says the association is in good shape, but they are looking to find a good scraper. They need one pretty bad. They also need some ball park dirt; quite a bit.
See ya!
WHY, WHY, WHY
By: Stan Jordan
Why didn’t the Capital of the United States move to a more central location in the west? The states located their capital cities in the middle of the state. A darn good idea, fair for everyone.
Back in the 1860’s when the railroad and people were moving west, why didn’t the capital move more west?
Was it because New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Richmond ran the country? And still do?
Washington was named after our first President, George Washington, and the I guess D stands for Demonstrators and C stands for Curiosity Seekers.
As I understand, the geographical center of the United States is in a swampy pasture field in Nebraska and at the first rumor of the capital moving to the center, Nebraska said, “No Way! We don’t want the crooks out here.” Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska and they said they have had enough of main stream politicians. The English burned Washington down once in the 1814 and it was rebuilt and they have been adding on to it ever since.
If the capital would be more in the midwest, it would be so much easier and quicker for the western people to visit the political leaders. I’m sure they have thought of that, but I’m sure it will never happen.
See ya!
BIGGER MUST BE BETTER
By: Stan Jordan
In America, bigger must be better. Just look around you, every time a person makes a product someone else makes a bigger one and claims it it better.
About 1900, the car was slower, smaller, more simple and about $500 – $600 each. Now it’s bigger, heavier, more technical and a lot more expensive, from $300 – $60,000.
The first T.V. screens were anywhere from 13 – 18 or 21 inches. Now there is hardly an end to the size of a T.V. screen you can buy.
In the computer world it is always to get one bigger, faster and better. In the telephone and hand held video game business, there is no end to the size, power, storage or educational features.
Trucks used to be held at 48ft. for a semi-trailer, but it has been lengthened to 53ft.
Even those windmills are taller than the first ones are. Boats are in the race also; the Mayflower was 80ft long and it required about a month to cross the Atlantic. A cruise ship or aircraft carrier are 1000ft long and can cross the Atlantic in 6 – 8 days.
Even in the NCAA or Pro-sports, bigger is better. In basketball the taller the better. In football bigger is better all around! And in baseball, as a rule, the bigger pitchers can throw the ball faster and longer endurance.
The professional coaches want all babies to be 22 inches or more when born so they will be big and tall when grown. For the hot dog, also, now they are the jumbo or foot long.
The ice cream sundae used to be 10 cents now it’s about $3.25 but it is a lot bigger. I have been reminded that bigger in horses for horse racing might be alright, but not for a bigger jockey.
In the fast food world, the Culver people have hit a bonanza with that slogan of: We build a bigger, better, bubbling, butter burger.
See ya!
