Fed Up

WHY THE HARANGUE ?

Are You Surprised ?

cheats are normal

NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN

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.. It's -23°F and rising rapidly to an anticipated high temperature of +8°F.
.. We had a mid life morning and quickly turned on the tube in the hopes of it pushing us back into the world of slumber.
.. The bombast from the screen was stifling and repetitive. Can we become inured to the illegal conduct of humans in high places?
.. Should we be surprised that our elected officials are crooked? Why should we expect legal behavior from the rich and famous in the business world?
.. Is the public service sector more closely scrutinized than the business world. Damn right it is! And it should be!

THE CLASSIC

.. This is a world where cheating your neighbor and your customer and your partner is de rigueur in business. This is the standard model of business in an entrepreneurial society. If you have never been in business you are out of the loop.
.. The only reason that laws exist is that people are prone to behaving in the illegal and proscribed behavior.
.. Enacted laws are the imposition of idealized cultural standards on behaviors of the populace, (religious, psychological, philosophical, etc.)
.. Are there laws against bestiality? Of course there are. Why? Because people are prone to do it.

THE EMULATOR

.. Are there laws against theft? Of course there are. Why? Because people are prone to do it.
.. Are there laws against fraud? Of course there are. Why? Because people are prone to do it.
.. We  should not be surprised that the standard business model should have been transposed to the current administration.
.. We should not be surprised that a large segment of the American public believes that business is a good thing. They are prone to the standard business behaviors.

THE HEIR

.. We should not be surprised that the "real business model" is running our culture and our politics. [[LINK-1]]
.. Avarice and the concept of 'success' is basic to both Homo Sapiens and the business model. It is, in fact, basic to scientific models of evolution.
.. Success in the evolution of our species is recorded in only a few factors.
1) Us against them,
2) Making more babies than them,
3) Hoarding more resources and wealth than them,
4) Using nepotism and other tools to give us advantage over them,
5) Survive by winning at all costs against them.

REAL SUCCESS

.. In fact these are the secrets to evolutionary success for all species.
.. Boiled down, below the scientific verbiage and all the academic and cultural hocus pocus, it is really "ALL ABOUT ME." [[ LINK-2]]

.. We are experiencing the catharsis of a society that is confronting it's base values and behaviors: there seems to be some outrage. What to do?
.. This is not just in politics. It is in journalism, education, recreation, business, sports, agriculture, fly fishing, religion, etc. It's not a pretty model of the success of our species. 

THE ENFORCER

.. There is a big difference between being human and exhibiting humanity.
>> Being human is what biological Homo Sapiens do.
>> Exhibiting humanity is behaving according to the idealized societal and cultural behavior that our gray matter puts forth.
.. Police and law enforcement are a couple of the  means that we use in our attempt to achieve humanity. (There are even 'fashion' and 'casting' police.)
.. Today, WORLD WIDE, success depends on employing base human traits rather than embracing humanity.
.. The subtle tyranny of words embodied in language reveals the truth of the matter: 'she's only human,' 'we're only human,' 'he's only human,' 'it's the human thing to do.'[[LINK-3]]
.. Yes indeedie, we are all human and should not be surprised about it. We could  exhibit a bit more humanity.[[LINK-4]]

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.. It is obviously, (to us,) way to cold to challenge pea brained aquatic creatures. It's too cold to enjoy the challenge of frozen guides. It's too early for lunch and too late for breakfast.
.. There are some old friends that need some love and attending to. We can handle this in front of the fire.

SUCH A STRANGE ARRAY OF FRIENDS

.. We'll fish next week.[[LINK-5]]

IN PREPARATION FOR THE DEEP

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WALLPAPER:  A PILE OF FRENCH TOAST

Not A Side Note

SEARCH FOR TRUTH

A Must Read ?

fisher & tourist alert

WE WILL MAKE THE PARKS GREAT AGAIN

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.. We hear much about the exaggeration of alarm by the "liberal tree-hugging left" in response to the "rational" progress of the current administration regarding our Department of Interior.

OR THE HIGHWAY

.. We are often cautioned about the knee jerk reactions of the 'liberal deep state conspiracy.'
.. We listen very carefully to the 'sensible people' who say that we need to use up our resources.
.. A recently surfaced article in OUTSIDE was just pointed out by MOLDYCHUM.
.. It takes just a couple of minutes to read the article and to shed some light on the way the proposed Federal Budget [[INTERIOR BUDGET LINK.]]will deal with our National Parks and the Park Service as a whole.

FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS

.. Depending on which ever political uniform that you are currently wearing it is well worth a serious look.
.. This low profile budget item may just get lost in the hijinks of the current Washington, D.C. debacle.
.. We look forward to the comments and actions of caring and sensible folks to this situation.
.. We'll see what the circus in our congress makes of this proposal. We'll see if a proposed federal pittance will convince our private sector to ante up. We'll see if the maintenance backlog in the National Parks will be alleviated.
.. We'll see if cutting staff of the NPS, (at a time when visitation is at an all time high,) will generate additional funds. We'll see if selling public lands at Zinke's discretion will dent the backlog. We'll see just what the truth is.
.. We'll see!

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SUCCESSFUL ERROR

.. The plows are at it again.
.. The sun is dodging the scudding clouds.
.. The wind has laid itself to rest, (for now.)
.. The breakfast has digested itself and it's a coin toss between fish a little or take a nap.
.. Now then, where is that two-headed quarter?

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THE LAST OF THE FROZEN CHERRIES

Knee Deep & Wet

GENUINE NUISANCE

A Wonderful Dump

more on the way

WALLPAPER:  THE HOME FRONT

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.. It's a blessed nuisance. The nuisance is the removal or rearrangement of the white stuff. Gone from the porch, gone from the deck, gone from the stairs: gone from the places of impediment and moved to picturesque piles.

.. This was our standard snow prediction of 3 inches: we received about 20 inches. There is about the same amount due this evening and tomorrow.

RIGHT HERE IN WEST YELLOWSTONE

.. The blessing is, that this should top off the high country depth and water content nicely.
.. The air temperature is warmish and windy; this will produce one more glazed slip layer for avalanches.
.. With the split in the Arctic Vortex we may get lucky and have some cool weather in the Spring.
.. That, if it happens, will slow runoff to a gentility that could entice the early fisher folks around here.

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 OLDER THAN MOST NEIGHBORS

.. This bit of wet and deep and white weather provides us with a perfect excuse to hang in the house and catch up on the maintenance of fly boxes, reels, lines, rods, poles, instruments, tools, fluff, floss, feathers, thread, and other bits of minutia of the "catch fish pastime."

NICE VARIETY

.. Since we refuse to dispense with old junk and, still use it on occasion, we are doomed to maintain it. It is pleasant and in many instances a nostalgic endeavor.
.. Since we also refuse to limit our fishing to trout on flies we have an interesting assortment of gear that gets used during the year. Can't let it go for a year or so. Shouldn't let it go for months at a time.
.. Boy, (over quite a few decades,) were we ever suckers for the latest and greatest. From tomato stakes, to Calcutta cane, to Tonkin cane we grabbed the sticks and fished them.
.. From American Fork and Hoe steel rods, to solid glass, to hollow glass we grabbed them as they came along. From early woven glass, to parallel fiber scrim, to spiral spun we embraced the lot.

PETROLEUM DISTILLATES?  ouch!

.. Oh, my, my: how many synthetics sucked us in? First glass, "S" glass, "G" glass, boron, metallic hybrids, and graphene, (used in many applications besides fishing rods such as double top guitars and ukuleles.) Such seductive stuff it is!
.. How long is a fly rod? 5' or, 13' or, 9' or, 7.5' or, 6.5' or, any length you choose is the 'correct' length. Just ask the counter help they know the perfect length.

CLEAN OR SAND CORK ??

.. Although the cleaning and maintaining process is similar for each rod type and material, the specifics can be wildly different.
.. Wax or no wax? Hard wax or soft wax? Silicon or carnauba? Oils or waxes? There are many choices and many errors to be made along the way. How's your ferrules? Got Q-tips?
.. What will harm the finish on older rods? Do new rods need any surface treatment? What protects thread and thread coverings?

EUSTIS  W.  EDWARDS FINEST

.. How's your cork? Synthetic grip? Got wood? Stainless steel, chrome, or nickle silver findings and accoutrements?
.. Erosion, corrosion, or dilapidation. Got decals? Care?
.. Happily the chores are easier if gentle cleaning and maintenance takes place daily during the fishing year. Just a bit of warm water and a soft cloth drying on a daily basis makes Winter chores so much more pleasant.

A PAYNE NICETY

.. There is all manner of online 'expertise' and then, there is neighborly advice and, of course your neighborhood feather merchant. All are sources for what to do.
.. Or just buy a new one every so often: that will fill your closet, sort of like your wife's shoes.

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OLDIES BUT GOODIES

..Well the snow is piled up nicely. The loader has come and gone, leaving places to park for a brief period of time.
.. The sun is out and glazing the streets and sidewalks to a high sheen. The snow and cold of this evening will provide a delightful slip surface of ice beneath tonight's new pile.
.. Tomorrow should bring another day of fiddling with the stuff. What should it be? Try reels? Try Lines? Try fly boxes? Try tying desk mess? Try baking some bread? Who knows?
-- The youngsters have strapped on the snow shoes and are headed to Notellum Creek. Some have even bought this year's fishing license.

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WALLPAPER:    APPLE  PIE

98.25

TWO USA KIDS WIN

Kim For Gold

&

Gold For Bronze

youth dominates

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.. Not that it was a foregone conclusion but, Chloe Kim took Gold at the Winter Olympics.
.. She had the medal won by her second run and then, on her third, (victory lap,) run topped herself with a score of 98.25.

AMERICAN KIDS ENJOYING LIFE

.. Coming from behind, Arielle Gold, (age 21,) took the Bronze medal.
.. Two kids from America on the podium. Good Show!
.. We know next to nothing about the sport of snowboarding.
.. We do remember when there was a furor and uproar at Big Sky about the crazy kids on the slopes. We remember some stodgy old grumps wanting to kick them off the hill.
.. We also remember the first snowmobile aerial flip. It was done by one of our neighborhood kids. We took it as dangerously silly. That kid went on to make lots of money and traveled to see the world.
.. We can say simply that; the times, they are a changin'. From the looks of it the change is for the better.
.. These kids talk about having fun. They talk about being happy. They talk about a future with hopes and dreams beyond their sport, (LINK-1.)

TOO MUCH FUN AND A NEED FOR ICE CREAM

.. The neighbor kids cornered us a couple of weeks ago.
.. We were trapped in the Post Office vestibule and they strongly suggested that we deliver a post about Chloe Kim. We did, (LINK-2.)
.. It was a courtesy post for those kids. They assured us that Chloe would win the gold at the Winter Olympics - we smiled and extricated ourselves from their enthusiasm.

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.. The contemporary information explosion showed those neighbor kids that the possibility for gold existed: from right here in beautiful West Yellowstone.
.. So much "STUFF" jangling our gray matter. Faster, more in depth, more precise, more spurious, more fake, and certainly more overwhelming than the information networks that we grew up with.
.. Newspapers, radio shows, library books, etc. seem today,  pedestrian and futile. But then again the contemporary daily 'news' seems insignificant after a few hours or days.
.. Now we live by the moment and have not the time for understanding the bygone events that we no longer take the time to investigate. Have the lessons of history been relegated to the wastebasket? We wonder.

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THE TALE OF THE TAPE = YOUTH

.. So then, a kid from Southern California, born of immigrant parents, and female to boot, takes gold for the United States Of America in the home country of her parents. AND, the neighbor kids right here predicted it!
.. Not too long ago we would have known about it,  albeit in sketchy fashion, within a day or two. We would have been informed of the historicity of the event when the magazines came out.

COLLEGIAL CELEBRATION

.. Now, we knew it as it happened. We knew the accomplishment in near real time and, the electrons blazed around the world in near real time as well. It is wondrous to our synapses.
.. [[ Should you care to see the blazing abilities of this little kid just copy this URL and plunk it in your browser. >> https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/963240265669664773/vid/1280x720/d8hTP3jh1lCNNyIs.mp4 ]]

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.. It's sneaking up on our bed time. We posted once today so we will delay this just a bit and it will see the light of electrons in about 3 hours.
.. We'll sleep in and have a late breakfast before we enjoy the near record high temperatures forecast for the morrow.

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WALLPAPER:     HAPPY SHROVE TUESDAY

To A Stream Near You

ALL DAUGHTERS

All Sisters

all very invasive

MOTHER AND DAUGHTERS

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.. Parthenogenetic crayfish have hit ebay.
..You can bet that they will soon be in a stream near you.

LOCAL PICKUP ONLY

.. In a nutshell: these arthropods reproduce asexually, they are very successful, widely adapted, loved by aquarists, and found in wild populations around the world.
.. They are currently banned only in Missouri and Tennessee.
.. No wild populations have yet to be found reported in the United States.
.. Wanna' bet on the possibility? Wanna' guess where they are first to be discovered reported?
.. Fish eat crayfish. Large and small mouth bass love them. Big trout of all stripes devour them. These critters are named in the popular vernacular as "Marbled Crayfish."
.. Currently there is a scientific debate about their scientific name and classification.
.. Are they "Marmorkrebs," or "Procambarus fallax [forma] virginalis," or "slough crayfish?"
.. They were apparently discovered in the EVERGLADES in 1995 and taken to a pet fair.
.. They quickly made their way into the aquarist world and were given the name marmorkrebs, (which means marbled,) in Germany. Popular myth has them being discovered in Germany.
 .. These crayfish are apparently a 'natural' mutation, (who knows given the sewer that the Everglades is?) The academic question now arises: are they invasive or, just exotic or, just successful?
.. It's taken 20 years for folks in this part of the planet to become concerned. Now then, what to do?
.. Scientists, medical researchers, and taxonomists are having a field day with the critters and their asexual nature. Fisher folks have seemed rather blasé about it all.

RESOURCES

>> NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
>> Nature Ecology & Evolution
>> Science Friday
>> The Guardian
>> BBC World News
>> Nature (PDF)
>> Wikipedia
>>

..

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.. Another 'warm' day is on tap and the neighbors have already beat down the door for coffee and grits. They are off to visit the clouds of midges Between The Lakes.

SMALL LIGHT SPRUCE MATUKA

.. Morning is strictly a nymph and small streamer game.
.. In the bright sun of the early afternoon the snow flies seek perches in anything above the well trodden snow.
..Fisher Folks' ears are good landing places.
.. We'll see them later on.

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WALLPAPER:  RIB STEAK AND EGGS

Shrink Them Thar Hills

MIXED BLESSINGS

Give A Little

Take A Lot

secretary on a rampage

A VISION FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS?

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..With the shrinking of Bears Ears National Monument the Interior Department has ceded 250,000 acres back to the Agriculture Department.
.. This reversion removes resource  protection and allows mining, oil and gas exploration, timber production and, grazing on that chunk of land.

SMOKE 'EM

.. Last night, (at the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo,) Ryan Zinke signed an order that requires the federal government to closely coordinate its plans with state agencies and private landowners to ensure the vitality of wildlife corridors.
..  We do need the corridors to insure continued genetic health in terra-migrating species like the pronghorn on Yellowstone's northern range and the Northern Rocky Mountain Grizzly Bears.
.. Coordination is good. We'll see how this works out in the face of protestations from environmental groups and the states affected.
.. Zinke's plan would divide the U.S. into 13 geographic regions, (or maybe 11 or 10 ??)
.. This administrative change would reduce staff and is supposed to change the management focus to perceived unique environmental factors in place of the current state-based system. [[We suspect that there is very little in common between Corpus Christi, Texas and Winfield, Kansas.  How about Omaha, Nebraska and Libby, Montana?]]

THE PREVIOUS SUGGESTION

.. The new management zones ignore state boundaries and are supposedly designed to more closely match geographic areas with similar characteristics and management needs. [[MANAGEMENT NEEDS ??]]
..The governors of 19 western states are miffed. The bipartisan Western Governors Association sent a letter to Zinke on Feb. 1 asking for a delay on the plan.

TAILING LOOP PERFECTION

.. In the letter, the governors said that the association asked Zinke, in recent months, to consult them if he planned to reshuffle the regional management structure.
.. The governors said that Zinke had not consulted them on the proposed changes.  [[ Is this the kind of consultation specified in the order? ]]
.. The proposed plan is based on perceived geographic and environmental similarities.
.. Save for the greater Columbia River system and the Mississippi River mainstem there does not seem to be any concerns over riverine ecosystems or piscatorial sensitivity.
.. Most of this is grab bag shuffling and is part of the "Plan For The Next 100 Years" that Zinke is pursuing.
.. Most of this shakeup at Interior is flying under the radar due to the other higher profile shenanigans that are being displayed by both the Legislative and Administrative branches of our elected government. Did we really do this to ourselves?
.. We will have to pay close attention to this stuff. It seems half baked to us.

RESOURCES

>> Courthouse News Service
>> Associated Press
>> Washington Examiner
>> Federal News Radio
>> E & E  News
>> The Hill (1)
>> The Hill (2)
>> The Washington Post
>> Moldy Chum

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BISCUIT BASIN AT DUSK

.. Rode over to Old Faithful yesterday after rush hour. Pleasant journey with some of the neighbors.
.. No crowds. Traffic going the other way. Wildlife smiling for portraits. Clouds colored up for dusk.
.. Free cookies and apple cider at Snow Lodge. Observing the "Do Me" crowd with winter finery and furs. Didn't fish much. Oh well!
.. The warm continues. 'Twas 50°F in Bozeman and 35°F up here.
.. The pavement is creeping up through the snow and sledheads are using the alleys.
.. Skiers have taken to shanks' mare in town and, the sidewalks are nicely shoveled in front of the trinket stores and feather merchants.
..  The first pot of coffee smells inviting as does the air creeping in the open kitchen window. It's not yet Spring but the pretense is truly convincing.

THE FUZZY JOHN

.. We're currently in the midst of our winter gear maintenance rituals but, there is a rod and reel ready to go in our trusty horse.
.. The roads are clear, the clouds are scudding into view, the breeze is light and the fish are calling.
.. We hear them!

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WALLPAPER:   LEFTOVERS

Neighborhood Cruiser

ON OUR ROADS

It's A One Off

we would buy one

..

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.. With the introduction of the new Nissan 370Z roadster comes the one off 370Zki.
.. A great promotional vehicle for those of us that don't retreat to the lowlands for the white season.

TRADITIONAL SOFT HACKLE

.. On a more plebeian subject: it's tie-em-up time.
.. It's no secret that the soft hackle fly pattern is a favorite among our neighbors.
.. It's also no secret that our woods are full of Falcipennis canadensis.
.. This little bird is slow to flush and often will not get out of the way when hikers approach on a trail that they have claimed.
.. On rare occasions, (during nesting time,) we have picked up a wild spruce grouse hen and pointed her back to the woods when she wandered into a road.

BEAD HEAD SOFT HACKLE

.. These pudgy little birds provide us with the absolute best soft hackle feathers in the world  --  or at least in this part of the world.
.. Fool grouse or not we cherish these little ground dwellers.
.. They frustrate the true sporting mind when they jump up and flap twice and land on a branch. Hardly 'high sport' to blast them from a lodgepole pine at the distance of 6 yards.
.. We prize their rump feathers. They are nicely barred and come in all the right sizes. They wiggle enticingly in the water and, tie up easily. A double handful from Alice will last a couple of years.

Falcipennis canadensis:  PURE GOLD TREASURE

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.. Yesterday's light rain made mush of some of our streets and put a glaze on the ice of Hebgen Reservoir.

PICK A MIDGE - POKE A TROUT

..  This year the "mid winter thaw" started early and is unusually persistent. Save for next Tuesday, we will have mid day highs way up in the high twenties and low thirties.
.. With the upcoming ample sun and some sparse spittings of snow the neighbors will be digging the midges out of their ears.
.. Find those dark slow back eddy locations in the river. Sneak a little. Just dap the fly on each nose that you see.
.. Between the lakes on the Madison River and, down to Quake Lake the poor fish have no chance.

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.. The morning light is arriving a skosh earlier these days; no complaint here! We'll forego our mid morning nap and walk off the breakfast calories. It's just too nice out to tie a couple of dozen  --  right now.

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WALLPAPER:  HAMBURGER STEAK AND TATER