Category: General

Why the US Postal Service Fails to Satisfy

GW:  So here’s the latest bit of evidence as to why the United States Postal Service is failing.  Here’s how it handled a flat rate box priority 3 day shipping.  And, this comes after another package, another time, was shipped to Australia instead of Arizona.  I got my hands on it some 30 days later.  And, with a perfectly legible label and no customs papers.  Oh, and no explanation. 

And, quick!  What longstanding business closes at odd hours for lunch?  Yep, there’s no mystery here despite all the taxpayer subsidies and TV commercials.  It’s a prime example of how government functions without the threat of competition.

Tracking Number: 9505512775666259007405

delivered

  • Updated Delivery Day: Thursday, September 29, 2016

Product & Tracking Information

Postal Product:

  • Priority Mail™

Features:

  • Insured
  • USPS Tracking®

Date & Time
Status of Item
Location
September 29, 2016 , 12:12 pm

Delivered, In/At Mailbox

 GOLD CANYON, AZ 85118

Your item was delivered in or at the mailbox at 12:12 pm on September 29, 2016 in GOLD CANYON, AZ 85118.
September 29, 2016 , 7:41 am

Out for Delivery

GOLD CANYON, AZ 85118
September 29, 2016 , 7:31 am

Sorting Complete

GOLD CANYON, AZ 85118
September 29, 2016 , 6:06 am

Arrived at Post Office

APACHE JUNCTION, AZ 85120
September 29, 2016 , 4:30 am

Arrived at USPS Facility

PHOENIX, AZ 85026
September 29, 2016 , 4:06 am

Departed USPS Facility

PHOENIX, AZ 85043
September 29, 2016 , 3:03 am

Arrived at USPS Destination Facility

PHOENIX, AZ 85043
September 28, 2016 , 2:02 am

Arrived at USPS Origin Facility

ALLEN PARK, MI 48101
September 16, 2016 , 3:44 pm

Departed Post Office

WEBBERVILLE, MI 48892
September 15, 2016 , 3:33 pm

Acceptance

WEBBERVILLE, MI 48892
General

Alaska: Coast Guard Evacuates Hunter Mauled by Bear near Juneau


JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevaced a 57-year-old hunter after he was mauled by a bear while hunting on Admiralty Island near Juneau Friday.

The aircrew hoisted the hunter and transferred him to local emergency medical services personnel in Juneau.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau command center watchstanders were notified at 11:27 p.m. Thursday by a crewmember from the vessel Sultana that a bear had mauled a member of their hunting party. The hunter was reported to have multiple puncture wounds. Watchstanders launched the Jayhawk aircrew to the scene.

“This rescue is a reminder of the importance of being prepared in the event of an emergency,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Georgette Lopez, Sector Juneau watchstander. “This includes ensuring that everyone who ventures into the Alaska wilderness has a reliable means of communication should the need to call for help arise.”

The weather on scene at the time of the medevac was reported as 3-mph winds and approximately eight nautical miles of visibility.

General, Hunting

Backcountry Sportsmen Oppose ‘Bikes in Wilderness’ Bill

BHA members support conserving America’s most remote and valuable fish and wildlife habitat

MISSOULA, Mont. – As hunters head into America’s wilderness in search of game and lawmakers struggle through the final weeks of the 114th Congress, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is criticizing a Senate bill that would open federally designated wilderness areas to mountain biking.

S.B. 3205, the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act, would open the door to bicycles in all wilderness areas in the United States. Under the 1964 Wilderness Act, bikes and other forms of “mechanical transport” are explicitly banned in wilderness areas, which are set aside to preserve their pristine waters, fish and wildlife habitat and opportunities for solitude. Today, hunters on foot and with traditional pack stock treasure wilderness areas for those same values. Read more

General, Wildlife

Can-Am Introduces the 2017 Outlander Mossy Oak Hunting Edition 570


CAN-AM OUTLANDER MOSSY OAK HUNTING EDITION 570
The 2017 Can-Am Outlander Mossy Oak Hunting Edition 570 package features a budget friendly price as well and enhancements to improve a hunter’s day in the field. This ATV was designed in cooperation with the camouflage concealment and hunting expert Mossy Oak, including direct input from its Mossy Oak Pro Staff team. The Can-Am Outlander Mossy Oak Hunting Edition 570 reinforces the Can-Am brand’s leadership in specialized vehicles and makes its family of Mossy Oak-themed hunting vehicles more complete. The ATV starts with the XT 570 package and then expands upon that with its own unique hunting-relatedRotax 570 V-Twin
The Can-Am Outlander Mossy Oak Hunting Edition 570 comes with the impressive 48-hp, eight-valve, liquid-cooled Rotax 570 V-Twin.

WARN winch
The package features a 3,000-pound WARN winch with roller fairlead and fully sealed motor. The rugged, dependable winch can haul out big game and get hunters out of a pickle if needed.

6-ply tires and 12-inch aluminum wheels
The 26-inch (66.4 cm) Carlisle ACT HD (heavy-duty) tires offer a six-ply rating, giving the Outlander Mossy Oak Hunting Edition excellent durability and dependable traction in rugged terrain. They’re fitted to 12-inch (30.5 cm) black aluminum wheels to complete the stealth look.

Read more

General

EPA Violated Personal Privacy of Farmers, Ranchers

GW:  These rogue, unelected power mongers need to be cut off at the knees now that the horses are already out of the barn.

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency has violated the personal privacy of tens of thousands of farmers and ranchers, according to a unanimous ruling issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

The ruling in American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council vs. EPA concerned the federal agency’s 2013 release to three environmental groups of a vast compilation of spreadsheets containing personal information about farmers and ranchers who raise livestock and poultry in 29 states. The case also related to similar personal information from farmers and ranchers in seven additional states that had yet to be released. The information included the names of farmers, ranchers and sometimes other family members, home addresses, GPS coordinates, telephone numbers and emails. EPA claimed that it was required to disclose the information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

“This was an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy by a federal agency in violation of law,” said AFBF General Counsel Ellen Steen. “The court’s decision is a vindication of the right of farm families to control their own personal information. Farmers and ranchers have a strong privacy interest in their personal information, including their home address, even when they live and work on the farm.”

Farm families usually live on the farm and the court took note that EPA’s disclosures in this case could facilitate unwanted contact and harassment of farmers and ranchers by the FOIA requestors and others. According to Steen, “this case assures us that individuals still have a privacy interest in their personal information. The fact that government agencies may have that information and even store it on the Internet does not eliminate the individual’s privacy interest.” According to the court, “EPA’s release of the complete set of data on a silver platter, so to speak, basically hands to the requesters a comprehensive database of their own, whatever their motives might be.”

“EPA now has to ‘recall’ all of the personal information it unlawfully released, but unfortunately that information has now been in the hands of the FOIA requestors for three years, and many feel that the damage is done,” Steen said. “AFBF will continue to work to ensure that personal information about farmers and ranchers is not disclosed by EPA.”

 

General

Another 30 Pounder

30 Pound 4 Ounce Watermelon

30 Pound 4 Ounce Watermelon

The watermelons are ripening fast now and we’ve harvested another whopper.  A good year despite a terribly dry June thanks to the water well pump installed for our remote garden.  Growing watermelons in Michigan is a good trick, considering the relatively short growing season but our 14 hills have provided some 60 melons and they’re some of the best ever.

Pitcher pump in garden

Pitcher pump in garden

At a mere 9 feet in depth, the well point has provided much needed water for the garden this year…GW

General

Thin Green Line Needs Your Help

Around 12:45am on Sunday, August 21, a California game warden patrolling in the redwood country of Humboldt County in northwestern California about 30 miles SE of Eureka, spotted a car that was shining a spotlight in the woods. Surmising that the people in the car were spotlighting deer, the warden approached their car. The occupants of the vehicle fled and began shooting at the warden. As the poachers fled, they continued to shoot at the warden’s truck.

Wardens typically patrol alone in remote areas without immediate back-up. The warden radioed in asking for back-up. The warden did not return fire as he was driving as that would have been more dangerous. According to Cal. Fish and Wildlife’s Information Officer, Capt. Patrick Foy, eventually, the pursued vehicle crashed into a tree and the suspects fled on foot into the woods, leaving two guns in the abandoned car. The warden was not injured.

“Due to the presence of multiple suspects, their intent on shooting him, and lack of immediate assistance, the warden waited for help before continuing the search,” according to Captain Foy. Multiple agencies responded to the call for assistance from the warden.

The poachers have not yet been found. A group of environmental organizations and the California Wildlife Officers Foundation are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the capture of Shawn Eugene Hof Jr., 24, who allegedly was illegally hunting wildlife with the poachers when he fired multiple shots at the warden on Aug. 21. Hof is described as 5 foot 9 inches tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information in this case is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office crime tip line at (707) 268-2539.

This incident is, unfortunately, not that unusual. According to warden Jerry Karnow, former President of CA Wardens Association, game wardens in California are involved in an average of at least one police shooting a year. Remember in 2013 it was CA game wardens who played a major role in the pursuit of Christopher Dorner. Considering that there are only 250 wardens in the field in CA for 38 million people, this means that wardens are engaged in more shootings than the average city police force of 250 officers.

California wardens are not alone. According to the FBI, game wardens nation-wide are nine times more likely to be assaulted in the line of duty than a police officer. http://www.policemag.com/channel/patrol/articles/2012/03/a-law-of-unintended-consequences.aspx

 Karnow and Lt. John Norris, who heads a tactical unit of game wardens currently focusing on busting illegal marijuana gardens, both agree that this year is the worst in memory for illegal marijuana grows on wildlands in California. Read more

General

Leatherman Now Selling Replacement Links for Thread Multitool


Leatherman Tread – MSRP $165Anytime, anywhere. The functionality of a Leatherman tool, with you everywhere. Our engineers designed multiple tools in each 17-4 stainless steel bracelet link, making usable tools like Allen wrenches, screwdrivers and box wrenches available at a moment’s notice. Adjustable to accommodate any wrist size and fully customizable with the links you need most, the Leatherman Tread is as stylish as it is functional.

General
1 … 73 74 75 76 77 … 232