The Decorah Eagles

Allow me to to introduce you to The Decorah Eagles.

These two mature American Bald Eagles have been partners since the winter of 2007-08. The female's markings indicated she was about 4 years old when the two became mates. The pair have hatched and fledged:

• 2 eaglets in 2008;
• 3 in 2009; and
• 3 more in 2010.

Since the first egg of this year was laid in February, the streaming video of the Eagles has been viewed by 11 million people from 130 countries. At the time of this post, there are two eaglets, and one unhatched egg. The third egg is expected to hatch any time.

Daughter:	Why is this so interesting to watch?
Me:	It's meditative. And I learned that eagles yawn.

The Decorah Eagles nest in a cottonwood tree near the Decorah Fish Hatchery. The nest, resting 80 feet above ground, is 5-6 feet across and about the same in depth.

The Raptor Resource Project maintains two cams in the cottonwood tree. The feed from the cams is streamed 24/7.

The bald eagle is a magnificent evolutionary adaption. Eagles are economical killing machines, but kill just enough prey to maintain caloric equilibrium and to feed and fledge their young.

In my post Bald Eagles are Pissed, I recounted a headline I read in The Onion:

Bald Eagle Tired Of Everyone Just Assuming It Supports War

The American Bald Eagle has become emblematic of US military aggression around the world. Yet the over-reaching wars, and gratuitous nation-building carried out by the US government, along with the cacophony of small-minded, patriotic loud-mouths in the US, WILL NOT not taint my awe for this majestic bird.

Bald Eagles Are Pissed

The headline read:

Bald Eagle Tired Of Everyone Just Assuming It Supports War

Why couldn't that be a NY Times Op Ed instead of a humor piece in The Onion?

Score one for Republicans

In 1972 a Republican led EPA saved our beloved bald eagle from certain extinction by having the foresight to ban the pesticide DDT. This proves at least two things

1. Republicans were much more centrist and reasonable in 1972
2. It is possible for Republicans to do good things

Talon-full of Historical Perspective

Republicans weren't always this bad. The dismantling of government services that served the people began with Ronald Reagan's election in 1980. Today Mr. Reagan is valorized by many afflicted with memory loss and dubious analytical skills. He led a cultural wave of gutting government services by putting the proverbial foxes in charge of the chicken coops. The people -- schlubs like you and me -- are the chickens in this metaphor.

In reaction, the Democratic party cast themselves adrift losing their progressive rudder. The Democratic party was soon overrun and overtaken by Corporate Centrists like Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton oversaw the transition to the Corporatocracy we are living with today (e.g., Big Pharma and Insurance Companies kill insurance reform in 2009-10 - a huge dis-service to the citizenry).

Yes and No

No --

Democrats are not blameless.

Yes --

It is possible for Republicans to do good things -- One just has to search the historical record with a fine-toothed louse comb.

The American Bald Eagle

If you have watched American Bald Eagles soar from the bluff-top trees to swoop down on prey in Minnesota's Lake Pepin, you can't not be in awe.

The bald eagle is a magnificent evolutionary adaption and economical killing machine. The difference between the bald eagle and the United States engaging in elective wars, is that the bald eagle kills to generate enough caloric intake to maintain equilibrium.

My definition of self-defense is as sparse and as economical as the eagle's instinct to maintain homeostasis.

The noble eagle takes my breath way.

I do not support war - and I am particularly incensed, offended, and disappointed by wars-of-choice with scant justification.