Archive 2004

Here is a true story of a retired Japanese man who loved and was loved by a raven. It is entitled, "To Love and Be Loved By a Raven" by Raymond Misamore.

I am retired and live in Japan. 3 years ago I started feeding ravens & everyday their numbers increased, to 50 or so. When I step out the door not a raven in sight but if I cough, which is to to 65 years of smoking, the telephone poles, TV antennas and electrical lines are full. I've always fed them about 100 yards from the house, but to get back to my true story, last October (2000) the veterinarian at the navy base animal clinic called me as I had left my phone number as I don't believe the birds should just be destroyed. They had received a raven, said it couldn't fly, so I pick up the bird & brought it home. It could fly a little, so I put it in a large cage I had built 2 years before as I told the veterinarian I had plenty of time to care for any wild ravens, hawks, and any type of bird and when they got well and could fly I would release them. I put it in the cage & a chair for me to sit on and get acquainted with it. I never used gloves or wore a shirt, just bare skin. He would not eat out of my hand only on the floor; I always layed my arm across his tree perch but he would not sit there on my arm. I talked to him everyday 1 to 2 hours at every feeding or in between. I had named it Kakochan. A whole month it was the same - never sit on my arm or eat out of my hand. Oct. 30th, the next morning I & Yukiko (my wife of 32 years) were having coffee & talking & I said I think I'll turn Kakochan free - he looked healthy. We went to the cage & I went in & sat down & started talking to him, & said Kakochan it's time I turned you loose & he jumped on my arm then my shoulder and rubbed his head on my neck & cheek. I thought well let me see & put a raw piece of meat in my mouth - he reached in my mouth and took it gently out of my mouth like I was his mother, or what have you, then he gently spread his wings a little and then trembled them. My wife was flabergasted & he even would sit on her arm as he never would before, but I didn't realize what was to happen, but seemed like he was thinking or acting like, please don't turn me loose, so I did not. After that if I was leaving or about to come home he would spread his wings a little and tremble them and seemed happy I didn't turn him loose. A week later he came down with a little cough, so we fixed a place in the house where it was a little warmer. He still trembled if I was going out, almost like, saying please don't go, so when I didn't go out he stopped trembling. His cough was getting worse so I called a Japanese vet that knew something about birds a 50 miles round trip from Yokohama to Yokosuka. We made several trips here with medicine but Kakochans cough got worse and 3 week later he passed away & I cried as tears are now running down my cheeks. Just a minute....I never thought about paranormal or physic but maybe after he first sat on my shoulder loving me, maybe he was trying to tell me, I love you, and make me understand why he was not going to be with me much longer. We buried him in the yard. Spring is just around the corner & I hope to have another true friend or more.

NOTE: Japanese don't realize that Ravens do not forget people that try to scare them away or take their young away & not as pets. I know they are a lot of noise but if the people would first give them a little food ravens would not tear up the gomi (trash piles) like they do or a least not as bad. I don't know about dogs or cats but since the ravens came to me I truly think or believe the ravens are or could be paranormal or physic. And my last words are personal:

"TO BE LOVED BY A RAVEN, IS TO BE LOVED BY GOD."

CAPT. RAVEN..RAYMOND MISAMORE

Added the poem "Alone" by Poe under my poems link.

When it comes to our precious environment, I find it staggering not only how little people know, but how little people want to know. And there is a reason (well, one of many) for that. If a person were to really research what is happening to our environment, a revelation would be brought to light that the environment is in serious trouble; perhaps even irreversibly. The media spins it, the government ignores it and lots of people are making money. Unfortunately, the powerful own the media and that is really hurting us. We’ll follow every drop of blood of an O.J. Simpson type murder case but we could care less that our oceans are dying. What does this say about our society? Or even singularly, our neighbor or co-worker? People don’t want to know. It’s ugly information and they are just trying to pay their bills and get to Friday. On top of that, they may have to do something about it, and people hate that (like downsize their SUV, recycle, carpool, etc.) The unfortunate fact is that until it hurts them directly they won’t be inconvenienced. But it will, and in fact, already is. Fish are now poisoned; water supplies are infected as is the case in Britain where Prozac is now detectable in the water supply! I mean, look at our hurricane season so far! Crisis is right around the corner.

God help us all if Bush is re-elected. To think so many people have faith in that man… Here the media is pissing over his military record and yet turn a near blind eye to far worse actions done by his administration. But hey! Don’t forget to watch that rerun of Friends tonight!

Do you notice how some aspects of your nature never change? They run through you like an electrical current that reverberates forever. And why is that? In particular, I mention this because some aspects of me never changes, or at least not noticeably. Just now, in the eve of this September night of which is about to be ushered in by Autumn herself, I take pause and notice the first hues of yellow and gold on leaves once flushed by the youth of summer’s green. But what overpowers me the most is the smell of wood burning in man's fire. To me, it is nature’s incense. It speaks of darkened woods, heady nights and the soft wave of farewell of summer’s hand into winter’s beguiling embrace. My appreciation for this will never change or wane.

One of every three lakes in the United States, and nearly one-quarter of the nation's rivers contain enough pollution that people should limit or avoid eating fish caught there. There are so many people on Prozac (what goes in the mouth, ends up in the toilet) in Britain that it's showing up in the drinking water supply! We can crap all over this earth but we'll be drinking it and in ever greater quantities. Our oceans, rivers and lakes are polluted and so will we be because we're all part of earth's fragile ecosystem. Face it, there is no good environmental news!

Today I added a new poet under my poetry page: Charles Baudelaire. He's as dark as Poe which is probably why I like him so much. I also added some new cemetery pictures under my pictures link. Was lucky enough to capture a few crows on film...

I find I've been putting people into dog or cat categories lately.

Cat people, like cats themselves, are finicky, clean, sensitive, and often have fancy tastes.

Dogs people are messy, gregarious, and can be found in packs. Camping is fun for them (ew!). They aren't opposed to getting dirty, wet, eating cheap or fast food. They are more robust and can handle a harsher environment.

Cat people like to sit on ledges and watch others make fools of themselves whereas dog people wanna jump in and play with everyone no matter how they look. I think cats go better with cats for obvious reasons. But if a cat is really patient, then they can endure the sloppy and simple nature of a dog. Additionally, dogs have very fine qualities like loyalty, are fun to be around, and are good protectors (if they are around to provide these services as often they are gone playing with other dogs).

My dog friend is gone right now and it's nice because I get to lick my fur in peace (clean my house). I also don’t have to share my fancy merlot with someone whose perfectly at ease with beer. Speaking of absent dogs, my ex husband was a dog. (Seriously, no pun intended). He loved to frolic, hang out with lots of other dogs (who generally accused me of being 'snooty' cause I preferred solitude over them), hated quiet alone time, and he would often leave me home alone and go play for hours on end, which I didn't mind cause cat naps are good and done better without a noisy dog around.

I get along with both, depending on my mood. Sometimes, especially after a lot of coffee, I can be a dog myself but I always want to retreat into my quiet space, lay in the sun, nibble on something fine and watch birds :)

And if a dog is reading this, don't despair, I love you dearly just the way you are.

An ape starts walking upright after a near death experience!

Earth sure is amazing! Up until recently, scientists didn't know about rogue waves. About two ships a week sink because of these monster waves that can come from no where. Thanks to satellite technology, they can now see these things form and just how many occur around the world (about 10 a week!) Cool stuff.

Mike Moore assesses if President Bush is the anti-Christ. I think he makes excellent points.

Did you know there is a "blue moon" in July? A blue moon is where you have two full moons in one calendar month. This is where the phrase came from about seeing someone once in a blue moon because it's not often (once every 2-3 years.)

On a related astronomy note, It's a matter of when, not if, that an asteroid will hit earth. So let's have some fun with that fact and calculate the effects of impact! Goodbye cruel world.

So, while asteroids only hit once in a blue moon, it does happen, and let's hope it's not in this life :)

More scientists are protesting the current Bush Administration's practices of mixing politics and science. In this case, they are supressing information that would affect policy (like protecting endangered species). How scummy are these people?

Letterman's Top Ten List: Top Ten George W. Bush Complaints About "Fahrenheit 9/11":

10. That actor who played the President was totally unconvincing
9. It oversimplified the way I stole the election
8. Too many of them fancy college-boy words
7. If Michael Moore had waited a few months, he could have included the part where I get him deported
6. Didn't have one of them hilarious monkeys who smoke cigarettes and gives people the finger
5. Of all Michael Moore's accusations, only 97% are true
4. Not sure - - I passed out after a piece of popcorn lodged in my windpipe
3. Where the hell was Spider-man?
2. Couldn't hear most of the movie over Cheney's foul mouth
1. I thought this was supposed to be about dodgeball

It's hard to fathom a little boy so spiritually developed when most people don't reach this level of love and compassion in their entire life. I believe some souls come here for a short duration to share themselves with us to make our world a brighter place and to help us remember what it's truly all about. The soul I speak of is Mattie Stepanek, who recently died at the age of 13. He suffered from a rare and incurable form of muscular dystrophy but never let this interfere with his march towards peace and love which started, in written form, at the tender age of 3. I hope you will read his poetry with as much pleasure as I did and see what a remarkable soul he is.

Support Michael Moore's work! If I had my way, he'd be President! This guy's got guts. And when Farenheit 9/11 comes out, watch it!

Two must reads are his books, “Stupid White Men” and ”Dude, Where’s My Country?” The facts he exposes on the Bush Administration will make your skin crawl.