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The
convenience of the telephone was a debate in my opinion. In fact, I
dislike the phone for a couple of reasons. The first and foremost was we
were on a party line consisting of seven different families. Each
household had its own distinctive code of long and short rings. I
remember clearly that our code was one long and three short. I can also
recall how, within seconds of answering, the faint clicking sounds would
begin. This was due to every click representing someone picking up to
"eavesdrop" on the con-versation.
In
no time everyone on the line knew what the personal conversation
consisted of. This, in many instances, was the needed spark to create a
blaze of gossip. Gossip that generally distorted the facts as each
individual relayed the message. Gossip that sometimes caused problems
for people. Problems created because of altered truth or no truth at
all.
BACKYARD
PROBLEMS…
Myths,
tales, rumors and proof of large cats roaming the countryside have
existed since man moved to the country. Among these rumors were the
names Panther, Puma, and Mountain Lion describing one animal, the
Cougar.
In
the south, the only officially recognized population of cougars exists
in South Florida. This isolated population is generally referred to as
"Florida Panthers." However, in recent years numerous
sightings have been reported throughout many southern states. In most
instances, these sightings are never confirmed by tracks, scat or other
evidence. So, are there cougars roaming the neighborhood?
The
first thing I feel should be considered in evaluating if cougars could
exist in the South is this: the cougar is primarily a nocturnal
creature, extremely elusive of man in its nature, and its color blends
with its surroundings, thus making it an expert in concealment.
Therefore, often as not, what a person may see as glimpse of a cougar is
really something else.
I
have seen this happen on occasions while calling for predators. People
often imagine things when prompted to do so. Telling someone with a
vivid imagination a cougar was reported in the area shortly before
blowing an animal distress caller can become amusing.
However,
I have encountered some people who knew what they saw. People who were
very experienced hunters and trappers who knew the difference. True,
these people may have seen a once captive animal…and maybe not. The
important fact is to know what you have seen before reporting it to the
authorities.
THE ENEMY
WITHIN…
In
May of 2005, Deputy Assistant FBI Director John Lewis announced the
number one domestic terror threat was eco-terrorists in the animal
rights move-ment. The animal rights community has been up in arms at
what they have called "unfair characteri-zation."
Today
the "Feline Conservation Federation" finds itself raising the
alarm that eco-terrorists have begun an organized conspiracy to report
false sightings of large cats, i.e. tigers, lions, leopards and mountain
lions all across the country. This may not sound like a particularly
damaging tactic, but think about it. When these false reports come in,
someone has to respond. Therefore these false sightings successfully
siphon manpower and resources from law enforcement and other government
agencies. Sadly, according to some experts, participants of these
"false sightings schemes" are encouraged to enroll friends and
relatives in filing false reports to lend credence to the sightings.
They are also encouraged to call on holidays and weekends when staffing
may be at a lower level.
According
to officials, these false sightings have been steadily increasing during
the past few years. Recently a report of a tiger was announced in
Cullman County. To date, there has been no physical evidence found to
support the claim; however, state and local law enforcement officers
have continued doing what is expected of them, investigating
thereports.
These investigations may consist of only a few or many officials. The
sad thing is that our tax |
