Weather Concerns

Everyone knows that we in Middle Georgia ended 2011 with a shortfall of over 12 inches of rain.  Additionally, everyone knows that we in Middle Georgia are currently experiencing a very mild Winter 2011-2012.  Today I will focus on my concerns regarding these two situations as we look forward to the Crop Production in Georgia in 2012 and how it will possibly have a dynamic impact on our individual lives.

The above picture shows peach trees in full bloom in the Spring of 2010 near Fort Valley, Georgia.  It is my understanding that in order to have a productive peach harvest that peach trees must have a certain number of chill hours each Winter so that they can produce a bountiful crop.  I suspect that we are currently short of the number of hours to have a successful peach crop in 2012.  That will mean higher prices for the fewer amount of peaches that may have to be shipped into Georgia so that we can all enjoy our Summer time dessert of delicous Peach Ice Cream.

The above picture shows a cotton field near Cordele, Georgia in the Fall of 2011.  With the shortfall of rain in 2011 and the decrease of ground water available for 2012 it is questionable that the Cotton Farmers can provide an adequate cotton supply after the 2012 harvest.  That potential plus the short supply of cotton from Texas in 2011 because of the drought situation there will surely impact the price of cotton garments in the future.  Certainly a challenging situation for everyone who appreciates wearing clothes manufactured from Cotton fiber.  I noted in the recent mail order cataloges that I receive that the prices of cotton shirts and trousers has increased about 25 percent over the 2010 prices. 

This is a picture of a truck farm crop of cabbage near Montezuma, Georgia in the Spring of 2010.  With the short fall of rains and the potential of lower levels of available ground water it is quite possible that truck farmers will not be able to irrigate as much as in former years.  This will most certainly have an impact on the price of food stuffs that we all enjoy to sustain our respective lives.

The potential of having to spend more funds for food and clothing will be a challenge for everyone.  This is made even more critical in view of the fact that at the current time the price of fuel to go to work or deliver these vital supplies to our local markets is also on a dramatic increase.  I suspect that 2012 will be a year of challenges and will see everyone having to set priorities in their respective lives.  In the end, I suspect that we will have to learn to live with less and appreciate the fact that not everything we have enjoyed in the past will be possible. 

Memories

During the 1963 Western Pacific Cruise of the USS Ranger (CVA-61) I participated in the many opportunities to visit the cultures of Hong Kong and Japan.  These two pictures published today were taken as 35 MM Slides during the cruise.

I recently decided that in order to maintain my story that I should have these slides scanned into a digital format so that I could share with Family and Friends in today's world.

This is a picture of myself sitting on a rail at Victoria's Peak in Hong Kong, B.C.C. as it was known in 1963.

 I had 96 slides scanned and the company put them on two CDs.  They also provided me with a software link where I could read and also write the images.

The two I publish today were much darker as 35 MM Slides.  Because I could download the digital images to software editing programs I was able to improve on the images.

This is a picture of myself as I prepared to enter a Hotel during a Special Services Trip in Japan during the 1963 cruise. 

The image on the 35 MM Slide was much darker.  I was able to edit the picture so I can now share it via Facebook and other media to my Family and Friends.

The scanning of the slides was performed by a Company I found on the World Wide Web.  I sent in my first order to ascertain how well they performed.  I am very impressed and share this link with you today in case you are looking for a firm that will update your memories to digital.  They do slides, prints, videos to digital.  You can learn about this firm at:

http://www.digmypics.com

This firm provided fast service and allowed me to proof the scans prior to completing the order.  I was allowed to reject 25% of the scans which would have resulted in a lower price for the total order.  I sent 100 slides, however there were only four that were not acceptable. 

I was and remain impressed with this firm.  In fact I sent my second order to them  yesterday, January 24, 2012.  

"Rick Santorum Wins Iowa Caucus"

Today, January 2, 2012 the Flower Child will publish this headline.  It is the headline that will appear in the print media on the morning of January 4, 2012.

I think that Rick Santorum has a very good chance of winning the Iowa Caucus because he has demonstrated that it is possible to run a low budget campaign.  I understand that he is currently campaigning in Iowa with the use of a pickup truck while the other candidates are using motor homes.

From my point of view he is demonstrating the fact that one does not need to expend great sums of money to run an effective campaign.  I understand that he has already visited all 99 counties of Iowa earlier in his campaign.  I also understand that a vast sum of caucus attendees have yet to make up their minds. 

With these facts in mind I think that many Iowa caucus attendees will vote for Rick Santorum simply because he is putting into action what so many know that this Country, the U. S. A. needs to succeed in the future.  We must all learn to do more with less and in my mind Rick Santorum is clearly demonstrating that fact.

As a previous campaign of a well regarded and well respected Georgia citizen of many years a go stated we need a change in Washington.  A change that Rick Santorum is currently modeling in the Iowa Caucus Campaign.

Put Rick Santorum in Washington

The World This Week

As 2011 ends I thought that it would be interesting to see the audience that this Blog has.  For the period May 2009 through December 2011 this Blog has been viewed by citizens in these countries.  The count is the number of page views:

United States 9,829

India 792

Netherlands 729

Russia 531

Germany 405

United Kingdom 281

France 225

Canada 162

Iran 145

Ukraine 118

Looking Back On The Past

Today, as I reflect on my U. S. Navy Career which ended thirty years ago I take the opportunity to view the many hats that I wore as a Crewmember of four ships.

USS Ranger (CVA-61)  - Top Gun of the United States Pacific Fleet!!

USS Sellers (DDG-11) - Guardian of Freedom!!

USS John Paul Jones (DDG 32)  -  In Harms Way!!

USS Hull (DD 945)  Last All Gun DD!!

All In Order From First To Last!!!!

Thirty Years

of

Retirement

from the

United States Navy

 You can quickly see the ships and the time I served in each.  I retired from the U. S. Navy on December 31, 1981.

This picture was taken at U. S. Navy Housing in San Pedro, California while I was assigned to the USS John Paul Jones (DDG-32). I think it was taken in 1976.

I have fond memories of my time in the U. S. Navy.  Yes, there were bad days; however in the overall scheme of events, the good days certainly outnumbered the bad ones.  Besides that who wants to remember the bad days.

I was a Yeoman and enjoyed several periods of shore duty.  My first shore duty was at Naval Command Systems Support Activity at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington D.C.  I was assigned to this Command after my tour in the USS Ranger.  My next duty was on the Staff, U. S. Naval Forces Europe - 1966 - 1969.  While there I worked in Central Files and the Plans and Policy Division.

Following my tour of duty on the greatest Anti-Submarine Warfare Destroyer in the Atlantic, the USS Sellers, which was homeported in Charleston, SC;  I was assigned to the Staff of Director, Navy Recruiting Area Three in Macon, Georgia.  The name was was later changed to Commander Navy Recruiting Area Three.  For my final sea tour I was assigned to the USS John Paul Jones on the West Coast.  A tragic motor cycle accident in May of 1977 resulted in six months of limited duty and I was then assigned to the USS Hull for my final sea tour prior to my final shore tour once again in Macon, Georgia on the Staff of Commander Navy Recruiting Area Three. 

I enjoyed my 21 years of U. S. Navy Service and made three major deployments.  Two to the Western Pacific on the USS Ranger and the USS Hull.  My only deployment off of the East Coast was while I was assigned to the USS Sellers to the Mediterranen Sea.

To learn even more about my Navy Career please visit:

http://www.uss-rangerguy.com/AlanThiese.htm

Merry Christmas

and

God's Blessings To You!!!!

Christmas Eve 2011

Macon, Georgia

U.S.A.

It just not seem that one year has already passed since we last celebrated the Birth of Jesus Christ our Savior.  This scene was acquired about six years ago and I have enjoyed it very much. 

The words on the scroll in the forefront of this scene have these words:

"O Come Let Us Adore Him"

I would suggest that these words apply to all of us today as well as they did when these lyrics were first possibly penned in the 13th Century.  These words are the chorus to the Christmas favorite "O Come All You Faithful."