by Paul Decelles

You may not realize it but we are getting a good lesson about the way science works, or at least should work. The lesson involves an independent study of planetary temperature data designed to examine some of the global warming skeptic's concerns about the nature of the data used in previous studies on climate change. The new study was conducted by a group of scientists involved in a project called BEST- the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature study.

Some of the study's conclusions include the following:

1. The heat island effect in urban areas is not biasing the estimates of land surface temperature.
2. Poor quality weather stations are also not biasing the global estimates of land surface temperature.
3. Adding more temperature data gives results that are consistent with those in previous studies.
4. The best fit to to the data-(BEST did not use traditional climate models but a correlational approach) are a model that combines volcanic activity (the effect by the way is to cool climate) and carbon dioxide concentration. Variation in solar input is NOT an explanatory factor in current climate trends.

The BEST group has submitted their analysis and results for publication and what is really admirable have opened up their data sets and analytical methods to public scrutiny. The study by the way was funded in part by the Charles Koch foundation.

Now it easy to say well we knew a lot of this stuff from current work-but an important aspect of science is the confirmatory aspect of science- it's what should enable us to gain confidence in our ideas-while others fall by the way side as not tenable. I don't expect these results to convince every one and they may also be flawed in ways that aren't immediately obvious. But maybe they will nudge the scientific and political debate to where we can have a serious talk about how to deal with global warming.

The BEST Website is at http://berkeleyearth.org/

There is also an interesting commentary from the study's principle investigator who has changed his mind and global warming and it's causes based on the results of the study.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/the-conversion-of-a-climate-change-skeptic.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

Mutillid by pdecell

Several people have reported seeing these wonderful insects over the last couple of days. These are sometimes called velvet ants. They are not ants but mutillid wasps. The females are wingless and usually brightly colored-orange or orange and black, though a few are grey. The males are winged. The females are enter the burrows of ground nesting bees and wasps and lay their eggs on or near the larvae of their host. The eggs hatch and the Mutlillid larvae feed on the host's larvae.

Mutillids can pack a powerful sting-especially the one pictured here. That probably is the origin of the other common name as a figure of speech- "Cow Killer." The females are extremely active and never seem to stop moving so it is difficult to get a decent picture of them. Fortunately I had a plastic lid to a lens filter handy and was able to trap this one long enough to get a good shot.

Poet Timothy Pettet, Kansas City, Missouri, is drawn to the prairie, small towns (think Cottonwood Falls and Linwood, Ks),  their cemeteries and their history.

Pettet, who is in the process of finalizing an Opera entitled Mona and Zero, made his way to a cemetery  outside Linwood today to research the Chance family.  By a differing means of chance, Pettet met Stuart Sweeney (Union Pacific car inspector), who has information about the approximately 30 members of the Chance family Pettet is interested in. 

Pettet, who made his way into Linwood with the intent to research the lone cemetery, that sits atop a cottonwood treed shaded hilltop, at The Linwood Library, was directed to one of the town's yearly fund raising events hosted by The Lion's Club when he asked a member from the Sheriff's department to direct him to a restaurant.  

Wes Knight (stonemason) invited Pettet  towards a cooker of pulled pork, homemade potato salad and a selection of desserts even though the fundraiser doesn't  start for several hours (it is open from 3 -7 pm Saturday evening - donations accepted).

Knight, Sweeney (sons Jacob and Andrew) and fellow BBQer Phil Rosewicz (Civil Engineer Amy Core), all of Linwood, spoke about a shelter, prescription eye wear and other uses the money from the Lion's Club fundraiser has provided the Linwood community since the mid 1950's when now deceased charter member Casey Jones helped set up tents along the road in which chickens were smoked..   

These days, the smokers are filled with pork and chicken and club members remain downtown with their specialty smokers. 

Pettet left Linwood with an affirmation of why he is attracted to the prairie and small town comraderie.

Pettet will be reading poem 'Switching Way Back' and discussing additional projects on KLWN live from The  Runaway Pony Sunday, July 29th, between 8:30 and 9:30 am. 

With all the attention Google is getting with the fiber plans in Kansas City, I thought it was a good idea to share some things I've heard, and see if anyone knows more.

A few years ago, I was sitting in the barbershop. The gentleman next to me was telling us that he'd received a letter from Sunflower/Knology (don't recall which who it was. or exactly how long ago it was) announcing that they would be deploying fiber based internet in his area. He lived southwest of town, somewhere near the Wakarusa school.

A call to Sunflower (or whoever) at the time, and a few inquiries since, have not elicited any more information.

However, there is one more interesting item. About a year ago, I was googling trying to find information about fiber deployments. Somewhere, and I can't find it again now, I saw a map of the Dougas county area that showed fiber deployed in a narrow band north and south of Clinton Lake.

Is there anyone out there with a fiber connection from Knology? Does anyone know anything more?

Yes, I know I haven't posted an IPS photo in a while. Don't give up hope. I haven't.

Locally Westar has introduced Smart Grid technologies that are billed as helping individuals track and manage their power usage and also help the power company manage its load. Does this technology, though pose a threat to civil liberties in ways we haven't thought about yet? I don't know... but a cousin in Canada sent this link to me from a Canadian Libertarian think tank...not a site I would normally visit...but it does provide an interesting take on the new smart grid technologies.

http://www.mises.ca/posts/articles/the-smart-grid-as-the-slave-grid/

For the record, neither my cousin or I use old style incandescent bulbs and personally I like my smart meter. So check the article out. What do you think? Are these fears real or vastly overblown?

If you've lived in Lawrence for any length of time, you've heard the stuff legends are made from. Amazing keyboardist, song writer and vocalist Mike Finnigan (he originally landed in Lawrence to attend KU on a basketball scholarship) makes it big.  Ok, make that huge!  

Back in the day, we danced to Finnigan and Wood and held our breath. We knew he was bound to leave us. And we wanted him to. He had music to share with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Etta James, Taj Mahol, Cher, Ringo and Leonard Cohen (yes, I picked a few at random). 

Finnigan and Woods hit, Crazed Hipsters, is a frekin classic. 

I was thrilled to hear Finnagin and his band were playing at The Bottleneck last night and again tonight. I hadn't heard him play for years. 

He may be the old kid on the block, but he brought a new kid with a newbie old sound along  His son, Kelly Finnigan, and band Monophonics (mono phonics.com/).  

The pride with which father introduced his son last night was obvious - and for good reason. Kelly has stage presence, voice, soul and talent to die for.  He may not resemble his dad physically, but he inherited the music gene and then some.  

In a society where offspring of famous talents (think Julian Lennon and Presley), often disappoint, Kelly surprises and just keeps bringing it. And bringing it.  His performance of My Baby Shot Me Down was my favorite of the night, but each performance was brilliant.

Monophonics isn't 'just' Kelly Finnigan - here then are the rest of the band, each one a stand out in their own right: guitarist, Ian McDonald,  Myler O'Mahony, bassist Alex Baly, saxophonist Ryan Scott, trumpeter drummer Austin Bohlman. 

With voice and soul reminiscent of Joe Cocker, Kelly oozes stardom. 

The Monophonics music is described as psychedelic soul - known these days as black rock. 

Students, if you've completed summer finals, treat yourself to this two in one concert for $16.  If you have a final tomorrow, you know you either know it by now or you don't!

Music lovers of any generation really do not want to miss this concert. 

As I have repeatedly opined in this space, the current level of federal expenditures coupled with the added costs of new programs such as Obama Care can not be sustained by our current tax income supplemented by any rational increase on the rich. For my efforts I have been accused of fuzzy math.

Now the Washington Post weighs in on my side of the argument. Whether or not we raise taxes on the middle class is certainly open to discussion. Lying about the true intentions of the Democratic Party is not! Mr. Obama come clean and explain your party’s real program. Continuing to argue that it will be painless to all but the rich will only further destroy whatever credibility you have left. We deserve to know your intentions if you are re-elected

See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-presidents-stand/2012/07/22/gJQAeAKy2W_story.html

There has been a lot in the news about the great drought of 2012 and what the high temperatures might be telling us about what is happening to climate. So rather that rely on "some people say" as a source, I decided to check climate data from NOAA to get some perspective on the situation. NOAA has a great time series of statewide data for important weather parameters including average temperatures, precipitation and several measures of drought severity.

First of all how does 2012 stack up so far temperature wise for Kansas?

My firs NOAA data plot shows June's historical temperature data just by itself:

by Paul Decelles

Notice that June just by itself really isn't so extreme historically. But my impression as a biologist who spends a lot of time doors, is that this year HAS been abnormally warm so lets look at year to date historical data shown in my next plot:

by Paul Decelles

This shows a quite different story. As you can see the year to date temperature through June is very extreme. The year to data average temperature for the state is 55 degrees F. The next closest year to date average for Kansas appears to be 1986 at 54 degrees F. Going back to the 1930's, 1934 is the dust bowl year that comes closest at 53 degrees F. So temperature wise- so far this year is historically abnormal. However many of the record highs of the 1930's still stand.

Another concern is of course the several drought and NOAA provides several drought indices. Not being familiar with how these indices relate to each other I chose just to plot the basic Palmer Drought Severity index which uses local temperature and precipitation data to provide an index of drought severity that can be used to examine historical data: Negative values of the index represent more severe local drought conditions.

by Paul Decelles

Notice that 2012 does not even come close in severity to the earlier droughts, including some relatively recent droughts of the 1980's. What is interesting is that the Palmer index suggests that the drought of the mid 1950's was in some respects more intense than the drought of the 1930's.

So the data suggest that yes it has been really abnormally warm so far in 2012. On the other hand the Palmer data suggest that the current drought is not (At least through June) as severe as a number of other droughts we have had.

One problem we have of course looking at historical data is that agricultural practices have changed since the 1930's. Much of the marginal land that was farmed then is not farmed now or is farmed using large scale irrigation. Farmers today tend to use tillage and other conservation practices that that probably are moderating local temperature and precipitation to some degree compared to earlier years. This might explain the greater number of extreme highs during the 1930's when conservation practices were not as widespread.

If you want to have your own fun looking at climate data, check out the NOAA site at:

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and-precip/time-series/

There is a pull menu where you can select your state or region. You can also filter the data in various ways. This is a good way to check one's perceptions of climate change against historical data so you won't have to rely on what "some people say" or the infamous "they say" as a data source!

A link the drought indices is here: http://www.drought.noaa.gov/palmer.html

If you are into looking at extremes in terms of temperature and precipitation weather underground has a link to climate data. Go to www.wunderground.com and select the climate tab. Have fun!

We had 25 entries from fifteen different contestants in The Divorce Girl giveaway. The Divorce Girl: a story of art and soul is Kansas State Poet Laureate's latest book which has been released as of July 7th by Ice Cube Press.

Goldberg has scheduled readings from July 7th, 2012 through January 13th, 2013 in Kansas, Missouri, Vermont. Minnesota, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Florida, and Tuscon. Additionally, Goldberg will host Skype book group sessions through WOW program. Her book may be purchased locally at The Raven bookstore.

Drum roll please.....

Our winner is Frankie8!

Congratulations to Frankie8!!! I'll be in touch via the secure ljworld messaging service to find out how to get your book to you. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I have.

Thank you to the other contestants. I encourage all of you to purchase the book and embrace it at upcoming book clubs. Goldberg does make appearances at them to discuss her book.

I was zipping back across town early this morning when I noticed a gentleman with a long tool changing gas price numbers on the sign at Westside 66 to a lower number.

My first thought was that if I had not been driving, I'd have given him a round of applause. I then wondered what, if anything, I've done recently that would warrant applause; that of course led to this blog topic.

So go ahead, toot your own horn, break your arm patting yourself on the back.

What have you done recently that makes you deserving of a bow and a round of applause?

No, I'm not giving away the book's entire plot, but if you leave a comment, you'll be entered in a drawing to win a copy of State of Kansas Poet Laureate Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg's soon to be released novel, 'The Divorce Girl: A Story of Art and Soul'.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of the book a couple of months ago. I made time to read 'The Divorce Girl' when I recently house sat east of Lawrence on my friend Richard Gwin's gorgeous property. I alternated between picking blackberries, (and ticks) and reading the exquisitely written novel. It was one of the best weeks I've had in years!

'The Divorce Girl' is told through the eyes of main character Deborah Shapiro. This isn't your run of the mill coming of age story about a girl growing up and surviving turbulent times. It is set in New Jersey and is a tenderly written, intricately woven masterpiece of blending varied cultures, poignant human flaws, child abuse and a never ending search for oneself through internal and external processes.

Goldberg's idea of giving main character, Deborah, a camera, which then enables her to carefully scrutinize every person, place and thing without (too much) suspicion, was not only brilliant, but masters movement throughout the book as well.

This novel is officially set to be released July 7th by Ice Cube Press (www.icecubepress.com) Be the first on your street to own a copy!

Goldberg is the author of 14 books, including upcoming non fiction "Needle in the Bone: How a Holocaust Survivor and Polish Resistance Fighter Beat the Odds and Found Each Other'.

Besides being our state Poet Laureate, Goldberg is the founder of Transformative Language Arts at Goddard College where she teaches. You may follow her at www.CarynMirriamGoldberg.com

Books may be purchased from The Raven Bookstore - 8th E. Seventh St., Lawrence - at a ten percent discount. Goldberg is happy to make an appearance at your book club.

Entrees may be continued until midnight Saturday, July 7th. The winner will be announced Sunday. Happy summer reading and good luck!

It had been decades since I'd seen Bill Lynch play. I'd stopped going to dances and local performances once I had children and only recently did I fall back in with the 'in' crowd who enjoy meeting and dancing our caloric needs and weekend nights away.

I was excited this past month when I learned Lynch would be coming to town and would perform this past weekend.

I was disappointed however at how a local business used a big name performer such as Lynch for their bait and switch.

Here is what happened. Online tickets were a few dollars more than those purchased direct from the business - which opens daily at three for drinking and ticket purchases. My son is more likely the age group who frequent the establishment, so I sent him in - three days in a row - to get tickets.

The problem was that their computer 'was down' and they couldn't run any tickets off. I wised up and started calling in advance rather than send my son in a fourth or fifth time in the heat. Each time I was told they still had no means to run the tickets off, but the problem would be solved the next day. There was even discussion that they were bringing in another computer specifically for the purpose to run off tickets.

Saturday, the day of the concert, I called and still no tickets had been printed. I expressed concern that the performance would be sold out. I was assured that it would not be and that I could even wait until that evening to purchase my ticket at the $13 fee.

I arrived early to insure getting a ticket and to save seats for additional friends. No one was at the door at that time. At some point I went to get water for our group and the bartender asked me to go get my wristband. I went to the doorman/ticket taker and was surprised when he told me the price was $16. I mentioned all the times I'd tried to purchase tickets. I was referred back to the bartender (perhaps he is a manager). He wasn't interested in how many times I'd attempted to get tickets or that I'd been assured I could purchase them that evening for the original fee. He said they still had to pay for the price of running off the tickets. I asked why they couldn't just f' ing stamp my hand. I got a look that told me if I didn't back down, I'd be escorted from the establishment. I went to buy my ticket. The doorman said, "So you get the $13 price?" I could have lied, but I did not. I told him I was required to pay the $16.

An hour later, I mentioned to a friend in the bathroom what had occurred. Several other women spoke up and said they had the same experience.

My questions: How much extra money did the establishment make by doing this? (there were probably a couple of hundred people there)

How could they say the extra charge for tickets at night cost $3 more than tickets during the day that they never had?

When did they become able to run tickets off?

Is this a common practice used by this establishment?

I would gladly have paid more for a performance by Bill Lynch. The issue wasn't about the price, it was about the practice by the establishment that cost many people time and effort.

Please share your experiences with bait and switch practices.

In this world of online formats where anonymity allows people to share the utmost in personal likes and dislikes, family histories and life experiences are cried about, laughed over, examined intellectually or thrown out as an off the cuff remark, it's easy for members of a forum such as the ljworld to become family. 

Upon graduation from The World Company Citizen Journalism Academy five years ago,  I began writing blogs.  I was naive, inexperienced and technically challenged to say the least. 

One commenter who immediately assisted me with support and knowledge was Multidisciplinary - multi. 

Her off beat sense of humor, knowledge of online forums, quick wit, astute wisdom, array of sites to supply photos and links to back up conversation really added much to our blogs. She even invited me over to her house on numerous occasions to teach me first hand how to scroll blogs and put folders together.

I have to admit, I first thought, because of multi's handle, that she was a he and also a police officer.  She got a kick out of that.   

I was saddened to learn last evening that she passed away on Monday of this week.

I know there were times multi and I gave each other digs, other times she managed my song title blog sites when I was too busy to alphabetize it myself, and she suggested numerous blog topics for me to write about. She also became much like the twin sister we always joked that we, as Scorpio woman, were.   I'll miss her in ways I'm just beginning to realize. Her outgoing personality, outrageous sense of humor and embracing hug made her a popular favorite at our backyard group gatherings. 

Many of us have special memories of Multi, please share yours. 

http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/at-random/2012/jun/27/when-online-friends-die-a-goodbye-to-mul/edit/#discussed

Previous: IPS 6/14/2012
Next: IPS 9/11/2012

hujiko quickly identified the subject this week.

This is the 163rd post since since December 20th of 2007. Within the next week or so, I'll post an index of all those photos.

But, in the meantime, I am in dire need of subjects and ideas. I know there are more interesting things out there, but they have become increasingly difficult to find and I need your help.

This means YOU!.

I've added an appeal with ways to contact me below.

IPS 6/24/2012 (1 and only) by Dave Klamet

The burroughs Creek Rail trail, looking south from 15th St.

Suggestions for subjects or ideas are ALWYAYS welcome, you can contact me via my LJW account here. Or directly via email at dave at klamet.net. You can send an idea, or even a photo if you like and if I use it, you'll receive the thank of millions, .... or thousands, well, maybe hundreds....

The image(s) above is(are) of a part of a photo of a subject somewhere in the area. I'll add additional parts of the entire photo over the next few days. You are invited to try to guess the subject and location. I'll notify the first person who correctly identifies the subject or location of the entire photo. That subject or location won't be revealed until later, after the answer is obvious. I suggest that people indicate that their guess is "Final" as opposed to just speculation and limit themselves to one final answer per person.

We want a new police facility and a larger police force

We want a new regional sports complex

We want a new business center where the old fertilizer plant was located

We want a bunch of new buildings with associated tax breaks in downtown

We want to expand the art center

We want to provide tax breaks to new development in North Lawrence

We have used tax breaks for a number of economic development activities around town

We want to expand our trash collection at an unknown cost to rate payers (taxpayers)

We intend to increase our water costs by 4%

We already have a mil rate increase for the library to fund

Is there more??

We have among the highest sales tax in the state

We have the third highest property tax/per income rate in the state

We are at our self-imposed limit on borrowing

The county has not been heard from other then the normal leak to suggest a mil rate increase after a 20% mil rate increase a year ago.

We have yet to hear from the school district but the teachers want a big increase that we do not have.

We are advocating replacing any future cuts to state funding with property tax increases.

Most of all of this is not sold as somebody hurting – it is mostly sold as new good things w can have. Is this a race to somewhere other than bankruptcy? Do our lawgivers plan to fleece us and then move on?

Are we paying too much to the government engines that dominate our economy so that tax increases are without pain for a slim majority?

Could the slowdown in our economic growth relate to being more expensive than other areas of Kansas? Are our amenities sufficient to overcome the higher costs?

Does anybody care?

Ok, the blog title was simply to get your attention. Although there are numerous shades of color as the blackberry ripens from a tiny green pod, moves into an array of reds (they almost look like raspberries), to a dark purple, and then to the deeper shade of black, for the purposes of this blog, berries are either ripe or not.

I spent an agonizing hour, ok, that's an exaggeration, last Sunday picking a berry here and a berry there, everywhere a berry berry, but the majority were not ripe. Today, oh what a difference a week makes!

I place both hands palm side up, fingers curved upwards under clusters of the ripest berries. I wiggle my fingers ever so gentle and both hands are filled with delicious, warm ripe fruit. Take the right hand and place the berries into the bowl beside you. Take the left hand and fill your mouth with berries. Begin again.

When the fruit it ripe, it is truly that easy.

Items to take: water, long sleeved shirt and heavy pants, shoes with hard soles or boots, socks, sun screen, strap around bag or back pack for keys, cell phone, etc., a friend with compulsive disorder (they just don't stop picking), bug spray (ticks are as thick as the berries), plenty of containers (not too large as your berries will become heavy and squish the bottom ones), and a healthy appetite.

It seems as though berries give off heat. Regardless of how cool the morning is, I find I'm covered in sweat from head to toe within minutes of entering a berry patch. Maybe it's the speed in which I'm picking, or the extra calories I'm getting from the berries, or the competitive spirit as my cousin Teresa and I knock each other into the brambles when we spy the fattest, juiciest berries hanging, as always, just out of reach.

Please share berry picking sites, any items I forgot, and your favorite recipes - I hear there is a great blackberry yogurt soup.

If anyone is interested, we can have a berry picking contest. Find someone willing to time you for half an hour and then count your berries once your time is up and report back to me. The winner will receive a gift to be announced.

I read the city budget study agenda and I note our city priorities are public safety, infrastructure and economic development. I note our shortages are in police resources and infrastructure.

If we are serious, staff should offer alternatives where those shortfalls are funded while economic development is not. Of course I note that social services are not even in the priority scheme and are untouched. I also note that apparently everything else we do is of higher priority than our stated priorities as none of it is sourced. Perhaps these elements of our city expenditures should be appropriately prioritized and sourced as appropriate

As posted (see: http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/loyal-opposition/2012/jun/14/winners-and-losers/) the middle 60% of us(home owners) have lost 40% of their net worth and have seen no real income increase in two decades. Perhaps it is time for our lawgivers to recognize that. Not everyone here works for KU or the school district where expected income increases will offset the proposed mil levy increase.

Is this a game to argue for a revenue increase or a serious attempt to budget?

Previous:IPS 6/2/2012
Next:IPS 6/24/2012

Alia Ahmed identified this week's subject. See the bottom of this post for the subject and complete picture.

Many years ago, I was watching coverage of the Olympics, I saw a short segment that I still remember. It was about the last man to finish the marathon. He was never a contender, and he finished the race hours after the winners and far behind everyone else, but I guess he was too determined to stop.

Some days I think I know how he felt.

I have been creating an index of all the IPS (and SMTS)posts. I started on December 20th of 2007. I'm up to Feb 6, 2011 and my count is 127. Whew. Just thinking about it makes me tired. I surely didn't know what I'd gotten myself into.

But by golly, don't get your hopes up, I'm not done yet. One reason I finally got around to creating an index of my posts is so I could be sure I hadn't done this week's subject already. It turns out, I only duplicated one subject in all that time, and that was a special case anyway.

I think I'm up to about 160, and I don't want to stop before 200.

by Dave Klamet

by Dave Klamet

by Dave Klamet

The image(s) above is(are) of a part of a photo of a subject somewhere in the area. I'll add additional parts of the entire photo over the next few days. You are invited to try to guess the subject and location. I'll notify the first person who correctly identifies the subject or location of the entire photo. That subject or location won't be revealed until later, after the answer is obvious. I suggest that people indicate that their guess is "Final" as opposed to just speculation and limit themselves to one final answer per person.

by Dave Klamet

After all this time, I FINALLY used this subject...

A recent NYT published article reported that median family income today is the same in real terms as median family income in the early 1990s. The median family’s net worth has declined by 40% from $125K to less than $80K over the same period. The gains of a generation have been lost. What is also noteworthy is that the article goes on to report that it is the middle 60% of us that are feeling that pain (Income between $20K and $100K per household). Apparently, according to the article, the top 20% and the bottom 20% have seen gains in income. Yes, that is right, the bottom 20% have gained.

Perhaps it may be time for the very focal advocates on here to actually focus where the pain is – the middle 60% of us. That is the group with jobs and responsibilities. These are the people who already pay a goodly portion of the taxes. Maybe a tax increase on them to benefit the poor is not really warranted. Maybe the end of the Bush tax cuts for these people would be unjust considering what has already been lost. Perhaps a tax increase on the top 20% would be more appropriate. The proposed “Buffet” tax hardly touches these letter people. Just maybe the Democratic Party is not helping the middle class as they claim to be. They certainly are not asking much from the really wealthy.

See the article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/12/business/economy/family-net-worth-drops-to-level-of-early-90s-fed-says.html

I'm serious. I'm a face book fan and read one friend's report about finding bear scat numerous times the past couple of weeks. Apparently her husband has heard a bear making ghastly bear sounds, the horses are too afraid to come out of the barn, and the family dog has returned home smelling to high heaven and scared.

I'm hearing reports of the bear scat sightings north of Baldwin City and surrounding a several mile area running east and west of a friend's farm. My friend reports her berries are still intact.

So reports of cougars and bobcats may be taking a back seat to bear sightings.

I didn't realize this was bear country, did you?

What's the strangest animal you've witnessed in your own back yard?