On Animal Farm

     George  Orwell  wrote  Animal  Farm  during  World  War  II.   It  was  published  in  1945  in  England  and  in  1946    in the  United  States.   The  story  is  an  allegory  about  the  Stalinist  rule  of  the  Union  of  Soviet  Socialist  Republics.   It  shows  the  cycle  of  power  coming  full  circle,   with  the  leader  of  the  revolution  becoming  the  dictator.

     When    Orwell  introduces  Animal  Farm,   it  seems  ideal.   Animals  will  selfgovern,   as  free  beings.   They  will  eat  more, work  less  and  cogitate  on  animalism.   Instead  they  eat  less,   work  more  and  can't  remember  the  commandments, which  keep  changing.

     The  initial  reason  behind  most  revolutions  is  to  improve  the  life  of  the  people.   Purpose  is  trumped  by  means  as  the  reality  of  governing  sets  in.     The  will  of  the  people  is  driven  by  fear,   hunger  and  ignorance.   Education  is  the  cure, and  the  basis  of  democracy.

     Napolean, the cruel dictator of the farm,  uses  fear  to  control  the  animals.   The  dogs  are  police  and  executioner,   keeping  the  potential  complainers  quiet.   Snowball  is  an  imaginary  enemy  to  unite  them.   Our  own  country  uses  terrorism  to  frighten  its  citizens  and  invade  their  privacy.   Does  anyone  really  believe  I'm  terrorist?   And  yet  they  pat  me down  every  time  I  get  on  a  plane.   The  real  purpose  is  to  perpetuate  fear  of  terrorists,   the  government  and  our  fellow  citizens!

     Everyone  on  Animal  Farm  is  hungry  for  something.   Boxer  wants  a  chance  to  retire  and  learn  the  alphabet. Muriel  wants  food  and  shelter.   Benjamin  needs  everyone  to  acknowledge  his  intelligence.   The  pigs  want  to  be  human.   Every  one  is  driven  by  their  wants  and  needs  and  principles  are  forgotten.   Human  nature  has  the  same  effect.   Until  a  person's  needs  and  wants  are  satisfied  principles  are  irrelevent.

     Ignorance  is  rooted  in  illiteracy.   It  is  furthered  by  propaganda.   Boxer  never  learns  to  read.   Squealer  writes  slogans  and  the  sheep  bleat  them  until  they  are  " true" .   The  Iraq war was  started  this  way;   President  Bush  lied, the  press  repeated  it,   and  it  became  a  well  known  " fact"   that  Iraq  had  weapons  of  mass  destruction.   We  lost  thousands  lives  in  being  ignorant.

     Animal  Farm  is  a  precautionary  story.   If  we  don't want a  part  in  the  last  chapter, with  the  pigs  eating  caviar  while  the  rest  of  the  animals  starve, we  must  resist  fear, feed  the  hungry  and  educate  our  society. _

French and Indian War

    The French and Indian War was fought from 1754 to 1763 in North America. The European historians will say it is the North American theater of the Seven Years War, that involved several European countries. The  initial battle by the French and British was over waterways in the valley of the Ohio River. The war was over world domination. 

    The Indians were Native Americans from nearby tribes that fought mostly with  the French. They sided with the French and after the British victory Indian dispossession continued until today. This was ironic after the French insisted on a no looting policy during the war. 

    The war was very expensive for both Great Britain and France. Both nations were in debt. King George III imposed taxes on the colonists, leading to the American Revolution. King Louis XV taxed his subjects, leading to the French Revolution.

    This was the first war to use guerrilla warfare. While the British marched in lines the Indians hid and shot from behind trees.  This leveled the playing field since the British had more than twice as many troops. War is never fair.

Retryin Rags and Frosty

    Rusty and Rags sat in their matching recliners watching Sherlock, eating ice cream, eventually nodding off in their cozy living room.  Then the wind blew the window open and the rushed to turn off the television.  It was too late.  The door opened and Frosty arrived.
    Rusty knew he needed to be the one to get Frosty to leave. Rags had a long history of taking him in, no matter how mean Frosty was. It started right away.  " Rode the train in the ice cream car, all the way from Snowy.  Trains trump all other forms of public transportation, which you wouldn’t know since you never leave this one horse town. You really should get out more. " 

    Rusty got up to close the door and turned the thermostat up to 90°F. The temperature began to rise in the house, and Frosty started to drip.  " What's wrong with your house? This hovel is like an oven! "  Frosty flung open the windows and the cold wind made Rags shiver. Rusty brought him a sweater and went into the kitchen.

    Rags enjoyed a warm beverage before bed. Usually Rusty made him a cup of tea, two sugars and milk. Instead, he made an entire pot. On his way into the living room, Rusty tripped and the hot tea splattered all over Frosty.  " You clumsy fool! I look like a golfball! "  Rusty idroitly cleaned up and made another cup of tea.

    Growing concerned, Rusty appreciated his position. He considered Rags' feelings for Frosty. He wanted an invisible weapon. Rusty went back to the kitchen. He found the salt shaker, and emptied it on the way to the guest bedroom. Rusty woke up early to mop.

Salt Marsh

    Salt marshes are wetlands that are juxtaposed with a body of salt water. Oceans and inland salt flats meet fresh water lakes and rivers which have fluctuating levels. This causes a cycle of flooding and varying salinity. Not all plants survive in these conditions. As a result, salt marshes are not very diverse. 

    Salt marshes are created by deposition of detritus. When water flows slowly, sediment settles out building up the soil level.  The soil is rich with nutrients but floods with salt water which recedes in some areas but not others. Anoxia then occurs because the roots cannot get oxygen from saturated soil. Plants with adaptions to tolerate salinity and flooding thrive with little competition leading to zonation in the marsh. 

    Salt marshes are found on every continent but Antartica. In North America, there are no salt marshes on the Pacific coast because the waves are too strong. There are some on the Atlantic coast and near the Great Salt Lake. 

    All salt marshes have algae, plants and animals. The algae is in the water with the cyanobacteria in the benthic stratum. Plants include grasses on land and weeds in the water.  Animals include insects, reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals. The animals and plants are adapted to conditions in the salt marsh. When these conditions are changed by water management every specie is affected.  

    In the Everglades, the water flow is diverted for human use. The salinity increases which reduces fresh water and estuarine habitat. This reduces diversity and increases zonation. 

    The Great Salt Lake and Jamaica Bay have been invaded by phragmites, a reed that competes with native grasses. This reed is tall and does not break down when it dies which means less light for the short grasses and less room for small mammals. Phragmites reduces diversity. 

    Salt marshes are special habitats that need our protection!