Our Wildlife – People and the Fauna of the American West

(With an emphasis on the Southwest and Arizona’s Mogollon Rim, and the significance of these animals to the indigenous cultures of the West)

Part I.)

Introduction:

Throughout the nineteenth century, the American West was the destination of an astoundingly tremendous number of people: The east experienced an economic recession in 1837 that prompted many pioneers to head west, looking for better opportunities and a new life; gold was discovered in California in 1848, and when the rumor spread the following year, the “’49ers” flocked to the goldfields there, in what has been said to have been the largest human migration since the Crusades; then, after the Civil War ended in 1865, many disenfranchised Southerners decided to leave their devastated homelands and head in the same direction as the pioneers and prospectors before them.

It all began in earnest at the beginning of that century, after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and the subsequent Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-1806). This ‘Corp of Discovery’ was launched to assess and take inventory of this 828,800 square mile tract of United States land newly acquired from France, most of which had not been documented (and also to keep foreign interests such as England from intruding by establishing an American presence upon it). One of the major tasks assigned to them was to record and classify what would prove to be an amazing array of animals previously unknown to science, which then President Thomas Jefferson had a passionate interest in.

The later arrivals were arguably just as impressed by both the creatures themselves and their shear, incredible numbers; the bison herds were especially impressive in the latter sense.

Unfortunately, while the waves of newcomers were indeed awed by these animals, these very same people were actively and rapidly depopulating the wildlife. Many of these populations, such as the bison, beaver and wolf, have never entirely recovered.

Yet these new emigrants were not the only ones to blame for this devastatingly severe reduction in the numbers of these species. In fact, the Native American Indians became involved and were also actively participating in the devastation. Many of ‘The People’, as they have commonly called themselves, had become increasingly dependent upon trade goods and thus more indebted to the traders; the latter reacted by demanding more pelts and hides from the former, in exchange for debt relief and items the Natives couldn’t manufacture themselves nor acquire elsewhere.

Most people usually think of the Great Plains horse culture when they think of the indigenous people of the West. Yet, there are other cultural regions in the American West, each with it’s own unique customs, languages, cosmologies, stories, ceremonies, and spiritual practices. Furthermore, within each region is a variety of groups, whose diverse customs were and are similar, but not exactly the same.

In the traditional beliefs and world-views of The People, the animals all around them have been perceived as being spiritually potent, each creature possessing their own unique and individual powers.

The region now known as the American Southwest is rich in both native fauna and the diverse habitats of this wildlife, in spite of the ecological destruction of the past and, unfortunately, also that which continues to some extent into the present. Despite popular opinion, this area is not merely barren desert, but includes a wide variety of different environments; even the deserts aren’t the wasteland that people might believe them to be, differing greatly from each other in their diversity. There are, in fact, forests and other ecological zones in the great Southwest.

Interestingly, the largest Ponderosa Pine forest on earth, at over 3.9 million acres, is located in Arizona, the very state with an undeserved reputation of being absolutely nothing but cactus, sand and heat. This conifer forest is found in the North-Central part of the Grand Canyon State, along the base of the Mogollon Rim, which is the southern boundary of the130,000 square mile Colorado Plateau. Geologists say that the Rim was created by seismic uplift 600 million years ago, along with the forces of erosion.

The Ponderosa Pine habitat along the 200 mile long Rim stretches from the vicinity of Flagstaff in the west all the way to the White Mountains far to the east. Within these woods are forests within forests, including the increasingly rare riparian, or stream-side woodland, habitats. There is also the mixed forests of comparatively small Pinyon Pines and Juniper which encroach upon, and intermingle with, the giant evergreens. The predominate, great Ponderosa Pines can grow to an average height of 165 feet tall and four feet in diameter when fully mature. Immature Ponderosas are blackish, but the bark turns to more of a rust color once they reach maturity, which can be up to four inches thick.

Although the Southwest may not be entirely desert, this reputation is somewhat justified. The aforementioned state of Arizona is two-thirds desert, only a third of it comprised of other environments such as the forests described above. The Grand Canyon state itself is the only one in the country where four deserts converge: the Sonoran Desert in the south; the Mojave in the west; the Great Basin Desert in the northwest; and a portion of the Chihuahuan in the far southeast corner of the state, most of which is in present-day Mexico. But whether desert, conifer forests or streams, this all adds up to a great abundance of wildlife habitat, not only in Arizona, but all throughout the entire, immense Southwest.

The term ‘animal’ doesn’t only include fur-bearing mammals, but is used to classify any living thing from an the tiniest insect to a fully mature, male Blue Whale. There are approximately an astounding two million animal species worldwide; Arizona alone has an estimated 900 different varieties of wildlife.

Animals are divided into two main groups. The first are the numerous invertebrates, which lack backbones, and would include anything from a worm to an insect. Vertebrates, then, are the group of animals that do possess spinal columns, any creature from fish to mammals. In total, there are estimated to be only 43,000 species of animals with backbones on the planet. This is a fraction of the life on earth when compared to the various types of invertebrates such as insects.

Mammals, such as bears and us humans, are what most people think of when they think of animals. These two terms are often used interchangeably. But while all mammals are animals, not every animal is necessarily a mammal, since there other types of animals ranging from insects to birds. Typically, mammals are fur-bearing, maintain a constant body temperature (a condition commonly known as being ‘warm-blooded’), with the females giving live birth and producing milk for their young. This is unlike, if not the opposite of, other animal groups, such as reptiles for example.

One way to categorize mammals is by their different behaviors and habits. A very common behavioral trait among many mammals is nocturnal activity, meaning that they are primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, active at night. A nocturnal mammal usually depends more on their senses of smell and hearing than sight. These animals have adapted such acute senses not only because of the darkness, since many do actually have night-vision, but also because sounds and scents travel better on the cooler, damper nighttime air. Most mammals are nocturnal, including some of us humans, such as the majority of us living in a college town, for example…

Humans and a few other mammals are diurnal, meaning that they are primarily active during the daytime. These are a minority, however, and in the Southwest would include coyotes, squirrels and chipmunks, the majority of people with the exception of college students, and few if any others. Most birds, incidentally, are diurnal too, with owls being the most notable exception.

A third type of behavior is crepuscular, a less well-known but common habit among mammals. This term simply means that the animal is most active at dawn and dusk, which is sensible because temperatures are usually more moderate and less extreme at these intermediate times of day. Many of the Southwestern High-Country wildlife demonstrates this behavior, such as elk, deer and even coyotes sometimes.

Although not an everyday year-round habit like those mentioned above, some mammals hibernate. This winter behavior isn’t really sleep in the usual sense, but is more like a very deep sleep or stasis, almost like a coma state; most people are less familiar with the opposite term, ‘estivation’, a summer stasis practiced by creatures who bury themselves during the hot, dry months, such as the Sonoran Toad. The raccoon is said to be a partial hibernator, as is the first animal to be discussed here. Many assume this creature hibernates throughout the entire winter, but typically doesn’t:

Black Bear, Ursus americanus:

‘Black Bear’ is only this animal’s common name; Ursus americanus can be found in colors ranging from blonde to cinnamon to various shades of brown, as well as black. There is even said to be a white ‘Black’ Bear in Western Canada; this ‘Spirit Bear’ represents power and prestige to the Coast Salish people of the region.

Approximately five feet long, three feet high and up to 300 pounds or more, the crepuscular Black Bear is actually the smallest of the bears native to North America and the only one now found in the wild Southwest. These other bears include the much larger Grizzlies (up to 850 lbs.), Polar Bears (600 – 1,1,00 lbs.), and Kodiaks, or Alaskan Brown Bears (up to 1,500 lbs.)

Like the Black Bear, Grizzlies have been culturally significant to Native American Indians. The Nootka, or Nuu Chal Nulth, a Northwest Coast people of Vancouver Island, Canada, would personify this bear during their annual Winter Dance ceremony. The Grizzlies once occupied and competed for the same territory as the Black Bear, but Grizzly Bears have been eradicated from much of their former range. It is, significantly, a Grizzly that is depicted on the California State flag, a state where none of them roam in the wild anymore; this is also true of most other western states, with Montana and Alaska being notable exceptions. Black Bears, however, have adapted and survived.

Even at such a relatively large size when compared to many other animals, the Black Bear can run at speeds of up to thirty miles per hour. This is due in part to the fact that these bears are structured much like humans, since their hind limbs are longer than their front limbs, giving them extra torque. This also makes them excellent climbers and better at running uphill than down. Their one-and-a-half inch long claws also help with their climbing ability, not to mention making them rather dangerous. Remember: “If you’re too close, it’s too late!” Yet despite their dangerously long claws and fangs, these bears are, surprisingly, mostly vegetarian.

The males are known as ‘boars’ and females as ‘sows’. Like some humans, male and female Black Bears only tolerate each other during breeding. Both sexes only partially hibernate, as previously mentioned and despite popular opinion to the contrary. They will spend about three months of the winter in their dens instead of the full six or more, living off of their own accumulated body fat during this time.

In the Athabascan language of the Southwestern Apache, the Black Bear is known as maba. Among American Indian cultures of the West in general, the Black Bear is traditionally believed to have healing powers, or spiritual ‘Medicine’. This is probably because of the bear’s alleged ability to know exactly which medicinal plants to eat when they are sick. The Zuni of New Mexico, for example, still carve stone figures popularly known as ‘fetishes’, said to actually possess something of the spirit and characteristics of the animals they depict. The bear is known to the Zuni as ‘Clumsy Foot’, the animal of the Blue West, whose fetish has been used to promote healing. Among certain Pueblo people, of whom the Zuni are one of many, bear paws would be used in curing rites. The Omaha and Pawnee people of the Plains were known to have had elite Bear Societies, with membership restricted only to those who had dreams and/or visions of bears. These members were not only warriors, but were also said to have been great healers, as one might expect of a group named after the bear.

The Pomo people still reside in the northern coastal region of California, and they were once tormented by ‘Bear Doctors’. These individuals were said to be possessed by the spirit of the bear and would wear entire bearskins, complete with the head worn like a hood. Reportedly, they spent their time exhibiting a bear’s worst behavior rather than healing others with their alleged powers. However, bear dances which are intended to heal are still performed, and the Ute people of Southwest Colorado have a social dance by this name. Bears are so revered, if not feared, that among certain Subarctic peoples, bear skulls were decorated to honor the powerful spirit of the bear, still said to be residing within it.

[If it seems that these peoples have been preoccupied with treating illness, perhaps it is because they were and for a valid reason. Originally The People of North America had only two domestic animals, namely the turkey and the dog; unlike the encroaching Caucasians, they had no immunity to the diseases which livestock transmit to humans such as chicken pox and swine flu. It is very likely that their emphasis on healing rituals was a post-contact development due to the spread of epidemics, which they contracted from Europeans and their descendants.]

In the Southwest, the bear paw is a symbol of good luck, which is why this design is found in so much Native artwork, such as jewelry and pottery. The reasoning might be that the Black Bear is said to always know where the water is; seeing their tracks may be considered lucky indeed in the arid Southwest, since it is probable that they could actually lead one to a scarce water source. This may very well be true, because these bears have an excellent sense of smell, which compensates for their apparent nearsightedness. They would be able to not only smell food, but also life-sustaining water, for quite some distance.

Tribal clans have been named after this bear; the Bear Clan still exists among the Hopi of Arizona and amongst other peoples, too.

Mule Deer, Odocoileus hemionus:

The ‘Mule’ Deer, or ‘Muley’ as the animal is sometimes called, has been given this particular name due to their extra long, mule, or donkey, -like ears; these can be up to nine inches long! They are a very common deer throughout the west, ranging throughout a wide variety of habitats, from deserts, to woodlands to high-country forests. Mule Deer will feed on a variety of diverse plant-life in these areas.

The Mule Deer are approximately six feet long, three and a half feet high and can weigh anywhere from 125 to 200 pounds. This makes them a mid-sized ungulate, or hoofed animal, much larger than the little Coues White-tailed Deer (only sixty-five to100 pounds), but a lot smaller than the Elk which can grow up to 1,200 pounds; both may be found in the same areas as Mule Deer. All of these animals grow antlers, which are shed or dropped annually, as opposed to horns, which are an attached part of the skull as with Bighorn Sheep, bison, or ‘buffalo’, and Pronghorn Antelope. Among Muleys, the antlers are shed in the winter.

[Pronghorn Antelope do shed the outer cover, or sheath, of their horns annually. Horns such as these are to be found in the material culture of The People: Antelope horns were sometimes used in the headdresses of the Southwest's Apache people; designs incorporating horns, found on items such as their shields, were said to provide power to the owner, since horns understandably represent strength; horns would also be used in Pueblo headdresses and masks, and deer antlers are also used in this same manner. The Pronghorn Antelope is, incidentally, the fastest mammal in North America, reaching speeds of up to sixty miles per hour.]

Mule Deer are probably the most commonly sighted of the larger mammals of the American West. Visitors to the high-country are especially delighted by a deer sighting, as they are very beautiful animals (hunters are, of course, happy to get the deer in their sights…). Despite their docile appearance, however, deer are still wild animals and can be dangerous, especially when cornered; they will normally give a fair warning by spreading all four of their legs apart in a position known as ‘stotting’. But, if you’re too close, it’s already too late.

Partly because they are so widespread, this species has been especially useful to American Indian peoples throughout the west, and not only for the meat: Leather could be used for clothing, of course, and other items including sports balls used in the popular game known as ‘shinny’; the antlers could be made into a variety of different tools; the scapula, or shoulder blade bone, with serrated edges were used as effective plant cutting tools in the Southwest; tendons were used in the manufacture of bowstrings and to reinforce the bows themselves, and also as sinew twine for sewing; and even the brains were used for tanning the hides.

Various parts of the deer have been used not only for everyday utilitarian purposes, but also to manufacture ceremonial items. Dance rattles have been made by various groups by hanging bunches of dried deer toenails, or ‘dew-claws’, from the end of either a deer bone or a stick. Rattles made from hooves are common among the Pueblo groups. The Zuni and others have used bundles of deer scapula strung together and shaken as a sort of rattle during ceremonies, such as the Kachina, or katsina, dances. This is evidently a very old custom: Scapula with painted geometric designs were found at an archaeological cave site known as Cueva Pilote in northern Coahuila Mexico, apparently for the same purpose; occupation of the site has been dated from 1000 – 1400 A.D.. Among certain Paiute bands of the Great Basin, rattles would be made from two deer ears sewn together and filled with gravel, ready to use once they had dried into rawhide. The Navajo, or Dineh’, and other groups of the Southwest such as the Hopi are known to make ceremonial masks from deer-hides. The Kiowa of the plains made deer tail charms known as tatonto. The Uncompagre Ute also utilized deer tails, but merely as one of several items used to decorate their babies’ cradle-boards.

To the Hupa, Yurok, and the Karuk people further inland, where the southern Northwest Coast and California regions converge, deerskins have been both practically useful and spiritually symbolic. Unusually colored hides are displayed as status-symbols in annual Deerskin Dances, and very rare ones such as albino, or white-deerskins, are still considered especially prized and valuable to these people (Although part of the larger Northwest Coast culture, the Hupa of northern California traditionally speak an Athabascan language, which they have in common with both the Navajo/Dineh and Apache of the Southwest region; their Karuk and Yurok neighbors have Hokan and Algonquian languages, respectively). Deer dances are also held elsewhere, such as among the various Pueblo villages of the Southwest, like that of Taos and Acoma of New Mexico. Elsewhere in New Mexico, the people of Cochiti Pueblo maintain the yaphashi shrine, composed of a twin set of stone mountain lion effigies, where they leave offerings of deer antler.

Although very useful, the Mule Deer were never necessarily easy to kill. Because of this, the People have resorted to a variety of hunting strategies, including snares and other methods. Dead-fall traps can be created by camouflaging deep holes with branches, sticks and other debris. These were once commonly used in the eastern Mount Shasta region of the Far West; they were so common, in fact, that the name ‘Pit River’ was applied to both the predominate waterway and the Achumawi peoples of the area who created these traps. If hunting with bow and arrow, individuals might disguise themselves in entire hides including the head, sometimes complete with antlers. Also, various poisons might be added to arrowheads, made from everything from Black Widow or rattlesnake venom to rancid meat, which would reduce the speed of their shot but still fleeing prey.

The People would also seek spiritual aid in hunting Mule Deer. The Southwestern deer dances mentioned above, along with the accompanying songs, were originally intended as a prayer to the deer, asking them to offer their lives so that The People may have them for food (similar hunting rituals would have been done in other regions also). These dances are now performed, it seems, more to honor those deer that fed their ancestors than to attract the deer, although certainly some of these people still hunt for venison. The Zuni paint pottery with a deer motif that has a distinct ‘heart-line’, a red line running from the mouth to the heart and ending in a sort of arrowhead point (fetishes often have heart-lines, too). Sources say that the very act of painting these deer was once meant as a form of prayer itself. This was intended for good luck in hunting, possibly in the belief that the deer might be attracted to their own image; interestingly, research suggests that, in many cases, creating rock art may have been a similar act of prayer as well.

Elk, Cervus elaphus:

The Elk probably numbered somewhere about 10,000 individuals in what is now known as North America around the time Colombus landed toward the end of the fifteenth century; it is estimated that they are now ten times fewer in numbers, and there are only this many left due to conservation efforts.

Elk are, in a word, huge: males, or bulls, can weigh in at up to 1,200 pounds; females can weigh about 450 or more; a newborn calf weighs approximately thirty-five pounds, which is around the size of a full-grown raccoon. Despite their size, elk are fast, averaging thirty to forty miles per hour; they could conceivably outrun a Black Bear. The antlers of an adult bull can be up to five feet long with as many as six points, or spikes. Like deer and bison, elk are members of the ungulate, or hoofed, animal family, and like deer they have antlers which are shed annually instead of more permanent horns.

They can do some real damage with those antlers, and in unexpected ways, too. The antlers are used both for display and in ritual combat, but before that can occur, they must be polished during the autumn rut. Since antlers are shed, the vessels for growth are on the exterior, forming a fuzzy material known, appropriately enough, as ‘velvet’. Small sapling trees are often used for rubbing off excess velvet and otherwise cleaning the antlers. This ‘girds’ the young trees and kills them, essentially disrupting the flow of nutrients due to the exposure of the inner layer. In the high-country, individual saplings and even entire little groves can be found dead, yet still standing, with their bark stripped, often around the whole circumference. Typically, only one part of the tree below the lower most branches is targeted for this vigorous rubbing, but even this select exposure is enough to kill the tree. As destructive as this seems, some of the conifer forest is overgrown and some thinning might be healthy for the ecosystem. But the dead fuel could conceivably create a fire hazard and possibly an insect infestation. Either way, it is notable that creatures other than humans can have an impact on the environment, even a detrimental one. In the forested high-country motorists must always be cautious and watch for the wildlife, which will appear in the road unexpectedly; this is particularly true of the massive elk. The cross-traffic often has four legs instead of four wheels, and can occur virtually anywhere along a mountain highway, intersecting roads or not. Furthermore, they are brownish animals with an even darker mane on their chests, which are crepuscular but often active at night. This makes even this huge and seemingly obvious animal very well camouflaged and extremely difficult to see. Once one is too close to them while behind the wheel, it can really be too late; the vehicle and passengers often suffer as much damage as the elk, if not more so, whenever there’s a collision between them.

Elk have been very useful to American Indian people and continue to be a popular game animal still (A popular joke among reservation people of the Plains, such as the Lakota Sioux, is that they do not poach cattle but have been known to hunt down ‘slow elk’ instead). Their importance seems to be reflected by the large numbers of elk depicted as petroglyphs, or rock art carvings, throughout the Southwest. Obviously, these animals, like the comparably sized bison or ‘buffalo’ (at 800 – 2,000 lbs.), would provide people with a lot of meat and hides. However, elk have had other traditional uses also.

The elk antlers were especially useful. For example, peoples such as the Hupa, Karuk and Yurok traditionally had currency with a fixed value in the form of tusk-shaped dentalium shells, Dentalium (Antalis) Pretiosum. In fact, the peoples of California, and arguably the Northwest Coast, were the only ones in all of North America to have had real currency; the well known wampum beads, created from the eastern Quahog clam shell, originally had no true monetary worth. Eventually the value of the currency spread as far as the Dakotas. This particular species of the mollusk was almost exclusively found in Nuu Chal Nulth territory, the shells finding their way south through trade. Thus, they were considered suitably valuable to people like the Hupa due to their scarcity; a small boat was worth an arm’s-length strand of these shells, which were strung on Iris fiber cord. But like anyone with money, they would need something to put it in. So, these people would create containers from hollowed elk antler, complete with a slot and removable lid in the top. These antler purses would usually be ornately decorated and some artisans continue to create them even today.

These same cultures used the antler in the manufacture of spoons, which were also ornate, a practice they had in common with coastal peoples farther to the north and also with the Arapaho of the Great Plains. This utensil was used for eating acorn soup by the Hupa and their neighbors. The Pomo Bear Doctors carried a decorated elk antler dagger as sign of their membership, which was manufactured from the tip. Also, the Utes would scrape a piece of elk antler across a notched stick, which was placed on an overturned basket and used as a rasp instrument known as a morache, played during their Bear Dance. Offerings of elk antler, to ensure success in hunting, were once left by the Blackfeet people of the Great Plains near the Yellowstone River; this eventually created a large pile resembling a pyramid.

Prehistoric elk had extra thick, muscular necks, partly to support the two huge ivory tusks which protruded from the upper lip for fighting, like those of the contemporary mammoths. Over time the elks’ tusks were reduced in size and adapted more for browsing. These became known as ‘ivories’, which have been particularly important to the Great Plains cultures. Evidently, people in this area have valued them for centuries: Located along the Missouri River in North Dakota, the Fort Yates archaeological site has yielded elk ivory ornaments which are approximately 530 years old. At birth, Lakota boys would be given an elk tooth to promote longevity, since this is the last part of the animal’s remains to decompose. The roots of these elk tusks were typically perforated for sewing and then they were used to profusely decorate the front of women’s dresses, usually sewn on in row upon horizontal row. Since each elk only has two of these types of teeth they are relatively rare, so such a dress would be a real status symbol and the teeth would be quite valuable since they are so scarce. For example, a Crow, or Absoroka, groom would have to pay a bride-price of 300 ivories for his bride’s wedding dress. Ivories were once such valuable trade items that the exchange rate was100 for one horse. These teeth are still popular jewelry pendents and are worn by some as a symbol of love, apparently because of the following attribute of the elk:

Among these Great Plains groups, not only the teeth, but the elk themselves have also been culturally and even spiritually significant. In autumn, the male bull’s loud mating calls are frequently heard. This ‘bugling’ is audible from a great distance, attracting not one, but several females, or cows, forming what is known as a ‘harem’. Young men of the prairies would want to access the spiritual Love Medicine power of the elk, to hopefully attract mates for themselves. They may have enlisted the assistance of a shaman, or ‘Medicine Man’, specializing in Elk Medicine. The image of the bull elk has frequently been depicted on pouches, shields and other Plains Indian items, evidently for this very reason.

In Lakota the elk is known as hehaka, but they are better known by a different American Indian word: Wapiti, another common name for the elk, is derived from the Shawnee language of the Eastern Woodlands, meaning, appropriately enough, ‘White-rump’!

Next: Part II.), Smaller Mammals…

By Lee Littler
Copyright, 2011

I developed an early interest in nature and have learned a lot about it, and it continues to be a major passion and part of my life.
I have a passionate interest in Native American Indian cultures also, a subject of which I am quite knowledgeable, so much so that I can now honestly say that I have forgotten more than most people will ever know, partly because my knowledge is not limited to reading books or the classroom; I have been around these people off and on for about half of my life now, learning and experiencing their culture first-hand, attending many dances, pow-wows, ceremonials, and other events.
I have both vocational and educational backgrounds in anthropology, archaeology, history, and natural history/biology, having worked as a Wilderness Patrolman for the Forest Service on the Angeles National Forest, a Park Aid with the California State Park’s Mojave District, and an Interpretive Park Ranger at Mesa Verde in Colorado, America’s premiere archaeological park, and I have completed field-study courses in Anthropology of the Southwest, Anthropology and History of the West, Natural History and a short-term course in Geology.

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Five Popular Hollywood Sports Movies

Hollywood has taken great pride in its passion for sports. Sport movies are very popular with the masses. Mostly these movies are based on real life stories of individuals. That is probably the reason why people can so easily relate themselves to the movie character and such a movie strikes an emotional bond between the viewers and the character. The characters mostly come from the lower sections of the society and by sheer talent in respective sports field make it big. It is kind of rags to riches stories. Given below are some such all time classic sports movies.

Rocky I (1976) was a movie which rocked the country. Though there was a series of Rocky films which followed the original one the original one was the finest of them all. It was a low budget movie which was completed in a record 28 days. It was probably the most influential movie in the last 30 years. The movie was given three Academy Awards from its 10 nominations. Moreover, it made Sylvester Stallone a superstar.

The brilliant story was about a simple minded, working class Italian hero who was a good-natured individual. He was handed an improbable chance to fight for the heavy weight title for which he dedicates himself. In the process he falls in love but at last realizes his potential. It had a complicated screenplay with rich characterization and splendid dialogues. This movie was influenced by a real life individual.

Field of Dreams (1989) was a celebration of the love of baseball. It is almost dream like. It was adapted from W.P. Kinsella’s novel “Shoeless Joe” by the director/screenwriter Phil Aldem Robinson. It was a sentimental, modern fantasy classic which became a smash hit in its unique depiction of America. The movie also touched upon the religious theme of faith and redemption.

Kevin Costner did full justice to the character of Ray Kinsella who is an idealistic, transplanted city boy turned lowa farmer. Standing in the middle of the cornfield he repeatedly hears a voice which tells him to build a baseball field in the middle of his cornfield. He builds it and it becomes the playground of ghostly ball players (seen only by the believers). The movie was so realistic that viewers almost really believed in the ghosts of “shoeless Joe” and the games they played with Ray to be rehabilitated.

The Karate Kid (1980) was a big hit and youngsters became crazy about Karate. Lovable loser Daniel moves to California and entangles himself in a fight with a band of moped riding karate bullies. He then turns to a Japanese maintenance staff for guidance and learns karate, learns about life and falls in love. He enters the tournament against the same bullies but in the semi final is injured on a cheap shot. He rallies back to fight his girlfriend’s ex boyfriend in the finals, and wins at last. Mr. Miyagi’s character (played by Pat Morita) was a stroke of genius.

Raging Bull (1980) was undoubtedly one of the best films ever made by the maestro Martin Scorsese. It lost out the best picture award in 1980 Oscars but is the 1980 trendsetter in all aspects including direction, screenplay, editing and cinematography. Robert de Nero probably gave his best performance in this Oscar winning role. The skillfully made film was both praised and criticized and was rated one of the best movies of the decade. It won two Oscars after being nominated for eight.

The Hustler (1961) is a realistic adult story of a small time, ambitious, struggling, self-destructive pool shark, commenting on winning and losing, life and love, loyalty, greed, self respect, selling out and ultimate redemption. The story is adapted from the book of the same title written by Walter Tevis. Robert Rossen is the director-producer-writer of this intensely dramatic film.

Paul Newman in the lead role became a leading actor with this film but he was denied an Oscar though. This famous movie, filmed in black and white, received two Academy Awards out of nine nominations.

Technology has brought with it many new and well-made movies, but these movies would never get obsolete. These evergreen movies would continue to entertain moviegoers, generation after generation.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used DVDs, used movies, and used car stereos. You can find the best marketplace for used DVDs, used movies, and used car stereos at these sites for used DVDs, Rocky, Field of Dreams.

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A Side Trip to Mexico Requires Insurance

One way to turn a summer road trip through the United States into a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience is to dip down into Mexico. Although many Americans have become familiar with Mexican cuisine and culture in their hometowns, the experience is very different from actually crossing the border into the country. Going as little as two or three blocks across the border can yield amazing shopping opportunities, truly authentic Mexican food, and a taste of being in a foreign nation.

Most people do not realize how large and diverse Mexico is. On the basis of population, it is the eleventh-largest country in the world, and the largest Spanish-speaking country. It also enjoys the world’s thirteenth largest economy. Its population is made up of a mixture of the descendants of Mexico’s native people, including the Mayans and Aztecs.

The Spanish settlers and conquistadors who settled there in the 16th Century brought the Spanish language to Mexico. It has a rich culture, including unique art and music, and a varied geography. It also has a strong manufacturing base which produces, among other things, Bombardier regional jets, Volkswagen Beetles, and Panasonic HDTV’s. As a sign of how strong Mexico’s economy is, the richest man in the world is Mexican businessman Carlos Slim.

A number of major Mexican cities are located within a short distance of the US border. You can go and see a bull fight, eat a delicious meal, or buy Mexican handicrafts for a small fraction of what they would cost domestically. Why not see the studios in which Titanic was filmed? All this can be accomplished with a quick day trip into Mexico.

Driving in Mexico is remarkably similar to the US, traffic stays on the right and speed limits are frequently posted. The toll roads available in places like Baja California are in many ways better than US freeways. Unleaded gasoline is now easy to find in and near major cities, but there is one fundamental difference. US insurance stops at the border.

It is crucial to purchase a special insurance policy if one intends to drive into Mexico. In Mexico, having insurance is required by national law, and driving without it is a crime which can be punished by jail time and the impounding of your vehicle. Furthermore, Mexico’s legal system is based on the Napoleonic Code which has a presumption of guilt, rather than innocence. In the event of an accident, if one cannot prove the ability to pay for any damage caused, one can be imprisoned until fault is determined.

Luckily, Mexican automobile insurance is readily available and extremely affordable on a daily or weekly basis. Although most border towns have on-the-spot agencies, a much better idea is to pre-purchase Mexican insurance at home. An insurance broker located near your home can offer quotes for the cheapest possible insurance from a reputable company. This can not only offer better coverage but it will almost always also offer a cheaper price.

In Chicago, the Illinois Insurance Center provides comprehensive home, car and motorcycle insurance to protect your home and vehicles. Call for a free Chicago cheap insurance quote – 1-708-524-8757 – http://www.ilinsurancecenter.com

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Several Ways to Counter Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Any member of a company may face a lawsuit regarding sexual harassment if he or she is found guilty of exhibiting any malicious and sexually-offensive act.

Workplace sexual harassment, as defined, is a wrongful, derogatory, and repetitive act of someone within the workplace. As such, committing any or more than one of the following constitutes sexual harassment:

• Hugging
• Kissing
• Showing or sending sexually-driven pictures and/or emails
• Continuously asking the person out
• Threatening the person in exchange of sexual favors
• Touching of another person’s body parts or even clothes

But, it does not automatically mean that once any of the said acts is done, a person already committed sexual harassment. The conduct has to be repeatedly done to be considered as a sexual harassment; if not, the plaintiff’s claim may be denied. A hostile work environment may also develop if such demeanors continue to exist in the workplace.

If you’re wondering how you could safeguard yourself from possible acts of sexual harassment, here are some suggested tips:

How to Fight Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

1. Keep copies of everything that has been given or sent to you (personal messages, pictures, printed copies of emails).

2. Make a journal. Write down what happened, where, when, what has been said, and how did it affect you. In so doing, you can make use of it as evidence once needed.

3. Inform your company’s Human Resources head. In case the wrongdoer happens to be from the HR Department, you have to tell other person who holds a high position, too.

4. Do not be afraid or get ashamed to disclose the incident. As a member of the company, you have the right to reveal any illegal act in your workplace. If you are threatened by the wrongdoer (losing your job, for instance), it is all the more reason for you tell it to concerned authorities.

5. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) can help you if you feel that your company’s managers or officials are not making due corrective actions. You may call or visit the EEOC office for consultation and proper guidance on what to do about your case.

Hiring an employment attorney is also a great move in case you are planning to pursue a lawsuit against the alleged offender. Such an expert can help you throughout the course of your legal dealings. He or she can also give you appropriate legal advices needed to help you decide whether or not to take succeeding steps.

A hostile work environment due to sexual harassment should never occur in any workplace. Therefore, you should take initiative and tell the right authorities any act of sexual harassment committed against you or a fellow employee.

Jester Maru used to write several articles for a Law Group in Los Angeles, California. He personally loves writing articles on the topic racial discrimination in the workplace and wrongful termination California.

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Extreme Trout Fishing

If you have caught Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout it may be time to try to catch some of the more exotic trout species. I had this revelation a few years ago after a trout fishing rip to Montana. We fly-fish for everything and caught a lot of fish but they were mostly Rainbow and Brown that are typical for the area around West Yellowstone, Montana. We also caught a few small Brook and a couple of Cut-bows (Rainbow/Cutthroat hybrid) in about a week of fishing. I had lived out west for many years and have seen many different rivers, lakes and trout. I decided to find out how many trout species there were in North America and see how difficult it would be to catch them all. The quest was on! It turns out that there are twenty trout species, but that number has been revised several times during the quest. The problem is that hybrids keep showing up, and a cross between a bull trout and brook trout turned up last month so the total number of species continues to climb and has reached twenty-one.

I have been able to catch 15 of the different species up to this point, and there have been many adventures and different places to fish. The quest has required fishing parts of North America that I would have otherwise never considered. Many of the unique species are native to the western United States. Golden Trout, Bull Trout, Gila Trout, and Apache Trout are good examples of what the west holds. Golden Trout are native to California but exist in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Bull Trout are found in Montana, Idaho, and Oregon while Gila are only found in New Mexico, and Apache only in Arizona. Some of the extreme part of this trout adventure is extreme travel. I have been fortunate in that regard and have lived in the western United States and Alaska, and this has made my trout quest a little easier. Two of the trout on the list are common in Alaska. Steelhead and Dolly Varden existed in many of the streams and rivers in the southeastern islands of Alaska that were not far from my Ketchikan home.

Some of the trout do not get particularly large, but are so unique and difficult to find and catch that it is a thrill to see one and get a picture. All of the fish have been released with a couple of exceptions. Read on about Aurora Trout. The three most rare trout are the Sunapee, Aurora and Gila. They are difficult to find and difficult to catch. Aurora exist in nine lakes in northern Ontario, Canada and are endangered. Limited fishing was opened for Aurora in 2006 and only three lakes are open to fishing each year. There is a one fish limit, you must keep anything that is caught, and you may only have one fish in your possession. Aurora are a true one and done scenario, and are difficult to catch. They tend to be a deep water fish when the season is open (the season opens August 1), require deep sinking fly line, a minnow imitation, and lots of patience. I caught one fish in three days of fishing. Gila Trout are also endangered and are native to New Mexico. Limited fishing was opened for Gila in 2007. They are a small stream fish that live in the deep mountains of western New Mexico. Small nymphs worked best, but several small Browns and Rainbows were also caught. Getting to them is difficult and fishing for them is small stream stalking with a stealthy presentation. Sunapee may be the most difficult of all of the North American trout to find. They were native to New Hampshire and Vermont but no longer exist in those States. Sunapee are Char and when Lake Trout were introduced into the native Sunapee lakes they hybridized with the Lakers and disappeared. Maine did save some of the Sunapee and does have a few lakes where they can be caught. I caught one Sunapee this year in a driving rain-storm with hail from Long Pond, Maine. Extreme fishing conditions for extreme fish!

There are many other different trout that are difficult to reach and catch. Golden Trout are one of the most beautiful fish in the world and exist only in the cleanest and clearest water high in the western mountains. They are native to California but were introduced years ago to several other western states. The largest fish today seem to be in Montana and Wyoming, but large is somewhat of a misnomer for Golden. The state record fish are in the 5-6 pound range, but most Goldens are less than 12-inches. The world record Golden was caught years ago. I am fishing Montana next year for Golden and hope to catch a fish in the 2-pound range. That is a monster Golden, but they do exist in some lakes. Bull Trout are also a western trout on the endangered species list. They are native to Montana, Idaho, and Oregon, and there is a limited season for these fish in Montana and Oregon. Bull trout are very similar to Dolly Varden and are sometimes difficult to tell apart. I have caught Bull trout in the Bitteroot Mountains of Montana. These trout can get large, but size is directly related to the size of the water being fished. This species is mostly found in rivers and streams, but Flathead Lake, Montana does have a population of Bull Trout.

Somewhere along the way I decided to add all of the hybrid trout species to the list of trout to be caught. I had caught Cut-bows, but had never given any of the other hybrids much thought. I jumped into hybrids last year with a trip to Utah to catch Tiger Trout and Splake. I had a ball and caught several of each species from Forsyth Reservoir located in the Fishlake National Forest. Tiger trout lived up to their name fought well, and are terrific looking fish while Splake are just really pretty. This introduction to hybrid trout led to additional species and more information. Hybrid trout are different in many ways. State Fish and Game Departments have created these fish for several different reasons, but there are also unwanted hybrids. Cut-bows and the Bull/Brook Trout cross are unintended hybrids that were created when Rainbows were introduced into Cutthroat areas and Brook Trout were introduced into Bull Trout habitat respectively. Both of these hybrids have reduced the populations of native trout and are one of the reasons that Bull Trout are endangered and some of the Cutthroat subspecies no longer exist. Most of the wildlife agencies are trying to remove the introduced fish, the hybrids, and restore the native trout.

All of the created hybrids seem to be exceptional fish. Tiger Trout, Splake, Golden Rainbow, and Albino Rainbow are beautiful fish the serve a purpose in the States were they are being stocked. Splake are the oldest hybrid in North America, and were created in the 1800s in several New England fish hatcheries. They are a cross between Lake Trout and Brook Trout (Speckled Trout), and hence the hybrid name Splake. They are beautiful fish that are stocked in many States and Canadian Provinces. Maine and Canada use Splake in areas where other trout species do not do well. This hybrid has exceptional characteristics. They have an exceptional growth rate, are hardy, can tolerated warmer water, are resistant to disease, and are not difficult to catch. That last statement is from a fish and wildlife department and I would question that a little bit. I have fished for Splake in several different parts of the United States and Canada and have not caught very many. They are out there, but require some work to catch. The western states use Splake because they are resistant to whirling disease that has taken a toll of many western trout species. Tiger Trout are also resistant to disease and are used in the west for the same reason as Splake. Tiger Trout are a cross between Brook Trout and Brown Trout, and have the fighting characteristics of the Browns. They are aggressive, make long deep runs, and are fun to catch. The other two hybrids have been created by selective breeding and are color forms of Rainbow Trout. Albino Rainbow are true albinos in that they do not have any color pigment. They are a white trout with red eyes, and are stocked only in Utah. This fish is used as part of the States urban fishing program and is stocked on a put and take basis. Golden Rainbow first showed up in a West Virginia Trout Hatchery in 1954 as an abnormality in a Rainbow Trout hatch. The fish was so beautiful that West Virginia decided to try to selective breed the fish. They were successful and introduced the fish with experimental stocking in the 1960s. The stockings were a hit with anglers in the State and have been stocked every since. Pennsylvania also stocks a color variation of the Golden Rainbow that is called a Palomino Trout and is a little lighter shade of yellow.

I have learned several things during my trout adventure. My favorite trout so far are Cutthroat, Tiger, and Apache. Cutthroat are the true North American trout. There are 12 subspecies of Cutthroat and you can spend a lifetime just catching all of the subspecies of this magnificent trout. I have caught eight of the subspecies and really enjoy fishing for Cutthroat. I think part of that enjoyment is that they live in some of the prettiest county in the world. Tiger and Apache Trout are similar in that they are aggressive and fight well. Both are uniquely marked and fun to have on the other end on you fly rod.

There are a variety of things to keep in mind if you want to begin this trout quest. You will be traveling throughout North America and much of that travel will be on unimproved roads. An SUV with four-wheel drive is needed for some of the travel. The species are different in likes and dislikes. Some prefer lakes while others are stream fish, and this requires both wading and tubing with a fly rod. With the exception of Steelhead and Dolly Varden, all of the largest trout I have caught have been out of a tube. So tubing is a good thing. Do your homework. Find out all you can about the area to be fished and what the best conditions are for success. Most of the trout species are aquatic insect eaters and nymph fishing often produces good results. Lake Trout, larger Splake, and Aurora are almost exclusively minnow and forage fish eaters, and to do well with those species some type of minnow imitation is required. In some cases it is important to know when to fish. Lake Trout and Splake fishing seems to be best early in the year shortly after ice-out. Both of those species are lake fish, prefer cold water, and will retreat to the depths as the water warms.

If you want to try some different fishing, search for the unknown trout and try extreme trout fishing!

This summary article provides some information about the some of the trout in North America. Check out the website http://www.northamericatrout.com for complete trout information with pictures, tips, location information, fly patterns, and articles on each of the trout. The site provides information to catch and locate specific trout or to begin your own trout adventure.

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