#123 "The Black Panther Betrayal" Online Book cont.

I talked to Jan whom I had not seen since last summer. He has been accepted into graduate school at the University Of Florida. I told him, "David Maehr says he's never been to Costa Rica."
"That is strange. He was a speaker at the Big Cat conference. He was on the program. Also, he was selling his book there and inscribing it."
"Well, I haven't told him your name, and I don't plan to. This black panther issue is very controversial and political. David has a lot of power, and you have none."
That may sound dramatic, but people do come after people, often for very small reasons. I noticed that Jan's pupils dilated, and I changed the subject by asking what people put out to attract panthers. He replied, "We mixed dry dog food with sardines to make a nice aroma. It worked on smaller animals. It should work on cats. I'm off Mondays and Tuesdays. I'd like to get into the field. I miss it. I'd be glad to go with you."
The next Monday I did not take Jan out into the field, and in retrospect, recognize that was a bad decision. I could have used the company, found an ally in looking at the black panther betrayal, and learned a lot from him. Instead, I called David Maehr. He was not particularly pleasant. I asked him about a reported panther sighting of two panthers and a cub being seen together. "Who are these people who see them?" he asked irritably.
"Well, hunters."
"Yeah!"
As if that ended it.
Then, I told him about possibly seeing an unmentionable type of panther on the Ecofina River. He had no comment except: "Chris Belden (another Florida Fish and Game Commission panther expert) regularly told people who thought they had seen a panther that they hadn't. I don't do that, but people need to have some objectivity before they're believable."
Next time, I will ask him what that "objectivity" would be.
"What's MacBride (a veteran cougar and jaguar hunter the Florida Fish and Game Commission was using along with his pack of dogs to find and tree panthers in Southwest Florida so they could be shot with a tranquilizer dart and then evaluated and treated by veterinarians. The field biologists would attach radio-collars to their neck also.) doing?"
"He's still there, running cats."
"I guess he's never seen a black panther or he wouldn't be working for the Game Commission."
"Absolutely. I've got to go. Bye."
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Bullets From Two-Guns: LIBERAL LIES ALERT: Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is trying to use hysteria and fear tactics to pass the Pork Stimulus Bill. She is saying that if we delaly in passing the pork bill, "500 million Americans" will lose their jobs "each month" we delay. I've heard her say this several times. Someone needs to tell nattering Nancy that there are "only" a little more than 300 million Americans in Anerica pluse another 10 million or so of illegal aliens. It would be a little difficult for 500 million Americans to lose their jobs each month. But thanks, Nancy, for the lie and the hysteria. Peter Nickerson at peternickerson12@yahoo.com or 352-359-0849.