Those Later Years

I try to refrain from telling sad stories in my life. Life can be pretty tough on everyone at one time or another, so what do they need with my depressing events. So, I'm writing this to make a point about life, not to make anyone feel bad.

We all know that life is pretty much in stages. We have the time when we are taken care of and the food just 'magically' appears on the table, the clothes are generously supplied by various stores where Mommy or Daddy stops by to talk to the nice person at a big machine for a moment. Then there is the stage where parents start telling children that there is not enough money for things like name brand jeans and those ipoddy things. That is surely a depressing time for children these days. Then there is the joy of young adulthood where love throws a rope around us and our own 'cutest kids in the world' come along.

At some point, the simplicity goes away and people around us start getting old. It is still not so real until we start making trips to the hospital or the funeral home. "They are old and must go on to heaven." The circle starts closing in on us and the hospital visits and the funeral home visits start getting closer to home. Pretty soon half the people we know are sick or slipping toward the grave. Maybe the thought comes to mind, 'This living and dying thing is pretty serious."

In the last two years, my life has been filled with dark clouds of passing loved ones. It has not been obvious in my writing because I have been writing very little. To some that might not be important, but to writers it will be very clear. My faith has been, not tested, but used very much, as I deal with the loss of several close to me. My son, my mother, my brother have all went on to eternity. Another brother and my Dad went several years ago. Among these times, friends have left this life and gone on to discover eternity.

Life is very serious. Eternity is even more serious and should be considered in our plans.

Here is where I should write a closing paragraph of some profound conclusion of the whole thing. Sorry about that. I'm still working on it.

November 2010

In my opinion, this November 2010 is the most important election we have see in a long time. It is the election that will decide the direction our country goes in the next two years and I think beyond.

These past two years appear to be a failure for the Obama administration, on the surface. He has, however, changed a great number of things. He has lead like a dictator with the liberal Congress giving him a free reign without any regard for the traditions of the United States or the moral high-ground we have held for centuries.

In matters of war and the economy, he is inept and knows not what to do. But in matters of changing bits and pieces of the law, he has been expert. He has placed a huge spotlight on some matters while other very important matters have been handled silently.

I do not know the man, so I am not making a personal attack. I look at him as a leader who is either confused or very determined to change a country that he does not like deep in his heart.

Freedom is slipping away for Americans. We have leadership that cares only for special-interest groups. There are apparently enough of them to elect liberal leadership. Obviously, the elder are not important to them as shown by the disregard for their financial survival (no increase in benefits). Free enterprise is obviously not important to them, as they are using the government to run companies instead of letting their business sense make or break them. It has always been that good companies survive and bad ones demise. Not so these days. The government is propping up the companies that prey off humanity and putting more burdens on small business.

Yes. This election will determine if the American people are strong enough to say: "It's enough." It will determine if the American People are ready to tell Washington to bug out and let us run our own affairs. We will see if people can get off their couches long enough to go make a difference with their vote.

Give them two more years --- my foot.

Squirrel

I just glanced out the kitchen window only to see a car pass quickly and one of our wild squirrels go tumbling in the road. I really felt sad at that moment. He gave it a fight though, trying to right itself again, but the injury was too great. When I got there, he was gone.

That would not have happened three hundred years ago. I feel sure that paved road was not there and that the local traffic would have been moving much more slowly. It could still have been dangerous for the squirrel then, with all those bows and arrows around.

Rest in peace little squirrel. I hope you had a nut filled life. I know I do.

Mama Said

Mama passed away last week...

In her little book, she wrote... "You see I remember some things about my childhood. Even I stayed with Granny (Mama was always keeping the grandchildren.) I spent some times with Mama and Daddy. My sister and I had a good time playing together. We played in the playhouse we would make out of rocks. We would room them off: bedroom, kitchen, sitting room. If we didn't have enough rocks we used sticks and pine needles. We had old broken dishes and lids, anything we could find for our play house. We didn't have tea sets or pretty dolls, we had rag dolls, string balls. .... but anyway when I spent the night with mama, she would read the Bible to us, at night by lamp light."

Poke Sallet

Poke Sallet from the little book Hillbilly Cookin' by The Tates

"Sprouting poke leaves by theirselves is powerful strong. Most folks pick a bait of mustard leaves, even a mixture of cress, Then they find tender poke shoots and add them to the rest of their greens. After washin good, put in a pot or kittle and sprinkle a bit of salt. Then you cut up a piece ofhog jowl, ham or shoulder hock or maybe lean bacon, and boil real hot, Keep the pot covered."

Elections, Politics, Issues?

We hear a lot about the strategy, of the various political entities, to win this election and that election. We got to get rid of one dirty dog or another by electing someone else that we know little about except that they claim to be affiliated with the left or right, liberal or conservative.

Where are the issues these days? They use catch phrases which are suppose to tell the voters what the real deal is. The problem is that catch phrases can mean different things to different people. The other problem is that they are designed to be repeated by the media. After all, the media is famous for telling us just what they want us to know.

It is like they are telling us that some one's house is burning down but it is good because with the sacrifice of a few, many others will have a place to live when the new high rise gets built. Since when is stepping on people a good thing if something good comes out of it.

It is all spin. No wonder many people are giving up on politics all together. If a good person decides to put their life on display for the media to probe, so they can go up 'there' and do some good, we will not hear about what they want to do, etc. We will hear about way back when they tripped over the bicycle and yelled at the children.

I'd like to see some boring facts about what these men and women are going to do when they get to Washington DC or our state houses.

Political Stuff

Iraq - Obama is pulling out the troops but putting in civilian security forces to replace them. Duh! Americans are Americans. The military is volunteer just like these security forces. I believe he said 'we' would get Americans out of harms way by so-and-so. Taking away the uniform does not get Americans out of harms way.

Florida - In a recent trip to Florida to show us that the beaches were safe, Obama also went on the stump for his favorite politician. I wonder which was his purpose and who paid for the trip.

I am not disappointed to know this...I didn't expect the whole truth anyway from this bunch.

Oil and Fish

The government does not have divine power. They cannot go on a campaign to convince us that all the fish in the gulf are safe to eat and it be so. Facts are much more solid than government propaganda. I want the fish to be safe too. I want the economy in the gulf to blossom. I want the people to have their jobs back and for the water to be safe to swim in. All these are wants and they do not make everything okay.

There is a process that must go on. I do not understand all about how it works. I do believe that the offspring of those fish that are now infected will need to be inspected by someone besides the government.

I also believe that it is the long term consumption of humans that determines the ultimate risk of what they eat.

A rush to get fish back on the market that is later determined to be unsafe will have much more long term damaging effect on the economy of the gulf than if patience prevails and the job is done correctly.

Just because you can take a short stroll in the dark and not be harmed does not mean that a longer stroll is safe or that there is nothing lurking out there. Better to be safe.

Frankenstein - Dean Koontz - Book Review

Frankenstein by Dean Koontz subtitled lost souls.

I reckon this is a series he is doing. I missed the first several books but plan to hunt them down. I've quit my book club Mystery Guild because their customer service is unresponsive.

Dean Koontz is a great writer. He juggles a host of characters with wonderful skill. I did find this particular book an adults only read. He still refrains from the usual curse words and ugly talk. He chooses rather to describe the word which in this book is a tactic used more often than in other books I've read by him. I hope he finds that unnecessary in future works.

Frankenstein has been with us a long time. In this book, Koontz brings him back all supercharged and using modern technology. The monster is a good guy though and has some new tricks all his own. I have to wait until December to see if all these characters are good enough to defeat the ultimate bad guy. I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

The Changing Face of America

It is always a little dangerous to bring up this subject. People will cry racist and a bunch of other dirty names. BUT, whether you believe it or not, this is not about race in a bad way. It is more of a questioning, if you will, about the ever changing face of America.

We have always been made up of people from all over the world. Up until recent years, the people who come here (between the oceans) have sought to become part of the culture that was here. They learned the language. They learned the land and worked it. They learned the laws and obeyed them.

I do not see that happening now. I see people who refuse to learn the language and insist that we learn theirs. We being those who speak English, since that is the language we have been using since we started. (Hint: the constitution.) We, who have a certain kind of culture which varies from one area of the country to another, but basically we like how we make our hotdogs and cook our apple pies. We like for people to obey the law because it keeps us safe when they do.

There is obviously an ongoing effort to change our culture to fit with the culture of the orgin countries of these newcomers. Let me say it, I think women are beautiful and I like to see them smile. They brighten up the day. I think women should be treated with respect. We compliment each other (men and women). We should not be at odds with each other because we are different. I like to grow stuff, they like to cook it. That does not make the grower better than the cooker. Am I so big and strong that I have to beat a women to show how big and strong I am? Of course not.

If you are mad, please don't take it out on my computer. I'm just kicking around the thoughts in my head. I'm not saying our ways are the only ways. They are just the ways we like. We speak English here. It is probably because it was English speaking people who put everything on the line to secure our great nation. Sure we had some help. It was our idea though.

I still say 'Come on over' but I say 'Come on over' under the guidelines set down in the law, the same laws people have been coming here under for centuries. And please don't try to change me. I'm still working on my English and the religion I've been practicing since childhood. I really don't need to confuse my efforts by mixing it up with something else. If I was going to another country, I would try to learn something about it. What's the language? What do they eat? What's their faith? Is the water safe? But I'm here and I reckon I'll stay here, so let's just try to do right and leave the road signs in a language I understand.

...everywhere a leak leak... Ol' ..

You plug one leak and here comes another of an entirely different kind. Don't you just hate it when the oil spews up and the truth comes out.

The young man who told all the government's secrets will get in a lot of trouble. I handled a lot of classified stuff and would never tell, even if I could remember any of it. No disrespect to the young man but he is like the pinhole in the dam where the big break starts. Soon the whole wall of water will come crashing down and lots of people will feel the effects.

One thing that keeps coming into my mind is that Obama traveled to Pakistan when he was a young man. I don't know what that has to do with anything though.

Those people in those countries we are trying to fight for will be fighting when we are all long gone. The feuds go back so far, they probably can't remember what it was all about. I'd guess some robber baron robbed a caravan and killed the wrong person back in the three digit years. So the grudge has been passed down in song and rhyme. Today it's opium and oil, next year it will be sand and wind, or who knows.

Sometimes I think we are over there because we need to do something the Russians couldn't do. Maybe it wasn't that the Russian's bullets weren't big enough, maybe, it was because they did not understand the culture. I certainly do not. Why would an otherwise intelligent man think it made him more manly to abuse a woman? He certainly does not understand women. He would get much better apple pie if he talked nice to her on the phone before he came home.

Anyway, one young man will suffer but the deed he did will be talked about for years to come. Telling the truth just don't get you the honor it use to. I personally am sick of our government having so many secrets. They twist everything up so much that by the time we get information it looks like what comes out of a paper shredder. You might could make sense of it if you had the rest of your life to sift through it.

Somethings Just Get Sideways in My Brain

Admittedly, I do not have the best brain around. Of course, I haven't seen many brains lately except on those CSI shows which I've about stopped watching. Anyway, there are things which go into my ears and just wander around looking for a place to fit. If I was Spock, I'd say 'that is not logical'.

Actually, I find things that go on so ridiculous that I am overly humorous at times just to be able to coup with them. (Spell check quit. HaHa.)

I was fixing some corn for the freezer Saturday. Sitting out there in the backyard, it was rather pleasant, already a hundred, I had found a shady place. I usually put stuff like corn shucks in the compost pile but I had already decided to leave the pile there for the squirrels to play in. They could chew on the end pieces of corn and have a little feast. Then, I started singing some old gospel hymns as I worked brushing off the silks. For no reason and from out of somewhere something hit me in the back. Was someone throwing rocks because of my singing? I looked around, no one there. I decided that the squirrels had lost patience and were throwing hickory nuts at me. I did find a lone nut lying beside my chair. I almost decided to just take the stuff to the compost pile after all and make them walk down there, but I didn't. Maybe it was an accident.

Have you ever put up corn in the freezer? I do it the 'lazy' way. I just leave it on the cob after boiling it for a little bit. It takes up more room but it is quicker. I do take a knife and pop out the bad kernels, just like pulling the children's teeth long ago. (Not with a knife.)

That's not what I was thinking about when I did the title of this post.

I was thinking about the protest in Arizona over the new law they have starting up pretty soon, so they can secure their borders. Which, by the way, is the sworn duty of the executive branch, both in states and nationally. It is not about not liking anyone. That is what gets all cross ways in my brain. It is about obeying the law. If a person breaks the law to get here, what are they going to do with the rest of our laws. Yet, the feds don't get it or don't want to. Then I saw this sign held by one of the protesters against the law. It read "we will not comply" . Now that tells the whole story. They have no intention of obeying the law.

Some come here in accordance with written law and live productive lives. Welcome home! Others sneak in and take jobs that legal citizens need then send their money back to another country. They are taking jobs then the money which drains our economy.

I believe we are a nation of compassion. We are peaceful by comparison. We got a lot of people on the streets making sure the laws are obeyed. That is why we are as peaceful as we are. When people ignore the law, you get the problems that exist in other countries where gangs rule and corruption is the norm.

Why can't we just get the issue straight? Either we enforce the law or get rid of it. Getting rid of border protection would make us a 'farm' for all the other countries that need something. Do we really want to be the child who get's his lunch money stolen every day on the way to school. I don't think so. We have to have law and order and enforce those laws. Leaders who fail in this responsibility should step down for the good of the country.

A few years ago we had a peaceful town with work for about anyone who wanted to work. We had our share of weed smokers and such but nothing the law couldn't control if they took the notion. Then the mills started bringing in workers from south of the border. Managers developed a very bad attitude toward American workers because they could hire a van load any day of the week to replace them. Managers actually encouraged citizen workers to 'hit the clock' so they could hire cheaper labor. Now those people (managers) are retired and we have the situation of a bad economy and imported drugs and gangs running freely. The practice of bringing illegal workers to our town changed it forever. This theory that illegals do work that Americans won't do is bogus. Americans are some of the hardest working people on the planet. We do have to stop and fish sometimes but that's just to help the state with license fees. :)

The squirrels did enjoy the corn I left them, although I will have to get out there and clean up their mess sometime today or tomorrow or the next day.

Being Poor in a RIch Land

We were poor growing up. We never thought of ourselves as pitiful. We just did not know what money looked like. I know Mom and Dad saw some green money once in a while. I do not remember having any 'folding' money until I was grown. I did work for another farmer sometimes in my late teens and I think he paid me with some green money.

I remember one winter, a long time after Mom and Dad had their problems and were living apart. Us children were with Mom. The children always went with Mama. You can ask someone else why. I hope we did not choose. I cannot imagine choosing between them.

Anyway, back to that winter. We rented a big old house. It was two story and was apparently missed by Sherman. Mama used coal to 'heat' it. It was always toastee warm right in front of the fireplace if no one bigger pushed you aside. It was in that old, cold house that I sat at the table at night to finish high school. I only needed a credit and half after the 11th grade so I went to work and finished at home. I remember Mama waking me up in the morning at 4:30 to go to work. I was still at the kitchen table with my pencil in my hand trying to write something for English literature.

One winter it snowed just before the coal truck was suppose to come to the house. Mom would order a half a ton at a time which was enough to last until the truck got back to town. Well, it was cold. I tried to get my old '55 Ford station wagon out of the drive but the snow was too deep and my sister kept yelling from the front door that I was going to kill myself.

So, I set to thinking. We were about to freeze. A few weeks before a storm had blown down the barn out back (which Sherman also missed). It was a considerable walk to the barn. They had to do that to keep the cows and horses from stinking up the kitchen. Anyway, I put on all the clothes I had and some old boots and broke trail to the barn.

The others were hovered around the one fireplace we had going. I did not have a saw or ax but I tackled that fallen down barn like it was the enemy. Really, it was our best friend on that day. I walked back and forth for all that day trying to get ahead of the hungry flames. It was easier after a few times, once I got the snow tramped down. I kicked and stomped and and bent load after load of that rich pine wood.

I don't even remember how many days I did that or if it was more than one day. The coal truck came and life went on. I don't remember much about pain or being cold. I do remember the banks of snow on each side of my trail and the blazing fire that I did not get to warm by.

Gulf Oil Spill

I am glad BP got a device that seems to be working to stop the oil from leaking. I am glad they have those ships working to clean up the spill. It was a bad accident and one that they were not prepared for. But even with all the politics, they kept trying until they fixed the problem. I hope it is a step to prevent further damage.

In steps the administration. They have done nothing to this point that I can see. They had spokes people to get on the news but physically, they did nothing. So why are they so interested now that the problem has been solved? It is what is always is with the feds. Money.

If they can get BP to let the oil flow out, they can put a gage on the flow and determine its rate. Calculating backward, they can then fine BP for the leakage. The money will go into the coffers and never will be seen again.

I'd like them to get the oil out since we will be needing it to run our pollution machines. I do not want it to become a cash cow for the federal government. BP could better use the money to search for future oil and to shore up their safety procedures. Fines are just another tax that hinders progress.

I think of the federal government in terms of what our police forces have become in our country. They are purely reactionary. They wait for something to happen and dash off to the scene of the crime. It use to be that they were on the streets to prevent crime and just respond to it.

Anyway, the feds will sock it to them with fines and the money will go to the four winds. The money should stay in the gulf where it is needed. BP should handle that.

the Big Stopper in the Earth

Well, they have apparently corked the hole in the bottom of the gulf. I honestly hope it works. I don't want those little fishes to suffer and people certainly don't need to be swimming in oil.

I do have concerns though. I'm wondering about all that pressure building up. Shouldn't they have a hose running to it and be capturing the oil in a ship, now that they have some control.

I have visions of the big plug blowing out of the gulf and shooting like a rocket into outer space where it knocks out the space station and numerous communication satellites. Then no one can text while driving and the accidents are reduced so much that the EMT folks go out of business and the state troopers all have to look for work.

Implications are.....

It Still Don't Make it Right

Some of you are young and do not remember when people in general did not like a lot of the things that go on these days and felt that they were wrong. I don't know that I will go down the list but I will say that just because the media and some loudmouths promote things does not make doing those things right.

The truth is some people just do not like the traditional American way. In America, that I remember, people helped their neighbor. They stood up to their problems instead of getting doped up. They loved their family, raised children. They worked and brought home a pay day. Then stayed home and spent time there. They respected church whether they went or not. They talked nice around womenfolk even if they did cuss the mules in the fields. A child minded his parents or had the joy taken out of their rebellion.

Their is a different crowd around now that cares nothing for the integrity of our borders or the integrity of our people. The dollar rules today. Taxes are the goal of government. Lies are not obstacles to getting those results. I really detest the one where our local government cries about needing money so teachers can keep their job and then go build a million dollar football field. I've nothing against football but a child is better off with something in their head than they are with a ball in their hand.

I think every parent should try to drill history into their children. History that predates the 1960s which was when the world went crazy. That way they will know how it ought to be.

Over the years liberals have placed judges in office who can play with the law like food on their plate. States and federal governments can make good laws but if one judge don't like it, they can shoot it down, sending it to the Supreme Court. They time it so that their is a majority of liberal judges there. The good law is shot down and people are left to submit to that authority. The Supreme Court is no longer a judging body but a legislative body. Liberals learned that a long time before conservatives did. They've been working that angle for a long time.

Although, we are obligated to obey the law of the land. It should be noted that the law of the land is not always the same as the law of God. What the law of the land tells us is not always the right thing. We are fast approaching the time in this country when people will have to make a decision in their heart as to what they will do. This thing with Arizona is going to the Supreme Court where a few men will decide if a state has a right to protect itself and make laws. It will govern how every state legislates. It is a power grab. Do you want to live under rules made by people like that judge in Mass. that things same sex marriage is just fine. It is not only wrong, it is just not sensible.

These times are different, not better, just different. We must follow the line of truth and right regardless of what a few squeaky wheels demand.

Arizona

Someone forgot to tell President Obama that he won the election. He is still after Senator McCain. Well, we all know there are higher purposes at stake in Arizona. It is still about the election but not the last one, it's the next one. Obama has alienated most American voters so he is going to have to give citizenship to some lawbreakers so that he has enough votes for 2012.

I know that is harsh but it might as well be said.

When a state cannot make laws to protect itself without getting sued by the federal government it makes for dangerous times in our nation. The president is sworn to protect and defend our borders but failed to act. Arizona is trying to do what the feds ought to do.

It is not just about one state. It is about every state that wants to set its own course for the good of the people who live there. Obama is somewhat of a lawyer so naturally he goes to the courts. I think he knows the case will go to the Supreme Court where he has stacked the deck.

If our federal government is willing to let drug runners have free access to our borders just to get the millions of votes of illegals, then I must say that we are living under tyranny and not in a republic.

It is a shame that some people can't stop fighting a war that is long past.

Economy

I've been thinking about our economy this weekend. There seems to be no cure for our problems. I believe there is a cure but first it will take a change in the mindset of Americans.

There was a time when we produced and sold more to each other than we purchased from other countries. We had natural resources to back up any money held in our hands. Of course, these days, the money is only as good as we believe it to be (consumer confidence). I also think of it as being only as good as our government, since the government is printing the notes (money) and standing good for its value.

I am not an economist in the college-educated sense. I have lived a pretty long time and have struggled with getting money to buy the things we need to survive. You know, housing, food, clothes, transportation, movie rentals, whoops, strike that last one, it is not really a necessity and we have probably not rented more than a dozen in our lifetime.

The problem is that the global economy is good only for those countries that do not produce their fair share of the needs of their country. Maybe it is not a kind statement but poor countries soak up the wealth of other countries like a sponge. Some countries are poor, not because of a lack of resources but because they can not stop fighting each other and their neighbors. There are countries that could do well on tourism, if it was safe to travel there.

Anyway, back to the U.S. economy. I don't know when we started borrowing from China so much. I do remember when our jobs started being exported to other countries where people had to work for next to nothing. We became a country of services. Someone decided that we would do the white collar work and let others do our grunt work. It has not worked out so well. We still have many people who had rather work with their hands and make things. Instead, their working hands must learn new trades which require a delicate touch or they must slip away into the sunset.

We are in a cycle with China. We borrow money from them to buy the things they make. It does not take a genius to figure out where most of the money ends up. The wholesale price of the goods goes back to the ones who made it with cuts from the 'middle-men'. The loans accrue interest which must be paid. There goes more money out of our country. The goods are made elsewhere, so there goes the wages which will be spent in a foreign country. There isn't much wealth staying between the oceans for us to work with.

I do not believe that an economy that produces no tangible product can survive. By tangible, I mean something you can touch. We have lots of services but you cannot eat, wear, or ride in services. Renting a car is a service but it is based on a tangible.

We must cut cost, produce products that our people can afford to buy and keep the money in our country. I'm all for teaching people how to fish so they can eat. I do not believe that one nation has enough fish to feed the world. Each nation must be taught to live on its own resources and balanced trade. One-sided trade will bleed one side dry while making another rich.

The government ought to take the lead but they will not. People will have to stop using credit like currency. "Living within ones means" is a good idea. The government gets their taxes even on credit purchases. If the debt goes bad, the government still has their cut. So, it seems good to the government to encourage credit spending. Indeed, I don't think they could get along with their current wasteful spending habits, without the 'buy on credit' tax money.

No, the government will not change. It is almost enough to turn one against education. Some of the most educated people in the world are running our country and they can do nothing but get us further into debt and let wars strip the economy. If you must buy something, pay for it. If you must go to war, win it and come home.

Hearings

As I watch the hearings, now and then, about the nominee for the Supreme Court, I feel no comfort in the process. Here is a hearing to decide who will sit in the highest court of the land and decide what is best for the country. What's in her mind?

Like many others who have sat there, she cannot give a straight answer. When asked repeatedly if she wrote a document (which was in her own handwriting) she found it impossible to say 'yes' or 'no' .

She ran around every bush to pollute what ever answer she gave to a question. Thus, there would be no direct sound-bites to quote. Anyone reading her answers would soon get bored and have to wade through a bunch of gobbly-gobbly to figure out what was said. In the mean time, the mind is poisoned with the other stuff she throws in.

What I see when I look at her and listen is a person who is smart at manipulation but short on judgment. She can splash in the pool but who knows if she cares at all for those others in the water. I see someone who likes the journey to high places and has made many, but will only bask in the accomplishment of getting there and probably will do no good while she is there.

I fear that we are getting a lot of people in charge who only want to prove that they can beat the system and make it to the top. They have nothing in their soul that they want to accomplish for good. They wish only to establish the path so that other empty people can make the journey behind them and take up the space. 'I will not go in but I will stand in the door to keep you out.'

She sits there with her 'poker face' or her smirk or a laugh when a friend makes s 'small' joke. She knows the deck is stacked in her favor. All she has to do is keep her cool and talk the opponents to death and wait out the process. Then she will be on the bench and it is payback time.

There is nothing a little guy from the sticks can do about people like her. I know she will continue the killing of the unborn but my knowledge will not help. She will slim into the judge's seat just like the plan intended. Elect a liberal president, get the old guy to retire and appoint another liberal before the November elections. I don't like the purpose or the end result but I have to admit, it was a masterful plan.

Phrases that Pop Up

You ever notice how phrases from the dark pages of books sometimes just pop up. You'd think that they are just fantasy words and that no one really does that stuff. I have even heard people say that it was just all in fun.

Few had even heard the now famous words 'new world order' until the first Bush mentioned it in a speech. It was shrugged off at the time by many and in days since. But we all know the G20 or what ever the number is really in existence and that it has a tremendous impact on the world. I was thinking yesterday about the stimulus thing that we just went through. Old ignorant me, I thought the U.S. thought that up all by ourselves. Now I find out that it was an agreement between many nations to do the same thing to prop up the world economy. Else, why did they all agree to start 'not spending' against the wishes of our president. It was a 'new world order' thing or at least a world order thing.

Enough of that.... there is no conspiracy.... there is no conspiracy ... there is no conspiracy....

Next on the list is 'channeling' . Channeling is a term I have seen used in books where one person receives the thoughts of another person and can speak the other persons mind. One might do this if they were not an expert on a certain field and needed help. I think this is pure (un-pure) demonology where the demon is the transmitter of the thoughts.

Anyway........... I have only read about this as a sort of scifi thing or a practice from the underbelly of society. I think the 'remoteviewing' thing is probably a form of demon channeling. That is another subject and, appropriately, is a subject for the 3 AM, late night programs.

I have heard the term in high places recently. Once when Hillary became angry at a student when she was asked what her husband thought about something. "I am not channeling my husband..." she spouted. Well, we'll see. Another time was yesterday in the Supreme Court Justice hearing where the nominee was quoted or misquoted as saying something about channeling a now demised justice. (That sentence made my head hurt.)

So, my point is are these just slips from some late night reading or do these people really go for this stuff. Are our leaders getting their information from dead people? Are we being led by the dead? 'Led by the dead.' That sounds like a movie title. Or a book. Excuse me while I go invent a story of fantasy.

Oil Slick, Spill, Political mess, career breaker

Here is an idea. Take one of those big oil tankers and fill it up with sand bags. Pull over the leak and drop the sand bags. Logically speaking, it was sand that was holding all the oil down there in the first place (right?). We do use sand bags to hold back rivers. Maybe it might just work. I know they won't call it a sand bag dump but they will think of something. Let me think..... The Optional Mineralogical Oil Restraint System. TOMORS . If that is a cuss word, I didn't mean it.

Green Pea

Someone once made the challenge to 'tell your faults and wrongs' . Really! Don't people dislike me enough already. Aren't there people whose job it is to cut people down and spread vicious rumors about them? Who am I to take away some one's joy by beating myself up?

No. I won't do it today. I am just too weathered, withered and worn to whack myself right now.

I have made many mistakes, most of which are not the business of most every one. Just so as not to deprive those who feast off the failures of others, I will bare one mistake that I made which has been bothering me.

I was cleaning out the dishes one day. Are you ready? I usually am faithful to wipe out all the unused food before I rinse. First off, we don't have a hog under the sink so we can't just shovel stuff down the drain. Here's what happened. A green pea rolled down into the drain before I could stop it. Sadly, I'm not even sure I tried. It stuck there in the little cross things just waiting for me to get a knife or fork or something and get it out.

Here is the bad part. You know. if you try to get that pea out, it will just squash up and fall down into the drain anyway. But you are obligated to try. On this day I did not even try to get it out. Knowing the probable outcome, if I did, I just pushed it right on through the little cross things and let it fall. I flushed it with water, probably wasting several pennies and went on to something else.

But it has been bothering me, so I am telling it here in the hall of blogs. I really do not feel better for doing so for I am afraid that people are slow to forgive. We did have to have the septic tank pumped and I know deep down in my wallet that it was my fault.

I am glad to get that off my chest. To this day, I am very careful with green peas. Thumbs up to the makers of that gel stuff because I really do hate laying under the sink waiting for someone to bring me the right wrench and hoping they won't step on me or turn on the water.

Laundry and Words

What in the world does laundry have to do with words? I guess I am getting old and find a lesson in just about everything these days.

Take a pile of dirty clothes for example. Yuck! Who would want to touch that. Well, you take up the task and sort them and wash them with some good detergent and what do you get? You get some nice things to hang up and wear as it pleases you.

Words are sort of like that. They can be yucky. You pick up a little dirt here, a stain there and before you know it the words that want to spill out of your mouth are not fit to touch (hear). Now where did that come from? Where did that stain come from on my shirt?

I see it all the time. People use words without sorting them and cleaning up the pile (so to speak). To be honest, I think some words, like some clothes, are not even fit to use for rags. They can do more harm than good.

Now, you take a little time with that pile of clothes and you can come up with something fit to go out in public with. They may not be fancy but they make you feel good. A nice hair cut (do), clean clothes and shoes that are cleaned up nice will get you into just about any doorway.

Take a little time with words and they make you feel good when you say them. They should be words that make other people feel good too. Don't you just love being around someone that keeps themselves all spruced up. To be blunt: I prefer to see someone before I smell them. Yes, washing things sure helps a body out.

Using words carelessly is like pulling clothes out of the dirty clothes hamper to wear. We will all make an impression. I know people will remember bad things about me. I cannot change those things of the past. I'd like that they remember that I finished the journey in clean clothes and with words that have been washed in kindness.

Cloak of Secrecy

Cloak of Secrecy : I wonder if there could be a blanket over our government where many things that happen are hidden from the public. We are suppose to be an open society. Nevertheless, we must admit that there are many things kept from the public in the name of, for example, national security. I submit that we are 'shielded' more often in the name of national embarrassment.

One instance might be if a terrorist were to get beyond all our efforts to stop them and do something that is damaging to our country. Our officials cannot tell the whole story without tipping off to the terrorist that we have a weakness. The public might be kept in the dark to avoid loosing our sense of security. There are many reasons why it would be in the government's interest for the American people to feel secure. For one thing, people who feel safe will work harder and spend more freely. It is good for the economy for people to feel safe.

Another reason for secrets to be kept is that someone might be so entangled in national affairs that if it were revealed that they had alternative motives, negotiations with foreign leaders could be damaged.

A bank will not advertise their troubles because it would cause a run on the bank and effectively shut it down.

So, don't tell me there are no major secrets kept.

Some secrets we will never know. Our grandchildren might know but they will be so far removed from the situation (by time) that nothing will be done even if a crime was committed. I used to work with classified stuff and it is very easy to slap a "Top secret" stamp on a document but very difficult to declassify it. Even when they are declassified, they are edited.

We wonder about a lot of stuff that goes on and if the truth will be known. There are other things that we do not know about and those secrets will remain so until someone lets the cat out.

We are an open society. Government knows everything about us. In fact, with the Internet, just about anyone can find out everything about us. I do not believe, however, that we have an open government. There are many things that are put under the umbrella of national security when they should be made public so the people can make their own decisions.

The best we can do is try to figure out the rumors that keep popping up. One thing I have noticed is that a rumor without truth will usually die, one with a few facts will linger until those facts are explained.

Thomas Jefferson said it best but I will not repeat it here. I have enough trouble. :)

Oil Leak

It is frustrating when something like the oil leak happens. Our government is so afraid that they will have a national disaster on their watch that they seem to downplay the seriousness of the situation rather than face it and deal with it for what it is...a national disaster.

We must surely have the technology to go in there and scoop up all that oil floating around. Oreck could do it. Dirt Devil could do it. Anybody got a shop vac?

We are the people who went to the moon, then did it again and again. We got rovers on Mars. So now they are going to tell me that we can dig a hole that we cannot stop up again. Get real and get busy.

Forget the politics for once. We could go tell BP: We are going to help you. You can have the oil but we are going to clean up this mess. Next time bring a stopper to work with you.

On the Radar

A gentle note: You might notice from the feedjt that I am on Washington DC 's radar now, so post your comments and see them in lights or on the news. :)

Unfettered Happiness

(Disclaimer: I do not approach this subject as an expert in happiness. Sometimes, I think I am more of an expert in sadness. I, nevertheless would like to approach the subject or a few paragraphs.)

A child walks down the road toward home. It has been a good day at school with friends, the family is waiting, food will be served and after a walk with daddy and mommy tucks the sheets and places a gentle kiss there are sweet dreams until another bright shiny day comes.

That seems like happiness and it is to a certain extent, but it is the happiness of ignorance, the bliss of not knowing the realities of life. I find no fault in it for such should the life of a child be.

We know though that there is a snake in the grass beside the road. The food might make the child sick tonight and mommy will be up all night tending the child. Tomorrow will find the child in bed recovering and there will be no day of play with friends at school. The snake attacks her daddy while he mends the fence along side the road and does not make it to the hospital. Mommy is forced to leave the homestead because she cannot afford the mortgage and the remaining family must live in a rundown shack near town so Mommy can pick up ironing and other odd jobs.

Sorry, I had to do that to make a point. I like those moments of happiness but it is not the same happiness as there would be if there were no snake by the road or a sick stomach and bad dreams. We find some happiness in this life but it is like a rose among the thorns. We accept it, enjoy it then go off to deal with the thorns of life.

Unfettered happiness would be if there was no snake, if we knew that there would never again be a snake beside the road. Unfettered happiness would be if we knew that there would not be a mean person down the road with a sharp pin to burst our bubble. Imagine if only the feeling the child felt, as it walked down the road toward home, was the feeling that we felt with full knowledge that it would never, ever go away and that no one could or wanted to take it away.

I believe that is what it will be like in heaven when we, with full assurance, walk in the bliss of total safety and joy. I believe there is unfettered happiness to come for believers in Jesus Christ. And with that knowledge comes peace, something that we all seek in our lives.

"And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22

I have to Face the Real World

Yuck! Well, it has to be done. The real world is where our bodies reside and we must deal with it from time to time.

Nowadays, there is the Internet. A person could loose themselves in there someplace and never find their way out. I like the commercial which has long stopped running. A guy comes out of his 'computer room' and looking haggard with his shorttail out and his eyes blazing like he had just been torn from the movie "The Shining" . He proudly announces: "I finished it. I surfed the whole Internet. I came to the end." Well, we know better. I did tell that to my son the other day, that I had found the end of the Internet and there was a big STOP sign there. I was joking though.

Now where was I? Yes the real world. It has to be faced. Unlike dreams that you wake up from just in the nick of time, real life goes on and on, the bills come every month, the grass grows, something breaks or leaks and the gas tank gets empty on the car. Did you hear what I just said? Is that real like? It seems rather unentertaining. Of course, you have to add friends to that. I'll get right on over to Facebook and add some friends if they will accept me. Look me up would you? I need friends. Wait a minute! I have left reality again. It is slippery in real life, we can drift off without realizing it.

Now dreams for example, there is another reality that we don't understand. How can you dream about something that you were not even thinking about and that you did not read about or see in a movie? Wow! That would be thinking about a non-reality in a non-reality world. Sounds like one of the books I wrote ( Hint: Preserved Intellect ) . Dreams though, they take you places, make you all warm and fuzzy inside and scare the daylights out of you. In the dreams, you wake up just before the guy pours in the concrete and you start seeing black. That's the good thing about non-reality.

Now, in reality for example, you don't get to wake up when things go wrong. You just have to start thinking and thinking and counting your change to see if you have enough money. Rechecking the check book to see if you might have more than you thought. Roll pennies to pay the water bill. (Nowadays, you roll quarters instead.) And one thing for sure, when they dump the dirt on you, you won't just wake up and jump in the shower to wash away the cobwebs.

Now of course if death was just a doorway to a better place, reality wouln't be so bad. Wait a minute! That is what I believe and you can jump over to http://oldoldstory.blogspot.com/ to see what all I think about that. It's the real reality.

I try not to mix my humor, politics and silliness on this blog with my very serious other blog but sometimes since it is all in the same brain (mine) it does cross paths at times. Ain't the brain a fine piece of equipment when it works. Without it (the brain), I couldn't even have said this stuff about the brain. I mean about the Real World.

Well, I'm off to getting the clothes out of the dryer so I can get the clothes out of the washer and make the bed and give my son his medication. Then, I'm off to the Mafia Wars and Kingdoms of Camelot. Oh yeah! I have to feed the dog in Farmville. I try not to get wrapped up in these games. They take too much time. Oh yeah, Fishville. I forget them fish. And I'm working on Under the Dome by Stephen King but the book is so heavy I can't pick it up a lot of days. At least, not without hurting my arm. You see I lay it behind my table near my chair and have to reach back to get it. Guess you didn't need to know that. Also got to finish a poorly written book about one reality in Boston called A date with Death by Michele R Mcphee, you know the Craig list thing. I'd hate to slip off into non-reality and not get back. I do have the sound turned off on Farmville so the dog's barking don't keep me awake at night.

Got to get those clothes back into the cycle of life before I forget..I think my brain is too full. Maybe forgetting is a blessing in a way. I mean if our brain can really get too full. It would give us a headache and we would have to sit down instead of getting the clothes out of the dryer.

Old Days

I remember when I discovered hotdogs. Later, I found out they had special buns to put them on. Sometime later, I found out there were places where people cooked for you and they were not called Mama. They wanted money for the food then they wanted you to leave money on the table. What's with that? Well, we think different these days. I can tell by looking at the world that we think different. It's messed up. Duh! or Dah! or Whatever!

How'd we get here? I whipped my children and made them go to school. I'm still paying for children to go to school. Other people didn't whip their children and they are proud to be modern parents. They write their children every week in C/O some government institute or rehab center. So those children's children are wandering the streets eating pizza and getting fat.

That was gloomy. All children didn't go that way. Fact is the generation we raised is raising children with a new and modern style. Television is the babysitter and fast food is the homecooked meal they will remember. Teachers are smarter than their Mama and Daddy, so there is a continuous conflict of morals. Or maybe not.

The economy drives us these days. Once a year for a week or two is all the quality time families have together. It was the economy in the old days too. Parents and children worked side-by-side and had lots of time together. They sweated together, ate together and piled up in the old farm house to get some sleep before time to milk the cows.

I hate to say it but sometimes we had to kick the dog out of the trail. Sometimes a whack at a chicken was necessary to get it off the porch. You know, normal stuff like that.

Thing about those days, we were together in the same place a lot. The blisters on our hands didn't matter much. Mama would plaster them with something. Clothes for Christmas were a blessing and we actually smiled when we got them. Nowadays, some children will pitch a big one if they open that box and it ain't no game of some kind or a whatchamacallit.

Some things about these modern days are okay. Indoor plumbing is nice. That outhouse could get cold in the winter and stinky in the summer. Electric stoves are great. There is no need to cut wood until dark to feed a wood burner. We called them wood stoves. (Of course, if they had been wood stoves, they would have burned up.) Just have to take care of that bill every month. Wouldn't a bill back then. But back then, we had some woods we could prune for fire wood. Create smoke these days and you got to explain yourself to the fire department.

I'm telling you, back then if I wanted to shoot a squirrel, I did it. Ate it too. I didn't shoot all of them. I got some in my yard now, feed them everyday with the edges off my toast. I don't shot squirrels anymore. I don't shoot anyone I know. Not yet.

I even punched a cow once for slapping me with her tale while I was milking. She stepped in the milk bucket so I never punched her again. I don't milk cows anymore, just take the little strip off the lid of the milk jug. About that little strip, somebody knows how to torment old people!
We didn't have strips on milk jugs, just had to scoop the cream off the top and go at it. Rich stuff. It would stand you up and make you want to go load some hay.

The World is Leaking

Back before the leak, I saw several news stories about the way the oil companies drill now. They sink a well and then drill sideways in several directions. It saves having to sink several wells. Well that was good for getting out more oil but now that they got a hole they can't stop up, there is a lot more oil to leak out. Yes, the world is leaking.

I think about the warnings that we have had to 'get off the can' and switch to something besides oil. Then the prices go down and we all make a national sigh of relief and 'tally ho" down the road. We got gas again.

Now we have another indication that we should switch to something cleaner to run our machines. I've always been suspicious that sucking all that oil out of the ground was causing earthquakes. It's got to be making big empty spaces down there. I know about the plates sliding around but could it be that the empty spaces are helping them along.

Maybe the dinosaurs would like to rest in peace instead of being piped, shipped and trucked all over the world to be burned in engines, blown out tailpipes and shot into the atmosphere; only to be breathed by humans, then radiated when it causes cancer, etc....... Don't they deserve some rest.

Oh, you mean oil doesn't come from dead dinosaurs, well the trees then. Maybe they don't want to be dug up, shipped, piped and trucked all over the world......

Oh, not trees either.... Well what ever it is.

One thing we have found out during this mess is that oil companies are not as smart as we thought and the government is even less so. How many organizations does it take to plug a hole in the bottom of the gulf, we will just have to wait and see. What we need instead of oil tankers is oil submarines that could just go down there and let the oil pour in. You know like jets refueling in the air, sort of...

The Supreme Court

It is a false assumption, that we have, that when we elect a president or a congressman that things will finally be fixed. Abortion comes to mind. We vote for candidates to try and get the killing of the unborn stopped. That is not the only issue that conservatives work for but it is a big one. When you read history, those nations that killed the innocent did not endure the test of time. Judgment day came. So it is not just protecting the unborn that is at stake, but the preservation of the nation. Of course, many of those who condone this hideous act do not honor God in the first place and so do not understand that besides being a God of love and mercy, he is also a God of justice and historically has championed the cause of the innocent and the helpless.

So, what does that have to do with the Supreme Court? The Supreme Court has taken on more authority than, what I believe, the Constitution allows. They not only decide disputes about the Constitution but have in essence made new laws and added new meaning to the Constitution by injecting what they think the words meant. They say such things as 'that is what it says but this is what it meant' thus making new guidelines. That is how abortion came to be the law of the land. It did not come from the lawmakers in congress which is where laws should come from or from the president who can send bills to congress to be made into law. It came from the Supreme Court where they are suppose to decide matters of laws already in force, not make new ones. Read the history concerning abortion. You will find a new term which refers to the area around a shadow i.e. the eclipse of the sun, where the Constitution supposedly meant such and such.

Each president strives to put justices on the bench because he knows that important decisions will come from there and that, with the lifetime appointments, the opinions of a justice will continue for a long time. Congress and the president can make all the laws they want but the Supreme Court can throw them out if they do not like them.

The three branches were a good idea when the Constitution was written. If all three branches stayed in their place, there would be a balance of power in Washington DC. The actions of the Supreme Court have thrown this balance off.

I believe that if the Supreme Court is going to take the role (as they have) of shaping policy and interpreting the law and the Constitution in ways that have no resemblance to the original intent that they should be an elected body so that they represent the entire country and not just a segment of it. The lifetime appointment should be repealed with an amendment to the Constitution. It is not us that would be making it a political body, they have already made themselves a political body by yielding to public opinion instead of judging whether a matter is within the bounds of existing laws.

The difficult part of doing such a thing as the previous paragraph suggest is that the Supreme Court is so powerful that they could declare the amendment unconstitutional and continue to act as they do. No one should be so powerful in a society that proposes to be of the people and by the people.

Four of the Supreme Court 'justices' will be from New York if the latest one is approved. What's with that?

Mother's Day

We have many holidays. Some holidays are celebrated with lots of fanfare, others are noticed (or not) as they pass by. Christmas celebrates the Lord Jesus and stands out like a bright star in the night. The Fourth of July represents our freedom and the battles fought for it. It is a proud day. Thanksgiving causes us to pause to be thankful and remind us not to take what we have for granted.

But there is this day we call Mother's Day. It gives us a special opportunity to give an extra hug, a flower or card to a most deserving person. From my point of view, as a son, motherhood is not about perfection. I think of it as being caring. The word steady comes to mind. When all the world is in upheaval, a child can go to his or her Mom and they will most likely be standing in the kitchen where they are working on something good to eat or cleaning up our mess. They are ready to bend or stretch (depending on the age of the child) for a hug, a kiss or a pat on the head or shoulder.

There are not always words of wisdom or solutions to every problem but she is there or her memory and we know that in our wobbly world, there is at least one straight line we can have to guide us.

I can see it only from my side. I cannot see the breaking heart she carries. I cannot see the urge to fly across the distance when she must stay where she is. I cannot see the aching bones when she doctors a splinter or bump. I cannot see the tiredness when she says those magic words "Do you want anything?" She is steady and she is ready to do the things she does that make us forever grateful for her love.

(Leeuna left me a nice comment but the program will not let me approve it. She said it was a nice tribute to mothers. Thanks Leeuna.)

Collection and Credit Companies

Thankfully, I do not have problems with collection companies and I guess my credit score is okay. I don't really care so long as people leave me alone. I seldom borrow money and hope to never do so again. That's my disclaimer.

I consider these types of companies the buzzards of society. They have no right to gather personal information and pass it out to people who pay them money. Oh! I know we are so use to them being around that we accept them as part of our life like the IRS and the road blocks to check our papers. The thing is they have no right.

I can vaguely remember when a banker would check a few references i.e. work, some places where you did some credit and a couple of friends. From that information, he would decide if he wanted to loan you a few hundred to buy a cow or some chickens or to build a smokehouse.

Then along came these people who skimmed information from anyplace they could get it. Gradually, bankers and such started calling them because they had the 'dope' on everyone. They were the gatherers of gossip. You could walk uprightly in your community but if someone reported something to these collectors whether it was true or not, you were turned down for a loan and they could not tell you why. You have to go check with the gossip collectors.

As time moved on, the government gave these people protection under the law. They can harass anyone within certain guidelines. They can threaten with discretion.

Now, it is all tied together. The gossip gatherers report to the credit bureaus and everyone is given a number. They call it a score. We are all boiled down to two numbers our social security number and our credit score. It takes a very determined person to figure out all the elements that go into the gathering and formulation of these scores. Add to that that the scores can change daily with a little thing like someone checking your score whither you know it or not.

I do not understand all of it. In fact, for years I thought I was a criminal and did not know why. I would apply for a loan, be turned down and never told why. Finally, I checked with the credit bureau and they explained that it was not that I had bad credit but that I had no credit. Dah!
In other words, I had been paying my bills upfront and therefore had no credit (pay on time) built up. Dah!

With every business, there is always a segment that disregards the law, changes their number and location often and never ever gives out their last name. Their first name is probably made up too. They call and threaten people with jail and dishonor if they do not send the money they say you owe. I know people who have gotten these calls for something they never dreamed of purchasing or charging. These people get complaint after complaint reported against them but law enforcement seems to do nothing. These people are hard to nail down. They are like the old street enforcers who would offer protection for a price and if the store owner did not accept the protection their property would be damaged and probably their person.

I'm pretty sick of the government not cleaning up the scum when they are given details of their activities. I got off on this subject when I happened onto a website where innocent people were being harassed by unscrupulous companies. I can get mad when other people hurt. I reckon.

I just do not like those people who are making a killing off the hard times citizens are going through these days, not because these citizens did something wrong but because greed has caused a financial upheaval in the world starting on Wall Street.

Is it Just Me or Is the World Nuts

I can feel all the fingers pointing at me or in my general direction. I asked 'Is it just me or is the World Nuts?'. In case you missed the title.

I was thinking about going to the drug store (pharmacy) the other day. The music was so loud, on something I never listen to and that makes my nerves all jumpy, that my wife and I could not even discuss what to get our parents for Mother's day. I mentioned it to the lady at the counter where we spent our hundred dollars but she just gave back a blank stare. I could imagine what she was thinking 'Bless their hearts, they are getting old. They don't know that guy singing is on all the TV shows and Oprah and Rock whop-a-da-doo.' Maybe she was nice and just didn't know how to address our honesty. Anyway, I think the music should reflect the wishes or at least the comfort of the customer who is paying all the salaries there and not for the enjoyment of the workers.

Someone is trying to bomb New York again, Man! don't they ever get tired. Times Square is already at sea level, what-they-goin'-do. The only thing they would wipe out are a bunch of opinions that no one cares about except those stating them.

The gulf is as slick as ... well it's slick. That is absolutely the ugliest oil I ever saw. It looks like something out of a motor with a blown head gasket. I hope they trap the stuff before it kills all the oysters. I know it would hurt the economy in an area where they are still not over Katrina. Maybe they ought not party so much and go to church once in a while. I'm just saying...

We went to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon last week because it was the only time we had to do it. That was a mistake. There was an entirely different crowd there. They had no tolerance for a couple of slow moving frugal shoppers, one of which was pretty much using the buggy as a walker. Reach and grab, make an ugly face, walk in front, no 'excuse me', ... the usual crowd you would see on the freeway during rush hour. The same ones who ride your bumper even if you are 5 over the speed limit then pass on the yellow line and slam on their brakes to turn off without giving a signal. I think those people are manufactured someplace and sent here. Not even a buzzard would hatch something with so little regard for others. If anyone reading this is part of this crowd, I am so sorry. Maybe you can't help it.

Talk about noise pollution. Loud radios, boom boxes they call them, I don't get it. Why is it so important for everyone to hear their music? Is there a message in the boom-boom that I am suppose to get. Those trucks using the jack-brakes that are pretty much banned around here. They vibrate the whole house at times in the night when the only sounds should be the train in the distance, the bathroom flushing or some burglar who is dumb enough to think I got money. Why do so many people ride dirt-bikes on the paved road near our house. What is it about 'dirt' that they don't understand?

I went out the other day and a bird was hollering "pretty, pretty, pretty". Yeah right, weirdo!

Well, have a good day and keep smiling. You're up to something, ain't you?

Oil Slick

I know it is a serious matter. I couldn't help to think about the title. Of course, oil is slick.

Well, back to the seriousness of the matter. I can see how this could have a big impact on the area where it makes landfall. I hope they can do something. I do not put much stock in the mechanical devices they are using. They will perhaps protect small areas.

To began with, they must get the leak stopped. I think there should be more effort there and that they should bring in some of those scientific subs to deal with the problem.

So far as the oil on the surface of the water, it seems there should be something they could put on it (spray like in forest fires) to dissolve it or cause it to clump and fall to the sea bed. I was thinking of Dawn dish washing liquid. A gallon of the ultra ought to do it. :) Maybe some cat litter, maybe some of that Rid-x stuff with enzymes in it to eat up stuff.

I just think there should be some scientific help (and thinking) to assist those already working. I know for sure that politics will not get the job done.

Illegal

Our federal government seems to be having a little trouble understand the word. They apply it liberally to tax evasion, terrorist, jay-walking, etc but when it comes to protecting our borders the word illegal gets all wrapped up in racial profiling and constitutional bickering. Does the word have various meanings to be applied at the whelm of the user.

I interrupt the word illegal to mean against the law.

Now, I believe, in the oath of office for president and, I expect, in Congress that they promise to uphold the laws of our nation and to serve and protect our nation.

In my studies of criminal justice, which I admit are lacking in places, I could find no distinction in the written law that exempted anyone based on their color or national origin. There is, in fact, a clause on many documents that warn against taking any action based on race, religion or national origin and some others I don't remember.

Our borders must be protected. We go to great lengths to protect the borders of other countries. Why not ours? Why just some borders and not others?

Illegal is illegal, our federal government should act like they know what that means.

Twainees

In respect to Leeuna's request for a blog entry concerning the fine people who read blogs but do not post, I have here dubbed the name Twainees. Twainees are people who enjoy reading and would love to write and perhaps do but not in the same vain as some of the subject matter they ingest on a daily basis.

Twainee is not the same as trainee. A trainee is learning and suggest amateurism. Twainees on the other hand may be reading and not commenting for any number of reasons. They could be mining for ideas, checking out the progress of the writer or just enjoying something different from their daily diet of amazing words.

Twainee suggest a certain amount of sophistication and retains the connection with literary endeavor.

While the name will never catch on in the mainstream, it is perhaps different and certainly more friendly than lurkers or stalkers which have an air of being illegal. So, in that respect, I agree with those who have already made up their minds that this suggestion is poorly written and the name unimaginative. Being self-critical saves my readers, if there are any, the trouble of formulating a well-written response to my silliness and lazy grammar.

Hope

After watching the evening news and reading the stuff that search engines find important enough to put in front of, most likely, better reading, I often burn the pages of my blogs with some hot stuff about politics and our present administration in Washington DC. But I've been looking around lately and have found reason to hope.

Some new names and faces are seeking election to Congress and their ideas seem to be exactly what our country needs, i.e. integrity and doing right. I have also watched Facebook and seen some fine young people talking about family and things like that. There for a while I thought the whole world had gone after the "Idol" thing and were growing up to old age in the Arcades. But there are some young people who are not burning their brains out with drugs and other stupid things. So our future 'will' have some families and leaders with values to guide them.

I also thought about the pull, of elements in our society, away from the traditions which made our country great. Our religious faith for one. Then I thought of all the towns I've driven through in my lifetime. Almost without exception, there was a church or two which bore witness to the fact that there are people who still hold to those traditions of family and faith.

While the media would have us believe that the whole country is going the way of those they so often magnify on their programs, there are still millions who are not interested in all the hype about...whatever...and just go about the important business of raising their families and respecting their God.

We should lift up our heads with the hope that there are still those who will stand for right.

Socialism

There are books on the subject of Socialism but I believe a simple definition of that form of government is when the government takes control of the resources of a nation and passes them out evenly to everyone. It sounds good on the surface but the only problem is that it does not work. Russia had socialism and their poor are among the poorest. The wealth went to building a giant military.

President Obama has been successful in taking over the health care. Now he is aiming at big business. He will attempt to put government control on the way businesses do business. You can do this but you cannot do that. It is beyond regulation where the government gets involved when there are safety concerns which effect workers or the public at large.

Free enterprise is a system where good business practices are rewarded and bad business practices are punished with no rewards. A rotten company will eventually go under except in the cases where the government propped them up. When the props go out, the same thing that brought them down to start with will still bring them down if they do not change. So in free enterprise there is a natural correction. The good businesses survive and the bad ones don't. Sometimes it takes time but the balance will come.

Socialism is not free enterprise. The government will pick which businesses survive. It may not be the best business but it will be the ones that benefit the government. Tax payers will pay the price to maintain bad businesses.

Now, I don't like the way some businesses are run. The ones I am aware of do not get my business. The loss of my little bit of money will not cause a company to crash but many people like me doing the same thing will. That is why they advertise to us because they need us. In the ultimate scenario, the government would not give me a choice. They would say these are the available companies that we approve and you must do business with them or do without the services.

Socialism is a scary thing. It takes away individual freedom. It hits people where it hurts and they must pay a price if they refuse to go along.

President Obama, for what ever reason, is trying to put everything under the umbrella of the federal government. You know how Washington runs things. Is that how you want to run your own budget? It will happen if they get control of your life and mine. We will no longer be able to sit around and discuss with our wife and family which way we want to do something. It will be mapped out the way the government wants it to happen. We can always count on them to do the right thing. So, we will be okay. IN OUR DREAMS!

If Democrats want to be socialist, they are in the wrong country. Come November, let's eliminate them from the system.

Financial Problems Good for Some

We had a bad year last year. It looked like things were going to fall down and stay down. The American spirit prevailed and things are turning around. We changed our lifestyle but kept on plugging along. Things have started to get better.

Here's the problem. Those people in high places, and I don't mean the government this time, just will not get the message. It's like "Wow, we dodged a bullet so let's get back at it." They did not dodge a bullet. The economy needed a change and the way things were done needed a change. All the government could do, in our form of government, is prop it up for a while. Big business must make changes or we are still in trouble.

No sooner had they gotten the tax payer boost, they started back on the same old road with outrageous bonuses and business as usual with 'stick it to the consumer' tactics. With them, it is all about how they can get the consumer to be gullible again and how they can get around government regulations.

The hearts of executives and owners of companies must change, if 'things' are ever to stabilize again. With many companies being publicly owned, the pressure is to give the investors back some money every quarter so they will dump more money into the system. So the heart of the investor must change as well. There needs to be a 'long look' at the economy and the future of our nation.

Even in these hard times, people are making money off the hardships of others. Banks have no reason to give people a break. They have already milked mountains of interest from the homeowner and they are probably down to paying on the principal which is not where banks make their money. It's the interest baby! They can resale a home and make the fees all over again and start off with a fresh batch of interest. Charge 8-10 percent and pay out .10 percent on savings, you gotta' make money like that. That was a point 10 interest on savings.

A collapse is big business for some who wait in the wings for just such a day. Buy up stuff for pennies on the dollar and wait it out, then sell at the current market value. Some people are out of a home but someone else is fat on the losses.

I do not have the answers. I just know that greed is alive and well and it is greed that got us in the mess in the first place.

Government cannot run everything or else it would not be a free country. There must be a fundamental change in the attitude of banks and big business. For that to happen, there must be a change in the heart of people. The attitude of making it to the top on the backs of others is just not right. It is not good business either in spite of what many think.

Book Review - Caught by Harlan Coben

Caught by Harlan Coben is a missing persons story and a conspiracy story. It follows a big time television reporter who in the absence of news is capable of creating some for her show. Ultimately, she is after the truth though and so we can see redemption for the star of this well developed story.

I have become a fan of Harlan Coben because of Caught. I did not read the end first so he kept me guessing and provided a nice surprise at the end.

Good story. Good writing.

Local Post for None Readers Friends

People who can't read don't know about this unless you tell them. We take reading for granted.

I am disabled and spent a lot of time at home. I have stuff to do so I'm not idle.

I can set aside an hour or so to help someone learn to read. One-on-one. I have taught a couple of men who were in their forties or fifties (I didn't ask) since I started having to stay home.

I do not teach folks who cannot watch their tongue. No smoking in the house. Stuff like that.

I can teach someone who wants to learn. First they must admit, at least to themselves, that they cannot read and need help. It is amazing how well non-readers are at hiding the fact. That makes them pretty smart. I've been around people for years and did not know that they could not read.

My methods may be different from a professional. Because I teach older people, I explain a lot about words. I show them how the words are broken down. I explain the difference in how people say words. You know what we read is not how we say it. We do shortcuts and that means the words in books don't look like the words we hear.

So, if you have a loved one or friend who can spend some time with me during the hours that my wife is at work (10 hrs Tues-Fri right now), I will give it a whirl to try to teach them. It won't be a college degree but they will be able to read children's books and find the bathroom in a public place that does not have pictures.

It takes three for a person to learn to read: the learner, the teacher and most important, the one who gets them to the teacher.

As I said, I am not a professtional but I care.

Everything Breaks or Comes Apart

I had to stop a leak yesterday. I want to put this simple. I hate plumbing.

I took the thing out of the wall and then took it apart. I wondered how it ever worked in the first place. Nothing was broken but there was a little piece of plastic that was preventing the water from turning off all the way. Obviously, to me, it was a piece of debris from the factory since nothing was broken in there.

These things are so fragile. They are made from stuff a baby could chew up in a minute. As I said, it didn't break but they look so breakable that I may start going to family and friends to take a shower to protect them. Maybe I'll just wrap everything in a big bubble and go stay in a motel or in a tent.

The part is a replacement for another one that already broke. It cost $50 and all the parts together would not make a plastic toy car.

I remember the day when you could trip over a water pipe. You could slip and grab it for support. It was made out of good stuff. Nowadays, if you are falling, you just as well grab a straw from the broom. Of yeah, they are plastic now, too.

You know, come to thing of it, if our temperature gets much higher, all evidence of this generation could disappear into a clump of something no one would recognize centuries from now. Those geologist will have nothing to study.

I guess all this makes no sense. You should have seen what it would have looked like if I had written it yesterday. Plastic pipes, fixtures and such could be better used in their original state and put in the gas tank. I do not like plastic. I do not like plastic. I do not like plastic.

Nothing to Say

Usually, when I have nothing to say, I just go ahead and say it. Today is different. My mind is a jumbled mess. I couldn't lasso a whole paragraph of thoughts if I was John Wayne. Did he use a rope? So here is at least one thought, I'll add others if I can think of any.

I get the show 24 with Kiefer Sutherland as Jack mixed up with the evening news with one exception...we don't have Jack.

There is survival without NASCAR as proven by this past weekend. Perhaps, it is good to skip a weekend of left turns once in a while.

I wanted to say that some blogs should be called 'blohs' or 'bloohs', you know bloh-bloh-bloh but I could not find the words in Websters dictionary. That brings me to a question: Is there a dictionary of the words we really use in everyday life? While I'm asking, is there a dictionary for those 'texting' messages that everyone is using? Leave answers in comments. They will not be graded.

The big freeze seems to be over and I will soon take the coats off the back of the kitchen table chairs. That can mean only one thing: Al Gore will be back on the talk show circuit soon. He keeps a low profile when the temperature is low. That reminds me of a Hitchcock show where someone was dreaming of desert like weather only to wake up with a fever and the world was freezing over.

Obama is dropping in popularity. I know because sometimes the evening news folks say a whole sentence, sometimes two if there is a disaster someplace, before they mention him. If Tiger Woods slips again, I expect Obama to get booted off the evening news. Give the guys a break you news hounds.

To top all that off, one of the light bulbs went out in the bathroom and I'll have to change it today, or tomorrow, or next week, or... I got to mow the weeds in my yard (of course, in my yard) so the grass can see the sun...a part came in the mail for my second car (actually it was one of a long string of cars) if I can find out where to put it.

Like I said, I had nothing to say so I'm out of here (actually I'm still here, it's a figure of speech, although my English teacher would not agree). Bye.

Wabbit

It ain't about the wabbit (rabbit).

I have no problem with the children having some fun. Easter bunnies, eggs, chocolate candy and pretty clothes make it a special day for the children. We certainly enjoy watching them hunt the eggs, all decked out in new dresses and little suits.

Easter is about life. We all dread the day when we are old and that stranger hangs around our house just waiting for us to get sick-to-death so he can come in and take us away from our family and friends. I look forward to heaven but I hang onto this big round ball, called earth, like a child with his or her stuffed animal or comfort blanket. I do not want to let it go. I like the flowers, the trees, the animals, the smell of fresh soil turned when it is gardening time. I like the smiles of my wife and the happy stories from the children about their children. There's a lot I like about our home in space. If you have ever worked on cars, even the sound of all eight cylinders firing at the right time can be beautiful.

Leaving all this is what we know as death. That stranger that lurks waiting for the right time.

Something happened on that first Easter. A way was made to take away the fear associated with death. Death was put in handcuffs and is controlled by a higher power.

We were always victims. Death had his way with us. Jesus came to earth and lived a perfect life. Since it was sin that gave death the victory. Jesus lived without sin. Because of that perfect life, he had the power to take up his life again after death had done his best. Death's best was not good enough to hold down the righteous one. On the third day, he arose out of the grave. He took his life again. And so we have Easter. The celebration of life. The celebration of victory over death.

We do not much like to talk about death but trusting in the real Easter story gives us a peace that we can have the same victory that rolled away the stone on that first Easter. Gifts of candy and toys are nice. It is a joy to see the smiles they bring. Teaching children the true meaning of Easter will give them peace for a life time. They will know that death is but a doorway to a brighter future.

I Don't Like Change

Okay, I said it. I don't like change. Perhaps, there was a time when I found it exciting when things got shook up a bit and I could watch where it all landed. Not any more. When I look for something, I expect it to be where I left it. I like for things to have a place and for them to be put back in that place. Grumpy? Well, I reckon.

Recently, the neighbors cut down the trees across the road. We liked those trees. They got all green in the spring and summer and sometimes the deers would venture into those woods to munch on the persimmons. I had to look that up because we always said 'simmons'.

Anyway, it looks all bare now. I reckon they are going to do something with it. It's their business and the American way.

Looking out this morning, I noticed that I could watch the sun come up over the mountain. It was beautiful to watch. Then the brightness became so great that I had to turn away and look at the places the rays of the sun hit. We have a yellow bell bush, several in fact along the front. They love the sun and just light up when it hits them.

That led me to Easter and the resurrection. It led me to when Paul the apostle encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. It tells of the brightness of the Lord. Then I thought, we cannot look directly on our earthly sun and the Bible tells us that the brightness of the Lord was too great to look upon. But as with the sun rays on the yellow bells, we can see the effects of the Lord on other people and events. We can still understand the beauty of that which we can not look directly at.

Change is still not my favorite thing. I suppose, though, that I can still find some excitement over it if I put it in the right perspective. Easter made the difference for the world. It can still be a rough place but there is beauty to see in the effects the Son has on it.

My books.

God and Country

We are perhaps the only nation on earth that knocks our own religion(s). By religion, in this case, I mean a belief in one God. Generally, in some form, the United States has been a nation that honored God. Individually, there are differences of opinion and different styles of worship. Collectively, there has been a 'looking up' to the higher power for help when we were in a bind.

These days, in the media at least, when God or Jesus are mentioned, there is a slur attached to the story, most of the time. If there is a story that involves a Christian going wrong, it will make the big story. Not all broadcasters are guilty, many are.

I wonder why it is us, the city on the hill, who think tolerance must mean forsaking the goodness of God in our lives. It is total arrogance to think that we are the most powerful. It is also most dangerous. We have been blessed for our charity toward the world. We have been blessed for our friendship with Israel. We have been blessed because we give credence to God.

There are voices that talk loud and long. They are often heard and adhered to as if they were the majority. It is not right to do so. Those who go quietly about their lives without trying to impose on others, also have a say in how our nation looks or does not look to our Creator. Those who speak by their actions of being a good neighbor, helping the poor and defending the defenseless are just as much a part of this nation as anyone who yells louder than the majority.

Administration of 2010

Just as the cry went out to remember the Alamo and then remember 9/11 so will the cry go out to remember 2010. It is a time when a few people (compared to the population) decided to take away substantial freedom from the American people. They were not foreigners but our own leaders. Leaders are not always right. The only thing that will stop the slid toward socialism is for the people to realize that freedom is too great a price to pay for creature comforts.

I heard the story about one state where this program was already in place (Health Care 'Reform') and one person waited 44 days before they could see a doctor. Is that what we want when our child is sick and running a fever? Do we want to be under some government agency that will tell us when the fever is too high? Will they answer the phone or will we get a recorded message?

Only the people saying, it is enough, will stop these haters of liberty and freedom from wrecking our country beyond repair. We have a peaceful way to do it and it starts in November. We need to show some of that good old American backbone and stop this mess before it goes any further.

If you want a USSR type of government, just keep on believing the junk that is coming out of Washington DC these days. You did not see democracy at work in Congress, you saw a manipulation of grand proportion. A game of rules to outwit a smaller force.

Their victory in Congress with the Health Care legislation may be the biggest defeat for this country since Pearl Harbor but we will be back.

Let Freedom Ring

Little by little, Freedom disappears. The ringing is not so loud anymore.

It seems harmless sometimes, a little is taken here, a little there. Sometimes, like Sunday, a lot is taken. I found it ironic that such a major action was taken on the Lord's day, a slap in the face to our founding fathers who honored that day.

There are a number of things that were done in the past that would not be allowed now. Some were wrong, some were necessary. The point is it was citizens taking care of business without government telling them they could or could not do it.

The way it works is that they let things get in such a big mess in the first place that many will cheer when they finally step in and fix something that they generated.

Government involvement in private affairs never works.

There are times when people must be protected from themselves. We have to have law and order. If someone does something that is harmful to another, they must be held accountable. That is protecting freedom not taking it away.

An example might be in order. It use to be that if a dog kept on eating chickens, which were providing food for the household, that dog would be shot. It had learned a behavior that was harmful to the livelihood of the family which it could not unlearn. The taste of the chicken was to much for the dog to overcome, no matter how many times it was told to stop. In our society, that reasoning would not work. It would be called animal cruelty. The dog is on a higher plan socially than the chicken. The freedom lost is that the family is not allowed to decide what is best for them. The choice was a dog that would not mind and was killing valuable resources or the chickens which provided food.

Another example is that if I found gold on my property, it would not belong to me but would belong to the government. Why? Because they decided one day that it was theirs and sent out a notice. Property owners could get a lawyer and claim the minerals for themselves if they wanted to fight the government in court. Who ever wins that battle? And, who can afford it? Certainly not a normal working person.

People use to have a barrel in their back yard where they burned mail with personal information on it and other paper products. Now, it is illegal and can reap a fine if it is done. I know, we must be concerned about air pollution. Maybe, it is no longer appropriate to do that. The point is we are not allowed to decide. it is taken to the landfill where it will rot and be treated with chemicals. Some will seep into the ground but at least we can't see it.

Freedom! We enjoyed it for a time. The generation that is graduating now will never know what real freedom is. It use to be that if I got hungry for some kind of meat, I would just take my gun and go shoot one and cook it for supper. I'd be afraid to slap a bug now if anyone was looking. Cruelty! Cruelty!

Now, I go to the doctor. He ask me a few questions. Takes my blood. Then, if it is within government guidelines, he can treat me as he determines I should be treated. If it is something insurance will pay for and as I said within government guidelines. Even the doctor cannot treat patients based on his years of training and practice.

Freedom lost! It is slipping away. You have to live a while to see it.

You know I use to could wash my car when I wanted to. Better be careful these days. It might be the wrong day to do that.

Freedom going away! We can still do more than a lot of people in other nations. If it is to stay that way, governments must be forced to stay in their place of protecting the people without running their day-to-day lives.

We have the election process. People must educate themselves on the details and not just vote the way the media sways them. We need to pray that there will not be so much damage done in this four years that it cannot be fixed when some sensible people are elected in November.

The Health Care Reform Bill

Making history is not always a good thing. The health care thing they passed over the will of the people will certainly make history but then I've read some pretty awful things in history.

I think many people just don't get it. Giving up freedom, whether a little at a time or in big chunks is still going to cost us in the long run. Answer this question: Do you like making up your own mind about things? Well, enjoy it because that privilege is going away with this administration and this congress.

Eating and Cooking

No! I am not an expert at cooking, although I do pretty good at eating.

Since I became disabled, I have learned a lot of things. Number one on the list is that me letting my wife stay home to raise the children while I 'slaved' away in the work force was not doing her much of a favor. Being home and doing all that stuff is hard word. Okay. My hat is off to you ladies.

I have learned a little about cooking. Maybe I don't have it right but I'm trying.

I like to have several colors on the plate when all is done. I think that gives you several of the things your body needs but I like it because it looks good. Well, it taste good too. I also like to have a variety during the week. Usually, there is one day when omega-3 is out the window and we have something with beef in it. My wife's favorite is chili, I think. Although, I can whip up a good slow-cooker of beef stew like Mama use to make. I cook these little biscuits that are a little crunchy and work great under some beef stew. My secret to the biscuits is a little pancake mix and pancake syrup. Yep. Taste good.

I also discovered the omega-3 thing and we have salmon and cod fish several times a week. You have to cook them very differently though. I let the salmon cook in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour covered at least half way with water and covered with foil. This after letting it soak in some good spices most of the day. Lemon and pepper are essential. The cod fish only takes about 7 to 10 minutes to cook. Flip it a couple of times. I never can get the breading to stick. What's up with that? I put it on anyway.

Got to have those greens. They just make you feel healthy. If they are fresh, it takes a little salt to make them taste good. Cornbread under them makes them like an ice cream with cake treat but I don't cook cornbread much anymore. Talk about bloating. If you can still run 3 miles, go for the cornbread. Don't go to sleep on it. Good though.

I found out that the most nutrition is just under the peel of potatoes or apples. Peel them thin.

Frying is the worst thing to do. Still, once in a while it is a real treat. Oh, those fried 'tators. Give me a bowl full. Stewed is great too. Soup is good off of stewed potatoes.

This ain't cooking but it is great: If you can afford to get together several different kinds of fruit and blend them, it makes a really healthy, after supper, snack. It is filling too. I use a banana, kiwi, two apples, 4 1 inch cubes of cantaloupe, some blueberries (to taste) some strawberries-about 3, a peach if I got one and a half pear. Put in a little apple juice to help it blend and a splash of cranberry juice, two prunes and you are set. Drink it slow. One shopping spree will get several days of drinks.

Well, I've had my say about cooking and I feel better. May the world have plenty to eat.