Ferguson Folly

The right of free speech is Constitutionally guaranteed, however what's happening in Ferguson isn't free speech; it's anarchy, with the seal of approval by government agencies that are causing problems. Rioting, destroying private property, and loitering are not free speech; they're criminal activities and if it requires clearing the streets of anyone causing problems, then that's what needs to be done.

Start with the media, since they're contributing to the problem. The story is over, they're only contributing to the congestion, which is ruining local business, and they can hire a local reporter to keep them up to date.

Demand groups representing special interest file for a parade permit, wait in line for the permit and politely ask them all to stop gathering on the streets, impeding local commerce and scaring the public. If they refuse, arrest them, bring them to the edge of town, and tell them their next stop is jail.

As far as locals, they know their boundaries. People like their peace, and I have the feeling only a few are involved. Those causing trouble will find they're unwelcome, will toe the line, or find their life has become miserable.

As far as federal government representatives, there's not reason for hundreds to be there. If there are people breaking federal crimes, arrest them and leave. Otherwise, leave it to local authorities, and citizens, to handle their problems.

Elton John - Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters (Live)

I might have posted this before; maybe not; I don't remember. It wasn't a top forty hit, but one of the best Elton John and Bernie Taupin ever wrote.

Family Stuff

My family has dwindled to just a few. My grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, some cousins and two brothers have passed on. That leaves very little, and the coherent bond is now shattered forever.

I don't know about those that visit. I have glimpses into their lives, but it's not the day to day stuff that gives an accurate assessment. For those that have family, the next few weeks are what brings families together, and gives the hope there will be someone to share the quiet moments of the holidays. It passes in a fleeting moment; and you don't know what you lost, until it's gone.

I Call it Terrorism

The events after the grand jury announcement in Ferguson can only be described as terrorism. The people that live there, the business owners, and the decent people that live in surrounding communities were terrorized by organized groups that wanted to instill terror, destroy property, and harm anyone they felt deserved to be brutalized. There was no demand for reason, or a peaceful protest of the decision; there was only a brutal effort to cause mayhem and destroy the peace of those that once lived in a normal community.

Who's responsible? The media, supposed leaders such as Al Sharpton, Michael Brown's father, who called for burning the city down, and Barack Obama. They all could have called for the crowds to disperse, demanded an end to the violence, and accepted all the evidence that pointed to an out of control, violent thug assaulting a police officer that was killed before he could continue his rampage.

It's obvious the media is out of control. It's, also, obvious the President of the United States isn't willing to throw his political agenda aside. The likes of Sharpton need not explanation; they're bottom feeders on society. So, what's the solution? I don't know, but the continuing threat of violence towards peaceful citizens has led to a tremendous amount of gun sales. It's obvious people fear civil unrest, and don't trust their government to protect them, as defined in the Constitution. Future protesters may find they're unwelcome and considered a threat. Since they're in unfamiliar territory, and they're outnumbered, their ventures into terrorism may end in a manner they didn't expect.

Back From Galveston

I left Monday, started a small job, finished this afternoon, and I'm home again. I didn't bring my computer, so I couldn't comment about the stark raving mad pieces of crap  protesters in Ferguson.

I've decided there's a small group of people in this country that wander from one protest, to another, mooching on the freebies provided by subversive political groups, and can only be described as derelicts. Too many are criminals or substance abusers. When they come to a city, the danger to citizens increases, municipal costs rise due to increased law enforcement, and only a tiny percentage of the people that live near the protest wish they were there.

What's the solution? Water cannons, tear gas, armed citizens, and a media that's willing to condemn their actions. They'd go away, if there weren't so many freebies, potential crime victims and a media that panders to those that have only anarchy on their mind.

Decency and Honor

The news has been revealing the last few days. From Obama's obvious lack of character, the revelations pertaining to Bill Cosby, and the civil unrest in Ferguson, the undercurrent of a lack of decency is apparent. It's not good to see this; most people don't accept such things, and it's a failure of the media to not portray these things as undesirable. Sensationalizing bad behavior is itself bad behavior.

I pick through the stories, and find things that give me optimism. The finding of lost Lerner emails is one. To me, that indicates there are some that realize the majority of the people in the U.S. are unhappy with the government and will demand accountability. With the change in Congress, it's apparent the handwriting is on the wall. Those involved with the subterfuge can't hide forever, and those under their management will not be willing to face criminal charges for involvement.

I may be wrong, but from my vantage point, most people are decent. They understand the implications of accepting a lack of honor, and how it leads to a corrupt society. They don't want that, because they know how the lack of either can damage simple relationships and families. Expanding that understanding to government isn't a huge leap.

Time will tell how this turns out, but I have the feeling the pendulum has started a swing in the other direction. The pendulum swings both ways, and it never swings lightly.

After the Speech

Well, Obama gave the illegals amnesty, except he didn't. He just told them he'll turn his head and they can all sign up on a government website.

Of course, this is fantastic news to those illegally staying in the United States....or not. What happens if enough officials take their oath to follow the law to heart, and they arrest those that happen to fall for the ruse? Will they be welcomed with open arms? I doubt it.

Most U.S. citizens are tired of this bullshit. Illegals are breaking our laws and that's as simple as it gets. If there was a real effort to get them to leave, it could be accomplished with one federal law making it a crime to rent, lease, or offer shelter to anyone that can't provide documentation of being in the United States legally. Make it a felony crime, give the illegals one month head start, and I'm betting the majority will be gone within that time frame.

Of course, there will be those that refuse; they might even gather to protest. That would make it easier to round them up, and bring them to the border. I'm willing to pay for the deportation transportation. Of course, it might dig into the President's lavish travelling budget, but that's just how the cookie crumbles....one only, and low calorie...that's so Michelle doesn't have to worry about calories.

Watching to See What Happens

From what I'm seeing with the President's address hype/preview, he will announce he won't enforce existing laws. While he might get away with that, since the media still fawns on their dear leader, what about those working in the government that also swore to uphold laws and the Constitution? Will there be enough to say "No, I'm not going to break the law."? I doubt it, but for those that stand up, there will be a time your effort is vindicated.

Scrambling To Hide The Truth

It's almost comical to watch much of the media doing everything they can to hide the fact the President is a liar. It must be tough for some, when they realize all the things they probably tried to relate to their family, or hoped to find in their legacy, are bullshit, when anyone figures out what a sorry path they followed.

Personally, I hope they look in the mirror and are filled with a shame they find so unbearable, they turn to alcohol and spend the remainder of their lives passed out in an alley.

False Patriotism

I usually don't like pointing out faults, since we all have them, and we all can learn from the mistakes of others, but I'm tired of false patriots that refuse to turn the channel on their televisions, cancel the subscription to local papers and refuse to do business with those that they know subscribe to the progressive agenda aka today's Democratic Party. Feeding the beast will not weaken it.

The media is one of the biggest reasons the United States is where most of the citizens are not represented by those they send to Washington to take care of the business of government. Starving those outlets that contribute to the subterfuge and refuse to report the facts is the only current peaceful way to change the direction of the United States. Politicians failed miserably at this process, bureaucrats have no concern for those they bleed, and even the highest court of the United States has members unwilling to follow the mandates required by the Constitution.

Things won't change, until people change. Expecting those that failed to protect the United States to suddenly be effective, and ethical, is madness.

It's a Crying Shame

There are many dark things that occupy our society. They overwhelm, destroy, subjugate and cause harm to those that only wish for peace and liberty. It's a crying shame we've accepted such things, and our government is full of those that would rather acquire power, than accept the will of those that allow them to exist.

Grubering the Taxpayer

Jonathan Gruber was instrumental in the language of the Affordable Care Act. Called the "architect" of the act, recent videos of Gruber show him talking of the deceit used in the language for the bill, To add this disrespect for U.S. taxpayers, he goes on to explain the reason for the obfuscation was to take advantage of the stupidity of citizens.

I really don't think he realizes the ramifications of his stupidity in talking publicly about his deliberate effort to mislead for his personal gain. If it was a stock, or even a soft drink, the recourse could lead to civil suits, or even criminal charges.

Over the next few weeks, as the media finally realizes they can't keep this hidden, the anger will build. Gruber will be the focus of Congressional investigations, taxpayers will demand answers, and even M.I.T. will find they have a legal responsibility, since they pay Gruber a salary to teach his brand of economics, which obviously are not what people would call ethical.

Personally, I think Gruber should be run out of town on a rail; after they find out if he was directed by anyone in the Federal government to deliberately distort the language of the law. Also, I think M.I.T. should be held legally responsible, if they allow Gruber to remain. He's a criminal, in my opinion, and if M.I.T. allows him to stay, they're culpable with his criminal actions.

Experiment

I started another blog. It's called Scratching for Change. Why? For posting fiction and the hope I can commercialize it and make some spare change.

I have some problems, which one is discussed in a post. Another problem will be keeping the commercial blog from this blog. I don't want both to be Adsense blogs, so I'll do some research on whether that's feasible. If not, I'll try something else.

So, I have stories I've posted here to place there, and new stories in my mind. I'm also still working on my novel, but chapter 17 has become as tedious as chapter 10.

Who knows, I might decide it was a bad idea and get rid of it. Time will tell.

Memory of the Flu

When I was much younger - around 25 - I caught the flu. I'd never experienced the illness as an adult, and it was a sobering experience.

I was at work one morning, when I started to have a mild headache. As the day progressed, the headache became worse. What started as a mild annoyance, turned into a distracting pounding that made the fatigue of working all day in cold weather much worse.

When I arrived home, the chills started. I was uncomfortably cold one minute, and within a few more minutes, I was burning up with fever.

As the evening progressed, the fever became worse. I tried to watch some television, but I can only describe the experience as like being delirious. I couldn't concentrate; the headache and fever were now accentuated with muscles aches.

I went to bed, after taking some cold medicine, and awoke during the night feeling worse. That's when the fear started. I had no memory of feeling as bad as I did before going to bed; feeling worse was more than just an unpleasant thought. Thoughts were jumbled, the aches were worse, and the congestion had started. I fell asleep again.

I woke in the early hours of morning, drenched with sweat; even my bed sheets were wet. The worse of the headache was gone, but the congestion was worse and my throat burned just from breathing. Added to the symptoms were diarrhea and nausea.  

I ended up staying off work for two days.  The first day was miserable, and the second wasn't much better. I needed the hours, so I went back to work on the third day; still sick, but not so much I couldn't manage with my sinuses running, a cough that sounded like my lungs were coming up, and a sore throat that made swallowing food an unpleasant task.

It took a week for the sore throat to end, and I coughed up phlegm for weeks.

So, if you haven't gone for a flu shot, you might think about doing so. Influenza kicked my young, healthy ass to the curb, and gave me a fear of a deadly illness.

 

Veterans

Three members of my family were veterans. Due to fate, they all died either from an illness, or tragically.

So, I'm guessing some of you might be thinking where this is going. It doesn't go much further, since the only thing I want to write about is that every veteran has, or had, a family. Someone loves, or loved them, and spent anxious moments waiting for them to return home, or grieved when they died. They traded low pay, crappy conditions, the loss of freedom, and most did so willingly. Even those drafted served honorably as a whole.

Never forget every veteran is changed by their service. Some of the changes are good, but many are not. All changes were for something too many ignore, or understand, which is liberty. Liberty is never arrived at by chance. It only happens when some members of society actively participate in preventing the evils of tyranny from becoming strong. Those people are our veterans. Honor them; they deserve much more than we give.

The Phenomenon of Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy has an interesting effect on people. Over time, their intestines create a vacuum, which eventually pulls their head into their anal orifice. In spite of the lack of input, impacted waste, and total loss of productivity, the bureaucrat remains alive, and continues to draw a paycheck.

There really should be a telethon for this horrible condition. Unfortunately, I have the feeling most people don't really want to help bureaucrats, and wish they'd just continue the path created by the vacuum; and eventually disappear.

Cold Weather on the Way

A blast of arctic air is on the way. It's early in the season, but the conditions are right for the cold air to push far enough south to clear the Gulf Coast.

Winter cold is reinforced by early cold air masses, and even if the rest of Winter is relatively mild, the rest of the season will reflect the early cold.

For those in the colder parts of the United States, it might be another season of misery. I hope not, but it's not looking good at this time.

A Day of Virga

Most have seen virga, but most just have no idea what they observe.

Today, due to weather conditions, the radar was full of precipitation, but no rain was found at the ground.

I was driving, and a few drops of rain hit my windshield. To the North, long streamers of virga hung from the clouds, never reaching the ground, and it was obvious the same streamers were overhead; except a few drops of rain lasted to strike my windshield.

It's not a rare occurrence, but it's remarkable, when observed.

Eric Clapton - Somewhere Over The Rainbow HD

Apple Fritters Last All Day

I stopped to get a cup of coffee this morning around 8:30. I was hungry, so I had an apple fritter with the coffee. It was good; and it was treat I seldom enjoy....for a reason.

I was driving home at 5:00 pm, took a swig of water, and belched apple fritter. I don't know what brand of industrial strength shortening they used to fry the fritter, but it must be good stuff....or not. With that lasting power, I need to get a few thousand of 'em and build a deck.

Well, I Suppose I Should Comment About the Election

A huge shift in party alliance shows the fickle nature of U.S. citizens. That, and the ignorance. Neither party has made any strong effort as a party to follow the Constitution and accept fiscal responsibility.

Time will tell how this turns out, but I have little faith in anyone that supposedly represents me, or allows the rot in Washington to continue. If they did, a few thousand people would be walking down the highway, covered in tar, picking at feathers, and wondering if they should expect more of the same when they continued on their journey of shame.

Weather, Aches, Pain and Whatever

Weather affects me; especially in the colder months. Old aches and pains return, I find the less amount of light makes me sleepy really early, and I find myself in a type of stupor that demands rest.

Some might think I'm full of crap, but with the approach of wet, and colder weather, I can feel the change. The best solution is a light amount of alcohol, a nourishing bowl of soup, a hot bath, and a good night of slumber.

After the soak, the heat goes to the bone, and the covers of my bed are like a cocoon. I'll sleep well and awake full of energy.

Musings About Tomorrow's Election

After tomorrow, most of the radio and television ads should end. Of course, if there's a runoff, the mud will turn to feces and the non-human primates we call political advisers will be flinging poop two handfuls at a time.

Meanwhile, if the predictions of political whores  pollsters is correct, there is the possibility the Senate will be controlled by Republicans, which will be better than the Harry Reid controlled Senate; but considering the wussy attitude, strong dislike of conservatives by the entrenched politicians, and the lack of intestinal fortitude by the supposed champions of liberty, it's looking more like they'll gnash their teeth, offer platitudes, and cower in the corners of Washington.

Things won't change in the nation's capitol, until the industry of politics is brought to its knees, banished from doing business, and those that are willing to sacrifice honor for wealth, and power, are punished for their transgressions against the liberty of those that pay their salaries.

Me? I'm tired of the obvious disrespect for those that earn the money they take, waste, and foolishly use to buy votes. Much of the hard-earned money they skim from the top was made in brutal conditions; with blood, sweat, and sometimes tears, to be washed from my weary body at the end of a hard day of labor. I've worked with flu, bent over from back spasms, limping from a sprained ankle, so weary thinking was compromised, and went home knowing the next day would bring more misery. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but I chose the life I've lead, and frivolously thinking their actions are ignored is folly on their part. I produced, while others rode. That's not right, and it can't last forever.

I'm one of many that turn the nuts and bolts that keep this nation together; and I'm not alone in my anger. Things change, the pendulum swings both ways, and the pendulum never swings lightly.

Something I Noticed While Voting

I voted early. I had the time on Thursday evening, slipped away from work a little early, and went to cast my ballot.

What I really liked was being asked for identification. That's the law in Texas, and mail in ballots are limited to certain people. I even told the election workers I wished they had a bottle of ink, and everyone should be required to dip their finger after voting. They smiled, and didn't say a word. I have the feeling they walk on eggshells, due to rules.

One thing I noticed, and it pissed me off, was the "Spanish" option on the screen. That sucks. If you can't read English, you don't need to vote. That should be removed, and anyone asking for such a thing should be escorted from the voting site.

"Oh!. That's racist!"

"Nope. That's common sense."

Circadian Madness

They steal an hour from me every Spring. They call it "Daylight Savings Time"; I call it bullshit.

In my line of work, the light of the day determines the working hours, so the crap about saving energy means nothing. Tools are loaded, equipment is prepared in darkness, but the starting time doesn't change; it starts earlier, if they stole an hour from you.

So, tomorrow I get it back. I'll get an extra hour of sleep, and I'll continue to despise those that are willing to make others suffer, so they can watch their kids play soccer in the evening. Daylight Savings is crap, those that think it's a good idea are full of crap, and only the likes of Jimmy Carter can find anything useful about changing the clocks, instead of changing the time of awakening.