Thirty seven years ago today, my first and only niece was born. Happy Birthday, Ana Gabriela!
Perspectives. Continuing on a theme from a previous edition, this is a statement worthy of further scrutiny: “…I see no issues with our Health Care system: I am insured… I get services; Medicare pays…; my supplemental pays…; and I can afford the rest; the system is not broken”… This type of thinking is very prevalent in our society; it is most common amongst the baby-boomers generation (who are becoming our elderly now), and it has percolated to the generations who have followed… This is the type of thinking who brought us the ‘me’ generation; it is this type of thinking that led to the decision that living as an extended family (where parents, children, grandparents, uncles and aunts were part of that family) was no longer acceptable for the vast majority of us; “I need my own space” was the argument (“It is all about me” was the underlining thinking). Now, does this type of thinking preclude us from understanding concerns that affect many people other than ourselves? Is it healthy (or not?) to practice the recommendation of “You can only worry about what you can control”? I don’t know the answer to those questions… I am rambling again…
Sports. Lance Armstrong managed to fool a lot of people for a long time… Now, it seems that he has lied to so many for so long that he cannot discern fact from fiction and is unable to tell the truth… He seems to continue to exhibit a level of arrogance not belonging to people in his position… I hope one day he finds a way to appreciate himself as he is and not as the false idol he tried to make. Moving to football, the Atlanta Falcons proved to be still just pretenders and not contenders. And so, we will have Harbaugh Bowl: John (Ravens) against Jim (49ers)… Should be interesting!
Politics. And Obama was inaugurated for his 2nd term… According to MSNBC the speech, the ceremonies, the parades were magnificent. According to CNN it all was interesting but there were about ½ million people less in attendance this time. According to FoxNews, it all was disappointing, partisan, and an affront to Reagan. I think some broadcast licenses should be pulled and let some outfits be political opinion outlets and not news channels…
Books read lately… “Killing Lincoln”, by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard. The subject is presented like a thriller, hour by hour, and with a diverse number of subplots… Although instructional and most appreciated (it was a Christmas present to me from Alex), I think O’Reilly’s efforts are best oriented to being a radio and TV commentator and not a historian…
Food for Thoughts…
“There are only two reasons for that federal list of gun owners: to tax them or take them” said Wayne La Pierre, Executive Director of the NRA referring to proposals for registering guns…
So, stay informed, my friends…
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
0021 - 14JAN2013 - "The 2nd Amendment"...
Where do we start fixing this mess? “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”, reads the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (by the way, this is the version that the states approved, and differs slightly from the originally proposed one)… I believe that, to one degree or another, every US Citizen is in favor of, and supports, the 2nd Amendment and its meaning: the right of citizens to keep and bear arms. Now, there is something really twisty here that I am trying to understand: there are folks who interpret that right to bear arms as a mandate for citizens to be armed and vigilant to ensure they can keep the government in check, and to ensure they, given some circumstances, can fight and beat the Armed Forces of the US Government to avoid tyranny; they embrace - fiercely - part of the amendment and consider themselves the self appointed state militia, but – simultaneously - reject vigorously any type or regulation as clearly stated in the amendment. I respect that interpretation, although I struggle to understand it. But here comes the twisty part: these folks are usually the same group that gets very upset when there is any mention or proposal to cut the growth (let alone actual reduction of) the budget for the Department of Defense, also known as the Armed Forces of the US Government; they insist – and I agree with this position - we must have the best, most respected and best equipped armed forces in the world. So, let me get this straight: on one hand you consider the US Government the enemy and stand ready to fight it; and on the other hand you insist that the US Armed Forces, that same enemy you stand ready to fight, must be the best fighting force in the world… Am I the only one who sees the contradiction here? You want to make sure that your enemy is unbeatable? Isn't that suicide? This is one of those things that make you go: hmm..! I suggest this one needs to be re-thought!
Football. The Notre Dame coach needs to be fired too! I think the fans who went to the Orange Bowl should get their money back! It was such a one-sided affair that I turned it off within four minutes and watched Alaska State Trooper instead! Regarding the NFL, in the last two week-ends there were several shows worth mentioning. First, the whole managing team of the Redskins must be fired and banned from ever coaching again: how dare they send a visibly and ostensibly impaired rookie to be immolated and forever diminished just because the chance of winning the game… The kid was destroyed and according to some orthopedic surgeons, he will be able to play again, but will never be the kind of player he was… On the other hand, there were two superb games this past playoff week-end. On the first one, the Ravens edged the Broncos in an overtime thriller. I must mention that last year Tim (inadequate, subpar, not-good-enough, not-NFL-material) Tebow, took the Broncos to a play-off win against the Steelers, one game further than Peyton (8th-wonder-of-the-world) Manning took them this year… Makes you think if the people managing football really know anything about the game…! On the other great game, the raptors (Seahawks and Falcons) went after each other with all they got and delivered a whale of a game… Congrats to both and again to the winning Falcons… Well done!
Hawks Bluff. Not too much to talk about… There have been reports of two more fires along roads that border some Phases of Hawks Bluff. Five weeks after I called the Sheriff office looking for information/update regarding the original fires, the sheriff returned my call this past week; left me a message saying he would call again soon, but that second call hasn't come in yet… I will have to call the sheriff again… Will update if I learn something new… I also heard this past weekend that, as drainage works on the swales was being done in Phase III, as mandated by the Tennessee Department of Natural Resources, resident complained to the working crew about them creating a mess and making the place look bad. The workers stopped works and have not returned… Does anybody know anything else about this?
Quote of the week…
“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.”
Football. The Notre Dame coach needs to be fired too! I think the fans who went to the Orange Bowl should get their money back! It was such a one-sided affair that I turned it off within four minutes and watched Alaska State Trooper instead! Regarding the NFL, in the last two week-ends there were several shows worth mentioning. First, the whole managing team of the Redskins must be fired and banned from ever coaching again: how dare they send a visibly and ostensibly impaired rookie to be immolated and forever diminished just because the chance of winning the game… The kid was destroyed and according to some orthopedic surgeons, he will be able to play again, but will never be the kind of player he was… On the other hand, there were two superb games this past playoff week-end. On the first one, the Ravens edged the Broncos in an overtime thriller. I must mention that last year Tim (inadequate, subpar, not-good-enough, not-NFL-material) Tebow, took the Broncos to a play-off win against the Steelers, one game further than Peyton (8th-wonder-of-the-world) Manning took them this year… Makes you think if the people managing football really know anything about the game…! On the other great game, the raptors (Seahawks and Falcons) went after each other with all they got and delivered a whale of a game… Congrats to both and again to the winning Falcons… Well done!
Hawks Bluff. Not too much to talk about… There have been reports of two more fires along roads that border some Phases of Hawks Bluff. Five weeks after I called the Sheriff office looking for information/update regarding the original fires, the sheriff returned my call this past week; left me a message saying he would call again soon, but that second call hasn't come in yet… I will have to call the sheriff again… Will update if I learn something new… I also heard this past weekend that, as drainage works on the swales was being done in Phase III, as mandated by the Tennessee Department of Natural Resources, resident complained to the working crew about them creating a mess and making the place look bad. The workers stopped works and have not returned… Does anybody know anything else about this?
Quote of the week…
“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.”
- Peter T. Mcintyre
So, stay fearless, my friends…Sunday, January 6, 2013
0020 - 06JAN2013 - "Survival of the fittest"...
The Fiscal Cliff. There is a pervasively common thought among 53% of us Americans (the other 47% disagree) that is quite disturbing: I believe they are fully convinced that people who are receiving the benefit of welfare aid, or food stamps, or any other social program benefit, are all behaviorally and genetically lazy and have mastered the ways to ‘milk’ the system! (I acknowledge there are many cases of fraud, but I believe them to be the exception and not the rule). But going back to the mainline, these folks truly believe, and without meanness or malice, that those people currently on welfare, when taken that benefit away, would find gainful employment in the blink of an eye; all they have to do is look for a job and they’ll get it; they don’t do it because they have the safety net of the welfare check… In their Christian minds (chuckle!) they are convinced that the easiest and most fair way to deal with the National Debt is to cut social programs; there is no need for social programs. It is their honest belief that societies, like businesses, can and do regulate themselves (another chuckle!). If the situation gets too out of control, then war, famine and/or disease would take out enough subjects (usually the weakest: youngest and oldest) to bring the population back to normal levels (like lemmings do!). They have taken a Darwin postulate “Survival of the most adaptable” (that is part of his yet-to-be-proven Theory of Evolution), have bastardized it as the truism “Survival of the fittest” and made it their creed (but on the other hand, don’t you dare teach Darwinian Theories of Evolution in my schools!) I am rambling… Enough of this!
Football. Well, it is hard to write about it since, I think, the football world is upside down… The Florida Gators decided to take vacations after the last regular season game and only some of them showed up for the game against Louisville… I don’t blame the players (still mere immature adolescents – yes, it is redundant!); I blame the coaching staff starting with the head coach… He should be fired… His only job is to get the team ready to play and he did not do it; he should be fired! On the Pros side, it is almost an out-of-this-world experience watching a playoff game between the Texans and the Bengals, knowing that the Steelers and the Giants are out… Unreal!
Perspectives. Al old and dear friend and his wife, also an old and dear friend, came by to visit this past week; had a great time with them. They retired last year. They own a lot in Hawks Bluff Phase I (bought before we did) and, as part of our conversation, they shared that they will never build here; they are quite disappointed with the way the place looks, how much in a state of disarray it seems to be, how deteriorated the roads are, and so on… I shared that, although I understand their view point, those issues become irrelevant once you are living here; what is important is how is your water well holding up, and how’s your septic tank behaving, and do you have enough fuel for the generator in case of power failure, and so on (more basic and less mundane necessities); the concerns related to appearances and aesthetics, although still present, become a non-issue. He conceded the point (although I could smell high reluctance). The day after, we were visiting again – this time at a cabin they were renting at Fall Creek Falls State Park - and among many things we talked about during the gathering, the issue of health care came up; I expressed my opinion that the system is broken and needs fixing (and proceeded to enumerate reasons and examples of why I said that). Eventually he came around and said: “it is a matter of perspectives. Yesterday, we talked about the HB issues and how they, from where you sit, are irrelevant. Today, I see no issues with our Health Care system: I am insured; if I need services, I get services; Medicare pays what I consider a fair amount; my supplemental pays another fair portion, and I can afford the rest; the system works for me. So, from where I sit, it is not broken”… His argument, as narrow-minded as mine was the day before, was also as valid and so I let him know. I could see he was very satisfied with himself (and relieved) that he had won; he needed that and I was happy to provide the opportunity… But his point confirmed one of my earlier assertions: it continues to be all a matter of perspective and perception; reality is relative, my friends!
2013. I guess I forgot to wish us all a very Happy and Prosperous New year 2013!
Quote of the week…
Heard this from, believe or not, a Republican friend:
“If you believe that the government is going to take your guns, you’re an idiot; if you believe that the government is going to take away your God and Bible, you’re an ignorant. if you believe the government is going to take your money and give it to illegal immigrants, you’re a bigot; if you believe that the government is going to take away your guns and your money, give it to the Mexicans so they can come and kill you and your God, you’re Bill O’Reilly!”
So, enjoy the good humor, my friends…
Football. Well, it is hard to write about it since, I think, the football world is upside down… The Florida Gators decided to take vacations after the last regular season game and only some of them showed up for the game against Louisville… I don’t blame the players (still mere immature adolescents – yes, it is redundant!); I blame the coaching staff starting with the head coach… He should be fired… His only job is to get the team ready to play and he did not do it; he should be fired! On the Pros side, it is almost an out-of-this-world experience watching a playoff game between the Texans and the Bengals, knowing that the Steelers and the Giants are out… Unreal!
Perspectives. Al old and dear friend and his wife, also an old and dear friend, came by to visit this past week; had a great time with them. They retired last year. They own a lot in Hawks Bluff Phase I (bought before we did) and, as part of our conversation, they shared that they will never build here; they are quite disappointed with the way the place looks, how much in a state of disarray it seems to be, how deteriorated the roads are, and so on… I shared that, although I understand their view point, those issues become irrelevant once you are living here; what is important is how is your water well holding up, and how’s your septic tank behaving, and do you have enough fuel for the generator in case of power failure, and so on (more basic and less mundane necessities); the concerns related to appearances and aesthetics, although still present, become a non-issue. He conceded the point (although I could smell high reluctance). The day after, we were visiting again – this time at a cabin they were renting at Fall Creek Falls State Park - and among many things we talked about during the gathering, the issue of health care came up; I expressed my opinion that the system is broken and needs fixing (and proceeded to enumerate reasons and examples of why I said that). Eventually he came around and said: “it is a matter of perspectives. Yesterday, we talked about the HB issues and how they, from where you sit, are irrelevant. Today, I see no issues with our Health Care system: I am insured; if I need services, I get services; Medicare pays what I consider a fair amount; my supplemental pays another fair portion, and I can afford the rest; the system works for me. So, from where I sit, it is not broken”… His argument, as narrow-minded as mine was the day before, was also as valid and so I let him know. I could see he was very satisfied with himself (and relieved) that he had won; he needed that and I was happy to provide the opportunity… But his point confirmed one of my earlier assertions: it continues to be all a matter of perspective and perception; reality is relative, my friends!
2013. I guess I forgot to wish us all a very Happy and Prosperous New year 2013!
Personal. Here are my last baby and her nephew, my first grand-baby...
Quote of the week…
Heard this from, believe or not, a Republican friend:
“If you believe that the government is going to take your guns, you’re an idiot; if you believe that the government is going to take away your God and Bible, you’re an ignorant. if you believe the government is going to take your money and give it to illegal immigrants, you’re a bigot; if you believe that the government is going to take away your guns and your money, give it to the Mexicans so they can come and kill you and your God, you’re Bill O’Reilly!”
So, enjoy the good humor, my friends…
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
0019 - 02JAN2013 - "No brainer"...
Opinion. I told you I would find something to get a chuckle out of… Here it is. The subject is an artificially complex one, Gun Control, and some clowns are coming out with outrageous stuff… These are some ‘facts’ popping up all over Cyberspace as arguments to oppose even some fashion of gun control; read carefully:
Here is the second part of the argument:
And one last thing: to the brilliant minds that are saying “you fight fire with fire”, try to see if giving more alcohol to an alcoholic will really help… I wish they just would think twice before opening their traps!
Football. All my teams (Dolphins, Bucs, Lions and Giants) are out of the playoffs! Horror! Now I am left to watch the Bengals against the Texans, woo hoo! And what about bloody Monday, huh? Seven head coaches and five GMs were sent packing! I think that is the way it should be; you are being paid an obscene amount of money to win; you don’t win, then your tail is grass! And one more thing: I think there should be a rule like in the British Premier Football League: if you come in last, you are demoted to the minors (and your salaries are demoted too), and replaced by the team which came in first in the minors… We don’t have - in US Football - a set of major and minor leagues like in baseball, but I’m sure we would come up with something comparable (like 1/3 season suspension for the entire team) if we wanted to…
2013. For some of us, this was a year of extremes… Extreme pain, like the loss of Freddie and for a friend of mine the loss of his son at only 39, the Sandy tragedies (Hurricane Sandy and then the massacre at Sandy Hook, CT); extreme joy, like for me, the birth of my first grandbaby with everybody (including the mother - my first baby) coming out OK. And there are, for all of us, great/good and bad/painful episodes and instances throughout the year… The only things we are left with are the memories of 2012, and the commitment we must make to ourselves of making our lives – and the lives of those around us - better, even if it is just a little, in 2013!
Quote of the week…
“Beware of what you ask for, because you may get it!”
So, think before speaking, my friends…
- In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated
- In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
- Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
- China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated
- Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
- Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
- Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Here is the second part of the argument:
- Switzerland issues every household a gun!
- Switzerland's government trains every adult they issue a rifle.
- Switzerland has the lowest gun related crime rate of any civilized country in the world!!!
- It's a no brainer!
And one last thing: to the brilliant minds that are saying “you fight fire with fire”, try to see if giving more alcohol to an alcoholic will really help… I wish they just would think twice before opening their traps!
Football. All my teams (Dolphins, Bucs, Lions and Giants) are out of the playoffs! Horror! Now I am left to watch the Bengals against the Texans, woo hoo! And what about bloody Monday, huh? Seven head coaches and five GMs were sent packing! I think that is the way it should be; you are being paid an obscene amount of money to win; you don’t win, then your tail is grass! And one more thing: I think there should be a rule like in the British Premier Football League: if you come in last, you are demoted to the minors (and your salaries are demoted too), and replaced by the team which came in first in the minors… We don’t have - in US Football - a set of major and minor leagues like in baseball, but I’m sure we would come up with something comparable (like 1/3 season suspension for the entire team) if we wanted to…
2013. For some of us, this was a year of extremes… Extreme pain, like the loss of Freddie and for a friend of mine the loss of his son at only 39, the Sandy tragedies (Hurricane Sandy and then the massacre at Sandy Hook, CT); extreme joy, like for me, the birth of my first grandbaby with everybody (including the mother - my first baby) coming out OK. And there are, for all of us, great/good and bad/painful episodes and instances throughout the year… The only things we are left with are the memories of 2012, and the commitment we must make to ourselves of making our lives – and the lives of those around us - better, even if it is just a little, in 2013!
Quote of the week…
“Beware of what you ask for, because you may get it!”
- Anonymous
So, think before speaking, my friends…
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
0018 - 18DEC2012 - "The little ones..."
“When you love your child, all children matter to you” so said an old Venezuelan poet from last century… In the past few days I've looked over and over again at pictures of my daughters when they were 6 and 7 and I cannot avoid plain horror at the thought of them being taken, then or now… And then I think about what were the last thoughts of those little ones? Were they scared? Did they call for their mommies and daddies? Goodness… Was God taking a day off that day?
“Are we a society that readily accepts these acts as routine?” and “are we convinced this type of massacres is a fair price for the freedom to bear any arms?” asked President Obama the other night… I ask, additionally, are we convinced this type of massacres is a fair price to pay for the freedom of expression (1st Amendment), behind which all the producers of the most violent and realistic computer games and movies hide? It seems that some unstable people cannot tell when the game ends and reality begins…
Ike said “we cannot legislate morality”; very true. Along the same lines, we cannot legislate regard and respect for human life, or common sense, or sense of responsible citizenship either. But, even though I am convinced that more gun laws alone would never fix this problem, I am also convinced they can certainly be part of the solution; the Framers of the Constitution, when drafting the 2nd Amendment, did not mean for anybody to have the right to own arms designed for the military or law enforcement, or having a battery Patriot missiles in their back yard, or having nuclear bombs in the barns… And, in addition to laws and their proper enforcement, something more primordial and organic must change/mutate/evolve in our collective minds and souls in order for this type of tragedies to become a thing of the past, and certainly not to become a once-a-year routine!
Football? Not in the mood for it…
Politics? Not this week; I am sure next week another clown would say something worth getting a chuckle on…
Food for thought…
“When feelings/opinions/counsel become irrelevant, the relationship is over”
So, stay thoughtful, my friends…
“Are we a society that readily accepts these acts as routine?” and “are we convinced this type of massacres is a fair price for the freedom to bear any arms?” asked President Obama the other night… I ask, additionally, are we convinced this type of massacres is a fair price to pay for the freedom of expression (1st Amendment), behind which all the producers of the most violent and realistic computer games and movies hide? It seems that some unstable people cannot tell when the game ends and reality begins…
Ike said “we cannot legislate morality”; very true. Along the same lines, we cannot legislate regard and respect for human life, or common sense, or sense of responsible citizenship either. But, even though I am convinced that more gun laws alone would never fix this problem, I am also convinced they can certainly be part of the solution; the Framers of the Constitution, when drafting the 2nd Amendment, did not mean for anybody to have the right to own arms designed for the military or law enforcement, or having a battery Patriot missiles in their back yard, or having nuclear bombs in the barns… And, in addition to laws and their proper enforcement, something more primordial and organic must change/mutate/evolve in our collective minds and souls in order for this type of tragedies to become a thing of the past, and certainly not to become a once-a-year routine!
Football? Not in the mood for it…
Politics? Not this week; I am sure next week another clown would say something worth getting a chuckle on…
Food for thought…
“When feelings/opinions/counsel become irrelevant, the relationship is over”
- Anonymous
So, stay thoughtful, my friends…
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
0017-12DEC2012 - "Right to work"
Football? I’m almost over it… The Bucs, Lions and Dolphins are not worth watching; all they do is to get your hopes up, make you think they can close the deal and then, in the last X seconds (with 30<X<2) they manage to lose an impossible-to-lose game; I’m done; not going there anymore; not this season, anyway… The only hope for the playoffs is little brother Eli; he and the Giants gave a tutorial of Football this past Sunday by scoring over 50 on the Packers; and, I hate to say this but, the Patriots looked pretty damn good by dismantling the previously highly thought of Texans (another bunch of wannabes, just like the Atlanta birds: going nowhere)… Lastly, watch out for big brother Peyton; for all practical purposes he’s taken over as Offensive Coordinator and he’s winning! On any Broncos game, watch when the offense comes off the field: Peyton calls for a huddle and he brings the Offensive Coordinator to listen in…
Lifestyle. On Tuesday, 12/11/12, Danny (I don’t have to say his last name; everybody who is somebody knows who Danny is!) and I had spoken earlier in the day about hunting; he said there was a good chance of seeing deer in several different spots (locations undisclosed for obvious reasons) and said to let him know if I wanted to go to any of those spots so he could go to a different one; I decided to try one more time my usual spots although deer had been very scarce…So, at about 4:30 PM, as I was moving my sights from one place to another, along comes a buck, a buck which - along with another one – I had been watching since last season; their antler racks were very distinct: this one had a round basket; the other one has a rack going straight up. At any rate, he stood at about 125 yards from where I was and, as luck would have it, my magic rifle did its trick again and the deer didn't even took an extra step; it dropped in place and went quickly. His rack had nine well defined points and he weighed in at about 175 lbs. Danny came over and, after confirming it was a true ‘wall hanger’ (worthy of being mounted and eventually displayed in a wall), he helped me skin it properly (actually he did most of the skinning job; I observed and learned) so I can take it to the taxidermist and have it mounted. Skinning it for mounting is a delicate job, but Danny was masterful! I finished the job of drawing and quartering it, and will eventually butcher it after a day or two in cold water & ice… The hunting season is a success already!
Politics: I am retired from politics or, at least, I don’t want to play anymore! This fiscal cliff b.s. that is being talked about is not politics; it is simply Game Playing! Politics is a noble function; politics allows for the preservation of the best system of government ever: Democracy. Politics is, as originally defined from Greek politikos, "of, for, or relating to citizens". Unfortunately, the majority of the notorious politicians now-a-days (not all politicians, though) are far removed from that original definition; they are more specialized in games, stratagems and subterfuges to look good at all costs, including the cost of not doing the job they were elected to do: govern. Again, Politics is a noble function and we should be encouraging more and more of our young people to rise up, participate and lead. We also should be letting them know that the best among them is not the one with the fastest speech, or with most sales ability, or the one who masters most games. The best among them is the one with most integrity, humility, consistency and intellect, the one who respects their constituency, works hard to gain their trust, and then works even harder to keep it; and then, they must be assured that once elected, it is not a popularity contest, but a leadership challenge: make the right choice, the tough decision (not necessary the popular one), stand by it, and defend it with the best argument (not the best TV ads) you can muster. That’s the only way you can be ‘of, for, or relating to citizens’!
But, you know, there’s always fun in Politics when politicians play games; they end up not knowing which way is up… This week, Michigan government leaders (legislature and Governor) – all Republicans - worked as hard as they could to ensure that “the Michigan workers have a choice” making Michigan a right-to-work state. According to Governor Rick Snyder workers having a choice (of belonging or not to a union) was the overriding principle… On the words of the Genie from Aladdin “Excuse me? Did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up?” Did I hear right that Republicans are fighting to ensure people have a choice? Republicans being pro-choice? Are you serious? This is not the Good Ole Party! Where is this world going to? I've seen it all now! Never mind the end of the world according to the Mayans… It is over already. Run for the mountains! Hallelujah!
Heard a heck of a quote one of these past mornings on Morning Joe…
“Manage the unavoidable; avoid the unmanageable”
So, choose your battles, my friends…
Lifestyle. On Tuesday, 12/11/12, Danny (I don’t have to say his last name; everybody who is somebody knows who Danny is!) and I had spoken earlier in the day about hunting; he said there was a good chance of seeing deer in several different spots (locations undisclosed for obvious reasons) and said to let him know if I wanted to go to any of those spots so he could go to a different one; I decided to try one more time my usual spots although deer had been very scarce…So, at about 4:30 PM, as I was moving my sights from one place to another, along comes a buck, a buck which - along with another one – I had been watching since last season; their antler racks were very distinct: this one had a round basket; the other one has a rack going straight up. At any rate, he stood at about 125 yards from where I was and, as luck would have it, my magic rifle did its trick again and the deer didn't even took an extra step; it dropped in place and went quickly. His rack had nine well defined points and he weighed in at about 175 lbs. Danny came over and, after confirming it was a true ‘wall hanger’ (worthy of being mounted and eventually displayed in a wall), he helped me skin it properly (actually he did most of the skinning job; I observed and learned) so I can take it to the taxidermist and have it mounted. Skinning it for mounting is a delicate job, but Danny was masterful! I finished the job of drawing and quartering it, and will eventually butcher it after a day or two in cold water & ice… The hunting season is a success already!
Politics: I am retired from politics or, at least, I don’t want to play anymore! This fiscal cliff b.s. that is being talked about is not politics; it is simply Game Playing! Politics is a noble function; politics allows for the preservation of the best system of government ever: Democracy. Politics is, as originally defined from Greek politikos, "of, for, or relating to citizens". Unfortunately, the majority of the notorious politicians now-a-days (not all politicians, though) are far removed from that original definition; they are more specialized in games, stratagems and subterfuges to look good at all costs, including the cost of not doing the job they were elected to do: govern. Again, Politics is a noble function and we should be encouraging more and more of our young people to rise up, participate and lead. We also should be letting them know that the best among them is not the one with the fastest speech, or with most sales ability, or the one who masters most games. The best among them is the one with most integrity, humility, consistency and intellect, the one who respects their constituency, works hard to gain their trust, and then works even harder to keep it; and then, they must be assured that once elected, it is not a popularity contest, but a leadership challenge: make the right choice, the tough decision (not necessary the popular one), stand by it, and defend it with the best argument (not the best TV ads) you can muster. That’s the only way you can be ‘of, for, or relating to citizens’!
But, you know, there’s always fun in Politics when politicians play games; they end up not knowing which way is up… This week, Michigan government leaders (legislature and Governor) – all Republicans - worked as hard as they could to ensure that “the Michigan workers have a choice” making Michigan a right-to-work state. According to Governor Rick Snyder workers having a choice (of belonging or not to a union) was the overriding principle… On the words of the Genie from Aladdin “Excuse me? Did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up?” Did I hear right that Republicans are fighting to ensure people have a choice? Republicans being pro-choice? Are you serious? This is not the Good Ole Party! Where is this world going to? I've seen it all now! Never mind the end of the world according to the Mayans… It is over already. Run for the mountains! Hallelujah!
Heard a heck of a quote one of these past mornings on Morning Joe…
“Manage the unavoidable; avoid the unmanageable”
- A Washington Post journalist.
So, choose your battles, my friends…
Monday, December 3, 2012
0016 - 03NOV2012 - "Brush fires in Hawks Bluff"
Hawks Bluff… There have been two reports about things happening in Hawks Bluff… First, it’s been reported that work began in Phase IV regarding the environmental issues cause by poor or inadequate drainage when roads were built… Folks have seen the pouring or rocks alongside some roads… Will encourage anyone to take pictures and post them here… Second, there is a report of intentional fires being set to brushes in Phases I to IV of Hawks Bluff; when contacted, the Piney PD confirmed up to eight fires in the four phases. A friend checked with VBC Sheriff Dept. and they had no knowledge of the fired being happening nor do they have any investigation going; they may – emphasis on ‘may’ – investigate if they have resources available when they receive the report from the State Fire Marshall… I called and was told there was nobody there to talk to me about the fires and, kindly, passed me on to the sheriff’s messaging service where I left a very unambiguous message. I suggest that everyone who can, place a call to any of the following numbers, and inquire about the Hawks Bluff fires to see if we can get any traction on this…
VBC Police Dispatch 931-946-4000
VBC Sheriff: Grayson Beasley 931-946-2118
County Commissioner representing the area: David Sullivan 931-946-2628
Weather… Jan and I moved up here in early 2009. Our first winter was the one of that year and it was rough; it was like being received with all honors. We had our first snow the week before Thanksgivings and – altogether - had about 27 inches of snow, many ice-outs and I remember saying: “Hmmm, they told us we would not get more six to eight inches of snow a year…” Time passed and 2010 came about. It turned out to be yet a stronger winter than the previous one; it snowed before Thanksgivings again; Jan and I ended up buying two snow shovels (one in a store in Cookeville - last one they had, and the other at Sears, on-line). We used them that year often and, had it not been for Danny and his tractor – which he does not own anymore, we would have been snowed bound several times. Ended up with almost four feet of snow that year! Then 2011 came about and not only we did not get any snow before Thanksgivings, we ended up with less than four inches of total snow fall; we did not get to use the snow shovels; we only needed to sweep the front entrance – with a normal brush – once! It was quite disappointing… Now comes 2012; Thanksgivings came and went and no snow yet; we have had, thought, a couple of frosts, but that’s it… Now, I am here hoping very sincerely I am wrong and that we have snow this year back to normal levels. However, I am afraid that things are changing permanently in front of our very eyes and that this winter will be warmer that last year’s… It may be too early to call it but, can you say Global Warming? No? Can’t bring yourself to swallow that one? Too much credit to Al Gore? OK; how about a Climatologically Unstable Environment? Does that sound more politically neutral or correct?
Sports… As the college football season winds down, I will be rooting for Notre Dame against Nick ‘Satan’ and the ‘Tide… I consider the season a successful one for the top Florida teams (Florida (5) & Florida State (13) – and always in that order!) and with a lot of work to do for the top Michigan teams (Michigan (19) & Michigan State (NR)). I notice the decline of top California teams (Stanford (8), UCLA (15) & USC (NR)), and admire the resurgence of Notre Dame. I see, with much chagrin, that ‘Satan’ continues to achieve success in Alabama and wonder, sometimes, is he getting ready to leave the in the lurch, as he has to so many others? On the Pros side, I believe the Lions (4-7) are cooked; they've lost their last three games and seem to have no answer for any team they face. The Giants are sitting pretty (7-4) on top of their division and the world is theirs to lose. The Bucs (6-6) are an enigma to me; they show greatness one week and then come unhinged the next; I’ll wait a couple of more weeks to either declare them cooked or put my hopes up. And then there are the Dolphins; they got beat by the Patriots this past week-end and I think they are done, cooked, if not numerically at least psychologically; they’ll also have to wait ‘til next year!
Reading several books at the same time… As I finish them, I will let you know the ones I like…
Food for thought…
“We have never stopped sin by passing laws; and in the same way, we are not going to take a great moral ideal and achieve it merely by law.”
VBC Police Dispatch 931-946-4000
VBC Sheriff: Grayson Beasley 931-946-2118
County Commissioner representing the area: David Sullivan 931-946-2628
Weather… Jan and I moved up here in early 2009. Our first winter was the one of that year and it was rough; it was like being received with all honors. We had our first snow the week before Thanksgivings and – altogether - had about 27 inches of snow, many ice-outs and I remember saying: “Hmmm, they told us we would not get more six to eight inches of snow a year…” Time passed and 2010 came about. It turned out to be yet a stronger winter than the previous one; it snowed before Thanksgivings again; Jan and I ended up buying two snow shovels (one in a store in Cookeville - last one they had, and the other at Sears, on-line). We used them that year often and, had it not been for Danny and his tractor – which he does not own anymore, we would have been snowed bound several times. Ended up with almost four feet of snow that year! Then 2011 came about and not only we did not get any snow before Thanksgivings, we ended up with less than four inches of total snow fall; we did not get to use the snow shovels; we only needed to sweep the front entrance – with a normal brush – once! It was quite disappointing… Now comes 2012; Thanksgivings came and went and no snow yet; we have had, thought, a couple of frosts, but that’s it… Now, I am here hoping very sincerely I am wrong and that we have snow this year back to normal levels. However, I am afraid that things are changing permanently in front of our very eyes and that this winter will be warmer that last year’s… It may be too early to call it but, can you say Global Warming? No? Can’t bring yourself to swallow that one? Too much credit to Al Gore? OK; how about a Climatologically Unstable Environment? Does that sound more politically neutral or correct?
Sports… As the college football season winds down, I will be rooting for Notre Dame against Nick ‘Satan’ and the ‘Tide… I consider the season a successful one for the top Florida teams (Florida (5) & Florida State (13) – and always in that order!) and with a lot of work to do for the top Michigan teams (Michigan (19) & Michigan State (NR)). I notice the decline of top California teams (Stanford (8), UCLA (15) & USC (NR)), and admire the resurgence of Notre Dame. I see, with much chagrin, that ‘Satan’ continues to achieve success in Alabama and wonder, sometimes, is he getting ready to leave the in the lurch, as he has to so many others? On the Pros side, I believe the Lions (4-7) are cooked; they've lost their last three games and seem to have no answer for any team they face. The Giants are sitting pretty (7-4) on top of their division and the world is theirs to lose. The Bucs (6-6) are an enigma to me; they show greatness one week and then come unhinged the next; I’ll wait a couple of more weeks to either declare them cooked or put my hopes up. And then there are the Dolphins; they got beat by the Patriots this past week-end and I think they are done, cooked, if not numerically at least psychologically; they’ll also have to wait ‘til next year!
Reading several books at the same time… As I finish them, I will let you know the ones I like…
Food for thought…
“We have never stopped sin by passing laws; and in the same way, we are not going to take a great moral ideal and achieve it merely by law.”
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
So, stay lawful (as long as it makes sense), my friends…
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