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11月17日 The Seeker“Tinkle, tinkle In the Jar. Then I’ll know Just What Ye are! Be Ye Pothead, Drunk or Tweaker, I Will Catch Ye! I’m The Seeker!” The Dark, Masked Man hovered in the shadows Of the Alley, Sample Jar in hand, Awaiting his next “Donor”. It, as he expected, wasn’t a long wait as the Thin-as-a-rail girl stumbled from the Back door of the Tavern, clearly Under the influence of SOME THING NAUGHTY! He cursed softly “Dammit!” Getting Samples from Females presented Problems sometimes! But, he had taken up the gauntlet, devised a Plan, and he would stick it out, even with wet, sticky fingers! “Perhaps“, he thought to himself, “I should buy a small packet of Pre-Moistened Towlettes.” As his target reeled toward him, he was relieved to see that she wore a skirt - much easier Job now! He made his move, stifling her silent scream quickly And prepared to collect. Finished, moments later, he pulled his Dig-It-All Camera from his Fanny Pack. He remembered the days when everyone carried ID and rued the passing of the old ways . . . . But cameras were mighty handy, too, and the Police, when he dropped them the sample, would likely have a mug shot on file and easily discern her Identity! That was the Real “Sticky” part! Not getting caught delivering the pic & the jar of fluid. The Shadowy Masked Man, The Seeker, had given thought to simply letting his Donors live But, too often, he would see them again, in the same alleyways, in the same disgusting condition . . . . . . End 9月23日 The Second AmendmentThis be an Old Editorial Letter I wrote, long about a year back. I feel Strongly about the Subject. I am, in Fact, a One Issue Voter, no matter how High or Low the Seat being fought for! Without Second Amendment Support, as it is Written, I will Never Vote for Any Candidate . . . . 17Apr2007 Second Amendment Editorial At times I feel guilty, especially when I read such opinions as those of Bradley Bertchie, in the Tuesday, April 17, 2007 Letter To The Editor, where he asks "Why do we still allow personal guns in this country?". The guilt, and the relief, stems from knowing that I will not live long enough to see the sort of World arise that Mr. Bertchie thinks he would like. Brad! The Second Amendment was, and is, needed to allow the citizens of our country the ability to protect ourselves from tyranny perpetrated by the Government of our own Nation. The Second Amendment is the One and Only Reason that We are different from England, Canada, Australia, Somalia, Grenada, Viet Nam, Korea, Germany, Grenada, Iraq, Iran, Nicaragua, Mexico, Russia…..Well, any other Nation on the Globe. It is also why we have fallen into the commonly disparaged role of the "Police" of the planet. This Second Amendment, Brad, is what separates us from those who cannot defend themselves from the innate tyranny of Government. It is why peace-loving, kind peoples, throughout the world, end up as slaves to War Lords, Government and Tyrants, virtually everywhere! It is why We, the United States of America, so often end up in so many other countries, doing our best to insure that the citizens of these countries have the common everyday essentials to live, Brad. The Second Amendment, Brad, has little to do with protecting ourselves from brigands and outlaws. It has everything to do with protecting ourselves from corrupt power in Government. You ask "Why do we not hear about these types of massacres from countries where gun control is enforced or even where guns are illegal?"…………and the reason is that such "massacres" are commonplace! The massacres we Do hear of involve Thousands of citizens and routinely involve, at some level, Government Forces, those who Do have the guns. And even in our own Land, Brad, the Land of the Free, there is No Freedom, no way to protect all those Other Amendments, without the Second Amendments! Brad, I am getting old. I hope I never see the carnage that may come if We, the citizens, cannot protect ourselves from our own Government. But, it will come, Brad, Thanks to You and others who share your beliefs. And, as you die, I hope you remember your words and mine. 9月20日 "The Race is On . . . . " - George Jones, circa 1964
“The Race is On . . . .” George Jones, c.1964
7月12日 I Have Joined!12July2008 I Have Joined the Battle! Having Lost my Health Insurance, doubtless to free up Funds to support our Illegal Immigrants, I also lost my Life-or-Death Oxygen Concentrator, which cost AHCCCS about $400 a Month to the Rental Company. So, I did some research and, finally, dipped into my meager Savings - went to a local Medical Supply Business and bought my Own Damned Oxygen Concentrator! Cost me $400.00 Used but the one I Had was also Used! I made all the arrangements by phone and told the two ladies I had discussed the matter with that I would be there Friday (yesterday) to pick it up. I got there, after a quick trip to my Doctor for an up-dated prescription, during traditional Lunch Hours so, of course, both of the gals were out to lunch. Here comes the Good Part!!! The Machine was ready and waiting for me BUT, left to tend the Front Desk was a pretty, young Mexican Girl who, believe it or not, couldn’t speak English! After meekly showing me my machine, asking, in pantomime, if that was my purpose in being there, she sat at the Receptionist’s Desk and tried to do the paperwork, clearly frustrated that she could not communicate with me. Then, in a pleading voice, she asked me. . . . . . . “No Hablas Espanol?” she asked me!!! “No,“ I said. “Un poquito . . . . “, not realizing the implications until I was back in my truck, headed home! The girl, meanwhile, upon hearing my “No” was dejected. I thought she would cry. I hope she Wants to learn the Language of the Nation where she lives, works, draws a paycheck! This girl, by the way, carried the 60# machine to my truck for me! She deserves a chance to better herself - with Company-paid ESL Courses! I wish the Company would step up and fund English Classes for her so she doesn’t have to become a Hotel Maid! And, as sweet and nice as she was, I hope they fire her if she Refuses to learn English! As for me, I will no longer do business with any business staffers who do NOT speak My Language! I, in fact, will not use the Spanish Language again, a language that I have spoken, poorly, for 45 years. There will be NO MORE “Adios, Norm” closing out my E-Mails and Letters! No more “Por Favor”, No “Gracias” nor “Buenas Dias” . . . . . . It ticks me off to do this. I have been an Arizonan for over 48 years and these phrases (and more!) are as much a part of me as they are of any Latino. But, when, in my own Country, I am requested to speak a Foreign Language, the Line has been Crossed. Happy Trails to Ye! Norm! 7月5日 Election 2008Saturday, July 5, 2008 This is a difficult matter for me. I have been mulling it over for several days now. I think I know what is happening. It is Admirable yet could easily be Disastrous. Necessary yet fraught with Perils! The American People Are Speaking. They are not speaking For Republicans nor are they speaking Against Democrats. They are not speaking For Barack Obama nor are they speaking Against John McCain! The American People, who may Well Elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States, are speaking out, Finally . . . . . . AGAINST the Status Quo! The Sorrowful Fact that the Only OTHER Choice in the Race is Barack Obama may not deter the hunger for Change that the American People Crave! For too many decades, for Scores of Decades, we have been frustrated with Illegal, Arrogant “politics as usual” in this Great Nation! It matters Not which Side we are on, we are regularly pummeled by the Members of Government, from the President on down, through Congress, the Supreme Court, all the way to the local School Board, with Politics as usual! The American People are Fed Up! We don’t Want “Politics As Usual” any More! We want a Change! And THAT is what this Election is All About! For too long, we have expounded on our grievances against the “status quo”, a Government run amok, with no consideration for it’s citizens, a government which picks and chooses which Laws it will apply, and when. A Government which exists as a separate Mount Olympus, Far Above We, The People! This Election had Nothing to Do with Left versus Right, Conservative versus Liberal! It is All About Status Quo versus Change! To the chagrin of the Right, all they could come up with was john McCain. As 50-year Arizona Conservative, I will tell ye - ye do Not want this man as yer President! The Upcoming Battle will detail his many skeletons! To the shame of the Left, a Junior Senator from Illinois, a man who has questionable ties to the ideals which are bent on bringing the United States down, a man who yearns to be the “Most powerful Man on Earth”! To the Everlasting Shame of the Libertarians of this Nation . . . . . . Who ARE Ye Running? Anyone at All? I am NOT Proud! I am Ashamed! This Nation, the Greatest Nation on Earth, has a Record, from it’s Inception, of developing an Elite, centrist group. This, to my limited knowledge, is the First time the People have Risen Against the Status Quo, except, plain to see, for our “Civil War”. And NOW? It Takes a Man, cloaked in obscurity, a man who seems to have ties to the Terrorist Muslim World, for us to get off our butts and Resist? I Applaud those who would Vote for Oback Obama! They are willing to risk, as our Founding Fathers did, some 230 years back, the Ire of the Powers That Be in order to regain some Control! I believe they jumped off the Bridge before checking the depth of the Water! To the Right, the Conservatives, where I have been most all of my Life, I apologize! There is No Way in Hell I will Vote for yer Chosen Candidate! I have been an Arizona Conservative for half a Century! . I Will Not Vote for John McCain! Yes, he was a War Hero and a POW! He should be Honored for that! What does That have to do with being The President? Our Prisons are FULL of War Heroes! From WW II to Operation Desert Storm and including our current efforts in Iraq! Heroism has had nothing to do with the Qualification to be PRESIDENT since Dwight Eisenhower! Remember him? I Do! A Great Man! A Weak President! If all we wanted was a Hero, why did we not Elect Audie Murphy? The Winds of Change are Blowing, stronger than ever in 150 years! We, the American People, Do want Change! We want it Now! And YOU, Our Government, both Left and Right, have cornered us, yet again . . . . . . . No Way Out! Maybe . . . . . . . . . INVASIONThe Unholy Invasion of My Kingdom is Proceeding, unyielding in their bid for Conquest! Seems the Only way the People of the Upstart Nation, AZ, is to be Stopped is by the Continuation of the Great Drought! Lettuce Prey! The Nation of AZ, heretofore known as Maricopa County, Phoenix and Neighboring Cities, is officially Exiled from Arizona! Let NO Man Besmirch the Lovely Name of My State by such slurs as "AZ"! The Enemy inches it's way southeast, along the lines of Interstate 10, as I Speak! It be Headed to Tucson, clearly to absorb the Old Pueblo into it's Evil Fold! I Warn Ye, Tucson! Resist! Resist with All Yer Sweat and Blood! Resist with Every Drop of Tear from Yer Eyes! Ye will Not like the Results! This Same Warning goes out to So Many of Arizona's Towns and Cities . . . . . many of them already under the Domination of the Interlopers, those who Tell Ye where ye can drive, where ye can smoke, where ye can sleep, and On and On . . . . from Folks who have Never even Visited yer town or Rural Environs! Flagstaff, Winslow, Kingman. Williams, Ash Fork, Seligman, Prescott, Prescott Valley, Campo Verde, Mayer, Cortez Junction, Payson, Pine, Strawberry, Starr Valley, Heber-Overgaard, Clay Springs, Showlow, Holbrook, St. Johns, Snowflake, Belly Button, Taylor, Springerville, Eager, Alpine, Gila Bend, [Buckeye is Gone! RIP!]Ajo, Nogie, Fredonia, Patagonia, Sonoita, Willcox, Benson, Duncan, Safford, Thatcher, Pima, Clifton, Morenci . . . . . The Tribes of AZ don't know where most of them places Are, let alone find them on a Map [or Spell them!] but their Aim is to Rule Them! To Tell these Good Arizonans how to live their everyday lives! This must End! Good Lord, Dry Us Up! A Country Boy Will Survive! 12月30日 Jesus is a Very Wise Man.Please remember, as you read this . . . . Jesus is a Very Wise Man!
Some may see this conversation as sacrilegious but I don't, not at all.
I think it is clever and ironic and a little bit sad yet happy. How can that be? Beats me!
Make Peace With Whatever Gods Ye May Have. The End Is Near.
12月23日 . . . . . and a Happy New Year!Merry Christmas! Well, it's almost Here! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, when I cook up my Traditional Christmas Eve Dinner of Roast Partridge in a Pear Sauce, garnished with Wintergreen Leaves, fresh ones at that! Three more days and it will all be over for another year . . . . looks like we have, yet again, survived the relentless attacks on our Christian Holy Day by those who would use such degrading terms as Merry X-Mas! . . . or Happy Holidays! As if Jesus cares! I think, frankly, that He would just as soon not see us all fighting and arguing over this non-issue. He, after all, is the Lord of Compassion and Forgiveness! We would do well to emulate Him! Christmas, this year, will be at home for me. My old, long-time companion, Bill the Wonder Dawg, is, at 12 years old, feeble and unable to get up easily. He rarely moves at all unless I urge him on. I doubt he will ever see next Christmas and, maybe, not too much of 2008! So, I won't be traveling without him or with him. It may seem a bummer and it is, a little. But my friend needs me and I will be proud to stay with him until the end, as he would (or will!) do for me. Merry Christmas to All of you Good People out there! And to the Rest of you, too! 12月15日 Human Beauty, Part IIOne definition of Female Human Beauty is "Symmetry". Perfection, from one side to the next! Both eyebrows EXACTLY the same, nostrils, breasts, lips, must be exactly the SAME! That is Beauty! Huh. No. Well, Maybe . . . . . Beauty, as opposed to Sex Appeal, maybe. My experience has been that the sexiest women I know have had some minor quality that broke them Away from Perfection! The slightly crooked smile of an actress. the vaguely off-color tooth of another . . . . the barely noticeable sag in the left eye of Maggie, the streak of pure white in the right eye brow of Tabitha, the Gap in the eye brow of the actress, Holly Marie Combs . . . . . . even the crooked nose of Barbra Streisand! These are what make you memorable, Ladies! Be Proud of them! I once knew a Dancer in a Phoenix Bar, way back in '71, who was clearly the best Dancer in the House, the Hi-liter. She, though, had a prominent nose. So, one day, she collected her moola and went to the plastic surgeon and had a nose job done. The nose, the New Nose, was Perfect! And no one Ever Noticed her again! Live your Life with what God Gave You. He Knows Best! Human Beauty, Part IIt has often been said that Men hold their looks into old age more so than women. I think I know why . . . . . consider the human face as an unused Painter's Canvas. If left unused, it will achieve a patina of age which often holds an attractiveness of it's own, tho untouched by the stroke of a brush . . . . . . . Now imagine a canvas, used daily and cleansed daily, for yet another use tomorrow. Soon, the used canvas becomes worn and, eventually, no amount of paint, no matter how skillful the Artist, can make it beautiful again! Women, especially within my life, have began painting the canvases that are their faces from the time of toddlership, 5, 6, 8 years old . . . . . .when I was a wee lad, girls, such as my Sister, weren't allowed to use make-up until their teens, at least. Boys, of course, unless they were Actors, or Broadway Dancers, Never used make-up! I have known a handful of women who never used Make-up and, as they have aged, some now in their 70s, are still beautiful, regal and as we remember them! Just as Men do! It is my contention that Make-up, used in Ancient Times by whores to Advertise, is the sole cause behind this phenomenon. Ladies! Wash your beautiful Faces each Morning, with gentle soap and warm water! Let your Natural Beauty SHINE! That will also give us Men a chance to know you as you truly look. 12月10日 A Different ViewA good friend sent this item to me:
URINE TEST Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work; they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test, with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their ASS, doing drugs, while I work. . . . Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check? Pass this along if you agree, or simply delete if you don't. Hope you all will pass it along, though . . . Something has to change in this country -- and soon! My Response: I have been pushing for urine testing in America
for a large group of people for over 30 years. These people hold some of the
best, most highly-paid and responsible jobs in existence. Some are heavily
armed and some have the power of removing from you anything they deem
fair.
Who are they? Law Enforcement Officers, Teachers, Judges, Senators,
Executive Branch, Congressmen, School Board Members, Mayors, virtually every
Elected Official in America.
If we were to sweep clean THAT rat hole, the
problems we have with Welfare Fraud would begin to fade away.
Our Athletes are tested. Are our teachers? 11月6日 Red Letter DayWhen I first started this "blog" I intended it to be read by only my friends and relatives. It seemed like a good way to communicate and keep interested parties up-to-date on my goings-on. Then I expanded my potential viewership by going public. My intent, then, was to air out some of my screwball ideas as to religion, politics, the world, the Insanity we all face, every day. Lately, I have had dang few of these broader issues nagging at me. I have little interest in politics, religion, illegal immigrants, et.al. Pretty much all of my time is taken up by merely trying to keep up with domestic issues and my growing list of ailments as I proceed down the "hill" that I am "over". "Better to be a 'Has-been' than a 'Never-was' ! " Yesterday, November 5, 2007, was a Red Letter Day for me and it is still a long way from sinking in. I was Officially Diagnosed with DIABETES, Type II, Adult Onset. I suspected as much but I needed to find a new Doctor to look into it. We are just at the starting point so I know little, so far. I do know that my life will soon take a major turn . . . . whether for the better or the worse is up to me. I need to learn what I can and cannot eat, and when. I reckon I will need to give up sweets, including chocolate (NO!!!!), soda pop, cookies, doughnuts, and alcohol (NOOOOOO ! ! ! ! ! !). The teeth are nearly gone so I will soon eat my last steak, chop or pot roast. It will be hamburger meat or nothing, I guess. The COPD has caused me to almost quit smoking - down to half a pack a day for a month now - but I still sleep while sitting up, inhaling oxygen from a machine, inhaling medicine, 2-3 times a day, from another machine. The new Doc has me on Metformin, a very common early diagnosis med, but I may need to inject myself with insulin, unless I win the Lottery, wherein I will hire a pretty little nurse to do the job for me. She can sleep on the couch. Such matters are of little concern to me any longer. This med is supposed to help with my numb feet and hands. Not much change after a week! New Doc also got me back on Paxil, an anti-depressant. Been there before, with good results. My more recent problems have been with depression, some anger issues and nervous tics that were driving me half nuts. Paxil was originally prescribed for me in conjunction with my driving anxiety. More later - Break time 9月24日 Doctor KMy Friend, Bill, a 12-year-old Welsh Corgi, has a date this Wednesday with a Dog Groomer! It will be his first time in the 9 years he and I have roomed together and he really needs it! This last 2-3 years have been a tad rough on us and he doesn't get to run and chase his rock much anymore. As a result, his toe-nails are very over-grown and, of course, his under-coat is badly matted and needs a good combing, not to mention the Dire need for a "Sanitary Cut"! I expect some flak, some hints that, maybe I should consider "putting him down" ...after all, he is older than me and his hips give him some trouble. I will have to pick him up to put him in the truck..... But he still smiles, he stills goes nuts when I say "Git yer Rock, Bill!". Bill is in better shape than I am and I ain't ready, yet, to be "put down" because my hips hurt! I have already heard a few dropped hints on the matter. For now, I reject them but this whole "humane treatment" angle does have a valid place and I expect to someday face the day, if I live so long! I have, in my life, known many older folks who would have welcomed "humane" treatment, sick or disabled folks who were faced with, in some cases, decades of life ahead of them, decades waiting for the sweet surrender to death, the end of their endless pain and suffering. To be sure, there are plenty of folks, some very old, who still have the love of life to continue but, as I get older, myself, and more infirm as each month passes, I begin to understand the desires of those who would move on to the next life. My pain is nowhere near that of most of these folks yet it is fed by a depression and a fear of further suffering that is simply incomprehensible after a point. Dr. Kevorkian is RIGHT! Humane Treatment of Humans is Right! Why prolong the Suffering of those who will never know peace and comfort in this life ? Why Force a Man or Woman to live a life of Misery? In many cases, there is No Hope of Ever Recovering, No Hope At All beyond the Hope of the Afterlife.....yet, even without That Glimmer of Hope, most all simply want relief from their constant pain and suffering. A Friend and I were discussing this matter a month ago. He pointed out that Dr. Kevorkian's problem was a superficial case of surface appearance.....the man looks like, with all due respect, a cross between Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff! Dr. Death! Had Euthanization had a Champion who more closely resembled Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, there would be far less suffering on this old Rock. If you have a say in the matter, Do NOT leave Me to suffer like that, quadraplegic, comatose, vegetative, unable, even, to make the decision and carry out the act under my own power! I pay heed to the Creator and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ but I do NOT put any stock in the various human translations of the Bible. Pull The Plug! Allow me to Die Quickly, with Dignity! Otherwise, if possible, I will Haunt you..... 9月13日 My Latest Published Editorial It is always heartening to me to get a Letter to the Editor published, especially in a large paper such as the Arizona Republic (Sept.13, 2007).
I am always put off, though, by their editing of my text, always omitting my reference to Maricopa County as Arpaio County.....a Conspiracy!
Sheriff Joe on warpath over K-9 deathSept. 13, 2007 12:00 AM The compassion shown to Chandler police Sgt. Tom Lovejoy over the accidental death of his K-9 partner is admirable and I agree with it. But, playing devil's advocate, we citizens have had it drilled into our heads that a K-9 officer is, in every way, a fully empowered police officer. There is a bit of hypocrisy involved for it is clear that, had this somehow happened with a mere citizen being the negligent person, charges of killing a police officer would probably be brought. But . . . since Sheriff Joe Arpaio is on the warpath over this, it is clear that I must support Sgt. Lovejoy completely. Surely this accident had more serious consequences than, say, parking in a handicap-only parking spot for a long time and other minor things your average Joe has done, but it was an accident, after all! - Norm Johnson,Safford 8月20日 Watchin' TVI been sittin' around camp lately, in the evening, watchin' a lot more TV than I ever done before.....I lose power a heap in the Monsoon Season and have to watch the tube by firelight since all the electricity is out but it is still sort of interesting. I been watching a couple of TV shows on Discovery Channel, namely "Man vs Wild" and "Survivorman". Both shows are aimed at clueing in folks who venture into the hills too deeply and end up in life-or-death situations. I pretty much settled on enjoying "Survivorman" more than the other but there were always little things this fellow said or did what bothered me a bit..... Survival techniques have been an interest of mine since I was real young! And, I have been deep in the hills for up to 2 weeks with very minimal gear, food and water. Yet, the general gist of these programs is, I thought, valid.....until now! I ain't been so many places! Kalahari Desert, Costa Rica, Arctic Circle and dozens more! But, 3-4 days back, ol' Les Stroud, Survivorman, in a re-run, went to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona! Where shall I start? Les! You, Sir, are a Moron! Worse, you, with your blatantly false information, are a menace and, potentially, a criminal! Buddy, your credibility is crap! Don't matter if I been there before or not, I now know that you stand in front of your camera, alone in the wilds, and spout dangerous mis-information to the masses! How long will it be before some poor fool dies from reading your Cliff's Notes, Les? I ain't gonna pick it all apart here, Les! I would rather sit and watch the episode with you, drink some hootch, blow our harmonicas and try to teach you some things...... But, just as an example, Les, "wild peccaries", what we call javelinas, are NOT going to attack you in your sleep! Really! Now, if you have a dog, maybe they will attack it.....they DO hate dogs! But a Man? Nope! If you startle them, they may panic and run hither and thither, maybe even between yer legs! This may even get you gashed by their tusks but it was an accident! You mention their "poor eyesight" also.....this is a "relative" truth, Les! Javelinas are below the par for other Desert Critters! Their eyesight is roughly equivalent to that of.....YOU! People! Black Widow Spiders are not looking to kill you either, Les! Unless you go noodling for 'em in dark nooks and crannies, they will run.....even when you blunder through their big, messy webs! Now, if they run the wrong way, say toward your pantlegs, you may have a problem..... You are right on as to Africanized Bees, Les! In fact, you need to learn more for your own safety...... Mountain Lions might stalk you, too.....usually very young ones or the old and sick ones. Do not run or ride a bike in lion country though! Fast movement will trigger them to attack. And one last thing, Les! I have spent time in swamps but never jungles.....yet, if I were washed up on the shores of Costa Rica the very last thing I would ever consider would be to blindly head off into the jungle in the name of survival. Buddy, that is, in a word, Stupid. My credentials: 47 years tromping the state of Arizona. Stranded twice, 4 days each time. First time, no food, water 1/2 mile away, in a cow tank. Second time, luxurious, plenty of food, good shelter, etc..... Innumerable trips into the Desert with no food and, at the most, a quart of water, no shelter, usually a knife, clean socks, a bedroll, a pot and fire. I do admire the ease in which you start a fire.......but I learned a long time ago to just go without. Les! If ever you read this, check out the name Cody Lundin on the internet.....he may save your life some day! Here is a link: http://www.alssadventures.com/ 8月14日 Here Comes That Damned BOOT!Whoopee! Here she comes! Well, I been workin', sorta, at gettin' rid of "stuff" I've lugged around for years and my "Winder of Oppertunity" is fixin' to open up right soon, it would seem! Yep! The Good Ol' Government, in it's role as Health Inspector, has demanded a full inspection! With Two Days' Notice! I have heaps of things needin' to be done! Carpet is filthy, appliances is filthy, all of which will require a heap of kneeling, squatting, crawling, bending......Hell, I tried to git to my knees last week and damn near kilt myself hittin' the dresser when I fell! Oh, I could have done better.....I AM a Slob, I Know that! Don't need the damned Government to tell me what I already know! But, 2 days? Even though every little thang helps, there Ain't No Way! Supposedly, this is aimed at Safety Issues. My place don't have any Safety Issues except, maybe, for the front porch light, hangin' by a lose nail.....I DO take care of the basic safety stuff! But this is the Gov! They ain't gonna be happy with that! They will, certainly, have a fine time with cleanliness, an' Godliness..... Well, I will do what I can......but this place didn't git like this, after 5 years of providing an old bachelor and his dawg a home, overnight! Like the old saw goes, Jerome wasn't built in a day! And it ain't gonna be clean in Two! 7月27日 The Other Boot....."Rockin' the Baby, On the Hilltop.
When the Wind Breaks, The Other Boot Will Drop....."
The Prophesies of Kingnormie, continued.....
In the dark and dreary days of last Spring, when I could see little but gloom and doom ahead, I outlined the view of the Future through the small window of my rental trailer here at Graham Shadows Mobile Home Estates & Trailer Park.
Since then, things have worked out fairly well. I have an income again and will shortly have Health Insurance.
The Finale in the previous list of future events was the Fall of the Park and the subsequent Dumping of Two Dozen Families into the gutters of SE Arizona.
Several clues led me to this conclusion:
The trailer park I live in is a run-down, low-income sort of place. Nowhere in the area, other than right here, are there rentals available for poor folk like us. Rents here run $200-400 per month. Anywhere else, due to "expansion" and price gouging, will cost $600 and up, about 3 times what we pay. For paying less, we get less, as it should be. But we have roofs over our heads when the storms hit. We have running water, sewage, electricity, natural gas, cable TV, telephone service.... I just returned home an hour ago, from in-town errands. Soon as I exited my truck, a feller pulled up and, very friendly and polite, engaged me in conversation. He worked for the County Health Department and wanted to know what I felt about some complaints he had received, one from a non-resident and one from an anonymous complaintant. Now, honestly, Yes! This place could be shut down immediately! But, uh......just where in Hell are 24 Families supposed to go? This town is "Home"! But there are no Homes to go to! No one here, no one at all, can afford to move or we would have done so by now! But, as the County Man said, that is not his Official Concern. He is "just following Orders". I tried to put a good face on this place but I also can guess who tried to tear it down. Misplaced vengeance! After being evicted multitudinous times and then being allowed to stay....due to there being nowhere else to go....these folks lashed out blindly and hurt everyone except the Owner. He don't care. He is rich and will just get richer as a consequence of this action. Meanwhile there will be 24 more homeless family units here in Safford. A year ago I could see myself simply going camping for a few years but now that is not an option. I reckon I will survive but I also have my dog, Bill, to think of. No one wants dogs, least of all long-haired indoor dogs. But Bill is old, older than I, and I will NOT abandon him after almost 9 years of faithful companionship! 7月23日 Why Corn?Why corn? Why do we have to mess it all up right from the beginning? We are looking to develop new technology, to use ethanol as an alternative to fossil fuels ..... that is Great! But, why do we have to get the ethanol from corn? Corn is already so tightly woven into the world's economic structure that we have already begun running into problems with it and we haven't really even begun!
There are other crops we could use. Ragweed, for example, which grows like a weed and offers itself up for several crop harvestings a year......and the left-overs, after the extraction of the vegetable oil, makes a much better quality paper than that made from wood pulp. We could save the wood for items that require wood, kill two or three birds with one stone.
Another candidate may be canola (rapeseed) oil. Or how about cottonseed oil, soybean oil? There must be scores of plants suitable for ethanol production and several may be superior to corn oil for one reason or the other.
So, why do we have to mess with production of one of the world's most important food sources in order to begin the search for a fossil fuel substitute? This smells like politics to me and there is no place for politics in the effort to save the Earth. 7月13日 The Risk of the Stoic CentristProbably as some sort of natural balancing act for my innate radicalism, I have always been enthralled by stoicism. To me, stoicism means peace of mind ... some would call it Fatalism.
Now, in my years of declining libido, poor health and general weariness, I have been able to experience the early stages of stoicism and it has been pleasant. The major factor involved, my libido, would be sorely missed except for the fact that one is directly linked to the other. I can not, in other words, get all worked up about "stuff" because my driving force in life, my libido, seems to have reached it's end ..... without it, stoicism is easily obtained.
Yet, I always sensed a Danger in Stoicism, especially were it to become a cultural epidemic! I recently was sent, by E-Mail, this little Essay. I have not obtained permission to use it but, as I see it, the Author wants it to be passed around and this is my best effort at aiding that endeavor.
A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned a
That is it ..... I agree with the thoughts expressed in this essay!
One of the primary points I have tried to make over the years is the that of the value of the Radical. I see the Left and the Right Radicals as political, spiritual, economic forces. Each makes outrageous, unreasonable demands and each is doomed to utter failure as long as their counterpart is also doing their job. But each side, Left and Right, makes small gains in their objectives! And the Stoic Centrist, the Middle-Of-The-Roader, is dragged, sniveling and whimpering, into the Future, for Good or Evil.....
The Final Choice is between Stagnation or Progress. The route of stagnation is doom, in the end. Progress, on the other hand, can only be kept within reasonable bounds by roughly equal forces of Left and Right.
The individual stoic, such as myself, has, by his Nature or his Will, extricated himself from the equation and is, frankly, meaningless to the Present and the Future.
Perhaps this is why successful stoics are usually either very old or very mad.
I have recently been fretting over the direction taken by a kinsman, a direction in conflict with my life-long beliefs. I have been angry over this evolution. Now, though, I have begun to realize the simple facts! My kinsman is neither very old nor is he mad ..... he is merely doing his part in the March of Progress for Humanity, albeit in a direction that took me by surprise!
I, on the other hand, shoulder no blame either! I, too, am evolving ..... but my evolution is on the Path of Personal Peace rather than the Trail of Human Progress. Somewhere along the trail, there was a barely discernable split in the path. Maybe it was only vague to me, on a level beyond my perception. Hell, I don't know!
What I Do Know is that letting go of the old Path and following the New happens silently, without a whisper.
And, if one suddenly looks back and understands that, somewhere along the line, the Path split, it is Natural and certainly too late to do much about except lament, or embrace, the change in a stoic manner. |
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