1984

Ohio Congressman Has Cops Confiscate Cameras At Town Hall Meeting

Repentance

......for the prior photo.

"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows follow behind you." ~ Maori Proverb

Seriously

The Roots of Violence
Wealth without work,
Pleasure without conscience,
Knowledge without character,
Commerce without morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principles.

~Mohandas Gandhi

Indeed

"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes."

~ William Gibson

Storms & Spilt Water

We have had quite the summer. As you know, I live in a state with weather extremes and extreme weather. This is the kind of place where climate change is more easily evidenced. I am, like so many of my fellow Minnesotans, a weather geek. I am also in many ways still old school, meaning I use a paper calendar. That calendar is my record for the year, what appointments I had, who visited, when I vaccinated & wormed the horses and what the weather was doing.

Because of this, I have a long record of our Minnesota weather and I can tell you it is changing. The winters are not as cold, but the snow has been falling earlier, we have more frequent snow storms and we have multiple melt/freeze cycles. Ice has become a serious problem on my farm. Our summers are very hot and humid, with big storms carrying lots of rain. Yes, all of this has happened in our weather over the decades, but this is becoming standard. With that said, we had a storm yesterday that roared through and dumped a lot of rain, at one point it was raining horizontally. We are all tired of the humidity, the heat and the storms. I am thinking it may be how it will be and then some.

That afternoon I spilled water onto my keyboard, making it behave like a crazy thing. I was unable to write anything until this afternoon, after I replaced it. I was in a serious state of withdrawal! As you can see, I have a desktop Mac, which I bought four years ago. My how fast technology changes, as now a Mac is almost an anachronism as it is replaced by all of the mobil technology. This is my original keyboard, the one that behaved badly simply because I spilled water on it.

This is the new, slim version. And yes, I am still connected by wire. I read the reviews on the wireless keyboard and they were more so-so, to unflattering, than good. I am connected to the desk anyway, so I don't see why I should care about a wireless keyboard. Obviously, I am not a techno.

Technology moves too fast for me and I found it easiest to let most of it go over my head. I don't know what I will do when the time comes where I will be forced to own a smart phone. Just the very name of it gives me the willies. I don't want a phone that is smart and will only succeed in making me feel dumb.

There is my story, a weather geek who uses a paper calendar and a wired computer. Please don't think any less of me, it is beyond my control.

That Giant Sucking Sound

.....is a trillion dollars immediately pulled from an economy which has fallen flat on its' face and cannot get up.

We are, I fear, in for a bumpy ride. Many of us will not survive the trip. I believe it would be in our own best interest if we stopped falling for the "how large do we want government to be" false argument and instead focus on the real question at hand: what type of society do we want to live in? Forget the misleading rhetoric and get down to brass tacks. Are we ready to enter into a system of government which is designed to support an oligarchy? Because this is where we are swiftly heading.

We should be discussing an infusion of a trillion dollars into our economy; funding infrastructure which is crumbling, updating an outdated rail system, funding clean energy development. We should be discussing tariffs and tax law changes which would bring manufacturing back. There is much we should be doing, but instead we are watching as the bandits prepare to take the last of what we have to give before they kick us over the precipice. 

To the Point

"Seems to me the GOP seeks a banana republic: a toxic blend of right-wing populism, anti-intellectualism, debt defaults, and an end to the ladder of economic opportunity. They would divide us into a few Haves and a lot of Have-Nots. And they would slowly crush the heart of progressive America—the rising middle class created by Democratic economic policies of education and empowerment. All while preserving, protecting, and defending a tiny oligarchy of millionaires and billionaires."
~ Paul Begala

When You Have a Minute

I know that the people who generally comment here know all or most of the information contained in this article, but it is worth the read and perhaps someone will read it who is not fully informed on the unjust tax policies of the US. It is pertinent, considering the constant refrain of "job creators". It is long, but if you have the time, worth reading, if only to reinforce what you already know to be true.

David Cay Johnston Article

A Bird on the Wire

My reasoned self says "You must not ask for so much." But my inner self from deep in the core says "Hey, why not ask for more?" You've gotta love Leonard Cohen. 

It has been a hot, wet summer. Minnesota has been like a rain forest jungle, something we of the northland are not suited to handle. We know parkas and Sorel boots. So I am like that bird on the wire. 

I still have nothing to offer. I am in hate of the direction we have taken in this once fair land. I am in sadness that violence has struck Norway. I wish the people of that good country a healing peace and I offer my deepest sympathy. 

Time has passed on the farm, summer is midway through and as it has so far played out, I will merrily kick it in the pants on its way out to fall. So, here are some images to affirm that I and mine are still alive and as well as is possible. The heat is on, the straits are dire, but the show goes on. I hope all is well out there.

Lost

Not in space, but rather in my little patch of earth called home. I have lost my voice, I have lost heart and I have lost drive. So I stay silent, as a person dwelling in the land of malaise is a person to be avoided, unless one is looking to become depressed and miserable.

Therefore, I have devoted my time and limited energy to my flowers, my dogs, horses and Mark; I think in this order. The iris are spent, the peonies pummeled into submission by unrelenting rain, the roses coming into their glory despite the weather. They have given me an excuse to stop in and say hello and sorry. Sorry I have not been more considerate, that I am not visiting and conversing with the few of you who are my friends. My reasoning is, my negative energy spills forth, whether intended or not, and I am unwilling to inflict it upon any of you.

The bright spot in my life is our former governor, Tim Pawlenty, falling flat on his miserable face as he attempts to play in the big leagues of presidential politics! Our other escapee from the asylum, Michelle Bachman, continues to make me shameful of the people in her district who endorse her with their vote. When did mean, vitriolic and uninformed become a virtue to be honored?

So, as the state of our Union makes my head ache and the state of Minnesota prepares for a government shutdown in two weeks, I will smell the roses and reach for the bottle of wine. And continue to resist the urge to whine to the universe.

Without further ado, the flowers of the gardens, which fill my house with heavenly scent and my heart with a much needed joy.