Windows into the Past

 

In my wanderings, I will roam through some of the small towns.  Seldom do I travel the Interstate any more.  I prefer the slower pace of the old two lane highway.  Many I have driven before, now I see things I used to fly past. 

I put some extra time into my trips now so I can pause for a bit at some of the more interesting things. 

Many of the smaller towns are fading, less farms and ranches to support the communities and the with the Interstate, people whiz on down the road.  Many building sit empty, ghosts of another era now walk the floors, open the doors. 

 

 

Other days, they were active little hubs, people came and went.  Now they are collectors of ghostly webs spun from the past.

 

Sometimes these old buildings get a new life.  An out of towner sees one and wants it or sees an opportunity.  Occasionally it is a retiree that likes to fix things up.  A small section gains new life and old falling apart sections gain a new look. 

Then the new owner moves on or passes on and the new life building fades back into the past again. 

Sometimes it is hope faded.  A vision came to fruition soon to fade.  Empty the building sits, reminder of a hopes that was not shared.  There is a lure of country life.  There is also a harsh side of the romantic notions.  Too many people see nothing and pass by, pausing not to savor the country. 

Many a dream sits dimly in repose.  Days of different life, lived at a different pace.  The siren song of the big city drawing the masses.  Listen to the ghosts talk.  hear the dreams lived out, fading into oblivion. 

New desires and wants cover over the old.  Wanting the new, buries the past. 

I trundle down the road, capturing moments, freezing them into pixels.  Later times, I return to see vacancies.  My memories are all I see. 

Oh ….. For Frustrations

 

Projects become time consumers when the best of laid plans fail.  Great aspirations rode on the wings of hope.  The elements were laid out, a nice outline was made.  Together the pieces would make a nice tableau.  Some of the bits were stored over there, and some in here and the rest were scattered, in easy reach.

The moment arrived, the parts were to be gathered up and assembled.  Into the puter they were placed.  Delicate care was given to each.  Embellishments were added.  No parts left dangling.  Some time later the project was completed. 

The next phase begins.  The files are to be uploaded.  Wind the puter up, put the file name in the little box, sit back, let the bits and pieces be crunched into a whole.

Later the sum of the parts is completed.  The crunching is done, the verdict is in.  The puter at the other end says I have problems.  I sort through, see them and say, Okay, they are fixable. 

I go back through, gathering up new parts to replace the non acceptable pieces.  Time paces, the new bits are ready.  I delete and I replace, a whole new assembly is created.  To the upload page I go.  Into the window the file name is entered and the crunching process begins again.

Sometime later the crunching is finished.  Oh happy day, it is completed.  Then I see them, the little red dots.  I have issues it say.  I examine the issues, they are not major, I can fix them, just very time consuming.  A bit of steam ushers forth from the nostrils, it is becoming frustrating.

Again I go through patch and repair.  Go back and upload again and await the results.  Oops, it spits little red dots back at me.  harumph, more steam is rolling out of the nostrils, a bit of flame is rolling overhead.  I have to go through the process again, frustrations are building but I fix and redo things.

This learning curve is becoming a monster, I need to get a handle on things.  There in the little box is red letters, save and go on.  I click and everything is okay, all is great.  But I am not happy.  The changes have made other problems that need to be straightened out.  I go back redo things, check the files, make some more changes.  I am satisfied.  All the bits and pieces are where they should be.  I go to the upload page and put the file in.  The puiter sits there, crunching pieces and bits, sending them through cyber space. 

I check back, an error message is in the window, task was not completed.  I check things, see nothing wrong.  I try again, bleep the window say.  Whoops the ceiling is scorched from the flames issuing forth from the cranial structure.  I go back through and send a nasty note to the people at the other end, nothing.

I redo things again, put a little twist on and reload.  Voila, it is uploaded but with numerous red dots.  I click the ignore button and finish the project.  Humbug, a project that should of taken no more then two days, got stretched out over 8 days.  I did learn how to get mad at the other end and how to fix things. 

There are other projects on the drawing board, hopefully the will not be as fraught with these problems.

Such is the life of mice and me.

To Many Taxes Equal Corruption….. etc…….

 

With all the government scandals, There is lots of finger pointing.  But one finger is missing, back at self, er, there are four of them.

For to many years, we have quietly sat by as taxes have increased.  An occasional voice was raised but no taxes were repealed or reduced by our politicians.  So all of the scandals should not be surprising.  We have been inviting this for a number of years.  A level of integrity is pretty low for lots of people and when they get into government, they see tons of money and millions of suckers.

The amount of money that goes into government coffers is staggering.  It is surprising that there is not more waste and corruption in government. 

Yet if I was to withhold my monies from the government, I would go to jail.  We have given the government that much power over our monies. 

Hear no Evil….. Speak no Evil….. See no Evil …………………  Or is it the 3 wise men?

So how does one go about protesting to much money in the hands of government.  It has been tried in the past, a thing called the Whiskey Rebellion and there were others.  The more successful one was the Tea Tax Rebellion.  The Tea people just flat threw the government out, AKA, monarchy and started a new government.

The wrote a bunch of documents to live under, that they thought would prevent an oligarchy from gaining power in this new country.  It was successful for a couple of centuries but seems to be coming unraveled for lack of zealous populace and wanton greedy politicians.

So what is it going to take to get the country back together for the people.  To wrest power back from the few?  How to stop sending in the taxes.  To many are afraid of the IRS and its associated government agencies.  So quietly the sheep will continue to be fleeced. 

Attractions of the Roadside

Roadside Attraction

            Overlooking the valley is an oxymoron of a roadside attraction Built in the era of late 1910.  The horseless carriage was taking to center stage and the American traveler was being born.  Highways were being built to accommodate this new machine.  Boundaries were being broken and the country was prosperous.  There were numerous noveau rich living the American dream.  World War one was on the horizon, Marx and communism were popular and the world was an oyster for many.

            Jump in the car, travel cross country, see the wonders.  No longer was tourism limited to the rich.  The automobile had opened up new vistas for the peasants of the land.  Onto the new highways in their new fangled contraptions the populace jumped.

Many a business sprung up along side highways.  Giving the wearied traveler a brief respite, place to refresh. gas up, eat and spend money.  It was wide open country free of many modern restrictions.

            Conversation in coffee shops on the college campuses was about Marx and his ideal dream.  People were discussing on campus how to impose this dream on their countries.  Meanwhile WWI breaks out and the dream is put on the back burner except in Russia where Lenin and the Bolsheviks bring the communism revolution.  Even in the USA there was a small attempt to bring communism to the country.  WWI slowed it down as did the prosperity after the war.

            People had money to spare, there was land so there was no need to overthrow the evil empire of capitalism.  Jump in the car, go visiting.  After WWI there was a new affluence for the average person surplus income to spend lavishly, in particular on the new automobile.

            The roaring 20’s floated in, flappers, speak easies, gangsters and the car.  It was a buoyant age 

 Federal Government policy built the Interstate highway system bypassing many a roadside business and pushing cars onto to super slab cross country speedways.

            On the highways a new enterprise was cropping up, the roadside attraction, and a place to separate the new tourist from their money.

            Communism went to the back burner in the US but the tyranny in Russia was just beginning.  The people’s party, Bolsheviks were ruling with an iron fist.  Churches were destroyed and people disappeared that opposed the new Russian regime.  A new ruling class was formed in Russia.

            More and more automobiles were being built in the US.  More and more people were acquiring money.  The 20’s were a golden age to be in.  Then 1929 showed up because of a government boondoggle and greed on the part of a few.

            What had been a golden period became a depression leading into the dirty 30’s and communism reared its head again.  There were also numerous government programs leading to the claim of socialism, kind of a polite name for communism.

            All the time people were still traveling cross country seeing the sights it had to offer.

Small Towns

 

No longer am I in a hurry to get there.  Now I plan my trips with some slack time to tour some of the small towns I pass through.  There are a variety of buildings.  I like to capture pictures of them and there are other things that are unique to that town.

State of neglect is the companion of many of these burgs.  Businesses are gone as are the residents.

The old storefronts line the highway.  Most boarded up and awaiting……….?  Some look like they came from the south, others from another era.

Thriving businesses they were.  Serving travelers, tourists and the wanderer.  Travel changes, people flock to the super speedways of the Interstate, bypassing these little villages.

A few have tried to find a new life for them but to little avail.

Wonder where those gates led to, was it a plantation a large business or maybe a mansion.  Today it is overgrown with weeds and care is neglected.  What could the story be, a dream gone bad?

A southwestern style home, gated and protected from unwanted visitors.

Time moves on, these little towns struggle to survive.  The Siren song of the big city calls their children.

 

-----30-----

Sacrifice

 

What is it to sacrifice?  To give something up.  During the recession so many have lost their jobs, many of no fault of their own.  Layoffs were a common occurrence, companies closing.  Onto the government dole went many people,

 

So how many government workers did you hear of getting laid off?  In our area it was teachers who got the pink slips.  Other government employees, none got  laid off that I know of.  One of the more critical jobs we pay taxes for took the brunt of the economy.

 

Look at what the politicians are saying about the economy.  Are any talking about cut backs in pay for government employees and or layoffs?  What kind of sacrifice is forthcoming from the bureaucrats and politicians to help the taxpayer?

 

When there is a downturn in the economy it is the everyday worker that takes it in the drawers.  The government workers just keep on drawing their check.  Who do the politicians say should help?  The people on the dole, welfare, food stamps… etc.  Government layoffs are not even mentioned.

Why is it the work a day Joe has to sacrifice the job and the taxes do not stop being paid to the bureaucrats.

 

The average government worker makes 20-25% more then their counterpart in the private sector.  So the public employee could take a pay cut and still make a nice wage, better then average. 

 

The public sector has become bloated but do the politicians talk about the wages they pay?  Government sacrifice is not in their lexicon. 

 

Bet that if there was an across the board pay cut of 10% that the national debt could be reduced by 50% or better.  Low level government administrators make 6 figure incomes into the 200-300,000.00 dollar range.  What government job is so critical and pressurized to warrant that kind of pay?  Most government jobs are cookie cutter work.  I don’t even want to talk about incompetence.

 

One of the things one can do is to bug their congressman and ask them what kind of sacrifice their agencies are going to make to help the country?  In this day and age of electronics it is easy to send your Representative an e-mail, they all have one.

 

Why should the private sector take the brunt of the bad times. 

Politicians gripe about welfare, but what really is welfare?  Look at all of the people that get government checks.  When we send tax dollars to DC….. what do you want in return?  Let the politico's know.

 

We’ve had some rain but it won’t last long.  We could use some more buckets of wet stuff.  Cost of living is going to climb, not only at the food store, also the gas pumps and other places.  The government wants to throw more money out to those dealing with the drought, farmers.  This will push prices up even higher for it will be more taxes floating across the desks of bureaucrats.

Crisp Fall Approaching

 

The heat is subsiding and the days are shorter.  The dog days of summer have departed.  Nights are almost cold, mid 40’s.  Time to explore the roadside stands.  The fruits of summer are on stands in the Valley.

No longer is the produce hauled by the rick.  The stand has been by the road for over a half century.  The family still goes out and digs in the dirt and bring their goods to market.  There are some things that will always remain the same.  Dig in the dirt, put some seeds in, add some water, pull the weeds, harvest and there are rewards for hard work.

Ever since recorded time man has tilled the soil for his livelihood.

The colors of fall are very distinctive.

Whether they harvest is for decoration or function.  Fall is the theme of cool crisp air.  No longer is there the fresh smell of burning leaves.  Store the fruits of summer away in a cool place and the fruits will last through the winter. 

Man is at the basic with nature.  No aspirations of control for nature has the rhythm one has to follow.  The pulse of life moves at its pace

The drought continues.  The ground is parched.  The pocket book feeling pinched.  weeds are brown.  Dirt is powder.  Dust swirls into the air.  Prayers for a snowy winter.

Bills…. Grocery and Taxes

 

Next few months going to be interesting.  Politicians will be spewing deep do do all over and spending money galore.  to  tell us how to spend out money they are spending more money…. For what?

Then there are other things going on the politicians have no control over, the weather.

The drought is going to have a major impact on our lives and the politicos' will think they have the power to change things.  Weather is driven by hot air that is not from our nations capitol.

Living in farm and ranch country the weather is very important as is the markets.  Both are closely watched and the most complaints are about the weather then the politicos' garbage.

Lots of the corn crop around here  is withering and drying up into nothing.  Moisture in the ground for winter wheat crops is minuscule.  this problem stretches across the land, right through the heart of the grain belt.

There are pockets that have moisture and there is irrigation water. These two factors are going to make some farmers very rich.  It will also take a bigger chunk out of our paychecks.

 

The price if corn is headed out of the roof and wheat is following and that will pressure other crop prices to climb.  Domestic prices may climb enough to slow down exports.  Then it becomes a world wide problem.

Grocery prices have climbed steadily these past 4-5 years and are now about double over those years.  Things will push the prices into the stratosphere.  One will have to take out a loan just to buy food.

One interesting thing I read was about the requirement of ethanol.  That is being lifted and or allowed to float.  The mandate of ethanol for fuel is being floated.  I find that interesting.  Maybe the bureaucrats have felt the grocery bill in their pocket. 

Now one of the other things we are facing is tax hikes.  A choice… pay more taxes or buy food?  Will it get to that point?  Lots of discretionary spending will change.  Those out of work will even have it rougher.

Some of these problems come from politicians meddling in social lifestyles, social engineering.  Laws that dictate a certain behavior are a type of engineering, quite often is under the guise of safety or health.  They have become known as mandates.  What do they really do….. they take one’s freedoms of choice away.

As more and more laws are passed, more and more freedoms are lost.

This farmer will soon have enough money to buy some new tractors to add to his collection.  Farming is no longer a tough life.  It has become very lucrative, plus the government sends them a nice check occasionally.  Farmers have been getting a type of welfare for decades called farm subsidy and price supports.

I run into farmers here and there that would like to discontinue lots of the government programs for farmers.  They feel they could make more money in an open market. 

Ranchers have no government support programs unless they raise a crop of some kind, like hay or feed grain.   They roll along and make a good living ranching and the meat market varies very little.  Now that will change for most beef goes to feed lots before they go to the slaughter house. 

Cattle feed prices are going up also as the grain prices go up.  The drought has also pushed the hay market up in the areas where pastures have dried up.

It is a very complex situation but also simple….. prices are going up. 

 

Have a good weekend.

Support Counter Intelligence

 

Out in a little town, in the middle of nowhere, close to somewhere is Mama’s store.  Here is a collection of old stuff, for she rents space to a variety of people.  Even the store is old.

In the old days of saloons and pool halls this shop thrived.  Pool balls made great missiles to be launched at the enemy.  Even the ceiling had it’s stories.  There and here was the occasional bullet hole. 

 

The clientele has changed, it is now mostly the wives of the pool players that wander the aisles. No longer to the six shooters thunder forth, or dodge the lost pool ball.

The floor can still be heard shuffling some soft shoe.  The hair from the barber getting mixed into the floor.  His chair long gone, but a memory.

The bar, cabinets and stools still await the thirsty traveler.  One can belly up to the bar.

I  stop in for the iced latte, maybe a shake just for  the ambiance.  Walk the aisles, hear the memories whisper to me.

Passing of time

Time has passed and I missed it.  Being laid up in the  hospital and convalesce for about two months I lost track of time.   All of sudden it is Memorial Day and here is summer. 

People are flying down the road in their campers.  Summer vacations are under way and the heat is rising.  Looking for cool spots is the game of the day.

All I wanted was the pain to go away, be able to stand with no pain, sleep without drugs.  My focus was on myself and healing.  Time was but the change from light to darkness.  The nurses would ask what the day was, where I was.  That was my only reckoning with a time space movement.

With time though I am slowly healing.  There are less pains and less pills.  Small steps are easing across the floor without the walker. 

During this period most everything was blocked out.  Politics became irrelevant, daily news was ignored.  It was a battle with pain. 

Today the reality creeps back into life.  It is summer.

Everyone enjoy the moments of the time.

Gone Looking for a cold melon……. Like a slice?

Going Nuclear

There have been a couple of stories that I have read recently that caught my interest.  The surprising one is Bill Gates promoting nuclear power.  The other is the a nuclear process developed by the TVA back in the 50’s.

Bill Gates being a liberal, one would think he would be very anti nuclear.  Instead he is pro nuclear.  He sees electricity as one of the key elements in the Third World’s development.  Low cost electricity for developing/poor countries is very critical, as he sees it.  Looking at that, one can see how it would affect the creation of jobs and how poor people live.  Even in the USA, utility bills impact the poor and elderly.  Good low cost energy is critical for all people involved and Bill Gates sees this in the development of a new nuclear process.

The process that the TVA developed was put into moth balls and the back shelf, as a result it was forgotten about.  Probably some political skullduggery involved.

The TVA process used an isotope that had a life of about 100 years and very little by product.  Disposal was not a problem for in a 100 years it would be harmless.

With these things I wonder why nuclear power is not in use more.  What nuclear power plants that are in use today are very efficient and produce a low cost product.  Surprising, the USA gets about 25% of its electricity from nuclear power plants.  Then there is the Navy, how many of their ships are nuclear powered I’m not sure, but I would venture a guess that it is a vast majority.  The carriers and submarines are the most oblivious.  I see the spent cores from some passing through here on the railroad occasionally.

But why are so many people anti nuclear?  First thing that comes to mind are the bombs dropped on Japan, WWII.  Then there have been the accidents in the past that have caused some problems.  Then there are the anti mind set people.  If one side of the fence is for something this group will come out against it.

This small group of anti people create lots of problems for being such a small minority.  As a result things tat could be of great benefit to society is ignored because they raise such a ruckus.

One of the anti groups, the Sierra Club, bragged on their web page they had stopped over a 100 coal fired power plants.  That is a lots of lost electrical power generation. If your electrical rates are going up, this is one of the reasons.  And, Yes Coal is dirty, but there is a scientist who has developed a process to clean up coal fired plants.  The anti people do not want to hear this, they do not encourage his research.  There are others out there doing similar research but the anti groups cloud things in legal lawsuits. 

As I look at the costs these anti groups are causing to consumers, it becomes frustrating.  For this anti mind set is part of the reason Nuclear power is so frowned on.  Yet in nuclear power there appears to be some hope.  With the proper mind set it could probably be developed and used in a safe manner. 

It would be nice to see the anti people try to help society rather then being a hindrance.

One of the things that has happened is the power companies are switching to natural gas to keep the nay sayers off their back.  This is also pushing up the cost of energy.  Everything that is produced in the US is rising in cost because of the rising energy prices.  People focus on the price of gasoline, as that increases so does the utilities increase.

Jobs are lost, homes are lost and people tend to become poorer because of rising energy costs.

So is nuclear the answer, only partial but it should be looked at.  Particularly after the calamity of the tsunami in Japan.  There were problems at their plants but they were fixable and life goes on.

Look at how many nuclear power plants that are operatizing in the United States. 

Rather then being so negative, the anti people need to become part of the solution rather then being s problem. 

Wind power is 30-50 years in the future and is not reliable.  Solar is someplace in its infancy and it is also not reliable.

Overheard a comment from a nay sayer, "Return the land to where it was a 100 years ago.”  Wonder if he realizes how many people would have to die to get the land back to how was 100 years ago and what all would have to be destroyed.

Stewardship of the environment is a major job.

On the Backroads

 

In my travels from here to there, I prefer to take the back roads, time permitting.  Lots of small gems pop up and then there is the clutter of civilization.  Over the years things have changed, like it or not.  When my grandparents homesteaded, there was no such thing as electricity or indoor plumbing.  Today it is expected for any and all homes.

What had been open country, dotted by a few trees, scrub brush and rolling hills.  Is now dotted with utility lines and homes.

The barn and corral make a nice pastoral scene but right there in front is the utility pole.  Place for a yard light and lights in the barn.  Until the REA came around it was kerosene/oil lamps to light the way. 

Electricity has had a major impact on the way one lives their life.  It powers our homes, heats it, fuels jobs, a level of security and lights the darkness.  Without electricity I would not be posting this blub.  What started out as small generating plants for communities to large power complexes.

From what had been a pastoral scene to now a cluttered horizon.  They stand there whooshing in the breeze.  Electricity flows off the wind in someone’s pocket book.  I turn on the computer and hear a slight swoosh. 

What’s interesting is the jealousy these things have created.  Just a few people get money from these giant erector sets.  The neighbors that have none, want some and they gripe about the neighbors that have some.

Oh the price of electricity has went up but it appears to of created another type of class warfare.  A struggle among the classes that has been going on for centuries.  The ones that perceive themselves as having nothing and envying those that appear to be rich.

Sop when I look out across the plains, no longer to I see the follies of man spinning but I see their struggles to live within themselves.  Envy is a bitter pill to live with yet so many harbor it.

A bitterness that cascades across the rolls of life.

Now where did my barn get off to.

Within, The Terror

 

When Hitler came to power, couple of the things he did, persecute the Jews and try to control the printed word. 

Looking back through history one of the things despots do when they come to power is to pick on a religion.  The Romans, the lions and the Christians comes to mind.  Yet compared to what Lenin and Hitler did, the Romans pale.  Lenin kicked the church out of Russia,no religion of any type was allowed in Russia.  Hitler was an exterminator of the Jews.

The other thing was they controlled was the press and books they did not agree with were destroyed.  Lenin and Hitler wanted to be the focus, they were the god’s of the day.

consider though, Hitler and Lenin at opposite ends of the spectrum.  Prior to WWII there was a communist part in Germany.  The communists were opposed to fascism.  The fascist state invaded Russia.

Reading through history one can see the parallels of communism and fascism, their methods are very similar but very opposite mode.

The other thing is the control of weapons.

So as I watch the politics I watch who is trying to control or rid one of these facets of American life. 

The church has been under attack for a number of years by the left wing of the democrat party in the form of the ACLU and a few others.  Marxists do not want religion in their controlled state.  Marx was very clear, religion is in competion to his state run government.  The gods are to be the political elite of the governing party.

It is also the left wing of the democrats that push for gun control.  Look at the flap over the comments that were made between political pundits.  Free speech comes under attack by both sides but who apologizes for their remarks.

When Hoffa junior told President Obama, “We will get those Republican Sons of Bitches,” and the president said nothing there was lots of implications of how the president views the opposing part.  But let the Republicans use a similar style of language and look what happens.  The left tries to silence their speech.

So as I look at the democratic party I wonder what has happened.  Why have the democrats let the communists run their party.  Is there that much hatred of the Republicans that they would rather live with commies then try to live as free people?

Wonder if the Democrats will stand up to the bullies in the far left wing?  It is not something new, communism has been on the left for a century or better.

During the early 1900’s a group of elites got together in Europe.  Their stated purpose was to move their home countries into communism.  Lenin is the only one with any kind of success in Russia.  There were communist movements through out the world.  In the 30’s though it was the fascists that took a different tack through warfare.

These elements of fascism live today and right now the communist movement is gaining momentum. 

As long as the Constitution can stay intact there is good level of protection for citizens to be protected from both extremes, communism and fascism.  If the left continues to attack the constitution they are leaving the door open for the fascists.

So I wonder if the sensible Democrats will wake up and take back control of their party.  For a reasonable two party system is also a good measure of protection.

 

 

 

 

 

Demise of an Icon

 

On my blog headers I post pictures I have taken.  Usually they are old buildings of some sort.  On Wordpress I posted a picture of an old abandoned gas station in a ghost town.  I went through there a few days ago.  My gas station has collapsed.  The posts that held the canopy rotted out and the roof fell over the little station.

The highway was rerouted in the 40’s, so I’m guessing this old station was built around 1910-20.  There weren’t many cars traveling the prairie back then but they did need supplies and little stations like this popped up to meet needs back then. 

After the highway was moved the town did not survive much longer, businesses failed and people moved.  A few hung on working for a rancher or neighboring town.

When I saw the roof collapsed a twinge of sadness crawled over me.  Here was an American icon fading into the pages of history, soon to be forgotten.  The Golden Belt Route did not have the fame of Route 66 but it had the character of early Americana.

This little town originally was a stage stop in the 1860’s.  It survived Indian attacks, the Dust Bowl and other ravages but it could not survive the government.

Well I shall jump in my Model A and get ready to go cruising for the weekend.  May your weekend be blessed.

Big Bills of Medicine

 

Friend has been battling kidney stones this past year and it is not over yet.  I asked him what the bill has been so far.  He said over 400K.  I almost fell down.

Some doctors are going to have nice vacation villas and nice boats to cruise in. 

What puzzled me, after I sat down, why so expensive?  The machines for testing, the hospital stays or is there and large group of hands out wanting a share of the pie.

Yet I can see why those who are not insured would go moaning to the government.  Yet my friends insurance is government, Medicare.

Personally I feel that is part of the reason things are so expensive.  Most government agencies just pass costs on through and expect the taxpayers to cough the money up.  They seldom questions high costs.

Stop and think,a nice income is 40k a year.  400,000 would support 10 people.  My friend is a small industry but for only a few.

Or make it 50K a year, how many does that support.

Money has a way of multiplying and so often the average joe plods along.

 

4 Trillion dollars in debt we go.  How much money is that?  How many wages could be paid with that at what income level.

The root of all evil……… money, so the saying goes. 

The way the politicians toss money figures around I don’t believe there is any root on money any more.  Greenbacks slide right through my fingers into in the government’s coffers and I get a tad for a bottle of curds.

How did the IRS come into existence and why do we fear them so much?

 

Have a good week….. please.

Horrors….. gone shopping

Watched a horror program the other night.  It wasn’t so much a scary story as it was a scary mind trip.  The mind has so much capacity to create it is beyond comprehension.  And that’s what this show was about, the travels of the mind.

Where does the inner thoughts lead a person, what is real, is there a distortion, what am one seeing?  In the magic of video and acting the mind trips can be recreated to flirt with reality.

 

Deep within the dark recesses of the mind lies unfathomable stories of horror, real or imagined.   It is on these thoughts that the craftsman plies the word craft. 

Edgar Allen Poe is one of the more famous ones, then there was Mary Shelly’s tale and the king of horror, Alfred Hitchcock.  Their stories play out on our fears/phobias.  Monsters lurk around corners, fly with the full moon, walk darkened streets or are crafted in a laboratory.

Dreamscapes paint pictures brought to life with the pen of writers.  Generation to generation tales were passed on.  Evil spirits roamed the country side looking to wreck havoc on the unsuspecting passer by.  The mind’s eye creates fear that rises to the bait of the craftsman.  A ringing bell at midnight, clouds passing over the moon, loud footsteps on the walk, distant howling and so forth, evoke a level of fear in many.

The spinning of a story to scare……… begins in the eye of darkness.  Which direction will the screw turn, when will it turn, what is on the other side?  Are there ghosts, spirits of the dark side, what travels in the mind’s eye? 

Dying

 

Went to a memorial service for a friend this week.  He was a Vietnam Veteran and was interred at the National Military cemetery.  I have a relative here plus some friends, so I went early to visit them for a moment for I knew afterwards would not be good.

As I walked among the grounds lots of things flooded the mind.  Here were people that served the country to be put in harms way.  Freedom is the creed that they fought for.  I ask myself, freedom from what, to do what, how to be or what is freedom.

Freedom caries a multitude of meaning to people. 

What does it mean to you?

How do you relate to the revolution of 1776?

 

There were a jumble of thoughts for me that afternoon and after the first of the year I want to explore them and share some of my thoughts.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and have a great week leading to Christmas, the greatest gift of all.

The Calendar Changed

 

When the first day of the month arrives, my calendars I should go forth and change them.  No, I do not go forth and change the months.  It is nor until I look at days to try and schedule things do I realize I have not changed. 

I have become so spoiled by the puter that I seldom use a calendar any more.  In my gadgets bar I have a clock plus a calendar, day and month.  So when I turn the machine on all this nice information jumps up on the screen and says hi.

So the wall calendars tend to collect dust hanging from their hooks.  This year I got a bunch of calendars and probably could get some more.  Lots of the local businesses are giving out calendars and I have collected a pretty varied group of pictures to hang on the wall.

 

The days of life march past and I am but one little character in the play of life.  So as my chapters unfold I desire to enjoy them. 

There are a few events that happen I want to remember, otherwise the days melt into each other.  Passing as ships in a fog but hearing the chimes of the bells floating past.

The snow if passing in front of the wind, a touch of white patches the brown grasses of the dormant ground.  Birds huddle in the trees, search the rafters for protection seldom venturing out.  The hawk of the north has sent it icy breath across the prairies.  Soon the eve will arrive and the calendar will mark another day.