Throwing Bats Swinging Bricks

Been reading about the different decisions from the US Supreme court and the reactions from a variety of groups. 

One of the things that strikes me, is how quick some conservative groups throw their hands up and say they lost.  Did they really lose, I don’t believe so, they should reed and understand what is coming from the court.  Such as the AZ voting law and ID.  The court said they are to follow Federal guidelines and to vote, one has to be a citizen,   So if it is questionable about one’s citizenship a request for verification,ID, is not out of line.

Then on DOMA, never heard so much crying.  Yet the court affirmed that the states have the right reserved to them in the question of what constitutes marriage. 

This gives the states affirmation of their sovereignty and states should use this to override numerous federal mandates that are Constitutionally questionable.

Who really lost on DOMA, was the people’s imitative and that includes both sides of the isle.  Although the left tends to go to the courts to push their agenda and the right goes to the ballot not the courts.

Tow things come across to me out of these court decisions.  One is the gloating of the minuscule, special interest left wing groups.  Two is how easy the right wing conservatives are willing to concede defeat.

Take those two things and look at the debate over climate change and coal.  By executive order, the president eliminated 100’s if not thousands of jobs in the energy industry.  The Republicans have not challenged his orders or try to negate him.  The laws of the land are to emanate from congress, not the executive branch.

   ………….. What form is John Gault going to take?????

Bounding Waves of Green

 

 

With the peak of summer approaching a few fields of wheat are nearing harvest.  The stalks of wheat toss to and fro.  Following the whims of the breeze.

 

Edible Flowers

 

While back I posted a photo of a yucca blossom.  I got the comment that it appeared very delicate.  I thought wow, what a contrast for the spikey dangerous plant.  The spikes of the yucca are tougher on the skin then the thorns of a rose bush.  Yet the yucca was revered by the plains Indian.

 

The yucca held lots of nutriments and utilities for the Indians.  The root was a source of vitamins for them but to much and it was a laxative.  The yuccas cussing name was soap weed and does make a decent cleaning compound.   The spikes are tough enough to be woven into sandals and baskets.  It could also be flayed and used like a tooth brush, using the ground root as tooth powder.

For many though, the yucca was an obnoxious plant.  Like many plants, if it is growing in the wrong place it is a weed.

Because of the root nutriments, buffalo would root the yuccas up and eat the roots.  Getting past the spikes is a challenge.  Calves have been known to up root yuccas to get at the roots.

Oh those spikes are nasty.  Have been spiked by them.  Leaves a nasty, blackish, purple gash in the flesh and does the blood flow.  Person needs good protective gear when working with them.  Have heard of some people planting them in the wells of their basement windows to keep intruders out. 

 

The Indians had another use for the yuccas.  They could make a pretty good hooch from the root.  Grind up some root, put it in a buffalo bladder, add water and let it ferment.  The Indian would take their buffalo bladder and bury it and a month or so later, they would have a mescal.  It was party time on the plains. 

Oh, the yucca is also the state flower of New Mexico.

Floating Wind

 

The fascination of windmills, around and around they got.  No beginning, no end, Alpha and Omega stand by. 

Classic icon of the land, a ubiquitous machine.

 

Probably man’s first real successful machine of capturing energy and transferring it to another use.  Till that time, it was man power or animal to draw water up or grind goods.

A static photo is nice but I also feel there should be some motion.  So I decided to try my hand at videos.  Not the best but it was a kick.  Traveling the back roads looking for turning windmills was an adventure in itself.

A farewell turn

Shortly after I had made this video, I had to go on this road again.  Not paying much attention, I drove right past it.  On my way back I looked closer, still I drove past it.  I stopped turned around and went back, it was gone.  Well no wonder I drove past, I could not see it.  It had become invisible. 

The propellers and motor/gears had been removed.  Only the tower was left standing.  I wanted some more footage of it, now I had to settle for this.  Such was life, here today, gone next week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5UTlZICcHA

This was a composite of videos I made and pasted em together.  Kind of like it but have to try and make another and hopefully better.  I got permission from the singer to use her music.  Now to get some ghost riders of the wind music.

I had a kick makin these, I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Now for some more practice.

Four O'clock Dust Storm

 

A storm cell showed up and did it ever kick the dust up.

The dust turned afternoon into evening in a few minutes.  Sky obliterated, animals scrambling, birds scurrying for cover and man, well life goes on.

From, what I’ve seen, this is about as close to dust bowl it has been.  If this continues on through the summer, it is going to be rough.  The ground is so dry, that when it does rain, the moisture just rolls off and down the creek.  It would take a nice slow week long rain to abate the drought.

According to some long range forecasters, the drought is expected for a few more years.  If so it will become ugly.  Weather like this, tends to make people edgy. 

Hopefully some of this dust ends up in D.C.,shower the politicians.

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. 

Is There Oil Down There?

 

 

With the expanded use of fracing, there is a mini oil boom in the area.  Keep in mind, a drilling rig is a boom around here and there are usually 2-4 rigs drilling. 

The oil companies have been approaching people about going on their land for seismology testing,   Lots of the people have been turning them down, well been wanting money for them to drive on their land.

It is so dry that any travel on grassland destroys it.  The ranchers/landowners are wanting compensation fro damage to their land.

These big ole thumpers can cause lots of damage as they drive over the land shaking it.  Where they drove on some CRP land, one can still see the tracks where they drove, two years ago.  At existing wells thee is a big scar, for the plot and the access road.  If the hole is dry and they leave, the land heals real slow and is worthless for some years unless in a government program.

It is interesting, greed does overrule common business sense.  Some of the oil prospectors are kind of dumbfounded in being turned down.

For the rancher, it is his land for income.  Without the land, the rancher earns no money.  With the drought, the land is at about 20% usability.  Any damage adds to the loss for the rancher. 

Oh….. expect the big mac to jump in price, except they are usually milk cows not prime beeves.

Have a good weekend.

Hated Republicans

 

Been lots of news about big brother snooping in the lives of republican/conservative folks of late.  Saw a picture of some college students sending a thank you not to the IRS for prying in to the business of the Tea Party.  Have heard all kinds of demonizing remarks about conservatives.

From everything I hear, the republicans got to be the most evil people that ever walked on the earth of USA.  These past few years has been one of the most hate felled decades in the history of the nation.  Even the Civil War was not this hateful, although it was ugly.

Not sure what the republicans have done to deserve such hate mongering but are the democrats pouring it on.  It seems to be working for I have met people who despise republicans, they believe what they hear.

One of the things to learn is to question things.  Do not be a lamb and follow voices blindly.

One thing I hear, “without republicans, democrats would be better off.”  Interesting comment, yet I have heard it in so many areas. 

These are the same people that extolled the virtues of Castro and the Cuban revolution, exalted Che Gueverra, put the Peron’s on a pedestal and liked Hugo Chavez.  All these people were marxists/communists.

In every instance, the country these people took over as dictators, they failed.  The people of the various countries suffered under these dictators.  Oh, the cronies of these rulers lived lavish lives but the rest of the people struggled.

So when I look at a democrat any more I see a wanna be dictator.