There Are Days

 

As they say, Some day or there are days and then there are days.  In life there are all types of days.  Ugly ones, handsome ones, daring ones, screechers and then there are days, why did I get up days.

The wind howls, the clouds roll and twist and matter passes on by. Those days, the hatches get battened down and wait it out.  Then there  are the moments of the rainbow, where everybody goes… ahhhhh…. ooohhhhh. 

Those moments in the days add up and then there is the pay off of all those days one wants to forget about.   For there are days when nothing can go wrong that day.  It is one of the most comfortable days in the world.

The clouds are an adornment on an azure sky, the breeze tickles the skin and time in content.  There are no ruffles, just a moment in time, one would like to have forever.  The peace of tht day, exhilarates the soul.

Soaring through life, cares are left behind, problems are non issues.  It is the grandest of days.  On that day, Peace like a river flows through it.  Nothing can dim those moments. 

For all the other ugly days, these moments are a small reward for enduring.  A time to cherish, to forget about the other times.

It is an experience not found in the hustle of the big city.  The times I am glad to be in the country.

The Second Amendment

 

The Constitution, guarantees many things.  One of the most maligned and attacked amendments is the second one, the gun amendment.

Being against violence is nothing new, it has been a cause for eons.  Guns are a focal point fro the people against violence.  Yet taking ones gun(s) away has shown that it does not reduce violence.  Over the centuries, the level of violence has been pretty consistent.  Yet they will not accept these facts.  They continue to want to out law guns.  One thing they do not even consider, is the number of deaths by vehicle.  One of the most violent deaths is in a car/truck/motorcycle wreck. 

One of the glories during the American Revolution was the Minuteman.  He could grab his gun and be in the field shooting at the enemy in minutes.  Hence to right to keep and bear arms gained lots of momentum.  One of the other things, was the early pioneers could defend their homes during the revolution. 

The British troops would invade homes, demanding food and water.  The settlers did not like this and had a tendency to shoot approaching British troops.  This deterred lots of the British troops from ransacking lots of the homes. 

This brought forth the idea of reserves for the military that could easily be called up.  The states also created National Guard units to protect their states.  These were out growths from the revolution and the ease of mustering forces to resist oncoming troops. 

As a result many homeowners kept rifles for protection that were also used for hunting.  The founding fathers had seen how a well armed homeowner could be of value in the time of conflict.  The second amendment was zealously protected.

Around the country, Armories were built to provide these reserve troops a close by and easy access to the equipment need to carry out their duties.  These armories contained their small arms and basic field equipment for the unit that was assigned there. 

Most of these armories have closed and are dust collectors.  No longer is the minuteman a part of the fabric.  It is now mostly under the thumb of big brother.  More and more, government is being used to disarm its citizenry. 

Step back in history.  A conquering country used its laws ro disarm the people they conquered, they wanted control of the people and to do that they had to disarm. 

By bringing the focus of control in to a small realm, the ruling faction have a certain level of control.  When the citizens would arm themselves, the over throwers would lose their grip.

This is something the founders of the USA grasped.  To defend its freedom, the citizen needs to be able to defend itself.  Yet if someone wants to conquer, destroy their weapons and run rough shod over them. 

Look what happened in Thailand, a central controlled military took over a country.  Look at what Russia is doing.  Look how the conflict in the Middle East is dragging on because private citizens are armed. 

Any law that restricts the use of any firearm, is a law that takes the freedom away from a citizen.  Look how long there has been battles over gun control.  How laws have been passed and how many people have lost their freedoms because a certain group of people want to control guns.

Politics… A part of Americana

 

Politics, impacts most every part of our lives.  All the laws we live under, were passed by a politician.  Whether it be the level of hometown to the state, even the county, oh forget about big brother, he is becoming a nuisance.

Every time a law is passed, a bit of freedom is lost. Well that ‘s what laws do, takes our choices away.  You can be left wing or right wing, if you want to pass a law, you want to control somebody(s) behavior.

So what do we do.  We go crying to government to solve our problems, take care of us.  And, big brother does by passing laws to impact lives of a few people.

Then look at the attacks that involved in political in fighting.  When someone attacks another, they usually trying to deflect, avoid the reality of the other side.  It is a common tactic used by criminals for years and some political types have been very adept in adopting criminal tactics.  

When I travel through small towns, I try to visit some of their museums and displays.  It is these little stops that made me think how much the political process affects our lives.  Most of these little places get tax money in some form or other.  So favor with the politicians is curried.  For the hand outs are wanted for these things.  Which I have no problem with.  For they collect things that will be forgotten over the generations, if it were not for things like these. 

What bothers me is how people then look the other way when the tax money is wasted or spent for cronyism, which these sometimes fall into that trap. 

Yet look at all of the decisions we make every day that are based on political laws.  The most oblivious ones are the traffic laws.  We make 100’s of decisions on these laws, walking or driving.  Look closely at them, see how they are designed to control behavior, yet all the really do is provide consequences.  Who really control behavior.  Then… ponder the seatbelt law.

Pueblo

 

The city on the river, built around neighborhoods, of stink and stench of a steel mill.  At one time Pueblo was referred to as the Pittsburgh of the west.  Back in the day, the mill stench shrouded the city.  It was money for the mill workers.  Nearby were the coal mines and these two things attracted just about any ethnic group one can think of. The town reflects it, the different neighborhoods have names to reflect the part of Europe they immigrated from. 

Then the environmental laws were spawned and the steel mill died.   It was resurrected later as an electric fired mill.  No longer were the coal and coke trains rumbling into to town.  Now the coal rolled on past to the electric generating plant. The town had all but rolled up the sidewalks and ghosts were floating along the riverbanks. 

No longer did Pueblo rival Denver.  It was a shell and there were death notices being posted.  Some people got up off the mat and began looking to get business to relocate to Pueblo.  A slow process, but yhe dead city is showing some life.  The steel mill is working but not at its once grandeur. 

The neighborhoods have been spruced up and new businesses are in the once abandoned buildings. 

They diverted some water from the river and created a riverwalk of a few blocks.  Lofts and condos were built and some new life showed up in the middle of the dirty closed down parts. 

 

They have events throughout the year and a small convention complex is near by.  Yet Pueblo has no significant tourist attractions.  The mountains are way over there, to the west. 

In the 20’s the river flooded, literally washing the city away.  A dam was built up stream and the river was channeled.  They had some locals paint murals on the channel walls in hopes of keeping the taggers off of them.   it was fairly successful. 

Because of the steel mill, Pueblo became a railroad town.  At one time there were about a dozen railroads going through town or terminating there.  Today there are two.  Along the river bottom the tracks stretch along. 

The city also had a dubious distinction.  The sate’s mafia types were headquartered in the steel city of the west.  Even today the gangs are a problem.  Shootings are not unusual. 

In and out of the city the transients move.  Looking for the next high, next fix, next job and occasionally they get caught.

Life pauses, then moves on.  For the seedy side of life, I still enjoy the occasional visit to Pueblo.  Here I can visit the rusty east and not drive far.  There is a charm of the neighborhoods.  Their corner taverns, shops and stores. 

Yet it is a city propped up on taxes and some day that house of cards may collapse and they will be back like they were when the steel collapsed. 

The Corner Bully

 

Junk mail is all varieties and sizes.  Then there is government mail. 

 

Talk about blatant threats.  Wonder what would happen if I don’t respond.  Maybe I could claim the Post Office never delivered it.  Or the bureaucrats never mailed it. 

Being a good citizen, I should be thrilled to fill this.  The bureau should not have to threaten me to take part in the survey.  Yet the big bold letters are but bully words.

It is moments like this when I understand why so many dislike the government.  No longer is the government for service to its citizens.  Not sure what the intent of the government agencies are any more?

The title of Civil Servant is disappearing.

Oh well…. On some dark and gloomy eve I shall bring forth the paper cutter, open and see if I can read it. 

The Other Side

 

It was flipped over, So I guess the other side is the flip side.  Then there is easy over, well that is a matter of opinion.  You can't have one you say.  Why can't you have one.  You’ll get booted from your job? 

Expressing your opinion, it’s not a good idea, say who?  What happened to freedom of speech?  You say you can censor me but I can’t express my opinion about you?  Whoa, what is the difference?

If the King did not like what was being said about him, that person would lose their head or spend the rest of their life in the dungeon.  It was this type of harsh punishment that got the framers of the Constitution to put Freedom of Speech as the first part of the Constitution. 

You say lots of things I don’t agree with but that is no reason for me to behead you, terminate you from your job.

Yet is is this very thing that an NBA owner is being beheaded.

Now how many players are going to be banned from the NBA?

Listen to their trash talk on the court while playing basketball, it is way worse then the owners language. 

Then lately, it seems as if the law of the land is meaningless.  Wonder when anarchy will start rearing its head?

Are you ready for the Anarchists?