This global warming stuff is getting me down...

Sunday was interesting, for part of the day it was snowing sideways. I caught these pictures when it had died down a bit. For those who have never spent much time in Salt Lake, this sort of weather is normal. We are out in the desert, but we are at around 4200 ft above sea level, and we also have the Great Frakkin' Salt Lake right next door to cause some goofy weather effects.

Click to enlarge.

This is a shot to the east from my driveway.



This is to the west. Notice you cannot see the mountains just west of me.



Most of the snow has melted today where the sun is hitting; all of the shadowed areas still have snow. We have had quite a few robins in the neighborhood lately. I counted ten on the way to my mailbox after it quit snowing; they were looking a bit bewildered. I caught this picture of one of them this morning, sunning himself in the front yard next to the street.



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It looks like the White House has decided to start telling corporations how to run their internal affairs . Personally, I see this as a bad precedent. Once the POTUS starts telling business who to put in charge, you have the first step to nationalization of businesses in this country. I realize there are some people in this country who idolize idiots like Karl Marx, and think socialism/communism is great, but I am not one of them. Governments that glorify the collective put a chill up my spine. Every one of them that has gone the way of putting the group before the individual has ended up as a totalitarian government to one degree or another.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."
-Gerald Ford

"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd."
-Bertrand Russell

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I notice the federal government is on another one of its anti-firearm campaigns; now they are blaming the violence in the drug war on American gun dealers. I keep reading articles and seeing photographs of RPG's, machine guns, "assault " rifles, and grenades. Of course the fourth estate never bothers to mention that none of those items can be purchased at gun stores or shows. They are available only to the military in this country. What would be refreshing would be to see a journalist who actually researches their subject, and doesn't doesn't automatically go to the Brady Campaign for talking points. Anyone who tries to argue that gun shows are supplying the drug wars is either an idiot or a bald-faced liar. When it comes to the ATF and the Brady Campaign, they have both been proven to be liars for anyone who actually researches the BS they put out.
But enough of that rant.

"Stress is when you wake up screaming... ...and realize you haven't gone to sleep yet."
-Unknown

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"I Want You to Rock Me" by Vixen
"Love Street" by The Doors
"Two out of Three Ain't Bad" by Meat Loaf
"Ticket to Ride" by The Beatles
"Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brothers Band
"Baby I Need Your Loving" by Johnny Rivers
"Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix
"Teacher" by Jethro Tull
"Orinoco Flow" by Enya
"That'll Be the Day" by Buddy Holly

A couple of them for you to hear; Vixen was one of the better all-girl bands of the Eighties (gotta love the big hair and leather), and this one by Meatloaf has always been one of my favorites.

Spring is here...

...as you can obviously see from the pictures.


The hyacinths and daffodils are not really liking this.



A view to the west; the snow is not sticking much on the streets, but it has actually dumped about three or four inches since last night.



Tonight will probably be cold. Gotta love the weather around here.

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I would like a bit of help from fellow gunnies out there.

I have an old .303 Enfield that I am trying to get information on. If anyone knows what these stamps signify, and know where to get further info on it, I would appreciate it.

Click on pictures to enlarge.





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Sort of an odd mix, but it works for me.

"The Night They Rode Old Dixie Down" by Johnny Cash
"We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner
"Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat
"Someday Soon" by Judy Collins
"Willow Weep for Me" by Chad And Jeremy
"England Swings" by Roger Miller
"Sometimes in Winter" by Blood, Sweat & Tears
"Dancin' in the Ruins" by Blue Öyster Cult
"Volare (Nel Blu, Di Pinto Di Blu)" by Dean Martin
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams

For those who liked the Eighties, this one from the list was one of my favorites from Blue Öyster Cult:

You have GOT to be kidding

A FORMER nunnery that has been converted into a comfortable modern prison is expected to be chosen by Josef Fritzl as the place in which to serve his life sentence.

Fritzl, 73, who was jailed last week for murder, rape, enslavement, coercion and incest after locking his daughter in his cellar for 24 years and fathering seven children by her, six of whom survived, is free under Austrian law to choose from three prisons that offer special sections for “psychologically abnormal” convicts.

According to his lawyer, Rudolf Mayer, he will select Garsten, a former Benedictine convent about 30 minutes’ drive from the house in the provincial town of Amstetten, where he held his daughter Elisabeth prisoner from the age of 18 and sexually abused her an estimated 3,000 times.

In Garsten he will be able to improve his English or study other foreign languages, as well as singing in the choir or training in a gym that is better-equipped than those of many hotels. As an inmate, he will be offered a wide variety of hobbies and entertainment, including tennis, darts and art classes.

The prison, set in woodland in the foothills of the Alps and considered one of the best in Austria, provides inmates with the light and fresh air that Fritzl’s victims were deprived of in their dank cellar.

Fritzl, an engineer who could in theory be released on parole after 15 years, will be able to indulge his passion for reading, as Garsten has one of the largest prison libraries in the country.

That is ridiculous. What that disgusting animal deserves is to be shot, or locked away in a dungeon somewhere and the key thrown away. Instead, after all those crimes he gets to go to a resort.

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It's been nice seeing some spring around here for a couple of days. Tomorrow it's supposed to rain, then Sunday night the snow will hit through Monday morning, and we'll be back to winter. This is normal around here; spring is primarily a calendar event. Usually we get winter up into April and then it turns warm. I miss gardening and I'm looking forward to it when spring/summer finally hits.

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Plenty of old stuff.

"Lawyers, Guns and Money" by Warren Zevon
"You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" by The Lovin' Spoonful
"No More Mr. Nice Guy" by Alice Cooper
"I Can Make It With You" by The Pozo-Seco Singers
"Heart of Glass" by Blondie
"Black Blade" by Blue Öyster Cult
"Baby, Won't You Come Out Tonight" by Buddy Holly
"Lili Marlene" by Dave Brubeck
"I Drink Alone" by George Thorogood
"In the Pay of Spain" by Ian Anderson

The Pozo-Seco singers may be unfamiliar to anyone under 55; they were a folk/rock band that was somewhat popular back in the early to middle sixties. Here is the one that is in the list:

Where does the time go?

It would appear that my blog is three years old today. I would like to thank you people for taking to time to read (and even answer!) my questionable scribblings; I have met (in virtual space) a lot of good people who have visited here, and hope to see you in the future, also. If at times I seem a bit goofy, just think of the lines to the old Waylon Jennings song:

"I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane"

A view of my desktop (excuse the clutter and dust)



A few flowers from my yard to celebrate.

The humble but beautiful periwinkle



The daffodil; a joyous harbinger of spring



Miniature daffodils; these are only an inch across



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I've been reading news from what's been happening with our friends across the pond in the UK.

The U.K. government is considering the mass surveillance and retention of all user communications on social-networking sites, including Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo.

and

The travel plans and personal details of every holidaymaker, business traveller and day-tripper who leaves Britain are to be tracked by the Government, the Daily Telegraph can disclose.

Like I told my brother the other day in an e-mail, I'm beginning to think that Orwell was an optimist.

“There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals.
“Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone?
“But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted-and you create a nation of law-breakers-and then you cash in on the guilt.”
-Ayn Rand

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Lots of golden oldies mixed into this bunch.

"I Want You to Rock Me" by Vixen
"Crossroads" by Robert Johnson
"Devil Woman" by Cliff Richard
"Perfect" by Sara Evans
"Season of the Witch" by Blues Brothers Band
"Rebel Rouser" by Duane Eddy
"Ride the Wild Surf" by Jan & Dean
"I've Always Been Crazy" by Waylon Jennings
"Homeward Bound" by Simon & Garfunkel
"Twist and Shout" by The Beatles

This song from 1967 always tickled my funnybone for some reason.

No rant, I'm in a better mood today

I found an interesting/amusing item; what amounts to a golf ball rifle. The first thing that occurred to me after seeing this was a picture of someone with a shortened version popping a burglar between the eyes with a golf ball.



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The last snow has melted away, except for patches in the shade on the north side of buildings and trees; spring is trying to pop up around here. For those who like nature photos, these are from my yard. Click to enlarge photos.


Some crocuses in my flower garden.


Violets



One of my Swiss chard plants coming up early


A catkin from a quaking aspen


One of my miniature roses is leafing out.


One of a pair of doves; they are quite numerous in our neighborhood.



How are things coming up in your neighborhood?

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Some old, some very old.

"Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" by The Byrds
"Highwayman" by Johnny Cash/Kris Kristofferson/Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson
"Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin
"Today" by The New Christy Minstrels
"Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears
"Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran
"Michelle" by The Beatles
"Against the Wind" by Bob Seger
"All Over The World" by Electric Light Orchestra
"Right Down the Line" by Gerry Rafferty

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Who was the idiot who invented the term "The Golden Years"?

Been laid up most of the weekend; the weather has been changing and my back decided I didn't really need the ability to stand upright, walk, or anything else that involves using the lower back muscles and/or sciatic nerves. The air pressure seems to have evened out (it's snowing outside right now), so I am able to hobble about for now. It's getting where any day you can get out of bed without help is considered a good day.
Had to see my cardiologist today for my periodic checkup; my heart doesn't seem to be getting any worse, but I still need to get my weight down to a reasonable level. More calorie cutting and more time exercising, I guess. Amazing how your body gets so damn goofy when you get older. Years ago I could eat more than I do now, and only weigh a fraction as much. Of course, that was when hair grew on the top of my head, where it belongs, instead of trying to grow out of my nose and ears.

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Barbie is 50 years old; in keeping with her age, this is the latest model:



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Every day when I decide to listen to music while on the computer, I open my music program and toss a bunch of songs together for the day's playlist, so each day tends to be a bit different. I have a few basic lists that I modify on occasion, but usually my mood determines what I'll be listening to. Today's list, for some unfathomable reason, is all female singers. Some of the top ten in the shuffle may be familiar to you, but a few of them have been around a long time.

"Queen of Hearts" by Juice Newton
"Midnight at the Oasis" by Reneé Olstead
"Have You Never Been Mellow" by Olivia Newton-John
"Wishin' & Hopin'" by Dusty Springfield
"Born to Fly" by Sara Evans
"To Sir with Love" by Lulu
"Both Sides Now" by Judy Collins
"Society's Child" by Janis Ian
"Cold, Cold Heart" by Norah Jones
"Dreamboat Annie" by Heart

No, I haven't been hacked...

...I'm just posting sooner than usual.

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Michael Jackson is doing his final concerts. Does anyone really give a rat's ass? A fifty year old ethnically-confused has-been with short eyes. I think that curtain went down long ago.

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I'm still trying to figure out why the Democratic Party seems to have a case of the ass for Rush Limbaugh; don't they have anything better to worry about than some blowhard on the radio? Sounds to me more like they're trying to divert everyone's attention from Porkzilla and all the other shenanigans going on in DC. Personally, I don't listen to him; I don't like either party. Of the people I know who claim to be in the two major parties, I think I know more Democrats who listen to him than Republicans. Geez, guys, if he bothers you that much just ignore him and don't listen to him; it works for me.

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The new spending bill looks interesting.

To the embarrassment of Obama — he promised during last year's campaign to cut way back the number of so-called "earmarks" — the bill contains 7,991 pet projects totaling $5.5 billion, according to calculations by the GOP staff of the House Appropriations Committee.

Why does this surprise anyone? As I've said many times, one of the main rules of politics is that Politicians Lie; it's what they do to get votes. I don't take it personal, I just accept the fact that any time a politician can tell a lie and get away with it, he/she probably will do it out of reflex, just like Pavlov's dogs couldn't help drooling when he rang a bell.



H/T to SheeplePeople for the picture.

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Looks like there's a good chance California supreme court will probably uphold the gay marriage ban. I don't see what the problem is; if people want a contract to be life-partners, whose business is that as long as they're consenting adults? If churches don't recognize them, that's their prerogative, but the government has no business getting into the institute of marriage. A civil contract between two people is their own damn business.
Just my opinion.

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It dumped about four inches of snow during the night (my back warned me before I ever got up and looked out the window this morning), so todays playlist has mainly been older rock and country to try and get my spirits up.

"Burnin' for You" by Blue Öyster Cult
"See You in September" by The Happenings
"More Than a Feeling" by Boston
"Runaway" by Del Shannon
"You Were on My Mind" by We Five
"Hold Me" by Fleetwood Mac
"To Cry You a Song" by Jethro Tull
"I Only Want to Be With You" by Dusty Springfield
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams
"Wild Summer Nights" by John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band
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March is here

Another month shot in the ass.
Even for a short month February seemed to go by fast. Does anyone else feel that way?

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It's interesting looking at Congress's attitudes with regard to the Porkulus Stimulus Package; it brings to mind a picture like this:



Of course if things go bad, we'll have this reaction:

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators."
-P. J. O'Rourke

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Felt like a mix of a lot of old with just a touch of new.

"She's My Girl" by The Turtles
"Fresh Garbage" by Spirit
"Legend of a Mind" by The Moody Blues
"Stealing Rosemary" by The Bangles
"A Real Fine Place to Start" by Sara Evans
"Walk Away Renee" by The Left Banke
"Strange Days" by The Doors
"Dhun" by Ravi Shankar/Sir Yehudi Menuhin
"Songs to Aging Children Come" by Joni Mitchell
"Dog and Butterfly" by Heart

Anyone out there remember those oldies?

"Walk Away Renee" by The Left Banke