Getting tired of snow

It's been snowing for a couple of days now, and is coming down good as I write this.
These pictures are from yesterday morning; it snowed all day yesterday, last night, and is still coming down.  It's dropped a good eight inches since then, and I didn't feel like going out to take pictures today.

Picture 1: View from my mailbox to the west.  Can't even see the Oquirrh Mountains.
Picture 2:  Birdbath in my back yard.  The birds are out of luck.

The snow does have its own kind of beauty though; the two shots below show that.

*******************************************************

Another year is winding down, ready to end. Looking back, a lot happened from my viewpoint. The economy, a fire at my mom's place, my injury and the long recovery I'm working on, being diagnosed with diabetes, etc. Hopefully next year will be a lot better, at least for me.
I don't feel too hopeful for the economy; even if things pick up, it's going to take a while to get the momentum going.
The federal government? We changed one bunch of crooks for another, hopefully this bunch will have a little more sense of self-preservation and start listening to their constituents instead of just passing more pork and ignoring the public. I'm not holding my breath until it happens, however. As far as the the White House goes, I don't have much confidence in that bunch; a bunch of elitists who look down their noses as anyone not of their persuasion, and seem to think they can get by by blaming everything on the past administration. None of them seems to know a damn thing about business or economics, yet they keep coming up with more bullshit to fling out into the economy.

"The larger the mob, the harder the test. In small areas, before small electorates, a first-rate man occasionally fights his way through, carrying even the mob with him by force of personality. But when the field is nationwide, and the fight must be waged chiefly at second and third hand, and the force of personality cannot so readily make itself felt, then all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre - the man who can most easily adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.
The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
-H.L. Mencken

Just my opinion.

*******************************************************

There should be some familiar tunes in this bunch.

"Lights" by Journey
"You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt
"Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks
"Cold, Cold Heart" by Hank Williams
"Against the Wind" by Bob Seger
"Nickel Romeo" by The Bangles
"The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel
"If I Were A Carpenter" by Bobby Darin
"The Lonely One" by Duane Eddy
"I Just Want To Make Love To You" by LMuddy Waters

A Bob Dylan tune done by the late Bobby Darin. Great version of a good song.



Duane Eddy had a distinctive style that makes him one of the classic guitarists of oldies rock.



Blues, from an old master.

Too long between posting, sorry about that.

I was looking at the international news, and noticed a strange thing happening over in Switzerland.
In most countries, the governments are always trying to disarm the populace; the sheep are easier to govern when they feel helpless. In Switzerland, however, we have the opposite thing happening; the government is trying to keep the population armed, and are urging the people not to disarm themselves. It would seem there is a group pushing for strict gun control, and locking up all the guns, which would completely negate the reserves and militia. WTF?

***************************************

Winter is in full swing, and has afforded a few opportunities for photos. I hope to get more later, as I'm now able to get out more.
These were taken out at my mom's place last week.   

Click pictures to enlarge.

Picture 1: Looking east toward the Oquirrh Mountains from the back yard.
Pictures 2 and 3 are a couple of trees.  These were taken in the afternoon, which goes to show how cold the air is out there.

***************************************

There was a wreath ceremony at Arlington for the fallen. Our fallen soldiers don't get the recognition they deserve. For one of the best posts I've seen in a long time, drop over to Brigid's blog and read it. If you don't find that to be a moving article, your heart is in the wrong place. 

***************************************

December 15 is Bill of Rights Day, for those who didn't know. It wouldn't hurt to get out a copy (or pull one up off the Web) and look it over. It is one of the most amazing and ignored documents in the history of human rights.
Most paperwork associated with the formation of governments deals with the powers of the government, and what rights are "given" to the subjects, through the magnanimity of the rulers. The Bill of Rights is unique; it does not grant rights to the people (who are citizens, NOT subjects), but enumerates them as things that the government has no power to negate; only the people themselves have that right. The rest of the Constitution lists the powers of the government, but they are to take second place to the rights of the people themselves.
Sadly, over the last few decades the lines have been blurred by those in power; they talk of the "rights" of the government, and try to squeeze the boundaries of the rights of the citizens. It is time that people start looking at the what has been happening and taking stock of what has happened. When the government starts re-defining your rights, then you are no longer a citizen, you are a subject.

"It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights — the 'right' to education, the 'right' to health care, the 'right' to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are the rations of slavery — hay and a barn for human cattle."
- P.J. O'Rourke

***************************************

There must be a few people who have some favorites in this bunch.

"Bat Out of Hell" by Meat Loaf
"Crackerbox Palace" by George Harrison
"Bring Me Some Water" by Melissa Etheridge
"Question" by The Moody Blues
"That'll Be the Day" by Buddy Holly
"Beg, Borrow, and Steal" by Rare Breed
"Songs to Aging Children Come" by Joni Mitchell
"Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March" by The Boxtops
"Over You" by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
"As If" by Sara Evans


An under-appreciated group in the lat sixties, The Boxtops were good at rock, blues, and odd stuff. This one was banned in some areas when it came out, because of the subject matter. I though it was a hoot, myself.



Another group of the sixties, this one was fairly popular due to the lead singer.



One of the better female country singers (and easy to look at). This one is for Terri, who is a Sara Evans fan.