I have been remiss in my posting

Been a couple of weeks since I posted last; that's what happens when you're busy and your muse has left town.
We're finally into real spring here in Salt Lake Valley; no more frost or snow from now on. And I've finally been able to plant the garden.

Got several tomatoes planted.



The Egyptian onions are doing well; each of these tops grows into a bulb; if you plant it, another plant grows, so every time you pull one, you plant another.



A small section of my herb garden; here showing are curled parsley, cilantro, chives, thyme, and oregano.



My miniature roses are also doing well. These are an inch in diameter.





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Friday we spent most of the day at the zoo. A couple of large examples will suffice.





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Saturday was spent in northeastern Utah and the southwestern corner of Wyoming. We took a trip up into the north side of the Uintah Mountains until we got near the top, where it was still blocked with 4' high drifts.
Down lower there is a lot of drifts and runoff, and the spring flowers are coming up.







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After coming down out of the Uintahs, we stopped in Evanston, Wyoming, where they were having a large gathering of bikers; they had part of the main street closed for the event.

A picture looking to the west from the middle of the street.



A picture looking to the east from the middle of the street.



I thought this paint job was interesting.



No explanation needed for this one.



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Today we went to the Sundance area for a while, then up the south side of the Uintahs until we hit deep drifts in the road.

A shot of the mountains above Sundance.



The Provo River in the Uintahs.



Lower falls of the Provo River.



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I few old tunes, a few older ones...

"Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto
"Wild Summer Nights" by John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band
"Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol
"If You Could Read My Mind" by Gordon Lightfoot
"On the Sunny Side of the Street" by Diana Krall
"Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding
"Smuggler's Blues" by Glenn Frey
"Lawyers, Guns and Money" by Warren Zevon
"Highwayman" by Johnny Cash/Kris Kristofferson/Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson
"Close My Eyes Forever" by Lita Ford and Ozzie Osbourne

The song by the Highwaymen has always been one of my favorites; sadly only two of the four are still around, and they aren't getting any younger.



The last song in the playlist is a favorite of mine from a few years ago, many people probably don't really remember it, other than maybe my friend Gregor.

Happy Mother's Day

To all of the moms out there, my best wishes for today. I'm going out to my mom's place later today (she lives about an hour southwest of Salt Lake). The weather is good today, so it should be a good trip.

It's also my brother's birthday. Happy birthday, Rich.

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The flu scare is getting a bit old; how is this flu doing any different from any other variety of flu that hits every year? I don't see a bit difference in the statistics, leading me to believe this is mainly hype being put out there by the media. Personally, I'm more concerned about bee stings, or getting hit by a car. If you have any contrary information, please let me know.

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Happy birthday to the integrated circuit.

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I have neither the time or patience to talk about national politics at this time; I do leave you with these related terms however: fustercluck and goat rope.

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Listening to a playlist I put together Friday.

"We Gotta Get Out of This Place" by Eric Burdon and The Animals
"Moondance" by Van Morrison
"Take on Me" by A-Ha
"Walk-Don't Run" by The Ventures
"Go Where You Wanna Go" by The Mamas & the Papas
"Dengue Woman Blues" by Jimmie Vaughan
"Take the "A" Train" by Duke Ellington
"Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds
"Time Won't Let Me" by The Outsiders
"To Beat the Devil" by Kris Kristofferson

Decided to put the first and the last ones on here.
The first one is an old favorite, and used to get a lot of people singing along with the chorus when it would come on the radio at places where I was working.




This one is in a bit different vein; it has been one of my favorites from Kristofferson, and anyone who has ever been down in the dumps or had some hard times can probably relate to it.

Help Wanted: Muse

I've pretty well given up on my muse; I think she changed her name and moved to Canada. New applicants will be considered. Until then I guess I'll just sort of rant and babble in a semi-coherent manner.

I just saw in the headlines that Dom DeLuise died yesterday; he will be missed.

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The weather seems to have finally settled down into spring around here. It has been fairly warm (anywhere from 45ºF up to 67ºF), so people are finally putting in their gardens. Most of my herbs are in, the tomatoes and zucchinis are planted, and I have been putting in some poblano chiles. I wanted to plant some epazote this year, but I'm having trouble finding some at the local nurseries. Maybe I can find some seeds somewhere.

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I think the media is getting people all worked up unnecessarily about the flu this year; I have yet to see a flu season that didn't have some casualties, and this year doesn't seem much different, other than the MSM seems to be acting like it's an epidemic of Captain Trips from a Stephen King novel.

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Looks like the piracy question is forming into two camps; those of us who believe in kicking pirate asses, and those who seem to like kissing them. I just hope the US stays on the former side, and doesn't start acting like a bunch of thugs are victims. We've got enough of that BS with criminals in this country.

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Most of my time the last couple of weeks has been divided between two pursuits; working in the yard, and recovery time. These days it's harder to put in the hours I used to do; seems like the time between getting laid up with back problems is getting shorter all the time. Hopefully things will be better when it is warmer.

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I'm still trying to find an example of a country/culture/society that has managed to tax itself into prosperity. The current federal adminisration seems to think it is possible, but I haven't really been any more impressed by their intelligence than I was by the last administration. Do you ever get the feeling that some people go into politics because they don't have any useful skills, abilities, or knowledge?

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Lot of old stuff today; anyone out there who can remember even half of these?

"Goin' Down Slow" by Howlin' Wolf
"Black Rose" by Waylon Jennings
"Comin' Back to Me" by Jefferson Airplane
"Mirage" by Pentangle
"Tennessee Stud" by Eddy Arnold
"Michelle" by The Beatles
"Dirty Water" by The Standells
"Om" by The Moody Blues
"Blues' Theme" by Davie Allan & The Arrows
"El Paso" by Marty Robbins

It's looking more like spring around here

Had a light bit of snow a few days ago, but it's been sunny for the last couple of days, and it shows.
One of my neighbors down the street has some old cars he brings out now and then, thought you might like a look at them. Sappy flower blogging will come later this week.
















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Looks like some pirates failed to capture a ship after a NATO ship stepped in.

The pirates were captured at 1 a.m. Sunday after they threw weapons, ladders and scaling equipment overboard, Davies said. Several rounds of ammunition were found on the pirates' boat.
The pirates were detained, but allowed to go free after questioning.

I have a suggestion; next time you set them free, how about doing it in an old time-honored manner?

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Lots of old stuff in the playlist today.

"Baby It's You" by The Beatles
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Eric Burdon and The Animals
"Mona Lisa" by Nat King Cole
"Fresh Garbage" by Spirit
"Walkin' After Midnight" by Patsy Cline
"The Old Man Down the Road" by John Fogerty
"If You Could Read My Mind" by Gordon Lightfoot
"Mama Told Me Not to Come" by Three Dog Night
"867-5309/Jenny" by Tommy Tutone
"It's My Life" by Bon Jovi and Sugarland

The next to last one is sort of an earworm, but entertaining.



The last song is from a concert with Bon Jovi and Sugarland. Jennifer Nettles has a stronger voice than Bon Jovi, and I think she adds a little more depth and moxey to the number. IMHO, anyway.



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"...to the shores of Tripoli..."

Is anyone else getting tired of reading about pirates in this day and age? As the title of this post suggests, we used to have ways of taking care of problems like this. What has changed? The UN should be addressing this, but that gutless bunch of idiot eunuchs are too busy playing politics and trying to talk everyone into some sort of global government. You do not get rid of thugs by paying them off or talking nice to them. What is needed is for someone to start kicking their asses and making them wish they had honest jobs. As far as I can see, this is an act of war on behalf of the country in which they are based; if that country won't do anything about them, then someone else should. Start blowing a few of them out of the water, to begin with, then hit their bases. When you are dealing with a bunch of animals like that you have to use force; it's the only thing they understand or respect.
Just my opinion.

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"Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughan
"Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" by Waylon Jennings
"Work(s): Sonata in D minor" by Andrés Segovia
"I Only Want to Be With You" by Dusty Springfield
"Riding With the King" by B.B. King and Eric Clapton
"Johnny Reb" by Johnny Horton
"Burnin' for You" by Blue Öyster Cult
"Leaves That Are Green" by Simon & Garfunkel
"You Got It" by Roy Orbison
"Come As You Are" by Mindi Abair

This video is the late Roy Orbison from the list:

Look! A toy car!

I imagine everyone has seen this goofy looking thing; looks like somebody made a two-wheel golf cart on a tight budget.

According to Segway, the new vehicle is capable of traveling at speeds of 25 to 35 mph. The vehicle can be driven between 25 miles and 35 miles on a single charge, it added.

I'm curious who the hell thought this thing was a viable form of transportation? I would love to see one of the people gushing over it try to drive it here in Salt Lake in winter, when the mercury is down low and there is a foot of snow to plow through. And 35 miles? That may be alright for driving down to the corner, or in one of the tiny states in the eastern US, but around here you'd be in a lot of trouble. Hell, you can drive further than that just running errands around town, let alone actually going anywhere.

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Sunday we went for a short drive up by Sundance, and then up American Fork Canyon; still a lot of snow, and the road that connects them is still closed for the winter. Thought you might like ot see what some of our near mountains look like. Click to enlarge.

Taken from just above Sundance.



Another photo from just above Sundance.



People fishing at Tibble Reservoir. (American Fork Canyon)



My wife caught this one of me looking at the mountains.



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And now some sappy flower blogging from my yard to offset the cold looking pictures above. Click to enlarge.










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Sort of a mix in today's playlist.

"Me and the Devil Blues" by Robert Johnson
"Abraham, Martin and John" by Dion
"Nobody But Me" by The Human Beinz
"Get Me to the World on Time" by The Electric Prunes
"A Fistful of Dollars" from the soundtrack
"Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
"Sonata for keyboard in A major, K. 322 (L. 483)" by Andrés Segovia
"Goin' up the Country" by Canned Heat
"Crazy on You" by Heart
"Soapstone Mountain" by It's a Beautiful Day

Here's the last two:

This is one of my favorites by Ann and Nancy Wilson.



Some of you older people may remember the song "White Bird" done by the group It's a Beautiful Day. This is one of the few times David LaFlamme plays guitar; most of the time he played violin (at one time he played first chair violin for the Utah Symphony).

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

Anyone else getting tired of winter?

I know we have to have a changing of the seasons, and we need the mountain snowfall, but I am getting rather bored with the current scenery. Bare trees, mud, and snow. At least some of the spring bulbs are starting to wake up. I have tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths sending up shoots. I even have a couple of the crocuses that are starting to bloom.

Click for larger view.



This is the time of year when I miss working in my gardens; my flower gardens are just starting, and the vegetable and herb gardens are still a couple of months in the future. I can still get parsley, sage, oregano, and rosemary, now that most of the snow has melted, but everything else is still waiting to wake up.

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Still feeling like I've been hit by a truck; my arm is a little stronger, still can't use it fully and it hurts like hell. Enough whining about that.

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I see where the "Stimulus" is supposed to hit the states this week; let me know if anyone other than politicians notices the difference. Personally, I'm not holding my breath while waiting. I think by the time the politicians get done butchering Porkzilla, the taxpayers are going to be lucky to end up with a couple of soup bones.

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Looks like there was a sting that rescued some unfortunate children and netted some lowlifes. I really have trouble understanding people who can do this sort of thing, it makes me want to spend a few minutes in a locked room with them in a chair, and me with a baseball bat. I consider people who molest or traffic in children to be somewhere on the evolutionary scale in between body lice and tapeworms.
Just my opinion.

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Felt like an all-sixties day today; I'm not sure how many people will recognize even half of the top ten of the playlist I put together.

"Abraham, Martin and John" by Dion
"Baby the Rain Must Fall" by Glenn Yarbrough
"King of the Road" by Roger Miller
"Abilene" by George Hamilton IV
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" by The Byrds
"Light My Fire" by José Feliciano
"Today" by The New Christy Minstrels
"Willow Weep for Me" by Chad And Jeremy
"If I Had a Hammer" by Trini Lopez
"Sloop John B" by The Beach Boys


Here's an old classic from those days. During the seventies and eighties, when I was working in a shop, every time this song came on most of the crew tended to join in the chorus, even the ones who didn't normally listen to rock music.

Porkzilla

I see in the news that Congress has pushed through the so-called "stimulus" package; the only ones that are getting stimulated are the ones who voted for it.

Below we have a picture of the Democratic Congress admiring the bill they passed.



Now, from a couple of my favorite humorists:

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress."
-Mark Twain

"Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."
- Mark Twain

"The difference between death and taxes is death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets".
- Will Rogers

"The budget is a mythical bean bag. Congress votes mythical beans into it, and then tries to reach in and pull real beans out."
-Will Rogers

I'm not sure how much Hope and Change© this country can take without crashing.

"Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason." -Unknown

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My shoulder is slowly getting better; it turned out I didn't have a torn rotator cuff, so no surgery is needed. What I do have is several torn tendons that attach to the rotator. I've been going through some physical therapy sessions, and it looks like that should solve the problem over the next few weeks. It's still weak, and hurts like hell, though.

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Sort of a hodge-podge of music today, seem to be in a blasé mood.

"Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who
"Sunset Grill" by Don Henley
"What a Wonderful World" by David "Fathead" Newman
"With You There to Help Me" by Jethro Tull
"Comin' Back to Me" by Jefferson Airplane
"The Look of Love" by Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Eric Burdon and The Animals
"Never Comes the Day" by The Moody Blues
"A Summer Song" by Chad and Jeremy
"Highwayman" by Johnny Cash/Kris Kristofferson/Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson

Any favorites in that bunch?

It's been a while

Some day maybe I'll get better in my blogging habits. Since my last post, I've gotten a year older, my chronic back problem is doing its usual thing(the air pressure has been bobbing up and down like a yo-yo this winter), my shoulder has gone from bad to worse (had to get an MRI, and I may need surgery), I've had a wisdom tooth yanked out, had to attend the funeral of an old friend, and I've had to replace a monitor. Hope the rest of the year doesn't continue in this trend.

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I assume everyone has looked over the "stimulus" package; the only thing that monstrosity is stimulating is the national debt. From everything I've seen, only about 5-12% of it actually will have any effect on the economy, the rest is just the usual bloated pork that politicians line up to devour.

"The budget is a mythical bean bag. Congress votes mythical beans into it, and then tries to reach in and pull real beans out."
-Will Rogers

I think too many politicians have lost sight of what the beans are supposed to represent.

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What's with so many of the appointees for positions turning out to be tax evaders? Maybe what we should do is start requiring anyone who wants to hold a public office to submit to an audit from the IRS. At least that way they'll have to wait until after they're elected to show their criminal side.

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
-Aesop

Seems like the best way to set a person on the road to crime is to elect them to a public office.

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Google Latitude lets you track friends, employees

Am I the only one who thinks this is a spooky idea that could get badly misused?

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This may seem like a dark group of songs to those who are familiar with them. Goes with my mood these last couple of weeks, I guess.

"Let Me Be" by The Turtles
"In My Time of Sorrow" by Marianne Faithfull
"Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones
"Lost in a Lost World" by The Moody Blues
"Sometimes It's a Bitch" by Stevie Nicks
"Strange Days" by The Doors
"Mechanical World" by Spirit
"I've Been Down for So Long (It Looks Like up to Me)" by Nancy Sinatra
"To Beat the Devil" by Kris Kristofferson
"Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty



Here's the first song in the list, with the lyrics:




Please don't mistake me or try to make me
The shadow of anybody else
I ain't the him or her you think I am
I'm just trying hard to be myself
Oh, society's goal is to be part of the whole
That may sound good to you, not to me

Let me be, let me be
To think like I want to
Let me be, let me be
That's all I ask of you
I am what I am and that's all I ever can be

Don't try to plan me or understand me
I can't stand to be understood
I could never give in to or ever live up to
Being like you think I should
I've got some inner need which I'm tryin' to heed
I can't take hand-me-down destiny

Let me be, let me be,
To think like I want to
Let me be, let me be
That's all I ask of you
I am what I am and that's all I ever can be

Don't try to change me or rearrange me
To satisfy the selfishness of you
I'm not a piece of clay to mold to your moves each day
And I'm not a pawn to be told how to move
I'm sorry I'm not the fool you thought would play by your rules
But to-each-his-own philosophy

Let me be, let me be,
To think like I want to
Let me be, let me be
That's all I ask of you
I am what I am and that's all I ever can be

I said that's all I ever can be
I said that's all I ever can be
I said that's all I ever can be

Hosannas will abound for the Chosen One

Looks like Washington is going to have a celebration on inauguration day that will rival the Second Coming. I think I'll pass. I'll probably be out to dinner, since Jan 20 is my birthday; turning 57 years old is nothing to be yelling w00t about.

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The Momster has tagged me with a meme.

A- Link to the person who tagged you.
B- Post the rules on your blog.
C- Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
D- Tag six people with a link

1. For some reason, most people (even medical personnel) underestimate my weight by fifty to sixty pounds.
2. I have no problems talking with complete strangers; it drives my wife crazy when we're on vacation.
3. I haven't had a bottle of ketchup in the house in years; it is too bland and tasteless for me unless I mix it with chiles or horseradish.
4. One of my favorite sandwiches growing up was sliced purple onions and butter.
5. Though I enjoy hunting and target shooting, I haven't been to a formal firing range in over 50 years; I prefer shooting out in the boonies somewhere by myself or with a few friends.
6. I like drinking coffee even in the summer when the temperature is above 100ºF.

I'm going to put this one out there for anyone who wants to run with it.

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Should be something here to please/annoy everybody.

"American Pie" by Don McLean
"Season of the Witch" by Blues Brothers Band
"Shenandoah" by Lorie Line
"Autumn Leaves" by Cannonball Adderley/Miles Davis
"Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line" by Waylon Jennings
"Coming into Los Angeles" by Arlo Guthrie
"Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
"The Voice" by The Moody Blues
"Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield
"Dominique" by The Singing Nun

Resolutions? Surely you jest

No way I make New Year resolutions; I don't like promising to do something that I may not be able to accomplish. I need to get healthier and blog on a more regular basis, but I refuse to make promises I can't always keep, so there.

So far this year what we have mainly had is snow every couple of days. At least the temperatures have been better, not so much of the stuff down in the teens. We have had a lot of pressure changes, which is playing merry hell with my joints. The anti-inflammatory pills got rid of the tendinitis, but I still have pain down in the shoulder joint itself, and it is getting worse. Right now I can barely lift my right arm above the shoulder, forget about trying to lift anything that weighs more than a couple of ounces. Guess I'll have to go back to the doctor to see what else is wrong. Hopefully it's just something that takes a cortisone shot, and not surgery.

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I notice a lot of hand-wringing over the continuing scuffle between Israel and Palestine. I have an idea; why doesn't everyone else STFU and just let them work it out between themselves? It doesn't matter who goes over there and talks to them, Hamas is not going to honor any kind of truce or peace agreement, so quit acting like the problem can be settled by diplomats. There are some people in the world who can not understand anything unless it is accompanied by a beating. If they wanted peace, all they have to do is quit attacking Israel. If you keep throwing rocks over somebody's fence, they are going to throw them back. I have no sympathy for someone who attacks and then hides behind women and children.

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I see where the New York Times has an article on what kind of dog will be chosen for the White House. Does anyone really give a rat's ass? Seems like there are actually important issues out there that could use a little bit of reporting. Personally, I don't really care what kind of pet they have, and I don't really see where it is a national issue, or relevant to anything at all concerning the rest of us.

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Looks like Messiah-Elect Obama is getting antsy; it seems he wants Congress to push things a little harder. Hey, how about waiting until you're actually sworn in, guy? It's bad enough we're getting stuck with a bunch of idiots and crazies that you have appointed, give us a little air and some time to get ready before BOHICA.

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I still don't understand why everyone is tolerating pirates, and actually rewarding them for their efforts. I know it's not politically correct to say so, but why are we letting these vermin live? It would make more sense to blow them out of the water instead of paying them. All that ransoms do is encourage these assholes. If they let ships keep some arms so they could shoot back at pirates attempting to board, and let local aircraft drop a load of hurt on the pirate ship in the form of high explosives, it would cut down on this bullshit in a hurry. Quit trying to capture these cockroaches, just sink their boat as a warning. Any survivors can be left to swim.

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Feeling in an odd mood, this kind of reflects it.

"Downtown" by Petula Clark
"Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding
"It Was a Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra
"Down Under" by Men At Work
"Reuben James" by Kenny Rogers
"Burnin' for You" by Blue Öyster Cult
"Janis" by Country Joe & the Fish
"Someday Never Comes" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Born Under a Bad Sign" by Cream
"You Ain't So Tough" by Heart