I couldn't help myself. With the recent headlines swirling around the debacle of love lorn, lusty secret service members, I started thinking about the Michael Douglas film, "Romancing the Stone". Bizarre scenes of a romance novelist making her way on the twisting, winding dirt roads of Columbia, with the hopes of reaching Cartagena with some treasure map. What's wrong with people? It's beyond reason that you can't go without sex, drugs and rock n' roll for a few days, while hanging out on foreign shores. I am bemused and bewildered to say the very least.
The United States Secret Service per 18 United States Code § 3056 performs numerous details. A review of those duties seems to be lacking the description and/or definition of keeping watch over "escorts" a.k.a. prostitutes. Recent headlines now claim that the hooker wishes to be referred to as an escort rather than what she really is - a "lady of the night". Good grief - If it quacks like a duck, walks like duck and swims like duck, then surely it must be a duck; a very expensive duck, perhaps even a golden goose that lays eggs.
The Secret Service was born under the former title of the Executive Protection Service in 1865. Originally formed to combat counterfeit monies, the Secret Service has evolved over the past 150+ years to include the protection of the President and his family as well as other combating other frauds that may put the United States in danger. So, thinking along those lines, perhaps one could include hookers in Colombia as part of that protection - and that would be a really far reaching presumption. Personally, I doubt that the Secret Service have arms that long.
Don't get me wrong, I have to hand it to the Secret Service. Their mission is no easy feat. They put their lives on the line protecting the President, his family, the VP, etc. Given my deep affinity towards the current administration, (the sound of retching can be heard right now) , they do their job, without prejudice...I don't think I could do the same. When the FLOTUS wants to take another tax payer funded vacation, or wishes to head over to her local Target to buy some yoga pants and toilet paper, those agents tag along, protecting her ASSets. Job well done, job well done! Bravo!
But why oh why, in the same fell swoop of providing protection to the President do they have the uncontrollable urge to frequent a call girl? Surely, they have time off, and there must be an abundance of working girls in the United States.
Michael Douglas had the right idea of what to do in the hills of Columbia. An exotic bird smuggler (the very same smuggler that a Secret Service member might be working to hunt out and bring to justice), minding his own business, trapping talking parrots, and rescuing Kathleen Turner from treasure map fiends. Somewhere along the story line though, a few bad seeds of the Secret Service, made a mockery of protection and started to think with the wrong head.
Sarah Palin had the right line when asked what she thought about wayward agents "checking her out"....
Check this out... "YOU'RE FIRED".
About Me
- anniemac
- My husband tells me I am a makebate. So, what's wrong with that? I love to write. I have 2 great kids and 1 grandson. I'd love to say I am "retired" but really, who retires from life? Shoot me a question, comment, rant or rave. They are all welcome here. Love dogs, my family, and most of all, debate. Pro NRA, conservative and a right wing lady.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Catalog Shopping - Images May Not Appear Normal
Years ago, before children, marriage, menopause and gourmet cheese, I was a thin, tan, beach loving blond, who thought of nothing but heading to Zuma Beach in Malibu, CA to worship the sun and daydream about nothing in particular. Life was relatively care-free.
Then, all of a sudden, and without any reasonable explanation, everything changed. Oh my! Relocating to an area where winter is a 7 month experience, complete with sub zero temperatures and 400+ inches of seasonal snowfall, so also, came a reasonable expectation of wardrobes changing. No more need for afternoons shopping at malls, or considering beach trips on weekends; no, it was more like will this down jacket provide warmth to me on a -35(f) night in the Rocky Mountains.
I suppose it's my own fault. I moved to an area which appealed to me at that time, some 17 years ago. However, now, with menopause almost over with, and aching joints from arthritis, winters are no long as exciting as they were, and the novelty of white winter Christmas mornings has long since worn off. Now, I find myself dreaming of my old beach days, and summer temps that exceed 100(f).
With an upcoming relocation to warmer climates, I find myself struggling with the cruel joke that age has changed me...not for the better, in my opinion. Winter coats, scarves, snow boots will no longer be part of my wardrobe, although they are quite beneficial for hiding Mother Nature's wrath on my body. Thus, I find myself looking through Macy or J.C.Penney's catalogs, trying in vain to find clothing which will better suit the temperatures of constant summer. And damn, everything I see and half way like, looks nothing like the picture once it is delivered to me.
My best friend and I have been lamenting over the past few weeks about suitable attire to wear to her son's upcoming high school graduation. Outfits that we may have, at one point or another in our past, looked at with scorn, now are what a woman of our age and sizes might find appropriate for the social gathering. But why is it that as we get older, clothing seems to become more matronly? My friend Kris laments over the glowing, large, bold floral prints that seem to resonate a "bull's eye pattern" rather than a eye catching, summer floral dress. Nothing seems carefree about wearing a dress that could be mistaken for a beach mu-mu or have some say..."Oh, when are you due"? Oh Lord, please help me!
Living in a rural mountain town, a trip to a mall is an all weekend event. With gas prices sky high, I have resorted to catalog shopping. No doubt, all clothing looks better on models. And with the modern technology of photo shopping, you too can look 20 years younger and 20 lbs lighter with a computer slice and dice. I am now on dress #2, after ordering and receiving it, and looking at every possible angle, trying to imagine myself in 5 weeks, on a Saturday afternoon, in Southern California temperatures, wearing this dress. Will I be uncomfortable? Will this material breathe? Do I need a slip? What kind of shoes can I wear? What about jewelry?
So, here I sit in my chair, at the computer, blogging in the new dress. How pathetic. I realize that no one looks like a model in a catalog. I come complete with cellulite that will not be photo shopped before May 24th. Mother Nature is sitting behind me, in my comfy lounge chaise, chuckling, and I am convinced that somewhere in my past I must have been offensive to someone, as I feel like I am being punished. The dress I purchased from the J.C.Penney catalog doesn't look too ill-fitted, and the pattern and appearance somewhat compliment my bizarre shape.
Yet, somewhere in the back of my mind, I find myself sitting on a beach and wishing, just wishing that I was a perfect size 10 and I looked like a super model in a catalog. Oh well...guess its time for some gourmet cheese and a diet Pepsi!
Then, all of a sudden, and without any reasonable explanation, everything changed. Oh my! Relocating to an area where winter is a 7 month experience, complete with sub zero temperatures and 400+ inches of seasonal snowfall, so also, came a reasonable expectation of wardrobes changing. No more need for afternoons shopping at malls, or considering beach trips on weekends; no, it was more like will this down jacket provide warmth to me on a -35(f) night in the Rocky Mountains.
I suppose it's my own fault. I moved to an area which appealed to me at that time, some 17 years ago. However, now, with menopause almost over with, and aching joints from arthritis, winters are no long as exciting as they were, and the novelty of white winter Christmas mornings has long since worn off. Now, I find myself dreaming of my old beach days, and summer temps that exceed 100(f).
With an upcoming relocation to warmer climates, I find myself struggling with the cruel joke that age has changed me...not for the better, in my opinion. Winter coats, scarves, snow boots will no longer be part of my wardrobe, although they are quite beneficial for hiding Mother Nature's wrath on my body. Thus, I find myself looking through Macy or J.C.Penney's catalogs, trying in vain to find clothing which will better suit the temperatures of constant summer. And damn, everything I see and half way like, looks nothing like the picture once it is delivered to me.
My best friend and I have been lamenting over the past few weeks about suitable attire to wear to her son's upcoming high school graduation. Outfits that we may have, at one point or another in our past, looked at with scorn, now are what a woman of our age and sizes might find appropriate for the social gathering. But why is it that as we get older, clothing seems to become more matronly? My friend Kris laments over the glowing, large, bold floral prints that seem to resonate a "bull's eye pattern" rather than a eye catching, summer floral dress. Nothing seems carefree about wearing a dress that could be mistaken for a beach mu-mu or have some say..."Oh, when are you due"? Oh Lord, please help me!
Living in a rural mountain town, a trip to a mall is an all weekend event. With gas prices sky high, I have resorted to catalog shopping. No doubt, all clothing looks better on models. And with the modern technology of photo shopping, you too can look 20 years younger and 20 lbs lighter with a computer slice and dice. I am now on dress #2, after ordering and receiving it, and looking at every possible angle, trying to imagine myself in 5 weeks, on a Saturday afternoon, in Southern California temperatures, wearing this dress. Will I be uncomfortable? Will this material breathe? Do I need a slip? What kind of shoes can I wear? What about jewelry?
So, here I sit in my chair, at the computer, blogging in the new dress. How pathetic. I realize that no one looks like a model in a catalog. I come complete with cellulite that will not be photo shopped before May 24th. Mother Nature is sitting behind me, in my comfy lounge chaise, chuckling, and I am convinced that somewhere in my past I must have been offensive to someone, as I feel like I am being punished. The dress I purchased from the J.C.Penney catalog doesn't look too ill-fitted, and the pattern and appearance somewhat compliment my bizarre shape.
Yet, somewhere in the back of my mind, I find myself sitting on a beach and wishing, just wishing that I was a perfect size 10 and I looked like a super model in a catalog. Oh well...guess its time for some gourmet cheese and a diet Pepsi!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Bill Maher - Does Your Penis Hurt During Childbirth?
Heaven's to Betsy! Good grief! Has Bill Maher lost his mind?
When I was working as an EMT in an emergency room, one of the most painful conditions to walk through the ER doors was always the man with kidney stones. Heaven help them! I am not unsympathetic that passing a kidney stone is anything like having a cold beer, or watching your football team win the Super Bowl. It's a painful, gut wrenching, testicular twisting experience. Those tiny, yet diabolical, calcium fortified bullets of matter can turn any brave, macho, muscle ridden man into a puddle of misery, screaming pain, with the wave of a Foley cath. It's the same for the female patient as well. Kidney stones are not a discriminatory medical issue - they are all about equal opportunity. A little fentanyl, some valium and rest usually alleviate some of the pain. And once those little pellets shoot past your urethra, and hit the toilet bowl or portable commode, an audible sigh of relief can usually be heard from beyond the bathroom door or ER curtain. If you are unlucky enough to have a stone that is bigger than a pin head, or its conveniently lodged itself somewhere between the kidney and urethra, you might get yourself a trip to the OR, and some lithrotripsy or sonic booms to break up the little stones. You are then sent home with a magic mesh, coffee filter looking cone so that you can strain your urine, just like an Italian strains corkscrew pasta!
So, where am I going with this anyways? Oh yes, my most favorite man on the whole planet. Oh, Bill Maher. My poor, pathetic man! Does your mouth ever stop tossing out insults, or do you ever get choked up having your foot firmly lodged between your chin and nose? If it weren't bad enough that Hilary Rosen thinks 24 hour, stay at home moms are not pulling their weight - we now can endure what Bill Maher has to say on the topic.
I am not a feminist. I am pretty sure I have said that before. I do, however, stand firmly behind a woman making the same amount of money as a man for the same job. Moms that chose to stay home get a brave salute from me. Raising children, balancing a budget, keeping the house clean, running errands, cooking, wiping snot and shit off little faces or hands or butts is no easy job. The pay is fairly lousy, yet the rewards are huge. For the life of me though, I can't figure out what is keeping the National Organization of Women from standing beside ALL women who get targeted by political pundits and made to feel inferior. Are we to presume that only Democratic Women need defending and Republican Women should just "buck up"?
My last blog spoke to why stay at home moms are looked upon with disdain? The same day I received an email about the history behind women getting the right to vote. I mentioned in my blog, my ever present dismay and confusion as to how women are so good at tearing each other down. Why? What's wrong with us? When a fellow woman is in the cross hairs of idiotic remarks, why are the bras of America not running to stand arm in arm, and show a united front?
Bill Maher seems to think that being a woman, or choosing to stay at home is akin to a walk in the park. Is he serious? And why for the life of me, have I not heard the N.O.W. or other womens' groups supporting women against attacks from so called pundits. Are they too busy? Hardly. In my opinion, its a matter of hypocrisy.
The stay at home mommy business (and working Moms) is not how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crusts cut off. It's about kissing little boo-boos, nursing hurt feelings, reassuring little ones that bad dreams aren't real, and that mean words from bullies on the playground are hollow and empty. Moms sit through soccer games in the rain, cheer their kids from the bleachers, run carpools to afternoon activities, budget household finances, throw birthday parties, read bedtime stories, do laundry, darn socks, clean litter boxes, pick up dog poo, make beds, wash training pants. Stay at home moms and working moms get peed on, vomited on, have their sleeves smeared with boogers, get up in the middle of the night for little sick kids, or nightmares and fevers. It's not a job for the weak of heart.
So, Bill Maher claims that Ann Romney never got off her "ass". Hmm, sounds like Bill Maher could maybe stand a little kidney stone treatment, a Foley catheter and maybe, just maybe, push a 9 lb baby through his penis. Now that would be something to see.
When I was working as an EMT in an emergency room, one of the most painful conditions to walk through the ER doors was always the man with kidney stones. Heaven help them! I am not unsympathetic that passing a kidney stone is anything like having a cold beer, or watching your football team win the Super Bowl. It's a painful, gut wrenching, testicular twisting experience. Those tiny, yet diabolical, calcium fortified bullets of matter can turn any brave, macho, muscle ridden man into a puddle of misery, screaming pain, with the wave of a Foley cath. It's the same for the female patient as well. Kidney stones are not a discriminatory medical issue - they are all about equal opportunity. A little fentanyl, some valium and rest usually alleviate some of the pain. And once those little pellets shoot past your urethra, and hit the toilet bowl or portable commode, an audible sigh of relief can usually be heard from beyond the bathroom door or ER curtain. If you are unlucky enough to have a stone that is bigger than a pin head, or its conveniently lodged itself somewhere between the kidney and urethra, you might get yourself a trip to the OR, and some lithrotripsy or sonic booms to break up the little stones. You are then sent home with a magic mesh, coffee filter looking cone so that you can strain your urine, just like an Italian strains corkscrew pasta!
So, where am I going with this anyways? Oh yes, my most favorite man on the whole planet. Oh, Bill Maher. My poor, pathetic man! Does your mouth ever stop tossing out insults, or do you ever get choked up having your foot firmly lodged between your chin and nose? If it weren't bad enough that Hilary Rosen thinks 24 hour, stay at home moms are not pulling their weight - we now can endure what Bill Maher has to say on the topic.
I am not a feminist. I am pretty sure I have said that before. I do, however, stand firmly behind a woman making the same amount of money as a man for the same job. Moms that chose to stay home get a brave salute from me. Raising children, balancing a budget, keeping the house clean, running errands, cooking, wiping snot and shit off little faces or hands or butts is no easy job. The pay is fairly lousy, yet the rewards are huge. For the life of me though, I can't figure out what is keeping the National Organization of Women from standing beside ALL women who get targeted by political pundits and made to feel inferior. Are we to presume that only Democratic Women need defending and Republican Women should just "buck up"?
My last blog spoke to why stay at home moms are looked upon with disdain? The same day I received an email about the history behind women getting the right to vote. I mentioned in my blog, my ever present dismay and confusion as to how women are so good at tearing each other down. Why? What's wrong with us? When a fellow woman is in the cross hairs of idiotic remarks, why are the bras of America not running to stand arm in arm, and show a united front?
Bill Maher seems to think that being a woman, or choosing to stay at home is akin to a walk in the park. Is he serious? And why for the life of me, have I not heard the N.O.W. or other womens' groups supporting women against attacks from so called pundits. Are they too busy? Hardly. In my opinion, its a matter of hypocrisy.
The stay at home mommy business (and working Moms) is not how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crusts cut off. It's about kissing little boo-boos, nursing hurt feelings, reassuring little ones that bad dreams aren't real, and that mean words from bullies on the playground are hollow and empty. Moms sit through soccer games in the rain, cheer their kids from the bleachers, run carpools to afternoon activities, budget household finances, throw birthday parties, read bedtime stories, do laundry, darn socks, clean litter boxes, pick up dog poo, make beds, wash training pants. Stay at home moms and working moms get peed on, vomited on, have their sleeves smeared with boogers, get up in the middle of the night for little sick kids, or nightmares and fevers. It's not a job for the weak of heart.
So, Bill Maher claims that Ann Romney never got off her "ass". Hmm, sounds like Bill Maher could maybe stand a little kidney stone treatment, a Foley catheter and maybe, just maybe, push a 9 lb baby through his penis. Now that would be something to see.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Moms on Parade - My Oven Thanks You
All this time, I could have sworn up and down that being a housewife, EMT, mother and writer was hard work. Days that reach beyond the conventional 12 hours, and last well into the night; alarm clocks that are set for 0530, just to give us a little bit more time to slather a slice of bread with peanut butter and jelly, and pack healthy lunches for our kids, maybe squeeze in a load of laundry before 0630 and then dress ourselves, run a comb through our hair and throw some make up on our weary faces, just to learn that SOME people think Ann Romney doesn't know diddly-doo about working hard. Come walk a mile in my shoes, then you can exclaim how you think Ann Romney doesn't have the first inkling about hard work.
I suppose I am lucky right now as the only jobs I have are as a caretaker of a 82 y/o ALS patient, wife and writer. If I had only the job as wife and homemaker, I would still defend Ann Romney's decision to stay at home and raise her family. In today's society, the general public seems to have the notion that a woman is nothing of value if she isn't out in the daily grind of the work force, earning a dollar.
For those DINK folks, take a gaze at the cost of child care. It ain't cheap! So, Ann Romney made the choice to stay at home, raise her 5 kids, and be a loving wife. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with a family with two parents, and a hearty set of family values. What's wrong with being a school volunteer, or cub scout leader, or sitting around with a bunch of little Girl Scouts, or driving little kids to sporting activities? Without citing an abundance of statistics, don't most families of two parents, with moms staying at home, turn out better, well rounded kids? Hold on to your panties...single parents do a fantastic jobs, too. I may not be perfect (hey, keep that snickering down), but I feel blessed that I had a mother who stayed at home, and had 4 kids, and along the way, taught us about becoming viable members of society.
Democratic strategist, Hilary Rosen stepped in a monumental pile of shit the other day. For a government party or individual to make such an outlandish statement about being a mom, all while Dems are pandering to the women of this country, attempting to malign Romney for being out of touch with the women of this country, simply mystifies me. Why are women always attacking women? I swear we are our own worst enemies at time. Watch an episode of Survivor, and to me, it appears that the women on that show always fall prey to ferocious, catty, female like behavior. Have we learned nothing from our bra burning generations?
Of course, the N.O.W. wouldn't be caught dead standing up for people like Ann Romney. Their mission claims some sort of alliance towards the woman of today. So, what's wrong with standing behind someone like Ann Romney, and supporting her decision to stay at home and raise 5 apparently well rounded young men, aka 5 boys? Are women only validated by the wage they earn?
The POTUS made the comment in regards to his wife that "they could not afford the 'luxury' of having her stay home with the children". In 2005, old Barry was making $162,100. with the U.S. Senate. Here's a new flash Mr. President - families in middle income America make it by with salaries that are half of that - all while the wife/mother stays home with the kids. A salary is not necessarily a mandate as to who should stay at home.
Why does the American mentality seem to look down upon a family dynamic that seems to be of no threat to anyone? I think about the jobs I have now, and let me tell you, it's not easy. My husband works very hard to provide a good life for us. We are fortunate that our children are adults, grown, out on their own, and doing well. Our responsibilities are now geared towards retirement, and enjoying our time with each other. I relish in being a housewife. I also am proud to be a caretaker for someone with ALS. My daily life is probably no different than most women in America. I am consumed with pride when my husband leaves the house with a clean shirt, or comes home to a well cooked meal (actually, our son is the gourmet chef in the family). I enjoy being a wife. I don't find the title to be demeaning, or in some way, make me feel less or not equal to the woman who makes the choice to work and be a mom.
Sadly, it seems to be mainstream America who stands in the front row and screams in high pitched rants that being just a housewife and mom is some sort of black mark against women in general. I gaze over from my computer desk right now, look adoringly and with great pride at the pristine condition of my stove and oven. I spent my early morning hours scrubbing the appliances until they were clean enough for the Virgin Mary to cook a meal. I am a huge fan of Easy Off Oven Cleaner, Ajax, Clorox Clean-Up and of course hamburger on sale. Ah, such is the life of this domestic goddess!
I suppose I am lucky right now as the only jobs I have are as a caretaker of a 82 y/o ALS patient, wife and writer. If I had only the job as wife and homemaker, I would still defend Ann Romney's decision to stay at home and raise her family. In today's society, the general public seems to have the notion that a woman is nothing of value if she isn't out in the daily grind of the work force, earning a dollar.
For those DINK folks, take a gaze at the cost of child care. It ain't cheap! So, Ann Romney made the choice to stay at home, raise her 5 kids, and be a loving wife. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with a family with two parents, and a hearty set of family values. What's wrong with being a school volunteer, or cub scout leader, or sitting around with a bunch of little Girl Scouts, or driving little kids to sporting activities? Without citing an abundance of statistics, don't most families of two parents, with moms staying at home, turn out better, well rounded kids? Hold on to your panties...single parents do a fantastic jobs, too. I may not be perfect (hey, keep that snickering down), but I feel blessed that I had a mother who stayed at home, and had 4 kids, and along the way, taught us about becoming viable members of society.
Democratic strategist, Hilary Rosen stepped in a monumental pile of shit the other day. For a government party or individual to make such an outlandish statement about being a mom, all while Dems are pandering to the women of this country, attempting to malign Romney for being out of touch with the women of this country, simply mystifies me. Why are women always attacking women? I swear we are our own worst enemies at time. Watch an episode of Survivor, and to me, it appears that the women on that show always fall prey to ferocious, catty, female like behavior. Have we learned nothing from our bra burning generations?
Of course, the N.O.W. wouldn't be caught dead standing up for people like Ann Romney. Their mission claims some sort of alliance towards the woman of today. So, what's wrong with standing behind someone like Ann Romney, and supporting her decision to stay at home and raise 5 apparently well rounded young men, aka 5 boys? Are women only validated by the wage they earn?
The POTUS made the comment in regards to his wife that "they could not afford the 'luxury' of having her stay home with the children". In 2005, old Barry was making $162,100. with the U.S. Senate. Here's a new flash Mr. President - families in middle income America make it by with salaries that are half of that - all while the wife/mother stays home with the kids. A salary is not necessarily a mandate as to who should stay at home.
Why does the American mentality seem to look down upon a family dynamic that seems to be of no threat to anyone? I think about the jobs I have now, and let me tell you, it's not easy. My husband works very hard to provide a good life for us. We are fortunate that our children are adults, grown, out on their own, and doing well. Our responsibilities are now geared towards retirement, and enjoying our time with each other. I relish in being a housewife. I also am proud to be a caretaker for someone with ALS. My daily life is probably no different than most women in America. I am consumed with pride when my husband leaves the house with a clean shirt, or comes home to a well cooked meal (actually, our son is the gourmet chef in the family). I enjoy being a wife. I don't find the title to be demeaning, or in some way, make me feel less or not equal to the woman who makes the choice to work and be a mom.
Sadly, it seems to be mainstream America who stands in the front row and screams in high pitched rants that being just a housewife and mom is some sort of black mark against women in general. I gaze over from my computer desk right now, look adoringly and with great pride at the pristine condition of my stove and oven. I spent my early morning hours scrubbing the appliances until they were clean enough for the Virgin Mary to cook a meal. I am a huge fan of Easy Off Oven Cleaner, Ajax, Clorox Clean-Up and of course hamburger on sale. Ah, such is the life of this domestic goddess!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Ativan or Fresh Air?
Annie Mac has been in bed, saddled with the seasonal crud that has been floating through NW Colorado. Every year, old man winter eases himself out of bed, packs his snow and heads for where ever it is he goes. This year, old man has not been very plentiful towards donating the phat, fluffy snow to Ski Town USA. I suppose he sensed a stale and shallow economy and figured that perhaps he'd leave a ski resort with little to do but make snow, then dump the season's load all in February, then take a hiatus, and let Mother Nature Spring in for an early shot. With the hot, cold, windy, snowy months all mixed together, this menopausal gal did not configure her immune system to the havoc, and landed in bed for 10 days with a head full of snot.
Yeah, its been a really ugly ski season. The lower mountain closed 2 weeks early, and looking up at the mountain from my kitchen window, I see too many brown spots, and not enough of the much needed white. I do not ski, but in a town where snow = $$$, a shortened season means loss of revenue. Alas, the only considerable week of snow worthy of ski gods came while Ann Coulter was in town. Hmm, maybe ol Annie Coulter has herself in good with the weather maker supreme! So, thanks, Ann Coulter.
After 10 days in bed, and padding the investment portfolio of Kleenex with endless nose blows, my husband decided to get me out of the house, and take me on a photography weekend with him. www.mollydogimages.com, offers some beautiful scenes of all that is outdoors. My husband takes his time, scouting areas for the perfect shot. He's extremely meticulous, to the point of being anal, and thus it is reflected upon in his portfolios.
This weekend, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, we are in Vernal, Utah. Some of you may know where Vernal is. A mere 4 our drive west of Steamboat Springs, CO, this small Utah town on the border of Colorado and Utah was once a plethora for ancient dinosaurs. Hence, the development of Dinosaur National Park. If you want to experience silence, then this is the place to be.
Saturday found us getting a cheap motel room, then loading our 2 faithful doggie companions in the car and venturing north on Utah's Highway 191 towards Flaming Gorge recreational area. Once 191 intersects with Highway 44, we turned left, took 44 to Red Canyon. My husband is always in search of the right light. Photographers want light that is gained either in the wee early hours or late night dusk to dark shadow casting light. We turned off Highway 44, and after a 4 mile, red dirt rutted road, came to a precipice which gave the viewer, the seeker of silence and beauty, great shots of the gorge, and the multi-hued red cliffs which become enraged when the setting sun hits them just right. The warmth I wished we had was not available, and it was a very brisk 40 degrees. Brrgh! But, our dogs loved it, and before I could nag to my husband to be careful, he was off with his camera, tripod and backpack in hand.
John has an eye for things. While most will look at a cliff, cloud, grain of sand or tree stump, John is an artist who can see beyond that and find himself deep inside time and space. I suppose being married to me has given him ample reason to look for peace and serenity in nature. I am everything opposite of what his photos capture. So, when people look at John's work, they walk away with a sense of awe and a blanket of inspiration that there are still hide-a-ways in this world where one can go to find their inner buddha.
I accompany John on some of his photo trips. For me, the peace comes in watching John create lasting spells of magic from behind his camera lens. Other times, I may go with him, but pull my beach chair from the car, and sit in our camp spot, reading until he returns. I get the sense that most of John's true creativity comes from his solo motorcycle trips, where I stay at home, with the dogs, and John can soar through the desert canyons and secret spaces between modern and ancient times, capturing the lingering spirits of our ancestors.
I suppose it is those times, when one can come to an inner peace and truly find the ultimate high. I know on hiking journeys of my own to the magic places of red dirt in Moab, Utah, I venture off alone, find a rock, sit and enjoy the scream of silence. I eavesdrop on Mother Nature's conversations and find myself suddenly calmed by the poetry from wind.
Yeah, its been a really ugly ski season. The lower mountain closed 2 weeks early, and looking up at the mountain from my kitchen window, I see too many brown spots, and not enough of the much needed white. I do not ski, but in a town where snow = $$$, a shortened season means loss of revenue. Alas, the only considerable week of snow worthy of ski gods came while Ann Coulter was in town. Hmm, maybe ol Annie Coulter has herself in good with the weather maker supreme! So, thanks, Ann Coulter.
After 10 days in bed, and padding the investment portfolio of Kleenex with endless nose blows, my husband decided to get me out of the house, and take me on a photography weekend with him. www.mollydogimages.com, offers some beautiful scenes of all that is outdoors. My husband takes his time, scouting areas for the perfect shot. He's extremely meticulous, to the point of being anal, and thus it is reflected upon in his portfolios.
This weekend, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, we are in Vernal, Utah. Some of you may know where Vernal is. A mere 4 our drive west of Steamboat Springs, CO, this small Utah town on the border of Colorado and Utah was once a plethora for ancient dinosaurs. Hence, the development of Dinosaur National Park. If you want to experience silence, then this is the place to be.
Saturday found us getting a cheap motel room, then loading our 2 faithful doggie companions in the car and venturing north on Utah's Highway 191 towards Flaming Gorge recreational area. Once 191 intersects with Highway 44, we turned left, took 44 to Red Canyon. My husband is always in search of the right light. Photographers want light that is gained either in the wee early hours or late night dusk to dark shadow casting light. We turned off Highway 44, and after a 4 mile, red dirt rutted road, came to a precipice which gave the viewer, the seeker of silence and beauty, great shots of the gorge, and the multi-hued red cliffs which become enraged when the setting sun hits them just right. The warmth I wished we had was not available, and it was a very brisk 40 degrees. Brrgh! But, our dogs loved it, and before I could nag to my husband to be careful, he was off with his camera, tripod and backpack in hand.
John has an eye for things. While most will look at a cliff, cloud, grain of sand or tree stump, John is an artist who can see beyond that and find himself deep inside time and space. I suppose being married to me has given him ample reason to look for peace and serenity in nature. I am everything opposite of what his photos capture. So, when people look at John's work, they walk away with a sense of awe and a blanket of inspiration that there are still hide-a-ways in this world where one can go to find their inner buddha.
I accompany John on some of his photo trips. For me, the peace comes in watching John create lasting spells of magic from behind his camera lens. Other times, I may go with him, but pull my beach chair from the car, and sit in our camp spot, reading until he returns. I get the sense that most of John's true creativity comes from his solo motorcycle trips, where I stay at home, with the dogs, and John can soar through the desert canyons and secret spaces between modern and ancient times, capturing the lingering spirits of our ancestors.
I suppose it is those times, when one can come to an inner peace and truly find the ultimate high. I know on hiking journeys of my own to the magic places of red dirt in Moab, Utah, I venture off alone, find a rock, sit and enjoy the scream of silence. I eavesdrop on Mother Nature's conversations and find myself suddenly calmed by the poetry from wind.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
THE TRAGEDY OF TRAYVON - ARE YOU A RACIST?
Ask yourself the question. Are you a racist? Did you just cringe? Did you recoil back into your Lazy-Boy, turn your head, cower and then draw on your past?
What has Trayvon Martin done for this country and racism? If anything, the death of Trayvon has brought to the forefront the blatant vein of racism and bigotry which still exits in this country. Come on now - don't act like I just said some dirty word, or called for sort of boycott. African Americans have nothing on the rest of us. Listen to mainstream media, or NBC & ABC and you get the misguided sense that only Black America is being put upon. Such is not the case.
I can only draw upon what history has taught us. The Great Potato Famine of Ireland, from 1845-1852 caused nearly 45% to 85% of Irish to emigrate to the New World, better known as the United States. Most landed in New York. I have a picture of my dear Daddy standing on a ship in New York harbor, who came to this country after World War II with high hopes and very little money. He pursued the classic American Dream. He did not let prejudice against the Irish dissuade him from achieving success.
"Irish Need Not Apply". It happened. Stop and think about that. From the "Know Nothing" movement of the 1850's right on down the line to our own President Richard Nixon's precipitant and preconceived notions about the Irish that existed in this country - the very same country that produced Abe Lincoln and the Gettysburg address. "...[T]hat all men are created equal..." has a nice ring to it - don't you think? A bedtime story no doubt.
Moving on - Japanese Discrimination. World War II saw a rise in the hatred and dehumanization of the Japanese in this country. Ask an elder Japanese American how it felt to be in the United States during World War II, and they are apt to describe internment camps, and segregation. Sounds pretty discriminatory to me. According to a 2010 BBC poll, 11% of Americans still hold negative opinions of the Japanese. How can that be? In a country claiming to not see color nor race, nor ethnic background, nor religious affiliations, how can 11% still harbor some deep seeded hatred towards an entire race?Slogans and posters covered modern day America with anti-Japanese rhetoric. Just as the Irish were consider onerous, so too, were the Japanese.
Oh, say it ain't so! How can America, in all its greatness look down upon the immigrant? The list keeps on going. Jews. Anti-Semites are still going strong in the land of the free and brave. A 2009 study published in Boston Review found that nearly 25 percent of non-Jewish Americans blamed Jews for the financial crisis of 2008–2009, with a higher percentage among Democrats than Republicans. Really, 25%. Unreal. Unfathomable. Look back in history to Poland and the atrocities that came from the death camps. Barbaric rituals of gas chambers and then the incredulous modern day philosophies (or should we refer to it as toilet paper scripture?) from the wind bag and crazy loon Louis Farrakhan, who spews anti-Semitic hatred on mainstream television, make even me feel ashamed, even though I find every ounce of his speech beyond impotent.
So, today a loud plea is coming from some African Americans calling for the arrest - oh hell - breeze past arrest, and move towards extermination of Mr. George Zimmerman. The mainstream media, mainly NBC & ABC, had to put a color label on Mr. Zimmerman immediately. He was a "white latino". What exactly is a white latino? From all accounts I have read, Mr. Zimmerman is a latino. Was the phrase "white" added for color...(pun intended)? Are there human beings in this world who like to incite violence or race bait? I'd venture to look at the number one villains on this matter - Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Shaprton, and to a certain extent, the President, ("my son would look like Trayvon") and their caustic free speech.
Trayvon's parents want justice. The mainstream media would not appear, by their own one-sided coverage of this story, at all interested in justice. Most people of sanity rely upon facts. I base my opinions and viewpoints on facts first. I am human, and yes, contrary to popular belief, I actually have a heart. I am a proud, first generation, Irish American. I love this country. What I find to be malevolent is America's lackadaisical attitude to look beyond other ethnic groups and fixate on only African Americans. Yesterday the media reported that NBC has doctored the 911 tape of Mr. Zimmerman. Is this not a total miscarriage of justice? We also see the now, "fine tuned" version, of the police cameras which show an image of a possible laceration or contusion to the back of Mr. Zimmerman's head. The media has already tried Mr. Zimmerman, based solely upon questionable evidence and over done sentiment. Race baiters and bigots such as Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jackson have called for everything but Mr. Zimmerman's head on a silver platter. The Black Panthers have openly solicited for the death of Mr. Zimmerman. Why would it appear that no one has picked up the torch against wanton violence?
And what about Black America? Surely some responsibility should be placed upon them. I was raised in family structure where color was what you had in a crayon or chalk box. My parents taught us about social responsibility and taking ownership of your behavior. I've even blogged about this before. Own your mistakes. Seek means in which to rectify your errors, and then move on. The discourse of the Civil War, World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, etc. should have taught us, as Americans, numerous valuable lessons. Yet, it would appear that we are still content to sit in our own ignorance, and point fingers and cast blame. I wasn't there, the night Trayvon Martin died. I would venture to guess that most people were not. Yet, the media has already tried Mr. Zimmerman, and found him guilty. Based upon what? Sheer ignorance and out right racism.
My latest edition of "Los Angeles Magazine" graced my mailbox yesterday. Ironically, the cover stated "I am Black, I am White, I am Los Angeles". The magazine is shamelessly left. However, I enjoy reading it, perusing the restaurant blogs, the fashion statements and articles. I can't recall who said it, but the phrase, "know your enemies, so that you might be better suited for war" comes to mind. I read liberal media because I want to know what the opposing views are, and so I can be better informed when engaged in debate. The gist of the magazine was examining race in Los Angeles 20 years after Rodney King and the riots that followed the verdicts of 4 LAPD officers. I have my own opinion of the verdict. And I can say, that I was lucky or unlucky, however you wish to look at it, to have been in Los Angeles in the middle of those riots 20 years ago. I worked for a law firm, in the mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles. The Koreans took a big hit financially during those riots. Why? Were any of the police officers that stood trial of Korean descent? No. Was the alleged victim of trials Korean? No. But nonetheless, the Koreans were targeted
Anyone recall Reginald Denny? Now there is a name from the past. Draw on your memory from 20 years ago. Put yourself in a semi truck, at the intersection of Florence and Normandie in downtown L.A. right after the verdicts were read. What can we learn from this man? History shows us that he forgave his black assailants. He FORGAVE them. I admit, Mr. Denny is a bigger person than me. 20 years later we can still hear Rodney King blame everyone for all his troubles, take no responsibility for his actions, yet we can also hear Mr. Denny forgive his attackers for their unprovoked act of horrific violence which played out for world wide audience on LIVE television. Unreal.
Los Angeles Magazine's article might leave the reader believing that L.A. has moved on from those riots of 20 years ago. Not so. As long as certain groups are unwilling to accept some of the fault, Los Angeles can never move beyond the nightmare of April 1992.
It seems that America has also learned nothing from history. All groups at one point in history have been the target of racism, hate and bigotry. Why do we allow, and/or tolerate certain people to use their race as an excuse for bad behavior?
Perhaps America might be wise to pick up a copy of the Gettysburg Address and listen to the words of a great American - Abe Lincoln.
What has Trayvon Martin done for this country and racism? If anything, the death of Trayvon has brought to the forefront the blatant vein of racism and bigotry which still exits in this country. Come on now - don't act like I just said some dirty word, or called for sort of boycott. African Americans have nothing on the rest of us. Listen to mainstream media, or NBC & ABC and you get the misguided sense that only Black America is being put upon. Such is not the case.
I can only draw upon what history has taught us. The Great Potato Famine of Ireland, from 1845-1852 caused nearly 45% to 85% of Irish to emigrate to the New World, better known as the United States. Most landed in New York. I have a picture of my dear Daddy standing on a ship in New York harbor, who came to this country after World War II with high hopes and very little money. He pursued the classic American Dream. He did not let prejudice against the Irish dissuade him from achieving success.
"Irish Need Not Apply". It happened. Stop and think about that. From the "Know Nothing" movement of the 1850's right on down the line to our own President Richard Nixon's precipitant and preconceived notions about the Irish that existed in this country - the very same country that produced Abe Lincoln and the Gettysburg address. "...[T]hat all men are created equal..." has a nice ring to it - don't you think? A bedtime story no doubt.
Moving on - Japanese Discrimination. World War II saw a rise in the hatred and dehumanization of the Japanese in this country. Ask an elder Japanese American how it felt to be in the United States during World War II, and they are apt to describe internment camps, and segregation. Sounds pretty discriminatory to me. According to a 2010 BBC poll, 11% of Americans still hold negative opinions of the Japanese. How can that be? In a country claiming to not see color nor race, nor ethnic background, nor religious affiliations, how can 11% still harbor some deep seeded hatred towards an entire race?Slogans and posters covered modern day America with anti-Japanese rhetoric. Just as the Irish were consider onerous, so too, were the Japanese.
Oh, say it ain't so! How can America, in all its greatness look down upon the immigrant? The list keeps on going. Jews. Anti-Semites are still going strong in the land of the free and brave. A 2009 study published in Boston Review found that nearly 25 percent of non-Jewish Americans blamed Jews for the financial crisis of 2008–2009, with a higher percentage among Democrats than Republicans. Really, 25%. Unreal. Unfathomable. Look back in history to Poland and the atrocities that came from the death camps. Barbaric rituals of gas chambers and then the incredulous modern day philosophies (or should we refer to it as toilet paper scripture?) from the wind bag and crazy loon Louis Farrakhan, who spews anti-Semitic hatred on mainstream television, make even me feel ashamed, even though I find every ounce of his speech beyond impotent.
So, today a loud plea is coming from some African Americans calling for the arrest - oh hell - breeze past arrest, and move towards extermination of Mr. George Zimmerman. The mainstream media, mainly NBC & ABC, had to put a color label on Mr. Zimmerman immediately. He was a "white latino". What exactly is a white latino? From all accounts I have read, Mr. Zimmerman is a latino. Was the phrase "white" added for color...(pun intended)? Are there human beings in this world who like to incite violence or race bait? I'd venture to look at the number one villains on this matter - Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Shaprton, and to a certain extent, the President, ("my son would look like Trayvon") and their caustic free speech.
Trayvon's parents want justice. The mainstream media would not appear, by their own one-sided coverage of this story, at all interested in justice. Most people of sanity rely upon facts. I base my opinions and viewpoints on facts first. I am human, and yes, contrary to popular belief, I actually have a heart. I am a proud, first generation, Irish American. I love this country. What I find to be malevolent is America's lackadaisical attitude to look beyond other ethnic groups and fixate on only African Americans. Yesterday the media reported that NBC has doctored the 911 tape of Mr. Zimmerman. Is this not a total miscarriage of justice? We also see the now, "fine tuned" version, of the police cameras which show an image of a possible laceration or contusion to the back of Mr. Zimmerman's head. The media has already tried Mr. Zimmerman, based solely upon questionable evidence and over done sentiment. Race baiters and bigots such as Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jackson have called for everything but Mr. Zimmerman's head on a silver platter. The Black Panthers have openly solicited for the death of Mr. Zimmerman. Why would it appear that no one has picked up the torch against wanton violence?
And what about Black America? Surely some responsibility should be placed upon them. I was raised in family structure where color was what you had in a crayon or chalk box. My parents taught us about social responsibility and taking ownership of your behavior. I've even blogged about this before. Own your mistakes. Seek means in which to rectify your errors, and then move on. The discourse of the Civil War, World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, etc. should have taught us, as Americans, numerous valuable lessons. Yet, it would appear that we are still content to sit in our own ignorance, and point fingers and cast blame. I wasn't there, the night Trayvon Martin died. I would venture to guess that most people were not. Yet, the media has already tried Mr. Zimmerman, and found him guilty. Based upon what? Sheer ignorance and out right racism.
My latest edition of "Los Angeles Magazine" graced my mailbox yesterday. Ironically, the cover stated "I am Black, I am White, I am Los Angeles". The magazine is shamelessly left. However, I enjoy reading it, perusing the restaurant blogs, the fashion statements and articles. I can't recall who said it, but the phrase, "know your enemies, so that you might be better suited for war" comes to mind. I read liberal media because I want to know what the opposing views are, and so I can be better informed when engaged in debate. The gist of the magazine was examining race in Los Angeles 20 years after Rodney King and the riots that followed the verdicts of 4 LAPD officers. I have my own opinion of the verdict. And I can say, that I was lucky or unlucky, however you wish to look at it, to have been in Los Angeles in the middle of those riots 20 years ago. I worked for a law firm, in the mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles. The Koreans took a big hit financially during those riots. Why? Were any of the police officers that stood trial of Korean descent? No. Was the alleged victim of trials Korean? No. But nonetheless, the Koreans were targeted
Anyone recall Reginald Denny? Now there is a name from the past. Draw on your memory from 20 years ago. Put yourself in a semi truck, at the intersection of Florence and Normandie in downtown L.A. right after the verdicts were read. What can we learn from this man? History shows us that he forgave his black assailants. He FORGAVE them. I admit, Mr. Denny is a bigger person than me. 20 years later we can still hear Rodney King blame everyone for all his troubles, take no responsibility for his actions, yet we can also hear Mr. Denny forgive his attackers for their unprovoked act of horrific violence which played out for world wide audience on LIVE television. Unreal.
Los Angeles Magazine's article might leave the reader believing that L.A. has moved on from those riots of 20 years ago. Not so. As long as certain groups are unwilling to accept some of the fault, Los Angeles can never move beyond the nightmare of April 1992.
It seems that America has also learned nothing from history. All groups at one point in history have been the target of racism, hate and bigotry. Why do we allow, and/or tolerate certain people to use their race as an excuse for bad behavior?
Perhaps America might be wise to pick up a copy of the Gettysburg Address and listen to the words of a great American - Abe Lincoln.
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