Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Grills of Summer

Well the color changes of the Aspens and the sounds of geese make me think summers days are  numbered. Got to appreciate those barbecues and trips to the park while we can.


 
Departing summer hath assumed
An aspect tenderly illumed,
The gentlest look of spring;
That calls from yonder leafy shade
Unfaded, yet prepared to fade,
A timely carolling.
-  William Wordsworth, 


“The Wheel rolls more, and Autumn returns.
Cooler the rain; the Sun lower burns.
The coloring leaves presage the Year:
All things move into harvest’s sphere.
I vow to savor fruits first picked;
nor into grief shall I be tricked.
I vow to offer what once I spurned,
and face the Turning reassured.
- Asleen O’Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon,

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2012 the Crusades begin

2012
Let the banners fly
and Gabriel's trumpets blare.
The Politicians Crusade
has begun.
They  Prance in heavenly light

and promise heaven and earth,
If only they are crowned
and secretly  gloat over the country's decline.
Blue State, Red State
Right Wing , left Wing
When The Eagles Wings Part
It falls from the Sky
We send our Children Off to war,
To gather the mineral and the oil
Under the banner of Lady Liberty's
Tarnished Promise.
One hand on the bible,

One held out for cash
our country's biggest threat
is that the politicians forget
who they serve.
Their Savants
grovel and bow,
study the tea leaves
and see what they want to see
they campaign wrapped in the flag
and Jesus at their side
with the gates of
Megiddo
shining in their eyes.

Friday, August 26, 2011

College Football ,drunk, disorderly and disfunctional

Obviously it is happening all over, Miami, LSU ,Oklahoma and now the Montana Grizz have key players arrested, barred and under investigation.


Griz tight end charged with DUI

Posted 3:50 PM 8/26/2011 by Melissa Rafferty (KPAX News)
MISSOULA - Montana Griz football tight end Kavario Middleton was charged with a DUI.
The Seattle Times is reporting the former University of Washington Husky was pulled over on June 6 in Seattle for driving under the influence.
Middleton is a senior at the University of Montana. He joined the Grizzlies last August.
His arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 3, the same day the Griz play Tennessee.


is college football too big a business to clean up ? Isn't college supposed to be about education ?





Tuesday, August 23, 2011

diversity in Plant Life and Human life

So mother nature seems to be raising her head and is making her anger known. Earth quakes in Southern Colorado and on the East Coast. Hurricane  Irene steaming towards the Carolina's , flash floods in Pittsburgh and fires here in the Rockies. I think the smoke we have here in Bozeangeles is from a blow up near Red Lodge, but there are fires all around the area. We had a very wet spring but we need rain now.

  We Reap What We  Plant
 Over on the Bozeman Magpie blog ( see link at left and below ) site there is a nice article on back yards/ small farms and diversity among plants , tomatoes in particular. It talks about the industrialization of farming and the  overwhelming dominance of  generic farm raise produce, tomatoes , bananas and such .


http://www.bozeman-magpie.com/spotlight.php


 Any back yard farmer knows there are a lot of varieties of Tomatoes, corn, beans and such, but did you know there are 30 different kinds of Bananas ? our food sources are being narrowed and as a result are open to  destruction from fungus or plague

  how do you prepare Tomato Seeds to preserve them from one year to another ? an ideas ?


A disease spreading around the world could cause bananas to someday disappear from local supermarkets.
Plant pathologists said the Cavendish variety of banana is being attacked by a fungus.
Daniel Egel, a plant pathologist at Purdue University, said the fungus is similar to the Panama disease, which wiped out a different type of banana in the 60s.
Egel said this newer strain of the Panama disease has already spread across Asia, and produce growers fear it could spread to Latin America, killing off the Cavendish bananas found in U.S. grocery stores.
According to The Scientist Magazine, scientists are already working on a replacement banana.
  this article is supposed to be about diversity and a comment on Sunday's post caught my attention, and brought out the importance of human diversity.
 
If we did not have human diversity who would this person blame for his problems

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Objectivism vs collectivism

  Yeah I'm Off topic again but  want you to thin



Orders from the DA
Look out kid
Don't matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don't try, 'No Doz'
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows.








Objectivism vs collectivism

So it looks like there is a new sheriff in town. Obama rolled over and the Tea Party stomped on the Moderate Republican Balls.  Now I'm not sure that is a bad thing. Its been clear we need a good Colon Blow in Washington D.C.  I thought Obama was the one to do it but perhaps he was just the  spark that lit the fire.   ( I thought about using  Mrs. O,Leary's cow as a reference but who remembers that )

 The interesting is that a lot of these Tea Party Patriots  claim to be Objectivists in ideology and swear Alleghenies to Ayn Rand as their guide.   per wikipedia


Objectivism is a philosophy defined by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand (1905–1982). Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation and inductive and deductive logic, that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest, that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights, embodied in laissez faire capitalism, and that the role of art in human life is to transform man's widest metaphysical ideas, by selective reproduction of reality, into a physical form—a work of art—that one can comprehend and to which he can respond emotionally.



Collectivism is any philosophic, political, economic or social outlook that emphasizes the interdependence of every human in some collective group and the priority of group goals over individual goals. Collectivists usually focus on community, society or nation. Collectivism has been widely used to refer to a number of different political, economic and educational philosophies, ranging from communal ism and democracy to totalitarian nationalism.
Corporatism refers to a form of collectivism that views the whole as being greater than the sum of its individual parts, and gives priority to group rights over individual rights.[1][2]

makes you wonder when you read the Constitution



We the People  of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.



Saturday, August 20, 2011

boondoggle

  Sometimes you don't know what you have till you lose it. Our need for quality health care and our growing expectation of  having it as a Right rather than a privilege. Both my wife and I were once in a position of receiving it as a benefit of corporate employment.  It certainly took a lot of stress out of our lives, knowing that some if not all of the  costs of dental care , check ups and prescriptions were going to be taken care of. But now through job changes and company cost cutting we are part of the un insured.


 certainly a lot of the stuff we took for granted we can live without or reduce to  once or twice a year, Dental, glasses , physicals etc.

  But having a two year old, and the concerns and needs of raising a child  is a different matter. You can not skip a shot or a check up on a two year old .
 You can not tell the child to ride out the stomach flu or walk off a fever.
   Now we are not the type of family that would milk the welfare system  and thank goodness we are not in that dire a financial situation, but I wonder about all the people that are on the edge out there.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Nearly Dead in The Cross Walk

Today crossing durston in the yellow defined cross walk , little Goat and I were nearly run over by  a big haired 40 year old in a nice new  black SUV, yacking away on her cell phone. She obviously had it on speaker phone but was still holding it up near the rear view mirror , either for better reception or checking her make up. Something must be done about  cell phones in cars.
currently there are no laws prohibiting talking or texting while driving in Montana

Montana: Cell phone laws, legislation

Last updated: August 2, 2011 · Print this report
montana-state-flag - cell phone postDistracted driving update: The Senate rejected a 2011 bill that would have prohibited use of handheld cell phones and text messaging while driving in Montana. It had been approved twice by the Transportation Committee. Sen. Christine Kaufmann, D-Helena, was the sponsor.
Whitefish’s ban on handheld cell phone use goes into effect Sept. 20. … Helena is crafting a distracted driving law due to the defeat of Kaufmann’s SB 251.
Drivers in Butte are now prohibited from using cell phones and other handheld electronic devices. Ticketing began June 16.

Half of Montana high school students surveyed admitted to text messaging while driving in the past month, the state Office of Public Instruction reports. 53 percent reported using a cell phone while driving. The survey was released in July and conducted in February.
Current prohibitions:
None.
Roughly 90 percent of Americans own cell phones, and it's estimated that 80 percent of drivers use cell phones while driving. That's why, at any given moment, as many as 1.8 million drivers are chatting on a cell phone.
Here are 5 reasons to hang up and drive.
#1: It's Illegal
Talking on a hand-held cell phone is illegal for all drivers in 10 states and Washington, D.C. For novice drivers, cell phone usage while driving is banned in 30 states. Text messaging while driving is banned for all drivers in 34 states.
Cell phone restrictions are primary enforcement in most states, which means drivers can be stopped and ticketed for talking on a cell phone without committing any other infraction.
#2: It's Dangerous
Drivers who talk on cell phones while driving are four times as likely to cause a crash as other drivers. In fact, a study from the University of Utah found that chatty drivers are as dangerous as drunk drivers (.08 percent blood alcohol).
#3: It's Deadly
In 2009, 5,474 Americans were killed in distracted driving-related crashes. Of those, 995 deaths -- 18 percent -- were directly related to cell phone usage.
Despite the dangers, at any given time, 6 percent of all drivers and 10 percent of teens are talking on a cell phone while driving.
#4: It Sets a Bad Example
Teen drivers are dangerous enough without distractions, but too many parents are setting a dangerous precedent for their children. If you think chatting while driving isn't a big deal, think about the day your child gets a driver's license -- would you feel safe if they were chatting and driving at the same time?
#5: It'll Cost You
Even if cell phone usage isn't illegal in your state, talking or texting behind the wheel will eventually cost you. Why? Because distracted driving leads to tickets and accidents.
As stated earlier, drivers on cell phones are four times more likely to cause accidents than other drivers. A speeding ticket or fender bender could send your car insurance premium soaring, especially if your driving record isn't perfect to begin with.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A bit of the Odd, Or is that odd bits, Bozengeles Roller derby !


My favorite thing about the Internet is that you get to go into the private world of real creeps without having to smell them.






  Not that I'm against the idea of  cruising the Internet looking for the weird stuff . That's the major  reason we have the Internet and that's probably how you stumbled upon this blog.

Check out this video of these stupid people filming a grizzle in the park. The sad thing is the bear will get put down  for being too close to people

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/28886614/detail.html

Monday, August 15, 2011

sometimes it pours

So the US postal service is a wreck and something needs to be down about the , union, corruption , inefficiency,etc, but those small town post offices are going to be missed. We live in an increasingly isolated society. We spend more time  Face booking, texting, Googling  or Twittering people across the country than talking to our neighbors .
  I  still try to write an occasional letter and its nice to get one. I got a nice letter and pictures from  Friends in Buffalo Wyoming just yesterday,  And its always nice to get a post card from a friend in a distant part of the world,

But the trip to the post office was a way of entering the social circle of the community, being on a first name basis with the Postal agent and the dog or cat that lounged in the corner.  It was a place to actually exchange words with the people you only saw on the road  .


.
Over on Prairie Pondering, (see the link to the left.)
KR writes about the combined  loss of Church, School and Post office  and the increasing Isolation of farm communities on the high plains.  Its a threat we all face, whether leaving a big place for a small place or a small place  for a big place. I left a town in Wyoming where I was on a  name basis with the Mayor , Police Chief and  Town Drunk for Bozeangles where I barely  speak to anybody unless they want money or  a bigger size of Jeans.
  I think in our rush for civilization and our need for faster  ways of getting gratification we are losing and some day will miss the simple  reward of getting a post card .


 below is a nice article on NPR about the disappearing small post office

http://www.npr.org/blogs/talk/2011/08/14/139551551/where-are-we-going-to-get-together-and-talk

Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Hoppers are out



 So finally in the dog days of summer, fly fishing is heating up on the rivers in the Bozeangeles area. The heavy run off due to our harsh winter has finally slowed down. The Madison , Gallitian , Yellowstone and all the tributaries and head waters are finally clear. The big problem is they are crowded with long deprived locals and  tourists, and Little Goat gives me little time to cast a fly. Well its fun to  watch.


Paraprosdokian

 "Figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently used in a humorous situation." "Where there's a will, I want to be in it," is a type of paraprosdokian.

Okay, so now enjoy!

1. Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.
3. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
4. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
5. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.
6. War does not determine who is right - only who is left.
7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
8. Evening news is where they begin with 'Good Evening,' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.
9. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
10. A bus station is where a bus stops.. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.
11. I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paychecks.
12. Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says, 'In case of emergency, notify:' I put 'DOCTOR.'
13. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
14. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.
15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
16. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.
17. I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
18. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
19. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
20. There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.
21. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.
22. You're never too old to learn something stupid.
23. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
24. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
25. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
26. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car..
27. A diplomat is someone who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you look forward to the trip.
28. Hospitality is making your guests feel at home even when you wish they were.
29. I always take life with a grain of salt. Plus a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.
30. When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.

Words of Wisdom "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Animals strike back

 Its always cool to see Animals get a little back from humans. After all we've done to drive  so many species  extinct or to the edge of extinction , when occasionally they get the upper hand you have to clap your hands

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Climbing to Paradise

  Things keep looking worse and worse for the city and the country( If we watch the TV).A couple things we have to try and keep in mind , Family and  Family history. Be true to your family and enjoy the simple things. America may never be able to afford to do the things it once did , but our families and do what they can. Took the Goat family out on a hike today, away from the smog, the cell phones and the rushing from here to there. Do the same with your wife and kids and take pictures.







below is a picture essay  from NPR about a girls visit to her grandmother. I wish I'd have had the  spirit to have done the same myself  at that age

http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2011/08/10/139222396/100-words-on-photographing-my-grandmother

Sunday, August 7, 2011

A mobile Society

 Either through Wanderlust, creativity or the new economy we have become a transitory society. What will the future Bring ?


Friday, August 5, 2011

Litter in The Streets



Plastic Bags blow down the street,
three or four at a time.
Is that a school ? or a Gaggle ?

Thursday, August 4, 2011

No more frontier for our outlaws

 We are running out of Wilderness for our  rejects to escape t. Not that some people would be crazy where ever they are. Frontiers used to be a place for those  who did not quite fit in to escape to. Either that or the looney bin.

Police in Idaho Falls have told a man to stop wearing a bunny suit in public after people complained he has been frightening children.
Residents in the northwestern city of 54,000 people also reported William Falkingham, 34, occasionally wears a tutu with the bunny suit, police said in a statement on Tuesday.
Police warned Falkingham after a woman said she saw him dressed in the costume, peeking at her young son from behind a tree and pointing his finger like a gun.
While a police report said other residents were "greatly disturbed" by his activities, one neighbor defended Falkingham as eccentric but otherwise harmless.
"He's got the bunny outfit, a cowboy suit and a ballerina dress but you don't see him except where he's tripping through his backyard," Deborah Colson told Reuters. "He's got a strange lifestyle at home but we all do weird things at home."
Falkingham told officers he "enjoys wearing the suit" but understands the concerns and that he could be cited as a public nuisance, police spokeswoman Joelyn Hansen said.

Of course we will not have looney bins after the next budget cuts abnd Happy pills will be too expensiveo

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Veggies in the back yard

The problem is no longer that with every pair of hands that comes into the world there comes a hungry stomach.  Rather it is that, attached to those hands are sharp elbows.  ~Paul A. Samuelson, Newsweek, 12 June 1967


Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them.  ~Bill Vaughn


  So the other day I caught Little Goat raiding the Strawberry Patch in the back yard. Not that I mind I've been trying to make the yard as graze friendly as I can, Asparagus , Blueberries ( maybe next year for harvest). Wild onions, Gooseberry , rhubarb ,Sage , Mint all Perennials to come up year after year. And we've had luck with Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Snap Beans.
    But When I went out for a cart ride with little Goat I noticed veggies growing in a lot more back and side guards than I normally do. Now Bozeangeles does have a back to the land population . People moved here to get away from those godawful places they left. Of course a lot of other people moved here determined to make it like those places they moved from.

  But the point is a lot more people seem to be growing salad in their back yard than I've noticed in the past. Is that Awareness or Economic necessity ?

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

seen on a bumper sticker

  In Traffic  saw this on an SUV's bumper sticker

   " Is That a car you are driving                 
               Or A Phone booth ?"




Would have meant more if the driver had not had a phone glued to her ear