Thursday's Thoughts

Old tractors always catch my attention. An old friend asked a customer about a poppin' Johnny he noted on their property. She said something like, Oh honey, we don't have any use for it- why don't you just take it?! Feeling he should give her something he paid her 100 bucks for it. He went through it a little and put some fresh gas in it and it fired right up. He bought new tires and a trailer for it and had hayrides in the neighborhood on Halloween and Christmas. I hated him.

• Somebody I know believes Michelle Obama is a man and will go into some detail about that idea being arrived at by her body's proportions and how this idea was proved by a scientist. It went something like, Kevin, it was provvvved by a scientist! I had heard or read something like that once in the past but man, it is weird to actually meet someone who believes things like that. It will change the way I look at the person- forever. I excused myself rapidly and on returning changed the subject. It was sickening.
• We waste a lot of time, money and energy on nonsense fueled by people's hatred, superstitions and ignorance.

  

  
  Some drive by shootings: I see this guy often on Berry in Fort Worth. The light is never right for me to talk to him although I would like to have the chance.

  
  

  

  If their business logo prominently features a religious connotation I automatically tend to trust them less as I resent their attempt to manipulate and assume they won't have my best interests at heart.

  
  
  
  
  

  

  I am unsure why I shot these two- they probably annoyed me in some way.

  
  

  

  Cool car for an automotive related business.

  
  

  

  Cool old truck.

  
  

  

  First old school station wagon I've seen in a long time.

• Nothing is known to me about Benedict Cumberbatch other than he is a British actor and popular here. Something gives me the impression Americans like the sound of his name. It is fun to say it I will admit- especially if you do it in an English accent- give it a try. It is a blast.
• Since I keep a toothbrush in my office it isn't unusual for me to not brush my teeth in the morning before leaving home. This day (01/08/2015) was odd in that I failed to take advantage of said toothbrush all day- disgusting.
• Good oral hygiene is the key to success and longevity I always say.

  

  See what I mean- George here failed to brush properly- I'll go out on a limb and say he never brushed his teeth. Look where that inattention to detail got him- he was unsuccessful getting across the road and his longevity?! Fuhhgedaboutit!

• There has been a debate about a 17 year old girl who wanted to refuse treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma. She and her mother lost a court decision and she will be forced to undergo treatment until at least she turns 18. An interesting turn- because she lost the right to choose in this battle she may live long enough to make all the dumb decisions she wants.
• Today is 01/09/2015 and just read part of an article about the aforementioned story. The girl said things to the affect, I don't want poisons and toxins circulating through my body  and I want to explore alternative treatments and I have a right to decide and Its about the quality of my life not the quantity... So yeah, she pretty much regurgitated every nonsensical catch phrase ever used to sell snake oil, make people sound smarter than they really are and to simplify complex subjects that have ever been used.
• Again, because she will be compelled to complete treatment she will live long enough to feel silly about saying those things.
  
  
  

  

  An arrangement I made

  
  

  

  Stay classy.

Wednesday's Digressions

• It appears we are going to normalize relations with Cuba. My respect for President Obama just went up a notch with that news. Aside from our failed drug war I cannot imagine a more outdated  and counterproductive (much less counter intuitive) policy than our prior isolation Cuba. It was motivated by politics- to keep from offending voters who haven't lived in Cuba for 20-50 years and an odd vengeance toward Cuba for our own failed policies and misadventures there. If we're interested in human rights- let them get more of a taste for free enterprise and at least help more Cubans have more US travel and trade dollars.
• A related thought: The Castros can't live forever.
• Another related thought: President Obama sticking to his guns and thawing our relations with Cuba will be seen as a great accomplishment that will help more Cubans in every way than our past 50 years of fail ever did.
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  From brother in laws garage

• An interesting video from ANNA news of a Syrian Arab Army armored unit maneuvering in urban terrain. Those guys are good. They must have a decent institutional memory and way of disseminating lessons learned and/or there are a lot of guys who have been on the front waaaaay too long.
• The world lost one of my favorite historical figures in 2014- Hiroo Onada. Among my favorite things about him is when he came home he refused to cash his back paychecks and run for political office (although he was insanely popular). My maybe least favorite thing about him is in his memoir of his time fighting a war that was 30 years over he neglects to mention the dozens of people he killed from the time the war ended until he was repatriated. Norio Suzuki figures in his story and is also a favorite character from world history. He set out as he said to," find Lieutenant Onada, a panda and the abominable snowman- in that order." After finding Hiroo he quickly followed that up by finding a panda. He would be killed in an avalanche in the Himalayas in 1986 looking for the elusive Yeti and that is why I love him.
• A couple of different articles I have read have wondered aloud if the US government is responsible for North Korea's internet outage. My guess is you would have more likelihood catching the culprit if you rounded up all the 14 year olds in San Mateo County California.
• Israel has been catching flak for treating wounded jihadis coming out of Syria. The same people would be be calling Israel out for being monsters if they stood idly by and refused to treat them.

  

  No matter

  
  

  

  what

  
  

  

  we just need people to know.

Monday's Missives

Honda Rune is on my list. I like it not only because they're interesting and beautiful they're actually good, reliable and rideable machines. They're based on the Goldwing with an upgunned engine.

• Callaway made a wagon version Vette back in 1982 that was disgusting- it was literally gross. They intend to unveil one in 2014 that is really pretty cool looking. I get where the 1982 was ugly to start with and the new Vettes are beautiful but it still could have gone bad. The 2014 Vette with 7 speed manual starts at 51 thousand bucks- an incredible bargain for the car it buys.

  

  In FGs bedroom. She is quite a bit younger than me.

• From an earlier post Katy and Don made me think more about snipers in war time. If a Jihadi with a scoped rifle drilled my gunner in the face with a bullet while we were on combat patrol and Jihadi Joe and I came face to face with each other in an ensuing cordon and rundown there is not a chance he would have lived to rot in Abu Graib and/or get his neck stretched. I would have have shot him down and I know this for a fact. I would not have been able to live with myself if I let the guy live. If my gunner was killed by an IED and I caught a guy that I was sure triggered the blast he would regret the day he met me- he would remember our interaction for the rest of his life but he would probably live to rot in Abu Graib for a while and/or get his neck stretched. Their is no real difference- hypothetical soldier is still going home in an aluminum box but there is to most of us a big- huge difference and we're not sure why. I guess that is why the subject intrigues.

  

  Here, a couple of flowers for you.

  
  
  
• I am dangerously close to 50 and riding a bike indoors is still one of lifes simple pleasures.
• Yesterday (10/03/2013) I randomly saw FG outside of the home and/or a planned meeting. We bumped into each other after she left work. It was oddly slightly strange.

  

  One more couldn't hurt.

  
  

  

  I have always been intrigued by bamboo and believe it is underutilized in the west. Traditionally, it should be given to you as a gift if you intend to grow it and not bought.

• The Rifleman episode I am watching now (10/05/2013 @0633) features a young and very good looking Adam West as a school teacher turned gunslinger. That show has aged very well. I still enjoy it and can appreciate the sweet morality tales it provides. You know really, it covered redemption, alcoholism, single parenthood, second chances...- in the 1950s and interestingly, Lucas McCain always tried to use non violent methods first to resolve problems.
• A connected thought: if you had been told the actors playing Lucas and Mark were actually father and son in real life you would absolutely not have been surprised such was their chemistry.  Anyway, what a sweet old show.

  

  I don't know what this is but it makes my skin crawl.

  
  

  

  FG has to use a clipboard, calculator and stopwatch at work. A little Velcro and a storage clipboard with a calculator and voila! I'm not through yet though- I have an idea to make it hold her papers better and keep everything organized in the storage compartment.

  
  

  

  The Trek bike my buddy gave me. When he told me I could have it I asked him to bring it to me as I don't have a pick up. He said, What else do you want me to do- ride it for you? Hey buddy, sarcasm is my thing. I gave him 20 bucks for his trouble and to keep him from whining too much.

  
  

  

  Sophie the pup.

  
  
  
  
  

  

  Nice legs.

  
  

  

  Gag- such a beautiful body style ruined with tacky decals and stupid looking wheels.

  
  

  

  This pic doesn't do this guys cammo any justice.

  
  

  

  Mediterranean gecko on the porch ceiling. They're an interesting migrant to Texas that arrived in shipping containers years ago in Houston and worked their way North. Interesting because they don't do any harm that I'm aware of- they eat insects and they don't spread disease. As far as I know they are innocuous and beneficial. They don't even harm or displace native wildlife. Heck, predators here eat them when they can.

  
  

  

  FGs dumb cat loves baths

  
  

  

  Umm infected implanted studs are hawt!

• People at work come to me to treat their boo-boos and get ibuprofen and get second opinions from what they were told by their doctors. And then of course there was the one who after closing the door behind her said, Kev can I ask you something between you and me...?  Anyway, her scumbag boyfriend was unfaithful and gave her something she didn't deserve.

  

  Paper wasp nest. The maggots taste buttery and sweet- kinda like whole kernel corn that wiggles in your mouth.

  
  

  

  Our South of the borders friends have discovered Turner Falls. It has been trashed and vandalised over years like no park setting I have ever seen. The city of Davis doesn't appear to view itself as any kind of steward of the land and it's wildlife- it is their Golden Goose.

Friday's Dispatch

Thermostat in the middle of Honey Creek

• How do we know Ron Johnson personally destroyed JC Penneys and that all the decisions he made to turn the retail brand around were horrible? because even a know nothing dolt like me can see that he did and that they were. I nearly fell over when they announced no more discounted price sales and was in fact getting out of my car to walk into a sale at Kohls when I heard the news on the radio. This is no exaggeration and I was literally only going into Kohls that day because I got a sale paper in the mail with a sweet scan card for an extra 20% off.
  
  
  
  
• It is 0419 and I am drinking hot chocolate for the first time in years.
• The Bike only needs the chain replaced and a good cleaning to be complete. The pedals I found at Wal Mart are mountain bike Wellgo brand. They're light, have sealed bearings and look really good- all for 10 bucks. I wasn't ready for the difference the new pedals made and was pleasantly surprised by the fit and finish of them for that price. Next, will be bags and bottles. Wally World also has some nice insulated 24 oz bottles with racks for 15 bucks.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• If we don't make it FG will be the one future GFs will obsess over.
• She still hasn't looked at this blog since I asked her to not. Don't ask me why I would trust that to be true at all but I give that belief an 80% accuracy rating.
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  This pool is in a tributary to Honey Creek in TF. It was interesting because of the amount of wildlife in it. There were water bugs, tadpoles, crayfish, fish... I am sure plenty of predators have lusted over those tasty morsels- the sheer walls and the little alcove in the back protect the prey pretty well.

  
  
  
• Hot chocolate backed by hot tea will break you into a sweat if the house is a little warm.
• Years ago when I heard the Republicans ragging on the President about being a community organizer my first thought was, OmiGod- that is all they got? and then I thought, If I were President Obama I would own that and come out and say, There has been a lot of talking disparaging me for my time as a community organizer. I was trying to help my community. I was trying to help build a better America by building a better city. I was trying to help my fellow Americans in need. I was doing what I thought I was supposed to do. When he broached the subject some time later there wasn't a nickels worth of difference between his speech and my inner world one (although mine might have been a bit better). Regardless, he destroyed his opposition with their own hatefulness and lack of imagination and vision.