This was my Entry to this years adventure journal competition for Leap Local, enjoy :)
I was working in Northern Nevada when I heard the pony express trail was not far away. My heart pounded with excitement. I have dreamed of this trail since I was a child, the famous painting of a lone cowboy bent over his saddle riding hard as Indians pursued him was never far from my mind. I immediately went to find a map of the trails. I just stood and stared at the ink on the wall, dreaming of what an adventure this would be, as if I would be on assignment carrying mail through lands which once equaled that of Afghanistan. I made a plan to visit the trail after work, somehow thinking that 12 hour days working in the desert were not enough and I could magically transport myself to that trail and ride like the legend I am in my own mind. Of course it was not to be. At the end of each day I would cough up sand, spit dirt, and wash off mud; drinking my beer and eating my dinner next to the fire at my campsite I would stare into the flames making promises to spirits that soon I would ride alongside them.
Finally, I drove towards Las Vegas, my eyes scanning every intersecting roadway for the trail. I knew it was here, somewhere. Had I bothered actually reading the map instead of letting my mind tear into adventure mode, I would have known I was an easy hour from the trail. By the time I found it, I was actually surprised to see it, my mind dull from driving and my body already tired from hard weeks working under the sun. I simply almost drove past it, blinking at the sign waiting for my mind to send messages to my foot to simply STOP GENIUS!! My sister’s dogs ran ahead, sniffing about, their noses telling them a story of the area. As my sister talked to my foggy, excited brain I did not hear as I clamored to unload my bike. "You know you don’t have much time before dark" was the only sentence I heard and I replied with "yea, well, whatever", the classic male response most often used when a grunt is not so appropriate and adventure beckons.
Off I went, crap, shoe lace caught on a peddle, noo, noo this cannot be, a snag damn YOU, Indians are about!!! Off again, pausing only to take one picture, my bike leaning against a sign, like a flag from a conqueror of new land loudly proclaiming "I WAS HERE". I peddled on, observing every bush, every tree, trying to imagine what it must have been like to ride through on horseback, waiting for ambush, spurs at the ready to dig into the horses’ side and take me from danger. My ears listened intently to each bird as their chirps became drowsy. I looked at an old fire ring through the moss-covered trees and wondered if some lone mail carrier had slept in that spot over a century ago.
The shadows crept in as the sun dipped below the horizon and I knew I had to head back, but no, no I was not finished, my mind still craved adventure. Look how the road goes up and over that mountain! I promised myself I would be back. As the wind pushed against me on my quick decent home, I knew that a life-long goal had been achieved, for I had finally ridden the Pony Express trail, every boys’ dream!
So tonight I was going out to plug in the Christmas lights Mom helped me hang last year, scratch that, encouraged me to put up last Christmas when she was staying with me. She was adament that I actually do more for Christmas than put up my little fake tree and Lighted Town Dad bought for me a Decade ago. So we had went out and just hung a bit, mainly on the Little Tree in the front Grandpa had planted years ago and was so proud of for some reason. He was fascinated that we could make a tree grow so it did not need to be trimmed. I have Pandora playing and was listening to classical music station, as I walk about looking for a hat grumbling under my breath the cat had decided to use my beanie for a cat scratcher, "Somewhere over the rainbow" by Israel came on just as I was to walk out the door, that is one of the Songs we had played at Moms Funeral.
I know that spirits talk to us all the time but we seemingly cannot hear them unless they play a song, maybe place an old card where we will find it at a special time. Really it would be nice if we could simply just sit down and have a conversation again, I guess that is just something we are not capable of until we change form as well. Whatever the case we remember, those songs, cards, notes, all of it means something to us and brings forth their memory again, that is what it really is all about.
Now I must go and listen to the gentle winter breeze and feel the moons soft glow upon my shoulders as I light up my little world.
Growing up I remember looking out the window of our car seeing the wasteland created from copper smelting. That wasteland was exasperated by plant life which would no longer grow, tree’s that had long since been harvested leaving the hills barren, arsenic laying atop the soil, and huge Mountains of Slag which the wind would kick up into mighty arsenic infested slag storms, so powerful we would have to pull over do to the “black out” and wait for it to subside.
Since then the Smelter has long since closed, and much of the land reclaimed, the hills have slowly been covered again by vegetation yet tree’s still struggle to take hold, all is well as Hades now begins to look as the paradise it once was, or is it just an Illusion?
Through it all the area suffers from an incredibly high cancer rate, the price of mining materials for the rest of society to live on apparently. The area boasts the worlds largest reclamation site as waste soil from around the western part of the state is hauled into the area and jobs are created because of it. Grass seeds are spread about the mixed top soil and the land begins to look better. Yet beneath it all still lays much of the old pollutants, beneath it all still runs water, and those pollutants slowly leach back into the unprotected ground. In the neighboring city is Butte, which boasts another wonder of the world, the worlds largest open pit mine, there are billboards and a viewing area where visitors may stand and see the mighty feet, for it truly is. But as you stand upon the viewing area you look upon acid lake, and see nothing save a large hole slowly filling with water and a meager pump house struggling to find a way to purify the water, almost like a child using a straw to filter the ocean. Local officials and the mine assures us the water is contained and soon we will have more purification centers to deal with the deadly water. They point out that the mine is a major employer and miners are receiving unprecedented pay, the local economy depends upon it and we should be grateful.
I agree, we should be, the computer upon which I type on only exists as a result of mining, actually everything in my house has some aspect of a mined mineral in it, be it electrical, to dry wall, to the door knobs. Yet somehow that knowledge is not enough, for the knowledge that someday we will have to come to terms with the Devil over the pollutants nags at my mind. Someday those pollutants will leach into our ground water and effect us all. Its not enough that we have endured decades of wind carrying arsenic from the old Hades planes, so now we must ingest it. The mining industry is not alone, the oil companies pour chemicals into the ground to assist in drilling and “fracking” slowly those chemicals are being detected in ground water while scientists argue over man made global warming. Seriously people, global warming? How about global polluting? How about we take a stand and use the old hippy adage “what about our childrens children” and really take that to heart?
Well we are trying they insist as the green movement is pushed, “solar and wind panels will save us, and well nuclear boasts the safest record of any form of energy” they heartily tout. Not true, the green movment still depends upon mining and unfortunately its entire design requires more land than anything else in order to produce energy. The nuclear plants I would say are green merely because of their compact size compared to other forms of energy. Yet their safety record is absolutely horrid when you consider the results from a catastrophe from that will last us thousands of years. Think about that, should a plant split in two for dozens of generations your offspring will be effected by those pollutants. Oh it can never happen many will say, well it already has in a understated Chernobyl where scientists are only now coming to terms with the fact that hundreds of thousands of Europeans suffer from leukemia and other cancers caused from that horrible event. Japan in all its pride building cars beating their chests of superior craftsmanship have their own Chernobyl, actually, Fukishurma is at least 10 times worse than Chernobyl, and the soft spoken Japanese have failed to do one thing the Russians did, and that is to contain their horror. Instead Fukishurma bellows radioactive waste into the atmosphere and water.
Yes say the hippies, this is what we are talking about, but wait, I am not done, in the pacific ocean we have what is affectionately called the “great pacific garbage patch” where all those plastics and bottled water collect from the currents, the area is so polluted the plastic extends from the surface to the ocean floor, it covers an entire continent. The media ignores it or puts forth some blurb and instead article after article on global warming is put forth, and later countered. More CO2 debating as the green movement pushes its cause laying forth its own new form of pollution only to gain more money as well.
Cant we at some time as adult civilized rational beings merely stop and look around us? My god what are we doing to ourselves? Is money to spend on useless gadgets so important that we ignore the causes to our environment? There was a river over a decade ago which actually caught fire, think about that, so much pollution a river caught fire. This cannot continue, technology in the next century will increase by 2000 times over what it did in the previous century, and with that technology will be more mining, more oil, more consumption, more more more. And here and there some cleanup.
I say bullocks, how about lets start taking care of it all now, we have the ability to clean up much of this and to push for near zero pollution in many area’s so lets take advantage of it. Well the oil and mining companies will fight tooth and nail, some argue. I disagree, cleaning up is a huge cash cow in and of itself and its time we took advantage of it even more so. Rather than spending hundreds of billions of dollars blowing up goat herders in foreign waste lands how about we spend that money giving our children a real future? How about people quit worrying about a football game and start being involved in not only their future, but there children’s future and those beyond. I ask you, what is more important, the record of your favorite football team or the existence of Humanity itself?
I wrote this some time ago, but I feel it is as important today as it was then, please read and comment.
The New Colossus reads "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
The current government has made immigration such a near impossibility that it makes many people who were living and working here suddenly illegal. It gives them no recourse or realistic manner in which to stay legally, nor has it allowed a realistic number of immigrants to come forth to fill vacancies requested by those very business who have depended upon their labor, which in turn we have depended upon for our basic substance. This is nothing new. For centuries, immigrants in various nations have always filled those spots which were considered beneath its own people with immigrant labor -a sort of rite of passage, if you will. However, what this does is free up your current citizens to work other, more lucrative jobs, which is a strong reason why America blossomed so quickly and profitably, setting a standard for the rest of the world. More current places to use this idea for obvious wealth include Dubai, where its citizens are guarentee'd college as well as higher job, while Immigrants make up the lower work force again, freeing up those within to succeed.
Under the current law it essentially subverts your Fourth Amendment rights and gives power to the government to stop you and to question you on a whim. This was something that the founding fathers were adamantly against, thus to prevent it, was put in writing . With this comes more violations against your civil liberties. Now, you will say, "So what, I have nothing to hide." -yet it was only a few short years ago when we all questioned cameras on the streets along with other invasive measures that we now accept as every day life. The constitution under Section 8 also clearly states that citizenship shall be decided by Congress, not individual states. Up until around 1928 there was no "legal immigration," you merely signed on the dotted line and in you came. During that time, the same arguments were perpetuated by the "natives" and the "non" by those who believed they had larger entitlement than those coming here anew. That is again where we are now, a country that has forgotten its basic principles and is now following along a long list of other countries which enslaved its people (most notably being two who fought under the axis- the Nazi party and the Fascist party, both who felt only "nationals" should have rights and lead their countries in that way). Now that was something our grandparents fought against, many of whom were themselves immigrants, many who spoke poor English, who joined the military because they believed in America and what it stands for, and that was a place where we have a right to voice our opinion, where we are not stopped and questioned for merely being outside, where we have the ability to pursue work, travel, and business, where in the end, the government is small and non-oppressive. So to me the problem is simple, you create a realistic Immigration Policy not bound by the normal federal red tape which is nearly impossible for the layman to understand. You actually enforce it upon the arrest of someone committing an actual crime, which is not simply breathing on this soil. You have a strict and swift judicial system against gangs and cartels which are a very real threat and actively pursue the death penalty in those cases. You have slots that can be filled much like our current immigration lottery program, except you trade those who want to come and work with those who are already here and are unwilling to work and are continually abusing the system.
Mom's journey on this world ended in a flash sunday, with the sun touching her body as hero's fought to keep her on earth with angels tugging gently to take her to heaven and on to the next life. They battled bravely but It was not to be as her soul drifted to heaven with the winds carrying her in the arms of angels her time had come.
. She graced the world when she was born in Anaconda, Montana to Mike and Rose Sisich on February 23, 1946. Carol grew up in Anaconda where she also attended high school and met her first husband with whom she would have her two children, Cynthia and Craig. They would grow to be the pride of her life and what she liked to boast about to her friends. She would later remarry and adopt Rob and Sheryl who lit up her life, She was a business woman willing to try any venture, She owned and operated with the help of her son both Grizzly Go Kart and Montana Magic Casino, She would invest in real estate taking pride in giving people a place to live,. She was A world traveler having circled the globe, she drank fine wine in Paris, hiked the Himalaya’s in India, drank margarita’s in Mazatlan, tanned on a beach in Costa Rica, and went on a Safari in Africa. She was also a local traveler where she liked to drive about in her tiny camper enjoying all the grandeur nature could offer and the splendid company of others sharing her dream. Every Morning she would wake up, make her coffee, and go outside to see the birds and smell the flowers, there was no talking to her at this time, for her day was only beginning and her spirits coming together to help guide her through her day. She loved spending time on her friends ranch in Kalispell, where it reminded her of the ranch of her Uncle farmer Bean. She would tell stories of riding the horses and helping with the cattle, of the green grass under the horses hooves and the soft clammer they would make, she would talk with a smile and a soft voice and remember the home cooking at the end of the day and all the laughs as they gathered to feast. She somehow managed to divide her time between everyone easily being the busiest person I knew. She seemed to teleport from place to place as she travled about, here one day, there the next. Her friends commented how she never was far away, as no matter what she would call and with her happy whimsical voice tell them about her day as if they were right there with her, sharing her adventure. She saw the world in a different light on every level, she would do things her way and seemed confused when nobody else could understand what she was doing. She had told Cynthia not so long ago that she would like to buy a bluebird house, Cynthia replied but Mom we do not have bluebirds in vegas, mom’s reply was simply “we will hang a home high in a tree and they will come” but mom my sister replied with a little frustration “I do not have a tall tree in my yard’ Oh that is not a problem if you hang it in the neighbors tree I can see it out the window as I sip my tea”
Mom has been following a spiritual path for a long time and really searching for the correct path. Reading one of her Emails which I previously thought was just some forwarded spam, I learned that she had wanted to go and teach a spiritual way. Pretty cool, Now with that suddenly came the realization of the selflessness she had done and I simply had overlooked. When Dad and Jeff were both sick she flew to Brazil to see a Faith Healer, I thought it was for her, and a little for them, but as I put more thought into her letter, I now realize it was all about them. Strange journey or not, her devotion and willingness to travel to a foreign country simply to help heal others is about as selfless as it gets. When her Father had fell sick she stayed constantly by his side holding his hand until he passed on, bringing a smile to grandpa as his spirit left his body. She would step up again when Dad was sick before I could bring him home she came and helped me make my home cozy for him, she would stop in from time to time going out of her way driving the four hours from Kalispell just to cook us a meal and make sure all was cared for. She would again change her life and go and help Cynthia care for her husband with no complaints, splitting her time between us, but upon my urging giving more to Cynthia, after Jeff left this world she simply moved in to help give her comfort, support and help out anywhere she would be needed, her last selfless act would be to be an organ donor where she could go on to help up to 50 people with her generosity. Surely she is granted a wonderful next life and a strong place in heaven looking over us all.
Her smile was captivating, her laugh contagious, and her zest for life insatiable.
Our doors are open and here we all sit waiting for her to come in, we all know she is still traveling, going here and there, touching those who need to be touched and giving them the hope she gave us all.
There are many things that are really hard to deal with during a tragedy but the hardest part is the unknown.
When Dad had went into a coma the unknown simply started getting to me, I went from strong, standing over him, giving words of encouragement to simply breaking down. I stood in the hallway of the hospital walking somewhat aimlessly looking for some sort of guidance, something, anything. I had been on the phone and tears were starting to roll down my cheeks as all the emotions that come along with the unknown began to release out of me like water slowly pushing through a breaking dam.
And then she came, beautiful golden curly hair falling on her shoulders a woman I had never seen simply walked up looked into my eyes and asked if I needed a hug, IM not sure if I said anything but I know that
I really did not need to. She hugged me tight, the kind of a hug when you actually get to feel the warmth coming off a person, when its almost like your spirits touch simply said it will be alright and left.
That simple hug really meant something to me and as if she had given me some of her energy, I was able to gather myself once again and head off to slay the problems that plagued dad.
So if you see someone whom you think could use a hug, just give it who knows, with that little act you may change destiny
Mom has been following a spiritual path for a long time and really searching for the correct path. Reading one of her Emails tonight which I previously thought was just some forwarded spam, I learned that she had wanted to go and teach a spiritual way. Pretty cool, Now with that suddenly came the realization of the selflessness she had done and I simply had overlooked. When Dad and Jeff were both sick she flew to Brazil to see a Faith Healer, I thought it was for her, and a little for them, but as I put more thought into her letter, I now realize it was all about them. Strange journey or not, her devotion and willingness to travel to a foriegn country simply to help heal others is about as selfless as it gets, surely she is granted a wonderful next life and a strong place in heaven looking over us all.
I was out riding when I received the call, actually missed the call from her phone, I always try to answer my phone but it of course was buried in my pack, I called back and a woman answered asking if I knew who's number this was then told me what had happened. God your mind races, I told my friends and we bolted, our legs pumped hard, with my mind racing I knew I could not give up I had to get to mom, I muttered prayers to the heavens as our legs burned, the trail was blurred from my tears and never seemed to end, with each hill feeling like the last. I swear I saw her smiling drifting above us, her hand pushing us along, I forced it from my mind and tried to think positive "hang in there I'm on my way" I muttered.
At the parking area I jumped off my bike leaving its wheels spinning on the ground and raced off, the Buicks tires squealed in protest as I screamed down the pass. Calls to emergency personal were to no avail and nobody seemed to know anything. I sped on with flashers going honking the horn for people to move, some of which did, their eyes wide with wonder, others seemed oblivious to the world around them, or maybe felt their own quest to go no where no where was far more important. I kept calling her phone but nobody would answer, then the gas light came on, no no I didnt have time for this, unreal.
I stopped at a small gas station and threw them a handful of money as I frantically pumped just enough fuel to carry on. It would not be much further, I pulled out on the interstate and not a mile later I saw the fire trucks and police cars, their cherries an ominous warning. I pulled up not knowing what to expect but only looking for an answer, I rolled down my window and and told the two firemen who I was, they looked away their eyes telling all. I jammed the car into park and leaped out anyhow, like somehow someone would tell me something their eyes had already betrayed but that I wanted to hear different. A policeman approached and my dry mouth asked if she made it, he looked down and then I truly knew I had not been fast enough, that there was nothing I could have done, I sank to the ground as I whaled in protest to the heavens.
I sit now still waiting for her to walk through the door but I know she will not come, but my mind plays tricks as I see her on the couch laughing to some silly movie with her tears of joy streaming down her face. But its not to be, and the couch sits empty, instead I am greeted by my dads dog who stands staring, ears up, hoping he can understand my words, tail wagging slightly as his eyes stare into my soul. The cat brushes against my leg, giving his comfort as only a feline can.
It all happened so fast, the calls to loved ones, the knock on doors of her aunts to give them the tragic news I sit here spinning still. I think of the past and the future that I no longer will share with her.
Today will be more calls, more tears and papers to sign, her personal belongings to be retrieved and the house readied for guests. I will ride later on as nature is where I go to clear my head, to feel the spirits and to receive their message, Sanity will come then.
Today was another year without sharing a special day with my Father since his Passing. Although I have to say that we had a pretty close relationship so days like today were just an excuse to take dad out to dinner. I guess now it means something since there is no every day with him anymore, sooo a little story about hunting together, since that is what we shared the most, and hell, along with hunting, came the inevitable argument so here goes.
Waay back when I was in highschool we were up hunting in durant canyon. We had stopped where everyone else was to bullshit a little (dads favorite passtime in reality) and do some spotting for some Elk.
Soon we found one, a nice 6 point bull licking his nuts in a clearing across from us, Dad got excited as always "look at that" he said " he's licking his nuts, he knows we cant get him, I cant take that shit, I just wanna get over there and KAPOOO, on my wall" so we plotted, other people there plotted and fortuantely for me, they had the wrong coordinates to the future freezer meat. I whispered to dad "I know exactly what clearing that is, lets go" and off we cambered, letting others go, not wanting them to stop where we did, thats what hunting is all about, deciet ( Yes I may have told others I would help flush the elk to them in a, eh ehhmm another location) and bringing home the bragging rights and "bacon" for yourself.
We stopped and started discussing exactly where he is, "He's right up over the top here dad" and off I go. but wait, dad getting ready out of the truck is a half hour ordeal. Ya gotta understand he had his hunting belt from when god and him only knew, I suspect when he was a teenager as it was about ten sizes to small, tied only with a leather bootlace to hold it around his waste, then his rifle as he would load it, look through the damn scope, brag about what a maginifcent shot he was, then toilet paper, snacks, yes snacks even for a hour hike dad packed his pockets cause "ya never know" and off we could finally go.
Half way up the mountain dad stopped to take a leak, and damn if there were not some deer right there in front of us, I could see their flanks "Pops there R some Deer" dad leans back "no, them are stumps" wtf is he looking at? "no look straight between those two tree's, definatly deer", he leans back again "no, those are stumps" man IM getting a little frustrated and at this point wondering what hte hell he drank to take so long taking a leak "shut the damn faucet off and look at those Deer" He does and well "I guess those stumps are gone" yup and then it started "well I told you those were deer" and "well they looked like Stumps to me" he would say as his voice elevated. Well hell, now we are arguing lets just keep going cause you cant stop a ball once its rolling right? A few more steps and it starts "Ok Pops the elk is straight up and drop down that is the clearing" a defiant look from him cause he was already wrong on the Deer "no No son its over this way then you drop down and that is the clearing" so there we stood, the sun setting, arguing, and arguing "RIGHT OVER THE DAMN TOP DAD" and him puffing his chest, whiskers starting to stick straight out "NO OVER THERE" and rather than each of us go our seperate ways we just stood, arguing over where that damn Elk was until dark, then we argued all the way back to the truck about how wrong the other person was, and well argued all the way home about how we shouldnt have argued but we were both right anyhow.
And then the Evening would end with a "hug" as dad was very affectionate, and "well maybe we will get it right tomorrow son."
Yea dad, we had quit a few good Tomorrow's, glad we did, this was yoru day, and you were in my thoughts the entire time, almost like you were there. So Happy fathers day Pops, Thanks.
Sitting around in my pajama's and in my fuzzy slippers, watching the dowpoor outside supposed to be getting ready for a ride I know is not gonna happen. Sure as **** I get the text "raining out not going" so I sip some more Mocha looking at the big mug thinking its a good thing we are not going cause i have not had a drop of water yet, but what the hell, whats life without flippin yer friends crap. So I the call, tell him about how he is gonna miss out, IM gonna go tear it up, rain gear is packed and ready *sip* and is probably not raining 20 miles away where we are supposed to go blah blah on and on.
Yea well then I get the "ok your right, I'll be ready in half an hour" holy crap my cycling clothes are still in the dryer from yesterdays mud fest, no water, good breakfast at least. I get ready, suck down a couple glasses of water and we head out, hot damn if I wasnt right we get there and no rain, although it looks like we just missed it as the ground was moist. Peddling was a bit of a challange with almost no pre hydration and that cup of mocha churned in my stomach, my legs burned like crazy after two days of hard riding previously. But the results, damn, always better to ride than think about it, we had a great time and I woudl have it no other way, you can keep the damn TV, I'll take the ride.
I woke to the sun splitting the curtains in my room, I glanced outside and saw that so far the weather man was wrong, only a few clouds drifted lazily in the sky. I let the dog out, scratched the cats ears and fried up some breakfast. Glancing out the window the sun still danced between the sporadic clouds, I checked the weather forecast and the weather man said Rain and thunderstorms. Now I had been planning a ride to Salmon Idaho so I checked the weather there, Weather man says thunderstorms all day out that way. I sipped my coffee and looked at the cat and dog who watched my intently, Knowing I was up to something. Bah, life's all about adventure, and riding into a crappy storm in the Rocky Mountains always gives you a tale.
I called A couple friends to see if they would go, one was supposed to but Mowing his lawn seemed more important than living life "next time" he said "there isnt always a next time I grumbled under my breath. I called Cory and her had his children to watch, fair enough "wish I could go you know I would" yup, he is always good for adventure and lives a packed life. I grabbed my keys, donned my armor, and fired up my Steel horse, its orange paint gleaming like fire in the sun and headed to the churning upset clouds threatening to soak anyone who dared go beneath them. The wind lapped at my jacket carrying a touch of cold from the snow on the peaks. The road felt nice beneath my rubber, the suspension soaking up the frost heaves, the motor purred with its effortless inline four whine, bagging to be given the reigns. I stopped on the top of the Divide and snapped my first picture over the snow topped pass with the road winding through one of the most beautiful valley's the world has to offer. I took a deep breath and let the cool air drift into my lungs, looking out upon the valley, wondering what the storm would do, I asked Gaia to hold off the storm until my ride was over then I saddled up, and headed onto the other side. I would stop a few more times on the ride, Once at the Old mule ranch to gaze out beyond its old buildings at the mountains where dads ashes had been spread. Again I stopped at a ranch and looked at the storm in the west where blue sky melted to gray churning clouds, and again at the bighole battlefield where Chief Joseph and his warriors had their final battle with a corrupt US government. Along the Bighole River I rolled, a man with waders and his fly pole waved as I drifted by, a couple of bikes passed the other direction their hands outstretched to a fellow rider. The big hole valley is Amazing as its ranch land straight into forest with miles of nothing less a ranch here and there. I stopped briefly at the Battlefield and let my water flow I chatted briefly with the happy rangers inside and cast their Image upon my camera. Chief Josephs pass was near gray from the dark clouds above me, walls of snow tried to forbid those from the rode of seeing what lay beyond in the forest. The Lochsa road to Salmon is famed for its curves and its scenery, normally a boon for any motorcyclist, but not today. Today the roads were covered in sand and gravel and I had to take my time minding the lack of traction with my tires only glancing briefly at one of the most amazing valleys in the world. The danger of the highway was fully realized as I was stopped at a road crew trying to repair a washed out section of highway, they waved and I waved as I carried through grateful for the work they were doing. As I left the pass the snow melted away an bright green grass and tree's opened to the sunlight ready to give life to happy animals and humans alike. The wind licked at me hard on the road just before Salmon, I gripped my bars a bit firmer than normal but smiled as Gaia seemed to keep her promise her breath pushing the storm over the mountain ridges away from me keeping me dry.
Salmon is a sleepy little town and little was open on Sunday, I was here looking for a Man I had fought fires with, I thought today would be a good day to visit but I had forgotten his name. I inquired with a local resident at the gas station and I was given the usual small town instructions "turn there then head up that way and look over there and you will see some trucks and stuff and that is his place" yea uhm ok "where should I eat?" I asked. "Its Sunday in Salmon, not much open but a couple places, there is a cafe a block down that is good".
So I stopped in and grabbed my staple food, a bacon cheeseburger and again inquired about my comrad whom they knew nothing about. I chatted with the young waitress who's pregnant belly pushed against her apron. She told me of the woe's of the small town and how she dreamed of moving away I only slightly payed attention as that story is the same in every little town. Her mind was so dreamy she kept asking me if I wanted a to go drink and I would merely point at my helmet and her young mind seemed to skip right passed it to dreams of her future again. I dropped her a tip and headed back home, thinking to myself that it would have been better had I just called around to find the old comrad. Along the way I saw a man on his lawnmower cleaning up the grass along the highway. I stopped and asked if he knew who I was looking for "sure do, I fought fires with him that year too, but I cant remember his name, my old mind does not work so well" He pointed and actually gave me decent directions then proceeded to tell me his life story. He had no place to be and all the time left in the day to finish shortening the grass. I politely listened for a bit, and my patience paid off, he actually had more information I needed for a man to deal with equipment, I thanked him and headed off to the storm all the locals kept warning me about, as that is something you always hear in the west, what the weather is doing, little else matters. I pushed back into the storm watching as the clouds seemed to part before me, back at the pass I again slowed to a snails pace and let cars pass me as their four wheels gripped far better than my two. The wind from the pass to wisdom pushed hard against me and I had to struggle to keep on the road as I laid upon my tank to give less for the wind to push upon. I gassed up in wisdom and took a picture of the angry clouds drifting just south of me, sunlight pushing through at its edge. Stopping in a local cafe I drank some nice home brewed coffee and chatted with the locals who again, seemed intent on telling me how wet I would get and how the weather was all year, I will hear the same thing next time I come through I thought. And then I dropped change and gave the bike of fire its reigns again coming home. I love that stretch of highway, you can see for miles and the pavement is actually smooth. The bike turned wonderfully on the corners the soft rubber of my tires gripping as they were designed the only wind that of which came from increased speed on this stretch of road. I arrived at the final turn home, and looked at the ominous clouds before me cutting off the site of the mountains I knew lay beyond. I contemplated taking the long road home, but it looked the same "into the storm and always forward I muttered" and I let some fuel into the cyclanders and off I went. Gaia kept her promise and again the clouds parted before me as I went over my final mountain pass the only rain that touched me were a few drops as I rolled into town. What a blessed day as always, and I was thankful for wonderful weather but I knew that had wetness found me, I still would have been smiling, for a day riding is always better than a day at home.
In life it seems we have fleeting moments to walk through a door before it shuts forever.
Some seem to know when to walk through that door, and others struggle with finding the open door, and walking through before it closes. There was a time when I was that person who always walked through that door and looked into that next adventure. Then somewhere along the way I lost site of what might be behind that door, or maybe I just became to cautious. Whatever the case I find way to many doors closing before I have had that chance to walk through. I think its always important no matter what to just walk through it, what can be lost? I suppose some would say quit a bit, but I would argue, you lose far, far more by not taking that chance, stepping through those shadows, and at least seeing whats on the other side.
For nothing, nothing is worse than looking at a door that just closed, and knowing you will miss the adventure on the other side
This was passed around the net, and I thought I would share.
THE CALM - Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
THE DIGNITY - Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
THE ABILITY - The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn't fall.
THE GRACE - People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
THE ORDER - No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
THE SACRIFICE - Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?
THE TENDERNESS - Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
THE TRAINING - The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
THE MEDIA - They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.
THE CONSCIENCE - When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly
I always try to remain objective and to think logically, But the Japan Nuclear problem has went from "what are you worrying about you sissy"
to "this is not good". Let's rewind. Three weeks ago Japan suffered a 9.0
earthquake followed by a Tsunami which crippled a nuclear facility. Little
was done. We all watched with bated breath as Japanese Hero's struggled to
start back up the cooling system (myself proclaiming them heroes).
Meanwhile, those in the nuclear community calmly stated the crisis was over
and must be entombed in concrete. Nothing could be done at this time, we
were in no real danger of the radiation, and that was true, but now, nearly
a month later, radiation is indeed finding its way to some 15 states in
America. The levels are supposed to be low exposure and nothing to worry
about, but the Nuclear Information and Recourse Service states that "all
levels of radiation have been proven to cause cancer". Now, I would not
again, call this as a reason to panic as we are exposed to radiation on a
daily basis. Those of us in the Rocky Mountains live with Radon, a natural
radiation; those with granite counter tops are already exposed to more
radiation than from the nuclear "fallout". Nonetheless, potential exposure
is becoming a concern. A UN study on Chernobyl found that radiation was
gained from the consumption of milk and specifically spinach. So while we
can live just fine around it, we simply cannot eat certain foods. Wonderful,
you say. Well It gets worse: every single day the Fukushima meltdown pushes
more and more radiation into the atmosphere, slowly building, and it is
going to, at some point, physically affect us all. Potassium Iodide pillscan be handed out to prevent thyroid cancer, but these are no gems as they
cause hyperactive thyroid. Then we have the problem of leukemia. Leukemia
can be treated, but who the hell wants to go through that? Now, this could
easily be solved by building a tomb around the nuclear plant, It could all
be solved from outside intervention and assistance, but there are two main
problems, the first being Japan and their pride. Their intense pride is in
the way from refusing help from the outside world, help which is desperately
needed as their people will live with this for generations. And not just
people in the immediate vicinity of the plant, but the whole of Japan will
be affected, all be it on different levels. So, I hereby call for the
prosecution of the Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Human Rights abuses.
If he was to take gas his people, what would be the difference? He is at
this point engaging in willful and wanton destruction of the Japanese
people. Next the problem being our own President Obama who seems to believe
that vacation at this time of need is more important than taking care of his
own people. As the "leader of the free World" he should be on the phone
right now with Naoto Kan demanding the plant be entombed, but no, Obama
instead chooses to gallivant and show off his family. Meanwhile Japanese
people suffer, and in turn, American people possibly could live with long
term side effects of this as well. People, where is your outrage? WHERE?
This is your life, and that of families', your children's, and your
friends'. All are at stake at this time, why are you not writing, calling,
protesting, or doing anything?
I am not a religious man, but I will leave this thought saying, God Help us
all, we truly are going to need it.
In 1995 I was traveling Europe by train with my Buddy whom I will call Casey when he came up with his usual bright Idea's, We were sitting in a Cafe in Roma eating lunch when Cacey piped up in his dopey voice "ya know my family is from hungry, lets take the train up there for the day and we can come back and meet the girls and go to Paris for Christmas" so yea uhm that's about what I thought, what the hell?
We were traveling with two girls from Canada and wanted to spend Christmas with us in Paris, he wanted to ditch them and just show up the day we were to leave (would be two days later) on a train and expect them to be ok with it. It seemed ok, after all they were currently out shopping on there own so what did thy care?
So in my usual adventure not thinking whatsoever mode I decide I'M good with his half assed plan and off we went.
We caught the train and headed north, what we did not realize is this train went where we did not have visa's nor tickets to go, first stop, Slovania. There the predictable happened, the train conductor who spoke little to no english promptly cleaned out our wallets for a "Visa" that didn't exist and fresh tickets, always a good time. With a little grumbling from our previous ticket raping our next stop would be Croatia.
We had thought our previous robbery was bad, we had no Idea what traveling through this war torn country would bring.
I do not remember the time, I think its was morning when we arrived in Zagreb. The head guard/police/soldier whatever he was, possibly he was all three came up to us in our car, he was checking papers.
Now at this time in southern Europe English was a rare thing and those who spoke it were generally very poor in their speech, this guy spoke perfect English and said "tickets, passport visa" behind him were a half dozen armed men. I would reply"here are our tickets, but we do not have visa's, how much will those be?" as I reached behind my back for my wallet, before I could have it drawn he snapped his fingers and a half dozen guards filled the train and we found ourselves staring down the .30 caliber bore of Ak-47s.! Now I have been in quite a few scrapes, shot at, in knife fights, and looked down the barrel of other firearms before, but this time it was different, staring down those cold barrels pointed at your skull with soldiers who do not want to be there, think you are probably satan and really don't care one way or another cause a bullet to your brain lets them go back to their card game. All I could do was think that hell, I guess if I know its imminent I will fight, but not right now. I knew I was fast, but I was not fast enough to beat a bullet. What to do? not much we could do but comply, we kneeled like we were told while they searched us and took our passport, the one thing I didn't want to lose damn it. I tried to plead but the cold barrel of an AK with a barrel twist of 1.7 convinced me to shut my yap and let them take it. Now your thoughts are what next? Do they do you on the train or outside where no mess for cleanup? a buttstock to the shoulder and a little firearms push suggests the bullet to the cranium comes outside. For some reason I really don't remember leaving the train, I only next remember walking and hoping the asshole behind me doesn't have his finger on the trigger and slip in the knee-deep snow. Casey was whispering to me "they can't do this" "Just shut up" I Snapped back but he persisted "but, but we are Americans" what the hell does he not get? We are in a third world country in the middle of civil unrest and nobody knows we are there. And he keeps running his mouth "well you know some Serbian talk to them" I have two problems with this, one, my Serbian consists of primarily pointing out kitchen utensils and silly greetings, two if they find out I'm half Serb we will have ventilated craniums for sure and I say as much. "just keep quiet" I whisper Oh hell no, he starts rambling on about suing them, talk about idiocy, "Dude, you need to just shut up, nobody knows we are here and they don't give a rats ass who your Atty is, you keep it up and we are face down game over" His shoulders drop and he looks around helpless as the reality of the situation sinks in. We continue our walk and for me, the odd thing in my mind was why the hell was I wearing slacks when its subzero and snow? Damn my legs were cold, even though we were walking, I was starting to shake, probably more adrenaline than from the cold. I just didn't want to be mistaken for fear.
They led us into the police station/guard house, took what bags we had carried. The golden-haired English speaking guard made it clear for us to stand in the hallway, so there we stood right outside the guard quarters while they watched basketball. We took in our surrounding, I could not get over how much it reminded me of the movie "firefox", the single 100-watt bulb in an old tin frame shining its light from a 10-foot ceiling and just as its light dimmed, the next light picked up.
There was another man with us, I guess Canadian because he spoke perfect English but had a brown passport, he looked like an ass so I didn't have much to say to him, hell, I didnt have much to say at all right now. I am not sure who, but someone mentioned its a good time to run,. Where to? tracks in the snow anyone? "let's just wait and see what happens" I reply. Enjoying the poorly heated building sounded better to me than running through a frozen warzone not knowing where the hell we were going and being hunted all the way, it's not a good feeling, ya gotta trust me on that one. So we stood, just kind of looking around, well cept for the Kanuk, who was trying to watch the basketball game the guards had on, they saw him, said something, and closed the door a bit. He pushed it open with his foot gently, watched a couple minutes of TV and the same guard saw said something Else. Casey and I gave the point to him. The door closed tightly. The stooopid kanuk said something and reached for the door, but I had enough soon as his hand touched the knob, I spoke "if you turn that knob I will crush your throat and you will be dead before you hit the ground" I said clearly. He hesitated and gave me a half calked defiant grin, apparently thinking about how funny it would be. I have been told when I'M pissed I have satan's eyes, and he saw it, realizing I was not joking, his fingers trailed from the steel knob and he stood back against the wall with his lower lip sticking out like a child. There we stood. I lost track of time, our legs ached and we half sat with our backs against the wall holding us up.
Finally, the head guard came back with our passports he said with such little accent "here are your visa's, they say you are good for three days in my country, that is not true, the next train leaves in five minutes I suggest you are on it. So that was that. The guards grabbed their weapons and kicked our luggage to us, we tucked out passports in our pockets grabbed our bags, and headed outside following the guards The door opened and the frozen Balkin air nipped at our faces, the train was already moving, we looked at the head guard who merely nodded his head in the direction of the train, behind us the guards lined up, Kalashnikovs at high ready with the look in their eyes that they would just assume be back inside telling jokes as wasting their time watching us.
We started running, knee deep snow grabbing at our legs as our strides took us to the train, the kanuk tossed his luggage up first with himself close behind, the wheels of the train were churning up powder and the swirling wind made my pant legs move in what seemed odd directions. My mind briefly thought of slipping which meant the train got us, or the guards got some target practice, not an option. Casey grabbed the kanuks hand and was pulled up, then they reached their hands out for me, I lunged as their hands pulled me aboard the train which slowly increased its speed. There Casey and I sat facing each other in a car with an open door, looking back as the guards lowered their weapons and slipped back to the warmth of their quarters, Casey spoke first "I can't fucking believe this just happened, this can't happen, it only happens in movies" I really couldn't argue, but it was over, for now, the train chugged through the Balkin wilderness with pine tree's hefting their burden of snow taking us to Casey's homeland and our hope that this would be the last time we knelt to anyone.
During the Indonesian Tsunami I Immediatly wanted to help, being winter with business being at almost a standstill I made some calls to see where I could be of most use, I presented what I felt were my qualifications, born and raised on a small "farm" I felt that I had the knowledge how to handle and deal with most crisis relating to agriculture especially where animals are concerned, I also touted most heavily the fact I am a licensed Construction contractor with my skills being primarily in the repair of sewer and water lines, debre's clean up, and of course the ability to properly operate nearly any piece of equipment, I was stoked, I was going around the world to truly put my sklls to work. Not so, orgniazation after organization simply asked "do you have a degree" well uhm no I do not, "tehn you have nothing to to offer us" I was quit litterally told this several times. I was shocked, how on earth could anyone come to teh conclusion someone with an accounting degree had more qualifications than someone who not only works in construction, but manages construction projects to work in a disaster zone? The right thing for me to do would simply to have been to ignore them and to have booked a flight on my own, I did not, and I have regretted it since, I also at the time somewhat bought into the "well its important to have qualified people onsite to help with the rescue efforts" now this is true, but let us look into this statement, we know that time is of the essence when trying to rescue anyone. Dehydration, injuries, hypothermia all lessen the time someone is able to survive, so Having a handful of qualified individuals really only allows the rescue of a select few. To me its important to get bodies out in the fiedl of a major disaster, and anyone willing should be allowed on board, hell in my case even I was willing to pay for my own plane ticket. Now on site the nonsense of "said person will be in the way" is just sthat, as a business owner/manager for well over a decade now I have had to take people quit litterally on the spot to fill a vacency and directed said person to do a job in a somewhat compitant manner. A good director of personal is able to quickly figure out what each person may be good for even if that may only be helping to carry a stretcher or handing out bottles of water. Will there be mistakes? Of course there will be, but for gods sake there are lives on the line and its important to do everything in our power to save people any way we can, having unqualified people walking on these area's at least pointing and shouting encouragement to survivors woudl help immensly, and having those in the construction field used to working with debre's IMO is invaluable, cant we at least get this right?
Losing a loved one is a horrible thing for anyone, I cannot Imagine the heartache as Husbands and Wives search for their sons or daughters, as Son’s and daughters search for their moms and dads, as siblings search for each other, and even as a dog sniffs about the rubble searching for its master, none knowing if whom they search for will be found, or where they went, but still they look and still they will hope.
Through it all some of the most resourceful people the world has ever known simply move forward yet again, and do what they need do for the next generation and hope that the next world they create will be better than the one so many have left all to soon.
For those of us not in the midst of tragedy our hearts reach out to those that live it now. With caring arms people from all over the globe will travel and help, giving up their own lives, and leaving their loved ones with the promise to return, but deep down nobody is sure anymore as the world seems turned upside down.
But through the actions of so many good people, & through heroic actions of a few who brave disease, flames, radiation and the earth shaking beneath their feet, they secure a life as promised to those living in the now.
So with the most sincere heartfelt condolences I wish you all the best, and for those who’s time has already passed, your new journey begins, may those in eternity greet you with ethereal arms of love and guide you to your next life, this is your road, you will not be forgotten.
For a couple of weeks now the United States has rattled its sabre doing what it does best, talking and really not doing anything, and I am usually pretty happy when our government accomplishes nothing, it means less they can mess up. However this time around the US were made to look silly and useless as Gaddalfi thumbed his nose and took back lost ground from the Rebels, what difference does it make? quit a bit actually, the main problem is Gaddalfi and son made statements to the effect they could fight off the world, with the US not following through with its threats it makes him look like something he is not, and takes away yet more credibility of the US in the world, something at this time it can not afford.
Look for Gaddalfi to raise oil prices substantially from his country, actually look for much of the middleast to do the same as it realizes that the US is a struggling animal entangled in its own web of uncertainty.
The solution was simple, one not say anything to begin with, or two, shove a missile up Gaddaffi's ass, the later of course only Reagan seemed capable of understanding as we struggle to keep up a fake Image of "peacefull" with a world that really deems us imperialistic anyhow.
. A friend from Malaysia asked me last night asked about my business license, how much it was and so on, Well first off I replied, I have far more than one, so the next obvious question is "how many and how much"?
Fair question so here goes, First I have the county license, 50.00, next I have my Septic license which is 300.00, Truck license which is about 230, license for GVW depending on how much weight I want my truck to be able to legally haul (silly I know), another 60 or so, workers compensation has to be paid up front, that is based on an estimated payroll and number of employee's lets say 350 just to keep it easy, fire fighting card 85.00, licensing for Emergency Equipment for the forest service (supposed to be every three years but ends up being every year do to the powers that be transferring responsibilities to other bureaus), and then Orca, and CCR all three which are free.
Every two years I have to have my contractors license 225 dollars & contractors exemption license, I forget the price. so she is shocked, saying that in her country, there is but one license.
So my grand licensing equals 1215 dollars every two years and 990 each year, she is appalled, saying there you only need a single license.
I did not cover permits needed for various hauling and building I do as well, more shock on her end.
And we wonder why America has a 90 percent failure rate on business, everyone has their hand out.
According to MSNBC Slumdog Actress Rubina Ali lost her Home to a fire that raged through her Shanty town, two years ago a trust was supposed to be set up for her and another Actor to live in exclusive apartments, this only after much clatter was made about another child star who lived in a Shanty town as well while the makers of the movie raked in millions. How absolute horrible can a person be to willingly deprive someone of any kind of an actual existance for their own complete bloated greed? We are not talking about someone living in a nice house in America, we are talking about people who live in tin shacks without running water in absolute filth and poverty. Where is the compassion? http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41921911?gt1=43001
Kim Kardashian has released her first single, yet another no talent Celberity allowed to make more money who is already filthy rich. I really do not understand this logic, now I understand its to sell music, and some pathetic Kardashian followers will buy the CD, but lets face it, the company is already making pretty decent change and IM sure she was compensated well on the assumption the brainless twit followers would buy said music. But why not give people a chance who deserve it? There are people who have devoted their entire lives to making real music and will never get a chance, those people may have not have brainless twits following them, but people who really enjoy music and appreciate it. Somewhere there is another Patsy Kline, Muddy Waters, or maybe even Mozart just waiting to be discovered, just waiting for their big chance, and there is that fan base, like me, waiting for that big discovery. I refuse to purchase music from crossover celebrities, as a matter of fact, I generally shy away from anything from a crossover celeb unless they show any real talent. To me it shows just how shallow these cross over celeberities are by taking up those valuable slots which could be filled by someone else, it shows how uncaring those are in the music or film industry rather than allow others to advance.
Come on Seacrest, if your out there give some guy working in a mine a break who has been thumbing that base since 10, Just think of the following you will get from moms from giving that secratary that sings at the christmas party but goes home to her three kids. And lets leave the Kardashians where they belong, being brainless drama idiots on reality TV.
Ok this is kind of freaky I have to admit, so I am going around you tube looking for information on the 7.7 earthquake that hit in arkanas, so listening to that and looking at comments, the usual sky is falling crowd, one of them posts the government is planning a major earthquake in may and it is called the " Nation Level Excercise 2011" So I google and they are having an exercise planned, whatever freak show, so Another video claims the government has set the date for it previously as well, ok freak job I will bite, so I do another google. and come up with this http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/11/20/us-earthquake-study-idUSTRE4AJ9EV20081120
greywalker7: Now the really freaky part they predicted the exact size three years ago on here http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=46853
The sumatra quake was 7.7 coincidently, now notice that arkansas recently had the dead birds falling from the sky? HAARP, the High frequency radio test unit the government has in ALaska, now I thought its kind of bullshit too, but consider that Tesla's Earthquake machine was based on frequencies causing the quakes, Mythbusters confirmed it (even though they claimed it was busted at the end of the show) More to think about, watching this town hall meeting and hearing people talk about the covert actions o the oil companies, now beyond that, the earthquakes are supposedly being caused by natural gas fissures caused from re introducing polluted water into the crust, why woud they even be doing that in a possilbe major earthquake area to begin with? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1J39XTVRY
Notice what these people are talking about, this is crazy, from a townhall meeting and they are talking about things they are seeing that are not supposed to be there wtf?
Drilling for oil has always bothered me not because of oil itself, but because of the release of pressure beneath our crust. While oil is lighter than water it also carries a higher PSI, think of it like this, hydrolics needs pressure in order to operate, water while it creates some pressure lacks enough to say operate a hydraulics system on a piece of machinery. Now as this oil is released from the ground it of course creates a pressure loss even though water is being injected to force out the oil, This has to allow shifts within our earth crust. What will the consequences for this be in the future? Who knows for sure? While I love oil, I do not believe we can drill ourselves off the planet not because it may run out, but simply because of crust shifts which will of course create earthquakes and other problems down the road. Sounds radical? ya it is and IM not aware of anyone else coming up with this theory currently, I have always hoped someone of importance did or would think of this and push it forward.
Recently the earthquake in Arkansas was more than likely from another source, drilling for natural gas. Geologists are assuming that it could be caused from re injecting the ground with waste water from the natural gas removal process, this is creating fissures, are we completely insane? One why the hell are we pumping crap untreated water into the earth, and two, why would we even mess with foundation upon which we live on? People, we cannot go anywhere else, there is no other planet we can fly to in order to save the day, money is worthless if we cannot continue on living.
Well the Penn vs Fitch fight was prtty good, not sure what Fitch was doing hugging penns legs so much, why you waste all your energy and ability to point by taking someone down who is legendary at takedown defense is beyond me. The decision was a bit disapointing, while it was a close fight, it certainly was no clear cut wins in the first two rounds.
A bit disapointed in the bisbing fight, that never should have been a matchup to begin with, Bisbing was obviously a superior fighter from the get go with Jorje only being a brawler, the Illegal knee was unfortuante, I tend to think Jorje was just taking to long to get up and Bisbing was trying to time his knee to land at the exact moment Jorje's feet came under him an I do not believe the fight should have been allowed to continue but Jorje came back strong, Poor Matchup IMO and it is Time for a Bisbing Title fight.
It is easy to lose sight of what really matters in life, Its no secret that over the past three years things have been pretty rough for me, with my father suffering a terminal Illness, my sisters husband suffering one, and me of course taking a huge hit in the pocket book via the Economy and having to sacrifice work for taking care of My father, something I surely do not regret, and I am damn proud of actually, but after I somehow became focused on my own woe’s, and not on those of others. It is easy in the rat race of America to focus on having the new and best of everything, and in reality, we already have it, at one time the American dream was ust having a stable job, a family, and a house. Now, it is the most expensive toys you can possibly fined coupled with as much fun as possible. Now don’t get me wrong, having nice things is good, and having fun and enjoying life paramount, but the toys takes us away from what really matters IMO, that is life experiences ,now for me that is not the newest shiniest of anything, but rather what I can do for others.
I like being an employer, although It has always been seasonal for me, I like knowing I give people something they really need, money to take care of their needs, as a landlord I like knowing that I am giving someone a home to live in, and not just a dump, but a nice home.
But still I want to take it farther, traveling to various countries the absolute most heartbreaking thing I have ever came upon were children starving. Adults I tend to be a bit harder with, but Children, man, what did they ever do to deserve being born in a position to just eat once a day? And hell, their meal is what an American would just consider a snack I remember my fist real reality to this was on a train going to Wisconsin and sitting next to me was a beautiful woman from Liberia, we struck up a conversation and of course I pried as much as possible aout her county, IM like what is your staple food, her reply “rice” ok so IM like rice and what? “well we make sauces for it” now this just dumbfounded me, no meat in it, “you don’t put monkey in it or something” no was her reply, just rice. Now up to that point most of my travels have been to western countries with the most poverty being in a Mexican border town, absolutely nothing of comparison, and then Russia, now Moscow is a big beautiful city that is one of the most expensive to live in in the world, and here and there you see someone holding a sign up for food, or some old lady trying to sell some dried fish I would not use for bate, but outside the city you start seeing collapsed apartment buildings, that’s strange I think, why don’t they just tear the damn things down? Then you see someone go walking in carrying their groceries, wtf?
So then I hit the Philippines and my first thoughts and sights walking around is simply amazement, there is a tall modern buiding, or a nice new home, and right in-between is a shack that in America would be something some kid would build for a playhouse, but there, people live in it, I kept walking and underneath a parking garage I see a man giving a bath to his two daughters with a five gallon bucket, that really still sticks in my mind. Later I traveled around to other parts of the Philippines and there huts will become more common, there will be houses, but many will not have a shower, only a bucket and a pale to wash with. And those are the fortunate ones, in the villages people seem to be happy and helping each other, but as you get back into other cities, you find the unfortunate Pilipino street children, those that are able beg, I like handing coins out to them, but you have to be careful giving them to much or the other children will attack them for it, and worse, adults will take it from them. Usually I make them dance or sing, something to earn the coin as I do not believe in simply giving. But that changes quickly the first time you step over a child who is just laying there starving, there is nothing, nothing more heart wrenching than first hand seeing a child who no longer has the energy to move, who’s skin hangs from their bones like rags.
SO I ask you, what is important in your life? What really matters? For me I have decided that I really want to get rich, one , so I can build a castle, that would be pretty damn cool, but my greatest dream is so I can go back to those poor countries, and give something back, maybe help a village put in a septic system, dig some wells, and most of all, help educate, as it is not even this generation that will benefit, its those down the road, I really hope that will be my legacy, giving someone a better tomorrow.
With all the fury going on in Wisconson one major factor is overlooked and for the life of me I cannot understand why, that is pensions. For some strange unknown reason governments think they can tap into peoples pension funds, and for some reason, with all the arguing and bickering over losing “collective bargaining rights” the pension is again overlooked. Are we as a society so concerned with the know we forget about the future?
My Father had been a part of the Almagated Transit Union for over 20 years, he worked hard, attended his union meetings, and always despite being screwed over by the boiler makers union, always was a union man. But then the company he worked for started going downhill, and they took cuts, and took more cuts, and finally simply went on strike, the business folded and now nobody had a job, however the one thing that was absolute worse than losing a job, was the simple fact he lost his pension. As it turns out money had not been going where it was supposed to, and their union representative had not bothered doing his job and checking to see if that money was indeed going where it belonged. So there stood the workers, most nearly ready for retirement now wondering what they would do for an income, think about htat for a minute, when the music stops, will you have a chair?
SO I ask, why on earth are these thieves who take from your pension not prosecuted like the worthless rats they are? Why the hell is the one thing that you worked so hard for, ever in danger of being touched to begin with? To me touching peoples pensions is reason for a call to arms, goddamn it, let people retire, they earned it.
The current situation within Wisconson is a classic case of Capitalism vs Marxism, Unions are heavily Marxist in Nature and if one pays attention to the Leftist media today it openly portrays the exact same Ideals which pushed Communism to great heights merely a few decades ago, discouraging ingenuity and indpendence for the "good of the state"
Unions have caused most of the economic and job decline within America and Unions within our government have contributed to unprecedented financial shortfalls and unemployment.
Consider this, government employee's have over the past two years garnered higher wages and better benefits while private sectors have been taxed heavily and your subjects such as senior citizens have lost benefits and your average person has a higher retirement age in order to pay for the "state" and lower retirement ages for those within said selective group.
It is important for people to strongly analyze what they believe America is, and where it is headed
For years Harley rider have spent close to 20 thousand dollars on bikes with older technology and very little modern Research and Development, With grins that cover their faces, they ride, or talk about how they would ride on their expensive machines.
Yet sportbike Japanese Riders spend several thousand dollars less on the absolute latest technology in every sense, on a bike with Research and Development that is constantly competing at the highest level, but if you mention Spending the Harley Equivilent price on a Ducati, MvAgusta or Aprilia, most Immediatly Scoff in half grumpyness.
Are we really that spoiled that we are afraid to pay for quality? Isnt cutting edge technology worth every penny, especially when one compares it side by side to a bike with decades old technology?
While only a small percentage of us sportbike Riders actually ride on the racetrack, shouldnt those of us who do especially be willing to shell out more cash for that top of the line racing technology?
I for one feel blessed at this time to enjoy a japanese bike, it handles great, runs smooth, and does everything comparable to its italian Cousins, but I will not hesitate when both my skills, and pocket book allow me to pull the trigger on a more expensive bike. I for one hope to enjoy the race track to its fullest on the latest technology someday, and I sure as hell will not be grumbling.
Today I was out in the shed cleaning up tools left over from an oil change on My fathers Four wheeler, one of his most prized possessions, I remember going with him to buy it, telling him to pick the one he wanted as it might be the last one he ever bought, never thinking that it really would be. I at the time owned a racing quad, ran good and enjoyed it. Dad and I would go out and take rides together, we had a great time, but for some reason I felt the need to purchase one like Dads, so I did, I picked out the Model just above his and sold the racing quad, not really knowing why I just did, well instead of being light years up the trail from him I would only be a short distance ahead of him, riding at a reasonable pace instead of tearing up the land like badger digging for a rodent. This gave me more time with dad, more time stopping to BS about how much fun we were having, how beautiful the scenery was we were looking at, and more time just to enjoy all the same things. For the next two years we rode every chance we could get, and after dads injury and sickness kicked in, that time shortened a bit more each time. Dad liked riding his four-wheeler from his house with his dog, Zack and going for walks on my sisters land a couple miles from his house, but as he became more and more Ill, and I worried as he was not always in cell distance, I forbade him from going, for the sake of safety, he was devastated but he did not argue, which let me know it was the right thing, but I still tried to go for short rides with him. Then he became so Ill he could no longer ride at all, and all he talked about was that damn four wheeler, and how when he got better he was going to go riding again, and how him and Zack were going to go enjoy the ride together. Well he only got one more ride on it, after his stroke he really couldn’t see very well at all, but I let him go for what should be a short ride in the alley behind my house thinking I could just run alongside him, hell no, he took off, my mind raced with visions of him ramming into a light pole, and soon he disappeared from site, he came back and got an earful from me, but its always easier to ask forgiveness than permission.
That would be his last ride, and no as I closed the door to the shed, taking what little light trickled upon the four wheeler, I realized that there was no price on earth that ever could compare with the experiences we had together, and that no matter how much money I spent on a four wheeler I really didn’t need, it was some of the best money I ever spent .
Recently I sold my 2005 Dodge Pickup I purchased Brand new in 05, damn nice truck with power everything, the paintjob was one of the coolest features as the dark blue changed color in the light to look black as well, the aluminum alloy wheels set it all off nicely. But I found it just sitting there, rarely used after business slowed, driving it was nice, hell like a car, better than any car 20 years ago even, but it was just sooo nice. Everytime I went into the woods I just worried about it getting scratched, on job sites I was constantly nagging the help to not scratch the paint as they leaned over the side to grab some tools. And then the deciding factor, out hunting this winter I started to slide off the road, there looming was a tree who's only future would be a toothpick as I slid within a hairs breath of it, cursing under my breath I thought of just how expensive this could be. Pondering I decided the dozen or so times a year I drove the truck no longer warrented owning it, so I put her up for sale and two weeks later She was gone.
Now I decided to get my Dads old 74 powerwagon going that he built from the ground up in the early 80s.
It fired right up, thats good, cept litterally, I forgot to tighten the fuel line when messing with the carburator and ended up with an engine fire as the fire licked at the firewall (how quant) I ran and grabbed an extinguisher and ended the fires destiny. So the past few days have been fixing burt wiring and tinkering to get her running good again, I grumbled, frustrated with the cramped positions and hurt knee's, but I found myself doing something I have not done in years, I came online and started looking at aftermarket parts, little things to add here and there to better the ride. My lost passion for modifying a vehicle had returned, suddenly owning a truck was fun again. So here I think that maybe while new certainly has its place, keeping an old rig around can keep that old flame going (pardon the pun) and lets face it, new cars or nice, but nothing compares to the style of old.
I went to bed early tonight, and that is never a good Idea, I crawl out of bed at 1 am, sit down to check my "social networking" turn on the computer, the TV, and what sounds like QVC is on, great infomercial, and I think I hear the word "vibrator" wha? and sure as hell, there it is, Some womans future BOB on the screen for the low low price of 69.95, I rub my eyes as it continues through differnt models. Now I have only one major question about this, why no demonstrations :D
Now I have always had strange energy flow, usually it effects clocks an watches, I have always had trouble wearing watches, especially any gold ones and they quickly stop when worn by me, digital have been hit and miss but usually they quit working as well, and clocks you say? well ya, clocks have been known to speed up and slow down around me, no IM not doing any Illegal or even Legal narcotics, its just how things have always been, I carry one hell of a Static charge, to date the coolest thing I have one was shut off A tv merely by my static charge, now this morning I took that to a whole new level when my VCR had fallen behind the TV and I am repositioning it, bam, TV comes on, now I dono if you believe in symbolism or not, but it turns on to the state schedual for senate and legislators. Since I have always had political ambitions maybe its telling me something.
So there are calls everywhere for the removal of Mubarak, horrible dictator, citizens not making much, on and on, and this is true, however what is not being reported upon is what he has done, He is a leader that has pushed for his national treasures to be just that, and even more, world treasures, Tourism has boomed and probably accounts for a good part of Egypts overall gross. And last, he has been a valuable US ally, yet the US government seems content with throwing him under the bus, letting Egypt degrade into the hell Hole which is Iraq and Afganistan, Willing to take the chance of an even worse dictator coming along, who is not friendly with the West.
It seems Apparent to me that one it would have been to America's best interest to stay out of the entire thing, and two, if it is going to step in, be for stabilization rather than a mob with no direction on any level. I shudder to see what happens in the middleast, but I suspect the relative calm will now be gone as history has shown what happens when we put our nose where it does not belong.
So Silva Vs Belfort was widely touted as the fight of the year, and it certainly had all the potential to be with two legends stepping into the ring together, One a long lanky fighter seemingly unbeatable and with a look and fighting style o Dahalism from street fighter, And the other, a champion before the Spider even started fighting, with a nickname suggesting he himself was incredible but suffering from his own inner demons being his only limitation to his potential greatness.
The weigh in was classic all be it an Anorexic looking Belfort, dropped to much weight I thought, my hopes sank, but then the weigh in, the stare down and words exchanged were as intense as there can be, quickly Vitor's lack of Nutrition fled my mind and I beat my chest in anticipation for the spider squishing.
And it happened, they squared off, no touching of the gloves, the hatred fuming in both of them as two of the best circled each other in anticipation, feints feints and more feints as each stomped their foot like childhood bullies trying to intimidate the other into seemingly running out of the cage, And more Feinting, and standing around looking, then Andersons dance was all Belfort could stand as he lunged forward with Bruce Lee's Patonted straight blast, The Spider Stepped to the side and a couple lackluster low kicls later Vitor connects, to the ground, back up, My pulse races, the Spider is done now, its over, and it was, a single white belt kick straight to the face of the Phenom and his light dimmed as his legs lost communication to his brain.
Just like that the King Of Ego got to beat his chest some more, run off about training under one of the most Ridiculous Self important actors of All time Mr Seagal, and doubts running through all our minds as to who can possibly beat him, But calls of GSP echo through the web, I know better Mr Arachnid, white men fall to you like clothes off a stripper, I have one name Mr Arachnid, your Kryptonite from that island off china, Okami shall be your exterminator.
Very little receives the attention that it should in today’s media, We hear all about problems in other countries, pointing out how good we have it without Media censorship, a couple minutes later they will talk about the Potus having censored the media or some Mayor calling for the seizure of a video showing Police stomping some teen burglars head into the ground. Next, we hear about how fortunate we are to live in a country where you are free to vote for either of two candidates for Potus while pointing out other countries (third world) do not even get the chance to vote or vote in rigged Elections, 2000 elections aside the little fact that other western countries seem to have multiple candidates to elect as their president, but that is not so significant, only two parties matter right? Next, we are told about Some middle astern thug who gassed his own people, who is suppressing rights and building nuclear weapons, in a small paragraph somewhere in our own media will be a lightly mentioned almost nonchalant "and today the Pentagon confirmed that yes soldiers in the US military and Civilians in four states were exposed to chemical and biological weapons during the 60s in some obscure operation to test said effects of agents on humans, but rest assured the testing no longer goes on, I felt relieved, especially after the next press release confirmed that Nazi Scientists were smuggled into the United States under project paperclip, I guess I should count myself as being lucky that I was not alive during this time, and not been involved in a car accident and had plutonium shoved in my veins.
Feeling a bit better about myself I turn on the news and see the TSA promoting how great they are to work for, full benefits which cover your family as well, 20-year retirement guaranteed, three weeks paid vacation, 14 sick days, join the worlds largest employer, the US government, in small print somewhere the government debates on raising the retirement age from 65 to 68, some calling for it to be in the late 70s, in a small sentence somewhere I find the average life expectancy is 77 in America, fortunate am I that my family has good genes and I get to add another three years onto that, can't wait for those 9 glorious years of retirement after nearly 50 years of working. But I am encouraged, I own my home, as a matter of fact, I own several, nobody can take that away from me, and homeownership was up under the Bush administration, yea, I feel good, nobody can tell me anything, but shit, the neighbors are telling me they do not like my yard, screw them, the HOA filed a grievance against the Jones who had company parking in front of their garage in the driveway, good job I missed out on that, I saw on the news where some war Veteran was told to take down his Flag, how dare he flaunt that in front of his house, I still have some freedom on my property, I did not succumb to such Nazi tactics, I pay my lease in the form of Taxes for my home that I paid off from the banks that never can be paid off from the government, at least that’s one payment down right?Yes, to live free of such nonsense perpetuated by Tyranical Nutbags who suppress the civilians giving little and bolster only the government agenda and those within their own special group for at least I was allowed the privlage to vote for that nutbag, very fortunate indeed
Isnt Freedom Grand?
Official Unemployment numbers released by the United States Government consistently hover around the 9.5 percent mark with the Obama administration touting the recent supposed drop in applications. Problem is as with most things government, it is simply incorrect. The real number is easily doubled that, unemployment numbers are based upon the number of people actually receiving unemployment, this does not cover those denied, nor those cases which are pending, it seems that the state of Montana has its system figured out to the maximum to screw over its beneficiary. Montana like many states simply delays applications in order to have a "perceived lower unemployment rate" these delays can run three months or more while a decision is rendered, actually, while nobody does anything hoping you simply quit filing your claim and go away in the event you actually follow through with it you will receive a lump sum check after you have already lost everything not receiving benefits owed to you. Which to me is just another typical government program which people pay into and cannot receive when they truly need it, yet another reason why your money should stay in your pocket for YOUR spending or investing purposes.
Why for so many years has America supported the Dictatorships all over the world, and now suddenly support those trying to overthrow those regimes, where is the loyalty? What happens when these people gaining more freedom, become concious of the simple fact the US armed these Dictatorships and aided in the oppression of its people?
