I Think

Most Americans are no worse than other people. But they get conflicting information and outright propaganda all day long. They may wish to do better, but they cannot make up their minds. I don't see any changes in the foreseeable future.

I'm not so sure about that, Ed. I submit that that overweening sense of "we're god's gift to the world" is just a little too bit too strong.

Consider how easily Americans are moved to demand retribution for even perceived wrongs. Look at all the multitudes of peoples who so readily forgive and forget the immense violations that the US has heaped upon the poor countries of the world.

But let's not get bogged down in that.



Oh so true. Wouldn't it be nice to actually live in an American where the propaganda, the good stuff, actually described real life events. Where government of the people, by the people, for the people wasn't just some flaky forgettable meme?

How does such a thing come about? Honesty and truth. Vietnam couldn't compete with honesty. Nixon couldn't compete with the truth.

I'm tired. I just sandwiched tearing off a roof between trips to the store. I am in no state to be discussing this today.

Fair enough, Ed. It definitely is hard to wrap your mind around sometimes.



Did you use one of these?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=32PQQL-PZEg

Just jokin'! Though it did a pretty decent job.

I used one of these,

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/roof/maintenance/reshingle_3tab/tear_off_prep/procedure.htm

[You have to scroll down about 30% of the page at that website until you see the tool laying on the shingles. ]

for a recent huge tearoff, and it made it while not a breeze, much more of a breeze than past tearoffs.

I tore off old style corrugated metal from a roof that was caving in. Had to work from all sides. Tomorrow I have to take off the deck and knock down the framework. I used a crowbar, hammer and six foot 2x4.

I will say, the truth did not end the Vietnam War. It ended LBJ's political career but Nixon threw everything he had into that war and only left when there was no viable alternative.

That would be Nixon's "Peace with honor" bullshit. What's honorable about bombing three countries back into the stone age, two of which weren't even part of the initial illegal invasion, spreading poisons all across the lands of people you are trying to save, relentlessly gunning down villagers, pulling people off their land and sticking them in concentration camps, helping the mass murderer PolPot come to power and then providing him with money and aid that was meant to go to real refugees.

Honor??

What a weekend. I have been simultaneously tearing apart my back porch and building an extension on the storage shed, while taking down Christmas decorations. Took apart the porch for the dual purposes of constructing a better one as well as making it easier to replace the siding behind it. I am a recycler, born of necessity, rather than environment concerns. The metal roofing, for instance, became siding and roofing for the storage add on. A little paint will dress it all up nicely. Rest is fine, staying busy is better.

Fiscal cliff? They're just yanking our chains. In the end, no cliff, nothing great accomplished.

It's hard to fit Punky the dog for cold weather wear. Bought her the extra large of one style - too small. Bought her the large of a different style - it could wrap around her twice. She did better when I was slipping my own tee shirts on her and pinning up the slack.

Katy could probably wear my now ancient and toobigforme a2k sweatshirt.
It must be hard to be her in the cold. Even in the house, when she wags her tail there is a cold breeze. Outside, it must be a chilly wind.

Punky is not as large as all that, but her chest and neck are very big. I guess we will have to modify her outfits if she is to be warm.

Squirrels tearing up my house. Traps with open maws and sunflower seeds to entice. Soon the little beggars will be transported to a distant park.

I read over the contract papers. My home will be paid for in 3 1/2 years. I hope I can work at least that long. Right now, I say, yes.

msolga is a delight on facebook. Making it easier to go there each day.

Here is hoping for a quiet day on the job, although I doubt it.

In politics you don't win debates with the other side. You overwhelm them with public opinion and the voting booth. It's why I don't spend that much time in debate threads here. Nobody gives an inch on either side.

It was a rainy weekend and New Year. Had to stay mostly indoors. I did get the pick up loaded with debris to be put in the dumpster. I would like to finish with the outside of the house before hot weather returns. In a few minutes I need to check my squirrel traps.

It's so nice to return to a controlled diet. During the holidays I start to feel like the geese I have seen in films, getting force fed, because nobody takes no for an answer (including me).

Listening to old Elvis songs takes me back, puts me in a time when I still had my original family. It's hard to explain the nostalgia when it was also a miserable time, but I find comfort in the feeling.

A lady I knew at the job for twenty years is now in an old folks home. I am of a mind to pay a visit, to let her know it was real friendship and not just job proximity that made me friendly. She is not quite ninety, but I forgot her exact age. She was a pretty fair artist, before her eyes began failing her. Mainly I want to see for myself if she is happy.

Yesterday, I caught one of those pesky squirrels. Punky the dog rode shotgun as I transported the little demon to the park. It was a nice ride for her. She got to see pastures with horses and we even closely followed a trailer with two cows for a bit. In fact, Punky was so loving it that it took lots of persuasion to finally get her out of the truck at the end. I shut her up in there for a time, as I went around back to see if any more squirrels had been trapped and then I went and made the coffee pot. Finally, I opened the truck door and left the gate open. After a time, she came in through the doggy door and I went out and locked up the truck.

Nice, EB.

Thanks.

..and the squirrel was riding on her back?

The squirrel was in the have a heart trap in the back of the truck.

J/k wit 'ya!

I know, but I was not witty enough to post a come back.

I just had that image in my mind after seeing on ESPN, a clip taken in a football stadium of a monkey riding on the back of a Border Collie.

My dog would not tolerate a monkey, I think.