Are You Paying Attention....

to the goings on in Nevada?

Here's a Google search...pick an article.

I've been watching a lot of mud tossing from supporters of both sides play out on my FB (yes, I do have some incredibly liberal friends that fully believe the .gov is meant to be in charge of every aspect of our lives...I know, how?) feed.

Do I know the whole story?  No.

Do I care to know the whole story? Not really.

Why?  Because the only thing that is ringing my own personal alarm bell is the fact there are 200 ARMED agents locking the ranch down over some grazing cattle and a turtle species (oh, and a possible solar energy plant and fracking).

Why the alarm bells?  Because of so many reasons.  One being the overall acceptance that this is totally okay by an alarming number of my friends...another being that the MSM is only just NOW paying attention to a fight that's been going on for the better part of a decade (that's really no surprise though, neither is the spin being put out on it).

So, are you paying attention?




(P.S.  Click an ad over there -------> in the little white squares, please and thank you!)

Ugh....Just Ugh!

I swear, going over the budget and working out the numbers is going to be the death of me.  Why in the world I ever thought a career in Finance would work out is beyond me.

Math R hard.

I hates it.

It is not my precious...it's a filthy little hobbits.

Okay...geek-freak out complete.

The good news is that I've pretty well got everything worked out.  Thankfully.  Or I would have eventually found myself offering up a child sacrifice to Mammon.

Oh and the gofundme is gone.  We will do it all on our own.  It is our responsibility to deal with.

Also a decision that was made after seeing how a friend in "desperate" need whined about how though the need that was not a need but a want was met, it was not met fast enough to suit.  This hurt because I assisted in meeting some of the "need" and did a pass on items for my own spawns' holiday to do so (it was only two books worth but still).  It also brought to light (because it finally happened in a way that hurt) that we overlook our own needs so often that it puts us in a bind, like now.  A fiver or ten spot here and there adds up...and after looking over the financials from last year, I realized how many of those went elsewhere and not to our dwindling savings.

Not this year.

No, we won't be going full selfish mode.  But we will do a double check on where we stand before we offer help from now on.  There will be deep thought put into monetary donations from this point on.

That being said....next week a trip into town with several bags of outgrown but entirely serviceable clothing will be made so that they may find their way into the donation bin.  There will, hopefully, be several boxes of kitchenware and the likes as well.

The purge is underway.

(P.S.  Click an ad if you would please....you don't have to buy anything...you don't even have to look if you don't want...but your click might, just might, help my adsense account reach the minimum for the first time EVER.)

Thoughts...

on the 'shutdown'.....again.

I broke down and wrote my 'reps' again today.

I let them know that despite the probability of our losing out on VA pay this month, I'm good with a 'piecemeal' approach to getting the .gov moving again.

Why?

Because that's how we (people that have to budget) have to do it.  We have to go line by line and decide what is important enough to be kept and included in our budgets and how much we are willing to pay out of our limited funds for those things that aren't necessities.

I also let them know that the 'my way or no way' approach is really unacceptable...meaning I don't much like the idea of Mr. Prez saying that he's willing to negotiate IF the debt ceiling is raised and the shutdown ends.  Um, that's not really negotiating...from my understanding of the word negotiate that is.  I guess I should study up on the dictator's dictionary to get the correct understanding.

The frustration I have is from the blatant lack of disregard for the opinions and desires of the American public by our 'elected' officials.  But that will unfortunately not change anytime soon.

Everything Else in the World...

is too big for a quick post...so I've chosen one, highly annoying and mind boggling, thing.

History, ladies and gentlemen, is written by the winners, right?

Looks like someone thinks they've won.

^Out of Texas.^

I'm just flabbergasted.

Sometimes There Are No Winners....

In the hour plus since the verdict was handed down, I've seen my FB and Twitter feed blow up with the opposing sides attacking each other with relish.

Zimmerman was given a 'not guilty' by a jury of his peers because the prosecution failed to impress upon them an actual murder took place.  Murder implies intent.  They did not prove intent.  They apparently did not even prove manslaughter (an option for the jury).  Trial complete, sentence handed down.

The boy is still dead, the man is still alive.

Stupidity to begin (or re-surge...take your pick).

I've spent a little (very little) time reflecting on this.  My thoughts are as follows:

If you don't like how the system works, change it.  But change it the right way.  A revolution is needed, yes.  A revolution in thought.  We have evolved from a country of innovators, doers and thinkers to a country of people with their hands out, waiting for someone to do for them and asking "when I gonna get mine."

Have we (me and mine) been on the receiving end of others work?  Yes.  We have.  But it was used the way it was meant to be used.  As a hand up, not a hand out.  We busted our asses to get to the point that the hand up was no longer needed.  That's how it should be.  We need to impress upon our children and grandchildren that the world is not here to do for them...that's their job.  The world owes them nothing.

The system works only as well as the parts.  Our parts have become sluggish and dependent on someone else to work for them.  New parts, that should be moving in to take place of well worn ones, aren't fitting the way they should.  They are weak (mind, body and spirit) to the point of breaking.  They do not pull their weight in the the machine of the Nation.  And so it falls apart.

You want a system that works...then work for it.  Work together.  Do not depend on a few to do the work that was designed to be done by many.

Steubenville, OH...

the town that should be utterly ashamed at itself, its people and the lack of morals that has been passed on to yet another generation.

I want to say so very much on how this little town has ruined itself with the way it merely turns its head in the face of illegal activities all for the sake of holding on to a little pigskin glory.  I want so much to express my disgust over how authority figures made sure that these children wanted for nothing (legal or not) and felt comfortable running rough-shot over the rights of others (oh look, little politicians in the making).

It is beyond disgusting that so many saw, witnessed what happened to that 16 year old girl...yet NONE stepped forward at any point in time during the night to put a stop to it.  NONE.  An entire generation belonging to an entire town...numbed and dumbed...unwilling to stand up and do the right thing.

Shame on you Steubenville.  YOU have ruined YOUR children.  Not just the two found guilty in a court of law.  All of them.

Shame on the MSM.  YOU have laid sympathy with CONVICTED rapists (whose social media activities and own friends testimony convicted them) because they are young "promising" football players.  YOU have victimized the victim all over again in so many ways.

Shame on our Society as a whole.  I've seen some incredibly disturbing posts all over the internet today.  Blame being laid on the victim for drinking too much.  Sympathy for the poor young rapists that their lives are now ruined by the conviction.  So much more that makes me wish for days without instant news, instant access and instant ability to post the most idiotic thing a person can post for the entire world to see.

Stop the Planet...I want off.

I Have Come to the Realization...

(and it's not so shocking of one but I've finally decided to put it here, on the interwebz where it will forever echo through space/time/whatevs)

that our nation is toast.  There is no turning back.  Those of us that try to stand firm will be swept away by the sea of stupidity that has come to rule.  We are few, they are many.  The only thing that we can do at this point is look to ourselves, our families and those of like minds.

I do not believe that technology will be abandoned...there is too much control of the masses in it to let it go to the wayside.  Communication via interwebz, cell phones, etc will remain available (but probably at an unnamed cost) so that the masses can be "informed."  We are a world connected and they'd like to keep it that way.

I'm thinking a future that is a mash up of "Idiocracy" and "The Hunger Games"...keep them down-trodden, but keep them informed with messages you want them to see and keep them stupid.  Control what they see, what they eat, what they drink, how they educate, how they work....

I don't know if this is burnout, irritation or what.

All I know is that I've been watching closely the direction this once great nation has been taking for several years and the past two, in particular, have been one hell of a roller coaster ride...we're reaching the end...that last big climb before the final, bone shaking, terrifying drop.  The brakes are out, the safety belts are broken and there is no one minding the controls anymore.

"Maybe in three years we'll be able to get back on track."  That's what someone said to me today.  I wanted to reply that there was no more track left.  It's been nibbled away, piece by tiny piece, until we see nothing.  There is nothing there anymore that is familiar folks.

I'm not that old (under 40) but I see the massive differences in this nation from when I was just entering adulthood.  It cannot be blamed on ONE party, ONE group or even ONE person.  It is OUR fault, as a nation.  We let things become this...we let it happen because it was the easy way out.  It was easier to take the path that had been cleared versus the path with a few bumps and snags.  It is our fault.  And we will pay the price.

Preaching to the Choir...

in hopes that someone not part of the choir will stumble in.

You'd have to blind to not see the division in this country...too many are, unfortunately.  The people of the States filling petitions for secession are part of the voice ignored by the government.  The election was not a "landslide" as I've heard from many MSM sources...a landslide would indicate that O received well over 50% of the vote...he did not.

My Facebook feed has been burning up with sniping comments from one side to the other (and visa versa) and it's disturbing to see my somewhat normal friends become venomous bile spewing fanatics.  It brings that country wide division into glaring focus.

I've attempted to keep my comments to a minimum...not really posting for one side or the other as I fully believe both are wrong (p.s.  I deplore the 2 party good ol' boy system).  I've watched with increasing dismay as my friends have rather brutally verbally attacked one another...and it has served to strengthen my resolve.

This, my dear readers, is no time to become lax or complacent. Winter is harsh enough without these issues and divisions...this winter looks to be harsher still.  Once the holiday season has passed, I look for much of the country to lose its mind all over again.  I could be wrong but the ball of foreboding in the pit of my stomach makes the possibilities difficult to ignore.

Done...

that's it...I'm done.  Ready to be outta here and on the land.  Ready to get this ball started rolling in a rapid manner.  Unfortunately, we kinda stuck here until the Army decides whether or not to keep the Soldier in or give him the old Medical Retirement boot.  Sweet.

Yeah...I watched the markets today...probably not the best idea for someone that was feeling a bit doom and gloom to begin with.  Just made me want to puke.  Nice debt deal...we're so set now...no worries what-so-ever.

Once again, how's that "change" coming along for ya?  Given up "hope" yet?  Have a nice big slice of reality and get back to me.

I just gotta say...

that I have a solution to the problem...and it isn't this:

"Obama will also request $500 million to hire more border patrol agents and buy more equipment, according to lawmakers and administration officials."

Why hire more? I ask. The solution is to use the security forces we have already (i.e. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, etc)....wait, wait...that's right, most of them are busy fighting wars on the other side of the world that were caused (in part) by lax security at home in the first place...aaahhh, circle of blame how you torment me!

But hey, since we can't do that then let's just run up more debt, print more paper money that has no backing and let everyone think we're on top of the problem so we can get re-elected. Then something (not saying what) will happen that will cause a huge public panic that will allow for us to declare ourselves "rulers for life" in order to restore order and maintain the illusion of security. Yes!! It's a plan! (bring in the coffee, donuts and arugala)

There is so much wrong with the US of A right now that I feel a saving grace is not going to save it. Need proof? Research the rise and fall of every other great "empire" and see how well they fared. You don't have to dig to deep...really, you don't. Just look around. How many of the following empires do you see as a major power these days? Romans, Grecian, Egyptian, Huns, Mayan...heck even the British Empire is a mere has-been. Enjoy the ride of the spiralling suck America, it's sure to be the last bit of fun you have for a long while.

Cut off your nose...

to spite your face...seems the tattered remains of the entity we call the U.S. Government is doing that at a rather quick pace as of late.

Obama saves the unemployed...for a little while, until that money also runs out and no jobs are available...which will continue to be the case according to Bernanke...but that's okay because Frank has a plan to cut Defense spending and the saved money will save us all!! And thank goodness too since debt collectors have found a loophole in the law that can get you some time in a pretty orange jumpsuit! Aren't you excited? I know I am! (Please note the super intense sarcasm here folks.)

Gee, it's a miracle so many of us have managed to survive...why without Big Brother looking over our shoulders and telling us what was best for us, we may never have made it those first few steps out of our parents'/guardians' sights when we struck out on our own! Wowzers Big Brother...you sure have done a bang up job making us into a debt-free, self-sufficient, self-reliant, not nosing in anyone elses' business nation...kudoz to you. (OMG, I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.)

Just a Little Reminder...

to our President, Congress and the rest of the Federal Government.

The Civil War wasn't fought over just slavery. It was also fought over States' Rights, persistently high taxes and tariffs, representation and the voice of the public not being heard (listened to maybe, heard not).

What's that saying? Those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Just a thought.

Free Pass...

I'm going to venture a wild guess and say that Israel will get one. If you haven't been splattered with the headlines yet, here's just one...

Concerning the flotilla carrying aid to Gaza through the blockade.

Of course, depending on which article you read, reports are varying from 2 to 10 people killed and dozens injured. Israel is saying that there was no attack and point out that the flotilla could deliver cargo through one of their ports (uh huh...it would have totally gotten there).

Now, let's look at it this way...let's just look at this situation like it should be looked at. Pretend Israel isn't Israel in this case, that it is some other country...say Iran...what kind of actions would be taken then, I wonder. Not a little "shame, shame" finger wagging...not a shake of the head with the "you're a bad boy" look on the face. Hell no. It would be loud, worldwide reprimands with calls for some sort of serious action to be made. But alas, it is Israel...there will be no serious consequences.

No wonder these people got punished by God so often in the Old Testament, no wonder that the New Testament focuses on spreading God's love to the rest of the world...someone up there knew that this particular leopard wouldn't really ever change its spots. There would be calls of foul play and war if the situation were reversed and Israel the one under a blockade that denies aid. Yup, sure would.

Since it is Israel that is doing the blockading, I'm guessing free pass. No big surpise there.

Interesting....

the boys, the Spouse and myself indulged last night in a pleasure we so rarely get to experience...we hit the Barnes & Noble in E-town for a little hands on book shopping.

It was fun, we all found something we wanted and the screamers played at the train table whilst Mommy shopped around for some books to add to our "learning to read" list. Mommy was quite happy thumbing along until she ran up on this monstrousity: D is for Democracy

Yes, ladies and gentlemen...the ugly thing...bet you can't guess what T is of in that book. You got it! Taxation and according to that particular book (paraphrasing here but it's damn close to what it says) "no longer the fees of kings, they help us pay for many things." Yak, gag, gross...okay, so even the Spouse curled his nose when I said something about it and said he'd rather read the screamers "Too Purply"...which means you know it's bad.

I'm not really surprised...honestly. When Sid the Science Kid starts rambling on about the importance of vaccines and flu shots, it's hard to be surprised about the level to which "they" will stoop in order to reign in young minds.

On a side note, Missouri just changed their homeschooling laws. Parents are now required to keep a log, use the same school year AND hours (1000 w/ 650 being IN HOME)...gone are the send a letter to the school saying you're homeschooling days. Hello control. It's all politics, of course. But then, it pops up just as this happens...interesting, no?

Preaching to the Choir...

in hopes that a non-Choir member may stumble here and find something sorta worthwhile.

Many (many, many, many) Americans are just now waking up. Many are still sleeping but I have to say I've given up on them. There are only so many times a person can try to make a difference to those that refuse to see any other way. We'll ignore them for now...though they will become "the problem" later when things start getting really rough. Right now the focus is on the newly awakened (I'm pretty sure that's not the proper bit o' English but don't particularly care).

Welcome. Sucks to see all that hard earned cash/junk/wanted stuff slowly disappear, don't it? Be honest. Now, you want more gut punches? What could you have gotten instead of that 46" flat screen LCD TV that would actually help you in the event of a full systemic crash or even local emergency? Ouch...yeah, it hurts.

Let's break it down, shall we?

Flour Mill
Wheat
Dehydrated Foods
Water Filter
Emergency Shelter


I could really go on and on. But I won't because I know...I am preaching to the choir. If you've recently joined the choir you still have a little time left to get yourself fixed up with goods before it gets too awful bad. TEOTWAWKI doesn't always mean huge, massive upheaval in a global sense ya know. It means "as we know it"...and what my generation knows is time of plenty where one could buy what they want/need when they wanted/needed for the most part. Times are a changin' my fellow X and Y'ers if you haven't noticed. The dollar isn't worth much and frankly the good ol' USA is following the dollar's path in the rest of the world's view. Do you honestly think that the (s)elected officals in your city/county/state/federal governments are going to have your back? Um, not likely.

The time has come (the Walrus said)...to grow up. Seriously. We are a spoiled country for the most part. Take responsibility and grow the heck up. Do something to provide for yourself and your loved ones in time of need/crisis. In other words, don't stand there scratching your rearend in the middle of the train track while the 5:30 Express comes barreling in your direction.

Put aside something tangible AND useful, learn a skill that you thought only "poor" people needed to know, plant something that you can eat eventually and learn to NOT run to the store when you run out of X,Y or Z...figure out a substitute or do without. You'll be amazed at how much money you save (that's the green stuff that you find less and less of in your wallet nowadays, btw) and how much better you feel about yourself. Take a little pride in getting your hands dirty with manual labor (heaven forbid) and providing something you made/raised/grew to your family. Get your rear in gear folks...or be prepared to relive the standing in soup lines stories you heard from older relatives in a firsthand version.

***The above rant was brought to you by entirely too much coffee while working on getting things organized so that the movers coming on the 16th do NOT pack up a bag of trash/potatoes/or anything else that I wouldn't want sitting on a boat for 6+ weeks***

Well...DUH!

That's pretty much all you can say about the last paragraph of this article.  For posterity's sake, I'll post it in italics so you don't have to go look if you don't want (don't ever say I wasn't nice).

Analysts in Moscow think what Mr Putin really wants is a commitment from Washington to only deploy a small-scale missile defence system, that would be effective against Iran and North Korea but would not neutralise Russia's nuclear missile force, he adds.

Well, duh...of course that is what he wants.  Why wouldn't he want that?  Why in the bright blue marble of a world that we live on would Mr. Putin WANT a defense system in place that would neutralize his nuclear missile force.  He wants to be able to use them, effectively...just like we want to use ours effectively.  Why would he not protest?

No, I am not on his side...not in the least.  If we have the capabilities to eliminate a threat, then by all means eliminate it.  I'm just saying...me thinks the Mr. Putin doth protest too much, me thinks his truer intentions will be known way too soon.

Some post-Holiday Randomness...

Good holiday overall here...the littles didn't get spoiled with battery operated goo, just some good ol' fashioned games (checkers, connect 4, etc), some puzzles, matchbox cars, crayons, coloring books, notebooks, pencils and S-A-N-T-A brought an EasyBake oven. 

Go on, say what...yes, the screamers are boys...yes, they got an EasyBake...why you ask...well, they asked for it.  And it was really the only thing they asked for.  I take that back, the youngest DID ask for a real magic wand so he could turn his brother into a frog and step on him, but I couldn't find one of those anywhere.  So EasyBake it was.  Totally cool with me though, since I can work on their baking skills without risking the oldest shoving the youngest headfirst into a super-heated stove and visa versa (truthfully the visa versa is what would totally happen here...the youngest is a spitfire).  Looking forward to actually using it, haven't yet 'cause I'm an evil mommy (you just don't know).

On another note, I'm patiently waiting for some of this snow that is supposedly in the area to start showing up.  Jet stream is hooked just above us (literally) and keeping all that fluffy stuff north about 30 miles...30 miles...sigh.  We got just enough on Christmas Day to whiten things up, but it was gone by nightfall.  Unlike so many, I love the stuff...can totally rip up the road in it...and would so much rather have it than just the butt chilling cold we've had.  Give me a reason for the cold (aka snow on the ground) rather just having me freeze my rearend off, if you please.  This freakin' global warming is giving me frostbite! ;P

I hope you lot used the pre-season sales to stock up on some of the baking essentials out there.  Had some pretty decent prices on flour and sugar in these parts (at one point it was $.99 for a 4lb bag of sugar...killer deal for us).  Right now, the pantry is loaded and we're pretty much good to go.  Could use some more powdered milk but we'll survive until the 1st I believe.  Did score some pouch tuna for a little under 1/2 price on the last grocery trip though, with the assistance of a bunch of cent off and bogo coupons...poor cashier just didn't know what hit her.  I used the 'savings' to grab up some pouch salmon and still stayed under budget....which is a really big deal for me since we are now off the food stamps/ebt and going it all on our own.  A step forward, I think.

Which leads me to a whole different kind of rant...we make too much for assistance (not a gripe per se).  Only because the spouse gets chow hall allowance.  That puts us right under the line, by about $30 which isn't worth the red tape I'd have to fight through in order to keep it.  Yup, if it weren't for that, we'd still have the same amount of $$ coming in that was coming in when he was a civie making $8hr.  Scary isn't it?  Oh, yeah...for those that use the "you get benefits" argument...that includes all benefits but health insurance (since I can't really put a price to that one yet...what with the fantabulous healthcare plan that our great leader and his minions will be providing the civilian world with...please note the sarcasm).

Should be an interesting next few months on this continent...just keeping my eyes open for things that "may" impact us (being that we are in a rather interesting position now) will keep me busy.  Top it off with all the stuff that I KNOW (Afghanistan, Iran, Korea, etc) will impact us and well...it makes me want to just not look at the news anywhere...online, on the boob tube, in the paper.  Unfortunately, I can't...it's just not in me to turn a blind eye and live in the dark.

If ya'll don't mind (and I know you don't because it is MY blog after all) I'll likely be ranting, sharing, discussing some school related stuff here.  Seems my "Environmentlism professor" thinks I'm a meat-eating, carbon producing, Earth killing moron...2 outta 3 ain't wrong, but I'm no moron.  Break ends on the 4th with the first real assignment being about Urbanization...yeah, interesting and essential stuff (SARCASM).

Well, that's it folks...out for the day...unless I get a wild hair up my rear and decide to come back later...you've been warned.

At this very moment....

I'm watching something that is more than a little disturbing. I am watching streaming video from NASA as they crash a $79M rocket into the moon...$79M...and that's not really the most disturbing part.

The part that bothers me the most is this: Doesn't the moon affect our planet? Tides, weather? Is it really so vitally important to find water on the moon that you risk screwing up the order of nature and the universe?

I guess so. I hope, beyond hope, that they find what they want without too much damage....but I won't be holding my breath. It could take weeks, months, years to truly see the effects of this little science experiment...disturbing.

Edit to add: Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

Seriously!? For? Lousy explaination for reasoning in my opinion...it's all based on what he wants to do, not what he's actually done. Again....disturbing.

Dear Potosi R-III School District,

Thank you so much for the trauma you have caused. My oldest child was given to you, with much trepidation, to teach. He came to you as an excited and elated five year old boy, eager to learn and happy. He will be leaving you this afternoon as an unhappy, labeled little boy who is no longer excited at the prospect of "going to school in a building."

Congratulations, it took you less than a month to destroy his joy. That is some kind of record, I'm sure.

My apologies for sending you a child that was "very bright" (to quote his teacher) and "academically advanced" (to quote another). I didn't realize that preparing my child and teaching my child was something that would cause trouble. My apologies for sending you a child that is an independent thinker, one that does not depend on adults to defend him and one that is not a (sorry all) sissified pussy that is all touchy feely about others feelings and refuses to moderate his opinions for the sake of others' feelings.

I do thank you for showing me the light...and that I was right. My child is infinately better off where he will be as of this afternoon...home, learning with someone that loves him and bothers to take the time to understand him. Farewell to those that have made this last month one of the sigularly most trying in my young son's life. You jerks.

The Butternut Chronicles

Have begun! Right this moment, I have something like 8 cups of roasted and scooped butternut squash awaiting attention…and about 10 more squash waiting to be cleaned and roasted. Why me? Because Mom isn’t in canning mode yet…no massive amount of ripe tomatoes to play with.

So, I’ve been playing around with recipes and testing them out on the spousal unit and the screamers. Seems orange is not a color that the screamers enjoy unless it is fall…go figure! Tonight I’ll be messing about with interchanging all of our favorite pumpkin recipes with the butternuts…we shall see how that goes. Personally, I’m loving the different taste so early in the year…I’m sure I’ll be sick to death of them long before the vines die off and stop producing. In the meantime, we have plenty…probably too many (as usual) and they will soon be getting handed off to folks at church.

Not so much with the green beans, peppers and zukes this year. The male parental unit didn’t add any goodies to the ground this year. Which is sad given that they are surrounded by fields FULL of free manure. So the crops suffer. Well, most of them at least. Tomatoes and butternut squash will not be in short supply.

In other news, I’m over my ranting bitchiness concerning familial opinions. I figure that one post griping about how one gets judged worse by family than anyone else is enough. Besides, why bother…I don’t have to have approval…I’m an adult in my own little world and I like it here. No you can’t come in…well, maybe…I’ll talk to the voices and see what they think…lmao!

The next week or two will be a little hairy around here. The spousal unit goes in Thursday to see if that last 1% of body fat is gone, gone, gone. Fingers crossed that it is...I'm so very ready to be away. Not that it matters much, we still have to do the whole housing waiting dance...and you know what the Army creed is..."Hurry up and wait."

So, you lot throw some of your favorite butternut recipes my way...would ya? I know I'll need some inspiration sooner or later!!