Yesterday was a really beautiful day, with the temperature reaching 34 degrees, the skies so blue it made the snowy peaks just glow with radiance...and no wind. With a need for fresh air I set on the porch for a bit, then realized 34 degrees was still a bit chilly and came back inside.
Winds returned last night, and a bit of snow to just lay a shallow covering over the vehicles. February is passing by quickly and spring is right around the corner. May is one of my favorite months, with it warm enough to enjoy the outsides and the mosquitoes haven't awakened from where ever they make their homes. I'm sure they have a reason to exist, but having fought a bout or two with malaria, I truly hate these flying things. Those and the black flies that show up later in the summer. Still along with the pests is the arrival of the swallows from California and the hummingbirds; one of Mona's favorites. The swallows fly all the way up here to lay their eggs, hatch them and then teach their young to fly for the long trip back. They are often gone before August rolls around.
I only follow my favorite news sites now, trying to limit my time in this area to be more active in my writing. It deeply saddens me to see the rise in antisemitism in the world, all the violence and the growing tension between the nations. We are such an advanced society in so many ways, yet only a stone's throw from the incredible brutality of ancient times. Our population is growing at an astounding rate, yet teachers across the country are going on strike for smaller classes- which could mean larger schools and higher taxes. I'm not aware what teachers make across the country, but personally I feel going on strike will only hurt the students, especially those seniors who really need scholarships to make it into college. Mona homeschooled our kids up until they entered high school. I felt they needed the social environment of high school to better prepare them for the world out there. Home schooling is very popular in Alaska, but I am not sure about the other states.
I've been reading about how the governors of New Mexico and California are pulling their national guard troops off their borders and I feel this is a foolish act. Oh, I've heard this was to keep their Hispanic voters happy, but illegal entry into our country remains a serious problem. I support immigration, but only through the legal route. I once had the idea to open up the closed down military bases and use them to house, feed and educate the refugees to prepare them to become legal citizens. Right now, the illegals are filling up our cities, and helping in the rise of the crime rate. If the governors do not want their national guard on the borders, put active duty military in to replace them. Oh, I am a believer in the "Wall" for the border, but it will have to be patrolled. Get us out of Afghanistan-19 years is long enough, and bring these troops home to patrol our southern border. Use some of our technology to place seismic devices to send out alarms when they sense tunnels being built under the border. Slow down the illegal drug trade. I mean, wow, these drug lords have even gone so far as to now use submarines to get their drugs into our beautiful country.
Here's a group of headlines from the last couple of days that you might or not want to check out further: "Supreme Court rejects abortionists' demands for church e-mails.... White House to study climate change, asking is it a national security threat?....Two American women who married ISIS terrorists want to return to the United States to have their babies. President Trump has said "No" to one of them... Threatening the U.S. Russia's President Putin promises Russian more missiles and "Butter"? ....An English member of parliament vows to quit Labor Party due to its strong beliefs in antisemitism...Palestinian President in defiance to demands to discontinue, says the payments to martyrs will continue.... California lawmakers propose a tax on the sale of sodas and desire outlawing super-size sugary drink....Supreme Court bolsters rights of owners to fight police seizures of vehicles...Wyoming vows to keep the death penalty on the books...U.S. Congresswoman Omar of Minnesota was sponsored by anti-semitic and anti-Israel group, "Witnesses for Peace", for her trip to Honduras .... U.S. Government concerned over Hezbollah's (recognized terrorist group) growing role in Lebanon...Report by U.S. government agency says National Food Stamp fraud total at least $1 billion and could reach as high as $4.7 billion....Teacher's strike over pay and desire for smaller classes spreads to Oakland, CA and West Virginia .... Iran launches large scale war games in the Persian Gulf....Palestinians clash with Israeli police at Temple Mount.... German president lauds Iran on their revolution that seeks Israel's destruction... World Council of Churches exposed as being anti-semetic... California lawmakers propose phasing out plastic products that are not recyclable by 2030.... Thousands in France march against antisemitism following a string of attacks...A prayer and a pistol keeps a 79-year old woman safe from a home intruder...Residents of New Mexico send strong message to their governor after pulling troops from the state's border with Mexico...Canadian Arab News praises terrorists who attacked a Jerusalem synagogue that kills 6 and carried out by "two heroes".
I read yesterday a very negative report on my childhood hero John Wayne, who died in 1979. Supposedly, in a "notorious" 1971 Playboy magazine interview, Wayne stated how he was a "White supremacist". Now the man has been dead for 40-years and they're now bringing this up. Oh, I know he was a hard drinker, a gambler, womanizer and occasionally a bar room brawler who preferred Hispanic women for wives. But, I have a hard time seeing him as a bigot. He believed in America and the freedoms it offered. As an actor he played in over 200-movies and won the Oscar for his role as an old codger of a marshal in the Old West. But, why bring this up now? What is the importance of it, except to soil a man's life and when he's not around to defend himself. I've known a lot of facts to come out of personal interviews that were misquoted or outright lies. For the moment, I tend to believe that Wayne was not a bigot. Sadly, he and about one-third of the casts for three western movies, who were told by the government it was all right to shoot their movies out on the desert where the A-bomb was tested, died of cancer. Not only Wayne, but also the legendary Director John Ford, who has discovered Wayne standing in a crowd of movie extras. A sad ending to a man who brought such delight and entertainment to the millions. Now I wonder if such a report will cause some political group to demand John Wayne's life-size statute be removed from the Los Angeles area "John Wayne Airport"?
Well, that's it for today, time for me to attack my manuscript. Another early morning, so I can expect a nap attack this afternoon. As of next week I'll be off all my prescription medication and the effect this has had on my body has been interesting. One of the drugs I had taken for 32-years had a nasty side effect that destroyed my teeth and attacked my bones, as well as causing seizures. Please, when you are given a medication, review the side effects. The law says they must print these out and there is a reason for this. I had trusted my doctors back then and paid for it.
May the Good Lord bless you today and everyday. BILL
I only follow my favorite news sites now, trying to limit my time in this area to be more active in my writing. It deeply saddens me to see the rise in antisemitism in the world, all the violence and the growing tension between the nations. We are such an advanced society in so many ways, yet only a stone's throw from the incredible brutality of ancient times. Our population is growing at an astounding rate, yet teachers across the country are going on strike for smaller classes- which could mean larger schools and higher taxes. I'm not aware what teachers make across the country, but personally I feel going on strike will only hurt the students, especially those seniors who really need scholarships to make it into college. Mona homeschooled our kids up until they entered high school. I felt they needed the social environment of high school to better prepare them for the world out there. Home schooling is very popular in Alaska, but I am not sure about the other states.
I've been reading about how the governors of New Mexico and California are pulling their national guard troops off their borders and I feel this is a foolish act. Oh, I've heard this was to keep their Hispanic voters happy, but illegal entry into our country remains a serious problem. I support immigration, but only through the legal route. I once had the idea to open up the closed down military bases and use them to house, feed and educate the refugees to prepare them to become legal citizens. Right now, the illegals are filling up our cities, and helping in the rise of the crime rate. If the governors do not want their national guard on the borders, put active duty military in to replace them. Oh, I am a believer in the "Wall" for the border, but it will have to be patrolled. Get us out of Afghanistan-19 years is long enough, and bring these troops home to patrol our southern border. Use some of our technology to place seismic devices to send out alarms when they sense tunnels being built under the border. Slow down the illegal drug trade. I mean, wow, these drug lords have even gone so far as to now use submarines to get their drugs into our beautiful country.
Here's a group of headlines from the last couple of days that you might or not want to check out further: "Supreme Court rejects abortionists' demands for church e-mails.... White House to study climate change, asking is it a national security threat?....Two American women who married ISIS terrorists want to return to the United States to have their babies. President Trump has said "No" to one of them... Threatening the U.S. Russia's President Putin promises Russian more missiles and "Butter"? ....An English member of parliament vows to quit Labor Party due to its strong beliefs in antisemitism...Palestinian President in defiance to demands to discontinue, says the payments to martyrs will continue.... California lawmakers propose a tax on the sale of sodas and desire outlawing super-size sugary drink....Supreme Court bolsters rights of owners to fight police seizures of vehicles...Wyoming vows to keep the death penalty on the books...U.S. Congresswoman Omar of Minnesota was sponsored by anti-semitic and anti-Israel group, "Witnesses for Peace", for her trip to Honduras .... U.S. Government concerned over Hezbollah's (recognized terrorist group) growing role in Lebanon...Report by U.S. government agency says National Food Stamp fraud total at least $1 billion and could reach as high as $4.7 billion....Teacher's strike over pay and desire for smaller classes spreads to Oakland, CA and West Virginia .... Iran launches large scale war games in the Persian Gulf....Palestinians clash with Israeli police at Temple Mount.... German president lauds Iran on their revolution that seeks Israel's destruction... World Council of Churches exposed as being anti-semetic... California lawmakers propose phasing out plastic products that are not recyclable by 2030.... Thousands in France march against antisemitism following a string of attacks...A prayer and a pistol keeps a 79-year old woman safe from a home intruder...Residents of New Mexico send strong message to their governor after pulling troops from the state's border with Mexico...Canadian Arab News praises terrorists who attacked a Jerusalem synagogue that kills 6 and carried out by "two heroes".
I read yesterday a very negative report on my childhood hero John Wayne, who died in 1979. Supposedly, in a "notorious" 1971 Playboy magazine interview, Wayne stated how he was a "White supremacist". Now the man has been dead for 40-years and they're now bringing this up. Oh, I know he was a hard drinker, a gambler, womanizer and occasionally a bar room brawler who preferred Hispanic women for wives. But, I have a hard time seeing him as a bigot. He believed in America and the freedoms it offered. As an actor he played in over 200-movies and won the Oscar for his role as an old codger of a marshal in the Old West. But, why bring this up now? What is the importance of it, except to soil a man's life and when he's not around to defend himself. I've known a lot of facts to come out of personal interviews that were misquoted or outright lies. For the moment, I tend to believe that Wayne was not a bigot. Sadly, he and about one-third of the casts for three western movies, who were told by the government it was all right to shoot their movies out on the desert where the A-bomb was tested, died of cancer. Not only Wayne, but also the legendary Director John Ford, who has discovered Wayne standing in a crowd of movie extras. A sad ending to a man who brought such delight and entertainment to the millions. Now I wonder if such a report will cause some political group to demand John Wayne's life-size statute be removed from the Los Angeles area "John Wayne Airport"?
Well, that's it for today, time for me to attack my manuscript. Another early morning, so I can expect a nap attack this afternoon. As of next week I'll be off all my prescription medication and the effect this has had on my body has been interesting. One of the drugs I had taken for 32-years had a nasty side effect that destroyed my teeth and attacked my bones, as well as causing seizures. Please, when you are given a medication, review the side effects. The law says they must print these out and there is a reason for this. I had trusted my doctors back then and paid for it.
May the Good Lord bless you today and everyday. BILL
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