Horoscope Could Not Be More Right On . . . Sagittarius
As I find myself, not in Bozeman, Montana as planned, and in Durango, Colorado, back at my old haunts, the Durango Community Shelter, grateful to see familiar faces, and a welcome from nice, friendly, helpful staff, Talia, and the long-hair dude?, a warm bed, shower, and great food, from the Manna Soup Kitchen, and a friendly greeting from Jason, chief cook and bottle washer, really chef, gardener, welcome wagon, and just over all cool guy, a sense of calm, came over me, as I slept wonderfully, read the local newspaper, the Durango Herald, catching up with local news, with Talia inviting me to jump into local politics, but refraining from saying what her opinions were, we can't talk politics, religion, and other stuff, that is best left at the door of any home living situation, with people's opinions ranging from anarchist to constitutional law attorneys, from Mormon raised to atheists, from blacks to Jews, all under the same roof, our own little UN! Very smart rule of thumb, and Cheer for Charity! That was engraved on one of the contributor bricks, on the outside of the mess hall, where there was hot take outs, for those of us, me, who thought, the amazing brunch Jason and volunteers serve each Sunday, was at 11:00 a.m., rather than 9:30 a.m., like it has always been, but, hey, I am a bit confused, being in several states a month at times, but glad there were leftovers! Yahoo! Still hot and good eats . . . so here is my read for today!
Travel plans will be rescheduled, cancelled or changed in some way because things are unpredictable today. Likewise, classes and educational efforts are subject to change.
If anyone, who follows this blog, read the harrowing experiences, both in Montana before I left, and at the Denver, bus terminal, it is a miracle that I am here, let alone alive, God Lives, and he lets me know, day by day, minute by minute, hour by hour, town by town, what I need to do to live hard, but die free . . . the first song as I came into McDonald's, here in Durango, was Suzanne, the plans they made for you, put an end to you . . . I always thought I would see you again! I am always at the most risk, when I go from place to place, because, nobody, except, surveillance guys, ever knows when I leave and where I am going, including myself! When things, heated up, if you know what I mean, in Kalispell, Montana, where I had a place to live and was working out at the gym everyday, and getting in shape, which proves difficult, when you are chased from one place to another, for expressing your first amendment rights, pissing off, everyone, either on one side or the other . . . remember the 12 people killed by terrorists, who worked at Charles Hebron, the satirical newspaper agency, that takes free speech and political satire to the extreme and pushes the envelope, much the way I do, but I don't have a building nor other staff as support, out there raw, real and relevant on my own . . . with everyone from political parties, to government agencies, to agenda funding emigrants from other countries, either wanting to use my blog and its large following and readership, for their own purposes, or to silence me, when I comment on positions that are foreign to what they want said on a blog with over a billion readers, on any given day . . . aside from the money connected with this blog, which I don't get, there is the Power Aspect, That I Fucking Love! And due to that power, which is envied, coveted, borrowed, supported, hated, and despised, thus, I have a target on my back, head, heart, and about anywhere, that could cause me grief, pain, misery, and hurt me, up to and including, assassination!
Blog Control . . . No Sleeper Cells, No Guest Writers, My Educated Views, and the First Amendment! Let Free Speech Rule the Day, But With Caution!
One day, while I was staying in Las Vegas, Nevada, basically on the run, from some entity or another, I had gone dancing at my favorite dance club, the Blue Martini, which is a mini-dating mecca, and UN in and of itself, with Vegas drawing money, power, glitz, glamour, gambling, girls, girls, girls, entertainment, etc., and a worldwide gathering place, but I have had Palestinians, Jews, Pakistanis, Republicans . . . LOL, try to pick me up, and persuade me, much like the honey trap methods of the CIA, FBI, and other world spy agencies, but I don't have the training, to either get information, or to disperse information that would benefit, these particular groups of people, with their own bent on political views; therefore, I am operating in a cloak and dagger world, operating like Ms. Magoo, if you remember the old cartoon! Blissfully walking along, stepping on black cats, walking under shaky ladders, without glasses, handicapped, but without a care in the world and magically making it to my destinations!
I saw a book on the shelves at the shelter, Mystery, I am sure to the people who want my scalp, yes, Indians too, they wonder, who I am able to avoid all the death traps! Song on . . . I picked a bad time to be in love! LOL! Yeah, I would say that sweetheart . . . Oh, the point I was trying to make, is that while in Vegas, I watched an FBI or I.D. Network, True Crimes episode, at the same time, this Christian Jew, from Israel, was hitting on me, trying to take me out, wanted to marry me, along with his terrorist cousins, Palestinians, mixed bag of guys together, but, as I listened to this program about some radio talk show host, who was very popular and had a large listening audience, was contacted by local, I believe, American Palestinians, and wanted him to present their views of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in the Mid-East, and he would not, so they killed the guy! I was suppose to have a date with this Christian Jew from Israel, and was looking forward to it, but I made short shift of that date, after thinking that I am probably tapped into some secret terrorist cell here in America, who is going to kill me tonight on the date if I don't use my blog to promote their propaganda!
I cancelled the date, not due to anything, but fear! Anyway, as I was walking on the way here, there was a stencil on the ground that said, Dispatrol, I am not sure what that means, but I am going to interpret it to mean, since I just left the happy cowboy cops, the mounted patrol, that the local ladies are doing their jobs, and keeping the testrostem crowd of cops, under control, and I don't need to do more than the Colorado Legislature is already doing, passing 6 bills to reform cops, with 4 that didn't make it, and locals taking on the message of Prez. O, that we need to do more than send cops into our cities, that are dilapidated, run down, crime ridden, and challenged, and expect them to just do crowd control, we need to really fix issues that have plagued Ferguson, Baltimore, and other cities across the country . . . with someone writing about the condition of down town Durango, issues of paint, sweeping sidewalks, and other things, like jobs, opportunities, education, gardens, etc. . . . we need a holistic approach to problems in cities, and not make cops the scapegoats, that was hard to say. LOL! Just kidding . . .
Iron Horse Bicyclist Classic, Kids From 12 to 5 Years of Age . . . Everything I Love, Mountains, Families, Fun, Sunshine, and Love, Going on this Morning in Durango! And colors, colors, colors . . . Ma, Pop, and Kids in Bike Outfitting!
What a great morning, sunshine, clouds, cool weather, but warm too, with the weather, undecided as to what it was going to do, the gorgeous mountainscapes, a back drop, to tons of kids, parents, volunteers, cheers, colors, bikes, helmets, strange animals, leading the kids, on bikes, several times around the race tracks, downtown Durango, Coca Cola stands, music, MCs, signs over the finish line, RAGE THE TRAIN, fun crowds, sparkly cops, with cowboy hats on, smiles, parents watching their kids, who, just yesterday competed in the adult Iron Horse Race, from Durango to Silverton, following the routes of the Historic Railroad Line, Durango to Silverton, with a special double smoke stack, that train owners brought in for the Memorial Day Weekend, the race, and to honor our military vets, who, I think got to take the train free, with their families? The owner of the train, said that this will be part of this weekend celebration, every year from now on . . . wonderful, lovely, and great family entertainment, there is love in this town, I feel it! In fact, as I saw parents and kids, interacting, cheering, raising children up on their shoulders, sharing a sport, they can all do together, I thought back to Sundays, with my own children, pushing them to get dressed, to give a talk in church, having them sit quiet, and listen to speakers they didn't give a rat's ass about . . . and wondered, what my relationship would have been if we did this type of activity together? Heaven on earth? Not that I would dis-religion, because, I love it, or rather love, God, Jesus and his teachings, but I could have still done that, and many do? Who knows, no formula for a successful family, nor love between parents and children, but this seemed a great way to spend a Sunday, especially as parents competed yesterday in the big people's race, where I am sure that some of these bikers kids, watched mom and dad, and cheered their parents on, and now the tables were reversed and the parents, cheered for the kids!
I guess the Iron Horse race between Durango and Silverton, was won by a kid, relatively speaking, who competed against legend bikers, 40 years his senior. But, hey, don't feel bad, I guess this same kid, now a phenomena in the biking world, biking among legends, also beat Lance Armstrong, when he was 16 . . . gotta love, the new generation, bucking to take the reigns from the baby boomers and gen xers, and doing a damned good job of it, as evidenced yesterday . . . they want to lead . . . it's getting time! As I see my own daughter, and maybe my son, going to law school, I can't wait, getting tired of fighting daily, to turn the relay race baton, running the good race, over to good hands, that will stand on my shoulders, just like these little bikers today, carrying the values of their parents, into the next generation, being well breed, well taught, and tutored by loving parents, in the ways of truth, righteousness, law, health, sport, and whatever . . . what a great day! Thank YOU! What a beautiful morning . . . and then some!
Maybe Compromise is Right . . . NSA Sunsets in U.S., Putin Allows Prosecutors to go after those Who threaten Constitution, Defense and Security, While Ireland, Highlights Love as the Heart of the World!
What a great and magical place this world is . . . we can learn, watch, enjoy, teach, share, and envision, a world, with varying ideas, that might make our lives, as members of the species, safer, smarter, more humanitarian, more kind, more peaceful and loving, with nations serving as 193 laboratories of social justice, change, laws, visions, scientific experiments, social engineering, until we can all come to a higher standard of living, with all of us, getting more and more connected, less war-like, and willing to work things out, resolving things through diplomacy, rather than blood-shed, war, revolt, and revolution, unless it is the revolution of love and peace! Interesting comparisons, systems, can't say what is good or bad, until the jury is in, as to what works and doesn't work. No one country has a corner on the market of good and evil, they all have both, some less than others, and who is to say, only history will tell the stories of this world, and what worked and didn't work, glad some are willing to step up and make a difference, leave their footprints on this earth, for generations to come to survive, breath, live and love, shining on! All we can do is try . . . scrap the bad, and return, keep and defend the good!
This morning there was an article, focusing on the alleged conflict or challenges in international relations between the U.S. and Israel, after the rough road lately, nuke talks, visits, elections, and dealing with crisis in mid-east . . . and I loved the way Pres. O, responded, and said something to the effect, that the conflict was over-rated, and the U.S. would always have Israel's back, but friends tell friends what they need to hear, not what they want to hear . . . with regard to making that area of the world safer, in whatever it takes, whether Israel likes it or not. The world is well aware of what happened to the Jews and the challenges they still face, and we are not going to let it happen again, but in return, Israel, can't expect, that friendship means dissing every other country, to excluding their existence and right to life, forget it, there are competing interests, and one country doesn't get all the benefits and none of the compromises, where everyone gets something and everyone gives up something! Compromise is the way to resolve these pressing international and national issues!
Reaching Across the Isle, Politically, Getting Easier and Easier! Putin's Use of the Word, "Undesirables" Should Be Used Here Too!
I would define, political undesirables, as anyone, who threatens the constitutions, defense and security too, but understanding that going for freedom and security, you will end up with neither one, thus echoing the quote made by Senator Rand Paul, in his hour long, not quite a filibuster, but damned near close, when he said, We should never give up our rights for a false sense of security. He was making reference to the NSA, metadata programs, that have failed to show that it has ever stopped a terrorist attack, but it has demonstrated over and over again, the violation of citizens' rights, through spying on Americans! It is ironic, that fellow Republican, Chris Christie, was critical of Senator Paul, in his interpretation of what is and is not desirable, as far as national security goes, and what we should and should not be doing. I believe that this is where we should be as a nation, with the Constitution being our guide, and people of both sides of the political isle, closely on one side or the other of issues, and not in lock step with the whole fucking party, Democrat or Republican . . . Congress represents very diverse and different political landscapes, with constituents differing from one county to another, within their own states, with 50 shades of Republicans and 50 shades of Democrats, but while close on somethings, should not be light years apart, given the Constitution, as a compromise originally, being in the middle, leaving people just right or just left of the middle, as a touch stone, not extremely divergent, as to seem like they are from different planets!
There was a funny cartoon, by Skilly, in the local newspaper this morning, and it showed the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., in the background, a woman sitting on a bench, reading a newspaper, that had the headline, Airbag Recall, with her looking wantonly into space with the caption, If only . . . as two bloated, suited, blow hard's, one with Congress written on his brief case, leaving D.C. for Memorial Day celebrations in their home states . . . LOL! However, I do believe that things are changing, instead of being the do nothing Congress of the last 6 years, debates are starting to take place, issues raised, and business as normal is being challenged, and Congress is starting to take their proper role, as the law makers, and a branch of government, that has a critical duty that can't be abdicated to the President, who is more than willing to take, or to the Supreme Court, making up the judiciary and the executive branches . . . it is a power thing, meant to be a balance of power, with three branches keeping each other in check!
Now that having been said, let me go on to my next point . . .
No One Political Party Has a Corner on an Issue!
Just today and yesterday, I was reading both news, catching up on the news that was available, and first there was a U.S. Senator from Colorado, who was proposing that birth control should be made available as an over the counter drug, at local stores . . . good idea! Planned Parenthood, traditionally liberal, connected with more Democrats and their pro-choice leanings, is suspicious of the Senator, thinking that he is wanting this to undermine the ACA, or the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, most noted, and think that he has some sinister plans to make woman, who are now covered for birth control, pay twice, once at the counter and once through insurance. Now, wait just a minute here, the pill has proven, over years, since about 1969 to be a reliable form of birth control, and Planned Parenthood, distributes the pill, for a minimal cost to patrons of the organization. Here we have a great opportunity to make the pill convenient, affordable, and available, without going to a doctor or Planned Parenthood Clinics to get, something, that both sides can agree on, lowering the level of abortions, through prevention, and the pill! This is like Planned Parenthood, cutting off their nose to spite their face! Stop being suspicious of political leanings that are starting to see the wisdom in taking control of reproduction, and thus giving women choices, while lowering the abortion rate, a a win/win compromise and solution!
I seriously, don't think anyone, would prefer abortion to birth control, but if a woman needs to fight, disclose to her employer, or apply for insurance to cover her birth control, that may be prohibitive, and stop her from getting the protection she needs or may delay her reproductive care, taking the position, that human beings are wired for sex . . . and both Republicans and Democrats participate in this sport and enjoyment, probably equally! If we take a holistic approach, looking more and nature, or a secular arena, in government and making our laws, which is what the founding fathers tried to do, being much more religious than we are today, putting their religion aside to make laws for both religious and non-religious persons, respecting freedom of religion or freedom from religion, looking for personal perfection, rather than forcing our views on others, and respecting their right to worship or not worship as they will! That goes for reproductive health, smart people prepare, plan, take charge, and need access, and that may not always be going to a doctor, when the pill has been approved for decades. Business as usual, is making people go to a doctor, to say, okay, now you can get on the pill! Or having to rely on Planned Parenthood to do an exam before giving women the pill . . . let women grow up, take charge, be responsible, as men should too, and control their own lives, destiny, careers, and children. People who use birth control, or even get abortions, go on to have children later, when life, love and security are available, making for better mothers, and more loved children, happier dads and families!
As, Senator, Ellen Roberts, (R. Durango) who I want to thank for working on bills for cop reform, but now being criticized by people for being both pro-choice and in favor of a bill to make a fetus of personhood status, for the sake of mothers who loose babies, due to domestic violence with the target the baby, or pimps, getting rid of prostitutes as a sex commodity, wanting to get rid of a pregnancy, to keep the figure and the possibility of profits, by beating the woman to get rid of the fetus, which may be her ticket out of human body trafficking . . . we need to think more sophisticated, and people who can, who have what appears to be positions that are politically opposing, when you look at the arguments, are really spot, dead center, right on! We need to allow for diversity of thinking, hybrid thinking, within our own parties, and reach across the isle with people of different parties, seeing complexities, paradoxes, and paradigm shifts that are really just better thinking than the old black and white, Republican/Democrat positions! Being human, is complicated! At best, let's make laws that reflect that complexity!
Fun, Finish . . . Is Cycling the New Golf?
That is a debate that was taken up in the newspaper, as cyclists, take to the hills, in commradary and challenge of biking the 47 miles between Durango and Silverton, in the Iron Horse Cycling Race, yesterday, with many, seeing golf, that was originally taken up by professionals, as a way to both exercise and handle business in a more recreational way, while walking and talking on the golf course around the country. Well, now, you have cyclists telling professionals, in this health conscious part of the country, that you will get more cardiovascular exercise biking than playing golf and it will cost you about the same, but not wanting biking to take on the elitist label, dividing the masses, like golf, that has become a class sport. Some biking enthusiasts, disagree with any comparison, finding little to compare between golf and cycling. Now the thing that I like about playing golf, is that I can talk for an entire, generally, hour and a half, and have a captive partner, who shares my golf cart with me, if not the other pair in the foursome. Where, if I have to extend more cardiovascular effort, while biking, I am sure that I cannot, bike and talk at the same time, I would have the breath, and I have to keep up with my buddies, on other bikes, being maybe in front of me, cutting through wind and air patterns that would help me cycle faster, but not necessarily carry on a better conversation. Now, the biker fans said that they are going to have more activities . . . like what?
I think, that golf, is kind of lazy man and woman's sport, if you are lucky, and your game goes as planned, you get to ride, exert no effort, other than to get out of the cart, hopefully, only about 4 times on a 4 par, and 3 times per hit, on a three par, which is generally not the case, and sometimes, i may have 12 hits per a 4 par, hiking through the rough, wading in knee deep water, looking for my Titlist ball, lost in the deep of the pond or water hazard, or if you are on the 16th or 17th hole, down in St. George, at Sunny Brook Golf Course, if memory serves, you tee off from a hill, and have to land on an island, which is not much bigger than the green itself! And you have a water hazard, completely surrounding the flag and pin! So, swimming may be a necessary part of this game, rivaling the dreaded Iron Man, made up of part, cycling, swimming and running! LOL!
When I was first married, I wanted to be a pro golfer, a two week sex filled marriage, followed by a sexless pregnancy, two weeks later, kind of dampered my spirits, that morning sickness kind of changed plans, but a big belly improved my game by forcing me to keep my arms stgaight while teeing off . . . but, having loved the game since I was in junior high and being pretty darned good at it, even impressing the two guys, who were forced to be in me and my husband's foursome, on our golf part of our honeymoon, in St. George and later, in Vegas, during Thanksgiving break, while student hubby, had a few days off, were impressed that my husband got his new bride to play golf . . . he said, I didn't teach her to play or get into golf, she got me into it! LOL! They were impressed and shocked, a female golfer? Really? Like I said, best way to prepare to be an attorney too . . . five male golfers, at the Utah Attorney Generals Office, raced to St. George to steal me away from the county attorney, but really just used that as an excuse to get on the golf courses, and to get me on a course to check out my credibility and see if I was lying on my job application, hit a worm burner on the first tee, as my boss, Mark Nash, sliced his tee off shot, and hit the condos behind him, while we were at a conference in Huntington Beach, for a prosecutors' training . . . nice job, never should have left it, up the down staircase! But, Mark's comment was priceless, he said, well, now we have that first hit over and we both suck! LOL! No, I just hadn't played for a while, and killed the next few shots, and after 10 domestic violence trainings, hitting the golf course after each training, I could beat all the boys, attorney, cop, and social worker! LOL!
I am a hack cyclist and want to get better. But a few years ago, after being diagnosed to die, and giving up my driver's license in Utah, for about 9 years between 2000 to 2009, I periodically rode a bike and loved it. I think I was riding my niece's bike, Shelley's daughter, Alex, kind of a mix between a road bike and a mountain bike and loved it! I would ride all over the place and come home, wanting to ride more, and would cruise down to the nearest parking lot and even ride around in circles, feeling the cool summer nights, the wind in my hair, and digging life, with a freedom that walking can't give you. I hope to become more familiar with biking, but, I don't think one sport needs to compete, nor necessarily prohibit the other, they are both, kick ass fun! One of the interviewees, made the statement that biking is harder than golf or more dangerous, not necessarily, you haven't seen two very competitive attorneys, me and Mike, down on Angel Golf Course in Vegas, competing during the game as we did in undergraduate school, both being Outstanding English Students and Honored Humanities Recipients, graduating with a mere .044 GPA difference, racing across the golf course, when I challenged Mike, who was driving the other cart, LOL! And, I insisted that my daughters, both learn how to golf, taught the sons too, but really wanted to make sure the girls knew how to golf, and see it worked, Greta is going to law school! But, Greta, was golfing with her boyfriend, while in the Navy, and he tipped over the golf cart on her knee or leg, and she has contemplated getting knee surgery, even 20 years later . . . I don't know if I would call, golf a blood sport, but there are hidden dangers, like stupid boyfriend drivers, and competitive, attorneys, breaking all the rules of golf ettiquite! LOL! I just know golf better than cycling, but I can alway recreate myself! I still have time!
Last time I came to Durango, a month ago, I was asleep, and missed the scenery . . . Holy Shit . . . the San Juan Mountain Range, 2,000 feet higher than Montana Mountains! Rugged, Jagged, Awesome, Beautiful, Gorgeous . . . No corner on beauty . . . all over God's Green Earth! The local San Juan Mountain Association is Having Something? Check it out . . . I rushed to breakfast, so look up the info in Newspaper!
