But my main focus here goes back to when I lived in Virginia.  Somehow the Daytona 500 became the first sign of spring.  It was a pretty big deal, although I’m not a huge race car fan (okay I’m not a fan at all).  Still this was really the first sign of spring.  And every year I look forward to news about the Daytona 500 because I know that warmer days are on the way.

But I guess the Groundhog was a little off this year and my cat was right.  Everyone East of us is getting hit with snow while our lawn has been steadily thawing (revealing mice trails that the cats are watching closely).  Today it rained here at the house while it snowed in the mountains, which is probably the prognosis until sometime near the end of June when it suddenly becomes summer.

Yes, I know I have already done this blog, but if Ann Coulter (seriously funny) can do several blogs so can I.  I dare you to shut me down you scary White House communists (MuHaHaHaHa……).  Sorry I’m stuck on Halloween.  This actually goes back to September when I caught my once a decade MegaCold that seems to not want to let me breathe without hacking all over everyone in sight.  I made it about three weeks and decided that I needed a little medical help.

Woe is me I have no health insurance.  What should I do?  Where should I go?  Contrary to all the reports (even on Fox News ) all poor people who cannot afford health insurance do not run to the emergency room at the nearest hospital and stiff them with the bill.  I do, however, go to the closest IHC Instacare clinic (or urgent care clinic) which is not an emergency room.  When I’m there they ask me if I will pay the whole amount today, only pay $60.00 and be billed the rest, or what to talk to a financial counselor.  I go to the clinic about twice a year for cold symptoms or minor injuries.  My visits this year have totaled approximately $200.00 not including medicine ($40.00 for two cough medicines $0 for the you have a cold go home).

Two hundred dollars was one month payment for health insurance.  These health insurance costs are the same ones the Democrats are so hopped up about.  They claim that health insurance companies are greedy while the President claims that my doctor wants to make more money by having a surgeon take out my tonsils (if only they had taken them out over thirty years ago maybe I wouldn’t have this problem today).  But what I cannot understand, and if you know please tell me, these same Democrats want to force me to buy health insurance from those same greedy snake oil salesmen.  Am I missing something?

My doctor for the visit left me with the impression that my cough was going bronchial and gave me a sample Advair while prescribing both daytime and nighttime cough medicine as well as a antibiotic in case the other stuff does not work (I actually think he may have thought I was seeking antibiotics, but I wasn’t).  I have used up the inhaler and have taken the medicine until my cough subsided which makes the library patrons happier (I swear I do not have the swine flu).  Meanwhile not being on top of looking in everyone of my paystub envelopes (I get direct deposit why should I pay attention to that?) I missed my free city flu jab.

Yes, I know you are shaking your head in disgust and are saying what if it just wasn’t that once a decade MegaCold what if it was something more horrible and involved a hospital stay.  I say to you what a horrible thing to think about someone.  Even so I would probably go into debt (on top of my credit card debt and soon to be mounting graduate school debt), but what is debt when it compares to being healthy?  Seriously, I would rather to go into debt (does anybody really care about their credit score –if you do, you really need to sort your priorities) for my medical needs than pay taxes for some hypochondriac who goes to a doctor twice a week.  Of course remember at this time I currently work part-time and do not make enough money to pay taxes.  Better hope I get a good job after I get my Master’s.  Maybe something with benefits.

Journal Weekend 2

We started the weekend with a lecture on preservation technologies and the question of reversibility.  If we have certain technologies at our disposal at this time do we need to use them?  Our professor, Randy Silverman, passed around samples of Barrow Lamination which helped me to see what this lamination process looks like as opposed to reading about it in Preservation of Libraries and Archives by Shahani and Wilson.  It was very interesting to see that the lamination process was nothing like what we are used to (I noticed that the sheets were in numerical order and was wondering if the process used two copies to make one lamination.  I think that I may have read somewhere that this was the particular process).  Although this process was said to be reversible by soaking in acetone some are wary at ever putting those papers through that process for fear it may after so many years actually damage it. 

United States shifted interest into the preservation of information through microfilming and now digitization.  Many original newspapers, journals and books have been lost in the process whether due to the original microfilming process or due to libraries dumping their copies because they have a roll of microfilm to replace the cluttered shelves.  The problem is that some of these microfilms are incomplete due to missing pages or in the case of newspapers whole editions and others were shot out of focus making it difficult to read.  Not to mention that microfilm was black and white which did not allow for colored prints to be allowed full justice.  And even though microfilming seems like a cost effective endeavor the shooting, processing and indefinite storage of the film may cost more in the long run.   

This cost is also applying itself to the forming digitization projects that are sweeping the preservation community.  Digitization is the one form of preservation that will have to be constantly handled and updated to changing software and hardware formats.  The digitization of material is also dependent on multiple systems to prevent loss due to electronic failure.  At this time nobody knows how much this will cost.  In class our professor mentioned that the Library of Congress is giving grants for newspaper digitization projects as long as the digitization is done from original microfilm.  An institution can only use the original newspaper if there is no microfilm or the microfilm in intelligible.  It begs the question as to why institutions cannot start over with the original document to ensure that the quality and for that matter the search systems used with digitization are the best they can be.

Our professor presented an extended look at a German firm (ZFB) that is working on preservation of materials that include splitting and reinforcing pages, fixing holes with matching cellulose and even bleaching paper to look like new, among other techniques.  These processes are all very wonderful, but they are not reversible.  With the added benefit of making the old look new again, which a lot of people are against.  Our professor brought up how people were upset when they cleaned the Sistine Chapel that reminded me of how my mother’s employer got mad when she cleaned certain items in the pub in England, because they were supposed to look old.  Although some of ZFB’s processes are not reversible it does allow for the original work to be kept longer.

Saturday focused on the actual book.  Bookbinding was addressed and we all had the opportunity to work on our own Ethiopian book.  I was a very interesting process that I am sure I will not remember how to replicate.  I have tried Japanese stab binding in a workshop before and have found that the hands-on work is the best way to understand the process and the work behind creating a book.  I was very interested to learn that the cording on the spines of old books due to the process of sewing the books together. 

We also learned about publisher’s bindings, which I was personally hopeless at identifying.  Yet this concept of publisher’s bindings and the preservation of the entire book is another question that needs to be addressed.  In the article Evidence in Hand this issue is brought up as a concept of many parts making a whole.  Different people want a book for different reasons.  One researcher may just be interested in the information, another in the typeface, another in the pictures and the process of printing those pictures, another may be interested in the printing as compared to other dates even country printings and still another researcher may be looking at the binding of the book.  Then the question is if the book is rebound will it change and is that important.

The preservationist’s ultimate dilemma is how to preserve an item without doing more damage.

First of all you may want to determine what kind of house you want to buy.  Do you want to purchase a new house or a previously loved house?  Whether new or used some of the basics we will be addressing in this class will do for both.  The second thing to consider is a price range.  Now you can go a little over your price range, especially in the current market, if in the case of an older home you may be able to talk the price down.  But please remember do not look at home you could never in a million years afford.  This will end badly as some have found our recently.

When considerations for particular house type and price range are made another area to think about is where the house should be located.  Are quite family friendly neighborhoods within walking distance of grocery stores, schools, churches and public transportation what you are looking for?  Are you interested in being downtown or more out in the country?  Will you want to live closer to work or within an easy commute?  For new home buyers are you looking for planned communities or attached townhouses on small properties?  For the used home buyers are you looking for a fixer upper or something that someone has already fixed up? 

At this time you usually get a real estate agent who bless their hearts can never find the right house for you.  Ask the agent to get you a list of houses with your general preferences (price, location, etc.).  Take this list out with you one day and drive around to check out the houses.  Find out the ones that you absolutely could not be bothered with and the ones that have potential.

Also, be on the lookout for houses for sale in the same area that may not be on your list.  You may want to visit these properties and your agent can arrange all of the appointments.  And take advantage of any open houses you may come across, you can always come back with your agent later.

When looking at the property bring a measuring tape, pad of paper and a pencil.  You have an idea of how many rooms and bathrooms you want or can live with in your home.  You know how big your fridge, your living room set and your bed are.  You will want to know if the rooms of your new house will fit the furniture of the old house.

Also consider television cable, phone and electrical outlets (you can even sketch out rooms show locations of outlets, doors, windows and closets).  Other things to consider while you are walking around the house are: Is the master bedroom practical versus the size of the other bedrooms or will your child be sleeping in a room smaller than your master bedroom closet for the rest of their lives?  Are the rooms, windows and/or doors where you want them (Mother has to have the kitchen in the back of the house with a widow over the sink.)?  Are there hall, linen and/or pantry closets for storage and wet coats?

For the used home buyer you should never consider the current owners’ taste in furniture, wall color, draperies, and stuffed animal collection.  It infuriates me to watch that horrible show, Sell This House.  Where ill advised home shoppers (okay, idiotic) just cannot get passed the king sized bed in the all too small room bedecked with the world’s largest stuffed animal collection.  Let me tell you right now: You are not buying the furniture or the stuffed animal collection, so ignore it completely!  Imagine how the room would look with a fresh coat of paint (your choice of color) and your furniture (possibly facing a different direction with lovely new drapes).  This is the key.  Use your imagination to strip down the house.  Otherwise you just look completely stupid not buying a perfectly good house because the bathroom towels were mauve and you hate mauve!

For new home buyers all you have to consider is the various decorating packages there is on offer.  Make sure you order and get what you want to live with for a while for a price you are willing to afford.  If you are looking into painting the walls other colors than are offered go with white walls to start with.

When you have found a house you like for the price you want to pay (have your agent haggle down the price, especially in this market) and have had it inspected for soundness you have completed your mission.  Mother always says to be sure to get a fixed rate mortgage.  You can always refinance to a lower rate without the risk of having your rates go up unexpectedly. 

Now class you just have to sell your house.  And that is a completely different course.  Good Night.

Yes, it is unbelievable in this day and age of West Nile virus that some people still think that standing water is a good idea.  But the people who have the water rights (and they paid a good sum for it fifty years ago) are near death and can’t seem to figure out how to use a hose.  The owner’s of the particular water rights (which basically translates into flooding the yard and having standing water for several days until it dries out naturally) live several houses down from us on the opposite side (back facing).  Not to fear the neighbors to the back of us have access to the canal water and know how to turn on the water which flows down an exposed ditch cutting through property lines.

Our property line is somewhere in the middle of said ditch that includes open pipe access that a small child (or cats) could fit into.  Last year the neighbors were convinced to discontinue the flooding due to small children living on the property that contains the rather large ditch.  This summer we thought we were in the clear until we discovered the water flowing yet again (although there is again a small child living on the property).

Not only do we get a happy increase in the mosquito population (Can I sue them for giving me West Nile when I’m dead?) we also get snakes and rodents.  These would all be fine if they stayed outside of the house, but the cats do tend to bring in presents and mosquitoes just go where they want to.

Now you would think that the sensible thing to do would be to at the very least cover over the ditch (something they could have been working on for the past fifty years).  But we are not dealing with sensible people.  They believe that they paid enough for the rights and that they are not responsible for covering up the ditch.  Yet, somehow a covered over pipe is running down the back of our yard.  Still whenever we suggest this course of action they somehow think we want it blocked and remind us that their water rights are allowed to infringe on our property rights.

At some point I guess this whole irrigation by flooding system made sense in the arid land known as Utah.  However, in this day and age we do have access to city water (they could get a break in the bill in exchange for the water rights), sprinkler systems and even the ability to design a yard that uses no grass (or in our case weeds).   It is quite amazing to me here in Utah they have information stating that having standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes that could carry West Nile virus while at the same time they still allow flooding of residential properties that do just that.

I am currently trying to find out how they city can help, since they are the ones that built all of these gates coming off the canal, but my request had errors.

Being on Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) I was surprised that the surgery was scheduled in such a timely manner of ten weeks.  However, I was shocked and none too surprised that his doctors have now determined that his narrow artery is not pressing enough for surgery.  Instead he told me that he is to have a checkup every six months (to see if he is still alive I presume).

This is socialized medicine at its finest and this is what we may get from the current Administration (one of the reasons I didn’t vote for Obama).  Of course we do not know exactly what we will be getting because no one seems to have a plan.  Presumably so they can deny everything at every turn (that is not in the plan—what plan? – we do not have a plan yet).  One politician talks about a “Single Payer System” that will require everyone to be insured (because they are alive – so not like having a car and requiring car insurance).  Then another politician claims that no one will be forced to buy health insurance (sometimes I swear it is even the same politician).

Frankly at this point I am so confused I have no idea what is going on (Democrats have done it again).  Some in government claim that this will bring healthy competition while drooling over the apparent demise of (greedy) insurance companies.  It’s hard to have competition when there is nothing to compete against.  Obama has even tried to bring the Postal Service into the equation.  An institution that is currently leaking money like a sieve and regulated by the very same government as to have no competition (we are talking letter delivery so don’t get any ideas about FedEx and UPS, etc.).  While comparing hard working medical professionals to blood sucking fiends intent on dissecting their patients for profit.

The government is up to their eyeballs in debt claiming that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are failing and will collapse in a matter of years.  Yet, they somehow think that creating a government run healthcare system (without a plan) will somehow work.  And it will be funded with money from all those greedy rich people (It amazes me that the Democrats still have not figured out that taxing people to death does not work and actually makes everything worse:  more taxes= less money to spend or want to spend=less money circulating=business closures=people out of work=lower income levels=collapse of capitalism=Happy Progressive New Labour Liberal Democrats.  Never mind.).  Britain’s NHS spends more money every year than all other branches of government (education, defense, etc.) combined.  But hey, America can do that better and cheaper than Britain (imagine long hospital wards filled with beds).

Still they are our government (you did vote for a change – again not me) and they are going to push through healthcare whether we like it or not (one politician even said so).  Some brave politicians are meeting with their constituents so they can look like they are doing their jobs (the cowards are doing book tours).  But with the ability to answer none of the questions or concerns while belittling their voters (Reminds me of my senior year of high school when the County Commission came to our school and showed us what government was truly like – we worked on voting them out as soon as we could vote.) and even accusing some of being insurance company plants, others of being un-American (Have we heard of the First Amendment?) and the comparisons to terrorists it is just making me a little sick.

That brings me to the question as to the 46 million uninsured masses clogging Emergency Rooms.  Where are they getting this number?  I do not have health insurance (Long story short I purchased my own health insurance, but did not want to pay for the off chance that I would get into a horrific traffic accident.).  Some Americans have plenty of money and pay doctor visits out of pocket.  Some Americans have very little money and also pay out of pocket (just like me).  I do not go to the Emergency Room instead I go to an InstaCare clinic near my home (the dentist for my dental check-up and the optometrist for my eyes).  The InstaCare clinic is run by a local health care provider and even offers payment assistance to those without insurance (those greedy bastards).  We are not all in need of government run healthcare.

When it is all said and done it will come down to money.  Can we afford government run (socialized) healthcare?  Will your choices from the government be like those given by the state of Oregon to one patient?  Sorry, the government cannot afford to pay for the treatment of your life debilitating disease, but when you are ready to end it all we will cover the cost of the pill.  Government run healthcare scares the hell out of me.  My experiences as a military brat with government run healthcare was enough (this is why so many military families are finding their own doctors these days).   I do not want it and I do not want to be forced to pay for it just because I exist.

The dog was named Sparky and the cat was named Sammy.  Sparky was a puppy, which is always great for a small child, a little less for a father too lazy to house train.  Although Sparky was lots of fun and even had a penchant for blowing bubbles in my paddle pool he was a little too much for our small family.  The cat was completely opposite experience.

Sammy was the Siamese cat from HELL!  His growl was terrifying for a four year old.  I still have the vivid memory of him tearing through his cardboard carrier on the way home from the vet’s office.  He went completely berserk when he got out and did a few circuits around the inside of the car.

Our lives shifted as we moved to rented properties in England that only allowed certain animals, such as budgies (Americans call them parakeets).  Rainy was first and she could pick the two of hearts out of a deck of cards.  Bobby bobbed his head a lot and Crackers ate the wallpaper.  Frostie was our last budgie in England and he had a penchant for talking.  Frostie’s sayings included:  “Happy New Year,” “I Love You,” “Come On, Give Us A Kiss,” “Frostie’s A Pretty (Pretty, Pretty, Pretty) Bird,” topped off with a wolf whistle.

Given our limits and a turn for basset hounds (attributed to our neighbors in one village) we decided to adopt a dog on our return Stateside.  Our basset, Buttercup, was the usual stubborn type who hated any other dog for the exception of small fat beagles.  Fortunately for her one showed up on a cold March night (Buddie) and never left.  I found that although dogs are nice they weren’t too cuddly and for that I set my sights on obtaining a pet rabbit.

I have to say that my very first pet became quite a disappointment about my own capabilities.  Buni was great, but his cage was outside and far enough away from the house that I soon lost interest.  I still feel bad because eventually Buni became sad and fell sick.  It was at that point we brought him in the house and I paid more attention to him.  Buni was very good and self-disciplined on the house training front (he always returned to his cage for a bathroom break) as well as being very happy for a few months.

Buni passed and by my fifteenth birthday I was aiming for a cat.  Unfortunately we could not afford to adopt one at the time.  It was the summer and I helped my parents with their paper route when a fluffy kitten was dropped in the road by his mother.  All attempts to return the kitten to his mother failed and I had a kitten of my very own.

Now just because there is an animal in the family does not necessarily mean that there will be a particular attachment to one member or another.  But Biskitt was my cat.  He slept at the head of my bed (he slept on the headboard with my alarm clock for his pillow which slowly pushed my lamp off with a load crash one night).  When I carried him he put his paw on my nose.  We played a tickle game that no one else could ever duplicate with Biskitt.  During dinner (no white fish please, not even at the bottom of the list) I could not walk past him because he would look up at me and his food would dribble out of his mouth.

Biskitt was a beautiful Maine Coon (or near enough) and at his full weight he was sixteen pounds.  He scouted the perimeter of the yard every day.  Biskitt was our security system and chased large dogs away when they got entirely too close to his yard.  Although I only saw the salamanders, mice and moles my parents said that Biskitt also brought me presents of squirrel tales and wild baby rabbits.  For all of this Biskitt would return to me every day smelling wonderfully of earth (or dirt if you prefer) and pine needs while sporting beautifully groomed fur.

By this time the dogs had settled into a placid life of rounding up some of our rabbits on the occasion of a controlled escape and avoiding the rooster’s spurs (we had chickens, ducks and geese on our half acre lot).  Our cat count had increased by five when a young pregnant cat was dumped on our doorstep in the middle of the night and by one when we discovered a small feral cat that was rolled by a truck that hit both him and the newspaper box we were repairing when we heard him crying from a ditch.  Biskitt was five when mom noticed that a cat was coughing, but with seven of them it was difficult to tell which cat it was.

When we noticed that Biskitt was not quite right it was too late.  He was diagnosed with a tumor blocking his throat and soon after we had to put him down.  It was the worst day of my life.  Although other cats tried to comfort me it was just not the same.  One year later we had to leave our home and our beloved cats and dogs at the local Humane Society which became the new worst day.

While living in my mother’s old bedroom (sleeping on the floor with my parents in the bed next to me) for several months our true respite from the horrors of being one step from the street was my grandmother’s kitten Tillie.  Tillie was small and in desperate need of cuddling so when grandma shut her out of her room and night we let Tillie come in and snuggle with us.  We spoiled her and she loved to attack the sound of shuffling slippers coming from the hall which became the bane of grandma.  But soon grandma could not stand us all living in her front bedroom and we had to leave.  We found out later that Tillie had also become too much for grandma to handle and she had been kicked out too.

After a five year stint of living in another grandma’s basement and an apartment sans pets we finally had a house of our own.  We decided to treat ourselves to a pet.  While looking at budgies (or parakeets) at the local PetSmart my father and I wandered over to the cages with cats for adoption.  One brownish orange cat with lime green eyes caught my fancy.  I was in love.  A few days later I brought mom back to the store and we adopted the cat named Rumpy (Rumpy, Rumpy two by four can’t fit through the kitchen door – how mean are some people?).  She was the female version of Garfield (a chubby Domestic Lynx – almost) and her name was changed to the more appropriate Taffy.

Taffy was an alpha female and she was again, my cat.  She had a thing about whistling and we still cannot figure out if she loved or hated it.  Taffy came to a whistle and always responded to the Andy Griffith song (even when hiding on vet and bath days).  She was three when we adopted her and quite well trained by her former owner.  Taffy more than not waited to be invited onto the couch and loved to beg for food (turkey was her favorite).  She would greet me when I came home (squinting in the sunlight) and snuggle with me at bedtime.

In the first few years of living with us Taffy would make excursions to the nearby canal, hunting for mice.  One night she brought a mouse home.  Unfortunately it was still alive when she dropped it on the living room floor.  Taffy knew she was in trouble when mom and I jumped on the furniture and started screaming.  Taffy’s eyes grew huge (just like Garfield’s) as she scrambled for the mouse.  We had the front door open and Taffy darted out into the night with her mouse (although I did not see the mouse in her mouth I never saw it in the house again).  After that night Taffy never brought anything else in the house again.

Taffy had a few loves including cat-nip, lying on her back and playing kick, kick with a ball (or Christmas ornament) and of course beating up dogs.  When it came to dogs (and for that matter some cats) Taffy had little patience.  Dusty, a Collie that lived across the street, competed in staring contest with Taffy, but seemed more interested in playing than Taffy.  Taffy for her part turned into a bull dog as she raced to greet the happy-go-lucky dog with claws out and planning to kill (why is there never a hose?).  Dusty’s owner thought it was cute until we explained that Taffy was trying to kill his dog.  Once a renter moved in next door and Taffy swatted the poor curious pup on the nose through the chain link fence.

In the meantime a friend of mother’s had one last kitten of an old litter (with a new one on the way).  Mom had fallen in love with the Siamese/Domestic mix kittens which she referred to as cow kitties (white with black splotches like a cow).  I named the new kitten Frodo because he had large feet with six toes on each foot except one with five toes (one missing digit just like the other Frodo).  Taffy was introduced to the small male kitten in where she sniffed him and hissed.  In return Frodo stood on his toes with every hair standing straight up on his little body and tiptoed sideways trying to look big, but failing miserably.  Taffy was above playing with this new Frodo thing so we decided a couple years later to find him a friend (Note: Frodo is half Siamese and can scare the crap out of you if he is growling inside a bush at night, but if he is growling while you are holding him in your arms and he has his legs crossed he is entirely too cute for words).

Christmas 2005 Taffy was introduced to Sam (well if there was a Frodo there must be a Sam) who was rescued by a vet technician at our vet office (a tiny Tabby that turned into a Norwegian Forest Cat).  The introduction was similar to Frodo’s, but with a different result.  Sam was not in the least intimidated by Taffy.  He blinked when she hissed as if to say, “. . . And?”.  Sam followed Frodo around like a kid brother and attempted to snuggle with the elusive Taffy on my bed (some days I would find all three cats on my bed at once snoozing deeply).

Taffy lived with us for eight years battling asthma, strange illnesses, and a deteriorating health.  The Christmas before her passing I bought several stair steps so Taffy could go on the couch and especially my bed.  She was so happy I could see it in her eyes.  By Valentine’s Day she was gone.  Her monthly asthma shot stopped working and Taffy could not breath, eat, drink or move without gasping for air.  It was a gut wrenching decision to take her to the bet that Friday afternoon and say goodbye to yet another familiar.

I am yet again without a best friend.  Although Frodo has taken to snuggling on my lap when he is in the mood and Sam trades off between mom and I (following us around like a lost lamb).  Cats are loyal.  Cats are waiting for you when you get home with a rub on the leg or a pet me on the head command.  Some of them even like to run around and be chased or just have an old fashioned tummy rub (with a little tickle and a bit of kick, kick).  Plus you don’t need a fenced in yard!

Please take time out to read about Dewey Readmore Books in Dewey: A Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World.  If you love cats or libraries or cats and libraries (like me) you will love this book!

The hysterical part of the whole thing is that Professor Gates was not arrested for breaking into his own house.  No, he was arrested for being pissed off that the police showed up at his home, treated him like a criminal, and made him prove that he lived there.  A man on his own property was mad and giving the cops what for.  I would probably do the very same thing in that situation.  And frankly the arresting police officer would too.  Yet, the police officer instead got embarrassed about his personal dressing down and arrested the home owner for disorderly conduct (or some such nonsense) on his own property (What is the world coming to when we cannot “exhibit[ed] loud and tumultuous behavior”* at our own home?!).

The excuse was made both in the police report and at a “we support the arresting officer” news conference that Professor Gates was drawing a crowd and making a scene by becoming belligerent.   It is too bad that the cops cannot arrest themselves for making a scene.  Although I was personally not there, I am quite sure the police cars surrounding the house brought the curious crowd of onlookers.

There was no crowd that day a couple of years ago when a woman, Betty Perry, was arrested at her home in Orem, Utah.  Essentially the police officer had nothing better to do than cruise the small city streets in order to find the driest lawns (in July) and hand out tickets.  Apparently there is a little known zoning ordinance that makes every homeowner responsible for wasting money and water on lawns in order to make the city look pretty (You can get arrested in California or maybe just fined hundreds of dollars for what they do with sprinklers and hoses in Utah – what a waste of water.).

The officer was so confident in himself that he was all ready to write out the ticket instead of discussing the situation with the homeowner.  He could have politely found out as to why the grass was dead and asked if the homeowner needed any assistance from himself, the community or the city.  Instead he approached the house seeking a name (there are police computers for this) for his ticket.

Mrs. Perry, who answered the door, not elderly, was what most people would consider a senior citizen.  Confused about why a police officer was at her door trying to issue a ticket for a dead lawn (that she could not afford to water) and demands for her name Mrs. Perry said that she wanted to call her son and attempted to go back into her house.  The officer then proceeded to arrest her for not providing a name and trying to avoid the ticket (which he could have easily taped to the door or mailed). 

While attempting to stop her and putting handcuffs on her (is that really necessary) Mrs. Perry lost her balance and ended up with a scraped arm and a banged up nose for her troubles (violent criminal that she was).  Mrs. Perry received the same treatment as Professor Gates with a free ride to jail including all the amenities of fingerprinting and the like.  When superiors found out that a grandma was being held in the jail and the circumstances behind the whole incident Mrs. Perry was immediately released, escorted home and all “charges” were dropped (or not even filed).  They thought that would be the end of the incident, but they were wrong.  Just like the recent Professor Gates debacle Mrs. Perry made the news worldwide.

It is not truly a matter of race (Mrs. Perry was very white indeed) in our nation.  It is a matter of respect.  There is a growing matter of disrespect for those who are our elders in this country and with that portion of the population growing each and every day police officers need to go through sensitivity training to be aware of how to treat this particular group of people. 

An understanding must be made that at a certain age (between 50 and 55) people are just simply tired of being treated like crap and are going to stand up for themselves.  Officers should know that a man would be belligerent that he was being harassed for breaking into his own home and that a woman may want to call her son for advice.  These two should never have been arrested.  Unfortunately for all they were.  And both police officers did act “stupidly.”***

*Professor Gates

**Orem Woman Arrested

***Although this description is accurate it should not have come as a statement from the President of the United States of America.  Remember Obama when in doubt “No Comment.”

I mean really how does the NAACP really know (and for that matter feel it can speak for all persons of color) the effect of the ‘Cap and Trade’ bill on the average small business owner (and frankly there is no mention of that in the joint resolution of ‘Cap and Trade’ whatsoever)?  Oh, that’s right Barbara, I mean Senator Boxer, was speaking to an African American so she must have documents (to enter into the official record –she loves doing that) from African Americans to oppose the points (not really, but why quibble) made by said National Black Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Harry Alford .

Granted that Alford rifled Senator Boxer’s feathers by attacking the ‘Cap and Trade’ bill in his opening statement and basically stated several times that he has no concept of what a “Green Job” (Democrats don’t really either, but it is the hip new thing) truly is.  Barbara, I mean Senator Boxer counters this by inviting Alford to her home state for a personal tour of “Green Jobs.”  What is funny is that New York is Boxer’s home state, not California.  Alford’s home state, although he currently resides in Bethesda, Maryland, is in fact California (me too, me too).  

Being born in California has a little more weight for most true Californians (like me—it’s an attitude thing).  And never imply that just because a person is not currently living in California that they are no longer a born and bred Californian.  Moving to California and taking up residence then telling everyone you are a Californian is kind of like a Yankee moving to the South—of course politicians do this all the time.  But don’t worry Senator Boxer makes sure to remind Alford that this is merely a “friendly” discussion (Why is it that when someone is insulting you and you get mad, you are suddenly in the wrong??).

When Alford has the gall to be offended by Boxer’s presumption of implementing the NAACP joint  resolution on climate change (NAACP – NWF Joint Resolution) and a statement of support of the NAACP joint resolution (which has nothing to do with the ‘Cap and Trade’ bill) by the CEO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta by stating that he as a college educated African American, US Army Veteran should not be treated in such a manner Boxer countered by claiming she was married to a Veteran and did not see how that mattered much.  Did anyone else get that? 

Barbara Boxer, I mean Senator Boxer (not Ma’am) was married to a Veteran of the Armed Forces?!  If she was, she would know that the correct manner in which the military is supposed address superior females is Ma’am (as a military brat I know that much).  Obviously she does not know this as of her treatment of Brigadier General Walsh.**  When she so righteously claimed that she worked hard for her title of Senator (reminds me of those jerks who want to be referred to Dr. when they receive an honorary Ph.D.).  Is she implying that the Brigadier General was merely given his title (just another “friendly” conversation)?  No, no Senator Boxer never implies things like that or that single women with no children (Condie) have no knowledge of the “price that must be paid” on the battlefield (let alone who paid the price at the World Trade Center while Clinton fiddled in the Oval Office).***

With some digging I did not find any record of Mr. I mean Senator Stewart Boxer Esquire’s (he is a lawyer after all) service in the military.  On the contrary there is limitless information on how anti-war and anti-defense the couple has been over the years (you can never be for the soldiers while cutting their funding).  But, someone did mention, on another blog, that he was a merchant marine and thanks to Reagan they get Veteran’s benefits.  Well I guess my dad’s twenty years in the Air Force, his father’s service in the Army, my mother’s father’s service in the US Navy and her mother’s service in the WRNS (Woman’s Royal Naval Service) during WW II and her father’s service in the British Army in WWI and Alford’s service in the US Army just does not stack up to Senator Boxer’s husband’s stint in the merchant marines.

But I digress.  My point was that Senator Barbara Boxer is entirely rude, condescending and arrogant.  She claims she is a Californian, but this is not how a Californian acts (they can do all that and you think you were being paid a compliment).  Her attitude seems to be getting worse as the years go on and maybe, just maybe she should think about retiring and letting a true Californian represent California.  I’m packing my bags and heading home.

*July 16, 2009 Full Hearing (Harry C. Alford)

**June 16, 2009 Full Hearing (Brigadier General Walsh)   

“You know, do me a favor,” a clearly agitated Boxer said. “Could you say ’senator’ instead of ‘ma’am?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Walsh replied.  (Hee, Hee, Hee)

“It’s just a thing, I worked so hard to get that title, so I’d appreciate it, yes, thank you,” she said.

“Yes, senator,” he answered.

Friendly Discussion with Brigadier General Walsh

Damn Funny Dr. Evil Spin

***January 11, 2007 Condoleezza Rice and the “Price to be Paid”

I was born on a military base and lived eighteen years (of my father’s twenty years service) coming to know how the military works.  Once you sign that contract and take that oath of enlistment (or re-enlistment) they own you.  Let me say this again THEY OWN YOU.  Even if your service time is up, they can and will extend your contract as long as they like.  There is also provision, upon retirement, that they can recall anyone into active duty service.  This is why I never wanted to go into the military and this is the first reason I would give to anyone who asked me my opinion on entering the service.

It also must be noted that the military does not slack in their duties.  The contract that you signed up with initially may have changed when you re-enlisted.  Sort of how widow’s benefits went from automatically getting them when the spouse dies to only getting them if there is a certain deduction made from the monthly paycheck and/or retirement check (which we could not afford).  Be careful they are the sneakiest bunch out there and just like any government institution they move the goal posts when you’re not looking.

And I do not want to begin to hear about all those who signed up for the military because they were going to get a “free education.”  Let’s face it.  If it looks too good to be true.  It isn’t.  I’ve seen the posters offering thousands of dollars for education if you just serve those measly four years (see above comments on contracts).  But the military does not just hand you thousands of dollars and say go get an education.  First of all you must apply, get accepted, register and get a short term loan to cover the cost of tuition.  Let me remind you the military will only pay for tuition everything else is up to you.  At this point you make the military aware of everything so arrangements can be made for the military to cover the cost of the loan.  You personally will probably never actually see that money.  Hope you can get those text books on the cheap too.

Of course my favorite part of that recruitment poster is the amount of vacation time you get (Yeah, if you like vacationing in the desert!).  The poster doesn’t even give the poor reader fine print to examine.  The truth is that although you may get a certain amount of days of vacation every year it does not mean those days will be consecutive.  And if there are special drills or training that you must attend (these always seem to pop up so last minute), good luck on that vacation you planned.  Let alone those world stage tragedies that pop up out of nowhere which you must show up for or be considered AWOL (Absent With Out Leave).

But don’t forget you get free medical, dental and vision.  This is so much more fun for dependents than for military personnel.  Active duty (not retired) personnel get first dibs at the hospital.  As a kid I could be hacking up a lung, but the guy in the uniform would get to cut (fair is fair).  Waiting for a doctor at the hospital was like waiting at the DMV, but with people cutting in front of you all day long (DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT TRUST THE MILITARY WITH YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS – THEY WILL LOSE THEM) .  But of course you are rewarded with seeing a shining new doctor who has no clue as to what he is doing or an old doctor who really doesn’t care.  Yearly dental and vision visits were so much fun, because you had to call to make your appointment in the month of your sponsor’s birth month.  At the first of the month we’d call and get a busy signal.  Five minutes later we’d call back and all the appointments were filled (I swear to God).  On another base, they mixed up my father and some other guy (who had a similar name but not SSN which is what they are supposed to go by) claiming that we didn’t know what month my father was born (aarrgghh).

But you do get to travel right!?  Do you like the vast emptiness of an ocean, desert, or jungle (okay jungles aren’t too empty)?  Is it your lifetime goal to go to countries where they hate you (even England) and you have a lovely target painted your back (your uniform)?  Then the military is an opportunity of a lifetime unless you end up staying stateside your entire career and go much of nowhere (but maybe that is how you would prefer it).  However, no matter where you live there is a small piece of advice (ONLY USE THIS IN COUNTRIES WHERE THEY BASICALLY DO NOT WANT TO KILL YOU ON SIGHT AND IN THE USA).  Live off base the farthest away possible, because in the middle of the night you will be the very last person they call to come in and cover a shift!

Do not get me wrong I think the military is a worthwhile institution that we need to protect our boarders and our interests.  I am highly patriotic and support the military one hundred percent.  Today’s military is a matter of choice, unlike during the Vietnam Conflict when my father and his cousin ran head long into the Air Force to avoid being DRAFTED into the Army.  If you have to go into any service I recommend the Air Force for the ability to stay alive longer (well unless you want to fly fighter jets then you must rethink that position).  No matter where they are military personnel serve our country every day with their lives on the line.  And for doing that I think they deserve a lot more of our respect and honor (ban protests at/near military funerals for one).

But getting back to my point (um, what was that again?).  Oh, yeah the dear auntie.  Military personnel (especially lowly soldiers) are a pawns in the chess game of the world.  And guess what pawns do.  Yes, that is it.  They die.  It is a very sad truth, but it is the truth.  Military personnel are there to defend their country (and sometimes other countries) while dying in the process.  So if you are considering signing up consider this, you are signing your death warrant.  Is it worth it?

Nobody knows all the names of all the men and women who died for their country throughout history and frankly some could care less.  Well, until it affects them directly.  I am quite sure the aunt would be surprised at how many military personnel die each year in non-combat situations due to every day run of the mill accidents (both stateside and abroad).  Would it have mattered as much if you nephew died in an accident versus in Afghanistan?

The world did not know your nephew, but he did not die in vain.  I am truly saddened by your loss.