So after an extended period of inactivity, I have again taken up my four mile walks on the Beach. However, now the kids are here. The four mile walk for me is a death march. For Danny it is a casual stroll and for my two year old grand daughter, well, she lost interest after almost two miles. Running to and fro the entire way probably covering twice that distance looking for seashells.
Despite the beautiful scenery, my mind wanders during these hikes. Everything going on and all, reminded me of a hike I took a couple of years ago. OK, I'll explain. See I enjoy listening to podcasts. Passes the time while I enjoy the scenery. On one occasion, a Hardcore History" by storyteller Dan Carlin enthralled me by the story of an ancient massive army that passed by a much smaller opposing force holed up in a fort. Figuring the taking of the fort not worth the effort, the massive army passed by for several days. As it finally passed, the General of the smaller army sent out a force after the larger invading force. Eventually the smaller force defeated the invaders by chewing them up from the rear. The Invaders never really realizing what was occurring because their attention was directed to the opposition encountered from the front. And although it was a significant point of history, what struck me was the the absolute commitment of the smaller force. The wives and mothers travelling with the men set upon and killed them if they returned in retreat. Then killing their children and finally themselves rather than letting the enemy degrade and enslave them. Sorry, try as I might I have been unable to identify the origins of the story. I'll just have to call them Gall's OK.
Its impossible not to compare and contrast todays world. See before I really became a bit politically minded, I have always been suspicious of the agenda's of others. Therefore when I am told that a Terrorist attack is immenent, I am overwhelmed by the desire to sneeze. Ah ah ah Horseshiiiiiiit. As well, it seems to me anyway when gas prices are at their lowest when election time comes around, and terror alerts are at RED during the same time, crap, the old spidey sense is just going crazy...
And now because one venerable old Senator screamed "Obama better do something before they come over here and kill us all" Shortly thereafter the head of Homeland Security issues a statement that "Attack is imminent, It might come in three days, three months or three years. But ATTACK IS IMMINENT!
Finally, I recall the news stories of the early naughts following 911 when dumbass local newscasters had nothing better to do with their time but to go to obscure small towns and interrogate the locals about what they would do if "THE TERRORISTS COME HERE" Of course the responses, though real were quite hilarious.
So. Now the Internet flap is full of fear. Of Ebola. Of the Mexican Border. Of the possibility of ski masked ISIL types might come over the border to cut off heads etc. When credible accounts have been reported for years of paramilitary groups crossing the borderin the drug smuggling trade. But then nobody seemed to give a crap about that. Mostly worried about the Hispanic folks hanging about Home Depot. Rather than legalize and tax the substance that proved so profitable to the Cartels that would certainly lessen the violence and improve the lives of the Mexican people.
And my last point on this. While Saudi Arabia has the fourth largest expensive military in the world world and probably have the most to lose in the region, where the hell are they? It seems to always somehow fall on American shoulders. Sorry, but the Iraqis, a force of some 200,000 abandoned modern equipment to run and hide. Used to I suspect the American soldier to lead the fight, while their across border brethren were scrapping out 500 million dollars of high tech aircraft to sell at .06 per pound. Seriously read news reports of the Battle of Fallujah. Endless accounts of the bravery of the American soldier who has proved over and over to be the fighting force next to none. So the Iraqis who ran, crap, bad things happened when the ISIS bad guys caught up with them. And now the Iraqi's are willing to accept an American Base blah blah, which they weren't before because they wanted to loot the country and why the US left in the first place. Contrast all of this with the shameful and easily manipulated chickenshit attitude of the folks at home willing to run around like headless chickens screaming EBOLA. ATTACK IMMINENT. And then the shoddy treatment of the returned veteran. Particularly the wounded vet. My deceased buddy said about a former Director where I worked.. "Whatever he says, expect the opposite." So when he says you are valuable and appreciated, well, not really. And so goes the returned vet. Fodder for propaganda And this Administration. The Democrat majority No longer needs to trouble itself with Global Warming. Economic inequality or the trillion dollar debt ripping off the kid just trying to go to college when Germany just announced their upper education is free. Or healthcare or militarization of police. No, now all we have to worry about is the tried and true formulic plan that has enriched and empowered many before. The march to another stupid, unnecessary war against a middle east force of what? 30,000?. One that will kill innocents, empower more to join the opposite side and keep the mind of the American citizen off what is killing the nation. WHAT IF THE TERRORISTS COME HERE? HORSESHIT!
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Price of Oil is going down. Plunging actually. As is the Stock Market. As is my little stash of rainy day Cash. So in order to hold to our available bucks as there may be a bit of a work slowdown.. And the prospect that we may have to acquire a new vehicle shortly (Which means another payment) the Wife and I have decided to Boondock. Which means to dry camp actually. Although we have gotten a bit spoiled by these resort type RV camps, they can be spendy. Even in Winter. Plus, like the 85 year old former Port Master (or something like that). All we knew was he had a bit o' money. Used to wander by in the AM and start pounding on the side of the Camper and holler with his Dutchman accent "wake up in there yooo tooo". Which I think he was angling for the awesome coffee my wife makes. Anyway, Omer travelled ten months of the year. Had continued to travel even after his wife had died some ten years earlier. From Florida to Oregon, he had all of the Boondocking locations stored in his head. Omer said he just hated "paying the man". Decent sort, I blogged about him earlier. Omer mixed well with the homeless folks who Boondocked because they had no alternative. But we have a location to go to and hopefully will run into some of the other Snowbirds we got to know there a few years ago.
Heading to Corpus Christie yesterday Lisa and I spotted a baby Turtle attempting to make it's way across the busy highway. Because I have been successful twice before saving the little suckers from themselve's I pulled over to give it a try. The SOB behind me had to have known my intent because in order to run over the Turtle, he had to intentionally drive onto the painted Island. Which the Scumbag did. A year ago I watched the same scenario play out when an asshole Duck Hunter in a forty thousand dollar Air Boat swerved to run over a baby Dolphin and it's mother. The Dolphins were quick enough and probably used to the occasional Dirtbag that he didn't present a serious threat luckily. Seriously I have hunted in my youth and probably been responsible for some dumb ass kid shit but these are grown adults. It's crap like this that while sitting in Court in my former occupation I'd here the DA (Defense Attorney) go on and on about "poor child hood" and "Drugs and Alcohol" crap after a particularly heinous crime that many time's I secretly hoped the judge would just drop the book on them. Yes I'm critical of the number of things considered a crime these days and also the number of people who are warehoused. But there are also a goodly number of folks that if I never heard or seen from them again. Well, that's Karma.
And Finally, really. If Red Bull did not give you wings, well that is worth ten bucks. U just have to be able to prove it with a receipt. Seriously, check Reddit.
And no I cannot give you the last ten minutes of your life back.
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