The Old Folks Home

[Alaskan]

Gonna invent nude colored adult diapers with g-strings painted on them.

I really don't think that would be any more attractive than the real thing. LOL

But so very entertaining.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Oh, come on DiDi, you know you could totally rock a two-piece!

I often go to the chicken coop in my night gown. I love to get up early, make myself a cup of coffee, and walk out to check on the birds. Only a time or two have I been caught out there by someone pulling up in the drive. One time I stayed until they left, and the other time, I had my phone and called the house to have my children take them into the living room so I could slip in and put on some clothes before I made an appearance. Oh, there was one time when my teenager brought two of his friends out to the coop while I was there with my gown on. I called out to them to keep their eyes on their shoes..............and they did!

Oh, I got a way around that! I wear old dresses to sleep in. They are pretty worn out so they are very comfortable and in a pinch, no one knocking at the door would know that I am wearing what I slept in. LOL Now, keep in mind, we are very much homebodies and don't have a lot of friends or a social life. It would only be the postman or someone who ran out of gas on the highway. In the case of someone running out of gas, or needing water cause their car overheated, I make my husband go out and deal with them. LOL

Most of the time I wouldn't want to be caught dead dressed like that because usually, my hair hasn't been brushed and it looks like the chickens have been up there scratching around. My mom used to say her hair was waving at everyone. I guess I inherited that from her. LOL If one of my daughter's boyfriends drive up while I am out there, like you, I hide. Not only don't I want to embarrass myself, I don't want to embarrass my daughters either. LOL

 

[vehve]

It's a glance into the future for them...

 

[tnspursfan09]

T-shirts and boxers for me. I toss and turn too much for gowns, I get all tied up like a mummy. No one makes it to the door without Daisy hearing them. She sleeps on a twin mattress at the foot of our bed. Ever been awakened from a deep sleep by a barking dane?

 

[Sylviaanne]

I was talking about a similar topic with a friend today. It is easier for some people to make excuses for their mistakes and poor behavior, so they continue in it, rather than admit, and learn from their mistakes, then put in the effort to change. It's very hard to look in the mirror, and admit we fall short of being what we should. It takes a lot of work to strive to be the best person we can. We oftentimes tend to be guilty of this as a nation as well. There are many mistakes all countries have made throughout history. To admit them, puts a black mark on the country in regards to that particular mistake, but to admit the mistake, learn from it, then set higher standards is an improvement, and a good goal for a better future. To cover them up, and make excuses to justify the mistake(s) is a worse black spot on a country making the mistake(s), because it covers up the need for improvement in that area. We can't build a better future that way.

That is similar to how I feel when you are talking to a grown up child. It's like, why do you continue to lie to me? You are grown up, you don't need to lie to me anymore. What am I going to do? Send a 36 year old to stand in the corner?

I feel like everyone just keeps lying to cover for themselves. Countries too. Why can't they see what works and what doesn't and make the change? There's just too many excuses.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

ChickenCanoe, I heard on this morning's news that last night was much quieter, attributable, it would appear, to the different approach adopted by the State Police. I listened to an interview with the (former?) Seattle Police Chief I think on Monday, he described the difference in the general attitude of crowds when officers dressed in riot gear. This morning's report seems to have borne that out. I hope things remain calmer.

Did you happen to catch Olbermann describing his first actions as the new (pretend) Baseball Commissioner? Worth a watch, if you didn't.

That night was, but last night wasn't. They can't get this right. Wednesday night they arrested people that were just executing their first amendment rights, like journalists covering the story in a public place, or people peaceably assembling on a public street. They came through on armored vehicles with a sniper on the roof of each, weapons trained on the assembled masses. Hit every group with tear gas, smoke bombs, rubber bullets and concussion grenades.
Thursday night went very well. Last night They got it wrong again. Once again, they were back in their swat formations but stood idly by while businesses were looted. The owner of a meat market was watching the news and he saw his store being looted. He called 911, they transferred him to St. Louis County police, they referred him to Ferguson police who referred him to Missouri Highway Patrol who referred him back to St. Louis County Police. He could see on the news two swat vehicles and a row of officers in battle gear 100 feet from his store and they told him they were ordered to stand down so the police stood and watched as these stores were ransacked.
The 3 owners showed up with assault rifles and pistols, ordered everyone out of the store and just stood guard.
The cousin of the murdered teen was in town for the funeral and he went to the store this morning to help clean up. He went on the news to tell the looters if they weren't concerned about the investigation and were just here to loot, to go home. During the mayhem a large group of local teens, mostly black, went to the store and forced the looters out and made a human shield against any more looting.

I cant understand why they are releasing the name of that officer involved. What good could possibly come from that?

I think it has to do with Missouri's Sunshine Law. It is the 72 hour rule, which the Ferguson police force didn't comply with. They need court approval to withhold any information in a police report. It is even more important to be transparent when a death occurred as a result of the action of an officer.

The good that comes of it is that information that should not be hidden, isn't. The public's perception in cases like these is that the more secrets kept, the more it appears the parties involved are crafting their story before releasing information. I confess to feeling distrust when anyone paid with tax dollars tries to keep information secret. I understand the risk to the officer involved, being an officer of the law in any capacity is risky.

I heard an interview with a Reverend Johnson last night, who was one of two people in what is said to be a very compelling photograph taken by a Washington Post photographer. As he choked up, I did as well.

The thing that will stay with me forever, after the high-profile shootings of young black men the last couple of years, is hearing a black man who is now an adult, tell about being taught at a very young age he was not to run in public. Think about that for a minute. You are a child. Because of the color of your skin, you are risking your life if you run in public. I found it deeply and profoundly heartbreaking.

Every black person I know has had that conversation with their parents. They ask, "when will it end?" They're told, "it never will?"
I would like someone to cite a case where a black officer killed a white person. If whites are the majority, how is it that black officers can do their job without killing a white suspect but the reverse isn't true. Most of the shootings by police of unarmed blacks occur in New York City, San Diego and Las Vegas. In Oakland, California, of 45 officer-involved shootings in the city between 2004 and 2008, 37 of those shot were black. None were white. One-third of the shootings resulted in fatalities. Although the victims were unarmed in 40 percent of cases, no officers were charged. People are afraid that no charges will be filed in this case either unless they keep the pressure on.

While my birth country, Australia cannot boast a history racial tolerance, my adopted country needs some drastic changes.

The USA is too quick to divide us all by labels.

African Americans, Japanese Americans, Jewish Americans, Irish Americans.

The telling part of this is we divide first. We are Americans first and formost. We need to drop the divisor and unite as one. Until we do that, there will always be state sponsored racism.

Right.

The house my wife and I bought in Los Angeles has a property title from 1910. It clearly says that the property title cannot be transferred to anybody of chinese, japanese or black heritage.

California - not the deep south.

I cannot imagine how my Filipino wife of Chinese decent felt as she signed the closing documents on this now unenforceable caveat.

We have many American friends that were locked up in the west coast prison camps during WW2 because their grandparents immigrated from Japan. Some of those imprisoned included American born WW1 veterans. This special treatment did not apply to Americans of Italian nor German decent. The Americans of Japanese decent in Hawaii did not get locked up - the island state could not put 30% of its population in jail.

How many of you think "terrorist" when you see a Muslim man boarding your aircraft?

I was told all my life that my great grandfather married and Indian woman from the Souix tribe in South Dakota and that is why My grandfather had to change his birth certificate. If anyone had known he was a half breed they never would have let him join the Army or the Police force.

Or get a job.

Quote:

Oz I just recently learned that there was an internment camp in Utah while I was listening to an interview with George Takei. He and his family were interred in one of the camps in Arkansas. His description of the day they were made to leave their home was eye opening. For a country to turn their back on U.S. citizens is still hard to understand. I am planning a photography trip down to the camp site. There is not much left at the site and they are working on a small museum but I would like to capture the "feel" of the place if I can. The site opened on September 11, 1942 and closed October 31, 1945. Hard to believe they kept those people away from their homes for over three years.

There was one in Arkansas too.

Did you see the George Takei interview on The Daily Show? It was an amazing story. He thought everyone went on vacation on a train with armed guards.

there were 110,000 American citizens held prisoner in 10 camps.

The camp at Manzanar in CA is mostly just foundations now but has a certain erieness as you go through it.

http://www.nps.gov/manz/index.htm

135 Americans died while being held captive by their own country.

One hundred seventy-four men from Manzanar were inducted directly into armed forces. Their parents wore blue stars for sons in the military and gold ones for those who died in combat. The lone Japanese American to win the Medal of Honor, Private First Class Sadao Munemori, was from Manzanar.

6 Americans, who, despite being held prisoner in Manzanar, died in combat defending the country that turned its back on them

Ugly history.

I live less than 10 miles from the camp in northern Wy. They have rebuilt part of it and made a very informative museum there. In its day it was the largest city in Wyoming.

I've only been to WY once but I didn't know there was a large city there

. I was amazed at the number of cars that only had 3 and 4 digit license plates. That's a sparse population.

I was talking about a similar topic with a friend today. It is easier for some people to make excuses for their mistakes and poor behavior, so they continue in it, rather than admit, and learn from their mistakes, then put in the effort to change. It's very hard to look in the mirror, and admit we fall short of being what we should. It takes a lot of work to strive to be the best person we can. We oftentimes tend to be guilty of this as a nation as well. There are many mistakes all countries have made throughout history. To admit them, puts a black mark on the country in regards to that particular mistake, but to admit the mistake, learn from it, then set higher standards is an improvement, and a good goal for a better future. To cover them up, and make excuses to justify the mistake(s) is a worse black spot on a country making the mistake(s), because it covers up the need for improvement in that area. We can't build a better future that way.

Many choose to have a short memory when it comes to history.

ETA
The US has done a lot of good in the world. The Monroe doctrine was probably a good thing overall but has mixed reviews in retrospect. We're usually the first and largest supporter in natural disasters.
But behind the scenes we have a rather checkered past at best. We don't have the best track record in our own hemisphere let alone the rest of the world. The official reason for intervention is only part of the story. These events were usually to benefit a handful of big business interests and political cronies at the expense of local populations and governments.
As examples:
* Guatemalan coup of 1954 - The United States government supported Jorge Ubico who was a military dictator that ruled from 1930 to 1944. His regime was considered one of the most brutally repressive in the history of Central America. In return for US support, Ubico gave hundreds of thousands of hectares of land to the American United Fruit Company (currently Chiquita)and allowed the US to establish military bases there. United Fruit had a long relationship with the US government since Bradley Palmer (a major partner) was consultant of US presidents and advisor to congress. The company has played a major role in the manipulation of governments throughout Latin America and the Caribbean (banana republics). It had a reputation for exploiting workers, bribing government officials but paying little in taxes to those governments. In 1944 there was a popular revolt that overthrew the US backed Ubico and the first democratic election was held. The first president, Arevalo, enacted many social reforms including minimum wage laws, education funding and universal right to vote. In spite of this, Arevalo was disliked by the US government and United Fruit whose profits were affected by the end of brutal labor practices. During his presidency there were some 25 coup attempts, most likely backed by the aforementioned entities. Arevalo was replaced in free elections in 1950 by his defense minister, Arbenz, who had foiled those coup attempts. Arbenz added new social reforms including a program of land reform, which would have granted land holdings to peasants. This, much to the chagrin of United Fruit, who had benefited from previous social policies. The company lobbied the U.S. government to topple Arbenz. The CIA complied and led an invasion that overthrew the government installing a military dictator. From 1954 to 1996, the US government backed a series of military dictators during the Guatemalan Civil War. Keep in mind that every president during this time either supported the policy or looked the other way. During the war, which was mainly fought against the indigenous Mayans and Latino peasants, the military committed massive human rights violations against the civilian population, including genocide of the Mayans. During the war, 200,000 people died or disappeared, including in 1982 when one of the dictators killed 1,500 Mayans. That was under Reagan's watch.
I've been to the modern day housing units and processing facilities of the fruit workers in Central America. You would be appalled if you saw the conditions. The compounds didn't resemble housing at all. It looked much more like a maximum security prison. Extremely high wire fencing topped with barbed wire surrounding matchbox houses where these people live their entire lives. There is rampant alcoholism and prostitution. The smell of pesticides is pervasive and fish constantly wash up on shores downstream.
I used to know a lot of Mayans as well as Cabeca and Bribri. Today the majority of Mayans still work in agriculture and have maintained their traditions.

Other similarly agregious manipulations of governments and societies by the US government to the benefit of US business and sometimes under the guise of fighting communism - to name a few.
* Cuba from 1901-1961
* Brazilian coup 1964
* Chilean coup 1973
* Argentine coup 1976
* Backed overthrow of Nicaraguan president in 1909 and exerted influence over the country till 1933.
* Nicaraguan civil war 1980s
* Vietnam - now a trading partner, about a million dead through their war years. Interestingly 41% of the 58,000 US soldiers killed were black, while blacks only made up about 11% of the US population at the time.

A couple examples for oil.
* Syrian coup 1949 - US and UK removal of a leader because he opposed the construction of a pipeline by what is now BP. And look at Syria today.
* Iranian coup 1953 - Shah installed. They haven't had a real warm and fuzzy about our intentions since.

http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/mideast/041600iran-cia-index.html

Those that say the US only does good have selective amnesia for history.

If those speedos are out there wandering around the back 40 on their own, I don't want to be anywhere near that acre-age!

Does that mean ghosts? Poltergeists?

In 96 hours I will be receiving a hot towel and a mango smoothie on a 777-300ER before I take off for the Phils again

Here are a few shots from today

Your kids are in goat heaven.

We're spending the weekend at Karin's parents cottage. Yesterday we had some crayfish.


Oz, I saw an interesting retort on twitter where someone was complaining about Muslims on the airplane, a Muslim replied to it "Tell me about it, every time I see a white guy enter a school or movie theater, I get nervous."

Those crawfish look big.

That's a good line.

We have a neighbor who is a bit of a sun worshiper. All summer, I think I've only seen him in something that covers his skin about 4 inches from his genitals. The man is in his sixties.

Well he's taking advantage of the short summer.

 

[vehve]

They weren't that big, maybe about 12cm (~5"). I just took a close shot.

I hope the rioting calms down soon. It made the news here again. I think it's amazing that the victim's family is taking part in clearing up, it takes a lot of strength to work through the understandable anger they're feeling and take part in trying to calm things down.

 

[Alaskan]

Sure! @vehve it is all in the angle, huh?

 

[vehve]

Sure! @vehve it is all in the angle, huh?

Yup, you can do a lot of trick photography by selecting the right angle.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Whenever asked of my background I have always said "a proud 3rd generation American of Irish and German dissent". I taught my children from the time they were young to reply in a similar appropriate manner and they have now taught my granddaughters likewise.

Very good children

Once upon a time, at least where I grew up, we were all Americans first, then the divisions yes, but first Americans. Even during the riots.
I was living in Michigan at the time and one of a handful that know the truth of how they got started and was never proud of knowing the faces of those that started it all and how they did it. ( It was NOT what the rest of the country was led to believe but the truth was no better.)

If someone asks my heritage I tell them I'm a Heinz 57. There is native American, English, Irish, maybe some German and I don't know what all else. Or rather I don't remember what else.