6.29.2004
Today I saw a grown woman cry and I just wanted to hug her and tell her everything will be okay! It was at a meeting... about this stupid dioxin thing... you know - the one where environmental extremists have got everybody so worked up that they created animosity between neighbors... or so they think. What they really did was scare the bejeezus out of some of the people... that is, the ones that believe all the crap the extremists are dishing out!
They talk a good talk. If I did not know where to find more information for myself, I could almost believe them... but I do know where to look. I know the difference between real practical science and academic supposition. Do you realize some of these environmental extremists actually attend seminars and 'pep meetings' where they learn their techniques? Oh yes! Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see... at least when it comes to groups like Lonetree Council, Sierra Club and Greenpeace!
They talk a good talk. If I did not know where to find more information for myself, I could almost believe them... but I do know where to look. I know the difference between real practical science and academic supposition. Do you realize some of these environmental extremists actually attend seminars and 'pep meetings' where they learn their techniques? Oh yes! Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see... at least when it comes to groups like Lonetree Council, Sierra Club and Greenpeace!
6.24.2004
6.23.2004
Here is my comment to #36. LULU'S LINES.
TRIGGER::::: The night sky..... on a warm summer night can be a beautiful thing. I remember as a child, long long ago, lying on my back in the grass, looking straight up at the sky, searching for falling stars. It seems there was a season for it. We children would lie there and compete... to see who would be the first to spot the next falling star.
I don't think we have falling stars anymore... or is it just that I have this attitude about lying in the grass at night. The grass is all moist with dew, prime territory for all kinds of creepy crawlies..... and then there are the mosquitoes. Funny, I don't remember those things back when I was a child, watching and counting the falling stars!
TRIGGER::::: The night sky..... on a warm summer night can be a beautiful thing. I remember as a child, long long ago, lying on my back in the grass, looking straight up at the sky, searching for falling stars. It seems there was a season for it. We children would lie there and compete... to see who would be the first to spot the next falling star.
I don't think we have falling stars anymore... or is it just that I have this attitude about lying in the grass at night. The grass is all moist with dew, prime territory for all kinds of creepy crawlies..... and then there are the mosquitoes. Funny, I don't remember those things back when I was a child, watching and counting the falling stars!
...in answer to What's on your desktop right now? There are loads of gulls at the Lake Michigan boat launch in Ludington... always willing to pose for me! Notice I didn't have "Hello" on my desktop... that's because we had to set my laptop OS back to a previous day and I had to reload "Hello" so I could send the picture of my desktop up to the net!
6.22.2004
The 'real me'... I just had to redo my 'portrait' because the other one just made me look younger than I am! This one... well..... anyway..... uh.. I forgot what I was going to say!
Role model... Democratic candidate for President of the United States photographed riding a motorcycle without a helmet!!! Our last Democratic President, an even worse role model, now has a book out... he admitted the Monica Lewinski thing... 'because I could!' I guess when you have a position of authority you 'can' do anything you want, according to that concept! Some of us answer to God... who do these 'role models' answer to?
(Sharba, I love you anyway! Nobody's perfect, right?)
(Sharba, I love you anyway! Nobody's perfect, right?)
6.18.2004
Portrait Illustration Maker - Let's make an original icon!! Thanks, Otto!This little exercise was fun! I DID pick the right wrinkles... they just don't show up a lot! 6.10.2004
Didn't believe the picture at sherle's photos? Well here it is folks... proof positive. See a boat there? It's gone! All that's left is Luke's big ol' tarp, a tarp we used, a few cement blocks and boards Luke used to frame the tarp on his new boat! She's gone and we've gained lots of parking space... not to mention more yard! Well if we have a few more fair weather days, we'll be able to trim it up to look pretty good!
6.09.2004
I don't know what drives some people to 'help' their neighbors..... especially we who don't need or want that 'help!' but I'm sure it's not love of humankind. As you know, I myself am currently driven, but only in self-defense! It all began when a local group of environmental extremist activists joined up with Michigan's prima donna government agency, the Department of Environmental Quality. Both have been out to get Dow Chemical for years... as a matter of fact, it is the reason for the existence of the local extremist organization.
Dow is one of two big industrial complexes in our area... providing jobs for just about everybody in the area who wanted jobs. The other company is General Motors. The extremists fail to be aware of the fact that Dow provides raw materials for most of the industry in our United States and in the world. They drive their cars, wrap their homes in plastic, wash their clothes, package foods... furnish their homes... medicate themselves and their families..... I could go on and on..... all with products made possible by the chemical industry! Apparently they would like to see us back in the pre-industrial horse and buggy days... the ultimate luddites!
Well the political climate changed last year and all of a sudden the extremists decided the way to 'get Dow' was to make a people sandwich out of local residents. Dow was doing a pretty good job of cleaning up their act... and then MDEQ changed the rules!!! Then they put residents in the middle of the situation by taking samples here and there along the river floodplain, extrapolating that information, which varies drastically in given areas, and proclaiming each and every backyard in the 100 year floodplain a toxic 'facility'! During this time the extremist fanatics found a few gullible people to sue the company because... get this!... they might get sick sometime in the future from the dioxins in the soil of their backyards!!!
People have lived here for years... first the native Americans, then the lumberjacks, and ultimately the rest of us! During much of that time the chemicals carried downsteam in the flood area were much worse and more concentrated than they are now!!! We have lots of people in our town who played in the river as kids... played in their backyards... ate foods, including meat, eggs and milk, that should have been affected by the dioxins in the soil! Many of these people lived to be in their nineties... back when the average lifespan was much lower I might add.
We keep telling the extremists... and the MDEQ... define the problem first! That's the scientific method. Instead of looking for where the dioxin is... the government scientists - Oooops! that is an oxymoron, isn't it? - should find out what levels of dioxin exist in the bodies of those of us who have lived here all our lives, eating veggies from our gardens, mowing our lawns and playing in our 'dioxin-laden' backyards.
We have made progress. Senator Stamos and Representative Moolenaar recently introduced bills to correct this gross attack on me and my fellow residents. God bless America! Now all we have to do is convince our new Governor that these guys are right and the extremists are wrong! Wish us luck.
Dow is one of two big industrial complexes in our area... providing jobs for just about everybody in the area who wanted jobs. The other company is General Motors. The extremists fail to be aware of the fact that Dow provides raw materials for most of the industry in our United States and in the world. They drive their cars, wrap their homes in plastic, wash their clothes, package foods... furnish their homes... medicate themselves and their families..... I could go on and on..... all with products made possible by the chemical industry! Apparently they would like to see us back in the pre-industrial horse and buggy days... the ultimate luddites!
Well the political climate changed last year and all of a sudden the extremists decided the way to 'get Dow' was to make a people sandwich out of local residents. Dow was doing a pretty good job of cleaning up their act... and then MDEQ changed the rules!!! Then they put residents in the middle of the situation by taking samples here and there along the river floodplain, extrapolating that information, which varies drastically in given areas, and proclaiming each and every backyard in the 100 year floodplain a toxic 'facility'! During this time the extremist fanatics found a few gullible people to sue the company because... get this!... they might get sick sometime in the future from the dioxins in the soil of their backyards!!!
People have lived here for years... first the native Americans, then the lumberjacks, and ultimately the rest of us! During much of that time the chemicals carried downsteam in the flood area were much worse and more concentrated than they are now!!! We have lots of people in our town who played in the river as kids... played in their backyards... ate foods, including meat, eggs and milk, that should have been affected by the dioxins in the soil! Many of these people lived to be in their nineties... back when the average lifespan was much lower I might add.
We keep telling the extremists... and the MDEQ... define the problem first! That's the scientific method. Instead of looking for where the dioxin is... the government scientists - Oooops! that is an oxymoron, isn't it? - should find out what levels of dioxin exist in the bodies of those of us who have lived here all our lives, eating veggies from our gardens, mowing our lawns and playing in our 'dioxin-laden' backyards.
We have made progress. Senator Stamos and Representative Moolenaar recently introduced bills to correct this gross attack on me and my fellow residents. God bless America! Now all we have to do is convince our new Governor that these guys are right and the extremists are wrong! Wish us luck.
6.05.2004
This is OttO's fault!!!
You're a Jaw Breaker!!!! You tend to be quite
upfront about everything. Some admire you for
this quality, while others often resent you for
it. Although you may act tough, whether you
hate to admit it or not there is some sweetness
inside of you.
Which kind of candy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Oh yes! Hi Bryn! Glad you stop by now and again. Couldn't find where to say hi to you on your blog... am I silly or what? ;-)
You're a Jaw Breaker!!!! You tend to be quite
upfront about everything. Some admire you for
this quality, while others often resent you for
it. Although you may act tough, whether you
hate to admit it or not there is some sweetness
inside of you.
Which kind of candy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Oh yes! Hi Bryn! Glad you stop by now and again. Couldn't find where to say hi to you on your blog... am I silly or what? ;-)
Rum and Monkey: Compatibility Test: "I'm an irredeemably eejitous, moderate, not-too-generous, not-too-selfish, seizure-inducingly boring spod!
See how compatible you are with me!
Brought to you by Rum and Monkey"
Which makes me 88% compatible with otto!
See how compatible you are with me!
Brought to you by Rum and Monkey"
Which makes me 88% compatible with otto!
6.02.2004
We saw this little fellow in a tree in the back yard. He looked like he was just resting. First time I ever saw a chipmunk just 'in a tree.' They are ground dwellers, you know.
6.01.2004
Some freak is messing with my blogs! Thank heaven Blogger handles it the way they do. Thank you Blogger! Okey dokey... here's why i was blogging today...
Just wanted to share this beautiful poppy that lives in my yard...
...along with a few of it's very large best friends. I chose to use 'Wrong' for our PhotoTime challenge this week and baby, there's nothing wrong about this beautiful flower, is there? Just so busting with pride because it's kind of difficult for me to get a good macro but this one... well, I love it!
Just wanted to share this beautiful poppy that lives in my yard...
...along with a few of it's very large best friends. I chose to use 'Wrong' for our PhotoTime challenge this week and baby, there's nothing wrong about this beautiful flower, is there? Just so busting with pride because it's kind of difficult for me to get a good macro but this one... well, I love it!
