It occurred to me that I might just be sending you pictures from my front window of any day from Oct to June, any given year. You'll just have to take my word for it that this was taken about an hour ago, the temp 10f and falling. Predicted to be minus 18 tonight. Also predicted is a white christmas.
In years past, my oldest has done wonderful things for people she did not know. This year her sister is having a family into her apartment for the holidays. They are otherwise homeless.
Have I ever mentioned how proud of I am of my kids?
Emily (previous said Kate) and Christmas guest:
May the season find you well, and hopeful of the future. I am. With children like I have, how can I not?
And a picture she took of the 'supermoon', from her balcony.
Also, a headline from today's SF Chronicle:
Man declared a hero for saving rabbit along Highway 101 from massive wildfire
The article says in part:
"
Apocalyptic images of the Southern California wildfires have taken over social media since the first of the fires broke out Monday night. The Internet celebrated a bright spot amidst all the destruction Thursday.
The video (above) shows a frantic man pulled over along Highway 101 in La Conchita, a small unincorporated community in Ventura County. According to KABC, a news photographer just happened to be driving by Wednesday night and caught the moment on camera.
The man alternates between throwing his hands on his head in disbelief and reaching for something in the flames.
After a long 15 seconds of panicking, he finds what he was looking for. The man picks up a small rabbit and carries it to safety."
Hmmmmm. Well, if it were a video of me, and they'd followed me for a few hours, they might have found:
In Seattle for a bit, seeing the kids and grands, and a few old colleagues in the medical world.
Emily, for some reason, had never cooked a turkey before......,though she has hosted more than a couple thanksgiving get-to-gathers. Well, this year she did, used the brining process and all. Here's the result, with gravy and mashed attending.
Does it make any different, these decades ago? I don't know. I maybe should know, but I don't. It was so far away, and a different life. Those kids, me, on those choppers, manning those 50's, picking up the wounded, were not who we, I am now. They were, I did those things, but I'm not the same person.
Well wishes to those like me. Here's to us, damn few of us left.
Equal parts elk, pork....then some breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan cheese, seasonings, browned in olive oil, then simmered in a marinara sauce. Served over pasta.
The video is just in case you'd forgotten that Ry Cooder is one of the premier guitar players, slide guitar, and songwriters of our generation.
Old military saying, meaning generally that things are the same now as ever was.
Today's headlines are old news. Yawn. 20 plus killed in shooting in Texas, an open carry state that prides it'self on being armed against things like this. 5 year old shot, pregnant women shot, on and on. Old news, probably not to many steps until the orange in chief proclaims them as 'fake news', when it doesn't fit his agenda.
My two readers, old newspaper man, should advise me if this kind of thing is going to be 'below the fold' in a year or so. 58 in Las Vegas, 26 in Texas, and more, many more, to come. And we still hear the same old lines.
It's a problem of mental health, mental disease our 'president' proclaims from abroad. Ok, let's assume that's true.
Why then did the 'president' and current gop cut from the budget vast amounts for the treatment of mental disease? Is there a logic there?
It's old fucking news, and it'll happen again, and we'll all start to accept it. And gun sales will go up, each time one of these incidents happen the gun used becomes the most popular gun sold, and dealers run out of the model. Isn't this a bit disturbing? "Oh look, Johnny! Let's go get a couple of those, must be good guns!" "Ok, dad, great!"
I wonder what's the point anymore. The democratic party is in shambles. In any other decade we'd have a democratic house, senate and presidency. Instead, it's a circular firing squad, to quote NPR describing the demo leadership.
We're fucked, ladies and gentleman. I doubt I'll see the 2020 election, and I'm actually happy about that.
Been snowing since early evening, not the first of the year, that was a month ago, but this is the one that's not going to go away until April or May. In another month or so it'll be to the top of the fence.
Just how many of you motherfuckers are out there????? The latest headline from the Oregonion:
Oregon senator accused of inappropriate touching says he's innocent; women disagree
Mother of effing god. Even with two daughters, I didn't grasp the pervasiveness of the issue. I guess I'm the epitome of how this got 'overlooked', not reported, etc. I'm so sorry.
I wish I'd been more cognizant. More aware, some damn thing. I'm sorry, day late and dollar short.
This was posted a year ago, and seems more pertinent today.
National Anthem/Patriotism/Military/Protest
It seems to have gone on forever, this linking protests and actions like Colin Kaepernick's and John Carlo's of decades ago (who I've met, and was a fine guy) with showing disrespect for people in the military or who have been in the military. I'm having none of it.
I was in the military, and was in one of our countries fine little wars, part of 1966 through most of '68, with a short recess in Bethesda Medical Center. To say that someone who is protesting the way our country has treated and is treating minorities is somehow insulting me by choosing to not stand for the national anthem is bullshit.
In fact, if the national anthem is somehow linked to the war we waged in Vietnam, I ain't standing either. We barged into the middle of a civil war that had been going on for decades on a trumped up charge (Gulf of Tonkin Incident) and probably supported the wrong side. The 'domino theory', that if South Vietnam fell to the North communism would spread around the globe was a load of crap.
Just speaking for myself here. Only three other vets I know about that read this, and I don't speak for them. If somehow not standing during the anthem can move us one micrometer forward in the arena of racism, I'm sitting too.
An area just north of here, called Elk Park. A valley, about 8 miles north, the closest a griz has been seen to Butte. I find this first one interesting....looks like a fairly typical early settlement log cabin, except for the bell tower at back. Looks like the stovepipe was added at some point. I don't know what the purpose for it was. Also, the overhang at the front, a porch, is unusual for this kind of structure. Anybody have any ideas?
This will hopefully put an end to this years fires.
The high temp here on Saturday is supposed to be 40. It's currently around 40, off and on snow and rain mixed, but it still smells like smoke. That'll go away.
Back in Montana as of 4, much less smoky than a week ago, and it's still supposed to snow friday and saturday. In the meantime, courtesy of my buddies Michael's FB page, this:
Heading back tomorrow, friend in Butte just said ash is falling at the moment. But.....help may be on the way. Here's the weather forecast for the end of this week:
..WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH
FRIDAY MORNING ABOVE 6000 FEET...
* Impacts/Timing: A dramatic change in the weather is on the way
as a very cold and wet weather system drives the snow level down
to near 6000 feet overnight Thursday into Friday morning along
with temperatures plummeting 30 to 50 degrees colder compared
to Tuesday (today). Slushy snow accumulations are expected on
the mountainous terrain, trails and dirt roads which may
negatively affect recreation or travel. Additionally, the
transition from very cold rain to snow and the dramatic change
to colder weather will heighten the risk of hypothermia to those
who are not well equipped or prepared for early winter weather
conditions.
* In addition, a mix of smoke and variable visibility throughout
the higher terrain will abruptly change to low visibility and
widespread terrain obscurations. Again, it must be emphasized,
this is a HUGE change from the current warm summer recreational
conditions.
* Snow accumulations: 6000 to 7000 feet: 1 to 3 inches. Above 7000
feet: 3 to 6 inches are possible...especially over the highest
peaks.
* Locations impacted include: Highway 93 Sula to Lost Trail
Pass, Georgetown Lake, and MacDonald Pass
Second grade, first day, the kid who had a 50% survival rate at birth, and far less odds of being healthy. Now you'd never know she had a giant omphalocele.
Part of the reason I was looking forward to coming over to Seattle was to escape the month-long smoke haze that's lingered over Butte. Here's Seattle today:
It seems most of the entire west is on fire. I think Montana alone has over 40 going some as large as 100,000 acres.
With visibility less than half a mile yesterday, this was the view the kids got when we went to the infamous Berkeley Pit.
The pit is less than a half mile wide at this point. Oh, and the Ph.....? At this point something less than 1.5. Last fall around 10,000 snow geese landed there on their southward migration. None took off.
Bad timing.....this is what they are going to see on their vacation.
Told them to bring eye drops and asthma meds if needed. Bummer, because this will be the grands first visit to Montana, and it could be LA or Mexico City on a smoggy day. "There are mountains right over there, really!".........'sure, grandpa.....'
Seattle Mayor Murray calls for removal of Confederate monument, Lenin statue
Confederate Soldier, fine. Lenin....that's one step over the line.Following is from wikipedia:
Fremont curiosity
The statue of Lenin became a Fremont landmark and object of curiosity, representing the quirky nature of the artistic neighborhood, whose motto is Libertas Quirkas, freedom to be peculiar.[14][15] Like the Fremont Troll and the Waiting for the Interurban sculpture, the Lenin statue is often decorated, appropriated, or vandalized with various intentions, both whimsical and serious.[14][16]
A glowing Soviet-style red star or Christmas lights have been added to the statue during the holiday season since 2004.[6][20] For the 2004 Solstice Parade, the statue was made to look like John Lennon. During Gay Pride Week, the statue is dressed in drag.[6]
The statue's hands are often painted, and re-painted, red to protest the perceived glorification a historical villain with blood on his hands for deaths comparable with Hitler or Stalin.[14] The Taco del Mar restaurant, one of the retail property's tenants, constructed monumental-scale burrito wrapped in foil for the statue to hold, which one Fremont publisher said did not turn out as intended, but rather "looked like a doobie" (cannabis cigarette).[14][14]
Why did trump do a reversal, back to the original, comments on Charlotte? I see only four possible reasons.
1. He's actually nuts.
2. He sees no consequence to his actions, because he thinks he has no consequences.
3, He thinks his base can come through on the next election, and bring others with them. Similar to the last election.
4. It makes no difference to him, because he doesn't plan on there being another election. Witness his threats of war against other countries, Venezuela was the last, I wouldn't rule out other countries, Mexico, anyone else he thinks will work with the general populace of his constituents. I think this is the most likely of the possibilities. He plans on appointing himself president for life. He'll declare a state of emergency, for one war or another. Already a poll exists that indicates over 50% of republicans would support this. Think about this for a moment, let it sink in. We no longer want a democracy, we just want our tribe to win. What they will do, what our policies are, are of n importance. What's important is that 'we' win.
I somehow don't think he's actually a nazi, a racist anti-Semite. I don't think he's got that intelligence to be so inclined. I think he's just a one focus nut, on himself, and has not thought anything through. His attention span is that of a 5 year old, and whomever talked to him last is what is in his brain.
59 fucking million of you voted for him. I hope you're happy. You've elected a genuine narcissistic nut to the presidency. You've tainted the office for the foreseeable future.
I don't advocate, usually, violence in most forms. I do advocate being able to defend ones's self. With the president we have in office, and the maggots that feel free to crawl out from below their rocks, we better acknowledge, as my son did some posts ago, that we should be ready. This means more than singing 'we shall overcome'.
Gandhi and MLK are not the ones we have to emulate now. We have a president, duly elected, that is giving these scum freedom to act on their base beliefs.
What we need to do, is be prepared.
My youngest shot this at around 15 yards a few years ago, a 10 shot clip. Took about 15 seconds. She got better with the last rounds. Do this, and don't put flowers in the barrels of the right wing nuts coming at you.
In new poll, half of Republicans say they would support postponing election if Trump proposed it
From the SF Chronicle. It's in most of the major news. And I saw this coming months ago. Ready for the New America, one that does not require elections?
Been watching, as I'm sure you all have, the current state with North Korea, and our nut of a president. We're in a position we haven't been in since 1962, with Cuba.
My thoughts turn tonight to my youngest, Emily. The one perhaps the most like me, which may not be a compliment.
I enclose a picture of her that made the top of the fold in the Seattle Times, when the WTO was in Seattle.
She's the one that isn't shielding her face.
And the song, by the Cranberries, which always make her think of me and my other girl.
As Satchel Paige famously said "If I'd know I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself". I'd love to be out there, backpacking and exploring.
The upper valley of Notellum creek, know to few, told to fewer.
The Dumas Brothel, 45 E. Mercury St, has had several owners over the years. Current owners Michael Piche and Travis Eskelsen purchased the property in 2012 and later began operating it as a museum. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was an operating bordello from 1890 to 1982.
Annie Pentilla, The Montana Standard
The owners of the Dumas Brothel in Uptown Butte hope to sell a duplex and use the proceeds to pay off $64,000 they still owe on a $67,000 loan they got from the Urban Revitalization Agency.
The agency’s board agreed to the plan Tuesday, giving owners Michael Piche and Travis Eskelsen 90 days from the time of listing to sell a duplex at 409 W. Mercury St. and make good on the loan.
You wouldn't think of Montana when you think of air quality. However, this time of year is also fire season. In fact, we had a small (20 acres) one just over the hill behind my house. As the sun rises this morning there is a kind of golden glow to everything, which would be attractive were it not for everything smelling like a campfire. It's also a tad hot during the day, mid-eighties, but it cools into the 40's at night.
The 'view' to the south, towards the Highlands, barely visible.
