Hate: a word used in many contexts. Like the title of this post. When people say that, it is usually in a context of irritation or sometimes just as a joke when something happens that causes aggravation, but not really meaning HATE.
A little story of history. I started to say past history, but if it is history, it is past. Many years ago, even decades, actually. While working with a crew of men, the supervisor did something that caused friction between him and another employee. Most of those on the crew had had trouble with this supervisor at various times, and this particular employee was one of them. Because of the incident that took place, the employee, who was stewing about it( I don't remember what the situation was) made a statement that "He hated the supervisor." He turned to me and said "Don't you?" I replied "No". He ask why not, cause this supervisor has caused you more problems than most of those on the crew. I will probably paraphrase what I said, but it was something like this. "Hate is an emotion, and so you have to spend time hating an individual when you give in to that emotion. I have other things to spend time on rather that hating someone." He could not understand that statement. Probably still doesn't. But that is how I felt and how I feel now. We have just too little time to spend it hating someone or seeking ways to get revenge on someone.
Now, having said that, I am getting to the point where I just hate the phrase " The new normal". This is saying that things that were normal no longer are and the things that take place now are new and they are normal. That is like saying the "New Morality". All that is, is the old immorality." If it used to be immoral, it still is, as listed in the Bible. If it used to be normal, and no longer is, maybe we all should look at what was normal and see if the New Normal is a good thing. And id it is not, then lets go back to the "Old Normal" and outlaw the New Normal. And quit saying the new normal. And THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
A FEW RANDOM THOUGHTS
THE VORACIOUS BEAST: You know the one. You are thinking of an animal, perhaps? A Lion, or a wolf or an Elephant even. Well, they do get a little voracious at times, I suppose. Or maybe you are thinking government. Well, that one fits also. And that is one of the things I will address. But it is more than that. A lot more. So, lets look at just a few of them. Maybe just a smidgen of them, but perhaps enough to get the idea, somehow.
1. The above named animals. And others not mentioned but that fit. They have a right to be voracious. It is in their nature. That is how they live and breathe and it is to be expected of them. So, enough said on that subject. The subject of animals. On to the next one.
2. Government. Yep, they are voracious. Very. And getting more so every day. Now, I am not going to rant about Democrats or Republicans and their voracious appetites. Although their appetite for pork does kinda put them in the same category as those in subject number 1. Maybe it is in their jeans er genes also. But while the animals just do what comes naturally, government seems to come up with things that are hard to imagine. And unnatural. Things like
3. A State back East, New Jersey, I think, is, or has, instituting a rain tax.No, they aren't taxing the rain. They are taxing the people who prevent the rain from entering the ground. It works like something like this. Your house, paved driveway, patio's out buildings, etc are measured for square footage and then you are taxed on the amount of covered land that won't allow rain water to enter the earth. In places like large cities, where there is a lot of concrete and pavement, that could create a lot of taxes. Wonder if the government will tax themselves for their own buildings. Do make one wonder, don't it.
4. And governments don't have a monopoly on this type of activity. Will have to admit I didn't get all of the particulars on this one. But from what I understand it works something like this.
Mlwfae and I went to the valley of the sun, aka the Phoenix, Az. area, this week and while there, and watching a news program we heard something like this. Because there is a lot of sunny days in that valley, a lot of people are using solar systems. And if you generate enough electricity from your system, you can sell electricity to the local power company. Because so many people are using or converting to these solar systems, two things seem to be happening. One is that the local power company is losing revenue because people are getting their power from the sun, not the company. And, they are generating extra electricity, so the power company is paying out, instead of collecting in. And these two things are costing them money. So, what have they come up with. Here's the point I am not really clear on. But it seems they want to put some kind of meter on your system to see how much solar power you are using, and then tax you. I wonder if the powers of Heaven will get a cut of that. Naw, probably not.
5. And I can't end this post without this final observation. Even though this may not fit in the tax mode, I do think it will fit in the voracious mode. And I will explain at the end. This also came from a news program while we were in the Valley of the Sun. It seems that some ambulances are outfitting their ambulances with a TV screen, so if you are watching a football game, or some other sporting event, and you have to be transported to a local building of a medical nature, you can still continue to watch the game. Or maybe it an app for that. That fits in the voracious category as in there are some whose voracious appetite for all things sporting and those who watch just can't seem to get enough. I wonder if the Powers of Heavenly persuasion have something like this, so as you slide from life to death, you can continue to watch your favorite game on your way to Heaven, Or wherever you may be headed at that time.
I BID ALL THINK OF YOUR OWN VERSIONS OF THINGS VORACIOUS, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE OUT OF ORDER, (AREN'T THEY ALL) OUT OF LINE OR JUST PLAIN OUTRAGEOUS, PERHAPS WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE FUN POSTING THEM OR EVEN STOPPING THEM.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
1. The above named animals. And others not mentioned but that fit. They have a right to be voracious. It is in their nature. That is how they live and breathe and it is to be expected of them. So, enough said on that subject. The subject of animals. On to the next one.
2. Government. Yep, they are voracious. Very. And getting more so every day. Now, I am not going to rant about Democrats or Republicans and their voracious appetites. Although their appetite for pork does kinda put them in the same category as those in subject number 1. Maybe it is in their jeans er genes also. But while the animals just do what comes naturally, government seems to come up with things that are hard to imagine. And unnatural. Things like
3. A State back East, New Jersey, I think, is, or has, instituting a rain tax.No, they aren't taxing the rain. They are taxing the people who prevent the rain from entering the ground. It works like something like this. Your house, paved driveway, patio's out buildings, etc are measured for square footage and then you are taxed on the amount of covered land that won't allow rain water to enter the earth. In places like large cities, where there is a lot of concrete and pavement, that could create a lot of taxes. Wonder if the government will tax themselves for their own buildings. Do make one wonder, don't it.
4. And governments don't have a monopoly on this type of activity. Will have to admit I didn't get all of the particulars on this one. But from what I understand it works something like this.
Mlwfae and I went to the valley of the sun, aka the Phoenix, Az. area, this week and while there, and watching a news program we heard something like this. Because there is a lot of sunny days in that valley, a lot of people are using solar systems. And if you generate enough electricity from your system, you can sell electricity to the local power company. Because so many people are using or converting to these solar systems, two things seem to be happening. One is that the local power company is losing revenue because people are getting their power from the sun, not the company. And, they are generating extra electricity, so the power company is paying out, instead of collecting in. And these two things are costing them money. So, what have they come up with. Here's the point I am not really clear on. But it seems they want to put some kind of meter on your system to see how much solar power you are using, and then tax you. I wonder if the powers of Heaven will get a cut of that. Naw, probably not.
5. And I can't end this post without this final observation. Even though this may not fit in the tax mode, I do think it will fit in the voracious mode. And I will explain at the end. This also came from a news program while we were in the Valley of the Sun. It seems that some ambulances are outfitting their ambulances with a TV screen, so if you are watching a football game, or some other sporting event, and you have to be transported to a local building of a medical nature, you can still continue to watch the game. Or maybe it an app for that. That fits in the voracious category as in there are some whose voracious appetite for all things sporting and those who watch just can't seem to get enough. I wonder if the Powers of Heavenly persuasion have something like this, so as you slide from life to death, you can continue to watch your favorite game on your way to Heaven, Or wherever you may be headed at that time.
I BID ALL THINK OF YOUR OWN VERSIONS OF THINGS VORACIOUS, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE OUT OF ORDER, (AREN'T THEY ALL) OUT OF LINE OR JUST PLAIN OUTRAGEOUS, PERHAPS WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE FUN POSTING THEM OR EVEN STOPPING THEM.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Thinking
WE ARE ALMOST TO THAT POINT: The point of not having to think for ourselves. At all. The mayor of New York City has decreed that you can't buy a 24 oz. drink. Cause it is not good for you. You don't need to think for yourself on this. The mayor has told you. Of course, you can buy two 16 oz. drinks and that's OK, I guess. And there are so many other government edits out there to tell you what to do that you have no reason to think for your self. But this isn't a rant on the government, although there is a lot of fodder for a blog on that. Even more than I have blogged about in the past. Nope, this post is about cars. New cars, and some not so new. I like cars. I was raised on General motors cars and would like to rebuild a 56 Chevy. Maybe someday. My first car was a 55 Ford Fairlane, bought used. We have had some Chrysler products over the years, but mostly have driven Ford products. We recently bought a used Ford pickup. 6 years old as a matter of fact. Still, it has so many bells and whistles on it that when my wife and I go for a drive in it, one of us drives and the other reads the manual. But what brought all this on is a brochure that we picked up at a local Ford dealer recently. It features the 2013 Ford Taurus. I can park itself for you. It can access the internet and look up items on the www for you. It can make phone calls for you and tell you where to go and how to get there. Boy, there's some people I would like to use that feature on. It can find music or talk stations on the radio for you. A relative owns a Chrysler product that has programmed into the automatic door key lock fob so it knows if he or his wife opens the door and then adjusts the seats and the pedals accordingly. For those of you who watched Kitt, the talking car, it seems that we are closing in on that technology fast. Oh, and the new used pickup we just bought. It has a feature that tells me how many miles I can travel until the fuel tank is empty. Between the government and the auto makers and the internet and all the phone apps, we don't even need a mind, just a built in feature that says do this or do that, and then mindlessly do it. Or we can exercise our God given brain that allows us to think for ourselves and over ride some of the government and auto maker and computer apps and just do what we know is right. And THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A FEW THINGS 2
JUST A FEW MORE THINGS I THOUGHT TO MENTION:
1. I watch the Today Show of a morning. For a little while, anyway, before I finally get disgusted with their obsession with all things Hollywood and turn it to something else. So, I have a few comments to make concerning a couple of things they had to say recently. And then I will make a comment or two on Washington. D.C.
2. Halley Berry Baby. NBC, ( and perhaps other networks) recently reported that Halley Berry might be pregnant. They will be watching and will keep us informed. Well, whoop de do. I am sure there are a lot of women who are pregnant, and only those who know them are aware of it. And that is the way it should be. Who cares if Halley is pregnant? Apparently many do.
3. Lester Holt's spring clothes. On the Saturday today show they followed host Lester Holt as he went on a shopping uh spree to buy new spring clothes. Again, whoop de do. Why do I need to even know that he went shopping or what he bought. And I wouldn't even buy the kind of clothes he bought anyway. But then, I am a boring dresser. I know that by way of my children.
4. Did any of you watch the Olympics last year? There was a woman volley ball player on the USA winning team. She was pregnant at the time. Now she has had her baby. So the Today show had her and her husband and the baby on. Again, lots and lots of baby's are born every day. What makes this one so much more important than any of the others? And the baby lay there in her mothers arms and cried and cried while the mother played to the camera.
5. Now to Washington. It is spring and time to clean the house. And the Senate. President Obama has finally, late, proposed a budget. In it he has $300 billion in new spending and $900 billion in new taxes. And he wants to balance the budget by cutting social security and medicare. After decades of required, by law, of paying into those two funds, old people like me now depend on these two items. And he wants to cut them. It will also affect any of those of you that are younger, so you better pay close attention what he and the house and the senate are trying to do. Not only on these items, but on all things financial. Including the Obama care medical plan, which will not take full effect for another year.
6. Immigration. I have blogged about this in the past. I mentioned a little bit about it in my previous post as relates to New Mexico and drivers licenses. Congress is about to reach a plan on what to do about all the illegal aliens. Or to be politically correct, undocumented residents. All 11 million of them. My question. If they are undocumented, how do they know how many of them their is?
7. Gun control. The nation is up in arms, pun intended, over gun control. I am very sympathetic for the people of Columbine, Aurora, and Sandy Hook. But a gun did not kill those people. A person, or persons, killed those people and a gun was their choice of weapon. Gun control will not end this type of violence. Now, a man has went on a rampage on a Texas college campus with a knife, stabbing many people. Do we now ban all knifes? I think not. There is a lot of pain involved here, I understand. I just hope calmer heads than those in the White House and the other house and the senate prevail on the course of action taken here. They have already created a situation where legitimate individuals are having a hard time purchasing ammunition as well as reloading supplies for those who chose to do that.
8. OK. Now this is all off my chest, or shoulders, or mind, or what ever. It just seems to me that there is a lot going on that is senseless in this country. I feel like the two Irishmen, one of whom turns to his friend and says something like this: I think all the world is crazy except me and you, and sometimes I wonder about you.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
1. I watch the Today Show of a morning. For a little while, anyway, before I finally get disgusted with their obsession with all things Hollywood and turn it to something else. So, I have a few comments to make concerning a couple of things they had to say recently. And then I will make a comment or two on Washington. D.C.
2. Halley Berry Baby. NBC, ( and perhaps other networks) recently reported that Halley Berry might be pregnant. They will be watching and will keep us informed. Well, whoop de do. I am sure there are a lot of women who are pregnant, and only those who know them are aware of it. And that is the way it should be. Who cares if Halley is pregnant? Apparently many do.
3. Lester Holt's spring clothes. On the Saturday today show they followed host Lester Holt as he went on a shopping uh spree to buy new spring clothes. Again, whoop de do. Why do I need to even know that he went shopping or what he bought. And I wouldn't even buy the kind of clothes he bought anyway. But then, I am a boring dresser. I know that by way of my children.
4. Did any of you watch the Olympics last year? There was a woman volley ball player on the USA winning team. She was pregnant at the time. Now she has had her baby. So the Today show had her and her husband and the baby on. Again, lots and lots of baby's are born every day. What makes this one so much more important than any of the others? And the baby lay there in her mothers arms and cried and cried while the mother played to the camera.
5. Now to Washington. It is spring and time to clean the house. And the Senate. President Obama has finally, late, proposed a budget. In it he has $300 billion in new spending and $900 billion in new taxes. And he wants to balance the budget by cutting social security and medicare. After decades of required, by law, of paying into those two funds, old people like me now depend on these two items. And he wants to cut them. It will also affect any of those of you that are younger, so you better pay close attention what he and the house and the senate are trying to do. Not only on these items, but on all things financial. Including the Obama care medical plan, which will not take full effect for another year.
6. Immigration. I have blogged about this in the past. I mentioned a little bit about it in my previous post as relates to New Mexico and drivers licenses. Congress is about to reach a plan on what to do about all the illegal aliens. Or to be politically correct, undocumented residents. All 11 million of them. My question. If they are undocumented, how do they know how many of them their is?
7. Gun control. The nation is up in arms, pun intended, over gun control. I am very sympathetic for the people of Columbine, Aurora, and Sandy Hook. But a gun did not kill those people. A person, or persons, killed those people and a gun was their choice of weapon. Gun control will not end this type of violence. Now, a man has went on a rampage on a Texas college campus with a knife, stabbing many people. Do we now ban all knifes? I think not. There is a lot of pain involved here, I understand. I just hope calmer heads than those in the White House and the other house and the senate prevail on the course of action taken here. They have already created a situation where legitimate individuals are having a hard time purchasing ammunition as well as reloading supplies for those who chose to do that.
8. OK. Now this is all off my chest, or shoulders, or mind, or what ever. It just seems to me that there is a lot going on that is senseless in this country. I feel like the two Irishmen, one of whom turns to his friend and says something like this: I think all the world is crazy except me and you, and sometimes I wonder about you.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
JUST A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT A FEW THINGS. There are several things to blog about, and not a lot to be said about most of them. I will start with local politics.
1. The State of New Mexico recently concluded their 60 bi annual legislative session. ( the other biannual sessions are for only 30 days ). Our former Governor was infatuated with all things Hollywood. And North Korea, for that matter. But back to Hollywood He gave the film and TV industry a huge tax break to film here in the Land of Enchantment. Our esteemed current governor rescinded that tax break. But our legislature balked at eliminating it all together. Also, the Enchanted land has some of the highest corporate taxes around. Again, our current gov wanted to reduce the taxes on corporations so they would move here to do business. The legislature wanted to once again the tax break for all things Hollywood but refused to give tax breaks to businesses. In a last minute, literally, deal, Hollywood got their tax breaks, but the governor got here tax break for businesses not involved with the shaky coast.
2. Unless you are from the Land of Enchantment, you may not realize this next item. New Mexico, courtesy of our previous governor, gives drivers licenses to undocumented residents of the good ol' US of A. Because of that, New mexico residents cannot use a drivers license for identification. So, beginning in June, this year, if a New Mexico resident wants to board an airplane, we will have a passport. Just another present from the previous gov. Our current Governor has tried for two years to get the legislature to change that and refuse licenses to illegal residents, but they don't seem to know what the term illegal means. Good for illegals from all over. Bad for legal residents. Also, in case you didn't see that on the news, our current governor was one of four chosen to represent the USA at the inauguration of the new Pope.
3. While I am on the subject of big brother. While I agree with the Mayor of New York City about the drinking of large drinks, and believe they should not be drank, I do not think he has the right to tell people they can't drink them or legislate businesses into not selling them. Not his business just his opinion. My opinion agrees with him, but it is not my business to tell people not to drink them either.
4. On a positive note, a group sponsored by a local medical institution is mapping gardens and fruit trees in our area so that food can be harvested this fall to be given to the hungry and needy. I think this is a good idea, as there are so many people who just let their fruit fall to the ground and rot.
Although there are a few morn things to mention, I think I'll stop here and leave the other subjects for another day. These opinions and thoughts are THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
1. The State of New Mexico recently concluded their 60 bi annual legislative session. ( the other biannual sessions are for only 30 days ). Our former Governor was infatuated with all things Hollywood. And North Korea, for that matter. But back to Hollywood He gave the film and TV industry a huge tax break to film here in the Land of Enchantment. Our esteemed current governor rescinded that tax break. But our legislature balked at eliminating it all together. Also, the Enchanted land has some of the highest corporate taxes around. Again, our current gov wanted to reduce the taxes on corporations so they would move here to do business. The legislature wanted to once again the tax break for all things Hollywood but refused to give tax breaks to businesses. In a last minute, literally, deal, Hollywood got their tax breaks, but the governor got here tax break for businesses not involved with the shaky coast.
2. Unless you are from the Land of Enchantment, you may not realize this next item. New Mexico, courtesy of our previous governor, gives drivers licenses to undocumented residents of the good ol' US of A. Because of that, New mexico residents cannot use a drivers license for identification. So, beginning in June, this year, if a New Mexico resident wants to board an airplane, we will have a passport. Just another present from the previous gov. Our current Governor has tried for two years to get the legislature to change that and refuse licenses to illegal residents, but they don't seem to know what the term illegal means. Good for illegals from all over. Bad for legal residents. Also, in case you didn't see that on the news, our current governor was one of four chosen to represent the USA at the inauguration of the new Pope.
3. While I am on the subject of big brother. While I agree with the Mayor of New York City about the drinking of large drinks, and believe they should not be drank, I do not think he has the right to tell people they can't drink them or legislate businesses into not selling them. Not his business just his opinion. My opinion agrees with him, but it is not my business to tell people not to drink them either.
4. On a positive note, a group sponsored by a local medical institution is mapping gardens and fruit trees in our area so that food can be harvested this fall to be given to the hungry and needy. I think this is a good idea, as there are so many people who just let their fruit fall to the ground and rot.
Although there are a few morn things to mention, I think I'll stop here and leave the other subjects for another day. These opinions and thoughts are THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
NO, I DON'T KNOW
I did not major in English is High School. I didn't even minor in it. Still, I do know a little about what is proper and what is not. Not a lot, but a little. And I just have to wonder, as I listen to people talk, in person and on TV shows, if what little I did learn is going by the way side. My wife and I don't like or watch most of the popular shows on TV. We do keep up with a few. Even a couple or three of the reality shows. The one we have been watching, that ended last night, is "The Biggest Loser". And so often those on the show, like the trainers, start nearly every sentence with the words "I mean". Since they haven't said any thing yet, why start by saying "I mean". They don't have to explain what they mean, until they have said something first. You know. Or You know what I mean. No, I don't know. If I did, you wouldn't have to tell me. How many conversations do you participate in that has those words said ever so often. You know. Better than cuss words, I guess, but still, I'm sure any of my former English teachers would cringe at the current vernacular being used by so many of the masses. Like. How many times do you hear this in a conversation. I often think, " Well, it's not the real thing, just something like the real thing. Like, you know, I mean, I think maybe the English Language needs to be made a mandatory course of study in school. I mean, You know, like, in Elementary and High School and College's and Universities. And I have to wonder. Are other languages suffering from the same malady? And THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Saturday, March 16, 2013
YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE
NO, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT DEBBIE BOONE. I am talking about all those things around us that seem to have a light 24/7. Like what? you say. Well, if you have a computer is has a light. Even if you turn it off and shut it down, it has a light on, unless you disconnect it from from the wall socket. And the light is still there until the battery runs down. A microwave, yep a 24/7 light. And if you live in a city, or even a small town, there are more than likely street lights that come on at dusk and stay on all night long. Do you have a cell phone? Do you charge it? Yep, even while you sleep, it will have a light of some kind. Do you, like me, have a rechargeable electric razor or some other kind of health and body devise? More than likely, unless you charge it during the day and unplug it at night, you will have a light on during the night. All of this has nothing to do with voluntary lights, like self installed night lights, or lights left on at night cause you like to sleep with a light on. Does any one sleep in a naturally dark room any more. Probably not, unless they have exceptionally heavy drapes that block out all light. Including the moon and star light. Could you sleep in a room that was totally dark, and quiet. I like the quiet, but enjoy the window open and the moon or star light provided by nature. It is all the unnatural lights that gets to me at times. I have got to the point where I will unplug a lot of those aforementioned lights. But some, like the micro wave and the computer are just, well, inconvenient to unplug. So, can we take back the night. Not likely, unless you move to a cave, with no electrical power, and that's well, not practical. Oh Heck! whose practical. See you there . In the cave. And THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
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