We Are Deep In the Heart of Texas

Nomadic seasons of farming adventures with nature thrown in to include; a pinch of family, snippets of friends, counting our blessings, paying IT forward, home school, and the spicy things I decide to rant about.















Saturday, January 23, 2010

Yesterday's News, which made me feel bad

Headline News (HLN) was reporting on a six year old boy being swept away by flood waters in Arizona.  They went on to say: the parents could be charged by the rescue team for the accident.  WTF these parents had lost their son.

Then the HLN moved onto to a DOG rescue from a helicopter team in LA which they broadcast for over an hour.  It is okay to rescue a dog out of a drainage pit but who will foot that bill.

When did our nation get so freaking callous about children?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

NO MORE! And I love this where do I sign?

I got this email from a friend and I loved it so much I am cutting and pasting it here.  Thanks my little alien friend; and seeing the upset over Mr. Kennedy's former seat going to a Republican should wake up politicians.  The commoners are pissed and maybe yesterday's election will wake up those to this one true fact.  What I especially like is in Febuary, there will be elections held in Texas; I am wondering if Representative Hinojosa is sweating?

We are a government by the People and for too long you (politicians) have been acting as if we are SHEEPLE.

"I like this!


I am sending this to my e-mail list and that includes conservatives, liberals, and everybody in between. Even though we disagree on a number of issues, I count all of you as friends. My friend and neighbor wants to promote a "Congressional Reform Act of 2010." It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

I know many of you will say, "this is impossible." Let me remind you, Congress has the lowest approval of any entity in Government, now is the time when Americans can join together to reform Congress - the entity that "represents" us .

We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the U.S. Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the U.S. House. These people will become American hero's.

Thanks,
A Fellow American
***********************************
Congressional Reform Act of 2010
1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six year Senate terms B. Six Two year House terms or
C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year House terms

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

2. No Tenure / No Pension: A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security: All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately.  All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, server your term(s), then go home and back to work.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans .

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

6. Congress looses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/2011.  The American people did not make these contracts with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete."

I like number 8 especially since, I am retired military and not only have my promised benefits been taken or changed depending on congressional, judicial, or budgetary whim.  Our pay scale is also contigent on merit and yet gets greatly reduced upon retirement. AND THEN TAXED at a higher rate by the Internal Revenue Service. Number 9 is a blessing too, since I have a firm suspicion nearly all members of both the House and Senate on 'dole of lobbyists' especially the auto, drug, food, farm, and insurance industries.

///SIGNED///
Politicially Motivated Chicken
from inside the coop

This is funny but isn't

"msnbc.com
updated 3:01 p.m. CT, Fri., Jan. 15, 2010


As a Weight Watchers group gathered for a routine weigh-in, the dieters got an idea of how far they still had to go: The floor underneath them collapsed, a Swedish newspaper reports.

"We suddenly heard a huge thud; we almost thought it was an earthquake and everything flew up in the air," one of about 20 group members said to the Smalandsposten newspaper. "The floor collapsed in one corner of the room and along the walls."

After the initial collapse on Wednesday evening, the floor started to cave in other parts of the room, and the stench of sewage crept into the clinic, which is in Vaxjo, a city in south central Sweden. The group is looking for an alternate location for future meetings, Weight Watchers consultant Therese Levin told the Swedish paper.

No one was injured, and the cause of the collapse is still under investigation.


Afterward, the participants moved the scales to a hallway to have a real weigh-in. That time, the floor held."

Article found here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34881925/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

What cracks me up is; they still held the 'official weigh ins.'   Reminds me of the stringent way of the military.  Come HELL OR HIGH WATER you will be fit.  Watch out Jenny Craig; Weight Watchers is serious.

LOL

Friday, January 15, 2010

Flommoxed: Pat Robertson and Rush

Really are these two so insensitive as to believe an occurence in the natural world is a biblical plague brought upon Haitians by a venegeful Christian God?  ( I suppose Mr. Robertson forgot about the promise our Creator made after the flood.)


On to Rush, though sometimes I can agree and understand your thinking.  You Sir, are too deplorable.  Nor is our President is trying to buy the vote for re-election by sending aide to a country who lives in abject poverty where one in eight children die before reaching age five. 

Mr. Obama is not sending aide to Haiti because he is garnering the 'black populace' or liberal approval ratings.  I am thinking here Rush, you do not remember Haiti's role in bolstering the growth of the Americas.

Anyway for a snippet of Mr. Robertson.

Monday, January 11, 2010

My New Favorite Quote concerning national healthcare:

"Fallacious reasoning will keep the 'self righteous' ranting," NC.

Revisit Ft. Hood, I read an article today

Let me begin by saying.  What was written in this article; I wrote about back on November 6, 2009.
http://saenzmom.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-ft-hood-does-not-surprise-me.html

Here is an excerpt from the Associated Press's Article:

"What remains unclear is why Hasan would be advanced in spite of all the worries over his competence. That is likely to be the subject of a more detailed accounting by the department. Recent statistics show the Army rarely blocks junior officers from promotion, especially in the medical corps."

The rest of the Associated Press's Article found on the link below:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34802972/ns/us_news/

I said exactly the same thing.  The medical corps is so vital that the ARMY wanted to hang onto Major Hasan despite his erratic behavior.  I still believe that..........................

Friday, January 8, 2010

Is Anybody bothered by this?

"By Carrie Johnson

Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 8, 2010

The Justice Department reported Thursday that 12 percent of incarcerated juveniles, or more than 3,200 young people, had been raped or sexually abused in the past year by fellow inmates or prison staff, quantifying for the first time a problem that has long troubled lawmakers and human rights advocates."

Full article found here: 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010703849.html?wpisrc=newsletter

(SIDEBAR:  BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON is a consulting firm who focuses on government agency studies.)
interesting infor on Wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booz_Allen_Hamilton

Okay a few things bother me by this:  1.  Rape unfortunately is a fact of life in or out of prison.  2.  Administrators are pondering whether there is a need for 3 yr reviews.  (sighs here -- think human rights advocacy groups) 3.  Allowing same sex / opposite sex inside prisons to be guards.  4.  Those who committ rape or assualt on prisioners --- just my opinion should be handed over to the prisoners.  This is a breech of trust much like a superior or teacher having sexual contact with an employee or student.  Deplorable beyond comprehension.  NO EXCUSES, Ever! 5. In the article, 'training' is given to employees and statistics are flawed.  What the hell?  From working with Booz-Allen in the past, I know this company.  They are pretty damn meticulous when it comes to thinking out it's control groups, upper and lower side limits and survey questions/methods.  6.  If we as a nation can not protect prisoners from sexual assualt from guard or prision staff.  Then we need to rethink the entire process of incarceration. 7.  If 92% of inmates are male, 42% of guards are female;  then the issue of pat downs by same sex does need to be addressed.  Are those complaining of sexual assualt being aroused by female guards as not arouse by male guard pat down.

There are so many variables here with this article.  I am appalled think, the prisons housing juvenille immates are not doing thorough back ground checks of employees.  I am appalled to think juveniles are being molested.  Then add in the trans-gendered or homosexual issues.  Perhaps we as a nation need robots or something to guard??????????

What do you all think?

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Ever had a discussion with a DRY DRUNK?

Well, it's almost pointless especially if that man is a 'self-proclaimed' person of the cloth.  AKA Has found religion and is now 'teaching' the flock about Jesus, The Bible and God.............

Those of the "FOOT WASHING, FIRE and BRIMSTONE" faiths do not read any further.

GOD is a creative force,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The Old Testament was updated for a reason with the New.  GOD and Man's nature is similiar thus, GOD admits to mistakes --- think back to the Flood; man as a whole has to learned this by repeated trials by 'fire'.

HOWEVER, this 'dry drunk,' I had a conversation with; only knows one thing.  He is right; his way is the only way.  Perhaps though, he should realise that this line of thinking (control) got him into his past 'addictive' behaviors with the bottle and drugs.  True enlightment and self-peace comes from looking at many points of view.  Once you give up 'control' and strict rules of engagement then original thoughts and thinking may enter the --- House --- known as the soul...................

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Some days do you feel like?

Staying in bed.................

Well, I can not since my son has to be at school at 7:45.  This morning it was in the 50s but overcast.  Unfortunately we are expecting a super cold front with temp dropping below freezing for the next 3 days.

I betcha, neither boy will want to go outside.  Nor, will my hens leave their coops. 

I still miss Topsy & Turvy.  I will probably take Saenz & Zephyr to see them begining of next week.  Life is not the same here without them.  Saenz woke up this morning not congested but with drainage. Come to find out he has sinusitis - his head xrays came back and the allergy clinic called to let me know.  I have to make another trip to Beeville in the morning to pickup some antiboditics.  Hopefully, after this round he will be good til we pull up the carpet.

I really hate this week for him; the COMPANIONS he loved the most had to be the first we had to let go of to fight this allergy thing with him.  He is handling it well but, he gets misty talking about them.  I understand, because the last two nights; I had trouble falling asleep without my footwarmer/protectors.

Inside a chilly coop......

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Yesterday was a sad day in our home

We took Saenz for his allergy testing, he was poked with 70 needles and reacted to 20 of the allergens.  I was worried and my suspicions were correct.  He is allergic to cats.  So, when we got home.  We took Topsy and Turvey to Mrs. Walvers (Mrs. Lily's) place.


Man --- not only does this suck for Saenz and the cats but, all of us.


No more cat butt, in my face during a electrical storm................No more hand chases on the bannister.  No more belly rubs, cat darts, cat fart machine guns, chasing wet canned food through the house, rides in tonka trucks....................I could not sleep well last night listening for Topsy's good night howls.  No tubby Turvy, jumping up to greet me when the alarm went off; she always presented her fat tummy by putting her front paws on the wall. LOL


And, we will be removing carpet this weekend and installing some cheap stick on flooring, until mom and dad can agree on the type of wood flooring we want. After that, new mattresses and curtains.............


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Friday, January 1, 2010

When Skidmore becomes Skidmarks...LOL

Well last night there was a rare New Year's Eve 'blue-moon.'  So I took pics, in one it looks like Saenz got a brilliant idea.   Plus pics of the boys being happy dad bought them a bag of fireworks from last night.  Today, we drove to Skidmore which became laughingly Skidmarks to buy them some more since their evening was cut short due to inclement weather.


OMG LAUGHING STILL ------ Sorry SKIDMORE ~:>











<---My favorite tree, STONEY. A former owner killed with Round Up.  Did you know that through the marketing of Round Up; now seeds are copy righted and protected by big food manufacturers?  Thought I would pass that tidbit of information along.  Doesn't seem right does it?  Do you know where your food comes from?