Sunday, May 27, 2012

Some days have more sunshine than others.

Right now I have the Monaco Auto Race gracing the air filtering through the screens of windows and doors. The lady on Fox is telling me periodically that we will have heat most of the day and the possibility of very bad storms later.

It is that I’ve planned a small BBQ of chicken and ribs for the afternoon. I also know that the Indy Race will be on the telly later; as this evening will the Coca Cola 600. And I’m pretty sure I’ll watch all three – one of which I’m doing as I write (you can imagine the backspacing and deleting going on).

Why then does the mind drift and . . . well, one upon a time I had a couple of friends. That was a while back. I’ve written of them and a trip to Boston. Somewhere back there in the archives.

After a separation and losing track through multiple re-assignments, I met one of them in the Club in Cam Rahm Bay one afternoon. He told me of our other friend and we spent time catching up, planning ahead and generally enjoying one another’s company.

The next morning I had duty in the  bay when I received orders to move to the ocean side and join the search for recovery operations (if possible, search and rescue). An aircraft had crashed. A large C-141  Starlifter. 

The only one taking-off that pre-dawn was my buddies. We recovered one of the entire crew. It wasn’t my friend.

There are a couple of things I have to do today. In on the kitchen counter are two small tubes. They contain two American flags about six inches or so, small things. Out to the village cemetery are several stones. The stones read simply: Trooper, followed by the Company of the trooper.

The cemetery is perpetual care and is kept fairly well cleaned. The sites I intend to visit are from the 1800’s.

Still among the days activities of pleasure; I will go out and spend some time while sticking the flags on a couple of long ago Vets resting place and think about things like my state Constitution, and what it means, and look over the trees the wives group had planted and Renters Son waters three times a week in the evenings.

And another thing is: About three pm this after noon I’ll take a pause for a minute or so and wonder how a couple of other friends families are doing all these years later.

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From the reaches,

Ten Mile

Saturday, May 26. 2012

I became curious, yesterday afternoon, after feeding the claves; and after reading Moose In The Yards blog. Moose in the yard is not really its name. Its name is: http://www.mooseintheyard.com/ ; well, he re-named his blog Way Up North. But the addy is correct. I took it from Google search bar.

Anyhow. The good Rev was kind enough to post parts of an article he’d found interesting, and I, in turn, also found it interesting.

For sometime I’ve been adding paragraphs to this blogs opening dealing with state politics, and political events. I’d kind of given up on Federal level politics because they are well covered by biased reporters from both ends of the spectrum. Basically, I could only record my personal feelings and druthers, and add no intelligent or meaningful insights.

So, I turned to my local political events and in some cases have found meaning in my opinions and, as a never politically active person, I found I can call cowpile’s of delusions with the best of them – and support my view point.

The Rev’s quotes from that other site advocated activism within your state jurisdiction. Which is what I’ve been doing without the cojones of self description. Having met myself in another’s blog, I began to wonder about the Constitution of my state. I’ve never read it. Never.

So I googled it. And sure enough, we have one. I haven’t finished reading it yet, but I stumbled over it the very first thing I read in it. I did.

It starts this way:

WHEREAS,

The government of the United States is the proprietor of a large portion of the lands included in the limits of the state of Kansas as defined by this constitution; and,

WHEREAS, The state of Kansas will possess the right to tax said lands for purposes of government, and for other purposes; Now, therefore,

Be it ordained by the people of Kansas:

That the right of the state of Kansas to tax such lands is relinquished forever, and the state of Kansas will not interfere with the title of the United States to such lands,

nor with any regulation of congress in relation thereto, nor tax nonresidents higher than residents:

Provided always, That the following conditions be agreed to by congress:

[ . . . ]

I read that and blinked a little bit. I actually had to stop and consider WHY it was written that way.  Yep. It gave me pause. I’ll leave it to the reader to stumble over the same wording.

I hope I retain the will to read the document and stay a day ahead of myself in the blog.

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See what reading blogs will get you? Curiosity.  That’s what. And that’ll lead to all sorts of dusty corners and dark places. I’m already scribbling notes to my self about laws and junk that modify the Constitution.

Un-real.

And you’d be incorrect in thinking I was surprised that the State was formed as a Tax District, which it clearly was. But what did surprise me was the realization that is all it really is.

All the land belongs to the Federal Government.

How very disappointing.

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From the reaches,

Ten Mile

Friday, May 25, 2012

Marine on way home to Kansas after Afghanistan tour dies in sightseeing fall at Grand Canyon

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/marine-on-way-home-to-kansas-after-afghanistan-tour-dies-in-sightseeing-fall-at-grand-canyon/2012/05/24/gJQAWlB9nU_story.html

Lots of stories like this of mayhem after; it doesn’t get any easier to read or know.

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From the list:

First President to Have His Administration Fund an Organization Tied to the Cop-Killing Weather Underground

• First President to allow Mexican police to conduct law enforcement activities on American soil

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Quiet about the lot today. A heavy dew. Almost as good as rain during the late spring. One thing I keep forgetting is the claves rubbing on me getting to the feed bucket transfer neat things.

Like chiggers and ticks.

About the next time I suddenly scratch in inappropriate places in public I’ll probably remember to spray with Stable and Barn. I keep forgetting between scratches that there is a cure other than neep.

By the way, for those already blessed with chigger and tick bites – Preparation H is helpful. I’m told by others it is good for bags under the eyes also.

No. No, sir. I haven’t submitted that to Folklore from Kansas yet. Ah, not planning to, either.

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Housekeepers birthday has passed.

A friend has reminded me hers has passed and I sent, via email, flowers. This friend not only reminded me her birthday had passed, but sent me a card toward mine.

Being the ungrateful type I am, I will admit to not being Scotch, and the email flowers were distributed via email attachment.

Housekeeper is very proud of her May birthdate and is even more proud that she is not a Gemini. She thinks, she tells with a small grin, that Gemini are two faced.

Which is a reference, however back-handed, to the symbolic Twin aspect of the sign. When I find the astrological site Housekeeper uses and if they display the two faces as a symbol for the birth period, I’m going to spam the hell out of them using Housekeepers name.

Housekeeper not owning a computer not withstanding.

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Separated the tractor seat from the tractor yesterday. Removed both rails the seat adjusts along. Both were broken. The bolts that secure the seat to the rails (two to a side) had broken around the factory welds holding the seat to the rails.

Two (one on each side) and the others show cracks.

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John, of Ink Spots, sidebar, evidently had a great accident of some sort and ended in the ER. Care for yourself, John, and heal well.

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GAWD (Great Assed White Dog) has been showing signs of actually being spritely recently. I’m not sure what caused the liveliness, but it is good to see him trotting down the road and across the yard, then it is to see him mopping and pining woe is me down the street center daring traffic to end it all.

His owner (Renter) isn’t doing at all well. Considering that Renter whacked the dog with iron bars and rope ends when the dog was younger, I’ve thought the dog might be celebrating somewhat in revenge.

But that’s ridiculous. 

I think. Maybe.

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From the reaches,

Ten Mile

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Analysis: Kansas governor owns aggressive tax cuts

TOPEKA, Kan. — Plenty of Kansas legislators' fingerprints are on the aggressive income tax cuts signed into law this week by conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, including those of some GOP moderates now describing it as a budget crisis in the making.
But Brownback now owns the legislation, even though it strayed significantly from the tax plan he outlined in January and he and his allies sought less aggressive alternatives in the legislative session's final days. He not only signed the bill, but he pushed for the debate making it possible and ultimately embraced what passed.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57440760/analysis-kansas-governor-owns-aggressive-tax-cuts/

Well, of course, he will own it. Even when it was the legislature that argued the provisions of it. I’m still convinced that something happens to the brains when people are elected to deal with other folks money.

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From the list:

Will not be shown today. The connectivity with Google has gone completely haywire since Tuesday; and the change of cable on the poles. I cannot be sure of being connected, or even if I’ll get what I ask for.

I should have, probably, installed Chrome, or Plus, or accepted anything or everything Google threw up for acceptance. But I didn’t. In fact, I tried to access Bing through Google as my home page and Google dropped dead.

About, I suppose, like dra-mama dissing the rich and then asking for money. Or lying to the people how life is good and scheming to raise taxes.

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It looks as if I’ll need to re-instate the anti-spam stuff on blogger. I turned it off to allow easier access to the comments. But, Lord, howdy. If the spammers wrote as much on a blog as they do in comments it’s be a blog for certain.

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An old boy demonstrated talent the other day.

He pulled into his garage and hit the back end, mis-judging the distance from bumper to wall.

He then reversed to clear the wall and backed into the door jam, causing the overhead door to fall.

He’d gone into the garage just a little crooked; which was why the hood of the truck missed the tennis ball hung to hit the hood when pulling in, to keep him off the back wall.

He said that he hadn’t looked behind when reversing because he was mad about hitting the back wall and simply had floored it reversing.

No injuries. Although his pride didn’t bleed on his shirt front, folks smile when he looks at them now.

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Won several dollars at poker last night. Couldn’t get out of the way of good luck. At least one hand had to be luck, I kept drawing until I got there.

Happens at least once a playing evening whether I guard against it or not. This time it went well.

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The kids and their sling shoots are out in force during the good days. Cattle seem to be their prime target.

I’ve talked with the neighbor two up about it and it seems to be declining rather well.

Anyone else hate sneaky little creeps?

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The supervisor of the Co-Op Tire Repair department handed me a surprise the other day. He visited the near neighbor and came away with the black container the near neighbor uses to transport his salable. 

I’d never given it a thought, him being in his fifties, but he does have a waist line of about twenty-nine inches or so.

Of course, me being me, I had to test my theory, so looked up the man and looked into his eyes.

Damn. The worlds never the way we want it to be.

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From the reaches,

Ten Mile

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

LAWRENCE | A buyout offer from the University of Kansas has attracted interest from 149 university employees in Lawrence and Overland Park, with about a quarter of the applications coming from faculty, school officials said.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/23/3623725/nearly-150-express-interest-in.html#storylink=cpy

Some of the governors work is taking effect. It isn’t the most pleasant thing considering job loss, but it is a good thing bloating may be treated and gas eliminated. I’m reminded, however, of Carteach and his observations over the past two years of overhead writing the rules to their benefit.

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From the List:

• First President to refuse to comply with a House Oversight Committee subpoena.

• First President to File Lawsuits Against the States He Swore an Oath to Protect (AZ, WI, OH, IN, etc.)

• First President to Withdraw an Existing Coal Permit That Had Been Properly Issued Years Ago

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From Folklore from Kansas:

If you sleep on your textbook the night before a test, you will make a good grade on the test.

Now, I not sure how many students can verify that truth; but they should be able to at least shrug the maybe, maybe not of it.

I did chuckle over this one, and wonder, remembering my problems with the language:

If you put your tongue on a very cold iron, you will learn to speak German.

Eat your heart out Rosetta Stone!

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I’ll apologize for missing an entry yesterday. A friend had an unexpected need and several of us gathered about.

The immediate need has passed and we’ll sort out the necessary turns among us to see it to the end. It’s hard when the children are far removed and no pre-planning was carried out. Darn hard.

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The red calf and the part brahma black had a set to the other day. Now the red wants its neck scratched and the part brahma stand close threatening to kick. I mean, I don’t see that winning lead cow gets your neck scratched and all, sister.

Besides, I don’t trust you.

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My tractor supplier lost my order for tractor parts. So I’ve had to fest-up to the Renters Son I’ll be unable to start the pasture for another week. Which I did.

He told me it doesn’t matter. My thought was: “Well, why then even do the job? if it doesn’t matter.”

I don’t really need make work; and for sure I don’t need the money involved.

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From the reaches,

Ten Mile

Monday, May 21, 2012

Federal court plans hearing in Kan. remap lawsuit

By JOHN HANNA AP Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach on Monday objected to attempts by several people, including a state senator at the center of a contentious debate over redistricting, to jump into a federal lawsuit over the Legislature's failure ...

I see no advantage in being right . . . but I told you so. The legislative critters argued and blustered and the courts get to decide.

The 35K we pay the dudes for a ninety day stint just won’t cover it, I guess. They’ll plead the ninety days is too short, but the argument reached no compromise. Rubbish.

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Went to town for a tire repair kit for thin walled tires (bikes, mowers and trikes (well it use to be trikes)). Fifteen miles. Nada. Went another three miles to the other side of town (traffic control made the trip around one way streets longer). Nada.

Returned home. Refueled.

Went to Independence KS, thought about Jesse and the Boys when Lookout Mt. appeared. Its very pretty up in there; and chopped up fairly well. Good farm ground, bad roads however.

I’d intended to try Wally World or one of the farm stores on the West side of town. Something made me consider the Auto Parts Store on the North side, so I used the high speed highway for the time element.

They had what I wanted, including the impact wrench. So, I’m on the way home and remember I’d forgotten the one ton floor jack I want for  lifting the mower, rather than the five ton pole jack and jack stands I’m currently using; AND, the )*)*() high pressure water dealy I want to wash the equipment.

Which means another trip to town sometime soon. The guys about are on my case about the dirt and grass build ups on the equipment. They’re just not accepting my pointing to my truck, all shinny and pretty over there in the shade.

They’re almost as bad as Housekeeper and the Post Mistress saying rude things about my haircut (and lack there of), every time they see me. I finally denuded myself once again – which means I gave myself a burr haircut, and guess who said not a word?

Yeah. Neither of them.

Women.

The impact wrench was for those stubborn mower blades and some other nuts (not politicians this time). I couldn’t get the blades from the RD 50 the other day and broke two breaker bars at the swivel. A 3/8 drive and a half inch drive. I used a five foot cheater bar when I broke them.

What was it about a lever and a fulcrum?

Never mind. The impact wrench should solve the problem. Which, by the way, brings up another of those ideas I have from time to time – pipe the workshop for the air compressor. I love fancy.

But it would make easier rolling stock maintenance.

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From the reaches,

Ten Mile

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Bust of gang offers hope for Dodge City immigrants

By SCOTT CANON An immigrant worker in Dodge City, Jose Aguilar has felt the intimidation of local gangs. DODGE CITY, Kan. -- The scars on Jose Aguilar's hands are pretty standard stuff for a man who's made a rough living carving up cattle.

You’ll notice a theme in todays post.

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First President to send $200 million to a terrorist organization (Hamas) after Congress had explicitly frozen the money for fear it would fund attacks against civilians.

• First President to Arbitrarily Declare an Existing Law Unconstitutional and Refuse to Enforce It

• First President to Tell a Major Manufacturing Company In Which State They Are Allowed to Locate a Factory

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From Ghost Towns of Kansas:

In the late 1870’s  thousands of blacks, many of them destitute, fled the South and came to Kansas hoping to improve their fortunes. They established as many as eleven colonies in the state, one of them being Nicodemus. In time, lack of capital plus the rigors and vicissitudes of the Kansas climate discouraged the majority of these emigrants, and they drifted on westward, but Nicodemus survived, its citizens overcoming every obstacle that arose – both natural and man-made. {. . . }

Nicodemus was founded in 1877, and the colony received its initial inspiration for growth fram a white man named W.R. Hill, a pioneer settler of Graham County who had arrived from Indiana the summer before. Hill had laid out Hill City, which was destined to become the county seat, and began to consider settling a colony of freedmen with the county. He presented his idea to a group of prominent blacks in Topeka, whose financial help and moral support were necessary, and they were enthusiastic about the plan.

{ . . . }

Hill took no active part in governing the colony,l but he did select a site for the proposed town, about a half-mile from the eastern border of the county at the junction of Spring Creek and the Solomon River.  { .  . . }

In the Nicodemus colony, money was almost nonexistent as the majority of the people had spent their savings on railroad fares to ge to Kansas.  { . . . }

Even so, the population of Nicodemus flourished. A federal census taken in June 1880 reported 484 blacks in Graham County; 260 of these in Nicodemus Township and 224 in Hill City and Wild Horse Townships. { . . . ]

The depression of the 1930’s was particularly destructive in rural areas, and Nicodemus also suffered from the drought and the dust storms of the period. Like surrounding towns in the Dust Bowl, Nicodemus’s population declined, from 429 in 192- to 265 in 1920. massive outmigration from the 1940’s through the 1970s +reduced the population of Nicodemus even more. An all-time low of around 35 was reached in the early 1970s.  Many building in town were torn down or moved during this sad period in the history of the community. By the min-1980s, however, the population had risen to around l80, thanks to a government subsidized project for lower- income residents. The First Baptist Church also completed a new replacement for their old building.  {. . .}

Edit: What remains of Nicodemus is just south of Highway 24. There is one particular part of the story I would like to emphasis. It has to do with the very destitute nature of the recently freedmen and their reactions when money was contemplated.

{ , , , }

The  town company, in two circulars dated April 16 and July 2, 1877. had promised “plenty of provisions” for the settlers, but whatever meager supplies were furnished failed to meet the needs of an ever-increasing  population, and soon it became necessary to appeal to white settlers in eastern Kansas for assistance. This appeal was fairly successful, and the supplies collected were transported free of charge by the Kansas Pac ific Railroad, but by 1879, the demoralizing effect of this aid were clearly evident in Nixcodemus. Certain settlers were becoming dependent upon relief and disinclined to work, and it was feared that if the support contined, more exodusters might be attracted, people who were not only destitute but also largely inexperienced in working the harsh plains of western Kansas. For this reason, the Nicodemus Town Company was abolished in April 1879, and the town was left on its own.

I hope one kept in mind the town was run by blacks, themselves.

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From the reaches,

Ten Mile