Something has been eating at me. I know it's petty but, it still lives.

 Mitakuye Oyasin

  

  We had a family member pass on a few years back. He was a veteran. At least I considered him a veteran. He was a member of the merchant marine service. His job was to deliver goods and military supplies to our men stationed over-seas. The Navy sent reps to his internment.

  He was also a Native American Elder. A man respected and loved by all. At least I thought so.

  When he died he was destitute. All his funds had been used for end of life care.

  Another family member BUILT his coffin by hand. A local funeral home allowed us to perform his final dressing and his ceremony for a third of what a bare bones actual funeral would cost.

His body was loaded into my pick-up truck and transported to the cemetery for his internment. His body, along with the handmade wood coffin, returned to Mother as is natural, to return to the Great Wheel of Life.

  There is no marker to commemorate his life. It was far too expensive for even a simple granite stone.

His memory and wisdom live on in his family's minds and prayers.

  On to MY issue. No one else's, just MINE.

  On Facebook, I posted a request for donations to buy a simple grave marker. I thought that those who knew our Grandfather would be inclined to at least help me shoulder the cost. I asked for small donations. $1, $2, $5, nothing that would hurt one's finances. 

  Of all his family and friends who knew and professed respect and love, ONE made a donation. A friend of mine, WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW MY GRANDFATHER also donated. He knows who he is and he has my life long gratitude. I will saddle up and ride to his aid when ever it's needed. Another acquaintance, who barely knew him, made a rather large donation. She knows who she is and has our gratitude.

  All donations went to the funeral home.

  Money is still owed to the funeral home and our Grandfather's final resting place remains unadorned.

  So, if you post a request for donations for anything other than Lupus or animal rescue and you don't see my name in the list, don't be angry at me. Disillusionment and disappointment powers my ignorance of your need for money for your cause.

  I'm NOT asking for anything now. I just needed to unburden myself so I can move on.

AHO!

Irony, gotta love it

UFO frightens hundreds

A UFO spotted in the morning sky frightened hundreds of onlookers.

We are responsible for racism. ALL of us.

 

How I see it.

My fellow Americans. When I say that, I mean ALL Americans, no matter, race, creed gender or natioinal identity.

First, let me say this; I condemn all the so-called "right-wing patriots" who have siezed on this past election to be used as an excuse to slither out from under their rocks and rise up on their tails to preach their idea of "nationalism". The KKK, the neo-nazis, the alt-right, all of those who think that America is a segregated and whites only country, all of them are dead wrong and should stand down because you have absolutely NO support from the Commander-in Chief. As a matter of fact, I stand away from you. Your actions have done more to damage this country than unite it.

To those on the left who are unable or unwilling to accept the results of the Presidential election, I say this; your calls for censorship, violent protest, active resistance by any means necessary is also abhorrent. The outragous reactions from those on the left, and I include sitting and fomer members of this very legislature, self-proclaimed political experts, those that call for the violent military over-throw of this government are doing nothing but fueling the hatred and violence we all say we detest.

THIS. HAS. GOT. TO. STOP.

The First Amendment to the Constitution protects the freedom of speech. Some in this country do not agree with what I say and want to do. That is their right. Some in this country do agree with my ideas and methods. That is also their right. BUT, it is NOT the right of EITHER side to incite violence and stoke hatred for their ideological opposites. America is a country of laws. Laws set down to protect and defend the Constitution and this country. We have a system of government that allows for a PEACEFUL and orderly transition of power. I was duly elected under this system and, in four years, you will have the chance to either replace me or re-elect me.

I stand before you as man, a man who is deeply saddened and digusted by the actions of the radicals on both sides of the political spectrum. I beg you, stand down, go home, look upon your collective visages in the mirror and ask one question, "Is this the America I want my children to grow up in? A country of violent protest, fighting in the streets, hatred being shouted from the media and social sites? Is this the America I support?" The United States of America is not only a country but, an ideal. An ideal that has endured for two centuries and, with God's help, will endure for two hundred more.

Thank you and may God protect ALL of us.

Google hi-jacking Pic uploads to Facebook

It seems if you have a cell phone with a camera and upload a picture to FACEBOOK it also hi-jacks the up-load and posts it to your Google account using their Instant Upload feature application on the phone. If I wanted to share that pic with my Circles, I would upload it to Google NOT Facebook. I think it's wrong that Google is doing this and not telling anyone that it is going to happen. Possibly, it's in the TOS or EULA. I don't know, who the hell reads that fine print anyway? Who has the freaking time?

The Anti-incumbent Movement

Seems like the American people have no urge or desire to change Washington.

The recent polls from Gallup and others show that people have the lowest opinion of Congress in years. The latest approval rating stands at a dismal 17%. However, 90% of the incumbents that run get RE-ELECTED!!! I believe that this reflects the general laziness of the average American voter. Too much work to do the necessary research before voting. All voters absolutely depend on the media for all their information regarding the people running for office. This delivers into the hands of the media the ability to sway voters decisions in a powerful way.

Well, I say, it's time to vote the bums OUT! Clean house, vote against any incumbent that runs for office. Re-elect NO-ONE! Put new, fresh people into office for newer, fresher, ideas. Obama ran on that very idea. "Hope and change". We all can see now that was complete hog-wash.

Very few in the Federal legislature deserve to be there. You can count them on your fingers. I urge all of the readers to do some real research, and soul searching, before voting again. Anything you need to know is either in the newspaper archives or posted on the internet. Voting records, criminal charges, quotes, just about anything on any politician.

I'm providing a link here to get you started. Once you click on this, you'll find other links to more pages that will help you narrow your search to your personal representatives home pages and anything else published on them.

Come on people, we have the power, for now, to rid ourselves of these leeches that thrive on the power and money in Washington. And, a side-effect of limiting the incumbents to ONE term in office is that lobbying will become so damn expensive, it'll wither and die. Being relatively new to this, give me a chance to post other links to various sites that will help you in your research. Most will be found on the left side of my blog page. Maybe, hopefully, you'll bookmark this blogger site and like me on FB and Google+ HERE'S TO US! THE AMERICAN VOTERS! HOORAH!