Pumped Up Kicks

Well, another school turned into a shooting gallery.  I guess I'm surprised the story has outlasted more than one 24-hour news cycle; but I suppose it's because a couple of the victims managed to hang-on for a number of hours before succumbing to their wounds.

I did a fairly extensive online search to see how various outlets elected to handle this story.  Lots of chatter about the perp being bullied.  The classic moody loner.  Troubled family.  I do not doubt for one second that all of this may be true; but what is missing from these story lines is any serious discussion about the weapon.

T J Lane did not knife five kids in a school cafeteria.  He did not strangle five kids over breakfast.  He did not bludgeon his classmates to death.  No, he shot them with a gun.

"Pumped Up Kicks" a catchy tune by one of my favorite bands, Foster the People, has been going through my mind the past couple of days:

Robert's got a quick hand.
He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan.
He's got a rolled cigarette - hanging out his mouth - he's a cowboy kid.
Yeah!  He found a six-shooter gun... in his dad's closet, with the box of fun things.
I don't even know what, but he's coming for you.  Yeah, he's coming for you!

Chorus:

All the other kids, with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, outrun my gun.
All the other kids, with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.

Outrunning bullets is not an easy thing to do.  Not easy for kids.  Not easy for estranged lovers.  Not easy for convenience store clerks.  Not even easy for members of the NRA. 

This country is awash in guns - it's insane.

And speaking of nuts - how 'bout them Republicans?

The Empty Suit bought another couple of primaries last night and his boodle will no doubt stand him in good stead on Super Tuesday as well.  Still, it's remarkable that exit polls continue to indicate a huge lack of enthusiasm for the Mittster - even among those who voted for him.  Can't say that I blame them.  Mitt is a pretty sorry excuse for a candidate.

Fortunately for him, his opponents are flat-out looney.  Santorum's antics of the past week were truly bizarre - even by GOP standards...

Company Goes and Company Comes

Well, sorry about no posts - but I was under the weather with a really nasty cold for over a week.  Worst cold I've had in a number of years.  Still, it was just a cold and I am feeling much better...

Adam left yesterday.  He had a great visit and I certainly enjoyed his company.  I expect he'll be back up sometime this spring.  We had a few nice days while he was here including Saturday which was truly spectacular.  We walked out to the face of the glacier - couldn't have been more scenic.

 Roll out the barrel...

 Big berg on Mendenhall Lake - like an ice palace

 Time to start hiking back...

February doesn't get much nicer than this...

I will not be home alone for long however.  My good pal, Joan, is returning to Juneau for a short-term job for 90 days or so and will be my house guest.  Joan will arrive mid-March.  And Enrique and Nikki will be making a return appearance on the 24th - Enrique will be appearing in a production at Perseverance Theater.  Maddy the Dog will be accompanying Joan so I will have two doggies on premises for a couple of months.  Yippee!

I am ready for spring.  The days are getting longer.  All the snow was gone from the yard (unfortunately we got a couple of inches the past two days).  I washed the outside windows which were caked with salt spray from winter storms.  I spend an hour a day staring at the yard contemplating garden makeovers.  Still six weeks or so away from serious gardening however...

I have also finally coaxed some birds to the feeders in the back yard.  The Chestnut-Backed Chickadees are most prevalent; but they have now been joined by Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins.  A squirrel plays through from time-to-time.  There are two Bald Eagles who camp-out in a tree on the property most days.

 Chickadees drop seeds on the ground...

...where they are hoovered-up by Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls.   

Later gang.

Patriarchy

I have thus far resisted commenting on the manufactured tempest-in-a-teapot controversy regarding religious-affiliated health and social service providers who are screaming foul over the proposed federal rule that would require employer-based health insurance plans to cover contraception.  But this story seems to have an undeservedly long shelf-life and I just can't stand it any longer.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been particularly outspoken in crying foul - contriving to make a case that they are somehow victims of religious persecution.  The nut of the matter, as I understand it, is that they want a complete exemption from any requirement that their affiliated organizations, Catholic Social Services, Providence Health Care Systems, and the like, cover contraceptives in their EMPLOYEE health plans.

The bishops are outraged.

Many of these employees are not Catholic, of course, and it seems to me that if there is any religious persecution at play here, the only plausible victims are the men and women who would be denied coverage for necessary contraceptive services by virtue of the religious dogma of their employer.

Indeed the bishop's reaction has all the hallmarks of a well planned and prepared in advance political ambush.  The ink on the proposed rule was not even dry before the media assault began.  And it was immediately jumped-on by the Republican Congressional leadership - all male, of course.

Republicans are outraged too. 

The instantaneous reaction of the bishops to the contraception mandate stands in stark contrast to their decades long slow-motion reaction to the ongoing tragedy of widespread sexual abuse by priests.  It literally took decades for these Churchly Whim-Whams to conclude that sexual abuse of a minor is a matter for the secular authorities in this life regardless of the consequences for these brutes in the presumed afterlife.  I, for one, strongly suspect they still don't get it.

But I digress.

For me, the take home message from the contraceptive imbroglio is that Christianity like its sister monotheistic religions Islam and Judaism remain fundamentally patriarchal and indifferent, at best, to the core interests of women.

True, the bestial treatment of women in many Islamic countries is nearly universally deplored in the West.  And the appalling behavior of the ultra-orthodox toward women in Israel would not be tolerated in America - even in the Bible and hookworm belt.  Still, at root religion in America remains overwhelmingly the purview of men and no woman should be surprised that her interests are secondary when the boys start playing politics.

 

Sun, Wind and Rain

Boy we had it all this week - record high temp of 49 degrees and sun followed by wind and rain.  Everyone is thinking spring thoughts - a dangerous thing to do in February.

Alison and I went for a couple of nice walks while the weather was good. The Auke Bay Recreation Area proved fertile hunting ground for ducks - including a bunch of Harlequins paddling around the point.  The lighting was not real good; but no mistaking these guys...

Very good news from daughter, Amanda, who is now employed full-time as a Special Education Teacher's Aide at Harborview School.  Decent salary and good benefits.  And time-off in the summer.  She is thrilled and I am very happy for her.

My buddy, Adam, arrived on Thursday evening.  It's great to have company.  He'll be staying until the 27th and hopes to get in some snowboarding at Eaglecrest. 

Life is good!

Seafood - It's What's for Dinner

Saturday dawned clear and cool - right around freezing; but by noon it was near 40 degrees.  Enough to cause one to have thoughts of spring...

As I pulled onto the Old Glacier Highway I noticed three otters frolicking on the ice on Twin Lakes.  Zipped back to the house for my camera.  The frolicking was still underway upon my return.

Otters are a very curious lot - and these guys had lots of people and doggies to keep an eye on...

 They were enjoying a seafood buffet

It's nice of fish and game to stock the lakes with fish for these guys...although I guess that's not really the purpose...

I had previously noticed a couple of varmint slides in my yard; but had assumed they had been made by martin or ermine.  Perhaps not...  I suspect these guys shelter on the hillside by my place and then mosey down to the lake for vittles.  It's possible that they use the culverts under the highway as an otter expressway.

A very nice way to start my day...

After a good long workout and running a few errands for the elders I joined Alison for a late afternoon walk on the dike trail.  The good weather had certainly not gone unoticed - the parking lot was full.  Not much in the way of bird action other than eagles and a few resident ducks and geese - but god what a beautiful day.

  A beautiful moon to the east...

And a pretty fair sunset to the west.

Happy Super Sunday everyone!

Oink

Florida as expected.  And now the protagonists have moved on to Nevada.  Donald Trump has now endorsed Mr. Romney.  A shiver failed to run down my spine...

Mr. Romney demonstrates how private capital works

A bizarre week.  Started out like serious winter; ended up like mid-March.  I have NEVER seen snow disappear as quickly.  My driveway is now bare.  

I have been doing some baking and attempting to cook for myself (as opposed to eating really unhealthy junk food or really expensive and mediocre restaurant food).  And shoveling was pretty much a full time job for a few days.   And today took auntie to the doc due to a week long intestinal issue.  In other words - situation normal...

On a very positive note - my buddy Adam will arrive next Thursday for a few weeks.  Yippee!  I like having company.

Have a great weekend everybody.