Thirty years ago today, my area was inundated with 6.1 inches of rain, which caused what is known as the Flood of 1985. Ten people died.
So here is a list of 13 things you should have in an emergency preparedness kit.
Everyone should have a grab-and-go duffle bag full of things they may need for an overnight emergency, if nothing else. (Check its contents periodically to keep things updated.) But many things you should also keep in your home.
1. Water. You should have a least a gallon per person per day. This is not realistic for a grab-and-go bag, so place a few bottles of water in that.
2. Food. Canned food with tops that don't require a can opener or refrigeration are good ideas, such as crackers, etc. For the grab-and-go, place a few peanut butter crackers or other nabs in there.
3. Medication. If you take any medicine, you should always try to keep that refilled and on hand. Stick a few pills in your grab-and-go bag (you may need to tell your physician what you're doing in order to get a few extra pills in your prescription).
4. A change of clothes. These should be something hardy, like jeans, and maybe good walking shoes.
5. Rain gear and/or lightweight jacket.
6. A first aid kit (bandages, stuff for cuts and beestings, something for upset stomachs, aspirin, etc.)
7. An extra pair of glasses if you need them to see.
8. A blanket or sleeping bag.
9. Credit cards and cash. I suspect cash is the better way to go; without electricity the credit cards won't do you any good.
10. A full tank of gas in the car. I never let my car gas tank go below 1/2 full. If the power is out for days, the pumps won't work. You may also want to keep gas in a can somewhere, so long as you're safe about it.
11. Batteries and battery-powered flashlight.
12. Portable battery-powered radio. (They make a solar portable combination flashlight/radio/cellphone charger these days. Good to have.)
13. Any other personal items you may need, particularly for elderly folks, infants, or disabled people.
Another thing you may consider is a generator. They make whole-house generators today that will kick in and keep the refrigerator running. Even a small generator can be useful.
You never know when an emergency will happen. The grab-and-go bag could be useful if, say, you get a call in the night that a relative is sick. You could take the duffle with you and at least you'd have a change of clothes and your medication.
You can see a 1/2 hour documentary of the flood on youtube at this link.
The flood of 1985 is one of those things you don't forget. My husband of two years was a firefighter and on duty. He and his fellow firefighters saved many lives that day.
I spent hours trying to get home from Roanoke (going from one flooded road to another in a desperate attempt to get on the interstate) only to find I could not reach my house because of mudslides and flooding. After finally finding a way home, I found the basement had four feet of water in it even though there was no creek or anything nearby; it was all run-off from the rain water.
This was the era of no cell phones so I had no way of knowing if my husband was okay; nor did he know if I made it home from the city. The phones weren't working, though he finally got through to my in-laws later in the day. I remember his first words to me: Thank God you're okay!
My father-in-law was the fire chief of the local fire department; they were running rescue calls as well. I spent the night with my in-laws, who were not experiencing the basement flooding that I was.
Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes - the weather is unpredictable. Try to be prepared!
______________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is
a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or
play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 419th time to do a list
of 13 on a Thursday.
Thursday, November 05, 2015
Tuesday, November 03, 2015
Electing No One
Today is Election Day here in the U.S.A. It is not a presidential election year, so we are voting for local folks. The ones who really affect our day-to-day lives.
Except I had no choices on the ballot. Every single person, from the state House of Delegates to State Senator to local sheriff, was running unopposed. There really wasn't any point in voting.
Having never missed a vote, I voted anyway. I chose to write in names for folks I am not happy with, as did many other people I know. At least the incumbents won't get 100 percent of the vote, not that 100 percent of the registered voters will have voted. I bet the turn out is abysmal.
Locally there are a few races that matter, just not in my district. Not far from us we have a Crotch Brothers candidate trying to unseat a long-standing Democrat. Turning out to vote matters there.
When your vote makes no difference, I am not sure what you call it, but I do not call it democracy. In fact, I wore solid black to the voting both, to protest the death of democracy. Not that anybody asked.
Locally, the Republicans have a stranglehold on most of the seats. At the state level, this is in a large part due to gerrymandering. My state senator serves an area that has multiple interests and little in common from one end to the other. To be honest, I didn't even know the guy on the ballot was my state senator. I thought it was another fellow. I guess this happened in 2010 when the legislature created its new districts. That process is now being challenged in court because the districts were found to be less than honorable, to put it mildly.
My county has been red for a long time. Folks seeking lower taxes moved in in the 1990s and brought with them their desires for more government services somehow paid for out of thin air. We've had some real winners on the local governing board in the last 15 years. They represented somebody, but they did not represent me. I was a news reporter at the time and had to keep my opinions to myself.
Why aren't there people willing to run for office? For one thing, it's not a regular person's game anymore. Unless you're a millionaire plus, you may as well forget it. Even at the local level, you have to spend thousands to get what you're after. For another, the election process has become as vicious as vultures pecking out the eyes of a calf. If you have the least little crack in your life's history, the opposition will break it open until your guts are strewn all over the floor.
Who wants to deal with that?
Twenty years ago, the candidates for the local board ran as independents, every one. And then the political parties crept into it, and all was lost. Once that game started, there has been nothing to do but sit back and watch the dive into divisiveness and derision. No amount of sanity is going to save us now.
So go vote. I voted to honor the women who lived before me, who died so that I might exercise my right to write-in the name of a candidate, even if that person will only receive the single vote I cast. It is your civic duty, even if you're as jaded and as regretful as I am over the way the process is handled today.
Go vote because it is the right thing to do. And don't hesitate to write in Daffy Duck if you don't like the candidate.
Except I had no choices on the ballot. Every single person, from the state House of Delegates to State Senator to local sheriff, was running unopposed. There really wasn't any point in voting.
Having never missed a vote, I voted anyway. I chose to write in names for folks I am not happy with, as did many other people I know. At least the incumbents won't get 100 percent of the vote, not that 100 percent of the registered voters will have voted. I bet the turn out is abysmal.
Locally there are a few races that matter, just not in my district. Not far from us we have a Crotch Brothers candidate trying to unseat a long-standing Democrat. Turning out to vote matters there.
When your vote makes no difference, I am not sure what you call it, but I do not call it democracy. In fact, I wore solid black to the voting both, to protest the death of democracy. Not that anybody asked.
Locally, the Republicans have a stranglehold on most of the seats. At the state level, this is in a large part due to gerrymandering. My state senator serves an area that has multiple interests and little in common from one end to the other. To be honest, I didn't even know the guy on the ballot was my state senator. I thought it was another fellow. I guess this happened in 2010 when the legislature created its new districts. That process is now being challenged in court because the districts were found to be less than honorable, to put it mildly.
My county has been red for a long time. Folks seeking lower taxes moved in in the 1990s and brought with them their desires for more government services somehow paid for out of thin air. We've had some real winners on the local governing board in the last 15 years. They represented somebody, but they did not represent me. I was a news reporter at the time and had to keep my opinions to myself.
Why aren't there people willing to run for office? For one thing, it's not a regular person's game anymore. Unless you're a millionaire plus, you may as well forget it. Even at the local level, you have to spend thousands to get what you're after. For another, the election process has become as vicious as vultures pecking out the eyes of a calf. If you have the least little crack in your life's history, the opposition will break it open until your guts are strewn all over the floor.
Who wants to deal with that?
Twenty years ago, the candidates for the local board ran as independents, every one. And then the political parties crept into it, and all was lost. Once that game started, there has been nothing to do but sit back and watch the dive into divisiveness and derision. No amount of sanity is going to save us now.
So go vote. I voted to honor the women who lived before me, who died so that I might exercise my right to write-in the name of a candidate, even if that person will only receive the single vote I cast. It is your civic duty, even if you're as jaded and as regretful as I am over the way the process is handled today.
Go vote because it is the right thing to do. And don't hesitate to write in Daffy Duck if you don't like the candidate.
Monday, November 02, 2015
The Leaves Changed
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| View from the front yard. |
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| View from the Botetourt Sports Complex. That clear hill is part of the farm. |
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| Another shot from the Sports Complex. |
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| And another. |
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| And another, this one uncropped with the phone poles and all. |
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| Across the street from the Sports Complex. |
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| I like silos. |
Sunday, November 01, 2015
Sunday Stealing: All Hallow's Eve
From Sunday Stealing
Halloween Meme
1. Are you scared of bats?
A. I am scared of bat shit, which can be very deadly to people with lung issues. Also, our local bats frequently have rabies, so you aren't supposed to touch them. But I am not particularly scared of bats. I once traveled miles to visit a cave full of endangered bats for a news article.
2. When you were a kid, did you go out on Mischief Night? (Mischief Night is an informal holiday on which children and teens engage in pranks and minor vandalism. While its name and date vary from place to place, it is most commonly held near the end of October to coincide with the night before Halloween)
A. We didn't have Mischief Night. We did the pranks and things on Halloween night. Not that I did anything like that.
3. What is your favorite trick-or-treat candy?
A. Hey, if it's chocolate, I'm in. Except for chocolate with coconut. That stuff is gross.
4. Have you ever seen a ghost?
A. Many times.
5. The most memorable costume you ever wore?
A. I don't know. Maybe a tramp/hobo costume when I was young.
6. Do you dress up on Halloween?
A. No.
7. Any cooking or baking you do for Halloween?
A. No.
8. Have you ever been to The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or Disneyworld?
A. I have been to the one in Orlando, whichever Disney park that is.
9. Any element of the season you don’t like?
A. No. Well, it starts getting colder, and I could do without that.
10. What is your favorite scary movie?
A. I don't really have one, truthfully. I don't watch them.
11. Do you cook the pumpkin seeds from your carved jack-o-lanterns?
A. I don't carve jack-o-lanterns.
12. Are you intrigued with vampires?
A. Not particularly. I liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but not the vampires. Well, Angel was okay when he was good.
13. What is your favorite written work of horror fiction?
A. I haven't read any in so long. But I think the Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe is a classic.
14. What is your favorite work of science fiction/fantasy?
A. The Lord of the Rings, which I do not find particularly scary, although apparently Cat does.
15. Who is your favorite monster?
A. Milton. "And now for a touch of tenderness, but I must add only a touch. For without a touch of tenderness, he might destroy me . . . oops! Too much. Better hold your breath, it's starting to tick! (Better hold my head, I'm feeling sick!). Hello Dad! What have I done? I'm Milton, your brand new son!" (And I did all that from memory.)
16. What is your favorite Horror movie?
A. Again, I don't watch them.
17. What horror movie gives you the most chills?
A. Not answering, sorry.
18. What character from any horror film would you most like to play?
A. None of them. I'm a nice person. So I guess I'd play the girl who gets killed in the first scene.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Halloween Meme
1. Are you scared of bats?
A. I am scared of bat shit, which can be very deadly to people with lung issues. Also, our local bats frequently have rabies, so you aren't supposed to touch them. But I am not particularly scared of bats. I once traveled miles to visit a cave full of endangered bats for a news article.
2. When you were a kid, did you go out on Mischief Night? (Mischief Night is an informal holiday on which children and teens engage in pranks and minor vandalism. While its name and date vary from place to place, it is most commonly held near the end of October to coincide with the night before Halloween)
A. We didn't have Mischief Night. We did the pranks and things on Halloween night. Not that I did anything like that.
3. What is your favorite trick-or-treat candy?
A. Hey, if it's chocolate, I'm in. Except for chocolate with coconut. That stuff is gross.
4. Have you ever seen a ghost?
A. Many times.
5. The most memorable costume you ever wore?
A. I don't know. Maybe a tramp/hobo costume when I was young.
6. Do you dress up on Halloween?
A. No.
7. Any cooking or baking you do for Halloween?
A. No.
8. Have you ever been to The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or Disneyworld?
A. I have been to the one in Orlando, whichever Disney park that is.
9. Any element of the season you don’t like?
A. No. Well, it starts getting colder, and I could do without that.
10. What is your favorite scary movie?
A. I don't really have one, truthfully. I don't watch them.
11. Do you cook the pumpkin seeds from your carved jack-o-lanterns?
A. I don't carve jack-o-lanterns.
12. Are you intrigued with vampires?
A. Not particularly. I liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but not the vampires. Well, Angel was okay when he was good.
13. What is your favorite written work of horror fiction?
A. I haven't read any in so long. But I think the Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe is a classic.
14. What is your favorite work of science fiction/fantasy?
A. The Lord of the Rings, which I do not find particularly scary, although apparently Cat does.
15. Who is your favorite monster?
A. Milton. "And now for a touch of tenderness, but I must add only a touch. For without a touch of tenderness, he might destroy me . . . oops! Too much. Better hold your breath, it's starting to tick! (Better hold my head, I'm feeling sick!). Hello Dad! What have I done? I'm Milton, your brand new son!" (And I did all that from memory.)
16. What is your favorite Horror movie?
A. Again, I don't watch them.
17. What horror movie gives you the most chills?
A. Not answering, sorry.
18. What character from any horror film would you most like to play?
A. None of them. I'm a nice person. So I guess I'd play the girl who gets killed in the first scene.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Saturday 9: Thriller
Saturday 9: Thriller (1983)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) In this video, Michael Jackson is transformed into a "werecat," with fangs, claws, yellow eyes and whiskers. What monster or ghoul frightened you the most?
A. The Wicked Witch of the West on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
2) Michael sings that evil things that will be lurking "close to midnight." Where will you be at midnight tonight?
A. Flying across the face of the moon on my broomstick.
3) Horror movie icon Vincent Price does the voice over on "Thriller." What's your favorite scary movie?
4) Mr. Price's House of Wax, made in 1953, was one of the first 3D movies. What's the most recent 3D movie you saw?
7) According to Yahoo!, the most popular costume of Halloween 2014 was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Will you be in costume this Halloween? If not, who or what would you most like to dress up as?
A. I don't have trick-or-treaters. I live in the country and too far off the road.
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) In this video, Michael Jackson is transformed into a "werecat," with fangs, claws, yellow eyes and whiskers. What monster or ghoul frightened you the most?
A. The Wicked Witch of the West on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
2) Michael sings that evil things that will be lurking "close to midnight." Where will you be at midnight tonight?
A. Flying across the face of the moon on my broomstick.
3) Horror movie icon Vincent Price does the voice over on "Thriller." What's your favorite scary movie?
A. I don't watch scary movies anymore, but when I was young I liked the movie SSSSS. I wasn't supposed to watch it, but when we visited my grandparents they would go to bed early and we would stay up late and watch horror shows. Now my favorite Halloween movie movie is Practical Magic, which says a lot about my change in taste of movie fare, I think.
4) Mr. Price's House of Wax, made in 1953, was one of the first 3D movies. What's the most recent 3D movie you saw?
A. I don't watch 3D movies. They make me sick to my stomach, literally.
5) Horror fans might be surprised to know that, despite his sinister image, Mr. Price enjoyed very genteel and relaxing hobbies, like cooking, gardening and painting. What would we be surprised to learn about you?
A. That I really am a witch in spite of my demur ways and shy smile. Just ask my brother.
6) A Halloween tradition is the jack-o-lantern. Did you carve a pumpkin this year?
A. Sure. I waved my magic wand, and Poof! there was pumpkin.
7) According to Yahoo!, the most popular costume of Halloween 2014 was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Will you be in costume this Halloween? If not, who or what would you most like to dress up as?
A. If I had the figure for it (which I do not), I would dress up like Xena: Warrior Princess.
8) When you went trick or treating as a kid, did you usually wear a store-bought costume, or was it DIY?
A. Both. It depended on the year. Many times though I went as a hobo.
9) When trick-or-treaters show up at your door, what candy will they get?
A. I don't have trick-or-treaters. I live in the country and too far off the road.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Friday, October 30, 2015
The Little Trick or Treat
For a good 20 years or more now, the little preschoolers in my hometown have taken a stroll about the tiny hamlet and visit businesses for trick or treat just before Halloween.
Yesterday I just happened to be in the vicinity of the courthouse when I realized it was tiny tot trick-or-treat day.
I did not ask permission for these photos so if anyone who is involved objects to their posting, let me know and I will remove the picture. It happened too fast for me to think about it. I normally do not post people's pictures unless I have asked permission, especially kids, but they were adorable in their costumes.
Yesterday I just happened to be in the vicinity of the courthouse when I realized it was tiny tot trick-or-treat day.
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| Courthouse workers await the arrival of the little ones. |
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| Heading out for the next round of treats! |
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| So cute! |
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Thursday Thirteen
I am a Virginia girl. My ancestry goes back to the American Revolutionary War here on my mother's side; I've traced it back 9 generations. So I thought today I'd offer up some information on the state that I love, even if the legislators in Richmond are trying to ruin it.
1. Virginia's capital is Richmond, but the largest city is Virginia Beach. Virginia has 95 counties.
2. The state encompasses 39,490 square miles, and has 8 million people living here, or 202 people per square mile.
3. The median household income is $63,907. Just over 35 percent of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
4. The poverty rate in Virginia is 11.8 percent; government officials estimate 12.5 percent of the population does not have health care (as of 2014; this may have changed with the Affordable Care Act).
5. Virginia is the mother of presidents. We have sent eight men to the White House. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson.
6. Virginia's motto is Sic Semper Tyrannis, which means Thus Always to Tyrants. This probably makes more sense when combined with the state flag, which shows an image of Virtue standing over a defeated tyrant. (Allegedly, this is supposed to be Virginia over Britain.)
7. Virginia's state bird is a cardinal, the state dog is the American fox hound, the state insect is the tiger swallowtail butterfly, the state fish is the brook trout, the state shell is the oyster, the state beverage is milk, and the state tree and flower is the American Dogwood. (I have always wondered why the dogwood is the state flower. The blooms on the tree are pretty, but they aren't flowers, really.)
8. The state's major industries are agriculture, tourism, construction of U.S. Navy ships, mining, lumber, and government workers.
9. Famous writers from Virginia include David Baldacci, Willa Cather, Ellen Glasgow, Mary Johnston, Edgar Allen Poe, Tom Wolfe, and many others.
10. Famous musicians from Virginia include Maybelle Carter, June Carter Cash, Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Matthews, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Statler Brothers, and Bruce Hornsby.
11. Famous Hollywood figures from Virginia include Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, and Katy Couric.
12. The American Revolution ended in Virginia at Yorktown.
13. Almost a quarter of the Appalachian Trail runs through Virginia (544 miles). Virginia hosts more of the trail than any of the 14 states through which the route passes.
______________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 418th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. Virginia's capital is Richmond, but the largest city is Virginia Beach. Virginia has 95 counties.
2. The state encompasses 39,490 square miles, and has 8 million people living here, or 202 people per square mile.
3. The median household income is $63,907. Just over 35 percent of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
4. The poverty rate in Virginia is 11.8 percent; government officials estimate 12.5 percent of the population does not have health care (as of 2014; this may have changed with the Affordable Care Act).
5. Virginia is the mother of presidents. We have sent eight men to the White House. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson.
6. Virginia's motto is Sic Semper Tyrannis, which means Thus Always to Tyrants. This probably makes more sense when combined with the state flag, which shows an image of Virtue standing over a defeated tyrant. (Allegedly, this is supposed to be Virginia over Britain.) 7. Virginia's state bird is a cardinal, the state dog is the American fox hound, the state insect is the tiger swallowtail butterfly, the state fish is the brook trout, the state shell is the oyster, the state beverage is milk, and the state tree and flower is the American Dogwood. (I have always wondered why the dogwood is the state flower. The blooms on the tree are pretty, but they aren't flowers, really.)
8. The state's major industries are agriculture, tourism, construction of U.S. Navy ships, mining, lumber, and government workers.
9. Famous writers from Virginia include David Baldacci, Willa Cather, Ellen Glasgow, Mary Johnston, Edgar Allen Poe, Tom Wolfe, and many others.
10. Famous musicians from Virginia include Maybelle Carter, June Carter Cash, Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Matthews, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Statler Brothers, and Bruce Hornsby.
11. Famous Hollywood figures from Virginia include Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, and Katy Couric.
12. The American Revolution ended in Virginia at Yorktown.
13. Almost a quarter of the Appalachian Trail runs through Virginia (544 miles). Virginia hosts more of the trail than any of the 14 states through which the route passes.
______________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 418th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Our Unacknowledged Civil War
Yesterday I posted photos of a memorial at Virginia Tech. It is a remembrance area dedicated to the memory of 32 people who were murdered in a mass shooting on April 16, 2007.
It angers me that we have to have a memorial to something like that, something that should never have happened in the first place.
And we learned nothing from it. It happens again. Again. Again. Again. It will continue to happen while the public raises its eyebrows, shrugs, and moves on, because even though 1 in 3 Americans knows someone who has been shot, there is this insane need to own a gun.
This must be a modern thing. I can't imagine a 14th century populace clamoring to own a sword, or a dirk, or a knife. Were there young men in the 14th century holed up in places surrounded by 10,000 knives? I've never heard of that. But there are men in the U.S. (for some reason it is generally males who do this) who have filled their homes with thousands of weapons.
What are we so afraid of?
We have chosen madness and internal strife. We have created our own American version of terrorism and an interior unacknowledged civil war. Our "homeland" is a constant battle ground. Our media and our parents and whoever else influences us advocates for an "us versus them" mentality. Or maybe it's "me versus them." And "them" becomes anyone. Male, female, different skin color, different religion, different political views, someone who likes a different movie, someone who believes anything differently. Any difference is reason enough to shoot.
When did life become just another commodity? Is this the final stages of free market capitalism? Life is reduced to nothing? Everyone is expendable?
This vigilante madness, this wild-west mentality, has created a crisis of epic proportions, a crisis that mandates memorials to dead young people. Memorials that should never have been.
It happens again and again. And it will continue. We made no changes after a young man murdered a school full of youngsters; obviously as a society, we think possessing a gun is more important than life itself. Those of us who want to see some kind of sanity returned to the country are out of luck. If leaders were unable to make changes after Sandy Hook, then change will never occur.
All we do is turn our heads and look the other way. I am so ashamed of us as a people. We must be the craziest and most scared bunch of lunatics on the planet right now. We are unable to learn the basest of lessons, which is that life is precious and the right to keep and live your life matters more than any right to own anything, no matter what the object.
Semi-automatic guns were invented in the late 1880s. Columbine occurred in 1999. It took us 110 years to reach the point of mass murders in schools, malls, movie theaters and other gathering places. There were other mass shootings - mostly gang-related - but they were rare and the general public did not fear to leave their homes. No one barred the door and poked a shotgun barrel out the window. Now everyone wants to be armed. Big men need to carry assault weapons into the supermarket. Women want little handguns to fill their purse. Shoot first, ask questions later. What are we thinking?
We're not thinking - that's the problem. We're reacting.
I am in favor of more stringent gun control. I am not, as the crazy people think, advocating that the government come and take all guns, although frankly I think there are some people who need their guns taken. I should not be able to walk into a store and leave with a gun. There should be a waiting period. If you need a gun today, then you need a police officer or a mental health counselor, not a weapon. If you can't wait 72 hours to get your gun, then you have a huge problem, and it isn't the government. Something in your synapses is all screwed up.
In 2010 in Virginia, there were 875 gun deaths. There were 740 traffic fatalities. Guess which one is regulated? It isn't the first one. It isn't guns. I can only imagine that this statistic has remained the same - or increased. I do not think it has declined.
We are at war with ourselves. We are not one another's enemies, but we treat one another with disdain, with lack of courtesy, with innuendoes, snubs, and immorality. We are not nice people. The United States is not a nice place. We are not first in everything, and we are not the best. We are, in many instances, the worst place among first world nations. We don't provide adequate health care, we don't provide maternal leave, we don't provide a living wage, we incarcerate more people than any nation in the world, we have a higher infant mortality rate than many third-world countries, we still don't have equal rights for women. We're 7th in literacy and 49th in life expectancy. Frankly, we suck. We've been going downhill for the entirety of my life. No wonder we kill one another and ourselves.
Meanwhile, today's a new day. There's another shooting being talked about on my local TV station, and on your local TV station. On an average day in the United States, about 35 people are shot and another 160 or so are wounded by gunfire. Another 50 or so kill themselves with a firearm.
Every. Single. Day.
You tell me why this acceptable. You tell me why you think you have the right to kill me. You tell me what I have done to deserve such a death. You tell me what all of these young people, from Virginia Tech to Sandy Hook to whatever school or mall had the most recent shooting, you tell me what those people did so I know why they deserved to die. Tell me why their life did not matter.
And then tell me why you get to be judge and jury, and carry your weapon in the supermarket. Carrying your gun isn't going to save you; if that were the case, there wouldn't be a dead police officer in the land. Your Second Amendment rights? Bullshit. Do you believe your right to carry a gun outweighs my right to live? If so, when you're the one in the line of fire the next time the bullets fly, will your Second Amendment right be the last thing you think about just before you die?
It angers me that we have to have a memorial to something like that, something that should never have happened in the first place.
And we learned nothing from it. It happens again. Again. Again. Again. It will continue to happen while the public raises its eyebrows, shrugs, and moves on, because even though 1 in 3 Americans knows someone who has been shot, there is this insane need to own a gun.
This must be a modern thing. I can't imagine a 14th century populace clamoring to own a sword, or a dirk, or a knife. Were there young men in the 14th century holed up in places surrounded by 10,000 knives? I've never heard of that. But there are men in the U.S. (for some reason it is generally males who do this) who have filled their homes with thousands of weapons.
What are we so afraid of?
We have chosen madness and internal strife. We have created our own American version of terrorism and an interior unacknowledged civil war. Our "homeland" is a constant battle ground. Our media and our parents and whoever else influences us advocates for an "us versus them" mentality. Or maybe it's "me versus them." And "them" becomes anyone. Male, female, different skin color, different religion, different political views, someone who likes a different movie, someone who believes anything differently. Any difference is reason enough to shoot.
When did life become just another commodity? Is this the final stages of free market capitalism? Life is reduced to nothing? Everyone is expendable?
This vigilante madness, this wild-west mentality, has created a crisis of epic proportions, a crisis that mandates memorials to dead young people. Memorials that should never have been.
It happens again and again. And it will continue. We made no changes after a young man murdered a school full of youngsters; obviously as a society, we think possessing a gun is more important than life itself. Those of us who want to see some kind of sanity returned to the country are out of luck. If leaders were unable to make changes after Sandy Hook, then change will never occur.
All we do is turn our heads and look the other way. I am so ashamed of us as a people. We must be the craziest and most scared bunch of lunatics on the planet right now. We are unable to learn the basest of lessons, which is that life is precious and the right to keep and live your life matters more than any right to own anything, no matter what the object.
Semi-automatic guns were invented in the late 1880s. Columbine occurred in 1999. It took us 110 years to reach the point of mass murders in schools, malls, movie theaters and other gathering places. There were other mass shootings - mostly gang-related - but they were rare and the general public did not fear to leave their homes. No one barred the door and poked a shotgun barrel out the window. Now everyone wants to be armed. Big men need to carry assault weapons into the supermarket. Women want little handguns to fill their purse. Shoot first, ask questions later. What are we thinking?
We're not thinking - that's the problem. We're reacting.
I am in favor of more stringent gun control. I am not, as the crazy people think, advocating that the government come and take all guns, although frankly I think there are some people who need their guns taken. I should not be able to walk into a store and leave with a gun. There should be a waiting period. If you need a gun today, then you need a police officer or a mental health counselor, not a weapon. If you can't wait 72 hours to get your gun, then you have a huge problem, and it isn't the government. Something in your synapses is all screwed up.
In 2010 in Virginia, there were 875 gun deaths. There were 740 traffic fatalities. Guess which one is regulated? It isn't the first one. It isn't guns. I can only imagine that this statistic has remained the same - or increased. I do not think it has declined.
We are at war with ourselves. We are not one another's enemies, but we treat one another with disdain, with lack of courtesy, with innuendoes, snubs, and immorality. We are not nice people. The United States is not a nice place. We are not first in everything, and we are not the best. We are, in many instances, the worst place among first world nations. We don't provide adequate health care, we don't provide maternal leave, we don't provide a living wage, we incarcerate more people than any nation in the world, we have a higher infant mortality rate than many third-world countries, we still don't have equal rights for women. We're 7th in literacy and 49th in life expectancy. Frankly, we suck. We've been going downhill for the entirety of my life. No wonder we kill one another and ourselves.
Meanwhile, today's a new day. There's another shooting being talked about on my local TV station, and on your local TV station. On an average day in the United States, about 35 people are shot and another 160 or so are wounded by gunfire. Another 50 or so kill themselves with a firearm.
Every. Single. Day.
You tell me why this acceptable. You tell me why you think you have the right to kill me. You tell me what I have done to deserve such a death. You tell me what all of these young people, from Virginia Tech to Sandy Hook to whatever school or mall had the most recent shooting, you tell me what those people did so I know why they deserved to die. Tell me why their life did not matter.
And then tell me why you get to be judge and jury, and carry your weapon in the supermarket. Carrying your gun isn't going to save you; if that were the case, there wouldn't be a dead police officer in the land. Your Second Amendment rights? Bullshit. Do you believe your right to carry a gun outweighs my right to live? If so, when you're the one in the line of fire the next time the bullets fly, will your Second Amendment right be the last thing you think about just before you die?
Monday, October 26, 2015
Remembering the Dead
Last week, we were in Blacksburg and we stopped by Virginia Tech. I had never been on campus even though it is only a little over an hour away. We did not have time for a full tour but I wanted to see the April 16, 2007 Memorial.
On that day, 32 Hokies died at the hands of a mass murderer, who then took his own life. Twenty-seven were students; five were instructors. Seventeen other people were physically wounded. Countless others were mentally harmed.
Following the massacre, students placed 32 Hokie Stones on the Drillfield at the campus. (Hokie Stones are the gray colored stones from which most of the university buildings are constructed.) Later the university dedicated 32 engraved Hokie Stones to honor the memory of those lost in this horrible tragedy. Each stone weighs 300 lbs. A single stone in the center of the memorial honors all the fallen and injured victims.
On that day, 32 Hokies died at the hands of a mass murderer, who then took his own life. Twenty-seven were students; five were instructors. Seventeen other people were physically wounded. Countless others were mentally harmed.
Following the massacre, students placed 32 Hokie Stones on the Drillfield at the campus. (Hokie Stones are the gray colored stones from which most of the university buildings are constructed.) Later the university dedicated 32 engraved Hokie Stones to honor the memory of those lost in this horrible tragedy. Each stone weighs 300 lbs. A single stone in the center of the memorial honors all the fallen and injured victims.
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| An overview of the memorial. |
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| Each stone has a name engraved upon it. |
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| Of all the things I saw during our visit, this sight broke my heart. As we were paying our respects, this gentleman came by. He touched particular stones as he moved around the semi-circle. As he passed us, he murmured, "Those are the ones I knew," and he continued his way around, touching various stones. Tears welled in my eyes as I watched him. I wonder how often this man, whom I suspect is an instructor at the university, performs this sacred ritual. |
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| A closer look. I tried to make sure I captured all the stones. |
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| The memorial is a somber reflection despite the activity going on around it. |
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| A nice touch. |
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| On April 16, 2007, we all were Virginia Tech. |
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Sunday Stealing: 25
From Sunday Stealing
25 Fun Meme
1. If you were trapped in a room with the person who asked this for 24 hours, what would you do? The answer cannot be romantic or sexual.
A. Play cards. If there were no cards, then I would pull out the notebook I always carry with me and make a deck. We'd also talk and get to know one another. If they had a cell phone and ignored me, I eventually would throw it against the wall (after we called for help). They are the bane of our existence.
2. If you could learn any language instantly, what would it be?
A. Latin. Most of the romance languages have their roots there, so once that one has been mastered the rest come easier.
3. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A. The Lord of the Rings.
4. Favorite song lyric?
A. "I'm leavin' on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go."
5. Favorite album?
A. Melissa Etheridge's Yes I Am.
6. Which time of day would you say is best for you work-wise?
A. Dr. Pepper time. (10, 2 and 4, for the youngsters)
7. Favorite city that you’ve visited?
A. Paris, France
8. Favorite city that you haven’t visited?
A. How would I know if I haven't visited it? Oh well. London, England.
9. If you could donate $10,000 to charity, what charity would you pick?
A. Some kind of anti-gun violence group, I am not sure what is out there at the moment.
10. What is one book you wish you could get all your friends to read?
A. The Lord of the Rings.
11. What is one movie you wish you could get all your friends to watch?
A. The Lord of the Rings (all three of them)
12. What do you think people assume about you from first glance?
A. That I am fat and lazy. That is what I think they assume, but while yes, I'm overweight, it's not who I am.
13. If you could play any musical instrument, what would it be?
A. I play many instruments, but would like to play them all better.
14. What is your favorite item of clothing?
A. I have an old blue sweater-type thing that is so ratty it needs to go in the trash, but I keep wearing it. It is threadbare and no longer stops the chill, but it still finds it way onto my body almost every day.
15. Who was your first follower on your blog? Do they still follow you?
A. I have no idea who my first follower was. But I have friends who have followed it from the time I let them know it existed. I appreciate each and every reader, even if I have no idea who he or she may be.
16. If you could create one thing, what would it be?
A. A time machine.
17. Favorite superhero?
A. The Black Widow in the Marvel Universe, circa 1975 or so, followed closely by Batgirl.
18. If you were to write an autobiography, what would you title it?
A. Doing Her Best
19. If you were to have a band, what would you call it?
A. I actually played in a band in the late 1970s and into the early 1980s. Its name was Almost Famous, and we were there long before there was a movie version of it.
20. What is your favorite card/board game?
A. Life.
21. What was the first IM service you used? Who was the first person you talked to on it?
A. AOL was my first service, and I have been on AOL since 1993, so I have no idea who the first person was.
22. If you could give a friendly hug to any one person, who would it be? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
A. My friend B., who is having a really rough year.
23. Have you ever won any sort of contests? What kind?
A. I've won writing contests.
24. Who was the last person you hugged? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
A. My physical therapist.
25. If you could be skilled in any one activity, what would it be? Cannot be romantic or sexual.
A. I would love to be able to draw.
25 Fun Meme
1. If you were trapped in a room with the person who asked this for 24 hours, what would you do? The answer cannot be romantic or sexual.
A. Play cards. If there were no cards, then I would pull out the notebook I always carry with me and make a deck. We'd also talk and get to know one another. If they had a cell phone and ignored me, I eventually would throw it against the wall (after we called for help). They are the bane of our existence.
2. If you could learn any language instantly, what would it be?
A. Latin. Most of the romance languages have their roots there, so once that one has been mastered the rest come easier.
3. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A. The Lord of the Rings.
4. Favorite song lyric?
A. "I'm leavin' on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go."
5. Favorite album?
A. Melissa Etheridge's Yes I Am.
6. Which time of day would you say is best for you work-wise?
A. Dr. Pepper time. (10, 2 and 4, for the youngsters)
7. Favorite city that you’ve visited?
A. Paris, France
8. Favorite city that you haven’t visited?
A. How would I know if I haven't visited it? Oh well. London, England.
9. If you could donate $10,000 to charity, what charity would you pick?
A. Some kind of anti-gun violence group, I am not sure what is out there at the moment.
10. What is one book you wish you could get all your friends to read?
A. The Lord of the Rings.
11. What is one movie you wish you could get all your friends to watch?
A. The Lord of the Rings (all three of them)
12. What do you think people assume about you from first glance?
A. That I am fat and lazy. That is what I think they assume, but while yes, I'm overweight, it's not who I am.
13. If you could play any musical instrument, what would it be?
A. I play many instruments, but would like to play them all better.
14. What is your favorite item of clothing?
A. I have an old blue sweater-type thing that is so ratty it needs to go in the trash, but I keep wearing it. It is threadbare and no longer stops the chill, but it still finds it way onto my body almost every day.
15. Who was your first follower on your blog? Do they still follow you?
A. I have no idea who my first follower was. But I have friends who have followed it from the time I let them know it existed. I appreciate each and every reader, even if I have no idea who he or she may be.
16. If you could create one thing, what would it be?
A. A time machine.
17. Favorite superhero?
A. The Black Widow in the Marvel Universe, circa 1975 or so, followed closely by Batgirl.
18. If you were to write an autobiography, what would you title it?
A. Doing Her Best
19. If you were to have a band, what would you call it?
A. I actually played in a band in the late 1970s and into the early 1980s. Its name was Almost Famous, and we were there long before there was a movie version of it.
20. What is your favorite card/board game?
A. Life.
21. What was the first IM service you used? Who was the first person you talked to on it?
A. AOL was my first service, and I have been on AOL since 1993, so I have no idea who the first person was.
22. If you could give a friendly hug to any one person, who would it be? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
A. My friend B., who is having a really rough year.
23. Have you ever won any sort of contests? What kind?
A. I've won writing contests.
24. Who was the last person you hugged? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
A. My physical therapist.
25. If you could be skilled in any one activity, what would it be? Cannot be romantic or sexual.
A. I would love to be able to draw.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Saturday 9: It Don't Come Easy
Saturday 9: It Don't Come Easy (1971)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This was Ringo's first big hit as a solo artist. Who is your favorite member of his old, very famous group, The Beatles?
A. Paul McCartney. I actually preferred his second reincarnation as Paul McCartney and the Wings.
2) In this song, Ringo sings that you have to pay your dues. Do you belong to any organizations that require you to pay dues?
A. I belong to a couple of historic organizations that want yearly dues.
3) He also sings, "you don't have to shout." When did you last raise your voice?
A. Whenever I last yelled at my husband, but I am not sure what recent day that was. Poor fellow, he's the only person I yell at. I did threaten to yell at an ailing friend if she dared to mow her yard, but did not have to because I found someone to do it for her.
4) Ringo has two piercings on each ear and one tattoo on each arm. Do you have more piercings or body art?
A. I just have scars. Oh, wait, I have a hole in each ear for an earring. I guess that's a body piercing. Seems so normal I forgot about it.
5) Ringo gave his first wife, Maureen, a one-of-a-kind birthday gift. Frank Sinatra made a recording of "The Lady Is a Tramp" personalized to her. Tell us about one of your most memorable birthday celebrations.
A. That would be my 50th birthday party, a surprise event my husband pulled off at the local pizza place two years ago. He invited everyone in my cell phone.
6) Ringo appeared as Mr. Conductor on Thomas the Tank Engine. He recorded the narration for the entire first season in just a week. Tell us what you did last week.
A. I took my vehicle to have it serviced and visited the April 16, 2007 shooting memorial at Virginia Tech.
7) Ringo also did the narration for Ladybird children's books. Do you like audiobooks?
A. I love audiobooks! I have one in the car all the time. I am currently listening to a Sue Grafton mystery.
8) As a boy in Liverpool, Ringo loved watching American westerns. His passion for the genre is reflected in the outfit he's wearing on the sleeve for "It Don't Come Easy." Do you like cowboy movies/shows?
A. I like some of the older TV shows like Bonanza and The Big Valley.
9) You know what else don't come easy? Nine questions every week. Crazy Sam has heard it all: this meme asks too many movie questions, too many questions about sports, too many questions that sound familiar ... OK, now it's your turn. Help a tired meme mistress out. Contribute a random question that is not about movies or sports (pro or collegiate) and has never been asked before on this meme. Sam will compile these for an all-random Saturday 9 in November. That way she'll get a much-appreciated week off. Thanks for your help!
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This was Ringo's first big hit as a solo artist. Who is your favorite member of his old, very famous group, The Beatles?
A. Paul McCartney. I actually preferred his second reincarnation as Paul McCartney and the Wings.
2) In this song, Ringo sings that you have to pay your dues. Do you belong to any organizations that require you to pay dues?
A. I belong to a couple of historic organizations that want yearly dues.
3) He also sings, "you don't have to shout." When did you last raise your voice?
A. Whenever I last yelled at my husband, but I am not sure what recent day that was. Poor fellow, he's the only person I yell at. I did threaten to yell at an ailing friend if she dared to mow her yard, but did not have to because I found someone to do it for her.
4) Ringo has two piercings on each ear and one tattoo on each arm. Do you have more piercings or body art?
A. I just have scars. Oh, wait, I have a hole in each ear for an earring. I guess that's a body piercing. Seems so normal I forgot about it.
5) Ringo gave his first wife, Maureen, a one-of-a-kind birthday gift. Frank Sinatra made a recording of "The Lady Is a Tramp" personalized to her. Tell us about one of your most memorable birthday celebrations.
A. That would be my 50th birthday party, a surprise event my husband pulled off at the local pizza place two years ago. He invited everyone in my cell phone.
6) Ringo appeared as Mr. Conductor on Thomas the Tank Engine. He recorded the narration for the entire first season in just a week. Tell us what you did last week.
A. I took my vehicle to have it serviced and visited the April 16, 2007 shooting memorial at Virginia Tech.
7) Ringo also did the narration for Ladybird children's books. Do you like audiobooks?
A. I love audiobooks! I have one in the car all the time. I am currently listening to a Sue Grafton mystery.
8) As a boy in Liverpool, Ringo loved watching American westerns. His passion for the genre is reflected in the outfit he's wearing on the sleeve for "It Don't Come Easy." Do you like cowboy movies/shows?
A. I like some of the older TV shows like Bonanza and The Big Valley.
9) You know what else don't come easy? Nine questions every week. Crazy Sam has heard it all: this meme asks too many movie questions, too many questions about sports, too many questions that sound familiar ... OK, now it's your turn. Help a tired meme mistress out. Contribute a random question that is not about movies or sports (pro or collegiate) and has never been asked before on this meme. Sam will compile these for an all-random Saturday 9 in November. That way she'll get a much-appreciated week off. Thanks for your help!
A. Random question: What does your big toe look like?
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
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