SETTING SOME THINGS STRAIGHT

It is fascinating the mind of the liberal.  When confronted with facts go to name calling and insults.  This seems to be a pattern.  There is a difference when I write about "environmental whako's" and when you set down to discuss issues and ideas in a civilized manor.  Seems I upset one reader and this is good.  If you go back to my introduction I promised to get readers worked up.  I am not politically correct and I do not apologize about it.
    When I raise the ire of someone it is because they are forced to think and that is what I am here for.  I have been called in by our local chamber of commerce for attitude adjustment, and you can figure how that went.  There was no screaming and shouting and we walked away, with my attitude intact however.
     I have a problem with what is called pop science and the use or misuse of it by groups with alterior motives.  We are going thru a rash of forest fires in the west because of a culture of 'saving' everything.  There is a culture of put out every fire that we are paying for now.  There is also great outcrys against logging forests.  Even the spirit that the forest service and our great protection of natural places has been subverted.  Teddy Roosevelt advocated multiple use.  Now emotions and politics override solid research.
     The beetle killed forests that environmentalists have been stopping, or slowing down logging of dead timber, have set the stage for even worse fires.  Even in the most liberal areas of Colorado there is going to be clear cutting of areas to protect the Watersheds from fire damage.  Because the fires that will start in the dead timber can stop the useage of water in communities such as Breckenridge and Boseman, MT. there would be bottled water use for 6 months after a major burn of the watershed.
     Research by the most knoledgable scientist Dr. Mark Finney of the Forest Service Missoula Fire Lab has published several studies over the last 10 years on the subject.  Selective clearcut logging slows catastrophic burns and hampers Crown Fires.  A study of the Great Yellowstone Fire cites more catastophic damage from mature forests burning than younger growth.  But where is the study when environmentalists are pushing their agenda.
    Now I am not a technical genius and I do good to get in here and do my blogs.  I have not figured out how to answer criticism from readers so do not expect me to waste my time battleing opinions.  If you are forced to think, good.  If you want to battle wits, you waste your time.  If we were to sit down face to face and had facts and figures on problems we face today we can have civil discourse.  When it is one sided and I call a spade a spade, that is an entirely different thing.

SAVING RURAL AMERICA

As if rural America does not have enough things to add to it's decline here comes the US Postal Service.  It is amazing that a supposed independent agency, who has brought businessmen into management in the past, has to ask congress politely if they can do anything.  The congress who has spent this country into bankruptcy!
     Now in a cost cutting move there is going to be the elimination of Post Offices all over the country.  Most all in rural communities.  Can the Post Office become more efficient?  YES.  Will they? NO.  The deterioration of service to the majority of the country is a poor way to "improve".
     And the congress seems to be the only way to save the losses.  OK, they are still going to close offices and they have come up with things for service centers and what not.  I am going to ask for all of you to contact your Representative, Senator, and Party area chair people.  Also ask your neighbors, County Commisioners, and City councils to issue letters of support.  We have to create a storm to get attention!
     THIS IS THE IDEA:  When a community loses their zip code they lose identity.  ASK CONGRESS to pass a bill to require all zip codes to be retained.  Automation will have no problem routing mail to the new regional offices.  Ask all you Governing bodies from the State to the local to issue proclamations supporting saving the zip code.
     This is very simple and we all can do this.  Write, E-mail, and Call.  Talk to your friends and neighbors.  LET'S SAVE OUR RURAL IDENTITIES - SAVE OUR ZIP CODES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CIVIL DISCOURSE

It seems to be a trend in today's world that civil discourse is almost a thing of the past.  Politics have made things worse as the best thing for the country is sacrificed for the best thing for the party, philosophy, planned restructuring of a system that has worked fairly well for over two hundred years.  There seems to be no room left to quietly discuss a topic and agree to either disagree, partially agree, or completely agree.  Also the national press seem to take sides and truth takes a hike.
     Getting along has taken the road of agree with me and you are reasonable or disagree with me or (pick one) you are a racist, ignorant, unwilling to comprimise, bigoted, homo phobe, religious nut, you get the point.
     Try to dispute global warming and you are bent on destroying the earth, inviting aliens to attack, a capitalist pig, or any other insult that can be hurled including rocks now.
     I just attended a gathering of people from all walks of life, religious views, political views, urban, rural, suburban.  They were public employees, professionals, artists, retired, university presidents and professors, community activists, entertainers, farmers, ranchers, journalists, newspaper owners, and the list goes on. 
     We spent a weekend discussing topics at random and chosen, and had a frankly, productive and enjoyable time.  Politness was the order of the day, nothing was off limits except an attitude and argument.  It was wonderful!  This very eclectic group came away as friends and may take a different viewpoint home with them, and all looking forward to next year.
     I am not going to name the group because the whole idea is complete freedom to speak.  Everything is off the record and there is no recordings, pictures or interviews.  It was so refreshing to discuss calmly the good, the bad, and the ugly without the shouts of radicalism appearing.
     It is a shame that the parents who grew up in the 60's and 70's have forgotten to instill simple politness into their children who are now raising children.  The actions we see on the news all over the world would cause most peoples grandparents to wash their mouths out with soap and take a hickory switch to them behind the barn.  It is good to know that there are still people in the world that can come together and discuss topics and part as friends.

What in the world?

As I look at the 'breaking news' this morning my heart just sank.  The news from Afganistan is that a helicopter was shot down by the Taliban and it was one of our giant Chinooks.  38 men were killed 25 of them Navy Seals.  I have waited for the day to pass some so my initial reaction would not be so emotional.  The question always is why are we there?  In a country whose major crop is poppies for the Heroin trade, a religion that has sworn to kill Americans, Jews and destroy the countries.  And our "allies" in Packistan allow the homade IUD's to be produced there and brought across the border to kill and maim our troops.
     Maybe I am tired of the blood being spilled by our troops for a Government who uses their salaries as hostage for political debate.  Lives and families are affected forever by a cause we all forget now.
     There is a saying that war is hell.  It is more than true.  But I am tired of playing by a set of rules with an 8th century people who worship the 2nd Moon god of Arabia.  We have the firepower to take out our enemies and will not use it.  But we will continue to sacrifice our sons and daughters on the alter of civilized behavior.
     I do not care what the world thinks of us, they should know that the penalty they pay for being an active enemy is way beyond the price they are willing to pay.  And if they insist on being martyers they we should arrange the trip.  This was the startegy of the Cold War and no nukes were ever dropped.
     One Navy Seal that we lost today is worth more than the entire congress and executive branch that sends them there.  I am not distinguishing parties this is my blanket feeling.
    I believe it was John Adams who said, "one fool is a shame, two fools is a law firm, and more than that is a congress".  AMEN!