I know the months long snow is not far away, so I've been trying to clean up the yard so there will be nothing to impeded the tractor or snow blower. I live in the forest, my yard is a mass of Ponderosa and Jack Pines. They drop needles all year long, huge numbers of them along with cones every fall and spring and fewer in the summer and winter. So, you have leaf/needle raking duties twice a year unlike a deciduous tree that drops it's leaves only in the fall.
I've been hauling needles out back for three weeks and now I'm looking out front and seeing a new mass of needles. They are just a little bit too wet to get them to burn. I really don't want to go rake and haul today, I have other things to do! Sigh.
17 November 2010
12 November 2010
Amazon.com and Pedophiles
I am a long time customer of Amazon.com. They used to be a very customer oriented company. Maybe they've grown too big. Last night CNN did a story concerning some how to books for pedophiles that Amazon promotes and sells. They had received several customer complaints concerning these books but maintained that it was a matter of "freedom of speech" and so they would continue to carry them.
It was not until CNN got involved that any of the books were removed and then only the specific books that CNN had inquired about, the rest of the pedophilia books remained for sale.
I was repeatedly raped and molested as a 9 and 10 year old child. This is not about "freedom of speech" as Amazon claims, it is about destroyed lives. Pedophilia is illegal in all 50 states, yet Amazon considers it a matter of "freedom of speech"??
For me, I am affected enough that I will never buy another item from Amazon, but mostly, my reaction is because they had to be repeatedly shamed by CNN before they decided that "well, maybe, well okay, if you're going to make such a fuss about it, we'll remove a few of the books." It does not matter to me if they go ahead and remove every single book. I will never buy another item from Amazon.
Pedophilia destroys people, it destroys lives, it changes who you are, it changes who you become. The victim NEVER, NEVER forgets. Now, 50 years after the event, this story causes me such great pain, causes me to relive the horrors that man did to me, causes me to hate humanity, causes me to hate myself because I'm not strong enough, 50 years later to get past it.
Freedom of speech? No, for Amazon, it was freedom to make a buck. Kinda makes you wonder what else you can find for sale at Amazon.
I don't ask others to boycott them, that is some thing each of you has to search your own soul about.
It was not until CNN got involved that any of the books were removed and then only the specific books that CNN had inquired about, the rest of the pedophilia books remained for sale.
I was repeatedly raped and molested as a 9 and 10 year old child. This is not about "freedom of speech" as Amazon claims, it is about destroyed lives. Pedophilia is illegal in all 50 states, yet Amazon considers it a matter of "freedom of speech"??
For me, I am affected enough that I will never buy another item from Amazon, but mostly, my reaction is because they had to be repeatedly shamed by CNN before they decided that "well, maybe, well okay, if you're going to make such a fuss about it, we'll remove a few of the books." It does not matter to me if they go ahead and remove every single book. I will never buy another item from Amazon.
Pedophilia destroys people, it destroys lives, it changes who you are, it changes who you become. The victim NEVER, NEVER forgets. Now, 50 years after the event, this story causes me such great pain, causes me to relive the horrors that man did to me, causes me to hate humanity, causes me to hate myself because I'm not strong enough, 50 years later to get past it.
Freedom of speech? No, for Amazon, it was freedom to make a buck. Kinda makes you wonder what else you can find for sale at Amazon.
I don't ask others to boycott them, that is some thing each of you has to search your own soul about.
06 November 2010
Zen-Aughta Ride or Not?
Last day of day light savings. Pretty day, little windy, but nice. So, do I stay home and watch Zenyatta try for perfection or do I take Angel out for what will likely be the last ride from home before the snow falls? I know that if I stay and watch, Zenyatta is sure to lose. Just the way it is, if I watch an event, I seem to hex the one I want to win. Okay, that settles it, I'll take Angel out.
We did a nice little 12 mile loop, went up to a view spot to see what Wickiup Reservoir looks like. They started holding back water to start filling it about a month ago. Looks like that was a good idea, she's pretty empty. That group of trees in the middle is suppose to be an island surrounded by water, not bare land.
The Twins have their first snow. It was a bit smokey since they are doing a bunch of controlled burns around the area, so some of my photo opportunities were hardly worth the attempt. The weather was starting to change as well and my view of the South Sister was restricted to her base. Ah, well.
Angel and I mostly had a nice ride. I never know what to expect from Angel. Some times she's an Angel and other times she's the Devil. Today, she was mostly an Angel. No, really, it was a nice ride and I'm really glad we went. We got home just before 6pm, the sun was dropping fast and so was the temperature. About a mile from home I saw a hawk sitting in an old snag all fluffed up and braced against the wind. Yeah, it might just be a bit chilly tonight.
It seems that Zenyatta didn't win. Well, can't blame it on me!
The Twins have their first snow. It was a bit smokey since they are doing a bunch of controlled burns around the area, so some of my photo opportunities were hardly worth the attempt. The weather was starting to change as well and my view of the South Sister was restricted to her base. Ah, well.
Angel and I mostly had a nice ride. I never know what to expect from Angel. Some times she's an Angel and other times she's the Devil. Today, she was mostly an Angel. No, really, it was a nice ride and I'm really glad we went. We got home just before 6pm, the sun was dropping fast and so was the temperature. About a mile from home I saw a hawk sitting in an old snag all fluffed up and braced against the wind. Yeah, it might just be a bit chilly tonight.
It seems that Zenyatta didn't win. Well, can't blame it on me!
01 November 2010
Passing Through?
After the snow melted, I spent a couple days continuing to get ready for the longer staying snow. Sunday, I really didn't feel like doing much, but finally got irritated with myself and took the dogs for a walk. There were smaller birds out and we did see three three geese, but the most interesting and unexpected sighting was a coyote walking across a downed log bridge on the river
The river is way down, I mean way down. If you wanted to float it now, I expect you would have considerable trouble in places, even in a boat with no keel. The Coyote was taking advantage of the low river and downed trees to get around. He was in full winter coat and quite pretty. Most of the coyotes I see are kind of rangy looking, but not this one, he had such a full coat he almost looked like a wolf. Wasn't, wrong profile. As big as it was, must have been a male.
Monday morning as I was watching ground squirrels and trying to think of a good way to kill them all with out harming any other animals when I saw a new bird near the suet containers. They were on the ground foraging. I new instantly it was a thrush of some sort. Robins stop by often but I'd never seen these here. Very similar to the Bullock's Orioles that I used to see in the Rogue Valley, but different head and much brighter than the Robins. Looked it up and they are Varied Thrushes. According to the guide, they do winter in this area. We'll see, can imagine them wintering in Bend, but not here.
Now you see, if I get a cat to take care of the ground squirrels, all these birds will go away. I love watching the birds. I added several new one's to my lifetime list this year. Not all in my front yard, but some of them. Sigh, what to do. Wish I could train the dogs to sit patiently and then pounce on the little dirt bags. But, no, they have to bark and run and give them all kinds of notice they're coming. Patience is definitely not their strong suit. LOL.
The river is way down, I mean way down. If you wanted to float it now, I expect you would have considerable trouble in places, even in a boat with no keel. The Coyote was taking advantage of the low river and downed trees to get around. He was in full winter coat and quite pretty. Most of the coyotes I see are kind of rangy looking, but not this one, he had such a full coat he almost looked like a wolf. Wasn't, wrong profile. As big as it was, must have been a male.
Monday morning as I was watching ground squirrels and trying to think of a good way to kill them all with out harming any other animals when I saw a new bird near the suet containers. They were on the ground foraging. I new instantly it was a thrush of some sort. Robins stop by often but I'd never seen these here. Very similar to the Bullock's Orioles that I used to see in the Rogue Valley, but different head and much brighter than the Robins. Looked it up and they are Varied Thrushes. According to the guide, they do winter in this area. We'll see, can imagine them wintering in Bend, but not here.
Now you see, if I get a cat to take care of the ground squirrels, all these birds will go away. I love watching the birds. I added several new one's to my lifetime list this year. Not all in my front yard, but some of them. Sigh, what to do. Wish I could train the dogs to sit patiently and then pounce on the little dirt bags. But, no, they have to bark and run and give them all kinds of notice they're coming. Patience is definitely not their strong suit. LOL.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)