A mini book review: The Year That Changed The World by Michael Meyer
Subtitled "The Untold Story Behind The Fall of The Berlin Wall"
The author was the Newsweek bureau chief for Germany and surrounding areas from 1988 to 1992. This gave him the opportunity to be present as eastern Europe countries gave up communism.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Random Photo -- Grain Reaper
This is a fitting photograph to announce my arrival in Denver. A scene from a slower time slowed the pulse after driving the I-25 freeway from Colorado Springs. There were too many cars going too fast for this guy who is in no hurry to go anywhere.
The photo is from a Farm Days event that I attended in the Appleton Wisconsin area in 2002. Rather than seeing this historical creation, I am curious how many of my readers are old enough to have witnessed the original scene of a horse drawn grain reaper.
Yes. I am old enough to have witnessed this in the 1940s. My father acquired a grain combine in 1948. Compared to my father, some of our farm neighbors were in no rush to take advantage of those new grain combines (single operation to cut and thresh). They were still using a horse drawn grain reaper and a threshing machine in the 1950s.
The photo is from a Farm Days event that I attended in the Appleton Wisconsin area in 2002. Rather than seeing this historical creation, I am curious how many of my readers are old enough to have witnessed the original scene of a horse drawn grain reaper.
Yes. I am old enough to have witnessed this in the 1940s. My father acquired a grain combine in 1948. Compared to my father, some of our farm neighbors were in no rush to take advantage of those new grain combines (single operation to cut and thresh). They were still using a horse drawn grain reaper and a threshing machine in the 1950s.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Sixteen Tons
You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
The chorus lyrics of Sixteen Tons came to mind as I reflected on the workers (those whose jobs haven't been sent off shore) in the US economy. Could the company store be the cozy relationship between corporations and government with credits and tax concessions.
Click here for the lyrics to Sixteen Tons.
Okay. So I didn't think it through very clearly, but there it is. Just saying that is what came to mind.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Petrified Wood Gas Station
Found this building in Lamar Colorado. "Built of wood turned to stone" is what the sign says. Built as a service station in 1932 and other businesses over the years, today there is no business in the building. Hope that Lamar can keep this 150 million year old building around for a few more years.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Found Weather
After over a month of blue skies and not a hint of rain as I crossed Arizona and New Mexico, I found clouds and rain in southeast Colorado.
Way over my self imposed limit of 150 miles travel a day I arrived at Lamar Colorado after 230 miles from Amarillo Texas. Once across the Colorado state line I noticed the clouds building in the west. Dark ominous clouds. It was definitely time to stop when I arrived at the Elks Lodge in Lamar. Pulled in and parked. Hooked up to the electricity and took a photo.
Didn't know it at the time I took the photo, but within those dark thundering clouds there was a tornado lurking which had touched down about five miles east of Lamar.
After taking the photo, it was time to head into Lamar with Silver Slug for some fuel and exploring of the town. Perhaps there was a photo op. Silver Slug wouldn't start to allow me the mobility to get into town -- three miles distant. Oh no! Another of those potholes in the road of life. Small one this time.
By the end of the afternoon, Silver Slug had been towed to the local Ford dealer. With no rental car to be had, I was consigned to spend my stay at the Elks Lodge in Wandrin Wagon.
Rain and wind continued far past midnight. As Wandrin Wagon was severely rocked, I was feeling a little queasy. It was then I recalled that trailers and their trailer trash residents are magnets for tornadoes. Now I was concerned for my safety. Probably wouldn't survive a direct hit. What if Wandrin Wagon was toppled by the wind. Could I get out of here. Too much worrying and not a lot I could do about it anyway.
This morning it was cloudy overcast with more showers possible. Blue was peaking through the cloudy skies in early afternoon when I received the call that Silver Slug's starting problems were resolved. Once I paid bail I was reunited with Silver Slug. Then I filled with $3.95 a gallon diesel and explored Lamar.
Hitching up tomorrow morning, I will head west to Pueblo Colorado along US Hwy 50.
Way over my self imposed limit of 150 miles travel a day I arrived at Lamar Colorado after 230 miles from Amarillo Texas. Once across the Colorado state line I noticed the clouds building in the west. Dark ominous clouds. It was definitely time to stop when I arrived at the Elks Lodge in Lamar. Pulled in and parked. Hooked up to the electricity and took a photo.
Didn't know it at the time I took the photo, but within those dark thundering clouds there was a tornado lurking which had touched down about five miles east of Lamar.
After taking the photo, it was time to head into Lamar with Silver Slug for some fuel and exploring of the town. Perhaps there was a photo op. Silver Slug wouldn't start to allow me the mobility to get into town -- three miles distant. Oh no! Another of those potholes in the road of life. Small one this time.
By the end of the afternoon, Silver Slug had been towed to the local Ford dealer. With no rental car to be had, I was consigned to spend my stay at the Elks Lodge in Wandrin Wagon.
Rain and wind continued far past midnight. As Wandrin Wagon was severely rocked, I was feeling a little queasy. It was then I recalled that trailers and their trailer trash residents are magnets for tornadoes. Now I was concerned for my safety. Probably wouldn't survive a direct hit. What if Wandrin Wagon was toppled by the wind. Could I get out of here. Too much worrying and not a lot I could do about it anyway.
This morning it was cloudy overcast with more showers possible. Blue was peaking through the cloudy skies in early afternoon when I received the call that Silver Slug's starting problems were resolved. Once I paid bail I was reunited with Silver Slug. Then I filled with $3.95 a gallon diesel and explored Lamar.
Hitching up tomorrow morning, I will head west to Pueblo Colorado along US Hwy 50.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Mobile Paint Palette
Spotted this as I walked Old Mesilla in Las Cruces New Mexico. Sure do wonder why there was all that spilled -- or intentional -- paint color in the bed of the pick up. What profession would you practice if you had a colorful truck bed.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Another Struggling Town
Carrizozo New Mexico is another of the many towns that is hanging on. Carrizozo is on the railroad line and with the advent of diesel locomotives and phasing out of steam engines, the trains could go longer distances. In the process, Carrizozo has been on a downhill slide as the railroad employees moved elsewhere.
This process has happened many times before in the US for different reasons. Railroads had chosen routes other than than through a very prosperous transportation hub town on a river. The river town died. In the middle of the 20th century, the interstate freeway system bypassed many towns including one time towns which had railway stops. Those towns continue to die as the jobs disappear.
The freeways bypassed the old downtown areas. Some have survived. Others are mostly boarded up store fronts. Developing downtown Carrizozo for artists is a struggle.
Far away from a freeway, Carrizozo is made of up of mostly family businesses. There isn't enough money to be had in the town for the large corporations -- including Wal-Mart.
In larger cities, the growth model continues with the development of mega malls incorporating big box stores, food courts, high end restaurants and boutique stores. These developments have made twenty and thirty year old shopping centers obsolete.
Today, very little shopping is done in nearby neighborhoods. Get on the freeway and drive ten miles to the mega shopping center -- sometimes just for groceries. No wonder the freeway traffic is snarled in the middle of the day.
I wonder. Could the price of fuel start a reversal of these mega stores and a start to think small and local.
A corporate model is growth. Revenues have to be more than last year. This focus on growth and always more reminds me of an Edward Abbey quote: "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." Lao Tzu said it another way: "To hasten growth is to hasten decay."
When verifying the words for Abbey's quote, I came across a Growthism essay by Kent Welton. A rambling piece which speaks to the main premise of corporate America. The author urges each citizen (consumer) to think for themselves rather than listen to that mantra of corporations, religious institutions and government.
This process has happened many times before in the US for different reasons. Railroads had chosen routes other than than through a very prosperous transportation hub town on a river. The river town died. In the middle of the 20th century, the interstate freeway system bypassed many towns including one time towns which had railway stops. Those towns continue to die as the jobs disappear.
The freeways bypassed the old downtown areas. Some have survived. Others are mostly boarded up store fronts. Developing downtown Carrizozo for artists is a struggle.
Far away from a freeway, Carrizozo is made of up of mostly family businesses. There isn't enough money to be had in the town for the large corporations -- including Wal-Mart.
In larger cities, the growth model continues with the development of mega malls incorporating big box stores, food courts, high end restaurants and boutique stores. These developments have made twenty and thirty year old shopping centers obsolete.
Today, very little shopping is done in nearby neighborhoods. Get on the freeway and drive ten miles to the mega shopping center -- sometimes just for groceries. No wonder the freeway traffic is snarled in the middle of the day.
I wonder. Could the price of fuel start a reversal of these mega stores and a start to think small and local.
A corporate model is growth. Revenues have to be more than last year. This focus on growth and always more reminds me of an Edward Abbey quote: "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." Lao Tzu said it another way: "To hasten growth is to hasten decay."
When verifying the words for Abbey's quote, I came across a Growthism essay by Kent Welton. A rambling piece which speaks to the main premise of corporate America. The author urges each citizen (consumer) to think for themselves rather than listen to that mantra of corporations, religious institutions and government.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Still Here
Just to make sure there wasn't some confusion in time zones about the end of the world, I waited most of today. Finally, I decided that I must be in hell. It is hot here in Amarillo -- 90 degrees. And windy.
In addition, my parochial religious education told me that in heaven we would all wear white robes and we would be singing praises to God. Actually, that sounds pretty boring. Since there are no white shirts in my closet, I wore the usual tropical themed shirt. Regarding the singing; I am a little out of practice. So I couldn't have been in heaven.
So is it heaven or hell. Some days are heaven. Some days are hell. That's what life is all about. Good days and bad days. Get used to it.
You really have to wonder. No doubt Harold Camping is a "nut job". What really bothers me is that there are people who actually believed this crap and blew their savings or did other things they would never do otherwise if they actually thought about it or got a second opinion. Sounds like brain washing.
No doubt that some of those people in Camping's camp actually voted in previous elections. That is a scary thought. What happened to critical thinking. At least being a skeptic. Worse yet, those people are still around to vote in the next election.
How about the next episode of this story when Camping and his inner circle of followers are found on a private island in the South Pacific spending the money that all the conned believers donated to promote this "end of the world" scam.
In addition, my parochial religious education told me that in heaven we would all wear white robes and we would be singing praises to God. Actually, that sounds pretty boring. Since there are no white shirts in my closet, I wore the usual tropical themed shirt. Regarding the singing; I am a little out of practice. So I couldn't have been in heaven.
So is it heaven or hell. Some days are heaven. Some days are hell. That's what life is all about. Good days and bad days. Get used to it.
You really have to wonder. No doubt Harold Camping is a "nut job". What really bothers me is that there are people who actually believed this crap and blew their savings or did other things they would never do otherwise if they actually thought about it or got a second opinion. Sounds like brain washing.
No doubt that some of those people in Camping's camp actually voted in previous elections. That is a scary thought. What happened to critical thinking. At least being a skeptic. Worse yet, those people are still around to vote in the next election.
How about the next episode of this story when Camping and his inner circle of followers are found on a private island in the South Pacific spending the money that all the conned believers donated to promote this "end of the world" scam.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
RV "Oops" Stories
Without mistakes, we wouldn't be human. We wouldn't have stories to tell. Without mistakes -- of others or myself -- I wouldn't have stories to tell.
RV Oops Story One... Many years ago as I was having my breakfast while a neighbor in the RV park was hooking up his fifth wheel. Seemed to be a lot of talking going on while the hook up was in progress. I was pretty much concentrated on the crossword puzzle and my morning shake.
That was when I heard the kerplunk/crash (or what ever the sound was). Looked out the window to see the front of the fifth wheel resting on the truck beds rails. Of course there was sheet metal damage. Lots of it. The talking stopped. When I looked out there was the unmistakable expression on the guy's face. It said.... Nothing that could be printed here.
Conclusion.... Chatting and hooking up is not a good idea. Not a good time for multitasking.
RV Oops Story Two...At an Elks Lodge the power and water spigots were along the fence. Back up to the fence to get shore power. No lines on the gravel to indicate parking location, etc.
The only other guest in the lot was a coach about 34 feet long. I heard the coach start. With a gasoline engine, there wasn't a lot of noise to bother me. Glancing through the window I saw that he had pulled away from the fence and shore power. However, the power cord and water hose were being dragged along. Never saw that method before. Perhaps it makes it easier to roll and store. Or maybe not. That was when I noticed the water pouring out of the faucet. The end of the hose had ripped off.
Next thing I noted was the "towed" was being driven up behind the coach. The guy got out of the "towed" and saw the power cord and water hose. At that time he realized that they were from his coach. Then he looked back at the "shore power" to see the water coming out of the faucet. He walked over, turned off the water and unscrewed the hose end. As he started to walk back to the coach with that hose end in his hand, he appeared to have another moment of inspiration. He looked in the direction of my trailer and then flung the hose end back to the fence. He proceeded to coil and stuff the power cord and hose in the coach's bay. After hooking up the "towed", he left.
Conclusion... Have an RV check list. Or at least look at the list.
RV Oops Story Three... How about my "oh oh" moment. My experience goes back many years. Even though the trailer was outfitted with rear-stabilizers, they were rarely deployed. As the only occupant of the rig, my movements weren't noticed as I walked around.
On a very windy day and parked on a concrete slab, I seemed to be experiencing motion sickness. So I set down the rear stabilizer jacks. After several days, the black/gray water tanks were full. Easy enough to hook up, dump and return to the site. Hitched up and pulling away, the campground neighbors were waving and pointing, but with the diesel engine I could not hear them. I waved back. It was then that I heard that distinctive sound of steel on concrete. Oh oh.
The stabilizers couldn't be retracted after that bending. Removed them and put them in the dumpster. Been without them ever since. Dramamine might be a better solution to rear stabilizers.
Conclusion... Rear stabilizers should be placed on a four inch block. Or don't use them.
RV Oops Story One... Many years ago as I was having my breakfast while a neighbor in the RV park was hooking up his fifth wheel. Seemed to be a lot of talking going on while the hook up was in progress. I was pretty much concentrated on the crossword puzzle and my morning shake.
That was when I heard the kerplunk/crash (or what ever the sound was). Looked out the window to see the front of the fifth wheel resting on the truck beds rails. Of course there was sheet metal damage. Lots of it. The talking stopped. When I looked out there was the unmistakable expression on the guy's face. It said.... Nothing that could be printed here.
Conclusion.... Chatting and hooking up is not a good idea. Not a good time for multitasking.
RV Oops Story Two...At an Elks Lodge the power and water spigots were along the fence. Back up to the fence to get shore power. No lines on the gravel to indicate parking location, etc.
The only other guest in the lot was a coach about 34 feet long. I heard the coach start. With a gasoline engine, there wasn't a lot of noise to bother me. Glancing through the window I saw that he had pulled away from the fence and shore power. However, the power cord and water hose were being dragged along. Never saw that method before. Perhaps it makes it easier to roll and store. Or maybe not. That was when I noticed the water pouring out of the faucet. The end of the hose had ripped off.
Next thing I noted was the "towed" was being driven up behind the coach. The guy got out of the "towed" and saw the power cord and water hose. At that time he realized that they were from his coach. Then he looked back at the "shore power" to see the water coming out of the faucet. He walked over, turned off the water and unscrewed the hose end. As he started to walk back to the coach with that hose end in his hand, he appeared to have another moment of inspiration. He looked in the direction of my trailer and then flung the hose end back to the fence. He proceeded to coil and stuff the power cord and hose in the coach's bay. After hooking up the "towed", he left.
Conclusion... Have an RV check list. Or at least look at the list.
RV Oops Story Three... How about my "oh oh" moment. My experience goes back many years. Even though the trailer was outfitted with rear-stabilizers, they were rarely deployed. As the only occupant of the rig, my movements weren't noticed as I walked around.
On a very windy day and parked on a concrete slab, I seemed to be experiencing motion sickness. So I set down the rear stabilizer jacks. After several days, the black/gray water tanks were full. Easy enough to hook up, dump and return to the site. Hitched up and pulling away, the campground neighbors were waving and pointing, but with the diesel engine I could not hear them. I waved back. It was then that I heard that distinctive sound of steel on concrete. Oh oh.
The stabilizers couldn't be retracted after that bending. Removed them and put them in the dumpster. Been without them ever since. Dramamine might be a better solution to rear stabilizers.
Conclusion... Rear stabilizers should be placed on a four inch block. Or don't use them.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Three Rivers Petroglyphs
Three Rivers Petroglyphs was mentioned in a previous blog where I had met the guy who had done years of research on petroglyphs across the southwest.
According to some researchers, this site has the most petroglyphs in a single location. Along a less than a mile long ridge, there is a petroglyph every couple of feet. As I walked along the ridge on a very windy day, it was tough for a guy who already has an inner ear (balance) issue. That plus the rocky trail and terrain made the exploring somewhat stressful.
With each stop there were more for photo ops. Animals, faces and geometric designs were represented on the rock surfaces.
My interpretation is as good as any others; this was the art colony. Tribes all over the south west sent their most promising artists to this location to practice their art and expand their skills.
Then I came across this one. Wondering if this one dates to the same period as all the others. It is so much more fluid than the other animal depictions. If this is contemporary with the others, this guy had definite talent.
Whatever the reason for the petroglyphs, it was great to have the opportunity to view North American art works of 500-1000 years ago.
According to some researchers, this site has the most petroglyphs in a single location. Along a less than a mile long ridge, there is a petroglyph every couple of feet. As I walked along the ridge on a very windy day, it was tough for a guy who already has an inner ear (balance) issue. That plus the rocky trail and terrain made the exploring somewhat stressful.
With each stop there were more for photo ops. Animals, faces and geometric designs were represented on the rock surfaces.
My interpretation is as good as any others; this was the art colony. Tribes all over the south west sent their most promising artists to this location to practice their art and expand their skills.
Then I came across this one. Wondering if this one dates to the same period as all the others. It is so much more fluid than the other animal depictions. If this is contemporary with the others, this guy had definite talent.
Whatever the reason for the petroglyphs, it was great to have the opportunity to view North American art works of 500-1000 years ago.
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