Chronicles 311 - Riding Down Memory Lane

I guess I have another little story to relate before riding off into the dawn when my new schedule takes effect next week, so the story continues from the original.

Being naturally curious about history I must not forget my roots, where I came from (or went to riding the 311). For some reason I haven't related this story before, not sure if I forgot or thought I already had covered it. Looking back, I apparently never written about the time I was nearly crushed by an over over burdened, rather large woman.

These were the days when the economy still had jobs and the commute was a severely packed cattle truck, stopping and going with the rest of western Washington. I was riding later because I worked 8-4:30 in those days, not the 7-3:30 when I started riding it again.

Riding earlier has it's advantages;

1. Traffic is much lighter
2. Commute is much faster
3. Less commuters on the bus
4. Less "new and interesting people" to meet

Riding later has it's disadvantages;

1. It sucks

Here's one of the reasons why;


This journey began as a trip to work, during the winter. I do not recall which day or month (mostly because during the winter they all look the same: gray, dark, wet, blustery) but it was the typical chilly wetness that permeates the sodden sponge that is western Washington in winter.

At this time, I was walking down to the corner to catch the bus, even though the park and ride is only a 5 minute drive away, but that meant I'd have to deal with the line Nazi as well as a million or so more commuters to compete with. The walk was actually refreshing, that is until I climbed aboard 311. Okay, enough of the scene setting, on with the story...

It began as the bus was loading from the park and ride and I was sitting all the way in the back corner against the window. All riders had appeared to have loaded, and I was lucky enough to find the seat next to me still vacant. Even the tiniest amount of space is huge and can make a big difference in your commute if you're not plastered to the window or in constant close contact with your fellow rider. It's the little things that you cling to. I did notice that the bus was not moving, even though everyone appeared to make it aboard.

Then I saw her, the white elephant in the room (literally, she was wearing white and nearly the size of one) laden down with a shopping bag, purse, laptop bag, newspaper tucked under one arm holding a Starbucks latte clearing a path down the aisle. My moment of tiny euphoria, my little teeny bubble was stomped and flattened with each step she took in my direction.

Five normal sized people can fit on the rear bench seat. Four is bearable, three or less is optimum. I was one of four, soon to be five, six, seven, eight, nine and apparently ten because she spotted the opening next to me and was slowly moving towards it like a cargo ship looking to dock on the pier. Finally she made it to the back and turned to sit, sort of juggling every thing in her hands and arms and paused. The bus started with a jerk and she collapsed backwards into the seat, landing hard on me, her purse landing in my lap, elbowing me  right in the chest. She then shifted a little bit and retrieved the purse, glaring at me in silence before putting her 47 bags and other shit on the floor in front of her, and stuffing the other 39 on the "shelf" behind the seat (which has a sign that says "Do not place anything in this area while the bus is in motion").

That woke me up and also pissed me off as I took one of my ear plugs out. Not a word about her entrance, or apology. Her girth forced quite a bit of body on body contact, pushing me sideways against the window. I let out a great big sigh and she looked at me and said "I need more room!" in a rather angry voice, fierce eyebrows ready to flip the bus over.

Many thoughts raced through my mind as I looked at her in utter disbelief. "What the hell is she thinking?" topped the list. Amazingly unaware of her own ability to be a royal pain in the ass, she's boldly flaunting it. I look her right in the eye and ask; "You want more room?" with gritted teeth.

"Yes!" she bellowed. I thought one of her eyeballs popped.

"Go on a diet!" I offered.

"Oh!" she gasped while I stuffed my ear plug back in and turned up my mp3 player. Two people sitting right in front of me started laughing, the guy sitting on the other side of her gave a smirk of agreement, others just looking at some commotion. She looked at me, with her lips moving as the music played. I too smirked before looking away, out the window and tried to ignore her bulk on mine. The tunes cranked and her jawbone flew up and down, but I couldn't hear anything she was saying, nor did I want to, even if she did finally offer an apology. I certainly don't treat people like that, besides that leaves a terrible first impression. I still see this lady on the bus from time to time and I have never forgotten her rudeness.

We stopped at the next park and ride to let more people cram their way on, the aisle filled with standing people for the rest of the ride into Seattle. Nothing more was said as she read her paper and drank her coffee. It was quite a show as she managed to hold the cup and turn pages all at the same time, which made it hard to ignore, but I managed as I held my body position in this rolling human jigsaw.

Finally the bus made it to downtown and I dislodged my bag from between my legs, making obvious motions that I'm getting off on the next stop, yet apparently not noticed by Ms Delightful Bulkiness. Others got up a little before the next stop so I made my move. Startled to noticing, she quickly stood up to get out of the way. "FINALLY!" I thought, but alas, she managed to mess that up too by tipping her nearly empty latte cup on on the guy sitting on the other side of her, dribbling espresso onto his clothes.

"Lady!!" he yelled, throwing the cup aside. A large bru ha ha ensued in my wake as I managed to tip toe around the fracas, and won't repeat the language filling the back of the bus upon my exit.

I stepped onto the curb and greeted a typical gray Seattle winter day, dreary, chilly, wet, blustery with a lot of gray. The sun totally diffused by low dark clouds and a heavy dampness in the air.

I was never so happy to see it.

Riding off into the Dawn; 311 Chronicles on hiatus

Due to schedule changes at work beyond my control, it is with a happy heart that I refrain from riding the bus to work (for at least the next quarter) so I won't be able to enjoy the company of my fellow travelers, instead I will be driving because there's no dependable bus service at the times I will be coming and going...Tues/Wed Mid-10am Thurs/Fri 2pm-Mid.

Instead of fellow travelers, I will be seeing my fellow human being as I come to and from my building. If you didn't know, I work for a major telecommunications company *cough* Qwest *cough* who wants you to buy their products to work from anywhere, except if you happen to work for them, then you have to commute downtown to do a job that could be done anywhere. If my company just USED the products they promote.

*SIGH*

My fellow human beings though, are a concern. Not only do I worry about my safety as I walk to and from my building at all hours of day and night, I worry about theirs; sleeping in doorways or bustops. Milling about, digging in garbage cans, pan handling for spare change or scraps of food outside one of many restaurants downtown. Some new faces, some same old sad and desperate ones. I am both repulsed and humbled. It's not up to me to judge how they got there. How thankful I am to have the security of a home to return to. Call me a bleeding heart, but until I take a walk in someone elses shoes, or if they don't have any; down their path, it is not for me to say and my initial response is compassion. I just try to follow that old "golden rule" ethic and live a life of good karma, doing likewise as Jesus taught. If I die in the attempt then I suffer for them no more, for I do believe that I should love my neighbor as I do myself. I know I can be extremely forgiving when it comes to myself, how about others?

Can you?

I have to tell you though, the pain must be intense to try and medicate it in ways that I've witnessed. I can't just handover money because I know many cannot be trusted with such things and I won't facilitate harmful behavior. I can however offer my lunch, or go to a sandwich shop. Stop for a short chat about things, acknowledging one's existence, filling both heart and stomach. I may not be a rich man but I do have enough to "spread around". I don't think I could live the life of the rich and famous knowing that people are barely living on the streets and have no place for refuge.

I will never forget the older man I came across while walking to my building. He was scrounging through some empty fast food bags/wrappers that were left in a sidewalk planter, before he looked up at me as I approached. He first asked me how to get to Capitol Hill, to a food bank. Then he asked me if I had anything to eat because he was very hungry. I bought him a big sub sandwhich of his choosing. I don't say this because I want any kind of accolades for extending a very little bit of myself. I'd like to hand them (accolades) out to those who for some reason, survive to live another day in hell. I'm just doing what I am supposed to do when you see someone in trouble. I would hope for the same if I ever end up in dire straits.

It takes so little to do something about it but is a little overwhelming to be a witness too, hence the thankfulness of having a home and someone who loves me. Life at times has been very overwhelming for me and I shudder at the thought facing it without a home to go to, someone to confide my troubles to and not be treated as a 2nd class citizen.

Great organization that feeds the homeless
Safety, security, love. When it's in abundance for some, it's so easy to overlook.

For others, it's hard to overlook when it's in short supply.

An Ode To Ref 71

(and conservatives in general)....





Hammer To Fall
Brian May

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
We're just waiting for the hammer to fall

Oh, ev'ry night and every day
A little piece of me is falling away
But lift your face the Western Way
Build your muscles as your body decays

Toe your line and play their game
Let the anaesthetic cover it all
Till one day they call your name
You know it's time for the hammer to fall

Rich or poor or famous
For your truth it's all the same
Lock your door the rain is pouring
Through your window pane
Baby now your struggle's all in vain

For we grew up tall and proud
In the shadow of the mushroom cloud
Convinced our voices can't be heard
We just wanna scream it louder and louder and louder

What the hell we fighting for ?
Just surrender and it won't hurt at all
You just got time to say your prayers
While you're waiting for the hammer to fall

Where Has The Civility Gone?

Civility, where has it gone? There was a time we could agree to disagree and that your political opponent was just that and not your enemy. I've noticed a big change over the last decade and have decided to put some mental notes down in my blog.

I have been witness to some horrible actions by my fellow citizens. When someone depicts a black man as Hitler, something has gone seriously wrong. To misapply history is such a way is not only a discredit to those who actually did suffer at the hands of that beast, it shows a total and complete lack of historical knowledge. What's worse, when presented with facts to the contrary, one will still cling to their beliefs and try to align them into reality dooming all of us to repeat history.

Well folks, I've seen enough and I'm extremely embarrassed by the actions of some in this country. I have no problem with free speech until it is abused for political advantage, which is what they do. Now many are very pissed off at my President. That would be ok, if you had a case, but he really hasn't done anything yet and quite frankly, I'm pissed off because I believe these folks are the cause of their own problems, as well as mine. Put the blame where it belongs or STFU is my opinion.

All this talk of government take over are from the same folks who think that a president wiretapping all US communication in the name of international terrorists is okay, and un-American if you disagree. Again, I can think of two words for people who think like this, any guesses as to what they may be?

So, I started to take a mental inventory but had to start writing it down because it's hard to keep track of everything. Here's my POV of the last decade as to the decline of civility in public discussions. These are off the top of my head, I am open to suggestions and revisions.

Let's start with Joe Wilson and work our way backwards;

• Joe Wilson breaks House rules by calling the President a liar while he is speaking during his address to congress regarding health care reform. I do that to my boss and my ass is fired. All Joe had to do was apologize, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO he sorta did but he's not really sorry. Numerous bipartisan fact checkers point out that there will not be any coverage for illegal aliens.

• Earlier in the week, Obama issues a speech to the nations school children. Conservatives everywhere throw a hissy fit that he's trying to poison minds without reading it for themselves.

• Glenn Beck calls Obama racist and that he hates white people (forgetting the fact that his mother is white, as well as half of his family).

• Obama wants to kill your grandparents, replace them with illegal aliens and cover them under his health care plans of reform government takeover and forced socialism.

• Heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans.

• Bat crazy raving in public is patriotic.

• People turn the open discussion of health care reform into shouting matches with ridiculous comparisons to Hitler and the Nazis.

• Obama creates town hall meetings so we can discuss our options on health care reform.

• Republicans (and Fox News loyalists) call it a failure because it ran out of money so quickly.

• Cash for clunkers spurs auto sales, takes gas guzzlers off the road and is extremely popular with the American people.

• Now the President is blamed for the whole economic mess and Republicans everywhere suffer from collective amnesia when we wonder who screwed up in the first place.

• Our economy is on the verge of economic melt down, Obama continues the bailout started by the Bush administration.

• Tea Baggers take to the streets to protest, not realizing what the term "Tea Baggers" really means.

• Republicans and the WH actually agree on a stimulus plan, then all as one, they vote against it when the time comes to be counted.

• Sarah Palin quits as governor of Alaska, but it's a good thing.

• Sotomayor is nominated for the Supreme Court. A racist Hispanic who's later confirmed.

• Obama wins the Presidential election by garnering more than 8 million votes over McCain in the popular vote. Dems gain more control over Congress and for his efforts, Obama inherits well over two trillion dollars of debt.

Let's go back to the campaign.

• Bush begins bailing out Wall Street.

• Lehman Bros fails, AIG follows.

• Jobs are dropping like flies, American auto companies too.

• Obama is a radical Muslim, yet he has to explain his relationship with a Christian Pastor.

• The US spends nearly 2.4 trillion dollars on health care in 2008 (17% of it's GDP). More and more Americans are foregoing health care coverage due to rising costs.

• We find out that Sarah Palins daughter is an unwed pregnant teen. Conservatives flock to her defense like a pit bull. How brave she is to be shattering such glass ceilings.

• Obama isn't American and was born in Kenya, or Indonesia or Hawaii, one of those foreign countries. His mother isn't white or American either (her uncles didn't fight in WWII too). Lucky for McCain he was on a military base in Panama when he was born and yes, his parents were US citizens in case you are worried about his legal status. Unlucky for Obama because he was born on US soil, has a valid birth certificate, hospital records confirm it. It actually appeared in the paper (American of course) under "births". For some, that's just not enough.

• Obama is going to take away your guns because he's an Islamofascissts terrorisstss.

• I lost my raise due to increased health care costs.

• Obama doesn't have enough experience, since he's only a "community organizer". If only Illinois was geographically close to Canada or some other foreign land. Caribou Barbi however, is up to the job! *wink*

• McCain is nominated and selects Sarah Palin as his "running mate". Conservatives promptly flock to this breath of fresh air, as a baby is to shiny, jangly keys and fall into a zombie like state. Only to accuse Obama as the Messiah to his followers.

• Obama consorts with known terrorists. While it's Rumsfeld pictured shaking Saddam's hand in the early 80's.

• Insurance companies can reject your coverage if you have a prior condition, like hemorrhoids.

• Larry Craig (R Idaho) is busted in an airport restroom for soliciting gay sex doing his Fred Astaire impersonation.

• Obama is a distraction for the Clinton campaign and Democrats in general. Hillary beats him up so badly that either one is going to lose to the Republican challenger.

• Obama wins in Iowa.

• Obama announces presidential bid.

Going back even farther;

• Economy weakens, starts shedding jobs. Americans are working more and getting paid less over the last decade. Health care eats up wages.

• We're finding more kids are left behind when it comes to education.

• Bush attempts Social Security reform by privatizing it. The plan goes over well, just like a lead balloon. The AARP gets Swiftboated because of it.

• Mark Foley (R Florida) likes young boys. Apparently the Republican leadership knew about it for over a year prior before doing something about it.

• Rush Limbaugh is detained in with a sack full of Viagra after a recent visit to the Dominican Republic, well known for their child sex trade, and he was traveling with four men. As it turns out, those pills weren't his, but the Oxycontin that he was Dr shopping for were.

• Many Americans are choosing between their house or their health.

• What's up with Iran?

• Insurance companies put caps on total health care reimbursement. Patriotism running high.

• The Taliban are making a big comeback in Afghanistan, opium poppies are the chief export crop and largest money maker for this country of rubble and bomb craters (and pipelines).

• Dick Cheney shoots hunting partner, nothing is reported to authorities until the next day. His victim apologizes for being shot.

• As it turns out, the wiretapping plans were far more extensive than previously stated. Crickets are heard chirping at the RNC and WH, congress says "huh?".

• Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans. Bush plays guitar in California before flying over the scene days after. Plenty of people with functioning brains are left to fend for themselves.

• People on fixed incomes (mostly the elderly) have to choose between their Rx or their lunch.

• Obama speaks on the troubled banking industry, namely the housing market, but is largely ignored by the Majority party (republicans).

• Glenn Beck says “I didn't think I could hate victims faster than the 9/11 victims”.

• Bush declares "Ownership Society"

• Terry Shaivo finally dies, officially as her heart stops beating. The autopsy shows her brain is mostly a gel like liquid, coincidentally much like the ones who tried to err on the side of her life.

• Osama Bin Laden is still not accounted for, Bush doesn't really think about him that much, although I'm sure he's on the minds of the 911 families.

• Congress acts on the behalf of brain dead Terry Schaivo, Bush "errs on the side of life" as America watches the federal gov intervene into personal lives.

• Democracy is on the march in the middle east!

• Again, there's no insurgency in Iraq.

• We're staying the course in Iraq (and making progress - millions of Iraqi's are ready to stand up).

• America is the only industrialized country on the planet where it's citizens declare bankruptcy over medical bills.

• Anybody know today's terror alert status?

• Still no WMD's but lots of IED's.

• Republican Senator Sensenbrenner (MN) takes his gavel and goes home when the Democrats want to discuss/review the Patriot act.

• Gas spikes at over $4 per gallon.

• North Korea reconstitutes nuclear weapons program. We can't meet with them directly because that would be validating their actions.

• Keith Olbermann goes apoplectic.

• Bill O'Reilly again says the same statement that Americans killed Germans at Malmady when interviewing Gen Wesley Clark.

• We find out that the US goes to war the equipment we got, not what we want, who cares that we did the invading?

• Obama elected as the Jr Senator from Illinois after serving in the state legislature since 1997. Gives the keynote address to the Democratic 2004 convention.

• There's no such thing as an insurgency in Iraq.

• Bill O'Reilly says his words were taken out of context and was misunderstood.

• Keith Olbermann points out that it was Americans massacred at Malmady, By Nazi's.

• Bill O'Reilly accuses American troops in WWII at Malmady of executing Germans to justify the civilians killed in Iraq.

• Iraqi's are more likely to die a violent death unlike BEFORE the invasion, when they were likely to die due of natural causes, such as disease, accidents, old age etc...

• Innocent civilians are killed by US troops in Iraq.

• Wiretapping plans discovered, but we're assured that it's only international calls. Nothing to worry about here. FISA is does not apply anymore since the rules have changed, even though the FISA court still exists.

• Nobody else seems to know exactly how many Iraqi civilians have been killed.

• Mayo clinic study suggests that over 100,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since March of 2003.

• More working Americans are skipping preventative health care because they don't have coverage, or can't afford to buy it separately.

• Bush says "Bring it on". OBL still unaccounted for.

• Bush is re-elected on a platform of Smear, Fear and Queer bashing and proceeds to spend his "political capital". Many states put gay marriage initiatives on the presidential ballot. He supports Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage. Iraq war still going on, when they stand up, we will stand down because there's been a lot of progress going on here, regardless of Rumsfelds predictions.

• Terror alerts are raised and changed often.

• Saddam is captured in a spider hole, while his sons had already been caught and killed - in possession of billions of US dollars loaded in semi trucks. The Iraq war has become an occupation.

• Colin Powell resigns

• "Major combat operations have ended in Iraq" - GW Bush, 5/03.

• No WMD's found. Lots of oil though and a few weapons cache's that are left behind and unguarded, only to be descovered empty later.

• We're making progress in Iraq and staying the course.

• Abu Ghraib is discovered. The troops pay the price, the administration pays nothing.

• Valerie Plame CIA status is outed.

• The REAL Joe Wilson writes an op ed about WMD's. The WH goes into action.

• Our VP advocates for torture, says that his office is not a part of the executive branch when asked to turn over documents required for the National Archive.

• America spends more per capita on health care for it's citizens than Canada, & Canada covers all of it's citizens. In the US, millions are uninsured with little options for reasonable coverage/care.

• Patriot Act passes, as do most rights of Americans, few seem to notice or care as long as we are "safe".

• Rush Limbaugh is busted Dr shopping for Oxycontin but refuses to follow his own advice when it comes to drug abusers and stays on the air.

• George Bush and the Republican congress cut taxes to fill the government coffers so we can pay for the Iraq war (a first in American history during war time, China will be financing the efforts).

• Shock and Awe begins. Trillions of dollars to follow. Rumsfeld doubts it will last longer than six months.

• Democrats either cave in or go against the extreme feeling of patriotism in America.

• Who the hell is Ahmed Chalabi?

• Some dude named "Curveball" is an ideal informant.

• Flag lapel pins become all the rage.

• Our President lies to America in his State of the Union speech regarding yellow cake uranium from Niger. He's not impeached because he wasn't having an affair with his wife. Sorry Condi!

• Asking questions about invading Iraq makes one un-American.

• Colin Powell delivers the worlds worst best dog and pony show to the UN.

• Gas reaches $3 per gallon.

• Paul Wolfowitz testifies to congress that the Iraq war will cost less that $2 billion and that it will be repaid in Iraqi oil revenues. Suggestions of $100 billion war estimates are quickly shot down by the White House.

• Dick Cheney meets with heads of energy companies to discuss something about setting policies. We're not sure who was there, or what was said. Nothing to see here, move along please.

• George Bush creates the new agency; Homeland Security, vastly expanding the federal government to record levels. It comes with a really cool terror alert system.

• 911 happens, so we need to invade Iraq for WMD's and order the inspectors out (who have yet to find any). Now all the rules change at any time because we are under attack from Islamofascists. Remember, nearly 3,000 people were killed that horrible day, but we don't want to investigate what happened

• George Bush reads "The Pet Goat", proving that he can actually read.

• Rush Limbaugh eats Oxycontin as if it were Pez candy and looks startlingly thin, but he's deaf as hell.

• During a briefing on National Security in August 2001, the White House West (Crawford Tx) gets a memo saying something about terror attacks on the US, using commercial jets are imminent. Good thing 911 hasn't happened or we'd be real scared. On another note, the Bush Administration starts using toilet paper, from 100% recycled paper.

• George Bush is on vacation, again.

• Bush and Cheney are "elected" by the US Supreme Court to finally bring dignity and respect back to the White House. They're given an actual budget surplus to pay down the national debt. So, they cut taxes - the same ones that were in place during the economic boom that was the 90's.

At least I gave George Bush the chance to earn my ire. My President isn't even in office a year and beginning to clean up a toxic mess left behind by the last administration and we've got assholes like Joe Wilson interrupting his efforts. I point at people like Joe who ARE the problem but refuse to admit to it, because they are blind to it. If he wants to call the President a liar, he's a little late. The one that did repeatedly without any interruptions by Joe, has moved on.

At least let President Obama earn your wrath and contempt before turning into a pack of rabid, foaming at the mouth dogs. It is embarrassing as an American to witness.

Chronicles 311: Better Late Than Never?

Just when I start thinking that riding the bus really isn't all that bad & noting that nothing really has happened recently to make me sit down and write about another wonderful adventure aboard King County Metro, I get a reminder of how things really are.

Perhaps we've been getting a little spoiled riding the bus during the summer. It's usually early and about half full. Once school starts as fall rolls in, it's usually late and jammed like a cattle truck on the way to the rendering plant. In my minds eye I picture a truck/trailer, with those little holes down the side leaking a greenish sort of substance.

Today, the bus was about 10 minutes late, which usually means the amount of people/cattle/zombies catching the bus doubles or triples. Not only that, but the natives get very restless waiting around, turning their heads at anything that sounds like a bus. Lots of busses came and went but none were 311, which was supposed to arrive before them.

Another bus, not 311 rolls up to pick up it's cargo. As it's rolling to a stop, I finally see 311 rolling in behind it. It stops and opens it's doors. I was third from the front of the line and had been waiting for nearly a half hour. Now the back of the line gets to load first, which is really no big deal, until I notice that the bus is not the usual articulated type, but a short bus! We filled it at the P-R, with one more park and ride stop to make before Seattle.

Being one of the last people on the bus, I found a seat next to an older woman who was reading Sartes, of all things. Talk about out of place! But hey, sometimes you do see odd things while riding the bus. I plopped down and put my bag on my lap, then grabbed my iPod to drown out the usual clatter that is the bus and it's riders. We pulled into the second P&R and crammed the bus full to SRO before leaving.

Like I pointed out in an earlier dispatch of the 311 Chronicles, somebody was nice enough to bring some hot, warm and cheesy air biscuits with them to anonymously share with all as we left the last park and ride. Either that or someone had a big plate of cabbage last night. My iPod only masks sounds and is useless when it comes to funky odors. UGH! If could have stood up I would have opened a window, but I was too light headed and crammed into my seat to make a move.

It reeked all the way to downtown

I always thought the only difference between a cattle car and a metro bus was the smell.

Not any more!

Freddie

A Very Good Boy

It is with a heavy heart that I post this information regarding the passing of Freddie, a member of the Seattle Police Departments bomb squad;

Freddie the bomb dog dies

My condolences to his partner, Officer Williamson for his loss. May you find peace in this difficult time. We thank you for your serivces to the community. We know the true value of a loyal helper such as him.

Our Lewis has made so much possible for my family. He can soothe your bruised and battered soul like no other. There's no Rx available that can provide the healing that he does. I shudder to think of the day when he's no longer with us and appreciate every moment that he is here.

We owe him our lives. I would gladly give mine for his.

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

Unknown

Poopin' in the bathwater

A disgusting thought, isn't it?

What happens when you flush, where does it go?

What happens when you don't flush?

What happens when you can't?

What happens when you don't care?

My guess is something like this;




One can argue the merits of our current environmental issues till we're blue in the face, passed out from lack of oxygen, dehydrated because there's no clean water. Global warming is a hot topic debate; science vs politics. How can one tell that earth is warming, if you're not a scientist and don't understand climatic processes? Looking out your window, it doesn't seem even possible that humans could impact the climate like that.

Warming or not, you cannot deny humankinds impact on the environment around them. To merely walk through a pristine meadow causes an impact. To mow down forests & put up buildings, lay asphalt to drive between them all is an impact on a huge scale. Changing the environment comes with it's consequences. Some that take decades to see.

I want a clean environment for my daughter to grow up in, for her to raise her kids too. We can no longer be selfish and ignore what we do to it. On a global scale the US should use it's positive influence to encourage others to do the same.

The next time you open a plastic bottle or put your purchases in a plastic bag think about where it's going to end up. Out of sight and out of mind does NOTHING to fix the problem, while we are adding to a disaster in the making. If you think there aren't any problems, watch the video again. Google "Pacific garbage patch" and try not to vomit as you read through all the articles.

This is God's creation. Don't kill it. We owe it to the next generations.

~ Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money. ~
Cree Indian Proverb