We Can Still Hope

Every year our Christmas wish is the same - world peace.  It is almost too much to hope for, especially this year with talk of nuclear weapons escalation and all the turmoil around the world.

We can still hope.  Peace.

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Hey Racist Lady

The presidential campaign rhetoric encouraging racism against Mexican immigrants was evident Tuesday at a JC Penny store in a Louisville, Kentucky shopping mall when a woman when on a rant against two Mexican women at a checkout counter.

According to another shopper, “This Hispanic lady was purchasing items and the transaction was almost complete, then her friend brings up some shirts to be added to her purchase instead of getting in line. And this lady went off!!!”

None of the other shoppers came to the defense of the Mexican women, nor did JC Penny employees.  Now mall officials have said they are attempting to identify the woman who went of the rant and will ban her permanently from the mall.  

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer issued a statement saying, “I am sad and disappointed to see conduct like this, when one person so dehumanizes another human being. This is not who we are, and on behalf of our community, I apologize to the two women who were treated in such a horrible way. I hope this video prompts many discussions among families as they gather for the holidays this week – discussions about basic human values, dignity and respect.

Hey racist lady, FELIZ NAVIDAD!

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We'll Never Know

’Twas four days before Christmas, when all thro’ the camper

Not a creature was stirring, not even a scamper;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

But no holiday cards to be found, none anywhere.

Oh no, we’re out of Christmas cards, no more can we send;

Looks like we’ll have to go to the Family Dollar, just around the bend.

The time is near to finish the cards, so off to the store to buy more we run;

High and low we look, but no boxes were to be found, except one.

And what to our surprise do we see?

The only cards left were African-American; so it shall be.

Out they will go to friends, delivered on USPS sleds,

While visions of sugar plums dance in their heads.

That's right folks.  We ran out of Christmas cards to mail out and the nearest store was six miles up the road.  The only cards they had left were African-American.  Those who get them from us won't think twice about it.  I imagine there are some out there who would be offended.  Since we avoid people like that we'll never know.

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The Chickens Have Come Home To Roost

Yesterday I commented about a big business on 10,000 acres near our RV park in Hope, AZ and the dramatic impact it is having on the groundwater where they are pumping unrestricted.

Back home in Nebraska we live in one of only two counties in the state which having no zoning regulations.  Consequently large cattle and hog confinement operations saw an unrestricted opening and have moved in.  Neighbors who paid no attention when zoning was proposed to our county board and failed are now in an uproar over the smell, groundwater threat and disruption in their quality of life.  Appeals to the county board are too little, too late.

Here in Arizona there is a similar situation near Tonopah.  In 2014 Hickman’s Family Farm of Arlington constructed a chicken farm near Tonopah.  Residents now say it has changed their way of life and ruined the town.

The new farm, located just 15 miles from their existing facility in the town of Arlington, made perfect sense to Hickman’s Family Farms CEO Glenn Hickman.  “It had great infrastructure that existed when we bought it,” Hickman said. “It was already leveled … it had freeway access to I-10 right around the corner.”

Yet Tonopah is less than a quarter of a mile downwind. Living that close to 3 million chickens and the waste they produce has not been pleasant for the few people that do live in Tonopah.

Especially impacted is the nearby Saddle Mountain RV Park which is normally filled with “snowbirds” in the winter months.  Michael Wirth, owner of the RV park, said he’s struggling to fill the 300 spaces on his property because residents are so turned off by the smell.  “Most of them have found other places to go,” Wirth said. “That’s what I anticipate, that most of them will leave me over the next year or two years.”

We know this firsthand as a number of former Saddle Mountain RV’ers have relocated to our park in Hope.  They just couldn’t take the smell and abundance of flies anymore.

The chickens have come home to roost and counties which do not plan for orderly growth with zoning regulations are paying the price.

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The Saudis Are Coming... The Saudis Are Coming

Near where we stay in the winter in Arizona (Hope, AZ) there is a looming disaster on the horizon.  Most metropolitan areas in Arizona restrict the proliferation of ground water wells, but rural areas generally have no regulations.  Such is the case in La Paz County and in recent years they have a right to be concerned.

In 2014 a company from Saudi Arabia bought 10,000 acres near Vicksburg for 47.5 million dollars and along with that came the ground water rights.  The company grows alfalfa on the land, a water intensive crop.  All of it is being shipped back to Saudi Arabia to feed their cattle.  Currently there is no restriction on how much water they use.

Raising the red flag is County Supervisor Holly Irwin.   "They're coming over here, buying land over here and using our natural resources, and we get nothing. Like I've said before, we don't get oil for free, how come we're allowing water to just be depleted for nothing," she said.  She is now looking to state lawmakers and the Arizona Department of Water Resources for help.

The ADWR has held one public comment meeting, and a second meeting is in the works. They also hope to have updated hydrology reports in the near future.

I’m with Supervisor Irwin on this one.  Ground water, while a somewhat renewable resource, isn’t infinite, especially in Arizona.  The Saudi company has retorted that they are providing jobs that weren’t there before.  However, the trade off is squandering the water in exchange for a hundred or so jobs.  It seems to me that this is a case where government regulation is totally appropriate, if not urgent.

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Flat Out Crazy

Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convicted of racial profiling and now being prosecuted in federal court for contempt of court, is at it again.  Since he first took office in 1993, lawsuits involving him or his office has cost taxpayers $142 million in legal expenses, settlements and court awards.  Arpaio was voted out of office in the November election, but that didn’t stop him from making a last idiotic stand.

Yesterday he held a news conference to say that his five year investigation of President Obama’s birth certificate proves it was forged.  Despite the fact that Hawaii officials conclusively proved the opposite, Arpaio threw Arizona tax dollars down that rat hole for five years. On one trip alone, sending a deputy to Hawaii, Arpaio spent $10,000 of taxpayer money.

Arpaio, already a convicted racist and ego maniac, has shown he is one more thing with his birther news conference.  He is flat out crazy.

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Four Years And Nothing Done

Today is the fourth anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  One would have thought that the deaths of 20 children and 6 teachers and staff would shock Congress into passing realistic gun regulations.

Carlee Soto reacts as she learns her sister, Victoria Soto, a teacher at the Sandy Hook 

Elementary School, was one of 26 people killed in a shooting at the school. Photo: Jessica Hill

The guns used in the Sandy hook shooting spree were assault weapons - plain and simple.  Weapons that may have a place in the military or law enforcement, but clearly should not be unregulated for everyone else.

Congress held token hearings after Sandy Hook and blew a lot of smoke about finally doing something to end the killings and gun violence, especially against our children.  However, as usual, this do-nothing Congress, influenced by the gun lobbyists and manufacturers, sat on their hands.

Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, 

holds a picture of him as he testifies during a hearing on The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013.

Maybe this is the year Congress does something...  Oh wait... the gun lobby got Trump elected.  

   

What a waste.

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If Only The Little Guy Could Move

We are basking in the Arizona sun while our grandson is knee high in the Minnesota snow.

Remember the days when your mother would bundle you up in a stocking hat, gloves, insulated pants and a stiff hooded jacket so you would be stuck in one spot?  Growing up in North Dakota I certainly do and it looks like our daughter is keeping up the tradition.  

Now, if only the little guy could move.

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Dog And Pony Show

It sounded like great news when Carrier said last week that it would invest millions in the Indiana plant it decided to keep in the U.S.

The company’s deal with President-elect Donald Trump to keep a furnace plant from moving to Mexico also calls for a $16 million investment in the facility.

But that has a big down side for some of the workers in Indianapolis.

Most of that money will be invested in automation said to Greg Hayes, CEO of United Technologies, Carrier’s corporate parent. And that automation will replace some of the jobs that were just saved.

The decision to keep Carrier’s furnace manufacturing operations in the U.S. instead of moving them to Mexico will save about 800 jobs out of the 1,400 at the plant, at least in the near term. The company declined to say how many of the plants 800 remaining jobs could be lost to automation, or when.  (KTLA 5)

Hee Hee... you've been scammed

Guess that dog and pony show didn't work out so well.

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A Must Watch

Coming to PBS Frontline on January 17th and 18th.

No doubt a must watch.  I wonder how many voters actually watch PBS.

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Forecasts

The forecast back home in Nebraska is for winter cold,

as we enjoy desert temps.

The mornings are chilly, but Doug the Pug has figured a way to stay warm while he waits for the sun to come up.

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Middle Class Screws Themselves Again - Part 2

As Trump continues to appoint Wall Street insiders to key government posts (here), there is little doubt the direction he is headed and that the middle class, who helped vote him in office, will take it in the shorts.

Exactly as they planned: an uninformed electorate lacking critical thinking.  Just as George Carlin predicted ten years ago.

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Middle Class Screws Themselves Again

Has the middle class bought into Trump’s promises and screwed themselves again?

In the financial crisis of 2008 much of the blame goes to Wall Street greed and the inept actions of politicians deregulating the banks.  However, there is plenty of blame to go around and the middle class consumer shares some of that blame.

One of the simplest explanations I have seen is in the HBO movie “Too Big To Fail.”

As income inequality widens, the potential is there for another financial crisis.  A report by Credit Suisse shows that the 1% of the richest control half of the world wealth and the middle class continues to bear the burdens of debt.

The gaps in income and wealth between middle- and upper-income households widened substantially in the past three to four decades. As noted, one result is that the share of U.S. aggregate household income held by upper-income households climbed sharply, from 29% in 1970 to 49% in 2014.  More recently, upper-income families, which had three times as much wealth as middle-income families in 1983, more than doubled the wealth gap; by 2013, they had seven times as much wealth as middle-income families.

The Great Recession of 2007-09, which caused the latest downturn in incomes, had an even greater impact on the wealth (assets minus debts) of families. The losses were so large that only upper-income families realized notable gains in wealth over the span of 30 years from 1983 to 2013.  (Pew Research)

What does this have to do with the election?  Recent articles in the New York Times articulate the complexity of Trump’s holdings (here), massive debt (here), as well as the potential conflicts world-wide (here).

Clearly, Trump will be unable to separate his financial interests from the business of the nation. The big banks and Wall Street have shown no remorse for their responsibility in the financial crisis and continue with few regulations today.  Not one Wall Streeter or banker has gone to jail and they are elated with Trump’s election.  Wall Street and the big banks roll on with huge compensations, little regulation and shenanigans (à la Wells Fargo where no one will go to jail - here).  All the while those who voted for Trump - the middle class - stumble along uninformed and gullible.

The answer is, yes.  The middle class has screwed themselves again.

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Those Who Cannot Remember The Past

Anyone who doesn't believe Trump's campaign rhetoric was a dog whistle for the racists need only watch the video of the annual conference of the National Policy Institute where Trump's victory was met with cheers and Nazi salutes in a speech by its president Richard Spencer. 

"More than 200 attendees on Saturday, gathered at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., for the annual conference of the National Policy Institute, which describes itself as “an independent organization dedicated to the heritage, identity, and future of  people of European descent in the United States, and around the world.”  (The Atlantic)

Frighteningly similar victory speech:

 

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."  George Santayana, 1905

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Desert Rain

We are getting a nice soft rain and the desert is soaking it in.

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A Big Gulp

About four years ago we purchased a used electric golf cart to use at the RV park we stay at.  At that time the salesman assured us it had good batteries.  In hindsight I wish we would have gotten a gas golf cart.

I'm not much for golfing, even though we take it on the course occasionally (never did get the concept of slugging a golf ball down range and then chasing after it).  Mostly we use the cart to cruise around the RV park.  This year the batteries gave out and wouldn't hold a charge.

Old Crappers

Some electric carts take 6 volt batteries, but this cart takes four 12 volt deep cell batteries. And the reason why I wish we could have gotten a gas golf cart?  Replacement 12 volt batteries cost $195. each.  With tax that comes to $209. each.  You read that right - $209. each.

I pondered brooded on that for about ten days until my wife finally said to move on and just buy the new batteries.  Now, as I've said in the past, I'm a bona fide cheapskate, so shelling out $836. for batteries was one of the most agonizing decisions.

Begrudgingly I bought four new batteries.  It wasn't much of a job installing the new batteries.  Just the pain of what I had just spent on them.

Ready To Install New

The New Almost Solid Gold Batteries

I'm over the pain of the $836. and we are back to cruising around with the cart, but man... was that ever a big gulp.

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I Still Have Hope

Wednesday is the day we go 6 miles down the road to the Mexican veggie and fruit market.

We've always found the produce to be fresh and reasonably priced.  The past couple of years a food truck also shows up and has some of the best gorditas for lunch.

New to the market this year we've also really enjoyed sweet potato empanadas made by a lady who sets up a stand.

She is a sweet Mexican woman who speaks only a little english, but clearly understands when she is complimented on her wonderful empanadas.  I don't know any of her background, but can't help but wonder what she thinks about the demogogues and hatemongers who want to chase her out of this country.  

Obviously, being in Arizona we routinely interact with Mexicans, including those just trying to make a living.  In every instance we've found them to be kind and caring.  Something hard to do when so many around them hate them.  Following the presidential election more of this hate will be fostered and that is a travesty.  I still have hope.  Barely.

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In Memoriam Gwen Ifill

Gwen Ifill

September 29, 1955 – November 14, 2016

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Happy 100 Years NPS

Getting past the election, I guess I'll post some pics of our stop over at the Petrified Forest National Park on our way here.  2016 is the centennial of the National Park Service, one of our most worthy and underfunded government entities.

Similar petrified wood we have seen is in Lemmon, South Dakota when we travel to my home state of North Dakota.

The National Park near Holbrook covers a large area and substantial scenery, including petrified trees where they fell millions of years ago.

Happy Centennial to the National Park Service!

   

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No Words

I have no words to describe this election.

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We're Doing Our Best

We have arrived at our winter home.  We got here yesterday afternoon.

This is the first year we left our fifth wheel here and it doesn't seem to be any worse for the wear.  The only glitch was getting the DISH system up and running.  Satellite is about the only option since we get poor over the air reception both at the farm and here.  That requires dragging the two receiver boxes back and forth.  Seems like I'm never able to plug them back in and have them work, which requires a phone call to DISH.

Within a day or two we will settle into the routine here.  It's a tough job being retired, but we're doing our best.

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It Just Doesn't Get Any Better

We had a good day sitting out the wind and rain in the rv.  We slept in, listening to the rain on the rv roof.  You rv'ers know what that is like and is somewhat soothing, especially when you are warm and toasty in bed.  Later in the morning we played a few rounds of gin rummy and watched a movie.

The forecast is for clearing tomorrow and we'll get it together and head out mid-morning.

The plan is to stop at the Petrified National Forest near Winslow, AZ on the way.  Looks like good weather there.

To close out the day today we went over to the casino and actually played a few machines. We donated $23 to the casino, but had a seafood feast at the buffet.  Here's a pic for blogging friend George at Our Awesome Travels.

Like my dad use to say, "it just doesn't get any better."

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