Where is our water coming

Folks who have read my blog in the past know that one of my concerns has to do with the availability of water. That in the same way we fret about petroleum and natural gas that the day will come when we will focus on why we are running out of water in the Southwest part of our country.

Even in areas where water is readily available may find their supplies threaten by gas well drilling fracking operations and changes in climate. The when you add in southwestern states talking about running pipe lines to get access to their water can make an individual very guarded about giving the water away.

I come from a long line of dry land farmers who didn’t make their crops because it didn’t rain. Therefore with that lineage you develop a sensitivity to available water supplies. So it wasn’t to surprising when this past thanksgiving I became involved in a conversation with my sister-in-law, who works for the USDA conservation corp.,  concerning a recent study that she read that said that according to study of growth rings of certain regional trees that this year has been one of the driest years since 1582.

Now add to that the fact that you live in a area that is dependent on water caught in impoundments (lakes) and realize that no rain means the lakes don’t fill up.  The question becomes at what time do you admit you made a mistake encouraging unrestricted growth and water intensive farming and landscape?

Right now there are parts of our state of Texas that has severely limited watering and water use and this during the time when we get the bulk of our rain in year. We have lakes that our down 10 to 15 ft. below normal leaving some of the pump stations high and dry.

So you say turn on the wells  and start using them. That sounds good until you realize several things. (1) The aquifers that most of these wells pull from have been so severely worked for irrigation of farms that they are already at a level below what some wells s pull from. (2) The water highly mineralized already has high levels of salination to the point of undrinkable.. (3) Heavy use of fertilizer, illicit dumping of chemicals, fracking chemicals used in gas wells, and insecticides have led to contamination of many of our water wells.

I can never forget a conversation I had with a local water dept employees who commented that they never drink the water but buy bottle water for their coffee and drinking. When I commented that they were kidding me they assured me they were not. What they hated the most were having to take down a water line feeding into the city and activating the wells because it meant that they meant they would be spending a week flushing out the lines once the outside water line was back in operation.

Let me ask this one question. If you are willing to allow your country’s leader’s to go to a immoral war to supposedly assure fuel for your SUV what would you do to assure you have life giving water to drink?

Well I have said enough for now. I just wanted to get folks to talking about it and thinking about how they use water.

Projects, Reading, Movies

Minimal time in the shop due to the holidays. Hope to make up for it in the upcoming week.

Same thing with the reading.

Movies were a different story Watched “Green Lantern” Reba didn’t like the way he flew. Otherwise it was a pretty good story.

“Walking Dead” nearing season end and the so is the intensity of the story line ramping up.  Can’t wait to see what they do.

A new series “Hell on Wheels” about the 19^th century building of the trans-continentlal railroad turning into a pretty good series. The corruption of our government isn’t something new if the series is to believed.

Know thy Enemy

When you examine the wars that our country is currently fighting in foreign countries it would seem that our leaders have forgotten that you need to know your enemy. If they had then I wonder if we would ever become involved in a war that only knows the “Blood Feud” and tribal loyalties. The enemies we are making there now we will have in 200 years.

But , this maximum of “Know your enemy” cannot be more true than in the class struggle we are involved it right now.

What the middle/working class need to know is first that the elites or 1% believe totally in trickle down economy. Second understand that part of their philosophical basis come’s from a ideal of “objectivism”.

Objectivism promotes the ideal that in the same way cream rise to the top so do the elite and that as cream is valued so should the elite be valued more than the rest of us rabble.  The Ann Rand Institute the 20^th century writer of the classic “Atlas Shrugged” and author of the philosophy explains it this way

“1. “Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed” or “Wishing won’t make it so.” 2. “You can’t eat your cake and have it, too.” 3. “Man is an end in himself.” 4. “Give me liberty or give me death.”

http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=objectivism_intro

Looked at in this simple view it seems reasonable but the truth is more of a screw you that only thing that counts is I get mine first and I is defined as the uber-rich or elites. In short is a elite philosophy for elitist. Evidence of this is seen in her seminal work “Atlas Shrugged” and in the movie of the same.

Now take this ideal of no regulatory control over finance or industry of what is good for me is good for everybody else and that eventually those on the bottom rung will get what they need. It is lazier faire economy of the minimal government, no taxes, and no government programs or help for the poor, no control over food or meds production and you see suddenly where the “Tea Parties” GOP’s are coming from.  So it should not be a surprise to find out that our current house speaker John Boehner, house budget chairman Paul Ryan are both big fans of Ms. Rand and have been known to parhrase and quote from her works.

To get more info NPR has been doing a great series on the influence of Ann Rand and you can start with their recent Nov. 14^th article

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/14/142245517/on-capitol-hill-rands-atlas-cant-be-shrugged-off

But should think that they are just showing their liberal bias they also have done a series of article on the Keynesian economic philosophy that promotes more regulations, greater taxes on the ultra-rich and more public assistance for those in need. The very opposite of Objectivism.

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/16/142348310/keynes-consuming-ideas-on-economic-intervention

In this economic class war you need more than ever to know your enemy.

Reading and shop

Recently finished “Rainbow Pie” by Joe Baynet a great book that was part memoir and part how the white poor working class been led down the garden path.  Great read well worth spending time with it. Unfortunately there will be no more from Joe as he has passed away this year.  But you can still find a collection of his articles.

Started a political thriller called the “The Librarian” by Larry Beinhart and as I read it I find myself wondering if perhaps he was a fly on the wall. Great read so far.

Been working on sanding down the child’s writing desk getting it ready to reassemble and finish. Hopefully this week should have it done.

I also have picked up a Ryobi orbital jig saw so I hopefully will get back on to the Cherry salt and pepper collectible hanging cabinet.

The biggest problem I have been having in getting these jobs done has been cranky joints limiting my ability to do get out into the shop. But I am thinking I am going to have to just man up and do it.

Well enough for now.

How we remember and pushing through to get restarted

Sometimes I am stymied for a subject to blog on. I mean it is not like there isn’t anything to write about.

The economy sucks. Working/middle class continue to loose ground. Politicians continue to give us reason to comment. But there comes a time when it just becomes hard to write because you start feeling you are repeating yourself.

I would write about projects but I have been having difficulty with getting out into the shop and making saw dust, I find multiple reasons for not undertaking garden projects and photo opportunities seem to elude me.

I guess I am in a funk.

I read and I get pleasure from it. I watch Video and history channels but I am still find myself in that funk.

I do find myself thinking about my past. Reflecting on how I became who I am. This morn I took my first sip of coffee of the day and it took me back to times when coffee played a part of the day.

My first thought was when I was 15 and told by my Grandma to sit down on the bench with the rest of the men for breakfast instead of waiting with the rest of the kids to be fed and my mother pouring me a cup of coffee. It was a sign of being accepted as an adult. Of course it also meant I was worked hard like a man was expected to do.

The other thought was sleeping rough on the side of the road and that first cup of coffee after a cold night the taste was like nectar of the gods.

The other cups of coffee were notable mornings watching the sun coming up as I sat on a tailgate of a old pickup pouring a  cup of coffee from my old battered thermos, watching as the men hustled to get ready to begin work and my own excitement kicking in for the work day ahead.

I guess that is the way the mind works a taste or smell or familiar site dredging up old memories. It seems as I grow older it is so for me.

Afternote

After I wrote this on Thursday I spent time in the shop Sunday after church working on the garage sale kids desk. Cleaning it up after taking it apart patching cracks and old screw holes. Tomorrow I will begin sanding it down and prefinished the piece.

It feels good to be out in the shop in such wonderful weather. I did this despite the ache from a incoming front. Sometimes you have to just work through the pain to get where you want to be.

Good Neighbor Policy

I live in a older neighborhood. By older I mean the age of it’s residents tend to be on the plus side of 50. The result of that is a quite area in a sea of rolling boom boxes and verbal and mechanical traffic noise that often include police helicopters flying overhead. That is ok I like it like that. A island of quite in a sea of urban noise.

But we have this one neighbor and his wife as well as his kids that exemplify the meaning of community and service. You see they believe you have to look after your neighbors particularly if they can’t get around or take care of things or need help much like I do because of arthritic knees and hips.

This neighbor is never still. I see him doing lawn care for his neighbors without thought of compensation. He has sawed up and cleaned up fallen tree limbs after a storm. Cleaned ice away from steps and always greet you with a smile. Again, this goes for his entire family.

I have wittiness his daughter who is attending college help the more senior of us who are unable to drive get in out of her car to take them to the doctor or grocery store. The son follows in his father’s footsteps helping out with keeping the neighbors yards. Just yesterday observed raking fallen leaves, mowing and edging.

This is just who they are. As it has been said it’s in their DNA.

This got me to thinking. This is the way it use to be in small towns or in tight neighborhoods. Everybody looking after each other.  We used to help one another to get through the day. All done without thought of compensation or thanks. It was just what you did as neighbors.

I remember distinctly my mom looking after a neighbor kids while a parent recovered. Of dishes made and delivered to the sick or grieving. Sacks of groceries left on doorsteps of elderly and those who have lost their jobs and money for food disappeared. It was just what you did.

But we live in a less neighborly society today. We have forgotten that none of us will get out of this life alive. That no matter how independent we may think we are there will be those time when a little neighborly help is appreciated. But, remember it isn’t a one way street give and you will receive.

These are the lesson that my neighbor has reminded me of. So when his water line from the meter developed a leak I didn’t hesitate in helping him figure out how to fix it. Nor do I mind watching his place as well as my other neighbors while they are away. Because I know that they will do the same for me. It is just what neighbors do.

So why am I writing about my good neighbor?

Simply this, we are living in difficult times. It is a time that from recent figures from the Dept of treasury and office of congressional budget report that nearly 50% of our citizens live at or below the poverty income level. A time when the American dream has become the American nightmare. It is a time when social programs are cut but foreign aid and monies for war spent in support of governments who leaders have openly said that in a war with another country they would come to the aide of the other country.  We have forgotten charity starts at home. That money can’t buy you friends.

Enough of the soap box.

Projects, reading and movies.

Started taking apart and repair of the children writing desk that a neighbor recently gave us. A lot of repair work but it is better than just tossing it out. It has inspired me to undertake a making of 4 desk based on it as a pattern as a part of my grandkids Xmas present. Hope to get started on that this weekend.

Continued to read Joe Bageant “Rainbow Pie, a redneck memoir”.

Watched recently “Fast and furious 5” a nice fast paced action movie with Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson set in Brazil. I love it mindless violence and all.

TV wise been watching a lot of NG “Rocket City Rednecks” and “Mad Scinentist” as well as Discovery’s “Mythbuster” this season has been particularly good.

Well enough for now.

Thinking out loud again

I was listening to NPR today and they had the usual news on. You know riots in the middle east, riots in southern Europe, demonstrations in northern Europe and England and least we forget in the USA.

Of course there were other things on the radio as well. Like, who killed what disposed leader of Libya and their main concern in enacting reforms was allowing polygamy. The stock market knocking one out of the park making fat cats richer. The Congressional Budget office, the IRS and Census Bearu folks all confirming what we already knew from experience that 1% of the US citizen income grew 3X faster than the remaining 99% of the population. This great discrepancy they noted began in 1980 the same time as Ronald Regan became President and the Keynesian economic approach went out the window and the trickle down economy began.

Republican Senator Kirk of Illinois was asked why wasn’t the jobs being created by the rich and the simple fact that the trickle down effect didn’t seem to be working. His response was classic ultra-conseravive republican, “Because his friends tell him that they are afraid of environmental and labor legislation as well as being unsure of taxes that they rather sit on their money.” I am afraid I paraphrase his exact words but this was the sentiment. In short more of the same old rhetoric.

Another item of news that was disturbing was the US strongest trading partner China on their human rights record and trading practice. Which is as corrupt as you can imagine. The human rights issue is simple if you complain about  the government and have no juice then you risk torture and death. Their description of a the abuse of one protester of having his head stuck through a door and attack dogs allowed to threaten and savage their face, in this one case lost of eye, as well as physical torture of having their feet burned with a cigarette lighter. The video of the effects and torture undergone gotten out using China’s version of Tweet with the lawyers posting it at risk to their own life.  The crime these people committed ranged from protest of unfair labor and environmental practices as well as complaints on the government.  

I don’t know if you realize just how much of not just our consumer products we get from China but also much of our processed food. The thing is if they don’t have any respect for their own citizens how can we expect them to provide safe products that we all consume if their value of life is only a matter of profit.

One of the biggest projects ongoing in the US right now is the new bridge being built in San Francisco Ca. from steel provided by China. Why China because it was cheaper to buy form them and ship it then it was to buy from a US company particularly since we have pretty well gutted our manufacturing potential here in the US sending our factories and work to China.  I don’t care how much quality control they said they have in China it is still controlled by China and I have enough experience dealing with foreign made products not to trust it.

Here is a story of personal experience from back the US first open up the FTA’s and Mexico and the building of Maquiladoras plants built just across the US and Mexico borders.

In 1977 I was working for a pre-stress product company making bridge beams and double and single “T”s. The company normally usde US made steel cable to pre-tension the concrete product to create a camber for load bearing. The steel cable was a 9 strand steel wire cable. Spec’ allowed us to stretch to breaking on 2 strands of the nine strands without replacing the 500 to 600 foot length when stretched. When a cable had more than 2 strands break it would usually break totally while being stretched and the hydraulic jack operator and I would end up with a lap full of steel wire. If it had not been for the 1 inch steel plate we hid behind it could of killed us. Fortunaltley this didn’t happen too often until our regional manger got a good buy on Mexican cable. It became a common occurrence for the cable to break and go ripping down the steel form beds. That is when I learned the meaning of pucker factor. I learned real quick just because you have paperwork saying something passed QC doesn’t mean it is worth a plug nickel. The proof is in the final product and so it will be for that bridge in SF,Ca.

Maybe that is just my bias after all I feel that same way for products made in India or other third world products. You get what you pay for and if the person buying it to resell is only thinking of profit well enough said.

Think about that the next time you buy a food container with a sealable lid that doesn’t fit right or when you feed your dog or cat and they die because of glycol used for their food not to mention for sweat taste and caloric value in our food. It isn’t about the quality but cost.

Again I makes you wonder.

Reading, movies, and projects

Finished reading the Simon Morden trilogy and began reading Joe Bagenat last book “Rainbow Pie, a redneck memoir”. Was happy with the ending of Petrovich Freezone. It was interesting how Morden showed the USofA in not a very flattering light.

I have been watching the second series of the Walking Dead very intense. I always try to watch something less intense like a mindless comedy since it is usually just befoe I go to bed and I don’t want to dream about it.

Another show coming out is called Grimm on NBC that might be pretty good.

Began working on the Cherry again and was remined that when you leave your equipment unattended or unsued for a while they need to be tuned back up.  If you just start using them thinking all is right then you will make mistakes take m word for it. Enough said

Self-improvement or simply disciplie.

In my reteriment I have found that one of the biggest obstacles has been myself.  That has to do with self-discipline or self-improvement.

While I was still working I would see these old guys running around or doing a little sidewalk superintending and they would be wearing old sweats and personal hygene that could be said to socially challenging. Now there is nothing wrong with this after all sweats pants and shirts are comfortabe and I myself lounge around it them in the evening. But, in the cases I am talking about it is more of given up.

These men, and I am speaking of men, gave up living when they reteried and the highlight of their day has become "Judge Judy" or "Cops" rerun's. They forgot all that they said they were going to do when they finally got to reteire. They lacked the discipline to follow through and after a few weeks became a lump on the couch that their old lady cleanes the house around.

It is hard sometimes to remember what that the orginal goal was. Like the old engineering maxium "when you are ass deep in aligators it is hard to remember the orginal goal was to drain the swamp." So it is for most of us that when we leave our normal pattern of life we loose our focus, our way.

The thing is that I was heading for that unacceptable position myself. So I have implemented my own self-improvement program. The first step is launch myself back into rehab which for me is 3 times a week an hour at a time in a pool exercising. Right now I am paying for my lack of didication.  Don't get me wrong I know it will not improve my joints they are too far gone. But, it does help with my muscle conditioning and weight control. This is step 1, paying attention to maintianing my health and moblity as best as I can.

Step 2 is mental conditioning.

Here problem solving, reading, writing, are the methods I have choosen to follow. I use my Ipad to play a daily game of chess, do a crosswod puzzle, and keep up with different bloggers.

I keep a ready supply of books on hand and make a point of turning off the TV and read one of them or a article from one of many magazines I subscribe to. The type of books and mags I read vary from SciFi, mystery, to history and drama, and mags from woodworking, popular mechanics, photography to rags like Mother Jones and Mother Earth.

Part of that problem solving involve projects, They range from gardenig plans to woodworking. As any one who works with wood figuring out how to cut, measuring, assembling and finishing helps keep you sharp and practice has positive results. Right now I am stymied on a project I am working on due to a broken tool but hope to rectifiy that soon.

Step 3 has to do with interacting with more than imediate family. While I have never been accused of being a social butterfly, I do believe that it is important that you interact with folks. To that end I am endeavoring to figure out some place like a senior citizen center that I can find a domino or 42 game and an opportunity to share a cup of coffee. Too much time with yourself is not necessary a good thing. The voices in your head tend to start winning too many arguments.

This simple 3 step program is my method of maintaing who I am. When the day come for you to retire you mush choose what will work for you. But whatever it is don't become that couch potato in a pair of unwashed sweats.

In the middle of the Night.

As readers of my blog might recall I have a bad habit of waking in the middle of the night with my mind engaged and it just want let me fall back asleep. It happen last night for two reasons one was from a blog I follow "Tesla's Laptop" and a book I recently finished  and subsequent short essays of Joe Bageant that I have been following up with.

Warren, the writer of "Tesla's Laptop" commented on his frustration of having to listen to the garbage coming from his co-workers on the Occupy Wall Street movement to President Obama. I also shared in his frustration while working for a local city government as a public works inspector. I sat there and hear things come from men and women who lived from pay check to pay check parroting the Limbaugh's and O'Reilly's and Fox New pundits that had no touch to the reality that was and is our life.

Most of the time I would sit there and keep my mouth shut believing as my Dad would say not need to cast pearls before swine as it would come to no avail. But, the l as 6 months of employment before disability force me into retirement I begin to speak of what I believe. This was received with a combination of mockery and the proverbial patting on the head. But I at least said my piece hoping that at least I put some doubt into their closed, fearful minds. That they might actually start to think for their self.

Did it work I doubt it. But I have a history that I am unapologetic for. You see when ever I find myself confronted without absolute stupidity I have been known ed to "moon" the people who have open their mouths and out came stupidity and should of known better.

That is right turn my back to them pull down my pants and tell them to KMA. Some times it has to be done. In my life time I have done 3 times. Once back in the 80"s, again in late 99 and again in 2009 just before I retried from my last job. All I can say it is the ultimate emphasising your point in the only way some folks can understand.

To those who felt like Warren that they have to keep their mouths shut, I say don't. It will only make you bitter and angrier. Say what is on your mind they don't have to like any more than you have to like what they have to say, but at least you will feel better. Then there is always Mooning when all else fails.

The other reason of awaking to full thought in the middle of the night was reflecting about the recent book I read by Joe Bageant "Dear Hunting With Jesus".  Joe, who died this year (1946 to 2011) was a unapologetic working class liberal who thanks to education provided by the GI bill that lead to a Carree in journalism and writing and his experience working in lower income jobs as well as a labor organizer was able to put into words of how people who should not but did support the uber-rich with their vote, sweat, and blood. He is worth reading  and rereading.  I think his writing would help those who feel that they are the black dot lost in a sea of white. It helps to understand you are not alone.

His essays are avaialbe for reading at the web site coldtype. link below
http://coldtype.net/joe.html

Take the time also to read his two books "Deer Hunting With Jesus" and  "Rainbow Pie, a redneck memoir". I think it will help when you are back into the corner trying to defend your liberal position.