End Of The World Party

December 21, 2012 is the day the world ends according to anthropologists who study Aztec and Mayan calendars. Now we don't really know whether the world will end on that day or if the Ancients just got tired to extrapolating any further into the future. To take the gamble out of the situation, the Captain's Wheel Resort is holding an end of the world party, Friday, December 21.

Just think. You can order an expensive cocktail, or several, a nice dinner, pay for your friend's as well and put it all on your credit card. According to the experts, you will not receive a statement. We at Bayviews are not sure whether that is because of the world ending or the U.S. Postal Service going out of business, but hey, let it all hang out. Due to the unusual circumstances, there will be no bar tabs. Cash machines are available, so the kited check won't work.

There will be those that are unbelievers of course.They are welcome as well, even if just to heckle those that lean toward Aztec wisdom.  The honor of having the world end in our lifetimes is nothing to make fun of. Everyone will be encouraged to fess up about all of the rotten things they have done in their lives. You can of course address these confessions to a Supreme Being, (insert religious affiliation) or just to the person sitting next to you at the bar.

The matter of moral behavior has been studied as well, and the decision reached. For just this one day it will be legal to lust after your neighbor's wife. A cautionary word however. It is not very smart to do this in hearing of her husband, or vice-versa. Come to think about it, the ten commandments do not mention a woman lusting after her neighbor's husband. This may be the root of most of our marital stress, but forget that because there is no tomorrow.

So come on down, drink a responsible amount or have a designated driver. Make passes at good looking women/men. If you get here late, the picking may be slim and you will have to settle for either an ugly person, or even the one you brung with you. Details of special events, drink specials, etc. will be announced later, but you can depend on this being  the mother of all clearance sales.

After you leave, find a warm dry place and get nekked. After all, you can't take your clothes with you anyway, and if you got lucky at the bar, git 'R done before midnight lest the world end with you in an embarrassing position. Unattached ladies are welcome to look for Herb with naughty behavior in mind.

Politics And Other BS

This morning's paper announced proudly that 69% of Democrats and 39% Republicans favor additional taxes for those making over $250,000 per year. One has to wonder how many polled make less than that.

Someone once said that when the overachievers are outnumbered by the lazy, ignorant
or underachievers, the democracy as we know it will end. Another along the same lines is, "When the people find out that congress is promising to give back money that is the property of the people to begin with, democracy will end."

Aside from maintaining a safety  net for those that temporarily are in need or are disabled, redistribution of wealth is confiscating private property, not tax policy.

Yesterday a discussion panel on TV was discussing a "wealth" tax. Not based on income or dividends, but net worth. Now there is a good definition of redistributing wealth. A government employee, (one not making more than $250,000) comes to your door threatening to water board you if you don't completely list your assets and their value. If these things occur we will have lost what made this country great. The ability to go as high and as far as your vision will allow. A country that doesn't take your hard earned money and give it to someone that doesn't work as hard.

There will always be a majority of those people not in the upper income brackets. That should never be a right of those that are under that amount, to penalize you. It appears to me that democracy as we know it is on the table. Well, you folks voted for this government, now you will reap the rewards or not.

On an unrelated topic, You will notice that the ads are gone from this blog. For several years I have a,lowed AdSense, a property of Google, to place ads on my blog in return for earned income to me. Supposedly, when the commissions reach $100.00 a check will be issued. The last time I had access to the earnings I had somewhere around $97.00 earned. That was over a year ago. Now I can't access the records and they aren't paying me. The last straw was when I posted in favor of keeping the Farragut shooting Range of WW11 vintage closed. An ad popped up declaring for gun control. I immediately shut down the HTML that allowed them access. Hey, if you cheat me, I'm not going to do business with you. AdSense is history on this blog. I've never received any answers to my many requests for satisfaction. Beware out there if you are a blogger.

Beginning immediately, I will entertain accepting ads for this blog which will appear on the right margin. These should be sized with that in mind. $25.00 per month is the cost. I reserve the right to refuse content I dont like, as it would appear that since I published it, that I agreed with the content. Send them as a jpg picture by e-mail with your name and address plus phone number by e-mail to:bayviewherb@gmail.com. In the last 6 years I have had in excess of 204,000 page views and over 145,000 visits to the blog. A counter is displayed at the bottom of the blog for the curious.

Bull Pine, Rest In Peace

I have lived here about two hundred feet from and 100 feet above Scenic Bay for Seventeen years. During that time I have suffered tweakers, thieves, loud noise, oh and the occasional murderer. This pine tree in my front yard has seen it all. It just stood there, tall as can be, quietly, except when a storm came through when it would filter the wind, causing strange sounds to occur.

A Pine or Red Squirrel lived there for a while, too. Where it came from and where it went is a mystery. I made a pet out of it hand feeding peanuts as I gradually tamed it. Last Spring, during what was probably mating season it disappeared for a week or two, then came back. Later, it disappeared again.  I then assumed it was raising a litter. I never saw it again. A neighbor walking her dog early in the morning before she leaves for work told me the squirrel was still there, scolding that dog. Then that too went away. I still have a great supply of peanuts, but they grow stale as I wait for my little friend to return.

That old tree shaded my deck just fine, except it took the afternoon sun away from my tomatoes. Every winter, when the chilly winds came through it would shed tons of dead needles, coating my deck up to six inches deep with it's litter. As the needles piled up, they held moisture from the rain and snow that was held there and my deck rotted. I hated that damn tree.

Now it is gone. Today, at my request, Scenic Bay Marina sawed it down into three giant logs. Then they burned the limbs and litter. I don't know if I'll miss that old tree or not. My neighborhood has been improved immensely with all of the old wrecks of mobile homes were taken out, the last refuge of low lives that I experienced over the years.

That old tree just plain got in the way of the revitalizing of the mobile home park into mostly an RV park from whence it came years ago. Now it lays there in pieces waiting for someone that wants it for firewood, which would take a monster log splitter to convert. That old tree is just a stump now, just a memory of shaded hot days, mixed feelings, but now it is too late for sorrow. That old tree is gone.  Just a stump now.

Thanksgiving

Plan on reviewing in your mind what you have to be thankful for. There is always something. If you can walk past a grave yard instead of residing there, you can be thankful.

If you have food on your table Thursday, you have something to be thankful for.

If you have a roof over your head and it doesn't leak, you have something to be thankful for.

If you are of an age where you work and will be going to that place Monday, you have something to be thankful for.

If your candidate lost the presidential election, be thankful he doesn't have to solve the problems that the winner will face.

If you are a Christian in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon or other Islamic lands, and are alive, you have something to be thankful for.

If you have a relative or friend in the service and he/she has returned alive, you have something to be thankful for.

I'm going to show you a video of someone who is very thankful as is much worse off than you. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=q6_Zzw3SPS4 Turn up your volume for this.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and count your blessings rather than the negative things that surround you.

Turkeys Donated

L-R Eric Foti   Future firefighter, Landon Brodin
 

Professional Firefighters Local 4483 donates 100 turkeys to the Athol Food Bank just in time for Thanksgiving. The 6 career Professional Firefighters serve the communities of Athol, Bayview, Little Black Tail Ranch and surrounding areas. All 100 turkeys were purchased through the Unions Benevolence fund by way of raffles and donations from local businesses. 

I'm told that the food bank has received many smaller donations from individuals as well.

A Quiet Week

Unless something earthshaking happens soon, this will be a typically very quiet week as we segue into Thanksgiving. Perhaps it is a good time to reflect upon all of those things that you are too busy to think about. Like for instance, too, to, two. Dontcha love English? Why couldn't we use also once in a while? Or how about More and Moor

It would be wonderful if it was a bright shining day out instead of a gray drippy day with more to come. But it is that time of year. Oh well, we will have wall-to-wall sports on television and my favorite down time hobby, reading. I have a library of several hundred paperback books. This dates back to when I had a used book store in Dalton Gardens

Probably the most futile use of this week is those that are determined to continue the argument over the elections. It is what it is. Get over it and move on.(no reference to the lefty "move on.") Doing repeated post mortems on elections wins or losses is noise pollution. I have only one comment to that subject. Every Democrat thinks they are main stream and every Republican thinks the same. Ain't head in the sand wonderful?

As we head toward the seventh year of the recession that Wall Street says ended in 2009, we have to wonder if they ever get out into the real world where stocks and bonds, a recovery doesn't make. Main Street is still mired in short hours, layoffs, a ton of people that have been unemployed for so long they no longer are in the statistics. Have you noticed that what they quote is new applications for unemployment? That's because they have no way of counting reality other than that. It is like when the financial page says, "home values have increased xx percent in this city." A worthless statistic that is meaningless. It doesn't mean that every house in the neighborhood went up in value, it is just an average that could have spiked due to a new tract of higher priced homes being built. Bottom line, stats suck when you can't put food on the table.

Well, now that I have rambled along with nothing to say, have a great Thanksgiving remembering all of the positive things in your life.

Leviticus 20:13

It all makes sense now. Gay marriage and Marijuana being legalized on the same day.

Leviticus 20:13. "If a man lays with another man, he should be stoned." Apparently we have been interpreting it wrong all these years.

Farragut Range Decision Overturned.

First, there are ranges available in the area that have rural settings and don't have built up populations. This firing range was part of a world war two training facility, which closed down with the closure of Farragut Naval Training Base.

At no time, did the Fish & Game people petition the county for a conditional use permit, after federal closure. They just started using it in a limited capacity without any zoning authority. The area at the time of 1942 was isolated and wartime exceptions were the rule. Prior to the original ruling, if a shooter wanted access to the old range, they needed to get the key from the park office. That doesn't sound open to me.

For those that aren't aware that World War two is over, I suggest going back to history 101. If Fish & Game wanted to use the closed range they should have approached the county for zoning to that effect. Perhaps it is time to test other world war two issues regarding the military use. Maybe the brig museum could be used to house state felons, rather than shipping prisoners out of state. Then there is the hospital site. Maybe if another facility is needed in Kootenai County, a hospital district could be formed to reinstate that medical facility. Perhaps a Service Club should be built for serving Military/naval groups.

Better yet, why not turn this whole thing into a public park where Idaho residents and guests from other areas could enjoy the great outdoors camping, fishing hiking, skiing and other compatible uses. Certainly there are state laws against firing a weapon in a state park. Why doesn't the state follow their own rules, or can I hunt deer with a rifle as long as the authorities don't care.

I suggest that the Supreme court just doesn't treat a state agency with the neutrality it does in other matters, if in fact they do..This use without appropriate zoning is not right and lacks common sense. The use is also incompatible with other family uses.

At this point, zoning has not been addressed. I suggest that it is now. If the Kootenai County Commissioners doesn't want the range then they would have the option of refusing a conditional use permit. Apparently, the Idaho Fish  Game Department is out of control or worse yet, controlled by others, such as the organizations that have donated funds for this project. What part of the citizens in this area does the Fish & Game people not understand.

Perhaps since the temporary injunction has been removed, Judge Mitchell could then make it permanent. Another unintended consequence of this unholy partnership between Fish and Game and Idaho Parks and Recreation, could be the mass exodus of campers when they hear shots fired. What part of incompatible don't they understand.

*****Please be advised that the ad for Obama showing below was auto added by adsense. You will note that I have removed adsense and all of the ads that I control. This one is still up but I will get rid of it asap.

Rocky Watson, Sheriff

January 1 will mark the end of Sheriff Rocky Watson's  law enforcement career. I personally think he was/is one of the real good ones. He started out in the US Marines in the 1960's  in which he survived those years. The USMC was an ideal training ground for public safety as a career. The first thing they learn is to keep their head down.

He started out in the Spokane Police Department. Then with the Post Falls Police Department where he served as assistant police chief from 1970-1977. At this time he ran successfully for the office of Kootenai County Sheriff. Rocky served until 1981 at which time he started up a private security company, called the Watson Security Agency. He successfully ran that firm for 20 years, then sold out after he was appointed Sheriff to take the place of the resigning sheriff, Pierce Clegg.

Rocky was subsequently re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2008. While we will miss his steadfast dedication to public safety, we will also miss his sense of humor which was unsurpassed. Rocky could  depend on showing up at Bayview and Athol Daze, dragging a ball and chain wearing a striped  prisoner suit. He was always showing up at neighborhood events and active in the community.

After six years, the purchaser of the Watson Agency folded up to leave a vacuum in the private security business. When asked what he would do after his term as Sheriff, he replied,(paraphrased) I'm going back into the security business. Look for a rebirth of the Watson Agency.

While we are celebrating the ascension to Sheriff by a well deserved Ben Wolfinger, it is important to realize how much easier it is for Ben to inherit a well run department, of which he was no small part of that excellence. The community will miss Rocky as Ben Wolfinger, 29 year veteran of the department takes over.

Thanks for a great job., Rocky. Semper Fi.

Kokanee Fishing Returns to Pend Oreille

Last Thursday's Fish and Game meeting confirms what has been discussed for months. Kokanee or Blue Backs as we call them locally will be legal up to six fish per day. The good news is that the thinning of the schools have caused the fish to get much bigger than in the passed, as 12-14 inch 4 year fish are common.

As a result of the turn around in production, the $15.00 bounty on rainbows is eliminated, but still in place for Mackinaw. A limit of six rainbow per day is in effect also with only one over 20 inches allowed. This is an attempt to bring back the trophy fish in the lake. All of these regulations plus some other changes will be effective January 1, 2013. Get a regulations pamphlet for other changes.

I'm Angry, But At Who?

I'm angry, but I don't know who to be angry with. There are three players in this horror story. Marquess Wilson, all time leading receiver at Washington State University, Mike Leach, the discredited coach fired at Texas Tech for abusing his players or the Sports reporting staff and editor at the Spokesman-Review.

For starters, everyone knows that Wilson walked out of an evening practice. What part of the evening was it and why couldn't the reporters complete the story with salient facts. Was it 7:00 pm? Midnight? Was it just after dinner, or were the players jerked out of a sound sleep at midnight? So many questions that have answers but not reported in this paper. These student athletes needed their study time and sleep prior to attending class the next day. They don't need to put up with a Storm Trooper clone of Woody Hayes to play football. What do you want to bet that by week end next, other schools will be camped at Wilson's door, recruiting him. If WSU has any class at all, which definitely is in question, they should release him unconditionally and petition the NCAA to allow  a transfer to an equal school without giving up any eligibility.

Many of us have serious questions for all of these entities that I mentioned above. If in fact the alleged"cowards" on the football squad deserve the name, so do the reporters and editors that soften their stories, rather than baring their teeth and going for the story.You know, like real journalists used to when they weren't homers. Just once, the TV camera in the UCLA game, panned the stands. There might have been a few dozen frozen guests that paid full price for a cut rate program headed by a Narcissistic bully.

At this point it would appear that Leach is deliberately culling his team to open space for some Texas talent for the coming season. That Leach is known for abusing football players, accusing them of being "Zombies'" naming players as gutless underachievers and a whole slew of derogatory names.

I have several questions. First, how did Wilson, still in his junior year, become WSU's leading receiver if he didn';t give effort? Have the sports writers at the S/R forgot how to dig for the real story? Or is the sports editor sitting on them, fearful of the backlash from the WSU family of graduates that bleed crimson and gray.

With the number of players leaving the program, surely the beat reporters could have interviews a few ... just one? What this area needs is accurate information, not abbreviated muted criticism of someone, but they aren't sure who. I'm starting to lose faith in the journalistic integrity of the sports department.

I want facts. Where if not the Spokesman-Review, do I get them. If we have a gigantic cover up ala Penn State with out the sex, then find out and report it. Is Moos covering his ass not willing to admit a costly mistake? The university president, too? Wilson will either transfer to another school, having one year of eligibility left, thereby racking up yardage that will brand Leach as a, well ... Leech, or he will go pro, proving he isn't a loser after all. The school is. He apparently is aptly named.

Fans are leaving the Cougs in droves. Why they may even start rooting for the cross state rival, the UW. I predict the cougars will end the season without enough players to field both an offense and a defense. To be tough doesn't mean you have to give up your dignity, nor your self respect. Wilson's record speaks for itself. So does Leach's. I'd love to see the entire team get up and walk out. They can't suspend them all if the go on strike.

Captain's Wheel Entertains

Great stuff going on at the Captain's Wheel this week. Live music Saturday night and a new feature, Tuesday dart league for the ladies, 6:00 pm. Save your plans for new years eve 'cause the Wheel is going to be there for you.

 

 

Washington Scores A Hit

 

With the passage of initiative 502 legalizing Ganja not just for medical use, but classed the same as booze, this progressive state has formalized what most people have known for years. Prohibition doesn't work. A law that is not respected by the citizens is unenforceable. Those words were used back in the day of alcohol prohibition repeal.

In examining the state map by voter approval or disapproval, a hilarious occurrence happened. Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties, a rural haven for unlawful agricultural pursuits voted in the negative against initiative 502. It turns out the the pot farmers that are prolific in the rural areas of Northeast Washington, and probably Idaho as well, voted against legalizing marijuana. Apparently the new law will put many entrepreneurs out of work since they make a good living growing and distributing their own product. One wonders if they will qualify for unemployment and food stamps. Coincidentally, most of Washington's agricultural counties also voted against the measure. Either they were upstanding law abiding citizens or they also saw one more example of state socialism putting their product in jeopardy.

On the other side of the issue, let your mind's eye drift to a Washington State ...um, Herb outlet. (Not to be confused with this writer's fist name.) At the door are Washington State Patrolmen, batons at the ready, fending off Federal DEA agents attempting to shut down what is a federal crime. This may be the first time a majority liberal faction has stood firm for states rights. Now maybe they will understand the reason for other applications of what our US constitution originally meant. The rights not specifically granted to the federal government shall reside with the states and the people. This could get very interesting.

With the prediction of a year wait for implementation, I predict the feds will have Washington State in federal court quickly, and should the state ... farm out the production, a series of raids will occur. This will be a classic battle between the US and a state that hasn't been seen since the 1860's and the civil war, or as our southern friends called it, the war of liberation.

Guy walks into a state contract liquor store. "I'll have a bottle of Johnny Walker Gold and an ounce of BC Gold, plus I'd better get a new pipe too. The old one still has illegal residue in it."

This is going to do several things. One, Doug Clark will have a ton of material for the foreseeable future. Two, it may spawn a new television reality show as the battle is joined.

A warning to all of my friends. "If you are glassy eyed and are driving east on I-90 at 25 mph, expect a suspicious Idaho State Cop to pull you over, charging you with being gasp! A Washingtonian."

Expect more as my sense of humor matures into guffaws.

It's All Good

As the vote totals ascended during the night, democracy was speaking. Most of the races I backed didn't come in first, not even me. Of course I didn't run for any office, but I was hopeful that a deluge of write ins would have put me over the top. Alas, that didn't happen either. Still, the sun will come up from the east and go down in the west except those cloudy days that you aren't sure if the pattern is still being followed.

There are those that are gnashing their teeth, (bad for dentistry health) and others that are cheering, not realizing what a terribly foolish thing they did in getting caught up in the moment.  At best, the dollar will continue to decline in value, fuel prices will follow and at worst, China will stop loaning Obama the money to bribe the electorate.

This year, at age 74, I jumped over the traces and freed from my preconceived ideas of political philosophy, I chose to back some democrats in district two. I felt it was a classic race between whacked out ideologues and those that alas, were democrats, doomed to failure, I did this along with several candidates that really knew they had little chance of winning, but for the sake of democracy, felt they had to try. I salute them for the effort. In past years the Democrats didn't even bother to field candidates in many districts. That isn't healthy. A candidate must always give the electors a choice. Running uncontested is like kissing your sister. I'm proud of them as leading citizens failing not because they were found wanting, but because voters in our area cast their ballots for labels rather than people.

I salute the voters of Kootenai County for electing Ben Wolfinger as sheriff by a landslide. An example of a super qualified candidate that wasn't a far right republican, still piled up amazing vote totals considering he is a moderate Republican.

I have three things that I look at in a candidate. Are they qualified, is their political philosophy near my own, and does the candidate have good character. Oh, there is one more. The candidate must have complete control of their sanity. Some this year, did not pass the last one.

I am comfortable in criticizing others rather than running myself. One can only imagine the verbal gaffs that I would spout given the clear opportunity to make an ass out of myself. Actually, I sometimes do that anyway, without being a candidate, but then that's a story for another time.

For those of you that voted, congratulations on your contribution to the continuation of out Republic. Hopefully, you won't come to regret your decision. I personally think that when the Democrats nationally, run out of bribing (see Ohio) the electorate with their own money, we will return to sanity. Until then, hunker down and wait for the next check to arrive from the federal government, it's yours and you earned it. It is however, unfortunate that what they gifted to you was your own money, yet you praise their generosity.

Washington voters, lemming like, appear to be electing another democrat as governor, along with both houses of the legislature. They, like their namesakes,(see above) will be visiting bankruptcy courts in the near future, disbelieving that you have to have money before you can spend it.

It will be interesting to see the test in Washington State, where the liberals are fighting the federal government over states rights. Will wonders never cease. Of course this right turn was case sensitive. It was the legalization and taxation of Pot. May the entertainment begin.  This will be the first test of the will of the state versus the federal government regarding the legalization of pot for recreational purposes. That it should have never been listed with opiates in the first place is a direct result of hippidom during the '60s and '70s, where pot was equated with left wing war protesters and dropouts, Not medical expertise or scientific evidence. It's the only schedule A drug that is not addictive, yet alcoholic beverages which are, have been legal since prohibition was lifted. Perhaps this was the first shot fired in a new anti-prohibition war.

Swimming Against The Current

Whether or not you are a Republican or Democrat or any of those other more obscure titles, you have to hand it to the brave candidates from the Democratic Party that are pounding on the gates of legislative district 2 in northern Kootenai County, home of the Wackos.

Whether they beat the odds or not, running for election when all the cards are stacked against you is a daunting and expensive task, not only in money, but energy and emotional drain. Win, lose or draw, I admire those that have not surrendered automatically to the Republican/Constitutionalists without a fight. Give 'em hell, gang. Maybe, just maybe, enough voters are fed up with the embarrassment of those that shouldn't be representing the Republican Party. I'm a Republican, and have voted exclusively Republican since 1960, in partisan offices. I'd like to see more balance and voters that hold their candidates to higher standards.

Tomorrow I'm voting for the Democratic candidates in District 2. Better qualified and the pass the Wacko test, too. Here's a picture taken at Bayview Daze last Summer. Are they having fun, or what.

Dodged A Bullet

Since my bout with Bronchitis a couple of months ago, my sleep/wake schedule has turned upside down. When coughing etc is usually worse in the evening, it tends to calm down in the early hours of morning. This created a stay awake all night and sleep until noon habit. I was at my computer about midnight Thursday, when I suddenly woke up on the floor. In the next either few minutes or longer, I had no concept of time, I was in and out of consciousness a few times before I woke up completely. The first thought I had was get to my blood pressure machine, the second, a phone.

The only problem with that is that I couldn't stand up. Crawling into the living room, I reached both. After taking my blood pressure I was shocked at a reading somewhere  between  70 something and 50 something. For a few years now, I've been taking pills for high blood pressure, then measuring the results after a few hours to make sure it worked.Thursday, I didn't.

I called 911 and was visited by our excellent EMT's at Timberlake Fire District. They were concerned with my blood pressure being so low, but I resisted going to the hospital, since I've never had to stay in one since childhood when I had tonsils taken out, which in the 1940's and '50s was somewhat routine. I told them I would call back if I didn't feel better.

Subsequently, I became nauseous (I won't go into detail here) and decided to get to bed, from where at least I wouldn't fall .  About 4:00 am Friday, I finally came out of my groggy state long enough to realize I was probably in trouble. I called the VA Emergency Room in Spokane and talked to a nurse, explaining as near as I could the course of events. She ordered me to get the EMT's back and have them transport me to the closest hospital.

Driving sedately down the newly opened stretch of Hwy 95, we arrived at Kootenai Medical Center sometime around 6:30 am or so. It was a quiet ride, because I instructed 911 to tell the fire guys not to code, as I didn't wish to wake up the neighborhood. I doubt that anyone in Bayview even knew I had left.

This is where the adventure got interesting. my only experience with an emergency room was this one, plus I was sleep deprived, not having had any at all Thursday evening.At first I was taken into an examining room where I was poked, prodded and stuck with various needles for whatever purpose intended. During my overnight stay, I consumed 5 bags of saline solution, had so many blood samples taken I must have been anemic. After what seemed like about four hours, having been wheeled out into the hallway, I was taken to a third floor room where about every two hours or less, I was awoken for either a blood pressure check, more blood samples or whatever interruption from several departments seemed to them to be appropriate.

My blood pressure became higher as they substituted salt water for blood volume. I felt like a fish. Numerous tests were taken, even a sonogram of my heart. They apparently found one. By this time is was Friday night. By Saturday morning all I wanted was a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. I was wired to a heart monitoring machine, stuck numerous times with needles for what, I didn't care. Just let me sleep. It wasn't to be. Early Saturday morning it became apparent that I was alright and would be sent home Saturday around 11:00 am.

Not to be. They let me sleep finally and I woke up at 11:45 startled that I should have been home by then, but apparently, the sonogram test results had not been evaluated by the heart specialist, so I cooled my heels until after 1:00 pm. After I came home, courtesy of my youngest son Brian, who lives in Spokane, I found out that Skip Wilcox, another Bayview Idaho resident also came home about the time I left. Skip had his heart practically rebuilt, tuned up and he cheated death one more time. Welcome home, Skip. Glad you made it.

I learned two things from this experience. One, you don't get to sleep if you are in a hospital. I think the night shift figured if they had to stay awake so did I. The other thing is, don't assume that your blood pressure won't change, through diet and other causes, ergo, check it before you medicate. Had I done that, I would not have suffered through a week of being strangely angry all week, and of course would not have ended up in the hospital.

All said and done, I was treated very well by the staff. I don't think anyone could get better or more conscientious care than at Kootenai.  I woke up this morning after about twelve hours of make up sleep, refreshed and determined not to assist in any medical accidents anymore.  Actually, the nurses, both RN's and LPN's were friendly, gracious and of ourse humerous which fits me well.  

GOP Defined By Many

While Halloween can be weird and scary, an election year can even be worse. We in the GOP have our wackos just as the far left has theirs. For some reason, the far left types don't upset me as much as on the right. I suppose it's like a family member flipping out and embarrassing me.

Many of you that do not live in North Idaho and follow this blog, (and there are many) probably won't recognize some of the names that I will use in this post, so I'll attempt to explain.

Yesterday, Larry Spencer, a failed candidate and general all around political gadfly, announced unctuously, that he was going to vote for Dan English, Democrat instead of the Republican. His reason? the Republican, Morse in his mind is a "RINO," which is used by the wackos to claim that while they represent the center of the conservative movement, others are Republicans in name only, or RINOS. Translated, Morse beat Spencer's pal, Hart who was so totally discredited that several respected Republicans filed against him in the primary which he lost.

This could be construed as funny if it weren't a serious situation where political branding is very important. Spencer went on to say that while he wouldn't vote for a RINO, English, being a democrat wouldn't cause any harm in the Idaho State legislature, due to the small numbers of democrats in that body politic.

The funny part is that Larry Spencer and a few fellow travelers are so far right of center as to be on the outside looking in. As a matter of fact, many were members of the Constitution Party previously, or other stratospheric political groups. Perhaps I should have said group, since some are probably consisting of just one person.

To put this into perspective, in my view, which I do not claim any particular position in the curve grading system, Larry Spencer ranks somewhere between Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun.  For him to call anyone else a RINO is ridiculous, since he, himself is just that.

He and I do have something in common this year. While declaring his first ever vote for a democrat, and why, I am voting across party lines too. But I'm doing it because I felt that either the candidate running as a Republican was a member of the Wacko party, or that the democrat in the case of Dan English whose public service dates back years in public office and quite often in just humanitarian acts such as youth counseling and treatment.He was an original organizer of a home for disturbed or behavior challenged teens. (Anchor House) For the record, if anyone cares, it is my first vote in a partisan election for a democrat or I should say democrats, since I voted for the first time for John F. Kennedy. My reason then wasn't because he was a democrat, it was because I resented that the public perception was that a Catholic couldn't win since the Pope would then rule our country. For the record, I'm not Catholic either.

Well, he was elected, and while in his short period in office was somewhat flawed, the Pope didn't attend cabinet meetings. That is somewhat parallel to this year with Romney being LDS. Ironically, Reid of Nevada, the ultra liberal senator and majority leader and Senator Hatch, also an LDS member are about as far apart as one can get politically, proving that Salt Lake City will not become the new US capital. God love those who will vote for Obama, a black person that was raised in a Muslim world, but will not vote for Romney because of his religious beliefs. Another irony? Perhaps.

Former city council member and Kootenai County clerk, English rises so far above his opponent that Morse's only claim to fame is that he belongs to the so called Reagan Republicans.

I also have endorsed Cheryl  Stransky whose opponent, Barbieri of Dalton Gardens, urges people to remove their children from the Godless public Schools. As I pointed pout in a previous post, Yes schools are godless, but not against religion, they are simply religion neutral. We call that secular.   Those candidates that follow that far off trumpet still trying to knock down the walls of Jericho, will not get my vote, ever again. I guess by some standards I am being called a RINO, too. Well, one nice thing about our Republic is that we get to label ourselves rather than having a dictator do it for us.