Miscellany

I really laughed at a news story in the local newspaper yesterday.  The Boulder Transit Center, or, the local downtown bus station, was evacuated because someone reported what looked like a pipe bomb was leaning against the building.  One of the investigating officers peeked around the corner at the "device"  and then laughed.  It was a home-made marijuana bong that was made from PVC pipe.  Of course, I'd rather be safe than sorry - but it was around Christmas that the Post Office and the Transit Center (they are catty-corner on two blocks) were evacuated due to a "suspicious package" - it was an empty box with Cyrillic writing on it.  The state of Colorado had approved the use of Medical Marijuana several years ago.  The legal use of marijuana in private was legalized almost 18 months ago - but, apparently some of the street policemen  don't recognize "normal" "home-made" pot paraphernalia.
   Our local news decided to air the cell-phone video of the 50-year-old man being shot in the back while running from a policeman (no longer) in South Carolina.  I can understand an adrenaline rush - I can understand pulling a Taser on a suspect if he's resisting arrest.  I can understand chasing a running suspect.  But I can not get my mind around a good reason to empty an eight-bullet clip into the back of a running man.  The man was stopped for a misdemeanor thing - to let him know that a brake light wasn't working.  I simply can't understand how that minor traffic stop escalated into a man losing his life in a hail of bullets...  Perhaps angry words were exchanged, perhaps names were called - but that still does not mean a man had to lose his life.  I am really becoming sickened by the seeming prevalence of police on citizen crime.
  At least there may be some measure of "closure" for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.  With the defendant being found guilty on all 30 counts that were brought against him, I understand that the Jury will begin deliberating on the sentencing sometime soon.  The loss of lives, and the horror of seeing one's loved ones being blown apart, is something that no one can ever totally recover from.  I just hope, that once this man is in prison, that the victims, and their families, can get on with their lives.
  We had a thunder storm last night - and my cats didn't appreciate it.  They both disappeared under the bed.  To be fair, we haven't had a thunderstorm since September, and the thunder was very loud, and, seemingly, directly over the apartment.  We also got some rain, which the ground immediately inhaled - just a few traces of dampness on the roadways.  We need a good, light, soaking rain that lasts for about 48 hours, to help our drought.  We were very windy yesterday afternoon, and had a humidity level of 5 % - much too dry, much too soon.
  I know I'm getting older.  The mirror certainly tells me that, as do my aches and pains, but I still am not used to being called "Ma'am."  I still call older ladies by that moniker, and men are "Sirs" - but for some reason it astounded me to have 20+ people greet me as "Ma'am" this morning.  I walked to the bakery to get my whole wheat blueberry bagel, and I passed the usual parade of construction workers on their way to Folsom Field.  Each one called me Ma'am.  I know that I have almost white hair, and I know I have some wrinkles - but I still want to look behind me, and see whom the "Ma'am" is addressed to.  I guess I'll always be in my early teens in my mind....

Mad As Hell

Fourteen and a half inches of snow fell in Boulder yesterday. Scattered, light, hard-frozen flakes are still falling (it's 27 degrees outside), and the weather folks say we'll get a rain/snow mix this afternoon and evening; then at least another four inches of snow on Wednesday... This is helping with our drought conditions. And even though the snowfall has been heavier up in the mountains, our snow pack is still well below the normal limits... I don't care that it's April! We need this snow and rain for our livestock and crops - not to mention the humans water supply for the summer and fall.

   Nedi and Lovey are disgusted by all the snow on the ground... I'll guess that Lovey has decided that this snow is too wet to safely tunnel in. Nedi, on the other hand, sits at the edge of the patio and tries to play patty-cake with the falling snow flakes. He tends to smack them just as they land, which causes mini-avalanches to cascade upon him. The little nut comes running inside to shake the snow off his coat, then runs back out onto the patio again... I suppose that boys will be boys, no matter what species.

   I am in shock regarding the explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon yesterday. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the two bombs that killed 3 and injured 176 people. This happened at a sporting event. Participants and spectators both were grievously injured - an 8 year old boy, there to see his father cross the finish line was killed, his sister and mother gravely injured. Two brothers, there to support a friend who is a fire fighter, each lost a leg in the blast, and are in two different hospitals. Carlos Arredondo, a Costa Rican native, was on the scene, handing out American flags to the race finishers; he lost a son in Iraq, and his younger son to suicide. Carlos Arredondo was a life saver yesterday, pinching an artery closed while assisting medics to evacuate a runner who lost a leg.... Boston showed its true American spirit yesterday, dealing with this tragedy. I am so sorry that this occurred.

   Yesterday was Patriot's Day, so designated to celebrate the first battles of the Revolutionary War, which happened on April 19 in the towns of Lexington and Concord. Since 1969, the day has been declared as the third Monday in April in the states of Massachusetts and Maine and is celebrated as a holiday with a three-day weekend. Bostonians also identify it as "Marathon Monday." I believe that whatever group, or whomever the person was,who set off these horrific bombs did so with an eye on dates in April. Yesterday was a day of celebration for our Revolutionary War - even though the actual date was April 19. On April 16, the Virginia Tech University shootings happened; on April 19th, the bombing in Oklahoma City and the Waco, Texas raid happened; on April 20th, the Columbine Massacre occurred.

  Some one, some unannounced group or party, some nation, is squirming with delight that they were able to kill and maim innocent Americans on a holiday. I think they will be surprised by the response of our nation. We are getting mad as hell - and we won't take it any more.