Earth's Religions - A 5,000 year time lapse map.

Tuesday's Post

I took Molly to Story City to get her toenails trimmed on Monday. She enjoyed getting out.  Unfortunately for her I also had her weighed and so I am going to substitute her regular food for treats.  I also had to get a certificate showing that she had been vaccinated so I could purchase a dog park pass.  I think she will like that and it will be good for both of us.  On the way back I came up behind the DOT painting yellow lines on the pavement. I had to pass on the right and it got me to thinking about the white lines on the side of the  road.  When I first started driving  (55 years  ago) they did not have those lines on the side of the road.  I can  remember when they put them in to help when you had  to drive in fog so that you did not drive off the side of  road.  It was a real improvement and now they also have rough ridges on the sides and in the middle to help keep you from driving off the side or over the middle of the road.   It makes things much safer.

When I got back into town I had to do some banking and went to the bakery and picked up a ham salad sandwich for lunch and a loaf of bread and (yes I was bad) a couple of Dutch letters.  It was a good lunch. On the way home from the bakery I came up behind the car below.

It reminded me of the "Beetles" from my college days and the fun we had with them.  They got painted in all kind of ways and they tried to get as many people in them as they could. They are still trying to do it. Here is a You Tube of a Bug Cram.

When I got home I decided to take some pictures of the remaining daffodils in front of my house.

I used to have plants that ran all across under the bushes.  As you can see there aren't as many now as there used to be but I can see them out the kitchen window and I like seeing them.  The grass in the front is not in too good a shape but the back yard is really almost ready to mow. I also need to hire someone who washes windows.  You know, so I can see my flowers.  Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Molly on Monday

Molly here,

I rode in the front seat the other day.  I kind of liked it but BG was a little nervous about having me there.  He says I have to ride in back from now on.


We drove past the cemetery.  It looked nice but they have a sign that says "No pets."  BG would like to be able to take me there for walks but he can't  -so I guess I won't be able to go there.

 Sometimes I look out the back at the yard.  Especially when I hear those yappy dogs who live kitty-corner from us.  They get to barking all the time.

 I don't bark much but I do sometimes bark at the little kid who lives next door.  I can't do it outside though because BG makes me come in. Oh well, I let him think he is the boss.

Every time I get up on BG's lap Ms Cassie climbs up also.  Not sure I am fond ot that.

 We had a visitor this week.  David came over.  I like him.  He sold his duplex.

 He lives in Omaha now and was up to clean things up.  He got a new relator and it sold right away.  He is happy.

He had both of us asking for attention and he was fine with that.  He is a nice guy. We all hope he will come back for a visit sometime.

He was supposed to stop back on Friday but he didn't make it.

He used to have a dog but he had to give it away because he was not around enough.  BG is around a lot and I like that.

Cause I luvz him.  This is me resting my head on his knee.  I was almost asleep.  He took a bunch of pictures but most of them had my eyes closed.  BG's lap is a good place to sleep.

Thanks for stopping by to see me.  Hugz and big sloppy kissez..Have a nice week!


P.S.  Jon sent a photo of Miles.  He got his hairs cut.

Memo to John Yoo

From Mother Jones.

Law Professor John Yoo Apparently Unaware of Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure

Yoo stated:

"Apparently the FBI interrogated the younger Tsarnaev for 16 hours," wrote torture memo author John Yoo at National Review. "And then, for reasons that are still unknown, the government read him his rights."

To Professor John Yoo
RE: Your Abysmal Ignorance

Immediately following the ratification of our Constitution it was amended to protect the rights of the citizens.  Several of those amendments seem to address your ignorance (I put some others there just to refresh your memory.) 
A short session with the Google will provide you with the following information:
Fourth Amendment – Protection from unreasonable search and seizure.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

• Fifth Amendment – due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

• Sixth Amendment – Trial by jury and rights of the accused; Confrontation Clause, speedy trial, public trial, right to counsel

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

• Seventh Amendment – Civil trial by jury.

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

• Eighth Amendment – Prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

• Ninth Amendment – Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Constitution.

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

And the rights must be read to him or information obtained may not be used - 

The concept of "Miranda rights" was enshrined in U.S. law following the 1966 Miranda v. Arizona Supreme Court decision, which found that the Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights ofErnesto Arturo Miranda had been violated during his arrest and trial for domestic violence. (Miranda was subsequently retried and convicted.)

The Supreme Court did not specify the exact wording to use when informing a suspect of his/her rights. However, the Court did create a set of guidelines that must be followed. The ruling states:

...The person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he/she has the right to remain silent, and that anything the person says will be used against that person in court; the person must be clearly informed that he/she has the right to consult with an attorneyand to have that attorney present during questioning, and that, if he/she is indigent, an attorney will be provided at no cost to represent him/her.

It is not rocket science to understand this nor does it take a law professor to explain it.  Perhaps as an attorney and professor at the prestigious University of California Berkeley School of Law you should apply for and undertake a basic course in Constitutional law.   But then you never did seem to understand things since you said that it was alright to torture prisoners. Perhaps you need to move to a country that accepts that sort of thing.

In America citizens have rights.  I don't plan to give up any of them voluntarily and neither should anyone.

Sunday Salute LVII

Because George Jones passed away this week and for all the many years of music I have enjoyed listening to various Country Music Artists, Today I salute all Country Music Artists.
As usual George sang it best:



Country music has become the music that best represents the reality of American life.

Brad Paisley 

Country fans need to support country music by buying albums and concert tickets for traditional artists or the music will just fade away. And that would be really sad.
George Jones

Previous Salutes George and Joy Adamson Maya Angelou Harry Belafonte Johnny Carson Rachel Carson    Jimmy Carter  Bill Clinton  Country Music Artists Matt Damon   Doris Day Ellen DeGeneres  Princess Diana  Marion Wright Edelman  Dwight Eisenhower Black Elk Richard Engle Sally Field  Mohandas Gandhi   Whoopi Goldberg Jane Goodall Dag Hammarskjold Helen Hayes  Audrey Hepburn    Dorothy Hinders Michele J. Howard Lyndon B. Johnson  Helen Keller

Edward "Ted" Kennedy  Martin Luther King, Jr  Dalai Lama   David Letterman Rachael Maddow   Miriam Makeba Nelson Mandella   The Masons  Paul Newman Michelle Obama   Sean Penn   Brad Pitt   Sidney Poitier Martha Raye Ann Richards Bishop Gene Robinson Jackie Robinson Eleanor Roosevelt    Jehan Sadat   Beverly Sills  Dame Maggie Smith John Shelby Spong John Stamos Barbra Striesand Elizabeth Taylor Danny Thomas Harry S Truman    Bishop Desmond Tutu  Cecely Tyson             Betty White

Sunday

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child-our own two eyes. All is a miracle.

Thich Nhat Hanh

 Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.  ~Chief Seattle, 1855

Ten thousand flowers in spring,

the moon in autumn,

a cool breeze in summer,

snow in winter.

If your mind isn't clouded

by unnecessary things,

this is the best season of your life.

~ Wu Men, Song period Chán master most famous as the compiler of and commentator on the 48-koan collection The Gateless Gate

In today’s interconnected and globalized world, it is 

now commonplace for people of dissimilar world views, 

faiths and races to live side by side. It is a matter of 

great urgency, therefore, that we find ways to 

cooperate with one another in a spirit of mutual 

acceptance and respect.

Dalai Lama

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

Scott Adams creator Dilbert Comic Strip

I love the fact that we share our world with elephants.   

Something Yummy for Saturday

Two Desserts - From my Aunt Ellen and Jean. 

Apricot Refrigerator Pudding (Submitted by Ellen Cole)

Garnish with orange sections or pineapple segments.

1cup       Apricot puree 1cup       Condensed milk 3T           Lemon juice 1¼cups  Vanilla wafers, crushed

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING 1  cup   Whipping  cream ½ cup    Maple syrup

Procedure

1   In a large bowl combine: apricot puree, condensed milk, and lemon juice.

2   Layer apricot mixture with vanilla wafers in a loaf pan.

3   Refrigerate for 24 hours.

4   Serve with whipped cream topping.

5   WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

6   Whip cream.

7   Blend in Maple syrup.

Yield: Loaf pan

Cherry Dessert (Submitted by Jean Cole Bates)

22                 Graham crackers, crushed ½ cup            Confectioner's sugar ½ cup             Butter 2  8 oz. pkg.  Cream cheese

1 tsp        Vanilla 1 cup        Sugar 4               Eggs 2 cups       Cherry pie filling (Blueberry pie filling is good too.)

Procedure

1   Mix together: crushed graham crackers, confectioner's sugar, and butter.

2   Press into bottom of cake pan.

3   Blend together: cream cheese, eggs, and sugar.

4   Pour on top of crust.

5   Bake: 375°, 25 minutes.

6   Cool.

7   Pour pie filling on top.

8   Chill.

Yield: 9 x 13