Been so wrapped up with the recent mass killing in Lost Wages (that is Las Vegas to most of you good readers. Yep, more word play by me. Hey, it's what I do, take or not, your choice. No, not meant to sound nasty, just stating a fact.) that I forgot to mention another loss.
One of my music heroes died this week. Yes, Yom Petty has left this life. Sad, the man and his band, "The Heartbreakers" were great. How can one not like his song "I won't back down"? In particular the line; "You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down". Yes! Don't quit, when you are right, do not back down. 
Of course another of their songs I really enjoy overtime I listen to it; "Runnin' down a dream".   
"Yeah runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Working' on a mystery, going' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dream........"

Oh, and another shout out to another dead musician I like very much, the late George Harrison. Yes, the former Beatle. I really like his song "Any Road"
"If you don't know where you're gong. Any road can take you there." Great video of the one on You Tube. George is in the back seat of a Rolls and Jackie Stewart is the driver. Yeah, THAT Jackie Stewart, the 2nd best ever Scotts Formula One drivers champion. Who is the number one Scotts Formula One racer ever? Easy to answer, Jim Clark. Even Jackie said nobody was even close to Clark. 
My heroes are dead now. Dad, died November 1980, the Saturday after "saint" Ronnie became our acting POTUS. Jim Clark, back in April 1968. No wonder I enlisted in the Marines that month, just kidding. I think I am.......maybe not......
George Harrison, Tom Petty. So many others. My grandparents of course. Well, no matter, even though these folks are now gone from this life, they remain heroes to me. Hey, I have my memories, and as I have posted on this and other blogs I have had, memories are like starlight, they go on forever.

Be good to each other people. We CAN make this world a much better place if we try. Yes, it will take tons of hard work and time, lots of time, but if we TRY, really try, we CAN do it. 

I really want this to be my last post of the most recent mass killing in the US of A. Before you ask why I make this statement, I'll tell you. I am bloody damn sick of this shit!
Why is it that the US of A has so much of this mindless violence? Well, my opinion, for what it may be worth, is the following. This country started out with killing. Yes folks, our long dead ancestors who came to this continent from Europe, beginning with old Chris Columbus got a jump start on killing off the native peoples. While they may not have used very much valuable (as in it was a pricey commodity) gun powder, they did have very sharp knives and nice, sharp long swords and some really long lances to kill with. Oh, they also used some trained dogs to assist in killing unruly natives.
When the first Europeans actually got to the mainland, Chris never got out of the Caribbean, they really got the genocide rolling big time. While the natives may have kept some Pilgrims from starving to death, those same grim pills (yes, that IS a play on the term Pilgrims) had no qualms about killing those very same natives when they decided they 'needed' the land the natives were living on/near. Hey, those uneducated savages didn't even claim ownership of the land, so, it was "free for the taking". Well, OK, maybe free was a bit of a stretch, they had to engage in mass murder, but when you have some mythical sky fairy on your side, along with a "good book" full of ancient Middle East myths, well, the sky is the limit.
One would be hard pressed to find a "better" example of the genocide than the US Army. As soon as the US Civil War had ended, that unoccupied (by white folks) territory needed to be settled. Recall the US military saying that "The only good Indian is a dead Indian" and you can see how the genocide was almost preordained by the mythical sky fairy who for some damn fool reason remains quite popular even today in 'Merikkka. 
I suppose I could mention how it is so easy to legally obtain firearms in this country. I could also mention how many thousands of guns are produced and made available for sale in 'Merikkka. The things is, while all that IS true, I think it undercuts the truth. Call me whatever names you wish, but this country was born in blood soaked killing and it still has a deep love for blood, as long as those who bleed are not you. Notice I didn't include your loved ones/family. How come? Just check the news folks. Many gun deaths are done TO family members/loved ones by somebody with a loaded gun.
This country never learns. As a very good friend of mine, we have emailed each other for years, recently emailed me; this mass killing in Las Vegas will be forgotten quite soon. Certainly as soon as the NEXT mass killing happens. Oh, and the next one WILL happen.
No, I am not in any way pretending to be any sort of prophet here. Just look back at recent US history. Recall other mass killings since 2000, these are not all of them, San Bernardino, California, Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut, The killings at a movie theater in Colorado, the shooting in a Christian church in the carolinas (can't recall if it was North or South Carolina, sorry),
and of course Columbine school killings. Those are just a few of the recent mass killings in (not so very) old 'Merikkka.

I have no solutions for ending this. I would never even think of a total ban on private gun ownership. The majority of legal gun owners are very responsible people. Some folks in Louisiana, where I now live, hunt. Deer (venison) is very tasty. Some folks in this country hunt to provide food for themselves and family/friends, yes, they hunt because they cannot afford to buy meat at the stores. 
Other gun owners enjoy target shooting or skeet shooting. Personally, I don't get the skeet shooting deal. I mean, really, you ever tried to eat skeets? (OK, yes, that was supposed to be humorous, probably fell flatter than a lead balloon. Oh well)
My personal belief, and this has held since my time in the Vietnam war is that NO individual has any need to own an assault rifle or any automatic weapon. Oh you say, many cops have automatic pistols. Yes, they do, but, those things can and do jam. Then, you are screwed. I'll stay with my trusty, won't jam ever, single action revolver. Sure, I have to cock the hammer before I shoot it, every time, but I can still hit what I aim at.
The US military, way back in the early 1900's did NOT want the troops to have automatic weapons. They felt the troops would waste too many bullets. And bullets don't come cheap. Studies have been done that show this is true. In Vietnam and every war since, probably before as well, show that most troops just fired and hit nothing, certainly NOT the enemy they were supposed to be shooting at.
I call that type of shooting spray and pray. You spray an area with bullets and pray you hit the "bad guys". Yep, the military uses the same tactics as the local gang bangers do with the drive by shootings. Spray and pray. Well, when you pray, you are just talking to yourself. 

I need to add this also. I found this on a web site some months ago, forgot where, but it works any way. "The system is not broken. It was designed this way"

I need to end with a small bit of optimism. Here again is a quote from Margaret Mead; "Never believe  that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that is all who ever have". 
And of course my end bit that I will keep adding until my last breath; Try, please TRY every day to treat all the people you come in contact with the way you want to be treated. If we all try and do this, we CAN make this a much nicer country and world for ALL of us.

A very nice comment was posted here recently. I was  given a compliment on my use of words.  I have to say with humility that I was floored to read that comment. I don't mince my words for sure.
I do enjoy playing with words though. I still remember Dad and I driving through southern California after he moved us there in the spring of 1959. We'd see signs on the freeways and many of the street names and some city names are of course of Spanish origin. Dad would mispronounce them on purpose. Why? Because he wanted to check to see if I knew the correct pronunciation. Also, he enjoyed word play. 
I even twist words around, sometimes that works OK, other times it just becomes nonsense. Well, big deal, I've been told over the years, that much of what I said was total nonsense. Well, maybe so, but at least some folks got a laugh or three from it. Even if it only got a snide smile, heck, even a half smile, then I did what I tried to do.
I tend to use what I'd call simple words. Hey, I only went to community college and never got into those nice, big ten dollar words so many educated folks enjoy tossing around. I admit, freely, that I have had to look up some of those fancy words. Hey, no problem, I still enjoy learning new things/words. One I use maybe too often is ilk. Man, I have so much fun using that word. I promise to try and not over do it. 
So, I honestly thank the person for what I take as a compliment. I don't do compliments very well. I can take them when people give them regards my work, be it back before my back gave out and I became permanently disabled, unemployable. I also can take a compliment about my photos and yes, for my blog rants. Just one thing folks, please do not ever tell me that I am a "good person". That is one of my personal rules. The other main personal rule I have is, never, ever apologize to me. Hey, I enlisted in USMC in April 1968, how bloody stupid could a young guy have been? Pretty damn stupid in fact, and boy I was. I had no desire to go to the idiotic, useless Vietnam war, but I knew if I enlisted or got drafted I'd probably get sent to it. No, what my intent was to try and make my life on my own. You join the Marines, there is no way you can call dad and tell him, oops, I made a big mistake, help me get out of this mess. Nope, you either make it or not, on your own. That is why I enlisted, to spread my wings and see if I could fly on my own as it were.  I have an honorable discharge hanging on the wall above my computer desk to show that I did that. 
This post is not meant to embarrass the person who gave the compliment, it is an honest, sincere thank you. I only hope that I can now live up to this nice comment. 
Well, the sarcastic side of me says; fat chance of that bud. I left a comment on another blog a week or so back where I said that I can, when I feel like it, cuss up a hurricane. Those who have read the old corner blog know that to be true, in spades as the old folks used to say. Yes, readers, when I get highly pissed off, my "Marine language" comes out in full force, and it sure ain't pretty. I make no excuses for that, nor do I apologize for it. As the very first post at this blog states, this is my blog, I will post what I feel like posting.
If any want to read or, oh dear me, follow this blog, you do so at your own risk.
I am not a leader. I never wanted to be a leader. I'm not much of a follower either. Yes, I do follow some blogs and a few people who post at various web sites. I follow those I enjoy reading, they are usually the ones who are honest and tell things straight up, no fluff, no filler. Those writer/authors know who they are. 
I never would dream of asking anybody to follow me or my philosophy. Why? because I am not certain of where I am going. Also, when I/we get to where ever it is I am going, if any follower does not like that place, well, don't blame me, I warned you. 
I go my own way. I don't go back. That does not mean I forget the past by any means. There is a song I have liked since the first time I heard it. The last line of that song goes like this;"Memories are like starlight. They go on forever". Mine sure as hell do.  My not going back is, I have never been to a high school reunion. My 50th was just a year ago. I knew the people I'd like to see again would not be there and the only ones who would be there were those I didn't care to be around 50 years ago and I am certain they have not changed much. 
Oh, another personal rule, sort of, is I cannot be offended by your comments to/at me. See above, I enlisted in USMC in April 1968 and admit that was about as stupid as could be. So, how can you possibly offend me? Yeah, it ain't gonna happen. Try if you wish, but don't cry to me when I take no offense. 
This rambling post started with good intentions, unlike the miserable, useless Vietnam war (sorry Ken Burns, but you are WRONG when you made that comment in your latest film). Wars are never started with any "good intentions". never were, never will be. Any who, this rambling rant has gone off on a wild tangent. Those who know me from previous blogs know I do this often. It may be seen as a fault, if it is a fault, well OK, but it is MY fault and I'll own it. As I told my boss in Vietnam, when he was taking to  regimental comm section, I may not have a great attitude, I probably didn't/don't even have a good attitude, but damn it, it is MY attitude! Yes, I am cynical and can get very sarcastic, but, that is me and at nearly 70 years old, I ain't gonna change. 

Until next time, PLEASE try and treat everybody you meet each day the way you want to be treated. If we all try, we CAN make this world a much nicer place for all. 

OK, got my links figured out. Finally.
Now, any reader, if there are any......LOL, can just click on any of the links at the right side of the page to go to any of my links.
Getting two of the blogs that are hosted by Word press nearly got me to question my sanity. 
I should point out here that many other people HAVE questioned my sanity in my nearly 70 years in this life. I have done so as well, but usually not until after I'd done something particularly dumb. And I admit, up front, that I have done some dumb things in my life. Some were so dumb, how dumb were they? Some of my dumb things were so dumb, that one actually did pronounce the "B" at then end of the word dumb.
Hey folks, I have never claimed to be the best, smartest, or brightest in anything. My ego is not that big. No, I don't think of myself as humble, just I think I know my limitations. Oh rats, now I sound like I'm quoting an old Clint Eastwood film; A man's got to know his limitations". Well, that does it, I'm ending this post NOW.

p.s. Please see the previous post for the real reason this old idiot had such troubles with the links. Yeah, I need to force myself to proofread everything, links included. I had misspelled at least one word in one of the links, so naturally I got an error message that said site/blog does not exist. No kidding there Walter old moron!
Yes, I do beat up on me now and then. Hey, somebody has to and I am better at it than anybody ever was.

Until next time, please try and treat everybody you meet the way you want to be treated. We CAN make this a better planet for all life, we just need to try and do it.

Rats! 

I am having more trouble than I need with this blog. I have tried everything I know, which probably isn't all that much. Honestly, I have many interests and do take some decent photos, but I never said I was the brightest bulb on the old xmas tree.

Any who, I keep trying to add some Word press blogs to my blog list.

For some odd reason, probably my own mistakes, I am unable to add two blogs that I follow that use Word press. Yeah, I know, I used Word press for the last blog I had. That old blog is still up for reading, but I got tired of the changes they kept making.

OK, so here are the sites/blogs I read every day, sometimes twice a day as both of these blogs often have more than one post every day.

First off Class Warfare Blog. This is by a very good guy, Stephen Prius. I highly recommend his blog to all. You can find it at http://stephenprius.wordpress.com.  You may have to type this link into your browser to get to his blog. Mr. Prius posts on a wide variety of topics. 

Next up is The Sensuous Curmudgeon. The site is located at;

http://sensuouscrumudgeon.wordpress.com. Again, you may need to type that link into your browser. Note that SC mostly blogs on creationists and religious news. The fake 'science' of "intelligent design" comes in for much ribbing on this site.

Oh boy. Looking back on my "problems" with the links, I now realize that it was 99.999999% MY own fault. For one thing I misspelled a name in one of the links. No wonder I got ran error saying that site/blog does not exist. It doesn't! Well, once again, old age beats down good intentions. I suppose I could claim brain fade, but personally, if I did that, I would have to accuse myself of pulling a total cop out. I need to really force myself to proofread. 
Oh joy of joys, as if I need a new challenge.......<smirk>. Well, apparently I DO need that one. I'll make an honest effort to proofread in the future.
hey, at least the links on the right side of this page all work now.

As always, please try to treat everybody you come in contact with every day the way you want to be treated. It can make this world a better place for all of us. Hey people, we are all that we have to make this a better life. 

Well Shit!

The "exceptional" nation once again proves beyond any possible doubt, just how goddamn exceptional it really is. Yes, I am referring to the mass killings in Lost Wages (Las Vegas to most of you folks).

Well, for starters, check "The Onion" today for a story they posted this morning. It may not be up now, but I'll give you the headline. 

"No way to prevent this" says only nation where this regularly happens.  IF the article/story is still up, please DO click on it. When you do, assuming it is still up, you will find other articles on previous mass killings, like the one in SanBernardino, California. Don't forget the one in that movie theater in Colorado, the school shootings in Connecticut or Columbine either. This country, 'Merikkka, has more of this type of "incident" than any other supposed civilized nation on this planet.

Yes sir boys and girls, (not so very) old 'Merikkka IS one bloody (very, very bloody) exceptional nation.

Yes, in some respects, you can say that I am being a bit sarcastic here with this post. Well, maybe I am, but, good grief people, I am so damn sick of this mass killing. If you are not outraged by this and the previous mass killings in our country, then in my way of thinking you are in a coma or brain dead.

I can tell you from personal experience that being shot at is no fun at all. I did a tour in the Vietnam war, 1970-71 as a US Marine. I was fortunate enough to not get shot. I saw more than enough death during that time to last about 100 life times and then some. ENOUGH!

Of course the orange haired rodent who is our POTUS will make all sorts of stupid tweets on this mess. He is going to run off to Las Vegas soon. Oh joy!  NOT. He is going to 'comfort' the wounded and the families of those who were killed. Yeah, if any of my immediate family were killed or wounded by this recent shooter, the LAST critter I'd want near me is tRump or any member of his family. 

Oh, on the POTUS, he still has yet to visit Puerto Rico. Oh, wait, he is in NO hurry to go there, they didn't all vote for him last November. Was that last sentence mean spirited? Tough beans and hard cheese if you think so. The clown(our POTUS) is a kindergarten sandbox bully and you best believe the clown DOES hold a grudge.

I'll stop for now. It is getting very hard to post without extreme profanity over this latest idiocy. Another mass killing in the "exceptional" nation. Or, as Madass Al(not so very)bright called it, the "indispensable" nation.  Please, indispensable? Exceptional? Excuse me while I go find a big bucket to barf into. I want to laugh but the tears won't stop.

Please, please people, be nice to each other. We are all we have. Live and let live. Treat others the way you want to be treated. 

Oh joy.
Well, now this shit has gone full mental crazy. I read a short article where the orange haired rodent who unfortunately is our POTUS has said that ALL the NFL players 'must' stand for the national anthem.
OK, so if they don't what will the moron do? Fire them? I'd like to see that. If he even tries that, his base will dry up faster than opening a can of soda in space. His base would drop him like a flaming hot rock.
Yeah, yeah, I remember the (ig)Nobel piece prizident saying how those of us who live in some parts of the US of A cling to the holly buy-bull, and guns, or as some put it, doG and guns.

Well, that may be true of many tRump base types, but mess with their football (or NASCAR) and watch them revolt en mass. Just take any informal survey of 'Merikkka, Sunday is for beers and football. Forget that apple pie, baseball crap, it is football season y'all! 
For the record, I do not watch or pay attention to football, basketball (since Magic Johnson quit), not eve baseball (and I did sort of promise myself that I'd watch the World Series IF the Cubs were ever in it. Well, they were a year or three back and I did NOT watch one minute of the series nor follow the games. I did see that they won though, from a news site on the web.
How un-'Merikkkan of me? Well, maybe so, but I prefer motor sports. If it has an internal combustion engine and two or four wheels, I'm for it. Must be my mechanical working life and maybe a bit of my stubborn German heritage. Of course growing up when I did, graduated high school in the mid 1960's motor racing was great. 

Until next time, please try and be nice to each other. We are all we have after all. 
Oh, one last quote, just because. Margret Mead is quoted as saying; "Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have".