The draft...

Does anyone remember why they stopped the draft?

I know it wasn't a very popular program. 

Not everyone got drafted from what I remembered.

You had to sign up for the draft after you reach the

age of 18.  That was males only, but for the life of

me, I don't know why women weren't drafted as

well.

Then you only went in, if your number/name came

up in the lottery of picks.  So not every one went.

There was deferments for those in college and or

married with children.  And you remained on the

list from 18 to 25, if I recall right.  I don't recall

the draft being for the Air Force, Marines or even

the Coast Guard.  It was for  the Army.  Don't know

why that is so.

But sometimes as I see the younger generation, I

wonder if stopping the draft was such a bad idea.

The Army made men out of boys.  And as we see

a lot of young men who don't get good jobs, end

up in a lot of trouble.  So maybe we wouldn't

have so many guys in jail or prison, if the draft

was still available.   I know there was a time when

judges would have young men volunteer to join

up, .... it was either that or go to jail.. And 99%

chose the Army.  Maybe if it came back, they

could lower the age to 17, if you dropped out of

high school.

Maybe if we had the draft back and have the deferment

be .... in college, married with 2 or more children... or

a good paying job, and living on your own.  After all

in the Army, there was a lot of vocations that were

trained there to chose from.  So they got a profession

while serving.

The times are changing...

You have to be hid under a rock, not to know what

went on this weekend in Paris...

The word is 129 died...and much more wounded.

And of the 8 terrorist, 6 are dead, and 1 is caught

and one is on the run...out of France, and they were

thisclose to getting that one..as they had him stopped

and for some reason didn't get it and let him pass.

The reports are up and down, what is truth and what is

rumors..  But are they telling us that only 8 terrorist

brought on all this mayhem?  Surely there had to be

more.. or was it the element of surprise got them as

far as it did?  Luckily the police were faster...

These days.. fighting, terrorist, wars are all different

from what we are use to.. 

Indians and Calvary.. leathers and blue suits and cowboy

hats..

Civil war.. union blue and rebel grey...

WW I and WW II it was the uniform differences.

Same with Korean war (it was not a policing...they

shot each other.. that is war)

Vietnam was a little different.. but still the uniforms.

But now?  they only thing that seems to be the same

all the countries are  in their uniforms. Ours, France,

Germany and etc. and the MidEastern's look like every

one else in their country. So our allies and the rest can't

tell who is who.. but they sure know who we are.

Then you take the renegades terrorist.. They look like

any other MidEasterner.. So is it a terrorist, or is it the

local doctor or welder or what ever?  

And when they come to the other countries.. every

Midwesterner is suspicious.  They must know what

it felt like to be Japanese during WWII..  With the

exception that they aren't rounded up and put in camps.

I hate to see what is coming.. where next?  are we next?

Will it be something like Paris.. or bigger like the Super

bowl..  scares me to even think about it..  We might

cuss the HOMELAND SECURITY.. but so far, they

have kept us safe.  So far..  

More things I won't be able to do...

I have written before how electronic are starting

to baffle me..  That the smart phones are so

way far smarter than I am.

Computers are starting to run away from me as

well.  Movie cameras have left me in the dust.

All of these are disconcerting for me.. but

it has come to me, there is one more.. that I

have not thought about.  That is cars.

The new and improved, no key cars are going

so much into computer that I have realized

that I will never be able to have a new car.

Not that I can afford one...but even if I won

one free and clear...  I would have to take

driving lessons all over.  I would know how

to drive it down the road.  I just wouldn't

know how to start it up.

With that comes the realization, that not

only would I not be able to buy a new car...

but I would not be able to lease/rent a car.

Unless they have an older one. But in the

future.. I would be lost.

I wish the high schools would have night

school for those of my age.  To have different

computerize classes..  One for the Windows 10

and then one for smart phones... and now add

new cars systems as well.

Today sadden me..

Today is Veteran's Day... and some places will honor

those who have served and are still serving...

But it sadden me because the students are in school today.

The banks are closed, the post office is closed.. so tell me

why is it the students are in school?  Hopefully the

school are having an assembly for a program.. honoring

local veterans.  Hopefully they understand from the time

of World War I, World War II, Korean war (no I don't call

it a police action, when they are shooting at each other...

and then there is the Vietnam War...and I don't know what

they call this we are doing now.. it is war.. but not like the

war of years ago, where you go after each other, shooting

it out.. this war is so much different...  And our soldier,

our troops, need to be honored... by all.  And because they

have gone ... our youth who volunteered.. who were not

drafted... have stepped up for you and I. THANK YOU..

So to all of you who have served... and to all of you who

are serving now... We thank you for your service.. and we

are sorry that you have to be put in such a position. We can

only hope that some day.. people will stop hating others..

But in the meantime.. THANK YOU.. ALL OF YOU..

The more I learn... the less I know.

When it comes to electronic type thing, I

am at a lost. Be it learning a new camera,

cell phone, computer and etc..

Then throw in the new stuff on the computer.

I manage Facebook, but that is sooooooooooo

yesterday.  There is Twitter, Instragram, the

Cloud, AND so much more.

I was reading in Time magazine about a new

one (geesh, guys, I am still trying to adjust to

the old) called Slack.  This is so new but it has

a great following already... a lot of businesses

use it.  From the article I take it ..it is a huge

business step.  Looks like 80 or more per cent

is on the business front. But that doesn't mean

the average person...... well, I should correct

that.. the average techie person.. uses it too.

And slowly or not, fast coming up will be

the people who use Facebook, Twitter and

Instragram, and these, will be history as well.

The name of the article by the way is..

EMAIL KILLERS...  and I have to be honest..

I don't do anywhere as much email as I use to

before Facebook.. I use Facebook message a lot

more.  With so many people doing Facebook

on their phones (not me.. I don't have a cell phone)

that you get an answer a lot faster.   And especially

now, because people check their message area, but

hardly ever check their emails.

I feel like a person who is still doing her wash

in an old Maytag wringer washer... while the rest

of the world is doing their wash, by putting their

dirty wash on a hanger, and press the button, and

the clothes go thru a closet and come out the other

side clean and press and in to your clothes closet.

(you can bet some day that will be the way of the world)

As it is.. I went into Staples to look and drool over their

large tablets.. which I would like to have one. A 10 incher.

But I will have to buy one at a hock shop, with Windows 7

in it... because the world is up with Windows 10 and it is

so way different from what I know.  My laptop is a 7, and

heard that Windows 8 was a mess.. so had no desire to get

one.  Now every computer has a pop up of FREE WINDOWS

10.. well, for me.. not even for free.  There are people who

are having trouble with 10.. besides just watching the gal

explain it to me.. I got a head ache.. AND there is NO office

program anymore.. so no free typing of letters and etc. That is

extra. about $100 extra.. and no more cd or dvd players and

recorders.. don't know if they just did away with it.. or you

have to pay extra for that.     I like my Windows 7.  I am use

to my WINDOWS 7....   and like a typical New Englander..

I don't like change.. especially when it gives me head aches

to just watch someone else do it.  So guess I will keep checking

the hock shops for a tablet... with Windows 7 in it.  and so far.

my laptop is doing fine.. and I can make dvd's, and I can make

cd's and I can type a letter if I want to... which by the way

that is a old one too.. I think it is Office 2000, which I installed

because some one got a new computer and gave me their cd

of it.

Yep, the more I learn,  the less I know..

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

For someone my age, I can't understand how

we got to where we are with the handling those

who don't take responsibility for their actions.

The media and people jump past the start of a

problem and hit hard.. real hard on the outcome

of a situation. Forgetting the start.

 And the police are coming up on

the short end of the stick.  Along with society.

Take the Ferguson situation.  The police officer

lost his job. It effected his family and their income.

I don't know if he moved out of the town or the

state.  I don't understand how this happen. 

We know now, that the young man with his pal

stole from a store just minutes before. He was

stopped by the police officer.  The police

officer asked him to stop, so he could talk to

him.  The rest is murky... but what it amounts

to is.. the young man came at the police officer,

not in a friendly manner. In fact to such a menacing

manner that the officer pulled out his gun.. Once

again the rest is murky, as there are two stories,

but the evident leans in favor of the officer. But

because it was turn into a racy situation with riots,

the whole story boils down to what the officer did

which was shot the young man.  Nothing about

how the officer got in that position in the first

place. And his whole life with his family is washed

down the toilet.

There are many other stories, that have come to light

since thing for other people, mostly blacks that have

been shot, but nothing about how or what the officer

was put in to that situation. All of them was the person

ran, or attacked, rather than do just what the officer asked.

Then we have the young lady situation with the police

officer in the school.  The young lady was in position

to stop the situation 3 times.. 3 times!!.. She ignored the

teacher who requested she put her phone away while in

class. The situation got worse, so the security officer was

called in.. again the young lady refused and blew off the

person of authority.  So the police were called in. The

officer requested the young lady to put the phone away.

When she refused, he went to take the phone away. She

slugged him, and then what you saw on television proceeded.

The officer lost his job.  Nothing happen to the young lady.

Nothing.

Shortly after, on the social media was a video, of a

student who was punching, throwing a teacher on the

floor and continued to slug him while the teacher tried

to escape and nothing happen. And no other student tried

to help him.  And you wonder why teachers no longer

want to teach.  Between being beaten, and being shot

at, who wants to teach anymore.

Then there is the 15 year old, who was drunk, driving

his truck, with drugs in his system.. who left a party

at his own house, with friends.. to get more beer. He

ran over 4 pedestrians  and hit a truck.. Killing the 4

and the driver of the truck. What happen to him?

Nothing... the judge (surely she had to be paid off by

the wealthy parents)  said because the young man had

not be made responsible all his life, that he doesn't

understand  what he did wrong.  WHAT THE HELL?

NOTHING.. no jail time, no fine, nothing...

HOW THE HELL DID WE GET HERE?  WHERE

OR WHAT HAPPEN?  WHERE DID WE LOSE

CONTROL?  Why is it, no one is held accountable

to their actions?

I am so glad to be living where I am.  And I feel

ashamed to admit, that I want to be like the bird

who hides his head in the sand. I can't do anything

to correct this and no one else seems to want to

either.

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE.... BRRR..

As I strolled thru the house at 0:30 hour this

am... looking at the white on the lawn.. and

some of the flowers frozen... the song came

to mind.   (I remember it being sang in a

movie with, I believe it was sang in  

Neptune's Daughter by Esther Williams in the

late 1940's)

Even the house was so dang cold....then it dawn

on me, the afternoon before was really warm and

I had the door open....so I had turn the furnace

down to 60!!!   HOLY COW.. 

So sapped that baby up to 75...and grabbed

a cup of coffee. 

In the afternoon, I went out to survey the condition

of the remaining flowers.  Dumped the frozen

ones in the compost pile. Still have the ones

next to the deck doing pretty well.  And only

2 left of the in the yard ones.  And the pot with

the raspberry bush that we are going to transplant,

had a slice of ice covering it all.

Had to admit.. it is fall and heading to winter. So

took the remaining table and chairs off the deck

and put them away. That is my way of conceding

to the fact that snow is coming.

Even the windshield had ice on it. So that means

if I want to go anywhere in the morning, I have

to plan on 10 minutes ahead of heading out.. so

I can start the car and run the defroster.

Oh, well... just a mere only 150 days to Spring.

Geesh, 150 days seems like a long time... oh,

its a long, long time from  December to May....

(backwards from the song but true..)  

AND THE WINNER IS...

Everyone will be out to get the morning paper.

Those who couldn't stay awake until midnight

to get the results.  Other wise they burnt the

midnight oil, cruising the election sites for

each county.

Our own little town.. well, we knew who

was the winner before the day started. Nope,

we aren't a mail in city.  But we are a low keyed

city.  We had the mayor race, and two council

people..   All unopposed.   So when I went to

the council meeting last night.. I congratulate

all 3 of winning their races by a landside. 

Now the big question will be.. how many of

our town's people actually went out and voted?

The average is 31.  But this was a quiet year.

and a lot of people were not really aware there

was an election going on.

Now Spokane, and Sandpoint, and CdA have had some

heated up politics going on. Especially in

Sandpoint.. the mayor race... which has come

by some really nasty mud slinging garbage,

of robo calls.  Not by the candidates themselves.

But because of one of them had unrequested

helpers who decided to help out.  While both of 

them has said they had nothing to do with this. 

So that leads to who and why.  And they followed

up with a last minute slanderness remarks.   So did

one of them do it to the other guy? Or did that guys

bunch do it so the other one got blamed for it?  Who

knows.. but by this am.. there will be a winner.

And from what I understand.. Sandpoint will

be a winner, no matter which one gets in.. as

they both are nice men and have Sandpoint's

best interest at heart.

So early this am.. there will be winners and there will

be losers..  Sadly the voters will be low.. so the few

will vote in the candidate for the major part of the town.

But don't feel bad.. we will have a whole flaming year

of hearing from the Republicans and Democrats on the

Presidential race.  WHOLE YEAR... (enter sad face)  

LOST THEM, DAMN IT....

I hate it when I lose things.. Drives me nuts.

I look in everything .... twice.. some times more,

as if it will appear after I have looked in the pocket

or in the drawer or where ever.

I know it is in the house.. that is given. But where?

We came home  Sunday, from the store.. I had to use the

keys to open the door... so I know.. I know.. they are

here.. somewhere.  I remember bring in the groceries

when I open the door.. and put the keys on the counter

with the groceries .. to go out and get some more.. And

that is the last of my memory.

It doesn't scare me that they are gone, as I know they have

to be here somewhere. We didn't go anywhere after. So where

the heck are they??? good question.

I have looked in my sweater pockets at least 10 times ..

like maybe they will appear. maybe I didn't look deep

enough. I tore the counter apart... no where.

Maybe I should ask St. Anthony the finder of all things.

My Aunt Harriet use to ask his help.  But so far.. nothing.

and they are fairly important keys... so got to find them.

So if you would.. maybe you can ask the powers that be..

if the keys could appear for me.. lol...because so far I

am not doing well on my own. 

Well, HELLO NOVEMBER....

This year is disappearing faster and faster.. I was just getting

my head into fall.. and here we are knocking on winter.

I still have baskets with blooming flowers.. and roses

who are still giving me buds and blossoms...

but I have the feeling that this week will be the end

of them all.. with reports of 32 to 30  for early am

temps.  Have the pots up close to the deck and they

have flowers doing great.. the deck pretty well

protects them..  But those too shall be history this

weeks as well.

Started doing my baking for Christmas gifts.. have

a few other things to do, and I should be ready...

Next rainy day will be large pans of zucchini bread

and the fruitcake cookies.. and for those who don't

like fruitcakes.. these are good as they don't taste

like them.. it is because they do have dried fruit in

them... that they got the name..

Guess I am hoping that winter will go as fast as the

rest of the year has gone..   Thanksgiving will be

here soon.. (3 weeks) and then Christmas will gallop

in... But then we have the dragging of January and

February.

And lots of rainy days between snow. Which I hope

holds off until January.