Non Conformity is a No No Nowadays!

You'd better not be odd today or you might be labeled: ODD

I think I've just come across another Dumbing Down of society.  It seems that modern psychiatry has a new disorder that has been installed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM.

 Just what might this be you ponder; well it appears that anyone who deviates from the Norm can be declared mentally ill!  Or, if someone does not conform to what those in charge defined to be Normal, they can be declared mentally insane or having "oppositional defiant disorder" ODD.  Don't you just love labels with abbreviations!!  So now it's not PMS but ODD....

The DMS does give a little latitude with the diagnosis in that there needs to be an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior.  However, this brings back memories of a time when people were forced in to submission with electroshock therapy.  I remember my aunt's sister-in-law was  turned into a drooling 50 year imbecile after so many electric shocks when her husband had her committed.  I was too young to know the details but I'm pondering if menopause might have had something to do with it. 

What is frightening is that children who throw temper tantrums or fight with siblings could be declared mentally ill and subjected to who know what kind of treatment.  As a child, if I tried to throw a tantrum or cause a fuss, I was sent to my room and privileges were taken away.  Since I had rather be outside playing, I learned early on that tantrums didn't work.

  At what point will someone exercising freedom of expression be silenced like in the USSR with mind-altering drugs.   Furthermore what will become of inventive minds like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell whose unconventional ideas seemed crazy in their day. 

This ODD is definitely something scary to ponder and sounds like we might be getting even closer to Orwell's 1984.

Cattle vs Horses, the Saga of the New West!

Plenty of room for all that cattle, but horses are overgrazing?

This Cliven Bundy issue has so gotten out of hand and even Sean Hannity and U.S. (R) Senator Dean Heller have defended Bundy as a patriot.  BTW, too late to back peddle now, you're out of the closet!

Bundy is a Nevada rancher who illegally grazed his cattle for 20 years on thousands of acres of public land, totaling up to $1 million in unpaid grazing fees.  What many people are overlooking and should be outraged about is that American taxpayers are footing the bill.  Oh yes, I've heard that the IRS should be closed down and their terrorists incarcerated.  But that's future pondering as I wonder how this country will function without our tax dollars!

As distasteful as BLM appears, they and the U.S. Forest Service manage approximately 250 million acres of public land. And what do they do to manage the public land, you might ponder?  Fire and resource management, trail and roads, parks and recreation, plus educational and scientific research, to name a few.

It seems that one month's grazing on federal land is a fee of $1.35 per cow/calf, which is substantially below the present-day cost of $16-$20 per month to graze livestock on private land.  So if the ranchers refuse to pay the grazing fees, the direct loss to taxpayers is around $123 million a year.  According to Wild Earth Guardians, the indirect but related costs push the total to as high as $1 billion, all to produce less than 3% of the nation’s beef supply.

The ranchers are lobbying BLM to remove the wild horses at the public's expense. Their claim is that horses are overpopulated and degrade the land upon which the cattle graze.  However BLM's estimate of 33,780 free-roaming wild horses and 6,825 burros seems almost insignificant when compared to the millions of cattle and sheep that graze at the public’s expense.  Furthermore, BLM allocates less than 20 % of forage for wild horses, but over 80% going to cattle and sheep!

Yes the rangeland is suffering, but if the truth be known it is due to overgrazing of cows and sheep. The horses are only affecting the greed of wealthy ranchers.

Wildlife ecologist Craig Downer, states: "wild horses are flight animals that exist in family bands, ranging widely from diverse riparian areas, where they drink before moving on to forage in areas sometimes as many as 15 miles away. There’s a reason helicopters are needed to round them up.  In addition to their environmentally efficient migratory patterns, wild horses repair western ecosystems by not lingering in riparian areas, consuming dry forage that would otherwise ignite destructive brush fires, and distributing undigested seeds through their manure, which reseed grassy plains, deserts and mountains. Additionally, their feces add significant humus to the soil, making it more nutrient-rich and water-absorptive".

Anyone who has spent much time around cattle and horses should know there is a big the difference in behavior between bovine and equine. Cattle will drink, forage, defecate and urinate in the same area.  
 Nonetheless, ranchers are focused on removing wild horses and pretty much refuse to cut back on the large number of cattle grazing on public land.  And I guess as long as Americans feast on the almighty hamburger, more and more cattle are needed.

Well, as a native of the American West and lover of horses, I take great offense to Bundy being made into an icon of an American patriot and his posse the heroes like with Paul Revere. 

Patriarch or Domestic Terrorist, the News Media Will Decide

Hate, the U.S.'s Newest Chemical High

Today, I'm pondering the quote by José N. Harris, “There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.”

What brought this to mind was last night when I clicked to another channel to avoid the commercials and accidentally landed on Fox News.  So against my better judgment, I watched for as long as my bowels would allow.  Talk about drama queens and do they have the hair flick down! 

I know of a person whose TV is stuck on Fox News most of the day and night.  For my own sanity, I can not visit with this person any more.

 And I ponder, how many home-grown terrorists like Frazier Glenn Cross Jr. are we incubating with constant threats coming from the NRA, the insane rants of Rush Limbaugh and the paranoia from Glenn Beck?  Is our society seducing certain individuals with anti-government delusions and right wing fantasies, thus paving the way for more Timothy McVeigh’s to crawl out from under the dark shadows? 

I have never been one to favor BLM's activities toward the wild horses and burros.  However I do have some friends who are BLM rangers and also very nice people.  Nonetheless, this drama at the Bundy Ranch has left a very bad impression of the U.S. Government and law enforcement.  Protesting is the America's freedom of choice, but I can bet my bank account that if I showed up at my state capitol armed to the teeth, using children and women as shields that I would be locked away in a manner of seconds. 

Freedom of speech is a wonderful privilege that we Americans enjoy.  I use the word "privilege" because where does freedom end and terrorism begin when hate is used as a drug more powerful that meth, heroin or crack? 

If the drama of suspicion, paranoia and intolerance continues at what point will innocent people be able to walk away from the drama, I ponder?

Pondering During the Blood Moon

Predictions, Folklore and Moonlight 

Awaiting the occurrence of the Lunar Eclipse on April 14~15, 2014, has got me pondering why some people identify this event with malevolence and why it is known as the Blood Moon.  The moon's red color can be explained by scientific principles, if I dare mention science in today's society.  The sunlight is scattered through the Earth's atmosphere and as the moon is shadowed by the earth, the reflected sunlight appears as red or orange.

Since this Blood Moon coincides with Passover, Tabernacles and Easter Sunday, it brings much religious significance.  In the book of Joel and also in Revelation, predictions are stated regarding blood and the moon with the Coming of the Lord and the Great Tribulation.  Furthermore, this is the first in a series of four Blood Moons within the next 18 months and some people are anxiously waiting what might be heading our way. 

Moonlight in general has brought fears and played on people's imaginations as far back as recorded history.  Moonlight has always believed to have a powerful influence on people.

  In 1486 the “Malleus Maleficarum” warns that “The stars can influence the devils themselves… Certain men who are called lunatics are molested by devils more at one time than at another; and the devils… would rather molest them at all times, unless they themselves were deeply affected by certain phases of the moon.”

In 1621, a guide to healthy living gives warnings “When thou goest to thy bed… draw close the curtaines to shut out the Moone-light, which is very offensive and hurtfull to the braine, especially to those that sleepe.” Furthermore, "Those careless enough to sleep under a full moon risked insanity, blindness, or even being turned into a werewolf."

Late as the 1950s, the Moira Tatem’s classic “Dictionary of Superstitions” mothers are warned not to hang their baby's nappies out in the moonlight for fear of bad luck.

If the moon can affect even supernatural beings, then surely ordinary people are no match for moonlight!

Well due to this moon turning red and the color of blood while in eclipse it must have sinister meaning.  Not only is our present day Blood Moon coinciding with religious events, it also marks the Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  The R.M.S. Titanic struck the iceberg at 2340 hours (ship time) on April 14th, 1912 and sank two hours later at 0220 hours on April 15th or 0518 hours GMT!

So maybe there is significance as to why people fear the Blood Moon.  I mean, death is related to the color of blood and in ancient times, people were known to be sacrificed on a blood moon.  In medieval Japan, a blood moon predicted the coming of spilt blood and war.

And what about the belief that a woman came into her full power with her strongest magic when her cycle fell on the full moon. 

Well, I must admit that this Blood Moon was pretty eerie looking as I watched while sipping my Bordeaux for good luck.  However so far the only bad luck has been to a lizard that my cat decapitated and one of my fish who passed during the night.  And more red wine sounds like a good omen for their passing.

Grab Your Guns, Defend Your Freedom

Take Back the First Amendment, Showed BLM Who's  Right!

After trying not to absorb all the opinionated "B.S". and I do not mean Bachelor of Science regarding the Bundy Cattle Siege, I came across a post that brought the issue some clarity.  I have  condensed the words from Richard Rowe, April 11, 2014, In Breaking News Grab the Gun Control Debate .

In 1848 Mexico ceded Nevada to the United States.  The U.S. then was the title holder to these lands, unless said lands were purchased from the government. Some time around 1850, Cliven Bundy’s family bought a small ranch in the area, and began grazing cattle on the nearby public lands. They did not OWN the lands, never purchased them from the government and did not have squatter’s rights because no taxes were paid. However, they were permitted to graze cattle on them.

 The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was formed in 1948 in order to monitor the land thus preventing illegal fencing or over-grazing. To regulate usage, 10-year leases were issued for cattle grazing. The owners of the Bundy Ranch paid the lease fees up until 1993.  At this time, Cliven Bundy believed that he did not have to pay because he had a right to use the land since his ancestors had always grazed there. 

In 1998, a section of Nevada lands in Clark County was designated as a habitat for the federally protected endangered desert tortoises, which included the public land where Bundy's cattle were grazing.

The other ranchers in the area complied but not Bundy, he continued to claim his right to the lands under preemption.  The following 15 years, he continued to allow his 400 head of cattle to illegally graze on the 600,000 acres of protected land.

Over the decade, the courts tried to work with him, giving him plenty of warning but he refused to pay the leasing fees.  Finally after all these years of negotiating without result, the government came to enforce the law and remove the cattle that were illegally grazing on a federally protected habitat.  

So now Bundy has a call for arms to come forward and protect the First Amendment for life, liberty and property. As he stated: "The loss of freedom happens slowly, so slowly that we often do not recognize the loss right away, not until we need to use that freedom that is no longer there but can’t. In this case the federal government is not recognizing that the State of Nevada is even a state. It is being treated as though it was a territory, and its people are not being afforded their Constitutional rights. Will you be next?"

I find it so amazing as I ponder how many people have rushed in to side with a rancher who is abusing the First Amendment to leverage his right not to abide by the law and to get by without paying federal fees.  As long as he waves the flag threatening loss of freedom, people will jump in to defend him without knowing all the facts or caring whether he has violated the law. 

 I ponder how many Americans realize or even care what our taxes and fees are used for?  You want smaller government and to be your own militia! That seems real reasonable to me, let's go back to the days of lynching and mob rule.  Let's just take what we can get by force and call this freedom. 

http://aattp.org/right-wing-terrorists-poised-to-spark-2nd-american-revolution-video/

Pithovirus sibercum, the Ancient Virus

 

Other-worldly or from our Ancient History?

 

 

Truth is stranger than fiction is what I'm pondering tonight.  Or at least after reading an article by April Holloway in March 6, 2014, Ancient Origins. 

 A virus so large that it can be seen under an ordenary microscope was recently discovered  in a 100 foot deep sample of permanently frozen soil from the costal tundra in Chukotka, near the East Siberian Sea.  

 

Along with its large size one of the strangest characteristics is that  "Pithovirus sibercum"  does not resemble any other virus found on Earth.  Hummm, all those "B" rated sci-fi movies might just come back and really haunt us.

Pithovirus sibercum's origin dates back to the time when mammoths roamed the Earth and this presents a number of concerns for medical science.  What harmful pathogens could be released on humans with the revival of this ancient virus? 

The  Siberian permafrost is rich in oil, gold and key minerals so more explorations will be taking place in the near future.  What other secrets might be locked away in this ancient bed of ice, I ponder.

Well, just keep on tampering with Mother Nature and us invincible humans might be in for some sci-fi horrors coming to even the playing field!

Selfies or Selfish, The Perfect Image

Capturing the Perfect Look

Along with the fun and convenience of the digital age and social media, health care workers are beginning to see a new trend of health conditions that focuses on a person's obsession with their looks.

 Termed "Selfies" or Body Dysmorphic Disorder, the camera phones are to blame because there is the desire to capture the perfect photo to post on social media.  One person, a British teenager tried to commit suicide after he tried and failed for 10 hours to take his perfect selfies. 

Well, I've never considered myself a narcissist but I do like to look presentable when I leave the house.  And I'm not above using some Photoshop to cover blemishes. 

Guess I'd better be careful of admitting to using Photoshop or people might think for sure that I am a Catfish.  Yes someone called me a Catfish when I refused to send him more photos of me.  If you aren't familiar with the term Catfish that will be pondered in an additional post, so check back later.