Sierra Club members and Jeep enthusiasts can both bristle at the title. But it's true.
I've had my Jeep just four days and it has forced me to do a lot introspection. Obviously my back-country capabilities took a massive leap forward. The question then becomes, "what am I do to with my Jeep". Before answering that question, I should mention that my Jeep has a name now. My car's name was "Great Protector". But it has gone to that endless highway in the sky. The name of my new pony is "Grusche"
The name I have given her is a particularly apt moniker. She will carry me and protect me like her namesake in "Die Kaukasiche Kreidekreiz". I also think Bretolt Brecht would have driven a Jeep. Hell, everyone should!
So the answer to the question "what am I to do with Grusche" is not something I can answer directly nor quickly. Perhaps I can sum up my plans, as well as my belief that Muir would have driven a Jeep, by discussing Mount Moriah.
Mount Moriah is the middle mountain range that forms the western edge of the Snake Valley. It is a 12,000 footer and is only peak. Many times I have viewed it afar with wonder. To date, I have driven close to it (within 5 miles) only twice. That changes now. You need to go on 30 miles of dirt road just to get to the turn off towards the mountain. My car could take me no further. Grusche can get me to the mountain. She can also carry me part of the way up.When the existing road ends, Grusche shall go no further. I will then dismount, load my gear onto my back, and reverently proceed on foot.
Wilderness should not be penetrated by machine. It should only be had by physical exertion. I also have a personal code of conduct when in wilderness also. It's almost bushidoesque.
Mount Moriah is rarely climbed due to it's remoteness, difficult access, and a 6000 foot vertical climb that rivals Grand Teton in total elevation gain. It's like climbing Timpanogos...from the front! I may not make it to the top, but just entering the wilderness of Mt. Moriah will be a lifelong dream.
And when I get done, I'm going to grab my brother Vance and go to the mountains to the north...the Deep Creeks. Back in the late 80's we went up the only Granite Creek Canyon. It is the only one with a trail that goes all the way up. We parked at about 5800 feet up. We'll see what Grusche can do.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Functionality and IRS shenanigans
I got a new Jeep...at least it's new to me. I already took it someplace where my car could never have gone. It will also take me to places where I have already been, but should have left my car home. I have always valued functionality over style. As I get older, I am getting more pronounced in this view. So is my wife. She went out to get seat covers today. Some might say, "the seats are leather, why do you want to cover them?". Many of the places I go, I tend to get dirty, smelly, and damp. Seat covers can be cleaned where leather is much more difficult. Anyway, when she was buying the seat covers she was asked what color she wanted. Her answer? "It doesn't matter". There is a console between the front seats with a little lid on top that covers a storage compartment. I told her to forget about replacing the lid because it hold my water jug perfectly.
My Jeep is not going to win any prizes for acceleration, nor will I be taking it above 70 mph. So if you see an old green Jeep ahead of you, and it's driving too slow for your taste, you'd better think twice about flipping it off while you pass. It might be me.
I also figured out how to make the radio work. I happened upon Sean, or is it Shaun, or maybe it's Shawn, who cares....that Hannitty guy on the radio. Let me tell you something that I hate about talk radio. It tends to be extreme voices on both sides. While the conservatives tend to have me yelling back at the radio, the liberals make me fall asleep at the wheel. This Hannitty guy REALLY hates Obama. It's all he talks about. I've never heard him once agree with something the president has said or done. Obame could say that puppies are cute and the sun is going to rise in the east tomorrow and Hannitty would disagree. What was his latest bitch? The IRS giving a bunch of crap to 'Tea Party' groups and the notion that Obama is behind it all.
Did the IRS target these groups. Yes. Was it a right thing to do? I'm going to give a qualified 'yes' as an answer. I think anybody, regardless of political bent, who is going for tax-exempt status should face a challenge. The question that was advanced being, is Obama behind it all. While it is certainly possible, it is hardly the first time this has happened. What let say what I think happened by using allegory. Some of the people I work with, and a few patients also, say I have a knack for using simple examples to understand more complex issues.
Let's assume that there was a group of people that wanted to abolish pharmacists and pharmacies (and the proverbial 'Big Pharma" that the tin-foul hat wearers rail against) because we are all just a bunch of crooks who take money from people and do nothing that helps. If one of these bozos shows up at my Pharmacy, I will still get them their medications, at the proper price, at the same speed as everyone else, and I'll make sure to tell them what they need to know. In short...I will still do my job. I will not be friendly, or terribly empathetic however. It's not because my boss, or his boss, or his boss ordered me to do it. It's because they think I am a stupid crook that should be put out of business. I'd bet a week's that if these 'tea-party' groups would ratchet back the anti-IRS rhetoric that things will smooth over for them. Just because the IRS agents are government employees doesn't mean they are Obama toadies. The military being a classic example. It's a safe bet that a majority of people in the Armed Services voted for Romney, but they still do their job. For that I am grateful.
My Jeep is not going to win any prizes for acceleration, nor will I be taking it above 70 mph. So if you see an old green Jeep ahead of you, and it's driving too slow for your taste, you'd better think twice about flipping it off while you pass. It might be me.
I also figured out how to make the radio work. I happened upon Sean, or is it Shaun, or maybe it's Shawn, who cares....that Hannitty guy on the radio. Let me tell you something that I hate about talk radio. It tends to be extreme voices on both sides. While the conservatives tend to have me yelling back at the radio, the liberals make me fall asleep at the wheel. This Hannitty guy REALLY hates Obama. It's all he talks about. I've never heard him once agree with something the president has said or done. Obame could say that puppies are cute and the sun is going to rise in the east tomorrow and Hannitty would disagree. What was his latest bitch? The IRS giving a bunch of crap to 'Tea Party' groups and the notion that Obama is behind it all.
Did the IRS target these groups. Yes. Was it a right thing to do? I'm going to give a qualified 'yes' as an answer. I think anybody, regardless of political bent, who is going for tax-exempt status should face a challenge. The question that was advanced being, is Obama behind it all. While it is certainly possible, it is hardly the first time this has happened. What let say what I think happened by using allegory. Some of the people I work with, and a few patients also, say I have a knack for using simple examples to understand more complex issues.
Let's assume that there was a group of people that wanted to abolish pharmacists and pharmacies (and the proverbial 'Big Pharma" that the tin-foul hat wearers rail against) because we are all just a bunch of crooks who take money from people and do nothing that helps. If one of these bozos shows up at my Pharmacy, I will still get them their medications, at the proper price, at the same speed as everyone else, and I'll make sure to tell them what they need to know. In short...I will still do my job. I will not be friendly, or terribly empathetic however. It's not because my boss, or his boss, or his boss ordered me to do it. It's because they think I am a stupid crook that should be put out of business. I'd bet a week's that if these 'tea-party' groups would ratchet back the anti-IRS rhetoric that things will smooth over for them. Just because the IRS agents are government employees doesn't mean they are Obama toadies. The military being a classic example. It's a safe bet that a majority of people in the Armed Services voted for Romney, but they still do their job. For that I am grateful.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Sea urchins and the Boy Scouts of America
Have you ever wondered who ate the first sea urchin? I doubt it was a Boy Scout. If it were...he would have to be Chinese. As near as I know the only part of the creature that is edible is the roe. I've eaten it but only once. Were I in a survival situation, I suppose I could eat more. It is not a flavor I enjoy. I am also perplexed by people that enjoy sea urchin roe. They obviously see something that is simply not there.
The BSA has been in the news a lot lately with their new policy about 'allowing' gay scouts. There has been a lot of commentary and speculation, especially among those of the predominant local religion. I refrain from saying the LDS church. They have made their position on the matter clear. Unfortunately, some of those wacky 'Mormons' are spouting off. I am going to wade into the fray, but I will deal with the gay component last.
First I want to reiterate an opinion that I have held for a long time. Scouting, as it is currently constituted is a waste of time. My father-in-law Brent was no doubt turning in his grave as I type that last sentence. Allow me to explain. The noble platitudes and goals that are associated with scouting are all well and good. There is something wrong with the Boy Scout oath, law, creed,...ah hell I forgot...about being trustworthy, loyal, etc. Many of the people that are appalled by gays being allowed are point to the phrase 'morally straight' so I suppose that is still in there somewhere. I suppose I should look up the list next time, but I suspect there is nothing in the list that is a bad thing to be.
But at it's heart, scouting was formed to make better soldiers. Specifically better British soldiers. I watched an episode of 'Downton Abbey' and would have to concur that the quality of the British fighting man left much to be desired during WWI. Wait a minute, my wife just told me that the boy scouts were founded in 1908. Uhhh, forgot what I just said. Clearly the British officer in that episode was not 'prepared' when he was having sex with Ethel 'cuz she got knocked up. I guess neither one of them was morally straight either.
Scouting is all about making better soldiers. That is not exactly all-inclusive now is it. Soldiers do all sorts of unsavory stuff like wearing the same clothes for days or weeks on end, or crapping in holes and burying it...or not. They also do it all outdoors. Did I mention that they kill people too? Anyway, I would like to see a return to the original purposes of scouting. The emphasis being on academic achievement, physical development, terrain appreciation, survival techniques, infiltration and exfiltration etc. And of course they must also be a 'gentlemen' when they are not in the field. Which means not discussing the sheep they butchered and ate, atomic sit-ups, and the hole that they took a crap in, when women are around. Of course, all of this is fair game around the fellas. Most guys adore, or at the very least appreciate, this type of behavior. And that includes gays. Don't believe me? There's a honey badger video you should watch!
Skills need to be learned, but need to be measured by in the field results. Take cooking for example. What would be better? A shiny belt loop or not having to eat cold, inedible slop on the last 50 miler? What is more useful? A patch on a cloth sash (wait a minute...don't the GIRL scouts do the same thing?) recognizing my citizenship or learning how to maintain team cohesion on the aforementioned 50 miler? Team cohesion is what it is all about after all. Can it be maintained with gay members? The answer is of course maybe...but it has nothing to do with their being gay. Let me suggest a little exercise. Take any statement you see that opposes gays being allowed into scouting. Substitute the word 'nigger' 'spic' 'chink' jew-boy' or any other derogatory or patently offensive term and read it again.
Let me try it out. Lemme see? "If scouting is going to start allowing niggers to participate, then I will pull out my kids and longer support them financially".
Wow that was good! Let me try another. "It's one thing to allowing spics to participate in a classroom setting with lots of adult around, but I don't want some spic alone with my son in a tent because he might ... well I can only imagine what might happen".
One more, one more, "I can only imagine what might happen when they let chinks become scouts. When everybody is eating cold stew with under-cooked potatoes, they might take a hatchet and break open a sea urchin...".
Dear me, them homos have already won!
So when (not if, but when) we get the first gay scout, there will be some kid that will be bullied by his parents into refusing to associate with a homosexual. Who then has to go? Think about this carefully. Who is more disturbing to team cohesion, the person who is different or the person who refuses to deal with it?
When I have been out in the sticks for a few days and been hiking around, I tend to get a little ripe. When I am sweaty, smelly, bug-headed, dirty, and feel as if my butt-crack looks like a baboons ass, I am in no mood for lovin'. It wouldn't matter if Salma Hayek wandered into the camp stark naked and pleading, "Take me now". Now, if she were clutching a fresh tray on chicken enchiladas I'd at least let her hang around while I ate and laughed at the other fellas desperately searching for some warm water, soap, and toothpaste.
The BSA has been in the news a lot lately with their new policy about 'allowing' gay scouts. There has been a lot of commentary and speculation, especially among those of the predominant local religion. I refrain from saying the LDS church. They have made their position on the matter clear. Unfortunately, some of those wacky 'Mormons' are spouting off. I am going to wade into the fray, but I will deal with the gay component last.
First I want to reiterate an opinion that I have held for a long time. Scouting, as it is currently constituted is a waste of time. My father-in-law Brent was no doubt turning in his grave as I type that last sentence. Allow me to explain. The noble platitudes and goals that are associated with scouting are all well and good. There is something wrong with the Boy Scout oath, law, creed,...ah hell I forgot...about being trustworthy, loyal, etc. Many of the people that are appalled by gays being allowed are point to the phrase 'morally straight' so I suppose that is still in there somewhere. I suppose I should look up the list next time, but I suspect there is nothing in the list that is a bad thing to be.
But at it's heart, scouting was formed to make better soldiers. Specifically better British soldiers. I watched an episode of 'Downton Abbey' and would have to concur that the quality of the British fighting man left much to be desired during WWI. Wait a minute, my wife just told me that the boy scouts were founded in 1908. Uhhh, forgot what I just said. Clearly the British officer in that episode was not 'prepared' when he was having sex with Ethel 'cuz she got knocked up. I guess neither one of them was morally straight either.
Scouting is all about making better soldiers. That is not exactly all-inclusive now is it. Soldiers do all sorts of unsavory stuff like wearing the same clothes for days or weeks on end, or crapping in holes and burying it...or not. They also do it all outdoors. Did I mention that they kill people too? Anyway, I would like to see a return to the original purposes of scouting. The emphasis being on academic achievement, physical development, terrain appreciation, survival techniques, infiltration and exfiltration etc. And of course they must also be a 'gentlemen' when they are not in the field. Which means not discussing the sheep they butchered and ate, atomic sit-ups, and the hole that they took a crap in, when women are around. Of course, all of this is fair game around the fellas. Most guys adore, or at the very least appreciate, this type of behavior. And that includes gays. Don't believe me? There's a honey badger video you should watch!
Skills need to be learned, but need to be measured by in the field results. Take cooking for example. What would be better? A shiny belt loop or not having to eat cold, inedible slop on the last 50 miler? What is more useful? A patch on a cloth sash (wait a minute...don't the GIRL scouts do the same thing?) recognizing my citizenship or learning how to maintain team cohesion on the aforementioned 50 miler? Team cohesion is what it is all about after all. Can it be maintained with gay members? The answer is of course maybe...but it has nothing to do with their being gay. Let me suggest a little exercise. Take any statement you see that opposes gays being allowed into scouting. Substitute the word 'nigger' 'spic' 'chink' jew-boy' or any other derogatory or patently offensive term and read it again.
Let me try it out. Lemme see? "If scouting is going to start allowing niggers to participate, then I will pull out my kids and longer support them financially".
Wow that was good! Let me try another. "It's one thing to allowing spics to participate in a classroom setting with lots of adult around, but I don't want some spic alone with my son in a tent because he might ... well I can only imagine what might happen".
One more, one more, "I can only imagine what might happen when they let chinks become scouts. When everybody is eating cold stew with under-cooked potatoes, they might take a hatchet and break open a sea urchin...".
Dear me, them homos have already won!
So when (not if, but when) we get the first gay scout, there will be some kid that will be bullied by his parents into refusing to associate with a homosexual. Who then has to go? Think about this carefully. Who is more disturbing to team cohesion, the person who is different or the person who refuses to deal with it?
When I have been out in the sticks for a few days and been hiking around, I tend to get a little ripe. When I am sweaty, smelly, bug-headed, dirty, and feel as if my butt-crack looks like a baboons ass, I am in no mood for lovin'. It wouldn't matter if Salma Hayek wandered into the camp stark naked and pleading, "Take me now". Now, if she were clutching a fresh tray on chicken enchiladas I'd at least let her hang around while I ate and laughed at the other fellas desperately searching for some warm water, soap, and toothpaste.
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