Gun control...

With all of the uproar about preserving second amendment rights, I'm curious as to how many of these folks even know what the second amendment states?

Here ya go:

The 2nd Amendment was ratified on December 17, 1791 along with the other nine amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. While it is a very short amendment, its exact meaning in terms of what types of weapons are protected is still in contention today.

Text of the 2nd Amendment:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

So, what "arms" were available in 1791?  Muzzle-loaders?  Bayonets?  Okay, that is what your rights are limited to!

Yes, I'm being facetious.  I am not anti-gun, but I am anti-idiots with guns!  I personally know at least one person whom has a license to carry a concealed weapon whom, I believe to be far too irresponsible, reckless, and sometimes just plain, well stupid, to have that privilege!

Yes common citizens should have the right to defend themselves, but the scope of those rights NEED to be determined in a REASONABLE manner!  Citizens do not need, nor should they have access to assault weapons, fully automatic, or even semi-automatic guns/rifles with clips that hold ridiculous amounts of bullets.

I applaud the Obama administration for having the courage to step up to the plate and start issuing some REASONABLE limitations on our second amendment rights, it is about time!  I am all for background checks, mental health evaluations, and restrictions of what firearms are available to common citizens.  I do realize that there is some truth to the mantra " If you outlaw guns then only outlaws will have guns".  I am not suggesting that we completely disarm law-abiding citizens, but we definitely need to limit the insane amount and type of weapons available to the public.

I must add that arming teachers is a very reckless suggestion and I am completely against that.  There have been instances of young children wrestling firearms away from trained police officers.  I sure would not want to introduce more opportunities for children to access firearms in our school buildings.

I realize that opinions are very strong on both sides of these issues, but we need to try to do our best to make REASONABLE decisions on how to best protect everyone in our country...my two cents worth.

Post election blues...

I am very grateful that my candidate won this election and has four more years to keep attempting to get this country moving farther in the correct direction.

That being said, I am disappointed, and saddened by all of the hatred, racism, etc., spewing from so many sources.  We are all Americans first, and should be trying to resolve issues for the good of us all.  It is disheartening to see so much misinformation posted on social sites.  Unfortunately,  many folks don't check to see if these stories are true, they just join in on the hatred bandwagon and forward/share it with all of their "friends", so the circle of negativity keeps growing.

I suppose that one of my biggest aggravations is that so much of this hate-mongering is coming from people who profess to be such loyal Christians...to me that is blasphemous to the most extreme level.  When I was young I was taught that God is love, Jesus certainly championed the importance of love.

God please continue to bless America, in spite of our many faults.  Please help our government officials work much harder to find common ground, to learn the importance of, and to implement the art of compromise.  Thank-you!

More Yeats...

On the other side of the cemetery.

He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven

Had I the heavens'embroidered cloths,

Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark cloths

Of night and light and the half-light,

I would spread the cloths under your feet:

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

W.B. Yeats

Under Ben Bulben...

Will have to do a few W.B. Yeats posts for my brother, though I'm not even sure if he reads my  blog?

"Under bare Ben Bulben's head

In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid,

An ancestor was rector there

Long years ago;  a church stands near,

By the road an ancient Cross.

No marble, no conventional phrase,

On limestone quarried near the spot

By his command these words are cut:  

Cast a cold eye

On life, on death.

Horseman pass by!"

Legend of Diarmuid and Grainne

Back in the days of arranged marriages, the High King Cormac Mac Airt, betrothed his lovely young daughter Grainne, (Gra-nay), to the much older warrior and leader Fionn Mac Cumhaill, (Finn MacCool).

Alas, Grainne's heart yearned for a younger warrior, Diarmuid, (Dermot).  Diarmuid returned her love, so they eloped.  Fionn pursued them for many years, but as I was told he eventually moved on to other things.

Grainne and Diarmuid were living in a cave in the mighty Ben Bulben, when Diarmuid, (who loved to hunt), heard of a mighty chase of a great black boar.  Diarmuid could not resist, though Grainne begged him not to join in on the hunt.  He was mortally wounded in the fight with the boar on the slopes of the mountain.

Grainne begged Fionn (who had great powers) to heal Diarmuid, but he refused. Diarmuid died, and Grainne shortly after, of a broken heart.  The lovers are said to be buried in the cave where they last resided...

This is the cave on the back side of Ben Bulben, (the little white dots are domestic sheep).

Toodle-loo!

This is finally the day!  We leave this afternoon...  I'm excited, and anxious in a nervous way all at the same time.  This is going waaay out of my comfort zone, but so looking forward to seeing this dream realized and lived to the fullest!

Hope to have some photos to share next time you "hear" from me.  :)

Coyote should be howling in Gaelic soon!  ;)

Cyclops

My daughter got a web-cam yesterday...  As I'm sitting here blurry-eyed, early in the morning, I feel as if the computer is staring back with one eye aimed directly at me.  I'm wearing a ball cap to cover my bed-head, but still feel self-conscious wondering if any of you will be able to see how much crappier I look at this hour?

The Ireland trip draws nearer, the excitement is palpable.  I have myriads of lists of things to do/pack floating around in my head...still this eye is staring at me!

Had fun at the farmers market yesterday with Mom.  All I was going to get was wheat bread from the Amish girl who is always so sweet...but ooh, local honey!  Right beside one of my favorite winemakers with a new batch of red raspberry...YUM!  :)  Then over to the Plaid Peacock for a couple of small gifts for our future tour guides!

This is homecoming week, so hit several stores with my daughter in preparation for the few days during the school year when full uniforms aren't required.  I really don't care much for shopping, (especially on the weekend), but we managed to have fun in spite of the chaos.  She finally decided on who to portray for character day, and a series of mini-miracles helped us find just the right items to pull off the look she's going for...don't think that I'm allowed to tell yet...  :(

Cyclones beat the Hawkeyes, 2 years in a row!  My Panthers stomped whoever they were playing!  Jr. and Tony are in the chase!  Life is good, in spite of the eye of Sauron ever watchful!

Like Pip, I blunder forward with my day to day routines, noticing that Fox, (guardian of the family, especially in travels), is popping up everywhere I turn.  So I believe that in spite of my curiosity and nose for finding trouble, this "fool of a Took" will escape the ever watchful eye, by following hobbit logic... "The closer we are to danger, the farther we are from harm."  Soon I'll be sipping a Guinness across the pond..."It comes in pints?!!!"  ;)

My apologies to any of you who aren't Tolkien-nerds, and therefore probably do not comprehend large chunks of this post.  My best advice to you would be to get The Lord of the Rings movies, books, or BOTH and catch up on the fun already!!!