The Coming Blizzard

 

 

Blizzards
(by R.P.Edwards)

Blizzards are subjective things
Depending where you’re at
Up north; a driving foot or three
Down south…much less than that
In fact, an inch can paralyze
The streets, so used to none
And make us pray for warmer days
When blizzards…do not come

Hans hardly slowed (though three miles into the trek) as he quickly shifted the hundred pound “rullning” stone (Swedish for “rolling”) from his aching right shoulder to a position centered on his heaving, flannel draped chest and, shifting slightly, he locked it securely with his powerful arms, crossed at the wrists.  “Hmmph,” he audibly uttered as he thought of his fellow weightlifters who spent their time in comfortable gyms, flexing in between applications of baby oil.  “Wimps,” he grunted (hurdling a fallen pine).  “Sport is not in the lifting…but in the race.”  As the last word exited his lips, so too the covering of the wood fell behind; and before him?…the last leg of the marathon; a mountain with a pleasant moniker (for others), but to the “athletes” it is simply known as “dumdristig,” which, translated, means…foolhardy.

On Sunday, last, we had, what I jokingly refer to as the Blizzard of ‘09.  Oh, we must have had an inch or two, but this was enough to raise the caution flag.  You see, we’re not used to a lot of snow around here.  We’ll get a few inches now and then.  But, generally, it’s a cause for concern and I, knowing the limitations of “Bubble Butt” (affectionate term for my vintage Roadmaster) I proceeded to shuffle some of the hibernating weights in the basement…to the trunk of said vehicle.  Yes, years ago I purchased the heavy rounds and proceeded to religiously “pump iron.”  That is, until my elbow let me know that a threshold had been passed.  Now, for the most part, they serve as a little extra “oomph” for the powered rear wheels and, even with the extra hundred pounds of ballast in the hold, I still proceeded to skate past the first stop sign (normally I would have thrown it in reverse, but I had a coffee mug in my hand).  “Physician heal thyself,” came to mind; as I had just given one of my boys the “how to” as far as winter driving goes.

Anyway,  this whole underwear bombing thing is like my two inch blizzard.  It reveals the weaknesses in the hardware (vehicle) and the software (mindset.)  I’m a little better prepared now.  But will this nation follow suit?  For surely…a real blizzard…is on its way.

That’s what I think.  How about you?  Click comments below…and say.

Reality Check

 

 

Reality
(by R.P.Edwards)

Recognize the danger
Pinpoint the disease
Strip away assumptions
Forget the “how to please”
Life demands confronting
Truth…the naked light
The battle, lost…with colors
To win:  Choose black…and white

Well, it’s been a few days since the Islamic terrorist tried to blow up the airplane on our beloved Christmas Holiday.   His method was a bit unusual (explosives in the underwear), and, since no one was actually hurt I thought perhaps I’d make light of the fellow by introducing this blog with a twisting of the old song, “Skip to My Lou.”  It would go something like, “Bomb’s in my underwear, what’ll I do?  Bomb’s in my underwear, what’ll I do?” And…it would degenerate from there.  Fortunately for both of us…I abandoned the project.

Now, I’ll not spend any time railing against the gaping holes in security, or the glaring disconnect in intelligence gathering and sharing; no, what disturbs me the most is the continued downplay of who the enemy actually is. Yes, political correctness continues to feign ignorance and apathy towards those who, predominantly, are Muslim Jihadists bent on the murder of non-believers.  And, since we choose to ignore this by ascribing a lesser or more lonely motivation; well, we’re inviting another death blow that will, no doubt, move us to action.  However, this “action” may very well remove not only the adversary…but, via the ballot box, those who are currently too timid to call them by their correct name.   

That's what I think.  How about you?  Click comments below...and say.