Farm Bill Friday

Motion to invoke cloture on farm bill vote results

yea 55
Nay 42

What is a cloture? From Govtglossary;

The procedure by which a filibuster can be ended in the Senate. Cloture requires the signatures of 16 Senators and the votes of three-fifths of the entire Senate membership.

and a filibuster?
A delaying tactic of unlimited debate, used only in the Senate

So what does this mean? When a cloture is invoked all debates stop, no amendments are allowed to be added and the bill moves on. In this instance the cloture was not invoked. This is good for us. We still have time to write, call and fax our Senators and tell them that we disapprove of NAIS.

COME ON! Get some glasses! HE WAS SAFE!

You have seen how some people, folks that a really into it, act when watching a sports game. They hoot and holler, cheer and boo, ask if someone was blind, dumb, or even have a clue. But have you seen a person behave that way while watching C-Span2? No? Then you should have been here yesterday.

Thursday afternoon the Farm Bill was suppose to have been voted on. When the first Senator was given the floor, he asked the majority leader if they could go ahead a pass it, then laughed. One would think he was joking because of all the stalling that is going on, in fact the joke was referring to the fact that there was only 2, yes 2 Senators in assembly, that is besides the majority leader. Why!?! The day before the Senate is to go on their two week Thanksgiving break, they take a day off early. Where is our representation!?! Why are you not more outraged that the people you voted in are not showing up to discuss a bill that will have a huge impact on your way of life?

We are a nation with little representation, and we pay these people huge amounts of money to go on vacation. I am livid by just that fact. Who else gets 2 weeks for thanksgiving? Middle class and lower get 1 maybe 2 days off for Thanksgiving. And if you don't show up for work the day before, you don't get paid for that second day off. So why then do our employees, and yes that is what they are, get to take off early and stay away late. I say we dock their pay.

But I digress, the first Senator from North Dakota got me going. I screamed and booed, cheered and told him to shut up many times. How many times must I hear about overseas oil dependency? How many times must this guy tell me that the farm bill is "green" man oh Man it has infected our Senate now as well. Can we please concentrate on the farms? oh no, do you realize that the Farm bill has little to do with Farms? Commodities, the things that most of the media is harping on, is only about 14% of the total budget, while Nutrition programs, like school lunches, food stamps and WIC, which takes up about 50% of the budget. No I do not think there is anything wrong with those programs, and I think it is great that they are attempting to make WIC accepted at the local farm markets. I think it is wonderful, but I am not going to get distracted by the feel good programs, there are too many things wrong with the bill {like the NAIS}. The Senator form N. Dakota reiterated the need to keep up with other countries, and the Global Market. {My opinion on globalization is this. Stop! Stop for a moment and worry about us and the family farms first. Ditch the USDA's definition of the family farm, and stop global trading until we have are stuff together}

Next to have the floor was the Senator from Florida talks about the need to help Florida farmers and the specialty crops. His proposed amendment is Lugar/Lautenberg Amendment . It sounds good as he talked about it, but what others have said, I am not so sure that it is. Confusion fogs my mind, and I lapse into the traditional C-span2 coma. Farm Insurance, in general or the company? If he is pushing the insurance company, why that opens a whole nother can of worm. { uhhum. . . NAIS backers}

Now the Senate takes yet another roll call, and I get a 30 minute break waiting for the next Senator to arrive. Let's think back to what we have learned so far. Senators don't care enough about Farmers or eaters in general as they wouldn't even show up to discuss the something like 246 different amendments. They are at a standstill, no one can make a move until both parties can agree on how many amendments both side will get. This will force a vote and it will move on to the House without any amendments. Not good. Then we have to question why we even have Senators.

Finally the Senator from Arkansas shows up. She wants to discuss the definition of the family farm. Good on her. But she rambles and repeats the same points over and over. She's ticked with the USDA {good on her} but...C-Span2 coma sets in again. We go back to talking about global markets and being green.

Why don't we stop here and take a roll call? You all here? Good, see I can get more people to show up then the Senate can. But let's take another 30 minute break to allow another speaker to come on in.

Two Senators show up, Iowa and New Hampshire. ~sigh~ I want the C-Span2 coma to set in at this point. All they feel like discussing is the fact that the majority leader has flag their pet programs...and globalization and being green. Instead of the coma I start yelling. I am more than livid at this point. GET ON WITH IT! The Dems have offered to only take 5 amendments and allow the rebs to have the rest. GET ALONG AND COMPROMISE! What are we paying you for? Tell me! I want you to account for yourselves. Take some responsibility for your actions. They are overpaid children. I send my 6 years old to the corner for this behavior. You Senator from New Hampshire, TIME OUT! We do not name call or lie about who did it. You brought this on, you decided to word something so that the amendment sounds like it has nothing to do with the Farm Bill.

That's it. The Senate is now on Notice, you pull anything like this again, and you are all grounded!

Edited to add: The Senate is not on Vacation today. Guess who gets to stand in the corner for lieing.

Why? Because. Why! Because I said so! Why? Go ask your dad.

6 am. My youngest child just informed me that one of the chicks got so fat it blew up. He even supplied sound effects for me. He has now put the kitten in a box and carrying it around, squealing with mischievous glee. Is it ever too early?

We have been attempting to get the same amount of things done in a shorter amount of time, due to this fall schedule. New experience will come when I am able to get some of these other projects accomplished. And it doesn't help that I just got another writing job. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled about it, but it means less sleep.

It has been awhile, but today is Q&A day. Gotta question about who what when where why? Need a recipe? or just want to know who I think will win in a fight between (insert famous person/monster/animal here) and (insert famous person/monster/animal here). Or even leave a comment about a topic you would like a how to post done on. If I have done it I will tell you about it, the good bad and bloody.

Edited to add. Those of you interested in what Soul Ties are, there is a definition here. I have asked given to expand and explain how we break them.

Soul Ties

One thing that I do not discuss, or rarely bring to your attention, is religion. I have my reasons for not discussing such things here.

Many of us move onto our land with a strict belief system, and that faith is quickly pushed to it's limits, tested for strength, and attempt to curl up on its side and die. So many thing can be harsh when you work with the land, your hands, and your family. You work outside in below zero F temperatures for hours at a time, you lose beloved animals. You wade through snow, mud and floods. You fight fires, birds of prey, and 4 legged predators {occasionally a two legged one comes knocking}. Some mornings you wake up, done with it all, and all of it questions and strains your faith.

Those of you that have read me from the beginning, know that I am not Christian. However I do not discuss what I am here because I do not wish to make anyone feel like they would not be welcome. Have you seen my sidebar? I have so many different people that I read and consider my community. I realize many of you will be more than just a little curious, but here is the thing, my belief sends both pagans and Christians into an uproar.

And that brings me to why I am even writing all of this. Before I go further I want every one to be clear, to understand that because I am about to do something doesn't mean I want any of you to disappear, or feel as though I am mocking your faith. Nor because I chose to do a certain ritual that I do not value other's.

Some of my long time readers and friends have caught on by now that I am babbling, and truly at a loss for words {I hear the giggling} It isn't about the fear of offending anyone. I live by the mantra that Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me. I tend to speak without thinking. All the while realizing that my mouth does tend to offend some people. I am actually taking a moment to think about this, about how to say it. But I guess I should spit it out.

On Thanksgiving Day until my birthday, 5 days, I will be preforming the Charismatic ritual of Soul Ties.

Why? Because I have issues. My issues affect not just me as a person, but how I handle situations on the homestead. I saw this post yesterday, and I made my decision.

Some will say, as some have already said, that it will not work if I am not a Christian. I have faith that it will work, I believe that it will.

What is it? Google search yielded many responses on what a soul tie is. Most of them where about not being a virgin before marriage. The writers of these articles want you to break those premarital bonds and that seems all they are willing to talk about. However I found an interesting article on Demon Busters.com. The only one to talk about Soul ties with objects, not just people. When you take on a vice, one or several of the deadly sins, or have sex and even marriage, you take a piece of that person or thing into you. Sometimes these are healthy, and sometimes they are not. I have many that are not.

What to do? On Thanksgiving day I will write my vices {i.e. smoking, sloth,} fears {rejection, not doing anything right} guilts, and so forth on a 2 inch piece of fabric. On the back side I will write what I wish to replace it with {depression is replaced with joy}. This fabric will then be pinned to my underwear. {I told my husband, who will be holding me accountable for my soul ties, that I might need bigger panties}. I will wear them everyday and night, only removing them to shower, for 5 days. On Thanksgiving day I will start my fast of not reading books. Believe me when I say this will be painful, as I read to escape from uncomfortable situations. The day after I have decided to add a solid food fast for the remaining four days. {grumpy will need to be on that list as well} I took some time to decide on that.

The point of this is to physically feel the pain that your vices and fear {sins} are causing you emotionally.

After the five days, I will burn each piece of cloth, riding myself of them. Reminding myself that I can take control of my life.

Now to explain to the in-laws why I am suddenly all lumpy.

Iconoclast

I have talked in the past about how non-conformist I was as a child, and am as an adult. Over the years it has caused problems for me. Mainstream work placings frown on tattoos and piercings (at least they did back in the day, they might be more lenient now) I was stared at by moms because of purple hair, whispers of "don't stare" was heard all around me. STARE! Stare I say, I want you to know that I do not follow you. My mother took me out for my 16th birthday. I had left home 2 years before. I remember sitting in the back of the van and my mom telling her boyfriend, " I don't know what to do with her. She tries to hide her beauty by making herself up to be ugly". (I never wore make-up. It was the hair and dress she spoke of)

I was ridiculed in school for not wearing make-up or hairspray, "Phelan doesn't believe in hairspray. How can you not believe in something that is real?"

I was cornered in the bathroom by a group of popular girls and interrogated about the music I listened to.

After a time you stop defending yourself to your peers. And learn to accept others as they are. Most of the time others will leave you alone. Friendships could be difficult. People will always judge you by your outward appearance, which I do not find inappropriate. Your exterior should be a reflection of your interior. But they problem comes with the interpretation of the exterior. I was lumped in with the Stoners, skaters and criminals, all because there were no other goth kids at the time. Yes, I did smoke pot, but it didn't rule me like it did with some of the stoners. I got along with everyone, but they didn't want to get along with me. Friends were hard when mothers tell there kids about your Iconoclast mother. I'll allow her to tell the story if she wants, remember who thought dad was your dad? Those stories get around small towns quickly, they mutate and make a child's life hell.

Then you become an adult, and your ideals come with you but morph into something else. Less idyllic, but still a stubborn piece of you. You get to a point where you know that one person rarely changes the world. The idea starts with one, then the chain continues to others that feel the same. And then it falls into the hands of someone that can be persuasive, and more hear and more, until it has became mainstream.

There has always been a back to the land movement {I wish they didn't call it that} It was just done by hippies and retirees. In recent years, suburban families have decided that farm life would be good for their children. Most give up after they have purchased the land. They soon discover that there is little time to do everything, and work. It is very evident out here. There seems to be waves of this type of "movement". Making those of us that did it for other reasons, mainstream. It doesn't bother me, as I know that it will not last.

Homesteading is becoming a popular pass time with people. I can hope that lessons of self sufficiency will be kept after they have become bored and tired. But that is in the future, and something I can not predict.

This question has been past around the homesteading blogs before. But as our readers become more, and a broader audience emerges, I will broach it once again. I know many of you aren't talking to me right now, for various reasons of things I have said, so I will put up a poll. Yet if you would, please leave a comment and expand on your answer.

This is multiple choice.

A Saturday Story

I messed up. I will take responsibility for the mistake, I should have had extra batteries on hand. But I didn't and the result of such a mistake means I missed photographing the fertile egg. I will remember the next time we candle eggs.

We woke Saturday morning to this,

2 banny chicks!


I will attempt to get a better picture tonight, when I have help defending myself from the mother.

We also built a rocket this week. Saturday morning we met up with my oldest son's troop. We drove South, close to the state line, and met up with a group called K.L.O.U.D. Busters. They sponsor the event. School groups were there as well. A contest is coming up, and it was the schools first practice launch.

My son's was called the Silver Bullet, as it was painted up in Chrome. We discovered later that it wasn't the best choice in in color. It was a very over casted day.

He got the rocket to the launch pad

and. . .

Blast off!

you might need to click on it to see it better.

It went straight up into the cloud and disappeared. We waited a bit, watching for the parachute. Other rockets came down, but ours never seemed to. That's when we started hunting for it. We searched the fields for a half hour and eventually found it a quarter of a mile away. My son was thrilled that his went so far.

One of the professional racketeers told us to cut a hole in the parachute, this will keep it from drifting so far. My husband did just that. And we went to launch a second time. Once again the Silver Bullet went straight up through the clouds and disappeared. Other rockets came down while we waited, and waited for ours. We decided to head back to where we found it the first time. And sure enough the hole in the parachute worked! The rocket landed 6 feet away from where it first landed, a quarter mile away!

As we were leaving, we stumbled upon a family cemetery.

It has been long neglected.

The goth girl in me wanted to go roam around and take better photos, but the father in my husband wouldn't let me. He says I would fall into a hole. Spoiled sport.