I Side With

I saw a link to ISideWith.com on Facebook earlier and decided to take their test. Most of the regular readers of this blog (all six of you) already know I am a Ron Paul supporter, but I wanted to see if this survey would validate my choice.

It did.

I try to not get too involved in politics here;  I don't care to debate them and have always wanted my blog to be light hearted and educational if possible. Still, this was an interesting thing to do.

Click graphic for larger view.

I was a little surprised that it was "only" 93%, but that might have been due to a few of my choices where I put I didn't think the federal govt. should be involved, whereas Paul's stance would have been leave it up to the states. A minor difference to me, but perhaps not to him. Another difference was that maybe I didn't attach enough significance to certain issues, such as gay marriage or attaching the most as I did with gun control.   I expect that if I waited a while and took the test again, the numbers might skew a few points one way or the other.  That doesn't mean I'm wishy-washy, just that I might feel a little stronger towards some issues after a while and deeper reflection and less so on others afterwards.

I think the most pressing concern to us is economics;  none of the rest of the issues will matter if we don't get our debt under control and unemployment down to a minimum.   I'm also for change in regards to our immigration policy and that of the war on drugs because our current policies aren't working. 

I was a little surprised that it showed me to have that much in common with the Republican party.  The way they've treated Ron Paul and we libertarian-minded conservatives has driven many of us away from the GOP.   I think both they and the Democrats have morphed into two sides of the same coin - a plugged nickel.

I think my libertarian viewpoints mirror my Texas upbringing, namely that it's an innate thing for most Texans to want to mind our own business, to allow others to do as they like just as long as it doesn't affect us in a dangerous  or overly annoying manner.

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Edit to add: While watching the live NASA feed of the control room monitoring the Curiosity as it touched down on Mars, it dawned on me one of the reasons that I didn't mesh up with Ron Paul more than I did; I am in favor of govt. funding for space exploration, at least I have been. I doubt we would have already landed on the moon if it were not for the massive funding of the space program. However, it looks like private space projects are now in the works..

I'd also like to clarify that I do not belong to the Libertarian Party. I agree with most of their platform, but not all. I consider myself a "small L" libertarian.

Pipeline - The Ventures

One of the first songs I ever learned to "pick" on the guitar

Fighting Like Cats

And dogs don't like it.

Many Mules

(Click photo for larger view)



There were several others, I just couldn't get them all in the shot.

Taken Sept 07 at the horse lots, just west of the Pampa city limits.
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Originally posted September 12, 2008.

UPDATE: I had forgotten this post and photo; I really need to get back out there to check on "my" mules.  I got to "know" these mules fairly well in the half-dozen or so times I was out there then.

The two smaller mules on the left have been photographed and been the subjects of several other posts in this blog.  They are a pair of females that pulled a wagon and sometimes could be seen in parades here in town.  They always were together and when one moved, so did the other.  They weren't as tame as some of the others, but would come up to me and let me feed them unsaleable apples or vegetables I had convinced the produce mgr. of a local grocery to give me. The way they moved and always in the same order convinced me that must be the exact same way they were harnessed to the wagon.  I called them "Sally" and "Sadie", seemed appropriate.

The next mule was always a little standoffish and didn't like taking the fruit out of my hand but would eat it if I pitched it over to him.  He, like the two mentioned above, didn't like me touching them. I named him "Shiloh". (shortened to "Shy")

The brown mule wasn't affectionate, but he would eat the produce out of my hand.  Most mules looked sad, but he especially did.  He also had the largest ears of any creature I've ever seen in person.   He looked like a "Luke" to me.

The big mule on the right was my favorite;  the owners had told me what her name was (which I forgot), but I called her "Molly". I don't know why I named her that, I've only known one Molly in my entire life and she wasn't mule-faced or particularly stubborn.  She was a sweet old thing (the mule, not the girl I knew named Molly), enjoyed the treats I'd bring her and liked being patted on the jaw or neck.  To be honest, I don't know if she liked the affection or just suffered my pats because of the attention I gave her. 

I felt sorry for all of them and for almost all the rest of the animals out there.  These mules aren't neglected as were many of the other animals, the other mules, the pigs, goats and horses.  These were fed well enough it looked, but I always shuddered at the condition of the pens.  The owners did a fair job of keeping the waste shoveled out, but I still thought it not healthy for them to have to stand on damp ground. 

I love dogs and would like to have one, especially a large one, but town is no place for a larger breed.  They need room to run and I'd think a mule would be the same.  I don't know how intelligent a mule is, but I'd think they're smart enough to need some mental stimulation and enough acreage to roam.  They definitely need some grass to graze.

I know I've bored people with my dreams of winning the lottery and what I might buy with the money, but if/when I ever did win and got a small ranch, these mules would be the first thing I'd try to buy.  I don't know why I got so attached to them, but I do know one of the reasons I quit going out there and "visiting" with them...I felt so sorry for them.  Like I said, they're not being mistreated, but they certainly deserve a better life than to be cooped up in a small pen like that.

Window Pain

I'm Pure As The Driven Slush

You Are 24% Pure

You've either done it, thought about it, or at least heard about it. You approach most things with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Luckily, there's a few things left for you to try! The bad news is that most of them involve farm animals and clowns.

How Pure Are You?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds