Pissing on the Constitution

     This week a Federal Judge, William H Orrick blocked enforcement of Trumps Executive order prohibiting Sanctuary Cities from receiving federal money, and forcing local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

     I view this as a blatant and political assault on the Constitution and the laws of the United States and on my rights.  Where in the Constitution does it say the a City, State, County, Person, Business, etc can break the law without facing the consequences.  A judge ruling that a City can break the immigration laws of this country, and then not be penalized is basically the same as saying nobody has to pay their taxes because they dont believe they are being taxed fairly and there will be no penalty.  I dont want to wear my seatbelt because it makes me uncomfortable and I dont have to pay the fine when I get caught.
   
     We are a nation of laws.  Those laws are written to protect us.  The very idea of a Sanctuary city flies in the face of the very way this country is run.  Sanctuary cities cost the taxpayers money, in hospital care, legal fees, safety, and too many other ways to mention.  The very thought that people can come here illegally, do nothing to become citizens, and enjoy all the freedoms and services that we enjoy here should be appalling to everyone in this country.  Those of you that disagree need to sign over your paycheck to those cities that need the money to pay their bills.  Because as long as you dont feel the consequences of their irresponsible actions you wont care.  There are plenty of AMERICAN CITIZENS that need and deserve our federal dollars.  How about the federal money that those sanctuary cities rely on go just into our Veterans Administration.  That program alone is in shambles and our elected officials appear to be to useless and stupid to do anything about it.

     A judge is supposed to interpret the laws of this country and see that they are enforced the way they are written.  Applying personal views to the legal system is supposed to be beyond their reach.

      I hope the Trump administration fights this ruling to the supreme court sparing no amount of legal expertise to prove his case.  I for one am tired of seeing my rights walked upon because somebody views their rights above mine.  Thats what we have laws for.

Deleting the History of America

    I saw on the news this morning that the city of New Orleans is going to remove the four monuments that it has commemorating the Confederate war.  So the United States, in its efforts to make all the socially correct police happy have decided to slowly and systematically erase our history.  I have news for all you folks crying about the events in the growth of this nation that offend you.  You're the issue, not history.  You're successfully making you're opinions more valuable than those of others.  Trying to wipe out a period in American History that had a huge part in the shaping of this great nation is the true tragedy here.  You're putting American on the same level as the Taliban tearing down historic monuments, and you are becoming the American version of ISIS and their history of destroying anything non radical muslim.  

    

     You cant change history or hide the bad periods in the growth of a country.  As offended as you may be over slaver, or lack of human rights, or womens issues.  The Confederacy was real.  Many passionate men fought to keep this country one.  Removing the monuments, and the historic sights totally dis respects the battle the country went through.  Your desire to be socially acceptable insults the lives lost on both sides during the time.  You take a teachable moment about history and the struggle of the time and wipe it from the conversation.  How do you plan to educate the younger generations so they will not make the same mistakes of the past.  

    I would suggest those of you lobbying for political correctness take a cue from Germany and taking the time to preserve the concentration camps.  They havent bull dozed them down.  They are living memorials to the lives lost and tragic examples of a terrible time in the history of German and the Jewish people.  Millions of people travel to the camps every year to pay their respects to the lives lost and to feel the sheer magnitude of the event.  Preserving the camps gives light to the tragic events in history in the building of Germany and the world.  They preserve historic proof to remind us of the vile tragedy that occurred there and how persecution and ignorance can get out of control.  

 

    Its a sad day in America when our country stops embracing our history good and bad as an example of the struggle, the work, the tragedies, and the triumphs of our country as it continues its evolution.  

The Pup and Pop Compound

    Those of you who are friends or followers on Facebook know that the Pup and I have decided to buy a house.  Brian has been thinking and talking about it for the better part of the last year and we started are looking in earnest in January.  We found one and ruled it out because of the driveway, and tried for 3 others all the while going back to the original find and saying we really like everything about that one.  After looking at it during an open house,  driving the R8 up and down the drive and driving by the outside half a dozen times we decided to actually look at the house and then of course Made an offer. Offer accepted.  Inspection, Appraisal, loan approval, closing date on May 5th.

    Our realtor, Lori Murray has been fantastic.  The listing agent has been a bitch, and more about her at a later date after we close.  Lets just say that Lori has earned her pay with this one and she deserves to be treated much better.

    We have spent countless hours watching HGTV, Flip or Flop, and all sorts of home shows.  We have been to several home furnishing stores from the very high end to the cheap and dollar store variety looking for ideas and items to put in our new to us home.  We dont have much furniture.  Basically two bedroom sets, a couch, and a small dinette, a teakwood entry table that is more art that furniture, an antique dresser.  Not exactly a collection of heirlooms to fill a home with.  One of the things that has struck me while watching these home improvement shows is how much the designers get paid, how cheaply they fix things, how utterly stupid the people they design for seem to be, and how little actual creativity they use while re modeling these houses.
 
     I always believed that a house was supposed to be a home, and it was supposed to be an extension of your personality and taste.  You spend most of your life there it should be filled with things that bring you happiness, things you enjoy and it should be comfortable and usable.  On one home show on HGTV, this couple from Texas gets paid to remodel homes after they are purchased before the new owners move into them.  Three episodes in a row they painted the brick on the outside white, the tile or the brick on the inside white and the cabinets in the kitchen white if they didnt replace them.  They actually put two white couches, glass and metal end tables, and white drapes in a childrens playroom. The only thing child appropriate was a wall bin for their toys and a big chalk board easel.  Un believable.  While looking at home design stores we found the most popular colors for wood furniture is whitewashed grey, it was in every room in every store,  stainless faucets of every shape and size.   glass or white tubs and showers and cheap ass colored glass tile accents everywhere.

     We want our house to be an expression of us.  Old and young, durable, comfortable, fun, happy, and a place that we never want to leave and where our friends want to come and stay.  I always thought that a re model should be easy if the house has good bones to begin with.  In my mind some things are timeless.  Tile on the floor and in the kitchen and bath.  I hate corian, its expensive, dull, cheap looking, generic, and low class.  When you compare the cost of granite or marble to corian, spend the extra and get something durable and timeless.  I love all kinds of tile, I think it never gets old, it shows craftsmanship.  A good designer can find a way to update the look and accent the quality of the tile work without having to paint it or replace it.  We are going to update our house personally, starting with the bathrooms, some paint on the inside and out, and some landscape.  Awesome furniture can make a house look incredible and we plan on having great furniture.

     Look for a Facebook page soon much like we do our racing page.  Pup and Pop racing, but this will be called Pup and Pop's Compound.  I will launch it after we close with a facebook live walk through before we move in so we can document what we have to start with and what ideas we have.  This house has great bones and a personality that is just begging to be turned loose, and we think it is perfect for us.  You may not like what we do, but it will be original, different, comfortable, I think timeless, and it will most definitely be US.

     So the fun begins on May 5th.