Suthern Occupation

A few weeks ago, there were stories all over the web and the TV that told of the Occupy Movement. Most of those stories told of a large number of brave souls who occupied Wall Street in New York as well as outdoor areas in Washington DC and points west, amid cold weather and even being arrested for their passive protests. The movement has been lost from the headlines, no more truly evident than what happened to me recently.

For no particular reason, I ended up driving to work the other day.  When I drive, I walk about a mile from the parking lot to the building and pass through Legislative Plaza here in Downtown Nashville. As I turned the corner to enter the plaza, I was struck by a number of tents sprinkled about the plaza.  In truth, I had forgotten that these soles were carrying the torch, as it were, for the Occupy Movement here in Nashville.  I took the time to capture the sleeping protesters' tents there in the predawn light (that's why it's so dark) and went on my way to work, renewed by their tenacity and my own brief brush with their place in history.

You might think that would have been the end of it.  I write a bit about the 1% versus the 99%, post my photo and eat some donuts.  My little blog fades much like the memory of the Occupy movement and we all go back to our jobs.  But, as luck would have it, no such luck.

Today I headed out to take a new picture of the protest with the bright sun shining high overhead. I wanted to add a bit more to this blog entry about the movement and a fresh photo seemed appropriate.   I caught this shot as I first entered the plaza during lunch

Then I moved to take a couple of other photos, and made a rather shocking discovery.  What I discovered showed a side of the movement that tainted it.   I was disappointed in the way in which the protesters took care of, or rather DIDN'T  care for the area in which they pitched their tents. Take a look.

As you can see, the protesters left things a bit...uh...messy.  These two shots were taken without moving any more than turning in place, and these were not the only evidence of such trashy treatement. Styrofoam take out containers, wrappers from junk food, even forgotten clothing and such were tossed about like leaves in a fall windstorm. I was shocked and somewhat taken aback.  Do these protesters think that being a part of  a protest gives them the power to allow litter like this?  Is it part of the protest to leave litter about in such a fashion?  What gives them the right to treat our public areas like this?

It may not be a very Suthun thing, and counter to the usual low key humor I usually write, but it got to me, and I would hope that it gets to you too.  I'd like to print this out and post it on each of those tents.  Sure, the 1% controls 99% of the world money, but we each control 100% of  our own litter.  That came out a bit odd, but you catch the drift.  

I care about the movement, I care about the protest. I also care about litter.

I just want them to clean it up.  

A Three Day Weekend in the South

Thanks to some great politicians, we have a three day weekend this weekend. It's President's Day.  The day (Monday) that we celebrate both Washington's and Lincoln's Birthdays.  As a matter of fact, according to the literature, we're taking the Day (or in reality: DAYS) to celebrate the birthdays of ALL of the Presidents of these United States.

Here in the south, President's day is no big deal, though there are those who feel that it's more Washington's birthday than Lincoln's.  There is still a thread of ill will toward the man for not allowing the South to break off from the Union.  I suppose, had that been allowed to happen, we'd now have to get a passport to travel to Disney World. Or Mardi Gras.  But as ever, I digress.

In my opinion, every month should have at least one official three day holiday. We, as kids, looked forward to February.  Sure there was Valentine's day when you had to make up about 30 Valentines card for everyone in your class including that one kid who picked his nose and ate it.  (Ewww!)  But truthfully, we looked forward to having TWO days off in February, one to celebrate Washington's birthday and another to celebrate Lincoln's birthday.  We had the exact days, not necessarily a three day weekend, too. Lincoln's birthday February 12, and then Washington's birthday on Feb 22.  Then we had the big change in 1968 where the holiday was switched to just the third Monday in Feb.  Not nearly close enough for the 12th, and not late enough for the 22nd.  Never officially recognized as  "President's Day", the name sort of stuck as the public really wanted to celebrate both of these great leaders.

Me? I'm just glad for a day off.

Invention Intervention - Vehicle Divison

This is another one of those invention kind of things that makes you wonder.  I wonder why the wood on the side, why the electric red thing, and why the jack-o-lantern with the electric cable coming out of it.  I also wonder why this thing isn't surrounded by people taking pictures.  I'm amazed that it actually runs.  

When you consider it, I guess it had to be running, cuz it somehow got into this parking lot.  And it will take no big guess at all to know which parking lot this is.  Take a look at that building in the background.  We all recognize that, now don't we.  Yep, it's a Walmart parking lot.  

When I first saw this, I tried to figure it all out.  At first guess, it would seem that the wood merely replaces the fender.  Easier to attach things to wood than to a metal fender, that's for sure.   But my eye keeps going to that red thing.  What IS that red thing?  Some sort of generator or motor perhaps taken off of an electric weed whacker...and why is that cord going up to the purple jack-o-lantern?   If I got it up to 88 miles per hour, would it go back in time?  

I love the south for things like this.  I'm just happy to note that it's not in my driveway.