What A Way To Run A Cou Try

[ktmrider]

Did anyone else get caught by the government shutdown? I left El Paso on Sunday enroute to San Francisco for a wedding. The plan was to spend a couple weeks in Utah doing some hiking and photography in Zion, Bryce, etc. Well, I managed some time in the Petrified Forest but all parks were closed on Tuesday morning when I reached Utah. A pox on both the Dems and Reps.

Now, I was one of those deamed essential (federal law enforcement) back in 1995 the last time this bs occurred. We worked and eventually got paid while those who were not considered essential did not work but also got paid.

The rest of the world is laughing at Washington as am I between the times I am thinking of appropriate fates for our leaders.

And am looking for places to photograph between Utah and San Francisco not run by the feds. Bodie is on my list as I was last there in 1979 as is SF itself. I would love to hear other suggestions.

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . The rest of the world is laughing at Washington as am I between the times I am thinking of appropriate fates for our leaders.. . .

The real question is which heads, from which parties, should be on spikes. And unfortunately, as long as most people in the USA are terrified to discuss politics, they will only be force-fed the opinions they agree with, from the sources they agree with. Open, rational dialogue would be a good idea.

You're not entirely right about the rest of the world laughing though. Many are shaking their heads in disbelief. After all, even Berlusconi was bright enough not to close down Italy in a fit of pique. I leave it to others to decide whose fit of pique has closed the US for business and reduced the value of the dollar still further.

Cheers,

R/

 

[Vics]

Jump over to San Luis Obispo and drive uo US 101 (beautiful farm country) to Santa Cruz, then go up CA 1 along the beach, mostly State Parks, Ano Nuevo with its elephant seals springs to mind, to San Francisco.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Jump over to San Luis Obispo and drive uo US 101 (beautiful farm country) to Santa Cruz, then go up CA 1 along the beach, mostly State Parks, Ano Nuevo with its elephant seals springs to mind, to San Francisco.

And the missions. Again, as far as I recall, they're not federal. La Purisima (south of Sta. Maria, probably my favourite) and the one on the military base (Fort Hunter Liggett?) a few tens of miles north of SLO: S. Antonio, I think.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Frank Petronio]

Well it will save you from doing predictable National Park shots so look on the bright side, it may actually lead to fresh thinking and more interesting photos? Maybe explore the topic itself, the effects of the shut down. Just don't post the photos, at least with captions, on internet photo forums lest you upset someone.

 

[Takkun]

I headed down south with the intent of getting away from my usual Seattle/Tacoma urban grit and photograph a few national wildlife refuges, since the weather was so dramatic.
Ended up going to the beach in a rainstorm, and photographing the urban grit of Astoria.

What more aggravated me, politics aside, was that I was planning an overnighter in the Olympics. Sigh.

 

[Boris Stupak]

I think 90% of goverment parasite workers are "not essential".

Throw them out and keep them out. We'd be better off.

Stop funding the NSA while they're at it.

If Stalin had those tools he would have taken over the world.

 

[Frank Petronio]

A little mild civil disobedience would be welcome. Some 90-plus year old WW2 Vets broke into the WW2 memorial in Washington today... the Feds used more workers to barricade and threaten the vets than what it takes to clean the toilets on an average day.

If we organized then we could break into our wilderness again. We certainly don't need the Rangers and Forest Circus.

 

[Boris Stupak]

We need a lot more than "mild civil disobedience" at this point.

 

[Keith]

I'm mystified by US politics ... and our own actually! 😀

 

[Roger Hicks]

I think 90% of goverment parasite workers are "not essential".

Throw them out and keep them out. We'd be better off.

Stop funding the NSA while they're at it.

If Stalin had those tools he would have taken over the world.

Well, there are parasite workers, and 100% of them could be dispensed with.

But there are also lots on non-parasite workers, and they're another matter. Personally I'm quite fond of surfaced roads and arresting murderers and eating unadulterated food and indeed (on my wife's behalf) receiving a pension she's paid into all her life. Come to that, I don't think that national parks and museums such as the Smithsonian can be wholly disposed of in a civilized society.

Stalin probably had rather more tools at his disposal, and signally failed to take over the world. You may be overstating your case.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Godfrey]

I'm not afraid to talk politics. I just prefer not to do it on civil photographic forums where the subject matter isn't politics.

G

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm not afraid to talk politics. I just prefer not to do it on civil photographic forums where the subject matter isn't politics.

G

Dear Godfrey,

Where DO you prefer to do it, then? My argument is that here on RFF, we are united solely by our love of photography, and that other concerns -- such as politics -- will vary enormously. Go onto an avowedly political forum and you will find either uncivil discourse or preaching to the choir. Here, we have a chance to learn from one another in civil discourse -- as indeed happens on the Amateur Photographer forum in the UK, which I also frequent.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Ranchu]

I'm quite happy about it. The less they accomplish the better, none of what they intend is any benefit to me. It's all kabuki anyway.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm quite happy about it. The less they accomplish the better, none of what they intend is any benefit to me. It's all kabuki anyway.

You're not waiting for your pension, then? And you're not averse to infected meat?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Keith]

Infected meat!!!!

Have I missed something here? 😀

 

[Ranchu]

You're not waiting for your pension, then? And you're not averse to infected meat?

Cheers,

R.

Politely, I suggest you make sure you know what's happening before you start interrogating me. Both those things are being continued during the shut down. Social Security is a massive cash injection into the economy, which would tank if they didn't send people their checks. That's the last thing the little stooges in the govt want. That's what I mean by kabuki, the whole thing is a bunch of empty threats because when the people are afraid, they're easier to rob.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Politely, I suggest you make sure you know what's happening before you start interrogating me. Both those things are being continued during the shut down. Social Security is a massive cash injection into the economy, which would tank if they didn't send people their checks. That's the last thing the little stooges in the govt want. That's what I mean by kabuki, the whole thing is a bunch of empty threats because when the people are afraid, they're easier to rob.

Politely, my wife's pension is due tomorrow. I'll believe it when it's in the bank.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Ranchu]

Politely, my wife's pension is due tomorrow. I'll believe it when it's in the bank.

Don't worry. Tell her I hope she's doing well.

🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

Infected meat!!!!

Have I missed something here? 😀

Well, not unless the federal food inspectors have. I don't know if they're still working. Certainly, they've not been mentioned. My argument is simple. Not all federal employees are worthless parasites.

Cheers,

R.