Fifty Years

Fifty years ago, the world watched in awe as three men rode into space on one of the most powerful machines ever built by man. Some days later, the entire world watched enraptured when one of those men stepped forth on another world. We returned five more times. And then.. stopped.


Fifty Years
(c) Mark E. Horning 2019

Do you remember - where you were that fateful day?
Do you recall now - how we said we're there to stay?
Red white and blue - blazing so proud against the grey.
Returned in triumph - then threw it all away.

--50 years... since those footprints in the dust.
--50 years...  they rode nine-million pounds of thrust.
--50 years.... we set our dreams aside to rust.
--50 years... broken dreams and broken trust.


Do you remember - when the future was foretold?
Do you recall when - we were willing to be bold?
The first footsteps - we thought were a foothold.
When we were fearless - against the dark and cold.

--50 years... since those first footprints in the dust.
--50 years...  she made nine-million pounds of thrust.
--50 years.... and nothing's left but rust.
--50 years... broken promises and trust.


Let me remind you - we held tomorrow in our hands.
It was a new day - amidst the rubble and the sand.
That brilliant sky road - leading outward to new lands.
When the future - It was ours... ours to command.

--50 years... there's still footprints in the dust.
--50 years...  looks like the future's been a bust.
--50 years.... of tears, despair, and rust.
--50 years... broken dreams ... broken trust.


Do you remember.. where you were that fateful day?

Mark's Coffee Cake

Modified from my 1969 Betty Crocker Cookbook:

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 egg

Cut in the shortening into the flour and then combine the rest of the dry ingredients.  Mix then stir in the egg and milk.

Grease an 8x8 or 7 x11 baking pan.

"Topping"

2 Tbs butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnimon
1/2 cup steel cut oats

Put 1/2 the cake batter in the pan. 
Sprinkle on half the topping.
Add the rest of the cake batter
Sprinkle on the rest of the topping.

Bake at 370 for 25 minuts

Government 101

There is an old expression: If you trust the government, you clearly failed history. 

Americans are not meant to trust the government.  Americans were never meant to trust the government.  Trusting the government is unAmerican. This fundamental principle is baked into the founding DNA of the nation. The founders understood how dangerous the power of government was,  necessary, perhaps, unavoidable even, but terribly dangerous.

To that end, James Madison wrote a constitution that  specifically constrained the new Federal Government to clearly delineated, restricted, limited, and enumerated powers.  The response from the several States?  Not good enough, and we don't trust you. . We need a Bill of Rights.


Federalists like Madison and Hamilton argued that the Constitution did not need a bill of rights. The powers delegated to the Federal Government were explicitly limited and the people and the states kept all other power.  The Anti-Federalists (who eventually won out - or at least won a compromise) held that a bill of rights was necessary in order to safeguard individual liberty.  Why?  Because the Constitution is not good enough, and we don't trust you.  We want it in writing.

So Madison swallowed his pride, plagiarized George Mason (Virginia Declaration of Rights), and drafted up a package of 12 amendments to satisfy the various states. Ten of those amendments became the first ten amendments which we now know of as the bill of rights, the first actually became the 27th amendment.  The last one dealt with making certain that congressional districts didn't get to large and was never adopted.

Here is the key thing though.  The Bill of Rights does not establish or create ANY rights.  Everyone from the most ardent Federalist to most vehement Anti-Federalist agreed on this principle.  The rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights were just that, enumerated.  Just as the Virginia Declaration of Rights didn't create them but declared rights.  They already existed.  Fully formed, like Athena from Zeuz's head.

These rights, be they freedom of speech, or religion;  the right to keep and bear arms; to be secure in ones papers and possessions; the right to be judged by ones peers; or to be free of cruel and unusual punishments... These are not granted by the constitution. These are pre-existing, fundamental, inalienable, inseparable, basic rights of the People.   All people.  Wherever they are and whomever they might be.  Not American Rights. Universal ones.  From the single mother in Modesto to the goat herder in Uzbekistan.

Any other interpretation is a lie. A falsehood.  Incongruous with the historical record.  And when a government claims otherwise?  Not good enough, we don't trust you, we never will.

And away again

Ok.  So I sold the D-03R-12 to a musician who was in town just for two days.  Band is from North Carolina, touring through the country in a beat up van.

Apparently they had a gig at the MIM Sunday Night.

Gave him an outstanding deal.  Hopefully that should prevent the guitar from returning.