more dogs and eagles...

 because it was just so much fun. 

 I'm between shifts.  watching a clip of our iitoo alienating our allies further while embracing Put more.  it's like a large chunk of our nation has forgotten history and who is to be trusted and who is to not be trusted. 

 of course, that same segment of the population believes that an American liberal is more their enemy than the dictators of Rus or NK.  their  hatred for their fellow citizens, especially those who have left other nations to have a better life here, is irrational.  just as their hatred of Obama was irrational. just as their hatred of HRC was irrational, they are humans who are fallible.  but they have given them some super power of being more powerful than they were.

 the current iitoo is an idiot.  he is doing damage, not because he is powerful but because he's an idiot who uses his current power for trivial self satisfaction. he cares less about the world order and more about ratings and having others fawn all over him. he knows how to manipulate the media and his supporters by just saying a line or two, bringing up their hatred and letting them revel in it. he stands before them speaking irrationally, i mean nonsensically.  he goes off on tangents that make zero sense and his followers continue to cheer him on.  literally he says a combination of words that do not have any meaning or message, that do not have any tie to reality and you can see his followers cheer for these words. it's baffling and bewildering. 

 i think of Rwanda and Germany and all the other instances when people have turned on their fellow citizens and mayhem and hell have rained down upon communities that had previously been mostly safe.

 i have to ask and wonder, what person would you be.  it's already decided in many cases.  we are who we are.  we can alter that because in this world we do have a choice.  sometimes the choices are dire and deadly, but still in these historical moments.  people make choices.

 the vast majority probably make the choice to look away.  to pretend it's not happening.  to believe it's "fake news" or that it's been blown out of proportion.  they choose to turn into themselves and not notice that the gays and the Jews and the gypsies and the infirm are being removed from around them. 

 there is some understanding in this i guess, a level of self preservation.  they aren't hurting you or your family so you turn into yourself, ignore it and hope that you can come away alive.  it's hard to totally judge those who have  this choice between action and inaction, action gets you and your family killed.  still it's a choice, and i suspect that many that lived watching what was happening and doing nothing, suffered the rest of their lives..some just convinced themselves it didn't happen or wasn't as bad as was reported. is this the choice you would make?  would you simply look away and hope that they don't come for you? 

 another choice is to save yourself by trading the lives of others for yours.  many in those times, often with fear of death, gave up their neighbors, friends and even family, those who were Jews and gays and infirm and gypsies.  some did it more proactively. render some aid in hopes that this will protect you and your family from becoming the next victims of this hell.  this is another choice...would this be you? would you turn in those who are the target of the hate?  even if they were relatives, neighbors or friends?

 another choice is to resist.  to take an active role in trying to put a stop to the hell that you see happening around you.  resisting may get you arrested or killed. resisting may make your neighbors and family turn you in as a means of currying favor.  there are different ways to resist, protest, written word.  there were and are more quiet ways to resist.  many took a great risk to hide those who were the targets.  a great risk to themselves and their families.  would this be you?  would you resist those who beat down and terrorize the world you had previously felt safe in?  would you have hidden Jew's in your home or gays or gypsies?  would you have stepped in when you saw them being dragged from their homes and businesses?  would you be the one who created underground railroads and fought in any way you could?

 another choice is to join in the killing of others.  to give in to the hate, to blame your fellow citizens for all the bad that has happened in your lives.  perhaps not directly killing but aiding those who do somehow. would you be one who would join rather than attempt to fight a power stronger than yourself? 

 we all have choices.  some days those choices can get you killed.  it's still a choice. 

 where will you be when history tells the tale, when the truth becomes revealed.

 will you be able to live with the choices you made?  will the choices you made, make you a better person?  we all make choices....

 in these shots Tusker chose to chase a group of birds who could easily turn on him and destroy him.  he does not seem to have that awareness.

 there were hundreds of birds out there though.  mostly the dogs still chased the tennis ball, but every so often the temptation was too great.

 ER was packed with holds so i was down there doing holds.  i suspect i may do a repeat of that tonight.  we had a great crew last night and when there are that many holds at least the turnover is pretty low. 

 he totally out weighs these birds but those talons and the beaks can do a great deal of damage.

 Ivy joins in on the fun. 

 if the birds were really ticked they could have easily taken on me or the dogs.  thankfully, they just weren't really that annoyed as they were getting a free meal.

 pretty amazing to watch so many birds of prey in one location though. 

 so much to see, I'm sure i could have gotten much better photo's if i my head wasn't spinning around in every direction

 lots of gulls as well.  so much food though, they weren't seen as eagle food at this moment either...another time they would be. 

 later i watched a young bald eagle give chase to a small songbird.  that song bird must have been scared!  that bird was right on his tail feathers and would have easily taken him as a meal.  thankfully, for me watching, it was not the song birds time to become an eagle meal.

 nature is beautiful and fascinating, but it can also be tough to watch.

 we aren't so different.  when there is plenty of food and supplies we are not prey we are safe from those who would harm us.  when supplies get short then the battle lines get drawn.  humans though, become greedy.  animals for the most part, take only what they need. 

 love to watch landings and take off's.

 so cool. 

 one night down, two nights to go. 

 someone coming to look at the pool table.  I'm slowly emptying old fridge then i can put that out for sale. 

 all this between tossing the tennis ball. we've had a few sessions today.

 rain the last few days.  i had hopes of walking dogs and/or moving more rocks but writing and sleep will win.  rain days are perfect for chilling.  the dogs have it pretty great so if i do run into a lazy day or two i try not to be too hard on myself. 

 tomorrow we will walk, rain or shine.

 the dogs were pretty happy this day.  total freedom and the chase, they do love a good chase.

 thankfully, the eagles all escaped as did the puppies. 

thankful for: A.  a sweet shift with great co-workers and patients B.  tennis balls and the chuck it, how would i survive without them C.  rain...a gift of lazy