Yea, I went all of the sudden from side street to main street, window down, and protesters three feet away. But it was all relatively peaceful. Maybe the Highway Patrol's plan is working. Reduce the visible police presence to a minimum and hope the peaceful protesters will keep the violent ones in check. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <punditster@...> wrote : On 8/17/2014 7:46 AM, steve.sundur@... mailto:steve.sundur@... [FairfieldLife] wrote: I was on the phone when I emerged, and in a line of cars. It was really a little tense, and I would have only had a moment to end the call, (which would have been rather rude, as it was of a business nature), go to settings, then, camera,or video, and do my thing. Yes, I know I have a camera toggle on the side, but I don't typically use that, as I don't take too many pictures. and have never taken a "selfie" (-:
>My suggestion, Steve, is if you are going to drive into a war zone, first >purchase and mount a cheap dash cam in your car. Then, drive your car slowly >toward the riot and just point your car in the direction of the fire and >smoke. Be prepared to reverse gears rapidly if needed. If you need to escape, >put your car into reverse and hit the gas and turn the steering wheel to one >side or the other and swing the front end of your car around and head the >other direction. Then, step one the gas all the way to the floor and at the >same time whip out your cell phone and hang your arm out the driver's side >window to snap a few images as you speed off down the street. It's >complicated.> ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com >mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <fleetwood_macncheese@...> >mailto:fleetwood_macncheese@... wrote : Pretty trippy, Steve - I hope you >snuck a picture or two. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com >mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <steve.sundur@...> >mailto:steve.sundur@... wrote : I had some business late this afternoon in >north St. Louis, in the general area of Ferguson. Voyeur that I am, I >decided to drive back taking the thoroughfare where all the protests were >occurring. Turns out the street was closed off by police, so I took a >detour, not knowing where I was going to come out. I ended up coming out exactly at ground zero. There was the burnt out Quik Trip right in front of me, and the the beauty supply store that was looted. There were probably 500 protesters marching down the street, and about 50 reporters. There was no police presence at all where the protesters were marching. They were all on the periphery. A curfew goes into effect tonight at 12. Word is, that it won't be able to be enforced. On a philosophical note, it made me wonder how far from something do you need to be to feel safe. I would say the level of tension in the whole area here is elevated. Everyone is a little on edge, but there are no problems outside the area where the protests are taking place. But, in a sense, right down the "road" is Syria, is the Gaza Strip, is Ukraine, is Africa. I guess things can be seen as closer than you think, or farther away than you think. Or something like that. (-: ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <fleetwood_macncheese@...> mailto:fleetwood_macncheese@... wrote : As I was pulling out, to go to Bidwell Park this morning, 7:30-ish, a guy runs by, he's about 6'5, all muscle, deep tan, floating down the sidewalk, but fast, like an antelope, with blond dreads halfway down his back. That was different. Then off to the park, 1800 acres, with lots of back country - I decide to walk the full circuit, nine or ten miles-ish, about a three hour round-trip - starting up a ridge, above a canyon, a steep and rough trail, climbing for awhile, then back down to the park trail that skirts the creek, at first a hundred feet below the trail, then eventually level with it, and back to the car. As I hike deeper in, I bury myself in the wilderness, and the strengthening silence and heat - all encompassing. Walking for miles, into the silence, hearing my footsteps, my breathing, sweating, the strike of my hiking stick, an occasional bird chirp. Not much dirt trail, most is exposed volcanic rock, and basalt. Huge rock formations above the canyon, so old, and still here. The entire landscape is rocky, dry, ancient, and hot, and I love it. After awhile my one water bottle runs out, and I am trudging back, thirsty, and even then, getting into it. When I am almost done, a woman comes by with two dogs, a lab, and what looks like a small pony from a distance - short reddish fur, and a back that could easily carry a saddle. I nodded to her, smiled, and said, "big dog", as I walked by.
