Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Just another day

The days go by too swiftly. I'm very close to being 73 and so the alternate, no more days, is on my mind more often. But...I'm trying to stay healthy despite the back surgeries. I go to the gym three times a week for the Senior Wellness program; That's an hour of gym work (cardio and strength) and then an hour of water aerobics. And I'm celebrating a full year of this routine. My blood pressure is now in the 120 range and I have a working heart rate of 118.

The gym gives me an abundant supply of endorphin's, so I should be happy...and I was until I saw the 35 year sentence for Bradley Manning. Soldiers convicted of murder get lesser sentences. And he gets no apology for the brutal treatment he endured for the years before his trial.

It looks like the NSA will be challenged on their stand that the 4th Amendment has no meaning for them when it comes to our phone records, our internet use and even our location; our cellphones rat us out every time with GPS technology. The Supreme Court, in the 70's, ruled that the police could legally observe the numbers being called by a suspect. That's a big leap from the technology of the 70's to now. It's no longer apples to apples. Yest, that's the case that the NSA uses when denying our rights under the 4th Amendment.

I try to avoid reading comments on the news blogs. Whenever I do I am amazed at the number of people who are quite willing to give up their freedoms just because 'the government' said it would be a good thing to do. Haven't they ever looked at the track record of 'the government'? The government, no matter where it is, is comprised of ordinary people making and enforcing rules. They are prone to making mistakes. And giving unlimited power to the NSA is a big mistake!