Snake and lizard

First picture is a snake just off the walking path. I think I have seen this one before because there was a similar sized snake near the same place last year. It was 4-6 feet long and about 4" diameter. The second is a salamander I think we saw at the state park at the archery range.

1st bow shoot

So we went to our first Archery Shoot Saturday May 25th. In the first picture you can see an arrow I "Robinhood'ed" I shot a group with Chanda's pink camo bow which is way too short a draw for me, anyway I heard a chunk after I shot it and sure enough it was in front of the target. I didn't realize what had happened until I saw the nock was split and the shaft was damaged. These bows are no joke. Chanda's first shot shocked her to the point she didn't realize what had happened. My bow shot well I had it set at 52# draw which was easy so I reset it that evening to 58#. Ultimately I want to get it to the full 70#. Below you can see Chanda's form and the results of the day's shoot.

Observation

Conversation with a 60+ yo man (white). So your from bmore city. Do you know my coworkers x y and z? You know because you're black...

Also I ordered and installed a class 4 hitch on the gx.  I got all but 1 bolt in and that needed added tools ie a thread resoring kit craftsman.  This was due to the inserts not being filled with a bolt and getting corroded.  After a bit of surgery it went up great.  the wiring harness was another story.  See this exchange from etrailer.com (where I got the hitch from). So i had to send the first incorrect one back and ordered type that has to be spliced in.  I may go with the correct one from below but I will have to try and locate the relays at another $160.

11143374 Hopkins Multi-Tow 7-Way Blade and 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector - Toyota

. To save others the trouble, I'm listing the part numbers here, which are available from lexuspartsnow.com 81985-0021 - Green Towing Converter Relay (need 1) 90987-02025 - Grey Relay for Towing and Battery Charge (need 2) The green relay goes into a pre-wired socket behind the driver side trim piece in the rear (above the jack). The 2 Grey relays are t be plugged into the Relay Box in the engine compartment (driver side). Remove the black cover and then pop the cover off the relay box that has two empty slots for Towing and Battery Charging. It costs about $162 with ground shipping for the 3 relays. I ordered mine today and should have everything working in a couple of days. I must say I was impressed with the quality of the Hopkins unit. 7

http://lexus.sewellparts.com/accessories-catalog/Towing/GX470-2005/4229.html

Bluff called

So the red line looks to have been crossed.  Reports have been coming in for weeks if not months.  Our president established a limit and now we get hesitation.  There has to be follow up on a threat or our word will not be heard.  If you don't intend to follow through don't make claims.

Chemical weapon use is scary and has to be unacceptable and the only way to deter or stop it from being employed is to punish those that use it.  We step in when the enemy is weak most recently Libya (Iraq and Afghanistan). Syria is a bit higher up the military sophistication ladder and now we hesitate.  As we wage war with overwhelming advantage we look like bullies and cause resentment in the communities that would see themselves as oppressed by ourselves and our allies.  We either stop the bravado, stop playing the role of international cop or we commit to it and follow through. 

 I say we assume the role and not hesitate.  That indecisiveness will give those opposed to us confidence to act against us.  Again you either act or stop playing the role.  In Syria action will cost us lives as it always does, but in this case the war has to stop to spare the civilians.  Secondarily the use of the WMDs has to be shown as unacceptable.  Lastly the thought that these weapons could get into the hands of terrorists is great, if the war plays out with elements of the extremists capture chemical weapons, which seems likely in the fluid nature of this conflict.  

Update:
Looks like Israel has bombed Syria more than once over the last few days.  I wonder if it was with a wink and a nod from us?  They claim to stop terrorists (Hezbollah) getting rockets to use against them.  I wouldn't think Syria would provoke Israel right now given the current situation; however, expanding the conflict could be a strategy.  Looks to me like it will only speed the regime's defeat. Expansion of a middle east conflict troubles me given the predictions about the rapture being brought about by WWIII beginning there or some such nonsense the fundamentalists preach.  Maybe Israel's involvement will preclude ours which will save us lives, but on the other hand it could make things worse.