H.I., you're young and you got your health, what you want with a job? -Raising Arizona

Several mornings recently I've seen a gold pick up truck zooming down the left lane of I-4. The bed of the pick up is loaded with paraphenalia that I cannot identify beyond it being something in the maintenance and repair genre. Included in those supplies located in the bed of the truck are two men huddled beyind the cab window. Wind, rain, heat or cold, I've seen them. And I thought to myself, "how the hell is that legal?!" Given the tickets I've gotten for going 10 over or "rolling" through a stop sign, where are the cops while these guys routinely drive on arguably one of the most dangerous risky interstates in America with two human beings flopping around in the back?

Today finally it I saw two state troopers pulled over the side of the road with not only the two guys and the truck but about eight guys altogether. WTF?!

Though I'm glad that the safety of these men are no longer compromised (at least not on I-4) two sad thoughts occured to me. For one thing - these appeared to be immigrants so you wonder if someone working illegally in this country would be so "irresponsible" as to turn themselves into beacons for law enforcement by the mere absence of a seat belt and a, frankly, seat. But what it they weren't immigrants but here legally - one would assume they put their lives at risk and discomfort because there is no other way to get to work.

So I ask myself, isn't it their right to put their lives at risk to go when the reality is if they don't go to work, they cannot contribute to society? Is what they do to get to work any more risky than what happened on Steve Irwins commute this weekend? I don't mean to be crass, but the argument that one of those workers could have flown through my windshield and kill me is only comforting were it not for the bags of cement and steel tools poking out of the top. Is there any purpose really in protecting those who do not want to be protected? Those troopers would have paid a greater service to society if they stopped the Hilton Grand Vacations courtesy van that was experiencing road rage on five mile further on.

Anyway, I hope all had a lovely Labor Day weekend. I am exhausted from mine - spent a lot of time with Linda, Rod and Brad. This is the only picture I managed to get:



My legs would be the ones that are not hairy. I also started on Saturday a new photo project called "365". I've been meaning to do this for over a year and now the year is nearly over. It's going to take a lot of work and could turn out quite boring in the end. But the idea is, you take a picture of some random thing every day and at the end of 365 days, you have a photographic, wordless journal of your life and days the past year. You can catch it here on the link to my photos or just click this hyperlink to the album itself.

I voted today. It was interesting because this is the first time I've voted for someone that I actually know. Hopefully I'll never end up in a courtroom with him, though.

And as a final flourish to a bizarre weekend and day, one of my horrible cats ran under my feet while I was on the stairs and I tripped on three steps. I'm fine - but I seriously am considering a bag, some rocks and a drive at midnight to the lake >-(
(PETA people, I'm only kidding).