Ruthie In The Sky

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Tonight is just different. I'm sitting in the corner, with my right boot on the table and my laptop balanced on my right knee. I'm listening to rock and ignoring the stupid Republican debate that some dumb ass truck drivers have decided to watch.

Mitt Romney is pitching his woo to the American public again and I bet the truckers are Mormon and drive for Doug Andrus. I haven't asked them. When I'm stuck in a driver lounge, at a truck stop, like I am tonight, I make a point of ignoring everyone.

The local cops made arrangements for me to stay here and so I don't want to get into any confrontations. Besides, about half of the guys in this place are probably idiots. Therefor, it wouldn't take much to get them inflamed. Their brains don't turn on when their trucks turn off. If you know what I mean.

Some of the drivers don't trust me and think that I work for some government agency. When one of the drivers asks me about it, I tell him that the Feds couldn't pay me enough to put up with what I have to deal with.

I should be off the road, for awhile, if not longer, next week. I am in Kansas and I intend to remain here for as long as I can. I'll update you as soon as I know what my long-term status is going to be.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000

A zipper broke on my backpack, last night. And this morning, I took a bath in a semi-clean bathtub that is situated in a room with the dimensions of a broom closet. I didn't even have a wash cloth to scrub up or a towel to dry down with! Geez.

I finally left the land of addiction after the President of the Chamber of Commerce bought me a brand new backpack. It's larger, black and sits comfortably on my shoulders. Thank you, Sam! :^)

Then a lady with a big heart, decided to drive me back to Kansas, today. So she did.

We went to a shelter in a Southern Kansas city and decided that it wasn't going to work for me. So she brought me back out to the highway and cut me loose.

I put out my thumb, and five minutes later, an elderly man slid his fancy white car to a stop on the paved shoulder. He had a beautiful smile and must be close to ninety-years-old.

We discussed farming as the miles unrolled past the rural Kansas pasture land. And when I finally stepped out of the car, he handed me a fifty-dollar bill. I gave it back and asked him to take me to a motel. He drove another fifteen miles and got me a room for tonight.

-ME, IN THE "DALTON" ROOM-
-PHOTO/EDITS BY RUTH RADER-

I ate, watched a little TV and now I'm on line. I will microwave some popcorn and read the story, hanging in a frame on the wall, about the Dalton Gang. Apparently, they once hung-out around here.

This bed is comfortable and topped by four fat pillows and a thick, homemade quilt. There is French lace on the window, coffee in the pot and a large print of sunflowers in a field, on the wall behind me.

I see justice balancing itself out, tonight. And I deserve it. Yeehaw.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:32:00 +0000

I got a great thirty-mile ride from the couple that I met last night. They dropped me off by a bridge in another town.

I walked across the bridge, intending to sit on the guard rail on the other side, when my eyes noticed the sign.

"DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS IN THIS AREA"

"Oh, geez" I thought and my shoulders sagged.

"There must be a prison around here." I thought and kicked the bridge railing.

Then I sighed, cinched the pack straps tightly around my shoulders and walked right past the sign, with my thumb out.

A man from New Mexico stopped his SUV and picked me up. He was a consummate rule-breaker, anyway.

And ten-minutes later, he proved it.

We started talking as he sailed his rolling craft out of the highway harbor. Then the flash of red-and-blue lights flashed through the moment and broke the mood.

After an exchange of "...your proof of insurance" and "...here's my license" and "...this is a citation, sign here"...we rolled back out on the highway, again. Only this time, my driver carried a $170.00 speeding ticket in his wallet.

Something about him started to feel wrong. I couldn't identify it...but suddenly I didn't want to be around him, anymore.

I finally asked him to drop me off at a rest area.

He did.

Fifteen-minutes later, after I freshened-up and cleared the on-ramp, my second ride arrived.

The old man was driving a raspberry-tinted minivan. When I glanced at the van's dashboard, I noticed a full-sized bird's nest sitting there. He is a kind of an "inside the vehicle" hoarder and, with the exception of himself, I'm not sure what else I sat next to on that ride.

We finally drove through Amarillo and then continued on into the Texas Outback Wilderness.

Tonight, I am in a small-town Texas city using this wi-fi connection...in a rehab center.

A deal was struck this evening and I am now in a private room with my own bathroom and free wi-fi. A lady served me dinner and my laundry is now done.

I'm going to keep myself separate from the "residents", for the most part, tonight. Unless, of course, they want to discuss the positive points of legalizing marijuana.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:28:00 +0000

UPDATE:

I walked out of the rest area in Northern Texas this evening, toward the highway traffic and the setting sun. I was tired, hungry and not sure where I would spend the night.

The caretaker at the rest area gave me some information and some snack crackers, to take with me.

I was grateful for that and for the wide-open wi-fi that the Department Of Transportation provides for free, at the main rest areas in Texas. Wi-fi can be very helpful and important on the road. Oregon provides it at some of its rest areas and I really think that all States should follow suit.

A young man in an older model van, stopped, backed almost all the way up the on-ramp and offered me a ride.

Next, he helped me get a motel room and a meal. I feel much better now and I will sleep and bathe before I head back out on the road, again, tomorrow.

The storm that hit while I was on the road, yesterday, was vicious. While it didn't hit with as much force as it did in Alabama, it hit hard! Before the trucker rescued me, yesterday, it became almost impossible to walk or even stand up, straight! My heavy pack only added a small amount of stability to my larger frame as I attempted to make my way through that high wind.

Tumbleweed, as big as German Shepard dogs, flew into me and cut the skin on my face. My glasses got caught in one ball of tumbleweed and the wind nearly sent the weed, and my specs, rolling down the highway!

The truck driver and I had some fast decisions to make. The weather up north was bad but it was much better, down South. So, in the end, we decided to take me all of the way down to Wichita Falls, Texas.

Now I am making my way back to a small town area in Southern Kansas. The journey will take me out of Texas, across the Panhandle of Oklahoma and back into Kansas. I hope that someone puts the wind back into its bottle and buries it in one of those Kansas wheat fields.

I watched flock after flock of geese heading across the Kansas sky before I left that State, yesterday. When I left the rest area in Texas, this evening, I saw a huge flock of them, again...all honking happily, in a field on the other side of the highway.

It reminded me of how far I've come in a very short amount of time.

Oh, how this roadie runs!
______________

The following, quoted text is from an email that I just sent to a woman who is linked directly with the provider-system in Southern Kansas:

"Both the other guest and I left the shelter, yesterday
morning, at 7:30am.

We chose different destinations, so we said our goodbyes and split-up
at the railroad tracks.

From there, I continued on, alone.

I walked and walked to the highway.
That was quite a hike, in itself.

And I estimate that I reached there (being slow, carrying a heavy pack
and walking with a cane) at about 9:30am, yesterday
morning. I didn't get a ride down the highway until 1:30pm, yesterday afternoon.

A man picked me up, just before that wind storm hit, and drove me all
of the way to a small town in Kansas. He was a strange guy
but harmless...he just didn't have a whole lot to say.

He dropped me off at the edge of the town, at the height of the wind storm
and drove away.

A trucker from Texas picked me up and drove me all of the way to
Wichita Falls, Texas, last night. I was planning on stopping
in ________ Kansas but the reception that I got in the last little Kansas town was not
cool and so I've decided to wait until this Tuesday to deal with the
provider-system in the ________ area.

We thought that Wichita Falls would be able to offer me shelter. They
didn't. They were full and so the Sheriff brought me
over to a local truck stop, where I spent the night, last night. I am
still in Texas...typing this out to you on my laptop...at a Texas rest
area where the DOT provides free wi-fi.

I had the last driver drop me off here so that I could take a break. I
have been on the road, struggling to get back to Kansas, since
6:30am this morning. I'm tired and hungry but I will get back on the road,
soon.

I am hoping that ________, Kansas will be able to keep me for awhile.

Meanwhile, I obviously believe that the shelter that I left, yesterday, should have just
kept me there until Feb. 1. I have a plan, I just need a
place to be.

Isn't that supposed to be the whole point of providing the shelter in
the first place?

I bet there's nobody staying at the shelter that I left, yesterday. But
if anybody is, I bet the sum total of people only amounts to a handful.

If I would have been allowed to stay at that shelter and ate
like a normal person and was treated with respect...then that shelter
could have
contributed to making some significant and positive changes in my
life. Instead, I am going to have to go back out to the highway,
here in Northwestern Texas...and hitchhike my way back...in my
continuing search for a decent four walls and a roof...until Feb. 1."

The Picnik Is Almost Over, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:18:00 +0000

UPDATE: This is what is happening in the forums, now. The discussion headlines speak for themselves. There are quite a few discussions, now. This is just a recent sample:

THE GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Fotoflexer.com is a very simliar site to Picnic. wwww.fotoflexer.com [1 Update]
Say NO to demolition Picnik ! [1 Update]
Why is Google closing this amazing program???? [1 Update]
What would you recommend instead of Picnik ? [1 Update]
Now that Piknik is closing in April, what is replacing it? [1 Update]
How to find the collage tab on the home page [1 Update]
My "most recent uploads" have all disappeared sincce last night!! It used to be last 100 pics, now only allowing 3?? [2 Updates]
Please, please, please don't go away! Why? Why are you closing? Where can I go now? [1 Update]
how do I get the premium? [1 Update]
το Picnik κλεινει τον απριλη , θα ανοιξει παλι? αν οχι θαθελα ενα ιδιο προγραμμα με τις ιδιες ικανοτητες κ με χρηματα δεν με νοιαζει [1 Update]
Don't close! [1 Update]
WE WANT ANSWERS!!!! [1 Update]
Does anyone knows the real reason Picnik is closing? [2 Updates]
What now? [2 Updates]
Please transfer features to Picasa and Google + [2 Updates]
Are the features and editing tools of picnik going to be available somehow through Google now??????? [4 Updates]
it would be nice if you would answer some questions [2 Updates]
______________

Picnik, the nifty photo editing service that is linked to Google, announced (yesterday) that it is packing up and going away.

Many people are disappointed and I am one of those people. I have been a customer of Picnik for some time now and I wanted to remain as one.

What concerns me now is what Google is going to do after Picnik has closed. This is a copy of the comment that I sent to the Picnik discussion forum, this morning:

"Like many other people, I was shocked by what I saw yesterday when I tried to use Picnik.
And it reminded me of when I opened Lala and they announced their closure.
In Lala's case, Apple took over and killed it. Then they tried to send us all over to iTunes. I
never went. In fact, they credited me with tokens for iTunes which I never used. I waited it
out and finally signed-up for Rdio and I've been happy there, ever since. But the memory
remains and I see it happening all over again. Evidently, Google (Big "G", double "o"...Go
as they grow...dontcha know) is up to something and, as usual, is making sure that we,
the paying consumers, will be the last to know. Just grab your shots and hope that Google
doesn't do what Yahoo did when they sent their photo department over to Flickr: Pay or you
only get to access 200 of your photos at a time. Just remember, you've been warned. I'm
betting this is all about money...this is the Internet...isn't it always that way?"

I think it is poor form for Google to leave us all in confusion, right now. So far, they have not offered an alternative.

*Sigh*

Shelter: Holding Back More Than It Gives

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:52:00 +0000

Something isn't adding up, here.

But I'm going to get answers. You better believe that I will.

I am staying at a shelter here in Southern Kansas, right now. And I am totally disgusted.

The shelter only allows individuals to stay there for six days...and then each person has to move on. But that isn't what is concerning me.

The shelter doesn't allow smoking, drinking or drugs on the premises. Obviously, that's not what is bothering me, either.

The problem is more complicated than that. And I am going to explain it in this post:

1.) Food. Either there isn't enough or we aren't being given enough. Either way, we aren't getting what we need while we are staying at the shelter. I noticed that problem right away. And I am really pissed-off about it.

If the shelter can't or won't provide proper meals to it's guests, then it shouldn't be in operation.

Last night, a different staff person came on duty and when he said that dinner was ready...we all just stared at our plate. He took one small hamburger bun, split it, covered it with a medium amount of hamburger meat in Man which sauce and gave it to us. We each got a small serving of chips and green beans, along with it.

All of us left the table, still hungry.

The staff person won't allow us to access food, other than what he provides, at all.

If I thought that I could get away with taking a photo of our so-called "dinner", tonight, I'd snap a shot and post it here. But I probably won't be allowed to do so. This will most likely be related to the staff person's unreasonable, asinine behavior.

2.) The Staff Person. He is one of two people who oversees the nightly operation of the shelter. Neither one of the men (there are no women staffers available for female guests) are on my good list. But the weekend guy is definitely the worse of the two.

He is a misogynist. And I am the only female there, right now. The other guest is male and is as kind and considerate as the staff person is not. There is no excuse for that.

Each day, the male guest has walked with me to get coffee at Mickey D's. And when I walk up to the restaurant, he always opens the door for me. He is polite and very aware of what is going on at the "house", right now.

He keeps saying, "Us roadies have got to stick together."

The staff person calls us "clients" and speaks to us as if we were children.

Every morning, I get out of bed and get ready for the day. We are only allowed to use one of the bathrooms in the house. So, I get up at 5AM and do what I have to do, so that the other guest can use the bathroom at 6AM.

Last night, the staff person yelled at me and said: "You better not go wandering all over the house if you get up at 5AM, again. You just use the bathroom and then go back to the room and stay there."

(Right now, I can see some of my friends reading this and reacting)

I recently stayed overnight at the "Hill House." See THIS POST . And the couple there made darn sure that I ate very well and was treated with total respect.

They had only known me for an hour before they invited me to stay, overnight. But they never yelled at, insulted, demeaned or lectured me. They both trusted me and addressed me as an adult. I guarantee you that I behaved like one.

Before that, I stayed with my friends in Northeast Kansas for five days. And when I left, even the cat missed me.

Nobody needs to tell me how to conduct myself in a motel, a private home or in a shelter.

The animosity that the staff person delivered to me was obvious. And I have to go back there, tonight.

However, both the male guest and I are planning on leaving tomorrow...a day earlier than we actually have to. This is because we are both tired of being hungry...and disrespected.

No shelter is worth that.

3.) No ADA-Compliance. The male guest sleeps downstairs and there are quite a few steps that lead downstairs. It is a steep set of steps, too. I have trouble making it down and back up, again.

I sleep in a room, upstairs.

I have to go down those steps every time that I need to use the bathroom. My friends in Northeastern Kansas, let me sleep on the couch in their living room. They knew that it would be easier for me to use the bathroom on the main floor rather than climbing the stairs to the bath and bedrooms on the second floor.

Ironically, a perfectly good bathroom, at the shelter, is located RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO WHERE I SLEEP. But only the two staff members get to use it. I don't.

Despite my left foot and my cane, the staff men have never offered me the option of using that bathroom on the main floor.

Obviously, there is something very wrong with that.

Suffice it to say, the shelter holds back more than it gives. And I doubt that it began that way. I am also wondering where the money, that has been allocated for the shelter's 2012 budget...is actually going.

Straight From The Deck

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:36:00 +0000

This is priceless. It really is.

My friend just created a new video that features a tarot card reading. And that reading is for...um...gee...how shall I put this?

Uhhh...that woman who swore that she knows where the missing baby Lisa Irwin is. The so-called "psychic" who created a minor stir awhile back...and then disappeared.

The woman who grabbed her "fifteen minutes of fame" and then came back for seconds and thirds.

The one who wouldn't know an honest clue (because she really doesn't have one) if it sat down beside her.

Yeah, that woman.

Enjoy the video, y'all. I sure did:

Sent Back From My Side

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:03:00 +0000

A very interesting person, named Sally, has somehow entered my fan club. She sent me another email, today. Sally is curious about me and is beginning to ask questions.

That is okay.

However...

Sally says that she doesn't "do Facebook."

Oookay.

But here's the deal: Sally is asking me questions (which is great) but I don't know anything about her. And I will not reveal what personal information she has provided to me. Those of you who really know me, are aware that I don't work that way. (However, I will post that she claims to be from Arizona)

Don't take this the wrong way, Sally...(she will most likely read this post)...but you could be a guy who's actually involved in a missing child case. At this point, I have no idea who you are. But a friend of mine could run a trace on you, via your emails and acquire quite a bit of information about you.

I'm just saying.

If you are really a nice lady who's fallen in love with my story, then I will be more than willing to correspond with you. But first you're going to have to give me a little more of an introduction, Sally.

I am aware that some people would like to write a story about me. I also realize that my feedback would be crucial to the integrity of the book.

But I know that I am worth something in dollars (I have been told that over and over for years) and that intrigues me. So, before I am going to agree to an interview, I think that we had better draw-up a legally binding agreement.

Don't laugh, Sally. This deal could become a money-maker. But only if I am directly involved in the project. It won't have nearly the hook if I don't have my own creative stamp on it.

Now, you may be someone who just wants to ask questions. And perhaps everything that I've posted so far has just sent you reeling. But if you do have my best interest at heart (all of my friends do) you will understand and respond, accordingly.

No, I don't usually publish people's emails to me, here, Sally. But I'm just as curious about YOU as you apparently are about me. And when I present something like this in my blog, it is a very good way of covering my back.

To the rest of my Readers: The following is an edited version of the email that Sally sent to me, today. Take a look at it and let me know what you think:

_______________

[ "I'm so curious about the places/experiences that you liked the best. Are you ever tempted to settle down in one place if you like it? Are you still planning to settle back in Alaska? I don't know if I missed it, but did you write the book you were contemplating. If not - are you still going to? (SEE WHY I ASKED SALLY WHAT I DID?)

Do you ever get scared? How long do you plan to continue hitchhiking? In your opinion, are the people you meet for the most part decent people? We're about the same (I DON'T KNOW WHAT SALLY MEANS BY THAT) and I can tell you that in my limited experiences, I find most people rude and disrespectful (IT SOUNDS LIKE SALLY DOESN'T KNOW ENOUGH NICE PEOPLE)...like when I'm struggling hauling groceries or whatever. Do you think your experiences being a woman our age makes a difference than, say, if we were college-aged in the way people treat/react to you?

Your posts about your travels, lonely highways when it's dark and cold are terrifying to me but it's like a car wreck...you have to rubberneck. What do you feel when it's getting dark and you don't know where you're going to go?

I'm also dying to ask you....what made you take your first hitchhiking trip? Was it a thought out plan or a spur-of-the-moment decision? I totally respect your privacy in your personal life and will only ask you to share with me what you're comfortable sharing.

When you meet people on the road and they bring you to their house....are they curious like I am about what your life is like? Do those experiences add or detract from your journey?

One last question...how have you managed to escape (if you have) a larger presence? I had never heard about you until I picked up your site on a blog roll. I wish I had found your blog years ago. (WHY DOES SALLY WISH THAT?) I sure hope you have or are going to write your book. (SALLY MENTIONED "THE BOOK", AGAIN) I'm definitely buying." ]

______________

Ruthie On The Road, Update--Part Three

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:23:00 +0000

I stood in the cold, afternoon wind for two hours. And then I sat down.

After that, it didn't take very long to get a ride. (Is there something to that sitting down thing?)

A man in a large, jacked-up pickup truck stopped and took me away from that spot on Highways 50 and 400.

And he brought me to his home, where he lives with his wife, several cats and an old dog.

-PHOTOS BY RUTH RADER-

I stayed at the house, overnight. While I was there, I took a bubble bath, washed my clothes, ate good, had a great visit with the man and his wife and drank two cans of Coors beer. Yeehaw.

I regret that the man's wife didn't allow me to take photographs of the inside of the house. I still feel that her decision was not the right one.

The couple brought me into the small city where I am, now. Because of the rules of the shelter, I will have to leave it and this community very soon.

People are only allowed a short stay at this city's shelter.

I am hoping to relocate to another community at the end of this month. But in the meantime, I will be returning to the road again, very soon.

Ruthie On The Road, Update--Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:09:00 +0000

The next morning, I walked through the crisp breeze until I reached the edge of Syracuse, Kansas. Then I turned around and put out my thumb, again.

A man in a big, muddy pickup, stopped and got me. He drove me east to Garden City, Kansas. We found a homeless shelter there but the woman at the door told me to go to the Sheriff's department. I had to get, she explained, a paper that proved that I am not a wanted ax murderer.

So the man took me over to the cop shop and I got the paper. Then we went back to the shelter.

I thanked my helpful driver as the woman finally let me in the shelter door. I didn't stay there for very long.

Several other women were cooking something in the kitchen. It smelled good and I was hungry.

But the woman who let me in, told me that I couldn't eat that meal. She also told me that I couldn't get my clothes cleaned until the weekend. Then she told me that all of the women, who "stayed" there, slept in beds in the basement. And finally she told me that I would have to leave after we finished some paperwork and not return until later on that evening.

I took a city bus to the edge of that city and never returned, at all.

Ruthie On The Road, Update--Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:23:00 +0000

It was an unusually warm, sunny day when Juli and I got into her little white car and headed out on the road. I was ready to resume my journey and so Juli drove me to the small town of Washington, Kansas. I was well-fed, cleaned-up, rested and looking forward to heading West on Highway 36.

Awhile later, we gave each other a hug, said our goodbyes and then Juli was gone.

I sat on the guardrail and tried and tried to get a ride. I didn't get one.

Finally, the sun went down, the moon came up and I was still sitting there. The wind began to pick up and I shivered in the dark, gathering cold.

Someone called me in and after about ten more minutes, a cop rolled-up in his rig. That was good because I needed to get to a rest room.

He drove me to a gas station and then, after turning his vehicle around, drove me right out of the County.

That ride began a relay of rides, with a series of cops, through a number of counties.

When I got to Phillipsburg, Kansas...a cop took me over to his station house and then over to a nice, little mom-and-pop motel. I spent the rest of the night there, eating hot pocket sandwiches (courtesy of the cops) and Doritos.

I contacted Juli and her husband via a wi-fi link to Facebook, and told them where I was. I have been in contact with them, through my laptop, ever since.

The next morning, I walked back out onto the highway and put my thumb out, again. This time, an older man, named Mel, stopped his aging car and picked me up.

Mel knows or is related to, just about everyone who lives in that particular County. As we rode along, over rolling hills (yes, there are rolling hills in Kansas), Mel pointed to barns and farm houses. He told me the story behind every board, window and fence.

After getting directions from a guy at a tire store, Mel drove a little ways down Highway 27 and dropped me off. I waved goodbye to him and then looked around. I quickly realized that I was now on a very desolate stretch of rural road.

After trying to hitch a ride for longer than I wanted to, I sat down. That did it. A man in a fancy, silver car roared past me and stared. Then he drove up to the next turn-around and did just that.

It turns out that the man sells parts for all of the irrigation systems in that area. He talked a blue streak, from outside of Goodland right on down to Syracuse, Kansas.

When we got to Syracuse, he bought me a room in a little, humble motel and treated me to a Mexican dinner at a local cafe. Then he was gone.

I called a local food pantry because I thought that I was going to be on the road for a long time, the next day. It was 8:30 at night, but the voice recording provided a second number. I called it and by 9PM, a sweet lady and her son were standing at my motel room door with bags of groceries and $6.50 in change.

We talked for awhile and then said "good night."

I put my head back on the pillow, a few minutes later, closed my eyes and smiled.

Nice Words To Me From AZ

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:02:00 +0000

I don't like it here. I can't put my finger on exactly "why." But I don't.

The folks that kept me at their house, last night, dropped me off here today and I don't like the vibes in the neighborhood.

I have a great deal of updating to do in this blog, and I will probably do it, tomorrow.

Due to the SOPA/PIPA situation, I decided not to post my road updates, today. But I will post them as soon as I can, tomorrow and the updates will include new photographs.

In the meantime, before I sign-off, I want to share an email that I received, today:

"Hello, Ruthie. My name is Sally and I'm 58 yrs old from Phx, Az. I came across your blog a few weeks back I think from a blogroll at a site about Baby Lisa. Last night I took the time to look around and found your archives of your road trips and have to tell you I was FASCINATED. I literally read for hours (I'm sure your tracker will verify that) and then came back this morning. I started in the beginning of the archives, skipped around a little and got curious of what you're doing now so I'm at December, 2011. Never (and I'm an avid reader) have I ever read something like this where I can actually envision myself there. Awesome talent there, Ruthie."

You have a new "CAMPER" here.

Good luck to you and a healthy and happy 2012.
______________

Thank you, Sally. That is just the kind shot in the arm that I needed, today. I am going to be staying at a sort of shelter, tonight and I am not forward to it.

But, no matter what happens overnight, I will post a batch of road updates and photos, tomorrow.

Thank you, again, for your kind words.

Google's Gone Black

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:18:00 +0000

THANK YOU, GOOGLE. I AM PROUD OF YOU!

SOPA AND PIPA: WHY GOOGLE'S GONE BLACK

MASHABLE: WHERE SOPA AND PIPA STAND NOW

APC: 7,000 SITES GOING BLACK

To My Readers:

It is unfortunate that Time Warner is, as of this posting, backing SOPA and PIPA. That is why I posted the first CNN video last night: To illustrate how Time Warner has been slanting the news coverage on this subject.

Now, a new video has appeared on the CNN (which is owned by Time Warner) website. And it is an improvement. So I have removed the first video and am now including the second video in this post. Okay, Time Warner...it's a start.

WATCH THE VIDEO, HERE

1/14/2012: HUFFINGTON POST: SOPA: WHITE HOUSE WEIGHS IN

Long Island Serial Killer

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:27:00 +0000

01/08/12:HUFFINGTON POST: LONG ISLAND SERIAL KILLER VICTIM SKETCH RELEASED

My interest in the Long Island Serial Killer case began after I "met" a guy on Facebook. And while I am posting this to everyone, I am aiming it, specifically, at the killer, himself.

You know, that overrated loser who has nothing but dead bodies to show for his efforts.

I found a Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) website and posted my version of the killer's profile. I've re-posted it, here:

This person is likely a fairly "big", overweight, balding guy who considers himself to be physically ugly. He wears a disguise when he goes out to get a victim. He might wear a hat or a do-rag on his head. He might wear dark glasses...even at night. He may wear something that alters his persona, like biker gear.

He may live just a few miles from the ocean. He may be unemployed, underemployed or hates his job. He carries a great deal of stress, frustration and outright anger around, inside him.

He drives an average but dependable, dark blue or black vehicle.

He really doesn't have a whole lot of money.

He spends quite a bit of his time "socializing" behind a barrier, like a computer (Craigslist, Facebook) and/or amateur radio. In his "real" life, the guy is awkward around people, especially women and generally keeps people at arm's length.

When he goes out on a "hunt", he dresses and behaves differently. He is a performer and once he gets his "prey", he begins his performance.

After he puts the woman's (or man's) dead face in the sand, he savors the release and peace that he feels. It's like a drug. He feels powerful, capable and revels in his success.

Any dismemberment is a pleasure and another way for him to assert his dominance.

I also believe that, after the fact, the killer inserts himself back into the cases...as a spectator or even a person who comments, online about the case.
______________

I will stay interested in this case until it's conclusion. Count on it.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:08:00 +0000

I left the motel, located at the edge of that small-town city in Kansas, and started to walk down the road. The wind was howling and blowing at the rate of 53 mph. I was cold.

And then I looked up and saw the car. A person that I had only "met" through videos, online chats, blogging and an Internet telecommunications service was behind the wheel.

She brought me back here to her house, where I have spent the past two days.

We have caught-up on everything and continued our sleuthing endeavors. It has been quite an experience.

-MY FRIEND, JULI-
-PHOTO AND EDITS BY RUTH RADER-

She lives with her husband, kids,

-TWO OF THE KIDS-

four cats and one dog, in a huge house that includes a stained-glass window. The house, according to my friend, used to be a doctor's office, many years ago. It is two-levels with hardwood flooring, thick, key-holed, doors and tall windows.

-ANOTHER KID AND ONE OF THE CATS-

I explored a box that was filled with old greeting cards, letters and pages from a 1915 edition of the Kansas City Star newspaper.

This town is old...steeped like a teabag...in past history. Even the business district includes squat brick buildings from the turn of the century.

Now I realize that Alice, or in this case, Ruthie, has truly stepped through a time-warp looking glass.

Forget Protect And Serve, Just Neglect And Be Absurd

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:29:00 +0000

This actually happened to me, earlier this evening. This email has already been sent to the appropriate person. I will deal with it further, on an official level, tomorrow morning:

I am sending this email to you on the same evening that the incident
occurred. It happened earlier this evening.
And I am very lucky to be alright...now.

I was unable to access the name of the person who made the inexcusable
error in judgement. But I assume that
he works for your department. And the entire event was logged through
starting and ending mileage.

Before I explain myself, further, I want to tell you that
I sincerely hope that it wasn't YOU who was so
irresponsible with my safety.

And in any case, consider it a God-given blessing that two people did
the job that your department neglected to
do...on my behalf.

Now I will tell you what happened:

I was hitchhiking. I made it through Iowa and was heading through
South Eastern Nebraska, when a woman
dropped me off by the ________. As you probably already know, that
______ is located by Highway ___ and is near
a junction point, as well.

The sun began to set and I walked up to the junction, by the set of
lights on poles and that's when the officer appeared.
He drove me to the Kansas State Line and left me there. Right there.
In the dark. By the highway. In a desolate area.

That will never happen to a woman, again, Sir.

Because I am going to inform both your County and the State of
Nebraska about your officer's negligence. I promise.

I am quite sure that you know just exactly where I was left at. It is
a dark, rural area that has no highway lights of any kind.

There is a guard rail and that is all. Big trucks rushed across that
stretch of road and the drivers never saw me. I risked
getting hit. I couldn't properly see the traffic, beyond the blinding
glare of headlights and taillights.

I was where I never should have been at the totally wrong time of day.

A couple of tourists from Brooklyn, New York, saw the faint image of
my arm, as I waved frantically for them to stop. I believe
that the fact that they saw me, at all, is the direct result of the
Grace of God.

The couple passed me, turned their vehicle around and came back. Then,
after I explained how I got there, they were outraged.
They drove me out of Nebraska and didn't leave me until
they were sure that I was in safe and capable hands.

What that officer did to me was disgraceful. Shame on your department.

For Kyron: Consider This

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:59:00 +0000

EDITS BY RUTH RADER

Because I was on the road and then got sick, I never heard Desiree's pain-filled plea...until now. I was unaware that she had gone on Jane Velez-Mitchell's show on HLN and poured her heart out. But I found out about this video, today and when I listened to Desiree, I began to cry.

Only someone without a soul could listen to her words and not shed tears. That's the truth.

I wonder if Kyron ended up in a big rig, at a truck stop in Idaho, before he was taken to a place far away.

I wonder if Desiree mentioned Mexico on purpose. I've gotten a few hits, from Mexico, related to my posts about Kyron, this past month.

So my question now is, what will it take to bring Kyron back? What will have to happen in order for the right people to come forward and tell the truth?

I have a suggestion:
_________

Send me a hit on my tracker with the latitude and longitude of where Kyron can be found. All you will have to do is visit this blog via a search engine. Put the words "Ruthie In The Sky, Kyron Here" in the search box and then click on the link that comes up and points to this blog.
_________

It is time to do the right thing, and you know that as well as I do. Do it for Kyron's family. Do it for Kyron.

In December 2010, I posted this: FIVE SINCERE WORDS. Shortly after that, I received a hit on my blog from Mexico, in response to that post.

I don't know if the hit is relevant or not.

But it looks like this:
__________

Domain Name prod-infinitum.com.mx ? (Mexico)
IP Address 189.172.5.# (Uninet S.A. de C.V.)
ISP Uninet S.A. de C.V.
Location Continent : North America
Country : Mexico (Facts)
State/Region : Baja California Sur
City : La Paz
Lat/Long : 24.1667, -110.3 (Map)
Language English (U.S.)
en-us
Operating System Macintosh MacOSX
Browser Safari 1.3
Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us)
AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117
Safari/6531.22.7
Javascript version 1.5
Monitor Resolution : 320 x 480
Color Depth : 32 bits
Time of Visit Dec 12 2010 5:10:03 pm
Visit Entry Page http://ruthiessky.bl...e-sincere-words.html
Visit Exit Page http://ruthiessky.bl...e-sincere-words.html
Out Click
Time Zone UTC-7:00
Visitor's Time Dec 12 2010 5:10:03 pm
Visit Number 38,211
__________

Yes, it's time to finally say these five sincere words: "I Am Bringing Kyron Back."

The Lifestyle Of The Poor And Hitching

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:46:00 +0000

Ah, yes...a hitchhiker doesn't just waltz in off of the road and into port. No, she, like any other professional, retains a touch of class.

Here are some photographs that will prove my point.

The average "Hobo Haven" includes an older television set (hitchhikers don't get a flat screen), an iron, ironing board, microwave and refrigerator.

Yes, not only does the hitchhiker get to cook food and keep her drinks cold...she also gets to iron all of her clothes. This will ensure that her pants will look properly creased when she is standing in the mud, on the shoulder of a rural highway.

A Hobo Haven always includes coffee to brew in a coffee maker. The hitchhiker usually ignores the coffee and heats water for tea, instead.

But when the Hobo Haven features a microwave, the hitchhiker gets confused and reaches for her ever-ready bottle of Diet Mt. Dew, instead.

Of course, when the hitchhiker first gets to the Hobo Haven, she is dirty and doesn't even want to look at her reflection in her laptop camera.

But just before she goes to the Hobo Cleanup Room, the hitchhiker says "hello" to her bag of Combos. She considers Combos to be the best food on the road.

One of the hitchhiker's greatest pleasures is a long, soapy bubble bath. She uses a variety of shampoos and body washes...and stays in the tub until she is all pruney and smells like someone from a French whorehouse. Since she is too old to be a whore, she figures that is okay.

When she is finished with all of the essentials, the hitchhiker opens up her laptop and posts another road update in her blog.

Yes, the lifestyle of the poor and hitching is tough...but somebody's got to do it.

Remembering Christina-Taylor Green

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:43:00 +0000

BOOK INFORMATION FROM THE WORTHY PUBLISHING WEBSITE

THE NEW BOOK: "AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED"

01/08/12: FOX NEWS: TUCSON MARKS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF RAMPAGE

I still have the "Spring Bear" drawing up for Christina-Taylor. I also feature it on my Facebook page. And although I never knew her, I list her as "A SPECIAL GIRL." Because she was, is and always will be.

And it is so wonderful to see that her family has embraced Christina-Taylor's memory and moved on in a good way. I look forward to reading the new book. May we all learn something important from Christina-Taylor's story.

Google: Leave The Chamber!

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:49:00 +0000

01/04/12: ZD-NET: NUKE THE NET?

There is a major controversy brewing right now and it might lead to some very serious problems for all of us who freely use the Internet.

Read the article (above) and consider the options...that Google, Amazon, Wikipedia and YOU should take.

You will find a link to the petition on the sidebar. Please sign it.

I don't like the idea of extreme, right-wing, "might-makes-it-right" censorship on the Internet. If the United States Chamber of Commerce gets away with SOPA, then bad moves are sure to follow. This is just the beginning.

My advice?

Don't let it happen. This is OUR Internet and we've been free to deal with it as it has evolved. I first logged onto the Internet in Minneapolis, Minnesota back in 1993.
I've watched the first steps of Google, Yahoo and many other entities on the Internet. We've sort of "grown-up" together.

I don't want anyone telling me what I can and cannot watch, listen to or discuss online. How I relate to the Internet is my personal decision and my own business. It always has been. And I want that freedom to remain the way that it is...now.

Suppose I get an official order to remove the pot leaf graphic from this blog?

Should an entity be given the right to order the removal of all positive online references to marijuana?

And along with my rights, there is the money end of this deal to consider.

Yes, I pay for my music, editing and other services. And that is as it should be. But I don't want SOPA to develop into a law that will jack up the price on my music, books, movies and editing software by slapping some kind of extra tax on my usage or download charges.

I want the United States Chamber of Commerce to keep its big, fat hands off the likes of Amazon, Rdio, Wikipedia and Google.

And Facebook and Twitter, too.

We are a social network on the Internet and we sure as hell don't want anyone jumping in and putting a list of constraints on how we interact with each other. We're learning how to settle online disputes on our own. And I know that my friends and I don't want Big Brother coming in and bossing us around.

I see the handwriting on the SOPA document and on the Internet wall. I know what it smacks off and I don't like it.

If this situation is allowed to develop, unchallenged...I bet you won't end up liking it, either.

Casey Anthony: Evil On The Tube

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:04:00 +0000

The following still shot is from Casey Anthony's October 2011 video. The video was shot in black-and-white and I edited it and added the color to the picture. I did it to emphasize that just about everything about Casey Anthony's persona is fake.

-CASEY ANTHONY-

The woman who is contributing to the distribution of the videos is:

BRIANNE CHANTAL via Twitter, apparently with the help of ROB HENSLEY of Olathe, Kansas.

And this is a snip from Casey Anthony's newer video, which was uploaded to YouTube, today, January 6, 2012:

Casey Anthony, of course, is the woman who was accused of killing her toddler daughter, Caylee. Anthony was later found "not guilty" but I don't agree with the verdict. Neither do many other people who have followed the case.

Now, Casey Anthony is touting her new book...and fanning the public flames...in a marketing ploy on YouTube. She can deny it all that she wants to, I won't believe her denial any more than I believe that she didn't murder her own daughter.

I spent a few hours on YouTube today, debating Casey Anthony's lack of credibility and responsibility for killing Caylee. Some of the posters claimed that Anthony is going to reap "millions" from her book and movie tell-all deals.

I declared that karma is going to catch-up with Casey Anthony and will ultimately bring her to justice.

Some people say that she is just very mentally ill. I disagree. I believe that Casey Anthony is pure evil.

As time goes on...we'll see which way the fate pendulum swings...out of Casey Anthony's hands or right into her face.
_____________

Casey Anthony's October 2011 video:

The Comedy Couple's sarcastic and spot-on response to Casey Anthony's October 2011 video:

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:54:00 +0000

Now it's my gut that's giving me trouble: Stomach cramps and diarrhea. Wooo.

Geez.

I went back on the road two days ago. The first motel that I ended up staying at is as seedy as a corn field in the Spring. I should have taken pictures. But actually, it was enough just to close my eyes and sleep there...such as it was.

It only cost me thirty-five dollars and the surrounding area was quiet, all night long.

Iowa is experiencing a sort of January heat-wave right now . And after getting two good rides yesterday, I ended up sitting on the side of a hill for hours. The good thing about it was the fact that the day turned very warm (up to 64F where I was sitting) and the sun felt good on my face. The bad thing was the fact that nobody picked me up.

I watched grain-haulers roar by, while farmers on tractors rolled down the road at a much slower speed. At the end of the traffic parade, were the Amish folks in their buggies...led by horses that almost seemed to have more get-up-and-go than the tractors did.

People waved at me, stuck their thumbs out, smiled and laughed. It was a beautiful day and nobody at that junction point seemed concerned about whether or not I got a ride.

After five hours, I finally gave up, got up and started walking down the shoulder of the highway. The sun was low in the sky and I knew that it would be dark, soon. That fact was going to create a whole new set of problems for me.

Fortunately, a man, who is originally from Missouri and is a transplant to the South Central Iowa area, stopped his rig and picked me up. He drove me all the way to where I am now. And along the way, he told me (in no uncertain terms) why he hates the people in this area. He pronounced the local people: "cold-hearted jerks."

Whoa. Yes, he did.

And he isn't the only one that offered me that reaction.

I don't know what to make of it.

Right now, I am in "The Dungeon."

That is the name that the folks at this place, gave to this particular room, because it doesn't have any windows.

The Dungeon:

Nice place, eh?

So are the people here.

But some people say, that the folks in this part of Iowa, aren't cool. Go figure.

I just think that this State has a lot of germs floating around.

PRIVATE MESSAGE: RE: KIM FORBES

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:15:00 +0000

MY LAST POST ABOUT KIM FORBES, BEFORE THIS ONE

PRIVATE MESSAGE: CROATIA: WHAT IS YOUR INTEREST IN KIM FORBES?

SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA: WHAT IS YOUR INTEREST IN THE MISSING KIM FORBES CASE?

If you know something then maybe it's time that you told the truth.

Kyron Horman: Two Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:35:00 +0000

There is going to be another cyber-vigil for the missing boy, Kyron Richard Horman, tomorrow on Facebook. And with all of the missing children still out there , it is significant that Kyron's case still remains high on the list.

It has been over eighteen-months since Kyron disappeared from his Skyline Elementary school near Portland, Oregon. Since then, the ground covered in the case has been trampled, sampled, dug up, sifted through and analyzed by everyone from official investigators to Internet sleuths.

But the truth is still hidden and Kyron is still gone.

Which brings me to the two things that I want to mention here:

1.) If Kyron is still alive then an age-enhanced photo of him has to be created and widely distributed. Kyron is not stuck in a time-warp...either he is alive or passed on. But until we all know for sure, an age-enhanced photograph is crucial.

2.) Where is Terri Moulton Horman? I want to know. Flat-out. I want to know where you are, Terri. Are you even in this Country, now?

I'm wondering if you left Roseburg and Oregon and the United States. It's possible. I haven't been told that you can't get a passport. And nothing, besides your daughter Kiara and the impending divorce from Kaine could be holding you here, right?

So...where are you now?

And is Kyron still haunting you?

Beavis And Butthead: Whore-derves

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:29:00 +0000

Notice: This is adult humor. "Beavis And Butthead" is very funny. However, Viewer Discretion Is Advised.