This one's for my Dad who had several Raccoons as pets when he was growing up. As for me, they're cute and all, but I've had much different relationships with the little buggers. Nice Video though, enjoy.
Via: Diablo Cody's blog
5.31.2008
today's birthdays
The lovely Brooke Shields is 43 today. Five and a half months older than moi.
Clint Eastwood is 78 today.
Collin Farrel turns 32.
Also born on this day was US poet Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892) In honor of his birthday, I present his poem, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.
Crossing Brooklyn Ferry
FLOOD-TIDE below me! I watch you face to face;
Clouds of the west! sun there half an hour high! I see you also face
to face.
Crowds of men and women attired in the usual costumes! how curious
you are to me!
On the ferry-boats, the hundreds and hundreds that cross, returning
home, are more curious to me than you suppose;
And you that shall cross from shore to shore years hence, are more to
me, and more in my meditations, than you might suppose.
The impalpable sustenance of me from all things, at all hours of the
day;
The simple, compact, well-join'd scheme--myself disintegrated, every
one disintegrated, yet part of the scheme:
The similitudes of the past, and those of the future;
The glories strung like beads on my smallest sights and hearings--on
the walk in the street, and the passage over the river;
The current rushing so swiftly, and swimming with me far away; 10
The others that are to follow me, the ties between me and them;
The certainty of others--the life, love, sight, hearing of others.
Others will enter the gates of the ferry, and cross from shore to
shore;
Others will watch the run of the flood-tide;
Others will see the shipping of Manhattan north and west, and the
heights of Brooklyn to the south and east;
Others will see the islands large and small;
Fifty years hence, others will see them as they cross, the sun half
an hour high;
A hundred years hence, or ever so many hundred years hence, others
will see them,
Will enjoy the sunset, the pouring in of the flood-tide, the falling
back to the sea of the ebb-tide.
It avails not, neither time or place--distance avails not; 20
I am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many
generations hence;
I project myself--also I return--I am with you, and know how it is.
Just as you feel when you look on the river and sky, so I felt;
Just as any of you is one of a living crowd, I was one of a crowd;
Just as you are refresh'd by the gladness of the river and the bright
flow, I was refresh'd;
Just as you stand and lean on the rail, yet hurry with the swift
current, I stood, yet was hurried;
Just as you look on the numberless masts of ships, and the thick-
stem'd pipes of steamboats, I look'd.
I too many and many a time cross'd the river, the sun half an hour
high;
I watched the Twelfth-month sea-gulls--I saw them high in the air,
floating with motionless wings, oscillating their bodies,
I saw how the glistening yellow lit up parts of their bodies, and
left the rest in strong shadow, 30
I saw the slow-wheeling circles, and the gradual edging toward the
south.
I too saw the reflection of the summer sky in the water,
Had my eyes dazzled by the shimmering track of beams,
Look'd at the fine centrifugal spokes of light around the shape of my
head in the sun-lit water,
Look'd on the haze on the hills southward and southwestward,
Look'd on the vapor as it flew in fleeces tinged with violet,
Look'd toward the lower bay to notice the arriving ships,
Saw their approach, saw aboard those that were near me,
Saw the white sails of schooners and sloops--saw the ships at anchor,
The sailors at work in the rigging, or out astride the spars, 40
The round masts, the swinging motion of the hulls, the slender
serpentine pennants,
The large and small steamers in motion, the pilots in their pilot-
houses,
The white wake left by the passage, the quick tremulous whirl of the
wheels,
The flags of all nations, the falling of them at sun-set,
The scallop-edged waves in the twilight, the ladled cups, the
frolicsome crests and glistening,
The stretch afar growing dimmer and dimmer, the gray walls of the
granite store-houses by the docks,
On the river the shadowy group, the big steam-tug closely flank'd on
each side by the barges--the hay-boat, the belated lighter,
On the neighboring shore, the fires from the foundry chimneys burning
high and glaringly into the night,
Casting their flicker of black, contrasted with wild red and yellow
light, over the tops of houses, and down into the clefts of
streets.
These, and all else, were to me the same as they are to you; 50
I project myself a moment to tell you--also I return.
I loved well those cities;
I loved well the stately and rapid river;
The men and women I saw were all near to me;
Others the same--others who look back on me, because I look'd forward
to them;
(The time will come, though I stop here to-day and to-night.)
What is it, then, between us?
What is the count of the scores or hundreds of years between us?
Whatever it is, it avails not--distance avails not, and place avails
not.
I too lived--Brooklyn, of ample hills, was mine; 60
I too walk'd the streets of Manhattan Island, and bathed in the
waters around it;
I too felt the curious abrupt questionings stir within me,
In the day, among crowds of people, sometimes they came upon me,
In my walks home late at night, or as I lay in my bed, they came upon
me.
I too had been struck from the float forever held in solution;
I too had receiv'd identity by my Body;
That I was, I knew was of my body--and what I should be, I knew I
should be of my body.
It is not upon you alone the dark patches fall,
The dark threw patches down upon me also;
The best I had done seem'd to me blank and suspicious; 70
My great thoughts, as I supposed them, were they not in reality
meagre? would not people laugh at me?
It is not you alone who know what it is to be evil;
I am he who knew what it was to be evil;
I too knitted the old knot of contrariety,
Blabb'd, blush'd, resented, lied, stole, grudg'd,
Had guile, anger, lust, hot wishes I dared not speak,
Was wayward, vain, greedy, shallow, sly, cowardly, malignant;
The wolf, the snake, the hog, not wanting in me,
The cheating look, the frivolous word, the adulterous wish, not
wanting,
Refusals, hates, postponements, meanness, laziness, none of these
wanting. 80
But I was Manhattanese, friendly and proud!
I was call'd by my nighest name by clear loud voices of young men as
they saw me approaching or passing,
Felt their arms on my neck as I stood, or the negligent leaning of
their flesh against me as I sat,
Saw many I loved in the street, or ferry-boat, or public assembly,
yet never told them a word,
Lived the same life with the rest, the same old laughing, gnawing,
sleeping,
Play'd the part that still looks back on the actor or actress,
The same old role, the role that is what we make it, as great as we
like,
Or as small as we like, or both great and small.
Closer yet I approach you;
What thought you have of me, I had as much of you--I laid in my
stores in advance; 90
I consider'd long and seriously of you before you were born.
Who was to know what should come home to me?
Who knows but I am enjoying this?
Who knows but I am as good as looking at you now, for all you cannot
see me?
It is not you alone, nor I alone;
Not a few races, nor a few generations, nor a few centuries;
It is that each came, or comes, or shall come, from its due emission,
From the general centre of all, and forming a part of all:
Everything indicates--the smallest does, and the largest does;
A necessary film envelopes all, and envelopes the Soul for a proper
time. 100
Now I am curious what sight can ever be more stately and admirable to
me than my mast-hemm'd Manhattan,
My river and sun-set, and my scallop-edg'd waves of flood-tide,
The sea-gulls oscillating their bodies, the hay-boat in the twilight,
and the belated lighter;
Curious what Gods can exceed these that clasp me by the hand, and
with voices I love call me promptly and loudly by my nighest
name as I approach;
Curious what is more subtle than this which ties me to the woman or
man that looks in my face,
Which fuses me into you now, and pours my meaning into you.
We understand, then, do we not?
What I promis'd without mentioning it, have you not accepted?
What the study could not teach--what the preaching could not
accomplish, is accomplish'd, is it not?
What the push of reading could not start, is started by me
personally, is it not? 110
Flow on, river! flow with the flood-tide, and ebb with the ebb-tide!
Frolic on, crested and scallop-edg'd waves!
Gorgeous clouds of the sun-set! drench with your splendor me, or the
men and women generations after me;
Cross from shore to shore, countless crowds of passengers!
Stand up, tall masts of Mannahatta!--stand up, beautiful hills of
Brooklyn!
Throb, baffled and curious brain! throw out questions and answers!
Suspend here and everywhere, eternal float of solution!
Gaze, loving and thirsting eyes, in the house, or street, or public
assembly!
Sound out, voices of young men! loudly and musically call me by my
nighest name!
Live, old life! play the part that looks back on the actor or
actress! 120
Play the old role, the role that is great or small, according as one
makes it!
Consider, you who peruse me, whether I may not in unknown ways be
looking upon you;
Be firm, rail over the river, to support those who lean idly, yet
haste with the hasting current;
Fly on, sea-birds! fly sideways, or wheel in large circles high in
the air;
Receive the summer sky, you water! and faithfully hold it, till all
downcast eyes have time to take it from you;
Diverge, fine spokes of light, from the shape of my head, or any
one's head, in the sun-lit water;
Come on, ships from the lower bay! pass up or down, white-sail'd
schooners, sloops, lighters!
Flaunt away, flags of all nations! be duly lower'd at sunset;
Burn high your fires, foundry chimneys! cast black shadows at
nightfall! cast red and yellow light over the tops of the
houses;
Appearances, now or henceforth, indicate what you are; 130
You necessary film, continue to envelop the soul;
About my body for me, and your body for you, be hung our divinest
aromas;
Thrive, cities! bring your freight, bring your shows, ample and
sufficient rivers;
Expand, being than which none else is perhaps more spiritual;
Keep your places, objects than which none else is more lasting.
We descend upon you and all things--we arrest you all;
We realize the soul only by you, you faithful solids and fluids;
Through you color, form, location, sublimity, ideality;
Through you every proof, comparison, and all the suggestions and
determinations of ourselves.
You have waited, you always wait, you dumb, beautiful ministers! you
novices! 140
We receive you with free sense at last, and are insatiate
henceforward;
Not you any more shall be able to foil us, or withhold yourselves
from us;
We use you, and do not cast you aside--we plant you permanently
within us;
We fathom you not--we love you--there is perfection in you also;
You furnish your parts toward eternity;
Great or small, you furnish your parts toward the soul.
Walt Whitman
photo from Flickr under creative commons license, titled Brooklyn Eagle.
5.30.2008
harvey korman dies at age 81
Sad news today. One of my favorite performers Harvey Korman died. God, I loved watching that man. As a kid, I loved it as he and Tim Conway would crack each other up on Carol Burnett. Then came the Mel Brooks movies. Those lines, as only he can deliver them are floating around in my memory. I think I loved his performance as Hedly Lamar in Blazing Saddles the most, with High Anxiety and History of the World, Part I tying for second. Rest in peace Mr. Korman, the word was much better to have had you in it.
Carol Burnett Show veteran Harvey Korman has died at age 81. He died of heart failure at his home in California.
Besides The Carol Burnett Show, where Korman teamed for a ton of great sketches with Tim Conway (often cracking each other up), Korman appeared in many other shows since the early 60s, including ER, Ellen, Perry Mason, Route 66, The Red Skelton Show, Dennis the Menace, Hazel, Jack Benny, Gidget, The Lucy Show, The Munsters, The Wild, Wild West, F Troop, and many others. He was a regular on the sitcom Mama's Family and did the voice of The Great Gazoo on The Flintstones. Movies that Korman appeared in include History of the World, Part 1, High Anxiety, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Blazing Saddles, Son of Flubber, Gypsy, and others.
Do you ever get the feeling that all of the great classic stars and performers are dying and it's going to be a very different world in a couple of years? Rather depressing.
via tvsquad.com
5.29.2008
an appreciation of sydney pollack
I wanted to post something about fellow Hoosier and adopted New Yorker, Sydney Pollack. He wasn't a gifted actor or director but he had taste and integrity.
His charm overcame the small defects of his acting; by saying he wasn't gifted I'm by no means saying he wasn't good. He was a terrific actor and director. I think his greatest strength lay in his taste. He knew what made a good movie, he seemed to always have the pulse of the Zeitgeist. With a few exceptions, he succeeded with every movie he directed or produced.
His wonderful performance and Nicole Kidman in her see-thru skivvies are the only good memories I have of "Eyes Wide Shut".
I could go on and on about the man, but I'm sure it's been done elsewhere. I just really enjoyed his work and was deeply saddened and surprised when he died. Movies truly won't be the same. RIP.
Three Days of the Condor (1975) movie trailer - Directed by Sydney Pollack.
5.28.2008
searching for the light
Having a bit of a bad week here in the existence known as my life. I won't go into details unless someone asks.
I've just been handed several things that test me as a person, impact my income, my home, my children and my self-worth. All fairly totemic qualities, eh?
How do I handle it? So far with an appalling lack of sleep, teeth grinding (it's baaaaack) and hair falling.
*Warning: Spiritual stuff coming up! If ya don't like it then go read someone else.*
I've been a Christian a long time. All of my life. I even contemplated going to CTU and becoming a minister. I grew up in the Baptist Church. It's hypocrisy and narrowness caused me to loose a lot of faith, but not my belief. I've always been a seeker. I studied and devoured my comparative religions classes at IU. I've studied Zen much to my betterment as a person. I've been a Methodist. It was fine, with very good people (shout out Old Bethel) but when a sermon was preached on the evils of Evolution and nearly all the congregation agreed, I knew it was my time to go.
[Just a note on Evolution. I URGE you to go look it up!! The Theory of Evolution is not a theory in the sense, "I have a theory that my socks get sucked into a parallel dimension while in the dryer." It is a proven, quantifiable Scientific Theory. Which means a group of like or similarly known facts that are related or relatable to one-another. A group, a family, a pride, a Theory. Preaching on the wrongness of God's creation of Evolution makes about as much sense as preaching against the evils of the Theory of Gravity! It exists, deal wit it!]
Anyway, back to my subject... I was invited to go to a Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) meeting and found it was where I needed to be. Where I was supposed to be. I will write about that someday.
So to answer my earlier question, how do I handle it? I'm trying my best. I know several things about my God. God loves me un-conditionally, guides me and teaches me. I know God loves me. I'm convinced God has no commitment greater than love. The Bible doesn't say God can be loving or God is often loving or even God is usually loving. It says God IS love.
I don't believe God is testing me. I think God can help us through our tests and bad times, but doesn't initiate them to test us. That strikes me somewhat of a cat toying with a mouse till the mouse submits to it's fate as his lunch. My God is not willful or vindictive. Our path is our own, but He is there, if we care to call on him to help us down it.
Russian author, Vasily Grossman once wrote:
Human history is not the battle of good struggling to overcome evil. It is a battle fought by a great evil struggling to crush a small kernel of human kindness. But if what is human in human beings has not been destroyed even now, then evil will never conquer.
That kernel of human kindness is, I believe, what Quakers call the Inner Light. The guiding presence of God within us that can never be extinguished. Whether it's in an unprogrammed Meeting where one sits in silence the entire hour waiting for the Light to shine or for 15 mins of silent worship as we do in our Meeting led by a pastor, we wait patiently and silently till the message is received, if ever.
I've meditated on it and searched deeply for the Light. My life is in turmoil right now and it unnerves and distress me, but I know God's Light and Grace are in me. That Light shines on and on and on. Peace.
5.27.2008
unmixed attention - a photographic study in concentration
"The French philosopher Simone Weil said, 'Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.' I love that. I think that could be as close as someone can get to a wonderful definition of prayer. In that sense, prayer has nothing spiritual or religious about it. A mathematician working at a problem or a little kid trying to pick out scales on the piano is a person at prayer. She's not saying prayer is absolute unmixed attention; it's the other way. The attention itself is the quality that she wants to call prayer. So whatever context you're putting it in, whether it's inside a church or inside a toy box, that's the quality that is the sacred one." -- Translator Stephen Mitchell
All photos from flickr tagged with 'concentration', licensed under Creative Commons.
Weil writes, “every time that a human being succeeds in making an effort of attention with the sole idea of increasing his grasp of truth, he acquires a greater aptitude for grasping it, even if his effort produces no visible fruit.” As we desire the light, we increase our capacity for perceiving it.
All photos from flickr tagged with 'concentration', licensed under Creative Commons.
Technorati Tags: simone weil,french,phiosophy,concentration,attention,spiritual,prayers
the birdman of alcatraz
Peaceful image of the day.
I know, it's highly ironic to use a picture with Alcatraz in the background as a peaceful image, but I do love some irony.
5.26.2008
hitchhiker's guide to "tag galaxy"
I discovered this site through StumbleUpon and thought I'd share here. It's really cool.
It's called Tag Galaxy, a very cool visual representation of your Flickr tag search. Honestly, you can search Flickr just as easily from your homepage but not have nearly as much fun!
You start off by entering a tag. I started off with “Indy 500”. Once you click “Go”, the fun starts. You are whisked away to what looks to be a star, in this case labeled "Indy 500", surrounded by planets that represent complementary tags such as Indycar, Indiana, Indianapolis and Race. If you’re happy with your initial search, you can just click the star and you'll be zoomed in to a globe that quickly propagates with images related to that tag, but if you click on one of the planets, you’ll zoom into a specific set of image results associated with one unique tag. Drilling down to that sphere brings you to another galaxy cluster centered with a star and even more orbiting planets. You don’t necessary have to view pictures. The visual treats preceding any image browsing are enough to wow you. Link.
5.25.2008
closing in on mars: where to watch
It's almost time!! As NASA attempts a first-ever landing near the polar ice cap of another world.
Phoenix Mars Lander will enter Mars' atmosphere at almost 13,000 miles per hour Sunday evening and then undergo what NASA engineers refer to as "seven minutes of hell" as it deploys a heat shield, then a parachute, and fires thrusters to touch down at just before 8 PM. (EDT). At least that's when NASA first learns if the landing was a success--it takes the signal 15 minutes to reach Earth.
The Phoenix Mars Lander should land about 7:53 PM (EDT), 4:53 (PDT).
Follow these historic and nail biting events (only 55% of all International Mars missions have succeeded) at these links.
Live coverage televised and online can be watched on the Canadian Discovery Channel (7-9 PM), The NASA Channel here in the States and Science Channel on some services. You can go to NASA TV and watch it streamed live online. NASA is expecting upwards of 500,000 to tune in to its live coverage on the Web. Those tuning in will see the images at the same time as NASA, and get the analysis in real time. Phoenix's mission: Dig for ice that scientists believe exists just below the surface, and determine if it has ever, or could ever, support life. If you are a member of Second Life, you can watch here. Link.
For a great overview of the Phoenix and the mission, go to the JPL Phoenix site. Link: JPL When at this site don't miss the Video: Guided Tour of Mars Landing. I linked to it - just in case. You can also follow the Phoenix on Twitter here. Link.
Another good video can be found here. It should start when page is loaded. Link.
5.24.2008
things i saw on my walk
I took a walk on this very gorgeous Saturday before the 500 and it put me in a muuuuuch better mood. I thought I'd share.
I stopped to take a picture of this old '54 and the old Man who owns it came out. He asked me if I smoked. Told him no. Then he tried to sell it to me! $600 and this can by yours.
I played with it in Photoshop.
My kids always get a kick out of this one. "Look! It's our street."
5.23.2008
phoenix mars lander: step-by-step martian landing guide
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is due to slam into the Martian atmosphere this Sunday at 7:46:33 PM EDT (2346:33 GMT) while traveling at 12,600 mph (20,277 kph).
After nearly 10 months speeding across 422 million miles (679 million km), the Phoenix spacecraft is just days away from plunging into the Martian atmosphere on Sunday to land near the north pole of Mars.
Story LINK.
Via: Space.com
5.22.2008
when stars explode
Bad Astronomy is breaking some very cool news today: for the first time in history, astronomers have unambiguously observed the exact moment when a star explodes. Amazing!
Story: Link.
5.21.2008
kindergarten program
My daughter's Kindergarten Program. She went here for about three years in day-care and school. She starts a new school this year, I'm sure she'll miss it. She made a lot of really good friends.
5.20.2008
panoramic picture of china quake
indy wins 2012 super bowl bid
Indianapolis won the 2012 Super Bowl! See you there....
Story link, Watch the announcement (press on-demand)
ted kennedy has brain tumor
Just got the 2:00 news feed and was saddened to read that Ted Kennedy has a brain tumor. Prayers are with him and the entire family. Peace.
Story link on CNN, Story link on Huffington Post
(Copyright 2008 by Tony Auth/Phila. Inquirer)5.19.2008
a thought on FDR
Just finished watching the second part of American Experience's FDR. Wonderful show about an amazing man.
Just a memory.
My Granddad Brown was a farmer and a wonderful, honest and guileless man. He was humble, never put "on airs" and never spoke overly well of public figures. Everyone was equal in his wise gray eyes.
There weren't many pictures in their house, just not their way. They had them stashed all over, but few on the walls.
One picture they did have was in the hallway leading from the breeze-way (a kind of mud room). An old B & W photo, with badly faded color tinting. I asked him one day who he was; this man with the odd glasses, pointy jaw and wide smile. I'm sure I'd asked him before, it's just this is the first time I remember.
He looked and became emotional. The only time I'd ever see him emotional again is when he lost his dear wife Pearl and then later, when he was in his mid-90's and loosing his faculties.
He said, "That's the President... that's the President."
It made a lasting impact on me. I know it did. I went into history and became a Presidential historian. To this day, I may not respect (really really NOT respect) the person in office, but I have great and profound respect for the Presidency. I think it flows from that moment and my Granddad's tear for FDR.
indianapolis' endangered species chocolate, ethical and profitable
Nice article in the Indy Star today about Endangered Species Chocolate. Seems to be a local company doing three things, earning a profit, giving charitably to good causes and ensuring the best quality, ethically traded chocolate.
Endangered Species Chocolate donates at least 10 percent of its profits to support "species, habitat and humanity" -- hence its distinctive name. Recipients have included Chimp Haven, the Ocean Conservancy and Peace Learning Center.
"We have found that by being ethical and holding our values more dear than profits, we're actually becoming more profitable," said Mark Waddell, one of the regional sales managers.
I wish them the best of luck. Nice to know there are companies right here in Indianapolis with a social conscience.
my love of reading
I was 9 years old the Summer of 1975 and my home town was serviced by the Shelby County Library Book Mobile. It faithfully arrived every two weeks. As I readied for it's arrival that afternoon, the morning began simply enough. I rode my bike over to my friend Michelle's house, she lived just behind the State Bank of Waldron, where the Book-Mobile parked.
I'd just been hooked by "Space Shows" on TV. In prime time, Kolchak, the Night Stalker began, though I watched it through interlocked fingers. I had discovered Star Trek in Syndication. The Sixth Sense (not the movie) was airing it's only season at 10 O'clock on Saturday night. The animated Star Trek was still showing random episodes of it's two season run. Shazam was also airing on Saturday morning. The Six Million Dollar Man had just aired it's first full season, following three TV movies the year before. So with this on my mind, I found a dog-eared paper-back called "The Caves of Steel" by Isaac Asimov. In this novel, Asimov first introduced Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw
I thought it looked pretty cool. I quickly took it up to the small, cluttered corner check-out desk. Smiling like the Cheshire Cat, I proudly handed her the book. I remember thinking she was taking a long time to check me out. 
Usually it was a smooth and rhythmic; open...stamp...close. Whoosh... Click... Thump. I looked up. She was thumbing through the book, fanning quickly through it's sun-faded pages. Looking at the book, then at me, she bluntly put it under her desk and said, "This is not a book you can read. It's too grown-up and its science fiction."
Well of course this made it even better!! I had to read this book now! I rode my bike home, got my Mom, told her what happened and she drove me back to the Book Mobile. Mom asked the Librarian why she wouldn't let me read the book I wanted. The Librarian stuck to her guns. She said I was too young to read it. Then leaning forward, she half-whispered, "Mrs. Monroe, you do realize this book is trash!"
You should understand that my dear Mother is one of the least combative or argumentative persons in the world. She's a Baptist Deacon; the daughter of a pacifist farmer; a Wife; a Mother and a Banker, but when it came to our education, she was a "Mama bear" rising to protect her cubs. Her opinion was, if we were reading it was good. She didn't care if it was comic books, science fiction or Judy Blume. (OK, she probably would have cared about the Judy Blume. Props to my Aunt Elizabeth)
Mom pointed to the book, she was quiet, measured, "Open the book to any page, if he can read it, he can check-out any book from now on, without my permission." After a short, Mom to Librarian Mexican stand-off, she opened it; I read it, was hooked and Mom was my hero.
Asimov, for at least two generations of SF fans, was the gateway drug to the harder stuff. You know; Gene Wolfe, John Varley, Larry Niven and Robert L. Forward. High school and college broadened my horizons to many more genres, but my heart still remains with SF. I just finished a Star Trek Novel about the Klingon Empire, a very literate and wonderful novel of a near future Internet Bank heist by Charles Stross and re-read the biography of Teddy Roosevelt's early life. After some thousands of books later, I've tried to pass on my love to my own children. My son, 12 is taking high school math. A subject his Mother and I are horrible at. He has little use for reading unless it's about a video game, football or math. At least he's reading something. My daughter, just 6, loves reading. Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash is a current four star selection.
Thanks Mom and as Elijah Baley would say, Jehoshaphat!
A version of this was originally posted on my MySpace blog, July 18, 2007.
Technorati Tags: reading,science fiction,book mobile,isaac asimov,the caves of steel,mrs,mcnosh,elijah baley,love
americans waste an astounding amount of food — 27 percent of the food available for consumption
From the May 18, NYT - This is an astounding story. With news of food shortages around the world, this article left me dumfounded. I grew up with parents raised during the Depression and on farms, so using just the food you need and eating fairly healthy has been encoded into me. Still, I know I waste my fair share. Here's the story.
America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network, a group of more than 200 food banks, reports that donations of food are down 9 percent, but the number of people showing up for food has increased 20 percent. The group distributes more than two billion pounds of donated and recovered food and consumer products each year.
The problem isn’t unique to the United States.
In England, a recent study revealed that Britons toss away a third of the food they purchase, including more than four million whole apples, 1.2 million sausages and 2.8 million tomatoes. In Sweden, families with small children threw out about a quarter of the food they bought, a recent study there found.
Link to the NYT story, Link to the Blog Wasted Food, Via: boingboing
5.18.2008
sunday night easy listening
The amazing duo of Allison Kraus and Robert Plant! I love their album Raising Sand.
A great Live performance of Death Cab for Cutie, I Will Possess Your Heart on the Late Show with David Letterman. From the new album, Narrow Stairs.
what is twitter - a short intro video
I discovered Twitter a short time ago. I wasn't sure what it was. I looked into it, signed up for free, looked for my e-mail contacts and started. As I go back to Twitter and discover more people, I understand the hook of it.
I love following, I love "listening" I love being a selectibitionist. I love the blog look and feel of it. I like that you have only 140 characters to say what you want. It forces one to become a more concise writer. I would suggest you frequent tinyurl.com to shorten the length of any url's you want to share or promote.
It's a difficult thing to describe. I found this video and thought I'd share. It gives a good basic understanding of what Twitter is. It's much more than, "what coffee am I drinking". To quote from Dan Farber of C/net News.com:
The reality is that humans in the early 21st century will be required to process and buffer more discrete, loosely coupled bits of data than in the past of human history. Over the next few decades, more intelligence will seep into the network, filtering the overflowing stream for each of the 7 billion or 8 billion inhabitants of the planet and shaping more meaningful connections.
There are problems with Twitter, it frequently goes down and the context of a message can easily get lost, but I'm a fan and hooked and a selectibitionist. (I just like saying that word.) So watch the video. Go check out Twitter. Check me out and become my follower and let me know you too. Have fun.
Video Via: http://www.commoncraft.com
me, but not me
I was recently Googling myself (don't deride, you know you do it too!). To my relief and mild consternation, I didn't find me.
I did, however, find various versions of me. While looking through them, I thought maybe I could write a blog entry about my doppelganger, my name twin, the me that wasn't me.
Then I found a listing for an alt/me on Hollywood.com. Cool! alt/me is an actor. Au contraire. It seems he was in the entertainment industry, but behind the scenes. Way behind the scenes.
I had to know more about this guy. There was no luck tracking down any trace of an e-mail address or web site. Next idea, WTH, I'll still interview him.
So presented for your enjoyment is my (entirely fictional*) interview with alt/me.
--------------------
Me: So David, it's nice to talk to you. Tell me a bit about yourself.
Alt/me: Your very welcome David. I'm 46 and currently living in a farm outside of Berkshire, England.
m: So I noticed on your Hollywood.com posting you were involved in a movie called, The Wildcats of St. Trinian's. Can you tell me a bit about the movie.
a/m: Why yes, it was made in 1980 here in Berkshire. It was a rather fun, witty and relevant satire on University life of the time. Something of Jeeves and Wooster meets Monty Python.
m: I see. Your listed as Assistant Director - assistant 2nd unit director (2nd Unit). Can you tell us exactly what that entailed?
a/m: Well the second Unit typically is in charge of shots like scenery, close-ups of objects and other inserts or cutaways. I was the Second Units assistant's assistant. It was a very fun and important job.
m: So were there any shots that you specifically shot that remain in the film?
a/m: Oh yes! I was in charge of fetching coffee, insert shots of text books and cleavage continuity.
m: Um, OK. That brings me then to a question I debated asking. From what I can gather, The Wildcats of St. Trinian's is soft, soft, Cinemax at 3 AM porn. Am I wrong?
a/m: Oh, yes. Very far from the mark.
m: To quote a review of the movie on IMDB:
Twaddle, Badly scripted, Badly acted And badly directed. A badly thought out attempt to cash in on a successful series. The Characters are wrong, both staff and pupils and the plot line is none existent. The driving force seems to have been the desire to dress women in cartoon school uniforms and leer at them. None of the feigned naive innocence and fun of the other four films is present Every one involved in it should be thoroughly ashamed.
This was a rather well respected film franchise in the 50's right? But when the recent DVD box sets were released, they conspicuously left out your film.
a/m: I have absolutely nothing to say to that quote or why it was left out of the box sets. I had a lovely time and I got to meet some very nice people.
m: I'm glad you mentioned meeting people, I noticed that Alex Kingston was listed as an uncredited schoolgirl. She's become very famous here in the States for her role on ER. Did you meet her?
a/m: Yes, yes. Alex was 18 and very free spirited. One night after drinks at the local pub, well, (chuckles) we got very friendly and well ... (strange snarky twitters)
m: David, are you saying you dated Ms. Kingston. That's amazing. Do you still maintain contact?
a/m: Sadly no. She got in a bit of snit when I released the photos of her on the Internet a few years back, that and the bloody restraining order...
m: I see, uhm, well, what other movies did you work on that we may know.
a/m: Well mostly I dabbled at the film work. My real job is as a Sheep Engineer. But I did edit Secrets of San Simeon With Patricia Hearst. That was 2001. Ms. Hearst, hosted a behind-the-scenes look at her grandfather's legendary castle at San Simeon.
m: Yes. I'm sure that was fascinating. May I ask about your occupation. You said you were a Sheep Engineer? What is that?
a/m: Well we use selective breeding and genetic manipulation to breed sheep with non-allergen wool. Any one can wear this wool. it's wonderful stuff, doesn't itch or scratch at all.
m: That sounds amazing. You must be very busy with that.
a/m: Well, we've hit a bit of a wall I'm afraid.
m: Wall? What's the matter...
a/m: Well after several generations, it seems that all my sheep are, well a bit off. A bit, uhm, gay. So it makes it terribly hard to continue. Although the sheep are the most contented I've ever seen them. I'm not in the least homophobic, just wish the sheep... well....
m: Soooooo... David, to close, are you working on any new projects?
a/m: Yes, I'm shooting a series of viral web video's of my sheep and doing very veritas work in some local underground projects. I'm still out there.
m: Yes, I see that you are. Well thank you for taking time out for this interview and best of luck in your future.
a/m: Thank you so much for calling, it's always nice to know another me.
------------------------
For a glimpse of The Wildcats of St. Trinian's click here. *Mild adult content warning*
5.16.2008
10 Of The Longest Novels Ever Published
1. The Blah Story by Nigel Tomm. 3,277,227 words, which ends up being 7,312 pages. And I thought The Stand was long (it’s only 11,68 pages).
2. Marienbad My Love by Mark Leach. It is supposedly the world’s longest published novel in English at 2.5 million words. If you have some extra time, you can read it at marienbadmylove.com.
3. Artamène by Madeleine de Scudéry. It was published in ten volumes but considered a single work and contains 2.1 million words. If you’re fluent in French, you can read it at artemene.org.
4. A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust. No doubt Frank, the number one Proust scholar in America from Little Miss Sunshine would have read this even though it’s 1.5 million words long. The English translation is Remembrance of Things Past or In Search of Lost Time.
5. Mission Earth by L. Ron Hubbard. I’m sure Tom Cruise has this one memorized since it’s only 1.2 million words.
6. Gordana by Marija Juric Zagorka. Maria Juric, AKA Zagorka, was one of the first popular female writers in Croatia. No word count, but based on its 5,200 page count, Gordana makes the list at number six.
7. Sironia, Texas by Madison Cooper. It’s roughly 1.1 million words; 1,731 pages. A “little” story about small-town Texas.
8. Clarissa by Samuel Richardson. Clarissa explains it all in about 969,000 words. I’m sorry; I know that was a terrible joke. I just couldn’t help myself.
9. A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell This one is a little iffy, because it’s sometimes regarded as a novel sequence and not one novel. Like Clarissa, it’s just shy of one million words.
10. Poor Fellow My Country by Xavier Herbert This is the longest Australian novel ever written at 850,000 words.
“What about War and Peace?” you are probably wondering. “What about Les Miserables? Gone With the Wind?” Nah. Those are practically novellas at 560,000 words, 513,000 words and 419,218 words respectively.
Via: Mental Floss
a funky wine i like
Last year I had a little problem with my heart. The Dr. asked me if I liked wine. I answered in the affirmative. So he prescribed a glass or two of red wine a week. I've tried different brands, usually in the $10 - 15 range. I'm not going to splurge if I'm the only one drinking it and I feel like I have too. I found some I liked and some that were wretched!
In honor of Robert Mondavi, who died today at the age of 94, I decided to recommend my favorite inexpensive Red table wine. Nothing fancy, but good.
Right now my favorite is:
Funky Llama
Price: $5.99 @ Meijer (sometimes $4.99)
Type: Malbec
Cork: Yellow plastic with the word "Funky" and a picture of a llama.
Alc. by Volume: 13%
The year currently available is 2005 and 2006. I liked the 2004 better, get that if you can find it.
It's from Argentina using grapes from the Malbec vineyards. I'm not an authority on wines, I just know what I like and don't like. I don't like fruity or very weak wines. The 2006 that I found at Marsh was too fruity and watery for my taste. All in all, for a guy who's supposed to buy it for health benefits and rarely finishes the bottle, the pure value can't be beat.
Je leve mon verre a votre sante. Enjoy.
High Plains Monk
Via: BoingBoing.com
Buddhist monk Thich Dang "Tom" Phap is building a beautiful Shrine in a very unusual and unlikely location: the barren high desert of Adelanto, California. The centerpiece is a 60-ton marble statue of the saint Quan yin, donated by a Malaysian businessman. Phap bought 15 acres in Adelanto four years ago as a home for the statue and the center that he hopes he can complete if enough donations come in. Right now, the place has no power or water. The Los Angeles Times created a lovely short video visit with Phap to accompany an article on his project. Link to video, Link to article.
The Bryant Park Project, One Of The Best Radio Shows Your Probably NOT Listening To
National Public Radio's, The Bryant Park Project, is one of the best radio shows that your probably not listening to.
Admittedly, I probably skew the demographic of this program. I'm a Forty-Something, frequent NPR listener who gets most of my news from Print, NPR, PBS, then the Internet.
What is the Bryant Park Project (BPP)? The BPP, which takes its title from new studios overlooking the park, is the latest NPR News series debuting as a two-hour live weekday show Oct. 1, 2007. As they describe themselves on their blog, they are a; "blog, radio show, podcast and ongoing discussion of the news".
From an October article at Current.org:
The producers of Bryant Park want to discover how to engage Gen-X listeners and others whose cultural reference points and news diets differ from those of core listeners to NPR’s flagship Morning Edition.
“We want this show to be about our lives,” said 31-year-old co-host Luke Burbank.
BPP, as co-hosted mixes big doses of levity with a news sensibility favoring alternate takes on the day’s top stories. The show is meant to appeal to a younger, less-traditional NPR audience. Reoccurring segments include a Monday morning sports wrap-up featuring Bill Wolff, a Tuesday section on new music releases, and frequent interviews with various musicians and performers including Tegan and Sara, Peter Bjorn and John, Jill Sobule, and Death Cab For Cutie. “The Most” lists the top e-mailed articles on the Web.
The show features an occasional segment called "Make Me Care" in which guests have 60 seconds to argue why a subject should matter to listeners. On Thursday's "Make Me Care" Alexis Madrigal of Wired.com, attempted to describe why we should care about NASA's recent discovery of an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years.
The tone is often informal compared to the more conventional content found in other NPR news magazines. This is what makes it truly unique. It's web site features the typical NPR story-by-story rundown, but it also has a frequently updated blog (which today featured the BBQ and beer lunch they had ordered)
I've added RSS podcast feed for it's podcasts into my netvibes page. The podcasts can also be subscribed to for free at iTunes. I've also added BPP to my Twitter list. They typically send breezy, chatty, gossipy twitters that are fun to read. The other day they were complaining how bad the sound was on the Death Cab For Cutie in-studio performance.
It's not your father's NPR (i.e. mine) but it's fun, often informative and I believe, a glimpse into the way most main-stream radio, TV or magazines will broadcast themselves. Utilizing the full range of WEB 2.0 technology and spreading their RSS seed blog to blog, social network to social network.
It's only on a very few NPR stations and Sirius Satellite Radio. It's blog is here. Their podcast is here. Their radio show is here. You can read and follow their Twitter feed here. Feel free, while on Twitter to add my feed if you like. I'm here.
Amazing Wall Painted Animation
5.15.2008
if grace is true - living as a 21st century quaker
I set out to write about what it means to be a Quaker and reactions folks have, my beliefs, hopes, etc… I will post on this, I am reticent to talk about myself too much. So for now, I'll let Philip Gulley do it for me.
Who is Philip Gulley? You might recognize him if you live in Indiana and have watched PBS affiliate WFYI TV 20’s Across Indiana. Phil won an Emmy Award for his Porch Talk Series last year. Phil is a Quaker Minister, author, and humorist among many other things. He and my pastor, James Mulholland have written two books together, If Grace Is True and If God Is Love. Here is an excerpt from his website.
Philip Gulley has become the voice of small-town American life and an observer of humanity without match. Filled with moments of both lump-in-the-throat poignancy and laugh-out-loud humor, this collection of heartwarming stories from real-life situations offers musings on leisure, marriage, faith, family, and enjoying the little things.
His co-author is my pastor, James Mulholland. Jim is a theologian who’s been involved in the American Baptist, United Methodist, and Quaker denominations. The exact same journey that I took. I highly recommend If Grace Is True just on a spiritual, moral and intellectual level. Check out the links for each when you have a chance.
Anyway, back to Phil, as I said he has a segment on Across Indiana and the clip is much better than I can do to explain and describe what it means to be a Quaker in the 21st Century. I’ll talk about my faith in due time, I’m not on here to preach and I kinda feel like it would be taken as that. I want it to come off as a real, honest examination of me for whomever wishes to read it and nothing more. I’m not using my blog or MySpace blog to proselytize. Just write about my interests, life, annoyances, etc… I’m not posting to create some highly viral comentary, but I do understand that there may be questions and I welcome those. Peace.
Here’s the clip.
#1703
Things I Ponder When Sitting in Meeting
* Requires Windows Media Player
Bush's worst sacrifice, of his war, is giving up golf
In an astoundingly ignorant interview with The Politico ’s Mike Allen Tuesday, President Bush insinuated that electing a Democrat in November would lead to another attack on America, and revealed that he made the ultimate sacrifice by giving up golf shortly after the start of the Iraq War — the timing of which he lied about.
Keith Olbermann ripped into him — with all the anger and passion you’ve come to expect from a Special Comment — for continuing this despicable fear-mongering, and for failing to understand what true sacrifice is.
via: Crooks and Liars.com
Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification
5.13.2008
5.12.2008
Historic Blockbuster Store Re-Creates Movie Rental Process
The Onion News Network is reporting on a historic Blockbuster store that re-creates the archaic process of “renting” movies in the pre-Internet era.
via /laughingsquid.com
Mystery Behind 2008 Beijing Olympic Graphic Solved
From: MatthewGood.org
After months of research, the origin of the 2008 Beijing Olympic symbol was finally discovered…
Charity Navigator - America's Largest Charity Evaluator
Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator, provides free financial evaluations of America's charities. We are the individual donor's first source for unbiased news and information on philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, wise giving, donating money, charitable donations, and charity ratings.
Sent from BlueOrganizer
Meghan O'Sullivan, My Neo-Con Crush
I have to admit that after watching Meghan O'Sullivan on the 05/02/08 Charlie Rose, I've become instantly infatuated.
That being said, I have serious reservations with her work the last four years.
According to her Wikipedia Entry:
She served in the Office of Policy Planning at the State Department, where she assisted Colin Powell in developing the smart sanctions policy proposal; as an assistant to Paul Bremer in the Coalition Provisional Authority subsequent to the 2003 invasion of Iraq; and as Senior Director for Iraq at the National Security Council. O'Sullivan [sic] last position at the White House was as the Special Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan.
During her time in Iraq, O'Sullivan was involved with many key decisions on the political front, including helping negotiate the early transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis and assisting the Iraqis in writing their interim constitution. She is remembered for driving herself around Baghdad to meet with Iraqis, and endured some harrowing experiences while in Iraq, including escaping from a terrorist attack by scaling a building ledge ten stories up. In Washington, several policy insiders have credited her with being one of the original architects of the "surge" strategy that led President Bush to send more troops to Iraq in 2007.
Her resignation was announced April 2, 2007, and took effect late last spring.
From The Washington Post, 03/04/2007
Critics, however, have questioned whether O'Sullivan was too young for such a challenge and whether the former Brookings Institution scholar with a master's degree and doctorate from Oxford University was too steeped in theory for the job. Others said that however impressive she may be, the net result of her tenure has been a costly war and enormous turmoil for the Iraqi people.
"The administration's policy has been a tragic failure, and she has been a central element of our policy making," said Larry Diamond, a Stanford University professor who worked for the CPA and became a tough critic of the president's handling of Iraq. But Diamond said "the majority of the blame needs to rest at the foot of the higher officials," especially Bush.
It was a good interview, she was as honest as ANY former Bush adviser has been. She admitted mistakes were made and things will take a long time to sort out. She didn't, however, accept any responsibility of her own or directly blamed anyone in the Administration.
It seems as if she honestly tried, got in over her head and now regrets much of it. O'Sullivan (unlike ANYONE at her level in the Administration) talked and met with the Iraqi people suffering outside of The Green Zone. I applaud her for that much.
An Uninsured Doctor in the House
From Scientific American, May 8, 2008
I'm posting this entire story instead of a blurb and a jump because I hope more people will read it. Good luck Dr. Peace.
----------
One of the first things U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen (D–Wisc.) did when he took office last year was to nix his congressional health care coverage. The move stunned a human resources staffer, who, the lawmaker says, looked at him as though he were insane.
"I'll respectfully decline until you can make that same offer for all of my constituents," he says he told her, explaining his decision to turn down what many say is the Cadillac of U.S. health plans.
Kagen, 58, is now one of millions of Americans, including at least nine million children, without health insurance. "I have absolutely no health coverage at all," he told ScientificAmerican.com during a recent interview. "I have no health conditions and am pretty darn healthy." And if he gets sick? "I'd be just like the 47 [million] to 50 million American citizens who don't have coverage," he says, "and I'd have to negotiate with hospitals and doctors for the best-priced coverage."
Until he took office, Kagen, a successful allergist with offices in Appleton and Green Bay, was on the other side of such negotiations. He is now one of nine physicians who traded in their stethoscopes for a House seat—and the only member of Congress to refuse coverage.
Kagen's seemingly brazen act was part of his health care reform strategy. In February he introduced the "No Discrimination in Health Insurance Act of 2008" (H.R. 5449), which would bar insurance companies from hiking rates or denying coverage for
preexisting medical conditions. "Nowhere in the Constitution does it say you have a protected right to health care," he says. "But the reverse is more important. You can't be discriminated against because of the color of your skin or your sex, nor because of diseases such as hypertension or diabetes."
His goal: to make health insurance affordable for everyone—and make sure that nobody is left out in the cold. He feels it is crucial to have a federal standard on the books to replace the patchwork of state insurance regulations. "Simply put, if you're a citizen, you're in," he says. "We have federal standards in America for everything ... except the one thing we value most, and that is our health."
In an effort to keep a lid on soaring insurance premiums, Kagen's proposal calls for insurance companies to disclose all of their rates. Such a move, he says, would prevent patients from being hit with hidden costs and stir competition that would, theoretically, drive down prices. He says his own analysis shows that the combination of competition and blanket eligibility could cut people's insurance expenses by as much as 20 percent.
But that's still too high a tab for many financially strapped U.S. families. The question is: How are those people going to foot the bill? Not sure, says Kagen, whose legislation does not propose setting aside any federal funds. The key reason, he says, is that there are no reliable stats on such costs.
Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., pushing for affordable health care for all Americans, calls the measure "a step in the right direction," but notes that ultimately the feds need "to extend public programs or provide subsidies, such as refundable tax credits or some other means" to have truly universal health coverage.
But that doesn't mean that the insured will have to swallow the costs, Kagen says. In fact, he insists that his legislation would actually drive down premiums for everyone, noting that a major reason they are so pricey is that hospitals and doctors charge the insured artificially inflated rates to cover the unpaid bills of the uninsured. There is "a hidden health care tax within every product and every service in America, because of today's discriminatory health care system," he says.
Many, from Kagen to insurance groups, say that will change when everyone has access to coverage. America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a Washington, D.C.-based insurance trade group, has proposed another way to make sure that individuals with preexisting conditions are eligible for reasonable rates. Under its plan, insurers would voluntarily commit to offer those who did not qualify for standard insurance policies the option of buying one at a rate no more than one and a half times the price of traditional packages.
The federal government would still have to fork over funds for those unable to come up with the cost of a premium. But AHIP's Mohit Ghose says universal health coverage would save money in the long run. He says AHIP estimates that it currently costs the government and the insured roughly $50 billion annually to make up for the deficits the uninsured. In contrast, he says, it would cost around $30 billion a year—a whopping $20 billion savings—to cover all Americans under its package.
Ghose says that AHIP does not support Kagen's bill, because it has its own proposal it would like to see enacted. But, he says, the group backs the emergence of ideas "so we can dissect them and work together to get more Americans covered."
Kagen's measure has 17 co-sponsors (all Democrats) and, in addition to Families USA, enjoys the backing of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He acknowledges that it doesn't have a shot at becoming law under the Bush administration, but says he'll boost efforts for passage once the new president takes office in January. Kagen says he hopes that either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton—whoever nabs the Democratic nod—will be that person, noting that they both have "excellent" health care proposals.
In the meantime, he says, "I hope to be the doctor in the House who helps determine what it is that people need"—at least on the health care front.
5.11.2008
Fascinating Documentary - Talking To The Taliban
Who are the Taliban? What are their politics? How do they see the world. How, as a journalist covering the War do you trust your contacts when your as likely to be invited in for a drink and a joint as you are to be kidnapped.
One thing I have learned from reading and watching many books, articles, TV and WEB documentaries; there is no single portrait of who we are fighting in the Afghan War. As citizens of our respective countries, I believe we must have as much information as we can get. Journalist Graeme Smith of the Toronto Globe and Mail, posted unfiltered interviews with his sources and contacts in the Taliban. Watch, Learn, and Participate.
Understanding the insurgents is a basic part of reporting on the Afghan war, but it's a remarkably difficult task. I've had several meetings with individual Taliban since I started covering Afghanistan, but personal contacts with the insurgents are growing more dangerous because they have started kidnapping journalists.
Enhanced Podcast Episode For "He That Believeth In Me"
Galactica Sitrep's ProgGrrl announced this bit of BSG news.
An enhanced version of the full episode "He That Believeth In Me," overlaid with Ron Moore's podcast commentary. All podcasts for the first four episodes are now available.
5.10.2008
Blog Disclaimer Plus Comment and Email Policy
Blog Disclaimer Plus Comment and Email Policy
This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the people, institutions or organizations with which I am affiliated.
In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time... I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point-in-time snapshot of the various memes running around my brain, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed in the past may not be the same, or even similar, to those I hold today.
My blog includes links to other sites/blogs operated by third parties. These are provided as a means of convenient access to you to the information/opinion contained therein. I am in no way responsible for the content of any other sites or any products or services that may be offered through other sites. (In other words, if you link to George Carlin RIP dot com from my site and are horrified, shocked and offended by the language, don't write me and make note to get out more often.)
Comments and Email Policy:
Comments are welcome and indeed encouraged. Every blogger worth their salt loves comments, even if you don't agree with me. However, tasteless and/or insulting comments may be deleted. Any personal remarks and attacks may be deleted. The same holds true for off-topic comments. Any comments that reek of link spam or marketing messages WILL be deleted. If your a Troll, I double-dog dare ya to drag me into an argument. I'll run syllogisms around your rings. Nah, actually I'll just delete your comment.
I am responsible only for comments that I myself have written.
Email is welcome and you may reach me at the address noted by clicking on the "View more about me" link. I will reply to all comments and email.
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