Happy Halloween
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
The Famous American Chocolate Chip Cookies
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I bought these in a German supermarket this afternoon. I do absolutely agree with the product name!
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Check out the ingredient declaration. This is quite common here in Europe.
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Friday, October 27, 2006
Egypt The Red Sea
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A close friend of mine just got back from the Red Sea in Egypt.
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He went there with his wife and their two kids. They stayed in a 
really nice beach resort and he got to scuba dive a couple of days.
really nice beach resort and he got to scuba dive a couple of days.To see more of their pictures click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/tqw27
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Letting Go Of God
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Julia Sweeney is really smart. She worked on Pulp Fiction and Saturday Night Live.
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At age 38 her brother was dying of cancer, when she was diagnosed with cancer. She was raised a catholic and re-dedicated herself to the church. Sort of a rebirth. But then the more involved she got with the church the more she started questioning things on a rational basis.
Julia Sweeney is really smart. She worked on Pulp Fiction and Saturday Night Live.-
At age 38 her brother was dying of cancer, when she was diagnosed with cancer. She was raised a catholic and re-dedicated herself to the church. Sort of a rebirth. But then the more involved she got with the church the more she started questioning things on a rational basis.
Her new autobiographical monologue on CD is called "Letting Go Of God." I haven't been able to
locate a copy yet.
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The NPR show Fresh Aire had a very outstanding piece on her. It truly is worth listening to. This is a link to the show: http://tinyurl.com/ya67cs
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locate a copy yet.-
The NPR show Fresh Aire had a very outstanding piece on her. It truly is worth listening to. This is a link to the show: http://tinyurl.com/ya67cs
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Thursday, October 26, 2006
Digging Sugar Beets
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I had to stop, get off my Vespa today, and take a few pictures because this looks so much like digging sweet potatoes.
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This is in Germany right on the border with The Netherlands.
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Reminds me of Loyad Anderson in Rincon, N.M.
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Torchwood
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This is a spinoff from Dr. Who. I saw it on the BBC last night and it really was excellent.
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No Health Insurance
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About 100 years ago big parts of “poor” London still did not even have a sewage system. Many people were malnourished because of the poverty, even those who were lucky enough to have full-time jobs. Children aged 11 and 12 who were working fourteen hours per day in factories was not at all out of the ordinary.
Great Britain has come a long way in just 100 years. So has America. Just think back to how bad things were in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Or the food rationing that took place during WWII.
But before we start patting ourselves on the backs too much we need to realize that in some ways America not only is no longer making progress, it is actually going backwards.
Some authorities estimate that roughly 40 million Americans have no health insurance, private or public, and the number has grown steadily over the past 25 years. And about 20 million people who are working are in the same situation.
The problem of not having health insurance is pervasive among workers in every state but the situation is worst in Texas. States with the highest rates of uninsured residents among employed adults include Texas (27 percent), New Mexico (23 percent), Louisiana (23 percent), Florida (22 percent), Montana (21 percent), Oklahoma (21 percent), Nevada (20 percent and Arkansas (20 percent).
A recent report looked at health coverage for Californians under age 65. It found that California continues to trail the nation, with 22 percent of the population under the age of 65 lacking insurance as compared to only 18 percent nationally. Eighteen percent of a total population of 300 million comes out to 54 million people living in America without health insurance. This is more than the total population of France at 46 million, or the 45 million Spaniards.
In the 21st century, in the last remaining super power and the wealthiest country on the face of the planet, having this many people without any health insurance coverage at all is absolutely shameful.
In America it is almost a basic human right to have safe some sort of a roof over your head, and running water which is safe to drink. Not fancy private room coverage, or top of the line health insurance, but very basic health insurance for EVERYONE should fit into this same category as one of the basic human rights.
About 100 years ago big parts of “poor” London still did not even have a sewage system. Many people were malnourished because of the poverty, even those who were lucky enough to have full-time jobs. Children aged 11 and 12 who were working fourteen hours per day in factories was not at all out of the ordinary.
Great Britain has come a long way in just 100 years. So has America. Just think back to how bad things were in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Or the food rationing that took place during WWII.
But before we start patting ourselves on the backs too much we need to realize that in some ways America not only is no longer making progress, it is actually going backwards.
Some authorities estimate that roughly 40 million Americans have no health insurance, private or public, and the number has grown steadily over the past 25 years. And about 20 million people who are working are in the same situation.
The problem of not having health insurance is pervasive among workers in every state but the situation is worst in Texas. States with the highest rates of uninsured residents among employed adults include Texas (27 percent), New Mexico (23 percent), Louisiana (23 percent), Florida (22 percent), Montana (21 percent), Oklahoma (21 percent), Nevada (20 percent and Arkansas (20 percent).
A recent report looked at health coverage for Californians under age 65. It found that California continues to trail the nation, with 22 percent of the population under the age of 65 lacking insurance as compared to only 18 percent nationally. Eighteen percent of a total population of 300 million comes out to 54 million people living in America without health insurance. This is more than the total population of France at 46 million, or the 45 million Spaniards.
In the 21st century, in the last remaining super power and the wealthiest country on the face of the planet, having this many people without any health insurance coverage at all is absolutely shameful.
In America it is almost a basic human right to have safe some sort of a roof over your head, and running water which is safe to drink. Not fancy private room coverage, or top of the line health insurance, but very basic health insurance for EVERYONE should fit into this same category as one of the basic human rights.
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Link to PBS: http://www.pbs.org/healthcarecrisis/uninsured.html
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Old To Do List
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Four years ago over a period of several months I developed a chest pain that got worse and worse. I remember being at the Eifel Tower in Paris that fall and being in a great deal of pain. Eventually it got so bad that in December 2002 I had to ask a friend to drive me to the hospital. The doctors there found that I had a really bad case of pneumonia, an infection inside of my
lungs. They wanted to put me in the hospital immediately administering antibiotics intravenously. I told them that if I really was THAT SICK that I intended to sleep in my own bed rather than being in a hospital. They weren’t particularly happy with this but I really didn’t give them any other option.
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They took all sorts of blood tests, and when I came back to see them again in a few days (together with my friend Jean in case of language or communication problems) the doctors informed me that I not only had a bad case of pneumonia, but that I also had a form of cancer of the blood called Chronic Leukemia. They told me that chemotherapy might be necessary.
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Today I was cleaning the house and throwing things away. I came across the piece of paper that I had in my pocket that day. It was my todo list. I remember quite well writing down some notes on the back of it there in the doctor’s office so that I would remember what he said correctly.
Four years ago over a period of several months I developed a chest pain that got worse and worse. I remember being at the Eifel Tower in Paris that fall and being in a great deal of pain. Eventually it got so bad that in December 2002 I had to ask a friend to drive me to the hospital. The doctors there found that I had a really bad case of pneumonia, an infection inside of my
lungs. They wanted to put me in the hospital immediately administering antibiotics intravenously. I told them that if I really was THAT SICK that I intended to sleep in my own bed rather than being in a hospital. They weren’t particularly happy with this but I really didn’t give them any other option.-
They took all sorts of blood tests, and when I came back to see them again in a few days (together with my friend Jean in case of language or communication problems) the doctors informed me that I not only had a bad case of pneumonia, but that I also had a form of cancer of the blood called Chronic Leukemia. They told me that chemotherapy might be necessary.
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Today I was cleaning the house and throwing things away. I came across the piece of paper that I had in my pocket that day. It was my todo list. I remember quite well writing down some notes on the back of it there in the doctor’s office so that I would remember what he said correctly.
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(click on the picture and it will enlarge)
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Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Bin Laden Video
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This is really great: http://www.jibjab.com/jokebox/jokebox/jibjab/id/194309/jokeid/57735
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What killed the dinosaurs: http://www.jibjab.com/jokebox/jokebox/jibjab/id/212476/jokeid/39908
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The Proper Use of Vulgarity
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This is from JibJab.com and is really fucking funny: http://www.jibjab.com/jokebox/jokebox/jibjab/id/222172/jokeid/66232
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This is from JibJab.com and is really fucking funny: http://www.jibjab.com/jokebox/jokebox/jibjab/id/222172/jokeid/66232
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Talk to Frank
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In the 60's and early 70's we thought it "opened your mind" and that it was cool to
smoke pot. Bhang, black, blast, blow, blunts, dope, draw, ganja, grass, hash, hashish, hemp, herb, marijuana, pot, puff, Northern Lights, resin, sensi, sinsemilla, shit, skunk, smoke, soap, spliff, wacky backy, weed, zero, Afghan, homegrown, Moroccan, etc.
In the 60's and early 70's we thought it "opened your mind" and that it was cool to
smoke pot. Bhang, black, blast, blow, blunts, dope, draw, ganja, grass, hash, hashish, hemp, herb, marijuana, pot, puff, Northern Lights, resin, sensi, sinsemilla, shit, skunk, smoke, soap, spliff, wacky backy, weed, zero, Afghan, homegrown, Moroccan, etc. -
My younger brother, who died almost ten years ago, claimed to be quite an expert at growing sinsemilla. In 1968 I painted a flower on the roof pillar of my 1966 Mustang.
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In England they have started running a really cool advertisement on TV which is aimed at young people. The video shows a shop that repairs and sells new brains aimed to replace brains which have been damaged by smoking pot.
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There is some scientific basis for this advert. Excessive usage of marijuana can indeed cause severe mental health issues. It can result in paranoia and in a small percentage of people schizophrenia.
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There is some scientific basis for this advert. Excessive usage of marijuana can indeed cause severe mental health issues. It can result in paranoia and in a small percentage of people schizophrenia.
You old flower power farts who got stoned in the 60’s and 70’s may not be aware that plant breeders have done a very good job with pot over the last 20 years. Their incentive has been purely monetary, not some philosophical attempt to open people's minds. The plant has been selectively bred so that now days it contains a much larger amount of the active ingredient that gets you stoned, freaks you out, blows your mind away, really fucks you up, etc.
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This is it on you tube: - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGpce6GDd4I
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This is a link to the BBC news site that shows a short video summary of part of the neat advertisement: http://tinyurl.com/yj6jpq
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Frank is the name of this British helpline. It deals with all kinds of drug problems, including alcohol. This is a link to their web site: http://www.talktofrank.com/
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Frank is the name of this British helpline. It deals with all kinds of drug problems, including alcohol. This is a link to their web site: http://www.talktofrank.com/
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Saturday, October 21, 2006
Cultural Insensitivity
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My leukemia doctor in the UK is one of the world's top experts in this field. He is also smart as hell, funny, and sort of a Rennaisance Man. Interested in many different things. This is from his latest blog entry:
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Should Moslem women be permitted to wear the veil in public?
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France, which is a much more secular society, would suppress the wearing of a Moslem uniform. In England we believe that people should be free to wear whatever they like unless it is dangerous or likely to cause a breach of the peace. Last year a man was permitted to walk naked from Lands End to John O'Groats, only getting arrested in towns where a breach of the peace was likely (from offended ladies).
France, which is a much more secular society, would suppress the wearing of a Moslem uniform. In England we believe that people should be free to wear whatever they like unless it is dangerous or likely to cause a breach of the peace. Last year a man was permitted to walk naked from Lands End to John O'Groats, only getting arrested in towns where a breach of the peace was likely (from offended ladies).
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We frequently see young women with their navels showing in January, often with pieces of metal stapled to it. People dress up in all sorts of weird costumes. Very seldom is dress or lack of it commented upon. We do not object to religious symbols. Sikhs where turbans, Moslem women wear the Hijab, Buddhists go about with bald heads and saffron robes and one Christian walks about dragging a huge cross behind him.
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There have been objections to hoodies. These are jackets with hoods that cover the face, a garb adopted by young people to cover their shyness and by criminals to hide from CCTV cameras. Shopkeepers refuse to serve young men wearing those large, face-covering, rash helmets. This is for the same reason, it conceals the identity, and some robbers wear them to hide from the ubiquitous CCTV.
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In our society anyone concealing their face is a figure of fear. English people do not wave their arms about while talking in the way that Italians or Spaniards do, but we do use body language. It is subtle. It is done with the face. Full communication is face to face.
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Phone calls limit communication. Letters are better because the English language is so full of nuance that by choosing the correct word you can communicate so much more than just the plain meaning. I sometimes take days to write a letter so as not to cause offence. E-mailers have developed emoticons to soften the effect of straight prose.
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Moslem women who insist on covering their faces are being as culturally insensitive as the English woman who drives a car in Riyadh with the top down and cleavage showing.
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You really should take the time to read his entire entry on this subject. It is really quite interesting. If you would like to read his entire blog entry go to this link:
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Jane's WWII Aircraft
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I was at a flea market this morning and I saw this book. It is an excellent reference book. And because it is in the English language (the flea market was in Germany) the guy sold it to me at a good price.
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Of course I was interested in the British airplanes during WWII, the American ones like the P-38 and the Mustang. Also the AT-6 since I have flown one of these while I got a little training in aerobatics.
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I also am interested in Professor Hugo Junkers since he lived a few miles from where I do now. He built the first all metal airplane.
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In the book I found a reference to the El Paso International Aiport in 1943. At the time it was called Ed Anderson Field. I wonder who he was?
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Something More Than Just Materialism
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On TV last night I heard a good quote. So good that I turned on the light and wrote it down before it slipped my mind.
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-------- "We are what we protect, who we stand up for."
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I don't feel comfortable talking about it on the internet, but sometime in private over a cup of coffee, ask me about my prior employer. And who I protected and who I stood up for.
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-------- "We are what we protect, who we stand up for."
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I don't feel comfortable talking about it on the internet, but sometime in private over a cup of coffee, ask me about my prior employer. And who I protected and who I stood up for.
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Dan Brown
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I really enjoy Dan Brown's books. They are a great combination of historical fiction, travel guides, love stories, and exciting mystery novels. I read all of his books back before he got famous, and I really became kind of a fan of his.
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It turns out interestingly enough that his most popular book describes many of the places I have been to. I guess I've been to Paris and the Louvre 10-15 times. And I've been to most of the other famous places in the book: The church of Saint Sulpice in Paris and the Rose line that runs through it, in London the river Thames, the templar church called Temple Church and Westminster Abbey, and just south of Edinburg, Scotland the remarkable Rosslyn Chapel.
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In my experience at least 80% of the time the movie doesn't even come close to the book. This is a generalization about classic, famous books and the movies made of them.
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But I can't say that about this one. The DaVinci Code just came out on DVD over here in Europe. It arrived yesterday and I watched it last night. I really have nothing but the highest praise for it. Really very good.
I really enjoy Dan Brown's books. They are a great combination of historical fiction, travel guides, love stories, and exciting mystery novels. I read all of his books back before he got famous, and I really became kind of a fan of his.
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It turns out interestingly enough that his most popular book describes many of the places I have been to. I guess I've been to Paris and the Louvre 10-15 times. And I've been to most of the other famous places in the book: The church of Saint Sulpice in Paris and the Rose line that runs through it, in London the river Thames, the templar church called Temple Church and Westminster Abbey, and just south of Edinburg, Scotland the remarkable Rosslyn Chapel.
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In my experience at least 80% of the time the movie doesn't even come close to the book. This is a generalization about classic, famous books and the movies made of them.
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But I can't say that about this one. The DaVinci Code just came out on DVD over here in Europe. It arrived yesterday and I watched it last night. I really have nothing but the highest praise for it. Really very good.
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------ Link to Rosslyn Chapel pictures: http://tinyurl.com/q8jus
------ Link to Paris pictures: http://tinyurl.com/rk5j8
------ Link to London pictures: http://tinyurl.com/fpzps
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I just watched the companion DVD that gives details. Interesting info: Dan Brown was raised as an Episcopalian. His next novel is in the works and is a Robert Langdon story again. This one takes place in America. Hot dog!
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Shot Herself In The Foot
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On Friday night there are some really great comedy shows on the BBC. Last night I heard a comedian in the UK say about Heather Mills, "She doesn't seem to realize that she has shot herself in the foot."
This of course is a reference to Paul McCartney's second wife. He was always loyal to his first wife Linda. I saw the two of them from about 20 feet away on the very first Wings concert in 1972. Linda had really fine hooters. Which later got cancerous. Even with more money than God and the finest medical care that both America and England could offer, lovely Linda died of the breast cancer. At about the same age as I am now.
Years later Paul was introduced to a model who had lost her lower leg in a motorcycle accident. After a couple of years of marriage and after having a child together, it turns out that this so called "model" had been doing her modeling for Arab shieks in hotel rooms and was well compensated for modeling in private for international arms dealers. You can see her porno movies if you search the internet. And now this woman is going for gold. She is claiming all sorts of terrible abuse by Paul. And rather than going about this in a semi-dignified way through the divorce court, she is trying him in the media.
So, actually it appears that Heather has indeed shot herself in the foot.
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On Friday night there are some really great comedy shows on the BBC. Last night I heard a comedian in the UK say about Heather Mills, "She doesn't seem to realize that she has shot herself in the foot."
This of course is a reference to Paul McCartney's second wife. He was always loyal to his first wife Linda. I saw the two of them from about 20 feet away on the very first Wings concert in 1972. Linda had really fine hooters. Which later got cancerous. Even with more money than God and the finest medical care that both America and England could offer, lovely Linda died of the breast cancer. At about the same age as I am now.
Years later Paul was introduced to a model who had lost her lower leg in a motorcycle accident. After a couple of years of marriage and after having a child together, it turns out that this so called "model" had been doing her modeling for Arab shieks in hotel rooms and was well compensated for modeling in private for international arms dealers. You can see her porno movies if you search the internet. And now this woman is going for gold. She is claiming all sorts of terrible abuse by Paul. And rather than going about this in a semi-dignified way through the divorce court, she is trying him in the media.
So, actually it appears that Heather has indeed shot herself in the foot.
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Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Freddy Fender
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"I put my past in a drawer and put a lock on it," Fender said.
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"I've learned to not look back anymore. I've learned to look forward, start fresh and not be as stupid as I used to be before. I don't know what's happening next, but I haven't finished yet."
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Fender went to Angola State Prison in Louisiana in the early 1960s on marijuana possession charges, came out and played music again, abused drugs and alcohol and at one point divorced and then reunited with his wife.
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"The first day that I stopped drinking and drugging 15 years ago was the day that I was born," Fender said. "It has allowed me to handle situations in a normal fashion. Before, I'd just get drunk over it."
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"I encountered a lot of barracudas in my career that were out for blood. "
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"I don't hang out with anybody anymore. Once I sobered up, I became quite the hermit," Fender said. "I like to work with those nuts and bolts and try to fix things."
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Before The Next Teardrop Falls (Baldemar Huerta): http://www.duchessathome.com/music/beforethenextteardropfalls.html
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Tuesday, October 17, 2006
You're Only As Free As You Feel
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I was standing in the bathroom of Starbucks this afternoon taking a wee. And a really nice 60’s-70’s hippie/political song was playing on the Muzak. The refrain or chorus of the song was, “You’re only as free as you feel, you’re only as free as you feel.”
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I’ve searched the web for this with Google and Yahoo and various sites that claim to have lots of lyrics, but I can’t find what song or group this is from. I’ve heard it at least a trillion times, that’s for sure.
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Anyway it sure is a true statement!
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If anyone knows what song this is from I would sure appreciate your contacting me.
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George Reynoso figured it out right away. I got the lyrics a little wrong. It is a Jefferson Airplane song originally published in 1971 on the studio album Bark.
Jefferson Airplane: PRETTY AS YOU FEEL (J. Covington/J. Casady/J. Kaukonen)
You're only pretty as you feel
Only pretty as you feel inside
You're only pretty as you feel
Just as pretty as you feel inside
When you wake up in the morning
Rub some sleep from your eye
Look inside your mirror
Comb your hairDon't give, no vanity a second thought
No no no
Beauty's only skin deep it goes just so far 'cause
You're only pretty as you feel
As pretty as you feel inside
You're only pretty as you feel (Break)
So now you're feelin' pretty
Now you're feelin' good
Now you're ready to face the world girl
Now you're feelin' good
Go out there 'n' knock 'em silly girl
Go out there 'n' show 'em how ta thrill
Go out there 'n' show 'em how ta thrill'cause you're only pretty as you feel
You're only pretty as you feel
You're only pretty as you feel
pretty as you feel inside
You're only pretty as you feel
feelin' so pretty, feelin' so pretty,
You're only pretty as you feel
feelin' so pretty, feelin' so pretty, feelin' so pretty,
feelin' so pretty, pretty mama.
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Sunday, October 15, 2006
The Best Cure For A Bad Idea Is A Better One
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Yesterday I was listening to NPR and I heard some guy say, “The best cure for a bad idea is a better one.” I really like that. I get so weary of hearing people spout off their simplistic negative energy. Talking about how bad the war is in Iraq or Afghanistan. Or what a jerk George Bush is. I've heard it called "the blame America first crowd."
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Please don’t just criticize, suggest a solution. Or be quiet and quit bothering everyone.
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Saddam Hussein is a really bad guy, for sure. He did indeed have weapons of mass destruction. It is a proven fact that he had used his poison gas to kill thousands of his own people. He had a group of well educated, intelligent people who had indeed done a lot of work on their nuclear program. And he was behaving to the international community like he still had some big nasty weapons to hide.
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Talking rather than fighting, and international organizations like the UN which encourage communication are an essential part of the long term solution. And this dictator was laughing at the UN and openly refusing to go along with the wishes of the international community.
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And those crazy, religion-filled Muslim fanatics did knock down the twin towers in New York, and they flew an airplane into the Pentagon. They really did. This is not just some kind of right wing spin or a fantasy. These guys are psychopaths.
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So OK, the war sucks. And the anti-American attitude among Arabs and Muslims is growing stronger. And Rumsfeld and the Veep are both arrogant as hell. So, whats new?
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If we elect a new president, and then promptly remove all of our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan do you think this will solve the problem? Well I don’t.
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So we let the Palestinians and the Iranians kill all the jews in Israel. And then we allow them to permanently take over the country. And we let Iran go ahead and develop Nuke bombs. And we let the Taliban and any other group of fanatics get their own little nukes. And we just sort of retreat into ourselves. I don’t believe for one moment that this will stop the conflict. It will only embolden these fanatics even further.
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Easy answers and quick fixes are really nice. But unfortunately they only are effective on TV and in video games, not in the real world. So please stop the mindless dribble of only criticizing. Only Protesting Against. That part is easy, and all this negative energy is actually harmful. It only debilitates us. Suggest some positive alternatives and solutions. Any dumb-ass can say what he is against: War, hunger, poverty, discrimination, fascism, etc. Even Beavis and Butthead would have no problems saying what they are against.
If you want to be a part of the solution, then figure out what you are FOR. And work to get it implemented. This really is a much more difficult path, but it is the only effective way forward/
Yesterday I was listening to NPR and I heard some guy say, “The best cure for a bad idea is a better one.” I really like that. I get so weary of hearing people spout off their simplistic negative energy. Talking about how bad the war is in Iraq or Afghanistan. Or what a jerk George Bush is. I've heard it called "the blame America first crowd."
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Please don’t just criticize, suggest a solution. Or be quiet and quit bothering everyone.
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Saddam Hussein is a really bad guy, for sure. He did indeed have weapons of mass destruction. It is a proven fact that he had used his poison gas to kill thousands of his own people. He had a group of well educated, intelligent people who had indeed done a lot of work on their nuclear program. And he was behaving to the international community like he still had some big nasty weapons to hide.
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Talking rather than fighting, and international organizations like the UN which encourage communication are an essential part of the long term solution. And this dictator was laughing at the UN and openly refusing to go along with the wishes of the international community.
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And those crazy, religion-filled Muslim fanatics did knock down the twin towers in New York, and they flew an airplane into the Pentagon. They really did. This is not just some kind of right wing spin or a fantasy. These guys are psychopaths.
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So OK, the war sucks. And the anti-American attitude among Arabs and Muslims is growing stronger. And Rumsfeld and the Veep are both arrogant as hell. So, whats new?
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If we elect a new president, and then promptly remove all of our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan do you think this will solve the problem? Well I don’t.
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So we let the Palestinians and the Iranians kill all the jews in Israel. And then we allow them to permanently take over the country. And we let Iran go ahead and develop Nuke bombs. And we let the Taliban and any other group of fanatics get their own little nukes. And we just sort of retreat into ourselves. I don’t believe for one moment that this will stop the conflict. It will only embolden these fanatics even further.
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Easy answers and quick fixes are really nice. But unfortunately they only are effective on TV and in video games, not in the real world. So please stop the mindless dribble of only criticizing. Only Protesting Against. That part is easy, and all this negative energy is actually harmful. It only debilitates us. Suggest some positive alternatives and solutions. Any dumb-ass can say what he is against: War, hunger, poverty, discrimination, fascism, etc. Even Beavis and Butthead would have no problems saying what they are against.
If you want to be a part of the solution, then figure out what you are FOR. And work to get it implemented. This really is a much more difficult path, but it is the only effective way forward/
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So don't just Oppose (which is looking backwards) rather Propose changes for the future.
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Friday, October 13, 2006
Getting Ready to Move
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I am selling some of my stuff before I move back to America.
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This is a link to some pictures: http://tinyurl.com/ya3du7
I am selling some of my stuff before I move back to America.
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This is a link to some pictures: http://tinyurl.com/ya3du7
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Thursday, October 12, 2006
Discrimination Against Gays
Stephen Fry says that what one does with one's own bottom is entirely one's own business.
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I don't completely agree with him. For sure I don't want the morality police busting into people's homes in the middle of the night to try and catch two homosexual males engaged in anal sex or oral sex, or any other kind of consentual sex for that matter.
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But on a societal basis we need to recognize that assholes are made for defecation. When you insert a hard penis into a rectum it is many times stretched sufficiently that blood vessels break, making the transmission of diseases like HIV-AIDS far easier. Rectums were designed for waste elimination, not for sexual pleasure.
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Pussies are what the Good Lord made for inserting a stiff penis into. The male-female sex act generally is pleasurable to both parties. At times it can result in the later birth of a child, and thus in the perpetuation of the species. Which is rather important from a societal point of view.
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Now lets be honest. Most men who have ever been married realize just how difficult is to stay married to a woman (read bitch) and thus stick around to help raise the kids (read perpetuate the species). And most women will certainly attest to what assholes (read bastards) men generally are, and how difficult it is to live with them over the long term.
This is why society has evolved various incentives to help encourage male-female marriage, having kids, and then raising the kids well. The high rate of divorce is proof of just how hard male-female marriage is.
On a societal basis there is no justification for providing incentives to gay marriage. It really is OK if two women want to be together and have sex with each other. If two men do so in a
"safe" way which does not help sexually transmit diseases that should be entirely their own business. I have no problem with two people of the same sex being very close friends, even loving each other, and if they so choose even to provide each other with sexual pleasure.
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But there is no reason why society would want to give them tax break for doing so. Or to allow the "spouse" to receive the social security pension of his partner after death.
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Children generally are most likely to thrive mentally and physically when both the father and the mother are around as role models during the child rearing process. In my view it generally is not in society's best interests or the kid's best interests for two people of the same sex to be allowed to adopt a baby. Maybe sometimes...I have an open mind on the matter. But not in most cases.
So it really is alright if Gene Robinson is a queer. Honest. But to say that his homosexual orientation is entirely healthy and that he should be looked up to as as role model will be harmful to both society and human nature over the long run. It is OK for him to be a member of the Episcopal church. Episcopalians are generally progressive thinkers, and there are ex-murderers, thieves, and child rapists in our congregations. But to put this guy into a position of authority, and then to hold him up as a role model to the youth of America is just plain stupid and out of touch with reality.
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I don't completely agree with him. For sure I don't want the morality police busting into people's homes in the middle of the night to try and catch two homosexual males engaged in anal sex or oral sex, or any other kind of consentual sex for that matter.
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But on a societal basis we need to recognize that assholes are made for defecation. When you insert a hard penis into a rectum it is many times stretched sufficiently that blood vessels break, making the transmission of diseases like HIV-AIDS far easier. Rectums were designed for waste elimination, not for sexual pleasure.
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Pussies are what the Good Lord made for inserting a stiff penis into. The male-female sex act generally is pleasurable to both parties. At times it can result in the later birth of a child, and thus in the perpetuation of the species. Which is rather important from a societal point of view.
-
Now lets be honest. Most men who have ever been married realize just how difficult is to stay married to a woman (read bitch) and thus stick around to help raise the kids (read perpetuate the species). And most women will certainly attest to what assholes (read bastards) men generally are, and how difficult it is to live with them over the long term.
This is why society has evolved various incentives to help encourage male-female marriage, having kids, and then raising the kids well. The high rate of divorce is proof of just how hard male-female marriage is.
On a societal basis there is no justification for providing incentives to gay marriage. It really is OK if two women want to be together and have sex with each other. If two men do so in a
"safe" way which does not help sexually transmit diseases that should be entirely their own business. I have no problem with two people of the same sex being very close friends, even loving each other, and if they so choose even to provide each other with sexual pleasure.-
But there is no reason why society would want to give them tax break for doing so. Or to allow the "spouse" to receive the social security pension of his partner after death.
-
Children generally are most likely to thrive mentally and physically when both the father and the mother are around as role models during the child rearing process. In my view it generally is not in society's best interests or the kid's best interests for two people of the same sex to be allowed to adopt a baby. Maybe sometimes...I have an open mind on the matter. But not in most cases.
So it really is alright if Gene Robinson is a queer. Honest. But to say that his homosexual orientation is entirely healthy and that he should be looked up to as as role model will be harmful to both society and human nature over the long run. It is OK for him to be a member of the Episcopal church. Episcopalians are generally progressive thinkers, and there are ex-murderers, thieves, and child rapists in our congregations. But to put this guy into a position of authority, and then to hold him up as a role model to the youth of America is just plain stupid and out of touch with reality.
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Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Will Israel Bomb Iran?
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The BBC showed a really amazing program last night looking into this question in depth. If you missed it you can watch it from the internet at this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/default.stm
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In the 60's and 70's I was anti-war. My degree is in Political Science, and I was active in various ways to try and stop the Vietnam war. I am not some kind of right wing dinosaur even all these years later. Even with a grey beard I still have compassion. For poor folks, for down-trodden people, for people whose skin is of a different color or who are religious.
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Talking instead of fighting is almost always a very wise thing to do. Internationl organizations like the UN are a big step forward. Especially if they are taken seriously. It would not be wise to let the UN degenerate further into a debating society.
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But I have mixed feelings about the current situation.
The BBC showed a really amazing program last night looking into this question in depth. If you missed it you can watch it from the internet at this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/default.stm
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In the 60's and 70's I was anti-war. My degree is in Political Science, and I was active in various ways to try and stop the Vietnam war. I am not some kind of right wing dinosaur even all these years later. Even with a grey beard I still have compassion. For poor folks, for down-trodden people, for people whose skin is of a different color or who are religious.
-
Talking instead of fighting is almost always a very wise thing to do. Internationl organizations like the UN are a big step forward. Especially if they are taken seriously. It would not be wise to let the UN degenerate further into a debating society.
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But I have mixed feelings about the current situation.
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Saddam Hussein was for sure the worst environmental criminal of the 20th century for igniting all the Kuwaiti oil wells.
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Ben's Comments: "Saddam Hussein also destroyed one of the last pristine wetland areas. The wetlands in southern Iraq, in the fertile crescent, are speculated by some to have been the inspiration for the garden of eden. Despite the war, there have been good efforts to reestablish the wetlands. As well as being environmentally responsible, the efforts have given the marsh arabs their livelyhood back."
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He invaded Iran, and then he invaded Kuwait. He killed thousands of his own people with poison gas. Talk about one first class human rights violator. This guy gets the prize.
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Shimon Perez is a nice, gentle, mellow old man. He describes him as the worst dictator since Stalin and Hitler. This description seems accurate if somewhat understated to me.
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The Nuremberg trials at the end of WWII were well done by some very intelligent people who cared a great deal about world peace. The trial in Iraq seems pretty unprofessional by comparision.
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The prospect of continued nuclear proliferation seems likely to continue. India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, the French, Brits, Americans, Russians, Chinese, etc. It will probably even accelerate unless our best and brightest put some serious effort into it. And then in a few years some suicidal, lunatic, religious-political terrorist group will no doubt get their own wee little nuke and use it. Just like the psychopath Ossama enjoyed knocking down the world trade center in NY. Iatollas with atomic bombs. And maybe someone else will then retaliate against them by using their own nuke(s).
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This is not just some kind of scare tactics, it really could happen. In fact it no longer seems all that far fetched.
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Iran is a major country. It has a great people with a long history and lots of natural resources. And it is the only member of the UN which is openly calling for the genocide and complete and total destruction of another member of the UN.
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I just don't believe that the problem has been caused by McDonalds, big fuel inefficient SUVs, or Global Warming. Or that the problem will go away if the U.S. leaves Iraq and Afghanistan, and when George Bush is no longer president. That is a nice, comfortable, simplistic view but the situation is actually far more complicated than that.
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It does somewhat involve the necessity to greatly raise the standard of living of the poor folks in Africa (including the Arabs in North Africa), India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central and South America, etc. This of course means lowering somewhat the financial standard of living of Europe and America and the oil-rich middle East. Fat chance huh? This also leads one to the problem of governmental corruption in many of these poor countries. Education is critical, as are the rights of women and human rights in general. And really elementary things like running water, sewage systems, starvation, and universal health care even for poor folks (listen up America).
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Unfortunately one cannot completely deal with this situation entirely rationally. It seemed like the Reformation and the Rennaisance permanently put reason in the driver's seat. But now in parts of the world we again have the delusion of "faith" and religion gaining the upper hand. Religious leaders encouraging violence. And even using their religions to get their followers to kill people by committing suicide. Totally fucking sick. Really.
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I hate war. One of my specialties the last few years has been visiting WWI and WWII battle sites and cemeteries here in Europe. War is terrible and there just isn't much one can say about it that is good. But that doesn't mean that I am a pacifist.
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It is a real shame, but there are times when one has to be strong and stand up to stop evil or bullying. Hitler, Musolini, and Stalin are good examples. Slavery and the way blacks were treated primarly in the South after the civil war. The taliban. Drug barons.
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I admire Ghandi a lot. Same with the carpenter from Nazareth and Martin Luther King. And Robin Hood (even though most of what he did was mythical). Studying animals, especially Chimps and Bonobos one realizes that we really are not all that different from them. And that distasteful as it may be sometimes one has to stand up for what one believes in, what is right and decent, even if that means fighting and maybe even dying.
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I really haven't fully figured out the solution, but I do know for sure that appeasement or just laying down and letting these guys walk all over us (or bomb us) is not the most effective long term solution.
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Shimon Perez is a nice, gentle, mellow old man. He describes him as the worst dictator since Stalin and Hitler. This description seems accurate if somewhat understated to me.
-
The Nuremberg trials at the end of WWII were well done by some very intelligent people who cared a great deal about world peace. The trial in Iraq seems pretty unprofessional by comparision.
-
The prospect of continued nuclear proliferation seems likely to continue. India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, the French, Brits, Americans, Russians, Chinese, etc. It will probably even accelerate unless our best and brightest put some serious effort into it. And then in a few years some suicidal, lunatic, religious-political terrorist group will no doubt get their own wee little nuke and use it. Just like the psychopath Ossama enjoyed knocking down the world trade center in NY. Iatollas with atomic bombs. And maybe someone else will then retaliate against them by using their own nuke(s).
-
This is not just some kind of scare tactics, it really could happen. In fact it no longer seems all that far fetched.
-
Iran is a major country. It has a great people with a long history and lots of natural resources. And it is the only member of the UN which is openly calling for the genocide and complete and total destruction of another member of the UN.
-
I just don't believe that the problem has been caused by McDonalds, big fuel inefficient SUVs, or Global Warming. Or that the problem will go away if the U.S. leaves Iraq and Afghanistan, and when George Bush is no longer president. That is a nice, comfortable, simplistic view but the situation is actually far more complicated than that.
-
It does somewhat involve the necessity to greatly raise the standard of living of the poor folks in Africa (including the Arabs in North Africa), India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central and South America, etc. This of course means lowering somewhat the financial standard of living of Europe and America and the oil-rich middle East. Fat chance huh? This also leads one to the problem of governmental corruption in many of these poor countries. Education is critical, as are the rights of women and human rights in general. And really elementary things like running water, sewage systems, starvation, and universal health care even for poor folks (listen up America).
-
Unfortunately one cannot completely deal with this situation entirely rationally. It seemed like the Reformation and the Rennaisance permanently put reason in the driver's seat. But now in parts of the world we again have the delusion of "faith" and religion gaining the upper hand. Religious leaders encouraging violence. And even using their religions to get their followers to kill people by committing suicide. Totally fucking sick. Really.
-
I hate war. One of my specialties the last few years has been visiting WWI and WWII battle sites and cemeteries here in Europe. War is terrible and there just isn't much one can say about it that is good. But that doesn't mean that I am a pacifist.
-
It is a real shame, but there are times when one has to be strong and stand up to stop evil or bullying. Hitler, Musolini, and Stalin are good examples. Slavery and the way blacks were treated primarly in the South after the civil war. The taliban. Drug barons.
-
I admire Ghandi a lot. Same with the carpenter from Nazareth and Martin Luther King. And Robin Hood (even though most of what he did was mythical). Studying animals, especially Chimps and Bonobos one realizes that we really are not all that different from them. And that distasteful as it may be sometimes one has to stand up for what one believes in, what is right and decent, even if that means fighting and maybe even dying.
-
I really haven't fully figured out the solution, but I do know for sure that appeasement or just laying down and letting these guys walk all over us (or bomb us) is not the most effective long term solution.
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Comments from my buddy in Northern California:
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Communication and education would take a load off the world's pressure cooker. Dictators like Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong Il are, like the people they squat over, isolated from the world's mainstream and I think really lose touch with commonly accepted ambient reality. They grow up and are groomed for power in a bubble. I guess they don't know they live in a dream world that is incompatible with the things going on beyond the border. I think this is plain to see when you listen the their ambassadors who espouse almost cult like, repetitious dribble about their dear leader. Remember Turik saying everything was under control and there is no invasion as air and sea launched cruise missiles were were gently touching down in the background? Pay no attention to the explosions and chaos in the streets. It's all under control. The great and powerful Saddam has spoken. Gotta go.
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By way of technology, outside news dribbles in and keeps a spark of doubt alive on the inside. I'm beginning to suspect that Il set off a gazillion sticks of dynamite instead of a real nuke. I guess it's back to containment, hopefully with at least regional, if not world support. Ahh, the responsibilities of being sheriff. I don't know what will happen. I used to think the Soviets were crazy and about to launch - had bad dreams of seeing Biggs Air Force Base sizzling under the desert bloom of a mushroom from my parents' backyard. I guess it turns out we were that close only once. What would happen if Israel took out Iran's production facilities and the US or Japan took out Nkorea's? What would happen if Bush staves off a draft by recycling reserve and guard troops so that the next president has no choice but to reinstate it? News at six.
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Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Roy Bean
In researching the old Butterfield Stage I found that the small town of Mesilla, just outside of Las Cruces, New Mexico, was the largest settlement between San Antonio and San Diego in the late 1850's. And Roy Bean and his brother ran a saloon right on the main square.
So I ordered this book from Amazon. I guess it must be out of print.
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This copy was originally in the Albuquerque Public Library. It was first published in 1943 when Charles Leland Sonnichsen was only 42 years old.
-I see now why Sonnichsen is so famous. Not only is he a good researcher, he is an excellent 
writer. A real pleasure to read.
writer. A real pleasure to read.-#
ASARCO El Paso
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#
The ASARCO smelter in El Paso reportedly burned illegal toxic waste for years. And recently released material indicates that the government regulatory officials knew about it and helped keep it secret.
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LINK: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061009/clm081.html?.v=33
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and also http://tinyurl.com/ydcqsg
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LINK: http://tinyurl.com/rsgdb
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Monday, October 09, 2006
Links to Organizations
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Austin High School Alumni Association http://austin.episd.org/alumni/alumni.html#c66
Columbus New Mexico Historical Association - Life Member http://www.huntel.com/~artpike/columbu3.htm
--------------------------------------------------------- http://tinyurl.com/2kcdzy
Luna County Historical Society http://www.oldwestcountry.com/tmpl1.php?CID=BKAZ5
El Paso Archaeological Society http://www.epas.com/
El Paso Mineral and Gem Society http://home.netcom.com/~hoffmans/El_Paso.html
El Paso Solar Energy Association - Life Member http://www.epsea.org/
El Paso Railroad & Transportation Museum Friends http://elpasorails.org
Deming New Mexico Gem & Mineral Society http://dgms.bravehost.com/
Teardrop Travel Trailer Group on Yahoo http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/TearJerkers/
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance http://www.nmwild.org/ a
Otero Mesa Coalition http://www.oteromesa.org/
Medieval Pottery Research Group London: http://www.medievalpottery.org.uk/
Fluorescent Mineral Society http://www.uvminerals.org/
Antwerp Belgium Mineral Club http://www.minerant.org/home.html
Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.org/
CLL Leukemia http://tinyurl.com/flsla
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Cyst
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I had the stitches removed this morning. And the doctor showed me the report from the pathologist. The bump on my neck that they cut off 11 days ago was just a cyst. So no further action is required.
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And he verified that all the other lumps and bumps are indeed just swollen lymph nodes from the leukemia. Both results are good news!
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Sunday, October 08, 2006
Picture Links
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My Very Most Favorite Pictures: http://tinyurl.com/zw6gn
Europe Summarized: http://www.geocities.com/h_paul_garland/pics.html
European Archaeology: http://hpgarland.blogspot.com/2006/09/european-archaeology.html
Vaseline/Uraninum Glass: http://tinyurl.com/nvmv4
Fluorescent Minerals: http://tinyurl.com/re47r
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Middle Age Stoneware: http://tinyurl.com/oyt8h
Lighting Pre-Electricity European: http://tinyurl.com/m9czz
World War II: http://tinyurl.com/nppbr
Great Britain & Italy: http://hpgarland.blogspot.com/2006/08/scotland.html
Germany: http://tinyurl.com/s4lf7
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France: http://tinyurl.com/qzmav
Belgium & The Nederlands: http://tinyurl.com/huc79
Me: http://tinyurl.com/lzlw3
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You Tube
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This is a great video by the younger, thinner Stephen Fry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKdGwfMD8u8
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Saturday, October 07, 2006
CLL
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CLL Topics Chaya: http://www.clltopics.org/
ACOR CLL: http://cll.acor.org/help.htm
CLL Forum: http://www.cllforum.com/
Professor Terry Hamblin: http://mutated-unmuated.blogspot.com/
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CLL David Arenson: http://clldiary.blogspot.com/
CLL Canada: http://www.cllcanada.ca/
CLL Support Association UK: http://www.cllsupport.org.uk/
CLL Pictures: http://tinyurl.com/op6hn
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Memorial: http://www.cllfoundation.org/Memorial.aspx
David Covell: http://tinyurl.com/egf3f (includes his pictures and his music) http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/davidleecovell/my_photos http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=155470
Great Video: http://www.presentme.com/FLASH/51029LRFFurman/
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Only thieves cover their faces in English Society. And scrub nurses.
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This quote is from Professor Terry Hamblin's excellent blog.
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LINK: http://mutated-unmuated.blogspot.com/2006/10/jack-straw.html
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This quote is from Professor Terry Hamblin's excellent blog.
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LINK: http://mutated-unmuated.blogspot.com/2006/10/jack-straw.html
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Friday, October 06, 2006
Vitruvian Man
(click on the images and they will enlarge)
I went over to the supermarket this evening to buy some tortillas, 
milk, grapes, and other essentials like organic eggs, whole wheat bread, TP, frozen brocolli, French cheese, and peanut butter.
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I got out a one Euro coin out of my jeans pocket to put in the shopping basket, and I happened to notice that this was the version minted in Italy, so it had the Vitruvian Man on the back
side.
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I guess the Dan Brown Da Vinci freaks take this as clear proof that the descendants of Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene are still in hidden and conspiratorial, but very powerful positions.
milk, grapes, and other essentials like organic eggs, whole wheat bread, TP, frozen brocolli, French cheese, and peanut butter.-
I got out a one Euro coin out of my jeans pocket to put in the shopping basket, and I happened to notice that this was the version minted in Italy, so it had the Vitruvian Man on the back
side.-
I guess the Dan Brown Da Vinci freaks take this as clear proof that the descendants of Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene are still in hidden and conspiratorial, but very powerful positions.
Along with the Knights Templar, the Illuminati, the Priory of Sion and Opeus Dei. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not putting these folks down. I enjoy the hunt 
too. I just don't take it terribly seriously.
too. I just don't take it terribly seriously.-
Acutually I’m a little bit of a closet Dan Brown groupie myself.
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I have searched for Davinci Code clues at the Church
of Saint Sulpice in Paris, and in the Louvre I've seen the inverted pyramid and the Mona Lisa.
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I’ve also searched out and found the Arago-Rose line which marks where the prime meridian which used to run through Paris before Napoleon's arrogance put an end to that.
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At Glastonbury I wandered around the Abbey, climbed up to the tower, slept in the same bed that David Bowie had previously, and I learned about their version of quest for the Holy Grail.
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I have searched for Davinci Code clues at the Church
of Saint Sulpice in Paris, and in the Louvre I've seen the inverted pyramid and the Mona Lisa.-
I’ve also searched out and found the Arago-Rose line which marks where the prime meridian which used to run through Paris before Napoleon's arrogance put an end to that.
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At Glastonbury I wandered around the Abbey, climbed up to the tower, slept in the same bed that David Bowie had previously, and I learned about their version of quest for the Holy Grail.
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I’ve also been to Zurich, Normandy, Westminster Abbey in London, and The Vatican all of which are in the book. 
And I've been to an excellent exhibition of original Leonard da Vinci drawings in the Queen's Gallery of Buckingham Palace.-
And of course the Knights Templar church in London and the amazing Rosslyn chapel just south of Edinburg, Scotland.
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Rosslyn Chapel Link: http://tinyurl.com/n4q55
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Leukemia and Chemo Brain
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A friend of mine has published an excellent analysis of "chemo brain" on his blog.
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It is well worth taking the time to read this: http://clldiary.blogspot.com/2006/10/fog-lifts-on-chemo-brain.html
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A friend of mine has published an excellent analysis of "chemo brain" on his blog.
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It is well worth taking the time to read this: http://clldiary.blogspot.com/2006/10/fog-lifts-on-chemo-brain.html
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