14 March 2010 Herd enough yet?
http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/09/report-facebook-to-add-location-features/?hpt=Sbin
“March 9, 2010
Report: Facebook to add location features
Posted: 04:27 PM ET
Beginning next month, Facebook may start telling its users not only what their friends are doing, but also where they're doing it.
The New York Times' Bits Blog says the popular online social network will announce this "location-based" feature at its upcoming conference, called f8. The conference takes place April 21-22 in San Francisco.
Site users, according to the post, will be able to add their locations to status updates on Facebook.
Similar location services are an emerging trend with online social networks. Some Web sites, like foursquare and Gowalla, are dedicated largely to telling your online friends where you are at any given moment. This is seen by some as a helpful way for friends to find each other and meet up in real life. It's also regarded as an advertising opportunity for businesses that can convince customers to post about their store visits on the Internet.”
Humans are social animals, engineered by genetics to gravitate toward group life.
The tendency to function as a pack was pro-survival in the generations when we existed as hunter-gatherer clans of often-inbred extended families. The most lethal genetic combinations became readily apparent and were usually excluded from the chromosomal heritage passed down to evolving clans. We managed to last long enough for families and clans to grow into tribes and city states. Our ability to create and use language as a tool allowed us to pass on ideas and concepts to other tribes and to eventually adopt what they would share. At some point in the early history of human kind we learned to cooperate to accomplish tasks. At another we learned that sometimes a leadership structure or hierarchy was essential in order to accomplish anything. City-States grew in size and power, spread out into larger territories, and ruling classes developed based upon various criteria such as physical prowess, property and/or land ownership, ability to communicate with local deities – or to make everyone else believe that one possessed such ability. Merchant, farmer, soldier, priest, and royal classes became part of the structure of every city-state.
Along with this growth in population came an evolution in how humanity communicated. From the rudimentary face-to-face grunts that were language we progressed to writing as a means of transferring information to people not present. We sent such messages by courier at walking or running speed. The domestication of horses provided greater speed of transfer; boats allowed information to cross water barriers, carrier pigeons could transfer a very limited message but were faster than foot powered transfers. Along with flashing mirrors, signal flags, and a few other mechanical methods people on foot or on horse essentially carried most information from the beginning of recorded history up to the invention of the telegraph. Then, suddenly, a lot of information could be transmitted very rapidly, once the wires between A& B were in place. Then, at the opposite end, the message quite often was delivered to the end recipient at pedestrian speed.
In the last decades the rapid development of relatively cheap and relatively reliable cellular telephone service has provided almost everyone in an industrialized nation with the ability to misuse the ability to transmit verbal messages from place to place and person to person.
What this capability to chatter endlessly has spawned is the existence of social packs that make up for their lack of ability to locate one another by sight, scent, or sound, by wireless connection. The youngest generations have become so in need of constant pack contact that they spend hours using cell phones to send text messages back and forth before making any decision or taking any action. The pack must approve whatever it is the pack member wishes to do. The pack must know what every pack member is doing at all times.
Social networking sites feed into this pack behavior. Millions of people log onto one or more such service at least once a day to “update status.” Among the younger generations this can become a constant practice unless someone actually pries the means of communication from their fingers. Then they are all too often lost.
Yes, I recognize the moderate level of hypocrisy involved in posting this entry on a social networking site. Yes, Gloria and I have cell phones. The only time I’ve ever used mine to send a text message was on our last night in Vancouver while trying to meet my son for dinner. Because of where we live and how we use telephones we still maintain a landline. Cell service is very iffy in the mountains of TN. Yes, posting this entry and similar entries is a form of “status update” but it is rarely more than a once a day event. The only person I regularly consult by cell phone is Gloria and I’m careful to avoid driving while talking. Almost everything we need to relate to each other can be related once we are both home and face to face.
After spending long years on call for one laboratory or another I don’t want to be in constant contact with a horde of people. I can decide what to eat, where to shop, what road to take without input from a dozen people. I do not need and do not want that same dozen or an even greater number knowing where I am every minute of the day. I want to see the younger generations learn to act as individuals, to operate a car or truck without simultaneously talking to one, three, or more people. I want them to appreciate what a wonderful tool they have been handed far too early in their lives.
CNN in the article linked above asks the reader if the practice of uploading one’s location constantly is a good thing. I don’t want to come to rely on a monitoring system that is not geographically viable for any safety concerns I might think justify the plan. While I can think of some reasons revolving around safety for others, which any criminal with half a brain can rapidly work around; my answer is a loud and definite, “No!”
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
13 March 2010 Don’t wait for Texas to secede again
13 March 2010 Don’t wait for Texas to secede again
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html?th&emc=th
“Texas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
Published: March 12, 2010
AUSTIN, Tex. — After three days of turbulent meetings, the Texas Board of Education on Friday approved a social studies curriculum that will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Fathers’ commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light. “
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/community/groups/index.html?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3aa70e3396-6663-4a8d-ba19-e44939d3c44fForum%3a74bb3efc-ad37-4cc2-bb99-41689bd2aad1Discussion%3adc6e4bce-e433-456d-bbb6-fec2318fb725&hpid=talkbox1
“Cultural Rewind » Texas Adopts a More Conservative Curriculum
Texas Adopts a More Conservative Curriculum
posted at 3/12/2010 6:08 PM EST
*Moderator*
PhilipKennicott
First post: 11/12/2009
Last post: 3/12/2010
Total posts: 43 Texas is at the center of yet more cultural controversy over the content of textbooks after the State Board of Education adopted new, and more conservative standards for the teaching of history and other subjects. Dozens of changes to the curriculum will emphasize the role of Christianity in the founding of America and downplay the role of Hispanics and other minorities, according to reports.
“As part of the new curriculum,” says the AP, “the elected board — made up of lawyers, a dentist and a weekly newspaper publisher among others — rejected an attempt to ensure that children learn why the U.S. was founded on the principle of religious freedom.”
What role should professional educators play in the creation of these standards, and how much should be left to elected boards? “
What a timely find in light of yesterday’s entry!
Sometimes the words don’t come easily and other times something hands them to you like a gift-wrapped package.
I’m reminded of the many papers, magazine articles, and books published in the period 1950-80 about the use of school curricula as a means of indoctrination by those organizations within the USSR and the Communist Party responsible for education. The term “revisionist” was hurled frequently and vehemently by the host of anti-communist authors. The idea that anyone would want to alter history for political purposes was horrifying. The thought of using schools to advance a particular religion was felt to be nearly criminal.
Fast forward from the Nixon southern strategy’s implementation to the present day. The GOP has encouraged a near theocracy for decades now. Those churches that are most militant in their desire to convert the world have fallen happily in line and now have heroes in their ranks who would happily subvert our Constitution, and its essential 1st Amendment to the proclamations of a poorly translated sacred book. This power base has brought us to the point where our schools are too often prevented from teaching a valid science-based curriculum but where individual teachers feel free to interject their particular religious mythos into classrooms with no penalty.
It seems to me that the good folk of Texas have elevated some from among their own to replace the commissars of the USSR. Texas schools, far from being bastions of educational honesty and accuracy, will now become mechanisms for distorting not only Texas but U.S. and world history. They will also become extensions of churches. We’ll be shelling out taxes that Texas will receive and then use to establish a state religion.
I’m certain that the good folks of Texas would object if tax revenues were somehow used to advance recruitment and instruction of Texas students by the Roman Catholic Church. Yet a sizeable number of them see no harm in public schools being used to force education by a protestant sect; or that the sect in question is twisting history, banning valid biological studies, and refusing to acknowledge contributions to society by anyone who looks or prays differently from that sect. Sounds very similar to the USSR’s programming to me.
Texas may have been convinced by a power base of theocrats that our founding fathers were all Christians. The founders I learned about in those more fortunate days when historical accuracy was somewhat more valued knew of the danger of theocracy only too well. To expunge Jefferson from history texts and to replace him with the likes of Phyllis Schafly and a rehabilitated Joe McCarthy is on par with the exclusion of the Torah from public libraries because of its Jewish origin. It won’t be long until young Texans are taught that a blue-eyed, 6’4” Jesus spoke English and chased Mexicans from the Alamo alongside Sam Houston. Once you start revising, why stop until there’s nothing left to revise? After all, Jesus will be so busy deciding who wins high school football games that he’ll need someone else to help run the government.
Maybe we should replace that white star on the Texas flag with a red star.
Perhaps it is time for Texas to secede. I’m sure that Mexico would welcome them back with open arms. Of course, we’ll have to move our space center and all those military bases and equipment that are there now. But I’m sure there are equally educationally backward states to absorb the bases and the space center would do well in Colorado, Oklahoma, or New Mexico.
http://www.uclick.com/client/wpc/wpnan/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html?th&emc=th
“Texas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
Published: March 12, 2010
AUSTIN, Tex. — After three days of turbulent meetings, the Texas Board of Education on Friday approved a social studies curriculum that will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Fathers’ commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light. “
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/community/groups/index.html?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3aa70e3396-6663-4a8d-ba19-e44939d3c44fForum%3a74bb3efc-ad37-4cc2-bb99-41689bd2aad1Discussion%3adc6e4bce-e433-456d-bbb6-fec2318fb725&hpid=talkbox1
“Cultural Rewind » Texas Adopts a More Conservative Curriculum
Texas Adopts a More Conservative Curriculum
posted at 3/12/2010 6:08 PM EST
*Moderator*
PhilipKennicott
First post: 11/12/2009
Last post: 3/12/2010
Total posts: 43 Texas is at the center of yet more cultural controversy over the content of textbooks after the State Board of Education adopted new, and more conservative standards for the teaching of history and other subjects. Dozens of changes to the curriculum will emphasize the role of Christianity in the founding of America and downplay the role of Hispanics and other minorities, according to reports.
“As part of the new curriculum,” says the AP, “the elected board — made up of lawyers, a dentist and a weekly newspaper publisher among others — rejected an attempt to ensure that children learn why the U.S. was founded on the principle of religious freedom.”
What role should professional educators play in the creation of these standards, and how much should be left to elected boards? “
What a timely find in light of yesterday’s entry!
Sometimes the words don’t come easily and other times something hands them to you like a gift-wrapped package.
I’m reminded of the many papers, magazine articles, and books published in the period 1950-80 about the use of school curricula as a means of indoctrination by those organizations within the USSR and the Communist Party responsible for education. The term “revisionist” was hurled frequently and vehemently by the host of anti-communist authors. The idea that anyone would want to alter history for political purposes was horrifying. The thought of using schools to advance a particular religion was felt to be nearly criminal.
Fast forward from the Nixon southern strategy’s implementation to the present day. The GOP has encouraged a near theocracy for decades now. Those churches that are most militant in their desire to convert the world have fallen happily in line and now have heroes in their ranks who would happily subvert our Constitution, and its essential 1st Amendment to the proclamations of a poorly translated sacred book. This power base has brought us to the point where our schools are too often prevented from teaching a valid science-based curriculum but where individual teachers feel free to interject their particular religious mythos into classrooms with no penalty.
It seems to me that the good folk of Texas have elevated some from among their own to replace the commissars of the USSR. Texas schools, far from being bastions of educational honesty and accuracy, will now become mechanisms for distorting not only Texas but U.S. and world history. They will also become extensions of churches. We’ll be shelling out taxes that Texas will receive and then use to establish a state religion.
I’m certain that the good folks of Texas would object if tax revenues were somehow used to advance recruitment and instruction of Texas students by the Roman Catholic Church. Yet a sizeable number of them see no harm in public schools being used to force education by a protestant sect; or that the sect in question is twisting history, banning valid biological studies, and refusing to acknowledge contributions to society by anyone who looks or prays differently from that sect. Sounds very similar to the USSR’s programming to me.
Texas may have been convinced by a power base of theocrats that our founding fathers were all Christians. The founders I learned about in those more fortunate days when historical accuracy was somewhat more valued knew of the danger of theocracy only too well. To expunge Jefferson from history texts and to replace him with the likes of Phyllis Schafly and a rehabilitated Joe McCarthy is on par with the exclusion of the Torah from public libraries because of its Jewish origin. It won’t be long until young Texans are taught that a blue-eyed, 6’4” Jesus spoke English and chased Mexicans from the Alamo alongside Sam Houston. Once you start revising, why stop until there’s nothing left to revise? After all, Jesus will be so busy deciding who wins high school football games that he’ll need someone else to help run the government.
Maybe we should replace that white star on the Texas flag with a red star.
Perhaps it is time for Texas to secede. I’m sure that Mexico would welcome them back with open arms. Of course, we’ll have to move our space center and all those military bases and equipment that are there now. But I’m sure there are equally educationally backward states to absorb the bases and the space center would do well in Colorado, Oklahoma, or New Mexico.
http://www.uclick.com/client/wpc/wpnan/
Friday, March 12, 2010
12 March 2010 Survey this
12 March 2010 Survey this
Today’s mail brought on solicitation from some anti-Obama front for the GOP. I tossed it into the trash unopened. In the same handful of junk was a survey that the DNC would like me to complete about “how I feel Obama has done,” and what priorities I place on foreign and national policies and programs. Then there was a shorter prioritization section about what the DNC’s priorities should be. Lastly there was a too-short space for comments and a large section begging for money. I filled it out, stuffed it into the pre-paid envelope, and will hand it back to the USPS tomorrow so that the DNC gets the benefit of my thoughts.
I think Obama has done a “good” job with regard to the economy. We’re still deeply in debt, going deeper, but the system didn’t melt down. Between Bush’s last minute bailout and the immediate repeat that Obama’s people believed to be necessary, the government is still functioning and most nations have avoided a repeat of the Great Depression. Of course, not calling it a depression blunts the reality. It should be labeled the “Reagan-Bush not-so-great depression.” Perhaps that awareness will trickle down yet.
He gets poor marks for not immediately restoring the banking and financial trading oversight and regulations that allowed the current problems to happen. Until he recognizes the necessity for re-regulation and tells the banks to shut up and accept the return to regulation that prevents the world’s average citizens being screwed by the bankers and traders; he will continue to receive a “poor” rating.
He also gets “poor” marks for job creations. The New Deal showed the way. Put people to work picking up trash, clearing rubble, anything that can be done by the un-educated or under-educated people needing weekly paychecks. The private sector will never provide jobs until they are forced to provide them in order to have people buy their products.
Foreign policy? “Poor marks”
Forget N. Korea until they sell a bomb to someone or launch a bomb-laden missile. Then sink the ship or derail the train, take out the truck, as needed, before it leaves N. Korea.
Iran? Sanctions and timely strikes against their nuclear plants. No more attempts to talk with them. Remind them that the Persian Empire lost to the West. They need to sell oil even more than we need to buy it. Blockade their ports.
Iraq? We’re done there. Pull out all of our equipment. Leave nothing useful behind. Load it all on our trucks and drive it to Israel until we can transport it elsewhere. Let Iraq settle its own future. If they destroy what’s left, it’s their problem now.
Israel? Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital city of Israel. Support them as allies, tell them a two state solution is expected and insist they implement it. The would-be-Palestinians can find a new capital city. They were late-comers to Jerusalem. Gaza belongs to Egypt. Tell them so. Israel needs to stop building settlements in the West Bank and should remove all the ultra-orthodox settlers just as was done in Gaza. Leave the buildings for the would-be-Palestinians, who will, sadly, probably destroy them as was done with the infrastructure left in Gaza.
How the rest of the world views us is not worth the travel and speeches that have happened or are planned. Show them our intent from here.
Domestic policy? “Poor marks”
We need to focus on putting people to work.
We need to pass health care reform and implement single payer national health insurance. The GOP, Blue Dogs, and insurance company can collectively stand aside or be publically pilloried as opposing affordable health care for our citizens.
Immigration, seal the southern borders. We have enough people needing jobs, education, and housing without providing them to Mexican citizens. Jail our citizens who hire illegals. End the practice of cities and churches offering “sanctuary.” We left the Dark Ages behind.
Education? We need national policies and standards for all public schools with increased demands for all students focusing on mathematics and sciences. Football, basketball, baseball, and other athletic programs should be done away with. We need the money for textbooks, not stadia. Europeans pay to belong to athletic teams in their various communities. They do not waste education funding on athletics. Any student capable of earning an academic scholarship should receive national funding to continue his or her education in the sciences, mathematics, literature, and other disciplines beneficial to the nation. Local school boards no longer work. We have too many situations where bias, religion, and poverty have resulted in schools that do not teach. We don’t need any more examples like Mississippi and Alabama.
We need new energy resources. Nuclear plants need to be constructed and brought up on-line. We need wind farms where ever possible. We need to upgrade public transportation in our cities and between cities. Ethanol is not a solution; quit paying for it.
Mr. Obama, you hold a unique place in our history. Sadly much of our population is bigoted, poorly educated, and prone to following demagogues like Limbaugh and Palin. They will never like you or even accept you. Yet you have the power to make huge changes. You could achieve greatness as well occupy the place you already hold. Recognize that opportunity and risk it all! Earn the “Excellent” you are capable of earning. Tell the GOP to “Go to Hell” and do what the nation needs you to do.
As for the DNC:
You’ve already blown it. You came to power with an unheard of majority in Congress and you let the GOP spin lies and panic between truth and the public. You let your own divisiveness and lack of courage cost us the future.
We needed banking regulations, health care reform, and economic reform. You showed us spineless, divided, selfish men and women more concerned with re-election than with the nation’s needs. You all deserve to be swept from office. Only the unqualified greed and lust for power of the GOP prevents me from wishing that you all be defeated.
We need progressive candidates at grass roots, local, state, and national levels. We need people willing to remain free of lobbyist entrapment, willing to vote for the people, not corporate backers.
We need Obama to quit worrying about re-election and to act presidential.
We need to unseat the GOP as a bloc. Which means that all the elected Democrats need to actually forget about re-election and do what we sent you there to do. Carry out the business and needs of the citizens, not that of Wall Street and K Street.
Today’s mail brought on solicitation from some anti-Obama front for the GOP. I tossed it into the trash unopened. In the same handful of junk was a survey that the DNC would like me to complete about “how I feel Obama has done,” and what priorities I place on foreign and national policies and programs. Then there was a shorter prioritization section about what the DNC’s priorities should be. Lastly there was a too-short space for comments and a large section begging for money. I filled it out, stuffed it into the pre-paid envelope, and will hand it back to the USPS tomorrow so that the DNC gets the benefit of my thoughts.
I think Obama has done a “good” job with regard to the economy. We’re still deeply in debt, going deeper, but the system didn’t melt down. Between Bush’s last minute bailout and the immediate repeat that Obama’s people believed to be necessary, the government is still functioning and most nations have avoided a repeat of the Great Depression. Of course, not calling it a depression blunts the reality. It should be labeled the “Reagan-Bush not-so-great depression.” Perhaps that awareness will trickle down yet.
He gets poor marks for not immediately restoring the banking and financial trading oversight and regulations that allowed the current problems to happen. Until he recognizes the necessity for re-regulation and tells the banks to shut up and accept the return to regulation that prevents the world’s average citizens being screwed by the bankers and traders; he will continue to receive a “poor” rating.
He also gets “poor” marks for job creations. The New Deal showed the way. Put people to work picking up trash, clearing rubble, anything that can be done by the un-educated or under-educated people needing weekly paychecks. The private sector will never provide jobs until they are forced to provide them in order to have people buy their products.
Foreign policy? “Poor marks”
Forget N. Korea until they sell a bomb to someone or launch a bomb-laden missile. Then sink the ship or derail the train, take out the truck, as needed, before it leaves N. Korea.
Iran? Sanctions and timely strikes against their nuclear plants. No more attempts to talk with them. Remind them that the Persian Empire lost to the West. They need to sell oil even more than we need to buy it. Blockade their ports.
Iraq? We’re done there. Pull out all of our equipment. Leave nothing useful behind. Load it all on our trucks and drive it to Israel until we can transport it elsewhere. Let Iraq settle its own future. If they destroy what’s left, it’s their problem now.
Israel? Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital city of Israel. Support them as allies, tell them a two state solution is expected and insist they implement it. The would-be-Palestinians can find a new capital city. They were late-comers to Jerusalem. Gaza belongs to Egypt. Tell them so. Israel needs to stop building settlements in the West Bank and should remove all the ultra-orthodox settlers just as was done in Gaza. Leave the buildings for the would-be-Palestinians, who will, sadly, probably destroy them as was done with the infrastructure left in Gaza.
How the rest of the world views us is not worth the travel and speeches that have happened or are planned. Show them our intent from here.
Domestic policy? “Poor marks”
We need to focus on putting people to work.
We need to pass health care reform and implement single payer national health insurance. The GOP, Blue Dogs, and insurance company can collectively stand aside or be publically pilloried as opposing affordable health care for our citizens.
Immigration, seal the southern borders. We have enough people needing jobs, education, and housing without providing them to Mexican citizens. Jail our citizens who hire illegals. End the practice of cities and churches offering “sanctuary.” We left the Dark Ages behind.
Education? We need national policies and standards for all public schools with increased demands for all students focusing on mathematics and sciences. Football, basketball, baseball, and other athletic programs should be done away with. We need the money for textbooks, not stadia. Europeans pay to belong to athletic teams in their various communities. They do not waste education funding on athletics. Any student capable of earning an academic scholarship should receive national funding to continue his or her education in the sciences, mathematics, literature, and other disciplines beneficial to the nation. Local school boards no longer work. We have too many situations where bias, religion, and poverty have resulted in schools that do not teach. We don’t need any more examples like Mississippi and Alabama.
We need new energy resources. Nuclear plants need to be constructed and brought up on-line. We need wind farms where ever possible. We need to upgrade public transportation in our cities and between cities. Ethanol is not a solution; quit paying for it.
Mr. Obama, you hold a unique place in our history. Sadly much of our population is bigoted, poorly educated, and prone to following demagogues like Limbaugh and Palin. They will never like you or even accept you. Yet you have the power to make huge changes. You could achieve greatness as well occupy the place you already hold. Recognize that opportunity and risk it all! Earn the “Excellent” you are capable of earning. Tell the GOP to “Go to Hell” and do what the nation needs you to do.
As for the DNC:
You’ve already blown it. You came to power with an unheard of majority in Congress and you let the GOP spin lies and panic between truth and the public. You let your own divisiveness and lack of courage cost us the future.
We needed banking regulations, health care reform, and economic reform. You showed us spineless, divided, selfish men and women more concerned with re-election than with the nation’s needs. You all deserve to be swept from office. Only the unqualified greed and lust for power of the GOP prevents me from wishing that you all be defeated.
We need progressive candidates at grass roots, local, state, and national levels. We need people willing to remain free of lobbyist entrapment, willing to vote for the people, not corporate backers.
We need Obama to quit worrying about re-election and to act presidential.
We need to unseat the GOP as a bloc. Which means that all the elected Democrats need to actually forget about re-election and do what we sent you there to do. Carry out the business and needs of the citizens, not that of Wall Street and K Street.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
11 March 2010 Weather is here we are too
11 March 2010 Weather is here we are too
We planned on running errands and food shopping in Greeneville today. So we decided to treat ourselves to barbeque at our favorite barbeque place. They have a lunch special that is just big enough and just cheap enough to make it well worth stopping to eat. Naturally, the rain began while we were inside Lowe’s our first of several stops. The middle part of the day was spent climbing into and out of the Pathfinder, looking for parking spaces not surrounded by puddles or a quarter mile from the shop doors. As we left Lowe’s we noticed that there was a “Chuck Wagon BBQ trailer parked in the lot at Lowes, selling food. “Expansion, how nice!” we thought. Out of the lot and on about our day’s errands.
After several stops we reached the barber shop we both use for our quarterly, or so, haircuts. Our timing was perfect, both chairs just finishing and we were the only customers waiting to be shorn. We were done slightly after noon, eager to drive to the other end of the parking lot to have lunch. The lack of smoke smell should have told us. The sign on the door explained the empty lot. They are, “looking for a new site. Meantime, visit us at Lowes.”
Back in the truck, drive back to Lowes, stand in the rain and order food. Then back along the planned route to find some lunch. By this time, we’ve decided to bring the BBQ home for dinner. We wound up at Long John Silver’s. Since moving here in late 2006 we’ve eaten there perhaps four times. Still, it was edible; the fries were real, not chopped, blended, and extruded. The dining area was clean, and the service was fast.
Grocery shopping consumed the rest of the afternoon. Now it is all put away. We bought two nicely sized corn beef briskets.
The rain in Greeneville was rather heavy. Here we’ve had about 0.05 inches total rainfall. This rain should melt much of the remaining snow pack. The mist-shrouded mountains and the turbulent, dark clouds made great imagery for the drive over and back. There was still snow apparent on the north faces when we went. The north faces were hard to see coming back. Combined with temperatures in the 60’s F, the rain will likely result in high water as the creeks are loaded with run-off. While we show no posted warnings or advisories the area around Roan Mountain and Elizabethton were cautioned last night to pay attention to local streams. I don’t think we’ve seen enough rainfall totals today to cause problems. Tomorrow may be different.
Another day to sleep in an hour or so later failed to materialize. I woke up at 0530 and couldn’t find a comfortable position and thus couldn’t get back to sleep. Rather than wake Gloria I rolled out about 0630. I’ll try again tomorrow.
Time to go lay a new fire in the stove. It will be cool and damp tonight so a warm stove will feel good as the day winds down.
We planned on running errands and food shopping in Greeneville today. So we decided to treat ourselves to barbeque at our favorite barbeque place. They have a lunch special that is just big enough and just cheap enough to make it well worth stopping to eat. Naturally, the rain began while we were inside Lowe’s our first of several stops. The middle part of the day was spent climbing into and out of the Pathfinder, looking for parking spaces not surrounded by puddles or a quarter mile from the shop doors. As we left Lowe’s we noticed that there was a “Chuck Wagon BBQ trailer parked in the lot at Lowes, selling food. “Expansion, how nice!” we thought. Out of the lot and on about our day’s errands.
After several stops we reached the barber shop we both use for our quarterly, or so, haircuts. Our timing was perfect, both chairs just finishing and we were the only customers waiting to be shorn. We were done slightly after noon, eager to drive to the other end of the parking lot to have lunch. The lack of smoke smell should have told us. The sign on the door explained the empty lot. They are, “looking for a new site. Meantime, visit us at Lowes.”
Back in the truck, drive back to Lowes, stand in the rain and order food. Then back along the planned route to find some lunch. By this time, we’ve decided to bring the BBQ home for dinner. We wound up at Long John Silver’s. Since moving here in late 2006 we’ve eaten there perhaps four times. Still, it was edible; the fries were real, not chopped, blended, and extruded. The dining area was clean, and the service was fast.
Grocery shopping consumed the rest of the afternoon. Now it is all put away. We bought two nicely sized corn beef briskets.
The rain in Greeneville was rather heavy. Here we’ve had about 0.05 inches total rainfall. This rain should melt much of the remaining snow pack. The mist-shrouded mountains and the turbulent, dark clouds made great imagery for the drive over and back. There was still snow apparent on the north faces when we went. The north faces were hard to see coming back. Combined with temperatures in the 60’s F, the rain will likely result in high water as the creeks are loaded with run-off. While we show no posted warnings or advisories the area around Roan Mountain and Elizabethton were cautioned last night to pay attention to local streams. I don’t think we’ve seen enough rainfall totals today to cause problems. Tomorrow may be different.
Another day to sleep in an hour or so later failed to materialize. I woke up at 0530 and couldn’t find a comfortable position and thus couldn’t get back to sleep. Rather than wake Gloria I rolled out about 0630. I’ll try again tomorrow.
Time to go lay a new fire in the stove. It will be cool and damp tonight so a warm stove will feel good as the day winds down.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
10 March 2010 Waiting for the rain
10 March 2010 Waiting for the rain
Rain is forecast for today. There is still some snow at the higher elevations. Moderate rain may result in a greater rise in the creek than the rain would normally bring. The ground is fairly well saturated and can’t hold as much as in prior years. Still, that saturation is a good thing, keeps people’s wells working.
Our well is still murky. The well company is supposed to install a new pressure tank this evening. Then we start looking at each possible factor to see if we can solve the well problem. There may not be any single solution. But we can hope for a good resolution to this ongoing problem.
Spring break is half over. I did manage to sleep in yesterday. Perhaps I can add an extra hour tomorrow. Daylight Savings time begins this Saturday. Just another thing that Congress should never have touched. However, they can collectively point to the most recent changes in beginning and ending DST and claim to have accomplished something.
Tonight’s dinner is prepped and in the reefer. Since we will have to cut off power to the well in order to have the pressure tank replaced, we will have no running water during the installation. So I planned ahead and we’ll be able to eat at about the regular time. The well pump is on a separate circuit. The kitchen will work except for the water source. Tonight we will eat zucchini stuffed with zucchini, onion, ground beef, garlic, various spices and herbs, matzo meal, and Roman cheese. Half an hour at 350°F and it will be ready to warm our stomachs and our attitudes.
Rain is forecast for today. There is still some snow at the higher elevations. Moderate rain may result in a greater rise in the creek than the rain would normally bring. The ground is fairly well saturated and can’t hold as much as in prior years. Still, that saturation is a good thing, keeps people’s wells working.
Our well is still murky. The well company is supposed to install a new pressure tank this evening. Then we start looking at each possible factor to see if we can solve the well problem. There may not be any single solution. But we can hope for a good resolution to this ongoing problem.
Spring break is half over. I did manage to sleep in yesterday. Perhaps I can add an extra hour tomorrow. Daylight Savings time begins this Saturday. Just another thing that Congress should never have touched. However, they can collectively point to the most recent changes in beginning and ending DST and claim to have accomplished something.
Tonight’s dinner is prepped and in the reefer. Since we will have to cut off power to the well in order to have the pressure tank replaced, we will have no running water during the installation. So I planned ahead and we’ll be able to eat at about the regular time. The well pump is on a separate circuit. The kitchen will work except for the water source. Tonight we will eat zucchini stuffed with zucchini, onion, ground beef, garlic, various spices and herbs, matzo meal, and Roman cheese. Half an hour at 350°F and it will be ready to warm our stomachs and our attitudes.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
9 March 2010 which crazies are the worst?
9 March 2010 which crazies are the worst?
In comparing the Abramic religions it is impossible to avoid noticing the similarity of the extreme factions in each faith.
Born in the harsh deserts of the Middle East, the three spawned followers as unyielding as granite. Each is certain that it is the one true faith and that all others are false. The fundamentalist adherents of all three have adopted customs and traditions beyond the tenets of each faith laid down in the sacred texts. They enforce the acceptance of these behaviors among their own and, whenever possible, demand they be accepted by the populace at large.
One faith claims to have developed the concept of monotheism. One faith claims that there is a tri-partite deity with the third facet sharing pre-eminence with the primary facet. And the third faith has created a prophet that, though human, is afforded many of the aspects of a deity. Two demand the rest of the world adopt many of these customs for daily life.
One prohibits the manufacture of any representation of a human form. One prohibits the depiction of its chief prophet. One encourages the depiction of its chief prophet but many such depictions are so far removed from any possible historical accuracy as to be laughable.
The fundamentalists in all three faiths believe in the divine inspiration and to some degree, dictation, of the sacred texts. Though the oldest hand-copied examples are rife with errors and differences in translation, the most fanatical followers of the 2nd oldest faith insist that every word is accurate. In many cases they have based theocracies upon such texts and still want to do so in many instances. The oldest and youngest accept only the scribe-copied versions which present in the original language used.
The oldest will not fully write the name of the deity. It maintains that the text is so sacred that if a modern print edition is dropped it must be kissed upon retrieval by way of apology and to ward off bad luck. This begs the question: which version of the name of the deity is so sacred and powerful? One can, obviously, assume the original source language name to be so powerful. What about bastardized languages, pairing the old and a new into a third dialect? Is the new dialect equally powerful? Yeshivot are full of such discussions.
Also included in such customs and traditions, not demanded by the deity but developed by men, are head coverings and other items of clothing. The most fundamental of this faith wear hats at all times. This is custom, not law. Their outer clothing is suitable for mid winter in the Pale and was designed to make them appear foolish as well as to identify them for abuse by Poles centuries ago. So it makes absolute sense to continue such costuming in modern times and in sub-tropical latitudes. Well, it does to those who enforce such custom. They’re trying to live in a blend of modern times, pre-enlightenment Poland, and 2nd Temple days.
The youngest faith affords their book the status of a talisman as well. Riots have been organized over supposed insults to the book. During such riots the mob will have no compunction about desecrating those sacred books of other faiths. In fact those texts are often targeted.
This same faith is bent upon keeping its followers adherent to a lifestyle that has no later connection with the modern world, other than for weaponry and organization, than Spain at the time of Columbus. If possible, they’ll roll society back another 5 centuries. While doing that, they also want to conquer the world and convert everyone they can. Slaughter is sufficient for the rest and historical precedent exists.
The 2nd oldest faith still wishes to build a modern life but one that is based upon female subservience, upon refusal to recognize the accomplishments of science. They, too, want to conquer the world, convert everyone. They’ll do it by the sword if possible, by withholding food and water if necessary. They and the youngest faith intend to dominate all other cultures and supplant governments developed in the manner of the early U.S. with harsh theocracies in the manner of the Inquisitions and of the witch trials in Salem.
It’s a real toss-up who’s crazies are worse.
Judaism remains a small faith with no desire to convert the rest of the world. By and large it is happy being left alone by others. That, of course, ignores their insistence upon Israel becoming the “Greater Israel” that they believe it should be – see sacred texts.
Christianity has undergone some reform but even so still wants hearts and minds as well as culture and nations. Its fundamentalists are determined to have every aspect of life controlled by some aspect of Christianity whether it is religious-based or secular. In doing so, they are likely to severely damage the quality and content of education and daily life in the U.S. One only has to look at parts of Europe and all of Latin America for examples.
Islam needs a reformation desperately. The Arab states, Iran, and all the “stans” shine dimly as cultures which have been heavily damaged by fundamentalist religions and may never progress above the level of quasi-states controlled by bandits and religious tyrants.
Who’s crazies are the worst?
Here are some good graphic links I found enjoyable. You may too.
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/recent/
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/recent/
In comparing the Abramic religions it is impossible to avoid noticing the similarity of the extreme factions in each faith.
Born in the harsh deserts of the Middle East, the three spawned followers as unyielding as granite. Each is certain that it is the one true faith and that all others are false. The fundamentalist adherents of all three have adopted customs and traditions beyond the tenets of each faith laid down in the sacred texts. They enforce the acceptance of these behaviors among their own and, whenever possible, demand they be accepted by the populace at large.
One faith claims to have developed the concept of monotheism. One faith claims that there is a tri-partite deity with the third facet sharing pre-eminence with the primary facet. And the third faith has created a prophet that, though human, is afforded many of the aspects of a deity. Two demand the rest of the world adopt many of these customs for daily life.
One prohibits the manufacture of any representation of a human form. One prohibits the depiction of its chief prophet. One encourages the depiction of its chief prophet but many such depictions are so far removed from any possible historical accuracy as to be laughable.
The fundamentalists in all three faiths believe in the divine inspiration and to some degree, dictation, of the sacred texts. Though the oldest hand-copied examples are rife with errors and differences in translation, the most fanatical followers of the 2nd oldest faith insist that every word is accurate. In many cases they have based theocracies upon such texts and still want to do so in many instances. The oldest and youngest accept only the scribe-copied versions which present in the original language used.
The oldest will not fully write the name of the deity. It maintains that the text is so sacred that if a modern print edition is dropped it must be kissed upon retrieval by way of apology and to ward off bad luck. This begs the question: which version of the name of the deity is so sacred and powerful? One can, obviously, assume the original source language name to be so powerful. What about bastardized languages, pairing the old and a new into a third dialect? Is the new dialect equally powerful? Yeshivot are full of such discussions.
Also included in such customs and traditions, not demanded by the deity but developed by men, are head coverings and other items of clothing. The most fundamental of this faith wear hats at all times. This is custom, not law. Their outer clothing is suitable for mid winter in the Pale and was designed to make them appear foolish as well as to identify them for abuse by Poles centuries ago. So it makes absolute sense to continue such costuming in modern times and in sub-tropical latitudes. Well, it does to those who enforce such custom. They’re trying to live in a blend of modern times, pre-enlightenment Poland, and 2nd Temple days.
The youngest faith affords their book the status of a talisman as well. Riots have been organized over supposed insults to the book. During such riots the mob will have no compunction about desecrating those sacred books of other faiths. In fact those texts are often targeted.
This same faith is bent upon keeping its followers adherent to a lifestyle that has no later connection with the modern world, other than for weaponry and organization, than Spain at the time of Columbus. If possible, they’ll roll society back another 5 centuries. While doing that, they also want to conquer the world and convert everyone they can. Slaughter is sufficient for the rest and historical precedent exists.
The 2nd oldest faith still wishes to build a modern life but one that is based upon female subservience, upon refusal to recognize the accomplishments of science. They, too, want to conquer the world, convert everyone. They’ll do it by the sword if possible, by withholding food and water if necessary. They and the youngest faith intend to dominate all other cultures and supplant governments developed in the manner of the early U.S. with harsh theocracies in the manner of the Inquisitions and of the witch trials in Salem.
It’s a real toss-up who’s crazies are worse.
Judaism remains a small faith with no desire to convert the rest of the world. By and large it is happy being left alone by others. That, of course, ignores their insistence upon Israel becoming the “Greater Israel” that they believe it should be – see sacred texts.
Christianity has undergone some reform but even so still wants hearts and minds as well as culture and nations. Its fundamentalists are determined to have every aspect of life controlled by some aspect of Christianity whether it is religious-based or secular. In doing so, they are likely to severely damage the quality and content of education and daily life in the U.S. One only has to look at parts of Europe and all of Latin America for examples.
Islam needs a reformation desperately. The Arab states, Iran, and all the “stans” shine dimly as cultures which have been heavily damaged by fundamentalist religions and may never progress above the level of quasi-states controlled by bandits and religious tyrants.
Who’s crazies are the worst?
Here are some good graphic links I found enjoyable. You may too.
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/recent/
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/recent/
Monday, March 8, 2010
8 March 2010 Yes, the taxman is our friend
8 March 2010 Yes, the taxman is our friend
In pursuit of legal and local truth we stumbled onto a property tracking software this morning. Unfortunately the county has decided to outsource and privatize the property record keeping that the Registrar of Deeds is elected to handle to a private company. Said company was offering free 7 day accounts to entice people who might use it professionally. I signed up and looked around to see if our unpleasant neighbor across the road actually had any registered deeds to the small section of our property along the road which he claims. Using records dating back to 1964 we found no such sale recorded.
Further, a conversation with the County assessor’s office provided a lack of any assessment against his tax liabilities for any land on our side of the road. The assessor’s office was quite helpful. They checked tax records dating back to 1985 and provided us the ownership periods for each owner from 1985 forward.
We’ve never seen the supposed deed he has shown to Gloria’s acquaintance who lives downstream from him. Since there is no communication in either direction we are not likely to see it. We acknowledge that water rights may have been conveyed at one time to someone who owned his property before he bought it. By the time we moved in the spring was non-functional, non-potable, and the land around it was not tended in any manner that would demonstrate regular use by anyone as a water source.
His dogs are rapidly becoming malnourished, ribs showing. They drag any bits of food they find, usually discarded take out containers, into the ditch bordering our property and chew it for what flavor remains. They’re reportedly eating aluminum foil that once contained food. Perhaps they’ll wander off in search of food. That would be good.
Today was also income tax return preparation day. We chose to use the free Turbo Tax program. As our income places us below taxable level, I see no reason to pay for software or to pay a fee to file our return with the government. I don’t know what persuaded Intuit to offer free prep and filing services. I suspect it had a lot to do with the continual offers to upgrade for a “few” dollars more. Our return was very simple, needed no upgrades, and has now been filed with the IRS, awaiting their acceptance.
Tomorrow we’ll see about haircuts.
Last night we dined on acorn squash first baked with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, butter, and then filled with breakfast sausage and returned to the oven.
Tonight we will have grilled cheese sandwiches made with 3 month old Manchego cheese. I think I’ll fry up some bacon to add to the sandwiches as well.
In pursuit of legal and local truth we stumbled onto a property tracking software this morning. Unfortunately the county has decided to outsource and privatize the property record keeping that the Registrar of Deeds is elected to handle to a private company. Said company was offering free 7 day accounts to entice people who might use it professionally. I signed up and looked around to see if our unpleasant neighbor across the road actually had any registered deeds to the small section of our property along the road which he claims. Using records dating back to 1964 we found no such sale recorded.
Further, a conversation with the County assessor’s office provided a lack of any assessment against his tax liabilities for any land on our side of the road. The assessor’s office was quite helpful. They checked tax records dating back to 1985 and provided us the ownership periods for each owner from 1985 forward.
We’ve never seen the supposed deed he has shown to Gloria’s acquaintance who lives downstream from him. Since there is no communication in either direction we are not likely to see it. We acknowledge that water rights may have been conveyed at one time to someone who owned his property before he bought it. By the time we moved in the spring was non-functional, non-potable, and the land around it was not tended in any manner that would demonstrate regular use by anyone as a water source.
His dogs are rapidly becoming malnourished, ribs showing. They drag any bits of food they find, usually discarded take out containers, into the ditch bordering our property and chew it for what flavor remains. They’re reportedly eating aluminum foil that once contained food. Perhaps they’ll wander off in search of food. That would be good.
Today was also income tax return preparation day. We chose to use the free Turbo Tax program. As our income places us below taxable level, I see no reason to pay for software or to pay a fee to file our return with the government. I don’t know what persuaded Intuit to offer free prep and filing services. I suspect it had a lot to do with the continual offers to upgrade for a “few” dollars more. Our return was very simple, needed no upgrades, and has now been filed with the IRS, awaiting their acceptance.
Tomorrow we’ll see about haircuts.
Last night we dined on acorn squash first baked with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, butter, and then filled with breakfast sausage and returned to the oven.
Tonight we will have grilled cheese sandwiches made with 3 month old Manchego cheese. I think I’ll fry up some bacon to add to the sandwiches as well.
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