short notes:
will brady's ruminations
will brady's ruminations
2004-09-03
GARRISON KEILLOR
We're not in Lake Woebegone anymore | I've always known that Mr. Keillor isn't as shy a person as he makes out to be | But this recent essay in In These Times has him really taing off the gloves | Only it isn't Jesse "The Body" Ventura who is subject of his ire | Thak you Mr. Keillor |
A quote:
We're not in Lake Woebegone anymore | I've always known that Mr. Keillor isn't as shy a person as he makes out to be | But this recent essay in In These Times has him really taing off the gloves | Only it isn't Jesse "The Body" Ventura who is subject of his ire | Thak you Mr. Keillor |
A quote:
The party of Lincoln and Liberty was transmogrified into the party of hairy-backed swamp developers and corporate shills, faith-based economists, fundamentalist bullies with Bibles, Christians of convenience, freelance racists, misanthropic frat boys, shrieking midgets of AM radio, tax cheats, nihilists in golf pants, brownshirts in pinstripes, sweatshop tycoons, hacks, fakirs, aggressive dorks, Lamborghini libertarians, people who believe Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk was filmed in Roswell, New Mexico, little honkers out to diminish the rest of us, Newt’s evil spawn and their Etch-A-Sketch president, a dull and rigid man suspicious of the free flow of information and of secular institutions, whose philosophy is a jumble of badly sutured body parts trying to walk. Republicans: The No.1 reason the rest of the world thinks we’re deaf, dumb and dangerous.
¶ 03:56 0 comments
BOWHUNTING
The hunt season nears | I've signed up for time off at work and making sure the bows are properly fletched | Hell, even if I catch nothing, getting out in the woods is satisfying | Do be surprised if the posts slow down once season starts, [though the time of day when I post ~ night, actually ~ isn't typically legal hunt hours anyway]
But I really don't want to be dragging while out there alone, silent, hidden from other human view | So a good night's sleep is imperative | A competition of sorts, even when the contestant is oneself | Hence, a good likelihood that posting will be
slower |
And who is the old guy? Why, Fred Bear, who, in his lifetime traveled the world seeking to improve the equipment used in the sport of bowhunting and the techniques of wildlife management.
¶ 02:24 0 comments
The hunt season nears | I've signed up for time off at work and making sure the bows are properly fletched | Hell, even if I catch nothing, getting out in the woods is satisfying | Do be surprised if the posts slow down once season starts, [though the time of day when I post ~ night, actually ~ isn't typically legal hunt hours anyway]
But I really don't want to be dragging while out there alone, silent, hidden from other human view | So a good night's sleep is imperative | A competition of sorts, even when the contestant is oneself | Hence, a good likelihood that posting will be
slower |
And who is the old guy? Why, Fred Bear, who, in his lifetime traveled the world seeking to improve the equipment used in the sport of bowhunting and the techniques of wildlife management.
OTHER BOWHUNTING SITES | Bowhunting.net | Archery World's discussion forum | Bowhunting Canada | 21 days in Quebec | The Bowsite | When all is said and done, you'll need this: Wild Game Recipies | Better safe than sorry: about Chronic Wasting Disease |
¶ 02:24 0 comments
ENVIRONMENTAL
Diesel grease vehicles | A thing for the future? | Maybe it's the right thing for you if living next to a fryolator factory fast food place | No kidding around, the TerraTrack Wildcat, while designed to use # 2 diesel fuel for petrol products, can be adapted for using vegetable oils | That's where Greasel comes in | It's a company that builds conversion kits and equipment for motors using veggie oil as fuel |
I also like the fact that both these outfits are small, independently owned companies and not part of the mega corporate-nations that are working so fervently to take over control of everything | And they have a plan |
Not cheap regarding upfront costs; the Wildcat costs about $18,000 [USD] stripped down [I'd want the camo package] and you might be talking another few thousand dollars for the Greasel conversion equipment | AND... you'd best be suited if you're a knowledgable do-it-yourselfer |
¶ 01:06 0 comments
Diesel grease vehicles | A thing for the future? | Maybe it's the right thing for you if living next to a fryolator factory fast food place | No kidding around, the TerraTrack Wildcat, while designed to use # 2 diesel fuel for petrol products, can be adapted for using vegetable oils | That's where Greasel comes in | It's a company that builds conversion kits and equipment for motors using veggie oil as fuel |
I also like the fact that both these outfits are small, independently owned companies and not part of the mega corporate-nations that are working so fervently to take over control of everything | And they have a plan |
Not cheap regarding upfront costs; the Wildcat costs about $18,000 [USD] stripped down [I'd want the camo package] and you might be talking another few thousand dollars for the Greasel conversion equipment | AND... you'd best be suited if you're a knowledgable do-it-yourselfer |
THANKS TO: Green Trust's WIKI pages for the connect to these products | For other links and talk about sustainable resources, check out Green Trust's blog while you are at it |
¶ 01:06 0 comments
2004-09-01
COMMUNICATIONS
Modifying the Airwaves | If National Public Radio [NPR] goes to satellite transmission the whole landscape of public radio in the USA will morph dramatically | Recently, there have been upper management meetings between member stations and NPR Corporate, and assurances that this would not occur | But what if it does?
Will small stations be left in a lurch to come up with programming they've been paying dearly for for decades? | Might we see "corporate sponsorship" plugs gone altogether in favor of canned programming [ala Clear Channel Communications] with corporate feeds not even disclosed?
More to the point, might it result in the loss of smaller, less resource-rich non-commerical stations going belly up? | Community radio reduced to a handful of fiercely loyal audience bases [such as WAMC, WPKN or the Pacifica groups] Wouldn't the Corpornations love that?
I don't have any answers here | Just posing the question |
Modifying the Airwaves | If National Public Radio [NPR] goes to satellite transmission the whole landscape of public radio in the USA will morph dramatically | Recently, there have been upper management meetings between member stations and NPR Corporate, and assurances that this would not occur | But what if it does?
Will small stations be left in a lurch to come up with programming they've been paying dearly for for decades? | Might we see "corporate sponsorship" plugs gone altogether in favor of canned programming [ala Clear Channel Communications] with corporate feeds not even disclosed?
More to the point, might it result in the loss of smaller, less resource-rich non-commerical stations going belly up? | Community radio reduced to a handful of fiercely loyal audience bases [such as WAMC, WPKN or the Pacifica groups] Wouldn't the Corpornations love that?
I don't have any answers here | Just posing the question |
¶ 08:45 0 comments
2004-08-31
BID FAREWLL TO THE OLYMPICS
Until 2008, that is, when Bejing hosts the next summer games |
Until 2008, that is, when Bejing hosts the next summer games |
¶ 23:35 0 comments
NEWS BLIPS
White House Dirty Tricks | Big surprise ~ not! William L. Schachte Jr., the man who claims Kerry was not under fire when he received his first Purple Heart, [and one of the brains behind the so-called Swift Boats for Truth] is a top lobbyist for a defense contractor that recently won a $40 million grant from the Bush administration.
Fry your brains for Bush | Rhonda Robinson reports on the "Orwellian" aspects of Illinois' new Children's Mental Health Act | Start lining up now for your own scrip of brain-damaging drugs | If you weren't mentally ill before hand... you'll be sure some CT-scan down the road will show patterns of brain atrophy | Special thanks to the Pharma Industry |
Road Warrior for President | Well, we already have one Messianic Whack Job running for the office | Why narrow the field? [My apologies to folks with diagnosed mental diorders, I do not mean to lump anyone into the same category as either Dubya or Mel]
Fat Cats eat no lean | Now that Congress has said you can't make overtime, a new survey is released that shows that CEOs from the 50 corporations that have outsourced the most jobs from developped/higher income nations have fed themselves compensation and perks 46% more than they did in 2003 | Eat happy piggies, but don't complain when the slaughterhouse calls |
Redskins, Hicks, Towelheads; they all look alike to me! | Taking the lead from Robert Moses and George Armstrong Custer Agribusiness and politicians have bedded down with one another to dismantle and eradicate the small farm family way of life | Wylie Harris writes about this myopic vision |
Declaring war on weapons plant workers | Back during the Vietnam War I worked, briefly, in a place than made casings for bombs | Those of us working there made slightly above minimum wage, had 15 minute lunch breaks and worked like dogs | The machines were fast and one mis-step could reslut in serious injury | | None of us had health insurance | If we missed work we'd be fired | Dubya's gang on Pennsylvania Ave apparently thinks that's a fine way to run a sweatshop | Maybe we could make a couple more |
¶ 23:31 0 comments
White House Dirty Tricks | Big surprise ~ not! William L. Schachte Jr., the man who claims Kerry was not under fire when he received his first Purple Heart, [and one of the brains behind the so-called Swift Boats for Truth] is a top lobbyist for a defense contractor that recently won a $40 million grant from the Bush administration.
Fry your brains for Bush | Rhonda Robinson reports on the "Orwellian" aspects of Illinois' new Children's Mental Health Act | Start lining up now for your own scrip of brain-damaging drugs | If you weren't mentally ill before hand... you'll be sure some CT-scan down the road will show patterns of brain atrophy | Special thanks to the Pharma Industry |
Road Warrior for President | Well, we already have one Messianic Whack Job running for the office | Why narrow the field? [My apologies to folks with diagnosed mental diorders, I do not mean to lump anyone into the same category as either Dubya or Mel]
Fat Cats eat no lean | Now that Congress has said you can't make overtime, a new survey is released that shows that CEOs from the 50 corporations that have outsourced the most jobs from developped/higher income nations have fed themselves compensation and perks 46% more than they did in 2003 | Eat happy piggies, but don't complain when the slaughterhouse calls |
Redskins, Hicks, Towelheads; they all look alike to me! | Taking the lead from Robert Moses and George Armstrong Custer Agribusiness and politicians have bedded down with one another to dismantle and eradicate the small farm family way of life | Wylie Harris writes about this myopic vision |
Declaring war on weapons plant workers | Back during the Vietnam War I worked, briefly, in a place than made casings for bombs | Those of us working there made slightly above minimum wage, had 15 minute lunch breaks and worked like dogs | The machines were fast and one mis-step could reslut in serious injury | | None of us had health insurance | If we missed work we'd be fired | Dubya's gang on Pennsylvania Ave apparently thinks that's a fine way to run a sweatshop | Maybe we could make a couple more | ¶ 23:31 0 comments
2004-08-30
LIGHTER FARE || ADULT CONTENT
Herculean Feats and Hallowe'en | I really don't know how "adult" either entry here is; one is coy and full of innuendo; the other makes light of the phenomenon of cross dressing | But... as a change of pace from my incessant seriousness, here goes |
Trojan Games presents a different take on feats of athletic prowress | When you see the site's sponsor you'll get the drift | The left side are "Ukranian powerlifters" |
On the right, cheap drag queen costume from Brands on Sale | One of a plethora of ideas for Hallowe'en | Mind you, I don't know why anybody would want to part with $70 [USD] to have a cheap flimsy garment unlikely to ever be worn again, but... ain't my money |
¶ 06:00 0 comments
Trojan Games presents a different take on feats of athletic prowress | When you see the site's sponsor you'll get the drift | The left side are "Ukranian powerlifters" |
On the right, cheap drag queen costume from Brands on Sale | One of a plethora of ideas for Hallowe'en | Mind you, I don't know why anybody would want to part with $70 [USD] to have a cheap flimsy garment unlikely to ever be worn again, but... ain't my money |
¶ 06:00 0 comments
2004-08-29
LOCAL SCENE || HISTORIC PRESERVATION
The Merritt Parkway was built during the 1930s during the Great Depression | Seen as visionary at the time, it was the first major highway from New York City to Connecticut, and helped ~ no doubt ~ to usher in the automotive culture we know today |
Perhaps less known was that the Parkway was to have a trail system running alongside it for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrian use [no doubt, a nod to those still used horses for transport; now, perhaps, an inadvertent nod to indulgent wealthy who need some place to walk their horses]
When John "friend of the rich" Rowland sat in the Governor's mansion, he was able to procure contracters willing to upgrade and improve the Parkway | He got the Department of Transportation behind the effort as well | One of the endeavors discussed with quiet passion was to re-establish the trail system along the Parkway route | Now DOT is getting antsy about it, and isn't certain they want to support the effort |
A case of short-sightedness due to empty state coffers? or is it 'cuz Johnboy is not there to hand pick the contractors any more?
Whatever the reason, it seems vital that the effort be put forth to get this project going | As our Northeast Quadrant becomes ever more pressed for public recreational spaces, adapting edges of open space corridors we already have seems vital | Further, there's the historic importance of the creation of the Parkway | Whatever one thinks of suburban
sprawl and automotive culture, this is a vital link to the days when all that culture got started | Not only does it need to be preserved, people need to be able to walk along it, safely and at their own pace, to gather some sense of that historic construction endeavor |
In October, on the 24th of that month, the Parkway Trail Association plans on sponsoring the first annual Merritt Parkway Trail Day from Noon to 5 pm • Rain or shine | Click on their website to find out more |
SITE MAP: from the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance website
The Merritt Parkway was built during the 1930s during the Great Depression | Seen as visionary at the time, it was the first major highway from New York City to Connecticut, and helped ~ no doubt ~ to usher in the automotive culture we know today |
Perhaps less known was that the Parkway was to have a trail system running alongside it for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrian use [no doubt, a nod to those still used horses for transport; now, perhaps, an inadvertent nod to indulgent wealthy who need some place to walk their horses]
When John "friend of the rich" Rowland sat in the Governor's mansion, he was able to procure contracters willing to upgrade and improve the Parkway | He got the Department of Transportation behind the effort as well | One of the endeavors discussed with quiet passion was to re-establish the trail system along the Parkway route | Now DOT is getting antsy about it, and isn't certain they want to support the effort |
A case of short-sightedness due to empty state coffers? or is it 'cuz Johnboy is not there to hand pick the contractors any more?
Whatever the reason, it seems vital that the effort be put forth to get this project going | As our Northeast Quadrant becomes ever more pressed for public recreational spaces, adapting edges of open space corridors we already have seems vital | Further, there's the historic importance of the creation of the Parkway | Whatever one thinks of suburban
sprawl and automotive culture, this is a vital link to the days when all that culture got started | Not only does it need to be preserved, people need to be able to walk along it, safely and at their own pace, to gather some sense of that historic construction endeavor |
In October, on the 24th of that month, the Parkway Trail Association plans on sponsoring the first annual Merritt Parkway Trail Day from Noon to 5 pm • Rain or shine | Click on their website to find out more |
Parkway photo credit: Steve Anderson ©2004 | FOR MORE ABOUT THE PARKWAY here's a couple of sites: Steve Anderson's unofficial Merritt Parkway website | Gribble Nation's Connecitcut Road Trips | Roadfan's Merritt Parkway Bridges | Connecticut's Historic Bridges | and, finally, a written history of the Parkway on the Trumbull [CT] History website |You might also want to visit Steve Anderson's New York Area Roads site |
¶ 23:50 0 comments
ISP WOES
Weekend Update: Cleartel on vacation again | As in past weekends, neither the e-mail addy "wbrady@rondak.org", nor the rondak.org are not working | Cleartel tech support is also absent, or at least not answeringthe phones | Chearly this can't just be hurricanes every weekend | Keep trying | It usually seems to work during the week |
Anybody know a good ISP who can offere me one gig of storage at a reasonable monthly rate? |
¶ 17:46 0 comments
Anybody know a good ISP who can offere me one gig of storage at a reasonable monthly rate? |
WEBSITES
Pharmeceuticals and Politics
crowd the mental airwaves today | here's a couple of finds
• Corsello Center's News briefs | News about the Pharmaceutical and Conventional Medicine industries that you won't find on the cover of the New York Times [or the Post, for that matter] | Full disclosure: Corsello Center is an "Alternative medicine Center which uses natural modalities of treatment such as herbs, vitamins, acupuncture and life-style changes all of which are eventually going to be incorporated in what orthodox medicine calls Integrative medicine." Nothing wrong with this | I'm telling you now so the readers who are afraid of other perspectives won't have to click on the site | Their loss |
• Psuedoscience in Psyche | A personal website by Alex Chernavsky | Hard hitting | Uncompromising | The material he researches falls into two main categories : Avaricous Drug Companies and Charlatans posing as mental health professionals | Well researched and easy to maneuver through the site | I like it | Includes the standard "I am not a Scientologist" disclaimer requist for sites critical of conventional psychiatry |
• Soteria Associates | Loren Mosher was a respected fellow with the American Psychiatric Association who, in 1998, resigned from that group amidst much consternation and fanfare | He went on to champion working with troubled souls without reliance of the psychopharm industry | His efforts included developing Soteria Associates |
• Mercenaries and Margaret Thatcher's son | Kathryn Cramer is up to her usual through watch-dogging of the misadevntures of children of the power elite | Leaders, they are not | Machivellian schemers, manipulators, bad seed, demon spawn?; that's another story | Here's the complete thread on Mark Thatcher's dirty dealings | Thanks, Kathryn, for a reporting job well done | ¶ 17:38 0 comments
Pharmeceuticals and Politics crowd the mental airwaves today | here's a couple of finds
• Corsello Center's News briefs | News about the Pharmaceutical and Conventional Medicine industries that you won't find on the cover of the New York Times [or the Post, for that matter] | Full disclosure: Corsello Center is an "Alternative medicine Center which uses natural modalities of treatment such as herbs, vitamins, acupuncture and life-style changes all of which are eventually going to be incorporated in what orthodox medicine calls Integrative medicine." Nothing wrong with this | I'm telling you now so the readers who are afraid of other perspectives won't have to click on the site | Their loss |
• Psuedoscience in Psyche | A personal website by Alex Chernavsky | Hard hitting | Uncompromising | The material he researches falls into two main categories : Avaricous Drug Companies and Charlatans posing as mental health professionals | Well researched and easy to maneuver through the site | I like it | Includes the standard "I am not a Scientologist" disclaimer requist for sites critical of conventional psychiatry |
• Soteria Associates | Loren Mosher was a respected fellow with the American Psychiatric Association who, in 1998, resigned from that group amidst much consternation and fanfare | He went on to champion working with troubled souls without reliance of the psychopharm industry | His efforts included developing Soteria Associates |
• Mercenaries and Margaret Thatcher's son | Kathryn Cramer is up to her usual through watch-dogging of the misadevntures of children of the power elite | Leaders, they are not | Machivellian schemers, manipulators, bad seed, demon spawn?; that's another story | Here's the complete thread on Mark Thatcher's dirty dealings | Thanks, Kathryn, for a reporting job well done | ¶ 17:38 0 comments
PSEUDO SCIENCES
“Evidence-based practice” | The "Children’s Mental Health Partnership," (which we find referenced throughout the Partnership’s preliminary plan for our children) is best illustrated by Howard G. Hendrick’s story of the Scientist and the Flea.
A scientist using this method while observing the characteristics of the common flea began by commanding the flea to jump. So it did. He then pulled one leg off the flea and shouted the command again; still the flea complied. Again, the scientist pulled another leg off, although it was obviously more difficult to jump, the flea still managed to obey.
One by one the scientist removed the legs of the flea, and time and time again, the flea jumped as feebly as one might expect, but nonetheless, it jumped. Until that is, the last leg was removed.
The scientist ordered the flea to jump, but nothing happened. The scientist shouted the command, but to no avail; the flea did not budge. The scientist concluded his study, by writing in his journal his findings. “When the legs of a flea are removed, he loses his sense of hearing.”
Moral of the story; What one finds, is most often, exactly what he is looking for.
¶ 15:44 0 comments
“Evidence-based practice” | The "Children’s Mental Health Partnership," (which we find referenced throughout the Partnership’s preliminary plan for our children) is best illustrated by Howard G. Hendrick’s story of the Scientist and the Flea.
A scientist using this method while observing the characteristics of the common flea began by commanding the flea to jump. So it did. He then pulled one leg off the flea and shouted the command again; still the flea complied. Again, the scientist pulled another leg off, although it was obviously more difficult to jump, the flea still managed to obey.
One by one the scientist removed the legs of the flea, and time and time again, the flea jumped as feebly as one might expect, but nonetheless, it jumped. Until that is, the last leg was removed.
The scientist ordered the flea to jump, but nothing happened. The scientist shouted the command, but to no avail; the flea did not budge. The scientist concluded his study, by writing in his journal his findings. “When the legs of a flea are removed, he loses his sense of hearing.”
Moral of the story; What one finds, is most often, exactly what he is looking for.
THANKS TO: Rhonda Robinson via Dr. Stefan Kruszewski | there is a longer recount available | Right now, as seems to be the practice on weekends at Cleartel I can't upload any files, but I'll post the entire article here once I can FTP my new files | I themeantime, just roam about the rest of the blog for your entertainment and pique |
¶ 15:44 0 comments
