short notes:<br> will brady's ruminations: 2005/10/16

short notes:
will brady's ruminations

2005-10-22

conceptual arts

artbrain is:

a structure through and upon which the many artists, art historians, architects, writers, philosophers, and others who are tethering their practices to issues which are also of interest to neuroscientists can publish their work. Issues like attention, object recognition, memory, mental imagery (imagination) and consciousness are as likely to be topics at an art history conference as they are to be topics at a conference concerning neuroscience.

FOUND VIA: Hugo Solo, one of the frequent contributors to The Mirror Project

¶ 23:32 0 comments

copy editor needed

"Hillary’s Chest Gets Bigger As ’08 Gets Closer"
From the New York Observer. Honest. I couldn't make this stuff up.

CREDIT TO: Stuck on Stupid, whose motto is "Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege."

¶ 18:30 0 comments

the needs of the rich
Rich people shouldn't be taxed at all. Their needs are different than the rest of us. And as we all know, if you need something, it is very possible that your quality of life will suffer. So we should be more thoughtful about the needs of the wealthy. They are so byurdened with needs the rest of us might never have even dreamt of. Needs, like the $1,450 dog bed for their pets, a proper place to rest one's drinks upon like this $6,000 citrine geode table or some modest mode of transport like this Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, stripped down with rubber flooring at $555,000.
The rest of us should not be so greedy. We can walk to work, use an old packing crate for a side table [think how downscale-chic that is] or, when the animal living with us begains to fail, slaughter it and use it's meat for soup.
Pity the rich. With all their pricey needs, they still may have difficulty making through the eye of a needle once they die.

¶ 15:07 1 comments

2005-10-21

weather

Is this year's hurricane season part of the Terror War? Richard_Hoagland seems to think so. He writes at length on his weblog Captain's Blog about mysterious forces directing the weather using "...bizarre "tuning fork" patterns -- ...geometrically aimed at the precise centers of ...storms!" It's part of his theory about hyperdimensional hurricanes.
     Sound too weird and science-fictiony? Perhaps. Mr. Hoagland does write science fiction books. He has lots of theories on extraterrestrial life. And he's a remarkable self-promoter of his own ideas.
     On the other hand, his beliefs are routinely criticized as bad astronomy or duplicitous speechifying.
     But still... it makes me wonder...

¶ 07:00 1 comments

blips + updates

  •  from John Strain's Blog a link to PsychJourney an "...online community of health seekers, authors, artists, musicians, and mental and allied health professionals..." that "...strongly believes that mental health professionals have much to learn from clients... and whose mission is "...to build a cyber-bridge between health seekers and mental health professionals"
  •   e pluribus haiku: Spare poetry / uses hyperlinks / for broad knowledge / saying much / with few words
  •  from AlterNet via Ron's Log: Citizen Wal-Mart sics Secret Service on Schoolkid. We have to thank the diligent

dunderhead working for minimum wage at the paragon of Noble Principles and Ethical Business Standards, Wal-Mart, for alerting the nation of the dangers of free speech. Ron also asks if this Free Speech Mug is being sold there or if it has already been remandered.
  •  BizzyBlog looks at eminent domain snafus, fast food outsourcing of drive through order windows, ethical business lapses and othere stuff that Big Media thinks is all a Yawn for the rest of us.
  •  Venture Chronicles provides another fresh business perspective. Can't say I always agree, but the comments provoke me to think more.
  •  Linda Rozen's War and Pieces reports on national security and foreign policy issues from Washington, D.C. Again, a fresh perspective seldom heard about when elying on Beltway insiders for information.
  •  At New Scientist a Creationist asserts that Astrology is scientific theory and every bit as rigorously defended and researched as intelligent design.
  •  NOW highlights FEMA, the agency with no disaster remediation plan of its own.

"America may well be hit by another major terrorist attack, and we must be prepared for such an event. But ...hurricanes ...tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, windstorms, mudslides, power outages, fires and perhaps a pandemic flu will have to be dealt with on a weekly and daily basis ...They are coming for sure, sooner or later, even as we are, to an unconscionable degree, weakening our ability to respond to them."

• and finally The Distant Outpost with an endorsement of MacGyver for President in 2008. At least with MacGyver in office every schoolkid will already know how to escape from a spent nuclear fuel reactor with only a bent paper clip in their pocket. That's Homeland Secruity at its best, don't you think?

¶ 00:49 0 comments

2005-10-20

small town life in a blue state

making everything legal. Bruce and I have been together now for over 12 years, and we ain't getting any younger. And since October 1st, it's been legal in Connecticut to Civil Union one another. This is almost, but not quite nearly like actually getting married, which people think we are already anyway. But to tell the truth [I know this'll make some of you blush but...] given that people think we're married when we're not, could mean that we are actually, living in SIN!. Wouldn't want that now would we?
And there's another point, namely, depending on when we made the filing, we could make local history for being the first in town. Leastwise that's what we hoped.
But there was another thing on my mind. You see, the other day I discovered I lost the printed copy of my hunting license, not a good thing to do in late October right in the middle of deer and turkey season. So I went down to town offices and asked about if they had a record of when I bought it and sure enough the did.

On the computer. Got it early February 2005. But to get a new paper copy replacement I had to file that I'd lost the copy. This gets sent to Hartford and they issue me a new one. The whole process takes, oh, a week to ten days. It would cost about ten bucks [pardon the pun]. Or... I could just go ahead and buy a new one for $14. And that difference would be worth about three quarters of a gallon of gas, and I need that to split my firewood with the mechanical splitter. Have to think about this. But not for long.
So, just after work last Tuesday last week, Bruce and I met up at the town offices to make the momentus decision. We walked in, sidled up to the Town Clerk's desk whereupon I said, "Give me a new hunting license and a Civil Union."
And just like that we made history. Not cuz we were the first to file. We weren't. There were two lesbian couples before us, but we was the first two guys. It was for the style of our request. The first gay redneck wedding in town.

¶ 23:26 2 comments

harriet miers blog

Harriet Miers has a blog! | It's at harrietmiersdotblogspotdotcom. I know it's real. It's gotta be real. Who would have taken the time to make something like this up? I mean, it even, has, comments and that shows that people read it A LOT! And she is so so very erudite! You have to see it for yourself.
I found out about it from Simple Me (Again)!

SARCASM OFF BUTTON: |

¶ 22:51 0 comments

more on new london, ct

An Ohio reader commented that the panorama below looked "rural" but the fact of the matter is that it's empty. Devoid of structures does not a farmland make. So here's a couple more shots, both taken from the same intersection. The left pix looks toward where the remaining houses sit. The right shows Pfizer's Research Centre complex in the background. Incidentally, according to recent entries at BizzyBlog things aren't getting any easier in New London. Not only have the City Fathers tried to distance themselves from NLDC but they are attempting to rein in the out of control development corporation. Maybe a little too late. Just before municipal elections? Couldn't they have acted before Kelo vs. New London made it to the Supreme Court?

And lets not let the big Drug Lord off the hook. While Pfizer execs now deny any involvement in pressing the city to remap the area to their wishes, Freedom of Information requests found documents filed with state agencies as far back as 1997 show that Pfizer was at least thinking about the land grab. The image on the right came from the same architectural firm that designed the research complex. Yesterday's New London Day published a story detailing some of the intimate connections between Pfizer and The state's Office of Economic Developement [headed for a time by Peter Ellef, once the now disgraced former governor John Rowland's right hand man]. Quoted from the article:

The records — obtained by The Day through the state Freedom of Information Act — show that, at least as early as the fall of 1997, Pfizer executives and state economic development officials were discussing the company's plans, not just for a new research facility but for the surrounding neighborhood as well.
After several requests, the state Department of Economic and Community Development produced a document that both the state and Pfizer had at first said did not exist: A 1997 sketch, prepared by CUH2A, Pfizer's design firm for its new facility. Labeled as a “vision statement,” it suggested various ways the existing neighborhood and nearby vacant Navy facility could be replaced with a “high end residential district,” offices and retail businesses, expanded parking and a marina."

The web gets more twisted.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEW LONDON DAY: Online It's Free! |

¶ 07:51 0 comments

2005-10-19

hunters and hikers meet

Protecting the environment requires safe and competent stewardship. Hunting, fishing and trapping herds with high populations is part of that responsible stewardship. Generally, hunting is not conducted year-round, particularly on public lands. But Autumn and early Spring are two primarly times when hunting is likely to take place. Which is now.
It's hunting season in Connecticut. With that in

mind non-hunting hikers and birdwatchers need to think about the proper way to walk about the woods this time of year. Seasons for different game vary but info on their duration is easily obtained from the CT Department of Environmental Conservation [your state or province has similar sites to check on this info].
     Blaze Orange is required for hunters to wear, optional for others, but lets face it, practical and sound for all during hunting season. A close look at the pix on the right has two people in it. Find the second.
     We're all entitled to enjoy the wilderness around us. Being able to share that wilderness safely helps keep the social contract we have with one another. Think about how you dress while in the woods.
     The Connecticut Parks & Forest Association publishes guidelines on hiking during this time of year

1. Hikers should consider wearing fluorescent orange or other bright colors. DO NOT WEAR white, gray, brown or tan.
2. You should not hike alone , but if you do, let someone know where you will be and when you plan on returning.
3. If you bring along your dog, protect them with fluorescent orange collars or vests with bells attached. If your dog has a habit of wandering off the trail, it would be best to leash them up during gun, bow and trapping seasons.
4. If you find a dead animal or notice one that is acting abnormally for its species, avoid all contact with it.
5. If you see a hunter in a blind or tree stand, call out to them to alert them to your presence immediately. There are rare occasions when a hunter gets a bit testy with a perceived interference of his opportunities, or visa versa when hunter harassment does occur from anti-hunting community. Give each situation plenty of room, and if you feel threatened by another's actions call 1-800-842-HELP (4357) and leave a message for the dispatchers.

SEE: A Hunter's Code of Ethics. For more info on hunting you might also want to check out Fishing-Hunting.com and Hunting.Net.

¶ 22:24 0 comments

homeowner property rights

While on the subject of petitions Steve Spence has written a blurb about petitioning to change laws about Eminent Domain. really, I could think of no better picture to post here than what remains of the New London, CT Fort Trumbull district. Over the hill you'd see the huge Pfizer Pharmaceutical complex. Pfizer was vocal about persuading the city of New London to bulldoze down the "unsightly" working class homes that surrounded their new castle on the Thames.
     Behind the scenes, one of the chief staff at the New London Development Corporation is and has been wedded to a top Pfizer executive at the shadowy giant. Luxury hotels and tourist meccas was more appealing to the execs. After all, what with New London being a destitute city, the hotel sceme might buffer incoming officials from seeing real life. We wouldn't want that now would we?
That battle isn't over yet. Important Planning magazines as well as other blogs have been writing about Kelo v. New London long before I. [What I'm getting at is that I can only hint and what this is all about. Google the subject]
     The point though, is that while the decision makers may have done what they did legally, they are still morally bankrupt as people, bad citizens to boot!
     Not that they care about public opinion.
So, go sign that petition and join the over half-million who already have done so.

¶ 00:12 0 comments

2005-10-18

iraq quagmire

I really don't expect him to do so but there's a petition move out there to get George Bush to apologize for sending us to Iraq.
     I mean, really, you might as well ask for Tom Delay to admit he's corrupt or Rumsfield and Cheney to head off to OZ for a heart and a soul. But... everybody has to hope for real changes to occur.
     And in the spirit of believing that rich men will get into heaven more easily than "...a camel passing through the eye of a needle..." perhaps if enough people sign the petition, Dubya might actually apologize.
     Personally, I already think he's sorry ...he's a sorry sort... but that's an entirely different lingustics foray.
     Anyway, if you think it'll help, by all means, pop over to the Working Assets sponsored petition site and Sign on

¶ 23:50 0 comments

2005-10-17

wild & scenic river study

The state of Connecticut's Eight Mile River Watershed has slowly been getting closer to federal recognition as a wild and scenic river. So it was with interest that I went to an open house held by the Eight Mile Study Committee last Thursday.

     The event was very well attended, so much so that Anthony Irving [Chairman of the Study group] and Nathan Frohling [Nature Conservancy] had to deliver their presentation three times.
     There were "sample" copies of the 8 Mile River Watershed Management Plan [all of which are available online] developed by the study committee, and a series of rather detailed maps to review various things the study looked at [current build-out contrasted with maximum potential build-out]. The maps are not yet online but the presenters indicated they will be up soon.
     There were many questions about how all of this would prevent unused land from being developed [which around these parts is code for "vacation homes" and McMansions]. One housing speculator questioned about "development rights" as if developing land were an inherent right even if the speculator didn't own the land being discussed. Others asked about recreational uses and tourism. I was concerned about how we protect the watershed for future generations' use as a water resource and questioned whether or not by holding this area pristine how would that impact on other parts of the immediate three-town region.
     But there were two who asked their question after the crowd dispersed, which was too bad, because their query hadn't been asked, and listening to the response warranted being heard by all.
     These two men, a father and son-in-law team, were perplexed about what all this meant to their plans to develop their own acreage for their own family's future growth. It sounded to them that those who asked questions seemed mostly to be folks whove moved here in the past few years, got their McMansions and personal enclaves built and secured and now wanted to keep everybody else out. Good point. I'd venture to guess that their guess was on the mark for maybe a third of the audience.
     And it leaves the question, what does one do? The beleagured local family, caught between climbing taxes and land values, wanting to plan for growth responsibly and mostly hearing well off newcomers carp about shutting out the world now that they've built their 4,000 square foot retirement cottage.
     There's a whole 'nother part of this discussion that has to take place and that's how to provide people with the tools to make sound land use decisions while factoring in their own growth.
     Forgetting this is perhaps one of the most daunting aspects of the land preservation movement. Nows the time to do someting about it. But what?

¶ 22:48 0 comments

2005-10-16

sunset over the river

The view from behind the house

¶ 22:49 0 comments

deluge

For the first time in months there is more than a foot of water in the well | In fact, there's more, considerably more, than what I've come to expect to have at this time of year. But I'm not complaining.
The same can't be said for artiste Tuthill's conceptual art project on the Salmon River.

All the efforts made to hold back the river in order to pour the foundations for some of the sculptural elements were for naught. Both earthen bridges were gone after the first two days of rain. Last Monday the 6' wide culverts got washed behind the old dam. I do not know if they were retrieved before the rains later in the week.
The pictures heres show the difference a couple of days made.

¶ 01:48 0 comments