hot dayz will retreat
daylight becomes less and less
what do you care for?
daylight becomes less and less
what do you care for?
Friday, August 31, 2007
A great poem from a great man....
Hughes....Dream Deferred.
How good is that? I read that one a lot even after I discovered it 15 years ago. Make me think about what I put off and where the hell I am going. Sometimes I need a jolt to refocus my life and this poem give me that time and again.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
How good is that? I read that one a lot even after I discovered it 15 years ago. Make me think about what I put off and where the hell I am going. Sometimes I need a jolt to refocus my life and this poem give me that time and again.
Samurai Tales.
The cool air falls around me. I feel the silence in the late summer evening. The pine forest is usually a buzz with life, but not right now. Human beings have invaded nature’s space and her inhabitants have taken notice. Standing still in the waist high grass, I close my eyes to focus on my sense of hearing. I am hunting. The animals I pursue are humans, the crafty beasts are worthy of the hunt. These two are particularly good at taking what doesn’t belong to them. Snap. Off to the left I hear the sounds of fleeing footsteps. Close, but still the advantage is with them, my armor doesn’t give me the gift of speed.
I break into a clearing. At the other end I can see the two thieves sprinting towards the woods. I gain speed as I close on them. It seems like the weight of the armor gives me momentum, hurling me forward. The thieves break into the forest. I am 20 yards behind. As I close on the forest, my hand grasps my katana, ready for what I can not see. Crashing through the thicket of briars, the canopy of trees blocks out what fleeting light remains of the day. I scan in all directions for my adversaries. Nothing. No sounds, no movements. On the ground in front of me I see some of what the thieves worked so hard for: bread, twine, two large clay containers. THUMP. A hot stinging pain erupts under my left arm. I look over an arrow jutting out of my armor. My mind races to calculate the damage. The angle of entry and exit tell me no major arteries or veins have been hit. THUMP. Hit again. This time the armor does its job and shatters the arrow on impact. I hit the ground for cover and hear the hiss of an arrow through the air above me. With my right hand I grab the arrow in my arm and break it off. The pain is harsh. Blood runs down the arm. It’s not something I can think about right now. They will press the attack now.
I kneel to the ground, hand on my katana blade, waiting for the moment to strike. The first cut from the katana is the most effective, with my injury, I can’t afford error. I wait. The silence still abounds. Minutes pass, I collect my energy. I wait. The fight never comes. The thieves have made their get away complete, but not with everything they managed to steal. The sounds of the forest start up again. Crickets and birds continue their songs. I gather myself and start back toward the village. Time to make repairs to my gear and myself.
I break into a clearing. At the other end I can see the two thieves sprinting towards the woods. I gain speed as I close on them. It seems like the weight of the armor gives me momentum, hurling me forward. The thieves break into the forest. I am 20 yards behind. As I close on the forest, my hand grasps my katana, ready for what I can not see. Crashing through the thicket of briars, the canopy of trees blocks out what fleeting light remains of the day. I scan in all directions for my adversaries. Nothing. No sounds, no movements. On the ground in front of me I see some of what the thieves worked so hard for: bread, twine, two large clay containers. THUMP. A hot stinging pain erupts under my left arm. I look over an arrow jutting out of my armor. My mind races to calculate the damage. The angle of entry and exit tell me no major arteries or veins have been hit. THUMP. Hit again. This time the armor does its job and shatters the arrow on impact. I hit the ground for cover and hear the hiss of an arrow through the air above me. With my right hand I grab the arrow in my arm and break it off. The pain is harsh. Blood runs down the arm. It’s not something I can think about right now. They will press the attack now.
I kneel to the ground, hand on my katana blade, waiting for the moment to strike. The first cut from the katana is the most effective, with my injury, I can’t afford error. I wait. The silence still abounds. Minutes pass, I collect my energy. I wait. The fight never comes. The thieves have made their get away complete, but not with everything they managed to steal. The sounds of the forest start up again. Crickets and birds continue their songs. I gather myself and start back toward the village. Time to make repairs to my gear and myself.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The Art of War
The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
This is an aspect of warfare that has been left to the wayside in the 20th and 21st century. Modern technology has made commanders believe they can go where they want when they want and with little haste. Patience is a lost practice. For armies that are not as well equipped as ours, this tactic is still effective. Take the insurgents in Iraq, much like our American Revolution, they do not have to win any military battle, just wait until the occupying force can not sustain itself, or wait until support for the war stops. At that point, they win. This held true in Vietnam, the American Revolution, and will hold true in the current situation unfolding in Iraq. With patience and a large enough force, the events in Iraq would have been different.
This is an aspect of warfare that has been left to the wayside in the 20th and 21st century. Modern technology has made commanders believe they can go where they want when they want and with little haste. Patience is a lost practice. For armies that are not as well equipped as ours, this tactic is still effective. Take the insurgents in Iraq, much like our American Revolution, they do not have to win any military battle, just wait until the occupying force can not sustain itself, or wait until support for the war stops. At that point, they win. This held true in Vietnam, the American Revolution, and will hold true in the current situation unfolding in Iraq. With patience and a large enough force, the events in Iraq would have been different.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
When the elements conspire against you....
you rage, rage, rage against the coming night. And so I rage on...indiscriminate in my understanding. A blade yielding warrior who has been crippled by a corporate yuppie institution. Human beings are not meant to live like this, confined to cubicles, clinging to sanity on minute at a time. What the fuck are we doing here anyway? Making money for someone else. If only the people on top could see there business from the bottom. They have no freaking clue how it operates. Fucking money. How did we as a society allow life to get so fucking expensive? Where the hell is our common sense? We fought wars over taxes but we willingly give our money to Exxon, Coca Cola, and the fucking Gap?
Time and time again reminds us how little of it is really ours. What the fuck? No wonder prisoners are fairly happy. I once read an article about a man who botched a robbery so he could be thrown in the clink because that was a step up in lifestyle. I understand why. He was old, his wife had passed and didn't want to be a burden to his family. Who is going to fuck with a 80 year old in jail? Is this what we are driving to? Wake up you people of the 40 hour week. Wake up against the coming night.
What is the tao? Where has it gone? I sharpen my blade and hope my aim is true, for the coming war will not be swift nor simple. It will be a harsh, drawn out battle of gasping breath fought under the guise of social class. Economic weapons used in a random, unrelenting wave. Meant to take the air your breathing. For it comes from all sides, asking no quarter. Thats fine with me, for I will strike in all directions. No quarter for any who ask, the enemy must be crushed...driven before me. They will understand defeat.
Time and time again reminds us how little of it is really ours. What the fuck? No wonder prisoners are fairly happy. I once read an article about a man who botched a robbery so he could be thrown in the clink because that was a step up in lifestyle. I understand why. He was old, his wife had passed and didn't want to be a burden to his family. Who is going to fuck with a 80 year old in jail? Is this what we are driving to? Wake up you people of the 40 hour week. Wake up against the coming night.
What is the tao? Where has it gone? I sharpen my blade and hope my aim is true, for the coming war will not be swift nor simple. It will be a harsh, drawn out battle of gasping breath fought under the guise of social class. Economic weapons used in a random, unrelenting wave. Meant to take the air your breathing. For it comes from all sides, asking no quarter. Thats fine with me, for I will strike in all directions. No quarter for any who ask, the enemy must be crushed...driven before me. They will understand defeat.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Art of War
Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue.
If I could grab Bush by the ears, this is the one thing he must understand about waging a war.
If I could grab Bush by the ears, this is the one thing he must understand about waging a war.
Friday, August 24, 2007
In it for the long haul....Baghdad embassy almost done.
Link to article.
You may think this is a good idea, but it aint. No good can come from an attempt at a permanent operation there. Sure the embassy needs to be secure, but this is a freakin base. An island in the sun. History repeats itself again. No invading and occupying force has ever had the might to stick it out in Baghdad, not the Brits, the Perisans, or the Romans. It is a pipe dream. So look at what a half a billion will buy you. And if you thinking about joining the Army or Marines, look where you are going to be touring at! Hey we know it's all about the oil, and with good reason, but there are better ways to accomplish that. You catch more flys with honey than vinegar. Lets try some diplomacy. Lets dangle some incentive and get everyone on the same page. But alas that will never happen when you have a bully in the Oval Office. Cockstrong? Sure, but God only gave man enough blood to run one head at a time....
You may think this is a good idea, but it aint. No good can come from an attempt at a permanent operation there. Sure the embassy needs to be secure, but this is a freakin base. An island in the sun. History repeats itself again. No invading and occupying force has ever had the might to stick it out in Baghdad, not the Brits, the Perisans, or the Romans. It is a pipe dream. So look at what a half a billion will buy you. And if you thinking about joining the Army or Marines, look where you are going to be touring at! Hey we know it's all about the oil, and with good reason, but there are better ways to accomplish that. You catch more flys with honey than vinegar. Lets try some diplomacy. Lets dangle some incentive and get everyone on the same page. But alas that will never happen when you have a bully in the Oval Office. Cockstrong? Sure, but God only gave man enough blood to run one head at a time....
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Devil worshippers, Islam, and Christians.
Okay, I just read this article about the Yezidi, or as they are known, the devil worshippers of Iraq. Interesting on two points: one, if they want to polish up their image, stop stoning women to death for trying to marry outside of the clan, two, the irony that a devil worshipping religion is waiting for the Christian army of the US to enforce law in Iraq so minorities like themselves can get some peace. That article is correct in they do have a very confusing religion. You would think after 6000 years, they would have worked out some of the kinks in that confusion.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Dean Update
MIAMI — Hurricane Dean was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall since record keeping began in the 1850s, based on its central atmospheric pressure, forecasters said.
The pressure in a hurricane's eye is often used to compare storms throughout history because in the past, wind gauges were often damaged or destroyed by powerful hurricanes. Now, technology exists to more accurately measure winds, said Jamie Rhome, a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center.
"And the damage is caused by the wind, so that's what most people look at," he said.
But pressure also measures strength: the lower the pressure, the greater a hurricane's power to suck in air. A hurricane's winds are blown because higher-pressure air rushes toward the lower-pressure eye to equalize the difference.
Typically, the lower the pressure, the faster the air speeds in. But because of other variables in each storm, a certain pressure does not always correspond to a specific wind speed.
Dean was a top-scale Category 5 storm at landfall Tuesday on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Its maximum sustained winds were near 165 mph and gusts reached 200 mph. Just before landfall, a Global Positioning System device dropped from a hurricane hunter aircraft found it had a central pressure of 906 millibars, forecasters said.
The only other storms that hit land with a lower pressure were the 1935 Labor Day hurricane that hit the Florida Keys and Hurricane Gilbert, which hit Cancun, Mexico, in 1988, forecasters said.
This is why you have to watch these babies. With the Atlantic as warm as it is, they can intensify incredibly fast and become deadly in the blink of an eye. Keep yourself informed and aware.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Hurricane Dean is SUPERBAD!!!!
Hurricane Dean is about to knock the livin' shit out of the Yucatan Peninsula. Many experts think it will get stronger until landfall and have enough power to come off the Yucatan and still be a cat 3 or strong 2. Then it will intensify a little more and lay waste to southern Mexico. This is a bad ass storm. And not even 4 days ago we were like it will probably be a weak 2....how freakin wrong was that. Keep an eye on this beautiful hurricane.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Hurricane Dean and Tropical Depression Erin Update.
Alright my fellow readers, here it comes in plain terms...first lets get down with TD Erin...
As you can see, TD Erin reformed and intensified over Oklahoma saturday, which is a weird event for a storm like this. Erin is a killer, she dumped 11 inches of rain and caused flooding which is being blamed for at least 13 deaths. She has since broken up but still is showering what ever ends up under her. Lesson here is even though it aint a hurricane, you need to pay attention to it. Tropical depressions and storms can generate an incredible amount of rain fall in a short time span opening the door to flash floods and fast moving water. Powerful stuff. Okay lets look at whats going on with Hurricane Dean....
Here is a shot of Dean from space, actually taken from the shuttle. Beautiful aint it? Don't fall inlove with him tho- he's a killer too. He is a NHC sat shot as of this morning.
Dean has done some damage to Jamaica, Jeff Masters estmates about 1 billion and since he is the weather bomb, I believe him. Last week everything we were looking at said Dean would probably be a cat 2 or a weak 3 and look at it now. Freakin strong and probably gonna get stronger cause its heading over some of the hottest water out there. Look out cat 5 here we come. Keep an eye on both of these weather patterns to see where they go and what happens with them. Where ever they end up, they will still have the ability to dump a lot of water on you. Have a good day!
All information is gathered from Jeff Masters Weather blog and The National Hurricane Center.
As you can see, TD Erin reformed and intensified over Oklahoma saturday, which is a weird event for a storm like this. Erin is a killer, she dumped 11 inches of rain and caused flooding which is being blamed for at least 13 deaths. She has since broken up but still is showering what ever ends up under her. Lesson here is even though it aint a hurricane, you need to pay attention to it. Tropical depressions and storms can generate an incredible amount of rain fall in a short time span opening the door to flash floods and fast moving water. Powerful stuff. Okay lets look at whats going on with Hurricane Dean....
Here is a shot of Dean from space, actually taken from the shuttle. Beautiful aint it? Don't fall inlove with him tho- he's a killer too. He is a NHC sat shot as of this morning.
Dean has done some damage to Jamaica, Jeff Masters estmates about 1 billion and since he is the weather bomb, I believe him. Last week everything we were looking at said Dean would probably be a cat 2 or a weak 3 and look at it now. Freakin strong and probably gonna get stronger cause its heading over some of the hottest water out there. Look out cat 5 here we come. Keep an eye on both of these weather patterns to see where they go and what happens with them. Where ever they end up, they will still have the ability to dump a lot of water on you. Have a good day!All information is gathered from Jeff Masters Weather blog and The National Hurricane Center.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
It's gettin hot and heavy now boys and girls....welcome Tropical Depression Erin. Also update on HURRICANE Dean.
First Tropical Depression Erin
And thats a downgrade, aint much left to expected from Erin but lots o rain for all you Texans. I know I know, don't man squat to us Eastern Shore folk. Either way heres a shot of what Erin looks like...
And now on to Hurricane Dean. Must say I didn't think this would become a hurricane until later Friday, but blam, there she blows! Check out the eye that has formed. If your on dial up that link may make your computer struggle a bit. Its a sat loop feed with much data, something us weather geeks love to look at. Here is a shot of Hurricane Dean this morning.
Everything I have read says el Dean-yo is heading towards the Yucatan. Lots of rain and some wind, but it may never progress past a weak cat 2. We will see, its storms like this that are a good gauge on how much strength a weak storm can surge to when it meets that warmer waters in the Gulf.
Alright, so now you got your water cooler talk of the day. That's right, you know you got people you hate to work with and I have found if you restrict your comments to technical weather conversation, those people tend to avoid you. ;)
TROPICAL DEPRESSION ERIN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 7A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL052007
700 AM CDT THU AUG 16 2007
...ERIN MAKING LANDFALL ON THE TEXAS COAST NEAR LAMAR AND WEAKENS TO
A TROPICAL DEPRESSION...
AT 700 AM CDT...1200Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE TEXAS
COAST HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT 700 AM CDT...1200Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION ERIN IS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 97.2 WEST...NEAR LAMAR
TEXAS OR ABOUT 25 MILES...40 KM...NORTHEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI.
THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...19
KM/HR. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE...BRINGING THE CENTER
FARTHER INLAND TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO 35 MPH...55 KM/HR...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. THE DEPRESSION SHOULD CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES
OVER LAND TODAY.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1006 MB...29.71 INCHES.
TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH
OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TEXAS...WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM
AMOUNTS OF 10 INCHES.
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE MIDDLE TEXAS GULF COAST
TODAY.
REPEATING THE 700 AM CDT POSITION...28.0 N...97.2 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...35
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1006 MB.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
1000 AM CDT.
And thats a downgrade, aint much left to expected from Erin but lots o rain for all you Texans. I know I know, don't man squat to us Eastern Shore folk. Either way heres a shot of what Erin looks like...
And now on to Hurricane Dean. Must say I didn't think this would become a hurricane until later Friday, but blam, there she blows! Check out the eye that has formed. If your on dial up that link may make your computer struggle a bit. Its a sat loop feed with much data, something us weather geeks love to look at. Here is a shot of Hurricane Dean this morning.
Everything I have read says el Dean-yo is heading towards the Yucatan. Lots of rain and some wind, but it may never progress past a weak cat 2. We will see, its storms like this that are a good gauge on how much strength a weak storm can surge to when it meets that warmer waters in the Gulf.
Alright, so now you got your water cooler talk of the day. That's right, you know you got people you hate to work with and I have found if you restrict your comments to technical weather conversation, those people tend to avoid you. ;)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Welcome Tropical Storm Dean - Updated with spectacular wide view of Atlantic!
I know Flossie is getting all the hype, but look at this.
Keep an eye on ol el Dean-yo.
el Dean-yo is far off, but keep an eye on em. There may be more of this in the near future. More updates as I see em.
TROPICAL STORM DEAN ADVISORY NUMBER 5
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL042007
1100 AM AST TUE AUG 14 2007
...DEAN FORMS IN THE DEEP TROPICS...MIDWAY BETWEEN AFRICA AND THE
LESSER ANTILLES...
INTERESTS IN THE LESSER ANTILLES SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
DEAN.
AT 1100 AM AST...1500Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM DEAN WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 11.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 39.4 WEST OR ABOUT 1030
MILES...1660 KM...WEST OF THE SOUTHERNMOST CAPE VERDE ISLANDS AND
ABOUT 1490 MILES...2400 KM...EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES.
DEAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 23 MPH...37 KM/HR...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. SOME GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM
MAINLY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1004 MB...29.65 INCHES.
REPEATING THE 1100 AM AST POSITION...11.7 N...39.4 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 23 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...40 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1004 MB.
Keep an eye on ol el Dean-yo.
el Dean-yo is far off, but keep an eye on em. There may be more of this in the near future. More updates as I see em.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Every Friday.
And while this may disclose my identity to people who put 2 and 2 together, I don't really care at this point.
For all the women reading this, get a mammogram, please. At a minimum, self examine yourself.
Have a great weekend, get out and enjoy the beach, or a carnival, walk the boardwalk, go fishing, go crabbing, ride a bike, visit a local produce stand, GO TO THE ZOO, walk a nature trail, get your ass in a canoe, visit Shad Landing, go clamin with your toes, flyfish, visit you parents, play ball with your kids, grill some ribs, go see The Simpsons movie, just get out of your house cause summer is drawing to a close folks.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Prehistory
Humans in China one Million Years Ago.
Middle Asia Digs Suggest a New View of the Dawn of Civilization.
First Europeans Came From Asia, Not Africa, Tooth Study Suggests.
Prehistory is off the hook. One day this will be a great write.
Middle Asia Digs Suggest a New View of the Dawn of Civilization.
First Europeans Came From Asia, Not Africa, Tooth Study Suggests.
Prehistory is off the hook. One day this will be a great write.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Somerset Well Problems and where you can get some help.
In the Somerset Herald, Liz Holland writes that
Here is the link to her article.
I love how Liz states
I guess it could be worse, at least this article supplies the information for people to get some help. Remember the free press is the cornerstone of our democracy. You know for the people, no matter how rich or poor they are, if they are black or white or hispanic, or purple people from Mars. I know Somerset County is a small place and all that, but don't be afraid to speak truth to power girl. If you don't, well people will lose faith in what you write. I know you got into journalism for that reason right? TO help people, to inform people of injustice laid on their doorsteps, right?
Damn, I hope so.
On Thursday, a workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Somerset County Office Complex in Princess Anne to help people apply for grants and loans.
Residents will be able to meet one-on-one with DHCH staff members to see if they qualify for financial help, said Joan Kean, the county's planning director.
To speed up the application process, property owners are asked to bring a copy of their deed, a copy of their property tax bill, homeowners insurance policy, proof of income, Social Security card, a utility bill and copy of their mortgage.
Residents who are unable to attend the workshop will still be able to get applications by calling 410-651-1424.
Here is the link to her article.
I love how Liz states
All of the wells that have failed -- including Street's -- are older 2-inch suction wells that will not work if the water table drops significantly due to drought or other reasons.Talk about covering your ass. I guess you think that part of the problem is people had the wrong wells installed at their home. At least thats what this statement implies. Of course Robin Street wouldn't know jack shit about this, his family has been involved in Somersets County's Sanitary District longer than you've been alive. But lets look at that again, " will not work is the water table drops significantly due to drought or other reasons." Hmmmmm might those other reasons be big agra like the sod farm? Come on Liz, just admit it. The vast majority of people believe the sod farm is a huge part of the problem. The fact that they had 2 illegal wells cemented that belief. I noticed a for sale sign in front of said sod farm. I wonder if he is trying to get out before a class action lawsuit winds up on his doorstep? Sounds like he knows how to read the writing on the wall.
Homeowners with 4-inch wells that use submersible pumps are not having problems.
I guess it could be worse, at least this article supplies the information for people to get some help. Remember the free press is the cornerstone of our democracy. You know for the people, no matter how rich or poor they are, if they are black or white or hispanic, or purple people from Mars. I know Somerset County is a small place and all that, but don't be afraid to speak truth to power girl. If you don't, well people will lose faith in what you write. I know you got into journalism for that reason right? TO help people, to inform people of injustice laid on their doorsteps, right?
Damn, I hope so.
Prehistory
A theory put forth by a group of 25 geo-scientists suggests that a massive comet exploded over Canada, possibly wiping out both beast and man around 12,900 years ago, and pushing the earth into another ice age.
Link
Link
Friday, August 3, 2007
You know I used to skate, but I would never have tried this ramp. EVER.
See this whole mega ramp idea should have been quashed from the start. The only person that can deal with it on a daily basis is Bob Burnquist. And if you don't know who Bob Burnquist is, you ain't no skater. Burnquist is beyond the shit. He and Tony Hawk are it. Hawk is probably the most prolific skater ever, the Jordan of his sport, but Burnquist has done shit on a skateboard that redefines reality. Burnquist invented mega ramp skating. He dropped in a ramp from a helicopter. He did a grind into the Grand Canyon for cryin out loud. So when I see some one like Jake Brown bite it as hard as he did last night, the only thing I can say is he is no Bob Burnquist. But the mega ramp is where skating is goin and if you want to be the man, you have to beat the man. Kudos to you Jake Brown, I hope you get better soon. And keep trying man, I admire you for your spirit. I was incredibly shocked that you got up and walked away from this.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
I have not bailed on you, just been writing on the national level again...
Here is a copy of my last diary at Daily Kos. Enjoy.
What happens when your infrastructure crumbles?
As the Minnesota bridge collapse plays itself out over the coming days, will anyone look at the bigger picture?
A society will only go as far as their infrastructure will take them. If you can't provide basic services like water & sewer, roads, and electricity, there will eventually come a time when the government that fails the public will crumble like the neglected infrastructure that surrounds them. Is this to broad or vague a statement? I don't think so.
For the past few years, I have been paying attention to my local infrastructure. It has become very apparent to me that my local community can not handle the expansion of it's population very well, if at all. And after looking around the country, I don't think the rest of the country can either. I started to think about the US infrastructure when this article surfaced a few years back. I think I first heard about it on NPR, but none the less it got me thinking about what's going to happen when things like bridges collapse, steam pipes burst, or raw sewage overflows from inadequate waste water treatment plants? These kind of events are taking place with more frequency than you think. They don't make national headlines because no one cares if 440,000 gallons of raw sewage leaks into an obscure river somewhere in the east that you never heard of. NIMBY right? Anywho, all of us as a whole are not looking at the big picture. The only time you hear of failing infrastructure, its something big and dramatic that cost lives. Our nations roads and highways are no place for collateral damage from failing infrastructure.
Infrastructure is the arteries, the veins that support us. Without our infrastructure, what would we be? If you look back to some of the great empires, they all have one thing in common, great engineering of infrastructure. All roads lead to Rome. Remember that one? Look at the basic services the Romans had 2000 years ago: water, sewer, roads. When the Roman army was on the march, if they needed a bridge they built it. When they were at home in times of peace, the ruling party put the men in the army to work building roads. What did Emerson say about idle hands? Hell those Romans were great builders, some of that road system they created are still in use today. There is something to be said for that. How long do you think I95 will last? The aqueducts built by the Romans provided them with water from the mountains and were used for hundreds of years. In the end, when the infrastructure was gone, so was the empire.
So where does this leave us? According to this report card on our infrastructure, not in a very good state. As a nation, look at our grades.
Aviation: D+
Drinking Water: D-
Navigable Waterways: D-
Roads: D
Solid Waste: C
Bridges: C
Energy (National Power Grid): D
Public Parks: C
Schools: D
Transit: D+
Dams: D
Hazardous Waste: D
Rail: C-
Security: I
Waste Water: D-
Seriously, if you came home to your parents with this report card, they would be disappointed. Hell I would have been grounded. There is even an I for incomplete on there. WTF? This all leads to some questions that I don't think we are ready to face. Not a freaking B on the whole damn report card and this was 2 years ago. Look you can only put bandaids on things for so long before you come to that realization that you actually have to REPLACE this stuff. That steam pipe that burst in NY was over 80 years old. Something has to be done or there will be more bridges falling in the Mississippi, more pipes bursting because of old age, more raw sewage in our rivers and streams. Doesn't anyone think about how our population is growing but our basic services are not? Hey I may be way off the mark on this, but where I live over 60 wells have dried up this summer. That number was from last week and its closer to 100 now. Everyone is ready to blame someone, but I haven't heard any noise about how to fix the problem. The sad part is our dry wells are indicative of another problem in this country, failing infrastructure.
What happens when your infrastructure crumbles?
As the Minnesota bridge collapse plays itself out over the coming days, will anyone look at the bigger picture?
A society will only go as far as their infrastructure will take them. If you can't provide basic services like water & sewer, roads, and electricity, there will eventually come a time when the government that fails the public will crumble like the neglected infrastructure that surrounds them. Is this to broad or vague a statement? I don't think so.
For the past few years, I have been paying attention to my local infrastructure. It has become very apparent to me that my local community can not handle the expansion of it's population very well, if at all. And after looking around the country, I don't think the rest of the country can either. I started to think about the US infrastructure when this article surfaced a few years back. I think I first heard about it on NPR, but none the less it got me thinking about what's going to happen when things like bridges collapse, steam pipes burst, or raw sewage overflows from inadequate waste water treatment plants? These kind of events are taking place with more frequency than you think. They don't make national headlines because no one cares if 440,000 gallons of raw sewage leaks into an obscure river somewhere in the east that you never heard of. NIMBY right? Anywho, all of us as a whole are not looking at the big picture. The only time you hear of failing infrastructure, its something big and dramatic that cost lives. Our nations roads and highways are no place for collateral damage from failing infrastructure.
Infrastructure is the arteries, the veins that support us. Without our infrastructure, what would we be? If you look back to some of the great empires, they all have one thing in common, great engineering of infrastructure. All roads lead to Rome. Remember that one? Look at the basic services the Romans had 2000 years ago: water, sewer, roads. When the Roman army was on the march, if they needed a bridge they built it. When they were at home in times of peace, the ruling party put the men in the army to work building roads. What did Emerson say about idle hands? Hell those Romans were great builders, some of that road system they created are still in use today. There is something to be said for that. How long do you think I95 will last? The aqueducts built by the Romans provided them with water from the mountains and were used for hundreds of years. In the end, when the infrastructure was gone, so was the empire.
So where does this leave us? According to this report card on our infrastructure, not in a very good state. As a nation, look at our grades.
Aviation: D+
Drinking Water: D-
Navigable Waterways: D-
Roads: D
Solid Waste: C
Bridges: C
Energy (National Power Grid): D
Public Parks: C
Schools: D
Transit: D+
Dams: D
Hazardous Waste: D
Rail: C-
Security: I
Waste Water: D-
Seriously, if you came home to your parents with this report card, they would be disappointed. Hell I would have been grounded. There is even an I for incomplete on there. WTF? This all leads to some questions that I don't think we are ready to face. Not a freaking B on the whole damn report card and this was 2 years ago. Look you can only put bandaids on things for so long before you come to that realization that you actually have to REPLACE this stuff. That steam pipe that burst in NY was over 80 years old. Something has to be done or there will be more bridges falling in the Mississippi, more pipes bursting because of old age, more raw sewage in our rivers and streams. Doesn't anyone think about how our population is growing but our basic services are not? Hey I may be way off the mark on this, but where I live over 60 wells have dried up this summer. That number was from last week and its closer to 100 now. Everyone is ready to blame someone, but I haven't heard any noise about how to fix the problem. The sad part is our dry wells are indicative of another problem in this country, failing infrastructure.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
