lobo aloud

So not being conservative is being negative....

2008-10-03T14:46:00.002-06:00

One of the things that drives me crazy about many of the ultra right conservatives and religious right is the apparent basic modus operandi that they are right and we must all think and behave they way they tell us to. They appear to have lost the ideas so basic and core to our constitution of free thought and free speech. They appear to be able to tolerate the idea that other people can have a valid , but different position on a topic. Their tolerance has dropped to zero.

One of the more amazing twists on this behaviour surfaced in an advertisement for the new spoof movie this week. The ad basically starts of saying that making a conservative movie in Hollywood is essentially illegal and actors who do it are probably considered criminal by their peers, but is you are tired of movies with a NEGATIVE message, you need to come and watch this wonderful new piece of film making. So the conclusion from this is that if you are not thinking along Conservative lines, your thinking is negative, not different, not liberal, but NEGATIVE.

Most bizarre!

By the peole, for the people

2007-08-09T10:59:00.000-06:00

So we learned this week that the troop levels in Iraq are now at an all time high, and that the Bush White House wants even more. Am I wrong, or did we not vote in a recent election with the majority of voters saying we want the war to be ended and our troops who are being killed and maimed in this pointless, un-needed war to be brought home. Apparently what the people of this great country want is not relevant.

Today I read a new release from this same august institution, the Bush White House, headed by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff who announced that starting six months from now airlines operating international flights will be required to send the government their passenger list data before the planes take off rather than afterwards, as is now the case. He added the the proposed domestic system would transfer the matching of passengers against the government's terrorist watch lists from the airlines, which do it now, to Transportation Security Administration officers."This should provide more security and more consistency, and thus reduce misidentifications" which have produced passenger frustrations.

Chertoff said the new domestic system, known as Secure Flight, will avoid the kinds of activities envisioned in earlier versions of the proposal that raised privacy concerns.

Secure Flight will not harm personal passenger privacy. It won't collect commercial data (about passengers). It will not assign risk scores and will not attempt to predict behaviors.

The plans for previous versions to do those things alarmed Congress so much that it banned the government from implementing the program until it passes a list of tests designed to ensure privacy and accuracy. The Government Accountability Office was assigned to judge the plan based on those tests and said that the previous version had failed almost all of them.

Right so now we will be harassed even more when flying, by the minions from Homeland Security.

Overall it looks and feels like "By Big Brother, For Big Brother".

We, the people, stopped counting in this equation in November 1999 when the election results were known. Now, we need to find a way to stay sane and tolerate this mess until November 2008. May the people have courage and sense, and vote for the candidate that can rebuild our reputation and pride in the world stage, that can fix the divisions in this country, that can fix health care and get education back onto the track it should be, building the next generations that can lead and carry us forward.

Think, and vote!

Pollution, Politcs and wasting money

2007-04-02T12:52:00.000-06:00

I filled my car up over the weekend and was once again shocked by the dramatic jump in gas price. About 10 cents in the past week. The gouging and exploitation of the average American by the oil companies continues unabated. Clearly the Bush and Chaney show will not interfere since their personal gain from the situation is too great. But we all end up paying, not just more for gas, but all the consumables, especially food that costs more to produce and more to process and more to transport when the price of gas increases.

The ripple effect is well known, but the uncaring White House will not make any move to reduce the massive negative impact on our economy and longterm damage it is inflicting. They will not stop the oil company excessive profits and over the top pay packages for a few select business leaders. Rather they find more ways to cut money from cancer research and other truly valuable programs to fund the unneeded, unjustified and unwinable war in Iraq.

Then, just to put a cherry on it, the US goes and puts tariffs on China. This is a smart move against the largest economy in the world, who we owe a fortune and who is rapidly becoming the true new world superpower. It would be more useful if the government properly tested the wheat products we by from China (and elsewhere) to make sure they are free of poisons that have killed ours pets and who knows what damage they may be causing to humans. What would be even better wold be to help our farmers grow enough wheat here at an affordable price so that we do not need to import wheat products in the first place. But that would require taking care of global warming which they do not believe exists.

On a brighter note the Supreme Court put some brakes on the Bush relentless attach on our environmental protections as reported by UPI today Monday April 2, 2007:

"U.S. states and environmental groups seeking regulation of auto and power plant emissions that add to greenhouse gases won two major victories .

The U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can regulate automobile emissions that produce greenhouse gases and also voted unanimously to order a lower court to take another look at a ruling that allowed utilities to put more pollution into the air overall.

In its vote along liberal-conservative lines on the Massachusetts auto emissions case, the high court said the EPA must justify why it decided not to regulate the emissions under the federal Clean Air Act when it has the authority to do so, The Washington Post said.

In the power plant opinion, the justices ruled to set aside the lower ruling favorable to Duke Energy Corp. in a pollution permit dispute stemming from the company's upgrade of several power plants.

The ruling appears to favor measuring power plant emissions on an annual basis rather than the hourly rate favored by Duke Energy. The hourly rate would allow Duke to run the plants for longer periods thus producing more pollution overall."

Count one for the little guy!

This one they could not fix.....

2007-02-03T10:25:00.000-06:00

The New York Times reported on 2/2/07 as follows:

"PARIS, Feb. 2 — In a grim and powerful assessment of the future of the planet, the leading international network of climate scientists has concluded for the first time that global warming is “unequivocal” and that human activity is the main driver, “very likely” causing most of the rise in temperatures since 1950.

They said the world was in for centuries of climbing temperatures, rising seas and shifting weather patterns — unavoidable results of the buildup of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.

But their report, released here on Friday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said warming and its harmful consequences could be substantially blunted by prompt action."

This is one report the White House could not edit or control. However, in their normal taking credit for anyhting that they can, even when it is not their doing, or something they believe in, the Bush Joke House added the following:

"The Bush administration, which until recently avoided directly accepting that humans were warming the planet in potentially harmful ways, embraced the findings, which had been approved by representatives from the United States and 112 other countries on Thursday night.

Administration officials asserted Friday that the United States had played a leading role in studying and combating climate change, in part by an investment of an average of almost $5 billion a year for the past six years in research and tax incentives for new technologies."

Rapidly followed by:

"At the same time, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman rejected the idea of unilateral limits on emissions. “We are a small contributor to the overall, when you look at the rest of the world, so it’s really got to be a global solution,” he said."

So we take credit for the study, but since we support big oil and other mega industry more, we do not agree that taking action that may reduce their profits would be a good thing to do. (That would reduce the value of our personal stock portfolios too much).

One final quote from the NYT report:

"The new report says the global climate is likely to warm 3.5 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit if carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere reach twice the levels of 1750, before the Industrial Revolution.

Many energy and environment experts see such a doubling, or worse, as a foregone conclusion after 2050 unless there is a prompt and sustained shift away from the 20th-century pattern of unfettered burning of coal and oil, the main sources of carbon dioxide, and an aggressive expansion of nonpolluting sources of energy."

This is not a happy prospect.

A very interesting novel called Transcedent by Steven Baxter includes some disturbing and most likely good predictions of what life in the US (and the rest of the world) may be like after 2050 when the sea has risen enough to flood parts or many of the major coastal cities in the the world. I may not be alive then, but all I know is that it is not a future world I would enjoy living in.

The lying just continues

2007-01-30T15:03:00.000-06:00

Wikipedia logged the following report today 1/30/07:

The United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing today on the accusation that the Bush Administration had interfered on data regarding climate change in order "to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming." On January 23, 2007, Chairman Henry Waxman (D) and Tom Davis (R) had requested documents from the Council on Environmental Quality but were denied access.

During the hearing, Henry (D) said that, "The committee isn't trying to obtain state secrets or documents that could affect our immediate national security. We are simply seeking answers to whether the White House's political staff is inappropriately censoring impartial government scientists. We know that the White House possesses documents that contain evidence of an attempt by senior administration officials to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming and minimize the potential danger."

Two private advocacy groups, one of which was the Union of Concerned Scientists, also presented a survey to the panel that revealed that 279 scientists working for the government had been pressured into minimizing the threat of global warming in their reports. Almost half of the 279 said that they were told to delete any references to "global warming" or "climate change" in their reports. The scientists in the survey all worked for a wide array of government agencies: NASA, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, and the Department of Interior.

The habit of flat out lying to the public just continues on every front. Global warming is upon us. Our weather is becoming more and more extreme each year as has been forecast by many folks who know more about it than I do. The evidence is becoming harder to deny all the time. Do these folks really think that by trying to hide the information it will not get out and they will not ge shown up for what they really are. This is hardly a matter of national security. It is a matter of National Concern, or at least is should be. 1/1/2009 cannot happen quickly enough for this country to hopefully get it back onto a path more closely resembling sanity and more importantly taking care of our longterm environmental needs by paying attention and incentivising industry and individuals to help care for and protect it.

Our future is more than just wasting money and human lives in Iraq, it is also about where we live, having food, resources, tolerable weather and a plan to make it last.

Peace, Love, Harmony

2006-10-10T20:32:00.000-06:00

I traveled to Arizona last week. While there I met a local Native American artist who was presenting the culture, arts and music of the Hopi nation at the hotel we were staying. I had a long conversation with him about what he was doing. As a artist, father and member of his reservation. I quickly became apparent that he was a very talented man working very hard to preserve and promote his culture and way of life. He is very active in education of the children in his reservation, he is creating works of art, writing music and carrying forth the traditions and role of dancing in his culture and for his people.

Over the past few years there has been a resurgence of a need and drive to preserve the roots and skills of the various Native American nations and tribes. They are regaining a pride in being who they are, proud of their history and accomplishments. Working hard to educate their own children in the ways of old and also educate the people around them about the value that can be gained from listening to Native American thinking and ideas on how to live and act.

It occurred to us that of all the cultural and ethnic groups in America today, the Native Americans have the smallest voice and no meaningful representation in the National government that is looking after their needs and looking to give back some of what was taken away from them over the past two hundred years through deceit and lying.

I was happy to hear that there are leaders in the local reservations that are working hard to preserve the good and wise of their past, but also that they are working hard to dig their way out of the third world conditions they live in now to also benefit form the progress and wealth that all other Americans enjoy.

Quoting Moonsee from his music: “Peace, Love, Harmony”

Vote for our country and the people

2006-09-04T14:57:00.000-06:00

So the elections are coming in November. The Republicans appear to be concerned that they may loose enough seats that will allow the Democrats to gain control in the House. Whilst that may be interesting what we need are people in government that have a brain and that use it to focus on doing the right things to protect and save our country and the people. Not politicians that are only interested in money and power. That is what we have right now. The ruling regime is all about making money for themselves and their inner circle of big business and not about anything else. All the window dressing about protecting us and making us safer is just that. We are no safer now than we were 5 years ago. In fact we may be more venerable since our defense is all about bravado and showmanship. No real substance.

Let's get rid of the average and party line spouting politicians, and vote for candidates that understand that the average person is now much worse off than they were 5 years ago. The rising cost of energy has impacted every aspect of their lives, from the loaf of bread and glass of milk on their table to the gas in their car. Living has become a LOT more expensive for the average citizen and he has started to notice.

We now need people with courage and vision to run the government. People that care about our country, really care. That care about the people and the future of everybody, not just the elite 0.01% that are worth a billion dollars or more. That care about the environment and do not think that drilling for more oil is the solution to the energy crisis.

These people are out there. Let's find them and vote for them.

Bumper stickers

2006-07-23T11:06:00.000-06:00

I drove behind a woman this past week that appeared to be Dazed and Confused. She had 3 bumper stickers on her car. The Christian fish, one for a local church and a third with a handgun and the text “let me be your huckleberry”. My reading was that she will be your friend as long as you behaved the way she wanted, if you did not you are likely to get shot. Maybe I do not get it, but gun toting Christians scare the crap out of me.

We also recently saw Dubja casting his veto on the stem cell bill. I do not get this either. My understanding (maybe incorrectly) was that the request was to harvest stem cells from what is essentially medical waste destined for the incinerator. What the researchers wanted was to take stem cells from a fetus that was left over from an in-vitro process and was to be destroyed. So the bill was stopped not on rational thinking but based on religious doctrine. This is why this method of running a country is so dangerous. This is why our forefathers left Europe to create the USA. To get away from emotional reaction and to live under a system where rational thought was the order of the day.

Oh, yes I saw another bumper sticker. Maybe we need more of these: “So many Christians, so few lions”

What a Maroon!

2006-07-16T08:41:00.000-06:00

Quoting Bugs Bunny “What a Maroon”

That was may thought when I saw the footage of Dubja telling Putin that Russia needs a democracy like Iraq. I have to say that Putin’s response was mild to say the least. The threat to Russia that Dubja then offered, “Just you wait” was menacing.

I am at a loss as to what the current White House is thinking (assuming they are capable of thinking) but this is not smart. We have but a few real allies left in the world, threatening a country like Russia is not in our best interest. The country is already sacrificing young men and women at an alarming rate, just over 2,500 already and we are bleeding money at a pace that clearly cannot be sustained without untold long-term damage to the USA. Now we are threatening more countries, hinting at attacking Iran, North Korea and now Russia.

All I can say is that November 2008 cannot come soon enough for us to try and get some sensibility back into the White House.

Individuals make a difference

2006-06-25T15:06:00.000-06:00

Four and a half years ago our electricity bill was just on $100 per month. Now it has soared to just over $400 a month. We live in the same house with basically the same appliances etc. The rising cost of energy is clearly around us. We have dealt with it with our cars but the more subtle and less talked about home energy costs have also jumped leaps and bounds.

At the same time the effects of global warming, warmer oceans, more extreme weather, drought and storms is becoming more apparent and harder for the naysayers to deny. Summer started really early in Texas and many our areas this year, so the cumulative effect of rising energy costs and much warmer temperatures is keeping the fans and air conditioners running longer and harder.

The case for solar power must now start to make even more sense than before. The cost of the equipment is now getting to the point where the monthly savings pay for the equipment in around 3-4 years. After that you are ahead of the game. So where is the government in pushing solar power for government and private use? Clearly MIA!

The other big issue that is facing many communities is a reliable water supply. With the drought this year some areas are already struggling because the planning in the communities is absent and generally investment in infrastructure is way behind. We need to take care of ourselves since the leaders and politicians will not. Many folks are already using rain water capture systems to provide their water. Many are completely self sufficient. Assuming you have the space and your local rules do not prevent it; take a hard look at rain water capture to at least water you garden.

We can each make a difference as individuals. Using solar power and rainwater to make ourselves more self sufficient and less dependent on the politicians and big business.

Our poor earth must once again pay the price.....

2006-04-29T12:32:00.000-06:00

So the gas prices keep rising. Exxon and the other fat cat oil companies keep reporting record profits. Exxon pays their chief gouger over $400M in retirement monies. Our price at the pump keeps rising. What is the solution? Drill for more oil in the fragile Arctic and bribe all the tax payers with a $100 refund! This sounds like a great solution to me. I can't wait to get my 100 bucks. I think I can fill my car twice at the current prices for that. By the time I get it, it may be down to one tank?

Here is what the genius politicians are saying...........

"The New York Times

G.O.P. Senators Hurry to Quell Furor Over Gas

By CARL HULSE

Published: April 28, 2006

WASHINGTON, April 27 Senate Republicans tried on Thursday to get the upper hand in the escalating political battle over high gasoline prices by proposing a $100 rebate for taxpayers and by suggesting that they might increase taxes on oil-industry profits.

The Republican proposal also called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil production, a provision sure to draw opposition from many Democrats and even some Republicans.

"The American consumer is the one that needs the break today, and we need to be taking steps to make sure that they aren't emptying their wallet every time they fill their tank," said Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, as the leadership unveiled its legislative response to an issue quickly taking over the Congressional agenda.

The Republican plan includes a provision that could levy a significant tax on oil company profits, a provision that President Bush promised to veto when a version appeared in a Senate bill last year. The proposal came on a day when Exxon Mobil reported a 7 percent gain in its first-quarter earnings."

So we finally actually may consider making the greedy oil companies pay their fare share of the taxes. How about taking back the $4B in research grants that they clearly do not use for energy research and do not need when they are making the outrageous profits they do, and using that to really develop alternative fuels and educating the public on conservation for a change.

But then there will not be any reason to exploit the Artic Oil fields, and who cares about them anyway, they are melting so fast they won't be there much longer to matter. Ironic that is, pulling the oil from the Arctic fields will pump more greenhouse gases into the air to help melt the ice faster! Now that makes sense doesn't it. Oh yes , sorry, I forgot, there is not such thing as global warming, that is just mumbo jumbo from the left wing extremists.

Some good news this time

2006-04-01T16:32:00.000-06:00

NRDC announced a victory against the ongoing insanity and typical short term ideologies of Dubja and the gang this week. What follows is a quote from an email sent to NRDC supporters this past week:

"NRDC Member, I am thrilled to report a major victory in our long courtroom battle to block one of the Bush administration's most dangerous attacks on the environment: a proposed massive rock mining project in Florida's fragile Everglades. Four years ago, the administration issued permits for the first phase of this gargantuan scheme that would have bulldozed and dynamited 30 square miles of the world's most famous wetland ecosystem in order to produce a billion tons of limestone rock for use in roads and parking lots. The resulting 80-foot deep pits -- so big they'd be visible from outer space -- would have destroyed vital Everglades habitat for a variety of rare plants and animals, including the endangered wood stork. The pits also threatened to poison the drinking water of millions of Miami-Dade County residents by allowing dangerous micro-organisms to infiltrate local wells. Thanks to your financial support, NRDC went to federal court and charged the Bush administration with violating the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws. Last week, that court ruled in our favor and delivered a stunning setback to the administration and its mining allies. In his ruling, the judge chastised the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for rushing to issue the permits at the mining industry's behest, ignoring clear evidence of environmental dangers, while misrepresenting the facts and disregarding the law. This is a tremendous victory for our natural heritage and it belongs in large part to NRDC Members like you. Not only did you fund this case, but you sent thousands of messages to Bush administration officials protesting their harmful mining scheme. That powerful outcry helped raise awareness in Florida of the serious environmental risks of this project. I want to thank you for all of your donations and efforts in this important campaign to save one of America's greatest natural treasures. Together, we have sent this White House a message loud and clear that we will not stand for the corporate-sponsored destruction of our last wild places. And, with your help, we are going to prevail in more battles to come. Sincerely yours, Frances Beinecke President Natural Resources Defense Council"

This is great news for once. But is is a small victory in the enormous battle to protect our fragile earth and home. Here are 2 examples................

This week's Newsweek (April 3, 2006) has an article about Global Warming. If this was my primary source of data I would come away thinking that Global Warming is just another scam by liberals to stop me from having fun. It again continues the myth that the scientific community is I quote "widely divided" on the matter suggesting that there is no scientific basis for arguments supporting Global Warming and it's dire consequences. This is pure propaganda from the Dubja anti-environment engine (driven by Oil of course). We need to support the few that are speaking out and doing their level best to raise awareness and find a spot above the clamor and politics to focus on what is right for our precious earth instead.

A related issue is the alarming downward trend in Energy R&D spending by both Public and Private sectors. In an article published in the March 2006 edition of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer is a chart showing that Public expenditure peaked at just over $8B around 1980 and has dropped off to just over $1B in 2004. Both the Democrats and Republicans have quietly been cutting back on Energy related R&D. What are these folks thinking. (Oh, sorry I forgot, when you keep getting those big checks from big Oil your mind stops working)! To their credit private sources have remained steady around $3.6B over the past 2 decades, dropping off in the 1990's and now showing slight signs of improvement, but still below previous levels. So the Dubja gang is not putting it's money where it's mouth is when he says we must stop our oil addiction. If we are not spending time and resources to find alternatives and options to reduce energy wastage and the world wide (almost) increasing use of oil we will not cure the addition. Depending how long we get to live, some of us will see the cold turkey cure for the addiction in the future, when the oil runs dry and we have not prepared adequately for the inevitable eventuality.

Dubja and Humpty Dumpty

2006-03-18T09:53:00.000-06:00

From the New York Times:

"March 18, 2006

Judges Overturn Bush Bid to Ease Pollution Rules

By MICHAEL JANOFSKY

WASHINGTON, March 17

A federal appeals court on Friday overturned a clean-air regulation issued by the Bush administration that would have let many power plants, refineries and factories avoid installing costly new pollution controls to help offset any increased emissions caused by repairs and replacements of equipment.

Ruling in favor of a coalition of states and environmental advocacy groups, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the "plain language" of the law required a stricter approach. The court has primary jurisdiction in challenges to federal regulations.

The ruling by a three-judge panel was the court's second decision in less than a year in a pair of closely related cases involving the administration's interpretations of a complex section of the Clean Air Act. Unlike its ruling last summer, when the court largely upheld the E.P.A.'s approach against challenges from industry, state governments and environmental groups, the new ruling was a defeat for the agency and for industry, and a victory for the states and their environmentalist allies.

In the earlier case, a panel including two of the three judges who ruled on Friday decided that the agency had acted reasonably in 2002, when it issued a rule changing how pollution would be measured, effectively loosening the strictures on companies making changes to their equipment and operations.

But on Friday, the court said the agency went too far in 2003 when it issued a separate new rule that opponents said would exempt most equipment changes from environmental reviews and even changes that would result in higher emissions.

With a wry footnote to Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass," the court said that "only in a Humpty-Dumpty world" could the law be read otherwise.

"We decline such a world view," said their unanimous decision, written by Judge Judith W. Rogers, an appointee of President Bill Clinton. Judges David Tatel, another Clinton appointee, and Janice Rogers Brown, a recent Bush appointee, joined her.

"This is an enormous victory over the concerted efforts by the Bush administration to dismantle the Clean Air Act," Eliot Spitzer, the New York attorney general, whose office led the opposition from the states, said in an interview."

So the Judges finally saw what so many of us already knew: the current White House can barely read childrens rhymes or fairly tales and their lawyers are not much better.

Thank you reason and rational thinking. Finally we have some people that are not beholden to the money of big industry and oil and that consider the future of our environment as well. This is a step forward for a change, not backwards like we have seen for the past 6 years.

Speaking of going backwards, maybe more people will start to see the light and truth and put even more pressure on their representatives in Congress and Senate to vote against drilling in Arctic now. The Senate just approved such drilling in a bill this week. That must be stopped. We cannot let the oil companies into this precious bio zone and destroy it as well just to make even more money than they already do. We do not need this oil. Spend the money on alternative replinishable fuels and more fuel efficient engines instead.

About face, turnaround, go the other way.....

2006-03-13T10:29:00.000-06:00

From:

"The New York Times

March 13, 2006

News Analysis

A Bush Alarm: Urging U.S. to Shun Isolationism

By DAVID E. SANGER

WASHINGTON, March 12 — The president who made pre-emption and going it alone the watchwords of his first term is quietly turning in a new direction, warning at every opportunity of the dangers of turning the nation inward and isolationist, and making the case for international engagement on issues from national security to global economics.

President Bush's cautions on the dangers of pulling back behind American borders — in trade and investment, in immigration and in his effort to make the spread of democracy the signature of his second term — first cropped up in his State of the Union address six weeks ago."

Desperate times are calling for desperate measures in Dubjaland. At first he was the ultimate isolationist, go-it-alone advocate walking on this earth. Anybody who disagreed was the enemy. Charging headlong into Iraq essentially on our own, despising all but a few that we had bought over onto our side.

Now he is advocating against isolationism at every opportunity. What happened? Did they finally work out that going it alone actually does not work and that you need strong partners both politically and financially to really get significant things done in this world.

Going into Iraq essentially on our own has cost thousands of lives all round and now created a civil war like we have not seen in along time. We do not see freedom or democracy at work, just death and destruction. Please do not tell me that freedom is expensive and must be fought for. We created this mess of death and failure because we did not want to head the advice of our then allies and friends. In our headlong rush to war we forgot that friends are their to help and advise and sometimes it pays to listen to them.

Now that we are in this mess we have few friends to turn to, we spurned them all and wining their trust and friendship back will take many long hard years.

Are the people finally coming to there senses?

2006-03-12T10:42:00.000-06:00

In a CBS poll reported today the White House and Dubja are being rated at an all time low for just about everything that is important to Americans today. See www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/27/opinion/polls/main1350874.shtml for the details. But despite the fact that people are now finally seeing that we have a President that simply does not care about them, they still need to see that he does not care about their county in the same way that they do. For example the administration keeps pushing oil exploration in the few protected and fragile eco havens in America, despite the State of the Union cry to decrease our dependency on oil.

A case in point is the Red Desert in Wyoming (Cheney country, surprise surprise!) The following is a quote from the NRDC website on the threats to Yellowstone in general, and the Red Desert in particular:

"When the American buffalo rebounded from near-extinction and gray wolves returned to the wild, they found their refuge in the tawny grasslands and pine-covered ridges of Yellowstone National Park. When grizzly bears lost most of their habitat to logging and development, the northern Rockies provided them with the thousands of square miles of wild forests and meadows they needed to survive. Without the vast stretches of Rockies wilderness, where will the next species go to be replenished?

Despite these questions, the Bush administration is set on sacrificing more of the country's most cherished wild places to satisfy energy corporations. Wyoming's Red Desert, for instance, is slated for a massive oil and gas project even though it is an oasis of prime wildlife habitat for elk, mule deer, hawks and eagles. With its single-minded focus on leasing more public land for development, the administration also has announced plans to remove Yellowstone's grizzly bears from the Endangered Species List. NRDC will oppose this premature effort in court.

The Bush administration is now considering a proposal to expand the Smoky Canyon Mine, a phosphate mining operation, into the pristine Sage Creek and Meade Peak roadless areas of Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Phosphate mining has already released dangerous amounts of toxic selenium into the streams, groundwater and soils of this region, threatening local drinking water supplies and jeopardizing the survival of imperiled Yellowstone cutthroat trout, as well as elk, mule deer and other wildlife. Expanding the mine would increase these pollution risks and set a dangerous precedent for other harmful development in the unspoiled wild forests of Greater Yellowstone."

Now more than ever we need to speak up, rally support and redirect our country to a path of preservation and protection, instead of the head long rush to destruction just to make Exxon and other oil companies even richer than they already are at our expense.

Misleading us again

2006-02-10T09:44:00.000-06:00

In the manner we have now become used to the White house speaks with forked tongue or from both sides of it's mouth as the sayings go. In late January we learned that NASA had attempted to limit what James Hansen their top climatologists had to say and from speaking publicly about Global warming and the long term effects of not reducing air pollutants. Of course the NASA politicians quickly denied that this was happening. See the NY Times article for more details. To his credit Mr. Hansen continues speaking and writing undeterred.

Then came the State of the Union address. In the list of issues we heard that we must reduce our dependency on oil. A laudable and very urgent issue that we all need to be helping with. However, right after the speech ever faithful Dick starts lobbying for drilling in the thankfully still protected Alaskan forests. Followed shortly by the President saying that ExxonMobil making an outrageous profit of the backs of you and me is good and right. If the oil price had not been allowed to skyrocket, ExxonMobil would not be so brimming with cash. While the oil companies have a bunch of their servants in the White House bowing to their every wish we will not cure the Oil addiction.

You can do something about this now. Go to the NRDC Action site and help in the battle to change the direction we are on to drill for more oil and feed the addiction a little longer. We do not need to be cured, the future generations will do that. Well folks, the future has arrived.

The back of the mountain is broke

2006-02-05T16:58:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago we went to see Brokeback Mountain. As movies go it is okay. The story is not that special and the acting is average. I do not think it is worthy of all the hype the movie is getting. (I am gay friendly so that is not an issue). What is really great in this movie is the amazing scenery that you get to see for significant periods of the movie. The mountain scenes were shot in near Calgary in Canada. If you love nature and mountains I can highly recommend visiting Kananaskis http://www.kananaskis.com/ and further north Banff and other parks deeper in the Canadian Rockies to see largely unspoilt mountains, animals and places to photograph and explore. It is great in summer and winter.

So what else is broke? Not surprising has been the debacle in Palestine. My dear friend Dubja has been telling us that the war in Iraq is about bringing democracy to the middle east and establishing freely elected governments. Well why are we all so bent out of shape that the "wrong" guys won the elections. By all accounts the elections were free and fair. So what the problem. Hamas my be considered terrorists by some, but they are not the first terrorists to be elected into government by free and open elections. By the way most people forget that some of the former Israeli Prime Ministers were terrorists in their youth.

Well the State of the Union also touched on the subject of the US's addiction to oil. Well at least it is publicly acknowledged and the suggestion that we go after biofuels and Hydrogen fuels. That is great. How about getting really serious and spending a few billion on making it happen instead of the hundreds of billions we are wasting giving record profits to Exxon-Mobil! Apparently Dubja does not think Exxon-Mobil making outrageous profits while the rising cost of gas in the US is seriously damaging and retarding our economy is a problem. I can't wait for 2008 to get a new regime in the White House. It cannot get much worse that this, can it?

Exodus and blind arrogance

2005-09-25T08:46:00.000-06:00

From today's New York Times:

" QUOTATION OF THE DAY -
"We're going back to the drawing board. With an earthquake or a major terrorist attack, we'd obviously have no warning. We haven't looked at mass evacuation or temporary housing for hundreds of thousands of people."
- SANDRA S. HUTCHENS, chief of the office of homeland security at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department."

The government has supposedly been building plans to protect the average citizen since 9/11 happened 4 years ago. Conducting mass evacuations would seem to be very near the top of the list one would think. But then we made that assumption that anybody appointed by the current White House can actually think. The 2 recent examples of mass evacuations were not shining examples of success. Many people spent 12 to 14 hours traveling 50 miles in the malay. We better hope that there is not an attach that requires a mass evacuation from a major city soon. More people will be killed in the exodus that by the cause of the exodus.

On a very different subject, but related to the carnage in Louisiana, is the destruction of wetlands by man that historically protected man from storms such as Katrina and Rita. The wetlands that existed there a 100 years ago acted as a sponge and buffer to the communities that had settled in the bayou. Now with the aggressive building and mindless destruction of the wetlands that natural buffer has been removed.

The arrogant march of mans greed to destroy the wetlands is come full clarity. At least to those who are willing to look for it. Katrina and Rita are not sent by God to punish evil doers. It is not natures wrath. Hurricanes have been around since the earth first had oceans. When man chooses to build housing and businesses in the known common paths of hurricanes and mindlessly destroys the natural protection that nature has provided against the hurricanes, then we must look in the mirror and recognize our own folly. Not blame the unseen God or Mother nature. They had nothing to to do with this. The global warming that is warming the oceans, melting the iceflows and fueling massive hurricanes is all a direct consequence of man's arrogant march to so called progress.

If we do not change our ways to live less destructively and in greater harmony with the natural resources and conditions around us we will pay the price for that choice. (At least our children and their children will).

It did not take long, the damage will be for ever

2005-07-04T08:17:00.000-06:00

In today's New Your Times there is a report about draft legislation that will gut the Endangered Species Act to mere scraps, rendering it ineffective in protecting the earth from man's onslaught ( at least here in the US). The Bush Brigade believes they finally have enough support to kill this law that has protected our fragile lands and species so effectively. Protected it from greed and plunder by big business. Protected it from plain stupidity by our so called leaders. Protected it from short sighted needs when the long term goals are what is important.

The new approach will focus on the short term, explicitly stating that the long term approach of the current law is not needed. This is exactly what the current law is about, protecting the lands and species from people who think short term. The earth and all that lives on it have grown to their current state over millions of years. There is nothing short term in nature, nothing that you can change and fix overnight. You do not tell a species to take an aspirin and come back in the morning if it does not feel better. Species are being wiped out around the earth on a daily basis due to short term thinking. We cannot allow more short term thinking to further rip our precious land to shreds.

Today we celebrate our freedom. Remember that includes your right to stand up for what you care about and believe in. It is now needed more than ever. Stand up and tell the politicians to protect our earth but to do it with the long term future in mind, not short term profits. Tell them hands off our species, our lands our future.

See article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/04/politics/04species.html?ex=1121140800&en=aa6b4aee77a33d87&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Summer is heating up

2005-07-02T15:01:00.000-06:00

Summer started early in Texas this year. It is July 2nd and we already have had 3 days over 100 degrees and 30 days without rain. Not a good start to what is going to be a very long, dry and scorching summer. I am not talking about the weather now.

The country is about to witness a few key choices that will be made to shape our legal system, our environment and our freedom this summer. The Supreme Court must get some new faces added that will direct critical decisions for the next 20 to 30 years. The prospects for the environment have been getting dimmer for the past 6 years under the onslaught from the Bush brigade, now we risk having some of that mind set and destruction moving into the highest court in our land. Hand in hand with decimating the earth we need to protect we will also see our freedoms being eroded further. We hear that we are fighting a war for democracy and freedom abroad, but our personal freedoms at home are slowly being eroded away just like our earth is being gouged by oil drills and the air soured by emission from profit greed.

History will look back on this time as the depression of vision and thought in the White House. When the people of America were bankrupted by the lack of thinking and consideration of the long term needs of our country, when short term greed and emotional rhetoric ruled the day.

More 1984

2005-03-26T16:38:00.000-06:00

During this past week I heard a brief news report that just blew my mind. A new IMAX movie has been released, but will not be show in several states. Why you ask? Simple, religious censorship by the governments of those states. The film is about volcanoes, including under-sea volcanoes. Apparently microbes have been found in the water near the underwater volcanoes that have genetic links to humans. The narration in the movie suggests that it potentially supports the notion of evolution. So these states decided this may offend people that do not accept the notion of evolution, but who believe the fairy tale about Adam and Eve instead. What ever happened to free speech? What happened to open minded presentation of information and letting us make a choice for ourselves. Who put these morons that are deciding what I can and cannot see in these positions of power? By the way, these movies are a choice to go and see, and I must pay to see them. Nobody is forcing them down my throat. But my choice has been taken away by a bigot that has decided he or she knows what I should be watching.

Just harping back to the ongoing political farce in Florida, where the Republicans are getting their butts whipped by the Judiciary, I am amazed that people are not asking these self righteous twits to please explain why they went so far as to enact a new law to try and stop a brain dead person from dying, but send thousands of troops to fight and kill or be killed in an unjust and un-needed war. This simply does not make sense. Oh, by the way, for those who did not know this, when George was Texas governor he passed a law in Texas that gave the right of decision making over whether a brain-dead person gets to live or die based on whether there is money to keep them alive. Now, a few years later, that position seems to have changed radically. What, did the hospitals in Florida not give enough to Jed's re-election campaign?

It is 1984 in 2005!

2005-03-20T09:55:00.000-06:00

Over the past 4 plus years of reign by George Bush we have seen the ongoing and relentless erosion of rights and freedom in the USA. The latest case is the Schiavo Case in Florida where the government is getting deeply involved in a very personal and private family matter. The motivations of the politicians are the usual ones of control. They are also further blurring the separation of church and state with their actions in this case. Not only are they getting into a personal issue they should be staying out of, they are bringing their personal religious beliefs into play and forcing them down our throats once again.

The other example that comes to mind is a recent report in the NY Times about the government pre-making "news" reports that are playing on the news channels and is presented as news. This should be identified for what it really is, propaganda by the government to shape our thinking and behavior.

The great irony is that we have sent thousands of troops to Iraq, many to die to give the people there "freedom", but our own freedom is being undermined and slowly taken away by the same people in the government. What is even more ironic is that the government they are on the verge of instating in Iraq will most likely be a religious based one that will promote a society that essentially has no real freedom, other than those tolerated by the Muslim faith. We are slowly declining into a similar state right here in the US. Religious beliefs are rapidly oozing into every aspect of life in the US. The government is telling us how to live our lives at every level. The most ludicrous example I saw recently was some moronic local politician here in Texas wants to add legislation controlling the dancing of cheerleaders at functions as the are too sexual at present.

This intrusion into the privacy of individuals and erosion of freedom and rights must stop if this country is to remain the great place it has always been. Stand up an take your country back!

A journey to the past and the future

2005-03-06T17:47:00.000-06:00

February 09, 2005

Not an auspicious start. The flight to Atlanta, leg one of 4 to our destination is late, 3 hours late. Luckily our connection in Atlanta is in the morning. We finally get to our “hotel” at Midnight. Hopefully we are getting all the mishaps and bad luck out of the way early. Side note. Using online booking services like Hotels.com might be convenient and save you money, but you might not get what you were expecting. Fortunately we were only going spend about 5 hours in the dump we got. Unfortunately the place made you feel like you were covered in fleas.

February 10, 2005

We got to the airport early. Good thing too. We had to get some airline imposed changes made to out tickets. That took about 30 minutes. But the result was worth it. We got a row with four seats to share between 2 of us. The 16 hours of flying would be more tolerable with some space to move around and maybe get some sleep. The first leg was 6.5 hours with a refueling stop of 1 hour followed by another 8 hour leg to Johannesburg. Then the final leg of another hour or so to Port Elizabeth.

February 11, 2005

This would be the first time we step on our birth soil in 21 years. The excitement was building. The place will differently look different to when we left. Boy were we surprised. Very pleasantly as well. We needed to buy a new ticket to accommodate changes to our schedule. Instead of flying to Cape Town and driving to Port Elizabeth, we would fly directly to PE. What a good choice. Driving 650 kilometers after 2 days of sitting in aircraft would not have been a lot of fun. Here was the first sign that things were going to be really good. When we boarded they gave us new seat assignments, free upgrades to business class. That was good. Not only were we going to get to our destination for the night early, we were going to get there very comfortably.

We had been told there was a serious drought in the country. The scene below us was a carpet of greens in all directions. No drought in sight. Apparently the drought is focused around Cape Town in the western Cape. Well we will be there in a few days. We will see how bad it is then.

PE was another surprise. We picked a hotel at random. It was a relatively new place, part of a big international chain. It turns out it is part of a large complex that includes a multitude of shops, movie theater, casino and great restaurants. We picked a Greek restaurant and had some excellent lamb dishes. It has been many years since we had a really good Greek dinner. They seem to be so hard to come by in the US.

February 12, 2005

Two hours of driving gets us to our initial destination. Kariega Private Game reserve in the Eastern Cape. Our first outing would be a 4x4 drive starting at 4pm. We had a great lunch and pottered about getting ready for the drive.

What a drive it was. The game ranger has no fear of driving anywhere that vehicle could actually go. Track or not track in the bush. We had a great outing. We saw Impala, Waterbuck, Eland, Elephant, and after dark we came across two young male lions. We followed them for about 30 minutes. It was about 9pm when we made it back. Exhilarated by what we saw. Hungry as well. After a Kudu steak and some fine wine sleep jumped all over us. We will need to get up at 5am for the morning for the dawn drive and river cruise.

February 13, 2005

At 5am the sun was creeping over the horizon, a large orange ball of color easing into the horizon. We were ready to hit the tracks again and we did. We saw more antelope, giraffes, zebra and finally a white rhino. He was just lying in the middle of a large expanse of grassland. We approached within 25 feet. He just lay there. Finally he arose, posed for pictures and turned away, having done his duty for the tourists, paid his way.

We saw some beautiful birds as well, a European Bee-eater, finches, ducks of various sorts, Knysa Lourie, buzzard and eagles. Of course we saw Vervet monkeys scurrying about in the trees as well.

Butterflies are every where. The colorful shield spiders are everywhere. Their webs are immense traps for the unwary. They spanned six feet in many cases, hanging delicately between tree tips.

The afternoon drive was fun! A new group of people to talk to while experiencing the unfolding scene before us. We found our white rhino friend from the morning. He has moved on quite a bit and was mowing the grass very efficiently. White rhinos are specialist short grass eaters, and they leave a nice short lawn behind them as then trundle forward.

We also met up with the herd of elephant from the previous night. They were much calmer tonight. Not as irritated by our presence as before. I managed to get some really good shots this time.

Out two young male lions were strolling along the same road we saw them the previous night. Playing like two young kittens. Hiding and pouncing on one another. We headed for dinner after another fulfilling day.

February 14, 2005

Valentines day. Better not forget. I did not. I delivered my cards and a surprise gift that did the trick. The day will be good.

We went for an unguided hike starting at 5:30am. The trail was called the Wildebeest Trail and we ran into a herd of them right at the outset. They scampered off into the thick bush were they hoped we would not follow them. They were right, our path led another way, into the rising sun. The air was clean and cool, not cold. A great time for a walk in the bush. We saw lots of wild flowers and insects, and the call of many birds, treated to a flash of color or swift flight to make sure they were at a safe distance from us. At the furthest point we reached a lookout over a beautiful valley with a medium sized river meandering through it. What a reward for our effort. A sight to please anybody. If you did not see beauty in this, you were either dead, or should be.

A hearty breakfast after our 3 hour early morning walk was consumed eagerly. That morning air sure builds an appetite.

I went on a second walk a little later. It was a little shorter but was filled with wonder. Many shield spiders blocked the path with their elaborate and beautiful webs, sitting in the center, waiting for their next meal to succumb. A small group of zebra added some excitement to the walk, basically ignoring you, but a close watch revealed they were stealing glimpses all along.

The evening drive tonight was the last one of this trip to Kariega. We encountered 3 rhino early on and then after a rather adventurous ride up the side of a steep hill and over multiple small trees and bushes we found ourselves in the middle of a herd of elephant. The matriarch (also the leader of the herd) was none to pleased at first, and approached the 4x4 rather ominously. Our ranger talked to here in a calm and quiet tone and she calmed down. Backed off and continued with her destructive eating. We sat among them for about 20 minutes just enjoying being part of the herd. Watching them dexterously stripy the sweet leaves they want from the thorny acacias. Rip a small shrub or tree out of the ground, neatly shaking it free of soil and consuming it rather nonchalantly.

February 15, 2005

We were up early, ready for our last morning and our drive to the Karoo in the western Cape. A quick short hike to finish the visit. I found multiple large spider webs, with the beautiful and colorful inhabitants. After some pictures we headed back. After breakfast we were back on the road.

The drive along the coast was spectacular. Plettenbergbay was great stop for lunch. A stunning beach, white sand and a colorful town. A quick lunch and we were off.

We chose to take a side route, off the beaten path onto the Tsitsikamma Forest. The trees reaching for the clear blue sky, in many shades of green, each its own design, its own unique little world. We had learned that the forests that start in this general vicinity are poart of the plant kingdom called Fynbos. The smallest plant kingdom, but very rich in varieties. The name comes from the fact that most of the leaves on the plants in this kingdom are very small, or fine. Fyn is the Afrikaans word for fine.

Suddenly there was a sign, Wolf Sanctuary! There are no wolves in this part of the world, not naturally at least. We could not resist. We had to investigate. This was both a hopeful and depressing place. The wolves are all rescued from unscrupulous people that smuggled them into the country illegally many years ago. Some were part of an experiment to cross breed the wolves with dogs to create a super guard dog. As could be expected it failed. Hybrids, as they are called, also retain there wolf nature, the unpredicableness cannot be managed or bred away. So here they are with all these wolves that need a safe place to live. Stuck in a climate that does not suite these wonderful animals, forcing them to adapt and shed twice a year. They just need to hang out in the dens created for them. Most of them have very serious hip displaysha and spend their time sleeping. Only 2 of the 50 or so wolves looked lively and happy.

This sanctuary is an example of place they should not need to exist. But due to man’s crass arrogance and stupidity it does. These animals have had miserable lives and in some cases they are being kept alive to please humans. Many of them would be better of being euthanized. One of the wolves is deaf and close to being totally blind. Many are in clear pain when they try to move.

We moved on with heavy hearts. We love wolves and do what we can to support their protection. This place is both a blessing and a curse. At least these animals are protected in their waning years. Regrettably it will be in suffering and pain.

We reached our destination, Worcester by late afternoon, ready to start phase 2 of our journey.

February 16, 2005

We drove to a small game park today, called the Bontebok Park. This a small place with a unique inhabitant, the Bontebok. There are a small number of these beautiful animals left in the world, and this place is where they live. Roaming around in small groups, either on their own, or with Zebra or Red Hartebeest. The dirt road was a little rough on the car, but it was worth the drive.

While there are hints of green on the mountains, it is very dry. The worst drought this region has seen in recoded history. Some places have not had rain in 8 years. The vineyards are struggling. Many need to either close down, or cut back there operations substantially. The main water supply in the Hex River valley, a key wine growing region is a man made dam. Currently it is one third full and the level is dropping daily.

February 17, 2005

We have been visiting our birth land for some time now. It is our first return in 21 years. It has changed in many ways. For a start the driving has become very aggressive. As a non-local you really need to pay attention. It is interesting that the driving has degenerated to be similar to what I have seen in several so called undeveloped countries. So be warned. If you get into a car here, pay attention. Your life will depend on it.

It has been 10 years since there was a radical change in government, from one dominated by Caucasians to one dominated by the Xhosa tribe. It is interesting to observe how people now behave. It is very different to when we left. There is a levels of apparent cooperation and civil interaction between the many ethnic groups that make up the population, but if you really look you will see there is a strong undercurrent and tension. Amongst the Caucasians there is almost a palpable desperation that the current state of cooperation and apparent peaceful state will continue. It is clear that if that were not true their lives would become miserable, either because it will be civil war, or because they will become the under trodden. For the non-Caucasian groups you almost get the feeling they do not care, except for the people of mixed race. Historically known as the “colored” people. They are a substantial ethnic group with a unique culture and lifestyle. For the black ethnic groups the future can not be worse than the past, so any future is OK. At least that is what many believe.

This is clearly not true, but from their perspective and historic context it is understandable. My personal fear has long been that this country will erupt in civil war at some point. I thought it would have happened already, but everything I see around me tells me that it is still very possible, all that is needed is the spark, and that could be anything. Unrest is still frequent. The causes are many. Any one can be the one spark that sets it aglow.

February 18-20, 2005

We have been visiting with family and just relaxing. There is not much to do in small town in the middle of the Karoo. Daily outings to photograph the mountains is a highlight.

Reading the paper, listening to the news and to local people all confirms the earlier conclusions. This place is a powder keg waiting for a spark. There is tension in many places. Racial tension is probably the least significant issue. Financial divides, homelessness, unemployment, HIV/Aids and government interference at all levels of life are much more significant. Trade unions have gained in size and power and appear to be increasingly at odds with the current government. This in itself is a key issue. The current government is actually very careful and conservative.

All actions they take are careful and implemented slowly and with caution. The unions are much more aggressive and want action much faster. As can be expected they have a strongly socialist agenda which is not necessarily what the bulk of the people want or understand. Historically the country has been capitalist and the economy is one built on free enterprise. In the past 10 years government regulation has overwhelmed business and is strangling small business. It is becoming almost impossible to start a small business since they are subject to the same bureaucracy and overhead a large corporation, requiring payment of health insurance; pension funds contributions and group insurances even if you employ only 2 or 3 people. In addition, it is almost impossible to terminate an employee, no matter how badly they perform. Just about the only way to terminate people is to shut the business down. If you do that, you cannot start he same type of business for several years. If you do start the same business again, you must re-employ the same people if they have not found new employment.

On the subject of AIDs the government is in denial. In a report from the government this week reported on the fatality rates across age groups in the country. The 30-40 year old group now has the highest mortality rate in the country. However, most deaths, while caused by AIDs are reported and officially recorded as TB or pneumonia. All this is doing is further exacerbating the problem. No one really knows the true rate of infection in the country, but this is sure, it is very high. Official estimates are around 10%, but other are as high as 25%.

Clearly these are not conditions that stimulate growth in an economy and the resulting tensions amongst the employed and unemployed, the haves and have-nots are building. With some good fortune they can resolve the issues, but it will take a few small miracles.

We drove down to Stellenbosch for dinner with some relatives this evening.

Moyo at the Spier Winery was a great experience. An interesting blend of traditional food, authentic African dance, music, and face painting with a modern touch of marketing and presentation. We had a great time, loved the food and enjoyed catching up with 21 years of news!

February 21, 22, 23, 2005

We went on a long day trip to Oudshorn to visit the Cango Caves and places I knew during my youth. The drive was scenic and refreshed old memories, updating images from long ago. In some cases the images were significantly different; usually the towns were smaller and often crumbling into oblivion.

A visit to a bird sanctuary was interesting, but as often the case with such places there is a touch of sadness. Only 2 of the species in the aviaries were from Africa, all the others were from other continents. Most birds seemed to be content, but the larger Macaws were clearly stressed one had pulled all the feathers it could reach from it body.

These creatures must be protected; I just wish we can do it with less exploitation.

February 24,25,26, 2005
We spent the last days before our return to the USA in Cape Town. This was a good way to end the journey. It also reflects the issues facing the country. Cape Town has 2 clear parts, the part where the wealthy live, shop, work and eat and the part where the poor survive. The wealthy live in apparent oblivion to the underlying issues. When talking to local folks they are optimistic (as they need to be), but they do not see the tensions and potential flashpoints as clearly since they are in the situation.

On our last morning we had a conversation with the porter that helped us carry our luggage to our car. He was a black man. He told us that is was very worried about the future. That things are very unstable and he can wait for his son to finish school and go to university that they he will have the opportunity to possible leave for another country where there may be a better future. He said that under the new government things had gotten bad for everybody. White, black, yellow, no matter what color your skin or what language you spoke. (By the way South Africa has 11 official languages. I did not mention South Africa before, if you had not guessed it yet). He has been a plant foreman under the previous government, but when the change can in the mid nineties he lost his job. All the good jobs were given to family and friends of the new government, He had gotten the job at the American owned hotel, because his wife had a good track record there and could refer him into the company.

February 27, 28, 2005

Well the long trek back is nearly complete. I am writing this on the last leg of 4 back to Texas. 19 hours of flying time and 5 hours waiting for connections. So far all has progressed smoothly.

It will be back to work tomorrow. This journey back will stay with us for a long time. We are changed by it. We now fear the future in SA a little more than before. When Mandela dies, which cannot be that far in the future, things could fall apart quickly. Similarly, if the next premier is not careful like Nbeke is, the flashpoints could set flame to the political tinder box very easily and very quickly. I hope we are wrong.

It’s good to back on US soil.

EPA: Enterprise Protection Agency

2005-01-23T11:24:00.000-06:00

From the New York Times:

"E.P.A. Offers an Amnesty if Big Farms Are Monitored
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY Published: January 22, 2005

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 - The Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday that it would shield operators of large livestock operations from prosecution from air pollution violations if they participated in a new program to collect emissions data from their farms.
The information gathered from the participants would be used to determine which of the thousands of factory farms, known as animal feeding operations or A.F.O.'s, violate the Clean Air Act or other environmental laws."

Under the direction or at least the influence of the White House the EPA has once again failed to do it's job, just as it has so many times before. The current White House is there to help and protect the large enterprise or so called big business. Well it continues to do that well.

Now it is again weakening the protection of our already poorly protected air. Just visit any medium or large city and you can cut the air into chewable blocks of gunk. Now we are going to expand that to the factories called livestock operations in rural America. Big business paid for this when they made their donations to the re-election campaign. Now they get the value for their payment.

We should not be surprised. The current dubja regime is not interested in protecting our land and our resources for now and the future, just exploiting it as quickly as they can for their own personal gain. The pattern is familiar.

Please speak out against this. Join a activist group and let your voice be heard:
http://www.savebiogems.org/redford/ is a good group to join. You will be able to be heard together with the growing groundswell of voices that are saying enough is enough. The exploitation has to stop. There are better ways to do this. We do not need to destroy the earth to feed our need for wealth.

I have seen this before...............

2005-01-16T15:16:00.000-06:00

The New York Times recently reported (January 12, 2005) that the White House intervened in attempts to limit the methods used by US security agencies to get information from suspects. Apparently Condoleezza Rice argued that laws protecting prisoners already existed in international law and the US did not need to limit the powers. Our first reaction to this may be that giving the government power to do what it chooses in this situation is OK. It is being applied to terrorists and on foreign soil and to protect us. The catch is that once the laws are on the books they apply to all of us in the future.

I grew up in a country under siege and fighting a terrorist war. The government then used the same arguments we are hearing here now. The result was a set of laws over time that completely deprived the citizens of the country of basic freedoms and rights. Slowly eroding the rights of the individual in the name of national security.

Freedom is ours to protect

2005-01-01T20:16:00.000-06:00

NY Times: Rehnquist Resumes His Call for Judicial IndependenceBy LINDA GREENHOUSE Published: January 1, 2005
ASHINGTON, Dec. 31 - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, delivering his 19th and most likely his last year-end report on the federal judiciary, returned on Friday to one of his longtime themes: a need to safeguard the independence of federal judges from intrusive Congressional oversight.

This year he took account of more recent developments: "There have been suggestions to impeach federal judges who issue decisions regarded by some as out of the mainstream. And there were several bills introduced in the last Congress that would limit the jurisdiction of the federal courts to decide constitutional challenges to certain kinds of government action."
There have been calls in Congress to strip the federal courts of jurisdiction to hear challenges to the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, to the display of the Ten Commandments on government property and to the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that permits states to withhold recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states.

The US citizens must pay attention to what our elected representatives are doing. With the moves they seem to be pushing, together the Patriot Act the basic freedoms we are fighting for so bravely in the Middle East are being eroded away right under our noses.

Pay attention to what they are doing. Do not let the people we elected take away our basic rights. We elected them to serve us and protect us, not to betray us.

This is the USA. Many have died to give us our freedom. Do not let misguided politicians take them away.

Natural Disasters

2004-12-31T15:01:00.000-06:00

The devastating events of the past week have effected us all. We cannot but be saddened by this event. Take a few moments and grieve for those that have been lost. If oyu can help, do. Then you need to move on.

However, it also brings forth discussions. The normal irrational religious based comments ranging from the non-Christians are being punished for being non-believers and living in sin, to those that believe God is testing their faith on their way to nirvana. There is also at least one ignorant journalist somewhere that has attributed it to the wrath of Mother Nature.

The Earth has no wrath. It is just what it is. A living planet.

We are all creatures sharing this Earth. What appears to be forgotten by most, since we are so removed from daily intimate contact with the true nature of the Earth in our so called civilized cultures, is that the Earth itself is a 'living' entity that we share with all the other creatures that abound. The Earth has a molten core and a moving, ever changing crust. Large land masses move around constantly. We forget that it is a dangerous place we share and have but a short stay to experience it. We cannot control it. Just because you live in a concrete, steel, and glass jungle, far removed from a desert or a forest, does not protect you from the nature of a living Earth. In our sophistication we pretend we are safe, in control and the Earth can be manipulated. That is patently untrue. The events of this week have reminded us that we are just one of the many creators on this Earth that are trying to survive in a dangerous but mostly beautiful place.

Do not forget where you are. Do not forget why you are here. Do not ignore the Earth, it will not ignore you.

It isn't funny

2004-12-26T10:20:00.000-06:00

I got the following list from a like minded friend recently. My note from yesterday proves this is not so funny after all:

Things To Do Before the Inauguration

1. Get that abortion you've always wanted.
2. Drink a nice clean glass of water.
3. Cash your social security check.
4. See a doctor of your own choosing.
5. Spend quality time with your draft age child/grandchild.
6. Visit Syria, or any foreign country for that matter.
7. Get that gas mask you've been putting off buying.
8. Hoard gasoline.
9. Invest in the Peso while you can.
10. Borrow books from library before they're banned - Constitutional law books, Catcher in the Rye, Harry Potter, Tropic of Cancer, etc.
11. If you have an idea for an art piece involving a crucifix - do it now.
12. Come out - then go back in - HURRY!
13. Jam in all the Alzheimer's stem cell research you can.
14. Stay out late before the curfews start.
15. Go see Bruce Springsteen before he has his "accident."
16. Go see Mount Rushmore before the Reagan addition.
17. Use the phrase -- "you can't do that -- this is America."
18. If you're white -- marry a black person, if you're black -- marry a white person.
19. Take a walk in Yosemite, without being hit by a snowmobile or a base-jumper.
20. Enroll your kid in an accelerated art or music class.
21. Start your school day without a prayer.
22. Pass on the secrets of evolution to future generations.
23. Learn French.
24. Attend a commitment ceremony with your gay friends.
25. Take a factory tour anywhere in the US.
26. Try to take photographs of animals on the endangered species list.
27. Visit Florida before the polar ice caps melt.
28. Visit Nevada before it becomes radioactive.
29. Visit Alaska before "The Big Spill."
30. Visit Massachusetts while it is still a State.

Bush fells the forests

2004-12-25T11:06:00.000-06:00

Some extracts from:

From the New York Time: Administration Overhauls Rules for U.S. ForestsBy FELICITY BARRINGER Published: December 23, 2004

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 - The Bush administration issued broad new rules Wednesday overhauling the guidelines for managing the nation's 155 national forests and making it easier for regional forest managers to decide whether to allow logging, drilling or off-road vehicles.

The long-awaited rules relax longstanding provisions on environmental reviews and the protection of wildlife on 191 million acres of national forest and grasslands. They also cut back on requirements for public participation in forest planning decisions.

One of the ways the new rules give forest supervisors more power is that they are allowed to approve plans more quickly for any particular forest use - ranging from recreation to logging to grazing - and to adjust plans with less oversight.

For instance, an existing requirement to keep all fish and wildlife species from becoming threatened or endangered is jettisoned. In its place is a requirement that managers consider the best available science to protect all natural resources when they are making decisions.

Now the carnage will begin. The administration will now open the floodgates to let those who only care about their personal gain and corporate profits into these special areas we managed to protect thus far. Visit them soon. While you still can, while they are still tranquil and actually have trees, animal and bird life and you are not listening to chainsaws felling the last trees and dodging morons drag racing their ATV's across the remaining ruins of what was once a vestige of sanity and a safe haven for those who cannot speak for themselves; plants animals, birds amphibians, insects spiders and more.

Go quickly. Run and see it now. It will be gone soon!

Enchanted Rock

2004-12-25T10:44:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday we visited enchanted Rock in the Hill Country west of Austin. This is an amazing place. Unexpected and rich in texture. Rick in animal life. Rich in history. It is easy to see why various Native American tribes declared it sacred. These unusual outcrops of immense rock formations capture your imagination and draws you in. The day was beautiful. Temperatures in the mid sixties, the sun shining and a light breeze. A perfect day to be walking outside in such a spiritual place. Turkey Vultures circled overhead looking for their next meal. Rats and mice and other small critters scampered away as we approached. Just giving you a glimpse of fur as they scurried away. Silent birds scrubbed in the undergrowth for food. A red cardinal added a flash of color to the autumn background of browns and remaining greens.

This amazing place was there for us to savor and we did. Not many other people were there in the morning when we set off on our walk around the rock. By mid afternoon when we got back there were more people enjoying the enchantment of the place.

I will go back there soon. Spend more time there. This is a place where you can touch the earth and feel it touch you. Soothe you. Put you are peace with yourself. Remind you that it can be good. That we can live in a tranquil place, without war and mindless, pointless death.

Go out and seek your spot. Your spot where you can find tranquility and be at peace with the earth.

Turd Blossom

2004-12-14T07:10:00.000-06:00

In a recent TV spot dubja's right hand man was being interviewed. During this interview we discovered why the US is in the crapper. Dubja is getting all his advice from a Turd Blossom!

Going to the zoo

2004-12-02T13:12:00.000-06:00

Last weekend was a very conflicted one. We visited the San Antonio Zoo and then Hamilton Pool. Both should have been uplifting and fun experiences. Unfortunately they were not.

San Antonio Zoo is advertised as one of the better, if not one of the top 5 zoos in the country. Well all I can say I hope the ones that are better, are a lot better. SA Zoo has a reasonable collection of birds, reptiles and mammals. My issue is with the condition that many are kept. I though many of the birds were in cages that were too small for the bird in question. Similarly most of the mammals are in bare concrete and rock enclosures. No sign of soil or plant live anywhere near them. So I was not surprised to see that a significant number of the enclosures have signs up saying that the animals were currently under medical treatment in the enclosure or in a more confined area. I should declare here that I grew up in Africa and have had the privilege of seeing many of these animals in the wild and in some zoos that have more expansive and more realistic enclosures.

However, that does not make the state of the many of these poor animals any better. The elephant, grizzly, lion and other big cats generally appeared very lethargic, and as is to be expected, bored out of their skulls. The ones that were not, were generally pacing around almost with agitation. The larger of 2 white rhinos was continually chasing and attacking the younger and smaller rhino in the same enclosure. (At least they had some mud to wallow in).

I am sure the zoo keepers have the best intentions, and are doing what they can with limited resources. I am also sure that they are having some success with breeding programs. However, this looks like a clear case of having a smaller more focused population would allow them to offer the animals a truly better life and probably more success in a smaller number of focused breeding programs.

Now to the one that was fun. Hamilton pool is a small valley and waterfall with a medium sized pool near Austin. We have recently had exceptional amounts of rain with flooding and the like. So the waterfall at Hamilton pool was spectacular. The good news for us was we were the only people there. The bad news is that so few people are getting to see and experience the spectacle in their midst. It is amazing how few people even know it exists, and despite actually being on the local evening TV news recently, so few people care to see it. I presume watching football or playing a mindless computer game has become more interesting to most folks. Sad that is. Very sad.

Thank you

2004-11-25T09:56:00.000-06:00

On this day of giving thanks I thank the earth and the natural universe.

Thank you for the sunrise, for the morning breeze, for the cry of the crows, for howl of the cyotes, for the rain, for the lightning and thunder, for the critters crawling in the fallen leaves, for the skeletons of the trees on winter horizon, for clear blue sky on cool winter days, for the sunset, for the moonlight, for the night sky with stars sparkling bringht. Thank you the few that care to protect and preserve what is so fragile. Thank you.

A well planned war.............

2004-11-21T09:48:00.000-06:00

From the NT Times on 11/16/04

- QUOTATION OF THE DAY -
"I've done my time. I've got a brand new baby and a wife, and I haven't touched the controls of an aircraft in seven years. I'm 47 years old. How could they be calling me? How could they even want me?"
- RICK HOWELL, former Army helicopter pilot.

Well this sounds like a well planned war. We are running out of young soldiers to kill in a pointless, needless and unjustified war. Now more people will die for a cause that no one understands, except now they will be men and women in their mid forties that have families and often business dependent on them. So we will destroy not just the best of a young generation, but a mid generation that is building the future. I hope everybody who voted for Dubja is seeing the consequences of their actions. Thank you very much. Four more years of misery being inflicted on our nation. Just what we needed.

Sunny Sunday morning

2004-11-21T08:21:00.000-06:00

I walked Dakota this morning, like I do most days. It was beautiful outside. Cool with a light breeze occasionally. It was foggy and grey. It was wet. Very wet. It has been raining for days. The creek that runs through the golf course has aspirations of being a river. You can hear it from a distance. Talking loudly about it's new found vigor and size. Rushing over the rocks. It must enjoy itself because it will not last. Soon it will be a trickling creek again.

Texans amaze me. When it is outrageously hot in summer they are all outside, getting sun burnt and suffering in the heat. Then, at the first sign of cooler, wet weather they hide indoors by a fire. This is a great time to be outside and enjoying the cool soft fall day. There is one lonely golfer on the golf course. One guy enjoying being outside. Feeling the easy grey fog on his skin. His hair getting damp as he walks the course. No one to slow him down except himself. If this was somewhere in Europe, England specifically there would be masses of people about enjoying the day. Some would be having picnics. Others walking about in a garden somewhere. Many would be playing football or golf.

The squirrels are bounding around finding the last scraps of food to hide away for the winter that never really comes in Texas, but instinct will prevail.

It is a sunny day in my mind. Every day is to be enjoyed. It is in your mind that you choose to enjoy it or not. The earth is always beautiful, you just have to see it. Go out and look for it, you will find it.

A gay irony

2004-11-14T10:26:00.000-06:00

In the recent weeks there have been several reports about the polar ice cap melting due to the greenhouse effect and the consequential global warming. Also reported was the sharp decrease in numbers of male species of fish in rivers and the increased presence of female hormones in the male fish as a consequence of the many different pollutants we dump into the rivers. Both these effects are a direct consequence of our incessant consumption and mindless dumping of pollutants into the air and the water. Man is truly a mindless beast when taken a group. Small pockets try to do the right thing, but they are but a small squeak in the roar of disregard and arrogant selfish action by the masses in search of riches and personal wealth.

The beautiful irony of this is that the some of the centers of pollution and heartland of resistance to anti-pollution action like Florida and Texas may suffer the most from the global warming. As the oceans rise 3 feet over the next 10 years many coastal cities in these states will find themselves under threat. They will no doubt demand that the government magically fix it. Probably still unwilling to accept or recognize the consequences of their own greed and mindless actions. One forecast has Austin Texas becoming a sea front city. That would mean that Houston, the center of oil greed will be under the ocean. What a wonderful consequence.

The second irony may be a little harder to fathom for the bible bashing heartland in these states. It would appear that the long term use of detergents and many other pollutants we are pumping into our rivers is effectively creating a massive population of hormone unbalanced animals, i.e. making a gay world. I know this is a stretch, but it is very amusing that the same people that demand we all be Christians and believe what they believe, and condemn people for being born gay, are also the same people that don't think pollution is a problem. Would it not be wonderful if we can prove that the increasing gay population is directly correlated to the increased pollution of the water and air and hence the entire food chain! It would be the ultimate comeuppance for these mindless morons.

Remember Remember

2004-11-07T17:35:00.000-06:00

Remember Remember

“Remember Remember the 5th of November”. This is the opening line of a children’s rhyme in Great Britain. It recalls the occasion of thwarting an attempted assassination of the entire British Parliament by Guy Fawkes. Fortunately for all someone gave authorities a tip and he was caught red-handed and the attempt stopped. Guy Fawkes day is not commemorated by fireworks displays on November 5th each year.

This year I had my own fireworks. We finally managed to make a trip back to our beloved Colorado. More specifically, our ranch in southern Colorado in the foothills of Rockies, near Spanish Peaks. We were rewarded by a stunning sunset over Spanish Peaks on Friday evening. We watched for an hour as the sun slowly crept behind the horizon and the light played on the clouds. Each beam of light adding color to the clouds, constantly changing hues and intensity. Turning the clouds the richest pink as the hovered over the peaks. It looked like colored cotton wool stuck to the blue sky above the majestic mountain.

We followed this up in the morning on Saturday with a rich roar of color as the sun rose across the eastern plains of Colorado bringing fresh life to all around us. The eastern sky was warm and intense. The first light on Spanish Peaks was soft and warm, with hints of pink. A rich glow bathed the mountain peaks. The grey clouds offering a perfect backdrop to the pink light on the snow capped peaks. As we watched, the light played on the contours of the mountains. The shadows moving quietly as the morning light chased them around valleys and outcrops on the side of the mountains. The nooks and crannies of the mountain being exposed and hidden in a matter of minutes as the light changed with the rising sun.

It was 31 degrees outside as we took photographs. We did not feel the cold. We were warmed by the show nature was putting on for us. We were alone on a hilltop in the foothills. No one else stirred. We could hear deer breaking branches of trees as the moved around nearby. We had watched them for a while on Friday evening. Curious guys, they were. They slowly moved toward us coming with 30 feet or so, before deciding that was close enough. They moved away again, disappearing into the trees and shrub. A rabbit ran across the road ahead of us, disappearing as quickly as he had appeared in the first place. He did not hang around for friendly chat.

As we hiked around the hills and creeks we could see the tracks of the many animals that we share our land with. Deer and Elk. We also saw the tracks of a medium sized cat. We did not see the cat, but his tracks were clear in the snow and mud. He was tracking the deer. Maybe he caught his quarry. We did not see if he did. He is welcome to share of piece of serenity. Our serenity in Colorado. In the foothills of the majestic Rockies.

We drove back to Texas later on Saturday. We briefly passed through the north eastern tip of New Mexico. The colors of the grasslands and rock outcrops, while muted, showed a wide variety of color from a soft yellow to deep reddish brown. Unfortunately we were back in Texas before we knew what hit us. It is amazing how drab Texas looks compared to Colorado and New Mexico. It is truly flat and featureless, both in terrain and color. The only relief is spotting a red tailed hawk swooping in for a snack. Texas has been said to belong to the devil. Well if anybody actually wants it, he is welcome to it, should he exist. I suspect however, that our imagined nemesis does not want it either. What would he do there with all those Bible toting zealots? They do belong here. They once again made sure that our dear friend Dubja got re-elected and since they live in this barren wasteland I now understand why. What is there to protect. It is covered in oil wells and rigs where ever you go. They do not understand what he is doing to our earth. Causing irreparable harm that may never be repaired. At least not in my lifetime.

Well we are home again now. We yearn for Colorado and the mountains. At least we have our memories and photographs to look back on in moments of quiet desperation. This is what we dream of and live for.

Remember Remember the 5th of November. Yes I will, everyday, walking on the clays of Colorado, skirting through the brush on the hills, breathing the cool brisk clean air. Watching the light play hide and seek with the mountains. Happy and serene.

Jesus is the answer?

2004-11-04T13:03:00.000-06:00

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that got me thinking, on what was my day of mourning for my country. It said "Jesus is the answer". My immediate thought "was "what is the question?". Since it is stated so boldly, that Jesus is the answer, one must presume that Jesus is the answer to all questions, regardless of subject.

Well this is really cool, a single amswer to all possible questions in the world. That is rather simplistic and naive to say the least. All I can say that folks who go through the world with such a simplistic and brainless attitude are in trouble. I will state categorically that Jesus is not the answer. He is not fixing world hunger, creating world peace (which is an idle dream of course), he is not stopping our bible punching president from destroying out environment, he is not stopping people from robbing, raping, killing and generally behaving in unsocial ways.

The issues are much greater than such a simple minded view. The more I see what many people view as their philosophy and world view, the more I understand why we are in so much trouble around the world. So many people now have this religious based simplistic answer to all their issues, so that do not actually give real thought to the issues, they just slap a slogan on the question and ignore it.

Yes, my friends, Jesus is not the answer to all question, not by a long shot.

Split winter

2004-10-26T19:33:00.000-06:00

I am visiting my second home at present, Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is quite a change from Texas, especially as we creep into Winter. After dinner I went for a walk as I usually do every evening. I suspect most of the locals thought me crazy. Seeing a person going for a walk, when they are all wrapped up in their wollies and coats, snug in the cars and homes. Well I like the cold. It is invigorating, refreshing and gets the blood cursing through your body. As winter ramps into full swing the difference will become extreme, but the ability to live in both the mild so called winter of Texas, and the real winter of Minnesota will be a great experience.
The other great part of traveling to another state in the US is hearing another point of view. Minneapolis is split down the middle when it comes to felling a Bush or voting for Kerry (of sorry that is not a choice, but you know what I mean), so you actually hear a lot of people talking about the issues, instead of spouting the fear and rhetoric of the extreme right. This is refreshing, just like the weather, a burst of cool air, it clears the cobwebs and brings in a fresh point of view.

Election, art and sunsets

2004-10-24T09:11:00.000-06:00

We voted yesterday. I was amazed how many people were voting. I truly hope that all the early votes are for Kerry and not for Bush. I am also hoping against hope that people are voting Democrats for the Senate and House, so that if Bush does stay he is hamstrung by a Democratic House and Senate. That will at least minimize the damage. It can't prevent the stupidity,that is built in, but it can stop major legislation that further destroys the economy and the environment.

Going for a walk last right at sunset once again amazed me. The sunset last night was spectacular to say the least. The color and scope of the light in the sky was indescribable. A constantly changing range of pinks and yellows. Mainly pinks. The intensity and depth of color was breathtaking. Nature again trumps any invention of the human mind. In contrast we went to a rather unknown art gallery in New Braunfels earlier in the day. Firstly finding a real art gallery in New Braunfels was amazing to begin with. Finding one that has original art from Monet, Manet, Pizarro, Van Gogh, Rodin, Pollock and many others from the early 1900's was even more amazing. However, no art, no matter how great in the eyes of the art community could touch the images mother nature presented last night.

A state of cowboy

2004-10-17T08:27:00.000-06:00

I recently got to see Bowling for Columbine. It was interesting to say the least. It is clearly one sided, but that said the message is still valid.

A key question that Michael Moore asks is why is there such a high incidence of gun violence in the USA and not in other countries with just as high a gun availability as the US. His answer seems to be that the US culture is one based on fear. While that seems to have a solid basis, I will offer another cause. It is the cowboy culture that is prevalent in the US. Starting with the current President, we have a underlying shoot first, ask questions later mind set in the US. This explains many key differences between the US an most European cultures and the one in Canada. They are all much more consultative and pondering. The underlying mind set is to gather the information, discuss and consider it, and then act. While this often slows down the process, the results may be more stability and better long term decision making.

The Cowboy mind set has also lead to the get it done as quickly as possible,clean up the mess later approach often seen in the US, especially in business. While this works for a short while, eventually it will come back to haunt you and bite you in the proverbial butt. The US constantly has a thirst for a quick fix, e.g. tax cuts to boost the economy, instead of long term investment in education, international trade development and the environment. As long as we act like cowboys we will get shot!

The Bush legacy that must never happen

2004-09-15T12:40:00.000-06:00

Quote from the NY Times September 14, 2004:

"THE BUSH RECORD
New Priorities in Environment

By FELICITY BARRINGERPublished: September 14, 2004

Every fall, after raising their young near Teshekpuk Lake and the Colville River, tens of thousands of geese and tundra swans leave the North Slope of Alaska for more southerly shores. Some end their journey at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the flatlands of North Carolina.

Both habitats could be transformed if current Bush administration initiatives come to pass. The birds would have oil rigs as neighbors in Alaska and be greeted by Navy jets simulating carrier takeoffs and landings in North Carolina.
That such projects could bracket the birds' path is not surprising in light of the priorities of the administration. Over the last three and a half years, federal officials have accelerated resource development on public lands. They have also pushed to eliminate regulatory hurdles for military and industrial projects.

In a recent interview, Michael O. Leavitt, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, summed up the Bush administration's philosophy. "There is no environmental progress without economic prosperity," Mr. Leavitt said. "Once our competitiveness erodes, our capacity to make environmental gains is gone. There is nothing that promotes pollution like poverty."
The administration's approach has provoked a passionate response. Asked about his expectations in the event of President Bush's re-election, Senator James M. Jeffords, the Vermont independent who is the ranking minority member on the Environment and Public Works Committee, wrote in an e-mail message: "I expect the Bush administration to continue their assault on regulations designed to protect public health and the environment. I expect the Bush administration to continue underfunding compliance and enforcement activities."
Mr. Jeffords concluded, "I expect the Bush administration will go down in history as the greatest disaster for public health and the environment in the history of the United States." "

There is little to add to this clear disaster that the Bush regime has created. This onslaught against our precious and fragile natural resources and environment must be stopped. It must happen now, in November we all have the power to stop the lunacy and the destruction. Take action and vote against this destruction of our future.

Texas sun

2004-09-02T19:15:00.000-06:00

The one thing I can say about Texas is that we sure have spectacular sunsets. Texas does not have the spectacular landscapes and scenes that can be found in many other place, but the light at sunrise and sunset frequently is stunning. On ozone action days the sunrises and sunsets are often particularly rich and extensive. What an irony that the dirty air helps to make the sunrise or sunset look so good. Nature and physics at play to reward us despite our careless attitude and disregard for the earth we live on. Texas must have more trucks and SUV's than anywhere else. Together with the don't care attitude form the state government about pollution the air quality is constantly degrading. When will we wake up? Clearly not as long as we have the current government (both state and federal). It is up to us to take care and take the initiative. Politicians living of the fat of their corporate sponsors sure as heck will not.

Whither the grey wolf

2004-07-18T06:40:00.000-06:00

It is all gone. The color that is. The stunning array of color I saw this morning when I stepped out of the house to walk the dog. The reds, purples and the pinks on the horizon, reflecting of the clouds as the sun approached, warning of its imminent arrival in a spectacular display of intense color. Only nature can provide such a display. The subtle nuances and the constantly changing tones and mixtures of hues and intensity are unique to nature. Man simply cannot match it.

The grey wolf will also soon be gone if the current administration continues with its plan to take the grey wolf off the endangered species list. Of course I expect no less from an administration that clearly does not care two hoots about the environment and the creatures that live in it, including us. Once the grey wolf is no longer protected it will again be at the mercy of the millions of mindless morons with hunting rifles that take pleasure in killing wolves for the simple pleasure of killing. There is no value in killing a wolf. There is no need to kill a wolf. It is pure unadulterated and mindless pleasure seeking. (Who gets pleasure form killing a majestic animal that is simply trying to survive I don't know, but history has shown there are thousands, if not millions that do).

Let's keep the color in the sky, let's keep the grey wolf protected. It does not stand a chance without us helping. Let's get an administration that cares about us and our environment again.

A little rough, but the message is right.....

2004-07-13T07:03:00.000-06:00

I heard this on the radio today. Eric Schwartz Someone else that is tired of the religious extreme trying to tell us all how to live and dictate outrageous new laws that fly in the face of the Constitution trying to force us all the live their way. This is America. We all have the right to live the way we choose as long as that does not harm others and infringe on their rights to do what they want.

We really do need a change..............

2004-07-06T18:52:00.000-06:00

I had dinner with some folks in Minneapolis one night last week. It was rather refreshing to talk to people who have not all been dragged into the broken world of the reigning White House. People who do not believe all the nonsense, and some that have been shown to be outright lies. Who agree that we should never have attached Iraq. That we are now less safe than we were before. That Iraq has now been turned into a terrorist breading ground. The exact opposite of what we supposedly set out to prevent. What seems to be forgotten is that Iraq was a sovereign country. Right now it is an occupied country dancing to the puppet masters music. But, step back, if we attached Iraq because the leadership was so horrific and we needed to 'free' the people, are we going to do the same for every other suppressed nation in the world. Free all the oppressed and topple every regime in the world. I think not. We would have to invade over half the nations in the world, by the way that would include our beloved Israel. Here is country that is oppressing thousands, torturing and killing daily, yet we send money, weapons, technology and who knows what else to help them. We speak with forked tongue.

I am not a religious person, so I cannot say that I pray for a change in the White House this year, but may all the powers of rational thought prevail to bring about the change we need, just about anybody else could do a better job that the current bunch.

Finally the truth is out

2004-06-30T16:50:00.000-06:00

In today's edition of USA Today there was an interesting article that finally published what some of knew to be true, but nobody was saying. In this debate about jobs, especially those that are going offshore, the argument has been that sending jobs offshore will create new jobs back home. The insinuation has been that they will also be better jobs. Well the data says it is not so! The data says, yes we are creating jobs alright, but on average they are lower paying jobs, and often part time or barely permanents jobs since they are heavily in the service sector, such as food services. So this is really going to help us in the long term. As our skilled, high paying jobs go offshore to other counties to lift their economies and standard of living, we are lowering ours and creating a larger and larger very low paid underclass. The divide between the haves and havenots will keep growing. The social consequences of that are not trivial. The economic impact on the US is also significant. There may be more jobs, but since they are low paying the taxes being paid to run the country are decreasing and the overall spending power of the average American is dropping. This is not what we expect and is not the plan we want. So be careful when you are told things are getting better, do not be blinded by statistics. They may not be painting the true picture!

Now the Kurds are coming...........

2004-06-21T19:26:00.000-06:00

So this is getting to be interesting. Before we invaded Iraq we had little problems with either Iraq or terrorists per se. The worst terrorist atrocity on US soil had been perpetrated by a white American citizen, born and bred in the heartland. Then we invaded Iraq, which was falsely justified as being a strike against. Terrorism. Instead of really attacking the terrorist links in Saudi and Pakistan, no we attacked a tin pot dictator that was himself a target of the Taliban and others. We go ahead and help the fundamentalist terrorist movement by getting rid of someone that was in their way and open up Iraq to become a hot bed of terror. Now we run around and blame the deaths of Americans on the 'terrorists' we unleashed. I have yet to hear the government point a finger at Saudi. No that would be a problem since that is where the OIL comes from,and the personal friends of the Bush's would be offended. Money would be lost by a few exclusive folks. How sad. Instead hundreds of innocent Americans must die for no reason, and thousands of middle eastern folks must die for no reason other than they are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now the Kurds are wreaking havoc in the northern regions of Iraq. What have we unfurled on the world. Definitely not peace, freedom and prosperity.

It is so, because we say so............

2004-06-18T07:32:00.000-06:00

I grew up in a country other than the US. It was a police state and despite have 'elections', it was effectively a dictatorship, albeit well disguised at times. On of the key capabilities of the then government was to invent facts to suite their needs. Have 'security' personnel testify in court to events that did not occur using fabricated evidence. Events this week with the current incumbents of the White House grimly remind me of those days. The 9/11 Commission provides physical evidence that an someone is physically in the US, when the White Claims that he was meeting with terrorists in Europe on the same day and time. When confronted with this Dick Cheney simply dismisses the physical evidence as 'wrong' since it does not match his version of the truth. I hope Americans realize what a scary path we are on. Where the powers that be chose to believe their own lies and rhetoric in spite of overwhelming hard evidence that they plain screwed up. What happened to honor, integrity and truth. Oh, well, I forgot, these are politicians were are dealing with, and in this case money hungry, profit driven politicians.

Thinking about religion

2004-06-17T07:44:00.000-06:00

In yesterday's Wall Street Journal there was a letter in which the author said "America is a very religious country and primarily a Christian one". While I am not affiliated with any organized religion I do not care that other people choose to do so. That is their personal choice. What I am bothered by is that statements like the one above imply that because many people are Christians, gives them the right to assume that everybody agrees with them and if someone does not agree with them, they should. This creates an intrinsic conflict and a mindset that skews all thought. It also places anybody who does not conform to this religious mindset in a position where they need to constantly consider the Christian view of everything to get things done and to not unduly offend those around them.

The founders of this great country very deliberately created a constitution that separated church and state for a very good reason. They had suffered under the rule of governments driven and directed by religious ideology instead of rational thought. This current wave of religious fervor that is constantly intruding into the daily running of our country is both troubling and very dangerous. The country must be run based on facts, rationale thought and the principles of fairness and equality, not preference for those that are part of the faith. Remember the Spanish inquisition, it was driven by irrational and blind belief, not driven by rational values that would improve the life of the citizens.

2004-06-09T07:51:00.000-06:00

So we have been hearing a lot of different statements being made about the legacy of Ronald Reagan this week. I heard one pundit claim that he was responsible for rebuilding the US economy. I statement I find rather strange considering we had the largest deficit in history by the time he left office to be almost immediately followed by a crushing recession. What he should has said was that apparent economic prosperity was bought by mortgaging the future. What is more relevant to our current time, is the our current President is following the Reagan model. He has taken a cash surplus and created what is now the largest deficit in history (of the US at least) to buy what looks like economic strength. The question is whether it is real and if history is being repeated. We have all seen that Dubja has ignored just about every lesson of history and keeps repeating the same mistakes as many before him. Will his legacy also be that the facade of economic prosperity is immediately followed by a very real and devastating recession as we once again pay off our debts and pay for the uncontrolled ego of a man that should never have been given the change to cause this chaos in the first place.

2004-06-02T16:05:00.000-06:00

Summer came early to Texas this year and with a vengeance. May started fairly mildly and then bang at the end of May and now into June all hell breaks loose. 106 degrees in June! What happened to easing us into the heat. Someone should tell the boys running this show that summer starts around June 20th.

Well we have had some very active weather this year, lots of tornadoes and heavy rain, droughts, you name it. It would appear that things are getting more severe all the time. Maybe that global warming thing is true after all. (Note the sarcasm!).

Hopefully more and more people in the US will notice how ignoring the environment comes back to haunt us later. The current pain unfortunately cannot be directly blamed on George DubYa, but much future pain can and should be. His record on air pollution, helping the oil companies ravage our country and environment and allowing just about any large corporation that wishes to run roughshod over us and our fragile earth is both pathetic and alarming. Lets make sure this poor excuse for man does not get to do this to us again in assigned term. He has to go. One term is too much! Just about any alternative candidate will be better. They surely no one else cause as much damage as he has in his 4 short years.

2004-04-14T08:48:00.000-06:00

If you ever get to drive in Texas you need to be aware of a great threat to you while on the road. It come in several forms, but is very easy to recognize. The first form is slow moving, erratic and appears to move aimlessly invariably in a manner to maximize your frustration and often putting you at risk with unexpected moves. The second form, while physically looking identical to the first moves at maximum speed, will go over just about anything to get to it's destination and could not care about anybody else on the road. Yes I speak of the white pick-up truck. You have been warned! No excuses. (The speed demon white pick-up truck has a close cousin, just as easy to spot, namely the black pick-up truck. While there are much fewer of them, they are just as deadly).

2004-04-12T15:23:00.000-06:00

Once again our freedoms are under attach. This time from stealth censorship. Not so stealth actually. Pretty blatant censorship in the form of penalties from the FCC on radio shows. This is yet again the ultra Christian right forcing their views on us. The time has come for us to say enough is enough. We do not want others telling us what to think and say.

2004-04-01T18:03:00.000-06:00

Wow three posts in one day, must be that long absence that has bottled up a lot to say.

2004-04-01T18:02:00.000-06:00

I attended a conference in CA this week and had 2 similar and interesting experiences that reminded me how important it is to treat people well and respectfully and not to burn bridges as you move forward in your life.

At college I studied Chemistry and did a Masters in Theoretical Chemistry. When I started working it was as a software engineering virtually from day one. So what? Well this conference was the bi-annual American Chemical Society attended mainly by Chemists. I was there selling software that helps them do computation work more effectively.

So what happened?

I met a fellow during one session and we started talking. Turns out he was a member of the team at the University of Arkansas that provided one of the key programs I used to complete my masters and we had corresponded 25 years earlier. Moreover he was still in contact with my advisor from those days! Well thought it was interesting. Second event is even more unlikely. I was scheduled to have lunch with a Prof. Of Chemistry form Oxford on Monday and during our conversation I discovered he had been the best man at the wedding at one of my professors in South Africa where I grew up and studied. Bizarre to say the least. What are the odds of that. (Bear in mind the guy in South Africa had a class of 4 the year he taught me)!

So, lesson re-enforced, treat people with respect and dignity, you never know when or where they will cross your path again in the future.

2004-04-01T13:35:00.000-06:00

It has been a while. No I did not fall off the face of the earth, just been too busy.

Flying back from LA last night the person next to me was reading a book called the Sovereignty of God. I could not help but to notice some of the writing this book. By now it must be clear that I am not religious in the traditional sense. That does not mean I m not spiritual. One comment in particular I found irrational is the "wrath of God will come down on the wicked". Well if God is supposed to be all loving and forgiving why must we fear the wrath? More fundamentally I see that most religions in the world (that I am aware of at least) are based on fear of the unknown, and that they are a shameless exploitation of this fear. What is really frightening is that many really intelligent people have fallen for this trap. Blind belief in something all powerful (and wrathful apparently) that there is absolutely no proof of other than a centuries old belief that it exists and is controlling us and all that surrounds us.

Believing in an all powerful controlling being is one thing, but to go out and start killing people who do not believe what you believe is another. That appears to now be a growing issue in the current state of the world. At least 2 fundamental groups who both have a God they believe in, but have drastically different beliefs about that God and appear to be totally willing to kill other who disagree. So this is the rational outcome of irrational thought, based on an irrational belief. Pretty scary that the future stability of the world as we know it is based on such a flimsy and unstable thought.

By the way do not get me started on the mixing of state and religion as is currently practiced by Dubja (George W Bush for those who do not know him by his real name). That leads to even more irrational behavior than you can imagine. This guy is making Victoria (Queen of England that is, not the one with the secret), look liberal and free spirited. (Sorry, but I can't leave Dubja out of the picture, he is always inviting this kind of comment).

2004-01-21T11:27:00.000-06:00

Sunday morning there was a wonderful sunrise. It was missed by most people since it was early and lasted only for a few minutes. The deep pink edge of the sky was a color and richness only nature can produce. Sunday was also depressing with the news that over a hundred dolphins had beached themselves of the coast of Mexico. Most died. We have no idea why dolphins and whales do this. Many reasons have been suggested, maybe we need to consider the thought that they are staging a protest. The ultimate protest of dying to make a point. Dolphins are very intelligent creatures, maybe they are getting tired of man using their home, the sea, as a garbage dump. We dump raw sewage, oil from tankers, waste and who knows what else into the sea every hour of the day. At some point this mindless action has to trigger a reaction. Maybe the dolphins and whales are trying to warn us of the impending issues from our actions. It may be time to pay attention to their warning.

2004-01-09T07:48:00.000-06:00

Finally we had some fresh cold weather to clean out the cobwebs. Cold weather wakes me up and gets me going. Everything is crisp and bright in the winter sunlight. The trees are bare skeletons, beautiful structures that appear now that the leafy clothing has been blown away. The blue sky is deep and fresh. Inviting. Walking outside is refreshing with a cool wind in your face or at your back. The dog charges around while we walk. The cool of winter has put a bounce in his step as well. He does not like the heat of summer either.

This year is starting well. Lots of good things are happening. It is good to be alive.

2004-01-04T09:58:00.000-06:00

2004 has started hot and muggy. I hope this is not a bad omen. They say the economy will be a lot better this year. I suspect that will be true for the very rich. The average worker will probably be no better of than in 2003 with work still hard to find and cost of living gradually increasing. Hopefully the economy will not help Bush keep the Presidency. I am not sure we can handle another 4 years of his divisive and destructive policy making. The environment has suffered and will keep suffering for a very long time as a consequence of his approach. Take whatever you want, not what you need, and make as much money while you are at it. Rape the earth for your personal gain. No problem there.

Well I hope we will make the right choices going forward, choosing leaders that care for more than their personal wellbeing and that we can start to turn the tide of destruction back to one of caring and balance with the earth we so desperately depend on.

2003-12-25T09:21:00.000-06:00

It is Christmas day if you are a Christian. (I am not so it is less significant for me). If you listen to all the talking heads on TV it is a time for goodwill and caring. Why only now at this time? Should we not be caring and have goodwill to others, all living creatures, the earth and all about us all the time. I suppose this is a reflection of the superficiality of life in our 'modern' times.

We went to see the final installment of the Lord of the Rings on Tuesday evening. This is just a fictional story, but one with a great message: truth, honesty and genuine enduring friendship is what life is all about. Power and wealth is nothing and can be lost in an instant, but pure friendship is till death and beyond.

It is a hapless dream that humanity could live in peace with one another and at peace with the earth, not exploiting each other or the earth, but living with mutual respect, trust and caring. Hapless it may be, but achieving it in little bits, wherever possible, makes this life better and worth living.

2003-12-24T08:13:00.000-06:00

Quoting today's New York Times:

"Administration Is Exempting Alaska Forest From Protection
By JENNIFER 8. LEE

Published: December 24, 2003

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 2004.

The Bush administration announced on Tuesday that the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the largest in the country, would be exempted from a Clinton-era rule, potentially opening up more than half of the 17 million-acre forest for more development and as many as 50 logging projects.

The decision stems from the settlement of a lawsuit between Alaska and the federal government over the so-called roadless rule, which prohibited the building of roads in 58.5 million acres of undeveloped national forest across the country.

Environmental groups attacked the administration for the settlement in July, saying it was an underhanded strategy for circumventing the regulation. Conservation groups said the administration had failed to defend the roadless designation adequately. "

Once again the environment must pay the price for the greed of the few. Our future must once again be sacrificed for the wealth of a handful. Sure logging provides work for a small number of folks that desperately need the work, but the ones that really profit from this onslaught of the earth sit in fine homes of exclusive country clubs, counting their dollars, not giving a damn about the destruction and rape of the land. Once again shame on you Mr. Bush. You once again show where your allegiance lies, with your bank account.

2003-12-21T09:13:00.000-06:00

The Howard Dean campaign sent out a call for help last week. Not for himself, but for our troops. Those brave folks that are selflessly sacrificing everything for us to be able to keep living in a free society. You would think that the government, and especially the current administration that is so bent on going to war would take good care of these special folks, but no they do not.

The help being asked for is for citizens to send care packages to a clearing station so that they can be delivered under the new rules to various soldiers in the field of battle (and those back here at home that are also struggling).

That we are being asked to send care packages is not new or unusual. This is a practice that goes back in history. Folks have done this for their troops for centuries. What is unusual here is that Americans are being asked to send some of the most basic essentials to our troops. Not cookies and chocolate. No basics for daily living and doing the job they were sent there to do. Hot breakfast, soap, toothpaste and other basics. Gloves, flashlights, handcuffs. One would expect that the government would provide the tools of the trade. Donate your airmiles so that a soldier coming home to visit their family can actual get home and not be stranded at one of the 4 major hubs the military takes them to.

This is an outrage. But we should not be surprised. The administration does not actually care for these citizens that are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. They are only concerned about their agenda at it appears to very personal. Make more money for ourselves and our little inner circle of super wealthy. Oil and cash is the name of the game. The rhetoric about WMD and terrorism rings hollow and halfhearted in the face of Halliburton greedily sucking our tax dollars into their coffers, while soldiers are being picked off by snipers and suicide bombers everyday. Besides its greed, this administration is also guilty of the utmost cynicism. Shame on you.

2003-12-20T09:22:00.000-06:00

So Florida strikes again. (What a surprise)! Some genius has suggested that we separate passengers from their luggage when we fly, sending the luggage via a cargo flight, FedEx, UPS or some such alternative service. So that will make flying safer, maybe, but extremely inconvenient. According to genius, this will eventually reduce costs for the airlines and bring down fares. Yes, for the few flights that still occur.

Flying has become pretty painful already. Putting up with the inconvenience and hassle of sending your luggage independently, and dealing with multiple agencies to get your luggage to the right destination, even close to the time you arrive at your destination, will be even more fun. Lets do this genius. It will make flying safer for sure, since no one but the desperate will be flying.

2003-12-18T08:11:00.000-06:00

Propaganda and PR are amazing tools that can sway the masses to think anything is great. Right now, using these tools the administration has convinced the nation that by capturing a pathetic little man who has been hiding in a hole in the ground, probably for months, has made the world a safer place. Besides being totally irrational, the gulibility of this nation still astounds me.

2003-12-16T07:31:00.000-06:00

We went out for a celebration dinner on Saturday evening. According to all the reviews the place was great. I asked some friends who had been there what their experience had been at the place in question and they said it was great. Well is was not great. The place looked nice from a distance, but was not all that wonderful once inside. For a start it was so dark we could not read the menu without additional candles being brought to the table. The food was expensive and poor quality. I will gladly pay for quality, but not when I am being ripped off. What really spoilt the meal for me was they served tap water, not pure drinkable water with the meal. Trying to eat a nice meal with water that has enough chlorine in it to sanitize a swimming pool is rough. As usual it is the details that trip people up. The folks running this place will fail if they do not start paying attention to the details. When you move up market and expect customers to pay higher prices, the standard moves up and if you try to skimp on the details you will get caught. This place will never see me again.

Oh, by the way, if a friend asks for your opinion about a restaurant and it sucks, please be honest and tell them. They will appreciate it.

2003-12-14T09:39:00.000-06:00

I quote from today's New York times:

"By FELICITY BARRINGER

Published: December 14, 2003

INEDALE, Wyo. — A herd of 100 pronghorn antelopes were trotting over a ridge here, then meandered to a halt and foraged meditatively a few hundred yards from a natural gas wellhead and its squat companion tanks, filled with the petroleum byproducts of the drilling.

The pronghorns were stragglers in the winter migration of antelopes across the Upper Green River Valley, a landscape that has been tied to this ancient pattern for millenniums and is now being remade by the nation's thirst for clean-burning, environmentally friendly natural gas. Energy companies eager to slake that thirst while prices are high are accelerating the makeover of the longest wildlife migration route in the continental United States.

Whether this harms the wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem or affects the air or water in the Wind River Mountains is unclear. But it is clear that here in the Upper Green, as the area is called, the Bush administration's energy policies have come to life. The antelopes' migration route and the winter range of thousands of mule deer lie atop an estimated 7 trillion to 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas — more than 4 percent of the nation's reserves, according to Don J. Likwartz, Wyoming's oil and gas supervisor. "

Well we may not know if it will damage the environment other than the obvious scars of drilling rigs and the mess of spilt chemicals on the ground right now, but we will pay for this rape of nature in the future. This generation may not pay, but the next generations will. (Typical Bush decision. He does not care about the future consequences of anything he does, as long as it makes him look good to his mindless following right now.)

Future generations will pay for our constant taking from nature without taking care of the ground and all that depends on it. This sucking gas and water from the earth to satisfy our unbridled needs will come back to haunt us. It is time we learned that we cannot keep taking without bound and simply to satisfy our greed. For every action there is a equal and opposite reaction. This is a basic law of physics. Well it applies more broadly in life. There are consequences for all we do and it is time for us to realize this and start taking action more carefully to make the future a better place for us all.

2003-12-13T09:49:00.000-06:00

If you have not read a book called "A Brief history of nearly everything" by Bill Bryson, I strongly recommend that you do. Besides being filled with the most amazing set of historical facts, it is well written and enjoyable to read.

Besides the many useful things I learned from this book I realized how little we actually know about anything. Despite everything we think we know about the earth, people,animals, plants etc., we actually really know only a very little about very few things in any depth. In most cases what we call knowledge is best guesses and speculation or surmising. The second big idea is that our existence, in our current form, our culture, our history and everything around us is dependent on a very delicate sequence of mutations over the span of millions of years. If any one happened at a different time or place we may not be here at all, or we may look very different, might not even be humanoid!

So what makes us think we are so superior as humans. We do not really know what animals are thinking, if they think. How do they really communicate? A mutation could occur tomorrow in a dog or a cat and survive and propagate that give that animal cognitive thought. They may already have it, we just do not know how to recognize it!

2003-12-10T07:25:00.000-06:00

Some days you get up and just feel good. Today is such a day. Nothing has changed. I have all the same problems I had yesterday, and will probably still have them all tomorrow. That isn't the point. How you feel does not need to depend on the daily pressures. Generally few of them are under our control. Learning to control the pressure from those forces is key. Individuals cannot change many things around them. They can try to influence change over time, but until the change occurs the pressure will be there. We lived in Italy for a while and during that time we became disconnected from the world in that we did not get to hear the news everyday and did not read the news everyday since it was only available in Italian. Our conversational Italian was not good enough to keep abreast of world affairs from the small city we were living. After a few months we became very relaxed and almost carefree. A key reason was that we did not have the pressure of knowledge. Knowledge of wars, of killings, of crime n general. We did not hear about the spats between counties, or the latest ridiculous statement by some brain dead politician. All we dealt with was our daily work, the ocean, the countryside and good people, working hard to stay alive. Life can be very pleasant everyday, just chose to make it so.

2003-12-09T07:37:00.000-06:00

There is a light rain this morning. It has been a while since we had any decent rain. The earth needs some water. We forget about these things living in the city. How delicate the balance is. The need for rain, sun, wind storms, lightning. It is all needed to keep the earth in balance and for all that lives on it to survive. Man keeps getting in the way of this balance. Keeps intruding and trying to control or change it. Sometimes man succeeds, usually with disastrous consequences. Building a big dam can kill many animals and change the local weather and climate. Nothing compares to the destruction of the atmosphere with ozone depleting gases. The earth has spent millions of years making us. In our short time we have destroyed so much usually in the name of progress. Progress means wealth for one person or a small number of people. Man has lost his true sense of value and wealth. Just leave the city limits and look around. The wealth is right there to be seen in the constructs of nature. Nature is true. The earth does not lie about anything. Only man does. Some days I am sure the earth regrets the emergence of man, that accidental mutation that set man apart from the rest of the creatures roaming the earth. What an unfortunate turn of events, creating the most destructive creature to walk the earth.

2003-12-08T14:23:00.000-06:00

I got a cool gift this weekend. Some CD's of ealry BBC recordings of Led Zeppelin. It is very revealing to listen to them now, 30 years after they were recorded. There is no over-production. The music is heard straight and raw as it was delivered in the studio with an audience. No after processing and messing with it. It occured to me that it would be great if we could get more music delivered this way. Most recordings today are over-produced and manipulated to the point of non-recognition. The problem with delivering the music straight and unadulterated is that many so-called artists would have to find alternative carrers since they have no ability or talent and are not musicians at all, merely products of a marketing machine in LA or London or somewhere else. Live music is wonderful, but hard to carry with you and to listen to again.

2003-12-06T08:44:00.000-06:00

Walked the dog this morning. It was pretty brisk out, but not really cold. AN early morning walk is a great way to start the day instead of sitting in an office. Most people are still asleep or just puttering about inside. On my way back some signs of life. Judging by their dress you would think it was arctic cold weather, but then this is Texas and anything below 80 is considered cold by most folks.

Talking of Texas, it seems to me that driving here is an intellectual challenge to many folks. To make it worse, when they see a sheriff or patrol car they complete loose all semblance of being able to drive and start doing the strangest things. Very odd that is. The motto here is drive for yourself and everybody around you, since they probably have no idea what they are doing or where they are going.

2003-12-05T13:27:00.000-06:00

I just read this short piece written by Traci Robert - what a thought for today and everyday:

This country has many people of many skin colors and backgrounds who have chosen to embrace these beliefs. One of my personal beliefs is to be respectful of the Native tribes who accept their spirituality and cultural beliefs as a part of their ancestoral inheritance. There is much diversity and what a New Ager or a Naturalist believes or practices may not be the same as what a tribal group believes or practices. The real heart of embracing these beliefs is to honor and speak your own truth and to respect all life and your place in it. Remember that it is not about imitation, it is about expressing your own, individual soul.

If more of us started think this way, we could all have a better world to live in.

2003-12-05T07:56:00.000-06:00

In my mind I am walking in the foothills of the mountains. Southern Rockies to be more specific on the eastern slopes. The air is brisk. The sky deep blue. Snow on the ground crunches as I walk. It is very quiet except for the noise of the snow under my boots. Not much is stirring, except for gentle swaying branches in the light wind. This is where I want to be, not in the hustle of the city. Dealing with people that all just want to use you to get to their goal. We have become so filled with greed for material things and false position due to our accumulated wealth. That all means nothing at the end of the day. A true friendship with someone and living in balance with the earth is much more valuable. It does not have the glitz and pazzaz. But what does that do for you? A momentary buzz. There is no lasting pleasure and joy in the glitz and superficial friendships of business and celebrity. Being one with your surroundings in a simple manner is true and lasting. If you care for the earth, it will reward you with pleasures and beauty that man cannot conceive or create, at best make futile copies.

2003-12-04T07:51:00.000-06:00

I am convinced there must be a intelligence test they have for people in broadcasting that candidates must fail to get the job. Especially on radio, but TV is not excluded. Are there any vaguely intelligent people on the radio, especially in morning shows? I have tried several in the area and they are all pathetic. The current common threads of conversation and interest seem to be Michael Jackson and Paris Hilton. Both of these are prime examples of moral strength and example for all of us to aspire to! When these folks start to talk about anything else they get into trouble really quickly since they appear not to know much about any other topic. Their plain lack of knowledge and ability to think for themselves is boundless. Should they try to talk about any topic that strays beyond their local city limits they quickly reveal that they are totally clueless about anything. I have heard the most outrageous statements made by these folks, especially about people and countries outside the US. If you have not been to a place do not make mindless comments about. You do not know anything about the local situation , culture or history, so just plain shut up. The other characteristic I have spotted is they all seem to be venerable to ultra right wing political rhetoric. They regurgitate it mindlessly as fact and appear to believe it without question. So now I listen to public radio classical stations. Where they play long uninterrupted interludes of tolerable music with minimal talking. This latter characteristic is key. The less opportunity these folks have to talk the more tolerable the listing becomes. By the way the other group of broadcasters that appear to have a common trait of irritability are the weather reporters on TV. There must be a special training school where all these folks go to learn how to act like an idiot in front of a camera and be very arrogant about it at the same time. Where do they find these people!

2003-12-03T11:42:00.000-06:00

The morning is cool and clear. I saw a great place to photograph on Sunday while driving. Not far so I can go back and investigate. An old farm house that is dilapidated and collapsing amongst trees and a large field. I will need permission to go onto the property, but it looks like a rich topic for photographs, especially black and white.

Driving along the back roads in central Texas can be both depressing and pleasing, but not beautiful or breathtaking. So many farms being run to the ground. People struggling to survive. The endless battle of survival, especially for those that live off the land. It has not changed in centuries, just the stakes are higher now. Farming is expensive and high risk. One major crop failure and you can be bankrupt. I am also depressed by the lack of caring for nature I see around me. We have lost the balance of living with nature, instead we exploit and take and destroy. Very few try to live in balance and harmony with nature.

2003-12-03T10:10:00.000-06:00

Going forward this will be my daily writing place. It will be whatever I am thinking about. It may be angry, creative, happy or sad.