Sunday, April 25, 2010
World Malaria Day
April 25 is World Malaria Day. Malaria is a disease transmitted by the bite of a Mosquito. Malaria kills 3 thousand children a day and one million people a year. Mosquito nets can do a great deal towards preventing infection. http://www.nothingbutnets.net
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Class Reunion
I recently received a notice informing me of my 30th high school class reunion. I attended Decatur high school in the city of Federal Way, Washington from 1977 until I graduated in 1980. In 1980, Jimmy Carter was president. A gallon of gas was about a dollar and the minimum wage was about $2.65. The word I would use to describe being a teen in the late 1970s is "mellow".
The horror of AIDS, Crack, Meth, Columbine, and 9-11 lay in the future. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those mellow days.
The horror of AIDS, Crack, Meth, Columbine, and 9-11 lay in the future. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those mellow days.
Book review. Supernatural
I am currently reading the non-fiction book "Strange Powers of the Mind" by Warren Smith. Strange Powers of the Mind deals with people that have the power to predict the future and similar abilities. It is up to the reader to choose whether or not to believe in such things. I try to keep an open mind. One of the more interesting stories in the book is about a type of mass hysteria that occurred in the town of Mattoon, Illinois during World War Two. Several women reported to the police that they had been attacked with poison gas by an unknown stranger. It turned out that there were no attacks at all, but it was not a deliberate hoax. All of the women that reported being "gassed" sincerely believed that they had been attacked. For those that like stories of the unusual try "Strange Powers of the Mind" by Warren Smith.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Pond Update
It appears that some of the Frog eggs have
hatched in the tiny pond. There are
hundreds of tiny Tadpoles swimming around.
Now begins the long transformation for the Tadpoles to
becoming air- breathing adult Frogs.
hatched in the tiny pond. There are
hundreds of tiny Tadpoles swimming around.
Now begins the long transformation for the Tadpoles to
becoming air- breathing adult Frogs.
Old TV movie
Today, I watched an old tv movie from the early 1970s entitled "Terror on the Beach". The story concerns a family of middle class campers headed by Dennis Weaver who are harassed and then attacked by a Charles Manson type group. I found the movie interesting because it is similar to what my parents believed at the time. Many from the World War Two generation thought that the various counter culture youth groups of the late 1960s and early 1970s were drug- crazed and dangerous. In the end, Dennis Weaver, fights the leader of the hippy family and restores order. You can just see millions of graying men in their living rooms cheering on Dennis Weaver. Give those punks a good beating and things will get back to normal. In real life, it didn't quite work out that way.
Like it or not, Hippy culture-The drugs, promiscuity, music, hair styles, and even the fashion has become integrated into mainstream American culture.
Like it or not, Hippy culture-The drugs, promiscuity, music, hair styles, and even the fashion has become integrated into mainstream American culture.
Earth day
Today, I spent some time picking up litter on the side of the road and there is a lot of it. It is such a simple thing to keep a litter bag in the the car a put your trash into it.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Hidden Snake
This snake was hiding so effectively in the brush, that I didn't see him at first. The snake may have been sleeping, but it's hard to tell because snakes do not have eyelids to close.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Young Elk
This young Elk was trying to figure out how to
get through my neighbor's fence. Eventually,
the Elk jumped over the fence.
get through my neighbor's fence. Eventually,
the Elk jumped over the fence.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Spider in the sink
This morning, I found this Spider in my bathroom sink. I have always been afraid of Spiders, but they have a certain beauty. I put this one outside.
Litter
Someone carelessly threw this aluminum can in
the forest. Left untouched, this can would
remain in the forest for hundreds of years.
the forest. Left untouched, this can would
remain in the forest for hundreds of years.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tukey Vulture in flight
I spotted this Turkey Vulture soaring, and was
lucky enough to have my camera with me. Up
close the Vultures are not very attractive, but
in flight they are very beautiful.
lucky enough to have my camera with me. Up
close the Vultures are not very attractive, but
in flight they are very beautiful.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Radio Interview
Today, I received an e-mail asking me to do an interview on a radio station in India. The request came as a result of a comment I made on youtube about the shortcomings of the two-party system in the United States. It is amazing how interconnected the world has become.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The Pond
I have removed several rocks from the pond, but several of the larger ones remain. The Frog eggs have not hatched yet.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wind Storm
Major wind today. While on the way to town I felt a heavy gust pushing me into the opposite lane. It was a terrifying feeling.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
IPad
I have been wondering about all those people that stood in line for hours this weekend to get a new Apple IPad. Did these people suddenly discover a burning need for the latest gadget? I doubt it. During the 1980s, there was a term that perfectly described that decade. "Conspicuous Consumption" refers to people who buy things to enhance their status with other people rather than out of need. It's a little sad that so many people think that their value as human beings is increased by how much stuff they have.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Favorite Photo
This is a nearby logging road. I love the effect of the light and the clouds together.
The White River
This is a photo of the White River. I just love
the image of the Suns rays coming down
the image of the Suns rays coming down
Easter Snow
Some Easter snow in the Cascade mountains. I fell three times in the snags left by logging when I took these pictures.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Bless the Beasts and Children
Bless the Beasts and Children by Glendon Swarthout 192 pages. Bless the Beasts and Children is about a group of misfits at a boys camp who try to save a herd of Bison that are going to be killed by hunters and in the process give themselves a sense of worth. The boys: Cotton, Teft, Shecker, Lally 1 and Lally 2 (brothers) are alienated from their parents and outcasts at the cowboy camp where their parents have sent them to become "men". Bless the Beasts and Children was first published in 1970, but its message of how we discard children and animals is still very powerful.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
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