my own drum

I went over to visit with my neighbors this afternoon. They were coming home with a truck of firewood each, and I was invited over to give a hand. Of course, I agreed. Eventually we came around to talking about a neighbors hog. This morning that hog took to wandering around the valley floor. She came through here before noon, wandering around the house and nearly into the forest. Then she made a trip around the garden fence, and one more trip around the house. After a twenty minute visit she wandered back down the driveway and into the road, where she managed to slow down a couple of cars. Eventually her owner loaded up a bucket of fruit and lured her back home. She would have gone home anyway, she knows where to eat. But there was one rather large problem.. that 300 pound sow was destroying trash cans and scattering the contents. She had to go home.

We started talking about slaughtering that hog, even though it wasn't ours to slaughter. We figured the owner was just about ready to make some bacon. That hog was nice and fat, nearly 300 pounds, and cleaning up the mess in the neighbors yard was become a real strain on their relationship. Anyway, I was listening to all this because I never had a hog, or killed one. My bacon always came in a package. While listening it came to me that perhaps one thing we could all do to help restore some peace and compassion to this world would be for each of us to raise a hog.

There is something about the process of raising a hog that teaches us a lot about ourselves, and about our neighbors. People come together and learn valuable life lessons like acceptance and humility. When it's all over, when that hog reaches a point where it becomes ham, that is a time for everyone to spend the day together for an old fashioned hog butchering. At the end of the day everyone goes home a little happier and a little better off.

Today is the book release date for Stoning the Stones, the new novel by Sheva Loona. Today is the culmination of tens years of sweat and tears in writing this story, a fascinating adventure into the world of Rolling Stones tours, crystal and metaphysical energies, and personal struggles and victories for a Sicilian hippy living in the deep South.

I've been working on the grammar and spelling and formatting of this book for the past few months. It's been a real adventure, balancing the authors story with making that story readable. In the end, the voice of Sheva Loona shines throughout this story.

If you're interested in finding out more, visit the authors web site at The Twilight Stone.

Peace

Thank you AA, Thank you God.

On December 1, 2007 I celebrate my 22nd anniversary of sobriety from alcohol, and it is my responsibility to offer thanks where it is due.

My first AA meeting was in northern Scotland, in 1975. I was stationed in the area while serving in the military, and it was determined at that time that I had a problem with alcohol. Heck, I already knew that much myself, but I didn't yet have a name for my problem. Alcoholics Anonymous provided me with that name. They also provided a solution, which I finally began to implement in 1985. On December 1st. Twenty two years ago.

Actually, my sobriety date could be a day or two sooner, but I was in pretty bad shape that weekend, and the 1st is the day I went to my last 'swinging door' meeting. I was there to stay, but even then I had my doubts. On the day after Thanksgiving, a Friday, I went out with a young woman from my AA group for some drinks, dancing, and fun. We planned this outing after an AA meeting. We both had serious personal issues. Nevertheless, we went out that evening. The next morning began my transformation to living sober. I was in bad physical shape, like never before. There were changes. I shut myself in my room, in a boarding house, and slowly made it through the weekend. At times I would look out the window, at the store on the corner, and know that a beer was but a short walk away. But I was too afraid to drink again. I was trembling most of the weekend. I was alone and afraid. My only thought of AA was that I would go to a meeting on Monday evening, I only had to stay sober until then. I wanted to be sober, because so many times I went to those meeting after already having consumed at least some alcohol. And I wasn't fooling anyone about that, except myself. And every time I went to a meeting those people said to me, "We Love You' and "Keep Coming Back".

I went to that meeting with a fear I had never known before, a fear that maybe I could not stop drinking. I don't remember the topic of that meeting. What I do remember is that Bill H. went up to the podium to offer sobriety chips, and I took what was to be my last 24 Hour chip, signifying a desire to stop drinking. Bill became my mentor, my first sponsor. He and wife Fran both attended meetings, and they each had several years of sobriety. I had long admired this couple, as individuals who both found a new way of living in AA. Every time Bill spoke at a meeting I felt that he was speaking to me, and I clearly related to his version of drunkeness - we spoke the same language.

From that humbling and fearful beginning I have discovered an amazing adventure awaiting me in life. Throughout that adventure there have been signigicant highs and lows. I have learned many lessons that might have otherwise gone undetected, unknown. I have learned to apply the Twelve Steps to every situation that I encounter, I have been blessed with serenity and peace, I live without fear of people, or places, or financial ruin. In a word, I Am Healthy, a whole person.

Amazon has released what they call a revolutionary new product, an e-book reader called Kindle. I'm looking at the Amazon promotion page and mentally comparing that to a few of the reviews that I've either read or watched. Something strikes me, there doesn't really seem to be a world of difference between the two.

The critics of this product seem to be having a difficult time coming with a lot of critism. I think that is a good thing. For the most part, the critics have been ranting about how this product looks - with a somewhat clunky design that might appeal to really old and out of touch nerds. One critic mentioned the price as a problem, but so far only one that I've read.

I'm personally happy to see this product on the market. It appears to be a step in the right direction.

John Steinbeck is among my favorite authors. When he writes a story it is almost as if he commands the reader to become a character in the story. His words come alive on the paper, setting the scene with mastery of a virtuoso. I was thinking how difficult it might be to be a friend of such an author, for he almost certainly would never be quiet.

And so it was that this afternoon I was in the back room of the house, my room, formerly a massage room and then an altar room, and there I was was sprawled out across the bed with my feet resting on the radiator to keep them warm. I was reading Tortilla Flats. Last Friday a neighbor came by and offered me a book before it was returned to the local library. The book was a collection of Steinbeck's short novels. He thought I might want to read the book as I had already devoured a paperback copy of Sweet Thursday in a day and a half, and professed to the neighbor my feelings about the author. It wasn't until today that I began to read.

I read the first several chapters before laying down and catching a short nap. My feet got uncomfortable on the radiator, and I woke to resume reading. Eventually I wanted a cigarette, which meant a trip outside. As I sat up to roll a smoke I looked out the window, and there in the back part of the yard was a doe and her fawn. Then I saw the third deer, another fawn, moving along the edge of the forest next to the house. I rolled my smoke, and stood at the window watching the two deer in the yard. Mama seemed a bit irritated that the tasty leaves were too high in the tree. She switched her tail a dozen times before standing on her hind legs to reach those tender leaves. One baby had wandered far into the yard and was eating the green grass.

As carefully and quietly as I could I opened the back door, which is actually on the side of the house. I like to sit on this back porch and smoke, it is quiet. When I opened the door, both of the deer in the yard moved into the forest, but only for a few feet. I walked around back and observed them observing me. Then a truck rumbled down the road through the valley, and they bolted a little farther into the woods. The third deer was still out of my sight. I lit my rolled cigarette and watched them some more, now perhaps 30 feet into the woods. A month ago you could not see that far into these woods, but now with so many leaves on the ground, the view was easier. Still, those two deer were difficult to see. Their twitching tails gave them away.

Then I walked around the house to the front, and stood at the pathway into the woods and the Medicine Wheel. Sure enough those deer, all three of them this time, walked across the path. The smallest of the three noticed me standing there and watched me intently. Then the doe came to the path, then the other deer, another baby, slightly larger than the first. The doe spotted me, and in a seeming challenge, turned to face me. She stood there for several minutes, her tail twitching. Had I not known those deer were out there I may not have seen them. The doe, facing me, was nearly indistinguishable in the backdrop of the forest.

I decided to leave them be, and let them finish their foraging in peace, and so I slowly turned and walked back to the house. Looking back I saw all three of them in a row, moving deeper into the trees.

Boy this item really gripes my butt.

I've read where former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has written a tell all about his days in the White House, and in a teaser from that book he says that he was misled by President George W. Bush and other high officials into misinforming the press, and the American people, about a CIA leak case that fueled debate about the Iraq war.

I'm outraged. Scott (did Bush call him Scottie?) stands to make a few dollars by releasing what is sure to be a sensational tell all in an era of lower than low satisfaction for Bush by the American public. Sales are probably expected to hit the roof.

Scott, why, Oh Why, did you not tell the American public about this inside information while you were there, when it was happening? Where is your backbone man! You knew they were lying, and only now, when you stand to make a few dollars will you say so. You've allowed these dirty bastards in our Administration continue to pursue their evil transgressions against America, when you could have helped to stop them when it was going down.

As far as I'm concerned, Scott McClellan is a dirty traitor, worthy to hang alongside the war criminals he so silently served.

Bah!

Today, at 9:35pm, I completed a publication milestone. I completed the final proofreading, a three week process. I can absolutely say that there are no misspelled or misused words. The book has come in at 270 pages, but I believe that number will be slightly reduced as I work through the final format.

Yes, there is still more work, but I will not ever need to read each sentence, each paragraph, each chapter. Most of the remaining work will involve the addition of images, and the actual page layouts. We are producing two nearly identical versions of this novel. One is for the Books On Demand publishers, including Lulu and Amazon. The other version is the e-book, which will contain links to many of the references that are cited - names, places and things.

I'm excited to have reached this milestone. Back in August of this year was ready to begin this recently completed process, but the author wanted to read her story one more time in order to ensure that it was still accurate after passing through several editors. That read-through added an extra sixty days to the process. Then, when she was finished with the read-through, I was in the final stages of a two week cold/flu/crud. I felt horrible, and so I didn't start for another three days.

To my detractors, certain friends of the author, I say "Bah!" For weeks at least two of these people have been calling frequently and chastising my efforts, causing the author to express doubts about this effort. I'll make sure that both of you receive a signed copy of this novel.

The author is leaving in the next day or so to visit family for the Thanksgiving holiday. While she is away I will be working on the different formats, and preparing a PDF file for the Books On Demand publishers. When she returns, I'm sure we will be adding more images. Why, I don't know.. but she wants them so they will get inserted. Meanwhile, the novel will be available with the limited images that we have already inserted.

After completing this phase I stepped outside for a smoke. I walked over to the edge of the woods, and I spotted lights out in the woods. They didn't look light flashlights, more like candles in a paper sack. It was odd to see those lights out there. I'm guessing that they were coming from the old mine road. I hollered out towards the woods, "Hey, no poaching!" I would have expected the lights to go out, but they continued. Whoever it was, whatever it was, it was moving slowly. I needed to move in order to see the lights through the trees. All I can say is, "Strange things in the woods tonight."

I saw a hunter today, dressed in bright orange and toting a rifle over his shoulder. I'm certain he saw me, he caught my motion through the trees and then he disappeared. Shortly thereafter I built a small, smoky fire at the Medicine Wheel. There was no doubt that a human was in the woods, hunters be aware. Time passed and I walked through the woods, back to the house to retrieve my drum, El-Dento. Then back into the woods I went. It was time for a little ceremonial drumming. I played a couple of different rhythms over the next half-hour or so. I never saw the hunter again. Darkness was descending upon the forest. Tomorrow I will use the ashes from that small fire to neutralize any remaining acid on a batch of crystals that I have recently cleaned.

Prior to that I was brave in taking a longer walk through the woods. It was mid-afternoon and I had time to kill. I've been curious as to where the old mine road comes out. The road has a bend, and I've followed the south direction but not the east direction. At this point the mine road is running parallel to the main road through the valley. It must come out somewhere. I still don't know where. There is an old iron gate, padlocked closed. The sign on it reads "Road Closed". Actually, from the gate back toward the mountain the road is passable. Back to the east the road resembles a wilderness area. I went a few hundred feet past the gate, not much farther. I could hear the folks across the street, but I couldn't see them through the forest. I was killing time, looking out for hunters. I'd prefer to be wearing my boots the next time I feel brave.

In between all of this fun in the forest, I sat at the Medicine Wheel and meditated. What a Blessing this place is for me. I had my camera with me today, I don't know why I didn't take any photos to share. These woods have taken on a new identity with the changing of the season. Here are a couple of snapshots from the summer season.

I was doing some book research when I ran across this video on YouTube.com. The video features Aerosmith at the 1991 Grammy Awards, performing John Lennon's 'Come Together'. It was not what I needed for the book but I thought it was a very cool video and I wanted to share the experience with you.

Come Together

I hear you asking, "What book?". It's a novel titled "Stoning the Stones" and it's almost ready for publication. Here's a link to the books website, The Twilight Stone.

Hey, I am a grandpa. So let me show you a couple of pictures of the grandkids. Aren't they cute?

(You may need to hit Refresh once, if all three images don't appear)

What a day in the woods I had today. It started when I had about a two hour block of free time this afternoon. I decided to venture around the base of the mountain. I made my way via a trail that some hunters had made, hoping that if they were out there, they might be near the trail.

There was no sign of anyone. I went deeper into the woods, and made my way down the old mine road. I didn't go very far, and meditated in the quiet woods for nearly an hour. Then I made my way back down the mine road, and cautiously walked to the Medicine Wheel, still in the woods.

As a sat down near the Medicine Wheel there was a single shot fired from the hillside behind me. I saw no one, and heard nothing else. I'm thinking that a hunter had seen me, and fired a round to tell me to stay away. Screw that! I enjoy these woods too.

So I'm sitting there when I heard the roar of a jet engine. This isn't unusual, they fly nearby about once a month. What was unusual was that the jet circled back. Then I saw it through the trees. There was an A-10 flying sorties over the town. He would fly over my head on the path to the town, then he circled back and flew over the town again. This happened five different times. Once he flew so low and so close that I could smell the jet exhaust. The jet engine was whining as it passed overhead. And low.. yes, very low. It was two to three times the height of the treetops - lower than 500 feet, easily.

I've been looking at jet images this evening, and I'm fairly certain that it was an A-10 that I saw. The wings were straight, not swept. There was a tank, or a bomb, at the end of each wing. Basically, it looked similar to a flying H, with the tail section not as wide as the wings. I didn't see the jet engines on the rear of the fuselage, but my view was obstructed through the trees. I only saw fast glances of this jet.

Well, it was quite a day in the woods. Has anyone else noticed jets flying sorties over their neighborhood lately?

It's hunting season here in the south.. well OK, everywhere else too. I haven't been out in the woods since the beginning of October. At that time I saw where some of the locals had set up a deer feed station and tree stand, right where I like to go and meditate on the mountian. So much for my meditation. These were bow hunters that had set up their equipment, so it's not likely that I would be accidentally shot. But now the modern gun season is upon us, and getting shot from afar is a real possibility. To be here is to hear gun shots every day of the week.

Enough of that. This web site was recently rescued, and I'm here to say Thank You to the person who helped me keep it online for another year. And, I have some work to do as well. There are web sites to build, and the rescue of this site was a down payment for that service. And yes, I have started the work. When they are ready I'll post some links.

What else is going on? Well, this blog has fans. Really, I'm not even kidding. I guess I should write more often than once a month. But I've been keeping myself busy. There is a book to be published. For the last two months I've been patiently awaiting for the author to finish her proofreading, making sure that the story is complete. I've been doodling, and finally, just over a week ago, I was told that the proofreading was completed. Yes! So now I'm proofreading the final version of the book and preparing it for publication. As of today, I've completed the first 25 chapters. There are 12 more chapters to finish. I'm really looking forward to the completion of this project, but I've given up on setting a publication date. It should be safe to say this year...

It's been a few days since I last wrote in my blog. I have been writing, just not here of late.

I'm in the final stages of helping a friend to publish her book. Book publication is new to me. So far we have just been editing, something that I do know about. After three weeks, we have managed to complete the first 20 chapters of the book - well over the half-way mark. Things are looking up, especially considering the slow start that we had.

Week One was mostly spent in waiting. We were waiting for printer ink. We were waiting for a replacement power cord for the other laptop. Out here in the boonies, where there are no stores, everything arrives by mail or other delivery.

Week Two was consumed by ego. I had a plan, the author had a plan, and those plans were not in sync. So we had to come to agreement on some simple matters. I caved in. Hey, it's her book.

Week Three has been a huge success. After so much time, we are finally getting through this edit. Working together. It's great. There is light at the end of this tunnel.

I don't think we will meet the deadline that I set when the project started. I gave us one month. Of course, that was according to "my plan". Nevertheless, I think we will be close to the deadline, as in slightly over. Not too bad for a couple of amateurs.

Here's a pat on the back. Now it's back to work.

I found this crystal today in Arkansas, near Mt. Ida. It's about 1 inch overall in length. There is a beautiful portal that can be seen from one angle, and I tried to capture that in this image. To be honest, the photo doesn't do justice to the beauty of this fine specimen. You may also be able to see that this specimen, like nearly every one that I have seen in this area, is a Record Keeper. You can review this web page to learn more about Record Keepers. Many thanks to Ses for helping me to identify this crystal.

From this web site, I found the following info:

Isis Crystal:

• five edges surrounding the largest sloping face
• strongly amplify the feminine energy
• in touch with the 'female' or unselfish side of yourself (for both men and women)
• balancing your male-female energy
• put you in touch with the power of the Goddess.
• men, the Isis crystal will help you become more in tune with your feminine side and to become more aware of the aspects of women that you may find troubling.
• women, the Isis crystal will help you regain some of the power and energy that society has taken from you.
• Teaches that feminine is not weak. Anyone doing healing work with another person needs the Isis energy to be effective
• should be carried or held when dealing with issues that are emotional and difficult.

A friend dropped by the house with his lawnmower in the pickup bed. We unloaded it, mounted the handle, and gave it test start. After a few pulls it sputtered to life. There was extra gas, this yard is a two tankful yard, maybe three. I was going for two. With the first tankful ready, I pulled the cord once and away I went.

The first area was at the end of the gravel driveway, along the edge of the forest and around the woodpile. Right away I noticed that two passes of the mower were needed to cut anything. I had used this mower before, and I knew the blade was dull, so I went on mowing, missing the clue.

I finished the first area and moved on the the second area, the back-forty. Thirty-five feet wide and sixty feet long, surrounded on three sides by forest, and a garden at one end. I was mowing half of it - lengthwise, I previously weed-eatered the other half - around the edges to push the forest back a bit, and the high growth around the garden and compost.

I managed to mow everything I intended, and everything had to be mowed twice, some of it three times. After using up two full tanks of gas I pushed the mower back over to the pickup truck. I was hot, dirty, sweaty, and happy. The yard looked good, it was worth the effort.

We were removing the handle from the mower and loading it back into the pickup bed. "That blade sure does need to be sharpened, I had to cut everything twice.", I said. "Hmmm", he replied, "You know what? I bet I put that blade on backwards the other day. I know I took it off and sharpened it some. I bet I did that, too, put it on backwards."

I bet he did too.

In the last ten years I have passed through an incredible journey, and each day brings a new awakening. The journey began with a new-found awareness of the Rainbow Family. Up until that time I had been in preparation for the journey - Spirit was guiding me to my awakening - I lived in blissful ignorance of my own reality, of my potential and purpose. Gradually I was awakened. For a decade I had taken the association of devotees of Krishna Consciousness, at times living with devotees and being an active member of the community. I experienced homelessness, living on the streets of major cities from coast to coast. In a word, homelessness can be described as HUMBLING. Maintaining one's awareness of the true self becomes necessary. It is so easy to become lost in the sea of misery and depravity that exists in our large cities.

I have also experienced the Rainbow Road, where there are so many kind people who are willing to share their talents, their visions and their bounty. The path to the Rainbow Road passes through Faith. Trust in Spirit.

The following pics were taken on the Rainbow Road, in Arkansas, 2007.

The story of this sign can be found in the new book by Sheva Loona, Stoning the Stones.

Here's a really nice pic of the storage shed.

Karen, Firedancer and Maggie, July 2007.

Someday I will return to this post and write more.. today I'm too tired. See the post about the lawnmower. I'm taking a Fool's Day off.

The Gathering was now in Day 6, and I had not yet taken any of my trade items to the Trade Circle. Today was to be the day. After spending the morning helping out at Loving Ovens, I spent an hour or so lounging with some newfound friends, then I went to my camp to organize my trade items. Inside my tent was confusion and chaos. I gathered my trade items, and decided that my djembe was ready to trade. I faced the prospect of toting that heavy drum on my back, and did not relish the idea.

As I'm nearing the Trade Circle, I passed a camp on the side of the trail where a brother was doing his drum craft. Someone from there yelled after I had passed, "Hey brother, do you want to trade that drum?" I took a couple more steps.. did I just hear that? I turned, and there was someone standing there, looking at me. Again, he spoke, "Do you want to trade your drum?" I said to him, "It's a possibility. What do you have to trade?"

He began to tell me about a camera that his wife wanted to trade for a drum. He didn't have the camera with him, and she was also not there. I told him to go and get both, I would wait beside the trail. A short time passed, and he returned with a Canon Power Shot A 610 digital camera. I looked it over and ensured that it worked. I was somewhat familiar with the camera, I had been using its smaller brother, the Power Shot A410, for the last couple of years in my work as a webmaster.

The camera was sweet, small, and lightweight. Just what I was looking for in a trade. So we negotiated the trade, and sealed the deal with a handshake and a hug. She never arrived, but I did see her later, and we also shared a hug. The trade was complete.

The images that I've linked since July 2007 were shot with this new camera. I've got more to learn about it, and I have a plan for its use. More about that, later. For now, I'll say "Rainbow Tarot"

Peace

A link to some photos. Click on the Title so see them. If you have a slow connection, well, it will take a while. Practice patience.

Here are more photos, mostly at the Arkansas home where we all met and shared out good will after the gathering. There are also a few more gathering photos. One of these I'll be able to take to time and properly caption each photo. Until then, I guess, just enjoy.

Peace.

I've noticed that I have not posted an entry for some months. Alas, the job was stressful, the energy was strange and powerful, and, and, I just wasn't into writing.

At the end of June I departed from North Idaho and headed south, to Arkansas. The 2007 Annual Gathering of the Tribes was scheduled for July 1 thru July 7, in the Ozark National Forest. In leaving Idaho, I was leaving behind a job of 5 years, primarily as the webmaster for a large incense web site. I had no intention of returning.

I was living in a motorhome in Idaho, but it was not running, and I could neither afford repairs or gasoline to drive it. So I gifted it to a young couple seeking a place to live. They can, at least, park it on a small lot with utilities available and call it home. That's what I had been doing. No phone, no pool, no pets.

I'll try to write more soon, about the gathering, and about what the future may hold. One thing is certain to me right now; being homeless and without a job is not nearly as bad as it sounds. Fact is, I'm having a great time. So come back to see what may be revealed next.

Rainbow Wedding Video Playlist

We are what we eat. And for this following story, that truth may be more than some readers can stomach. You have been warned.

Read more!

Vice-President Cheney, speaking in Australia, had this to say.

"The only option for our security and survival is to go on the offensive -- face the threat directly, patiently and systematically until the enemy is destroyed."

I ask you, do you really believe that patience will win this war he co-sponsored. We can't fight them systematically either. We are in their backyard. It was the same way when the colonists fought the British in early American history. President Bush probably never read that part in his history book.

If we are going to plan on patience and systematically defeating our enemy, (excuse me, their enemy), then we need to plan on growing at least two generations of soldiers in Iraq. Just fence off Baghdad and turn it into a giant American military base, and start growing soldiers. Eventually, you might win. But I really doubt it.

Bring Our Troops Home!Bring Our Troops Home!

News reports are popping up everywhere regarding the re-emergence and apparently unexpected expansion of Al Qaeda’s operations. It seems that while President Bush was telling us that Osama was busy hiding in a cave somewhere being ineffective as a leader, Osama was quietly and efficiently amassing an army for his Jihad. And when I said army, I meant that. Troops are being recruited and sent to Africa for training and indoctrination in the ways of Jihad, and then being dispatched literally throughout the world. Our President may have once again underestimated the situation. Frankly, I think he bit off more than he could chew to begin with.

Read more!

This evening I added a new category to my blog, Gathering.

I'm going to use this message as a repository of good Rainbow video and photo galleries that I run across. Mostly these will be listed as links, so check back to see if what's been updated. Better yet, add this post to your RSS feed and you'll always have a fresh source of Gathering images and videos. Of course, if you know of something that I should add here then please leave a comment.

Read more!

Winter conditions seem to bring out something in people. Studies have indicated that a lack of light, being snowed in and other conditions are not helpful. And so it is with this in mind that I observed the following.

There is a world record for snow angels. These angels must all appear simultaneously (or thereabouts) and, to become a record they must be verified. As of this writing the holder of this record is Michigan, although according to recent news reports the old record may have just been shattered. Here's a brief history of the snow angel world record.

The snow angel category in the Guinness Book of Records was created in Bismarck in 2002 when 1,791 people flapped their arms and legs in the snow on the state Capitol grounds to create angel imprints. Students at Michigan Technological University in Houghton topped that mark about a year ago with 3,784 snow angels.

I hear you asking, what does New York have to do with any of this? Read more to discover the startling details.

Read more!

Place: New Orleans
Time: February 2007

Mardi Gras is underway in the city that was New Orleans. If you want to skip through all the rest of this, I found a slide show of some of this years events including Satyricon, Krewe of Cork, Barkus and Shangri-LA. The link is at the end of this article.

Mardi Gras isn't what has drawn me to New Orleans, however. What has drawn my attention is the general tone of the mainstream media, where good news is still rare in the ongoing tragedy that is New Orleans. Today I read a New York Times article about one young couple who had decided to pack up and move, this after returning from their Katrina evacuation. The young husband said that he bought his first house in November, and his first gun in December. Crime is very much a serious problem in the city, and the police department still has more than a few wrinkles to iron out. Add that on top of the devastation, from Katrina and again from a recent round of tornado strikes. Add that on top of high rents, soaring insurance premiums, and what is perceived by many a lack of leadership ability, money and progress.

Poppy Z. Brite, a New Orleans novelist, wrote: "This isn’t an easy place to be right now..."

Read more!

An announcement from Coast Guard Commandant, Adm. Thad Allen, reveals a new plan to restructure the manangement of the Coast Guard and, get this, expand its surveillance efforts along the nation’s coasts. Coastal surveillance is their job, why aren't they already expanded? The expansion was mandated by Homeland Security back in 2001. Full Ahead Stop! - it was interrupted by the last Coast Guard plan, Deepwater.

The proposed plan is far reaching, primarily affecting how the Coast Guards manages the business of guarding our coasts. Part of the plan will call to equip commercial and some pleasure boats with automated beacons. There's a boondoggle waiting to happen. I've got a question. How do you spot a small boat entering the harbor when your radar screen is full of beaconing dots?

Read more!

Another Valentine's Day spent alone. I'm not complaining because it is the state of my life. It's been like that for me since I was old enough to know that girls were different. There have been a few good Valentine's Days, when I had someone in my life to share the good vibes and chocolate with. One of them was even a keeper, but here we are...

No, I'm not complaining. But I'm also not buying chocolate and cards for anyone either. And, of course, I expect none of the same. But I did get a letter today, from a girl! And it made me very happy.

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I almost need a Day-Timer to keep up with the I. Lewis Libby perjury and obstruction trial. So far these facts are known. I. Lewis Libby Jr. is charged with perjury and trying to obstruct an investigation into who leaked the name of C.I.A. officer Valerie Wilson.

Today his defense paraded a Who's Who of reporters and journalists across the stand, each in turn faithfully stating that no mention of Ms. Plame was ever made to them by Scooter. How can I say this.. So What! He didn't tell me either. This is a weak line of defense. Weak. These guys need to go find O.J.'s other glove, or something!

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I ran across something totally useless on Technorati's new WTF, which is an acronym for Where's The Fire... huh? wtf. Anyway, WTF is all about community building, and the premise is to have fun. Blogging with hemorrhoids is never fun. I'm still trying to figure out this WTF, and what it takes to be seen - to rise to the top. As far as I can tell its all about having enough friends to post a blurb on your WTF so it can be pushed to the top. More blurbs, higher visibility. The interface makes it difficult to search the WTF's, basically you need to scroll through a page of listings at a time until something strikes your fancy. I'm done after about two pages, who knows what I missed. There are options to sort the list, by Topic, number of blurbs or date. I'm not sure what makes up the Hottest WTF's, but I assume its about the number of attached blurbs and the total of votes for all of those blurbs. I haven't seen any real purpose other than to try to promote yourself or your cause. The topics that I see just aren't that hot button enough for me to ask Where's the Fire? I added a few of my own WTF's just to see what would happen to them. The results have confirmed what I already knew, I have no friends, and quite possibly no writing skills.

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I gotta tell you family, this is a poor choice for a National Rainbow Gathering. There is a good reason that we gather in forests and meadows of the mountains in this country, it's July and it's hot. If you have never spent a summer in the south central US then you are in for a surprise. God forbid that you should actually get anywhere near the Gulf of Mexico.

Please don't misunderstand my motive for speaking my voice at this late date. I know I can't affect the consensus decision, and I'm not trying to. I grew up in the south and there are many beautiful places in that part of the country. Believe me when I say its going to be HOT. And hot takes on more than one perspective, as I'll explain.