my own drum

The Back Pockets performed again, this time at Eye Drum in Atlanta, Georgia. They also performed some new material. James Truax brought his video gear and got some nice footage. Visit James on YouTube to see a complete portfolio of his work.

Ugly Faces

Sorrows

Foolers

This last video is actually from the November 22, 2008 performance at Wonder Root.
Enjoy it again

The Story Song (Fun with Friends)

Also, The Back Pockets now have their own page on YouTube, which is located at youtube.com/TheBackPockets.

Check out their MySpace page as well, at MySpace.com/thebackpockets

The Back Pockets continue to entertain audiences, and themselves, seemingly without an end in sight. Their latest show was at the place where it all began, at Wonder Root in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a Saturday night, before Thanksgiving, on November 22nd.

Prior to the show it was apparent that changes were afoot within the band. Some of the original core group had decided to move on, or at least move away. The first to go was Danny, their bassist. To hear his side of the story, it was time to move on to musical inclinations more to his taste. I won't bore you with other versions of his departure. Then The Back Pockets lead guitarist, Marty, decided to also leave the group. He actually left, along with Danny, before the groups October show at the Red Light Cafe in Atlanta's Amsterdam Walk. Then Lindsey, the groups songwriter, singer and mandolin player left to form her own group.

By time the November show came around, the group had managed to replace the missing members and begin rehearsals. The drummer, Ryan, picked up the slack for the guitar, being the very talented and versatile musician that he is. The group also picked up a new bassman, playing a double bass - also known as an upright bass. Also added was another singer and doumbek player and a new keyboardist.

Without further ado, here are some videos from that November show. If you like this band, visit their MySpace page and tell them. Its at MySpace.com/TheBackPockets.

I've only got a partial set list from that November 22 show, so here you go. As I find more I'll fill in the blanks.

Mountain Man

Aliens

Misadventures

Sorrows

Afterbirth

Sanskrit Around and Leave Me Alone

Remember, this band want to hear from you, so please visit their My Space page and give them a shout!!

Atlanta inventor Lonnie Johnson has developed a method to produce electricity which requires no fuel, produces no harmful by-products, and needs no moving parts.

The Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Converter, or JTEC, uses natural heat to force ions out of a hydrogen cell. It is made up of two closed hydrogen cells which are attached to pairs of electrodes. The cells are stacked - one being a low temperature stack and the other is a high temperature stack. Current flow compresses the hydrogen in the low temperature stack, ionizing the hydrogen and forcing the electrons through a membrane to the high temperature stack, where the hydrogen expands. Current is generated as electrons are freed. The high temperature stack generates more power than than the low temperature stack which creates an excess. This excess can then be used to power electrical devices. Hydrogen is not consumed or added in the process, and no emissions are produced.

Here's a link that probably explains it all better than I could ever hope to explain: JTEC System

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A group of burglars made their rounds in the East Atlanta neighborhoods on October 27, 2008. In two cases, the homeowners had installed video cameras and managed to obtain footage of the burglaries. Fortunately no one was home - one of the burglars can be seen carrying a pistol as he stands on the back porch of a home.

If you notice the date and timestamp on the first video, you'll see that the entire heist takes less than two minutes. The second video is also less than two minutes in length, but has been compiled from different cameras. I have to assume the robbers were just as quick at the second home. Also, both of these robberies took place within a half hour time span. There is no telling how many other homes were robbed in that same day, but it might be interesting to try to find out. One thing I did notice when watching these videos is that both homes had a deck. Perhaps the burglars targeted these homes because people with decks are known to have wide screen TV's? I don't know.

The video footage from both of these homes has now attracted national news attention. The local paper in Atlanta has also carried information about these burglaries. And, at least according to the comments on one of the videos, the perps are now in custody. Let's all pray that they get plenty of time to reconsider their chosen career path, especially in light of the fact that one of them was armed.

From looking at the first of these videos it appears that the burglars knew about the video camera on the back porch. Three out of the four made attempts to conceal their identity. The fourth appears to be an idiot, but a clearly recognizable idiot. In the second video it appears that none of these guys had a clue that they were being videotaped for all the rest of us to see.

In both cases, the homeowners have vowed to improve the surveillance on their property with the addition of more cameras. I would hope they pony up for something with better resolution as well. One of the burglars looks like he could be one of the dope dealers in my neighborhood, but a closer look at the first video indicates that's probably not the same guy. And, when I think about it, dope dealing is probably far more lucrative than stealing and neither one will warrant much more than a wrist slap from a judge in this town.

Kudo's to the homeowners for posting these video clips on YouTube. It's good to see that site has more potential than watching some moron fire bottlerockets out of his ass.

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Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin was recently in Denver and she sat for an interview with a local station (KUSA-TV). That interview included a feature called "Question from the Third Grade." The interviewer asked our Veep-Want-To Be, "Brandon Garcia wants to know, What does the vice president do?"

"That's a great question, Brandon, and a vice president has a really great job, because not only are they there to support the president's agenda, they're like the team member, the team mate to that president," Palin said.

"But also, they're in charge of the United States Senate, so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom. And it's a great job and I look forward to having that job," she said.

According to the constitution, the vice president's main duty is to replace the president if the president dies, resigns, is removed from office or can no longer carry out his or her duties for other reasons. The Constitution names the vice president as the president of the Senate but allows the vice president to cast a vote only to break a tie.

From Article 1, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution:
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

From Article 2, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution:
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

From Amendment 20, item 3 of the U.S. Constitution:
3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

From Amendment 25, item 1 of the U.S. Constitution:
1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Nowhere in any of that do I read where the Vice-President "runs" the Senate. If John McCain has not yet had any doubts about his choice of running mate, surely now is the time. I'm reminded of that fateful day when Alexander Haig was running around the White House declaring himself to be "in charge" To wit:

In 1981, when President Ronald Reagan was shot, Vice President George H.W. Bush was traveling in Texas. Secretary of State Alexander Haig responded to a reporter's question regarding who was running the government by stating, "Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of State in that order, and should the President decide he wants to transfer the helm to the Vice President, he will do so. He has not done that. As of now, I am in control here, in the White House, pending return of the Vice President and in close touch with him. If something came up, I would check with him, of course."

Clearly Alexander Haig did not know the presidential line of succession any more than Sarah Palin understands the duties of the Vice-President. Thank you Sarah Palin for educating our third graders.

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The Toltec people were mostly prominent in Mexico, Yucatan peninsula, the Gulf coast and possibly ranging as far as the Pacific coast. Their appearance was after the fall of Teotihuacan and before the rise of the Aztecs, or roughly 900 to 1200 AD. The word Tolteca is synonymous with artist, artisan or wise man. And so it generally considered that the Toltects were a force of intelligence. However, the Toltecs also had a warrior class. It seems that they were perhaps smart enough to want to protect themselves.

In the modern world there are several reputable Toltec scholars and teachers. Recently my travels have allowed me to cross the path of one such teacher, don Miguel Ruiz. Actually, a friend let me read one of his books, The Four Agreements.

To be honest, my first reading of this book was difficult. Not because the material within was hard to understand, but because of the simplicity and straightforward way the material was presented. I read at a fairly high grade level, devouring technical manuals with ease. So when I encounter a book written to reach the rudimentary reader I cringe.

In my first reading of this book I was able to grasp that something important lay within the pages. So I set it down, and two weeks later began reading again. This time I got it, I understood the message. And the message is clearly meant to help each of us attain a higher level of personal and spiritual interaction.

I'm going to give you each of the four agreements here, but I will not expand upon their meanings. I have no desire to infringe upon the original authors discourse. I do recommend that you search out this book and read it for yourself, then pass it along to a friend. (There is a link to Amazon.Com at the bottom of this article - it is for your easy reference, I have no affiliation or interest in Amazon.com.) And so, here are the four promises:

1) Be impeccable with your word.
2) Don't take it personal.
3) Don't make assumptions.
4) Always do your best.

Pretty simple stuff, right? Don't be so fast. I have found that in my everyday life it is very difficult to practice these four agreements consistently -- and I consider myself a fairly decent person. I actually have more than two decades of practicing 12 step principles on my side, and these four agreements have opened a brand new dimension.

Starting from the day that you accept and understand these four agreements your life can be transformed. You can be free of daily drama, conflict, and stress. You can immediately improve your personal relationships. You can free yourself from the bondage of self. You can dream of a life that you always wanted, and see that dream become realized. You can be happy again. You can bring happiness to others.

Now is the time for you to embrace change. It's time to become the person that you should be.

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Amazon.com - The Four Agreements

The Dead Mans Party is THE Halloween bash to attend. The party will feature 4 bands, special guests, a Halloween costume contest, vegan sweets, organic tea, a photo booth, and corroborative doodling (Collabadoodle). Admission is only five dollars.

The entertainment will include The Natives, The Back Pockets, Dark Nites of Camalot, El Jefe, and others. You are encouraged to bring your musical instruments for some community jamming.

Gather your ghoul friends and come celebrate the season with us at Dead Mans Party. The location is 368 Ponce de Leon Ave. It's a little hard to see from the road, but there is a gate on Ponce that leads back to the main building. If you get lost, it's immediately next door to the Yaarab Shrine, located at 400 Ponce de Leon Ave. (You can't miss the Shrine.)

This fellow is going to get his 15 minutes of fame, and more attention than he ever bargained for. So without further ado let's meet Joe, the plumber.

Born Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, he currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and works as a plumber. Joe was born in the Toledo area, grew up in the Florida Panhandle area, went to Springfield High School, and then entered the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at an Air Force base in Alaska from 1992 until 1995, when he was was honorably discharged. He lived in Arizona from 1997 until 2000.

Joe railed against Senator Obama about having to pay more taxes, and thus began his road to fame and shame.

Joe is not a plumber, at least not a legal plumber. Oh sure, he's a big fellow and I'm certain that when he gets under your sink to fix a leaky faucet the crack of his ass will be visible throughout the room, so he sounds and looks like a plumber. But Joe isn't licensed as a plumber. At least no one has yet produced a license, including Joe. He claims to be working under the license of Newell Plumbing & Heating Co., but according to Ohio building regulations Joe must maintain his own license to do plumbing work.

Joe said he objects to the idea of raising income taxes on incomes above $250,000. But... Joe claims that he makes no where near that much money -- he would not say how much he makes. Court records from a divorce show that Joe made $40,000 in 2006. So why is he even complaining? Perhaps it's because he's delinquent to the to the state of Ohio for nearly $1200.00 in back taxes from 2007. The Ohio Department of Taxation placed a lien against him because his personal property taxes have not been paid. However, there has been no action in the case since it was filed. Hey Joe, expect a visit from the taxman, very soon.

Joe may not be registered to vote. His name appears on Ohio voter registration rolls with a slight misspelling -— as Worzelbacher, not Wurzelbacher. That sort of data entry error might be enough to have him disqualified from voting in Ohio this year.

Finally, Joe may be remotely involved with Charles H. Keating Jr., who in September 1990, was criminally charged with having duped Lincoln Savings and Loan Association customers into buying worthless junk bonds of American Continental Corporation. Some of you may recall the ensuing free fall debacle of savings and loan failures that followed. Keating was convicted in state court in 1992 of fraud, racketeering, and conspiracy and received a 10-year prison sentence. In January 1993 a federal conviction followed, with a 12-and-a-half year sentence. The convictions were eventually overturned while Keating spent 4 and one-half years in prison. On the eve of the retrial on the federal charges Keating pleaded guilty to several felony charges in return for a sentence of time served. So what is Joe's connection. His brother, Robert M. Wurzelbacher Jr., served as senior vice president of American Continental Corporation and plead guilty to three federal fraud counts in connection with the collapse of the Lincoln Savings and Loan Association and agreed to testify against his father-in-law Charles H. Keating Jr. That might account for Joe the Plumbers time in Arizona. It also might account for why Joe felt the need to harass senator Obama, since Joe appears to currently be a devout Republican who is smitten with Sarah Palin.

Don't be too surprised to discover that Mr. McCain, or someone in his campaign, set all of this up with Joe long before that fateful day that he questioned Obama's tax position.

Nixon - Dirty Tricks - Plumbers
We've seen it all before.

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Are you tired of politics yet? There have been more than 20 debates in the last 18 months. Have you heard enough yet? Political advertisements are set to barrage television Prime Time. Have you seen enough already? Any poll worthy of mention has been mentioned. Enough already! Are you tired of politics yet?

Let's talk about polls for a minute. The first obvious question is who does the counting? It's not a question with a quick answer. There's CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, Bloomberg, Ipsos-McClatchy, Pew Research Center, Gallup, NewsWeek, USA Today... the list goes on and on and on. With all of these pollsters you think you might know just one person who has participated in a poll. That brings up the second question, whose opinion are we really looking at? In my 55 years I've never once been asked to participate in a poll. And I don't know anyone who has participated in a poll. There is no verification; all these numbers could be nothing more that the desire of the current pollster.

However, for all of the numbers it's nice to know that none of them really matter. At least not to the average guy or gal on the street. The below-average person may well be influenced by these irrational yet irrefutable numbers, but the average person already knows what he/she thinks.

There is only one poll that counts. No, it's not the exit poll on election day. That poll simply gives reporters something to talk about. I did participate in an exit poll one time, and I lied about everything I did in that booth. So much for reporting the facts. You might think the final tally of popular votes would be a poll that counts. Don't count on it. You may recall that in the year 2000, Al Gore actually won the popular vote, 50,999,897 votes to Bush's 50,456,002 votes. Bush and Cheney took office.

The reason has to do with the one poll that counts, the vote of the Electoral College. This system is described in Article II, section 1 of the Constitution.

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

Currently, the Electoral College includes 538 electors, 535 for the total number of congressional members, and three who represent Washington, D.C. On the Monday following the second Wednesday in December, the electors of each state meet in their respective state capitals to officially cast their votes for president and vice president. These votes are then sealed and sent to the president of the Senate, who on January 6th opens and reads the votes in the presence of both houses of Congress. The winner is sworn into office at noon on January 20th.

So forget the polls, forget the hype, in fact forget everything, except to exercise your right to vote on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November. This year that day is November 11th. Then hope and pray that on December 15th the Electors for your state vote in a manner that reflects the popular vote in your state.

The only poll that counts in this election is the one that is counted on January 6, 2009.

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Not in Ohio, fatman.

Richard Cooey is scheduled to die by lethal injection in the state of Ohio for his part in the sexual assault and death of University of Akron students Dawn McCreery, 20, and Wendy Offredo, 21, in September 1986. Mr. Cooey has filed an appeal in which he claims to be too fat to be executed humanely, since the executioner cannot find viable veins in his chubby arms. With good sense the Supreme Court has rejected this appeal. Furthermore, a pre-execution medical examination has revealed that Cooey's fat veins are just fine.

I'm too fat to be humanely executed,
claims convicted murderer Richard Cooey.

Here's the other appeal, one that's always bothered me, and it's actually heard quite often: Cooey was still waiting for a ruling on his appeal of the Ohio Supreme Court's dismissal Monday of his complaint that the state's protocol for lethal injection could cause an agonizing and painful death.

An agonizing and painful death. And what about those two young women, Mr. Cooey? Were they adequately consoled while you and your partner sexually assaulted and then killed them? Were they? I'm going to speculate and say they were not! Those two women were probably terrified. And you and you buddy, Mr. Cooey, probably enjoyed every single moment of their terror. So for you to appeal on this ground, that of an agonizing and painful death, is little more than malarkey. Most of us, at least secretly, hope you suffer greatly under the death inducing cocktail that the state of Ohio will soon pump into your fat little veins.

Enjoy your final meal of T-bone steak with A-1 sauce, onion rings, french fries, four eggs over easy, toast with butter, hash browns, a pint of rocky road ice cream, a Mountain Dew soft drink and bear claw pastries. It's more than you deserve, and a hell of a lot more than you gave your victims.

UPDATE: The state of Ohio has carried out the execution of this morbidly obese man, at 10:00am on Tuesday, October 14, 2008.

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I thought I heard it all by now, but it has recently become clear that I still have a lot to learn. A conversation the other day among friends came around to, believe it or not, anal bleaching. Yes, you read that correctly: Anal Bleaching.

Apparently the need for anal bleaching arose first in the porn industry. OK, now that does make sense. If you are baring it all for the camera then you want everything to look good. And who wants to look at an aged and worn looking anus? Thank goodness the answer to that question is, "hardly anyone", and so mine is safe from prying eyes. But for the anally conscious there is hope.

Before we get too much deeper into the subject let me dispel a thought I'm sure you are having. Anal bleaching does NOT involve bending over with a bottle of Clorox in hand. There are creams specifically made for this, and presumably they are anal safe. One would hope so, if one were contemplating such a procedure in the first place. So please, don't douse your ass with common household bleach. If you do, you deserve the burn that you'll certainly get.

You may have already asked yourself this question too (although it had not occurred to me); what about vaginal bleaching? Yes, the same cream will work there too. Isn't modern science amazing?

Now you may be asking, who does this stuff? Well, it's very popular in Los Angeles and Miami. But I doubt that you find too many places in between those two cities where you can safely even mention something like anal bleaching. Just imagine asking about this is in, say, Arkansas. Frankly, I don't want to think about what the locals there might want to suggest, or do. Don't get me wrong, I like folks in Arkansas, I even know a few, but I would never in a thousand years make a hint about anal bleaching. I shudder to think what could happen.

However, if you're a high-fashioned jet setter porn star living on either coast, and your very livelihood depends on pink, well there is finally a way to maintain that fresh look. If you are a regular habitué of Brazilian waxing then anal/vaginal bleaching may also appeal to you. If you're the sort of person who enjoys having something that no one could possibly guess, this is for you too.

For my part, I'll stick with the Charmin, although I must profess a secret desire to use a bidet.

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Apparently it still pays to be a pirate. If you haven't yet heard the coastal waters off of Somalia are ripe for the pickings as vessels ply their way across the Indian ocean through the Gulf of Aden. And those pirates are not at all discriminate in their targets. They will seize pleasure craft and cargo ships at will.

In September 2008 those pesky pirates intercepted a yacht and demanded one million dollars to release the French couple that was on board. Maritime officials said that an armed gang was sailing the Carré d’As towards a remote fishing village used as a buccaneer den. The semi-autonomous Somali region of Puntland held as many as ten other captured vessels, all of them awaiting their ransom for release. So far, this year alone has seen more than 30 vessels pirated.

The most recent pirated ship was carrying 33 Soviet designed T-72 tanks and a large supply of ammunition and grenade launchers. This load was headed for the Kenyan military. But a closer look at that cargo has revealed that the arms were actually part of a secret arms deal for Sudan. Of course, had the ship never been pirated, that deal would have remained a secret. Ukrainia, the source of those arms, is denying that it has done anything wrong.

And the payoff for this particular vessel is pretty hefty. Negotiations started at 35 or 40 million dollars. Apparently the pirates are willing to now settle for a paltry 8 million dollars, in U.S. one hundred dollar bills. Oh, and they want assurances that the U.S. Navy won't blow them out of the water after they get paid.

Frankly, I think either the U.S. Navy or the Russian Navy, both are on the scene, show fire a missile or two and sink that ship. Yes, I know, there are some innocent crew members on board.. or are there. Sure, these guys were just doing their jobs, but it appears they were making an arms delivery to the Sudanese, who are using the weapons against their own people. The captain, at the very least, must have known the intent of his cargo. For all of that, by sending this vessel to the bottom of the gulf a clear message will be delivered to the pirates, with another message delivered to the arms dealers.

It's still a bit difficult to fathom that in this day and age we are still under siege by a horde of bandits on the ocean waterways. Not only that, but we know where their pirate lair is located, and where they are docking these vessels as they await their booty. Someone, methinks, is asleep at the wheel.

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Still the newest band in Atlanta, Georgia, The Back Pockets are preparing to embark on a series of shows around the area.

The first of these will be an acoustic set on October 6, 2008, at Java Monkey in Decatur. Java Monkey offers an intimate experience for it's patrons, and a smaller stage for any performers. It's been said that there is only enough room for three performers on the stage. The Back Pockets are preparing for this show with a minimum of equipment and talented members. Actually, they may rotate several members of the band through the set.

Then, on October 17th, The Back Pockets will be performing at the Red Light Cafe in Atlanta. This show will see the return of Aviva to the lineup, and it promises to see several new songs by the talented Pocket songwriting team of Emily and Lindsey. This is a show to get excited about!!

On October 24, 2008, The Back Pockets will present their Psychedelic Hallows Eve Ball. Costumed patrons will receive a reduced entrance fee. There will be plenty of spooky costumes, as well as the usual audience participatory goodies like drawing and a photo booth. Never let it be said that a show with The Back Pockets will leave you wanting.

Two more shows are scheduled to round out the year. The first is the No Pilgrims Allowed Thanksgiving show, set for November 22, 2008, at Wonder Root. The second is set for December 6, 2008, at Eyedrum in Atlanta. Both of these shows are expected to be fun filled events.

To learn more about these events, or any others that may be scheduled, be sure to visit The Back Pockets MySpace page or their newest web site, located near this blog.

MySpace

The Back Pockets

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On a second attempt, the U.S. Congress approved a 700 billion dollar bailout package that will mostly benefit the high fliers of Wall Street, although there are a few minor concessions to the man in the street, Joe America.

Presidential candidate John McCain was speaking in Flagstaff, Ariz. and stated that the bill was not perfect and there was more to be done. What really strikes me as the pot calling the kettle black, Mr. McCain made the following statement, "But we must stop the damage to our economy done by corrupt and incompetent practices on Wall Street and in Washington." There seems to be no mention of the corruption and incompetence of the current Administration, which has decided that a policy of deficit spending is far better than having a prudent reserve. Politics as usual, Mr. McCain.

So now the U.S Treasury Department will undertake the most expensive government intervention of private enterprise in history. Their stated goal is to help prevent the imminent financial collapse of Wall Street. And this is being done at the expense of the taxpayers of this country. Meanwhile, some 159,000 of those taxpayers were out of a job last month. That's the highest unemployment figure in five years. So I ask, who is going to carry the burden of this bailout bill? I'm going to speculate that the richest American's will still manage to avoid paying an equitable share, and the poorest will shoulder most of this bill.

Some added inducements to this version of the bailout bill includes tax credit for the production of solar, wind and other renewable energy. It also includes an adjustment to spare middle-class families from paying the alternative minimum tax. The alternative minimum tax was originally intended as a means to ensure that the richest Americans pay their fair share, but over the years the numbers have changed so that now many people earning $30,000 to $50,000 a year are caught up in this net. Just another gift to middle American's from President Bush's tax cuts.

And yes, Wall Street still managed to close the week lower than it started, nearly 818 points for the week. So while we may be out of the trees, it appears that we are still very much in the forest.

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Hold onto your assets.

If we defeat this bill today, it will be a very bad day for the financial sector of the economy,” said Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts and the chairman of the Financial Services Committee.

The financial sector is indeed having a very bad day. The major averages closed sharply lower today as declining issues outpaced advancing issues on the NYSE by 18.5 to 1. Wachovia Corporation and Sovereign Bancorp Inc. were the two top percentage losers - but the day isn't quite over yet. And then there's tomorrow..

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to reject the proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial industry. Bully for the House. But the average citizen may well have to pay a larger price now. That includes many retirement funds which may become worthless in the face of a collapsing stock market. Remember, most of that money in the market is paper money, not real gold. It's paper, an illusion, and the magician is about to pull the hat.

The vote against the measure was 228 to 205, with 133 Republicans joining 95 Democrats in opposition. The bill was backed by 140 Democrats and 65 Republicans. Of course the finger pointing has already started. Some Republicans blamed Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a speech before the vote that disdained President Bush’s economic policies. Democrats, meanwhile, blamed the Republicans for not coming up with enough support for the measure on their side of the aisle. It seems that the circus in Congress just never ends.

Over on Wall Street the vision was even bleaker. As soon as the news out of Congress was heard, people started selling -- anything and everything. At the closing bell on Monday $1.2 trillion had vanished from the United States stock market and Monday had turned into Wall Street’s blackest day since the 1987 crash. Investors were worried about the financial markets as well as the broader economy. Indeed, around the world, governments are shoring up or buying out commercial banks and investment property holdings.

I'm not going to get partisan with this post. Indeed, I have little regard for either major party in this country. What came to mind as I read that story in today's news was not politics, but people. I happen to know more than a few people who are worried about their livelihood in the current situation, and now those same people have something else to worry about as they go to sleep tonight - will their retirement funds be safe? It's bad enough to have to spend the day hunting for a gas station that's open, now it's coming down to can we even afford to put gas in the car.

I had another topic in mind for today's post, until I read the news. I was going to write a trifling piece on how we should all simply abandon out vehicles. Sell the car, the truck, the SUV, the whatever you drive. And then buy a bike, or a bus pass. Put it to big oil by not supporting them. It seems that I may have been pre-empted by Congress.

Time will tell - sooner I think, than later.

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Bailout failed

Corporate executives (CEO's) in America are paid an average of 364 times the pay of the average U.S. worker. While many of them are chauffeured home each day, many of their grunt workers are struggling to pay the mortgage or feed their children. I'm all for incentive based pay, but this disparity is beyond pale -- it's obscene!

Corporations in America are verging on total government regulation. The day is coming, it's simply a matter of one straw too many on the camels back. Corporations are already little more than free-market totalitarianisms. Governed by a board of directors, bowing to the pressure of stockholders, they operate with impunity within the corporation. Employees are burdened with internal rules, schedules, and the ever present oppressive tactic of firing. And most corporate jobs are not fun, at least after the honeymoon of just getting a job has ended.

Here are some examples of highly paid, and overpaid CEO's.

Lehman Brothers Chairman and CEO Richard Fuld Jr. made $34 million in 2007. Lehman filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection earlier this month.

Goldman Sachs paid its Chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein $70 million last year. Co-Chief Operating Officers Gary Cohn and Jon Winkereid were paid $72.5 million and $71 million, respectively.

Morgan Stanley Chairman John Mack earned $1.6 million. Chief Financial Officer Colin Kelleher got a $21 million paycheck in 2007.

Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain was paid $17 million in salary, bonuses and stock options in 2007. Merrill is being acquired by Bank of America. BofA CEO Kenneth Davis earned $25 million in 2007.

JP Morgan Chase & Co. Chairman and CEO James Dimon earned $28 million in 2007.

Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd received $11.6 million in 2007. His counterpart at Freddie Mac, Richard Syron, brought in $18 million.

Wachovia Corp. Chairman and CEO G. Kennedy Thompson received $21 million in 2007. He was succeeded by Robert Steel as CEO in July. Steel is slated to get a $1 million salary with an opportunity for a $12 million bonus, according to CEO Watch.

Seattle-based Washington Mutual will pay its new CEO Alan Fishman a salary and incentive package worth more than $20 million through 2009 for taking the helm.

Some of these names or corporations may be recognizable. They should be. Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection earlier this month. Goldman Sachs gained Federal Reserve Bank approval to become a bank holding company. Same with Morgan Stanley. Their business with financial risk became too risky. Merrill Lynch agreed to be purchased by the Bank of America, rather than run the risk of being pulled under by turmoil surrounding the industry. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have come under government control. The F.B.I. is stepping in to investigate some of these firms. Can you spell m-a-l-f-e-a-s-a-n-c-e ?

So what needs to happen? Perhaps a cap on the top ladder of the rung, say 30% more than the least paid employee in the firm. This either assures the janitor a better standard of living, or returns more profit to the investors and stockholders. It means a humbling at the top tier, where it is assuredly needed. Without a doubt if I were earning a million or more every week, or even every month, I would be strutting around feeling superior to everyone else in their little cubicles. That's not healthy for the little guy, who actually carries out the workload.

American corporations have become too much like independent islands. While this strategy is good for business itself, it is not good for the rest of us. I say it's past time for corporate greed and malfeasance to be reined in. Corporations, on the whole, seem disinclined to police themselves. As much as I despise having to say this, it's time for our government to exercise some control.

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Atlanta is running out of gas.

Last night I was at a meeting place that I often visit when a friend of mine, let's call her Emilia, drove in and parked, and then briskly walked inside almost without returning my greeting. Later in the evening I again saw Emelia and mentioned that she looked much happier, and asked if everything had been settled from earlier. She smiled, and told me that she had arrived and was completely frazzled by her failure to get any gasoline for her car. She told me that she passed at least four stations, all of them out of gas. She wasn't sure if she could even get back home. That was the reason she was so brusque. However, she made a few phone calls and discovered the location of a station with gas. She intended to go get some of that precious fuel, at any cost, and then go home.

Emilia's experience has been common throughout the metro Atlanta area since last week. Another friend of mine had a similar experience on Friday afternoon. Station after station, he told me, were out of gas. And those that did have gas were charging higher prices.

First of all, I'm very glad that I do not own an automobile. I prefer to use the public transportation system in this town, which cost a mere $13.00 a week for unlimited access. Sometimes I might be forced to walk a few blocks to my final destination, but my sanity is generally intact for the experience.

Secondly, what the hell is going on in Atlanta? This shortage is only partially blamed on the recent Hurricane Ike strike along the Texas Gulf coast, where the refineries were forced to shut down. The E.P.A. also has a hand in this shortage. Atlanta is required to switch to a winter blend of gas. Because the refineries were in the midst of preparing this blend, there was no ready reserve. It will be another couple of weeks before our gas is ready. Meanwhile, the rest of the nation has pumps primed and ready for motorists.

One fuel supplier is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily loosen fuel sulfur standards so gas can be trucked in from other cities to metro Atlanta, where cleaner-burning fuel is required because of air quality problems.

Thirdly, my fellow Atlantans are a greedy lot. Many people are simply topping their tanks in the face of a shortage, denying those who need a little gasoline to get to work. No one wants to share what little there is, fearing for themselves, and creating a shortage for others. This once friendly peach of the south is fast becoming a persimmon.

The local rag has invited the citizenry to tell their stories, or to report on where this is or is not any gas in the area. There are literally hundreds of responses to this invitation. Some of the people are ranting about the government, citing a failure or a conspiracy. Some are pointing the finger (you figure out which finger) at Big Oil and little stations owners. Some are clearly outraged at the greediness of so many others, and it is clear who did and did not have any luck at the turn with greed. Many are grousing about the high price of available gas. And some, like this person, are viewing it all with a sense of humor.

There is gas at the first exit into Columbus GA off I-85S. I drove there from Alpharetta and filled up. The problem is I got back home on empty in my Yukon V12.

I will go back tomorrow and fill up.

For myself, smug bastard that I am, I'll patiently wait for the bus - which uses Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - and walk a few blocks to my final destination. I'll do this this without fretting where my next gallon of gas is going to come from. I'll do this without sitting in a long line of cars, all waiting to top off their tanks. I'll do this without losing my sanity. And I'll save a few bucks so I can do it again next week.

Happy Trails, ya'll.

Update: In todays paper, it was reported that the EPA has decided to loose the restrictions on low-sulfur gas to the region. That means our supply should improve very soon, Alas, no more fistfights at the pump.

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In no uncertain terms, my poor back has had a workout over the last two days. But it a good pain. I've been spreading a load of mulch over the garden pathways, and not a moment too soon either. Over the last few weeks of the summer, while I was away more than in the garden, the kudzu has taken over. But this has been cleared up in large part. When laying down this new layer of mulch, first any existing weeds were pulled up, then a thick layer of newspaper (or carpet) was laid down, then a 3 to 4 inch layer of mulch placed on that. The paper will slow down, if not completely retard, the growth of new weeds where a root may have been left intact. And of course, the newspaper will eventually decompose.

A few facts about kudzu:

1) It is known as the vine that ate the South.

2) Kudzu can be eaten. The young leaves can be used for salad or cooked as a leaf vegetable, the flowers battered and fried, and the starchy tuberous roots can be prepared as any root vegetable. The purple flowers of Kudzu are also used to make a sweet jelly.

3) Studies have shown that kudzu can reduce both hangovers and alcohol cravings.

4) Kudzu has been used as a form of erosion control and also to enhance the soil. As a legume, it increases the nitrogen in the soil via a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil.

5) Kudzu can be used by grazing animals as it is high in quality as a forage and greatly enjoyed by livestock.

6) Kudzu can be used to make soaps, lotions, jelly, and compost.

7) The kudzu is an extremely aggressive vine that grows at a rate of almost a foot a day and quickly encompasses an ever-expanding area, killing everything as it goes.

It's this last item that concerns us all, as gardeners. Kudzu is fast, and it will strangle anything that I can get a hold of. And what it doesn't strangle, it will block the sunlight from. And of course, when removing kudzu, much of the plant that it surrounds will be removed in the process.

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Having posted this blog article, I had second thoughts and sent it to my deprecated list. The reason that I had seconds thoughts was the realization that I am not in a position to judge the actions and behaviors of another person. I am not a self-appointed voice for the morality of others. As a wise friend said, "The peacock becomes the feather duster." And so with that outlook I had to rethink my motives.

Of course, I was shocked to read the news item of which this posting is all about, that a man of the cloth was apparently dealing in drugs. But the Catholic Church has been a source of considerable scandal for some years now - and history shows that scandal as nothing new. I am not a Catholic, or even a recovering Catholic, so my own personal moral compass has not been tweaked. I simply saw a shocking item and the news, and offered my own narrow view about that item.

So why did I allow this post to resurface? It's simple, really. In a word, traffic. See, I try to make a living (meager that it may be) with internet websites. I understand the things make a good site tick. For an e-commerce website traffic is nearly as good as gold. More traffic = more sales. And I was reviewing the traffic for this blog, and saw a sharp spike at the time of the original posting. People were actually reading my blog, or at least visiting it for a second. Because of this traffic spike I decided to re-post, and having given the whole situation some thought, to add the previous paragraphs. Without further ado, here is the original posting.

It is being reported that a Catholic priest at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been arrested for selling cocaine out of his office and his residence. The priest, Reverend Christopher Layden, faces two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges. He has also been suspended from all pastoral duties and from the diocese, presumably the Diocese of Peoria. If convicted, he faces 30 years in prison on the more serious charges.

Authorities were led to Layden by an informant who claims to have known Layden since 2007 and used cocaine with him "40 to 50 times" in the last seven months. This use occured in Layden's office. Acting on information provided by the informant, police executed warrants on the priest's office and home, and recovered 3 grams of cocaine, as well as associated paraphernalia including scales, cutting agent, and cash.

Up to this point this blog entry has been a factual representation as it was reviewed in several news stories. In my own opinion I think this guy, if found guilty, needs to suffer the harshest punishment allowed by law. Quite simply stated there are certain codes of ethic and many responsibilities invoked upon men and women of the cloth, as well as other authoritative persons, including but not limited to police and fire personnel. These sort of people are supposed to be the gold standard, that ideal to which all us of should aspire to become. We tend to trust these people, and when that trust is violated, a further breakdown of societal norms will occur. American citizens have enough problems without this sort of breakdown.

I have a few words about the informant in this case as well. Having used cocaine with the Reverend over the past year, why is that now he or she has finally come forward? What changed their relationship? To use cocaine 40 or 50 times with another person indicates to me a liking of cocaine. Was the informant arrested, and then to save his/her own ass decide to come clean? Was a sexual advance made? (Remember, we are dealing with a priest, and many of them have been successfully prosecuted for sexual behaviors.) Did the informant simply wake up one morning to an epiphany, and decided to turn around and clean up? These are questions that have not been sufficiently answered.

For more information about this particular story, visit these sites:
Priest pleads innocent; informant's testimony led to arrest
One-time Normal priest suspended from duties after drug arrest

And from the Division of Public Safety, University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign:

On Sept. 10 officers from the U. of I. police department executed search warrants at St. John’s Catholic Newman Center, 604 E. Armory, C. and the Newman Center rectory, 1107 S. Sixth St., C. An investigation was conducted that resulted in information that Father Christopher Layden was in possession of and distributing cocaine from his office in the Newman Center and his personnel residence at the rectory. Numerous items of evidence were recovered at both locations. Fr. Layden was arrested and transported to the C. County jail and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and delivery of a controlled substance within 1000 ft. of a church.

We now return to our regular programming.

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The secret is now out about The Back Pockets. Simply stated, one of the most eclectic, original and unique groups in America today. On Friday, September 5, The Back Pockets performed their first show to a receptive but small crowd at Wonder Root, in Atlanta. If you were there then you no doubt walked away feeling good after this show.

The Back Pockets is composed of the following members:
EM -- the head creative,set designer,vocalist,songwriter
LINDSEY -- mandarin,vocalist,songwriter
MARTY -- lead guitar,vocalist,songwriter,sound technician
DANNY -- bass,acoustic guitar,vocalist,songwriter
CONOR -- banjo,vocalist,songwriter
RYAN -- drums,vocalist
JEFF -- doumbek,vocalist
AVIVA -- keyboard,vocalist,trumpet,flute,songwriter

Collectively, this is quite a talented group. They came together in just four weeks, with a rigorous practice schedule at Thunderbox. With just a couple of exceptions, each of the songs they performed were creative originals. Even those non-original songs had been treated with a dose of creative energy. Here's the set list for this show:

Dance of Shame video 7:23

Sanskrit Around video 4:59

Leave Me Alone! (but don’t go away) video 3:18

Terrible Man video 3:25

She She video 2:42

The Money’s Not There video 3:41

The Laughing Song video 5:33

Hai video 3:36

Poetry Break video :57

Feast of Kings video 4:25

I Will Die video 3:41

You’re All Wrong video 5:11

Pieace video 6:14

Co-dependency video 5:01

Pubic Hair video 6:03

There is a second show scheduled sometime in early December, I think it's the 6th. The location will be Eyedrum. If you missed this singularly spectacular performance at Wonder Root, then you must see their next performance. It will astound you.
(Even as I write this, there is talk of another show near the end of October or early November.)

Musically speaking it is difficult, at best, to label this band. Their influences come from everywhere. The set began with a Gypsy inspired song titled "Dance of Shame", followed by a Sanskrit bhajan, and then went into a mix of jazz inspired rock and folk, and ended with a raucous song about pubic hair. Throughout the set there was a mix of bluegrass, smoky jazz and pure energetic rock. It's simply impossible to label this music, except to say its a positive experience. In the words of EM, "Don't put me in a box, man."

There is newly released video and images of this show, now all over the web. EM!'s blog at notaglumlot.blogspot.com has several video clips. You can view these at See Emily Play

A feature of this show was the interactive art and audience participation. There were three boards set up and paints, chalks and other media to allow everyone the ability to express themselves. There were also costumes for people to wear. The result of all of this was much more than simply standing around and listening to a band play their set. The audience had much more fun than that! See some of the images at Flickr.

And let's not forget the YouTube video's of this show. You can go to zip4096's home page and from there find all the video's that this person took.

Check out The Back Pockets music page on MySpace.com

Here's the home page for Wonder Root

Here's the home page for Eyedrum

I'm looking for more pictures to arrive from yet another source. They should be here in a few days, and I'll post them on this blog when they arrive. So stay tuned for more of The Back Pockets.

 

Jeff and Aviva

 

 

Emily, Conor, Danny, Lindsey,and the monkey

 

Danny and Lindsey

 

Jeff, Aviva, Emily and Ryan's head shot

 

Conor on Banjo

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Here we are in the enlightened 21st Century, and the world is supposed to be a better place -- at least that was the impression that I received from my youth. My parents struggled to make ends meet, ensuring that all of the children were fed and clothed and ready for school, and had a roof over their heads at night to keep away the darkness, the cold, and the bogeymen.

I'm looking around today and I'm wondering where it is better? To be sure there are some, perhaps many, who are at least better off financially. That is evident in the number of SUV's and Road Rangers prowling the streets. It is also evident in the great halls of our business infrastructures. Oil companies are reaping huge profits, Coca Cola is worldwide and growing, banks and investments companies (some of them) are bigger and have assets that I cannot comprehend. And the people that run these businesses are going home to their their trendy condo's, their mansions, their art, and their other SUV. Nothing wrong with that, per se, people who run things well have always been compensated well. I certainly would expected to be compensated for my leadership abilities. Alas, I have none.

But show me where the world is a better place. Show me a place where greed has been overcome to help the needy. Show me a profit that is turned to helping others. The stockholders won't hear of it!

Out here on the streets, where I live, there is little improvement. Drugs and prostitution continue to take the meager earnings of hardworking people. And now, in most states, the states themselves have joined in the action by introducing the lotteries. I can't begin to count the number of losing $5.00 scratch-off cards that litter our city busses and trains. $5.00!! That's enough the feed a person for a day, seriously. Sure, that person will be hungry all the time, but they will get one decent meal at least. I actually try to exist on no more than $2.00 a day. It's difficult, let me assure you. But I'm getting off track.

The neighborhood I live in is getting gentrified. This is no secret. New condos are replacing older apartments and homes at a record pace. One even advertises, "A new way of living in the Old Fourth Ward" It seems that the only thing to slow down this progress is the drying up of development money. The residents have little say in the matter, something I know as fact on the street where I live. Even my own little hovel, a squatters shack on a small piece of property, is in danger. I've recently been advised that the place which I call home is to be deconstructed.

Fine! I'll throw up a tarp and make believe that I'm enlightened and better off for the experience. Move over Mr. Thoreau.

In this post I think I shall cheat a bit, and quote from one of our historic literary personages, Henry David Thoreau, from his book, Walden. I've been re-reading this book of late, and there on page 12 I seem to have found, once again, a pattern or a template for living, for my own life. I could only wish that all men would adopt the same sort of self-critical introspection of their lives.

Walden is one of those books that is designed, in my belief, to teach us about ourselves more than about the actual subject matter. Mr. Thoreau did not retreat to to Walden pond to write about the trees, the birds, the insects, the weather or even the pond itself. He was frustrated with what he saw as a failure of modern man to grasp the simple realities of this thing which we call life. He knew, deep within his soul, that man was reaching much farther than was necessary and was becoming more mired in the results.

In my own life, I have made the decision to withdraw from so many of the luxuries that make our current existence that which it is. To be certain, I still avail myself of those luxuries - the fact that I am writing in a blog that is posted instantaneously around the globe via the internet, and that whilst I write said blog I can avail myself of the instantaneous spell checker is proof enough that I have not retreated to the caveman existence of my humble ancestry. Yet I try. In my abode there is no television, no radio, no telephone, no bathroom! Imagine! Yet I survive, and have done so for some time now, with little more than minor inconvenience. It has been my discovery that there is no need for a car, or any of those other items I've already mentioned. Living life on life's terms is just not that difficult. And, it is sometimes made easier by the kind generosity of those curious folks around me. They can sense something is different here, and I can sense their fear of the unknown, and of the unwilling. Life is, indeed, good.

And so, without further ado, let me get back to Mr. Thoreau and his book, Walden. Please do yourself a favor and read this book at the first opportunity.

The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of any thing, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well? You may say the wisest thing you can old man, -- you who have lived seventy years, not without honor of a kind, -- I hear an irrestible voice which invites me away from all that. One generation abandons the enterprises of another like stranded vessels.

I think that we may safely trust a good deal more than we do. We may waive just so much care of ourselves as we honestly bestow elsewhere. Nature is well adapted to our weakness as to our strength. The incessant anxiety and strain of some is a well nigh incurable form of disease. We are made to exaggerate the importance of what work we do; and yet how much is not done by us! or, what if we had taken sick? How vigilant we are! determined not to live by faith if we can avoid it; all the day long on the alert, at night we unwillingly say our prayers and commit ourselves to uncertainties. So thoroughly and sincerely are we compelled to live, reverencing our life, and denying the possibility of change. This is the only way, we say; but there are as many ways as there can be drawn radii from one centre. All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place in every instant. Confucius said, "To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge." When a man has reduced a fact of the imagination to be a fact to his understanding, I forsee that all men will at length establish their lives on that basis.

Thoreau, Henry David. Walden
Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Stephen Fender
Oxford University Press, 1997.
(pg 12)

I've just read yet another tragic American story, one that is repeated far too often in too many of our cities. This particular story appeared in the New York Times online edition on August 18, 2008, and recounts a recent and senseless killing in Birmingham, Alabama. The victim, LaWanda Russell, aged 17, was caught in the crossfire of an argument that was being settled with gunfire. She knew all of the shooters, the one who fired the fatal shots was a neighbor and lifelong friend. That one was shooting at her boyfriend as he (the boyfriend) was driving up to the home where LaWanda lived with her parents. She was in the car. And as the gunfire broke out she attempted to flee into her parents home. She didn't make it.

The media in Birmingham is playing this up, attempting to galvanize the citizenry into doing something, anything, about the escalating violence in their city. And I hope they find success. But how many more innocent victims in how many more American cities will it take before we, as a nation of free citizens, decide that enough is enough and begin to take responsibility for restoring a sense of decency back into our lives.

How many of you hear gunfire every night, and simply hope that the bullets pass you by this time? How many of you witness the drug dealing, the prostitution, the idleness that seems to be at the core of much of our violence? How many of you have read to your child today, or told him or her that you love them, or have done much of anything beyond ensuring that your own meager needs have been met, without a care or consideration of your neighbors, friends, countrymen? I think, far too many.

This is a country of citizens, founded on moral principles that have been refined over the years to become all inclusive. We are all citizens. Not just a few of us, not just the white men, but everyone. This change didn't come easy, but here we are today, with so many American citizens refusing to exert a finger to help promote a sense of decency in our cities. What are you afraid of, America? Why won't you do anything? And be sure of this, when the rights that you enjoy today are stripped away, you will be the first to scream. So take some action, today.

Here's a little known fact, criminals are afraid of law-abiding citizens. They run like cockroaches at the first hint of light. So grab a flashlight and start shining it on your streets and alleyways. We can solve many of the problems in our society if we act as a concerned society. If you think our government will fix everything, and if you are waiting for that to happen, then you have absolutely no right to wail when you lose your cherished rights, either through the enactment of legislation or by the bullet of a thug.

It's no secret that there are numerous people in this country that are living on the edge, paycheck to paycheck, one step away from homelessness and hunger. For most of them it's not a matter of fault (at least not theirs) because they simply lack the education, or wherewithal, to make any financial improvements in their lives. They are stuck. And there are some, like myself, who have consciously decided to eschew the system, to live life one day at a time, without worrying about the next paycheck. There is an immense freedom in that, if you can do it.

But, let it be understood that to live in our society, a certain amount of cash is often required. I cannot march into the local Kroger store and barter for a cart full of groceries. It simply doesn't work, those people want cash. And so for them, and thousands more like them, I do work from time to time in order to generate a small cash flow. It should be noted that my average yearly income for the past several years has been less than $6000.00. Remember I'm not complaining, this is a choice I made.

So it really gripes my ass when I do happen to perform some work, expecting cash remuneration, and then get stiffed. That doesn't happen too often, but since my arrival in Atlanta last January it's happened three times.

The first time was a "had to have it done now" paint job. I'm no painter and I made that clear from the beginning. No problem, I was assured. The job came to me on a Saturday afternoon (late) and it needed to be done before the following Monday morning - less than 48 hours; and I did just that. Then I got stiffed for half of the amount due. And the jerk who still owes me is just that, a jerk. I've given up on calling him; instead I've turned him over to my Higher Power, and I truly hope he receives the Karmic reaction that he so well deserves.

The final time occurred just very recently. I was asked to be a webmaster for a new site, and we discussed duties and a payment schedule. It was all verbal, done on a handshake. Since I tend to trust people, I assumed the deal was done. So we registered a domain, set up a web host, and I went to work. In the first two weeks I was paid a pittance of $40.00 each week. On the third week, I was told (not directly) that I was on hold until further notice. Hold my ass! I put my best effort on building that small site, and that effort is reflected in today's SERP's (Search Engine Result Placement). The site currently holds the number one position for all of the relevant search phrases. Now you tell me, did I do shabby work with those results after just one month? How about I tell you... No! My work was excellent. So why can't I get paid? Who knows. None of my messages are being answered anymore. I have a solution to this problem, but my concern is that it's even a problem. I kept up my end of the bargain. If I've received no response by next week then I'll gladly post the relevant information here.

Why are some people seemingly so cheap? To be sure, this sort of behavior is not inherent in everyone I work for. Many of the people (my clients) are not only happy with my performance, they are generous to a large degree. And still others have been generous with providing services, like this computer I'm using today. But overall I'm beginning to doubt the wisdom of trying to make a living in Atlanta. I can't survive off the good graces of a few, especially knowing there are those out there who could have been able to help make a difference in my meager existence. Cheap Bastards!

I'll get off my soapbox now, Thank You.

OK, I don't usually cross post stuff from YouTube, you know what you like and how to find it already, right? But I'm going to make an exception this one time. A friend, let's call her Em, created this totally awesome video of her art in motion, music in motion, motion in motion. I'm at a loss to describe it to you, so you really should just click the button and watch for yourself.

Em is darned good artist too, so this post links back to her blog where you can view a sampling of her work. I have a friend who is an art teacher and he tells me this girl is a natural artist, one who would be tainted by a formal art education. She is inspired and uninhibited, fresh and edgy, and just too damn cool for words. In her own words, "Don't put me in a box, man."

Enjoy.

I have a couple of new web development projects that you might find interesting. One called Green City Atlanta, and is being developed for the Dr. Randolph Blackwell Economic & Financial Literacy Institute. Their ultimate goal is to fund and provide material support for the Center for Sustainable Energy Center of Atlanta, Ga. To this end they are proposing to revitalize the Lakewood Fairgrounds in Atlanta, restoring the original buildings and bringing in antiques dealers. A consortium of antiques dealers across America has already been established for this purpose.

Dr. Blackwell was a significant force in the civil rights movement across the South in the early 60's. He not only participated on the front lines, with sit-ins and marches, but he provided behind the scenes support as well, in the form of financial assistance and providing his home as a way-station for weary and hungry travelers of the movement. He was instrumental in getting black people registered to vote. Later, in the Carter Administration, he was appointed as the Director of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Minority Business Enterprise. This office provided seed money to struggling black business owners. You can read more of Dr. Blackwell's biography on the Green City Atlanta website.

If you have comments or thoughts about this website design or function, I would appreciate your feedback.

Another new site under development is called Never Too Late Designs, and it features handcrafted jewelry. This site is based on the osCommerce shopping cart platform, which is being customized for use with the site. I have to admit this site is a real pleasure to work on for a couple of reasons. First, the product is interesting and unique. Second, the site owner was able to take the lead on entering the inventory. I showed her how do this once, and away she went. It's a miracle! Most new site owners seem to be overwhelmed with the prospect of managing their own inventory.

If quality handcrafted jewelry is in your future then I know Lisa would appreciate your having a look at her product line.

If you have comments or thoughts about this website design or function, I would appreciate your feedback.

At the 2008 Annual Gathering of the Tribes, commonly known as the Rainbow Gathering, the Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) of the Forest Service entered Kiddie Village to make arrests. What ensued should not be tolerated by any American citizen.

First, some background. The Annual Gathering of the Tribes has been an event since the first Gathering in 1972 in the Roosevelt National Forest. By consensus of those at the Gathering, the next years site is selected.

Kiddie Village is the one place in the Gathering where people with small children and families can congregate and camp together during the Gathering. It is supposed to be a safe place for our children, and the LEO's know that; many of them have been working the Gathering for years.

This year the LEO's went into Kiddie Village, with weapons. It should be noted that no weapons are allowed into the Gathering, a rule that the LEO's regularly flout. While there one woman implored them to leave the area with their guns, she was arrested. At this point many hundreds of Gathering participants raced to Kiddie Village and formed a circle around the offending (and offensive) LEO's. The cops got scared and started shooting.

Imagine, if you can, that you are peacefully camping with your family in a National Forest, and the cops arrive with guns drawn, and then start shooting. Would you feel safe?

For years the Forest Service has been attempting to stop the Annual Gatherings by use of force, intimidation and various changes to their own regulations. None of this has worked, the Gatherings continue. And they will continue. But their tactics have worked to some degree. Many people now stay away from the Gatherings, and once the knowledge is out that guns can and will be used in Kiddie Village, you can expect that many law-abiding families will no longer attend.

No matter what side if this issue you may take, it is clear that guns in the presence of families and children should not be tolerated. These people aren't criminals, they are American citizens exercising their Constitutional Rights.

More info:
LEOs Gone Wild

Arrest Leads to Rainbow Riot

2008 Wyoming Rainbow Gathering

YouTube Videos

Rainbow Gathering 2008 Wyoming Police Attack

Police Attack Kiddie Village, Rainbow Gathering '08, clip1

Wyoming 2008 Gathering
Cops with guns drawn in Kiddie Village

Is this small boy really a threat?
Does he deserve this from those who are
sworn to Uphold and Protect?

Peace

Over the last couple of weeks the garden has flourished. Weekend rains, daily sunshine and warmer temperatures have all combined to create a climate of prosperity for anything green. It's already apparent that there will be a lot of weeding and maintenance for this garden.

I've taken a new batch of photos and posted them on this site. As I discover or learn a new plant name, I'll update that page with the information. I will also be adding more pictures as they come.

I've also done some research about the Boulevard Community Garden (ala Google). So far, there is only one link that I thought was work referencing, and it was from 2000. But the article describes how our garden began, and shows an image of the original sign out front. This sign is currently under renovation. The original lettering had been replaced by stick-on letters, and the paint was faded and peeling. Our friend Emily is doing the artwork.

Bookmark this new page and check back often.

Today I took pictures of the many flowering blooms in our garden. Unfortunately, some flowers have already bloomed and then lost their color or foliage. Seeing that happen, I thought it was a good time to snap a few new photos. These can be viewed at the link below, Garden in Bloom.

How does our garden grow

Garden in Bloom

This might also be a good time to mention that the Boulevard Community Garden has a new e-mail address at "BoulevardCommunityGarden@gmail.com"
Please use this e-mail address for any garden correspondence. Thank You.

It is also worth noting that very soon the garden will be identified on Google Maps. Anyone looking at the maps in the vicinity of the garden will see a marker on the map, directing them to the garden.

I'm posting a few random items, because I can. First, you may or may not have noticed a name change. For some time I have been making anagrams using the following letters - A E O C P R S T. I don't have a reason for this, it was an idea that came to me late one night, and I followed it. I've decided to change to something completely different, and for now, more appropriate - Aromaman. You see, I'll soon be making premium quality fresh hand dipped incense. For people in Atlanta, this is good news. For the rest of you, my apologies. This incense won't be available on the internet for some time, if at all.

Last weekend I was in Suches, GA. The event was a pig roast, given by a fellow to gather his friends and acquaintances for fun and fellowship. It was a great time. On Sunday morning a few of us hiked a short distance on the Appalacian Trail (from Woody Gap) and meditated in the glory of nature's bounty. I took a lot of pictures, and these can be viewed at http://theworldwidewiki.com/pigroast/

During the last week the drug dealers visited my rose bushes, located outside the fence of my garden. Both rose bushes were trampled. I'm certain this had nothing to do with what I wrote about those morons in this blog; they're simply bullying morons who cannot stand to see anything nice in their midst. Oh well.

A friend sent me a link about using styrofoam cups to build a simple hydroponics system. After reading the article I thought I would post the link here for my gardening readers.

Hydroponics with McDonalds cups

Enjoy!

del.icio.us tag: Hydroponics

del.icio.us tag: Community Gardening

It rained Saturday, and Sunday, and Monday. Because we are in a period of severe drought this rain is more than welcome. It isn't enough rain to end the drought, but every little bit helps. And for the garden it is truly a blessing. Everyone has applied some sort of mulch or covering, mostly straw, to help preserve the soil moisture.

Last week I planted more in my own little plot of the garden. There are some volunteer tomatoes (found in a walkway), okra and onions (donated). I noticed this morning that some of the flower seeds I planted last week might be coming up already.

There are two plots left in the garden that haven't been claimed. Two others seem to have a claim on them, but they haven't been worked at all this spring. The two remaining plots are near the back of the garden, and get a generous amount on shade in the morning, but plenty of direct light from noon on through the afternoon. I'm thinking about doing a little landscaping on them to improve their appeal. One of those plots has parsley and oregano from a previous season.

Our volunteer sign painter came by last week. She loves the garden, but the neighborhood is a bit daunting. She wants me to remove the sign out front so she can paint it in a safer environment. But I've noticed the bolts holding it in place are bent, and so it can't be removed. I'll have to be there when she works on it. She also wants to put up a shrine in the garden. I gave her the OK to do this, and I'm sure it will enhance the natural beauty of this spot.

del.icio.us tag: Community Gardening

OK, I hear you thinking, "What has this got to do with gardening?" Well let me explain.

The Boulevard Community Garden is on Boulevard Avenue in Atlanta. Mention that street to any local and they'll nod in a knowing way - Boulevard is a haven for drug dealers. The garden is on the site of a former apartment building, and there are apartments on either side and across the street. One on side is a nice Christian based group for young people. On the other side is subsidized housing, and the scene for daily drug dealing. The dealers also lounge at the subsidized apartments across the street.

These particular dealers are not very smart at all. (Don't tell them I said that!) They tend to mix business and personal issues together, right there on the sidewalk. This, of course, results in problems for them, and for others.

About two weeks ago there was a fight. The dealers were beating up a fellow who I assume was a disgruntled customer. Anyway, I was working in the garden at the time and my view was obstructed by their apartment building. But I heard the shouting and wrongly assumed it was more of the same that I hear almost daily. I did notice that some people were watching from the Wendy's parking lot across the street, but still I didn't bother to go have a look for myself. Soon enough I heard the sirens approaching - first the police and then the ambulance. For the rest of the day there was a police presence on the street, which of course, is bad for the drug business.

This morning I once again heard loud voices, expressing lots of anger. Taking a quick look on the street I could see there wasn't a fight, only an argument. From what I could tell someone owed someone else money. And the police had been called again (not by me). And, once again, there was a police presence on the street today. First it was a uniformed officer parked down the street. I walked by him when I went to get the seeds today (see previous post), and as I passed him I offered a quick "Thank You".

He left the scene and returned later for a drive around the apartments. Then another officer, in uniform, arrived in his personal vehicle. He parked on the sidewalk right in front of the garden. The dealers sauntered away when he got out of his truck. He spent an hour or so walking around the area. He walked the apartment parking lots, he walked over to Wendy's, he talked to the old ladies on the lawn next door, and he came to the garden gate and talked to me. Our entire converstaion was about gardening. He asked what we were growing, and explained that he was gardening at home.

Finally he left and I saw him make at least one trip around the block. Eventually the drug dealers meandered back to the sidewalk, but I suspect that now their business is going to be interrupted more frequently. I can't say that I'll be sorry to see the dealers leave. But the truth is, there has been drug dealing on this block for as long as there have been drugs, and I don't hold out a lot of hope that will be changed any time soon.

Ahhhhh! That was the sound my neighbors heard last night. I came in after 10pm, and took my flashlight out to the garden to have a last look at my new tomato sprouts. I had planted the seeds in a plat, and set that plat on one the paid spots in the garden so it could get some afternoon sun. Sometime after I left yesterday that gardener came in in worked their space. My best guess is they never saw the few little sprouts in my plat. They emptied the plat onto one or more mounds that were built. My poor seedlings! I'm bummed.

Today I went to the dollar store in hopes of finding more tomato seeds. There weren't any, but I did pick up quite a few other things.

Back at the garden I got busy with my new seeds. At the front of the garden I planted flowers - marigolds, bachelor bottoms (mixed colors), cockscomb (plumosa mixed colors), and gypsophila (babys breath). These were planted in the first two plots near the front. These two plots are under the trees and mostly shaded all day. I hope to have some color near the front of the garden now. No one else is planting flowers that I can tell.

Then I got busy in my plot at the back, where I planted vegetables. I started there about 10 days ago with Wanda peas, which are already out of the ground. Today I planted lettuce (Black Seesed Simpson), summer squash, turnips, carrots (Mantes Coreless), early radish, and eggplant (Black Beauty).

I still have a few more things to plant there, including two varieties of radish, and okra. I'll post more when those get into the ground.

For those who are following my blog, you'll have noticed that today I crated a new category, Community Gardening, where I'll be writing about the garden. There is much to learn and much more to tell.

del.icio.us tag: Community Gardening

There are some new arrivals in the Boulevard Community Garden, besides the new sprouts showing up everywhere. These new arrivals are three robins (there might be others). Mom has been very busy digging up grubs and worms, and she's been very assertive about not being disturbed in her pursuit of feeding the hungry little fliers. There are three in the nest, but on the day I spotted them one had already made the first few attempts to fly, and was on the ground near the front gate. Mom and dad were protectively watching nearby. Here are a few pictures of the young birds, their nest, and their mom.

While I was out with my camera I also took a few pictures of the garden. This is the view from the rear of the garden, looking out towards Boulevard Avenue, to the west.

Each garden plot is individually planted and maintained. Garden members are free to plant whatever they desire, and to arrange their garden space as they like.

That ends the Boulevard Community Garden tour for today. You can be certain that as the seasons continue, there will be much more to take pictures of and to talk about. I hope you come back.

del.icio.us tag: Community Gardening

Now that I have a roof over my head it's more and more often that I may sleep in, whereas when staying at a shelter I was rousted every single day at 5:00am. I still have to get up before 6:00am if I'm to catch the bus to an AA meeting at 7:30. However, for whatever reasons (there were some legitimate ones)I slept in for a few days in a row, and missed those "Early Bird" meetings. (I still managed to make a later meeting on those days.)

Apparently I was missed, and some discussion was made as to my whereabouts. Then one morning last week came a knock on my door, and a fellow AA'er was standing there, inquiring if I was allright. Wow!

The following poem was written by yet another AA member, who gave it to me this morning. There was also a handwritten note and a phone number written on the page. Without further ado, here is "Humanity".

Humanity

He asked me if I seen Jeff today
the question hit me strong
I wondered if it been asked before
And now my guilt was rising

Jeff's a humble homeless man
His nights always uncertain
I see him by the place I go
Hi greeting, a quiet smile

He knows my name he says hello
He never asks for nothing
He's just someone who comes here
To be a better man today

Vague remembering those Bible words
About my brothers keeper
It seems that in this world we live
No time for you... too busy

"I think I'll go look for him
He's gone now these two days"
My words were quick, excused myself
So he left to search alone

And as I drove on to my day's routine
The thought came across my mind
If life should switch our places
Would someone look for me?

Joe B. April 2008

It was Easter in Atlanta and once more the fine folks at Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless turned out to feed lunch to thousands at Atlanta's City Hall East. This was the seventh, and possibly last, Easter meal served at this location. City Hall East is slated for renovation to become loft spaces, and all of the current tenants have been asked to vacate.

It was my privilege to be a part of this function this year, and I took my camera to record the event.

Here are some photos from the Easter event. It started on Saturday with setup at City Hall East. The first set of images show, from left to right, the main hall for the event. Chairs were set up in front of the stage area. The next photo show supplies being staged on the loading dock.

Signs around the facility helped identify areas of the hall for our volunteers and guests. Home delivery of meals was made possible by volunteers, and donations of toys and easter baskets brightened the faces of children.

Clothing was available for free, and there was something for everyone. Barbers donated their time and skill to privide free haircuts.

None of this would be possible without the generous support of an army of volunteers. This year college students from Morehouse and Spellman colleges, Hands on Altanta was represented, as well as many individuals. Here are just a few of them:

These volunteers helped by delivering meals to homes of people that could not attend.

The corporate sponsors for Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless play a vital role, providing funding and products that help make these events possible. Here, Coca-Cola is represented.

Inspirational and religious messages were delivered at this event.

And in the final set of images we see the most important people of all, those who benefit the most from these events, the poor, the homeless, and the hungry.

del.icio.us tag: Hosea Williams

I am at long last on my way to becoming a gardener, this after years of claiming a 'brown thumb'. I've rarely had success with growing anything. I've killed cactus, ornamental trees, flowers, vegetables, shrubs. I simply don't have the gift of gardening. My dad used to grow tomatos in a five gallon bucket, all I could grow was weeds.

But I have noticed a change in direction over the past several months. It started in Arkansas, at Karen's garden. I was drawn to that garden, possibly because it was overgrown with weeds. But I did a little work in that garden, and it felt good. There is, however, only so much one can do in anothers garden. Karen would not let me pull weeds unless she was there, lest I pull something valuable. Fair enough, I thought, after all I can't tell a flowering weed from a flowering flower. They all look like plants to me. Unfortunately I learned very little in Karen's garden because she was so attention deficit that it was nearly impossible to get her to spend more than a few minutes showing me what was good and what was bad. But, I was drawn to the possibilities.

A few weeks ago someone suggested that I could be the manager for a community garden. I jumped at the opportunity. After a short interview, in which I did not hide my lack of knowledge or experience, I was allowed to assume the position. Now, to be honest, I don't have to do any gardening. This is a community garden, and as such there are individuals who are responsible for their own plot of garden space. My role is to keep the trash picked up out on the sidewalk. But here is a golden opportunity and I intend to use it fully. Already I have started pulling weeds from a couple of unused plots. It's a beginning.

I have recruited someone who does know about gardening to give me a hand. I hope that with her help I can get a crash course in vegetable growing. Meanwhile I'll continue pulling weeds and picking up trash, and trying to visualize how this garden will grow.

del.icio.us tag: Community Gardening

It's being reported that the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. is closing it's doors in the wake of the largest processed beef recall in U.S. history. Some 143 million pounds have been recalled. Unfortunately, for consumers, some of this beef has already been eaten. School districts across the country are holding the potentially tainted beef, and apparently have little recourse except to order more beef from other sources.

The plant was closed after an undercover video was released which showed employees using various methods to get down cows back on their feet and on the way to slaughter. Electric prods, high pressure water and forklifts were the preferred methods.

Downer cows are potential sources of mad-cow disease, which can lead to a rare but fatal brain disorder in people. The incubation period in humans can be up to 30 years, so your school age kids could be having their own kids before any symptoms would appear.

The U.S.D.A. had inspectors inside this plant, because the plant was one of 10 processors approved to supply beef to the National School Lunch Program. So I question where these inspectors were, and what were they doing? I understand that a person cannot be in many places at once, but this practice was not isolated... and you can be sure that it is not isolated to Hallmark/Westland. This is as much a failure of the U.S.D.A. as it is of the meat packers. Hopefully those inspectors in the remaining nine plants are drinking less coffee and doing more inspection.

If you're a regular reader of this blog then you already realize the awful truth about those people we trust when it comes to the safety of our food sources. It would be pointless to fire the inspectors who failed to inspect. The Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Schafer, should be falling on his sword. He is a disgrace to this department, responsible for the feeding of our school children.

Here I am, like Waldo, turning up just about everywhere. This time I'm in Atlanta, one of the few big cities that I like. For the record, the other is San Fran/Bay Area. I don't seem to have much to write about tonight. However, for all the time - about 6 weeks - that I've been without an internet, I seemingly had a lot to say. One of these days I'll get a pocket journal.

One aspect of Atlanta is that my situation of being homeless seems to be exaggerated. It's hard to get into a decent shelter unless one is willing to get off of drugs and/or alcohol. That leaves me out, because I'm already clean and sober. I guess I could tell a lie...nahhh. And here's why. Going into one of the recovery situations also means giving up considerable rights and freedoms. I like coming and going as I please, going to meetings that I enjoy, and doing whatever work that brings me pleasure. I'm not about to tell some silly lie just to give those things up.

I learned a new word today, and interestingly enough, it applies to me. Here's how it came about. Last week I was taking a shower at a facility which caters to those in my situation. Unknown to me at that time, I had somehow lost a book that I had been reading. As I was getting dressed after my shower, a fellow entered the room and began giving away his possessions - we shall assume they were his to give away. He was giving all manner of things, clothes, shoes, bags, even a book, "The Bourne Ultimatum". It seems that the fellow had made up with his former girlfriend, and was moving back to her place. He didn't need these things. Besides the book, I managed to get a decent pair of tennis shoes, a knit cap and scarf, and even a small portable camp shower. It looks more like a colostomy bag, holding only a gallon of water. Still, it's a portable shower.

So I've been reading this book, and I ran across the word 'impecunious'. It means lacking money, penniless. I'm not quite there yet, but pretty darn close. (If you want to send money, I'll be happy to provide my PayPal ID to you.) So life is pretty good out on the streets. I'm relatively happy, particularly since I've gotten over my cold/flu/congestion/whatever the hell I had. I've learned a new word, and I've been staying busy every day. There is also the matter of getting a laptop, so now I can once again participate in the world of the web. Happy Days.