My Little Corner of the Web

Lex... for you

2006-01-31T08:12:00.000-08:00

Will you remember me, like the circled stones, On the ancient hills where you walk alone? Where the wind can speak my secret name, Like the air you breathe, will you remember me? Will you remember me, as your airplane flies? Over foreign seas an' breaking skies. Like a perfect child you can't bear to leave. In your last long days, will you remember me? Will you remember me, on the edge of life, Where time runs slow; where song can fly. In these shuttered rooms where we say goodbye. When the soul is free, will you remember? When there's no need to breathe, will you remember me? yes Lex, we will remember you.

old skills, old knowledge

2006-01-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

i feel left behind... and wonder if my old knowledge and old sills wil be enough. with all the changes being done with new versions i wonder how long i willbe able to keep up. i still do: ps -aef | grep pmon | grep -v grep to see what databases are up on a box. how long will that be good? and now, stuck wit 8i and 9i and no prospects of going to 10g i keep feeling left further and further behind. and now i'mnot even doing DBA work, just loading data and promoting packages.

rman mumblings....

2006-01-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

well working for a school district has some perks. i'm back from a 2 week break. and have a new boss. but he just doesn't have an idea of what a DBA is or does. we need to do several things, set up proper development, test nd production environments, move to rman backups, get rid of the web of database links we have, set up a proper datawhearhouse and data marts. so what am i doing? designing the DW? planning the move to rman? working on security? nope, i'm loading data and promting packages. not even grunt DBA work. *sigh* maybe it's tim to start looking again?

more secure thoughts...

2005-11-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

well, things aren't as bad as they could be. all the default database accounts have the default passwords changed. you would be surprised at how many database I could get into with default passwords. but there is still no consesis of what the security should be. and the web of privs is just amazing. the number of accounts that have select any table system provs is just amazing. talk about the lazy way of granting things. i'd like to revoke them all, but it would just break so much stuff it's not worth the fight. well, at least not until I get an answer to just what kind of security they want... and then contrast that to what kind they actually need.

security audit...

2005-11-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

so i've been asked to do a security audit on the databases at work. which leads to the question what do you mean by a security audit? and the even more basic question, what do you mean by security? simple question, right? so then why do i get so many different answers when i ask it? "i don't want anybody in my database." i don't really think you mean that. what good is a database if you can't put data into it and then get it back out? maybe you mean "i don't want any unauthorized people in my database"? but that is not just the providence of the oracle database security. much of that falls within the network security and application security. the database security is the last line of defense there. "i don't want anybody else to see my data." and i don't think that's what you mean either. perhaps "i don't want anybody who doesn't need it to see my data."? and then again that may not be right either, there may be many people who are useing your data and both they and you don't even know it. at work we have a web of public and private synonyms that mask where the data is and who is using it. clamp down on data access and watch all kinds of things break. so what is security? and how should it be applied? and those are the questions i need to answer before i can audit anything. by the gods, i just reread what i wrote... someone shoot me before i present again! and i wonder if this makes me an oracle blogger?;-)

and who says native americans are not as civilized as we are?

2005-11-03T04:31:00.000-08:00

"A sundance woman is like the morning star, filled with spiritual beauty, wisdom and knowledge. Men and women are the most powerful of the polarities. We walk beside men as equal partners. It takes men and women who have respect and love for one another to live within the embrace of Father Sky and Mother Earth." --Dr. Henrietta Mann, SOUTHERN CHEYENNE

Standing Tall

2005-11-02T04:57:00.000-08:00

Standing Tall bigger is better? WWBD.;-)

Bush Abandons Push for Miers Nomination - Yahoo! News

2005-10-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

from yaho news. i think it's about time. she just wasn't qualified for the job. ========================================= Bush Abandons Push for Miers Nomination By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent 25 minutes ago WASHINGTON - Under withering attack from conservatives, President Bush abandoned his push to put loyalist Harriet Miers on the Supreme Court and promised a quick replacement Thursday. Democrats accused him of bowing to the "radical right wing of the Republican Party." ADVERTISEMENT The White House said Miers had withdrawn because of senators' demands to see internal documents related to her role as counsel to the president. But politics played a larger role: Bush's conservative backers had doubts about her ideological purity, and Democrats had little incentive to help the nominee or the embattled GOP president. "Let's move on," said Republican Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record) of Mississippi. "In a month, who will remember the name Harriet Miers?" The withdrawal stunned Washington on a day when the capital was awaiting potential bad news for the administration on another front — the possible indictments of senior White House aides in the CIA leak case. Earlier in the week, the U.S. military death toll in Iraq hit 2,000. Democrats and Republicans braced for a political brawl over Bush's third Supreme Court pick. With Chief Justice John Roberts hearing his first cases, Bush could turn to the list of candidates passed over in favor of Miers, including Samuel Alito, an appeals court judge supported by many conservatives, administration officials said. Democrats urged Bush to nominate a moderate. "The president has an opportunity now to unite the country. In appointing the next nominee, he must listen to all Americans, not just the far right," said Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) of Massachusetts. Bush, after weeks of insisting he did not want Miers to withdraw, blamed the Senate for her demise. "It is clear that senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House — disclosures that would undermine a president's ability to receive candid counsel," Bush said shortly before leaving for Florida to assess hurricane damage. There were few regrets on Capitol Hill, from either party. Republicans control 55 of the Senate's 100 seats, but several GOP lawmakers were wavering on Miers amid intense lobbying from conservative interest groups. Republicans and Democrats alike questioned her qualifications — Miers had never served as a judge — and Bush faced charges of cronyism for tapping his former personal lawyer for the highest court in the land. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist spoke with White House chief of staff Andy Card Wednesday night and offered a "frank assessment of the situation in the committee and in the full Senate," Frist spokesman Bob Stevenson said. Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record), R-Kan., a potential 2008 presidential nominee who is courting conservative activists, said he had been "feeling less comfortable all along" about the nomination. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., one of 14 women in the Senate, had challenged Miers' nomination yet criticized Republicans for derailing it: "I don't believe they would have attacked a man the way she was attacked." "The radical right wing of the Republican Party killed the Harriet Miers nomination," said Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who had recommended Miers to the president. "They want a nominee with a proven record of supporting their skewed goals." Whomever Bush picks, a united GOP caucus holds the upper hand. Democrats would have to use their 44 voters (there is one independent) to try to block the nomination procedurally, a move loaded with political and logistical hurdles. Republican consultants predicted that Bush would satisfy the conservatives who helped him to two election victories and now want their due. "The conservative movement has made it fairly clear from their standpoint that they would like someone that many people have been fighting for, or involved in these battles over 30 years," said consultant Greg Mueller, who was deeply involved in the Miers nomination fight. While conservatives cheered her withdrawal, Ralph Neas, president of the liberal People for the American Way, said the decision demonstrated that "ultraconservatives are so determined to swing the Supreme Court to the right that they pounded their own president's nominee into submission and now demand a nominee with unquestioned far-right credentials." Miers' withdrawal means the justice she was chosen to replace, Sandra Day O'Connor, will delay her retirement further. O'Connor has been a swing voter on numerous emotional social issues, and more are set to come before the Supreme Court, including two abortion cases this fall. Before the president chose Miers on Oct. 3, speculation had focused on her and two other Bush loyalists: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Bush's longtime friend who would be the first Hispanic on the court, and corporate lawyer Larry Thompson, who was the government's highest ranking black law enforcement official as deputy attorney general during Bush's first term. A senior administration official said Gonzales and Thompson would probably run into similar criticism as Miers. They are Bush confidants with sparse records. Other candidates mentioned frequently include conservative federal appeals court judges Alito, J. Michael Luttig, Priscilla Owen, Karen Williams and Alice Batchelder; Michigan Supreme Court justice Maura Corrigan and Maureen Mahoney, a frequent litigator before the high court. Bush promised a new nominee "in a timely manner." Frist said he expected a nominee within days. Miers will remain White House counsel. A second senior administration official said it had become increasingly clear that her nomination was facing a collision on Capitol Hill that needed to be prevented. Miers called the president in his private residence at 8:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday to tell him of her decision. Twelve hours later, she walked into the Oval Office to hand him her letter of withdrawal. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Miers came to the decision on her own. The administration officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the nomination, said it was clear to everybody in the White House that Bush could not afford the fight. Polls show Bush is at the weakest point of his presidency with growing numbers of voters disapproving of his job performance and his policies on Iraq. Since Miers' nomination, there have been widespread complaints about her lack of legal credentials, doubts about her ability and assertions of cronyism because of her longtime association with Bush. In a letter on Wednesday, Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, sought assurances that Miers would show no favoritism toward Bush if confirmed as a justice. It may have been the last straw, coming from a moderate Republican who said Oct. 11 there was no chance Miers would withdraw before her hearings. "I think that would be a sign of incredible weakness," he said at the time.

Cool Tool: The Hacker's Diet

2005-10-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Cool Tool: The Hacker's Diet from the founder of AutoDesk. been around a while and revised.

Kevin Kelly -- Cool Tools

2005-10-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

Kevin Kelly -- Cool Tools looks like a muzt read for all us presenters. if i ever present again that is.

so maybe i need one of these to get it together?;-)

2005-10-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

Kevin Kelly -- Cool Tools: "Brother Labeler Quick easy labels brother_label.jpg I highly recommend the Brother P-Touch PT-65 for a good labeler. Cheap manual labelers like the trusty Dymo work fine too, but they take more time, are clumsier to use, and produce labels that look, well, homemade. They also don't stick well to many surfaces. The PT-65 prints ink-jet quality on durable plastic labels that stick to most anything. It's quick, easy, idiot-proof, and actually fun to use. Once you pick up one of these, you'll find yourself labelling pretty much everything in sight. At about $30 this is one of the cheapest models around, and it produces professional results. More expensive models are available with more features (fonts, tape sizes, etc.), but for my purposes, all of the extra ornamentation is unnecessary. The PT-65 does the trick every time and actually prints higher quality on less expensive tape than most of the pricier models. The unit is also small, light, and comfortable to hold. -- Dhiren Patel We have one of these things. Does wonders. Labelers follow the ink-jet business model. Their profit comes from selling tapes. Not a problem unless you are a big user. You can try a generic brand tape, too. -- KK Brother P-Touch PT-65 $29 Available from Amazon "

for those of us...

2005-09-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

with large families or other problems... Homestead Toto UltraMax Toilet No shit flusher Everone knows the standard 1.6 gallon low-flush toilet does not work as advertised. The three different models we installed in our bathroom in as many years did not easily flush large turds. Finally a maniacal plumber who methodically reviews low-flush toilets on his website (O, the glory of the web! ) pointed me to a 1.6 gallon toilet that really, really works: the Toto UltraMax. It has garnered unanimously great reviews online. I can categorically say that if you have trouble with non-flushing 1.6 gallon toilets, than the Toto UltraMax will change your bathroom life. You can store that plunger away. Created by clever Japanese engineers who figured that if you could make a toilet that worked in space, why not one that worked at home? They rethought the standard design, and came up with the G-Max system. It inserts a vortex in the bow of the throne's bowl which satisfyingly sucks everything down in a split-second quiet whoosh. Shit be gone! Even better, I found a site that would mail me the Toto UltraMax to my home via DHL (and with free shipping!) Two days later I had a very large box on our front porch, and a few hours later, a low-flush toilet running that has not clogged once since installation. (Previously we needed a plunger every third time). I've been so happy. -- KK Toto Ultramax Toilet MS854114S $356 Available from Performance Toilets Terry Love's Consumer Toilet Report

BBC NEWS | Health | Spouse support cuts job stresses

2005-09-25T05:10:00.000-07:00

Spouse support cuts job stresses Stressed man A stressful day at work can be negated by a supportive partner Going home to a hug from a supportive spouse - male or female - brings down blood pressure boosted by a nightmare day at work, a study finds. The University of Toronto study, presented to an American Heart Association meeting, monitored 216 men and women for a year. Those with stressful jobs but close relationships saw blood pressure fall. In separate research, British heart experts are investigating a stress enzyme linked to heart damage. Getting the balance right and having emotional support, whether from loved ones or friends, helps us cope with stress in a positive way Dr Charmaine Griffiths, British Heart Foundation The British Heart Foundation research was announced to mark World Heart Day. Scientists will investigate the role of 11HSD1, a fat cell enzyme which controls levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Animal studies showed having higher levels of this enzyme were linked to an increased risk of obesity. 'Marital cohesion' In the Canadian research, researchers monitored doctors, nurses, administrators, maintenance workers and visitors at the University of Toronto Health Sciences Center. All were aged 40 to 65, employed, and had been living with a partner for the previous six months. At the beginning of the study, everyone's blood pressure was monitored for 24 hours over the course of a working day. No one in the study was being treated for high blood pressure. Participants were also assessed to see how demanding their jobs were. The key components of job strain were found to be a highly demanding job where the person had little control over what they did. Another test was used to evaluate "marital cohesion". The same checks were carried out a year later. Those who had a demanding job combined with support at home saw a small fall in blood pressure levels over the year. The researchers say the findings are significant because blood pressure tends to rise as people age. Those who had stressful jobs and a lack of support at home did see the expected rise. Some challenge 'good' Professor Sheldon Tobe, who led the study, said: "Job strain had a significant impact, both clinically and statistically, on blood pressure." He added: "The medical model of healthcare does not include job strain, but stress at work and at home can modify the health of patients." Professor Tobe said: "The amount of support given at home in the relationship is a major definition of marital cohesion. " He added people who had high job strain and/or low marital cohesion - or if a happy relationship had deteriorated, they should see their family doctor for a blood pressure check. Dr Charmaine Griffiths, spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation, said: "A degree of challenge is necessary for us to feel motivated and enthusiastic, but too much stress can cause ill health. "Getting the balance right and having emotional support, whether from loved ones or friends, helps us cope with stress in a positive way."

Power-dressing Aussie leaves trail of destruction - Yahoo! News

2005-09-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

Power-dressing Aussie leaves trail of destruction - Yahoo! News that should learn him.;-)

words of wisdom...

2005-09-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

BUDDHISM, SOCIETY AND POLITICS Some thoughts of His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Politicians need religion even more than a hermit in retreat. If a hermit acts out of bad motivation, he harms no one but himself. But if someone who can directly influence the whole of society acts with bad motivation, then a great number of people will be adversely affected. Many ancient Indian masters have preached nonviolence as a philosophy. That was a more spiritual understanding of it. Mahatma Gandhi, in this twentieth century, produced a very sophisticated approach because he implemented that very noble philosophy of nonviolence in modern politics, and he succeeded. That is a very great thing. It has represented an evolutionary leap in political consciousness, his experimentation with truth. Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities, and so on. Sometimes we look down on politics, criticizing it as dirty. However, if you look at it properly, politics in itself is not wrong. It is an instrument to serve human society. With good motivation--sincerity and honesty--politics becomes an instrument in the service of society. But when motivated by selfishness with hatred, anger, or jealousy, it becomes dirty. In cooperation, working together, the key thing is the sense of responsibility. But this cannot be developed by force as has been attempted in eastern Europe and in China. There a tremendous effort has to be made to develop in the mind of every individual human being a sense of responsibility, a concern for the common interest rather than the individual interest. They aim their education, their ideology, their efforts to brainwash, at this. But their means are abstract, and the sense of responsibility cannot develop. The genuine sense of responsibility will develop only through compassion and altruism. Sometimes we feel that one individual's action is very insignificant. Then we think, of course, that effects should come from channeling or from a unifying movement. But the movement of the society, community or group of people means joining individuals. Society means a collection of individuals, so that initiative must come from individuals. Unless each individual develops a sense of responsibility, the whole community cannot move. So therefore, it is very essential that we should not feel that individual effort is meaningless- you should not feel that way. We should make an effort.

Inspired by wheelbarrow, BIC sells 100 billionth pen - Yahoo! News

2005-09-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

Inspired by wheelbarrow, BIC sells 100 billionth pen - Yahoo! News

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Appeals court throws out law barring untrue campaign statements

2005-09-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Appeals court throws out law barring untrue campaign statements see, i knew they were all liars.

Salon.com | Remain silent!

2005-09-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

be a good american and don't blame government...NOT. Salon.com | Remain silent!

SUSE update

2005-08-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

it still ROCKS!!! after getting the 10gR2 client installed and owrking, I now have TOra up and running. took several tries at it and tweaks to the configure commeand line to point to the qt directory and the qt libs, but it runs. and if you understand what i just said you're as much of a geek as I am.;-)

Blackhawk

2005-08-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Black Hawk's Surrender Speech, August 27, 1832 You have taken me prisoner with all my warriors. I am much grieved, for I expected, if I did not defeat you, to hold out much longer, and give you more trouble before I surrendered. I tried hard to bring you into ambush, but your last general understands Indian fighting. The first one was not so wise. When I saw that I could not beat you by Indian fighting, I determined to rush on you, and fight you face to face. I fought hard. But your guns were well aimed. The bullets flew like birds in the air, and whizzed by our ears like the wind through the trees in the winter. My warriors fell around me; it began to look dismal. I saw my evil day at hand. The sun rose dim on us in the morning, and at night it sunk in a dark cloud, and looked like a ball of fire. That was the last sun that shone on Black Hawk. His heart is dead and no longer beats quick in his bosom. He is now a prisoner to the white men; they will do with him as they wish. But he can stand torture, and is not afraid of death. He is no coward. Black Hawk is an Indian. He has done nothing for which an Indian ought to be ashamed. He has fought for his countrymen, the squaws and papooses, against white men, who came, year after year, to cheat them and take away their lands. You know the cause of our making war. It is known to all white men. They ought to be ashamed of it. The white men despise the Indians, and drive them from their homes. But the Indians are not deceitful. The white men speak bad of the Indian, and took at him spitefully. But the Indian does not tell lies; Indians do not steal. An Indian who is as bad as the white men, could not live in our nation; he would be put to death, and eat [sic] up by the wolves. The white men are bad school-masters; they carry false looks, and deal in false actions; they smile in the face of the poor Indian to cheat him; they shake them by the hand to gain their confidence, to make them drunk, to deceive them, and ruin our wives. We told them to let us alone; but they followed on and beset our paths, and they coiled themselves among us like the snake. They poisoned us by their touch. We were not safe. We lived in danger. We were becoming like them, hypocrites and liars, adulterers, lazy drones, all talkers, and no workers. We looked up to the Great Spirit. We went to our great father. We were encouraged. His great council gave us fair words and big promises, but we got no satisfaction. Things were growing worse. There were no deer in the forest. The oppossum and beaver were fled; the springs were drying up, and our squaws and papooses without victuals to keep them from starving; we called a great council and built a large fire. The spirit of our fathers arose and spoke to us to avenge our wrongs or die.... We set up the war-whoop, and dug up the tomahawk; our knives were ready, and the heart of Black Hawk swelled high in his bosom when he led his warriors to battle. He is satisfied. He will go to the world of spirits contented. He has done his duty. His father will meet him there, and commend him. Black Hawk is a true Indian, and disdains to cry like a woman. He feels for his wife, his children and friends. But he does not care for himself. He cares for his nation and the Indians. They will suffer. He laments their fate. The white men do not scalp the head; but they do worse - they poison the heart, it is not pure with them. His countrymen will not be scalped, but they will, in a few years, become like the white men, so that you can't trust them, and there must be, as in the white settlements, nearly as many officers as men, to take care of them and keep them in order. Farewell, my nation. Black Hawk tried to save you, and avenge your wrongs. He drank the blood of some of the whites. He has been taken prisoner, and his plans are stopped. He can do no more. He is near his end. His sun is setting, and he will rise no more. Farewell to Black Hawk.

SUSE rocks!!!

2005-08-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

and installs Oracle client too!!!! now if it would only play nice with winmodems.;-) oh well, that's what vmware is for.;-)

did ya ever wonder...

2005-08-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

now i know that companies need to outsource stuff... after all that's what happened to me in my gig before this one... and i'll even give them the benefit of the doubt and say the outsourcesers are trying to do s good job. but i just got a call from one of my credit card companies, and i think they're getting complacent. it's hard to work with them when you can't understand what they're saying. and they can't understand you.

so very true...

2005-08-24T04:27:00.000-07:00

"The mind's eye changes the way we judge things." --Fools Crow, LAKOTA "What you see is what you get." Our head has inside it a movie projector that projects out from our foreheads and shines on a screen a picture of our true thoughts. This is our reality. We can only see what we project (our beliefs). If we believe someone is a jerk, every time we see them we reflect our beliefs about what we think about that person and that is all we can see. Even if someone tells us this person is a kind, loving, caring, intelligent individual, we wouldn't be able to see it. If we change our belief about them, that person will change and so will our judgment about that person.

tech support... the beginings

2005-08-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

The tech support problem dates back to long before the industrial revolution, when primitive tribesmen beat out a rhythm on drums to communicate: Tech Support: Fire help. Me Groog Lorto: Me Lorto. Help. Fire not work. Tech Support: You have tinder? Lorto: Ugh Tech Support: You have flint and stone? Lorto: Ugh Tech Support: You hit them together? Lorto: Ugh Tech Support: What happen? Lorto: Fire not work. Tinder not catch fire. Tech Support: (sigh) Make spark? Lorto: Plenty spark, no fire, me confused. Fire work yesterday. Tech Support: (sigh) You change rock? Lorto: I change nothing Tech Support: You sure? Lorto: Me make one change. Tinder hot yesterday, so today me soak in stream so not burn Lorto hand. Only small change, shouldn't keep Lorto from make fire. *Groog grabs club and goes to Lorto's cave* *WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*

Japan firm to young job hunters: climb the mountain - Yahoo! News

2005-08-19T05:40:00.000-07:00

talk about a tough interview... Japan firm to young job hunters: climb the mountain - Yahoo! News

Woman, 85, Celebrates Her Birthday on B-17 - Yahoo! News

2005-08-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

i wanna be like her if i grow up..... Woman, 85, Celebrates Her Birthday on B-17 - Yahoo! News

Slashdot | Booting an x86 Virtual Machine from an iPod

2005-08-17T05:05:00.000-07:00

Slashdot | Booting an x86 Virtual Machine from an iPod: "randomjohndoe writes 'IBM has taken the next logical extension of booting Linux from a flash drive. Researchers were recently able to boot Knoppix from an iPod and run an x86 virtual machine in VMware, which provided an easy way to encrypt the whole operating environment. The tests were conducted on a 60GB iPod photo using Knoppix.'" the question is why?

Unix Review > UnixReview.com > going, Going, GONE!... goodby and thanks for all the fish...

2005-08-17T04:57:00.000-07:00

Unix Review > UnixReview.com > going, Going, GONE!

it starts with the kids...

2005-08-17T04:40:00.000-07:00

"Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 17 'If a child hasn't been given spiritual values within the family setting, they have no familiarity with the values that are necessary for the just and peaceful functioning in society.' --Eunice Baumann-Nelson, Ph.D, PENOBSCOT When we are born, we start with a beautiful empty mind ready to be given our beliefs, attitudes, habits and expectations. Most of our true learning comes from watching the actions of others. As we watch our family or relatives, whatever their actions and values are, so will be the children's values and acts. If we see our families living a just and peaceful way of life, so then will the children. If we see our family shouting, arguing and hateful, so will it be for the children. The cycle of life - baby, youth, adult and Elder is all connected. If the older ones have good values, it will be connected to the children. "

what i so much need...

2005-08-11T05:44:00.000-07:00

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 11 "May there be peace when we meet." --Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA The Elders tell us the greatest gift we can seek is peace of mind, to walk in balance, to respect all things. For us to do this, we must have peace within ourselves and peace within ourselves cannot come unless we are walking the path the Creator would have us walk. Sometimes the tests on this path are difficult, but we know that each test makes us stronger. Oh Great Spirit, I ask You to whisper Your wisdom in my heart. You are the only one who knows the secret to peaceful living and the mystery of harmony. Teach me of Your peace, understanding and balance and guide me onto your good path.

unto the seventh generation....

2005-08-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 10 "Nature is the storehouse of potential life of future generations and is sacred." --Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA We need to honor and respect our Mother Earth. She is the source of all life. The sun shines life to the earth, then the earth produces life in all forms and in a balanced way. Everything is here to serve everything else. If we interrupt the flow in any way, we leave nothing for the future generations. Before every decision is made, we should ask, and answer, a final question, "If we do this, what will be the effects on the seventh generation? What will we cause our children to live with?" We need to have respect and love for all things and for all people. We need to do this for ourselves and for all the children still unborn. My Creator, let me look at nature today and let me have the highest respect for all the things I see. All the two legged, the four legged, the winged ones, the plants, the water, the air, the Mother Earth. Let me have respect for myself

Peter Jennings dies...

2005-08-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

The Huffington Post | Latest News: "ABC News Anchor Peter Jennings Dies... Associated Press | DAVID BAUDER | READ STORY | permalink jennings.jpg AP/Gino Domenico Peter Jennings, the suave, Canadian-born broadcaster who delivered the news to Americans each night in five separate decades, died Sunday. He was 67. 'Peter has been our colleague, our friend, and our leader in so many ways. None of us will be the same without him,' Westin said."

the hawk

2005-08-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

as i was walking back from the dunkin donuts store that's next door to the hotel I'm staying at with my iced coffee i heard the cry of a hawk. looking up i saw it circle me three times and then fly off in a direct line to where the lady lives. the hawk is a messenger so i asked it to please carry my love and my heart to her.

from slashdot.... 60 years ago...

2005-08-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

60 Years Since Hiroshima cryptoz writes "Today is the 6th of August, 2005, exactly 60 years after the first nuclear device was used in a war. Japan remembers what happened, as do those around the world. Elswhere, we remember where the bomb hit, as well as how it worked." From the article about Japan's observation of the anniversary: "The anniversary comes as regional powers meet in Beijing to urge North Korea to give up its nuclear programme, seen by Tokyo as a threat and one of the reasons behind rising calls in Japan to strengthen its defence and seek closer military ties with the United States. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was among those attending the ceremony in Hiroshima, 690 km (430 miles) southwest of Tokyo." We've previously reported on the anniversary of the first nuclear explosion.

vacation? we don't need no stinkin' vacation... from the HuffPost

2005-08-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

she bashes Bush, but makes a good point... Arianna Huffington: When It Comes To Time Off, Bush Is Far Outside the Mainstream Fresh off his “in your face, Senate!” recess appointment of John Bolton, President Bush is hightailing it out of town for his annual August vacation at the Crawford ranch (wouldn’t that make a great commercial: “President Bush, you’ve just thumbed your nose at the U.S. Senate and sent to the UN a man who thinks it should be demolished, now what are you going to do?” “I’m going on to Crawfordland!”). This visit marks the president’s 50th trip to his Texas ranch since taking office -- an average of 10 visits a year. Now, don’t the wrong idea, this isn’t going to be one of those ”Why doesn’t the president work harder?” rants (although I do trust that if a Daily Briefing comes his way saying that anybody is “Determined to Strike In U.S.,” he’ll pay more attention than last time). Actually, I’m glad the president is able to get out of Washington and recharge his batteries so frequently… unlike most Americans, who only get an average of 12 days of vacation a year. Compare that with workers in Germany who get around four weeks off a year. Making matters worse, Americans don’t even use all the time off they have coming to them. A poll commissioned by Expedia found that U.S. workers will fail to use more than 421 million vacation days this year -- in no small part because they feel they have “too much work” and can’t afford the time away. Which is not to say that Americans couldn’t care less about taking vacations. Indeed, a Salary.com poll found that, if given the choice, 39 percent of U.S. workers pick more time off instead of a $5,000 raise. This poll finding echoes Paul Krugman’s column this week about “French Family Values,” which explains that the main reason the French don’t work as much as Americans is so they can spend more time with their families. Conservatives should be eating that kind of thinking up, right? Especially someone like Rick Santorum, who was out flogging his book on this very subject this past weekend. According to Scott McClellan, Bush will use part of his August vacation encouraging Americans to become more physically active. That’s great. But how about the president encouraging employers to give employees more time off -- or even just encourage them to take the vacation time they are owed -- so they can both get physically active and spend more time with their families? But don’t hold your breath waiting for that pronouncement. If Bush did that, he’d be dangerously close to advocating a policy wherein what’s good enough for his family is also good enough for other peoples’ families. And as we’ve seen from the war, the environment, healthcare, military service, taxes, and telling the truth (hey, John Bolton; hey, Karl Rove) -- that’s just not the George W way.

from Daily Kos...

2005-08-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

Comedianic snark... "The White House announced that the public would not be allowed to see the memos produced by John Roberts when he represented the United States government as a lawyer. They say this is because of the attorney-client privilege. Here's the part I don't understand: he represented the United States, we're the client, he's our lawyer. Shouldn't we be allowed see our own notes?" --Jay Leno "North Korea is making several demands in exchange for giving up their nuclear program, including a promise from America not to attack them. Which is a little strange because for us to attack them we would have to have `slam dunk' proof that they have weapons of mass destruction. I mean, for Gods sakes people, we're not maniacs. It would have to be an air-tight case. We wouldn't just come in there and start bombing you..." --Jon Stewart "It was so hot down in Florida Jeb Bush was rigging ice machines." --David Letterman "The White House dropped the phrase `war on terror' when polls showed no one thought we were winning it. They think they know how to make it more popular. They're going to stop calling it `war on terror' and start calling it `Shrek 3.'" --Argus Hamilton, comedian and columnist (Via Time magazine) "President Bush has declined to speak at the NAACP [convention] five times running due to `scheduling conflicts.' Which is true. The last five years he's been scheduling conflicts!" --Lewis Black "I have a question. Is there anyone in this administration who doesn't look like the demon child of Karl Rove and Ken Lay?" --Jon Stewart

2005 National Scout Jamboree...

2005-07-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

I'm a scout leader, a proud WoodBadge recipient, this saddens me and my thoughts and heart go out to the families. 2005 National Scout Jamboree Gregg Shields, national spokesperson for the Boy Scouts of America, made the following statement at a 10 a.m. press conference this morning: "As we communicated yesterday, four BSA leaders were killed in an electrical accident at Fort A.P. Hill between 4:30 and 5 p.m. yesterday, while setting up camp. The four individuals are Michael J. Shibe, 49, Mike Lacroix, 42, and Ronald H. Bitzer, 58, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Scott Edward Powell, 57, of Perrysville, Ohio. Three other men were also injured in the accident. One is a Boy Scout leader and two are contract workers. They are in stable condition. The injured leader is Jay Lawrence Call, 43, of Anchorage, Alaska. One Scout suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization. Our hearts go out to the families of these devoted Scout leaders who gave so much to their sons, their troops, and their communities. A thorough investigation into this accident is underway. We will share any additional information as we can. Today, at the 2005 National Scout Jamboree, the Army has instituted a day of safety stand-down in preparation for up to 25,000 visitors on Wednesday for the opening show. Entry of guests will be restricted on Tuesday, participants will be reminded to drink plenty of water, and we will be reviewing safety precautions. As planned, the public is invited to visit the jamboree from Wednesday, July 27, through Tuesday, August 2." Please return to this site for additional information as it becomes available.

Yo Homie... [from slashdot]

2005-07-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

Posted by Zonk on Tuesday July 26, @01:47PM from the nerdcore-makes-a-good-comic-too dept. hammeredpeon writes "MC Plus+ and others talk about their nerdcore rap skills with Wired magazine." From the article: "While gangsta rap is seen as celebrating the violence and aggression that claimed two of its brightest stars, 'geeksta' rap is a hip-hop genre celebrating coding skills and school grades. Also dubbed 'nerdcore,' this branch of hip-hop is for geeks, by geeks. Geeksta rappers adopt the same combative verbal-assault stylings of their forerunners, but bust rhymes about elite script compiling and dope machine code. The term was first coined in 2000 by nerdy New York rapper MC Frontalot in a track of the same name. Nerdcore now refers to artists waxing lyrical about topics as disparate as engineering and Lord of the Rings."

Words of wisdom...

2005-07-26T04:33:00.000-07:00

"These are our times and our responsibilities. Every human being has a sacred duty to protect the welfare of our Mother Earth, from whom all life comes. In order to do this, we must recognize the enemy - the one within us. We must begin with ourselves..." --Leon Shenandoah, ONONDAGA I had the great privledge to have known and been taught by Leon. He speaks words that we all should live by.

war as a shell script...

2005-07-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

check this out... [from Sun Ray Blog] The War on Terror As viewed from the Bourne shell. $ cd /middle_east $ ls Afghanistan Iraq Libya Saudi_Arabia UAE Algeria Israel Morrocco Sudan Yemen Bahrain Jordan Oman Syria Egypt Kuwait Palestine Tunisia Iran Lebanon Qatar Turkey $ cd Afghanistan $ ls bin Taliban $ rm Taliban rm: Taliban is a directory $ cd Taliban $ ls soldiers $ rm soldiers $ cd .. $ rmdir Taliban rmdir: directory "Taliban": Directory not empty $ cd Taliban $ ls -a . .. .insurgents $ chown -R USA .* chown: .insurgents: Not owner $ cd .. $ su Password: ******* # mv Taliban /tmp # exit $ ls bin $ cd bin $ ls laden $ cd .. $ rm -r bin/laden bin/laden: No such file or directory $ find / -name laden $ $ su Password: ******* # mv bin /tmp # exit $ pwd /middle_east/Afghanistan $ cd .. $ ln -s /Bad_Guys/Al_Qaeda Iraq/. ln: cannot create Iraq/Al_Qaeda: Permission denied $ su Password:******* # ln -s /Bad_Guys/Al_Qaeda Iraq/. # cd Iraq/Al_Qaeda Al_Qaeda: does not exist # rm Iraq/Al_Qaeda # mkfile 100g Iraq/Al_Qaeda mkfile: No space left on device # rm Iraq/Al_Qaeda # mkfile 1b Iraq/Al_Qaeda # chown -R USA:Proof Iraq/Al_Qaeda #exit $ cd Iraq $ ls saddam $ ls saddam $ ls saddam $ ls -a . .. saddam $ find / -name [Ww][Mm][Dd] /korea/north/wMd $ wall Propaganda.txt Broadcast Message from USA (pts/1) on USS_Abraham_Lincoln Th May 1st Mission Accomplished! $ rm saddam saddam: No such file or directory $ find / -name saddam /var/opt/dictators/spiderhole/saddam $ wall NewsWorthy.txt Broadcast Message from USA (pts/1) on Time.Magazine Sat Dec 13 We Got Him! $ mv /var/opt/dictators/spiderhole/saddam /opt/jail $ cd /opt/USA $ cp -Rp Democracy /middle_east/Iraq $ cd /middle_east/Iraq/Democracy $ ./install Install Error: Install failed. See install_log for details. $ more install_log Installed failed! Prerequisite packages missing Conflicting package Wahhabism found in /midde_east/Saudi_Arabia Packages Church and State must be installed separately File System /PeakOil nearing capacity Please read the install guide to properly plan your installation. $

number 7

2005-07-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

today Lance will win the Tour for the 7th time in a row. seven times he's spent 21 or so days riding a bycycle some 2000 miles at speed, up mountains, down into vallyes and against the clock. if you admire him or think he's an airogant bastard, it something for the history books. and something that i think will not be done again.

first...

2005-07-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

they blow up things in London, then they try it again, [note to bombers, it doesn't do any good if you don't put them together right.], now Egypt. and we think it's not going to happen here in the gold old US of A? riiiigggghhhtttt. we ain't seen nothing yet.

beam me up Scotty...

2005-07-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

Russell Shaw: Beam Us Up Scotty-One Last Time

"Beam me up, Scotty." "There's no intelligent life down here."

Canvassing the headlines, and looking at a world where science often loses the battles to superstition, it's hard to completely disagree.

But this entry is not about today's passing of the ultimate engineer-Star Trek's Scotty. Or, as he was named at birth, James Doohan.

No, this entry is about the life and legacy of this extraordinary character, and the actor that brought him to reality for so many.

Over the years, I have read dozens of testimonials from Astronauts, and NASA engineers. The testimonials converge on one central claim: that "Star Trek"- especially the orginal show - was where they first got a taste of the wonders of space science, and perhaps, even, space travel.

In fact, Dr. Mae Jamieson, the first African-American woman astronaut,credited the character Uhuru (played by Nichele Nichols) for inspiring her to take up space exploration as a career.

And,on this day when Scotty was beamed up one last time, it is fitting to remember that it was Scotty who made the ship go from here to there. Often, by means of a flexible mind that was able to improvise tech workarounds - literally on the fly.

So it was fitting that last August, when Jimmy Doohan received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, the keynoter at a conference associated with the event was none other than Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon.

"Not having a transporter was a significant disadvantage," Armstrong said. "The method we used to descend from orbit to the surface of an alien world, uhh, worked, but it would've been far more efficient and far less traumatic if we could just be beamed down. I'm hoping for my next command, to be given a Federation starship. When I get that command, I would like to have a crew like Captain James T. Kirk had: Spock, Chekov and Uhura, Dr. McCoy, Sulu, and the others we all remember."

But especially Scotty.

"Now, I have a confession to make," the one-giant-stepper continued. I am an engineer. And if I get that command, I want a Chief Engineering officer like Montgomery Scott. Because I know Scotty will get the job done, and do it right. Even if I often hear him say, 'But Caeptain, I dunna have enough time!' So from one old engineer to another, thanks Scotty."

The previous day, the X Prize Foundation conducted a panel on the privatization of space exploration. Leading the panel was X Prize founder Dr. Peter Diamandis and supporter Dr. Harry Kloor. Kloor is a scientist and also a writer who contributed to several episodes of Star Trek: Voyager. Another panelist was Dick Rutan, whose globe-circling experimental plane bore the name of a "Star Trek"craft named Voyager.

And as to Doohan/Scotty: you may not know this, but his airborne skills and feats of bravery were not limited to the screen. On D-Day, Canadian Air Force Lt. James Doohan successfully led his Canadian troops onto the beach and pushed inland to establish the best possible gun position. To secure this position, he shot two Nazi snipers.

And in an ironic twist of life that was to preview art, Lt. Doohan stayed in the Air Force and became a pilot.

Scotty was all about striving, thinking rather than reacting in a crisis, skill through preparation, but most of all - humanity.

Can you beam us up one last time?

jthis is just way too weird, even for me...Mob fire-bombs 'teapot' cult HQ - Yahoo! News

2005-07-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

Mob fire-bombs 'teapot' cult HQ - Yahoo! News

Gmail - Elder's Meditation of the day July 17... how very true this is....

2005-07-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 17 "My friends, how desperately do we need to be loved and to love." --Chief Dan George, SKOKOMISH Oh my great Creator: Help me this day to love myself. I can't give away anything that I don't have myself. If I am to love others, then I must love myself. If I am to forgive others, then I am to forgive myself. If I am to accept others as they are then I need to accept myself as I am. If I am to not judge others, then I need to lighten up on myself. Let me experience this power of love... My Creator, today I will love myself so I can love my neighbor. I will look at each person today and see Your light within them. If I do this, I will hold my brothers and sisters without guilt.

there's something just wrong about this... from slashdot...

2005-07-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

digjazz writes "Meet Arfa, a promising young software programmer from Faisalabad, Pakistan, who is believed to be the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional in the world. She received the certification when she was 9. During a recent meeting with Bill Gates, she presented him with a poem she wrote that celebrated his life story."

Great spirit

2005-07-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

You who connect the sky with the earth, connect us all one to the other, each to mother earth, each to father sun, all to the others, so that we may see your wonders through other's eyes.

OK, i'm not sure this is such a good thing....

2005-07-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

Ice Cream Pint Lock Personal ice cream security Due to roommates that didn't quite understand my displeasure at my consistently disappearing ice cream, I had to resort to this. Not a gag, it is actually is designed with the intention to work. Though I suppose that since the container it is "locking" is made of waxed cardboard (which can be deformed a bit) it won't keep out a serious professional penetration attempt. I found that it sends a warning message, sort of like one of those little LED's you put in a car to give the appearance of having an alarm. -- Morgan Davis Ben and Jerry's Pint Lock $5 Available from Ben & Jerry's

today...

2005-07-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

is the 70th birthday of the Dali Lama. may all creatures reach peace.

Video Robots Redefine 'TV Doctor'... the wonders of modern medicine....

2005-07-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

don't include the doctor's being there. Video Robots Redefine 'TV Doctor'

OK Kos is over the top here, but i'm putting it up anyway....

2005-07-05T04:50:00.000-07:00

How the Islamic crazies are like the Right by kos Mon Jul 4th, 2005 at 23:47:07 PDT Funny how the wingers try to claim American liberals are in league with crazy fundamentalist Muslims. Reality is, we hate everything Islamic fundamentalism stands for. On the other hand, the Dobson's of the Republican Party -- you know, the people running the show -- have far more in common with the enemy than they'd ever like to admit. Religion in government Al Qaida/Taliban: One and the same American Taliban: One and the same Liberals: Separation of church and state Schools Al Qaida/Taliban: Religious indoctrination. Run by clergy. American Taliban: School prayer. Religious indoctrination (creationism and "intelligent design"). Private religious school system. Liberals: Leave religious teachings to parents and sunday school. Women Al Qaida/Taliban: No school, must cover entire body, no rights American Taliban: Government control over reproductive freedoms, hostility to Title IX, hostility to working women Liberals: Equality of the sexes Religious freedom Al Qaida/Taliban: 'Think like us, or we'll whiip you and/or chop off your head' American Taliban: 'Think like us, or we'll condemn you to hell' Liberals: To each her own Homosexuality Al Qaida/Taliban: Eradicate them from society American Taliban: Eradicate them from society Liberals: Equality under the law You guys can take it from here. Update (from the comments): Torture Al Qaida/Taliban: Torture them or chop off their heads American Taliban: Torture them or homosexually rape them. Liberals: No torture Medicine and Science Al Qaida/Taliban: Faith-based world view American Taliban: Faith-based world view Liberals: Reality-based community Man, lots of good stuff in the comments. Too many to keep up tonight. But I'll do a second post compiling the best comparisons tomorrow.

truth... something everyone should listen to...

2005-07-05T04:33:00.000-07:00

Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 5 "It does not require many words to speak the truth." --Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE The truth shall set you free. This is the truth. When we speak the Truth, we do not need to be defensive. Truth needs no defense. When we speak the Truth, we do not need to attack because Truth cannot be attacked. It is so easy to want to manipulate or to be deceitful or dishonest. My head tells me I can get away with doing these things, after all everybody does it. My Creator, today let me know Truth. Let me live Truth. Let me risk the Truth. Let me make the Truth sweet. Help me to make my word good. Let Your spirit and intent be added to by words. Let My thoughts be Truth.

is she

2005-07-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

is she still a part of your heart if she's not a part of your life? is she still in your soul if she's not in your arms? is she still your life's bright spot if you don't see her? and what can you do with your love for her except survive?

something to think about for the US readers... from Daily Kos

2005-07-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

Supreme Court: What You Can Do RIGHT NOW

Update [2005-7-1 16:0:27 by Armando]: Bumped up by Armando. Whatever happens with the Supreme Court nomination battle that is about to ensue, it's going to happen fast. Here are some things you can do right now:

If you have a cell phone, sign up for People at the American Way's Mass Immediate Response site. This way, you'll be able to receive text message action items instantly as events break. (If you signed up during the nuclear option fight, you'll need to re-sign up.)
Also sign up with the Save the Court, another PFAW website devoted specifically to this issue.
Recruit friends and family members to the cause.
Write to the President, telling him he should choose a consensus candidate to replace O'Connor.
Contact your Senators to tell them the same thing.

If you have any other action items, please post them in the comments below, with links.

Update [2005-7-1 11:33:32 by DavidNYC]: If you have a blog, please post these action items on your site. If you don't, e-mail them to your like-minded buddies and relatives.

Update [2005-7-1 14:57:41 by DavidNYC]: Some more stuff you can do:

Sign MoveOn's "Protect Our Rights" petition.
Contact members of the media and tell them you think Bush should nominate a consensus candidate. PLEASE be polite, be brief (200 words or less), and don't do copy-and-paste jobs - put things in your own words.
Stop by Hunter's thread and make suggestions for potential nominees.

thik she's got a point? i do....

2005-07-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

Arianna Huffington: 4th of July Thoughts: Is Dissent Unpatriotic? As we head into the long 4th of July weekend, together with thoughts of fireworks and cookouts, my mind is turning to questions of patriotism and national pride… Given the administration’s ongoing with-us-or-against-us mindset, patriotism is a lot more complicated than it should be. The Bushies want us to believe that you can’t rally around the flag while still expressing dissent over the acts being perpetrated in the name of that flag. Which, of course, you most certainly can. Far from dissent and love of country being contradictory, in many ways dissent is the most patriotic of patriotic acts. Ben Franklin was absolutely right: “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech”. The thing that got me thinking about all this was a completely under-reported exchange (thanks to blogger dhonig at Mydd for flagging the story) that took place last week when Don Rumsfeld appeared in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee and was questioned by Robert Byrd). The money quote was delivered by Byrd, tired of Rummy’s preening: "I don't mean to be discourteous,” said the Senator, “but I've heard enough of your smart answers. Get off your high horse when you come up here… We represent the American people and they are asking questions. They haven't been told the truth. The administration says we're unpatriotic if we ask questions, but that's our job." Indeed it is. It’s all of our jobs to keep asking questions… and demanding answers. Even if it means causing a Roman Candle to go off in Rumsfeld’s head. So why haven’t we heard more about this story? As dhonig wonders, isn’t a U.S. Senator telling the Secretary of Defense "I've heard enough of your smart answers" real news? Maybe when the media get back from Aruba, they can look into it.

strikes home today after dealing witn management yesterday...

2005-06-30T04:33:00.000-07:00

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 30 "Words hypnotize and deceive everyone at one time or another, but these hypnotic words cannot last long in the hearts of true warriors." --Barney Bush, SHAWNEE We are a part of an interconnected system. Words in themselves have no meaning. It is the spirit and intent behind the words that really show the meaning. We are connected to each other at the center of the atom which makes up the air and our body. The center of the air's atom system is connected to the center of our body's system. I am connected to you and you are connected to me in the center of our being. If my words have no meaning, you can feel this through the center of your being. Great Spirit, help me make my word good. Let me do the things I say I will, and let me say the things I will do - and do it.

Oren was right... we are part of a whole...

2005-06-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

even if we don't know it. Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 29 "We forget so we consider ourselves superior. But we are, after all, a mere part of the creation and we must consider to understand where we are and we stand somewhere between the mountain and the Ant. Somewhere and only there is a part and parcel of the creation." --Chief Oren Lyons, ONONDAGA Every human being gathers information from the center of a circle. If we are not careful, we soon think we are the center of all things. Therefore, it is easy to become self centered. Once we become self centered we start to think we are above all things and therefore superior. But we are really only one part of a great whole. The universe is all connected. Each part is here to do something special and according to its design. We are here to honor and respect the job of each part. We are neither above nor below anything. We need not be ruler over anything, we need only to live in honor and harmony with the system. My Creator, help me to view and conduct myself in a manner of respect, dignity and honor to all creation. Let me see You in all things

we are all one, even if we don't know it...

2005-06-28T04:35:00.000-07:00

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 28 "Whenever you take anything from the earth, remember to leave an offering." --Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE We need to look at nature and its inhabitants as our brothers and sisters. Whenever we pick plants or herbs, we should leave an offering of tobacco. We should talk to the plants and ask their permission to use them. The plants will feel honored to be of service for each of them knows they are here to serve. Each of them knows they carry a special medicine and this medicine is about continuing the cycle of life. We need always to be grateful to our brothers and sisters. Creator, I thank you for the opportunity of life.

Slashdot | Integrated Circuit Inventor Jack Kilby Dead at 81

2005-06-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Posted by timothy on Tuesday June 21, @09:08PM from the thanks-for-the-ideas dept. geekotourist writes " Jack Kilby , inventor of the integrated circuit, one winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics (Robert Noyce died in 1990), died June 20th after a brief battle with cancer. In 1958 he invented the foundation for a trillion dollar industry as a substitute for going on vacation." Update: 06/22 02:03 GMT by T : Kilby was 81, not 91 as the headline originally indicated. ............................. and so the end of another era.

the news

2005-06-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

new job, new car, and maybe a new starting point in my life? who knows, but i got a good deal on my new car, and it looks like the new job will be interesting. stay tuned.;-) [like anybody really reads this.;-)

about time...

2005-06-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

from slashdot>>> Back to Moon in 2015? Mistress.Erin writes "NASA has announced they may send astronauts back to the moon as early as 2015, and may build an international base once they get there. From TFA:"The next mission to land a man on the moon will take place in 2015 at the earliest, the new chief of the United States' space program said on Monday, adding the mission could be followed by the construction of a multinational space station there. But NASA has not yet decided what vehicles will be used to reach the moon, or what will succeed the aging space shuttle fleet, which is due to be retired in 2010."" Today 8:43 AM Slashdot

does any else have a bad feeling about this?

2005-06-15T03:45:00.000-07:00

a national ID? from slashdot... Jack writes "The British No2ID campaign, which opposes the creation ofa National Identity Database to hold biometric data on all UKcitizens, has created an online pledge as part of an effort topublicise their cause. The three-day old pledge has recently gainedthe attention of the blogging community, with bloggers bringing athousand new signatories to the pledge today alone. Readers in the UKare invited to look at the No2ID FAQ on the plans for mandatory IDcards - some of it makes for scary reading."

Michael moonwalks

2005-06-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

Not guilt of all 10 charges. Somehow I'm not surprised. Me, I'm boycotting all things Michael. Which is not hard for me to do since I didn't like him anyway.

more on stem cells from the HuffPost...

2005-06-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

Bree Walker: stem cell research even pro lifers can love

I've paid close attention to the paper trail that follows every governmental intervention against stem cell research in the U.S for months now, and I'm reaching a state of panic.

We are about to watch a President veto what just might be the most productive scientific health care breakthrough the world has ever seen. That he can bring himself to do this in the face of present-day potentials is mindboggling. That he can bring himself to do it in the face of what just might be possible in the future is somewhere beyond that. That he does it in the name of fundamentalist moral values which represent the views only of a distinct minority in this country is one more indicator of the need for the existing majority to coalesce and make its presence felt.

Most of us, right or left, are pretty clear on the reliability of modern science and the clarity of collected evidence in the critical areas which face us: medical advance, energy sanity, getting back in step with the rest of the world on global warming. So as the medical cannabis doctor in Oregon said after the Supreme Court doomed thousands of cancer patients and AIDS sufferers to either go back to persistent nausea or become illegal pot consumers: "Is there any common sense left in this country?"

The Bush Administration, already the class clown of the global warming discussion, has willed us to the back of the room in stem cell breakthrough, allowing South Korea, for instance, to most recently uncover the next layer of mystery on the road to full stem cell utilization.

Pro-lifers find some allegiance with the "culture of life" dialectic the Administration has used to spin its recalcitrance on stem cells. But are they aware the Bush veto could deny major advances that do fit within their moral parameters?

Consider a disease with an ungainly name....Krabbe's Disease. It's an enzyme disorder that leads to blindness, deafness, cognitive deterioration and death before age two. But a number of babies in a Duke University study showed historic results from therapies built on stem cells from stored umbilical cords, a tissue residue heretofore routinely discarded in the delivery room. In some cases, deteriorated brain tissue was restored. After the Bush veto, along with the general ban on new embryonic stem cell reserch, there will be a moratorium on new umbilical cord banking, too. Why?

Regardless of your political perspective, this is about common sense. We can cure more diseases and disorders for people of all ages, or not. So far, this Administration chooses not. It's an embarrassment to our culture, and it can't be tolerated.

Gmail - Elder's Meditation of the day June 8

2005-06-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

"Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 8 'So we are connected to the moon. That gives us power, a connection to the earth and the moon, men don't know about.' --Cecilia Mitchell, MOHAWK The Elders tell us that the Woman has access to special powers. The Earth Mother gives her love in a special way to the Woman. The Moon also gives special powers to the Woman. She uses these powers to nurture, heal and guide the people. Great Spirit, today, give a special Blessing to our Women. "

even if he didn't invent the internet...

2005-06-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

he does have a point here.
from the HuffPost....
Gore Warns Mayors Global Warming Puts 'Civilization At Risk'

" width=200>

Former Vice President Al Gore urged an assembly of international mayors to fight global warming Saturday, warning of catastrophic consequences for the planet if governments fail to act. Gore, who helped draft the landmark Kyoto treaty on global warming that the United States never ratified, said that climate change was already melting glaciers, raising temperatures and altering weather patterns worldwide.

Without significant action, he said, the planet would see a dramatic increase in violent storms, infectious disease, deadly heat waves and rising sea levels that will force the evacuation of low-lying cities such as Calcutta, Shanghai and New York City within decades.

car accident

2005-06-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

well, it happened. yesterday driving back tothe hotel from work on I-35 i ended up being cut off and hitting the pathfinder when he hit the brakes. car is very messed up, i appear to be OK. this sucks.

isn't that supposed to be freedom fries?

2005-06-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

8-Inch French Fry Sold for Nearly $200 (AP)

AP - An 8-inch french fry found by a bartender has sold for nearly $200 on eBay. Mindy Marland said she was working at the Checkered Flag Bar & Grill, across from the Iowa 80 Truckstop, when she spotted the unusually long french fry.

why am i not surprised... via the HuffPost...

2005-06-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

Evangical Christian Cadets Harrasing Others At Air Force Academy

The superintendent of the Air Force Academy acknowledged to leaders of a national Jewish group on Friday that religious intolerance permeated the military school.

"As a commander, I know I have problems in my cadet wing," the superintendent, Lt. Gen. John Rosa Jr., said at a meeting of the executive committee of the group, the Anti-Defamation League. "I have issues in my staff, and I have issues in my faculty - and that's my whole organization."

some points to ponder from someone who's been there....

2005-06-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

from the HuffPost… [and yes i read PowerLine too, it’s just that the posters there are such bad writers nothing shows up that i care to post here.]

========================================================

Paul Rieckhoff:

First off, David Corn is exactly right about the Take Back America Conference and the lack of Iraq War discussion. The progressives are more afriad of the war in Iraq than a 19 year-old kid approached by an Army recruiter at the mall.

So keep it up, progressives. Keep avoiding the war talk. McCain, Giuliani, and Hagel will be more than happy to talk about Iraq. They'll make you look soft on defense issues, slap you around in '06, and then kick your asses in another Presidential election in '08. And you'll be left with another few years of cozy conferences and navel-gazing, bitching about how you are misunderstood in the red states. It's the war, stupid.

Now on to other business.

All this week I am highlighting commentary from one of OpTruth's Member Veterans in honor of Memorial Day.

Today, I offer a piece by Iraq Vet Andy Borene that ran on AlterNet. Borene served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a First Lieutenant during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2000, he deferred his matriculation at the University of Minnesota Law School and enlisted in the Marine Corps. Borene graduated with honors from the Marine Basic Officer Course in Quantico, Virginia, and participated in the first 100 days of the war, coordinating military personnel from multiple agencies and nations during major combat operations. He is now pursuing a J.D. degree at the University of Minnesota Law School and is a frequent contributor to the OpTruth Blog.

Untruthfulness and Consequences

From what I recall learning in a class at Quantico, during W.W.II the White House communications team made it a point to include images in the newsreels of dead Marines on the beaches of the Pacific. They wanted to remind the American people of the sacrifice they were making, and what was on the line. They refused to let the public forget exactly what it was their sons and brothers and fathers were doing overseas.

Anyone who does a little reading will learn the Nazis, the Japanese and the Russians denied honest disclosure of war casualty numbers and misled their own people about the costs of combat. That's hardly the kind of war policy model the U.S., the world's last, best hope for democracy, should be following.

The current majority in Washington is doing everything it can to avert the public's attention from Iraq and Afghanistan. They don't want to ask for real sacrifice in support of the global war on terror, much less spending to support the troops. They are more than happy to maintain the perception that the biggest issues in America are Social Security reform, Tom DeLay's ethics investigation and judicial filibusters.

The kind of examples they set for future leaders to emulate are guys who skipped out on military service and served as tie-wearing, pamphlet-passing, college cheerleaders for the conflict in Vietnam. The hypocrisy of senior citizen draft dodgers talking tough about national security and combat should be exposed in a time of war. Instead, we promote them to the highest levels of American diplomacy.

All of this perpetuates a growing "chickenhawk culture" in which young Americans with the most to offer in uniform feel quite comfortable taking civilian jobs or going to graduate school without so much as a thought about taking care of the young soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors who are fighting a very real and growing war.

A continued refusal to honestly show the real human cost of the war will only alienate the troops from the American people and civilian leadership. This is hardly what we need at a time when North Korea actually has nuclear weapons, Iran seems hell-bent on obtaining them, and Russia is busy crushing any semblance of freedom within its borders.

Last I checked, the reason we all were willing to fight for America was a commitment to Constitutional freedom and the principles of government by the people. We must not be afraid to show the truth to the American people. If we support the war, then we will accept the casualties and get behind the effort. And if we don't, then in our free society we had better be prepared for a real national debate about what exactly our leadership is doing with the lives of our troops.

usefull information...

2005-06-03T05:43:00.000-07:00

well it is if your as weird as i am.;-) from Cool Tools

====================================================

MouthSounds

Not everyone appreciates the thrill of making weird, silly or rude sounds with your mouth. All the better, then, if you know how to throw up a fake a cell phone ring, or present a first-rate chicken cluck. This great book teaches you how to create those and 200 other special sound effects with your mouth only. It comes with a CD, which you really do need to get these sounds correct. Your master guru is Fred Newman, the guy on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion show, who produces an entire symphony of sounds live in front of a mike. Besides being a how-to manual for audio gags, this book is also a very funny, and most importantly, one of the best classes I know of for opening up, training and exploring your voice, even if you don't want to make amazing noises.

-- KK

MouthSounds: How to Whistle, Pop, Boing, and Honk for All Occasions...and Then Some
Fred Newman
2004, 245 pages
$10
Available from
Amazon

Sample excerpts:

Screech 'N' Skid

Instructions
1. There's no shortcut to the Screech 'n' Skid. It has to be done like you're a six-year-old. First, load up with air, and hold your breath.
2. Now squeeze hard and let the sound squeak out in your highest falsetto voice. If it's rough and gravelly, so much the better. (If your face gets red and you pop a button, it's your own damn fault.) Let the screech rise and fall in pitch and volume.

Uses
The Screech 'n' Skid is the perfect response when someone makes a profoundly dumb suggestion, asks an inane question, or proffers a really bad idea such as "Let's wash the cat" or "How 'bout a double for the road?" or "Why don't we bungee jump out of this hot-air balloon?" The Screech 'n' Skid is the ultimate reality check.

Gummy Cheeks

Gummy cheeks is a juicy, abstract sound that slips past "mildly unpleasant" on the gross-factor rating scale and slides straight for "downright filthy" - in the way that stirring tuna and mayo together in a bowl has a disgusting sound, but you're not quite sure why. Gummy cheeks does not simulate any one sound in particular, but rather suggests a whole host of offensive goings-on.

Instructions
1. Relax your face completely with your mouth closed loosely.
2. Pinch your cheek lightly with the thumb and crook of the index finger.
3. Pull out and push in the relaxed cheek very rapidly. You will get a repulsive, gooey, slurpy sound - a misdemeanor in Florida.

Uses
If you are fortunate enough to have large jowls, your Gummy Cheeks can make grown men squeamish. You can double the indignity by making Gummy cheeks simultaneously on both cheeks for a sort of slushy, surround-sound effect.

Awesome Party Tip #38

"Talk under the din." If you are at a loud party and find yourself shouting louder and louder just to talk to people, begin speaking "under the noise." What is happening is that the voices in the room are competing in the same frequency range - so that people raise their volume and their pitch when they feel they can't be heard. They shout in high voices. All you have to do is not compete. Talk in a quieter, deeper voice, and you will be heard easily. Try it. You will be shocked at how easy it is to talk under the din.

things that make you go hmmmmm... from the Huff Post

2005-06-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

Jerry and Joe Long: Ode To Dick

A few random thoughts while trying to figure out how it is that Al Qaeda can even have websites? What are the most popular domain names? Are there 'comment' sections where bloggers are derided as 'typical out of touch Tora Bora Wahabis'?

* Compared to George W., Richard Nixon had an all consuming passion for the truth. The Watergate transcripts are basically a desperate attempt by Nixon to keep his lies straight. He was genuinely concerned about what lies he had told to whom; painstakingly repositioning aides and agencies inside his web of plausible deniability lest his actions be found out.
Today's misdeeds make the Huston Plan look like an exercise in progressive government. Having to defend something like the Downing Street Memo would've dissolved RN in a puddle of vindictive jowl sweat. Yet the media never dares trouble our unconcerned Caesar for an explanation.

* Really enjoying Harry Shearer's homage to Larry King. One of our King highlights occurred during the Lewinsky 'scandal'. Larry had assembled a panel for a roundtable discussion on the stained dress. It included Evan Thomas, Steven Brill, Jonathan Turley and a forensic expert. He asked the forensic expert the following questions..."You mean it can be semen and not be sperm?"..."Does it matter how long ago the sperm got there?" ...and our personal favorite, enhanced by Larry's gravelly, inquisitive delivery..."Suppose there's sperm on a car seat and someone sits on the car seat?"

* There's so much laughter at Rummy's Pentagon press briefings reporters should be charged a two-drink minimum.

* Item # 479 in a limitless list of reasons to loathe George W. Bush - He is the only 40 year old in history who quit drinking not because he found blood in his urine, but because he had a talk with Billy Graham. No thinking adult should reach their fifth decade on the planet with a personal philosophy so tenuous that it can be altered by Billy Graham.

more big brother... from the CSM

2005-06-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

Want to use the Web? Your fingerprint, please.

A decision by an Illinois library has some worried that online privacy is endangered.

oh come on now...

2005-06-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

over his hair?

=======================================================

Armstrong Threatens to Sue Ohio Barber (AP)

AP - The first man to walk on the moon used to come into Marx's Barber Shop in Lebanon about every month for a trim. That stopped when Neil Armstrong learned that owner Marx Sizemore picked up some of the former astronaut's hair from the floor of his shop and sold it for $3,000 to a Connecticut collector.

people unclear on the concept....

2005-05-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

Here's something you don't expect to see... (Reuters)

Reuters - Five Thai Buddhist monks have been defrocked and fined after a brawl with monks from a nearby temple, police and newspapers said Tuesday.

see, i knew i was right...

2005-05-31T05:52:00.000-07:00

William S. Burroughs

"A paranoid is someone who knows a little of what's going on."

memorial day...

2005-05-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

today is a day of prardes and services to honor our war dead. but still in this country only a very small part of the population really knows war, thank the gods great and small. the people like my father who stormed the beaches in Normandy, the ones who sat and watched the Chinese army pour across the frozen passes of Korea, the ones who watched a 10 year old pull and gun from his shoe shine box on the corner of a supposedly safe city street and start shooting at them, and now the ones who drive down the street in a humvee without the proper armor and hope someone in a society they don’t understand and where they are hated doesn’t decide to set off a roadside bomb.

today, take a minute and stop what you’re doing and pray to whoever you pray to to thank them for keeping it to that small part of the population. and maybe think about the ones who didn’t make it back, even if you can’t see the pictures of the coffins.

watchless

2005-05-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

i've been wearing a watch for some 40 years now. there's a clock on the computer, there's a clock in the car, there's the clock radio. there's even a clock on the cell phone. today i decided to go without a watch. it's been an interesting experience. i'm not sure yet if i like it or not.

memorial day....

2005-05-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

something to think about. people, put your money where you mouth is. i will. from the huffington Post: ========================================================================================= Sean Daniel: Thinking About this Weekend

Someone tried to pull our "support our troops" ribbon off our car. It is our second one - the first faded after a years' exposure to the Los Angeles elements. What I'm about to say is unsourced but the car was taken on a road trip to the bay area and returned from there with the damage done to the ribbon. So this Memorial Day weekend my son and I will get a new one. We will also visit the Memorial at the beach that honors the US servicemen and women who have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Here's something else we are going to do that I ask all readers of the Huffington Post and as many others as possible to do as well: make generous donations to the many organizations that are helping the families of those in the military, the wounded who are returning and members of the service with needs that the Gov't seems a little too strapped to cover. Here are some suggestions. Go to:

Sgt. Grits' Marine Support page;
The USO's Operation Phone Home;
Operation Truth's Soldiers' Charities page.

Some of the contributors to the Huffington Post and some of their readers and their readers' friends have been very blessed financially through all kinds of creative work. This Memorial Day weekend and in the days and weeks that follow share some of those blessings with the brave men and women of America's military. My father did not like to talk much about the Second World War or the Battle of the Bulge, during which he won a Bronze Star, but sometimes he'd tell a story, usually after coming back from a 1960's peace march when he would be with his WWII buddies in their Veterans Against the War contingent. And sometimes on Memorial Day.

oh crap...

2005-05-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Smithsonian to Screen Film Arguing Against Evolution

Fossils at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History have been used to prove the theory of evolution. Next month the museum will play host to a film intended to undercut evolution.

The Discovery Institute, a group in Seattle that supports an alternative theory, "intelligent design," is announcing on its Web site that it and the director of the museum "are happy to announce the national premiere and private evening reception" on June 23 for the movie, "The Privileged Planet: The Search for Purpose in the Universe."

saturday...

2005-05-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

a day to sleep in, do grocery shopping and in general just hang around. kind of wish there was someone to share it with. oh well, off to see if I have any mail, see if I can find a hair salon [the last one botched it badly and I had to cut about 8" of hair off], and do my grocery shopping.

big brother is watching,,, from the Huffington Post...

2005-05-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hewlett Packard Unveils National ID System

HP (NYSE:HPQ)(Nasdaq:HPQ) today announced the availability of the HP National Identity System (NIS) solution on the Microsoft(R) .NET platform.

The HP NIS solution allows governments to build and quickly deploy at an affordable price a complete, standards-based and technologically agile infrastructure that meets their changing needs for security and identity management.

Going beyond simple secure identification and authentication functionality, the solution enables modern national identification systems to allow citizens to access e-government services and conduct secure transactions. The solution also provides citizens with improved secure and intelligent identity documents.

musings

2005-05-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

I'm finding that the religion i was brought up in doesn't appeal to me anymore. nor do the ones my friends were either. what does? Native American beliefs, Tibetan Buddhist beliefs. but where is a fat white guy to find answers? unfornatly many places on the web that offer entrance to either are just rip offs. and somehow i don't think a local tribe is going to welcome me with open arms, no matter how serious i am about learning their ways. so I'm left to wander on my own. but then that's both a good and a bad thing.

your tax dolars at work...

2005-05-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

i work as a contractor for a large federal agency. i started this gig on 3.28. today when i came in to work i spent an hour doing paperwork so that they could take a really bad picture of me and issue me a badge. this is after putting in the paperwork for my Clarence a couple of weeks ago. oh did i mention that i was working as a contractor at an AFB just before starting here and did all the same paperwork for there? could they transfer things to here? why, no. so we all get to pay for my investigations and processing twice.

ROTS

2005-05-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

from my friend Anon E. Muss to one of the lists i’m on:

=========================================================

I have admired Darth Vader since I was a little boy. Champion of evil, the darkside, a legit badass, how could a person like me NOT admire Darth Vader? Anyhow, if I were in charge, Darth Vader would not be allowed in any commercials that are not advertising a movie in which you can see Darth Vader. No Vader slurpee, no insuations that Darth is making hot-monkey-love to that disgusting burger king mascot. Also, metrosexual (what? "gay" isn't good enough for ya anymore?) Toby McGuire wanna-be's would not be allowed to play pre-vaderization Darth. ROTS is coincidentally the perfect acronym for the latest installment.

fridge clean out day....

2005-05-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

today was clean the fridge day. they were throwing out unlabeled frozen dinners, so i fetched my post it note pad and claimed a couple. yes i am cheap.

offered without comment...

2005-05-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

because i already commented earlier.

from the Huffington Post:

============================================================

Jay Gordon: Too Important

The discussion of stem cell research and President Bush's threatened veto of expanded research deserves a response from every responsible physician and scientist in America.

The President and his advisors will cost countless children their health, their futures and their lives if they continue to oppose the use of embryonic stem cells to create cures for diabetes, childhood leukemia, and other diseases. Doctors who call this "false hope" are liars and demagogues. Spineless politicians who support the President's luddite point of view should be removed from office as soon as possible.

Could they possibly be this mean, stupid and unresponsive to scientific imperatives and the desires of the preponderance of America's people?

JNG MD

profound changes?

2005-05-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

changes that will last no matter who is president? will we continue to loose our personal freedoms and privacy? can we even make a change now without bing big contributers to party funds?

from the Huffington Post:

==========================================================

Robert Schlesinger: The Long-Term GOP Effect

Today's must read comes from Jim VandeHei of The Washington Post. He concisely outlines how the GOP Congress and President Bush are remaking the federal government along conservative lines. "Amid the partisan rhetoric, a little-noticed fact about modern politics has been lost: Republicans have already changed how the business of government gets done, in ways both profound and lasting," he writes. "The transformation started in the House in the 1990s and intensified with Bush's 2000 election. The result has been a stronger president working with a compliant and streamlined Congress to push the country, and the courts, in a more conservative direction, according to historians, government scholars, and current and former federal officials. Some of the changes, such as a more powerful executive branch, less powerful rank-and-file members of Congress and more pro-Republican courts, are likely to outlast the current president and GOP majority, they say. The Republican bid to ban the filibustering of judges made it easier for Bush to appoint conservatives to the Supreme Court and holds open the threat of future attempts to erode the most powerful tool available to the minority party in Congress."

Read the whole article, it's fascinating.

nutrition CAN affect your mind

2005-05-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Huffington Post The Blog Jay Gordon Esoteric? Maybe. Valuable Information? Hell, yes! In the June issue of the Journal of Lipid Research (huh?) there’s an excellent article that you’ll hear about in the so-called mainstream media in a couple days. When you do see this story they’ll use it as a “throw-away” or pretend that it’s only relevant to the experimental animals in the study. Nothing could be further from the truth. Understanding the types of fat in your diet will save your life. Feeding your kids differently will change behavior and school performance. The article documents that increased levels of omega-6 fatty acids in animals’ brains leads to signs of depression. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in meat and most of the oils we use in America. The American diet is extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is between 20 to 1 and 50 to 1. Cancer prevention and heart disease can be prevented by lowering this ratio to 1:1 or, at worst 4:1 Eat more walnuts, flax seeds and flax seed oil. Children, teens and adults who eat a lot of meat, cheese, too much grain, vegetable oils, baked goods, margarine and greasy foods have a greater tendency to depression. Purified fish oil could change all of this. Ask your doctor. If he doesn’t know the relationship between omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids and behavior, fire him.

who is to say who is civilized and who is not?

2005-05-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

"The man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures and acknowledging unity with the universe of things was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization."

--Luther Standing Bear, OGLALA SIOUX

perhaps we are not as civilized as we think we are.

stem cells...

2005-05-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

i just found out someone I admire had stage 4 cancer and maybe 6 weeks left. and the congress is debating stem cell research, with W threatening to veto it. now I don't know all the details, but I do know that stem cells hold the keys to curing some very nasty things, to prolonging life and improving the quality of life for thousands. and the religious right, the put life first, want to deny it to us. well, they may deny it to us, but the rest of the world won't. like everything else, our medical advances will be offshored.

numbers, numbers

2005-05-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

from Salon.com. wonder how the numbers driven political machines will react to this one?

===========================================================

In the polls

Connecticut's Quinnipiac University released a new poll this morning surveying Americans' attitudes on abortion, the filibuster fight, and the Bush presidency. The numbers don't look great for the right wing or the White House.

By 63 to 33 percent, Americans support the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, with men supporting it at a higher rate (68 to 28 percent) than women (58 to 37 percent).

For all the rhetoric from the religious right about "outrage" over the filibuster compromise, the poll revealed that opinions about the nuclear option divided along party lines, with Republicans against the filibuster 48 to 39 percent, and Democrats supporting its use by 70 to 23 percent. Independent voters, meanwhile, backed the use of the filibuster by a margin of 54 to 39 percent.

"While the filibuster fight ended in a truce, most American voters were backing the Democrats on this one," said Maurice Carroll, Director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, in a statement. "If this fight were really about Roe v. Wade, Quinnipiac University polls have shown a consistent 2 -1 support for this historic ruling, with more support from men."

The poll saves its worst news for the president, with 50 percent of Americans disapproving of Bush's job performance. This confirms other recent polls that found the president's job approval at an all-time low.

-- Julia Scott

both sides now

2005-05-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

below is from the Huffington Post. with all the celebrations am i the only one who thinks that both sides need to be able to express their opinions? be free to make their own statements without being belittled and castigated?

=========================================================

Lawrence O'Donnell: The Bravest Political Act of the Century

Hillary Rosen is right, the cloture compromise is a loss for the right wing of the Republican Party. Harry Reid is justifiably happy and James Dobson is justifiably outraged and disappointed. Nothing outrages and disappoints an extremist more than compromise.

Senator Reid was on the verge of becoming the weakest Minority Leader in Senate history. But for the last minute defections of Lindsay Graham and Mike Dewine, the Republicans had the votes to change the cloture rule. Senator Reid played his side of the chess board brillantly. And Bill Frist knows it. That's why Senator Frist couldn't even fake a smile and claim victory.

If John McCain is not the next Republican presidential nominee, it will be because he outraged the Dobson wing of his party with the cloture compromise. Senator McCain knew that he was risking his political future every minute he was in the room discussing compromise. What Senator McCain did in the end -- pushing both gangs of seven together for the press conference announcing what no one thought they could accomplish -- is easily the bravest political act of this century.

so very true.

2005-05-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

Evan Esar

"You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth."

don't try this at home...

2005-05-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

from /.:

Home Made Star Wars Movie Injury

SaleNowOn writes "Rather than use expensive cgi techniques to make the light sabres glow for their home movie. This couple instead used fluorescent tubes filled with petrol. Which they then set alight. If they don't survive they must be Future Darwin Award winners. It makes me proud to be British." And me embarassed to be a Star Wars geek.

words to live by

2005-05-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

Stanislaw J. Lec

"All is in the hands of man. Therefore wash them often."

trying

2005-05-24T04:49:00.000-07:00

w.Bloggar to see if i can post.

testing

2005-05-24T04:46:00.000-07:00

w.Bloggar. seems like a nice posting client.

blessed

2005-05-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

it’s not often that you find a special person in your life. i’ve been blessed to have 3 women enter my life and make profound changes in me.

one opened my defenses with a simple hug. the other two managed to touch me in ways that noone else ever has. right now i’ve ben looking at the fact that the second of those two women has needed time to work on herself. i should be looking at how blessed i’ve been.

sometimes that’s easer said than done.

sometimes you wonder...

2005-05-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm a professional geek. and Oracle database admin by trade. I'm working on a contract at a place who shall remain nameless. i just took a data load that was running three days and got it down to 5 hours. and they're upset i can't get it faster. so i make some suggestions this morning and do they even answer? nope. must be real important huh? sometimes ya just wonder.