Radical Readings

2012-01-29T16:46:00.000-08:00

Where we've been and where we are going. Way back in the 1920’s, in Germany, Russia and even in the U.S. there were various groups of regular civilians who gathered for the purpose of building rockets. They would share stories and news of each others exploits, build small, experimental rockets, and even publish scientific papers. They ended up advancing the capability of rockets quite a

2012-01-09T16:51:00.001-08:00

Another 25-word hint fic-let: The external drive seemed dead. Jason tried unplugging and re-connecting it; loud screeches ensued. Then he tried a different system, and it worked. Darn viruses. -end

2012-01-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

my entry into the 25-word hint fiction category... Roger tried a laser pointer on the crows that roosted in trees near his job. He came to later, heavily bandaged. The warning went out. -end Have a good Monday.

2012-01-03T17:49:00.000-08:00

Raucous Caucus 2012 The noisy seven smothered our fair state,Ingratiating themselves into coffeehousesociety - shotguns and words fired straight;Exciting results reported from the statehouse. Fortunes raised and fell more than the Dow,Values questioned and half-truths belied;Debates started civilly, became a genteel row,Accused each other of being special interests allies. Finally those incessant

2011-12-19T16:01:00.000-08:00

Republican Candidates spewing more garbage. Did these people sleep through middle school civics classes? Or maybe they never had a civics class. You know, the part of the lesson on our American form of government, where we have checks and balances put in place to prevent abuses of power? So we have a legislature, an executive branch headed by the President - and a Judiciary. The

2011-12-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

Wanna bet? The debate was lively, even vicious.Labels flung back and forth like firebrands, Accusations and ripostes, ducks and jabs. The truth hid in a corner and listened... to six elite political professionals debate,abase themselves for purported higher purposes... Results filled the newspapers and airwaves, different columnists tallied different outcomes. New polls will be taken and

2011-12-06T16:04:00.000-08:00

Drop the rhetoric and do something already. Here in Iowa, there are more cutbacks, increased taxes, and public money bribes to companies to build things like hotels off the beaten path. Nationally, large companies keep announcing layoffs. The US Post Office announces huge cutbacks, in order to try and balance it's budget. Candidates are going around promising to cut more and more services

2011-11-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

Just watched the inspiring liftoff of the NASA Curiousity Mars Rover, and it seemed a good time to post this one... We are the LGMs Are they little green men with antennae?Or short fat ones with globular heads? Maybe they are smart animals or talking giraffes, purple tongues wagging. Perhaps a herd of antlike beings withone intelligent purpose behind them? Or maybe huge things like elephants,

2011-11-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

In olden times the truth seekers chanted,Marched in rhythm and wore special robes; Burned special incense or sacrificed cattle, Appeased gods so they might receive visions. Manipulating magic stones and writing runes,Or drawing symbols and casting certain spells; they tried to control fate and influence the future, Bodily movements helped to decide the outcomes. Science the usurper has

2011-11-11T16:56:00.001-08:00

11-11-11 So much happening on this (fateful) date... Penn State reverberating with revenge over the Child Sex Abuse scandal. As usual, in hindsight everyone is asking how can this be? How did this happen? Human beings are unfathomable at times - even we know that. Three Republican contenders are tied in a latest poll. Those characters change positions more than any clump of

2011-11-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

A departure from the usual fare here - and a suggestion to NASA-ESA-RSA... Mirror smelting experiment to perform on the International Space Station: Align several mirrors to focus sunlight onto a central point. Brace them so they remain stationary. Possibly attach secondary lenses in front of the mirrors. These might be moveable, but could first be stationary. Leave one side of the

2011-10-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching some Youtube videos of UFO’s hovering over the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Some amazing stuff. It might even be “real,” that is, a space being or even an Angel. Sets me to thinking, wondering at the possibilities... Extraterrestrials landing somewhere on Earth. Ruling the skies with impunity. Flitting about the Solar System with the greatest of ease, and

2011-10-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Recently got finished re-working some of my E-books on Smashwords. If anyone is curious, here are a couple of links: Twenty-Ten - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/28909 Dispatches from the Aether: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/12867 Thanks for taking the time to take a look :) Have a good day all.

2011-10-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

Finally, some good news! NATO-assisted forces in Libya finally got that Gaddafi character. While he seemed like a buffoon on TV, he did brutalize his own people, and supported terrorism over the years, including the shooting down of a 747 airliner over Scotland in 1988. Good Riddance. And not one US servicemember had to die over there (at least that I know of). It was basically an uprising

2011-10-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

The "Occupiers" are doing the dirty work most of us wish we could do. It is too easy to lose oneself in respite from a busy workday, TV, games, and yes, the Internet, to actually consider going out onto cold concrete with a sign. But every time I read in the business section of the paper how banking company profits are up 20, 40, 77 percent, then see all these fee increases "Because we have to

2011-10-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

No technology needed Personal computers are now passé,PDAs and Ipods totally unnecessary;The internet and social media soireeI find rather unnecessary to make my day. Much prefer the play of sun on rock and sand,The feel of cool waters splashing my ankles;Graphical interfaces and fiber optics not in demandIn my house, rather quiet woodland walks are ample. Once upon a time I craved

2011-09-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

Summer winding down A cool sheet drapes across the landscape,Stifling humidity replaced by crispness –What is this unfamiliar sensation?Why, it feels like a bracing chill. Late summer cicadas serenade the change,Campouts and cookouts and parades do too.Time to get in one last hurrah before thingsGet even colder and uglier, at winter’s debut. Once upon the spring we were exiting the misery,

2011-09-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

I may not… May not have an MFA, but I can sure vent out feelings on paper.May not have a degree in Chemistry, but whipping up dinner is a breeze;May not have a masters in Politics, but I can butter up the boss,May not have earned an M.D. but will treat a cold at the first sneeze. May not be a rocket scientist, but I can jump-start a car,May not have earned my veterinary license, but can

2011-08-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

Time to lighten up the mood a bit. I got depressed with all the political stuff, and it was reflected in the last writes. so I offer up this bit of humor: A fish story with a sci-fi twist. Enjoy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Underwater

2011-08-15T17:41:00.001-07:00

Candidates Speeches Taxes Anger Joblessness Hopelessness Depression We are in a pickle Promises Buzzwords Stump Speeches Effective Leadership Lies Half-truths Nontruths Decline Desperation Depression Starvation Obliteration Will The French Save Us?

2011-08-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Well, the world is still turning. People are still grocery shopping. The Quik-trips and Casey's are still buzzing. The Dollar store was crowded as ever last Saturday. The grocery store parking lot was the usual madhouse. The state fair is gearing up, with every kind of trailer, food stand, and contraption known to man. People are still going out to bars, having sex or getting jilted, or

2011-07-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

Financial Gyrations My finances improve suddenly, Unexpected good fortune Helps me pay some things off. Still eager young counselors Call and want to help, Tell me how to spend All too meager earnings. Washington, DC is in turmoil, The experts disagree on how To pay off the national debt. They just make things worse. I do not trust experts anymore. My gut is just as good, And the

2011-07-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

07-25-2011 I walked into a southeast side grocery store today, and encountered a surprise. Amidst all the displays and piles of confections and breads on sale at the door, a diminutive voice sallied forth. “Get your corn dogs here! One dollah, one dolla for a dog, right here, right now. One dollah for a dog, right here.” I had breezed past her on my quest for Folger’s instant, but

2011-07-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time in Des Moines... The Foursome met every week at the same Chinese restaurant. Nothing was thought to be unusual about this, but if anyone took the time to look at these four, they would notice something distinctly unusual. These four discussed topics of every description, and if anyone would listen in they might be amazed. World affairs, national politics, musical groups,

2011-07-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

End of the Space Shuttle program Not much can be added to the litany of woe that is sounding over the end of the Shuttle program. Although not all the voices are sorrowful. The Shuttle was an expensive program that did not quite live up to its promised potential. Still, it did achieve many things. We were able to retrieve and repair satellites, most notably the Hubble Space

2011-07-01T14:01:00.001-07:00

So what is a struggling author to do during these hot daysof summer? Publish, publish, publish. Here goes another one ;-) New Story Collection Available “Mirror Worlds” Science Fiction and Horror collection By a local Des Moines author Check it out online: www.createspace.com/3633147 6 “ x 9” paper softback edition www.amazon.com/dp/B0057cszp8 Kindle E-Book edition Thanks for taking

2011-06-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

A contrariwise view of cellphones I finally made up my mind. With the dizzying array of cellular plans and phones, it took me some time. Oh, all of the high-resolution cameras, touchscreens, MP3 players, powerful processors and OS's, it was difficult. But I came to a resolution on the matter. Why should I pay a

2010-05-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

Apparently a major oil spill off the coast of California in the 1960's was one of the main reasons for the ban on offshore oil drilling that was enacted back then. Now, today, just a short time after major coastal areas of the US were opened up to Offshore Drilling, here we have another major mishap. This seems to be a lesson to us: Humans are still like children playing with dangerous objects

2010-05-04T16:33:00.001-07:00

Just in case anyone is interested, here is the link to my latest E-book of poetry:http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/12867Thanks for taking a look!

2010-05-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

Beautiful day in May A beautiful day early this May, Right out of a Chamber of Commerce ad; Profuse flowers illuminated by sun's rays, Balmy scented scenes make a heart glad. Everything green is straining to grow, Sprouts surge into brilliant emerald fronds; The flower buds unfurling seem to glow Like mysterious lamps,

2010-04-26T16:56:00.001-07:00

Mother Earth roarsWe jab, prick, dig into and spoil her,But we never know how she may retaliate;Just keep on doing what we preferIn order to survive and prosper inviolate.But up out of nowhere the blows come,Earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and other lands,Hurricanes blot out the warm tropical sunRecently a massive eruption in Iceland...Humans are puny compared to Earth's might,We scurry around and

2010-04-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

Technology migrationWe have a new situation,Ipad trending integration;Cellphone signal propagation,Bathing in a deluge of information.Your grandfathers Mainframe is a distant memory,Your fathers PC is so last-generation passe;You need to get an all-in-one handheld device,Put all the day-before-yesterday toys on ice...They all take big chunks of your take-home credits!Small devices come with big

2010-03-24T17:00:00.001-07:00

Springtime Sunlight splashes across newly-exposed ground, Beckoning buds and shoots to sprout; Birds sing, rabbits and squirrels run around, Winter is ending, of that there is no doubt. No matter what my state of mind, Nor how badly I want to just sit; The balmy inviting outdoors seems fine, Draws me outside, to garden as I

2010-03-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

A New Age of Discovery Begins Now...There are lots of things yet to discoverIn our vast, heavily populated Solar System...Planetoids of all sizes and shapes,Minerals, elements, natural resourcesMegatons of materials to mine and measure.Humankind could spend a thousand yearsExploring this vast, rich trove of stuff;But only if we take the bold first steps;Learning to assemble space-faring linersIn

2010-03-08T17:25:00.001-08:00

Middle Age To sit in a recliner, watching any reasonably good TV show, is enough, especially after a good meal. Thoughts of going out to party, or secure some Illicit drugs, or to chase after some hottie are Either not there, or not very urgent any more. One's body is content to be at

2010-03-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

The Vancouver Olympics 2010 What a glorious day, a beauty way, Canada won the big hockey game; Overtime contest yielded the winning play, Sidney Crosby was launched to new fame. Downhill skiing victories, Figure skating superiority; Bobsled sped to a certainty, USA staked the medal territory! Another Winter Olympics has

2010-02-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

Poetry dot com www.start.com www.to.org www.realize.gov www.you.com www.needto.org www.getagrip.com www.onwhatmatters.org www.notmoney.com www.relationships.org www.humanneeds.gov www.emotions.com www.lovingoneanother.org www.precioustime.gov www.together.com www.mostofall.biz www.neverforget.com www.alwaysremember.org

2010-02-08T16:50:00.000-08:00

Looking Back Tripping down memory lane, Hop into the wires and travel Down network time to the past, Primitive Internet connections - Companies started in a flash, Dazzling ads enticed us all - One more login and password. Leafing through an old notebook, Storied names came and went. Compuserve with numbers, numbers;

2010-02-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

No more ConstellationThe news that NASA is facing the cancellation of their (and our) Constellation program drew mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is a shame to see the U.S. space exploration program crippled. I was hoping to see our astronauts travel beyond Earth orbit again, to go back to the Moon or even further. And NASA is one government agency that seems to inspire something other

2010-01-18T16:03:00.001-08:00

A new perspectiveMillions of sufffering people,Thousands dying each day;disease and destruction unparalleled,Starving and desperate humanity,Multitudes struggling just to survive.It all gives a new meaning to well-being:A dry, warm house full of possessions,Pantry and fridge stocked with food,Techology to entertain and inform,Connect with friends and research topics...Even a well-fed pet to

2010-01-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

Innovation Just saw a piece on CBS news about innovation in the US, or rather, the lack thereof. It is really a shame to observe our country being overtaken by the Asian powers, and slowly sinking in our own lethargy as well. Maybe it is inevitable, given the advancements made

2009-12-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

Christmas poemsA foot of snow on the ground,Twinkling lights on houses all ‘round;Subzero temps appear here to stay,The sun slinks south, shortening the day.The evidence is unmistakable,While the mood is unshakable;Another Christmas time is finally here,Time to strive to be of good cheer.Some may exchange presents,Others prefer to remain absent…But one thing remains for sure,The Christmas message

2009-12-03T15:39:00.001-08:00

The way I see it Given the fact that we already have many troops on the ground in Afghanistan, fighting a difficult, dirty campaign against the Taliban,And given that our generals keep saying that with some more help they can wrap this thing up, and given that Pres. Obama allowed time for extensive debate and input before committing himself, and the nation, to action, And especially

2009-11-30T17:49:00.000-08:00

75 billion dollars a year for a war.19 billion dollars a year for space exploration,We should reverse those numbers.

2009-11-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

A real Space Race Here is something to consider doing. A group of contestants could get together at a point in near-earth space, say perhaps in Geosynchronous Orbit. Then, they race a specially-prepared vehicle to a predetermined point further out. A starting point might be the orbital boundary of the Moon, asy around 240,000 miles out. Later races could go further, of course, maybe even

2009-11-19T18:09:00.001-08:00

Guantanamo North There is this huge Federal prison sitting there, in Illinois, mostly unoccupied. Our president wants to close the Guantanamo Prison, as he should: it is an embarrasment to us. The obvious choice to me would be to use this sprawling facility in Illinois, which is otherwise going to waste. Of course you have the usual Republicans wanting to cause problems for the

2009-11-18T16:50:00.000-08:00

A little ranting about a lot of things...tongue in cheekIt appears that now NASA has decided that China has a good enough space program after all, and the time is ripe for cooperation. That wasn't what I heard a couple short years ago. Glad that President Obama made his Asian trip. There is nothing wrong with showing respect to Asian leaders, especially when they hold so many of our dollars

2009-11-09T17:03:00.000-08:00

This is a more serious post, not poetry or fiction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Fall of the Wall It is hard to believe that 20 years have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. So much has happened, though, that it should not be a real surprise. Our own ups and downs. The boom of the Internet and dot-coms, followed by the bust,

2009-11-06T17:21:00.000-08:00

HeadlinesDoctor opens fire on fellow soldiers;Twelve killed, 31 injured! PoliceTase Pregnant mother, brutally beatThree defenseless children, maimingDismembered bodies found in residence,Mild-mannered man never suspected!Accounting irregularities scandal rocksState shaken by film office scandal,Political activist charged with embezzling5.9 Million from her employer. FormerOttumwa man is witness

2009-10-29T16:56:00.001-07:00

Halloween in the 21st CenturyWhere used to roam demons and vampires,Sprites, ghouls and ghosts of all types;In former times we feared what might transpire,If we ventured out on those dark, moonless nights.Now we board gleaming electronic chariots,Whizz to and fro like so many minor gods;Impervious, casting our cellular-signal lariats,Thrilling to artificial spooks or fake zombie bods.However

2009-10-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

Time passes like colored clouds of experience,Floating steadily overhead, offer a swift glance;They move onward, leaving incoherence,It leaves one a bit dazed, left in a trance.Here we are well into a new century,Onetime protesting youth now combatsAilments of advancing years aplenty.1960’s idealists are now aging into irrelevance…However the younger vanguards have arrived,Generation Xers and

2009-10-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

From Bricks to Chips - some ruminations on high-tech I recall those not-so-long-ago times, back in 1995 or so. I had a nice desktop Ambra PC, with a 50 mhz 486 processor. Think it had 8 megabytes of RAM memory. 14.4 dial-up modem. The harddrive was not even a gigabyte, I believe around 540 megs. With this I used Windows 3.11 to learn about the intricacies of AOL, the online world, and

2009-10-07T18:11:00.001-07:00

Afghanistan quagmire So we are considering sending an extra 40,000 troops into the Afghan mess. In my humble opinion, we should think about the relative cost of committing so many more American lives to this. Another brushfire war in another distant country for another police action. Sure, 9/11 happened - that was a long time and a lot of dead foreign fighters ago. It is time to get

2009-10-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

[first in a series of Janitorial postings and musings]Cafeteria Trash Sometime in 2006: On a typical afternoon, I go and fetch a large, wheeled cart with an angled front end, almost like a plastic dumpster on wheels. Time to get the cafeteria trash, including the kitchen barrels. I go into the kitchen first, and they have a large pile of boxes. So I break down the boxes, flattening them,

2009-09-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Every day when I go to work, I wonder what will happen. Will my customers be happy? Will they all be angry, so I have to creep around like a mouse and try not to offend anyone? Will there be a crisis so that I must drop what I am doing, and rush over to a different building and mop up a water spill, or even urine or vomit? Every day I go into my job as a Day Porter, and risk the

2009-09-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

Atomic/molecular assembly of habitats - one layman's idea. Up until now, we have gotten our natural resources, and materials we use for day-to-day living, from our surroundings. We pump crude out of the ground, and refine and purify it. We modify it to a thousand uses, including powering our cars. We grow food crops, and process the resulting plant matter into foods and various other

2009-09-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

Something amazing is happening here. A wonderful viral infection called "Peace" is spreading over the land. With the Obama administration having the guts and foresight to scrap a stupid plan to site ten interceptor missiles in Poland, a top Russian general has said that they will also scrap a plan to site some missiles near Poland on their side of the fence. See what happens when one

2009-09-18T19:24:00.001-07:00

Hidden Iowa JewelTrudging and trampling along grassy pathway,I see the telltale sign: Ring of trees shieldingSomething very special indeed. AboutA mile long and a mile wide…A hidden jewel of a lake! Calm surface reflecting riots of color,Fall grasses turning purplish sienna;Leaves coloring across rows of trees,All standing guard against any waywardFarmer careless enough to till these

2009-08-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

The Space program is going to run out of steam, it appears. This would be a shame. Even though we need to cut the federal budget deficit somehow, eliminating our human-crewed space program is not the way to do it. It is an easy target, because the benefits are not readily apparent, and opponents howl about supposed cost excesses. But there is more here than meets the eye. We have a

2009-08-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

Downtrodden PeoplesWhether it be blacks in the USReduced to slavery, then virtual servitude;A century-long struggle towards civil rightsInner city hardened, cruelty to each other --Eventually a final integration of sorts...Or, native Americans herded into reservations,Institutions for reprogramming with a new culture.Drinking, lethargy, no motivation, no hope...Or, Indian lower-caste slumdogs,

2009-08-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

The Good newsPresident Obama and some of the positive things he has done.. Most recently, he hosted the ‘beer summit’ with the police officer and professor. This demonstrated to me creative thinking and a way to strike a common chord, to sit down and discuss differences with people. This is not your fathers stodgy presidency, but a contemporary and dynamic one.- He promoted a cash rebate

2009-07-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

This contains no sex or violenceJust watering the flowers in the yard,Pulling weeds left and right, nursingA bee sting on my right knuckle,What I get for flooding their nest.My cat grooms herself for the 57thTime today, as I rest my tiredCalves and knees, recently wornFrom my latest gardening bout. Nearby, kids shriek meaninglessNoises, a dog barks, a train clanks.Hum of air conditioners.