Headlines


Doctor opens fire on fellow soldiers;
Twelve killed, 31 injured! Police
Tase Pregnant mother, brutally beat
Three defenseless children, maiming
Dismembered bodies found in residence,
Mild-mannered man never suspected!

Accounting irregularities scandal rocks
State shaken by film office scandal,
Political activist charged with embezzling
5.9 Million from her employer. Former
Ottumwa man is witness to Ft. Hood Carnage.

Bank robber foiled foils attempts gets away
Steals car runs over baby charged with default.
Man kills wife kills son kills daughter kills dog
Kills babysitter kills houseguest rapes two or three…
Human winnowing continues effectively. They
Will never catch on; Our mission will be a success.
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Halloween in the 21st Century


Where 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 larger demons loom just beyond our vision,
Major disruptions foreshadowed by present events;
Wars around the world, dwindling petroleum provisions,
Economic downturn, corrosive corruption hard to prevent.
The things we dread this modern Halloween night,
Different though they be, can still give us a real fright!

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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 combats
Ailments of advancing years aplenty.
1960’s idealists are now aging into irrelevance…

However the younger vanguards have arrived,
Generation Xers and Yers are taking responsibility;
The wars, shortages and problems they have survived
Induce conservativism to survive economic fragility.
Here is hoping their sense of moral outrage
Will not destroy our freedoms in this new age.
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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 later, the Internet as it was back then. It all seemed so amazing. Times change, of course.

Today the average cellphone seems to have a processor at least ten times as powerful. For example, the Apple Iphone is said to have a microprocessor running at 660 MHZ. Not to mention a second baseband MP used as a resource by the main. A PC around 1995 vintage usually ran at 50 to 66 MHZ, using I-486 or compatible microprocessors. This makes a handheld device capable of surfing the web, and storing Gigabytes, ten times faster than the desktops common 15 years ago. Not surprising in the microprocessor techie world - they call it Moore’s law. Every time the limits of Moore’s law, or a doubling of capacity every 18 months, is approached, someone comes up with a hack or fix or workaround to keep things moving and shrinking.

In my humble opinion, cellphones are already too small. Too small to store a respectable battery, too small for human fingers to press the keys, too small for a decent-sized antenna. There should be some kind of logical limit for people to use these things. Of course, when someone figures out how to implant the neccesary hardware right into our skulls, things like battery and data entry won’t be a concern. They will run on our bodily currents (millivolts and milliamps) and be voice or thought-activated. Makes me wonder how we will be driving by then. But maybe the cars will drive themselves, or we won’t be driving at all. Fascinating, as Mr. Spock used to say.

It all is a far cry from the days of iron, ink and paper. You remember those days? IBM or Univac punchcards? Continuous forms printer output? The chain-driven behemoths like the IBM 1403 N-1 printer that spat out all those figures and programs and checks? Ah, yes. All that ink from the ribbons. The paper dust from punchcards and forms, and all those hulking iron frames and shapes, some with rapidly spinning tapes and disk platters inside. Another world. In some remote corners, these things are still running, or at least their successors are. Crunching our insurance policies and bank accounts. But the little miracles we chat and text on are a far cry from the old days. Makes me wonder if anyone here in the US will be able to design and build a computer fifty years from now, or they will all be cranked out by some automated factory in Africa. Or maybe someone will implant them directly into our brains. One never knows. Thanks for reading.

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 serious about wrapping this business up once and for all.

The Dollar is plummeting. Our economy is in a shambles. Our people are hurting, our reputation souring. The Afghan and Iraqi occupations remind me a lot of the Japanese in the 1920’s. They occupied large swaths of foreign lands, including the Koreas, Indochina, part of China. By the time the US entered WWII, Japan had been an occupying power for over a decade. Now, it seems, the US is a long-term occupying power in many countries. This has got to end. We cannot support a world army like this without bankrupting ourselves; We seem to be well on our way to doing so. Trillions of debt, and for what? A feeling of “security” ?

Therefore, my suggestion would be this. If all of the hotheads will not be satisfied until we send more troops, then we should follow the “Powell Doctrine” . Send in 80 to 100,000 troops. Blanket the country, root out and kill as many Taliban and Al-Queda as possible. And then leave. Set a target time for six to nine months total. Where to get the troops? From Iraq, of course. They could move from Iraq to Afghanistan and then come home.

We could monitor the situation from our embassy in Kabul, perhaps keeping a very small garrison there after the mass of troops leave (1,000 total). Either follow the Powell Doctrine, overwhelming force, get in and get out. Or just pull out. Either way would be better than this slow, dragged-out Vietnam II.

I can see bankrupting the country if we are truly threatened. But we have severely crippled both the Taliban and Al-Queda. There is no need to keep dragging this out. I think we have made our point. Time for one last push, and then lets get the hell out. And soon!

[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, and putting them in the bottom of the cart. After that, I begin emptying the large trash containers. One bag is so full, mostly of liquids, that it is all I can do to pull it out, and lift it onto the growing pile in the cart. Why do they fill it so full? I hear muted, sarcastic comments from the kitchen workers. Ignoring them, I get the rest of the trash, put new liners in the barrels, and then move on. Next stop - the cafeteria containers. I empty the two smaller ones by the vending machines. Then, I check the ones inside the wood-grain receptacles. Soon, my cart is full over the top.

Ignoring stares, and trying to dodge people, stay out of their way. I maneuver my stinking load of trash back to the freight elevator, to empty it all into the basement dumpsters. Soon, I get it emptied. Just in time for quitting time. Ending another humbling day taking care of the refuse of others.

The thoughts tumbled in my head, and I mostly ignored them. Why am I doing this? How did I get here? How can I escape it? I try and tell myself, I’m lucky to have a job, especially a day job. It has benefits. Centrally located downtown. I put myself here, so I might as well get used to it. and, occasionally, some real resentment. That sanctimonious little bitch (referring to one of several women who can really irritate me).. She has no idea what I go through. I would like to at the very least least hurt her bad. But I know I won’t do this, the cost is too great. Besides, it could be worse. So I go home and forget the bad parts, glad it is over. And then go to bed, get up and do it all over again. It is what it is.


(I'll intersperse these with other writes to keep things moving along)

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 unknowable happening. Most days things turn out just peachy. Once in awhile, things really turn to crap.

Of course, that is why I have a steady paycheck, and some benefits and perks.

But up until now I've refrained from writing much about my work in blogs or stories or poetry. Until today. I realized that I was passing up a rich lode of material. So now, it is time to "tear down that wall" in the words of a famous president. To let loose the words of war on dirt and dust. Reveal the deepest intricacies of lifting a over-filled trash bag out of a Brute barrel that is reluctant to release it. Show and tell the best way to mop a floor. (Use your wrists and arms; it is easier on your back.) Tell the inner feelings of that cleaning beast that plods along through all your offices.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Just joking. But you may be surprised how mundane and boring some of those thoughts are. Some of them anyways. More on this in the days and weeks ahead. As always, thanks for reading.

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 products, like sugar and ethanol. We breed cattle, and use every part of the slaughtered animals, including hooves and horns, to produce things like fertilizer, vitamins, and pharmaceuticals. To sum up, we have become extremely clever at modifying nature’s bounty to give ourselves a high standard of living.

Perhaps now, at this apex of our development, it is time to consider taking the next step. That is, the step of figuring out how to reduce common materials to the basic atomic structure, either by incineration or by some other means. And then, to synthesize new materials out of the building blocks of atoms and molecules. If such a method could be discovered, entire habitats could be constructed out of these basic building blocks.

This would make the colonization of space a relatively simple matter. Simply harness the energy of the sun to create a giant furnace or whatever. Utilize large quantities of space rocks and dust, and manufacture whatever one needs in the way of habitats. This is the way to go, for sure.

There are news articles out about carbon-derived materials like Fullerene and Graphene. These offer new possibilities for storing and transmitting data and energy. So we have the technical sophistication to create some of these marvelous new materials. OK. So, what about creating common materials out of unrelated items, such as rock and dust, by first reducing the chaff or garbage to a stream of atoms, and then reassembling them? Certain atoms are lighter than others. Helium is lighter than oxygen, which is lighter than gold, and etc. So first one would have to send out a stream of pure atoms. And then derive a way to sort down the atoms according to weight. If several different atoms are fired out of some imaginary nozzle, the lighter ones would seem to travel further than the heavier ones. It seems a fairly simple matter to “sort” atoms.

With all of our giant linear accelerators and atom-smashers, it seems logical. Instead of colliding atoms to derive their inner secrets, how about if someone took the time to find out how to sort differing atoms by weight, size, and or electric charge? And therefore, advanced the cause of assembly of our raw materials of living out of nothing but atoms. The implication is huge. We could theoretically move into space, and live on any kinds of materials we find around us.

If we can decode the human genome, land on the Moon, and do a host of other amazing things, then we can figure out how to sort atoms and molecules. Sort them, accumulate them, and build anything we want out of anything there is. The possibility is enticing, and certainly worthy of study, in my humble opinion.

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 offers an olive branch instead of a sword-point! I don't know nor do I care about all of the given reasons for scrapping the missile plan. Plain and simple, when one offers a peaceful concession within reason, it can really work wonders. The warmongering critics in congress can get on some battle fatigues and go over to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban if they don't approve.

Thank you, President Obama, for ratcheting world tensions down a major notch! Well done.

Hidden Iowa Jewel


Trudging and trampling along grassy pathway,
I see the telltale sign: Ring of trees shielding
Something very special indeed. About
A 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 wayward
Farmer careless enough to till these fields.

Stand and observe it, a voice tells me:
Take it all in! The colors, the calmness
Of the waters, broken only by minute
Creatures within. Some larger fish
Break the water occasionally,
Perhaps chasing the small shadows,
Tadpoles dart to and fro underwater.

I inhale it’s essences, then finally move on.
This lake is too precious to be disturbed by anyone.

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 huge investment in the International Space Station. We need to, at the very least, continue to tend this complex. Promises have been made to many international partners. We should not just break them. Do we just throw away $100 billion? Not a good idea. Our prestige and leadership are on the line.

Up until now, we have managed to maintain a technically advanced space program, even discovering something new on occasion, such as ways to combat body mass atrophy while in orbit for lengthy stays. (Of course, our unmanned probes also return a lot of good information.) If we abandon our Shuttle and any other human-crewed initiatives, we are abandoning one of the last things we excel at as a nation. In my opinion, this will lower our image even further internationally, and possibly contribute to a further drop in the value of a dollar. We could be seen as a shortsighted second-rate country, only concerned with needs right in front of our nose, nothing further out. It would be better to keep funding a modest human-crewed presence if only to forestall the loss in image, and concurrent real loss in potential outcomes economically or even militarily.

Speaking of which. Our military budget is many, many times what NASA takes. We have troops deployed around the globe. Since when do we have to control every little brushfire around the world. Might we not cut back on this a little, and apply the funds to a peaceful, world-inspiring endeavor like an international mission to Mars? This would be money spent on international cooperation, and the advancement of peaceful uses of science. Money invested in the betterment of humanity, instead of the destruction of same. Any sane person can surely see the logic in this.

Another value the Space Program has is inspiration of the citizenry. It is awe-inspiring and hope-engendering to see us participating in the human movement out into the Solar System and beyond. I don't care if it was started by a prior, Republican administration. It is an inspiration to the human race. To cut it out in favor of a short-sighted political gain would be the utmost foolishness.

Our young people deserve better things to look forward to than endless warfare with terrorists, and scratching for a living. At least give them the twinkling of a chance at reaching the stars. It is the least we can do for the future of our race, no matter how miserable we are in the present time.

Please support a human-crewed space program. Your kids or nices/nephews may thank you for it one day. If not, their children surely will. Thanks for reading.

Downtrodden Peoples


Whether it be blacks in the US
Reduced to slavery, then virtual servitude;
A century-long struggle towards civil rights
Inner 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, untouchables,
Reduced to a life of crime, servitude, considered
lower life forms by those "above" them


Or any one of a number of other downtrodden cultures,
Going back to the enslavement of Jews by Egyptians in
Ancient times, and beyond.

We are so good at making victims of a portion of humanity!
All in the name of profit. The benefits of this are
slim and none; perhaps we should strive for a final
Integration of all disadvantaged groups of people.
The Human Race would shed an ugly carapace,
Reach a new level of enlightenment enhancing all.
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The Good news


President 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 program that directly helped out poor working people, enabling many to trade in their old wrecks and get into a new vehicle. A direct benefit to the American people, as well as a stimulus to the auto companies.

- Health care reform. Nearly everyone with a major disease has been through the nightmare of getting treatments approved (and often rejected) by the big insurance companies. Nearly every other major civilized country in the world, including most of Europe, have adopted some kind of government healthcare. Their citizens are healthier, and their life expectancy is better than ours. We already are given care on the basis of wealth only, and are worse off for this. It has got to change. Obama is showing the courage to confront this growing problem. Most other politicians have ducked the issue, as they do any difficult, complex issue. Sound bites are easier than dealing with reality. Pres. Obama is confronting reality.

- The Space Program. Obama has designated a commission to get feedback from people for and against it, to honor the wishes and desires of the American people. Like it or not, he has thrown it all open for public discussion.

- Energy and the enviornment. The Obama administration has shown much more enthusiasm , backed up by federal dollars, to support deployment of alternative energy technologies, from Ethanol to Wind to Solar and Geothermal. The EERE/DOE alone has seen huge funding increases, and the USDA also for their farm-oriented alternative energy programs. This will help make the US more militarily and financially secure, as well as help the environment. All Bush ever seemed to do was help his buddies in the oil industry.

- International relations. He offered to “hit the reset button” on Russian-American relations, and in one stroke lessened intertantional tensions. More creative problem-solving there. He has improved America’s image around the world. Now we are seen not as a rogue, cowboy nation but once again as a mature, civilized nation prepared to honor international commitments.

I could go on, but the main point is this: While the fringe elements rant and rave about origins of birth and so on, this mainstream President is out there doing the heavy lifting, fighting the good fight, and improving things for this country and for the entire world. I say to hell with the liars and troublemakers: I support my president 110%. Thanks for reading.

This contains no sex or violence


Just watering the flowers in the yard,
Pulling weeds left and right, nursing
A bee sting on my right knuckle,
What I get for flooding their nest.

My cat grooms herself for the 57th
Time today, as I rest my tired
Calves and knees, recently worn
From my latest gardening bout.

Nearby, kids shriek meaningless
Noises, a dog barks, a train clanks.
Hum of air conditioners. Silence.
Indoors, everyone is having supper,
Or preparing to, or finishing up.

Typical weekday evening.
Their bedroom dramas remain
Hidden, so any sex or violence
Will be left to speculation. For
Me, this night and write are tame.
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(hope your night is more exciting than this)

Dirty minded?




Perhaps while at work,
Or socializing among relatives;
Maybe at my favored house of worship,
Probably while doing my grocery shopping.
Most times it is apropos to keep my thoughts
Clean and pristine, definitely out of the gutter.

However;
Once or twice a year I have to clean them out!
The gutters, that is. And try as I might, I just
Cannot keep my mind out of the gutter then.
It is the one time in life it seems allowable
(While my hands scoop out sticks and detrius)
Well, maybe besides learning to bowl.

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Support our troops - one hypothetical story


“My name is Sgt Smith. I have seen more excitement in my twenty-five years than many will probably see in a lifetime. I’ve just returned from a tour in Afganistan, after also serving two tours in Iraq. I joined the Army Reserves thinking it would be a good way to pay for college. But after all of this grief, I think I would have rather borrowed the money instead.

Don’t get me wrong. It was an honor to serve my country, to help my fellow soldiers, to train inexperienced youth and make them soldiers, even as I made myself a better soldier; to save their lives on occasion. It is a good feeling to make a country civilized and democratic, even if our values are so different than theirs. I’m sure if there is some kind of cosmic scale, it has to be tilted in favor of the good we have achieved in Iraq and Afganistan.

But I have been cursed, spit on, shot at or even bombed by many of these same citizens in both countries. I have been led to question the wisdom of these extended duty tours internally. Are they really better off adopting a system that many of them neither want nor, apparently, need? Were they not happier before we showed up to muddy the waters? It is too late for such questions. We are here, and we must get them walking on their own again before we withdraw.

But I am one man, and, until recently, property of the US government. I had to follow orders and execute policies handed down by my superiors. I have done so, to the best of my abilities. And now, here I am, home again . Back on American streets. Some are grateful, many indifferent. I am still wound up, nervous, full of nightmarish images from a thousand firefights. I need support, a job, patience, medical assistance, counseling. A strong helping hand from my fellow service members would also be a substantial help. I need your support. Won’t you lend me your hand and your heart? Thanks. Formidable as I may seem, I am still human, and value a caring soul as much as anyone.”

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The above is an imagined internal dialogue. I am not a soldier, have never served. But it occurred to me today that these men and women are facing a group of angry, skilled killers that are set on killing as many Americans as they can. The only thing standing between the group that would make a group of cons in the penitentiary look tame by comparison, and you and I, are our military forces. Soldiers that are barely 21 in many cases. They must face angry foreigners who want to kill them, and us. And go out and face them day after day. This is a sobering thought. We owe these young men and women gratitude and support. They certainly have mine.

Sequined glove waves goodbye


No thirty-stop world tour this fall,
No more hectic public appearances;
Multitudes of fans still in thrall
Obtained their wristband clearances.

They will throng the Staples Center,
Paying mournful last respects
To their musical emotional mentor.
(In finality death collects all debts.)

One bright happenstance of all this grief?
Media spotlight shifted from odd behaviors
Of the artist to his legacy, to fans relief.
Bequest of songs his reputations’ savior
In the end his creations will move through time,
Long after critics reputations and lives unwind.

Good-bye Michael Jackson.

Appearances


I shut the vacuum cleaner off, coil the cord,
All wrapped up, my periodic cleaning done;
Now set for more noise and discord,
Upcoming week full of work and fun.

Dishes and counter, floor and stove,
Trash has been emptied, dusting complete;
Front room detrius removed, I strove
To stack books and papers nice and neat.

Come Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday too,
Gradual confusion and chaos will take hold;
Good efforts undone by my bachelors' zoo,
Lifestyle and friends, fresh dramas to unfold.
Even though I live free of much responsibility,
Still struggle to maintain a patina of respectability.



(c) 2009 Michael S. Wilson

Government Motors

Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC,
The new GM is coming to town;
Will it work? Remains to be seen,
Will their sales go up? Unemployment go down?

From eight brands to four the new design,
Getting back to basics, starting a new chapter.
Twentieth-century business failure to resign,
Replaced by lean new automotive predator.

Optimism aside, market realities rule the day.
While the giant struggles to reinvent its brands,
Nimble competitors grab market share, hold sway...
Like Custer, this could be General Motors' last stand!
Hope is that taxpayer billions, union concessions will finally
Turn around this Titanic, despite the warning signs in reality.


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I really hope they do suceed, but we shall see.

WAR POETRY


Humvee jounces along dusty desert roads,
Coating soldiers with granular fury;
Radio static punctuates dry shimmering air,
Humming emanates from an Ipod.

What will disturb the scene this time?
Nondescript roadside bulk lighting up the day?
Mortar rounds thudding the ground all around?
Perhaps a rocket or two exploding nearby?
Or simply small arms automatic weapons fire,
Peppering their vehicle and their bodies.

Hapless survivors call in air strikes,
More Afghan civilians get killed.
The macabre, gruesome show just goes on.

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Memorial Day Wishes


I remember him as a precocious 13-year old,
Building rabbit traps outdoors,
Planning a trip to Outer Space,
Perfecting the art of computer hacks,
Dominating on the soccer team.

How soon he became a soldier,
Living in Alaska, duty time spent
Shivering in the arctic cold.
Another leap forward, now
He is in Afghanistan,
Doing only God knows what.

Memories of youthful grin and cheerful demeanor,
And a wish I don't see him come home in a bag.


'nuff said.

A Hundred Days


One hundred days is roughly three and a third months,
Time enough for diet and exercise, losing around 20 LBS.

Time to start and finish a small novel, or screenplay.
Time to write 100 poems. Or more, if so inclined.

Time to travel across the continental US on horseback.
Time to sail to Europe and back, on a sailboat.

Time to reach the Moon and back, several times over.
Time to make it halfway to Mars, at closest approach.

Time for an ambitious new president to set in motion
Many changes and programs, trying to nudge History
Enough to save the United States of America from ruin.


(prompted by a poetry contest on 100 days).

Neurocannular implants


Someone should try and experiment with direct, brain-to-computer interfaces. I understand the Japanese are doing some work in this area. But today I was thinking about the possibility of inserting thin probes into different regions of an animal (or human) brain, and simply listening, seeing if there is any kind of attempt at synchronization, or just what kind of things are percieved by the human, and the computer involved. Experiments could be done with perception of signals of various sorts, including numbers and calculations. This could lead to some amazing advances in medicine. Paraplegics could more easily control their wheelchairs and so forth.

Perhpas volunteers could be found, and every precaution taken to keep the tests safe and comfortable. The resulting knowledge could bring about a lot of benefits. Just musing here.

DON’T ARREST ME FOR THIS

Some people fondle children;
That is gross, to say the least.
Some people make kids fondle them…
That is downright pathetic.

Some people take kids clothing off,
Photographing them in the nude.
That is terrible.
Some people force the kids to have sex,
That is despicable.

Yet some teenagers experiment with each other,
Discovering their new-found sexuality.
And that, in my opinion, is okay.
Things as they should be,
Part of growing up.
End the hysteria.
Just one opinion.

Sameness

Gloomy overcast sky moves in,
Dimming down the color of nature;
grass, weeds, tree bark, vines,
Blend into sameness on a cool grey day.

Trudging on sand, the same color as dirt,
Avoiding stumps and trunks camoflauged
By gloom, my feet and ankles still find some
They eyes had missed spotting, too late.

Time spent communing with nature,
Finally abandoned for comforts of home,
While it was good to get fresh air, perhaps
It is best to await warmer weather.
A bold move to seek out natures nurture,
Dulled by weather, may be better later on.


It was a good day for a walk, after a big Easter meal.

Data storage media concerns.

Concern has been voiced lately about the fact that media of all kinds degrades after ten or twenty years, and thus the information is lost. This is a matter of some concern. However, it should be noted that the Internet itself is a data storage medium. One that changes over the years as new methods of storage are attached, and old ones drop off.
For instance, when the Internet first gained its legs, there were only mainframes, using cards, tape drives and large, fixed-head and removable disk drives. As the Internet grew, smaller computers, servers and terminals were attached and connected. The connections themselves have gone from copper T-1 lines and such to multimode fibers carrying OC-192 and larger capacities.

Thus, the Internet has become a thing that improves, enhances itself over time. It seems to be in the economic interests of most everyone connected to "keep it alive and growing".
One essential component of any large network, or network of networks, is some kind of cache capability. If only to store tables of IP numbers, or DNS names on routers. And, as long as some interested parties continue posting articles to ask.com or Wikipedia or any one of a multitude of blogs, there will exist a sea of information, electronically stored on whatever future storage devices exist. As long as the Internet exists, an ocean of information will be there to accompany it!

So, we may lose bits and pieces here and there, but we should be able to hold onto most valuable recorded knowledge, even as we keep expanding it. As long as we keep the Internet alive.

As for the artistic paper artwork, books, that sort of thing, we will either have to seal it away, or risk eventual degredation. Just an opinion, albeit optimistic. Thanks for reading.

The new rebellion of youth.


The young of today, including some now in middle school, will have a new mantra to chant, a new call to action, a new rallying cry. While the youth of the last fifty years have indulged themselves in chemical adventures and intoxications, the youth of today and the near-future will have an even stronger pull.

Like the young in a previous century, they will want to escape the common drudgery of the usual. They will want to go where adventure and excitement await, as well as a possible chance to stake their own claim. They will want to go into space.

The sheer vastness of resources in our Solar system alone is staggering. Thousands of multi-ton asteroids and comets. Entire moons orbiting Saturn, Neptune, Uranus. Objects lying beyond the orbit of Pluto, some as yet undiscovered. All awaiting an individual or group bold, daring enough to claim them. More and more nations are lining up to join the ranks of astronaut-launchers. Technology is continuing its slow but inexorable progress. It will not be long before we have routine, cheap access to low Earth Orbit and beyond. And then the young will be itching to go, to get away from the common, peas-and-mashed-potatoes existence of Earth, and move out there to the greater beyond.

And, since there will always be cost constraints to space development – the luddites are persistent and vocal – robotics will play a very important role in all of this. Autonomous activity by robotic-type vehicles has already been validated by the Mars rovers, and the distant science probes like Cassini and New Horizons. A few more improvements, and we can have task groups of robots constructing living habitats on a number of moons and asteroids. The young will insist, indeed, demand it. It is time to move on and move outward.

And then the real boom will begin. An economic expansion that will make every other one up until now pale into insignificance. The only question is, will we (in the US) join the party, or will we be left behind? So far, we have kept in the Space game. Here is hoping that we stay in it in a major way. Or risk having our youth going overseas to hitch a ride to the stars. In much the same way that space tourists must hitch a ride on a Soyuz to go to the ISS. Something to think about, anyways.

1040 online

Dreaded time to do my taxes again,
Keep putting it off, it looms ever larger
Now the day of reckoning can begin,
Finishing early seems ever smarter.
-
Online website promises ease,
I log on and delve into the morass;
Itemized deductions, if you please,
Give me bigger refunds at last.
-
Once I plant myself and attack the task,
Large, looming beast cut down to size;
Finish federal and state 1040s at last,
View figures displayed: My refund surprise!
Every year we are faced with this chore,
What a pleasant treat to get back more.
-
-
-

Sonnet on that dreaded time of year (or not, if you get a nice refund!)

The 70's no more


The other day at work I was pondering and ruminating on what the 1970's were like. Having seen an article somewhere about the differences between then and now added to my thoughts. Life as a common civilian, working person. We did not have CD's. I had a secondhand black and white TV in my apartment. No cable, although cable was available at the time. No personal computer. Those were for hobbyists who could write their own programs, sometimes in assembler language using toggle switches. TRS-80's had not progressed much. I had a gas-guzzler, boxy old dodge. Power, sure. Efficient, no way. No CD player, no cassette player. AM radio only. Since I did not know any different, it was not an issue for me.

But with all of the advances we have made since then, perhaps it is time to pause our ceaseless drumbeat of gloom-and-doom panic and layoffs and cutbacks. What is wrong with us? We are the most pampered civilization on Earth in many ways. We multitask out of necessity, since we are trying to use and enjoy our multitudinous entertainment outlets, trying to get it all in. Our cell phones, PDA's I pods and Ithis and I-thats. We have so much available to us on the Internet it is staggering, especially compared to what we had before. There was no Google. We had to go find a book to look things up, or ask someone, or travel to the library. The way we used to live was almost like another epoch. Everything was an order of magnitude slower. Compared to 1979, we are really in the fast lane, on another level.

Information, entertainment and communications are at our fingertips in a way that might have been forecast, but still not entirely imagined back then. Life seemed slower back then because it was. I did not have to go through an hour of emails every day at home to keep up. I didn't have to finish up DVDs so they could be returned to friends or my online movie service. I didn't have to fumble with CD's in the car, because all I had was AM radio, and lucky to have that.

So here we are, in this speeded-up infoverse, enjoying entertainment options galore. Trouble is, many of us work in these industries, and many of us are leveraged up to the hilt. There are flaws in the information economic model, where we all work in information industries. Too much is being produced overseas. Not sure of the answer here, except that we need to bring more production back here, and workers must do their part, too, by working.

As workers and business owners and managers, all of us. Panic is not the way to go. Obviously our economy is retrenching because of the real estate debacle. But it seems to me we should take heart. We have come a long way here in the USA. Our wind energy production is soaring. We are producing ethanol. Other energy alternatives are coming online. We are not beholden to the Middle East for all of our oil, we buy a lot from Canada. Things are changing, and they are improving. The stimulus bill will help, especially as it funds things like high-speed rail lines, upgrading government buildings for energy efficiency, and more funding for solar power projects. Our mommas and daddies did not raise fools here. We are getting a clue.

We can trudge through some sludge, and then get going and get rolling. We are Americans, we have been through adversity before. We'll get through this, and be even stronger for it all. My feeling anyway, FWIW.
--

Public Pique


The news reports on rising public pique,
Resentment and anger over excessive salaries;
An impoverished public determined to seek
Answers to the continuing income disparities.

Laid-off workers are sick and tired of excuses,
While pampered executives party and play;
Time to demand an explanation for the abuses,
Accountability and punishment without delay.

The politicians and bosses will not get the message,
Until enough of us join our voices together;
They need to stop taking, start repairing wreckage
Of this economy, under assault seemingly forever.


Until top management lowers their reality screens,
Sees the cumulative effect of decades of excess,
We will never be able to restore our economic sheen,
Enable all the built-in inequities to be addressed.

President Obama made a good beginning,
Applying limits to executive compensation;
The poor and laid-off deserve to start winning
Justice and equality via official dispensation.

For too long now, the elite have lived apart,
Moving in circles unaffected by the economy
They have savaged. Maybe we can all start
To bring about more responsibility, even equality!


(Prompted by an article in the Des Moines Register).

Links to my two books of poetry and short stories:

Falling Leaves, Rising Heat:



From my Backyard to the Edge of the Galaxy:





Thank you for taking a look at these!

Clerihews

Clerihew - four-line humorous verses, named after the 19th century poet who invented the form. Below are some whimsical lines - enjoy.

Ex-pres George W. Bush,
Helicopter left with a whoosh,
Many people said, "Good riddance!"
Left our economy with a pittance.

Barak Obama just elected,
Planning for statues to be erected,
Sure hope this one, humble man
Can come up with a good plan.
-
Frisky cat paces floor yowling,
Bored with her small space for prowling;
So I open the kitchen door,
Push her outside, my ears ache no more.
-
India love story sweeps the big screen,
Pretty soon everyone has seen
Two young, starry-eyed lovers,
Everywhere but under the covers!
-
Cold temps permeate my house and my body,
Over coats, space heaters and perhaps a hot toddy,
Something has to succeed in keeping me warm,
So I can keep putting out verse in good form.
-
Thank you for reading these clerihew today,
Hopefully they brought good cheer to your day.
For sure we will all hear tomorrow,
Of the trillions our treasury will borrow!
-
Peace and out.

US Airways flight 1549

155 people were fortunate the other day,
Escaping disaster, and landing on a river;
Bird strikes nearly put them all in graves.
-
Flight 1549 was only minutes underway,
Outdoor temps enough to make them shiver;
155 people were fortunate the other day.
-
A sudden disaster caused unforseen delay,
Pilot Sullenberger reacted without a quiver;
Bird strikes nearly put them all in graves.
-
Splashdown in the Hudson, a daring display,
A safe landing "Sully" did ultimately deliver;
155 people were fortunate the other day.
-
Collecting themselves, passengers began to pray,
One hard bump, then they were in the river;
Bird strikes nearly put them all in graves.
-
Missed a bridge narrowly as the plane fell away,
In more ways than one, water is a life giver;
155 people were fortunate the other day,
Bird strikes nearly put them all in graves.
-
-
A villanelle on the plane crash and miraculous landing.

Income Redistribution
-
-
The Buffets and Gates and Soros' too,
All feeding massive cash to countries overseas;
Billionaires taking US consumers loot,
Redistributing it to a world not appeased.
-
This has gone on for decades unrestrained,
Moving wealth created here to poor peoples;
Funding development of lands untamed,
Dictators and warlords looting their people.
-
Time to stop the fleecing of Americans here,
End the practice of moving money overseas;
To me it has become increasingly clear,
Grinding poverty is US consumers' new disease.
Give our money back to us, who gave it to you,
Give us our country, our future, hope itself too.
-
-
(Sonnet on the new reality in America).

Time to lose the resentment?
-
-
-
So used to sulking angrily around,
Oppressed by that Republican presidency;
Frustrations, grudges and worries abound,
Because you-know-who had residency.
-
Blaming was easy for eight whole years,
No matter what, it must be George's fault!
Opposition party kept stoking our fears,
Wall street SOB's kept filling their vaults.
-
But now a new day is a'dawning,
Democratic administration has arrived.
Unlock our faces from perpetual frowning,
Optimism should be more than contrived.
Now it is our turn to shoulder the responsibilities,
Tackle problems with agility, avoid fanatic proclivities

-
-
-

Solstice greetings

This December 21st, when the season is expressing its most foul temperment,
I hereby extend warm greetings to all!
-
We are now on the downhill slope to June 21st. It will go by in a heartbeat.
Lifes concerns and neccessities will seize us, carry us along
On a fast river of haste, hurry, worry.
We should get there soon.
-
Hopefully you are all in a warm, comfortable abode, sheltered
From winters bitter weather.
-
Additionally, it is hoped you are well-fed, perhaps with a cup
Of some warm beverage to sip.
-
Stay warm, be of good cheer, and hang in there.
Spring will be here soon.
-
Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Chris Pirillo is having a gift contest. He is offering three different gift bundles to lucky winners who enter via a Twitter comment, a posting on his site, or on their own blog post. Being a Star Wars fan, I of course chose the Star Wars package as my preferred win. This being Christmas, I would give away most of the items, to my local Starbase17 club, to local charities (would keep the encyclopedia for my own inner child, who can be pretty vocal at times).

Here is the link: http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/12/15/receiving-the-gift-of-giving/

It is worth checking out, to see what this dynamo is up to if nothing else *grin*

Also, http://geeks.pirillo.com is a fascinating site as well.

Happy holidays everyone!

The other day, while out running errands, I came across the same thing twice:

People leaving their car motors running while going into the grocery store.

Gas is so cheap that many folks do not care if they waste some, by cavalierly leaving their engine running
while going into a store.

All of a sudden, it is okay to pollute the air, to waste energy that is transported thousands of miles from the Middle East, all in the name of convenience!

Times like this, I wish for some kind of 'waste police' that would slap a 100-dollar ticket on people like that, and donate the proceeds to energy research of some kind.

How soon we forget, how easy it is to slip back into a mindset of burn, baby, burn that gas.

Heaven help us all.

I dare you to watch this video.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/12/03/prop-8-the-musical-s.html


Funny and informative stuff here - enjoy.

Peace Institute invitation

I recently got an invitation in the mail to join the Carter Institute for Peace, or somesuch. Of course it was a solicitation for a donation (you can do your part to advance the cause for peace). Now, I would love to advance the cause for peace - I believe in peace, goodwill, and all that. But peace donations take affluence. And this is not an affluent age we are living in right now, especially me.
-
With an ongoing military presence in Iraq and Afganistan, not to mention military bases around the world, we are spending a lot of peace and goodwill already maintaining our open-ended commitments. Our new president-elect made a statement recently promising that we would continue to be the "greatest power on the planet." Considering the size of Russia and China, just how are we going to be able to afford to do this? Short of starving the people, I mean. It appears to me some strange shadow chacanery is going on here.
-
85 billion goes to AIG, and what? Dissapears into a vaccuum? And then they give them more? Why does CITI require so many billions. Wells Fargo is healthy, but they vaccuumed up 25 billion or so. These companies do not manufacture anything except paper waste and fattened-up execs. We should be putting more of this money into consumer hands, the ones who need it.
-
Peace is a great goal, worthy of strivings and efforts. But the average middle-class family today is being squeezed on both sides, laid off, charged more, and in general screwed over. Peace my foot. We will be lucky if there is not a huge increase in thefts and even violence in the near future.
-
Every decade since the 1970's has seen more and more financial shell games, bailouts like the S&L crisis, and international intrigues. When will this end, and how ugly will the end be, I wonder. Peace assumes affluence and stability. Desparate, hungry people do desparate things. Well-fed, healthy, affluent folk are ones most inclined to hold civilized discussions. Perhaps rationality itself is the province of the priviledged, well-off people.
-
The rest of us have not been served well by these leaders in business. They always seem to leave a worse mess for the next 'shift' to clean up. Sure, if only we could become energy independent. If only we could root out every last person who ever thought of terrorism. If only every nation on Earth were a functioning democracy. Would it help? Hard to say, but I doubt it. Human nature is too good at screwing things up. But peace is a nice thought anyways (I just can't afford it right now).
-
Maybe the best one can hope for is a "piece of the action". Get your bailouts, your tax rebates while they are hot. Hang on folks, this could be a real bumpy ride.

The Obama Cookie

Boomers Cafe loaded with fattening stuff,
Bigger burgers and fatter fries for bigger
Appetites. Here there is no fancy frills or fluff,
All staple items to trip a diners’ trigger.
-
A special cookie is available there,
Full of tasty chocolate chunks;
Now is wildly popular everywhere,
Lift bored taste buds out of their funk!
-
Although many Boomers are dieting now,
They can find room for these cookies;
With a rich taste that makes one say, “wow”,
These are not made by any cookie rookie.
Time to travel to the Baby Boomer Cafe,
Buy a dozen, hand them out, make someone's day!

(Sonnet in response to news reports of the Obama Cookie)

Memories of Mother

She was so dear to me,
A friend, a confidante, a supporter always.
There to comfort, to dry my tears, and yet
There to give me a push when called for.
-
Our loving, sweet mother.
She gave us life, nurtured us,
Endured our tantrums, cooked our meals,
Washed our clothes, made our beds,
Offered many loving words of encouragement.
-
Cold mornings on a paper route were warmed
Considerably by her driving me on the route!
-
Almost up to the end, when Cancer took her...
After losing her voice, she would still write
Loving notes of encouragement to me.
Motivating me on a first job,
Congratulating me on successes.
I still have them, of course, all treasured.
-
On this anniversary of her death in 1981,
I honor her memory once again.
Love never dies, it just gets passed on.
Feeling her warmth as I write this,
Dear reader, now I pass it onto you.
-
Thanks for reading this, and may you be
Even fractionally as fortunate as I was.


-

Came Late to the Party

Too bad the coffeeshops are closing,
Unfortunate to see gadget stores going;
Now that economy is getting a hosing,
Yours truly got a laptop with wi-fi homing.
-
Either too soon to the mark,
Or a day late and a dollar short;
My timing seems on a lark,
Leaping forth while others abort.
-
Still pleased and amazed at connectivity,
Built into most laptop computers today;
Just one aspect of mobile productivity,
Hotspots abound all over town nowadays.
Though economic fallout descends around me,
My mobile Internet access will keep me happy
-
-
And the screen is really crisp and sharp too *grin*

How about them Hawkeyes

National-ranked team with tough defense,
Their record matching determination to win;
Time for the Hawks to drop all pretense,
Join fierce battle with chance of victory slim.
-
Shonn Green started things out right,
Kelly and Royster responded in kind;
Penn State Showed assembled might,
Hawkeyes fought on, determined in mind.
-
Third quarter came with Hawkeye score,
Lions roared back with scores of their own;
Neither side yielded but struggled even more,
Yet Hawks destined to win titanic struggle at home.
Green and Murray put once mighty Lions down for good,
Hawkeyes stature standing tall in Big Ten neighborhood.
-
-

A tribute to the Iowa Hawkeyes football team in Sonnet form.
Congradulations to the entire team for a well-deserved victory.

Post-Election Haiku




Election over,
Democratic president,
Sigh of relief heaved.
------------------------------------
President chosen,
No more televison ads,
I sigh with relief
------------------------------
Noise level increased,
A new leader is chosen!
Good, no more attacks.
-------------------------------
I am so relieved,
Our new leader is chosen.
No more TV ads!
----------------------------
Joy, pleasure abound,
Obama was elected!
Stocks were not impressed.
--------------------------
Challenges abound,
Obama will have hands full;
Hope he can juggle.
-
-
-
Hopefully the next four years will be better than the last eight.

CBS Sunday Morning ran a segment on Patriotism last sunday, which got me to thinking....
And to writing some stuff. So, here goes.....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patriotism

Devotion, support, love of country
Expressed in many different ways.
Military service, volunteer duties,
Fighting for civil rights for
Ethnic groups of various stripes.
USA comprised of many, many
Populations of subgroups.
White, Black, Hispanic, Asian
Pro-life, Pro-choice,
Conservative, Liberal,
Heterosexual, Homosexual.
All fortunate to live in such a large,
All-encompassing country,
Big Uncle Sam holding all
In loving, protective embrace.
This Election Day,
We can nod in
Acknowledgement
Of one another,
Our rights to be different,
Our freedom to disagree --
Yet our acceptance of one another.
We are all Americans,
Constantly learning from each other.
We can come together this Nov. 4th,
Participate in worlds greatest democracy,
Electing our leaders once again.
Civil rights struggles will continue,
New groups, new issues,
New, against old, entrenchments.
As we struggle for direction,
We can still love one another.
God bless America, in all its diversity, indeed.
-----------------------------------------------------
Patriotism II

Is it more loyal, patriotic,
To follow well-worn paths,
Enlist and follow orders,
Be made into a killing automaton?
Or fight unconventionally,
Standing up for civil rights,
Support the downtrodden,
Show unique kind of moral might?
Defending your country certainly honorable,
Difficult to know where hairs were split...
Between defending our borders, or
Promoting world-dominating policies.
True patriots will question authority,
Not for dissentions sake alone,
But to seek demonstrable truths,
The betterment of all our welfare.
John Adams, or Thomas Jefferson
Dynamic tensions between
Priviledged and Innovators,
Traditional and novel.
Rosa Parks, or George Wallace.
Barry Goldwater or John Kennedy,
Martin L. King or Richard Pryor.
Discordant tension, striving towards unity.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Patriotism III
We all seek what is right for ourselves,
And our fellow countrymen, countrywomen;
Bitter pill of democracy is the ongoing struggle
Argument, debate, haggling out of detail,
To find that which works reasonably,
Inclusive of at least the majority.
For the betterment of all.
Today, there are thousands, millions of
Gays and Lesbians who love the USA.
They are volunteering for community groups,
Supporting political choices, assisting with
HIV testing, counseling, outreach. All
Adding their threads of achievement to this
Huge multi-hued tapestry we call
The United States of America.
They also deserve the rights to liberty,
The right to love a member of the same sex,
To enter into legally-recognized civil unions.
The USA has survived and prospered
Due to its ability to change and grow.
We no longer allow slavery,
We have cleaned up our air, water;
We have made many strides in
In improving the lives of citizens.
Time to take the next step.
Grant the right to marry to
Gay and Lesbian couples.
Freedom for all, not most.
--------------------------------------------
Patriotism IV

We face many challenges ahead,
Domestic petroleum supply decreasing,
Economic turmoil straining the Fed,
External threats steady or increasing.
-
Social Security, Medicare funds will run dry,
Other social safety net programs in jeopardy;
We need new ideas, funding plans to try
To keep our large population safe and healthy.
-
Hopefully our newly elected president can achieve
Great strides in solving some of these major issues;
We can achieve what we can conceive and believe,
Disparate groups joining together, healing fissures.
Both candidates observed, "Our best years are yet to come",
With unity and purpose, We can attain these heights as one.
-
-
-
One nation, under God, indivisible. With liberty and justice for all.

Memories


Memory, sweet memory


I remember when
One used to pick up a heavy
Telephone handset,
stick a Finger into circular hole,
Pull down a dial at the correct number.

Long distance calls
Beeped, warbled, hissed.
It required an operator
For my collect calls from school.

That was back when I was
Young, skinny, desired by
More people than I would
Have thought possible.
-
Technology was clunky,
My body svelte, sexy.
-
Today, things stand reversed.
-
Slim cellular devices
Packed with many features,
Hard to dial, though, with
My wrinkled fat old
Fingers.


Who ever said life was fair.

Pitch black coat,
Darkness with legs,
Eyes gleaming outward,
Mouth opens, shimmers teeth,
Meows march forth,
Gripping my ears,
Demanding attention.
-
It tangles in my ankles,
Increasing the volume.
-
I hasten to fetch the dry cat food,
Unable to refuse such a creature.


The neighborhood beggar.

Mistakes

To be human is to make mistakes. We all have done so on various occasions, more often than any one would care to admit. The recent mortgage-backed securities debacle is a good reminder of that. Not too long ago, we could pat ourselves on the back and smugly observe, "look at us here in the USA - we are housing more of our people than ever before, sharing the good life with more and more." Until the whole mortgage securities market unravelled.

Most of the time we can learn from mistakes. We can learn our limits, or learn not to do something or other, as the outcome will be bad. When growing up, we had to learn the limits of our capabilities the hard way. Every action had a price (still does), and every stunt we pulled had some kind of cost involved, more or less depending on what we did. In adulthood, the penalties increase for various kinds of foolishness. Mistakes are the one thing we all have in common, no matter how hard we try and avoid them. Heaven knows, I have made more than my share. I just try to bow my head humbly and keep going sometimes, flaws and all.
-

Trouble is, we are all on this moving platform called our lives. Moving down the timeline, trying to make decisions in a changing world, changing society, changing country, even as we find ourselves changing. Juggling concerns, wishes, fears, hopes, dreams, desires, for ourselves or our children or families. Sometimes we take our best guess, our best shot at the time, given the circumstances. Some outcomes are unforseeable. Is it no wonder we make mistakes and blunders, small or large? To be human is to fumble in the dark, trying to find our way in a hostile universe. Seems to me we can hardly help making a lot of errors. Although hopefully we will try and correct them, learn from them.
Sometimes an error to one person is a smart move, or a well-performed act to another. Depending on belief systems. So it is difficult to even quantify what is a mistake sometimes. My definition is if it causes human grief, pain or loss, it is highly likely to be a mistake or error of some kind. Although I could be mistaken, after all, I'm only human *grin*.
-
-
Speaking of large mistakes... It also seems to me that the major root of terrorism is the human desire to get even with someone. If you are large and powerful, you have a huge regular army. If you are little and angry, you resort to terrorism to get even, because it is all you have. So for a counry to declare a "war on terror" is seemingly the same as a "War on Human Nature" . Well, that is us against us, and who is going to win that one? The (to me) mistaken notion that we can invade and bully our way to security is ineffective, and has a tendency to turn more against us. Hopefully the next president will realize this and rein in the dogs of war, giving our economy a real break. And, redirect the energies thus preserved into making our nation energy-independent.
-

Mistakes - life is hell sometimes, but if we learn from them as much as we are able, we can still end up better off than before. Just an opinion, of course.

Palin-tology
The analysis of Sarah Palin, her effect on McCains' campaign, her dress, speech, and most of all, her appearances on Saturday Night Live.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sarah Sonnet


Sarah speaks in her red dress getup,
Mimicking Tina Fey mimicking her;
News coverage continues without letup,
Keeping her name front and center.
-
For all of this publicity and attention,
Things are not changing in the polls;
Obama is good at support retention,
Palin noise machine not taking any toll.
-
Colin Powell weighed in with his support
For Obama, despite his party affiliation;
Sarah Palin proved she is a good sport,
Cannot guarantee White House destination!
Sarah will be able to go back to hunting moose,
When this failed campaign season turns her loose.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would love to have someone like Sarah as a neighbor or member of a neighborhood association. A fine person she may be, but not for political office (IMHO), please.

Here is a quote from an email - factual information on financial history in the US.

..."From 1929 to 1931, hundreds or thousands of banks failed when depositors panicked and withdrew their money because they didn't want to be the last in line - the first guy to take his money out got his money, the later guys got nothing. The Glass-Steagall Act was put into place to stabilize the situation. Banks were forbidden to invest in anything other than loans and obligations of the US Government. In exchange for this limitation, banks were offered the chance to buy insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
-
About the same time, the Savings and Loans were chartered and insured by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation - and they too were restricted in their investments. They could only make loans secured by real estate, and originally the interest rates they could pay on Certificates of Deposit were set by the federal government. How boring is that? -

In 1981 or early 1982 those rules were loosened to the point of elimination.A few years later the FSLIC went bankrupt and it cost the US Government $160,000,000,000.00 to bail them out.
-
Never prone to learning from mistakes, Congress in 1999 passed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which did away with Glass-Steagall. Nine years later, we're staring at a default of the $56,000,000,000,000.00 FDIC - thanks to the repeal of Glass-Steagall.

-When will they ever learn? "

Indeed, we are seemingly afflicted with a giant case of the 'stupidity flu' when it comes to passing financial laws in this country. Lately, while washington pols have been admonishing people to "not panic", they have done major panicky moves every day. Throwing hundreds of billions at the problem, bailing out corrupt companies left and right. Acting panicky is not a good way to inspire confidence. Someone should read up on what was done in the early thirties perhaps, and re-do those things. In any case, it looks like we are in for
another rough ride.

Two Cars

Riding my bicycle blithely along,
Decided to stop by a friends' place;
Right on the way home, won' t take long,
Instead of a holler, will greet him face to face.
-
Upon stopping by, found him standing outdoors,
Rode up, greeted him, began to chat;
He informed me his vehicle was out of order,
Danged timing chain went, and that was that!
-
So, later I drove over to his place,
Fetched him and his friend;
We drove to where the car was placed,
Lined the two cars up, our way to wend
-
Pusher and pushee, through stops and turns,
I kept my bumper aimed straight and true;
Hands gripping wheel, stomach did churn,
Finally pushed him into his driveway, up which he flew!
-
Mission accomplished, I travelled back home.
On the way, what did I see?
A neighbor stuck at an intersection, alone,
I was thinking, "It sucks to be me!"
-
Felt like I should help him out,
He has helped me oftentimes before;
So I got in the car, went back out,
Pulled up behind him: he swung open his door.
-
We greeted each other, with customary jibes,
Me and another offered to push him off
The roadway, into a nearby lot, an easy ride;
We did so, swiftly, even as some kids scoffed.
-
After chatting a bit more, I took my leave,
Legs felt tired and rubbery from a long day;
A sigh of relief I can now heave,
Two good deeds done, now can rest and play!



.....Almost reminded me of a winter snowstorm, pushing cars around and all.

Triple Sevens

Monday, surreal brightness outdoors,
Foul blackness in financial corridors;
Nature's fall warmth, color magnificence,
Paralleled by markets' disastrous incidents.
-
Backroom paper-shuffling steals and deals,
Increased mortgage debts exponentially;
Commissions and kickbacks greased wheels,
Most people keep paying bills, fortunately.
-
In a normal casino, Triple Sevens mean big payoff,
A hundred or thousands of tokens to one;
On Wall Street it means a gigantic selloff,
Traders deciding that losing is no longer fun.
-
It remains to be seen what will happen to us all,
The average joes and janes, slogging through days.
A lot of giant companies are taking the fall,
Paying the ultimate penalties for fraudulent ways.
-
Perhaps a time to size up things overall,
Time to start fresh, after cleaning up mess,
Of failed companies, large and small,
Re-learning while under economic duress,
Why we need tight regulation of financial markets.
So we can build real value to back our paper assets.
-
-
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I keep hoping we have hit bottom with this mess, and then it keeps getting worse.

Does it?

Because I'm called "kid" does it mean I am young?
Because I'm called "Fag" does it mean I'm a burning stick?
Because I am accused of doing nothing, does it mean I do?
Because I'm called "nigger," am I suddenly African-American?
-
Because I'm called a man, should I suddenly walk taller,
Given a reprive, today, by hidden forces of judgement?
-
Because I'm called a 'writer' and a 'poet',
Do I put on the snot and sneer?
-
Because I'm smirked at in the bars, should I be surprised
When some of them later hit on me at a different venue?
Should I grovel in the mud, or stand tall with the stars?
-
It all depends upon who I chose to believe.
I have worth - I know this. It is usually enough.
But some kind words also make a huge difference!

Modify the bailout. Ideas here!

I applaud the bipartisan rescue effort underway described by the President tonight. , it shows there is still a bit of cooperation left in our society. But here are a couple of ideas that I wish they would all consider, in their haste to free up markets and keep our economy going.
Take 200 billion of that 700 billion, and allocate it to energy independence. The remaining 500 billion could be used to shore up and free up markets, etc.
Spend the 200 billion over a number of years, but don't drag it out too long. Spend at least 20-30 billion a year Over what we would probably have spent otherwise, and do not alter the course a few years out. Our survival may depend on it.

Allocate massive sums to build electrified rail transport in medium-sized cities. People would no longer need to pay for expensive and polluting buses, instead they could ride a clean, efficient, frequently-running electrified rail system to get around. Less gasoline usage. Fares could help offset costs.

Also, allocate massive sums to get many more plug-in electric vehicles on the roads. Fund further research into cars that can get part of their battery energy from the sun, say, incorporated into the paint (solar collectors).
Fund the development of cars that run on natural gas, and help fund the deployment of refuelling stations (pay gas stations to install pumps.)

Fund hydrogen production garnered from renewable sources. Fund wide-scale deployment of Hydrogen refuelling stations. Fund deployment of fuel-cell powerplants for houses.

Fund massive deployment of solar and wind power generation on a neighborhood scale, widely deployed around the U.S. Especially on farms and ranches.

The idea here is to attain near-total independence in energy. If we are going to throw around hundreds of billions of dollars, we should be throwing some into gaining energy independence. This will garner an enormous savings to us all in the future, shore up our balance of payments, and make us a stronger, more secure nation overall. It is an obvious thing, really.

Rather than throw all this wealth into buying up bad wall street paper, we should at least throw a good chunk into purchasing energy security and independence. This will give us real returns, over and over. And it will pay back the government with taxes on the resulting energy produced. This should be far easier for many to support, than just a direct bailout of incompetent bankers on Wall Street.

So - anyone out there who reads this, the idea is, use at least some of our tax money to buy us all a brighter future, rather than just bail out the irresponsible few. Thanks for reading.

Yield up beat cop slot

Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Energy price spikes,
Unending overseas warfare, bleeding wealth;
Not much on the evening news to like,
Depressing facts overtake us with stealth.
-
The US today is being overwhelmed,
Variety of disasters hitting at once;
Left with powerlessness at the helm,
Any leader would look like a dunce.
-
The lone superpower, leader of the world,
Cut off at the knees, floundering around;
Natural disasters, self-made debacles hurled,
Desparate financial stop-gap schemes abound.

We can no longer afford to be worlds' beat cop;
Should let go, let someone else bleed at the top.


(why do we have to guard the worlds shipping lanes?)

Multitasking

One often hears the comment,
He or she can multitask;
Usually followed by a lament,
Only one thing at a time can I grasp.
-
The truth is, as usual, more complex.
We all carry multitudes of thoughts;
Billions of neurons that can multiplex,
A trillion signals, something nature wrought.
-
In the store, on the road, or at work,
Each of us awash in a sea of thinking;
Eddying currents of concerns lurk,
Intents, purposes, desires never shrinking.
-
We twitch, fidget, shuffle our feet, drum our fingers --
Completing some tasks as other concerns still linger.


-
- Now, what else was it I was going to do? Ah, yes...

Going out on a chilly September night

My workday will be done, thought I,
All done so I can relax and read.
Then my boss called, did not know why,
To tell me of emergency, then beg and plead.
-
Could I go clean a building, way out west,
Just a quck trash and dash, nothing hard;
Co-worker gone to funeral - could not protest,
Sympathy caused me to lower my guard.
-
So now I must venture out later tonight,
At the hour when I usually go to bed;
Drive twenty miles in the moonlight,
Show up to clean a building, brick red.
Despite leadened limbs and tired brain,
Will clean it quick and out, not complain.

------->And I did, made OT too<-----------------

They are at it again.
-
Now the party, claiming to detest government control,is
Emplacing two mortgage entities directly under it!
-
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been taken over.
Officials high in the Fed and Bush administrations
Have decided that our nations future is too valuable,
To be left to market forces. Needing to guarantee
Financial markets, they have siezed control of two
Giant financial institutions, ones that underwrite
Home mortgages for millions of homeowners.
-
Debts will be covered, but stockholders are left
Holding nearly-worthless paper. Poor investors.
So much for laissez-faire. So much for free-market
Economics. Welcome to closet socialism?
Maybe it will work better? We can only hope.

Relationships

Relationships, solid as rock, or ethereal as the wind.
Moving from one to the next, tarrying awhile.
Like a monkey grasping limbs to move about in the trees,
Some branches are solid, hold a long time. Others
Snap after a short time, forcing the monkey to move on.
Some relationships become more solid with time,
Enduring weathering events, gaining strength of character.
Others shatter easily, were never meant to be at all.
The monkey keeps moving, wondering to himself,
"When will I ever settle down?"
"When will I grasp that final limb?"
Only time will tell.

--

The Last Gift
The Republicans have given us one last gift.
And it is a doozy.
One that will reverberate throughout the years,
Warfare clashing resonating throughout history.
-
To recap, they gave us an unpopular war
In Iraq, one costing trillions of dollars,
As well as thousands of US soldiers, and untold Iraquis.
They showered big business with tax breaks,
And the rich saw their taxes go way down.
President Bush made enemies around the world,
Emboldened regimes like Venezuela and Cuba.
Antagonized our longtime allies, especially France.
Bullied countries large and small.
Basically pursued a line of helping the rich.
Corporate thieves get away with wholesale theft,
While small-time criminals do hard time. Wear
A suit, give money to the GOP, and you can seemingly
Do anything and get away with it.
-
But now, the final gift, or rather, time bomb.
Georgias' president invades his own provinces,
Russia invades them back, upon a request for help.
And the U.S. jumps all over Russia, sending aid and munitions
To Georgia. The administration rounds up the allies,
NATO, and in general takes a confrontational tone
With Russia, riling them up big time.
So, in leaving office, George & Co have left the USA
With a huge debt, badly tarnished international image,
A reputation for torture and flouting international laws.
And now, we are also stuck with a new cold war.
Thanks a lot, G.O.P., you have destroyed our country.
-
-

Love energy


What does it mean?
Down in the doldrums,
Sitting in a chair,
Several choices, none appealing.
-

Mind gets made up, fingers punch buttons,
I call, he answers. "Sure, come on over!"
My heart soars. A place to go, full of love.
Visit him and his roommate, eat pizza,
Chatter like crazy, pet the cats, view hail damage.
At my home, I struggle to move through routine.
At his home, I'm on fire.
What does it mean?
-

Who knows. It felt good to visit an old friend again.

Round Universe

Was noticing the other day, how a metal framework looked curved out of the corner of my eye. My very rounded eyeball, that is. This set me to pondering.

Our universe seems filled with round shapes. Planets, stars, asteroids, all spherical. Spiraling galaxies, going round and round, tracing some kind of circle.

Nature spins, whorls, coruscates, branches out in increasing diameters. There is so much that is round, and so little that is a naturally occuring square or parallelogram. Sharply-angled lines, boxes, geometric shapes seem to be an artificial imprint of humankind. We impose our gridded-out sense of order, to keep track of things. To make the universe hold still, show a count, display a picture. Even though we are ourselves a product of the universe, replete with all of our curved and rounded bodily surfaces. We square off everything to get a better grip on things. Which makes me wonder a few things.

Would we be better off with round houses? Circular rooms, that overlap perhaps? Round cars? Round TV's, computers, chairs, etc.

Are we a product of universal entropy, the final "running down", and our lines and squares and angles yet another manifestation of finality, entropy, and ultimately, an ending of things?
With the common state of matter existing energetically in a circular, rounded shape of being, should some of our philosophies and institutions better reflect this, to better insure our survival as a species?
Heady stuff, to be sure. Like the thought experiments we used to do as schoolkids, IE maybe our universe is a speck orbiting an atom in a giants universe, or vise versa. - maybe our solar system/galaxy/universe is a particle contained in a drop of water, that is falling as rain. or is in water being drunk or digested by a giant being. Silly, perhaps. Also, in a way, illuminating.

Which brings me round to light. Is light not a particle, or a wave, but a "something spinning in a circle so fast, it gives off a glow? What is the glow made of? Who knows. It makes my head spin (in a circle) thinking about it.
But our universe does seem to be made with roundness in mind. Perhaps we should incorporate more roundness into our devices - maybe they would mesh better with the external enviornment.
I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of this - but it does give me pause.
-
-
-

Homeownership

Lessons learned from owning a home,
Include various remodeling skills;
Plumbing, laying tile, electrical code,
Roofing, painting, landscaping thrills.
-
One ability no one warned me about,
One neccesary quality to survive and thrive,
Is a very thick hide, ignorance of doubt,
Ability to press onward despite jeers and gibes.
-
For no matter what one says or does,
Someone is always complaining,
Criticizing, laughing as if it was
Any of their business pertaining.
-
Every time I decide to go out into my yard,
Criticized or jabbed by some neighborhood retard.
Wish that they would be similarly jarred,
Cut down derisively, hoist by their own petard!
-
-
-
Sometimes I almost don't hear anything at all,
Other times it seems to be a chorous of negativity.
It really is a shame.

The Iowa State Fair is Coming!

Pickups are lining the space along the fence now.
Rides are being erected, cranes dotting skyline.
Front Gates are barricaded shut now, no more pre-fair gawkers allowed.
Animals can be heard, lowing, mooing, bleating.
Sound systems tested, heard in ones' living room.
Ready or not, here it comes - the food, the noise, the hustle and bustle.
Worst of all, the endless traffic.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug. 6th

Neighborhood quietude beautific, peaceful.
Sunday afternoon sunshine dapples quiet streets;
Children play in roadways, parents casually watchful.
Fairgrounds silent after weekend horse trainer meet.
-
Silence soon shattered by frenetic increase
Traffic, activity pick up, campers begin streaming
Into lots, along with many pickups, without surcease.
Agricultural trailers, combines, grain bins massing ...
-
Sky glider rides soon take flight,
Food vendors pile in, lining the avenues;
Trailers of every description fight
For any free space to unload their purviews.
In preparation, state fairgrounds fill up in a jiffy,
When the hordes arrive, it all must look spiffy!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug. 7th

The fair is here, the fair is now,
Come on out and see the butter cow.
Shaun Johnson in creamy yellow,
Other famous faces, also with a dairy glow.
Horses, pigs, sheep, and camels,
Variety of types of four-footed mammals.
Food stands galore, loaded with greasy goodies,
Dessert counters to top off high-calorie feasts.
Gawk at displays as you avoid travelling beasts,
Take in a free show, or artwork display at least.
Thrill to the rides, cruise the sky glider,
Enjoy people watching, can be even wilder.
Indulge yourself in fairs' sensory overload,
Before returning, satiated, to your humble abode!

------------------------------------------------------

Like it or not, the fair is here. May as well enjoy it.

RAGBRAI
-

One sweltering day in late July,
Humidity saturating warm summer air;
What do the news crews, cameras spy,
Many bicycles appearing out of nowhere.
-
Thousands of enthusiastic riders,
Swarming down state highways;
Towns welcome the two-wheeled gliders,
Offering refreshments, and a hearty welcome always.
-
After a grueling daily ride, hills and all,
Riders offered showers, food, other measures;
As long as one avoids flats and falls,
Then one can revel in post-ride pleasures.
Ragbrai, the huge bicycle party across the state,
Now a staple activity on Iowans summer plate!



They are at it again *grin*

Planetary Spectacle

Fun celebrations of US Independence Day,
Barbeques, music, fireworks galore;
Throngs of citizens, festive and gay,
Enjoying time off, concerts, parties and more.
-
Television showing cooking, drink concotions,
Inexpensive, enjoyable activities for families;
Financial cares, employment woes forgotten,
Viewing sky spectacles, hearing patriotic homilies.
-
Yet even as we celebrate, a bigger show is coming,
Many nations are gathering, joining efforts together;
Scientists from around the globe are meeting,
Conferencing, writing papers, taking measures.
-
Future Space exploration, colonization efforts,
Will be international, combining many abilities;
Dwarfing any one nations' more meager effort,
We will occupy our living space with more agility.
Humans, whether Americans or other nationalities,
Will leave our cradle, discover amazing new possibilities!


Something I wrote around July 4th.

Mirror crack'd for good

First day back at work, after vacation,
Pushing myself through the paces;
Rejoining working peoples' convocation,
A sunburned rat rejoining the races.
-
Cleaning routine pursued with vigor,
Until encounter with first floor restroom;
Seeing piles of broken glass was a trigger,
To reduce my mood to uncharacteristic gloom.
-
Slivers and shards scattered all over the place,
On sinks, countertops, toilets and the floor;
Jumbled piles of heavy, jagged mirror face,
I gripped my broom, feeling a touch of horror.
Eventually much sweeping, vaccuuming too,
Made ugly shards dissapear, renewed my mood.


-
-
-
What a welcome back. But I got thru it okay.