boconn13

Krishna's Birthday!

2011-08-25T23:30:00.001-07:00

Who knew? Looks like fun.

Cows With Guns

2011-08-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

I know, I know... but they taste so good!!!

Born Free

2011-08-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yvonne has been at large since she breached an electric fence on her farm nearly three months ago, on May 24. Since then, she's adopted a lifestyle that might be called Sherwoodian: sticking to forests, eluding police, and bringing acclaim and tourist dollars to her quaint village.

Yvonne, 6, escaped just before she was due to be sent to the slaughterhouse. But her life of freedom hasn't been without risks. She narrowly missed being struck by a police car; hunters were given permission to shoot her on sight. Food traps were laid; a beagle hunting dog was enlisted. Companion cows were sent in, to draw her out. But all to no avail.

"Yvonne knows exactly what she's doing, and she's tricking us," the manager of an animal rescue farm told a German newspaper.

The same paper, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, says that Yvonne has now become a type of freedom fighter "for the animal-loving republic."

Perhaps conceding the battle of wits — and the public-relations war — to the ruminant, officials are now hoping they can reach her through her heart. They're bringing in a male ox named Ernst, who they hope will capture Yvonne's heart, and lure her back to human society.

Thanks, Skippy

Full Story>

Teddy Bears Picnic

2011-08-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

https://picasaweb.google.com/117442847560168618453/2011TeddyBearSPicnic?locked=true#

TV on the Radio

2011-08-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hat tip to Mock Scissors Paper.

Front Room

2011-08-04T11:24:00.001-07:00

Today In U.S. History

2011-07-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

On this day in 1775, Congress establishes the United States Post Office and namesBenjamin Franklin the first United States postmaster general.

William Goddard, a Patriot printer frustrated that the royal postal service was unable to reliably deliver his Pennsylvania Chronicle to its readers or deliver critical news for the paper to Goddard, laid out a plan for a Constitutional Post before the Continental Congress on October 5, 1774. Congress waited to act on the plan until after the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Benjamin Franklin promoted Goddard's plan and served as the first postmaster general under the Continental Congress beginning on July 26, 1775, nearly one year before the Congress declared independence from the British crown. Franklin's son-in-law, Richard Bache, took over the position on November 7, 1776, when Franklin became an American emissary to France. Franklin had already made a significant contribution to the postal service in the colonies while serving as the postmaster of Philadelphia from 1737 and as joint postmaster general of the colonies from 1753 to 1774, when he was fired for opening and publishing Massachusetts Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson's correspondence.

While postmaster, Franklin streamlined postal delivery with properly surveyed and marked routes from Maine to Florida (the origins of Route 1), instituted overnight postal travel between the critical cities of New York and Philadelphia and created a standardized rate chart based upon weight and distance. Samuel Osgood held the postmaster general's position in New York City from 1789, when the U.S. Constitutioncame into effect, until the government moved to Philadelphia in 1791. Timothy Pickering took over and, about a year later, the Postal Service Act gave his post greater legislative legitimacy and the service more effective organization. Pickering continued in the position until 1795, when he briefly served as secretary of war, before becoming the third U.S. secretary of state. The postmaster general's position was considered a plum patronage post for political allies of the president until the Postal Service was transformed into a corporation run by a board of governors in 1971.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-establishes-us-post-office

Sets the Mood

2010-09-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song (1972)
Uploaded by alexandru2006. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Chuang qian ming yue guang

Yi shi di shang shuang.

Ju tou wang ming yue,

Di tou si gu xiang.

Before bed bright moon light

Looks like frost on the ground

Lift head to gaze at bright moon

Lower head to dream of home.

Student production from Jilin Normal University, located in Shenyang. I will be teaching at Dongbei Normal University which is in Changchun.

We'll Be Waiting

2010-09-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hope this author misses Powell's for his book tour. Dublin ain't got nothin on PDX. Flip-flops! We'll be throwing our caulks.

This war criminal decided to go to war.

That's my Peeps!

2010-09-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

DUBLIN – Protesters hurled shoes and eggs Saturday at former British Prime Minister and Carlyle Group whore Tony Blair who held the first public signing of his memoir amid high security in Ireland's capital. Hundreds more people lined up to have their books autographed — evidence that the divisions left by Blair's decade as British leader have yet to heal.

Blair's new book, "A Journey," has angered opponents of his policies, especially the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

About 200 demonstrators chanted that Blair had "blood on his hands" as the warmonger and profiteer arrived at a Dublin bookstore. Shoes, eggs and other projectiles were thrown toward Blair as he emerged from a car, but did not hit him. A flip-flop could be seen lying on the roof of a BMW in Blair's motorcade.

I can only hope that Bush gets the same treatment when he goes on book tour, not to mention Cheney. Blair says in the book that he is not sorry for his decision to enter the U.S.-led war, although he has wept for its victims. He is donating all proceeds from the book to a charity for wounded troops. How about the dead ones?

Dominating the News Cycle

2010-09-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

Visited His Vorpal Sword today and read this. You should too. I have only read Ben Smith in other people's commentary on the web, and the same for Politico. Sarah Palin's climb to the top of the media whore mountain reminds me of something...

Broke 80 Today

2010-08-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

Played 18 at Glendoveer today, and finally had a day where I putted well and played well. I could tell I am out of shape though as I faded down the stretch and started leaving things out to the right. No doubles, one 6, one birdie. Drove the ball great, played from the fairway all day.

Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 in tot

Par 4-4-4-3-4-4-4-4-5 36 4-4-3-4-4-5-4-4-3 35 71

Brian 4-4-5-3-3-4-4-4-5 37 5-4-3-5-5-6-5-4-4 41 78

Land Visit

2010-08-09T13:22:00.001-07:00

Margo & I camped on the property this week. Weather was beautiful, shooting stars were infrequent (Persids, next week) but large. We mowed the meadow, cut brush until the handle broke on the machine, and chainsawed. And picked up the tarpaper that winter had ripped off the platform. Margo watered the trees by the road.

Land Visit 08/2010

Social Security

2010-08-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

James Roosevelt is right on.

Star Trek In The Park

2010-08-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Went to see a performance of the episode Space Seed, the episode which introduces the character Khan. The performance was a word for word show of the teleplay. Totally awesome. Rode our bikes over to Woodlawn Park with our neighbors Dan & Michelle, and picnicked.

The night before we had attended the R. Crumb show at the Portland Art Museum (NO PICTURES!!11!).

Seal Rock

2010-07-30T16:18:00.001-07:00

Lois' Viewing Platform

2010-07-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

The Mission: Raise Lois' swivel rocking chair so she doesn't have to climb the stairs several times a day, and can still enjoy her view. Our simple but elegant and sustainable solution was to build the platform from 3 pallets of the appropriate size and lay down a plywood sheet and screw the pallets to the sheet.

We then used two pallets, of slightly smaller size to make a tiered step. We had materials to build one more tier, but lois tried it out at both levels and decided to go with two. I could tell she liked it by the time we left.

I like that it is portable and can be carried out when not needed. Would make a great travelling band stand.

Wine Bottle Brick Wall

2010-07-23T10:04:00.001-07:00

Margo has been building a Wine bottle wall in the space of the old garage door.

Healthy Bees

2010-07-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

My Bees have returned strong this year. I await the Fall and see if they leave again.

2010 Oregon Country Fair

2010-07-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

2010 OCF

More Like This!!

2010-06-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

From one good move and Boing Boing. Looks like a touchdown to me!

Damn! Bike Stolen!

2010-06-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

Blue Specialized Mountain Bike Black Rack Head Lamp Tail Lamp. Ride to work every day. Nothing Fancy, Good Dependable Ride.

Stolen from my back yard, I hadn't locked up the chickens and knew my bike was unlocked but on the patio. Easy to see my pile of parts bikes through the fence, If I had my shoes on would have caught him.

Suspect: Black Male 6ft Avg build White T shirt Black/Blue jeans. Last seen turning south on NE 9th at Jessup.

Wow! What happens on a day off.

2010-06-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

Man drowns Monday while clam digging near Fort Stevens State Park.

Gotta watch out for those sneaker waves. The clamming was great. We had fried razor clams for breakfast Saturday morning in Astoria. Glad I wasn't at work.

New Job!

2010-05-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

Been trained on a lot of things at work, but mostly will be checking people in at registration, then at the end of my shift touring the loops looking for messes and any problems, driving out to the Peter Iredale (P.I. in the lingo) and Lot D to lock the restrooms, lock the gates at Coffenbury and Battery Russell, et cetera. Rode my bike to work a couple of times, saw big herd of elk. One night locking up the P.I. saw the biggest cow elk! Like a moose.

People I work with are great. Ft Stevens largest campground west of the Mississippi. All sites have power and water, half have water, power, and sewer. Only one loop for tent campers, and one loop for bicycle campers (can use the regular sites anyway). We are booked every weekend through the summer starting next weekend, and many weeks through the middle of the summer are fully booked.

[Took a break for dinner and to get back in uniform so Margo could take a picture.]

Deceased Minke whale beached on Clatsop Spit, was buried before I could see it. Cause of death: alleged ingested plastic bags. Big wind storm this week, very low pressure system, but no problems this time.

Liquified Natural Gas Port and Pipeline

2010-05-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Bradford Landing LNG port and pipeline deal is "suspended". I believe the business term is "sunk costs".

NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc. said Tuesday that it is suspending efforts to develop a liquefied natural gas import terminal on the Columbia River, 25 miles east of Astoria. The announcement ends a six-year effort that consumed as much as $100 million of investors' capital and countless hours of regulatory work while sparking a firestorm of public opposition from property owners and environmentalists. The Houston-based energy development company sent out a one-page news release Tuesday afternoon quoting NorthernStar President Paul Soanes saying extended delays in state and federal permitting and the difficult investment environment "have forced us to suspend development." The company characterized its move as a "suspension" of the project, not a termination. It did not return follow-up calls on Tuesday.

Evolve!

2010-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ten resistant species of weeds in at least 22 states are infesting millions of acres.

But farmers sprayed so much Roundup that weeds quickly evolved to survive it. Read the whole thing here.

Oil Spill

2010-05-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Watched the News Hour, BBC, and DW T.V. last night before bed. All three led with the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. When I worked in the oilfields I was amazed at how degrading the process was to the environment - even when everything went smoothly. One of my better memories is when our service crew arrived at the well just as the driller lost a tool down the hole. Took 'em a day to fish that baby out. Every truck running to keep warm (Wyoming winter). Beautiful sunrise, then horses running on the prairie. I was pointed to Infrastructurist by C&L.

A picture tells the story.

Ruh-Roh!

2010-04-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

Watched the testimony on McNeil Lehrer last night before bed, and was struck by the whole High School Student Council aspect of the elected representatives grilling the 'smart kids'. Both sides of the table were condescending. Sheesh. The Blankfein photo sent me to the imagetubes for a familiar face. Need to darken those eyebrows!

From Valerie MacEwan:

Greenfield dismisses the unflattering analogies that liken Washington to an "elitist men's club; a recklessly run business; and a den of every know public and private vice, including lechery, larceny, pride, sloth, dissembling, and, above all, the lust for acquiring power and wielding it cruelly and carelessly" and chooses instead to compare Washington to high school. Nobody, Greenfield claims, ever gets over high school, a "preeminently nervous place." The basic social codes, those which define the imperatives for acceptance and popularity, consists of strict confines created to assure one's capacity to please and to "be associated with the right people" as well as to "impress and be admired by the vast, undifferentiated rest."

Greenfield justifies her comparison:

Now consider this settlement's profoundly high school nature. It is psychologically fenced off from the larger community within which it makes its home, free--like irresponsible youth--of all but the minimal obligations of citizenship to that community, and absorbed to the exclusion of all else in its own eccentric aims and competitions. And the high-school-like feel political/governmental Washington takes on by virtue of all of this is intensified by certain givens of its existence... One is the only-passing-through nature of so much time spent here...

She goes on, describing the terms "underscoring the fixed period of time for which people in both the legislative and executive branches have been sent to do their jobs," comparing the vacation schedules of Washington to a high-school academic year, and finishes her justification with the ultimate comparison -- freshmen and senior status.

Washington dissects the media, the politician, "the policy dingdongs on the seventh floor" and the social elite.

Multnomah Falls

2010-04-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

Tim Yuan in town for business, we got together for dinner - Thai Noodle a la Brian - then drove out to Multnomah Falls to do something touristy. The Gorge was great, windy, blustery, and rainy by the time we returned to Portland, but lots of bright sunbreaks before the sun set. Welcome to Oregon!

子曰

2010-04-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。

Wow, This Is Cool!

2010-04-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

Shreiking Harpys

2010-04-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

This screen shot from Mock Paper Scissors, sent me to look for these on the imagetubes.

Here is the video from Crooksandliars. I could only listen to a few seconds of the noise.

Sean doesn't look too happy in this picture.

Fort Stevens Job Interview

2010-04-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

Interviewed for Park Ranger position at Ft. Stevens State Park today. Went really well. They'd be silly not to hire me. Then went for a long bike ride on the beach, but found no glass floats. Did find pumice and surpentine. Saw crows, red shaft flicker, juncos, golden eagle, cerlews, gulls, jays, and mosquitos, and heard frogs. Driving back to Astoria, I stopped to get a picture of a heron. Flew away as I snapped the shutter.

Thich Nhat Hanh

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

Let us live [so] that all living beings realize that they are all brothers and sisters, all nourished from the same source of life.

Let us live that [so] that we ourselves cease to be the cause of suffering to ach other.

Let us … live in a way which will not deprive other living beings of air, water, food, shelter, or the chance to live.

With humility, with awareness of the exiatance of life and of suffering that are going on around us, let us live for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.

I edited out the verb ‘pray’, and replaced with ‘live”. boc

Mobbing

2010-03-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

Prince Family

Phoebe Prince, 15, a freshman at South Hadley High School in western Massachusetts, hanged herself in January. Her family had recently moved from Ireland.

When I saw the headline, "Western Mass. Bullying Case Leads to Indictments", I said to myself, "good for them". I had not heard of this investigation. When I clicked through I found to my chagrin that the bullying which led to suicide was at South Hadley High School. I turned to my high school student, who had noticed that I had suddenly started swearing at the computer, and said "this would never happen at M.L.C., but I can sure see it at S.H.H.S." What a depressing story. And the 'other' in this case was a recent immigrant from Ireland of all places! Looking at the names of those indicted, some appear to have been discriminating against their own ethnic group. South Hadley is full of dumb ass in bred former immigrant groups, in bred old yankee farmer types, and also the children of professors and staff at Mt. Holyoke College; the one's that didn't go away to private school that is. For my family it was a bedroom suburb, Stan commuted to Springfield every day. Couldn't wait to get out of that place.

The last time I hazed any one was during Boy Scouts. During one Jamboree, our patrol picked on a fellow scout, who I still remember by name. We went 'zombie' when we crossed a certain line in the woods. Real stupid stuff, used to scare this classmate, as we were all in Junior high school together too. I know I never teased or picked on another person after that weekend (except for siblings, maybe). He wasn't in Scouts much longer, but I always made sure to engage him in conversation in high school when we met.

This subject comes up in the workplace and the cases where I have felt that a worker was picked on, even witnessed in HR meetings, were always the worst. For ten years in labor relations I helped many people when faced with this behavior in the work place to move to another job and documented the behavior so that that a pattern and a paper and email trail existed. No indictments of the school officials or teachers that knew about this abuse, I hope that is coming.

Watched one reporter's standup with S.H.H.S. in the background, the camera would have been in the driveway for the packy across Newton St. from the high school. A couple of the camera shots it looked like some remodeling, and of course more parking. Apparently what is inside is still crappy. I haven't been back to South Hadley since Stan's funeral. I don't miss it a bit.

Spring Camping

2010-03-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

Margo and I drove up to the property yesterday and spent the night. It was cold. It snowed. We were toasty in our camping rig. Also, could have a giant fire as there was no fire danger. Land looked good. No big trees down. Tar paper and insulation ripped off the platform by the winds. Seemed like a good idea at the time!

Roots in a Parched Ground

2010-03-20T23:33:00.000-07:00

Mick starred in the lead role in the M.L.C. production of Horton Foote's (1916-2009) play, part of The Orphans Home Cycle, an eight play series centered on the life of Horace Robedaux.

Here is a link to my photo album:

McKean O'Connell as Horace, Jr.

Mick also played B-ball for M.L.C. this season and passed all his classes with superior portfolio pieces.

Happy Pi Day!

2010-03-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks Skippy! Its also Conor's Birthday and Albert's birthday! Happy Birthday!

Victory!

2010-03-12T22:21:00.000-08:00

I hate it when the rat eats the p-nut butter off the trap and doesn't spring it. Oooh, but that makes me think, its only a matter of time baby! I saw the rat myself last weekend when the sun was shining, and I was enjoying the moment on the patio against the warm wall. The rat was across the patio against the garage wall. It paused then darted through the open door into the garage. Gross. I thought it was a squirrel at first glance. It was huge. We have chickens, we store grain and throw it out on the ground. The rat didn't look worried about its next meal. Verry soon the cat comes around the corner of the garage, but must go around the chicken fence that the rat can squeeze through. Margo brought home a couple of new traps when she went to the grocery store. I baited one with peanut butter. The next day sprung, p-nut butter gone, and spring broken. Grrrr. That's gonna get my Irish up! Second trap gets p-nut butter eaten off it, not sprung, for a couple of days. Margo and Mick see the rat ... Cross The Street! from Paula's to under our truck then through a hole in the fence. Actually, she used the word waddle. I know its the heart of the hood, but a rat that brazen cannot stand. Awoke this morning and when I let the chickens out. Yess!!11!!11 Woohoo! Margo came out to see and said, "I knew it right away!" I think the rat is not in the trap cause the cat played with it. Maybee it shook off the trap in its death fight. Died of a heart attack, when the thing went off? I'd be setting up the webcam if the p-nut butter kept disappearing.

China Bankers

2010-03-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

China unveiled strict new rules Wednesday governing bankers’ pay that are designed to limit risk taking, Reuters reported from Beijing.

Payment of 40 percent or more of an executive’s salary must be delayed for a minimum of three years and could be withheld if the bank performs poorly, the China Banking Regulatory Commission said in a statement on its Web site.

This would ostensibly put China at the forefront of a global movement to use regulation of bankers’ pay as a way to control investment behavior.

Eugene Debs

2010-03-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

Today's random quote at one good move:

Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder.... the working class who fight all the battles, the working class who make the supreme sacrifices, the working class who freely shed their blood and furnish their corpses, have never yet had a voice in either declaring war or making peace. It is the ruling class that invariably does both. They alone declare war and they alone make peace....They are continually talking about their patriotic duty. It is not their but your patriotic duty that they are concerned about. There is a decided difference. Their patriotic duty never takes them to the firing line or chucks them into the trenches.—Eugene V. Debs

Jon Swift

2010-03-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

I didn't start blogging until after I had quit my office job. I knew it would be too tempting to sit and blog all day, doing even less work than when I was just reading other people's stuff 'on break'. I first started reading Jon Swift during the Bush years, and immediately loved his prose. Also, anyone of Irish extraction who is even mildly cynical should love the work of Jonathan Swift. That may have been what caught my eye first, but I stayed for the snark. Always delivered with a smile, I thought. I would like to write that way. When I did start my blog, Jon Swift was on my Blogs I Like To Read list. When the posts stopped coming, I was bummed, but checked regularly to see if Jon Swift had started blogging again, as the last post was ambiguous. Now that I know why( mlfcyw said...), I can go back and visit the archives. And thanks Mom for letting us know.

Close Call

2010-02-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Well the last thing I want see is the headline, "Man Killed While Plugging In Vacuum". Was holding the end of the extension cord in my left hand and was reaching towards it with the vacuum plug in my right hand. Felt like a small fire cracker went off in my hand. I jumped and let go off the cord which was now sparking and jumping around the floor. Jumped over to the outlet I had used and pulled the plug.

Matt Bors Cartoon

2010-02-23T10:29:00.000-08:00

Here.

China Lecture

2010-02-19T23:37:00.000-08:00

My presentation went really well tonite. I could have talked for hours. Just alot of fun and I never tire of looking at my photos of China.

Slide Show & Chalk Talk

2010-02-18T19:36:00.001-08:00

Been Waiting For This!

2010-02-18T16:44:00.000-08:00

Curiously, we need to do our tabs for the Honda. $100. Ouch.

Must Be That Socialist Health Care!

2010-02-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

Here's the story.

Bertrand Russell

2010-02-11T22:33:00.001-08:00

Christian dogma just not logical.

Final Score. Saints, 31-17!

2010-02-08T08:09:00.001-08:00

Called that one.

Super Bowl

2010-02-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Saints, 30-28.

Lies in the Wall Street Journal

2010-01-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

"What was really protected was the $83,402 a year average in pay and benefits to Oregon state workers, 30% higher than what private workers receive."

The above quote from the WSJ article is a Lie.

Oregon's state and local government workers had average earnings much closer to those of private-sector workers (about $41,300 and $40,600, respectively). Read the truth here.

Next time your house catches on fire, give me call and I'll see if I can help...Oh wait that is what we collectively pay for. Socialism rears its ugly head. Next time some one breaks into your house, give me a call...Oh wait that's what the police are for. Next time your kid needs an education... you get the idea. You should know that Oregon's two largest private sector employers, Intel (computer hardware) and Fred Meyer (grocer and dry goods) respect and need a well educated workforce. They did not join Phil Knight (Nike makes no products in Oregon) and Tim Boyle (Columbia Sportswear makes no products in Oregon) in fighting this bill.

The article also fails to mention the fact that Oregon has no sales tax, and limited property tax assessments to 3% a year (here).

Let's say that Nike and Columbia Sportswear were paying the $10 (ha, ha) alternative minimum tax, set in 1931. Raising the rate from $10 to $150 isn't going to break these corporations, no matter the squealing from Tim Boyle, Phil Knight, and their media lackeys at the Oregonian.

Analysis of the latest data showed that 63 percent of all corporations operating in the state paid only $10 in income tax. The 5,156 profitable corporations comprised about one-quarter of all the corporations that paid the $10 minimum. 136 corporations paid 52 percent of all Oregon corporate income taxes in 2006. “If I were the CEO of one of those 136 corporations carrying half the load, I’d want to know which large, profitable corporations are getting away with paying just $10" (OCPP policy analyst Michael Leachman).

One indication of the magnitude of the loophole and overseas tax haven problems comes from the Multistate Tax Commission, which estimated that corporate tax avoidance schemes cost Oregon roughly $80 million in revenue a year (2001 data).

Full disclosure: I worked at Portland State University for ten years, and am now self employed, spouse is a special education teacher in Portland Public Schools. Previously, we were both small business owners, Printing Press and Massage Therapy respectively. We own house and rental in Oregon and timber property Washington. We both graduated from Public Universities. If we got anywhere near the "average" in the WSJ article, we would already be retired.

Photo credit: The Oregonian

I was nervous but...

2010-01-26T22:56:00.000-08:00

Oregon voters agree with legislature, pass ballot measures. This revenue had been put in the budget and was only referred to the voters by the business lobby. But the high tech companies took no position, they seem to have strange need for a well educated workforce, something that is missed by Nike, Safeway, Columbia Sportswear.

English Lesson

2010-01-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

Just heard from a fellow student of mine from JiDa. A Korean, she was in Changchun studying English and I was there studying Chinese. She lived on my floor and I tutored her in colloquial English.

But here's the skinny:

2010-01-20T08:02:00.000-08:00

There has never once been a marginalized group that has won recognition and rights by sitting back and waiting politely for it to happen. There has never once been a marginalized group that has won recognition and rights by doing anything other than speaking out, organizing, making itself visible and vocal. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

So you'll have to forgive us if we take the accusations of our offensive, dogmatic, in-your-face extremism with something of a grain of salt. You'll have to forgive us if we listen to the concerned advice from believers about how our confrontational tactics are alienating people and we need to dial it back...and respond by giving it the horse laugh, and continuing to do what we've so successfullybeen doing. You'll have to forgive us if we treat the attempts to quiet us down as attempts to shut us up.

Read the whole thing here.

Tian Xia Wu Zei

2010-01-15T21:32:00.000-08:00

Chinese Movie night at the Confucius Institute. No Thieves Under Heaven. Great film, had me laughing all the way thru. Glad I didn't see this before my train ride in China. I'd have been alot more nervous about thieves! The country bumpkin doesn't believe in thieves, and hollers out at the train station, "Are there any thieves here?" So of course the train is full of lone pickpockets, a couple working in tandem, a gang of thieves, armed robbers, and the police. The bumpkin, named Root, a Chinese language pun on the word stupid (ben), has his money stolen several times, saved by the good hearted thieves, by the police, back-and-forth. Hen Hao!

Fenway!

2010-01-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

Cool! Turned on the T.V. and caught the last 10 minutes of this game. Sweet. Haven't watched much hockey lately, but Fenway looked great.

photo nyt.

Raccoons!

2010-01-01T15:27:00.000-08:00

Lost a chicken last night. My own fault, as when we came in last night from visiting Amy & Brian's new baby Cedar, it was pouring and I was starving, and went right inside instead of putting the chickens in their box. Margo heard skwawking at three in morning and went out to chase off the raccoon with a stick. The raccoon let go of the one hen which Margo captured and put in the pen, one missing, and one headless chicken still guarded by the raccoon when Margo came back to investigate. It looked so cute. And sheepish, "I didn't want to kill your chicken."

Then today I was talking on the phone to Annie and I saw Blackie run across the road and behind the neighbors house. We soon had her herded back into the yard.

Snow In Portland

2009-12-29T19:58:00.000-08:00

Snowed heavy today on the commute home. I passed alot of cars that were going to be sitting in traffic for a long time. It was supposed to rain after a little snow, but alot fell. I ride a mountain bike to work, knobby tires, and had no problem coming home. Of course, I grew up in Masssachusetts, so know how to drive in the snow. I had several cars spinning the wheels and sliding sideways in front of me. Scary. Was yelled at to stay in the bike lane. Buddy, I was in the bike lane, you couldn't see the lines because they were under the snow. That lady I drove around...She was in the bike lane. Later, in front of the police station! a guy blew a stop sign right in front of me. I rode up to him at the next intersection and told him that I saw him run that stop sign. He just stared through the window at me. My bike seat came apart on me and damn near goosed me, but I made it home safely. Still snowing!

My Auntie Nora

2009-12-24T22:18:00.000-08:00

Nora Burke 1915 - 2009 HOLYOKE - Mrs. Nora (Lavelle) Burke, 93, formerly of 582 Pleasant Street, died at Mt. St. Vincent Care Center, Wednesday, December 23, 2009. She is the widow of John P. Burke (1990). Born in Mullaghroe, Belmullet, Co. Mayo, Ireland, December 29, 1915, she was the daughter of the late John and Ann (Barrett) Lavelle. Nora was educated in Ireland and she and John immigrated to Holyoke with their four children in 1950 where they resided for the rest of their years. Nora loved lively family gatherings, filled with music and laughter. Nora leaves two sons, Sean and his wife Rita of Amherst, Desmond of Holyoke, two daughters, Ann Lowe of Holyoke and Mary Hallahan and her husband Philip of Longmeadow. She also leaves her sister Annie Keane of Clogher, Belmullet, Ireland, sisters-in-law Sadie Sheridan of Belmullet, Delia Lavelle of England, and Mary Lavelle of Mullaghroe. Nora was predeceased by siblings Patrick, Anthony, and Bridget Rowan, of Ireland, Peter and Michael of England, and John, Mary Cadigan, and Catherine Geeleher of Holyoke. She was also predeceased by son-in-law Richard Lowe and daughter-in-law Shirley Burke of Holyoke. She leaves ten cherished grandchildren, Kelly Lowe O'Sullivan, Heather Lowe, Desmond, Erin and Anna Burke, Nick O'Connor, Jake Pawlowski, Conor Burke and Jennifer and Philip Hallahan. She leaves five great grandchildren with a sixth due in January. Nora also leaves many nieces, nephews and cousins both here and in Ireland. Nora's family wishes to extend thanks to the Mt. St. Vincent Care Center, especially the second floor staff, for their loving and compassionate care of their mother and grandmother. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mt. St. Vincent Resident Council Fund, 35 Holy Family Road, Holyoke, MA 01040, or Holy Cross Church, 23 Sycamore Street, Holyoke, MA 01040. The funeral will be Monday, December 28 from the James P. Hobert and Sons Funeral Home, 250 Suffolk Street, Holyoke, MA 01040, with mass at Holy Cross Church at 10am. Burial will follow at St. Jerome's Cemetery. Calling hours will be 2-6 pm Sunday, December 27.

Korean Food

2009-12-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

Dinner at my favorite Korean Restaurant in Changchun, Yi Song Ting, One Lone Pine.

Roast Pork and Onions, Garlic, Green Peppers, Miso, Kim Chee, Lettuce, Spicy Daikon, Pickled Diakon, Potatoe Pancakes.

Not my Rep. but I like this

2009-12-11T19:36:00.000-08:00

Subcommittee Chairman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)

"What they won't tell you is unlike everybody in this room who has to go and take out an insurance policy to drive a car, they want Wall Street and Goldman Sachs to be able to drive our economy into the ground without paying a cent of insurance in case they act recklessly. And all we're saying as Democrats is: 'It's simple. If you wanna do business in America and you threaten the economic stability of our country, then you gotta pay into an insurance fund.' But lemme tell you. It's not the kind of insurance fund where you get into an accident and they take your car and they fix it and they kind of give it back to you new. No no. In our insurance fund, you know what happens? We chop up your car into pieces and sell it and then we pay back the fund with the pieces. That's our fund. Read the bill. It's a funeral fund. You guys love to talk about the death and death and death when it came to health care. Why don't you talk about our death panels now?"

Isaac Asimov

2009-12-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

Great Essay, link from pharyngula.

Human Nature

2009-12-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

"Indeed, it is in our biological nature, not our political institutions, that we should put our trust, our empathy is innate and cannot be changed or long suppressed. In fact, I’d argue that biology constitutes our greatest hope. One can only shudder at the thought that the humaneness of our societies would depend on the whims of politics, culture or religion.”

Frans de Waal in another book published in October, “The Age of Empathy.” Dr. de Waal, a primatologist, has long studied the cooperative side of primate behavior and believes that aggression, which he has also studied, is often overrated as a human motivation.

“We’re preprogrammed to reach out,” Dr. de Waal writes. “Empathy is an automated response over which we have limited control.” The only people emotionally immune to another’s situation, he notes, are psychopaths.

(from nytimes)

Back from China

2009-11-25T17:17:00.001-08:00

The Bees

2009-08-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

The Bees were very active during the heat wave, and then calmed down so that Margo was worried about the hive. We opened it up and they looked great healthy and happy plenty of honey and grubs. Picture from the day it 100 degrees in the shade.

The Chickens

2009-08-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

Margo's chickens would roost on the fence all night if we didn't put them in the coop. The racoons have been checking our yard regularly.

Mark Morford

2009-08-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

...a drug free world is like an adultery free Republican Party...

Puget Sound

2009-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Was up on Puget Sound this weekend, for a memorial Service for Auntie Helen. Spent the night at Randall & Cathy's and went crabbing.

Cabin Prject

2009-08-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Have the sub-floor down and covered with tar paper.

Today's Bike Ride

2009-08-13T18:47:00.001-07:00

Why I Love Sadly, No

2009-08-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

This is the country whose president challenged us to play golf on the goddamn moon. And we did it! Did the Japanese play golf on the moon? Don’t make me fucking laugh. And now snivelling pussies like Sean Hannity are just ready to roll over and concede that those same Japanese have almost FIVE FUCKING YEARS more piss-and-vinegar in them than Americans? Alan Shepard would beat Sean Hannity down with a fucking 7-iron if he were alive today. In a full spacesuit. Audie Murphy would take one look at that quivering little sissy and Hannity would be shitting himself out of Rush Limbaugh’s asshole. Fucking Liberace got more legitimate pussy than Hannity, Limbaugh, O’Reilly and Beck combined.

But I digress.

The Cat

2009-08-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

The Cat loves to sleep in this position.

More Cabin Work

2009-08-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

Worked on the cabin with the generator running. Two more posts up, and insulated the floor. Beautiful weather up the Gorge. Slept under the stars of course. Left the platform covered with tar paper for the winter if we don't get up for another work day. Next is the rafters.

Thanx Skippy!

2009-08-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

Earthquake news from Baja. We're chillin' now in Portland...dropped down to 93 degrees today.

All Friends Camp Out

2009-08-02T23:49:00.000-07:00

All Friends Campout returned to Bagby Hot Springs for the 21st Annual.

Jilin Daxue

2009-07-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

Rec'd my Original documents- Admit Letter and JW-202 Visa Form. The University had my address wrong and the first letter was returned. When I called Jilin and spoke to my contact person Li Dan, she told me it was sent UPS. Today they arrived and I can now send my passport, application, originals, and copies to the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. Actually my travel agent is doing it.

Cabin Project

2009-07-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

Margo and I went up to the land this weekend to work on our cabin. Very hot in the valley, 100's; yet beautiful at our elevation. Still had to stay in the shade to be comfortable. Very nice as soon as the sun went down, and sleeping under the stars was perfect. Got the floor joists up, next is the deck and rafters.

Brian and Amy came to spend a night and get out of the city heat. However, back in Portland now, 100 degree heat wave for the next three days. We are giong to camp at Bagby next weekend.

Oneonta Gorge

2009-07-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

Today Margo and I stopped at Oneonta Gorge while retutning from Our property.

Oregon Country Fair

2009-07-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Fair, until the rains came. Then it was Mud City. Could not drive my truck and trailer into the Eight, so will have to go down again to pick up our camp kitchen.

Good News...Bad News

2009-07-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

From archy: Religion in the States

The US constitution makes no mention of God in its preamble. Forty-five state constitutions invoke God, or some euphemism for God's name, in their preamble. Only Oregon and Tennessee have constitutions that do not mention God in some form in their preambles.

In Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas, atheists are specifically forbidden to hold public office. In those states, freedom of religion really does not include freedom from religion.

Zhong Guo

2009-07-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

Have heard from the Confucius Institute that my scholarship was approved and my materials forwarded to Jilin Daxue, which was my first choice. Jilin Province is directly across the Pacific from Oregon. Geopolitically important crossroads of Far East Russia, China, Korea. The grant will pay for a month study of language and culture. I am so excited, fulfills a life long goal. While there I will certainly look for work.

Margo's Croning

2009-06-29T00:51:00.000-07:00

Had Family and Friends over for Margo's Croning Ceremony. This is a family tradition. Last year mine was comingled with our 20th wedding anniversary. This year we remembered to have a cake for Mickey's birthday, but had to use #8 again, it has served well through several of our birthdays. What a great party. Margo is well loved.

Lamb Roast

2009-06-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

We travel to Port Townsend, Washington to Visit Eva and Jonathan for Solstice and Boom Fest and B-day Party for Josh.

Zoo Concert

2009-06-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

We attend the Femi Kuti and Positive Force show at the Oregon Zoo. Got to see the baby elephant, but aparently didn't take a picture of that, Rode Max to the Zoo from NE Portland.

W.M.D. destroyed

2009-06-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Against Weapons of Mass Destruction? Thank an Oregonian. Story.

Oregon Senator Merkley

2009-06-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

Also from Crooks and Liars. Jeff Merkley on Health Care.

C & L sent me here

2009-06-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

His Vorpal Sword. Here.

Publinks Scorecard

2009-06-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

12th Oregon Public Links

Sandpines Golf Links Florence Oregon

Par 72 Black Tees 6887 Yards

Par 4-4-5-43-3-4-5-3-4 36 4-3-5-4-4-4-4-3-5 36 72

1st rnd 6-5-5-6-4-6-6-3-5 46 5-3-6-4-5-5-4-3-5 40 86

2nd rnd 5-5-5-4-7-5-6-3-5 45 4-3-8-6-4-6-4-4-5 44 89

ringer 5-5-5-4-4-5-6-3-5 42 4-3-6-4-4-5-4-3-5 38 80

Public Links State Championship

2009-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Played in the Oregon Golf Association Public Links Championship this past weekend at Sandpines Golf Links in Florance Oregon. Drove down Friday for a practice round, really windy and cold, just like in April the first time I played the course, shot 85. In the championship I shot 86 first round, and 89 final round. My first tee ball took a big hop left sideways into the salal, lost ball, a 6 on my first hole. Called a two stroke penalty on myself on 12th hole the second day for taking an improper drop. My nearest relief was in the fairway, and I stupidly dropped in the rough, slightly further away. The rule is "nearest relief through the green", and there is no difference between rough and fairway, both are through the green. One other bad hole, I topped my drive right into a pond, then butchered the second ball into a very deep bunker, got out nicely, tough pitch to the green, great putt, just missed, 7. The hole I took the penalty strokes, I had casual water twice, and had to hit off the concrete cart path, because my relief in that case was in the shrubbery. Almost got up and down from the cart path, for a great 7, tapped in for 8.

All my bad shots were just completely horrible, topped shots, pushed drives. At least I putted well. That putting lesson from Jackie Burke last week helped. Only one three putt in 72 holes and I should have chipped that one I was so far from the hole. Missed every birdie putt, but always around the hole, lots of tap in pars and great save putts. Really I drove the ball terrible, it could of been worse. Finished T47. Wrap-up.

Jackie Burke

2009-06-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Jackie Burke, 1958 Masters and PGA Champion in the Muirfield Village

clubhouse, thoughts on Putting:

“You roll it with your hand first in your mind and then you pick up a stick and do the same thing with your hand.

“Anything that will make your mind think about a roll, not a hit. You can’t time a hit, but you can time rolling a ball. You’ll not rush it. You putt the break line, never a cup. Try to get the ball on the line.”

Golf with Brian Q

2009-05-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Played Golf with Brian Q today at Glendoveer. Another one of those almost great rounds. Didn't warm up, played behind unready golfers for the front nine, so hard to get my rhythm. Missed several 3-4 footers. The greens in Portland have sped up considerable with the hot weather. I've been trying to get those short putts to fall in hole gently, but I think I need to be more on line for the really short ones. Shot 86 and gave away 6 shots on the greens alone. A 7 on # 6 (triple bogey) and a 6 on #15 & 17 (double bogies) were my only bad holes. Nice string in the middle #8-9-10-11-12, one under par. Hit the fairway and the green on every hole that stretch. More like that. Gave Brian Q a stroke a hole, he played the white tees, I played the blue.

Glendoveer Golf Course West Par 71 Blue Tees 5733

White Tees 5427

Par 4-4-4-3-4-4-4-4-5 36 4-4-3-4-4-5-4-4-3 35 71

Brian O'C 5-5-5-4-5-7-5-4-4 44 4-4-3-5-5-6-5-6-4 42 86

Brian Q 5-7-5-8-8-6-8-5-5 57 6-5-6-8-6-8-6-6-4 55 112

NET 4-6-4-7-7-5-7-4-4 48 5-4-5-7-5-7-5-5-3 46 94

Next time I'll give Brian a few more strokes.

SCOTUS

2009-05-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

"the sixth person on the current nine-member panel with a Roman Catholic background." nytimes

Another Roman Catholic on the Supreme Court.

From Wikipedia:

Roman Catholic (23.9%)
no religion (16.1%)

When is my identity group going to have representation on the Court? If 23% of U.S. citizens are R.C. why is 66% of the Supreme Court Catholic?

Death with Dignity

2009-05-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

Linda Fleming, 66, of Sequim, Wash., died Thursday evening after taking lethal medication prescribed by a doctor under the law, according to a news release by the group, Compassion and Choices of Washington. The release said Ms. Fleming received a diagnosis of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer a month ago, and “she was told she was actively dying.”

Ms. Fleming was quoted in the release as saying: “I am a very spiritual person, and it was very important to me to be conscious, clear-minded and alert at the time of my death. The powerful pain medications were making it difficult to maintain the state of mind I wanted to have at my death.”

Thanks Linda, and If you have one Godspeed. We have many freinds and reletives in Sequim, a very progressive corner of Washington. Peace & Love.

Today's Mood: In Love

2009-05-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Skippy sent me to Bulgarian Idol. I'll have this song in my head the rest of the day, hopefully not in Engrish.

Harry Nilsson Without You
Uploaded by paradixman

Ellsbury Again

2009-05-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Jacoby Ellsbury led off the first with a double, extending his hitting streak to 16 games. He took third on Dustin Pedroia's groundout and scored on another groundout by David Ortiz. Game Summery.

Mighty Bosox

2009-05-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

The game's first ball put in play sent Ellsbury drifting back, and he snagged it. The second ball put in play forced Ellsbury to turn, sprint, and snare the ball just before running into the wall. The start was fitting. Ellsbury recorded nine of Penny's first 13 outs, and 10 of 17 overall. By the end of the game - which Ellsbury finished with a catch - he had 12 putouts, tying a major league record. Also D. Ortiz homers, fans go crazy.

Jacoby Ellsbury, carrying on that Oregon Bosox connection.

The Dead

2009-05-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

Drove up the Gorge to the concert in George, Washington. Beautiful, sunny weather the whole way, drove right to the campground. Parked the truck and walked around to look for Amy and Brian Q. Found them! And someone had moved and there was a spot open right next to them! Drove the truck around, set up camp, and was happy. Saw Dan and Michelle on the way in, but they had to return to their car, and we looked but did not connect inside. Hot, Hot, Hot, for the Doobies and the Allmans, starting to cool down in the evening when the Dead came out. They played several songs I had never heard before live. Days Between I don't think I had ever heard before on tape, by anyone. Brian Q. also did not know this song, our neighbors said Van Morrison, I need to look it up. Phil was awesome on Tom Thumbs Blues! They played Women Are Smarter! I have only heard this once before, on Margo and Brian O'C's first date. I've been waiting twenty years to hear them play this song again. Hell In A Bucket cooked. Althea was great, another song I haven't heard for fifteen years. The drum solo>space was the best I have heard in years. Closed the show with Box Of Rain, one of my favorites.

(Set 1) The Music Never Stopped Loose Lucy Crazy Fingers Dark Star Dire Wolf Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues Into The Mystic Man Smart (Woman Smarter)

(Set 2) Passenger Hell in a Bucket Althea Eyes Of The World Drums Space Days Between Dark Star One More Saturday Night

(Encore) Box Of Rain

Car Free Living

2009-05-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

NYTimes article on a car free suburban development in Germany.

Pluto will always be a planet!

2009-05-11T09:05:00.001-07:00

Obit on the little girl who named the planet Pluto in 1930, Venetia Phair. "In the year 4,000 A.D., when Pluto is hollowed out and millions of people are living inside,” he said, “the name of Venetia Burney may be the only thing that Great Britain is remembered for".