Travels in the U.S.

Over the past 6 months I've done quite a bit of traveling (and teaching) throughout the United States. Whenever possible I try do do a bit of sight-seeing between working and I thought I'd share some of the photos I've taken. It's a bit of a big post, but I wanted to share some of the beautiful places I saw with you.

This first photo was taken on my drive back home from Charleston, SC (I've posted some of those photos here). This is the Angel Oak Tree on Johns Island, SC. There are many stories about this tree and, unfortunately, most of them are false. The tree is a live oak and is around 150 years old. However, it is a beautiful place. I got there during a huge downpour and had to wait in the gift shop for a while. There I met a very talented lady who creates sweet grass baskets.
This next photo was taken while I was up in Maryland doing yet another training class. We finished early one Friday and I drove up to Baltimore to visit Ft. McHenry. As my luck generally goes it was overcast and windy but that didn't stop me from talking a walk around the perimeter of the park. In case your history is a bit rusty, this is the location that is the birthplace of our national anthem.

After my classes were over in Maryland I took some time to visit with family and see some sights in Virginia. I was very luck to have an opportunity to see the original Herrmann's Royal Lipizzan stallions give a performance near Winchester.
I also took a drive to the Luray Caverns. The wonderful thing about visiting here is that you aren't stuck in a tour group which flies through everything. Instead they give you a digital player and headsets and let you take your time. Of course that meant that I took over 600 photos of the place during my 2 hours walking through it. This size of the caverns is staggering. The only way to appreciate how big the formations are is to see them with someone standing next to them. Absolutely amazing.
After I left the caverns I then went up to the Shenandoah National Park and drove along Skyline Drive. There are many overlooks that you can stop at, some with trails and all well marked. My usual luck held here and, again, it was overcast and very cold (for me). I didn't get to stay as long as I wanted to because a storm was moving in, but you can see some of the early fall colors starting to show in this photo.
My next classes were in Albuquerque, NM. The altitude is high and the humidity is very low; it is a desert area of mostly browns. I got a rental car one Saturday and drove up to the top of the Sandia Mountains. The crest is at 10,678 feet. Where I'm from the altitude is less than 100 feet, so I was feeling just a little light-headed when I took this photo looking back down at Albuquerque. It was clear, very cold (just above freezing), and had recently snowed. Needless to say I didn't linger here as even my camera was suffering from the cold (battery life was measured in minutes).
The following weekend I got another rental car and traveled west from Albuquerque to visit the Petroglyph National Monument. You have a choice of two main areas and I took the one that everyone said was safer (less chance of my car being broken into), the Boca Negra Canyon set of trails. It took me a while to cover the four trails and Mesa Point was my favorite. This photo was taken along the Cliff Base Trail. The lava flows and glyph carvings were magnificent. There is even a nice picnic area where I had my lunch.
My last stop in Albuquerque was at the Rio Grande Nature Center. There are extensive trails where you can walk down to the Rio Grande river. The Paseo del Bosque Recreation Trail runs alongside the park where you can ride a bike, jog, or just walk and enjoy the scenery and cottonwoods. The photo below was taken along the Bosque Loop trail looking west across the Rio Grande.So, can you see why I try to make sure I spend some time playing tourist when I have to travel? There are still so many interesting places to visit!

A Trip to Charleston, South Carolina

I've been up in Charleston, SC for the past week (mostly working) and got to do some tourist type travel this past weekend. I thought I'd share some of my photos with you of this lovely, historic town.

This first picture is of the Joseph Manigault house that was built in 1802. I took a tour of the interior, but since they don't allow flash photography (and I didn't have my tripod with me) I'm not too happy with the way the pics came out. If you get a chance and you love old homes you need to take the tour!This is another shot of the same home. This side of the house can be seen from Meeting Street.
On the weekend there is a fabulous farmer's market full of great food, fruits, vegetables, art work, live music, and many interesting things to see. You just never know what you'll find at one. I satisfied one of my cravings by getting some boiled peanuts. Yum Yum!
Charleston is full of many interesting (and narrow!) side streets.
The Yorktown is docked here and you can take a tour. I'm planning on doing that on my next trip here.
You can see the Yorktown from the Waterfront park. An afternoon rain storm moved in while I was there, but there are places where you can go to get out of the rain. I just love the way the clouds look in this shot.
This is the Arthur Ravenel Bridge. I took this from the Mount Pleasant side.
There is much more to see in Charleston. I'm planning on coming back in a couple of weeks and will try and post some more photos.

An Open Letter to NASA

A message to the NASA Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee:

As a child I was fascinated by the space program. I wanted to become an astronaut and took all the math and science classes that I could in preparation to becoming an astronaut; I even started flying lessons at 13.

Unfortunately my future was taken away from me as launches were cut and almost everyone (except me apparently) seemed to lose interest in the promise of space. Oh sure, there was Star Trek but, for me, it only made the longing worse.

It’s too late for me, but not for the youth of today. There are so many reasons why we need to, no MUST, go back to space (and not just earth orbit) – survival of the human species is one big one (big rocks DO fall from the sky).

We need a truly functional space station, bases on the Moon, humans on Mars, and we need to be exploring the asteroid belt for the valuable resources it holds. We need to be planning a colony on Ganymede or Callisto, exploring the life that most likely exists on Europa. We need to be researching how to get beyond our solar system and out to the stars.

Just like man explored the surface of this planet and made great voyages over land and sea, it is time for us to begin our next big exploration. Our future depends upon it.

So, that's my letter. Follow the link at the top of this post if you would like to express your opinion directly to NASA. You can also attend one of the meetings in person. Here's the info I got from The Planetary Society:

"Next week, the committee is holding three meetings where the public is invited to propose their ideas and to make comments. The meetings are scheduled for three U.S. areas where the space program contributes mightily to the local economies:"

HOUSTON, TEXAS
Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center, Crystal Ballroom Salon A & B, 2500 South Shore Blvd., League City, TX 77573, 800-442-5005.

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA
Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Davidson Center for Space Exploration, The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base, Huntsville, AL 35805, 256-837- 3400.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA
Thursday, July 30, 2009, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, Grand Ballroom, 1550 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931, 321-799-0003.

Spring Cruise Photos

Earlier this year I went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean. I thought I'd share a few of my photos from that trip. This first one is the sunset from one of the lower decks of the ship. It's blurred, but I love the feeling of movement over the water.This next photo is from our first excursion in Mexico (no flu here!). We went to a cave that the Maya used. You could swim here or explore further into the cave system.
What trip to the Caribbean would be complete without a trip to the beach. This one is on the Caribbean side of Mexico.
From Mexico we then went on to Belize and toured Altun Ha. The adventurous could climb up to the top of this temple. Take it easy if you do, the steps are very old and very uneven -- but the view from the top is worth it.
We then took a ride down the River Wallace. It was very overcast, but I really enjoyed seeing all the wildlife along the river.
Unfortunately, all good vacations must come to an end. This photo is my favorite sunset picture from the trip.

Some Magnificent Birds

These are such magnificent birds -- I just wanted to share these photos that I took recently.

Hope to be back and posting articles again soon.

A Journey by Air

There is nothing like taking a trip by plane to make one feel relaxed, happy, and comfortable. While that may be true for the CEO’s and other higher ups of the world the rest of us are stuck with what I like to call “sardine class.”

Here are some of the many joys and opportunities that await the average traveler:

• Depending upon the airport that you are flying from and the time of day you will need to get to the airport at least 1 1/2 to 3 hours before your flight departs. This is so you have enough time to negotiate the many lines you will have to stand in: checking in, checking baggage, getting the baggage to security, going through security, and getting some bottled something to drink on the plane.
• Unless you want to pay a bundle for your baggage you have to carry as little as possible. I didn’t realize how quickly I could get over the 50 pound weight limit. However, after I weighed my luggage bag I discovered my problem -- empty it weighs almost 20 pounds! A note to the wise: check out how much the luggage weighs before you purchase it. I had to replace all my pre 9-11 stuff.
• Unless you are a small child or an anorexic person do not expect to sit in a seat that is big enough for you. Window seats are good for short flights, but not so good when you need to use the restroom -- especially if you don’t know the other people in your isle. Isle seats are great for getting up when you want, but the under seat storage is always the smallest of all the seats on the row. Avoid the middle seat at all costs unless you are traveling with small friends. I call it the “dreaded middle seat.” Oh, if you are sitting on the isle be sure to keep your head low and your shoulder well inside the seat when the plane is loading and people are passing. If not, expect to get bruised and battered by everyone who passes by.
• As I [try] to write this the guy in the seat in front of me has his seat leaned back to what is, to him, a very comfortable position. Unfortunately I feel like his head is in my lap and my tray table is totally useless. I’m having to write this by hand as there is absolutely no way I could get my computer out and use it.
• Plan ahead! I pack food and purchase water and other beverages BEFORE getting on the plane. Most airlines charge for EVERYTHING now. The flight I’m on now even charges for water and coffee. They want $7 for “breakfast” and $5 for a “snack”. Of course, if I had doubled the cost of my ticket I could have flown first class and gotten free beverages and even a free snack (oh boy!). Heck, I probably wouldn't have this crick in my neck from trying to write this either! Food ideas: cereal in a bag - just bring a spoon and purchase milk in the secure area, sandwiches - be sure to get the little packets for the condiments that you want to use (security will consider them a liquid or jell) and then add them after you gotten through security.
• Speaking of security: be very, very nice to these people because they can make your life very, very miserable. A word to the wise: if you get pulled aside for one of those extra security pat-downs do EVERYTHING they tell you and don’t move unless they tell you (especially when they have you standing in the spread-eagle position!).
• Watch out for air pressure changes when you are up in the plane. I had a nice liquid ink pen that I’ve carried for years. I pulled it out in anticipation of using it to write this since I have so little room to work. Unfortunately the cap was keeping the pressure in the pen. When I removed the cap and the air pressure dropped the ink exploded out of the pen. Oh well, I didn’t like this sweater top I’m wearing anyway. A word to the wise: liquid ink highlighter pens have the same problem as well as full bottles of hand cleaner or hand lotion.

Well, that’s enough for this installment. Perhaps my return flight at the end of the week will inspire a second edition.

Happy travels!

Critical Thinking vs. Gullible Sheep

With the election of our new President, America will be under the leadership of a child of the TV generation. The generation that grew up without electronic babysitters is fading away. What got me to thinking about all of this was an article that I read on FactCheck called “Our Disinformed Electorate.”

Since MTV hit the airwaves the popularity of fast action and the sound bite has only continued to grow -- not that there is anything wrong with either one of those things. However, the number of people who are willing or able to sit and read a newspaper, and I’m not talking about skimming the headlines and taking a quick look at a story or two, grows smaller and smaller. Talk show hosts tell people what to think and how to act. Chain e-mails and their often totally fictitious content are believed as if gospel.

The art of critical thinking, of being able to look at a story and determine if it is true, a little off, or totally wrong would appear to be on the decline. Without that crucial ability I worry that today’s and future generations will devolve into nothing more than gullible sheep that blindly follow whoever is the most popular at the moment.

When I was in school (and I’m a child of the TV generation too) we had Debate Clubs. These were people who loved to discuss a topic from all sides and would meet with Debate Clubs from other schools in a contest to see which group was better at debating a subject. Do they even have these anymore? If they do, I doubt that many of their peers would be willing or even interested in sitting through a lengthy debate.

Humanity has achieved a great many things by the power of critical thinking. I hope we aren’t starting to devolve into nothing more than gullible sheep. There is an old saying about 'stopping to smell the roses.' Maybe it's time to stop, look, and think.

Unrealistic Expectations

The inauguration of America’s first African-American President will soon be upon us. No one can argue that this is a historic event in our country’s history. Who knows? Some day we may even elect a woman as President.

I’m not here to talk about gender or race though. What I do want to discuss is the unbelievably vast amount of things that many people are expecting President-Elect Obama to be able to accomplish when he gets in to office. I fear that there are going to be a great many disappointed people when they discover that our new President will not be able to wave a magic wand and make everything that they want instantly appear.

Our country is in the midst of an economic and social crisis. The official types have finally admitted that we’ve been in a recession for almost a year. Will we continue to fall and wind up in a depression? The rate of job losses and home foreclosures shows no sign of slowing. At this rate we stand a good chance of falling into a depression.

With a massive national dept, several wars, job losses, and all the other problems facing us our soon to be inaugurated President is going to have his hands full.

History is an excellent teacher. Let’s take a look back to see what happened to other President’s faced with national crises during office:

• Franklin D. Roosevelt took office during the Great Depression when unemployment stood around 25%. I find it interesting that he blamed the depression on bankers and financiers, the quest for profit, and the self-interest basis of capitalism, a situation very similar to the one we are in now. While he was able to pass much legislation during his first 100 days in office, there were many who opposed him. This opposition followed him into his second term where he was unable to pass much legislation through Congress. Roosevelt was elected to a historic 4 terms in office, but what really brought this country back to its feet was World War II. Personally, I don’t think we need any more wars.
• Jimmy Carter had his share of economic problems while he served in office. When he took office in 1977 America was suffering rising economic inflation and an energy crisis. He accomplished a great deal of good while he was in office: creation of the Departments of Energy and Education, establishment of a national energy policy, the famous Camp David accord, and the establishment of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. However, he had many problems with Congress and was unable to get much of the legislation that he wanted passed by Congress. Very few people think of him as a good president.

So, what does this say for our next President? We need to be realistic about what he will be able to accomplish. Cities, counties, states, and even the Federal Government are getting fewer tax revenues to use to pay for all the services and support that the people need. With little funds to draw upon, there is only so much that anyone can do. We’re in a big mess. We did not get here overnight. We will not get out of this mess overnight either.

I’m not the only one thinking this way either. Check out this political cartoon by Chris Jurek. It was selected as one of the top 10 political cartoons by Time magazine.

Average American Bailout

Are you an average American like me? Then you too can all forget about getting anything from the bailouts that our elected officials are handing out to wealthy business executives.

While the fortunate ones are treating themselves to spa visits and bonus checks (just because they change the name doesn’t change what it is), I’ve been digging down under the cushions in the couch looking for fallen change. The $29.50 that I managed to dig up has to cover all my expenses for a while. Good thing ramen noodles are 10 packages for $1!

No, I’m not trying to sound like “woe is me”, I’m lucky in that I still have my house. There are many, many more people in worse shape than me. I may only be working part-time but I know lots of people who don’t even have a job. I see people standing on street corners who don’t even have a home.

It would be nice if the government would hand out some of those $700 billion dollars to us average Americans. Unfortunately, I don’t think that is going to happen. After all, the only way to get anything is to already have lots of money to begin with. If you can’t “donate” lots of money to a politician you’re not going to get anything from that politician other than a form e-mail/letter that basically says nothing.

The only one who is going to save the average American is the average American. We’ve got to take care of each other because we’re all we’ve got. Looking for an example: check out this story I saw on CNN about a local, retired, businessman who has bought back his old store rather than see his former employees turned out into the street. Because of his actions there are 17 people who get to keep their jobs.

From lots of single snowflakes an avalanche is formed. Even if you can only do a little to help someone (and helping yourself counts too), it is one more snowflake to add to the pile.

A Floridian on Ice

I have just returned from a trip to the frozen north. I was just south of Michigan in an area that gets lake effect snow, and I was definitely not in my element. While many people may know how to deal with this white stuff that was covering my rental car and the highways, it was quite an adventure for me. Here is the view from my car:
I had to borrow a scraper and brush thingie from the front desk staff at the hotel where I was staying, apparently economy cars do not come supplied with anything to help with snow and ice removal. Wonder if my credit card would have still worked after using it as an ice scraper?
It continued to snow through much of the day. I played tourist and took these shots of the office complex where I was working and some of the cars in the parking lot. My apologies to the unfortunate vehicles stuck behind me while I was driving on the road. I was too terrified by the ice and snow and found that I just couldn't drive any faster than 20 - 25 MPH.
Snow can be very pretty. Even though this is a color picture it looks more black and white because of the snow and the trees. If not for having to drive, I would have really enjoyed this weather.
This last shot is taken from my hotel room. Oh boy, more snow. The next morning I found that I was unable to open my car door. It was frozen shut. I was wishing for a long extension cord and a very large blow dryer. Eventually I was able to chisel my way into the car. It was a couple of hours before I could feel my feet and fingers again.
As I write this I'm back where the weather is far more civilized [for me]. For those of you who live in those type of conditions, you are stronger than I. Alas, I prefer my water in liquid form.

Friends

Recently a very good friend of mine had to go to the hospital. I know that she'll get better, but it will be a long road to recovery. However, her illness got me to thinking about friendship in general.

Humans are by nature social beings. We need the company of others. Very few of us could survive for long without having other people around. We need some kind of contact with others, however fleeting.

Look up the word friends in the dictionary and you find:

• A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
• A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.
• A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.
• One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement.

The concept of a friend can encompass many different people in your life: family members, husband, wife, children, and just about anybody else. I think that the person you are married to or live with should be more than someone that "you love", they should be a friend too. My feeling is that if they can't be a friend, why are you in love with them?

Friends can be like a family members too. When you don't have any family, recruit some friends to be your family – they are the best type because you get to pick them!

Lastly, the holidays are upon us again. Here's a suggestion: don't give in to commercialism, instead let your friends know how much you appreciate their support. You don't have to spend a bunch of money, just give them a call or send them a card. Sometimes the simplest things can have the biggest impact.

A Day with the Animals

I thought I would share a few photos that I took this past week while visiting the local animal park. I won't call it a zoo because they have worked very hard to give the animals as natural a habitat as possible. Many are endangered species that they are working hard to save. Unfortunately, we have not been good stewards of this planet.
This fellow looks like a zebra, but is really a relative of a giraffe - the okapi:Hippos love to hang out in the water:Meerkat's have their own TV show now:
These gentle giants have been hunted almost to extinction:It is always best to let sleeping tigers lie:

A Chance to Work Together

Did you get a chance to hear Barack Obama’s Closing Argument speech? View it here at YouTube, or read it here at Politico. Regardless of who you are planning on voting for, you should read or listen to what he said.

I’m not here to tell you who to vote for. I’ve made up my mind and by now most people have too. However, I want to talk about a few things that Obama said in his speech that gave me hope for a better world at a time when I’d just about run out of hope.

In his speech Obama talked of Americans working together towards a common goal. On the surface this seems like such a simplistic idea, but it is a concept that is urgently needed now. For too long we have been a nation divided: blue states vs. red states; ethnic race vs. ethnic race; citizens vs. illegal alien; straight vs. gay; have vs. have not; the list goes on and on. We have become a nation filled with angry people and violence is on the rise because of it.

We have to stop and realize that we are all part of the same country, even the same planet. Here’s a quote from the speech: “There’s no shortage of anger and bluster and bitter partisanship out there. We don’t need more heat. We need more light. I’ve learned in my life that you can stand firm in your principles while still reaching out to those who might not always agree with you.” We need to agree to disagree. We need to remember that everyone, every single person is unique with their own view of the world and their own opinions.

We need to move in a new direction as a nation. We need to regain our belief that tomorrow can truly be a better day. We need hope. Here’s another quote: “Hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task before us or the roadblocks that stand in our path. … I know that hope has been the guiding force behind the most improbable changes this country has ever made. In the face of tyranny, it’s what led a band of colonists to rise up against an Empire. In the face of slavery, it’s what fueled the resistance of the slave and the abolitionist, and what allowed a president to chart a treacherous course to ensure that the nation would not continue half slave and half free. In the face of war and Depression, it’s what led the greatest of generations to free a continent and heal a nation. In the face of oppression, it’s what led young men and women to sit at lunch counters and brave fire hoses and march through the streets of Selma and Montgomery for freedom’s cause. That’s the power of hope — to imagine, and then work for, what had seemed impossible before.”

Regardless of which candidate winds up in the White House in 2009 and beyond I would like to hope that we can pull together and fix the big mess that this country is in. It will not be easy to dig our way out of the pit we’re in. Unless we roll up our sleeves and work together, nothing is going to change and things will only get worse.

My vote is for hope.

No More Bad News

I don't know about you, but I've had enough! All the political fighting and mud slinging. All the bad news about our economy. Suicide bombers in the Middle East. Home invasions and murders. It's all just too much.

Since my proverbial tilt meter has gone off, I decided to try and find some good news. I must admit that it took some hunting, but there is some out there. Here are a few sites you can visit if you are like me:

• Happy News
• Good News Daily
• Good News Network

There have been hundreds, maybe even thousands of self-help books written that talk about the power of positive thinking. Maybe that's what we need right now, some positive thinking. So here's my advise to everyone (myself included): turn off the regular news stations, put down that newspaper, quit reading that negative Web site, and check out one of the good news links listed above.

Maybe when we're all in a better mood we can find a way to fix the problems we're facing.

Fixing Our Economy - A Few Suggestions

By now I think even the most skeptical and conservative would have to agree that we are in, at the least, a recession here in the U.S. Personally I’m inclined to agree with those that feel this started late last year as that is when my computer consulting business saw the bottom drop out of it.

Because this is an election year there has been much mud and smoke thrown about as both major political parties describe how wonderful their plan is and how bad the other party’s plan would make things. I’m not here to say which side is best, rather I want to point out some [possible] long-term solutions that are not being discussed:

Energy

Currently we import and consume too much oil. Oil is not a sustainable resource and, while we can’t agree on when it will run out, we will eventually run out of it. There are other ways to produce energy. We need to fund, at a national level, research on alternatives. There are a number of, I feel, obvious benefits from this, including:

• We reduce the amount of money flowing from this country and spend it here at home instead.
• Money spent on research should spur an increase in engineering and other related fields. This country desperately needs more high-wage jobs as opposed to our current choices of “paper or plastic?” and “you want fries with that?” opportunities.
• Reduction in air, water, and land pollution.

Check out official energy statistics from the U.S. Government showing how much we import and from which countries.
Read what the Apollo Alliance has to say on clean energy and good jobs.
I have more ideas posted on my alternative forms of energy blog post.

Science

Nations prosper that invest in science and engineering. For many years the U.S. was a leader in new technologies and we prospered because of it. Now, unfortunately, few students are interested in math and science because there are not enough new jobs being created.

I know that a lot of people feel that ‘pure science’ research is just money being thrown away. However, research spurs new ideas and new products. New products lead to new jobs. Have you seen the unemployment numbers lately? This country has been on a net job loss for too long. When people have a job they can spend money on things they need. Spending leads to investment with leads to even more jobs and a way out of this recession.

Check out what the HPC Wire has to say about current science funding.
See a comparison of U.S. to China science funding.

The future of this country

The U.S. is still a superpower, but for how much longer? China is in the process of outpacing us in both scientific funding and space exploration.

So what you say? Why waste money on science and space? Look at some of the spin-off products from our space program are now part of our daily life:

• NASA technology gave us a "cool" laser, which provides thousands of patients with an alternative to heart bypass surgery.
• Hubble Space Telescope technology has made it possible to do certain breast biopsies with a needle instead of a scalpel.
• The foam insulation that covers the shuttle's external tank, developed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and Lockheed-Martin, is used to make molds for fitting artificial limbs.
• Medical personnel can monitor fetal activity inside the womb using a small pill-shaped transmitter developed at NASA's Ames Research Center.
• The same material used for lightweight, durable spacesuits is used as permanent covering for shopping centers and sports stadiums. NASA technology also is used to pad football helmets and baseball and soccer chest protectors and shin guards.
• NASA-driven technology also makes possible satellite TV transmission and telephone signals that are beamed around the world.
• It has led to microcapsules that help clean up oil spills and to satellite remote sensing technology that locates and maps forest fires.

There's a lot more. Read the full list at the NASA Solutions site.
Read about recent developments in China’s space program.
Take a look at China’s overall space program and plans.
Read about some of the medical benefits that have come from space exploration.
Space exploration is important, read more here.
Mining resources from space, read more here.
Take a look at planet Earth as seen from space.

After World War II this country invested in both science and space. Our economy boomed. People from all over the world flocked to this nation because of the availability of high-paying jobs and the many opportunities for all to prosper. If we are going to get out of our current mess we need to look at what worked for us before. We can’t afford to wait.

Taking care of ourselves

I don’t have to tell you that the news has not been particularly good lately. The bad times are going global, and about the only good news is that the price of gas is going down.

Are we headed for another Great Depression? I hope not. However, do you know how the last one started? Here is an excerpt from a commentary posted at CNN:
“The Great Depression resulted from a series of economic and financial shocks -- the end of a housing bubble in 1926 and the end of a high-tech bubble in 1929 -- but also from truly breathtaking neglect and incompetence on the part of policymakers.”
Sound familiar?

So while governments and the World Bank rush to bail out the big guys what happens to the rest of us? For me, the only thing that comes to mind is a line from an old Beatles song: “I get by with a little help from my friends.”

Family, friends, neighbors. We’re going to have to pull together to get through this. I’ve been using the barter system for some of my medical care, I’m hoping to use it now to trade for other essentials. Here’s a few other suggestions:

• Carpool with neighbors when going to the store to save gas.
• If you don’t have to go very far, consider walking or riding a bike.
• Check out the public transportation available where you live.
• Save money on food by cooking up a couple of big meals then freeze them in easy to heat portions. It will give you the convenience of take-out at a much lower price.
• Instead of buying books, magazines, or newspapers, visit your local library.
• Team up for savings. I needed to have my roof replaced, but it turned out that two of my neighbors had roofs of the same age as mine. By having all three done at once we were able to get a great deal from the roofer. The roofer saved too by having his team working in the same area.

It’s a tough world out there, but if we just pull together we should be able to get through this.

Nature Inside a Metropolis

Not far from my house is a creek that is being cleaned up by both the city and county where I live, and they have done a great job. This past week I had the opportunity to canoe along a portion of it with a group that was inspecting the cleanup progress. Looking at these photos, would you believe that I live in a very large metropolitan area? It just goes to show you that nature is still out there.

One should always expect the unexpected:

Nature is all around us. Try and take some time and look for the beauty of the natural world where you live. You'll feel better for getting out there. I know, I sure felt great when I got back from my afternoon on the creek.

A Short History Lesson

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” George Santayana, the Spanish born American Philosopher, Poet and Humanist who made important contributions to aesthetics, speculative philosophy and literary criticism.

History is a subject which does not seem to interest as many people as is should, especially young people. This concerns me because there is a lot that can be learned by looking back at past events and seeing what went right and what went wrong. To me, ignoring history is like ignoring experience. Perhaps you’ve heard the expression “experience is the best teacher.” With all this in mind, I'd like to take a look back in time:

In the 1970’s America was suffering through some tough economic times, jobs were being lost, President Nixon resigned, we had a gas crisis, inflation was rising, and we had the Iran hostage crisis (a short history of the 1970's). President Carter proposed some belt-tightening to America, and his suggestions might have worked. However, his opponent in 1980 was the very charismatic Ronald Reagan. America wanted good news, not bad. We didn’t want to take the hard road, we wanted everything nice and easy. So we elected President Reagan and got trickle-down economics – a great program for the rich, who got richer, but not so good for everyone else, who got poorer.

Here’s a political cartoon about our last four presidents:
So here we are in 2008 and we’ve got tough economic times, jobs are being lost, we've got a gas crisis, and prices for everything are rising. Wonder where that easy road is going to take us now?

Spinning out of control

The Associated Press reported today that the Democratic and Republican candidates spent $94,000,000 dollars in August. That’s $94 MILLION dollars in one month. What did they spend over half of this money on? Advertising. Here’s a quote from that AP report:
“Their campaign finance reports, filed before Saturday's midnight deadline, shows that more than half of their $3-million-a-day spending rate was devoted to advertising that became increasingly negative during the month.”

Once again the American political process devolves to a mud-slinging process. The winner is the one with the best spin and the most convincing lies. I sometimes wonder how the rest of the world views us. I’d wager they are having a good laugh at us.

Considering the shape our economy is in I suppose that I should be glad that there is all this money flowing around. They are keeping advertising agencies, television stations, radio stations, and print media employees from loosing their jobs. They even have their own well-paid staffers. Obama has a monthly payroll of $2.8 million and McCain has a $1.2 million payroll. Glad to know that there are still some people with jobs. Maybe I should have gone to work for one of them.

What really worries me thought is that when it comes time to vote the average American won’t have a clue who they are really voting for. Instead they will vote for the one with the best advertising and the candidate with the best spin doctors that money can buy. This country is facing some very serious and potentially catastrophic problems. We should be asking the candidates hard questions about what they will do to fix these problems. Instead it’s all sound-bytes and spin.

For those who might be curious about the truth and lies in what our candidates are saying I recommend the following sites:

• The Annenberg Political Fact Check, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
• National Public Radio, Election 2008
• Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan guide to money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy
• CNN Political Fact Check, located towards the bottom of the page

Beware though, many sites that profess to provide nothing but the facts are in truth just putting their own spin out on the Internet. Which is, unfortunately, why I am not able to recommend more sites.

Lastly, if you would like to try your own hand – and maybe land a good job with a political candidate – at spin, check out this how-to site at eHow.

When the Storm God Rides

As I write this it is Saturday morning (I'll be driving all day Sunday) and Hurricane Ike is pounding Houston, Texas. My good hopes and best wishes go to those in the path of this storm. It has already wrought great damage to Cuba and Haiti on its way to the United States. Fay and Gustav had already brought considerable damage to those nations. Now Ike has left them in a desperate situation. What Galveston is going to look like remains to be seen.

Since I live in Florida I already know a fair amount about hurricanes. We were personally visited by three storms in 2004. I was not home when Charlie struck my house; however, I did get a unique look at the storm while flying at 30,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico. It was around 9:30 PM and the storm was in the process of demolishing both my home and the city I live in when the pilot of the plane I was in came on over the intercom and told the passengers to look out the left side of the plane. What we saw he called “the veil of the hurricane” -- it was like looking at a giant fog; I could see a massive cloud formation, but it was all soft and fuzzy looking, unlike what was being experienced on the ground.

So far this year there have been ten named storms. Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, and Ike have all impacted folks living in and around the Gulf of Mexico. If you would like information on the storms this year, check out this hurricane information site. The National Hurricane Center has excellent satellite imagery and storm track information, but they don’t have any historical information for 2008 yet. If you live anywhere visited by hurricanes, you might want to add this site to your daily ‘to-do’ list.

About the title to this blog:
The title for this blog comes from a collection of Native American legends collected by Bessie M. Reid and published by Florence Stratton in 1936. Many of the stories in the book are from the Tejas, or Hasinai tribe as they called themselves, located in the area that would become Texas. Tejas in the Hasinai language means friend and it is from that word that we got the name Texas. The book may be read on-line here. If this year is anything to go by, I suspect that they had considerable experience with storm gods.