Same Planet, Different Worlds

"Live simply so that other's may simply live." -Ghandi





Note: The second photo was taken by South African photographer Kevin Carter during the famine in the Sudan. This heartbreaking photo of a collapsed girl on the way to a relief station is entitled "Wanting a meal" and won him a Pulitzer Prize. Three months after receiving the award Mr. Carter committed suicide. He was 33.

Engineer Gets 110 MPG Out Of '87 Mustang

I normally won't comment on anything related to the state of Ohio but this is the exception. Click this LINK to hear about an important invention that will probably be sabotaged by an oil-company spy.
So a guy(Doug Pelmear)in his garage can figure out something like this but highly paid engineers at automotive and energy companies can't? I wonder how many inventions/modifications have been shelved as it just might cut into oil profits. I thought this quote was interesting:
"I'm an optimist, and I think people need to know there is hope out there," Pelmear told the Toledo Blade. "That's why I decided to enter the X Prize race. I could have sold this [technology] off, but then people might not have seen it."

Ode to George

He was crude, lude and rude but he sure will be missed...

A World Not Worth Living In...

While we focus our attention on rising gas prices, the "Presidential Election" and Heidi Klum being given a "Peabody Award" Link, it's only natural that a little thing like the extinction of Frogs and Bats might slip under the national radar. Both populations have been declining from loss of habitat but now they both have a fungal disease which is threatening their very existence. And of course the fungal disease is being attributed to the rise in global temperature. Even if you never really liked frogs and/or bats I bet that you like the fact that they eat more than their body weight in bugs everyday.

But I for one like frogs and bats, God Dammit!!! I used to catch (and release) frogs as a boy and I've always felt ever-so-grateful to the bats flying around my head because I knew that I wouldn't be attacked by mobs of mosquitoes. So even if you don't like those creepy frogs and spooky bats could you please do me a personal favor so I might want to continue to live on this planet? Could you please not drive to the store in a Hummer while you pass a bus full of people using mass transit? When you produce a product could you do it responsibly? Could you not have a family of three live in a 4000sq. ft. house? Maybe you could build your house in the city rather than woods or wetlands? And, ironically, when you go to visit our remaining natural wilderness could you please not drive a fucking 8-mpg Winnebago to get there? What's it going to take for some of you to get on the fucking bandwagon and help the cause?!? The extinction of dogs, maybe? Or how about horses? Birds? Man? Do you honestly want to see your children or grand children live in a world where they will never get goose pimples from a bat flying outside their window or hear the chorus of frogs on a warm, spring night?

Maybe you don't give a shit about that. If that's the case then at least do it for yourself. With warmer temperatures and more insects in the air that means Malaria will be coming around soon. It's already spreading in America's south. Maybe West Nile Virus, I heard that's pretty fun to contract. And don't forget that Ebola, Impetigo, Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever like it when it's hot out.

We are Americans. And as Americans we produce 25% of the world's pollution even though we account for 5% of the human population. We have to do something or at least try to do something for bats, frogs, our kids, ourselves, our planet and our future as a species. And if you still don't care about the world we may live in then I leave your heart with one more bit of information for it to ponder. The Koala Bear is on it's way out the door as well...

John F Kennedy

The assassination of President John F Kennedy. We have all seen the grizzly video of him being shot to death. So much so that we forget sometimes that he was a human being who was murdered and not just our president being assassinated. Most of us have accepted the Warren Commission's finding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and was solely responsible for the murder of JFK. "Conspiracy Theorists", a label given to people that disagree with the Warren Commission's report, have rightly said that we should not trust the report as it was basically a government report which was written by a government trying to protect itself. Now the internet is providing the public with more information, or clues, as to what really happened. Below are two YouTube videos that have put me into the "Conspiracy Theorists" camp.
The first video video has been referd to as, "The Speech that got JFK Assassinated":

Eerie, huh? Who exactly was he warning us of? It makes you suspect of some of the things that are going on today...

The second video raises questions about the governments handling of his security:


So here's another question: where have these audio and video tapes been?

The Sorrow of India

As if the world's food supply wasn't precarious enough, there is a ghastly epidemic of suicides among India's farmers. By one estimation, over 160,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide since 1997 although the official estimate is an average of 10,000 per year since the early 1990s. Crop failures, free trade policies, indebtedness, little irrigation and lack of governmental support have led a seemingly hopeless situation for the farmers. To compound the situation, most of the suicides have taken place in only four states which has psychologically devastated India's agricultural region.
Here is a link if you would like to learn more.

America Waves...

This LINK will take you to my very own internet radio station! Well, it's more of an internet playlist, actually, of musical artists on KIAC. The site allows you to check out artists of all styles and compose your own listening page. It's a great way for up-and-coming artists (even Willie Nelson!) to get some exposure for a nominal fee. But if you just want to listen and maybe set up your own page it's absolutely free! Check it out!

P.S. My personal favorite is "America Waves" by Emile Millar. He wrote the song after watching a documentary covering a family's coping with the death of their son in the Iraq war.

Public Urination

I was perusing my local Craig's List for musical instruments when I came across an ad for an electronic keyboard. The price for the 3 year-old keyboard was absurdly high, higher than if you purchased it new, but that's not what sparked my ire. The ignition came when I saw the attached photo diplaying the keyboard leaning against an outdoor storage unit. I decided to pseudo-inquire about the keyboard and learned that it has been stored inside the locker, "for the past year or two". That means that the ELECTRONIC keyboard had been subject to temperature extremes ranging from -20 degrees to say 110 degrees along with gooey humidity. This kind of alarmed me since we have had two computers die on us after storing them for only a few months in our basement. The best part was that the seller said that she had lost the power adapter so I wouldn't be able to turn it on in order to test it(?????) unless I went out and purchased my OWN adapter.
That really pissed me off so I placed my own Craig's List ad warning others about the pitfalls of an over-priced electronic keyboard that had been subjected to humidity and dizzying temperature extremes. One Craig's Lister replied and thanked me for the observation as he was considering purchasing it. But another was not so thankful and let me know it. Here is her reply...

from:jean nel(deleted)@sistermoonglo@(deleted)

"Oh for Chrissake, not EVERYONE is a price specialist like you morons.

Most people on CL don't do extensive price checks.

Cut the person a break, so what??

Go to hell you loser CL police..."

Needless to say, I was crushed. I try to do Jean a favor and this is what she gives me! So I then poured myself a Diet Pepsi, sat back and responded to her in that warm, fuzzy way that I am so noted for...

"Hi Jean and thanks for answering my Craig's List ad. I also appreciate your summer-traveling advice recommending that I go to hell. But I must say, Jean, that I have no intention of visiting the state of OHIO anytime in the near future especially with gas prices being what they are!
However, you completely missed the BIG PICTURE concerning the criticism of the CL post. The ELECTRONIC keyboard (which is a fairly delicate ELECTRONIC gizmo), had been stored for months in an OUTSIDE storage unit thus subjecting it to sub-zero temperatures, humidity and extreme temperature variations. Would YOU recommend buying it?
As for the price--Don't you think people should check things out before they post or buy? All you have to do is GOOGLE it and you have results in seconds. Try it now, you might learn something. I'm not a "PRICE SPECIALIST" but I do know what a fair asking price is and I don't want to see people (who are not internet savvy enough to use google) get ripped-off. People have every right to sell an item for whatever they want but others have the right to call them out on it if they are trying to price gouge, sell potentially defective/dangerous merchandise or are some con artists out of Nigeria. But I guess I should just keep my mouth shut and let people lose their money because it upsets your fascist principle of "anything for a dollar".
So please, Jean (or sistermoonglo or whatever the hell you call yourself), go piss up a rope and try thinking about things before you have another one of your spastic/knee-jerk reaction fits. Remember, Jean, we are only here to help you.

Sincerely,
OOOCLA
(The Official Observers and Overseers of Craig's List Acquisitions)"


I guess I don't know what to think about this whole stupid experience. Craig's List is a great tool for us common folk but some of the stuff that goes on can be disheartening whether it be Nigerian scam rackets, sexual predators or a person just trying to sell you complete junk. My only advice is to research any product for sale and only deal locally. Oh, and if you have any rope you'd like to sell, please post it on Craig's List so Jean has something to urinate up.

Verdict? Jean sucks!