WSR Photography

Repeating History

2012-02-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

Reading about President Obama's plan to drawdown and withdraw forces from Afghanistan I'm struck with a lot of similarities to Nixon's plan (and promises) about Vietnam, meaning when we leave, it won't be victoriously as promised by Bush and the hawks in Congress. It won't be rephrased to appear like victory like Obama wants.

In the end you can change all the political rhetoric Johnson and Nixon said about Vietnam to what Bush and Obama have said about Afghanistan and it's the same thing, same tune and tone, just another time and place. Like? Change:

Viet Cong to Taliban,

North Vietnam to Pakistan,

Paris peace talks to negotiations with the Taliban,

US departure from Saigon to US departure from Kabul,

while the last is not a sudden exit from the roof top of the US embassy in Saigon but simply flights from US bases outside Kabul.

There are differences, to some a lot of differences, enough to void any comparison. Like?

We're withdrawing slower, leaving some bases and forces for monitoring Iran and conducting covert operations.

We're trying to help and train the police and army of the government.

We're writing big checks to the new government and for military equipment and supplies.

And we are hoping to be asked to say beyond our withdrawl date.

But in the end, it's the same end. The enemy we fought to oust from the country (Taliban) or prevent taking over the country (communists) will win and take over the government and country when we leave. They did in Vietnam and they will try in Afghanistan, except there it will be a civil war between the Karzai government, the drug lords, the war lords, the criminal gangs and the Taliban, each capturing their parts of the country.

While Vietnam united both north and south into Vietnam we know today, Afghanistan will divide into the Afghanistan of the past with no overwhelming leader or force but several forces fighting for the country, the proverbial hearts and minds, but more so, just the people for money and power.

That's what it will be about, money and power. This time, in part our money given in economic and military aid. It's the same story in every country.

And while we fought the gallant fight, we lost the war. While the soldiers sacrificed and did their best, the politicians screwed it up. Nothing changed from then in Vietnam to now in Afghanistan. Same story, same result and many soldiers, people and Afghans dead or permanently injured while politicians stood on their soap box spouting nonsensical rhetoric about war, enemies and patriotism.

We repeated history and we still didn't and haven't learned. Will we ever learn? Or maybe we're not seeing the truth and reality in the mirror anymore, but only our imagination of what we want to believe? And we wonder why we keep repeating history when we keep ignoring our own history?

This Election

2012-02-01T07:44:00.000-08:00

Make no mistake about this presidential election. It's about money and power, but mostly money. Only kinda' watching the republican primary (trying to avoid it but sometimes there's nothing else on the news stations except it) it's clear the billionaires and mulit-millionaires are pouring money into superpacs, and yes, cordinated and orchestrated by the candidates themselve - the law governing the separation of superpacs, parties and candidates is ludicrous.

While you can argue, as I believe, President Obama is also well funded by superpacs paid by billionaires and mulit-millionaries and by major corporations, namely the energy companies, the banks, the financial and investment instutions, and the mortage companies, he's the only real hope for the American people to get anything done. I've argued he's a moderate-conservative democrat (closelly allied to moderate republicans), he does acknowledge the liberal and progressive arms of the democratic party in Congress for which he needs and couldn't get bills passed without them.

But before you decide he shouldn't be our president or you decided the republican candidate is better for this country, consider where the republican candidate is coming from, the extreme right which is mostly white, wealthy people hiding behind the pseudo-populist Tea Party and religious, conservatives republicans. It is a political war between economic classes, racial and ethinic groups, religious groups and political philosophies.

It really is the political war between the haves who want more and the have-nots who struggle to survive along with the have-some who face falling into the have-less or worse the have-nots. It really is between the 1% and the rest of us. Don't mistake the rhetoric on either side, to create distrust or hate for the other side or trust and hope in their side. Both sides will do this during this election campaign.

If you don't believe some of what this election is about, just look at who's funding the Republican superpacs behind the candidates. A sea of old, white, wealthy men, some with their wife and family. Whether it's the Koch brothers, Wal-Mart family, etal, they're all about wanting to be wealthier and freer of government oversight and regulation, and less taxes for them to push the cost of government onto the backs of the rest of us.

There's no argument the wealthy pay a lot in taxes, millions of dollars to our few thousand or less. We're talking several orders of magnitude of difference, and while we far outnumber them in being taxpayers, our contribution doesn't amount to as much as their contribution. That's the fact of money. But it doesn't change the responsibility and obligations of all of us to all of us, especially those who can easily pay their share.

And that's behind much of the effort to elect a republican who will find ways to lower taxes on the wealthy, reducing overall government income, increasing the annual budget deficit and the longterm national debt, and reducing our government's ability to do the work for all of us. We all use and need the federal government, only the wealthy find ways around it we have to live through and with it. Money does a lot and gives them more freedom.

And they like to sell you the image as hope and a goal for you, when they know only a few will succeed. It's the image that sells and we want to believe we can be them. It's about money. Not their money, which they want more. But your imaginary money you think you can have if you try. It's that money, not their real but our dream, but they want to limit your dream while giving you the illusion it's real.

That's what this election is about, illusions of money. Believe them and we lose. Don't believe them, believe in reality. Our reality, this country and what needs to be done for all of us.

Cost of Doing Business?

2012-01-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

After reading the news story about Twitter censoring tweets in certain country if the leadership of that country says the tweets and the individual is acting illegally, I'm struck with some questions. Twitter has already said the policy is now in effect with some chances original tweets may be posted but then censored as may be the person. Ok, some much for right of free speech.

As we know Google tried to argue against this policy with their work in China and lost the argument and eventually bowing to restrictions on videos, search words, and users if requested by the government. We know Yahoo provided detailed user information and use of their Website to the government in China to investigage and later convict individuals. Ok, so much for right of privacy.

And now Twitter. Companies are learning it's a better corporate strategy to accommodate governments in certain countries for the customers and business in that country, mostly China with its billion-plus population and potential revenue and profit. China knows this and is exploiting it while the corporations agree and sometimes helps the government.

We also know there are at least half a dozen countries where the government has imposed or will impose restrictions because of the authoritarian rule in that country to silence the voice of the people. But my question is what about the rest of the countries, what if they have or elect government who believe some "small" measure of restrictions are necessary for the security of the country.

What will Twitter and the other companies do? Will they fight any requests, or will they see the business is worth more than the censorship, money triumphs free speech? We know there are many government would love to enact restrictions to protect their government and its activities, some being secret or illegal.

But more to the point what happens when our govenment (US) decides that fighting terrorism is more important than free speech. We already has the unnecessary Patriot Act to investigate any citizen without cause or reason, just a national security letter expressing the FBI thinks, note not know or has proven, the person "may" be related to other who terrorists or "may" have indirectly provided material support to terrorists.

We know that all tweets are now being archived in the Smithsonian Museum as a permanent part of our history, every tweet from every person, including the censored one. But what if the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) thinks someone's tweets are encouraging terrorism or other illegal activities, would Twitter block those words and tweets?

Would Twitter block tweets and users if our government decided certain words are unacceptable to the government, be it pornography, artistic expression, etc. and not just censor those words - they may be doing that already anyway - but obviously block them and the users just like China?

Sounds far fetched here? So would be the Patriot Act in 2000. We know you can not publically advocate actions against the federal government or employees on-line through any source, including Twitter, and I have no doubt the federal investigative agencies are constantly monitoring all tweets for such words and advocacy.

But what if they decided other issues and actions constitute the same level of censorship which are inherently or obviously illegal, like abortion, rape, etc., and the government decided the public should not hear or read those words or have access to ask for help with an abortion or after being raped? Is it the slippery slope folks argure?

The key is that once a company wanders off the straight and narrow road they set for the policy of free speech for everyone, they can't go back to the road. The new road puts them going in a direction where some measure of censorship will be the norm, set not by the company but by the government. Government wil control with the company allows.

And yes, consider the possible reality it's not that far from being in so-called free countries, including the US. It only take a government to express it, such as a Republican Congress and President passing a law, and then making it a reality. It can easily be done in the same of protecting and defending this country and the people from internal terrorism and terrorists of any type or about any issue.

And will Twitter do then and tell users it's only complying with the law of the country? We've seen our government has decided it can trump, and to some trample, the Constitution. Will it do it over words? And would Twitter comply?

Dear Congress

2012-01-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

After listening to the President State of the Union address last night it's clear to me, as it is to any American with any modicum of common sense, that the issues are now in the hands of Congress, both the Republicans who control the House and the Democrats who control the Senate. He said what needed to be done to help this country now and in the future.

He laid out what bills needed to be passed and presented to him for signature, bills which will help create jobs, help homeowners, help all low and middle income families, and help this country. It's not that hard, it's really quite straight-forward and simple, only you make it hard with all your dumb political shenanigans and games.

We're tired of that, we're tired of you. If you don't believe that, then you haven't read the polls about your almost single digit approval ratings. Both chambers and both parties. Get the picture? It's not about party politics now. It's about the American people and America. You've stalled for the better part of two years now and time is up.

So it's the simple phrase.

Get your head out of your political asses and get the job done.
We're expecting it. And if you don't, we get to decide about you come this November. Now that should be clear.

Get to work or get fired.
The first choice is your, but the last choice is ours, not yours. And right now and this year, we don't care about politics, only results.

Update to Post
Someone graciously reminded me that having a majority in either chamber of Congress doesn't mean control of that chamber as we have seen over the last 2-plus years of the minority Republicans dominating the Senate with the hold and filibuster rules, something they negotiated to use only minimally but then reniged.

This is why those rules need to be changed by the majority Democrats and if they're leader Harry Reid won't do the job, then he also needs to be changed. It's what the Republicans planned all along, make the Democrats and the President look ineffective and Senator Reid obliged them. The people have seen and had enough Mr. Reid, so it's the same for you.

Either change the rules to let a majority rule or quit.
The people want results, not politics as we've seen by you and your "friend" Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell. Remember you're a Democrat, not a Republican, so act and lead like a Democrat.

Republican Candidates

2012-01-21T11:25:00.001-08:00

Why does Newt Gringrich remind me of a wild west snake oil salesman hawking political elixir?

Why does Mitt Romney remind me of a tall ventriloquist's dummy?

Why does Rick Santorum remind me of an autistic person who only knows the Bible?

Why does Ron Paul remind me of your worst, cranky, old uncle?

Why does Rick Perry remind me of those models on "Just Right for Men" hair color products?

Why does Herman Cain remind me of a joke? No, really he is the joke.

Why does Buddy Roemer remind me of the only smart one in the room?

Why does Jon Huntsman remind me of the only sane one in the room?

Get the Facts Right

2012-01-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

Reading the news stories on the gunman who killed NPS ranger Margaret Anderson in Mt. Rainier NP on News Years Day and then fled into the backcountry to be found about a day later dead in a creek from hypothermia. But the focus on the man connected his service in Iraq as cause for PTSD and his violence in the NP.

But then the Veterans Administration did their homework and found this:

"As more information became available on Barnes, it grew clear that his troubles had little to do with his service in Iraq or his assignment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. According to The Seattle Times, Barnes was apparently disturbed before he entered the Army—having been expelled from school as a teenager. Additionally, military records show Barnes served in a headquarters communications job in Iraq. A spokesman at Lewis-McChord told the Times there was no record of Barnes having received a Combat Action Badge, indicating he probably never came under fire in Iraq.*"

He didn't suffer from PTSD. He was just crazy and the Army accepted and trained him, exacerbating his anger and rage. That's not PTSD, and the news stories shouldn't be connected dots that aren't there. The media tried to connect invisible dots, but the dots didn't exist to connect.

So media, next time, get the fact right for a change.

What is the Difference

2012-01-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

What's the difference between a candidate and a politician? A candidate will tell you anything to buy your vote. A politician will tell you anything to make you forget what they said as a candidate.

A candidate and a politician walk into a bar. When the bartender asks what they'll have, the candidate says, "I'll buy everyone a round." When the bartender reminded the politician he bought everyone a round before the election, the politican will say, "Well, since they voted for, they can buy me a round."

Don't stand near either a candidate or a politician. The candidate will steal your wallet and call it a campaign donation. The politician will steal your pants and your wallet and will thank you for the being a good taxpayer.

Never trust a candidate any farther than it takes them to walk off stage. Never trust a politician.

A candidate will always remember your name. A politician will never remember you.

A candidate will politely listen to what you have to say, forgetting it once you walk away. A politician will never listen to you and will always tell you what you think.

A candidate will kiss your ass to get your vote. A politician expects you to kiss theirs.

A candidate will promise to balance the budget with your money. A politician will promise to spend your money, your children's money and your grandchildren's money.

A candidate praises their friends and attacks their enemies. A politician praises their friends and attacks the media, the public and everyone else.

A candidate blames the media for their stupid misakes. A politician blames everyone else for theirs.

A candidate ignores the truth and facts and creates their own fantasy of reality. A politician lives in their own fantasy.

A candidate compares themselves to ordinary people to get your vote. A politician doesn't even know ordinary people.

A candidate thinks they have to win an election. A politician knows they can buy one.

A candidate thinks taxes are the enemy. A politician think taxes are great for spending money, your money.

A candidate thinks before talking. A politician talks before thinking, if they think at all.

A candidate always hopes to be a politician. A politician always forgets they were a candidate.

A candidate tries not to be a joke. A politician already is one.

And more when I think of them.

LF - Layton 45A

2012-01-06T04:52:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems Mr. Layton, who won an innovative design award for his then new L45A 4x5 camera (above) in June 2005 and promised first delivery of the camera to customers who paid deposits in December 2006, has opted to quit work on the production, reported at about 95% complete and has decided not to communicate with the depositors.

Ok, I'm not saying this is or was a scam, it wasn't. He had very good intentions of building the camera and worked to that goal, as noted was almost complete with the first 10 or so cameras, but then a series of problems occurred which derailed the production, and as now, no one knows anything except Mr. Layton.

Efforts by several photographers who know him or have met him say the interest is still there. I am one of the depositors (fall 2005) but after 6 years all I have is a series of old e-mails with explanations and promises, but not word when the cameras will be produced let alone delivered.

But I still want one of his cameras. It's still innovative for its design and function, and while some are comparable, none match it. I just wish he would say something. I've discovered while he occasionally active on some photography forums he doesn't have a Website anymore and while I think I have an address for photography studio, I can't confirm it to send a registered letter.

If anyone knows him or knows of him, he lives and works in Norwich, Vermont, please let him know customers with deposits are waiting for news and preferably a camera. The checks are waiting.

Rights of NPS Rangers

2012-01-04T05:27:00.001-08:00

It's time we stood up for the rights of the National Park Service rangers who do the work in our NP's to provide the best and safest experience for all visitors. And those right include not only the right to a safe and secure visit, but more so the rights of the rangers to also work in a safe and secure environment when interacting with visitors.

We know rangers are at risk and we know rangers risk their lives for us during our visit. We saw evidence of that with the death of ranger Margaret Anderson in Mt. Rainier NP this last weekend (1/1/12) when she used her vehicle to block the highway a half mile from Paradise with 125 visitors and many staff and rangers from someone with an arsenal of weapons heading there.

She was shot before she got out of her vehicle and the man fled into the woods where he died overnight from hypothermia. This was the first death in the line of duty from guns in the NP's history, less than two years after the law allowing guns to be openly carried or displayed in NP's.

The law would not have prevented this event but it might have changed the event itself with the response of the rangers if guns were banned and the man was treated as a threat. This we won't know but banning guns not only protects visitors, it protects NPS rangers and staff. This is true at the visitor facilities but more so in the backcountry where someone with a gun would be less likely to be discovered and their actions with guns not discovered for some time.

Banning guns makes sense because it protects the NP's and protects all the people, visitors and employees, when they're in the NP. As the law is now, you can only carry a weapon in the NP. You can never remove it or use, even in self defense from attack by a person or an animal. That's the law. So what does a gun in a NP prove, other than you can carry it there?

Nothing. Other than showing your willfull disregard for others and their safety and security in a public place. And I have yet to hear from, read about or meet anyone who actually carried a gun in the backcountry and it saved lives. And even if it did once or so, all the times they didn't need it? So why carry it? Why make others worry if they know you have it?

Why raise the level of concern with others or with a ranger? When this law was passed in 2009 and went into effect February 2010 I knew and said then this would result in the death of a NPS ranger from someone with a gun. Guns don't protect people, they only provide the opportunity for someone to injury or kill someone. We have seen that now.

So Congress and the President, how about it? Restore the Reagan era law on guns in NP's immediately. The Republicans stuck the change in the Credit Card Reform Act because they knew it would pass and not be vetoed by the President, so the Democrats can stick the repeal in a bill which will do the same.

Pass the law and put the ban in effect immediately. It's easy to do, NP's just post the old signs at entrances and ask visitor if they have guns, and if so, please secure under the rules. If they don't they will be cited and their gun(s) confiscated. Very simple and easy to do. And all of us visitors feel safer and all the rangers can treat people with guns as threats if they don't comply with the law.

Guns in NP's

2012-01-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

Several people have told me that the events in Mt. Rainier NP have nothing to do with the law allowing open carry or display of guns in NP's. They say the two are not connected. Not so fast. Everything is connected. And they said the gunman wanted to hide from the law after being called a "person of interest" in the shooting of four people in south Seattle. Not so fast there either. Why?

For one, if he planned to get into the backcountry and hide for a few days or longer, and as experienced survivalist, he could have easily done that in the vast areas in and around Mt. Rainier NP. Not by going to Paradise. But it raises the question he didn't bring a lot of clothes or supplies to hide in the backcountry, or at least has been reported. He bought a small arsenal of weapons.

And if he wanted to get away from people to hide, why was he going to Paradise where there was people and armed NPS law enforcement officers? And why did he pass up several good trailheads to hike into the backcountry and not be found for days if not weeks, where there was less than 2 ft of snow and in many areas little or now snow. Perfect for travelling and hiding out.

Yet he travelled to the 5,400 foot elevation near or above treeline with over 5 feet of snow everywhere, without bringing snow shoes. Where was he going to hide when winter is just getting started, there are no trails, there is no food and airborne infrared cameras will easily find you. And experienced winter travellers and law enforcement officers can and would easily track you.

Why head to a place full of people with a small arsenal of weapons when you want to get away from people to hide?

And while the gun ban would have little effect on these events, it might or would have changed how the NPS rangers reacted to him from the minute he entered the NP. They could have asked him about guns at the entrance, noting any suspicions. They could have assumed more than he blew by the chain checkpoint because he didn't have chains. They could have assumed he was armed and had more than two rangers chase or intercept him.

What he thought and what he planned will never be known. He died of hypothermia overnight. We'll know the details over time as the FBI and NPS investigate him and the events, and what he brought to the NP. I suspect, however, it will still be unknown since he suffered from PTSD and may have had mental issues which distorted his thinking. But all that said, it still raises the question why.

The why he decided to go to Paradise with a small arsenal of weapons. Folks can argue it wasn't his goal or intent, but logic and common sense doesn't bear eliminating possibilites, and that one NPS ranger died in the line of duty saving a lot of other people when she blocked the highway making the gunman stop just a half mile short of his destination.

The why the law allowing guns in NP's isn't connected to this event when it was all about guns in this NP. The law banning guns in NP's wouldn't have prevented or stopped him. It could have changed the response by the NPS assuming possibly being armed and not just not having chains.

The first will never be answered. The second can answered by restoring the ban on openly carrying (or concealed with a permit) and displaying weapons in a National Park. We can restore the rights of all the visitors by requiring all guns be unloaded and be secured and locked in vehicles out of harms way. And anyway with a gun can be treated as a threat by the NPS.

That's not only fair, it's good and right for all of us who visit NP's. This event more than proved the point that the two-year old law has one death in the NP when the previous law had none for nearly 30 years and none in the history of the NP going back to 1899. I'd rather be safe knowing no one has a gun than everyone can have a gun. I'd rather think no one has a gun than the fear anyone can have one.

I'd rather hope for the best than fear the worst. Guns don't protect us from the fears or the worst, it only adds to the fear of others hoping someone with a gun doesn't act on their fears against innocent or wrong people. No guns assures the possibility. Guns only assure fear. Which would you rather live by and think when visiting a NP?

Gunman at Mt. Rainier

2012-01-02T17:05:00.001-08:00

Reading the news stories about the gunman who killed the NPS ranger who blocked the road to Paradise and was shot before she could exit the vehicle, the gunman then engaged law enforcement officers for an hour before escaping into the forest and the darkens. This whole incident points to why guns should not be allowed in National Parks. Let me explain.

The gunman had passed by the checkpoint for chains for all vehicles. With the snow and ice the NPS decided to verify all vehicles had them if the weather and road conditions got worse. This usually happens somewhere between the gate east of Longmire where traffic is controlled daily to the parking lot on the west side of Glacier Bridge over the Nisqually River.

The gunman blew by the checkpoint and continued onto Paradise. He never got there as the NPS ranger blocked the highway at Barn Flats, see map above. That is where the action happened. As you can see this was just about half a mile from Paradise and the Jackson Visitors Center where the NPS estimated 125 people were in the center or on the snowplay area just north of the center.

This is where NPS ranger Margaret Anderson blocked the highway with her vehicle and was sadly killed by the gunman before she could exit her vehicle to ask why the gunman passed the checkpoint. This is where rangers following the gunman engaged him in a gun battle for about an hour before he fled into the forest.

[Update.--It is almost certain he intended to go to Paradise where there were people. If he wanted to get into the back country to escape, he had 12 miles from longmire to Paradise with many trailheads and far less snow to escape for days and possibly longer if he had gotten to the northwest corner of the NP and the adjacent USFS land where there was little if any snow.]

The fact the gunman fled without snowshoes and without many of his weapons along with little clothing and food was the reason nothing happened. Had the gunman got to Paradise and the center area, we'd be reading a whole different story about a massacre of unreal proportions with the weapons he had in his car. Had he had chains and quietly passed inspection, that would be the news.

[Update.--The NPS has noted that none of the rangers at the Jackson Visitors Center had weapons. It is something they just don't anticipate with winter visitors, and without weapons to defend the visitors, everyone were just easy targets.]

Is that what the NRA and gun right advocates argue is the freedom to openly carry guns in National Parks? Enough firepower to kill or injure tens of people, both NPS staff and visitors? Is that what gun rights is about, the freedom for a law-abiding gun owner with an arsenal to wipe out so many lives without us saying no they can't do that in an National Park?

I'm not going to apologize for my view on guns in NP's anymore. Ever. This guy intended and could have wrecked havoc on innocent lives for what? Just because he could express his hate, rage and anger with guns? Is that what America is about? Is that was we call American values?

I know it's not. It about the safety and security of this country and all the people, which includes the right to reasonable restratints on guns in the name of public safety. In the name of common sense. In the name of decency. In the name of humanity. What Christian would argue for the right for this guy to do what he had planned? Just because he could? In the name of what?

I won't apologize again for my view. I will fight for the change in the law. I expect the President and the Democrats to change the law. Not when but now. Not how but completely. We elected you and it's time you stood up for all of us, not the NRA, gun lobby and gun advocates. Us. All of us.

I expect and will voice my view for it. We escaped the worse because one NPS ranger did her duty, did the right thing and gave her life. What more reason do you need? This is my National Park. This is our National Park. This is America's National Park. Protect it for all of us.

Really, Enough Already

2011-12-31T11:35:00.000-08:00

This weekend (December 30th to January 1st) there are 15 bowl games in 3 days. Yes, just about half of them for the college football bowl game season. Where does it end? Ok, obviously after the BCS championship game, but that's the not question. Have you looked at the matchups for the games?

Why do we have teams with .500 records, and some worse, in bowl games? What did they do to deserve being in a bowl game. Why can't we simply just let only the teams which made the BCS final standing play to get good teams to watch? Why do we have teams which finished outside the top two or three in the league in bowl games, many with only one or two losses above .500.

The college bowl season is absurd, mostly because many of the teams don't deserve a post season bowl game, but really because it's about the money. Outside of the top BCS games, that drives the selection for the rest of the bowl games, and that's the reason the games are absurd. It's not about college footbal but money to the college.

And that is why I don't watch any bowl game. No bowl games are enough for me.

Big Brother & Holding Co.

2011-12-27T16:55:00.001-08:00

I was thinking about all the talk this year about Amy Winehouse and her life and death. And while I've listened to some of her songs and think she's a very good singer, especially with quite an attitude, I still can't put her above Janis Joplin as she sang and the band played on this album. And it's not just memory and not that I still like Janis and her albums, especially "Cheap Thrills."

The reason I think is in the style which to me makes the difference. Janis didn't come on stage to present an attitude or style in her singing like Amy Winehouse. Janis just sang her heart out, like on "Summertime" and "Ball and Chain", and I don't see Amy could have done that. Maybe in her own style, but not for the song, the pure song. I just don't see it with Amy.

I realize Amy had her style with some really good songs, but personally, I'll listen to this album anytime over Amy's. But then that's me, a child of the 60's and a lover of the San Francisco sound. Add a little help in the way of drugs, and it only got better (yes, been there done that).

Ah, old age and good times then, when young.

Cans of Chicken

2011-12-27T15:09:00.000-08:00

I decided to try a very small experiment. The local grocery store sells both Swanson and Hormel white meat chicken in 12.5 oz. net weight cans. Ok, so I bought one of both (actually more but this is the resultant average) to see which has more chicken. All weights in ounces.

                                                         Hormel                    Swanson

Gross weight of can -                   15 oz                        15 3/8 oz
Weight w/o Water -                    10 7/8 oz                 10 3/8 oz
Weight of Water -                         4 1/8 oz                    5 oz
Empty Can -                                   2 5/8 oz                     2 3/8 oz
Weight of Chicken -                      8 1/4 oz                    8 oz

This means of the 12 1/2 oz of net weight a little over one third is water. I did this experiment with Swanson's smaller old and new cans and discovered they added more water for the larger can with less chicken. Sneaky. Now it's clear if you're using a recipe with weight of ingredients, don't trust the can. And I don't know but it sure starts to sound like very expensive water in those cans.

USA Today Says it All

2011-12-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

This from today's (12/22/11) political cartoon. Kinda' the way the Obama administration is going, talk human, civil and personal rights, liberties and protections while subversively doing the opposite. Obama is a fraud when it comes to promising to protect our rights while fighting terrorism.

The war isn't against the citizens, all of us, but the terrorists, and we don't need to be thought and treated as the enemy, but you continue to do that while talking freedom. It's a sham and a shame. But what choices do we have? What alternatives to you? The Republicans?

So why have you taken former President Bush's war against citizens and not only continued but increased it with laws, actions and arrests. We are not the enemy. So why do you treat us like we are your enemy? Isn't your job, being elected by us, to protect us? And the above law in the cartoon protect us?

Dear Democrats

2011-12-15T17:17:00.001-08:00

Dear Democrats,

Don't hold federal employees and retirees as hostages or fodder with the Republicans in the House and Senate to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits for either short-term gains or all of next year. We too are the middle class you promise to save and support, and being fodder being "federal" is cow pasture material and we are voters too!

We are part of the "All Americans" you and the President talk about and speak of supporting, but you have frozen our salaries or annuities for two years and are talking of another two to three years, all the while our costs, like our health insurance premiums which has gone up almost 100% in the same period, and the cost of living have gone up where we've lost between 10 to 20% of the power of our money in the same period.

Is that what sacrificing means? Is that why we're political fodder for negotiations for other gains? And you really want and expect our vote in 2012 and really want and expect our political donations? What don't you understand we can't afford to support you when we can't afford basic expenses? What don't you understand we can't afford to support you when you betray us?

In short, just exactly what don't you understand we are the 99%, we are the middle class, and we are serving or have served our country in our government, your government, the people's government? What don't you understand about that?

Lessons

2011-12-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

As we're learning from the Citizens United Case, "In politics, money trumps all issues and drowns all voices. Except of course people and votes." And from the old adage, "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you can't fool all the people all of the time." Voters eventually figure it out because in the end, they're not stupid.

Website Review

2011-12-12T19:00:00.000-08:00

Since I updated the news, conditions and prospects for the Mt. Rainier NP photo guide I started reviewing the suite of 400+ Web pages with the photo guide and my Website. Using some software applications and some traditional walking through Web pages I discoverd over a hundred broken links to other Websites and files.

I also reviewed the very long to do list for the photo guide and Website, which is lengthy for items and time, like 8-9 months full-time work. Yeah, some items long overdue and some time intensive, all of which I had planned to be done by none until the health issues over this last year derailed the plans and work.

Well, I'm getting past those issues. Not that they're solved or I'm well, just enugh to feel better and work again, and so I will be reviewing and fixing the problems with the Web pages first and then focusing on the most important Web pages before looking at those for 2012. I don't have a timeline let alone a date for any of this work anymore, it's just work and see what gets done.

So, the work you will be seeing will be more transparent, nothing obvious except the links to other Websites and files will be working, either removed, moved or fixed. I have some files on Apple's iDisk which don't work and will be moved to my Website for easier access. Some of the links I've discovered no longer have alternative links.

Anyway, that's the news for now. The news for December applies to the rest of winter except the snowplay area at Paradise which the NPS plans to open before the Christmas holiday. I'll be posting that information and you can check the NP's Twitter page for the latest news on the roads and Paradise area.

iPhone Siri and PPA

2011-12-02T05:34:00.000-08:00

Apples's new iPhone 4S with Siri, the voice activated answering system to find information has problems. Granted that's normal with new consumer technology when first released in devices, but what Apple has done is a load of cow pasture material. And while I own an iPhone 4G and a first-generation iPad, both of which I like, I find Apple's failure to release Siri with this problem and failure to fix it by offering excuse simply what it is, bullshit.

And that's the report when users ask to locate family planning clinics or women's reproductive healthcare services, the phone answers with other destination, clinics far away or false answers, and does not provide one correct answer to help the person who asked the question. Apple has said it's just the beginning and like many other problems, it will be fixed, it time. That's not good enough. Not for Apple and especially not for women.

This clearly raises the issues what Apple knew of this problem, because clearly any testing would have discovered it as it is a question many women, and some men, would ask, like family planning, birth control, etc., and even abortion. They had to know this was a problem, and denials don't cover the reality. Siri can find all sorts of information for all sorts of extraneous questions but not a simple useful one for women.

Apple needs to come forward with the timetable when the problem will be resolved, and soon on both, and why this problem was allowed to continue into the first production of the first iPhone 4S. This is not a small matter which you put on the list of problems to solve for the teams working on them. This is a significant and important problem which needs an immediate answer to the public and a fix for the iPhone. Not sometime when, but now and not a moment too soon.

If they don't believe that, then have all the female employees at Apple use it to find the nearest family planning clinic, the closest source for birth control information, providers or services, and the closest Planned Parenthood America clinic in need of help. And then see what they get and what they tell their employer.

Mark Twain

2011-11-26T16:12:00.000-08:00

"It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction.
Fiction has to make sense."
- Mark Twain

What is Wrong Here

2011-11-22T15:14:00.001-08:00

Does this mean if you hit one going under 25mph you won't get a ticket? Sorry, just couldn't resist with this sign wondering maybe someone didn't have their coffee that morning when asked to write the text for it, "You want drivers to slow down for the protesters?" I guess stopping for them is optional.

Thank Us All

2011-11-10T16:39:00.000-08:00

All veterans of all the services. Thank us all for our service to our country, the sacrifice of those who gave their life or came home injured or disabled. Thank us all for sacrificing the young years of our lives to protect our nation and the people. Thank us all for the honor of having served.

Thank every veteran you know and every veteran you see. Without all of us, without all of our sacrifice, this country wouldn't be where it is today and where it will go. Thank all those in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. Thank all for believing in our country.

Thank you to all the other veterans. I served with honor during the Vietnam War era, but I thank all those before me and all those after me. We are the ones who served and some fought to make and build this country and we are the ones to protect and defend it from all foreign enemies.

Thank us all. Today and every day.

Liquor in Washington

2011-11-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

Voters, you just handed Costco dominate control of the liquor industry in our state. You fell for Costco's $22 Million ads to believe it was in your best interest when in fact it was in their best interest. They were 95+% of the backing for this initiative and you fell lock, stock and barrel. So I hope you realize when small liquor businesses lose jobs or go out of business because they can't compete, they'll have you to show for it.

I hope you realize that all you wanted was cheap liquor to get drunk, but don't be surprised if the prices don't change much and all you're doing is paying Costco and not the state or providing jobs to workers. Costco won't add jobs. They don't give a flying f..k about you, only what's in your wallet.

Voters, you did this to yourself and all of us. Don't expect me to say thank you, let alone shake your hand. You just screwed all of us for this, and you can bet when the facts are in down the road, I'll point at you as the one to blame. You and your ignorance and desire to help Costco and not the state or the people.

I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not betting on it. I wasn't duped, you were.

Cainisms

2011-11-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well, give Herman Cain his due this election primary campaign.

"I don't have the facts to back this up but I know..." - You can insert any absurb political rhetorical statement of his.

"I have never acted inappropriately with anyone." - meaning, "I act as any dick would next to any hot, young, white woman."

"I do not recall what I don't know." - Ok, but it's right out of the Bill Clinton playbook, can't you be original?

Sorry, Herman, your words look, smell and feel like cow pasture material, the stuff everyone knows and avoids when walking in a field. But you don't seem to realize you did neither and brought it into the room.

Lies and denial aren't your strengths, it's obvious from the reality of it. But hey, you make really bad comedy of it.

Pryor & Cain

2011-11-08T14:20:00.000-08:00

With respect to Herman Cain and his round with the press over sexual harassment claims, to bad Richard Pryor isn't alive anymore. I'd love to hear his take on him and his campaign. Where are the good black comics these days for political comedy and satire? Where are they when you need them? Mr. Pryor, you're really missed. The events these days could sure use your genius and perspective.

Liquor & 1183

2011-11-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

I'm not against the privatization of the liquor industry under state regulation and oversight. I've lived in many states where it's privatized, some good and some less good. What I am against is Initiative 1183 which hands it to Costco and the big box stores, leaving the vast majority of smaller and the Mom&Pop stores out of luck.

It also cuts out most if not all of the wholesalers who won't have jobs anymore and smaller liquor producers to can't compete with the direct purchase power of Costco from the big liquor producers. It also puts all the state employees out of jobs with little or no prospect of future employment.

As much as the law says, it doesn't stop small stores and markets from selling hard liquor because of the distance to the nearest store of suffiicent size to sell liquor. Without any larger store, a smaller store will have rights to sell liquor, many where the state liquor store currently exists or new stores where they don't exist.

And as much as the law states, the income won't go directly to law enforcement and state regulators overseeing the stores. The money will go into the general revenue funds for uses determined by the state legislature and the governor's office, not to added enforcement as the ads suggest.

If we privatize the liquor industry, let's do it responsibly where every business involved has fair and equal access to compete and there are jobs for people. Everyone knows Costco and the big box stores won't add employeers to sell liquor, they'll just add the work to the existing staff. And restaurants and other outlets won't add jobs either. It's all pure profit for them, nothing added for jobs, people and families.

I voted against both initiatives when they were on the ballot last time and I'll vote against I-1183 this time. This initiative doesn't help and only hurts us in the long run. There are better ways. If we want to privatize the liquor market in this state, let's do it repsonsibly, not favoring any one industry but favoring all and the state to ensure it doesn't add to the drunk driving and other criminal offenses from alchohol.

Mr Reid

2011-11-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Senator Reid,

Would you please stop calling Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell "your friend"? Is he really worth more to you than all the democrats in the Senate? Is he really more important than the American people? Is he really worth it to call someone a friend who has done nothing to help you, the democrats and the American people?

He's not the democrats' friend, not the friend of the American people, and certainly not the friend of America? He's not anyone's friend except the wealthy and corporations. So would you please stop calling him that and get your head out of your political ass and start helping Americans and America?

How about it? You are turning into the most ridiculous and worst democrat leader in the Senate in a generation. You are too soft. You are too easy. And you are too submissive to the republiican agenda and Mr. McConnell. You have had your political balls and head handed to you by Mr. McConnell, and what are you doing?

You're whining while calling Mr. McConnell your friend? Yes, it may be in jest, but we, you know the American people, don't see it that way. We see you caving to him and the republicans without standing up and being vocal. Being patriotic. Being for us. Being for America. You're a wimp in a democratic suit, nothing more and a lot less.

Yes, I'm angry at the situation you created in the Senate by giving into the republicans and not changing the rules to prevent filibusters to help this country and the people. You sold us out for your own career and your friend. So why not prove you're a democrat and an American? How about it?

You know what needs to be done. You know what you need to do. You know what's right. So when will you do it? How many Americans will lose their benefits, their health insurance and their jobs? How many while you keep collecting a salary while we suffer at the cost of your friend. Is that your idea of friendship?

It's not mine.

In God We Trust

2011-11-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

The House of Representatives voted to reaffirm this is the national motto put on every coin and paper bill, "In God We Trust." Ok, I can buy that, except it's not why they were elected in 2010. Remember why they were elected? It's about jobs stupid, not taxes, money, morality, etc., just jobs. So am I ok with this bill?

Easy, God is God. Every faith, religion and belief has a God. Not their God. Just God. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism (mine) and so on down the list. All have God. Not one God specific to their religion, just God. God is God. Their God is the same Christian God. God is the God of all religions.

So the motto, "In God We Trust" is everyone's God. A God we all can put our trust and faith, spelled out on our currency, every coin and bill. Money for everyone. God for everyone. Our nation under God for everyone. Except of course athetists, agnostics, and other religion which has a different definition of God, but hey, everyone's God still loves them.

Thanks Representatives for reassuring us we of all faiths and religions put our trust in God. Not what we wanted or needed to have it reaffirmed (since it already is law) but we'll take it in good thought. Now can you get back to the business of jobs? Ok, one bill about jobs? You know to put that currency in the wages and pockets of people?

Isn't that what God would do? Isn't that what God put trust in us to do, to help others? How about it? Isn't that also God's work?

Republicans Shut Up

2011-10-29T06:47:00.000-07:00

Republicans would you please shut up. Well, wait, let me change that. Republican would you please shut the fuck up. You are the ones creating the class warfare with your rhetoric and with you obstinance to protect the top 1% depsite over 60% of them want to pay more taxes.

But then all of you are in the top 1%, so why aren't we surprised you continue to argue for yourself. In short, it's very simple.

Stop the class warfare you created and continue.

We, the 99%, didn't create this war. We didn't create the term. We're not continuting to use it. We're fighting for fairness this country was built on. We're fighting for justice for all the criminal corruption and fraud you committed. We're fighting for America and the American people.

We're the 99%. We have rights. We have a case. We have a voice. And we have freedoms to speak our case. You're the one who created this war, we're simply fighting it for all the 99%'ers.

Personhood

2011-10-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

With respect to Mississippi's new proposed referendum to define "personhood" in law at the moment of conception (fertiization), I have only one view. Personhood starts with a live birth, anything else regarding a pregnancy no matter the outcome short of live birth, is not personhood. To put it very simply.

A person must first be born.
Nothing less. Mississippi voters, vote no on Initiative 26. Read about it, talk with women about it, and consider the consequence should it pass. Is that what you want your government to do? Think about it.

WTF Moments

2011-10-22T06:21:00.001-07:00

Some real WTF thoughts.

First, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell railed at the President this week for "campaigning" than doing his job to help the unemployment problem in this county. He said it's time the President got back to work to give them something to consider. Really Mr. McConnell?

He delivered the Senate and you a jobs bill. He delivered the House and Speaker Mr. Boehner a jobs bill. Yes, a reall bill to create jobs, lots of jobs, about $450 billion worth of jobs. Is that what you asked from the President? Is that what you said he should do? Isn't that what you wanted?

Oh, I forgot, you already know this. You already know because you have a copy of the bill on your desk. You already know what you saying is a lie. A big, fat lie. And you call yourself what? I would call you a liar, but then that's what all politicians are and what all politicians do. But you already know that too.

It's all an act for the media and for your voting base. But for the rest of us, it's cow pasture material, you know the stuff you know what it look like, what it smells like and you try not to step in it. But then you reek of it. That's some we alreayd know, and why we don't believe you beyond the smell of your words.

Second, after the tragedy in Ohio over the wild animal sanctuary where the own of 56 animals let them go and then commited suicide. John Kasich, the Governor of Ohio, refused to renew a bill this last spring for the Department of National Resources (DNR) to regulate these farms and wild animal auctions.

And this is what happened. The DNR would have discovered the farm and extent of the animals he had on his farm, and they likely would have shut him down. So did the governor reinstate the rules and regulations? No. He signed an executive order to control animal cruelty.

Wait, the new order would create is a violation of regulation to be cruel to animals? And how would this law have effected this farm and the owner? Remember he commited suicide. You can't prosecute a dead person. Wait, the governor did this for show, not animals, but politics, to say, "See I did something." But the something is empty, nothing beyond fake good intentions.

Then there is Senator Rubio who embellished family history. After being caught in a lie he used to help his campaign as a child of exiled Cuban parents, except his parents left Cuba before Castro returned to Cuba and start the revolution. He told this story over and over, posted it on his Website and made it the story of his family.

And we're supposed to be forgiving? We're supposed to still think he's an honest man? Wait, he's a Senator, lying is automatic to them. I often wonder if they get shots when they take their oath which makes lie and makes them immune from knowing they're lying. Lying simply becomes the only thing they know.

Don't get me started on the presidential campaign, it's full of WTF moments and we still have another year to go. Can I not watch TV when anything campaign comes on? You almost can't get away from all this crap, but at least I don't have to smell it through the TV.

Random Thoughts

2011-10-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

Why is truth and honesty the first casualties of election campaigns? Yeah, it's rhetorical, but wouldn't it be nice if it weren't true?

If it's called Department of Defense, why is all of what they do offensive in nature? Why is it defense when we're attacking people in other nations?

Why are we spending more on the military than the rest of the world combined and not seeing them as one source of our bad economy draining the tax money away from domestic needs?

When we (US) will realize we're the world's worst enemy. The biggest asshole on the planet.

Why are those who created the class warfare the ones blaming the other side for calling it class warfare when we didn't?

Why are both parties in Congress owned by the corporations and not the people? Oh, yeah, right, money. They're rich and we're not. So why do we keeping voting for them?

Why do republican politicians keep saying 50% of us don't pay taxes when it's a fact everyone pays taxes. Taxes from local, city/county and state taxes to federal taxes for goods and services and for income. Why do we keep tolerating these people lying?

Why does the Senate majority leader Harry Reid keep allowing the Republicans to filibuster bills when a majority of the Senate wants to pass the bill?

He's had several opportunities to change the rule and he hasn't. He's had promises by the Republicans not to put holds on judicial appointments and filibuster certain types of bills and they've reniged every time, and quickly too. And he continues to let them do it.

Why do the democratic senators tolerate him as their leader?

He's not doing his job. He's not helping the party. He's not helping America and the American people. He's letting them run him over every time. As a leader he's a wimp and the democrats don't have the balls to replace him. So why should we vote for them?

Why can one Senator become the majority?

There is a rule which has allowed one, Senator Rand Paul, to block two years of work on the No Child Left Behind law by the Senate education committe to address the 74 amendments he has or wants to propose. There are 144 amendments to the new version but Senatore Paul wants his first, so he's stopped all work until they agree to his terms.

How can one company, Costco, run the state government out of the liquor business?

Easy, by contributing $22 Million, over 95% of the funding for state initiative I-1183. I oppose this initiative because it will expand liquor sales to a huge variety of retail outlets and put the enforcement burden on the state.

Why would anyone put their checking account on their iPhone?

There's an ad for in iPhone app showing people transferring money between their and a friend's checking account with a touch of the screen. Set the amount and to whom and the money is transferred. Someone can steal your iPhone, add their account, transfer all your money, delete the account and trash the phone.

All in a few minutes and nothing you could do can stop it. You're toast by your own app.

Why do we have two prototype and sports car series in the US, the American LeMans Series (ALMS) and Rolex Grand Am series?

The ALMS only has 8 races each year, including the world famous Sebring 12-hour race, but many of the teams race the equivalent European series which is more extensive and competitive. The Grand Am series has 12 races, including the famous 24-hour Daytona race. Each series uses different technical specifications for the cars where the prototypes aren't compatible but the sports cars are sufficiently similar for teams to run in each.

We used to have one series until 2000 when the Grand Am series split over the type of cars above the sports cars, meaning the "prototype" cars, the Grand Am series using common chassis "spec" cars (currently 4 companies) and manufacturer motors. The ALMS uses manufacturer designed and built chassis and motors (currently only a few European companies, Audi, Peugot, Aston Marin, etc.).

As a fan of European racing, I'd like to see the two combine into common classes for both to run together. I doubts that's possible but it sure would make it easier to know and watch.

Evanescence

2011-10-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

This is one way cool album. Great, beautiful voice, intricate sounds and actually audible lyrics. You can hear an interview of her with Scot Simon on NPR's Saturday Morning Edition, here. The preview of the songs on iTunes doesn't do the album, songs and her justice. She's worth the deluxe edition. Enjoy it, I am.

Going to Lion

2011-10-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally broke down and upgraded my Mac Pro from Snow Leopard (OS-X 10.6.8) which I like to Lion (OS-X 10.7 and updated to 10.7.2). I bought the thumb drive version as I wanted the physical version if the download went south (read a few stories) and the reality of downloading it on a DSL would really take time, let alone to install it.

That said I started yesterday (Saturday) afternoon about 1 pm and by 4:30 pm had most of it done, only needing to watch it for the overnight stuff (backups) and to followup on the small things and check the remaining applications to get updates if necessary and a few were necessary.

So what did I learn?

For one, you can almost make it replicate the look and feel of Snow Leopard which was my real goal. Lion has the Launch Pad and Mission Control which sits on the far left of the dock (on my Mac) which I simply ignore. I have other apps which do the same thing and better (eg. XMenu for the former and function key F12 for the dashboard). And sadly it's one of those things you can't trash it or face real consequences.

For another some Apple apps changed but not for the better, just different and worse in some ways. I liked the older iCal app, the new one is iPhone/iPad like and it sucks. And yes I have one of each where it does a good job but nothing to write home about as a cool app.

I never used the desktop calendar on the iPad the Lion one is style after in Lion. I simply like the old iCal. The only good thing about the new version is the print option is still the same, producing page size copies I post on the refrigerator to keep track and write notes I don't put in iCal.

The E-mail program is new but you can still get the "classic" look which I switched back to, but there are some tweaks which I don't like, which are defaults you can't change, only switching it everytime with the menu option. One is viewing mail thread. I don't like reading all of them in one window, and you have to switch the view option to see just one at a time.

Another is the Finder window. Well, again, the older version is better. I really liked the border and the bottom pane with the pathname. The new one gives more to click on but simply makes you stop and think too often when trying to look for information, like the pathname (see below), which was displayed on the bottom. They added some features which were formerly third party apps (Get Info button), but not the "Go2Shell" app which still works.

The other option is to buy a third party finder window application. I use Pathfinder which has a lot more features and tools than Apple's, one being multiple windows in one window and two window view to manage files across HD's and folders. It's worth the purchase from the Apple store or their Website.

One of the dumbest things was the widgets. Lion breaks all of them and the widget management tool too so you can't do or change anything. You're stuck and you have to trash the file at:

/Users/sknowles/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist

Then go to the folder /Users/sknowles/Library/Preferences/Widgets and remove all the widgets there. Then after rebooting manage the widget to add all of them back and get new ones from Apple's Widget download page. You have to completely rebuild your widgets. Since I only had a few anyway (don't use dashboard much) it wasn't hard, just irritating.

As for some smaller things, the console window is different, and again like all the new stuff, not better, just different. I wish they had the "classic" look option for many of the basic apps, eg. iCal, E-mail, Finder, etc. The new look doesn't do much for me, just something to get used to using.

One really irritating thing for photographers. All the color calibration tools and software works with Lion but doesn't work with Lion. Yeah really. It turns out the color calibration tools (I use DataColor Spyder 3 since Spyder 2 wasn't Lion compatible but others I've read have the same problem) use a RunTime Environment package incompatible with the one in Lion which isn't current.

So you have to get an update to the RTE (free) to update Lion but then discover the software doesn't work with the new RTE where some features and tools bail out or crash and generate lots of error messages. Those companies need to update their software for the newer RTE and Lion 10.7.2 now. Let's hope they do.

As has been advertised, Apple dropped Rosetta which many applications used as an interface, usually to run on both PPC's and Intel Mac's. And all those apps won't work under Lion, which shows you with a symbol over the icon face. This includes all of Adobe's Creative Suite (CS) 2 apps (which I used two) and some small internal apps in some later CS apps (3, 4 and 5.x).

I was happy to learn National Geographic TOPO! application works, the features and tools I've used. This is odd since NG advertised it wouldn't and they were still only thinking about updating it. They don't need to do that but they should as it has some really bad quirks, like you can't "hide" - it freezes the app and your screen if you accidently to. You have to keep it open and quit/close.

I compared the three major topographic and GPS map applications and NG's is still the best for my use and interests.

Another change is the appearances of many windows. Apple now uses a kinda' faded gray look for buttons which is dumb. You can't change it (I liked the old version). Safari has some problems with the preferences, it keeps forgetting the home page URL in the user settings and starts with a blank page instead. I also prefer the old download window than the new upper right corner popup box.

But there is one really cool feature with Safari under Lion. It has forward and backward Web page scrolling with your mouse or trackpad. It's cool if you're wandering Website and move back and forth between pages, but not so when you working on one like entering information or writing and you accidently scroll back. Oops is the operative word, so use it with care but it's cool.

They also changed the scroll to a hidden one which appears when you need it. Again, I prefer the old style I can see there is more to a window than having to check the right margin or try to scroll to see if there is more to scroll and it doesn't display. It does display in some apps but not all of them, which again, is confusing.

The big thing Apple advertised about Lion is iCloud. Well, it's nice if you want it and use it. I don't, and gladly the preferences pane allows you to just turn it off and keep it off. In short never use it for now. I will have to eventually for my Mobile Me and iDisk account. I store a variety of files there which iCloud doesn't offer now.

There's rumors they may but they haven't yet, but the problems is that these files are used for public sharing and backup which iCould won't offer, only sharing across your devices, which I don't need. I keep my iPhone and iPad updated through iTunes on the Mac and don't have the interest to have some iCloud server (in North Carolina) holding my information) or have automatic up/download between the devices.

This is because I use the Mac for all my purchases through Apple, either the App store or iTunes. And I don't want everything on my Mac on those other devices. The music alone would break them as I learned. I want my Mac to be the center of the work and the iPhone and iPad just limited extensions.

On another note, I would recommend you limit your app purchases through the Apple store for apps which don't use serial numbers or licenses. All of the better or more expensive apps are better bought through the companies' Websites, since new versions, upgrades or updates are always available sooner. Some companies will convert yours with the reciept, but most won't, and many don't provide versions, updates or other tools (eg. subscriptions) through Apple store.

Anyway, that's it. I still have some small stuff to sort out as I work over the next week. Would I recommend the upgrade? Only if you don't want or like to be left behind with updates every company has these days. Many now and almost all major applications for Mac's in the future will be OS-X 10.7 and later, only 10.6.x if you're lucky.

There's some stuff I don't like about Lion, but I'll adjust and adapt, or I'll find a better third party app. That said, you can live without Lion for awhile, but eventually you will upgrade or face an obsolete Mac (been there with my 2006 PPC which took a week to transfer to this Mac Pro for Snow Leopard), so sooner ain't as bad as you think.

I am a 99 Percenter

2011-10-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

I am a 99%'er. I am retired in December 2005 from a 32 year career with the federal government, 4 years with the USAF during the Vietnam war and 28 years with the U.S. Geological Survey. My post-retirement plan was to start and build a small, personal photography business and develop a photography guide to Mt. Rainier NP, first a Website, then a general guide book and then some iphone/ipad apps.

I was doing fine until the recession when the cost of the work start to strip my savings I set aside for my business. And then President Obama froze the annuities of all federal retirees starting in 2010 and will last through 2012 and likely through at least 2014 as both parties fight for political advantage making us fodder.

But in the last two years, while my annuity is frozen the cost of living, namely health, auto and other nsurance, rent, utilities, food, etc. has increased 8-10% per year and will continue, I'm not getting any increases in my annuity to help. Simply put, I'm losing money quickly.

To compensate I'm eating through my retirement savings I had for my business, life and emergencies, and in a few years it will be down to its minimum. To compensate I use my credit, and it's increasing faster than I can pay it down. Yes, I created it, but it was with the plan I could afford it, or thought so in 2009 when things looked reasonable.

While I'm still somewhat solvent, if things don't change, like the economy and getting increases to my annuity to overcome the losses and pay for the cost of living, I will be in serious financial trouble in a few years. Just like everyone else in my situation. And then what will I do?

I will join the poor who live month to month and hope nothing serious or major happens to me because I can't afford it. The reality of a good retirement is gone now, thanks to President Obama and the Democrats for not standing up for us and not fighting the Republicans.

So what will you do Mr. President? What will you do for us?

Saving An Inch

2011-10-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Update.--This week I noticed the loaves of this bread are back to the former length. I'm not sure why or what happened to cause the change and back, but after comparing some older bags, thinking they may have just shortened the bag, they didn't, so the inch is back.

Really saving an inch and a quarter (1 1/4"). I buy locally made bread, mostly from the Macrina bakery, and more specifically their Sour Ficelle baguette bread. It's neat for snacks and other stuff (soups, etc.). But recently I noticed the bread didn't seem to take as long to eat, meaning it seemed shorter. So I remember I had some old bags I kept for reason I don't know, but when I compared them by folding them across the top of the label, the bag was shorter, as seen above (same length from label to top of bag).

When I turned them over I noticed to hide the the shorter length the simply folded and taped on the back, as seen below. All in all the bread is just over an inch shorter, going from a 16" loaf to a 14 3/4" loaf.

I can't argue if the company is pressed for revenue and any meager profit (the bakery is not wealthy, just a small, local business) and this is a good way to do it, just make slighly smaller loaves, about 9% with this one type of loaf. It's more a sign of the times and companies keep prices the same while simply selling less.

I saw this with my paper towels which have gone from 165 sheets two years ago to 138 sheets last year and now to 128 sheet this year. Same price, just fewer sheets, so you buy more and the company makes more money. All in the name of profit, fewer employees, less product but more money and profit.

But then compared to Japan, we're living cheaply.

Big Camera Sale

2011-10-05T16:06:00.000-07:00

Click for larger view
I finally got around to working on the images for the photography equipment sale. Apologies to the people who have contacted me about some of the lenses. The images of each piece in the sale are coming soon along with descriptions on the Web page for the photo equipment sale.

This is roughly about 80% of my manual focus Minolta equipment I've collected since 1969. I'm keeping a few of the cameras and lenses, some for personal reasons, like my first cameras and lenses, and some for being eceletic stuff I like, such as a brand new XD-11 (in the box) and is a joy to use.

You're always welcome to inquiry for specific pieces of equipment. I have some and sadly haven't done well following up to them about the lenses. I have no excuses, only reasons, which aren't that good. But that said I expect to get some of the images on-line soon. Considering the extent of the equipment, as you can see above, it's a lot of work.

Consider the Possibility

2011-10-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

Consider all the terrorism and counter-terrorism experts, specialists and analyists have a vested interest to continue the "war on terrorism" and have a need to continue the government funding for their work. The size of the intelligence and counter-terrorism community, all of the government agencies, companies and organizations, has more than doubled in the last few years and several fold since 9/11.

In short, all of everything they're saying is more of selling us fear of an enemy who is small compared to us, a threat to every American everywhere, and the suspicion that all of us Americans are terrorists. All this is to keep all of us paying them to protect us from an imaginary enemy they keep secret from us, and keeps allowing them to consider us terrorist to conduct secret investigations without a supeona.

We are no more at risk from terrorist than from being hit by something falling from the sky. We're spending billions of dollars on a whole structure built on this imaginary threat. It's been inflated beyond reality to a fantasy. And unless we decide to come to that reality we won't change it.

We are far more at risk from criminals, bad drivers, illnesses and diseases, and natural events than from terrorists. And I don't see the government protecting us anymore than usual. So why such extraordinary measures and costs for terrorists? Because it's the government-industry complex President Eisenhower warned us about when he left office in 1960.

Consider when the US-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in a CIA drone attack in Yemen. Shortly after that the White House said all Americans should be warned that terrorists may attack Americans, especially overseas. They killed the cleric for his words, not his actions, and now all of us must pay the price of fear and imaginary threats.

It only leads me to believe the enemy aren't the terrorists, it's our own government. When will we get it back? Or will we realize they've won and our democratic republic is lost?

A Question

2011-10-01T09:06:00.001-07:00

In our "war on terrorism" and our fight against terrorists around the world has politics and more so morality replaced reality, common sense and our respect for the rule of law?

Or is it a statement of the obvious or a rhetorical question?

No Mr. Obama

2011-10-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Your targeted killing of US-born al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki by the CIA was illegal. I won't argue the Mr. al-Awlaki was the enemy and it would be hard to arrest and extradite him on charges for this alleged actions (remember innocent until guilty?), but that doesn't give you the right to ignore the Constitution.

The Department of Justice has made the case your decision was legal in the war on terrorism, the now (since 2001) permanenet persistent war we will never quit because it's political expedient, but that justification is the same as when the DOJ disavowed the rules regarding prisoners under the Geneva Convention and the legal right to torture.

There is no difference in that you, like Mr. Bush, decided the Constitution doesn't exist for you and your decisions, and you have decided any American citizen can be killed without due process supposedly guarranteed under the Constitution. It doesn't matter how bad any citizen they are, they're all still citizens with rights, which you can ignore.

All you have for evidence is that he incited violence against Americans and the United States and may, note may, have been involved in operations of some of the attempted attacks or attacks. But you have said all that evidence is classified and we will never see the inside of a court, so we will never know, let alone a court, to decide his fate under the law.

Remember the laws we all live under? Yeah, those laws. You have clearly abdicated your responsibilities as President to uphold the Constitution, as you had your hand on the Bible and swore to defend. You are no different and no better, maybe even worse, than Mr. Bush and his illegal actions against people, anyone they wanted anywhere in the world.

You long lost my vote but now you have lost my respect. And who's next in your list of citizens to kill? Or will we not know until you announce they were terrorists and then when asked about evidence you say, "Trust me." Sorry, you've lost my trust for being a nation which is a signatory to the international standard, the Geneva Concention.

Remember that? Right, you don't believe in human rights for prisoners. You don't believe in due process. You make me wonder if you really believe in this country for which it stands.

National Geographic and TOPO

2011-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

National Geographic (NG) produces a great map software application (TOPO!) with USGS 1:24,000 topographic maps. I've used it when it was made by the predecessor company. I had to buy a new version when I upgraded my Mac Pro to Snow Leopard when there was not available upgrade for the older software.

Now the NG has decided to "investigate the possibility of releasing an update" about an upgrade to Lion (OS-X 10.7), see the statement on their Website:

"Thank for your interest in National Geographic Maps. National Geographic TOPO! software is not currently compatible with Macintosh’s latest OS Lion 10.7 We are currently investigating the possibility of releasing an update to add capability for this new OS but nothing has been decided at this time. In the event that we are able to add compatibility an update will be posted on our upgrades page downloads. Please check this site in the future for a possible update."

Apple has had the developer version of OS-X 10.7 (Lion) out for over a year now and they're just starting to consider to work on an update, maybe? All the customers using or will use Lion for Mac laptop and desktop computers and they're just thinking? Each state of TOPO! cost about $70. That's a lot of customers out of a good product either as new or an upgrade.

That's not NG's standard and customer service. I would readily recommend this software before but since I'm upgrading to Lion soon, and it's the only software which isn't Lion compatible or an upgrade available, and being a necessary application for my work on the Google maps with my photo guide, I won't recommend it until they have a Lion compatible version.

I won't upgrade to Lion until NG has an upgrade or I find a equal or better application which is Lion compatible. Until then NG needs to get their customer service act together.

A Long Season Over

2011-09-29T06:40:00.001-07:00

Well, the Seattle Mariners finished 67 wins and 95 losses, the 6th losing season in the last 8 years, and all but one with over 90 losses. And Ichiro didn't get 200 hits for the first time in his 11-year US major league career. The team played hard and well but they were simply overmatched most of the time, even with Felix Hernandez pitching.

And while it's nice to say there's always next year, and Eric Wedge did a good job as manager considering all the young players the team had, it's clear the problem is more upstairs. Not their heads but the head of the Mariners, namely the General Manager and the President, but most the former who orchestrates the trades, acquistions (players) and contracts.

He's clearly not up to the job because he keeps buying older players who fail to perform for the team, but then do far better with other teams, eg. Eric Bedard, Shone Figgins, Casey Kotchman, etal. And building from prospects and minor league players, the so-called "from within the organization" only goes so far as we saw this year. And to give the GM a new 3-year contract, it's a, "What are they thinking?", except to keep putting less than a top winning team on the field for the next three years.

Ever since the record setting team of 2001 who won 116 games, losing only 46 and winning at least 20 games every month but one, they have only had two winning seasons and both times finished second in the National League West. We have hope and a future, but then it all went south as they say and we've been going that direction since then. Thats shows it's not the players so much as who puts the team together to get top players who don't perform to their career level.

But that's all games gone by and all we have now is next spring when the 2012 season starts. I'll still be there but this time, like all the fans, we want a pennant and nothing less. And we don't want a GM who short-sells the time on quality players, young or old. Many young players did well, but you can't build on that alone, look at the 2001 team roster to see it.

For now it's just hope and speculation.

Don't Be Fooled On 1183

2011-09-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

The proponents of initiative I-1183 are trying to convince you this initiative is good for everyone in Washington, especially residents and consumers. It's a sham, pure and simple. While they argue the opponents are funded by the wholesale distributors who would be cut out if I-1183 passes, it's biggest funder and proponent is Costco. Yes the big retail store chain.

They're backing this to sell cheap liquor to everyone and dump the cost of enforcing the drunk driving laws on the State and local city and county governments. Us the taxpayers will foot the bill for the flood of cheap liquor. They're backing it to cut out wholesalers who will lose the business and the small stores who can not compete with the big box stores.

And against what they say, it won't prevent convenience stores with or without a gas station to sell hard liquor if they meet the requirements, such as in areas where there is not easy access to store which would otherwise sell liquor, meaning most rural areas where buyers can still get liquor at state operated stores.

Do you really want hard liquor to be as easily accessible everywhere and at any time of day or night around the state? That's what I-1183 would do, and then push the enforcement on the state and local governments promising they'll increase staff to handle the work. Really? In a time of state budget crisis, can we expect the state and local government to hire more law enforcement officers?

Do you really want Costco to dominate and control the sale of liquor in the state? That's what I-1183 will do, change the state to private corporations to control, to simply create monopolies on liquor? Yes, the state is now the monoply but at least it's ou4 monoply, profitable for the people, employs people, and is managed to prevent sales outside store hours.

Costco and corporations will not add any employees under this initiative and put a number of state and contract employees out of work in a time of a recession. Those people won't get their jobs back or jobs at Costco. Who speaks for them? Who speaks for the wholesalers and all their employees who will lose to big box distributors?

Initiative 1183 is the typical corporate giveaway at taxpayers expense and pushes the cost of the consequences to the taxpayers. That's not something we need for all of us. We rejected this same measure two years ago. The legislature tried to sneak it through last year and failed in the face of the publicity. And now we have to face it again.

It's time to send them a strike three NO!

Gotta Have One

2011-09-23T20:40:00.001-07:00

Saw this in passing. It's not only cute but a gotta have item. Except it's only sold in Hong Kong and Mainland China and the companies listed in search engines don't have a good reputation to give them any money, let alone a credit card number. Even eBay only has the same companies for the lamp. It's not an expensive lamp, all plastic and runs on AA batteries.

Oh well, maybe someday it will show up in the US or elsewhere to actually buy one. Yes, even old folks like cheap cute things.

Dear Rachael Maddow

2011-09-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Ms. Maddow,

Listening to your show on MSNBC, it's interesting how excited you are about the end of DADT, and for good reason, both for the military which has never shown the policy worked but actually hurt, and for personal reasons as a lesbian. It's a step forward, as a veteran myself, who has never had a problem with gays or lesbian in the military or in life. It's about respecting people and human beings.

But you have never mentioned DADT never addressed transpeople (transgender people meaning those with GID or live as the other gender 24/7) and the repeal doesn't protect them now. They are still banned fron enlisting. They are still banned from coming out, where they will face discharge if they do. They will still never get all the medical care they need.

Did you do a story when transgender organizations got the President to issue an executive order about transpeople, abolishing discrimination in government service against transpeople and recommending a repeal of discrimination by health insurance companies in the FEHB against medical care for transpeople. It was a significant step for transpeople, you overlooked.

History has shown you and the whole LGB community have forgotten and will continue to forget transpeople and the transgender community when it's expedient. And where will you be and what will you say to get transpeople free in to be out in the military and get the medical care they need for their transition. We're not talking a lot of people, but enough. Is a voice too much to ask?

You did an excellent, albeit with some misinformation, 2 minute segment when Amanda Simpson, an out post-transition women, was appointed by President Obama to a top position in the Department of Commerce. But how many segments have you done for transpeople since in comparison with segments about gay and lesbians? Granted there won't be a lot but why not a few more on important issues effecting them?

Will you? Or will you speak up only when the far right raise an issue against a very public issue about transpeople. I'm not arguing against, I actually appreciate, your segments on transpeople, but the transpeople need your help too. Or will you as most LGB people and organizations, including the HRC and Representative Barney Franks, forget transpeople because it interfers with their agenda and goals?

Two recent changes of note could have easily be covered on your show. The Veterans Administration changed their policy on the treatment of transgender people, including adding some of the care associated with transitions. The Office of Personnel Management, from the President's decision, announced rights and protections for transgender employees as well as a recommnedation to remove the exclusion for transition care under the Federal Employees Health Benefit plan for 2012

While the former went into effect, the latter won't be known until the health insurers release their plans this December for the coming year. For those whose need the transition care, it's a milestone which could help them for the major costs associated with a transition, especially the final surgery to get the marker on their birth certificate changed.

Those are two advancements, long fought and greatfully appreciated by the transgender community, came with only modest support of the LGBT community. It wasn't a LGB issue, so they weren't there, but the trangender community knew this would happen and succeded without them.

That's the history of transpeople, being told to help LGBT issues but only when the issue involves LGB ones, leaving T-only issues to transpeople and transgender organizations. And while you have a good record there, you don't have a great one when you I see all the segments on gays and lesbians and their issues.

So, what will you do now with DADT and the military for transgender people?

Respectfully yours, Scott.

Really Republicans?

2011-09-15T19:12:00.001-07:00

Listening to House Speaker Boehner today, I have ask you, do you really think that cutting corprorate tax rates to its lowest in history, cutting taxes on the wealthy, cutting regulations, cutting government spending, cutting, cutting and more cutting is the answer to jobs? Really?

We had 8 years of Bush with all those tax cuts, and we lost jobs, millions over his 8-year administration. We had 8 years of Bush cutting regulations and we lost jobs. We had 8 years of increasing the cost and size of government, yes increase, and we still lost jobs. And now President Obama is at best adding jobs and at worst not losing them.

So what's the difference? President Bush increased the national debt more than any president and passed on a 2009 deficit which added even more (remember the first year of any new president is the previous president budget the new president can't change). And we're worried about Obama deficits?

Reagan and Bush increased the debt every year of their administrations. Presidents Carter and Clinton had near-balanced budgets and even suprpluses some years, the surpluses Reagan and Bush blew and ran a deficit spending increasing the national debt. And you think the Republicans are better at balancing budgets and creating jobs?

Really? Where's the proof? Not the rhetoric. Not the political hype. Not the lies told by politicians. None of that. Only proof. And where is the proof?

Think about it. Do the Republicans tell the truth? The ran the 2010 election campaigns on jobs. Speaker Boehner promised the first order of the House was jobs. Well, we're in the third quarter of his first year of tenure as speaker and there have been no jobs bills from the House. Not even one in the committees.

When Boehner said the was "job creating bills" was his top priority, Ok, where have you been? You only argued against the President and Democrat's bills. You haven't offered any bill of your own, any of the Republican majority, and any of anyone's in the House. None. Where are your bills Mr. Boehner?

Do you really want to elect the Republicans to run the House? Do you really want to elect a President like Perry, Romney, etal who keep saying the same thing as Boehner, only worse? Do you really want to gamble with your and our future on promises they can't specify beyond hype and rhetoric, or just criticism of President Obama?

Hell, anyone can promise anything in a campaign. Even Obama promised a lot he hasn't started let alone done. I'm mad at him. We didn't need a mamoth healthcare bill. We needed jobs. We needed to get out of our wars. We needed to balance the budget without hurting Americans.

In a recession that's almost impossible. Well, actually impossible now and for a few years. And actually impossible for years if the Republicans keep the House. Really? Have you heard any one them talk about specific bills to create jobs? Other than cutting everything?

Remember the Republicans have only one agenda, defeat President Obama. And they'll trash this economy to blame it on him. When President Obama sent his jobs bill to the Congress, what did Boehner say and do? He said it won't happen and the answer lies in cutting. Yeah, cutting.

Anything to keep from bringing it up even in committee. He'll let it die before he does anything, so he can argue it's Obama's fault. Like how when you won't help? Or do you really want to help the wealthy and corporations? Just your friends?

And that's American? That's Patriotic? That's good for the country, the people? We know the truth. We're not that stupid, and you can bet we'll be vocal. You can look good, sound important but we know you're a fraud, you're just a tan in a suit, you're nothing more than wind.

To everyone else, is this what you call government? Is this what you want more of after 2012? Is he who you want in charge of the House? Think about it. Think about it before you say you won't vote for Obama. I don't like Obama, but I don't like the republicans far more because they're not doing anything to help this country, the people and the President.

Think about what will work to create jobs and then think who will do that, and not who will do nothing but whine.

No on I-1183

2011-09-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

This November Washington voters will be asked again to vote on an initiative to privatize the wholesale and retail liquor industry, and give companies and retail outlet the legal right to sell hard liquor throughout the state of Washington. I voted against the two initiatives last time, one sponsored by the wholesalers and one sponsored by retailers, namely Costco.

This initiative is an updated version of the Costco one last time, with some accomodation to the state which wasn't in the first one and was only narrowly defeated by voters. The retailers, again namely Costco, tried to get the legistlature to do what the voters wouldn't do but that also failed with the effort became public and the political fallout was too much for the legislators.

And now we have a bill Governor Gregoire signed which gives the state the option to contract liquor stores to private companies. This is a sneaky attempt to do the the voters said no, and the Governor had to step back to say it only gave the state the option and didn't mandate anything. She stepped on a voter sensitive issue and while she's a departing Governor next year, she may have thought it was a good thing but then backtracked.

Yet the bill is now law and who doesn't expect the state to quietly transfer the operation and management of some less viable or profitable liquor stores to private companies. We won't know or realize it until it's done and we find the store under private ownership (contract). Again, she found a backdoor way to get done what the voters said no.

In reality the state runs the liquor stores the most efficient way for the people. Maybe not the consumer but consider what the past initiatives and now this one would do to liquor in this state. It would essentially allow all retail outlets to sell hard liquor anywhere in the state for all the hours of their operation, including 24-hour gas station markets.

Let's not kid ourselves with the sales pitch for this initiative. It argues the money would be spent on law enforcement to fight illegal liquor sales and drunk drivers. Like we need more of this in our communities? And will the state actually spend the money for more law enforcement officers in a time of a recession when politicians are arguing for reducing the number of state employees?

And let's face the reality of what it would do to liquor. Yes, it would sell more as Costco would drive prices of liquor into the ground to sell more and try to drive the competition out of business. And their goal is to dominate the wholesale side to ship in directly from producers and companies, eliminating wholesalers along with other retailers. Cheaper wholesale means cheaper retail. And cheap liquor is good for the state and the people?

We know on the retail side it's unlkely they will drive competition out of business as those will add liquor to their sales inventory and sell what customers buy or find available. We also know, as they have said, that many remote or rural areas will actually lose the liquor stores as there are few, if any, retailers who will offer liquor, and they could easily raise prices to fit the demand, like customers have a choice.

While I can't drink alcohol, or very little (like a few times a year at most due to a genetic prediposition for Hemochromotosis) and I'm against drunkenness, especially drunk drivers (my brother was an functioning alcoholic and died of a heart attack at 48 from that and smoking 2 packs a day), I'm not against the social use of alcohol so long as it's not destructive to others or property.

Yeah, right as the man said taking another drink, "I know how to control my drinking, I do it all the time." Ok, it's the reality I live with. I choose not to drink these day but I also choose to socialize with friends who do. I used to drink a beer on Friday nights at the tavern. It's where some of the best conversation happen. Really. Ok, until we wake up Saturday morning with a hangover remembering nothing.

But I've wandered. I'm still against this initiative as I was against the last two. The state is the best choose to regulate, manage and sell hard liquor in this state. It works and still helps the state with revenue and jobs. The backers of this initiative have said it won't change the revenue side but it will change the jobs side. Do we really expect them to replace the state workers at retail outlets, or just add the work to existing employees?

So, I've already decided to vote no on I-1183.

I Won't Watch

2011-09-09T18:24:00.001-07:00

I don't plan to watch or listen to anything this weekend through early next week on or about 9/11. I've long had my fill and while I agree those who lost family, friends or co-workers have a right to mark the anniversary, the rest of us don't need to mark except as a major event in our life and then get on with life today.

What's the old saying we like to use when we're knocked down and hurt? Like, "Get over it." Yeah, melodramatic and over dramatic, but still fitting. The events of 9/11 knocked us down, so why do we keep wanting to dwell on the hurt and pain? Why do we still want to hate? Want to express our anger at people long since gone?

Al Qaeda is almost gone from Afghanistan and Pakistan. The global Al Qaeda network arose from Osama Bin Laden's network in other countries, so let's focus there than on the past. It's time we grew up to face our new realities instead of hating ghost of events past. The future is in front of us, not behind us.

I think the memorial at One World Trade Center is a good idea, we, like every society, build monuments to our past. That's not new, it's human, but people remember those lives lost out of respect, out of honor, out of love, and not out of hate, not out of anger, but out of a sense of our own and time's reality.

In short, it's time we got real and kept the focus on the future, looking back when it's fitting and proper, but not as a constant reminder preventing us from moving forward. I will. Do we really have a choice?

Republicans Hate Americans

2011-09-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

Republicans hate America and Americans. Really? Yes, really, or why else are they refusing to introduce bills to create jobs or support the President's or Democratic bills to create jobs? They want this country to fail and they want all Americans to fail. Well almost all, the except are the wealthy and the corporations. They hate everyone who's poor, middle class, elderly, disabled, and so on down the list of why we're not rich or like them.

They have yet to introduce any bill which creates jobs, and you can bet if they did both the President and the Democrats would support it. So where are the bills Mr. Boehner? You can introduce them anytime you want, and in fact promised them in the election campaign in 2010. It's been most of a year now, so where are the bills and where are the jobs you promised?

It's because you don't want to create jobs and you want to make this President, our President since he's the President of the United States, look bad. You want to trash this economy to make the recession worse and turn into a depression, just to get a republican elected president. That's your goal, as you and Senator McConnell said, make this president a one-term president.

That's the truth and you can't escape it. You hate this President. You hate Americans. And you hate America. You're unpatriotic. You're even un-American. It's that simple. You are what you call everyone else who disagrees with you. You are simply talking to a mirror. We see it. We know it. And we won't accept it.

And before you decide to prove me wrong, simply answer the question, where are the jobs bills? You keep talking about them, talking about cutting taxes, regulations and government, you say will create jobs. So where are those bills? I haven't seen or heard any introduced in the House. And you are the Speaker of the House, right? You are responsible for bills in the House.

So where are those bills? You argue against President Obama. You argue against Democrats. But you haven't done anything else. Just words. No actions or results. Why is that? Or are you afraid to be proven wrong that your bills don't create jobs. You said the Bush tax cuts create jobs. Where are those jobs?

It's been 10 years of these tax cuts for the wealthy which supposedly creates jobs. Where are the jobs Mr. Boehner? We're still waiting after 10 years now, and we haven't seen any. You haven't spoken of any. You have only shown the facts the tax cuts haven't created jobs. So where are those jobs?

Americans are tired of your obstinance, tired of your political bullshit disguised as rhetoric, and tired of your arrogance. We want you to do your job and you haven't. You are responsible to introduce bills to create jobs. And you simply haven't. Nothing but hot air. Nothing but bullshit and trash talk.

And while you go about your business playing golf and pandering to your wealthy friends and for the corporations paying your bills, we're suffering. We're out of work. We're losing homes. We're losing money, our life savings to stay afloat, and for many, just survive. You don't care. You've never cared and it's obvious.

So we now see what you think of our President, this country and us. All you do his hate. That's not what a good American does and it's not good for America. You being the Speaker of the House should know and do better. You should know it's about all of us, about the helping all of us, including the President.

And did I ask the question? Where's the jobs Mr. Boehner? You know the ones you promised? Or are those jobs to be created in 2013? More promises for what? Are you that blind and stupid we don't see it and you for the truth? Do you hate us that much you don't care to be honest? Or have you lost any sense of honesty and respect? It sure looks like it.

Dick Cheney

2011-08-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

Has it occurred to anyone that someone should exercise their Second Amendment rights to shut Dick Cheney up over his interview about his book and more so his book? If there is anyone who needs to shut up and retire, it's him followed by Donald Rumsfeldt.

Is it strange both released books on the eve of the 10-year anniversary of 9/11? They could have easily published the books sooner, so why now, like it will sell better because of the anniversary of 9/11? Like we'll appreciate them anymore? Or any less?

If the anyone on the right can shoot anyone on the left who disagrees with them, as quoted by Sharon Angle and others, then is it right to shoot anyone on the right when the anyone on the left not only disagrees with them but when the right is being obviously stupid?

What, then there wouldn't be anyone on the right. Wow, what a concept, no stupid wingnuts. But then who will the liberal media have to bitch about? That's ok, there's always a good supply of wingnuts, just go ask any evangelical.

Ok, I'm not serious. Really. Well, maybe not that serious, but hey, if the folks on the right can think out loud, then we on the left have the same right, or does on the Constitution and Amendments only apply to them?

They Won't Budge

2011-08-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

Dear President,

What don't you understand after two and a half years of intransigence by the Republicans? What don't you get about the idea, they're not going to budge on anything!, no matter how small or even how republican? They're not going to agree with you on anything unless you move to the right, as you have been doing since day one in your presidency.

And now I read you want to do more of the same? More small cuts in spending, modest stimulis plans, reform entitlements, etc., all republican ideas and everything republicans want but not from you, unless of course, you give them more and get nothing in return, like the debt ceiling bill of late. Yeah, you got the debt ceiling raised to January 2013 but at what price and cost then too?

Like massive cuts in government spending, entitlements and other programs? Like you'll be forced to extend the Bush tax cuts in 2012 or not get a 2013 budget? Like you'll be looking at a more severe fight over the 2012 budget this year, if it's not just more continuing resolution at 2010 levels, something the Repubicans love?

What don't you understand to think big and bold and then push the Republicans into refusing to go along to show the American people what they're really like and what their real agenda is, to trash this country, the economy and the people. That's their goal, starve government through deep cuts in programs and agencies, cut taxes for the corporations and wealthy, and in short, screw the American people.

What don't you understand when Mitch McConnell said his goal was to make you a one-term president? And then you gave John Boenher everything he wanted in return for promises? Like the Debt commission? Yeah, like that's going to work? Do you really think the American people and the voters are that stupid? Like the previous debt and deficit commissions have worked?

Obviously you do from your rhetoric about negotiation and compromise. But what compromise? All we saw was give-aways to the Republicans. I know I'm being extreme here, but then I'm a 1960's era progressive liberal, one who served during the Vietnam War in the Air Force (69-73), so I'm angry at your quick and easy willingness to give away long held mainstream democratic values and views.

But I'm not stupid to believe you're for us now, but for your re-election. You'll court us with words when we want action and results, something you haven't done to date in your presidency. We want a standup president for Americans than for corporations, the wealthy, and everything else republican. You sold us our for victories, hollow ones, empty ones and meaningless ones.

And now you want to talk small even more, about negotiating and compromising with the Republicans to get small victories to help the economy and the people in small ways. Like we're going to think that's good? And then vote for you? We might, but where's the backbone to standup for us? Where's the balls to show what you believe in for us? Where's the voice to tell the Republicans you want them to move left now and you won't move right anymore?

We'd rather see a stallmate than you move more right. We'd rather see you refuse to give in to the republicans. We'd rather see you propose big measures to challenge Congress to help this country, the economy and the people. Or we'd rather find a president who will. We may not vote for a republican, but that doesn't mean we'll vote for you.

We can give you a no confidence vote by simply not voting for you. We can vote our conscience to express our opinion about you, and if the republican wins, well so be it, because we'll know you didn't win our vote. You didn't stand up for us. So we don't have to stand up for you. We don't have to choose between the lesser of evils, we can simply choose none of the above.

You should not forget that while the republicans won't budge, like you already know that from recent history, we don't have to budge either. We can simply wish you well but you're not our guy to be president because you haven't stood up for us so fare and you've shown you won't stand up for us in the future.

That's the deal. We want action, not words. We want results, not rhetoric. We want a stand up president, one who will stand up for America and Americans. On that we won't budge. Your move Mr. President. You have to move, your choice, but our vote.

Getting Re-elected

2011-08-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

Dear President,

So you want to be re-elected? Well, the way you're going, you'll be another GWH Bush real fast, but take heart in the fact people won't decide who to vote for until September and October 2012. And they will vote the old-fashioned way, from their pocketbook asking themselves are they better off than they were 4 years ago.

But that said, right now, you're not winning those pocketbooks let alone getting back all those hearts and minds you broke with your trail of broken, forgotten or misplaced promises. Remember them from 2008? Gee, you don't remember you left them by the roadside shortly after being inaugurated in January 2009. What a short memory you have.

And so far, which I don't see anything changing soon, you're losing the pocketbooks in droves, especially the base which supported and voted for you. I am one of those whose annuity you froze for several years while everything around me increased where I've been losing money now for the second year in a row and will continue to lose money for another few years, all because of you.

Yes you. Not Congress. Not the economy. You, when you froze my annuity and not fixing prices of everything else. I, like the rest of the retired government employees bit the financial bullet for you and what have we gotten in return? Increased costs and losing income. Gee, what a re-election concept, starve the electorate. Into what? More promises of better days and times? Like when?

But that's not the point here. You can be re-elected, but not by what you're doing now moving to the right (your center), abandoning your liberal and progressive base. You left us long ago for negotiation and compromise which turned into conpitulation and surrender to the Republicans, leaving you crumbs when they got "98% of what they wanted" from you, House majority leader Boehner's words.

See why your strategy and tactics aren't winning. We don't care about politics, we want a better life and many people simply want a job and more so a good job to live, not like you or everyone in Congress, but just live and have some money beyond subsistance. Is that so hard to understand? Is that so hard to speak for the people? Is that so hard to fight Congress for the people?

Apparently it is for you. The Republicans have learned two things with you. Just say no. It doesn't matter what, even their own ideas and bills, just say no. Vote no and nothing gets done. And two bleed you to death. Politically I mean, simply put a lot of roadblocks in your way where you can't focus on what's important for this country and the people. But then you keep falling for it.

You keep trying to negotiate moving the right inch by political inch until you've lost sight of the left. No? Like extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy? Remember your promise? And will that promise be forgotten in December 2012 too when the Republicans block lame duck bills again?

Like the debt ceiling bill? Where's the simple bill like the Republicans have done so under Bush, Clinton, Bush and Reagan? You asked for it but they knew you weren't serious because you continued to negotiate with them. They won. And you didn't see it. You should have said you want a simple bill and left it to the Democrats in Congress. You should have stood behind them and you didn't.

What you need to do is simple. Just say no in return. Tell the Republicans what you want, remember it's for all of us - keep that message in mind and in your words, and then don't negotiate anymore. Stand there and make them really move or face being seen as what they are, obstructionists. Just stand still and say no in return, you will not negotiate beyond the center-left anymore.

And then propose jobs bill after jobs bill after jobs bill. Did I mention jobs bills? Don't stop offering them to the House and make them vote on them or show they won't act on them to bring this economy and people back to prosperity. Talk about the future and better times but with bills after bills after bills. Don't stop. Don't just talk, we've heard it and are tired of it. Act and act big.

Big jobs bills. Big economy-improving bills for small businesses and employees. Think FDR. Think big, like this country. Think like all of us. Then act! And then speak out against those who are against you for not doing anything, like every damn Republican in the House and Senate. Hold them accountable with actions. Hold them accountable to us, the voters, the people.

Make them look real stupid. Yeah, I know you're a nice guy and don't want to do that, but do you have a choice? Do you really want to be a one-term president and hand this country over to a conservative, religious Republican, again? Because if you don't start fighting and continue fighting, that's what will happen because your base and the voters are really pissed at you.

Like Big Time! Really big. That's why you have a year to change things, not necessarily in reality as the Republicans will continue to say no and put roadblocks in the way. But you can show them to the people with actions, with loud passionate talks, with words meant to inspire the basic beliefs of people. Not what you're doing now.

You must change or you will be changed by events in November 2012. You're not winning the independents, like me. You're not keeping your base. You're not winning the hearts and minds of Americans. You have to fight their mean-spirited words and actions, not with that or them but with yourself, your words and actions.

That will get you re-elected. And did I forgot to mention jobs bills? Lots of them? Not talk, not promises, just bill after bill after bill. You have the House and Senate Democrats on your side, where they've been waiting for you. Just walk back across from the center-right where you've been these last two years to the center-left and left.

Forget the right. They will only move more right when you move a little, ever so little, to the right. They've seen it and done and you've moved right where they want you. It's time to move back in a leap and stand there. Fixed and angry. Fixed and vocal. Fixed and doing.

And no matter the economy, the people will believe in you and vote for you. Remember they did with FDR during the depression. Keep that in mind. Keep him in mind. And most of all keep us in mind. Americans.

Dear Apple

2011-08-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have a Mac Pro, upgraded December last year from my 2006 Mac PPC, and really love it with Snow Leopard (OS-X 10.6.8). I won't argue or debate with PC fanatics, er. users, about the benefits of each, it's personal choice. I used a PC the last 2-3 years of my USGS employment and hated it. I eventually made it mimic a Sun workstation which I used for 90+% of my work, only using e-mail (Lotus Notes) and MS Office for files folks sent me.

That said, I've been reading about Apple's new operating system, Lion (OS-X 10.7) and I have to say I'm not planning to move to it for awhile, at least 4-6 months while they work out the bugs, when I can also get a physical copy (flash drive) of it as a backup than relying on the App store, and the third party software companies get their versions out which actually works.

So far, from what I read there are a few things which I don't like about Lion and related stuff. First, I hate the Apple App store. I hope Adobe never puts more than basic applications on it and keeps their suite of applications off it. I hate you're restricted to it to ensure you get free updates or upgrades when offered or buy it separate from the vendor.

I hate it doesn't recognize the same application bought before the App store and the vendor only offers updates or upgrades through the App store, meaning you have to buy it again. Some have fixed this but not all have so some have disabled updates or upgrades through the application, requiring you use the App store, and yes, buying it again.

Or not as I have and will let several applications lapse into oblivion.

Second, I don't like the new look and interface. I only want Lion if I can turn it all off and keep the Snow Leopard look and interface. I like my iPad and iPhone, but I don't want that on my Mac. I've read not all can be turned off, so I'm waiting for more information to see what I can control and what I can keep.

Third, I don't like many Leopard and early applications aren't forward compatible for Lion, requiring paid upgrades to move them to Lion. I'm cataloging the cost of these. Some are making their new versions backward compatible but eventually Apple will likely restrict that as they did with PPC Mac's and Leopard with the upgrade to Snow Leopard. It took me a week to sort out what I lost, what broke and buying upgrades.

So far with Lion, I'll found I'll lose Adobe Creative Suite 2. That I can lose except one app as I'm using CS5/5.5 with some CS3 and 4 applications which so far I've read will work. The biggest problem is that printer and more so scanner companies are dropping drivers (using Rosetta) and/or utilities. Nikon's scanner software doesn't work under Lion, but then I don't use it anymore (I use Silverast but it has a paid upgrade due out later in August).

I don't plan to buy upgrades for some applications since I don't use them and haven't upgraded them in the last 1-2 years (a whole version ago). I have some old applications, though, I really like, eg. Adobe's GoLive 9 (separate CS3 app) which may or may not work, I've gotten mixed result. Another, Adobe Image Ready (really simple cool, image map app) is lost as it's in CS2.

It's why I dislike Apple making backward compatible applications obsolete quicker than they should by moving away from universal binaries which run on older PPC and early Intel Mac's. Granted it's their choice, as selling new computer as I did, helps the bottom line than supporting older ones.

Lastly, and mostly, I don't want the "Cloud" (iCloud). I like iDisk for storing files. I don't want to put anything on my Mac in the "cloud" to share with my other devices. I'll use iTunes for that, unless of course you screw iTunes to disable the communications with iPads and iPhones, but I don't think you're that stupid. Yet anyway.

I really hate the idea iCloud is in the OS with all the Apple apps, eg. Mail, Contacts, Calendar, iTunes, etc. I only want that stuff on my Mac or in my Iphone or Ipad through iTunes. I don't want those on the cloud even if it's free. I will turn it all off. I'm angry the cloud won't allow me to store files, images and music for others (or that I've read). It why I have iDisk, to store backup stuff and the public folder to share.

Anyway, Apple, while Lion may be a good upgrade underneath the hood, I'm not looking forward to getting into it and sitting behind the wheel. Yet anyway. I'm still reading the owners manual before I buy. I don't want to get it to discover things I really hate and can't control. I'll keep you posted or at least there is no choice like you did with my PPC.

Stop Talking and Start Doing

2011-08-05T18:42:00.001-07:00

Dear Congress and especially the Republicans,

Stop the damn talking and start doing. We don't want to hear anymore talk about the focus on jobs, but we want to hear and see legislation to create them, and we don't care if it's jobs from businesses or government. The House Republicans have the responsibility, and more so the obligation, to get bills into law to create jobs.

You haven't done anything despite all your political rhetoric to do that from the 2010 election campaign to taking power in the House. Nothing. Not one bill. Not even an idea. Nothing. No jobs, just like ole' GW Bush himself who lost millions of jobs from the Bush tax cuts. Remember those tax cuts which you promised would create jobs. So?

Where's the jobs?
And to the Republicans in the Senate, stop your obviously stupid filibuster and pass the damn bills to create jobs. The working person doesn't care who's paying the bills, if it's customers, businesses, or the government. They don't care, only they get a paycheck to pay for the home, buy food, educate their children, afford health insurance, whatever it takes just to live anymore.

And if you don't create jobs, consider the thought that you also will be unemployed in November 2012 because we will fire you and let you try to collect unemployment insurance, like the millions who will be standing beside you in line. Then you too can argue about jobs because you'll really understand the reality.

So, get your head out of your ass and create jobs. Jobs, jobs and jobs. Get America working. Get America growing. You understand that don't you? You're for America and Americans aren't you? Or are you anti-America and anti-American? Are you unpatriotic for our country and people?

No? Then create the damn jobs. Damn where it comes from, the debt, taxes, wherever. But don't argue just tax cuts because we know they don't create jobs. That's a 10-year old lie. We know it. We see it and we're living it. So don't try it anymore. Just do what it takes to create jobs.

Did you get the point? Create Jobs!
Now stop talking and start doing!

Selling America

2011-08-01T13:32:00.001-07:00

Reading the news about the agreement to raise the debt ceiling, America and the American people have been sold by President Obama, with help from the Democrats in Congress, to the Republicans, Tea Party and all. The Republicans knew they would have to raise it, they only played the part of being stubborn to win concessions, and they did perfectly as the Democrats and more so the President caved to their demands when the Republicans played being children.

The President tried to outsmart them by getting a longterm extension conceding the least cuts in spending, which he got, except it didn't include promises to let the Bush tax cuts expire, or better repeal them now, add new tax revenues, reform the tax code or even get some tax loopholes closed. Nothing in taxes for $1.2 Trillion in spending cuts to programs which help working families, the elderly, the poor, children, and so on down the line.

Nothing. They got something and we got nothing, except we'll be paying more and getting less while they'll be paying less and getting more. What a deal. The wealthy Americans and corporations got freedom and we got the bill. Is that what the President and the Democrats call fair? If it is, then I'd hate to see what they will give away again when the 2012 appropriations bills go through Congress. Wait, they've already did it with amendments to other bills, screw our government and the American people.

So where are the President and the Democrats for the people? Or have they simply sold us, our country, our nation, our economy and our government to the Republicans for what in return? I don't see anything for us and see everything for them. Gee, that's going to make voters feel warm and fuzzy to Democrats next year.

But more importantly to everyone in Washington D.C., both parties and the President, a question.

WHERE'S THE JOBS?
It was the Republican campaign agenda in the 2010 election. They promised the Bush tax cuts create jobs, like we already knew it didn't since the tax cuts were enacted hasn't created any new jobs - and in fact we lost jobs under Bush. They promised to make jobs a priority, so where is any legislation to create jobs? Huh? Really, just one bill would help.

And did all this wrangling over the debt ceiling create jobs? Or was it just another step in the Republican's plan to trash Americans, trash our country and trash our economy to make President Obama a "one term president." (Senate Republican leader McConnell words)? Flush everything down the toliet for the White House?

That's the truth here. We see it, but apparently the President and the Democrats don't appear to see it let alone do anything to help. And now you've wasted weeks of stupid, idiotic political wrangling for nothing. And still no new jobs bills. Maybe we need the elderly woman who asked about the beef in the hamburger about jobs? At least she'd have a job for awhile.

Nothing Congress or the President has done created anything of significance to lower the unemployment rate and help the unemployed, the families in debt, home buyers facing foreclosure, and families who can't afford healthcare or even the basics of life. But then all of you still got paid, got affordable health insurance, and lived well while the rest of us got the check.

So, what's next Republicans? What's the next pissing and pouting match you're going to pick we have to suffer?

Congress Stop Being Stupid

2011-07-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

The American people are tired and angry at you for your dumb and stupid political shenanigans over the debt ceiling. It's time to just pass a simple one sentence, one page bill raising the limit as has been done every time since, including 9 times during the GW Bush administration - and 18 times under Reagan. We don't want the other stuff you're trying to add for whatever reasons.

So, that's it. Simple. Just do it and get it done. Remember we get to vote in November 2012 and we will remember you.

Families Do Not Balance Budgets

2011-07-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

Much to the chagrin of the Republicans and the Tea Party arguing that the government should do what families do, balance their budget, they don't want to see, let alone express the truth and reality. Simply put if families balanced their budget, here is what would happen because we would all have to live off our savings and cash.

Few, if any, families would buy a home, that takes a loan.

Few, if any, families would get a home equity loan, see above statement.

Few, if any, families would buy a car or cars.

Few, if any, families would put children through college or any higher education.

Few, if any, families would have a credit card, line of credit or personal loan account.

Few, if any, families would take a vacation, see above about credit cards.

Few, if any, families would have health insurance since they couldn't pay their costs.

Few, if any, families would have home insurance, since they couldn't pay their costs.

Few, if any, families would make large purchases, see above about credit cards.

Every family would only carry cash or debit cards but no credit cards.

Almost Every family would rent since they couldn't buy a home, see above about home loans.

And so on down the list. If government ran their budget like families..., wait, they already do. Government does what every family does, run debts, use credit, make payments, and so on using borrowed money from someone else or relying on someone else, insurance companies, to cover emergency costs, health insurance, home insurance, car insurance, etc.

So stop lying and get your facts right. Wait, you have never had your facts right, which is why you only know lying. And the real truth is government is not a family. It's government and debt and deficits are normal. Just like families but for all people than just our family. That's the truth and reality.

Dear MSNBC

2011-07-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

Update 7/28.-- The NY Times has a good article about Al Sharpton's new anchor position on MSNBC, and despite all the denials by both sides, the truth is evident. Al sharpton's support of Comcast's purchase of MSNBC through his organization, opened the door for him getting his own show on the network. And now the black community has a black anchor for a primetime news show.

Ok, now I understand. You disciplined and then fired Keith Olbermann and have disciplined other journalists for their political contributions to causes and candidates. And now Al Sharpton has a track record of supporting causes and candidates, but that's ok to you because of what? Expanding your audience? At what price or cost? In the end, though, I don't care because you still lost a viewer.

To MSNBC ,

I like, and now liked, the Cenk Uygur show on MSNBC, and your sudden dismissal of him leaves me wondering what and why? Yes, I've read the news about the show, but I really like the show, or rather liked since he's been replaced with Al Sharpton, whom I dislike since his earlier days of being a spokesman for and on black issues. Nothing against the issues, just Al Sharpton. You've lost a viewer for that hour and all the shows around it.

I liked the Keith Olbermann show, but don't watch him much on Current TV. Not sure why, because I only find Lawrence O'Donnell ok but not sufficient to remember to turn the TV on. But aside from Keith I focus my viewing of MSNBC on the 3 hours from Keith through Rachael Maddow to Ed Schulz. Otherwise, since losing Cenk Uygur, I'm not a viewer beyond that anymore, and even that's just 3, sometimes 4, days a week.

I like people who fairly and honestly disagree and even criticize President Obama, when they present the facts of his lies and his movement from the democrat base after, as we see now as, pandering to it in the 2008 campaign. I don't like President Obama anymore, so I like news analysists who do likewise to show the president as his is now, naked without a stitch of democratic clothes on his political body.

And Cenk Uygur spoke the truth many people know. You expect Al Sharpton to do better? Or are you really after the black viewers for the 2012 election campaign? Will Al Sharpton do what Cenk Uygur did, or maybe that's not what you want, to appease the White House for your endorsement of the President next year? Quid pro Quo? You scratch their poltical interests and you get something in return?

In the end, you've lost a loyal viewer, and except for a few shows a few nights a week, I don't have the interest in your network anymore. Your decision, my choice, and your loss. You go figure, I won't.

A long Season

2011-07-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

Update July 26th.-- Well after losing their 16th straight loss going back to before the All-Star game, and being 16 games under .500, the Mariners are seeing reality. The short period they were 3 games over .500 and only a half-game behind Texas for the division lead was wishful thinking. Just hope, now gone up in smoke.

The question is if the team from the owners to the players actually make the changes they need, like fire the President and GM for starters. Keep the manager, trade some players but not Ichiro, and then get out the check to build a team around a core of young players. You can't have another 2001 team which set the American League record of 116 wins again. They were good and lucky, and did I say lucky all had career years in the same year.

I will give them their due too. Their pitching is in the top ten in baseball and their fielding is also in the top ten, so there is the nucleus of a very good team. The problem is their hitting is the worst in baseball, a good 10 percentage points behind the second worst team. All the bats that were going to showcase their lineup has happened. The young players haven't hit and the experienced ones have equally not hit. And now all but a few players are playing for their contract to be traded, released or maybe return next season.

The April 4th post.-- I'm a Seattle Mariner fan. Have been since about 1990. So we Mariner fans are a lot like the fans for other teams who's hope of finishing at .500 let alone contending for the division lead and makeing the playoffs is the proverbial less than zero. And for the last 5 years since their record-tying 116 winning game season in 2001, they've be medicore at best and down right horrible most of the time.

And so this season appears to be no different than their 101 losing games season last year and in 2008. The 2009 year is an anomaly since it was the only winning season in the last 7 seasons and only their 9th in their 34 years in baseball. So it's easy to see after winning their first two games they've lost seven games in a row now, one to Oakland, three to Texas and now three to Cleveland.

The have promised all sort of improvements each year. They've gone through numerous managers in the last 5-plus years, brought in new, supposedly great player who only end up going bust before moving on and playing better (eg. Andrian Beltre), and revised both the infield and outfield so many times no one remembers who's on first any more, except Ichiro is always in right field.

There are problems hundreds of reasons the team doesn't win, large and small, direct and indirect, off the in the locker room and one the field. But it's always the many small thing do them in, errors, bad at-bats, and so on down the roster for every player in the lineup and on the bench.

They all contribute to the failure to win and win consistently, enough to contend if not win the division. And it includes the managers, from Eric Wedge to the assistant ones. No one is off the hook and everyone is on the hook. Fault is pervasive and persistent. Their own common practice.

And even after we, the taxpayers, bought them a new stadium, thanks to Ken Griffey Jr. and get filled now thanks to Ichiro. But since the 2003 season, and only one winning season in that time, it's always a wonder wher the owners (Intendo) and general manager heads are at knowing what to do to have and keep a winning time.

But it's generally they're simply too cheap and don't know how to build a team, because when they get great players, they go bust when they're here in Seattle and almost all of their minor league prospects don't make the majors and those who do end up being traded or leave. It's always a head-scratcher when they say they're doing good but the record doesn't reflect it.

So, I can hope for a good season, as all Mariners fans do, but in the end it's going to be a long season. A really long season. Again.

Sorry Mr. President

2011-07-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

Mr. President,

While I will applaud you for your strategy, I won't applaud you for your speech or your "solution" to the debt limit. If you want a clean debt ceiling bill to raise the limit past the 2012 election, demand one and leave Congress to produce one. But don't sacrifice the middle and lower class, all those working people and all those families, for your political solution and re-election.

We're not the problem. We want jobs. We want a better life government provides state, communities and people. We want a future for our children with good public schools. We want good, affordable healthcare. We want the Social Security System set aside and restored to it's true funding, not stolen by Congress, for future generations.

Is that so hard to understand? Is that so hard to stand up and say? Is that so hard to support as our President? Apparently so by your speech and your words. Nothing for us and everything for the Republicans. Do you really think cuts alone will buy our vote? Do you really think progressive liberals to independents will see you as their president?

If you do, then you've been in the White House listening to advisors who have tasted too much of the inside the Beltway Kool-Aid. What's not to understand the rest of America is outside the Beltway? We're here in America? Apparently you think we're politically deaf, dumb and blind. Or so it seems from my seat.

You missed a grand moment to stand up for all of us, and you didn't.

No Mr. President

2011-07-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

Mr. President,

In reading the news stories about the deals surrounding raising the debt ceiling limit I hear you stake out poltical position in the middle, trying to get the moderates on both sides on your side, and to get the support, and probably the vote in November 2012, of the independents who aren't particularly happy with either party. I'm not sorry to tell you the simple truth and fact that it's not working.

Independents are who they are politically because their views are a mix of both parties and often range the full spectrum of the views on the issues. While the vast majority of independents are individuals or member of small groups, the Tea Party is an extreme example of a larger independent group as are the progressive liberals, the majority of independent may share values with one of those groups but largely are in between the two.

I'm a registered democrat only because our state required you to select one of the two parties to vote in primary for that party (now changed to include everyone in a top two primary election with not party distinction), but mostly I'm an independent, a 1960's era progressive liberal with some moderate and even some conservative values.

While I generally side with the democrats and side against the republicans I will walk away and even criticize the democrats when they fail to meet my expectations or embrace my values on the issues. I do this when I see the democrats cave into republican pressure to compromise to the right of center, leaving the liberal and more so the progressive members of the democratic party standing alone with nothing so show for their effort.

And so that's my point. In your discussions with the Republicans, which I see you don't include the leaders of the democratic party, you have demonstrated you're not a democrat in any manner of the definition. You're a republican in a democratic suit, a sham and a shame to the democratic party and to the many who supported and voted for you in 2008.

You have sold the American people out for your political advantage of the moment. But Mr. President, we will have our moment in November 2012 and right now, you're not our candidate. Not mine, not since you abandoned the public option in the healthcare reform bill and law. Not since you have not only extended the Bush war on terrorism but sacrificied more civil rights and protections than the worst republican in that war.

Not since you caved to agree to extending the Bush tax cuts, if only for two years while we only got one year of benefits in the same bill. Not since you froze my annuity for two years and will freeze it again for additional years. My financial safety zone is now exhausted because of you.

I no longer have the discretionary spending to help the economy as you want. I no longer have the money to buy what you think would help the economy and create jobs. The money isn't there anymore thanks to you now. And you expect me to support and vote for you?

What's the saying? I think it's something Mr. Boehner said, "No! Hell no!" Yes, your fellow republican buddy. You've have screwed the American people for 2 1/2 years now for your own political agenda which wasn't what you promised in the 2008 election campaign. You lied to the American people to get elected, and now we see you are the old adage.

You are the democratic president with no clothes and shown to be a republican. You assume the democrats and the democratic party will stand behind you for your re-election campaign, and they will, not because they like and want you as their president and candidate, but because you are the lesser of evil. You are their republican democrat, and like it or not, they'll stand there with their fake grins and exress their words of support.

But don't assume that is true or real. It's not. But unlike the voters, they have to do that. We don't. We don't have to vote for your opponent, we simply don't have to vote for you. If we had a parliamentary government, you'd get a vote of no confidence and ousted from office for it. You're lucky, and you know it.

You've spent all your political capital and know you're asking for more, except we don't have any more capital, you stole it. You emptied our pocket giving it to the republican in your negotiations and rightwing compromises. You bankrupted us into debt while enriching them. And now you're asking for more.

Sorry Mr. President, as Getrude Stein said, "There is no there there." We have no more there to give. You're broke which is why you're running to the Republicans for help. You can't stand tall as a democrat, so you run cowardly to the republicans for help from your own party and from your own political base. And now we see and know it for sure.

You're willing to rob and even bankrupt your own political base for the republicans. Or maybe that was your plan all along? Maybe you never really cared for the democrats or the democratic party, and you, funded by corporations and wealthy individuals, sold us as a people's choice. The grand republican plan all along.

If the republicans didn't want John McCain as their president, why not elect one in democratic clothes. Except now the clothes are gone and you're naked for who you really are, not so much our president but their president. And sorry, now we can decide for ourselves, and will.

You will likely win because many will see you as the lesser of evils but don't mistake that as a mandate from us, but a warning, and which you, in your second and last term, can and will likely ignore. You'll be president and we'll have to fight to hold you accountable to real democratic values for this country and the American people. As you often say, "Make no mistake...", we'll be watching you.

Thank You Women's Soccer

2011-07-18T12:28:00.001-07:00

Thanks to FIFA Women's World Cup soccer. The whole thing from the first group match to the final Sunday. Too bad it's only every four years, but then there is the 2012 Olympics next year.
Thanks to the US Team, everyone, for a great tournament and great matches. You did yourself, the team and country proud.

And thanks for the final match. Both teams played well and as soccer goes, skill and luck won the day. The Japanese team took home the winner's trophy to soothe the sorrow of a nation from recent events and tragedies. The American team took home the honor of doing their best against a very tenacious team playing extraordinarily well.

And while no one can soothe any player's hurt from the final match, you have our respect, admiration and love for doing your best and being great players, teammates and competitors. There always is honor in that. And the Japanese team knows they won against the best in the world. You still are the best in the world.

And there is 2012 and then 2015.

Technology and Cluelessness

2011-06-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

I read the article in the New York Times about the new Lytro camera which will be on the market later this year or next. The camera eliminates focusing and simply becomes a true point and shoot camera. But what does it say about the photographer?

With all the innovations now standard in modern cameras from even cellphones ones to point & shoot to the consumer and professional rangefinder and DSLR's, you can simply do very similar things and with the tools in the newer image editor (note I make a distinction between photo and image), you can be the world's worst photographer and produce some of the world's best images.

Really? Well no, but the cameras eliminate all the thinking when you're standing there capturing the image (or taking the photo if it's film). This doesn't mean you can't plug your brain in, you can to the extent you want. It means you don't have to plug your brain in except to know where the shutter release is located.

The photo editors will correct for anything, and even create images by merging images, adding parts of other images or from nothing but your imagination. And shooting raw format, you can simply do more with all the exposure controls with exposure settings, light, color balance, etc. to export images for production to other media.

Those factors along with the development of autofocus, program mode (full exposure control), and automatic white balance (correcting for light source) and auto-flash controls since the 1980's, makes photography easy for everyone with little or no understanding of photography or even about cameras. Just turn it on and shoot, you, or rather the image editor, can fix it later.

And this new technology even adds to the path away from being a photographer to just taking photographs. Forget learning, just point and push the button. Don't worry, all the automatic tools in the camera and all the autocorrection tools in the photo editor will make you look like a professional.

Yeah, I'm being a curmudgeon. I was also new to photography, and yes, I used the latest technology (a Minolta SRT-101 camera) to avoid learning some of the "basic" skills all photographers were supposed to know. I still haven't learned it beyond the basics to shoot 4x5 film, and I still use technolgoy (light meter) to help there.

So I'm being more a traditionalist because there is one thing I do stick with in my photography, getting the best shot you can while you're standing there, whether it's in the field or in the studio. I always try to capture what I see and want, it reduces the post-production work in the photo editor from my own stupidity.

Yes, it's more work then and there, but it's also far less work sitting in front of the computer, and it affords me more time to tinker with the image for fun than for work to correct mistakes. I once spent a week to get one studio shot (shown here) to get the 4x5 film capture exactly what I wanted. It took nearly 200 digital (jpeg) images to get the one 4x5 slide which is what you see there, nothing different.

I won't argue the technology is good and worthwhile, I use it, just not to the extreme as possible, but I still rely on it when I don't have the time to think beyond the immediate needs or issues with a photograph or image. I'm just remarking that with each step something is being lost, and has been getting lost since the introduction of internal light meters in cameras.

Long would be the day a photographer had to use their knowledge and experience to guess the exposure, simply see, judge, adjust and shoot. It's all my Minolta SRT-101 had with its needle-matching system. Nothing else but that one technological advancement. And now my Canon 5D will do damn near anything with the right setting, which I've used automatic or program on occasion.

I'm only waxing nostalgia for nothing really. Only now you don't even have to think beyond looking and pushing. All the "photography" can be done in the camera or the photo editor, and even that is automatic now. And you can pretend you're smarter than you really are, or at least your images will appear like you do.

And this is where you see the difference. Just ask to the see the original photo (film) or image (digital). I won't argue that request would be met with disdain in the pre-SLR days when you took and develped the negative to produce the best print (eg. Ansel Adams). Those days went away long ago and you can always argue to see the original (positive) transparency (slide) with film as you can fudge the exposure there very far.

Which is what I shoot, only rarely B&W negative film. And all digital is transparency. So, in a way you can say, "Show me the original." I can, like the 4x5 slide mentioned above along with the one digital image I used for the exposure and flash settings. So yes, call me what you want, I'll keep doing what I'm doing and enjoying the personal challenge than leaving it to technology beyond the minimum, and certainly not without plugging in my brain.

New Pledge

2011-06-21T18:39:00.001-07:00

The current Pledge of Allegiance is as follows.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

This version was established in 1954 after the cold war fear of communism. Before that, the words "under God" was not in the pledge, ever. Yes, it wasn't there.

But with the new right wing, activist Supreme Court and the Republicans with the extremist Tea Party in Congress, the new Pledge of Allegiance is now as follows.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the corporate republic for which is stands, one corporate nation under a Christian God, indivisible, with restricted liberty for the people and justice only for the corporations and wealthy. May God have mercy on the rest of us.

Or so it seems with the Citizens United and the recent Wal-Mart decisions among others by the John Robert's activist, conservative Supreme Court and Congress reducing our rights, protections, liberties and justice for the sake of an imaginary war on terrorism, runaway corporate wealth, ever increasing lower taxes for the richest 1%, and war on the social entitlements and federal government.

So folks, when you stand and pledge allegiance to the flag and this country, make it for the people, of the people and by the people.

It's Official

2011-06-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

I've been putting off getting a Washington State business license for several years now, but now it's official, I'm doing business as WSR Photography, a sole proprietorship (not a LLC which requires additional legal agreements to limit liability). Since I only do work for friends, some professionals and other folks on occasion, there won't be much, if any, income, as I tend to work for free if it's not too much or too many prints and I give card sets away.

I still have some more steps to go through, like registering the business with the county, but I can still work as the business while sorting out all the remaining steps. I will have to file routine financial and tax forms with the state, but that's ok considering the advantages of being business. Like I'm going to get rich. Yeah right.

And since all I do are photo cards set (boxes of 10 cards), occasional photo/image processing for friends and the Mt. Rainier NP photo guide, it won't involve a lot of time or trouble to report it to the state. But at least it's a start.

If only we had time

2011-06-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

That's what the Secretary of Defense Gates said over the weekend about Afghanistan, "If we had more time, we could...", and he went on to talk about the goals which could, stress could than can, be accomplished. But all those goals are contingent upon too many other factors we have no control over in addition to expanding the war into Pakistan creating a new enemy.

The DOD (under)estimates the cost of the war in Afghanistan at $2B per week. Under meaning that's only direct operational costs, but not all the indirect costs for replacing all the miltary hardware damaged or destroyed there, the cost of all the veterans especially those with injuries and disabilities from the war, the cost of the CIA's operations, and all the contractors working there.

In short, it's far more than that figure and like the cost they reported in Iraq all these years, far short of the total cost we'll pay in the future (remember it's on the government's, er. taxpayers', credit card, the national longterm debt. Yeah, our kids will pay for this war one way or another.

But the point here is all the drawdown of troops are talking about are the 30,000 surge troops which deployed last year. And that's Secretary Gate's point. If only we had time at full troop strength with the sugre troops to secure the nation. Secure? We've had 10 years to fight the Taliban who's numbers are measured in the few thousands against our tens of thousands of troops?

If only we had time, as he said. And yet the generals have said we can't win this war there with the military, it's a poltical war too. The experts say it's not a political war as the Afghan government has had all the time, and lots of our money, to succeed and they've only succeeded in being one of the most corrupt governments today. And we're paying their bils.

As someone noted we're expected to pay $8B per year to train the Afghan army and national police in a country with less than $2B in annual income for the whole country, minus the drug trade of course which is paying the government and the Taliban. And that doesn't include the logistics and supplies for the Aghan army and national police.

After nearly tens years of this war and the last five years of hearing, "If we had more time...", time is up. Ding. The American people don't see an end to this war. They only see an big hole where all the money went with nothing to show except dead and inuried soldiers and so much political rhetoric you need chest waders to get through.

All the time in the world won't fix Afghanistan, or at least we and NATO can't. The Soviets tried and failed, and we'll try and fail. Only they can say to themselves for themselves, "If we had more time...", something we can't and shouldn't give them. Time is up. The little dinger long ran out of sound being pounded by the American people.

Afghanistan is exactly like Vietnam where there is no end, none in sight and none on the far horizon. We know, however, President Obama will not withdraw the troops except a few thousand for show, during his terms, assuming he's re-elected to 2016. He's committed to winning a war we can't win. It's LBJ's Vietnam and Bush's Iraq when they promised victory and never delivered.

We saw it, they didn't. We saw the reality, they only say the political issues about selling fear of the enemy, communism then and terrorism now. It's never been about either, as it's never been about terrorism in Afghanistan. We long pummelled Al Qaeda and we've hurt the Taliban, not completely but enough they're far less effective. And we see the reality there is no victory in Afganistan

Something President Obama won't deliver either. It will be a stalemate for years to come, our and NATO's, provided they don't leave earlier than expected, huge presence there, the Afghanistan's corrupt government with drug lords and Taliban as members, and the Taliban in Pakistan. And all the hopes Pakistan doesn't change to the worse or their people really begin to hate us more than they already do.

The rhetoric about, "It's for all those who have fought there.", doesn't ring true. It didn't in Vietnam and the war ended with a truce leaving all the soldiers wondering why we were there in the first place. In Afghanistan we had a goal, a real one, which Bush and Cheney exploited into another war with no real goal or purpose, only political rhetoric.

And now to say it's about our comrades isn't what this is about. It's not about our pride or our patriotism. It's not about admonishing the sins of Vietnam. It's not about us. It's about them and reality. We have to see that and make decisions for that, not our imaginary goals and purposes which have no end, just our idea, "If we had time..."

It's time the President, the Secretary of Defense and other in the military see it's time for a reality check, not one hoping and saying, "If we had time...", but one being pragmatic and saying, "You know, it's time we...", and give the American people a real timetable to leave, completely leave to say no more troops, no more money, no more of anything, you're on your own to sink or swim.

It's their nation, only they can build it, and must they should without us. The sooner the better for us.

User Beware

2011-06-05T21:01:00.001-07:00

Ok, that's the old adage and common sense, and applies to a lot of things, so what, prey tell, am I referring to here? Well, software for one. As I have noted on another blog I replaced my 2006 Mac G5 PPC, bought 3 months before Apple changed to the Intel chips to power their Mac desktop computers.

Yeah, bad timing, as I learned in 2009 when Apple announced that future versions of their OS-X would only be for Intel chip platforms, and then Adobe announced Creative Suite 5 would be for Intel chips with Snow Leopard (OS-X 10.6). In the summer of 2010 Apple released the last security update for the PPC's.

So, in December of last year I bought a new Mac Pro which should last another 5 years and recycled the PPC to the authorized Apple recycler in California for either some worthy customer or to be parted out. Hopefully the former since it was in excellent shape, only missing the HD's which I removed and now use as external HD's with the new Mac.

So six months later I have the new Mac where it will be minus the normal software updates or upgrades. And to monitor things I bought several software packages to keep track of the Mac and do various system level checks. They're all slightly different and have different tools and features, but one thing they all do which is necessary but irritating, and the point here.

Some applications install system or user level daemons not controllable by the user once installed, except to uninstall the software. This is necessary for monitoring programs, such as TechTool and Checkup, and for backup programs, such as Intego Backup Manager. When you restart the Mac or login (I never log out as I'm the only user), the bootup or login launches the daemons for these apps.

Ok, fine if you want to them to run, but they're only useful when you need them and not 24/7. But the key is you can't remove them unless of course you know OS-X at unix level, which I do but not that well. And you have to have root access, which anyone knows is dangerous. One wrong keystroke or return key and as Michael Waltrip said, "Something in the motor which makes it go broke."

My complaint? Well, one I can't control them, but more so, two, they're resource hogs, either with memory (one takes 400 MBytes of memory) and the other runs nearly continuously. My Mac can take it for both memory and cpu, so it's not serious, but just irritating that you have no control.

But then you don't anymore with Mac's. The software is running checks for a lot of things and almost all now need or use the Internet to send or get information, like updates, eg. Apple's App store and Adobe's updater. Most of the rest wait until you use them and they check the application's Website for updates or information or your registration on their Website.

In addition, these daemons aren't found in the login apps in the system preferences under accounts and login items, or found in the preferences panel or startup items folders. They're installed at unix level in some plist or other file which is read when you restart or login the Mac. And doing anything risks breaking them.

The advantage is that all of this is keeping your Mac informed and working when you're not paying attention or even concerned. Do I like the apps? Yes. So my rant isn't really an important one or even a big one, just an after thought when the applications is installed to realize you're stuck unless you uninstall it.

Such is life these days sitting in front of a computer.

Any guesses?

2011-06-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

Well, as I've written on my life blog I've had digestive issues for several years now which was believed to be with all the symptoms very similar to Pseudomembranous Colitis, and specifically since last October when the whole system went south and never has returned to any sense of normal.

And all the GI specialists have said after the tests found everything "normal", not colitis of any form, was that, "It's IBS, age and diet. Get used to it." I suggested it was another abnormal normal bacteria, a lesser known one of the thousands in the gut. Like normal can't be abnormal, which is what Pseudomembranous Colitis is, except it's the only one known with an antibiotic to treat it, but not cure it.

Well, to show them I have photos now. So that's the Le Quiz de Jour, any ideas of what these are? Hints? Well, one, they're not food and stuff, and two, they're not supposed to be there. And so on to the images.

This is a host, or so it appears. The nodules extend out from the body of the host on tenticles which develop into the ones below.

And this is what they are fully developed.

All I can figure is they're a mass of something, bacteria or what I don't know, so the lines are open for comments or suggestions, including the obvious, "Yuck!"

Dear e-Publishers

2011-05-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

Update.--I found Barnes & Noble's free e-reader for Macs. That's something but not much because you need an account and you can only read books on their server, not downloaded from their Website.

As much as I'd love to tell all of you to f..k off, I'll be polite and won't say it, but it's what I want to say about you. Why? Well, for starters, Digital Rights Management (DRM) you embed in your publications, so the same book from each e-publisher can only be read by their e-book reader, how convenient, or you can buy DRM removal software and hope it works.

Why the anger? Well, since we lost the last big box bookstore in the Tacoma area and the closest (Borders or Barnes & Noble) are 15-20 miles distant) and all the small ones are next to useless for actually having any good assortment of books to browse. Some will order but good luck there as some have said they would but never call me to tell me the book is in.

So I thought I'd try the e-book for the first time. Well, Border's Website where I've had a reward card for years (when our local store opened) wouldn't recognize my card number and wouldn't recognize my e-mail saying it didn't match the card number, despite the store recognizing it all these years. Then it wouldn't let me create an account with the same excuses.

And without an on-line account you can't buy e-books from them. And Barnes & Noble created the account which I was able to buy a Nook book edition, except you need the Nook reader on the iPad to read it. Ok, the app is free but then the app doesn't allow uploading downloaded books, only those through the iPad app. How stupid is that?

I had to download the book from Barnes & Noble's Website twice, once to my Mac and to the iPad, except the Mac version can't be read by anything because of the DRM. ~~Barnes & Noble doesn't make a Mac app to read Nook books. How stupid is that? You can get the book but not read it on your Mac?~~

Then when I downloaded it from them to the iPad it put a bunch of placeholders for "free" e-books in the list. Like I want them? And you can't remove the stupid links to them, only move them to archive, like I want to unarchive them? Give the user a break to control what's on their iPad. If I want the free book I'll look for it and download, I don't need your help.

And then Apple's iBookstore didn't have the book. At least Apple has tools to manage books through iTunes but the selection isn't all that great for readers of less popular books. I guess money and profit is more important than readership? They're great for music, but that makes money. Books apparently not unless it's a best seller, but then Apple's ibooks are also only available through the iPad and not their Website.

Fahrenheit 451, only digital. Or maybe Dumb Reader Management system, corporate Big Brother controls what you can access and how you read it. We don't trust you to actually have any intelligence, just live with what we give you. Well, ok, I'll do without e-pubs for awhile, at least until I find a solution, like buy DRM removal software.

Lucky there's more than one way to read a digital book, or is it skin an e-publisher?

LF Update

2011-05-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

As many of you who read my somewhat intermittent LF blog you will know I've been waiting on a Layton L45-A 4x5 camera made in Vermont. The camera was introduced in the spring of 2005 to great review and a design award. And the builder announced the first production run in the fall of 2005.

He offered lower prices to those who sent in deposits. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but let's review some information about him and the deal. First, he's a longtime respected photojournalism who's worked for several papers in New England over the years. He's also a respected large format photographer with a studio in his home town.

So, no camera? Yeah, no camera. After two years of delays and another two years of switching production companies (three at last count) the news went silent. His Website for the camera lapsed into another owner and he stopped showing his camera at shows. There are at about half a dozen people like me with deposits and there are numerous people who know him or have met him in the intervening years.

So, what's the problem? Well, no one seems to know. I have a hunch from his e-mail and communication with other photographers who know him. It appears he keeps changing the design to incorporate his latest ideas. Rather than produce the first model, get the money and have users let others know how good it (and it is by its design), and work on a new model, he keeps working on the first.

I don't understand it, but somehow the camera is probably in his shop waiting something, and the production company is probably also waiting something, like the go-ahead to finish the production. It's one of the best designed 4x5 field cameras in a generation. And it's 95+% finished (parts and assembly) for final production. And most of all for him, there are at least 6 people willing to write checks for the camera and lensboards.

Sadly I really don't understand, and what's worse is that he's no longer communicating about the camera or with us, but is with others on other forums. So I have three lenses waiting a camera. The other four work fine with my Horseman HD which I use but still it's not this camera.

There are people who make you scratch your head in wonder, a great opportunity so close and all within their power. And all we see is silence.

Hands off FERS/CSRS

2011-05-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr President, Vice President and Congress,

As any good Tea Partier would say, "Hands Off!", but this time, the federal employees pension program. Don't tinker with the employees benefits plans and don't raid the trust fund. You've already busted their ass by freezing salaries and retirement annunities through 2012 and probably beyond at some future time for political purposes and you raised their health insurance premiums probaby 5+% this year and equally so each year beyond.

And now you want to tap the cash-rich pension trust fund? No! Because we know from your experience with Social Security, you don't pay us back. You've drained the SS system of over $5 Trillion and you haven't and can't pay it back, leaving it vulnerable to political tinkering as every politician has said and wants to do, lower benefits because it's broke, or will be in 2-3 decades. Never mind it's not broke, it's because you stole money from it.

And now you want to endanger the only secure pension plan any employee in this country, the last bastion of stability and guarranteed promises to government worker and retireees? When states are arguing to reduce pension benefits because they've not paid in enough and lost value from the financial crisis they didn't cause, you want to do the same to us?

I worked 32 years for the government, 4 in the USAF which I paid into my CSRS account and 28 with the Department of Interior. I earned and deserve my pension. I earned and deserve my Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan health insurance. I earned and deserve the right, as all active and retired federal employees, to have a say in this matter. We're not political fodder. We're what made and makes the government work.

We don't want to be some time in the future where the SS system is now where you've drained it and now demand concessions for your arrogance to workers, and use it to reduce it if not eliminate it completely as some Republicans want to do. It's not fair. We didn't cause the financial crisis. We didn't cause the debt limit political gamemanship. We didn't do anything but work hard for the American people.

The government isn't Wal-Mart or some giant corporation who's pension and health benefit plans you can raid because it's convenient and because you're too stupid to resolve matter correctly than cheaply. The government isn't Wal-Mart to dump work with low wages and poor benefits and expect great things. The government isn't just jobs but careers, America and Americans.

If the Democrats go after the anti-government employee sentiment for votes and political purposes and goals, then the government employees have lost the last people who worked for them in Washington D.C. We lose that because you joined the Republicans, Tea Party and Libertarians against government employees, you lose the government. Do you not see that?

Do you not see if we don't trust you Democrats we won't believe in you for us. We won't trust you anymore. We will know where your alliegiance lies, politics for votes, not loyalty to the government, to the employees who work for Americans and America. Don't screw us for your political games and gains. We have memories. We have a voice. And, remember, we vote too.

Screw us and you will hear from us and pay a political price as you use us. Touch what we've earned and deserve and you will see what we can do in 2012 and beyond. You want to be a political Judas? Is it worth the price? The future? The retirees? The current and next generation of government employees? The government itself?

No New leases

2011-05-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. President,

Do not open off-shore waters and interior lands to new leases. There is no need or reason for the oil and gas industry to lock up more sites for drilling when they already hold thousands of leases on land and water they haven't even explored let alone produce oil and gas, some of them over a decade old. They, and we, meaning you, need to force them to use what they have, like the rest of us, and not demand more areas they won't explore for another 10 to 20 years.

It's a sham and a ripoff of America and Americans. They're rich with cash and they are raising prices on future oil and gas now (remember it takes 8-12 months to process oil into gasoline and prices now reflect what they and speculators think they want in 6-12 month).

They're rich with cash and they're refusing to explore the leases they have when they know there is oil there. They just want more leases they won't use and want to keep other companies from getting access to it. That's the real sham and the real shame if you let them get away with it.

You should be representing the American people and America against the energy companies, for us, not your political future or because you're afraid of voters in the 2012 election. Just say no to them. Protect our land and water. Make them explore and drill safely. Make them produce oil and gas from the leases they have.

Or are you in their pocket too? Yeah, we know you took a lot of campaign money from the energy companies. We know you balked at the BP disaster cleanup, penalties and compensation (how the last one going?). We saw it in your response and your capitulation to BP. We know you'll cave again and open up more areas the companies won't explore and drill.

We also know you're simply using politics to cut the tax credit and subsidies to the energy companies. We know you won't fight for them if the political fight gets tough. You're not for us on this issue, but simply playing politics. But it's not politics, it's the real world, our country at stake, something you can't just give away.

So, stand up to them and the Republicans with the truth. They know it will win the day. So what are you afraid of? We're not, but you don't seem to be on our side on this issue. How about a deal? How about a trade with the energy companies?

We will agree to new leases if they turn in any lease not explored let alone drilled for production over say 10 years old. The government gets back all those leases to offer again to new bidder and new prices. And if the companies want new leases, they get them in a one for one trade for unusued leases they have less than 10 years old.

In other words, use it or lose it. It's that simple. And it's that fair for America and Americans. It they want new leases, they lose decade old leases and trade with old leases. Both unusued, just in their pocket. They use it, they get the oil and gas. If they don't we get it back.

That's fair and right for us. So, are you on our side or theirs?

An Oxymoron

2011-05-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows politicians deny reality, stretch the truth, and inflate the importance of their own views, all for their ego, money and votes. And both sides think the other side, the other party's politicians, are the worst, but in truth, that's not realtiy or the truth, and in the light of the facts the GOP and the truth are an oxymoron.

Listening to the recent presidential candidates for the Republican party in 2012, they all have denied or lied about their past, not just their personal lives but their political lives. They've all done exactly the opposite of what they're standing for and selling us today. And they all are still telling lies.

It's not cherry picking facts to make a story, as we know the Bush-Cheney administration did to sell the Iraq war, but about outright lies and lying about the past. There isn't anything Newt Gingrich has said about his past as spearker and representative is true. The Washington Post has a good article checking the facts he told but were lies.

And we see Mitt Romney denying his support for Democratic issues and as governor not just approving the Massachusetts healthcare law mandating health insurance for all residents but promoting it as the right way. And now he's criticizing the new healthcare law modelled after his state progam. And he expects you to forget.

And we know Speaker Boehner lies about taxes. Letting the Bush tax cuts die and cutting the oil and energy tax cuts expire isn't adding "new" taxes, but simply repealing the law granting them years ago and reinstating them now. It's not new taxes but old taxes. Tax increases maybe but not adding new taxes as new is defined.

But then again with the GOP history books and dictionaries aren't in the reality. It's easier for them to invent history as they want and then sell it as the truth and reality when nothing could be farther from the truth, and peddling such ideas is lying. It's that simple.

Michelle Bachman has to be the best at it, and worse, she does it, invents facts and spouts lies, on the Senate floor. Senator Kyl did it over abortion and had to change the official record, but it's on video guy, you can't hide from that. Senator McConnell, the minority leader, isn't to be trusted as far as he walks away from the podium. He agrees with the Democrats and President Obama and the lies he did to make more demands.

It's called the moving goal posts. Keep moving the middle to the right and you get what you originally want. And then keep agreeing until it's time to propose legislation and then change your mind to make more demands to move the middel or else. That they do with lies and lying. Promise then renege.

So much for honesty too these days. The GOP left that along side the road January 21, 2009.

The GOP and the truth is an oxymoron, just listen to their words. It's all they know, inventing facting and lying about their past. Truth and reality is never in their world anymore as the more extreme they move to the right the more they have to invent facts and lie about their past to sustain their view.

If all of them were Pinocchio, not one would have a normal nose. Except they're real live Pinocchios and their noses are obvious in the face of the truth and reality. They've decided being blind is easier than being human.

I Don't Care

2011-05-08T12:20:00.001-07:00

I don't care to remember when, where or what I was doing when I heard that Osama bin Laden was killed. I don't care to remember how he died. I don't f..cking care! And all this hype about him, the Navy Seals Team, the memory of everyone when they heard is pure media bullshit. Nothing else.

There is nothing important about his death that should make us remember when, where we heard, what we thought and felt, and why we should be proud about it. I won't argue who he is, what he did and what he may have been involved with in future terrorists acts. It doesn't change anything in the lives of Americans outside of 9/11.

That's the truth to me. I remember when I heard John Kennedy was killed. I remember about the deaths of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I remember the moon walk. And I remember 9/11. Those are events worth remembering.

The death of Osama bin Laden isn't even a whisper in a windstorm of our collective memory. We don't need to shout "USA" or stand up and cheer about his death. He was the leader of Al Qaeda who commited a terrorist act against the world in New York City and against the US in Washington DC and the farmland of Pennsylvania.

And nothing more to us. He was far worse to others, including Muslim, Arabs, women, and so on down the list. We're just one near the bottom of his anger, hate and rage. We don't need to immortalize him by remembering his death. We need to just forget him and focus on the future.

Disagree all you want, we're all entitled to have and to express our opinion. And mine is just that, mine, as is your opinion yours. Neither is better or worse, just different and our own. And I can say that I haven't watched any of the news about his death, nor care to.

I only read one article about his life which, to me, explained why he belongs to history and left there. And we shouldn't stand up to cheer ourselves for his death. We should deal with who's left after his death. They're the ones who will seek revenge. Let's not add to it by our in-their-face cheering about how great we think we are.

We're not. Our history is replete with our mistakes, our best intentions gone awry to come back and bite us big time. We didn't create Osama bin Laden, but we we certainly gave him reasons to hate us. We didn't help him, but we sure helped his cause with our actions. We didn't help him hide, but we certainly didn't capture him when we had the chances.

We didn't need to capture or kill him, but now we certainly did elevate him to martyr status and create a generation of terrorists who hates us more. That's not something to cheer. Not something to yell in their face. Not something to show the world our arrogance.

He's gone. Let's leave it at that.

Random Thoughts

2011-05-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Some random thoughts about the news this week.

Since Osama bin Laden has been killed and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan is numbered less than 100 and less than a few hundred total, exactly why are we in Afghanistan now? Didn't we just win against the terrorists who masterminded and conducted the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon?

And if we won, what else beyond nation building, which clearly hasn't worked, isn't working, and won't work, is there reason to be in Afghanistan? To fight the Taliban and keep them from regaining control of the government and country? Like they can and would actually do that with all the people against them?

Are we really there to ensure a stable government will survive without our continued financial aid, military support, supplies and money, and infrastructure development? Will they ever do that and give up all that money and military support, meaning arms, weapons, training, and money?

What if we decided we're done and just left? Aren't they addicted to our money as we're addicted to their cocaine? Except we, the taxpayers, are paying the costs of both, there and here. So exactly what are we winning now?

Wal-Mart announced the "creation" of 4,000 jobs in South Caroline over the next five years when they expand their network of stores throughout the state. Really create jobs? Or will they just cause all the local business to fail keep their customes and close or go bankrupt because they can't compete with Wal-Mart for customers?

And will all those jobs be anything more that regular low-wage jobs Wal-Mart has in every store across the country? Will they really add to the economy or just replace the diversity of local businesses with one big box store which then controls the market in the area?

Is Wal-Mart's statement a new reality of the future there, all those jobs, formerly in diverse businesses with people who have the freedom to choose where they work and where they shop, now under one employer who can and will dictate terms of the employment and consumer choice in the local economy?

So in five years when all those stores are operating, how many businesses will be lost and how many employees now working for Wal-Mart, unemployed or moved away to other jobs? Will new jobs just be another job for the same people?

The breech of Sony's platstation users' accounts by professional hackers and thieves. Let's see, that's 77 million users' account information now somewhere other than Sony's database, all for sale to others. How many of those will now have to get their credit checked and have problems in the future?

Do all those 77 million people feel safe now with Sony's confidence for their computer security? And we expect anything from Congress but a lot of noise and mostly hot air about it? Like Congress can and will actually do something? And what if they did, could they do to help all those 77 million users who face credit problems from stolen accounts?

And we'll ever know who conducted the break-in and they'll ever be caught, prosecuted and sentenced? Isn't always the victims who pays in the end? The criminals rarely get caught, let alone pay for the damage done. The politicians shout about rights and protections and then do nothing. And the corporations apologize and promise, and then do nothing.

And the only one who can't do nothing is the victims. They'll always pay the price for everyone else's acts.

More Harm than Good

2011-05-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

Update.-- I read the Navy Seals who conducted the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound really executed him. He was unarmed and not putting up any defense. He was simply shot. Ok, I can live with it considering what he's done, but why not say that in the announcement than hide behind a self-defense argument?

While the vast majority people in and from the Middle East applaud the death of Osama bin Laden, some don't and won't, and now knowing he was executed won't help us since they'll be more energized against us. I won't argue Al Qaeda is in its waning years as their host countries dwindle to a handful and we're focused on them now, but let's not kid ourselves into believing he was the movement anymore. A symbol yes, but the leader, no. And now a martyr.

I was reading this morning about President Obama announcing the death of Osama bin Laden and his quick burial at sea, which is strange considering the distance involved, but not when you consider the politics of keeping his grave from becoming a shrine. Anyway, I wonder about the US engaging in a firefight in the town of Abbottabad, which is home to the Pakistan's military training academy.

While it seems to me to know where Osama bin Laden has been hiding all these years, and I realized many Americans want personal closure for 9/11, I'm not sure it was a good thing to kill him, but rather more to let him die without any US help. Now we have the vast number of supporters of Al Qaeda around the world energized against the US.

In short, while it was good to get closure, that closure has opened a new door in the fight against Al Qaeda, by painting a target on every American everywhere, but more so every American installation in foreign countries and against every American in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have bulleyes on our backs.

It's one thing to be proud of your country, your nation and the people, as I have served my country in the military and civilian service, but it's another to be arrogant beyond reality. And we are an arrogant people, proud to the point we think we are the best and angry when proven wrong or hit hard enough to feel real pain.

The attacks on 9/11 showed that. It was a statement against the World, remembering people from over 100 nations died in the WTC buildings and in the aftermath. The attacks showed we were blind to our own global view of the world and relations with other countries, treating them as puppets than soverign nations. And Al Qaeda punched us in the nose, and bloodied it badly.

But we survived, proudly, but we should not survive arrogant. But I think this was a case of our arrogance. We went in alone, obviously with the tacit approval of the Pakistan government, and we killed Osama bin Laden and others, capturing the rest, and then we quickly departed with those captives and bodies. Where are they now?

We have become to think we are the world's police against terrorism, and for all the wrong reasons and beliefs. We shouldn't be the world's police against terrorism because it automatically makes us the biggest and fattest target. Everywhere. Everyone. Americans will no longer be safe in many countries.

Pride is one thing, a good thing, but pride beyond common sense and humility is not a good thing. It's arrogance beyond any sense of reality. We have become an angry nation since 9/11. The military and more so intelligence have grown beyond any real need for the defense of this country and protection of Americans.

It's grown into making us a military and intelligence based nation where everyone, including everyone here, are suspected terrorists and will be, and has been on occasion, treated as terrorists suspenending our rights, liberties and protections guarranteed under the Constitution.

We have traded a false sense of our rights for the security of this country and war against terrorists. There are far more things more important than that fight. But politicians, including his President, has made it appear it's our most important fight. It's not. It's something to be done, but not at the price we've paid.

The price in cost of two wars, one which could have been quick (Afghanistan) and one which was totally unnecessary (Iraq). All in the name of arrogance and global politics. Pride in the first one and oil in the second. Ourselves in the first and energy corporations in the second. And now we think we have won, but it's only one day in many more to come.

The worst is yet to come. In Afghanistan. In Iraq. And everywhere Americans are or travel. We have become the enemy once again. And while they don't have the sheer force to match us, they can, and I bet will, bloody our nose again, and keep trying, making us drain the bank account of our future generations to fight back.

They spend pennies and lives, we spend billions on credit. Is this really a fight against terrorists or one of economics?

More American soldiers have died in Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11 than in the WTC and Pentagon attacks. And these lives were at our choosing. We sacrificed more than they took. For what? Osama bin Laden? And we arrogantly stand there and say it was worth the fight? All those soldiers?

Really?

The answer to me is yes and no. I would argue it could have and should have been done not just differently but better. We sacrificed a quick victory in Afghanistan, including capturing or killing Osama bin Laden in 2002-03 if it not for the illegal diversion of funds for Aghanistan by Bush and Cheney to prepare for war against Iraq. And we know what has happened in both places.

Two countries we can't leave, and will continue to stay for imaginary reason of global politics giving politicians the fodder to create fear of terrorists and win money for more military and intelligence, ultimately turned against us. And we, in our arrogance, will think it's a good thing. A national thing. An American thing.

But is it really? Or just a political sham and game for power and money. Was Osama bin Laden worth all these past years? Was it worth the price to our country, to our nation, to our international reputation and standing, to ourselves?

We each have our own answer, as have I, but what of our collective answer? One that is honest and truthful than arrogant and expensives in lives lost since, money long spent, and a debt grown larger? Will we think in the future it was worth it? Or will we see the truth and reality of it?

What will we think then? What will the future generations think? Think of us? Rather than look in the past for closure, maybe we should have looked to the future? And decided what is and will be best for then and them?

Lykke Li

2011-04-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Also at YouTube

It's safe to say I love this song but more so love the whole CD. Support young artist, buy the CD - good luck finding it as music stores are disappearing fast - buy, choke, iTunes version. Yes, make Apple richer, but still consider helping young musicians, especially when they produce good stuff like this song and CD.

And by the way, it's really good stuff in the morning with coffee to wake up the brain and senses. Really.

There Should be a Law

2011-04-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Update.--Senator Kyl's office had revised the official print copy of his speech on the floor printed in the Congressional Records. The Senate allows Senators to change what they said on the floor, in front of cameras, for corrections, updates, etc., meaning undo an obvious, blatant lie. That changes the record but it doesn't change history or his arrogance to lie to the American people on the Senator floor.

Original Post (4/15/11).--There should be a law that all members of Congress, when speaking on the floor of the House or Senate, that requires them to use facts or face disciplinary action by the ethics commitee for lying. When Senator Kyl told an obvious lie on the floor of the Senate about Planned Parenthood of America, and he knew it was a lie, he should be held accountable for his discrimination and hate speech.

And all his spokesperson said was, "It was not intended to be a factual statement.", meaning for effect only. Except someone on his staff had to write it and he had to know it was a lie and still stood there and said it. It was a conscious lie with all the intentions of fabricating falsehoods about Planned Parenthood of America (PPA).

And I've seen time and time again Representatives and Senators stand at the podium and not speak a word of the truth, and make up facts, to make a point which they had to know was blatantly wrong and had to know they were lying to make their point. Senator Kyl did it to show a point but only showed how stupid he is and how far he'll go to show how stupid he is, just to make a point.

It's wrong for them to lie on the floor. It's wrong when they call the facts lies and use their opinions as fact ("I said it so it must be true."). It's wrong to discriminate with their hate to condemn people who don't deserve it and haven't hurt them. And they should face some rule which bans them from speaking for a period of time, like a week for one lie, and a month for a whole speech of lies.

They should be held accountable to the American people for spreading lies and hate, and Senator Kyl should apologize to PPA on the Senate floor in a speech written by a neutral party which is honest and admit he intentionally lied to all of us.

A Fair Trade

2011-04-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

This is for both the Democrats, Republicans and Tea Party members of Congress. I'll offer all the Republiicans a fair trade with the fight over raising the debt ceiling this spring and the 2012 federal budget. In return for more budget cuts you'll agree to terminate the tax cuts for the wealthy, all gross incomes over $1 million, terminating subsidies to energy companies, wealthy farmers and ranchers, and other unncessary subsidies, and a restructure of the tax codes to get corporations to pay their fair share of taxes, meaning closing all the loop holes.

This way you get your budget cuts, we all get additional revenue to help balance the budget, remember you ran on that issue, and we get everyone to pay their fair share. This way we should increase the revenue and lower the annual deficit and national debt at the same time. Seems fair to me. So, Democrats, that's the strategy and tactic. And so, Republicans, put up or shut up about lowering deficit and debt.

That's it in a nutshell. And it's a workable plan where all side agree on the goal of reducing the deficit and debt. It's a winner for all. So are you Democrats too chicken to stand up for the American people and are you Republicans too chicken to negotiate an agreement? A real one the American people will love. And isn't that what this is all about? What you're supposed to be doing? Workng for us?

And for what it's worth department, Social Security is off the table. It's not negotiable for the budget deficit or national debt. Congress has borrowed about $5 trillion from it to balance past budgets. You should stop borrowing from it and return the money you have borrowed by 2025-2030 to restore the full balance of it and never borrow from it again.

It is currently self-funded until about 2040 and with the restoration of the borrowed money would only take a few tweaks, like raising the taxable income level and adding more enrollees - hint, solve the illegal immigration problem to make the citizens and add to the rolls to make it solvent until 2075 and beyond without cutting benefits.

So, now go and get it done.

Signed, the American People.

Screwing the Voters

2011-04-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

The retail liquor businesses and wholesale distributors have tried several times over the last 10 years to get voter referendums passed to privatize the distribution and sale of hard liquor in the state (Washington). To date they can only distribute and sale beer, wine and similar alcoholic beverages. The state runs the sale of all hard liquor through state-owned or state contracted stores.

Last November voters rejected two referendums, one brought by retailers, sponsored by Costco (like Duh), and one sponsored by distributors. Both took the state out of the liquor business in exchange for a tax on sales and pushed enforcement on to law enforcement agencies, who are already stretched and stressed under the recession.

With easier access to hard liquor, available anywhere other liquor is sold, law enforcement will have more problems and we'll have more alcohol related automobile accidents, domestic violence and other crimes. Hard liquor will be available 24/7 almost anywhere other liquor is sold, even gas stations. This is why voters have consistently rejected it.

Now with the state looking at a $5 billion shortfall, and cutting all sorts of social services while maintaining tax exemptions and breaks for businesses, the liquor distribution industry sees a windfall by offering the state a $300 million one-time, up front purchase of the state's liquor distribution and retail business.

In short what they couldn't do with voter referendums, they'll pay off state legislators to pass the law in the two-year budget. It's a sham and a shame on the people of the state. It's screwing the voters of their vote and it would take another voter referendum to undo what would already be done.

The state legislature is screwing the voters of the state in the name of short term profit while the retailers and distributors will reap billions down the road. They know this and the state is caving to their interest than the voters who said no. We elected the legislators but apparently votes don't count and money does.

Photographer's Hypocrisy

2011-04-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

I was reading a photography forum, at Photo Net, where a photographer posted the instructions he found on another photographer's blog, a successful wedding photographer (meaning professionally and financially successful), about jailbreaking Adobe's Lightroom 3, a photo library and editing software package.

I have this software, and while I don't use it very much, prefer using Photoshop for most editing, Lightroom is handy for catalogs and other uses. But if you read Adobe's license agreement for Lightroom it stipulates each copy is for one user with two computers, one main PC/Mac and one laptop. Any additional users have to use that copy on those computers.

Adobe specifically designed catalog sharing tools into Lightroom so other photographers in a photography studio can share images across copies of Lightroom. Note across copies of the software, sharing the catalog but not the software. Each must have a copy of Lightroom or use the individual's computer(s).

This means it wasn't designed to be use on a network. Catalogs can be shared across a network but not the software. At $300 per user license, it's not cheap, but any successful photographer can afford copies for their studio. It's good business. But this individual tricked his computer to be a network server for one copy across his office computers, and users, on the network.

This was not how Lightroom was designed to work or intended to be used. It clearly violates the license agreement. But this didn't bother the photographer, because they're out to save money to make more money for themselves, and as we like to think, software companies are rich and can afford people prirating their software or simply mis-using it.

But if you ask any photographer if they would allow anyone to do likewise with their images, you'd get a long, loud lecture on copyright infringement or outright theft. In short, what's good for them is only good for them, and everything else is open to stealing. That's hypocrisy.

When I questioned it, I was told my posts weren't on topic. Ok, true, but I only asked why they suggested jailbreaking Lightroom and linked to the instructions when it's not what they agreed to when the bought their copy. Apparently there are degrees of stealing and robbing Adobe of their software isn't a bad one.

Anyway, I forwarded the thread and the blog entry about the jailbreak, which identifies the photographer violating the license agreement, to Adobe, who immediately thanked me for the information. What they will do I don't know, nor really care. A successful photographer can easily afford additional copies.

And he certainly loses rights to bitch if someone steals his images, "Gee, I was just jailbreaking your catalog of images. What's the problem?" Like hypocrisy?

Obama the Republican

2011-03-30T18:33:00.001-07:00

Yes, folks, today we learned President Obama is really a Republican. A true, blue, diehard Republican. In Democrats clothes and disguise on issues. He sucked all of us into believing he was a Democrat, but lo and behold he's not. He's in the pocket of the energy companies, namely the oil companies - remember they're getting more leases on off-shore explorations when they're not actually using the leases they have.

He's in the pocket of the financial investment firms and the banks. He's in the pocket of the defense and intelligence contractors. He's in the pocket of the health insurance companies - remember he jettisoned the public option just days into the negotiations for the Affordable Healthcare Act. And so down the line except he's not in the pocket of one group.

He's not in the pocket of the people, those who voted from him, trusted him, and expected him to do the right thing for them. We can't pay his political and lobbying bills he charges to represent them. We're just voters and we can't pay his price. But all the others can through all the political and lobbying interests.

Obama the Republican. Get used to it. We can't trust him anymore when he stands at the podium. Not anymore. And now I will not vote for him in 2012. I won't vote for any Republican, including him. I want a real Democrat. Not one who isn't.

Wanted One Really Big Hole

2011-03-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

I've been watching the tragic and devastating news of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan through the weekend. Like everyone I'm fascinated by the aerial images of the towns almost totally washed away by the tsumani waves and by the images of people on the ground trying to make sense of the life now after everything they had was lost somewhere in the massive debris.

I was also fascinated by the science of it, the off-shore thrust-fault earthquake which they're now saying has reshapped the coast of Japan for over 200 miles lengthwise and 50 miles off-shore. This will change the ocean and near-shore dynamics not just in that area and on the coast, but for hundreds of miles along the continental shelf along the stretch of Japan.

But all of it simply amazed me as to the size of the debris itself, and the many questions. Like, where do you put all the debris? Some can be recycled and some burned, but some will need to be buried. So, where? Where will they put all the leftover debris? No one doubts the magnitude of this disaster, but let's not overlook the potential disaster which sits in all that debris.

Looking at the video and images of the tsunami, it's clear, to me at least, that not much will be recovered from many areas to return to their rightful owners. Possesions were moved miles away, mixed with water and mud, and the huge amount of debris from other homes and buildings. And all those cars are lost, only to be recycled.

It's all a sad reminder of our vulnerability to nature and the immediacy of our lifelong possesions. All can be destroyed and washed away in minutes, with only our memory of them and only the dimmest of hope to find anything of value, however small. And the fragility of our own life. The immediacy by which we can be lost, swept away by forces far greater than we know or even imagine.

If anything this tragedy teaches us is both our life and our possessions are at best tenuous on this earth, and always subject to the whims and power of nature and events. Let's remember that when we watch the news about Japan and about the people. We could be there, and what would we be asking ourself?

JMO - Being Stupid

2011-03-02T14:38:00.000-08:00

Not me, of course. If I'm stupid, I'll know it and acknowledge it, most of the time anyway. I'm referring to Representative Gringrey of Georgia, along with other Republicans, who want to strip federal employees from doing their job. But my anger isn't just about their attempt to limit employees rights and protections, but trying to disguise this issue as unions and collective bargaining.

The truth is very few federal employees belong to unions, which are mostly holdover unions from decades ago and haven't been dissolved. For the vast majority of federal employees, like myself when I worked in the Department of Interior, the only "union" we could join wasn't a union but an employee lobbying organization. The only real exception is the AWPU.

The truth is federal employees aren't unionized, can't strike, can't collectively bargain, and whatever else union employees get as part of contracts for work. The vast majority of federal employees are Civil Service or Wage Grade employees. Their pay, benefits, rights, protections, etc. are managed by the Office Personnel Managment under the laws, policies and regulations set by the President and Congress.

And now the Republicans in Congress are trying to equate the very few union, non-Postal, federal employees with all federal employees. It's a lie of enormous proportions. But it hasn't stopped them from sponoring HR 122 to limit the time those few union employees can work on union activities.

Except the law is already quite good and doesn't interfer with any employees official work time and duty. It's a sham and a shame. It doesn't matter that we don't restrict or limit their time when they're chasing campaign donors, talking with and accepting money from corporations and lobbyist, and other activities we might find interfers with the work we elected them and expect them to do.

It's just politics, but it's clear the Republicans want to permanently dismantle unions in this country, however small or insignificant, even the few federal employees who are still in viable unions. It doesn't matter the unions haven't had much to negotiate let alone get from the government. It doesn't matter that most of the negotiations involved employee rights, protections, appeals/grievances, etc., and not financial matters outside their control.

It's about simple union-busting, wherever they can find it. It's about attacking working class Americans and taking away the rights of Americans to work for fair rights and benefits. Americans want jobs. They want fair wages, good benefits and decent employee rights and protections. Something Republicans are against, at any price or cost.

Let's not forget this in 2012.

JMO - It's Time to Go

2011-02-21T05:43:00.001-08:00

It's time to leave Afghanistan, immediately and completely. It's clear after over 9 years of this war it's unwinnable. We know that, even President Obama knows but doesn't want to admit it, at least publically because he'll be verbally pummelled by the Republicans. And he's willing to go with the military to think it's a winnable war.

But it's not. We didn't win in Iraq, we just partially left and will, hopefully, near-completely leave, and the sooner the better. Afghanistan is no different and even worse. We're spending hundreds of billions of dollars, much it for rebuilding the infrastructure in the country which was long brokend before we invaded and occupied.

We don't need to rebuild a nation for damage we didn't cause. The money is better spent at home with our deteriorating infracstructure. And we know much of the money doesn't go for the actual work but for bribes and corruption. And many projects have been abandoned by the builders because they didn't have the money (see previous note) or the Taliban or Al Qaeda has threatened to destroy it or attack the workers.

We don't need to continually support the corruption. We can't account for a significant amount of the aid money after it's given to President Karzai and his government. We know much of it is in banks in Dhubai and other middle east countries. The money isn't going to the people, the army or police, or the projects, but to the wealthy and powerful.

We don't need the Karzai government inviting the Taliban into negotiations and involvement in the government. We're fighting the Taliban and he undermining those efforts. Karzai has even asked for the return of some terrorists in Guatanamo because they're important to the Taliban.

We don't need President Karzai and his government taking money from the drug cartels with one hand and taking our money with the other. And we don't know where all the Taliban money is coming from, some of it from us via the Afghan government or contractors, or going to pay for people to fight us, often the same people we're also paying not to fight us.

We don't need to build an Afghan army and national police force. That's not what the war is about. We know it will take many more years, resouces (equipment, weapons, ammunition) and money, to make them soliders and police officers, good enough to secure the country and fight the Taliban. They have the people to do it themselves.

We don't need to build the Afghan economy. That's not what the war is about. We have made strides in many areas of the country. Al Qaeda is nearly destroyed, less than 100 in Afghistan and another 200 or so in Pakistan. The Taliban is alive and well in many areas of Pakistan, with support of their government with our money too.

While we have rebuilt the many of the rural economies away from poppy, we know, while it helps them become independent and have better lives, the pressure to produce drugs will return and it's far more profitable for the people. Are we prepared to stay decades to preven this?

And importantly we don't need the country from imposing Sharia law against women. We went there toi free the people, and we have failed to change the world for women very much and even have lost ground in advances for women and women's rights. And President Karzai is not only not making efforts to change it, he's making it worse.

We know the vast majority of the country is or nearly illerate and their traditions are based in Sharia law. And this is a fundamental problem we can't overcome. It's unwinnable. Their hearts and minds have already been fixed for generations. It's their history, their religion and their tradition. It's not going to change overnight or because we want it.

And women don't have standing beyond something just better than they had under the Taliban. Women have had better times and more rights, but not in the last 20 years under the Taliban and US-NATO forces. And we're seeing the situation is getting worse and the Afghan government assumes more power and control, and they're not keeping any changes for women we want. They talk about it but it's not changing reality on the ground for women, in their lives.

In the end, despite the slightest possibility of a short term victory, but it's coming at too high of a prices in lives lost or damaged and in money, taxpayer money. It's time to cut our losses and leave, and save our money for America and Americans.

JMO - The Voters Said NO

2011-02-17T07:10:00.001-08:00

This last election the voters rejected two initiatives to privatize the sale of hard liquor instead of the current law allowing the sale of beer, wine and low alcohol drinks anywhere and restricting the sale of "hard" liquor to state run or state contracted stores. The public feels this is fair and reasonable.

The two initiiatives, one sponsored by Costco would discontinue the state run stores and allow the sale of any liquor at store currently selling beer and wine and also allow retailers to buy liquor direct from the producers eliminating the wholesaler, and one sponsored by distributers is similar to the first for the sale of all liquor but requires all liquor to be distrubed by wholesalers.

Both were defeated, the first narrowly and the second resoundingly. But that hasn't stopped either but more so Costco from working with the state legislature to circumvent the voters and pass a law to do what the voters rejected. A corporation wants to decide what the voters have and should continue to decide, for ourselves.

What Costco wants to do is control all liquor in our state. They are the largest retailer of wine, beer and other alcohol drinks and they want to be the same for hard liquor. That's not what we, the voters, want and decided. Both initiatives and now any bill in the legislature would do more than what Costco is telling folks.

The initiatives would allow the unrestricted sale of liquor anywhere in the state and any time. If your store can stock it, you can sell it, all the time, including late, especially after bars close, and Sundays. And we know sellers aren't as dilligent for checking the id of customers. And you can bet they'll bitch when the state begins checking them, calling it government intrusion.

Right now the state has that responsibility and records show, comparing retailers sellling beer and wine with state liquor stores, the state stores are far better preventing the underage from buying liquor. And we know there is another issue at stake, and that's jobs.

We know if the state gets out of the liquor business, they will have to layoff hundreds of state and contract workers. We know the store won't hire more people for the liquor sales, but put the work on existing staff. We know if the Costco law gets passed, it will hurt distributers as retailers can buy their liquor from the producers.

I voted against both initiatives and the state legislature should reject any lobbying by retailers or distributers. The word no is no. If Costco wants the change, put it to the voters.

JMO - Ask the Voters

2011-02-13T17:09:00.000-08:00

Before we start making drastic cuts in government spending as President Obama is proposing and some on Congress are demanding, such as a five year freeze on domestic spending, maybe we should put it to the voters in realistic terms and not political rhetoric, in the truth and not dogma, and in the programs we not just use but need. Before we start making drastic cuts let ask the voters if they'd rather share, meaning add taxes to pay for what we need and want government to do for the people.

It's time to stop trying to just cut spending and cutting taxes more which creates a never-ending spiral of overspending. As has been noted, even if you got rid of everything but the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, entitlement programs and interest on the debt, meaning what people call "discretionary" spending for all the other agencies, you will not balance the budget.

As has been noted, repealing the Bush-era tax cuts, which Obama pledged not to extend but did so in a backroom agreement with the Republicans to get his bills passed in the lame duck session, would not balance the budget. All those tax cuts wouldn't dent the debt and only added to it and the deficit. We're at a point all the choices are gone save one, and it isn't cutting selected parts of the budget, and even if we did as Obama proposes, one thing is inescapable.

There were still be a debt. That's the reality. There isn't enough there to cut unless and until you take serious and significant cuts out of DOD and HSA and take serious looks at Medicare and Medicaid. We can't be spending more in Iraq and Afghanistan than we spend for comparable programs here. Why are we rebuilding those countries, their infrastructure, their police and army, and their economy?

Why are we sending more money overseas in various programs to aid and support other countries and not investing in people, programs and services here? Aren't we more needy? Don't we pay the taxes? Don't we deserve to have our government be there for us? And just maybe we would raise our own taxes to do that?

If the money would be guarranteed to help Americans, create American jobs, get companies opening factories in America, help the poor, the sick, the many who are in bad mortages from no fault of their own, and so on down the list of programs we all use and need, then I think voters may realize it's about sharing.

Sharing has been the history of this country. And not sharing has also been the history (see 1929 market crash which precipitated the near two decade depression). But sharing has always won the day. President Johnson proved it, and has other presidents who proposed and won new programs to help America and Americans.

And we're there again. So, put it to the voters. Or the voters will and can decide in 2012 what they think of the budgets cuts and their new found reality. The President and Congress has the power now, but we have the power in November 2012. And that you can cut, but we can cut you from our lives.

Been Busy Elsewhere

2011-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted here is a short while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy, I have, just elsewhere. If you check my profile you'll find I have six more blogs where I've been busy (I'm a splitter who puts things into loosely connected boxes of control choas to keep my focus on the specific topic). I will eventually get back here for essays as I have just over half a dozen outlined or drafted, just waiting time and work.

And since I moved some of the boxes of some topics, such as news & opinion, life stories, Dysthymia and Taoism, to their own blog, it's lessened the number of posts there. For those you can access my profile or some in the list in the right column below my profile. And much of my time these recent years is the Mt. Rainier NP photography guide along with its blog (in list on right), that's the bulk of my time sitting in front of the computer.

Anyway, that's it for now. I will be back now and then and you can read everything else on the other blogs, like it's interesting, or not. They're just ramblings, mental wanderings and rants or vents at or about the world and life.

Dear Readers

2011-01-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

As a reader of this blog, and reading this post, I want to get some idea of what you think about things here. If you look you'll notice the "Google Analytics" on the bottom of all my blogs. You'll also notice four cookies in your cookies file for this blog (utma and utmz). These are Google's tracking cookies. They're harmless (for me, I don't know about Google) and you can simply delete them anytime you want.

But that's not my point here. I look at the statistics every Monday to see the numbers of readers, the length of time spent and what individual posts they, or really you, read. It's mostly curiousity than anything else. I only really use them with my Website to track what the hits and time on individual Web pages to assess if the work is useful and helpful.

And to that end I'd like to hear from you. I notice in some of the blogs, some posts are consistently read. Not just hit and scanned but actually read, meaning the average time on the Web pages is significant. But in the hundreds of hits over the years, no one has commented on the post, good, bad or indifferent. Not even a thank you or a, "Wow, how stupid." comment.

You can always read my rules, my perspective and my notes about my blogs on the posts listed in the right column below my profile. It pretty much frames the blogs for myself and readers. The rules are enforced as some blogs are open with review later and some are moderated first. This was imposed on some blogs to catch spammers who were posting ad-filled comments.

I know this blog along with the others I write are mostly for my own amusement to write what I think. My father never talked about his life to us kids, only with his friends from work. And our family didn't talk about "sensitive" issues. I didn't speak up until my last year before retirement when I knew what I said wasn't going to kill my career. It was long killed by my ouspokenness about work over the years.

I started the blogs to think out loud. Not much else. I usually have my best writing in the morning, so by about 8-9 am, my brain is ready for other stuff. I also keep a significant number of drafts in the blog to work on over time. Some posts, usually obvious, are spontaneous thoughts and some sit for a few days to as much as a year or more. Some are just notes to expand later when the thoughts come together.

But in the end. I can't tell if you, the readers, find it interesting or not, useful or not, helpful or not, or just like reading a cereal box, something to read when eating breakfast, or a snack or meal later. It's why some thoughts are what I call cereal box reading, read and forgotten.

Anyway, I'd like to hear from you, either on specific post (post your comment) or e-mail.

State of the Union Speech

2011-01-26T06:48:00.000-08:00

Well, all the political pundits and analyists have spoken and will speak at lengh over the coming days and weeks about President Obama's second State of the Union speech to a joint body of Congress, members of the Cabinet, justices of the Supreme Court (most of them, some opted out), and other guests along with tens of millions of people watching on television or the Internet or listening on the radio or the Internet.

And everyone has an opinion about the President and his speech, and I'm no different to those who reads this blog or my news and opinion blog. I've gone from being a moderate supporter to being a moderate critic of the President. As a staunch liberal-progressive, with some conservatism on some issues, I'm disappointed he has moved to the center, abandoning his liberal and progressive bases.

That's realistic and pragmatic for the President to get re-elected, and he has given us on the left some political bones, but as he moves to the center to appease Republicans, and more so the Tea Party, and get independent voters he got in 2008, the majority of whom didn't like McCain, the Republicans are moving the center to the right. The center isn't center anymore, it's center right and Obama doesn't seem to recognizes it.

But that said, about the speech overall, I liked it it a lot. It was in part a good warm and fuzzy feel good and also a challenge. But more so he made it clear to Congress he expects a lot of cooperation and a lot of results for America and Americans. Not partisanship. Not the Republican's plan for our budget, government and taxes. And not the Democrats who want more public programs.

He put the onus on Congress to address the needs of America and Americans, namely jobs, global competitiveness, corporate and personal taxes (to broaden the base to include all corporations), and education. It was clear to me the Republican agenda, and more so the Tea Party agenda, by House Republicans wasn't acceptable or will be tolerated. It was clear the same applied to the Republicans in the Senate.

What he offered was bipartianship and cooperation when it helps America and all Americans, not the privileged few wealthy and the corporations the Republicans support (and are owned by). This applies to those Democrats to. This means he wants action in the Senate than the party of no (Republicans) and the party of do nothing out of fear (Democrats, and especially the leadership).

But as they say, the devil is in the detials, but more so, the devil is if anything will change. The Republican response was tepid at best and more of the same rhetoric for a budget and deficit reduction plan which isn't more than a sham for increasing both while giving more tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations.

President Obama made it clear business as usual, like the last two years, is only going to be met with anger, his, but I would add it will also going to be met with voter anger in the voting booth in 2012. Obama set the stage for all of us to expect results from Congress. We also won't accept the same rhetoric, the same agendas and the same results.

And the details? Well, I'll wander first as has been pointed out in the past and was reiterated in some of the op-eds this morning about the Republicans.

First the Republicans have no plan for reducing the deficit and balancing the budget. That's clear in the math. They have no strategy or plan for investing in America and providing jobs for Americans. They have no plan for providing for the needed things in America, like education, infrastructure, unemployment, and so on down the list.

They have a plan for Medicare and Social Security which is simple, privatize it to the Wall Street. They have no plan for Medicaid except moving it back to the states who can't afford it. They have no plan for growing America into the future and in the global economy. They have no plan for anything beyond tax cuts and eliminating government.

Ok, I'm biased, obviously, but just read their interviews and their speeches and look at their record in Congress. Have they done anything in the last two years? Have they done anything in this Congress outside of repealling healthcare we all now like very much? Have they offered anything other than the old agenda and rhetoric rehashed?

And that's what Obama went after in his speech. Let's not forget a very important point. It was President Bush who for eight years never balanced the budget when Clinton handed him a surplus. It was Bush who increased the deficit more than any president in history. It was Bush who pushed through tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations adding $1 Trillion to the deficit.

It was Bush who put two wars on the government's credit card (deficit) for over $1 Trillion. It was Bush who gutted government agency to corporate agenda putting corporate friends in power in the agencies, which precipitated the BP oil blowout. It was Bush and Cheney who used the White House for a political campaigns (Hatch Act violations). It was Bush who oversaw the financial market bubble and bust, and passed the first TARP bill for $700 Billion.

When folks talk about the "last ten years" they focus on what Obama inherited without reminding where that came from, a Republican President and most of those years a Republican Congress. They are the very people they argue caused the problems but the Republican conveniently deny it was them. They have all that blood on their hands and it doesn't wash off.

And Obama reminded them of that. But rather than harp on it, he said it's time to move forward. So let's do that. And now the onus is on Congress to follow what Americans already now and the President told you. It's about America and Americans, not politics as usual. And you can bet if you don't we'll remind you if the President doesn't.

Thank You Mr. Olbermann

2011-01-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

What can I say. I watch your show as often as I can, followed by Racheal Maddow and Laurence O'Donnell, but always starting with you. You speak the truth and reality we all need and want in the world today. I am so sorry the decision has been made that you are leaving on such short notice. You will be missed and no one can replace you.

We need your voice. We need your words. We need your insight. And more importantly We need your wisdom and humor. It's not found elsewhere in the media and especially on television. There's not much more I can say except the obvious. I wish you and your family well and I wish you Godspeed.

It's About People

2011-01-21T05:22:00.001-08:00

For the last few years our nation has been facing a financial crisis and it's now where the choices are about people. We're at the point we can't cut budgets, local, state or federal, anymore without cutting deeper into social, educational, medical and other public programs which help the people of this country. All the while we're continuing to increase the budgets for the military, intelligence services and our national security.

This, as some have apply pointed out, can't continue. The Republicans are voicing more cuts to the discretionary federal spending in face of the fact it's less than 15% of the total annual federal budget and expenditures. The rest are the entitlement programs (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid), interest on the longterm debt, and the military, intelligence and national security programs.

We're at the reality that we have to determine who we are as a nation and a people, the whole of both of those together. What does it mean to live in America and be an American. It's that simple now. We can continue down the road of increased war, military, intelligence and national security spending at the expense of other programs or we can decide to change, to help Americans and help America.

We don't have to throw the other spending on the budget scrape heap. We're in two wars and we have international military obligations with perceived military threats from global terrorism and other nations. We can't change that much now, but we can slowly and incrementally change the direction along with the money. We have to ask the people with those programs to sacrifice for us as we have sacrificed for them.

We're in this together. And like it or not, there are no choices of doing both anymore, or at least for a few more years when we can get out of this recession and moving in a better direction where the social, educations, environmental, medical and other prgrams aren't robbed to pay for unwinnable wars, overzealous security and needless intelligence. But that's down the road.

For now, it's time Congress and the President decided to cut all discretionary spending, especially the Department of Defense and the Homeland Security Administration. They need to do more with less, a lot less. There is more savings there than the rest of the discretionary spending. It's time they stepped up and acted responsibly for America and Americans.

Otherwise, what's the alternative? Keep robbing the social and other programs which help Americans for more DOD and HSA spending? For what? How does those agencies help Americans here at home with their lives? They don't. They don't help Americans pay their bills, stay in their homes, keep their jobs, pay for health insurance and healthcare, pay the education for their children, and so on.

That's the choice we face now. Between a better America for Americans or a worse one at the expense of the military-corporate industry. Eisenhower was right and would be angry today at the extent of the budget for the industry at the expense of people, ordinary Americans who need the help far more than our global military and political efforts. Over one trillion dollars of our national debt is for two unwinnable wars.

We'll exit Iraq with nothing achieved except the ouster of Saddham Hussein. Nothing else. The Iraqis will determine their own fate now and we didn't help by allowing Al Qaeda to get a foothold there and allowing the Sunni-Shia civil war. None of our real goals, as promised by President Bush, were met or will be met under President Obama.

We'll leave as we left Vietnam, quietly and with no winner, only losing for the damage in human lives and a country in ruins. And we'll do the same in Afghanistan. We knew it a few years ago, we know it now, and we'll know it in a few years. Nothing will be significantly different then as now and was. There won't be a winner, certainly not us, and eveyone will lose from the damage in human lives.

And that's the choice we have to make. A lesson we haven't learned. To stay out of wars which have nothing to offer beyond an endless hole to pour money and lives, American money and lives, our money and lives. For nothing for us here. That's the choice we have before us now. It's about here or there. And we can't keep paying for there with money for here.

When Bookstores Suck

2011-01-18T05:53:00.000-08:00

I love bookstores. Always have and until lately always thought I would. But of late I'm beginning to believe almost all of them suck. And suck royally. We have a Borders in our small town (~50,000 in the surrounding area) and another about 10 miles away in Tacoma. Not bad, or wasn't bad. But with the book buying public habits and the recession, they've changed.

The local one has reduced in stock books about 10%, maybe more. They're almost out of CD's anymore as I understand Borders is getting out of the music side of the business, only selling top selling or popular CD's and slowly depleting the inventory of other CD's. But with books they're also reducing the numbers, cutting the size of sections, like photography, computers, etc. and keeping popular ones, mysteries, self-help, fitness, etc.

In short, they're trying to survive in a market where e-books are the trend and they can be downloaded from the company's or other Websites. The local store hasn't caught on to this because they only offer one small space for e-readers and little help to those who want to get them or download books. They're missing an opportunity to add customers with service.

Anyway, my complaint is that I like to shop for books. I always walk in with a list of ones I want to see, maybe sit down and puruse some, and probably buy one. I would in the past have either bought them without reading or buy 2-3 after reading. Now, on an annuity, I buy one. But I can't buy that one if it's not there.

I don't buy books anymore without looking at them (scanning it) or reading parts of them to see if it's worthwhile. I can't do that if it's not there. And the on-line inventory these days sucks. Borders' on-line inventory is rarely accurate, and only for popular books. Barnes and Noble's isn't, meaning they don't offer a way to see if the local one (about 20 miles away) even has it.

This is what I don't understand. The technology is there to provide near-realtime on-line inventory. Most national chain businesses have done this for years if not a decade or more. Hell, even the big department stores have been doing this where you can find any merchandise anywhere in their chain of stores. And they can get the latest inventory to replenish or add items sold the day before.

But apparently not Borders or Barnes and Noble, at least not for customers. They clearly have it for the managers to order. If you want to see a book that isn't there, you have to order it, but when you order it, you have to buy it. That's my bitch with this. I only want to see if I want to buy it, I'll buy it if it's worthwhile. I don't want to order and buy a book I won't use or don't want.

And that's what's sucks. Both do this as do most small bookstores. When you pay $30-50 for a book, you certainly want to know if your buying a book you need or want. But anymore you can't do that. You have to buy it. That's it. Nothing else. The odds are good I'll buy it, but only after holding it, scanning it and reading parts to know it's one I want.

I know I could easily order the book on-line from almost any seller and even the publisher as almost all of them offer on-line sales. But what happened to bookstores having the book for you to hold, see and read? I like going to the local Borders, partly because they have a good cafe, but over this last year or two, I don't go as much because they it's not a place to wander and shop for books anymore.

That's because they don't add new books beyond the popular titles. They're slowly reducing their inventory and becoming an order first, buy second and then puruse the book. You want to hold it, you buy it. That's their new policy. And that sucks.

Honest Talk about Guns

2011-01-09T09:16:00.001-08:00

In the wake of the shooting in Tuscon which left 6 people, including one 9-year old girl, dead and another 12 in serious to critical condition, can we now have an honest discussion about guns? Not calling it a senseless act (it made sense to him) or the act of a deranged, angry young man. We can't keep dismissing violence with guns like that and it's time we face the reality about guns.

This young man had legal access to guns and more than enough rounds to express his anger. We can't keep saying it's those who are the problem. It's that guns are so easy to get and so easy to use. The violence along the US-Mexican border more than proves this, when almost all the guns and other weapons the Mexican drug cartel have and use come from us, the US. That's more than documented and proven.

And we know the ATF is hamstrung by Congress not to do their job as they easy could had the legal right and funds. That's the fault of Congress bowing to the NRA which threatens the lives of all of us, as we saw in Tuscon where innocent people were gunned down on a quiet Saturday morning. They deserve the right to prevent undesrving people, and not just from violent people but from anyone getting and using guns, because they can.

And we know the rhetoric of the 2010 election campaigns only incited violence with guns, such as when Sharron Angle said, "...maybe people should exercise Second Amendment rememdies", against people who they disagree with. Not words, but violence and more so violence with guns.

It's time to bring the issue of guns into the 21st century for the people and the nation, and not sit on the Second Amendment as an absolute answer to it. We need reason, and we need realistic answers and laws. We don't need mor rhetoric we commonly here from the NRA and most members of Congress. We don't need intransigience.

We need to consider the larger view that regulating guns is good for the safety and security of all of us. It's not an individual right anymore. We've seen how far that will go too often. It's about the rights of all to live in a free society without the fear of someone openly carrying a gun has a different agenda and goals.

We can do this by ensuring guns are registered with local law enforcement and that information is corrdinated through the ATF. We can do this by freeing the ATF to get the newest information and technology tools to monitor guns manufacturers, wholesalers, resellers and individuals. We can do this be properly enforced background checks.

We can do this by allowing state and local governments to enact laws controlling the public display of guns. We're not living in the wild west anymore and any citizen openly carrying a gun is unnecessary in the daily lives of citizens. We can do this by allowing state and local governments controlling and registering the sale of guns and ammunition. The police need this information to know who has or is getting guns.

We can do this by ensuring everyone has the right to own a reasonable number of guns to protect their home and property from criminals. We can do this by ensuring gun collectors store their guns in a safe and secure manner to prevent anyone, especially children, from easily accessing them. We can do this, as we do know, by allowing people to carry concealed guns for their own protection or in their line of work with a permit.

We need to hold gun sellers accountable for all their sales to both local law enforcement and federal agencies. We need to ensure gun sellers are properly licensed and operating legally. We need to routinely review their sales and operation to ensure they're not selling guns illegally. And we need to shut down those who do sell guns illegally.

Those are good, fair and right answers to the sheer numbers of guns being produced and sold in this country. Those are good common sense answers to ensuring all Americans live safely in this country and not fear being in public because someone has and will use a gun to vent their anger or rage. We've seen what that does this last weekend in Tuscon.

A nine-year old girl died senselessly and needlessly not just because one angry young man expressed his Second Amendment rights, but because our society allowed it to happen. We fostered his anger and rage. We allowed him to get a gun. And we allowed him to carry it to the event and use it.

The answer to this event is not having people there with more guns, but ensuring this young man didn't get one in the first place, and if he did, then ensure we act to remove them and act to ensure he faces consequences should have try to buy one or actually gets one illegally.

We can protect the rights of individual to own and use guns properly and safely and we can protect the rest of us when those people decide a different course of action to their problems and their hate and rage against others. It's time the NRA and gun-rights folks acknowledge responsibility, with the rest of us, for this tragic event. Just saying no anymore isn't helpful or useful.

We as a society allowed this to happen. It's time we as a society grew up, stood up and took action to ensure we're all protected in public without sacrificing our rights in private. That's fair and reasonable, and life-saving.

Apple's App Store

2011-01-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Update III.--Ok, more walking through and reading some blogs and Websites. I'm beginning to dislike and like the App Store, but more dislike. I hate that some vendors are selling their applications exclusively through the App Store, which means all your free updates they offered when you bought the app from them will now cost you the price of the app again.

Update II.--Ok, walking through it, some notes. First, the catagories are different and confusing, less specific as the old Websites and harder to find good ones (tool showy). Second, the automated update tool doesn't work if you already have the app and an update is available from the vendor. You have to buy it through the App Store app. That sucks for many who have the apps.

Update.--Ok, after updating OS-X to 10.6.6 and Apple App Store app icon appeared on my desktop and I found all the apps available. And ok, it's better than the worst I thought, because it's not a Website but a separate app. It's an iTunes-like app. It still sucks because it's a lot of show and takes more time to browse and find things. But I'm open to being wrong.

Orginal Post.--I own a new Mac Pro, bought after having a Power PC G5 for almost 5 years. I like Mac's and my 3 month old iPad. After using a PC with various flavors of Microsoft's Window system for that last 3 year of my government work I retired and decided I would never use a MS-based PC or a MS software package or application ever again. And I haven't and never missed it.

Before I used a PC at work I used main frame and Unix workstation systems for almost two decades I found MS the most onerous, dumbed-down, user-unfriendly system anyone could create for a personal or work computer, and ended up making it emulate a workstation since 90+% of my work was with a Unix system. I simply made the PC be a Unix-clone as much as possible and only used the PC parts when outside forces required.

But after almost five years with Mac's, and still liking them, I have to say Apple has done a worse thing than Microsoft. Really? Yes, really. But then probably not since Microsoft would screw this up too. And that's Apple App Store. First the iPad Website and iTunes interface really sucks for efficiency and user-friendliness. Great to look at, but don't expect to actually find anything easily.

Apple made the App Store look neat but forgot useability. For Mac's they had the download Website which I really liked and used frequently. It was relatively easy to use, to find updates and the occasional surprise. But they dropped it in early December for the new App Store which opened today, except there's nothing there except a few apps. What's the story?

All those apps from the old Websites couldn't be transferred for some content? Reading the backstory, not. It seems Apple also changed the rules for application developers which eliminated the use of undocumented Application Programming Interfaces (API's). That pretty much busted most of them until they can be converted to comply with Apple's new third-party applications rules, if the company has the resources and interest.

And that sucks too. So, Apple has two strikes. One, the presentation and useability sucks. And two, far fewer good apps and too many lost to dumb rules. Did users complain about these API's? No. Did developers complain? No. So, it's an Apple unilateral decision to rob users of good applications. Like we don't already have the previous version and we can't go elsewhere to find apps? Care for a third strike, less customers and more complaints?

What don't you understand you screwed the customer? Not smart. And clearly made going there less inviting or necesary. I liked visiting the old Website and I hate the new ones, the iPad/iPhone one and now the Mac one. The opening day I saw all of 15 apps for Mac's. Gee, comparted to hundreds on the old, non-defunct, Website? That's an improvement for the customer?

I will keep checking back, albeit reluctantly, but so far both app stores are disappointments, especially from Apple. All show and not much else, especially from a company known for good, user-friendly computers.

Two very important things

2011-01-05T05:41:00.000-08:00

With the new Healthcare Reform Act (or the official name Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - PPCA Act) now law, and much to the chagrin of the opponents on both sides, those who falsely call it government run healthcare - it's not by any stretch of the imagination and those who, like me, wanted more - like the public option, it will be with us for years to come, albeit with some tinkering down the road.

Like it or not, it's here to stay and I will argue for it to be more inclusive and more mandatory with ways to help those who can't afford good health insurance or healthcare pay for it. It's good government and good public service. I still want the public option to compete with companies. Without it, they'll only charge more for more coverage with more rules to lessen the financial burden on them.

And as we're seeing with the mandate in a legal war with the opponents and with the states opting out of the "risk" pools, the Act didn't go far enough to impose mandates to the states to comply and provide common rules for these pools. Several states, those with Republican governors, have said they won't plan to consider it let alone offer it.

And so in the end still a significant percentage of the American people won't get health insurance and will get their healthcare from hospitals and emergency clinics at public expense. That's not good government or good public work. We need to ensure everyone has access to good affordable healthcare whether it's a private or government insurance plan. Spread the financial burden where it belongs than the public.

But that's not my point here. It's two things I want to see expanded, women's healthcare and end-of-live care. Both of these are essential to Americans. The first isn't just for women, but their family and friends. The effects of an unwanted pregnancy last a long time but an unwanted child last a lifetime. Women need all the available help and services with the reproductive system and healthcare.

And eveyone will die, many at the end of a long period of illness and disease which only leads to one thing, death. They need all the available help and service to ensure the decisions about their live and the end of life is humane for them and their family and friends. End of life effects everyone around them, let's make sure it's the best care for them and eveyone around them.

That's it. We all have our issues with the new Healthcare Reform Act. Now rather than repeal it or undo, let's work to make it better for everyone. We've started down the road to that goal, let's keep going.

Capture versus Create

2011-01-02T04:28:00.000-08:00

I was reading about the demise of Kodak's Kodachrome film, that last rolls produced earlier this year and the last film processing ending this week (Kodak stopped producing the necessary chemicals also earlier this year - sign of bad corporate decison to pursue profits over customers). While you still capture images with digital cameras, it's not the same as capturing a film photograph, and it's the difference between capturing and creating an image.

I distinguish between images which are captured digitally and photographs which are captured with film, mostly because I'm a curmudgeon and like the clear distinction to identify the differences between film and digital capture. It's purely semantic on my part, but while many confuse to mix the two, you understand the difference with me.

I also distinguish between a print and a digital image on the Web or elsewhere viewed by monitors. A print from any medium is still a print, whether printed traditionally with an enlarger or digitally with a printer. I'm now entirely digital print. All of that is just to keep it straight in my head what's what according to the source of the photograph or image and the final product.

But what crossed my thought (damn synapses keep firing) is that film is a capture and present format and digital is a capture and create format. Yes, photographs are created in the darkroom with the print process (long taught in photography schools) and created from digital images of scanned film (now taught in photography schools if/when film is used). But digital images are created from the moment of capture.

Film is absolute in that once captured, the film photograph is. It can't be changed except through scanning or printing. Digital images are, while captured in raw format, created from the camera through the photo/image editors. It's all open to manipulation by the photographer or editor. You can't print a raw file, you have to create a printable version. You can print a film slide or negative but you can't print a digital raw image.

And that's the difference to me. I use both, and sadly have some rolls of unshot Kodachrome which will never see the light of day. My mistake. But I won't stop shooting other black and white film and color slide film. It's a different mindset to capture with film than with digital cameras, one I like with digital capture. I'm a film curmudgeon to some extent and hope I never see the day I can't be one.

Anyway, that's the thought.

Words don't change facts

2011-01-01T05:04:00.000-08:00

One thing I keep hearing from politicians are apologies, explanations, excuses and so on down the list of reasons to justify their view of the facts, or more to simply, as they say, cover their ass. They make the same mistake with these words they make when they mistake opinions for facts. Their opinion, it seems, is the truth and reality despite nothing being farther from it.

I read when New York City mayor Bloomberg called the city's response to the snow storm "unacceptable." Ok, but that's just an opinion, even if by a mayor. It didn't and doesn't change what happened. And you can bet nothing significant will change. Whatever caused the folks in the various city services not to respond quickly or extensively enough is up for grabs, mostly by politicians, but then everyone has an opinion there.

I won't be surprised if in the end and after the review they discover it was a series of small errors of judgement which caused the delay to start the response and the insufficiencies during the snow storm to adequately remove the snow. And no single person or event will stand out, just a bunch of small ones in sequence which added up to something larger than themselves. And once there, it was obvious what was wrong.

This situation isn't new or news really, just another in the way our lives are becoming. The supposed better technology and systems we use the more complex the social system becomes and the more prone it is to human failures, small one adding to larger problems where the whole thing just doesn't work right, if very much at all. We haven't learned to balance human systems with technology well enough yet where it's needed the most.

And often this is due to technology folks not understanding social system and vice versa. And today with so many people and companies working in all the different fields, there are simply too many "solutions" to human problems and social systems that few work together or with other systems. It's capitalism at its finest, make a product no one else sells and make it unique to you so it's not useable by others.

It's found everywhere, from our homes to corporations and more so government which keeps buying new system replacing old ones taking more resources (time, money and people) to install, convert and use, only to be replaced again when it's operational as being obsolete. Corporations do this with their products, sell us stuff they won't fix (can but intentionally don't make parts) and require replacing.

I gave away the best coffee grinder I had a number of years ago because the grinding wheel had worn down where it didn't work. I could have easily replaced the two parts with a screwdriver (3 screws held each) and clearly was made to be repaired. But the authorizied repair shop said the grinding wheels in that model were unique and the company refused to sell new ones.

Designed obsolesence is the word they use. It what drives our world and economy anymore. If it breaks, just buy a new one. But it doesn't change the fact a good product is useless. And all the words don't and won't change that fact, nor the reality of the snow in New York that sits in piles waiting for someone to remove, despite all the words of mayor Bloomberg.

NPR - Perspectives

2010-12-30T03:32:00.000-08:00

I've always been one to like short quips or quotes, see my quotes Web page, always with and for a sense of humor and often to get me to rethink or break any tension or stess.

I never make mistakes, I just don't always do everything right.

I'm never wrong, I'm just not always right.

I never lose, I just don't always win.

I'm never lost, I just don't always know where I am.

Why follow directions when you can take the scenic route?

I always know where I'm going, I just don't always know if it's right.

I always know where I'm standing, it's not always the right place.

I'm never late, I'm just not always on time.

I'm going as fast I can, it only looks slow.

I don't break things, they just stop working.

I never lie, I just don't always tell the whole truth.

You expect me to lead? I have no sense of direction.

I have plans, they just don't always work.

I have plans, just not always for what I'm doing.

Directions? I had them once but lost them enroute.

I have answers, they just don't always fit the question.

Do you know what time it is? Yes. Well, maybe for me anyway.

In the end..., Wait, you mean we're already at the end?

JMO - Opinions Moved

2010-12-28T14:53:00.000-08:00

I noticed I wrote a lot this month about the political events after the November election. Well, I decided to move all but those with comments to my News & Opinion blog where it's more appropriate. I've neglected this blog putting all my opinion post here, which has cluttered it with noise, and all of it me. So, in the future folks can wander there to hear me standing on my soapbox ranting at the world. I'll only post opinion pieces here which are of a serious or important note.