We all know Presidential candidates and the political parties promise a view of the world on values, issues, problems, and so on down the litany of them, as we've heard over and over again. And we know they promise solutions and answers. And we know they tell us about their personal view and values on them, along with promises to do what we ask and they say they will.
Then they get elected, and true to form as they say, "All bets are off." Everything is forgotten, promises and all, including values. It's good we have an intelligent President, probably one of the smartest in recent decades. But he's done what they've all done, abandoned his promises and checked his values at the door to the White House. He's very bright but not very smart.
He hasn't learned, or at least shown he's learned, burning bridges with those who voted to elect you isn't very smart. And now he's seeing the great divide between the moderate-to-liberal democrats and independents who wanted change and himself. I won't say he explicitly lied, but it's fair to say he standing on the line between truth and lies.
He's standing on the double edge sword between his base and his politics. And he's on the way to falling on his sword in 2012 if he doesn't learn and change, and then do what he actually promised which is namely return our government back to the people and what we value as a nation with liberties, rights and protections with a government which works for the peole and not for the intrusion into our lives and privacy.
He decided early in his term of office to jettison the base view he had in order to engage the right, especially the extreme right. He has seen over and over the Republicans are the party of "NO!" and they won't budge. But he keeps moving his position from the left to the center and now to the center-right, and he keeps losing the political battles. And yes he has given us something, but far short of what he promised.
We wanted the publiic option. He promised it and jettisoned it quickly, too quickly in order to win. He was more into winning than remembering it's the quality of the win that matters, just just the act of winning. Winning a bad healthcare bill isn't winning but losing. Giving the people crumbs and the industry platefuls isn't winning for the people. The promise he made and abandoned just to win.
We wanted curbs on intelligence gathering powers on citizens, the repeal of provisions in the Patroit Act. We got more intrustion, more intelligence agencies and contractors, and less rights against the intrusions. We got conned as he not only continued the Bush practices and policies, he expanded it several times over again. It's out of control and he's happier than anyone because he's fighting terrorism.
At the price of civil rights and liberties. He doesn't really care, about us, or the law, or our country. Only more intrusion and less protections. He lied in the campaign and he's being silent now. He promised to curb the military work in foreign countries as an international policy. He's doubled or tripled those efforts, even in other soverign nations not at war with the US by writing checks to corrupt governments, training their military and providing intelligence information.
Rather than focus on what's important in the fight against extremists - notice he stopped using that description and went to war on terror and called it a fight against our way of life. Gee, just like ole' GW himself. Couching the same idea in fancier words doesn't make it better, only prettier. No less platable to us, just harder to believe.
Most of all, however, he promised to stand for values the Democrats and many independents have fought for against the Republicans and Libertarians who want to exploit government for their personal gain. And he has failed and is failing badly to keep even the smallest promise and preserve the least value. All in the name of something we see and don't understand, trying to appease the right.
We see they won't be appeased even when the President and the Democrats offer the Republicans own ideas. They're entrenched with their political feet in concrete to their views and values. The only word they know is "NO!" and the only views they express are lies. Even in the face of the truth, they deny it and keep lying.
And the President keeps extending his hand to get it cut off. All the while ignoriing, then forgetting and finally abandoning those who got him his job. As it stands now he won't get my vote in 2012. I won't vote for his opponents, but I won't vote for him. I will vote my own "NO!" about and to him. He has failed me and the American people.
He and his press secretary keeps saying we've made gains, but not the gains he promised or the gains he and we could have gotten in a real tough political fight. He abandoned women's rights. He's abandoned environmental protection (after all BP donated money to his campaign). He's abandon civil rights and liberties. He's abandoned real affordable (universal) healthcare.
He's abandoned the people who need jobs, want to afford homes, want a good life for their family. All he's left for us are crumbs. Recession or depression is a matter of sematics. He didn't do and hasn't done enough. Enough of what he promised and we expected from those promises. He is no different than any other politician these days. He lies.
And the truth is lost in the dust under his shoes. LIke us.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Best of Luck Laura Dekker
Laura Dekker, the 14-year old Dutch girl, has left port on her solo around the world sailing adventure, see her Website (English translation). She is sailing with her father to Portugal before starting her solo trip. But unlike the recent non-stop trip by Jessica Watson, Laura plans stops to meet her parents, refurnish supplies and make any necessary repairs.
I, along with many others, wish her the best and hope she succeeds. I hated the criticism by many in the media, and even young men who have solo'd around the world, when her initial plans were curtailed by issues. They criticisized her inexperience, your youth, but more so her gender, and wrongly on all counts, and more so on her gender. Even ESPN's Outside the LInes moderator criticisized her but never voiced opposition when young men, or boys if you call Laura a girl, to their solo trips.
They were arrogant and sexist in their criticism of her when not equally criticizing the same when boys tried, and even praised them when they succeeded. Yet the same criticized the Australian Abby Sutherland when she had to discountinue her trip when her boat was damaged during a storm in the Indian Ocean. They argued it was a waste of money to rescue her as her parents were bad for letting her go. Yet it was her preparation, her boat and her experience which ensured she handled it, learned and will do better the next time.
These are the situations the media praises boys and men but rarely equally praises girls and women. And I'm very happy when those "girls" and women prove them stupid and wrong. So I wish the best to her and hope everyone does so with interest to see she succeeds.
The Kitchen Sink
I live in an older, ok, circa late 1960's apartment, one designed by a Georgia architect and totally out of character for the Pacific Northwest. Like who has flat roofs in the northwest where it rains 36 inches a year, most in the four months of November through February, and can drop 1-3 feet of snow in a day or two during severe winter storms. But flat it is.
Flat in terms of having leaked twice during my residence, both from the weight of a later winter (March) snowstorm dropping about a foot of very wet snow, melted being about 8 inches of water. That wet. Anyway, much of the apartment dates from the time I moved in when it was carpeted and painted in 1987, along with the refrigerator and dishwasher. And some of it dates from the late 1960's, like the stove, which still works very well thank you and the bathrooms.
But that said, this last week the shower had to be repaired. Water was leaking through the grout between the tiles and down the wall into the bathroom of the apartment below. It was the second time this happened. The first time we discovered the tub/shower had settled inward to the bathroom so water from the shower was draining down the wall, along the bath and over the edge, through the floor into the bathroom below. A simple elbow fixed that problem.
This time the leak was serious and when they removed the tile they discovered a one-foot by two-foot hole of missing wallboard. A proverbial hole in the wall where water of draining. Ok, ten days later I get a new shower. I expected they would replace the whole tub/shower combination but they kept the tub and merely replaced the tile with the new style shower walls you cut, glue and seal in place.
Not fancy or pretty, but it works. Then over the weekend, the kitchen sink faucet began leaking. Just a little at first, but this faucet isn't commonly found and washers are readily available so the maintenance chief said they'd replace the whole thing if it got bad. Well, while washing dishes water began pouring out the cabinet onto the floor. It wasn't the faucet. The drain pipe had rusted through and there was a hole the size of a quarter in the bottom of the catch drain (pipe).
So I put a bucket underneath, shut off the water to the faucet and called maintenance. Yup, they said, needs new pipe and a new faucet. We'll be out as soon as we can. Like several days later, I finally get a new faucet and pipe, and my kitchen sink back, which is the point of this post. Ever live without a kitchen sink?
You don't realize how much you use the kitchen sink until you can' t use one. Granted it was only over the weekend and into the following week, five days, but still it showed me how much we take some things for granted without realizing we do. And washing dishes in the bathroom sink isn't exactly easy. I have a dishwasher but I don't use it except as storage for most used dishes. I run it monthly to keep it working and clean but I hand wash all my dishes.
And yes, I'm bitching about a small thing, knowing millions, if not a billion and more, have far less than me, and a kitchen sink would be a god-send. But that's not life in the US or in most developed nations, and it's what I always known and expect, until I didn't have it and learned the reality of my, and our, addiction to what we call simple necessities but are really gifts of the state of our development.
So the lesson, for me at least, is learned. Appreciate what you have, even the smallest thing you don't realize.
Flat in terms of having leaked twice during my residence, both from the weight of a later winter (March) snowstorm dropping about a foot of very wet snow, melted being about 8 inches of water. That wet. Anyway, much of the apartment dates from the time I moved in when it was carpeted and painted in 1987, along with the refrigerator and dishwasher. And some of it dates from the late 1960's, like the stove, which still works very well thank you and the bathrooms.
But that said, this last week the shower had to be repaired. Water was leaking through the grout between the tiles and down the wall into the bathroom of the apartment below. It was the second time this happened. The first time we discovered the tub/shower had settled inward to the bathroom so water from the shower was draining down the wall, along the bath and over the edge, through the floor into the bathroom below. A simple elbow fixed that problem.
This time the leak was serious and when they removed the tile they discovered a one-foot by two-foot hole of missing wallboard. A proverbial hole in the wall where water of draining. Ok, ten days later I get a new shower. I expected they would replace the whole tub/shower combination but they kept the tub and merely replaced the tile with the new style shower walls you cut, glue and seal in place.
Not fancy or pretty, but it works. Then over the weekend, the kitchen sink faucet began leaking. Just a little at first, but this faucet isn't commonly found and washers are readily available so the maintenance chief said they'd replace the whole thing if it got bad. Well, while washing dishes water began pouring out the cabinet onto the floor. It wasn't the faucet. The drain pipe had rusted through and there was a hole the size of a quarter in the bottom of the catch drain (pipe).
So I put a bucket underneath, shut off the water to the faucet and called maintenance. Yup, they said, needs new pipe and a new faucet. We'll be out as soon as we can. Like several days later, I finally get a new faucet and pipe, and my kitchen sink back, which is the point of this post. Ever live without a kitchen sink?
You don't realize how much you use the kitchen sink until you can' t use one. Granted it was only over the weekend and into the following week, five days, but still it showed me how much we take some things for granted without realizing we do. And washing dishes in the bathroom sink isn't exactly easy. I have a dishwasher but I don't use it except as storage for most used dishes. I run it monthly to keep it working and clean but I hand wash all my dishes.
And yes, I'm bitching about a small thing, knowing millions, if not a billion and more, have far less than me, and a kitchen sink would be a god-send. But that's not life in the US or in most developed nations, and it's what I always known and expect, until I didn't have it and learned the reality of my, and our, addiction to what we call simple necessities but are really gifts of the state of our development.
So the lesson, for me at least, is learned. Appreciate what you have, even the smallest thing you don't realize.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sorry, kinda been away
I've kinda been away from the blogs, not so much physically but for health and mental issues. Life does that now and then with me, puts me away where it's hard just to exist, let alone do anything beyond coping with the situation and circumstances. And while those circumstances haven't been all that serious compared to other people, it's serious enough on top of genetic Dysthymia. And so what created this?
Or enough to say? Well for one I've had problems now going on 2 years, and mostly of my own choosing to avoid a lot of medical intervention ending in the same, "Well, this test didn't work or help, let's try this..." diagnosis, with my digestive system. But it's also a problem going back over 25 years when it first decided to pick me to make life, food and eating a problem.
In short, it doesn't like to work or likes to work too well. You can fill in the picture and connect the dots. Either way it just tires me out and leaves me frustrated and angry in addition to being tired. Yes, I've had the preliminary test for the obvious and the lab tests for the hidden, and ever so slowly we're getting closer, when I go back for more tests and put up with telling the same story to a new specialist or doctor.
And through it all, while I have a great primary care physician, we still have to go through the hoops eliminating each possible cause in a general order. Or I pay for anything I think might be the case, jumping the line of inquiry. But it is keeping any drugs to a minmum along with their side effects. That's about all that needs to be said for now.
The second is that I took a tumble and fell up the stairs and now have a right leg that varies between intense pain and a low throb, a hip pointer. Yeah, I didn't see a doctor as I didn't think I hurt myself. Everything started two-plus days later and went over the top two days after that and is only now fading, albeit ever so slowly, as hip pointers do.
Now falling down is ok and shouldn't be something to worry about, but this was the first time, and being 60, it did something even close to this let alone this, where walking and standing is painful some of the time, and just a throb the rest of the time, at least for now. Anyway, life does that to you from time to time, just push you down, or rather you fall down, and it hurts.
So, as you can see, it's not serious let alone disasterous, just me falling into a mental hole and not getting out. But I'm slowly getting better, despite the setbacks where I can focus on the issues, work and project in front of me and slowly get back into life and work. And reviewing the list of things to do, from life, work and the Website, it's a lot.
On top of that I still have an apt with pieces of projects scattered around. Seven boxes of records to find the 30 or so a friend wants in iTunes. A lot of photo equipment ready to sell, after getting Web pages up with descriptions with photos. A Website long overdue for updates and upgrades - mostly with the Mt. Rainier photo guide and history projects.
And then one shower was found to be leaking through the tiles. So now, it's sort out that with the apartment manger and maintenance chief to decide what they want to do and when. It's one of those things when you begin tearing out things, things start to look worse than you imagined, and after 40+ years, the building has had problems with aging, water (roof) damage, use and just wear and tear.
Add that to the stuff of life which finds us not matter where we hide, and it's just a normal, self-created, overwhelming life. At 60 no less. I retired to enjoy life and have, or did for the first two years and still have the last two, only less so with the continued health issues problems. Besides, aren't well allowed to bitch about life now and then. Who's going to listen anymore, so why not just blog about it and be done?
So what's in store now? First, more doctors appointments and tests. Like sooner than later. Then get back to the simple things of life. Sweep the floor as the Buddhist like to say. and also work on the Website and Web projects getting things updated and then plan for more serious work, which is most of what's left.
And lastly, look at the future, something I haven't done in awhile.
Or enough to say? Well for one I've had problems now going on 2 years, and mostly of my own choosing to avoid a lot of medical intervention ending in the same, "Well, this test didn't work or help, let's try this..." diagnosis, with my digestive system. But it's also a problem going back over 25 years when it first decided to pick me to make life, food and eating a problem.
In short, it doesn't like to work or likes to work too well. You can fill in the picture and connect the dots. Either way it just tires me out and leaves me frustrated and angry in addition to being tired. Yes, I've had the preliminary test for the obvious and the lab tests for the hidden, and ever so slowly we're getting closer, when I go back for more tests and put up with telling the same story to a new specialist or doctor.
And through it all, while I have a great primary care physician, we still have to go through the hoops eliminating each possible cause in a general order. Or I pay for anything I think might be the case, jumping the line of inquiry. But it is keeping any drugs to a minmum along with their side effects. That's about all that needs to be said for now.
The second is that I took a tumble and fell up the stairs and now have a right leg that varies between intense pain and a low throb, a hip pointer. Yeah, I didn't see a doctor as I didn't think I hurt myself. Everything started two-plus days later and went over the top two days after that and is only now fading, albeit ever so slowly, as hip pointers do.
Now falling down is ok and shouldn't be something to worry about, but this was the first time, and being 60, it did something even close to this let alone this, where walking and standing is painful some of the time, and just a throb the rest of the time, at least for now. Anyway, life does that to you from time to time, just push you down, or rather you fall down, and it hurts.
So, as you can see, it's not serious let alone disasterous, just me falling into a mental hole and not getting out. But I'm slowly getting better, despite the setbacks where I can focus on the issues, work and project in front of me and slowly get back into life and work. And reviewing the list of things to do, from life, work and the Website, it's a lot.
On top of that I still have an apt with pieces of projects scattered around. Seven boxes of records to find the 30 or so a friend wants in iTunes. A lot of photo equipment ready to sell, after getting Web pages up with descriptions with photos. A Website long overdue for updates and upgrades - mostly with the Mt. Rainier photo guide and history projects.
And then one shower was found to be leaking through the tiles. So now, it's sort out that with the apartment manger and maintenance chief to decide what they want to do and when. It's one of those things when you begin tearing out things, things start to look worse than you imagined, and after 40+ years, the building has had problems with aging, water (roof) damage, use and just wear and tear.
Add that to the stuff of life which finds us not matter where we hide, and it's just a normal, self-created, overwhelming life. At 60 no less. I retired to enjoy life and have, or did for the first two years and still have the last two, only less so with the continued health issues problems. Besides, aren't well allowed to bitch about life now and then. Who's going to listen anymore, so why not just blog about it and be done?
So what's in store now? First, more doctors appointments and tests. Like sooner than later. Then get back to the simple things of life. Sweep the floor as the Buddhist like to say. and also work on the Website and Web projects getting things updated and then plan for more serious work, which is most of what's left.
And lastly, look at the future, something I haven't done in awhile.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Equipment for sale
Update III.-- The same story, er. excuse or reason, take your pick, that I haven't done anything on the Web pages for the equipment. Life keeps sticking itself in between this project and my intentions, albeit the best. In addition to the music project (the stereo now fixed with a new pre-amp) and the Mt. Rainier NP photo guide and the associated history projects with it (long overdue work), I've had some health issues of late (really since February but now seeing a doctor). In short, I'll post a followup notice when the equipment Web pages are on-line.
Update II.-- Sorry about not progessing on this, I've been waylaid by a broken water heater, broken stereo amplifier, computer issues (or really a wireless mouse going south), and other events in life. I have to make the space after finishing the other stuff to set up the studio to take photos of the equipment and develop the Web pages.
Update.-- I've compiled the initial list of equipment which you can download the list of cameras and equipment and the list of lenses, both as PDF files. The items not currently for sale are noted. Some are for sale but may be withdrawn later as the sale progresses.
After over 40 years of using Minolta manual focus cameras, lenses, and peripheral equipment, I've decided to trim the collection to the basic pieces I need along with my Canon 5D system and large format (4x5) system. It's long past the time the equipment find a home to someone who appreciates and will use it.
To that end, I will be working on a Web page of the equipment with individual Web pages for each piece with photos and a description. In addition, I will be providing a summary file (PDF), one for the lenses and one for the cameras and equipment. Until I finalize the list, you can request one if you have any questions or interests. Serious inquiries will get the piece reserved and available for your final review and decision.
So far there are ten cameras of every model after the SRT-series, some with motordrives or winders. The XK comes with 4 viewfinders and 3 focusing screens. There are 42 lenses, teleconverters, and macro/micro lenses, lenses from 16mm to 800mm, including 5 non-focusing bellows only lenses from 25mm to 135mm, and two 2x teleconverters.
The equipment includes autobellows, focusing rails, copy stand, extention tube sets, prismfinder, magnifer and eyepieces, extra winders, multi-function back, power grips, bounce reflector and a box of 23 cables, connectors, sync cords, and remote cords. There are no flashes or flash lens sets because they're a part of my current studio setup using Pocket Wizards.
All of the equipment is in excellent or better condition. All the cameras work except one, although some haven't been calibrated in some years. All the lenses have clean optics. The prices advertised includes shipping within the U.S., extra outside the U.S. So, as they say, I'll keep you posted when the list and Web pages are public.
Update II.-- Sorry about not progessing on this, I've been waylaid by a broken water heater, broken stereo amplifier, computer issues (or really a wireless mouse going south), and other events in life. I have to make the space after finishing the other stuff to set up the studio to take photos of the equipment and develop the Web pages.
Update.-- I've compiled the initial list of equipment which you can download the list of cameras and equipment and the list of lenses, both as PDF files. The items not currently for sale are noted. Some are for sale but may be withdrawn later as the sale progresses.
After over 40 years of using Minolta manual focus cameras, lenses, and peripheral equipment, I've decided to trim the collection to the basic pieces I need along with my Canon 5D system and large format (4x5) system. It's long past the time the equipment find a home to someone who appreciates and will use it.
To that end, I will be working on a Web page of the equipment with individual Web pages for each piece with photos and a description. In addition, I will be providing a summary file (PDF), one for the lenses and one for the cameras and equipment. Until I finalize the list, you can request one if you have any questions or interests. Serious inquiries will get the piece reserved and available for your final review and decision.
So far there are ten cameras of every model after the SRT-series, some with motordrives or winders. The XK comes with 4 viewfinders and 3 focusing screens. There are 42 lenses, teleconverters, and macro/micro lenses, lenses from 16mm to 800mm, including 5 non-focusing bellows only lenses from 25mm to 135mm, and two 2x teleconverters.
The equipment includes autobellows, focusing rails, copy stand, extention tube sets, prismfinder, magnifer and eyepieces, extra winders, multi-function back, power grips, bounce reflector and a box of 23 cables, connectors, sync cords, and remote cords. There are no flashes or flash lens sets because they're a part of my current studio setup using Pocket Wizards.
All of the equipment is in excellent or better condition. All the cameras work except one, although some haven't been calibrated in some years. All the lenses have clean optics. The prices advertised includes shipping within the U.S., extra outside the U.S. So, as they say, I'll keep you posted when the list and Web pages are public.
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