WriteHereRightNow

Body Image

2008-08-13T03:15:00.000-07:00

While abroad, one of those old-timey elevators closed on my thumb. While I take full responsibility for this mishap, I'm pretty sure that building codes are more relaxed in Europe, or they think those old steel cage elevators in the spine of the building are quaint, or something. ANYWAY, that son of a bitch gate swung closed with my thumb in its path.

So I'm calling this one "mechanic thumb."

Fortunately, my thumbnail hasn't decided to flake off, but the prognosis is guarded for the future shape and form of the surviving nail.

Check back soon for "what's that wierd red dot?"

Letter to the Editor

2008-08-07T12:48:00.001-07:00

Dear Editor,
Please include my thoughts on the following topic in your next edition.

I have a back to school quiz for members of the U.S. Congress.
1. Which scenario has the best long-term benefit?
a) Raising taxes
b) Growing the tax base

2. Which energy policy has the best long-term benefit?
a) Domestic off-shore drilling and refinery investment
b) Renewable energy research, development and deployment

Mssr./Mdme. Congressperson: If you answered a) to either of the above - you fail.

Inaction on the part of our government is exacerbating the energy crisis in our country. I believe that all U.S. Congressmen should take a new oath of office. They must defy special interest, eschew partisanship, and embrace a new approach to energy independence.

As all of our elected officials are on recess, it is our duty as citizens to contact them and instruct them as to how we need them to act (and vote!) in order to keep the United States at the forefront of innovation.

Just as at the outset of the Industrial Revolution in the last century, and the Information Revolution at the beginning of this one, we stand now at the gateway of a vital opportunity once again. We must act in order to create solutions for the problems caused by the energy/climate challenge.

Inaction, such as taking a recess without finishing your homework, is not an acceptable measure in these difficult times, and not a stellar example to the children of this country who will inherit the consequences.

Well, that settles it....

2008-08-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Brilliant body copy: "Helps relieve stress and headaches. Promotes healthy hair and helps reduce premature aging of the skin. Creates a subtle energizing feeling when your body's oxygen levels are depleted. Eliminates toxins. Increases libido and enhances sexual performance. Relieves the side effects of alchohol. Reduces shortness of breath at high altitudes.

Talk among yourselves.

A memory from my youth

2008-07-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Kentucky

On the outskirts of Louisville, Kentucky
Brownsboro Road slices to the north,
opening a rift between arid farmland
and housing subdivisions.

The asphalt branches of Barbara Manor
blossom sidewalk and mailbox,
from the fertile dirt of
Old Man Brown’s farm.

Our nation’s bicentennial year
brought a fitting gift.
Emancipation from confining streets;
the manifest destiny of distant neighborhoods.

My 3-speed Sears & Roebuck
Free Spirit bicycle had a
stick shift and a banana seat,
and its clear naugahyde saddle
held a universe
of red, white and blue stars.

The Free Spirit and I challenged the toughest trails,
the dirtiest lots, and the rockiest creek beds.

Limited only by the dusk,
and its Crayola orange sky
I would race for home,
arriving breathless
in the failing light.

In that time of national pride,
freedom was made real, and life more clear.
Corn in the field.
River upon rock.
I aboard my bike.

Next Hiking trip?

2008-04-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

YIKES

Great inspiration

2008-04-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

These vintage LP covers are guarantee to titilate.

Going out on a limb

2008-04-07T05:34:00.000-07:00

I usually don't get too flustered about Op-Ed columns, but this one made me throw up in my mouth.

I guess there is still a gap of Grand Canyon proportions between reality and political spin.

Say it ain't so, Joe.

...so pitted

2008-03-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of things

2008-03-21T02:30:00.000-07:00

(My friend Adam did this exercise on his blog, I am emulating (not copying!) him.

Two names I go by: Roy and sometimes Marshall
Two things I am wearing right now: Fuzzy warm Dakani brand turtle neck and flannel pants (PJ's, it's 5:30am)
Two of my favorite things to do: Ride bicycles and drink good wine with friends.
Two people I talked to last night: My wife, Liz and my dog, Lady, who is a great listener.
Two things I am doing today: Physical therapy for my knee, car camping at Red Top Mountain tonight.
Two longest car rides: Eugene, Oregon to Birmingham, Alabama (the cultural distance was vast as well) and San Diego to Eugene, OR (took a week on purpose)
Two favorite holidays: Thanksgiving and Memorial Day
Two favorite drinks: Good coffee with steamed milk, Maker's Mark and soda.
Two things you may not know about me: I have ridden my bicycle downhill at 60 miles an hour. I sang in a choir as background tracks for an ABBA record. (I have documentation if needed)
Two of the best jobs I ever had: bicycle messenger in NYC (until bicycle was stolen) recording engineer for onsite Olympics ceremony.
Two movies I could watch over and over: Oh, Brother! Where art thou and Forrest Gump.
Two places I'd rather be right now: Destin, Florida or Provence, France.

So there you have it.

My essay on the global water crisis

2008-02-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

I’d like to invite everyone to try an exercise with me. I’m going to ask you to visualize a scene, and I want you to be very detailed about the image you create.

OK? Now, close your eyes and picture yourself in a place where you are very calm and very serene. Look around this place and notice things.

(Please take a moment to do this)

OK, thanks, you can open your eyes. Raise your hand if your mental image was in nature.

OK, now I asked you to be very detailed, so keep your hand raised if there was water of some kind in that scene.

Most likely all of you created a different picture in your minds, and most of them involved water.

(Note: when I presented this piece aloud, four out of the five attendees visualized water, the other was getting a massage!)

I remember when I was a Boy Scout and we canoed down the Hiawassee River in northern Alabama. Near the end of the run there was a train trestle. I saw some people jump off it, so I knew it could be done.
On a dare I jumped off this thing.
The bridge was so high and I fell screaming, as if I had jumped from a plane.

The hard impact with the freezing cold water shocked me, but I couldn’t feel it for the adrenaline in my body.

I’m sure if we all searched our memories we would find a similar event, and, just like the visualization exercise, many of our happiest moments involve water in some form or another.

Our bodies are water. 70% of our brain is water, which would explain some peoples’ behavior.
We all learned in junior high that water covers two-thirds of the planet.
So why is water one of the biggest global challenges we face?

Consider this: if a one-gallon bucket represented the entirety of the water on the planet, the usable fresh water would be a drop on the tip of your finger.

Here are some facts that I'd like to share in order to give some background on this issue.
Today, 1.1 billion people on earth do not have access to safe drinking water.
1.1 Billion represented the entire population of the planet roughly 200 years ago.

The biggest demand on the water supply is agriculture. A demand which will grow as our planet’s population continues to multiply. A farmer uses 20,000 gallons of water to produce one bushel of wheat.

The typical American uses 100 to 150 gallons of water per day.

Our fellow earthlings in the direst circumstances, 1.1 billion of them, get by on 1.3 gallons a day.

The current "low-flow” flush toilet in the USA uses 1.6 gallons per flush.

It’s difficult to present these sobering facts without some unintended effects. First, pessimism creeps in. Then usually guilt, sometimes cynicism or sometimes elitism.

I’m not here to spread the apocalyptic sensationalism that sometimes accompanies environmental discussions.
Cynicism does not engender hope and creativity.
And creativity is definitely needed to address this global issue.

Closer to home, Georgia has been in what is called a 100-year drought for nearly four years.
What that means is that there has been less aggregate rainfall over a longer period of time since records started being kept 100 years ago. Could it be likely that we are also in a 200-year drought? 500?

Atlanta’s population has swelled by 1.5 million people in just the past 20 years. Gwinnett County has held records for both population growth and density every year for nearly a decade. You need only to drive up and down Peachtree Street to see new high-density town homes and condominium buildings under construction. That’s more miles and miles of pipe to be filled with water.

Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia serves Atlanta’s water needs and has reached its lowest level in history. The term “bottom of the pool” is being floated to represent when the lake goes dry. If the lake were to run dry, no one really knows what happens. Just like September 11th, or Hurricane Katrina, there isn't any precedent for this possibility.
In the latter case, the only precedent set was not to rely on your elected officials to execute a thoughtful plan.

Our venerable Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin was quoted as saying, “One of the biggest challenges Georgia and Atlanta face is that the rest of the country believes we are not paying attention to water issues.”

This past summer a couple of interesting things happened to me. The first was physical, the second, psychological. Between April and July, I did not cut my grass. It was the first time in five years of owning my house that the yard did not need weekly mowing. It literally brought the problem home. The psychological part was the weirdest. I had friends and family who live out of state call me and ask me about Atlanta’s water problem. Most of them knew more about the problem than I did. I was unaware that Lake Lanier was purported to hold less than a 90-day supply of water. I have other friends here in Atlanta, who experienced the same thing – people called concerned about our wellbeing, about Atlanta’s water problem - and they were likewise caught off guard, unaware.

Things need to change.

Can we legislate our way out of this problem? City Hall thinks we can. But their half measures and restrictions are full of holes. They don’t hold water. An outdoor watering ban has been imposed, but is enforced with as much regularity as the speed limit. Homeowners flagrantly disobey. One fun detail has emerged, you can now “sprinkler snitch” to a special hotline on a neighbor you don’t like, and they’ll supposedly find a notice from the city in their mailbox.

We are a long way removed from some remote African village where women and children spend as many as 8 hours a day walking to and from a safe drinking water source. Some say it might take a crisis here at home to get people to re-evaluate their use of water.
I think we should all make small steps to address this growing problem. Educate yourself and explore ways to save water and you will probably save money in the process.

My hope and faith lies in the ability of mankind to identify and understand this challenge, and to engage it with creativity and passion. If we can visualize a solution that we all embrace, one that we can make real in our minds, then a solution cannot be far behind.

Like curbing your dog

2008-02-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

When my wife and I bought a house in a new neighborhood, the first thing we noticed was that everyone picked up after his or her dog. It’s rare you don’t see someone walking the dog carrying a mysteriously weighted plastic bag. The couple with the two large golden retrievers? His and her doggie bags. As a newcomer I was impressed, but also curious. What would encourage someone to carry a little plastic bag, planning to stoop down and collect feces mere moments after its discharge? I believe it shows civility, genuine respect for others, and perhaps stewardship. The responsibility of a neighborhood rests with the neighbors. If you defile a neighbor’s yard you might be quick to soil your own and so on down the block.

I’d like to believe this style of stewardship once was the norm, not the exception. Civility in our postmodern society seems to be reduced to holding the door for someone. But my dogpoop-toting neighbors prove there is a modicum of respect for behavior which benefits the collective good. I hope this mentality will catch on. As inhabitants of the same planet, we are all vested to keep our oceans, our countries, our cities and our neighbors’ lawns clean. This is quite literally common ground.

Have you ever written your own eulogy?

2008-01-11T19:47:00.000-08:00

{This was written from the point of view of someone who was a good friend my whole life.}

Friends, we are here to celebrate the passing of our brother, Roy Glos Hinshaw.
I say celebrate because that is what Roy would want. Roy’s spirit in, on and around all of us right now, and he wouldn’t want a bluesfest, he woud insist on a jazzfest. He would want a New Orleans funeral. We owe him that.

Can you conceive of a more difficult task than to try to reduce a man’s life to a thumbnail outline or a few keywords? It’s disrespectful, yet I will try with the utmost reverance.

The first word that comes to mind is generosity.
Roy was a generous man, to a fault. He would linger with total strangers to make sure everything had been covered. Panhandlers couldn’t dream of a better mark. Roy was an open book, if there was anything you wanted to know, you had only to ask. Just make sure your schedule was open. If he had but a few coins in his pocket, he would give you what you needed. He would pick up a bar tab without missing a beat.

Another word would be consideration.
Roy wasn’t having a good time if you weren’t. If he knew something he thought you needed to know, he would fill you in. He had a gift for empathy. Roy knew when you had a question. His intuition was right on.

Roy knew how to take care of business. When he worked on a project, be it a large scale event or a fucking birthday party, he did it death. No possibility left unexplored, no stone left unturned. Or as Roy used to say “no turn left unstoned”.

Roy was a tough nut to crack.

He was fond of saying, “you either love me or hate me”. He also used to say “we’ll burn that bridge once we cross it”.

Many people couldn’t get past the brusque exterior to get to know the true Roy. If they did, they found a valuable relationship.

Roy had a sharp wit and sharp tongue. I once asked him why he talked so much shit all the time. He replied, “too many people spend too much time talking about serious stuff that they don’t mean, I’d rather just talk shit if I don’t mean it”. When I meet people today, I try to talk a little bit of shit to them, just to see if they can hang.

In closing, I want to remember Roy as a young man. Brash, Devil-may-care, ready to do what needed doing. These are the qualities I will always seek in a friend.

Darwin Awards

2008-01-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

If you have time to kill, this list will leave you howling.

http://darwinawards.com/darwin/

Hopefully you won't read about an unfortunate demise, and think "I didn't know that could kill you...."

Down south, a prospective Darwin award recipient announces his candidacy by saying "Hey Y'all, watch this!"

Bass for hire

2007-12-27T05:12:00.000-08:00

Area bassist seeks part time session and/or live stage gigs. No smokers, light drinking ok. Has own backline gear and willing to travel for the right price. Serious inquiries only, please.

Creative writing - Enjoy!

2007-12-17T07:06:00.000-08:00

"You wanna do a shot, cowboy?" says a voice from behind me.

I turn in the direction of the invitation to see a frail woman wearing a sheer black bra. She is smiling broadly, showing me her teeth, most of which are there and in good repair, if a bit crooked. She is offering a small box in front of her. This box contains some test tubes with various colored liquids, each one covered by celophane and a small rubber band around its neck. I have a flashback to the phlebotomist at the doctor's office, and her red box with the biohazard logo on the side. The chief difference is that this box full of liquor is in a clear lucite container which appears to have it's own backlight source reminiscent of a bad beer commercial.

"No, thanks, I'm driving." I say.

And while this is true, it's not the principal reason I refrain. I've seen far too many movies where people wake up with an organ missing to fall for that.

I am wearing a black stetson cowboy hat with a thin black leather hat band and I look sharp. So I can understand why I got blindsided.

I blink.

The bar area now comes into focus. It is about the size of a garage with a raised platform in the center. The bartender looks like my second grade teacher, only 35 years older. Behind her on the riser, a nude black woman is dancing. In the dim light I cannot discern any of the details of her dark skin, but the black light makes her teeth and fingernails glow menacingly like a demon in a Tolkien novel. A flurry of activity is centered around a phosphorescent green band around her thigh. The Day-glo lime green garter fairly pulsates with the wad of dollar bills it contains.

"Hey Man, are your feet sticking to the floor?" asks the guy on my left.

It's Sedrick, my wing-man, and I make a mental note to give him shit for not covering me on the shooter girl, but instantly forget when I shuffle my feet and discover that, in fact, they are sticking to the floor. My usual curiosity is tempered, I don't really care if it's berber or linoleum, neither surface should stick like this. I am now second guessing my decision and lament the loss the of the $10 cover charge to enter this place.

It has got to be the hat. Maybe its the lack of equilibrium between the 10 gallon hat and my 5 gallon head that lands me in joints like this. I guess it's too late now, so I order a beer. Pabst Blue Ribbon is $2.50 for each safely sealed aluminum can, so I order one for Sedrick and plan to lord it over him until he re-ups for the air national guard and gets back on my detail. Sedrick and I put our backs to the wall in relatively non-sticky corner and take in the scene. There is a DJ booth at the end of the small dance floor. Beside that there is a raised stage where people are dancing. Fairly normal looking people, normal having largely been checked at the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpse a large floating dollar bill. the currency is topped with a mop of white blond hair, a ruby red mouth and two dark eyes, and it is on an intercept course.

"Hi, I'm Cupcake" she says.

Pause.

"Hi Cupcake, I'm Marshall"

This person is a dead ringer for Bette Davis in "Whatever happened to Baby Jane" complete with clownface white, double length black detachable eyelashes and fake beauty mark, but her smock is remarkable. The print on the fabric is a $100 dollar bill blown up to huge proportions all over the sleeves, skirt and bodice.

"You wanna have a dance, cowboy" she offers. (fucking hat!)

"Not right now, I'm good" I say.

I silently vow to bark "NO" at the next solicitor.

Another guy in our party is not so lucky. I watch as Brent is led through a stand of tables to a chair directly under a crackling neon sign for some non-descript beer. The light casts a surreal pall over the area. Brent takes his seat, Cupcake begins her dance.

Now. I have seen this routine many times in many places, most nicer than this, and I am convinced that there must be a Ginger Roger's academy of strip tease. If so, Cupcake is surely not an alum. She puts her arms on Brent's shoulders, bringing her heavy, pasty bosom close to his face. Brent is locked in a 1,000 yard stare, and I'm certain he'd rather be home playing Xbox at this very moment. Then Cupcake spins on her heel, more like a truck turning a corner than a dancer executing a move, and proceeds to do a shimmy move that concludes with her landing in Brent's lap, probably a little harder than he would have liked. Now THIS is a lap dance. Cupcake weighs in at around 185 -190 while Brent would fight featherweight at 155. The detached stare has now left his face, and he is very present in this moment. Again, out of nowhere, (SEDRICK!) comes that voice.

"You're next, cowboy" (my hat is now slated for retirement)

"Sounds like a plan," I say, off into the space between my left shoulder and the voice.

Cupcake finishes her routine to a perfunctory smattering of golf clapping, and I see Brent heave a sigh of relief.

I turn to the voice and decide to have a little fun.

"What's your name, darlin?" I ask

"I'm Kathleen."

"That your real name?" I ask.

"Yep, but you can call me Kat, cuz If you're nice to me I'll purr like a kitten, and if not I'll scratch your eyes out." she says.

It's nice to know where you stand with people.

"Well hi Kat, name's Marshall, where y'all from?" I ask.

"Texas, honey, you?"

"I'm from Alabama. Centerpoint"

I thought Centerpoint sounded more country, pronounced sennerpoint, than say Homewood or Mountain Brook.

"Well I got a shot right here call an Alabama Slammer"

And with that she breaks out the Biohazard box and gestures towards it.

"Well I'm still driving" I reply.

Now I consider what she did downright rude. There I am fighting my DNA and every other base instinct not to flee; I'm establishing rapport, albeit with faulty geography, and talking a big bag of bullshit to her, and she responds with this vacuous sales pitch. I bet that same test tube of watered down liquor has more names than ingredients. I catch Sedrick's eye and give him the one handed signal for "bug out" and take a step forward.

"I gotta hit the head, ma'am" I say.

I even tip the brim of my hat for good measure. My eyes are fixed on the exit sign and Sedrick falls in formation as we beat a hasty, sticky retreat.

Chipp Kidd / Milton Glaser interview excerpt

2007-11-22T06:53:00.000-08:00

CK: Do you personally use a computer to design things?

MG: I’ve been using it increasingly, but I never touch it.

CK: You never touch it.

MG: No, but I’ve been working with assistants who do. And I think it’s a terribly destructive instrument for people at the beginning of their professional life. But I think for people over forty, it’s a great instrument.

CK: Really.

MG: Yes. Because your sense of form is not determined by the computer. I mean, by the time you have a sense of what form is, what structure is, what line is, all the rest of that stuff, then you can use a computer. If you use it too early, it begins to dominate your aesthetic. And you become very susceptible to its capabilities, which is a totally different thing than taking advantage of its capability.

****Total freaking vindication - MGB

You tell me

2007-11-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/the_outlook.html?mod=dejmtct

The argument advanced by the WSJ reminds me of the War on Drugs. In that case, the argument to stem demand by getting addicts off their habits was not as lucrative as a traditional war. In this case, the offending nation, China, seeks to divert blame upon their customers. I'm not sure where else this argument would fly except in the Looking Glass world of Chinese trade. Oh yeah, China's trade surplus to the US just exceeded 20B, in case you were wondering.

Marketplace radio series

2007-11-10T05:16:00.000-08:00

I listen to public radio a lot. Two careers ago I used to record and edit radio spots - ruined me on commercial radio forever. That and ClearChannel, but I digress.
This week the show Marketplace is running a series on consumption in the US of A.
Here's a link to the the interviews from the first installment of the show.

No matter where you come down on the global warming argument, it's difficult to argue that Americans are not ravenous in their hunger to consume, acquire and expand. This is evident in our waistlines, closets and urban sprawl.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about it lately. I invite you to do the same. Do a little research. Google Ray Anderson. Start a conversation with someone, preferably a European.

Overshoot

2007-11-10T05:09:00.000-08:00

We got a lot of everything/
And a hunger for much more/
If something breaks we just throw it out/
Buy another one at the store/
But a day may come, and it might come soon/
As we overshoot/
Overconsume/
And on that day, what are you going to say/
When all along you knew what to do

Don't throw it away, give it one more try/
A chance that it might live again/
Some things were meant to have more than one life/
Don't let this one be the end

Don't throw it away, give it one more try/
There are simple rules that you need to follow/
'Cause if you throw it all away/
It just might not be there tomorrow/

Don't. Just. Throw it away.

Just as you should never drink and dial.....

2007-10-24T16:49:00.000-07:00

I like reading and writing, and by extension, writers. But like most artists, some aren't exactly the pillar of stability.
To wit, this email should never have left the drafts box.
http://gawker.com/news/money-changes-everything/elizabeth-dewberry-left-robert-olen-butler-to-join-ted-turners-collection-284346.php
The best comment among all posts was this:
I can't believe how much this douche namechecks the fucking award he didn't even deserve to win. It's just like every self-described "Ivy Leaguer" being a Cornell alum. Also, for the record,
"From all that I can tell, he is kind to her, loyal, considerate, and devoted to his family, and perhaps, therefore, he can redeem some things for her."
has seven commas, two ands, and two unbelievably snide backhanded compliments.

...longing for the Oregon coast

2007-10-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

The artist formerly known as Lady

2007-09-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Now that you've read about the Graffiti artist, I thought you should meet the foremost critic of poo. Lady (or Lady Dog to the commoners) is royalty, and should be treated as such. In a true rags to riches story, Lady Dog was rescued from a life of abandonment at the Atlanta humane society. Her subjects (formerly called owners) now shuttle her from critique to review intra-daily, rarely pausing for their own needs.

My Dog is the best Graffiti artist

2007-09-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

My dog is the best graffiti artist.
Her daily work ethic is admirable.
She is a fastidious critic as well.
Tirelessly she examines other's work.
Each and every mailbox, utility pole, sign post, curb cut and driveway is evaluated, catalogued and dispensed with a snort.
Or re-tagged as necessary.
My dog is the best graffiti artist.
Your dog, and it's quotidian work, is her bitch.

For the benefit of Domenic

2007-09-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

Another autumn leaf has fallen from the tree of your life, it heralds a new season.
Look at this passing not as a death, but as the birth of a new year.
Consider 33 a special age, as the palindromatic numbered years remaining are few: 44, 55, 66, (they get iffy from there).
Take a moment to reflect on what you have done and where you have been, take stock and smile.
Then with that smile look forward to what is yet to come.
Now, what will you do today to make it come true?
On the occasion of this and every birthday, take a moment to quiet your mind.
Celebrate, not with cake, ice cream or beer (OK, beer if you must)
But celebrate the moment that is largely yours, enjoy who you are, and share it with friends.
M

Highly Recommended

2007-08-31T00:37:00.000-07:00

I usually shy away from saying something changed my life. This book drew a line through a number of points that I have always held closely. That's probably because I have always been different. An oddball. Now I believe what I always suspected: its all in my mind. This book brings some clarity to the shift that is occurring in society and the world at large.

Support the fight against Sag

2007-08-30T03:54:00.000-07:00

Louisiana Cities Ban Sagging Slacks
Fed up city councils in Shreveport and Alexandria voted Tuesday night to bar low-slung pants that show off boxer shorts or backsides. "I'm tired [of] looking at behinds,'' Shreveport Councilwoman Joyce Bowman said after the 4-3 vote to ban such pants, the Associated Press reported. Under the proposed rule in Shreveport, no one could be arrested for violating the ordinance alone, but they may be asked to perform community service or pay a maximum fine of $100 for a first offense. Over in Alexandria, some sagging would be allowed, but three inches or more could result in as much as a $200 fine. The mayors of these towns still have to sign them into law; if they do, that would make six towns in Louisiana who have done so.

I undertand that Atlanta, GA's city council is also considering such a measure.
Can you envision a special police task force trolling around for people with their pants sagged?
I'd like to think there are more important issues, but, there you go.

Light summer reading.....?

2007-08-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

I recently received a solicitation from Amazon.com.
Now, while I usually enjoy how their datamining software tries to match my previous purchases with new suggestions, this latest one was perplexing on so many levels:

Nonuniform Hyperbolicity: Dynamics of Systems with Nonzero Lyapunov Exponents (Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications)
Luis Barreira
Price: $115.00

This book presents the theory of dynamical systems with nonzero Lyapunov exponents, offering a rigorous mathematical foundation for deterministic chaos - the appearance of "chaotic" motions in pure deterministic dynamical systems. These ideas and methods are used in many areas of mathematics as well as in physics, biology, and engineering. Despite the substantial amount of research on the subject, there have been relatively few attempts to summarize and unify results in a single manuscript. This comprehensive book can be used as a reference or as a supplement to an advanced course on dynamical systems.

If anyone can please read this book and prepare a brief for me, that would be great.

Life is good in Sonoma County

2007-08-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

My wife is so hot!
That's us in Sonoma County, CA.
We surmised that the lack of humidity is good for your hair.
Also, don't forget to pack sunscreen.

China is trying to poison us

2007-08-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

Mattel, the maker of fine childrens' toys, has recalled 1 million toys.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/02/business/02toys.php

It appears that the Chinese factories were using lead based paint.
Don't check you watch, it is 2007 A.D.
Fisher Price has recalled toys made in China, hell, let's just call them Chinese toys.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/02/america/NA-FIN-US-Toy-Recall.php

I have heard that the biggest source of air pollution on the West Coast of the US of A is --- wait for it --- Chinese auto pollution. (If you have a link, please post)

WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE???

They are poisoning our children, (visuailize Mikey putting his new HotWheels car in his mouth) trumping our home grown attempts at air pollution, (think L.A. in the late 70's) and just think of all those little plastic fasteners, washers, clips, etc sold in Wal-Marts that the Chinese probably built to fail; and with it all the things attached by these devices.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20079534/

Chinese Steel?

Let it rip.
MB

Its amazing I'm not already dead...

2007-07-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

So, while purging my filing cabinet in preparation for our big move, I came across four years worth of EOB's. That's Explanation of Benefits, for those not in the know. It's amazing I'm not dead already. I can't remember half of those doctor's visits, and there were at least a half dozen lab test reports. I like to think I'm pretty healthy, but wading through that paperwork made me feel sick.
I suppose I am very lucky to have 3rd party health insurance, or else the financial stake I have in all these visits would be onorous. I wonder if I would remember the services any better if I had been required to pay for them up front?
I wonder what else I will find while packing up a house we've lived in for over six years.

When in Seattle

2007-07-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Seattle isn't only known for coffee.

They have some delicious ships, too.

Please note the design aesthetics evident in this image. Thank you, both of you.

Meanwhile.......

2007-07-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

Rain is good when you have a lot of work to do.
There is no temptation to run outside and play.
I have two guiding principles in my world:
1) You never know what kind of day someone else is having.
2) Be careful about what you sign up for.
Think about it.
M

Welcome real people

2007-07-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
Although under the duress of a school project to create this Weblog, I, nonetheless, want to welcome you, the reader, right now.
What's on your mind?
I have many life obligations at this time. Don't we all?
Sometimes it feels hard to breathe, yet breathing is something we're good at; great muscle memory in addition to autonomic brain activity, even in times of stress (or sleep, for that matter).
So have let's have a go, start a conversation.
Here's a topic:
What do you do when someone who is close to you is making a crazy decision?
Maybe your friend wants to date Mr/Mrs badvibe/potential serial murderer?
What do you tell them? What action do you take?
Maybe your kid brother wants to join up and go fight the turrorists in Afghanistan....
Hope all is well with you.
M