Of all of the lessons and examples in the world of trite or fickle love, one of the things I tease myself over most is 'real love'. Fierce, enduring, evolving. Some are not capable, some less fortunate, some unwilling.
Unlikely and silly as it may be, these tales do exist. And I so enjoy them.

A Short Open Letter to my Adopted Country

Two (perhaps I am permitted one a year, therefore) quibbles:

One forbidden act here is the yawn in public. Every day I see someone perform amazing calisthenic repression--this in a culture which simultaneously rewards facial hurdles. Quirks in verbal expression born on a small obsessively manicured island half a world away. Go ahead and Yawn. All part of my diabolical plan.

You're very polite, really you are. But here in the capitol city, inside the make-believe walls that keep away the bogans from the wop-wops, there lurks a more sinister foe. One that seems to fester in curliecue redolence in the wake of all these 'regards' and 'Ta's'. A bitter whispered secret which occupies far too much of your lovely days. I've worked with trash-mouthed queens and potty-mouthed boy-men, and ya'll need to give it a rest. Dahlink.

Ah, that's better.

It's a great big ocean.
Perhaps some sushi would best put in mind its pleasures.

This has got to be the nth time the story of stuff has been referenced in this blog. Why hasn't it been on Oprah?

Copenhagen or bust?


A considerable portion of the articles here referenced have to do with the divorce with nature (as if it's an either\or option any more)--and many more with its effects. The last 4 cities I've lived in were progessively smaller (New York, Chicago, Denver, Wellington)--and the one I have my eye on is smaller still. Why?

words

“What a good country or a good squirrel should be doing is stashing away nuts for the winter. The United States is not only not saving nuts, it’s eating the ones left over from the last winter.” WILLIAM H. GROSS from an article in the NY Times

In the theatres: Is Cormac McCarthy's The Road a "commentary on America's knee-jerk consumerist culture that's driving the Industrial Revolution off a cliff and taking Mother Nature with it"? Or just another scary movie? Argh?


New, better handheld!

Talkin Good Beer

I salute the last vespers of this particular weekend with one of the better beers to be produced recently in New Zealand: YB Pot Kettle Black. Three Boys has made an 'Oyster Stout' which is also surprisingly enjoyable! These two are two of the bests discoveries of the year.

Alright, so this week I had a great time at my new favorite venue:
Hashigo Zake
Currently there has been only one place for good beer in town; and while the selection is good there, the lack of competition has left them a little fat and lazy. So some stirring of the pot is very welcome. Domenic and crew put on a tasting for Baird Beers a Japanese beer which he is clearly enamored with. I attended with some reservations Brian Baird, though after a judicious sampling of nine of their beers, I can say they are damn fine brewers. After two and a half hours and a conference call with owner Brian B himself, I came away impressed. All of them displayed balance and nuance, even my least favorites: Kurofune Porter and Red Rose Amber Ale. Country Girl Kabocha (japanese pumpkin) Ale, Teikoku IPA and Rainy Season Black Ale all were good. Suroga Bay Imperial Ale, Harajuku Taproom Celebration Ale and especially (my two favorites) Rising Sun Pale Ale and Angry Boy Brown Ale were awesome. Stupendous flavour and complexity. Indeed Angry Boy was apparently unoficially modelled on Brian's 'character' (and who's hometown is Cincinnati Ohio--Go Ohio boy!). Not someone who normally cares for brown ales; this is the best I can remember....

Kampai!

Apogee and Twilight: the Nazca
This is new research, yet an old story. Thomas Homer Dixon and Jared Diamond are nodding in agreement.

Health Care charts: getting what you pay for, a comparison. Are you pissed yet? What ever will it take?!?

Lyrebirds: simply wonderful. In a world of copycats, ubiquity rules.

On the other hand: accordionist may blow minds

Realer than real: avalanche!

Still worshipping the new? Gives new meaning to 'western skyline': Adobe!

Cyclists: damn fine, say women.

Why, apparently I didn't get laid in the 80's. I didn't have what these guys have. I still don't.

Note to the White House following Obama's award of the Nobel prize, and preceding the Copenhagen talks: Don't %#$* This Up (whatever this means to you--a moment in human history, your kids future, precious time for you to own more stuff). When corporations find the governments behavior reprehensible, well...

Barbara Ehrenreich doing more heavy lifting so few others need bother:
Don't fuss all the time about your mood and your attitude. Try to deal with the world itself.

One of the major sources of misery in the world is poverty. We can do one of two things. We can tell poor people they need to change their attitudes, and there's a whole industry of that kind of thing -- motivational speakers that tell people to get over their bad attitudes towards wealth so it will just come to them.

Or we can say, "What's the cause of this? How are we going to get together and do something about it?"

60% of Kids exposed to Violence: and we ain't even talking about television...

America: a nation of zombies?!?! Not at all an unreal or shocking notion

Free doughnuts! Now maybe a few less slot machine gambits and keeping that wonderful mortgage gets easier. Good Lord.

The song has remained the same for a couple of centuries(and the weight of facts cannot get any greater), but collectively the buy-in is failing. Even sorting through the bullshit is an effort almost too great. What we need is better salesmanship! Shotclock?!?

Words that stand the test of time: Civilization is a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities Mark Twain
More on the Grid

i read a lot

Brave new world: beaming sound. Innovatively intrusive!

More bad stuff: trickle down of domination an image

"Alexis Zanis recently received a master's degree in library and information sciences, but hasn't been able to land a full-time job. So recently she began applying for retail positions."

Choose your own...Paradox.
Okay, some choose us. Gross gender generalizations alert. Some apparently need to exercise their inner cougar. But with all of this empowerment, all of this wealth, isn't it supposed to be easier and or make us feel better?!? O, wait--is that the problem?! Stop sniggering--you in the back.
'Cause if you can't cope, there are a few billion who, having been beamed images of 'true' happiness, would love to have some of that something\\something. What a trip!
I'm finding that, halfway around the planet(yeah, yeah) wherever-you-go-there-(they?)you-are. Same body image, consumption and false expectation issues. It's enough to keep this man single.
Big sigh.

More on the pursuit (key word?) of happiness...

And the good news:

Pellet stoves: one investment I would make were I still in North America

A favorite blogger of mine
And the outcome (presently, in lovely detail) of his migration to New Zealand. It seems he made a better choice of partners! Heehee.

I hesitate to dream of such a positive outcome of our terrible, dead-end plastic addiction--but this could be great.

More progressive thinking, f(or) there is no tomorrow...

This website helps you do good. God, the kids and the whole world are watching.

Seed Catalog Art. Whooda thunk? Neato!

PRX ?? Jump For Joy!

the Flu, swine and otw, Avoidance

Having become an 'expert'(unrelated science aside here) by virtue of right place, right time while working at a government agency (then contracting it!) I'm asked for advice on how to avoid swine flu. Here is my two cents:

Flu shot: nice if you can get them?!? Seeing that drug companies are (extremely profitable) businesses with questionable motives; especially given their cuddly relationship to tele-news, pundit-experts and politicians; I say you be the decider for yourself.

As they say, prevention is preferable. And often cheapest. Hands to face and mouth is the most likely conduit, followed by airborne (cough, sneezes etc. Shaking hands, counters, door handles should be avoided. Anal retentive jokes aside, minimize high contact (malls, money handling, enclosed crowded spaces) areas and utilize HAND SANITIZER liberally. I personally love the stuff. You can get as close as you want, just squeeze some of it and live on. And wash your hands regularly.
Facial masks offer little defense, rather they can prevent sharing of germs once one suspects or knows illness has set in. If you begin to feel ill, you should have become prepared for an unpleasant, but probably not terrible flu.

Once you get it: the stops are out. You and your immune system are the last line of defense before a trip to the hospital no one can afford. Have a plan.
I take a very dim view of cold and flu medications--they function to minimize the effect of symptoms (cough suppression etc.) while babying us with sweeteners and dyes. This stuff is even worse for us when our body is compromised.

Health Insurance is one facet of the control that pharmaceutical and other interests have over us. While skepticism is an intelligent way to look at alternative medicine, there is frankly active suppression and co-option of 'health remedies' that's been building for decades (similar to oil companies sudden belated interest in alternative energy). Anyway, I have personal experience that supports the use of some of them. If you are interested, drop me a line...

Some of the best:

Eat healthy. For god's sake, if not now, when? Especially miso soup, chicken and vegetable soup. Avoid all junk food, fast food, dairy, candy etc. Crack may be fun when your impervious, but less so following divorce or surgery! Ginger tea, vitamins if you wish, and most especially those things that promote vitality and immunity. Antioxidants, juice, plenty of water.

And most of all, rest. You won't feel like doing anything anyway. So SLEEP.
This is likely to be the best act of prevention, and of recovery.

Lastly, have someone near to look in on you, pull up a blanket or get some more tea!
Fevers are not conducive to much of anything (and if yours rises above 101--give the doctor a call), so having a buddy around is a good idea, non?!? You may well never see it, as many in the southern hemisphere have experienced. But it's always good to know the rules.

Take Care this season,

Jesse

Taking on the KKK: video

Vanquishing Ignance

gripping!

Snake in the pants

a cautionary look

Nothing to get agog about

http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=haught_29_5

And while were making so much sense (and rhyming)

My dog is definitely smarter than your toddler (and will cost me less than a quarter of a million!)

Slate's Top 5 'Ways America will end'. Four of five; I think this is something I'm good at...(the full list)

Looking on the bright side: we're just pubescent!

Challenging the way we eat...Further: personal responsibility

Ripping one Funny!

Way neat: Someone Once Told Me

Winter's cold embrace, and then some

Shuckles, it's July already. Nobody told me. July in Wellington means the settling in of cold and wet. D'ya like 35 to 55 farenheit? Cause that's it, day after day.
Fortunately I've arranged for a couple of amazing techno-fixes to be again employed to aleve these realities. Satellite feeds of warm France and its Tour de, and my bicycle trainer. I can 'pop' up at 5am, spin to a much easier version of a stage then the boys in France, and simply unhitch the bike and ride it into work each day. Who needs yoga?
And even more enjoyable is increasing my intake of almost anything I wish to intake. Which lately has been tea and ginger. Swine flu!
Yes, the city of Wellington is particularly hard hit by the flu. I've had every warning (and certainly given it right back) having been made Health and Safety coordinator and unofficial swine flu mascot for MAF Policy in the last two months. Every seminar, meeting and training had been attended earnestly by me. I'd learned as much as anyone in New Zealand what to expect. I'd raised awareness and spoken to the whole of them over the period. About three weeks ago, people began quietly disappearing from the halls (most numerously from our floor, which we share with the International team) at an increasing and somewhat nebulous flow. During that time the Ministry of Health switched from a prevention and quarantine posture to one of Management. Which I learned meant acknowledging the breadth of the pandemic, and looking at a period of 12 to 18 months to be hosting it.
So it should have come as no surprise when I got it. The remnants of denial are still within, even as I continue to be exhausted by it. Based on the fact that Wellington is almost exclusively H1N1 effected, as well as my having had a flu shot a couple of months ago (my first) I can deduct that what is in me is swine! What's odd is that I've been almost completely without chest trouble, or some of the other popular traits. What I have had is sudden onset of aches and sore throat, followed soon enough by fever, headache and wracking body soreness.
The last two days I expected to return to work, only to have felt 'touched' enough by deep fatigue and sleepiness to stay in bed. Tonight I see NZ's totals are 9 dead and near to 2000 confirmed cases, though there are sure to be more than that quietly enduring. As strange and interesting as this virus is, it'll be quite a while before we're done with it. Of that I'm sure.

Vive Le Tour!
J

Mike Higgins for the People!

I wish I had a vote in Farmington, New Mexico. Just this once.

Thanks Mike, once more. I needed a gentle jostle. Life's been a bit akimbo and harsh lately. Some of take a while to learn, I suppose.
Of course, it's summer here. Which means 65-75 farenheit with wind (nearly always) sun (a fair chance) and rain (wait, here it comes). And culture's a-flowing by fest and so forth.
Most significantly, I meet the first family visitor to the underside of this sweet planet. My brother Sean and his girl Eva will make the journey this week. Spending about 5 days in Wellington before zooming off to the south island glaciers next week. There'll be cycling and sauvignon blanc, fotos and feasting.

So, I've heard a little about this public office thing. Can you fill me in when you have the chance, Mike?

I haven't heard from you.....

Of course, that's because I haven't checked your blog. I only was reminded today because I have started a new blog for the purpose of contacting those who wish to communicate with me in my capacity as a Trustee for the San Juan College Board. I decided to be a candidate when our local district member resigned his expiring term early so that a replacement could be installed during the last board meeting of the year. He has now been an incumbent for about ½ hour, but the hope was since without any publicity there wouldn't likely be anyone else running, and with no one else running, the incumbent would be a "shoe-in". I decided that I needed to be a spoiler. Here I am, and with a small and short campaign (the election is on March 3rd) I have a very good chance to win. I'm not sure how many other volunteer jobs I'll need to quit in order to serve well, but I am looking forward to winning. My blog is Mike Higgins for the People.
I've heard a little from Tom, and, of course, I talked shortly with you in August when I was in Denver when you called. You sounded good then , and it sounded like you were working toward some goals, and on your way well.
I'll try to check in to the blog more often..
mike

Avenues of interest

Retrospective: 43 Appointees; Bush the worst Prez ever?

A Look back: Onion Headlines (brilliant!)

Wingsuit base jumping!

Happy New Year! Behold the Beast: Draw back the curtain on the worst of 2008
An excerpt from # 43: You think it’s your patriotic duty to spend money you don’t have on crap you don’t need. You think Tim Russert was a great journalist. You are shallow, inconsiderate, afraid, brand-conscious, sedentary, and totally self-obsessed. You are American.
Exhibit A: You’re more upset by Miley Cyrus’s glamour shots than the fact that you are a grown adult who is upset about Miley Cyrus.

Cognitive Biases (Is the only reason this hasn't been edited off wikipedia because no one can be bothered to care?)
Times are tough. Ford Tough!Pictures!
Riding around in circles at 200mph was always the answer....

Honey Laundering: not as sweet as it sounds (from the excellent series by the Seattle PI--soon to be RIP?)

Fun Blog: Stuff Journalists Like

Continuing our exploration of a (still somehow) fascinating world: worm gruntin!

Banks Peninsula

This was October on the Banks Peninsula near Christchurch. A long weekend of hikes, wine, and a great boat ride given by the proprietor of the French Bay Backpacker (a wonderful place). And I piloted a Smartcar!
In November I visited Nelson, a favorite city I'd not seen in 4 years. Even warmer, there were more wonderful meals, riding walking and a Beer Fete! No pics however.

Upon return from the states, good things began to happen. Namely winters grip was broken, most of all. The first signs were gained on the Ministry's field trip and induction in the 'city' of Gisborne. Around 25 of us toured the forests, farms and such getting dirty and hearing all about our stakeholders in that part of the nation. Here we are meeting some, including a truffle hound! Those are special oaks in whose root systems the shrooms thrive. He did too, after failing as a Biosecurity dog, he does fantastically here.

While I'm basking in the mems and fotos of the summer\winter (JULY!), I want to post two of my favorite young sons. From Colorado, Landon and Cormac.

9000+ miles: It's just stuff

In July on a very hot afternoon, my good friend Beaner and I loaded all our things in Colorado.

Then in October, in a gale morning storm it disgorged its precious cargo (made moreso, and less) in Wellington.

A box of stuff.

Does Natural-Gas Drilling Endanger Water Supplies?

What motivates the breeders? I've long wondered...

Relatedly ('Stop Making Sense!')

Climate Change Excerpt: In his fascinating book Carbon Detox, George Marshall argues that people are not persuaded by information. Our views are formed by the views of the people with whom we mix. Of the narratives that might penetrate these circles, we are more likely to listen to those that offer us some reward. A story that tells us that the world is cooking and that we'll have to make sacrifices for the sake of future generations is less likely to be accepted than the more rewarding idea that climate change is a conspiracy hatched by scheming governments and venal scientists, and that strong, independent-minded people should unite to defend their freedoms.

He proposes that instead of arguing for sacrifice, environmentalists should show where the rewards might lie: that understanding what the science is saying and planning accordingly is the smart thing to do, which will protect your interests more effectively than flinging abuse at scientists. We should emphasise the old-fashioned virtues of uniting in the face of a crisis, of resourcefulness and community action. Projects like the transition towns network and proposals for a green new deal tell a story which people are more willing to hear.

Talking Thresholds

The 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1

End in '010?!?!

Car Review?

(a big blog) Sigh

Looking back at the beach before the wave overtakes you

What to do?

and why (favorite blog of late)

More neat bugs: (beginning to think laying low was it all along)