The Big Dipper

takes a nap

Time, time, time.

Reading between the lines till it's back in style

Latest from Lovelock, 'genius', grandfather, and all around nuklear hombre

With all of the guides to manhood out there for all to consume, you'd think by now we'd be have ascended to some higher plane of sexiness, but here is where Men are. Truth is funnier than fiction. And fiction is what we do. Fullstop
You'd think for a culture that prides itself on seeing into the crystal ball of a glamorous future that the cliffhanger wouldn't seem so plain.
Ole!

Our Commander in Chief like to wax presidential by endlessly suggesting that one day, just you wait and see, we'll all look back and see how right he was. I think the lives lost and the billions of dollars he sent 'over there' might sing a more morbid hymn for the ages.
Seals in the sands.

Ma Rainey and Columbus?

Harlem to Anatarctica? Wouldn't be the first time they saved the world.



B-ball is back!!!!! Apple pie had Jason Biggs. Roger Clemmons is apparently as much a hero as Mark Twain. The 'where at least I know I'm free' crowd growls over this bone. What could possibly come next? Hookers and wrestling? Casinos with stomach pumps? Opting in while tapping out?
Think I'll hit the showers before they cut the power.

Who took my marbles, dammit?:
Solastalgia
That explains my adult life...

Yeah, once I was shy. That was before illness(es) had chemical correctives so sanctioned, leaving the country became the crazy thing to do.....

It's summer here

Well here we see the intrepid travelers in their native element. Locutionary evidence of their location include the straits ferry, ponga trees, fennel, wine and abundant sunshine.
And hills, calf crunching, leisure defying, topographically messy hills.
Riotous vegetation. Possums, fer sakes.

Tilting Leeward

Lenny Bruce: “We all live in a happy-ending culture, a what-should-be culture. . . . We are all taught that fantasy. But if we were taught ‘This is what is,’ I think we’d all be less screwed up.”

And more able to change, adapt, let go?!?

Getting a little foggy in there? Wise old Kurt Cobb calls this the Cult of Continuity. 'I've got mine'

Three trillion and change on wars and this is can't make the newspapers? And don't say it ain't interesting, true to life, thriller material.
There are a lot of smart people connecting the dots, despite the blather that passes for entertainment coming out of the squawk box. And the media? Please....

There Will Be Blood.
As long as as it's not spelled out in my bills

A fellow Peak Oil kook over at Survival Acres puts living on this literal and figurative island it this way:
I personally believe that Americans are in very serious trouble regarding several factors, such as:

a) situational awareness — they have no idea what is going on around them and have no interest in it either;

b) comprehension limitations — they are so brainwashed that anything out of the ordinary is completely lost to them;

c) cognitive dissonance — they are quite unable to perceive anything outside of their comfort zone and will continue to vehemently deny their own suffering as long as possible;

d) they actually prefer their own bias, ignorance and laziness, it’s preferable to them because it does not require of them any personal responsibility or accountability

And I leave once more with words that speak more than well enough for me.

What do you think?

"If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time" --Chinese proverb

the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry!

or MAF, has hired me to fix the records system within their Policy Department. Whooda thunk they'd Lettuce? Now Beth's in Social Development and I'm in 'primary industries'.

MAF'S Mission is:

Enhancing New Zealand's Natural Advantage.

Through our purpose:

Leading the protection and sustainable development of our biological resources for all New Zealanders.

The Three Outcomes we are working to achieve are:

Economy:	Sustainable economic growth and prosperity for New Zealanders
People:	Healthy New Zealanders and a vibrant rural community
Environment:	Maintained and Enhanced economic, social and cultural benefits for New Zealanders from the natural environment

Most importantly, this gives a second wind to the income of our 'beach-head' here in Aotearoa. Simultaneously my head will vacate the cozy confines of my brain, where it's been stuck far too long.
It's the best thing to happen since a Library Card! At least.
The last few weeks, the term 'draw-down' reached critical nature. Corresponding to an upswing in summer happenings, t he full-court press of the work search tested the best of me. Once again, I'd like to thank Beth for her loving kindness and initiative.
But it's over. Now I get to dig around in the files and documents of the agriculturally richest nation in the world!

Want a better view?

Victoria Falls
At least wear a bungee cord....

Please pass the Salt.
It's an Institute, fer sakes.

American Dreaming

Montel Williams

More muckraking, troop defendin', sick making, part-time warrin' blues.

O the tangled web gets thinner by the day....

Nothing at all

to Listen to

Good Lord. If only there were more ways to entertain...

While waiting on a train...

Many wonderful photographs of the not so distant past. And wooden bicyles where carbon has carved a future in the present

Iraq has a better handle on what democracy means to voters than.....the American Press?

Homer Dixon once more, this time from the cool clear skies of Canada

From the Not Alone category, this time on the Loux:
"The people in my country, I am afraid to say, have somehow gotten the impression that we deserve the finest things in life, no matter from where, or from whom, we get them. The last president to tell the American people to stop acting like spoiled brats and to take some responsibility for our lives was replaced by an actor. Point taken. All subsequent politicians from then on understood that the American people wish for entertainment, not reality."

Our allies in Britain don't seem to know any better. Except a hardy few, the Lush-es. At least in the absence of Burts Bees (which had suddenly multiplied virally in the last year) we can go to Lush here in Wellington!

San Francisco is on notice
I find that more and more are able to talk about such matters.
RU?

World without men? A double-edged sword, and fascinating to boot.

New Zealand not quite removed from the ravages of cancer. You just can't get away from these wacky enviros, Even in Eden

At least there is, via the magic of web: Eva Cassidy

Dateline, summer?

Yep, I have to say it finally feels like summer here. Wellington is seeing some consistent sunny days--and I'm told this season "is a good one". After several not so good.
Among other things, this is really teasing me to ride a bike. To do that, I have to pay someone for it in a 'transaction'. I've been rationalizing not getting one as I continue to look for work. But these sunny days! There are a lot of cyclists here in Wellington, and some good looking rides. We'll see.
That said, job options are looking up, way up. The number of raw ads has nearly doubled since the holidays--and the actual content, the quality of those jobs is fantastic. Luckily, I have a very patient and smart wife (I believe you've met Beth) who's sticking out my search. I am fortunate as well to have a work permit that enables me to choose my employer. Woe to Beth; she can only work for her current employer, MSD. So I must secure as a-Q-uality a contract as I can--within a reasonable timeframe. As of today, I am aiming higher; toward positions in Archives New Zealand or the National (libraries). Or government agencies similar to the one for whom Beth works that pay well and reward those who may get them.
We'll see.
That said, an odd normality has become the days here in En-Zed. That piece of the (forward) puzzle, good work, would have it all make sense.
Tell then, I am mad, I tells ya.

EPI Rankings (2008)!!

What? Excited over this stuff?!? Just call me Geo-man. No big surprises here. I just find it fascinating that this treasure can be got. This, to my mind, is about as accurate a measurement of quality of life as you can get from a bunch of numbers. It's damn good, too.
You may find that those countries near the top have an intact social lifestyle that values (profits from) their environment, and historically has taken steps to protect it. Their social capital reflects well. Other nations may have valuable resources (mineral, timber, precious metals) but have recently or otherwise sold the future for a better (?) present. History is the best judge; yet the EPI index is a great gauge, for the direction many nations will go.
For those who'd prefer otherwords:
"The 2008 Environmental Peformance Index (EPI) ranks 149 countries on 25 indicators tracked across six established policy categories: Environmental Health, Air Pollution, Water Resources, Biodiversity and Habitat, Productive Natural Resources, and Climate Change. The EPI identifies broadly-accepted targets for environmental performance and measures how close each country comes to these goals. As a quantitative gauge of pollution control and natural resource management results, the Index provides a powerful tool for improving policymaking and shifting environmental decisionmaking onto firmer analytic foundations."

Kiwi money

Been meaning to write about these beauties for awhile, but I guess it's just easier to spend them. PLAY MONEY!

No, they're painfully real(they have that real-O-clear seal). And beautiful, I think.

There's the queen of England, and Katherine Mansfield, who's childhood home is just down the hill from ours. And Edmund Hillary, whom they canonized before he'd passed.
Vultures!
And penguins and some type of duck.

On the dollar coin is the beloved kiwi. There's a two dollar coin (no bill) as well.

They start at ten (cents-it looks like an American penny), twenty, fifty. Here they round up or down to the nearest denomination of ten cents.

At least this way I hold on to them for a bit longer....

Ents-r-us

Trees are some of my best friends. I'd sure like to keep 'em around for awhile. And it's good to know there are others that would speak for the trees.

Yes, This IS Still our Travel Blog!

To all of you who are wondering, this is also Jesse's personal blog for speaking his mind about what's going on in the world. You can also still find updates on Jesse and Beth's zany adventures right here. So read some articles while you're at it, and let us know what you think.
Your friends,
B&J

Stuff

Make the new You nothing like the voices say

G'head. You'll find your happier for it.

Who Killed the Electric Car?

the gods have spoken.
Put down your pezzie phones.

" a stunning announcement" (quote unquote)

"There is no doubt demand for oil is outpacing supply at a rapid pace, and has been for some time now," Mr Wagoner said. "As a business necessity and an obligation to society we need to develop alternate sources of propulsion.

"So, are electrically driven vehicles the answer for the mid- and long-term? Yes, for sure."


Now can we all get on the bus???

Good with the Bad

(air) Miles and miles and miles

or nautical?.?.?...

and more....

He saw

into Vlad's soul

or maybe simply his heart

Harold Bloom:

“What we are seeing is…the fall of America”

A Job in New Zealand

Work here is not like what I'm used to.
What I'm used to is I'm sure half my own mental constructs, defined as the manifestations of a severely hyperactive and paranoid work ethic, and half realtime work demands, but they generally added up to a 9-10 hour workday composed of furiously juggling projects and deadlines while trying to keep up with a constant influx of emails and daily meetings, countered by extra-long sneakaway lunches and therapy-type shopping excursions. All of this was somewhat lightened when I was presented with better management, but unfortunately, this only came for me in my career in the few short months before I left on this journey.

So New Zealand work is different. And I'm told it's not just my job that is different, but the style of work in this country, as a whole. "Take it easy" is the mantra, coffee breaks are the rule. So many points to outline; let me count the ways:

1. Tea time, twice a day, which everyone takes. This is really the equivalent of the 2 15-minute breaks that we all know we're supposed to have every day, but that I know I never took in my corporate workday. I always thought standing around chatting makes you look like a slacker. It's so much more legit to surf the internet all day, flipping back to MS Word every time someone comes into your cube.
   
2. Besides the implied teas, the boss holds a weekly tea where we all sit around in the canteen and chat about ourselves. Personal stuff is exchanged, announced to the whole group, like, "how's the home sale going?" or "your arse was wiped in that rugby game at lunchtime." I intend to push these questions to get as much information as I can out of my co-workers.
   
3. ok, and beyond organized tea time, the computer freezes up every 15 minutes or so and forces a "Workpace break" of about 15 seconds. After about 3 of these, the computer goes even further and offers about 2 minutes of pictures and instructions on stretches and exercises you can do at your desk, followed by 3 more minutes of mandatory break time, I guess to catch a quick nap.
   
4. Getting used to not using z's in my words, such as organise and utilise.
   
5. In the kitchen: a stock of plates, bowls, and real silverware, and a dishwasher. And everyone uses them. Free trade coffee and tea, and filtered water (granted, available at most workplaces, but built into the kitchen faucets here).
   
6. Ties and collared shirts for the men, the most cleavage possible to show for the women. It's really nice not having to worry about my bra showing because of my neckline or a shirt that's a little too sheer for once, because just about everyone is worse.
   
7. Working with people named Rowena, Shone, Philippa, and Hamish.
8. I understand there are the occasional cook-offs between the different groups on my office floor. Pot lucks in the states required the admin ordering something from catering, because everyone else brought chips and salsa, or grocery store baked goods. But people are proud of cooking in these parts.
9. Just like what I'm used to, things don't often get done when you ask for help. Unlike the states, everyone is so polite here that a common response is to just shrug and laugh about it, rather than go for the gutteral. I think there could be more going for the gutteral.
   
10. I've seen people coming back from lunch barefoot, and staying that way for the remainder of the workday. Remember, I work for the government.

So, life is pretty good. Or at least pretty interesting.

Off the Hook

Yep, still bouncing off the walls of my cell.
Call Me

Most people like movies right? This is very very important(and it happens to be GREAATTT!:
the Story of Stuff