Please Release The Interview

I just want to say to Sony that I very much want a copy of  The Interview .  I would prefer a legal one, but I hope there is at least a black market version of the whole movie.  Air-drop millions of copies on North Korea.  Broadcast it, put it on the internet. 







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Difficulties of Writing Content

One of the things I do to try to earn a few bucks is to write for hire what is called content writing.  Today I wrote a short article about a very self-centered young fellow who is an investment banking analyst. He has on the internet a bunch of self-aggrandizing articles and articles about how to write a resume without saying anything about your character (or lack of it), and advice about the importance of knowing how to tie a neck-tie.and having a firm handshake.  I suspect that if he were to watch A Thousand Clowns he would see the final scene as one of triumph. He is currently back in school working on an MBA at a prestigious business school  There is an article on the Internet from a rape-victim at that school about him and how the school covered up his rape of her.  After all, he is a successful investment banker.  He will probably find out about the receiving end of the experience if he stays in his business.

I am not posting names or enough information to lead to the people involved.  I hope I was able to sneak a few jabs past the person paying for this article (It is probably him.) Even if the article is rejected I will feel good about my attempt. (the article was accepted)

CIA Interrogations Learned From NAZIs

I am part of the post-WWII baby boom and grew up hearing about Nazi torture techniques. I heard about North Korean torture, and had friends who experienced North Vietnamese and Viet Cong terror. Today we are awaiting a Congressional report about our own government using techniques derived from some of the most popular torture/interrogation techniques of these infamous enemies of our Nation and the effect on principles at the very core of our American ideals.

As we await the release of this report the debate seems to center on whether or not the CIA  lied to Congress under oath while testifying about the use of torture techniques by the CIA. We need to remember that the mentality of agencies such as the CIA centers on the belief that the actions of the agency, almost always shrouded in secrecy, are for the purpose of protecting our nation and its principles. The members of the CIA are used to living a lie on a daily basis in order to achieve their goals. This does not justify lying to Congress, it explains it.

Many details of the program will probably never be known. There are probably secret operations from the Revolutionary war that will never be known, and many secret operations from the War Between the States will likely never be revealed. The number of secrets from WWII is probably beyond count, and there are certainly ongoing secrets from Vietnam and more recent operations. But the use of torture techniques by our agencies should not be part of those secrets.

I originally wrote this article for a client who decided that it did did not fit what he wanted .  Since I originally wrote it, the report has been released and Senator John McCain has commented on torture, a subject he is particularly qualified to comment on. He and I agree on one thing: when we stooped to this level, we handed
a victory to the Islamisist terrorists hell-bent on destroying the American way of life. The fact that the NAZIs were right wingers and many Republicans thought that Hitler wasn't such a bad guy until they saw the insides of camps such as Auswitz-Birkenau explains how this took place on the watch of Bush and Cheney. I want to mention that Senator McCain is a Republican, and some other Republicans also have criticized the use of these techniques.  The CIA has had past indiscretions, particularly during the Nixon and Regan administrations.

Royal Worshipping

Apparently  many Americans seem to have forgotten that we fought two wars (the American Revolution and the War of 1812) to be free of the British Monarchy.  They seem to forget that the Constitution forbids monarchic titles and that the very core of Americanism is the essential equality of all people.

Two popular members of the British Monarchy, William and Kate (in England known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge), are visiting the U.S. on a trip which seems to be part tourist and part official.  To his credit, William Mountbatten-Windsor has made an attempt to establish his-self as a normal person burdened with being born to a symbolic position representing, at great expense, the nation of England.

A number of Americans have made fools of their selves by celebrity worship of these young people. Kate, who was not born to a "royal" bloodline, has distinguished herself by the way she has managed to fit into the role of wife to William. She has attempted to fill the role-model created by William's late mother, Diana, and appears to have begun to succeed. One major difference comes from the fact that their marriage seems to be based on romance instead of being arranged.

During the Twentieth Century European monarchies, and a few other monarchies, made an attempt to rehabilitate their images. Throughout history there have been other monarchs who attempted or even succeeded at being benign or even positive rulers.  However, the historical record has generally been filled with the logical result of devaluing the lives of the vast majority of people. The very concept of royalty should be repugnant to moral people, since it implies that one person should be valued more than others because some distant relative was able to gain power over the lives of other people, frequently by being a powerful criminal.

One highlight of their visit appears to have been the meeting of the royal couple with Lebron James, who treated them as fellow humans.  They were given a "photo op" with the NBA star, who posed with his arm around Kate's shoulders and joked with William about their relative shoe sizes,  

Just What is PC?

I just wrote a comment on a forum about the concept of "PC", otherwise known as political correctness.  PC is a term bandied about by Reich-wingers to refer to what they fantasize to be concepts that people who don't agree with their rightthink ideology try to restrict the "press" to allowing to be discussed. (I do want to mention that not all right-wingers are Reich-wingers, just as not all Liberals are Christians) I was following up on the concept that vilifying Christians is a P C concept.  I pointed out that there are very few places in America where a person can be elected to office by being openly anti-Christian, at least in word. Of course, many people love the title "Christian" while hating the teachings of the Christ, Jesus. Many people claim to be Christian while believing that poor people should not be helped, except perhaps to tell them to get a non-existent job, even if they are physically or mentally unable to work.  There are actually people who want to make feeding homeless people a crime.  I am unashamed to admit that I am a Christian and know that the Bible says that the homeless person in question is Jesus. (see Matthew 25:31ff)

The topic came up in a discussion about a homeowners' association trying to ban a resident who is a veteran from flying an American Flag. I also proceeded to rant about home-owners' associations in communities composed of rows of ticky-tacky little boxes. Think of Logan's Run, We, etc.

I also mentioned Platonic geometry.  This refers to an exaggerated version of what is commonly known as Euclidean Geometry.  Platonic geometry is a Rationalist  concept that ascribes reality to the ideal shapes of Euclidean geometry, The only problem with that is the fact that they cannot exist in this Universe except as an approximation. The geometry of the real world is fractal and restricted by both General Relativity and Quantum Physics, I suppose that there may actually be a unified field theory, but it is quite possible that only God can handle the math.

Jihadi John Done Messed Around With Slim

After hearing the rant of Jihadi John on his latest murder video I thought of the Jim Croce song, "You Don't Mess Around With Jim". Part of the lyrics says "you don't tug on Superman's cape".  The ISIS propagandists seem to think that murdering a few innocent Americans will frighten us into not bombing them to stop the murder of lots of innocent people. Jihadi John, you have tugged on Superman's cape.

In Croce's song, Big Jim Walker got on the wrong side of Slim, and he was cut from one end to the other.  The end of the song says "don't mess around with Slim".  I really don't like the fact that America has elected a Republican  majority in both houses of Congress, but I suspect that we will have a bi-partisan reaction to ISIS. I would be really surprised if we don't make an all out response to ISIS. ISIS came into existence because of the disastrous policies of the younger Bush, and we now have a president with the sense to fashion a workable response to them. We need to get Arabic forces to lead the ground war.  President Obama has been able to begin building a working relationship with Iran on this issue. We need to have their co-operation on this issue.

Charity, the Greatest Spiritual Gift, Now Illegal in Many U.S. Cities

Recently Ft. Lauderdale Florida arrested a 90 year old man and two pastors for feeding homeless people in public. The Mayor, Jake Seilar, has realized that the city has suffered from well-deserved negative publicity and has stated that they should have done a better job of convincing him of the error of his ways.   Even though many chamber of commerce members and businessmen have stated that their real goal is to drive homeless people away from their city, the mayor said that it was a good thing to feed them indoors at approved locations, far from where the homeless people are. Ft. Lauderdale is one of a number of U.S. cities which have tried to return to the days of treating poverty as a crime.

The truth is that many homeless people, especially "street people", cannot effectively be reached with indoor feeding programs, and those need to be located near where the homeless people are found.  Some of the anti-feeding scrooges say that feeding homeless people only enables homelessness.  I guess death by starvation cures homelessness.  Perhaps Ft. Lauderdale and the other cities who have joined in the assault on homeless people should build public showers with cyanide gas and nearby crematories.

Contrast Ft. Lauderdale with Knoxville, TN.  Knoxville is one of 20 American cities that is participating in a program to end poverty sponsored by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.  Knoxville has a number of food programs (several of them world acclaimed, such as the Love Kitchen) located in areas easily accessible to the homeless, as well as a number of programs that feed people in the streets (or under overpasses).  One program has a canteen truck that appears about midnight in the historic Old City district, an area that is open all night and attracts young street people.

One of the core teachings of Jesus is found in Matthew 25:31ff.  Jesus speaks in a parable of a day when all people are gathered before Him on Judgment day.  Some He will welcome to Paradise because they fed Him when he was hungry, others He will send elsewhere because they did not.  Both groups will ask "when did we feed/not feed You?" and He will answer "When you did/ did not do this to the least of people".  The hungry homeless person, or the sick and dying person with no health insurance is Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 we are told that charity is the greatest spiritual gift.

I am sure that many other spiritual figures such as Buddha taught such concepts.  Any followers of other religions are very welcome to add references (in comments below) to their religions as further examples of the value of charity.  Mohammed, of course, quoted Jesus as the Messiah on this subject, and many Jews consider Jesus to be a great rabbi.  Feel free to add comments.  I am sure that there are Atheists who also can add to this discussion.  If you feel that charity is an abomination, you may state your views. It will not be MY  job to judge you.

Ignorance About Ebola Abounds Unabated

I have to say a few quick words about the continuing ignorance and unabated prejudice still common in discussions about Ebola, especially in reactions to the saga of Kaci Hickox.  I have been following this on AOL and many people still react to her unselfish bravery as if she is some sort of evil person.  I am not the only person to realize that the intense reaction of many people is rooted in the fact that the people suffering from this small but dangerous epidemic happen to be Africans, living in Africa.

Kaci has proven that she was no risk by passing her 21 day milestone still free of the disease, proving that spontaneous generation is still a fantasy. Dr. Craig Spencer, who had contracted Ebola after returning to the U.S. has recovered from the disease, and no one was infected by him. Both of these individuals are well trained medical professionals totally aware of the protocols for dealing with this disease. They took all needed precautions. It is inconceivable that anyone so well trained about this disease and experienced with the realities of the disease would behave otherwise.

Americans Bend Over on Election Day

On election day 2014 Americans collectively bent over and told the robber barons to have their way for at least the next 2 years.  Already the war drums are beating to send American troops back to war, proving the final message of former president Dwight Eisenhower correct. Republicans have also vowed to put America in the group to hear " You are not welcome here" on judgment day by refusing to help Jesus when he is sick, hungry, or homeless (when the Me party members chanted "let him die" during the last presidential primary, the guy in the emergency room with no insurance was Jesus)  Despite the fact that every financial recession or depression suffered by Americans has been the direct result of economic policy of Republicans or their antecedents, Republicans have been put into a position to seriously threaten the economic recovery that has happened in America, despite their best efforts so far to lead us into a "character building" depression.  Please note that all of these depressions and recessions engineered by Republicans, predominantly by allowing wide spread short selling, have resulted in stock traders getting very wealthy, while working people and many wealthy people who have earned their wealth have suffered.

As a Floridian I am dismayed that we have again elected to the office of Governor a man who is either the biggest thief in the history of America or an astonishingly incompetent CEO.  He ran a corporation that very deliberately stole over a billion dollars from the people of America. If he was not aware of the systematic keepings of dual books he would have had to be totally out of touch with his company.  For this he received a reported bonus of $350,000,000. Yes, folks, that's three hundred and fifty MILLION dollars.

Comment on Boko Haram and ISIS

Recently Boko Haram has been in and out of the news for kidnapping a bunch of girls who were trying to get an education.  ISIS has been in the news for mass murders and trying to establish what they call an Islamic state.  I do not hold my self out as an expert on Islam, but I have a number of friends who are educated Muslims. As a student of religion (among other things) I am familiar with some of the teachings and history of Islam.  I know enough to know that both of these groups represent people who have little knowledge of the teachings of Muhammad, or don't care.  They forbid the education of women, while Muhammad encouraged education for everyone. They wage war against Christians, which Muhammad strictly forbids. Of course, the history of Islam is one of heretics using the name of Muhammad to wage war.  Main-stream Christianity (Muhammad thought that what he was teaching is true Christianity) has seen the same problem.  Adolf Hitler thought that he was a Christian.  Boko Haram is to Islam as Hitler was to Christianity.

Good News for Kaci

  Some sanity has surfaced in the ongoing saga of the American response to the current Ebola crises in Africa. A judge in Maine, District Court Chief Judge Charles LaVerdiere, ruled that the mandatory confinement of Registered Nurse Kaci Hickox ordered by the Governor of Maine, Paul LePage, could not be enforced. Kaci Hickox had first been confined to a tent outside a hospital in New Jersey for three days after returning from Sierra Leone,where she had been helping  treat patients with Ebola.  Four Northern states have reacted to returning health-care workers by treating them as if they are criminals by declaring irrational quarantines on all returning people who have been involved in treating patients.  No Southern states have so reacted. I am of the opinion that the fact that so many Southern voters are of African heritage, and other Southerners are used to being around people of African heritage is the reason that  Southern states have been more logical in response to this situation. Ebola must be stopped and contained in Africa, not here.  Africa has a poor health-care infrastructure and needs the help of more scientifically advanced nations. Africans are humans deserving help in this case.
   In the almost 40 years since Ebola first appeared, about 15,000 people have been infected with the disease.  About 7,000 have died. Ebola can only be transmitted by direct contact with people showing symptoms of the disease or the corpses of deceased patients, or from diseased animals (some primates). One strain of the virus which does not infect people may infect pigs.

Greatest country song ever

  I have long been of the opinion that the greatest country song of all time is the Flatt and Scruggs tune,  The Good Things Outweigh the Bad.  Check it out. Flatt and Scruggs played with and led the Foggy Mountain Boys.  Of course, don't forget the Foggy Mountain Breakdown, written by Earl Scruggs and probably the greatest banjo tune ever written.

Kaci Hickox: Stand by Her All Good Americans!

  Recently a young lady and nurse from Maine has become a double hero.  She was courageous enough to volunteer to become one of the heroes helping to stop the deadly disease from Africa, Ebola.   After returning from Africa, she was greeted by a knee-jerk and clearly racially motivated ignorant response in both New Jersey and Maine. While showing absolutely no symptoms of the slightly contagious disease, Ebola, she was treated as if she is a criminal.  Checking her for outward signs of the disease was reasonable.  When the highly inaccurate screening thermometer indicated the possibility that she might have a fever, instead of verifying that measurement, she was confined to an unheated tent in 45 degree Fahrenheit weather for 3 days, only to be released after a national outcry. She was then allowed to return to Maine, where the state has , again, treated her as if she were a criminal.  While about half of her neighbors have been supportive of her, about half have shown their rear ends by treating her abominably.  I have visited Maine, and about half of the Mainers are good, friendly people, and about half are rude jerks, so the numbers make sense.

  Kaci has taken a very vocal stance against the horrid treatment that she has received.  She  has defied the ignorant  treatment she has received, while not doing anything that would present a danger to anyone should she magically suddenly become ill.  Should she become ill, I hope she goes somewhere she can get proper medical care.

  I have noticed that the irrational response to returning health-care workers has been in Northern states. The outbreak of Ebola is in Africa.  Naturally, the victims needing help are Africans.  Southern states have large numbers of voters with African ancestry.  Northern states have few.  I submit that the illogical response in Northern states is because they just don't give a dang about what happens in Africa and, in fact, the response is racist.  I'm sure that the Yankees in question would deny that they are racist.  After all, it is we dumb Southerners who are. As one black Southern civil rights leader said in the 60s, the Yankees give Negroes a piece of rat poison and tell them it's cake.  Some white Southerners are vocally racist, and still have black friends.

  I hasten to add, many Northerners are decent people and have better sense than what is being displayed. Leaders of the American volunteer response to Ebola have already seen that it is becoming more difficult to recruit help in the struggle to contain and eradicate Ebola.  If it cannot be stopped in Africa, it will be here. Then we will have the governors of these Northern states to blame.  Raise your voice in support of the effort to contain Ebola.  We do not need to treat the volunteers as if they are criminals.

Post on Rationalism Coming Soon

  I have been trying to work on a decent post on the Empiricism vs. Rationalism topic.  Unfortunately I have been struggling with computer problems and the need to generate a little income.  I want to lay a little groundwork by outlining the problem with the use of the word "rational".  The word rational is commonly used to mean the same thing as the word "logical".  People then see the word "Rationalism" and think that it means being "rational" or "logical", which it does not.  Rationalism is a philosophy which starts with "a priori" concepts, which are supposed to be self evident truths which are derived by "pure reason" without resort to observation.  Logical deduction is used to derive various theories from these a priori  concepts (also known as "first principles"). Empiricism is the opposed school of philosophy which demands that the first principles be based on observation, and then uses the same logical deduction to arrive at theories about reality.

I personally think that modern science has shown that Rationalism is, in fact, irrational. Many people have come to call their selves Rationalists because they choose to re-define the term. The term has also become somewhat associated (mostly by the same people) with the faith of Atheism.

Rationalism gave us Euclidean Geometry, which is a pretty good approximation for most purposes. Euclidean geometry, however, is only an approximation and fails miserably on both the atomic and the cosmic scales. Euclidean geometry (coupled with Newtonian Physics) can give a very good prediction of the orbit of the Earth about the sun, and the orbits of all of the planets except Mercury.  The geometry of General Relativity is needed to accurately predict the orbit of Mercury.

The concept that we need to come away with is that faulty first principles coupled with faultless logical deduction will lead to faulty conclusions.  Most so-called rationalists fail to understand that their "self evident" truths are not self-evident.

pendrake's passions: Computer Problems

pendrake's passions: Computer Problems: The second part of my biking post has been delayed for a few days due to a computer problem. I am having to use an old laptop with limited c...

pendrake's passions: Ignorance and Racial Prejudice Fuel Irrational Ebo...

pendrake's passions: Ignorance and Racial Prejudice Fuel Irrational Ebo...:   The world is currently facing a dangerous health crises because of an outbreak of the disease Ebola. Without good, modern health care, Ebo...

Ignorance and Racial Prejudice Fuel Irrational Ebola Response

  The world is currently facing a dangerous health crises because of an outbreak of the disease Ebola. Without good, modern health care, Ebola has about a 50% death rate.  With current modern health care, the death rate is about 10 to 20 %, still pretty bad.  New treatments in the process of being developed will probably offer better survival rates.  Ebola is not extremely contagious, unlike Flu or the plague.

   Ebola could potentially mutate into a more contagious form, the way that Bubonic Plague can mutate into Pneumonic Plague, and it is essential that the disease be contained and eliminated in Africa.  Unfortunately, panic and ignorance coupled with racial prejudice is threatening the efforts to contain it. Here in America several states have instituted quarantines against returning health care providers, thereby threatening to reduce the ability to recruit health-care workers to stop the disease where it can be stopped. These unwarranted quarantines are based on ignorance and racial prejudice. Ebola is only contagious when a person actually has the disease and is showing symptoms.

   The governor of Florida (a man for whom who I personally have no respect ) has said that returning health care providers in Florida will be subject to twice daily monitoring, a reasonable restriction.  In fact, this is what the returning health workers have self-imposed, and what anyone who may have been exposed to Ebola should do.  In America, patients who begin treatment as soon as they show symptoms have a pretty good survival rate. Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian who developed Ebola after returning to the U.S. and did not receive prompt care, is the only U.S. patient who has died.  Prompt care of other U.S. patients has resulted in a high survival rate.

   I also am happy to see that the U.S. has shown particular interest in helping Liberia, a de facto U.S. colony in Africa founded by former slaves and for so long ignored. The U.S. has a moral obligation to give Liberia a special status due to the historic connection to America.

putting posts in order

Well, I just learned that I have to be a little more careful when I write a two part blog.  the post below is part two of an article about bicycling.  I will have to  can edit it to include a title, so that it looks better.  This is a learning process for me.

Biking for God and Earth: part two

2.  Recreational Uses  
   

• Exercise

Whenever you use a bicycle you get top quality exercise. Bicycling provides both strength and "aerobic" exercise. For most people it is safe and easy, putting little stress on any part of the body. For many people, running can damage feet and knees. When I had a stroke several years ago, I returned to riding a bike for exercise. I had the good sense to wear a helmet, as I had some minor balance issues. If you have health Issues, you may want to consult your physician first. I bought an exercycle after my stroke and used it while recuperating before returning to an actual bike.

• Sightseeing

     Many cities such as Atlanta have bicycle paths around the city, often as part of the rails to trails program. Rural areas may also have bicycle paths. One such path here in Florida is the Palatka to Lake Butler State Trail, and here in Palatka there is a bike trail through the Ravine Gardens State Park. Nearby Gold Head Branch State Park has a bike trail and is fond to me as my Grandfather supervised the construction of the park during the depression. In Canada the Yukon Ridge Road Heritage Trail offers a chance to visit an exciting part of North America. Prince Edward Island offers a 170 mile long trip from one end of the island to another. This trail is also along a former railbed. One reason that so many former rail beds are converted to hiking/biking paths is to preserve them so that they can easily be re-converted to rail beds.
      Shawn J. Gossman, founder of Southern Illinois Cycling Forum  has recommended Tunnel Hill Bike Trail and Rend Lake Bike Trail. He says they are both suitable for cyclists of all skill levels.

• Camping

     Camping can be combined with sightseeing or can be a separate activity, possibly in conjunction with hunting or fishing. Hint: if you are hunting bear or elk, this may not be a good idea unless you provide another way to carry any game home. Be certain that you choose a bicycle suitable for this activity. Also, choose your camping gear carefully. You need lightweight, compact, and durable gear.

• Racing and Other Competitions

     Probably the most famous (and often controversial) bicycle race is the Tour de France, a long, multistage race currently over 2200 miles long. This race has been run annually since 1903, except during the world wars of the 20th century.  Cross-country races similar to the Tour are offered all over the world, often only a few hours long and conducted for local cyclists. A different type of competition is BMX racing, which involves bikes made specifically for the sport and either cross-country or on tracks similar to tracks used for motorcross racing. BMX is often a young persons sport, but older riders also compete.
   Indoor racing on tracks referred to as velodromes has been a sport since the late 19th century and has been a part of every modern Summer Olympics except for 1912. This is a specialized event using bikes made specifically for this sport. These bikes can not be easily used for any other purpose.

• Trick Riding

     Bicycles can also be used for stunts and tricks. Some bicycles are even adapted for tight-ropes. Use your imagination, but be sure that you use a suitable bike. Consult an expert before attaching rockets or jet engines.

3.  Choosing a Bike

•    Know Why You Want a Bike

       There are many different types of bicycles. Some bicycles may be designed for very special uses and not be suitable for general use. Some bikes may be acceptable for a wide range of uses, but not great for most of them. If you want to use one for exercise and even racing on well paved streets you will choose one that you could also use to commute to work as long as you don't have to carry anything you can't back-pack. You would also be able to be a little smug when you parked it at work.

•     Be Sure of Your Budget  

        Bicycle prices cover a wide range. You can probably find a serviceable used bicycle for as little as $25. It is very easy to find bicycles priced well over $1000. For everyday purposes, a good quality new bicycle will run under $300. Better bikes will cost $500-$1000. If you are really serious, be prepared to pay more. Try to find someone knowledgeable on the subject who you can trust to advise you if you are new to the subject. If you can rent or borrow a bike similar to what you think you want you may want to try one before investing much money. You may want to find a club or other group. If the local bike store has a good reputation you will probably get good advice there.

• Find a Bike That Fits You      

       If you were planning to hike or run, you would be sure that you had the right size shoe or boot.  With the right size bike, you will be able to easily mount and ride the bike. If you are going to a good bike shop you can get help there. Good articles are available online, and there are good books on the subject. On a man’s bike, straddle the frame. You should be able to stand flat-footed with an inch or two to spare. On a woman’s bike this will not work because of the missing support. A woman may want to check the size with a man’s bike and use the same size if she really wants a woman’s bike. Women who will be wearing biking clothes often choose a man’s bike.

• Have the Bike Adjusted For You  

First, be sure that the style seat on your bike is one that is comfortable for you. Then make sure that it is at the right height and angle. Most seats can also be adjusted forward or backward. If the seat is at the right height your legs should be almost extended fully when the pedal is at the bottom. A good bike shop will do all this when you buy the bike.

• Be Sure You Have the Right Equipment  

      If you will use the bike at night, dusk, or dawn, You must have DOT approved lights and reflectors. The headlight must be white and be visible for at least 500 feet, and the taillight must be red and visible for at least 600 feet. Choose led lights, and consider rechargeable batteries. Detachable front and rear baskets are available. If you will be off-road or on long road-trips, you will want tube repair equipment and a pump. Most bikes have a water-bottle holder, or you can add one. You will need a handy bottle of water. Water holding back-packs (called camel backs) with drinking tubes are also an option. Make certain you have a proper chain, and the rims and tires are the proper ones and are in good repair. Be certain you have a good drive-chain and it is of the right length. A bike helmet is also an essential piece of equipment. When I resumed serious biking after my stroke I took a few spills and hit my head on more than one sidewalk. Because I insisted on wearing  my helmet I was not injured.      

Computer Problems

The second part of my biking post has been delayed for a few days due to a computer problem. I am having to use an old laptop with limited capacity in order to work. I spent time trying to correct the problems.  I have also been trying deal with a financial crisis. I should have the bike post later today.
I would also  like to comment on the news that there may be a deal with the disciples of Satan,  Boko Haram to free the innocent little girls kidnapped by them . I pray that such a deal may be worked out, but believe that it should also include compulsory .emasculation for all members of Boko Hatram.

Nobel Peace Prize 2014

Thus year's Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to two very deserving people who have championed the issue of education for young people, especially girls.  One, Malala Yousafzai , is the youngest ever winner of the Peace Prize or, indeed, any Nobel prize. The other, Kailash Satyarfi, is more in keeping with the normal age of Nobel Laureates,

Malala made her mark by defying the Taliban by not only seeking an education, but posting a popular blog about it. She was shot in the head at the age of 14 by the Taliban as a result, and has continued her education in England, working in a major address to the United Nations.  She has been widely praised in her nation, and widely criticized. I have been thoroughly charmed by her since first hearing of her.  She has established herself as an outspoken champion for the issue of education for young people, especially girls.

 Kailash is perhaps the current world leader in the movement to end child labor, an issue that the United States has been a leader in for almost a century, even though there is still a significant pool of people on the right wing in America advocating for child exploitation. He has also advocated for childhood education as part of his vision.

Kailash and Malala contacted each other shortly after learning of the award, and are planning to work together for their cause.  I can only add my feeble voice to the chorus of support for their cause. They agreed to ask the prime ministers of their nations to attend the ceremony and make a gesture for peace and co-operation between their nations. This is part of the reason the Nobel committee chose to honor them jointly.

Congressman Denies Global Warming: Is he also a Flat-Earther?

   I just read an article on AOL about a Congressman from Michigan, Representative Dan Benishek (Republican), who claims that his credentials as an M.D. qualify him to comment on anthropogenic (of human origin) global warming.  He further stated that there are no peer-reviewed articles advocating that global warming is anthropogenic.
   First, let me state that while M.D.s have more scientific background than most people, only a very small percentage have qualifications as research scientists.  Secondly, the overwhelming majority of peer reviewed climate change articles agree that global warming is largely the result of human activity.
   The term global warming is widely attributed to Alexander Graham Bell, who began warning of the dangers of using fossil fuels in 1917.  He advocated that we should emphasize renewable energy sources, or those such as solar power that were not consumed and do not pollute.  Since then research has continued to justify his worries.
   Did you know that there are still flat Earthers?  These are people who still insist that the Earth is flat. I consider global warming deniers to be flat Earthers.  I am willing to believe that even many Rationalists are willing to accept the concept of anthropogenic global warming. (post on Rationalism is in the works)
   There is some room for debate on what percentage of global warming is not anthropogenic.  But notice that we are actually in a period of reduced solar activity similar to the Maunder Minimum (1645-1715) and the Dalton minimum (1790-1820). These periods coincide with cold periods.  The time of the Maunder Minimum is often called the "mini ice age".  We are still experiencing global warming. Perhaps it will be slowed by decreased solar activity, but it will not last.
   The real danger comes once the permafrost begins to melt.  Melting permafrost means lots of methane, a truly dangerous greenhouse gas.  Estimates as to the potency of methane as a greenhouse gas compared to carbon dioxide range from 30 times as potent to close to 100 times as dangerous.  Most experts say around 50x.  Some experts blame a sudden release of methane for the Great Flood (the world-wide increase in sea-levels causing coastal flooding and giving rise to flood myths found world-wide).  Is Al Gore another Noah?


















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Is "Ripple (On Still Water)" a Gospel Song?

 Last night in a random discussion around the house Jerry Garcia came up.  That made me think of the song "Ripple" , performed by Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead.  Years ago a musician friend (now deceased) introduced me to the song and asked me to work it up. I reminded him of Jerry, and have had people stop me on the street in Knoxville shortly after Jerry died and say "I thought you were dead!"

When I first began to work up the song, I read that Jerry grew up in Tennessee, but have since learned that is incorrect. He and Robert Hunter, who wrote the lyrics for Ripple also co-wrote a song called Tennessee Jed.  Jerry was a  very influential banjo picker, and the Old and in the Way album is one of  the best selling Bluegrass albums of all time.  Jerry also played in a number of other Bluegrass bands during his career.

Since Jerry and Robert were both Bluegrass musicians I have to assume that they both were familiar with Pentecostalism and the Holy Ghost..  When I first heard the song I assumed that it was speaking of the Holy Ghost when it speaks of  "ripple in still water, when there is no pebble tossed , nor wind to blow".  And what could be the "harp unstrung" if not the "sacred harp" of Sacred Harp (shape note) music. It is inconceivable that Garcia and Hunter would have not been very familiar with sacred harp music.

I have also read that many commentators have found reference to the 23rd Psalm with the reference to the full or empty cup. And perhaps the fountain is filled with blood. Don't forget, Garcia and Hunter would be familiar with these concepts because of their strong Bluegrass background. Bluegrass comes from the Bluegrass area of Tennessee and the Appalachians and is highly steeped in the spirituality of the region. Well, Glory!

Soon to Come: Einstein was Not a Rationalist

I will have the rest of the Bicycle post very soon, but I had to make a little money.  While doing some stuff on a forum, I came across some people actually trying to defend rationalism and claiming that Einstein was a rationalist. Flat-Earthers are Rationalists.  Einstein openly rejected rationalism. Euclidean geometry fails on molecular scales, far less than cosmological scales (see my post about the value of Pi), and will not even work on laboratory scales with accurate enough measuring devices.  I will have a more thorough post soon on the subject.

Biking For God And Earth Part One

       I have decided to do this post in two parts'

                                                      Part One

       Bicycles can be used for many purposes. Apparently bike users in third world countries can often carry incredibly large amounts of freight for commerce on bicycles, and are able to carry passengers, groceries, and perform super-human feats. Here in America many people think of bicycles as toys for children, toys for "green" activists, and transportation for people who cannot drive (such as alcoholics and mentally disabled people).  The fact is that there are many other people who can and do use bicycles (and adult tricycles). Let's examine the uses for bicycles.

1.        Practical Uses

•   Commuting to Work  

     If you live a reasonable distance from work, using a bicycle can save money, provide healthy exercise, make a valuable contribution towards saving our environment, and perhaps save commuting time. Often it is easier to park a bicycle. You may need to lobby for a bike rack. Weather can be a concern, and you may need to be concerned about changing clothing.
        Frequently commuter parking lots are far from where you may work. When I was in Grad school at the University of Florida the parking lot was about a mile from my office.  I had a bike rack on my car and biked to my office and around the campus and town.  Some people use folding bikes for this hybrid commuting.

• Shopping

      A quick trip to the store might be quicker and healthier on a bike. However, you cannot carry as much on a bike as you can on a car. Adult trikes tend to have greater cargo capacity. If you plan on doing much shopping on a bike, be sure to choose a bicycle with carrying capacity. Rear saddle bags are useful. Systems with detachable baskets are available and can be detached when you have other uses in mind for your bike. Front baskets that are detachable are also available. Remember those third-world bikers I mentioned? It is possible to carry rather large loads on a bike. Look for cargo nets to help keep stuff in place. Cargo trailers are also available.

• Carrying Kids 

      If you need to carry small children, get a pull along trailer. This is the safe way to carry children using a bike. The trailer can also be used for shopping. Don't forget to protect your children from sunshine and weather. Be aware of traffic. Don't forget that this is very precious cargo.

Congrats to Female UAE Fighter Pilot

I just have to put in a few quick words of congratulation to Major Mariam al-Mansouri of the UAE Air Force for her role in leading a bombing mission against ISIS.  This is a direct blow to the ego of these sick monsters.  I applaud the UAE for its wisdom and attitude. Shove it down their throat.  Send her to bomb some Taliban while they are at it.
   Bicycle blog post almost done. look for it, big article.

Post on Bicycles

I have been a little under the weather again, probably as a result of blood pressure medication.  I am trying to go back to using exercise and diet to regulate my blood pressure, and hope to not be sleeping 18 to 20 hours a day. I also write on forums and do freelance content writing.  I just joined a forum on bicycling in Southern Illinois ( I live in Florida) and have decided that it is time to write a post on bicycling, as I have been promising for several months.  Should be ready in a day or two. Keep watching.

I also want to comment on the lunacy of letting little children fire full automatic weapons, and how evil ISIS is.

Time For Some Moral High Ground

There are a number of bloody conflicts going on in the world at this time, just as there has been for all of recorded history.  Both sides usually blame the other guy and the aggressors always have an excuse for killing non-combatants.  Frequently combatants are people who are just trying to protect their families and homes.

One conflict that has recently made the news has been the current round of combat between the Jewish state of Israel and the people of the Gaza strip.  It has been a true disaster for the people of Gaza.The inequity of the casualties has caused a backlash in Israel and we hope that the emphasis will now be on disaster relief tor the people of Gaza.

I would hope that the conflict between the State of Israel and Hamas would now shift to who can claim the most Moral High Ground by seeking peace.  We would love to see  peace become the sought for prize.

commment about last post

I don't think I said nearly enough about being aware of what's going on. Read newspapers, watch or listen to the news. 100 years ago being caught in hurricane was something that happened. Today you should have several days warning, and should have supplies before the season even starts. We usually don't have advanced warning about earthquakes, but you should know if you live in an area where severe ones are common. I live in Florida and always have survival supplies, and stockpile essentials before the start of the season. If you live in the country in North Dakota, you are prepared to get snowed in. If you live in a forest, you should be prepared for a forest fire, or maybe a marauding bear. In a democracy like America, you need to know enough about world affairs to know if your President wants to start a war because some foreign leader may have insulted his daddy. And you should know whether it is a good idea to fight that war, or a potential disaster. Hitler and Napoleon both tried to fight offensive wars on two fronts and paid the price.Bush Senior paid enough attention to consider Sadam Hussein the lesser of two evils. We considered Stalin to be the lesser of two evils when we looked at Hitler.

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Facing Disasters

Most of us are lucky enough to get up every morning and be able to go about our day with a normal routine and no problem other than whether to eat a salad for lunch or a nice juicy hamburger. Sugar or not for our coffee?

Sometimes we may wake up in the middle of the night to a tornado, the dam up-river may burst, the volcano next door may erupt, or some other unexpected disaster may occur. How to prepare for a hurricane may be common knowledge for a 5th generation Floridian such as me, and earthquake preparedness may be natural for a long term Californian, but many disasters come unexpectedly.

Paranoia can be a poison eating at your very soul, but there is a reasonable state of disaster preparedness that includes awareness and even participation in volunteer groups that help those who have suffered from a disaster.  Pay attention to local and world news and check such sites as Disaster.com  for advice.  If you live in tornado alley, you need to know how to prepare for a tornado.  Many areas of the country need to know how to prepare for a drought, or prepare for a blizzard.  How to prepare for an Asteroid or a nuclear disaster may be beyond most of us, but there are always general steps.

Volunteering to help with disaster recovery efforts can be a rewarding experience, or even an important part of surviving a disaster that you are part of.  It can even be justified as selfish self-interest as a means of insuring help when you may need it yourself.  Frequently donations for disaster relief may be all that you can do.  Look at how much was pledged to Haiti after the Hatian Earthquake of 2010 (much of which has yet to arrive).

I have mentioned that I write on a number of forums.  Disaster.com is one that I am proud to be part of.  Check it out.

gun forums

One thing that I have been doing to help build traffic has been to write on a number of forums. I got into this after someone posted a spurious job offer on a well-known online work site.  I get pad a ridiculously low amount for these postings through Postloop forums.  I have had one bad experience on a gun forum called Revolver Forums and a rather different one on Firearm Addicts.

 I was banned from the Revolver Forum after the owner got upset because I thought that incidents such as the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary was one more proof that we need to control the availability of weapons and magazines designed to allow for the easy murder of large numbers of people.  He stated that the death of those children was fine with him as long as he could have his guns (paraphrased, not direct quote).

The owner of Firearm Addicts politely said that he could not continue to pay for my posts since some of the other members had complained, but he welcomes a variety of views.  I have decided to continue to post on that forum, since I am an advocate of reasonable, responsible gun ownership.

I know that my Grandfather, my Father, myself, my sons, and at least some of my grandchildren are or were gun owners.  I don't know about all my past relatives.  Some of my ancestors were prominent Quakers, so they probably weren't, but I am sure that many of my ancestors were gun owners.

taking longer

I am working on a new post that is taking longer than I expected.

I have been ill for a while, but am better now and will be creating a new post in the next few days.  I wanted to talk about an experience on a forum about revolvers. I made the comment that revolvers, because they are not suited for mass murder killing sprees, are a good weapon to own.  The moderator of the site accused me of being some kind of monster and said   that the death of 20+ children was fine as long as he could own his assault weapons.

I believe that such nonsense is the greatest threat to the second amendment. The NRA will bring an end to gun rights in America unless it quits being a pawn of arms manufacturers.

Quasi-Atheists

I recently made a post on a religious forum about atheism being a belief based on blind faith. A number of agnostics under the mistaken belief that they are Atheists became somewhat irrational in their argument that just not believing that there is a god makes them an Atheist. Despite the fact that these people are pretty much rabid in their condescending approach to defending their belief that they refuse to acknowledge, they choose to ignore any of the arguments for the existence of God, except to  look down their noses at them and imply that I am intellectually deficient for making arguments that I have not made and have no intention of making.

I should add that no one claiming to actually believe that there is no god has commented on the subject. I suspect that the self-styled Atheists are people desperately struggling with their beliefs. If they simply don't believe in a god, they wouldn't make a big deal of it. And I guess it sounds good at parties to say "I am an Atheist."  Very stylish these days.

What is Meant by Solar Energy ?

In popular usage the term solar energy is usually used to refer to usable forms of energy, especially electrical energy, derived from sunlight. Sunlight can be used to provide usable energy in three ways. The first and most obvious way is through the heating effect of light. Frequently heating is an undesirable effect of sunlight. Fortunately the heating effect can be used to provide the power to cool or do other useful things. The heating effect of sunlight is also responsible for wind, which can be used as a power source,

The second way that sunlight can be used to provide power is through photosynthesis or other photochemical reactions. Photosynthesis first appeared on Earth about 3.4 billion years ago. Photosynthesis is the process by which the energy from light is used by plants and some other micro-organisms to produce carbohydrates such as sugar. Sugars are used by most life-forms on Earth to supply the energy for growth and most life-functions.

The third way that sunlight energy can be captured is through the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect converts light energy directly into electricity. The first known photovoltaic cell was developed by A.E. Becquerel in 1839. Photovoltaic cells were basically a laboratory curiosity until about 1960 because the technology to produce them at any reasonable price did not exist until the space race of the late 1950s forced the development of an industry which had a need for such technology. It is worth noting that this program was a project funded by the people through their state, not by private industry. Of course, a large and powerful industrial complex profited by this program, but it was paid for by the people.

Today we are in a situation similar to the space race. Now we are in an energy race. Barring some scientific breakthrough in an unexpected area, development of large scale renewable solar energy collection technology is the most likely solution to the energy technology needed for the future survival of mankind.  I use the term renewable solar energy because most fossil fuel is, in fact, stored solar energy which is not  easily renewable.

For billions of years after photosynthesis appeared on Earth life was dominated by simple organisms that could survive in the harsh conditions that existed on the primeval Earth. Vast amounts of carbon was removed from the atmosphere and stored in the form of bio-mass, coal, oil, and natural gas. At the same time, much Oxygen was freed into the atmosphere, making modern life possible.

When fossil fuels are used to produce power they remove oxygen from the atmosphere and release carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. We need oxygen to survive. Carbon dioxide at increased levels becomes toxic to humans. Carbon monoxide is toxic at virtually any level.

Carbon dioxide is also what is called a greenhouse gas. When sunlight heats the Earth the Earth tries to radiate heat back into space by way of infra-red light. Greenhouse gasses trap that infra-red light, which keeps the heat energy on Earth .When photosynthesis began to remove significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere the average temperature on Earth began to fall because there was less carbon dioxide to trap the heat. When coal and shale-oil are mined large amounts of methane are released into the atmosphere because methane is trapped in the geologic formations holding coal and shale oil. Methane is a far worse greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide . Utilizing solar energy can help combat global warming, as it has in the past.

Are OIl-Spill Clean-up Jobs What We Want?

The report on the Keystone Pipeline project is out and, apparently, the lies from the proponents of the pipeline. The Sierra club has released a report that says the report shows that the increased pollution from the mining would be equivalent to adding over 5 million cars (non electric) to our highways. In addition, remember that the company supposed to build the pipeline comes with a 100% major leak guarantee. Do we really want to create oil-spill cleanup jobs?

Classic Minorcan Clam Chowder

Classic Minorcan Clam Chowder

Here is a classic St. Augustine Minorcan Clam Chowder recipe. Google or otherwise search online for datil peppers. It will be good with an habenero pepper of any type, but it will not be the same. Datil peppers have a strong, distinctive flavor. The original recipe calls for conch instead of clam meat. If you can legally acquire conch, use it.
               
                 INGREDIENTS
1/8TH lb salt pork, finely chopped
2 sweet onions, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 or 2 datil peppers (remove seeds and pith unless you want extra "heat")' Use care handling datils as they are very hot.
12 oz clam or conch meat. Chopped, canned will work if fresh not available
3 cups chopped tomato, canned will work
2 cups diced potato, canned will work
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper (Use pepper mill)
1 or 2 bay leaves

                PREPARATION

1.  Saute salt pork in large pot, preferably cast iron. Reserve pork
 2. Saute onion and bell pepper in pork fat. Add datil
 3. Add reserved salt pork and remaining ingredients. If you used fresh tomato and potatoes, add sufficient water. You should have a final yield of about 2 quarts. Bring to boil at least 15 minutes and simmer at least 1 hour.

   This chowder is especially good if it has had a day or two to mature. Cook enough to have left-overs.