Sunday, December 31, 2006

rojosramblings

To all--

Have a great New Year and in celebration, a clip of one of the most talented rock bands ever, playing in 10/8 time.

Okay, so you can't dance to it, maybe. But as California Guitar Trio said as they played it one night, "Clap along."

For something with a steadier beat, try this one.

When Jaco Pastorius added his considerable talents to Weather Report. Happy Musical New Year's!

rojomojo

Saturday, December 30, 2006

rojosramblings

Just a couple of things that have caught my eye in between shoveling snow, working and recovering from shoveling snow. Just so you, I am a manager at a water and wastewater treatment firm and when it snows, you still have to check plants. So yesterday was one of those days when you wake up at 4:30 to dig yourself out, go in and do the necessary paperwork (like making sure payroll is ready) and hit the road. One of the water plants is about 0.75 miles from the nearest road and walking in carrying meters in waist deep snow sucks. Another is a mountain district that we could not get chemicals to earlier this past week, so I got to do my best 4-wheel drive truck commercial impersonation up an 8% grade breaking through drifts over the hood of my truck. To tell you the truth, you don't feel like superman, you hope you don't slide sideways off the hill. and roll. 10 feet forwards, back up 100 yards and try again. Then checking the booster pump station. 12-30% grade down a foot path in nipple deep drifts. I slept well last night.

Anyhow--Bush worked three whole hours on an Iraq plan, that needs more work. If I have a personnel or compliance problem at work, I am lucky if I sleep three hours and then quietly get up so I don't wake my wife and think on solutions. Then type them up and email them to all and sundry. If I can figure out a solution. Three Fucking Hours! and don't get me started on his tactical genius and his strategic brilliance.

This when there are thousands of lives at risk, the economy of the country down the tubes (for the middle class), and our moral standing in the world in complete question. I am surprised he can sleep at all. That God he talks to must be some quieting dude, or our Main Man in the White House is nuckin' futs. There can't be anything in between. I wonder how it feels not to have a conscience? If I ever act that thoughtless, kill me!

and this may be a problem. More of the Arctic Ice Shelf disappearing. I know the Navy is making contingency plans for ruling the Arctic Ocean as it becomes passable (google it yourself, can't find the link, but I am sure our Siberian neighbors are doing the same and maybe Putin is not a nice man). Aside from the obvious evidence of Global Warming, there really needs to be concern about endangered species, but even more importantly what happens to the oceanic food chain, that is already stressed to the max. Think many disappearing species may contribute in the long run to the food sources of millions?

And this, from our Science Decider. Is it any wonder why stupid decisions are made. The world really is only 6,000 years old. Satan must have placed all the other evidence there to confuse us. And this asshole and his cohorts were really elected by an American populace! Has it ever occurred to anyone that even psychotics can appear reasonable if they have to. I am sure Ted Bundy appeared quite charming to his victims.

rojomojo

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

rojosramblings

There used to be a popular saying--

"You are what you eat."

Well, what you eat comes out at some point. Vanilla scallops anyone?

This also begs the question, what happens to all the excess antibiotics and hormones we ingest? As it is late in the morning (for me), I will find links later that show how super bacteria are being bred in local shell fish populations outside the outfalls of coastal wastewater treatment plant outfalls.

and then these get eaten. and the bacteria become part of the food chain.

rojo

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

rojosramblings

From Erin Hart today as she fills in for Jay Marvin on AM 760 (Boulder) :

"What I would really like to see in the White House is a master chess player; someone who thinks 45 moves ahead. What we have now is a checkers player and one who may not win as he makes it across the board. He is a horrible strategist!"

Okay, I paraphrased, but really the Shrub really is not a master strategerist.

rojo
rojosramblings

I will start this by saying that I was brought up Catholic, including Catholic boys-only high school where suit and tie where the uniform. If you wore bell-bottom dress pants as part of a suit you were suspended. Then I became a comparative religions major what seems a few lifetimes ago.

That said, I came across this article by Terry Windling this morning, about Merlin. It is just one of those things that made me think. Basically, there are many versions of Merlin being imprisoned, enthralled and whatever by a beautiful half-fairy, half-human woman. There are so many halflings in old legend and texts it is rather amazing. I open this question to all to think about.

What are the chances that at one point in human history, there was the ability for humans to actually mate and conceive with otherworldly beings? There are so many similarities among all these stories that I cannot dismiss the fact that these have had a profound impact on human thought patterns throughout history. Having a jealous "Lord thy God" is but one example of a reactionary patterning of human thought to this type of metaphysical interchange. While stating that archetypal patterns of human consciousness may actually account for many of the halflings, and superstition for other (think Robert Johnson selling his soul to the Devil as a simplification of this type of story), I have often thought that monotheism is self-limiting pattern of human thought that actually makes the world devoid of miracles and mythic events. Or could halflings be those who actually know and converse with the local spirits and have the better gardens (see Findhorn or Lily Hill Farm) or "good luck" or health and those who are jealous of their achievements persecute them as witches and devil consorters. Where and how could stories of incubi and succubi originate? I do not want to go too far in that arena right now as that opens the door to the Gnostic world-view of Good vs. Evil on the grand stage, physical versus spiritual, which has demonized sex, and created sins of sensuality and ultimately made evil the rights of women, made men feel guilty about their penis (a boy's first toy) and created a whole culture of deviancy (like the big-busted plastic breasted woman of a ZZ Top video are normal, to say the least of fetishes and altar boys.)

Why else would polytheistic cultures (think Amerind) exist if there were not some basis in truth of the existence of local spirits or animating spirits? But then, how was monotheism created? and why is it so damned limiting? and why is monotheism so closely related to conservative political thought ( a marriage made in some kind of hell, I posit)?

Just thoughts during the season of spiritual renewal--

rojo

Monday, December 25, 2006

rojosramblings

It is sad. One of my music (not ethical) heroes passed away today.

LA Style finally got their wish.

But for your entertainment.

and

or

They did not call him the Godfather of Soul for nothing.

And what a band, at various times featuring Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Larry Goldings, Pee Wee Ellis and BOOTSIE Collins. (many of whom went on to play with the P-Funk.)

rojo
rojosramblings

First and foremost!!!!

Merry Christmas to All. Happy Holidays!

It is the time to enjoy peace on earth (well kind of, in my home, anyway) and good will to men.

Since the world never stops turning here is a bit of sobering news.

Islands disappear beneath a rising sea. Ow!

rojo

Friday, December 22, 2006

rojosramblings

Hey Moogs, would you buy this for a quarter?

Just a quick note before I go shovel more snow.

The Selective Service is testing the draft mechanisms to see if they work. But, of course, there really is no need to worry, it is just a test.

You can test the National Alert System. Okay, what is called Conalrad, or something like that? But the draft procedures, computers and all. Call me cynical, but a test run when the Decider-in-Chief is calling about expanding the military---I don't believe it. Maybe he should send his daughters. I am reminded of Michael Moore's scenes where he asks Congressmen to send their kids.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/AP_Selective_Service_to_test_military_1221.html

Also, the subject title line is from the story, The Marching Morons. Always a good read.

rojo

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

rojosramblings

This is for all those readers (okay, maybe one) who thinks I made the Holy Foreskin thing up. Even I am not that warped.

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=84541

rojo
rojosramblings

WHAT A JOB--

Here it is! the job of a lifetime!

"British journalist Miles Kington travelled to Italy in search of the Holy Foreskin, but was unable to find any remaining example."
from Wikipedia.

Searching for the Foreskin O' God. I betcha James Dobson would love to see it.

rojo

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

rojosramblings

Oh to have relatives like this-

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/18/nyregion/18whale.html?_r=1&ei=5094&en=2f5c6a189b80f447&hp=&ex=1166504400&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1166440922-PlsiatYmi1gYRj2JPrsdHQ&oref=slogin

hee. rojo

Monday, December 18, 2006

rojosramblings

Interesting things in the newspaper yesterday and other things later--

Lesbian and gay Christians are having a hard time resolving their desires and lifestyles with their faith. This seems like a harsh thing to say but there was a headline and three page story in yesterday's Denver Post. Actually, I cringe when I see stories such as this. Maybe it is because I live too close to the craziness of James Dobson and his sexual reprogrammers. Maybe it is because I know that people are hard wired very differently. Just genetics. Even in emotional responses and genetic programming. People are common enough to make generalities about human behavior, but there are cultural stereotypes that are more genetic than environmental. In a limited non-racial manner, Karl Jung was right. Even within the same family, people who are closely related can have the same or incredibly different makeup physically and emotionally, depending upon the dominant genetics. If my family is any indication, there are three of us in one pattern and three in the other. But, I digress.

Sexuality is enough to start wars (remember Helen--the face to launch 1000 ships), kill people and provide for unbelievable suffering. Even if all appears normal. Combine that with incredible guilt--YOU ARE BAD! WRONG! When all that is wrong is nothing, just genetic drives and it becomes emotional torture. period. If anything I feel sorry for those that are given a didactic cultural and spiritual belief system only to find their base drives don't match, don't even come close and you have guilt, pleasure, anger, insecurity and more emotional responses all rolled into one. O Boy!

The spiritual component does not get enough reinforcement. If you treasure a spiritual belief, it become a creation myth of your existence. A basis for all, ALL your actions. an aetiological belief, if you will. When all your emotional and spiritual validation are undercut by genetic drives, it is an existence that can only be sorrowful and deserving of compassion--not a need to remake you. That said, I was greatly relieved that many people cited in the article have worked with redefining their Christian spirituality to actually reread the Bible and accept that the New Testament does not suggest stoning if you waste seed (Oh, how many men wear glasses because of that, or shave their palms daily--if you ever meet a man who has Rosie tatooed on his hand, run!) Seriously, I feel sorry for those who have not had the world vision given to them that it is alright to be spiritual and have a sexuality other than opposites attract. They live in a world of fear and guilt and are manipulated daily by the beliefs of others, causing grief at their very existence. Not good.

Further not good is that also in the same paper, there was mention made in another article of spiritual charisma in reference to the Dalai Lama. How could anyone project love so much? That was the question asked, very dubious. Maybe because in this cynical world we cannot accept that love exists. I know he recently made strong anti-gay statements. He could have been wrong, but most of life has been righteous and he may have a few blind spots. I seem to remember there were gospel verses about bringing a sense of well-being and miracle performing if one actually lives a righteous life. Just a thought.

Finally, how about the EPA being sued by 13 states because they refuse to pass legislation to reduce soot emissions and thereby saving 20,000 + lives per year. As far as I am concerned, just eliminating diesel pickups would do that alone, but I am bike rider and get fumed regularly.

rojo

Sunday, December 17, 2006

rojosramblings

For the scientifically inclined:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/12/15/18913/356

This is kind of how this relates to global warming:

http://www.climateark.org/blog/2006/12/global_warming_threatens_marin.asp

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/07/MNG1JMQUL01.DTL

and with less phytoplankton, there is less zooplankton and less free swimming feeders and then less food for the higher ups in the food chain.

http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/0,71444-0.html?tw=wn_index_7

and this report just sites rockfish and birds. Does anything in the ocean eat rockfish? And so it goes…

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650213317,00.html

In case you missed this, that is 50,000,000,000 TONS less biomass produced annually. Take that out of the human food chain. Ow.

It can be even more depressing. My son two years ago went to Mexico for one month. While there he got a ride to an island (whose name escapes me) and paid for his room and board by helping locals fish. They were handlining. He said the village ate at the beach almost every night based upon their catch. One of the things they did catch were sharks. The sharks were cut up and used for bait, not eaten. If you ask me, say I had a 90 pound shark on a handline (yes, that means you pull the fish in by hand) –If I had a shark, bye, bye line. No they dragged them on shore and killed them and then released the hook. The next step was to cut off the fins and then either use the fish for bait or release the carcass back to the ocean. The fins were the cash cow, so to speak. They saved them for Japanese boats to stop by and sell the shark fins.

Now, lest we get too depressed—here is a link to a nice past time that is usually accompanied by lots of beer and float tubes. http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0601a-tina_butler.html Why the hell else would someone try to entice fish to eat your hand? I have heard horror stories of people who have accidentally gotten water moccasin wrapped around their arms trying for catfish. http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/columns/story?columnist=sutton_keith&page=g_col_sutton_noodling

And as anyone who has caught catfish knows, be very wary of the spiked projections on the side of the head. Yeehaw! Yes, I am guessing lots of alcohol involved.

rojo

Saturday, December 16, 2006

rojosramblings

One can only hope that with the dire warnings that global warming will cause a major shift in the oceanic food chain, which much of the world's population relies on, you know, TO EAT and stay alive, that world citizenry may react a little faster than to this little ecological disaster.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061213/ap_on_sc/china_dolphin_extinction

Flipper's cousins may be extinct. Very sad.

rojo

Friday, December 15, 2006

"We just found ourselves in a war..." Or so I paraphrase our fearless (or is that clueless) leader. JFC! We found ourselves in a war!

What?Excuse me, when you invade a country in order to topple the sovereign government---YOU ARE IN A WAR! It is not finding an earring back on the floor when vacuuming, or finding "shave and serve" fruit in the far corners of your fridge.

And after being there for four years, you have to collect opinions before deciding what to do. Then what have you been doing the past four years as a leader and going through daily briefings? Daydreaming, playing with yourself? What?

People are dying over a situation you created! And after four years you are just now getting opinions?!What, did you really believe the mission was accomplished? Are you really that deluded?

Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God. If you are that disconnected from your own responsibilities it is no wonder your daddy is crying.

rojomojo