a couple of street insights, my own anyway

-- with the usual dash of salt and pepper, along with a healthy amount of humor thrown in ...

the best time to write,
is when nothing's left ...


the best time to let go, to write
with all one's rawest passion in wild
abandon; as if the last of one's freedom
as well as one's very existence
were at stake: is when there is nothing
else left to hold onto and, of course,
nothing whatsoever to lose.

yet the question remains,
why wait until that happens?

-- from the
source(s) unknown
department

hey, and anyway, sometimes it is just good to let go, be creative, humorous as well as satrical and, most important, have fun doing and sharing it with others.

many of the problems -- both great and small -- transpiring in the world stem from our taking certain things and people, especially ourselves, far too seriously in all the wrong ways instead of the ways that are more important or crucial.

in fact, there are times that it appears that certain people have flushed the wrong thing down the toilet, including both their common sense and their sense of humor, that they seem to be in need of a transfusion of these from those of us with plenty to go around.

maybe there is a need to set up humor banks, just like they have blood banks. it is just a thought.

humor can often be the best medicine for what truly ails us and our world.

thank you for reading!

-- Morgan

Warning - XXX Rated News Photo: Bush-Cheney Campaign Challenges Kerry-Edwards Campaign to 2004 Wrestling Match to Determine Who Will Win White House

*Updated*


While it is true that this item is over a month old, it is still timely and certainly a goodie, especially now that Kerry and Edwards won and accepted their Democratic National Convention nomination(s) as their party's candidate for President and Vice President for the 2004 general election.


Warning: If you are under 18-years of age, please seek you're parent's or legal guardian's permission to read this post as well as to view this photo (that goes for both George W. Bush and Dick Cheney too).


June 27, 2004

The Bush-Cheney Campaign:
'Let The Mudslinging Begin!'



WASHINGTON, DC (IWR News Parody) - President
George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney today
issued a challenge to the Kerry Campaign to:
"Let the mudslinging begin!".
[via here]
 


Read the article (here), if you dare. Warning: XXX rated news report.


;->


*Update*

There is an unconfirmed rumor that, for their part, the Kerry-Edwards Team has requested that Ralph Nader be the designated referee and negotiations are said to be under way between all sides, prior to setting an actual date for the above mentioned mud wrestling match.


;->


*Note*: Added two new paragraph, now the first and last paragraphs; plus posted a new link for when one clicks the actual photo: last updated on Friday, July 30, 2004 at 6:42 PM [EDT].

Sue You: This Song Is Our Song

An excellent, well written and highly informative, definitely must-read article published in the Thursday, July 29, 2004 edition of Wired Magazine:

By Rachel Metz

When was the last time you saw John Kerry on his knees before world leaders, clad in S&M gear and with a ball gag in his mouth? Or eyed President Bush looking sheepish in a red dunce cap?

Chances are it was sometime this past week on national TV and maybe 10 times before that on the Internet, thanks to JibJab, a site that is posting animators Evan and Gregg Spiridellis' latest creation, This Land.

[...]

But while about 25 million viewers have been clogging JibJab to chuckle at the film's South Park-like Flash animation and juvenile insults (Bush labels Kerry a "liberal sissy," and Kerry responds by calling Bush a "right-wing nut job"), the Spiridellises aren't exactly laughing their way back to the drawing board.

In the wake of their short's popularity, which began soon after its July 9 Web release and has been punctuated by appearances and mentions on almost every major U.S. news show, the brothers found themselves in a legal skirmish with Ludlow Music, which, Ludlow attorney Paul LiCalsi said, owns the copyright to Guthrie's famous tune.

Ludlow Music is a unit of music publisher The Richmond Organization. JibJab Media, the proper name of the Spiridellises' company, never got permission to use Guthrie's song in This Land, and Ludlow Music is telling them to pull down the short.

About a week ago, the brothers were served with a cease-and-desist order on behalf of Ludlow Music, demanding they remove This Land from their website. LiCalsi said Ludlow has not filed a lawsuit yet against JibJab and hopes to resolve the case without taking that step.

 He declined to state any deadline by which Ludlow Music wants the film taken off the Internet. A letter (PDF) dated July 23 from LiCalsi to JibJab lawyer Ken Hertz -- who recently handed the case over to Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney Fred von Lohmann -- demanded the company "immediately remove the unauthorized movie from all associated websites, and cease and desist from exploiting the work in any way."

[...]

Gregg Spiridellis said he has no idea what will happen legally. "It's up to the publisher. If they choose to make our (lives) miserable, then I guess that's a legal right they have at their disposal. Hopefully, you know, if that happens we'll tell everyone about it," he said.

And what would Guthrie, who died in 1967, think of JibJab's use of his song? If a message reportedly written at the bottom of one of his songbook pages in the 1930s is any indication, it's possible he wouldn't mind.

According to various Internet sources, including the website of the Museum of Musical Instruments in Santa Cruz, California, Guthrie allegedly wrote, "This song is copyrighted in U.S., under Seal of Copyright #154085, for a period of 28 years, and anybody caught singin it without our permission, will be mighty good friends of ourn, cause we don't give a dern. Publish it. Write it. Sing it. Swing to it. Yodel it. We wrote it, that's all we wanted to do."

Read the article in full (two pages of it), here.

Disgraceful & Shameful Conduct by the United States Secret Service

*Updated*


Speaking of the United States Secret Service (here), is this news story published within the Friday, July 30, 2004 edition of the Boston Globe concerning an appalling, yet not surprising, conduct by certain members of the Secret Service that took place during last weekend leading up tp the DNC Convention: Sikh student detained by Secret Service

BC leader says beard, turban triggered stop

By Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff    July 30, 2004

A Boston College student leader who wears a turban and full beard in accord with his Sikh religion says he was detained and interrogated for seven hours Saturday night by Secret Service agents for doing nothing more than taking photographs of the campus.

Sundeep Sahni, a senior with a double major in computer science and finance, said the Secret Service agents, who were staying on campus during the Democratic National Convention, suggested that he was a criminal, searched him and his car for weapons and bombs, and even had him sign a release form during the ordeal that gave them access to his psychiatric records.

Sahni, 21, said he believes he was singled out because of his appearance. At one point during the searches, he said, an agent told him: "I don't want you pulling an Uzi from your turban."

"It was the most humiliating experience of my life," Sahni said.

[...]

Someone deserves to be losing their job over this, as an apology does not suffice for this type of unprofessional and discriminatory behavior and conduct.

They should, of course, face severe consequences for their behavior and conduct as well as for detaining him in the first place -- under what are clearly insufficient grounds -- along with as for how they treated him during the whole ordeal.

In addition, I certainly hope he sues the pants off the Secret Service and also the individual agents involved, both as such agencies and people seem to learn anything when they are forced to pay for these sort of offences and also for civil rights violations.

Yet that is more than we can possibly expect with the current administration in the White House, which always is responsible for setting the tone for such unprofessional behavior, conduct, mindsets and attitudes.

The Secret Service will most likely seek to continue to discredit and disparage him, as so often happens in these types of cases and as the article already illustrates, especially since he was coerced to allow them access to any psychiatric records that may be available on him, something which in this case appears unwarranted.

Those agents involved have shamed the United States of America as well as Sundeep Sahni [via here].


*Note*: Made seceral edits for the purposes of clarification and readability: last updated on Friday, July 30, 2004 at 6:56 PM [EDT].

That's Odd!: A Secret Service Agent with a Sense of Humor?!

*Updated Yet Again*

Hmmm, that's odd, a member of the United States Secret Service whom not only has a rather good -- as well as healthy -- sense of humor, but their own opinion and convictions as well. Who would have guessed?!

Or, as President George W. Bush (and, here) would probably utter, who wud'da thunk?!



(Photo is © AFP/Tim Sloan. Title is an
unattributed saying that floats around the web.)
[via here]



Just came across the following item posted on the CNN's Inside Politics Democratic National Convention Blog, Day 4: Thursday, July 29, 2004:

Not everyone's a Democrat

Posted: 4:32 p.m. ET
From Wayne Drash, CNN news editor

A Secret Service officer became amused at a security checkpoint Friday afternoon. After sifting through a bag, he found a button with Bush's face on it and the words "Somewhere in Texas a village is missing its idiot." The officer laughed and held it up for his colleagues to see.

He then leaned over to the button's owner and said in a hushed voice, "I'm one of the few Democrats in the Secret Service."

One only can hope that this particular Secret Service agent becomes a member of John Kerry's Secret Service detail, both now and, then, if he becomes elected President of the United States.



Flashback to Early 2003



(IWR) - San Francisco Protest Poster
02/16/2003)
[via here]



Later, when asked during a White House press conference about the claims of the protesters about there being a missing village idiot from somewhere in Texas, President Bush replied:

Wha'da ya mean, what Villuge Ideut?! They don't mean me, do they? Let me get back to you on that, once I have time to consult the Lord God Almighty about it. Okay?!

Oh and that's Mr. Villuge Ideut, er, I mean Mr. President, to you!!!



Crawford's
Missing
Village Idiot?
[via here]



By the way, this particular CNN blog does not yet have permalinks for its blog posts, so one must browse the blog in order to locate its previous posts.


*Update*

Speaking of the United States Secret Service, read this blog post of mine concerning a case of: Disgraceful & Shameful Conduct by the United States Secret Service.


*Note*: Made a few edits within the first paragraph and elsewhere for the sake of clarification and readability, including adding a paragraph, which is now the second paragraph; added a link to a related post concerning the U.S. Secret Service in Boston during the DNC Convention: i.e., the last paragraph; also added three unresistable photo's as well as three additional paragraphs under the heading of Flashback to Early 2003; last updated on Friday, July 30, 2004 at 4:18 AM [EDT].

Bawstun's Blog Fest: "Blogging from Boston"

*Yet Another Update*


Blogger features an article authored (Monday, July 26, 2004) by Biz Stone, who works at Google on Blogger and writes books about blogging, concerning *Bawstun's Blog Fest*.

Salon  published this must-read article (July 28, 2004): The new blogocracy [via evhead, here]:

Bloggers at the Democratic National Convention signify a shift in media, but not a replacement for mainstream coverage. Their role will be to fill in the gaps, expose the underlying magic, and keep everyone on their toes. What they are doing cannot be compared to journalism; it can only be described as blogging.

CNN goes blog bigtime, diving head-first in an attempt at journalizing and covering the political Blogosphere and, specifically the DNC Convention blogging, from a media perspective.

Of course CNN knows all too well what it is like to not be taken seriously by the media, press and the political establishment itself, when it first started out and for several years when it was considered merely a poor cousin or whatever, back when a cable news outlet was still considered nothing more than a joke by many. That is not the case any longer however.

So if they are taking political blogging seriously, it is definitely quite the statement coming from them.

The Thursday, July 29, 2004 edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (P-I) published an article written by Wyatt Buchanan who ponders the question of Bloggers: The new media or a fad?

*Update*: In fact, P-I Reporter Todd Bishop blogged mention (here) of the above article on a P-I business news online journal (here), which provides regular Microsoft coverage.

The blogging question

The P-I's man in Boston, Wyatt Buchanan, has an interesting story this morning: Bloggers: The new media or a fad? The story is centered around the Democratic National Convention, but the question has long-term implications for Microsoft and other companies looking at ways to incorporate blogging into their marketing and product strategies.

In conjunction with the story, seattlepi.com's daily poll asks the same question posed by the headline. I'll post the results here tomorrow.

The same edition of P-I also featured by Anick Jesdanunap, Associated Press (AP) Internet Writer, an article about Convention bloggers are feeling their way.

Columnist and author John C. Dvorak pens a column, which featured in CBS's MarketWatch (July 28, 2004) concerning: Blogging at the convention

Commentary: Results of novel experiment prove mixed

Voice of America features an article, complete with links to an audio version, by Stephanie Ho (July 28, 2004) reporting that the: Democratic Convention Grants Media Credentials to 'Bloggers'.

In the Houston Chronicle (July 28, 2004), Clifford Pugh reports that Bloggers are becoming talk of convention:

Their coverage isn't journalism, some say, but they could be creating a lasting presence

*Yet Another Update*

An excellent, definite must-read Infoshop News interview with Jessamyn West at the Democratic National Convention (July 27, 2004).


Centerfield, a Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics, blogs this interesting perspective from *Bawstun's Blog Fest* (Thursday, July 29, 2004): Seriously Reducing U.S. Homelessness?

[via The Homeless Guy]


Just posted on the Boston.com (Boston Globe) Website only about an hour ago and, most certainly, is yet another must-read: Up in the rafters, bloggers are flying high

By Teresa M. Hanafin, Boston.com Staff | July 29, 2004

They don’t have space in the media pavilion, and are forced to pay exorbitant prices for lunch at the press café – unless they are willing to wait in long lines at McDonald’s in the FleetCenter or bring their own food.

The crowded workspace they do have is in the rafters of the convention hall, which they would be sharing with pigeons if this were the old Boston Garden.

They are bloggers: Those who write weblogs, online journals of sorts with regular entries chronicling anything from the latest in tech gadgets to opinions on the Iraq war to personal reflections on their favorite band or the joys of growing eggplant – most with extensive links to other weblogs or websites, helping to fulfill the promise of the Internet by serving as one part of the connective tissue that is the worldwide Web.

They may not have much in the way of amenities here, but they are wearing a piece of gold around their necks: Credentials certifying them as members of the media sanctioned to cover the Democratic National Convention.

[...]

Read the article in full, here.


From National Public Radio (NPR), a report via audio: Slate's Kausfiles: Blogging the DNC Convention

July 29, 2004

Slate political blogger Mickey Kaus talks with NPR's Noah Adams about the speech by vice presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night, and what to expect from presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry's acceptance speech Thursday.

To keep up with additional news coverage concerning DNC Convention Blogging, Google it!


*Note*: Posted additional information and links: last updated on Thursday, July 29, 2004 at 4:01 PM [EDT].

Audioblog Post Report Live from the Floor of the 2004 Democratic Nation Convention

There have been more great audioblog posts of interviews blogged of Noah Glass speaking with Jason Goldman's live reports via telephone from the 2004 DNC Convention being held in Bawstun.

The most recent such audioblog post featured Jason reporting live from the convention floor, here. Truly awesome.

There have been several other audioblog posts since those mentioned and linked to within my previous blog posts concerning them. Make sure to check both Jason Goldman's blog as well as Noah Glass's blog for both previous posts that have been blogged prior to the above one and check back often to their blogs for future posts too.

Tom Brokaw reports ... "Bush and Kerry Had Sex"

As reported on Tuesday July 27, 2004 from the Democratic National Convention. (here)

[via wonkette, here (via Convention Bloggers)]


Guess there is not much else going on for either the news media or the convention bloggers to report about at times, at least not concerning the actual 2004 Democartic National Convention itself anyway.

lol  :-o

The Secret of Obama's Appeal

Excellent must-listen audio-blog post of political commentary by Stirling Newberry concerning: The Secret of Obama's Appeal.

[via The Blogging of the President (BOP)]

Audioblog Post Report Live from the 2004 Democratic Nation Convention: i.e., @ Street Level

*Updated*

An excellent audioblog post of a conversation, which comes across more like a really well done interview, done by Noah Glass featuring
Jason Goldman reporting live via phone from outside the 2004 DNC Convention being held in Bawstun, here.

(via evhead)


This audioblog post is definitely one that is a must-listen!

Based on a replaying of the audioblog post, the end of Noah and Jason's conversation appears to indicate that more such posts can be expected, so make sure to revisit Noah's blog again for future audioblog posts with Jason reporting live by telephone from the site of the DNC Convention.


*Update*

Jason Goldman has a great follow-up blog post (here [however, if that link does not bring the page up, go to Jason's main blog page (here) and find the post entitled Chain link fences and velvet ropes]) along with a audioblog post of his own (here), which was a follow-up to Noah Glass's audioblog post last evening as well.


*Note*: Added an update providing additional information and links: last updated on Wednesday, July 28, 2004 at 10:32 AM [EDT].

Must Read USA Today article re: 2004 Democratic National Convention Bloggers

*Yet Another Update*


Good first day article published in today's edition of USA Today concerning the credentialed blogger's blogging the 2004 Democratic National Convention being held in the city of Bawstun.

Read the Web edition of the article here.

These blogs can be found via Convention Bloggers: A community site for bloggers participating in the DNC, July 26-29.

There is also the official 2004 DNC Convention Website as well.


Lofty Bloggers?

The print edition of the USA Today article has a great photo of the convention bloggers blogging from the up in the rafters, which makes one hope that none of them suffers from a fear of heights, as they are seated way, way, way up and at a great distance back from the main action taking place down on the floor.

Let's put it this way, those of us who have to watch it via television are a whole lot closer to the convention floor and main stage action than those lofty bloggers are, at least by way of viewing anyway.

It is a good thing there are the big screens for them to watch it on, though I wonder if how the sound is up there and if it is more like an echo chamber or whatever.

Yet I would not be surprised at all if some of these lofty convention bloggers resign themselves to their nice hotel rooms (where it is more comfortable, quieter and much more private so one can actually think and focus), especially when the convention center WiFi is not working so well or they are tired or some other reason (excuse) and end up watching it in on T.V. or, even better, watch it streaming live (as is available via the official DNC Convention Website or via C-Span, etc.) over their laptops (each of which provide views that are much better of course) like the rest of us and blog it from there. If so, then one might just wonder what the point of it all is then, huh?!

While it was only just a thought really and truly nothing more, it is one which makes me even more glad to not be anywhere near Bawstun or the convention right now however: i.e, no closer than what the T.V. may allow me to be anyway.

:) [smile]


*Update*

Some on the Blogger team created an excellent feature for keeping up with the action coming by way of the convention bloggers called Live: 2004 Democratic National Convention.

[via Funkaoshi's Link Log (via evhead, who has additional information and links concerning it too)]


*Yet Another Update*

Awesome 2004 DNC Convention Blogger buttons.

[via the Convention Bloggers Blog]

My favorites among the four shown are the two on the right (upper and lower), though I like the upper (right) one the most.


Notes: made lots of edits, a redo actually; plus added five new (fourth and fifth [or last ] ones were added later), trailing, paragraphs; reworded and added a little to the third to the last paragraph for clarification purposes; plus a smiley face to let readers know my words (within the last five paragraphs concerning the lofty bloggers are nowhere as serious as they may appear, as my usual extremely dry eastern Massachusetts style humor is very much at play, as often is the case -- of course once the pun came to me, I could not resist; added an update concerning something new related to keep track of the live convention blogging action, made possible by some of the wizards at Blogger: last updated on Wednesday, July 28, 2004 at 10:14 AM [EDT].

69-Year-Old Long Rider Gene Glasscock Traveling on Horseback Through Arizona: Nearing Phoenix

Gene and the boys in Goodnight, Texas (?)
(photo by Mike Robbins; via here)
 


*Updated Yet Once Again*
(see below, for the Payson Roundup photo)


Long Rider Gene Glasscock is riding through Arizona on horseback as part of his 48 state tour of capital cities within the U.S. (except for Alaska and Hawaii).



Long Rider Gene Glasscock
on the Road with Frank and George
(photo via here)
 


It is certainly my hope that there are those who would be willing to graciously help Gene and his horses while he is traveling through that particular region.

If so, then anyone who is so inclined can contact Gayle, if anyone can give Gene and his boys a place to stay over nite -- etc.: i.e., via e-mail: emt439@yahoo.com (subject Gene Glasscock)
If you know someone living in Arizona, you might consider passing along this information to them.

If you live within Arizona, hopefully near the route he and his horses will be traveling, please consider helping him out with what he has urgent need of:

Can you help Gene?

Latest News (27th July):

Gene had to alter his route because of the hot weather and no grain or water. He has left Route 188 at the Theodore Roosevelt Dam and is going into Tortilla Flat and then on into Phoenix. Gene desperately needs people to haul grain and water and he also needs places to stay. He told us that it was about 114 degrees today and supposed to be hotter tomorrow - this state is a real challenge! PLEASE HELP!!! If you are more than a mile off his route he needs to be trailered... GOD BLESS

Please contact Gayle, if anyone can give Gene and his boys a place to stay over nite!

[via Gene Glasscock 's Website (on the "where" page)]


Meanwhile,
Back In Greener Clime's ...



(late June 2003)
Gene Glasscock with Frank and George
riding to the Gavin residence, where they
stayed prior to heading into Montpelier,
the State Capital, the next day;
(photo via here)
 


To read some of my blog posts concerning Gene Glasscock and his current long ride, go to:

Sunday, July 11, 2004: Long Rider Gene Glasscock Continues Journey Through New Mexico

Sunday, July 06, 2003: If You Should Come Across Gene, Frank and George On the Road ...

Sunday, July 06, 2003: 68 Year-old Long Rider Gene Glasscock Travels Vermont on Horseback During Mainland-U.S.A. State Capital Cities Ride



(late June 2003)
Gene Glasscock with Frank and George
on the lawn of the State House in Montpelier, Vermont
(photo via here)
 


The fact is that Gene is really good people and has lots of great stories for the telling as well. He is definitely someone that anyone would enjoy meeting and also is a person one would never forget having met in person. Believe me, I know.


*Updated Yet Once Again*



Photo by: Richard Haddad, Publisher, Payson Roundup
Posted with permission
 


Photo caption:

Long Rider Gene Glasscock rides up to the drive-thru menu at McDonald's in Payson early Friday morning. Glasscock is on an equestrian quest to visit all U.S. capitals as part of a benefit effort to help children in Paraguay.

Received a Google News Alert (suggestion: it is *best* to opt for the "as it happens" option for the "How often" selection) this morning regarding an excellent article published in yesterday's (Tuesday, July 27, 2004) edition of The Payson Roundup (Payson, Arizona) concerning Gene Glasscock and his long ride(s):

Long Rider vows to visit all U.S. capitals on horseback


*Note*: added an update re: the news article; after receiving direct permission to do so from the editor of the Payson Roundup, I posted the photo of Gene Glasscock featured in their newspaper article: last updated on Thursday, July 29, 2004 at 3:19 PM [EDT].

New Flash: Watch the JibJab Brothers on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Monday, July 26th

The JibJab Brothers, of This Land fame, will appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this evening: i.e., Monday, July 26, 2004.





via (Sunday, July 25, 2004) JibJab blog post: Wow! [excerpt]:

[...]

NEWS FLASH! The JibJab Brothers are going to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday, July 26th. Make sure to tune in!

Jay Leno's show tonight will be a must watch of course.

Luckily I will be able to tune in, as someone is allowing me to couch surf at their place once again this evening.


For those who are not able to listen into the audio of This Land online, Mandarin's (Friday, July 23, 2004) blog post regarding This Land now features a transcription of the audio version of the clip, here.

Their original blog post on the subject stated:

It's the Bush-Kerry parody that that got 5 million hits in the first week and is still making national and international news.

Oh No! Google Thinks I'm Gay

*Updated Yet Again*


A while back I recall stumbling across a humorous account written by Jeffrey Zaslow, which was originally published within the Wall Street Journal generally concerning overall privacy rights entitled Oh no! My TiVo thinks I'm gay (Star-Telegram: Wednesday, December 04, 2002), which I found interesting even though at the time I never did read it in full.

Guess I will now though, especially since it seems like with what Zaslow described in his article about TiVo and certain experiences faced by some users of the service, as it concerns my personal blog and some of the Google Ads found upon them on occasion, it seems Google thinks I am gay as well.

Am not sure what is causing it really, but once and a while I have noticed an ad will be show up on the top of my blog page(s) for Gay News on Sirus Radio, advertising GBLT news coverage nationwide ....

It seems to have started once I blogged the The Elephant in the Living Room: i.e., Depression blog post of mine yesterday (Saturday, July 24, 2004), though I think I have seen them pop up prior to the most recent time as well.

Of course now that I am posting this post, in which I make direct mention of the subject, one can expect more of the same.

Whenever I spot the ads on my blog page(s) I find it humorous and usually laugh, yet I also know how some people are prone to take what they read literally as being true and may make certain assumptions about my blog as well as me and my sexual identity or orientation.

However the nature, passion, depth, spirituality and topics of my writing and blogging can also lend to this confusion at times too.

In fact, for example, I will never forget showing up for an organizing gathering of activists in Washington, D.C. in advance of a protest we were there to march for human rights in psychiatry back in the summer of 1998.

When it came to my turn to participate in a skit that evening, it ended up I was the only male among five or more females performing and one of them very loudly said something along the lines of:

You're Morgan Brown? But I thought you were a woman, you cannot be Morgan. Not the Morgan I have read. There must be two different Morgan's?! You cannot be her! ...

She was taken aback and was very serious, as she clearly indicated in public, she had read some of my published works, especially my poetry (some of which I had read that evening as well during a reading of protest-poetry) and this person assumed it must have been written by a woman due to its style and also because of my first name.

Yet it this was *not* the only time this type of thing has happened to me, either that or people make some of the previously mentioned assumptions about my sexual orientation.

That said and, on an even more serious note, I am blogging about these matters in the most general of terms since I find this sort of thing somewhat amusing, though going into such subjects is not up for discussion as I am of the belief that such things are no one else's business unless someone directly and personally shares it with someone or is otherwise completely out in the open with it, regardless of what one's actual sexual identity and orientation may be.

So whatever your take is on such matters one way or another, just because Google may think I am gay or my style of writing leaves one questioning for some reason of a reader's own, does not make it so and, more to the point, does not then make whether I am or not gay anyone else's business.

Am only stating this to help illustrate that just because someone may blog something about any given subject whatsoever or otherwise using various styles of expression outside of what may be considered certain norms, no matter what it is or how personal it may be, it does not then mean a reader should jump to certain conclusions based on it and take it for granted they know certain things about the individual behind the blog. If they do, then they would all too often be completely incorrect in their assumptions and conclusions.

Not that it should matter really. However, reality and people being as they are (i.e., human), it comes up all too often and people form incorrect assumptions and then sometimes respond accordingly (or, in some cases, they do not respond [i.e., they may be rude, cold and indifferent, starkly so; appearing to be silent on the subject, yet still managing to be heard loudly on it, strongly driving the point home all the same without seeming to do so]) based upon what they have assumed as well as the belief system they hold about a given matter, whatever issue at hand that may end up being in a particular situation or circumstance.

The thing the goes on within my mind about these matters, is the blogosphere has quickly mirrored and thusly re-enforcing what happens within the real world in many circumstances. When it has a positive impact on matters of social justice and equal rights, I am very pleased. Of course when it has a negating effect, I am not.

Yet, as always, all we can do in these cases is meet freedom of speech with more freedom of speech in an effort to help educate or otherwise counter what we may believe needs changing.

Have rambled on enough for now, in what was only intended as a brief blog post limited to the how I found some of the Google ads to be humorous, especially since I remembered Zaslow's Wall Street article regarding overall consumer privacy rights (which seemed to be lost on lots of people by the way) and only meant to blog about that a little.

So now I have empty a bunch of loose and wandering thoughts spilled out here, not all as serious as they may appear, just to share them in a general fashion and not much further for the time being, unless I should choose to in another blog post some day.

This is of course my blog and this is the purpose it serves: i.e., personal expression as I see fit in the form of an online journal of some of my thoughts, observations and experiences that would otherwise be either left on the pages of a written journal if I were to keep one or left unstated unless I were to find someone who may be interested in listening to me in person, which hardly is ever the case.

While it is my hope that some of the readers of this blog of mine may get to know me better or may find something I blog about informative and of interest to them, this blog is more my attempt at getting to know myself and unlocking some of what has up to now been hidden within the depths of my inner most being.

In fact this is one of the reasons I am so slow and cautious about doing so, based on past experiences when my words and, myself as a result, have been gravely misunderstood and them misrepresented by others on a whole slew of different matters having nothing to do with the topic used to acquire one's attention in an attempt by me to begin generally addressing matters along this line of thought, yet having to do with other subjects I typically concern myself with -- especially when it concerns passing judgment on certain peers of mine, whether they be bloggers who are currently or formerly homeless or those who may be psychiatrically labeled or both no matter what a reader's own personal background or experience may be in these regards. It is something I may eventually be compelled to confront, as I feel very strongly about it and yet have been quiet to date about these things until now anyway.

Depending on energy, frame of mind, time and online access, additional blog posts can hopefully be expected from me along these lines sometime in the future, most likely delving deeper into what I am only now vaguely skimming the surface with.

As far as the ads in question on my blog pages or of what anyone may think of them or even of my style of writing or of me for that matter, not only do I not have any control over them, but I truly do not give a damn either. But of course that is usually obvious enough and goes without saying, isn't it?!

My apologies for being so indirect at this stage about what is truly at the root of this blog post, but it is the best I can do right now, given my deep feelings about some the people and matters I care most about.

All of which leads to me to mention a great blogger's disclaimer, which I come across via Bacon, Cheese and Oatcakes (whose blog I found via the blogroll on Francesca Gray's blog, Pushing an Elephant up the Stairs) and I highly recommend all blog reader's read the disclaimer and keep it in mind as well as is definitely a link blogger's themselves may want to consider posting somewhere permanent within their blog template so the linkage is accessible on their blog pages: Read Me.


*Please note* that the Web address to use for it however is: http://www.namaii.com/readme, as the other address listed on the page is defunct: i.e., non-functioning.


End of rant, just for the moment though.


Thank you for reading.


*Update*

By the way, not all that far off-topic to the actual thoughts and concerns about certain overly judgmental, highly critical and utterly negative attitudes and assumptions certain people hold as well as having publicly stated regarding matters they prove beyond doubt to be absolutely clueless and ignorant about, which are very much like those that were the initial inspiration behind what has thus far been indirectly expressed via this post of mine: There is an active exchange of discussion going on over at Joe Town Rock concerning The Homeless Guy blog as well as its blogger, Kevin Barbieux, here.

Just came across mention of it via: The Homeless Guy.

If possible, I may join in on the discussion on that board tomorrow, once I get online again. It is way too late and I do not have the online access I will need to do so anyway.

Blog on Kevin.


It is way late and time for me to go to where I am couch surfing tonight to attempt to catch a few hours of sleep. If anyone wonders where my online is currently coming from, a friend of mine has graciously allowed me use of their online access on an as needed basis over the weekend.

During the daytime though, I was using yet another online computer elsewhere on a similar arrangement, as there are those who both definitely understand, deeply care and know how to show it when it matters most -- just like those who have been allowing me to stay with them at times.

This gives a person hope enough to continue on during some rather long and particularly difficult moments, er, days, months ... (Of course I could not do it without them and their generous support and kindnesses. You know who you are. Thank you!)


*Note*: Made several edits and additions for informational purposes as well as for clarification and readability; made some additional edits, including correcting some of the wording as well as an item of information within the second paragraph: last updated on Monday, July 26, 2004 at 12:25 PM [EDT].

My Before I'm Gone list: A Work in Progress

*Updated*


Yesterday (Saturday, July 24, 2004) I came across the Before I'm Gone meme Webring via Francesca, here and decided to create a list and page myself as part of Norsehorse's Home Turf.

Thank you to Cricket, who created the Webring and its Web page for the Before I'm Gone meme.

My list is as follows and, whenever energy, time, inspiration and online access allow in the future, I will attempt to blog separate posts concerning specific items listed one at a time. In addition, as the list is a work in progress, the list may be edited and added to as well. If so, such posts will be posted to my Before I'm Gone page.


Before I'm Gone

My Vision, Dreams, Hopes and Aspirations (5a and b)

Or, rather, what sort of world I would like to live in as well as what I would personally like to experience or at least witness before my earthly journey ends and an unknown one begins:

• The election of Ralph Nader as President of the United States of America: Or, at least some other truly Independent-minded, spirited and committed soul who really believes in and will fight for justice for those who are deprived of it rather than those who are the usual corporate-party sell-outs, crooks, liars and whores ... and their powerful, well-financed, ruthless pimps.



• End homelessness and making housing a right for everyone: Instead of having housing merely be the privilege or in certain, extremely limited, cases the entitlement it is within the wealthiest or, rather, the most greediest nation on earth in modern times.



• Freedom in mental health treatment: Including an end to forced treatment. For further information concerning this and related matters, visit my Alternative Mental Health Resources (links) page as well as this commentary of mine: Self-determination and independence versus force and dependency.



• Find a place of my own to live: One of which meets my own individually-defined and expressly-stated basic needs that would allow for residential permanency and independent living in such a dwelling and its surrounding environment that does not simply set me up for failure, keeps me trapped, leaves me in isolation and forces me to move over and over, once again.


[...]

To check out the rest of this growing list, visit here.

Or, for future posts on this subject, visit the main page of Norsehorse's Before I'm Gone page.


*Note*: added an audio blog version of a portion of my Before I'm Gone list, just before the time ran out on my calling card; last updated on Sunday, July 25, 2004 at 8:14 PM [EDT].

The Elephant in the Living Room: i.e., Depression

(clipart via here)
 


*Updated*


Yes my friends, as some of us are already very well aware, depression is the elephant found thriving, alive and well, within many a living room.

There are lots and lots of people who know it is there, yet either believe they are completely helpless to do anything about it whether it be their own living room or someone else's or, are otherwise indifferent to those living with this elephant because they think it does not effect them and, therefore, think it is not their problem, so who cares.

Now that is depressing, especially when that particular elephant sits right on top of you and there seems like nothing you can really do about it either.

Pushing an Elephant up the Stairs is the personal blog of Francesca Gray, who resides in the United Kingdom.

The short bio she has listed on her blog page(s) reads:

I am 46, divorced with three teenage children and three cats. Depression has twisted and distorted my life for many years. These blogs, Pushing and Elephant and Diet Coke are my attempt to make sense of the past and of the present. The first is a more or less daily journal of my thoughts, opinions, visited web sites etc. The second, Diet Coke, focuses on mental health issues, both my experience of depression and more general writing on the subject. I have also included a link to my poetry and art website, Scarlet Nails

Francesca is participating in Project Blog in order to help awareness as well as financial contributions for the Depression Alliance.

What is Project Blog, you ask?:

On July 24th, bloggers from all around the world will be updating their own blog every 30 minutes for 24 solid hours all in the name of each blogger's favorite charity.

On the subject of Why Sponsor Me?, Francesca wrote (here):

WHY SPONSOR ME?

As those of you who read my blogs regularly know, I am a long term sufferer of depression. With that in mind, my chosen charity is the Depression Alliance, a UK charity that funds research into depression, publicizes the condition and offers support to those it effects. The following is taken from their website:

"Depression affects 1 in 5 people in the UK at some point in their lives.
Depression is the single most common reason for visits to the GP. More than 2,9 million people in the UK are diagnosed as having depression at any one time.
Up to another 8.7 million cases are neither recognised nor treated.
Depression Can be a killer - over 70% of recorded suicides are by people who have experienced some form of depression.
If it wasn't for Depression Alliance you probably wouldn't know any of the above. We need you to add your voice to ours until it's so loud that everyone knows the truth about depression. Then, together we can combat it."

Please support me and lets help to make this an event to remember.

It is my hope that readers of Norsehorse's Home Turf will certainly do so. In fact, while I am not able to provide financial sponsorship of her, my contribution to Francesca's effort is, on a first come first serve basis, I offer two of my remaining Gmail invitations to Francesca in the following fashion as a form of sponsorship:

The next two *new* (i.e., not someone who has already sponsored her; unless they make an additional pledge for the following said amount) sponsors who would like a Gmail invitation so they may have their own Gmail account (who does not already have one of course) and whom pledges a donation to the Depression Alliance of at least 10 British Pounds or more, once Francesca e-mails me their name (first and last required for the invitation form) and e-mail address, I will send them their Gmail invitation. As already mentioned however, only two Gmail invitations of mine are presently available for this.

So, for example, if someone contributes $20.00 US, that covers it and provides just a little extra.

For those from outside the UK, an easy to use currency converter is available on this CNN Money Web page (upper right, sidebar) here: CNN Money: Markets: Currencies.

For more information concerning Gmail, go to:

To learn more about Gmail, check out the following Gmail informational Web pages:

Gmail Sneek Peek


About Gmail


and, for more about ...

Gmail and Privacy.

In addition, visit my Alternative Mental Health Resources (links) page: This is a resource (or links) page concerning information about alternatives to the traditional, medical model-based, mental health system.


*Note*: Made several edits, mostly minor in nature, for the purposes of clarification and readability; added another paragraph (now the 3rd) as I could not resist the pun, while at the same time stating a serious point as well of course; added elephant clipart: last updated on Saturday, July 24, 2004 at 9:04 PM [EDT].

As Seen on T.V.: This Land ...

[via Mandarin blog (whose post on this now features a transcription of the audio version of the clip), here]

It's the Bush-Kerry parody that that got 5 million hits in the first week and is still making national and international news.

Political Humor Break: Satire

Took some additional time away from everything the previous two days as well, as more rest was needed.

While I was doing some online searching just a little while ago, I came across this humorous find: George "It's Mr. President to you" Bush: The Toughest Interview.

[via here]

Enjoy.

Time Off

Have been taking a little time off from the usual routine, including being off-line since early afternoon last Friday (July 16, 2004).

In addition, the time available to me today to spend online is limited as well.

Will blog more tomorrow (Wednesday, July 21, 2004) and the days following as energy, time and online access allow, once I catch up with things that is, as I have lots to do that were put off during the last five days while I have been resting up.

Creative, Fun Stuff: Mr. Picassohead

via a link found on Mandarin's blog:

Just came across Mr. Picassohead, which allows one to create their own self-portrait or, otherwise, a portrait of someone else as well of course.

Have done a self-portrait, which can be found, here.

 

*Update*

 

After checking out the Mr. Picassohead Gallery seeing some of the wonderful abstracts there, I decided to have a go at it as well with something other than a self-portrait.

The result was: free spirits.

 

Enjoy!

 

P.S.

 

If nothing shows up but a blank canvas, as this is a flash medium product, unless you have flash enabled software or whatever (as I am not knowledgeable about the techie end of things) it will not function of course.

Blogger's Excellent New Features: Truly Awesome! And, it is Free Too!!!

*Updated*

When I signed into Blogger at about 5:45 PM [EDT] (while using a different computer than I am currently using), once I went into my blog platform to edit a certain blog post, everything got extremely interesting.

It seems that Blogger has sprung another awesome surprise on us yet again. As there are now some excellent new features available to Blogger users.

The fact is that the new Blogger blogging platform is even more user friendly and way more easier to use and blog with than it already was.

Problem is my time ran out on the public access online computer I was using then, as someone else was signed up to use it at 6:00 PM and the computer I am using now has an older browser with serious limitations, which will not allow me the ability to use the new features as I am limited to using the basic version of Blogger from here.

Otherwise I would offer a blog post to show an example of what the new features provide. Will do so first thing tomorrow however, once I get online anyway.

It is truly amazing, especially given that this is all for free too.

A huge thank you to the folks at Blogger, er, I mean Google.


*Update*

Though nothing has been posted up on the Blogger Blog concerning these new features yet, they will most likely do so eventually.

In addition, at the bottom of the Blogger Website, before one signs in anyway, is the following item:

Recent News
WYSIWYG. It stands for What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get and now, we've got it. Go bold, use colors, make lists, italicize, and more in every post. No HTML required.
Posted 15 July 2004 (by Biz.)

Biz Stone has a must-read blog post featured on his own personal blog about it as well, which includes a sneak peak of what the new blogging platform looks like: Wizzy.

P.S.

If you would like to know how to make that Google in Color without the FONT tag, as I did above, for that item go to Mandarin's blog post on the subject, here.

*Note: Made several edits for the purposes of clarification and readability; experimented using some of the newly available blogging features via Blogger; plus some fun Google font from off the Mandarin blog: last updated on Friday, July 16, 2004 at 12:34 AM [EDT].

Hail to the Chief or, Rather, is that to be Heil?

Heil Bush?
(via here)
 


* Yet Another Update*


From the Horse's Mouth:

[...] If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator.

and,

[...] A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it.

-- Gov. George W. Bush (R-TX), President-Elect, December 18, 2000 (statement concerning his agenda which he put forward to Congressional leaders at the time [here, here and, here (third link goes to a Web page that includes CNN video clip]).


It is rather strange in a way, but last week when I was watching the television news concerning all the vague warnings about possible future terrorist attacks within the United States and concerns about such happening prior to or during the upcoming Democratic and Republican Political Conventions as well as the 2004 General Elections and fears about terrorist attempts to influence U.S. due to what happened in Spain, considering who is in the White House now and the 2000 Supreme Court selection that placed the Bush/Cheney team there in the first place, I quietly wondered to myself if this will be an excuse used for postponing the 2004 Presidential election.

Reading the below mentioned news item (here) makes me think they were just leading us in that direction and have been for a while now.

Newsweek
Exclusive: Election Day Worries

By Michael Isikoff
Investigative Correspondent
Newsweek

July 19 issue - American counterterrorism officials, citing what they call "alarming" intelligence about a possible Qaeda strike inside the United States this fall, are reviewing a proposal that could allow for the postponement of the November presidential election in the event of such an attack, NEWSWEEK has learned.

[...]

Read it in full, here.

(mention of Newsweek article via Biz Stone, here [who got it via here])


If the state of the nation or the world is really so bad off, how then can President George W. Bush or anyone else for that matter truly expect us to believe him when he says that: America is Safer and Stronger?

Get this, we are supposed to be installing democracy in Iraq, making it free from the likes of former dictator Saddam Hussein (whom the U.S. government formerly supported) so they can hold elections and be independent, yet since we supposedly already live in a free democratic state, we can forego such.



Shaking Hands: Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein
greets Donald Rumsfeld,
then special envoy of
President Ronald Reagan,
in Baghdad on
December 20, 1983
(via here)
 


What is next? Freedom of the press maybe? Other rights and freedoms as well?

It would appear that the current residents of the White House have no intention of leaving it anytime soon.

So much for preserving our way of life.

The fact is, of course, the only thing the current administration and their rabid supporters are interested in preserving is their grip on power, using and doing whatever it takes to do so. No duh?!

Hmmm.

Dictatorship anyone?


*Update*

Interestingly enough, John Dean posed just such a question back on June 7, 2002: Could terrorism result in a constitutional dictator?

It seems the Bush administration not only took it as being a good idea, but as a suggestion. Who knows?


Additionally, John Dean on: Is lying about the reason for a war an impeachable offense?


Selected Quotes on Tyranny:

Tyrants have always some slight shade of virtue; they support the laws before destroying them.

-- Voltaire

(here, 2nd to last quote re: Tyranny)


Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.

-- Thomas Jefferson
Source: found among his papers after his death (here, 9th from bottom on page 1).

If he is at all aware of this motto of Thomas Jefferson's, President Bush most likely thinks it applies to every tyrant, except for himself of course.

For more information regarding Thomas Jefferson, visit here and, here.


*Another Update*

This of course calls for a cartoon break, graciously brought to you by political cartoonist Jeff Danziger, with his express permission to do so. (Thank you Mr. Danziger. It is greatly appreciated.)

Will We Have to Postpone the Presidential Election?


Cartoon by Jeff Danziger
(via here, used with express permission
granted by political cartoonist Jeff Danziger)
 


From Around the Blogosphere
& Elsewhere on the Web:

On his Grumpy Old Man blog, Jonathon blogged his thoughts concerning what he aptly refers to as: The House of Cards......

Jonathon describes himself as someone who tends to be apolitical. He also has quite of bit of skepticism for what comes out of the television set and most media outlets. In fact he says that he does not watch the news. If something is truly important it finds me.

Last evening, on their Aboard the Hot Needle of Inquiry LiveJournal, Matthew Holloway stated that (here):

If they cancel this election I will be marching with my comrades and demanding my rights as a human being

I will not allow this nation to fall into Fascism without a fight.

Attached to that particular post of his (here), Matthew included the a copy of the text of Michael Rectenwald's: The Ballot, The Bullet, and the Grand Refusal.

Michael Rectenwald is the Founder and Chair of the Citizens for Legitimate Government (CLG).

Within an earlier post on the same subject (here), Matthew included a copy of this Washington Post article: Homeland Security Requests Informal Election Review.

Then there is the Thursday, July 8, 2004 press release on the subject from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security concerning the Background Briefing by Senior Intelligence Officials (here) last week (via Tribe - here and, Scoop - here).

On Tuesday (July 13, 2004), within his LiveJournal Andy wrote (here):

Somebody didn't get the memo...
"The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that the Bush administration has discussed possibly delaying the November presidential election if there is a new terrorist attack."
Voice of America News, 7/12/2004

"On CNN, President Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said, "I don't know where the idea that there might be some postponement of elections comes from."
USA Today, 7/12/2004

Looks like Rice was under the impression that the Administration was still in stonewall and deny mode for this one.

On the next day Andy posted a follow-up post: Somebody else didn't get the memo...


*Yet Another Update*

One final related item, which I just came across on the USA Today Website: Homeland security leader says terror warning unrelated to politics.

That is enough on this topic for now. Anything new concerning these matters will most likely end up being posted within a separate blog post.


*Note*: Made several, mostly minor, edits for the purposes of clarification and readability; also added some information and links, as well as a couple of photo's; added a cartoon break; finally was able to post additional information and links from around the blogosphere and elsewhere on the Web: last updated on Thursday, July 15, 2004 at 4:06 PM [EDT].

Audioblog Post: Happy Birthday!

Is today your birthday?

Or maybe it is for someone else you know?

No one else you know will sing it for you?

If this is the case, here is an audioblog post of the Happy Birthday song, sung by yours truly.

Happy Birthday!

More Housekeeping

*Updated Yet Again*


Have just finished blogging an audioblog post of the blog description, which I had blogged late last evening and edited a little this morning:

The phone I was using was in a public place, so I had to keep my voice down as the area echoes badly. It is amazing how much, as the tapping that is heard within the background was coming a computer in the area someone else was using at the time. While the recording needed to be reworked, I decided to go with it for now, until I can replace it later this evening when I have use of a phone as well as a computer in a quieter place. Will work on how I pronounce things if I can, as somethings I said are not so clear or understandable either. Of course maybe I will be a little more relaxed as well as less distracted by my surroundings this evening too, so that might help out.

Once I do another audioblog post, I will simply replace the one there now on the blog description page.

*Update*: Have just done version two of the blog description and will be replacing the initial version with it.

Version two:

Have been doing a bit of housekeeping work on my blog(s), including a first attempt at creating a blog banner for the top of my personal blog's pages.

May decide to work more on that as well, as I did not have enough time or online access at the one computer that is the only one in town that has the programs required for doing the work needed for such a project.

To learn more about creating blog banners, go to: Mandarin Design Banner and Logo Help.

That is the Web page where I found the ACME Label Maker on, which is what I decided to use in beginning my experimentation of creating a banner for Norsehorse's Home Turf of course.

Am having fun though.

In fact if I have enough time left on my calling card, which is getting seriously low now, I will try to do a quick audioblog post in order to do a poetry reading of a home is a garden of life as well as possibly some of the poems related to it, here.

If I am able to do so, I will be updating those blog posts in order to add the code for the audioblog post on those pages accordingly.

*Updated*: Have just posted my audioblog post of an online poetry reading:

While it is amazing to me that all this is free, I am certainly glad and deeply grateful it is, as I would not be able to do any of this otherwise. It is truly great and means a lot to me to be able to blog like this in such fashion.

Feel free to let me know what you think about this blog and the improvement being made to it as well as offering suggestions if you have any.

As always, thank you for reading.


Thank you's to the folks at Blogger and Google for making it all possible! Same goes to the folks at Hello.com, who with Blogger, makes the uploading of the photo's (and artwork, etc.,) possible and, the folks at Audblog, who with Blogger, makes the audioblog posts possible. All free! It boggles the mind.


*Note*: Added some paragraphs and information; last updated on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 at 7:12 PM [EDT].

Once Again

a home is a garden of life


let people find a place
where they can plant
fertile seeds-that contain
their own hopes and dreams,
from which they may then
draw harvests of plenty to
share with others and,
which they will call home,
for it is a garden where
lives thrive and are grown.

by Morgan W. Brown
Montpelier, Vermont
May 1999

(clipart via here)


*Note*: The above poem was also recently published on this blog, along with other older stock of mine, back on Friday, June 11, 2004 (here).

A Parable by Way of The Homeless Guy: The Broken Leg Story

Just came across this excellent, definitely must-read, parable Kevin Barbieux posted on his blog: i.e. The Homeless Guy

The Broken Leg Story

Ok, so this guy goes walking down the street, he is distracted by all the commotion of the city and so doesn't watch where he's going. He trips over some imperfection in the side walk, falls to the ground, and discovers he has actually broken his leg.

What should he do? What could he do?

After the initial shock of the pain, he gathers his wits enough to consider his situation. He asks a person walking by him "Can you help me?"

[...]

Read it in full, here.

Enough said.

(Way to go Kevin! )


Hmmm!

Sometimes Long Waits
Simply Take Their Toll



(clipart via here)
 


(an illustration of what can happen to someone when they are left waiting with seriously unmet, basic, human needs)

A Mighty Fall

*Updated*


Today's edition of the Sunday Times Argus and Rutland Herald newspapers feature this must-read cover story within its Sunday Magazine about how an obscure Vermont senator brought down Joseph McCarthy 50 years ago (here).

By Jon Margolis

Just about half a century ago, a quiet, unassuming elderly Vermont gentle- man with a bald head, a white brush mustache, and an occasional goofy grin stood on the floor of United States Senate and felled a giant.

Not all by himself. And as it turned out this giant was not as big as many - notably himself - thought he was.

Still, considering that the old, bald guy was barely known outside Vermont while his adversary was the talk of the nation, the political victory was no mean feat.

On the afternoon of July 30, 1954, Sen. Ralph Flanders proposed that the Senate censure a fellow-Republican, its most famous and controversial member - Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy of Wisconsin.

Flanders did it, as he did everything, quietly and without flourish. Clad as ever in a conservative, suit, he sought recognition, rose, and calmly proposed Senate Resolution 301: Resolved, that the conduct of the Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. McCarthy, is unbecoming of a member of the United States Senate, is contrary to Senatorial traditions, and tends to bring the Senate into disrepute.

[...]

To read the article in full, go here.

Even though the context may be somewhat different of course, one wonders if there is something for Vice President Dick Cheney to learn from this or for someone to otherwise provide him with some much needed instruction and wisdom about, if only he were able and willing to listen and learn. One can only hope, yet I would not hold my breath either.

In the meantime, it is never too late to make use of this online petition and nothing prevents anyone living outside Vermont to use it as well: Hey Dick Cheney - Don't Mess With Vermont.


That calls for a cartoon break, the first of two within this particular blog post, graciously brought to you by political cartoonist Jeff Danziger, with his express permission to do so. (Thank you Mr. Danziger. It is greatly appreciated.)


Scenes We'd Like to See Department:
Vigilant FCC Profanity Police Nab Offender Dick Cheney


Cartoon by Jeff Danziger
(via here, used with express permission
granted by cartoonist Jeff Danziger)


Also on the subject of the VP and his remarks, in its Sunday Position Papers column, the Vermont Press Bureau explores how the: Quote heard round the country now emblazoned on T-shirts:

[...]

Sen. Patrick Leahy often boasts of his skills as a job creator in Vermont. Recently, however, he has been a catalyst for a business opportunity in California and also become something of a fashion muse.

A Los Angeles entrepreneur and the Vermont Democratic Party are marketing clothing items that refer to the expletive that Vice President Dick Cheney said to Leahy, D-Vt., on the Senate floor during a photo session last month.

[...]

The Vermont Democrats are selling a T-shirt that refers to Cheney's comment but does not quote it. On the front it says "Annoy Dick Cheney, vote Pat Leahy 2004." The back contains a cartoon by former Vermonter Jeff Danziger showing a child writing on a blackboard "I will not quote the Vice President on the playground."

Party spokesman Mark Michaud said they plan to use proceeds from the shirts to help finance the party's fall campaign. He said the first shipment of T-shirts sold out quickly and they expect to get another one in soon and sell it at party events, including at the Democratic National Convention in Boston later this month.

Read the entire column, here.


Young Republican:
I will not quote the Vice President on the playground.


Cartoon by Jeff Danziger
(via here, used with express permission
granted by cartoonist Jeff Danziger)


While I am no Democrat, nor strickly a liberal by any means really either, this Independent minded voter has to get one of those tee-shirts!


*Note*: Made several, mostly minor edits and additions; uploaded cartoonists, after receiving express permission directly from cartoonist Jeff Danziger that I could do so: last updated on Monday, July 12, 2004 at 1:29 PM [EDT].

Long Rider Gene Glasscock Continues Journey Through New Mexico

Gene's Route (via here; actual route map
updated frequently, check his Website
often for updates)
 


This morning I was surfing online and decided to check out Long Rider Gene Glasscock's Website to find out where he is and how he is doing on his journey to visit 48 state capitals within the United States (not counting Alaska and Hawaii).



Gene and the boys in Goodnight
(photo by Mike Robbins; via here)
 


As I visited the various pages of his Website I came across a link to am excellent Web page devoted to him: Gene Glasscock - Arrived in Albuquerque, NM on July 3rd, 2004.

The page includes some great photo's along with some information presented in a journal format.

It was a just over year ago (late June 2003) that Gene and his horses Frank and George had made their way through this area.

Also this morning, after revisiting my initial blog post I blogged on the subject in early July of last year, I decided to update the post to include some photo's, which I uploaded to my blog -- downloading them from Gene's Website (and credited or, rather, linked to such).

That particular post is: 68 Year-old Long Rider Gene Glasscock Travels Vermont on Horseback During Mainland-U.S.A. State Capital Cities Ride.

Happy trails Gene.

Getting Around Montpelier & Slowly Going Nowhere

*Updated*


Vermont's capital city is rather small, both in actual size (i.e., geographically speaking) and in its population.

Among the good things about living within the City of Montpelier, particularly for anyone who lives homeless or whom may have limitations on their mobility in any fashion, is that just about everything one needs is either within easy enough traveling distance (e.g., whether by foot or via other means) or, is otherwise not all that far away from what may be located elsewhere within the local area and, in most cases, is available via local public transit.

That said, being a pedestrian trying to cross some of our busiest intersections can be tricky and, even dangerous at times of course, yet probably not as bad as in more populated areas -- just more than anyone around here would like to get use to anyway.

Of course the way the city prioritizes how and where it plows certain city sidewalks during our long winters, that can prove to be a major impediment to those citizens who may have more trouble getting around on their own than others might. But that is a blog post for another time and season.

In the Spring of 2002 a program got started up within Montpelier to provide a certain amount of used bicycles in good repair, so they could be available to those who would like to get around the city a little easier.


One of Montpelier's Community Bicycles
(photo found here)
 

In fact the April 18, 2002 edition of the Times Argus ran with an article about the program, here.

The bicycles were very basic and of the one-speed type, but good enough for getting around the flats (actually one of the rules is that the bikes were to only be ridden in the flatter areas of our hilly city and then only within the city limits).


Rules of the Road
(photo found here)
 

The program proved to be quite popular, for a while anyway, though it was a lot of work for those keeping it going on a shoe string.

Although the colors of the bikes did not make them very popular with some people however, the bikes still certainly did get noticed (a good thing, since car drivers might notice them better) and were used by people of all ages for getting around town.

An article (here) about it was also published in the May 2002 edition of the Montpelier Bridge, back when it was still a monthly publication.

One problem was that the program was started by a AmeriCorps volunteer as well as a Montpelier school student at the time, but apparently there was no one to replace these individuals when they moved on, as far as I understand it and vaguely recall anyway.

This being the case, it was surprising yet pleasing to me last year when some of the community bikes were once again available around town, though there seemed to be fewer of them.

Having always been an avid bicycle rider, whom as a young kid learned to take care of my own bike repairs whenever I could and I had several bikes (as many as four to five at one time, for backups as well as for different types of riding and for use by friends), I took an interest in the program -- even if from a distance, since I never personally or directly got involved with it in any way.

When I could find one of the community bikes that was not in a state of complete disrepair and abandoned somewhere, I even managed to ride them a few times around the city to get somewhere I needed to go.

Have not heard much about the community bike program since it first got its start really. It is my hope that this sort of program can be kept going here in Montpelier and started elsewhere too.

In a different vein, there is an organization in the City of Burlington that helps to promote getting around that area by means than by using one's car: i.e., Local Motion of Burlington.

It would be great if the entire Central Vermont community (including Montpelier and Barre City) as a region were to do something along these lines, as well as then finding new ways to funding, continuing and expanding the Montpelier Community Bike program as a part of it, by building upon already established partnerships.

In addition, maybe someone who is currently unemployed, yet has certain skills and abilities, could be well trained in bicycle repair, along with being helped to acquire tools and the like (so they could possibly go into business for themselves at some point in the future) and, in return for such investment, work so many hours each year as a partner in the community bike program serving their area.

Yes, I know someone who has thought a lot about something just like this over the years, but doing it is another matter.

Not that my actual dream is to fix bicycles really, as this is just one of many things I have pondered when I wonder what I could do with myself and some of my skills and experiences, because I do not really envision myself being a bicycle mechanic or not solely that anyway.

Hey, but one can dream, right?! At least I can do that much for the time being, until I manage to turn such into something more, if ever.

In the meantime I simply keep blogging and, at the same time, sitting still, almost anyway. Believe me, it is not any choice of my own making. Never has been, never will be.

Indeed, if there was any real choice in the matter (whether it be my being homeless or my having severe and persistent disabilities of an emotional (or psychiatric) nature or, whatever ... [these are stated as facts, not as excuses either]), things would be different. But it is not up to me.

One can only do so much on their own and a lot of times the support, what little there is of it, one might get from one's community can be sorely lacking in both quantity and quality, that in many cases one is often better left on one's own, sort of that is. What kind choice is that, you tell me?!


Hmmmm!

Sometimes Long Waits
Simply Take Their Toll



(clipart via here)
 


All I can say is that I believe things can improve and, here is hoping they eventually will. If not for me, maybe for others. Sometimes that is the best we can hope for or, at least, so I am oft reminded by some people in so many ways.


P.S.

What I have had held a deep personal interest in (something I do not tell hardly anyone else about usually) for a few years now is finding a way of getting a recumbent (or what is referred to as a bent, for short) bicycle of my own.


Recumbent Bicycle
(clipart via here)
 

The closest I have been to one is to look at them when I have seen them in Montpelier. Once I was able to discuss recumbent bikes with an owner of one.

Just recently I saw one that had either three or four small wheels (it went by too quick for me to get a good enough look) and was really low to the ground. It had one of those orange flags on a long pole flying high on the rear of it.

My personal preference would be for a two wheeler, road bike, version though.

It would not hurt learning how to fix them as well, if one got into doing bicycle repairing anyway. Of course I would enjoy getting into building (e.g., as someone did here) and, possibly later, designing as well.

In fact my drafting (both mechanical and electro-mechanical in my case) background and experience, albeit the ancient history it is, could even come into play there possibly. It is just a thought and nothing more at this point however.


*Note*: Added additional closing paragraphs or made certain additions and edits to some of those that previously existed; made several edits for the purposes of clarification and readability throughout the entire blog post; added a P.S., to include paragraphs concerning my desire to obtain a recumbent bike, etc.; added clipart of recumbent bike; added clipart, which helps to illustrate what can happen to someone when they are left waiting with seriously unmet, basic, human needs: last updated on Monday, July 12, 2004 at 2:33 PM [EDT].

Housekeeping

Have begun working on some of the housekeeping chores on this blog and associated blogs and resource (links) pages that were needed from the outset, though I have had to put them off until I had more energy, time and online access, especially as I have major limitations and a huge learning curve when it comes to tinkering with my blog's template and with html code in general.

So do not be surprised if you notice little changes here and there, yet are not sure what may be different than before. Most of these changes are intended to making the blog more readable to those with visual disabilities, but should also improve its readability for everyone as well.


*Update*

Some people reported problems with my blog pages not loading for them previously. Apparently this was a problem with BlogSpot.

Blogger reports they have worked on the problem and are doing a better job of monitoring these problems. For more on that or other matters concerning Blogger, go to Blogger Status.

In addition though, on my own end, I have removed certain items from my blog pages, which I felt might be making the blog pages load too slowly or even impend their loading completely.

Hopefully the problem will not be experienced as it was for the last two weeks or more.

Low Energy Mode

Have been going through a low energy mode (an understatement of course) for a while now and, as a result, have recently been taking time away from my usual routine, such as going online.

Sometimes this means I will stay off-line for several days in a row. Then once I get back online, I have to take time to try to catch up with some of my e-mail, etc.

As energy, time and online access allows, I will of course try to blog something, when there is actually something to blog about anyway.

Within the AHS, the more things change, the more things stay the same

*Updated*


Went to the Agency of Human Services (AHS) reorganization kick-off celebration that was held out on the lawn of the state office complex in Waterbury yesterday afternoon (Thursday, July 1, 2004).

Read the Governor's Office official press release on the subject.

In addition, yesterday's Burlington Free Press (BFP) featured an article concerning the Vermont Agency of Human Services (AHS) Reorganization [note: as, in most cases, BFP articles are only archived for one week from date of publication, no link to this particular news article is available]:

Human Services to start restructuring

By Nancy Remsen
Free Press Staff Writer

WATERBURY -- Today the Agency of Human Services takes a critical step in a multi-year plan to restructure its services to 235,000 Vermonters.

Previously organized into eight departments, the agency becomes five units -- Department of Children and Families, Department of Aging and Independent Living, Department of Corrections, Department of Health and the Office of Health Access. The shuffling is intended to break down the fences among programs.

"We are moving from a loose confederation of eight to five, but more importantly toward a one-agency point of view," said Human Services Secretary Charles Smith. "What is really going to make a difference is the cultural change, that we are doing our business in a different way."

In the beginning, clients won't notice much beyond minor changes. "The phones are going to be answered differently," Smith said. "They will see different stationery, different signs." In the coming months, more changes will occur.

By September, the first four field service directors will begin transforming regional staff into teams. This new management structure begins in Morrisville, Barre, Springfield and Bennington.

"We are looking to empower our teams to have more flexibility and know about the resources that are there to use," Smith said. Officials particularly hope the new structure will lead to more coordinated assistance for families with complex problems.

Late in the fall, clients should be able to apply over the Internet for child care subsidies, health insurance benefits under Medicaid, and supplementary food assistance from programs such as food stamps or Women, Infant and Children. This is one of several technology initiatives intended to make the agency more user-friendly.

Advocates for clients say they are watching anxiously as the restructuring takes place.

[...]

One of the biggest changes is the break-up of the Department of Development and Mental Health Services. Developmental services go to Aging and Independent Living, while mental health services move to the Department of Health.

"It is a strong step in the direction of mental health parity," Smith explained. "It brings a public health point of view to mental health."

"It's long overdue," said Rep. Anne Donahue, R-Northfield, a member of the House Health and Welfare Committee and a mental health advocate. The transition is already bumpy.

Agency officials ruffled feathers when they failed to consult three developmental and mental health advisory panels before deciding to postpone reviews of community agencies during the changeover period. Donahue, who serves on the adult mental health panel, said the committees play key roles in these reviews. "This is not a good way to start."

State employees also have a lot at stake as the restructuring takes place, particularly the regrouping of mental health with health. Fifty employees will eventually move from offices in Waterbury to Burlington.

"By and large, we are pleased," said Terry Macaig, a spokesman for the Vermont State Employees Association. "The employees have been kept up to date pretty much as things happen," he said, "and they have had a chance to respond."

In addition, the Vermont bureau of the Associated Press reported on the reorganization kick-off celebration: The new look at Human Services.

Then there is the recent (Tuesday, June 29, 2004) blog post of mine concerning AHS reorganization, blogged before I knew anything at all about the reorganization kick-off celebration taking place on July 1, 2004: Rearranging the Deck Chairs on Vermont's Titantic?



An actual, recovered, Titantic deck chair
on display at the Martitime Museum of the Atlantic
(via here; same photo also available here).
 


Meanwhile many within the mental health community -- at least among the advocates and activists concerned about client and patient rights, dignity and quality of life matters (myself included of course) -- are left fuming about how the AHS went about choosing the person who will lead the division of mental health and substance abuse within Vermont's health department as part of the AHS reorganization, among other things. What a sham as well as a shame! This is suppose to be doing things differently? I think not!

As the title of this blog posts suggests, sadly it appears that this (e.g., the poor communication by the AHS concerning this event as well as other matters relating to the inner workings of the AHS reorganization) is yet another example of the more things change, the more things stay the same.

They just do not seem to actually get it, especially when it matters the most.

This is nothing new of course. Over the years some of us have grown to expect such treatment from the AHS, even though we actually never have managed to get use to it all the same.

Hey AHS, please take note: Nothing about us *without* us! [thank you Tinker for catching my error, as I mistakenly forgot the out in *without*]

As is usual for them, the AHS reorganization kick-off event held yesterday was a great dog and pony show though. At least they know how to do that well enough.

Rearranging the deck chairs on Vermont's Titantic anyone?


More sometime later, as additional comes forth concerning these matters ...


*Note*: Made several, mostly minor, edits for the purposes of clarification and readability: last updated on Friday, July 9, 2004 at 4:10 PM [EDT].

Google bans Gmail swaps and sales

Read this post of mine here, which I just blogged on the Community Service Challenge Gmail Swap Initiative blog regarding a recent policy change made by Google concerning Gmail.