Puppetry

Puppetry
Originally uploaded by _william.

Some puppets perform better than others. This marionette in the background is a delicate antique with a rich brocade costume. While it has fairly good articulation, the figure is so stylized that it only works with its own kind. Professor Will's Punch and Judy have seen many years of rough and tumble service. While they are also Quite stylized, they seem to work in a range of different settings.

A passport photo from the eighties

A passport photo from the eighties
Originally uploaded by _william.

Had this picture taken in the eighties when I went to Guatemala.

Useful Tools

This is just a
post of usefuls.

• New posts on blogger.
  


• Blogging Services:
  
  
  
  • typepad
    
  
  
  • BlogHarbor
    
  
  
  • BlogsToGo
    
  
  
  • daypop
    
  
  
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• Search the blogs:
  
  
  
  • technorati
  
  
  • feedster
    
  
  
  
  


• If you are interested in more collaborative work. explore wiki.
  
  
  
  • WikiDirectory
    
  
  
  • MeatballWiki
    
  
  
  • seedwiki
    
  
  
  • Open Voting Consortium
    
  
  
  • pmwiki
    
  
  
  • random.door/
    
  
  
  • twiki
  
  
  • http://c2.com/cgi/wiki
    
  
  
  • Artificial
    Intelligence Wiki
  
  
  • wikipedia

  
  
  
  

Heavy Weather.

Since hurricane Charley, the weather has been fine. Actually the weather was fine during Charley. The unpleasant part was all the preparations that we made before the storm, knowing that it would not be enough if Charley made landfall in Tampa Bay. The winds barely reached forty miles an hour, despite news reports to the contrary. Pinellas Point was dead calm. We did see some more rain in the wake of the storm. After Charley passed through Arcadia and Lake Wales, there were some scattered thunderstorms. But over all the weather has been sunny and pleasant. (If you don't mind temperatures in the low nineties.)
Yesterday we had a sudden surprise storm of shocking strength. Around five inches of rain fell in some areas abhor City in Tampa and culprit in Pinellas both had rivers in the streets.
There were also reports of hail, waterspouts and lightning.
We decided to increase our flood insurance to a hundred thousand for the structure and forty thousand for possessions.

Bamboo

Here is a decent article on Bamboo.

"MANIPULATION"

MANIPULATION" A short Play using signs to turn the Audience into puppets. A good demonstration of human nature from ProfWlll

Goodbye Nice Lizard

Cyanobacteria

"Cyanobacteria are aquatic and photosynthetic, that is, they live in the water, and can manufacture their own food. Because they are bacteria, they are quite small and usually unicellular, though they often grow in colonies large enough to see. They have the distinction of being the oldest known fossils, more than 3.5 billion years old, in fact! It may surprise you then to know that the cyanobacteria are still around; they are one of the largest and most important groups of bacteria on earth."
--Brian R. Speer

98818912959q

This Meme Thingy doesn't spread real well by itself.
It needs to have a hook for fish to bite on.
http://mcblog.free.fr/
http://climbtothestars.org/
http://www.mindingtheplanet.net
http://teknos.typepad.com
http://dumb.blogs.com,
http://www.randomthinks.net

http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/mlevison/archive/2004/08/19/22638.aspx
http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/anoras/archive/2004/08/20/22703.aspx
http://www.blogverse.com/

GoMeme

Help Make Blogs More Visible!

There are by some estimates more than a million weblogs. But most of them get no visibility in search engines. Only a few "A-List" blogs get into the top search engine results for a given topic, while the majority of blogs just don't get noticed. The reason is that the smaller blogs don't have enough links pointing to them. But this posting could solve that. Let's help the smaller blogs get more visibility!

This posting is GoMeme 4.0. It is part of an experiment to see if we can create a blog posting that helps 1000's of blogs get higher rankings in Google. So far we have tried 3 earlier variations. Our first test, GoMeme 1.0, spread to nearly 740 blogs in 2.5 days. This new version 4.0 is shorter, simpler, and fits more easily into your blog.

Why are we doing this? We want to help thousands of blogs get more visibility in Google and other search engines. How does it work? Just follow the instructions below to re-post this meme in your blog and add your URL to the end of the Path List below. As the meme spreads onwards from your blog, so will your URL. Later, when your blog is indexed by search engines, they will see the links pointing to your blog from all the downstream blogs that got this via you, which will cause them to rank your blog higher in search results. Everyone in the Path List below benefits in a similar way as this meme spreads. Try it!

Instructions: Just copy this entire post and paste it into your blog. Then add your URL to the end of the path list below, and pass it on! (Make sure you add your URLs as live links or HTML code to the Path List below.)

Path List
1. Minding the Planet
2. Luke Hutteman's public virtual MemoryStream
3. My Little Problem
4. (your URL goes here! But first, please copy this line and move it down to the next line for the next person).

(NOTE: Be sure you paste live links for the Path List or use HTML code.)

Irish Word of the Day

Go gcreime maorlathaí míthrócaireach do thóin bheagmhaitheasach.

WeatherBug Blogs Hurricane Charley Help Locating Relatives

Help Locating Relatives

If you are concerned about a relative you haven't heard from, the Red Cross established a hotline to check on the well being of residents in Charlotte County. That number is 1-866-GET-INFO. (1-866-438-4636)

Evite

A way to make your own spam: Evite
Actually it's Social Software, Superflous, but fun. A bit like Meetup.
Any one In the Tampa bay area who wants to MEET, post a something for contact.

Turning the Tide: An Independent Iraq

Noam

Chomsky On Iraqi Independence::
For what it's worth, polls in Iraq reveal very
considerable and apparently growing support for withdrawal
of the US occupying army, apart from the Kurdish regions.

Hmm, 'D'ya think?
Chomsky suggests that The U.S.A. is not likely to support a full democracy in Iraq, Because such a nation would probably rearm against their greatest enemy: Israel.

The Gospel of Thomas Collection -- Translations and Resources

"When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom]."

• ?????

Sayings of Jesus

This is Interesting Enlightening and sometimes a little Frustrating.

"He who takes up the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that evil can be overcome by evil, or violence by violence? The Way of Peace requires courage and patience, but it will prevail."

SAYINGS OF JESUS

---

CHAPTER 1

1. These are the sayings of the living Jesus, recorded by Tomas, who is called Didymus. Whoever learns the inner meaning of these truths will live forever in the Eternal Sea.
   
2. Jesus said, "Everyone who seeks should continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will be troubled at the contemplation of Truth, but when he has passed through the time of trouble, he will be astonished at the brightness of the Light, for the Way of Truth is the Pathway to the Eternal Godhead, and the price of the beatific vision is the wringing of the soul. The person who desires to rise above all things must descend below all things, for the way to the heights passes through the depths of anguish, which generate the fires of Life. The person who has suffered and found Life is blessed."
   
3. Jesus said, "If you say that the abode of the Gods is in the sky, the birds will arrive there before you. If you say it is in the sea, the fish will arrive there before you. Know that the heavenly realm is both inside you and outside you, and you will know that which is outside by that which is inside. When you have found the Light within yourselves, you will know as you are known. Then you will know that you are the children of the Living Parents and that your destiny is to be as they are. The person who knows not himself, is poor in Spirit, for he is his own poverty."
   
4. Jesus said, "Unless you become like little children, you cannot know the meaning of Life, for your minds must be cleared of the falsehoods of this realm if you are to be taught Eternal Truth."
   
5. Jesus said, "I am the door; the person who enters by me will find Eternal bliss. I am the bed; the person who lies on me will enter perpetual rest. I am the Light; the person who sees by me will view all things."
   
6. Jesus said, "The Way of the Prophets is a trail of tears. I have commissioned you to be prophets to this generation. Consequently, they will ridicule and revile you, saying all kinds of bad things about you. What? Don't you know that they have always rejected the prophets whom I have sent among them? Yes, I tell you the truth when I say that even those who follow the prophets do not understand them, for they speak of the things of the Spirit, which cannot be apprehended by the physical mind. The prophet is alone with the Eloheim, for of all mortals, it is he who sees the reality which he cannot convey to his people. Lonely is the Way of the prophet, but if he brings one soul one step closer to Light, all his loneliness and grief is justified, for great will be his joy in the heavenly realm, and he will become a great company at the seat of the Highest."
   
7. Jesus said, "The person who stands alone will be with the Eloheim; the person who is with the Eloheim will stand alone."
   
8. Jesus said, "Many of you think that I have come to establish peace in the physical realm. I will not bring peace, but dissension, fire, sword, and war. Families will be divided because of me; friends will stop associating with one another, nations will join in battle. Yes, those who would follow me must be willing to forsake everything, and to stand alone, if they would inherit the realm of my Parents."
   
9. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Way, because you must walk in my footsteps to reach the seat of the Eternal; the Truth, because I am the Eternal God, the Totality of All That Is; the Life, because the Tree of Life, grounded in the Earthly Mother and ascending to the Heavenly Father, is nourished in my blood."
   
10. Jesus said, "Learn the meaning of the creation which surrounds you, and you will perceive the mysteries hidden from your sight, for Eternal Truth is recorded on all that exists. I tell you the truth when I say that there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed to the person who can read the creation of the Eloheim."
    
11. The disciples questioned Jesus concerning the Way of Life: "How should we fast? In what manner should we pray? How should our alms be given? What dietary law should we observe?" Jesus said, "I will instruct you in all these matters, but first you must put off your love of the lie, the false way of life followed by the children of this plane of existence, and be converted, changed so that you hate that which you have previously loved, and love that which you have previously hated. Then I will be able to show you all things, for there is nothing hidden which will not be manifested when you have put on the mind of Truth."
    
12. Mary of Bethany asked him, "Will the thirst for knowledge ever be quenched?" Jesus said, "When once you have drunk from the spring of knowledge, you will return again and again, for each time your thirst is satisfied, a new thirst will grow, greater than the first. The more you drink, the greater will be your desire to drink, but in the intensity of your desire, you will be filled. I tell you the truth when I say that whoever seeks will find, and the finding will cause him to seek, but in the seeking is hidden the meaning of Life."

CHAPTER 2

1. Jesus said, "I have ignited a spark in this world, and I will nourish it until it blazes into Eternal Light."
   
2. Jesus said, "The shadows of this world are perceived by mortals, and they think they know Truth, but the Reality which casts the shadows is hidden from them, and they do not perceive the Light. I tell you the truth when I say that only when you perceive shadows as shadows, and search the Light, will you perceive the Reality which is God."
   
3. Jesus said, "This earth and the planets surrounding it will pass away, and everything will become new. Consider this: In the beginning, you were organized as one body, but when you became two, the illusion of separateness entered the physical plane. Now you are many, and this illusion abounds. Listen to what I'm saying! You must become a solitary person before me, if you want to dwell on the new planets and the new earth which I will create. Those who are enlightened will understand what I'm saying."
   
4. Simon Peter asked him, "When you have departed from us, who will give us Light?" Jesus replied, "When I am gone, you should look to John, who will show you all the things which are hidden in me. Nevertheless, I tell you, Simon, that you are Peter [meaning Rock], and you will be a Rock [or foundation] to my Body. I have given you James and John to be your ministers, to guide you in the Way of Life, for they will reveal to you the order and desires of those who dwell on the heavenly plane. I will build my Body on this Rock of Light, so that the gates of darkness will never be able to encompass it. Amen."
   
5. Watching the crowds wandering in the marketplace, Jesus said to Mary Magdaline, "Look at them; they are sheep without a shepherd, for they refuse to hear my voice. The Good Shepherd calls to them, but they reject his barn, wandering in darkness until they are consumed by the wolves and the bears."
   
6. Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said to him, "You are the Ruler of Israel." Matthew said, "You are the Greatest of Prophets." John said, "You are that which cannot be named." Jesus said to John, "I tell you the truth when I say that no mortal has taught you this, but you have been instructed through the Light." Then Jesus took him apart and showed him the mysteries of Life, the power of unity through which mortals join the Eloheim. When John returned to the disciples, they desired from him the knowledge Jesus had imparted. John spoke up and said to them, "If I were to reveal to you at this time the mysteries into which I have been initiated by the Master, you would pick up stones and slay me, and you would be guilty of the innocent blood. Continue seeking, so that you, too, can attain this knowledge and enter into Life."
   
7. Jesus said, "No prophet is revered as a prophet among those who know him best, for the shadow of his life eclipses the brightness of his radiant Light. Even his disciples will not know his true nature until he has passed beyond their reach."
   
8. Jesus said, "The people of this generation revere the dead prophets while rejecting the living ones. It has been so in every generation. The children of those who persecute you will build monuments to your memory."
   
9. Jesus said, "When the outer has become as the inner, and the lower as the upper, then will this world find peace."
   
10. Nathaniel asked him, "When you have left the mortal plane, how will we know the Parents?" Jesus said, "The Parents are within you. Learn yourself, and you will know me and my Parents, so that where we are, you can be also. You are the sons of the Eloheim. Should the son not be like his Father? You are the daughters of the Eloheim. Should the daughter not be like her Mother? Be careful that you do not pollute your birthright."
    
11. Jesus said, "Mortals have been created to dwell in the Garden of Delights. All else is death. Find that Garden where the Parents have placed the Fountain of Love, and you will live forever in bliss."
    
12. Jesus said, "In the Garden of Jehovah stands the holy Tree of Life. High in its branches sings a bird. Listen for the voice of the bird, for when you are properly aligned with heaven and earth, she will tell you all things."

CHAPTER 3

1. Jesus said, "I go to my Parents so that I can bring you to them. Do not weep at my death, for it is my hour of triumph. I am the Great High Priest. When I ascend the cross, I will break the satans' power forever."
   
2. Mary Magdaline said to him, "Lord, it is hard to think of you on the cross." Jesus said, "Yes, Mary, a sword will pierce your own soul also, but it is the forerunner of great joy. You also will die in a distant land at the hands of unholy mortals, but death is not the enemy. Live life in joy and welcome death in peace. Then will you be one with me."
   
3. Jesus said, "He who takes up the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that evil can be overcome by evil, or violence by violence? The Way of Peace requires courage and patience, but it will prevail."
   
4. Simon the Patriot asked him, "Master, if the gentiles exercise authority over us by the sword, and we take not up the sword to throw of their yoke, how will the divine realm be established?" Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Simon, when I say that the heavenly realm is within you. Only when you have established the divine realm within, and overcome the demons of doubt and fear, will you discern the key to the establishment of the realm of the Eloheim on the physical plane."
   
5. Jesus said, "When the Comforter has come, whom I will send to you, he will lead you into all Truth. Search the Light within your souls, for there will you find the reality of all things."
   
6. Jesus said to Nathaniel, "You will see angels descending to minister to the Son of Man, and the heavenly realm itself will be opened to you, so that you can understand the meaning of all things." Nathaniel said, "Lord, if I learn the meaning of all things, surely I will die." Jesus said, "Have I not given to you my mind, Nathaniel, so that you could comprehend all things? Do not fear the acquisition of knowledge, for that which you learn now will bless you in the life which is coming."
   
7. Elizabeth asked him, "Master, why has woman been made unequal with man?" Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Elizabeth, when I say that in the beginning the Eloheim created mortals male and female; they were one body, perfectly united and absolutely equal. Through the Fall came disparity, and under the Fall there must always be division and disharmony and inequity. Only when you are redeemed from the Fall will male and female cease to exist, for you will become a perfect whole, accomplishing a single work. Only then will the purposes of the Parents be accomplished in the renewal of the physical realm. It is for this reason that I make the female male, and the male female, so that you may be in the physical realm as the Parents are in the heavenly realm."
   
8. Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Parents." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for this long time, Philip, and you still do not know me? He who has seen me has seen the Parents. Look, I am the Father of your Salvation, and the Father of Fathers dwells in me, as he will dwell in you through the power of the Covenant. Amen."
   
9. Jesus said, "He who looks at a woman, desiring to possess her, has adulterated their relationship already in his heart, for out of the heart proceeds every wrong which afflicts the souls of mortals. If you would not conceive of wrongness, wrongness would not conceive in your hearts. Purify your hearts of the desire to do wrong, and your deeds will also be pure before your Parents, who know all things."
   
10. Elizabeth asked him, "Master, how can a person purify his heart of the desire to do wrong?" Jesus said, "By thinking right thoughts, which lead to deeds of righteousness. The mind of the Child of Light will be filled with Light, the peaceable things of the heavenly realm. He who dwells on wrongness will dwell in wrongness. The person who is enlightened will understand what I am saying."
    
11. Simon the Patriot said to him, "Lord, we are surrounded by wrongness every moment of our lives. Why do you say that we need not dwell in wrongness?" Jesus said, "You hear my words, Simon, but you do not perceive their meaning. As a person thinks in his heart, so is he and so is the world in which he dwells. Every person creates his own world, according to that which he fears and that which he loves."
    
12. Simon Peter said, "There is so much wrong in the world; how can the world be made pure?" Jesus said, "Purify your own hearts, and the world will become pure."

CHAPTER 4

1. Jesus said to the multitude, "You come to me seeking bread, but when you have eaten the bread you seek, you will be hungry again. Look, I am the Bread of Life. He who eats my body will neither be hungry nor thirsty again. Come to me, all you who are hungry, and you will eat the fruit of Eternal Lives."
   
2. Andrew asked him, "Lord, what is the fruit of Eternal Lives?
   
3. Jesus said to him, "Do you not yet know me, Andrew? Look, my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink, for he who eats and drinks of me will never die. And the fruit which I give, the fruit of Eternal Lives, is that Spirit of Peace and Love and Joy and Patience which I have received from my Parents."
   
4. Nathaniel asked, "Lord, who are the Parents?"
   
5. Jesus said, "I am your Father, Nathaniel, but I have a Father who is greater than I. From him I have received all things, and I do only his will. That which I have seen my Father do, is what I do. Therefore, Nathaniel, he who knows me, knows the Parents, for I am in the Parents, and the Parents are in me, and the Parents and I are one. The deeds which I do, I do not do by myself, but the Parents, who are in me, do those deeds. Look, Nathaniel, you should follow me, for in all my deeds, I show you the Parents."
   
6. Jesus took his disciples to the shore of the lake. "Observe those who fish," he said; "they wait patiently until the net is full before they draw it in, and they gather fish of every sort. Some they take home with joy, while others are returned to the lake. Nor is every fish which passes through the net caught up with the net when it is taken into the boat. It will be the same with you, if you are to be fishers of mortals. You must wait patiently until the seeker is ready to be brought within the Church. Many whom you instruct will never be brought in, and of those brought in, many will return to the world. Nevertheless, one from a city and two from a region, you will gather the true believers who worship the Parents in Spirit and in Truth. I tell you truly, these are the ones who will overcome the world and inherit all things."
   
7. Jesus said, "Mortals go to war so that they can inherit dust. It is because their vision is distorted by the followers of the lie that they value that which is nothing. In destruction there is no victory but for darkness. The power of victory is not force but Love."
   
8. Jesus said, "As light disperses darkness, so does Love swallow up hatred, and it is no more."
   
9. Jesus said, "The power of hate is strong, but Love conquers all. God is Love."
   
10. Jesus said, "The glories of this realm last only a moment; the glories of the heavenly realm abide forever."

CHAPTER 5

1. Jesus said, "I have come so that you might have Life, for the ways of mortals are living death, but the Way of the Eloheim is deathless Life. The person who walks the Way I walk, though he may die, will live forever, for he cannot be overcome. Death is swallowed up in the victory of Life."
   
2. Jesus said, "In me, all things become one, for everything that is not of me is illusion and will pass away. Only Light abides, for Light is Truth, and Truth has no end. I tell you the truth when I say that I am the Way, the Truth, the Light, and the Life. Walk in me, and you will abide forever, for you will be even as I AM."
   
3. Jesus said, "I am in all things; yet I am beyond all things. Not through seeking will you find me, but through Peace. Nevertheless, through seeking you will find yourselves, and then will you know the Eloheim."
   
4. A rich young leader of the Jews, coming to Jesus at night, asked him, "Good Master, what must I do to be saved?"
   
5. Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? Only the Gods are good, for they are Light, so if I am good, then I am a God, for I am Light. Search that Light within yourself, for it is your goodness and the power of your salvation, when charged with the free gift of the Son of the Eloheim. When you live according to the commandments of the Law, it is the Light that performs your good deeds."
   
6. The young man said to Jesus, "I have lived according to the Law ever since my youth."
7. Jesus looked at him lovingly, for he saw the integrity of his soul and the bonds by which they were united before the foundations of the physical realm were laid.
   
8. Then Jesus said to him, "Only one thing remains for you to do. Forsake all that you have in the physical realm, and come with me into Eternal Bliss."
   
9. But the young man went away sorrowing, because his heart was in bondage to the physical things.
   
10. Jesus wept, for he loved the young man and knew the glorious Light he had possessed with the Parents long ago. Mary said to him, "Master, you offered him everything that you have; yet he has left you. That is really sad." Jesus said to her, "Yes, Mary, for this one I have a special love, but my heart grieves for every soul who does not come to the Light. My heart is heavy when I consider the weight of all mankind resting on me." Mary said to him, "Lord, I will help you bear the weight." Jesus said, "Yes, Mary, we will lift up each other so that we can bear all things. As for this young man, we will claim him, for of all that I have been given, none will be lost, because the Light is in them, and eventually they will come to the Eloheim. Let us rejoice in the power of the Highest, who redeems all mankind when they are ready to be saved."
    
11. Jesus said, "Pure Love is a flood which covers all things. Nothing can stand against it, for it flows from the Eternal Sea."
    
12. Jesus said to Mary of Bethany, "The true Love, which comes from the heavenly realm, can never die. It will withstand all storms, all temptations, all powers. It will not vary, either to the right hand or to the left. Seek this Love, Mary, for it is the gift of the Eloheim to those whose hearts are pure."
    
13. Jesus said to the disciples, "If you love me, live by the principles which I have taught you, for Love cannot rebel, but seeks total unity and perfect peace."
    
14. Jesus said, "You walk in mists of darkness, which is the heritage of this realm, but inside, you have a Light which burns with Eternal Fire. This will light your Way to the Eloheim."
    
15. Jesus said, "Raise your children in Love and Truth. Cover them with Love and show them the Way of Life through your godly example, so that they will not have cause to depart from it."

---

Copyright © 1997 Church of the Pearl -- All rights reserved

[Back to Home Page]

Blogger's New Navigation Bar

When I've just finished Figuring out how to block the Ad-bar on the top, using a floating

, the service provider offers a 'product' that makes my work obsolete.
I like my google search form. I used a different site search engine before but when i found that other people used GOOGLE, I observed their Source code and copied/modified it to suit my own designs.
My Only problem with the old ad bar was the uglyness and the Ads from people i do not like.
Now I seems I need to recode the page so that the "navbar" doesn't cut off part of my title.
As if hurricane evacuation wasn't enough.
Google was good.
So was Blogger.
Change the rug from under folks why don't you.

Then again i like new things.

Bad People

Here's a pretty cold hearted weblog.
http://dysfunctionaladopteereunions.blogspot.com
The writer has tried to provoke some controversy by posting on discussion_groups related to Adoption.

The anonymous blogger's stance seems to be that adoptees and birthmothers who search are selfish and oblivious to the lives of the presumably good adoptive parents.

I hope the author realizes that He or she is helping to spread hatred and contempt, thereby worsening the problems of adoption.
I can't imaging any Reunion which was not fraught with problems, nor can i imagine what it would be like to confuse the situation with a public reunion like a television show.

For counter balance Here is the column of responses to the Website.
I honestly Feel that this person feels hurt by an intrusive reunion. But Ive heard this kind of response before, and it is a pre-emptive strike on anyone connected to adoption reform.

Charley relief organizations

• Adventist Community Services, (800) 381-7171

• American Red Cross, (800) HELP-NOW

• Christian Contractors Association, (800)278-7703

• Church World Service (800)297-1516

• Convoy of Hope, www.convoyofhope.org

• Florida Conference United Church of Christ, 420 N. Magnolia Ave., Suite 250, Orlando, FL 32803

• Florida Interfaith Networking in Disaster, www.floridadisasters.org

• The Humane Society of the United States, Disaster Services (888) 259-5431

• Lutheran Disaster Response, www.elca.org/disaster

• The Salvation Army, (800)996-ARMY

• Southern Baptist Convention, www.namb.net

• Volunteer Florida Foundation (850) 921-0457

WeatherBug Blogs Hurricane Charley

WeatherBug Blogs Hurricane Charley

Charley Comments

Blogger is featuring Candie Goodyear of Lehigh Acres, for her Blog and comments on Hurricane Charley.
Good Luck to her and her family.
Fortunately [for me] The Storm steered clear of Pinellas County and Tampa. From what I can see of the Damage, we would have lost All of our Property. I cannot fault the National Weather Service for all the focus that they gave to the possibility of the storm landing here. While it did not even rain until today this area has a difficult scenario for evacuation. Pinellas is the most densely populated county south of Manhattan. While most of it seems suburban, There is a great big mass of humanity living on a narrow necked peninsula. As people exited more than twenty for hours in advance, all the major roads were clogged to a stand still. After a storm We could assume that some of these roads would be impassable making the St Petersburg area into an Island.

Bonnie Charley

By now all the Barrier Beaches are closed. One way traffic off the island only There is very little wind.but still the sound of drills saws and hammers as people finish shoring up their homes. Our Neighbor across the stree checked at the fire department and discovered that we are not in one of the zones under mandatory evacuation. So we stayed last night and plan to weather the storm here. Denny and Masha have been Working on the house in Gulfport since eight this morning. Denny is right on the beach and has seen flooding from mere thunderstorms. He has a few antiques of value: prints by Hiroshige, Tibetan Thankas and Satsuma pottery, so he wants to take measures to protect them. The news has been irregular. They all pound out the same message for the most part. Our closest station just bailed as of eleven o'clock. They'll continue broadcasting from a remote location. One observation though. the computer models allow the news casters to say exactly what they want. Where they do show satellite pictures, the storm looks as though it has already begun shifting east. It may actually make land fall somewhat sout of Pinellas County, which means less storm surge for us and winds coming from the north east. Any thing less than one hundred and twenty miles an hour would be a blessing.

Preparation: Hurricane

People do seem exited. Even those who say they're not worried are saying that at the grocery store while buying an unusual amount of food and beer. most of my neighbor have board on their windows, or corrugated metal. the metal actually looks better, It's light weight by comparison to the plankage necessary to protect big, old style Florida windows. I've got nothing for that but I'm a few blocks from the water surrounded by trees and thick bamboo and I live in the secondary evacuation zone. We have a friend who lives in the fourth zone, just over a mile away. That is where I plan to spend tomorrow night. our evacuation time is now six a.m. tomorrow. The storm should reach tropical storm levels by around noon.
The media is doing a good Job of terrorizing us with just enough facts to make an informed exodus.
I suspect that we may sustain heavy damage. I can see at least one tree on the property that is too weak to stand much wind. if it comes down it will take out our power and phone lines.
I've gottten most of the small stuff put away. the garage is full and most of the light stuff on the porch is boxed and piled up to be covered with plastic tarp.
Theres a nice brisk wind out now, and a howling overtone in the air, But its still just good sailing weather. The high wind starts tomorrow.

Storm

Mac the Mail man stopped by and dropped off a couple of birthday cards for Masha. " You getting every thing Battened down? he asked as I carted a few potted orchids into the Garage. I told him I'd try. He said, just worry about the small stuff. then check the news around two p.m. "That way you'll have a better estimate of where it's going to hit. " I agreed. We discussed one bit of advice, whether my motorcycle would blow away. I thought that if the winds were that strong the house would be gone too. Just pick up those boards and stuff and you'll be fine.

---

Meanwhile in Iraq... over four hundred people have died in the past week or so.
Massive U.S.-Iraqi Assault in Najaf
US assault kills 165 in Iraq town
US bombing leaves 75 dead in Kut
Baghdad Burning

Charley Coming

08/12/04 12:32 PM
It's still sunny but the wind has picked up we are undergoing a mandatory evacuation in efect at six oclock tonight. Special needs people, the elderly, and people in trailer parks are required to leave. The storm is not scheduled to reach land until two p.m. tomorrow, but major preparations started this morning. Pinellas County is a logistical nightmare in an evacuation. We are on a densly populated peninsula, and although we have three major bridges to leave by, the adjacent city of Tampa is also under evacuation orders. In fact they may be expecting a greater storm surge. There are places within the peninsula which are high enough to be safe, but there are not enough shelters for all the people who will be leaving their homes tonight. I have no I dea where I will be sleeping. I'd best go out and secure more stuff in the yard. Plants and lawn furniture which could become Airbourne.

Hurricane Watch: Charley

Well a hurricane is on its way to Pinellas County. We may be looking at ten foot storm surge and hundred and twelve mile per hour winds. I need to get busy picking up the yard. All is Quiet and Sunny Now Though.

Draft? H.R.163 and S 89

I don't know. I hear garbage from all sides. As far as i know this legislation is under review and does not come back to Congress until 2005. Whitehouse and pentagon have made statements that could imply that they will not favor the bill.
Here is a summary of the H.R. 163 bill

The truth was obscure, too profound and too pure, to live it you have to explode.In that last hour of need, we entirely agreed, sacrifice was the code of the road.

Casting report

After three weeks, we finally had another casting session. I had two flasks. a couple of bracelets and a small 'cross.' They were invested last week, so I started them in the kiln right away. I also had a pound and a half of silver scraps to melt and pour into ingots for L.D. who makes wire jewelry. The melting took up most of my time but he offered to compensate me with eight ounces of silver, I hope he means Troy ounces.
William and Gloria were also casting and they invested about five flasks and put them in a separate kiln. We ended up throwing those at a quarter of ten, With the new security guard watching. I had to fire all the metal and throw it, one flask after another just to get it done quickly. One of Williams flasks didn't swing when the centrifuge was released...something caught on the armature...And on of Gloria's ended up upsidedown. At least that one can be reheated and cast again. Williams came out halfway, only the upper portion of one of his 'angel bells' So he will probably use it and construct a new bell. It usually isn't profitable to wait till the last minute and rush what you are doing.

An Honest Candidate

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we". GeorgeW. Bush at a speech at the signing ceremony for a 417 billion dollar defense spending bill August 5, 2004
Washington post
TheTtimes of India

Florida GOP warns voters against using touch-screen machines

This is Probably a Good Idea. The problem is that an overflow of Absentee Ballots might cause errors, lost votes and a huge cost overrun. It is just so refreshing to see the parties two faces.

Aug 3 - Despite Governor Jeb Bush's assertions that touch-screen voting machines are accurate, Florida's Republican Party has been circulating fliers that urge voters to file absentee ballots instead. The fliers argue that the machines do not leave a paper trail, so there is no way to verify a person's vote.

Also in The Ledger

In The Sun-Sentinal, there is an article suggesting that the Party already apologised for the fliers which were mailed to voters in yhe Miami Dade area.
The flier implied that the Unreliability of the voting machines was due to attacks by the "Liberal Democrats."

The Democrats have been trying to appeal a state rule that prohibits manual recounts of the touchscreen voting machines, which leave no paper record.

Press Resources

Press Resources
President Uses DVS to Address Troops

ARLINGTON, Va.—President George W. Bush used Defense Information System Network (DISN) Video Services (DVS) June 16 to address warfighters stationed overseas. The President delivered his speech from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. using DVS technology to broadcast the message to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Active Denial System And other new weapons of mass harassment

I wonder what would happen if you turned up the power on these a little bit?
ACTIVE DENIAL
SYSTEM

A.D.S.

Microwave weapons

Raytheon and Kerry

Sound
Weapons
Vehicle-Mounted Active Denial System (V-MADS)

[or-roots] OBIT REPORT - Register-Guard 16 March 2002

[or-roots] OBIT REPORT - Register-Guard 16 March 2002
George William WHEELER of Eugene d. 9 Mar 2002
b. 23 Dec 1924 in Dedham, Mass., to John and Maria Chamberlin WHEELER;
m. 20 Oct 1957 in New Haven, Conn., to Margaret McDOUGAL

Iraqi Child Prisoners

Very sad.

A Sunday Herald investigation has discovered that coalition forces are holding more than 100 children in jails such as Abu Ghraib. Witnesses claim that the detainees – some as young as 10 – are also being subjected to rape and torture
By Neil Mackay

Via Simson