And who knows which is which and who is who

Things I like: getting comments from friends on the blog (Thanks Doug!) Waking up with the Sun, having a bunch of energy, posting a small article on the Alaskan Forum with fishing info, my brother screwing with telemarketers (Oh no they aren't here, but you sound like a go getter - do you want to represent me with AM-Way. It's a great program, despite what you heard. What's your telephone number?...), cruise control, iwayhigh reagge internet radio stream on my Axim, reagge Pink Floyd covers, B vitamins, turning worms

Things I DONT like: My teams getting wiped out of the tournament (C'mon BC! 23 turnovers!!!!), car traffic on my walk / ride to the store, non-creative and violent solutions to conflict and feeling like there is nothing I can do about it, hopelessness (Hope is the last to die.)

So I want to thank the people who read this blog and are thinking about me.

Party on. I'm going to be dark for a bit while I travel down to FLA. Here is a link to the route.

Sisters of the Sun are gonna rock me on the water

Mile stones - I've posted 200 blog entries here. All this talkin' and not much saying. I've been "between jobs" for over a year. Yep, f@#k work. and more.... I'm working on my site www.alaskagold.com and it seems to be paying off - numbers are up and I'm enjoying learning all the new stuff.

It's a rainy day here in Wilmington, NC. And cold. I thought I had planned to be here in the 'nice' part of the year. And I got it part right - The azelela's are beginning to bloom. Soom trees are budding and pushing out color. But it's cold.

Anyhow, Next week "I'll get down to the beach somehow." Tomorrow is my uncle's 60 birthday and we are planning a surprise party (I hope he doesn't read this blog in the next 24 hours!) . The party will be a Carolina Pig Pickin' - Have you ever been to one? It's the kind where the pig is BBQ'ed with the head and tail and stuff. It's a sight and DAMN it taste good. Good Carolina BBQ makes it ALL worth it.

I've been strugglin' a bit lately. But the rain is coming down and KNBA is on the radio and the cookies are smellin' good in the oven (almost done) - so I'm not complaining at all.

Jackson Brown helps:

Oh people, look around you
The signs are everywhere
You’ve left it for somebody other than you
To be the one to care
You’re lost inside your houses
There’s no time to find you now
Your walls are burning and your towers are turning
I’m going to leave you here and try to get down to the sea somehow
...

We all must do the best we can
And then hang on to that gospel plow
When my life is over, I’m going to stand before the father
But the sisters of the sun are going to rock me on the water now

cookies are done

Yep, that was the sound of my voice...

Wow, um, that was, um, ... good. Um, ... um...

I have to say, not by way of excuse, but I HAD been driving for 8 hours and in the car for 4 days, and it was super late. Anyway, I hope you liked, um, the Audio post.

So, I'm back in Wilmington, NC. And, because the truck isn't "doing right", I took my bike over to cousin Brett's house to watch UNC fall to the Mighty Murray State squad. When Roy Williams almost threw that chair onto the court and grabbed a player, I knew we were in trouble. Hurt feelings and sadness aside, that's the freakin reason we watch March Madness. Little Davids battling with giant goliath. Murray State came to play and win, and, well, we didn't. So see ya next year Tar Heels. Thank you for a great season and for beating Dook on Reddick's Senior night.

So, now in the tournament, I'm rooting for BC and Gonzaga.

Oh, and my Country is waging a war that can't be won and for questionable reasons going on four years now... more later

Before I go

Hello Dear reader!

I forgot to mention that there are no pictures of the Costa Rica trip. Angie wanted me to take the camera but I said " No. I figure I'll find more things worth remembering if I don't take a camera. Sort of like taking a hike and seeing hundreds of squirrels, but if you take your .22 along you don't see one." So, I have a bunch of great memories but no pics. Actually, a guy took a picture of me swimming in the waterfall, but hasn't sent them yet.

AND, next adventure.

Brother Ray and I are going on a 1500 mile roadtrip to pick up a great big inflatable gorrilla, no... big gyroscope thing, like the ones at fairs and NASA training. He bought it off eBay Only catch, It's in MN (don't ask me to spell Minnesota). So we are loading up the truck and heading North. Should be there in a couple of days and return in a couple of days.

Funny thing is ... we are turning around directly and going on another road trip... to Florida. good times

"going where my toes are pointed",
Newman

Link: A map of the trip

Alright, so... when can I leave America?

I'm reflecting on life and the whole of it lately, since I've been back from Costa Rica. And well, I want to know when can I leave here. Costa Rica is smokin' cool. And this place is pretty crappy, in comparsion.

I went to Playa del Coco (Ocotal) with Angie's Family. Big Angie, my girlfriend's Aunt, put all ten of us up in a swanky, private Villa on a hill over looking the coast. Incredible. A house staff for every need, a pool, hot tub, an incredible view, everything new and good food.

We spent the days driving down to the Beach or the little town or reading by the pool and napping. Highlights were the snorkle trip into the high seas in a homemade boat, a trip to a small farm and the cloud forest.

After dinner we relaxed around the table and I listened in on the Webb Family stories. Once everyone went to bed, Angie and I turned off all the lights and watched the shooting stars out over the water. We saw one that was like a flaming truck and it's light reflected off the water.

Other things about the Villa - Big Angie was so gracious to host us. The wind howled! There was no hot water for the first couple of days. God bless the "professor" behind the blender and Douglas her pupil - Douglas kept the pina coldas coming. Imperial beer! The "warm tub". Who wants to drive the van up to the impossible drive way? The rebar in the pool and the nails on the patio. We were the first ones to rent the Villa and the kinks were not worked out. My bag got lost by the airlines.

So, the first 7 days I spent in the lap of luxury with the Family Webb. The next three days I spent in the traditional cheap skate, shoestring, cosmic traveler style.

Beacause the flights were cheaper on the weekdays and I had the time, I booked my flight home 4 days later than everyone else. I said goodbye to them on Saturday morning at the Liberia Airport and hailed a cab to the town of Liberia.

The cab is good and cheap ($10), but he won't take me to the hotel. I had found the hotel Liberia in the Lonely Planet Costa Rica Guide. So I got out and walked across the PanAm highway (How cool is that!?) and hiked towards the city center. The sun is shining and all is groovy. And then, A bomb goes off. I'm about to dive down the pavement when I notice no one is alarmed so I pretend it doesn't bother me that mortar fire is dropping down on Liberia.

"This must be part of the festival" I think to myself. The Fiesta Civicas started the day before. Fireworks were announcing the beginning of a horse parade or Tope through the town. Danielle, the farmer we visited, had shown us his show horse he rides in parades like this. It was great to see all the horses and cowboys - authentic. I felt like I was transported back in time. So my adventure began... and it was great.

The first night, I travelled down the Nicoya peni. to see a "massive arrival" of sea turtles. The next night I watched the rodeo with my buddy, Byron. The next day, a jungle boat tour in the Paolo Verde National Park. And the last day, hiking trails around the volcano Rincon as well as skinny dipping the waterfall.

After all that I still had time to get two fillings in my teeth from an english speaking dentist on the same block as the hotel.

Each night there was fireworks and live bands on the square (100 yards from the Hotel) and a Diana or Revelie at 6 am.

I love costa rica. I got so lucky to be there for the festival and to meet up with the people I did. It seemed like a paradise of luxury and adventure. It would have been the same if not for Big Angie or Bryon or our guide Manfred and the Hotel Liberia.

stay tuned for photos.

check this space for updates soon!

I'm just back from Costa Rica... has it been a week since I came back? I'm going to talk about the trip and post some photos soon.

And just like that I'm off to North Carolina and Florida for the month of March.

more later,
nsl

Moo gua Neo Nai and the world wide Charles

Moo gua Neo Nai
Originally uploaded by newmania.

check out the other photos at Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsl555/

Charles Cummings!

My friend, Charles, is having a birthday. He could be 21 or 15 or ageless. He is one for the ages and as genuine of a guy as you likely ever to meet. He does have a firm view of Heaven and can guarantee that there is an unlimited supply of chocolate milk. In Charles we Trust!


Charles, I miss our Napoli Tuesday nights (the best place in all of Taiwan) and our 3rd Floor office at San Ming (Do you have the grade 2 lesson plans ready?) and I miss you. Hope that this Birthday is bright and hopeful.
Ni xie huan Moo Gua Neo Nai ma?

:::...Lebowski Fest...:::"The dude abides"

:::...Lebowski Fest...:::: "What exactly is Lebowski Fest?

Lebowski Fest is a bowling event celebrating all things relating to the Coen Brothers 1998 film, The Big Lebowski. It can be likened to a Star Trek convention in a very loose sense. The event takes place at a bowling alley and includes unlimited bowling, costume , trivia, farthest traveled, and bowling contests, prizes, and what-have-you. The friend of the Coen Brothers who inspired the main character played by Jeff Bridges, Jeff 'The Dude' Dowd has been known to make an appearance and drink some White Russians. The 1st annual occurred in Fall of 2002 in Louisville, Kentucky and the 2nd annual took place in July 2003. We then headed way out west to Las Vegas for Lebowski Fest West in Feb., 2004. The 3rd Annual Lebowski Fest in June of 2004 brought over 4000 Achievers and included an outdoor concert with My Morning Jacket. Lebowski Fest New York was held in Aug. 2004. Lebowski Fest hit a milestone in LA when Jeff Bridges came out! "

Bicycles and Icicles: Piss off, thank you

Bicycles and Icicles: Piss off, thank you: "Bicycles and Icicles

The rants, ravings and random wanderings of a bicyclist in the frigid north."

Tim is a cyclist in Anchorage and has a few points of view that I'm happy he shares with us.

This post has alot of stuff I like in a blog post - a fedEx driver, a list of stuff that's wrong (the F*&K Yous) and what's right (the Thank Yous), and a pretty girl with a nice smile. Reprinted without permission here.

AlterNet: The 14 Worst Corporate Evildoers

AlterNet: The 14 Worst Corporate Evildoers: "Monsanto is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed as Roundup. Roundup is sold to small farmers as a pesticide, yet harms crops in the long run as the toxins accumulate in the soil. Plants eventually become infertile, forcing farmers to purchase genetically modified Roundup Ready Seed, a seed that resists the herbicide. This creates a cycle of dependency on Monsanto for both the weed killer and the only seed that can resist it. Both products are patented, and sold at inflated prices."

That's the capital system working for us. So clever! now the trick is to multiply by negetive one and find out how to make a cycle of good and not evil.

check out the link to find more evil corporations. Hmmm are all corporations bad. Aren't the evil do'ers, um I mean board of directors, regular Joes and Janes? I can't say for sure, but I know I wouldn't sleep so well at night if I was directing this sort of injustice.
Thanks to Dave Pollard

Make Poverty History - What We Want - Aid

Make Poverty History - What We Want - Aid: "It should no longer be conditional on recipients promising economic change like privatising or deregulating their services, cutting health and education spending, or opening up their markets. Aid should support poor countries' and communities' own plans and paths out of poverty."

check out the movie "click" if you need a reason why fair trade is important. Oh and my favorite for the Grammy set - from Sarah Mclachlan - http://www.worldonfire.ca/

No Arms Sales to Africa.

CNN.com - U.N. adviser: West killing Africa with gun sales - Feb 2, 2006

Here is a brillant observation. Stop selling guns to Africa. Why not? It's seems that the arms trade is as corrupt as it gets. Stop it. Don't make a value judgement. Don't stop selling to just the "Bad" guys. Just stop it all.

While you are at it - why not just stop selling them. period. to anyone, anywhere. Stop making them.

Oetzi could have been infertile!

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Infertility link in iceman's DNA:
I love Oetzi Man! turns out he was shooting blanks... poor Oetzi. Maybe that's why people chased him down and put an arrow in the back of his skull. poor guy

Urban Ranger: build the habit of purposeful walking

Urban Ranger: build the habit of purposeful walking: "Remember Strider, in Lord of the Rings? They didn't call him Sneaker or Sprinter or Sworder, though he possessed these skills in abundance. His distinctive quality, the important, even lethal skill, for which he was named, was that of walking rapidly and mindfully over great distances. Not only could he thus outpace his enemies, but he came to outknow them."

This is a pretty funny rant type post. It starts with a poem and that really caught my eye. He makes a couple of good points and it's worth a skim.

I'm going for a walk.

Basic Web Design

Basic Web Design: "Create your own web site incorporating text and pictures. This technology is the cutting edge to make an impact on the world wide audience of the Internet. A benefit for small business, students, families, and individuals."

A blast from the past - My "Basic Web Design" class website from Prince William Sound Community College - October 1999. Yikes! It's very scary... but not bad for '99 I think.

jerome bruner - "professed and otherwise"

jerome bruner and the process of education: "It is surely the case that schooling is only one small part of how a culture inducts the young into its canonical ways. Indeed, schooling may even be at odds with a culture's other ways of inducting the young into the requirements of communal living.... What has become increasingly clear... is that education is not just about conventional school matters like curriculum or standards or testing. What we resolve to do in school only makes sense when considered in the broader context of what the society intends to accomplish through its educational investment in the young. How one conceives of education, we have finally come to recognize, is a function of how one conceives of culture and its aims, professed and otherwise. "

Professed and otherwise - that's chilling. What is the aim of our culture? What is the professed aim and what is the "otherwise" / unstated aim? That's what makes being a disruptive educator such a problem - you are caught up in the system (you are the system!) I imagine that it is incredibly hard to balance your personal "aims" with those of the system.

I wonder if there is a big happy place where the goals of the culture completely match up with everyone within the culture... The goals of the principle and the school board match up with our disruptive educators. It sounds like Nazi Germany - maybe our democracy can't be divorced from the struggling oppostites and that we are doomed to inch along in herky jerky movements of the pendulum swing.

I see a big fight in education ahead of us. It truely is the frontline of culture. Will the students see it as a completely out of touch internment camp whose main purpose is to stupify and pacify? and whose main outcome is a distrust of leadership on one hand and blind acceptance on the other?

oh Geez, do I really want to be an educator?

I have to blame this mad ramble of a post on someone - I blame these guys - jerome bruner and Mark Wagner.

May be going to hell in a bucket... but at least I'm enjoying the ride

So more about this John Perkins guy - the economic hit man. I really have to recommend the hour long recording of the Democracy Now show. Really good.

and from my last quote - the stat about Americans as 5% of the world's population using 25% of the worlds resources. That alone doesn't bother me. "The USA is the greatest country in the world". We have all heard this quote and, if we believe it, then we don't mind using those resources.

But what if what John Perkins says is true? What if we are assassinating democratically elected officials for the reasons of maintain our hegemony? What if we are stealing from the poor to give to the rich? It's shocking. and It's grotesque. Is it right to use all the oil and cheap (slave?) labor while destroying the environment and keeping the rest of the world away from our ideals?

We are tricking the developing world into playing our game and kill them if they wise up to it. Even when they believe in our system and our ideals. It's sick to think about.

I think it's clear - the leaders of America don't believe in Democracy, unless it agrees with them, unless it plays their game, unless it continues to keep them in power.

We use the very techniques we despise. Terroism, torture, corruption. to keep us in power. And for what purpose? to sit around and watch our bank accounts grow while the rest of the world withers. And they wither without a free press, without trial by jury, without fair elections.

This isn't a idle chat. People are dying. Everyday.

Now what if we used that power to help the developing world? What if we bet on the constitution and risk losing some power? What if we listen to and respect the developing world? Let them make mistakes. Let them grow up. Let them lead themselves. The democratic, free market will find a way.

Our involvement with developing nations is deplorable and it's time to fix it. The John Perkins book gives an insight into that issue.

Democracy Now! | Confessions of an Economic Hit Man: How the U.S. Uses Globalization to Cheat Poor Countries Out of Trillions

Democracy Now! | Confessions of an Economic Hit Man: How the U.S. Uses Globalization to Cheat Poor Countries Out of Trillions

Listen in to Democracy Now... or search for the book on Amazon - Search John Perkins

I found a link to book review in The Guardian from 3quarksdaily blog. The book is called "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins. He details his experience (fictionalized experience) as a member of the "international banking community" or as a spook / 007 / spy / CIA, NSA, Main, the company.../ whatever. He was the guy that pressured governments to turn there back on democracy (for the people, by the people) and face the international corporate marketplace - the American interests.

When I read the review I was floored. How can this be true? I'm hoping someone will buy the book and send it to me....

"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins