Hiatus Notice

This week I've been working on a presentation- it's hard to call it a sermon- for this Sunday. Thanks to Trent Lott's mouth- it's going well.

I'll be seeing Fahrenheit 9/11. Will You?

Ike Notes will be on hiatus until at least 5 July. I am working on what I refer to as 'The Logging Piece'. I know sounds like a code name. Well combine my family history and inspiration from Jim Harrison's True North & hopefully something good will come of it.

So, I'll be stopping Ike Notes and this blog at least for awhile. Trying to apply one of Walter Benjamin's theses, "Keep your pen aloof from inspiration, which it will then attract with magnetic power." If I stop here hopefully the dam will get some pressure on it and the logging piece will be the better for it.

Until July, Ike

Thanks to....

Trent (did the dogs bite them? we can kill a lot of them) Lott I've got some meat for a sermon I'll be giving at HUUC this Sunday. I plan on going for it. Come see it if you are in the neighborhood.

No effects

From the Washington Post:

"White House officials jumped into action, but the commission was skeptical about whether their efforts that morning had much effect. It said a video teleconference in the White House situation room, chaired by Richard A. Clarke, then head of counterterrorism at the White House, "had no immediate effect on the emergency defense efforts."

Surprise, surpise....as usual things would have come down to people on the ground.

Greenpeace cutting edge of commitment

I lived in a shipping container once. They are putting it to a better use.

New Name Needed

Since it's inception this program has been known as Ike Notes. Uh, yah way back in January that was.

So, now I'm reading Notes of A Dirty Old Man by Bukowski. Wonderful writing, even better title.

I think this endeavour needs a new and better title.

Here's some I have thought of:

Thanks for Stretchin' With Me
Of Interest

Do you like these or have others to suggest?

1st Edition Closing

I found out last Friday that First Edition bookstore was closing. It plumb depressed me.

As this story indicated the appearance in town of a Barnes and Noble was not helpful.

There's a lot of hot air about the desire for cool cities. Well, if you don't patronize places like 1st Edition, you get Barnes and Noble. If you go to Walmart over other stores you get Walmart and it's attendant acreage and baggage. The list, beat, trend goes on.

If you want a city that can be perceived as cool that has quirky, distinctive local stores like First Edition then you have to patronzie them.

Don't let it happen again!

Liposuction won't help health

You mean that having fat sucked out and then going home to the couch doesn;t improve health? I am just shocked! & appaled! You mean physical activity is better than this. Geez, what next!

Not Made Up I Swear

MEDEVAC (LOSS OF LIFE) - 53-YEAR-OLD MAN - KENOSHA HARBOR, WI

Station Kenosha received a call that an individual on board the vessel "Booze Cruiser" was suffering from a heart attack. Station Kenosha arrived on scene, transfered the individual and his son on board and proceeded to commence CPR. The individual was transferred to shore and awaiting emergancy medical services. The individual was pronounced deceased upon arrival at the local hospital. Next of kin notified. Case closed.

Smack That Cheney-Bot!

Ah yes the Cheney-bot

In favor of argument....

Leo riffs on O'rourke.

& I am all for argument, discussion & debate.

A co-worker of mine recently made a comment along the lines of capitalism could exist without labor but not w/o capitalists. It wouldn't be too efficient but it could exist.

He tends towards the capitalist/conservative side.

I tend towards the side that says that I'd like to see the capitalists do their thing without somoeone to do things for them.


Disagreement? Dissent? Yes, that's right.

I'd love to see a debate on the following: resolved capitalism could con tinue to exist w/o labor. Anyone else?

Farenheit 911

Move on is making claims of censorship.MoveOn PAC Now the film has a distributor & an opening date. Just how is this censorship?

Passion Gap- Oh really?

From the Washington Post


"'These Democrats say the enthusiasm for defeating Bush runs much stronger and deeper than the passion for electing Kerry. The chief reason: The senator from Massachusetts, they say, has not crisply articulated what a Kerry presidency would stand for beyond undoing much of the Bush agenda.'"

or.....

as I have been saying...Kerry has to be for something, rather than just against Bush. Or as I have been saying you don't win elections unless you are for something. etc., etc., etc., blah blah blah.

Will they catch on in time?

He's back....

John Kerry gets a mention in Daniel Schorr's book Clearing the Air . In a passage that talks about how TV brings about new ideas faster and causes ideas and celebrities to burn out faster he mentions John Kerry: "John Kerry an eloquent Vietnam Veteran appeared on TV at a Senate hearing to become an overnite national personality- only to be almost forgotten a year later."

A little deja vu here. Kerry is back on TV, that's for sure. Also brought to mind the Warhol idea of 15 minutes of fame. This originated in 1968, Schorr wrote the passage in 1977.

Schorr, of NPR, has a newer book I plan to read.

Also in the I did not know file Schorr was involved with the founding of CNN.

Google Search: define:Time Trial

It's Tour de France time soon, so I looked up what a time trial is. Never can remember. Google Search: define:Time Trial

Links

Official site

Lance Armstrong

Discovery to sponsor Armstrong

Armstrong sues over allegations

Blog de Tour

Lawn Crusader

While out walking one of my dogs was kicked by a weary old law crusader. The old boy was absolutely irate that Gatsby had pissed
on his flowers. Actually he pissed on the tree near the flowers. As an aside, dogs have pissed on trees for hundreds of years and
they look to be growing just fine to me.

As we walked an old codger opened his door and stated a berating on the subject of dogs pissing on his flowers. Gatsby being a
friendly sort strolled over to make friends. That's his solution to most anything.

The angry old man stood on his front stoop. As Gatsby reached him, he hauled off and gave Gatsby a full force boot. Gatsby is a 60 pound dog, high on muscle. The kick didn't hurt him much.

Frankly he's luck Gatsby is a kind dog. Otherwise Gatsby and his health jaw of teeth could have had a chunk of old nabob for a snack.

It angered me just a little. I maintained some self control and didn't strike the old dumbass in return. Rather I told him to go inside before he embarrassed himself.

He nattered on. I said a few things but mainly just kept walking. By kicking Gatsby he's lowered himself to a point where I'd rather not sully myself by speaking to him.

People just can't let others be. People need to let it go about their lawns.

This added another item to list headed: reasons to get out of the city.

School Security

Heard a story on NPR regarding school security guards. One of the guards mentioned he wore a personal security pack- for things like CPR.

When I think of teenagers and protection, well, I don't think about CPR. Rather STD's.

Maybe they should carry a little pouch- containing condoms and information on sexual abstinence. Might get used more often.

Weekend Reading

Saw this whil.e doing weekend reading.

Tax Issue

The Governator says take your boat offshore to avoid taxes. Seems to me if you are for tax fairness you'd close the loop hole.

I think to win you'd frame as it fairness for all.

Every time taxes are mentioned people say that business will go elsewhere. I suppose that could be true.

In this case I think rich people are going to buy boats. I think California has a pretty good hold on rich folks, too.

Close the loophole
!

Man kicked out of library for Swearing

I'd really have to know a little more to fully comment. I'm generally for free speech, but at the very least this person might be guitly of not operating with a lot of sense. The policies are online

Complaints Continue

Here' some more carping and complaining about the Reagan funeral. Piece ends with a snide shot at former President Bush who will do a solo parachute jump on his 80th birthday which is Saturday.

Can't just give credit to a man still active on his 80th birthday. Can't have the detachment to realize that Bush's birthday is a fixed date, not a conspiratorial ploy.

The partisan divide is so great we can't give each other credit.

Reagan Veterans Bring Back the '80s (washingtonpost.com)

It's the last op for many of Reegan's folks. Veterans of Reagan advance teams from two terms and two presidential campaigns, reunited after two decades of making money and having kids, walked their last motorcade routes and taped down their last toe marks for the funeral, part of 'Operation Serenade.'
'It is a presidential trip,' said Rick Ahearn, lead advance man for Reagan's Washington arrival as president-elect and for his departure when he left office. 'Just, unfortunately, instead of a limousine, it is a hearse.' "

Use of Dogs to Scare Prisoners....

A piece that goes into some detail.

""Is using the dog in this manner an allowable tool by the MI interrogators?" an investigator asked Smith.

"Yes," he replied." That's what one dog handler said.

while another said, ""I was leaving because this is not what my dog is trained for," Kimbro said in one of three statements he provided to investigators. "We do not use our dogs for interrogation purposes."

Master-at-Arms 1st Class William J. Kimbro was later praised for his actions, ie not using his dog in an interrogation situation.

I join in this praise. He did his dog a service rather than a disservice.

Striking Lyrics

Yesterday at lunch somebody mentioned a Pink Floyd song. I've now fount out that it was 'Possible Pasts'. They are reproduced below:

by the cold and religious we were taken in hand
shown how to feel good and told to feel bad
tongue tied and terrified we learned how to pray
now our feelings run deep and cold as the clay

On RWR's Funeral

I've heard a lot of folks that are in a fairly nasty mood re. Pres. Reagan.

Maybe I'm wrong but I thought that when somebody dies especially if you are a UU and honor the worth and dignity of each person you would simply honor the person. Be magnanimous. Show class, give credit.

Heck remember like it or not, he got a majority of the vote in two elections and carried 49 states in one. Cutting him down may not be popular.

I think it also speaks to reaching out. Laying into him at death is just more of people who agree talking to each other.

Honoring Diversity

.

My Comment:

Parker's comments strike me as academic and backward looking. Her money quote is so academic and inside I'm not quire sure what it means.

Sinkford meanwhile is practical and forward looking. If I am not mistaken the Judeo/Christian heritage is part of our so called living tradition.

I think this is part of UU's prefering to talk about rather than honor diversity. We mention Christianity and then proceed to get the heebie jeebies if we actually here it's words used by UU's.

UU's need to either honor the diversity they make claims to or revise our thinking so we are not as hypocrirical.

Talking to Each other

PJ O'rourke makes an excellent point. The There's an awful lot of people who decide on a point of view and then spend their time talking to those they agree with.

If we want a better quality and tone of discourse we've got to go beyond talking to those we agree with.

Just Walking the Dog

So many times people say when I walk my dogs....boy you really have your hands full. Not really. I've got time to take pictures!



Leash Eye View

Park Pix

Fischer Park the Big Picture

It's Fischer Park, now the ? is Why?

New Park Sign

Muskegon's newly named park?

Word is that this formerly unamed park now has a name sign. Used to be the Amaco tank farm.

I'll bike down and have a look and attempt some images.

Sterling Hayden

A few years ago I read and wrote a review of a book by Sterling Hayden bought at a used book store.

I recently found another book by Hayden at a used book sale. Well, any book (in this case it's called Wanderer) that has the word Thickafog on p.4 is for me I've decided.

Ferry on NPR

A typically fair story which also mentionds Ludington and the Badger.

Farther Joe

Father Joe. It's the current 'it book' which I am reading. Full report to follow. Currently I'd say I am whelmed, not over nor under whelmed.

Links

Reagan Speeches According to this speech Reagan made 34 speeches from the Oval Office. The impression is he mead more.

The War Lover a book I am hoping to read.

Go away FCC

With the SS

Open Source and G.O.D.

Large Land Owners

Reagan Retro # 2

Believers or Seekers

The United Methodist Church across from my house had something like joing our community of believers on their outside board.

I suppose at Harbor UU if we had a board we'd put something like join our commiunity of searchers, or perhaps seekers.

A little Restless

In 2001 I was involved in a tall ships event.

In 2002 I volunteered at Big Sable Lighthouse.

In 2003 I did tall ships and the light house.

This summer I lack a big project. I have a cabin rented and a vacaction scheduled, but not a summer season capping event.

It's literally just warming up, maybe I'll find something yet!

Self Description

For some reason I thought to myself this morning the words impish goof are a good description of me.

That would make me a mischevious silly or stupid person.

I prefer the silly part, but some others may go with stupid.

More aspirations

From this piece some descriptive words that I aspire to.

"The most important sidearm a bodyguard carries is a cellphone to confer with an associate about, say, traffic conditions on the route ahead. Similarly, training in firearms is less useful than training in CPR and other emergency treatment. "In the corporate arena, the client is probably going to die as the result of a heart attack rather than a terrorist attack," says Fitzgibbons.

The temperament of a good bodyguard is that of a calm, patient, Type B companion, happy to remain in the client's shadow while methodically worrying about everything from loose stair railings to dire conspiracies. If the client is traveling from his hotel to an office building across town for a meeting, the bodyguard scouts the route in advance, checking for choke points, looking for a side entrance to the building through which to slip unnoticed, arranging with the superintendent to have an elevator set aside during the visit."

I've thrived in such roles in the past...I'll stay out of the lime light, get things done and avoid the whole credit taking scene.

My 1st Prez

Ronald Regan is the 1st president of which I have significant memory.

Recent Word Spy Entries

living bandage n.


A bandage or dressing made from skin cells, particularly cells
cultured from a sample of the patient's skin.

---

information environmentalism n.


The movement that seeks to reduce information overload and its
effects on peoples' lives.

Guess I'm not doing it am I?

In which....

I say always get your ducks in a row before going hunting.

Language mangler I am.

Governor Granholm Tours

I'm glad the 'guv' will be coming to Muskegon.

Also on her trip she will be having " camping experience at Van Buren State Park". What prey tell is a camping experience? Standing in a tent? Just a cat nap? Just sitting at a picnic table?

I've got to know! So I made a call....turns out she's going rv-ing. She'll be staying in a rv. I, of course, would hold out for a tent, but A for effort.

Dogs & da Ferry

If you want to take your dog on the Lake Express here's the scoop.... dogs can ride in your vehicle, or if they have their own crate they can go that way. In either case there is no additional charge.

If your dog does not have a crate and you are not taking a vehicle you can rent a crate for a fee of $ 15.00.

Be there at the Grand.....

Today, Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Melvin Butch Hollowell sent a letter to Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Betsy DeVos, requesting her to engage in an open dialogue about her recent comments that, "Many, if not most, of the economic problems in Michigan are a result of high wages and a tax and regulatory structure that makes this state uncompetitive." Hollowell wants to address the concerns of Michigan’s voters on the front porch of Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel at the Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference on Saturday, June 5th, 2004 at 12:00 noon. "We in the Democratic Party know how important it is to connect with voters face to face, one front porch at a time," Hollowell said in the letter. "We’d like to introduce you to front porch politics by asking you to address the concerns of the voters on one of the most recognized front porches in the state." This weekend, Hollowell anticipates an exciting exchange about job creation and the concerns of Michigan’s workers. The MDP hand delivered, e-mailed and faxed the letter to DeVos and looks forward to her acceptance of this invitation. Regardless of DeVos' acceptance, Hollowell will address how Democrats in Michigan are fully committed to creating jobs and protecting the rights of workers.

I'm sure Mrs. DeVos knows the way....

Quills, Multi Tools, Pliers, Knives and On

Aussie Huck got some porcupine quills in him this past weekend as did my border collie Jayber.

I was able to remove quills from Jayber using the pliers of my multi tool. Huck wouldn't let me near him. So, off to the vet we went. Around 2 hours and $ 100 later Huck is quill free.

Made me think while I admire the simplicty of my current pocket knife, multi tool versatiltiy took the day (& the quills out).

Although the empirical evidence lands on the mutli tool side, I'll continue to carry my knife. I like simple things and I truly enjoy knives. Cleaning and honing is something I enjoy.

May the best pedalist win

Both Kerry and Bush are bikers, of the pedal vareity.

Bush rides a Trek Fuel 90 , Kerry a Serotta Ottrott.

This cyling is admirable and potentially useful. Let's have a series of 2 bike races- 1 in boston, 1 on the presidential ranch. Lowest total time from the 2 races wins. Bing he's president. Save time, money and voter annoyance.

Lake Express is off-mostly

It's Here.

Yes, the Lake Express is officially in service between Milwaukee and Muskegon. Currently it's running more or less scheduled service, which is a sight better than the Rochester/Toronto ferry which doesn't start until 17 June.

Both ships were built by Austal. However, the Rochester ship has MTU engines which have been problematic while the Lake Express has Rolls Royce propulsion.

How's business? They're not really saying. I did see a quote in the paper about 15 reservationsits working 12 hours a day and not keeping up.

Being terminally skeptical and perhaps over sensitized to bull shit, I did a little experiment. 1st, Lake Express appears nowhere in the two phone books I recently received. I call the 800 directory service and got no list for Lake Express. I then called Milwaukee directory assistance. I did get a listing. I called it and it rang and rang. No answer though. I then called Muskegon info. No listing there. A toll free # of 866-914-1010 is on their website. This number did not show up in a reverse look up effort either.

If they truly are that busy, then watch out when people can actually find the phone #!