Blurbs

Death of a Campsite

Alan — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:40:00 GMT

Fifteen years ago, a friend of mine in Sooke told me about a logging campsite on the beach just east of Jordan River. It had the best of everything, and was exquisitely quiet and private. From the road's shoulder, a fifteen minute hike through a forest of giant ferns, moss covered trees and nurse logs will get you to a beach covered with multi-coloured smooth stones, patches of sand, driftwood galore and a view of the Olympic Mountains. I could get there and have my camp set up in less than an hour, and not pay camping or parking fees. In return I packed out my garbage and any other garbage I could find, which was often more than I could make over a weekend. Beer cans, cooking pots, pop bottles, floats, rope, you name it. Over the years I took lovers, classmates, and nephews there to get away from it all for a few days. Quick, easy, beautiful and free. Try getting those four things together at once! As time passed, the logging company that had a tree farm licence in the area put in a sign announcing the trail, and benches and stairs were put in. Traffic increased, and so did the litter and campfire damage, so I forgot about it for a while. When I returned, I was happy to see that the sign and benches were gone, the trail hadn't been cleared of blowdowns, and it was mostly overgrown. i started camping there again a few more years. Yesterday the newspaper announced that Western Forest Products had sold the land privately, without so much as local or public consultation, or even an environmental review. Nothing; just a done deal. Like everything else in the Victoria region that isn't a designated park, it will be carved up and developed into resorts, cottages, condos, yadda yadda. Well, even parks aren't safe, I've learned. I discovered a dirt bike course hacked out of one...to the city's credit though, they responded immediately to my report. A month or two ago, logging firms sold hundreds of hectares of land around sleepy Port Renfrew, at the end of the road. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the entire south shore of Vancouver Island became completely developed within my lifetime. Bye bye Paradise, I'll have to find you again where the bulldozers can't go, the crowds won't flock, the litter won't pile up, and where the view doesn't include anything human made. Like Edward Abbey once said, "we don't deserve this beautiful planet". Yet.

Tara's Long Journey

Alan — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 23:21:01 GMT

Thirty years later and several thousand kilometers from its point of origin, Tara has found its way to me. Back then, it was presented to my father by the Nepali foreign minister, on the stairs to the plane he was catching. Dad accepted graciously, a little bewildered and wondering if he had instantly exceeded his carry-on allowance. I spent three incredible years off and on in New Delhi, where all of my values and beliefs were dumped out of the bag for me to sort through again. I discovered Buddhism there for the first time, and it came to me again later through Zen practice in Karate, and in art school. I've been with the Shambhala Buddhist community for 12 years now, and have been invested as a Warrior of the Great Eastern Sun. My mother, one of the first Anglican women ministers in Canada, of course has always been less than thrilled about this. Last year my Dad went into a home with Alzheimer's, and Mum has been lightening the load of the household. She came to visit me a couple of months ago, and I was thrilled to be able to play host for her after all she has done for me. It was a wonderful visit, tarnished by her parting shot about my being an 'idolatrous' Buddhist. Then my birthday came last week, and I received a huge box from her...no card or wrapping, just...Tara. Thanks for the idol, Mum. Don't worry, I won't be making any human sacrifices in front of it... Some legends say Tara rose from flowers that were nourished by tears, which is why flowers adorn her shoulders. She is known as the Buddha of Enlightened Activity, known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity. She has one leg uncrossed so she can be quick to help anyone in need. The Jnana and Chin mudras, or her hand positions, represent the gestures of consciousness and knowledge, respectively. Welcome home Tara. The accompanying picture is the closest I could find from the web, since the one I took is too large a file. It stands about one foot high, with the cherry wood pedestal and engraved plaque, and is about ten pounds of solid brass.

"Ah 5, 6, 7,8!!"

Alan — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:36:54 GMT

The months are clicking by and All That Jazz. Now I've broken my previous record and am 8 months smoke free, thanks to laser therapy, which has an 85% success rate after one year, as opposed to the 32% success rate of patches after one year. I've tried almost everything, except for Zyban...no surprise that the hardest addiction is the last one standing. Back in 1980, Roy Scheider played choreographer Joe Gideon in the musical hallucination "All That Jazz" which won the Best Picture Oscar for that year. It was a loose autobiography of New York choreographer Bob Fosse, who made the film. Around the same time, I was auditioning jazz dancers when I wasn't a slave to a raft of addicitons. The film was a great wake up call and cautionary tale....

Rare Mother of Pearl Cloud

Alan — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:10:53 GMT

Reflecting like an airborne mother-of-pearl shell, the cloud colours are produced when fading light at sunset passes through water-ice crystals blown along a strong jet of stratospheric air more than 10 kilometres above the ground. Australian Antarctic Division atmospheric scientist Andrew Klekociuk said the clouds were seldom seen but could have long-ranging effects. “These clouds are more than just a curiosity,” he said. “They reveal extreme conditions in the atmosphere and promote chemical changes that lead to destruction of vital stratospheric ozone. “We are using instruments on the ground, on balloons and on satellites in an international program to find out what this type of phenomenon tells us about the current and future state of climate,” Ms. Klekociuk said --www.globeandmail.com 2/8/06

Rarest of Rainbows

Alan — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 00:01:32 GMT

This blanket of fire, covering hundreds of square miles, is the rarest phenomenon of them all. It was spotted in the US on the Washington-Idaho border around midday last Saturday. Dr Jonathan Fox, of the US National Weather Service in Spokane, Washington, said: 'It was even more spectacular than the Northern Lights. I feel lucky to have seen it because it only forms in very rare situations. This is the first one I've ever seen. It was a breathtaking sight and it hung around for about an hour.' To create a rainbow of fire, clouds must be at least 20,000ft high and the ice crystals within them align horizontally instead of their usual vertical position. The sun also needs to be at least 58 degrees above the horizon. Then, the magic can begin.

Tagged!

Alan — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 21:03:02 GMT

~Tagged by: Isabeau ~Eight Facts/Things/Habits About Me: 1) At age 5, I shook hands with King Hussein of Jordan. 2) At age 17, I shook hands with Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India. 3) I play the guitar, trumpet, djembe, and fife. 4) I was invested as a Shambhala Warrior on June 11, 2006. 5) I became a pacifist the day a karate teacher broke my nose. 6) I have a weakness for chocolate. 7) I make my own wine. 8) I do my laundry at a gas station laundromat. ~Proposed 'Tagees': emptycloud A Truth Seeker milkyway Katranon spinningmonkey Gypsy Daze

Roots VI: Ship Named After 'Uncle Eddy'

Alan — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 21:09:33 GMT

The Edward L. Ryerson, is one of only two remaining straight-deck bulk carriers still part of the American fleet on the Great Lakes; the other being the John Sherwin (2). Both of these vessels are inactive and remain in long-term lay-up. Built as hull # 425 by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Inc. of Manitowoc, WI; the keel for this bulk carrier was laid April 20, 1959. At a snow covered shipyard on January 21, 1960; the new vessel was launched and christened Edward L. Ryerson for her owners, the Inland Steel Co. of Chicago, IL. The new steamer was the first of five American-flagged ships to be added to the "730-class" of lake boats in the early 1960's; the other four all being former Maritime Commission T2-type tankers converted for Great Lakes service (these being the Leon Falk Jr., Paul H. Carnahan, Pioneer Challenger, and the Walter A. Sterling). The Edward L. Ryerson became the third of thirteen 730' (222.5m) carriers to eventually share in the "Queen of the Lakes" title for being the longest ships on the Great Lakes. She was also the second American-flagged vessel to share this honor; the first being the Arthur B. Homer launched November 7, 1959. The "Queen of the Lakes" title was thusly shared until December 7, 1962 when the title was passed to the slightly larger Frankcliffe Hall. http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/ryerson.htm Great Lakes Fleet Page Vessel Feature -- Edward L. Ryerson By George Wharton The lake boat's namesake, Mr. Edward Larned Ryerson, was born in Chicago on December 3rd, 1886. He had been president of the steel service center Joseph T. Ryerson and Son, Inc. until 1935 when it was merged with Inland Steel. Mr. Ryerson was chairman of the board from 1940 until his retirement in 1953 of both Inland Steel and his original company. Mr. Ryerson died in Chicago on August 2nd, 1971. By all accounts, the Edward L. Ryerson would have to classified as the most aesthetically pleasing of all lake boats. From her gracefully flared bow and top of her pilot house to her large but streamlined stack to her rounded and tapered stern and her striking paint job, no expense or effort was spared during her construction to achieve this goal. Over $8 million was reported to have been spent on the accommodations alone. The Ryerson was considered a slightly larger version (basic design and construction) of her 1949-built fleetmate Wilfred Sykes. Regardless of the Ryerson's appearance however, the bulk carrier was built with one cargo in mind; that being iron ore. Her basically square boxed holds do not favor the carrying of such other bulk cargoes as coal, slag, or limestone due to the difficulty in unloading these cargoes. Any thoughts of conversion to a self-unloader would be even more difficult and expensive as her holds would have to be reconfigured with sloped sides to allow for the free movement of the cargo to the self-unloading conveyor(s). A sequence of "lasts" are a part of this beautiful straight-decker's history. The Ryerson was the last American-flagged new ship built on the Great Lakes until the launch of the Stewart J. Cort in 1972. She was the last U.S. laker to be built as a steamer, the last to be built without a self-unloader, the last lake boat to be constructed at the Manitowoc, WI shipyards, and the last and only to be built with such aesthetically pleasing lines. The Edward L. Ryerson is powered by a General Electric 9,900 s.h.p. cross-compound steam turbine engine (consisting of a high and low pressure turbine) with two heavy fuel-oil fired Combustion Engineering water tube boilers. The Ryerson is capable of speeds up to 19 m.p.h. earning her the nickname "Fast Eddie" as one of the fastest ships on the Great Lakes. Eighteen hatches service 4 holds where the bulk carrier is capable of carrying up to 27,500 tons (27,942 tonnes) at a mid-summer draft of 28'04 1/2" (8.65m). Dimensionally, the Ryerson could transit the Welland Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway where she could carry approximately 24,869 tons (25,269 tonnes) at the new Seaway draft of 26'06" (8.08m) implemented in 2004. The lake boat displaces 8,080 tons (8,210 tonnes) lightweight. A bow thruster was added in 1969. After completing her sea trials on August 3rd, 1960, the Ryerson sailed in ballast to Escanaba, MI where 23,213 tons (23,586 tonnes) of iron ore were loaded on board on August 4th for her maiden voyage to Indiana Harbor, IN. On August 28, 1962; the Ryerson set a new iron ore cargo record when 25,018 tons (25,420 tonnes) were loaded on board at Superior, WI bound for Indiana Harbor, IN. This record was broken in 1965. The Edward L. Ryerson has had no recordable incidents of any serious nature throughout her tenure on the Great Lakes. The Ryerson did, however, have difficulty before entering service when it was determined after her launch that the new bulk carrier was, in fact landlocked in the Manitowoc River. Fifty feet (15.24m) of Manitowoc's east dock had to excavated to allow the Ryerson to make the turn and pass through the railway bridge. A downturn in industry forced the lay-up of the Ryerson at Indiana Harbor through the 1986 and 1987 seasons. At that time, when the bulker returned to service in 1988, she was the only remaining American-flagged straight-decker employed exclusively in the iron ore trade. The Ryerson laid up again on January 24, 1994 in Sturgeon Bay, WI. She remained inactive through the 1994, 1995, and 1996 seasons as Inland Steel had chartered the surplus self-unloader Adam E. Cornelius from American Steamship Co. to carry the Ryerson's cargoes. During this time, the Edward L. Ryerson received a five-year survey (1996) and, with increased tonnage, returned to service on April 5, 1997. On December 12, 1998; the Ryerson again was placed into long-term lay-up at Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, WI. Also in 1998, her official name was changed to Str. Edward L. Ryerson. Following the purchase of Inland Steel by the Netherlands based Ispat International N.V. in 1998; the three vessels of the Inland Steel fleet were sold to a newly established U.S. firm Indiana Harbor Steamship Co. to comply with the Jones Act. A second new company, Central Marine Logistics of Highland, IN was created to manage the fleet. The other two fleetmates sold to the new company were the Joseph L. Block and the Wilfred Sykes. Following the sale, the “Inland Steel” name was removed from the sides of the hulls. Since then, the Ryerson was moved to Sturgeon Bay's east dock on December 7, 2000 and then back to Bay Shipbuilding on August 17, 2004. Her only other "activity" has been to open for public tours. The future of the Edward L. Ryerson is in much doubt. She has been maintained in immaculate condition throughout her lay-up and looks to be ready to sail at a moments notice. Rumors have come and gone concerning a possible conversion to a self-unloader. Despite her "readiness", it is doubtful the Edward L. Ryerson will ever sail again.

Roots V

Alan — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:38:38 GMT

"The Sinking of the Titanic" (1912) From CHAPTER VII, by Jay Henry Mowbray SURVIVORS' STIRRING STORIES. "Survivors' Stirring Stories — How Young Thayer Was Saved — His Father, Second Vice President of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Drowned — Mrs. Straus' Pathetic Death — Black Coward Shot — Countless Aids in Rowing Boat. Standing at the rail of the main deck of the ill-fated Titanic, Arthur Ryerson, of Gray's lane, Haverford, Pa., waved encouragement to his wife as the lifeboat in which she and her three children — John, Emily and Susan — had been placed with his assistance glided away from the doomed ship. A few minutes later, after the lifeboat with his loved ones had passed beyond the range of his vision, Mr. Ryerson met death in the icy water into which the crushed ship plunged. It is now known that Mr. Ryerson might have found a place in one of the first lifeboats to be lowered, but made no effort to leave the ship's deck after assuring himself that his wife and children would be saved. It was not until the Carpathia reached her dock that relatives who were on hand to meet the survivors of the Ryerson family knew that little "Jack" Ryerson was among the rescued. Day by day since the first tidings of the accident to the Titanic were published, "Jack" had been placed among the missing. Perhaps of all those who came up from the Carpathia with the impress of the tragedy upon them, the homecoming of Mrs. Ryerson was peculiarly sad. While motoring with J. Lewis Hoffman, of Radnor, Pa., on the Main Line, on Monday a week before, Arthur L. Ryerson, her son, was killed. His parents abandoned their plans for a summer pleasure trip through Europe and took passage on the first home-bound ship, which happened to be the Titanic, to attend the funeral of their son. And now upon one tragedy a second presses. Upon leaving the Carpathia Mrs. Ryerson, almost too exhausted and weak to tell of her experiences, was taken in a taxicab to the Hotel Belmont. With her were her son "Jack" and her two daughters, Miss Emily and Miss Susan Ryerson. The young women were hysterical with grief as they walked up from the dock, and the little lad who had witnessed such sights of horror and tragedy clung to his mother's hand, wide eyed and sorrowful. Mrs. Ryerson said that she and her husband were asleep in their staterooms, as were their children, when the terrible grating crash came and the ship foundered. The women threw kimonos over their night gowns and rushed barefooted to the deck. Master Ryerson's nurse caught up a few articles of the little boy's clothing and almost as soon as the party reached the deck they were numbered off into boats and lowered into the sea". http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/titnchx8.htm Arthur L. is another ancestor, whose fame is not so happy. He was given a cameo non-appearance in the recent movie-- it was his overcoat that character Jack Dawson stole from a first class deck chair so he could get nearer to Rose, and in whose pocket the Heart of the Ocean diamond was planted.

Roots IV

Alan — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 17:26:53 GMT

Richard Barrington Nevitt [1850-1928] escaped the brutality of the American Civil War, yet the horror of violent conflict was to pursue him all his life. Studying medicine in Toronto, Nevitt signed up as an assistant surgeon with the North West Mounted Police in 1847 on their great march to bring law to the western frontier. In the years that followed, he became one of the earliest and most prolific artists of the Canadian West and a keen documantarian of Native life. Decent and caring, Nevitt gained the trust of the Blackfoot Indians who turned to the Mounties for help when the buffalo started disappearing. He became their doctor. His paintings and letters home to his sweetheart, Elizabeth Beaty, constitute a unique record of the struggle to bring justice to a lawless land and medicine to a destitute people. When he returned to marry and raise a family of his own, Nevitt helped founded the Toronto Women's Hospital and became a leading proponent of women's medicine in Canada. He delivered thousands of babies in the years that followed, yet had the tragedy of seeing many of them killed in the First World War, including his own son. The often pointless tragedy of war and his haunting memories of The Great Lone Land stayed with him all his life. (www.whitepinepictures.com/seeds/iv/43/) Nevitt was my mother's maternal grandfather. His paintings and letters became intimately connected while he served at Fort MacLeod. The chronic shortage of paper meant that his watercolours had to be painted on the front of an unused envelope. His fame and the importance of his work is a no-brainer, being in the right place at the right time. I grew up with many of his paintings on the walls of my childhood home, and now they hang in the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta. In my mid 20s, while studying at the Ontario College of Art, I realized we share a few things in common... a middle name, working with Natives, the experience of being a male minority in an academic setting, and painting too... although my works have never seen the inside of a museum.

Behind Glass

Alan — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 05:34:06 GMT

A moderator for a particular tribe suggested that we post pieces of our artwork, so I obliged. I charcoaled "Green Man" after shifting careers from art to social sciences, with a view to studying art therapy. I did for a while, but art has receded from regular expression, in favour of music making. Then I happened on a very creative panhandler, who insisted on pennies only. He was given so many that he built an elaborate castle out of pennies right there on the sidewalk. I was sufficiently astounded that I went home and created this piece after 5 years of nothing beyond a doodle. So when I posted this, I took it off the wall, went outside and took its picture. I posted it on the tribe, and then rehung it. Minutes later, across the room, I heard a sound-- it was the picture falling off the wall, and the glass broke on my desk chair before I could catch it. Hanging now, without glass, the colours are deeper and it jumps out from the surface a lot more. It's as if the Green Man were saying, 'now there's nothing between you and me'. Then I recalled Edward Abbey writing about those 'infernal' car tourists, saying something to the effect of 'you can't experience Nature from behind your windshield (or your window for that matter!)...get out into the weather! Smell the wind, feel the rain, hear the wolf!' Followed by the kayaker's maxim that "there is no foul weather, just inappropriate clothing." And along came the thought about the substitute for real life so many of us are given by Hollywood and the local TV station...feature length ads for attitudes! And finally, inevitably, to this amazing virtual community within the monitor's glass that we have created here, even though many of us have never actually met... A triumph and a tragedy at one and the same time.

Heinrich Harrer

Alan — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 00:51:13 GMT

The Nazi mountaineer whose fate threw him into the path of the Dalai Lama is dead at 93. The movie "Seven Years in Tibet" starring Brad Pitt in his role glossed over his past as a Nazi SS officer, perhaps to be less controversial and to reach a wider audience. Instead the film painted him as an Austrian mountaineer indifferent to politics; other than that the movie was reasonably accurate to the book Heinrich wrote on his experiences. In life Heinrich renounced Nazism, and was transformed from an obnoxious arrogant egotist into a gentler humble soul by the innocent wisdom and curiosity of the much younger Dalai Lama. They remained friends until he died. A fine true-to-life story of how unconditional love can erode the staunchest of ideologies.