Bloggishness!!! [...mainly Friends Only]

enLight(e)ning Antimatters

AlaskaSteven — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:01:43 GMT

. Did you know some lightning flashes produce particles of antimatter? This is news to me. Apparently some lightning bolts generate positrons, which are electrons with a positive instead of negative charge to them. When the positive (antimatter) and negative (regular matter) electron particles meet one another they mutually annihilate such that a burst of gamma rays arise from the event. Signature of Antimatter Detected in Lightning http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/49288/title/Signature_of_antimatter_detected_in_lightning How interesting. Moves the whole matter-antimatter topic much closer to regular Earthly phenomena than off near the center of the galaxy or in the abstract space near black hole event horizons. Which, in turn, could matter (har, har) if it turns out the effect can eventually be produced at will; there would be implications for everything from food sterilization and preservation to weapons (gamma rays are potent) to--perhaps--energy supply. We indeed live in interesting times.

There's insane and then there's INSANE

AlaskaSteven — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:49:20 GMT

. One type of insane is the sad sort which resulted in a fellow afflicted by schizophrenia stabbing my friend Eric in the heart. Uncool, yet as an organic disease this malady does not seem to be quite as hideous as another sort of crazy about which I've recently been noticing more and more reports: willfully batshit-crazy insane behavior on the part of those who have no reasonable excuse for such. For example: "Body parts of albinos are sought in some regions of Tanzania and other African countries, where some believe they bring wealth and good luck. Attackers chop off limbs and pluck out organs, selling them to witch doctors. Killings have gone up in the east African nation, which has an estimated 200,000 albinos, according to the Tanzania Albino Center...'People believe that albino body parts mixed with traditional medicine can make people rich,' said Franck Alphonse, the center's director. 'It is a thriving business ... witch doctors are asking business people to bring the body parts of albinos, who are not considered human beings.'" http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/11/06/tanzania.albino.convictions/index.html Where does irrational belief cross the line into insanity? And where do many completely paradigm-bound religious zealots around the world fall in this continuum?

Sita Sings the Blues

AlaskaSteven — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:41:29 GMT

. Having missed being brained by a chunk of steel and whipping cables on the Bay Bridge (which snapped and collapsed into the exact lane I'd passed across only 35 minutes earlier) I made it through to SF just before the resulting emergency closure. So thankful to not have been stuck in the monster traffic jam which immediately piled up solid for miles and miles, spending hours working around the Bay to either the Golden Gate or San Mateo Bridge; it would have been midnight before reaching SF. Instead, I arrived in time to connect with a friend on staff at the temporary Headquarters of the Burning Man Organization and enjoy the tour there before going off to dinner with Eric's mom. What a kickass great job that would be- working with the Burning Man Organization, facilitating such a fun and rich fruition of artistic and musical synergy. On the flights back up to Alaska I was surprised and pleased by remarkably friendly treatment on both Horizon (from SFO to PDX) and on Alaska Air (from PDX to ANC). In recent years on flights--especially domestic flights--I usually feel like livestock being herded on and off an Aeroflot cattlecar; the glamorous days of PanAm are long gone. Even the dignified pampering of Thai and JAL airways has declined from its former glory. These flights, though, were actually pleasant. There was a complimentary glass of merlot (which may have assisted to influence perceptions favorably) and a tasty chocolate, but the sincere friendliness of the staff was the biggest change from the last couple of rather surly years. It was also a big treat to find a delightful film available on the digiplayer: Sita Sings the Blues. The music and animation in this film are excellent. Sita Sings the Blues is available free online for viewing and download but in sincere support of the artists I went ahead and bought the DVD, soundtrack download, and a couple of prints. Good stuff, this, and they raise some solid points about copyrights too. Watch it: http://www.sitasingstheblues.com/watch.html Original music available for download: http://www.toddmichaelsen.com/index.cfm Enjoy!

Eric's Memorial Service

AlaskaSteven — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:06:33 GMT

. Today in San Francisco a huge turnout of hundreds attended Eric's memorial service; it overflowed the mortuary. The memorial was not a religious service, nor was it a "celebration of life" per se but rather a somewhat somber commemoration. After the formal setting and heartfelt addresses given at the funeral home many of the family and friends gathered at Eric's old high school nearby, which had kindly opened the cafeteria for a gathering with food, his favorite music playing, and his favorite brew: St. Pauli Girl beer. It was good to reconnect with folks. I made sure his wife, daughter, and mom know we are sincere in wanting them to come spend time with us in Hawaii at our place whenever they want a break. A vacation on the Big Island every now and then should assist to ease things a bit, I hope, from time to time. Moreover, if Eric's daughter wants to attend the University of Hawaii Hilo when she reaches that age then we'll make sure she can do so. Last night Eric's mom called and told me the police caught the guy who murdered him. SFPD told her it was 100% sure that they had the fellow. They must have compelling evidence to make such a strong assertion. It still all sucks, but at least this is now confirmed as a random act of an insane person rather than some vile gang-initiation or somesuch. Here is an article which came out today with the details: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/23/BAG21A9TD1.DTL Eric sure did make a difference for the better in so many people's lives. He will be missed.

Hero

AlaskaSteven — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:08:55 GMT

Several years ago I heard him speak at the annual gathering (at Asilomar, every year) of the United Centers for Spiritual Living. Bishop Spong has only grown stronger as he has grown older. Admirable. http://walkingwithintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/10/manifesto-from-our-friend-bishop-john.html

In Shock

AlaskaSteven — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:21:02 GMT

. Rarely have I felt this taken by surprise and rattled. Upset. Saddened. The family of my old best friend from college days just sent word that he was murdered in an apparently random act of violence. Here are the details: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/13/BADJ1A52I7.DTL Dismaying! Whoever would harm Eric, kind and inoffensive as he was? The guy who committed this craven and cowardly act must have been mentally ill or mistook Eric for someone else, or both. This is just awful and I am filled with grief and outrage. Eric was a total prince. Eric's mom says there will be a memorial service on Saturday the 24th. Just so this awful news is doubly-fucked, on Saturday the 24th I am scheduled to be en route somewhere in Canada between Alaska and Oregon driving my sister-in-law (sort of, if my partner and I were not prohibited from marriage then she'd be my sister-in-law) down the AlCan Highway in a truck filled with her dogs and cat. I want to drop everything and fly down to SF to be there for the family--especially for his mom, wife, and little kiddo--but promised my sister-in-law I'd drive with her down the AlCan (for safety, since it is getting into winter now) and she is depending on me for this. Crap. Double crap. How do you figure out what to do in such a situation, especially when you are so in shock that your brain is not working?

Taking Woodstock, in Anchorage

AlaskaSteven — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:16:15 GMT

. At 5:30pm this coming Wednesday, 21OCT, my better half and I will be enjoying Taking Woodstock at the Beartooth cinema. Anyone who cares to join us in this pleasant experience is welcome to do so. If you are not nearby Anchorage, then here is a site which will at least allow you to transform a photo into a psychedelic Woodstockian icon; at http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/taking_woodstock/ click on "Psychedelic Self" at mid-screen just right of center. Be there or be square!

What was your first LP?

AlaskaSteven — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:57:31 GMT

. Do you remember? A friend asked about first 45s and so started me remembering. The 45s I had available to me were all Disney film tunes and generally of little interest; in consequence the phonograph was rarely used. This all changed, though, when I was in 4th or 5th grade and my aunt gave me a gift of several LPs. My life was never the same afterward. This 1966 recording of The Mamas and the Papas started me on the road to enthusiastic musical appreciation ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7KrlDZ5Hkw ). Such a huge difference a certain specific gift at a particular moment can make in a child's life. Oddly, rather than more of the same style and sound the second and third LPs to sweep me away (both acquired at random, by blind chance, bought without knowing what I was buying at yard sales) were the "Breakfast at Tiffanys" soundtrack by Henry Mancini ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP39TuOy4RI ) and an LP of Strauss waltzes ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU4MLo2JZFc&feature=related ). What was your first LP (...or, at least, the first one worth mentioning), do you recall?

Über-Something (...Awful? Good? Both at once?)

AlaskaSteven — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:16:57 GMT

. Skinny yet somehow virile lads striding about jutting mountains mit their big sticks in hand und being über-Teutonic (...in English, oddly). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbB1s7TZUQk Ist this parody or sincerely heartfelt? I'd guess parody except here in Alaska some True Believers have demonstrated to me proof positive that nothing is too over the top for those who have absolute blindly-naive faith in der Führer, er, in Sarah™ Palin™.

Nirvana vs Rick Astley

AlaskaSteven — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:52:49 GMT

. When is the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts? Here is a good example- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN75im_us4k The counterpoint of the two very different styles against each other is intriguing, their blend much more interesting (imho) than either aspect alone by itself.

Liquid Sin or Divine Cordial?

AlaskaSteven — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:19:01 GMT

On a recent visit to the Canadian Yukon a smooth concoction of cinnamon was brought to my attention which indeed did prove wondrous. http://fireballwhisky.com/ This remarkably flavorful rocketfuel was originally called "Dr. McGillicuddy's Canadian Cinnamon Whiskey" but underwent a radical label and name redesign about a month ago and has just re-emerged in its new manifestation being marketed not as a respectable Canadian health tonic but as Satan's own favorite formulation for sin in liquid form. (Interesting website design, too, with several good songs embedded on the different pages.) Doubtless, sin sells much better than health tonic even though it is the exact same stuff as before the marketing make-over. Of course, liquid sin is only a health tonic if consumed while not pregnant, in moderation, and not before driving. Is this amazing stuff available in Hawaii, does anyone know? If not, then I'll need to bring some with me next month. Yes, the house in Anchorage has sold (and to good progressive folks, thankfully enough) so after the waltz of closing paperwork concludes my better half and I will be moving the flag from Alaska to the Big Island of Hawaii sometime in mid-November.

Musical Suggestions?

AlaskaSteven — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:34:54 GMT

. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is finding the perfect musical soundtrack to accompanying this videoclip of Tinky Winky hard at doing the work of Satan (...and such a fine job of it he is doing, too). http://imgur.com/E0LB9 Thanks to Karen in CA, who sent this link with a note saying it "tickled" her. I have heard it said the perfect song already exists for every occasion. Which song would best fit or most hilariously compliment this immortal videoclip, I wonder. Suggestions?

Oldest Human Fossil

AlaskaSteven — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:00:43 GMT

. No, not Dick Cheney (he is not actually human). Her nickname is "Ardi." http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/10/01/oldest.human.skeleton/index.html?eref=rss_topstories Of course the world is only a few thousand years old so she and her kind must have all perished in the planet-consuming flood which floated Noah's boat, these fossil remains serving to test our faith.

Hilarious YouTube Nature Minidocumentary

AlaskaSteven — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:07:32 GMT

Remember nature filmstrips and 16mm films in class way back when? "The Woodspider" is a worthy tribute.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HipedgM3I&feature=related Funny because much of it rings true. BTW, the image came from a nifty nature photo gallery with beautiful pictures at http://www.aralam.org/html/photogallery.htm

How to record only the sound portion of a YouTube video?

AlaskaSteven — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:51:19 GMT

A question for computer geek friends: how does one record only the sound portion of a YouTube video? I'd buy the song from iTunes or purchase a CD but am not finding this particular song I like available for purchase. It is, however, available as the soundtrack of a YouTube video. There is probably some combination of buttons I can hold down together on my iMac and it will do exactly this, but if so I am too ignorant in the wiles of computers to know it. Here, by the way, is the song I'd like to capture digitally so as to have it on an iPod or in the truck: Zucchero featuring Jenny Bae with "Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ytTTxBWM0

Vienna Teng is a Goddess!

AlaskaSteven — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:53:07 GMT

On the return trip last weekend from visiting friends in Canada's Yukon Territory we heard one song by Vienna Teng aired by NPR on the radio. This one song, a comedy piece, was musically compelling enough that a couple days ago when I saw an email note from the Anchorage Concert Association saying Vienna Teng and Alex Wong would be playing at the Performing Arts Center this evening, we decided to attend. Such a good choice this was! Vienna Teng is a goddess on piano and has both a genuinely divine voice and a rare gift for writing songs with moving (indeed, soul-searing) lyrics. Some of her songs were sad, some funny, some dignified, some were hand-clapping sing-along fun -but all were great. How many times do you listen to an album and there are only one or two good songs with the rest being mere "filler"? No filler with this gal. Her conversation with the audience between songs is excellent as well. And the remarkable Alex Wong is amazing, too. How many different instruments can one young fellow play, skillfully, all at the same time? Does not hurt that he is easy on the eyes, too. They received standing ovations which went on and on, and so came back out on stage twice to perform a total of four additional encore songs after the show was officially over. Very generous. I was moved to tears by both her songs "Blue Caravan" and "Soon, Love, Soon" -here are the lyrics and a YouTube clip for the second (available on her CD "Waking Hour" or via download from iTunes). Such a beautiful voice! From here on out, if I am within several hundred miles of a Vienna Teng performance then whatever else may be on the schedule is being postponed in order to attend her concert instead. "Soon Love Soon" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8-mIouMbqM Soon, love, soon Soon, love, soon Soon, love, soon There'll be a fire burning in the temple of our peace (Soon love soon) There'll be the soaring voice for a silent plea (Soon love soon) We will hold a broken circle and begin to pray (Soon love soon) We will find a black and white in the grey And we will be as one god And we will be as one people And we will be as one god And we will be as one people (Soon love soon) We will find illumination in unnatural light (Soon love soon) You will travel a thousand miles without leaving my sight (Soon love soon) We will find we never knew hatred ran so deep (Soon love soon) Such a wide, wide chasm of faith to leap But we will be as one god And we will be as one people And we will be as one god And we will be as one people Yes we will be as one god And we will be as one people (Soon love soon) There'll be an evolution of the human soul (Soon love soon) We will know that to be a part is to be truly whole (Soon love soon) We will know the pattern of centuries' rise and fall (Soon love soon) We will know that the fate of one is the fate of all And we will be as one god And we will be as one people

Ever wonder what 31,406 lbs of stuff looks like?

AlaskaSteven — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:51:13 GMT

If so, then wonder no further. This is an end-on view of the reason I was not at Burning Man this year. Or, at least, a big part of the reason. Loading this 20-foot shipping container for transport from Alaska to Hawaii was a task (in every sense of the word). Books (about half the container), the rock collection, scientific equipment, files and papers galore, parrot cages, tools, and all sorts of other heavy "stuff." It adds up. Of the many lessons I have learned in this incarnation, one of them is clearly _not_ how to travel lightly.

Midnight Sun & Milky Way at Noon

AlaskaSteven — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:19:08 GMT

Yes, in reply to a good question posed in the comments of my last blog post, the sun _is_ up 24 hours a day on the summer solstice from the Arctic Circle northward. During the month preceding and the month following June 21st the disk of the sun itself may not be actually visible in the sky at points increasingly southward of the Arctic Circle but even as far south as Anchorage there is plenty of sunlight available for humongous cabbages, pumpkins, and suchlike to grow around the clock. The details of these celestial mechanics are summarized here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Circle Most folks in Alaska --particularly in Fairbanks and points north of there-- have thick curtains which can be drawn at "night" to darken the bedroom enough to actually feel like "night." Awhile back at the university in Fairbanks a couple of Elderhostel program gals there on a summer tour of Alaska rushed outside of the dorm in PJs in a panic at 11:30pm and asked a friend of mine passing by if it was 11:30 at night or in the morning. The 'ol gals were alarmed because they had fallen asleep earlier but awakened to sunlight and thought they had overslept and missed their tour bus pulling out at 11:00am The flipside of all this glorious midnight summer sunlight is months of darkness during winter. On the winter solstice it is possible to stargaze and watch the aurora borealis at noon, north of the Arctic Circle and at points near there.

The Best of Alaska

AlaskaSteven — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:48:46 GMT

As requested, I have posted photos of the absolutely fabulous new world record cabbage (127 lbs) and this year's prize pumpkin (594 lbs) plus assorted other oddments in my photo gallery, taken on our family visit to the Alaska State Fair last weekend. Our darl'in daughter is featured along with the rest of the Best of Alaska, and rightly so. The lads are out of state at the moment (striking mighty blows for art at Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert and for pediatric oncology at Sloan-Kettering in NYC) so, alas, they are not pictured along with the mighty vegetables. Alaska's prodigious produce is due in large part to the fact that Fairbanks receives the same amount of solar radiation (daylight) as Atlanta, Georgia, the difference being Fairbanks receives it nonstop 24 hours a day for a couple of months (the "midnight sun," ya'know). As long as a plant can tolerate a relatively cool temperature, it can do well during an Alaska summer. Cabbages, pumpkins, potatoes, broccoli and suchlike do quite well. If an industrious aggie takes the extra effort to harvest oodles of salmon from the streams (even the spawned-out ghost fish will do) and boils up 55 gallon drums of fish mush to pour on the garden soils, then in such enriched and sun-kissed circumstances blessed with plenty of water the pumpkins literally need to be grown atop wooden pallets so a forklift can later move them to the fair. Seriously. Check out the photos in my gallery if you want to see what a 127 lb cabbage and a 594 lb pumpkin look like. Enjoy!

She got the drop on us!

AlaskaSteven — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:57:06 GMT

The Desperado turned the tables and forced us'n lawmens into her harlot fripperies. We make some sorry look'in Ladies 'o the Evening, but Herself had a good laugh as she galloped off into the sunset. (So did the crowd which had gathered at the photo booth; a good time was had by all).

Desperado at large: consider armed...

AlaskaSteven — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:04:42 GMT

...and legged, too. Us'n lawmen had her in custody at the Alaska State Fair this weekend, but she has done given us the slip and escaped. We enjoyed a pleasant visit to the fair. Seeing Alaska's ginormous mutant cabbages (a new world record cabbage this year at 127 lbs) and huge space alien pumpkins was entertaining, as usual. Good luck was with us and we arrived at the BBQ'd turkey leg stand just as a batch was coming out of the smoker; tender, moist, and extraordinarily delicious.

09/09/09 = International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day

AlaskaSteven — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:30:19 GMT

This morning I am headed to the Anchorage library for the televised ceremony with a proclamation from Alaska's governor (no, not the notorious ex-governor, the actual governor) being read and so on. There are all sorts of activities and events around the state today drawing attention to this critically important issue. Canadian research has found the majority of prisoners have detectable fetal alcohol spectrum disorder brain damages; I am sure the same is true in the USA. Here is a site with great resource links on all this: http://www.acfasd.net/ Effectively addressing FASD in society is not simple because of the interwoven issues of alcohol, sex, parenting and so on --all complicated by issues of education, poverty, shame, access to quality care, and other factors-- yet we neglect FASD at huge cost. A dime spent on effective prevention pays back thousands over the years in savings and revenues -and that is just the economic aspect! How can a price tag be put on a child's capacity to thrive, learn, and bloom ...or the stunting thereof? Like the bumper sticker on my truck says, Pregnancy + Alcohol = Brain Damage.

Burning Man 2009 ...and a 20' Shipping Container.

AlaskaSteven — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:06:35 GMT

[Photo credit: "Good Morning Man" by John Curley] Thanks largely to loading a shipping container this week with our heaviest stuff to go by sea from Anchorage to Hilo, the SO and I are not on the playa at Burning Man in the flesh--as per usual--this year. Alas! Yet, our beloved young Stranger is there representing the clan and making us all proud; he was Mark's right-hand man in building the evolved Cubatron, again, this year so actually arrived in Black Rock City last Saturday with an Early Entry artist's pass through the gates. From the photos and videoclips which have been trickling out of the Black Rock Desert it looks to me like he must be enjoying the best burn ever. Glorious weather, intriguing art, and... well, it is not even remotely like being there participating in person but thanks to the interwebtubes you can listen a snippet and see some glimpses for yourself: Burning Man 209 Slideshow on Flicker http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=burningman2009&m=tags&ct=6&ss=2&s=int Laughing Squid Access Portal http://laughingsquid.com/how-to-experience-burning-man-2009-remotely/ BORG Blog http://blog.burningman.com/ Live(?) Video Streaming from Black Rock http://www.ustream.tv/channel/burningman-live Live (audio only) Broadcast from BMIR Radio in BRC http://www.bmir.org/ Live Video Feed from BRC (...if you can get it to work; I could not) http://irc.freenode.net/burningman Google the keyword "Cubatron" to see that amazing art. I am so glad we participated in person at Holos, the Alaska Regional Burning Man event, in June! http://holosfestival.com/

Hilarious Reactions

AlaskaSteven — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:32:37 GMT

Do click up to the full-size version* of this immortal vacation snapshot and check out the facial expression and posture of the guy atop Mr. Elephant as contrasted with the facial expression and body language of the gal on Ms. Elephant. How funny! By all means, while in SE Asia do go for an elephant ride through a nature preserve to observe the scenic wildlife, up close and personal. Fun for the whole family. *(...accomplished by clicking on the photo and then, in the new window which appears, clicking on the bottom-right corner and dragging down and to the right so as to expand the image to full size).

650 million years of plate tectonics

AlaskaSteven — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:33:12 GMT

Nifty animation: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2009-08/12/total-perspective-vortex-getting-a-sense-of-proportion.aspx So, _that's_ how Alaska's gold got in them thar hills! ....Though, actually, to see the original birth of the gold this animation would need to start at least seven or eight billion years earlier so we could see the collapse of the massive star(s) and subsequent explosion(s) in which Earth's stash of gold was formed. Interesting, seeing what is to come over the next 200 million years or so. If I recall correctly this planet has about 3 billion years left before Sol depletes its fuel, slowly expands as a red giant star, and envelopes Earth (...given a wandering neutron star --that which generates a black hole-- does not drift through before then and disrupt the plodding pace of events as per usual).