Blog number 347 **** 23 November 2009
I found a place where one could "fly" using giant air fans to keep you in the air. The movies I saw of it made it look like one could fly fifty feet into the air. Kinda scary. Excitement scary. Great! I was so excited about going. My favorite dreams are about flying, so I had visions of having that same feeling of flying while awake. Fifty feet in the air, doing summersaults, Yay!
This morning we took a trip over to see what it was like. In the distance we could see this large white "building" which consisted of a building and shooting into the air, four white funnel-like things. We headed there.There were a lot of mobile homes, several large buildings, since they also hosted sky diving events - a drinking establishment called, "The Bent Prop," young men and women walking around shirtless (except for the females), some wearing sky diving clothes. Lots of activity, lots of people. On a weekday yet.
We stopped at a building that had signs advertising free-fall sky diving and asked directions to the indoor flying. We were shown the road to take and were told to watch out for sky divers coming down. On the road driving there, we saw a sign that said, "Watch out for canopy traffic." I told my wife, "Look at that sign." She responded, "What's canopy traffic?"
I looked up, and sure enough, it was raining men. Since we weren't in a convertible and therefore wouldn't be able to see those coming down on top of us, I thought it would probably be better if canopy traffic watched out for us.
Maybe not.
We got to the right building. I walked up the stairs, my wife walked up the ramp. Somebody was smoking in that clear desert air. It did not compute. Without thinking about it, I never expected smokers. Why, I dunno. I didn't really expect young people, although I should have, and once I would think of young people, I would have thought, "Uh oh. There's gonna be smokers."
That was the first unpleasant incident. Actually, the sight of all those bare chested youngsters reminded me of spring break at Lake Havasu that I watch on the telly. That was really the first unpleasantness I felt. People that age are nuts, especially around alcohol and mixed sexes. The Bent Prop carried new significance for me.
So we get to where the blowing fans keep the flyers in the air. I watched a "flyer" in a glass enclosed room with a trainer, lying on his back, held up by the air from the fans to a grand height of three and four feet. I asked a woman how high one could go. She said not above the glass enclosure - a height of about eight feet. It was impossible to go higher than about fifteen feet - the top of the room. Not scary at all. Not exciting at all. Boooooooring!
"What a crock," I thought.
We left.
We won't be back.
Phooey.
Phooey.
Bleh.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
FATHER, SUN, HOLY GHOST
Blog number 346 **** 20 November 2009
Now this is strange.
Most of us know of the yoga position, "Salute to the sun" that is given at sunrise, and also of the many different ancient religions that worshipped the sun as a god.
In the book, "The Old Way," Elizabeth Thomas writes, "flocks of ducks, geese and other water birds who swam there would wait for the last red flare of the sun to vanish below the horizon, and at exactly that moment they would all fly off as if at a gunshot, all together, in a rush of wings. On cloudy days, when the sun could not be seen, they flew off more or less as dusk gathered, one flock at a time.
Equally impressive were two captive wolves whom I met years later in the United states who would crowd together at a window and wait for the sun to rise, and as soon as its first bright ray came into view, they would howl together, each voice singing a different part in a breathtaking song that set on end the hair of all who heard it. But, like the birds, if the wolves didn't actually see the sun, they took no special action. On cloudy mornings, they paced around below the window without howling. They did this every morning until [their deaths].
As a third example of an animal responding to the sun, I offer an observation of a lion in Etosha Park in Namibia whom I watched one evening. When we first saw the lion he was all alone on an open plain near a natural spring, lying propped on his elbows with his head raised, apparently watching the sun set. At least he was facing the sun, which was sinking toward the horizon. He seemed patient but alert, as if he were waiting for something. As the sun touched the horizon, he began to roar. He continued to roar as the sun sank out of sight, and fell silent the moment it vanished. His mission seemingly accomplished, he then stood up, turned his rump to the gorgeous western sky, and slowly walked east across the plain."
Early one morning just before sunrise by a lake in Denver Colorado, I witnessed tens of thousands of bullhead fish suddenly churn the whole surface of a placid lake. Just as suddenly it stopped. Then it happened again. And again stopped. This continued every few seconds - six or seven more times, until the sun's rays hit the lake, then it stopped, never to be resumed - at least in my presence. I have never seen this before or since. (ed. note)
When I am ruminating on the magic which surrounds us, I sometimes imagine the sun being the physical manifestation of God, and that "fact" accounts for the reverence shown the sun by so many creatures. The sun does give life to all creatures, yes?
Elizabeth's story of the wolves reminds me of something I read in a book about General Grant of civil war fame. This one soldier is telling a story of traveling with Grant (now here, I am not sure of my footing. It might not have been General Grant, but rather some other fellow soldier) anyhow, they heard wolves howling. The other soldier (Grant?) asked if the story teller knew how many wolves were howling. The story teller knew the other soldier came from Indiana (I think) where there were wolves. He also had heard that wolves howling always sounded like many more wolves than were actually there. He thought it sounded like twenty or thirty wolves, So he said, "ten."When they came around a bend, they saw two wolves standing in the road - evidently the only two howlers.
Now this is strange.
Most of us know of the yoga position, "Salute to the sun" that is given at sunrise, and also of the many different ancient religions that worshipped the sun as a god.
In the book, "The Old Way," Elizabeth Thomas writes, "flocks of ducks, geese and other water birds who swam there would wait for the last red flare of the sun to vanish below the horizon, and at exactly that moment they would all fly off as if at a gunshot, all together, in a rush of wings. On cloudy days, when the sun could not be seen, they flew off more or less as dusk gathered, one flock at a time.
Equally impressive were two captive wolves whom I met years later in the United states who would crowd together at a window and wait for the sun to rise, and as soon as its first bright ray came into view, they would howl together, each voice singing a different part in a breathtaking song that set on end the hair of all who heard it. But, like the birds, if the wolves didn't actually see the sun, they took no special action. On cloudy mornings, they paced around below the window without howling. They did this every morning until [their deaths].
As a third example of an animal responding to the sun, I offer an observation of a lion in Etosha Park in Namibia whom I watched one evening. When we first saw the lion he was all alone on an open plain near a natural spring, lying propped on his elbows with his head raised, apparently watching the sun set. At least he was facing the sun, which was sinking toward the horizon. He seemed patient but alert, as if he were waiting for something. As the sun touched the horizon, he began to roar. He continued to roar as the sun sank out of sight, and fell silent the moment it vanished. His mission seemingly accomplished, he then stood up, turned his rump to the gorgeous western sky, and slowly walked east across the plain."
Early one morning just before sunrise by a lake in Denver Colorado, I witnessed tens of thousands of bullhead fish suddenly churn the whole surface of a placid lake. Just as suddenly it stopped. Then it happened again. And again stopped. This continued every few seconds - six or seven more times, until the sun's rays hit the lake, then it stopped, never to be resumed - at least in my presence. I have never seen this before or since. (ed. note)
When I am ruminating on the magic which surrounds us, I sometimes imagine the sun being the physical manifestation of God, and that "fact" accounts for the reverence shown the sun by so many creatures. The sun does give life to all creatures, yes?
Elizabeth's story of the wolves reminds me of something I read in a book about General Grant of civil war fame. This one soldier is telling a story of traveling with Grant (now here, I am not sure of my footing. It might not have been General Grant, but rather some other fellow soldier) anyhow, they heard wolves howling. The other soldier (Grant?) asked if the story teller knew how many wolves were howling. The story teller knew the other soldier came from Indiana (I think) where there were wolves. He also had heard that wolves howling always sounded like many more wolves than were actually there. He thought it sounded like twenty or thirty wolves, So he said, "ten."When they came around a bend, they saw two wolves standing in the road - evidently the only two howlers.
CHICKEN LITTLE MY ASS
Blog number 345 **** 20 November 2009
Two days ago I saw on a newscast that a big ball of ice fell from the sky and tore up the roof of a house. The ball was about eight inches in diameter. One explanation was that it must have come from an airplane. I didn't buy that for a minute.
Teresa read this Blog entry and says that the ball of ice was eight to twelve inches in diameter. I thought that myself, but I like to err on the side of conservatism. My wife doesn't. So now we have two interpretations of a news event.
Two days ago I saw on a newscast that a big ball of ice fell from the sky and tore up the roof of a house. The ball was about eight inches in diameter. One explanation was that it must have come from an airplane. I didn't buy that for a minute.
Teresa read this Blog entry and says that the ball of ice was eight to twelve inches in diameter. I thought that myself, but I like to err on the side of conservatism. My wife doesn't. So now we have two interpretations of a news event.
I really love that girl.
Then today I'm reading in my book Stranger Than Science, of chunks of ice falling upon cars in a car lot, "... I looked up and I could see the sun shining on big pieces coming from 2000 feet up... I looked for a plane, but there weren't any."
The meteorologists promptly dismissed the whole thing as chunks of ice from a plane; but their explanation is dismissed as worthless by aviation authorities who point out that it is impossible for ice in such massive chunks to form on any plane.
"We have hardly scratched the surface of the astounding list of things that have fallen from the skies... Unable to explain them, science does the next best thing... it ignores them."
Thursday, November 19, 2009
BAH! HUMBUG!
Blog number 344 **** 19 November 2009
Just got back from the movies. Mom drug me to see "A Christmas Carol." I really didn't want to see it, having seen many different renditions of it. I know the story - it never changes. I thought it would be a waste of time, but in order to please my lovely, I consented to go see it.
It was magnificent. The artwork was unbelievable. Terrific. Outstanding. The story had just the right amount of new touches, making it a much more interesting story. The comedic touches fit right in, none of them were forced. Scary parts were scary. Damn good movie.
I was very pleasantly surprised
Just got back from the movies. Mom drug me to see "A Christmas Carol." I really didn't want to see it, having seen many different renditions of it. I know the story - it never changes. I thought it would be a waste of time, but in order to please my lovely, I consented to go see it.
It was magnificent. The artwork was unbelievable. Terrific. Outstanding. The story had just the right amount of new touches, making it a much more interesting story. The comedic touches fit right in, none of them were forced. Scary parts were scary. Damn good movie.
I was very pleasantly surprised
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, DAMMIT!
Blog number 343 **** 18 November 2009
One of my favorite TV shows that I look forward to every week is, "Curb Your Enthusiasm." This is not a show for everyone. You have to acquire a taste for it and many people never do acquire that taste. Kinda like anchovies on pizza, I guess.
The reason I am entering this entry on my Blog will become clear later on, but first I have to report a puzzling aspect of last Sunday's episode.
Larry David - the star of the show and one of the creators of the Seinfeld show, along with Jerry Seinfeld, is producing a "return" episode of the Seinfeld show. During the rehearsal, a friend of Larry's comes to watch and tells a very long, not at all funny to me, obscene joke which the character Jerry finds extremely funny.
The puzzling aspect of this scene is that all writers agree that only something that furthers the plot or illuminates a character's character, or furthers some other explanation is written into a story. You don't put anything in that you, the writer, wish to perpetuate - such as a moral or political code. Or soft porn, which is very commonly put into stories for reasons known only by the producers.
You don't use the story to tell anything except the story. So what was this joke so long, so unfunny, so obscene, doing in here? The character telling the joke is a minor character, appearing every forth or fifth episode, and only for a short time. Why did Jerry's character find it so funny? Did Larry David find the joke funny and wanted it in the show for the humor?
Couldn't a shorter, funnier, not obscene joke be found - like the one about the Priest, the Rabbi and the whale going into a bar?
So that's the puzzling aspect. Now, to me, the interesting aspect of that show was that Kramer is worried because his doctor told him that he had Groats' disease, from which people usually die. I Googled Groats' disease and first it says that it is not a disease, it is a symptom, and not only that, it is not a real symptom, but rather one that is imaginary, created on the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" show.
The symptom is akin to drinking five cups of coffee.
One of my favorite TV shows that I look forward to every week is, "Curb Your Enthusiasm." This is not a show for everyone. You have to acquire a taste for it and many people never do acquire that taste. Kinda like anchovies on pizza, I guess.
The reason I am entering this entry on my Blog will become clear later on, but first I have to report a puzzling aspect of last Sunday's episode.
Larry David - the star of the show and one of the creators of the Seinfeld show, along with Jerry Seinfeld, is producing a "return" episode of the Seinfeld show. During the rehearsal, a friend of Larry's comes to watch and tells a very long, not at all funny to me, obscene joke which the character Jerry finds extremely funny.
The puzzling aspect of this scene is that all writers agree that only something that furthers the plot or illuminates a character's character, or furthers some other explanation is written into a story. You don't put anything in that you, the writer, wish to perpetuate - such as a moral or political code. Or soft porn, which is very commonly put into stories for reasons known only by the producers.
You don't use the story to tell anything except the story. So what was this joke so long, so unfunny, so obscene, doing in here? The character telling the joke is a minor character, appearing every forth or fifth episode, and only for a short time. Why did Jerry's character find it so funny? Did Larry David find the joke funny and wanted it in the show for the humor?
Couldn't a shorter, funnier, not obscene joke be found - like the one about the Priest, the Rabbi and the whale going into a bar?
So that's the puzzling aspect. Now, to me, the interesting aspect of that show was that Kramer is worried because his doctor told him that he had Groats' disease, from which people usually die. I Googled Groats' disease and first it says that it is not a disease, it is a symptom, and not only that, it is not a real symptom, but rather one that is imaginary, created on the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" show.
The symptom is akin to drinking five cups of coffee.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
Blog number 342 **** 17 November 2009
Three days ago I was waiting in the middle of the road waiting to make a left turn - exactly like it says to do in the driver's manual, and when the oncoming traffic slowed because the light turned yellow, ready to turn red, I started to make my left turn. But then I noticed the first oncoming car was speeding up, so I stopped, and as he drew next to me, he slowed way down. I didn't look at the driver, but I am sure he slowed down in order to glare at me for trying to cut in front of him. He ran through a red light in order to do this.
Later that day I legally parked in a handicap parking at Fry's at the same time this car pulled up in front of me and the driver got out and said, "You didn't pull in far enough. Someone's going to hit the back of your car." I thought he was talking to someone else because I had pulled in far enough. He said it again, so I said, "What?" - checking to see if it was me that he was talking to. He told me that again, so I looked at the back of my car, saw that it was pulled in far enough, but in order not to piss the guy off, I said, "Thanks," got in, started the car up, pulled up about two feet, stopped the engine, got out and started to go into the store. Then I noticed that where the guy had parked, which I had assumed was a parking spot and he was indeed trying to be helpful, was NOT a parking place.
Let's see now. This guy pulled into a non-parking place in front of a handicap parking spot, got out of his car in order to accost me to tell me I should pull further in. I thought, "What the hell?"
Now that's two "funny" drivers, so all that day and the next two, I kept looking for my "third" funny driver because those things usually happen in threes. I gave up looking today.
Funny thing, though - and this may well be that thirdie I was looking for. There is a chance that both cars and both drivers are the same car and driver. Same color cars, same "big" cars, same aggressive "I'm entitled" attitude.
The parking guy, I think what he was doing was expecting to cut through the parking lot until I pulled in front of him and stopped that. Why he got out of the car and gave me that strange warning, I have no idea. Dork.
Three days ago I was waiting in the middle of the road waiting to make a left turn - exactly like it says to do in the driver's manual, and when the oncoming traffic slowed because the light turned yellow, ready to turn red, I started to make my left turn. But then I noticed the first oncoming car was speeding up, so I stopped, and as he drew next to me, he slowed way down. I didn't look at the driver, but I am sure he slowed down in order to glare at me for trying to cut in front of him. He ran through a red light in order to do this.
Later that day I legally parked in a handicap parking at Fry's at the same time this car pulled up in front of me and the driver got out and said, "You didn't pull in far enough. Someone's going to hit the back of your car." I thought he was talking to someone else because I had pulled in far enough. He said it again, so I said, "What?" - checking to see if it was me that he was talking to. He told me that again, so I looked at the back of my car, saw that it was pulled in far enough, but in order not to piss the guy off, I said, "Thanks," got in, started the car up, pulled up about two feet, stopped the engine, got out and started to go into the store. Then I noticed that where the guy had parked, which I had assumed was a parking spot and he was indeed trying to be helpful, was NOT a parking place.
Let's see now. This guy pulled into a non-parking place in front of a handicap parking spot, got out of his car in order to accost me to tell me I should pull further in. I thought, "What the hell?"
Now that's two "funny" drivers, so all that day and the next two, I kept looking for my "third" funny driver because those things usually happen in threes. I gave up looking today.
Funny thing, though - and this may well be that thirdie I was looking for. There is a chance that both cars and both drivers are the same car and driver. Same color cars, same "big" cars, same aggressive "I'm entitled" attitude.
The parking guy, I think what he was doing was expecting to cut through the parking lot until I pulled in front of him and stopped that. Why he got out of the car and gave me that strange warning, I have no idea. Dork.
Monday, November 16, 2009
LET'S GET REASONABLE
Blog number 341 **** 16 November 2009
I came across a statement that always kinda bothers me, in this book of oddities that I am currently reading. It goes, "Science has learned a great deal about the mind in the past three decades thanks to new instruments and new techniques; but, reduced to its fundamentals, it becomes a program of the mind studying the mind, and that complicates the problem."
The mind studying the mind does not COMPLICATE the problem! What it does is make it IMPOSSIBLE.
The eye cannot see itself, the finger cannot touch itself, the ear cannot hear itself, the nose cannot smell itself, the mind cannot know itself. It ALWAYS takes an outside agent to investigate anything. That should be obvious to everybody, and especially to purported scientists.
With these newfangled instruments and techniques, scientists have learned about some of the things Mind can DO, but of Mind itself, nothing.
Think, Dammit! Don't make me come out there.
I came across a statement that always kinda bothers me, in this book of oddities that I am currently reading. It goes, "Science has learned a great deal about the mind in the past three decades thanks to new instruments and new techniques; but, reduced to its fundamentals, it becomes a program of the mind studying the mind, and that complicates the problem."
The mind studying the mind does not COMPLICATE the problem! What it does is make it IMPOSSIBLE.
The eye cannot see itself, the finger cannot touch itself, the ear cannot hear itself, the nose cannot smell itself, the mind cannot know itself. It ALWAYS takes an outside agent to investigate anything. That should be obvious to everybody, and especially to purported scientists.
With these newfangled instruments and techniques, scientists have learned about some of the things Mind can DO, but of Mind itself, nothing.
Think, Dammit! Don't make me come out there.
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