I love this idea. I hope one of these days I can figure out how to do this on my own blog
Find Your Fans and Grow Your Readership: Introducing Blog Event Listings!
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Bringing Life Back to Soil
Another interesting article from Utne Reader this morning. Since we’ve started our “Liberty Garden” (at my local Campaign for Liberty meetup group), I’ve been paying a lot more attention to this kind of thing.
I’ve been trying to get things to grow around my house ever since I got my own place. When I had other people living there, I thought maybe I could grow an actual garden. Yeah, riiiiight…. I left it all nice and healthy, when I came home after 2-3 months at sea everything was either eaten up or covered with weeds 🙁 Since then, I’ve given up on a formal ‘garden’ and have been just trying to find things that will grow by themselves. Things I can leave alone and don’t have to worry about tending to.
So far, I’ve tried grapes, almonds, pineapples, oranges, limes, lemons, pomegranates, apples, pears. So far, the only thing I have had produce anything is the lime tree. It just loads up with little green limes that turn orange later on. I almost had a pineapple a couple years back but then it froze 🙁 I guess its not cold enough for the almonds, will have to switch back to peaches tho I really don’t like peaches nearly as much as almonds. Everything else is too young to know if they will eventually produce or not.
Oh yeah, the roses are hanging in there. I have canna lilies that do real well. I also have mimosas that just won’t stop ( I whack them down every time I come home and they’re back again when I get off). The clematis is so pretty but grows like a WEED and covers everything! Anybody know how the hell to get it to STOP??!!? Its growing all in my grass and mowing it doesn’t really help much. I pull it all off the other plants when I get home, but it just comes back even worse! I think its this one- Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora).
Rise —Annabelle Chvostek
I was looking at my Utne Reader that came in my email this morning. I saw this record in a sidebar and decided to check it out. This is where it led me. I listened to a couple of the songs on the link to the utube at the bottom of the page. I think the song “The End of the Road” is interesting, mandolin and percussion put to good use 😉
I didn’t know about either this recording company- Borealis Records, (they look like they have a lot of interesting artists), or Annabelle until I got this email this morning. I didn’t know she used to be with the Wailin’ Jennies (who I really love). This particular album sounds like its really up my alley…
Rise is joyful, anthemic, and unabashedly political, revealing Chvostek’s passion for social justice work and musical activism. Call it protest music for the indie generation or a soundtrack for the Maple Spring.
The Double Standard of Smoking Marijuana
The Double Standard of Smoking Marijuana – Arts & Culture – Utne Reader.
This is an article from Utne Reader on a new book, “Marijuana is Safer”. Well, duh, YES, it IS! MUCH safer! I could say I can’t believe how we have spent so much time, effort, money, to keep it illegal in this “free” country. But I do believe it since I know the history of how it was made illegal in the first place.
Federal marijuana prohibition is the direct cause of the continual violations of our 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th amendments and the filling up of our prisons. First of all, the prohibition was not legally passed by congress like alcohol prohibition was. They did not make any constitutional amendment to make marijuana illegal. Instead, they listened to the lobbyists for DuPont, Hearst and their puppet doctor. Congress was bought off by those who just plain didn’t want the competition that the marijuana plants (and hemp) would give their companies making paper from trees and artificial fibers such as nylon. Watch the movie “Hemp for Victory” (put out by the federal government to encourage farmers to grow the weed to help with the war effort) and you will get an idea of just how useful the marijuana (and hemp) plants are. Of course, the prejudice they stirred up against blacks and Hispanics didn’t hurt any either.
I want to know, how many MILLIONS of people do we have to put in prison, how many lives to we have to completely destroy? before we will come to our senses and legalize weed??? I am going to come out and say it, it is a RIGHT! Rights which we enjoy not only under our constitution, (which only says our federal government was formed to PROTECT those natural rights we had BEFORE there was ever any government), rights we have due to the fact that we are human beings. We have allowed “our” government to get its foot in the door, due to prejudice and greed, and of course FEAR, and now we are paying the price. They have used this so-called War on Drugs, which is really a war on US, to take away our rights and destroy our country.
I am sick and tired of having to listen to people who don’t know what they’re talking about tell us all that we need to continue the ‘drug war’. NO, we do NOT! We need to STOP it asap! I hope lots of people will read this book and learn the truth about the issues, STOP listening to the politicians, they do NOT do anything that is not in THEIR interests, they do NOT represent US anymore, if they ever did.
Chinese zoo angers visitors by passing off Tibetan mastiff dog as lion – CNN.com
Chinese zoo angers visitors by passing off Tibetan mastiff dog as lion – CNN.com.
Ohhh, this is a funny story. I especially liked the one who says they should just put the keeper in the cage labeled ‘gorilla’. LOL! 🙂
Free Stuff!!
Museum Day Live! 2013 Registration.
This is a link to the Smithsonians’ Museum Day. Saturday 9/28. It’ll give you and a guest FREE admission to a museum you choose. Its not only the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.. There are links to museums all over the country. You can search by subject or by location.
In Houston, you can choose among the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, Dunham Bible Museum, Holocaust Museum Houston, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Lawndale Art Center, and a favorite of mine in Galveston the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum. There is the tall ship Elissa right there too, if you do happen to hit the Ocean Star Museum, you can make it a maritime day and enjoy lunch on the waterfront watching the cruise ships dock.
Obama’s 2009 Promise of Cheaper Health Care Has Morphed Into 2013 Price Hikes
A good article on Obamacare. In case you don’t know it yet, I’m totally against Obamacare. I think it will do nothing but harm to us, our health care system, our finances, our country. I don’t think people should be depending on the government to solve all our problems and I certainly don’t think “our” government should be FORCING us to buy a product from anybody, much less a private company. There are so many things wrong with Obamacare, it would take me hours to get into it all. Sorry, but I don’t have time for that right now. You’ll just have to wait til later for my ranting on that subject 😉
New Bridge Simulators for Houston Pilots
Houston Pilots, San Jacinto College Provide.
This is great news for the Houston Pilots and San Jacinto College. I’m sure those simulators will benefit not only the pilots but the entire maritime community. I think SanJac has a good program and a good network around the area with the various companies that need to train maritime workers. I went up there (Pasadena) to look into doing some part time teaching on my time off. I actually got to help teach a class 🙂
My class was off a jack-up rig. They had probably never seen a real lifeboat before. For sure they didn’t have them on their rig! But for whatever reason, their company decided they all needed to get certified as lifeboatmen. So, we started from scratch in the classroom. We went over all the things they could find in a lifeboat and life raft, we went out in the parking lot to practice with the signaling mirror. We even took a ride over to Texas A & M in Galveston to practice launching and rowing a REAL lifeboat! Everybody got a chance to be in charge of lowering the boat. Everybody got to be coxswain (in charge of the boat) once it was in the water. Everybody got some time on the oars. It was a fun day 😉
I hope to get another chance to help out up there again. Capt Mitch Schacter is in charge over there and he’s really been working hard to make it a success. This simulator will be a big help!
Gutted by Government- John Stossel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=m2KEKvhP0dA
I just watched this video with John Stossel talking about what’s happening in Detroit with Shihka Dalmia of the Reason Foundation and Darcy Olsen of the Goldwater Institute. It makes a lot of good points about why Detroit is failing and compares it to places like Sandy Springs, GA which is doing quite well by privatizing everything 🙂
Hands Off My Home!
Congratulations to the people of Hackensack! This is what we ALL need to do- throw the bastards ALL out!!!
There has been a growing trend of eminent domain abuse all over the country. We had a case a few years ago locally in Freeport when the city tried to steal the Gore’s property to build a marina. There’s even a book about that episode, “Bulldozed” by Carla Main.They have only gotten worse since then 🙁
I want to read the book but haven’t got around to it yet. Since I own property in Freeport myself, I already know how hard to deal with those city officials (and everyone associated with the city) are. Enforcing ridiculous rules and regulations that increase the costs of doing repairs or improvements to where no one can afford to do necessary work. It almost seems like they are trying to deny people the ability to fix their property so eventually the city can come and condemn it. I have been trying to fix my property and all I get from the city is grief! I WISH the people would get together and throw them all out in Freeport too! Good start, then we can work our way up to Congress 🙂
Here’s a link to some more on what happened in Freeport:
http://ownerscounsel.blogspot.com/2010/09/more-on-texas-developers-attempt-to.html
Mises Institute Explains How The State Destroys Social Cooperation : Personal Liberty™
Mises Institute Explains How The State Destroys Social Cooperation : Personal Liberty™.
Good article explaining the differing effects of cooperation vs coercion. I have always had a bad attitude towards ‘authority’ and its been getting even worse lately. I guess its probably because they are trying to enforce it more and more. I think I’m at the point of thinking that there IS no such thing as authority at all. Either you give your cooperation willingly, or you are being FORCED to do something you wouldn’t choose to do on your own. The use of force is NOT the same thing as authority. It is only force, violence in other words.
Personally, I think people get along much better in a cooperative society. Live by as few rules as possible. Do whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt anybody else. Simple 🙂 That is what this country was supposed to be all about and that way of life that we had for the first 100 years or so was what made us the most advanced, prosperous, favored country in the history of the world. Now that we’ve thrown all our freedom down the drain after 9-11, we are steady losing everything. Our ‘leaders’ can’t come up with anything else but more and more force. What would they do if we ALL just refused to obey their so-called authority???
Video: Crowley tugs at work – WorkBoat.com
Video: Crowley tugs at work – WorkBoat.com.
Nice bunch of photos set to music of the Crowley tugs. They have a few of the ones in Alaska in the slide show. That brought back memories 🙂 I used to work on those tankers the tugs were helping out. I sailed as AB (able body seaman) for SeaRiver Maritime all through the 90’s ( had to step down from 1600 ton master to get the tonnage on my license so I could sit for 3rd mate- long story). We went from LA or San Francisco Bay CA, or Anacortes WA to Valdez Alaska. We would fill up with crude oil in Valdez and bring it down south to the refineries. Tug escort was always a good way to make some overtime.
RIGZONE – Career Spotlight: Petroleum Engineers
RIGZONE – Career Spotlight: Petroleum Engineers.
If I had really thought about it, I would have gone into something like this instead of Chemical Engineering when I went back to school. I only did Chemical cause I live in Lake Jackson, Texas, near Houston. The whole area is a huge center of chemical plants, Dow, BASF, Shintech, etc. I figured I would always be able to get a good job. I only went back to school to make my grandmother happy. I already had a good career (and an AAS degree) and figured if I went back to school it better be for something that would pay the bills better than what I was doing already (working offshore as captain of supply boats, etc). I didn’t really understand what exactly Chemical Engineers did 🙁
I wound up getting a degree in Math, just so I could get out of school and back to work doing something I still really loved (offshore running boats). Petroleum Engineers work offshore a lot and it seems I probably could have found work as a reservoir engineer if I had really tried hard using the math degree. I wasn’t really all that interested in it tho. I was much more interested in getting back out on a boat 😉 I did manage to do that pretty quickly after I got my degree. I’d been working throughout school, summers, holidays,etc so it wasn’t really an issue.
Now that the oilfield is booming again, they need these Petroleum Engineers, along with geologists, etc. I had 2 lady geologists out on my rig last hitch and at least one ‘mud engineer’. The real demand is for subsea engineers. Maybe Rigzone will post an article about that soon. That seems to be pretty interesting. Actually, all of it is interesting, its just a little bit different angles of attacking the problem. Finding out whats down there, how to get at it, how to put it to use…
Senior Living: How the Trailer Park Could Save Us All – Mind & Body – Utne Reader
Senior Living: How the Trailer Park Could Save Us All – Mind & Body – Utne Reader.
Another interesting article from Utne Reader. I think they brought up some pretty good points about people living together in a real community. I can see how it would be easier to form a real community in a trailer park than in an apartment complex or many suburban neighborhoods. I can see how it would help people stay healthier and happier longer. I think the whole idea of community is something we’ve lost somehow. I grew up with that. We had a great community where I grew up, even if we were looked down upon by others. We all knew each other and took care of each other. We all knew what was going on and we were involved with each others lives. I don’t have it where I live now. I’ve been in this house for over 20 years and barely know my next door neighbors 🙁
I think we ought to try figuring out how to get our sense of community back. If a trailer park makes it easier, we should try to see why that is and copy it in other places. Maybe we should look into how to make it easier for the people in the trailers to be able to live, to set down roots. It seems we might need to think about the obstructions to allowing more people to make that choice. It seems like it might be a good choice for many more people than the ones that do it now. I get it that there’s prejudice against trailer parks but not sure why.They do mention some things in the article but those things don’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Anybody have some thoughts on that?
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sea
Arriving at sunrise on the crewboat to the Global 1200
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sea
Riviera Maya near Cozumel April 2013
I was in Mexico for a conference (moving overseas by International Living). It was great but not nearly enough time to enjoy these beautiful beaches;-)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sea
stormclouds and rainbows from the 8506
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sea
flying over this ship on the way to the LOOP
I got a few decent shots while flying in from the rig last hitch. This was a tanker on the way to the LOOP.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sea
Ship departing SW Pass
Here’s another photo for the “sea” challenge of the week. I have TONS of these 😉 The sea is my first love and I am out there most of the time. Just don’t have a decent camera most days. I was lucky this time, I got to sit by the window of the helicopter on the way in last time and got some decent shots.
Gangsters…Real vs Wannabies
😉
Clean Underwear?
Remember this??? I wish I had been able to think this fast when I was a kid 🙂
Celebrate Texas Navy Day- Surfside Beach Texas
Bet you didn’t know Texas has a Navy 😉
Celebrate Texas Navy Day at Surfside Beach Texas, Sept 21, 2013.
Click the link for more information.
Maritime Monday for September 2nd, 2013: Movies About #@!!%* Sailors; Part I | gCaptain
Maritime Monday for September 2nd, 2013: Movies About #@!!%* Sailors; Part I | gCaptain
Here’s another post from gcaptains Monkey Fist with a new listing of maritime movies. This series focusing on the sailors themselves. There looks to be some good ones in there… Captains Courageous starring Spencer Tracy, Captain Horatio Hornblower starring Gregory Peck, even a musical- Anchors Aweigh starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oldies but Goodies. Enjoy…
Get Rich, Stay Rich: 3 Secrets on How
Get Rich, Stay Rich: 3 Secrets on How.
I like how these guys think. He makes some good points in this article. I read the book a while ago, it was pretty good.I have been trying to build my own wealth through real estate investing. So far, I have been keeping pretty busy with buying old, trashed properties, fixing them up and renting them out.
I’m hoping to move overseas asap. Buying rental property is my way to get there. I hope the income will allow me to move soon to somewhere more friendly to the lifestyle I want to live. Peaceful and free, friendly neighbors, lots of open land to garden and explore. I’ve been looking at Belize, Nicaragua, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, Indonesia, Thailand, and some of the Pacific Islands. I think I’ll start in Central America since it’s close enough that I can get to/from work in the Gulf of Mexico if I can’t manage to find a job overseas soon. I’ve been trying since 2007 and getting tired of it. I need to make a move soon and stop procrastinating!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sea
Anchorage at sunset in Singapore August 2012
Obama and Bush…
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I got this from the Dollar Vigilante, I love their newsletter, they have lots of good information about what’s going on in the US and around the world
Why Christie Is Wrong – Peggy Noonan’s Blog – WSJ
Why Christie Is Wrong – Peggy Noonan’s Blog – WSJ.
Very good points Peggy! Thanks for getting them out there in the Wall Street Journal. Maybe some people with some influence will actually start thinking about all this totally illegal and unnecessary government spying on US citizens (and others). Somebody needs to say, ‘hey, we really need to THINK about the risk/reward ratio’ on this subject. Yeah, I am willing to face those widows and orphans! Yeah, I DO think its more important to protect the principles of the ONLY country in the history of the world based on individual liberty and freedom. YES, I DO think its worth upholding those principles even if a few people die because we value those principles more than ‘safety’ (which is IMPOSSIBLE to get at any cost).
Someone once said, “its better to die standing than to live on your knees”. I totally agree with that statement. Its too bad more Americans don’t anymore.
Members of Congress denied access to basic information about NSA | Glenn Greenwald | Comment is free | theguardian.com
Plain and simple, “our” government has been telling us nothing but LIES about this security stuff since the very beginning. There is NO legitimate purpose to any of this and they know that. They are illegally spying on you, me, EVERYONE in the USA and around the world! They are collecting and storing the data on every phone call, email, website you look at, financial transaction, everything you buy, where you go, EVEN YOUR DNA NOW!! WHY????? Does anyone really think they will NOT use this against us one day? When EVERY single time in the history of the world when a government had the means to abuse their power, they DID! Believe me, I’ve read enough history to know that ‘our’ government is no different. It may have been once, but those days are long gone.
It looks like there are 1-2 Congressmen who actually take seriously their oath to uphold the Constitution. Here’s to ya GOP Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia and Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida! Why aren’t the other 433 members of Congress also clamoring for this illegal, unconstitutional domestic spying to STOP??!!? Are there only 2 who are doing their JOB??
Libertarian Futurist Society
This is a listing of all the past Prometheus Awards. They’re awarded for the best Libertarian science fiction of the year. I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few. I like books that make you THINK and these sure fit the bill! I’ve already read a lot of these books and seeing the list now makes me want to read some more of them 🙂 Some of my favorites on the list (I didn’t even know about the list when I read them)…
2009- Little Brother- Cory Doctorow
2011- Animal Farm- Hall of Fame- George Orwell
2009- Lord of the Rings- Hall of Fame- J.R.R. Tolkien
1998- Time Enough for Love- Hall of Fame- Robert Heinlein
1984- Farenheit 451- Hall of Fame- Ray Bradbury
1983- Atlas Shrugged- Hall of Fame- Ayn Rand
LoneStarCon 3 – 71st Worldcon in San Antonio, Texas
LoneStarCon 3 – 71st Worldcon in San Antonio, Texas.
Jeeze, sorry I’m so late on this one. I got the news in an email from the Advocates for Self Government but I didn’t really get around to reading it til this morning. If anyone is in San Antonio, they can probably still get there in time to check it out in person.
If I wasn’t getting ready to go back to work already, I would LOVE to go to this event. I love reading, especially science fiction! I’ve never been to anything like this but I bet it would be loads of fun. Film festival, exhibits, Hugo award ceremony, astronaut to meet, etc… Its also being covered online so if you can’t make it to San Antonio, you can still see what’s going on.