The BBC and You: Why We Slight

The Glair - The BBC and You: Why We Slight

I thought this was an excellent send up of the BBC on Michelle Malkin's blog.


British Broadcasting Disservice

New Subjects

Pesharim - New Subjects

I have placed a New Poll at the top in regards to Reform of the Priesthood.

I have placed a New Recommendation up in the box.

I have created a new list of Favored and Approved subjects in the sidebar.

I have devised a New List of Subjects for both my professional and hobby photographic work.
These are the targets I intend to concentrate upon during the Winter months.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SUBJECTS FOR STUDY


Societal

Churches
Public Buildings
Urban Decay
High Crime Areas
Historical Sites
Private Buildings and Complexes
Hospitals
Sport Centers
Industrial Centers
War Zones
Crime Scenes
Gang Locales
Dead Drops
Museums
Libraries
Airports
Jetports
Technology
Machinery
Wrecks


Urban Exploration Subjects

Roofs
Bridges
Underground/Subterranean
Deserted Buildings
Construction Sites
Demolition Sites
Archaeological Sites
Old Mills
Utility Centers and Complexes
Graveyards
Disaster Areas
Catacombs
Colleges
Zoos

Natural

Forests
Mountains
Beaches
Deserts
Unusual Terrain
Swamps
Rivers
Ranches
Farms
Oceans
Seas
Lakes
Insects
Arachnids
Animals
Botanical Life
Spelunking/Caves
Islands
Wrecks


Rural Exploration Subjects

Deserted Farmlands
Dead or Deserted Industrial Centers
Old Mills
Bridges
Outposts/Frontier Stations/Ranger Stations
Ranch-houses
Stables
Farmhouses
Barns
Herds
Animal Beds and Homes

Milblogs

Signal, Sygnet and Sigil - Milblogs


This is an excellent page on Blackfive regarding a series of comments concerning Milblogs and Milblogging.

I highly recommend this read.


Blackfive and Milblogs

Blog of the Day

Pesharim - Blog of the Day

I did not realise this at first but apparently I won a Blog of the Day Award.

Since I'm relatively new to Blogging I did not at first understand what Rob was telling me until I revisited his site and discovered that I had been featured there and given the Award Code.

So I've added it to my Support Section in the Sidebar, and I appreciate the honor done me.
I've also added a link to the Blog of the Day in my Links to Other Blogs.

Thank You.


Jack.

Opacity

Humours of Idleness - Opacity


I have discovered a brilliant new site for Vadding and Urban Exploration on the web.

It is called Opacity and I have included the link in my Recommendations Box above.


It will also go into my List of Interesting Websites

The B Reader in Preparation

Pesharim - The B Reader in Preparation

I'm taking ideas, comments, suggestions, and recommendations on whether I should
make the B-Reader an entirely
separate blog, or whether I should incorporate it within the body of the Missal.

If you
have an opinion as to whether it should be a separate Blog or simply be
incorporated into it's own section of the Missal then let me know.

Related Links:

The B-Reader

A Global Network

Shadows on a Moonless Midnight


Over the past month or so I have been developing materials and content for the new Blog I intend to launch dealing with military, intelligence, investigative, law enforcement, political, cultural, religious, and international matters.

This new blog will be entitled the "B Reader" and should be up and running by the end of December, if no problems are encountered. At this point I expect no problems.

The articles I intend to write so far include the following subjects (but I have not yet decided upon the exact titles):

New SWAT Tactics - Why the police must consider hostage takers as domestic terrorists and why new tactics and infiltration/kill teams must be developed to liquidate, not capture, such suspects at the earliest possible moment. (This will be my first article).

Eastern Europe - Why Eastern Europe needs a combined, single, intelligence sharing organization to coordinate Intelligence gathered from Asia, Europe and Africa. Why Eastern Europe cannot depend upon Western Europe for either defense or intelligence sharing, and why Eastern Europe needs stronger economic, political, cultural, military and financial ties to the US, and why the US needs stronger ties to Eastern Europe.

The Cell Wars: How the New War is not really just a War on Terrorism, but is also a War on International Entities, Corporate Individuals, Rogue Regimes, and International Criminal Cartels - Why ICCs are really smuggling, trafficking, border penetration and logistical support organizations for terrorist groups, how criminal gangs and terrorist cell activity overlaps, and how to use such alliances to infiltrate both organizations.

American Misunderestimation - Why the Military and Law Enforcement still does not work effectively in cooperation, and how to create support teams and liaison agents to operate in the organizations of both.

The Employment of the Amateur Line - How to effectively employ private citizens and individuals, as well as private small group organizations and PIINs in the Cell Wars.

PIIN - Private Intelligence and Investigative Networks - Continuing and completing the paper I started elsewhere.

Vadding and Infiltration - Turning a private and individual pursuit of exploration and infiltration into a personal and team effort to assist the authorities in suppressing crime and fighting terrorism.

Propaganda and Strategic Psychological Operations - Why we are failing, and possible corrective actions.

My Analysis of the Litvineneko Case: Post Mortem - An analysis of likely suspects and motivations regarding the assassination of Litvinenko and the effect his assassination is likely to have on national, institutional, organizational, and private intelligence networks.

The Renaissance Soldier - How to develop a new generation of Renaissance Special Forces Teams, as well as incorporating a wider range of highly capable, multi-functional Renaissance and Special Forces Skill Capacities in the standard development of normal troop units and individual soldiers.

The Renaissance Lawman - How to develop and train a new generation of modern lawmen with a wide range of inherent capabilities such as intelligence gathering, intelligence analysis, infiltration, counter-terrorism, etc. to support their already existing law enforcement, forensic and investigative/detective capacities.


I hope some of my readers will consider writing papers, articles, commentary or criticism or your own for inclusion in the blog or will even consider becoming occasional or regular contributors. Both professionals and amateurs are welcome to read, comment, and contribute.
If interested contact me by email or leave a comment on this blog.

Jack.

Shooting in the Rain

Pesharim - Shooting in the Rain

These shots were taken in the rain, for the most part, except for the last shot which was taken at night. I altered and enhanced the image using my Corel Photo Paint program.

The first three are of an animal corpse I came across on a very deserted and isolated road. Because the animal seemed to have been partially skinned as well as being partially crushed by a vehicle or vehicles I could not say with absolute certainty what the animal was, but given the evidence of the remains and what had apparently been done to the corpse I think it most likely was a brown fox. I think it most likely the fox was shot or trapped, then killed and partially skinned, then the remains dumped on the road. I cannot be absolutely sure that was the sequence of events and even to verify what kind of animal it was would mean I would have had to have taken bone and hair samples for comparative analysis, but I think this the most likely set of deductions. In any case I always like taking shots of animal corpses as it gives me good practice in the taking of forensic photographic images.

These shots are of a squirrel my Great Bernard caught and killed. You can clearly see the puncture wounds on the body of the squirrel which no doubt contributed to the shock which led to death. My Great Bernard was awfully proud of his kill, however not long after taking these shots my Great Dane bitch came along and took the corpse. At first my Great Bernard growled at her and seemed ready for a fight, but then he just turned and let her have it. He has learned already that if a female wants what you have then just go ahead and give it up, she'll get it eventually anyway.







This last shot is of a pregnant praying mantis I took near nightfall. I altered the image as I mentioned above. I intend to enter this photograph in Matt Bamberg's Halloween Photographic contest.

Digital Art Book

Pesharim - Digital Art Book

I forgot to mention earlier that I wrote a review for Matt Bamberg's book "Digital Art Photography for Dummies."

I have the book and really enjoyed it. You may find the review on the Amazon site for his book.
His blog is here: http://digitalartphotographyfordummies.blogspot.com/

Civil War

Pesharim - Civil War


CIVIL WAR - This has split my family as well. It is undoubtedly the greatest, most interesting, and downright most clever thing Marvel has ever done.

The basic premise is as follows. For a long time the US government, some foreign governments and political constituencies have wanted to register mutants and superheroes so that they can be controlled and monitored by a governmental agency. This push has accelerated as a result of the War on Terrorism and because certain superheroes have conducted ad hoc and private anti-terrorism/anti-ICC campaigns of their own which many in the government, military and in certain agencies consider dangerous.

A short time ago a junior grade team of upstart superheroes decides they will recapture some known escapees and supercriminals who are on the lam, but whose location they have discovered. The attempt to take them into custody bounty-hunter fashion results in one of the supercriminals triggering a catalyzed fuel explosion on a school bus which also ignites and blows up an elementary school resulting in between 600 and 900 probable fatalities, most of them school children.

As a result of this lethal incident an immediate emergency legislative session is called and the Congress passes a mandatory pubic registration act for all mutants and superheroes, which the president is going to sign.

This splits the superhero community in half, some, siding with Tony Stark, Reed Richards and Peter Parker decided to go the registration route and to publicly disclose their identities, becoming governmental employees.

Others, backed by Captain America decide to try to maintain their identities and natures as vigilante operatives outside official legal and governmental control.It has become a fascinating series with extremely interesting points and arguments on both sides. I've never been a big Marvel fan, except for Spiderman, Daredevil, and sometimes Iron Man. I never cared for Cap until reading recent New Avengers. Since then I've gained great respect for the Cap character and his leadership abilities.

My wife, who before we married never read comics and also didn't like Marvel very much, (we're both DC fans, and for team or group magazines we prefer Justice League) has though become as equally enthralled by this series (Civil War) as she has with the New Avengers.

Her position is that no superhero should be forced to register, reveal their secret identities, or be forced to work for, be paid by, or employed by any government, the US government included.

Yet despite the fact that I Vad, often intentionally avoid the authorities, almost never operate in any way but alone, I cannot help but finding myself in general sympathy with Iron Man, Richards, and Spiderman that superheroes and mutants should register and be in some way regulated.

Now I think a compromise could be reached in which mutants and superheroes could be registered for legal purposes, information collected about them, maybe even genetic samples taken of them, and yet their personal identities guarded from general public disclosure, just as is the case with many Intel agents and operatives and even case officers and is the case with many Special Forces Soldiers, especially in active theatres of operation. I also don't think it necessary or desirable that such individuals would become automatic representatives of some governmental agency or directly employed by and paid by the US government. Some could form up as special paramilitary units, others as law enforcement units, some as Intel, some as special operatives and some could assist on a strictly voluntary basis. But, and maybe this is just age and experience on my part (when younger the thought of something like registration would have brought automatic revulsion for me), given those general conditions I would register if so approached. As a patriotic act and to assist others if I could.

One thing I really like about this series and storyline is that it asks some really interesting and difficult real world questions, questions I've faced before personally and other things I could easily imagine myself undergoing in such a predicament and situation, and I can see hard arguments both yea and nay on both sides. Also the series thus far has made no attempt to preach or proclaim a "right side" in such a conflict, as there is I think no right side in such matters. In any case I think this is the best comic myth storyline series I've read in over a decade.Excellent work and tough considerations. I like very much this Civil War.

I encourage everyone to read this series if they enjoy comics.


Addendum: Since the cloned Thor killed Bill Foster (Goliath) I have begun to have serious reservations about the manner in which the registration program is being executed. I still support the idea of registering superheroes, or at least of devising a compromise, but the very fact that Reed Richards, Tony Stark and others supporting superhero registration are involved in illegal cloning projects and that these clones seem to be under external control instead of possessing free wills of their own, and the fact that they would attempt to clone a character like Thor (who up until recently I did not like at all, I kinda do now) and deploy him in such a way that this cloned Thor ends up killing a man, that bothers me a lot. I think now the program should be suspended and negotiations begun and some type of compromise reached, as I outlined above.

I think though that the killing of Goliath and the introduction of the cloned Thor and deploying a team of super-villains to assist the Avengers against the Secret Avengers has made an absolutely brilliant set of plots and stroylines just that much more ingenious.

I highly recommend this series.

Invisible Hand - Personality Aspects

Invisible Hand - Personality Aspects

Today, after helping teach class I went and took shots. It was raining so all the shots I took were taken either in a moderately heavy rain or during a full-fledged storm. While taking some of the shots I began thinking back to a time when a friend of mine at the University of Saint Petersburg (back then it was Leningrad) and I were working together on a new Theory of Personality.

We never finished our work together but a large part of my contribution of the work involved Personality Aspects. (I used and use the term differently than it is commonly applied.) Not fragments of personality but the idea that each person has different Aspects of Personality, or to use Greek and Latin influenced interpretations, Mask Faces. (Persona means "Mask" and Aspect means "Face.")

Now the general theory was a Theory of Integrated Personality for the Normal and Abnormal Personality Typologies, or even in some respects of Personality Integration - yet as part of the overall nature of the Integrated Personality I began developing the idea of Personality Aspects not as part of a Personality, nor as personality fragments, nor even as Personality Apparancies, but rather as separate Personality Sets based upon behavioral functionality. That is my view of Personality Aspects was that each separate Personality Aspect was, in Normal and Abnormal (originally Abnormal did not mean sub-normal, but Hypernormal, or "Beyond Normal Functioning") individuals, a set of personality traits related to function. A persona might have numerous Personality Aspects, all of which act together or even integrate seamlessly into a general harmonious Personality Whole, but each Aspect might operate as a personality sub-set based upon function. A person might seem like a totally different person in any given set of different circumstances, yet this did not in normal or abnormal people entail or display a fracture within the personality, merely a recognition in the individual that different circumstances required different Personality Aspects, or a set of personality behaviors peculiar to a given situation.

For instance at work a certain set of personality traits might be obviously displayed and in evidence within a given individual's behavior range, because at that time a particular "Personality Aspect" might need to be emphasized as signified by that aspect set. But at home another Personality Aspect might either be required, or even encouraged by a different environment. These differences in behavioral range (even if seemingly extreme to an outside observer) might be entirely normal or even desirous given the demands of the separate environments, but did not at all necessarily imply any type of psychological or even personality fragmentation or disturbance or disorder. (The same might not be said of subnormal personality types and individuals where different personality aspects might be either diagnostic cues or clues to underlying personality disorders of a pathological nature.)

In any case, today, while out taking shots in the rain my mind drifted back to this work I did years and years ago, almost 15 years ago now, to my old Russian friend (I wish I could find him again) and what these ideas might imply. Something about being out in the rain, the darkness of the storm, the early fall of the sun as the seasons shift, all of this spurred on my thoughts. So in my head I began to make notes on my own individual Personality Aspects, the way each Aspect functions, and what kinds of basic "sets" of behavior are associated with each Aspect.

Below I have listed each Aspect, or what I would call Major Personality Aspects (The Major and Most Important components of my overall Personality). I haven't listed any particular Aspect in any order, I have listed them as they occurred to me and as I was able to lodge them in my memory until such time as I could reach my daypack and retrieve my notebooks and tape recorders to record what I had been thinking about.

Inventor/Scientist - This aspect prefers to work alone and in isolation, without input from other individuals, though occasionally I will seek out advice from others or wander around in crowds just for the noise and because watching people and animals gives me ideas about functionality and how my inventions might best be designed and employed. Also occasionally by watching people, animals, insects, and biological systems I can get ideas for experiments to conduct or theories to pursue. Most of the time I prefer to work in isolation, or to make observations from a place where I will not be observed, especially in the early stages of any design, experiment, or creation.

Investigating/Analysis/Manhunting - These things I definitely prefer to do alone, both because of the danger and because I operate best alone in this kind of environment and at this type of activity. Manhunting sharpens my senses, makes me far more keenly observant and focused, heightens my mental and psychological faculties, and is intensely enjoyable to me. Hunting criminals and conducting investigations, interviews, and interrogations is also an intensely concentrated psychological activity to me and therefore I prefer to engage in these types of activities completely focused and without any outside distractions. Also in investigating or manhunting it is important to remain intensely focused upon one's goal and being alone helps me to devise a wide range of possibilities and to analyze these possibilities logically and without interfering prejudice. Sometimes though I will seek the advice of others when making an analysis of an investigative or intelligence matter.

Civic/Teaching/Social - I prefer to engage in civic activities in the company of others of course, and occasionally if I lead such events, am teaching, or am taking photographs, or conducting some official function, I don't mind, may even prefer to operate in a large crowd. But usually when it comes to civic activities I prefer a small group of people as a participating audience or a small group of people with whom to operate. Often times in informal or relaxed social settings though or when going out in public I prefer large groups of people. Often, as my friends know I will also act foolishly or clownishly in public, sometimes to the point of being obnoxious. This is great fun to me and I love to clown and joke in such situations with strangers or with people whom I know I will likely never meet again. On these occasions I prefer large groups of people and to exploit humor. Often I enjoy acting this way on the internet as well, as the internet often evokes my satirical and sardonic sense of humor.

Artist/Composer/Photographer - When drawing, sketching, painting, composing or taking photographs my general preference is for solitude and even absolute isolation if possible. Very much like when I am manhunting or engaged in a particularly fascinating investigation. The two exceptions are that occasionally when sketching or drawing I prefer to go into a crowd of people to get subject matter and occasionally I also like to take other people with me when taking photographs, people such as interesting friends, or one or both of my daughters.

Family Man/Husband/Father - In these situations I prefer the company of my family, and like to play around and joke with them. I enjoy wrestling with my daughters (hopefully one day with a son as well), taking trips with them, doing things around the house, and being outdoors together, maybe tracking or playing with my dogs. With my family I am usually very sociable and my most relaxed. I am also though, at the same time, at my most intensely focused regarding security matters.

Priest - When ever I feel a deep religious or spiritual conviction I prefer to be alone. I almost always think of them as circumstances involving my priestly, or more deeply spiritual and religious nature. Strangely enough though I prefer isolation when I am absorbed in my "Priestly Aspect" or nature. I will also however often wander about alone when in these moods looking for a stranger or some lone person or small group of people I may assist. When I was younger I usually most often associated this Aspect and these moments with deep meditative experiences, powerful prayer experiences, melancholy, dreams, visions, and trances. Nowadays, as I age, I associate them more with wandering alone, and with assisting others, but on an individual or personal basis. Almost pastorally. Still, for the most part my priestly nature is solitary and contemplative. The one exception is usually Communion, in which I feel priest-like in a crowd of people or in the congregation.

Vadder/Explorer - I most often associate this aspect with activities that I psychologically consider similar in nature, such as investigations and even manhunting. Whenever I engage in Vadding or Exploring especially to places I have never been before or which I suspect to be dangerous I prefer to go alone. Always well equipped, but still alone. Occasionally I will take friends with me hiking, camping, mountain climbing, etc, and recently I have started training my daughters to Vad, but usually whether I am Rudding or Vadding I go alone. Often I go alone because of the danger. I know many people who say you should always Vad in a team, that one should never go alone to avoid disaster, being trapped, severe injury, or even death. But I have basically Vadded alone since I was about 12 to 13 years old, or even younger if you count the many expeditions I took alone when I lived in the city (a place I love to visit but hated living there), and see no reason to change my natural habits or inclination.

Businessman - This may the single most social Aspect of all my Personality Aspects. From my business experiences I learned to develop deep, rich, and extensive networks. This later bled over into the idea as I aged that I should develop equally deep and rich social, political, civic, professional, religious, law enforcement, investigative, military, intelligence, communicative, institutional, and scientific networks, and also eventually helped me develop my theory of the Modern Renaissance Man. When involved in any type of business, financial, brokerage, capital, or start-up project I prefer to be as social as possible, to work with as many different individuals and groups as possible, and to delegate out work over as wide an area of expertise and capability as possible. When engaged in business I am my most social and feel the least need for solitude.


Well, those are the most important 8 Aspects of my various Personality Aspects.
Comment if you like, either on what I said, or about your own Personality Aspects.


Today I took some very interesting shots, including shots of two animal corpses. I'll post those soon.

© JG, Jr. 2006

Peharim - How I would Reform the Priesthood

Pesharim - How I would Reform the Priesthood





1. Celibacy would be optional. It would be neither encouraged nor discouraged, but would be considered a high personal honor, yet freely chosen or not chosen. Married priests would be able to become Bishops as well but only celibate priests could become Archbishops.

2. Priests would be able to engage in enterprises and co-ops and investments in order to generate funds and to raise Capital and to build businesses. Such businesses and enterprises and investments would have to be of a high moral nature of course and be dedicated to God but priests would be encouraged to become more actively involved in the world economically and financially.

3. Each married priest would be encouraged to undergo a 30 day period of personal celibacy each year working out the details with his wife of course.

4. I would greatly encourage the development of Lay Priests to assist the priest and to serve in functions in which a priest could not.

5. I would place far greater importance on Confession and in confession I would do away with penance in favor of Repentance, Reform and Restitution.

6. Once every three to five years I would require every priest to go on Sabbatical to a monastery and Order of his choice for a sabbatical period of between one month and one year.

7. I would encourage Parish and local Priests to be the representatives of the church to local governmental and political representatives and agencies. Bishoprics and Archbishoprics would be forbidden to become directly involved in governmental affairs at their level. Rather Bishops and Archbishops would be involved with and be liaisons to businesses, corporations, educational and charitable institutions.

8. I would encourage priests, bishops and archbishops to spend part of their time in service to parishes and churches outside their own nation.

9. I would encourage priests, bishops and archbishops to put aside their offices, collars and robes at some point in their career to spend a period of time in service to the poor and the sick. I would also require that they spend part of their career as missionaries, dressed in normal street clothes.

10. I would allow and encourage the development of Priestesses as long as such a Priestess met all of the same requirements as a male Priest, accounting for gender differences of course.

11. I would encourage Ecumenical activities on the parts of local and parish Priests.

12. I would reform the Parish and Service/Station system.

13. I would reform the funding/donation/charity system to make it as transparent as possible.

14. I would reform the pay system so that priests who are considered exceptionally good (or Bishops or Archbishops for that matter) could receive higher salaries and could earn pay directly from local sources.

15. I would encourage each priest to contribute 15% of all incomes received from investments or enterprises and all salaries received from work to church and charity. Each Bishop would be encouraged to give 20% of all monies received and each Archbishop 25% of all monies earned or received to church and charity.

16. At death I would encourage all priests, bishops and archbishops to give away any monies not inherited by wife or children to church and charities.

17. I would require that at some point during his priestly career each and every priest live for a short period of time on charity and alms.

18. I would encourage far greater involvement in scientific activities, research and experimentation among priests. I would return Science to the church from which it originated, maybe even creating an Order of Scientific Priests.

19. I would encourage the development and study of Art in the Priesthood. Perhaps even creating an Order of Priests dedicated to the study, development and production of Sacred Art, Film, Letters, and Culture.I may think of others later.

The Exchange - A Global Network III

The Exchange - A Global Network III

Earlier this afternoon I reanalyzed traffic and readership to this blog. I discovered once again that most of my readers and visitors are American of course and yet I continue to pick up both visitors and readers from other paces in the world, notably Europe and Asia. Europe and Asia continue to make up the most significant portion of my non American readership.

Breakdown of Traffic by Continent:

Breakdown of Traffic by Country:

I find it interesting to consider the recent visitors from:

China
Hong Kong
Germany
Ireland
Japan
Saudi Arabia, and
The Ukraine

Humours of Idleness - Grael of Black Waters Photographs

Humours of Idleness - Grael of Black Water Photographs


Here are a couple of recent photographs that I altered using an idea I got from Matt Bamberg. I recommend his book. I have read it and found the suggestions very helpful. His blog is here.


http://digitalartphotographyfordummies.blogspot.com/


My friends in the military who are avid photographers would I think find this book especially useful.


I will be attaching these photographs to a short story I am writing concerning Halloween.

Humours of Idleness - New Shots

Humours of Idleness - New Shots


I've been down for awhile with a neck injury. Most of the week actually.



Haven't felt like doing much of anything, including working or even looking at my blogs and websites. But I'm recuperating and feeling better now.



So I'm gonna post some recent pictures I've taken:



One is of a large tree bole on the back or southern end of my land. (Some of you know I live in a very rural area.)



One is of a lizard who lives on the roof of my south deck. We have several lizards and snakes that live around the house but he is one of the most brightly colored and playful. He's very fast as well. Some of the darker lizards will actually crawl up on your arm if you approach them slowly and cautiously. Not him though, he's too fast, small, and squirrelly. He won't really let you get near him. He does however seem to like posing for the camera and will often do so as long as you keep a somewhat discreet distance.



One is of a cow-killer on the move. Cow-killers are pretty fast and this was a difficult shot. I had to walk quickly along side it and try to move the camera in front of it and estimate by eye where it would likely be in best focus to align the shot properly. It took about four failed shots as it ran along the road before I got a decent shot.



One is of the swamp running alongside the riverbank where my daughters and I took our last Rudding expedition. As a kid I practically grew up in the local forests and swamps. This shot is only about five or six miles in a straight line from the Revolutionary Battle of the Great Cane Brake. This spot kinda reminds me of that battlefield.



A shot taken along the riverbank of a large dog paw print and of a very large coon print right beside it.



Well that's about it for now. I'll let you figure out for yourself which shot goes with which description.


See ya later,

Jack.

Humours of Idleness - Rudding Expedition to Ruins

Humours of Idleness - Rudding Expedition to Ruins

Last Friday my two daughters and I went on a Rudding Expedition, their first real formal Rudding Expedition.
These are shots from that expedition.

The expedition began around 1100 hours and we finished up about 1830, right before the sun began to drop. We spent most of the afternoon and evening in the forest and exploring ruins.
More on that later.

As promised here are some of the photographs from that little expedition. I'm not posting many shots from the trip here now, only about four because of time constraints and because I have other work to complete tonight. I'll post other shots later.

Of the shots I'm posting now these involve an old abandoned Mill outpost building near a man-made lake which is part of the County Reservoir System. I had originally intended to do some bridging this time out, but instead discovered some abandoned ruins. Having found the ruins I then intended to Vad the abandoned building but the river crossing was a little rough for my daughters and I suspected that the building itself might prove dangerous for two young and inexperienced girls. So we merely explored the near bank and the old collapsed steel dam and floodgate where some recent but abandoned construction had been underway in the summer.

It was humorous to me because when we first started this expedition my oldest daughter said, "Dad, it's just like I'm Lara Croft and you're my daddy!" She was very excited. By the end of the day both my daughters were complaining about how exhausted, dirty, afraid (of being in the dark woods and swamps we had trudged through), thirsty, and hungry they were, despite the fact that I had made sure we were well equipped and provisioned. They're just unused to long expeditions. They'll get used to it as they train and become more experienced.

Construction Site: Lain up along a partially dammed section of the lowland outflow from the lake. The water in this area is probably twelve to fifteen feet deep and we saw many large fish in this little area as well as abandoned lures, meaning it is occasionally fished by those who know of the secluded spot. The water is dark green and is frequented by a large collection of various forms of wildlife as evidenced by the tracks and scats we encountered..

Collapsed Outpost Dam and Floodgate: Old metallic and improvised dam and floodgate. It had been partially supported by large stones bulldozed in but the secondary metallic wall had already collapsed from force of the water pressure. I crossed to the middle area until reaching a metallic section which nearly collapsed under my weight. Rather than risk further advance I turned my daughters back to the near shore after scouting that far. I'll return later to cross and reconnoiter the building that you can just barely see in the upper left hand corner of the shot.

Abandoned Outpost: The abandoned building itself. It rose three stories into the air and was mostly covered on the exterior by rather heavy growth of local vegetation. There was an entrance I could visually scout from a distance as well as one area that was climbable by thick vines.



Dam and Outpost: A shot of the dam with the abandoned building in the background nearly entirely covered by vegetation.

I'll post other shots from my expeditions in future posts.

Below however you will find shots I have recently taken of other subject matter. Personally I think my photographic skills, regarding taking shots of the microworld, continue to improve.

My Great Bernard - half Saint Bernard, half Great Dane: the Greatest Breed of Dog in the world.

My Great Dane bitch, about 7 months old


A local Katydid


A Spider feeding upon a Dragonfly

A Pregnant Mantis

THE GLAIR - NORTH KOREA EXPLODES LIKELY NUCLEAR WEAPON

THE GLAIR - NORTH KOREA EXPLODES LIKELY NUCLEAR WEAPON

Jarod William Graham
For Missive News

Last updated: 7:05 AM
Monday, October 9, 2006


Late last night intelligence officials in Washington were warned by observational satellites and reconnaissance aircraft that it was possible, or even likely, that North Korea had tested and exploded a low-yield nuclear weapon. Such a weapon, if it were indeed nuclear in nature, would pose a grave threat to US security interests around the globe and could potentially threaten traditional US Allies such as Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and South Korea. In addition should the North Korean regime be able to export such nuclear technology then even North Korea’s traditional allies such as China and Russia could face the threat of nuclear blackmail from a rogue group, a terrorist agent, a potential coup attempt, or even an organized criminal group bent on extortion or financial gain.

Because of these dangerous and dire possibilities even nations normally seen as hostile to the United States or at least extremely competitive towards US interests have begun to unite with Washington for their own good to mobilize against the dark and looming threat of a nuclear North Korea. The idea of a nuclear armed North Korea which in addition has deployable, mass produced long range missile delivery systems has promoted swift and decisive action the world over.

France has agreed to immediately establish a commission to look into the idea of how to best counter the North Korean threat. According to the French Foreign Minister, acting in cooperation with the office of the French President, France is developing a plan of cooperation which will include devising highly punitive actions in the UN which will then be scuttled the day before such actions can actually be implemented. “France will,” in the words of the Foreign Ministry, “do our very best to convince the US and the rest of Europe that we mean business this time, and that we are the natural leaders of Europe. That we intend to crush this annoying little North Korean threat. Gullible nations such as Belgium, Austria, and many others will then follow us like sheep. The day before we are to take decisive action in the UN we will then shockingly neuter all possible real response by accumulating vetoes on the UN Security Council, including Chinese and Russian vetoes. Har! Har! Har! Then everyone will know once again why we in France call diplomacy the ‘true Art of France.’”

Canada too has pledged immediate aid to defend the West from possible North Korean threat by missiles and nuclear weapons. Canada has decided to launch a fleet of tugboats, not less than two, but not more than six, of their most modern tugboats to wherever they may be most needed. The tugboats currently sit in dry-dock awaiting orders on deployment. Said Canada’s Chief of Naval Operations, “We’re serious. You tell us where to go, we’ll get there eventually.”

A consortium of smaller European nations has decided to “worry indefinitely.” Asked by the press if they intended any other action the spokesman for the Green Party which heads this newly formed consortium replied, “Why, yes, we plan to pray to Mother Nature to help us all prevent littering, nuclear weapons, and global warming. Later in the year we also plan a Winter Solstice and Burning Man party and to march for human rights by burning down food factories. After that we all intend to get drunk, get high, turn on, and tune out. Plus, personally, I’m going to marry a goat from a nice Greek herd I’ve been looking at lately. Meeeowwwww!!”

Islamic clerical leaders have decided to do their part, and in a rare show of Islamic unity both Sunni and Shia clerics have called for, “the immediate hanging of Pope Benedict, the expulsion of the United States from all Islamic lands, the eradication of Israel, and for direct one on one talks between the Great Satan Bush and the Little Satan Kim. If we can get them talking seriously then they won’t notice when we quadruple the number of homicide bombings in Baghdad.”

But without a doubt the most decisive and helpful action so far has occurred within the august body of the United Nations. The UN has formed no less than three committees to study the problem. These committees have been assigned to work closely with Syria, which now heads the Human Rights Commission of the UN, with Iran, which now heads the Anti-Terrorism Commission of the UN, and with Cambodia, which now heads the Efforts for International Democratization Office of the UN.

The UN is expected to offer their findings within six months and to then recommend the formation of an international commission which will chair an attempt to create a diplomatic initiative possibly leading to 12, 15 or 25 member talks. The exact number of participants and what could realistically be achieved, if anything, is still a matter for future debate.


However, not every nation agrees that immediate action needs to be considered. Venezuela has decided that the nuclear test by North Korea probably signals that Kim and his top government officials aren’t keeping warm enough during the winter months. Said Hugo Chavez, “It’s very hard to keep warm in the winter if your peasants aren’t working hard enough. So it’s just natural you have to go nuclear just to stay warm. The real problem is Bush and the United States. Bush and the United States are the real sources of every problem in the world. Therefore Venezuela has agreed to sell North Korea Citgo gas and oil at one-tenth the going market rate and to give away gas and heating oil to the poorer members of the North Korean government and military. Then if North Korea ever intends to repay the favor by helping with our future nuclear program I’ll listen. I’ve got big plans for all of South and Central America, and besides, I’m not going anywhere because I’m confident I’m going to be re-elected every single time I allow an election.”

Fidel Castro offered a post-mortem statement which read, in part; “We agree with El Presidente Chavez.”

Top government officials in Mexico, speaking on condition of anonymity told this reporter, “We’re not really concerned about North Korea developing nuclear weapons. Anything anyone can do to stick it to the Gringo, dat’s okay by us. Besides we don’t really have anything valuable enough for anyone to want to blow up. The only way we would ever be in danger is if North Korea gave nuclear weapons to Arab terrorists and those terrorists were trying to sneak those weapons into the US through our country. Then some clumsy Arab terrorist blows himself up prematurely like they do all the time in Palestine. But what are the odds of that happening? … Oh, God!! Somebody get me a phone and a line to Washington! Instante! Instante!!”

Now the world waits to see exactly what can be learned about the situation in North Korea and what can realistically be done about the current state of affairs. It would be awfully embarrassing if the United Sates invaded and liberated North Korea, stopped starvation and tyrannical oppression, gave liberty and equality to the ordinary people of that nation, fed, sheltered, and helped educate the children and offered them a better and brighter future only to discover that North Korea had not yet truly developed viable weapons of mass destruction. Then the whole effort would have been a horrible historical waste.

© Missive News, 2006