Thankfulness, Repentance, and the Reconnaissance of God

The Exchange - Thankfulness, Repentance, and the Reconnaissance of God


In examining what I should, and am, thankful for this year it has occurred to me that perhaps any recounting would be insufficient. After all I have too many things to be thankful for this past year.

The year before this past one, (2006 AD) was a personally dark one for me. Death all around me, the near dissolution of my marriage, failures great and small, any number of personal and family and professional and even national woes. But this past year (2007 AD) has been a year of an entirely different character. It has been one of the most productive and pleasing, not to mention rich in achievement and purpose, years of my entire adult life. Much of this change in my fortunes and the fortunes of my family is due of course to the fact that I (and we) radically changed our approach to life (from one of constant complaint and discouragement when things went against us to one of thankfulness for the opportunities and solutions offered us in overcoming our problems and once again prospering), repented of (not just admitted and confessed, but actively repented of) some sins which were interfering with our happiness. Our main problem and chief defect, as I look back upon those events and that situation with the passage of another years is that we were absorbed in the confluence of our problems and not concentrated upon the achievements of our important objectives. In short, our woes outweighed our wisdom, and our ungratefulness outweighed our humility, at least within the circuit of our own minds, and hearts. But thankfully, we had an Ally. One who was not so much concerned with our distrust and fears, as with our potential, one who was determined upon his steady and unflinching duty, while we were absorbed with the seeming solidity of our doubt.

While during my dark night of the soul I was spending my time bitching and braying and barking at the moon about the injustice of how things were drifting south into a Sargasso Sea of sterile stagnation, God was out scouting a clear path through, charting a course of movement towards salvation and safety, in short reconnoitering in our favor. Then He came and got us, and steered us clear. Because we let him of course, but nevertheless while we weathered the storm, he scouted the path, he navigated us to clear port. And so I take from all of our troubles in the year proceeding, and all of our successes in the year just passing, that I can be very thankful that while I am sometimes lost in the thorny path, caught in the storm, lashed at sea on the slim and creaking bark, there is a Navigator, a Scout, a patient Guide who finds the way and then returns to lead me, and those around me, to the safer land, the better port, along the road less taken, or at least along the road less purposely chosen. In short I am thankful that when I decided that I had run a’ground there was another who would take the wheel, who could master helm, thankful that when I was lost and wandering in the trackless wilderness of my own confusion that there was another who would scout ahead and lead me beyond the desert of my own despair, beyond the limits of myself.

Christ I am grateful for your assistance, and for what I have learned from you (and re-learned, as being a man I must on occasion be reminded of those things which are obvious, and yet nevertheless ignorantly ignored when I am in every way consumed with nothing but myself and my own interests), God I am grateful for all I have been given and enjoy, and great and Holy Ghost I am thankful that you have reminded me yet again there is a better way. And that a Ghost really does walk the earth, silent, watching, guiding, aware, waiting to turn men aside from the path of self-absorption to the trail leading through to that Undiscovered Country where all things real exceed all things imagined.

And now remembering that there is a better way, mindful of what can be done with the proper attitude and position towards all we experience, and grateful for the fresher manner in which it seems all things have been again reborn, I thank you God, that I am but a man, and yet that I am but your man. Which says not so much about me of course, but it does say this as a matter of course, where you lead I will follow. So, lead on. I’ll follow as my limitations allow. But I will follow.

For there is no better path to roam.
Or surer.


© JWG, Jr. 2007

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The Gaming Imperative

Humours of Idleness - The Gaming Imperative

For those of you interested in gaming and games, visit this site all this week:


Free Role Playing Games and Support Materials


look for the links to the free materials.






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American Superior Pups

The Exchange - American Superior Pups

For an article on the American Superior please see this link: The American Superior

Also see - SAR: Please Help

All puppies have been sold.

We have decided to have one last litter since so many people have requested an American Superior puppy, but the litter to be born sometime between March and April 2008 will be the last litter from our female.

I have decided to post pictures of all of the puppies except the one we are keeping, Sam, because out of curiosity several of the new owners have asked to view pictures of all of the pups of this litter, and I am more than happy to do that. Therefore I am re-posting pictures of all of the pups, even the ones already sold or already on deposit. If they have been sold or are on deposit then this will be noted next to their name and the information about them.

This time the litter developed from thirteen pups.

This litter has produced two varieties, mantle (black furred with white chest), tending towards short haired, and brindled (tiger-stripe) who tend towards having fur of medium length. Most appear as if they will be Saint Dane in body shape, with a couple who will apparently be Great Bernards.

Below are pictures of the litter for the readers of this blog, and for those who have already purchased one of the puppies.

They are already weaned and eating both semi-solid and solid food.

All of the pups are extremely intelligent.
They will all be large dogs and will make excellent family pets, and/or guard, watch, hunting, and work dogs. All pups are one-quarter Saint Bernard and three-quarters Great Dane.

The father is a trained guard-dog. Our pups have been kept as family pets, work dogs, police dogs, and watch/guard dogs.
They are very protective of children and very affectionate.

If you would like to own one of these puppies then please contact me by email: occu77@netzero.com


Marcus - male, brindle, very exploratory and playful (Already Sold)

Achilles - male, black, largest of the black males, most physically powerful of entire litter, extremely protective and already good watchdog, extremely calm and affectionate (Already Sold)


Goddard - male, black, most affectionate male, also very playful, good kid dog (Already Sold)


Echo - female, brindle, very pretty and playful (Already Sold)


Ivana - female, black, largest and most powerful female of entire litter (Already Sold)


Mina - female, black, smaller female who is very affectionate (Already Sold)


Regina - female, black, very independent and inquisitive (Already Sold)


Tabitha- female, black, independent and very protective (Already Sold)


Jake - largest of the brindles, heaviest dog of entire litter (Already Sold)

Sasha - first sold, smallest of brindles, very fiesty and spirited (Already Sold)

Bart - father, Great Bernard (one-half Saint Bernard, one-half Great Dane)


Noal - mother, black (mantle), full blooded Great Dane






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The American Superior

The American Superior - The Creation, Development, and Training of a Brilliant New Breed of Dog

Please see also - SAR: Please Help

Update: We will be producing one more litter probably around March or April, 2008.

After that we will have out female spayed and we will not breed another litter for four or five years, when the puppy we kept from this litter is fully grown and ready to mate.

Our method in the past has always been to breed one or two litters when our males reached four or five years of age, then keep one puppy, selling and finding good homes for the rest.

We have made an exception this time and will breed one extra litter because the breed has become very popular, it possessing the best work, sociability, and personality traits of both parent breeds, and generally speaking exhibiting greater size, strength, and health than the parent breeds. Of course that depends a great deal upon the way they are treated, as with anything else that lives. Generally speaking however the assets of the breed become quickly apparent to almost all new owners, and we regularly receive pictures and reports from the owners (most of whom maintain contact with us) extolling the strength, size, work capabilities, gentleness, protectiveness, intelligence and affection they have for their new dogs.

When I began this experiment, many years ago, with the intention of helping to establish this breed through the intentional cross breeding of what I consider to be the very best precursor breeds of dogs currently in existence I wanted to create a dog which was healthier, more intelligent, more flexible and capable, and larger and stronger than most other dogs, and I wanted the new breed to retain the gentleness and manner of the parent breeds.

To that end I feel I have most definitely succeeded.

I never though intended to become a "stock breeder," that is to breed in large numbers for various clients.
I really just intended to produce a Superior Dog and to carry on the parent's bloodline by breeding a new pup for us to retain every time the previous generation reached maturity and proper breeding age.

We now have the fourth generation from the same parent stock (that is the pup we now have can trace his lineage back through the sire through to the great grandmother), though we have bred more litters than that, and been at this for many years of experimentation. So we do not breed constantly, but rather until we have the pup we want from any particular generation, then we neuter and spay the parents, retaining them as our pets and watchdogs and work dogs, and raising the pup as our pet also until he is ready to breed. By the time we breed our new pup his sire and bitch will be older and then we will find a new bitch for our pup when he is grown with whom he can mate. So we breed, then let sit fallow for four to five years until such time as our new pup becomes fully mature and ready to breed.

So we very much appreciate all of those who have contacted us, and continue to do so regarding these dogs. But we have no intention of becoming full time, year after year breeders. We will produce one last litter because of all of the requests, and we will honor those requests, but we have no intention of breeding full time, and all of the time.

Our dogs are very important to us, and have proven themselves time and again as highly intelligent, devoted and protective, excellent watch and guard dogs, good workers, and extremely affectionate. And we intentionally bred them to be this way. But we have neither the time nor the inclination to be full time breeders. That is, to turn this enterprise into a job. This was an experiment, a highly effective and successful one, but it is not a business enterprise for us. It has two real intentions, produce a Superior Dog, and carry on the bloodline of our original female, who was also half Great Dane and half Saint Bernard. And the best of both breeds.

I can recommend intentionally breeding these dogs to those who are so interested.
The cross breed produces an extremely good and useful and valuable animal.

But like all animals I cannot recommend breeding them just to breed them, that is just for purposes of selling them and for no other use.
They make incredible pets, are gentle with children, and protective, smart, and powerful. They make superb watch and guard dogs, and good work dogs. But in my opinion they should be bred for these purposes, and for other useful purposes, and not just as a collectible commodity. And of course always take care of your dog and he or she will be your faithful companion and friend. They are your responsibility as well.

So if you want an incredibly good dog, the best of the best in my opinion, the American Superior (the cross bred Great Dane-Saint Bernard) is something you should carefully consider. But after this litter it will be another four or five years in all probability before we breed again.

Thank you and I hope this information has been of value to you, and I hope we have done our part to establish this excellent breed in the minds of those who desire such a dog.
But after the next litter in 2008 we will be spaying our bitch and out of the game of producing this breed until our new pup grows to adulthood.

Unfortunately I personally don't know of anyone else in the country who intentionally produces this breed, but maybe you can find someone else who does.
If so then good luck and Godspeed and drop us a line sometime and we can talk about the virtues of our dogs.

Which are many.

Jack.


THE AMERICAN SUPERIOR

In developing a new breed of dog one naturally seeks to assure the ordinary expression of certain qualities or traits common to either, or both, precursor breeds but in certain cases to also enhance or augment desirable innate biological traits in order to produce a superior animal. To this then I have produced a superior breed of dog that I call the American Superior. Although, doubtless not the first to produce this breed, I am the only person of whom I am aware that has made a conscious effort to continue intentionally producing this breed, and furthermore because of this I have, through several generations of intentional breeding, and through the production of numerous litters come to have much understanding of this breed. I understand the inherent potential of the breed, and the obvious and instantly recognizable numerous advantages displayed by the breed, and how these various advantages factor together and work in concert to create a dog that doubtless yields a very valuable asset in the ownership of such an animal.


First of all let me quickly review the process whereby “pure-breed dogs” have been created in the past. All so called pure-breeds are the result of selective cross breeding by humans in order to produce a breed of dog which exhibited certain desirable characteristics, and/or which showed a tendency to be able to successfully execute certain functions. Those aware of genetic and breeding matters in relation to dogs know that the huge and useful variety of modern canine breeds is the result of selective cross breeding of various precursor breeds and sub-breeds by humans in order to ultimately produce the most useful and desirable “breeds” of dog. Once a particular breed is more or less established by these selective cross breeding processes, and a particular breed becomes popular with those who wish to own a particular breed, and enough of a particular breed can be produced to solidify desirable traits then the selection process is further narrowed by seeking to eliminate, or at least control, future cross breeding. So experiments are conducted in which various cross breeding is performed in order to produce a dog with the most desirable and popular traits at which point the cross breeding process becomes effectively frozen by breeding the desired dog with dogs of only the same set of trait lines and characteristics. A new breed is first created by cross breeding and then stabilized through the future selective breeding with other animals who only share the same types of traits, characteristics, and genetic breed profile. But in order to create the specialized breed numerous cross breeding experiments must first be conducted, as has been the case in the past. The end result is the production of a breed that people feel it is desirable to continue through further selective exclusionary (breeding only within the same “breed” or profile) breeding. However like all breeding experiments too much selective exclusionary breeding (seeking to exclude all but the selectively bred genetic traits which make the breed desirable) can lead to a declining or weakened genetic strain over time. Therefore over the passage of time it is a beneficial thing (in any given species) to introduce new genetic characteristics in order to produce greater variation and to reinforce those good genetic traits originally exposed and amplified through exclusionary breeding. In other words too much selective and exclusionary in-breeding in any species will result in lessened variation and eventually to lessened capability within that genetic (breed) strain. Because of that, and because I desired to mix the desirable traits of what are in my opinion the two very best breeds of dogs, I began my cross breeding experiments to produce the American Superior.

The various advantages of the American Superior as I have come to observe and understand them by breeding this dog are many. Physical advantages include gracefulness of appearance, great strength, speed, the breed seems less prone to hip and bone diseases, they’re well balanced, and well proportioned, they are hardy and seem generally resistant to most canine diseases. They have excellent hearing and a superb sense of smell, as well as sharp eyesight.


In other respects the breed also displays a great number of additional advantages. The breed is very intelligent (generally the most intelligent breed of dog I have ever observed), independent, easy to train, obedient, gentle with children and gets along well with other animals, loyal, very protective of their owner and their owners property, and they are at all times keen and alert. They make good outside dogs as well as excellent inside dogs. They make good work, police, and military dogs. They make excellent guard and watchdogs, hunters (see A Very Short History of the Great Dane below), excellent tracker and rescue dogs (see A Very Short History of the Saint Bernard below), and excellent individual and family companions and pets. Because of the beautiful and well-proportioned appearance they would also make good show dogs.

The American Superior has two main variants, or sub breeds, the Great Bernard (a rarer variant occurring about 30% of the time), and the Saint Dane. The Great Bernard has a long snout, the heavier set body type of the Saint Bernard, a coat ranging from short fur to luxuriant, long hair and with eyes of various colors. The Saint Dane has a long snout, the thinner body type of the Great Dane, a coat that is usually short to medium in length, with eyes that are usually dark, although some dogs have blue, gray, brown, or golden colored eyes. The Saint Dane also has very long, graceful legs. Both variants produce large, powerful animals ranging in size from between 120 to 200 pounds, plus. The Great Bernard tends to be the heavier variant. In coloring either variant may tend to appear to be marked like a Saint Bernard, or will be mantle, brindle, fawn, blue or harlequin in appearance like the Great Dane.


For more information on litters and the physical appearance of the American Superior see: American Superior Pups and Around the Homestead and New Pictures of Puppies and Dogs

If you would like to own an American Superior pup then please visit this link: Pups

A Very Short History of the Saint Bernard - The Saint Bernard is descended from large mastiffs of mixed blood. They were originally used as guide, search, rescue, and guard dogs for the Hospice and monastery of the great Saint Bernard, in the Swiss Alps, along the Italian-Swiss border. Eventually the original Saint Bernards were crossbred with the Newfoundland to produce the modern, longhaired Saint Bernard.

A Very Short History of the Great Dane - The Great Dane was originally a German dog (Deutsche Dogge) descended from English mastiffs crossbred with the Irish Wolfhound. Known as courageous and skillful hunters the dog is also fast, graceful, and tall. They were originally bred as war dogs and to hunt boar. The Great Dane is often called the Apollo of dogs.




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Hidden Linkages

The Exchange - Hidden Linkages

Fanum Voltumnae?


I found This particularly interesting, both for what it means and for what it implies


UAVs won't Fly

No Bedside manner


Ridden out on a Rail


Won't Grow Up - It struck me that this may very well provide a vital clue in how to tame Cancer. And I suspect it does. So I'm gonna pursue it.


Birdman


Processus contra Templarios


KGBeed - I continue to follow the Litvinenko Case, for personal reasons. I found this little article about Felshtinski interesting.


Role Play Game Theory

Syria - 1913

NATINDIA




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BOLO, the Ogre, Science, and Memories of the Boy

Humours of Idleness - BOLO, the Ogre, Science, and Memories of the Boy


Back when I was in high school I took a lot of advanced science classes. Just about every one that the school offered. Between 8th and 9th grade, I think it was, I was also nominated in my state to go take an advanced science class held at a local high school but which was given by a college professor and most of the students attending were in college studying stuff like biochemistry, physics, chemistry, (hard sciences) etc. I passed the class, but barely as the math was way over my head at the time because it was much more advanced than any thing I had ever been previously exposed to, and I especially had trouble with working out the problems concerning chemical formulations and some of the math for some of the more advanced physics problems.

But to me the best thing about it was that all summer I got to hang out with college and university kids and do what they did for entertainment. We'd work at early versions of the university internet, I learned to vad (this was before either nerds or geeks, just brainiacs, and brainiacs tended to be quite exploratory and even liked to engage in petty vandalism, such as breaking and entering computer labs to get at MUDS and making explosive chemical mixtures to blow up miniature rockets or create tennis ball can bazookas and so forth - it was a different and much better time - you can't be a real boy anymore because if you try it then somebody thinks you're a terrorist, thanks a lot for the help again and go straight to hell Osama), we'd read, talk egghead stuff, design and invent things, stuff like that. We'd also often take field trips, such as geological expeditions or jaunts to observatories and so forth and at those times I'd play chess and other games with the guys (there was only one girl in the whole shebang, and I felt sorry for her in one way because she had more trouble with the math than me, but all the boys did pretty much whatever she asked when she batted her eyes and so I guess it worked out pretty good in the end for her). Well we played a number of interesting games when bored, or when we couldn't do anything else, such as en route from one place to another in the van.

I remembered at that time seeing a couple of the guys playing a game, which I never at that time played, but watched with real interest. It was based, or so I was told, on a book called BOLO, which one of the guys gave to me to read and which I later got my own copy of for my personal library. At that time I read a lot of fiction, especially science fiction, and it became one of my favorite books of the entire genre.

Later on, in the 10th grade I believe, my buddies and I would often skip our lunch and stay in whatever class we had just finished before lunch (unless we went outside to play Rocker, a version of soccer we played using a rock - not because we lacked soccer balls, most all of us either played soccer, ran track, played football, or all of those things - we played with a rock because we wanted to see who was toughest and could take the most pain - so we played rocker and also played "contact soccer, which was like ghetto black-court basketball with elbows to the head and knees to the groin, only soccer), which was usually advanced biology, or some such class, and play chess or other games. Most of my buddies brought bag lunches because we couldn't stand to eat that crap they dished out at the school cafeteria. Instead we would throw that food and our left over bagged lunches on the outer walls of the school to create "food art." Well, the school administrators didn't like that mostly, except the vice principal, who was really cool and would often laugh at our designs, or give us advice on what condiment to sling next to make it look better.

Well, one day a buddy of mine brings in a new game at lunchtime (we did that from time to time to playtest new stuff - it was sort of a competition to see who could find or invent the bets new game) and we start playing. He explains it and we barely start to play when I suddenly realize the game must have been based upon BOLO. It was called Ogre. It was a great deal of fun, probably the most fun I remember of any of the lunch time wargames we ever played. I later bought my own copy of the game, then lent it to somebody and they lost it. My buddies and I went on to start playing Star Fleet Battles, the original SFB wargame with the plum lines for firing arcs, and the little figures, and so forth, and I forgot about Ogre.

I had always wanted to take that game (Orge) and improve on it though, to make a modified and personal version of the game that was more like the book, and the real BOLO. To turn it into not only a tactical wargame but a role playing game as well (like I did with SFB) with the BOLO being the character you role play. (For those of you who don't know the BOLO was an Artificially Intelligent Supertank, a stand-alone, heavily armored and fiercely armed weapons and war platform. Later models operated independently because it was completely self-sufficient and artificially intelligent.) So a few months back I run into something on the internet which reminds me of BOLO, and that leads to an old memory of playing Ogre. So I get on the internet and start looking for references to Ogre (not expecting much luck since this was so long ago, I thought the game would have long ago been oblivion) and what do I find but a link to Steve Jackson Games, the guy who invented the game. (I used to play some other Steve Jackson games but over time had forgotten about that, and had even forgotten that Steve Jackson had invented the game Ogre.) So I discover the game still exists. And I've ordered a copy and when I get it I'm gonna alter it with the modifications which I already have in mind to create a role playing wargame for me and my nephews and buddies to play. I'm looking forward to it.

It's strange where your memory can lead with an examination and exploration of memories you really haven't considered for some period of time. But my memories led me back in time to one of the absolutely most outright fun periods of my life (my middle and high school career). This is one of the few things the public internet is actually good for, but I gotta say, I'm glad it is good for this kinda thing.






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On the Efficiency, Efficacy, and Edification of Being Alone

Humours of Idleness - On the Efficiency, Efficacy, and Edification of Being Alone

This past week has been the last vacation for the family and I this summer. My wife wanted to take my kids and go visit an old friend of hers (who is kinda like an aunt to my children) and so I told them to go. By all means go ahead and have fun. Which means that for a good part of this week I have been home alone (without anybody but my dogs and pups) and so I decided to use the time as productively as I could, getting a bunch of old catch-up work finished up, or at least making progress on it. At first it seemed like I was working as normal but as the time went by and I realized that I had no-one asking me to do anything other than what I wished, my attitude, and the feel of what I was doing totally changed. I became a kid again, setting my own hours, deciding what I would work on, or not work on, for how long, when, and in what way.

No one was making any request of me; there were no deadline or timeline demands, nothing to really control either my work schedule or my entertainment or recreation. I was completely in command of my own time, alone, and steeped in solitude. It had been so long since I had really been by myself that I had almost entirely forgotten what it was like to be in solitude, how different it is than having others around you, and how utterly beneficial it is from time to time to be alone. Completely alone and without the company of other people.

It took me awhile to adjust, but once I began to remember what solitude was like, and how much I could do (or not do as the case might be) I took as much advantage out of the situation as I possibly could. I think the best thing about solitude, in my case anyway, is that since I live so far out in the country, and since so much open land surrounds my home and estate, that aside from the occasional dog-bark, I could by simply killing the power to any form of distraction make it entirely silent. With children, clients calling me, the television, stereo, computer and video games running constantly, the piano being played - although I’m sure it is much more quiet and pleasant here than living in any city - my home can still be filled with noise and activity, despite the relative geographic isolation. But with everyone gone I could reduce my home to complete silence, could surround myself in silence. Could suppress the din until I could hear nothing but the wind, nothing but my own breathing and heartbeat, nothing but the crickets at night, or the thunder on the approaching storm. It is almost indescribable how good it is to be able to enforce silence whenever you wish.


But because I was alone I also got to do all kinds of other things, and I got to do them undisturbed and uninterrupted.

I made some scientific observations, worked on an experiment, I drew in my sketchbook, I took photographs, took a hike in the woods, played with my dogs, tended to my puppies, lifted weights, threw the discus, did some repair work and maintenance to the home, cleaned the gutters, went to the Home Depot and got some tools, saw a couple of movies, read a couple of books, listened to a lecture, worked a case and did some night surveillance, practiced the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, read in the Yoga Sutras, took care of a legal matter, meditated, prayed, wrote some new prayers, worked on a Mission’s Project, played my new piano, composed some music, worked on an invention, worked on my writing and art portfolios, went to the comic book store and got some comic books (Justice League and New Avengers), went to the airport and hung around the pilots, went to the new park, went to the book store and read some magazines, did some target shooting with my pistols and shotguns, went to the library and the art museum, went up to the Science Center and the old Naval telescope (but it was rainy and so got to view nothing), went out to eat and ate whatever I wanted, drank coffee and beer a’ lot, did some research for some books I’m writing, outlined part of a novel, got a story out to a publisher, listened to music, played some video and computer games, updated some computer and paper files, wrote some poetry, worked in my notebooks, worked on my newsletters, worked on my websites, reworked and redrew part of an old architectural sketch, cruised the internet, washed my car, cleaned my tackle box and went fishing for a few hours, read some intelligence reports and papers, thought about a business plan/venture I’m considering, worked on a series of essays I intend to write, watched Who Wants to be a Superhero, washed clothes, slept, and rested.

About the only thing I haven’t done is go Vadding, and camping, and if I could have found a new place to explore, and didn’t have to tend my litter of pups I certainly would have.

In short for the past few days I’ve been enjoying the hell outta myself.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my family, more than mere words can express, and enjoy their company; again more than speaking will tell. I have important obligations as both a husband and a father that I take very seriously and I would not exchange those obligations, that company, or that part of my life for any other gain. My family is important, in a way that other things wouldn’t be, not nearly so much, if I didn’t have my family to enhance them. My work is my legacy, but my family is my Living Legacy. They will carry on into the future long after this body is dust, and I am far away and the cares, concerns, and duties of this world mean nothing to me anymore.

That being said however it has been so many years since I was completely separated from them, that is, when no member of my family has been around me, and so many years since I have been in total solitude that I had almost forgotten what it was to be entirely by myself. Alone. And I had forgotten how good it is to be alone, how refreshing, how much one can achieve with no one else around and no distractions of any kind to interfere with whatever one wishes to do. I have remembered over the past few days why so many monks and hermits have sought solitude like a treasure-hoard and have spoken of it as a rare and precious gift of God, which is to be pursued when possible. It makes one efficient, relaxed, calm, and peaceful. It makes one unhurried and appreciative of life, it allows one to recreate, to organize one’s thoughts, to master the mind, attend the body, and to physic the soul. It reminds you that today is today, that hours can be long and fulfilling when not consumed with countless diversionary tasks and pointless distractions, that solitude helps to unmeasure the measure which compresses and shortens our lives by flooding them with minutiae.

Now next week I shall return to my normal schedule of activities and work, my family shall return from their trip and their absence will be remedied. And I shall be glad for that, for by that time I shall be missing their presence. It shall be good to have them home.

But this vacation, with them away and me here alone has reminded me of many valuable things which I had forgotten over the course of my marriage and my experiences as a father. God has made me remember, by arranging this time for me to be alone, truly alone, that time alone is good for a man, and for the first time in many, many years, that time alone is time very well spent. That there is much value, and much weal, in solitude well spent and in isolation well employed.

Solitude is a kind of leisure for the soul, and adds a peculiar and yet very wealthy kind of benefit to the man who can and does enjoy it, when he can. When I was young I could be alone whenever I wished, and often sought to be so, but as I aged and became consumed in so many worldly affairs I forgot that dream of dreamless deep which comes when men are best alone, and best at peace.

So in the future I intend to re-devote a certain period of my life, a certain time each year maybe, or even each month if it is possible - to solitude, to real and true and absolute solitude, and in that time alone to enjoy those timeless and eternal things of forgotten worth which make human life so much the better in all other ages and in all other circumstances.

This is my 300th post to this blog by the way. So I guess it’s some kinda marker or something.

Anyway, Happy Labor Day everyone.
Enjoy it peacefully.

© JWG, Jr. 2007

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Three Days Ago

Allele - Three Days Ago

Three days ago I was visited by a Wanderer in the desert, who being asked his name replied, "What is spoken is not what is known, and what is known is not the question that you would know of me.

Nevertheless if you answer me what I would not ask of you then I will tell you who I am."S

So I asked him how he might best be known when all he is as nothing.

"Now I will tell you who I am, and after that, we will sit together and stare into the sky."

So I listened, and hearing nothing, sat down to wait.

The watch was long, and quiet...

But I am patient.
And I can wait...



Experimentis Multiplicitus


Part the First: The Globe

“Post equitem sedet atra Cura”

Upon the table where I lay the object of desire
I came upon an ancient thing, a thing I could admire

A telescope of ages past, a compass lost to read
An experiment alone by which forsaken I accede

A glass that mirrored back my soul
A branching from the bole,
A secret whispered back from God
That guile could not enroll,

Upon the table where I lay the object of desire
I came upon an arcane thing, a thing I could acquire

A ruler steep, an astrolabe
For shooting at the sun
A promise long that I did crave
No matter when begun

And machinations, they did turn
Where assemblies did adjourn
Along the casement of facade
For by this did I learn,

No man has ever grown so tall
He ever stooped the sky,
Then when he topples, what a fall
That cracks the globe nearby

Upon the table where I lay the object of desire
I came upon an obscure thing, a thing which did conspire

For reaching up upon the mast, as tall as masts will grow
I found what I was searching for, then lost it down below,

The moral of this versive tale, this song of last repent
Is that desire never sleeps, and never does relent

So if you come upon that thing which lingers in your heart
Be very careful what you take before you do depart…

For gaining we have caught it all, and grasping we will hold
Seceding we cannot let off, our end is thus foretold.


© JG 2007




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The Times they are A'Changing

The Exchange - The Times they are A'Changin

I've made a few upgrades and changes to the site.

I've also updated my Favored and Approved lists along the bottom of the side-bar, and put up a new poll on Global Warming.

I've also updated my Recommendations links. I'm recommending both Likelihood of Success, and Rome Reborn as worth taking a gander.

I'll be making a few other improvements and updates as time goes along. I'm in no hurry and I'm in no way back to everyday blogging as to be honest, I don't really think of blogging as that important in the big scheme of things, or very important at all, and truth be told I've got a helluvah lot more important things to do with my time. Especially right now.

But I'm gonna get things done here as quick as I can and I'm also revising many of my other sites as well, my blogs, my portfolios, and my webpages. My newsletters will probably come last.

When I got something big coming up to post then I'll probably let you know ahead of time.

Well, I got other stuff to keep me busy tonight so I'll see ya later.
Hope you're all well.



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Wednesday Religious Assessment 8/8/07

Wednesday Religious Assessment

Coming and Going

The Illusion of Jihad?

The Adult Stem cell - What most everyone keeps missing is that if you take adult stem cells directly from the host (the person to be treated) and employ those then you have none of the potential problems of tissue or cellular rejection (not to mention either acute or chronic immune reactions) you would find by employing cells from any other donor. More than a century of basic understanding about tissue rejection and when stem cell research first develops it's right back to the drawing board (as if nothing were previously known about bio-medicine), ignoring the most basic ideas and understanding regarding the most fundamental aspects of biology. To be so capable in so many ways modern science is so ridiculous and juvenile in so many other ways. Modern science often makes me laugh.

The Pope and the Patriarch - Interesting after his recent visit to Turkey and the Eastern Orthodox churches.

Suffer the Children

A bit of Commentary and Analysis

The Orthodox Chrisitian Network

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Tuesday Science and Technology Abstract 8/7/07

Tuesday Science and Technology Abstract

Casimir Effect

The Balsa Planet

Wetworks

The Evil Vomit Light - I have always enjoyed working on, with, and developing new non-lethal weaponry. I like where this is going because combined with other types of wave-based NLWs, including sub-sonic I believe this could lead to something very like a phaser (not as a stunning weapon, but as a sensory and orientation incapacitator). The trick now will be to adapt the same basic principles to sonic and tactile weapons so that this type of weapon can incapacitate almost instantly and by use of light, sound, and by producing feeling within the body of the target. You would want it to be multi functional and be able to incapacitate in a number of different ways in order to be most effective and so it could not be easily defended against.

Advanced Concept Nuclear Shield - But I like Bruce Willis

Global Bugging

Going Under to Go Off - when I was younger and contemplated becoming an astronaut I have to admit that at the same time I was simultaneously captivated by the thought of deep sea exploration. Best of both worlds here.

What the Ruskies Have

Good Luck - Hope you do better with this than you do with your food industry.




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Games and Other Things

The Exchange - Games and Other Things

I homeschool my kids. My kids are involved in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities.
I found this article in the Epistula newsletter I receive from Marlin Detweiler so interesting I reproduced the entire article on my blog.

Games Matter

"An interesting and problematic phenomenon has arisen in classical Christian educational circles, schools and homeschools, and I fear I may have contributed to the problem. It’s the idea that curricular endeavors are more important than extra-curriculars.

There have been many instances where I have been asked to speak or consult and was asked about the role of these extra curriculars—sports, musical performance, drama, etc. Until recently, I have responded by suggesting that “we must gain substantial ground and stability in the curricular realm of educational recovery before thoroughly addressing the less important extra-curricular.” At the same time I was critical of parents who removed their kids from these classical schools with already dwindling school population in upper grades. Many times these parents would indicate that the schools lack of extra-curriculars was the reason for leaving. It seemed a misplaced sense of priorities.

After all, of my four boys I have one who will start at North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem this fall with an interest in drama and musical theater and another who played golf at Old Dominion on a golf scholarship last year and is transferring to North Carolina State University where he also will play golf. Yet another son, my 11th grader, hopes to play basketball into his college years. We’ve been able to make it work. Others certainly could, too. But that’s not really the whole story.

Difficulties and weaknesses still remain. Team sports are the biggest challenge. Small schools, let alone homeschools, will always have great difficulty fielding a championship football team. Then, throw in basketball, football, orchestra, band and soccer and there will never be enough participants or resources. My boys would have loved to have more options.

How many homeschooled or classically schooled student-athletes can you name that are or have played Division 1 College sports on a scholarship, let alone professionally? Not many. Initially, we might be inclined to say, “So what?”. Well, here’s what. Sports (and the arts) are a big part of life in America, in fact the world. Taking back culture will certainly involve having sports operate under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, there are things we learn from functioning as a team in athletics and the arts. Look at Congress. How many senators and representatives do you expect were athletes, even stand-out athletes earlier in life? Remember Jack Kemp? Bill Bradley? Jim Bunning? The list is quite long. The things we learn from competing are both hard to learn elsewhere and very important in leadership.

Let me concede that sports are not for everyone. Neither is drama or music (except singing, but that’s another subject). Leadership isn’t for everyone either. However, Christian community is. What I failed to see, when previously downplaying the importance of these activities, is what they do to the building of Christian community. Debate teams and mock-trial teams are wonderful. They challenge the student to apply what he has learned in important ways. They create a sense of camaraderie and connection. But nothing brings a group together like a football or basketball game. And nothing builds character like the tense moments of the games we play for the players and fans.

As we observe the marketplace we see some trends—some good, some not. The first is the one already mentioned—we underestimate the value of these activities and suffer the consequences of not keeping our schools filled and not developing the whole of our children. The second is our culture can be quite separatist. We don’t want our kids associating with bad kids and being influenced by them so we avoid contact at all cost—even the sports teams. My observation of folks in this extreme is that they produce effeminate men who are hardly ready to be like David or Daniel for the kingdom.

There’s another trend. Homeschool organizations and organizers bring kids together in highly competitive teams. I was thrilled to learn of some of them. Still in early stages, yet making great strides, these organizations stand ready, willing and able to make a difference. Schools are getting to it, as well. Some are realizing that planning for graduating classes of 30 may not cut it and are putting strategies in place for 200 instead.

We should also mention the trend on the other side of the ditch. It’s the one that thinks too much of sports and other extra-curriculars. Golf, football and the like are far more likely to be our idols of the day than a wooden Baal kept on the mantel. We need to stay away from that one, as well.

This is an enormous subject and much can be said. Suffice it for now that you should be aware of opportunities and avoid the ditches. Your children will thank you for it. And our God will be pleased to see His people called after His name ready, willing and able to do that which they are called to do."

Marlin Detweiler

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My Bitch Delivered

Pesharim - My Bitch Delivered

This morning, probably between 0100 and 0200 from the looks of it, my bitch littered.

We found her and the pups in a deep hole she had dug underneath the south deck of the house. Thirteen pups in all, a black and white one who was apparently still born from an examination of the body and a golden one apparently that she had crushed by accident later on were dead, before we found her and the litter. It’s a real shame that any of them died, they are all such beautiful looking pups and the golden one was the only one of the litter that color, and I had hoped to replace Maximius (who we lost from the last litter and was also golden) with this golden boy. But alas, things happen you cannot control or don’t see coming. That golden pup would have been a real monster too from the looks of him. He was the biggest of the lot, but I guess some things are just not meant to be. I buried the two dead ones with their brother Max.

Anyways the good thing is that about half of the others are Tiger Stripe the extremely unusual in appearance and unique brand of Great Bernard produced by my male Great Bernard and my female Great Dane. Pictures of previous litter here.

So we’re gonna keep the biggest male Tiger Stripe of this litter and probably call him Maximius Saint George after his two uncles, or just Max for short.

I’m extremely proud of my bitch. Thirteen pups in a single litter, and eleven survivors. She’s strong, there’s no doubt about it. Never even heard a whimper out of her, just like with the last litter. She’s the best bitch I’ve ever had and I’ve had some good bitches. Kara was a good bitch, after all Bart (the sire of this litter) was her brood and he and his brother are/were the best dogs I’ve ever had. Kara was a very good bitch but Noal is even better. She’s black as midnight, tough as pig iron, beautiful as a long-legged quarter horse, fast as the wind, and sweet as a Southern lady. Damn good guard dog too. And smart as a whip. Maybe the smartest dog I've ever owned next to George.

Apparently all of the vitamins, supplements, and metaergogenic enhancements I had been feeding her and Bart had acted like fertility drugs too. Last litter she put out ten and nine survived (one being still born). This time thirteen of eleven survived though if we had found her early enough this morning then it might have been an even dozen to live, including the golden boy. She had been huge of course, and her tits were enormous, but even I never expected her to deliver thirteen rounders in a single litter.

If our male tiger stripe lives to six months or so then were gonna have her spayed. The others we will sell for between 400 and 500 like last time. I sure am looking forward to seeing how this litter develops. They look like they are gonna be incredible dogs, just like the last litter. I’m not making the same mistakes I made last time though, this time I’m taking lots of pictures and they will be fed Raw Food (not canned food) like their parents and given even more supplements than the previous litter. Plus, since there are so many of them we'll bottle feed em as they start to develop, like last time.

Bart will also like having another big boy around to play with to take the place of his brother George (who was killed by cottonmouths). Even better it will be his own son.

Well, I gotta lot a work to do today, including laying down a den for them in the basement. I’ll get pictures up as soon as I can.

© JWG, Jr. 2007




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The Exchange - Alternative Reality Gaming

The Exchange - Alternative Reality Gaming

I'm kinda torn by this.

On the one hand I see it as just another way to kill time in a useless and frivolous "entertainment pursuit" as if the world, and America especially, is not already full of such silly, distracting, and pointless endeavors.

On the other hand it doesn't take much foresight to realize the enormous potential that something like this might have in using gaming and a real world platform to practice and master Real World Skills if the proper Transferable Skills Simulations could be developed.

This could be a practical method of teaching Real World Skills in the real world through a gaming system and scenario.

At the very least amateur skills could be learned, practiced, and developed, or the gaming scenario at the very least designed in such a way as to require or encourage players to learn or make use of some real world skill in order to compete successfully in the game.

As for Wargaming of various kinds this would be a perfect model, under controlled circumstances, for Real World military training scenarios (without the need for separate and expensive training centers - interacting with civilians in civilian areas while simultaneously trying to guard against mock terror attacks and also trying to avoid accidental or saboteur gamejacking), SWAT training, medical service training, manhunting, security, espionage, and practically anything of a civil service nature. But it could also be easily extended to practically any profession, as a form of Interactive Training Role-play. It could also easily be employed to develop scenarios to teach hobbies or to train someone for personal avocations, like Vadding.

It is filled with interesting and practically unlimited potential and if combined with Virtual Reality and incorporated into Real World Training scenarios certainly would be an interesting way to learn new skills. It might even be successfully employed as a general primary and secondary Educational Technique.

I'm gonna think more on the matter and how I might use this, as well as how it might be best interwoven into more ordinary Electronic Video and Computer games and who it might be best combined with Virtual Reality projects.


Alternative Reality Gaming Network

Alternative Reality Gaming

ARG Tutorial

Dark Time-Killer, or Bright Road to the Future?




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The Glass of Leonardo and the Holiconic Impulse

Invisible Hand - The Glass of Leonardo and the Holiconic Impulse

I don't know if there is anything to this or not.

Leonardo's Mirror

I have not been able to personally investigate as of yet.

But having recently registered at the site to gain access to Leonardo's notebooks on-line, and knowing that Leonardo did enjoy experimenting with mirror and cryptic images in both his notebooks and his artwork, I find the discovery (if it is a real discovery) rather fascinating. (Such a discovery could also have impressive, highly beneficial, and potent ramifications for the fields of steganography and image encryption.)


It reminds me of a kind of graphic or Image Palimpsest. I also find the idea interesting because I have been experimenting and trying to design holographic, 3-D, moving images (actually the motion in images occur due to observational position of the viewer in relation to the object in question) placed into Icons. These holographic Icons, which I call Holicons are designed to tell a story by having the Icon morph it's static image as the observer makes his way around the Icon following the Stations of the Cross, or some other invented programmatic queueing point.

So I find Leonardo's experiment in this matter more than interesting, if it does in fact prove out to be true.



It also gives me another idea about how to modify the Holicons I've been developing to include secondary and tertiary (maybe even multiple or polygraphic) images in a respect similar to what Leonardo may have been doing.

If this does prove out then I hope they dissect his methodology to try and discover his actual working techniques in this regard. That could prove extremely useful.



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