A Crow's Funeral

"The sound of many crows calling at once filled the air. I peeked out the window, and everywhere I could see, crows, maybe a couple hundred of them. They were on the sidewalk. They were on the power lines. They were on the logs that served as stops for parked cars, and they were in the trees. Almost hidden against one of the logs, I saw a dead crow. There were a few crows standing near the body. The noise continued for about a minute or so, when suddenly, an unseen conductor waved his baton, and the cawing stopped. The silence was equally as loud.There was a pause.Then, the invisible conductor again waved his baton, and there was a great and noisy flurry of feathers, as the crows took off and flew in all directions. Soon they were gone, leaving their lifeless kin to the elements. I continued my watch in silent awe, feeling that I had just witnessed something few have seen. "

"In the various articles and books I have read about the corvids and their behavior, the authors cannot agree as to whether the Crow Funeral is fact or legend. Based on what I observed, and barring evidence to the contrary, I believe that I indeed observed the crow's version of what we would call, a funeral." ---Carl Cook

JOHN SPRUCE SOCIETY PROTEST POSTERS

The John Spruce Society, a radical middle of the road organization, is providing you with full size protest posters that demonstrate disdain for the far left and far right and their radical politics.

Take the digital information to Kinko's or what ever they call that now and they can print them full size for you.

These posters are made available by The Chamomile Tea Party:

"Tired of the rancor between the political left and right, I formed the Chamomile Tea Party, a calming force in American political discourse. When party politics, character assassination, and rhetoric take precedence over the good of the country it's time to say enough is enough. These are the first of our posters calling for change in our country. They are based on old propaganda posters from World War II, appropriated for the present political climate. Feel free to download the larger copies and pass them around. "

There are a total of 15 posters available.

Jesters Hold Irony Rally On D.C. Mall

Stewart & Colbert held a rally today.
I know people who drove straight through to D.C. attended the Rally and will be back home on Sunday. How many were there? A whole big bunch.
Pictures from the mall.

"Those Shallow Generalist" Says BP CEO Hayward

Corporate Culture:

Tony Hayward gives us the ultimate reason for the BP fiasco in the Gulf and why BP can not, should not, be continued to be allowed to drill in America.

The program is FRONTLINE: The Spill

Over and over the program shows the systemic problem: they did not, do not, dot their "I"s and cross their "T"s.

To show how this is institutionalized into the the corporate BP culture check out minutes 38:00 to 40:30 on the the program video.

Tony Hayward says,

" We had too many people that were working to save the world... we lost track of the fact that our primary purpose in life is to provide value for shareholders...we had to many people who did not understand what it took provide operations...we had to many shallow generalist..."

Hayward was an oil man through and through taking bigger and bigger risk in deeper and deeper water.

The new guy isn't much better, maybe worse, after all BP passed over him to promote Hayward.

Too Many Shallow Generalist?

Well their Congress of Experts didn't work too well did it?

What happens now?

Doesn't seem like anything will.

Wall Fly

I'm not bragging, not lamenting, or feeling sorry for myself.

Once upon a time I was a fly on the wall.

I was "indirect" staff of some of the richest men.

I watched and listened, and only spoke when asked a direct question.

Well I did screw up one time and told the richest man in the State that he had made a mistake.

I was wrong. It cost me. I didn't do again.

I listened to their logic.

I watched them make decisions.

I watched them be wrong and could not correct them.

I heard their jokes.

I watch them be offensive.

I watched them take offence.

I watched them take revenge (once 25 years after the fact).

I heard them threaten and scare.

They bought and sold people in front of me.

I heard them shape the future of people who they didn't know and that would never know that they had done so.

I have watched a few become the super rich.

They are different from you and I.

Our god is a lessor god for lessor people.

Their god is a believer in the value of them.

I have watch several fail and dissolve.

I have watched one or two stand on the highest pinnacles there are.

A few would know my name. Fewer would ever acknowledge me.

I was just there like the chair, like the coffee, like the phone.

When I watch movies about ancient Rome I always notice the servants, slaves, in the background and think to myself, I understand them.

I learned so much.

Much too much actually, being a fly on the wall.

The New Atomic Batteries

You would have to be almost pre-atomic to remember the optimism of the "The Atomic Age" and its ultimate failure. Well shades of Flash Gordon, Copper Head, and Jet Jackson here it actually comes. OK , it is 60 years off schedule and we have really f@&^%(d up the world with fossil fuel in the interim. But danged if aint' it here.






Uranium Nitride



WASHINGTON: Scientists have discovered a new form of uranium that could lead to a nuclear power plant small enough to fit in your car and eventually even power it. Scientists from the Los Alamos National Laboratory have created a long-sought molecule known as uranium nitride. Besides offering cheaper and safer nuclear fuel, the new molecule could extract more energy from fossil fuels, making cars more fuel-efficient, and could also lead to cheaper drugs. "Actinide nitrides are candidate nuclear fuels of the future," Discovery News quoted Jaqueline Kiplinger, a scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory who led the team of researchers on the recent Nature Chemistry paper, as saying. "But they can also break carbon-hydrogen bonds, which are very strong." Uranium nitride rips the hydrogen atoms off a carbon atom -- no easy task. A similar process happens every day in car engines. Unfortunately a lot of energy in those bonds is lost as heat. If the two atoms could be split apart without losing all that energy, gasoline could be used much more effectively not only to fuel a car, but also to improve a whole variety of petroleum-related products, from plastics to drugs. Unfortunately the new molecule is destroyed when it rips hydrogen atoms off a carbon atom. For uranium nitride to become commercially viable, it would have to knock one hydrogen atom after another and not destroy itself in the process.

But wait there is more: September 29, 2010

"The Hyperion power generation uranium nitride reactor is probably the smallest of the small reactors now heading toward licensure in the U.S. At 70 MWthermal / 25 MWelectric the HPM is really in the class of “mini”-reactors. Each reactor unit is 1.5 meters in diameter and 2.5 meters tall – about the size of two residential hot tubs stacked together. We wanted it to be small enough to fit on one truck, which is important because the unit is sealed at the assembly plant. It’s completely assembled off-site and buried in the ground in a specially designed vault. After that, it’s not to be opened or refueled. The whole assembly, including the electricity-generating component, sits on less than an acre. The entire plant can be constructed in just a few months. At the end of its useful life, which is around 10 years, we take the entire sealed reactor back to the factory where it can be refueled. We’ve got one of the few business plans that doesn’t involve leaving spent fuel on the customer’s site.

We are projecting that each HPM (the reactor unit) will run about $50 to $75 million, plus another $25 to $50 million for the balance of the steam to electricity generating plant. The containment structure is included in those costs."

The HPMs

"The Hyperion concept was originally conceived as a clean, affordable solution to power mining and industrial operations such as the retorting of oil sands and shale. Other applications and requests for modules now come in daily from around the globe.
Hyperion power modules (HPMs) are a perfect alternative for those communities -- such as military bases, hospital and college campuses, – that, for security, reliability, or financial reasons, desire to be independent of their local utility’s power source. Equally important is Hyperion’s ability to bring heat for industrial uses and electricity for infrastructure and homes to remote locations with no reasonable access to reliable energy. For example: over 25% of the world’s population does not have access to clean water. Hyperion can solve this appalling situation by providing the power to pump, clean, and process life’s essential element, thereby turning the tide on disease, poverty and social unrest. The team of business professionals and scientists that are developing Hyperion are deeply concerned about the state of the environment, the human suffering that continues needlessly, and the search for energy independence that is vital not just to the U.S., but to every nation on the planet. The men and women behind HPG are dedicated to realizing the full potential of this small but mighty power module. Clean, safe, affordable energy should be available to everyone – even in the most remote locations."

Now this is, soon, licenced to go.

Next: Let's get that single carbon molecule filament perfected to hold the space elevator in place and we are really living in a science fiction world.

The Christian Tipping Point

St. Ambrose blessing Emperor Theodosius

Ever wondered when Christianity became the ONLY religion allowed in the Roman World? When did the"Church" create the first Official Biblical Canon? When was Greek Paganism Officially destroyed? Who put out the flame of the Greek Mysteries? Who did all this?



Theodosius The Great

Flavius Theodosius (11 January 347 – 17 January 395), commonly known as Theodosius I or Theodosius the Great, was Roman Emperor from 378 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. During his reign, the Goths secured control of Illyricum after the Gothic War - establishing their homeland south of the Danube within the empire's borders. He is known for making Nicene Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire, issuing decrees that effectively worked towards melding the Roman state and the Christian Church into a single de facto church-state entity. He was the first Emperor to submit to a Church Leader (Ambrose). He pushed the Council of Hippo to create the Biblical Canon.


Aurelius Ambrosius, better known as Saint Ambrose was the force behind Theodosius' push to Christianize the world.





His Time Line:





380 Christianity established as the official faith of the Roman Empire by Emperor Theodosius the Great; Council of Saragossa condemns Priscillianism.
381 Second Ecumenical Council held in Constantinople, condemning Macedonianism/Pneumatomachianism and Appollinarianism, declaring the divinity of the Holy Spirit, confirming the previous Ecumenical Council, and completing the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed; Council of Aquileia led by Ambrose of Milan deposes Arian bishops.
382 Pope Siricius of Rome first to bear title Pontifex Maximus.
383 Death of Frumentius of Axum, bishop of Axum and Apostle to Ethiopia.
384 Council of Bordeaux condemns Priscillian.
385 Death of Gregory of Nyssa.
386 Panagia Soumela Monastery founded in Trebizond, Pontus, Asia Minor; death of Cyril of Jerusalem; Theodosius the Great begins to rebuild the present-day Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
387 Augustine baptized at Pascha by Ambrose of Milan.
390 Death of Horus of the Thebaid.
391 Death of Gregory the Theologian.
391-92 All non-Christian temples in the Empire closed; Theodosius the Great ends paganism by decree and causes surviving pagan sacrifices at Alexandria and Rome to cease.
392 Death of Macarius the Great.
393 Council of Hippo publishes Biblical canon; Emperor Theodosius bans Olympic Games as a pagan festival.

Ambrose and Theodosius Church tippers.

It Is Time For The Churches To Pay Taxes

It is very simple, either you break the law or keep your mouth shut. As a pastor or congregation if you firmly believe a propose law should or should not be passed, you have two choices keep quite or violate the law. Does candidate Smith match all of your religious principles and candidate Jones is an apostate. Keep your opinions to yourself or you will lose your not-for-profit tax exemption. Why should that mega-church down the road have all those tax exemptions for its businesses that compete against you own parishioners who have to pay taxes?





True separation of Church and State means that the State has no hold on the Church. Tax exemptions are not just a hold, it is a strangle hold. It emasculates the Church's obligation to accomplish its social responsibilities.





And literally for God's sake don't take those "Faith Based" bribes from the Government. They will make you a slave to the needs of the government, even when the church and the government agree on the method or the end game, don't get seduced and join their team.





Yes it will cost a lot of money. But you will regain your freedom to be a Church without government's chains on it.





It is time for the Churches to just say NO to tax exemptions.





(Thanks to an anonymous friend who first verbalized this concept.)

Dadgummit, Are You Yellow Dogs Or Aren't You?

You want grass roots? You want authentic tea party independence? Then elect this guy to the U.S. Senate.


Jim Rogers on the Issues.



Senator Jim Rogers, D-Oklahoma

OK, ARE YOU A YELLOW DOG DEMOCRAT OR NOT?

NOW IS THE TIME TO PROVE IT.

Tom Coburn is going to win another term to the United States Senate. For sure he is, say the pundits because the Democrats are running a perennial loser against him. A guy who won't even campaign. Well who gives a damn who he is ? He ain't Tom Coburn and he ain't a Republican.

Yellow Dog Democrat: "Over the years, when I have called myself a "Yellow Dog Democrat," I always am amazed that so many folks have never heard the term. Here is a simple definition of Yellow Dog Democrats: If the only candidate on the Democratic ticket is an old cur yellow dog running against a highly regarded Republican, we would vote for the yellow dog. Period. A handful of Yellow Dogs may actually like some Republicans, but hardly any of us trust Republicans to run government, especially the federal government. We are, according to Just Politics, "unswerving" party loyalists."

By Damn and By golly it is time for some Yellow Dogs to bite the Republican's ass.

Perennial candidate Jim Rogers is Dems' Senate nominee

PERSISTENT Jim Rogers: He’s run for U.S. senator four times and lieutenant governor once.

By JULIE BISBEE NewsOK.com Published: 8/2/2010 2:22 AM Last Modified: 8/2/2010 5:42 AM

OKLAHOMA CITY — A man who runs for office nearly every election year but doesn't formally campaign is the Democratic nominee to take on U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., this year.
Jim Rogers, a colorful perennial candidate, walked away the winner of the Democratic primary Tuesday with 65 percent of the vote over an Oklahoma City lawyer with an extensive career in business.
Name recognition and a well-known last name in Oklahoma fueled Rogers' vote totals. The former college professor, who refuses to say where he taught, received 157,926 votes. His opponent, Mark Myles, who worked for IBM for 20 years before he went to law school, got 83,709 votes.
"Names matter," said Ben Odom, a lawyer who is a longtime political consultant. "If you're going to run for office in Oklahoma, you can't have a better name than Rogers."

Vote for this man.

Campaign for this man.

He ain't Tom Coburn.

He ain't a Republican.

Under the Yellow Dog creed he is a QUALIFIED Democrat.

ELECT JIM ROGERS FOR US SENATOR!

Why Do We Learn ? To Make A Living And To Make A Life

Thirty five years ago, right after a very bad recession, I wrote a position paper for my boss on creating a five year bachelors degree with year one of the degree devoted to how to learn and specific vocational kills that relate to the ultimate bachelors. The goal was simple, to provide job training so that the learner would have a way to live and pay for their continuing educating. A three step program, basic job skills and training, academic basics, degree specifics; a 1-2-2 year program of self sufficiency and education.

But it was doomed to failure.

First, training was the province of the Vo-tech education system, not colleges.

Second, two year degrees were not yet much more than prep-school training for four year schools.

Third, the student loan programs were ramping up and the concept of a student working and paying as the went to school was being shoved aside in favor of borrowing the money to do so.

Four, every junior college at the time wanted to become a four school and every four year school wanted to become a Harvard, Yale, or Princeton.

Now we have a depression and we are going for training programs in our two year Colleges.

Big-name companies to help colleges train workers:
"The White House on Monday described "Skills for America's Future" as an industry-led initiative to "dramatically improve" work force training partnerships with community colleges, paid for mostly by the participating companies.
The Gap Inc., for example, said it would expand community college partnerships in seven metro areas, including in-store job shadowing, interview and leadership training, and scholarships. The San Francisco-based company said it expects to hire up to 1,200 community college students in 2011, or five percent of its annual hiring.
Other participating employers are Accenture, McDonald's, United Technologies and P.G.&E."

In addition for several years On behalf of my State I worked along side the people at ACT in Iowa City as they developed Work Keys and their Standards of Transition (now called the College Readiness Standards)which would have fit into my original thoughts on educating the whole student and making the independent enough to succeed without going into debt, and in good and bad job markets.

All of the pieces are in place now to do something like this. Indeed the opposition is almost gone. The junior in the junior colleges are gone and they all are "Colleges" now. The Vo-tech system are now Technical Centers. The Bank based student loans systems have failed.

Of course there is the whole point that Liberal Arts are being lost. Naw, don't think so. Maybe now the job and skills folk will quit messing with their proven content and value, but that's another blog in which I'll team up with Issac Asimov to make my point.

Mitigating My Religious Ignorance

By now you will have heard of the miserable show of knowledge about religion by religious people.

Well may I brag a bit that I got them all correct, except for the one about who the vice-president of the United States was, but that was a warm up question and didn't count. Any how, I am taking advantage of the WESTAR Jesus Seminars being in Oklahoma City next week to upgrade, if not mitigate, my ignorance of early Christianity. I went to the one last year and learned a whole lot of stuff. I even bought some books and read them.

By the way don't go expecting a Ra-Ra-Christ evening! No messages, no evangelism, no proselytizing, just historical theological information. A series of sessions to enlighten the mind about what some souls did and believed as they developed one specific religion.

So if you are of the curious ilk you may want to take advantage of one of the seminars near you.

Check them out at the site below.

http://www.westarinstitute.org/

The Oklahoma City one is Friday and Saturday of this week.

See you there.

http://www.westarinstitute.org/Events/JSORs/okcity2010.html