An invitation to go sailing

Doug at a physics workshop

A surprise email from the past:  from Doug, one of the four (or was it five?) math-science nerds in high school who hung together. Doug went to Stanford, I visited him there (when I was at Cal Tech) for a Tom Lehrer concert, but lost track after I dropped out of school and joined the Army etc etc etc except for occasional contacts. Seems to me he was in Oregon for a time, and we visited. He made his career (as a physicist, of course) in Tennessee and I think still lives there. Anyway, another high school pal, a WOMAN interested in science (not too common then), sent him the link to this blog, and he wrote me tonight. Great to hear from him! He has a boat and offered to take me sailing. My first offer this week. He said he's about ready for a pacemaker himself. Ah, the hours.

As I recall, the first time I heard, barely on a distant station on a portable radio, Little Richard sing "Jenny, Jenny" it was in a tent at a lake where I went with Doug and his family to camp and water ski. Can't forget moments like that.

Cooking adventure

Stumbled upon a cooking show, thought, Hey, I can do that! And allows for considerable variety and creativity. A keeper.

My first Spring Rolls

Let's try that again

OK, let's see if tomorrow I can get my summer on track. Chores, like my office, School prep things. All of which I tried to do in June after turning in grades but found myself without energy, a trip to the doc, a heart not working right, a pacemaker, and here I am. Let's try again.

Hopefully in the six weeks before school starts I can get a lot done. Tomorrow is the first step.

Meet Paul Ryan: Climate Denier, Conspiracy Theorist, Koch Acolyte | ThinkProgress

Meet Paul Ryan: Climate Denier, Conspiracy Theorist, Koch Acolyte | ThinkProgress:

 "Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Mitt Romney’s vice-presidential pick, is a virulent denier of climate science, with a voting record to match.

A favorite of the Koch brothers, Ryan has accused scientists of engaging in conspiracy to “intentionally mislead the public on the issue of climate change.” He has implied that snow invalidates global warming."

This guy's ideas are dangerous. He's also very likable, which makes him even more dangerous.

Good tech

For those who want a cold beer on a hot day but don't want alcohol for whatever reason, let me recommend the Guinness product Kaliber. It tastes just like a good beer, my friends. You can't say that about all non-alcoholic beers. Guinness really has the tech down.

Gin & tonic weather

In the old days, this was gin & tonic weather, and I'd frequently spend a Sunday afternoon at a bar's outdoor  patio, sipping and people watching, and occasionally listening to jazz. It was a great way to spend a warm day off from writing. And in NW in the 80s, where everybody in the bar scene pretty much knew everybody else, many writers and artists and musicians among them, and even more wit and senses of humor, I'd run into folks I knew and tables would be joined together and repartee started. I met my late good friend
Ger Moran at such an outdoor patio. Connections with the opposite sex were occasionally made, including a pretty funny one with a theater director new to town. These Sundays were never boring. Never.

You don't want to forget these experiences. That was the major argument I had with my counselors in treatment: they wanted me to dismiss the drinking life as "the bad old days" but I refused to forget or regret the really good times I had. Yes, they are in the past. But goddamn, they were fun while they lasted!

Favorite DJs

A DJ can make all the difference in a radio program. I used to be a regular listener of the Sunday morning Dixieland show hosted by "Dr. Jazz" until he passed away. None of his replacements has met the mark.

Here are some DJs I've looked forward to hearing over the years.

Jivin' Johnny Etheredge in Eugene, golden oldies & country classics. Found him on the dial in grad school, he is still playing the classics in Eugene. Became friends, indeed I dedicated my novel The Deadly Doowop to him. My fav, big time.

---

Here's Dr. Jazz, Bill Fetch:

---

I haven't heard him in a long time but through the 80s my favorite jazz DJ in town was Homer Clark.

---

The host of Divaville, Christa Wessel, who also hosts classical music:

Olympic highlights

My preferences:

• Best male jock: Ashton Eaton, decathlon winner
• Best female jock: Jessica Ennis, heptathlon winner
• Best single event: men's 10K
• Best accomplishment: Mo Farah, doubling in 5K and 10K
• Saddest story: Canada's women, screwed in football against USA
• Biggest disappointment: Men's basketball, Spain losing to USA
• Best good luck: USA women's soccer, benefit from call against Canada, no call against Japan
• Most charming jock: Missy Franklin
• Least charming jock: Bolt
• Biggest surprise: GB team doing great
• Happiest moments: whenever GB wins, fans' enthusiasm is infectious
• Best team efforts: USA women, esp swimming, soccer, gymnastics
• Craziest story: dumb cheating in badminton

Changes

Sletch and I cruised thru NW Pdx where I lived in 80s ... only time Pdx felt like home ... was bohemian then ... trendy now but recently out-trendied by Pearl District (old skid row)... in 80s two NYers, my agent and playwright OyamO, both told me NW reminded them of how Greenwich Village used to be ... Portland glory days long gone ... a different city now ... a yuppie city ... a very spendy city ... I don't belong here and only the university makes it work ... love PSU. My island of comfort.

NBC sucks

Prime time coverage missed the important early strategic move by winner Mo Farah, eventual winner, cutting to commercial just as it began. I can't believe it.

The English

Moving Tom Brokaw doc about the English in WWII. How in hell did they survive the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz? I'm not sure Americans have this kind of character but all peoples, at least most, tend to make good use of survivor instincts, I suppose. But what the English survived is truly extraordinary. The war would have gone another way if they had not. I admire the hell out of the English.

German barbarism would get trumped by American barbarism at Dresden, just as Japanese barbarism would be trumped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Wars are barbaric by nature.

Humans at war

2012 Little League Baseball World Series Game Schedule & Stats

2012 Little League Baseball World Series Game Schedule & Stats:

Gresham, OR, is one of the 16 teams, the Pacific NW champ! This is great.

Pussy Riot's crime was violating the sacred. That's what got Jesus in court | Giles Fraser | | The Guardian

Pussy Riot's crime was violating the sacred. That's what got Jesus in court | Giles Fraser | Comment is free | The Guardian:

Profit and PR are the real enemies of innovation | Peter Wilby | | The Guardian

Profit and PR are the real enemies of innovation | Peter Wilby | Comment is free | The Guardian:

NBC's Olympics

A C- at best. Probably a D. And this year has been better than past years!

Coverage was decent before track and field kicked in. More live events of the more minor sports.

The biggest disappointment was streaming video -- it was interrupted by ads every few minutes! And the same ads at that. Remind me to boycott coke. That's the effect.

I read about BBC coverage, all live plus repeats, and I realize what a failure our commercial networks are at genuine public service.

The Olympics You Didn’t See – The London Cultural Olympics

The Olympics You Didn’t See – The London Cultural Olympics

Mo Farah wins gold in men's 5,000 meters, Galen Rupp does not medal | OregonLive.com

Mo Farah wins gold in men's 5,000 meters, Galen Rupp does not medal | OregonLive.com:

"Galen Rupp, who starred at Central Catholic High School and the University of Oregon and trains with Farah in Portland, did not medal. He finished seventh in 13:45.04. Bernard Lagat was fourth. Lopez Lomong finished 10th."

Farah doubles, Rupp fades.

Ah me.

Men's 5000

Today's highlight, which I'll watch live in a couple hours but doesn't get telecast by dumb NBC until late tonight. Rooting for Galen Rupp, of course.

Mexico beat Brazil for football gold, an upset and exciting game. Mexico scored in first 29 seconds, Brazil in added time at end, 2-1 the final.

I'm awed by synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics. Can't imagine learning those skills. Not a fan, just in awe.

I can't get into Bolt and sprinters or basketball. Strikes me as domination by talented jerks. I'll take a giggly teenage swimmer anytime, innocence and all.

After 5000, the best thing left is men's marathon.

Brett Hundley Named UCLA Starting Quarterback - Bruins Nation

Brett Hundley Named UCLA Starting Quarterback - Bruins Nation:

Good news. This redshirt freshman is hot.

"Are the Olympics over yet?"

The tone of the news

The late David Brinkley

One thing that has changed greatly in my lifetime is the tone in which news is delivered on TV or radio. I'd describe it as changing from a neutral, professional tone to a chummy falsely intimate tone. Some of the older network newscasters retain a bit of the old formality but for the most part news is now delivered as if the newscaster were a friend, a buddy, a neighbor. Old fart that I am, this new delivery style drives me up the wall. Diane Sawyer, for example. She sounds like a nightmare's stepmother.

This pattern -- phony intimacy, false friendship -- has grown throughout the culture. Thus someone has 5000 "friends" on Facebook, including many s/he has never met in person. There's been a cultural rush from substance to surface in everything from relationships to public discourse.

Slightly off subject, I'm reminded of something my dad told me and my late best friend Dick Crooks' stepdad told him. The same thing. Each observed our deep friendship and told us to cherish it, it was very rare. They had not experienced friendship this close, even though each was very social and had many "friends." But there are close friends and other friends, friends and acquaintances. I was lucky to have several very deep friendships during my lifetime, though I outlived them all. I miss them.

Convalescence sucks

I've been prolific as hell as a writer (see archive), for almost half a century, which amounts to being a workaholic, or something close. So I'm not used to sitting around doing nothing, as I have been for the past two weeks. I've watched tons of Olympics, done a little reading, blogged, taken the dog for runs, cooked, ate.

Well, with the Olympics coming to an end, it's time to get into gear with less frivolous activity. I have an office to clean and redesign, school prep to do, a new book on which to start research and notes -- all of which can be done without using my left arm, which I have to use carefully for another month. (I screwed up big time once: in yesterday's soccer game, at the USA first goal, I raised both arms and yelled "Goal!", immediately realizing my error. Apparently I did no harm.)

The fear is, dislocating the wires so the pacemaker doesn't function. If this happens, I'm supposed to feel light-headed and listless like before. I still feel full of energy so I assume everything is all right. I also assume the monitor is monitoring, although it just sits there and isn't doing a thing that I can tell. I assume if something was wrong, the doc would contact me.

At any rate, Monday we begin the last sprint of summer, relatively speaking, and its time to be productive. Yes!

If there's sun, Sketch will find it

Humans on Mars: The Craziest, Weirdest, and Most Plausible Plans in History | Wired Science | Wired.com

Humans on Mars: The Craziest, Weirdest, and Most Plausible Plans in History | Wired Science | Wired.com:

"“Today, the wheels of Curiosity have begun to blaze the trail for human footprints on Mars,” said the agency’s administrator Charles Bolden after the rover’s successful landing on Aug. 5."

Hey, we gotta go somewhere! The human Big Plan apparently is to go to the frontier, and after they screw it up, go to the next one.

2012 London Olympics -- Carli Lloyd's 2 goals give U.S. women's soccer gold - ESPN

2012 London Olympics -- Carli Lloyd's 2 goals give U.S. women's soccer gold - ESPN:

"Carli Lloyd scored early in both halves, Solo leaped and dived to make saves, and the entire roster found the redemption it had been seeking since that penalty kick shootout loss in Germany last summer."

Good game. USA did get one break: a more blatant near-goal handball like the one called against Canada was NOT called on USA with score 2-1.  Called, it's likely a tie. USA plays great -- and seems to get all the breaks as well.

The Associated Press: Canada wins bronze in Olympic women's soccer

The Associated Press: Canada wins bronze in Olympic women's soccer:

 "After a timid and scoreless first half, France overran Canada in the second, hitting the post and crossbar among numerous other chances."

Canada's turn to get lucky. They were totally, completely outplayed, the score easily could have had France ahead by three or four goals. But France shot only blanks. Their turn to be heartbroken -- but they alone are at fault.

Frogs: The Thin Green Line - Introduction - Amphibians - Extinction - Allison Argo | Nature | PBS

Frogs: The Thin Green Line - Introduction - Amphibians - Extinction - Allison Argo | Nature | PBS:

"Frogs have been living on this planet for more than 250 million years, and over the centuries, evolved into some of the most wondrous and diverse creatures on earth.  Today, however, all their remarkable adaptations and survival tactics are failing them.  Recent discoveries are startling: more than a third of all amphibians – most of which are frogs and toads – have already been lost, and more are disappearing every day.  It is an environmental crisis unfolding around the globe, traveling from Australia to North and South America. "

Yet another sad chapter ...

As a kid, during WWII years, mom and I spent some time with family friends in Milford, NJ. There was a mill pond across the way where I'd collect frogs in glass milk bottles. They were everywhere and easy to catch.

Sketch says "hi!"

Curiosity's High-Res Photos Make You Feel Like You're on Mars | Wired Science | Wired.com

Curiosity's High-Res Photos Make You Feel Like You're on Mars | Wired Science | Wired.com:

Our future home (we've ruined this one past the point of no return).

Remembering Tom Shaw

Oregon Literary Review: Tom Shaw

Just rewatched my documentary on the influential Portland filmmaker. A worthy contribution to the area's film history, if I say so myself.

Ice cream

Up too late last night, H getting ready for her latest trip, then took her to airport this a.m. and returned in rush hour traffic, a nightmare I've avoided through my life, now dog tired but unable to sleep. Time for coconut ice cream!

Christine Sinclair will not be suspended for bronze medal game - thestar.com

Christine Sinclair will not be suspended for bronze medal game - thestar.com:

"This is, of course, a Nunavut-level snow job. What further ‘elements’ could FIFA need? Sinclair’s comment — that Pedersen “decided the game before it started” — was included in the post-game quote sheets released by the Canadian Soccer Association.

However, it is also a tacit admission that Pedersen blew the game when she called an exceedingly rare six-second violation on Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod. That call led directly to the tying goal, and then to the U.S. victory in added extra time.

Pedersen will not officiate either of the final two matches. Her Olympics is over. One suspects that her international career is likely done as well."

Go, Canada! I want them to win Bronze more than I want USA to win Gold.

London Olympics: Galen Rupp, Lopez Lomong and Mo Farah breeze through the 5k heats; Ashton Eaton leads the decathlon | OregonLive.com

London Olympics: Galen Rupp, Lopez Lomong and Mo Farah breeze through the 5k heats; Ashton Eaton leads the decathlon | OregonLive.com:

So far, so good.

London 2012: Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair awaits possible suspension amid FIFA probe - thestar.com

London 2012: Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair awaits possible suspension amid FIFA probe - thestar.com:

"It appears that Canada may now catch a rebound beating — cheated by the ref one game, stripped bare by her bosses just ahead of the next."

Terrific. FIFA may suspend Canada's best player from the bronze match for her gripes after the semi. How to make a bad situation worse.

During the second half, Wambach began counting aloud in the ref’s vicinity every time McLeod took hold of the ball. She got to 10 on the play in question.

“You can says it’s gamesmanship. You can say it’s smart. But I’m a competitor,” Wambach told Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel on Tuesday.

Wambach may be the instigator, but she isn’t at fault. Faced with the ire of one of the best women’s players in history, Pedersen folded. She made a nervous call that fundamentally altered this competition and likely derailed her officiating career.

---

It's the 2nd call that determined the game. Here's the best sense about it I've read:

 Norwegian soccer great Hallvar Thoresen, now a sports commentator, told Norwegian papers that the initial delay of game call wasn't so bad, but he disagreed with the ensuing handball call which led to the U.S. penalty kick.

"In general, I think she judged very good, but she has the crucial situation with the penalty, which I think is wrong. To give a penalty there must be a degree of wilfulness in the picture," Thoresen told the Oslo-based Dagbladet newspaper.

He said the ball was launched into the hand of Canada's Nault via some other players and that her arm wasn't in an unnatural position.

"It happened so fast, [Nault] could not possibly get away," Thoresen said.

Plus not calling USA for same thing only minutes earlier.

"Steak again?"

1950s, Pasadena, my brother must be around 8 or 10, dad is at the grill making dinner, and Bill wanders out to the patio and says, "Steak again?", a line that became part of family history. Dad would tell the story endlessly, endlessly, always laughing like hell.

"We know what you're doing ... !"

Here we have the device that monitors my pacemaker. It's near the bed and checks it out while I'm sleeping, sending results to the hospital. I just let it sit there. If it starts beeping or blinking, I grab the instructions and find out what is happening to me. Life gets very spooky, I think.

Crushed Canadian soccer squad still has much to play for - The Globe and Mail

Crushed Canadian soccer squad still has much to play for - The Globe and Mail:

They still can come out looking like the best team of the four going for medals. They now have tremendous fan support.

Canzano: Galen Rupp readies for another run toward history | OregonLive.com

Canzano: Galen Rupp readies for another run toward history | OregonLive.com:

"Rupp, 26, will run on Wednesday in the semifinal of the 5,000 meters. The final is Saturday inside Olympic Stadium on what feels like the fastest track in the world. And if the kid from Central Catholic High School can earn a medal in the men's 5,000 meters he will become the first American to ever win an Olympic medal at both distances. Furthermore, Rupp aims to do it in the same Games. "

Man, I'd love to see him win the gold!

Portland State University ranked among least affordable colleges | OregonLive.com

Portland State University ranked among least affordable colleges | OregonLive.com:

"PSU is listed among the 25 least-affordable colleges in the nation, coming in at 19th. Newsweek pegs total cost of attending PSU, including tuition and living expenses, at $37,704."

Sad.

Did you ever notice that ...

... there are more jerks running sprints than long distance?

Shut up, USA!

USA football women need to shut up about the game. The more they try to justify the ref calls, the stupider they look. They should say it was the ref's call and let it go at that. Everybody knows these things happen and are never called. Why now in such an important game? Everybody knows it is very very strange. So just shut up while you're ahead. You are losing fans by over-playing your hand. SHUT UP!

James Holmes' Psychiatrist Contacted University Police Weeks Before Movie-Theater Shooting: ABC Exclusive - ABC News

James Holmes' Psychiatrist Contacted University Police Weeks Before Movie-Theater Shooting: ABC Exclusive - ABC News:

"Fenton would have had to have serious concerns to break confidentiality with her patient to reach out to the police officer or others, the sources said. Under Colorado law, a psychiatrist can legally breach a pledge of confidentiality with a patient if he or she becomes aware of a serious and imminent threat that their patient might cause harm to others. Psychiatrists can also breach confidentiality if a court has ordered them to do so."

On The Road -- International Trailer

On The Road -- International Trailer:

Video: Curiosity Rover's View of the Harrowing Descent to Mars | Wired Science | Wired.com

Video: Curiosity Rover's View of the Harrowing Descent to Mars | Wired Science | Wired.com:

Football final

USA or Japan? Normally, obviously, I'd clearly root for the USA women, a team I love. And it's not their fault they got lucky with a ref, which determined the game. I repeat, rightly, Canada should have won in regulation. I say this as a USA fan.

If Japan wins, they set a record, the first team to win World Cup and Gold Medal in same year.

I don't know who to root for. The cosmic cynic in me hopes for this: the USA gets robbed and Japan wins with luck. Just so the USA can see what it feels like.

But this isn't a final decision.

---

This a.m. an analyst on MSNBC had best report on what happened I've heard. The first call, holding the ball too long, is technically correct but never called because everyone does it. In fact, analyst could only remember one other time, in 2002, it was called at all. 2nd call, hand ball, also tech right but ref was inconsistent since a more blatant hand ball was NOT called against USA only minutes earlier. So definite bias is possible. And in both cases, most refs would NOT call them since players were in protective gestures. So, yes, Canada got screwed by what is called and not called 99% of the time.

To USA's credit, once given overtime by luck, they won with a brilliant last minute play. They are not at fault here, the ref is. But it does tarnish their victory in my eyes. And USA well understands they were lucky.

Now where were we?

Next week I may feel like I've come full circle: with the Olympics over, I'll have no distractions. H will be gone, off to the east coast after her trips to Canada and Vietnam (no one ever accused my wife of being a homebody). I can focus on cleaning my office! Only this second time around, 2/3 of my summer is gone and I have a new pacemaker.

Well, things could be worse. Back to the starting line and let's get this office cleaned and redesigned, which was my planned first project of the summer. Oh so long ago, it feels like.

Summer rock stars

The real rock stars of the summer are not in London at the Olympics but at JPL in Pasadena, where a roomful of space scientists pulled off the extraordinary feat of landing Rover on Mars. Too bad our culture doesn't put thousands in the streets to celbrate. Too bad we don't take national pride in one of the few collective endeavors we still manage to do better than anyone else. Thank the gods there are a few exceptions to the dumbing down of America. After all, Mars may become our new home. We sure don't seem interested in saving this one.

Roswell UFO Crash: There Were 2 Crashes, Not 1, Says Ex-Air Force Official

Roswell UFO Crash: There Were 2 Crashes, Not 1, Says Ex-Air Force Official:

 "Sixty years after French began investigating UFOs for Project Blue Book, he still thinks there's a cover-up.

"It's going on today. There's no question about it. I've listened to their denials many times and, at that time, I was in direct opposition to their position. In my mind, there wasn't any question that UFOs were real.""

Tweet of the day

Norwegian referee Christina Pedersen should get whichever medalTeam USA receives in women's soccer. She earned it too. #London2012

Referee's calls beyond comprehension - Opinion and Analysis - The Games - CBC Sports

Referee's calls beyond comprehension - Opinion and Analysis - The Games - CBC Sports:

"In the aftermath of what some are already calling the best game in a generation, it's a shame that Canada's 4-3 extra time loss, to the heavily favoured Americans, will largely be remembered for what a referee did."

You got that right. It spoiled a classic game. Really pisses me off.

The Mud Report: UPDATE: Canada Robbed by Norwegian Referee Christiana Pedersen in Olympic Semifinal

The Mud Report: UPDATE: Canada Robbed by Norwegian Referee Christiana Pedersen in Olympic Semifinal:

Good blog post.

London 2012: Canadian women robbed in soccer semi: Kelly - thestar.com

London 2012: Canadian women robbed in soccer semi: Kelly - thestar.com:

"LONDON—Melissa Tancredi wanted to get on the bus. She couldn’t trust herself to talk.

But after being robbed of a chance for a gold medal — in what was the equivalent of pilfering the chalices from one of the sport’s cathedrals — she couldn’t walk away.

She returned, face twitching, eyes red-rimmed and wet.

“I couldn’t believe what happened,” Tancredi said, jaw working side to side. “That was our game. That was our win. And it was just taken away. So …”"

Glad others agree with me. And in Edmonton Sun poll, Did Canada get robbed? 78% Yes.

For me, this really tarnishes the excitement for the final, a rematch with Japan, knowing USA actually should not be there.

Boy, did Canada get royally screwed.

Canadians: 'We feel like we got robbed' in loss to U.S. team | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Canadians: 'We feel like we got robbed' in loss to U.S. team | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com:

That's because you WERE robbed. I hate it when refs decide games.

Sum-sum-summertime ...

Heat? What heat? Sketch is a running fool!

2012 London Olympics -- United States clips Canada in extra time for spot in final - ESPN

2012 London Olympics -- United States clips Canada in extra time for spot in final - ESPN:

"The game included a pair of goals resulting from moments rarely seen in soccer, including a corner kick that curled in for a goal and a goalkeeper whistled for holding the ball too long."

4-3. But honestly I think Canada should have won 3-2 in regulation. They got screwed when the ref gave USA a close penalty kick for a very questionable call. USA was the best team, clearly, but Canada really did have the win. They got screwed. I was rooting my heart out for USA late in game, behind 3-2, until the call, then at 3-3 I felt so bad for Canada I started rooting for them.

IEA Bombshell: Global Warming May Lead To ‘Miami Beach In Boston’ Situation Unless Urgent Action Is Taken | ThinkProgress

IEA Bombshell: Global Warming May Lead To ‘Miami Beach In Boston’ Situation Unless Urgent Action Is Taken | ThinkProgress:

Another former denier joins the majority. Our inaction must be pathological. Well, we can always colonize Mars.

Curiosity

I watched NASA rover land on Mars last night. Nothing in the Olympics is as impressive.

Remain in awe

I remain in awe of my new pacemaker-generated energy, especially in the afternoons and nights. I used to sink in the afternoon, often nap, and I figured this was just part of growing old. Probably I had the heart chamber misfiring problem for some time before I alerted my doctor. I figured I was just growing old. Now a nap in afternoon is unthinkable. Why? I am full of energy throughout the day.

I look forward to being able to do something with it ha ha rather than sitting around waiting for things to heal.

Round Bend Press: Country Voices/Hank Williams Jr./All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)

Round Bend Press: Country Voices/Hank Williams Jr./All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down):

A great little special feature TS has going.

Veterans suffer in silence on a harsh home front | OregonLive.com

Veterans suffer in silence on a harsh home front | OregonLive.com:

"The rest of us must be alive to the suffering. We must accept that people who wore the uniform and often put themselves in harm's way live with a burden that most of us needn't carry. And when that pain plays out in unhappy or destructive ways, we must do better than to turn our heads -- or toss a sufferer into jail. "

Very high on my list of American policy failures is our negligent disregard of veterans' serious health problems, physical and mental. We love to send them out to danger, then ignore them when they return.

Mellow day

Made scrapple this morning. Made gazpacho for dinner. Olympics, light reading. Very hot outside. A mellow day.

American innocence

I saw something unusual today. I find it fascinating during the award ceremonies at the Olympics to see which athletes sing, and which do not, their national anthems. I would say Americans are more apt than others NOT to sing the anthem, or mumble it at best. Not cool or something.

But here are four young American women, ages 17 to 23, getting their golds for the swimming medley and positively singing their hearts out! I mean, to see such enthusiasm in singing The Star Spangled Banner was rare enough for me to do a double-take.

Can you picture the American basketball team singing?

Climate Change is Here — and Worse Than We Thought | Common Dreams

Climate Change is Here — and Worse Than We Thought | Common Dreams:

"NASA's James Hansen, the 'Godfather of Global Warming,' says earlier predictions "too optimistic""

And candidates Obama and Romney ignore the issue.

Political country, a rare recording

Here is a gem, friends, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Oregon banjo picker Derrol Adams, who got popular in England before Jack started recording for Prestige here. This is my favorite country song with a political message. Note they spell Jack's name wrong on the album cover! He never forgot that.

(I spent several days with him in the 80s when he was stranded here. I arranged a quick concert at Earth Tavern and I interviewed him for WW. A terrific experience. My best concert ever, helping him set up at Earth, afternoon before they open, mic checks etc, and then he said: What do you want to hear? and I had a private Ramblin' Jack Elliott concert for about half an hour as he played one request after another. Amazing experience!)

Round Bend Press: Country Voices/Merle Haggard/Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down

Round Bend Press: Country Voices/Merle Haggard/Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down:

What a classic.

London Olympics: Ethiopian Tiki Gelana wins the women's marathon; Shalane Flanagan 10th, Kara Goucher 11th | OregonLive.com

London Olympics: Ethiopian Tiki Gelana wins the women's marathon; Shalane Flanagan 10th, Kara Goucher 11th | OregonLive.com:

10th and 11th a respectable finish for these two Portland training partners

“My goal was to be Top 10,” Flanagan said. “That was the first check. But I’m always greedy as an athlete. I wanted a good battle today. I wanted to be in the battle. It was a bummer not to be in it. We worked so hard.

“I don’t think Kara and I have dedicated ourselves more to anything in our lives than to this race. It’s a little heartbreaking.”

Americans miss out on the best of the Games - CNN.com

Americans miss out on the best of the Games - CNN.com:

"Coverage of the Olympics in the United States understandably focuses on American athletes. That is as it should be, but not to this degree. By concentrating mainly on Americans' stories, the NBC network is depriving U.S. viewers of some of the most fascinating, moving and exciting aspects of the Olympics."

True enough.

London Olympics: Silver for Galen Rupp; gold for Mo Farah; 'overwhelming' feeling for their coach, Alberto Salazar | OregonLive.com

London Olympics: Silver for Galen Rupp; gold for Mo Farah; 'overwhelming' feeling for their coach, Alberto Salazar | OregonLive.com:

2012 Summer Olympics -- Mo Farah, Galen Rupp go the distance in 10,000 meters - ESPN

2012 Summer Olympics -- Mo Farah, Galen Rupp go the distance in 10,000 meters - ESPN:

Portland's Galen Rupp wins 10K silver, behind partner Mo Farah | kgw.com Portland

Portland's Galen Rupp wins 10K silver, behind partner Mo Farah | kgw.com Portland:

Farah & Rupp

Fantastic race! Saw it twice, first live streaming, 2 hrs later NBC delay. Both runners Salazar-trained in Portland.

Streaming video on my netbook:

Cross Your Fingers: How to Watch NASA's Mars Rover Land on Sunday | Wired Science | Wired.com

Cross Your Fingers: How to Watch NASA's Mars Rover Land on Sunday | Wired Science | Wired.com:

Canzano: The Dream Team doesn't belong in the Olympics anymore | OregonLive.com

Canzano: The Dream Team doesn't belong in the Olympics anymore | OregonLive.com:

"It was indecent. It was unfortunate. It was a joke, and there's no other place in this Olympics where you can find a bigger bully than at men's basketball."

Hear, hear!

A little exercise before the heat of the day

Alpha Smart, the writer's tool

I've praised this incredible keyboard before but not lately. In fact, since getting a netbook I haven't used the Alpha Smart much. But that's about to change. I need to take notes as I'm listening to the audio Walden and the AS is much more convenient than the netbook for writing. And I can easily transfer to the netbook later for editing, going to blog and such.

700 hours on three AA batteries! Man, you really can't beat this small and flexible writing tool. And it is so inexpensive. They are made for kids, K-12 projects, but first international journalists discovered it, loving its battery life and easy battery replacement, then other writers. One of the great sleepers in technologyland, this.

Olympic extremes

Honor

Disgrace

On one extreme we have the USA basketball team, which shouldn't even be there, arrogantly beating Nigeria by 80 points and celebrating as if this demonstrates something worthy, and on the other the bubbly teenage swimmer Missy Franklin, who sets a world record, shows off her new driver's license as happily as her gold medals, and can't wait to return to Colorado so she can be a high school senior and wear coveralls to football games, as is the tradition.

Sport at its best

25 laps around the track ... fifty thousand screaming fans ... this is the women's 10K ... does competition get any better than this?

LATER.  Oops I guess it was eighty thousand fans!

Coudal Partners Liquor and Lit

Coudal Partners Liquor and Lit:

FDL Classic #1. "I quickly met my second wife, a brilliant graduate student who liked to brag that she had never met a man who could drink her under the table. Then she met me." Liquor and Lit, by Charles Deemer. -jc.08.03.12 #"

My essay on booze called "a classic."

In praise of … Vertigo | Editorial | | The Guardian

In praise of … Vertigo | Editorial | Comment is free | The Guardian:

Four self-published authors on New York Times ebook bestseller list | Books | guardian.co.uk

Four self-published authors on New York Times ebook bestseller list | Books | guardian.co.uk:

Ursula K. Le Guin pressured to make books ‘more like Harry Potter’

Ursula K. Le Guin pressured to make books ‘more like Harry Potter’

Refuses publisher's advice, thank the gods

What an insult this is! This is how bad it has gotten. Indies like Round Bend Press retain integrity.

Energy levels

I still marvel at the new fact that my energy doesn't fall in afternoons, evenings and nights any more. Here it is after 10 p.m. and I am full of energy. Hasn't happened in a long time.

Round Bend Press: Rust: An Interview with Charles Lucas

Round Bend Press: Rust: An Interview with Charles Lucas:

TS putting his bloggie to good use.

Rule by Sociopaths » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names

Rule by Sociopaths » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names:

Thanks to TS for alerting me (at his blog) to this outstanding piece by Morris Berman.

Ironically enough, the “oppressed” 99 percent that the Occupy Wall Street movement claimed to represent may not be that far from the ideology of the upper 1 percent. There has been much discussion, on the part of sociologists, as to why socialism never managed to take root in the United States, and the general consensus boils down to a remark once made by John Steinbeck: “In the U.S., the poor regard themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.” 

Round Bend Press: Water Polo: WTF?

Round Bend Press: Water Polo: WTF?:

TS hates water polo ha ha.

The other day Mike and Mike In the Morning had some pro football players on and all agreed that Water Polo requires more physical demands than any sport and, under the water, is more violent than any sport but rugby. All were in TOTAL AWE of Water Polo! from an athlete's point of view.

To be fair, TS is taking the observer's point of view, which seldom shows all the violence under the water. If they had under water cameras on constantly to show all the kicking, Americans might love it ha ha!

I'm not a great fan of water polo either but I can see how it takes more conditioning than American football. And I trust the pro football players who tell me it's more violent.

As for REAL football, the USA women play at 6 a.m. tomorrow and I'll be front and center!

Cinetopia

The pitch for this chain is "why watch a movie in coach when you can go first class?" There's some truth to it. Great roomy seats with foot stools, food and drink service, bar service in some showings, an art gallery along the walls, a cafe ... not your average multiplex. Often crowded but we discovered it vacant at 11 a.m. on a work day.

Saw The Amazing Spiderman, one of the better superhero films you'll see, much better than the earlier versions. Better story, more sensible dramatic logic, more plausible illogic, much better Peter Parker. Hollywood entertainment at its best.

Daytime movie

Noon movie going because H has groupon she has to use. Be a break in the routine before track and field starts tomorrow.

Feel good about new blog for project. Long range. I usually have more than one going on so still brooding about shorter projects ... esp video.

I think I got some sleep last night. Feeling good.

A new blog

I decided to spare this blog the "heavier" tone that will accompany early pre-writing babbling about the concerns of my new project, to which I'm now committed, a book using Thoreau's Walden as a jumping-off point for a look at our culture and our future. A link to this new blog, Rethinking Walden: a Pre-Writing Journal, is available at the top of the right column for those who share my intellectual obsessions.

Two modest proposals

1. A progressive mayor somewhere should provide city property on which the homeless can camp in exchange for labor repairing the city's infrastructure. A local CCC plan. It worked for FDR, it can work for a mayor.
2. Gay groups should go en masse to lunch at Chick-fil-A and end with a kiss-in. We'll see what they say about "free speech" then ha ha.

Best Movie Of All Time -- 'Vertigo' Says New BFI Survey

Best Movie Of All Time -- 'Vertigo' Says New BFI Survey:

NBC Edited Out Women's Gymnastics Fall To Create Fake Gold Medal Suspense - Deadline.com

NBC Edited Out Women's Gymnastics Fall To Create Fake Gold Medal Suspense - Deadline.com:

Talk about manipulating the "news"!

Food for thought

When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; culture-death is a clear possibility. —Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

Earliest inflluences

I'll be revisiting my earliest intellectual influences in the months (years?) ahead:

• Marriage and Morals, Bertrand Russell
• Number, the Language of Science, Tobias Dantzig
• Love in the Western World and The Devil's Share, Denis de Rougemont
• Life Against Death and Love's Body, Norman O. Brown
• The Reenchantment of the World, Morris Berman (and his recent, dazzling The Twilight of American Culture)

And, of course, I'll be "rethinking Walden." A challenging agenda.

Remembering Gore Vidal (1925 - 2012) | Common Dreams

Remembering Gore Vidal (1925 - 2012) | Common Dreams:

"Gore Vidal wrote as a citizen of the republic and a critic of the empire. We won’t have another like him."

Gore Vidal and the Unfinished American Revolution | Common Dreams

Gore Vidal and the Unfinished American Revolution | Common Dreams:

"Vidal, who has died at age 86, was a great man of letters, an author, playwright and groundbreaking essayist on the literature of his native land and the world. He was, as well, a bold and unrelenting challenger of the Puritanism that he regarded as the ugliest of American tendencies."

From the Archive: We Are the Patriots | Common Dreams

From the Archive: We Are the Patriots | Common Dreams:

An  essay by Gore Vidal.

Head & heart

Having a pacemaker will have profound influences on my mental life, my existential self, the sense I make of life itself. I already can sense changes and realize others will be coming throughout what remains of my life. And not all will be positive.

For example, I am reminded of a comment in The Devil's Share, a book by the Swiss theologian Denis de Rougemont, one of my early influences. He noted that we were in the midst of an unprecedented human experiment (this is just after the WWII era) to eliminate risks before they come due. This, he proposed, could change the human condition itself. I already feel some of this. It will take me a while to be able to articulate what I mean.

Happiness is indeed a Eurydice, vanishing as soon as gazed upon. It can

exist only in acceptance, and succumbs as soon as it is laid claim to.

Denis de Rougemont

Of course, at first level, it is great to have energy again! And I have energy in the afternoon, which I haven't had for a while. The pacemaker is remarkable.

But that's not the whole picture. I'll be trying to figure out the rest. Indeed, my proposed book, reflection, study, Rethinking Walden, is a parallel concern.

Maybe the books left in me are philosophical reflections. (Well, maybe my fictional narratives are disguised philosophical reflections.)

RIP Gore Vidal

Sometimes brilliant ... always opinionated and cantankerous ... who once said the three saddest words in the English language are Joyce Carol Oates ... who called himself a populist and had the manner of an aristocrat ... best for me as an essayist.