Open Thread – The Best Outhouse Ever.
Outhouses can all seem alike from the inside, but this particular outhouse in Thumb Cove of Resurrection Bay is one of my favorites. What makes it different? Location, location, location. You get to it on a little raised boardwalk from the cabin, which sits nestled in moss-covered spruce trees. It’s almost surreal, with a greenish glow, and dappled sunlight, and the air is moist and super saturated with Oxygen.
A deep inhalation through your nose feels as though you’re breathing the way people were meant to breathe…clean, cool and fragrant with life. It’s the smell of rain and moss and earth and spruce that makes you feel in some primeval way, that you are home.
You can tell it rains a lot here. When you step off the boardwalk and walk behind the outhouse, it’s like walking on a mattress. The path is spongy and damp, and you don’t hear your own steps. The only sounds are a waterfall in the distance, tumbling down the craggy cliffs to the east, a chattering squirrel overhead, and some sort of lovely warbler. If there were no waterfall, you’d be able to hear the waves on the shore, and you can just make out the vivid blue of the water between the trunks of the trees.
Moss is everywhere. It covers trees, living and dead, and turns the bark into a miniature jungle ecosystem. A close examination of a spruce trunk reveals three kinds of moss, lichens, mushrooms and little leafy plants all making themselves quite at home. It’s impossible to keep from touching all the different mosses. It’s a botanical tactile paradise; prickly, spongy, soft, tickly, moist, rubbery…it’s all here.
And it’s one of those places that almost makes you not want to take a picture, because it will never do justice to the place to see it on a little flat screen, instead of big and alive, and completely surrounding you, along with all the information pouring into your brain from the other four senses. Yes, taste comes in to play too as there are blueberry and huckleberry bushes with beautiful ripe fruit for the picking. Really, the only thing missing were the elves.
It is too bad that with all the focus on the health care debate during this 8th anniversary of the disaster of 9/11, I have heard no one mention those American Heroes who went in and helped clean up the Twin Towers mess who on the assurance of the Bush administration that to do so would be safe and 5 years later were denied health care for their respiratory problems by the same government that had assured their safety.
I know as much Chinese or more than this guy and I was just a little shit going to High School in Taipei, Taiwan! But if this guy thinks he is anymore privy to secretive info…he is delusional!.
too many places to liveblog and not enough fingers to and time to type!!!!!!
AKM made us a Shannyn thread!
Steve from Anchorage remembers people dancing in the streets over 9/11?
Where was this?
OMG!! The Boss is on the cover of AARP this month!! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
@MonaLisa, try going straight to the KBYR.com website to get the live stream. It’s working really well for me tonight. Last week, it kept cutting in & out.
Doesn’t this station know about targeting the demographics of the show that’s ON THE AIR of their stupid station?!?!
Do they play ads for Greenpeace on Burke’s show? Sheesh!
Grrr!! I keep losing my connection tonight!
I have been to NYC at least a dozen times in the last 8 years, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to Ground Zero yet. I’m not ready to see that void just yet.
Not yet….
He can’t answer the question, instead he goes after the questioner.
I am waiting for this guy to say nah ,nah, nah.
Now here is my WMD for these folks. Every night I get down on my arthritic granny knees and I pray my heart out for every last one of them. I make sure that there is nothing but love in my heart. It is my hope that eventually, they will feel such guilt for their hate that they will change. Sadly, they may just jump off a cliff. Either way, it is their choice.
Finally found you.
Best and most compassionate rant I ever heard Shannyn!!
907-274-5297. Someone with bigger cajones than me call in already! 😉
Shannyn, I was there in Oct 2001, only a month later, and it was still raining dust from the towers, very sad, there no words I could say. People wanted their pictures taken in front the fences and wanted me to take their pictures, I told them no. I did not take pictures of the site, I didn’t want to.
I cried reading that blog, Shannyn. The pics tore at my heart.
Awww…Shannyn’s so emotional tonight. I feel for her.
HA! here’s the live blogging for Shannyn!
Couldn’t find it, felt soooo lost!
OOoohhh Hi Shannyn!
Warren is just old and a bit addled. She is a sweetie to him
xo…love you guys!
lol PA!
warren is a weekly eejit
LOL, JAF, am there!! Thanks
The character of our country… detainees in Afghanistan now have the right to appeal their detention. We are a nation under Rule of Law!
here_in_PA:
you can join us in Mudflats Chat at
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php?action=chat
right click the link to open in a new tab or window nad you can get the best of both Flats experiences!
warren feels she don’t like him anymore
I love the music she plays
lol… we’re here for you, hereinPA
“Which side are you on, boys…?”
I was having a panic attack when there was no thread for the shannyn show
Gramian, I just sent Shannyn and email telling her we co-opted the outhouse thread!
Shannyn is on a major roll
Did somebody tell her about this?
Barack Obama is NOT a socialist liberal. We’d have had universal HC by now.
ok, lots to ctch up on…Gramian was already on the phone with Shanny
n
sigh cat=chat…lol!
We’re takin’ over this here thread, YAY SHANNYN!
We don’t have an open thread to live blog Shannyn’s show and didn’t want to take over the Ground Zero open thread, so we in cat decided to takeover the OUthouse open thread (nothing saying against you Shannyn!)
Samper, we can’t have Tri-Care because we aren’t in the military and the government won’t share. I have heard some complaints about Tri-Care, but I can tell you my Mother was on Tri-Care for Life and it was wonderful. I only had to pay for discounted drugs because it was more convenient than mail-order from a military hospital, and dental. I would wish it for everybody.
When you are confronting Mr. Beck, do me a favor and shut him up some place so he can’t make it to Washington later in the month. I can’t believe that little town just south of me is still going through with giving him the key to the city! I am irate.
OH, and welcome home. I’m glad you made it safe and sound. What a horror story.
Tank on Levi
(I like Tank – go, Tank).
http://www.thealaskastandard.com/sites/default/files/media/Tank%20on%20Levi.mp3
Many years ago the state leased cabins in the Nancy Lake area by the year. We leased one that was mainly a tar paper shack for several years – and it had the best outhouse ever. It was small and leaned a little and didn’t have a door. What it did have was a beautiful view of the lake and a nice little pine that had fallen across the roof screening you from everyone’s view. I had forgotten about that little shack until I saw these beautiful pictures.
“Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy.” F. Scott Fitzgerald
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2002/02/11/020211fa_fact_stewart?currentPage=all
Here is a song celebrating the US’s position as #37 in the world in health care. Funny! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4
correction: censure Joe Wilson
Here is the website address to sign a petition, from Progressive Change, to censor Joe Wilson
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5649/t/4997/content.jsp?content_KEY=2825&tag=pof_auto
Samper
All of the bidders for dinner with quitter are from Ebay sellers who resell tickets .It seems they think they can make a buck on her,whether by attending themselves and having her sign something they can sell,or by somehow reselling the actual dinner.
http://www.republicanoffenders.com/
I can only wish that $P makes this list soon!
Oh, and welcome back Bubbles. :X
Heres my email to ATT about sponsoring the event with Glenn Beck-I challenge everyone who has ATT,Cingular,Uverse,or other ATT services to email them as well,
I am writing about your sponsorship of the Glenn Beck speech at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Future Forum.
I would like to know if ATT corporation supports the views and actions of Glenn Beck. I have been a proud customer of your company for many years,and have talked all of my relatives into having your DSL and Wireless service,as well as Direct TV for some of us through your company.
“””” If in reality your company supports the crying,fear mongering,violence inciting,racist,deluded rantings of this person,We will be getting our services elsewhere.Any inconvenience will be a small price to pay to stop supporting any corporation that continues to support this horrible charlatan.
Please let me know if you will be continueing to support this lying,crazy,bigoted,crying,dry drunk person in his quest to undermine our President and the entire Democratic system that elected him.”””
https://emailus.sbc.com/ermsfp/emailus?service=direct/1/NResults/dtreeLevel2SubjectItemLink&sp=SeMail+Subject+Line&sp=S%7B2a9a3010-e19b-11db-6542-00096bdda489%7D&sp=Sdt_t_res_atandt_corporate&sp=SEmail+Us%3A++ATT.com+Web+Page+Problems&sp=SAT%26amp%3BT+Corporate
Beautiful scenery and outhouse. However, I would be afraid of leaving the outhouse with only half of a butt. The other half in some bear’s hand.
Samper@92/ I-94 west to 127 north. You’re there. Give him hell.
rich
Newt took back his invite
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/09/11/this-just-in-gingrichs-dinner-invite-to-pornographer-was-real-but-now-its-been-rescinded/
Can somebody explain to me why we can’t ALL have TriCare?
Is it because we’re not worthy?
samper–deep breaths (and a shot of something, though given the Greek problem, maybe NOT ouzo!). It does seem irresponsible for someone to have invited him and for anyone to be paying that kind of $ for a maybe chance at dinner with the crazy woman of the north (thanks to Phil at PA for that!).
And who is stupid enough to throw $40K at dinner with that airhead when it could help countless people who are suffering?
I am on my last nerve already because of the Greek issues… this stuff about Beck and Palin make me think that last nerve won’t last the rest of the day.
No one cleared this Beck appearance in MI with ME!
I will NOT allow it. I do not approve. We have enough trouble here… we don’t need to invite even more of it.
The fact that his is Anti-UAW makes me sick. Does this idiot even REALIZE that when the UAW fails, we ALL fail?
If my car is fixed by then (new starter?) I plan to make a sign and go. He will NOT enter this state without hearing my voice.
Loathesome idiot!
BLECCCCHHHHH!
83 honestyinGov – thanks for the link. The clip is great. Reich explains why co-ops won’t work.
Speaking of some of the other right-wingnut radio Hosts ….
besides ‘ The Beckster’.
“Via ThinkProgress comes the news that San Francisco radio station 910 KNEW has dropped conservative talk-show host Michael Savage from its lineup. KNEW, which was Savage’s “flagship station” dropped the righty talker in favor of “John and Ken,”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/11/michael-savage-dropped-fr_n_283508.html
This very cool 8) guy, prominent in Democratic circles and a long-time friend of the President, has just been named the next US Ambassador to Australia ….
“Jeff Bleich, 48, known for his work with more than 20 charity and community organisations, is likely to bring extraordinary energy to his new diplomatic job.
Currently on leave from his position as a litigation partner in the San Francisco office of legal firm Munger Tolles & Olson, Mr Bleich is a former president of the California State Bar and the San Francisco Bar Association.
He chairs the board of trustees at California State University and is adjunct professor at the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.
Two years ago, a colleague from a rival law firm, Michael Tubach, remarked: “Basically, Jeff is Superman. He seems to be able to do everything.”
Mr Bleich and his wife, Becky, have two teenage sons and a younger daughter.
Among colleagues, he is known for his “luminous” personality and Elvis Presley memorabilia, which adorns the walls of his law firm office among many degrees and awards. Pride of place goes to a life-size cardboard cutout of Elvis in a gold lame suit.”
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26060685-5013871,00.html
MadCityChick Thank you!! You beat me to it! 🙂
Hello everyone, I have a favor to ask of you if you have the time and inclination, it appears that the Michigan Chamber of Commerce has invited Glenn Beck to be their Keynote speaker at “The Future Forum”. Disturbing:
“On his Fox News show this past Wednesday, right-wing extremist Glenn Beck claimed, “The uber-left is in business with big business.” But next Tuesday, Beck is keynoting a U.S. Chamber of Commerce forum in Michigan sponsored by several major corporations, including AT&T, Comcast, and Dow Corning. ”
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/11/beck-chamber-of-commerce/
Some of the sponsors are AT&T, Comcast, and Consumers Energy, the Thinkprogress article has links to some of the sponsors and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.
If you would, please send an email with your thoughts. Thank you 🙂
CALLING ALL MICHIGAN MUDPUPS!!!
From Dailykos: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/9/11/780649/-ACTIVISM-ALERT:-Glenn-Beck-to-speak-at-Michigan-State-on-9-15.
ACTIVISM ALERT: Glenn Beck to speak at Michigan State on 9/15.
by Hesiod
Share this on Twitter – ACTIVISM ALERT: Glenn Beck to speak at Michigan State on 9/15. Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 12:54:25 PM PDT
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce has invited Glenn Beck to be the keynote speaker at its annual Future & Forum Annual Meeting.
The event will take place on September 15 on the campus of Miichigan State University at the University’s conference and convention facility, the Kellog Center.
ANY KOSSACK WHO LIVES IN MICHIGAN NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION!
Hesiod’s diary :: ::
Write to the Chamber with your displeasure at inviting such a divisive figure to speak to its members. Here’s their Staff directory. One person to focus on may be Amy Bahs, their Director of Marketing and events.
[email protected]
RILE UP THE CAMPUS DEMOCRATS AT MSU! They can take the forefront of any protests at the Kellog center and voicing of opposition to the University.
Here’s the MSU Dems e-mail address:
[email protected]
Anyone with a Michigan blog should post something as well. We need to get the word out. We only have a few days notice.
ADDENDUM: Glenn beck is an enemy of Auto Workers and lied about the UAW during GM’s bankruptcy crisis. Lots of auto workers live in the mid Michigan area.
Let’s let them know Beck is coming to town.
UPDATE: inspired by a commenter — a suggested protest sign might be: “Glenn Beck — YOU LIE!”
Here is a YouTube clip that someone shared on a Huffpo thread. It was just put out today. It is so up to date there is even mention and the face of Joe Wilson as someone who is against health care reform. They splatter the face of the other GOP whiners in there as well as call out the insurance companies.
Robert Reich is easy to understand language explains.. ‘ Public Option ‘
Maybe AKM might even use this clip for a post story.{ description below}
“Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich explains what a public option for healthcare coverage really means for working people. We thank Jacob Kornbluth for directing and producing the Robert Reich i…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXFHXqrrJ6g
Milli-Vanilliputians! I like that..
While the fund-raising for Rob Miller continues TPM had posted an early Poll saying Miller is ahead of Wilson by one point.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/poll-joe-wilson-trails-dem-opponent-rob-miller-in-wake-of-you-lie-outburst.php?ref=fpb
—————————–
There are various stories all over Huffpo… some saying there is going to be some action taken against Wilson by members of Congress, other stories say nothing is in the works and the Democrats are letting it go to deal with actual ‘ Health care reform ‘… and not waste their time with this GOP horses A**.
If there is someone ( of influence , like Pelosi ) we should be emailing asking for some sort of ‘ action ‘ against Wilson please share that with all of us.
IE : Is there a petition going around or anything…?
Glenn Beck and his advertisers know what can happen when people get involved. I’m sure GOP members will try to Help him out and try to make him a martyr or something but their voice is a minority.
Olberman was spot on the other night. Is someone like MSNBC behind any campaign… etc.
Share if you hear something.
OK, dear yellow-booted Missy…once again, you’ve gently introduced me to the sights, sounds, and smells you discover; you are a true master at whisper-waking the senses with your words. I thank you for that. Who knew a trip to the outhouse could be such an adventure of exploration and so fantastic? beth.
AKM, the pictures are magnificent. They have a healing quality. I’m fantasizing that these photos are taken in the midst of the wondrous forest from the ‘Moment of Zen’ thread. I’d love to purchase a copy of the wondrous forest to frame…for a start…if you ever decide to go there.
Welcome home samper…look forward to hearing more about your dream journey!
Welcome home bubbles…it’s so great to know you’re stronger!
On another note- SP’s dinner bid is up to US $38,666.60, and according to the “details” the dinner will be held in Alabama? – (unless the poster/seller made a mistake and got confused about “states”)
__________
I sure hope Keith O wins! How funny would that be?
Rob Miller just passed $801K. I’m just soooo tickled about it. How long did the Milli-Vanilliputians take to raise $100 K for Quittie’s defen$e fund? Oh, yeah… a week (and two months, since they included pledges made before the drive even began!)
HA!
(Ok, I’ll stop now. Promise.)
AKM’s photography never ceases to totally amaze me!
On another note- SP’s dinner bid is up to US $38,666.60, and according to the “details” the dinner will be held in Alabama? – (unless the poster/seller made a mistake and got confused about “states”)
Glad you had a great time Bubbles.AKM great pictures wish I could have seen some of that when I was up there but funerals and family business took priority at that time. I hope to visit again under different circumstances.
Can’t we get Bill O to go after beck and friends like he did Tiller. LOL Just kidding but it is a thought.Seriously though I am surprised the Tiller family hasn’t gone after Bill O.Some one went after Nancy grace for wrongful death because she pushed someone to far and they killed themselves.I think she is still fighting it the last I heard.I live in a somewhat conservative village but we don’t have,at least not that I have seen the gun nuts and wing nut crazies I see elsewhere
Bubbles!! ;D
!!!WELCOME back, Bubbles!!!
I hate outhouses. . . but I like this one. I want this one. I want to be where this outhouse is – but I bet the ewoks love it too.
(I should add that green is my favorite color, and I was looking for leprechauns in those photos… )
All of the photos are beautiful.
When I read this at first, I have to admit, I was hung up on the outhouse and breathing thing like lynnrockets.
Then I thought, can we just push $P into that outhouse, face first?
bubbles, welcome home and thanks for sharing your holiday! So glad to hear you are feeling stronger, what a wonderful family (o:
xxxxoooo
I don’t buy enough products to boycott anything, but will still attempt to avoid Fox-sponsored products. And not watching Fox is a given, except for…..
The SIMPSONS! I’m a huge Simpson fan! Pretty sure they’ve been on Fox pre-Murdoch and of course he’s not gonna ax a long-running and consistent money-maker. But in my mind, the Simpsons show is the most entertainingly subsversive program in all TV land, joyfully poking sacred cows everywhere, Left and Right. Ironic, to find them amidst the folks hysterical about protecting their political sacred cows!
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/09/10/f-macdonald-health-care.html
Excellent article re health care, written by one of the most highly and well-respected journalists in Canada ( a rare accolade for anyone in a profession that in some countries seems to encourage some real loonies !)
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/09/10/f-macdonald-health-care.html
The above is an extremely good article written by Canadian reporter Neil McDonald. He is one of the best reporters there is. He has been based in D.C. for quite a while, so has a unique view of the health debate. This is really worth reading and written by someone very well respected in a business that has few outstanding and well-regarded people.
Oh great, I’m in New Mexico. I wonder where in NM that idiot urging violence lives? In my city, there is a nut flying the American flag upside down, under a flag with swastikas. He’s also walking around his front yard with a rifle. There is evidently nothing law inforcement can do about him. He’s not breaking any laws yet.
#59 trisha, I don’t think anyone has seen her. She’s either very medicated or her face turned out like that “cat lady” that has her eyes on the side of her head and is the main photo over at that “really bad plastic surgery” web site.
Anyway, that would be my guess. Poor Bristol probably has to do all the grocery shopping in addition to taking care of the babies , cooking and laundry. One of my favorite pictures of princess winky is that one in the grocery store hauling the baby around and wearing thaat native pink outfit.
@62 MadCityChick – Thanks for the link and listing of Murdoch’s holdings. Wickipedia has quite a bit of general info on him – I’ll boycott anything I can although it will take millions of us doing that to impact – but I’ll have the satisfaction for myself personally.
On another topic, here’s an article at TPM that talks about the violence being urged:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/anti-health-care-reform-protester-encourages-physical-violence-use-of-firearms.php
I grew up playing in the rainforest in and around Seward, before and after the earthquake, it proved to be a truly magical childhood that provided a unique perspective as an adult. It’s always a joy when I come across others who can appreciate it as I do.
In another vein, did anyone catch the interview on “Fresh Air” on NPR yesterday? She was talking to Max Blumenthal about his newest book “Republican Gomorrah”. It was fascinating and terrifying. I think I was able to catch the link here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112683449
definitely worth the listen
ccr
On the thread about Joe Wilson someone mentioned boycotting as much of Murdoch as possible.
What does Rupert Murdoch own? Quite a bit quite frankly. Click through each heading for the ‘types’ of companies at this link. Website actually breaks it down quite nicely.
http://www.newscorp.com/management/index.html
An example of just a fraction of what he owns. Under the heading ‘Other Assets’ these companies are listed. All owned by Murdoch’s Newscorp.
AmericanIdol.com
AskMen
Broadsystem
Beliefnet
careerone.com.au
CARSguide.com.au
Fox.com
Fox Interactive Media
FoxSports.com
FoxSports.com.au
hulu.com
IGN Entertainment
kSolo
Milkround
MySpace
National Rugby League
NDS
News.com.au
News Digital Media
News Outdoor
Rotten Tomatoes
Scout
Spring Widgets
truelocal.com.au
WhatIfSports
As I said this is just a tiny portion of what he owns. Truly disturbing how much he has his hands in.
dear akm and friends—– i am so happy to be back. thank you akm for the beautiful pictures of the forest and its’ glorious moss and living plants. i spent a lovely ten day holiday in the beautiful state of ohio. i met many great people and some not so great, but everywhere i went i saw our stimulus money at work. i was pleased to make friends for mudflats and my children are were so proud to hear their mom speaking to strangers and encouraging them write and call their congressmen and senators. i saw beautiful farms and astounding scenery. i traveled by the back roads through tiny communities and saw the trees beginning to turn bright scarlet and bright yellow. i lay quietly in a hammock and saw flocks of geese making their way north. every morning i exercised in my son in laws’ gym and drank the muscle milk he made for me and grew stronger….love b
This is a petition going to Janet Napolitano at Homeland Security, requesting her to take whatver action is necessary to protect POTUS.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/protect_obama/?rc=alternet1
This is an article at Alternet that talks of the massive increase in threats against Obama, and the shortage of funds and resources to adequately do the job:
“In his best-selling new book, “In the President’s Secret Service,” journalist Ronald Kessler says the increased threat environment along with inadequate resources have led to a culture of “corner cutting” at the Secret Service that may be putting the commander in chief at risk.”
Has anyone actually seen Sarah?
crickets………………………………………………………….
AKM, you have the soul of a poet. Your pictures and comments are a great start to my day!
The outhouse and the photos remind me of my favorite one out at Point Retreat Lighthouse. One had to risk running into a brown bear if one needed to use the facilities after dusk and before dawn!
Thank you Thank you, for all you do, but especially today taking me back to my roots in SE Alaska by showing me the moss, lichen, mushrooms, Spruce and other rainforest amenities I so miss in most of Southcentral. Your descriptions are right on the mark and made me SO homesick!! Unfortunately, to get the effect, you must live with rain as your constant companion, so I will travel back to SE on occasion, and make do with Homer and Seward in between to get my ‘fix’ of raincountry and blue ocean!! But thanks, for the memories!
Interesting read that mentions Ms. P’s ties to the AIP and how that is signifgant with the Calhoun conservative movement.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-lux/calhoun-conservatism-rais_b_283480.html
John McCain picks a vice presidential candidate whose husband was a seven-year member of a far right secessionist party with ties to the racist, neo-confederacy movement. Palin had gone to at least one of the party’s conventions herself, and had done a warm welcoming video for their most recent convention, telling them she shared their values.
boodog–yeah, that would have been better!
these pictures are great
love em
thanks InJuneau, yes, I guess they could have timed it better, like YESTERDAY!!
MonaLisa, you are spot on. I was totally proud of the calm way O resumed his speech after Mr. Ignorant and Rude yelled at him. “No Drama Obama” is the opposite of Mrs. Palin, who until very recently, responded to the smallest perceived slight with over the top threats of legal action.
I suspect that, very much like during the November campaign, XGino’s new handlers are keeping her away from the flood of unflattering web blogs and news articles, to avoid her nasty temper tantrums. I hope they are getting pissing tired of baby sitting a two year old’s emotional development in a 45 year old woman’s body.
Time and truth are on our side.
boodog–HuffPo had an article about it. The Coast Guard runs training exercises all over the place all the time and almost never notifies anyone about them, as should be expected. Someone overheard (on a Coast Guard ONLY channel) some of the instructions and thought it was a real event and flipped out about it and blew it out of proportion. They prob. could have timed it better, but they need to train all the time.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/11/coast-guard-fires-on-boat_n_283375.html
@42 boodog – I suspect they are ready and waiting for troubles and I hope there are many other security groups out and about. There are several groups that have already started converging on D.C. both for today’s activities, plus the big march tomorrow with Beck’s 912ers, backed by Freedom Watch, Dick Armey, along with Dobbs, Hannity, and others. Some of the wingers websites have told their followers that this is a revolution, to bring their guns, and be prepared to shed blood and take the government back from the tyrants.
There hasn’t been much on this in the MSM, but Rachel Maddow touched on it last evening. I’m afraid it will not be a nice day, shades of Viet Nam demonstrations and Kent State. I normally have my tv tuned into home and garden or food channels on Saturdays, but I think I’ll leave it on one of the major ones.
Along that note, as I was sitting at my doctor’s office this AM, a couple of black ladies were talking quietly and said they wanted to get their errands done today and not be on the street tomorrow because they thought there would be trouble. So I excused myself for interrupting and asked what they were referring to, and they mentioned that some local groups were having a march. Sure enough, when I got home I checked the conservative website that has banned me from posting – and they are marching in our little bitty town of less than 12,000 – right wing nutters – so I think I’ll encourage my family to stay out of town as well.
Say NO to Palin in Politics–I’m pretty sure it was a reference to a bill that the Legislature passed and then she signed that makes it mandetory to sign a sheet when you buy pseudoephedrine based meds (those are the ones necessary to make meth).
Is there any confirmation if she is back in Alaska?
President Barack Obama has officially kept America safe longer than George W Bush on this day of sadness and reflection.
mae…thank you for your story.
i am taken by your words into the heart of the garden.
i think i will stay there a while and meditate on this day of history.
Mona Lisa, thank you for the beautiful pictures of the Moss Garden. On a day when we are remembering September 11 victims, it is nice to have a place like the Moss Garden to go to (at least in our minds).
The description in the link you provided does not do the Moss Garden justice. Mr. Lewis had business in Japan, and we stopped in Kyoto because there so many ancient temples (and gardens) worth seeing. The Moss Garden was an hour train ride out of Kyoto. So, we just made it for our 1 PM appointment.
One cannot just rush off the train, rush into the garden and say, “Oh, wow, moss!” Surprise. We had to enter through the Buddhist temple associated with the garden, first taking off our shoes. Then, we were ushered into a room filled with people, and we figured out that we were to copy an important prayer (in Japanese characters) to get into the proper Zen state of mind. I must add, in the Japanese style– kneeling on floor mats. We spotted only two or three other foreigners; the rest were Japanese visitors. One little kid was rushing through his prayer while I was still on my first character.
A small detail. We were giving transparent rice paper, sort of like tracing paper, which was placed over a printed copy of the prayer, so we could follow the outline of the characters. What really slowed us down was the traditional ink stick, which we had to rub on an ink stone with a little bit of water to make ink, and dip in our brush in our handmade ink. Japanese caligraphy is a beautiful art, but it is very slow. I prayed for a ball point pen.
Almost everyone was done when a monk came over to us and asked if we understood what we were writing. (First English that we heard). We shook our heads. He said that we could write something profound in English if we wanted. Finally, we were in the right spiritual place, and we could put on our shoes and walk in the garden.
It was like walking in many shades of velvet. The garden is over 600 years old, and the gardeners who began training the tree branches to grow in a certain way had long ago died, and their grand children and great grand children were continuing their work. (Imagine a beautiful, life sized Bonsai garden). Thousands of words will not do any justice to those beautiful pictures. It is a place of meditation, quiet, spirituality, art, poetry– one can only look at nature, even in this managed way, and marvel at its beauty.
Because Japan has always been a small, crowded island, people have created a place to go, mentally or spiritually, to escape the tumult of the ordinary world. They can create the most magical garden in a tiny bit of space. Thanks, Mona Lisa, for reminding me of the Moss Garden, a perfect refuge from today’s crazy world.
HI everybody~~ love the pictures, AKM.
Somber day.
Yesterday someone was worried about Fox’s Acorn thing — here’s Media Matters take on it. Very interesting.
http://mediamatters.org/research/200909100058
Does anybody else find a ‘training’ mission by the coast guard near the Pentagon (where the President is giving a 9/11 speech) just a little fishy? No one else seems to have been notified about it, causing a lot of confusion on the news…anyone hear anything?
Dr. Judy Woods information about 9/11……..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14eCPV0PhfI
With the focus on Jackass Joe Wilson, surely the latest fatwa from Wasilla’s Village Idiot must come today.
It was just about now, eight years ago, that I first heard. It was terrible in many ways. The one I think of now is how it destroyed my hopes for the 21st century being the one where we get it right, the one where we figure out how to keep the peace. And the reactions, plus the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq, ground every last glimmering of that hope into the ground.
On the 4th of November of last year that hope rose again like a phoenix from the ashes and I remembered that the last calls made by those lost in the Towers and on the planes, were those of love. They called their loves ones and said goodbye and I love you. When facing their last moment that was the only thing worth holding on to: Love.
Wow…another excellent article, this time about Rep. Wilson (you know, the shout out “liar”). This one really needs to be read by every voter in SC!
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/09/10/joe-wilson-s-dirty-health-care-secret.aspx
Ok – last post before I trundle off to begin my “day of service” ( just to tick off Palin and the lunatics I’m going to help LOTS of people today. take THAT!)
A piece by Hunter Thompson written the day after 9/11. He hit predicted everything dead on. (although he makes mention of 20K killed in the attack. Were the initial numbers coming out of the media really that high? I remember them being inflated initially but didn’t think by that much)
http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=1250751
>>>The towers are gone now, reduced to bloody rubble, along with all hopes for Peace in Our Time, in the United States or any other country. Make no mistake about it: We are At War now — with somebody — and we will stay At War with that mysterious Enemy for the rest of our lives.
It will be a Religious War, a sort of Christian Jihad, fueled by religious hatred and led by merciless fanatics on both sides. It will be guerilla warfare on a global scale, with no front lines and no identifiable enemy. <<<
I live about 1 hour east of Ground Zero. I personally know dozens of people who immediately dropped everything and went to NYC to help in anyway they could. Thousands upon thousands of people from all around left their homes to do the same. It is entirely appropriate to observe this day in that spirit of coming together to help, comfort and support each other.
There are people in the world who need to cling to their negative emotions. Fear, anger, anxiety, mistrust… that’s all they know and are comfortable with. It’s as if, should they let down their guard for even just a moment, the whole world will just self-destruct around them or something, so they constantly look for shadows. I have a sister like that. There is no trying to change them. Reacting to her baloney with anything other than a totally calm demeanor only escalates her negativity, but if you keep your tone level and state your perspective matter-of-factly, the tempest in a teacup often fades away….
Oh, my… I just had an epiphany. That’s why Obama is responding to all the stupidity the way he is! I mean, I’ve known that his goal is to smooth the divisiveness and move the country forward as a whole, but I just realized that he’s doing on a vast, grand, national scale; is what I do micro-cosmically at Christmas!
(sigh)
(:,’:) <- Best I can do is virtual-choco-chip
lilady NY, yes, thank you for those words. And let’s remember the damaged health of those who helped in the rescue, those who now suffer lung damage, do they have health care coverage?
As I sit here remembering that day, eight years ago, when I stood at the window of my midtown office and watched the Twin Towers, I mourn the loss of my 300 colleagues who perished in both buildings where we had downtown offices. I mourn the suffering of those who were there and survived. I mourn the suffering of the woman who’s son was vaporized and she has not a trace of him to put to rest.
I am reminded, too, of the suffering of innocents – mothers and children all over the world who do not deserve death by terrorism or war – and I mourn their pain as well.
With that in mind, I am sending out thoughts and prayers to all who suffered and are still suffering the loss of loved ones on this day. I am sending out thoughts and prayers for all those who stepped up to help without a thought for their own safety or suffering. I am sending out thoughts and prayers that we could remember and relive the feeling of national and global unity we shared at that moment and work to keep it alive every day of our lives.
what absolute beauty. Thank you so much!
Palin does not deserve to be from such a beautiful place. Under the outhouse, maybe but not in the beauty surrounding it!
Just returned from a fabulous vacation in San Francisco, Nevada and Yosemite followed by a Labor Day weekend jaunt to Maryland and West VA.
While riding pillion on a nimble hippo Honda Goldwing (rented) motorcycle over Sonora Pass (9800+ feet high), the air smelled like vanilla! The clarity of the blue sky was amazing. Here on the East coast, we rarely get blue skies like that. We meandered through the Mariposa Grove of redwoods in Yosemite and it is extraordinary.
AKM, you have astounded us again with your artist and philosopher’s eye. Please do consider a book of photos. It would be an enormous success.
A good read on Huffington Post about health care: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evan-handler/have-you-no-decency-sir-a_b_282395.html
In my humble opinion, well worth a little viral action.
Thanks Monalisa for the info about the calendar. I’m still going to buy one cuz I really like the photos and it’ll be nice to have a compilation.
But I really, REALLY would love one with AKM’s photos. R E E E A L L Y
BuffaloGal: That calendar you linked to is the end-result of a photo contest we had on the forum. Those photos were taken by everyone BUT Akm! Here’s the thread to see all the entries, if anyone new to the ‘flats is interested: https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,4515.0.html
But maybe if we poke her enough, AKM’ll make us one of her own! 😉
(*poke*)
Ok – Only a group of people that are absotively and thoroughly brain washed could spin helping others in to being an unpatriotic action:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-11-911-spirit-service_N.htm?csp=34
>>>Today, service volunteers will join family members to read the names of the fallen in a ceremony near Ground Zero. Across the nation, tens of thousands will volunteer to serve — some in projects with organizations such as AARP and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, some with a personal good deed.
But the day of service has prompted a day of rage on the political right. Some commentators accuse Democrats and liberals of using the occasion to hijack 9/11’s meaning for their own agenda and downplay the anniversary’s implicit reminder of the terrorist threat.
Writing last month in The American Spectator, a conservative political magazine, columnist Matthew Vandum bemoaned attempts to change 9/11 “from a day of reflection and remembrance to a day of activism, food banks and community gardens.”
WTF !?!!?! That’s just plain crazy talk! People are helping others IN rememberance and BECAUSE they’ve reflected and found in their hearts and souls a need to give back in order to not feel so helpless in a world gone mad.
I need a cookie .
I LOVE these photos!!!! (I’ve wanted a ‘moss garden’ for YEARS, since I saw a pic of the Moss Temple in (Kyoto?) Japan. http://babibubebo.com/2006/07/04/kokedera-moss-garden-temple/
I must admit that this is the first time that I have ever read about “breathing the way people were meant to breathe” while reading a post about an outhouse.
@22 Aussie Blue Sky – loved the video (very adorable) , added my name to the list, clicked in to the inside of the site and then became thoroughly depressed when I saw the running counter calculating the amount of rain forest that is being destroyed with each passing moment. I couldn’t take seeing it racing like that. I fled !
sometimes I think the only hope for this planet is for God to shake us up like a snow globe and let us rebuild from the ground up. (not a noah’s flood sort of thing but enough of a shake to get everyone’s attention )
wandering away and reminding myself that cocktails are NOT the breakfast of champions….
Wow AKM, thank you! That was delightful!!! Almost as good as being there with you, thanks for taking us along. It’s amazingly beautiful. You need to treat yourself (and us, lol) to a get away more often.
I confess I don’t care to get up close and personal with rainforests (leeches creep me out) but I do understand the necesseity of them. So do all the famous people in this very cute video.
http://www.rainforestsos.org/
Don’t forget to add your name – it will be going to Copenhagen.
Looselips: I think the automatic bidding works like this: I decide the most I am willing to pay for something. Then, Ebay automatically bids for me up to my maximum. There may be someone who has made $50,000 their max, so ebay bids for them until it reaches the max.
Can you stand more Palin insanity on ebay? Gotta hand it to these internet entrepreneurs! Here are auctions for domain names simply BASED on some of SP’s sliced and diced word salads (I quote):
“Sarah Palin speeches first described average Joe Six Pack and then Joe the plumber. Now in her latest speeches we have “Doug the Barber and Christine the Florist, and Cindy the Citizen and Vickie the Realtor.”
It goes on to offer vickietherealtor.com, plus the other names mentioned, for a mere $5,000 EACH.
And, for the rest of us, there’s the domain sarahpalinsucks at $725. A bargain!
Thanks, BuffaloGal!
Looselips:
Some bidders up themselves over and over to make sure they have the highest bid and to “scare” off other bidders–I’ve seen this happen many times with antique dolls. You can submit as many bids as you like in whatever increment you want; some people I know have submitted 20 bids, one after the other. Doesn’t make much sense, but . . .
And “shill” bidding isn’t allowed on the ‘bay–having friends or associates bid up your item to raise the price and create interest. Just sayin’–wink, wink!
If you have an ebay account, it’s sometimes interesting to lurk around their seller boards and see what’s happening in the community. Should check and see if this Palin dinner has raised any comments (or eyebrows) there.
BTW, in doing an auction search for din-din with Ms. Wonderful, I ran across an SP bobblehead doll for $25.46 (buy-it-now), a “presidentsarahlpalin”domain name for $700,000 and a “cariboubarbie” domain name for $5,000. Hey, the holidays are comin’! 😉
I was just reading a blurb about Andy Halcro running for Congress as a Republican.
It’s hysterical that he’s running on Yon Dung’s last campaign slogan – “Seniority matters” – given that Dung’s own party ripped his stripes off him.
Seems to me also too that if it’s a good idea to send Congress a younger person with some integrity left intact, then somebody should be looking for one who doesn’t have to learn in a hurry how to spell Democrat.
Well color me happy ! I just figured out that there IS a calendar of AKM’s photos – http://www.cafepress.com/mudflats.339546033
Absolutely ordering one (or two!) for 2010.
Can’t wait to get my desktop monitor back. Never thought of using the photos as screensavers. Thanks BlancheMadison.
I think I’m going to try breaking away from Palin, the fringe right lunacy and health care for today. Focus instead on my community stuff where I can see my efforts take some sort of form. The crazies are making me feel like I’m just beating my head against a wall and not making a dent (except in my own head!)
That calendar was from the winners of the Forum photo contest we held last year. I am actually thinking of putting together a couple calendars that will be available in the Mudflats Shop. Just figuring out the logistics, and wrestling with graphics programs. AKM
Picture #3 and picture #6 = screen savers.
Just gorgeous!
dowl @ #3
Moose are called the same as cattle. Males are Bulls and females are Cows.
LOL… a cow called Sarah…..
whoa… did I just say that out loud?
need to get that fixed….
Another wonderful start to my day with those photos – what serenity!
Samper – looking forward to reading all about your jaunt. Tried the chat room last evening but storm in this area kept cutting my internet off.
www dot alternet dot org has a great article on Joe the Goober today:
14 Things You Need to Know About Obama Heckler, Rep. Joe Wilson
Not surprisingly, he has quite a bit of racist behavior in his past, but more importantly, he’s got his military benefits for life, but has a ZERO rating on voting for benefits for our veterans – yet he was in favor of the Iraq War – what hypocrisy with his “I’ve got mine but I don’t care if you have yours” attitude.
@#7 Looselips – regarding e-bay bidding – a bidder can set a maximum amount he/she wants to bid, and the bidding goes up in increments (don’t know what it is on this listing) but on smaller things it goes up anywhere from a quarter to a dollar or whatever, and then the person that was outbid will automatically go up again by the set increase, and that goes over and over that way, until the preset amount is reached, then that person is out of the bidding unless the max is upped again. I hadn’t caught that 666 but it does put a new line of thought on the bidders, eh?
agreed with Buffalogal… the faeries and elfins were definitely there…they just make it so you can’t see them. But they made sure you saw the good stuff.
thanks for sharing this paradise.
magical forest
It’s a testament to your abilities that your photos this morning make me want to add an outhouse to my “list of places to visit” .
And I’m quite sure the elves and fairies were nearby. That is absolutely elf country.
As many have said, I’d love to see a calendar or notecards made from you photos.
Incredible scenery, incredible photography. It’s hard to realize there are scenes like this when you see the pictures of the “mountains’ majesty” and huge sky. But this is as much Alaska as those mountains are.
It looks magical. Thank you!
AKM: I am a huge fan and think you have a great career ahead of you in writing and photography. This series is indeed magical. Thank you.
I am not familiar with how ebay bidding works, but looking at the dinner with Sarah Palin, I have noticed that there are four bidders and some are bidding against themselves. Also what is the meaning of “automatic ” bidder? And why are they bidding in sixes? 666??
Sigh – beautiful forest. Except for the size of the trees we have forests like that too, but it’s been a long time since I played in them. feeling old. Must find the time to get out and smell the green.
Welcome back Samper
@HonestyinGov – Yes! it is like a Lord of the Rings forest.
As you browse through stories in the net, be aware of stories or rumors about the right-wing wackos and some of their targets. Don’t let their smears and innuendos get hold and pick up steam. Just because they might seem irrational on the surface to us, beware. Theses are immoral people who will stop at nothing to discredit or smear good people.
Beck and His cabal are just part of them. They have an agenda.
“In this past Sunday’s liveblog, I made note of the fact that Fox News contributor Bill Kristol “set up Valerie Jarrett as the right’s next target of insane hounding.” And lo, as predicted, here are your friends at World Net Daily leading the way:”
“In other news, there’s mounting suspicion that Glenn Beck’s next target will be FCC “Diversity Czar” Mark Lloyd. Conservatives are driven by the fear that Lloyd, having co-authored an article titled “The Structural Imbalance Of Political Talk Radio” may want to reinstate the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.” ”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/10/iworld-net-dailyi-targets_n_282699.html
I have never seen any of the “Lord of the Rings” except for little snippets or from various commercials for the movies.
These pictures truly look like they belong in a world of fantasy and make believe where your imagination can run wild…. truly a ‘ magical ‘ feeling.
The XGINO had a secretarial staff and seems to have found one for her FaceBook rants…what’s a female moose called (no, not Brenda)?
Glad to see you back safe and sound. Brian appears to have had a really great time being carried around like royalty. Who needs thumbs anyway?
How timely a piece. I just finished my own outhouse last weekend. It has a lovely view of the lake, but no elevated boardwalk. I’m jealous.
Gorgeous, as always, AKM!
Man… I have ALOT of catching up to do, but a quick review of comments reveals SP is up to her old tricks of ‘makin’ stuff up’ and having others speak for her (facebook).
Going to try for a few more hours of sleep and will then do Brian’s trip report. He doesn’t have opposable thumbs and can’t type, so I have to do it for him.
He is SUCH a diva! What other moose do you know that has a secretarial staff???
Oh, do start a thread on the Forum and link there from a blog comment so everyone can have a place to go to comment and discuss! Welcome back! AKM
The elves were merely allowing you to enjoy yourself. 😉