Longest day, shortest night

We got to the mountains before sunrise, which basically coincided with the exact moments of the solstice, and found a good place to set up. It was a great morning. We chanted, consulted the oracles, read poetry and feasted. We stayed almost 3 hours then went to a coffee shop to discuss and read more poetry and settle on an new project. Excellent morning.





















I recently learned that Tony Seldin the Vagabond Poet died so we included a remembrance of him this morning as well. I met Tony at a poetry reading in Ashland Oregon several years ago and, naturally, we became one of the friendly houses along his road. Tony was unique, a true underground legend, a poet hitchhiking with a bust of Einstein and about a ton and a half of poetry books, scrapbooks and tattered posters from Haight Ashbury's glory days. Mr. Lee found the article. We've both been wondering why he hadn't showed up here since we moved to Nevada. Now we know. Ramble in peace, Tony.






Door near the coffee shop.














What a day. The PETA chicken was in Carson City today to picket the KFC and got friendly waves from some, criticism from others. The usual. KFC must be the 13th hell in hell's underside. Even the Dali Lama has petitioned KFC to stop their gratituous cruelty with no success. If you have a heart, don't eat there.



I'm going in for knee surgery in the morning, torn minescus and possible ACL replacement. It's the knee I injured skiing this spring. Not much warning, it got scheduled on Monday, but sooner the better so it's a another early morning so g'night.











Tony Seldin Vagabond Poet summer solstice peta chicken

Summer Solstice

The summer solstice is tomorrow at 05:26 PST and a friend is coming over at 4:30 in the morning so we can get out to the mountains in time to do a little improvised solstice celebration as the sun rises. Right now, I'm making a list of things I want to bring.

So far I've got:
1) poetry
2) I Ching
3) Runes
4) 2 new red candles
5) a gift
6) kartals
7) something to sit on

I'll post more about it later but right now, gotta go. I have a hundred things to do today.









summer solstice poetry ritual

Crow's lunch - Adventures in the Bird Park

Another day, another treat, another 30 seconds and there she was. Didn't see the binocs though. She must leave them in her perch.

The change game

There's an excellent article at DailyKos today by Steve G. that digs below the surface differences between our political left and right and helps clarify why it's so impossible to penetrate conservative blockhead stupidity. As Lakoff pointed out in "Don't Think of an Elephant", we use very different criteria to select "facts" from the overwhelming, chaotic sensory overload (life) surrounding us.

In case you don't bother to read it, here's an excerpt that pretty much sums up the basic idea:

"Conservatives Look at "Who" and Liberals Look at "What"
Indeed, the terms conservatives and liberals are the wrong terms to use here. They indicate political left and right, but that's not what is at issue here. What we are really talking about here is authoritarianism vs. anti-authoritarianism.

authoritarian conservative liberal Lakoff

Crashing the Gate

Karl Rove takes this book seriously. He read and studied it because he is determined to crush the progressive net roots, grassroots rise of people powered politics. Crashing the Gate is written by Markos Moulitsas who started DailyKos and Jerome Armstrong, founder of MyDD.com. I ordered today. If they have a plan, I want to read it.

Even though they are corrupt, ridged and inept to the core, the one thing these bastards do well is manipulate public opinion. And, as back-up, they control the voting machines so no matter how very wrong they are, it's going to take a huge, collective effort to kick these losers to the curb.









crashing the gate karl rove people powered politics jerome armstrong politics election markos moulitsas

Bean Paste Party

It's still early, my favorite part of the day. It's not hot yet so, although the blinds are closed to keep the light out, the doors and windows are still open to let the morning's still cool air circulate through the house. As it gets hotter, we'll close everything up. This knocks at least 10 degrees off the temperature. We don't like air-conditioning so, although I miss the radiant desert light, the cave-like afternoon has a comfort of its own.

I'm throwing a Red Bean Paste Party in the Bird Park today. Whenever we go to Vegas we stock up on vegetarian delights in Chinatown. Among other delectables, such as soya "duck" for which Mr. Lee has a hound-like craving, we get red bean paste steam buns. The problem is that we both prefer grabbing something quick and grazing over our keyboards so even the task of steaming a pastry first is often just too much, especially for me given that I get very nervous trying to time the bun so it gets steamed just right. As a result, these frozen treasures sometimes end up freezer burned before we get around to them.

But the Bean Paste Party is a great success. The first blobs disappeared instantly. I didn't even see who got 'em so I put out a bit more but not too much, I hope. I don't want some sugar drunk crow cackling from the top of the street light all afternoon waiting around for more. I'll save the rest for the afternoon. There's a little black bird who's been dropping by at twilight looking for a bedtime snack. Red bean paste will blow his birdy mind.

Saturday Matinee - double header

Today, you're in luck.
It's a double header and
a newreel. I suppose to
make it a proper matinee
I should also have a cartoon
so, if I remember, I'll have
one for next time.


Newsreel
RENO NEVADA, June 17
There's more going on in Reno's downtown casino district that you might expect such as this event that occurred this afternoon along the banks of the Truckee River as it meanders through the middle of the biggest little city in the world.





Now on to the first of today's double feature:
Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories (Dave Chapelle Show)

The second video is at Google. I know that extra click is a lot of work,
and it's a piece by Billy Collins,
but chances are you will find it was well worth your time and effort.



Forgetfulness

Dave Chapelle Show poetry billy collins charlie murphy saturday matinee