Exxon Profits WAAAAAY up...

Can someone please explain to me why the war in Iraq has nothing to do with oil... when ALL of the oil companies are enjoying HUGE profits... the military camps during the invasion of Iraq were each named after different U.S. oil companies... and the most of the Bush regime came from the oil sector... and some of the closest pals of the Bush family are Saudi oil men?

I guess I'm just an ignorant liberal weenie who's just a few eggs short of a crate... but for some reason none of the neo-"con" story has ever computed for me. Can someone please enlighten this poor wayward lib?


Oh! Above is a cellphone snap of the giant cup of coffee I drank this morning at Seatle's best. ;-)

What Dreams may Come

I watched this movie "What Dreams May Come" again the other night... caught it late at night, but I have the DVD. I know this movie didn't do all that swell. And that people seem to hate Robbins Williams doing anything other than comedy, but I really enjoyed it. I think most people just pigeon-hole actors and anytime they try to break out of their "place"... the general public just has a cow. They can't seem to adapt to change or experimentation. They just want things a certain way, and they don't want it to ever change. That's probably why the U.S. is in such a societal pickle right now.. but I digress.

About the movie, much of it takes place in Heaven and Hell. One of the points made in the movie is that in heaven you can litterally create whatever heaven you like... with paint, angels, flying dogs, etc. The film's design and cinematography is pretty outstanding too, but I think some didn't like the maudlin vibes reverberating throughout the story.

I've seen this film many times and enjoy it every time. But THIS time, it really hit home about how you can create your OWN heaven. And it got me thinking (ouch!)... you don't really have to die first to create your own heaven. You can create your own heaven right here on Earth everyday with just a change in attitude (barring any unforseen "acts of God" and all). :-)

You know.. seeing the Universe in a grain of sand.. and "the kingdom of Heaven is within you.." kind of stuff.

Gloves

The other day I was telling a friend of mine how surprised I was my fingerless, leather motorcycle gloves didn't really smell that bad. Just still smelled like leather to me. This is considering they've seen 15 thousand miles that included much of Mexico and the Baja. And, have been frequently soaked in sweat, taco juice, you name it.

I asked her to take a big sniff and she said agreed they didn't smell "bad"... just that they smelled like flesh, gasoline, "man sweat", and oil. Kinda made me wonder if these old beat up gloves could be a metaphor for something? Or, perhaps my old nose just don't work no more and I should consider giving up cigarettes. ;-)

get off your computer! boost your bain-power

Here I sit on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Austin, Texas. I have a motorcycle and it's about 85F. So why am I sitting here updating my blog? Out of pure love for my audience of course. (an audience of 0 it seems) ;-)

Someone asked me why I was reading a book the "old fashioned" way and not on computer. I told them for some reason I just can't read long tomes via computer. For some reason the ol' synapse don't seem to connect as well as with a paper version. I wonder why that is? Possibly just learned behaviour, but I do notice my brain seems to kick into gear much better if I try to read the old school method for a half hour or so every day. I don't get the same effect when I read via computer.

Then I ran accross this article: Boost your brain power at work. It says being obsessed with text messaging, email, blogs, etc. actually drops your IQ a few points. More so than marajuanna! Go figure. So that's what my problem is. I guess I'll just have to put away this machine and go ride a "real" one for the afternoon.

The photo included is from a several week odyssey I took on a dual-sport motorcycle from Texas through Mexico, the entire Baja, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, New Mexico, etc. This particular photo I took almost at the bottom of the Baja in the desert near Todos Santos. If you're not up to getting out in the world at the moment and would rather read on-line, check out my "Skip's Mexican Motorcycle Blog". I haven't got it all up yet... and it's best if you start from the beginning.. but, I'm told it's a good read. ;-)

Surrender

I've been angry... I fight with conservatives who don't seem to hold their leader accountable for anything... just flollow and support no matter what. I get angy with those liberals who actually do oppose such blatantly heinous acts by our current (corporate-controlled/fascist) government... because they can't seem to pick their battles very well... nor, can they provide much better alternatives in leadership. I get frustrated with the news media for now treating news as a commercial commodity and spinning whatever story the highest bidder wants spun. I used to get angry with people who just turn a blind eye and pretend everything's just fine if they don't see it... but.... at the end of the day.... I surrender. All I want to do is watch another sunset along the riverwalk in Sevilla.... Oh, and "buy the world a coke." ;-)


Sevilla, Spain

Blinders, Routine, et. al.

Ok, now it seems after all the time spent traveling in Mexico on a motocycle... the vibe has waned. Now, I'm back in a "routine" again. Accept now it seems different. Now it almost seems more like a protective measure or defense mechanism against the "real world".

Is it just me, or does it feel like the general level of world-wide mahem is climbing a bit more? Isn't it starting to feel like everything's about to REALLY start to unravel and then a new plague (Avian Flu) is really going to knock the human race down a few pegs? I try to get lost in the banality of the "routine"... but every now an then I wake up and see a HUGE storm headed our way.

Maybe it's just too early and I haven't had my coffee yet. ;-) So, for now, here's a happy photo I shot in Calcutta, India to brighten your day. :-)

Guatemalan Tragedy at Lake Atitlan

So, I guess I've been watching too much news lately. I woke around 3AM and just couldn't go back to sleep. I started thinking about all those poor people in Guatemala that were just covered up by a volcanic mudslide.

Evidently the Guatemalan officials aren't even going to try and dig them out. They're just going to declare the area that used to be a quaint little town... a mass grave.

Now, you hear this sort of thing happening off and on.. but usually you can just let it pass over and go on with your life. But, I've been to these villages on at least three occasions and I can't get the images out of my head. Guess tragedy hits a bit harder if you have at least some personal connection with the place. But, if you don't.. it's sort of filed away in the abstract.

This is an image I shot at lake Atitlan during better days. I know the lake is surrounded by volcanoes so I'm not sure if the one in the background is the same one that gave way burying those people. It's such a lovely place... and a popular traveler destination. I hope the tourism doesn't disappear with the town. :-(

Fwd: From: 5124134951 Msg:It was a hoax. Are you surprised?

smitten

jeez luiz!!! I've kinda become quite obsessed with this blogging business. Does that happen to everyone? I wonder.

I also wonder if I'm this obsessed with it now with NO comments ;-)... how obsessed will I be if anyone actually starts reading them?

Well, off for a motorcycle ride... and maybe a little wine.

Just found a nice travel blog

Just found a cool travel blog that I might use as a model for future travel blogs. I'm wondering if the guy is just like me and doing it for the love of it.. or, if he get's paid to do this.

Oh how cool would it be if someone actually paid me to do what I love and do anyway?

World Scott Travel Writing

Its uery odd to be blogging to myself. Like documenting someone talking to themself. But it does seem to make you feel somewhat less alone... even if your company is merely your "self". ;-)

Just sitting having coffee wondering.

Just keeping it fresh

Well, I think I've been bit by the blog bug. Just discovered them Friday and now on Monday I have 3 blogs. ;-)

A feeling has dawned on me recently. For years now, I have fought against Bush. I've railed against these fascists every chance I could get. I loathe to even see any of this cronies faces in the press... and dreamed of there ultimate "outing" as lying criminals.

fI couldn't see how anyone could get behind these people and support them. Even the religious, evangelical types... how the hell could they support a "war president"? That was REALLY beyond me.

But now that many of these folks are starting to catch on and realize what a monster they've been supporting... now that George's polls are falling and his support base crumbling... now that even many of his loyal pundits are cursing his name.... instead of happy, I kinda feel sad. Even more sad than having to swallow that some people supported a fascist. I'm more sad now because it doesn't really matter so much that these blind followers are finally waking up. The damage has been done. We're hated, trapped in a war, all the weathly have been payed up with record profits, companies like Halliburton will be busy for many years, everyone Bush sold us out for are happy and nothing will take that away from them.

But all of us, regardless of whether or not any kind of impeachment takes place are still left holding the bag, the bill, and pain.

They royally screwed over most of us, and appear that they and their wealthy pals will get away with it regardless.

Text message from cell.

not sure what direction to go with this...

Ok, now I see I can post video, phoned-in audio, audio clips, emailed
postings like this one, photos, or just browser-based test, etc.

Now, should I just put EVERYTHING in this one blog? Or, should I
create a blog for photography, and abstract audio blog, a video blog,
another for a journal-type thing, a travel one, and maybe one that
progresses like a book?

Do you think it's better to break it up with each blog having links
to the other blogs? Or, just dump it all into one blog?

Thoughts?

Skip

Post from email

Test to post via email.

video test