Just received this e-mail. Was not even aware of bombings in Thailand.
"After receiving a few e-mails about our safety let me just reasure everyone that Cindy and Allen are totaly fine, healthy and in good spirits although feeling a little sad about the people living in Southern Thailand. We left Southern Thailand about a week ago so the 41 little message bombings did not hurt a lot of people but they were meant to scare off foriegn tourists and the evil education system that fundimentalists hate.
We are now in Georgetown, Penang Island, Malysisa in a predominantely Muslim Area with great Indian Food. We are the only Americans we have seen in five days - we will be pointing at westerners when we return to Bangkok tommorrow. While in the south we started a working relationship with a tsunami survival group of mostly Muslim women. We are very happy to start importing their goods through the help, development work and guidence of one of the oldest Fair Trade groups ThaiCraft who are the goods and coop developer and exporter of these Saori crafts. These people will now need even more help since tourism was their primary income 2 years ago - pre tsunami - and these mini-bombings are not much help. But we will be home soon - 20th- and after 12 days of jet-lag will be coherent again. (Doctors claim one hour of time change takes a day of recovery and that has been our experience. Although some claim I have been jet-laged for two years straight!!! )
See you soon. Allen"
16 June 2006
14 June 2006
Hurricane Alberto
The night Alberto came ashore I heard a loud crack, which I assumed was thunder. I thought it was odd that I did not hear thunder again, but it was the middle of the night, so I went back to sleep. Yesterday, during my lunch hour, I walked around the house to look for fallen limbs and found this--
A tree almost fell on the house. Leaning on the house like a pathetic drunk would be a closer description. Can not see much in the way of actual damage at this point, so we got off lucky this time.
About as much damage as Allen did with the truck when we first moved in. And it is on Rob's side, so my only worry is the leaky fireplace (the plastic bag fix did not work). The landlord needs to have the roof fixed anyway.
* * *
No other news at this point, just looking forward to Rich's 4th of July party. Once again, Adam is coming to visit, and hopefully we can persuade him to stay with Allen or Chrissy, and not sleep in his car or the Progressive Center couch. And of course, food, booze, and enough fireworks to liberate a small country.
A tree almost fell on the house. Leaning on the house like a pathetic drunk would be a closer description. Can not see much in the way of actual damage at this point, so we got off lucky this time.
About as much damage as Allen did with the truck when we first moved in. And it is on Rob's side, so my only worry is the leaky fireplace (the plastic bag fix did not work). The landlord needs to have the roof fixed anyway.
* * *
No other news at this point, just looking forward to Rich's 4th of July party. Once again, Adam is coming to visit, and hopefully we can persuade him to stay with Allen or Chrissy, and not sleep in his car or the Progressive Center couch. And of course, food, booze, and enough fireworks to liberate a small country.
29 May 2006
Pvt. George R. Dow-8th New Hampshire Volunteers
Memorial Day was originally created to honour the Civil War veterans, so this post is dedicated to my great-great grandfather's older brother, George Dow. He was the second son of Simon Dow, a shoemaker in Hampstead, NH, and was born in 1842. He enlisted in the 8th NH on 31 Dec. 1861, and his regiment was assigned to Gen. Bank's army in Louisiana. They were part of the campaign to cut the South off from the Mississippi by capturing Port Hudson, while Grant was trying to take Vicksburg. Dow's regiment was involved in a big assault on 27 May 1863 in which almost half of the attacking force was killed or wounded, including Dow. He died in Baton Rouge on 12 June 1863 at the age of 21, apparently from blood poisoning. According to family tradition, his mother nearly went mad with grief on hearing the news.
Unfortunately that is all we know of his story. He lingered in the Baton Rouge field hospital for two weeks, possibly undergoing some amputations before gangrene set in. We'll never know if he was an abolitionist, or a patriot, or just bored with the prospect of making shoes for the rest of his life. Did his parents know he enlisted, or did he go out drinking with friends and wake up in the camp?
On my last trip to New Orleans, I had to leave out of Baton Rouge, so I took the time to locate George Dow's grave site. Lord knows if he's had any visitors over the years. Wherever George is now, I doubt he's waiting in Baton Rouge, but I took time to brush the leaves off the grave, just to show that somebody dropped by.
Unfortunately that is all we know of his story. He lingered in the Baton Rouge field hospital for two weeks, possibly undergoing some amputations before gangrene set in. We'll never know if he was an abolitionist, or a patriot, or just bored with the prospect of making shoes for the rest of his life. Did his parents know he enlisted, or did he go out drinking with friends and wake up in the camp?
16 May 2006
Markos comments on his visit:
"Way too early next morning, I was on my way to Tallahassee. I did a lunchtime event at the Tallahassee Progressive Center, where I picked up some nicknacks at the Fair Trade Store on premises (some masks from Bali). That evening I spoke at the Florida State University law school at an event sponsored by the FSU Environmental Law Students Association and the Democratic Club of North Florida. I lucked out weather-wise. It wasn't hot."
"Way too early next morning, I was on my way to Tallahassee. I did a lunchtime event at the Tallahassee Progressive Center, where I picked up some nicknacks at the Fair Trade Store on premises (some masks from Bali). That evening I spoke at the Florida State University law school at an event sponsored by the FSU Environmental Law Students Association and the Democratic Club of North Florida. I lucked out weather-wise. It wasn't hot."
12 May 2006
Crashing the Gate
Got to meet Mr. Dailykos himself yesterday, Markos Moulitsas. He and another blogger, Jerome Armstrong of MyDD, are on a tour to promote their book, Crashing the Gate. We did not know he would be visiting the Center until Sunday, so the gang had to slap together an event at the last minute. Rich spent his own money so there would be copies of the book available to buy and to have signed, and Adrien set up a lunch gathering at his cafeteria. Despite the short notice, we had a good turnout of at least 30. After lunch, Markos gave a short talk and took a few questions before signing books. I had to leave early to get back to work, so my only contact with him was having my book signed. I have yet to hear if Rich and Allen were able to tell him anything about the Center, or if they had any substantial discussion.
The irritating thing about this is that I had been aware of the book tour for a couple of months. Before they started, they posted a list of cities they would be visiting and asked people to set up events for them. I was ready to volunteer us, but wanted to discuss it with the Center's Board first. Unfortunately, the Board has not been meeting recently, so after a week or so of trying to tell them what was happening, I went ahead and notified the tour organizers that we were interested and sent them a link to the Progressive Center website. I hesitated because the tour organizers were not very specific about what kind of events they would like to do, and what kind of input they would need from us, but I assumed they would e-mail me back to work something out.
Weeks go by and I hear nothing. Finally, I check the tour page and they announce they are not scheduling any more events, and the only listing for the Tallahassee visit was for the Leon County Democrats. Therefore, I had assumed that we had been snubbed. I have not been very active at the Center, and I thought organizing this event would be a good way to start earning my keep. It was not until this Tuesday that I learned that Markos was, in fact, coming, and it was not until yesterday that I learned how much my friends had to scramble to make it happen.
The irritating thing about this is that I had been aware of the book tour for a couple of months. Before they started, they posted a list of cities they would be visiting and asked people to set up events for them. I was ready to volunteer us, but wanted to discuss it with the Center's Board first. Unfortunately, the Board has not been meeting recently, so after a week or so of trying to tell them what was happening, I went ahead and notified the tour organizers that we were interested and sent them a link to the Progressive Center website. I hesitated because the tour organizers were not very specific about what kind of events they would like to do, and what kind of input they would need from us, but I assumed they would e-mail me back to work something out.
Weeks go by and I hear nothing. Finally, I check the tour page and they announce they are not scheduling any more events, and the only listing for the Tallahassee visit was for the Leon County Democrats. Therefore, I had assumed that we had been snubbed. I have not been very active at the Center, and I thought organizing this event would be a good way to start earning my keep. It was not until this Tuesday that I learned that Markos was, in fact, coming, and it was not until yesterday that I learned how much my friends had to scramble to make it happen.
* * *
Kim and Nichole are in town for a wedding this weekend, visiting from Chicago. Rich is trying to get them together tonight, but we may not get to spend any time with them until the big wedding party at Barnacle Bill's on Sunday.
01 May 2006
Colbert
Well, it's been a long week. Most of the time was spent cleaning the house, with a beer-powered Allen turning it into a community event. Felt like more of an intervention than a spring cleaning. Most of the clutter from our activist days is now at the Center, and I will be gradually trying to make an accessible archive out of it. For now, though, so very, very tired. I'm just going to lie back in this snow drift and rest my eyes for a few seconds . . .
I've been a fan of Stephen Colbert since he started building up steam with his new show, but after seeing his performance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, I now consider him a national hero. Bush and the media got a well deserved thrashing, up close and in person. The mainstream news is trying to dismiss Colbert as just being a comedian, but they are mistaken if they confuse proper satire with a stand-up routine.
I've been a fan of Stephen Colbert since he started building up steam with his new show, but after seeing his performance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, I now consider him a national hero. Bush and the media got a well deserved thrashing, up close and in person. The mainstream news is trying to dismiss Colbert as just being a comedian, but they are mistaken if they confuse proper satire with a stand-up routine.
19 April 2006
MySpace
In other news, I was browsing through some band sites on MySpace, and found a couple of friends who live in Chicago. I set up an account, and have been gradually running into other people. I'm not sure what else I'm going to do with it, but I've put up some pictures from recent parties.
http://www.myspace.com/house_of_kaos
http://www.myspace.com/house_of_kaos
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